GENETIC ENGINEERING
“The seed, the source of life, the embodiment of our biological and cultural diversity, the link between the past and the future of evolution, the common property of past, present and future generations of farming communities who have been seed breeders, is today being stolen from the farmers and being sold back to us as ‘propriety seed’ owned by corporations like the US-headquartered Monsanto.” – Vandana Shiva.
This is a serious situation, and people need to understand the wider implications of the widespread growth of GE technology.
See HERE for the latest NEWS
See HERE for 10 reasons to avoid GMOS.
See HERE for a letter to the minister for food safety on labelling GE food.
See HERE for her reply
See HERE for an article to circulate to your contacts.
New Zealand needs to work to become officially GE free. It will be of great benefit to our health AND our exports. Keep in touch with what is going on in New Zealand HERE
See the trailer for a new movie: Scientists under Attack – Genetic Engineering in the magnetic Field of Money-
ACTION REQUIRED!
1. Please contact your local Plunket and demand GE free baby formula:
Parents Warned Over Oz Baby Formula (GE-Free NZ Press release, 10 May 2011)
Parents may want to avoid Nestle and Heinz infant formula made in Australia, and to stock up on organic New Zealand-made products, after the companies announced they will accept GM contaminants in their products.(1)
The shock announcement by the manufacturers through the Infant Nutrition Council (INC) puts them at loggerheads with consumers seeking safe, organic and GM-free foods. It also signals the risk of novel gene constructs overwhelming the integrity of segregation and tracking systems vital for food safety.
The decision to accept GM contamination rather than maintain a GM-Free policy and best-practice to purge GM-derived ingredients, also puts Nestle and Heinz in line for future lawsuits, just as companies faced with the unexpected long-term harm from asbestos.(2)
Some approved GM ingredients are known to cause harm in animal feeding experiments (3). GE-derived ingredients could have lifelong effects in infants as signalled in recent research on epigenetic effects by Professor Peter Gluckman from The University of Auckland, and his colleagues at University of Southampton.(4)
Dr Gluckman’s work shows the complex cascade of genetic effects impacted by diet, including long-term effects of the maternal diet even from the moment of conception.The epigenetic effects of genetically modified contaminants in the diet of neonatals is completely unknown.
The announcement by Nestle and Heinz say it is impractical to supply GM-free products from Australia but it does not say:
- if Heinz will cease to produce organic baby food products
- if the companies will monitor and withdraw products when illegal GM ingredients are found in the product or when a GM ingredient is found to be harmful
- if they will provide advice for consumers to diagnose potential effects from GM
- if they have insurance against unintended harm resulting from their decision to accept GM-derived ingredients
“This is an alarming decision. These companies are choosing not to keep GM contaminants out of baby formula because it’s too hard,” says Jon Carapiet from GE-Free NZ In food and environment.
“Not maintaining segregation in the supply chain for baby food is totally unacceptable.”
Officially-approved ingredients like maize MON 863 are entering the food supply yet have been shown to cause harm in feeding studies. It is beholden on the manufacturers to stop it from entering their products, especially in nutrition for infants.
According to the report by Food News, New Zealand’s Fonterra is sitting on the fence about whether it will aim to keep GM contamination out of any infant nutrition formula it produces.
“Fonterra has to commit to providing a secure and safe supply of GM-free ingredients for infant formula that kiwi parents can trust,” says Jon Carapiet. “Many millions of parents around the world will also want those products.”
It would be an act of deliberate self-sabotage if Fonterra refuses to maximise the integrity of its supply chain and protect the reputation of New Zealand-made products as clean, green, GM-free, natural and 100% safe.
Jon Carapiet
Food producers operating in Australia admit GM free is impossible
Transnational food corporations headed by Nestlé, Heinz and New Zealand-based Fonterra have announced through their lobby organisation, the Infant Nutrition Council (INC), that it is impossible to produce, in Australia, infant formula that is free of genetically modified ingredients
http://www.foodnews.co.nz/20188/food-producers-operating-in-australia-admit-gm-free-is-impossible/
http://www.non-gm-farmers.com/news_details.asp?ID=311
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/GMmaizeMON863toxic.php
http://www.liggins.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/home/about/research-themes/developmentalepigenetics
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Find out about Genetic Engineering and its danger to the future of our food.
MORE ACTION!
2. Contact companies and ask what there policy is on GE food.
3. Write to your mayor and ask for your city to become GE free.
4. Ask at plant barns whether the plants of seeds that you purchase are GE free.
5. If you drink Soy milk – ask at your cafe if they are using GE free soy milk. This is a small thing to do but it builds AWARENESS !
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Hon David Carter, Minister of Agriculture wrote to The Awareness Party 9/10/11. He said:
The New Zealand position on GM labeling is mandated by the New Zealand Government and has been for many years. To allow consumer choice, all foods, food ingredients or additives sold in New Zealand must be labeled as GM where novel DNA and /or protein is present in the final food.
This statement is in conflict with the information that we have researched and written in our letter. We will await the reply from Hon, Kate Wilkinson.
We believe we need to inform some manufacturers of this and request from Hon Carter what steps the government is taking to ensure we retain this right.
If the government signs the TPPA in November, we will undoubtedly loose it. See our TPPA page HERE.
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