GMO COURT RULING PROTECTS ENTIRE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

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New Zealand’s biotech industry is not under threat as a result of a High Court ruling upholding an Environment Court’s decision to give regional councils control over use and release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their district, says the Soil and Health Association.

The High Court ruling on Wednesday was based on an appeal by Federated Farmers, which argued the release of GMOs was already regulated by the Environmental Protection Authority and regional councils were not qualified to make such decisions.

Donald Nordeng of BioGro New Zealand says the ruling protects GMO use in healthcare and in agriculture as a whole.

“This ruling confirms that under the Resource Management Act, regional and territorial local authorities can manage the use of GMOs in the same way as any other land use. This does not impact on GMOs used in medicine or the treatment of people.”

“This will not impact on our health industry. A hospital will not need a local consent to undertake its medical work.

“This landmark ruling is about having clarity about the distinction between GMO areas and non-GMO areas and allowing local communities to have a say in the GMO policies in their areas.

“There is no economic or technical reason why outdoor use of GMOs should not be subject to regional and district plans – like everyone else. GMO use, even when approved by the EPA still is not risk free. For example, management accidents could wipe out a neighbouring organic or non-GMO producer’s livelihood, or lead to the loss of GE free status for wider areas.

“This ruling benefits everyone in New Zealand. The global organic food market is currently valued at US$80 billion, with the global Non-GMO market at US$250 billion, and trends show this is only going to grow. All New Zealand farmers benefit from access to this massive non-GMO market, not just organic farmers. This ruling protects our valuable organic export market (worth approximately NZ$240-250 million in 2015) and provides a safe source of supply to the two-thirds of New Zealanders who choose organic products at least some of the time,” Nordeng said.

For more information: Effie Lochrane 027 433 6373 / Anna Kominik 027 472 4293

Fruits and Vegetables

Childhood obesity plan a fat lot of good

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The government’s Childhood Obesity Plan doesn’t go nearly far enough to address the alarming increase in childhood obesity, according to the Soil & Health Association.

 

“There are some commendable actions in this plan, but the rise of obesity in children is serious and we need much bolder action to prevent major costs to the health system and to society,” says Marion Thomson, co-chair of Soil & Health.

 

“Diet is a major part of the problem. We need nutrition education for children and adults, and need to promote healthy food choices in a variety of ways,” says Thomson.

 

“We would like to see more healthy food options available in schools, and the removal of junk food, including sugar-laden fizzy drinks and diet drinks – neither of these are healthy options. Instead we recommend that good quality pure water should be promoted and readily available in schools.”

 

“Soil & Health supports a tax on sugary drinks, echoing the World Health Organization’s Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity in their draft report,” says Thomson. “More evidence of the effectiveness of a sugar tax will become available as more countries implement such taxes.”

 

The government’s Childhood Obesity Plan acknowledges that ‘children’s food choices and requests are strongly influenced by advertising’, but leaves it to the Advertising Standards Authority to review their Code for Advertising to Children and the Children’s Code for Advertising Food.

 

“We should not be leaving this to industry. We ask the government to take strong leadership on this, andlegislate or regulate to restrict the advertising and marketing of unhealthy food to children,” says Thomson.

 

For nearly 75 years Soil & Health has promoted safe, natural, unprocessed organic food. Through the magazine Organic NZ the Association educates people about healthy food, healthy soil and healthy lifestyle choices.

 

MEDIA CONTACT

Marion Thomson,

Co-chair, Soil & Health Association of NZ

027 555 4014

 

References

·      NZ Government’s Childhood Obesity Plan:

http://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/obesity/childhood-obesity-plan

·      World Health Organization Draft Final Report of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity:

http://www.who.int/end-childhood-obesity/commission-ending-childhood-obesity-draft-final-report-en.pdf?ua=1

Urgent action needed on obesity

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he Soil & Health Association commends the New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) for their policy briefing ‘Tackling Obesity’.* Obesity is a major public health issue in New Zealand. It is making people sick and unhappy, and putting a strain on our health system.

“Diet is a major part of the problem. We need to educate children and adults, and promote healthy food choices in a range of ways,” says Marion Thomson, co-chair of Soil & Health.

