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Shelf life – or human life?

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Ultra-processed foods are all about shelf life rather than human life, writes Dee Pignéguy. 

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There is a new system of industrial food manufacturing that produces edible substances that are not food, but rather food products containing novel, synthetic molecules never found in nature. These ever-increasing laboratory-engineered chemistry experiments are designed to simulate food. 

Any substance that cells and tissues cannot assimilate from the bloodstream to be transformed into materials that the body can utilise is not a nutrient. If it cannot be metabolised it is a poison, or at best a completely unnecessary filler.  

The soy industry is one of the main feeders to ultra-processed foods. The logic of ultra-processed food is you take commodity crops, such as corn, rice, soy, wheat, a small number of animals, pigs, cows, and chickens, and you reduce those commodity crops to almost molecular components. Then you get things like soy protein isolate, modified starches, high fructose corn syrup. 

Photos: iStock/vaitekune/Kwangmoozaa 

 

Fake food made by robots

Production has become almost entirely automated, with computer-controlled robots cutting vegetables, grinding meat, mixing batter, extruding dough, and wrapping the final product.  

Many additives are required so food can withstand the process of this robotic mauling, before the basic molecular constituents are re-assembled into food-like shapes and textures with a nearly infinite shelf life, heavily salted, sweetened, coloured, and flavoured. 

Petrochemicals in our food 

In the United States, around 10,000 different food additives, and many of the chemicals used to create these additives, are derived from petrochemicals and are inherently toxic. There are humectants, foaming agents, anti-foaming agents, bulking agents, emulsifiers, stabilisers, non-nutritive sweeteners, modified starches, guar gums, xanthan gum, flavour enhancers, acidity regulators, preservatives, antioxidants, carbonating agents, gelling agents, glazing agents, chelating agents, bleaching agents, leavening agents – all of which serve slightly different functions. Emulsifiers are nearly universal in ultra-processed foods. 

The method of construction means the ultra-processed foods (UPFs)s are generally soft. Industrially modified plant components and mechanically recovered meats are pulverised, ground, milled and extruded until all the fibrous textures of sinew, tendon, cellulose, and lignin are destroyed and can now be reassembled into any soft, dry shape, almost pre-chewed but calorie dense and easily digested. This dryness stops microbes from growing and decomposing ultra-processed food, which is one of the keys to long shelf-life.

Drivers of disease 

What if diseases do not exist? What if they are really expressions of an underlying disruption to the body’s normal function that manifests a variety of different systems?  

Trans-national corporations continue to shape food systems on all levels, expanding the UPF industry at the expense of traditional foodways. UPFs are the fastest-growing segment of the global food supply and a major driver of increasing diet-related, non-communicable, and stress-related diseases worldwide. UPFs can cause cellular stress, damage the delicate mucosal linings, cause intestinal inflammation, and reduce immune response to bacteria. 

The guts of the issue 

For every one of your cells there are by some estimates 100 other organisms living as part of you. The largest number of organisms is in the gut, at the end of the small intestine (where food is digested) and throughout the large intestine or colon where water is absorbed and fibre is fermented. Human colons have among the highest densities and greatest diversity of bacteria of any environment on earth. These gut microbes form our digestive engine. Caring for this unique community that makes up our body is linked to good health, especially eating a good diet. 

When the gut lining is damaged by fake food the microbiome changes which can result in the destruction of the local culture and ecosystem—called dysbiosis. 

Healthy and whole 

Whole and minimally processed foods, especially organic foods, are associated with a positive ecology of friendly bacteria in our intestines, such as fibre-fermenting lactic acid bacteria.  

This healthy ecological system is damaged when ultra-processed food damages the gut lining and changes the microbiome. Healthy bacteria are overtaken by unfriendly bacteria, resulting in low-grade systemic inflammation, which becomes chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract over time, causing the body to produce chemicals that wreak havoc on our organs and arteries. 

Who bears the burden? 

Excessive and unnecessary inflammation accelerates heart disease. You don’t just wake up one day and have cancer or heart disease; it’s a process not an event. There is a limit to the ability of the human body to function properly under a constant barrage of toxic substances. 

We are now living in a world where one in three children by the age of eleven is at risk of diet-related disease. Studies confirm that stress from any source, but especially the chronic stress of poverty, has dramatic impacts on the hormones that regulate appetite, increasing the drive to eat. 

Why do activists and civil society groups have to bear the burden of proof to show that adding thousands of entirely synthetic novel molecules to our diet might be harmful? There is no functional regulation of food additives in the USA – or New Zealand – that can ensure food is safe, and the burden of proof is not on the companies to demonstrate long-term safety of the additives that they produce.  

UPFs bad for people and planet 

Many UPF products contain ingredients from four or five continents – for example palm oil from Asia, cocoa from Africa, soy from South America, wheat from the USA, flavourings from Europe. Many of these ingredients will be shipped more than once—from a farm in South America to a processing plant in Europe, then to a secondary processing and packaging plant in another part of Europe, then to consumers. Imagine if we were using organic farming, we could increase food quality and diversity while reducing the external costs of ill health and climate change. 

UPFs harm the environment though production and use of plastic selling billions of products in single-use bottles, sachets, and packets. Creating a world without waste is impossible if companies continue to focus on producing ultra-processed ‘foods’ which drive environmental destruction, carbon emissions and plastic pollution. 

Even though young people have a right to grow up in an environment where healthy affordable food is the real option, in New Zealand over two-thirds (69%) of packaged foods were considered ultra-processed, that is ready-to-eat or -drink items based on refined substances, often with added sugar, salt, fat and additives. Before the mid-twentieth century, beyond a few products such as margarine or carbonated soft drinks, ultra-processed foods did not exist. 

Motivated by money 

Money drives the ever-increasing complexity of each layer of processing which extracts a little extra money from the low-quality, often subsidised crops. Each layer of processing or reformulation increases the range of possible products.  

Corporate growth is driven by marketing and advertising, not public health. Supermarkets and corporate shareholders, over which there is little regulation, are dictating what you can buy and driving a new age – commerciogenic malnutrition – malnutrition caused by companies! So, vote with your pocket when shopping – whether at the supermarket, organic shop or farmers’ market. 

Healthy cooking habits :

A bit of time, planning, and preparing things in advance can save you time and money later – and improve your health.  

  • Make your own pizzas – everyone can choose their favourite toppings.
  • Homemade muesli rather than sugary breakfast cereals. 
  • Think ahead and make extras (e.g. muffins, meatballs, sausages etc.) to pack in lunchboxes. 
  • Homemade bread – let it rise overnight and bake in the morning.
  • Make your own tomato sauce or plum sauce (you control the sugar!)
  • Pick one day a week to cook up a big batch of something your family likes, and freeze in batches for later use.
  • To save money, buy in bulk e.g. fill your own containers, or join a food co-op.
  • Be creative with leftovers! 
  • Grow sprouts on your windowsill to use in sandwiches, salads and as a garnish.
  • Take kids into the garden to identify and pick salad greens. 

