Think tank calls for GE-free farming

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A Wellington think tank’s call for New Zealand to be a GE-free food and fibre producer has been welcomed by the Soil & Health Association. The latest McGuinness Institute report, ‘An Overview of Genetic Modification in New Zealand, 1973–2013’ was released on 29 August.

“This comprehensive and thoroughly researched report sums up a lot of what we’ve been saying for years,” says Marion Thomson, co-chair of Soil & Health – Organic NZ. “Soil & Health agrees with its recommendations, including a moratorium on growing genetically engineered crops, and a thorough review of the systems and policy gaps around GE.

“The McGuinness report also calls for the implementation of all the recommendations made by the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification in 2001. Soil & Health has continued to ask for this. Many of the recommendations have never been carried out, such as adequate liability laws, or have been discontinued, like the Bioethics Council.”

“The risks of GE are too high, and our laws don’t protect the public from financial liability when things go wrong. This is why local governments are moving to protect their communities,” says Thomson.

“This report should be required reading for all New Zealanders involved in decision-making about genetic engineering. This includes all levels of government, from central government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and CRIs like AgResearch and Scion, to local governments.”

The McGuinness Institute report points out the lack of investment value for New Zealanders in genetic engineering. Of the 57 field trials held here since 1988, ‘Not one of these has resulted in any commercial benefit or tangible return on the public’s investment, while all experiments have presented a constant risk.’1

Media contact: advocacy@organicnz.org.nz, 09 419 4536

Soil & Health, established in 1941, is one of the world’s oldest organic organisations and publishes Organic NZ. We advocate for people’s right to have fresh, healthy, organic food and water free of GE, pesticides and additives. Oranga nuku, oranga kai, oranga tangata.
https://soilandhealth.org.nz
http://www.facebook.com/OrganicNZ

Reference
1.     McGuinness, Wendy, and Mokena-Lodge, Renata, ‘An Overview of Genetic Modification in New Zealand, 1973–2013: The first forty years’, McGuinness Institute, Wellington, 29 August 2013
https://www.mcguinnessinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Project-2058-Report-16-Web.pdf

GE feed the cause of contaminated milk?

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Genetically engineered stock feed could be the biggest culprit in the Clostridium botulinum contamination that caused the recent recall of some Fonterra dairy products, according to the Soil & Health Association.

“New Zealand dairy cattle are eating more and more GE stockfeed, increasing the likelihood of botulism from milk products,” says Debbie Swanwick, spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ.

In May this year Soil & Health’s magazine Organic NZ published an article by Matamata vet Frank Rowson, warning that glyphosate-based herbicides (found in many GE crops) cause increases in the virulence of pathogens, leading to more botulism and salmonella.

”We stand by our demand made in December last year and call for an immediate ban on all imported GE stockfeed until its role in milk contamination has been investigated fully,” says Swanwick.

Most of the soy in New Zealand stockfeed is now genetically engineered, but some retailers have or are intending to change suppliers and buy from India and South America to produce GE free lines.

“Organic stockfeed has for years been the best guarantee of being GE-free, but it’s great to see others now responding to consumer demand.  Takanini Stockfeed was the first company in New Zealand to release a GE-free ‘chook chow’ in June this year,” says Swanwick.

“Unsustainable farming practices are compromising NZ’s clean, green reputation – at a huge cost to other exporters, health and the environment,” says Swanwick.

“Consumers want healthy, safe food. Organic and sustainable farmers have been providing it, and it’s not too late for Fonterra and other farmers to respond to this. GE-free organic food is a win all round for human and animal health, for the environment and the economy.”

Soil & Health has for years been warning about the increased potential for food scares from unsustainable farming practices. Over six years ago Soil & Health raised concerns about dicyandiamide (DCD) contamination, and in January this year DCD residues were found in milk.

