Bayer blasts ‘unscientific’ rejection by Mexican regulator of GMO corn permit By Reuters

By David Alire Garcia

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Bayer is evaluating its authorized choices after Mexican well being regulators for the primary time rejected a GMO corn allow it was looking for, the German pharmaceutical and crop science large mentioned in an announcement to Reuters on Friday, blasting the choice as “unscientific.”

Reuters reported earlier within the day that regulator Cofepris rejected the corn allow for future import as the federal government of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador hardens its opposition to genetically modified crops.

“We’re disillusioned with the unscientific causes that Cofepris used to disclaim the authorization,” the assertion mentioned, figuring out the rejected corn selection as utilizing its proprietary HT3 x SmartStax Professional know-how.

Bayer (OTC:) confused that the allow denial doesn’t have an effect on its present enterprise, noting that final yr the corporate stopped work on its HT3 hybrid corn varieties because of regulatory delays within the European Union in favor of a brand new HT4 line which the corporate expects to launch later this decade.

Bayer nonetheless criticized what it described as steady regulatory delays with Cofepris in addition to the potential for extra allow denials that might have a “devastating impression” on Mexican provide chains.

The corporate mentioned genetically modified crops together with corn have undergone extra security assessments than “every other crop within the historical past of agriculture” and have been judged secure for people, animals and the surroundings.

The Cofepris press workplace didn’t reply to a number of requests for remark.

Lopez Obrador issued a controversial decree on the finish of final yr that outlined a three-year plan to ban the weed killer glyphosate and GMO corn for human consumption.

Business associations have sharply criticized the plan and have sought unsuccessfully to influence judges to strike it down, arguing that it dangers a commerce dispute with america. If the ban is interpreted to incorporate animal feed or different industrial makes use of, they are saying it can finally hit customers with increased meals costs.

The deliberate prohibition, nevertheless, is in style with environmentalists and health-food advocates who argue that spraying glyphosate on the GMO crops designed to tolerate them is certainly dangerous.

Glyphosate was pioneered by the Roundup model of weed killers from agrochemical firm Monsanto (NYSE:), which was purchased by Bayer as a part of a $63 billion acquisition in 2018.