Call for independent biosecurity conducts authority

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Soil & Health – Organic NZ has joined Federated Farmers call for an independent biosecurity conducts authority to independently investigate biosecurity incursions and complaints against the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry – Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ).

“An independent biosecurity conducts authority may also recommend better government resourcing for MAFBNZ to enable better incursion responses and surveillance monitoring,” said Soil & Health – Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

MAFBNZ lost $1.9 million base line funding in the May budget.

“Soil & Health was appalled when jobs were axed because of the budget cuts. The government used a drop in trade as its reason, although biosecurity measures both at the border and internally needed improving, not diluting.”

“Soil & Health has repeatedly discovered breaches at genetic engineering (GE) field trials that MAFBNZ was meant to be monitoring, then MAFBNZ became the investigator and judge. While MAFBNZ has significant strengths and should be commended for what it has achieved, it also has serious deficiencies and ultimately lacks independence.”

“MAF is its own bender of rules, policeman, detective, and judge and jury. There must be a better system.”

“Soil & Health has graphic examples of MAF cover-ups at both Scion and Plant & Food Research’s GE field trial breaches, and AgResearch’s GE animal trials are not adequately monitored. Give MAFBNZ more staff resources to do the job properly and create an independent watchdog to ensure it happens,” added Mr Browning.

Varroa and now the parasite Nosema ceranae are affecting the bee industry and new horticultural pests are consistently arriving in New Zealand.

“Continued   new pest incursions and GE field trial breaches that are not satisfactorily explained, justify Federated Farmers biosecurity spokesperson John Hartnell’s call for an  Independent Biosecurity Conducts Authority.”

“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 and tourism by poor biosecurity protection. It must improve the situation quickly.”

“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.”

Jeanette Fitzsimons speaking for a GE Free Organic New Zealand

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Following retirement from Parliament and three months travel in Europe, Jeanette Fitzsimons has returned to a role as Patron of the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand. At her first post travel speaking event open to the general public, Jeanette will say why she is more convinced than ever for the need for an organic GE Free Aotearoa New Zealand. The event is at the Grey Lynn Community Centre, 8 pm this coming Friday.

“I will be giving my perspective of why it is most important for humanity living on a small planet with limited resources, that organic GE free production becomes the norm,” said Ms Fitzsimons.

“Soil & Health-Organic NZ’s message is synonymous with what is required to feed communities here and throughout the world nutritiously and sustainably.”

Beginning as the ‘Compost Club’, Soil & Health and its journal Organic NZ magazine has published, provided leadership and campaigned since the 1940s for pesticide and synthetic fertiliser reduction, for healthy sustainable soils and nutrition.  While active in the promotion of edible gardens in schools and communities, Soil & Health has recently caught media attention in exposing GE field trial breaches, pesticide residues in foods, and the release of ozone depleting neurotoxic methyl bromide fumigants near communities.

Soil & Health, the key initiator of world recognised organic certification organisations BioGro and Organic FarmNZ, has also been integral in the Organic Sector Strategy and formation of the sector organisation Organics Aotearoa New Zealand.

“To have Jeanette Fitzsimons, Parliament’s previous foremost proponent of organics, now as Patron of the sector’s oldest national organic organisation, along with Bob Crowder, founder of Lincoln University’s Biological Husbandry Unit, as Vice Patron, is an honour for Soil & Health as it begins celebrating its 70th anniversary,” said Soil & Health – Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“Jeanette’s message on Friday is sure to add fuel to our 3000 members’ fire. Clean green 100% Pure Aotearoa New Zealand needs organic champions now.”

Soil & Health has a vision of an Organic 2020.

Primary Growth Partnership Funding – Great Organic Opportunity

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The $321 million Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) funding announced yesterday would have significant potential for genuine sustainability and Brand New Zealand, if organic and biological farming systems were the focus of the investment, however if focus is on more synthetic intellectual property and commodity hyper-production under a guise of sustainability, an opportunity will once again have been lost, according to the Soil & Health Association.

“The $151 million red meat bid which is in part consumer focused, can easily be directed to the global growth in high value consumer demand for genuinely sustainable and organic, animal friendly and GE free production,” said Soil & Health –Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

“Government targets for conversion to certified organic production and reactivating the successful Green Party initiated Organic Advisory Service that government has allowed to lapse, would be a method to increase environmental sustainability and animal welfare improvements while adding value to existing production.”

