Russel Norman

New Zealand does not have to resort to using genetic engineering to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Green Party said today.

AgResearch today announced they may be able to genetically engineer a strand of clover which, when digested by cattle, may release less methane than regular clover.

"GE clover isn't going to be the lucky shamrock for New Zealand's climate change woes," Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today.

"The agricultural sector already has many options to reduce greenhouse gases, which are not a gamble like GE.

"We know lower stocking rates, limiting fertilisers and possibly selective breeding and nitrogen inhibiters are ways to reduce greenhouse emissions."

Work done by AgResearch suggests that farms with lower stocking rates, which avoid the use of nitrogen fertiliser and bought-in feeds and graze replacements on farm have significantly lower total greenhouse emissions per kilo of milk.

"We should be using these methods, rather than taking an untested GE technology which may work in 15 years and will definitely contaminate our environment," Dr Norman said.

Dr Norman said climate change was an issue which needed to be addressed now through concrete steps which will benefit New Zealand's famers and environment.

"We are interested to see if the knowledge gained by AgResearch's GE lab testing can help non-GE work out of the lab. But there is no need to use GE organisms in the field.

"John Key's Government could be taking action now to make the known greenhouse reducing techniques more economical for farmers," Dr Norman said.

Dr Norman said that widespread use of GE in New Zealand would also sacrifice our clean green image.

"New Zealand trades on the image of being clean and green. It is time we showed that we can sustainably farm our land.

"GE needs to stay in the lab, and should not be released into our fields," Dr Norman said.

Link http://www.greens.org.nz/press-releases/big-affordable-climate-change-target-sight