AgResearch must stop its GE projects

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AgResearch’s decision to stop cloning animals at its genetic engineering (GE) facility due to animal welfare concerns, should also mean an end to its cruel stem cell method of raising GE animals, according to the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand.

“Supporting the call yesterday by the Green Party for a Parliamentary Inquiry into the ethics and animal welfare issues at AgResearch’s facilities,” Soil & Health – Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning asked, “Do AgResearch and government policy and trade boffins think that stem cell derived GE animals will be any more acceptable to consumers in New Zealand or globally?”

“AgResearch’s own acknowledgement that the stem cell cloning replacement method was going to cause similar losses, should be the death knell on the bizarre experiments at AgResearch’s GE facilities.”

“The cloning technology was cruel and had a track record of very few live births, with resultant offspring prone to a variety of disabilities including arthritis, respiratory distress, deformities and ruptured ovaries, and now AgResearch still isn’t guaranteeing any improvement.”

Just a month before AgResearch stopped its 13 years of cloning experimentation, in September 2010, Soil & Health – Organic NZ had called for a stop to the cloning.

Soil & Health also wanted the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) to clarify the position New Zealand had been promoting internationally against labeling food from cloned animals, and for Fonterra to state unequivocally its opposition to cloning and genetic engineering of animals and pasture.

Following leakage of beef and possibly milk from cloned animals getting into the British food chain, the EU Parliament had last year called for new EU legislation to be developed to expressly prohibit foods from cloned animals and their descendents, with a moratorium on their sale in the meantime.
However NZFSA, representing New Zealand at Codex alimentarius meetings where international food standards and labeling rules are set, has been opposing labeling of food from cloned animals.

“In supporting AgResearch’s cruel genetically engineered (GE) animal cloning at Ruakura, and the international sales of the GE technology or its products, NZFSA has been taking a position that is contrary to New Zealanders and consumers world-wide,” said Mr Browning

“AgResearch was involved with the failed PPL Therapeutics’ farming at Whakamaru of thousands of cloned GE ‘Dolly’ type sheep which suffered respiratory and other defects, ahead of the company’s failure and the sheeps’ destruction in 2003. AgResearch continued the same misery at Ruakura with GE cows, and more recently GE goats and GE sheep had been approved by the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA).”

AgResearch’s applied technologies group manager, Dr Jimmy Suttie, was quoted in May as saying he did not see the deaths as a “big deal”, and they were part of the learning process for scientists. In 2007, following a highly contentious USDA report on the safety of food from cloned animals, Dr Suttie said there was nothing to stop cloned animals entering the food chain, but it was not happening because of international consumer preference.

“That same international consumer preference prevails and all of Dr Suttie’s cruel experiments need to stop before New Zealand is recognised as the centre of bizarre GE animal experiments,” said Mr Browning.

“New Zealand has just two GE field trial experimental facilities operating, the one cruel GE animal one and one for risky GE pine trees at Rotorua. Now is the time to say no to all GE experiments in Aotearoa New Zealand’s environment and rebuild our clean green 100% Pure brand.”

Soil & Health has a vision of an Organic 2020 where new technologies do not compromise genuine environmental sustainability but support biological and organic management systems that are animal friendly and do not use synthetic additives.

Plant & Food Research shifted GE soil illegally?

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Where has Plant & Food Research taken the contaminated soil excavated from its botched genetically engineered brassicas  Lincoln field trial site, and why weren’t stakeholders kept informed of changes to the compliance controls, the Soil & Health Association of NZ is asking.(1,2)

In December 2008 Soil & Health – Organic NZ discovered an illegally flowering  genetically engineered (GE) kale plant (3) and several other flowering brassicas that had set seed pods among weeds at the Lincoln field trial site of Crown Research Institute Plant & Food Research. (4,5,6,7)

The field trial was immediately closed and following an intensive investigation that revealed other GE flowering events, strict controls were imposed for at least 5 years to limit the spread of any GE material from the site.

“Plant & Food have now extended the contamination by removing the heavily herbicide-sprayed and GE contaminated soil from the trial site late last year in an effort to reduce compliance efforts,” said Soil & Health spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“This soil removal appears to be illegal under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO), although Plant & Food had expressed a commitment to Soil & Health – Organic NZ to meeting whatever new controls were imposed, following my discovery of the flowering GE kale in 2008.”

“Plant & Food needs to make public the details of where the soil is, and what exact GE constructs were used in the original trial so that independent testing of crops in the Lincoln area can occur.”

Brassica species include vegetable plants such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, mustard, radish, turnip, rocket, rape, kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, mizuna and several weeds. Brassicas are able to cross easily between species and Plant & Food grew several GE and non GE brassica species at the site where a weed brassica, wild turnip, was also reported.

Although  Plant & Food have removed  contaminated soil to more than 250mm depth, Soil & Health – Organic NZ has recent photographs of a brassica and weed seedlings at the Lincoln GE field trial site, suggesting seed bearing top soil was spilt or the weeds have herbicide resistance.(8,9)

“What GE contaminated soil was spilt during transport from the GE field trial site to its new GE contaminated home?” asked Mr Browning.

