Grassley applauds decision on US GMO corn exports to Mexico

NEW HARTFORD — A trade dispute panel late last week ruled that Mexico’s restrictions on United States genetically modified corn exports violate the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

The three-member panel ruled in favor of all seven US legal claims, saying the panel found Mexico’s restrictions are not based on science and violate the USMCA’s chapters on sanitary and phytosanitary measures and on market access and national treatment. The panel recommends Mexico bring its corn trade policies into compliance with the trade agreement within 45 days, and failure to comply could result in punitive duties on some exports to the US.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley applauds the decision.  “By winning that, Mexico has to take our corn, whatever the corn is, GMO or otherwise, so it’s a tremendous victory for Iowa corn growers, and it’s a tremendous victory for what we call decisions on international trade based on sound science, as opposed to political science.”

Mexico’s economy and agriculture ministries said in a joint statement they disagreed with the ruling but they would respect it.