Thursday, 02 April 2020 09:32

Primary sector responds to COVID-19 challenge

Written by  Peter Burke
Ray Smith. Ray Smith.

MPI director general Ray Smith has praised the country’s farming leaders for their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Smith says while primary food production is in business, but it’s not business as usual and we used to know it.

More than the 100 primary sector industry leaders he spoke to on a video link took that message on board and have been working on innovative solutions to deal with the crisis. Smith says it’s pleasing to see them being prepared to yield a bit to ensure the best outcome for the country. 

He cites as an example of this the protocol that has been agreed by the meat processing companies to keep their works operating, albeit at a much lower level of production. MPI set out its criteria and industry came up with a solution that will keep its workers safe and plants open for business.     

Currently about 90% of MPI’s 3500 workforce are operating from home, but many staff – such as those in biosecurity at airports and shipping terminals – are still working in the field.

“We also have people out on the road undertaking verification duties, there are still people who need to certify products for export and all those sorts of things that are needed to keep the systems flying. Some will still turn up on farm depending on what the circumstances are.” 

Smith, himself, is one of three staff working from MPI’s head office in Wellington where normally 1200 people work. He says half his executive team are working from home, but they hold two major conference calls each day to make sure plans are in place to deal the COVID-19 implications for the rural sector.

More like this

Bikinis in cowshed

OPINION: An animal activist organisation is calling for an investigation into the use of dairy cows in sexuallly explicit content posted on social media and adult entertainment subscription site OnlyFans.

Editorial: Agri's mojo is back

OPINION: Good times are coming back for the primary industries. From sentiment expressed at Fieldays to the latest rural confidence survey results, all indicate farmer confidence at a near-record high.

Sorry, not sorry

OPINION: Did former PM Jacinda Ardern get fawning reviews for her book?

MPI: Primary sector exports hit record $60B

A blockbuster year and an exciting performance: that's how Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Director General, Ray Smith is describing the massive upsurge in the fortunes of the primary sector exports for the year ended June 2025.

Featured

Editorial: Sensible move

OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Overbearing?

OPINION: Dust ups between rural media and PR types aren't unheard of but also aren't common, given part of the…

Foot-in-mouth

OPINION: The Hound hears from his canine pals in Southland that an individual's derogatory remarks on social media have left…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter