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Head of Biosecurity NZ Roger Smith.
Biosecurity is relevant to every New Zealander, according to the head of Biosecurity NZ Roger Smith.
He points to statistics showing that while 60% of people understand biosecurity, only 2% think it is relevant.
“That is a terrible statistic,” Smith told Rural News at the Biosecurity Forum in Auckland last week. “Actually, biosecurity is relevant to everybody.”
The forum, first held last year, gets together stakeholders — traditional and non-traditional — to take stock of work done to raise awareness about biosecurity.
“Some people think biosecurity is only relevant for farmers, but if you run a florist shop biosecurity is as important, so we have people at the forum from right across the spectrum.”
Biosecurity 2025, launched by the Government to raise awareness -- ‘Ko Tatou, This is Us’ – is an independent brand for the biosecurity community.
Smith says one of the main themes for Biosecurity 2025 is to build a biosecurity team of 4.7 million – all New Zealanders.
“We are creating a movement that connects and aligns all the actions and activities by individuals, businesses, iwi/hapū and communities across the biosecurity system and encourages further action.
“The movement shows all New Zealanders, both individuals and businesses, that they are essential in helping strengthen our system and that every small action towards better biosecurity is important.”
Biosecurity NZ was set up as a separate department of MPI by the Labour-led coalition.
The Government wanted to reaffirm the importance of biosecurity, Smith said, and many people saw MPI’s biosecurity branch as “interested in what farmers are doing”.
“When I used to go to a meeting representing MPI, even though I’m from biosecurity, I would be told that [MPI is] only interested in what farmers are doing. Conservation groups meeting us said ‘you are not interested in us’.”
He says Biosecurity NZ as a separate department reaffirms the importance the Government is placing on biosecurity for everyone in the country.
In this biosecurity article, I touch on four subjects of recent interest: the new New Zealand Winegrowers (NZW) Biosecurity Contractor Resources, a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug update, a Xylella Action Group update, and the Forest Biosecurity Conference.
Taranaki has launched Biosecurity Taranaki in an effort to safeguard the region’s environment.
Every year, the New Zealand Winegrowers biosecurity team is sent an increasing number of images from members of suspected grapevine pest insects and disease symptoms, evidence that a high level of biosecurity awareness is building amongst the industry.
Biosecurity New Zealand says its frontline teams are ready for the anticipated influx of summer travellers with changes to arrivals processing at airports and the introduction of new hosts to help people.
Biosecurity New Zealand has welcomed 23 new quarantine officers and four new detector dog handlers this month.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford is claiming “some real success” on the 12 policy priorities it placed before the Coalition Government.
Federated Farmers is throwing its support behind the Fast-track Approvals Bill introduced by the Coalition Government to enable a fast-track decision-making process for infrastructure and development projects.
The latest report from ANZ isn’t good news for sheep farmers: lamb returns are forecast to remain low.
Divine table grapes that herald the start of a brand-new industry in Hawke’s Bay have been coming off vines in Maraekakaho.
In what appears to be a casualty of the downturn in the agricultural sector, a well-known machinery brand is now in the hands of liquidators and owing creditors $6.6 million.
One of New Zealand’s deepest breeder Jersey herds – known for its enduring connection through cattle with the UK’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II – will host its 75th anniversary celebration sale on-farm on April 22.
