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USMEF emphasizes protecting trade ties under USMCA ahead of 2026 review

The head of the US Meat Export Federation says safeguarding relationships with current trading partners remains critical. Dan Halstrom says, “We need to protect and grow those, and there’s no better example than USMCA.”

He tells Brownfield there’s a reason Canada and Mexico are important export markets. “For Mexico and Canada, beef and pork together, represents about 28% of our total exports,” he says.  “Agriculture is so intertwined between Mexico, Canada, and the U.S. that it’s not just beef and pork, but it’s corn, it’s soybeans, and the list goes on.”

The US Trade Representative’s office is currently hosting a public hearing on the US-Mexico-Canada agreement ahead of its review next summer. Halstrom says USMEF has already submitted its comments.

“I’m sure there’s areas where we can improve in the overall structure of the agreement,” he says. “But make no mistake, it’s a home run today for U.S. beef, pork, and lamb industries. And I include lamb in that. Lamb’s one of the fastest growing regions for them is Mexico.”

The USTR will hear testimony through today. 

The review for the USMCA is set to being in July 2026.

AUDIO: Interview with USMEF’s Dan Halstrom from 2025 Trade Talk