Some years ago, Mexico banned GMO corn from being imported from other countries. Mexico is one of the leading customers for US-grown corn. Almost all are GMO varieties. We are not the only country supplying GMO corn to Mexico. Our northern neighbor, Canada also supplies corn to Mexico. The banning has been a dispute for several years and eventually, Mexico said no more as of the first of the year. the US and Canada have appealed the ruling and as of now, Mexico has relaxed its ban to only white corn, the corn used in their foodstuff. They are as of now allowing yellow corn which is used for feedstock for fatening animals.
“Mexico is the centre of origin of more than 55 strains of maize. The food security policy of the Government of Mexico consists of preserving this biocultural heritage,” the government said in a statement, in addition to preserving the sustainable farming practices of peasant communities. “This has to do with consolidating sovereignty and food security in a central part of Mexican culture.” Aljazeera
Corn originated in Southern Mexico. For years, even millions of years, as corn developed into the crop we now recognize, those millions of years brought a multitude of different climate patterns as well as exposure to plant diseases and other stresses. If a drought lasted for 30 years, for example, only those crops that were able to live through that epoch of time would survive. Those genes that represented the surviving corn were then passed down through the generations. When you see an Indian corn with different colors, you are seeing different genes on that ear.
Corn in the US has been rebred for different attributes, mainly quantity, for 80 years now. The result is a crop that has few naturally occurring genes to protect it from stresses that we may meet in the future. Diseases, insects, and swings in temperature and rainfall as well as wind and length of season are not kept in the newly formed genes. The 55 strains of corn in Mexico is a seed bank that we need to preserve. Any shipment of corn will always entail some spillage even though it may be just a few grains along the highway or rural road. the germination of that seed and eventual production of grains of pollen can spread throughout the country infecting native crops.
The Mexican government has a right to protect its jewels. But there are other reasons that we need to examine. Open Pollinated Corn, corn that existed before hybrids were developed, had superior nutrient qualities. almost all corn on the shelf today is a hybrid variety and GMO corn was developed from that strain. You have to search for open pollinated corn and one way to know is if it is blue. The same principle applies to fruits and vegetables. heirloom varieties.
“Some of the successes that have attended corn production may have been the result of distorted accounting procedures. In terms of nutrients, open pollinated still has an enviable record. Adolph Steinbronn of Fairbanks, Iowa put the matter in perspective by having two samples of corn tested for ingredients usually added to commercial feeds. One was a sample of hybrids he had grown. The other was OP corn. The OP corn contained 19% more crude protein, 35% more digestible protein, 60% more copper, 27% more iron and 25% more manganese.
Compared to some 4,000 samples of corn tested in ten midwest state in a single oyear, Steinbronn’s OP corn contained 75% more crude protein, 875% more copper, 345% more iron, and 205% more magnesium. The same trend has also been seen in the content of calcium, sodium, magnesium and zinc. It can be said that OP corn could contain an average of over 400% more of these nutrients.”
Page 38 Eco-Farm–An acres U.S.A. Primer
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