Healthy snack suggestions:

  • Fresh fruit 
  • Carrot sticks, broccoli stalk sticks and hummus 
  • Boiled eggs 
  • Cheese and crackers 
  • Nuts and seeds 
  • Toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds with a dash of soy sauce 
  • Dried fruit (fresh fruit is better for your teeth)
  • Homemade scroggin mix 
  • Nori seaweed sheets
  • Miso soup in a cup 
  • Muffins made with carrot, pumpkin, apple etc
  • Wholemeal bread sandwiches.

In all her education work Dee Pignéguy weaves together the skill of gardening with the critical link of food and nutrition. Most of today’s chronic diseases are associated with inadequate nutrition. 

Her nutrition book Grow Me Well – available via papawai.co.nz – will help you make the leap to healthy eating. 

Tribute to Hazel Berryman

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Soil & Health would like to honour and thank the late Hazel Berryman (1922–2023) for her generous bequest. She was a life-long gardener and a member of the Soil & Health Association for decades. Her family has supplied the following tribute.

In Memoriam Hazel Rachel Berryman 1922–2023 

Hazel Berryman was a life-long gardener who believed in two cardinal credos: ‘you are what you eat’ and ‘eat food that goes bad, but eat it before it goes bad’. With these two credos, Hazel lived to the ripe old age of 100.   

As a committed gardener, Hazel believed in composting and the importance of healthy soil. In her 20s she was an early member of the Auckland Compost Society [later it became the Soil & Health Association].  

From the knowledge gained, Hazel and her late husband David turned the clay of their West Auckland home into a small Garden of Eden, growing copious flowers, fruits and vegetables. At the same time, they transformed the barren landscape through many plantings of native and some exotic trees, creating a refuge for many birds.   

Hazel won many awards for her flower arranging at the annual Auckland Floral Shows, and took part in many community tree-planting events, particularly in Auckland’s Grafton Gully and Mount Smart Domain.  

The Compost Society magazine, later Soil & Health magazine, and more recently OrganicNZ, always held a prominent position on her reading couch, and it is for that reason that Hazel wished to leave a small legacy to the Soil & Health Association.  

Miners lettuce

Miner’s Lettuce – Claytonia Perfoliata

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It is prolific, grows just about anywhere with minimal care, and self-seeds for the following season. Anna-Marie Barnes describes an easy-care plant that provides fresh greens all winter long.

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Aptly otherwise known as ‘spring beauty’, Claytonia spp. are a genus of herbaceous flowering plants native to America and Asia. C. perfoliata has become naturalised across Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. Befitting its common names, Indian or miner’s lettuce, it was a valuable, nutritious staple for First Nation peoples and later, the miners of the Californian gold rushes, and likely arrived in New Zealand with the early Chinese gold miners. It is now a sought-after culinary species, with restaurateurs overseas forking out around USD$16.95 for a pound of the fleshy green leaves.

I first came across miner’s lettuce growing wild on the Port Hills, high above Christchurch. Taken by its unusually-shaped leaves, which completely encircle clusters of tiny white flowers when mature, I headed home to do some research and was pleased to find the seed readily available commercially. I’ve grown it ever since, and have spotted it growing along the edge of paths and in shady spots on many other walking tracks around the South Island. I’m always hesitant to harvest from these patches however, especially when the routes are popular with dog-walkers…

Plant family: Montiaceae Also known as: Indian lettuce, blinks, winter purslane, rooreh.
Relatives: The genus Claytonia used to be grouped in the Portulaceae, home to another well-known salad-weed-herb, purslane.
Native to: The western mountain and coastal regions of north America from southernmost Alaska and central British Columbia south to Mexico.

Miner’s lettuce germinates readily in autumn and crops right throughout winter in sheltered spots, producing well into spring before eventually bolting to seed. It forms cushiony rosettes of rounded spade-shaped leaves, with its stems sometimes taking on a pinkish tint in cooler climates.
The tiny white flowers are insect- pollinated. It’s one of those plants that if sown once, you’ll have it forever, as it self-seeds readily.
It makes a great groundcover, and being shallow-rooted, has the convenient quality of being super simple to remove if it begins to take over. Planted in the right spot, miner’s lettuce will thrive. In the shady, obviously nutrient-rich corners of a friend’s grandmother’s garden in Nelson, I’ve seen the leaves reach hand-span size.

Where to grow

Miner’s lettuce is a true plant of disturbed ground. It has a fondness for semi-shaded areas and damp soils. It will grow in drier spots but the plants will be smaller-leaved, have a tendency to bolt and/or incline towards bitterness. It is not nutrient-hungry and tolerates lows of down to -15°C. It may crop year-round in some climates.

Maintenance

Once you shallow-sow some tiny, shiny black miner’s lettuce seed, this plant will literally look after itself. It is the ultimate easy-care salad species – just sow and walk away. I’ve grown it in raised beds, removed the spent plants at the end of winter, re-sown another crop in the same bed, pulled that out at the end of summer, and as the autumn rains fall, so does the new crop of self- seeded miner’s lettuce rise. It makes a great edible, self- perpetuating winter cover crop – your soil will thank you for it too.

Baby miners lettuce
Miners Lettuce
Miners Lettuce. Credit: A Barnes.

Harvest

Miner’s lettuce should be ready to harvest from late autumn-early winter. You can pick individual leaves, or uproot entire plants. Remove the roots, give the leaves a quick rinse under the tap and you’re ready to serve. You can store harvested leaves in a plastic bag in the fridge for a few days, but I recommend harvesting and eating miner’s lettuce fresh.

The fleshy, succulent leaves have a pleasant, almost crisp texture and mild flavour, somewhat like a cross between spinach and chickweed. It is best served raw, as it wilts away to nothing when cooked. Great for salads, smoothies, and pesto stirred through pasta. Miner’s lettuce contains useful amounts of vitamins C and A and iron.

Where to source

Miner’s lettuce seed is available for purchase from various retailers – including Kings Seeds. Alternatively, obtain some almost-spent plants from a wild patch or friend’s garden at the end of winter and either collect the seed produced in a paper bag, or deposit the plants directly where you’d like miner’s lettuce to grow next autumn.

Anna-Marie Barnes is the New Zealand Tree Crops Association’s South Island Vice-President. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Primary Production) with a background in agroecology and entomology, and a Graduate Diploma of Teaching and Learning (Secondary). A lifelong gardener, she is a dedicated self-sufficiency enthusiast and endeavours to grow as much of her own produce as possible on a lifestyle block on the West Coast, with three unruly Orpington hens.

