March 6, 2023

WASHINGTON – Today, Corn Refiners Association (CRA) President and CEO John Bode issued the following statement regarding the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) requesting technical consultations with the Government of Mexico under the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Chapter of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) due to Mexico’s presidential decree restricting use of GMO corn without scientific basis:

“Thanks to Ambassador Katherine Tai and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack for their leadership and continued insistence upon full compliance with USMCA. While we are disappointed that it was necessary for the U.S. to take this first formal step under USMCA, we are pleased that the scope of this controversy has been dramatically narrowed and both parties are working within the framework of USMCA to resolve differences. Keeping the commitment to USMCA is the key to advancing science and risk-based policies that are essential to North America’s standing as the world’s leader in food security and sustainability. I hope for a swift resolution to the dispute.”

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The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) is the national trade association representing the corn refining industry of the United States. CRA and its predecessors have served this important segment of American agribusiness since 1913. Corn refiners manufacture sweeteners, starch, advanced bioproducts, corn oil, and feed products from corn components such as starch, oil, protein, and fiber.