GAINESVILLE, Ga. — In September, the Office of the United States Trade Representative asked the public to comment on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement ahead of its joint review on July 1, 2026. The USMCA, which replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), is a beneficial arrangement designed to create more balanced, reciprocal trade supporting high-paying jobs for Americans and grow the North American economy, the USTR said in a release.
One of the highlights of the agreement is that it benefits American farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses by modernizing and strengthening food and agriculture trade in North America, the USTR added.
Mexico is the leading export market for U.S. broilers and turkey and the third leading market for U.S. egg exports. Canada is the leading destination for U.S. egg exports and the second leading market for both U.S. broiler and turkey exports in terms of value. Overall, it is especially important that the USMCA is successfully renewed.
Although there was no limit to the topic of the comments, the USTR asked that the public focus on:
- Any aspect of the operation or implementation of the USMCA;
- Any issues of compliance with the Agreement;
- Recommendations for specific actions that USTR should propose ahead of the Joint Review;
- Factors affecting the investment climate in North America and in the territories of each Party, as well as the effectiveness of the USMCA in promoting investment that strengthens U.S. competitiveness, productivity and technological leadership; and
- Strategies for strengthening North American economic security and competitiveness, including collaborative work under the Competitiveness Committee, and cooperation on issues related to non-market policies and practices of other countries
Industry reaction
The deadline for comments was Nov. 3, and organizations across the poultry and agriculture industries provided their input and insights. The USA Poultry & Egg Export Council, National Turkey Federation, and The Meat Institute were among the groups sharing their comments on the trade agreement.
“No mechanism has propelled the growth for U.S. poultry and egg exports as much as free trade agreements that can eliminate, or significantly reduce, both tariff and non-tariff barriers,” USAPEEC said. “The gains from NAFTA have accelerated since the negotiation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, not only preserving substantial duty-free access for U.S. poultry exports but also greatly improving sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards for all agricultural trade. USAPEEC fully and unequivocally supports the USMCA’s continuation for another 16-year term.”
“The opportunity of the USMCA review could be used to propose that Canada adopt the much easier international approach to defining a product,” USAPEEC added. “In the case of chicken, this would mean that a product made up of 50 percent or more young chicken would be a chicken product and on the [import control list.] If the product is 50 percent or more spent hen, it would not be on the ICL. Whether the chicken is cooked, par-fried, or raw meat does not matter.”
USAPEEC concluded its comments by mentioning that the renewal is the perfect opportunity to negotiate some of the terms of the agreement, but they made it clear that those negotiations should not put the continuation of the USMCA at risk.
While USAPEEC focused on the poultry industry as a whole, the National Turkey Federation’s comments were turkey focused. Overall, the NTF recognizes the value of the agreement, and supports it, but it hasn’t had the desired effect on the turkey industry.
“While we support the agreement, USMCA has not resulted in the expected predictability or growth of the U.S. turkey sector,” NTF noted. “American turkey producers are at a structural disadvantage, especially as it relates to Canada, where there is a 223 percent turkey product trade inequity between the U.S. and Canada. NTF believes that establishing a tariff-rate quota for U.S. turkey exports would strengthen the USMCA and will correct the imbalance experienced by our industry.”
“NTF believes establishing a TRQ for turkey is essential to ensuring a fair market for U.S. turkey and looks forward to engaging with USTR to further this analysis,” NTF added.
The NTF is so dedicated to renewing the USMCA with the turkey industry in mind that they clearly laid out their requests for corrective action. They are asking for:
- Adjustments to TRQ volumes in the mid-term review,
- Enforcement of proportional treatment across proteins, and
- Clear direction to Canada on equitable TRQ administration.
Due to the current bird flu outbreak and its effect on the turkey industry, the NTF also mentioned how the USMCA could benefit the fight against the virus.
“Additional opportunities exist related to regionalization agreements with Mexico on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) detection,” NTF noted. “Addressing and coordinating on HPAI challenges would reduce unnecessary trade disruption and administrative burdens.”
USAPEEC’s and NTF’s comments had a mix of praise for the agreement and suggestions on improvements, while The Meat Institute’s comments were strictly positive with no desire for any major changes to be made.
“The Meat Institute supports the USMCA’s continuation for another 16-year term,” the institute said. “Avoiding a disruptive renegotiation is vital to preserving the predictability USMCA affords to American businesses and ensures its benefits will continue to reach American food and agricultural producers, farmers and ranchers, and meat and poultry companies.”
“The USMCA is the American meat and poultry industry’s indispensable trade agreement, affirming preferential access to two of the U.S.’s largest export markets for meat, poultry, and livestock products, delivering stability and … supporting hundreds of thousands of American jobs and businesses across the rural economy that depend on robust regional trade to remain operational and sustain livelihoods,” the institute added.
The Meat Institute continued their comments by laying out the specific benefits of the USMCA.
“American farmers…and meat and poultry companies rely on imports from Canada and Mexico to complement domestic meat and poultry production, stabilize food prices…and meet consumer preferences,” the institute noted. “Imported products from our USMCA partners help combat food inflation, while minimizing pressure for U.S. meat and poultry packers and processors … whose supply chains rely on a mixture of imported and domestically sourced products to meet…demand.”
“In border states, for example, Canadian and Mexican inputs are part of local and regional food systems, and this integration ensures American companies are capable of withstanding animal disease outbreaks, cyclical regional depressions in livestock availability, and natural disasters or other weather events that could seriously impair domestic food and agriculture production in these areas,” the institute added.
The Meat Institute concluded by reiterating the importance of the USMCA and how it directly impacts the meat and poultry industry.
In addition to organizations submitting their comments, many businesses, like Tyson Foods and Cargill, told USTR how they feel about the USMCA. Tyson’s comments were similar to The Meat Institute’s in the way they praised the USMCA and Trump administration. The only difference was Tyson’s economic focus.
“Without the markets provided through the Agreement, both small- and large-scale meat and poultry industries would suffer, and prices would increase,” Tyson Foods said. “The expansion of business opportunities witnessed since the implementation of the Agreement is undeniable, thus underscoring its importance to all constituents of these supply chains — from grower all the way to consumer.”
Cargill’s comments praised the USMCA as well, but they gave more in-depth analysis of the agreement’s benefits.
“For the farmers and ranchers who tend 2 million U.S. farms, and the rural communities they sustain, USMCA has preserved and expanded opportunities essential to economic vitality, food security, and long-term investment,” Cargill said. “As the agreement approaches its Joint Review, we believe it is critical to reaffirm and strengthen the principles that have made agricultural trade a cornerstone of North American competitiveness and global economic leadership.”
“By fostering deeper collaboration, transparency, and clear rules of the road, the U.S., Canada, and Mexico can enhance regional economic security and ensure that farmers and rural communities remain at the heart of North American trade and prosperity,” the company added. “The certainty provided by USMCA enables long-term planning and investment for U.S. farmers and agribusinesses alike. For rural communities…this means greater job opportunities, improved infrastructures, and an increased tax base to support schools and public services.”
Cargill does a good job of emphasizing that teamwork between the three countries is what makes this agreement work so well.
“The agreement supports a well-integrated agricultural system where each country contributes its unique strengths,” Cargill noted.
Overall, companies and organizations are in support of the USMCA and its renewal. While some organizations like the NTF are asking for some changes, others like The Meat Institute are happy with the agreement in its current form.
We are still 8 months away from the agreement’s joint review, but the USTR will have a public hearing about the agreement on Nov. 17.
