Toxic U.S. Corn

[CHILLIN]

There is the ongoing battle about GMO corn and high levels of tryphosphate weed killers. Now the new problem is a toxic fungus, which is effecting a large percentage of U.S. grown corn. It is a fungus called vomitoxin which was named after pork refused to eat the corn, or vomited after eating.  I mention this in the Mexico General section because at one time when Mexico was threatened with a trade war, they announced that they would just buy their corn from Latin America producers. This may turn out to be a very good idea anyways. I hope the U.S. corn producers do not start secretly dumping contaminated corn into Mexico. I hope public health departments in Mexico are on top of this.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-corn-toxins-exclusive-idUSKBN17N2M5

[the walkers]

Before NAFTA Mexico was selfsufficient in corn. Now Mexico imports corn ,mostly from the USA. The price of tortillas is set by the government so a lot of the tortillarias used the government subsidized corn flour, Maseca. We only by our tortillas at Tortillaria Elena, located in Ajijic behind the church...they bring sacks of dried corn down from the milpas.

[Natasha]

Mexico is currently in talks with more than one South American country, seeking alternate sources for corn. Iowa farmers won't be pleased, but I guess when Trump says "America FIRST", he forgets there can be two sides to that coin.....

[tomgates]

Here is an excerpt from the May 3 Gartman Letter regarding the use of GMO corn:

ON THE COST OF NOT BELIEVING IN MODERNITY: We are constantly amused at the

wholesale disbelief and indeed the abject disdain for genetically modified agriculture, but the Left predominately and the eco-radicals secondarily lead the revolt against GMO “ag.” This we find incomprehensible and patently illogical, for if there is anything that the Left and the eco-rads should believe in it is the need to feed the world’s poor and with genetically modified corn, soybeans, and other crops that can be done.

We note this this morning in light of the ravages taking place across much of southern and central Africa where the Fall Army worm... actually this is the larvae of the moth that is the full grown adult in the life cycle of the pestilent insect...is doing what its name suggests: It is marching across the continent, wiping out the all- important maize crop there upon which so much of Africa’s population depends.

The Fall Army Worm originated here in the US and was “exported” abroad likely in a cargo of corn from the US to Africa. The insect/worm has the shortest of life cycles, usually only a few weeks from egg, to larvae to adult and the adult, which lives only a few weeks, can lay as many as 2000 eggs, and the cycle begins anew. Winds blow the adult moths often several hundred miles where the infestation can begin again.

Here in the US, we have conquered the “worm” via genetically engineered corn but in Africa, where GMO maize is abhorred for utterly illogical reasons, farmers have resisted using GMO seeds and have resorted to insecticides, often using 2-3 x’s more coverage than initially thought necessary and still losing the war. 

[geeser]

Possibly they can create a genetic modification in the corn that will resist the toxins produced by mould. That would be a truly great thing. Any corn that gets wet after it is dried is subject to these mould toxin problems. It is a huge problem in horses causing many fatalities. Cattle are much tougher stomach wise and the fungus toxins don't affect them much. Pigs are just too smart to eat the toxin infected grain. When you see all the corn shocked up in the fields and then it rains say a prayer for the animals. The toxins I refer to are the aflatoxin and Mucotoxin in particular and they are serious problems. It seems that the GMO companies haven't tackled this tough problem as of yet.

[bdmowers]

On ‎5‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 10:27 AM, tomgates said:

 but the Left predominately and the eco-radicals secondarily lead the revolt against GMO “ag.” This we find incomprehensible and patently illogical, for if there is anything that the Left and the eco-rads should believe in it is the need to feed the world’s poor and with genetically modified corn, soybeans, and other crops that can be done.

No need to read beyond this obviously political rant where anyone who cares about the planet is branded an "eco-radical" and science is tossed out the window.

[Mainecoons]

GMO pro or con is hardly settled science.

On 4/25/2017 at 8:05 PM, Natasha said:

Mexico is currently in talks with more than one South American country, seeking alternate sources for corn. Iowa farmers won't be pleased, but I guess when Trump says "America FIRST", he forgets there can be two sides to that coin.....

Yes, it is really smart for a country that enjoys a net fiscal surplus of well over 100 billion dollars annually from trade, remissions, aid and other activities with their best customer to start a trade war with them rather than sit down at the table and address some legitimate concerns.

As for corn, instead of trying to import it somewhere else, maybe this country should focus on revitalizing its own production.  It is always better for a country to be as self sufficient in food as possible.  Among other benefits, maybe some of the folks living in abject poverty in this country's cities could go home and resume employment as farmers.

A country with as much rich farmland as this one has shouldn't be importing a key staple like corn from anyone IMO.