“Soil & Health promotes whole, unprocessed organic food, and home gardening. Through our magazine Organic NZ we educate people about healthy food, and are helping to establish organic gardens in schools around New Zealand.”

Soil & Health agrees with the NZMA’s recommendations, in particular an easy-to-understand ‘traffic light’ food labelling system, nutrition education in schools, and legislation or regulation to restrict the advertising and marketing of unhealthy food to children.

“We would also like to see healthy food in schools, including a ban on fizzy drinks, whether sugary or diet drinks – neither of these is a healthy option,” says Thomson.

The Association agrees with the NZMA that tackling obesity is the collective responsibility of all of society, and has for over 70 years been promoting healthy food and farming. Its motto ‘Healthy soil, healthy food, healthy people’ is as relevant today as ever.

*nzma.org.nz/sites/all/files/NZMA%20Policy%20Briefing%202014_Tackling%20Obesity.pdf

Media contact
Marion Thomson
027 555 4014

GE feed the cause of contaminated milk?

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Genetically engineered stock feed could be the biggest culprit in the Clostridium botulinum contamination that caused the recent recall of some Fonterra dairy products, according to the Soil & Health Association.

“New Zealand dairy cattle are eating more and more GE stockfeed, increasing the likelihood of botulism from milk products,” says Debbie Swanwick, spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ.

In May this year Soil & Health’s magazine Organic NZ published an article by Matamata vet Frank Rowson, warning that glyphosate-based herbicides (found in many GE crops) cause increases in the virulence of pathogens, leading to more botulism and salmonella.

”We stand by our demand made in December last year and call for an immediate ban on all imported GE stockfeed until its role in milk contamination has been investigated fully,” says Swanwick.

Most of the soy in New Zealand stockfeed is now genetically engineered, but some retailers have or are intending to change suppliers and buy from India and South America to produce GE free lines.

“Organic stockfeed has for years been the best guarantee of being GE-free, but it’s great to see others now responding to consumer demand.  Takanini Stockfeed was the first company in New Zealand to release a GE-free ‘chook chow’ in June this year,” says Swanwick.

“Unsustainable farming practices are compromising NZ’s clean, green reputation – at a huge cost to other exporters, health and the environment,” says Swanwick.

“Consumers want healthy, safe food. Organic and sustainable farmers have been providing it, and it’s not too late for Fonterra and other farmers to respond to this. GE-free organic food is a win all round for human and animal health, for the environment and the economy.”

Soil & Health has for years been warning about the increased potential for food scares from unsustainable farming practices. Over six years ago Soil & Health raised concerns about dicyandiamide (DCD) contamination, and in January this year DCD residues were found in milk.

Soil & Health is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and advocates for the consumer’s right to have fresh, healthy, organic food and water free of GE, pesticides and additives and their right to know what is in their food and water. Oranga nuku, oranga kai, oranga tangata. To learn more about what is really in your food subscribe to their Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/OrganicNZ
To view online click here http://www.organicnz.org.nz/node/716

References

1) “GE animal feed? No thanks!” by Frank Rowson, Organic NZ May/June 2013,  HYPERLINK “http://www.organicnz.org.nz/node/715″ http://www.organicnz.org.nz/node/715

2) http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/9041155/Vet-links-botulism…

3) http://sciblogs.co.nz/infectious-thoughts/2013/08/06/fonterra-botulism-s…

4) http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1294455/fonterra-linked-milk-…

5) http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1294455/fonterra-linked-milk-…

6) http://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/trending/fonterra-recalls-cal…

7) http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/18357777/recalls-safe-products-…

8) http://www.organicnz.org.nz/node/509

Polluted waterways pose threat to children

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Soil & Health – Organic NZ supports Pesticide Action Network’s call for an immediate reassessment of chlorpryifos, a dangerous aerially sprayed pesticide that is polluting New Zealand waterways.

A recently published scientific study from the University of Otago found traces of pesticides in waterways on New Zealand farms, including organic farms, believed to have been deposited by vapour or spray drift.

As well as the organophosphate chlorpyrifos, traces of endosulfan sulfate were discovered, even though this pesticide was banned in New Zealand in 2008.

