We provide informed comment on current issues affecting soil and health.

You can follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.

For topical news and information about soil health, organics, and related issues, subscribe to Organic NZ magazine and follow the magazine on Facebook.


Landmark merger a win-win for organic sector
|

Landmark merger a win-win for organic sector

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…

Honouring the Warrior Queen of Organics
|

Honouring the Warrior Queen of Organics

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…

Councils and communities – a collaborative response to GE risks
| |

Councils and communities – a collaborative response to GE risks

  Whangarei and Far North District Councils received strong support from the community for their proposals to protect their territories from GM releases this week.   The Soil & Health Association of NZ and GE Free Northland led a group of 14 submitters, presenting their case at a joint hearing on Whangarei District Council and…

Organic farming will revitalise waterways
|

Organic farming will revitalise waterways

The two most crucial moves we can make to improve New Zealand’s sadly degraded waterways are to stop dairy expansion, and to transition towards truly sustainable farming, according to the Soil & Health Association. Organic farmers are well ahead of the game in sustainable production and provide a model for a positive, healthy future for…

Together we can keep Aotearoa GE-free!
| | |

Together we can keep Aotearoa GE-free!

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.  …

Celebrating 75 years of organics in NZ
| |

Celebrating 75 years of organics in NZ

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…

Joining forces to clean up food and farming
| |

Joining forces to clean up food and farming

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…

Climate-friendly farming: we have the solutions
|

Climate-friendly farming: we have the solutions

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…

GE animal experiments: expensive, unethical failures
| |

GE animal experiments: expensive, unethical failures

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…

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

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

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…

Maize spill shows risks of GE seed escape
| | | |

Maize spill shows risks of GE seed escape

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…

Our democratic right to be GE-free
| |

Our democratic right to be GE-free

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…

GE or not GE? A victory for democracy
| |

GE or not GE? A victory for democracy

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…

Can we trust the label ‘organic’?
|

Can we trust the label ‘organic’?

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…

Can we keep local control over GE?
| |

Can we keep local control over GE?

Genetic engineering is again in the spotlight as the Soil & Health Association of NZ and GE Free Northland lead a group of interested parties in support of Whangarei District Council and Northland Regional Council in the Environment Court this Friday. Federated Farmers of NZ lodged an appeal with the Environment Court, opposing precautionary provisions…

Will new farming leader jeopardise NZ’s GE-free advantage?
| | |

Will new farming leader jeopardise NZ’s GE-free advantage?

The recent election of William Rolleston as president of Federated Farmers could mean a push towards genetic engineering (GE) in farming, warns the Soil & Health Association. Dr Rolleston has for many years been a proponent of GE, and some farmers, both organic and conventional, fear he may use his position to continue to promote…