New GE Onions Trial A Waste of Resources
Media Release
Soil & Health Association of New
Zealand
(Est. 1941)
Publishers of ORGANIC
NZ
11 April 2008
New GE Onions Trial A
Waste of Resources.
Crop & Food's application for a
new, riskier field trial of genetically engineered (GE)
onions, plus shallots, spring onions, garlic and leeks is a
waste of resources and expertise and will receive widespread
public opposition, according to the Soil & Health
Association of NZ.
"Rather than continuing down the
GE path, which is unwanted by consumers and export markets,
Soil and Health would rather see research and trials into
organic growing methods," said spokesman Steffan
Browning.
"The need of keeping the new GE trial's
site secret is understandable, considering the level of
anger in the community at GE field trials and at the poor
compliance of consent conditions."
Crown research
institute Crop & Food is applying for a 2.5 ha GE field
trial in Canterbury using a wide range of genetic constructs
in allium plants (onion, garlic leek). It intends operating
in much less than international accepted standards for
buffer zones of 1000 metres from possible non-GE onion
growers. Crop & Food has previously trialled GE onions in a
400 sq metre plot with some difficulty.
Crop and
Food Research now wants to plant onion seed directly in the
ground and allow some onion plants to flower in the field in
order to produce seed. The flowering onions would be caged
in an attempt to prevent insects carrying pollen to non-GM
onions outside the site.
"This field trial is too
risky and must not go ahead. GE field trial operators have
consistently failed to meet consent conditions, and the
likelihood of human failure combined with climate and animal
interference means that caged or otherwise, letting GE
plants flower in the New Zealand environment is too risky.
The community is unlikely to allow the trial to proceed,"
said Mr Browning.
"The Environmental Risk
Management Authority's (ERMA) negligence to insist on
testing for adverse effects at field trials means that
possible full commercial release might happen in the future
without those tests having occurred. The submission process
is a sham making submissions by the community practically
pointless."
"GE field test auditing and compliance
enforcement by MAF Biosecurity NZ (MAF-BNZ) has also been
proven to be poor as shown by the Scion GE tree field test.
Scion GE trees still remain unpruned correctly risking GE
pollen release."
"Unless drastically improved,
these gaps in care and enforcement are likely to be filled
by the community."
"There have not been adequate
studies of known and potential adverse effects at the last
Crop & Food GE onion field test site. This new trial has
even more risks including cross contamination to other
growers by proposing that some GE plants can set flowers for
seed. Sowing small GE seeds directly in the ground also adds
further risk of contamination."
"Organic and
conventional non-GE growers and gardeners must be able to
have confidence in government agencies ability to protect
them from GE contamination. Applications such as this and
AgResearch's intended menagerie of GE animals application
makes a mockery of New Zealand's clean green GE Free 100%
Pure market branding, and threatens consumer confidence for
the future."
"CRIs Crop & Food, AgResearch and
Scion all make significant and valuable non-GE research and
developments, but their GE portfolios bring them into
disrepute."
"Soil & Health suggests that CRIs join
the drive to genuine sustainability and focus on clean
progressive research and development. Stop wasting
taxpayers' money and give clean producers their best
opportunities."
Soil & Health is opposed to all GE
field tests and has a vision of an Organic
2020.
ends