TAKE ACTION AGAINST TERMINATOR TECHNOLOGY

No it's not another action movie - it's much worse than that. Terminator gene technology is a serious threat to farmers all over the world and to the environment. Next week the NZ Government has a chance to address this threat. We need to urge them to take strong action.

Did you know that over 1.4 billion people around the world depend on saved seed for food? Seeds from each year's crop are saved for planting the following season.

This age old practice of saving seed is under threat right now from US seed and chemical corporations and a tiny number of countries - including New Zealand. They want to introduce a selfish and short-sighted new technology that is a veritable ticking time-bomb.

'Terminator' technology is an extreme for of genetically engineered seed that produces sterile offspring. It is specifically designed to stop farmers saving seed and so must buy new seed each season. This directly threatens the livelihood of the communities who rely on saved seed for food.

Over 120 countries and the world's biggest aid and environmental organisations are calling for the current de-facto moratorium on 'terminator technology' to stay in place.

At present New Zealand is one of only four countries pushing for this ban to be overturned.

Now is the time for action. The issue will be debated at the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity meeting in Brazil later this month. Please take a few minutes to defend the right of all farmers to save seed and particularly the 1.4 billion people who depend on this by sending an urgent message to the New Zealand Government here

Thank you for your support,

Nick Young
Web manager
Greenpeace Aotearoa NZ