Advanta moves seed production to New Zealand to maintain GE purity

Friday 2 June 2000

Advanta, the company at the centre of the current storm over GE crop contamination in Europe, has moved some of their seed production facilities to New Zealand, so as to maintain GE purity, Greenpeace revealed today.

“This move indicates that, globally, New Zealand is still regarded as a safe haven where genetic pollution can be avoided. Whilst the Royal Commission of Inquiry starts proceedings any day now to decide what path New Zealand should take with regard to genetic engineering, business moves like this already demonstrate that New Zealand stands to gain by maintaining our current ban on commercial GE crops” said Tricia Allen, Campaigns Director for Greenpeace New Zealand.

“Business confidence in our GE-free status as a nation - like this move demonstrated by Advanta - would also open the door to becoming an organic nation” said Tricia Allen.

David Buckridge, the European Business Director for Advanta, said that they had moved some of their production to New Zealand recently, as it is one country in the world where no GE production currently takes place. But, he added, “what happens if New Zealand approves GM? Where do we go then?”.

Some 40 million acres of GE crops are under cultivation worldwide, much of this in the USA and Canada. Advanta abandoned producing seed in western Canada last year because the risk of cross pollination from GE crops was now too high. Their subsequent decision to move to New Zealand, New Brunswick in eastern Canada and Montana in the States, was made so as to eliminate risks of GE contamination.

ENDS

For more information, contact Tricia Allen

on 09 630 6317 or 025 790 817.

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