2 October 2001

Mexican GE corn contamination has global implications

Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons today said news that genetically engineered corn has effectively been illegally released in Mexico had serious implications for the world, including New Zealand.

The Mexican Environment Minister has confirmed that genetically engineered corn has been found growing in 15 out of 22 communities in the states of Oaxaco and Pueblo, despite a blanket moratorium on the growing of genetically engineered crops in Mexico.

"All corn crops worldwide originated from the native corn strains in Mexico and cross-pollination from illegal genetically engineered crops could be disastrous for the purity of those old stocks which are still used for breeding," said Ms Fitzsimons.

"Contaminations like this have the potential to destroy the origins of this vital food source.

"Given the volume of genetically engineered corn found in Mexico there is certain to be cross pollination and the genetic contamination of many wild corn strains. Given that farmers in this region regularly save their seeds for the next season, genetically engineered strains are likely to spread and prove impossible to eliminate," she said.

Ms Fitzsimons said New Zealand needed to urgently upgrade our biosecurity measures to guarantee genetically engineered corn is not illegally planted here.

"This has been a potential problem for at least five years. This year New Zealand has just started testing imported sweet corn for genetic purity and, although we are to start testing maize next year, we are doing nothing yet to test any other imported seed for genetic contamination.

"Although we have laws in place banning the import of genetically engineered seed we have been relying on good faith so far. We cannot afford to keep doing so," said Ms Fitzsimons.

"We must seriously upgrade our border control and either test each shipment or demand the complete traceability of all seed."

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>