Northland GE maize location kept secret

1.00pm

The location of a genetically engineered maize harvest in Northland is being kept secret to avoid possible disruption by protesters.

One Northlander was identified among buyers of GE-contaminated maize seed imported last year from the United States, according to Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) corporate communications director Brett Sangster.

Mr Sangster said yesterday he did not know whether the GE-contaminated grain had been sown on more than one site in Northland.

But he confirmed it was being harvested under strict supervision by eight MAF officials working fulltime on the clean-up, 10 ministry part-timers and an unknown number of officials from other agencies such as the Environment Ministry and the Environmental Risk Management Authority.

Mr Sangster declined to identify the growers for "security reasons".

"MAF is obliged to protect the rights of property owners who are not criminals or on trial here," he said. "Also, we want the harvesting to progress smoothly without interruption (by protesters)."

Mr Sangster said contractors were being hired to harvest the GM-contaminated maize, with MAF and other officials making sure all seed in the crops was "removed in a safe and secure manner".

Discussions were under way with the farmers or contract growers who planted the maize over compensation for its removal.

MAF was required by law to make sure no viable GM-contaminated seed remained.

The GM-contaminated crops would be isolated from uncontaminated maize during the drying and milling process.

"The fate of the milled product will then be discussed with industry players," Mr Sangster said.

Just over 1300 bags of GM-contaminated maize seed were imported from the United States last year in shipments approved by Biogenic Services Ltd, a seed-testing laboratory since suspended by MAF for failing to meet New Zealand standards.

Most of the seed was intercepted early last month before leaving the importer's warehouse, but 351 bags were sold to grain and seed merchants from Northland to Hawke's Bay.

The level of GM-contamination of the imported seed was low, estimated at one GM seed in every 2000 or about 50 plants out of every 100,000.

Mr Sangster said the low levels of contamination were "right at the edge of detection" but MAF intended to keep all GM material out of the country.