US Denounced by Greenpeace for GM Rice in Mexico

[rmnunez]

Sistema e-once noticias Internet

Greenpeace denounced the presence in Mexico of genetically-modified (GM) rice of the "Liberty link 601" variety marketed for human consumption from the US. This GM rice has been found present in 19 countries. The EU and Japan have limited their imports, Mexico has not. Areli Carreón, from the Greenpeace Mexico Consumers' Campaign stated; "under the Mexican Biodervisity Law in the matter of genetically-modified products, it is forbidden to provide for human consumption something not previously approved.” According to Greenpeace, the Mexican Secretariats for Health and Agriculture have conducted the analyses, but failed to report any results. Pending their report, the Mexican Rice Producers Federation has warned the import of genetically modified rice adversely impacts Mexican farmers. Pedro Diaz Hartz, from said Federation said "our production is directly affected in the distortions of prices to the consumer." México is not self-suficient in rice, each year 750 thousand tons are imported from the US which represents 70% of the Mexican market.

[rmnunez]

Delete this one threadmaster, united statians aren't concerned over the potential loss of indigenous corn variations, any adverse health effects from GM foods or whether Mexico is distressed over these imports.

[notworthabean]

1) why would idigenous corn varitaons suffer because you import GM rice?

2) what are the adverse health conditos related to starving?

3) why are they distressed about buying food from another country? if they don't want it don't buy it.

[rmnunez]

1) Presumably the GM rice, enhanced with all sorts of additives, more resistant to adverse weather and immune to any natural pests, would replace all these varities used now. Non-GM rice would be displaced and possibly disappear, its genetic information lost to future generations. That wouldn't be so bad, unless we are mistaken about GM rice's resistance or immunities, in which case a blight or some pest could wipe out the single type of rice then available. If there were natural resistant features in the diverse non-GM rices previously used, these may have been lost and unavailable to replace the afflicted rice.

2) The adverse health effects related to starving are numerous from weight loss to even blindness and ultimately death. But its hard to say what adverse health effects could result from GM rice. Scientists advocating GM foods note the positive health effects as these foods are enhanced and say there are no adverse health effects, but those opposed say we can't tell what the consequences could be.

3) Mexico is not a big rice producer and imports about 750 thousand tons of rice from the US for human consumption every year. The only distressing thing about this is that some farmers who could be cultivating normal rice aren't since their market is catered to with this GM variety.

[notworthabean]

1) Presumably the GM rice, enhanced with all sorts of additives, more resistant to adverse weather and immune to any natural pests, would replace all these varities used now. Non-GM rice would be displaced and possibly disappear, its genetic information lost to future generations. That wouldn't be so bad, unless we are mistaken about GM rice's resistance or immunities, in which case a blight or some pest could wipe out the single type of rice then available. If there were natural resistant features in the diverse non-GM rices previously used, these may have been lost and unavailable to replace the afflicted rice.

i doubt the local kind will dissapper...

2) The adverse health effects related to starving are numerous from weight loss to even blindness and ultimately death. But its hard to say what adverse health effects could result from GM rice. Scientists advocating GM foods note the positive health effects as these foods are enhanced and say there are no adverse health effects, but those opposed say we can't tell what the consequences could be.

so given the choice between Gm rice and starving which would you take?

3) Mexico is not a big rice producer and imports about 750 thousand tons of rice from the US for human consumption every year. The only distressing thing about this is that some farmers who could be cultivating normal rice aren't since their market is catered to with this GM variety.

and why is the market like that?

[rmnunez]

nwb, you need to know a bit more about GM foods and the controversies relating to these. Greenpeace can probably probably a good source for the arguments against these foods, check the link I'm sure they've got soething on this with their legal complaint. The issue is rather politicized and basically comes down to concern over food dependance as GM seeds do not grow into plants with plantable seeds so farmers will not be able to set aside part of their crop for planting each season and would instead have to purchase the seeds for replanting.

Whether its better to die of starvation than eat GM foods depends on the untested adverse health effects from eating said foods and not enough is known of this.

The Mexican rice market is the way it is for 2 basic reasons; rice is not as popular and the land doesn't lend itself to farming rice.