Survey assesses Mexican consumers’ opinions on GMO corn import ban

A full ban on genetically modified corn in Mexico could disproportionately impact the country’s low-income consumers, according to a recently published study by agricultural economists at the University of Arkansas System College of Agriculture. There is.

It will also have a negative impact on American farmers. More than 90% of the corn grown in the United States is genetically modified, and Mexico is the second largest importer of American corn after China. Eggs and poultry make up about half of Mexicans’ protein intake, and tortillas account for about half of their calorie intake, according to articles and studies cited in the USDA study “Mexican Consumers’ Potential Reaction to Ban on Genetic Modification” It accounts for 13-20% of the total. Corn is an imported product. ”

The findings are published in the journal Food Security.

“More than half of the people surveyed in Mexico didn’t even know the ban existed, and many of those who were aware of the ban and supported it did not want to see how much higher prices it would cause and how much more jobs it would create. “I changed my mind because of the potential for loss,” said Brandon McFadden, the study’s lead author and a professor of agricultural economics and agribusiness at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, a research arm of the Department of Agriculture. Ta.

The study was co-authored by Lawton Lanier Nalley, Alvaro Durand-Morat, Katie Loethen, and Wei Yang. Mr. Nally is Head of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness. Duran Morat is an associate professor and chair of the LC Carter Endowed Chair in the department. Rosen is a graduate student in agricultural economics at the University of Arkansas, and Yang is a graduate student in agricultural economics at Texas A&M University.

“Although this study primarily focused on the impact on Mexican corn consumers, the ban also clearly has an impact on the U.S. corn industry,” Nally said. “Mexico relies heavily on imports of U.S. corn, mainly yellow corn, for livestock production.More than 90% of U.S. corn is genetically modified, so if the GM ban is implemented, , this legislation will have a significant impact on bilateral trade.

Maize is the Spanish word for what we call corn in the United States. The industry uses “GM” and “GMO” interchangeably for genetically modified organisms, or genetically modified organisms.

McFadden said the study was conducted to fill a gap in understanding how much Mexican consumers are willing to pay for the impact of Mexico’s ban on genetically modified corn and the herbicide glyphosate. said. The study will also help estimate the burden on low-income consumers, who are unlikely to be able to afford premiums for products made from non-GMO corn, he added.

presidential order

On December 31, 2020, the administration of President Andres Manuel López Obrador asked the public to phase out the herbicide glyphosate and genetically modified corn for animal and human consumption by January 31, 2024. announced the required legislation. With a Feb. 13, 2023 Decree, the Mexican government exempted genetically modified corn for animal feed.

President Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office on October 1, has indicated that her administration will continue to enforce the law.

The consumer perception survey, led by McFadden of the Tyson Endowed Chair in Food Policy and Economics, was conducted in April 2023 and surveyed 1,301 Mexicans over the age of 18. Approximately 5% of the sample did not consume all foods, resulting in 1,238 respondents completing the survey. Duran Mora, a native Spanish speaker, translated the questions and results.

What is GM corn?

Most genetically modified corn is made to resist pests or tolerate herbicides. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn is a genetically modified corn that produces a protein that is toxic to certain insects but not to humans, pets, livestock, or other animals, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“These are the same types of proteins that organic farmers use to control pests and do not harm beneficial insects such as ladybugs,” the FDA noted. “GMO Bt corn reduces the need for pesticide spraying while preventing insect damage. Much of GMO corn is used in processed foods and beverages, but most of it is used to feed livestock such as cows and poultry such as chickens. It is used as bait.”

Michael Kidd, a professor of poultry nutrition in the College of Agriculture’s Poultry Science Center of Excellence, said most of the crops fed to animals are genetically modified, but the crops directly consumed by humans are not.

Do you want to pay?

On average, those surveyed said they were willing to pay a 73% premium for chicken, 50% for eggs, and 50% for tortillas made with non-GMO corn. These premium estimates outweigh the potential price increases of 67% for chicken and 30% for tortillas estimated by the 2022 World Perspectives study, which provided estimates of price increases.

