Hon Damien O’Connor

Work will start immediately to improve New Zealand’s animal tracing system, says Agriculture and Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor.

New Zealand has become the first country in the world to roll out nationwide biofouling rules to stop dirty vessels from contaminating our waters, says Minister of Biosecurity Damien O’Connor.

Agriculture and Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor says a top-level meeting with farming leaders about Mycoplasma bovis focused on helping farmers through the next few weeks.

A proposal for a national organic standard is to be consulted on from today, says Agriculture and Food Safety Minister Damien O’Connor.  

Cheesemakers are set to benefit from a more modern and common-sense approach to food safety regulation, says Food Safety Minister Damien O’Connor. 

The tracking of cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis shows that more farms than previously expected are likely to be affected by the disease, says Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor.

An inclusive and comprehensive review of dairy industry legislation will help our biggest export sector get in shape for the future, says Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor.

Food Safety Minister Damien O’Connor says the establishment of New Zealand Food Safety will help raise the profile of food safety for all New Zealanders. 

Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and Climate Change Minister James Shaw are pleased to announce the first successful candidates of a New Zealand-funded international doctorate scholarship programme for budding agriculture scientists.

Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor heads to Brisbane today to meet with his Australian Government counterparts.

A group of visionary agribusiness leaders is set to help our primary sector capture more value from its work, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Communities Damien O’Connor says.

Agriculture and Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor is calling on farmers and industry to read a report reviewing the performance of the animal tracing system NAIT. 

Culling of all cattle infected with Mycoplasma bovis will give farmers much-needed certainty over their futures, says Agriculture and Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor.

Minister of Agriculture and Biosecurity Damien O’Connor has today announced an intensive programme to track cattle movements across Cook Strait to help control the further spread of cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis.

Minister of Agriculture and Biosecurity Damien O’Connor today welcomed a joint Government and industry commitment to funding the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak response. 

Minister for Agriculture and Rural Communities Damien O’Connor today announced that the damage wrought by former Cyclone Gita in Taranaki and parts of the Tasman district meets the criteria for medium-scale adve

Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has welcomed survey results that show many Kiwis – both urban and rural – hold a similar and positive view of the primary sector. 

Food Safety Minister Damien O’Connor has today welcomed the passing of the Food Safety Law Reform Bill into law.  

Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta has announced that two dairy farming operations from Rotorua and the South Island’s West Coast are the finalists in this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy BNZ Māori Excellence in Farming Award for dairy.

Rain has brought relief to some drought-affected regions but farmers need to carefully review their feed budgets and plans for winter, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor.