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New Zealand Green MPs win stricter food import controls

New Zealand Green MPs have secured $2.4 billion funding over 4 years to improve monitoring and testing of the 2.5 million tons of food that is imported into the country.

Health spokesperson Sue Kedgley says, "The new funding will enable the authority to extend its monitoring and testing regimes, to imported foods other than those considered high risk..

Consumers have become concerned about the safety of some imported foods as a result of repeated food contamination scares overseas and a lack of transparency in the production and processing systems of some countries. The enhanced regime will include a new system which will use complaints, recalls, new research, health scares or border rejections - to alert NZFSA to foods that may warrant closer inspection".

New Zealand Green Health Spokesperson calls for better food labelling

New Zealand Health Spokesperson Sue Kedgley says the recent finding that 58% of food labelling is incorrect is concerning. "Consumers have a right to accurate information about what is in their food, and how it's been produced.

Poor nutrition and an unhealthy food environment are the most significant causes of preventable deaths in New Zealand so it is vital that consumers know exactly what is contained in food products so they can make informed purchasing decisions"

Australian Greens leader asks for more aid for Burma

Bob Green, leader of the Australian Greens, has criticised the government's slow and underfunded reaction to the crisis in Burma. He says, "the disaster again shows the merit of the Greens' policy to establish an international disaster in Northern Australia to rapidly respond to regional disasters like cyclones, earthquakes and tsunamis with medical aid, food, water, tents and rescue equipment. ...Doubling the overseas aid budget would still leave Australia below the 0.7% GDP which is internationally recognised as the right goal, and even further behind generous and similar nations such as The Netherlands".

New Zealand Greens release junk food figures

New Zealand Green Party has released figures from its annual survey on junk food in schools, showing that although most schools have stopped serving fizzy drinks, almost two thirds still sell pies, hot dogs, biscuits, cakes and slices. Green Party policy is to get healthy food into schools, saying it is imperative for children's health and learning skills.

Irish Green Food Minister pledges almost 10 million Euros to World Food Programme

Trevor Sargent, Ireland's Green Minister for Food, has today announced that 9.96 million Euros of aid will go to the United Nation's World Food Programme, to help those affected by the 45% price rise and 56% cost rise of food for the world's poorest people (162 million people now live on less than 50 cents a day, with great shortages of wheat and maize).

Trevor adds, "We will provide Ireland's core contribution to the WFP in cash. Cash is the most flexible resource and it gives WFP complete discretion to direct food aid where it is most needed".

Green Party Canada offers hope for world food shortages

Canada's Green Party leader Elizabeth May is asking the Harper government to tackle climate change, which she says is one of the most important reasons behind the recent global food shortages.

With high price rises of corn and rice (leaving millions at risk from starvation), Elizabeth states, "There are fundamental solutions to this crisis that Canada can and must put forward in order to address this growing humanitarian concern".

The Green Party has several solutions in place, including investment in biofuel alternatives such as biodiesel and cellulosic ethanol from farm and forest wastes, rather than ethanols from crops grown directly for fuel.

Elizabeth concludes, "Oil prices will keep climbing. Climate impacts - such as drought and severe weather events - will worsen. Getting off fossil fuels, supporting women in developing countries who grow most of the food, re-organising our economies to put energy efficiency and renewable energy at the top of our priorities, while increasing short term food aid, must be at the foundation of our response".

Scottish Greens raise amendment to food security debate

Scottish Greens have welcomed the Conservatives debate on food security in parliament, and also had the chance to debate an amendment on considering the impact of peak oil (when production starts to decrease due to lack of availability, leading to rising prices). Robin Harper MSP welcomes “transition towns” appearing all over the country, where governments are failing to act.