Corn Grower Leaders from Across the Country Call on Biden to Set Quick, Firm Timeline While Pressing Case on Biotech Corn with Mexico

By Bryan Goodman

The presidents of 23 state corn grower groups, joined by the president of the National Corn Growers Association, sent a letter to President Biden today calling for him to take additional steps to address the pending decree by Mexico that would block imports of biotech corn.

The letter encouraged the president to raise the issue during upcoming trade talks and to file a dispute under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement if Mexico doesn’t act expeditiously to withdraw the decree.

“Corn farmers are right now in the process of making planting decisions for next spring, and any additional uncertainty in the market affects their ability to appropriately respond to multiple market signals,” the corn grower leaders said. “If the decree is not completely withdrawn by the established deadline, we ask that your administration initiate a case under USMCA.”

The letter is in response to a promise by President López Obrador to end imports of biotech corn beginning in early 2024. Ninety percent of corn grown in the U.S. is biotech corn.

Mexico’s Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard plans to visit Washington this week to discuss the issue ahead of a planned meeting on trade between Biden, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in early January.

The state corn grower leaders urged Biden to raise the issue at the meeting.

“Because the stakes for farmers and rural America are so high, we are calling on you to make this issue a critical part of your January 9^th meeting with President López Obrador and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,” the letter says.

The letter also detailed specific actions the president could take in the coming days.

“We are also asking that you empower Ambassador Katherine Tai to work with Secretary Vilsack to set a  firm, quick timeline with Mexico to withdraw the decree or initiate a case under the biotechnology provisions of the U.S-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA), and that you do so without agreeing to a ban of any form of biotech corn, including white corn that is used for human consumption,” the group noted.

The letter also emphasized the science supporting the safe use of biotech corn.