But when the results are broken down by group, McFadden said there is considerable variation. Less than half (46%) of all respondents were aware of this legislation. Those who were aware of and supported the ban were willing to pay higher than average prices for non-GMO products and animal products fed GM feed. Respondents who supported this were willing to pay 91% more for chicken, 71% for eggs, and 66% more for tortillas.

In the lowest income category, those with annual incomes of less than 7,000 pesos (about $350), those who were unaware of the ban were only willing to pay 46% more for chicken, 21% more for eggs, and 25% more for tortillas.

Human health was the top reason cited by respondents for supporting a GMO ban, accounting for 85% of that group. Other less important reasons include preserving Mexican heritage, environmental considerations, and preserving cultural heritage.

Public opinion at odds with the FDA

A weighted average of responses indicated that consumers do not feel it is safe to eat genetically modified corn products in tortillas. But they thought it was safer than consuming poultry fed genetically modified corn feed. Those surveyed also thought genetically modified corn grown in Mexico was safer than corn grown in the United States.

The consumer perception results contradict the FDA’s position on genetically modified corn for chicken feed and the Mexican government’s exemption for genetically modified corn for animal feed.

Survey respondents ranked tortilla and tamale shells significantly higher than eggs and chicken. And consumers felt eggs were safer than chicken. The product safety ranking results are consistent with U.S. research, McFadden said, noting that consumers generally prefer foods such as meat from animals fed genetically modified corn over processed products made with genetically modified corn. They concluded that people tend to dislike fresh food.

The FDA issued a statement based on independent research saying, “There is no difference in the effects of GMO and non-GMO foods on animal health and safety.” More than 95% of animals used for meat and dairy products in the United States eat genetically modified crops.

“The DNA contained in GMO foods is not transferred to animals that eat them,” the FDA says. “This means that animals that eat GMO foods do not become GMOs. Similarly, DNA from GMO animal foods does not make it into that animal’s meat, eggs, or milk. Studies show that Foods such as eggs, milk products, and dairy products are equivalent in nutritional value, safety, and quality to foods made from animals that eat only non-GMO foods.

The FDA also notes that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency “continues to conclude that glyphosate poses no risk to public health when used in accordance with its current labeling.” The International Agency for Research on Cancer has concluded that glyphosate may be a carcinogen, while other bodies, including the European Food Safety Authority and the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Conference on Pesticide Residues, have concluded that glyphosate is a possible carcinogen. It has been determined that there is a low possibility that the substance is a carcinogen. It is carcinogenic, the FDA added.

food security and employment

According to consumer perception surveys, approximately 45% of Mexicans live in poverty and 23% are food insecure. If the estimated price changes in 2022 reported by World Perspectives magazine are correct, this is because low-income Mexican consumers spend a larger proportion of their relative and absolute income on tortillas than the wealthiest. The ban will likely make food insecurity even worse, McFadden said.

In addition to higher corn prices, the World Perspectives study estimated that the original law would cost 56,958 jobs in Mexico. Proponents of the ban were asked whether they would still support the legislation, given the potential for 55,000 Mexicans to lose their jobs.

When provided with information about the jobs that could be lost as a result of the Decree, the percentage of respondents who were aware of and supported the Decree decreased from 77% to 46%. When information about corn price increases was provided, support for the ordinance fell to 56%.

Mr. McFadden said job cuts could occur due to the knock-on effect of higher food prices, which in turn reduces spending on other goods and, in turn, lowers gross domestic product (GDP), a measure of a country’s economic health. He said that this could lead to a decrease in

Previous bans in other countries

The consumer perception survey noted that food security risks associated with bans on genetically modified foods are occurring in other countries as well. In 2020, Zimbabwe lifted a 12-year ban on imports of genetically modified foods after the worst drought in decades left more than half of the population in need of food aid. Kenya also banned genetically modified crops in 2012, but lifted the ban in 2022 after soaring food prices due to the worst drought in the African country in 40 years.