Photo Credit: Feature image Sheryn Dean.

Teaspoon of Soil

Life Underground – A Guide To Aotearoa’s Soil Food Web

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One teaspoon of healthy soil may contain more living organisms than all the people on Earth...

Without the diverse organisms within our soil there would be no land- dwelling life on Earth. Duncan Smith describes the creatures and critters that underpin our plants, and ultimately, ourselves.

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Fertile soils teem with life. A study by Swiss scientists in 2023, estimated that soil is likely home to 59 percent of all life, including everything from microbes to mammals, making it the singular most diverse habitat on Earth.
There are myriads of species of bacteria, actinomycetes, archaea, algae, fungi, invertebrates, and other organisms in soils. Most are beneficial to our plants – some are harmful pests and diseases, but they are more than outweighed by organisms that are either favourable, or harmless, to plants.

“To be a successful farmer, one must first know the nature of the soil.”
– Xenophon, Oeconomicus, 400 B.C.

Bacteria

Bacteria are tiny single-celled organisms found almost
everywhere on Earth; even our bodies are full of them. Soils
host multitudes of species; a gram can contain millions to
billions of them.
Bacteria can reproduce rapidly and thrive in countless
diverse soil environments, from deserts to wetlands,
tropical rainforests to alpine regions, all playing an
essential role in nutrient recycling, organic matter
decomposition, and disease suppression. Some bacteria are
involved in denitrification, where nitrate is converted back
into nitrogen gas. Others, like the Bacillus spp., produce
substances toxic to insect pests.
One non-photosynthetic group of bacteria, Rhizobium
spp., even forms a symbiotic relationship with plants of
the pea family (legumes). It lives within nodules on their
roots where they take nitrogen from the air, fix it and make
it available to legumes as free fertiliser (air contains 78
percent nitrogen). The energy these bacteria require for
this process is made available to them by the plant through
photosynthesis.

Archaea

Archaea are single-celled microorganisms, once classified
as bacteria but later confirmed as a separate group. They are
found in soils, oceans, and in our bodies. They are smaller
than bacteria and have similar features that contribute
to nutrient recycling. Their essential difference is that
some can adapt and thrive in extreme environments,
whereas bacteria can’t.

For this reason, they may be able
to help plants adapt to stresses caused by factors such
as heavy metal contamination, high salinity, pressure,
and temperatures. Studies have shown that archaea can
enhance plant immune responses by triggering induced
systemic resistance to pathogenic bacteria.

Fungi

Hidden underground are soil fungi, recognised by their dense network of filamentous hyphae. These create a physical structure that binds soil particles together, which improves soil structure, water retention, and aeration. When conditions are suitable, hyphae form an above- ground body (mycelium) which we identify as a mushroom or toadstool.

Interactions between soil fungi and other organisms within the soil food web are dynamic, interconnected, and essential for any ecosystem’s sustainability.

Vital elements of some soil fungi include the decomposition of organic matter and nutrient recycling, releasing CO2 into the atmosphere. Some can act as biological control agents against pests and disease pathogens.

The mycorrhizal group of fungi form essential symbiotic relationships with plant roots. Nearly 80-90 percent of all land plants depend on these mycorrhizae and could not thrive without them. Likewise, mycorrhizae could not survive without plants.

Mycorrhizae grow in and around the plant’s root system, its vast underground hyphal network extending the plant’s reach. They help plants obtain more nutrients from the soil, including phosphorus, zinc, copper, and magnesium, that they would struggle to get on their own.

In return, the plants provide mycorrhizae the sugars, lipids, and carbon they need to grow their hyphal network. When hyphae die, their carbon is stored in their fungal necromass (dead organic matter, decomposed by soil organisms). It can remain in soils for long periods.

Nematodes

Nematodes are thread-like microscopic roundworms and are among Earth’s most abundant animals. They inhabit multiple environments, including our soils, in the water films that surround soil particles. They interact with other soil microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, helping to decompose organic matter, which is critical for the balance, health, and functioning of soil ecosystems.

Some feed on soil fungi, bacteria, and other tiny organisms, and others form mutualistic relationships with plants, assisting them in nutrient uptake. Two soil nematode species, Steinernema and Heterorhabditis spp., are known to be beneficial in controlling a wide range of harmful insect pests.

They carry lethal bacteria, Xenorhabdus spp. and Photorhabdus spp. Susceptible insect prey are killed by the nematode and the bacteria combined. These nematodes are now used commercially as bio-control agents. Some nematodes are harmful to plants, e.g. Meloidogyne spp. (root-knot nematodes),that feed on plant roots.

Arthropods

Arthropods are the largest animal kingdom group, which includes insects, mites, spiders, centipedes, millipedes, lobsters, and crabs In soils, microarthropods, like mites and springtails, are important decomposers.

Some are predators of other soil organisms, including nematodes and small insects. Others feed on dead plant material, fungi, and bacteria, then release nutrients into the soil which become available to plants.

Some microarthropods, especially mites, contribute to plant dispersal by distributing tiny seeds stuck to their bodies. Larger arthropods, like ants, millipedes, and beetles, contribute to the aeration of soils, improving water infiltration and root penetration. They also improve soil fertility by breaking down dead plant material and animal remains, which are vital in nutrient recycling.

Left: A. Microarthropods – Rice Root Aphid (Rhopalosiphum rufiabdominale), B.
Arthropods – Wireworm, the larval stage of Click Beetles (Conoderus exsul), C. Microarthropods – Springtails (Collembola spp.), D. Arthropods – Millipede
(Eumastigonus spp.).

Earthworms

Earthworm population is an indication of soil life, as they significantly increase fungal and bacterial activity, which in turn improves soil health and provides nutrients for other soil microorganisms. Earthworms enhance soil structure through burrowing, promoting aeration and water infiltration. Some species pull leaf litter and other organic matter underground before feeding on it.

Earthworms eat soil, which helps to grind their food into smaller pieces. Once through their gut, their faeces contain food for other soil microorganisms, which break them down further. This natural cycle, via earthworms and soil microorganisms, makes many soil nutrients and minerals available to plants that would otherwise be inaccessible.

Protozoa

Protozoa are microscopic, free-living, single-celled organisms, e.g. amoebas and flagellates, contributing to the soil ecosystems’ overall health and functioning. Flagellates have one or more whip-like appendages called flagella, used for movement and touch. Protozoa are similar to bacteria, but unlike them, they are bigger and have a nucleus and other cell structures, making them more like plant and animal cells.

Protozoa are predators of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. They contribute to plant disease suppression and they excrete nutrients into soils. Other protozoa form symbiotic relationships with plant roots, which enhances nutrient uptake. Protozoa can break down complex organic compounds into simpler forms, releasing nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon into the soil.

