Browse Data and Analysis

On February 13, 2023, Mexico published a modified 2023 Corn Decree in the Diario Official Federal (DOF). The new Presidential decree abrogates the 2020 GE Corn Decree and is immediately effective on February 14, 2023.

Mexico has not officially reported any approvals for genetically engineered (GE) agricultural products for food and feed use since May 2018. Additionally, Mexico has not approved any permit applications for cultivation of GE crop (cotton and alfalfa)...

The Government of Argentina (GOA) approved two new genetically engineered (GE) events in 2022 (one soybean and one maize). In November 2021, Brazil's regulatory agency approved the commercialization of wheat flour containing the HB4 drought tolerance event grown in Argentina. As a result of this approval by Argentina’s most important export market for wheat, the GOA granted full approval for seed commercialization.

Brazil is the second-largest producer of biotech crops in the world with 105 events approved. For the 2022/2023 crop season, FAS Brasilia forecasts a 65 million hectares planted with GE traits. Adoption rates for soybeans and cotton reached 99 percent and 95 percent for corn. Continued use of biotechnology seeds has been a major contributor to yield growth in Brazil since its adoption.

In July 2022, the government of Canada published guidelines that reinforce Canada’s product-based approach and provides guidance on how Canada’s Novel Food Regulations are applied to products of plant breeding. The government is now revising regulations for animal feed and environmental release. Publication of revisions is expected in spring 2023.

In 2022 Honduras has made no modifications or changes to its existing regulatory framework. As of October 2022, Honduras had more than 52,000 hectares (ha) of genetically engineered (GE) Corn production, a 37 percent increase from calendar 2021.

Panama made a policy change regarding Genetically Engineered (GE) plants, seeds and animals in 2022, through the recently approved Legislative Act which establishes the State Agri-food Policy and dictates other provisions.

While Colombia's regulatory environment remains friendly toward the adoption of biotech-derived commodities and other innovative technologies, Congressional anti-biotechnology initiatives continue posing a threat, risking the benefits to consumers and the agricultural sector. In 2021, genetically engineered corn area planted grew 31 percent, reaching record figures, and genetically engineered cotton area planted recovered 55 percent compared to 2020.

Despite private sector support for biotechnology, Venezuela’s ban on the domestic use of and research on modern biotechnology-derived agriculture remains in place. The backbone of this ban is the Seed Law of December 2015, which also prohibits the importation of genetically-engineered seeds.

The legal and regulatory situation to allow the planting of genetically engineered (GE) crops in Ecuador remains relatively the same as 2021. Commercial cultivation of GE crops is not permitted, however cultivation for research is allowed and an exception exists for GE products without recombinant or foreign DNA in the genome. A ruling by Ecuador’s Constitutional Court in early 2022 now makes it more difficult for the President to authorize exceptions to the GE ban.

Peru continues to enforce the extended biotechnology moratorium. In February 2021, Peru extended the previous ten-year biotechnology moratorium for another fifteen years. Similar to the previous moratorium, Peru has yet to notify the measure to the World Trade Organization. In general, biotechnology remains misunderstood by the public in Peru.

Guatemala adopted science-based regulations for the adoption of agricultural biotechnology in 2018. These regulations were immediately challenged by activists but in 2021 the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court reaffirmed the legality of the regulatory process, paving the way for the approvals of the first applications in April 2021.