Report of the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification
Original source: Ministry of the Environment
Genetic modification has been used freely in New Zealand for more than a decade as a research tool, for medical purposes, and in food ingredients. It holds exciting promise, not only for conquering diseases, eliminating pests and contributing to the knowledge economy, but for enhancing the international competitiveness of the primary industries so important to our country’s economic well-being.
Our consultations with the people of New Zealand showed that, while most were comfortable with genetic modification for medical purposes, many strongly opposed other uses. Many of the submissions to the Commission focused substantially on food and crops. They stressed that the safety and certainty of the science have yet to be proved, reflecting the fact that, at least for the moment, world consumer preferences are against use of genetic modification in food. First-generation genetically modified crops have shown few obvious benefits for consumers.