MEXICO CITY, June 10 - Mexico is holding up import permits for GMO corn, the head of the country's main farm lobby told Reuters, saying the government intended to apply a GMO ban to the grain used in animal feed despite contrasting comments by a top U.S. official.

In an interview, National Farm Council President Juan Cortina said among hundreds of agricultural product import permits awaiting a resolution are at least eight for genetically-modified corn even though the ban is not set to go into effect for three years. (Reporting by David Alire Garcia and Adriana Barrera)