After lengthy deliberations Tuesday, 16 July, Northland Regional Council will not include any provisions on the management of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in its Proposed Regional Plan. The regional plan is effectively the rulebook for the way Northland’s water, air, soil and coast is managed.

Council will formally notify the decision in the next few weeks (before 6 August 2019) and submitters will then have 30 days to appeal the decision to the Environment Court.

The decision is the last step in a long, considered process with councillors hearing and taking into account expert scientific evidence and feedback from over 80 submissions.

The decision on rules to regulate GMOs has been considered separately to the rest of the Proposed Regional Plan which was publicly notified by council earlier in the year.

The new plan and background information can be found online at: www.nrc.govt.nz/newregionalplan