GMO Corn Redux
Oh, Monsanto. You’re so adorable - but why do you insist on giving capitalism such a bad name?
As I’m sure all of you fondly recall, last year I wrote an article on Mexico’s plan to phase out the importation and use of genetically modified (GMO) corn. The U.S. government, from its lavish mansion located deep in Monsanto’s pockets, promised to take Mexico to task on that decree. Well, it is all in that former article. What that article didn’t discuss was Monsanto’s lawsuits against Mexico and its anti-GMO heresy.
Monsanto, of course, is the company that developed the herbicide Roundup, and that patented the molecule that is the active ingredient in Roundup - glyphosate. Monsanto also - in its endearing double-dipping way - bioengineered corn (among other crops) to resist the effects of the glyphosate herbicide. So yes, Monsanto has a vested interest in seeing that Mexico stop its anti-GMO silliness and keep ponying up with its obligation to buy pseudo-corn from the U.S. And when Mexico proclaimed in 2020 that it would begin phasing out the importation of GMO corn in the interest of public health, Monsanto took Mexico to court.
I will gloss over the 4-year court drama between Monsanto and Mexico - some courts ruling in favor of Monsanto, some further up the chain ruling against - and skip to the (spoiler alert!) conclusion. Last Tuesday (June 25, 2024), Mexico’s Fourth Collegiate Court on Administrative Matters - presided over by Judge Elizabeth Trejo Galán - rejected one of several of Monsanto’s complaints (that is, there were several court cases in flight, initiated by Monsanto against Mexico’s GMO ban). Judge Trejo Galán cited Mexico’s precedence of public interest over private (corporate) interest. The courts further characterized Monsanto’s claim that glyphosate poses no risk to human health as dogmatic and unsupported.
This ruling by Judge Trajo Galán proved the straw that broke the herbicide junkie’s back: Monsanto withdrew from all of its lawsuits in Mexico, decisively giving Mexico the upper hand in continuing with its prohibition on GMO corn.
Footnote
Monsanto is no stranger to the courtroom: over 100,000 lawsuits have been filed against this upstanding corporate citizen in the U.S. alone, and the company has paid out billions of dollars in damages because, of course, glyphosate has been linked to cancer in humans and, of course, Monsanto knew about this and covered it up and, of course, Monsanto engaged in campaigns to discredit scientists studying the effects of glyphosate on humans.
In 2018, the German pharmaceutical and biotechnology conglomerate Bayer finalized the acquisition of the U.S.-based Monsanto. It is widely considered to be one of the worst corporate mergers of all time, due to the reputational damage it did to Bayer. Because of this merger, the corporate identity “Monsanto” no longer exists, but in reference to the product Roundup, glyphosate, and glyphosate-resistant GMO crops, the name Monsanto continues to be used by media since there is so much historical and litigious weight marrying those terms together.
Ironically, Monsanto’s best known product - Roundup - is banned in Germany.
Fantastic news, for Mexico of course, but also for the rest of the world. Other countries have done it, New Zealand is non GMO commercially for the whole country, and it's a step toward saving the earth and our seeds and plants and food and people going forward. Thank you for sharing some lovely good news and thanks to all who participated in this decision!
Maybe they can make it a three way with Johnson & Johnson and have a real cradle to grave conglomerate. We are the problem, We are the Solution. Has a catchy ring doesn't it. Brought to you by the new pediatric diabetes wing at the big general hospital, sponsored by Coca Cola which is how the GMO corn syrup will take the Mexicans down. The lion's share of MX coke stock owned by Billy Gates of course. World Health Organization didn't say if it was good or bad health they were promoting. Error of omission, I'm sure. But not to worry, Mexico (sponsored by China) will taint your party drugs with Fenty and we can have the most passive aggressive relationship in history. Plot Twist: The OD epidemic is short sighted and gets rid of the Customer for Life that is so popular in the US. Even the cartels have meetings urging dealers to stop lacing products, but me thinks the "lace" comes from Papa Xi, who are in it for the long game. In all seriousness tho as a dog rescuer I urge people to use caution when using FLEA PRODUCTS as most are created by Bayer/Monsanto with a heavy hand in the dioxin neuro toxin vats and many pets die. If using those, use 1/3 of the rec dosage and better yet use diatomaceous earth and geranium oil and a flea comb. That's my PSA. Good article and good news Mike. Even if it's only one frijol in the PRO side of the column. Only in activist areas like Oaxaca and Morelos and CDMX do I see the outcry about maiz. In the food deserts they're using whatever is cheapest and I've not met a soul in this town without Diabetes, lots of missing limbs here too. No one ever considers diet. Just Metformin.