Steps to reduce the potentially devastating impact of a fruit fly incursion have been taken by Government and a number of horticulture industry groups.
Steps to reduce the devastating impacts of the four most common fruit fly has been made by Government and a number of horticulture industry groups.
The new agreement, under the Government Industry Agreement for Biosecurity Readiness and Response (GIA) which sets out the contractual arrangements of how industry and Government will work together to manage fruit fly, was signed at the B3 Conference in Wellington, in early May marking the first deal of its kind.
The agreement establishes the operational details for readiness and response activities and cost-sharing arrangements, to deliver better biosecurity outcomes. It includes the roles and responsibilities of all the parties, including how joint activities will be cost shared. Signatories to the agreement have a say in how a fruit fly incursion will be managed.
Initial Signatories to the agreement include Pipfruit NZ, Kiwifruit Vine Health, New Zealand Avocado Growers Association Inc., New Zealand Citrus Growers Inc. and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). The agreement can only be signed by Government Industry Agreement (GIA) Deed Signatories. It is expected that other industry groups impacted by fruit fly will also sign the operational agreement once they have joined the GIA partnership.
“This is a significant milestone – it is the first time industry and Government have come together in this way to manage a shared biosecurity threat,” said Mr Rich.
“Under GIA, operational agreements provide the detailed contractual arrangements of how industry and government will work together to deliver better biosecurity outcomes.”
“This agreement provides a prime example of how biosecurity will come to be managed in New Zealand. It will see signatories working together to reduce the impacts from fruit fly by agreeing readiness and response activities, associated decision rights and cost-sharing arrangements, between all parties,” said Mr Rich.
Other attendees included representatives from industry groups, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the GIA Secretariat.
View a copy of the summary or find out more.
For further comment, contact:
Steve Rich
GIA Secretariat Manager
steve.rich@mpi.govt.nz
04 894 0419 I 021 445 180
Image caption from left to right: Seated: David Teulon (B3), Jen Scoular (NZ Avocado), Alan Pollard (Pipfruit NZ), Barry O'Neill (KVH), Rebecca Fisher (NZ Citrus Growers' Inc), Andrew Coleman (MPI). Standing: Martyn Dunne (MPI), Hon Nathan Guy (Minister for Primary Industries), and Philip Manson (NZ Wine Growers).