New Zealand
September 10, 2007
The Environmental Risk
Management Authority (ERMA New Zealand) says
Crop and Food Research has
not breached biosecurity rules in its research involving
genetically modified (GM) onions.
ERMA New Zealand was responding to suggestions that Crop and
Food may have been operating illegally in importing GM onion
seed from the United States.
ERMA New Zealand has checked the relevant approvals and all are
in order. General Manager, New Organisms, Dr Libby Harrison
says: In November 2004 when the approval to import the GM onion
seed was reviewed by ERMA New Zealand, we found a very minor
administrative error Crop and Food had used the wrong form. They
corrected the error and everything complies with the rules.
Crop and Food is currently field testing onions modified to be
resistant to the herbicide glyphosate, sold as Roundup. MAF
audits the GM onion field test every six months, most recently
on 16 March this year. In March, it found one minor
administrative error; that Crop and Food needed to revise their
containment manual. This was promptly done.
The regulatory regime for genetically modified organisms in New
Zealand is one of the most stringent in the world. Every step in
the research process has been assessed and approved by the
appropriate authorities, Dr Harrison says.
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