Genetic Engineering Webinar: What do Consumers Want? Navigating GE Issues with Jon Carapiet

On 5th March 2024, the Soil & Health Association of NZ held an online webinar with Jon Carapiet, to discuss consumer issues around GE. This included the right to choose, labelling, traceability, and consumers overseas – our export markets. Scroll down to read more about the webinar and to access the full recording. If you benefited from this webinar, please consider donating to Soil & Health to support our vital work, details below.

Jon is a consumer advocate, market researcher and national spokesperson for GE Free NZ (in food and environment). For almost 20 years, Jon has spoken out about the need to moderate the powerful use of gene technology to protect New Zealand’s capacity to produce and sell non-GMO food and to protect the rights of consumers at home and overseas. As an advocate for Brand New Zealand, Jon draws on his years of experience as a senior market researcher and brand communications consultant. Jon has a Bachelor’s degree from Cambridge University and a Master’s from Auckland University, and as well as working in research, he is a keen photographer, regularly exhibiting his artwork.

Access the webinar here

The webinar can be viewed here: Jon Carapiet – 5th March 2024.

A copy of Jon’s PowerPoint presentation can be viewed here.

If you would like to view the other webinars in our GE series, please go to the GE Free Campaign page of our website.

Donate to support the vital work of Soil & Health

All webinars and events are free for all members of Soil and Health; otherwise we suggest a donation of $20. All funds go towards Soil & Health’s advocacy and campaign for a GE-free New Zealand, and are eligible for tax credits.

Make your donation by credit card: soilandhealth.org.nz/donate

Or transfer funds to our account: BNZ, account number: 02 0108 0058415 001
With the reference: GE donation

Genetic Engineering Panel Discussion: Where are we at in Aotearoa New Zealand

On 21 November 2023, the Soil and Health Association NZ held an online webinar for an update and discussion about GE. We had over 200 attendees and some great discussion! Scroll down to read more about the webinar and to access the full recording. If you benefited from this webinar, please consider donating to Soil & Health to support our vital work, details below.

What’s the current law, what’s in our food and fields, and what does the future hold? Join Dr. Jessica Hutchings, Papawhakaritorito Charitable Trust; Philippa Jamieson, OrganicNZ magazine; and Charles Hyland, Soil and Health Association NZ in conversation.

About the panelists:

Dr Jessica Hutchings, Papawhakaritorito Charitable Trust
Dr Jessica Hutchings (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Huirapa, Gujarati) is nationally and internationally recognised as a leader in Indigenous food systems and Māori food and soil sovereignty; she is a founding Trustee of the Papawhakaritorito Charitable Trust that works to uplift Māori food and soil sovereignty and Hua Parakore (Māori organics) through research, development and community practice.

Philippa Jamieson, Organic NZ Magazine
Philippa Jamieson is a writer and marketing manager of Organic NZ Magazine. Philippa is an organic advocate, gardener, editor, writer and celebrant living in Dunedin. She is chair of the Organics Aotearoa NZ GE policy group, a life member of the Soil & Health Association, and involved in her local community orchard project.

Charles Hyland, Soil & Health Association
Soil & Health National Councillor Charles Hyland is a soil scientist and biogeochemist who moved to NZ in 2013 after working as a scientist at Cornell University in the USA for over ten years. Organic agriculture and natural systems have always been central to his work and worldview.

Access the webinar here

Donate to support the vital work of Soil & Health

All webinars and events are free for all members of Soil and Health; otherwise we suggest a donation of $20. All funds go towards Soil & Health’s advocacy and campaign for a GE-free New Zealand, and are eligible for tax credits.

Make your donation by credit card: soilandhealth.org.nz/donate

Or transfer funds to our account: BNZ, account number: 02 0108 0058415 001
With the reference: GE donation

Heavy rain, soil and waterways – what’s the effect and what we can do about it?

About the video

We all know that heavy rains cause soil loss and runoff. And we understand these are harmful to fresh water and the wider environment.

But many farmers, gardeners and land owners are unsure about where to start fixing these problems.

Join Philippa Jamieson, former editor of Organic NZ magazine, in conversation with soil scientist Charles Hyland and freshwater ecologist Dr Mike Joy as they discuss some of the mechanics of these problems and the relative virtues of various solutions.

This webinar aims to empower the organic community to intentionally manage their soils in order to achieve their sustainability and environmental goals.

About the panelists

Charles Hyland is a soil scientist and biogeochemist who moved to NZ in 2013 after working at Cornell University in the USA as a scientist for over ten years.  His career has focused on identifying complex environmental problems associated with agricultural systems and implementing effective innovative solutions. Organic agriculture has always been central to his work and worldview.

Mike Joy began lecturing at Massey University in ecology and environmental science in 2003. After seeing first-hand the decline in freshwater health in New Zealand, he became an outspoken advocate for environmental protection. He has been working for two decades at the interface of science and policy in New Zealand with a goal of strengthening connections between science, policy and real outcomes to address the multiple environmental issues facing New Zealand.

Goodbye Glyphosate! Rethinking Weeds

Learn how to eliminate glyphosate and other harmful herbicides.

This recording is available to members, below. Please log-in using the email associated with your membership. If you have trouble logging-in please contact our team by email: info@organicnz.org.nz

About the video

This webinar is part of the Soil & Health Association’s campaign to strengthen regulation of glyphosate: https://soilandhealth.org.nz/glyphosate/

Join Philippa Jamieson, former editor of Organic NZ magazine, in conversation with Dr Charles Merfield and Mike Palmers who will discuss the way we think about and experience the plants we call “weeds”, and offer some organic, non-chemical and agro-ecological ways of managing them.

Followed by questions and discussion about practical weed solutions for your home garden, small block or farm.

The panelists

Dr Charles Merfield is head of the BHU Future Farming Centre and Merfield Agronomy Ltd. He has a particular interest in physical and ecological weed management.

Mike Palmers is an organic landscape gardener, he is currently a member of Soil & Health’s national council, and has served on the board of BioGro.

Video series

Suggested donation $10 – funds go towards Soil & Health’s glyphosate campaign. Make your donation by credit card: https://soilandhealth.org.nz/donate/#!form/Donate

Or transfer funds to our account: BNZ Account number: 02 0108 0058415 001

Ben Cheah’s half acre garden of peace & plenty

This is a four-part video series of Ben Cheah’s Auckland garden.


Field Trip to Piha to visit the Waygood Foundation’s Gardens and Beck Wheeler Garden.

These are two three-part video series, one for the Waygood Foundation garden and one for the Beck Wheeler garden

A group from Soil & Health Auckland visited two Permaculture Gardens in Piha on Saturday the 12th Feb 2020. We visited the Waygood Foundation Gardens where Claire Inwood guided us on a tour of the property. On a sandy based soil they have created a series of gardens, original, new, terraced and a Kids garden. These mixed gardens of vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruit trees are nestled in a glade of Pohutukawa trees.

Ben Cheah Speakers Meeting

Ben Cheah speaks about Small Urban Gardens.

This is a three-part video series

Sanctuary gardens visit April 2021

We visit sanctuary gardens and hear from manager Trevor Crosby

This is a two-part video series

Dee Pigneguy’s organic home garden

A visit to Dee’s home organic garden 27 Oct 2018

Wayne Hill talk 2018

Wayne Hill’s top tips