6 March 2020 The Soil & Health Association expresses deep condolences to the family and friends of Jeanette Fitzsimons. Among Jeanette’s many roles, she was a patron of Soil & Health for several years. “Jeanette gave wise counsel and was a champion for the organic cause,” said Marion Wood, chair of Soil & Health. “She…
The Soil & Health Association is encouraging the Waikato District Council to adopt precautionary provisions in the Waikato District Plan for any genetically engineered organisms that may be trialled or commercially produced. The plan as currently drafted fails to regulate, or make any mention at all of GMOs. “We want to ensure that the Council…
GE Free Northland and the Soil & Health Association are celebrating the Far North and Whangarei District Councils’ decisions to retain precautionary and prohibitive genetically modified organisms (GMOs) provisions in their new District Plans. This follows Auckland Council’s recent decision to retain similar precautionary and prohibitive GMO provisions in the new Unitary Plan. The result…
The organic community celebrated the landmark merger of two long-established charitable organisations yesterday. Members of the Soil & Health Association of NZ Inc and the New Zealand Biological Producers and Consumers Society Inc (BioGro Society) voted in favour of the proposal. This means that the Society will transfer its assets to Soil & Health, on…
One of New Zealand’s oldest advocates of organics, Marguerite Jones, has died at the age of 95. Famous for wearing her ‘Don’t panic, go organic!’ sign at stalls and expos, and always resplendent in vibrant, colour-coordinated outfits, this feisty woman has been an inspiration to many and was a living example of a healthy…
One of the world’s oldest organic organisations is now using crowdfunding to help keep New Zealand’s valuable GE-free status. The Soil & Health Association of New Zealand, founded in 1941, has just launched a Givealittle page to appeal for donations from a wide range of Kiwis who want a clean, green, GE-free Aotearoa. …
Cutting an organic cake at Parliament today marked the 75th anniversary of the Soil & Health Association, one of the world’s oldest organic organisations. The cake ceremony was a highlight of the launch of the OANZ 2016 New Zealand Organic Market Report. “We’re so proud to be part of a movement that is championing healthy…
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…
“Proposed changes to the Resource Management Act, announced last week by Environment Minister Amy Adams, could result in ratepayers picking up the tab for industry damaging our environment. This is highly immoral and undemocratic,” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ. Councils have a responsibility to ensure that ratepayers are protected against…
“Europe’s decision to ban neonicotinoids was a good day for bees. We need to follow this lead and ban systemic pesticides that are killing our bees,” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ. In April 2013 Europe placed a two-year ban on three neonicotinoids – a systemic pesticide that permeates every cell…
“The announcement by Environment Minister Amy Adams that she will legislate so that local councils cannot protect their ratepayers against the risks of genetically engineered organisms is a direct attack on democracy in this country,” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ. The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act does not protect…
“The increase in food co-operatives in New Zealand is enabling communities to take back control of their food supply, improve relationships between community members and achieve better health outcomes” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ. Food co-operatives provide better quality food, mostly organic, at a cheaper price. “Stories of the average…
New Zealand was one of 52 countries around the world that protested on Saturday against genetically modified food that big agritech giant Monsanto produces. The worldwide “March against Monsanto” is the first global protest against genetically modified food. “The level of participation in New Zealand in these marches is evidence that New Zealanders want we…
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…
In New Zealand ‘certified’ organic food is the best labelling system available for the consumer,” says Debbie Swanwick, spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ. Her comments follow recent media attention around food labelling. Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye signed off changes to legislation this week that producers cannot claim health or nutritional value on…
Inevitable cross contamination by GE crops, if released in NZ, pose a 59 billion dollar threat to the NZ economy and ratepayers whose councils have failed to protect them against risk,” says Debbie Swanwick, Soil & Health – Organic NZ. That is the total dollar value of our agricultural, forestry, fisheries and tourism sectors, agriculture…
New Zealand’s oldest organic organisation, and publishers of Organic NZ , the Soil & Health Association – Organic NZ, is delighted with the growth in the number of organic producers and consumers over the past three years. “The results in the latest organic market research report* show that organics is definitely moving from the fringe…
The Trans Pacific Partnership agreement is the biggest threat to consumer rights New Zealand has ever seen” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ. Her comments come following the closure of the 15th round of TPPA negotiations at Sky City, Auckland recently. Over a hundred and fifty protestors gathered at Sky City during…
Bailey Peryman from Soil & Health – Organic NZ (Canterbury), is one of eleven recipients of the 2103 Vodafone world of Difference Programme. This award, which focuses on youth development and an earthquake recovery need, funds his salary and expenses for a year. Peryman will coordinate the setup of Hand Over a Hundy in Christchurch…
Fonterra’s shareholders are being directly threatened by the admission that the use of GE ingredients is increasing in supplementary feed for dairy cattle. “Currently only milk, supplied to Fonterra, from organically certified properties can be guaranteed to be free from exposure to the GE supplements” says Glenn Mead, Chairman, Organic Dairy and Pastoral Group. Fonterra…
“Biotech companies are still trying to push their flawed and failed genetically engineered technology onto New Zealand farmers despite markets around the world not wanting to buy it” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson for Soil & Health – Organic NZ. The XII conference for International Biotechnology, being held at the Energy Events Centre in Rotorua from…