Browse Data and Analysis

Colombia’s agricultural industry widely utilizes innovative biotechnologies, and its regulatory environment remains open genetically engineered (GE) derived commodities. However, congressional anti-biotechnology initiatives continue to risk undoing decades of scientific advancement, undermining biotechnology development and potentially impacting agricultural trade.

The Dominican Republic continues to be a strong market for U.S. bulk agricultural products (e.g., corn), intermediate goods (e.g., soybean meal), and high value consumer-oriented products (e.g., processed food products), reaching a total export value of $2 billion in 2023.

Agricultural biotechnology constitutes an opportunity for U.S. suppliers, as non-governmental and governmental organizations have encouraged its integration into the Haitian economy in recent years.

Brazil is the second-largest producer of biotech crops in the world, with 131 events approved for plants. For the 2024/2025 crop season, FAS Brasilia forecasts 68.5 million hectares planted with GE traits. Adoption rates for soybeans and cotton reached 99 percent and for corn, 95 percent.

In June 2024, the Nicaraguan Institute of Agricultural Protection and Health (IPSA) issued an executive resolution to strengthen the risk mitigation measures for the monitoring and testing of GE grains.

Production of genetically engineered products (primarily cotton for seed and pink pineapples) is expected to increase in 2025 as new cotton events are expected to be approved by the National Technical Biosafety Commission.

On October 1, 2019, El Salvador agreed to harmonize the biosafety technical regulation for “modified living organisms” for agricultural use with Guatemala and Honduras and designated the Ministry of Agriculture as the National Competent Authority to provide authorizations and keep registries related to biotechnology.

Access to the benefits of modern agricultural biotechnology in the Caribbean Basin remains stifled by the unfinished work of implementing a science-based, risk-management approach to regulate its use.

This report provides an overview of Chile’s current Sanitary Regulation for Food Products (known as RSA by its name in Spanish), as well as any other regulations with potential to disrupting food trade. Since the last version of this report in 2023, Chile updated the list of maximum residue levels of pesticides in food products.

This report lists and describes certificate and other documents that must accompany food and agricultural imports to Chile as required by Chilean regulations. Since the last version of this report in 2023, The United States and Chile negotiated the new attestations for dairy products.

As of October 31, at 11 A.M., the Longshoremen’s Union, CUPE Local 375, is on unlimited labor strike action at the Port of Montreal’s two Termont terminals (two of the four container terminals at the Port).

In 2024, Argentina's dairy production faced significant challenges, primarily due to severe weather and economic issues which led to a projected 7 percent decline in milk output, estimated at 10,708 metric tons (MT).