| GE Free
New Zealand in Food & Environment, 24th August
2004
Welcome Mat for Biotech Investment Must Have Strings Attached
Investment
of overseas money into biotechnology is being welcomed by government
but must be regulated to ensure it is not used for projects unacceptable
to the New Zealand public.
Government has recently committed $15 million of public money to
the biotech sector. Protocols must be developed to ensure the spending
of any future public monies for such research is in the national
interest. This is vital to prevent New Zealand being exploited as
a "wild west" playground for inappropriate and unethical
developments like "pharming".
GE Free NZ welcomes investment in good science that is ethical and
respects the values covered by the Royal Commission on GM, and which
includes the Precautionary Principle. However, it would be unacceptable
for the government to put any more taxpayer money into outdoor GE
crop or animal development. Any misdirected investment into GM/GE
could further threaten the viability of our biggest CRI's.
Genetic engineering (GE) has been found to have deleterious effects
on the health of humans, animals and environment. A recent report
from the National Academy of Sciences revealed gaping holes in the
regulation and safety testing of genetically engineered foods.
The report says regulatory agencies are not capable of spotting
unplanned, manmade, adverse changes brought about in the creation
of biotech foods or determining the human health effects of those
changes.
GE is not a sensible option for our economy. The biotech company
with patents on Transgenic 1(TG1) growth hormone should not be allowed
to proceed until existing evidence of cancer-causing side effects
are understood.
"The risk is that rather than benefiting our economy, we will
find New Zealand vulnerable to the whims of investment entrepreneurs
having contaminated our environment and health into the bargain,"
says Claire Bleakley from GE Free NZ in food and environment.
GE Free New
Zealand totally supports biotechnology that use techniques like
marker assisted breeding to identify traits to create vigorous plants
and animals through natural breeding.
If the Life
Sciences venture capital is being used for the revival of genetic
engineering of our plants and animals there is great danger to the
biosecurity status of New Zealand. As for lab-based work the Bio
Ethics Council needs to be more involved to prevent unethical experiments.
Overseas money should not be used to kick start a GE sector riddled
with poor science, whose outcomes rely on flawed techniques. Throwing
money indiscriminately at the GE sector is a recipe for disaster.
New Zealand has spent billions to preserve our quality products
in a disease free country without genetic engineering. The public
need to have guarantees that this is not to be compromised, and
that investment will be directed into ethically designed, laboratory
contained biotechnology projects.
Claire Bleakley (04) 971 9606 a/h
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/businessstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3583739&thesection=business&thesubsection=technology&thesecondsubsection=bio
The Life Science
Ventures fund headed by Howard Moore will have $100 million
to play with. Picture / Brett Phibbs
Investor to
sow agri-tech seeds NZ HERALD 12.08.2004 By LIAM DANN
Last update: August 21, 2004 at 12:04 AM A butterfly mystery Chao
Xiong, Star Tribune August 21, 2004 MONARCHS0821
http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/4940059.html
VIEWPOINTS: Report takes aim at biotech foods By Todd Leake
Grand Forks Herald, Editorial Sun, Aug. 22, 2004
http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforksherald/news/opinion/9464244.htm
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