California agriculture and the USMCA review are drawing increased attention as farmers and agricultural leaders urge lawmakers to protect the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement ahead of its 2026 review. Growers and industry representatives say maintaining reliable access to Mexico and Canada is critical for California agriculture.
Farmers Highlight Importance of USMCA Trade
Farmers for Free Trade and Congressman Jim Costa recently held a meeting in Fresno focused on the upcoming review of the trade agreement. California Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross and representatives from several major agricultural organizations also participated.
For California farmers, the stakes are significant. Mexico and Canada are important markets for a wide range of agricultural commodities, including cotton, tree nuts, citrus, grapes and berries.
Agricultural leaders say continued access to those markets provides producers with valuable opportunities to sell their crops and supports the broader farm economy.
Tariffs Could Put Producers at a Disadvantage
Roger Isom, who represents the Western Tree Nut Association and the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association, warned that tariffs could create additional challenges for U.S. producers.
If U.S. agricultural products become more expensive in international markets because of tariffs, growers could find themselves at a competitive disadvantage compared with producers in countries that do not face the same trade costs.
That concern is particularly important for specialty crop producers, who rely heavily on export markets to move a significant portion of their production.
Agricultural groups say maintaining open and predictable trade relationships with Mexico and Canada will be important as the USMCA review approaches.
Farmers for Free Trade is holding similar roundtable discussions across the country to gather input from producers and agricultural leaders ahead of the agreement’s review.
For California agriculture, industry representatives say the goal is to ensure that any changes to the trade agreement do not undermine established markets or create additional costs for producers already navigating higher input and production expenses.
The 2026 review is expected to keep trade policy at the forefront of conversations across the agricultural sector as farmers and industry organizations work to protect access to key international customers.
Hear more about California agriculture’s concerns surrounding the USMCA review in the audio report below.