Government approval for Scion’s GE Christmas trees

/in , ,

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

/in , ,

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

/in , ,

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

/in , ,

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

/in , , ,

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

/in , ,

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

GE Plants And Animals Do Not Belong In Clean Green 100% Pure NZ

/in , ,

With a continued effort towards genetically engineering New Zealand pasture plants and developing herds of genetically engineered (GE) animals, AgResearch appears to miss the meaning of clean green 100% Pure, according to the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand.
“AgResearch in developing GE ryegrass and GE clover as a means of altering farming’s greenhouse gas emissions, misses the point that the aware consumers who value clean and green and are concerned at greenhouse emissions, are also aghast at genetic engineering,” said Soil & Health spokesperson Steffan Browning.
“The Prime Minister and his ministers also tout clean and green 100% Pure because they understand its value in commercial terms, however there is a disconnect with the reality, that real sustainability does not include GE.”
“AgResearch and government cannot have it both ways.”
“Whose anti-clean green, anti-100% Pure policy is AgResearch following? The vested interests of PGG-Wrightson Seeds, multi-national GE drug entrepreneurs, AgResearch GE science careers, or is it the government’s hidden intention to follow a GE future for New Zealand’s pasture and products?”
“GE rye, clover and animals cannot co-exist with a clean green New Zealand.”
AgResearch on TV3 news last night discussed development of a clover that when eaten and digested will produce less methane than current varieties. Using intragenics, the clover is to be bred from genetically engineered clover, and AgResearch is hoping that along with its GE ryegrass development, using ryegrass genes, that somehow the technology will be acceptable, because it is not the unusual combinations such as toad genes into potatoes or Arctic cod into strawberries.
Not so says Soil & Health, “Both intragenics and cisgenics are GE and carry the same type of risks as the more exotic sounding GE examples.”
“And for every theoretical GE advance, there is a clean and sustainable organic alternative that stands to serve New Zealand’s best value export markets in a way that AgResearch’s gimmicks cannot.”
“Conventional breeding and use of more diverse pastures, farm forestry, and reduced intensification can all lead to better value and preferred consumer products, better animal welfare benefits and better sustainable outcomes than AgResearch’s drive for unnatural and narrow focused production,” said Mr Browning.
“Clean green organic dairy farming cuts nitrate leaching into waterways by 58% and soils have 43% more earthworms. 28% more carbon is stored in organically farmed soils, so why not support organics growth into the growing US$50 billion international organics market.”
Soil & Health – Organic NZ will be present at the National Agricultural Fieldays at Mystery Creek this week at stall PE20, and is determined that GE be removed from New Zealand’s agricultural scene.
“A vision for best value New Zealand products and tourism doesn’t include commodity agriculture polluted by genetic engineering.”
“The gloves must come off against the Crown Research Institutes (CRI) continued GE attack on the New Zealand environment, both by AgResearch with its bizarre and cruel GE animal experiments, its intended GE polluting of pastures, and also Scion with its GE trees. Plant & Food Research also needs to make up its mind, if it intends to continue considering GE field trials and divert its energy’s from extensive GE laboratory experiments into technologies for best practice organics and genuine clean green 100% Pure sustainable production.”

USA GE trees approval will reflect negatively on NZ

/in , ,

The approval by the United States GE regulator for 260,000 New Zealand raised genetically engineered (GE) eucalyptus trees for 28 field trials through seven US states is not something for New Zealand to be proud of, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ. (1)

“New Zealand trades on a clean green 100% Pure brand and the best value customers for New Zealand are the discerning first world baby boomer 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.” said Soil & Health spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“Last year Jim Hightower, a twice elected Texas Agriculture Commissioner and U.S. national commentator described the then intended growing as “Irresponsible, Dangerous, and Stupid. Hightower, who identified the trees as sourced from New Zealand, broadcasts daily radio commentaries carried by more than 150 commercial and public stations, as well as on the web.” (2)

The United States Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) yesterday approved applications by ArborGen, a biotechnology company owned by three big forest products companies: International Paper and MeadWestvaco of the United States, and Rubicon of New Zealand. The applications allow the trees to flower in 27 of the 28 trial sites.

