Denial of GM Labelling Could Prompt Boycott of US Goods

Public support for labelling of GM foods, and the urgent need for increased testing for contamination, could see a backlash against US companies if the US government tries to ban labelling under the TPPA.

A new report by the Sustainability Council shows New Zealanders strongly support the right to choose what we eat.(1)

The EU has also mandated labelling and has recently announced a review of rice imports from China after finding contamination by illegal GE variants.

"We have asked the Minister to urgently instigate testing of imported rice in New Zealand following the EU announcement. The identification of contamination in Europe shows the importance of testing, traceability, and labelling in the interest of food safety globally," says Jon Carapiet from GE-free NZ in food and environment.

There is concern that the secret negotiations for the TPPA trade deal will betray consumers and undermine bio-security by forbidding labelling and forcing acceptance by farmers of GE contaminated-seed.

However worldwide consumer resistance to such US corporate lobbying and bullying could see a widespread boycott of US goods.

New Zealand's exports of clean, green, GE-free and organic produce and our reputation as a tourist destination are directly threatened by any deal that weakens bio-security, including any attempt to abandon our gold-standard zero-contamination threshold in seed.
ENDS

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