Celebrating success
The Director General of MPI, Ray Smith says it's important for his department to celebrate the success of a whole range of groups and people around the country.
New detector dog puppies and a recruitment drive to hire 30 new quarantine inspectors proves biosecurity is a top priority for the government, says Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.
Guy visited the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Detector Dog Breeding Centre in Auckland to meet four new beagle puppies that will be trained to guard New Zealand's airports to stop unwanted pests and diseases entering the country.
"The four puppies have overcome a tragic start to life. Their mum, Utah, was found to have leukaemia soon after the births and had to be put down," says Guy.
Guy chose the name 'Clara' for one of the new puppies.
"I'm looking forward to following Clara's progress as she helps to guard our border."
As well as recruiting canines, the Ministry is about to start recruiting 30 new quarantine inspectors to work on the frontline of our biosecurity system.
This is in addition to the 56 extra frontline staff recruited over the last six months, says Guy.
Of the 30 new staff, six will start work in Christchurch, four in Wellington, two in Queenstown and 18 in Auckland. They will begin in mid-August after extensive training.
"Numbers of frontline staff are directly related to the volume of people and goods crossing the border. As New Zealand's economy continues to grow the numbers of border staff are also likely to increase.
"The primary industries are the powerhouse of New Zealand's economy and protecting them from biosecurity threats is my number one priority. We have a world class system, but we are always looking for ways to improve it even further," says Guy.
Fonterra has cemented its position as the country’s number one cheesemaker by picking up nine NZ Champion of Cheese trophies this year.
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Waikato herd health veterinarian Katrina Roberts is the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.