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Winter Greetings!
Dear Member & Friends
Checking in with you all and hoping you are keeping warm, and to bring you a few of the latest updates around GE, both here in Aotearoa & Internationally.
Also this newsletter is reaching out to some of you who may not have heard from us in many, many years ... so let you know, we are still winning! It's been 20 years since the Royal Commission and we are proud to say, we are still working hard to keep GE in Aotearoa out of our food & environment!
So if you can spare a small donation (or a membership) then please click here for info.
Scroll down to get a better overview to where recent subs have been going, or click here.
Kind regards
Claire Bleakley, President
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ARTICLES IN THIS NEWSLETTER
Domestic:
International:
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Cows consuming HT (herbicide tolerant) swedes are experiencing ill-health
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1706/S00171/more-cows-ill-ht-swedes-have-got-to-go.htm
Press Release: Green Party
9 June 2017
Nathan Guy must immediately order the removal of herbicide tolerant (HT) swedes from the market following new reports of cows experiencing ill-health after eating them, the Green Party said today.
Dairy NZ today updated an advisory on its website about HT Swedes, saying “in 2017, there have been two farms experiencing ill-health with cows on swedes". In 2014 hundreds of dairy cows died in Southland from liver damage after eating swedes.
“It's simple, HT swedes should be taken off the shelf immediately. The Government knows there’s a risk to animal health that can’t be managed if these swedes are still on the market,” said Green Party pesticide spokesperson Steffan Browning.
“It’s extraordinary they’re still being sold. They should have been taken off the market back in 2015 when tests showed that HT swedes caused liver damage in livestock.
“Instead, Nathan Guy has put industry interests ahead of animal welfare by allowing these swedes to continue being sold, despite knowing the risks.
“The Government has limited its action to advising farmers on when to feed cattle HT swedes, but this clearly hasn't worked," said Mr Browning.
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Allowing GE potatoes into the food chain in New Zealand would be a mistake and threaten public health.
http://press.gefree.org.nz/press/20170613.htm
13 June 2017
For the first time a GMO version of a staple food—not just oils derived from GE crops, is set to be signed off by authorities.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for submissions on five lines of genetically engineered (GE) potatoes. [1] FSANZ has historically approved all previous applications for GE foods, without independent safety testing.
The application for GE potatoes (A1139) admits the potatoes have significantly altered vital constituents (glutamine and asparagine) to allow easier processing. However, they have not been safety tested on any organism to see what adverse effects they might have when eaten, making any approval irresponsible and unwarranted.
FSANZ has provided only the industry references from Dow Chemical to support claims of safety. Even the industry studies reveal significant nutritional changes between the parent lines and the engineered potatoes. But the implications for consumers of these known differences, and of unidentified changes, are being ignored.
"The GE spuds should not be approved," said Jon Carapiet, spokesman for GE-free NZ. "It is irresponsible for FSANZ to dismiss significant differences that demand proper testing and claim instead that those differences are within the bounds of natural variation in other potatoes."
GE-Free NZ calls on all industries to refuse to use these potentially harmful potatoes in their products. The public is being treated as collateral damage.
If FSANZ approves the application, it will be up to McCain's, Watties, and other manufacturers of potato products to keep GE spuds out.
Fast food chains like McDonalds and KFC, and supermarkets like Countdown and Foodstuffs, must also prevent these untested spuds ending up in New Zealand larders and restaurants.
The drive to commercialise a GMO that is a vital staple food in kiwi diets, is seeing safety for the consumer cast aside. Despite previous approvals over the last 20 years there are no available diagnostic tests or human studies to establish what effects there are from GE foods. This is a serious failing in the system, when digestive complaints, allergies, and organ illnesses are at epidemic levels.
It is now known, however, that animals fed genetically engineered soy and corn have suffered liver and kidney malfunctions, blood and immune system failure, and tumour development. [2] There are serious concerns that basic changes in the potato amino acids could cause brain damage and problems for pregnant mothers and developing babies.[3]“It will not be good enough just to warn women to avoid the essential staple potatoes if they are pregnant.
These products should not be allowed," said Claire Bleakley, president of GE-Free NZ. "It is reckless of FSANZ to let the application proceed this far, let alone rubber stamp it with an approval. This shows that they do not have the requisite expertise to carry out their statutory duties and may also indicate inappropriate bias."
FSANZ needs to stop the clock immediately on the applications and require lifetime feeding studies, and full ‘omic’ analysis of these potatoes before any consideration can be made.
