Mexico’s recently implemented ban on GMO food corn is at the heart of an ongoing trade dispute.  Concerns over human health are at the center of the dispute, but U.S. and Canadian corn interests say there is no science to back this. Mexico’s maize culture adds a novel element to the conflict, with something akin to religion driving policy to some extent.

The genetically modified white corn varieties – used widely in tortilla production – have tested positive for Bt endotoxin and glyphosate.  Bt is from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, which is inserted into the corn genome to prevent infestations of common pests like corn borer and earworm, both of which can cause significant economic losses.

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