Spencer on Byron

GMOs pose $59 billion threat to NZ economy

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Inevitable cross contamination by GE crops, if released in NZ, pose a 59 billion dollar threat to the NZ economy and ratepayers whose councils have failed to protect them against risk,” says Debbie Swanwick, Soil & Health – Organic NZ.

That is the total dollar value of our agricultural, forestry, fisheries and tourism sectors, agriculture being worth thirty billion dollars, forestry, five billion, fisheries, four billion and tourism twenty billion. (8) (9)

“Auckland Council is one council who has failed to protect ratepayers , despite an InterCouncil working party (ICWP) recommendation that suggests they adopt a plan change to include a precautionary approach to GMO release in their Unitary plan. (1) In contrast Whangarei District Council adopted the ICWP recommendations,” says Swanwick. (2)

The ICWP is made of up of Auckland Council, Far North, Kaipara, Whangarei District Councils and Northland Regional Council (who did not participate in this project). (4)

Based on eight years of public engagement, a section 32 analysis and legal opinion, the ICWP identified a total lack of liability provisions under current legislation. (4)

“Under Whangarei’s plan change, GE applicants who would easily clear the hurdle of the EPA in Wellington will have to prove financial fitness, post a substantial bond and be personally and financially liable for”unintended or unforseen” adverse impacts of EPA approved GE experiments,” says Swanwick.

“Auckland ratepayers will pay the ultimate price on behalf of councillors who have made this decision based on an issue (GMO’s) rather than a process. It is their remit that they protect ratepayers from risk regardless of the issue. That kind of decision making is not impartial or considered but leaky buildings all over again,” says Swanwick.

A 2010 Price Waterhouse report estimated between 42,000 and 89,000 homes in NZ would be categorized as ‘leaky homes’ costing between 11.2 and 22 billion to repair. (6) Roger Levie of the Home Owners and Buyers Association says they expect these figures are light and forecast that as many as 150,000 homes will be affected, costing over $35 billion.  “That equates to around $8,300 coming out of the pocket of each New Zealander because Government and Councils failed to protect them against this risk,” he says. (5)

A case currently pending in the Western Australia Supreme Court  involves an organic farmer, Steve Marsh, who lost his organic certification in 2010  when 70% of his farm was cross contaminated with his neighbors GE canola. Marsh’s legal fees are expected to cost $250,000 and he is requesting compensation for his economic loss in perpetuity. The case is expected to be decided in the next few months and could set a precedent in NZ law(3)

“As Monsanto are funding the GE farmer in this case (it is probable big Agri-tech will always fund these defences), and with the recent legislative change in the US dubbed the “Monsanto Protection Act’, in future councils and governments will be the only organizations that can be sued. (11) This behavior has already begun in Europe,” says Swanwick. (7)

In 2011 the legal organisation Justice & Environment sued the EU Commission over the release of the Amflora GM potato. (10)

In March President Obama signed H.R. 933, a continuing resolution spending bill that gives immunity to biotech coporations such as Monsanto, from litigation should their GE crops every be proved unsafe. (12) Senator Roy Blunt drafted the rider, the pro-Monsanto “Farmer Assurance Provision, Section 735” of the bill, in consultation with Monsanto. (14)

Says Zelka Grammar of GE Free Northland “We salute the strong leadership that Whangarei District councillors have shown in their decision. It’s unfair for those who want to experiment with GMOs to expect others to “carry the can” for the harm caused to other farmers, the environment or the public health.”
Soil & Health is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and advocates for the consumer’s right to have fresh, healthy, organic food and water free of GE, pesticides and additives and their right to know what is in their food and water. Oranga nuku, oranga kai oranga tangata. To learn more about what is really in your food and/or find guidelines on making a submission opposing Auckland Councils decision to not protect the region against GMO release visit our Facebook page and subscribe http://www.facebook.com/OrganicNZ

Submissions close on 31 May 2013.

