Velvet leaf panic

I wrote about the "worstest, mostest agressivest weed in the whole world", velvet leaf, Abutilon theophrasti for Get Growing last week. I've been amazed by the reaction to the discovery that velvet leaf is now growing across Southland, having been sown en mass along with fodder beet for winter feed for cows and I suppose sheep. It's not as though there has been an isolated outbreak of velvet leaf from some garden or other, or even a spill from a seed-carrying truck as with the recent black grass in Canterbury. No, this seed was sown on farms all over the region. The Ministry for Primary Industries somehow contrived to source fodder beet through a seed company (hat-tip Ray) from an unusual source and it was "contaminated" with Abutilon theophrasti which grew happily here in Southland and is now setting it's own seeds. Panic has gripped the authorities, along with, I suspect, feelings of guilt and fear at being sued by farmers who stand to lose a great deal of income, should this plant get established here. Hence the huge, sustained and very expensive efforts to seek and destroy the plants. Not much comment in the media about how the situation arose, why the decision was made to import from an infected area and why the seed was not "clean". It's a major botch-up by MPI, I reckon and a very expensive one. Our own regional council is redirecting much of its energies away from its core functions into this search and while we are assured that MPI will pay back what we've had to spend, Environment Southland is losing valuable time in the fight to protect the waters of Southland from those other threats that have long been identified. This is not a good situation to find ourselves in. At all. Here are the PDF versions of my article.

Councillors fail GMO test

Environment Southland councillors submit to National Environmental Standard


BRITTANY PICKETT

Last updated 05:00, August 13 2015
Environment Southland will make a submission on a government proposal to create a nationally consistent approach to managing plantation forestry, but agreeing on the wording was not smooth sailing.

Councillors debated an amendment to its submission on the proposed National Environmental Standard for Plantation Forestry at a council meeting on Wednesday.

The proposed NES would replace regional and district councils' existing district and regional plan rules for managing plantation forestry, creating a nationally consistent approach.

The submission outlines Environment Southland's concerns that the national environmental standard would have a huge impact on the rules the council has in place to manage forestry in Southland and says implementation of the standard could affect the management of regionally specific issues, such as implementing the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management and the potential loss of further biodiversity values.

However, councillor Robert Guyton was concerned the council was ignoring an important part of the national environmental standard.

The proposal includes the permitted planting of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

READ MORE: Guidelines an attack on democracy - councillor

Policy and Planning manager Anita Dawe said the council did not have a say on whether GMOs could be planted either way because it was not allowed for in the regional policy statement.

Dawe believed land use restrictions came under the jurisdiction of district councils.

Councillor Neville Cook questioned Guyton's need for an amendment.

"How would we know if such material would be brought in? Are we going to have border security? I don't think it is enforceable on a regional level."

Most councillors agreed it should remain a central government decision.

Councillors Jan Riddell and Guyton both proposed amendments to the submission, asking for a statement about the concerns of the council about GMO planting being a permitted activity.

It was time the council had an opinion on such matters, Riddell said.

"I think that it is about time that this council took a lead on this in the community and formed an opinion on GMO products."

Both amendments were scrapped, with only three council members voting for the amendments to be added.

Following the meeting, Guyton said he was very disappointed the council failed to even try to retain the powers it had to act on behalf of Southlanders.

He believed the council should shoulder the responsibility for deciding on local issues and not "fob" it off to government, he said.

"The majority of the councillors today showed they were unwilling to represent the views of Southland people on genetic engineering and instead preferred to let the government make the decision about whether Southland should lose its GMO-free status."

An attack on democracy - today's meeting with MPI

Proposed national guidelines for forestry would strip councils of democratic rights, an Environment Southland councillor says.

The Ministry for Primary Industries held a public meeting on Tuesday, to address the proposed introduction of a National Environmental Standard for Plantation Forestry.

About 30 people attended the meeting at the Invercargill Workingmen's Club.

Environment Southland councillor Robert Guyton was concerned the proposal seemingly slipped in the permitted planting of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), without public consultation.

The proposed NES would replace regional and district councils' existing district and regional plan rules for managing plantation forestry, creating a nationally consistent approach.

However, Guyton was concerned it would take away the power from elected councillors.

"The democratically elected representatives will have no say."

The proposal would have lasting effects for Southland. Allowing genetically modified plantations, including sterile trees, would limit environmental risk management, pest management and the ability to market New Zealand goods overseas, he said.

It would mean New Zealand would lose its GE Free status and would not be able to reclaim it, creating a "serious economic threat" to Southland, he said.

"Once it's in, it's in."

Under the proposed NES, local council authorities would lose the ability to make decisions on planting genetically modified trees, he said.

While Guyton opposed the use of GMO, Steve Chandler, a Southland/Otago forest manager, said he supported the NES proposal because it would allow the use of some GMOs.

"One of the things that we really like is the ability to implement sterile trees."

However, MPI forestry and land management directionate analyst Stuart Miller said the Environmental Protection Agency was yet to approve any use of genetically modified trees.

"It is an issue that has been raised across New Zealand and we'll be giving some serious thought to the issue of GMOs and GE as a public interest."

Wider public consultation would be considered, he said.

Proposals for the improvement of the Permanent Forest Sink Initiative were also discussed at the meeting. It enables landowners to receive carbon units through the creation of permanent forests.

The initiative, part of New Zealand's climate change response, is under review to increase the area of permanent forests, increase economic benefits for participants and improve administration.

MPI is asking for submissions on the NES and on the Permanent Forest Sink Initiative, both submission periods close in August.

- The Southland Times Brittany Pickett