Joining forces to clean up food and farming

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The urgency of what’s happening to our food supply has motivated two key organic organisations to join forces. To counter industrial-style factory farming and food production, which is causing environmental degradation and ill health, Soil & Health and BioGro are working together to offer clean, green organic solutions.

The Soil & Health Association (publisher of OrganicNZ magazine)1 and BioGro Society (owner of the BioGro organic certification company)2 are discussing a merger, following the approval by both memberships in July 2015 to explore a variety of options. Both organisations are well established in their own right, and are taking the opportunity to join their expertise and resources and work together to enliven the organic sector.

“New Zealand needs live up to its clean, green image. We urgently need to shift towards high-value, safe, sustainable, GE-free organic farming, for the sake of our health, economy and environment,” said Marion Thomson, co-chair of Soil & Health.

“Organic food and farming can play a major role in countering rising health problems like cancer, allergies, diabetes and obesity,” Ms Thomson said.

“There is a big future for organics in New Zealand, and a strengthened and unified organic sector will highlight our successes and take a leadership role in sharing the solutions to current problems,” says Gaz Ingram, chair of BioGro Society.

“With changing weather patterns, we need robust and sustainable ways of producing food and fibre,” Mr Ingram said.

As consumers increasingly demand clean, safe, GE-free, organic, ethical food and other products, there is a growing need for a strong, unified organic sector that can represent and advocate for consumers and producers alike.

The joint initiative is an exciting opportunity to combine forces and unite the two organisations, whose values and goals are very closely aligned.

A working party which includes members from Soil & Health’s National Council and BioGro Society’s board is developing a strategic direction that will see a refreshed and united organisation that will capture the strengths, skills and resources of both organisations. A plan will go out to all members around March 2016. Members will vote at the AGMs of both organisations in July 2016.

NOTES
1.    The Soil & Health Association is the largest membership organisation supporting organic food and farming in New Zealand. In 2016 it celebrates its 75th anniversary. Soil & Health was founded in 1941 as the Humic Compost Club by New Zealanders who were concerned about degraded soils, increasing refined foods, and the links of both of these with declining nutrition.
It promotes sustainable agricultural practices and principles of good health based on sound nutrition and the motto ‘Healthy soil – healthy food – healthy people’.
www.organicnz.org.nz

2.    The BioGro Society was formed in 1983 by Soil & Health, the Biodynamic Association and the Henry Doubleday Research Association, who saw the need for a credible and internationally respected organic standard and certification process, in order to safeguard the interests of producers and consumers.
The BioGro company (owned by the BioGro Society) is the premier organic certification agency in New Zealand. It certifies and accredits over 600 producers in New Zealand and the Pacific, is accredited to IFOAM (International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements) and has an excellent reputation with domestic and export markets.
www.biogro.co.nz

Climate-friendly farming: we have the solutions

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We have good news for John Key! At the climate talks in Paris, Prime Minister John Key said that cost-effective technologies for reducing New Zealand’s agricultural emissions were not yet available.

 

However, according to the Soil & Health Association, not only do we already have the technology and the know-how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, but using this technology will also have multiple other benefits for our economy, our environment, our soils and waterways, and our health.

 

“We already have low-emission climate-friendly farming practices – it’s called organic farming,” said Marion Thomson, co-chair of Soil & Health.

 

Because nearly 50% of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions come from farming, we cannot continue to ignore this. By moving towards organic and biological farming, we will reduce carbon, methane and nitrous oxide emissions.

 

“Soil & Health is calling on the government to reinvest the taxpayer money going to the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases, and instead use it to help farmers transition to organic practices,” said Thomson.

 

“The $20 million Mr Key just promised to the Alliance would be infinitely more effectively invested in growing the organic farming sector. Helping farmers transition to eco-friendly, climate-friendly organic farming will be good for our health, wealth and environment. What’s not to like about that?” asked Thomson.

The organic approach ticks all the right boxes. By farming organically, farmers can reduce stock numbers and still get the same income, because global markets are crying out for clean, green, pasture-fed, GE-free and organic food, and are prepared to pay a premium for it.

 

Lower stock numbers mean lower greenhouse gas emissions, as well as reducing the impacts on soils and waterways, which desperately need to be cleaned up.

Mixed pasture species including those with high tannins like birdsfoot trefoil can be grown to reduce methane emissions from ruminant animals.

