In the midst of a dispute over trade in transgenic corn with the United States, the Government of Mexico issued this Monday a new decree on the use, sale, distribution, promotion and import of glyphosate and transgenic cornwhich eliminates the previous decree of December 31, 2020.
In accordance with this new decree, the agencies and entities of the Federal Public Administration are instructed “to refrain from acquiring, using, distributing, promoting and importing corn genetically modified”.
As well as glyphosate or agrochemicals that contain it as an active ingredient, for any use, within the framework of public programs or any other government activity.
The dependencies and entities of the Federal Public Administration will carry out the actions leading to the effect of carrying out the gradual substitution of genetically modified corn for animal feed and for industrial use for human food.”
point the document.
The new decree, published this Monday in the evening edition of the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), It also extends until March 30, 2024 the deadline for “the development and escalation of actions” that lead to eliminating the use of the herbicide glyphosate in Mexico.
Through this decree, the Mexican government seeks to establish “sustainable and culturally appropriate” alternatives and practices that allow maintaining agricultural production and are safe for human health, the country’s biocultural diversity, and the environment.
On January 23, the US government threatened to initiate a dispute settlement panel under the Treaty Mexico, the United States and Canada (T-MEC), if Mexico does not change its position on the use and import of transgenic corn.
We made it clear today that if this issue is not resolved, we will consider all options, including taking formal steps to enforce our rights under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.”
the US Trade Representative (USTR) said in a statement.
The differences occur after the Mexican Government issued a decree, from December 31, 2020, to stop the import and use of transgenic corn progressively until 2024, which they warned could cause economic damage for billions of dollars. to farmers and ranchers from both nations.
In a statement, the Ministry of Economy (SE) indicated that the objective of this new decree “is to specify the objective and scope of public policies, as well as to eliminate any possible imprecision of the predecessor text, which lent itself to different interpretations.”
In addition, he said, this new version provides clarity in its objectives and regulatory certainty based on technical-scientific evidence.
In the note, the SE said that the decree “is strictly limited to corn.” Canola, soybeans, cotton and the rest of the raw materials are not subject to this regulation.
And to avoid confusion, a categorization of the corn according to its use: human food (dough and tortilla), fodder and industrialized for human food.
Also “the decree prohibits the use of genetically engineered corn modified for dough and tortilla” and regarding the use of genetically modified corn for fodder and industry, the deadline to prohibit its use is eliminated, subject to the existence of sufficiency in the supply.
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