Friday, March 29, 2024

No plans to abandon GMO caution

Neal Wallace
The Government has no plans to loosen rules on genetically modified organisms despite a ryegrass developed here with the technology reducing greenhouse gas and nitrate emissions.
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Environment Minister David Parker said the Government has a precautionary approach to genetic modification and no plans to change it.

AgResearch has reported promising initial results from field trials of its genetically modified High Metabolisable Energy (HME) ryegrass in the United States with 23% less methane emissions from livestock, less nitrate excretion, grass growths rates 50% higher and more resistance to drought.

Food exporters do not seem too anxious to embrace genetic modification technology, with two key players saying it is not a priority.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive Sam McIvor said while it will monitor evolving science and consumer trends, research shows global demand is for red meat that is natural, grass-fed and free of genetic modification, hormones and antibiotics.

“Advocating for the commercial application of genetically modified organisms is currently not a priority for B+LNZ. Our focus is on leveraging our own unique competitive advantage.”

Fonterra’s velocity and innovation chief operating officer Judith Swales said genetically modified organisms are an issue the country and the Government need to discuss and while Fonterra is not anti-GMO it sees value in having options on the technology’s use.

“But the world is changing and we need to listen carefully to customers and consumers. 

“We need to recognise the value in NZ’s global reputation for its current GM status and keep a watching brief.”

GMOs are not banned in NZ with trials regulated under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act.

But the HME ryegrass might never be sown in NZ given what many in the biotechnology community consider is a high approval threshold and opposition from some vocal groups.

Parker acknowledged genetic technology research is changing what is possible across a range of sectors and industries and the Ministry for the Environment is monitoring their relevance to NZ.

But there are no plans to amend laws around NZ testing of GMOs and said given AgResearch and partners own the intellectual property to HME there is potential to license it overseas if that is in the best interests of the shareholding parties and NZ.

Green Party genetic engineering spokesman Gareth Hughes said the party would welcome a national discussion on the technology but believes NZ’s future is in the production and export of organic food.

Agriculture has GMO-free techniques such as nutrient budgeting, livestock breeding and using nitrogen inhibitors to reduce its environmental footprint.

Earlier this year then prime minister’s science adviser Sir Peter Gluckman called for a new debate about genetic engineering saying science has proved the technology is safe.

A University of Saskatchewan study published in the Journal of Commercial Biotechnology found consumers are willing to accept and pay premiums for genetically modified foods provided they have value personally relevant to them.

That means making genetically modified products consumer-centric from research and development through to marketing and not industry-centric, which would mitigate the negatives associated by GMO-food.

University of Auckland business school senior marketing lecturer Mike Lee believes consumers might pay premiums for GMO-free food but the size of premium they say they will pay and what they are prepared to pay could differ.

Consumers would pay premium prices only for NZ produce if all producers are GMO-free.

“Because we are a series of islands we can prove it much easier that we are GE-free.”

Consumers are split into three groups: those totally opposed to the technology and viewing it as unnatural, those concerned at unintended consequences once the technology is released and those who see it as an extension of biotechnology and say humans have always affected nature.

“They’re keen that NZ is not left behind.”

But there is equally an argument that if the technology is adopted there is no going back.

“Farmers and agriculture want to be efficient and take a scientific approach but are currently sitting on the fence. 

“If they choose one side and adopt genetic technology there is no going back.”

NZ’s isolation and demand for GMO-free food from Europe and Asia will prove an advantage but there is no certainty price premiums will cover the cost of conventional production against more competitive suppliers using GMO-technology.

Farming wants and needs products to reduce its environmental footprint.

But the sector’s reputation could be tarnished if it used potential environmental gains from genetically modified products such as grass to ramp up production, effectively nullifying the environmental gains. 

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