Mexico Names First Woman to Lead Agriculture Ministry

Mexico’s federal government has appointed Columba López as the new head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER), replacing Julio Berdegué, who will take on a strategic role coordinating international agri-food affairs as the country prepares for the review of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

The leadership change, announced May 1, 2026, comes as Mexico seeks to strengthen its agricultural policy and defend the interests of its rural sector amid ongoing trade negotiations with the United States and Canada. President Claudia Sheinbaum tasked Berdegué with advising and coordinating Mexico’s position on agri-food issues, including the protection of national interests in the context of the USMCA review.

“From this position, he will work, among other issues, on the protection of the interests of the Mexican countryside vis-à-vis the United States and Canada, within the framework of the USMCA review,” the government said.

Berdegué, who studied Agricultural Sciences at the University of Arizona and holds a PhD in Social Sciences from Wageningen University, brings international experience, including his role as regional representative for Latin America and the Caribbean at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). His new position places him at the center of Mexico’s international agricultural negotiations.

His departure follows pressure from producers and rising inflation in key food products such as tomatoes and energy inputs. In recent months, farmer groups have staged protests and road blockades across multiple states, citing deteriorating conditions in the agricultural sector and rural insecurity. Demonstrations led by Frente Nacional por el Rescate del Campo Mexicano (National Front for the Rescue of the Mexican Countryside) and the Asociacion Nacional de Transportistas en Mexico (National Carrier Association) disrupted key logistics corridors in at least 20 states.

“I sincerely thank you for the honor of having served Mexico and its people as a member of your cabinet and, going forward, as part of your team in international sectoral negotiations. I spoke with her earlier to offer my full support for an exemplary transition and to wish her success in this new role,” Berdegué said.

López becomes the first woman to lead SADER, marking a milestone in Mexico’s agricultural policy leadership. An agronomist trained at Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana (UAM), she has more than 30 years of experience in agroecology and holds a master’s degree in public administration from the National Institute of Public Administration (INAP).

Since March 2025, López has served as Deputy Minister of Productive Inclusion and Rural Development at the Ministry of Well-Being. Her previous roles include general coordinator of Well-Being in the Field and coordinator of Territorial Operations within SADER, as well as head of the Natural Resources and Rural Development Commission of Mexico City from 2018 to 2024.

According to the government, her background in public administration and rural development supports the administration’s objective of reinforcing agricultural policy amid shifting domestic and international conditions. The transition reflects a broader effort by the federal government to address structural challenges in the agricultural sector while strengthening Mexico’s position in global markets.