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USMCA: a look at the good and improvements needed

Trade experts say non-tariff trade barriers and other ag provisions should be addressed in next year’s review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

Luis Rosendo Guiterrez, the Undersecretary of Foreign Trade in Mexico, says biotechnology, import-export efficiencies and phytosanitary processes are challenging.

“We need to be faster with these processes to reduce all the costs this implies.”

Francis Drouin, the former Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Ag and Agri-food from Canada, says an updated USMCA should reference science-based approaches to biotechnology and artificial intelligence.

And while there are tweaks needed; parts of USMCA have worked well.

“Sometimes in families we have differences, but I think the great tools we have in the USMCA are the dispute resolution mechanisms. How do we improve that moving forward?”

Former U.S. chief ag negotiator Darci Vetter says the three countries could use the updated agreement to confront trading partners who engage in unfair trading practices.

“I feel we’re at a point right now where we can take our common strategies for global agriculture, is it time to make those a more formal part of the USMCA discussion, not just our agreements back-and-forth?”

When asked how the current tariff upheaval will affect a USMCA review, Vetter says the uncertain situation could look completely different next year.

“I’m optimistic we’ll have a clearer trade policy, a more consistent one and one where the goals of any changes that have been made are clear. So at least we’re all starting from the same set of intentions and facts and understanding what that state may be.”

Rosendo, Drouin and Vetter participated in a USMCA panel discussion at the Cultivating Competitiveness Symposium on Thursday.

The USMCA is scheduled for a joint review in July 2026.