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Will Mexico join the movement against GMO food?
Mexico has over 59 different indigenous strains of corn, and corn is a key ingredient in many dishes; from soup, tamales, bread, and the well known tacos and tortillas. Corn is so important to the Mexican diet that an ancient Mayan text states that “man and corn are…inextricably linked –giving rise to the saying that Mexicans are ‘people of corn’. (Lauren Villagran, Christan Science Monitor)”
Currently Mexico allows GM (Genetically Modified) corn cultivation in a few northern states, however, Monsanto and other companies are attempting to get permits to expand their business to other Mexican states.
This has led Greenpeace and other organizations like UNORCA (National Union of Autonomous Regional Peasant Organizations) to launch protests throughout Mexico in an attempt to persuade the Mexican government to resist the Monsanto led—GMO invasion.
Many documentaries have been made showing the devastating effects GM corn is having on the Mexican population in general, and the native Mexicans in particular. Many suicides have occurred when people who have farmed corn for generations (some families for hundreds of years if not longer) realized that GM corn destroys the native heirloom seeds and crops. Two other major problems have occurred with Monsanto’s GM corn in Mexico:
- The farmers are forced to purchase seeds from Monsanto each season since the GMO/Monsanto patent laws/rules state that Monsanto owns all crops grown from GMO seeds.
- They are forced with the threat of prosecution, not to store or use heirloom seeds and not to replant GMO seeds either.
Since Monsanto claims to own all crops grown from GMO seeds and the farmers are not allowed to use heirloom seeds the farmers thus become GMO seed dependent and defacto indentured servants or GMO slaves.
If you think this story is unfortunate but does not affect you unless you live in Mexico, consider the reality of the situation that these GMO companies are multinational mega-corporations whose intended goal is for the entire worlds food supply to eventually be derived from GMO seeds and crops. Many organizations estimate that up to 85% of all corn in the USA is already GMO corn. Recent tests in many universities and health organizations have shown solid links between GM corn (as well as other GMO foods) and cancer including tumors in rats and mice.
“Mexico is the world’s only hope,” says Mr. Turrent Fernandez. “If a few years from now the world wants to revert to original strains, the only way to return is for native Mexican corn not to be contaminated. (Lauren Villagran, Christan Science Monitor)”
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Kingdom of Bhutan aiming to become 100 percent organic
The small landlocked nation, famed as the happiest country in the world, wedged between China (to the north) and India (to the south), with a population of over 700,000; is on the verge of becoming the first nation in the world to have its agriculture be 100% organic.
The government has set a goal to phase out all artificial chemicals from farming within 10 years.
“Jurmi Dorji, a member of the 103-strong Daga Shingdrey Pshogpa farmers’ association in southern Bhutan, says his fellow members are in favour of the policy. More than a decade ago, people realized that the chemicals were not good for farming,” […] “I cannot say everyone has stopped using chemicals but almost 90 percent have. (Yahoo News Singapore)”
This is great news not only for the people of Bhutan but also the world over as a report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science demonstrated that after analyzing “74 studies on soils under organic…farming practices, has found that over time, the carbon content in the organic fields significantly increased. For farmers everywhere, that means organic agriculture results in a richer, more productive soil… (Natural Awakenings Magazine)”
Bhutan exports several agricultural commodities to various nations: rare mushrooms to Japan, vegetables to upscale hotels in Thailand, red rice to the United States and apples to several countries including India.
If Bhutan is able to achieve a 100% organic standard for all food they produce, then they will set a very high standard for the world to follow and will let the world know that their country is taking the quality of their food and the preservation of agricultural biodiversity very seriously, not to mention the ability to gain market advantages and price premiums for their exports.
The world should applaud Bhutan for this effort and encourage their own governments to pursue similar goals.
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