The Buzz, May 2026 Edition
Hello, and welcome to the May 2026 edition of the Buzz, your monthly dose of news from the Organic Sector and beyond.
We are pleased to welcome Mike Butterick as the new Associate Minister of Agriculture with responsibility for Organics. This is a significant moment for the sector, and we look forward to engaging with Minister Butterick as we progress our key workstreams. There is real momentum in the organic sector right now. OANZ is active across three core areas: implementation of the Organic Products and Production Act (OPPA), opposition to the Gene Technology Bill, and ongoing organic advocacy in Wellington. Our profile is rising, with regular engagement with Ministers, MPs, and officials, and our 2025 market report confirmed the sector has surpassed the $1 billion mark for the first time, adding real weight to those conversations.
It was wonderful to gather our Council recently and hear updates from across the sector—from Te Waka Kai Ora to Fonterra Organic's exciting South Island expansion to the strong progress at BioGro, AsureQuality, and Biodynamic NZ. The energy and commitment in that room was genuinely encouraging.
The Gene Technology Bill has stalled, but it has not gone away. With a general election on the horizon, eternal vigilance is required. We are working to build an election kit for members, with questions to put to local candidates, and we encourage everyone to attend candidates' meetings and make the organic sector's voice heard.
A heartfelt thank you to Soil and Health NZ for hosting such great events during Organic Week earlier this month.
To all our members, donors, and supporters, we are grateful for your support of our recent GE-Free Future fundraising campaign. Your generosity keeps this work alive. If you are not yet a member or feel able to contribute to our work in some way, I warmly encourage you to do so. Every contribution helps us work towards a GE-Free organic future.
Ngā mihi nui,
Noel Josephson – Interim Chair
Organics Aotearoa New Zealand