Watch the replay of our May 2, 2024 webinar in English. Watch in Spanish here.
Mexico is a center of origin and constant diversification for corn, with more than 60 native varieties under threat of contamination. At the same time, corn is a pillar of Mexico’s cultural heritage. This webinar will explore the effects of GM corn on Mexico’s biocultural heritage, as well as the basis for the protection of biodiversity and the guarantee of the rights of indigenous communities in the USMCA text.
Webinar speakers & presentation slides
- David Rivero Fragoso, Grupo Vicente Guerrero
- Monserratt Téllez Serrano, Semillas de Vida, Coordinadora de Incidencia Política
- Sharon Anglin Treat, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), Senior Advisor — Presentation slides in English and Spanish
- Moderator: Karen Hansen-Kuhn, IATP, Director of Trade and International Strategies
About the webinar series
The Mexican government has restricted the use of genetically modified (GM) white corn for human consumption and glyphosate as part of its broader program for food self-sufficiency and agroecology. Last August, the U.S. government launched a trade dispute, falsely asserting that these rules violate provisions in the U.S-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Canada joined as a third party, even though it does not export corn to Mexico.
This case underscores how trade policy can be misused to undermine countries’ democratic efforts to reshape their domestic food systems. Civil society organizations in Mexico, Canada and the U.S. have pushed back, including by filing formal submissions under the USMCA dispute resolution process.
Join us for, "Who decides on food policy? Pushing back on the U.S.-Mexico corn dispute" a three-part bilingual webinar series on the issues raised by civil society groups in this dispute, which has broader implications for the future of trade policy and food sovereignty.
Series Sponsor
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Series Cosponsors
