The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) is calling for a strong, long-term renewal of the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), emphasizing the trade pact’s central role in supporting North America’s grain, feed, and oilseed supply chain.
In oral testimony before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on Dec. 3, Mike Seyfert, NGFA's president and CEO, urged the administration to pursue a complete 16-year extension of the agreement with no changes to its core terms, calling USMCA an “unquestionable success” for the industry.
Seyfert highlighted that Mexico and Canada remain two of the most critical export markets for U.S. corn, soybeans, wheat, and related commodities, with Mexico expected to surpass China as the largest purchaser of U.S. grain and oilseed products.
“The economic health of North American agriculture, and the communities we support, depends on an open, predictable, rules-based trading system,” Seyfert testified.
While advocating for a clean renewal, Seyfert identified key opportunities to strengthen cross-border trade — beginning with harmonizing grain inspection procedures. He raised concerns over Mexico’s practice of stopping U.S. shuttle trains at the border for reinspection under a zero-tolerance soil standard, which differs significantly from U.S. policy. These duplicative checks delay train movements, increase transportation costs, and can trigger fumigation requirements costing up to $70,000 per train. NGFA urged USTR to use USMCA’s framework to align inspection practices and reduce unnecessary technical barriers.
Seyfert also pointed to the need for predictable, science-based rules governing agricultural biotechnology. Although USMCA includes provisions to address low-level presence (LLP) of biotech traits, the processes have not yet been implemented, creating ongoing risk for grain shipments. He called on USTR to activate the agreement’s biotechnology working group and work with both Canada and Mexico to finalize LLP procedures and ensure regulatory transparency for new technologies.
He further commended USTR’s use of USMCA’s dispute settlement mechanism to challenge Mexico’s 2023 decree restricting biotech corn, noting that the panel decision affirmed the importance of science-based trade and reinforced confidence in the agreement’s enforcement tools.
Seyfert said NGFA looks forward to collaborating with USTR, USDA, and industry partners as renewal discussions advance to ensure USMCA continues to support farmers, grain handlers, feed manufacturers, processors, exporters and the transportation networks that connect them across North America.