“The removed soil is likely to have both seed and soil organisms contaminated by the previous GE program. If the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry – Biosecurity NZ are complicit in the soil removal, then New Zealand’s GE regulatory system has totally broken down as there has been no public notification or application for a new GE site.”

“Plant & Food’s failed GE onion field trial location also needs to be made public, along with the exact GE constructs used there, so that civil society can ensure independent monitoring of potential contamination in the surrounding area.”

“Soil & Health – Organic NZ is committed to a vision of an organic focused nation where Plant & Food Research and the other Crown Research Institutes resources are committed to a clean green 100% Pure GE Free Aotearoa New Zealand.”
NOTES:

100% Pure USA drive towards New Zealand as a GE nation

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The government’s phasing out of the winning 100% Pure New Zealand brand, while putting genetic engineering (GE) zealot Dr. William Rolleston as Chair of Innovation and also on the Science Board of the new Ministry of Science and Innovation, is a clear sign that New Zealand’s science and production is further headed down a GE track, rather than the clean green 100% Pure New Zealand trail according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ. (1)

“Last week’s announcement that 100% Pure New Zealand is to be replaced by ‘100% Pure You,’ although only weeks before New Zealand had moved from 4th to 3rd strongest country brand in the world, indicates that Pure New Zealand has been given the boot because Government is not prepared to put substance to the branding,” said Soil & Health – Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning. (2)

In November, Tourism New Zealand’s Chief Executive Kevin Bowler said it was great to see brand New Zealand continuing to gain strength, especially in such a highly competitive international market.

“The consistency of the 100% Pure New Zealand campaign has kept New Zealand top of mind, and has made a promise that New Zealand is continuing to keep.” (3)

“Even then that promise was being broken by the Government, with significant commitment to genetic engineering and dumbing down of brand New Zealand,” said Mr Browning.

“Whether it be the dwindling support for sustainable organic production, or Government’s recent $10 million support for Crown Researcher Scion and its USA partner ArborGen’s GE trees experiments, and significantly more for AgResearch and its USA partner, GTC Biotherapeutics, cruel GE animal experiments, the current Government vision has little that is pure about it.”

“New Zealanders are proud of our clean green 100% Pure New Zealand brand, and just as we are proud of our nuclear free status, most New Zealanders and our overseas customers have shown in polls to be opposed to genetic engineering in our environment and production.”

“Inserting Dr. Rolleston and other GE proponents into key science funding and policy roles, is a clear statement that this government is a GE government,” said Mr Browning.

“The Government is intent of removing any semblance of independence in the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) , currently tasked with decisions on GE applications.  By ensuring the emerging Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), will ‘put effect’ to Government policy rather than the previous ‘have regard to,’ another sinister element is added to New Zealand’s future GE status.” (4)

“For an EPA to be effective, it must be as independent as possible, and policy for a clean green 100% Pure vision for New Zealand should be driven by those without the type of vested interests that Dr. Rolleston and his Life Sciences Network bring.”

Continued United States pressure for the uptake of GE, as revealed by Wikileaks recently and Soil & Health – Organic NZ last year, appears to be coming through in Government action. (5,6)

2010 began with the USA’s Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s Senior Science Advisor Nina Federoff visiting New Zealand and promoting GE. At the same time, Terri Dunahay, a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) international GE policy specialist, over several months, was promoting genetic engineering for New Zealand agriculture, while given a Fulbright Scholarship seat in New Zealand’s science policy agency, the Ministry of Research Science and Technology (MoRST).

“Dunahay was also given time at ERMA, with her final MoRST-USDA report on the issues affecting the uptake of GE forages in New Zealand farming, suggesting that the New Zealand public should not be able to submit on GE field trial applications and that some GE pollen release was necessary to test environmental effects.”

“The November 4th Hillary Clinton and John Key’s ‘Wellington Declaration’ signing then sealed intent on GE biofuels collaboration and the current government’s end to 100% Pure New Zealand,” believes Mr Browning.

Soil & Health – Organic NZ campaigns against the release of genetically engineered organisms into the environment and food and has a vision of an Organic 2020 in direct contrast to United States foreign policy.

Notes (links accessed January 2011):

(1)  http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/boards-key-science-and-innovation-suc…

(2) http://www.tourismnewzealand.com/news-and-features/news/tourism-new-zeal…

(3) http://www.tourismnewzealand.com/news-and-features/news/new-zealand-thir… 100% Pure New Zealand has been used to promote New Zealand as a tourism destination since 1999. Last November, New Zealand was ranked the third strongest country brand in the world by FutureBrands Country Brand Index.

(4) http://www.mfe.govt.nz/news/2010-11-16-epa-bill-introduced.html
ERMA is currently an autonomous Crown entity, slightly more independent than a Crown agent (the Minister can only require an autonomous Crown entity to have regard to, not give effect to, government policy). As one of the government’s objectives for resource management reform is to provide for better central government direction, it is vital that the chosen model allows for central government direction of the EPA. A Crown agent allows for this relationship.