Soil & Health is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and advocates for the consumer’s right to have fresh, healthy, organic food and water free of GE, pesticides and additives and their right to know what is in their food and water. Oranga nuku, oranga kai, oranga tangata. To learn more about what is really in your food subscribe to their Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/OrganicNZ
To view online click here http://www.organicnz.org.nz/node/716

References

1) “GE animal feed? No thanks!” by Frank Rowson, Organic NZ May/June 2013,  HYPERLINK “http://www.organicnz.org.nz/node/715″ http://www.organicnz.org.nz/node/715

2) http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/9041155/Vet-links-botulism…

3) http://sciblogs.co.nz/infectious-thoughts/2013/08/06/fonterra-botulism-s…

4) http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1294455/fonterra-linked-milk-…

5) http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1294455/fonterra-linked-milk-…

6) http://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/trending/fonterra-recalls-cal…

7) http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/18357777/recalls-safe-products-…

8) http://www.organicnz.org.nz/node/509

Monsanto Drops New GE Crops in Europe

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In a major victory for health, democracy and the environment, seed and chemical company Monsanto has announced its withdrawal of applications for new genetically engineered crops in Europe.

For over a decade consumers and governments have opposed GE crops being grown in Europe.

“We stand in solidarity with the people of Europe, and celebrate the fact that no GE crops are commercially grown in New Zealand,” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ.

“However New Zealanders and the New Zealand government must remain vigilant in protecting our precious and lucrative, clean, green GE-free land and its products.”

“This is just the start. Other companies, such as Bayer, Syngenta and Dow need to follow Monsanto’s lead in Europe.

“Also, the people and government of New Zealand and Europe must reject GE animal feed,” says Swanwick. Europe imports more than 30 million tons of mostly GE animal feed each year for its livestock industry. New Zealand imports an increasing amount of animal feed, which may be genetically engineered, which will find its way into the diets of people who eat non-organic meat, dairy products, or eggs.

“Recently in New Zealand, some regional councils such as Northland and Bay of Plenty have advocated for a GE precautionary policy to be included in their regional policy statements. Despite their legal right to do so, and remit to protect ratepayers, Environment Minister Amy Adams has suggested she will overrule their ability to do so. This is very concerning as it suggests our government is amenable to a GE release in New Zealand,” says Swanwick.

“Consumers worldwide want GE-free and organic products, and New Zealand can deliver on this. Let’s keep that advantage.”

Soil & Health is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and advocates for the consumer’s right to have fresh, healthy, organic food and water free of GE, pesticides and additives and their right to know what is in their food and water. Oranga nuku, oranga kai oranga tangata. To learn more about what is really in your food subscribe to their Facebook Page and subscribe http://www.facebook.com/OrganicNZ

To view online click here www.organicnz.org.nz/node/692

References

(1) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2369722/Frankenstein-food-firm-q…

(2)  http://auckland.scoop.co.nz/2013/07/councils-threatened-by-central-gover…

(3) http://www.farmweekly.com.au/news/agriculture/cropping/general-news/mons…

(4) http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/07/17/uk-eu-monsanto-gmos-idUKBRE96G1…

Environment minister’s attack on democracy unacceptable

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“The announcement by Environment Minister Amy Adams that she will legislate so that local councils cannot protect their ratepayers against the risks of genetically engineered organisms is a direct attack on democracy in this country,” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ.

The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act does not protect the public against liability from any adverse consequences of GE. Local councils are responsible for communities’ environmental, social, cultural, and economic well-being. They can provide an additional layer of protection for ratepayers, such as restricting or banning the use of GMOs in the environment or requiring users to pay a bond.

“Every taxpayer in this country has already paid $8000 from their back pocket to sort out the leaky building fiasco, from which they were not protected. Central government is now suggesting they put themselves on the line again to protect corporate interests,” says Swanwick.

“Soil & Health supports the right of councils to determine their own policies on GE, in consultation with their communities. Several councils around New Zealand either have or are looking at policies to restrict the use of GMOs, in response to the concerns of ratepayers, including farmers and consumers.”

There has been discussion of a commercial GMO release next year which is pressing this issue. In poll after poll, a majority of New Zealanders have declared they do not want GE in their food or environment. A 2009 Colmar Brunton poll found that 73% of ratepayers in the region stretching from Cape Reinga to South Auckland did not want GMOs due to lack of knowledge and lack of research and information about the rising dangers of genetic engineering.

“It is unacceptable and anti-democratic for Minister Adams to say that the central government will take away the right of local governments to represent their ratepayers’ best interests. This threat to undermine local government suggests that an elite few (whether politicians or corporations) are controlling and not listening to the people,” says Swanwick.

