An alliance of civil society organizations, academics and citizens has called on the Mexican government not to grant authorization for the commercial cultivation of genetically modified soybeans in the southeastern state of Yucatán, because of the potential impact on local honey production. The call was made by 64 organizations and 102 researchers and citizens on the basis of the potential health, environmental and economic risks, and was presented on Apr. 3 at the end of a public consultation regarding a request by U.S. transnational Monsanto to plant 60,000 hectares of transgenic soybeans.

Most of the honey produced by more than 17,000 beekeepers in Yucatán is exported and brings in annual revenues of more than 30 million dollars, according to the regional honey producers association.

“The risk of contamination by transgenic pollen and the possibility that this would lead to the loss of access to European markets is reason enough to deny the request,” environmentalist Carlos Meade of the organization Yaxché, Tree of Life told Tierramérica.