MPI defends cost of new biosecurity lab
The head of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) biosecurity operation, Stuart Anderson, has defended the cost and the need for a Plant Healht and Environment Laboratory (PHEL) being built in Auckland.
An extra $900,000 of funding will be used to help farmers around the country, with the current large-scale adverse event classification expanded to include Mid-Canterbury, South Canterbury, and Otago.
“Autumn has got off to an extremely dry start in multiple regions along the east coast of the country. Forecast rainfall is not expected to be enough to allow parched soils and pastures time to recover before winter,” O’Connor said.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has been working with industry organisations, councils and Rural Support Trusts to monitor the impacts of the dry conditions and assess the need for additional support.
“This is the second consecutive year of drought for parts of the country and low groundwater levels have not been able to recharge.”
The new funding will ensure feed support services can continue and that extra wellbeing assistance will be available to more farmers affected by drought.
“Recovery and resilience coordinators will be employed to help coordinate support between Rural Support Trusts and industry groups, enabling affected communities to bounce back more quickly.”
O’Connor says that support for the Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington and Tasman Regions as well as the Manawatū-Rangitīkei, Tararua and Nelson areas, will remain in place until 30 June 2021, when it will be reviewed.
“The Taranaki region, and the Ruapehu and Whanganui districts, have received good rainfall and soil moisture levels have recovered.”
“It’s encouraging to see conditions have been improving in some areas that were hit hard last year,” said O’Connor.
