Today, the Secretariat of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation issued a determination requesting a response from Mexico to submission SEM-09-001 (Transgenic Maize in Chihuahua), originally filed with the Secretariat on 28 January 2009, by Greenpeace México, Centro de Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres, Frente Democrático Campesino and El Barzón.

We the undersigned civil society organizations are appalled at the decision of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization to sponsor a technical conference on agricultural biotechnology [...] taking place as the Mexican government moves to introduce genetically engineered maize in field trials, threatening the center of origin of maize and its most important center of diversity with irreversible contamination, a move being fought vocally and vigorously by Mexican civil society, indigenous peoples, campesinos, and all those who stand in defense of maize and its history in Mexico.

The 4th annual Zapotec Feria of the Cornfield [...] was attended by representatives of UNOSJO´s 24 affiliated communities, participants from all over Mexico, along with a large international presence of activists from Uruguay to Wales, Turkey to the United States, as well as a 15-strong delegation of German Organic farmers. This year’s theme was focused on the dangers of contamination from Genetically Modified Corn, with a showcase of indigenous corn based culture and food sovereignty.

Capping a decade-long battle, private companies in Mexico have begun the first legal plantings of genetically modified corn, the Agriculture Department said Wednesday. Environmentalists and farm groups announced they have filed an appeal with the Inter-American Human Rights Commission, arguing the government has been unwilling or unable to halt the illicit spread of GM crops in Mexico, the birthplace of corn.

Three types of Monsanto Co.’s genetically modified corn seed traits [Genuity, SmartStax and Genuity VT Triple PRO] have won regulatory approval for import in Mexico. The approvals allow U.S. and Canadian farmers who plant these corn trait technologies to fully market their grain in 2010 in Mexico, a major importer of U.S. corn grain and dried distillers grains.

After nearly three weeks of intensive work by USA Rice Federation members, staff and administration officials in Washington and Mexico City, officials from Mexico’s Ministry of Health informed the U.S. Embassy that holds and testing requirements on milled rice imported from three U .S. suppliers have been lifted. The announcement was made following contact by U.S. Ambassador Carlos Pascual with the Minister of Health; an announcement by Mexico of negative tests results for unspecified mycotoxins and genetically modified traits on samples of U.S. milled rice; and after extensive technical and market information was provided to Mexican officials.

In the past month, Monsanto and Dow Agri-Sciences have received government permission to plant transgenic maize across 24 plots, covering a total of nearly 13 hectares, in the northern states of Sonora, Sinaloa, Chihuahua, Coahuila and Tamaulipas. [...] nearly 2,000 scientists have signed a petition to block the experiments. ”There is no way to stop gene flow to the native crops,” says signatory Montgomery Slatkin, a geneticist at the University of California, Berkeley.

This year you stand in a historical position to prevent irreversible damage to one of the World’s most precious resources: Mexico’s maize diversity. We observe that your Administration may be rushing to introduce genetically modified (GM) maize into the Mexican environment and we are convinced, from our understanding of the scientific evidence, that this move represents a disproportionate risk which should be avoided for the benefit of Mexico and the World. Joined together in our well-informed concern, we urge you to move aggressively to ensure that no GM maize is planted in Mexico, the Center of Origin and Diversification of this important crop.

As scientists race the clock to increase food production worldwide, new trials to plant genetically-modified maize have stoked anger in Mexico, the cradle of corn. Many here are sensitive about meddling with maize, which dates back to pre-Hispanic times, when mythologies held that people were created from corn.

Mexico saw the first public protests this weekend over the government’s decision to allow cultivation of the first genetically modified corn, which environmentalists and others say could ruin the nation’s native crop. [...] About 45 Greenpeace activists hung a black banner and protest signs Sunday at the Angel of Independence, a victory column in a busy traffic circle on one of Mexico City’s major thoroughfares. It is one of Mexico City’s most recognized monuments.