Organic NZ

The Natural Health Products Bill is here have your say!

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +1300

This article was first published in Organic NZ vol 70 no 6, November/December 2011

The Natural Health Products Bill is here

have your say!

By Sandra Clair

The Natural Health Products Bill is back in Parliament and this time it is a different story altogether. In 2007 New Zealanders flexed their muscles and influenced their political representatives not to pass legislation for a joint Australia New Zealand Therapeutic Regulatory Authority (ANZTPA).

The then Labour Health Minister Annette King, in tandem with Medsafe (the pharmaceutical medicines regulator), tried to push through a regulatory system for natural health products that would have been under a heavy handed Australian-led pharmaceutical model and administered in Canberra with ...

Source: The Natural Health Products Bill is here have your say!

A guide to organic education in New Zealand

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +1300

Published in Organic NZ (70:6) November/December 2011

A guide to organic education

in New Zealand

Bridget Freeman Rock reviews the organic education options available in New Zealand

Many Organic NZ readers are hungry for practical skills and further knowledge of organics, and with a range of courses, workshops and educational experiences to choose from in New Zealand and abroad there is probably something for every appetite, if readers are prepared to do a little hunting.

At the grassroots

For the home gardener there are workshops in all manner of permutation and possibility: day or half-day workshops on specific topics, like Korito’s courses on chicken keeping, composting, and other topics (www.korito.co.nz); as well a ...

Source: A guide to organic education in New Zealand

Organics Organisation Gets An MP For Its Seventieth

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +1300

The Soil & Health Association of New Zealand, which has just turned seventy, is hailing the election of Steffan Browning to Parliament as a great leap forward for New Zealand’s primary production sector.

Mr Browning, Soil & Health’s spokesperson, was elected to Parliament last weekend at number 10 on the Green Party’s list.

“We are delighted with Steffan’s victory,” said Soil & Health’s co-chair Dr Matt Morris. “This is a huge moment for organics in this country and one that we can justifiably be very proud of. It’s an amazing seventieth birthday present for our organisation.”

“Steffan has done a huge amount of work for the organics sector over the years, and now the organics sec ...

Source: Organics Organisation Gets An MP For Its Seventieth

Organic Winegrowing Reducing Marlborough’s Dangerous Chemical Use.

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +1300

Organic Winegrowing Reducing Marlborough’s Dangerous Chemical Use.

Organic wine growing in Marlborough is reducing significantly the amount of dangerous pesticides used in the region. With 1400 hectares either BioGro certified organic or in conversion, that equates to a full 1000 hectares of land no longer herbicide sprayed.

“In September 2007, 70% of Marlborough vineyard area was herbicide sprayed, anything from 100% blanket coverage to various width spray strips, and a range of dangerous pesticides used the rest of the year,” said Soil & Health-Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.(1)

“With 6% of Marlborough’s grape growing area under management to BioGro organic production rules, the Marlborough comm ...

Source: Organic Winegrowing Reducing Marlborough’s Dangerous Chemical Use.

Government Must Separate GE Foods In New Zealand Shop Shelves

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +1300

15 October 2011

Government Must Separate GE Foods In New Zealand Shop Shelves

New Zealand food labelling of genetically engineered (GE) food components needs to be investigated urgently, according to the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand.

“Soil & Health challenges New Zealand’s Minister of Consumer Affairs Simon Power, and Minister for Food Safety Kate Wilkinson, to find any accurately labelled food products containing genetically engineered ingredients in super market shelves,” said Soil & Health-Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

World Food Day on October 16 is being marked internationally by activities showing the lack of labelling on GE foods, and a push against GE foods ...

Source: Government Must Separate GE Foods In New Zealand Shop Shelves

Green MP Sue Kedgley Applauded By Safe Food and Organic Community

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +1300

27 September 2011

Green MP Sue Kedgley Applauded By Safe Food and Organic Community.

Green Party MP Sue Kedgley’s valedictory speech at 5-45pm today marks the coming retirement of this country’s most committed food safety focused Member of Parliament ever, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.

“Sue Kedgley has been the Member of Parliament who for 12 years has consistently pursued on behalf of New Zealand’s consumers, effective food labelling, a reduction in pesticide and food additives use, improved residues testing, removal of genetically engineered foods, and the MP who has achieved improvements to animal welfare codes, “ said Soil & Health – Organic NZ spokesperson Steffan Browning.

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Source: Green MP Sue Kedgley Applauded By Safe Food and Organic Community

Letter from the Minister for Food Safety re the Food Bill

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +1200

Published in Organic NZ September/October 2011

Letter from the Minister for Food Safety re the Food Bill

I am writing in response to Guy Ralls article in the July/August 2011 edition of Organic NZ, in which it was suggested that the Food Bill is a threat to seed saving / and the sharing of seeds and natural medicines.

The Food Bill has wide definitions of food and of sale. Such broadness of coverage is not designed to regulate every possible permutation of trade in food or every possible thing that could be eaten. It is designed to prevent legal loopholes and gaps that could be taken advantage of by food businesses to avoid necessary and appropriate regulatory requirements to manage food safety.

With such broadness, there is inevitably the po ...

Source: Letter from the Minister for Food Safety re the Food Bill

Australian Imported Vegetables Should Be Banned, Not Nuked

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +1200

15 September 2011

Australian Imported Vegetables Should Be Banned, Not Nuked

New Zealand food safety authorities are preparing to allow Australian vegetable imports to be irradiated, because the organophosphate dimethoate is about to be suspended from use for prevention of fruit fly and other biosecurity risks, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.