Soil & Health is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and advocates for the consumer’s right to have fresh, healthy, organic food and water free of GE, pesticides and additives and their right to know what is in their food and water. Oranga nuku, oranga kai, oranga tangata. To learn more about what is really in your food subscribe to their Facebook Page and subscribe http://www.facebook.com/OrganicNZ

Photo caption: Protestors at one of the many “Marches against Monsanto” held throughout NZ in May

References (Links accessed July 2013)

(1) http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/newseventsculture/OurAuckland/medi…

(2) http://web.gefreenorthland.org.nz/press-releases/0043-communities-seek-s…

(3) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10892985

(4) http://www.oag.govt.nz/2012/annual-report/gfx/our-people

(5) http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1302/S00081/councillor-wayne-walker-on-…

(6) http://www.fndc.govt.nz/services/environmental-policy-and-forward-planni…

GE crops fail to deliver food to the hungry

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New research from University of Canterbury researchers proves that genetically engineered crops have lower yields and use more pesticides than GE-free crops. The research, led by Professor Jack Heinemann, compared North American staple crop production to Western Europe over the past fifty years.
The world’s population is currently 7 billion but by 2020 it is forecast to reach 8 billion.
“Feeding the world’s hungry is a catchcry used by big agri-tech, but it is nothing more than an emotive rant appealing to our compassion, when these companies have none themselves,” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ. “We can feed the world’s hungry now – we choose not to.”
Forty percent of food is currently wasted and whilst a billion people on the earth are starving, a billion people are overweight. Research shows that in developing countries, home to many of the world’s hungry, and where drought is common, not only can organic production increase yields by 100-200% it is also affordable for the people.
“The deplorable situation in many developing countries is that farmers are sold GE crops which they cannot afford and cannot grow in the traditional ways they are used to. The cost of having to buy patented seed each year and the need to buy more pesticides and herbicides to deal with resistant insects and weeds has made growing GE crops
increasingly unsustainable. Since the introduction of GE crops in the mid 1990s, more than a quarter of a million subsistence farmers in India have committed suicide . Big corporations that treat our global citizens in this way are committing a crime against humanity and this must stop,” says Swanwick.
“What we need to do is produce crops that consumers can afford, that provide good nutrition and are environmentally sustainable. Consumers worldwide do not want to eat GMOs. The movement to eradicate GMOs or at the very least label them is now at a tipping point that will see the demise of a practice that should never have been rubber-stamped by governments, whose remit is to represent people not corporations. People deserve real food,” says Swanwick.

Recently Hungary burnt all their GMO crops, and last month the Connecticut senate was the first US state to introduce a bill demanding labelling of GMOs. At least twenty other states are following their lead.
“The US market is set to fall and justice will finally prevail when these crops are banned by consumers – who will vote with their wallets,” says Swanwick. “Big agri-tech knows this. It is the reason why they spent US$45 million last year to defeat a bill that would have seen mandatory labelling of GMOs in California. The bill was narrowly lost by
3%.”
Soil & Health – Organic NZ is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and advocates for the consumer’s right to have fresh, healthy, organic food and water free of GE, pesticides and additives and their right to know what is in their food and water. Oranga nuku, oranga kai, oranga tangata. To learn more about what is really in your food subscribe to their Facebook Page and subscribe http://www.facebook.com/OrganicNZ

To view online click here www.organicnz.org.nz/node/687

References

(1) http://ideas.repec.org/p/fpr/2020br/5.html
(2) http://nz.search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=aaplw&p=suicide+and+indian…
(3) http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/22/40-of-u-s-food-wasted-report-says/ 
(4) http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/our-failing-food-system/genet…
(5) http://now.msn.com/hungary-burns-1000-acres-of-gmo-corn-crops
(6) http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2013/06/connecticut-lawmakers-vote-…
(7) http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC1306/S00052/gm-a-failing-biotechnology-…
(8) Heinemann, J.A., Massaro, M., Coray, D.S., Zanon Agapito-Tenfen, S. and Wen, J.D. (2013) Sustainability and innovation in staple crop production in the US Midwest. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability (early access online)http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14735903.2013.806408

