The US cotton industry has called for maintaining the trade openness established in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
The American Cotton Shippers Association (ACSA) urged the White House Trade Representative (USTR) to maintain tariff-free treatment for textile and apparel products that meet USMCA requirements.
Cotton industry
From the ACSA’s perspective, tariff-free access is essential to maintaining the competitiveness of U.S. cotton against lower-cost Asian alternatives.
“Any weakening or elimination of these provisions could jeopardize the transfer of production and jobs outside North America,” it said.
Tariff-free trade keeps U.S. cotton as the main input for the textile and spinning industries in Mexico. The Mexican spinning industry relies heavily on imported cotton. In addition, the country’s factories are known for being reliable partners, with few contractual breaches.
Between August 2024 and July 2025, all cotton imported by Mexico came from the United States, totaling more than 454,500 bales of raw cotton.
This trade benefits farmers, ginners, transporters, and rural merchants in the United States, reflecting the broad economic effects of the strong cotton link between the two countries.
Trade integration
Maintaining smooth and reliable trade in raw cotton exports from the United States to Mexico is key to sustaining the integrated textile and apparel value chain in North America. Strong U.S. participation in the Mexican market is supported by product quality, consistent supply, and logistical efficiency at the border.
According to ACSA, the Trump administration’s actions to strengthen border security and immigration accountability can also strengthen the integrity of legitimate trade flows, especially for high-value agricultural products such as cotton. The association considers it essential to address both issues together.
ACSA member companies handle more than 70% of U.S. cotton sold in domestic and foreign markets, as well as more than 60% of foreign cotton traded globally.