16/02/2025
Tomorrow, Monday is the last day to make a submission to the gene editing bill which is going through the select committee process before it becomes a law.
New Zealand is currently GE Free in crop and field and food is GE free. This bill could affect our ability to determine what kinds of GE organisms are released into the environment and whether they are tracked.
Submit now, here is the organics NZ submission.
https://www.oanz.org/gefree-future-make-a-submission
Communities have a right to decide if they want to be GE free without this being imposed by the government.
We should continue to adopt a precautionary principle towards the release of any GE organisms into the environment.
There is a estimated risk to the economy of up to 20 billion, particularly the organic growers of losing our GE free status.
This is particularly important to Waiheke where people value organic food and which is separated from the mainland by water.
The Government is rushing radical changes to New Zealand’s gene technology laws, putting farmers, growers, and exporters at risk of unfair costs, trade disruptions, and market losses. The Gene Technology Bill has passed its first reading and is now with the Health Select Committee.