Viruses

Studies have found that soil viral abundance can range from below detectable levels to over one billion per gram. Viruses can infect bacteria and other soil microorganisms, but understanding soil viral ecology is a formidable challenge. The technological challenges required to characterise their abundance, diversity, community compositions, and interactions with other soil organisms in complex soil habitats are enormous. It will involve huge resources and studies before we begin to understand them.

Summary

The interactions between soil organisms contribute to an active and intricate soil ecosystem with several key outcomes:

  • Decomposition – Fungi, bacteria, protozoa, and other soil decomposers release nutrients into the soil by breaking down more complex compounds into simpler ones.
  • Nitrogen fixation – Some soil bacteria can convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form that plants can use.
  • Mycorrhizal associations – Mycorrhizal fungi have a symbiotic relationship with plant roots, enhancing plant growth by aiding nutrient absorption, especially
    phosphorus.
  • Soil structure and water regulation – Earthworms and soil organisms improve soil structure by burrowing and creating channels that improve aeration and water filtration and help prevent waterlogging. They also
    promote soil aggregation, which, together with plant roots, helps to mitigate soil erosion.
  • Carbon sequestration – By breaking down organic matter and converting it into more stable forms, soil organisms contribute to carbon storage in soils.
  • Disease suppression – Some soil organisms contribute to plant disease control by producing compounds that
    impede their growth.
  • Symbiotic interactions – Mycorrhizal fungi and nitrogen-fixing bacteria are beneficial, symbiotic organisms that improve plant health and nutrient uptake.
  • Sustainable agriculture – Soils with healthy flora and fauna reduce the need for artificial pesticides and fertilisers because they enhance soil fertility and natural pest control. Together, they help to support sustainable agriculture and horticulture.

How to maximise & sustain soil life

  • Never use artificial chemicals or fertilisers;
    they destroy soil microbes and harm
    beneficial insects, pollinators, and wildlife.

  • Avoid digging and compacting soil, which
    destroys soil life and structure.

  • Continually add organic matter (grass
    clippings, leaves, twigs, small branches, fruit
    and vegetable peelings) which feed soil
    microorganisms and add valuable nutrients
    to the soil.

  • Seaweed can benefit soil health, supplying
    humus, trace elements, minerals, and
    essential nutrients.

  • Use organic mulch year-round, to maximise
    soil cover, suppress weeds, modify
    temperature, and retain moisture.

Duncan Smith, MSc, MRSB (Agriculture and Plant Pathology) and his wife Judy established a BioGro-certified olive grove and award-winning vineyard in Gisborne and were self- sufficient in vegetables, fruit, and nuts. They now live in Whakatane.

Diana Noonan

Keep your garden growing

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Organic food-growing tips and tasks

Though growth will slow as the cold sets in, Diana Noonan gives ideas on how to keep your garden producing to offset the cost of living. While doing that, she advises that we must also look to the future and prepare for the coming spring.

“Mauri mahi, mauri ora; mauri noho, mauri mate –
Industry begets prosperity; idleness begets poverty.”

Sow-me-now

(In all but the coldest regions.)
Flowers: alyssum, dianthus, lobelia, sweet William, sweet peas, marigolds, Canterbury bells, delphinium, gypsophila, marigold, wallflower, stock.


Herbs: chives, coriander, garlic, parsley, oregano, rocket.

Veges: Asian greens, broad beans, corn salad, Florence fennel, kohlrabi, mizuna, mibuna, onions, peas, pea sprouts, snow peas, spinach, winter lettuce.


In very cold regions, under cover:
broad beans, corn salad, mibuna, mizuna, mustard greens, pea sprouts .

Transplant-me-now

(In all but the coldest regions.)
Flowers: pansies, polyanthus, primulas, violas, ornamental kale.


Herbs: garlic, perennial rocket.

Veges: cabbage, cauliflowers, celery, broad beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, garlic, leeks, onions, spinach, winter lettuce.

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The rest of this article is for members-only.

Diana Noonan lives in the Catlins where she grows 70 percent of her food through a variety of methods from permaculture food forest to French intensive.

Watch the Organic Living Lab series

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Watch the Organic Living Lab Series!

Thanks to everyone who join us for the first Organic Living Lab Series this Organic Week. The recordings of the four webinar workshops are now live and ready to watch and share.

We’d like to thank all our Organic Week sponsors, particularly our platinum and gold sponsors, Woolworths and Ceres Organics. Without their support, Organic Week and these free events couldn’t happen.

Preserving your Harvest with Yotam & Niva Kay

Watch this insightful workshop led by Yotam and Niva Kay, the dynamic duo behind Pākaraka Permaculture and authors of the acclaimed books The Abundant Kitchen and The Abundant Garden. Learn valuable techniques for preserving your harvest and making the most of your home-grown produce. Learn more about Pākaraka Permaculture here >

Shifts: A Guide to LowTox Living on a Budget with Sarah Reddington

Discover the secrets to embracing a low-toxin lifestyle without breaking the bank. Sarah Reddington, also known as the Low Toxin Rabbit, will share practical tips and tricks for making simple shifts towards a healthier and more environmentally friendly way of living. Get more practical tips for clean living on Sarah’s website here >

From Idea to Action: Starting an Organic Food Cooperative with Robyn Guyton

Have you ever dreamt of starting your own organic food cooperative? Join Robyn Guyton from the Riverton Environment Centre as she guides you through the process of turning your ideas into actionable steps towards building a thriving organic community. Learn more about Robyn and her work at the Riverton Environmental Centre >

Closing the Loop: The Art of Composting with Katrina Wolff

Learn about the transformative power of composting with Katrina Wolff from Blue Borage. Discover the art behind closing the loop in your sustainable living practices and unlock the potential of composting to enrich your garden and reduce waste. Learn more about Katrina and her composting coaching and courses >


Please share this with your friends, family, and co-workers and spread the love for organic regenerative living across Aotearoa.

To keep the Organic Week vibe going, we’d love you to sign up for OrganicNZ’s Good Dirt — a monthly email packed full of organic regenerative and sustainable living content and events.

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Critical Thinking on Gene Technology Regulation

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Layers of manipulation and obfuscation are being used to package deregulation of gene technologies as a net positive. Bonnie Flaws outlines how, and why one of New Zealand’s leading biological science professors considers regulation the best tool we have to prevent risk.

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New Zealand is once again having a public debate about the regulation of GMOs, with plans to overhaul the existing system now laid out by the National-led coalition government. For decades, genetically modified organisms, and latterly gene edited organisms, have been regulated under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (HSNO). The passing of this Act led to the establishment of the Environmental Protection Authority (previously the Environmental Risk Management Authority).

