Almost $40k Raised to Protect New Zealand’s GE-Free Future – Help Us Reach $60k by January

GE FUNDRAISING UPDATE

Meeting with Horticulture NZ. from left to right: Scott Lawson (True Earth, OANZ Board), Rob Simcic (Little Beauties, OANZ Chair), Barry O"Neil (Chair Hort NZ), Prof Jack Heinemann (University of Canterbury),  Kate Scott (CEO Hort NZ), Dr. Bill Kaye-Blake (NZIER), Moko Morris ( Te Waka Kai Ora), Brendan Hoare (Buy Pure New Zealand & OANZ GMO co-ordinator).

OANZ is leading the charge to protect our land, food, and farmers from the risks of GE deregulation. Thanks to our incredible donors, we’ve raised nearly $40,000 so far. With your continued support, we can reach our $60,000 goal by January 2025.

Last night, when the Gene Technology Bill was read in Parliament for the first time, we were incredibly proud to hear opposition parties quoting our work back in their speeches. This milestone proves your generosity's impact and how much further we can go together.

What Your Donations Have Helped Us Achieved So Far

  1. Two Delegations to Wellington:
    Your support funded two powerful delegations to Wellington, where we engaged directly with MPs, government officials, and industry stakeholders. These meetings ensured that decision-makers understood the very real risks of fast-tracking GE deregulation.

  2. Game-Changing Economic Research:
    We commissioned the highly respected New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) to study the potential costs of deregulation. The findings were staggering: releasing GMOs into the environment could reduce New Zealand’s primary exports by $10–20 billion annually. This research made headlines nationwide and strengthened our case in public and political discussions. (Download Paper)

  3. Legal Expertise to Protect the Organic Sector:
    We are now in a position to hire a legal team to review the Gene Technology Bill and advise us on how best to safeguard the organic sector and our GE-free reputation.

  4. Increased Awareness Through Social Media:

    Thanks to your support, we’ve been able to ramp up our online presence, with our campaign content reaching over 100,000 views across Facebook and Instagram alone. This has been vital in raising public awareness about the risks of GE deregulation.

Next Steps: Where Your Support Will Go

  • January 2025 - Legal Review
    We are in the process of seeking expert legal advice to review the Gene Technology Bill in detail and identify the best opportunities to strengthen protections for New Zealand’s organic sector, environment, and food systems.

  • Early 2025 - Submission Templates
    To help communities, farmers, and concerned citizens have their say, we’ll be creating user-friendly submission templates to guide responses to the bill.

  • Ongoing Advocacy and Public Education:
    We will continue engaging directly with decision-makers, amplifying evidence-based research, and ensuring that public awareness remains high as the Government pushes forward with its deregulation agenda.

Help Us Reach $60k to Power the Next Phase

With almost $40,000 raised so far, we are making real progress—but we’re not done yet. Your continued support will enable us to keep going.

A Huge Thank You

Your donations are already making a tangible impact. From delegations to Wellington to hearing our work quoted in Parliament, this progress is only possible because of your generosity. Together, we are protecting New Zealand’s GE-free future.

We’d also like to extend our deepest thanks to our GE advisory team and our incredible volunteers, whose dedication and expertise have been essential to this campaign. A very special mention goes to Professor Jack Heinemann, who has given endless hours of free advice and unwavering support. Your contributions have been invaluable.

Let’s hit $60,000 by January 31 and keep up the momentum!

Donate Now to stand with us as we fight to protect Aotearoa’s food, land, and economy.

Thank you for being part of this vital movement.

Louise Vicente