The USMCA agriculture review 2026 has drawn a broad bipartisan response from the U.S. Senate. On April 16, 41 senators signed a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer calling for strong protections for American agricultural market access as the agreement’s mandatory Joint Review approaches. Under USMCA terms, the United States, Mexico, and Canada must complete their assessment by July 1, 2026, and jointly decide whether to extend the agreement through 2042. The letter was led by Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) alongside Sens. Steve Daines (R-MT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Boozman (R-AR), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA).
The senators cited specific data to frame the stakes. U.S. agricultural exports reached $176 billion in 2024, making the country the world’s largest agricultural exporter. Canada and Mexico are the largest and second-largest export markets for many U.S. states. Bulk commodities including wheat, corn, and oilseeds maintain a trade surplus with both neighbors under current USMCA terms. The senators called for the review to improve — not merely preserve — those conditions for American farmers, ranchers, processors, and exporters.
USMCA agriculture review 2026 arrives at a critical moment for U.S. farm trade
The letter arrives as U.S. agricultural exports face pressure from multiple directions. Soybean exports to China are running 15 to 20 percent below normal expected levels following last year’s trade disruption. Farm income has declined for the fourth consecutive year. Fertilizer and fuel costs surged following the Iran war. In that environment, the senators argued that the stable, rules-based market access provided by USMCA is more important than ever. The integrated supply chains, streamlined compliance requirements, and science-based food safety commitments in the agreement have become core infrastructure for U.S. agricultural competitiveness in the Western Hemisphere.
The senators were direct about what they want from USTR Greer during the review. They called for continued engagement with Congress, farmers, and ranchers throughout the process. They also emphasized that the proximity of the Canadian and Mexican markets, combined with the predictability of USMCA rules, gives U.S. producers a structural advantage that a weakened or uncertain agreement could undermine. For more on the trade pressures currently facing American agriculture, Agroinformacion covered the compound impact of tariffs and export disruptions on U.S. soybean farmers entering 2026.
Full list of Senate signatories reflects broad agricultural constituency
The 41 signatories span both parties and agricultural states from across the country. In addition to the lead sponsors, the letter was signed by Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ted Budd (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Jon Husted (R-OH), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jim Justice (R-WV), James Lankford (R-OK), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Mark Warner (D-VA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Todd Young (R-IN). The original press release was published by Sen. Kevin Cramer’s office on April 16, 2026.