“The PGP bids as outlined read like a potential magic solution to the many contradictions by mainstream dairy farming  to New Zealand’s clean green 100% Pure export and tourism brand dairy. However clean green or organic was not mentioned.”

“Following the best value consumers should lead away from reliance on high volume fertilizers and dietary and rumen interventions including current off label use of ionophore antibiotic growth promoters, unsustainable pastoral bandaids such as nitrification inhibitors or dreams of genetically engineered (GE) pastures.”

“DairyNZ’s May conference included blatant promotion of GE pastures with not an organic or biological farming option provided. This is absolute foolishness and a recipe for brand disaster,” said Mr Browning.

“DairyNZ’s use of a United States Department of Agriculture staff member involved internationally in promoting the interests of global GE companies such as Monsanto, showed a lack of understanding of consumer preferences and lacks credibility with the USDA once again found guilty of violating environmental protection requirements in GE crop releases.”

“This combines with recent proof of gene-flow contamination of canola throughout North America, and a subsequent back down by GE seed giant Monsanto from its attempt to release GE canola into South Africa because it couldn’t supply the required evidence that gene flow contamination wouldn’t occur.”

“DairyNZ needs to move well away from anything that looks like GE and come knocking on the organic door to produce the product that global consumers are moving to. Research is always useful, but what DairyNZ needs most is extension, providing support for farmers to convert to organic production.”

‘Reduced vet bills, feed self reliance, increased carbon sequestration and climate resilience, better animal welfare, farmer lifestyles and self-esteem, seem a better proposition than more research, bad advice and greedy IP from those that have created the problems and unsustainable hyper-production currently supported.”

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Director General Murray Sherwin says the latest round of approvals illustrate the huge potential that exists across New Zealand’s primary sector and a new level of collaboration for broader benefit.

“PGP is not about funding industry to do what they have always done. It’s about investing in forward-thinking, visionary business plans that have the potential to transform our primary sectors and bring about substantial and sustainable economic growth.

“Both proposals have a strong focus on meeting market expectations, on sustainable production processes, innovation and a “whole of value chain” perspective,” the Director’s media release said.

However Soil & Health is concerned that the MAF Director General and key DairyNZ staff make sure that those words are not flakey sustainability ideas supporting new chemical and microbial fixes, and unnatural pastures or animals.

“Can the next decades customers really believe that New Zealand will not be using clones, GE pastures and rumen fiddled animals?” asks Mr Browning.

“Fonterra, PGG Wrightson, Dairy NZ and other PGP partners need to be unequivocal about their GE position.”

“It is notable none of the PGP partners or Agriculture Minister David Carter used the clean green image or 100% Pure brand in their media releases yesterday. How genuinely sustainable is the innovation mooted through the mega-millions going to be? Is the cultured advice still coming from the same science dinosaurs?”

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, rumen disruption, nitrification inhibitors, or cloned animals.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Something smells at Scion GE tree site

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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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.”

New Zealand Exporters Cheating India

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Methyl bromide fumigation of logs for India at Picton this weekend is not expected to meet phytosanitary requirements due to cold temperatures and so unnecessarily risks the health of the community and environment, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.
The log ship Maipo River is due into Port Marlborough’s Shakepeare Bay port on June 14 to pick up logs pre-fumigated during this coming weekend. The log destination country, India’s phyto-sanitary requirements against New Zealand insect pests, stipulates that logs must be fumigated for 24 hours at more than 10°C. (1,2,3)
“With an expected overnight low in nearby Blenheim of 3°C on Saturday night and a high of only 11°C on Sunday with a minimum of just 1°C, fumigation in Picton will be a dangerous farce,” said Soil & Health spokesperson Steffan Browning.(4)
“Someone is cooking the books.”
“The importing country’s fumigation requirements will not be met and yet tons of neurotoxic ozone depleting methyl bromide gas will be released from under log stack tarpaulins, into the environment and ferry shipping channels. A fruitless exercise.”
“Building fumigation and gas recovery sheds at New Zealand ports could allow both temperature control and recapture of methyl bromide, reducing risk to the community and damage to the ozone layer, yet greed by exporters, fumigators and port companies allows cheating and unsafe practices to continue.”
“As the cool weather has descended, Port Marlborough’s live website weather portal has stopped running correctly and historical data stops at May 13, ensuring no temperature details for the most recent fumigation exist.”(5,6)
Soil & Health has monitored weather conditions during Picton fumigations through the Port Marlborough website until now and recently showed images from the site to the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA), during its hearings for the reassessment of methyl bromide use in New Zealand. The decision is pending.
Removing community access to real-time data reduces independent monitoring of log fumigations which have a history of conflicts of interest. Soil & Health and local campaigners, Guardians of the Sounds, have pointed out the use of fumigation staff by monitoring agencies, and the ownership of the port companies by local and regional councils who resist strict air safety rules while collecting log shipment revenues.
“Soil & Health’s submission to ERMA included a request to implement methyl bromide gas recapture and the use of alternative non-toxic methods of pest control. With methyl bromide having no colour or stench and no authoritive understanding of gas drift direction, the toxic gas could be affecting numerous people following its release to air, and will eventually damage the ozone layer affecting climate change,” said Mr Browning.
“Fumigation company Genera may be fudging data to meet India’s import requirements and with the company fumigating below temperature specifications last year also, there should be urgent temperature monitoring at all New Zealand fumigation facilities to ensure that Genera is not exposing New Zealanders, the environment and ozone layer to methyl bromide for no real purpose.”
Soil & Health has a vision of an Organic 2020 where pest control is achieved with less toxic controls and the health of the community is given priority above the financial gains of exporters, fumigators and commercially driven port companies.