The 260,000 GE eucalypts were grown in New Zealand by Horizon 2, which is based near Whakatane, and part of Rubicon’s (ex Fletcher Forests) partnership ArborGen. ArborGen also has a collaborative GE tree development contract with Scion, the former Forest Research Institute.

The USDA confirmed it had received comments opposing the field trial from 12,462 people or organizations, compared with only 45 supporters of the trial. However environmental groups had thought up to 17,000 people had submitted.

“The USDA discounted the importance of many submissions due their being nearly identical form letters, but those submitters came from environmental and consumer organisations whose members match the type of consumers identified as New Zealand’s best value customers,” said Mr Browning.

“Just last week Agriculture Minister David Carter reminded dairy farmers at their conference that New Zealand’s best value markets were those aware of our clean green image and were becoming more discerning, saying, “Our international customers are becoming more discerning. If we are to satisfy their demands, we must recognise their concerns.” (3)

New Zealand cannot have it both ways according to Soil & Health.

“Significant conversion to more sustainable and organic primary production is in keeping with the identified market advantage but sustainable best value production cannot coexist with GE crops or exports.”

“New Zealand is essentially GE free with only two GE field trial locations operating and one of them subject to legal appeals by GE Free NZ. However continued involvement with giant biotech firms by New Zealand researchers and companies threatens disestablishing New Zealand’s GE free status.”

AgResearch wants to expand development of GE animals in New Zealand for the United States dominant biopharmaceutical company, Genzyme, and intends the introduction of GE ryegrass and clover into New Zealand pastures.  Scion, has a new GE pine tree trial at Rotorua, and with Rubicon is involved with the export of hundreds of thousands of GE trees for ArborGen, the worlds giant biotech tree company. Rubicon has stated that it wants commercialisation of GE forests in New Zealand to have less regulatory impediments.

“Scion and Rubicon’s involvement with large-scale GE brings shame to New Zealand’s clean, green GE free reputation as when the UN Convention on Biological Diversity has been grappling with designing controls for GE trees, New Zealand sided with pro-GE countries, opposing others who were calling for suspension of GE tree release until more conclusive proof of environmental safety was available,” says Mr Browning. (4)

“Scion scientists then reported without independent review, that their brief field trials proved environmental safety. The report was treated with disdain by other scientists.” (5)

“Poor science with a New Zealand label also has the potential to ruin the clean green reputation that New Zealand’s biggest earners, primary production and tourism, currently enjoy.”

Soil & Health has a vision of an Organic 2020 and is opposed to GE in food and environment.

 

NOTES:

(1)   http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/content/2010/05/ge_eucalyptus.shtml

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/biotech_ea_permits.html

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/fedregister/BRS_20100512.pdf

(2)    http://www.organicnz.org/soil-and-health-press/nz-ge-trees-irresponsible/

(3)     http://davidcarter.co.nz/index.php?/categories/6-Speeches/P2.html

(4)   http://www.organicnz.org/soil-and-health-press/ge-tree-reputation/

(5)   http://www.organicnz.org/soil-and-health-press/1021/scion%E2%80%99s-ge-t…

Heinemann, J.A., and T. Traavik. 2004. Problems in monitoring horizontal gene transfer in field trials of transgenic plants. Nat. Biotechnol. 22:1105-1109.

