A deadline for Mexico to explain their trade decisions. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Doug McKalip, the new agriculture trade boss in the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, says he’s given Mexico until today, February 14, to explain the science behind the country’s planned ban on GMO corn imports.
Market Screener says the response will help the agency decide the next steps to resolve the long-running disagreement over Mexico’s biotechnology policies when it comes to agriculture. The next steps could include escalating the dispute settlement process under the USMCA. If it continues, the dispute threatens to disrupt the billions of dollars’ worth of corn trade between the United States and Mexico.
McKalip says Mexico rejected 14 agricultural product traits that were submitted to them, and they didn’t provide any justification. “We want to make sure that they do the science, show their work, and make decisions based upon risk assessments,” he says.
U.S. officials recently warned Mexican officials that America may take formal steps under USMCA.
Listen to Sabrina Halvorson’s This Land Of Ours program here.
Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.