2019 Photo Contest, Environment, 2nd Prize

God’s Honey

Photographer

Nadia Shira Cohen

29 October, 2018

Mayan people celebrate Hanal Pixán, the Day of the Dead, Hopelchén, Campeche, Mexico. Traditional dishes are prepared for the spirits of ancestors, who are believed to return on this day to visit their families.

Mennonite farmers growing soy in Campeche, on the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, are allegedly adversely impacting the livelihood of local Mayan beekeepers. The Mennonites farm large tracts of land in the area. Environmental groups and honey producers say that the introduction of genetically modified soy and use of the agrochemical glyphosate endangers health, contaminates crops, and reduces the market value of honey by threatening its ‘organic’ label. Soy production also leads to deforestation, as land is increasingly bought for farming, further affecting bee populations.

About the photographer

Nadia Shira Cohen

Nadia Shira Cohen (1977) is a freelance photojournalist from Boston, United States.  As a contributor to The New York Times, National Geographic, Harpers and many interna...

Technical information

Shutter Speed
1/320
Focal length
28 mm
F-Stop
f/4
ISO
1600
Camera
Canon EOS 5D Mark III

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