It’s time for some music to corn growers’ ears: After recent farm visits between USDA Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack and Mexican Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Victor Villalobos, Mexico said it will continue to import GMO corn from the U.S.
Mexico is full of corn-ivores who eat more than one billion corn tortillas a day. While Mexico produces enough white corn of their own, they’re the number two buyer of U.S. yellow corn to meet those tortilla needs. Long story short… Mexico will continue to depend on U.S. corn.
Zoom out: Last year, Mexico’s president signed an executive order aiming to bar GMO corn for human consumption by 2024. More than 90% of U.S.-grown corn is genetically modified, so the announcement had producers corncerned.
Villalobos clarified that the policy bans GMO corn from Mexican farmland but doesn’t stop imports of it from the U.S.
Feel-good friends: A joint statement released after the visit was an earful of heart-warming news. The leaders noted the importance of the world’s largest two-way trade in food and agricultural goods. They see collaboration in the future as both countries’ farmers battle climate change, increasing demand, and natural resource constraints.
Shared statement sound bite: “We remain proud of our shared successes and equally steadfast in meeting common challenges together.”