Press Release – Class Action Lawsuit Against Genetically Modified Corn in Mexico

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  • Great triumph against Monsanto in the defense of native corn, and against glyphosate.
  • Collegiate Court postpones the proposed resolution of the magistrate Ricardo Gallardo Vara on the injunction in favor of glyphosate and that favors transnational companies.
  • They recognize the precautionary principle and the precautionary measure against the planting of genetically modified (GM) corn, in view of the probable damage caused by cancer and in favor of the defense of health and biodiversity.

The Collective plaintiff against genetically modified corn celebrates the vote against the resolution of an injunction trial in favor of the Bayer-Monsanto company against the presidential decree for the progressive substitution of the use of glyphosate and prohibition of transgenic corn, presented by the magistrate Ricardo Gallardo Vara, who insists on determining that there is no danger associated with transgenic corn.

In a discussion held yesterday, Thursday, January 4, 2024, magistrates Patricio González Loyola and Jean Claude Tron Petit, mentioned arguments that the plaintiff Collective has presented during the ten years of our legal process, and that support our position of defending the right of present and future generations to the biodiversity of native corn in our country.

Judge Jean Claude Tron Petit highlighted aspects in the draft resolution that need revision, for example, that glyphosate is a deep-acting herbicide that kills the plants with which it comes into contact, which is why genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been developed that are resistant to its effects.

He highlighted that the Decree not only has to do with the limitation or regulation of glyphosate, but also with biodiversity and highlighted the resolution of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation of October 13, 2021, which recognizes the effects on biodiversity.

Likewise, the magistrate emphasized that there is scientific evidence that contradicts the information presented by Magistrate Gallardo Vara, such as that of the U.S. Environmental Office, which in 2023 resolved that glyphosate did not represent a serious risk in terms of carcinogenic effects, which in 2023 resolved that glyphosate did not represent a serious risk in terms of carcinogenic affections, a situation that was questioned by interested sectors and which led to a sentence issued by the Federal Court of Appeals of the Ninth Circuit of that country, ordering said Agency to rectify its considerations, since it did not take into account each and every one of the elements involved. He also highlighted the restriction of the German Parliament in the year 2023 for the use of glyphosate.

He mentioned several lawsuits filed against Bayer-Monsanto by people who have developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer that is a consequence of the use of the herbicide, such as the case of Edwin Hardeman, who won a lawsuit for 25 million dollars.

With respect to the decision of the European Commission authorizing the use of glyphosate for ten more years, the result of a controversial vote, he clarified that the use of glyphosate in public spaces was prohibited and that its use is not allowed for the drying or harvesting of vegetable products, especially for food use.

On the other hand, he mentioned studies that confirm the presence of glyphosate in people, particularly in children, in the states of Jalisco and Campeche, and commented on the cases of 10 to 15 countries that have restricted and even banned the use of the herbicide.

Finally, he made a call to be aware of the problems of glyphosate and the damage to native corn and commented that in situations of uncertainty or doubt such as the present one, it is better to apply the principles of prevention and precaution.

Judge Patricio González Loyola, focused his participation on the impact on the environment and health related to this draft resolution, such as the precautionary principle, which he mentioned, is justified, since it forces us to be careful in situations in which the risk may be the factor behind the action in question, in this case, the Decree that Judge Gallardo Vara has insistently tried to attack.

This, because they considered that the Decree is not a prohibition, but a restriction to reduce its use as a precautionary measure in view of the possible effects that glyphosate causes on people’s health and biodiversity.

It is important to have in mind that what is valid in other countries is different from Mexico, since in our country there is a connection between the effects on corn and traditional cornfield crops, which may have a different impact in other countries and cultures.

In Mexico, the consumption of tortillas and other corn products is high, so the impact that glyphosate may have on people deserves to be investigated, taking into account factors that correspond to our socioeconomic reality and our culture, highlighting that this is not present in the evaluations presented in the draft resolution.

It is essential to take up again the statement of Judge González Lozoya in the sense that the issue is controversial, but that the carcinogenic quality of glyphosate by the WHO means that certainty cannot be demanded in cases of presumption of irreversible damage.

Therefore, the Fourth Collegiate Court decided to withdraw the proposed resolution and reconsider it, considering the series of arguments presented by Justices Tron Petit and Gonzalez Loyola, all under the resistance of Justice Gallardo, who had to assume the reconsideration of the resolution.

As the plaintiff collective, we consider that this resolution represents a great triumph for the millions of corn consumers in Mexico, Mesoamerica and the world, by placing the human rights to health, to a healthy environment, to adequate and safe food above all else.

Unfortunately, the Collective has not been considered as a third party interested in the discussions on transgenic maize, however, we will continue to defend the great diversity of native maize in our country, against the purely economic interests of transnational companies, which do not take into account the damage that their genetically modified organisms and toxic agrochemicals cause us.

