Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced that she expects the country’s Congress to approve a ban on planting genetically modified (GM) corn early next year.
Speaking at a public event on Saturday, Sheinbaum expressed confidence that the legislative body would support the ban, which she believes is essential to protect Mexico’s biodiversity.
“With the help of Congress, we are going to reverse this resolution, and I am sure that very soon, in February, they will legislate against planting genetically modified corn,” Sheinbaum stated.
She emphasized the importance of preserving native corn varieties, saying, “Without corn, there is no country.”
The proposed ban follows a recent ruling from a trade-dispute panel, which concluded that Mexico’s restrictions on U.S. GM corn exports violate the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Sheinbaum’s comments reflect her administration’s ongoing commitment to limiting the use of GM crops in Mexico, despite tensions with the U.S. government.
While the ban would prohibit the planting of GM corn, it would not stop the import of GM corn for industrial uses such as animal feed or production of tortillas. GM corn, which contains modified genetic material to improve resistance to disease, has become widely adopted in several countries, including the U.S.
However, critics question the long-term safety of GM crops for both human health and the environment.
The issue arose after the U.S. government initiated a dispute resolution process, challenging Mexico’s February 2023 decree that banned the use of GM corn for tortillas and dough. The decree also called for replacing GM corn in industrial production.
In response to the ruling, Mexico’s economy and agriculture ministries said they disagreed with the panel’s decision but would respect it, clarifying that the dispute pertains specifically to trade between Mexico and the U.S.
Mexico, the birthplace of corn, has long expressed concerns about GM corn potentially contaminating its native varieties.
Despite these concerns, the country is the largest importer of U.S.-grown yellow corn, nearly all of which is genetically modified.
Mexico is expected to import a record 22.3 million metric tons of corn in the 2023/24 crop season.
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