Non GE Feed For All Fresh Tegel Chicken

Non GE Crops Used In Feed For All Fresh Tegel Chicken

From today, all fresh Tegel chickens supplied throughout New Zealand will have been grown with non GE crops used in their feed.

This follows Tegel's decision in August to source its soymeal from non GE crops, in response to research indicating that 75% of consumers would prefer Tegel to use non GE crops in its feed.

After months of negotiations, Tegel reached an agreement with its American supplier, AG Processing Inc., one of the largest co-operative soybean processing companies in the world, to source its soybeans from non GE crops.

AGP established an Identity Preservation (IP) Programme to minimise cross contamination with GE soybeans. This new supply process involves strict purity procedures going right back to the farm including ongoing testing and thorough cleaning procedures during planting, harvesting, processing and transportation.

Tegel MD, Peter Lucas says "This year Tegel will purchase over 200,000 tonnes of crop based raw materials for its feed. Where necessary, Tegel incurs substantial cost to ensure its suppliers source materials from non GE crops and use identity preservation programmes to minimise cross contamination with GE materials".

Says Mr Lucas, "Tegel chickens have never been genetically engineered and now we use non GE crops in our feed too. Consumers have made their wishes clear and we are very pleased to be able to give them what they want. It's been a long road but well worth it to reach the point where consumers can enjoy the benefit of our efforts."

Tegel is introducing new product labelling to inform consumers that it uses non-GE crops in its feed. The new labelling also reminds consumers that Tegel does not use added hormones and that its chickens are barn raised.

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