Mark Lynas on his GM u-turn - Videos
Peter Griffin • Apr 22, 2013 •
Peter Griffin • Apr 22, 2013 •
Guest Author • Sep 18, 2012 •
By Prof. Jack Heinemann, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury. My report on assessing the risks of a form of GM wheat has sparked heated comment here and on other blog sites. The Sciblog-associated Science Media Centre (NZ) included comments from Peter Dearden and a link to the “Genetics Otago” blog along with comments made by … Read More
Robert Hickson • Sep 07, 2012 •
Some of the keynote speakers at the recent Agricultural Biotechnology International Conference brought to mind the scene in Finding Nemo of the three sharks grinning at Marlin and Dory. Not, I hasten to add, because I view Monsanto, Du Pont, et al., as sharks out to gobble us, or NZ’s agriculture up. Or that I view GMOs as dangerous … Read More
Peter Dearden • Sep 03, 2012 •
Peter K. Dearden Last week Genetics Otago wrapped up the University of Otago Lecture Winter Lecture Series with a lecture from A/P John Knight who spoke on the marketing aspects of food which has been genetically modified. John’s research looks at the response of overseas markets to genetic modification in New Zealand, and his research suggests that the impact of … Read More
Peter Griffin • Apr 13, 2012 •
Police are investigating a break in at a radiata pine field trial facility in Rotorua after hundreds of genetically-modified year-old trees were slashed and uprooted over Easter. The intruders were clever – they not only cut through perimeter fences but tunneled under a monitored security fence to get to the trees, which were planted about a year ago. Scion, the … Read More
Guest Author • Nov 04, 2010 •
By Jack Heinemann The world has just met in Nagoya Japan (11-15 October 2010) for negotiations on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, an international treaty which also binds New Zealand. The Biosafety Protocol regulates the transboundary movement of Living genetically engineered/Modified Organisms (in treaty language, LMOs)[1]. This cumbersome language means LMOs that are shipped across … Read More
Peter Griffin • Oct 26, 2010 •
As the latest study on the New Zealand public’s perception of science is released, a similar study across the Tasman focusing more narrowly on biotech has identified some similar trends. The survey of 1000 people from across Australia commissioned by the Australian Government’s Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research shows support for biotechnology techniques like genetic … Read More
Peter Griffin • May 03, 2010 •
I wasn’t in the sharpest frame of mind on Saturday morning after a big night on the town in Auckland with some journalist friends the previous night. However I couldn’t help but notice the headline screaming out from the front page of the New Zealand Herald frontpage as I passed an inner-city dairy. The headline was in … Read More
Peter Griffin • Apr 12, 2010 •
Wellington-based Trade Me founder, entrepreneur and philanthropist Sam Morgan sat down with me a few weeks ago to do an interview, the results of which ran in Idealog. Here’s the full, unedited version which expands on the work he is involved in in Africa. What about this inclement Wellington weather? Is it tempting you to move to … Read More
Peter Griffin • Mar 29, 2010 •
The journal Nature features a report from Sydney-based New Zealander Branwen Morgan, looking at the implications of the New Zealand Court of Appeal move to quash an earlier High Court decision that saw Agresearch applications to undertake genetic modification research thrown out. I blogged on the Court of Appeal case in February heading the article: … Read More