Dear Friends,

Last year, a new member called Kate joined the Soil & Health Association. Kate is a young mum who simply wants her child to grow up with safe, healthy places to play.

One day, while at her local playground with her child, Kate watched a council contractor spraying chemicals around the park. She was shocked and worried. Were the chemicals safe? Should children be playing there? Who could she contact? What could she do?

Kate connected with our team at Soil & Health, and soon discovered she wasn’t alone. There are many parents around the country who share the same concerns about pesticides being used in playgrounds, parks and public spaces. They want answers, and they want change – and we want to help them.

That’s why Soil & Health’s Annual Appeal this year is focused on Safe Playgrounds as part of our wider Pesticide Action Campaign.

Our goal is to raise $30,000 to kick-start this campaign and help parents make real change in their communities.

Together with Kate and others, we’re creating a practical action kit for mums, dads and local communities, supporting them to work with councils to advocate for spray-free playgrounds. Just as importantly, we want to independently test playgrounds around New Zealand for pesticide residues. Reliable testing gives communities the evidence they need to ask questions, encourage change, and hold decision-makers accountable.

Safe, healthy playgrounds are at the heart of it. Every child deserves the freedom to run, climb and explore without being exposed to harmful pesticides. Together, we can help keep our tamariki safe, support families like Kate’s, and encourage councils to do the right thing by choosing healthier, chemical-free management.

So, we’re asking you to make a donation today, help us get this work underway – test playgrounds, support communities, and create safer places for our children to play.

Your donation, large or small, brings us one step closer to our goal of $30,000. Whether you can give $10, $20, $50, $100 or more – or whether you can make a small weekly contribution, your generosity will help turn these ideas into action.

Thank you for standing with us!

Asha Andersen – Pesticide Campaign Co-ordinator

contact: asha.andersen@soilandhealth.org.nz

The Soil & Health Association of New Zealand

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How to make your donation:

Credit card: fill in your details at https://soilandhealth.org.nz/donate-sh/

Internet banking: The Soil and Health Association of New Zealand

Account: 02 0108 0058415 001 / Use “Appeal” in the reference

If you include your name in the transaction and let us know, we can make sure you receive a receipt – please email info@soilandhealth.org.nz so we can email it to you.

Why are we advocating for safe, chemical free playgrounds?

Did you know that parks, playgrounds, schools and public roadsides are regularly sprayed with glyphosate based herbicides (GBHs)?

Despite the wealth of information about these chemicals negatively affecting health, many Councils still employ contractors to spray public places for weed and vegetation management. This outdated practice unnecessarily puts people, pets and especially children at risk of harmful exposures.

That’s why we advocate for chemical-free parks, playgrounds and public places in our communities. Support safe playgrounds in Aotearoa New Zealand by making a donation to Soil and Health’s Annual Appeal.

Please make donations to:

The Soil & Health Association of New Zealand

BNZ 02-0108-0058415-01

Credit: Top Playground Photo, Natalia Marshall, iStock

Media release

29 April 2026. New Zealanders are invited to take part in Organic Week 2026, a nationwide series of online events running from 1 to 10 May, focused on healthy food, healthy soil and healthy people.

Led by the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand, this year’s programme brings together farmers, health experts and food advocates for a week of webinars, interviews and community discussion.

The online series is designed to make organic knowledge accessible for everyone, from seasoned organic growers to those just starting to explore organic living.

Soil scientist Charles Hyland, chair of Soil & Health, says a key part of this year’s Organic Week is helping people understand the connection between soil, food and wellbeing.

“Healthy soil supports everything – from the food we eat to the resilience of our environment. Organic Week gives people the chance to hear directly from those working with nature and within our food systems to learn practical ways to apply that knowledge,” he says.

The programme begins with an online Organic Café on Saturday 2 May at 10am, offering an informal space for people to connect, share ideas and hear what is ahead for the week.

A webinar on Monday 4 May at 7pm will focus on dung beetles, with experienced pastoral farmers including Stephen Newman, founder of Kaipara Regenerative Farming Group and Paul Candy from Future Ready Farms sharing how these insects improve soil fertility, manage animal waste and reduce nutrient run-off.

On Wednesday 6 May at 7.30pm, a session titled “What’s behind the label?” will help consumers better understand food labels, ingredients and certification. The speakers are Alison White from the Safe Food Campaign and Sarah Reddington from Low Toxin Rabbit, with facilitation by Organic NZ editor Philippa Jamieson.

Health and wellbeing are also part of the line-up. On Thursday 7 May at 7pm, nutritional therapist Paula Sharp will discuss gut health and how to support the microbiome through food and lifestyle.

The final session on Friday 8 May at 7pm features Hawke’s Bay artist and advocate Kate White, offering a fresh perspective on rooks and their role in farming systems, challenging the view of the birds as pests and exploring their place in a functioning ecosystem.

In addition, others have come on board offering in-person events including workshops and film screenings around the country.

The Soil & Health Association of New Zealand, established in 1941, is one of the world’s oldest organic organisations and continues to advocate for systems that support long-term environmental and human health.

“Organic Week is about connection – between people, ideas and the natural systems that sustain us. We welcome anyone who wants to be part of that conversation,” says Philippa Jamieson, editor of Organic NZ.

All interviews will be screened online and later made available via the Soil & Health Association’s YouTube channel, with webinar recordings released in late May.
ENDS

About us
The Soil & Health Association 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. We are committed to advocating our maxim “Healthy soil – healthy food – healthy people, Oranga nuku – oranga kai – oranga tāngata” and to creating an organic New Zealand.

More information

More information on Organic Week 2026 available here.

Full schedule available here, including links to register for events.

Please reach out for interview opportunities with our spokespersons!

Media contact
Rebecka Keeling
Communications, Soil & Health Association of New Zealand
rebeckakeeling@gmail.com