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Mexico is fighting to keep U.S. corn out of its tortillas [1]
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Date: 2024-03
The corn eaten around the world today originated in Mexico nearly 10,000 years ago. From the ancient rituals of the Mayans and Aztecs, to the tortillas, tamales, esquites, and just about every other staple dish served throughout the country today, corn is the centerpiece of culture, cuisine, and identity.
To protect this legacy, Mexico is fighting to phase out genetically modified (GM) U.S.-grown corn this year, following a 2020 decree by Mexican President López Obrador that sparked tension between the two neighboring countries.
The Mexican government says this will protect its citizens’ health and the country’s native corn varieties.
Yet the announcement provoked strong objections from the U.S., whose largest annual customer for GM corn is often Mexico—between 2018 and 2020, Mexico bought nearly 30 percent of all U.S. corn exports. The dispute has escalated to formal negotiations under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), with the U.S. claiming that the GM ban is in violation of the countries’ trade agreement and that Mexico has not provided scientific evidence to support its claim.
Mexico, however, insists that GM corn threatens human health, and that modified seeds threaten Mexico’s agricultural traditions and cultural identity.
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[1] Url:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/mexico-ban-genetically-modified-corn
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