Soil & Health joins Federated Farmers opposing biosecurity plans

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The Soil & Health Association of New Zealand has come out in support of Federated Farmers in criticism of government Biosecurity funding plans.

“Biosecurity risks are predominantly through importing and that is where the costs should lie,” said Soil & Health-Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“Certainly exporters and industry have a lot to lose through biosecurity incursions, but biosecurity incursions affect everyone from consumers through to indigenous biodiversity”

“Reduction of biosecurity to only economic importance, with a user pays approach to just those economically affected misses the full environmental and social cost of many new organisms.”

“Biosecurity New Zealand needs better resourcing by Government to enable better border protection and if Government wants to insist on a purely economic base user pays system then charge the importers that incur the dominant risk.”

“Inspections need to be far more thorough without trust in overseas agencies.”

“Both Soil & Health and Federated Farmers members recognise the huge economic impact of biosecurity breaches. Government knows that there are risks to all primary production , biodiversity and tourism through poor biosecurity controls, and that importers are the primary risk.”

“Soil & Health promotes environmental sustainability and supports the validating of New Zealand’s clean green 100% Pure brand, including pesticide reduction. Less pests, less pesticides.”

Visiting Professor on GE sales mission misrepresents reality

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Agmardt and Pastoral Genomics Attacking Organics

Visiting Professor on GE sales mission misrepresents reality.

New Zealand biotech interests are attempting to attack New Zealand’s organic sector by funding University of California, Davis, Professor Pamela Ronald on a duplicitous public relations tour, according to the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand.

Professor Ronald, has co-authored with her husband, a book that suggests that genetic engineering (GE) and organic production can co-exist, has been brought to New Zealand by Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust (Agmardt) and Pastoral Genomics who are increasingly dominated by pro- GE interests.

“Pamela Ronald’s presentation at the Royal Society today misrepresented both the reality of GE and organics in the world and avoided the dangers of GE to New Zealand’s primary production and tourism branding and markets”, said Soil & Health – Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“Suggesting that GE crops could be sustainable and fit within or alongside organic management systems is the ultimate untruth, yet that was Ronald’s key message.”

“Ronald’s suggestion that GE was needed to feed the world, flies in the face of the many reports showing the organic and biological GE free systems have significantly superior results exactly where the food is needed.”

“It is clear that the vested interests of the biotech and seed industries lodged in Agmardt and Pastoral Genomics do not mind misleading politicians, farmers and the New Zealand public to further their own interests.”

“Ronald has been discredited by the international organic community and fellow University of California academics, yet Agmardt and Pastoral Genomics have paid her to come to New Zealand.”

“Organic consumers worldwide want 100% GE free food regardless the acceptance of contamination by some governments overwhelmed by GE contamination.”

“Organic certification standards such as those of New Zealand’s BioGro have zero tolerance to GE seed, inputs or contamination and that is what consumers want.”

“New Zealand is well suited to maintain its GE free reputation in both organic and conventional exports as demand for GE free food is increasing internationally as the unsustainability of GE production and evidence of health risks from consumption of GE foods grows,” said Mr Browning.

“At yesterday’s Royal Society presentation, organic consumers, producers and certifiers were amazed at Ronald’s intentional mixing of the terminology of conventional breeding techniques and GE techniques to suggest they were essentially the same. Ronald also misrepresented the statistics in pesticide use in GE cropping internationally, focusing on just one insecticide equivalent.”

“Massive pesticide use is associated with GE production and infiltrating organics with GE plants, is neither needed nor wanted.”

“Ronald’s presentation totally avoided the significant failures of GE crops in many parts of the world, the collapse of rural communities, and emerging evidence of risks to health following independent animal feeding studies with GE foods.”

Ronald’s visit continues the pressure from the biotech industry and United States trade interests for New Zealand to relinquish its market advantage of being 100% free of GE crops, in a world increasingly contaminated by GE material.”

“United States seed interests dominate world production of genetic engineering and it is the seed that Ronald is so focused on getting into organics, “It is just a seed,” she disingenuously insisted.”

