New Zealand

First Stake in the Ground to Keep Hastings GM Free

From: http://purehawkesbay.org/first-stake-in-the-ground-to-keep-hastings-gm-free/

A group of Hawke’s Bay food producers have launched a campaign to keep Hastings GMO Free as the Hastings Council prepares to go head to head with Federated Farmers and the Government.

Pure Hawke’s Bay today put its first stake in the ground, putting up billboards around the region to raise awareness and gain support in the fight to keep Hastings GMO Free.

Pure Hawke’s Bay President, and sheep and beef farmer Bruno Chambers says having a GMO Free region creates more economic and marketing opportunities.

“It means as Hastings producers we can tell buyers and customers that produce grown in our fields is officially GMO Free. If we can’t claim this, we loose our competitive global advantage. We need to tell the GM Free story and officially show the world that we grow produce naturally.

“It adds more value to our exports and creates significant economic benefits for Hawke’s Bay.”

Last year, backed by leading Hawke’s Bay food producers, Hastings District Council became the first in New Zealand to secure the territory’s GM Free food producer status under the local plan.

While this initiative enjoys overall support from producers and the wider community, Federated Farmers is challenging the Hastings decision in the Environment Court.

As well as this, the councils move is also threatened by proposed changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA), which would see the government take away councils powers to establish GM Free Zones.

HASTINGS DISTRICT GOES GM-FREE

http://purehawkesbay.org/hastings-district-goes-gm-free/

 

HASTINGS DISTRICT GOES GM-FREE

Hawke’s Bay Today, Doug Laing. September 13 2015

The food industry in Hawke’s Bay was ready to party last night after confirmation the Hastings District Council has become the first local body in New Zealand to block genetically modified food production.

Industry leader John Bostock showed all the enthusiasm of a province winning the Ranfurly Shield when he said last night: “We are so excited. It’s a wonderful thing.”

STRONG FUTURE FOR HAWKE’S BAY ECONOMY AS HASTINGS COUNCIL SECURES GM FREE STATUS

great news from Hawke's Bay- Hastings District Council has voted to ban not only GMO releases but all outdoor use of GMOS (including any outdoor GE experiments and field trials ) 

!!!

 

http://purehawkesbay.org/strong-future-for-hawkes-bay-economy-as-hastings-council-secures-gm-free-status/

 

STRONG FUTURE FOR HAWKE’S BAY ECONOMY AS HASTINGS COUNCIL SECURES GM FREE STATUS

 11 September 2015  Pure Hawke's Bay Press Release

GE Free Northland April 2015 Public Appeal for Funds

PUBLIC APPEAL FOR FUNDS BY GE FREE NORTHLAND
 April 2015

World experts to discuss impacts of GE food

World experts to discuss impacts of GM food

7 comments

Minister Amy Adams showing disrespect for the good work of local councils

Minister showing disrespect - GE Free

15 August 2014 

 

Campaigners are denouncing the Environment Minister for opposing efforts by councils to create genetically-engineered free zones.

www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/252266/minister-showing-disrespect-ge-free

 

High Court Prevents GM Developers Bypassing GM Laws

High Court Prevents GM Developers Bypassing GM Laws

      Media Statement, May 22 2014  Sustainability Council of NZ
 
The High Court has quashed a decision by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) that would have allowed developers of genetically modified crops to bypass New Zealand’s GM laws.
 
The Court found the EPA misinterpreted the law when it decided that GMOs from two new breeding techniques could go into New Zealand fields without any formal consultation or assessment of the impacts.  The EPA was also criticised for failing to act cautiously in the face of uncertainty. 
 

Overwhelming support for local decisions on GM free status- National Poll

 Pure Hawke's Bay is a group of primary producers (conventional, IPM and organic) in Hawke's Bay committed to retaining their existing valuable GE free status, and continued access to key markets and premiums for GM free produce

Overwhelming Support for Local Decisions on GM Free Status: National Poll

Four out of five New Zealanders think councils should be able to keep their districts GM Free using local plans, according to a Colmar Brunton poll.

The poll was commissioned by Pure Hawke’s Bay, a group of premium food producers who are asking councils in the region to secure Hawke’s Bay’s GM free status through local plans.

Earlier this year, the Government announced its intention to change the law to prevent the regions from doing so. But 79% of New Zealanders participating in the national poll said that councils should be able to use the RMA to prohibit GM releases in their territories.

The response shows that the Government is way out of step with New Zealanders, says Bruno Chambers of Pure Hawke’s Bay.

Several councils – including Hastings, Whangarei, Far North and Auckland City – are proposing to use local plans to protect their regions from GMO releases, with strong backing from their communities.

79% want councils to have power over GM crops, Colmar Brunton poll

RADIO NZ programme

79% want councils to have power over GM crops - Colmar Brunton poll

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/229508/79-percent-want-councils-to-have-power-over-gm-crops-poll



A group opposed to genetic modification has released a poll showing almost 80% of respondents want councils to retain the power to create GM-free zones.

The phone survey of 1000 people was commissioned by Pure Hawke's Bay and carried out by Colmar-Brunton.
Under proposed changes to the Resource Management Act, central government rather than councils would have the power to decide where GM crops can be grown.

However, Pure Hawke's Bay says 79% of the people surveyed want decision making powers to stay with the councils.

Spokesperson Bruno Chambers says GM free products command a premium price and the group wants GM-free zones so farmers can grow unmodified crops with less risk of contamination.

The survey has a plus or minus margin of error of 3.1%.

Listen to more from Bruno Chambers on Morning Report

Comvita adds voice to GE trials caution

Comvita adds voice to GE trials caution

By John Cousins      Bay of Plenty Times

8:30 AM Friday Nov 29, 2013 
  •   www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503343&objectid=11164655
Cultural consultant Buddy Mikaere is standing for a tougher council stance on genetic engineering. Cultural consultant Buddy Mikaere is standing for a tougher council stance on genetic engineering.

One of the Bay's biggest exporters Comvita has backed moves to single out genetic engineering as deserving a "precautionary approach" by the region's environmental watchdog.

The Paengaroa-based company joined seven others in the Environment Court yesterday to fight a bid by the New Zealand Forest Research Institute (Scion) to stop the the Bay of Plenty Regional Council adopting a cautionary stance toward GE field trials.

Comvita, whose honey exports of $80 million rely on New Zealand's clean green image, has highlighted the huge financial impact if a GE organism was released into the environment.

Scientists, activists, orchardists, organic farmers and Maori culture united to support the council which wants to signal its concern about the risks from genetic modification trials in its regional policy statement.

Scion has challenged the validity of the council singling out genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as warranting a precautionary approach.

But the council stopped short of elevating GMOs to a "matter of significance" which would have had a flow-on effect into its planning documents by the introduction of specific rules.

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