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Renewed concerns about NZ’s approval of Syngenta’s GE Golden Rice with no evidence of safety data required

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From GE-Free New Zealand

Press Release from GE-Free NZ 20/04/2023

“The FSANZ rubber stamping of novel GE foods without any evidence of safety is highly suspect and poses a direct threat to the integrity and safety of the food chain, the environment, farmers and consumers”
Claire Bleakley – GE-Free New Zealand

There are renewed concerns about the approval by Food Standard Australia NZ (FSANZ) of GE Golden Rice, following a ruling by The Philippine Supreme Court that Syngenta must “cease and desist” any commercialisation and propagation of the GE rice.

The Philippine Supreme Court has required independent risk and impact assessments to be undertaken and for consent from the farmers and indigenous peoples before progressing. [1]

But the GE Golden Rice has already been approved by Food Standard Australia NZ (FSANZ). In 2017 Food Standards Australia New Zealand approved the entry of Genetically Engineered Golden Rice into the human food chain.

“This is an important decision and acknowledges the concerns of MASIPAG and the civil society organisations who took this case,” said Claire Bleakley, president of GE-Free NZ.

FSANZ are charged with upholding safeguards for public health and consumer protection in an effective and transparent way and should enable consumers to make informed choices, [2]

However FSANZ approved the rice without any evidence of safety or traceability and acknowledged that the rice would offer no advantage to the public. [3]

Despite calls at the time for the safety data to be provided [4] the Food Safety Minister, Hon Damien O’Connor, said FSANZ did not require safety tests only industry assurance of safety. [5]

“The FSANZ rubber stamping of novel GE foods without any evidence of safety is highly suspect and poses a direct threat to the integrity and safety of the food chain, the environment, farmers and consumers,” said Bleakley

“FSANZ must recall the GE Rice approval in light of this significant decision by the Philippine Supreme Court which signals the legal basis for safety data to be part of genuine regulation.”

References

[1] https://masipag.org/2023/04/supreme-court-issues-writ-of-kalikasan-on-golden-rice-and-bt-eggplant-masipag-continues-to-call-for-action-to-end-commercialization/

[2] https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2011C00117

[3] https://press.gefree.org.nz/press/20180123.htm

[4] https://www.gefree.org.nz/assets/pdf/Provitamin-Rice-A1138-20.12.17.pdf

[5] https://www.gefree.org.nz/assets/pdf/MIN18-0163-Bleakley-GM-rice-5mar18.pdf

Claire Bleakley – President 027 3486731
Jon Carapiet – Spokesman 021 0507681

SOURCE

Image by Nabajyoti Sarmah from Pixabay

GMO, News

The flopped GMO Golden Rice of 2 decades ago was approved in 2018 to enter the US food supply

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From naturalsociety.com
BY MIKE BARRETT

Two decades ago, genetically modified (GM) golden rice was touted as a way to save the world’s starving children. The hype didn’t last very long, however. It didn’t save any lives, farmers didn’t grow it, and nobody ate it. But in May, golden rice won the approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with the agency declaring it safe to eat.

Golden rice, one of the oldest GMO crops, initially won high praise because it was engineered to produce vitamin A (beta-carotene), which would help children in poor countries get the required dose of the vitamin. About 250,000 to 500,000 children go blind each year from a lack of the vital nutrient.

Read: “Miracle” Golden Rice Could Cause Birth Defects, Warns Indian Scientists

Researchers began modifying rice DNA in 2000, and it won overwhelming support from the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, both of which funded its progress. Even Pope Francis gave the GMO crop his blessing.

The U.S. is the 4th nation to approve golden rice, and more could follow. The U.S. is part of an international body that forms recommendations about food safety that other countries can adopt if they lack their own equivalent of the FDA.

Still, it could be a tough sell for the other 168 countries that chime in about international food standards. Golden rice crops aren’t necessarily field-ready, according to a 2016 Mother Jones report. The plants aren’t as efficient as they could be and don’t yield the crops that regular rice does, so many farmers might see golden rice as a waste of time and money.

And, there’s this…

The news media has been celebrating the FDA’s embrace of golden rice and the fact that more countries could also approve it, still framing golden rice as a savior of sick and dying children. Don’t be fooled.

READ MORE

http://naturalsociety.com/fda-approved-gmo-golden-rice-enter-us-food-supply-5811/?utm_source=Natural+Society&utm_campaign=b7c7c8be0b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_11_23_12_11&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f20e6f9c84-b7c7c8be0b-324147329

Agriculture, Food, GMO, monsanto, News

The “Golden Rice” Hoax – When Public Relations replaces Science – By Vandana Shiva

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JK's avatarBan GMOs Now

Unfortunately, Vitamin A rice is a hoax; the problem is that vitamin A rice will not remove vitamin A deficiency (VAD). It will seriously aggravate it. It is a technology that fails in its promise.

The “Golden Rice” Hoax’ - When Public Relations replaces Science by Vandana Shiva (Seed Freedom, republished in blog)Source: “THE ‘GOLDEN RICE’ HOAX – When Public Relations replaces Science,” by Vandana Shiva, Seed Freedom1

[The original date of publication for this article is uncertain although references to it can be found as far back as 2000]

By Vandana Shiva, Seed Freedom1

“Golden Rice”: A technology for creating Vitamin A deficiency.

Golden rice has been heralded as the miracle cure for malnutrition and hunger of which 800 million members of the human community suffer.

Herbicide resistant and toxin producing genetically engineered plants can be objectionable because of their ecological and social costs. But who could possibly object to rice engineered to produce vitamin A, a deficiency found in nearly 3…

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