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AgResearch for GE Animals to include Human and Monkey DNA - Chimera Abominations to Lead Clean & Green NZ Agriculture

Monday, October 27, 2008
Posted in Genetic Engineering | Tagged Genetic Engineering, NZ Election 2008

Are you aware that the ERMA notified GE animals application seeks to produce commercial milk products. With the possibility of future small commercial GE animal farms to be set up in our region?  Government research institute AgResearch has applied to commercialise Genetically Modified (GE) animals  around New Zealand. They want to be able to recombine genes from different species, using cows, goats, sheep, pigs, deer, llama, horses, rats, mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, and chickens, using cell-lines from humans and monkeys. 

AgResearch has investment from partners overseas for the mass-production of pharmaceuticals using GM animals. Later other nutraceutical food products will be developed. This is the only time we can have input into this application.

 

There are serious risk to our environment, animal and human health issues including unethical use of animals, as well as the impact on the reputation of New Zealand.

 

Please consider these options and send /fax/email today, Submissions close:  31st October 2008

.  The form attached (ERMA submissions) above can be changed, points added to or deleted but have your say now, please.

Option One:

Write your own submission now.

Please use the information provided on this

form to write your own submission.

Different text is available at www.organicnz.org

to copy and paste into a letter or email.

 

Option Two:

Complete this form and send it to ERMA.

Add comments and additional pages needed.

 

Post to

ERMA New Zealand

PO Box 131

Wellington 6140

 

Or e-mail to

Name:                                                                   Date:                             

Address:

Ph/Fax

E-mail                  

I wish to be heard and notified of hearings                     Yes /No

 

I ask ERMA to decline the following applications by AgReseach for commercial production using genetically modified animals in New Zealand:

Application GMC07012 to import live animals, sperm, embryos, human and monkey cell-lines, to develop GE animals;

Application GMD08012 for indoor development; research, breeding and production;

Application GMD07074 development in outdoor containment production.

Application GMF07001 for field tests for commercial production, around the country;

 

I oppose the applications because:

1. This application does not fulfill the requirements of the HSNO Act

 

1. I did not know about this application and there is no risk information for me to make an informed submission.

 

1. There has been inadequate consultation over these generic applications.

 

1. There is not enough risk information to allow this to be approved.

 

1. We have not been consulted about the application and the risks it would pose to our Region.

 

1. We do not want GE conditionally released in our Region.

There is a new scale of risk in the range of animals, locations and unlimited timeframe being proposed.

 

1. Previous trials have highlighted the unacceptable levels of deformities and suffering to our animals. Unethical treatment and suffering of animals is unacceptable. Animal suffering is not justified when there are other methods of producing pharmaceuticals. The Bioethics Council has called for an ethical review of the use of GE animals as ‘models’ of disease.

 

1. There is no way to evaluate the risks to New Zealand economy, people and environment. We do not want to loose New Zealand’s GE free status. Economic studies show this risk discredits our reputation for safe, natural, clean products.

 

9.        There is no information as to any testing they are going to do to evaluate the prevention of risk from creating new diseases and unexpected problems.

 

10.   These broad-ranging proposals are not culturally acceptable

Lack of information makes it impossible to consider ethics and cost-benefits on a case-by-case basis. The Community expects ethical uses of biotechnology, but if approved scrutiny of ethical standards will be lost

 

Signed

 

 

You can also:

Write to Prime Minister Helen Clark and John Key.

Politely ask them to use their ministerial powers to ‘call in’ the applications given the national significance and implications of this application:

 

See the applications:

www.ermanz.govt.nz

 

Read more:

www.giantexperiment.co.nz

www.gefree.org.nz

www.safe.org.nz

www.i-sis.org.nz