Farm groups launch coalition to preserve USMCA, support agricultural trade

A coalition of 40 farm and agricultural organizations — including the Almond Board of California, USApple and the International Fresh Produce Association — has launched the Agricultural Coalition for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

The group was formed to highlight the trade pact’s importance to the U.S. farm economy and advocate for its renewal with targeted improvements.

As part of the launch, the coalition unveiled a new website and began an ad campaign in Washington, D.C.

“USMCA has significantly propelled the ag economy,” said Bryan Goodman, coalition spokesperson, in a press release. “We are not saying it’s perfect, as some changes are warranted, but we are saying it is of paramount importance to farmers that all three countries renew the agreement.”

Signed in 2018 and implemented in 2020, USMCA replaced NAFTA and has since boosted U.S. agricultural exports to Canada and Mexico, provided clearer trade rules, and established mechanisms for resolving disputes.

Under the agreement, leaders of the three nations must begin a formal review by July 2026 to decide whether to extend USMCA. Renewal would lock the agreement in place for 16 more years, with another review in 2032. Failure to reach an agreement could create uncertainty in the agricultural sector, which depends on long-term planning for crops, harvests, and exports.

“Our farmers make decisions a year or more in advance,” Goodman said. “They need the certainty of knowing USMCA is here to stay.”

The group also published the USMCA Trade Agreement Infographic, which highlights how “USMCA shapes North American trade, economic certainty, and integrated supply chains.”