Our McDonald Victory

Following a successful campaign that saw Ronald McDonald resign from being the McDonald’s mascot, Greenpeace New Zealand has today announced that it will end its public campaign against the fast food chain following a statement from the food giant stating that it is seeking a non-GE feed supply for its chicken products.

Our GE campaigner Steve Abel in New Zealand stated that: "McDonalds has given us a position statement consistent with the stance the company has taken in Europe which urges its chicken suppliers to source non genetically engineered (GE) soya feed, and we understand that is due to happen for the immediate future."

"Inghams (which supplies McDonald’s its poultry) has stated to McDonalds that their next two shipments of soya meal into New Zealand are to be sourced from a non-GE contaminated region of Brazil. We will be keeping a close eye on these shipments and seeking independent testing of the soy to demonstrate its non-GE purity. And we will continue to campaign for an ongoing commitment from Inghams to source non-GE feed."

For the past four weeks our acticists in New Zealand have undertaken a public campaign which targeted McDonalds stores nationwide with chicken suited activists and a Ronald McDonald look alike who staged a mock resignation, and was later arrested for blockading the 'golden arch' gates of McDonalds Wiri Distribution Centre. The campaign urged McDonalds to take a position on GE feed.

"While the campaign has been humorous and good natured the issue itself is a serious environmental one," says Abel. "GE crops have led to an increase in herbicide use, lower yields, weed problems and contamination of conventional and organic crops."

McDonalds has already been proactive in sourcing non-GE derived ingredients for their products over the last three years. "We commend McDonald’s for its efforts to date in ensuring the food ingredients it serves are non-GE derived.

And now, for McDonalds to request that its chicken supplier seek a non-GE feed supply is more good news for both the environment and for the public’s GE free food preference. McDonalds has listened and responded positively to Greenpeace and the public," said Abel.

Inghams however is not prepared to make a public statement and will continue to import GE contaminated soya to Australia due to claimed difficulties with the Brazilian port where the non- GE soya is loaded.

"Inghams won't commit to sourcing non-GE soya for the longer term but it has told McDonalds that its next two shipments to New Zealand are non-GE, which is a good start. However we will certainly keep up the pressure for Inghams to commit to an ongoing and trans-Tasman non-GE soya supply," said Abel.

New Zealand's largest poultry producer, Tegel, has been sourcing a high standard Identity Preserved (IP) supply of non-GE soya from the US since 2001. This comes at a premium of up to US$30 dollars per tonne. Inghams is apparently not prepared to pay this premium for the non-GE US supply so has sought less costly, non-GE Brazilian soya

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