Ronald’s GE sales pitch follows a US Department of Agriculture international biotech policy specialist Terri Dunahay being hosted in the New Zealand’s science policy ministry (MoRST) and environmental regulator (ERMA), culminating in a 2010 report suggesting that resistance to GE contamination by the organic sector was a major impediment to GE forage plants being introduced into New Zealand pastures.

US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s Science & Technology advisor Nina Federoff visited early in 2010 hosted by MoRST with a similar misinformation pitch as Ronald’s, through Science Media, Listener magazine and key radio interviews. Wikileaks has shown the United States embassy here to be maintaining pressure on New Zealand to relax its regulations on GE.

Big US GE forestry and pharmaceutical interests are involved with GE field tests by AgResearch and the Forest Research Institute (Scion) and US GE seed interests currently have no market in New Zealand.

“Ronald is just the next misleading US sales rep attempting to infiltrate our clean green nuclear free, GE free, 100% Pure NZ reputation,” said Mr Browning.

“Considering the growth in demand for organic and genuinely sustainable, animal friendly and residue free foods that fit with New Zealand’s clean green 100% Pure market image, why would we do anything else?”

Soil & Health – Organic NZ and the New Zealand organic sector remains resolute in its opposition to genetic engineering in food and the environment.

Picton’s residents face gas for Nelson’s logs again

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Tonnes of neurotoxic and ozone depleting fumigant methyl bromide gas will again be released from the 169m ship Eastern Star’s hold at Picton’s Shakespeare Bay wharf tonight, and tomorrow evening (28 January) more tonnes of the gas will be released from under the 13 wharf side tarpaulins covering approximately 9000 tons of logs destined for India. (1)

Methyl bromide gas is used as a phytosanitary control for import-exports, with log fumigations primarily targeting two pine beetles.

Port Nelson has stringent rules that would mean logs fumigated there would need the fumigant gas recaptured, as happens for some other cargos such as sawn timber. However because it is cheaper to avoid setting up a log fumigant recapture facility there, Nelson logs are being shipped to Port Marlborough’s Shakespeare Bay facility for fumigation with Marlborough logs, according to the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand.

“To make matters worse, Marlborough sawn timber for other markets but previously fumigated using the recapture system in Nelson, are being trucked to Port Lyttelton where it is cheaper to fumigate and release to the Lyttelton environment,” said Soil & Health-Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“Port Nelson methyl bromide fumigation was subject to an Environment Court hearing that studiously looked at the exposure risks of the invisible, tasteless and odourless gas. There is nothing different from Nelson in the risk profile of Picton or Lyttelton.”

“The New Zealand timber industry is stalling from its global ozone hole responsibility and releasing a neurotoxic, carcinogenic gas next to port communities throughout New Zealand.”

The Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) following a reassessment of methyl bromide use and controls last year decided that methyl bromide use to be subject to recapture within a decade, although finding that recapture would only be a cost of 2.7% of current log values.(2)

This was in part due to large scale recapture facilities not being trialled in New Zealand, but Europe has banned the release of methyl bromide gas and most of the world is quickly finding alternatives to meet the Montreal Protocol agreement in reducing ozone depleting gases. ERMA were clear that local authorities may require more stringent safeguards than in their decision, but none have seriously actioned any proposals for change. (3,4)

Export log fumigations account for more than 80% of the methyl bromide used in New Zealand. Although originally aiming to phase out the use of methyl bromide gas by 2010 as part of the ozone-focused Montreal Protocol, New Zealand is now using more than 10 times the amount of methyl bromide gas than it was in 2001, and expects to be exporting 3 times the current log volumes in 5 years.

“The spike in New Zealand logs in 5 years will be an international disgrace if fumigation gases are not recaptured by then,” said Mr Browning.

“Is this another reason why Prime Minister and tourism Minister John Key’s Christmas present to New Zealand was the dropping of the very successful 100% Pure New Zealand branding that we were all so proud to be striving to make real?” (5)

“Local communities subject to toxic methyl bromide drift, and the global community that is fighting against climate change, need New Zealand industry and government to establish recapture facilities immediately, or stop using methyl bromide all together.”