Photo caption: A Supreme Court ruling in October 2012 opened the way for commercial property owners to sue councils for leaky building syndrome.

The judgment was delivered in the Supreme Court in Wellington, holding the Court of Appeal shouldn’t have struck out a claim by the owners of the building Spencer on Byron in Takapuna, that the-then North Shore District Council only had a duty of care to residential buildings. The body corporate claimed the city had been negligent and was liable for the cost of repairs.
Chief Justice Sian Elias and Justices Andrew Tipping, John McGrath and Robert Chambers found in favour of the body corporate. (13)
To view online click here www.organicnz.org.nz/node/647

References

(1) http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/planspoliciesprojects/plansstrateg…

(2) http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/northland/bay-chronicle/84488…

(3) http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201107/s3279923.htm

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

(5) http://www.stats.govt.nz/tools_and_services/tools/population_clock.aspx

(6) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=1084…

(7) http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2011/02/03/monsanto-vs-australian-organic-farm…

(8) http://www.fish.govt.nz/en-nz/Fisheries+at+a+glance/default.htm

(9) http://www.mpi.govt.nz

(10) http://gmwatch.eu/latest-listing/1-news-items/12854-eu-commission-sued-x…

(11) http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2013/apr/04/monsanto-protecti…

(12) http://rt.com/usa/monsanto-bill-blunt-agriculture-006/

(13) http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/auckland-council-delays-bond-offer-after-co…

(14) http://www.workers.org/2013/04/07/monsanto-protection-act-chemical-monop…

Spencer on Byron

GM salmon claims just a fish tale

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Time running out to save NZ’s GE Free environment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE EVIDENCE AGAINST GENETIC ENGINEERING

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The evidence against genetic engineering

  • GE foods are not safe! Genetic engineering as used in crop development is not precise, predictable or safe. Unexpected toxins or allergens can be produced in food.
  • We are already eating untested GE foods! No long-term toxicological testing of GMOs on animals or testing on humans is required by any regulatory agency in the world.
  • GE foods are harmful for humans and animals! GE foods have not been tested on humans. They have been tested on animals and shown disturbances in liver and kidney function and immune responses.
  • GE crops INCREASE harmful herbicide use! Over 75% of GE crops are engineered to tolerate applications of herbicides. This has led to massive increases in herbicide use. Roundup, the most widely used herbicide, is NOT safe. It causes birth defects, reproductive problems, DNA damage, and cancer in test animals. Scientists have found an association between Roundup exposure in humans and miscarriage, birth defects, neurological development problems, DNA damage, and certain types of cancer.
  • Insect pests are becoming resistant to GE crops! Pests are becoming resistant to the Bt toxin in GE crops, and secondary pest infestations are becoming common.
  • GE crops will not feed the world! GE crops do not offer higher yields or cope better with drought than GE-free crops.
  • GE crops reduce farmer choice! Once GE companies gain control of the seed market, they withdraw GE-free seed varieties from the market.
  • GE crops reduce consumer choice! GE contamination of GE-free and organic crops has resulted in massive financial losses by the food and feed industry, involving product recalls, lawsuits, and lost markets.
  • Conventionally bred, locally adapted and organic crops are better and safer than GE! Conventional breeding, which continues to outstrip genetic engineering in producing high-yielding, pest- and disease-resistant, drought-tolerant, and nutritionally improved super-crops.

Source: “GMO Myths and Truths”, by Michael Antoniou et al.  HYPERLINK “http://earthopensource.org/index.php/reports/58″ 
Soil & Health / Organic NZ supports healthy, organic GE-free food and farming.

New Zealanders won’t tolerate more GE food

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It seems a David vs Goliath battle yet one that New Zealanders repeatedly engage in and win – our right to freedom: whether from nuclear power or legislation that eases the way for more GE food in our food chain.

So, it should come as no surprise that the recent legal ramifications of The Food Bill have created such a public outcry. “While the purpose of the Act is Food Safety, amendments in the latest draft compromise that,” says Soil and Health Association spokesperson Debbie Swanwick.

