U.S. trade consultation request “violates Mexican law”

The United States requested trade consultations in March on Mexico’s plan to limit the use of genetically modified corn.

Reuters says a top Mexican official called the request an “unacceptable violation” of Mexican law that feeds the interest of giant seed companies. The U.S. is Mexico’s main trading partner and requested the consultations under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which calls for science-based regulations.

Mexico’s Deputy Agriculture Minister Victor Suarez says, “The United States’ request to Mexico follows the interests of seed, agrochemical, and other food producing oligopolies.” He also points out that seed makers like Bayer, Corteva, ChemChina’s Syngenta, and BASF are winning under U.S. agriculture and trade policies. However, Suarez feels those companies don’t represent all U.S. farmers.

The consultations are a first step toward a trade panel that could ultimately mean a ruling calling for placing punitive tariffs on Mexico. Suarez says Mexico’s policy won’t affect U.S. corn farmers at all.