Genetic Engineering (GMO land use) has no place in QUALITY primary production
and puts our economy, key markets, environment and health at risk.

Northland communities urge Northland Regional Council to protect the region's existing GE Free status

Posted Sun, 04/11/2018 - 12:22

 

GE Free Northland
2 November 2018 Media Release
Gene edited organisms are GMOs and are unacceptable in Northland
Northland communities urge Northland Regional Council to protect the region's valuable GE free status


More than one hundred submissions (lodged in response to the Northland Regional Council's proposed new Regional Plan) strongly back alignment with Auckland and Northland District Council plans that already contain provisions and policies created for the purpose of protectiing the Northern peninsula's valuable GE-Free status. 

 

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GMO-free policy not in North's draft air, water, soil, coast plan

Posted Sun, 04/11/2018 - 12:20

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12144132

 

NORTHERN ADVOCATE  20 OCTOBER 2018

"GMO FREE POLICY NOT IN NORTH'S DRAFT AIR, SOIL, WATER PLAN" 

BY LINDY LAIRD

 

There could be a small break in the ring fence meant to keep genetically modified organisms out of Northland's environment and primary sector.

The decision has groups who vehemently fought for 10 years for that GMO-proof fence now criticising the Northland Regional Council's decision to exclude its strong Regional Policy Statement (RPS) on GMOs from its proposed Regional Plan.

A year after no-to-GMO policies became operational in Whangārei and Far North Districts' and NRC legislation, the NRC failed to copy over its stance to its new environment plan.

The overarching Regional Plan — the draft of which received 360 submissions overall — will encompass, replace and update three outdated water and soil, air and coastal plans. More than 100 of those submissions referred to the GMOs subject.

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Gene editing is unacceptable

Posted Sun, 04/11/2018 - 12:16

 

"Gene editing is unacceptable"  22 October 2018 NZ Farmers Weekly
by Hawke's Bay primary producers/ exporters
Bruno Chambers, David Cranwell, Phyllis Tinchinin and John Bostock

Farmers delighted three-year battle over GM-free status dropped

Posted Fri, 24/08/2018 - 22:21

https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/country/363201/farmers-delighted-three-year-battle-over-gm-free-status-dropped

 

Farmers delighted three-year battle over GM-free status dropped

 

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Hawke's Bay food producers win genetic modification free battle

Posted Fri, 24/08/2018 - 22:17


https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503462&objectid=12099940

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It's official- Hastings is now a GM Free Food Producing District!

Posted Thu, 16/08/2018 - 16:49

http://purehawkesbay.org/its-official-hastings-is-now-a-gm-free-food-producing-district/

 

IT’S OFFICIAL: HASTINGS IS NOW A GM FREE FOOD PRODUCING DISTRICT

Posted on 2 August 2018 · Leave a Comment 

Hawke’s Bay food producers have won a major battle to keep the Hastings District GM Free.

Federated Farmers has formally abandoned its legal attempt to overturn Hastings official GM Free food producing status.

Pure Hawke’s Bay, a lobby group representing Hawke’s Bay growers, exporters and farmers backed the GM Free plan rules adopted by the Hastings District Council in 2015.

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VICTORY FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES- FEDERATED FARMERS OF NZ DROP CONTROVERSIAL GMO APPEAL

Posted Mon, 16/07/2018 - 16:58

VICTORY FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES- FEDERATED FARMERS OF NZ DROP CONTROVERSIAL GMO APPEAL 

GE-FREE Northland 

26 May 2018 Media release

 

GE-Free Northland are celebrating the news that Federated Farmers of NZ have finally withdrawn their controversial GE/GMO appeal against Whangarei District Council and Far North District Council (1).

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AGM

Posted Thu, 12/07/2018 - 16:17

Upcoming AGM - details soon.

Soil & Health celebrates: Federated Farmers drop legal action around GMOs

Posted Sat, 26/05/2018 - 13:57

https://organicnz.org.nz/uncategorized/soil-health-celebrates-federated-farmers-drop-legal-action-around-gmos/

25 May 2018
MEDIA RELEASE

Soil & Health celebrates: Federated Farmers drop legal action around GMOs.

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Another win for GE FREE NZ

Posted Sat, 14/04/2018 - 10:35

The Soil & Health Association welcomes a decision released today by the Environment Court declining Federated Farmers’ attempt to challenge regulation of genetically modified organisms under the RMA.

