Hypocrisy in GM testing of NZ developed grass.

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Geektastic

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#255790 29-Aug-2019 20:22

I was listening to the Radio today and there was an interesting piece about GM ryegrass being developed in Palmerston North.

I was surprised to hear that field scale trials were being conducted - in the USA.

This seemed to be because they would not be permitted in NZ.

I felt that there was a tad of hypocrisy in creating the GM grass here in NZ but then insisting that some third party nation take the risk (perceived or real) of allowing it to grow outside a building. The grass is intended to reduce methane emissions from livestock. Those tests will also be done outside NZ.

Somehow "we won't allow GMO to pollute NZ - but we are fine using it to pollute somewhere else" seemed a bit...off.

SirHumphreyAppleby

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#2308084 29-Aug-2019 20:25

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Why do you take the stance that GM is polluting? The objective is to reduce pollution.

GE free, nuclear free... these things are holding us back, not help us.

freitasm

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Geekzone

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#2308086 29-Aug-2019 20:27

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SirHumphreyAppleby:

Why do you take the stance that GMO is polluting? The objective is to reduce pollution.

GE free, nuclear free... these things are holding us back, not help us.

I don't think the OP took that stance. I think the "Somehow... " meant as a questioning of the reasons for the decision/regulations that prevent this happening here.

AFAIC, GM has been applied to what we eat for thousands of years - corn, beef, poultry all have been modified over the years through breeding programs. It's not always laboratory manipulation of genes, you know?

SirHumphreyAppleby

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#2308089 29-Aug-2019 20:32

freitasm:

I don't think the OP took that stance. I think the "Somehow... " meant as a questioning of the reasons for the decision/regulations that prevent this happening here.

Fair enough, I can see how it could be interpreted that way. When it comes to the EPA, I know their reasoning has been seriously flawed in handling other matters.

Geektastic

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#2308182 30-Aug-2019 01:02

I don't regard it as polluting. Someone clearly does as the trials would otherwise be run in NZ where the seed is being developed, I presume.

Fred99

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#2308240 30-Aug-2019 08:44

freitasm:

AFAIC, GM has been applied to what we eat for thousands of years - corn, beef, poultry all have been modified over the years through breeding programs. It's not always laboratory manipulation of genes, you know?

No. Selective breeding and gene insertion (as in GM) are not the same thing.

Caution should be exercised with something like ryegrass, wind pollinated, whatever the intended advantage may be (say increased tolerance to some pest or growing condition) might have potential to become tomorrow's environmental disaster.

Geektastic

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#2308267 30-Aug-2019 09:44

Fred99:

freitasm:

AFAIC, GM has been applied to what we eat for thousands of years - corn, beef, poultry all have been modified over the years through breeding programs. It's not always laboratory manipulation of genes, you know?

No. Selective breeding and gene insertion (as in GM) are not the same thing.

Caution should be exercised with something like ryegrass, wind pollinated, whatever the intended advantage may be (say increased tolerance to some pest or growing condition) might have potential to become tomorrow's environmental disaster.

It might. However, is it not hypocritical of NZ Inc to develop it then test it somewhere else merely in order to avoid the outcome you mention happening to NZ? The logical deduction is that NZ would be fine if that disaster happened in the USA....despite being the cause.

Fred99

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#2308278 30-Aug-2019 10:00

Geektastic:

However, is it not hypocritical of NZ Inc to develop it then test it somewhere else merely in order to avoid the outcome you mention happening to NZ? The logical deduction is that NZ would be fine if that disaster happened in the USA....despite being the cause.

I kind of agree that it's hypocritical, unless the idea was to develop a novel GM organism for use in the US (or elsewhere) - but not in NZ.