In the latest draft of the bill, ‘genetic modification of food’, which had been on a list of things requiring food safety consideration under the minister’s regulatory power, was deleted. Now it is up to the trans-Tasman body Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to determine the safety of GE foods and to date, they have approved all of the 53 applications of 71 GE plant lines.

“New Zealanders won’t tolerate our food chain being compromised further by legislation that enables GE food producers easy access to our markets. We need the initial wording reinstated into legislation to secure the safety of our food,” Swanwick says.

The compliance costs of the bill on small organic growers could also disadvantage consumers, whose choice could become skewed toward nutrient-poor GE food produced by multi-nationals because organic growers are being financially ousted by bureaucracy.

The Food Bill 160-2 (2010) raises many issues – food sovereignty being only one. The level of force allowed by food safety officers, their immunity from prosecution and the powers of the minister are others.

The bill has been awaiting its second reading in parliament since February of this year.

Soil & Health – Organic NZ has an Organic 2020 vision – for a GE Free food and environment with clear choice of what is consumed.

Oranga nuku – oranga kai – oranga tāngata. Healthy soil – Healthy food – Healthy people.

Government Must Separate GE Foods In New Zealand Shop Shelves

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New Zealand food labelling of genetically engineered (GE) food components needs to be investigated urgently, according to the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand.

“Soil & Health challenges New Zealand’s Minister of Consumer Affairs Simon Power, and Minister for Food Safety Kate Wilkinson, to find any accurately labelled food products containing genetically engineered ingredients in super market shelves,” said Soil & Health-Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

World Food Day on October 16 is being marked internationally by activities showing the lack of labelling on GE foods, and a push against GE foods by events such as Right2Know and Millions Against Monsanto.(1,2)

Seventy different (GE) food lines and many GE food additives have been approved for New Zealand consumption by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), with no GE food applications having been turned down, although risks to human safety have been shown in animal feeding studies.(3)

Labelling of foods containing GE ingredients in New Zealand is practically invisible although GE soybean imports from the USA and Brazil have increased significantly and are widely used in processed foods including breads.

“USA consumers are calling for legislation to cover GE foods. New Zealand has such legislation, but it is not enforced,” said Mr Browning.(4)

“NZFSA has the role of ensuring foods containing GE/GM are labeled in accordance with the standard in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, but is hopeless at monitoring it.”

“When was there a comprehensive study taken by NZFSA to ensure consumers have the choice between GE and non-GE in their diets?”

“New Zealand should follow the Cypriot Parliament’s lead that gives consumers the choice of whether or not to eat GE foods, especially as reports casts doubt on GE food safety,” said Mr Browning.

The Cypriot Parliament passed a bill in April that will have GE foods placed on separate shelves to non-GE foods, and a French report showed weaknesses in GE food safety evaluation, and pointed to possible kidney, liver and reproductive health concerns. (5,6)

“Democracy, despite pressure from the USA, has led to the people of Cyprus getting the type of consumer choice that New Zealanders should be able to expect.”

“GE foods, of which New Zealand allows approximately 70 different GE lines, spread through numerous processed products, must now be displayed on separate shelves in supermarkets and shops in Cyprus, with strong fines for non-compliance. The Cypriots are serious.”

“Soil & Health – Organic NZ reported last year that there were 64 plus GE food lines allowed into the New Zealand food supply, consisting of GE corn, soya, alfalfa, potatoes, canola, cotton, sugar beet and rice, and numerous GE processing aids. This has increased to approximately seventy with several applications in process at any one time,” said Mr Browning.

“FSANZ has yet to turn a GE food application down despite growing concern over GE food safety and flimsy food safety studies. Independent studies show very real risks but the same regulators that take decades to ban now discontinued pesticides continue to protect trade interests ahead of consumers.”

