November 17, 202117, 2021

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr. President President

The White House White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC20500 Washington, DC20500

Dear President Biden: President Biden:

Thank you for your leadership at the 26^th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) and for your administration’s efforts to position agriculture and innovation as a solution to global climate and sustainability challenges. The undersigned organizations represent America’s highly innovative and competitive agricultural value chain that is committed to empowering agriculture and food systems to mitigate and adapt to climate change, with science-based, environmentally, and economically sound solutions that also provide for foodsecurity. Parties (COP26) and for your administration’s efforts to position agriculture and innovation as a solution to global climate and sustainability challenges. The undersigned organizations represent America’s highly innovative and competitive agricultural value chain that is committed to empowering agriculture and food systems to mitigate and adapt to climate change, with science-based, environmentally, and economically sound solutions that also provide for foodsecurity.

As you continue to advance America’s leadership on climate, we ask for your attention to acute and systemic trade barriers to innovative agricultural biotechnology tools in important export markets. Specifically, we have great concerns regarding the Government of Mexico’s policy on agricultural biotechnology that is out of step with its commitments under the United States – Mexico – Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). As you approach the North American Leaders Summit, we ask that you address Mexico’s approach toagricultural biotechnology, and specifically to encourage President López Obrador to reestablish a timely, science-based regulatory process and reaffirm the Government of Mexico’s commitment to bilateral trade in agricultural products produced with biotechnology. Should this engagement not succeed, the only remaining path will be to utilize the new enforcement tools included under USMCA. In addition, we underscore the importance of restoringmore predictable and USMCA-compliant trading conditions across a range of other U.S. agricultural exports that are increasingly burdened by Mexico’s use of unscientific regulatory measures to impede trade. and systemic trade barriers to innovative agricultural biotechnology tools in important export markets. Specifically, we have great concerns regarding the Government of Mexico’s policy on agricultural biotechnology that is out of step with its commitments under the United States – Mexico – Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). As you approach the North American Leaders Summit, we ask that you address Mexico’s approach toagricultural biotechnology, and specifically to encourage President López Obrador to reestablish a timely, science-based regulatory process and reaffirm the Government of Mexico’s commitment to bilateral trade in agricultural products produced with biotechnology. Should this engagement not succeed, the only remaining path will be to utilize the new enforcement tools included under USMCA. In addition, we underscore the importance of restoringmore predictable and USMCA-compliant trading conditions across a range of other U.S. agricultural exports that are increasingly burdened by Mexico’s use of unscientific regulatory measures to impede trade.

Since 2018, Mexico has failed to maintain a science-based approval process for agricultural biotechnology, by arbitrarily delaying the scientific risk assessment of biotechnology products, and in one recent instance rejecting a biotech corn product application without scientific justification. As a result, Mexico's lack of a valid and reliable regulatory process has become a rate limiting step to approval and a barrier to introducing new biotechnology crops in North America. The queue of products awaiting science-based risk assessment continues to grow,affecting twenty-five technologies across a wide range of commodities – apples, canola, corn, cotton, andsoybeans. biotechnology, by arbitrarily delaying the scientific risk assessment of biotechnology products, and in one recent instance rejecting a biotech corn product application without scientific justification. As a result, Mexico's lack of a valid and reliable regulatory process has become a rate limiting step to approval and a barrier to introducing new biotechnology crops in North America. The queue of products awaiting science-based risk assessment continues to grow,affecting twenty-five technologies across a wide range of commodities – apples, canola, corn, cotton, andsoybeans.

Compounding matters, the Government of Mexico has issued a series of vague and often contradictory statements as to how imports of U.S. grain produced with agricultural biotechnology are to be treated. A recent letter from President López Obrador to you on October 26, 2021, continues to add to the uncertainty. The absence of a science-based, timely and transparent process, the recent biotechnology product rejection, and messaging from theGovernment of Mexico are, in part and in whole, raising substantial concern for the U.S. agricultural value chain as they have the potential to reduce sales of U.S. agricultural products and undermine long term commercialrelationships. contradictory statements as to how imports of U.S. grain produced with agricultural biotechnology are to be treated. A recent letter from President López Obrador to you on October 26, 2021, continues to add to the uncertainty. The absence of a science-based, timely and transparent process, the recent biotechnology product rejection, and messaging from theGovernment of Mexico are, in part and in whole, raising substantial concern for the U.S. agricultural value chain as they have the potential to reduce sales of U.S. agricultural products and undermine long term commercialrelationships.

Mexico’s actions related to agricultural biotechnology are without scientific rationale and misplaced. For over twenty years, the United States has successfully and safely led the world in the commercialization of biotechnology to enable more sustainable farming practices. These innovations reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout agricultural supply chains, delivering environmentally friendly products and processes to the market and more nutritious offerings to all tables. Future technologies will be critical for producers around the world to be resilient andadaptive to pests, diseases, and extreme weather brought on by climate change. misplaced. For over twenty years, the United States has successfully and safely led the world in the commercialization of biotechnology to enable more sustainable farming practices. These innovations reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout agricultural supply chains, delivering environmentally friendly products and processes to the market and more nutritious offerings to all tables. Future technologies will be critical for producers around the world to be resilient andadaptive to pests, diseases, and extreme weather brought on by climate change.

We greatly appreciate Ambassador Tai and Secretary Vilsack’s consistent engagement on these matters. However, we are growing increasingly alarmed as the Government of Mexico has yet to acknowledge U.S. government intervention and articulate a path to compliance. We are concerned that without intervention at the highest-level, Mexico will continue to deny applicants a timely, science-based process and potentially move forward with actions to ban imports of U.S. grains. these matters. However, we are growing increasingly alarmed as the Government of Mexico has yet to acknowledge U.S. government intervention and articulate a path to compliance. We are concerned that without intervention at the highest-level, Mexico will continue to deny applicants a timely, science-based process and potentially move forward with actions to ban imports of U.S. grains.

Failing to hold Mexico accountable will undermine our efforts to tackle climate change, worsen food insecurity, negatively impact our food systems and the supply chain, and harm the livelihoods of agricultural producers in both the United States and Mexico. Further, if Mexico’s actions go unchecked it could embolden other tradingpartners to take similar actions. food insecurity, negatively impact our food systems and the supply chain, and harm the livelihoods of agricultural producers in both the United States and Mexico. Further, if Mexico’s actions go unchecked it could embolden other tradingpartners to take similar actions.

To enable agriculture to address the challenges related to climate change and sustainably increase production to feed a growing world will require producers having access to cutting edge biotechnology tools andpredictable, reliable cross border trade and investment. increase production to feed a growing world will require producers having access to cutting edge biotechnology tools andpredictable, reliable cross border trade and investment.

Unfortunately, Mexico’s political and regulatory practices are already having negative impacts on decision making throughout the global agricultural supply chain. As such, it is critical the United States takes decisive action toremove Mexico’s impediments to agricultural innovation. on decision making throughout the global agricultural supply chain. As such, it is critical the United States takes decisive action toremove Mexico’s impediments to agricultural innovation.

Sincerely,