what's happening?
New Zealand’s government is moving at pace to deregulate Genetic Engineering (GE) by 2025, with the first reading of the ‘Gene Technology Bill’ being passed in Parliament on 17 December 2024. This move threatens to take away our freedom of choice by allowing food modified by new GMO techniques to enter our food systems without requiring labelling to identify it.
what's at stake?
A GE-free Aotearoa means a transparent food system, clean food, farmer and consumer choice, and a protected environment. Deregulation threatens all of this—including the delicate balance of our biodiversity. The introduction of GMOs into our ecosystems could disrupt native species, harm natural habitats, and reduce the genetic diversity that is essential for resilience in nature.
update 22 august, 2025
The Health Select Committee has once again pushed back its report on the Gene Technology Bill, now due 10 October 2025. Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) says this delay highlights just how complex and risky the issues are, and why strong safeguards for our health and environment are non-negotiable.
Despite repeated calls, the government still hasn’t carried out an independent review of what deregulating gene technology could mean for our health, environment, and global reputation. The only economic study carried out so far was one that OANZ had to commission themselves through New Zealand Institute of Economic Research. Without proper, independent analysis, major risks remain unanswered and unaddressed.
The good news? This pause shows community concerns are being heard! Now, we need leadership that puts people, planet, and the future of food first.
What you can do?
Help keep the pressure on to stop the GE Bill for good! Write to your MP today.
Download the OANZ activation toolkit, which includes letter templates and have your say!
why it matters?
Submitting your views on the Gene Technology Bill is crucial as it directly impacts our biodiversity and environmental integrity, international trade and reputation, and consumer choice.
Why Oppose the Gene Technology Bill?
This bill undermines protections for our environment, economy, and communities by:
Ignoring Nature's Precautionary Principle:
Risks to ecosystems and rural jobs are not protected.
Excluding Treaty of Waitangi Principles:
Disregards Māori rights and perspectives.
Shifting Liability:
No requirement for GE users to manage risks.
No Supply Chain Segregation:
Farmers lose the ability to preserve GE-free crops.
No Labelling:
Consumers and farmers won’t know which products are GE-exempt.
No Ethical Standards:
Overlooks animal welfare and ethical concerns.
Ignoring Economic Risks:
The value of New Zealand’s non-GMO exports is at stake.
Ignoring Reputation Risks: Deregulation threatens New Zealand’s global reputation for clean, safe, GMO-free food, jeopardising a key competitive advantage.
Let’s stand together and keep NZ GE Free! Learn more about the important issues that are excluded from the Bill at GE FREE NZ
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help keep Aotearoa's farms GE FREE
Farmers for a GE-free Future is a fundraiser by Organics Aotearoa to raise essential funds for a nationwide campaign to grow awareness of the risks of the government’s new GE Policy.