The U.S. Trade Representative’s office is moving forward regarding Mexico banning the import of U.S. biotech corn. They’ve established a dispute resolution panel under procedures within the U.S. Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Dave Salmonsen, American Farm Bureau Federation Senior Government Affairs Director, explains, “This will deal with the issues brought up by Mexico’s decrees which seek to stop the import of U.S. corn products produced with biotechnology. The U.S. believes this is a violation of the sanitary standards provisions of the USMCA and has brought this case.”
The issue revolves around Mexican decrees against U.S. corn products produced with biotechnology, specifically glyphosate.
“Recent decrees earlier in 2023 said that they were going to move ahead to stop the import of white corn but would allow the imports of U.S. yellow corn until they could find some alternatives. The U.S. has objected to these decrees all along, saying that they’re not scientifically based, and has been talking with the Mexican government all along, but especially ramped up the discussions last year.”
In an interview earlier this year with Hoosier Ag Today, former USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney told us these decrees from Mexico don’t make much sense, and Mexican President Obrador should rethink his stance.
“There’s just no turning away from sourcing a product like we have, particularly yellow corn. And if they want to start transitioning to non-GM, okay, let’s get the signals to do that and we’ll happily do that. But then it’s oh so expensive for his people. So, he’s got to redo his calculus to be very honest.”
Salmonsen says a resolution could come early next year following technical consultations this year.
Source: NAFB News Service
