A Bay of Plenty Crown research institute is being accused of building its new genetically engineered field trial space before permission was granted by the Environmental Risk Management Authority.
The Soil & Health Association of New Zealand claims Scion in Rotorua is building a field of 4000 genetically engineered pine trees, without first gaining approval from ERMA.

"By enlarging its Rotorua GE field trial site more than tenfold, ahead of having its latest GE application processed, Scion seems to have had illegal pre-notification approval from ERMA," says Soil and Health Association spokesperson Steffan Browning.
But Scion says it did not start building its GE field trial ahead of ERMA approval.

"The photographs circulated by Soil & Health show ground works that cleared up a huge pile of waste in readiness for a new campus mowing contract that is about to be let," says Scion spokesperson Christl McMillan.
"The waste came from an extensive scrub clearing operation in Scion's tree archive area, which is accessed and enjoyed by members of the public as a dog exercise area.
"The photographs show an area of about 60sqm that has now been sown in grass."