Major Problems for Bio-Security as AgResearch Chops Roles

Major Problems for Bio-Security as AgResearch Chops Roles

May 20, 2011 - The GE animal facility at Ruakura could be further compromised with the announcement that AgResearch is downsizing its executive positions.

“There are serious concerns about the GE facility management at Ruakura," says Claire Bleakely from GE Free NZ in food and environment. "The last time there was a merger of two Government research organisations, a serious breach of protocols threatened biosecurity and resulted in the termination of the GE field trial."

Prior to the latest AgResearch announcement GE-Free NZ approached Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) with concerns over possible escape of GE micro organisms from the AgResearch facility. This included evidence of years of sub-standard environmental research meant to test the effect of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in soil.

However ERMA will not consider these issues for re-assessment until a payment of a fee to process the application is made.

“Regulatory officials seem unwilling to act on bio-security concerns we have raised,” said Mrs. Bleakley "The public are being charged a fee for notifying a breakdown in GE-safety controls. This is a breakdown in regulation of the facility, with the possibility of escape of viable GE material from the flooded Ruakura site posing a significant potential risk to dairy farmers in the Waikato region."

The scientific information provided to ERMA in March 2011 asked for re-assessment based on new data in an independent review of AgResearch's HGT testing. The review by Heinemann and colleagues at the Centre for Integrated Research in Biosafety Institute (INBI) was published in the Journal of Organic Systems.

In 2002, AgResearch was charged to gather comprehensive HGT data from transgenic animals under field trial conditions, intended to be cutting edge New Zealand research that would inform the international scientific community.

The review by INBI has raised serious questions as to the adequacy of the HGT micro-organism testing regime and doubts whether it was robust enough to meet even the most basic standards expected by the regulator. The experimental design was further compromised by the actual depth at which the samples were taken. In effect the testing was done on soil that had never been near the pits or carcasses.

The failure by ERMA to scrutinise data is compounded by ambiguity in the safety controls around the containment of GE animals. The points raised are of national importance. Every day that ERMA delays action there is the possibility that New Zealand's biosecurity and economy is at risk.

In summary, the country's major GE animal research centre has failed to conduct adequate soil testing, has water contaminated with blood run-off escaping from the facility into local waterways, and is now about to 'let go' the person who has been in charge of horrific animal experiments. And no one is doing anything about it.

GE-Free NZ will be considering options for further action on this seriously concerning situation.

ENDS

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