US-Mexico GMO Corn Dispute Has Implications for Other Trade Agreements

Cary Sifferath, Vice President of the US Grains Council says the biggest trade challenge that they are dealing with right now, which is also an ongoing issue, is Mexico banning US GMO white corn imports. I

“t's against the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. And he said now the US Trade Representatives' office is involved in the dispute. USTR is been involved and asked for federal consultations. It's in that process of having those consultations with Mexico. We'll see what the next step is from USTR going forward on that. But we've been working with the importers and users on the ground and Mexico to work through this. The good thing is we still have the majority of our order that goes to Mexico is yellow corn, and that's still falling.

Sifferath says that decisions like this need to stay on scientific merit.

“Standing up for the scientific basis of the safety of those products for any use, whether it’s human consumption or livestock feed going forward.”

And he says it has implications for other products in other markets.

“But even Canada, you know, the two of the three parties within USMCA signed on to join the official consultations with us again Canada also does not want to have Mexico set a precedent for trying to ban importation of GM grains and oil seeds that have GMO events and going forward as well.”

At issue, is white corn and accounts for 4% of Mexico's imports of US corn. It is used primarily for making tortillas.