Public Urged to oppose GE wheat Application
A campaign urging New Zealanders to oppose Monsanto's application for importation of GE wheat is hotting up following
the publication of advertisements in the Weekend Herald and on-line.
The application is currently before Food Standards Australia New Zealand (the Trans-Tasman authority formerly ANZFA),
but is raising international concern. Farmers and international markets fear widespread contamination if GE wheat is
authorised for North America.
The application, made at the same time as one for import of GE sugar beet – now has an extended deadline for public
submissions to April 12.
The reasons for the extension is believed to be concerns about the legality of any decision given that the data supposed
to be used to assess the application and available to submitters only recently arrived in New Zealand. It is understood
the documentation only exists in hard copy at a single Wellington location and submitters have to pay $25 to view it.
The application for GE wheat does not include a request to grow the crop in New Zealand but past experience shows if
commercialised overseas contamination of the conventional wheat supply is virtually guaranteed.
"There is huge concern that approval of commercial GE wheat crops will force acceptance of GE contamination in all
wheat; as is happening with GE soy, canola, maize and other GE crops," says Jon Carapiet from GE Free NZ in food and
environment.
The farmers and markets around the world are saying they don’t want GE wheat, yet Monsanto looks intent on literally
forcing it onto the market. The consumer is no longer king, but instead is now the guineapig.
Like other herbicide-resitant crops, Monanto's GE wheat may result in more toxic sprays ending up in food because the GE
crop survives spraying and can as a result absorb the RoundUp used.
The campaign to encourage New Zealanders to make submissions includes websites where people can send their comments.
People are also being encouraged to copy their submissions to representatives of North America's wheat industry warning
of the threat GE wheat presents to farmers already losing markets because of other GE contamination.