| GE
Free New Zealand in Food & Environment,
14th March 2005
Kiwis Mark World Consumers Rights Day : People Around the World
Say No To GMO
Authorities in New Zealand are letting down consumers by denying
basic rights including being able to avoid GE-derived ingredients
in processed foods. World Consumer Rights Day is the right time
for government to improve its record and to support Consumers in
New Zealand.
New information on negative impact on health from some herbicides
means that action is urgently needed to meet Consumers demand to
know what foods contain or come from GMO's and the levels of herbicides
and pesticides in them.
The maker of Agent Orange (Monsanto) is also the chief GE seed manufacturer
(RoundUp Ready Crops). In the last year, journal articles have linked
Round Up use to Non Hodgkins lymphoma and reproductive problems.
After 10 years scientists are still debating the safety of GMO's
in the food chain. The more they know the more they have concerns.
Studies have shown that GMO's bacterial components have survived
ingestion through the human small bowel and been found in the foetuses,
blood and organs of animals.
There are still no diagnostic tests for consumers if they suspect
illness arising from GE ingestion.
"We do not know how safe GMO's are and what health problems
will face us in the future from eating GMO's" said Claire Bleakley
President of GE Free (NZ) in food and environment.
"Many consumers would like to avoid these foods because of
illness, allergy and digestive problems but the largest concern
is the possibility of unknown delayed hazards from ingestion".
GE Free is commending Woolworth's for making a range of fresh breads
without soy flour- soy being one of the most widely GE-contaminated
food crops.
Because staff still cannot say if the soy the company use is GE-Free
the new soy-free line allows the consumers access to fresh bread
without those concerns. Recently Inghams, following Tegel's lead,
agreed to source GE Free feed for their chickens. New Zealand consumers
are still guaranteed that certified Organic foods are the safest
way to source GE and chemical Free foods.
"Consumers demand clear labelling and a moratorium on the use
of GMO's until independent comprehensive tests have been conducted,"
says Claire. "To mark International Consumers Day the New Zealand
government should take action. Otherwise future generations could
be paying for their mistake for yea r s to come".
ENDS:
Claire Bleakley (06)3089842
References:
RI Vazquez Padron et al (1999) Intragastric and intraperitoneal
administration of Cry1Ac protoxin from Bacillus thuringiensis induces
systemic and mucosal antibody responses in mice. Life Sciences,
64, 1897-1912.
NH Fares and AK El-Sayed (1998) Fine structural changes in the ileum
of mice fed on delta-endotoxin-treated potatoes and transgenic potatoes.
Natural Toxins, 6, 219-233.
SWB Ewen an A Pusztai (1999) Effects of diets containing genetically
modified potatoes expressing Galanthus nivalis lectin on rat small
intestine. The Lancet, 354, 1353-1354.
Eske Willerslev , Anders J. Hansen , Jonas Binladen , Tina B. Brand
,M.Thomas P. Gilbert , Beth Shapiro , Mike Bunce , Carsten Wiuf
, David A.Gilichinsky , Alan Cooper (2002) Diverse Plant and Animal
Genetic Records from Holocene and Pleistocene Sediments
Trudy Netherwood, Susanna M Martin-Oure, Anthony O'Donnel, Sally
Gockling, Harry Gilbert and John Mathers (2003) Assessing the survival
of transgenic plant DNA through the human intestinal tract. Nature
Biotechnology. p284-289
World Consumer Rights Day 2005 focus on GMOs
On 15 March
2005, World Consumer Rights Day, consumer organisations all over
the world will say NO to GMOs!
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1.RESOURCES FOR WORLD CONSUMER RIGHTS DAY
http://www.consumersinternational.org/News_Events/world.asp?cat=22®ionid=135
2.World Consumer Rights Day 2005 focus on GMOs
For immediate release
Date: 11 March 2005
It is four days
to go until World Consumer Rights Day on 15 March when Consumers
International (CI) member organisations will act to stop the spread
of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). >From as far and wide
as Lebanon to Switzerland, Thailand to the UK, they will demand
that GM-free crops are protected, GM products are labelled, and
international safety standards are followed.
Consumers have
a right to information, a right to choice and a right to safety.
On Tuesday 15 March consumer organisations will campaign for these
rights to be respected. There must be guarantees that conventional
and organic foods survive and remain widely available. GM-free areas
need to be established and secured, and strict rules introduced
to prevent contamination of GM-free crops. All foods containing
or derived from GMOs must be independently tested and subject to
international safety guidelines. They must also be clearly labelled.
Public opinion
polls show that consumers are concerned about GM foods because of
potential risks to human health. GM technology involves transferring
genes between unrelated species which is completely different from
existing conventional breeding techniques and has yet to be proven
safe. Other major concerns are increased control of the food chain
by corporations, and misleading claims about solving food supply
problems and about the benefits of GMOs to farmers.
David Cuming,
CI GM Campaign Manager says: 'The insertion of GMOs into foodstuffs
threatens fundamental consumer rights. CI is concerned about GMOs
because we have yet to see tangible benefits for consumers and farmers,
while there are potential long-term risks. We campaigned on this
issue in the past and it remains at the top of the consumer agenda.'
CI has released
three fact sheets, for World Consumer Rights Day, covering key issues
on GMOs: Why consumers should take action; Get your food labelled;
and "Co-existence" or GM-free zones? CI members are campaigning
on the streets, lobbying their governments and delegates, sending
letters to international and national authorities and retailers,
increasing public awareness and organising debates. Examples of
World Consumer Right Day activities include:
* In the UK
CI are sending postcards to the delegates of Codex (the committee
responsible for international food standards).
* Consumers of Lebanon have organised a TV talk show to be hosted
on anb channel.
* In Switzerland, Stiftung Für Konsumentenschutz will distribute
information in the market place about GMOs, and campaign outside
parliament as MPs hold a debate on GMOs in agriculture.
* In Thailand, Foundation for Consumers are holding a forum in Parliament
and will demonstrate in front of FDA of the Public Health.
* In Spain, FACUA (Consumers in Action) have launched a website.
These are just
a few examples of the activities of CI members on World Consumer
Rights Day 2005.
For more information
please contact Julia Crosfield or see: www.consumersinternational.org/wcrd
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