This application should never have been released for comment until the safety of these foods has been determined, which neither FSANZ or industry has done.
The GE potatoes application closed 7 July 2017.
References:
[1] Application A1139, Food derived from Potato Lines F10, J3, W8, X17 & Y9 http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/applications/Documents/A1139%20GM%20potato%20F10%20J3%20W8%20X17%20Y9%20SD1%20Safety%20assess.pdf
[2] Séralini, G., Clair, E., Mesnage, R., Gress, S., Defarge, N., & Malatesta, M. et al. (2014). Republished study: long-term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerantgenetically modified maize. Environmental Sciences Europe, 26(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12302-014-0014-5
[3] Ruzzo, E., Capo-Chichi, J., Ben-Zeev, B., Chitayat, D., Mao, H., & Pappas, A. et al. (2013). Deficiency of Asparagine Synthetase Causes Congenital Microcephaly and a Progressive Form of Encephalopathy. Neuron, 80(2), 429-441. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2013.08.013
Jon Carapiet - National Spokesman
Claire Bleakley – President
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An American plant pathologist says New Zealand is setting a positive example on the world stage for its GE free stance.
http://times-age.co.nz/ge-free-stance-sets-example-world/
http://bit.ly/2u03uHr
13 July 2017
by Hayley Gastmeier
Don Huber, a former professor at Purdue University, Indiana, is in the country attending a range of agricultural conferences and meetings discussing disease control and crop productivity.
Mr Huber gave a talk to about 50 people in Featherston on Sunday about the impacts that genetically modified organism (GMO) production was having on human health.
He also ran a workshop in Greytown on Monday.
His kiwi visit was to impart knowledge gained during his 55 years of research, in the hope “that NZ doesn’t make some of the same mistakes we [America] have”.
He said NZ set an example to the rest of the world by providing “healthy and nutrient-dense” food products.
“You have tremendous opportunities [here in NZ].
“You’re one of the very few countries that hasn’t polluted the soils and general environment with the genetically engineered proteins — many of those we don’t even know what they are or what the full safety effects are, we are just know we are seeing the health effects.”
Mr Huber said the deterioration of health in America was “extremely serious” reaching “epidemic proportions”, and there was a “direct correlation” between this and GMO toxicity.
Many safety studies on GMOs had until recently been kept from the public arena, he said, and research coming to light was enabling experts to evaluate the effects on human health.
He said about 32 diseases had so far been linked to GMO proteins, including some cancers, inflammatory bowel-type diseases, diabetes, depression, neurological conditions, and obesity.
To date, no fresh produce grown in NZ is genetically modified.
“I hope that [NZ] maintains that so that the rest of the world has the encouragement to maybe follow suit.”
Mr Huber said NZ was “a very important niche in the food supply system”, and he hoped politicians would not succumb to the “tremendous pressure” being applied to adopt GMO practices by companies with patents on the products.
“I think future historians will look back and write about our time — not about how many pounds of pesticides we did or didn’t apply, but about how willing we are to sacrifice our children and jeopardise future generations with this experimental process we call genetic engineering that’s based on flawed science and failed promises just to benefit the bottom line of the commercial enterprise.”
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New Zealand-owned tree biotechnology company ArborGen faces near unanimous opposition to commercial deregulation of their genetically engineered eucalyptus trees
Statement from Biofuelwatch, Global Justice Ecology Project and Indigenous Environmental Network
http://globaljusticeecology.org/usda-receives-near-unanimous-public-rejection-of-genetically-engineered-trees/
July 19 2017
New York (US): New Zealand-owned tree biotechnology company ArborGen faces near unanimous opposition to commercial deregulation of their genetically engineered eucalyptus trees. On 5 July, the US Department of Agriculture received an astounding 280,000 individual comments, as well as 500 organizations representing millions of people around the world, all opposing this deregulation. Only 3 comments were submitted in favor. This avalanche of comments came a mere 75 days after the USDA publicly released their draft Environmental Impact Statement on ArborGen’s request for deregulation.
Such overwhelming opposition sends a clear message to USDA that GE eucalyptus trees must be rejected–a message the agency can no longer ignore.
ArborGen’s eucalyptus are engineered for cold tolerance with the intent of extending their range into the Southern US, from South Carolina to Texas. Eucalyptus trees are native only to Australia. Eucalyptus plantations are invasive, notorious for depleting waterways and highly flammable–as demonstrated by recent wildfires in Chile and Portugal. Their introduction to Southern US states, where droughts, heatwaves and wildfires are already escalating, would be foolhardy.
