Genetically Modified Seeds Imported to New Zealand
The New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) is investigating how genetically modified (gm) seeds of sweet corn was knowingly cleared to enter New Zealand in October 2006.
The two consignments totaling 1,800 kilogram of gm sweetcorn originating from the United States was cleared by the quarantine service run by MAF. Each consignment had a certificate that showed that the seeds had not been gm but there was documentation available that showed that the two consignments had a presence of gm. Jeanette Fitzsimons, spokesperson for genetic engineering and the leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, said: “I am absolutely shocked and angered that 1.8 tonnes of sweet corn seeds crossed our border, even though the accompanying testing documentation showed that it was contaminated with GE.” Read more »