Recently, it was reported that the United States is ready to speed up the appeal of Mexico's "genetically modified corn import ban violates the free trade agreement between the two sides." The Ministry of Economy of Mexico said on the 17th that it is ready to defend the rights and interests of Mexico.

Mexico's "expansion" network reported on August 17 that the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that the United States escalated its allegations of restrictions on the import of genetically modified corn from Mexico on the 17th and established a dispute settlement panel under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (TMEC).

The dispute panel will decide whether Mexico's corn policy violates the trade agreement. If the panel sides with the United States, it could eventually lead to tariffs on Mexican goods and trigger a "trade war."

U.S. trade officials had requested formal dispute settlement consultations with Mexico under the trade agreement in June, triggering an initial 75-day period.

In response to the US complaint, Mexico's Ministry of Economy (Secretaria de Economia) said on the 17th that after receiving a formal notice from the United States requesting the formation of a trade dispute panel, Mexico will defend its GMO corn policy.

Mexico's economy ministry said it would defend its policy before the TMEC dispute settlement panel.

Mexico buys about $5 billion of corn from the United States each year, mostly for livestock feed. Mexico says biotech corn harms local varieties and could have harmful health effects.

The United States claims that the Mexican government's policy to ban human consumption of genetically modified corn is unscientific and violates the North American Trade Agreement. According to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, Mexico must remove its use of biotechnology policies that are inconsistent with TMEC so that U.S. farmers continue to integrate into Mexican markets and use innovative tools to address climate and food security challenges.

At the end of July, Mexican officials said corn production in 2023 would reach 28.5 million tons, 2 million tons more than last year. Mexico produces mostly white corn and imports about 17 million tons of yellow corn from the United States each year. However, in recent years, Mexico's yellow corn production has increased through agricultural development, which has significantly reduced U.S. corn imports.