At a recent conference in China, New Zealand officials took heed to warnings about the dangers of letting genetically modified crops take hold in their own country. The International Conference on Ethnic Food Cultures and Food Safety featured a broad range of topics, with much of the time spent on investigating and discussing the values and dangers of genetically modified crops

1. China Food Conference Warns Against GMOs, New Zealand
Takes Note of GMO Dangers
At a recent conference in China, New Zealand officials took heed to warnings
about the dangers of letting genetically modified crops take hold in their own
country. The International Conference on Ethnic Food Cultures and Food Safety
featured a broad range of topics, with much of the time spent on investigating
and discussing the values and dangers of genetically modified crops.
It’s important that we keep watch of the global happenings surrounding
genetically modified foods. While the U.S. is “leading” the way in using,
commercializing, and supporting the corporations behind genetically modified

2. crops, other countries seem to be taking a more cautious approach, an approach
our leaders could certainly learn from. It seems nations are following Italy’s
decision to ban at least some GMOs.
“China showed great leadership in opening up the debate on GE (genetically
engineered) foods by inviting a group of leading scientists and doctors to
present evidence about the cultural, environmental and serious health problems
of GE food,” said Claire Bleakly of the organization GE-Free NZ.
At the conference, the U.S. was sort of held up as an example of what not to do.
One presenter, Jack Heinemann, explained how diversity, yield, and sustainable
farming practices in the U.S. have all taken a hit since the commercialization
of soy, corn, cotton, sugar beets, and canola.
Advocates of having a genetically-modified-free New Zealand got many take-aways
from the conference, including that their economy could be harmed if they
implement GM-foods on a large scale. They recognize that the people of New
Zealand and the world don’t want genetically modified foods and would make that
clear with their spending dollars.
“The performance indicators overseas and worldwide consumer demand for GE-free
food show that there would be a negative impact on the economic viability of any
farmers growing GE food here,” said a GE-Free NZ spokesman Jon Carapiet. “This
is stark warning for big players like Federated Farmers and Fonterra and the
government that they must listen to customers and provide what the market is
demanding. At the moment they are pushing in the wrong direction by following
what vested interests in the biotechnology sector want to produce.”
Also addressed at the conference were the creation of pesticide-resistant
superweeds and pests that are evolving with the increasing use of chemicals on
crops. Sustainable agricultural practices seemed to be the order of the day at
the conference, where GM crops were also criticized for their poor performance
and their negative health effects. No word on whether there were any U.S.

3. representatives present at the conference, though it seems like one that certain
FDA officials should have attended.