New GMO Crops Temporarily Blocked in Mexico

Triple Crisis blogger Timothy A. Wise was interviewed by the Real News Network on the continuing controversy in Mexico over the government’s possible approval of permits to Monsanto and other biotech firms to grow transgenic corn on a commercial scale. As Wise explains, the opposition got a shot in the arm recently when a judge issued an injuction on further permits, calling for precaution given the concern (and pending lawsuits) over the environmental impacts of transgenic corn in a country with such a rich diversity of native varieties. Noting the recent controversy over the World Food Prize going to biotech engineers (see his earlier post), he points out that NAFTA’s environment commission studied a documented case of “genetic contamination” a decade ago and recommended precaution. (See the suppressed report and background research.) With a crucial referendum pending in Washington State on mandatory labeling of GM foods, there are signs the tide is turning against Monsanto.

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