(5) http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1012/S00171/wikileak-das-reed-engages-o…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/03/wikileaks-us-eu-gm-crops
(SBU) When asked what the top local impediments will be to concluding an agreement, Sinclair noted a number of areas sensitive to New Zealand. It is “no secret” that Monsanto does not like New Zealand’s genetically modified organism (GMO) regulations, Sinclair said.

(6) http://www.organicnz.org/soil-and-health-press/1235/government-support-f…

GE varroa control no Santa Claus for New Zealand beekeepers

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Genetically engineering varroa (Varroa destructor) mites to self destruct is no Christmas present for New Zealand’s beekeepers, according to Soil & Health Association of NZ.

“Any future for New Zealand does not include genetically engineered mites being carried around New Zealand on the back of honey bees, any more than a real Santa Claus with reindeer,” said Soil & Health – Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“News today that Aberdeen University’s Dr Alan Bowman has announced a potential mechanism for the inoculation of mites, in a way that silences a gene in the mite, damaging its immune system, is being overstated. The research is in its infancy and potential hazards appear not to have been considered at all.” (1)

“Aberdeen University’s research needs to be seen in a broader ecological context of risk and actual potential success. Certainty would be needed that tampering with the DNA of the mite would not for example sport a mite or virus that is worse than the existing varroa, or have other unintended effects on bees, or affect mites naturally part of an indigenous ecosystem.”

“A more useful curative to varroa than what is currently available would save considerable angst and cost to New Zealand beekeepers, and more benign alternatives than genetic engineering are being researched continuously which would not impact on New Zealand’s largely GE Free status.”

“Pest control in New Zealand using genetic engineering is no more acceptable than growing GE food, forages or forests would be to Aotearoa New Zealand’s clean green 100% Pure trading and tourism brand.”

“The 5 to 10 years of further research and development that Aberdeen suggests is necessary for their postulated GE solution, allows for significant development in less risky alternatives, and research dollars would do well to be directed to those.”

“GE pest control research should always include scientists that are independently capable of imaging the very real risks that go hand in glove with such technology. Too often, research such as from Aberdeen claims potential solutions as part of touting for further research dollars, while completely ignoring the ecological risks,” said Mr Browning.

Soil & Health – Organic NZ wishes for research spending be directed to a GE free and organic varroa solution for Christmas 2011.

(1)   http://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/details-9669.php

Government approval for Scion’s GE Christmas trees

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The Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) released its decision today to allow crown research agency Scion and its partner, United States owned ArborGen, to plant thousands of genetically engineered (GE) pine trees over 25 years at Scions Rotorua site.

“The GE pine trees approval was expected but not as a perverted Christmas tree. We had shown the current site being prepared in July, even before the application was formally received by ERMA, or notified for public submission. This showed ERMA as the Government’s rubber stamper for genetic engineering in New Zealand,” said Soil & Health – Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

An ERMA hearing of the Scion application was held 9-10 November with a decision anticipated in January 2011.

“Previous non-compliance by Scion at its GE field trial site was only discovered by Soil & Health-Organic NZ’s inspection as was Plant & Food Research’s flowering GE brassica breach at Lincoln, yet ERMA have now allowed for Scion to apply without public notification for new secret sites.”

“Moving of GE field trials will only further jeopardise New Zealand’s relatively GE free status and environment. The potential GE pine pollen leakage needs to be constrained to one site where the public can exercise a level of independent surveillance.”

ERMA and GE field trial’s auditor MAF-Biosecurity New Zealand (MAF-BNZ) were complicit previously when Scion failed to prune trees according to approval controls, allowing retrospective changes to the approval. MAF-BNZ had also failed to monitor the site correctly as it had similarly with Plant & Food Research’s Lincoln sites.

ERMA’s approval controls for the GE pines are little different than those made for the GE brassicas at Lincoln. Scion’s GE tree scientist Dr Christian Walter appeared and supported Plant & Food’s Dr Mary Christey at the GE brassica ERMA hearing. Soon after, Christie was allowing GE brassicas to flower even though that approval was still before the High Court.

“Dr Walter when presenting to the recent forestry industry conference, gave a very rose tinted outlook for commercial GE trees in New Zealand and absolutely nothing about risks to them or the wider environment or community. Misrepresenting the level of environmental effects research at both commercially focused and regulatory presentations, shows the cavalier attitude of GE scientists wanting permission for field trials in New Zealand,” said Mr Browning.

“Soil & Health-Organic NZ will be monitoring Scion’s latest GE escapade as closely as possible to try and ensure that GE leakage from field trials does not occur. We cannot rely on the scientists or government agencies entrusted with that responsibility.”

Soil & Health has a vision of an Organic 2020 that supports new Zealand’s clean green 100% Pure GE free trading image.

