NZDB chief executive stands up for GM
Bio-science is paramount if the dairy industry is to retain its crucial efficiency advantage in low cost production, according to New Zealand Dairy Board chief executive Warren Larsen.
In a submission to the Royal Commission on genetic modification, Larsen said the dairy industry must be part of what he describes as the “global bio-science revolution”.
“The pace of change is accelerating rapidly,” said Larsen. “The biological industries upon which New Zealand is dependent will be affected in far-reaching ways. For this country, joining the knowledge economy means embracing bio-science.” He also stressed that the nation’s approach to bio-science needs to encompass appropriate recognition of public concerns surrounding genetic modification.
“Introduced with caution –, and in close accord with the wishes and concerns of the consumer –, these new technologies offer opportunities to the dairy industry and the country of inestimable value. Their introduction should not be a case of if –, but how and when.”
