U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai met with Mexican Agriculture and Rural Development Secretary Victor Villalobos and Economy Secretary Tatiana Clouthier on Wednesday in Mexico City, raising several ag-trade-related issues.
Tai "emphasized the importance of Mexico immediately resuming the authorization of biotechnology products," according to a brief readout of the session. However, it is not clear that Tai raised a key issue on GMOs -- the proposed ban on imports of GMO corn by the end of 2024. That issue remains clouded in uncertainty.
Reuters reports that Villalobos has been pushing for feed corn to be exempted from the ban, a key situation given that Mexico imports around 16 million metric tons of corn (630 million bushels) from the U.S. to feed its livestock sector. Villalobos has assured USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack that there would be an exemption for U.S. corn used for feed, but the news service reported that his push within the Mexican government may be losing traction. Reuters quoted sources saying that Villalobos' deputy at the ag ministry, Victor Suarez, is pushing against the GMO corn imports across the board. An issue that Tai did raise relative to Mexico failing to approve new GMO corn varieties, also threatens to impact U.S. corn exports.
But even the issue of GMO crop approvals could become a trade issue as there could be blockages of imports of corn into Mexico if they are from GMO varieties that the country has yet to approve. That is a situation U.S. corn farmers have faced in other markets before.