ArborGen claims their GE eucalyptus will meet expanding market demands for pulp and paper, as well as the fast-growing demand for wood pellets for “biomass.” Currently, EU greenhouse gas emission policies provide subsidies to burn wood as an alternative to fossil fuels, in spite of the fact that doing so results in deforestation and releases even more CO2. These demands will not be met, however, without the accelerated destruction of native forests, including for GE eucalyptus plantation development–both in the US and globally.
Industrial plantations of eucalyptus are already creating problems in many parts of the world, and the US should learn from those experiences. In Brazil, they are referred to as “green deserts.” Similarly, experience with GE crops has demonstrated that engineering fails to deliver on promises, while introducing new problems (i.e. contamination, vastly increased use of toxic agrochemicals and herbicide resistant weeds). Common sense dictates that regenerating native forests and reducing demands for wood are essential to addressing the climate and biodiversity crises. Expanding plantations of non-native, water depleting, flammable GE eucalyptus, on the other hand, is beyond irresponsible.
With near unanimous opposition to ArborGen’s GE eucalyptus trees, people have sent a clear message to the USDA: Commercial release of GE eucalyptus trees will not be tolerated.
On 29 June, less than one week before the end of the USDA public comment period on ArborGen’s GE eucalyptus, ArborGen’s two U.S.-based owners and co-founders, International Paper and WestRock (formerly MeadWestvaco) sold their interest in ArborGen to New Zealand-based Rubicon, which is now the sole owner.The following numbers of comments rejecting GE eucalyptus trees were submitted to the USDA on 5 July 2017 by these organizations:
Center for Food Safety 24,885
Global Justice Ecology Project 12,312
Friends of the Earth US 27,638
Credo 100,497
Rainforest Rescue 113,236
Center for Biological Diversity 3,107
Action Aid US 1,065
Indigenous Environmental Netwk 985
Total 283,725
Related article:
http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/press-releases/5008/overwhelming-opposition-to-usda-proposal-to-legalize-genetically-engineered-eucalyptus-trees#
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New Study reveals 100s of unintended mutations ... what are the implications for genome-edited foods
http://gmwatch.org/en/news/latest-news/17657-crispr-induced-mutations-what-do-they-mean-for-food-safety
1 June 2017
by Claire Robinson
A new study published in Nature Methods has found that the genome editing technology CRISPR introduced hundreds of unintended mutations into the genome of mice.[1In the study, the researchers sequenced the entire genome of mice that had undergone CRISPR gene editing to correct a genetic defect. They looked for all mutations, including those that only altered a single nucleotide (DNA base unit).
They found that the genomes of two independent gene therapy recipients had sustained more than 1,500 single-nucleotide mutations and more than 100 larger deletions and insertions. None of these DNA mutations were predicted by the computer algorithms (software packages) that are widely used by researchers to screen the genome (the total DNA base unit sequence) of an organism to look for potential off-target effects.
While this study was conducted in the arena of gene therapy, it has clear implications for the regulation of food plants and animals derived from CRISPR and other genome editing techniques
Regulatory agencies across the world are currently engaged in a debate about how to assess genome-edited products for safety. Many GMO proponents are proposing “light-touch” regulation or even no regulation at all, based on the assumption that the outcome genome editing techniques like CRISPR are precise, predictable, and therefore safe.
The new study shows that this assumption is false. So how should these products be regulated?
One suggestion that has been put forward is to require whole genome sequencing of gene-edited organisms to be conducted and submitted to biosafety authorities.
But this raises a further question: if the whole genome sequence does not show any mutations or off-target effects, other than those intended, should we be reassured?
We asked Dr Michael Antoniou to comment. Dr Antoniou is a London-based molecular geneticist who uses genetic engineering techniques, including genome editing, to develop gene therapies.
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The video called “Communities Rising” ... “I am confident we’re in the process of ending this chemical era” ... says filmmaker
http://fourwinds10.com/siterun_data/health/drugs/poisons/news.php?q=1497972733
18 June 2017
by Mike Adams
Moms Across America has just released a powerful new video called “Communities Rising” that exposes the devastating toxicity of GMOs and glyphosate. Watch the video now at this YouTube link, or watch it below.
