The High Court appeal by Federated Farmers against local level oversight of GMOs is misguided and damaging to New Zealand's future export success.
Despite claims by the Life Sciences Network's former advocate William Rolleston, who now heads Federated Farmers, the country had benefitted from keeping GE out of our farms and fields.
New Zealand has had no commercial GE release or contamination that would threaten our quality and clean green reputation internationally.
"New Zealand producers and exporters should soundly reject any misguided efforts to force GE into the New Zealand agricultural sector," said Jon Carapiet, spokesman for GE-Free NZ.
The agenda of some special interests to push GE here poses a serious threat that undermines brand New Zealand's global reputation. The leadership of Federated Farmers is behind the times and out of touch with the consumer demand for GE-free products. The push to remove local oversight is an attempt to destroy the idea of regional GE-free zones that most New Zealanders want to preserve.
"Federated Farmers is wanting to take the country in the opposite direction from our consumers and markets overseas," says Mr. Carapiet.
Federated Farmers are now challenging controls in regional plans instead of backing a national policy to maintain and market our clean, GE-free produce.
It is incomprehensible that a leading organisation supposedly representing the views of farmers is bent on destroying the consensus that has kept production free of GE contamination, and with it New Zealand's brand positioning and superiority.
References:
http://web.gefreenorthland.org.nz/press-releases/local-government/00168-ge-it%E2%80%99s-our-right-to-decide
www.organicnz.org.nz/node/1102
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/201788660/farmers-challenge-ge-ruling-in-high-court
ENDS:
Jon Carapiet, 0210507681
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