We will be watching the new project of the magistrate Gallardo Vara, to prevent him from continuing with the logic of favoring companies that are predators of life, the environment and biodiversity and that only seek profit, as is the case of Bayer-Monsanto.

Official press release (in Spanish)

“We are grains of corn from the same ear, we are one root, from the same path.” Otomi poem

The European Alliances for Regenerative Agriculture – A New EARA to Regenerate Into 2024″

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In a truly bottom-up, grassroots manner, pioneering regenerative farmers from across Europe have organised in the new European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture (EARA). 

EARA was founded in November 2023 with a clear mandate and vision of the European regenerative farmers’ movement as an independent farmer-led coordination and political advocacy organisation.

The uniqueness of EARA is that farmers of all EU contexts (young/old; big/small, organic/non-organic; pastoralist/arable; etc.) mycelium-together with a shared vision & voice rooted in their quest to farm for regeneration with the insights of the soil biology revolution at heart!

In the future the alliance will also have associated members, which will be non-farmer stakeholders from agrifood ecosystems.

 

With the sharing of their White Paper EARA starts to inoculate the consensus- and alliance-building process of agents whose interests lie in a regenerating world.

The paper gives clear guidance along which keystones agrifood ecosystem governance ought to be reenvisioned to foster holistic regeneration.

The paper’s key messages are designed to steward and motivate decision-makers to ensure that

  • their thinking puts emphasis on achieving holistic positive impact by working in alignment with living systems as wholes
  • the transition towards regenerative agrifood ecosystems is farmer co-led, as well as farmer-, people- and ecocentric
  • claims on regenerative agriculture go beyond the surface, are systemic, holistic, transparent and solidly documented
  • agricultural subsidies are transformed into simple agroecosystem health performance-based payments for land stewards
  • indigenous, peasant and farmer land rights and long-term land access is guaranteed
  • stranded assets as well as market- and power asymmetries in agrifood systems are faced head on
  • agrifood systems are de- and re-grown into their ecoregions

In the upcoming year EARA will focus on developing a new generation of agroecosystem governance deduced from the most innovative farmers in Europe that lay the basis for resilient and healthy food security for regenerating and peaceful European communities, economies, nations and ecosystems.

Please see EARA’s website and White Paper for further information.

Stay tuned for EARA’s upcoming CAP policy paper and political research project.

Be warmly invited to reach out for further information and collaboration.

In deep gratitude to all land stewards and their movements on Mother Earth and in regenerative solidarity with you all.

Viet Nam to Spur Green and Organic Farming

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The strategy targets to develop farming into a tech-based sector with highly competitive products to ensure food safety and national food security.

The export turnover of farm produce is expected to reach US$26 billion by the end of this decade.

The crop production value is projected to increase by 2.2-2.5 percent on average annually and the added value of processing agricultural products is expected to grow 8-10 percent on average a year.

The rate of crop product value produced under the cooperative and linkage forms is expected to reach 30-35 percent of the total value of the sector, while export turnover of crop products per hectare of farming land is expected to hit VND150-160 million (US$6,181-6,593).

The total area of rice farms will be kept stable at 3.56 million hectares with an expected output of over 35 million tons of rice.

KEEP READING ON VIETNAM GOVERNMENT NEWS

 

…Organic Rising, a Film Featuring Ronnie Cummins, Was Released

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On October 1, 2023, Organic Rising came out.

So many of our organic heroes are in this film! In addition to our very own Ronnie Cummins who the director dedicated the film, Organic Rising includes:

Keith Freitas, an organic lemon farmer, on pesticide drift.

Jim Goodman of Northwood Organic Farm, on life over profits.

Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food and Water Watch, on water pollution from industrial agriculture.

Dr. Don Huber, Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology, Purdue University, on glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup.

Winona LaDuke of the Ojibwe White Earth Reservation, on the genetic modification of wild rice and food as medicine.

Jeff Larkey of Route 1 Farms, on the basic principles of organic.

Dr. Kris Nichols, when she was the Chief Scientist at the Rodale Institute, on why farmers should let nature work for them.

Glenn Roberts of Anson Mills, on the flavor of grains milled the old fashioned way and the problems with genetic modification.

Dr. Vandana Shiva on Monsanto’s trick to make us doubt scientists like Dr. Don Huber.

Dr. Michael Skinner, professor and biological scientist at Washington State University on obesity and DDT.

Mark Smallwood, when he was Executive Director of the Rodale Institute, on the differences between organic and conventional farming, from soil health to yields.

Eva Worden of Worden Farm, on the number-one reason people buy organic.

The film has a beautiful original score arranged by composer and producer Matthias Gohl, composed by Mark Stewart and Toddy Renolds, and performed by Mark Stewart, Jerry Douglass, Dave Mackay, Jamey Haddad, Toddy Renolds, and Gregg August.

