GE Food should be labelled

New Zealanders should be able to choose not to eat GE food, the Green Party said today.

Parliament's Regulations Review Committee has tabled a report on GE Free NZ's complaint about the approval of a GE soy breed. The committee didn’t act on the complaint.

“This report leaves consumers who want GE food safety properly assessed, with no choice but going to the High Court,” Green Party GE spokesperson Steffan Browning said today.
 
"There is no other appeals process for bad food safety decisions.

“The current process doesn’t serve New Zealanders well, it even side lines the Food Safety Minister, making it all the more important that GE food be assessed independently in New Zealand and also be labelled.

“Leaving decisions like this application for a herbicide drenched GE food up to Food Standards Australia New Zealand means we have effectively given up New Zealand's ability to ensure food safety.

“This shows we will need an independent New Zealand approach to food safety in the Food Bill,” said Mr Browning.