Soil & Health – Organic NZ have a vision of an organic Aotearoa New Zealand where sustainably grown timber and other exports use environmentally benign phytosanitary measures fitting with a strategy for a clean green 100% Pure New Zealand.

Notes:

(1)      Photograph included in this post available for media

(2)    http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/news-events/methylbromide/index.html
http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/BertDocs/HRC08002_Methyl%20Bromide%20decision.pdf

(3)    New Zealand has an obligation under the Montreal Protocol to: refrain from use of methyl bromide and to use non-ozone-depleting technologies wherever possible. Where methyl bromide is used, Parties are urged to minimise emissions and use of methyl bromide through containment and recovery and recycling methodologies to the extent possible;

(4)    The Committee notes the concerns of Nelson City Council which suggested that the minimum buffer zones proposed in the reassessment application may conflict with local requirements under the RMA. It is very important to emphasise that these minimum buffer zones do not preclude regional councils, unitary authorities or port authorities from setting more stringent controls (e.g. larger buffer zones) if they deem them necessary because of local conditions. The Committee notes that section 142(3) of the Act specifically envisages situations where a local authority may choose to impose more stringent requirements on the use of a hazardous substance than that required under the Act.

http://www.tourismnewzealand.com/news-and-features/news/tourism-new-zealand-unveils-100-percent-pure-you
http://www.tourismnewzealand.com/news-and-features/news/new-zealand-third-strongest-brand

100% Pure New Zealand has been used to promote New Zealand as a tourism destination since 1999. Last November, New Zealand was ranked the third strongest country brand in the world by FutureBrands Country Brand Index.

MAF allow Kate Valley Landfill to become New Zealand’s next GE contaminated site

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MAF has allowed Kate Valley Landfill to become New Zealand’s next GE contaminated site, while dodging testing for GE contamination of  more rogue brassica plants at Plant & Food Research’s Lincoln GE brassica field trial site, although MAF’s own rules demanded testing, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ, and GE Free NZ in food and environment.

Soil & Health and GE Free NZ have monitored Plant & Food Research’s genetically engineered (GE) brassica trial site at Lincoln for further contamination following discovering a flowering GE kale there in 2008.

Following their investigation in 2009 which found that other GE brassica had also flowered in 2008, MAF, through a Compliance Order, had then set strict requirements including the testing for GE of all brassica found growing at the site following cultivations beginning in spring and summer 2010, and for 5 years of monitoring after the last brassica seedling was found.

“In spring 2010 Plant & Food Research and MAF agreed to dig out soil likely to be contaminated with GE brassica seed and deep bury it, but ten days ago we have found that another brassica has still emerged,” said Soil & Health-Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“MAF and Plant & Food Research have said they did not need to test for GE because the brassica photographed was a different species to the oleracea used in the trial crop, but they ignored the controls previously set down and the ability of brassica to cross between species, because MAF want to let Plant & Food reduce monitoring to one year rather than the 5 years originally set.”

“They have messed up again and both are now trying to dodge their responsibilities.”

“Soil & Health-Organic NZ photographs from December show the MAF supervised soil removal has clearly spilt soil and seed back into the cleared plot, and all brassica in the plot and surrounding area must be tested for GE contamination for at least 5 years. MAF must stop chopping and changing rules to suit those responsible for one of New Zealand’s worst GE breaches.”

Plant & Food’s spokesman said that what they believe to be a wild turnip was likely to have blown in as seed, although a 2008 trial report stated that wild turnip were already growing there, and MAF’s 2009 investigation said that pollen from the site would unlikely to have been blown more than two metres.

“They can’t have it both ways. These duplicitous statements from MAF and Plant & Food, with earlier support by the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA), show a need for an independent look at GE risk management in New Zealand,” said Mr Browning.

GE Free NZ in food and environment Inc and Soil & Health-Organic NZ agree that contaminated sites need careful management but creating another contaminated site should only be through a public consultation process.

“The assurances that this toxic GE soil has been properly disposed of are meaningless if the previous GE incidents are an example” said Claire Bleakley President of GE Free NZ.

“This breached site has become a bungled set of untrustworthy and duplicitous platitudes.  The strict protocols, that the public was assured are in place, are being changed and broken at every turn.”