“The latest Seralini report uses available data to show that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), that FSANZ and NZFSA look to, is not testing adequately for health risks from GE foods. Independent research has previously shown organ, hormone and reproductive changes in animal GE feeding studies.”(7)

Soil & Health – Organic NZ has an Organic 2020 vision similar to the USA and Cypriot consumers protesting today. It is for a GE Free food and environment with clear choice of what is consumed.

Oranga nuku – oranga kai – oranga tāngata. Healthy soil – Healthy food – Healthy people.

CONTACT:

The Soil & Health Association of NZ – Organic NZ

Spokesperson

Steffan Browning

021 725655

campaign@organicnz.org

Notes

(1) http://organicconsumers.org/monsanto/index.cfm

(2) http://www.right2knowmarch.org/

(3) http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumerinformation/gmfoods/gmcurrentapp…

(4) http://www.foodsafety.govt.nz/elibrary/industry/nzfsa-food-labelling-gui…

(5) http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/separate-shelves-gm-foods-now-law/2011…

(6) http://www.enveurope.com/content/23/1/10/

(7) Seralini et al have conducted studies showing organ damage in rats fed GE food. The latest report is using the material including industry funded studies and shows the food safety authority is not adequately testing GE foods. Extract from latest French report (6): The 90-day-long tests are insufficient to evaluate chronic toxicity, and the signs highlighted in the kidneys and livers could be the onset of chronic diseases. However, no minimal length for the tests is yet obligatory for any of the GMOs cultivated on a large scale, and this is socially unacceptable in terms of consumer health protection. We are suggesting that the studies should be improved and prolonged, as well as being made compulsory, and that the sexual hormones should be assessed too, and moreover, reproductive and multigenerational studies ought to be conducted too.

Fonterra’s gutting of organic dairying next step to GE farms

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Fonterra has taken its next step towards genetically engineered pastures, with its announced scaling back of organic production by half, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.

Fonterra’s announcement yesterday of a 50% drop in support for organic dairy production, shows the dairy giant’s lack of support for good environmental practice and consumer health, and marks the next step to genetically engineered (GE) farmlands, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.(1)

“Fonterra has never really been committed to organic production, although aiming for 200 farms and a 140% increase in production from 2005. Just 200 farms was a very limited vision. Organic production across all New Zealand’s dairy herd should have been in any long term vision for clean green 100% Pure NZ,” said Soil & Health – Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“Organic production has been identified as the main obstacle to introducing GE grasses and crops into New Zealand in a Ministry of Research Science and Technology (MoRST, now Science and Innovation) report written by Terri Dunahay, an international biotechnology policy specialist with the United States Department of Agriculture.” (2)

“Government also stopped real support for the organic sector following a briefing to the Agriculture Minister by Dunahay in 2009, yet Dunahay was duplicitous in every presentation I observed her. The misrepresentation of GE internationally, was appalling when Dunahay presented to Dairy NZ and the Institute of Public Administration New Zealand,” said Mr Browning.

“Dunahay and other United States lobbyists, along with New Zealand based pro-GE scientists fail to mention the significant GE contamination of non-GE farms, the loss of markets, the massive increase in herbicide use, the new resistant weeds and disease problems, higher seed and production costs, loss of biodiversity, or the human and animal health problems associated with genetic engineering (GE).”

Yesterday’s shock presentation to organic farmers in Taranaki and the Manawatu that their organically certified milk wasn’t wanted by Fonterra, because of reduced international demand, also included comment that organics caused “conventional” dairy production to be questioned as to its quality.

Best practice organics has improved soil structure and climate resilience, 43% more earthworm counts, 28% higher soil carbon sequestration, improved animal welfare, 33% less energy use, and a massive 58% reduction of nitrate leaching, yet is not valued well by Fonterra, because Fonterra’s conventional farming’s dirty environmental footprint, might be questioned more. (3)

“The KPMG Agribusiness Agenda 2011 released in June, highlighted the potential lost opportunity of high net worth customers globally by New Zealand if support for organic market and production research is allowed to languish.” (4,5)

Organic dairy exports from New Zealand grew 400% between 2005-2009. Organic product sales in the USA grew 7.7% compared with total food sales increase of less than 1% in 2010, yet the New Zealand government is allowing funding for Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) to stop this June, and had already long stopped support for the Green Party initiated Organics Advisory Service that had assisted significant growth in organic certification.