 

In the latest case before the Environment Court, Whangarei District Council appealed the Northland Council’s Regional Policy Statement, asking to delete one word – ‘plants’ so that the policy would require a precautionary approach to be adopted towards introducing genetically engineered organisms generally – not just plants – to the environment.

 

“The court’s decision is a victory for common sense and for the interests of all Northlanders concerned about the possible introduction of GMOs into the environment, whether they be plants, animals, insects or microorganisms,” said Graham Clarke, Soil & Health’s chair.

 

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GE Free Northland ACTION ALERT- submissions needed in response to Northland Regional Council draft Long Term Plan 2018-28

Posted Tue, 27/03/2018 - 22:31

*SUBMISSION PERIOD NOW CLOSED
GE Free Northland Action Alert

There is an opportunity to make submissions in response to the Northland Regional Council draft Long Term Plan 2018-28.
https://www.nrc.govt.nz/Your-Council/Council-Projects/long-term-plan-2018-2028/

The NRC needs your feedback to make decisions for the Long Term Plan 2018-2028, which is supposed to reflect community aspirations and wishes, and set policy direction for NRC.

The NRC inappropriately removed the highly important strong precautionary and prohibitive GE policy from the operative NRC Long Term Plan a few years ago (without any public consultation or legitimate reason).

Please make a submission to NRC (in addition to any other points you wish to raise) urging the NRC to replace the important precautionary and prohibitive GE policy (that was in various NRC Long Term Plans since the 2004-14 LTCCP) and the $10,000 contingency fund (in the event of any EPA approved outdoor GE applications for Northland). Please ask to be heard (you can change your mind, or give your speaking time to someone else. It ensures you are kept informed by NRC).

Community support for a GE-free Northland

Posted Thu, 22/03/2018 - 21:18

Community support for a GE-free Northland

 

22 March 2018 Media release: GE Free Northland

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GE Free Northland action alert- further submissions needed in response to the Northland Regional Council proposed Regional Plan

Posted Mon, 19/03/2018 - 15:37

Conservation minister opposes GM-rodent plan

Posted Fri, 16/02/2018 - 19:11

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11952990

CONSERVATION MINISTER OPPOSES GM-RODENT PLAN

5 December 2017 NZ HERALD

 

A group of conservationists and scientists with US military funding eyeing up New Zealand islands for gene testing have been given the elbow by Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage.

A NZ Herald investigation has found the group - called Gbird - was considering how New Zealand islands would fit with US$6.5 million of US military funding.

As it did so, Gbird formed links throughout conservation and pest control networks in its push to get support for research on new gene drive technology.

Sage - a Green Party minister - said there would be serious risk to New Zealand's environmental reputation if there were field trials here using gene technology.

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GE-FREE NORTHLAND VICTORY AGAINST FEDERATED FARMERS OF NZ

Posted Wed, 01/11/2017 - 16:28

GE-FREE NORTHLAND VICTORY AGAINST FEDERATED FARMERS OF NZ

GE-Free Northland

1 November 2017 Media release

GE-Free Northland, hundreds of Northland primary producers, and other submitters are celebrating the decision by Federated Farmers of NZ (FFNZ) to finally abandon its crusade to force Northland Regional Council to remove sound precautionary GE/GMO provisions from the Northland Regional Policy Statement.

FFNZ filed its latest appeal earlier this year in the Court of Appeal, after losing in both the Environment Court (2015) and the High Court (2016).

Northland councils and communities are confident (now that the jurisdictional issue has been settled) that our valuable existing GE free status will be retained, from the Bombay Hills north to Cape Reinga.

Whangarei District Council and a broad range of interested parties including GE Free Northland, Tai Tokerau mana whenua, Far North District Council, and the Soil & Health Association have secured local authorities' right to manage the outdoor use of GMOs in their regions.

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

Posted Tue, 31/10/2017 - 23:46

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.”
 

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

Posted Wed, 25/10/2017 - 16:52

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).

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

Posted Wed, 04/10/2017 - 10:31

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]

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Food Standards Approval Ignores Possible Dangers Of GE Potatoes

Posted Mon, 02/10/2017 - 21:52

 

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]

 

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Protecting GE-Free Advantage Makes Economic Sense For NZ

Posted Fri, 01/09/2017 - 15:18

www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1708/S00550/protecting-ge-free-advantage-makes-economic-sense-for-nz.htm


Protecting GE-Free Advantage Makes Economic Sense For NZ

Monday, 28 August 2017, 9:22 am


Protecting GE-Free Advantage Makes Economic Sense For New Zealand

There is growing political consensus that keeping New Zealand a GE-free country for food production is important for economic and environmental security.

