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Farm Bureau urges for a solution to Mexico’s potential GM ban

The American Farm Bureau Federation is pressing for Mexico’s ban on biotech crops to be prevented before dispute resolution is needed.

AFBF President Zippy Duvall tells Brownfield he received a call from Ag Secretary Vilsack right after his meeting with the Mexican president earlier this week.

“I understand there will be an offer back from Mexico about how to get around this, but the Secretary’s exactly right—we need to have a solution now,” he shares.

Duvall says he appreciates the secretary meeting several times with Mexican officials on the issue, and it comes down to a lack of understanding about biotechnology.

“The disagreement is about the science and what science you want to support,” he says. “Our science and our regulatory system says it’s safe to consume and we trust that.”

With the ban set to take place in 2024, Duvall says if a solution isn’t found, dispute resolution through the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement could start in the near future.

Brownfield interviewed Duvall during his visit to the Michigan Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, in Grand Rapids.