New Zealand’s government is moving to deregulate Genetic Engineering (GE) by 2025, with the first bill expected to be drafted in the next month (before Christmas). 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.

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.