monsanto march

New Zealanders protest for better food for world citizens

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New Zealand was one of 52 countries around the world that protested on Saturday against genetically modified food that big agritech giant Monsanto produces.
The worldwide “March against Monsanto” is the first global protest against genetically modified food.
“The level of participation in New Zealand in these marches is evidence that New Zealanders want what we offer – real food for real people,” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ.
Thousands of concerned citizens marched in Whangarei, Auckland, Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellington, New Plymouth, Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin.
“GE is but one issue that compromises the nutritional value and goodness of real food – pesticides and additives are others. In addition to protests consumers are voting with their wallets” says Swanwick. “Last year organic sales in New Zealand increased 8% and between 2007 and 2012 the total land area in New Zealand under organic certification increased by 67%.”
Genetically engineered plants are designed to resist insecticides and herbicides and it is suggested they increase yields but the 2009 Failure to Yield report by the the Union of Concerned Scientists proves they do not. They are also producing super weeds and super insects who have developed a tolerance and increasing the use of dangerous chemicals. Between 1996 and 2008, US farmers sprayed an extra 383 million pounds of herbicide on GMOs. Last year 80% of American corn was also compromised when the BT rootworm, that attacks it, developed a tolerance to the insecticide.
“GE crops always cross contaminate. Having only one crop is agricultural suicide if it fails, as America experienced last year with their BT corn crops, and US farmers have learnt from that experience. Many are choosing not to replant this year, but by far the greatest danger of GE crops is the threat they pose to human health,” says Swanwick.
“People need nutrients in their food, not chemicals,” says Swanwick “and it is long overdue that we took a stand against companies that breach our code of human ethics. If your policy is to compromise the food that we feed our children our policy is to compromise your profits by buying organic. Thankfully New Zealanders have never been afraid to speak their truth in that way. We made world history when we declared ourselves nuclear-free and yet again, we are setting the benchmark for the rest of the world who already admire us for our clean, green image,” says Swanwick.
No GE crops are grown commercially in New Zealand.
Soil & Health – Organic NZ is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and advocates for the consumer’s right to have fresh, healthy, organic food and water free of GE, pesticides and additives and their right to know what is in their food and water. Oranga nuku, oranga kai oranga tangata. To learn more about what is really in your food subscribe to their Facebook Page and subscribe http://www.facebook.com/OrganicNZ

References (Links accessed May 2013)
1) http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/1…
2) http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/8719648/Protesters-join-…
3) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=1088…
4) http://www.oanz.org/casestudies/OANZ-full%20report%202012.pdf
5) http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/food_and_agriculture/failure-to-y…

GE labeling begins in the US

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Consumer demand has resulted in the eighth largest food and drug retailer in the US demanding GE food be labelled. Whole Foods Market, announced last week that their 5000 plus suppliers (6) will have to conform by 2018. (4)

In 2012 Whole Foods Market turned over US$11.6 billion.

Over 50 countries in the developed world require that GE food be labelled. (4) The US and Canada are amongst the few developed countries still denying consumers the right to know what is in their food. (3)

The campaign ‘Just Label it’ states that 90% of US consumers want GE food labelled. (5)

Despite this last year Proposition 37 in California lost at the polls by less than 3%, following a $45 million ad campaign paid for by Big Agri-tech and food giants opposing it. (2)

In 2012, ninety three percent of soy, 88 percent of field corn, 94 percent of cotton and more than 90 percent of canola seed and sugar beets planted in the United States were genetically engineered. (1)
“The move to label GE in the US signals the end days for companies like Monsanto who are losing their grip on control of our food supply. If they lose the US market, they will be knocking harder on our door, but New Zealanders will never sell out their values and allow untested, inferior GE crops, that consumers don’t want to be grown here” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson – Soil & Health – Organic NZ.

The US Organic Consumers Association is requesting that Whole Foods implement the change  by 2015. (3)

Soil & Health is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and advocates for the consumer’s right to have fresh, healthy, organic food free of GE, pesticides and additives and their right to know what is in their food. Oranga nuku, oranga kai oranga tangata. To learn more about what is really in your food subscribe to their Facebook pagehttp://www.facebook.com/OrganicNZ

Photo caption: “An apple a day will keep the doctor away, but only if it is organic” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ. “Food is medicine. Good food equals good health. The nutritional value of apple makes it useful for digestion, stomach disorders, anaemia, weakness, dental care, dysentry, heart disease, rheumatism, eye disorders, cancer, gout, and skin care”.

References (Links accessed March 2013)

(1) http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/03/whole-foods-to-require-labeling-of…

(2) http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_27169.cfm

(3) http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/makingwaves/geneti…

(4) http://www.rodale.com/whole-foods-and-gmos

(5) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TghIpBG5o3s

(6) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBVi3tH0Fqs

GM salmon claims just a fish tale

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“The recent announcement by the FDA that GM fish are safe to eat and will not adversely affect the environment is nothing more than a fish tale” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ.
Her comments follow the FDA’s claim that it could not find any valid scientific reasons to ban the production of GM Atlantic salmon, which could result in a commercial release soon.

