Lack of nutrients in our food

Top scientist talks on the lack of nutrients in our food.Demand for government to fund research into Organics.

Dr Martina Newell-McGloughlin of Davis pharmaceuticals recently hosted by the US embassy told of the effects of the green revolution having resulted in denuded and nutritionally depleted foods due to chemical pesticides, herbicides and radiation techniques. All these techniques have now so degraded our food supply that additives are becoming essential to ensure our nutritional needs are met. This recognition by a leading researcher is insightful. GE FREE NZ believes that GE solutions will further exacerbate these problems, despite claims that GE will be used to boost nutrients.

Claire Bleakley of GE Free (NZ) said " Safe and sustainable agricultural
solutions such as integrated pest management (IPM) and organic farming
options need research funding, especially for New Zealand, and the opportunity for its clean green image uncontaminated by GMO's. Scientists are recommending that these proven methods should be funded yet government is not listening."

Entitled "Biotechnology: Promise or Peril?", Dr Martina Newell-McGloughlin of spoke of GE work her company was undertaking, advocating the need to eat safe nutritional food to stay healthy, she alluded to seed production processes eg.radiation as well as chemical overuse having destroyed minerals and vitamins in natural healthy food, yet overlooked organic growing as a means of ensuring adequate quantities.

She admitted that there had been no safety tests considering the health
implications or pathogens created by the GE process. When questioned over
the "pharming " of vaccines in crops she said that "Even one seed in 10,000
was too large a risk if it got into the food chain, discussing also the
problem of gene spread, recognising that pollen would outcross easily and be
uncontrollable. GE "pharmplants" should be grown in "covered containment
facilities" she said.

This concern is ironic given a Rangiora farmers statement that he intends to offer his land for Pharming experiments.

"Although this was an industry talk to promote her company in NZ," said Claire Bleakley of GE Free NZ in Food and Environment, "the speaker revealed the urgent need for greater informed debate on the benefits and risks to the New Zealand environment and its economy ".

"The NSW government are joining Tasmania and other states moving to ban commercial GE food crops for three to five years . Why is New Zealand going in the opposite direction?"

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