Evans, Cramer Lead Bicameral Effort Urging Trump Administration to Protect American Onion Growers
WASHINGTON — Congressman Gabe Evans (CO-08) and Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) led a bicameral letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer calling for action to address the growing economic and food safety challenges posed by increased onion imports from Mexico.
In the letter, lawmakers highlight how American onion growers are being undercut by significant cost disparities, uneven regulatory enforcement, and limited food safety oversight on imported products — creating an unlevel playing field that threatens domestic producers.
An excerpt from the letter reads:
“We appreciate the Trump Administration’s commitment to restoring fair trade practices that prioritize American jobs and strengthen local economies. That leadership is urgently needed as U.S. onion growers face an increasingly uneven competitive environment. Structural cost disparities, inconsistent regulatory enforcement, limited access to food safety inspections, and rapid agricultural expansion in northern Mexico are distorting the market and placing sustained pressure on domestic producers. We ask for your support in ongoing trade negotiations with Mexico to end these unfair practices and ensure American growers can meet domestic demand.”
The letter outlines several key concerns driving the disparity between American and Mexican producers, including:
Rising U.S. production costs — which have increased by 300 percent since 1992
Major labor cost imbalances, with U.S. wages averaging $16.50-$17.00 per hour compared to roughly $1.80 in Mexico
Unequal food safety standards
Cartel-controlled farms growing and subsidizing onions to undercut American farmers.
Water delivery failures under the 1944 treaty — enabling expanded agricultural production in northern Mexico while U.S. growers face constrained resources
In addition to Rep Evans and Senator Cramer, the bicameral letter was supported and signed by Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-OR), Rep. Michael Simpson (R-ID), Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA), Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-CO), Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R-ND), Rep. Claudia Tenney (R- NY), Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), and Senator John Hoeven (R-ND).
Background:
Onion producers across Colorado and the nation are critical to the rural economies and America’s agricultural supply chain. However, as imports from Mexico continue to rise, domestic growers are increasingly forced to compete against producers operating under significantly lower costs and less stringent regulatory standards.
This bicameral effort reinforces Congress’ commitment to restoring fair trade, strengthening domestic food production, and ensuring American farmers can compete on a level playing field. Lawmakers emphasized that food security is national security and called for immediate action to protect U.S. agriculture.