Environmental, food sovereignty, small producer, and indigenous groups are dismayed by Mexico softening its GMO/glyphosate ban of 2020. But the USDA and US corporate agriculture say Mexico’s position is still unacceptable. All I can say is, can’t these guys read? The modified “ban” is as soft and narrow as corn silk.
In response to the imperious US demand to “show us the science by February 14,” Mexico issued a new decree on February 13, parsing and slicing the ban to slivers.
In a huge concession, the ban will not apply to yellow corn — by far the biggest Mexico import/US export — used largely to feed Mexico’s appetite for chicken, beef, pork, fish, goats, and sheep.1 So that exempts 95% of US corn exports from the “ban.” And while there had been a target date for applying the ban to yellow corn for animals and industry, that deadline was dropped. Instead, decisions about GMO yellow corn imports and phase-outs will “…depend on supply and working with domestic and foreign businesses for an orderly transition.” Hmm. Wonder when that will happen, and how far ‘foreign’ businesses will go.
At issue, then, is white corn used for direct human consumption, and for some processed food and industrial products. Mexico is largely, though not entirely, self-sufficient in white corn. Of the approximately 17 million tons of corn Mexico imports each year, white corn makes up only about 3.4 million tons. But despite reducing the ban to this small segment of imports, the new decree goes even slimmer. Earlier iterations of the ban applied to white corn for human consumption. The new decree slices it down to corn destined to be used for masa and tortillas. And not all masa and tortillas, but masa and tortillas in government programs.2 So, public purchases for government use, no GMO corn, but everything else seems to get a GMO ok pass. That elote corn griller on the plaza is free to slather chili-lime-mayo on nice and cheap imported GMO cobs.
Cutting off even more from the scope of the ban, the new decree allows GMO white corn to be imported for manufactured human food — chips and snacks, cereals, sauces, ice cream, cakes. And it is the responsibility of the importer, of whoever buys it and brings it in, to make sure that it’s only going to the allowed uses, and not for masa or tortillas in government programs.3 Uh huh, right.
So exempted from the ban is all the yellow corn — most of the pie — and of the remaining slice that’s white corn, white corn for manufactured food products is exempted, along with any other food that is not ‘masa and tortillas destined for government use’. The ban looks like it applies a pile of crumbs.
As far as glyphosate and seed corn, which apply to corn planting, not to immediate consumption, the news is mixed. Mexico’s science around this — which the US seems to categorize as not-acceptable science — has to do with contamination of local varieties, eventual dilution or elimination of Mexico’s diverse corn heritage4, the environmental damage of glyphosate, and the human health impacts of glyphosate use.5 Mexico has long restricted commercial planting of GMO corn, but seed and chemical companies continue to challenge the regulation. It is reiterated in the new decree: no GMO seed corn, no GMO seed corn for human consumption.6
Glyphosate, the weed killer that allows GMO corn to grow when all else around it dies, is to be phased out, and gradually replaced by safer, less environmentally damaging substitutes and practices. The transitional phase of substitution is to begin immediately, to be completed by March 31, 2024.7 That is, the glyphosate ban won’t start for another year.
So what’s the problem? Despite recognizing that, “Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s government softened its stance on a planned ban on genetically-modified US corn after pressure from the Biden administration,” the response is that the new decree “landed with a thud.” It is “disappointing,” and “will not avoid a trade dispute.” 8
What does US corporate agriculture want? The now-mushy ban would impact a fraction of the US market — a fraction, by the way, that could potentially be filled by US farmers growing non-GMO corn. It is not enough, then, for Mexico to cave on trade and big-ag economics, and allow the vast majority of its imports to remain GMOs.
The US also seems to need Mexico to bow at the altar of the science the US prioritizes, abandon environmental and social sciences, turn a blind eye to cultural, economic, and environmental concerns, and bid adios to notions of self-determination, self-sufficiency, and food sovereignty. Allowing Mexico to use and act on these arguments would give them legitimacy. If Mexico then wrests some degree of independence, some shred of autonomy, from global seed and chemical conglomerates, and from US corporate agriculture, well, what’s next?
