Monday, 19 September 2016 07:44

Little used quarantine facilities may go

Written by 
Low-traffic quarantine facilities may be reduced under the latest move by MPI. Low-traffic quarantine facilities may be reduced under the latest move by MPI.

Low-traffic quarantine facilities may be reduced under the latest move by the Ministry for Primary Industries to stop unwanted pests and diseases from entering New Zealand.

MPI is looking to revoke approval for "transitional facilities" that have been operating for a year without receiving containers or other cargo, says Stu Rawnsley, MPI Manager North Cargo.

"The move is about ensuring that private operators who deal with imported goods have the skills and experience to meet New Zealand's strict biosecurity standards.

"The fact is facilities that process low volumes of goods can find biosecurity requirements to be burdensome, which can lead to compliance issues and disproportionate costs for MPI."

Low-traffic facilities will escape closure if they can show they will receive goods in the future, but they will require MPI supervision to ensure they comply with biosecurity procedures, says Rawnsley.

MPI will now also consider container volumes as part of the approval process for new quarantine facilities.

"Approvals will still be made on a case-by-case basis, but facilities that plan to only receive six or fewer containers each year are likely to find it harder to get approval," says Rawnsley.

In a related move, MPI will introduce a flat charge of $887.70 in December for approving new facility operators. This replaces the current hourly rate charged for operator approval.

There are currently some 5,800 private quarantine facilities operating in New Zealand. They range from large commercial operations near major ports, to small businesses that rarely receive imported goods.

More like this

Bikinis in cowshed

OPINION: An animal activist organisation is calling for an investigation into the use of dairy cows in sexuallly explicit content posted on social media and adult entertainment subscription site OnlyFans.

Editorial: Agri's mojo is back

OPINION: Good times are coming back for the primary industries. From sentiment expressed at Fieldays to the latest rural confidence survey results, all indicate farmer confidence at a near-record high.

Featured

$52,500 fine for effluent mismanagement

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.

Ospri brings Bovine TB testing in-house

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.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Arable advocacy?

OPINION: Spare a thought for the arable farmer, squeezed on one side by soft global prices and on the other…

Gaslight much?

OPINION: Labour leader Chris 'Chippy' Hipkins is carrying on the world-class gaslighting of the nation that he and his cohorts…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter