Billboard milks it, say critics

A billboard sporting a naked, genetically engineered woman whose four breasts are being milked is designed to "disturb", its creator says.
Mothers Against Genetic Engineering in Food and the Environment (Madge) has displayed seven billboards in Wellington and Auckland showing the naked woman with GE branded on her backside.
Critics say the image is milking emotion and "bad taste science fiction", but Madge founder Alannah Currie said she designed it to spark debate about genetic engineering and to protest about designer milk. "If they want to make designer milk, why not genetically engineer women for milk?"
The billboard was intended to be disturbing, but few people, except perhaps "stupid white men", should be offended, she said.
The 21-year-old model is Ms Currie's niece-in-law, also a Madge member, who was pleased with the image. "She's gone into hiding at the moment in case people think she really does have four breasts," Ms Currie said.
Each billboard cost $2000 and was paid for by Madge supporters.
Madge staged a protest outside Fonterra's offices in Auckland yesterday demanding that its milk remain GE-free. Fonterra refused to comment on the billboard or the protest.
Biotechnology company ViaLactia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fonterra, is rejecting claims it has bought patent rights to human dna. Chief executive Colin South said it had bought the right to animal and plant code, not human sequences.
Life Sciences Network chairman William Rolleston compared Madge's billboards to "bad taste science fiction", saying it showed what little grasp the group had on reality.
Federated Farmers of New Zealand genetic engineering spokesman Hugh Ritchie called the billboard campaign contemptible and emotive.
(Bron, met foto)