If you haven’t heard, American farmers have had a tough go of it lately thanks to current economic and supply chain woes. But now, thanks to a new law soon to be passed by the Mexican government, their businesses, as well as the entire American economy, could suffer even more.
Fox Business recently reported that Mexico is making some changes to its economy, bolstering its strength and setting up security precautions. One such change is the predicted enactment of a law that would ban all US imports of genetically modified or GMO corn.
Now, if you know much about US-Mexico trade relations or US farming, you’ll know that Mexico has been the largest buyer of American corn for decades now. In fact, according to estimates, the Central American nation has bought some $10 billion worth of corn from the US.
Additionally, it’s important to know that most US farmers produce primarily GMO corn and therefore aren’t set to grow or harvest its non-GMO counterpart.
Naturally, the potential law has many American corn farmers in a constant state of worry.
Take Elizabeth Hinkel of Hinkel Farms, for example.
As she told Fox Business, it would take massive investments, as well as efforts to switch from GMO to non-GMO corn production. “And, on top of that, our yields would be decreased.”
She explained the latter by describing how corn prices across the country aren’t dependent on one’s region where it is grown. Instead, the price is dependent on corn production nationwide. So if farmers can’t sell their corn, the price for it nationwide will plummet, leaving farmers with massive losses.
Of course, there are some out there who would say that we need to do away with GMO products anyway. After all, they are supposedly not as healthy. In fact, if you didn’t already know, it’s quite a controversial issue.
However, the fact remains that most US farmers just aren’t set up or have the equipment needed to produce non-GMO or traditional corn anymore. And to get set up to do would take tons of funds and effort. Most just aren’t willing or have the means to make the switch, even if Mexico enacts the proposed new law.
Now, there is a bit of hope. For starters, the USDA is clearly not thrilled with Mexico’s plans and, as such, has been busy calling our neighbor nation out on it.
According to the agency, the decision is 1) “not grounded in science” and 2) would end up threatening trade relations between the two nations. Additionally, it would likely cause harm to the productivity of both US and Mexican farms.
US lawmakers are also beginning to make a fuss about the issue as rightfully worried farmers are calling and writing to them, asking that they stand up for them in Washington and fight to protect their livelihoods.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Washington will listen. After all, the fact remains that these farmers and well-intentioned lawmakers would be pleading their case before an administration that has proven time and time again to put foreign nations over US citizens.
No matter how loudly they speak up or how hard they might fight, at the end of the day, Biden and his ilk may just as likely ignore the whole thing, letting Mexico do as they please and letting American farmers, as well as the entire economy, descend further into freefall.
They’ve done that with the current and ongoing border/immigration crisis. Why should this be any different?
Trump, on the other hand, wouldn’t have let this fly. On the contrary, he repeatedly proved that he was willing to fight for the American people, even if it meant calling out our supposed allies and rather abrasively, as some would say, handling relations with them.
But that netted some pretty great results, didn’t it? America was finally oil independent, the economy was on the mend, and our problems with the southern border were diminishing. Our needs and wants were finally being respected, not just by our lawmakers but by other nations.
Fast-forward a few years, and here we have even Mexico stepping on our toes repeatedly. And all because they know Biden won’t do squat about it.