ERMA decision making challenged in the High Court again

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ERMA’s loose GE decision making is again being challenged in the High Court according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ (Soil & Health – Organic NZ).

Genetically engineered (GE) animals are once again subject of an appeal by GE Free NZ in the Wellington High Court. GE Free NZ in food and the environment Inc (GE Free NZ) had previously been successful in appealing an Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) decision allowing a broad approach to GE experiments on cattle, sheep and goats, but that was later overturned by the Court of Appeal on procedural grounds.

“The current High Court hearing beginning at 10am Wednesday 24 November  is another appeal by GE Free NZ against the ERMA decision to allow sheep, goats and cows to be genetically engineered by AgResearch in potentially hundreds of thousands of combinations from a vast list of potential proteins and genes,” said Soil & Health-Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“By granting such a broad brush application ERMA has not given the public the ability to comment on the individual risks of each new organism that AgResearch intends to develop. The cultural offensiveness of using genetic material from other species in modifying farm animals has been aggravated in the application by the new combinations not even being clearly identified.”

“Soil & Health-Organic NZ will be attending the hearing in support of GE Free NZ who is being represented by Barrister Tom Bennion.”

“Soil & Health-Organic NZ has previously commissioned a Colmar- Brunton poll which clearly identified that most New Zealanders were against genetic engineering of animals, and the vast majority of the 1545 submissions to the original application by AgResearch were opposed to the inability to identify the outcome of AgResearch’s experiments, yet ERMA ignored the law that requires identification of a new organism,” said Mr Browning.

Soil & Health-Organic NZ has recently appeared at an ERMA hearing in opposition to the genetic engineering of thousands of pine trees at Rotorua, where intended experimentation was again broad, although appeared to be narrowed to approximately 50 different GE tree lines. AgResearch has applied for an undefined and almost infinite number of potential lines, with unidentified risks.

Soil & Health-Organic NZ commends GE Free NZ for its work on ensuring ERMA uses correct process in its decision making. Soil & Health believes GE animals have no place in a clean green 100% Pure Aotearoa New Zealand and has a vision of an Organic 2020.

Government support for GE trees contradicts clean green image

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Todays Environmental Risk Management Authority  (ERMA) hearing at the Novotel Hotel in Rotorua to consider the application by Crown Research Institute Scion to field trial thousands of genetically engineered (GE) trees  is a farce according to the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand.

“ERMA will grant the GE trees application regardless of the submissions because it is under government and United States pressure to do so,” said Soil & Health – Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

Government has put $10.8 million science funding into the project and with pro-GE  forestry interests actively lobby’s Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and international forums such as the Convention of Biological Diversity and the World Trade Organisation along with the USA, for acceptance of GE forestry.

“Soil & Health – Organic NZ, and other submitters are presenting at today’s hearing  in Rotorua to hold ERMA and Scion accountable for the complicity and reckless attack on New Zealand’s clean green 100% Pure brand. GE has no place in the New Zealand environment and the government should know this.”

“Scion, ERMA and MAF have collaborated previously to reduce the fallout when Soil & Health-Organic NZ exposed serious breaches at Scion’s GE tree site.”

“New Zealand can’t have a bob each way on GE and sustainable production. Agriculture Minister David Carter, the Prime Minister, cabinet and treasury all know that clean green 100% Pure is a very valuable asset for New Zealand trade and tourism, but seem hell bent on bowing to Hillary Clinton’s US corporate interests to allow GE into New Zealand.”

“Agriculture Minister David Carter not long returned from meeting with Prince Charles and observing the consumer end of high value sustainable production, needs to tell New Zealanders unequivocally whether he supports GE in New Zealand forestry and agriculture or not.”

“Prince Charles  who was able to advise the Minister on profitability issues in wool, a natural fibre, could also have told the Minister that New Zealand going down the GE route would be madness. The Prince told me that when he visited New Zealand last,” said Mr Browning.

“Clinton’s team are on another mission and it is not sustainability or clean. The US biofuel experiment is costing massive subsidies from US taxpayers and is not sustainable.”

“Pollen spread by Scion’s multi-million dollar GE tree partner ArborGen is the basis for legal action in the United States. ArborGen is protesting that restrictions on new US field trials will mean they may have to cut down other GE trial trees that are already flowering there. They now are pushing for GE forestry in New Zealand.”

“Hillary Clinton and John Key’s Wellington Declaration, including ‘renewable energy’ collaboration, needs to be publicly fleshed out to expose any smell of GE.”

“ArborGen is very involved with GE biofuels development in the USA and aims to be the Monsanto of the tree world. ArborGen, although approximately 93% USA owned, is Australasia’s largest tree stock producer and much of New Zealand’s forestry business in now USA owned.”

“In January, Hilary Clinton’s Science and Technology Advisor Nina Federoff came to New Zealand pushing GE through a series of unbalanced presentations. At the same time, Terri Dunahay, a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) international GE policy specialist was promoting genetic engineering for New Zealand agriculture, while given a Fulbright Scholarship seat in New Zealand’s science policy agency, the Ministry of Research Science and Technology (MoRST).”