Chlorpyrifos is especially dangerous for pregnant women and small children because it affects brain development in babies in the womb and in newborns. It also lowers IQ, is a known endocrine disruptor and is a risk factor for breast cancer.

The Environmental Protection Authority recently approved chlorpyrifos for aerial spraying despite Dow AgroSciences withdrawing it from industrial and home garden use.

“Soil & Health is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and advocates for the consumer’s right to have fresh, healthy, organic food and water free of GE, pesticides and additives and their right to know what is in their food and water. Oranga nuku, oranga kai, oranga tangata. To learn more about what is really in your food subscribe to their Facebook Pagehttp://www.facebook.com/OrganicNZ

To view online click here www.organicnz.org.nz/node/6xx

References

(1) http://www.pananz.net

(2) http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/rural/215616/traces-of-abandoned-pesticide…

(3) http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/news/chlorpyrifos-banned-192458981.html

(4) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorpyrifos

Toxic fracking waste entering food supply?

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”The practice of dumping toxic oil drilling and fracking waste on farmland is compromising the ability of New Zealand farmers to grow good food,” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ.

Her comments follow recent media attention that 12 farmers in Taranaki practicing so-called ‘land farming’ are providing milk to Fonterra.

Land farming allows toxic waste from oil drilling and fracking which may include arsenic, lead and mercury to be dumped on land in the hope that it will be neutralized by providing pollution-eating organisms with fertilizer, oxygen, and other conditions that encourage their rapid growth.

”Whilst big oil would have you believe this is effective it really isn’t rocket science that it is not. Their profits should not come at the expense of human health,” says Swanwick. “Fracking wastes have already contaminated groundwater in the US and elsewhere and we need to learn lessons from this.”

Oil companies are giving dairy farmers the same returns for land that would be used for milk production to instead dump this waste, and are also paying for pasture renewal.

With 140 new oil wells in the region forecast in the next two years more land is being demanded.

”To grow good food you need good soil that is contaminant free. Dumping fracking waste on farms is compromising the 100% pure NZ brand and it must stop,” says Swanwick.

”The only way New Zealanders can be assured that our food is free of GE, pesticides, additives and contaminants is to grow or buy organic. Look for the organic certification labels of BioGro, AsureQuality, Demeter or OrganicFarmNZ,” says Swanwick.

Soil & Health – Organic NZ is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and advocates for the consumer’s right to have fresh, healthy, organic food and water that is free of GE, pesticides and additives, and their right to know what is in their food and water. Oranga nuku, oranga kai, oranga tangata. To learn more about what is really in your food subscribe to their Facebook Page and subscribe http://www.facebook.com/OrganicNZ

References

http://ei.cornell.edu/biodeg/bioremed/

Hamilton joins 30 other councils who don’t fluoridate

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Hamilton Council’s announcement yesterday to become fluoride free has attracted praise from Soil & Health – Organic NZ.
“Hamilton joins the 30 other regional councils in New Zealand out of a total of 75 that do not fluoridate,” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ.

Eighty-eight percent of the 1567 submissions received from the public and interested parties advocated for fluoride to be removed from Hamilton’s water supply.

”Fluoride has been linked with underactive thyroid and therefore weight gain, lowering IQ levels, and dental and skeletal fluorosis,” she says.

The Fluoride Action Network states that most developed nations in the world do not fluoridate their water supply. Only 11 countries in the world have more than 50% of their population drinking fluoridated water: Australia, Brunei, Chile, Guyana, Hong Kong, the Irish Republic, Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, the United States and New Zealand. Sixty-two percent of drinking water in New Zealand is fluoridated and ninety-six percent of toothpaste sold nationwide is as well.

”The biggest secret about fluoride is that it only works topically; ingesting it causes harm not good, says Swanwick.

Science supports her concerns. In 2001, the Union of Scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency’s Headquarters Office in Washington D.C. stated: “we hold that water fluoridation is an unreasonable risk.”

”It is about time that New Zealand fell into line with the rest of the world and stopped this practice. It’s as simple as turning a tap off at our public water works. Whether or not people believe in the science, our government should allow people to make their own choice on this matter, not mass medicate without their consent when many members of the public are ill-informed on the subject,” says Swanwick.

