Posted Mon, 26/10/2009 - 19:00
Food Safety Minister Kate Wilkinson needs to ensure a comprehensive review of the labeling of genetically engineered (GE) food ingredients and GE food safety in New Zealand, now that 40 different GE food applications have been approved for use in New Zealand, including foods derived from 61 GE plant lines (1), according to the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand. Soil & Health says the latest approvals (2) have gone through despite an increase in evidence of the health risks from GE food.
Posted Thu, 22/10/2009 - 15:45
Thursday, 22 October 2009 19:48
GM food can cause cancer
Down to Earth, October 31 2009
http://downtoearth.org.in/full6.asp?foldername=20091031&filename=inv&sec...
French scientist Gilles-Eric Seralini unmasked the dangers of genetically modified brinjal, almost approved for commercial production in India. He shared with Savvy Soumya Misra his findings on Bt brinjal and Roundup Ready soybean
*On the data submitted on Bt brinjal by Mahyco for approval from the Indian government
The data submitted to the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (geac) of the Union environment ministry is not valid; it has not been signed by the scientist who conducted the tests. What is more scandalous is that the studies on the effects of Bt brinjal were conducted for just three months.
If the product is to be consumed by humans, the tests should have been for a period of at least two years—the lifespan of a rodent.
Posted Mon, 19/10/2009 - 12:09
- Animals have become seriously ill or died from Genetically Engineered (GE) foods
- Hazardous genes from GE foods that you eat can become inserted into your own genes
- An unexpected poison killed 37 persons eating a food supplement produced by GE bacteria. This disaster was not coincidental:
- Top researchers confirm that genetic engineering is inherently unsafe and unpredictable.
Posted Tue, 25/08/2009 - 16:54
www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=1058992...
Jon Carapiet: AgResearch proposals tantamount to economic suicide
4:00AM Tuesday Aug 11, 2009
NZ HERALD
Jon Carapiet says flirtations with genetic modification put our clean-green brand at risk.
The recent opinion piece by Federated Farmers' John Hartnell painted an inaccurate picture of concerns about genetic modification. It also failed to appreciate why it is vital for New Zealand to protect its genetic modification-free production system.
Posted Tue, 18/08/2009 - 16:50
NZ FARMERS WEEKLY "GE free status big plus for NZ" 18 August 2009, p. l4
New Zealand's GM-free status is worth potentially huge money for us says John Bostock.
The Hawke's Bay-based entrepreneur and food exporter said he made a significant premium on export maize to Japan and Korea compared with maize from the US which is now impossible to guarantee as GM-free.
He exported both conventional and organic food grade maize to these markets, where it is used for human consumption, making starch or animal feed.
Posted Sat, 15/08/2009 - 20:33
GE TELEPHONE POLL IN AUCKLAND AND NORTHLAND PENINSULA (COLMAR BRUNTON)
Posted Mon, 15/06/2009 - 19:00
GE FREE NORTHLAND Press Release
15 June 2009
GE FREE NORTHLAND applauds a High Court ruling that has overturned ERMA's (Environmental Risk Management Authority) decision to accept applications from AgResearch to release GM animals throughout New Zealand.
The Auckland Regional Council's (ARC) elected representative on the Inter Council Working Party on GMO Risk Evaluation & Options, Cr Brent Morrissey, said in the ARC's 11 June 2009 Press Release
Posted Thu, 11/06/2009 - 19:00
11 June 2009:
Auckland Regional Council Media release
A High Court ruling overturning the government’s Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) decision to accept GMO applications from AgResearch is applauded by the Auckland Regional Council (ARC).
In 2007, the ARC adopted a precautionary position in relation to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in response to both concerns expressed by a significant number of communities and individuals, as well as some serious questions around local government liability should things go wrong.
Posted Sun, 07/06/2009 - 19:00
GE FREE NZ Press Release 7 June 2009
In a precedent setting case, the High Court has upheld the appeal by GE Free NZ in Food and Environment against ERMA and AgResearch.
After 12 weeks of deliberation, Justice Clifford found that ERMA erred in receiving the applications from AgResearch and has declared them invalid. The decision sets aside the decisions by ERMA to proceed with the applications. ERMA is to take no further steps toward hearing and assessing the applications.