“Dunahay was also given time at ERMA, with her final report on the issues affecting the uptake of GE forages in New Zealand farming, suggesting that the public should not be able to submit on GE field trial applications and that some GE pollen release was necessary to test environmental effects.”

“Scion’s GE field trials are part of a drive for GE tree commercialisation here in New Zealand and overseas, and Scion Senior Scientist – Team Leader Future Forests gave a misleading presentation to the Forest Owners Association conference in October, leaving out the significant drawbacks of investment in GE and the environmental and social damage that GE has caused internationally.”

“New Zealand trades on a clean green 100% Pure brand and the best value customers for New Zealand’s exports are the discerning consumers that choose GE free, animal friendly, sustainably produced and organic type products. Thousands of those potential customers submitted in opposition to the NZ raised GE trees exported for ArborGen trials in the USA, and New Zealand needs to dissociate itself from any further experiments immediately.”

GE trees have risks of new allergens, increased herbicide use associated with numerous illnesses including epilepsy and cancer, non-GE crop contamination, ecosystem collapse, and also the use of terminator type technology that is internationally frowned on. Most New Zealand trees are grown to Forest Stewardship Council standards that currently prohibit the use of GE trees.

Soil & Health – Organic NZ have a vision of a clean green 100% Pure Aotearoa New Zealand that strives for organic production for the best value markets that support genuine sustainability.

 

Soil & Health – Organic NZ notes

  • Terminator gene technology is intended although still hotly debated internationally as to its acceptability.
  • The application is intended for thousands of experimental GE trees with a very wide variety of GE experimental options.
  • Previous study of environmental effects at Scion’s GE tree field trial site was inadequate, brief and as yet the research is not academically peer reviewed or published.
  • The risk of pollen drift is heavily downplayed in the application, yet will be the obvious main risk, and on past Scion practice is a likely outcome.
  • ERMA state that controls mean that pollen drift is unlikely. ERMA stated the same for the Plant & Food GE brassica application, but leakage happened there. Scion have already had pollen catkins appear unexpectedly on poorly managed GE tree seedlings at the Rotorua site.
  • Maori consultation has given a mixed level of support with some strong objection and questioning of the appropriateness of this technology in New Zealand.
  • Herbicide tolerant trees will only aggravate the already OTT use of herbicides in NZ forestry should the technology be commercialised here as Scion and its USA partners intend. International GE tree giant ArborGen is nearly totally USA owned, with even the 3rd share of ArborGen by NZ company Rubicon more than 80% USA owned. The other 2 ArborGen components are by huge USA companies.
  • The overt partnership with ArborGen places Scion and hence New Zealand internationally as instigators of a new environmental threat. Opposition has been strong in several parts of the globe, with the strongest direct action being the 2006 destruction of millions of GE eucalypts in Brazil by 2000 local women.
  • GE trees are seen as riskier than GE crops because of their longevity and strong position in ecosystems
  • Soil & Health – Organic NZ is opposing the application and has previously exposed several issues of non-compliance by Scion at its Rotorua GE field trial site.
  • This application has been seen as having an assured approval by ERMA as Scion had already been preparing an intended field trial site although denying it previously. The site may change.

GE Food Ingredients Need Immediate Investigation

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News today from GE Free NZ shows that a complex pesticide riddled genetically engineered (GE) corn, Smartstax, is being allowed into the New Zealand food supply without assessment by food regulators.(1)

Already 64 GE food lines and more than 14 GE food processing aids have been allowed through the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) assessment process, but none have contained anything like the 6 insecticides and 2 herbicide resistant genes that are contained in the Monsanto/Dow Chemicals Smartstax, according to the Soil & Health Association who have included in their Organic NZ magazine a list of New Zealand allowed GE food ingredients. (2,3)

“In the last 10 months FSANZ has allowed 3 more GE food lines into the food supply and is assessing another 6, but now FSANZ is allowing more complex and untested GE foods through without assessment,” said Soil & Health – Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“FSANZ has yet to decline an application for a GE food despite important animal feeding studies showing multi-generational infant mortalities, disorders of the reproductive, immune and blood clotting systems, and increased cases of pre-cancerous growths, and anti-nutrient effects.”

GE plant lines approved include canola, corn, potato, cotton, soy bean, lucerne (alfalfa), sugarbeet, and rice. Further GE corn, cotton and soybean applications are being processed. At least fourteen approved microbial-based food processing aids have also been approved.

“Food Safety Minister Kate Wilkinson needs to ensure a comprehensive review of imported GE foodstuffs, the gene constructs involved, whether they have been assessed, and whether GE foods are labeled in the supermarkets.”

“There is significant non-compliance in GE labeling and neither FSANZ nor the Minister’s New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) is monitoring what is happening.”

“Until monitoring, or a safe precautionary approach, by the food safety authorities occurs, consumers can only confidently purchase processed foods if certified organic or GE/GMO Free labelled products,” said Mr Browning.

