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Seeds of Distrust: the story of a GE cover-up
The book tells the story of how the New Zealand government handled the unwelcome news of contamination of corn crops with genetically-engineered seeds. Officials succumbed to industry lobbying, quietly changed the regulations to “allow” contaminated crops. ‘managed’ the risk of politicians and the public objecting by keeping the whole incident secret. The book is not about the corn but about the political management. It takes readers step-by-step through the crisis, based on original documents from an unhappy insider.
156 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2002
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July 15, 2012
Review published in the New Zealand Herald, 20 July 2002
What You Sow, So Shall You Reap
Seeds of Distrust
Nicky Hager
(Craig Potton Publishing)
Reviewed by Philippa Jamieson
The publication last week of Nicky Hager's third controversial book shows that, alongside the news media, the humble book plays a role in disseminating topical information, asking searching questions and discussing issues of wide public concern.
Seeds of Distrust is short and accessible, and for anyone interested in GE or in government accountability and open democracy, it's definitely worth reading.
Here are the facts as Hager states them. In November 2000, the government learned that a shipment of sweetcorn seed, imported from the US and planted in three regions of New Zealand, had tested positive for GE material. Initially Helen Clark wanted the plants pulled out, but Hager claims that after big business lobbying in secret meetings she backed down and whisked through Cabinet an interim measure to allow GE contamination up to 0.5%, so this particular shipment could be deemed GE free. This was at odds with the HSNO Act and therefore illegal (it has since been overturned).
Several tests were conducted and Hager says they produced a mix of positive and negative results. ERMA's manager of science and research apparently estimated the overall level of GE contamination at 0.4% (about 15,000 plants). Unfortunately the crucial information, the test results themselves, are not included in the book – bar one page of rudimentary handwritten results.
Whether or not there was actually GE contamination, the strength of Seeds of Distrust is its examination of the government's actions and processes. Hager argues that the government deliberately downplayed the issue, including minimal or misleading information about the case in a cabinet briefing paper, a media release and to the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification. He puts the issue in context; both global (eg. how other countries have dealt with GE contaminated seed) and local (the contrast between ERMA's stringent rules for field trials and the ad hoc way the government acted in this case of possibly GE contaminated plants in the open field).
All governments need close scrutiny in order to keep them honest and accountable. Even if there turns out to be no GE contamination in this instance, Seeds of Distrust raises some important questions. Why had the government not anticipated the prospect of GE seeds being accidentally imported and not established clear processes to deal with this possibility? What were the exact results of the tests? If the results were inconclusive, why were not more seeds tested until results were conclusive? If Hager is correct, and MAF has stored seed samples in case they were needed as evidence in a court case, can they now be tested? Why the secrecy surrounding the events? Why did the government consult only the companies involved? Why were the growers and the public not told? The challenge is now for other journalists to pick up where Hager left off.
What You Sow, So Shall You Reap
Seeds of Distrust
Nicky Hager
(Craig Potton Publishing)
Reviewed by Philippa Jamieson
The publication last week of Nicky Hager's third controversial book shows that, alongside the news media, the humble book plays a role in disseminating topical information, asking searching questions and discussing issues of wide public concern.
Seeds of Distrust is short and accessible, and for anyone interested in GE or in government accountability and open democracy, it's definitely worth reading.
Here are the facts as Hager states them. In November 2000, the government learned that a shipment of sweetcorn seed, imported from the US and planted in three regions of New Zealand, had tested positive for GE material. Initially Helen Clark wanted the plants pulled out, but Hager claims that after big business lobbying in secret meetings she backed down and whisked through Cabinet an interim measure to allow GE contamination up to 0.5%, so this particular shipment could be deemed GE free. This was at odds with the HSNO Act and therefore illegal (it has since been overturned).
Several tests were conducted and Hager says they produced a mix of positive and negative results. ERMA's manager of science and research apparently estimated the overall level of GE contamination at 0.4% (about 15,000 plants). Unfortunately the crucial information, the test results themselves, are not included in the book – bar one page of rudimentary handwritten results.
Whether or not there was actually GE contamination, the strength of Seeds of Distrust is its examination of the government's actions and processes. Hager argues that the government deliberately downplayed the issue, including minimal or misleading information about the case in a cabinet briefing paper, a media release and to the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification. He puts the issue in context; both global (eg. how other countries have dealt with GE contaminated seed) and local (the contrast between ERMA's stringent rules for field trials and the ad hoc way the government acted in this case of possibly GE contaminated plants in the open field).
All governments need close scrutiny in order to keep them honest and accountable. Even if there turns out to be no GE contamination in this instance, Seeds of Distrust raises some important questions. Why had the government not anticipated the prospect of GE seeds being accidentally imported and not established clear processes to deal with this possibility? What were the exact results of the tests? If the results were inconclusive, why were not more seeds tested until results were conclusive? If Hager is correct, and MAF has stored seed samples in case they were needed as evidence in a court case, can they now be tested? Why the secrecy surrounding the events? Why did the government consult only the companies involved? Why were the growers and the public not told? The challenge is now for other journalists to pick up where Hager left off.
Displaying 1 of 1 review