US agreements on reciprocal trade with four countries
(Posted on 04/03/26)
The U.S. Office of the Trade Representative (USTR) has announced frameworks for reciprocal trade agreements with several countries already in 2026, enhancing U.S. agriculture’s market competitiveness.
In January, USTR Jamieson Greer and El Salvador’s Minister of Economy Maria Luisa Hayem signed the agreement that, according to a USTR fact sheet, commits El Salvador to addressing and preventing barriers to U.S. agricultural products in its market, including fumigation requirements, facility registration, product registration and acceptance of currently agreed certificates issued by U.S. regulatory authorities.
“The U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC) is pleased to see the first agreement on reciprocal trade in the Western Hemisphere. U.S. corn and distiller’s dried grains with solubles exports to El Salvador are up 124 and 98 percent, respectively, in the first quarter of the 2025/2026 marketing year, and with the agreement signed, we hope we will continue to see a rise in trade for those products and others the Council represents,” said Ryan LeGrand, USGBC president and CEO.
Just a day later, Greer and Guatemala’s Minister of Economy Adriana Gabriela Garcia signed an agreement on reciprocal trade that included significant wins for the U.S. ethanol industry.
The agreement eliminates non-tariff trade barriers, such as restrictions on discriminatory sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and commits Guatemala to an E10 ethanol blend mandate for on-road vehicles with the intent to purchase at least 50 million gallons of U.S. ethanol annually. Guatemala is an established market for U.S. feed grains, and this agreement further strengthens the bilateral agricultural relationship between the two countries.
“The Council is delighted to see this win for U.S. ethanol producers and the entire U.S. agricultural industry, clearing the path for greater market access and generating instant demand for biofuels that will benefit both U.S. exporters and domestic producers, as well as Guatemalan consumers,” said Mark Wilson, USGBC chairman.
“Additionally, the biotechnology chapter in this agreement is significant as it mandates science- and risk-based regulations are the standard, while also protecting the grain trade from duplicative regulations and non-tariff barriers.”
Earlier this month, agreements were announced with Bangladesh and Indonesia that established commitments for purchases and expanded demand for U.S. ethanol.
The agreement with Bangladesh included a commitment to purchase approximately $3.5 billion of U.S. agricultural products, including wheat, soy, cotton and corn.
Indonesia agreed to give tariff-free access for U.S. ethanol, corn, distiller’s grains, corn gluten meal, sorghum and barley and adopt transportation fuels mixed with E5 by 2028, up to E10 by 2030 and down the line, include E20 in its fuel mix.
“The Council applauds the work The Trump Administration – including Ambassador Greer and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Rollins – continues to do to open markets around the world to U.S. corn, sorghum, barley and co-product producers and connecting them to those who want and need our products,” Wilson said.
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