“The list of ingredients published in Organic NZ that may be derived from GE canola, corn, cotton or soy, is so broad that most processed foods sold in supermarkets will be at risk of GE contamination now, unless labeled GE/GMO Free or certified organic. The Organic NZ list of GE enzymes further reduces the uncontaminated product range.”

“FSANZ is ignoring mounting evidence of health risks from GE foods, just as it ignores serious health issues from pesticide residues in food. The same situation of complex mixtures and toxicity arise with GE as in pesticides, which FSANZ also fails to investigate properly.”

“Research has shown that pesticides in combination have toxicity effects greater than the expected sum, but FSANZ who sets food standards for Australia and New Zealand, generally appears to be a food industry puppet and is focused on facilitating trade ahead of exercising a precautionary approach to human health.”

“The latest New Zealand FSANZ Board member has simultaneously been made chairman of the Crown Forest Research Agency Scion, similarly reckless with GE, albeit in the environment. However with his previous experience as Chief Executive of successful GE Free trading Zespri, Mr Tony Nowall may understand that blindly following a GE path can have disadvantages.”(4, 5)

“FSANZ and NZFSA are too quick to accept GE company pseudo science and have consistently ignored the concerns of those providing precautionary advice including from highly experienced Australian and New Zealand GE scientists,” said Mr Browning.

“In 2007, following intense scientific debate following the release of previously blocked Monsanto data on rat GE feeding studies of MON 863 corn, a FSANZ staff member said that no independent feeding tests or independent assessments of company data are necessary and confidential company data are fine for safety assessments.”

It was found that the rats fed with the GM corn showed signs of toxicity in the liver and kidneys compared with those fed non-GM corn. Possible hormone alteration was also shown.

“The Food Safety Minister has the power to order an inquiry into why GE food labelling isn’t happening and why FSANZ is dismissing caution and allowing inadequately tested GE foods into New Zealand.”

The Soil & Health Association of New Zealand Inc is in its 70th year, and is the largest membership organisation supporting organic food and farming in New Zealand, and as such advocates for healthy and safe food and environmental sustainability. It has a vision of an Organic 2020 that does not include GE food, animals, trees or crops.
NOTES
GE Free in food & environment Smartstax GE corn media release, Smartstax GE Corn Leaves Food Standards Authority in Disarray, and contacts below.

REFERENCES
(1) GE Free NZ in food & environment media statement further below.
(2) http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumerinformation/gmfoods/gmcurrentapp…
(3) Organic NZ July/August 2010 http://www.organicnz.org/organic-nz-magazine/ge-dont-swallow-it/
(4) http://www.infonews.co.nz/news.cfm?l=1&t=92&id=54292
(5) http://www.rotoruadailypost.co.nz/local/news/former-zespri-ceo-one-of-tw…

Smartstax GE Corn Leaves Food Standards Authority in Disarray

The Food Standards Authority Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is in disarray, issuing conflicting reports that are vague and elusive, over the entry into the food chain of a new Monsanto/Dow Chemical pesticide filled GE corn variety, “Genuity Smartstax”. The new variety of corn is “stacked” with a combination of six different insecticidal and two herbicide tolerant genes that have never been assessed. [1]

In Australia, FSANZ has given MADGE [2] an understanding that Smartstax has been approved even though the levels of the pesticides being produced in the corn are unknown, safety parameters for human ingestion have never been set, and despite the scientific evidence that the combination of different gene insertions could produce further chemical or protein allergens.

“Replies to Freedom of Information Act requests by GE Free NZ to FSANZ reveal the Authority is unclear whether Smartstax has been regulated to enter the food chain, claiming they have no information,” [3] says Claire Bleakley from GE Free NZ in food and environment.

“But in further correspondence they claim it does not require assessment because approval had previously been given for the individual genetic modifications. Such an approach cannot be scientifically justified and presents a new level of threat to food safety.”

The International Codex Alimentarius rules [4] and the FSANZ standard 1.5.2 -1 (b) clearly states that any plant that has been genetically engineered or any plant that is derived or descended from a GE parent line even if conventionally bred has to be assessed for safety. [5]

“Smartstax has been engineered in the laboratory to contain the stacked genes with a toxic cocktail of traits that can have unique combined effects irrespective of reassurances that individual genes have been assessed for safety” said Mrs. Bleakley.

The Smartsatx corn is being grown on 4 million acres in the Corn Belt of America and the chemical cocktail of Bt insecticides kill caterpillars and release the Bt toxin to kill soil micro organisms below ground. The corn survives being sprayed with high levels of herbicides that are absorbed into the grain, and which cannot be washed off or boiled away.

