> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.organicfoodtogether.nz/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The World's Only Organics Minister on Why National Has No Organics Policy - URL: https://www.organicfoodtogether.nz/the-worlds-only-organics-minister-on-why-national-has-no-organics-policy/ - Published: 2026-10-08T17:31:39.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T17:31:38.000Z - Description: National created the world's first organics minister, then told OANZ it has no specific policy for growing organics. Mike Butterick explained why on the last Vote Organic webinar, and had a go at other parties over market access while he was at it. - Author: Luke Nicholas - Tags: Vote Organic 2026, Election 2026, Politics, OANZ, gene technology bill, organic regulations New Zealand has the only organics minister in the world. His party told the organic sector it has no policy for growing organics. Mike Butterick didn't see a contradiction. "Our view really is the National Party is to create the framework for any particular sector," he said. After that, "the market is the market." Butterick was the last of five MPs in [Organics Aotearoa New Zealand's Vote Organic webinar series](https://www.oanz.org/new-blog/watch-vote-organic-webinar-series?ref=organicfoodtogether.nz), on the night of 6 October. The first leaders' debate was starting at the same time, which he pointed out at the top. The earlier interviews were [ACT's Andrew Hoggard](https://www.organicfoodtogether.nz/act-wont-fund-organics-andrew-hoggard-explained-why/), [the Greens' Steve Abel](https://www.organicfoodtogether.nz/seven-ticks-hardly-any-mentions-the-greens-on-organics/), [NZ First's Mark Patterson](https://www.organicfoodtogether.nz/six-ticks-one-dash-and-a-10pm-argument-nz-first-on-organics/) and the Opportunity Party's Daniel Eb. You can [watch the full recording](https://youtu.be/PWIw9R6rZ5g?ref=organicfoodtogether.nz); it runs about 28 minutes. Butterick is [Minister of Land Information and an Associate Minister of Agriculture](https://www.mpi.govt.nz/about-mpi/structure/ministers?ref=organicfoodtogether.nz). He was given the organics delegation in May, and [OANZ says](https://www.oanz.org/new-blog/new-zealand-organic-sector-secures-dedicated-voice-in-parliament-?ref=organicfoodtogether.nz) no other country has a minister with a dedicated organics portfolio at national level. He is a sheep and beef farmer and the MP for Wairarapa. On the call he said his other delegations include arable, catchment groups, water storage and Māori agribusiness. VOTE ORGANIC Webinar Recording: In Conversation with Hon Mike Butterick, National Party ### Four ticks, two dashes, one cross National said yes to four of OANZ's seven questions in its written answers, according to OANZ's [published response tracker](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zTo7XPxhLssu2lAZtaelZdVvam-pJzag/edit?usp=sharing&ref=organicfoodtogether.nz). I [went through every party's answers](https://www.organicfoodtogether.nz/two-parties-got-seven-questions-about-organics-they-didnt-answer-any-of-them/) when [the scorecard](https://www.oanz.org/new-blog/vote-organic-the-2026-election-scorecard?ref=organicfoodtogether.nz) came out. Yes on finishing the National Organic Standard rollout, keeping the organics minister, investing in growth architecture, and transition support. Neutral on export market access and on GE-free protection. No on having a specific policy for growing organics. ### The framework answer Brendan Hoare, hosting for OANZ, put the cross to him directly. Organics is entrepreneurial, self-starting and largely self-funded, he said, which should be right down National's alley. So why the no? Butterick's answer was the framework. Government gets the rules right, works with sectors on the problems they face at home and overseas, and opens markets. Then farmers move between land uses and production systems on market signals. He used the Resource Management Act as his example of rules that had become "a big brick wall" for people trying to get on with things. He said people go organic for one of two reasons, or both. One is commercial, and he pointed to organic dairy as a strong return on equity. The other is a view about soil, water and plants. On organic milk, he said the coming season's payout was looking like about $14.30, which he worked out at about a 45% premium on conventional. Hoare said Fonterra had lifted it again that day. Back in March, [Fonterra's record organic forecast](https://www.organicfoodtogether.nz/record-organic-milk-price/) for 2025–26 was $13.35 per kilo of milk solids. ### MPI and the rules Asked whether MPI is properly funded to get the organic regulations finished on time and to standard, Butterick said MPI is proactive with each sector and he expects a good relationship. He didn't talk about money. He was keener on the national organic mark consultation. Whether New Zealand ends up with one mark for everything or separate local and export marks, he said, will be "fascinating" to watch. ### Levies Hoare raised the same levy problem he'd put to the others: the sector pays into existing levy bodies and gets nothing back. Butterick said they'd talked about whether levies are split pro rata between conventional and organic, that