User:Gja226/Genetically modified maize

Grassroots Protest
GM maize has also caused controversy with respect to possible health effects, impacts on insects and impact on other plants via gene flow. Additionally, countries like Mexico have seen protests by farmers (peasants) against GMO maize.

GMO corn was introduced to Mexico in 1994 when NAFTA allowed tariff-free access to GMO corn. This development is serious as corn is a significant crop in Mexico, being traced back to the Mayan and Aztec era. Corn is a key for survival for many Mexicans, a way for people to live in peace even when times are tough. Mexican corn is also very diverse with 59 unique varieties in Mexico, with some of these variants needing less water and even resistant to pest. A fear of the Mexican people, the farmers in particular is that introducing GMO corn would run the risk of genetic contamination. This is not the only concern from letting GMO corn enter Mexican by NAFTA. The US sees GMO corn as very profitable, they are the world's top corn exporter after all. This along with the fact that Mexico is the top corn export market for the US, and there being a export growth of 10% per year ($2.8 million-$43.3 million) from 1993 to 2022. The US would most defiantly want to keep GMO corn exports going as long as possible.

Corn is also a main source of income for many farmers, over 2.8 million farmers rely on corn for income; and imports of GMO corn threatens to have farmers struggle to compete in the market. The imported corn can be profitable for outside companies like the US, making around 1.5 million dollars of product hourly. This makes GMO corn easier to make profit from than Mexican corn, replacing it in a sense. The farmers who need to sell Mexican corn to live are outdone with this alternative corn, leaving them behind and with little options. This along with the advancement's in urbanization, and climate change put a great deal of strain on farmers and agriculture. These disadvantages placed upon the shoulders of farmers, along with GMO corn imports greatly reducing the value of the service of these farmers have forced many of them to forsake farming for better employment.

Farmers would become frustrated with NAFTA over GMO corn, culminating in one of many protests. One taking place on January 1st, 1994 where Zapatista would protest against NAFTA. Indigenous people took up arms and seized multiple urban centers. Their demands were to seek work, land, housing, land, education, justice, healthcare, and peace for indigenous people. GMO corn would still be allowed in Mexico. Another one of these protest happened years later, specifically on January 31, 2007 where farmers traveled by tractor to Puebla to voice their frustrations with the importation of GMO corn, and the inflated price of Mexican corn. The farmers were not the only ones there to protest; consumers, producers, and middle-class workers, campesinos, union members, civil society organizations, and even politicians of major parties were backing the demand for lowering the inflated price of Mexican corn. GMO corn would still be allowed in Mexico. This dispute over GMO corn would even continue to present day. "Sin Maiz No Hay Pais" is a movement that was created once again in response to GMO corn; with the goal of food safety, Mexican corn in particular. This group was first established in 2007 and wanted Mexico, in addition to protect corn, to not allow foreign influence to intervene with safeguard human rights related issues. The most recent developments of this group has been protecting Mexican corn, and action to do so took place on January 31, 2024, with Mexico deeming GMO corn and imports of it illegal in Mexico. This can be seen as a collective victory for Mexican farmers as the years of protest have lead to a favorable outcome for them.

Having such deep rooted significance to Mexican culture, importance to farmers way of life, and the prior political and economical disadvantages; Mexican farmers having great push back to GMO corn make sense, along with the negative impacts it would have on Mexican corn and the farmers.