American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) called for a moratorium; implementation of long term safety testing with epidemiological research and methods to determining the effects of GE foods on human health.  They asked Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM foods when possible.
“…GM foods pose a serious health risk in the areas of toxicology, allergy and immune function, reproductive health, and metabolic, physiologic and genetic health and are without benefit.” [6]

“As FSANZ has not regulated the Smartstax corn it must not allow it any where near our food supply as it could severely harm consumer’s health. The corn produces high levels of toxic insecticides which have been linked to damage to internal organs, digestive complications, sterility, allergies and sudden deaths [7],” says Claire Bleakley. “There are still no diagnostic tools to detect if rising levels of allergies, digestive irritability and skin diseases could be attributable to the increasing levels of GE in our diet.”

“The Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is mandated to evaluate any genetically engineered food and assess its safety. Its mission statement is to protect the health of the public, and they must immediately uphold public safety and stop the corn product from entering our food supply”.

References –
[1] Genuity Smartstax – http://www.genuity.com/Traits/Corn/Genuity-SmartStax.aspx
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3biM4OlC_QE&feature=related
[2] MADGE press release http://www.madge.org.au/Docs/MR-100715-Smartstax.pdf

[3] Responses to GE Free NZ  requests from the FSANZ Acting General Counsel state:
“…FSANZ has previously approved all of the parental plant lines that have been used to conventionally breed Smartstax variety, under FSANZ‘s rules conventionally bred progeny of approved GE lines do not require specific approval”.

[4] GUIDELINE FOR THE CONDUCT OF FOOD SAFETY ASSESSMENT OF FOODS DERIVED FROM RECOMBINANT-DNA PLANT; CAC/GL 45-2003;
Paragraph 14. [..]. Unintended effects in recombinant-DNA plants may also arise through the insertion of DNA sequences and/or they may arise through subsequent conventional breeding of the recombinant-DNA plant. Safety assessment should include data and information to reduce the possibility that a food derived from a recombinant-DNA plant would have an unexpected, adverse effect on human health.

[5] FSANZ standard 1.5.2 under the definition 1(b), 1(b)(ii) 1(b)(i) http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/_srcfiles/Standard_1_5_2_GM_v116.pdf

[6] Position paper on Genetically Modified Foods.  American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM), 2009, http://www.aaemonline.org/gmopost.html

[7] de Vendômois JS, Roullier F, Cellier D, Séralini GE. A Comparison of the Effects of Three GM Corn Varieties on Mammalian Health. Int J Biol Sci 2009; 5:706-726. http://www.biolsci.org/v05p0706.htm
www.gefree.org.nz

Plant & Food, Lincoln University, MAF and MoRST Risk Brand New Zealand

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Genetic engineering (GE) experiments by Plant & Food Research and Lincoln University need to be reconsidered following newly reported failures by government agencies in managing GE risks at Plant & Food’s Lincoln facilities, according to the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand.

“The conflicts of interest by researchers and government agencies in GE management and compliance suggest the best way forward is to stop unnecessary experiments and governments’ continued attempt to introduce GE plants and animals into the New Zealand environment,” said Soil & Health – Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

Plant & Food Research’s containment glasshouse at Lincoln was the scene of a GE cress plant (Arabidopsis thaliana ) leak, discovered by a senior scientist, after extractor fan mesh was replaced. However the GE cress plants found growing outside the facility were purportedly by seed washed from the facility through cracks at floor level during a Lincoln University from visiting United States scientist’s experiments.

A Sunday Herald report has said papers released under the Official Information Act show that the scientists may have imported the initial GE cress seed illegally by not declaring its GE status and later blocked investigation inquiries. (1)

A Ministry of Agriculture (MAF) Enforcement Directorate Investigation and Offence Summary sourced by Soil & Health described several possibilities for how the GE cress may have leaked; some through lax maintenance or inadequate filters, and possible removal on clothing by personnel.

“MAF, although principal investigator, is conflicted in these investigations, as invariably its own MAF-Biosecurity NZ GE audit role is found to be wanting. This is further aggravated by the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) and MAF allowing researchers to do their own experiment approvals and inspections,” said Mr Browning.

“MAF staff failed to properly monitor the GE brassica field trial the previous year, also at Lincoln, and also Scion’s Rotorua GE field trial before that. ERMA was also complicit in the cover up of Scion’s failing to correctly prune the GE trees to ensure no pollen was released.”

In a response to the Christchurch Press in April, MAF were reluctant to release information and then it was limited to the Enforcement Summary in June.

“Continued lack of transparency by agencies, and difficult levering to access reports through the Official Information Act, show a continued pro-GE push by government agencies reluctant to support the predictions of the NGOs and community who have consistently warned of GE contamination risks.”

“We warn of leaks and pollen escape. ERMA says conditions of consent will ensure no leak, yet consistently the experimenters fail. Ministry of Research Science and Technology (MoRST) is culpable too, with its biotech strategy convinced that GE is the way forward. MoRST with its policy role is letting down New Zealand by not keeping with a clean green 100% Pure vision.”

“MoRST has been active in promoting GE and has used United States Department of Agriculture staff to assist. Loyalty to New Zealand producers will be to promote science that supports New Zealand’s brand opportunity, not the commercial and strategic interests of the US corporations.”

