The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

On 27 Dec. 2013 Peter de Lange, brought this to our attention http://www.nzpcn.org.nz/members_forum_threads.aspx?ID=383 and several members contacted McGregors who chose to ignore our requests. Amy Adams, Minister for the Environment, declined to get involved; Nick Smith M. of Conservation asked the DOC to look into it. Knowing that DOC has no legal authority in this and after 2 months of no response from McGregors I made a complaint to the Commerce Commission, I recently received notification from the Commerce commission that they have sent McGregors notice that their current marketing of these seeds is non-compliant (Non-compliance Order?), so hopefully McGregors will now adjust their marketing.

A good result Graeme. Well done for pushing this!

Well done Graeme! Thanks for your diligence!

Aue Graeme! Well done - you did what some of us could not! I greatly appreciate your efforts. Kia Kaha!

Hi all - Peter Reece from McGregors responded to an email from me asking for it to be put in the newsletter saying: "Our position on this issue is as follows:-
McGregor's supplies Russell Lupins and Foxglove seeds in our standard home garden flower range, as do Yates and King's Seeds
Russell Lupins and Foxglove are both also readily available as seedlings from garden outlets.
We also offer a NZ Seeds range that is sold primarily through Tourist Outlets and most of these seeds are bought by overseas visitors who take them home with them. This range consists of 19 Native varieties, which are marked with a New Zealand Native banner on the packet.
In response to requests for Russell Lupins and Foxgloves that tourists see growing wild we offer them as New Zealand Wildflowers with a New Zealand Wildflower banner on the packet.
[The rest to come in another post.]

Here is the rest of the message from McGregors:
Whilst we are aware that Lupins pose a serious environmental issue to the Canterbury's braided rivers system this is a regional problem and as such should be addressed on a regional basis, not by a blanket ban covering the whole country.
One of your Network Members correspondence on this issue referred to the wording on our Wildflower packets describing Russell Lupins as "Classical Roadside Colour" as being misleading and not acceptable. We believe this to be a valid point and we will remove that wording.

We have not replied to the individual Network Members campaign emails received and would suggest a more organised approach for our response would be for it to published in a Network Newsletter format to your members.

Many thanks,
Peter Reece.
Team McGregor's
E: [email protected]

Thanks John, nice to know that they responded eventually although Mr Reece is being somewhat disingenuous. McGregors have had a few weeks to act on the Commerce Commission notification but haven't. I have to admit I hadn't noticed the wording difference in the yellow banner at the bottom of the packet 'wildflower' subst. for 'native'. Here are snips from todays "native seeds" web-page and the flower seed page. So they already have alternative packaging in place no reason for delay. Peter saw these at Auckland Zoo, I would have thought mostly Auckland Mums n Dads with kids not international tourists at the zoo. The blurb for NZ lupins refers to sandy beaches so it is a national matter. Sorry don't seem to be able to get all the snips in the one comment. Anyway you all be the Judge.
By the way this pales in significance compared to the campaign afoot to use Miscanthus for dairy farm shelter in Canterbury.

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