The U.S. agriculture industry is lobbying for a renewed free trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, saying it is imperative for rural America.
A total of 40 organizations representing farmers, ranchers, food producers, and related industries have launched what they call the "Agricultural Coalition for USMCA."
USMCA is the acronym for the U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement on Trade that covers free trade between the North American nations, including for agricultural products.
The trade deal is due for a scheduled review this summer and U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to cancel it altogether.
American farmers disagree with Trump. Their campaign, which includes advertising, research and heavy lobbying in Washington, D.C., calls for renewal of the trade pact.
The U.S. lobby group says free trade with Canada and Mexico has boosted jobs and revenue in the U.S. agriculture industry.
The heavy lobbying by the U.S. agriculture industry comes amid uncertainty about the future of free trade with Canada and Mexico.
Trump signed the USMCA trade deal during his first term in office. But is now waffling on the trade pact as a July 1 deadline to renew it approaches.
Any country can withdraw from the trade agreement with six months notice.
The U.S. agriculture group says the agreement insulates a significant portion of Canadian and Mexican exports from tariffs, which helps American farmers.
Agricultural and seafood exports to Canada and Mexico generated $149 billion U.S. in domestic economic activity in 2024, including $36 billion U.S. in wages, according to the lobby group.
The value of U.S. agricultural exports to Canada and Mexico has increased 47% since USMCA went into effect in 2020.
The lobby group plans to make renewal of the USMCA trade agreement a central issue in the upcoming midterm elections in America.
Leading U.S. agriculture companies include Deere & Co. (NYSE: $DE), Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE: $ADM), and Tractor Supply Co. (NASDAQ: $TSCO).
COMTEX_473418230/2797/2026-02-12T17:50:40