We Said We Were Worried About Pesticides. Then We Went Shopping.

In 2007, 62% of New Zealanders told a government survey they were concerned about pesticides on food. Most of us still walk past the organic shelf. Researchers call it the attitude-behaviour gap. Here's what sits between the worry and the checkout, and the one thing that might close it.

Harry Mowbray Calls Organics the Most Extraordinary Journey of His Life

Harry Mowbray helped his son build the hot-air balloon that started Zuru, and saved the factory where Glaxo began. But the thing he calls the most extraordinary journey of his life is his certified organic dairy farm near Tokoroa, and why organic farmers should be paid more.

Europe Rejected Four Indian Organic Certifiers. Is New Zealand Checking Its Imports?

In 2022 Europe stopped accepting four organic certifiers for Indian products. New Zealand's 2023 law gives MPI the same power. It just doesn't switch on until 31 March 2028.

Who Pays NZ Farmers to Go Regenerative, or Organic?

Fifty thousand hectares of South Island hill country, three years of training and monitoring, and the farmer pays nothing. The money traces back to Gucci's owner. I went looking for the organic version of that offer.

Which Pesticides Are on NZ Food, and Does Washing Get Them Off?

MPI says washing takes about a quarter of the residue off silverbeet. Its newest tests found pesticides on nearly half the food samples, after normal preparation. Some wash off, some are inside the plant, and some are baked into the bread. Here's which is which, and what to do about it.

Sting's Other Passion: 350 Hectares of Organic Farming in Tuscany

When Sting and Trudie Styler moved into their Tuscan estate, there were no birds. What they did next turned it into an organic farm whose olive oil won a top Italian award, in a year it made just 100 litres.

Same Vegetable, Same Pesticide. Seven Years Later, a Different Answer.

Twice, MPI's pesticide survey found an organophosphate on New Zealand silverbeet. Both times the exposure went over the safe daily limit. The first time, the public report said so. The second time, it said there were no risks, and the internal file said otherwise.

Growing Organic Food Shouldn't Be This Hard

Growing organic vegetables is rewarding, but making a living from it isn't easy. Rotorua market gardener Jenny Lux shares the challenges, realities and rewards of small-scale organic farming in New Zealand.

England Wants 10% Organic Farmland by 2036. NZ Is at 0.6%

England has a shortage of its own organic food and a new ten-year plan to fix it. New Zealand has the opposite problem, a rulebook, and no number. What the English plan actually promises, what it leaves out, and where New Zealand stands.

New Zealand's Most Awarded Organic Wines, 2022 to 2026

We counted every medal that certified organic New Zealand wines won at the big local and international shows over five years. One sparkling wine won its category five years running. One Chardonnay won the whole show three years in a row.

Before You Buy Organic Baby Food, Turn the Pouch Over

For a lot of people, a new baby is the reason they start buying organic. Only Organic says it was the first certified organic baby food here. Who's behind it, what the pouch actually tells you, and what the research says about why it might matter.

Organic Food Is Sold Out. You Weren't on the List.

Imagine organic food was rationed and you weren't on the list. A 1975 cookie experiment explains why that would make you want it more. Then the notice comes down, and the real numbers aren't far off.