President Donald Trump warned that the United States may not renew the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) and could potentially withdraw from it. U.S. and Mexican trade negotiators met on June 16-17, 2026, to discuss the agreement.

The USMCA came into force in 2020 and includes a requirement for a joint review every six years. The United States, Canada, and Mexico must decide by July 1, 2026, whether to extend the agreement for another 16 years under its sunset clause. Canada is not participating in the current trade talks.

In 2024, the United States imported approximately 2.1 million head of cattle from Mexico and Canada, valued at more than $3 billion. Roughly 32 million head of cattle were slaughtered in the United States during 2024. Live cattle imports into the United States decreased by more than 50% in 2025, and young cattle imports from Mexico decreased by more than 80% in 2026.

Canada and Mexico ranked second and third, respectively, among countries exporting beef to the United States in 2025, collectively exporting more than $5 billion in beef. Mexico was the third-largest market for U.S. beef exports in 2025, exceeding $1.3 billion, while Canada was the fourth-largest at $874 million. Beef was exempted from tariffs President Trump imposed on Canada and Mexico in 2025. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against President Trump's emergency tariffs earlier in 2026.

Canada imposed bans on live cattle from south Texas and New Mexico following the discovery of the screwworm parasite. The U.S. cattle herd has declined to levels not seen since the 1950s, a reduction attributed to drought conditions. The North American Free Trade Agreement, which established free trade among the United States, Canada, and Mexico, was enacted in 1994.

No independent assessment was available for this report.