In addition, organic farms have better soil structures and better soil moisture-holding capacity, which will help farmers cope with the effects of climate change that we are seeing already. Organic farms are more resilient in the face of floods and droughts.

 

Non-organic farms generally use pesticides that are either known or suspected carcinogens, so going organic will also reduce the nation’s health bill by reducing or eliminating the use of harmful chemicals.

 

 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Marion Thomson, co-chair, Soil & Health

027 555 4014

GE Goats

GE animal experiments: expensive, unethical failures

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Experiments to genetically engineer animals in New Zealand over the past 15 years have proven to be expensive and unethical failures, says the Soil & Health Association, and must be stopped. Soil & Health commends GE Free NZ’s report ‘GE Animals in New Zealand’ for providing a clear overview of animal genetic engineering research in Aotearoa using sheep, cattle, and goats.

“The suffering that hundreds of animals have endured is totally unacceptable and goes way beyond the guidelines of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,” said Marion Thomson, co-chair of Soil & Health. “This report catalogues all the documented deaths, deformities, abortions, sterility and numerous other health problems that the GE research animals have been subjected to.”

“We can’t afford to waste any more taxpayer money on these unethical experiments that have failed to produce any medical benefit,” said Thomson. “Instead we need to redeploy the skills of AgResearch scientists into sustainable and ethical research, such as into organic practices, that will benefit our farming, environment and health.”

The GE animal experiments have been completely unnecessary, as they have used animals as ‘bioreactors’ to produce therapeutic substances that are already available in other forms, says Soil & Health.

One point highlighted in GE Free NZ’s report is the fact that AgResearch has refused to release photographs of the animals involved in the experiments. “If these photos were released, people could see for themselves the needless suffering experienced by these animals,” said Thomson.

Together with Soil & Health’s promotion of healthy organic food and farming, the Association supports high standards of animal welfare, based on the ‘five freedoms’ that have been adopted by many organisations around the world.

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

Various Fruits

Celebrating NZ’s first official GE-free food producing region

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Hastings District Council’s decision to ban GE in their district is welcome news, says the Soil & Health Association. The just-released Hastings District Plan prohibits the release and field trialling of genetically engineered organisms, creating the first official GE-free food-producing region in New Zealand, and joining a number of regions around the world.1

“With a regional economy that relies on high-quality horticulture and agriculture and New Zealand’s clean green image, this decision makes sound business sense,” says Marion Thomson, co-chair of Soil & Health.

Retaining and strengthening the district’s valuable GE-free status is important for export and local food production. There is a strong and increasing demand for high-value, safe, GE-free food, and customers are paying a premium for it.

“The Council has acted on the wishes of 85% of the community,” says Thomson, “and the leadership shown by primary producer group Pure Hawke’s Bay has been absolutely brilliant.”
Soil & Health’s submission to the Council, in support of a GE-free district, drew attention to the 340-plus certified organic producers in the wider Hawke’s Bay. Organic producers would lose their certification if contaminated by GE organisms.

Soil & Health has made submissions to several councils around New Zealand in support of GE-free districts and regions. The Association has also invested significant amounts of money from members’ donations and participated in two landmark Environment Court cases.

One of the most significant Environment Court cases of 2015 was one in which Soil & Health and GE Free Northland led a group of section 274 (interested) parties in supporting Northland Regional Council’s precautionary wording on genetic engineering. Principal Environment Court Judge Newhook confirmed that there is jurisdiction under the RMA for regional councils to make provision for GMOs through regional policy statements and plans. [2]

This decision by the Environment Court was pivotal in the final decision made by the Hastings District Council. Soil & Health is supporting many communities around New Zealand – including Auckland Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Whangarei District Council, Northland Regional Council, and Far North District Council – strengthening their GE-free status via district or regional plans.

“The GE-free movement is strong and growing, and community-led, similar to the nuclear-free movement of the 80s,” says Thomson. “New Zealand’s national legislation is inadequate to properly protect communities from the potential adverse effects of GE, so communities are acting to reinforce their existing GE-free status.”

