Agriculture entered the Joint Review as a conceptual-stage topic in Round 2 (June 16–17, Washington, D.C.) and remains anchored around two disputes that predate the review itself: dairy tariff-rate quota (TRQ) compliance, raised by the United States against Canada, and GMO corn and biotech crop access, raised by the United States against Mexico. Both disputes have already been the subject of completed USMCA dispute settlement panels, so the review is layered on top of an existing adjudicated record rather than opening new legal ground. [Certain]
Agriculture is a confirmed agenda item for Round 3 (July 21–23, Mexico City), placing it alongside steel and aluminum, automobiles, economic security, labor, and digital trade as one of six named topics USTR listed in its July 17 announcement.
New context since the last check: a 40-organization Agricultural Coalition for USMCA has formed, co-led by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council, specifically to press the dairy and biotech access issues through the review process. This is a stakeholder-organization development, not a negotiating-text change — the underlying disputes themselves are unchanged from the prior check. [Likely]
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ICPA’s trade law partners can help members navigate TRQ compliance, biotech import requirements, and dispute settlement exposure as this topic develops.