Regulation Updates

BioGro has been working hard, alongside other leads within the Organic Sector to see an official standard and regulations implemented. Organic Regulation is now coming to New Zealand. We aim to keep you as informed as possible throughout the process.

Organic Products and Production Bill - A government bill that has been proposed to New Zealand’s legislature. A bill will not become law until it is passed by the legislature. The Bill provides a framework and allows for the development of regulations and standards.

The Bill has now passed its third reading in Parliament as of 30 March 2023

Organic Regulation - A rule of order having the force of law, prescribed by a superior or competent authority, relating to the actions of those under the authority’s control. Regulation describes the process that will need to be followed by businesses, recognised agencies and MPI.

Now available to review

Organic Standards - Describe the specific requirements that must be verified by an accredited certifying agent before products can be labelled as organic. Standards will set rules for products labelled or advertised as organic, such as production methods, and any requirements that are specific to the products covered by the standard.

Now available to review

Proposal P1055 - Definitions for gene technology and new breeding techniques - Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is currently seeking feedback on Proposal P1055, which aims to redefine how genetically modified (GM) foods are classified.

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Extension for Submission 2021

The consultation period has been extended to 5pm on 21 June 2021. MPI will also be hosting online workshops which will be announced soon. If you are interested please be sure to register your interest.

BioGro has issued a submission guide to help you through this process - be sure to utilise this as you please. Don’t hesitate to contact BioGro if you have any queries

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Submission Guide Available

BioGro has circulated a Submission Guide for the proposed Organic Products Bill that we hope will help you formulate your own submission.

What we would like you to do;



1. Read through the Organic Products Bill and all associated documentation
2. Read through the Submission Guide put together by BioGro
3. As an organisation, put together your own submission points and include any points we have raised that you agree with
4. If you have identified any points we have not recognised within our guide, let us know so we can include this within our submission using the form available - Please ensure all comments are back to us by Friday 15th May.
5. Make your own public submission by Thursday 28th May using the platform provided


We cannot stress enough the importance of utilising all public submissions made available to us throughout this process. We are in unique position to shape the sector in a way that makes sense to New Zealand - we hope you will join us in being an integral part of this.

We have received the below notification from MPI regarding the Draft Organic Regulation - this is now available to download from the MPI website.

In the meantime, to help you see how the Bill could work in practice we can now provide the draft regulatory proposals for organic food, beverages, and plant and animal products. The proposals can be found on our website.

 “This is not formal consultation and we are not accepting any feedback on the draft regulatory proposals at this stage. This draft discussion document is for your information only to help inform your submission to the Select Committee on the Bill. We will formally consult on the proposed regulations at a later stage.

 With regards to engaging with you in the development of the national organic standard, this will also occur at a later stage. This work will involve significant sector input throughout the process, so we will take a highly collaborative, co-design approach. We will be talking to those that are currently involved in, and those that are wanting to enter, the organic sector throughout the process. We want to draw on your expertise, and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to have their say. Everyone will also have a final formal opportunity to provide feedback on the draft Standard before it is published.”

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Key Information

The BioGro team have prepared a few links and information that we believe may be helpful to you. These are to read and utilise at your own discretion;

- Ministry of Primary Industries – This page brings together all government information regarding the proposed regulation and all relevant dates.

 

If you have any queries, feel free to contact BioGro and we will do our very best to help you.