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Agriculture Minister David Carter has welcomed today’s announcement of another successful Primary Growth Partnership bid which lifts the total funding awarded to nearly $500 million.

The Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) is to fund half of a $19.5 million programme led by Ballance Agri-Nutrients to transform traditional fertiliser use, as well as reduce nitrate run-off on dairy farms.

Planning for New Zealand’s irrigation infrastructure steps up the pace with the Irrigation Acceleration Fund now open for business, says Agriculture Minister David Carter.

The Irrigation Acceleration Fund was announced in this year’s Budget and provides $35 million over five years to support the development of proposals to the ‘investment ready’ prospectus stage. 

The Land and Water Forum has been engaged by the Government to progress the next stage of policy work on setting limits on water quality, quantity and allocation, Environment Minister Nick Smith and Agriculture Minister David Carter announced today.

A government fund that supports community-led growth and innovation in the rural sector has been widened to include aquaculture.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF) will now consider applications for projects that support economic and environmental performance in the marine and land-based aquaculture sector.

Consultation on the rules by which independent milk processors can access raw milk from Fonterra is now underway, Agriculture Minister David Carter announced today.

The Raw Milk Regulations form a key part of the decade-old dairy industry regulatory regime.

“The Government’s goal is to promote fair and efficient dairy markets in New Zealand and after 10 years, it’s timely to revisit the raw milk regulations,” says Mr Carter.

France and New Zealand working together for a more sustainable agriculture

Bruno Le Maire, French Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries, Rural Affairs and Town and Country Planning and New Zealand Agriculture Minister David Carter, welcome the signing by 31 countries of the Charter for the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases in Rome on 24 June.

New Zealand is establishing a competitive international NZ$25 million fund to support research on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from pastoral farming.

Agriculture Minister David Carter will today announce the New Zealand Fund for Global Partnerships in Livestock Emissions Research at the inaugural ministerial meeting of the Global Research Alliance in Rome.

The fund draws on the $45 million New Zealand committed to the Alliance in 2009, and it will be allocated over four years.

More than 30 countries will today officially sign up to the New Zealand-led Global Research Alliance on agricultural greenhouse gases at a Ministerial Summit in Rome.

The Alliance brings together countries with a mutual interest in researching ways to produce more food while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The inaugural ministerial meeting to formally approve the Charter, or working methods of the Alliance, will be chaired by International Climate Change Negotiations Minister, Tim Groser.  Agriculture Minister David Carter leads the New Zealand delegation. 

Agriculture and Economic Development Minister David Carter will represent New Zealand at the inaugural Global Research Alliance Ministerial Summit in Rome next week, and travel to Milan and London.

While in Rome, Mr Carter will also lead the New Zealand delegation to the 37th meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) where he will deliver New Zealand’s Ministerial Statement and participate in the election of the new Director-General of the FAO.

Agriculture Minister David Carter has today announced steps to further improve New Zealand’s animal welfare system.

An advisory group is being formed to oversee the development of a national animal welfare strategy, to feed into a review of the Animal Welfare Act.

"New Zealand has one of the best animal welfare systems in the world, but we are always looking at improvement. The Act is now more than a decade old and needs to reflect changing practices and attitudes," says Mr Carter.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett and Agriculture Minister David Carter have activated Enhanced Taskforce Green to clean up parts of Hawkes Bay recently damaged by severe flooding.

“This means around 48 people, many of whom are currently on benefits, will get to work helping clear debris and repair damage to property,” says Ms Bennett.

“Around 120 farms in the Wairoa, Hastings and Central Hawkes Bay area are affected and urgently need some extra hands to do the work,” says Mr Carter.

A successful bid by a Manuka honey industry consortium for Primary Growth Partnership funding is a sign the industry has the potential to grow significantly, says Agriculture Minister David Carter.

The Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) is to fund half of a $1.7 million research programme proposed by the consortium to increase the reliability of supply and volume of medical grade Manuka honey.

The Government has agreed to a forward work programme on water reform that will involve the Land and Water Forum, iwi and ongoing analysis by officials, Environment Minister Nick Smith, Agriculture Minister David Carter and Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples say.

Agriculture Minister David Carter today announced an expanded irrigation fund to support the development of new water harvesting, storage and distribution infrastructure.

Budget 2011 will allocate $35 million over five years for the Irrigation Acceleration Fund, to support the development of irrigation infrastructure proposals to the ‘investment-ready’ prospectus stage.

Environment Minister Nick Smith and Agriculture Minister David Carter today announced the Government's fresh water policy package saying improved water management is needed to grow the economy while better caring for our rivers, lakes and aquifers.

“This balanced package is about getting the right rules and funding in place to support irrigation development and economic growth, while ensuring protection of the environment,” the Ministers said.

Agriculture Minister David Carter has announced that farmers hit by the severe storm in Hawke’s Bay are to get assistance from the Government.

Pasture loss and damage to farm infrastructure is serious enough to declare a medium-level adverse event in the area, triggering government relief measures.

Two reports to guide the Government’s work in unlocking the potential of Maori agribusiness have been released by Agriculture Minister David Carter and Maori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples.

“The Government has identified Maori agribusiness as a key priority and these reports support our work in targeting opportunities to lift the productivity of Maori land and agribusiness,” says Mr Carter.

Agriculture Minister David Carter says dairy farmers are slowly taking heed of his challenge to lift their game when it comes to pollution.

Following today’s release of the annual Dairying and Clean Streams Accord Snapshot of Progress, Mr Carter says that while progress could be faster, the message is gradually getting through to those farmers who have struggled with effluent compliance, and are now looking to their industry bodies and regional councils for support

Agriculture Minister David Carter and the Minister for International Climate Change Negotiations Tim Groser have announced a fellowship programme as part of New Zealand’s efforts on the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases.

The Global Research Alliance Senior Scientist (GRASS) Award will support scientists from New Zealand and from other Alliance countries to undertake exchanges on research projects into agricultural GHG mitigation, for up to six months.

Agriculture and Forestry Minister David Carter has welcomed the plan to merge the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry with the Ministry of Fisheries.

The arrival of hundreds of farmers over the weekend to help in Christchurch is a huge boost to the earthquake cleanup, says Agriculture Minister David Carter.

“Federated Farmers is doing an excellent job of rallying farmers from as far away as the central North Island, Dunedin and the West Coast to pitch in and help with this mammoth task. 

“Today, 800 volunteers headed to New Brighton to shovel silt from properties and to help clear sections.  They are all using their own gear and many want to stay as long as the job takes.

New Zealand’s major livestock production industries are committed to high animal welfare standards through encouraging voluntary compliance and targeted enforcement action, says Agriculture Minister David Carter.

Mr Carter attended the inaugural meeting of the Animal Welfare Primary Sector Chief Executives’ Forum last night and endorsed a national plan recognising that everyone must take responsibility for the welfare of animals.

Investment in primary sector innovation has reached new levels with the announcement today of $107 million of government-industry funding of Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) proposals.

This takes the total government-industry spend to more than $475 million over 16 months.

Agriculture Minister David Carter says a broad range of discussion is likely when he meets with Chatham Islands farmers over the next two days.

Mr Carter, Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson and Rangitata MP Jo Goodhew leave today to visit several farms and meet with Federated Farmers, local government representatives and local farmers.