Green dilemma – climate change vs GMOs

Richard Harman reports:

Groundbreaking New Zealand research shows that methane production from livestock could be dramatically reduced with a new so-called pasture super-grass.

Such is the potential of the grass it could be the magic bullet the farming industry is looking for to prevent them having to cut cattle numbers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

But because the strain has been developed using genetic modification, it cannot even be tested in New Zealand. 

Yesterday, the outgoing Prime Minister’s Chief Scientist, Sir Peter Gluckman, suggested it was time for a public debate on the use of GMOs because of the potential of the grass to combat greenhouse gas emissions.

However judging by their reactions yesterday, politicians are reluctant to have such a debate take place.

Climate Change Minister, James Shaw, despite a specific request from POLITIK for comment and his staff having undertaken to provide it, returned with a broad general statement on the whole report which did not mention GMOs.

Well this is interesting. Jacinda and The Greens say climate change is the most important issue of our lifetime. So surely if they mean that, they would be doing everything possible to test this super-grass out in NZ.

The Government agency, AgResearch is engaged in research on genetically modified pasture grasses and believes it may have made a significant breakthrough.

However, because of New Zealand’s Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act it must conduct all of the field trials for its research in the United States where it says the regulatory environment is easier.

Madness.