“It seems symbolic that MoRST has a photo of GE cress illustrating its biotech page. Maybe the photo was from Lincoln.” (2)

“It could use an illustration of an organic pasture that sequesters carbon, has a full biologically active soil life that deals with nitrates naturally and supports animals that do not need rumen interventions. MoRST and MAF need to move to where their community and customers want them to be.”

Soil & Health has a vision of an Organic 2020 where MoRST, MAF and the new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA-ex ERMA) will be co-operating transparently to promote science and production that will add value in an environmentally and economically risk free way.

NOTES
(1)  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10662711
(2)  http://www.morst.govt.nz/current-work/biotechnology/
(3) The MAF Enforcement Directorate Investigation and Offence Summary is available on request.

Something smells at Scion GE tree site

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The Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) has the confidence of crown forest research institute Scion to such a degree that Scion is prepared to spend many thousands of tax payers dollars building new GE field trial space even before an application for an intended 4000 genetically engineered (GE) pine trees is publicly notified by ERMA, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.

“By enlarging its Rotorua GE field trial site more than tenfold, ahead of having its latest GE application processed, Scion, recently re-partnered with international GE tree giant ArborGen, seems to have had illegal pre-notification approval from ERMA,” said Soil & Health – Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

Simultaneously, as Scion has been consulting with Maori ahead of formally applying to ERMA for approval to grow the up to 4000 GE Pinus radiata trees in an outdoor containment facility at Rotorua, Scion has had contractors significantly enlarging its existing GE tree field trial site over the road from the Rotorua Redwoods tourist centre.  (1,2)

Some GE trees are intended to flower and set seed, although recent research shows wind drifted pine pollen able to be viable for some distance. Scion has failed previous consent requirements and also allowed GE tree cuttings to have flowered, which raises concerns with environmental groups. (3)

Scion currently has permission for field trialing just 200 GE herbicide resistant pine trees but intends trialing a wide range of genetic material on the coming 4000 GE tree application.

Consultation documents went out to Maori, just as Scion was publicising its renewal of a multi-million dollar partnership with ArborGen, which has just received permission in the United States for pre-commercialisation field trials there of 260,000 New Zealand raised GE eucalyptus trees, some of which are to flower. (4)

“The US ArborGen approval is being challenged in the US courts because of the lack of environmental risk analysis, and it seems ERMA is following suit in New Zealand with no intent of meaningful environmental or economic risk analysis for Scion’s coming application,” said Mr Browning.

“This shows the ERMA public submission process to be a sham, and follows a history of GE approvals and ERMA engagement with the Crown Research Institutes, that has allowed Scion be able to spend ahead in confidence.”

“Government needs to come clean and tell New Zealanders that it is putting US big business interests and GE ahead of public concern. Get it out in the open, so that New Zealanders can see how little government understands clean green 100% Pure.”

“ArborGen’s Australasian division is now headed by ex-Plant & Food Research General Manager-Commercial Greg Mann, whose connection with sloppy GE field and laboratory trials will now be continued as Scion and ArborGen both have histories of GE field trial non-compliance.” (5)

Soil & Health with GE Free NZ has exposed non-compliance by Plant & Food with its GE brassica field trial and Scion’s previous GE tree field trial. ERMA has assured submitters opposing GE field trials that all the risks would be contained by their stringent consent conditions. However, open flowering has occurred, fences have been insecure, GE material has been removed, pruning has not been correct, inspections poor, and risks have not been adequately evaluated.

“The incestuous GE science and regulatory fraternity of New Zealand is following a blinkered direction that urgently needs to be halted. The capture of science policy (MoRST) and funding (FRST) by pro-GE personnel who have sold government on dreams of IP (intellectual property) riches, is failing New Zealand’s opportunity of taking full advantage of our clean green 100% Pure branding.”

“In 2006, 2000 Brazillian women destroyed an estimated eight million low-lignin GE eucalyptus seedlings to prevent environmental and social impacts by monoculture there. ArborGen, one third New Zealand owned and using New Zealand GE technology is also developing forests there, and assisted by Scion wishes to do so in New Zealand, and internationally to become the Monsanto of the tree world.”

“With our best value export markets valuing sustainability, animal welfare, GE free, social justice – Fair Trade, and organic, do we want to be branded with risky GE technology, and will 2011 be focused on cleaning up more of ERMA’s mistakes?”

Soil & Health is committed to a GE free Aotearoa New Zealand and an Organic 2020.

 

NOTES
(1) Contact spokesperson Steffan Browning at campaign@organicnz.org / 021 725655 for Scion’s Maori consultation documents.
(2) Scion Rotorua field trial site expansion photographs (17-6-2010) either attached and/or available in low/high resolution.
(3) http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/no/compliance/scionfieldtestreport2007.pdf
(4)  http://www.scionresearch.com/general/news-and-events/media-releases/2010…
(5) http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/arborgen-welcomes-greg-mann-as-g…
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/compliance_history.shtml
(6) http://www.dea.org.au/node/98