1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:01,920 Speaker 1: We entered the world again this morning of the genetic 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: modification debate. We've got a report from the inzid I 3 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:07,320 Speaker 1: Eer commissioned by Organics New Zealand that claims ten to 4 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:10,720 Speaker 1: twenty billion dollars in primary sector exports could be lost. 5 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 1: ORGANICX New Zealand CEO Tiffany Tompkins is whether it's definitely 6 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: very good morning to you. 7 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:17,920 Speaker 2: Nice to be here, Mike, thanks for having we a. 8 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:21,240 Speaker 1: Survey commissioned by a group that says what the group 9 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:26,439 Speaker 1: wants to say, Should I be suspicious to finow no? 10 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 2: No. Organics ALTAIO New Zealand asked the question. We asked, 11 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 2: you know, what is the potential risk that New Zealand 12 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:37,839 Speaker 2: is facing. We've been trading as a nation on a 13 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 2: GM or GMO or GE free status for a long 14 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 2: long time and we wanted to know what the risk 15 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 2: is if we lost that status, and so we hired 16 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:53,199 Speaker 2: in z ir because they're professional economists, they're independent, and 17 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 2: they came up with the data that you see today. 18 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 1: The data that you see today, is it rock solid 19 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: or is it Depending on how we do it and 20 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: why we do it and when we do it, it might 21 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 1: look something like this yeah, I think. 22 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 2: It's the starting point. There's a lot more research that 23 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 2: we need to do, but it's the first look into 24 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:17,119 Speaker 2: an economic analysis because the government has not done one, 25 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,920 Speaker 2: we have not seen one. So this is a really 26 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 2: great starting point for us to leverage and start thinking 27 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:24,959 Speaker 2: strategically about. 28 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:26,319 Speaker 1: Where do you reckon people are at with us? Do 29 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 1: you think people can't or they don't think people have 30 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: thought about it enough yet? 31 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:35,959 Speaker 2: Oh? I think people care. I think farmers care a lot. 32 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 2: There's you know, there's a spectrum of where people stand 33 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 2: on the issue. But I think it's really important that 34 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 2: the government slows down, opens up the conversation and includes 35 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 2: farmers much more proactively so we can really understand what 36 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 2: the cost benefit analysis is, so we know what we're 37 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 2: walking into. 38 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 1: Because at first blush, My argument would be that what 39 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 1: we do is high end, and high end will always 40 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: have a market and a good market that and therefore 41 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: that's probably where we need to head down that path 42 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: fair enough on. 43 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, No, New Zealand definitely carries a premium, especially 44 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 2: with the clean green image that we see in the report, 45 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 2: and that's something that the government has repeatedly said over 46 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 2: and over. You know, we need more value for our exports. 47 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 1: The counter problem is, you know, climate change, and everyone's 48 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: obsessed about that, and you've got to feed the world, 49 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: and one science can help feed the world. There's going 50 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:31,639 Speaker 1: to be a lot of pressure on that though, isn't there. 51 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, and not all scientists agree exactly how genetic engineering 52 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 2: is going to play a role, and that they don't 53 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 2: all agree on how safe ge is. So really it's 54 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 2: up to the government to open up the conversations that 55 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 2: we can have a really great analysis of the science 56 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 2: and the costs and a set of opening up to 57 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 2: g great to talk to. 58 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,400 Speaker 1: You, Tiffany go well, Tiffany Tompkins, who's Organics New Zealand CEO. 59 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:01,640 Speaker 1: All I would say is go into my greenhouse and 60 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: taste my tomatoes. 61 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 2: For more from The Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 62 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 2: News Talks at B from six am weekdays, or follow 63 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:10,959 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.