No More Glyphosate NZ

When a French cancer patient stood up to lawmakers over pesticide policy, the world took notice. New Zealand should too — before it's too late.

Colorectal cancer rates are rising in young Māori — and so is exposure to glyphosate through work. This article examines the pattern no one wants to talk about: unequal risk.

Glyphosate has been flagged as “probably carcinogenic” and tied to billions in global lawsuits. Yet New Zealand is considering raising residue limits on our food. With some of the world’s highest rates of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and colorectal cancer, how much longer can we ignore the warnings?

Federated Farmers say nothing will change on our breakfast tables. But MPI’s proposal to raise glyphosate limits tells a different story. From wheat and oats to imports and GMOs, we uncover how chemical creep quietly shifts the standard — leaving New Zealanders with more exposure, less transparency, and fewer choices.

Federated Farmers insist glyphosate isn’t in our food, but MPI’s residue limits, past test results, and the actions of oat companies suggest otherwise. Who’s really telling the full story?

A peer-reviewed review in the World’s Poultry Science Journal reveals how glyphosate (Roundup®) infiltrates the poultry system through GM feed, accumulating in meat and eggs. The consequences include gut microbiome disruption, liver and kidney toxicity, reproductive harm, and reduced productivity. If glyphosate weakens the very birds we depend on for food, what does that mean for the people who eat them?

We’re told glyphosate is safe “within limits.” But a 2024 scientific review tells a different story—linking it to cancer, hormone disruption, and DNA damage. With MPI pushing to raise residue limits, and no biomonitoring in New Zealand, the question is: how safe is safe?

Glyphosate isn’t just on our farms — it’s in our bread, cereals, and honey. New research shows real risks even at “safe” levels. So can anyone, in good conscience, still claim glyphosate is compatible with human health?

When it comes to glyphosate, the people making the decisions aren’t scientists, doctors, or toxicologists — they’re politicians. Can ministers without expertise really protect public health when MPI is pushing for a 9,900% rise in glyphosate residues on our food?

A major peer-reviewed study has revealed how glyphosate interferes with kidney repair, metabolism, and cancer defences. Yet MPI, EPA, and the Ministry of Health continue to look the other way — even as they propose raising residue limits by 9,900%. How much longer can New Zealand regulators ignore the evidence?

The Ministry of Health is legally mandated to protect public health. Yet while MPI pushes for a staggering 9,900% increase in glyphosate residues on our food crops, the Ministry has stayed silent. Where is their duty of care, and why are they ignoring mounting evidence of harm?

The Glyphosate Residue Free market just hit $800M—and consumers are driving the shift. Will New Zealand brands act before it's too late?