U.S., Mexico at odds over modified corn

MEXICO CITY — Mexico and the United States appear to be headed for another commercial dispute Tuesday, this time over a Mexican ban on imports of genetically modified yellow corn.

In a strongly worded message, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack wrote that “time is running short” to resolve the issue.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Tuesday that Mexico won’t back down on a ban on imports of genetically modified corn for human consumption.

But Lopez Obrador said Mexico would study whether to eventually ban it for animal feed, as well.

“What is being proposed is that we also set a date for studying the contents of yellow corn to see whether it is damaging to human health, even if it is used for animal feed,” Lopez Obrador said. “Because that takes time, we are offering a space of two years [for imports] in the case of yellow feed corn.”

Vilsack met on Monday with Lopez Obrador and said he had expressed “deep concerns” over the issue to the U.S.

“The president’s phaseout decree has the potential to significantly disrupt trade, harm farmers on both sides of the border and significantly increase costs for Mexican consumers,” Vilsack wrote.