We predict that the Honorable Kate Wilkinson may do a shifty over her pledge to amend the Food Bill so it doesn’t include seeds for growing under the definition “food”.
Wilkinson promised to Amend the Bill using a Supplementary Order Paper, in a letter to Green MP Sue Kedgley on August 3, 2011 (see note 1).
Wilkinson has not yet made an amendment, according to a search of such papers for “Food Bill” here. In fact, she would not normally do so until the Bill was put to a Second Reading in Parliament. And a second reading of the Bill has been delayed until after the election.
We predict that in the new government Wilkinson will be removed from her Cabinet position of Minister for Food Safety and will use this fact to pass on the responsibility for any Amendment to her successor. Her successor will not table any such amendment, and further will never have promised to do so. So it won’t happen. Then Wilkinson will be off the hook, and the Bill will go through as it is on the matter of seeds.
If Wilkinson did honour her promise, however, it would mean that seed sharing within networks could continue without prohibitive regulation. Networks are essential for seed sharing to succeed in its chief aim – to preserve seed lines so that organic/heritage foods are not lost.
Read More: NZ food Security
Cartoon by Bob Moran
