(NZ)GE Cows Experiment a dismal failure

[Guest guest]

two press releases here One from GE Free NZ

and one from a Ngati Wairere spokesperson

GE Cows Experiment A Dismal Failure

- Almost all of the genetically engineered foetuses, in an AgResearch

experiment in Hamilton, New Zealand, designed to insert a human

myelin gene into milk-producing cows, have aborted. Only three

calves, of the sixty promised, are believed to have survived,

and one was removed from the mother-cow by caesarian.

See...

Scores of foetuses abort - 3 sad calves are born [1] and What

Price Stubbornness? [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/SC0106/S00031.htm

[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/SC0106/S00033.htm

 

PRESS RELEASE - GE FREE NZ - 12.6.01

Scores of foetuses abort as three sad calves are born.

Almost all of the genetically engineered foetuses, in an AgResearch

experiment in Hamilton, New Zealand, designed to insert a human myelin gene

into milk-producing cows, have aborted. Only three calves, of the sixty

promised, are believed to have survived, and one was removed from the

mother-cow by caesarian.

" Most of the surrogate mother-cows and their foetuses are now dead, " said

Jon Carapiet , a spokesperson for GE-Free New Zealand, who have opposed the

experiment on both ethical,environmental and economic grounds.

" The attempt to play up the possibility of some medical benefit arising from

the experiment will not change the fact that people do not want to eat these

animals or their products, " said Jon. " Sadly the promise to MS sufferers

seems to be largely a hoax. "

The future of New Zealands exports - it's image and position in the global

marketplace is under threat from the damaging news that Kiwi cows have been

given human genes.

" The fact that there is no market for GE foods made from transgenic cattle

or their produce, may not be enough to stop this debacle contaminating the

dairy industry's future.Instead of debating a merger, perhaps the farmers

should be thinking about what is happening down in that Hamilton paddock

right now . " End

and this is from a Ngati Wairere spokesperson " scientific fraud "

Today's confirmation of the birth of just 3 calves containing the myelin

basic protein gene must be a huge embarrassment to AgResearch after it

obscenely inserted human genes into cows and then publicly boasted the

merits of transgenic research.

Ms D C Webster of Ngati Wairere whose tribal lands are leased to AgResearch,

describes the practice of inserting human genes into cattle as obscene and

unacceptable to her and her people.

" AgResearch chief Keith Steele must be feeling very foolish and well he

might as he now has to justify to his board and to the taxpayer his

justification in spending 15 million dollars for these " mini minotaur's " .

Ms Webster says " it's poetic justice that just 3 calves have been born and

begs the question how much more taxpayers money will be spent in proving a

point and to advance the reputation of science? "

" AgResearch has continued to claim that the potential commercial value of

the research is great and has in fact been carried away by the international

spin that treatments for MS runs in the million of dollars " .

" In fact what AgReseach has done is perpetuate a massive scientific fraud

upon MS sufferers, and has used medical endeavor to justify its greedy

capitalist ideals " .

" In doing so not only have these experiments deliberately caused cultural

and spiritual affront to the Waikato Maori landowners, AgResearch has also

caused unnecessary pain and suffering to the animals at Ruakura " .

" AgResearch is looking inward and is only concerned with protecting its now

somewhat tarnished reputation and credibility, similar to Scottish firm PPL

Therapeutics which failed in a recent fundraising attempt to raise 45

million pounds which was to have been used to pay for the a drug

foremphysema.

Ms Webster says " AgResearch must now be the laughing stock of the science

community both here in Aotearoa and overseas " . Ends.