Watch the Trailer

Watch Organic Rising

U.S. Misuses Trade Pacts to Undermine Food Sovereignty

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The following article is adapted from a presentation I gave November 30 at a remarkable conference on Mexico’s transition to agroecology held in Oaxaca, Mexico. More than 1,000 participants strongly backed the government’s efforts to move the country’s large and diverse agricultural sector towards ecological farming. They do so despite cynical efforts by the U.S. government to use trade agreements to advance U.S. commercial interests even if that undermines food security.

The dispute mounted by the U.S. government over Mexico’s policies to restrict the use of genetically modified corn is the latest example of the misuse of a trade agreement to impede social programs in Mexico and other countries. The U.S. government has been doing this for years.

It’s all about boosting exports. U.S. agricultural policies favor and encourage the overproduction of crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat. They depress prices, with supply regularly exceeding demand.

KEEP READING ON IPS NEWS

Put People, Nature, and Livelihoods at the Forefront of Climate Action

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As the world grapples with various crises, including conflicts, disease, and hunger, Africa faces multiple challenges compounded by the escalating impacts of climate change ranging from cyclones and floods to prolonged dry spells.  The effect on agriculture, a significant contributor to African nations’ livelihood and economy, poses a severe threat to Africa’s population.

We acknowledge Decision 3 CP/-27: Joint work on the implementation of climate action on agriculture and food security acknowledging the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, which expose millions, particularly small-scale farmers, low-income households, indigenous peoples, women, and youth in developing countries, to acute food and water insecurity. It also recognizes that farmers, including smallholders and pastoralists, play a crucial role as stewards of the land. Their vulnerability to climate change presents challenges in fulfilling this role.

It is however regrettable that the decision does not address the diverse impacts of different agricultural and food system models on the environment and climate change.

KEEP READING ON AFSA

Understanding the Context in Regenerative Agriculture

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Here, the term “regenerative” refers to restoring land, ecosystems, and communities to optimal health, with a focus on soil health, biodiversity, ecosystem functions, human well-being, and the climate. Rooted in Indigenous and peasant knowledge from all over the world and supported by modern science, regenerative agriculture practices involve cultivating an understanding among producers and land stewards, emphasizing soil care and interconnections.

By adopting practices like cover cropping, crop rotation, intercropping, reduced tillage, integrating livestock, and increasing biodiversity, farmers are rebuilding soil fertility, carbon sequestration, and water retention while making their farms more resilient. The benefits extend beyond individual farms, potentially revolutionizing food production, and fostering collaboration between farmers, scientists, and policymakers to promote innovation.

It’s a movement that unites ecosystems, producers, chefs, scientists, and conscious consumers alike. Each blog post in this series peels back the layers of regenerative agriculture, revealing the ten guiding principles of regenerative agriculture that drive Regeneration Canada’s mission.

KEEP READING ON REGENERATION CANADA

A Bold Return to Giving a Damn

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Why did you write the book?

“As I approached 40 years of age my view of how I should treat my land, my herd, and my community radically evolved… in ways that I would never have expected. My perception of what is good land stewardship. and what is good animal welfare, and what is good community service turned upside down. Good land management came to mean giving up utilizing harmful industrial reductionist science tools like pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Good animal welfare came to mean moving from merely not treating animals with cruelty to allowing them to express their instinctive behavior.

Good community development came to mean evolving my hometown [Bluffton, Georgia] from a literal ghost town into a delightful little village. I realized that what I had done was good, and important, and highly replicable. I understood that if I could tell my story to other farmers and ranchers, they too could find the courage to step outside the horribly damaging commodity agricultural production system.I wanted to share my 30-plus-year journey with others who might decide to make the same choice.”

KEEP READING ON WHITE OAK PASTURES

Mexico’s Corn Defenders Honored with Environmental Prize

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When I arrived in Mexico City nine years ago to research the effort by citizen groups to stop multinational seed companies from planting genetically modified corn in Mexico, the groups had just won an injunction to suspend planting permits. Monsanto and the other companies, supported by the Mexican government at the time, appealed and the farmer, consumer and environmental groups were awaiting a judicial ruling.

I asked their lead lawyer, Rene Sánchez Galindo, how he thought they could hope to overcome the massive economic and legal power of the companies and government. He said with a smile, “The judge surely eats tacos. Everyone here eats tacos. They know maize is different.”

He was right. The next day the judge upheld the precautionary injunction. And he is still right: Ten years after the Demanda Colectiva, a collective of 53 people from 22 organizations, filed their class-action suit to stop GM corn, the precautionary injunction remains in effect despite some 130 company appeals.

KEEP READING ON FOOD TANK

Watch the New Documentary “Common Ground”

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Soil4Climate, Big Picture Ranch and Area 23a present a hopeful and uplifting story of the pioneers of the Regenerative Movement who are known for producing tremendous quantities of nutritionally dense food and working to balance the climate – all while bringing our entire ecosystem back to life. The film investigates the power of regenerative farming systems from large to small-scale farming as the key to unlocking more (and healthier) food to feed America and the world beyond.

 

KEEP READING ON COMMON GROUND FILM