(NDAgConnection.com) – Mexico has confirmed that it does not plan to amend its ban on imports of GMO that is set to start in 2024. Mexico’s Deputy Ag Minister says the country is on track to cut is imports of U.S. yellow corn by half through increased domestic production. Mexico is a top customer for U.S. corn, accounting for 20 to 25% of U.S. corn exports annually.

The Scoop reports that Mexico is back tracking on their reassurances made a year ago that they would not limit imports of GMO corn from the U.S. Instead, they say they’ll make direct deals with farmers in the U.S, Argentina and Brazil who produce non-GMO corn to supply their need outside of domestic production.

Mexico claims their decree is not a violation of the U.S. Mexico, Canada Agreement, saying the country was “under no obligation to buy and grow GM corn.” But officials with the National Corn Growers Association disagree. Angus Kelly is NCGA Director of Public Policy says, “There are numerous violations under section 31 of the U.S. Mexico Canada agreement if you want to get technical, part of which, if you’re going to reject an application from an RD company for whatever biotech product then you need to do it with some sort of scientific basis.”

Meanwhile, the country is also moving ahead with their ban on corn produced with herbicides like glyphosate and glufosinate which Kelly says is also a violation of USMCA. NCGA officials say this import action also impacts a cross section of other U.S. ag commodities that are biotech or produced using glyphosate and glufosinate.