I'm deeply concerned about the rapid advancement of biotechnology and its significant risks to our food supply and health. New Zealand's cherished vision of being a genetically-engineered (GE), GE-Free market garden for the world is under threat. The pandemic has shown us how quickly controlled information can turn fantasy into reality. The processes behind synthetic foods are shrouded in patents and lack labelling requirements, making it difficult for consumers to make informed choices. Thirty years ago, people demanded labelling of genetically modified content in traditional foods, and it's time to renew these demands with even more urgency.
In New Zealand, the government is rushing towards deregulating biotechnology, a decision that contradicts the lessons we should have learned from the pandemic. The biotechnology industry's promises of sustainable development and improved health are empty and cloak severe and unpredictable risks. We should remember the disastrous genetic experiments on cows in New Zealand fifteen years ago, which were sponsored by the government, while opposed by the Green Party. I raise this matter because the Green Party of now is strangely silent, and appears even to endorse GE technologies, including mRNA. The Greens, which I once was a member of, has lost its way.
Our food security and trade are too important to place at risk by Mad Scientist experimentation.
Biotechnology experimentation is happening now, and the techniques used to deceive the public about its intent and scope are alarming. Synthetic food, best called "Frankenfoods", is being designed in labs and manufactured in biosynthetic fermentation vats and vertical farms, involving unregulated gene editing of crops and animals. Synthetic meat, such as lab-grown quail, is being produced using unspecified genetic promoters and biosynthetic additives. Food made from insect protein is being produced in AI-controlled mega factories, and milk and cheese are being made from genetically modified yeasts. These products are being falsely promoted as more nutritious than organic food, but none of this is backed by sound science.
The experimentation will leave a toxic legacy of genetic pollution, undermining plant health and human longevity. The globalisation of the food production system, including gene modification and patenting, is driven by corporate and government interests. This includes tracking and tracing food using blockchain systems, 3D printed food, and AI-controlled agricultural production. The process of making vaccines and drugs in genetically modified plants and animals is also happening. This has big risks for the health and safety of people and animals from generation to generation — it threatens life itself.
Humans should never be so arrogant as to believe they can play God.
The growth of biosynthetic food ignores research findings that verify diets rich in natural foods improve health and longevity. Processed foods, on the other hand, increase the risk of diseases such as cancer and heart disease. A study published in The Lancet found that natural plant-based foods lower the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, while ultra-processed plant-based foods increase it. Supermarket shelves are being filled with unhealthy food, and consumers aren't being told about it. Government pronouncements on safety and sustainability, driven by partnerships with biotech, pharmaceutical giants, and food conglomerates, are misleading.
We must take a stand to protect our natural food sources and ensure our vision that New Zealand becomes the organic, GE-Free market garden for the world. The time to act is now, before it is too late. We mustn't let the GE Genie out of its bottle. Please share this widely and encourage people to sign up to receive these articles to support the cause.
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