It has been several decades in the making, but New Zealand is finally getting an update to its rules around genetic modification.
Legislation will be introduced by the end of the year and, if passed, will end the ban on using gene technologies outside of the laboratory.
The law will be based on Australia’s Gene Technology Act 2000.
NZ has been working under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 when it comes to regulating genetic technologies.
The legislation has had a couple of amendments over time, but it essentially still treats genetic editing the same as genetic modification.
Interestingly, Australia’s regulations are still more stringent than those in the United Kingdom, United States and those proposed in the European Union.
The biotechnology sector has welcomed the move, saying it will help us develop the tools needed to combat climate change and stay competitive in the global market.
Our expertise in plant and fruit development would suggest we’re well placed to capitalise on being able to use these new tools.
Many believe that having the ability to field-trial genetically edited organisms will accelerate work on finding crops, fruit and animals that can better withstand the changing climate.
Biocontrols would also be more easily found to combat the new range of pests that will come with a changing climate.
But the swift advance of these technologies means public understanding of them is murky.
A recent report from the Australian Office of the Gene Technology Regulator shows support for using gene technology has dropped in the past decade.
Tools like CRISPR, which is a far cry from the frankenfood GM opponents warned of in the past, are still being debated by the scientific community, with some seeing unintended consequences elsewhere in society.
Public understanding of these different techniques is poor and there needs to be good communication of what is being allowed and why, both here at home and in our export markets.
In a world where transparency in the supply chain is becoming a cost of entry into many markets, we need to be sure that the high-end consumers we aspire to feed know what they’re eating and are comfortable doing so.
Our food is known for being produced in a natural, sustainable environment and damaging that reputation, whether that damage is based on fact or fiction, would be a terrible outcome.
As always, the key to all of this will be to have clear rules and strict oversight.
The new legislation is being developed with input from a technical advisory group, Māori and industry.
When it is published, the public will get to submit on it at the Select Committee stage.
A dedicated regulator to oversee new applications to use gene technologies here will determine the risks involved in any new innovation.
But what we need to remember is that a risk for us is different from a risk in other countries.
We don’t want to be low-cost, low-quality food producers who don’t have to worry too much about the provenance story that accompanies goods to market.
We want the world to know NZ food is good for the body, the land and the conscience.
Gene technologies could well help us achieve that, but we need to be sure that’s the likely outcome before embarking on the journey.
In Focus Podcast: Full Show | 16 August
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