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The decree said that Mexico would stop importing genetically
modified corn from the United States immediately, rather than
phasing out the purchase of GMO corn from the United States in
the next three years.
Matt Rush, president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association
and a farmer in Fairfield, told The Center Square the decree “is
a huge deal" that got the immediate attention of U.S. corn
growers and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack at the
White House.
To the relief of corn producers, Mexico modified the Monday
decree a day later, saying that it still planned to buy billions
of dollars of GMO yellow corn from the United States this year.
Yellow corn is primarily used for livestock feed.
White corn, the corn that is used for tortillas and flour, makes
up a significantly smaller portion of total U.S. exports to
Mexico.
Mexico is the largest buyer of U.S. corn in the world. Last
year, Mexico imported 670 million bushels of corn from the
United States.
The issue of GMO corn and the use of the herbicide glyphosate
have been stirring things up in U.S./Mexico trade talks for
years. Mexico has committed to banning both. However, a
phase-out plan and a drop-dead ban date are not part of the
present United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade pact.
“It’s in the agreement,” Rush said. “Mexico has stated that they
will accept this GMO corn, and we need to hold their feet to the
fire.”
Most farmers in Illinois and across the Midwest have already
bought their seed, chemicals and fertilizers for planting this
spring. It is too late for an ultimatum, he said. Next spring,
farmers can decide to buy non-GMO seed if they want to.
“The American farmer is very good about changing things they
have to change to make things work,” he said. “We knew that 2024
was coming, but we did not expect this decree that said
‘effective immediately.’ That speeds up the urgency of getting
this resolved.”
Rush said he has confidence in Vilsack.
“He just needs the support of our president to make sure that
this goes through,” Rush said.
Vilsack maintains that restrictions on genetically modified corn
are not backed up by scientific evidence. Rush said he is
convinced the GMO corn is safe.
“I have a wife and two kids, and I would not want to do anything
to harm them,” Rush said. “GMOs are safe. We would not do
anything that would harm the Mexican people.”
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