U.S. Puts Knee on Mexico's Neck to Buy its Zombie Corn
More than 90 percent of corn grown in the U.S. is genetically modified
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The U.S. upped the ante in its row with Mexico over genetically modified corn imports by requesting dispute-settlement consultations with Mexico City under a major trade agreement—and Mexico City said it is prepared to fight.
It is illegal to grow GMO corn in Mexico. Farmers in the U.S. modify corn to be resistant to glyphosate, which is an herbicide intended to kill weeds and protect crops. Mexico cited studies that found glyphosate is likely a carcinogen in humans.
“The United States has repeatedly conveyed its concerns that Mexico’s biotechnology policies are not based on science and threatened to disrupt U.S. exports to Mexico to the detriment of agricultural producers,” Katherine Tai, the U.S. trade representative, said, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Tom Haag, president of the corn growers group in the U.S., told the paper that more than 90 percent of corn grown in the U.S. is genetically modified. Supporters of genetic engineering say it will help meet the world’s demand for food. Genetic modification can increase corn yields by up to 10 percent.
“Mexico’s actions, which are not based on sound science, have threatened the financial well-being of corn growers and our nation’s rural communities,” he said.
Tom Vilsack, the U.S. secretary of agriculture, said last week that Washington fundamentally disagrees with Mexico’s position. Vilsack said GMO corn “has been proven to be safe for decades.”
The next step in the feud will be the establishment of a dispute-settlement panel, Mexico News Daily reported. The report noted that the U.S. could take steps to impose punitive tariffs on Mexican imports if the conflict is not resolved in 75 days.
Víctor Manuel Villalobos Arámbula, Vilsack’s Mexican counterpart, said he is not optimistic that the disagreement, which started in 2020, will be resolved with the panel.
The U.S. insists that GMO corn has been proven safe for decades, but Mexico’s position is that the science is far from proven and it wants to preserve its heirloom varieties of corn.
“Mexico has a rich store of exceptionally healthy varieties of corn. It is alarming to find that 90 percent of tortillas were shown to have traces of both glyphosate and transgenics. The biosecurity of Mexico is of utmost importance,” Alejandro Espinoza Calderón, director of Mexico’s biosecurity agency Cibiogem, said, according to Food Tank.
The Mexican government laid out its argument in a virtual conference organized by Mexico’s highest science body called CONACYT.
Mexico cited studies that found glyphosate is likely a carcinogen in humans. Bt is a naturally occurring bacterium in the soil that produces proteins specifically active against certain insects. Some crops such as corn, cotton, and soybeans have been genetically engineered to express the Bt genes that act as insecticides, according to Harvard.
The scientists claimed in the video that exposure to glyphosate could impact the health of children and newborns. Ana Laura Wegier Briuolo, a National University biologist, said, “Without healthy corn we cannot have healthy people.”
TREND FORECAST: The Biden administration has said the science does not support Mexico’s ban.