The NZ Government is planning to de-regulate certain genetically engineered (GE) plants and remove the current ethical and precautionary boundaries to GE products. They cite that co-existence is possible.

Nevertheless, European Authorities have detected experimental GE 370, an illegal GE rice that has contaminated a consignment of organic basmati rice. GE Free NZ has written to the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) to check if imported organic rice has been tested and detected with the unapproved GE rice.

"Before any GE exemptions or release, MPI must be resourced and funded with the most current analytical tools for GE detection.” said Claire Bleakley, president of GE Free NZ.

"This incident is a serious reminder that once released, genetically engineered (GE) pollen, plants and seeds have no boundaries. New Zealand is susceptible to climate extremes of floods and winds that will result in GE contamination of the seed supply, which cannot be contained,”

Between 2013-2016, in the US and Canada there were three contamination events detected from the escape experimental GM wheat and Monsanto paid $2million USD compensation. The USDA has recently cleared GM wheat for cultivation there, though it will be some years before it is grown commercially. However, official data show that its performance is poor compared to that of non-GM wheat.

Dominic Reisig's, N.C. State University, research confirmed that genetically engineered Bt corn, modified to produce insecticidal toxins, has failed as the corn root worm has developed resistance to the toxin.

Research led by Dr Michael Antoniou found that GE corn had alterations in “117 proteins and 91 small molecule biochemicals (metabolites)” due to the genetic engineering process.

A 2024 study led by Dr Aline Hoepers and Professor Jack Heinemann found that gene-edited, RNAi-based pest and disease control pesticides using the CRISPR/Cas created unintended harm to beneficial insects and to humans.

Elsewhere in the Global South, resistance to GM remains strong. India’s Supreme Court has ruled that the country must develop a national policy on GM crops through public consultation involving all stakeholders – but farmers’ leaders are unanimous in rejecting GM crops. In Nigeria, government agencies are disagreeing over GMO safety. In Kenya and globally there are strong concerns over seed laws that restrict farmers’ access to seeds.

Meanwhile, non-GM breeding approaches for New Zealand pastures and for corn using agro-ecological systems in the US, continue to deliver excellent benefits, surpassing those of their GM counterparts.

“GE contamination of non-GE crops, insect collapse, and reduced performance of GE crops must be addressed before the Government changes the law and allows unlabelled, untested GE into the environment” said Bleakley. “Farmers’ livelihoods are being threatened by the rabid hands-off approach to GE”

References:

[1] https://www.pressreader.com/india/businessline-chennai-9WVV/20240808/281908778432336

[2] https://gmwatch.org/en/106-news/latest-news/20454

[3] https://www.morningagclips.com/concerns-about-corn-earworm-in-field-corn/

[4] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651324007838#bib33

[5] https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/us-says-genetically-modified-wheat-safe-grow-pending-trials-2024-08-27/

[6] https://biosafety-info.net/articles/agriculture-organisms/gm-wheat-in-argentina-delivering-poor-yields/

[7] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjdkyrk0g0lo

[8] https://germinal.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Germinal-NZ-Seed-Catalogue.pdf

[9]https://2024.terramadresalonedelgusto.com/en/eating-is-an-ecological-and-political-act-an-interview-with-miguel-altieri/

[10] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/10/plummeting-insect-numbers-threaten-collapse-of-nature

[11] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14735903.2013.806408

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