“The removal of GE contaminated soil to Kate Valley landfill, North Canterbury is of concern. The toxic mix of pesticides and GE exudate loaded Plant & Food Research soil from Lincoln, could become mixed with the other highly injurious residues of almost everything imaginable, including multiple chemicals, food processing, hospitality, hospital and veterinary waste, further threatening the environment.”

“Landfill dumps are commonly associated with vermin that burrow into the soil living on the detritus that collects there.  Landfills are a reservoir of contamination, and the movement of any GE contaminated soil not only threatens the countryside but also threatens the health of the community. It is not known where the soil was placed and if it is not totally isolated and clearly marked it could be mistakenly used as fill or leach into the surrounding country side.”

“I shared the concerns of North Canterbury residents when the Kate Valley landfill was first proposed. Never did I think it would also be a site for GE contamination,” said Mr Browning.

“Plant & Food Research must not consider that scraping a foot of soil off a GE site is somehow going to render the site uncontaminated. Horizontal gene transfer associated with genetic engineering has clearly and irresponsibly not been part of the thinking.”

Soil & Health-Organic NZ and GE Free NZ promote organic production and share a vision of an organic Aotearoa New Zealand. With no shortage of brassica species available, no genetic engineering is necessary, neither is contamination of soils. The certified organic properties both in Lincoln and near Kate Valley deserve the expertise that Plant & Food Research and MAF, away from GE, can offer for the growth in organics in New Zealand.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notes (links accessed January 2011):

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

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

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

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

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

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

GE varroa control no Santa Claus for New Zealand beekeepers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Government approval for Scion’s GE Christmas trees

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Country of Origin Labeling needs to follow ban on sow crates

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The banning of sow crates before 2016 is great news considering the efforts by Soil & Health-Organic NZ, the Green Party, SAFE and other NGOs in calling for such a ban, but subsidising cruel operators during the phase out as indicated, is not fair on the organic and free range pork producers who have already been using more animal friendly methods of production, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.

“Rewarding recalcitrant animal abusers sends a message to other farming sectors that animal welfare changes need only come with government support,” said Soil & Health-Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“Agriculture Minister David Carter has done well to broker a deal with the pork industry, but he could have also achieved a reward for all good farmers by implementing Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling and banning imports of meat that are produced to a lower standard than New Zealand.”

“SAFE has pointed out that there will still be potentially 15,000 sows putting up with barbaric  sow crates ahead of the ban’s enforcement, and there needs to be consumer labeling warning of pork products sourced from such processes, if there is going to be a speedy phase out.”

“Well done to the animal activists who have repeatedly brought examples of barbaric animal welfare to the public. Battery hens must be next.”

Soil & Health-Organic NZ has a vision of an Organic 2020 where best practice animal welfare is the norm. Organic farming has strict rules to ensure high animal welfare practices.

The new Animal Welfare Code of Practice for pigs is available at with the Sow Crate excerpt further below

http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/regs/animal-welfare/req/codes/pigs/…

Minimum Standard No. 11 – Managing Dry Sows
(a) Sows may only be confined in mating stalls for service for no longer than one week.
(b) Where sows and mated gilts are group housed, they must be managed to minimise the effects of aggression.
(c) Where sows and mated gilts are housed in dry sow stalls, they must be able to stand in their natural stance without contact with any side of the stall and be able to lie comfortably on their sides without disturbing neighbouring sows.
(d) Sows in stalls must have a dry, smooth, non-slip sleeping area.
(e) Between 3 December 2012 and 3 December 2015 mated sows and gilts must not be confined in dry sow stalls for more than four weeks after mating.
(f) After 3 December 2015 mated sows and gilts must not be confined in dry sow stalls after mating. If individually confined in a pen, sows must have sufficient space so that they can stand up, turn around without touching the walls, and lie comfortably in a natural position, and be provided with separate dunging, lying and eating areas.
(g) Individual pigs that are not coping well must be provided with alternative management.
(h) Pigs must not be restrained by tethering.

ERMA decision making challenged in the High Court again

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Government support for GE trees contradicts clean green image

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Soil & Health – Organic NZ notes

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