Soil & Health – Organic NZ is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and advocates for the consumer’s right to have fresh, healthy, organic food and water free of GE, pesticides and additives and their right to know what is in their food and water. Oranga nuku, oranga kai, oranga tangata. To learn more about what is really in your food subscribe to their Facebook Page and subscribe http://www.facebook.com/OrganicNZ

References

(1) http://www.fluoridealert.org/issues/health/
(2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88pfVo3bZLY
(3) http://www.fluoridealert.org/issues/health/
(4) http://www.healthfreedom.co.nz/latest-news/113-fluoridation-free-nationa…

Toxic time bomb could blow apart our health and wealth

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A toxic heavy metal we have been putting on our farms for decades could jeopardise our agricultural exports and our health. The Soil & Health Association is calling for maximum residue levels of cadmium in fertilisers.

“Sooner or later our export markets will start rejecting our dairy products because of unsafe levels of cadmium,” says Debbie Swanwick, spokesperson for Soil & Health – Organic NZ.

“Furthermore, the health of Kiwis will get worse and our public health bill will increase unless we switch to organic and more sustainable farming methods.”

Two million tonnes of superphosphate fertiliser containing 30 to 40 tonnes of the heavy metal cadmium is put on New Zealand soils every year. Standard farming practice over the past 70 years has involved the use of superphosphate, especially in dairy farming, which has resulted in dangerously high levels of cadmium in our soils and consequently our food.

In the Waikato for example, 160,000 hectares should now be officially labelled as contaminated were it not for the fact that changes to legislation in 2012 removed agricultural land from any contamination classification.

Cadmium accumulates in the kidneys and liver, and is linked with breast and testicular cancer. Kidneys from sheep older than two and a half years are not permitted for human consumption because of the cadmium levels, but may be used as offal in products such as blood and bone to be used in home or market gardens or in pet food.

“Your children and family pet may be paying the ultimate price for New Zealand’s desire to continually increase farming productivity” says Swanwick. “Cadmium levels in NZ soils are far higher than what is allowed under European standards. Levels here are what Europeans would deem dangerous for children,” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ.

Organic farms don’t use superphosphate, but often use reactive phosphate rock (RPR), which also contains cadmium, albeit in lower levels than superphosphate. There are chemical methods to reduce cadmium levels but they also reduce the effectiveness of the RPR. Researchers are trialling various bacteria and plants to clean up or accumulate cadmium and remove it from soil. But the most effective measure that must be taken as soon as possible is to introduce maximum residue levels, as other countries have done.

“It is imperative that regulations are introduced to reduce cadmium inputs on our farms in order to remove dangers posed to human and animal health, the threat to our export markets and to ensure that land values do not drop if land is no longer viable because of cadmium contamination” says Swanwick.

Soil & Health is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and advocates for the consumer’s right to have fresh, healthy, organic food and water free of GE, pesticides and additives and their right to know what is in their food and water. Oranga nuku, oranga kai, oranga tangata. To learn more about what is really in your food subscribe to their Facebook Pagehttp://www.facebook.com/OrganicNZ

To view online click here www.organicnz.org.nz/node/652

 

References
1) http://www.3news.co.nz/The-dangers-of-Cadmium/tabid/367/articleID/293891…
2) Organic NZ Magazine May/June issue
3) http://www.interest.co.nz/rural-news/60810/opinion-long-term-poisoning-o…

chocolate burmese

“The high incidence of renal failure, especially in cats, suggests that cadmium may to be blame” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ featured with her chocolate burmese – Bailey.

Better food in hospitals will save money in the long term

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“It is about time hospitals in New Zealand administer the basics well. Food is medicine and it needs to be better in New Zealand, not cheaper,” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ.

Her comments follow the recent announcement that the government is considering outsourcing hospital food to save ten million dollars.

“If they do, NZ taxpayers will end up paying the price in both their health and out of their back pocket,” she says. “Last year each New Zealander paid $2,500 to support the sick in this country. (3) We forecast that a government directive to put food on the menu of NZ hospitals that is over a week old and not locally sourced would increase those costs,” (4) says Swanwick.

