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Mexico officially bans human consumption of transgenic corn

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MEXICO, 14 February. — On Tuesday, the Mexican government officially banned human consumption of transgenic corn, despite US opposition.

The news, which was already expected, was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation in accordance with the order of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to no longer allow the use of genetically modified corn for human consumption.

It involves the use of glyphosate, a commonly used herbicide in the field.

This decree supersedes that of December 2020, and its purpose, as later detailed in a statement from the Ministry of Economy, is to indicate the purpose and scope of public policy, as well as “to remove any possible inaccuracy of the previous text, which allowed interpretations to be varied”.

The regulation, he explained, is strictly limited to corn, so rapeseed, soybeans, cotton and other raw materials are not subject to this regulation.

In addition, to avoid confusion, corn is categorized according to its use: for human food (dough and tortillas), forage, and industrially processed for human food.

The decree prohibits the use of this type of corn for dough and tortillas, so it does not affect trade or imports in any way, including because Mexico is largely self-sufficient in the production of non-GMO white corn.

The decree states that it is about consolidating such sovereignty and food security as a central contribution to the culture of Mexicans.

The Mexican government’s decision comes as it faces a dispute with the US over the trade in transgenic corn, which, according to official figures, is a $5 billion business involving large multinational companies.

This Tuesday is the deadline set by the United States for Mexico to explain to its trading partner the science behind the ban on transgenic corn and glyphosate as part of that country’s threats to take the matter to the T-MEC (Mexico-US-Canada Trade Agreement) Alleged Violations Commission. ).

The decree, published in the Official Gazette of the Federation, comes into force on Tuesday 14th, but establishes a transitional period for the development and escalation of the planned actions, which will last until March 31, 2024.

Source: Juventud Rebelde

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