Forestry company fined $112,500 for evironmental breaches near Waihi
Convictions and fines totalling $112,500 have been imposed on a logging company for repeated environmental damage on a farm near Wahi between August 2022 and October 2023.
The forestry industry has become the sixth industry group to join the Government Industry Agreement (GIA) biosecurity partnership.
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says, "It's great to forest owners working with the Ministry for Primary Industries to manage and respond to the most important biosecurity risks,
"A growing number of industries have now signed up to work together with the Government through the GIA."
Associate Minister Jo Goodhew says MPI has worked with the forestry sector in biosecurity surveillance for over 50 years, looking out for potential forestry pests that can cause serious disease to trees and threaten the forestry industry. This government-industry relationship will be further enhanced under GIA,
"Forestry is New Zealand's third largest export earner behind dairy and meat, earning around $4.6 billion in exports. Protection from unwanted pests and diseases is very important to this major industry."
Guys says biosecurity is his main priority as MPI minister, as shown in the extra $27 million in the 2015 Budget to fund more detector dogs, x-ray machines and inspectors.
"We also have the new passenger levy, which will mean increasing passenger numbers will fund services at the border from next year onwards," says Guy.
"Biosecurity is a shared responsibility and we need the input of industry and the wider public to make the system as effective as possible."
The Forestry Owners Association joins Kiwifruit Vine Health, Pipfruit New Zealand, New Zealand Pork, New Zealand Equine Health Association and Onions New Zealand under GIA.
Two butcheries have claimed victory at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards for 2025.
A Taupiri farming company has been convicted and fined $52,500 in the Hamilton District Court for the unlawful discharge of dairy effluent into the environment.
The Climate Change Commission’s 2025 emissions reduction monitoring report reveals steady progress on the reduction of New Zealand’s climate pollution.
Another milestone has been reached in the fight against Mycoplasma bovis with the compensation assistance service being wound up after helping more than 1300 farmers.
The Government’s directive for state farmer Landcorp Farming (trading as Pamu) to lifts its performance is yielding results.
The move to bring bovine TB testing in-house at Ospri officially started this month, as a team of 37 skilled and experienced technicians begin work with the disease eradication agency.
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