This is the body responsible for overseeing the importation, development, field trials and releases of GMOs, allowing scientists to experiment with GM techniques in the lab and in contained field trials. Responsibility for GMOs in food is covered by a joint New Zealand and Australian body, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and regulated through the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act.

In Northland and Hawke’s Bay, local government restricts agricultural GMOs under the Resource Management Act. In 2014, the courts ruled that newer synthetic biology and gene editing techniques are GMOs for the purposes of regulation under HSNO, making New Zealand the first country to do so globally. Professor Jack Heinemann from the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Canterbury was the expert witness in that hearing, pointing out that it is a technology’s scalability that primarily makes it risky.

The momentum behind the latest push for loosening the rules on GMOs comes from the usual proponents – corporate interests in medicine, horticulture, agriculture and food production, as well as industrial manufacturing. They argue, on the whole, that allowing the alteration of gene function and expression will lead to new vaccines and gene therapies for disease and other useful medical substances, pest-resistant plants, prevent world hunger, and reduce greenhouse gases.

Now, the coalition government is moving ahead with plans to change the way these laws will govern gene technologies by removing restrictions and creating a dedicated regulator within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). The new regulator would streamline approvals for trials in line with countries like the US, Australia, and the UK.

The arguments that are being put forward in favour of this, as outlined in National’s Harnessing Biotech policy document, include combatting climate change, advancing health care, safeguarding the natural environment, and lifting agricultural productivity.

Importantly, it would also deregulate the use of non- GE/GM biotech, or perhaps more accurately technologies the regulator considers ‘out of scope’ for regulation, or which are not defined as GMOs, but which arguably should be.

New techniques used to advance deregulation

In a recent Soil & Health NZ webinar delving into the world of genetic engineering, Heinemann pointed out that every time a new technique is developed in this arena, it is used to undermine confidence in regulation.

Gene editing is the most obvious example, and with that battle lost in the courts we are now informed that null segregants – the offspring of genetically modified organisms, which do not contain any genetic modifications themselves – are considered ‘out of scope’. In February, the EPA clarified that as far as regulation is concerned, null sergregants will not be considered genetically modified organisms.

Heinemann says we’ve seen this tactic used repeatedly since the 1980s.
“There’s the same type of language being used now as has been used for the last thirty or forty years, on almost a repeating tape, to try and undermine people’s confidence in what they are trying to achieve [with strong regulation].”


ust because new techniques are developed doesn’t mean our laws are automatically out of date. For example, take road safety rules. We wouldn’t reconsider speed limits just because electric cars are now common. The nature of the specific risk doesn’t change.

Labelling and the right to choose

What the public hopes to achieve with regulation is worth stating clearly. It is the safe use of gene technology biologically speaking, but also in the social sense: maintaining our ability and right to choose.

Heinemann believes the biggest lever in this discussion is labelling. Despite there being very little evidence that these technologies do a good job of delivering useful products to society, vested interests continue to attempt to get rid of labelling provisions, he says.


But because removing labelling has been unsuccessful in most countries, lobbyists are now focused on deregulation for certain uses. Once deregulated, such products would no longer be subject to labelling provisions.

Contamination and detection

Heinemann points out that in an unregulated environment, if an ‘out of scope’ organism gets into someone else’s GMO-free product line, the developer would have no liability. “If it doesn’t have to be labelled and it’s not legally a GMO and they don’t have to call it a GMO, then their argument to you would be, there is no GMO contaminating your product line. Which is why defining them ‘out of scope’ undermines labelling laws and market certifications.”

Detection after the fact can also become an issue, he says. Heinemann gives the example of a space person landing on Earth. They would have no way of knowing if the flora and fauna they find is indigenous to Earth – unless people tell them.

Likewise, unless the gene technology developer gives regulators the tools and the information to identify a genetically-modified plant genome, until recently they wouldn’t be able to do so. That’s why in Europe there was a requirement that in exchange for approval, developers had to provide a technique for detection.

Heinemann notes that if deregulation were to go ahead there would be no effective way whatsoever to prevent contamination of non-GMO and organic crops, asserting that regulation remains the best way to prevent contamination. “[Regulations] are not perfect, but they are better than not having them at all. Using regulation is the most effective means we have so far invented to contain the potential for our technologies to cause harm.”

Nature vs. technology

No technology is benign, and we can’t afford to be complacent about it, no matter how sophisticated industry arguments become. Whether true or not, a technology being similar to nature is not an argument for deregulation.

“When a uranium atom decays in the environment, it is the same as a uranium atom decaying in an atomic bomb. That’s not the point. Whether the biochemical reaction of a change in a DNA sequence can be the same in a laboratory, or outside of a laboratory, is not the point. The difference is the use of a technology, which makes more efficient and scalable the production of goods,” Heinemann says.

In other words, it’s the scalability of a technology that makes it risky.

Accountability and risk assessment

Further, if deregulation goes ahead, detection techniques will be used only to protect intellectual property, not to protect consumers from unidentified genetically-modified products. Heinemann notes that developers have to be able to show a court that a piece of intellectual property is theirs, and they do this using a detection technique.

Deregulation won’t change our ability to detect them, but they will provide a licence to keep those techniques secret. Therefore, these techniques won’t improve biosafety, because they would not be able to be used for routine monitoring, or to underwrite labelling laws, he says.

From Heinemann’s perspective the important thing to do is not define something ‘out of scope’. Regulators could still use different standards for assessing various gene technologies, which is how the system currently operates under HSNO.

The most obvious example being whether a scientist is using gene technologies in a lab versus in the open environment. “You can have a different standard in a lab, because of the checks and balances built into that process. But if you deregulate a different type of tool, it can be done in your garage.”

By defining a genetic technology as ‘out of scope’, the regulator removes accountability regarding risk or safety and the public’s right to know and choose.

Bonnie Flaws is a freelance journalist who lives in Napier. She has a personal interest in organics and agroecological farming.

The winners of the OrganicNZ Awards 2024

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Congratulations to the OrganicNZ Awards 2024 Winners

We are delighted to announce the winners in the People’s Choice, Peer-Reviewed, and Te Waka Kai Ora Chair’s Award categories for the OrganicNZ Awards 2024.

Community Garden of the Year – presented by Kete Ora Trust

Winner, Te Māra Hapori o Parihaka – Parihaka Community Garden, Taranaki


Sam Weaver of Kete Ora Trust (left) presented the OrganicNZ Community Garden of the Year Award to Urs Signer and Tuhi-Ao Bailey of Te Māra Hapori o Parihaka – Parihaka Community Garden, Taranaki.

