Farmers Will Ignore Councils' GE-Free Rulings

Tuesday 3 Aug 2004

Gerry Eckhoff - Press Releases - Rural

ACT New Zealand Rural Affairs Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff today predicted that the vast majority of farmers would ignore any move by regional and district councils to unilaterally declare regions of New Zealand GE-free.

"This, however, does not automatically mean that farmers will take up the opportunity to plant GE-crops.

"Conversely, if a local council decides it knows best, and the planting of such crops are banned, then I expect few farmers will take a blind bit of notice of its ruling if the benefits of GE technology are obvious.

"We appear, yet again, to have a situation where a minority of people are refusing to accept the benefits of scientific research.

"Farmers I have spoken to are sick and tired of being dictated to by self-appointed environmental advocates attempting to tell them how best to manage their businesses and livehoods, both now and into the future," Mr Eckhoff said.

ENDS

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