The U.S. met with a delegation of government officials from Mexico last week to discuss Mexico’s plan to end imports of biotech commodities. Dave Salmonsen, American Farm Bureau Federation Senior Government Affairs Director, says Mexico offered a couple new options.
Salmonsen; “Certainly, we view this as an unscientific trade barrier. Mexican representatives put forward a few ideas, perhaps they would allow for a one-year delay on the implantation of that decree, perhaps they would talk about letting in just yellow corn, all of which I think are not really acceptable to Farm Bureau, which wants the trade to continue as it has always been.”
The U.S. and Mexico will continue the discussion next month during the North American Leaders Summit.
Salmonsen; “So, you’ll have the president of Mexico, the Prime Minister of Canada, and then of course, President Biden, to discuss all kinds of issues, one of which we understand will include this issue of biotechnology and corn between the U.S. and Mexico. So, perhaps they could come to a deal, settle this issue so that we wouldn’t have any disruptions or any limitations on our trade.”
Without an agreement, the U.S. could request a dispute settlement case under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Salmonsen; “And this has also been something that’s been urged on the administration, bring a dispute settlement case under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement saying that Mexico is violating the agreement by putting forth this trade barrier. So, those are certainly next steps, and I think they’ll be coming along fairly quickly, so we’re certainly watching this with great interest.”
