MPI cuts 391 jobs
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has informed staff it will cut 391 jobs following a consultation period.
It is "inbelievable" that it took six weeks to identify a limb found in palm kernel expeller (PKE) came from a New Zealand sheep, says Labour's biosecurity and primary industries spokesperson Damien O'Connor says.
"The discovery of an animal limb in a shipment of PKE delivered to a Bay of Plenty farmer has rightly rung alarm bells across our primary sector economy," says O'Connor.
"It resulted in a six-week long process to identify what the Ministry of Primary Industries initially claimed was a bone from a small exotic animal, but which it now 'confirms' as having come from a New Zealand sheep.
"This unbelievably long and protracted process raises as many questions as it provides interim answers.
"The system is clearly failing if it takes that long to identify a domestic sheep limb.
"Primary Industries Minister, Nathan Guy, and Ministry bosses have offered numerous assurances in the past - on a range of issues - that later proved to be inaccurate, hence I have little confidence in today's announcement.
"If it takes MPI six weeks to identify a NZ sheep, no wonder it is blind to the risk of contamination in PKE imports.
"Two farmers provided the information and evidence exposing the threat, yet Mr Guy and his officials continue to deny the reality of this potential pathway for foot and mouth disease to enter New Zealand.
"I simply can't believe it has taken the Minister this long to identify where, or what, the limb came from. I also don't believe that he is operating a safe biosecurity system."
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
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.