Farmers’ Market of the Year – presented by Soil & Health NZ

Winner, Taranaki Farmers’ Market


Jules van Costello (left) received the OrganicNZ Farmers’ Market of the Year Award on behalf of the Taranaki Farmers’ Market, presented by Charles Hyland (right), co-chair of the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand. 

Non-food Product of the Year – presented by IncaFé Organic Coffee

Winner, Roots, Shoots & Fruits Rootella Mycorrhizal Fungi


Brenda Harrington and Molly Callaghan of Roots Shoots and Fruits won the OrganicNZ Non-Food Product of the Year Award, presented by Carmen Castro-Verbeek (right) of IncaFé Organic Coffee.

Beverage of the Year – presented by Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ)

Winner, Daily Organics Kombucha

Avril Hilland of Daily Organics Kombucha won the OrganicNZ Beverage of the Year Award, presented by Tiffany Tompkins, CEO of OANZ

Food of the Year – presented by Woolworths New Zealand

Winner, Seleno Health Amaru Ceremonial Cacao Block


Seleno Health Amaru Ceremonial Cacao Block won the OrganicNZ Food Product of the Year Award. Pictured are Corin Storkey (left) and Sally Huapaya (right) of Seleno Health, with Ross Young from Woolworths New Zealand, who presented the award. 

Emerging Leader of the Year – presented by TranzAlpine Honey Winner, Alex Morrissey, Little Farms

Alex Morrissey (right) won the OrganicNZ Emerging Leader of the Year Award, presented by Yuriy Soshinokov of TranzAlpine Honey.

Te Waka Kai Ora Chair’s Award

Winner, Cathy Tait-Jamieson, Biofarm


Geneva Hildreth (right) presents the Te Waka Kai Ora Chair’s Award to Cathy Tait-Jamieson of Biofarm.  

Yotam Kay of Pākaraka Permaculture was the MC for the OrganicNZ Awards ceremony

Yotam Kay, Pākaraka Permaculture.

Leader of the Year Award – presented by Our Land and Water

Winner, Charles Merfield


Annabel McAleer. Our Land and Water presented Charles Merfield of the Future Farming Centre with the OrganicNZ Leader of the Year Award. 

Leader of the Year – presented by the Our Land and Water

Special Commendation, Cleo Te Kiri, Pāmu New Zealand

Cleo Te Kiri of Pāmu received a Special Commendation in the OrganicNZ Leader of the Year category, presented by Annabel McAleer.

Organic Regenerative Farmer of the Year – Presented by Ceres Organics

Winners, Russell and Charlotte Heald

OrganicNZ Farmers of the Year, Russell and Charlotte Heald, with Noel Josephson of Ceres (centre)

Organic Regenerative Farmer of the Year – presented by Ceres Organics

Special Commendation, Vanessa Hayes, Tōrere Macadamias

Vanessa Hayes of Tōrere Macadamias, who received a Special Commendation in the OrganicNZ Farmer of the Year category, with Noel Josephson, co-founder and director of Ceres Organics. 

Organic Brand of the Year – Presented by BioGro

Winner, Ceres Organics

The OrganicNZ Brand of the Year winner was Ceres Organics. Donald Nordeng (left, CEO of BioGro), presents the award to Noel Josephson, co-founder and director of Ceres. 

Organic Brand of the Year, Presented by BioGro

Special Commendation, Hōhepa Hawke’s Bay

Laura Mackie of Hōhepa Hawke’s Bay, which received a Special Commendation in the OrganicNZ Brand of the Year category with Donald Nordeng, CEO BioGro.

Organic Exporter of the Year – presented by AsureQuality

Winner, TranzAlpine Honey

Victoria and Yuriy Soshnikov of TranzAlpine, which won the OrganicNZ Exporter of the Year Award, presented by Matt Gallagher of AsureQuality. 

About the judges

Philippa Jamieson is the former editor of OrganicNZ magazine and an Honorary Life Member of the Soil & Health Association.

Geneva Hildreth is Co-Chair of Te Waka Kai Ora and a former chair of Te Tai Tokerau Organic Producers.

Allan Richardson is a West Otago organic sheep and beef farmer and current OANZ board member.

Cleo Te Kiri is a BioGro board member and is the Dairy Business Manager Organics at Pāmu (Landcorp).

Chris Morrison is the chair of OANZ and has made numerous business and voluntary contributions to the world of organics in Aotearoa.

About the awards

The OrganicNZ Awards are presented by OrganicNZ as part of annual Organic Week celebrations.

Organic Week is a national celebration of organic food, farming, and people, held from 1 to 7 May every year. It is organised by The Soil & Health Association of New Zealand and Organics Aotearoa New Zealand.

Organic Week is sponsored by Woolworths NZ, Ceres Organics, TranzAlpine Honey, IncaFé Organic Coffee, Kete Ora Trust, BioGro, Our Land and Water, AsureQuality and Waihi Bush.

A group of judges decided on four peer-reviewed awards: Organic Regenerative Farmer of the Year, Organic Leader of the Year, Organic Exporter of the Year, and Organic Brand of the Year.

Six Peoples’ Choice awards were decided by public vote. These categories are Organic Food Product of the Year, Organic Beverage of the Year, Organic Non-Food Product of the Year, Community Garden of the Year, Farmers’ Market of the Year and Emerging Leader of the Year.

The board of Te Waka Kai Ora decides the Chair’s Award.

The rise, reasoning, and role of Soil & Health Association of NZ

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Historian and Soil & Health National Council member Matt Morris chronicles the
genesis of the Soil & Health Association, and the impact we have
made on organics in New Zealand.

We hope you enjoy this free article from OrganicNZ.  Join us to access more, exclusive members-only content.

The Soil & Health Association of New Zealand (publisher of Organic NZ) formed in 1941 as the New Zealand Humic Compost Club. Since then, the organisation has changed its name several times, always responding to the issues of the day and the need to stay relevant. It became the Organic Compost Club in the 1950s, the Soil Association in 1970, and finally the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand in 1987. Of course, it is likely the name will change again in the future, certainly the organisation is undergoing significant change right now.

But when we think about the future of Soil & Health, it can be helpful to understand more about the past. What were the key drivers behind the formation of this organisation, and is there anything we can learn from them? To understand this, we really need to look at least as far back as the 1920s, if not further. In brief, a number of matters were causing significant concern in New Zealand (Pākehā) society, and throughout the British Empire after the traumatic years of World War One. People had gained the idea that the world was fragile.

This fragility was characterised in numerous ways, chief among them being a belief that the declining birth rate was a reflection of declining virility: the idea of ‘racial degeneration’. Suspected causes of this included that food quality had declined. At the same time, it was becoming all too clear that farming practices were, in some places, leading not only to extensive biodiversity loss, but also to soil erosion.

