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Iowa Ag Secretary credits Biden administration for pushing back on Mexico GM corn ban

Iowa’s top ag official is pleased the Biden administration is pushing back against Mexico’s GM corn ban.

Ag Secretary Mike Naig says he’s been disappointed by the lack of strategy in pursuing new free trade agreements.

“But in this case, I would say that when it comes to enforcing existing trade agreements and really holding trading partners accountable, I think the administration has done well.”

He tells Brownfield U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack and the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office have aggressively pursued corrective action to Mexico’s decree to ban genetically modified corn imports.

“I’m optimistic that because the scientific basis around safety of these products is so well-proven that there’s no way that the Mexican government, given the provisions of USMCA, can proceed with this ban.”

Naig suggests there’s not enough non-GMO corn in the world to supply Mexico and says there’s no scientific justification to exclude genetically modified products.