Chuck Grassley

04/16/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/16/2026 16:29

Grassley, Daines, Colleagues Emphasize Support for USMCA, Urge Market Access for American Producers

04.16.2026

Grassley, Daines, Colleagues Emphasize Support for USMCA, Urge Market Access for American Producers

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sens. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) in a bipartisan letter to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer emphasizing their support for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USCMA) ahead of the agreement's six-year joint review. The senators are stressing USMCA's importance for maintaining expanded market access and certainty for American producers.

"The United States is currently the world's largest agricultural exporter, with total agricultural exports valued at $176 billion in 2024. Since the Agreement's entry-into-force, U.S. agricultural exports have increased substantially, particularly to Canada and Mexico. For many states, Canada and Mexico represent the largest and second-largest export markets. The market access achieved under USMCA is a critical component of the success of American agriculture and contributes to our secure food supply chain and to the global competitiveness of U.S. producers. Bulk commodities, like wheat, corn, and oilseeds, maintain a strong trade surplus with Canada and Mexico. Farmers, ranchers, processors, and exporters throughout the supply chain have been broadly supportive of USMCA and the certainty it provides," the senators wrote.

"American family farmers and ranchers depend on the certainty afforded by a stable Agreement. The integrated supply chains facilitated by streamlined compliance requirements, effective rules governing food safety measures, and intellectual property protections have allowed the U.S. to build a fortified trading network here in the Western Hemisphere. Our close proximity to dependable markets based on rules-based, science-driven commitments from our trading partners is critical for domestic producers," they continued.

"As preparations begin for the upcoming joint review process, we encourage continued engagement with Congress, farmers, and ranchers to ensure the agreement is improved to support U.S. agriculture and maintain strong market access for American producers," they concluded.

The letter was cosigned by 39 other bipartisan senators, in addition to Grassley and Daines.

As a strong advocate for USMCA, Grassley has spoken out about the agreement's benefits on the Senate floor:

"Canada and Mexico are two of the largest markets for American corn growers, and USMCA has been vital to making that happen. We are deeply appreciative of these senators for taking the initiative and sending this letter highlighting the importance of this agreement to America's farmers," said Jed Bower, President of the National Corn Growers Association.

"We are greatly appreciative of our allies in the Senate for supporting the renewal of USMCA, which is vital to the U.S. economy and an important economic engine for rural America. Renewing the agreement builds on the president's success, and we encourage its extension due to the vast benefits to U.S. agriculture," said Bryan Goodman, spokesperson for the Agricultural Coalition for USMCA.

Read the full letter HERE and below.

April 15, 2026

The Honorable Jamieson Greer

Ambassador

Office of the United States Trade Representative

600 17th Street NW

Washington, DC 20508

Dear Ambassador Greer,

Since its adoption, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) has generated numerous benefits for the U.S. food and agriculture sector. We recognize the value of the Agreement's six-year joint review process to ensure proper oversight, implementation, and enforcement, and we urge you to work closely with Congress and producers to ensure that this process strengthens the Agreement and reinforces certainty for U.S. agriculture. We support efforts to fully enforce the existing terms of the agreement, curb unfair practices, and address outstanding trade barriers that disadvantage American agriculture.

The United States is currently the world's largest agricultural exporter, with total agricultural exports valued at $176 billion in 2024. Since the Agreement's entry-into-force, U.S. agricultural exports have increased substantially, particularly to Canada and Mexico. For many states, Canada and Mexico represent the largest and second-largest export markets. The market access achieved under USMCA is a critical component of the success of American agriculture and contributes to our secure food supply chain and to the global competitiveness of U.S. producers. Bulk commodities, like wheat, corn, and oilseeds, maintain a strong trade surplus with Canada and Mexico. Farmers, ranchers, processors, and exporters throughout the supply chain have been broadly supportive of USMCA and the certainty it provides.

American family farmers and ranchers depend on the certainty afforded by a stable Agreement. The integrated supply chains facilitated by streamlined compliance requirements, effective rules governing food safety measures, and intellectual property protections have allowed the U.S. to build a fortified trading network here in the Western Hemisphere. Our close proximity to dependable markets based on rules-based, science-driven commitments from our trading partners is critical for domestic producers.

As preparations begin for the upcoming joint review process, we encourage continued engagement with Congress, farmers, and ranchers to ensure the agreement is improved to support U.S. agriculture and maintain strong market access for American producers. We look forward to working with you to ensure that the joint review process reinforces, rather than undermines, the stability and opportunity that USMCA delivers to America's farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.

Sincerely,

-30-

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Chuck Grassley published this content on April 16, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 16, 2026 at 22:29 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]