Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, a senior member of the Senate Agriculture and Finance Committees, joined U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) to send a letter to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer emphasizing their support of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) ahead of the Agreement’s six-year joint review and urging expanded market access and certainty for American producers.
“The United States is currently the world’s largest agricultural exporter, with total agricultural exports valued at $176 billion in 2024,” wrote the Senators. “Since the Agreement’s entry-into-force, U.S. agricultural exports have increased substantially, particularly to Canada and Mexico. For many states, Canada and Mexico represent the largest and second-largest export markets. The market access achieved under USMCA is a critical component of the success of American agriculture and contributes to our secure food supply chain and to the global competitiveness of U.S. producers. Bulk commodities, like wheat, corn, and oilseeds, maintain a strong trade surplus with Canada and Mexico. Farmers, ranchers, processors, and exporters throughout the supply chain have been broadly supportive of USMCA and the certainty it provides.”
“American family farmers and ranchers depend on the certainty afforded by a stable Agreement. The integrated supply chains facilitated by streamlined compliance requirements, effective rules governing food safety measures, and intellectual property protections have allowed the U.S. to build a fortified trading network here in the Western Hemisphere. Our close proximity to dependable markets based on rules-based, science-driven commitments from our trading partners is critical for domestic producers,” the Senators continued.
“As preparations begin for the upcoming joint review process, we encourage continued engagement with Congress, farmers, and ranchers to ensure the agreement is improved to support U.S. agriculture and maintain strong market access for American producers,” the Senators concluded.
“The USMCA has been a true success story for U.S. soybean farmers, increasing market access in both Canada and Mexico while ensuring critical cross-border trade remains unhindered. ASA greatly appreciates the leadership of Senator Daines, Klobuchar, and Boozman in leading this letter to USTR and shining a bipartisan spotlight on the importance of USMCA to American farmers and ranchers,” said Scott Metzger, President of the American Soybean Association.
“We are greatly appreciative of our allies in the Senate for supporting the renewal of USMCA, which is vital to the U.S. economy and an important economic engine for rural America. Renewing the agreement builds on the president’s success, and we encourage its extension due to the vast benefits to U.S. agriculture,” said Bryan Goodman, spokesperson for the Agricultural Coalition for USMCA.
“Canada and Mexico are two of [the] largest markets for American corn growers, and USMCA has been vital to making that happen. We are deeply appreciative of these senators for taking the initiative and sending this letter highlighting the importance of this agreement to America’s farmers,” said Jed Bower, President of the National Corn Growers Association.
“USMCA is essential for U.S. wheat farmers. It keeps key markets open, ensures fair treatment, and gives producers the stability we need to stay competitive. Mexico continues to be the largest buyer of U.S. wheat, highlighting just how important this agreement is to our industry. NAWG thanks Senators Klobuchar, Boozman, and Daines for leading this effort and for continuing to highlight how critical USMCA is for farmers and rural America,”said Jamie Kress, President of the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG).
In addition to Bennet, Daines, Klobuchar, Boozman, and Warnock, U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), John Cornyn (R-Tex.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Peter Welch (D-V.T.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jon Husted (R-Ohio), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Jim Justice (R-W.V.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) signed this letter.
The text of the letter is available HERE and below.
Dear Ambassador Greer:
Since its adoption, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) has generated numerous benefits for the U.S. food and agriculture sector. We recognize the value of the Agreement’s six-year joint review process to ensure proper oversight, implementation, and enforcement, and we urge you to work closely with Congress and producers to ensure that this process strengthens the Agreement and reinforces certainty for U.S. agriculture. We support efforts to fully enforce the existing terms of the agreement, curb unfair practices, and address outstanding trade barriers that disadvantage American agriculture.
The United States is currently the world’s largest agricultural exporter, with total agricultural exports valued at $176 billion in 2024. Since the Agreement’s entry-into-force, U.S. agricultural exports have increased substantially, particularly to Canada and Mexico. For many states, Canada and Mexico represent the largest and second-largest export markets. The market access achieved under USMCA is a critical component of the success of American agriculture and contributes to our secure food supply chain and to the global competitiveness of U.S. producers. Bulk commodities, like wheat, corn, and oilseeds, maintain a strong trade surplus with Canada and Mexico. Farmers, ranchers, processors, and exporters throughout the supply chain have been broadly supportive of USMCA and the certainty it provides.
American family farmers and ranchers depend on the certainty afforded by a stable Agreement. The integrated supply chains facilitated by streamlined compliance requirements, effective rules governing food safety measures, and intellectual property protections have allowed the U.S. to build a fortified trading network here in the Western Hemisphere. Our close proximity to dependable markets based on rules-based, science-driven commitments from our trading partners is critical for domestic producers.
As preparations begin for the upcoming joint review process, we encourage continued engagement with Congress, farmers, and ranchers to ensure the agreement is improved to support U.S. agriculture and maintain strong market access for American producers. We look forward to working with you to ensure that the joint review process reinforces, rather than undermines, the stability and opportunity that USMCA delivers to America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.
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