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by Marion Nestle
Apr
10
2025
The US vs. Mexico dispute over GMO corn: an attempt to keep track of it
In the midst of President Trump’s tariff impositions, I’m trying to keep track of what’s happening with US demands to make Mexico accept our GMO corn.
February 2023: Mexico (1) banned the use of GMO corn in dough and tortillas, and (2) called for gradual elimination of GMO corn for other food uses and in animal feed. Mexico does not want GMO corn contaminating its native varieties, and the “dumping” of cheaper US GMO corn undermines the Mexican corn economy. US corn farmers want their GMO corn sold in Mexico. The US claimed these provisions violated the USMCA (US Mexico Canada Trade Agreement, which replaced NAFTA in 2020). It sued to have them overturned.
December 2024: United States Prevails in USMCA Dispute on Biotech Corn. The USMCA panel agreed with the US that Mexico’s measures are not based on science and undermine the market access that Mexico agreed to provide in the USMCA.
February 2025: Mexico Lifts GM Corn Restrictions Following USMCA Panel. The USDA Applauds Mexico’s Action Towards Resolving USMCA Dispute on GE Corn.
March 2025: Don’t mess with Mexico’s maíz: Constitutional amendment to ban GMO corn seeds
Sin maíz, no hay país. Without corn, there is no country.
This week, Mexico’s leaders voted to enshrine that concept in the Constitution, declaring native corn “an element of national identity” and banning the planting of genetically modified seeds.
What will the US do next? This is definitely a stay tuned.
Resource
USRTK: GM corn and glyphosate science: Documents from Mexico-US trade dispute
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