Christchurch Venue For GM Brassica Hearing

Christchurch Venue For GM Brassica Hearing

Christchurch will be the venue for an ERMA New Zealand Authority hearing on a Crop and Food Research application to field test four genetically modified brassica species.

ERMA New Zealand Chief Executive, Rob Forlong, said the hearing would begin on 11 April at the Millennium Hotel in Christchurch.

Crop and Food Research applied last year to field test three vegetable (broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower), and one forage brassica (forage kale) in the Lincoln region over 10 years. The application involved modifying the brassica for insect resistance with genes derived from Bacillus thuringensis.

Crop and Food Research have applied to field test on a small scale of around 0.4 hectares, with the plants removed before flowering to prevent the spread of pollen.

Around 960 submissions were received on the application, which closed 12 December 2006. The hearing is open to the public, although only the applicant and those that have made a submission to be heard can participate.

Further information on the background to the application is available on www.ermanz.govt.nz

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