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NGFA says USMCA review is an opportunity to strengthen the agreement

One ag group says next year’s review of the U.S.- Mexico- Canada Agreement could be an opportunity to strengthen international trade.

Mike Seyfert, president and CEO of the National Grain and Feed Association, says the agreement remains critical for the North American food supply chain.

“When you look at the export numbers, Mexico will soon be a larger export market for grains and oilseeds than China was at its height,” he says. “It’s been a great tool, opportunity, and market for U.S. ag. We very much want to see that continue.”

But, he tells Brownfield the organization would like to see transportation challenges addressed.

“We have had some issues with inspections of trains at the border,” he says. “When those trains are flagged, that impacts the U.S. shipper. It impacts the buyer. It impacts the ability to use the train at the turn times that we want.”

Seyfert recently testified before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative alongside the American Soybean Association and the National Corn Growers Association. The groups say they would like to see a full, 16-year extension of the agreement.

The USMCA will expire in 2036, with the scheduled review set to begin on July 1st.

Brownfield interviewed Seyfert during the 2025 NGFA County Elevator Conference in Indianapolis.

AUDIO: Brownfield’s Erin Anderson interviews NGFA President and CEO Mike Seyfert