Page 101 - Breeding and regulatory opportunities, Renaud

Seed Regulation in the US, EU and Mexico

reduces the potential for trade while signiicantly increasing the potential for

movement of diseased seed within Mexico. Thirdly, Mexican organic produc-

tion nonetheless continues to grow at a rate of 20-30% annually, involves more

than 130,000 growers, and covers more than 500,000 hectares of land (Guzman

Contro, 2009) despite the complications documented above.

Table 3.5 Summary of key decisions and events in the evolution of the Mexico organic and

phytosanitary regulations

Timeline
Regulatory Position Change
Outcome

1995
Mexican Phytosanitary Regulation NOM- Mandatory chemical seed treatment imposed
006-FITO-1995 published

1997
Mexico oicial organic standard NOM- Mexico’s irst organic standard proposal
037-FITO-1995published

2005
Natural II an organic seed treatment First organic treatment permitted for seed
approved
entry into Mexico

Feb 7, Organic Products Law published
Mexico Organic Product Law

2006
June Approval of importation of organic Use of organic untreated seed allowed

2008
untreated seed

2008
Approval for use of Nature II organic Entry of organic seed treated with Natural II
seed treatment retracted
banned

2009
Allowance of importation of organic Entry of organic untreated seed banned
untreated seed retracted

2009
Approval of T-22 as only method for Entry of organic seed with T-22 treatment
organic seed importation
approved

2009
Approval of hot water treatment for seed Entry of six crops treated with hot water

importation

2009
AMSAC Organic Seed Committee formed
Committee formed to identify new methods
for organic seed entry

April 1, Organic Products Law approved by Mexico Organic Regulation approved
2010
COFEMER

May 11, Cancellation of Mexico organic standard: Mexico’s initial organic standards cancelled
2010
NOM-0337-FITO-1995

May 25, Mexico Organic Regulations draft Draft Mexico Organic Regulations published

2010
published by SENASICA
(includes a requirement that growers use
100% organic seed)

June Dutch agricultural delegation met with The Netherlands and Mexico seek a bilateral
2010
SAGARPA
agreement on seed trade

July 2010
Organic certiiers organize a multi- Multi-stakeholders share with government
stakeholder meeting on organic seed authorities the impact of conlicting organic

importation into Mexico
and phytosanitary requirements on their
operations.

Aug US government inter-agency group US authorities seek to create a strategy for
2010
including the USDA (NOP, APHIS, FAS, bilateral agreement on (organic) seed trade
AMS) and OTA meet in the US with with Mexican authorities

SAGARPA to develop bilateral agreement
on seed importation issue

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