The dispute between the United States and Mexico over genetically modified corn has reached the next stage of the formal process to resolve issues between trade partners.
Last Thursday the United States Trade Representative’s office formally requested a dispute settlement panel under the North American trade pact. The request to send the dispute to arbitrators follows formal consultations that failed to resolve the trade dispute between the United States and Mexico.
United States Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says the dispute settlement panel is needed to resolve the trade issues.
The USTR office has called Mexico’s GM corn ban unscientific and Grassley says he agrees.
The United States has argued that Mexico is violating its trade commitments under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement with its decree banning imports of GM corn.
The United States says the ban of genetically modified corn from the U.S. is rooted in politics and not science. Senator Grassley says the dispute settlement panel should bring the focus back to food.
Senator Grassley made his comments this morning during his weekly ag conference call with farm broadcasters and reporters.
