By Jessica Domel
Multimedia Reporter

Companies in Mexico are no longer prohibited from buying corn from the United States grown with genetically engineered (GE) traits.

A three-person panel recently found in the United States’ favor after the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) argued Mexico’s action to ban GE corn imports was not based in science and undermined the marketing access Mexico agreed to provide the U.S. under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Mexico argued the ban is necessary to protect public health and Mexico’s native corn species.

“The panel’s ruling reaffirms the United States’ longstanding concerns about Mexico’s biotechnology policies and their detrimental impact on U.S. agricultural exports,” USTR Katherine Tai said. “It underscores the importance of science-based trade policies that allow American farmers and agricultural producers to compete fairly and leverage their innovation to address climate change and enhance productivity. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the Mexican government to ensure a level playing field and provide access to safe, affordable and sustainable agricultural products on both sides of the border.”

The USTR filed the dispute under USMCA after Mexico initiated a decree in 2020 to ban GE corn in dough and tortillas and phase out its use in animal feed. That ban was set to go into effect in late 2024.

Then, in 2023, Mexico’s then-President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador issued a decree banning GE white corn imports, effective the next day.

“Both (decrees) said that they did not want genetically modified corn from the U.S,” Dave Salmonsen, senior director of Government Affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said. “One was about white corn that you use to make food products such as tortillas and such, and the other was about the yellow corn that goes into livestock feed. So, the one about the white corn said no, we’re not importing that anymore. We don’t want it. And the other one said we want the Mexican government to find other sources. We want non-GMO yellow corn.”

After requests from agricultural groups, the USTR filed the dispute under USMCA.

“The dispute panel, which is made up of persons from all three countries, decided for the U.S. on all counts,” Salmonsen said. “The main points of their panel decision were, one, that the Mexican measures were not based on science, and two, that what they were doing was undermining the market access that Mexico agreed to provide in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.”

The ruling only applies to U.S.-Mexico trade.

Mexico now has under 30 days to comply with the panel’s ruling by withdrawing the decrees banning the imports of GE corn from the U.S.

Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, recently told reporters Mexico will comply with the order and rescind the ban. However, they plan to codify rules prohibiting the domestic production of GE corn in Mexico this year.

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) called the panel’s ruling a “major win” for U.S. corn growers, who rely heavily on the export market.

According to USTR, from January through October 2024, the U.S. exported $4.8 billion in corn to Mexico.

Mexico is the largest market for U.S. corn.