During this period, Sir Albert Howard, director of the Institute of Plant Industry in India, perfected the Indore compost heap – a scientific advance of considerable importance in India. His initial findings were published in his book The Waste Products of Agriculture (1931) and reiterated in more popular form in An Agricultural Testament (1943). His publications reached a wide international audience and unquestionably influenced discourse in New Zealand. His work was paired with Robert McCarrison’s claims about causes of apparently perfect health in the Hunza people by G.T. Wrench in his The Wheel of Health: A study of the Hunza people and the keys to health (1938). Howard continued to join the dots between declining human health and declining soil fertility, while his solution – compost – would correct both of these and stabilise eroding soils as well.

In New Zealand, a dentist by the name of Dr Guy Chapman founded the Food Reform Society in 1922, looking to improve the eating habits of New Zealanders. The following year, Forest & Bird began its activities – focused initially on forest loss and its impact on native fauna. While the aims of these two organisations may seem dissimilar, during the 1930s they started to coalesce around the same theme: soil health.

The subject of soil health, and particularly soil erosion, became topical during this time in New Zealand as in the rest of the Empire. The Esk Valley floods of 1938 resulted in excessive and devastating silting in the valley, followed by ‘dust bowl’ conditions the following year. This stimulated much cause for reflection: forest clearance for farming had wreaked havoc – a situation that had been predicted back in 1913 by the Royal Commission on Forestry led by ecologist Leonard Cockayne. Forest and Bird’s publications included content on soil erosion and Lance McCaskill, a mouthpiece for the organisation, promoted this message more widely during the 1940s.

It is little surprise, then, that someone in New Zealand would want to promote Albert Howard’s innovation. That person was Guy Chapman, who had founded the New Zealand Food Reform Society, and who, since then, had also formed the New Zealand Women’s Food Value League (1937). And it is also little wonder that his New Zealand Humic Compost Club would draw in avid Forest and Birders, like Yeo Tresillian Shand whose pamphlet The Crime Against the Land was a kind of Bible for the early composters.

The timing was also incredibly consequential for the longevity of the new movement. In 1941, the British Empire was losing the war – Dunkirk had just happened (1940) and German physical prowess was contrasted against pasty, unhealthy looking Brits. The eugenicist obsession in Germany prior to the war – captured in the phrase ‘Blood and Soil’ – was seen as one reason for their success in dominating Europe so quickly once war broke out.

More importantly, the New Zealand government predicted possible food shortages on the home front, given so much primary production was being redirected to supporting American troops stationed in the Pacific. This resulted in a range of measures, including the Dig for Victory campaign, which encouraged householders to grow their own food. But the war also meant imported phosphatic fertilisers were not available; the logical result being the promotion of composting as a way to build a physical virile population by ensuring home-grown veges and fruit would be nutritionally sound.

Guy Chapman became the national chair of the Dig for Victory campaign, and the government produced official gardening guides that promoted Albert Howard-style hot compost heaps. It may seem extraordinary to us now that the Soil & Health’s origins involved such a high level of government endorsement – even leading a government programme – but without this history it is quite possible that the movement would have died out not long after the war ended in 1945. While Albert Howard had hoped his compost would reform farming throughout the Empire, actually his message was mostly picked up by home gardeners who ensured his enduring legacy.

At some point in the 1950s, the Compost Club changed its name to the New Zealand Organic Compost Society. The word ‘organic’ in this context was at the time something of an innovation. The name change hinted at a key change in the movement – from being ‘compost-minded’ to being ‘chemical-free’. The post war period was awash with new chemical products and messages about ‘scientific’ and labour-saving approaches to gardening that the composters naturally reacted against.

In 1970, the New Zealand Organic Compost Society changed its name to the Soil Association, drawing a direct connection with the British organisation of the same name, founded in 1946 by Eve Balfour, author of The Living Soil (1943), who was also Patron of the New Zealand organisation.

By now the earlier openness of the movement had closed down somewhat: organic and chemical gardeners found it difficult to see eye to eye. However, this horticultural cold war started to thaw somewhat in the early 1980s when it became apparent that organic farming was gaining traction internationally. At this time, the Soil Association’s focus shifted from being a series of organic gardening clubs to promoting a vision for a commercial organic farming sector. It may be a surprise to learn that Federated Farmers were the first organisation to bring together practitioners and researchers of organic farming. Perhaps it is a bigger surprise to learn that it is far from clear whether the certification programme we now know as BioGro would have got off the ground without this early support from Federated Farmers and significant input into the wider organic movement from the then National Government and the neo-liberal Fourth Labour Government that followed.

A critical figure at this time was Bob Crowder, whose Biological Husbandry Unit (BHU – founded on a micro scale in 1977) at Lincoln University provided research and demonstration muscle not previously available in this country. Neither should we forget Chris and Jenny May, who along with Dave Woods (and Bob) really got BioGro off the ground, or Perry Spiller who worked tirelessly to bring in much needed funding to extend the impact of the organisation. For example, Project Gro (Giving to Research in Organics) raised over $50,000 for the BHU alone, and funded an Association Education Officer.

By the late 1990s, Soil & Health turned to protecting this still-young commercial organic sector from the spectre of genetically modified organisms, as well as the ongoing risks of spray drift from conventional farms and other chemical users. Meriel Watts (author of The Poisoning of New Zealand, 1984) was appointed Association director, while Brendan Hoare became president in 1998. In 1999, the Green Party developed a confidence and supply arrangement with the Labour Government, and Soil & Health won contracts to establish new initiatives funded through that agreement. One of those ultimately became the certification organisation OrganicFarmNZ, while another focused on developing edible gardening in the school curriculum. Once again, the organisation had official backing.

Not much later, Soil & Health spearheaded the Organic Federation of New Zealand, which later became Organics Aotearoa New Zealand – a peak sector group that could liaise directly with the government on behalf of member organisations. An outcome of this collaboration is the Organic Products and Production Act, which became law in 2023. Once again, Soil & Health played its part in representing the interests of consumers and small growers in the consultations.

What lessons can be learned when we review our own history? One is that our core message – that human health depends on soil health – never gets old. It is as relevant now as it was in 1941. Another is that Soil & Health has had some tremendous successes. It is incredible to think that composting has become an embedded practice for so many directly due to the hard work of those early compost advocates. We have supported the creation of organic certification programmes underpinning our organics industry and our lobbying has been successful in keeping GMOs out of New Zealand’s environment. Our work has led directly to the Organic Products and Production Act, enshrining key principles of the sector in law.

But above all, it is the hard work and generosity of our passionate members and volunteers that stands out in this incredible, rich history. We have the power to continue making an important and much-needed impact in our country, so, if you’re not already, now is the time to get involved! Please join us in Wellington at the Organic Futures Symposium, the OrganicNZ Awards, and of course our critical Special General Meeting.