CONTACT

Marion Thomson, co-chair, Soil & Health Association of NZ

027 555 4014

References

Links accessed Sept 2015

1.    https://www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/files/all/Proposed%20DP/Plan%20Text/29.1HazardousSubstancesAndGeneticallyModifiedOrganismsDistrictWideActivity.pdf

2.     http://www.organicnz.org.nz/node/1020

Notes

The Soil & Health Association of NZ is the largest membership organisation supporting organic food and farming in New Zealand, and one of the oldest organic organisations in the world, established in 1941. Our aims are to empower people and communities to grow, buy and support locally based sustainable, safe, GE-free and organic food in Aotearoa New Zealand. Soil & Health’s flagship magazine is Organic NZ, produced 6 times per year and sold nationwide.

Maize spill shows risks of GE seed escape

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New Zealand’s valuable GE-free status is under threat from biosecurity breaches, says the Soil & Health Association. Two spills in New Plymouth last week of maize imported from the USA show how it’s possible for genetically engineered seed to escape containment – and potentially grow.

“Well over 80% of maize grown in the US is genetically engineered, so there is a high likelihood of this seed being GE,” says Marion Thomson, co-chair of Soil & Health. “MPI has claimed that the maize is not GE, but we want to see the documentation, such as certification and test results, to be assured of this.”

New Zealand imports hundreds of thousands of tonnes of seed to be milled for stock feed. Much of it, including maize/corn, soy, canola and cottonseed, comes from countries where these GE crops are widespread.

“Have there been other spills of viable GE seed that we don’t know about?” asks Thomson. “The longer we continue to import this seed, the greater the risks are from contamination, and reputation to New Zealand’s clean, green image and primary exports – including GE-free maize.”

“New Zealand needs to be more self-sufficient and grow more of our own maize,” says Thomson. “Especially in terms of pastoral and dairy farming we need to focus on healthy, biodiverse pastures and reduce our dependence on external inputs.”

Soil & Health agrees with the majority of Kiwis that New Zealand should be GE-free in our food and environment. This is part of a healthy lifestyle, environment and economy based on sustainable, organic farming and growing.

CONTACTS

Marion Thomson,

Co-chair, Soil & Health Association of NZ

027 555 4014

Conflict of interest for new EPA head

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The new head of the Environmental Protection Agency has been an open advocate of genetic engineering, and therefore has a conflict of interest when it comes to looking after the environment, says the Soil & Health Association.

 

Dr Allan Freeth starts his role as chief executive of the EPA in September. While managing director of Wrightson Group, Dr Freeth was described as an outspoken advocate of GE, and facilitated research into GE pasture species. During his time at Wrightson’s, the company bought Genesis, which has been involved in growing GE trees with ArborGen in the USA and South America.

 

“We are concerned that Dr Freeth’s appointment is part of a push for genetic engineering on several fronts in New Zealand,” says Marion Thomson, co-chair of Soil & Health. “The EPA is tasked with protecting the environment, and needs to apply the precautionary principle when there is any doubt – as is the case with GE. It is essential for transparent process that Dr Freeth’s views do not influence EPA decision-making.”

 

Dr Freeth’s appointment to the EPA comes at a time when the Ministry for Primary Industries is consulting on a National Environmental Standard for Plantation Forestry. If adopted with the current wording, the proposed standard would remove the right of local communities to determine whether GE trees could be released in their area – making the EPA the sole arbiter of decisions about GE trees in New Zealand.

 

This follows a ruling by Principal Environment Court Judge Newhook that there is jurisdiction under the Resource Management Act for regional councils to make provision for GE organisms through regional policy statements and plans. The ruling came as a result of a court case brought by Federated Farmers.Federated Farmers, which is now headed by another GE proponent, Dr William Rolleston, is appealing the decision in the High Court.

 

“Millions of taxpayer dollars have already been spent on GE field trials, including GE trees, with no positive results to date,” says Thomson. “Rather than go down the GE track, New Zealand has a great opportunity to maintain and strengthen our point of difference. We need to live up to our clean, green image with high-value, environmentally sustainable, GE-free organic farming and forestry. This is what markets around the world are crying out for.”

 

Soil & Health urges New Zealanders to have their say on the proposed forestry standard; submissions are due on 11 August.* The Association is proud that New Zealand has so far had no commercial releases of GE organisms, and that democracy and the public’s desire for a GE-free New Zealand have prevailed.