AgResearch’s Cruel Experiments Cover A Wide Range of Animals

/in , , ,

New revelations of cruel outcomes on experimental genetically engineered (GE) calves at AgResearch’s GE facility are likely to be just the tip of the iceberg according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.
“AgResearch already has a bad track record with its Annual Reports to ERMA for GE cattle showing a less than 9 % live birth rate, deformed foetuses and calves, gangrenous udders and animals suffering from respiratory conditions,” said Soil & Health spokesperson Steffan Browning.(1)
The Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) last year also granted AgResearch permission to experiment on cats, dogs, pigs, guinea pigs, sheep, mice, rats, rabbits, possums, cattle, goats, and chickens using genetic material from almost any form of life.(2)
“How many cats and dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs, mice, cattle, and other animals are to suffer for AgResearch’s unnecessary experiments?”
“AgResearch’s media tour last year showed off apparently healthy cattle but they were just the lucky survivors. It is now evident that some calves ovaries were growing to the point of rupture, causing death, but the scientist in charge Dr Jimmy Suttie has been quoted as saying the deaths are not a big deal.”(3)
“Animal welfare is a big deal, especially when there are animal free alternative experimental and production methods for the compounds that AgResearch ultimately wants to produce,” said Mr Browning.
“Science Minister Wayne Mapp and Agriculture Minister David Carter have both shown acceptance of AgResearch’s poor animal welfare record, presumably a ‘pragmatic’ response to the dubious promises of high financial returns that AgResearch’s international partners have said will be coming.”
“However good animal welfare records and a GE free reputation are very important for New Zealand’s trading image and increasingly demanded by consumers. Cruel experiments for a GE farming future are not what either New Zealanders or valuable overseas consumers want.”(4)
“AgResearch is at the cruel operator end of a business partnership with a dirty drug manufacturer, Genzyme, who is under investigation by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for poor manufacturing practices.” (5)
“Knowing that it would be a nuisance for AgResearch and its overseas partners, the government disbanded the New Zealand Bioethics Council a year ago in full knowledge that distressing animal welfare issues are clearly predictable in GE research. The Bioethics Council had been calling for ethics reviews of all GE animal experiments.” (6)
Soil & Health wants AgResearch’s cruel animal experiments stopped immediately, the reinstatement of the New Zealand Bioethics Council, and the government to quickly move towards desirable high value sustainable, animal friendly, GE free and organic production.

Notes:

Links assessed March 2010
(1) http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/no/compliance/agresearch.html ERMA Annual reports on GMF98009 and GMD 02028
(2) http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/BertDocs/GMD09011%20decision%20final%20(2009.09.04).pdf
“Donor genetic material may be derived from the Kingdoms Animalia, Planta, Fungi, Protista and Monera and viruses and viroids…”
(3) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10642031
(4) https://soilandhealth.org.nz/media-releases/kiwi-poll-rejects-ge-animals/
(5) http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/genzyme/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&ndmConfigId=1019673&newsId=20100324005866&newsLang=en http://www.marketwatch.com/story/genzyme-to-pay-175-million-for-allston-plant-woes-2010-04-21http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2124303620100421
(6) http://www.mfe.govt.nz/website/closed-sites/images/bioethics.jpg New Zealand Bioethics Council, August 2004 Report: The Cultural, Ethical and Spiritual Dimensions of the Use of Human Genes in Other Organisms

ERMA GE Decision Smells of US and Political Influence

/in , , ,

The main benefactor of the Environmental Risk Management Authority’s (ERMA) decision to allow the application by Crown Research Institute AgResearch a carte blanche application to genetically engineer (GE) cattle, sheep, and goats using a huge range of E.coli bacteria, human, mouse, sheep, goats, cattle, and viruses, and other material is the United States biotech company GTC Biotherapeutics (GTC), an offshoot of Genzyme Corporation, according to the Soil & Health Association.

“There has been panic on the part of AgResearch and its partner Genzyme ever since the earlier applications by AgResearch for GE animals were halted in June 2009 by the High Court through action taken by GE Free NZ,” said Soil & Health Association of NZ Spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“AgResearch should not have been presumptive in its contractual arrangements with GTC, but appeared to have had the indication from ERMA that they would get the earlier application approved. ERMA has been bending over backwards ever since to ensure AgResearch could meet its US partner’s needs. Even the US Secretary of State’s science and technology advisor Nina Federoff came calling on the government in late January.”(1)

“While ERMA  says the approval is purely for research,(2) AgResearch acknowledge it allows them to meet their contractual obligations (3), and GTC is very clear that AgResearch is to “establish appropriate transgenic founder production lines” (4), this is totally commercial and the New Zealand public are funding it to the tune of at least $8million with science funding(5). GTC’s contribution is only $200,000 but holds the US patents to any transgenic therapeutic mammalian milk proteins. (4)”

“The Chief Executive of ERMA ensuring GTC’s interests would be met, promptly ticked through AgResearch applications for indoor GE goats in December 2009 without public consultation even though ERMA acknowledged existing high public interest.”

