NZ: Hawke's Bay growers seeking GE free status
Some growers in Hawke's Bay believe the area could benefit economically if it decides to take greater advantage of its genetically engineered food free status. At the moment the status is factual, but not official, but Pure Hawke's Bay, a group of farmers from the area, want to make it official in a bid to promote the local brand.
PHB are seeking the support of local councils to try and achieve such an official status and they have demonstrated that there is a mandate for it - in a recent poll they commissioned the results showed that 84% of the region's population were in favour of the area remaining GE free.
John Bostock of PHB, said, "This is about putting Hawke's Bay on the map as one of the world's premium food producing regions."
The group is only asking the councils for a 10 year free declaration. It is a moot point at the moment as the whole country is GE free, but the group says this could change at any moment.
Another member of the group, Will MacFarlane, explains why it is important to make things official. "Capturing that market opportunity requires certainty," he said.
He also explained that council support to such a move was imperative. "Hawke's Bay food producers and exporters need to know there won't be any GE releases. This is where our councils come in,because only they can secure legal GE free food status.
The group has sought to stress that they are not anti-science, just that they think experiments should be kept in the laboratory and not in the fields of New Zealand. Bostock said, "The GE lobby has promised a lot of silver bullets in terms of pesticide reduction, but the reality has fallen far short. We don't see anything on the horizon that would make it worthwhile to go ahead with GE. That might change, which is why we are only asking for a 10 year declaration."
Hawke's Bay would not be the first area to make such a declaration - Tasmania has done it, as have various parts of France and Italy - all of these areas have seen economic benefits as a result of the move.
However, MacFarlane said the value was difficult to quantify, but gave as an example that fact that Tasmania is getting 25% premiums on certain products.
"This is too good an opportunity not to take," he said.
The dream has become a step closer to reality as Hastings District Council has voiced its support for the plan.
For more information, please visit: www.purehawkesbay.org