LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The fate of Mexico’s proposed ban on imports of corn with genetically modified or biotech elements from other countries, including the U.S., could soon be decided by a panel. 

Recently, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced the request for a dispute settlement panel under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).  If the request for the panel is permitted, then a group of experts would convene to hear the case and make a final decision.  

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“It is critical that Mexico eliminate its USMCA-inconsistent biotechnology measures so that American farmers can continue to access the Mexican market and use innovative tools to respond to climate and food security challenges,” Tai said in a statement.

Since the proposed intention of banning genetically modified corn in 2020, Mexico has been trying to make the case that the decision is ultimately about health risk for Mexican consumers, but the U.S. has denied that these concerns are valid. 

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has been outspoken about the proposed ban, and an advocate of genetically modified food, which he believes not to be a health risk. 

“Mexico’s approach to biotechnology is not based on science and runs counter to decades’ worth of evidence demonstrating its safety and the rigorous, science-based regulatory review system that ensures it poses no harm to human health and the environment,” Vilsack stated.

Beyond the concerns for possible violations of the USMCA, those outside of Mexico are also concerned about the potential economic repercussions of allowing an outright ban on genetically modified foods. 

“The United States is Mexico’s largest corn supplier, exporting around 16 million metric tons of corn a year,” according to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, adding, “The [current Mexican President] Lopez Obrador administration announced a 50 percent tariff on exports of Mexican white corn, and Mexico’s Agricultural Department announced that they intend to cut dependency on feed corn imports by 30 to 40 percent by 2024.” 

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Some members of the U.S. House of Representatives also weighed in on the recent decision to seek a panel review. 

“USMCA’s new and improved enforcement mechanism was key to the overwhelming bipartisan support the agreement received in Congress…Ambassador Tai made the right call challenging Mexico’s unscientific ban of American agricultural exports,” Representative Jason Smith (R-Missouri) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman said. 

Several other agricultural entities have supported the call for the panel to review possible violations of the USMCA, including the National Corn Growers Association and American Farm Bureau Federation.

“U.S. officials have exhausted every avenue trying to resolve this conflict and are left with no other choice but to turn to a third-party panel in hopes of quickly rectifying this issue. We are deeply appreciative of USTR for standing up for America’s corn growers,” National Corn Growers Association said in a statement. 

A copy of the dispute panel request is included here.