MPI cuts 391 jobs
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has informed staff it will cut 391 jobs following a consultation period.
Consumers need to know they can trust food labels, but according to the Soil and Health Association, some producers are misusing the word 'organic'.
Marion Thomson, co-chair of Soil & Health, says they are disappointed that the Ministry for Primary Industries has abandoned discussions about the regulation of the word organic until 2017.
"Many farmers and producers are responding to demand and producing high quality, certified organic products. But there are a few producers claiming their products are organic when in fact they aren't."
Thomson says that some producers may be unintentionally misleading consumers; others may be deliberately using the word organic as part of their marketing strategy to sell more product and/or at a higher price.
According to Thomson, consumers can trust food or other products (e.g. skincare) that are labelled as certified organic, because they are subject to rigorous third-party audits to ensure their safety and integrity.
"We would love to see some leadership from the Ministry for Primary Industries in regulating the word organic, so consumers can have some certainty," she says.
"Other countries have done this, so there are examples to follow."
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has informed staff it will cut 391 jobs following a consultation period.
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