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A bill to strengthen protection of animals in New Zealand has passed its first reading unanimously in Parliament today.

“The Animal Welfare Amendment Bill will improve the enforceability, clarity, and transparency of the Animal Welfare Act 1999,” says Mr Guy.

“This will strengthen an already well performing animal welfare system.

It has been 14 years since the Animal Welfare Act was passed, and a review of this Act was long overdue.

The Primary Sector CEO Bootcamp conference over the last two days has been a major success, says Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

“Over the last two days in Wellington this conference has brought together 35 top agribusiness leaders and five Government agency Chief Executives into one room, representing 80% of all our primary sector exports,” says Mr Guy.

“The Bootcamp initiative started in 2012 and has involved CEOs working together to grow our export earnings and take advantage of major opportunities around the world.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye have today released the draft terms of inquiry for the Government’s investigation into the whey protein concentrate contamination (WPC) incident.

“The Government has agreed in principle to establish a joint Ministerial-led Government Inquiry which will be divided into two parts,” says Mr Guy.

“Part A will look at how the potentially contaminated whey protein concentrate entered the New Zealand and international market, and how this was subsequently addressed.

Trade Minister Tim Groser and Primary Industries Nathan Guy say that officials are working closely with Russian authorities to provide the reassurance they need over New Zealand dairy products.

“Russia has formally notified New Zealand of a temporary restriction of dairy imports from 61 of the 83 dairy plants approved for export to Russia,” says Mr Groser.

Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy have welcomed the High Court’s decision to dismiss two appeals on the Board of Inquiry’s approval for New Zealand King Salmon to develop new marine farms in the Marlborough Sounds.

The decision of the Board of Inquiry, reached in February 2011, to approve four new salmon farming sites in the Marlborough Sounds was appealed by two parties and that appeal was heard at the High Court in Blenheim in May.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says Labour MP David Cunliffe is completely wrong in his claims that changes to the commercial quota for Snapper 1 are off the table.

Section 8.4 on page 58 of the Snapper 1 consultation document says: “The Minister could decide to change existing proportions up or down for either the commercial or recreational sector.”

Trade Minister Tim Groser and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy have underlined the continued efforts of the New Zealand Government to deal with the market effects of the possible contamination of some Fonterra dairy exports.

“The safety of consumers, especially children, both in New Zealand and in our trading partners remains our number one priority,” says Mr Groser.

Mr Groser says the New Zealand Government is taking a very precautionary approach.  

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Customs Minister Maurice Williamson today announced the Government’s $89 million Joint Border Management System has been launched.

Importers, exporters, and their agents and brokers, can now submit shipment details electronically to a single point of contact through the JBMS Trade Single Window, rather than dealing separately with several government agencies.

Thank you for organising this conference today on this very important topic, and for the chance to say a few words.

I had a bit of drama getting here this morning with cancelled flights. It would have been easy to give up and head back to Wellington, but I wanted to be here because biosecurity is my number one priority as Minister.

The New Zealand Biosecurity Institute, the National Pest Control Agencies and your members are a valuable part of the biosecurity system. Raising awareness, sharing knowledge and supporting best practice are all very important.

Today I want to talk to you about my priorities for the primary sector, of which horticulture is a major part. In particular I want to talk about the two goals that the Ministry for Primary Industries has – to grow and protect New Zealand’s economy.

As you all know, the primary sector is the powerhouse of our economy. It is worth around $30 billion a year to the New Zealand economy and makes up around 72 per cent of our exports.

New Zealand’s border inspection system is set to gain a new fleet of x-ray machines, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has announced at Horticulture NZ’s annual conference today.

Eleven x-ray machines will replace existing machines at Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown airports used to inspect both the checked-in and hand luggage of people arriving in New Zealand.

Auckland and Christchurch will also receive new technology to reduce the amount of handling required to load and unload luggage onto and off the x-ray machines.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy today welcomed the announcement of Primary Growth Partnership funding of $6.75 million to investigate producing biofuels from forestry waste.

The ‘Stump to Pump’ Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) programme partners are Norske Skog, Z Energy and the Government. The Government will match their funding of $6.75 million to bring the project’s total funding to $13.5 million.

