"The Impossible" Growing after GM Field Trials

UK Scientists Find "The Impossible" Growing after GM Field Trials

Years after field trials of GM crops ended in the UK a study by scientists has discovered a "superweed" that other scientists claimed was an 'impossibility' at the time of the experiments.

The events surrouding the discovery add to prevous warnings made to New Zealand Crown Research Insitutes and the New Zealand government that field trials can lead to irreversible contamination and put at risk thecountries multi-billio dollar exports in high-quality food products.

" The discovery puts the restoration of the Moratorium in New Zealand firmly back on the agenda,and calls into question the government's refusal to introduce strict liabilty for those responsible " says Jon Carapiet from GE Free NZ in food and environment.

"The issue of ERMA's refusal to require bonds or insurance to fund costs of clean-up and compensation when approving trials that are widely opposed by the public is also ongoing.

Previous projects like PPL's GE sheep project have ended in finacial disaster and left taxpayers exposed to costs as well as soil at the site contaminated.

It is fundamentally unethical for the public and New Zealand's farming community to be forced to carry the risks of trials when the driving force is private profit and gene-patenting that could further impoverish farmers over time.

It is also unacceptable that ERMA has only just completed consulting on its Ethics Framework when AgResearch is sneaking through more projects as a joint venture with an overseas company which has a dismal financial record and is itself trading out of receivership.

"These new findings from the UK Field Trial highlights a issue that is easily as significant as " tax cuts" as it goes to the haert of the country's economy," says Mr Carapiet.

"It is time for Labour's Dr Cullen, National's Mr Key and those from other political parties to address the 6 Billion dollar question: Who pays- The polluter? Or will it be innocent farmers and taxpayers caught out by the greed and intransigence of those wanting to irreversibly force GE into New Zealand's environment?"

ENDS

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