Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons has condemned the application by state science company AgResearch to genetically engineer a range of animals, as well as human and monkey cells, yeasts and bacteria.
Fitzsimons said it wants to turn New Zealand into a giant "GE laboratory" to boost its own corporate plans at the expense of our long-term image, and without taking into account the huge risk of something going wrong.
She is concerned that AgResearch might be able to develop unlimited numbers of GE animals without disclosing publicly which specific genes and associated genetic material it intends to use.
AgResearch has made four applications for the laboratory testing of human and monkey cell lines and smaller species of genetically engineered laboratory animals and the development of GE cows, buffalo, sheep, pigs, goats, llamas, alpacas, deer and horses.
The company first won approval from the Environmental Risk Management Authority eight years ago to produce transgenic cows, including animals with copies of human genes, and has bred small herds of several transgenic cattle lines.
RadioLIVE / 3 News