Organics Aotearoa New Zealand has taken a seven-point election manifesto to Parliament, saying the sector is worth a billion dollars and is being held back by a lack of policy and investment. It wants funding for the organic national standard, dedicated ministerial responsibility, investment in market development and farmer transition, better overseas market access and protection of New Zealand’s GE-free status.

Brendan Hoare, advisor and spokesperson for Organics Aotearoa New Zealand says that unlike sheep, beef, dairy or horticulture, organics has no levy body to fund this work. The sector is growing at 9% a year without the infrastructure other primary industries have.

“We don’t find much resistance in Wellington to the idea of growing export double,” he says.

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