The Government is working on updating the legislation around gene technology – or GE or GMOs – and B+LNZ is advocating for farmers’ concerns to be addressed.
Last updated: May 2025
Our position
Gene technology is a complex and divisive topic. From our ongoing conversations with farmers we know that some are very opposed to gene technology, while others see potential opportunities, and many need more information before deciding where they stand.
We have been clear throughout this process that not enough time has been allowed to consult properly.
We believe there should be changes to the legislation to accommodate the farmer concerns we have already identified. Some of these issues include:
- Ensuring that market risks associated with the adoption of gene technology are managed as part of the regulatory framework.
- Co-existence of gene technology with ‘traditionally-bred’ species and traceability to ensure that farmers who want to remain GMO-free are able to do so and they can brand and market their products as GMO-free with credibility.
- There is a lack of clarity in how different levels of risk will be determined, which in turn makes it difficult to assess level of caution. We would like to see the current proposed risk management approach to allow for a more case-by-case decision making process depending on the technology seeking approval that would take into account market access and traceability considerations.
Useful resources
Farmers have asked B+LNZ for more information on this complex topic. This is not a comprehensive list but should help outline some of the important aspects of the gene technology debate.
- For a useful overview of what gene technology involves, see the resources on the Royal Society Te Apārangi website – includes a paper on gene editing for the primary industries which sets out potential uses along with risks and benefits. There is also a paper on gene editing for pest control.
- There are a range of publications that discuss the potential risks of gene technology in plant breeding, which is where gene technologies are likely to affect pastoral farming. As a fairly readable example, see this article from the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. While we haven’t had time to canvas farmer views in more depth, the Concerned Farmers NZ website has a summary of some of the farmer concerns.
- One of the big concerns is around containing and tracing genetically modified crops and grasses, including concerns from those who don’t want to use GE and still want to market their products as GE-free. Managing GE grasses in New Zealand’s pastoral farming system is a particular area of concern and there is no clarity yet on how this would be dealt with in the current legislation. For information about how other countries have managed this, some of the challenges and how it could potentially be managed in a New Zealand context, AgResearch scientist John Caradus has just published this paper: Is co-existence and/or containment of genetically modified plants possible, and is it important?
- For data on the uptake of GM around the world see the ISAAA Inc website.
- Examples of industry-led coexistence frameworks for crops (but importantly not grasses) in other countries include:
Our work to date
August 2024: We commissioned independent research by Primary Purpose into farmers’ preliminary views on gene technologies, to help inform our feedback to the Government (noting that while it could not replace full engagement it was a useful initial guide as it was undertaken by an independent research agency using a randomly selected and representative sample of farmers from the B+LNZ farmer database by region, using scientifically valid methodology). Find out more about that, and a link to the survey results, on this news story on our website.
December 2024: With DairyNZ, the Meat Industry Association and the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand, we wrote to the Health Select Committee outlining our concerns about the timelines for the Select Committee process and requesting an extension of the consultation period to enable proper consultation with farmers. This request was rejected.
February 2025: We provided a submission to the Health Select Committee noting that while we supported a review of the legislation, there were a number of critical issues that needed to be worked through. See the media release about this and this subsequent story that sets out the issues in more detail.
May 2025: We again wrote to the Health Select Committee to reiterate our concerns about the timeframes and again request that they slow down the process to enable proper engagement and ensure we get the settings right. We requested the Committee ask the Government to undertake targeted engagement with farmers, led by experts in gene technology, to step through the opportunities and risks. We also recommended hearings be held by Parliament’s Primary Production Committee on the Bill so that particular issues relating to farming can be focused on. Read the letter here (PDF, 86.8 KB).
We collaborate with sector partners where possible. To find out about DairyNZ’s work in this space, including some useful background information, visit their website.