Overview

• On the National Day of Maize, President Claudia Sheinbaum said a more ambitious support program for criollo maize will be presented soon, building on Producción para el Bienestar and free fertilizer assistance.
• The initiative includes consolidating a national germplasm bank to store seeds and safeguard the crop’s genetic diversity for the long term.
• A March 2025 reform to Articles 4 and 27 of the Constitution prohibits planting transgenic maize and formally recognizes native maize and the milpa as central to food sovereignty.
• Semarnat officials highlighted Mexico’s role as maize’s center of origin, noting 64 documented races—59 native—preserved largely by campesino and indigenous seed stewardship.
• Mexico’s maize output fell to about 23.3 million tonnes in 2024 from roughly 27 million in typical years due to drought and higher input costs, underscoring the need for the new measures.