Trilateral coalition highlights shared economic, trade, and food security benefits of maintaining North America’s integrated agriculture system.
Agricultural organizations from across the United States, Canada, and Mexico are presenting a unified message to governments: protect and strengthen the North American trade framework that underpins the continent’s food system.
The letter, addressed to senior trade officials in all three countries, highlights the shared reliance on a stable, rules-based system that supports farmers, agribusinesses, and food supply chains across North America.
A Shared Stake Across Borders
The call to maintain and strengthen USMCA/CUSMA reflects a broad consensus across the continent’s agricultural sector. Signatories include organizations representing grain producers, livestock operations, food processors, exporters, and agri-businesses, underscoring how deeply integrated the system has become.
Together, the United States, Canada, and Mexico form one of the largest and most competitive agricultural regions in the world, with highly interconnected supply chains that move commodities, inputs, and finished products across borders daily.
This integration has been decades in the making. Since the original NAFTA agreement, North American agricultural trade has expanded dramatically, creating a continental marketplace that supports both exports and domestic food availability.
Today, the three countries operate as both trading partners and complementary producers, with supply chains often spanning multiple borders before products reach consumers.
Economic Impact Across North America
The trilateral letter emphasizes that USMCA/CUSMA is not only a trade agreement but also a driver of economic growth, food security, and global competitiveness.
North America’s combined market of more than 500 million people and significant economic output has made it a dominant force in global agriculture, supported by seamless trade flows and common standards.
For the United States, Canada and Mexico rank among the top export markets for agricultural goods, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs tied to farming, processing, and transportation. For Canada, this includes a grain sector that exports the majority of its production.
Mexico, meanwhile, plays a critical role in supplying labour-intensive crops and serving as a key export destination, reinforcing the complementary nature of production across the continent.
Integration Supports Stability and Resilience
Beyond raw trade volumes, industry leaders stress that the real value of USMCA/CUSMA lies in the stability it provides. The agreement maintains largely tariff-free trade for most agricultural goods and supports science-based regulatory cooperation, reducing the risk of disruptions.
This stability allows farmers and agribusinesses in all three countries to make long-term decisions with greater confidence, from planting and investment to export planning.
The integrated system also helps buffer North America from global shocks, ensuring consistent food supply and competitive pricing even during periods of geopolitical uncertainty.
Unified Industry Voice Ahead of 2026 Review
The upcoming 2026 joint review is a critical milestone. While the process allows governments to assess and update the agreement, farm groups are urging policymakers to avoid changes that could destabilize trade.
Previous industry letters from both Canadian and American agricultural organizations have echoed similar concerns, stressing that even small disruptions could negatively impact farm incomes and supply chains.
The latest trilateral effort reinforces that message at a continental level, with organizations emphasizing that the benefits of USMCA /CUSMA extend across all sectors and all three countries.
Maintaining a Competitive Advantage
In a global environment marked by increasing trade tensions and competition from other exporting regions, North American agriculture relies on its integrated structure to remain competitive.
The trilateral coalition warns that weakening the agreement could reduce efficiency, increase costs, and make the region more vulnerable to external pressures. By contrast, strengthening USMCA/CUSMA would reinforce North America’s ability to compete globally while maintaining high standards for food safety, innovation, and sustainability.
July 2026 Review
As the July 2026 review approaches, the message from farm groups is clear: the success of North American agriculture depends on collaboration, not fragmentation.
For producers in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, the stakes are shared. A strong USMCA/CUSMA agreement supports exports, protects supply chains, and ensures that one of the world’s most productive agricultural regions can continue to thrive.
With a unified voice from across the continent, the agriculture sector is urging governments to preserve and build upon a framework that has delivered decades of growth, stability, and opportunity.
US Signatories to the letter include:
- Agricultural Retailers Association
- American Coalition for Ethanol
- American Farm Bureau Federation
- American Feed Industry Association
- American Malting Barley Association
- American Soybean Association
- CropLife America
- National Barley Growers Association
- National Cattle Feeders' Association
- National Cattlemen's Beef Association
- National Corn Growers Association
- National Cotton Council
- National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
- National Foreign Trade Council
- National Grain and Feed Association
- National Milk Producers Federation
- National Oilseed Processors Association
- National Pork Producers Council
- National Potato Council
- National Sorghum Producers
- National Sunflower Association
- National Turkey Federation
- USA Poultry & Egg Export Council
- USA Pulses
- USA Pulses Trade Association
- USA Rice
Canadian Signatories to the letter include:
- Canada Grains Council
- Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance
- Canadian Canola Growers Association
- Canadian Cattle Association
- Canadian Meat Council
- Canadian National Millers Association
- Canadian Pork Council
- Life Canada
- Canadian Produce Marketing Association
- Canadian Sugar Institute
- Canola Council of Canada
- CEA Alliance
- Cereals Canada
- CropLife Canada
- Fertilizer Canada
- Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada
- Grain Growers of Canada
- Pulse Canada
- Seeds Canada
- Soy Canada