11 April 2008
The Environmental Risk Management Authority has received an application from the New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research to field test genetically-modified onions, spring onions, garlic and leeks.
Crop and Food Research has an approval to field test up
to 2700 GM onion plants modified for herbicide resistance. It wants to set
up a more extensive test crop involving more vegetable species. It wants
to run a field test over a 10-year period, planting all four species
over a total of 2.5 hectares.
Crop and Food Research wants to plant onion seed directly in the ground
and allow some onion plants to flower in the field in order to produce
seed. The flowering onions would be caged in order to prevent insects
carrying pollen to non-GM onions outside the site.
Public submissions are invited on the application and must be received
by Monday, 26 May 2008. These can be made in writing or online through
ERMA New Zealand’s website. It is likely that a public hearing will be
held on the application in July.
The application details and answers to frequently-asked questions are
available on the ERMA New Zealand website,
www.ermanz.govt.nz or below.
Questions and answers regarding the application
For further information contact:
David Venables, Communications Manager, ERMA New Zealand.
¨ Telephone +64 4 918 4835 ¨ Mobile 021 224 3304
¨ Facsimile +64 4 914 0433
¨ Email: david.venables@ermanz.govt.nz