Sad Day For NZ's Human And Cattle Populations

GE Free New Zealand In Food And Environment (RAGE) Inc.

Sad day for New Zealand's human and cattle populations . Approval for mixing genes plays "Russian Roulette" with our agricultural image.

The latest approval by ERMA of AgResearch's application to introduce synthetic human genes in cattle shows ERMA are ignoring the scientific evidence of horizontal gene transfer.(- HGT:see below), and marks a sad day for New Zealand's clean green image.

The government do not have a mandate from Maori or other New Zealanders to continue these unconscionable experiments which put at risk our reputation as a food producer, and allow irreversible contamination of the NZ environment from these animals.

" It is ironic that ERMA states the risks of "hypothetical" gene transfer are negligible, on the same day as Prof. Lacey from the UK (who conducted the recent investigation on BSE advises the British government to dig up the mass graves of the foot and mouth slaughter because of risks of spreading of disease" says Susie Lees of GE-Free NZ. " It shows up the limit of knowledge of ongoing effects from prions, and other sub-cellular genetic constructs"

"The effects of genetic transfer to soil and water still have not been properly addressed by ERMA, if indeed they ever can be- yet they are not even testing for it in their field experiments! The risk of new pathogens, similar to BSE will always be there, it certainly will not be good for our beef or dairy industry, a cost that has not even been identified as overseas consumers get to know this is going on. No one wants GE foods from transgenic animals, yet the bureaucrats and researchers are playing Russian roulette with our clean green image ," said Susie Lees.

"Scientists are warning that by allowing accidental spread of these genetic contructs, we are not only endangering public health by trials but also our agricultural economy.What is the point of putting extra money into biosecurity when the government is going ahead with this kind of research.k"

AS the report shows: Scientific concern over HGT is being deliberately ignored by ERMA as "hypothetical" and of little negative impact.

This decision is unscientific and calls into question the safety of proceeding with an experiment that is already proven to be ineffective and expensive. MBP has been withdrawn early in human trials because of its severity of effects and for causing more inflamation and demyelienate the brain cells. ENDS

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