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GE Free New Zealand in Food & Environment,
24th October 2003 Biotech Companies Cause Havoc with GE contamination New reports on GE contamination of the world's food system reveal that biotech companies are set on a path, which knowingly denies people the basic right to choose to avoid GE foods, despite their pretence to the contrary. GE has contaminated Brazil to such a degree, that saved seed from the harvests and the land is polluted. The food industry's answer to the world's starving millions is to cut down the wonderful Amazon rain forest to plant crops that can be sold because they have not yet been contaminated as much as existing plantings. Argentina is also facing the same problems of forest degradation and GE contamination with high levels of pesticides leaching into the whole ecosystem and affecting the health of farmers. It appears that the four major countries growing GE can no longer find land or clean seed to meet the demand coming from all nations for GE Free foods. GE wheat, has been boycotted by the Canadians and other countries, since it is a clear threat to their export markets, yet the biotech industry continues to try and force the introduction anyway. Co-existence has not worked on these vast continents, because of factors like insects that have, for instance, been shown to travel over 26 Km, the wind, and also basic human error. The US government revealed 20% of farmers were already failing to maintain regulatory controls placed on GE crops in the US. New Zealand is a small island buffeted by winds and floods, so GE Free conventional and organic production will be threatened if environmental GE release continues. Birds carrying seeds will disperse them all over the country. The biotech industry is also claiming they will feed the third world by selling their GE seed and chemicals. Food security experts from leading international charities have roundly rejected these claims, pointing to the fact that to date GE plants have lower yields and no cost advantage, except to the patent holder. Nevertheless poor farmers are misled into thinking the new miracle crops will make their lives better and conned into adopting them. If the farmer cannot pay the premium price their land is used as collateral. Thousands of Indian farmers have committed suicide as a result of such debt. This unethical business practice by the biotech industry is in effect a corporate takeover of indigenous land throughout the world. Africa, India and South America have found this to their detriment. New Zealand should be supporting these nations helping defend them against this attack, rather than siding with the multinational corporations. Instead of joining the US case against Europe at the WTO aimed at forcing people to accept GE, New Zealand should be standing up for the values and human rights the public holds dear. "Lets not support the unethical practices of these companies. I hope New Zealanders will boycott the likes of Syngenta and Monsanto products, and buy locally made New Zealand goods." says Claire Bleakley of GE Free NZ in food and environment. "This way a consumer moratorium will overcome the inability of government to abide by the democratic process. We can then have safe GE Free foods for our families and clean seed for the future" says Ms Bleakley. The Minister Marian Hobbs has guaranteed the public that no GE fresh foods will be on the market for at least ten years, if at all. It will be the vigilance of the people of New Zealand that will ensure this promise is kept. Contact Claire Bleakley...... (06) 3089842 |
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GE-Free New Zealandin food and environment (RAGE Inc.) |