“Fonterra missed retailing organic butter in New Zealand, and has failed to market its organic products well. Where was the Fonterra brands organic butter on New Zealand supermarket shelves? It wasn’t to be found. Blaming reduced markets when there has been continued growth in organic consumption internationally shows a lack of organic marketing commitment by Fonterra, not a lack of customers.”

“Fonterra and the government have spent millions of dollars on GE rye grass development, (6) while support has been stalled for the organic sector.”

“Most of Europe and Scandinavia and many other countries have targets for farm production conversion to organics, because the environmental and social benefits are well recognised, but in New Zealand there appears to be a blind adherence to short term economic benefit including GE, even when non-GE alternatives are proven.”

“When I asked on Friday, why the government had spent tens of millions on GE grasses, but had effectively stopped spending money on organics, Environment Minister Nick Smith told me, “We didn’t think there was any money in it,” “said Mr Browning.

“The planting of 336 GE pine trees by Scion and ArborGen at their Rotorua field trial site last week adds to the sadness of spirit New Zealand is suffering through short term financial aims by giant agribusiness, while it ignores the environmental and social health of Aotearoa New Zealand.”

Soil & Health wishes to express its support for the organic farmers whose livelihoods, dedication and dreams have been shaken by yesterday’s Fonterra announcement.

“Support by Federated Farmers to resist the drive for GE production in New Zealand, a requirement of the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), could reignite Fonterra’s interest in organics. The New Zealand environment and consumers of the world will say thanks.”

Soil & Health has a motto of Healthy Soil – Healthy Food – Healthy People and a vision of an organic Aotearoa New Zealand.

References:

(1) http://www.fonterra.com/wps/wcm/connect/fonterracom/fonterra.com/Our+Bus…

(2) http://www.fulbright.org.nz/voices/axford/docs/axford2010_dunahay.pdf

(3) http://www.oanz.org.nz/openz/uploads/organic-report-2010-keyfacts.pdf

(4) Ref page 29: http://www.kpmg.com/NZ/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/agribus…

.

(5) http://www.sustainabilitynz.org/

CONTACT:

The Soil & Health Association of NZ – Organic NZ

Spokesperson
Steffan Browning
021 725655
campaign@organicnz.org

GE grass reports foreshadow potential economic losses

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A report analysis showing potential economic losses by introducing genetically engineered (GE/GM) grasses, comes at a time when the government is drying up funding for the organic sector, one of the best value export growth areas, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.

The Sustainability Council of New Zealand has analysed two reports considering the introduction of GE  grasses and in an exclusive with the Weekend Herald put a strong economic case against GE grasses.   The Sustainability Council has identified up to $50 million in taxpayer money has been put into projects in developing GE grasses with Fonterra, Dairy NZ, Beef and Lamb NZ, AgResearch and Deer Industry (NZ) and PGG Wrightson also involved. (1)

“The proposed advantages of the GE grasses exist in conventionally bred forages and organic management systems that do not jeopardise our clean green 100% Pure New Zealand brand,” said Soil & Health – Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“As a nation reliant on primary production, New Zealand has a significant point of difference internationally with no commercialised genetically engineered (GE) crops. Our best value export markets do not want GE foods or GE fed animal products. “

“The KPMG Agribusiness Agenda 2011 released last week, highlighted the potential lost opportunity of high net worth customers globally by New Zealand if support for organic market and production research is allowed to languish.” (2)

Organic dairy exports from New Zealand grew 400% between 2005-2009. Organic product sales in the USA grew 7.7% compared with total food sales increase of less than 1% in 2010, yet the New Zealand government is allowing funding for Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) to stop this month, and had already stopped support for the Green Party initiated Organics Advisory Service that had assisted significant growth in organic certification.

