“Trade, not aid” is the motto of hard-working farmers and ranchers across the country. International trade has been good for Nebraska and our agriculture. Around the world, Nebraska beef is renowned for its taste. Nebraska ethanol fuels cars across the globe. When I was Governor, I bolstered our ag exports. I led trade missions abroad to promote Nebraska beef and agriculture. This included delegations to the U.K., E.U., Japan, and Vietnam. In the Senate, I’m continuing this work on behalf of our farmers and ranchers.
During President Trump’s first term, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) free trade pact was created. USMCA is a win for Nebraska. Mexico is our largest export market. Canada is our second largest. Since the inception of USMCA, Nebraska has exported nearly $10 billion worth of goods to Mexico and Canada. The agreement increased market access for Nebraska corn, soybeans, beef, pork, agricultural machinery, steel, pharmaceuticals, ethanol, and other products. In 2025, we exported $550 million in corn, $373 million in agricultural machinery, and $164 million in autos and auto parts. This is great for our economy. It created jobs and strengthened Nebraska businesses.
Currently, the U.S. is engaging in a Joint Review of USMCA with Mexico and Canada. This is an opportunity to strengthen the agreement. We need to address concerns with market access, regulatory certainty, and market stability. For example, Mexico retroactively taxes American products. This means U.S. companies are taxed unexpectedly after they’ve sold their goods. Mexico limits access to American biotech corn. Canada manipulates tariff rate quotas on our dairy. The agreement must address these unfair trade actions. We need to level the playing field.
The Trump Administration is right to negotiate the best deal possible for America. That’s why I led the Nebraska delegation in sending a letter to United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. We need to make sure USMCA continues to support Nebraska farmers, ranchers, and businesses. This includes resolving outstanding trade concerns. It also means coordinating policies to prevent Communist China from undermining Nebraska industries. USMCA should not enable Communist China to circumvent U.S. trade policy or economic interests.
International trade is good for Nebraska and our economy. When agriculture thrives, so does the entire Nebraska economy. The USMCA has been good for Nebraska, but we can make it even better. We need to level the playing field. We need more trade security. We need to ensure our relationships with Mexico and Canada remain strong. And we need to make sure Communist China cannot undercut our interests. This is how we improve USMCA. This is how we continue to support our farmers and ranchers.
My team and I are here to serve you. Contact us anytime by phone at 202-224-4224. You can also view my website at https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/contact.