Soil and Health welcomes science funding
New science and research funding announced by the Government presents an opportunity to strengthen New Zealand's flawed clean and green environmental reputation, says the Soil and Health Association (SHA).
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New science and research funding announced by the Government presents an opportunity to strengthen New Zealand's flawed clean and green environmental reputation, says the Soil and Health Association (SHA).
In an early budget announcement yesterday, Prime Minister John Key said $321 million would go towards science, research and development -- $96m of which would come at the expense of social and environmental research, with rest being new money.
The Soil and Health Association, which represents those in the organic food and farming industries, said some of funding needed to be redirected away from genetic engineering development and field trials and towards seeking alternatives to the likes of aerial 1080 drops and methyl bromide release to the atmosphere resulting from chemical treatment of export logs.
Such measures were critical if New Zealand was to retain credibility with tourists and best value export customers, said SHA spokesperson Steffan Browning.
"The new science funding in primary production must not be wasted with the old business elite or fast buck science clique but used for a genuinely sustainable future," he said.
"Organic and genuinely sustainable production, and humane and environmentally benign alternatives to current pest control chemicals get far too little funding."
Mr Browning said development of chemical nitrification inhibitors, genetically engineered ryegrass and clovers, and monoculture forests of chemically dependent radiata was a misuse of science and extension funding as none was genuinely sustainable.
NZPA
Wed, 12 May 2010
Wed, 12 May 2010
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Soil and Health welcomes science funding
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