| A Dutch seed company faces up to KWS patents Grietje Raaphorst-Travaille is co-founder with her husband of the Dutch seed company, Nordic Maize Breeding. The company has developed a cold-resistant “organic” maize, but Grietje thinks their efforts are now threatened by patents held by the company KWS. In an interview with Inf'OGM, she tells the story of Nordic Maize breeding, her certified organic maize, and its likely future contamination by new GMOs. She warns that with the proposed deregulation of new GMOs in the EU, there will be many more patents on seeds. But bizarrely, under the proposals, Nordic Maize will not be able to test the seeds they sell to farmers to see whether they are free of patent rights or not, or even whether they are free of new GMOs, due to the failure of EU lawmakers to demand that new GMO developers provide a detection test for their products. Provision of a detection test is currently a requirement under the existing GMO regulations. Inf'OGM US acts to block Mexico's protection of traditional corn varieties against GM contamination When Mexico in 2020 decided to protect its traditional varieties of corn for reasons of health, safety, environmental protection, and food sovereignty with the banning of the importation of GM corn by 2024, the powerful biotech industry and the US government began a concerted campaign to stop the country’s efforts. With the opposition spearheaded by biotech industry lobby group BIO, including companies like Bayer/Monsanto, the US government is calling Mexico’s action a trade barrier. The US is invoking the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the trade agreement that replaced the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 2020. This is just one of the latest examples of corporate power reigning over US environmental and economic policies. Mexico has already announced a delay in the planned April 1 ban on the importation, production, distribution, and use of glyphosate. Interestingly, this is all happening despite reports that the Biden administration is seeking to “tackle corporate abuses”, which is apparently limited to tax reform and encouraging competition. Beyond Pesticides Canada argues against Mexico’s restrictions on GM corn Canadian public interest groups are critiquing the Government of Canada’s arguments against Mexico’s restrictions on GM corn that were published on 5 April as part of a North American trade dispute. On 8 April, 31 farmer, labour and environmental groups also published a statement objecting to Canada’s participation in the trade challenge. “The Canadian government is trying to force Mexico to drop its restrictions on using genetically modified corn for making traditional foods. Mexico is a sovereign nation with the right to determine the future of its food supply and its needs to take action protect native corn from GM contamination,” said Lucy Sharratt of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN), which published a response to the Canadian government’s arguments. GMWatch Science, regulation and human health: Justifications for Mexico’s GM corn restrictions – webinars Because corn makes up a major part of the Mexican diet, Mexico’s government is rightly concerned by GM corn’s potential human health risks. In a webinar series starting 23 April, speakers will present scientific evidence backing Mexico’s precautionary measures for human health and explain why US “regulation” does not ensure the safety of GMOs, but rather is designed to promote their acceptance both domestically and internationally. Register now! The webinars will be in English and Spanish. IATP Immunise Roundup's maker from liability? Stop favouring corporations over Iowans On 2 April, the Iowa Senate passed Senate File 2412, a bill that would grant immunity to pesticide companies from civil lawsuits related to damages caused by Environmental Protection Agency-approved pesticides. A bill with the same approach is currently sitting in the House Ways and Means Committee (after being notably rejected by the House Agriculture Committee), waiting to see if the industry can garner enough support to pass the legislation in both houses. Tommy Hexter, Democratic candidate for Iowa House District 53 and rural organiser and educator with the Iowa Farmers Union, asks: Will Iowans continue to elect legislators who are funded by agribusiness associations that listen to industry needs only and continue following the certain death trap of chemicals and pollution? Hexter writes, "The argument that farmers are in support of this legislation is untrue. I testified as a representative of the Iowa Farmers Union, and I was confidently able to claim that we hadn't received any member support for this bill and that our organisation supports the ability of our farmers to seek relief for pesticide injury." Des Moines Register Just what we need! New genetically modified bioluminescent petunias The US company Light Bio is marketing a GM garden petunia that glows in the dark. After gaining approval from the USDA, the plants went on sale online in February. Seven years ago, a different orange petunia modified with a maize gene showed up in gardens and nurseries in Europe and the US. The plant was never supposed to leave a closed lab but somehow ended up in lots of gardens. Regulators eventually asked people to destroy the plants and seeds. NPR We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible by readers’ donations. Please support our work with a one-off or regular donation. 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