LUBBOCK, TX – USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has launched a new dashboard that tracks U.S. grain shipments into Mexico, giving farmers and exporters new insight into trade flows and rail tariff rates. Mexico is the largest market for U.S. corn and wheat, and the second-largest for soybeans, with two-thirds of its imports from the U.S. arriving overland by rail through Texas border crossings at Laredo, Eagle Pass, and El Paso.
Illinois leads U.S. corn shipments into Mexico, while Nebraska is the top supplier of soybeans and Kansas dominates wheat exports. Iowa, Missouri, and North Dakota also rank as major contributors. Once across the border, most corn feeds Mexican livestock, soybeans are crushed near Monterrey, and wheat moves further south to flour mills and food processors.
Looking ahead, competition among U.S. railroads is reshaping freight rates, with BNSF and Union Pacific already lowering soybean tariffs to stay competitive. Corn tariffs remain slightly higher, but the dashboard now allows shippers to benchmark costs more transparently. With rail handling nearly all overland trade, the future of U.S. grain exports to Mexico is expected to remain strong, underscoring the importance of both infrastructure and pricing strategy.