“Highly conflicted Dr. Kieran Elborough, as chair of ERMA’s GM Standing Committee, and who had been involved with AgResearch through his own GE work in the past, renewed the consent duration of AgResearch’s existing GE cattle on 11 March 2010 for another 2.5 years. And on 1-2 March as chair of the ERMA Decision Making Committee heard the submissions about the GE sheep, cattle and goats. Soil & Health, on March 3, had again publicly exposed the Chair’s conflict of interest but on 8 March he met with the Committee on the decision-making task. On March 26 Dr. Elborough joined the board of a combined CRIs joint venture, and finally acknowledged a perceived conflict of interest and stood down on 29 March, leaving just one more meeting for the remaining 3 decision-makers.”

GTC is highly reliant on AgResearch and has been under serious financial pressure following product development failures, contaminated medicines, and penalty costs. In its annual report GTC acknowledges its survival relies on its partners and equity programs.

Excerpts from Genzyme’s financial statements September 2009 (7)

“We also have a development agreement in place with AgResearch in New Zealand for co-funding further development of selected follow-on biologics, particularly where European patents expire prior to U.S. patents…

…We have operated at a net loss since our inception in 1993, and we used $20.3 million of net cash in our operating cash flows during the first nine months of 2009. Our recurring losses from operations and our limited funds raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. We are entirely dependent upon funding from equity financings, partnering programs and proceeds from short and long-term debt to finance our operations until we achieve commercial success in selling and licensing our products and positive cash flow from operations.”

Not only  is the New Zealand taxpayer spending precious taxpayers science funding money on GTC, it is at risk of being implicated in liability actions down the line as GTC’s parent Genzyme has a poor safety record in its medicines manufacture,” said Mr Browning.

“Viruses and inert contaminants have led to massive international alerts and the most recent events had the US Food and Drug Agency (FDA) on 26 March moving into a major Genzyme plant to enforce manufacturing practice regulations.”

From Genzyme’s own media release that day, “The FDA enforcement action will likely result in a consent decree, under which a third party would inspect and review the plant’s operation for an extended period and certify compliance with FDA regulations. Under a consent decree, Genzyme also would be required to make payments to the government and could incur other costs.”(8)

“Once again our taxpayer owned Foundation for Research Science and Technology (FoRST) is dishing out precious research money to big US corporates trading in risky dangerous activity. Another one that has gloated about NZ taxpayers money on its annual statement is Arborgen who want to be the Monsanto of GE trees internationally and are partnered with CRI Scion. Scion also benefitted from Dr Elborough signing off without public consultation another 8 years for a previously discontinued GE pine tree field trial in full knowledge of the history of non-compliance there.”

“New Zealand government agencies are tripping over themselves to get into bed with large US corporations, and run roughshod over the New Zealand public to avoid due process and corruptly give blanket approvals to their friends GE experiments.”

“It is no wonder with such disregard for fair process, precaution and law by the agencies, that protestors consider direct action.”

Soil & Health has a vision of an Organic 2020 without risky GE or influence by US corporates over New Zealand’s science and decision making processes.

NOTES

Links accessed April 2010

(1)   http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/science+meeting+highlights+strong+tie…

(2)   http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/news-events/archives/media-releases/2010/mr-20…

(3)   http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC1004/S00040.htm

(4)   http://www.allbusiness.com/science-technology/experimentation-research/1…

(5)   The decision http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/find/WebResultsDetails.aspx?ID=1103

(6)   http://www.allbusiness.com/legal/contracts-law-licensing-agreements/1138…

(7)   http://google.brand.edgar-online.com/displayfilinginfo.aspx?FilingID=687…

(8)   http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/genzyme/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news…