The 217 Today Podcast

217 Today: Corn has deep roots in Mexico. Now efforts to ban GMO corn place culture and trade at odds

Farrah Anderson
 
Mexico has dozens of native corn varieties, including this Bolita Belatove from Oaxaca, which Emmanuel Galvan holds. Galvan works with heirloom corn varieties and says he understands President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's reasoning for banning GMO corn.

Mexico has dozens of native corn varieties, including this Bolita Belatove from Oaxaca, which Emmanuel Galvan holds. Galvan works with heirloom corn varieties and says he understands President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's reasoning for banning GMO corn. Dana Cronin / Special To Harvest Public Media

Listen (Duration: 9:09)
Download

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Today's headlines: 

  • Illinois officials plan to hold a public hearing Tuesday about controversial cuts to state-funded health insurance for low-income immigrants.
  • As the fall semester ramps up, so too, are the cases of COVID-19, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
  • The Fighting Illini football team is on the road this week against the Kansas Jayhawks after defeating the Toledo Rockets last Saturday.

In today's deep dive, we’ll learn more about why Mexico’s president is trying to ban the import of genetically modified corn.

Reporting today contributed by Kristen Schorsch, Emily Hays, Colin Hislope and Dana Cronin.