“They can’t find the evidence because their testing is only conducted over 90 days, but a recent long-term study shows the evidence questioning the safety of GMOs is there. What is disappointing is that scientists not charged with protecting human health and the environment are raising the red flag” says Swanwick.

The release of a report in September this year by a Professor of micro-biology at Caen university, caused such a furore that the French government asked the National Agency for Health Safety (ANSES) to investigate the finding which could result in the suspension of GM maize NK603 in the European Union. (1)

Gilles-Eric Séralini, proved that rats fed over their lifetime (2 years) a diet of Monsanto’s Roundup-tolerant GM maize NK603, or exposed to Roundup over the same period, developed higher levels of cancers and died earlier than controls. The results, he explained, were due to the endocrine-disrupting effects of Roundup, and overexpression of the transgene in the GMO. (2)

Unfortuantely no long-term toxicological testing of GMOs on animals or testing on humans is required by any regulatory agency in the world. (3)

“That is not good enough when human health is at risk” says Swanwick.

The report ‘GMO Myths and Truths’ released in June of this year by three genetic engineers, details the evidence against genetic engineering.
http://earthopensource.org/index.php/reports/58″ 
“Genetic modification is not selective breeding as publicity on the subject is implying. It is a process whereby DNA is damaged when one gene is inserted into another, impacting the foodchain and causing human health and the environment to be impacted negatively ” says Swanwick.

“Suggesting native, endangered Atlantic salmon populations will not be threatened by the release of sterile GM salmon is preposterous especially when the New Zealand experience proves otherwise. Human error is always a possibility and in 2007 it was this that just about bought down New Zealand’s agricultural system” says Swanwick.

Crop and Food (now part of Plant and Food) received approval to trial GE brassicas that would produce an insecticide (Cry) gene. This trial, conducted at a secret location in Lincoln, breached regulatory controls after four months, when a flowering plant was discovered in 2008 from unchecked regrowth and publicised by Soil & Health. The breach was so serious that Plant and Food and MAF-Biosecurity NZ closed down the trial site. (4)
Only genetically modified plants have been commercially released overseas. Genetically modified atlantic salmon will be the first animal of its kind to achieve the same claim to fame.
“A lot of research money is spent achieving this end. Daisy the GE cow with her low allergy milk and no tail cost the NZ taxpayer $50 million but New Zealanders have no appetite for GM products and certainly do not stomach their money being wasted by people with their own agenda” says Swanwick. (5)
Soil & Health is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and promote fresh, healthy, organic food – GE, pesticide and additive free and advocate for consumers rights around food. Oranga Nuku, Oranga Kai Oranga Tangata.

References (Links accessed December 2012)
(1) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=108…
(2) http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/sep/28/study-gm-maize-cancer
(3) http://earthopensource.org/index.php/reports/58″ 
(4) http://www.gefree.org.nz/assets/pdf/brassica-reassessment.pdf
(5) http://www.stuff.co.nz/science/7903851/Fears-cloned-cow-Daisy-is-udderly…

High risk to NZ’s GE free status posed by uncrushed seed in animal feed

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“The discovery last week of uncrushed GE seed in a cotton seed meal shipment imported from Australia is outrageous” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ.

William Rolleston, Federated Farmers’ vice-President, however, cited the major concern with the shipment was that it contained exotic weeds.

“This level of apathy about the risk to NZ’s GE Free status is gross negligence” says Swanwick.  “Federated Farmers represents one of the largest consumer groups in NZ – its farmers. And NZ farmers should not be forced to have to grow GE crops because a body that should represent their right to choose decides for them. It is simply good fortune that the discovery of the contagion made by MPI was in a South Island shipment, where conditions for growing cotton seed are not conducive, but next time we might not be so lucky” says Swanwick.

GE crops contaminate conventional and organic crops, as has been the Australian experience.  In July last year Steve Marsh sued his neighbor Michael Baxter for contaminating his farm with his GE canola which resulted in the loss of his organic status.  The case is soon to be settled in the Western Australia Supreme court.

