Mexico State Law: protection of native maize as biocultural and food heritage

Summary

On September 20, 2022, was published in the Official Gazette of the Congress of the State of Mexico (one of the 32 Federal Entities of the Mexican Republic) decree number 93 that approved the “Law for the Promotion and Protection of Native Corn as Biocultural and Food Heritage of the State of Mexico”. The law declares the protection of the 64 breeds of Native Corn for their intrinsic value as Biocultural and Food Heritage of the State of Mexico-which it defines as: “the value in itself of Native Corn that allows the recognition of the original peoples and Indigenous communities, and its ecosystemic conservation”. The law seeks to “promote its regeneration, existence, development, evolution, improvement, and constant diversification in its regional communities and ecosystems”. It establishes that the Government of the State of Mexico will cooperate with federal authorities to guarantee that local corn varieties in the state are free of transgenic elements and genetically modified organisms that contravene the provisions of the Law of Biosecurity of Genetically Modified Organisms and the federal legislation applicable to the matter. The law also recognizes the state germplasm bank and the intrinsic value of native corn free of transgenic and genetically modified organisms, as well as the people who carry out the tasks of its reproduction.