Posted Tue, 14/04/2009 - 19:00
Tuesday, 14 April 2009, 9:19 am
Press Release: GE Free NZ
GM Crop Failure Offers a Cautionary Warning For Farmers
New Zealand farmers must learn from the experience of farmers overseas and resist pressure to weaken regulations around the safety of genetically engineered organisms (GEO’s), from groups promoting their release.
Posted Mon, 13/04/2009 - 13:36
It is a scientifically well recognized fact that genetic engineering can cause the appearance of unexpected very harmful substances. Therefore a very careful procedure is necessary for establishing the safety of GE foods. However this is not the case.
Posted Mon, 13/04/2009 - 13:13
The result of genetic engineering is therefore inherently unpredictable
Gene technology is based on the belief that genes are carriers of single traits. So it was believed that you can transfer traits by transferring single genes. Now it has been proven beyond any reasonable doubt that this is wrong through research organized by the United States National Human Genome Research Institute.
Become active and let central GOVERNMENT and local NORTHLAND MP'S know that you don't want Genetically Engineered organisms released into the environment or Genetically Engineered ingredients in the national food supply.
USE YOUR CLOUT AS A CONSUMER TO ONLY SUPPORT COMPANIES THAT ARE COMMITTED TO BEING GE FREE
THIS IS EASY : USE THE GREENPEACE TRUEFOOD GUIDE:
http://www.greenpeace.org.nz/truefood or ring 0 800 223343
Posted Fri, 10/04/2009 - 19:00
GE FREE NORTHLAND Press Release
10 April 2009
GE FREE NORTHLAND is delighted that Auckland and Northland communities will have an opportunity to air their views on genetic engineering and give their opinion on how the Auckland and Northland councils should deal with field trials and/or commercial releases of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Primary producers and environmental organisations like GE FREE NORTHLAND have praised the innovative work of the Inter Council Working Party.
Posted Sun, 25/01/2009 - 20:00
Sunday, 25 January 2009, 12:09 pm
Press Release: GE Free NZ
Public Forced to Pay for Officials to Investigate GE Trial Breach
Date: 24th January 2009
Representatives from the NGO* community-group GE-Free NZ and the Soil and Health Association met with Federated Farmers, OANZ*, HortNZ* and MAFBNZ* to present photographic evidence of the regulatory breaches of the GE brassica trial (GMF06001).
Posted Thu, 25/09/2008 - 15:30
Source: http://www.madge.org.au/health.php
See also http://www.madge.org.au/Docs/allergy-report.pdf to read the updated full report into allergies in Australia (Updated 2008-09-25)
MADGE looked at the approvals of GM foods in Australia and compared them to Australian hospital admission rates for anaphylaxis. Our graph shows a strong correlation between the two.
We are calling for:
* An urgent investigation into the possible link between food allergies and GM foods
* Full labelling of all GM foods to allow traceability of possible adverse health effects
MADGE research has uncovered:
1. A study predicting that Monsanto’s Roundup Ready canola (GM) could prove allergic to people with sensitivities to red shellfish (prawns, shrimp, lobster).
Posted Thu, 11/09/2008 - 19:00
Whangarei District Council Media Release - (11 September 2008)
Whangarei Mayor Stan Semenoff has strongly endorsed calls for the Northland and Auckland Regional Councils to ban field trialling or release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) until all issues surrounding them are resolved.
Whangarei District Council’s environment committee today unanimously supported an inter-council working party recommendation to prohibit GMO trialling and release until liability, economic costs and benefits, environmental risks and cultural/community concerns were satisfied.
Posted Tue, 31/10/2006 - 20:00
GE-Free New Zealand in food and environment
NEWS - PRESS RELEASES
31/10/2006 GM cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli - Field Trial
GE Free NZ says the application submitted by Crop and Food to ERMA for a field trial on GM cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli should be halted. They regard the application as foolhardy and economically unsound, noting that the EU and Japan have closed their markets to GM imports. "Consumers do not trust GM and will not spend money buying it," said Claire Bleakley of GE Free NZ.
Posted Wed, 10/09/2003 - 19:00
GE FREE RALLY 16 NOVEMBER 2002
Address by Dr. Jane Kelsey, Professor of Law at Auckland University and member of Action, Research and Education Network of Aotearoa (ARENA)
Question: What does so-called 'free trade' have to do with GE?
Answer: Absolutely everything!
No to GE means No the World Trade Organisation!
That was a key message of the protests against the WTO in Sydney this week, although the media seemed determined to keep the actual issues off the front page.
