U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement
By requesting consultations, the U.S. Trade Representative began a process to come to a settlement on ag biotechnology imports to Mexico. If a settlement is not reached, the issue will move to a full-blown trade dispute.
Mexico is accusing the U.S. of playing politics over the GMO corn issue, but NCGA CEO Neil Caskey says if Mexico wants non-GMO, they’ll need to pay a premium for it instead of violating a trade pact already in place.
The U.S. appears to be pursuing a case via USMCA on the matter: “That is going to happen, because we’re essentially in a circumstance where this is not a situation that lends itself to a compromise,” Vilsack said.
Mexico on Monday announced a new decree, effectively banning imports of GMO corn. Following the declaration, Mexico quickly softened it’s stance after facing backlash from the Biden administration.
Mexico’s new decree will indicate that if U.S. GMO corn passes the sanitary filters of the Federal Commission for Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris), it will have no problem entering Mexico.
U.S. officials told Mexico its approach on biotech crops are still “not grounded in science,” and will face a USMCA battle if the matter is not resolved.
Mexico and Canada had challenged the U.S. method for calculating the regional content required under the USMCA trade pact for cars to have tariff-free access to the U.S.
Mexican President López Obrador hosted President Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau this week to discuss everything from methane reduction to the U.S./Mexico border wall.
Minister Victor Villalobos said U.S. officials were satisfied with a proposal to delay a ban on the import of GMO corn until 2025, according to a published report.
The crop technology ban is a dangerous decision not founded in science—and it is not necessary. Mexico would mandate this economic and nutritional misery upon itself.