This month Federated Farmers abandoning its bid to overturn the council’s declaration.
Rolleston was a strong opponent of efforts in both Hastings and Northland to have the areas declared GM-free by their councils.
He said while it was regrettable Federated Farmers has decided not to continue with the action it does not necessarily mean the supporters of GM Free Hawke’s Bay have won.
“Really, this case remains untested in court so it’s only a win in the meantime by default. The question that has not been tested in court is whether being a GM-free region adds a premium to food produced there.”
He pointed to Tasmanian experiences with GM-free canola crops and in South Australia where farmers have failed to gain premiums for being GM-free.
A report by commodity consulting company Mercado indicated farmers in South Australia have little to gain by maintaining GM-free status for canola.
But Rolleston doesn’t believe the Hastings outcome means it is time for another Royal Commission.
“I think it is more a case of thinking harder about what the original Royal Commission recommended, which was to proceed with caution. To date there has been far too much caution and too little progress.”
Federation president Katie Milne said the organisation simply does not have the resources to devote to the GM issue in court when other burning issues, including Mycoplasma bovis, are putting demands on the it.
“We do still question whether New Zealand has been overwhelmed by those that think the brand response for being GM-free is stronger than the technology’s potential that exists but has not been examined. It is about having that tool there in your toolbox and we are not going to have that.”
She noted two councils, Queenstown and Timaru had pushed back against becoming GM-free, seeking to keep options open in the future.
But opponents of Federated Farmers’ efforts to overturn Hasting’s GM-free status are celebrating the group’s decision to abandon its efforts.
The decision comes closely on the heels of the Feds withdrawal in May from their bid to overturn Northland’s status.
Hawke’s Bay organic farmer and long time Pure Hawke’s Bay spokesman Bruno Chambers said having the all-clear that the region’s GM-free status will be preserved gives producers a sound springboard for marketing and promotion of the region’s produce.
“This provides a way forward to sell the Hawke’s Bay. There are exporters out there keen to get labelling sorted and to sing the praises of Hawke’s Bay being GM-free.
“Being GM-free gives us a competitive advantage to market our high-end agricultural products internationally. Many regions around the world are officially GM-free. Finally, we can join them rather than being left in their wake.”
Chambers said the decision by the European Court of Justice that gene editing be subject to the same conditions as genetic modification adds extra impetus to the decision in NZ with respect to the Hawke’s Bay and Northland outcomes.
“There was a lot of anticipation around this ruling and thought that the ruling would be in favour of genetic editing but that is not the case.”
But Rolleston said the United States decided earlier this year genetically edited foods are just as safe as ones bred conventionally.
“And the argument is GM food will sell at a discount but look at the Impossible Burger. It includes GM and is selling at a premium.”
The backdown from court action here has found favour with one of the country’s largest apple growers.
John Bostock, managing director of produce company Bostock NZ and grower of apples, squash, grain and onions heralded the announcement as a chance to make Hawke’s Bay the Tuscany of NZ, promoting it as the country’s premier growing region.
“Attitudes to GMOs may change in the future but for now GM-free is a must for premium markets and we are now well positioned to supply that demand.”
Hastings now joins Auckland City, Whangarei and Far North districts as GM-free.