 

 

CONTACT

Marion Thomson

Co-chair, Soil & Health Association

027 555 4014

 

*Proposed National Environmental Standard for Plantation Forestry – submissions due 11 August 2015:

mpi.govt.nz/news-and-resources/consultations/proposed-national-environmental-standard-for-plantation-forestry

New wave of GE-free activism

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Pressure from the biotech industry for the government to relax laws on genetic engineering will result in a new wave of GE-free activism, the Soil & Health Association predicts.

This follows comments from some GE companies, and from the Treasury Secretary Gabriel Makhlouf in a speech at Fieldays that New Zealand is missing out on opportunities.

“Kiwis have fought hard to keep our environment GE-free, but if that is threatened, we will see massive protests,” says Marion Thomson, co-chair of Soil & Health. “GE farming and/or forestry will jeopardise our clean, green brand.”

Relaxing the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act would be absolutely detrimental to our environment, our economy and to our communities. Experiences overseas have shown that GE crops have led to the rise of herbicide-tolerant ‘superweeds’, and the use of more and stronger pesticides. GE yields are no greater. In the USA and Europe, pig farmers using GE stock feed are seeing health problems and deformities in piglets, and finding that the pigs cannot breed; instead of a fetus there is just a sac of water.

“The trouble is that genetic engineering is inherently risky. Scientists cannot control where inserted genetic material ends up in the DNA,” says Thomson. “This can lead to unexpected outcomes. For example, many people are allergic to the pine pollen that is widespread around New Zealand, but imagine if GE pine pollen turned out to be even more allergenic, or even toxic?”

“Millions of taxpayer dollars have already been spent on GE field trials, with no positive results to date,” says Thomson. “Rather than go down the GE road, New Zealand has a great opportunity to keep our point of difference. Let’s ensure that we live up to our clean, green image and shift towards high-value, environmentally sustainable, GE-free organic farming and forestry. This is what markets around the world are crying out for.”

Media contact

Marion Thomson, co-chair, Soil & Health

027 555 4014

advocacy@organicnz.org.nz

REFERENCES

http://earthopensource.org/gmomythsandtruths/ – GMO Myths and Truths – an evidence-based document by two genetic engineers and a researcher

Pig farming references:

http://sustainablepulse.com/2012/04/24/pulse-news-2/

http://sustainablepulse.com/2012/07/06/agribusiness-farmer-loses-biz-gmos-promotes-organic/#.VX9FF6ats7A

GE Activists

Our democratic right to be GE-free

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Media release from the Soil & Health Association and GE Free Northland

One of the most important Environment Court decisions this year is the finding that councils can control the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) under the Resource Management Act.

New Zealand’s oldest organic organisation, the Soil & Health Association, along with GE Free Northland, supported the Whangarei District Council in a successful defence of the right of local authorities to manage the use of GMOs in their regions, after Federated Farmers sought a ruling that Northland Regional Council had acted outside the law in taking this approach.

Since comprehensively losing the appeal (which it initiated) on all points of law, Federated Farmers has now filed an appeal against the Environment Court’s decision with the High Court.

In May, Principal Environment Court Judge Newhook found that there is jurisdiction under the Resource Management Act for regional councils to make planning decisions about the outdoor use of GMOs in their regions.

“Soil & Health was delighted to have our view confirmed by Judge Newhook,” said Marion Thomson, co-chair of Soil & Health. “We’re disappointed, however, that an organisation that supposedly represents farmers has decided to appeal the decision. Why does Federated Farmers want to deny Northlanders the right to manage what happens in their own region? Is there an application in the wings for a GE field trial or GMO release in Northland?”

“The laws around liability for GMO contamination resulting from the release of an approved GMO are non-existent,” said Martin Robinson, spokesman for GE Free Northland. “Because of the gaps in the law a number of councils around New Zealand are moving to protect their primary producers and communities by introducing precautionary or prohibitive policies.”

“It is vitally important that there should be a much-needed layer of protection, should there be damages caused by any outdoor use of GMOs,” said Mr Robinson.

“In our view, Federated Farmers is stalling for time and wasting money, while hoping for a law change.We hope that if the government is not prepared to change the law to protect innocent victims, it will at least recognise the rights of the regions to control the outdoor use of GMOs by using the RMA to include iwi and community aspirations in their Regional Statements,” said Mr. Robinson.

The government will need the support of the Maori Party, United Future or New Zealand First to change the law. GE Free Northland says it hopes these parties recognise how much support there is from iwi and other Northlanders for their councils to control the outdoor use of GMOs using the RMA.

