Harm to Mothers from GE-Soy Must be Investigated

GE-Free NZ is calling for urgent follow-up on evidence that there is a strong link to adverse effects in unborn children from GE soya in the maternal diet.

An article by Anne Wolfenberg, in the Danish Effektivt Landbrug farming Journal, published a story about a Danish Farmer who noticed that his pigs were suffering reproductive disorders and digestive problems after having a diet rich in GE (genetically engineered) soya. He decided to go back to a traditional GE Free soya diet and immediately noticed that the severe health problems disappeared, and the health of the sows and piglets reverted back to normal.

In the latest report on Mr. Pedersen's experiences, it was noticed that:

1.Within 2 days [of introducing non GM soya] diarrhea virtually disappeared in the farrowing house, whereas before he had used 50-100 ml anti bacterial (Borgal) per day.

2. Since switching, he had not experienced death from bloat in sows or death by ulcers, as opposed to minimum 1 per month previously. (36 sows died due to stomach related sickness over the last two years before switching)

3. No sows had died through loss of appetite, whereas 2 sows died from this cause last year.

4. Two years ago when the diarrhea was as its worst, he had months with nearly 30% dead in the farrowing house. At that time it was impossible to find sows that could nurse piglets.

5. Before it was unusual to have had a sow with 13 piglets weaned. The average was about 10.5 per sow plus spare mothers. Now he had over 12 piglets on average weaned and 14 piglets weaned per sow is common. He had fewer nursing sows, simply because the sows were milking better and eating more.

6. Sows farrow better and had now he has an average of 14.9 live born and 1.6 stillborn, over the past 7 months.

7. The piglets weaned were stronger and more evenly sized.

"This latest report adds to a growing set of data that consumption of GE soya is likely to be harmful to humans," says Claire Bleakley from GE-Free NZ in food and environment.

"There is an alarming lack of research on the safety of GE soya in the animal and human diet. The traumatic evidence from real-world GE experience with animals must be a wake-up call for health authorities to investigate."

GE Free NZ is still awaiting a decision from the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on their appeal of the 2,4-D corn and soya that Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) approved late last year .

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