Monday, Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), chairman of the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, and Sen. Deb Fischer, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, reach released statements after the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced their intent to formally request technical consultations on Mexico’s decree on biotech corn pursuant to the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Chapter of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA):
“While this is welcome news, it should have happened sooner," Smith said. "Nonetheless, this is an important step toward formal dispute consultations, and I appreciate Ambassador Tai’s attention to this matter. We must hold our trading partners to their commitments and lead from a position of strength. I hope this is an inflection point for the administration and marks movement toward a more aggressive and proactive trade agenda across the board.”
During USMCA negotiations, Smith traveled to Montreal and Mexico City. Long outspoken on the need to hold Mexico accountable, Subcommittee Chairman Smith recently signed a letter with Chairman Jason Smith to Ambassador Tai and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack calling for formal dispute consultations under USMCA. Last December, he and Rep. Dan Kildee also led a bipartisan letter with members of the Ways and Means Committee to Ambassador Tai requesting dispute consultations and encouraging the administration to “ensure all our trading partners maintain science-based biotech regulatory systems.”
Fischer said, "I appreciate the Biden Administration demonstrating it is taking this issue seriously by moving forward with technical consultations today. I've been clear from the start – the United States cannot accept Mexico's unscientific ban against genetically modified corn. It's a flagrant violation of USMCA, and if allowed would set a dangerous precedent for enforcement of U.S. international trade agreements. Until Mexico relents, we should be prepared to pursue a full dispute settlement."
Categories: Nebraska, Crops, Corn, Government & Policy