Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) today was joined by Representatives Randy Feenstra (IA-04), Ashley Hinson (IA-01), and Cindy Axne (IA-03) in a letter to United States Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai demanding action be taken to enforce the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and protect corn farmers in Iowa. Text of the letter may be found here.
In part, the members wrote, “As members of the Iowa delegation, we write with concern regarding the Mexican government’s recent action to ban biotech corn imports by January 2024. This decision is inconsistent with commitments made though the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). We request that you take immediate action to ensure our nation’s farmers can continue to feed the world and to signal the importance of the dispute settlement provisions included in the USMCA.”
U.S. agricultural innovations have allowed farmers to use new technologies that increase productivity, crop yields, and sustainability. However, the Mexican government’s proposals to restrict these technologies will have detrimental impacts for agricultural sustainability and efficiency. In Iowa, our farmers grow the most corn of any state annually with over 2.5 billion bushels produced in 2021. A large portion of this corn is exported to Mexico and thus, this action would severely harm Iowa’s economy and the U.S. economy as a whole,” the members continued.
Text of the letter may be found here and below:
The Honorable Katherine C. Tai
United States Trade Representative
Office of the United State Trade Representative
600 17th Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20508
Dear Ambassador Tai:
As members of the Iowa delegation, we write with concern regarding the Mexican government’s recent action to ban biotech corn imports by January 2024. This decision is inconsistent with commitments made though the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). We request that you take immediate action to ensure our nation’s farmers can continue to feed the world and to signal the importance of the dispute settlement provisions included in the USMCA.
U.S. agricultural innovations have allowed farmers to use new technologies that increase productivity, crop yields, and sustainability. However, the Mexican government’s proposals to restrict these technologies will have detrimental impacts for agricultural sustainability and efficiency. In Iowa, our farmers grow the most corn of any state annually with over 2.5 billion bushels produced in 2021. A large portion of this corn is exported to Mexico and thus, this action would severely harm Iowa’s economy and the U.S. economy as a whole.
Recent reports indicate that this decision would result in the loss of 32,217 U.S. jobs and would cost the U.S. economy over $3.5 billion in losses during the first year. This decree will result in supply chain disruptions, cause uncertainty for farmers and consumers, and inevitably inflate the cost of food and other goods. The U.S. and global economies are already suffering the effects of food insecurity being caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and Mexico’s actions will only exacerbate these effects.
Any decisions made on exports of corn should be made with regards to internationally accepted scientific principles and in line with the USMCA Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. This latest decree is in direct contradiction to Mexico’s previously stated support for agricultural innovation and trade facilitation for agricultural biotechnology. We urge you to take action to ensure that Mexico complies with its commitments under the USMCA.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.