Recent research has shown GE and herbicide toxins associated with genetically engineered crops are moving through from GE foods into both animal and human blood  including the unborn. Animal GE feeding studies have also shown organ damage and reproductive failure. As research results build showing such negative health effects, market resistance can be expected to build also. Several regions internationally are saying no to GE crops with some having changed from a more permissive approach. (3,4,5,6,7)

PGG Wrightson Seeds currently field trialing GE rye grass in Australia have indicated they want to be global sellers of GE forages with an early push into the large and more permissive Brazilian market. It is hoped that Ngai Tahu who are also considering organic conversion, use their new stake in PGG Wrightson to express a more principled and ecologically sensitive approach to business. New Zealand’s clean green 100% Pure brand can be maximised if our exporters show commitment to maintaining that, in their activities both in New Zealand and internationally. (8

Fonterra needs to show leadership and commit to a GE Free future, but is currently implicated by its funding of GE research activities in Pastoral Genomics and not ensuring that GE ingredients are not part of their infant formula products. (9)

Soil & Health aspires to an organic Aotearoa New Zealand that maintains a nuclear free GE free status in line with a clean green 100% Pure Aotearoa New Zealand brand.

AgResearch transgender goats to be milked

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AgResearch’s genetically engineered (GE) goat experiments have a new bizarre twist with surviving GE pregnancies producing mostly transgender offspring, that AgResearch staff term ‘goys,’ according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.

An AgResearch farm manager recently revealed to Soil & Health and GE Free NZ, during a tour of its Ruakura GE animal field trial site, that most of the GE goats produced were transgender. It appeared that about 75% were “goys” with the remainder female.

“The “goys”, females in sterile male bodies, are to be induced into milking to ascertain whether the intended genetically engineered (GE) human protein will be expressed in the milk,” said Soil & Health – Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

Previous GE cattle pregnancies have only 5% success, with the goats reported to have a success rate of possibly 15%, although one flock of about 18 recipient does failed to hold one GE embryo of a particular experiment. AgResearch has a track record of resultant GE offspring prone to a variety of disabilities including arthritis, respiratory distress, deformities and ruptured ovaries.(1)

“The 15 “goys” we saw had four true sisters, with one induced to milking at six months following AgResearch’s in-house ethics committee approval.”(2)

“Although grateful to AgResearch for hosting GE Free NZ President Claire Bleakley and myself for a tour of the AgResearch Ruakura GE animal facility, we were concerned at the continued animal welfare issues and the level of contaminated surface water that was draining off the experimental  property.”

“Considering that a recent report showed AgResearch scientists intentionally corrupting monitoring research of risky microbial horizontal gene transfer (HGT), these unnatural reproductive outcomes and continued animal welfare issues, should spell the end of the Ruakura GE experiments,” said Mr Browning.(3)

“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 has been investigated and fined 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 two years 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)

“The AgResearch Ruakura facility currently is the only active GE field trial operating in the country, although Scion intends planting some GE pine trees at its GE field trial site in Rotorua this winter.”

Closing both field trials could return Aotearoa New Zealand’s environment to a full GE free status.

Soil & Health wants AgResearch’s cruel and unnatural animal experiments stopped immediately, the reinstatement of the New Zealand Bioethics Council, and for the government to move quickly towards desirable high value sustainable, animal friendly, GE free, and organic production.

 

NOTES:

(1) http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/no/compliance/agresearch.html ERMA Annual reports on GMF98009 and GMD 02028

(2) Photographs attached and available at a higher resolution.

(3) http://www.organic-systems.org/journal/Vol_6(1)/pdf/6(1)-Heinemann-pp3-19..pdf

(4) https://soilandhealth.org.nz/media-releases/kiwi-poll-rejects-ge-animals/

(5) http://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.

 

CONTACT:

The Soil & Health Association of NZ – Organic NZ
Spokesperson
Steffan Browning
021 725655
campaign@organicnz.org