Iwi in Tai Tokerau are fighting to keep their rohe free of Genetically Modified Organisms.

Tai Tokerau and environmental groups supported Whangarei District Council in successfully defending the right of local authorities to manage the use of Genetically Modified Organisms.

Federated Farmers took a test case to the Environment Court arguing Northland Regional Council had acted outside the law in taking that view managing their use. The farming lobby group lost and is now appealing that decision in the High Court.

Representative for Ngāti Hau, Benjamin Pittman, said they were "standing up for what they believe", because tikanga Māori held strict divisions between human and non-human things, and those to do with the body and food.