06/01/2025     Potential $20 billion Loss in Export Demand Threatens Rural Communities 

The Gene Technology Bill allows exempted and unregulated genetically engineered organisms (GE) into NZ with no assessment of risk.  This Bill threatens the employment of 360,000 people who who rely on the agricultural sector and will be directly affected by a billion dollar downturn in demand.  The Bill places costs and liability for GE contamination on the GE Free sector, destroying the livelihood of farmers and rural communities.  

Comments at the end of the year from the Coalition Government by Minister Judith Collins show that they have little awareness of the global demand for GE-free food in 2025 or the historical failed genetic engineering trials in New Zealand. 

New Zealand exports are under threat. The commercialisation of any NZ genetically engineered/ gene edited biotechnology has benefits for multiple international patent co-inventors, but at the cost of other sectors of the economy.  

“Minister Collins says that in 2020 $2.7 billion in revenue was generated from biotechnology.” said Claire Bleakley, president of GE Free NZ "Not one cent of the billions of the export produce was genetically engineered/gene edited, as New Zealand is GE Free in the food and fibre agri-business sector.”

The  Trade Economy figure NZ organisation puts the 2024 New Zealand agricultural exports at $54 Billion projected to build to $57 billion in mid 2025.  This income came from the demand for New Zealand’s high quality, GE Free products. 

The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) 2024 Situation and Outlook report sole focus is on the excellent growth in demand for our GE Free agricultural produce. 

The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIEI) report commissioned by Organic Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) projected a $10-20 billion dollar drop in export demand across the whole agricultural export sector.“This will not be offset by allowing commercialisation of unregulated and untraceable genetically engineered products that have no environmental or safety trials,” said Bleakley 

The Gene Technology Bill, will be heard by the Health committee that has no expertise on the environment nor the agricultural sector.  The Regulator under the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) will rely on a technology committee whose members directly benefit the commercialisation of any GE as they own patents or are involved in the creation of these biotech products. 

The Agri biotech corporates who are co-owners in NZ patents, will be given a free pass to dump their failed products onto New Zealand farmers.  Exempting Gene Edited products from regulation and traceability will contaminate seed supply and New Zealand high quality produce will be substituted with pesticides and GE. The farming sector stakeholders were not consulted in the development of the Gene Technology Bill, nor were exporters or the public. What is the benefit? Why buy GE food produce from NZ, when the markets can get it at closer to home, with less food miles,  travel costs and smaller carbon footprint?

The existing legislation, Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO) is fit for purpose and guarantees that the precautionary principle and Treaty of Waitangi issues must be considered and the risks and benefits weighed up.  The Gene Technology Bill must be thrown out.  Exempting GE removes all protection for a GE Free nation.Markets will seek out GE Free produce because consumers demand it. New Zealand is still GE Free in its agricultural growing sector. We must maintain that advantage or the farming sector and regions will collapse.

References:

[1] Trade Economy figure NZ https://figure.nz/search/?query=trade+economy

[2] Situation and Outlook.. https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/66648-Situation-and-Outlook-for-Primary-Industries-SOPI-December-2024

[3] Patents owned by foreign countries https://figure.nz/chart/FfAHRZZdBrft7N3o

[4] New Zealand patent applications to the EPO with foreign co-inventors https://figure.nz/chart/v1LueWKXD1kfmHJD[

[4] Potential costs of Regulatory changes https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U_E4gdKm8ijNhqMNqSjpCPwK2T6rGRp3/view

[5] Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Gene Technology Bill https://www.mbie.govt.nz/science-and-technology/science-and-innovation/agencies-policies-and-budget-initiatives/gene-technology-regulation 

ENDS: 

Claire Bleakley president 027 348 6731 

Jon Carapiet - spokesman 0210507681