Impacts of growing and utilising genetically modified crops and forages – a New Zealand perspective

In New Zealand, a genetically modified (GM) organism means any organism where genes or other genetic material have been modified by in vitro techniques. This includes New Breeding Technologies (NBT) such as gene editing. The aim here is to (a) examine the importance of consumer attitudes towards food produced from GM plants or from animals fed GM feed and (b) consider whether consumer attitudes would reduce the demand and acceptance of food produced by New Zealand pastoral farmers if GM forages were included in animal feed. Published surveys indicate that consumers were willing to purchase GM foods if they cost less than non-GM foods, although the magnitude of this discount varies across countries, the type of genetic modification and how it affects the food product. While there will always be a proportion of consumers against the use of GM in food production, the published evidence would suggest that the use of GM plants in New Zealand for food production will have no long-term deleterious effects in overseas markets. From a regulatory view point, the focus should be on regulating the benefit-risk issues associated with the end-product of genetic modification rather than the processes used in their development.