A broad coalition of U.S. produce stakeholders — including producers, shippers, distributors, marketers, agriculture exporters, and retailers — has sent a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative stressing the critical importance of USMCA to the fresh produce industry. The letter arrives as the USMCA review process is actively underway following the U.S. decision not to renew the agreement on its original terms.
The produce industry is among the most USMCA-dependent sectors in U.S. agriculture. A large share of fruits and vegetables sold in American grocery stores flow through the Mexico-U.S. trade corridor under USMCA's tariff framework. Any deterioration in those terms — through new tariffs, quotas, or renegotiated rules of origin — would hit supply costs directly.
The letter signals that the industry is treating this review as a high-stakes moment, not a routine check-in. Worth watching for any USTR response or movement in the formal review timeline.