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Maize mural detail. Diego Rivera Moderator’s Note: While I just now received my early review copy and I will pen an extensive review essay in the next few weeks, I thought it appropriate to present these notes from the author himself: Roberto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez presents an overview of his new book, Our Sacred Maíz is our Mother , which was just published by the University of Arizona Press. I will post my review in October. Our Sacred Maíz is our Mother INDIGENEITY AND BELONGING IN THE AMERICAS Roberto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez | Tucson, AZ | September 24, 2014 I’ve written or edited several books in my life and each of them have been special, especially since most were banned by Tucson’s school district during the state’s infamous battle in Arizona to eliminate Raza Studies, However, this one, Our Sacred Maíz is our Mother , released early by the University of Arizona Press, seems to be a little more special. Perhaps it is so because it speaks to a topic that recognizes no borders and co...

Cocodrillo rojo . Artwork by Francisco Toledo . Moderator’s Note: Yesterday we posted a letter by Dr. David Schubert , an eminent immunologist from the Salk Institute in La Jolla, CA. It was addressed to Mexico’s President Lic. Enrique Peña Nieto and explained the scientific evidence and logic that Mexico should consider in moving to adopt policies resulting in a permanent ban on future planting of GMO corn inside Mexican territory. Mexico is one of the world’s principal Vavilov Centers and its indigenous farmers have over thousands of years developed the enormous diversity of more than 60 land race varieties of corn, or Zea mays . Schubert also argues that the place of corn as the definitive staple of the Mexican diet has unique health implications and no one else has ever eaten the amount of GMO corn that would be the case if the transgenic varieties are approved for future planting. To follow-up on yesterday’s post, I am sharing a second letter with a link to a Spanish language web...

Huichol yarn weaving of a sacred ceremony for maize USDA Co-Existence Policy Proposal Statement of Dr. Devon G. Peña The Acequia Institute Submitted to USDA-APHIS | March 4, 2014 I am submitting this statement to express opposition to the proposed USDA co- existence policy. As a plant breeder, seed saver, traditional acequia farmer, and agro-ecologist familiar with the scientific evidence on gene flow I am unequivocally opposed to this policy. Asking for co-existence with GMO crops means seed-savers and plant breeders like myself have to accept the inevitability of severe business losses due to damage to our native seed stocks and active plant breeding programs. I ask that you consider the fact that farmers like myself are the keepers of the nation’s diverse bioregional ‘arks’ of native seeds and these are the ultimate basis of all agriculture in this country. As vulnerable traditional seed savers, we cannot accept co-existence. The scientific fact of gene flow makes it so. Let’s not p...