Prism Webcast News

ERMA New Zealand GM Brassica Decision

Thursday, May 31, 2007
Posted in Genetic Engineering | Tagged Genetic Engineering

The Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA New Zealand) has
approved an application by the New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food
Research to field test genetically-modified brassicas in the Lincoln region.

However, ERMA New Zealand has included strict controls to manage the
risk of GM material escaping from the site.

Crop and Food applied for permission to assess the agronomic performance
of four genetically-modified vegetable and forage brassicas - broccoli,
cabbage, cauliflower and forage kale - on a 0.4 hectare plot over a 10-
year period. The brassicas would be modified for resistance to
caterpillar pests like cabbage white butterfly and diamondback moth,
with genes derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringensis.

A public hearing was held in Christchurch last month to consider the
application, which attracted 959 submissions.

The Authority has approved the field test with a number of controls,
including:
- a requirement to prevent the flowering and therefore pollen release of
GM brassicas while they are planted in the field test site;
- a requirement to ensure that all GM brassicas are removed from the
field test site on completion of the research and do not enter the human
or animal food chain, in any form.
- a requirement to monitor the field test site for one year after the
last brassicas have been removed to look for any “volunteer” GM plants.

ERMA New Zealand’s General Manager, New Organisms, Libby Harrison, says
the field test is subject to strict controls to ensure that the GM
brassicas remain contained within the field test site, and do not enter
the food chain.

Dr Harrison would like to thank all submitters and acknowledge their
contribution to the decision-making process.

Application GMF06001
http://www.ermanz.govt.nz/search/registers.html?aid=GMF06001