GE Contamination
Dangers to our health and environment
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In the previous post, I looked at National’s GE Policy, which I believe is based on propaganda and unrealistic, deceptive claims.
Among other things, National claims by their relaxing GE regulations NZ will benefit from advances in gene technology, which will help combat climate change, advance healthcare, benefit agriculture, improve crop yields, protect the environment, safeguard water quality, reduce pesticide use, help grow the economy, boost exports, reduce living costs and lift incomes.
Other countries who have few if any regulations have failed to realize the above.
In this article, I’ll continue addressing the red flags.
1. GE Contamination of Our Health, Our Environment, Our Heritage
There is no evidence that GMOs currently on the market show increased yields, enhanced nutrition, drought tolerance or any other consumer benefit.
Where is the proof those countries with relaxed or no GE regulations are better off than us? Where is the proof that taking such an enormous risk with our clean, green natural environment will result in any benefits? There is proof of many GMO harms.
Have GMOs resulted in less poisoning of our environment? No! GE crops have significantly increased pesticide and herbicide use. And this increase has led to the emergence of herbicide-resistant ‘super-weeds’, requiring even more toxic sprays.
The U.S.A. have mucked around with gene technology for years now. Are their people healthier? No! They are sicker. How many people have suffered because the U.S. approved herbicide-resistant GMOs? Herbicides, like glyphosate in Roundup, have been closely linked to cancer.
The rosy GMO promises of yesteryear not only failed dismally but caused harm. Today, the same propaganda is being used to deceive us into thinking GE is our saviour—we will be bathing in wealth and health!
Other countries have contaminated elements of their natural environment. Do we want to lose our clean, green economic and marketing advantage?
Cross pollination does happen between GE and non-GE crops. Insects, birds and the wind can carry pollen and seeds great distances. Beneficial insects, spiders, worms and soil microbes have been killed or damaged from GE insect-resistant plants that exude toxins. It is impossible to contain GMO once out in the field.
The Scottish Government refuses to risk Scotland’s clean, green image, so why is the National Government keen to ruin New Zealand’s?
From the article: Why have the Scottish Government banned GM crops? The Scottish National Party (SNP) has been in power since 2007.
Scotland is world renowned for its natural, high quality food and drink, and this is greatly promoted both at home and abroad by our reputation for being clean and green. This is a key strength of Scottish agriculture – so it’s important that we take steps to protect this.
The use of GM crops could threaten the integrity of this brand, and therefore banning their cultivation is central to its protection and promotion.
New Zealand is a beautiful, remote island nation—we are in an ideal location to protect what is natural in our world. In the past, after massive push back from concerned citizens, we are so lucky that our previous leaders listened and had the foresight to protect our heritage.
In a lab, only the target organism is affected, but in the field everything that is sprayed with the new gene technologies (i.e. deceptively named New Breeding Techniques) will be doused in the stuff—including all that is beneficial. No one knows beforehand what unintended, short and long-term consequences will follow. And obviously, labelling these GE casualties will be impossible.
By relaxing the GE regulations, humans and animals could be exposed to gene-altering pesticides. See here: Scientists Sound the Alarm over Gene Altering Pesticides.
The study found that unintended activity of the CRISPR/Cas gene-editing tool occurred in 12 out of the 18 species of non-target organisms investigated. The genomic regions affected included genes involved in the formation of the central nervous system in the honeybee to several pathways related to cancer and hormone metabolism in humans.
Prof. Jack Heinemann
On Reality Check Radio with Paul Brennan, Prof. Jack Heinemann, a geneticist from Canterbury University NZ talks about National’s plan to remove environmental safeguards for GMO trials.
In this three minute clip, Prof. Heinemann talks about the new gene editing tools that allow entire fields to be sprayed with genome editors. It will be impossible NOT to contaminate the environment. No plant or creature will be safe from GE adulteration.
Here is another clip from the same interview. Prof. Heinemann talks about an experiment that had undesired, harmful consequences and how deregulation will allow such consequences to go unnoticed.
You can listen to the entire talk here.
It is not hard to see, the more nations have turned their backs on the natural world, the sicker people have become.
