Mexico Loses Trade Dispute with U.S. Over GM Corn Ban

USMEC Panel Rules in Favor of GMOs and Monsanto glyphosate citing “no scientific evidence of harm”

According to the rules of the USMEC trade agreement, Mexico now has 45 days from December 20 to lift its ban on genetically modified corn, which President Lopez Obrador issued in February 2023, or face sanctions.

Mexico is the largest market for grain exports from the U.S. From January to October 2024, the value of corn exports—nearly 100% genetically modified and contaminated with glyphosate—was worth $4.8 billion. This poisonous U.S. yellow corn is used to feed livestock, effectively poisoning everyone who eats meat.

President Sheinbaum has yet to say anything concrete about the decision, and this is no doubt because she doesn’t want to provoke President Trump into making another threat. Trump threatened on November 25 to impose a 25% tariff on Mexican and Canadian imports until they stopped migrants from coming to the U.S.

“As everyone is aware, thousands of people are pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing Crime and Drugs at levels never seen before,” the president-elect wrote on Truth Social. “Right now a Caravan coming from Mexico, composed of thousands of people, seems to be unstoppable in its quest to come through our currently Open Border.”

“On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders.”

“This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!”

President Sheinbaum announced that the decision of the trade panel “will be respected,” but none of the so-called journalists attending her daily briefings and speeches has asked if she means she will rescind President López Obrador’s GMO corn ban.

On Saturday the president made another muddy statement about the trade decision, claiming that it would be “reversed” in February when the legislature passes a law against planting GM corn.

Here is the letter I submitted to the editor of La Jornada:

What does passing a law banning the planting of genetically modified corn have to do with the ruling of the USMCA panel?

The president said, "We are going to reverse the resolution (under the USMCA), because very soon, in February, they are going to legislate that genetically modified corn cannot be planted."

The panel's ruling was about the sale of corn to Mexico, not about planting in Mexico. Furthermore, the corn that Mexico imports isn’t for planting, but to feed livestock (i.e. to poison the meat).

Mexico is the largest importer of American yellow corn, and most of it is genetically modified. Almost all of it goes to feed cattle, pigs and chickens because Mexico doesn´t grow enough feed corn. In contrast, corn for human consumption in Mexico is almost entirely white corn grown in Mexico, although snacks or other processed foods often contain GM corn.

I would like to clarify that the only thing that matters is the type of seed corn U.S. growers are currently ordering for their 2025 crop. And being a believer in God, I am hopeful that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and EPA director Lee Zeldin have called growers on the phone to advise them that they would be better off ordering non-GM seed corn and not replenishing their supplies of Monsanto Roundup.