NOTES:
(1) http://www..portmarlborough.co.nz/Shipping%20Schedules
(2) http://www.portmarlborough.co.nz/Home
Notice of Methyl Bromide Fumigation at Shakespeare Bay
9 June, 2010
Venting of deck cargo for the MV Maipo River is expected to occur on 13th June. Fumigation operations are required to comply with the port company’s requirements that enforce a maximum permissible discharge to air at the port boundary of one part per million (1ppm) as measured and managed by independent monitoring.
(3) India – Logs to India require fumigation with MB at:
· 48gm/m3 at>21°Cfor24hours.
· 56 gm/m3 at 16-20°C for 24 hours.
· 64gm/m3 at 11-15°C for 24 hours.
· 72 gm/m3 at 10-11 °C for 24 hours.
· China will allow less than 10°C but at the 5-15°C temperature range requires significantly more (120gm/m3 methyl bromide to be used for at least 16hrs.

(4) http://www.metservice.com/towns-cities/blenheim
(5) http://www.portmarlborough.co.nz/Live%20Weather
(6) http://www.portmarlborough.co.nz/Weather%20History

Caged Poultry Farmer’s Imprisonment Justifies Animal Liberators Efforts

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The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) is to be congratulated for successfully prosecuting a poultry farmer for animal welfare offences, but should be exposing other cruel poultry farmers, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.
Gerard Bogaart, trading as Golden Harvest Poultry, was yesterday sentenced by Judge McAuslan to 12 months in prison under the Animal Welfare Act for the wilful ill-treatment of broiler hens and roosters in his care and for two months concurrently for failing to provide for their physical, health and behavioural needs. (1)
“Considering Golden Harvest proudly quotes 46 years in the industry, audits of all large scale broiler hen and egg operations should be undertaken immediately,” said Soil & Health spokesperson Steffan Browning. (2)
“Animal rights activists such as Animal Liberation Front, Auckland Animal Action and SAFE, have been doing fantastic public service in raising the attention of agencies and the public to the cruel practices followed by cage poultry farmers.”
“It appears that NZFSA only showed interest after the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), in 2007, publicised continued animal welfare issues by poultry farmer Gerard Bogaart, who had also been convicted in 1996 for cruelty to sheep in his care. Similar action by ALF in 2004 at Bogaart’s poultry operation had not inspired NZFSA it seems.”(3)
The NZFSA attention against Golden Harvest initially was to get compliance with food safety risk management plans. Animal welfare considerations only followed when enforcement against illegal egg and poultry sales was undertaken.”
“While NZFSA staff became deeply concerned with animal welfare considerations, they should not have waited for more than a year ahead of enforcement, while poultry continued to be treated in a cruel and disgusting way.”
“1100 birds had to be euthanased to relieve their suffering when action against illegal sales was finally taken. Action against all cruel poultry farmers needs to be taken immediately, whether illegally trading or not.”
NZFSA’s media release 25 May included;
“In early 2007 NZFSA served a notice of direction on the company to cease the sale of poultry and eggs as well as slaughter of poultry, which Mr Van Den Bogaart continued to disregard.
Prior to the operation, NZFSA had tried in vain to help Mr Van Den Bogaart make his operation compliant by developing a Risk Management Programme (RMP), which is a legal requirement for all poultry slaughterhouses and all egg producers with more than 100 female birds.
In June 2008 New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) investigators and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) investigators – assisted by police, local council officers and a veterinarian – executed NZFSA search warrants on two rural properties in South Auckland that Van Den Bogaart was operating from. This was done under provisions of the Animal Products Act on the basis of the suspected illegal slaughter and sale of poultry and eggs to a number of Auckland retailers.”
“Compliance with food safety was never going to attend to all animal welfare concerns, and NZFSA’s Risk Management Programme for poultry makes little difference to human health in NZ. However, the removal of all caged and crate farming operations would improve animal welfare conditions for millions of chickens, ducks, and pigs,” said Mr Browning.
“Clearly, Bogaart and his Golden Harvest operation was a bad example among poultry farmers, but all caged poultry farmers need immediate inspection.”
“Bogaart has been removed from his cruel business, but the leaders of the cruel caged poultry industry best not feel complacent. Thinking consumers and animal welfare proponents such as Soil & Health will not rest until the hens are out of the cages.”
Soil & Health supports humane free range and organic poultry farming which fits with its vision of an Organic 2020.
Notes:

