Monday 30 July, 2001
Royal Commission rejects efforts by campaigners to make New Zealand GM free
New Zealand's farmers are assessing their future after a Royal Commission rejected efforts by campaigners to make the country a genetically-modified free zone.
After reviewing more than ten thousand submissions the Commission ruled that it would be unwise for the country to turn its back on the potential advantages on offer from genetically modified food.
Campaigners say New Zealand has lost a unique opportunity to market its produce on world markets as GE (genetically-engineered) free.
Agriculture makes up nearly half of the country's exports and the sector is worth $US13bn to the nation.
Prior to the Royal Commission, New Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark told World Business Report:
“Personally, I think that issues of food safety are the great consumer issues of the early 21st century.
"We know from tragedies that have beset Europe – BSE, foot and mouth, the appearance of scrapie from time to time, issues of salmonella and food poisoning – that consumers are very nervous about what they eat and they want to know that they are not going to be harmed by what they eat.”
Anette Cotter from Greenpeace New Zealand, says the final decision will now be taken by the New Zealand government, which may be forced by public pressure to take a different line from the Royal Commission.
“The Commission’s recommendation is not a reflection of the majority of the evidence before them.
"Greenpeace thinks the report has not accurately reflected the precautionary principal, which is the mainstay of our argument."
| “Because there is scientific uncertainty there should be no release of genetically engineered seeds into the environment." Anette Cotter, Greenpeace New Zealand | |
A number of Industry groups have said it was economically important for New Zealand to remain GE free.
The New Zealand kiwi marketing board said that having genetically engineered produce would be detrimental to their exports.
"What industry is saying, is that they want to keep their options open for the future. Greenpeace says that the country’s economic future must be GE free and organic," Ms Cotter said.
New Zealand has an opportunity to remain GE free because they have boundaries denoted by water.
Talking to World Business Report, the country's Trade and Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton said:
“If organic lives up to its label, there is less risk that you will pick up any excess agri-chemical residues, but on the other hand of course you have go to say there is some danger you are exposed to from natural bio-toxins of organic produce that you are not exposed to from conventional produce."
“I think producers should always be conscious of the entitlement of consumers for safe food.
“As for organic, we need to get a better consensus around the world about what we mean by organic – what are the rules, what is it that people buy when something is labelled organic that they don’t buy otherwise."
For a producer it is going to cost more to produce less by organic means, so consumers are going to have to pay more if they want organic food. They are entitled to know exactly what they are getting for their money.
“If consumers adhere to the philosophy of organic foods, fine, but let us ensure that it what they do get,” Mr Sutton said.
“If consumers think they are buying greater safety, then I have reservations because that has to be demonstrated – food safety is, after all, something which shouldn’t just be confined to organic food.”
| “You are not going to get e-coli from mushrooms grown on artificial fertilizer where you might from mushrooms grown on animal manure." Jim Sutton, New Zealand Trade and Agriculture Minister | |
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