California Avocado Commission Unveils New Advocacy Video Supporting Seasonal Tariff Rate Quota Proposal
July 6, 2026 | 3 min to read
Effort Amplifies California Avocado Growers’ Priorities During the USMCA Review and Calls for Policies That Strengthen Domestic Agricultural Sustainability
Fullerton, Calif. – As the United States moves forward with the joint review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and following U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer’s announcement that the United States will not renew the agreement in its current form, the California Avocado Commission has launched a new advocacy initiative supporting the establishment of a seasonal Tariff Rate Quota on Mexican avocado imports during California’s peak harvest season.
As part of its broader advocacy efforts, the Commission has produced a new video featuring California avocado growers alongside respected voices from agriculture, food and public policy highlighting the economic challenges California avocado growers face and the importance of maintaining a strong domestic avocado industry. The video serves as an additional resource to help educate policymakers and elevate the industry’s perspective during discussions surrounding the USMCA review and ongoing federal trade policy considerations.
The proposed seasonal TRQ would apply during California’s marketing season, March through September. Under the proposal, a designated volume of Mexican avocados would continue entering the U.S. market at the standard tariff rate during those months, while imports above that level would remain eligible to enter under a higher tariff rate. The Commission believes that by reducing the market disruptions and price deterioration caused by oversupply during the California season, the TRQ would strengthen domestic food security and help ensure American avocado growers remain economically viable for future generations.
“California avocado growers are not asking to stop trade, we’re asking for the opportunity to compete fairly in our own market,” said Ken Melban, president of the California Avocado Commission. “A seasonal Tariff Rate Quota is a common-sense approach that supports a balanced market while helping preserve America’s domestic food production capacity. This video helps tell the story of our growers and illustrates why thoughtful trade policy is essential to maintaining a strong and resilient domestic avocado industry.”
In addition to advocating for a seasonal TRQ, the Commission continues to urge federal officials to strengthen and permanently incorporate robust phytosanitary inspection requirements into the USMCA to help protect U.S. agriculture from invasive pests and diseases.
“The California avocado industry has been built over generations by farming families committed to producing high-quality fruit while caring for the land,” said Rachael Laenen, sixth-generation California farmer and chairwoman of the California Avocado Commission. “We want policymakers to understand what’s at stake. Maintaining a healthy domestic avocado industry is about supporting American agriculture, strengthening our nation’s food security and ensuring consumers continue to have access to locally grown California avocados. We hope this video helps bring greater awareness to the challenges our growers face and the importance of policies that allow American agriculture to remain competitive.”
The video campaign complements the California Avocado Commission’s ongoing engagement with members of Congress, federal agencies and trade officials during the USMCA review process. Through meetings, formal comments, educational resources, strategic communications initiatives and stakeholder outreach, the Commission continues to advocate for trade policies that support international commerce while recognizing the strategic importance of maintaining a resilient domestic agricultural sector and a viable California avocado industry.
About the California Avocado Commission
Created in 1978, the California Avocado Commission strives to enhance the premium positioning of California avocados through advertising, promotion and public relations, and engages in related industry activities. Ethically sourced California avocados are sustainably farmed and locally grown for exceptional quality and freshness by about 3,000 growers in the Golden State. The California Avocado Commission serves as the official information source for the California avocado industry.