US wants science from Mexico on GMO corn ban

Doug McKalip, the new agriculture trade boss in the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, says he’s given Mexico until Feb. 14, 2023 to explain the science behind the country’s planned ban on GMO corn imports.

Market Screener says the response will help the agency decide the next steps to resolve the long-running disagreement over Mexico’s biotechnology policies when it comes to agriculture. The next steps could include escalating the dispute settlement process under the USMCA. If it continues, the dispute threatens to disrupt the billions of dollars worth of corn trade between the United States and Mexico.

McKalip says Mexico rejected 14 agricultural product traits that were submitted to them, and they didn’t provide any justification. “We want to make sure that they do the science, show their work, and make decisions based upon risk assessments,” he says. U.S. officials recently warned Mexican officials that America may take formal steps under USMCA.

Tags: U.S., corn, Mexico, ГМО, imports, ban