GE Free Northland

Northland communities want stricter GE controls

GE FREE NORTHLAND in food and environment

WHANGAREI DISTRICT COUNCIL TAKES A STAND AGAINST GMO LAND USE

  GE FREE NZ (Northland)  in food and environment

GE Free Northland ...meeting... Whangarei, 6pm Tues 5 February at CBEC Ecosolutions

Gidday Greenies,

GE Free Northland is holding a strategic meeting, regarding the NRC Regional Policy Statement review, and how we can constructively participate in the next round of submissions...and also good news regarding the innovative work of the Northland / Auckland INTER COUNCIL WORKING PARTY ON GMO RISK EVALUATION & MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

ALL welcome :)

Thanks to everyone who already made submissions to the NRC proposed RPS...but there is more to be done to achieve sound environmental and economic outcomes in our region

Tuesday evening, 6pm   Venue: Eco Solutions (CBEC) Environment Centre, 3 Bank St Whangarei (opposite the Rose St bus depot and the Grand Hotel

More info: Zelka Linda Grammer, Chairperson, GE Free Northland  09 4322155  Maungakaramea
email: linda.grammer@gmail.com

Call the NRC into line - Submissions needed by 3pm, 19 April!!

Dear supporters of GE Free Northland :)

ACTION ALERT: your submissions are needed to the NRC draft Long Term Council Community Plan 2012/22
(deadline 3pm, Thursday 19 April 2012)

please help us achieve sound environmental outcomes and protect our existing valuable GE free status and growing organic industry ;)

Now is the time to influence what the Northland Regional Council does for the next 10 years – with our ratepayer $$$.   NRC is currently asking for your feedback on our Draft Long Term Plan- don't miss out!

In addition to any other environmental concerns you may have (protection of Northland public and conservation lands from mining and so forth, how to better protect Northland freshwater lakes and rivers), it is important that Northlanders let the NRC know that the very short (and rather weak) precautionary GE policy written in the NRC draft LTCP needs strengthening.

Whangarei District Council has an excellent, strong precautionary GE policy in its draft LTCCP 2012/22- NRC needs to lift its game!

Send your submission by 3pm, l9 April to:

email:
mailroom@nrc.govt.nz

by post:
NRC draft LTCCP 2012/22 document
Northland Regional Council
Private Bag 9021
Whangarei 0148


or...if time is too short to post... drop off by hand to your local NRC office (in Whangarei, Water Street)

other quick options:

Fax (09) 438 0012

online submission:

http://haveyoursay.nrc.govt.nz/ltpandrltp


SECRET GE PINE EXPERIMENTS AT ROTORUA SITE A THREAT TO NZ'S BIOSECURITY AND FORESTRY

 

 

 

GE FREE NORTHLAND Press Release

16 March 2011

SECRET GE PINE EXPERIMENTS AT ROTORUA SITE A THREAT TO NZ'S BIOSECURITY AND FORESTRY

GE Free Northland shares the concerns expressed by many New Zealanders about ERMA’s recent approval of Scion’s GE pine application for 4,000 GE pines, at secret sites at the Scion Rotorua property.

The Scion application contains information that is misleading and inaccurate. Implementation of this field trial would expose the country's economy and environment to serious risks.

Previous GE field trials by NZ Crown Research Institutes have been found to be in breach of the conditions of approval by ERMA. Given that Scion (despite public opposition) has used public funding for this risky GE experiment, it is even more important to know where GE trials are being conducted, to keep the inspectors and trial operators honest.

"GE pine pollen travels long distances and cannot be constrained to one known site, but the public must at least know where this site is, in order for them to be informed of risks and to be able to keep an eye on the GE trees."

"How are 4,000 trees going to be monitored in safety when previously 70 GE trees could not be properly looked after by Scion?" asked Martin Robinson, spokesperson for GE Free NZ (Northland).

An example of misleading information from Scion is their claim that pine pollen only disperses for 300 metres. However, a number of recent scientific publications have reported viable pine pollen spreading up to 60 kilometres.

Research published last year showed that pine pollen travels up to 41 kms in as little as 3 hours in moderate winds. At higher wind speeds pollen can travel this distance in 45 minutes, reaching altitudes of 610 metres.

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.

Opportunity to support Far North District Council proposed GMO Plan change

IMPORTANT GE Free Northland Action alert :)
 
On Thursday, 26 June, Far North District Council is meeting in Kaitaia to vote on the FNDC proposed District Plan change regarding Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).

This collaborative GMO plan change (with Whangarei District Council and Auckland Council) will create a zone from South Auckland right up to Cape Reinga where risky GMO releases are banned.  The GMO Plan change will also require any Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved outdoor GE experiments/field trials to be classed a Discretionary activity, subject to  additional local requirements in their local plans, in order to protect existing GM free conventional, IPM and organic farmers, local biosecurity, unique biodiversity and the environment in general.
 
 Far North Mayor John Carter and councillors supporting the FNDC proposed GMO collaborative plan change  well before the 26th of June, and Far North residents/ ratepayers to ring their Mayor and councillors asking them to vote for the Proposed GMO Plan change. 

Also, if they can, for Far North residents to please attend the 26 June FNDC full council meeting (GE agenda item) at Kaitaia's Te Ahu Centre supporting the proposed GMO Plan change.
 
Please Contact the FNDC Mayor and councillors before Thursday 26 June, shiowing your support for this excellent initiative

GE Free Northland Press Release 10 December 2009 "LOCAL COMMUNITIES REJECT THE RISKS OF GMO LAND USE

 

 

GE FREE NORTHLAND (NZ) Press Release l0 December 2009

 

LOCAL COMMUNITIES REJECT THE RISKS OF GMO LAND USE

 

GE TELEPHONE POLL IN AUCKLAND AND NORTHLAND

GE TELEPHONE POLL IN AUCKLAND AND NORTHLAND PENINSULA (COLMAR BRUNTON)

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