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 Editorials | Environmental | May 2007 
Brazil, Mexico Approve Use of GM Corn Seed
 Marina Ramalho & Arturo Barba - Mail&Guardian
| | Mexico - the birthplace of all the world's maize - has signed an agreement to buy and plant genetically modified maize for testing, with a view to eventual commercial use. |
The Brazilian and Mexican governments have tentatively approved the use of genetically modified corn seed, according to a report on the Science and Development Network website.
However, environmental activists are already accusing Brazil's technical commission on biosecurity of ignoring public safety concerns. Meanwhile, Mexico - the birthplace of all the world's maize - has signed an agreement to buy and plant genetically modified maize for testing, with a view to eventual commercial use.
"LibertyLink" corn is produced by German-based company Bayer CropScience, which first applied for approval nine years ago. The corn is genetically engineered to tolerate a common pesticide used to kill harmful grasses.
André Abreu, Bayer's technology manager in Brazil, told SciDev.Net that the company has carried out local and international studies on farming LibertyLink corn, which show that it is safe in terms of human and environmental health.
Commercial approval was granted on the condition that the government monitors the amount of the pesticide, glufosinate ammonium, used per hectare. It must also monitor the pesticide's effects on soil microorganisms. The commission will also establish rules for how the new corn can coexist with existing varieties.
The commission, comprising scientists, government and public representatives, gives technical advice to the government on biosecurity issues. The higher-level National Council on Biosecurity, made up of 11 ministers, still needs to ratify the decision and has 90 days to announce a decision.
Environmental institutions criticised the decision. In a press release, Greenpeace said Brazil is one of the world's centres of corn genetic diversity. Greenpeace claimed that large-scale contamination would cause "uncalculated" economical damage to farmers and the country.
They accused the biosafety commission of dismissing safety concerns raised by the public, and of not being transparent when evaluating companies' requests for licences to use genetically modified seed.
A legislation change, sanctioned in March by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, reduced the number of votes the commission needs to sanction approvals from the original 18 votes to 14. Without this move, Bayer would not have won approval for LibertyLink. Seventeen members of the biosecurity commission voted for the corn authorisation. Four voted against it.
This is just the third genetically modified seed whose commercial use is allowed in Brazil. Monsanto's "Roundup Ready" soybean and Bollgard cotton - a genetically modified cotton resistant to insect pests and thus requiring fewer chemicals to grow - were approved in 2004 and 2005 respectively.
Eleven other requests for genetically modified seeds are currently awaiting the biosecurity commission's approval.
Mexico is home to 3 500 varieties of maize. It is the main food crop in Mexico and maize farming employs almost 12-million people. Now the giant agricultural company Monsanto will provide Mexican producers with genetically modified seeds. It will also initiate activities to protect native maize, including setting up a maize germ-plasm bank.
Many environmental and indigenous groups opposed the introduction of genetically modified plants, fearing that they might contaminate native varieties of maize in the country.
The agreement was signed with Mexico's National Confederation of Corn Growers. Carlos Salazar, president of the confederation, estimates that more than 90% of small and medium growers will use genetically modified seeds to improve their productivity.
Francisco Lopez, Mexico's Vice-Minister of Agriculture, said the regulations for experimental sowing of genetically modified will be published soon by the Parliament's chamber of deputies. Tests on genetically modified maize will begin in the northern state of Sonora in August.
Jesus Madrazo, president of Monsanto Mexico, said the commercialisation of genetically modified maize will begin in 2010, once the evaluation phases required by the biosecurity laws have been completed. |
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