Racing Minister Nathan Guy today announced the appointment of Glenda Hughes as Independent Chairperson of the New Zealand Racing Board’s (NZRB’s) governing body.

Ms Hughes was appointed as Independent Chairperson following consultation with the racing industry.

The racing industry makes an important contribution to the New Zealand economy, generating around $1.6 billion annually and around 17000 jobs.

Thank you to the Institute of Agricultural & Horticultural Science for putting together this conference on what is a very important topic, and for inviting me to say a few words.

Before I start I’d like to comment on the title of this conference - Have we gone soft at the border?

I was advised that it would be a ‘courageous’ move to speak at a conference with such a title. But given the importance to me of biosecurity, I saw this event as more of an opportunity than a challenge.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has welcomed the beginning of trials for the use of x-ray images to screen airline baggage before it arrives in New Zealand.

The trials are a world-first and involve the transfer of aviation security x-ray images from Melbourne Airport to Auckland for passengers on Air New Zealand flights, while the passenger is on the flight. Passengers will still be subject to clearance requirements prior to boarding the plane.

Environment Minister Amy Adams and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy have today announced that the Government has finalised the first stage of an action plan to improve water quality and the way freshwater is managed.

The Government released a discussion document in March based on the recommendations of the Land and Water Forum and which gave effect to their core recommendations.

The document outlined a clear path of reform ahead that will be addressed through a comprehensive and measured approach, starting this year.

New rules for meat exports to China will be implemented on Monday next week, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye said today.

“On Thursday we were made aware that China had issued new rules for New Zealand meat certification,” Ministers say.

“In the last 48 hours we have sought clarity around the impacts of those requirements and officials have negotiated their implementation.”

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says a memorandum signed today between Landcorp Farming and Massey University and their Chinese counterparts will further strengthen the close ties between China and New Zealand in the agricultural sector.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Anhui Agricultural University, Anhui Anxin Husbandry Development Limited and Anhui Provincial Government Decision-Making Cultural Exchange Centre provides collaboration on sheep farming and pasture growth opportunities in Anhui province.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy announced today that additional resources will be placed into the crucial market of China, following a meeting with AQSIQ Vice Minister Wei Chuanzhong.

“Two new Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) staff will be stationed in China by the end of the year, in addition to a number of locally engaged staff,” says Mr Guy.

The meeting at AQSIQ follows Mr Guy’s meeting with Chinese Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu earlier this week.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy announced today that additional resources will be placed into the crucial market of China, following a meeting with AQSIQ Vice Minister Wei Chuanzhong.

“Two new Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) staff will be stationed in China by the end of the year, in addition to a number of locally engaged staff,” says Mr Guy.

The meeting at AQSIQ follows Mr Guy’s meeting with Chinese Minister of Agriculture Han Changfu earlier this week.

Thank you for allowing me to make some opening comments to this seminar.

This is my first visit to China as Minister for Primary Industries, but my second visit as a Minister. I visited here in April 2012 as the Minister of Immigration and Associate Minister for Primary Industries.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has announced today that Crown Irrigation Investments Limited is now established and ready to work with backers of new irrigation schemes.

“The company will act as a bridging investor for regional water infrastructure projects, helping kick-start projects that would not otherwise get off the ground. The Government has set aside $80 million in Budget 2013 for this purpose,” says Mr Guy.

All members of the establishment board have been appointed to the new Board of Crown Irrigation Investments Limited.

Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy is flying to China tonight, leading an agribusiness trade mission.

The trip is formally hosted by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and the delegation will visit Beijing, Shanghai, and the provinces of Inner Mongolia and Anhui.

“This is a valuable opportunity to match New Zealand agribusiness companies with business opportunities. Of particular interest is pasture and animal husbandry expertise, general agricultural services, and the construction of dairy farms,” says Mr Guy.

Trade Minister Tim Groser and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy today announced the appointment of Mike Petersen to the position of New Zealand Special Agriculture Trade Envoy (SATE).

The role is to advocate for New Zealand’s agriculture trade interests, from the perspective of a practising farmer.

“In the immediate term, Petersen’s priority will be to coordinate support among international farmer groups for a comprehensive outcome on agriculture in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade negotiations,” says Mr Groser.