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MORE THAN 16,000 NEW ZEALANDERS SAY 'NO' TO GE TREES

Posted Sun, 13/08/2017 - 20:42

GE Free Northland 

13 August 2017 Media Release

MORE THAN 16,000 NEW ZEALANDERS SAY 'NO' TO GE TREES

Pressure on the Ministry for Primary Industries over the last two years has resulted in MPI removing controversial clause 6.4 (GE trees) from the new National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry.

The new NES-PF (1) gives foresters, councils, and communities clear guidelines on how to protect the environment while achieving a sustainable forestry industry.

GE Free Northland welcomes 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 and Auckland).

“We are pleased MPI has listened to the many thousands of submitters who have called for the removal of the controversial clause,” said Martin Robinson, spokesperson for GE Free Northland. 

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NO to GE trees - Environmental Guidance in Forestry Standards Is Welcomed

Posted Thu, 10/08/2017 - 21:25

 

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GE-free stance sets example for the world

Posted Sun, 16/07/2017 - 11:56

GE-free stance sets example for the world  Wairarapa News-Age   l3 July 2017    

http://times-age.co.nz/ge-free-stance-sets-example-world/

 

 

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Update from GE Free Northland, Public Appeal for Funds (Court of Appeal case- Federated Farmers of NZ vs NRC

Posted Wed, 12/07/2017 - 23:29

 

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Make a submission- oppose an application to allow GE potatoes in our food! submissions needed to Food Standards Australia NZ (FSANZ)

Posted Sun, 25/06/2017 - 21:35

Submission - A1139 - GE potatoes.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand

Template below and suggested points to make.  Please cut and paste into a new document.
Please personalise your submissions with your own words and add other points (further below).
Submissions close 7 July at 8 pm (NZ time). Email your submission to: submissions@foodstandards.gov.au

Or lodge online at www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/changes/submission/Pages/default.aspx

 

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GE-FREE ZONE VICTORY AGAINST NICK SMITH'S ARROGANT POWER GRAB

Posted Sun, 09/04/2017 - 11:13

 

GE-FREE ZONE VICTORY AGAINST NICK SMITH'S ARROGANT POWER GRAB

GE-Free Northland 6 April 2017 Media release

 

Whangarei, Far North, and Auckland communities are thankful that the Maori Party has successfully blocked the Government's attempt to pass controversial changes to the RMA that the Minister Nick Smith wanted to use to destroy valuable GE-free zones.

Northland's and Auckland's ability to establish a GM-free food producing zone under local plans has been protected following last minute changes to the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill.

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WIN FOR GM FREE REGIONS

Posted Wed, 05/04/2017 - 10:52

Pure Hawke’s Bay Media Release 5 Aril 2017

http://purehawkesbay.org/win-for-gm-free-regions/

Hawke’s Bay exporters, growers and farmers who have worked hard to protect the region’s GM free status are happy the environment minister has had to back down from controversial amendments to the RMA he wants to take away the regions’ right to make their own decisions on GMOs.

Hawke’s Bay’s ability to establish a GM Free food producing zone under local plans has been shielded following last minute changes to the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill.

An amendment negotiated by the Maori Party exempts GM crops from the scope of new ministerial powers overriding local decision-making.

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Māori Party: Stand by your pledge to protect GM Free Regions

Posted Tue, 28/03/2017 - 12:13

Dear Friends,

 

I just signed a petition for 'Māori Party: Stand by your pledge to protect GM Free Regions'.

Please add your name to this important issue. By signing this petition you support this call to action :)

Every name that is added builds momentum around the campaign and makes it more likely for us to get the change we want to see..the protection of our GE Free zones, valuable enterprises and ability to grow GE free food..

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Smith's GE stance puts him on thin ice

Posted Tue, 28/03/2017 - 11:31

Mike Williams: Smith's GE stance puts him on thin ice

26 March 2017 Hawke's Bay Today

Hawke's Bay featured in Television One's Sunday programme last week and watching it, I felt a sense of déjà vu.

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Maori Party says no way to Nick Smith’s power grab

Posted Tue, 14/03/2017 - 23:15

https://organicnz.org.nz/media-releases/maori-party-says-no-way-to-nick-smiths-power-grab/

 

Maori Party says no way to Nick Smith’s power grab

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