Secrecy over GM clean-up angers

By ANNE BESTON

Secret harvesting of contaminated maize has angered anti-GM groups who say they should be told where clean-up operations are.

Around 400ha of low-level genetically modified maize, imported accidentally when a US testing laboratory failed to detect it, is being harvested under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Northland, South Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay.

But GE Free Northland spokeswoman Zelka Grammer said secrecy surrounding the harvest was "offensive".

"We have asked for the information but MAF has given us the runaround, yet all we want is to help and to support and scrutinise what they are doing to make sure it's being done as scientifically as possible," she said.

The ministry seized hundreds of bags of maize seed, enough to plant out 351ha, last month after contamination was detected at levels of around one GM seed per 2000 in 15 consignments.

It was sold to about 30 buyers but poses no human health risk. The variety of GM seed detected in the contaminated consignments is generally used as stock feed.

Ministry spokesman Brett Sangster said all the maize had now been tracked and harvesting was being done around the country under strict supervision.

Locations would not be revealed.

"Farmers on whose properties it is have committed no crime and they deserve to be spared unnecessary or unwarranted public attention."

The ministry operation was "secure" and the maize would be taken away for milling which would destroy any seed present. All machinery used would be cleaned.

Eight ministry staff were involved nationwide and the harvest should finish by the end of this month.

Ms Grammer said she also wanted to know whether adjoining crops were safely protected from contamination by the GM maize.

That was part of the ministry investigation, said Mr Sangster.

"There is only a risk of cross-pollination if adjoining fields were flowering at the exact same time as the fields in question and we don't know that yet."