In 2012 14.2 billion dollars was spent on healthcare in New Zealand (1).
In the latest OECD Health Data 2012 report, 83.2% of health spending is funded by the taxpayer. This is well above the average of 72.2% in other OECD countries. (2)

“We need a holistic approach to these problems. Taking money from one department whilst increasing the overall expenditure every year to care for our sick is short-sighted. Your diet should always be the first place you look for good medicine and the NZ public should have the best available, especially when they are sick. That food should be fresh, GE-free, pesticide and additive free and labelled organic, and locally sourced where possible. We call that good healthcare. It is also responsible management of taxpayer funds,” says Swanwick.

Soil & Health is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and advocates for the consumer’s right to have fresh, healthy, organic food and water free of GE, pesticides and additives and their right to know what is in their food and water. Oranga nuku, oranga kai oranga tangata. To learn more about what is really in your food subscribe to their Facebook Page and subscribe http://www.facebook.com/OrganicNZ

To view online click here www.organicnz.org.nz/node/623

References

(1) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10808180

(2) http://www.oecd.org/newzealand/BriefingNoteNEWZEALAND2012.pdf

(3) http://www.stats.govt.nz/tools_and_services/tools/population_clock.aspx

(4) http://www.3news.co.nz/Concern-over-hospital-food-plans/tabid/1607/artic…

fat people

New movie explains why we are fat and starving

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“Hungry for Change is a new movie that unleashes the diet industry’s biggest secret – it is sugar that makes people fat and it is in everything especially low-fat diet products” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson – Soil & Health – Organic NZ. Most of the fructose from sugar is metabolized by the liver. There it gets turned into fat, which is then secreted into the blood. (3)

A recent University of Otago-led study commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends cutting down on the sweet additive should be part of a global strategy to tackle the obesity epidemic. The study published in the British Medical Journal suggests sugar-laden drinks are of particular concern because of the ease in which they are consumed. (5)

More than $60 billion is spent each year on diet and weight loss products in the US alone yet America has one of the highest rates of obesity in the world. (1) Currently 35.7% of adults are obese, but The Center for Disease Control predict that by 2030 the obesity rate in the US will reach 44 percent. (2)

“Increasing obesity rates when we have such a huge spend on diet and weight loss products worldwide doesn’t add up until you learn what the food industry doesn’t tell you” says Swanwick.

Mike Adams, editor of the Natural News Network explains. “Our food manufacturers have designed food to be addictive. Artifical sweeteners whilst containing no calories stimulate your desire for carbohydrates and MSG, found in 80% of processed food, is well documented as the product fed to lab rats to make them fat”

Sugar, through its metabolisation by the gut and hence the brain, is extremely addictive, just like cigarettes or alcohol believes former head of the US governments most powerful food agency, the FDA, David Kessler. (4) Chef Jamie Oliver also has some emotive commentary to add. Talking about sugar in milk he says “any judge in the whole world would look at the statistics and the evidence and they would find any government of old guilty of child abuse. That’s my belief”. (6)

“This movie is a must see to get your health back on track and confirms our position on why you should eat organic whole foods” says Swanwick.

‘Hungry for Change’ is free to view until 31 March at www.hungryforchange.tv/free-screening.

Soil & Health is one of the oldest organic organisations in the world and advocates for the consumer’s right to have fresh, healthy, organic food free of GE, pesticides and additives and their right to know what is in their food. Oranga nuku, oranga kai oranga tangata. To learn more about what is really in your food subscribe to their Facebook pagehttp://www.facebook.com/OrganicNZ

Photo caption: “Our children are predicted to have a life expectancy ten years shorter than our own because of the bad food in our modern society” says Debbie Swanwick – Spokesperson, Soil & health – Organic NZ

To view online click here www.organicnz.org.nz/node/623

References

(1) http://www.hungryforchange.tv/free-screening

(2) http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/18/us-obesity-us-idUSBRE88H0RA201…

(3) http://authoritynutrition.com/4-ways-sugar-makes-you-fat/

(4) http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/jun/11/why-our-food-is-making-us…

(5) http://m.otago.ac.nz/news/otago040898.html

(6) http://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_oliver.html

fat people