Farmers hope harvests stay true

By JO-MARIE BROWN

The prospect that genetically modified sweetcorn seeds may have contaminated surrounding crops has produced a mixed response among Gisborne's farming community.

Organic farmer Paul Gordon, who grows herbs, foliage and garlic commercially on his 2ha section, said huge economic benefits could be gained by targeting the niche GM-free market overseas.

Although he does not believe the sweetcorn seeds have affected his crops, he admits he is worried on behalf of other organic farmers.

Organic certification was lengthy and expensive to obtain and GM contamination, or the threat of it, would ruin the industry, Mr Gordon said.

"If your next-door neighbour is using GE seed then forget it. It's too risky. It'd be all over."

If the GM sweetcorn seed allegations were proved to be true, Mr Gordon said he would be extremely angry "because basically we've lost part of our integrity as organic New Zealand".

Farmers should take legal action, he said.

But organic sweetcorn farmer John Bradnock was unperturbed. He said it was highly unlikely any cross-contamination would have occurred. He understood the variety of GM seed involved differed from the type organic farmers grew, so the crops would have been deliberately kept some distance apart.

"There's no way any of the organic sweetcorn has been contaminated.

"How that was done was more good luck than good management but it is bad luck it came in," Mr Bradnock said.

Sweetcorn pollen could spread around a 200m radius but would only cross-pollinate with plants of a similar family such as maize.



But those who sold organic produce in Gisborne were outraged yesterday at the possibility GM sweetcorn could have entered the food chain.

Bio Vireo store co-owner Rebecca Nicholl said she was disgusted that the plants may have been harvested.

"That's why they brought in the food-labelling legislation - because we had a right to know that we were eating GE."



Part-time sweetcorn farmer Hugh Gordon admits the seed in question could have contaminated surrounding maize and sweetcorn crops but said it would not worry him unless the GM seeds contained genes that would damage rather than improve the produce.

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