“This film highlights everyday citizens across the world that are taking matters into their own hands, healing their families, raising awareness about organic food, and changing local pesticide policies,” filmmaker Zen H. told Natural News. “I’m confident that we’re in the process of ending this chemical era and taking back our food supply.”
GMOs and glyphosate are the leading toxins used in the mass poisoning of our children and our food soils. This mass poisoning is being underwritten and promoted by the deceptive media, prostituted science shills (who are routinely bribed to promote toxic poisons) and even Monsanto-funded “smear” groups that attack clean food activists. That’s why it’s so important that you not only watch this film but share it with others.
Every mom in America needs to see this documentary. Every consumer of food urgently needs to be informed of the systemic poisoning that’s being conducted right now, across nearly the entire U.S. food supply.
Watch this important film below, share it with others, and visit MomsAcrossAmerica.com to join the movement. Read Glyphosate.news for more breaking news and science headlines on the toxicity of this deadly chemical that’s being sprayed on food crops all across this nation. All our lives are at stake. We either stand up against this mass poisoning or we die of cancer, Alzheimer’s, depression, suicide and other serious diseases caused by a toxic food supply that’s been poisoned on purpose.
Related Links:
http://www.naturalnews.com/2017-06-18-exclusive-moms-across-america-releases-powerful-new-documentary-exposing-toxicity-of-gmos-and-glyphosate.html
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Agricultural authorities prepare to implement controls to prevent import of US GMO potatoes to protect domestic growers.
http://www.potatobusiness.com/storage/control/1972-taiwan-to-control-imports-of-gmo-potatoes
16 July 2017
Agriculture authorities in Taiwan say they are prepared to implement controls to prevent the possible import of U.S. genetically modified (GMO) potatoes from affecting domestic growers.
The U.S. recently applied with the Health and Welfare Ministry to import GMO potatoes, with the approval process expected to be completed next year at the earliest. However, concerns are being raised about the potential health impacts of GMO food products and the adverse effects of these imports on domestic potato farmers.
The Council of Agriculture in Taiwan said it would monitor future imports and call for proper labeling of foreign GMO potatoes. If approved for import, the GMO potatoes would be used in potato chips, French fries and other processed food products.
Su Mao-hsing, deputy director of the COA's Agriculture and Food Agency, said local terrain was not suitable for growing potatoes and that Taiwan relied heavily on imports, with domestic producers accounting for only 30 percent of the market.
The government currently allows five types of GMO products to be imported, namely soybeans, corn, cotton, rapeseed and sugar beets.
Fang Yi-tan, chief of the Agriculture and Food Agency's Crop Production Section, said the government had established a special committee to review the food safety of GMO products. However, she said, the COA had not been invited to review the current application
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Comprehensive market anaylsis & industry experts forecast growth rate as report highlights harmful effects of rising awareness of GMO food products amongst other developing trends
http://www.gmoutlook.com/non-gmo-foods-market-to-grow-at-16-23-cagr-by-2021-key-driver-top-vendors-industry-application-analysis-and-outlook-78132.html
22 June 2017
by Supriya Bhor
Global Non-GMO Foods Market New Research Report 2017-2021, is structured with comprehensive market analysis and industry expert’s recommendations. Analysts Forecast Global Non-GMO Foods Market to Grow at 16.23% CAGR during the Period 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report presents in-depth research of the market by key vendor landscape, way of study, synthesis, and summary of data from various sources.
The global non-GMO foods market is growing at a steady pace. The increase in the number of health-conscious people and increasing demand for non-GMO food products by middle class families are the primary reasons for the growth of the market. The rising demand for organic food products has also increased the demand for non-GMO food products from consumers. However, premium pricing of non-GMO food products is expected to act as one of the major barriers for the growth of the global non-GMO foods market. The increased adoption of non-GMO seeds by farmers and the growing number of food companies in the non-GMO food sector are expected to fuel the global non-GMO foods market positively during the forecast period.
For Sample PDF of Non-GMO Foods Market Report visit- http://www.marketreportsworld.com/enquiry/request-sample/10294258
Leading Key Vendors of Non-GMO Foods Market: Amy’s Kitchen,Hain Celestial,Nature’s Path Foods,Organic Valley and Other prominent vendors are: Albert’s Organics,Beijing Green Yard Development,Chiquita Brands,Shanghai Food,Shanghai Green Life Agri-Tech Company and many more
Highlights of Report:
Rising awareness about the harmful effects of GMO food products Drives Non-GMO Foods Market in the globally.
