Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador published a presidential decree banning genetically modified corn in Mexicans’ diets, and ending the use of glyphosate effective January 31, 2024. He reasoned that the GE seeds could contaminate Mexico’s native varieties, and he questioned whether they had negative impacts on human health.

This proclamation immediately caused alarm about trade disruptions. U.S. farmers export about 17 million tonnes of corn annually to our southern neighbor. Mexico only uses about 21 percent of it for human consumption; the rest is used for livestock feed. But it’s unclear how the edict would be enforced.

The U.S. is reportedly looking at “all options” to remedy the situation, including filing a formal trade complaint under the USMCA. That would commence a trilateral trade panel to decide the issue. If Mexico ultimately doesn’t relent, the U.S. would have the option of implementing sanctions on its southern neighbor.

The crux of the dispute comes down to a familiar refrain: show us the science. U.S. officials have indicated that Mexico’s ban is only allowed if they can reasonably support it with scientific evidence. But as we all know, that research doesn’t exist.

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