Costa Joins Bipartisan Agriculture Trade Caucus Effort to Address Mexico's Non-Tariff Trade Barriers Ahead of USMCA Review
June 11, 2026 Press Release WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21), co-chair of the bipartisan Agriculture Trade Caucus, joined fellow caucus co-chairs Reps. Adrian Smith (NE-03), Dusty Johnson (SD-AL), and Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), along with 13 of their colleagues, in urging the Trump Administration to address burdensome non-tariff trade barriers imposed by Mexico that are affecting U.S. grain exports during the ongoing review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, lawmakers raised concerns about Mexico’s National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety, and Quality subjecting U.S. grain shipments to duplicative inspections despite those shipments already meeting established phytosanitary requirements. The lawmakers emphasized that U.S. grain exports to Mexico are routinely inspected by the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) or its designated agencies, which verify shipment quality and compliance with Mexico’s import standards. Nevertheless, Mexican authorities continue to stop and reinspect grain shipments at the border under a zero-tolerance soil standard that differs significantly from U.S. practices. The lawmakers write: “In 2025, Mexico alone purchased more than $12 billion in U.S. grain and oilseed products. Currently, U.S. grain moving to Mexico is officially inspected by the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) or one of its designated agencies. These inspections confirm the grade and quality of shipments and compliance with Mexico’s phytosanitary requirements. Despite this, Mexico’s National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety, and Quality stops shuttle trains at the border and reinspects them under a zero-tolerance standard for soil, which differs significantly from U.S. practice. This has real consequences. Reinspection delays trains, increases transportation costs, and often triggers fumigation orders that can cost shippers up to $70,000 per train. Rail carriers may send cars back empty rather than risk delays, and grain companies must purchase additional train capacity to keep supply chains running. These are onerous and duplicative procedures - not science-based protections.” In addition to the Agriculture Trade Caucus co-chairs, the letter was signed by Reps. Jim Baird (IN-04), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), Michelle Fischbach (MN-07), Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), Darin LaHood (IL-16), Derek Schmidt (KS-02), Tracey Mann (KS-01), Mark Messmer (IN-08), John Rose (TN-06), Mike Flood (NE-01), Julie Fedorchak (ND-AL), Mike Bost (IL-12), and Dan Newhouse (WA-04). Click HERE to read the full letter. Issues : Agriculture Economy
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June 11, 2026 Press Release WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21), co-chair of the bipartisan Agriculture Trade Caucus, joined fellow caucus co-chairs Reps. Adrian Smith (NE-03), Dusty Johnson (SD-AL), and Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), along with 13 of their colleagues, in urging the Trump Administration to address burdensome non-tariff trade barriers imposed by Mexico that are affecting U.S. grain exports during the ongoing review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, lawmakers raised concerns about Mexico’s National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety, and Quality subjecting U.S. grain shipments to duplicative inspections despite those shipments already meeting established phytosanitary requirements. The lawmakers emphasized that U.S. grain exports to Mexico are routinely inspected by the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) or its designated agencies, which verify shipment quality and compliance with Mexico’s import standards. Nevertheless, Mexican authorities continue to stop and reinspect grain shipments at the border under a zero-tolerance soil standard that differs significantly from U.S. practices. The lawmakers write: “In 2025, Mexico alone purchased more than $12 billion in U.S. grain and oilseed products. Currently, U.S. grain moving to Mexico is officially inspected by the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) or one of its designated agencies. These inspections confirm the grade and quality of shipments and compliance with Mexico’s phytosanitary requirements. Despite this, Mexico’s National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety, and Quality stops shuttle trains at the border and reinspects them under a zero-tolerance standard for soil, which differs significantly from U.S. practice. This has real consequences. Reinspection delays trains, increases transportation costs, and often triggers fumigation orders that can cost shippers up to $70,000 per train. Rail carriers may send cars back empty rather than risk delays, and grain companies must purchase additional train capacity to keep supply chains running. These are onerous and duplicative procedures - not science-based protections.” In addition to the Agriculture Trade Caucus co-chairs, the letter was signed by Reps. Jim Baird (IN-04), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), Michelle Fischbach (MN-07), Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), Darin LaHood (IL-16), Derek Schmidt (KS-02), Tracey Mann (KS-01), Mark Messmer (IN-08), John Rose (TN-06), Mike Flood (NE-01), Julie Fedorchak (ND-AL), Mike Bost (IL-12), and Dan Newhouse (WA-04). Click HERE to read the full letter.
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