That process took place but failed to resolve the matter, a senior US official told reporters.
The US move on Friday follows an earlier request for technical consultations in March. The United States exported $28 billion in agricultural goods to Mexico in 2022, while Mexico exported $43 billion of such goods to the United States. It said Mexico produces twice as much white corn as it uses for the production of tortillas, a staple food, so the “exclusive use of native corn for dough and tortillas is of no commercial concern or interest to the United States.” In a statement late Friday, Mexico’s economy ministry said it had received the US request, and that it and other agencies would “demonstrate with hard data and evidence” that its policy does not have a material impact on US interests. “We fundamentally disagree with the position Mexico has taken on the issue of biotechnology, which has been proven to be safe for decades,” said US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. In February, the Mexican government softened its stance on the issue, saying exceptions could be granted for corn for animal feed and industrial food production while suitable substitutes are found, but held steady on banning GMO corn for human consumption. Mexico is the world’s second-largest buyer of yellow corn and imports a significant amount from the United States, where most corn is genetically modified. “We will continue to work with the Mexican government through these consultations to resolve our concerns,” she added. “The United States has repeatedly conveyed its concerns that Mexico’s biotechnology policies are not based on science and threaten to disrupt US exports to Mexico to the detriment of agricultural producers,” said US Trade Representative Katherine Tai in a statement.
The consultations, under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), come after Mexico announced plans to phase out the use of genetically engineered corn in animal feed and products for human consumption, among other measures, drawing ire from Washington. Bowery Farming operates three commercial farms and is the largest vertical-farming company in the United States, manipulating light, humidity, temperature, and other conditions to grow produce.
NOTTINGHAM: Timmy Frey (right) and Back Half supervisor, Mike Riddle, prepare to harvest a tray of leafy greens at a Bowery farm in Nottingham, Maryland. WASHINGTON: The United States said it had requested dispute settlement consultations with Mexico, the next formal step in a row over the latter’s plans to phase out genetically engineered agricultural products. US advances trade dispute with Mexico over anti-GMO policy
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