Growing popularity of GMO food crops in developing countries is the Challenge to face for Non-GMO Foods Market with its impact on global industry.
Awareness about environmental protection and animal welfare globally is Trending for Non-GMO Foods Market.
This research report spread over 70 Pages including table of contents provides key statistics on the market status of the Non-GMO Foods manufacturers as a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested. This Report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the Market for 2017-2021. Non-GMO Foods Market Regional analysis contain America, APAC and EMEA.
The report provides in depth research of the Non-GMO Foods industry including definitions, segmentation, applications, key players, market drivers and market challenges. The report then estimates the market development trends by 2017-2021. Also Non-GMO Foods market analysis is provided for the international markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.
Major Exhibits mentioned in Non-GMO Foods market report: Five forces analysis, Product offerings, Recent developments, Business revenue (% share), Application (millions of units) And continued
In the end, the research report makes some important proposals for a new project before evaluating its feasibility. The Non-GMO Foods market report also presents the growth prospects and a corresponding detailed analysis of the major companies operating in the market.
Related articles:
https://www.facebook.com/nongmoproject/posts/10154994864683515
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Major dairy companies in the USA such as Dannon, Clover-Stornetta, and Bothwell Cheese have made pledges to become Non-GMO Project Verified.
https://livingnongmo.org/2017/06/21/non-gmo-milk-is-on-the-rise/
I’ve been here a thousand times. Standing in the dairy aisle for what seems like hours, unable to pick one of countless milk cartons decorated with cute cows and happy farmers. My indecision isn’t because there are too few options, it’s because I want to feel good about where my food comes from; I want to feel connected to the farm I end up choosing to support.
Because I can’t stand around in the dairy aisle forever (it’s so cold in there!), one of the things I look for first is the Non-GMO Project Butterfly. It tells me that the farm that produced my dairy is committed to providing consumers with transparent choices. The Butterfly lets me know that I can feel good about the purchase I’m making, and trust that I’m selecting milk that is held to the highest standard in the world for GMO avoidance.
Apparently, I’m not the only one who does this. Shoppers across North America have been successfully shifting the supply chain to provide non-GMO milk options for years. So much so, in fact, that major dairy companies such as Dannon, Clover-Stornetta, and Bothwell Cheese have made pledges to become Non-GMO Project Verified. Small-scale, independent dairy farms have been busy carving out the non-GMO milk market as well. Collectively, they provide over 350 non-GMO milk products in the Non-GMO Project dairy category. To get an inside look at how a non-GMO dairy works, the Non-GMO Project team went to visit MyShan Dairy, a Washington State producer of non-GMO milk.
MyShan Dairy is owned and operated by Mylon and Shannon Smith and their family in Lynden, Washington. Proud caretakers of a herd of happy Guernsey cows who are fed grass and non-GMO feed, the family farm sells their Premium Guernsey Milk throughout the region.
During our time at the farm we quickly learned that while caretaking a herd of cows is no easy task, neither is producing non-GMO milk. Securing non-GMO feed for livestock is critical, as the overwhelming majority of GMO corn, soy, and canola grown in North America is fed to dairy animals. The demand for non-GMO feed has been steadily increasing in the U.S., so much so that it’s outpacing the supply. Organic corn imports tripled in 2015, and organic soybean imports rose approximately 45% according to USDA data.
Traceability is also a crucial part of offering non-GMO milk because of the complexity of the dairy production line. In accordance with the Non-GMO Project Standard, traceability measures must be in place to preserve the integrity of the product through the entire manufacturing process. With the added measure of ongoing testing of major GMO risk ingredients at critical control points, the Standard ensures that dairy products are truly non-GMO.
Due to the rigor of the verification process, MyShan tells us that offering non-GMO milk has been pivotal in their relationships with shoppers.“It is very important that the consumer knows what is in their food, and what the cows they get it from being fed. Being Non-GMO Project Verified aligns with our value of being truthful and transparent with our customers,” says Mylon. “I hope to see MyShain Dairy fill the gap between conventional and organic milk and grow that market.” He adds that in sharing their family’s experience, he hopes to inspire other farmers to offer Verified non-GMO choices.
I see the Non-GMO Project Butterfly showing up more frequently in my local grocery store as more farmers move towards providing Non-GMO Project Verified dairy choices for their shoppers. This trend reflects a growing desire for non-GMO choices and greater food transparency. Like me, many shoppers crave a deeper connection with the farms that produce their food and an easy way to know that my dairy products were not produced using GMO inputs. Plus, it saves us all a little time spent staring at milk cartons in freezing cold dairy aisles. Brr!
