NZ: Biosecurity agreement brings new opportunity for growers
Cabinet has approved the Deed agreement which will allow primary industry and the government to work together as partners on biosecurity protection. This official partnership, known as ‘GIA’ or ‘government industry agreements’, comes after more than eight years of discussion, negotiation, submissions and reviews.
Horticulture New Zealand has played a key role in the development of GIA and the Deed. “At times this has been a very difficult process for both industry and government,” HortNZ president Julian Raine says. “But in the end, everyone appreciates we can’t continue as we are. We need better biosecurity and by working together we think we have a better chance of achieving that”.
Biosecurity protection is essential to New Zealand and is one of the biggest risks growers face. “The cost of a biosecurity pest or disease incursion can run into $100s of millions, it closes down overseas markets, hugely increases production costs and in some cases, destroys our ability to grow crops.”
The idea behind GIA is simple – primary industry works with government agencies to establish what the threats are and how they will be dealt with, before they arrive.
“There is a catch, in that the industry will now be expected to pay its share of the cost of this additional management. Some of our affiliated Product Groups will agree, some won’t. It is a decision that each of them will need discuss with their growers. The main thing is there is now the opportunity to get a seat at the decision-making table and some parts of horticulture have been calling for this for a long time,” Julian says.
For more information:
Julian Raine
Horticulture New Zealand
Tel: +64 021 443 993
www.hortnz.co.nz