"The Tyranny of the Minority" are being blamed for the risks and failures of GMO/GE.
There was little discussion on the GE risks and failures but a stress on the “anti-GE” faction and “Tyranny of the Minority” for the regulatory hurdles for commercialisation. [1]
Dr Caradus the NZPBRA president opened the conference with the possibilities on co-existence or containment. Dr Caradus did warn that the GE ryegrass, clover, pine trees and Epichloë endophyte are all able to regularly outcross and are reliant on “community cooperation and effective communication”. Citing Australian and overseas strategies for coexistence of genetically engineered (GE) and non-GE crops. [2]
“These GE strategies are from countries that on average are 32 times larger than New Zealand and they haven’t worked. Of the genetically engineered plants like soy, canola, cotton and maize grown in these countries there is now a 97% contamination of the seed supply, said Claire Bleakley, GE-Free NZ president.
“When earthquakes, droughts and floods occur they take out whole farming communities. The wind can blow pollen for many kilometers. Birds and farm machinery and unsegregated silos will spread GE seeds across the regions. It is nice to be friendly with your neighbours but when a farmer’s economic livelihood is threatened due to GE contamination it is difficult to be charitable”
David Hudson, an ex Monsanto employee, talked on how he was integral in securing approval for GE plants in Australia. Over 50% GE Canola in Western Australia goes into biodiesel and 90% of GE safflower for industrial use. He is now working with MBIE to get approval of GE into New Zealand recommending a self-regulating industry model for GE. [3]
Dr. Emily Parker explained the framework of the Bill omitting the non-regulated technologies and organisms and gave a timeline for the Gene Technology Bill steps. The report to the Health Select committee 22 August; Gene Technology Regulatory Standards open for submissions October; Second and Third Reading late 2025; Gazette 2026.
Dr. Hellens from The Kiwi Breeding Company partnered with Plant and Food spoke about the incredible success of the different varieties of Kiwi Fruit that have been developed through conventional breeding and the use of marker assisted selection that speeds up the early development phase for the seedlings.
Other speakers spoke about conventional Pine Breeding and the development of different apple varieties using gene technology.
Dr. Woodfield retired from Grassland talked about the log jam that GE in NZ faced. He specified regulation, and the “Tyranny of the Minority”. He spoke about the $15 million to develop and field trial GE clover and the $25 million on the GE Rye Grass, ignoring the GE rye grass poor yield performance in times for high light, temperatures over 26C and competition with other plants and cancelled US animal nutritional trials on 16 cows. Also, it took the 18 months in glasshouses to grow enough GE rye grass to feed 12 lambs for 11 days. [4][5][6] [7]
Illegal and approved escapes of GE plants into the wild and have become a harbour for increasing weed and pest resistance. As seen with the GE Golden Rice pollen contamination adversely affected the growth of conventional Swarna rice. (Bollinedi H et al, 2017) so any genetic trespass could adversely hybrid and conventional plant and seed breeders. [8]
“The Gene Technology Bill exempts the GE grower from liability for contamination and places all losses and costs on the contaminated farmer.” said Claire Bleakley,
"Containment for any GMO/GE is not possible and should not be compared with the other large countries. We have sought after elite non- GE alternatives that should not be ignored."
https://www.gefree.org.nz/press-releases-2019-2025/1982025-the-tyranny-of-the-minority-are-being-blamed-for-the-risks-and-failures-of-gmoge/
References:
[1] https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/569452/more-detail-on-gene-tech-regulations-to-come-as-industry-mulls-opportunities
[2] Caradus, J. R. (2025). Is co-existence and/or containment of genetically modified plants possible, and is it important? New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1–52. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288233.2025.2479724
[3] https://www.ogtr.gov.au/what-weve-approved/dealings-involving-intentional-release
[4] https://www.gefree.org.nz/assets/Uploads/C10X1603-CR-4.pdf
[5] https://www.gefree.org.nz/assets/Uploads/C10X1603-CR-5.pdf
[6] https://www.gefree.org.nz/assets/Uploads/C10X1603-CR-6.pdf
[7] https://www.gefree.org.nz/assets/Uploads/Letter-GE-Free-New-Zealand-HME-Livestock-Feeding-Trials.pdf
[8] Bollinedi H, Gopala K. S, Prabhu KV, Singh NK, Mishra S, Khurana JP, Singh AK. (2017) Molecular and functional characterization of GR2-R1 event based backcross derived lines of golden rice in the genetic background of a mega rice variety Swarna. PLoS One. 12:e0169600.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0169600