GE Free New Zealand PRESS RELEASE –

8 March 2004

US Contamination Shows Need to Re-establish Moratorium

Studies showing GM crops released in the US have widely 
contaminated conventional crops after only 7 years of 
use is evidence of the need for New Zealand to prevent 
environmental release for the foreseeable future.

The need for international action to prevent new GE crops 
like wheat from contaminating the food supply has become 
more urgent because Monsanto has applied to sell GM wheat 
in New Zealand and Australia despite huge resistance to 
GE varieties.

The contamination of food means organic supplies of some 
crops are doomed and the basic right to avoid experimental 
GE food is being taken away.

"The Biotech industry say they expected this 
contamination but refuse to accept liability.
Their so-called 'co-existence strategy' now appears to 
be a 'replacement strategy'. As their patented 
genes spread there will be nothing untouched,"
says Jon Carapiet from GE free NZ in food and environment.

Liability is once again at the heart of the issue  
as companies push on with the newest GM crops to 
make pharmaceuticals. Scientists warn these "Pharm" 
crops represent a new level of threat to the world's food 
supply.

Until there is a global regulatory system in place to 
prevent contamination and keep GM crops 100% separate, 
any release of these experimental and little-understood 
crops is a potential crime against humanity.

In the light of these new reports and the warnings made 
by scientists last week, GE Free NZ in food and environment 
is calling for the re-instatement of the moratorium on 
applications for GE release.

If ERMA will or cannot say no, the government must call 
a halt to any plans to release GE in New Zealand.

ENDS
Jon Carapiet 09 815 3370

http://www.gmfoodnews.com/