Venezuela has passed a law that imposes some of the world’s toughest regulations on genetically modified organisms (GMO) and patenting of seeds in order to consolidate national food sovereignty, regulate the production of hybrid seed, reject the production, distribution and import of GMO seeds and ban transgenic seed research. Canada’s Centre for Research on Globalization describes it as one of the most progressive seed laws in the world.

The country intends to establish a national seed system to implement the new law. The group will monitor and sanction any agricultural violations, with a focus on the protection of traditional seeds.

Source: gmwatch.org

This article appears in the December 2016 issue of Natural Awakenings.