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MAF provides advice to Ministers, stakeholders, and other government agencies on the coexistence between different agricultural production systems. MAF also advises Ministers on any international developments in achieving coexistence of genetically modified (GM) and non-GM production systems that have implications for New Zealand.
"Coexistence" is where different primary production systems are each contributing to the overall benefit of New Zealand while ensuring that their operations are managed so that they affect each other as little as possible. This can include non-GM systems such as organic production and conventional agriculture, and GM systems. In practice, the aim is for different production systems each to "do their own thing" and not get in each others' way.
Producers in New Zealand currently use different types of non-GM systems, such as conventional or organic production. Coexistence between these systems has been happening in New Zealand (and overseas) for many years. For example, New Zealand's organics industry coexists alongside conventional production, which uses products and methods not allowed in organic production. Another example is where high-purity seed producers cooperate about where and when they sow their crops, to help maintain the purity of their seeds by minimising cross-pollination.
In the future New Zealanders may choose to use GM in their production systems. Practices currently used to achieve coexistence can be adapted for coexistence between GM and non-GM production systems. Coexistence of GM and non-GM production systems also involves managing conflicting values.
In 2003, Cabinet agreed that effective coexistence of GM and non-GM production can be achieved in New Zealand by proceeding carefully and using our comprehensive regulatory framework to examine each use of a GM organism on a case-by-case basis.
Genetic modification, or "GM," is a technology carried out outside of cells for manipulating an organism's DNA that may add, remove, or otherwise change the DNA. Scientists do this to change how the organism functions. Genetic engineering, or "GE," is another name for genetic modification.
You can find New Zealand's legal definition of a genetically modified organism here.
Genetic modification is one example of biotechnology, but the words do not always mean the same thing. Biotechnology is a broad term for a group of technologies that are based on using the biology of living things, for example in engineering or medicine, to solve problems and make products. Biotechnologies such as fermentation and selective breeding have been with us for centuries. There are also many modern biotechnologies other than genetic modification, which also rely on our understanding of genes, DNA and cellular biochemistry.
Biotechnology has been critical to New Zealand's success for over 100 years and is likely to become even more important in the 21st century, which has already been dubbed the "biotechnology century". New Zealanders have always been good at developing and using technology to improve production, increase competitiveness, and create new products.
In New Zealand, the contained use (for example, development or field test) and release of new organisms, including GM organisms, are regulated under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO Act). The HSNO Act is administered by the Ministry for the Environment.
Applications made under the HSNO Act are assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). The EPA must consider environmental, human health, economic, social and cultural risks, costs and benefits when deciding whether to approve an application and may approve an application if the benefits of the organism outweigh any adverse effects. The EPA can also approve the release of a new organism with controls to manage relevant risks. This is called a "conditional release.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) assesses the safety and labelling of GM foods. FSANZ is the organisation responsible for pre market safety assessment of GM foods. No GM foods can be sold in New Zealand without passing their safety assessment.
MAF has a number of distinct roles that relate to GM:
MAF previously prepared periodic reports on international developments in achieving effective coexistence of GM and non-GM production systems. The information was sourced from publicly available articles from newspapers and journals.