15 May 2002

A resubmitting of Agresearch's application on GE cows is nothing more than a revamp of the original application, Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said today.

"There is no better science in the new application than in the one withdrawn in April. It is still the same broad, vague application to put pretty much any genes they like from cattle, sheep, deer, goats, mice or humans into GE cows.

"The first application was apparently withdrawn to resolve "technical details". Given that pretty much nothing has changed, the same flaws in the first application still apply to the new application too."

Ms Fitzsimons said the application would still allow Agresearch to develop unlimited numbers of a wide range of transgenic cows, without telling us which genes and associated genetic material they intend to use, and without going back to the Environmental Risk Management Authority for further approval.

"ERMA has asked submitters to indicate if they want to transfer their previous submission over to this application. The Green Party will definitely do so, and I predict the rest of the 300 applicants will too.

"The best thing about this new application is that new submissions can also be made until 27 June. I hope many more New Zealanders will make it their mission to stop this country becoming the GE "pharming" center of the world."

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