Hundreds shut out of hearing, says anti GE group

11.45am

Hundreds of concerned New Zealanders have been shut out of a public hearing into whether field trials of genetically engineered (GE) onions should go ahead, a leading anti-GE group says.

The Environmental Risk Management Authority (Erma) hearing, which begins today, will consider an application to plant onions modified for tolerance to glyphosate, a low toxicity, biodegradable herbicide. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto's popular Roundup herbicide.

More than 1900 people and organisations have made submissions on the Crop and Food Research plans, and Erma said 427 of the submitters had asked to speak at the public hearing which starts tomorrow.

But GE Free New Zealand spokesman Jon Carapiet told NZPA today the hearing was structured in a way that meant only about 40 of those who wanted to make an oral submission would be able to do so.

He said the hearing was based solely in Christchurch, meaning it was very difficult for people who lived in other parts of the country to make their submission and Erma had said it would not allow people to make an oral submission by teleconference.

Compounding the problem was the fact that the hearing was set down for three days and times had not been allocated for particular submitters.

"People would have no idea when they would have a chance to speak. They might get down there and then have to wait around for two days and pay for their food and find somewhere to stay."

Mr Carapiet said parliamentary committees often allowed people to make submissions by teleconference but Erma had ruled that out.

"They said it would be too difficult, but I think it's just shutting people out of the process. One in 10 people who want to can make their submission; the rest just cannot."

The group believed there was no market for GE crops so there was no need for the trial to go ahead, he said.

New Zealand would do better to concentrate its resources on organic crops which required no use of toxic herbicides.

The application is the first for a field trial of a GE crop since 2000.

Erma chief executive Baz Walker today told National Radio the hearing was being held in Christchurch because that was where the Crop and Food trial would take place if it were approved.

He said Erma had tried hard to make the process as open as possible and would consider all of the written submissions as well as those that would be made orally over the next three days.

Federated Farmers' spokesman on GE, Hugh Ritchie, said yesterday the application by Crop and Food Research had the potential to benefit producers, consumers and the environment, he said.

Mr Ritchie said Federated Farmers backed the application, and considered the proposed field trial presented "the most negligible risk possible" for this type of work.

"It will also generate valuable information in the context of New Zealand agriculture."

Mr Ritchie said farmers saw potential advantages in GE technology, but added that controls must be in place to ensure other agriculture is not put at risk.

"We consider the containment procedures put in place by Crop and Food Research are sufficient to manage any risk of escape," he said.

He said glyphosate-resistant onions had the potential to reduce herbicide use on onions by 70 per cent. Current practices can require up to 30 spray passes on one crop, using around 13 different herbicides.

Many of these substances are classified as toxic or poisonous and persistent in the environment.

"By using modified onions it will be possible to control weeds with only two or three applications. This is better for the environment and for growers concerned about risks from exposure to more toxic herbicides," Mr Ritchie said.

- NZPA