Dr Denis Avery, a visiting United States scientist who has been quoted in
the New Zealand media rubbishing organic agriculture, is not the unbiased
voice he claims to be.

"This pro-chemical, anti-organics advocate is not an independent or a
scientific authority on agriculture," Green Party Agriculture Spokesperson
Ian Ewen-Street said today.

"Research by the Green Party shows he is a paid propagandist for
multinational chemical and agribusiness companies, including genetic
engineering front-runners Monsanto and Zeneca."

Mr Ewen-Street said that he had confirmed Mr Avery worked for the Hudson
Institute, and that the Hudson Institute was a right-wing think tank, well
known for lobbying on the Republican and extreme Right side of the American
political spectrum.

The companies which funded the institute, and which in effect paid Mr Avery
to sing an anti-organics tune, included the giant transnational food trade
firms Cargill, ConAgra, H.J. Heinz, McDonalds and Philip Morris, the
chemical transnationals Ciba-Geigy, Bristol Myers Squibb, Dow Elanco, Du
Pont and Procter and Gamble, and last but far from least the genetic
engineering leaders Zeneca and Monsanto.

"Once again New Zealanders are being subjected to a disinformation campaign
orchestrated by powerful global interests, which care only for their profits
and not for our health and well-being," Mr Ewen-Street said. "The Fourth
Estate in New Zealand needs to be wary of being used by big business in this
way."

ends

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