US Contamination Shows Need For Moratorium

US Contamination Shows Need to Re-establish Moratorium

Studies showing GM crops released in the US have widely contaminated conventional crops after only 7 years of use is evidence of the need for New Zealand to prevent environmental release for the foreseeable future.

The need for international action to prevent new GE crops like wheat from contaminating the food supply has become more urgent because Monsanto has applied to sell GM wheat in New Zealand and Australia despite huge resistance to GE varieties.

The contamination of food means organic supplies of some crops are doomed and the basic right to avoid experimental GE food is being taken away.

"The Biotech industry say they expected this contamination but refuse to accept liability.

Their so-called 'co-existence strategy' now appears to be a 'replacement strategy'. As their patented genes spread there will be nothing untouched," says Jon Carapiet from GE free NZ in food and environment.

Liability is once again at the heart of the issue as companies push on with the newest GM crops to make pharmaceuticals. Scientists warn these "Pharm "crops represent a new level of threat to the world's food supply.

Until there is a global regulatory system in place to prevent contamination and keep GM crops 100% separate, any release of these experimental and little-understood crops is a potential crime against humanity.

In the light of these new reports and the warnings made by scientists last week, GE Free NZ in food and environment is calling for the re-instatement of the moratorium on applications for GE release.

If ERMA will or cannot say no, the government must call a halt to any plans to release GE in New Zealand.

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