Decree full text
1 Cutting meat consumption — especially of corn-finished beef and industrial pork — would help reduce Mexico’s reliance on imported GMO corn, and also reduce negative environmental impacts of the livestock industries. Mexico could ramp up support for mixed production methods, environmentally sound pasturing practices, agro-forestry, non-GMO feeds, and transitioning to more eco-friendly meat production and consumption.
2 From the decree: Maíz para alimentación humana, el que se destina a la alimentación humana mediante nixtamalización o elaboración de harina, que es la que se realiza en el sector conocido como de la masa y la tortilla. That is: Maize for human consumption, which is intended for human consumption through nixtamalization or flour processing, which is carried out in the sector known as masa and tortilla;
..se abstengan de adquirir, utilizar, distribuir, promover e importar maíz genéticamente modificado, así como glifosato o agroquímicos que lo contengan como ingrediente activo, para cualquier uso, en el marco de programas públicos o de cualquier otra actividad del gobierno. …refrain from acquiring, using, distributing, promoting and importing genetically modified corn, as well as glyphosate or agrochemicals containing it as an active ingredient, for any use, within the framework of public programs or any other government activity.
3 From the decree: …. la Comisión Federal para la Protección contra Riesgos Sanitarios podrá otorgar autorizaciones de maíz genéticamente modificado para alimentación animal y de uso industrial para alimentación humana, siendo responsabilidad de quien lo utilice en México que no tenga el destino previsto en la fracción III del artículo segundo de este ordenamiento. … the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks may grant authorizations for genetically modified maize for animal feed and for industrial use for human feed, it being the responsibility of those who use it in Mexico who do not have the intended purpose provided for in fraction III of Article II of this order (masa and tortilla).
5 The World Health Organization has characterized glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans,” but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has concluded the opposite. Nonetheless, Roundup maker Bayer-Monsanto has paid out billions to settle numerous lawsuits from plaintiffs who maintain the herbicide contributed to their cancer. https://thefern.org/2022/12/the-deep-roots-of-mexicos-trade-dispute-with-u-s-over-gmo-corn
6 From the decree: Las autoridades en materia de bioseguridad, en el ámbito de su competencia, con el propósito de contribuir a la seguridad y a la soberanía alimentarias y como medida especial de protección al maíz nativo, la milpa, la riqueza biocultural, las comunidades campesinas, el patrimonio gastronómico y la salud humana, de conformidad con la normativa aplicable: I. Revocarán y se abstendrán de otorgar permisos de liberación al ambiente en México de semillas de maíz genéticamente modificado; II. Revocarán y se abstendrán de otorgar autorizaciones para el uso de grano de maíz genéticamente modificado para alimentación humana,
The authorities in matters of biosecurity, within the scope of their competence, with the purpose of contributing to food security and sovereignty and as a special measure to protect native corn, milpa, biocultural wealth, peasant communities, gastronomic heritage and human health, in accordance with the applicable regulations: Revoke and refrain from granting permits for the release into the environment of Mexico of genetically modified corn seeds; II. Revoke and refrain from granting authorizations for the use of genetically modified corn seed for human consumption.
7 From the decree: …revocarán y se abstendrán de otorgar autorizaciones y permisos para la importación, producción, distribución y uso de glifosato y realizarán las acciones conducentes para el establecimiento y generación de alternativas y prácticas sostenibles y culturalmente adecuadas, que permitan mantener la producción agrícola y resulten seguras para la salud humana, la diversidad biocultural del país y el medio ambiente, libres de sustancias tóxicas que representen peligros agudos, crónicos o subcrónicos. Se establece como periodo de transición para el desarrollo y escalamiento de las acciones previstas en este artículo, el comprendido de la fecha de entrada en vigor de este decreto y hasta el 31 de marzo de 2024.
In accordance with the applicable regulations, revoke and refrain from granting authorizations and permits for the import, production, distribution and use of glyphosate and will carry out actions conducive to the establishment and generation of sustainable and culturally appropriate alternatives and practices which allow maintenance of agricultural production and are safe for human health, the biocultural diversity of the country and the environment.
https://farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2023/02/mexico-softens-stance-on-gmo-import-ban/
Uprooted 
I’m sorry to hear this. Mexico prides itself on its culture and the native corns are part of the foundation of the culture. It’s so short sighted to replace it and pollute the genetics.