7 May 2015

Swede risk not flagged, group says

3:08 pm on 7 May 2015

A group investigating the deaths of Southland stock which ate herbicide-tolerant swedes last winter was never told there was a risk with the crop, it says.

The working group is looking into the deaths of 400 cows and sheep in Southland last winter.

Documents obtained by Radio New Zealand show the Southland Swedes Working Group was told last October there was a problem with the herbicide-tolerant swedes.

The Ministry for Primary Industries told the group that the leaves of herbicide tolerant swedes had levels of glucosinolates up to 16 times higher than in a natural plant. Glucosinolates can break down into compounds which are toxic to cows, and the ministry told the working group those levels "certainly indicate problems" with the crop.

But DairyNZ's Richard Kyte said the working group understood further testing was required.

"It was at no point clear to the group that there was clear and robust evidence of a risk with the herbicide tolerant swedes that should be communicated to farmers," Mr Kyte said.

Green MP Steffan Browning said he could not understand why farmers had been allowed to plant the herbicide-tolerant swedes again this season, before the results of the investigation were known.

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