GREENPEACE PROTESTS US MAIZE EXPORTS TO MEXICO

7 December 1999

VERACRUZ,MEXICO -- Greenpeace today demanded an immediate halt to US exports of genetically engineered maize to Mexico. Twelve Greenpeace activists chained themselves on the railroad tracks leading away from the Veracruz harbour, preventing a train carrying freshly imported US maize from leaving the port. The maize is from a freighter Varia, which arrived to Veracruz yesterday carrying about 40 000 tonnes of maize.

"The US GE imports are threatening biodiversity, traditional agriculture and human health in Mexico," said Liza Covantes of Greenpeace. "They must be stopped immediately."

Mexico is one of the countries with the highest biodiversity on the planet. It is also the centre of origin of maize, which was first cultivated in the country about 7000 years ago. Thousands of varieties still exist, cultivated by indigenous groups, family farmers and breeding centres. All maize grown commercially around the world originates from Mexican varieties. The contamination of these traditional varieties with GMOs threatens the Mexican environment as well as the future of plant breeding of maize internationally.

"Producers of the engineered maize such as Novartis and Monsanto and the exporters are gambling with the future of one of the major food crops of the world," said Covantes.

Growing of genetically engineered maize is prohibited in Mexico because of concerns over crosspollination with related maize varieties. Still more than 5 million tons of US maize containing around 25 - 35 per cent GE maize are exported from the US to Mexico. "There is no way to prevent this maize to be grown," said Liza Covantes. "Only a fool would believe that it will not be used as seed as well."

The Mexican government still has not enacted any effective legislation governing the import of GMOs for food and feed purposes. "The dumping of subsidised US GE maize to Mexico is not only creating environmental damage and but also causing economic hardship among small farmers in the country," said Covantes.

The Veracruz action is a part of Greenpeace's ongoing campaign to stop the environmental damage caused by GE crops. During the past week the organisation has demonstrated against the US GE exports in the US, France and Mexico. In France activists successfully blocked the entrances of a Cargill site in Brest harbour for a day.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Liza Covantes, Greenpeace GE Campaigner, mobile +52 52 166843
- Benedikt Haerlin, Greenpeace International, GE Campaign, Berlin, +49 30 30 8899 12
- Mika Railo, Greenpeace International Press Desk, +31 20 5249 548

Greenpeace's Genetic Engineering campaign website