“It will be interesting to see whether the government is prepared to abandon their unhelpful proposal to include a new paragraph in the RMA, spelling out that central government will block the work of local authorities to create a much-needed additional tier of local protection against the risks of outdoor use of GMOs,” said Mr Robinson.

Pure Hawkes Bay commissioned a Colmar Brunton poll in 2013 in which four out of five New Zealanders thought councils should be able to keep their districts GE-free using local plans.

“Consumers around the world are crying out for organic and GE-free products,” said Marion Thomson. “It makes economic and environmental sense to pursue clean, green farming, and not dice with risky GE technology that has failed to perform, and created problems overseas.”

Media contacts:

Marion Thomson

Co-chair, Soil & Health Association

advocacy@organicnz.org.nz

027 555 4014

Martin Robinson
Spokesperson, GE Free Northland
09 407 8650
022 136 9619

Zelka Linda Grammer

Chairperson, GE Free Northland

09 432 2155

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Links accessed April 2015

Whangarei District Council page on genetic engineering:

www.wdc.govt.nz/PlansPoliciesandBylaws/Plans/Genetic-Engineering/Pages/d…

Previous Soil & Health media releases about the Environment Court case:

organicnz.org.nz/node/1020

organicnz.org.nz/node/1017

Previous GE Free Northland media release about the case:

web.gefreenorthland.org.nz/news/northland/00154-court-case-for-local-choice-about-gmos

Previous GE Free NZ media releases about the case:

press.gefree.org.nz/press/20150517.htm

press.gefree.org.nz/press/20150427.htm

GE or not GE? A victory for democracy

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New Zealanders can take heart that it is now confirmed that regional councils have the right to make planning decisions about the outdoor use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in their regions. Environment Court Judge Newhook determined yesterday that there is jurisdiction under the Resource Management Act for regional councils to make provision for GMOs through regional policy statements and plans.

“We welcome this as a victory for sound resource management,” said Marion Thomson, co-chair of the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand. “The decision confirms our view that the RMA allows local bodies to manage any potential use of GMOs as part of their land use (resource management) planning function.”

The case was brought by Federated Farmers of NZ, who had lodged an appeal with the Environment Court opposing precautionary provisions for GMOs in the Proposed Northland Regional Policy Statement. Soil & Health and GE Free Northland coordinated a group of 12 other interested parties in support of Whangarei District Council and Northland Regional Council in the Environment Court last month.

As a starting point, Federated Farmers challenged whether there is jurisdiction for local authorities to make provisions for the management of the outdoor use of GMOs under the RMA. That challenge has now been rejected by the Environment Court.

“Soil & Health and GE Free Northland combined represent more than 3000 members plus consumers and producers, both organic and conventional, who want to avoid GE. Our view – and the view of a majority of Kiwis in survey after survey – is that genetic engineering is not needed or wanted in our food or environment,” said Marion Thomson. “The best path for New Zealand is to live up to our clean and green reputation by using GE-free, organic and sustainable farming methods that benefit our environment, health and economy.”

GE Free Northland spokesman, Martin Robinson, added: “Local authorities need to be able to respond to their communities’ aspirations. The laws around liability for GMO contamination resulting from the release of an approved GMO, for example, are non-existent. There are risks to the economy, the environment, biosecurity, and cultural and social values. Therefore councils may want take a precautionary approach and impose conditions on the outdoor use of GMOs in their area. This could include, for example, identifying areas where the use of GMOs is not appropriate, or establishing policies and criteria for assessing potential impact on other resources, such as existing organic farms.”

Several councils, notably in Auckland, Northland, Bay of Plenty and Hastings, already have precautionary or prohibitive wording regarding GMOs in their plans.

In the 2013 case Scion vs Bay of Plenty Regional Council, the Environment Court (also)allowed the Council to retain reference to GMOs in its Regional Policy Statement. Soil & Health also took a lead role among a group of section 274 parties (submitters) in support of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s retention of precautionary GMO references.

This latest decision by Judge Newhook validates and strengthens that decision, and confirms that both the HSNO Act and the RMA have complementary roles to play in the management of GMOs in the environment.

CONTACTS
Marion Thomson,
Co-chair, Soil & Health Association of NZ
027 555 4014

Martin Robinson
Spokesperson, GE Free Northland
09 407 8650
022 136 9619