Search

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has announced three new members of the Primary Growth Partnership’s independent Investment Advisory Panel (IAP).

The three new members are primary industry and business specialist Barry Brook, experienced businessman Harry Burkhardt, and entrepreneur Melissa Clark-Reynolds.

“The IAP plays a crucial role in the success of the Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) that aims to boost the value, productivity and profitability of our primary industries,” says Mr Guy. 

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has released two reports today showing good progress in developing the potential of Māori agribusiness.

“These reports confirm the importance of partnering with Iwi, Māori asset owners, local communities and industry, and show very promising results,” says Mr Guy.

A new joint strategy to tackle kauri dieback has been welcomed by Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry.

“Kauri dieback is a serious disease which needs a coordinated effort to tackle it. Therefore it’s great to see the Ministry for Primary Industries, Department of Conservation, Auckland Council, Northland Regional Council, Waikato Regional Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and tāngata whenua have developed this new strategy,” says Mr Guy.

Racing Minister Nathan Guy has announced that 25 projects to improve safety at racecourses across New Zealand will be receiving grants worth $703,596.

The money is coming from the Racing Safety Development Fund which provides $1 million annually to racecourse safety, with matching dollar-for-dollar contributions from racing clubs.

“This year’s first funding round has supported a wide range of infrastructure projects including safety running rails, new starting gates, toilet facilities upgrades, and a greyhound kennel block extension,” says Mr Guy.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has congratulated a group of school students from Whangarei for their work promoting the primary industries to their peers.

The Huanui College students from Whangarei were this year’s winners of the Enterprising Primary Industries Careers (EPIC) Challenge, with their winning entry “Bee in the Scene” encouraging students to consider a career in the apiculture industry.

The Government has welcomed the final report from the independent inquiry into last year’s whey protein concentrate (WPC) incident, and will be accepting all of its recommendations.

“The rigour and conclusions of the report, as well as the actions of key players since the incident, should further strengthen confidence in New Zealand’s world class food safety system,” says Mr Guy.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has welcomed Pipfruit New Zealand onboard as the third industry to join the Government’s biosecurity partnership.

The Deed of the Government Industry Agreement (GIA) for Biosecurity Readiness and Response was signed by Pipfruit New Zealand today.

“This means that apple and pear growers and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) can work closely together and make joint decisions on readiness and response to manage mutual high priority biosecurity pests,” says Mr Guy.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Trade Minister Tim Groser have welcomed the one year anniversary today of the Economic Cooperation Agreement between New Zealand and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu on Economi

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Food Safety Minister Jo Goodhew have received the final report from the Government’s inquiry into the whey protein concentrate contamination incident last year.

Ministers will now consider the report and its recommendations. The report will be released along with the Government’s response within the next few weeks.

This part of the inquiry looks at how the potentially contaminated whey protein concentrate entered the New Zealand and international market, and how this was subsequently addressed.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has outlined his goal for the primary sector to double the value of exports by 2025 today in a speech to industry leaders in Wellington today.

“The export double goal is an ambitious but achievable target, which will require export growth of around 5% a year,” says Mr Guy.

“This target is based on 2012 export figures of $32 billion for the primary sector, with the aim of raising this to $64 billion by 2025.

It’s great to be here at the Roxy Cinema in Miramar, in the heart of New Zealand’s film industry. It’s a hugely successful industry with lessons the primary sector can learn from. 

It’s also great to be able to speak in front of so many primary sector leaders. The Primary Sector Bootcamp for me is about sharing ideas, global awareness, and building connectivity between industry and the government.

Good morning, it’s great to be here this morning with you, the people who are the powerhouse behind New Zealand racing.

I’d like to acknowledge your Chair, Glenda Hughes, and your acting Chief Executive, Stewart McRobie. Thank you Glenda for inviting me to address your annual general meeting today.

I’d also like to acknowledge the chairs of your constituent code bodies and their chief executives:

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has visited hail-affected orchards in the Tasman region and says growers are coping well despite the damage caused last week.

“The massive hailstorm last Tuesday has caused a range of damage to approximately 40 apple and kiwifruit orchards around Motueka, Riwaka and lower Moutere,” Mr Guy says.

This is my first visit to India, and it is clear the opportunity and potential here is abundant.

My time here has been very successful. I have just come from a meeting with my counterpart, the Indian Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh.

I took the opportunity to note that New Zealand is sharing its expertise in the fields of agribusiness, IT, hospitality and tourism with India.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has finished the first leg of a six day mission to Sri Lanka and India this week, promoting trade and New Zealand’s co-hosting of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015.

Mr Guy met with President Rajapaksa and several Sri Lankan Ministers over the last two days.

“Our two countries are building a stronger relationship through the New Zealand-Sri Lanka Dairy Cooperation Arrangement (DCA). The DCA is our commitment to the development of Sri Lanka’s dairy industry,” says Mr Guy.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy is leading a six-day New Zealand trade mission to Sri Lanka and India, departing tomorrow.

The Minister will be accompanied by representatives of 15 New Zealand organisations as well as ex-New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming, who is coach of the Chennai Super Kings cricket team.

“This trade mission to Colombo, Delhi and Mumbai is a great opportunity to profile New Zealand’s co-hosting of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup in just 100 days to two cricketing nations,” says Mr Guy.

It’s great to be here today at the official opening of Fonterra’s new UHT milk processing plant.

This is a $126 million project which has been completed in just 12 months, and has created 100 new local jobs.

It’s a real vote of confidence in New Zealand’s dairy industry, which continues to be a major contributor to our economy. Dairy is our biggest single export earner.

It was a great honour to be re-elected for a third term in Government, and to be reappointed as Primary Industries Minister.

Over the last two years as Minister I’ve strongly advocated irrigation and I see the election result as a mandate for our approach.

The need for new irrigation and water storage has been highlighted by severe droughts over the previous two summers.

In fact it is wasteful that we only capture around 2 per cent of rainfall in New Zealand, with the rest roaring out to sea.

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy today announced the Government will invest more than $15 million over a maximum of seven years to support four research partnerships that will benefit New Zealand’s primary industries. 

“These investments will enhance industry involvement and collaboration on strategic research, and improve the performance of key parts of our primary industries leading to increased exports,” Mr Joyce says.

Thank you for the invite.

I want to start by saying that as Minister I’m committed to a vibrant, profitable and sustainable aquaculture industry for New Zealand.

Your industry is a priority for us as a Government and we have a strategy to support this.

Your goal of reaching $1 billion in annual sales fits in with our goal of doubling the value of primary sector exports by 2025.

Challenges ahead

It’s great to be here tonight, talking to everyone involved in Fieldays. This is the biggest event of its kind in the southern hemisphere, attracting nearly 120,000 visitors this year including a large number of international visitors and delegations.

I’ve been coming for a number of years and I’m always blown away by the technology and innovation on display. Fieldays also plays a big part in helping connect rural and urban kiwis, showing off what’s best about the primary industries.

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has congratulated Precision Seafood Harvesting (PSH) for winning the Innovation in Sustainability & Clean Tech award and the Supreme Innovator award at the New Zealand Innovators Awards in Auckland tonight.

“This is a Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) programme, jointly funded by industry and government, with the potential to change the way the world catches fish.