The Soil & Health Association is joining other environmental groups calling for immediate action to tackle farming emissions. Consultation on the government’s draft Emissions Reduction Plan closes today and environmental groups are united in calling for stronger action. “It’s unacceptable that agriculture, our largest emitting sector, is the least developed and most poorly explained aspect…
Concerns for the future of New Zealand’s domestic organic industry have dampened enthusiasm for the Organic Products Bill which returned from Select Committee with some significant and useful changes, says the Soil & Health Association. “We represent the thousands of people buying, growing and selling organic products,” says Soil & Health’s general manager Pete Huggins….
Today’s Climate Commission advice shows we need a transition from synthetic fertilisers and other harmful practices towards organic and regenerative agriculture, said Soil & Health Association spokesperson Jenny Lux today. “Organic regenerative farming is a huge opportunity for New Zealand, both economically and environmentally. Early movers have shown that we can make that shift rapidly….
“It’s encouraging to see the Green Party reinforce their commitment to organic agriculture from their position in government,” says Jenny Lux, spokesperson for the Soil & Health Association, New Zealand’s largest organic membership organisation. “We’d like to see all political parties exploring the opportunities regenerative organic agriculture offers in terms of environmental protection, healthy food,…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 26 September 2019 The Soil & Health Association is calling on the government to make good Jacinda Ardern’s statement to the United Nations that New Zealand is ‘determined to show that we can be the most sustainable food producers in the world’. ‘Tomorrow school children will lead the School Strike for Climate…
“The only way to ensure that the chickens you are eating are genuinely free range is to choose organic,” says Marion Wood, co-chair of the Soil & Health Association. “And what better time to start than during Organic Week which is right now.” She points out that there is no enforceable industry standard for free-range…
Soil & Health want Fonterra to collect all certified and in transition to organic Fonterra milk and to pay a premium for it, irrespective of locality. “We want to see the Government better commit to organic dairy production and therefore more sustainable farming practices,” says Soil & Health National Council member and former Green Party…
“This is an amazing Christmas present for the organic community and we’re delighted”, says Bailey Peryman, Co-Chairperson for the Soil & Health Association, welcoming the Government’s announcement to progress with a national standard for organic production next year. “People want clean, safe food, and are increasingly turning to organic foods and products but it’s difficult to be sure that they really are…
Our public agencies must protect human health and ecosystems, and use rigorous independent science rather than industry data, says the Soil & Health Association. Soil & Health welcomes the release of a paper by the Green Party that exposes many flaws in an Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) report on glyphosate-based herbicides (such as Roundup). The…
The Soil & Health Association has serious concerns about another GE food line being approved in New Zealand – this time for six food lines derived from potatoes. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), the organisation that controls food approvals for New Zealand and Australia, is calling for submissions on an application to permit GE…
The huge rise in the milk payout to organic dairy farmers is a welcome encouragement for the dairy sector to move towards clean, green and high-value production, according to the Soil & Health Association. Fonterra just announced a big jump in the milk payout to organic farmers, due to increasing global demand. For the…
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…
More than ever, consumers need to know they can trust food labels, but the word ‘organic’ is being misused by some producers. The Soil & Health Association is therefore disappointed that the Ministry for Primary Industries has abandoned discussions about the regulation of the word organic until 2017. “People want clean, safe food, and are…
A shift towards organic farming practices and diversification is needed to protect and enhance our waterways and our economy, says the Soil & Health Association. The recently released report by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Jan Wright, shows that water quality is deteriorating, particularly in areas where there is expansion or intensification of dairy…
“The demise of many established orchards throughout the country may create a short supply of fruit in coming years and increase prices,” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokesperson, Soil & Health – Organic NZ. “We need local solutions such as co-ops or community supported agriculture (CSA) models to ensure their survival.” The small profit margins received by…
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…
“The recent suggestion from Federated Farmers vice president William Rolleston to allow genetically engineered ryegrass into NZ to alleviate the drought is outrageous and factually inaccurate,” says Debbie Swanwick, spokesperson for Soil & Health – Organic NZ. “Rather than going down the risky GE path, farmers will do better using sustainable organic practices,” Swanwick says….
New Zealand has a decade to clean up its act if it is to be world’s first 100% organic food producer. Bhutan recently announced its intention to claim the tittle and be pesticide free in the next ten years if we fail to do so. Now the race is on. “This is an accolade that…
Fonterra’s lack of transparency and the finding of dicyandiamide (DCD) residues in milk last September has caused a huge consumer backlash in international and financial markets. Consumers around the world want clean, green, 100% pure,GE-free and organic products. Nw Zealand needs to embrace this and meet the demand, rather than continuing with environmentally damaging farming…
“The failure of Proposition 37, the initiative requiring mandatory labeling of GMO’s, at the polls this week in California is a sad day for consumers” says Debbie Swanwick, Spokeperson for Soil & Health – Organic NZ. Over $45 million dollars was funded by big Agri Tech and corporate America to sway voters which resulted in…
The Soil & Health Association of NZ, publishers of Organic NZ, are to launch their publication in South Korea. South Korea has a population of 50 million and is the fastest growing organic sector in Asia. Demand for organics is being largely driven by young families and health issues. As a group, South Korean’s constitute…