The Green Party have welcomed news that genetic engineering giant Monsanto has bowed to international pressure and offered to help plant breeders create crops using traditional methods.

"Monsanto should show that this is more than a PR stunt for the UK market and call off their genetic engineering field trials in New Zealand," said Green Party Agriculture spokesperson Ian Ewen-Street.

Monsanto has offered to open up its databases to help plant breeders cross-breed new crops without the use of genetic engineering. The announcement came after Monsanto requested meetings with the British Soil Association.

Mr Ewen-Street said Monsanto's change of heart showed how surprised the company was at the global rejection of genetic engineering and was a "major victory for the GE-free food lobby."

"The significance of this announcement shouldn't be underestimated," said Mr Ewen-Street. "This move shows that concerted public pressure has forced Monsanto to fundamentally rethink their position on genetic engineering."

Ian Ewen-Street said although the development was welcome, it was hardly surprising. "Genetic engineering is, quite simply, bad economics," he said. "Huge international markets are rejecting genetically engineered crops and food in favour of safe organically grown produce. The public have seen through the GE industry's public relations misinformation.

"This technology is on the way out. Nobody wants it. New Zealand must recognise this now and declare ourselves a genetic engineering free nation," said Ian Ewen-Street.

"Our future advantage lies in producing the cleanest, safest food in the world, not embracing technology that other countries cannot get rid of fast enough."

"Now the question must be asked - why are Monsanto prepared to back down overseas while still vigorously pursuing genetic engineering in New Zealand?"

ENDS

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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>>