Mexico City, Mexico
December 20, 2013

USDA/FAS GAIN report MX 3087

Report Highlights:

On December 18, 2013, a federal district judge from Mexico City lifted an injunction previously placed on all planting activities involving genetically engineered (GE) corn in Mexico (See 2013 GAIN report MX3075 “Mexican Judge Blocks GE Corn Permits”). The order followed a collective lawsuit against the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) and the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and some agricultural biotech companies directing them to suspend the granting of permits for experimental, pilot and commercial release of GE corn in Mexico. Private sources stated that the “collective” group of social activists who filed the lawsuit has two weeks to appeal the judge’s decision, after which SAGARPA and SEMARNAT will regain the capacity to approve or disapprove permits for the release of GE corn planting.

Executive Summary:

On December 18, 2013, a federal district judge from Mexico City lifted an injunction previously placed on all planting activities involving genetically engineered (GE) corn in Mexico (See 2013 GAIN report MX3075 “Mexican Judge Blocks GE Corn Permits”). The order followed a collective lawsuit against the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) and the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and some agricultural biotech companies directing them to suspend the granting of permits for experimental, pilot and commercial release of GE corn in Mexico. The injunction blocking GE corn permits was initially passed in October, 2013 as a result of a collective lawsuit filed by a group of social activists.

Private sources indicated that the main reason for not accepting the lawsuit was that it did not qualify for admission. Also, the private sources stated that the “Collective” (i.e. the Group of Social Activists) has two weeks to appeal the Judge’s decision, after which SAGARPA and SEMARNAT will regain the capacity to approve or disapprove permits for release of GE corn planting.

Website: http://www.fas.usda.gov/

Published: January 2, 2014