Waihi Bush an Organic Legacy with a new Global Scope

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When presented with an opportunity to acquire one of New Zealand’s most recognised organic retail brands, it would be hard to pass on such an opportunity, especially if it perfectly aligns with your current operations. In November 2023, when approached by the previous owners of Waihi Bush Organic Farm, Daryl and Debbie Prebble, owners of the Bio Oils NZ Group, welcomed the addition of this longstanding retail brand.

“Bio Oils, our production company, is New Zealand’s largest producer of cold pressed, extra virgin flax seed oil,” says Daryl Prebble. “Our core business is growing and producing premium quality flax seed oil for the domestic and export markets. We are proud to be uniquely New Zealand and have our flax seed products fully traceable back to the farm where the seed was grown”. 

Bio Oils was established in 1987 when six Canterbury arable farmers and businessmen recognized the health benefits of flax seed and its oil. One of these arable farmers was Daryl’s father, Gavin Prebble, and Bio Oils is proud that the company has been owned and operated by the Prebble family since its inception. 

With Bio Oils being created by farmers for farmers, the company prides itself on the relationship they have with their Canterbury growers.  “Our Canterbury growers produce some of the world’s best oilseeds with high concentrations of bio-actives and healthy omegas. This is due to the unique Canterbury alluvial soils, environment, and weather conditions” Daryl proudly says. 

With a dedicated crop manager and a tailored growth management system in place, Bio Oils works with their growers to ensure the crop is carefully managed, from planting through to harvest. With the support of their community and growers, they aim to achieve a successful crop for the grower, yielding high-quality seed and resulting in premium-quality oil. Linseed is a true break crop and is very suited to organic and regenerative farming with low input and better plant health. Unlike many other break crops, it is not depletetive.  

Working with arable research organisation FAR and internationally recognised linseed plant breeders, Bio Oils is researching and trialling new linseed cultivars. “Having new varieties helps create biodiversity within the soil structure, healthier plants resistant to diseases affecting traditional varieties and ensures a viable crop as older varieties start to decline”. 

Working closely with their growers in the management of these crops, the trials have been very successful. For the first time in New Zealand, Bio Oils has commercially grown autumn-sown linseed crops, introducing new varieties with unique properties that are easier to manage with high yields.  “These Autumn sown options ensure linseed can continue as a viable crop for our growers. I am proud of our Canterbury region and arable farmers; it is a crucial industry for our region, and we need to be looking ahead at ways we can sustain this. We are excited to have our first commercial areas available this year”.  

Sustainable production is at the forefront of the Bio Oils operation. Certified organic with BioGro and Halal certification with FIANZ, the company is now working towards its B Corp certification.  B Corp certification is awarded to companies who are committed to using their business to work towards a more inclusive and sustainable economy and environment. Sustainability, people and the environment are particularly important to Bio Oils and an ethos they value.  

Operating for over 35 years, Bio Oils has perfected its artisan cold pressing techniques to generate zero waste material. Flax seed oil is cold pressed from the whole seed, leaving a flake-type product, also known as de-fatted linseed. This de-fatted seed is then either milled into fine powders for food and beverage use or left in its raw form as a functional ingredient in stock feeds and high-end pet food. 

Bio Oils’ core business is producing high-end flax seed oil, focusing on the high Omega 3 content found in oil cold-pressed from linseed grown in Canterbury.  However, as some of the Waihi Bush products require other healthy oils for their blends, it has given their growers more choice in the oilseed crops they grow for Bio Oils.   “Having more choice to offer our growers, and the chance to use our own New Zealand grown and produced oils in our Waihi Bush products is very exciting and aligns with our ‘New Zealand Grown and Produced’ core value” says Daryl. 

Given they already have a high-end retail brand in Totally Kiwi, it was a natural decision to bring the Waihi Bush Organic Farm brand into the Bio Oils Group. When developing the Totally Kiwi products Debbie found that most flax seed oil products were sold in capsule form in Health and Wellness stores, as a health supplement to take with your daily vitamins.  “I enjoyed using flax seed oil as an edible oil to make dips and dressings or to drizzle over my food, and I often added crushed garlic and herbs to the oil. I could see our cold pressed, extra virgin bottled flax seed oil sitting next to other healthy edible oils in our grocery stores, targeted at health-conscious foodies” says Debbie. “It is so easy to incorporate flax seed oil into our daily diets, and the infused oils are a great way to enhance the flavour profile of dishes, and of course add a healthy dose of Omega 3 too”.  In 2012, after a successful product development stage the Totally Kiwi products were launched. 

Totally Kiwi products are sold in organic stores, specialty food stores and grocery outlets as a gourmet culinary product, whilst Waihi Bush products are found in health and wellness stores throughout New Zealand. “Having a presence in both channels complement each other well and offers consumers choice” Debbie says proudly. 

Debbie is very passionate about the retail brands, and with her background in sales the opportunity to increase market availability was an exciting move. The goal of the retail brands is to help educate consumers about healthy edible oils and the essential Omegas they contain. Essential fatty acids such as Omega 3 and 6 cannot be produced in the body, so they must be consumed in our diets. Our bodies require a balance of these two Omegas, but the typical Western diet results in an imbalance due to the overconsumption of Omega 6 found in cooking oils, grains, and fast foods. Omega 6 can cause inflammation in the body, whilst Omega 3 has anti-inflammatory properties.  Flax seed oil contains a massive 60% Omega 3, making it the best edible oil to address this imbalance and inflammatory conditions. Flax seed oil is also a sustainable choice over standard fish oil Omega 3 supplements and a great product for vegans, vegetarians and those on a Keto or Paleo diet.  

Daryl, Debbie, and the team at Bio Oils are looking to take the Waihi Bush brand globally using their expertise in export markets. “When purchasing the brand, we looked at key performing products, how they would fit into our existing production processes, and how we would market them globally before finalizing the core product range. We are still tweaking the range following customer feedback and are working on developing new products. We’re excited to take the Waihi Bush range to the next stage, increasing the product range while focusing on our core products. With the Waihi Bush products now bearing the NZ Fernmark alongside the BioGro Certified Organic seal and a fantastic team working towards the same goals, there is unlimited potential for the Waihi Bush Organic Farm brand”. 

In joining the Bio Oils Group, Waihi Bush Organic Farm joins a longstanding family-owned and operated business that is proud of the Canterbury region, its growers, its team, and the high-quality products it produces. “We strive for nothing but the best for our customers. It’s who we are, what we do, and what we stand for,” add Daryl and Debbie proudly. Who better to shepherd the Waihi Bush Organic Farm brand to new heights? 

Waihi Bush is a proud silver sponsor of Organic Week.

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