Ontario Grain Farmer June/July 2021

open to almost anything that might offer some relief. And that, says Cervera, leaves the door wide open to activists making convenient and unfounded health claims. The institute, formed in 2016 with a mandate to provide reliable and accurate technical and scientific information, is promoting cereals’ health properties and the essential role they play in human nutrition. Emphasis is being put on the scientific facts that many Mexicans are missing. And it has gathered a formidable group to join in the fight, particularly millers represented 8 by their national body Canimolt, and Canainpa, the national association of the baking industry. Cervera says Mexican farmers and millers have a close relationship, and he believes if the millers provide farmers with accurate information about GM crops, pressure may be put on the Mexican government to reverse its decision. As well, there is a public component. “We are going to spread accurate information about the positive properties of cereals so that consumers can make the best decisions for their diets,” says Cervera. It will be an uphill battle. Greenpeace vows that while the ban on transgenic corn and glyphosate are important for achieving what it considers ecological production that preserves biodiversity, “we cannot forget this is not the only step necessary to protect our native corn, our culture, and heritage,” says Viridiana Lázaro, an agriculture and climate specialist with Greenpeace México. “Our aim as Greenpeace Mexico is to reach a green and fair agri-food system free of pesticides, without GMOs and avoid the privatization of seeds.” U.S. CONCERNS The agriculture sector is determined to work hard to win back public trust. There is a lot at stake: about US$2.7 billion worth of GM corn was imported by Mexico in 2019, primarily to feed cattle which are later sold as cheap beef in the U.S. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said he was assured by Mexican Agriculture Secretary Victor Villalobos Arambula that the import ban of GM corn would not apply to grain used for feeding livestock, but rather, for human food products. But the plot is thickening. The U.S. says relations with Mexico on at least a half-dozen agricultural fronts are declining significantly. Most recently, Mexico cancelled a huge northern brewery that would have served Mexican beer drinkers in the U.S. (Mexico is the world’s largest beer exporter, and most of it goes to the U.S.). The American Farm Bureau is asking their government to intervene. “We built strong trade ties with Mexico through NAFTA and improved upon themwith [CUSMA], but recent moves by Mexico to limit American imports and to undercut prices in the U.S. puts America’s farmers and ranchers at a competitive disadvantage,” says the bureau. Cervera says his institute is getting help from Canadian and U.S. grain interests to counter activist claims. He hopes science and balanced information will carry the day — in particular, information about the health advantages of grains and fibre and how they can help address some of Mexico’s medical ills. “We’ve got one shot at this,” says Cervera. “The industry needs to speak as one to help people understand grains are good.” l continued from page 6 CANADIAN INITIATIVES Brenna Mahoney, Cereals Canada Defining what comprises a healthy diet has been something that has been long up for debate. Over the decades changing trends and fads have impacted what and how we eat. These fads have now extended beyond the livestock and dairy sectors and into grains, in particular wheat. Wheat has faced increased scrutiny, as it is used in a variety of products from breakfast cereal to soya sauce, which has a direct impact on the entire value chain. This is why Cereals Canada along with Grain Farmers of Ontario, Alberta Wheat Commission, Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, and Manitoba Crop Alliance, are collectively developing a national strategy regarding wheat nutrition and research. The overall goal of the strategy is to establish a value-chain led, science-based promotion and education campaign on the beneficial properties of Canadian wheat and the benefits of modern agriculture. The expected results of this effort include: • Positive changes in Canadian consumer perception of the healthiness of wheat; • Increase in food influencers’, agreement with health benefits of wheat; and • Support wheat nutrition knowledge sharing in Canada and in key export markets. We are in the first year of this initiative and are working to partner with millers, food processors, and food service companies. It is with this expansion that we will be able to engage further to more food influencers, for example, dietitians and then expand to end consumers. Developing this initiative is one of the key steps that we as an industry can take when dealing with anti-science messaging surrounding wheat. We know there is more to come regarding food fads and the increased promotion of misinformation surrounding grains and health. As an industry we need to be proactive and work collaboratively to manage what will come next.