the data is hard to get, and that it varies by land use. He said he was happy to pick up any ideas. "These are glued onto my head for a reason, and they're there to listen." ### GE About 80% of the questions sent in beforehand were about gene technology, said Lou, who ran the audience Q&A. Butterick described the Gene Technology Bill as paused, deliberately, while a new minister in charge of it, Penny, talks to people and looks at Australia, other countries and the EU's recent changes. (The bill [lapsed when Parliament dissolved on 1 October](https://www.organicfoodtogether.nz/not-gm-unless-you-buy-organic/), and the next Parliament can reinstate it.) He said it was a conversation that needs to happen, without "taking a preemptive position." But the EU changes cut both ways for him. He said 61% of the value of New Zealand's exported multiplication seed goes to the EU, and that it could lose access depending on what the EU does with gene-edited crops. He also said one grower supplying 30% of New Zealand's lettuce uses seed from the EU. National's written answer on GE says it will "only progress gene technology legislation that protects the integrity of, and capacity to grow, the New Zealand organic sector." That's the answer OANZ marked neutral. ### Market access, and a dig at the others Asked about equivalency deals, Butterick raised something nobody had asked. Some parties that ticked yes to organic equivalency with the EU, USA, India and China, he said, hadn't supported the free trade agreement with India. And that agreement, he said, has a specific organic clause covering regulations and digital certification. He said he had it in front of him. "Be wary of people saying what they think you want to hear," he told the audience. He didn't name the parties. National itself got a neutral on that question. Its written answer says the government is working on equivalence negotiations with the EU and the United States. It doesn't mention India or China. ### Small growers A questioner said the new regulations could double or triple verification costs for small growers. Would National commit to a realistic exemption threshold? Butterick asked when the consultation had closed, then asked Hoare to remind him of the options. "Was it 10, 12, 30 and/or some other number?" It was: MPI asked whether to [keep the exemption at $10,000, or raise it to $12,700 or $30,000](https://www.organicfoodtogether.nz/the-10-000-line-that-decides-which-organic-growers-get-checked/). Submissions closed on 22 September. His answer was to wait and see where it lands. "Nobody's going to bring in something that is going to put people out of business," he said. Costs should be fair and reasonable. ### Being the champion Many decisions affecting organics, such as residue limits, gene technology and biosecurity, sit with other ministers. How would he make sure the sector is heard? He explained how papers move. Before anything goes to a Cabinet committee, he shares it with every minister it touches and gets their sign-off. Skip that and "you're going to be made to look like a chump." He said that's what he did with the recent organics consultation. ### Research, regenerative and health On research and extension funding, he pointed to MPI's co-funded trial projects with parts of the sector, launched at Fieldays, under the goal of doubling export value in ten years. He told a story about a local durum wheat grower who thinks his pasta may be easier on people with coeliac disease. His advice was to prove it, because then you can market it. On regenerative farming, he said there's no scientific definition and that a standard would probably be hard. Asked whether farm policy should be treated as public health policy, he didn't say yes. The other three MPs asked the same question did. He said eating well is an education issue, that he wouldn't pick between conventional and organic, and that the bigger problems are sugar, obesity and diabetes. He mentioned Bill English's social investment idea: spend on education up front and save on health later. ### The close Asked what he'd say to an organic farmer worried about the next three years, he said be proud of the contribution you make, and that nobody in National "is going to do anything rash and stupid in a heartbeat." It's a good time to be a farmer, he said, because it's not often all the ducks line up. His pitch was trade. National created the first organics minister anywhere, has done more trade missions than anyone, and wants to find New Zealand's "next billion customers." "We need to grow the pie." Hoare's last word was a request. The sector has felt actively left out this term, he said, and if National leads the next government, OANZ wants to be at the table, through the organics minister. That's the series done. Five MPs, five answers to the same seven questions. The minister with the organics title gave the clearest account of why his party doesn't think it needs an organics policy. Whether that's enough is what the 7 November vote is for. --- ### Before you go If this was useful, you can [get every post by email for free](https://www.organicfoodtogether.nz/#/portal/signup). And if you'd like to help keep it independent, you can [leave a one-off tip](https://www.organicfoodtogether.nz/#/portal/support).