Links accessed May 2010
(1) http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/publications/media-releases/2010/2010-01-22-van-den-bogaart-sentencing.htm
(2) http://www.finda.co.nz/business/listing/y0rl/golden-harvest-poultry/
(3) http://www.indymedia.org.nz/article/72934/activists-liberate-25-battery-hens-convi

USA GE trees approval will reflect negatively on NZ

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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.

Increased Science Funding, An Opportunity For Clean And Green NZ

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The Budget’s new science funding increase should speed correction of key flaws in New Zealand’s Clean Green 100% Pure environmental reputation, and boost conversion to organic agriculture and horticulture, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.
Soil & Health asserts that the implementation of alternatives to both aerial 1080 drops and methyl bromide release to the atmosphere, along with a redirection of science funding away from genetic engineering (GE) development and field trials, would instantly improve New Zealand’s best primary production and tourism marketing advantage.
“Replacing GE, methyl bromide release and the broad-scale use of pesticides such as aerial spraying of 1080 is critical if we are to retain credibility with our tourists and best value export customers,” said Soil & Health spokesperson Steffan Browning.
“Agriculture Minister David Carter spoke to over 700 dairy farmers at Dairy NZ’s conference last week and correctly pointed out the importance of New Zealand’s clean green image and animal welfare record to our best value export markets. Yet at that same event Dairy NZ, with speakers from Ministry of Research Science and Technology (MoRST) and AgResearch, boldly promoted the development of GE crops and in particular GE ryegrass.”
“Although theoretically “keeping the options open”, by having the pro-GE speakers, Dairy NZ failed to present speakers that could show the significant failings of GE internationally, to both farming communities and the environment, and the market distrust of such production. GE cannot co-exist with best practice and market friendly sustainable production.”
“GE is not compatible with the export markets the Minister identified, neither is the release of ozone depleting neurotoxic methyl bromide gas by our log exporters. Neither is the broad-scale use of 1080 and herbicides.”
“The new science funding in primary production must not be wasted with the old business elite or fast buck science clique but used for a genuinely sustainable future.”
“Organic and genuinely sustainable production, and humane and environmentally benign alternatives to current pest control chemicals get far too little funding, yet the same politico-business-science culture that has created New Zealand’s sustainability problems continues funding technologies that pave the way for more environmental and marketing disasters.”
“When will our political, science and farming leaders get it? The branding is the vision. The branding is the economic and environmental future for New Zealand. It is not to be a sham but a reality. Clean green 100% Pure New Zealand.”
“Development of chemical nitrification inhibitors, genetically engineered ryegrass and clovers, and monoculture forests of chemically dependent radiata clones are a misuse of science and extension funding. None are genuinely sustainable and smack of corporate greed and an ignorance of the world around us,” said Mr Browning.
“Dumping GE, scaling up infrastructure for recapture of toxic fumigant gases such as methyl bromide, speeding development of alternatives to 1080 and other risky pesticides, and promoting the best practice animal welfare and organic production examples to New Zealand’s producers and customers will give technical and economic gains New Zealand can be proud of.”
Soil & Health has a vision of an Organic 2020 that fits well with the clean green 100% Pure NZ branding the government recognises. Science and extension services funding must urgently and genuinely follow that vision.