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Various NGOs, along with farmers in India, oppose the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC)’s move to clear the proposal for GM mustard.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jalandhar/protest-held-against-genetically-modified-mustard-crop/427753.html
25 June 2017
by Aakanksha N Bhardwaj
City residents this morning witnessed a different kind of an awareness rally against the genetically modified (GM) sarson, where activists of various NGOs, along with the Kheti Virasat Mission, told people about “ill-effects” of GM crops and also made them sign postal cards that will be sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Various NGOs, along with farmers in Punjab, have opposed the move of the genetic engineering appraisal committee (GEAC) clearing the proposal for the GM mustard, and many discussions over the GM issue have been held on the social media.
In the morning, nearly 60 persons signed the cards, said Lipika Kochar, who is heading the “Sarson Satyagrah Movement” in Jalandhar.
The postcard reads, “Respected Modiji, I am a citizen and a responsible parent and have to ensure that I provide safe and healthy food to our children. Our beloved PM, I request that you lead India into an organic food and farming country. I also request that all GM crops, including GM mustard, be banned and we also have to stop the use of pesticides.”
The activists organised the rally under various messages written on pamphlets that read “Say no to GM mustard, Dharti kare pukar GM mustard nahee swikar, No GMOs in our good, farm and environment.”
The NGOs that are working to spread awareness among people along with the Kheti Virasat Mission are Mission Clean Jalandhar and Samvedna Jagriti Manch. The whole movement is being carried out under the name of “Sarson Satyagrah”.
Pankaj Jain, a member of the Kheti Virasat Mission, said the activists would organise rallies on a regular basis. “We want the residents of the city to be aware of the fact that GM crops will only affect the health of people badly,” he claimed.
Lipika Kochar, who is leading the movement in the district while talking to The Tribune, said in a GM crop, a plant species is crossed with animal species.
She said as many as 38 countries had banned GM crops after growing these.
Kochar also said that since GM crops were herbicide-tolerant, the use of herbicides would increase manifold in fields.
“It should be understood that GM and organic crops cannot co-exist and GM crops would lead to genetic-level mutation,” Kochar said.
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Here is a quick summary of what's been happening,
but please check our website for more info: http://www.gefree.org.nz
- We have been participate in discussions with regulators and government.
- We have been disseminate national and international GE research findings.
- We have been active supporting the GE Free regions court cases led by Soil and Health.
- We have participated in collaborative discussions with Victoria University students.
- We made a comprehensive application with Soil and Health on the GE potato application (A1139) (see website news for more)
- Also on the canola application A1140. (more submissions here)
- We have supported GE Free Northland in their battle against Federated Farmers of NZ to maintain the protective precautionary GMOprovisions and other wording in the Northland "Regional Policy Statement" installed over recent years. Federated Farmers have appealed (Court of Appeal) and so we continue to fight for sovereignty.
If you'd like to assist this case, please ref "appeal" to Soil & Healths a/c 02-0108-0058415-050 (all Court actions here)
- We were pleased to have been part of discussion regarding reforms of the RMA with the Maori Party with a successful outcome allowing regions to place precautionary rules on GMO’s in their region.
- GE Free NZ was invited by OLCA to Chile to view the reforestation of GE trees to replace the devastating effects of the fires that destroyed 1600 houses, displaced 6000 people and killed 20. New Zealand developed GE Eucalyptus plants and exported thousands to the USA and Brazil from 2007-2012. We are pleased to learn that all research has been halted, although the applications are still live, since the US regulators did not commercialise them.
Please have a dig around our site to see what we've been up to over the years.
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Keep an eye out for this logo & encourage manufacturers
to get listed & use the logo.
The policy simply requires sourcing non-ge ingredients for their produce and non-ge feed for their livestock. This is a policy not a guarantee to assure customers so should be easy to encourage all producer across the board.
More information here: http://gefreepolicy.com/
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We would love it if you could help by contributing an AP, no matter how small, to keep us ticking over & provide much needed assistance to raising awarenesses & protecting our legislation.
Please help us continue to keep Aoetearoa GE Free. We utilise your donations towards whatever action is currently requiring attention.
bank account#: 06-0996-0521358-00
http://www.gefree.org.nz/join-ge-free-new-zealand/
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For more information about what you can do to help
please visit
gefree.org.nz
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