Merged MAF-MOF Structure Released

The proposed structure of the new Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has been released to agriculture and forestry staff today for their comment.

Agriculture and Forestry Minister Lockwood Smith said the release will also give agriculture and forestry sector groups an opportunity to make their views known on the plans.

The government decided earlier this year to merge the Ministry of Agriculture (MAF) and the Ministry of Forestry (MoF) to provide tighter coordination of government services in the vitally important agriculture, forestry and horticulture sectors.

The merged organisation is due to be operational in March next year.

Preliminary indications are that the merger will deliver the projected operational savings of around $2.5 million a year.

But another $2 million worth of savings have also been identified across both existing ministries.

Dr Smith said these extra savings reflected a decision in principle to stop purchasing most agriculture and forestry facilitation from the new ministry.

This would mean the government would no longer fund some advisory services to industry and potential investors, technology transfer and certain publications.

"I believe these are services which the private sector can provide perfectly well," Dr Smith said.

The $2 million extra that can be saved in agriculture and forestry facilitation will be used initially to help fund the eradication of tussock moth.

Merging the responsibilities of MAF and MoF border protection staff would also result in more efficient and effective detection of agriculture and forestry pests, Dr Smith believed.

The minister said it was still too early to say exactly how many redundancies would result from the merger.

"But it is thought about 130 positions will go. The number of actual redundancies will not be confirmed till February. They will be less than might normally be expected because both MAF and MoF have been operating a non-replacement policy in recent months."