KVH welcomes border clearance levy
Kiwifruit Vine Health (KVH) backs today's announcement by the Government to finalise the Border Clearance Levy on passengers entering New Zealand from January 1, 2016.
Federated Farmers is concerned the Green Party has misinterpreted the Treasury's Briefing to Incoming Minister (BIM) on biosecurity.
"Biosecurity is one of the key platforms in New Zealand's competitiveness. Farmers would revolt if there was to be any dismantling of biosecurity but that's not in the Treasury BIM," says William Rolleston, Federated Farmers spokesperson on biosecurity.
"The Green Party has misinterpreted what "at-the-border" means. When you read beyond the summary to page 22 of the BIM, it clearly states, "New Zealand's formal at-the-border restrictions are generally low. The exception is our investment screening regime".
"As you can see, this has nothing to do with biosecurity but inwards investment."
According to Rolleston, the Treasury does get it right in identifying need for regulatory reform.
"Any unnecessary regulatory burden achieves little aside from adding cost and ultimately time to what we are trying to produce.
"The Treasury's BIM also rightly highlights the importance of firm led innovation and research.
"I can add that New Zealand's primary and value added industries aren't based on a slogan, but a deserved reputation for safe, reliable and high quality food and fibre. We know biosecurity is fundamental to maintaining that reputation," Rolleston says.
The chair of Beef + Lamb NZ, Kate Acland says the rush appears to be on to purchase farms and convert them to forestry before new rules limiting this come into effect.
New Zealand farmers will face higher urea prices this year, mainly on the back of tight global supply and a weak Kiwi dollar.
Andy Caughey of Wool Impact says a lot of people in NZ have been saying it's crazy that we are not using natural fibres in our buildings and houses.
Former chief executive of Beef+Lamb New Zealand Scott Champion will head the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) from July.
Avian flu getting into New Zealand's poultry industry is the biosecurity threat that is most worrying for Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard.
The annual domestic utilisation of wool will double to 30,000 tonnes because of the edict that government agencies should use woollen fibre products in the construction of new and refurbished buildings.
OPINION: In the same way that even a stopped clock is right twice a day, economists sometimes get it right.
OPINION: The proposed RMA reforms took a while to drop but were well signaled after the election.