USMCA Joint Review Launches as NMPF Champions Dairy
August 4, 2026
NMPF is moving on multiple fronts to make sure the United States, Mexico and Canada advance the Review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) works as intended for U.S. dairy, building on the market access secured to date and resolving issues critical to the trade treaty’s renewal.
NMPF responded to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer’s July 1 announcement that the United States would not agree to renew USMCA in its current form by encouraging efforts to resolve dairy issues including Canadian market access and nonfat milk solids exports, as well as Mexico’s protection of common food names. The agreement remains in force while the parties work through unresolved issues; it does not lapse or terminate automatically.
NMPF’s Jaime Castaneda and Shawna Morris participated in the third round of U.S.-Mexico bilateral USMCA Review negotiations in Mexico City on July 22-23, which provided a backdrop for the eighth annual U.S.-Mexico Binational Dairy Summit held later in the month. NMPF will remain engaged as the Mexico talks continue, with the next negotiating round scheduled for early next month.
As negotiations with Canada have been progressing at a slower pace, NMPF supported a July 20 announcement from the administration that it will be imposing a 50 percent tariff on certain Canadian imports, including some dairy products, starting Aug. 19. USTR plans to impose the tariffs under Section 338 of the Trade Act of 1930, citing Canada’s discriminatory treatment of U.S. dairy exports in its decision. USTR paired the announcement with two additional Section 338 determinations on Canada’s discriminatory treatment of U.S. motor vehicles and alcoholic beverages exports.
NMPF president and CEO Gregg Doud commended USTR’s exploration of all available trade tools to address the outstanding dairy trade issues with Canada, saying the “assertive action by the administration makes clear to Canada that their dairy trade practices will no longer be tolerated. Canada simply cannot continue to discriminate against U.S. dairy farmers by effectively blocking negotiated access to its market. It is well past time for Canada to negotiate in good faith and tackle the outstanding USMCA dairy implementation issues to help drive a successful conclusion of the USMCA review.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded to the new tariffs by committing to expedited negotiations but did not rule out retaliation should trade talks fall apart.
NMPF will stay closely engaged with U.S. trade officials through every negotiating round, working to keep dairy priorities front and center and to preserve and strengthen the gains U.S. dairy has built with both neighbors under USMCA.
