Tim Wise, senior advisor at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy: “There is a great deal of confused reporting about Mexico’s corn policies, much of it fed by U.S. officials who have an interest in strengthening their hand in the ongoing dispute with the López Obrador government over its restrictions on genetically modified corn. Similar confusion surrounds the new 50 percent tariff on white corn imports, which does not apply to imports from countries with which Mexico has trade agreements. It does not affect U.S. exports at all, despite some U.S. government statements to the contrary. Mexico is largely self-sufficient in white and native corn, importing very little. The vast majority of imports are for yellow corn destined for animal feed and industrial uses. The corn flour/tortilla industry has used white corn imports to drive down local corn prices during harvest season in the industrialized northern part of Mexico. That harvest is coming to market now, and in part the tariff is designed to prevent Cargill, Maseca, Minsa and other large buyers from bidding down the price of Mexican corn. Corn prices recently fell to three-year lows, and the government is…”