Transgenic Livestock Programme: Summary of Proposed Programme

Over the last eight years, AgResearch has developed a world leading capability in transgenic livestock research and development. AgResearch believes that genetic modification of livestock will in future make a significant contribution in a range of areas which support AgResearch’s Mission to create sustainable wealth in New Zealand’s pastoral and biotechnology sectors. An overview of AgResearch’s 2020 Science strategy is set out in appendix 1.

AgResearch is therefore making four applications to ERMA to secure approval to import, develop (in indoor and outdoor containment) and field-test genetically modified livestock (cows, buffalo, sheep, pigs, goats, llamas, alpacas, deer, and horses) and to undertake supporting research with a range of laboratory animals and micro-organisms.  An overview of the four approvals and how they will work together is set out in appendix 2.

All activities under this approval will be undertaken in Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) registered containment facilities in accordance with the appropriate MAF/ERMA Standards.  While the applications seek approval for the release of commercial products from containment, no genetically modified organisms will be released from containment or enter the food chain.

The purposes for which AgResearch will utilise the approvals will include:

• production of:

  • therapeutic proteins
  • proteins for use as diagnostics for human and animal disease
  • other products derived from livestock with commercial applications
    

• research into enhancement of traits of value in livestock including productivity, welfare and sustainability

• research using livestock as models for human gene function and physiology.

• research into transgenic techniques and gene function in livestock

A significant benefit of the application is the opportunity for New Zealand to be at the forefront of transgenic technology for producing biopharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. Transgenic animals provide a more versatile and cost efficient means of producing therapeutic proteins than traditional cell culture systems using steel vats.

There is also the potential for health benefits flowing from both the therapeutic products and the increased understanding of gene function underpinning disease in humans.

There is also significant potential for economic and environmental benefits for the pastoral sector through the production of high value products and reduction in the environmental footprint of farming.

The biophysical risks to the environment and human health from the activities are considered to be minimal and not very different to the effects caused by conventional livestock and laboratory animals.

As with previous AgResearch applications there are some sections of society philosophically opposed to the science of genetic modification.  AgResearch’s consultation with Maori indicated that a variety of views exist both for and against genetic modification. Opposing views are largely spiritual in nature.  AgResearch proposes to establish community liaison groups at the various locations where transgenic animals are developed in containment to enable ongoing interaction, dialogue and education about AgResearch’s transgenic animal programme.

Appendix 1: AgResearch's 2020 Science Strategy

Goal 1: To help create the future dairy industry

By 2020 the future dairy farm and industry will create twice the real product value with half the volume of resource inputs and emissions, through both more existing products and a suite of new, high-value products.

Strategies

1.1 Ensure the dairy industry earns a substantial fraction of its revenue from a range of highly-functional, New Zealand-produced food ingredients and supplements that all promote human health and performance, with many of these products being tailored to specific human requirements and conditions.

1.2 Produce more than 250 gigajoules of metabolisable energy per hectare from forage pastures with greater than five years’ persistence: Substantial on farm productivity gains.

1.3 Create pastoral livestock with 25% improved rumen efficiency and energy partitioning, superior growth rates and the developmental characteristics that relate to high value, livestock-derived foods and food ingredients whilst improving on-farm productivity gain and welfare and reducing pollution.

1.4 Halve the empty rate in cows relative to 2006: Substantial on-farm productivity gain & better livestock welfare.

1.5 Pastoral sector contributions to global warming are either reduced to a (net) zero or transformed to a (net) sink, through understanding impacts, and developing adaptations and mitigations that lead to environmentally sympathetic farming.

1.6 Levels of pastoral sector nitrogen & phosphorus emissions, and microbial pollutants, to water reduced by 70% relative to 2006: Environmentally sympathetic farming.

1.7 Rate of loss of indigenous biodiversity on New Zealand farms reduced by 95%: Environmentally sympathetic farming.

Goal 2: To help create the future meat and textile industries

By 2020 the future meat and wool farm and meat & textile industries will create twice the real product value with half the volume of resource inputs and emissions, through existing meat products and a suite of new, high-value meat and wool products.

Strategies

2.1 Ensure the meat industry increases export earnings from its range of select, high-quality New Zealand-produced meat products and future meat-based food ingredients that promote human health and performance, with many of these products being tailored to specific human requirements and conditions.

2.2 Ensure the wool industry has the capacity to produce high-value, wool-involved textiles using up to 40% of the national wool clip: Provides part of the means to reverse the declining fortunes of New Zealand wool.

2.3 200% lambing with few singles and triplets predominantly as required, with a 50% improvement in lamb survival: Substantial on-farm productivity gain & better welfare.

2.4 Genuinely “easy care” sheep and sheep management regimes created: Substantial on-farm productivity gain & better animal welfare.

2.5 Soil erosion from New Zealand farms reduced by 30% relative to 2006: Environmentally sympathetic farming.

Goal 3: To help achieve a pestilence-free New Zealand

By 2020, New Zealand agriculture will be much closer to “pestilence-free”, with the biocontrol of leading pests, weeds, parasites and diseases having been achieved, and the costs of animal health and biosecurity being halved.

Strategies

3.1 Achieve national freedom from TB and Johne’s diseases in NZ pastoral livestock: Ability of farmers to meet or exceed consumer & regulator expectations.

3.2 50% reduction in the volume of chemicals used to control pastorally-relevant animal and weed pests, parasites & diseases relative to 2006 (whilst simultaneously steadily-improving productivity), with commercially-effective biological control of livestock internal parasites having been achieved as part of this: Ability of farmers to meet or exceed consumer & regulator expectations, and substantial gain in on-farm productivity.

3.3 50% reduction in the overall prevalence of zoonoses and new biosecurity incursions relative to 2006: Ability of farmers and food processors to meet or exceed consumer & regulator expectations, and heightened confidence of investors in the NZ primary industries.

Goal 4: To help maintain good relations between agriculture and its communities

By 2020 consistently-wise evidence-based choices will be made by landowners (individuals and collectives), rural communities, pastoral agribusinesses and regulatory/policy agencies over use of natural resources for sustainable and profitable agricultural development.  A serious rural-urban divide does not develop.

Strategies

4.1 Continued consumer and regulator confidence in New Zealand’s pastorally-related product markets, resulting from reliable technologies that ensure traceability, quality assurance, safety and ethical acceptability (especially regarding the welfare of livestock): Ability of farmers & processors to meet or exceed consumer, community and regulator expectations.

4.2 >95% of farmers using scientifically-derived tools that aid objective decision-making around productive, sustainable use of land, water & energy, and around landscape and biodiversity conservation: Ability of farmers to meet or exceed consumer & regulator expectations, reduced tension between rural & urban communities and a gain in on-farm productivity.

Goal 5: To create opportunities for NZ beyond food and textiles

AgResearch will capitalise on serendipitous scientific discoveries of merit to other value chains, such as industrial feedstocks, human health and NZ technology companies.

Strategies

5.1 Market our R&D capabilities and technologies to offshore pastoral sectors where this does not compromise our Mission.

5.2 Develop technologies that will create sustainable wealth for the NZ technology sector.

5.3 Market R&D capabilities outside pastoral sector in New Zealand.

Appendix 2: Activities Carried Out Under Approvals

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