The New Zealand Food Safety Authority decided to maintain the previous glyphosate limits following public consultation.
There was a proposal to change maximum residue levels (MRLs) of glyphosate in wheat, barley and oats to 10 mg/kg, but the limit was set at 0.1 mg/kg, which is the current default level.
Vincent Arbuckle, New Zealand's deputy director-general of food safety, said the decision reflected changes in how producers use glyphosate.
“While we are confident that the proposed restrictions would not pose any risk to consumer health, after reviewing more than 3100 applications and meeting with a wide range of applicants and stakeholders, we have found compelling evidence that the way glyphosate is used in New Zealand has changed over the last five to six years,” he said.
“Growers and millers are increasingly entering into contracts that require no or extremely low levels of glyphosate residues in grains used for food, effectively prohibiting the use of glyphosate before harvest.”
Change to peas
For dry field peas the MRL is set at 6 mg/kg. This is in line with industry agricultural practice and the Australian, European Union, UK and Codex MRLs of 10 mg/kg for dry peas and the US MRL of 8 mg/kg.
New Zealand food safety will require that when glyphosate is used on wheat, barley and oats grown for human consumption, it can only be applied before the crops emerge. It will not be allowed to be used directly on crops grown for human consumption.
In November 2023, the European Commission extended approval of glyphosate until December 2033.
Agricultural chemicals like glyphosate are critical for farmers and producers, Arbuckle said.
“They help control pest and disease outbreaks, reduce plant and animal health risks, and help keep food prices low because crops and animals can produce more when there are fewer pests.”
The long-awaited decision
Greenpeace welcomed the move and called on the New Zealand Food Safety Service (NZFS) to resume its glyphosate testing program.
Dr Russell Norman, chief executive of Greenpeace, said it was a victory for people opposed to plans to increase glyphosate levels in wheat, oats and barley.
“However, we also note that NZFS stopped testing for glyphosate after it found residues in food products well above 0.1 mg/kg levels in 2015/16. We are seeking assurances from the NZFS that they will include glyphosate in their next round of food testing.
“We are also concerned that NZFS has not taken any enforcement action for more than a decade when it finds levels of pesticides exceeding the legal maximum in food. There is little point in setting legal maximums if they are not met.”
Organic Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) also supported the statement.
Noel Josephson, Chairman of OANZ, said: “New Zealanders want to create a food system that prioritizes health, integrity and environmental protection over the convenience of chemicals. We thank MPI for listening to this message and recognizing the shift that is already happening on farms, away from dependence on glyphosate to more sustainable, organic practices.”
Salmonella update
Data released by the New Zealand Institute of Public Health and Forensic Science (PHF Science) shows there were 95 salmonellosis cases reported in July, compared with 56 infections for the same month in 2024.
Almost half of the cases were aged 50 years or older, and 73 cases were European or other nationalities. A total of 32 people were hospitalized. The most common risk factors were foreign travel and retail food consumption. The main serotypes were Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Enteritidis.
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