Background
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) asked for feedback on proposals for regulating organic businesses in the primary sector. Full details are in the discussion document, which covers the:
- proposed requirements and processes associated with the approval of organic businesses
- recognition of third-party agencies and persons that would check compliance
- use of a national mark for organic products.
Documents
Proposals for regulating organic businesses in the primary sector [PDF, 1.4 MB]
Diagram: Proposed baseline process for approving businesses to describe products as organic [PDF, 149 KB]
Submissions are public information
Note that any submission you make becomes public information. People can ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we have to make submissions available unless we have a good reason for withholding it (refer to sections 6 and 9 of the OIA).
Tell us if you think there are grounds to withhold specific information in your submission. Reasons might include that it's commercially sensitive or it's personal information. Any decision MPI makes to withhold information can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.
The Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation
Next steps after this consultation
After carefully considering all feedback received, we will run another consultation on the content of draft:
- exposure regulations on approving businesses in the primary sector
- proposals for cost recovery regulations
- proposals for infringement regulations
- national organic standards for food, beverages, plant, and animal products.
If you are interested in helping to draft the new national organic standards, you can apply to join a technical working group.
Information on joining the technical working group – Poster [PDF, 624 KB]
Related information – The Organic Products Bill
The Organics Products Bill is progressing through Parliament.
Find out about the bill and check its progress – NZ Parliament
Background documents about the bill and proposed regulations
- Cabinet paper about the Organic Products Bill [PDF, 1.2 MB]
- Cabinet Paper about this consultation – 17 February 2020 [PDF, 757 KB]
- Report from the Primary Production Select Committee on the Organic Products Bill
- Departmental report from the Ministry for Primary Industries on the Organic Products Bill
- Regulatory impact assessment of the new organics legislation and regulatory system [PDF, 319 KB]
- Summary of submissions from the 2018 consultation [PDF, 364 KB]
- Cabinet paper agreeing to public consultation in 2018 [PDF, 291 KB]
- 2018 discussion paper: Would New Zealand benefit from having a new regulatory regime for organic production [PDF, 394 KB]
- Pamphlet for the 2018 consultation [PDF, 1.7 MB]
- Meeting presentation for the 2018 consultation [PDF, 2.8 MB]
