The maize message

We have used maize to make our point throughout this meeting: we have presented it to the U.S. delegation, stopped a 40 000 ton shipment of genetically engineered maize from entering Mexico and handed out small sacks containing maize kernels to delegates. What is the maize message?

Maize is the main staple of the Mexican diet - almost half the calories consumed by people in the country are from maize. It is a powerful symbol in Mexican culture - as much or more than rice in Asia or wheat in Europe. The WTO and the decisions it makes have a direct impact on the long-term health of the maize crop in Mexico and around the world.

The recent history of maize in Mexico is a strong illustration of all that is wrong with the current system of trade regulation. The Mexican government had been warned that the importation of genetically engineered maize from the United States could lead to the contamination of native species of maize, when genetic material passed from the GE species to local crops. The government established a moratorium on the planting of GE maize, and has never allowed the commercial planting of GE maize.

Nevertheless, in 2001, genetically engineered maize was found in Oaxaca state, Mexico, quite a shock to the citizens of Mexico, who made the mistake of planting the imported maize without realizing it was genetically engineered. The maize quickly established itself, and will be nearly impossible to eradicate. The genetically engineered maize has unknown impacts on the environment, including possible impacts on 'pest' and non-target species, herbicide tolerance and soil fertility.

You can read the whole story on GE contamination of Mexican maize here (PDF, 148K)

The WTO plays a role in this story of unwanted genetic contamination because it can weaken environmental rules that allow countries to determine how much genetically engineered material they want to allow into their country, and if rich countries get there way, will in fact promote this trade in GE species. That is one aspect of the maize message we and our allies are trying to deliver here in Cancun.

For more than I can ever write about genetic engineering, trade and maize check out this page