Sometimes progress just needs a fresh start.

Mexico’s decision to lift its ban on GM corn imports is welcome news for farmers and consumers across North America.

It hardly could have come at a more opportune moment—and as a farmer in Mexico, I couldn’t be more pleased.

The latest headlines make it sound like trade relations on our continent have sputtered, with threats of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs and more. It’s true, trade presently suffers from an enormous amount of political stress. It may grow worse before it gets better.

Yet we’ve just seen how our current trade agreement can work for the benefit of everyone.

On the surface, the United States looks like the big winner, following the decision of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on February 5 to revoke the anti-GM policy of her predecessor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, also known as “AMLO.” He sought to ban the importation of GM corn, which would have led to huge losses for American farmers as well as hurt Mexican livestock producers, who rely on U.S.-grown corn for their livestock.

Sheinbaum’s decision returns Mexico to compliance with its obligations under the USMCA agreement that replaced the previous North American Free Trade Agreement in 2020, after President Trump initiated its negotiation during his first term.

“The USMCA is the fairest, most balanced, and beneficial trade agreement we have ever signed into law,” said President Trump at the time. “It’s the best agreement we’ve ever made.”

He should take another victory lap. The United States, joined by Canada, won its case, in the GM corn dispute, fair and square. Sheinbaum’s willingness to accept the ruling shows that our three countries can solve their differences through the USMCA’s existing mechanisms.

Mexico imports more corn from the United States than any other country—more than 24 million tons of it last year. This represents a market share of 99 percent, reports the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These transactions were worth $5.6 billion, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Absurdly, AMLO wanted to halt this, in pursuit of an unrealistic ideology of food sovereignty—the strange notion that because the oldest varieties of corn are Mexican, nobody in Mexico today should eat corn grown elsewhere.

Although President Sheinbaum is AMLO’s political ally, she recognized that his decrees on GM corn imports made no sense. They had nothing to do with science, economics, or food security—and in fact, they threatened Mexicans in each of those areas.

The three nations followed the rules that they had established under USMCA for resolving disputes, which are inevitable in a relationship between three countries. Ultimately, an independent panel issued a 110-page ruling that came down decisively on the side of requiring Mexico to permit the import of GM corn.

This represents a win for science and technology. The USMCA has rules grounded in sound science—and we know that GM crops are safe and healthy. It also encourages technological innovation—and we know that GM crops are an amazing boon to farmers who seek to grow food in sustainable ways.

Perhaps most importantly, this is a win for trade—and especially for the idea that nations can exchange goods and services across borders in a lawful and orderly way, solving problem as they arise through methods they’ve already established.

This is how international trade is supposed to work.

I don’t produce anything on my farm that exports directly to the United States, but I’m in the value chain that does. I grow barley seed for a brewery chain which is an important exporter and am encouraged to grow my beef herd as we see a growing  export market of Mexican steers to the North American market.

So I’m opposed to a trade war—and I’m glad to see that we now have a positive example of how our governments can overcome their disagreements.

Many difficulties lie ahead. Trump is bound to issue more threats, as he tries to confront the problems of fentanyl production, drug smuggling, and cartel violence.

It’s hard to know what comes next—except to say that our three countries are at their best when they work together.

Let’s keep this fresh start going.