October 2017

A win for clean, green, GE-FREE New Zealand

A win for clean, green, GE-free New Zealand


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
31 October 2017
 
The Soil & Health Association is celebrating the decision by Federated Farmers to abandon its appeal against the right of councils to control the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their territories. Federated Farmers filed its latest appeal earlier this year in the Court of Appeal, after its appeals to the Environment Court and High Court had been dismissed.
 
“We congratulate Federated Farmers on this pragmatic and sensible decision,” said Soil & Health Chair Graham Clarke.
 
“Both the High Court and Environment Court have ruled that regional councils have jurisdiction under the Resource Management Act (RMA) to regulate the use of GMOs through regional policy statements or plans. The recent RMA amendments further entrench the legal rights of councils to do so. Challenging these decisions would only have cost both us, the other parties involved and Federated Farmers themselves a lot of unnecessary time and money.”
 
Federated Farmers had argued that the Environmental Protection Authority had sole responsibility for the regulation of GMOs under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO).
 
The decision to withdraw its appeal comes after recent amendments were made to the RMA, which confirmed the High Court ruling, leading Federated Farmers to believe that they “are likely to have materially reduced the prospects of the appeal being prosecuted successfully.”
 

GE-FREE NORTHLAND VICTORY AGAINST FEDERATED FARMERS OF NZ

GE-FREE NORTHLAND VICTORY AGAINST FEDERATED FARMERS OF NZ

31 October 2017 Media Release

GE-Free Northland

 

Valuable precautionary GMO provisions in the Northland Regional Policy Statement and our democratic right to be GE-free have been secured, with Federated Farmers of NZ finally withdrawing two vexatious appeals on the GE/GMO issue and the jurisdictional issue settled in our favour.

GE-Free Northland, along with appellant Whangarei District Council and other interested parties (including Tai Tokerau mana whenua and the Soil & Health Association) have successfully defended the right of local authorities to manage  the outdoor use of GMOs in their region, after Federated Farmers sought a ruling back in 2015 that Northland Regional Council had acted outside the law in taking this approach.

Since comprehensively losing the 2015 Environment Court appeal (which it initiated) on all points of law, Federated Farmers not only filed an appeal against the Environment Court's decision with the High Court, but also (after losing both court cases) went on to the Court of Appeal.

new National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry, fight won against GE trees

new National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry

by Zelka Linda Grammer

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) released the new Environmental Standards (NES) for Plantation Forestry in August 2017, after putting out the draft NES-PF two years ago.

The new NES-PF (1) gives foresters, councils, and communities clear national guidelines on how to protect the environment while achieving a sustainable forestry industry ((although many submitters would have preferred stronger provisions to protect indigenous trees, wildlife habitats, and ecosystems).

Severe pressure on MPI resulted in the agency removing a controversial clause 6.4 (GE trees), which was added at the eleventh hour with no consultation with the NZ Farm Forestry Association, Forest and Bird, and other key stakeholders) from the new NES-PF.

Various councils with strong precautionary GE policies, foresters, and other primary producers welcomed the removal of the clause that would have permitted the planting of GE trees anywhere in NZ and specifically overriden any precautionary or prohibitive GE policies and rules of local councils (including those of Northland, Auckland, and Hawke's Bay).

new National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry, 16,000 Kiwi submittors say NO to GE trees

new National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry

by Zelka Linda Grammer

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) released the new Environmental Standards (NES) for Plantation Forestry in August 2017, after putting out the draft NES-PF two years ago.

The new NES-PF (1) gives foresters, councils, and communities clear national guidelines on how to protect the environment while achieving a sustainable forestry industry ((although many submitters would have preferred stronger provisions to protect indigenous trees, wildlife habitats, and ecosystems).

Severe pressure on MPI resulted in the agency removing a controversial clause 6.4 (GE trees), which was added at the eleventh hour with no consultation with the NZ Farm Forestry Association, Forest and Bird, and other key stakeholders) from the new NES-PF.

Various councils with strong precautionary GE policies, foresters, and other primary producers welcomed the removal of the clause that would have permitted the planting of GE trees anywhere in NZ and specifically overriden any precautionary or prohibitive GE policies and rules of local councils (including those of Northland, Auckland, and Hawke's Bay).

GE Free Northland action alert: submissions needed on GE/GMO issue in response to proposed Northland Regional Plan

GE Free Northland action alert:
submissions needed on GE/GMO issue in response to Northland Regional Council's proposed New Regional Plan

Food regulator ignores health risks of GE potatoes

Food regulator ignores health risks of GE potatoes

Soil & Health Association 4 October 2017
Media release    

New Zealanders could soon be eating crisps and hot chips made from GE potatoes, with little idea of the added health risks from genetic engineering. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), which has just approved six new lines of GE potatoes for human consumption, has breached its duty of care to consumers, says the Soil & Health Association.

Last week the Trans-Tasman food regulator released its decision approving the sale of food derived from potatoes that have been genetically engineered for disease resistance to foliar late blight, reduced blackspot bruising and reduced acrylamide potential. The potatoes are aimed at fast food outlets and the frozen chip and crisps market.

“FSANZ has a legal requirement to protect the health and safety of people in Australia and New Zealand through the maintenance of a safe food supply,” says Soil & Health chair Graham Clarke. “By approving these potato lines without sufficient evidence to prove that they are safe to eat, FSANZ has effectively breached this legal requirement.”

“Soil & Health is further concerned that due to New Zealand’s weak food labelling laws, consumers may not even know whether they’re consuming the GE potatoes or not,” says Clarke.

Soil & Health made a joint submission with GE Free NZ on the application, and referenced a number of studies that show harm from eating GE foods, which FSANZ has dismissed and ignored. The submission highlighted how no independent food safety experiments had been carried out on the GE potato lines.

ALARM BELLS RING OVER GE SPUD DECISION BY AUSSIE DOMINATED FOOD REGULATORY BODY

GE-Free Northland

4 October 2017  Media Release

ALARM BELLS RING OVER GE POTATO DECISION BY AUSSIE DOMINATED FOOD REGULATORY BODY

GE-Free Northland is appalled but not surprised by the latest deeply flawed decision by Food Standards Australia NZ, in which the agency approved an American application for six lines of genetically modified potatoes to be sold in NZ and Australia.[1]

Food Standards Approval Ignores Possible Dangers Of GE Potatoes

 

GE FREE NZ Press release 
1 October 2017

 

Food Standards Approval Ignores Possible Dangers Of GE Potatoes.

 

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), a trans-Tasman regulatory body, has approved 6 lines of GE potatoes (A1139) carrying genes from viruses and bacteria to stop discoloration and alter vital nutritional components [1].  The NZ Minister for Food Safety has let down NZ consumers yet again by failing to carry out a thorough public safety evaluation.

 

The joint submission from GE-Free NZ and Soil and Health highlighted many studies that show harm from eating GE foods, which FSANZ has dismissed and ignored. [2]