In the Western World, clean water, improved sanitation, electricity and the like led to healthier, longer lives, but now that benefit is quickly eroding as we bathe ourselves in a world of chemicals, unnatural gene-edited concoctions, and the like.
Unfortunately, these proposed biotechnology laws will not only change the face of our beautiful GMO-free nation forever, but will also result in increased ill-health. Once out of the bottle, you cannot go back to the way it was.
The laws do not need relaxing, they need tightening. The only people who benefit from GMOs are those with vested interests.
2. Climate and GE
There is NO proof that climate is going to change in any great hurry. The International Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) have had to keep reducing their predictions. Their latest global warming predictions are now absolutely insignificant. They predict by 2050 temperatures will increase by a measly 0.0084°C, which is below the ability to accurately measure.
Methane makes up only 0.0166% of the gases in the atmosphere. That's the total methane, all of the methane coming out of the oceans, out of volcanoes, and so forth. Also methane is not stable. It is destroyed before it reaches the upper atmosphere. Therefore, do you think methane can have any effect on climate change? Only those with ulterior motives or the misinformed would say that it does.
Why is so much money being wasted on developing a likely harmful mRNA vaccine to reduce methane emissions? Methane is NOT a problem. As methane only makes up 0.0166% of the gases in the atmosphere, NZ farm animals would contribute almost zilch!
For more information on climate see: Is Climate Change Real? Do humans have anything to do with it?
In this short clip below, taken from the RCR replay on the dangers of deregulating biotechnology, Guy Hatchard talks about GE and patented technology that locks farmers into the system, and the government’s thrust to develop mRNA vaccines for animals to reduce METHANE emissions. AgriZero has already had millions of dollars from the government. They describe themselves as a world-first, public-private partnership focused on helping farmers cut emissions and maintain their competitive edge. AgriZero has invested in a Bill Gates start-up company. In effect, NZ is giving money to BILL GATES!
What a waste of taxpayers’ money! It is beyond comprehension that anyone would believe injecting cows with mRNA vaccines will help mitigate climate change! But then, if something doesn’t make sense, follow the money. Think of all the money to be made from mRNA ‘vaccines’ designed for farm animals! How many vaccinated animals will suffer from Sudden Animal Death Syndrone (SADS)?
Climate change has only got the momentum it has got because of indoctrination/propaganda from very powerful vested interests via their captured legacy media.
If you believe in the climate change narrative or not, there is NO proof that GE can mitigate the effects of climate change. To say that it can is irrational.
However, there are tried and true and safe ways forward. There are natural growing methods that out perform GE crops. Therefore, it is MADNESS to take any risks and ruin our clean, green, GE-free image.
This 5 minute clip from the previous post is worth listening to again. Prof Michael Antoniou, Prof. of Molecular Genetics and Toxicology Kings College London, clearly explains why GE is NOT the way to go and why natural breeding techniques are far superior. You can listen to the full RCR interview here.
And from 7 Facts About Genetically Engineered Food:
A 30-year study carried out by the Rodale Institute, USA, found that GE crops have no overall improvement in yield compared to the same non-GE crops. The study showed that crops, performance, cost and yield from organic growing outperformed conventional growing methods, especially in climate-disturbed (eg floods, droughts) years.
The breeding of improved, often heritage, seed varieties is now faster than GE, because of non-GE lab techniques. Heritage varieties of crop plants are often well adapted to a range of climatic and soil conditions.
3. Fear of Missing Out & Abundance
The National Party says if we do not relax the ‘ban’ on GE, NZ will miss out on so much. But what will we miss out on? More expensive failures and unhealthy, synthetic ‘food’, which will drive sickness and create an even bigger market for big pharma.
Claire Bleakley from GE Free NZ talks about Daisyland GM Dairy in this RCR Replay and more. GM dairy is synthetic and full of chemicals. They call it vegan but animals are used in its making! It is NOT food, it's a chemical concoction. And in this Replay she talks about the GE mosquito failure; the rye grass failure; GE quail meat made with synthetic gook—growth hormones included; and more
A study out of Canterbury University NZ, which was reported in Global Research, compared GE agriculture to a non-GM approach. The results disproved claims that GE foods are needed to feed the world. Non-GE outperformed GE.
