Protecting U.S. Corn Growers from Mexico's Unfair Trade Practices

Cameron Sorgenfrey stands among tall, short corn stalks in one of his fields, Monday, September 16, 2024, in Wyoming, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

On October 1, the new president of Mexico – Claudia Sheinbaum – was officially sworn in. Although Mexican policies may seem inconsequential to the domestic affairs of the United States, this development is very significant for our country, and particularly for our agricultural community.

In 2023, U.S.-Mexico trade will nearly eclipse $800 billion, and this year we’re expected to surpass that figure. Mexico also imported nearly $30 billion in agricultural products – our second largest agricultural export market – including $5 billion in corn, our largest agricultural export to Mexico. However, due to the Mexican government’s unscientific restrictions on corn imports, our corn exports to Mexico could drop significantly if not addressed.

In 2020, outgoing Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador issued an executive order effectively banning the importation of U.S. corn due to unfounded and unfounded concerns about the safety of genetically modified (GMO) varieties. This action is more than concerning: it would be devastating for our corn farmers and our economy, because 90% of our corn is genetically modified and 25% of our corn harvest is exported to Mexico each year. According to some studies, this reckless decision could result in losses of nearly $14 billion for U.S. corn farmers, a $30.5 billion reduction in U.S. GDP, and the elimination of more than 32,000 U.S. jobs. .

Faced with these economic ramifications, the United States requested, in 2023, formal dispute resolution under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) – which was drafted and administered by the Trump administration July 1, 2020 – to challenge Mexico proposes banning genetically modified corn. Even as this process continues, I felt we needed to make it clear to the Biden-Harris administration that we need to keep the pressure on Mexico and protect our corn farmers.

That’s why – as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee on Trade Issues – I led 20 of my colleagues in urging U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and the U.S. Secretary of State to of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, to continue dialogue with the new president of Mexico on Mexico’s trade policy issues. ban on imports of genetically modified corn and other trade barriers affecting U.S. businesses. In our letter, we outlined the massive uncertainty this ban creates for our producers and the financial consequences that would follow if this executive order were allowed to go into effect. Additionally, with a USMCA review scheduled for 2026, we have further requested a briefing from USTR on the status of the dispute with Mexico over the ban on genetically modified corn and preparations underway to ensure that we defend our corn producers against these baseless attacks.

We have a responsibility and obligation to our corn farmers – and to all industries involved in corn production – to resolve this dispute in a timely manner and ensure that Mexico’s ban on U.S. corn cannot not take effect. As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Agriculture Committee, I will continue to work with my fellow legislators and demand that the Biden-Harris Administration take action to provide certainty and relief to our corn producers.

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Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, represents Iowa’s Fourth District in the House of Representatives.