Public Pressure Works
Good news at last. New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) has confirmed that glyphosate residue limits on wheat, barley, and oats will remain at 0.1mg/kg — and even better, pre-harvest spraying of glyphosate on these grains will no longer be allowed.
MPI’s Media Release: Glyphosate residue limits to stay at 0.1mg/kg …
This announcement comes after more than 3,100 public submissions, many of them from concerned citizens like you. Behind the scenes, pressure from health advocates, growers, and community groups also kept the spotlight firmly on this issue. Together, we made it clear: New Zealanders don’t want more glyphosate in the food they eat every day.
Why It Matters
For years, glyphosate has been sprayed directly onto cereal crops just before harvest to dry them out — a practice known as “desiccation.” It makes harvesting easier, but it also means higher residues in bread, cereals, and oats.
Our own testing has shown how glyphosate already shows up in New Zealand food: in honey, Weet-Bix, cereals, bread, and oats (results due). The last thing we needed was a regulatory green light to raise those limits.
By holding the line at 0.1mg/kg, regulators are acknowledging what many of us already knew: glyphosate has no place on food crops just before they reach our plates.
The Pea Exception
There is one compromise. For dry field peas, the new limit will be set at 6mg/kg, in line with overseas markets such as the EU, UK, and US. Officials say this reflects “industry practice” and the fact most peas are exported.
That might sound minor — peas are a small crop here — but it highlights the bigger issue: when it comes to regulation, economic convenience often trumps public health.
A Win — But Enforcement Still Lacking
Let’s celebrate this outcome, but let’s not pretend it solves everything. Limits mean little if breaches are ignored.
Time and again, official monitoring has found glyphosate residues above the legal limit — yet there have been no fines, no recalls, and no public warnings. What’s the point of setting limits if nobody enforces them?
Regulators can’t simply pat themselves on the back for keeping limits low while quietly overlooking the times those limits are breached. Enforcement is where the rubber meets the road.
Industry vs Public Health
Deputy Director-General Vincent Arbuckle described glyphosate as “critical for growers” — reducing pests, keeping yields up, and helping “keep food prices down.”
That’s the familiar argument: convenience and efficiency for industry. But here’s the question — should convenience for growers outweigh long-term risks to public health?
When the public was finally given a voice, the answer was clear: No. We don’t want more glyphosate in our food chain, and we’re not buying into the “safe enough” assurances anymore.
What This Tells Us About Public Pressure
This decision is proof that citizen action works. If 3,100 voices could shift policy, imagine what 30,000 could do.
And it wasn’t just the submissions. Steady pressure behind the scenes from us and other like-minded groups made sure this issue couldn’t be quietly waved through. Public pressure, amplified by organised advocacy, is a powerful force.
Looking Ahead
So where does this leave us?
- Wheat, oats, and barley remain protected at the lowest possible glyphosate limit.
- Pre-harvest spraying is off the table.
- Dry peas face a higher allowance — a reminder of the trade-offs still at play.
But the bigger picture hasn’t changed. Glyphosate remains the most widely used herbicide in New Zealand. More residue reviews are still on the horizon. And unless regulators take breaches seriously, today’s victory risks becoming a hollow promise.
This is one battle won. The wider fight continues.
Stay engaged. Share this news. Support independent testing. Together, we can keep the pressure on — because when enough people speak up, change happens.
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