Australian authorities have recommended a suspension of dimethoate from most post-harvest uses by the end of September, following acknowledgement of serious health risks, that organisations such as Soil & Health have been campaigning about for many years. (1)

“The ozone depleting, carcinogenic and neurotoxic methyl bromide fumigant is intended to be used on the vegetables to p ...

Source: Australian Imported Vegetables Should Be Banned, Not Nuked

Fonterra’s Gutting Of Organic Dairying Is The Next Step To GE Farms.

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +1200

23 August 2011

Fonterra’s Gutting Of Organic Dairying Is The Next Step To GE Farms.

Fonterra has taken its next step towards genetically engineered pastures, with its announced scaling back of organic production by half, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.

Fonterra’s announcement yesterday of a 50% drop in support for organic dairy production, shows the dairy giant’s lack of support for good environmental practice or consumer health, and marks the next step to genetically engineered (GE) farmlands, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.(1)

“Fonterra has never really been committed to organic production, although aiming for 200 farms and a 140% increase in production from 2005. ...

Source: Fonterra’s Gutting Of Organic Dairying Is The Next Step To GE Farms.

GE grass reports foreshadow potential economic losses

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +1200

A report analysis showing potential economic losses by introducing genetically engineered (GE/GM) grasses, comes at a time when the government is drying up funding for the organic sector, one of the best value export growth areas, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.

The Sustainability Council of New Zealand has analysed two reports considering the introduction of GE grasses and in an exclusive with the Weekend Herald put a strong economic case against GE grasses. The Sustainability Council has identified up to $50 million in taxpayer money has been put into projects in developing GE grasses and with Fonterra, Dairy NZ, Beef and Lamb NZ, AgResearch and Deer Industry (NZ) and PGG Wrightson also involved. (1)

"The proposed adva ...

Source: GE grass reports foreshadow potential economic losses

AgResearch transgender goats to be milked

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +1200

AgResearch’s genetically engineered (GE) goat experiments have a new bizarre twist with surviving GE pregnancies producing mostly transgender offspring, that AgResearch staff term ‘goys,’ according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.

An AgResearch farm manager recently revealed to Soil & Health and GE Free NZ, during a tour of its Ruakura GE animal field trial site, that most of the GE goats produced were transgender. It appeared that about 75% were “goys” with the remainder female.

“The “goys”, females in sterile male bodies, are to be induced into milking to ascertain whether the intended genetically engineered (GE) human protein will be expressed in the milk,” said Soil & Health – Organic N ...

Source: AgResearch transgender goats to be milked

Unborn NZ children exposed to genetically engineered toxin

Tue, 24 May 2011 00:00:00 +1200

New research from Canada has shown that blood in pregnant women and foetuses carried toxins from genetically engineered (GE) foods, that are also allowed into New Zealand, according to the Soil & Health Association.(1) Bt toxin Cry1 based insecticides are genetically engineered (GE) into several GE food crops (GE maize, soy, potato and cotton), which are increasingly imported and used in New Zealand processed foods. Thirty two different GE insect resistant food lines are permitted for use in New Zealand foods by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (FSANZ).(2) "The finding that GE toxins and also herbicide residues are being absorbed into consumers and unborn babies blood, shows that organic and GE-free foods should be ...

Source: Unborn NZ children exposed to genetically engineered toxin

AgResearch misinformation corrected by independent scientists

Wed, 11 May 2011 00:00:00 +1200

The Soil & Health Association was disturbed yesterday when meeting with MAF-Biosecurity NZ (MAF-BNZ) to find an official supporting the misinformation that AgResearch had stated in a Radio NZ Rural Report program. Soil & Health and GE Free NZ met with officials from MAF-BNZ to discuss the possible leakage of genetically engineered (GE)organisms from the AgResearch Ruakura GE animal facility.

AgResearch and MAF-BNZ have suggested that micro-organisms in the AgResearch offal pits could not be subject to gene transfer from the genetically engineered cattle disposed there, and had stopped ensuring that studies used samples from within the soil surrounding the decomposing GE cattle, as expected by the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA).

The Centr ...

Source: AgResearch misinformation corrected by independent scientists

Should AgResearch be charged with fraud?

Mon, 09 May 2011 00:00:00 +1200

Government must cancel all genetic engineering (GE) field trials by the government funded Crown Research Institute’s, AgResearch, Scion and Plant & Food Research, now that AgResearch has been shown to intentionally avoid critical safety research required of it, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ.(1)

Soil & Health also believes charges relating to false pretences or fraud should be considered in relation to AgResearch’s activities.

“Concerns about the risk of new viral and prion diseases, and the potential loss of antibiotic effectiveness, from AgResearch’s GE cattle activities, led to the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) 2002 approval including limits on the genetic material to be used in the GE cattle ex ...

Source: Should AgResearch be charged with fraud?

ERMA swallowed genetic bull from AgResearch

Thu, 05 May 2011 00:00:00 +1200

ERMA has swallowed a lot of genetic bull from AgResearch. GE Trials Must Stop Immediately!

A Centre for Integrated Research in Biosafety (INBI) report published yesterday shows that AgResearch may have intentionally misled the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) and allowed risky genetic contamination in the Waikato Region, according to the Soil & Health Association of NZ. (1)

Because of the biosafety risk of significant adverse effects to people or the environment, AgResearch was required by ERMA to monitor soil microorganisms for the uptake of transgenes by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) at the offal pits where genetically engineered (GE) cattle were disposed. (2)

“If AgResearch detected HGT, an immediate stop to genetic e ...

Source: ERMA swallowed genetic bull from AgResearch