“There is a minor group of individuals in NZ who are intent on GE crops being grown here.  Despite what is being said about their intention to secure our borders against it they are turning a blind eye to practices that could unleash it.  The importation of GE supplementary feed that is unlabeled and compromises our food chain and export markets, being but one practise. This story has got RCD written all over it and that didn’t have a happy ending either” says Swanwick.

Despite a government announcement in 1997 that the rabbit calicivirus disease (RCD)  or Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) would not be released in NZ, until they saw how the Australian experience unfolded, the virus was illegally imported into the country to the detriment of all NZ farmers.

Following the RHDV introduction, there was an immediate and dramatic decline of rabbit numbers between less than twenty percent to ninety percent on monitored properties but since the mid 2000’s serological testing has shown that increasing proportions of live rabbits have been exposed to the virus and survived which is evidenced by the rise in rabbit populations again (1)

An immediate ban on all imported GE supplementary animal feed has been called for by Soil & Health – Organic NZ until Australian biosecurity measures are improved.

“Let’s also take the opportunity to learn from the Australian experience this time instead of jumping the gun again – this time with GE” says Swanwick.

Soil & Health is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and promote fresh, healthy, organic food – GE, pesticide and additive free. Oranga Nuku, Oranga Kai Oranga Tangata.

Reference
(1) http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/pests/rabbit/rabbit-management-in-n…

Time running out to save NZ’s GE Free environment

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Lisa Er, founder of Lisa’s Hummus, is fronting Soil & Health – Organic NZ’s “She’ll be right (if we say no to GMO’s)” campaign.

“Pressure to grow GE crops in NZ of late and the introduction of GE feed into our dairy cows diet is very concerning and compromises NZ’s clean green image” she says.

Recent media commentary suggests that neither farmers nor consumers were made aware of this infiltration of GE into the food chain.

“New Zealand’s clean green reputation is our competitive advantage especially in high growth markets such as China and South East Asia” says Er.

Lisa Er founded the successful Lisa’s Hummus, a company which built its competitive advantage on a product that was preservative and GE free.

“It is probable that an application will be made soon for the commercial release of a GE Ryegrass crop in our country and if that happens our GE free status and clean, green image will be lost forever” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson for Soil & Health – Organic NZ.

The commercial release of GE crops in Australia in recent years has seen conventional and organic crops contaminated, giving big Agri Tech companies a monopoly on the food supply and removing consumer choice.

Safety is a key issue of anti GE campaigners.  No long term testing has been done on GE crops nor do any government regulatory bodies require it but a recent study conducted over  the lifespan of rats (two years) on rats by Professor Gilles-Eric Séralini of the University of Caen in France, has raised concern.  The study found that laboratory rats fed a diet of genetically modified (GM) Roundup-Ready maize developed liver and kidney damage , higher levels of cancers and had higher death rates than rats fed on non-GM maize.

“Feeding the world is the catchcry of GE advocates” says Swanwick, “but GE wont deliver on that promise.  We can feed the world now.  Forty percent of all food is wasted. Nor does GE increase production or revenue for farmers. The 2009 Failure to Yield report by the Union of concerned scientists proved this.  It does however improve the profits for big agri tech companies based offshore.  Last year Monsanto – one of the largest – made $6 billion dollars.”

The failure of BT corn crops in the US this year puts 65% of all corn grown in the US and the rest of the world at risk.  The rootworm which attacks the corn has, over a decade, developed a resistance to the inbuilt pesticide and is now attacking it.

“The increase in super weeds and super insects is leading us  towards an agricultural dead end and pesticide use is increasing to  cope” says Swanwick.

A report released by Charles Benbrook, a research professor at the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources at Washington State University states that genetically engineered crops have led to an increase in overall pesticide use, by 404 million pounds from the time they were introduced in 1996 through 2011.

GE crops reduce biodiversity and their associated herbicides can harm birds, insects, amphibians, marine ecosystems and soil organisms.  In the past twenty five years 50% of honey bee populations have been lost in the UK and US alone from increased pesticide use.

Says Er “In 1987 David Lange and his government stood for the people of NZ, declaring our country a nuclear-free zone.  We are now asking New Zealanders to stand up for our country to be a clean green GE-free zone. We may be a little country but we have a big voice and New Zealanders are fiercely protective of their environment.”

Funds raised from the campaign will help Soil & Health – Organic NZ lobby key stakeholders and co-create policy to ensure NZ’s GE free status is not compromised, whilst encouraging government to fund research into organic sustainable agricultural practices.