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Advanta moves seed production to NZ for purity
Advanta moves seed production to New Zealand to maintain
GE purity
Friday 2 June 2000
Advanta, the
company at the centre of the current storm over GE crop
contamination in Europe, has moved some of their seed
production facilities to New Zealand, so as to maintain GE
purity, Greenpeace revealed today.
“This move
indicates that, globally, New Zealand is still regarded as
a safe haven where genetic pollution can be avoided. Whilst
the Royal Commission of Inquiry starts proceedings any day
now to decide what path New Zealand should take with regard
to genetic engineering, business moves like this already
demonstrate that New Zealand stands to gain by maintaining
our current ban on commercial GE crops” said Tricia Allen,
Campaigns Director for Greenpeace New Zealand.
“Business confidence in our GE-free status as a nation -
like this move demonstrated by Advanta - would also open
the door to becoming an organic nation” said Tricia
Allen.
David Buckridge, the European Business
Director for Advanta, said that they had moved some of
their production to New Zealand recently, as it is one
country in the world where no GE production currently takes
place. But, he added, “what happens if New Zealand approves
GM? Where do we go then?”.
Some 40 million acres of
GE crops are under cultivation worldwide, much of this in
the USA and Canada. Advanta abandoned producing seed in
western Canada last year because the risk of cross
pollination from GE crops was now too high. Their
subsequent decision to move to New Zealand, New Brunswick
in eastern Canada and Montana in the States, was made so as
to eliminate risks of GE contamination.
ENDS
For more information, contact Tricia Allen
on 09 630 6317 or 025 790 817.
Greenpeace
Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice.
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace.
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