MPI cuts 391 jobs
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has informed staff it will cut 391 jobs following a consultation period.
Two new dog teams start today at Christchurch airport – doubling the biosecurity detector dog capacity at the airport, says the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
Stephen James graduated from his training as a quarantine inspector and a dog handler at a ceremony in Auckland on Friday, along with 46 other new biosecurity frontline staff. Today is his first day on the job as a warranted inspector.
He will work with Vinnie, an experienced beagle, to sniff out exotic pests and diseases that pose biosecurity risk to New Zealand.
Stephen will be joined by handler Jemma Grant and detector dog Rogue.
Jemma, a quarantine inspector for more than four years, graduated as a dog handler at Friday's ceremony. It will be the first day on the job for 6-year-old Rogue.
The two teams will work at the local port as well as the airport.
"The new staff we have just deployed across the country will bring MPI's biosecurity frontline up to full strength and will help the ministry meet the demands of the busy summer peak season," says border clearance services manager Steve Gilbert.
He says detector dog teams are very useful for detecting biosecurity risks when used with other checks.
"No tool is sufficient to manage biosecurity by itself. Dogs are good at picking up seeds and plants that can be hard to detect by x-ray. They also screen people faster than x-ray, and their visual presence is a significant factor," he says.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has informed staff it will cut 391 jobs following a consultation period.
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