Husted joins bipartisan push to protect American farmers in USMCA review

“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.” WASHINGTON – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) joined Sens. Steve Daines (R-S.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) in urging U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to actively engage farmers and ranchers during the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) review process. The senators emphasized that the six-year joint review process should support the stability and opportunities USMCA provides to American agriculture. “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 the 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,” the senators wrote. “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 senators continued. “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,” added the senators. “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 has 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,” wrote the senators. “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,” the senators concluded. Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Jim Justice (R-W.V.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) co-signed the letter. Statements of Support: “The USMCA has been a true success story for U.S. soybean farmers, increasing market access in both Canada and Mexico while ensuring critical cross-border trade remains unhindered. ASA greatly appreciates the leadership of Senator Daines, Klobuchar, and Boozman in leading this letter to USTR and shining a bipartisan spotlight on the importance of USMCA to American farmers and ranchers,” said Scott Metzger, Ohio soybean farmer and President of the American Soybean Association. “Canada and Mexico are the two of 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 Ohio corn grower and National Corn Growers Association President Jed Bower. The full letter is here .