GE America is falling behind non-GE Europe in both productivity and sustainability.
They also found GM is associated with not only less productivity & sustainability, but also with less diversity & resilience. Read the article here. The 30 year Rodale Institute study mentioned earlier proved the same thing—GE crops were inferior to non-GE.
And this article Government’s Rosy View on Biotechnology Doesn’t Match Export Demand for Non-GMO food illustrates the folly of chasing biotech industry promises.
Proven improvements for farming systems including superior grasses and animal feed are being overlooked under pressure to adopt a failing and unsustainable genetic technology solution.
The National Party claims about NZ being left behind is NOT based on science and reality, but assumption and industry propaganda.
NZ is NOT going to be left behind if we don't embrace GE agriculture; we will be left behind if we do.
4. Who’s in Control
In this clip taken from the RCR replay mentioned earlier, Paul Brennan and Prof. Antoniou talk about the control the GE industry and co have on the narrative surrounding GMOs. This industry complex is so well-resourced the general population only gets to hear one point of view on legacy media. Therefore, the general population is misinformed on this incredibly important issue aimed at fundamentally changing the genetic make-up of our food supply.
When National says the EU are loosening their regulations, is this the reason— experts linked to industry dominate the new European Food Safety’s Authority’s GMO panel? See here. From the article:
It appears that when it comes to our food and farming futures, successive governments have turned their backs on the public interest and placed the GMO industry in the driving seat via expert panels stacked with GMO industry dependents, allies, and insiders.
In NZ, GE deregulation for many GE foods is coming to us through the backdoor— our regulatory body FSANZ. Are they industry-stacked too? See here and here.
Conclusion
When Members of Parliament and others say they trust the science; in effect, they are saying they trust the propaganda.
The National Government will wipe out New Zealand’s clean, green GE-Free image. Why risk destroying something so precious as our natural environment for no certain benefits, but likely harms.
GE & GM are associated with a history of broken promises and a poor track record. Overseas, GE did NOT stop pests from adapting and then thriving on so called 'pesticide resistant' plants. GM did NOT stop herbicide use but increased its use exponentially and led to the emergence of herbicide-resistant weeds, which required even stronger herbicides.
National sees GE as a gold mine. However, history has proven that is a pipe dream—no nation is better off because of GE. In fact, those GE countries like the U.S. are producing less than countries that use superior farming methods.
NZ needs to strengthen NOT weaken GE regulations.
What You Can Do
1. Sign the International Genetic Charter. From: https://hatchardreport.com/a-brief-peek-into-tomorrow/
The International Genetic Charter has simple terms spelt out in a few sentences containing the safeguards necessary to protect human life from genetic degradation. Please take a couple of minutes to sign up to The International Genetic Charter here. Our aim is to use the charter to campaign for amendments strengthening and updating the Bill of Rights.
2. Share information. GE Free NZ and GM Watch provide plenty of interesting material to share. Educate our politicians etc.
More Information
1. Watch Kate Mason’s presentation (at the Biodynamic Conference in Australia), The Synthetic Transformation of Our Food. Guy Hatchard, in his article The True Extent of Biotechnology Experimentation—It’s Happening Now, refers to her presentation:
For one hour at a staccato pace, Mason flashed document after document on the screen detailing the involvement of national and international government and corporate interests determined to alter the nature and content of our food supply. If you can manage it, it is a truly frightening watch. It spoke volumes about the need for the International Genetic Charter.
2. Read Fact Checking the Incredible Claims of Prime Minister Chris Luxon, Judith Collins and the New Zealand Biotech Lobby by Guy Hatchard.
3. PSGR (Physicians and Scientists for Global Responsibility) have produced a 23 page booklet: Deregulation? Biotechnology & gene Editing: New Zealand context. 2023
4. Jodie Bruning's article on Manufacturing Consent for Biotechnology. Jodie pointed out: ...even small changes might have a major impact at scale, and that there are still off-target and unknown effects...
5. Countries that Ban GMOs 2024.
6. A catchy, funny song and video: Genetically Modified World.