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Funding round open for Greenhouse Gas Inventory Research

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is seeking research proposals to help improve New Zealand’s reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, forestry, and other land uses.

The annual funding round for the Greenhouse Gas Inventory Research (GHGIR) fund is now open, with $2.9 million of funding available for new GHGIR projects in the 2024/25 financial year.

“The GHGIR focuses on improving our knowledge of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions, to ensure we have the best possible data to help manage New Zealand’s emissions and inform policy decisions,” says Stephanie Preston, MPI’s director of programmes and planning, policy and trade.

“This year we’re looking for very specific research proposals in 10 priority areas, ranging from improving liveweight estimation of sheep and beef to exploring remote sensing methods of collecting data, such as using satellite data to measure feed type and quality.

“The outcomes will inform MPI’s reporting to the New Zealand Greenhouse Gas Inventory and the United Nations under the Paris Climate Agreement.”

Applications close on 30 October 2024, with successful proposals expected to be announced by the end of February 2025.

Background information

The annual Greenhouse Gas Inventory reports on human-induced emissions and removals of greenhouse gases for energy, industrial processes, agriculture, land use, land-use change and forestry, and waste.

The Inventory is produced by government agencies, with MPI being responsible for producing the chapter on agricultural emissions (the Agriculture Greenhouse Gas Inventory). The report is submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariat each year.

The 10 priorities for this year’s funding round are:

  • non-forest land-use emissions model
  • review and improve energy equations and intake
  • review QA/QC of inventory model code
  • review liming emissions
  • measure values relevant to the inventory using remote sensing techniques 
  • improving the modelling of dairy beef cattle 
  • improve liveweight estimation of sheep and beef
  • seasonal dairy supplementary feed data intake 
  • new afforestation and deforestation intentions survey 
  • improved activity data and parameters for deer.

The priorities paper for 2024 is on MPI’s Applying for Greenhouse Gas Inventory Research funding web page.

Applying for Greenhouse Gas Inventory Research funding

Research funded via GHGIR has led to improvements in the accuracy of estimated emissions from agriculture and forestry including: 

  • new data to reflect the use of non-pasture feed for dairy cattle, beef cattle and sheep
  • New Zealand-specific nitrous oxide emission factors from animal excreta split by stock type and hill slope.

Previous examples of projects recently funded

Reports from completed GHGIR funded research

For general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 00 83 33 or email info@mpi.govt.nz

For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328

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Arran Farm raw milk recalled due to Campylobacter concerns

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries

Arran Trust is recalling specific batches of its Arran Farm brand raw (unpasteurised) drinking milk, as the product may contain Campylobacter.

“The concern with this unpasteurised milk is that it may contain Campylobacter, a foodborne bacterium that can make you sick,” says New Zealand Food Safety acting deputy director-general Jenny Bishop.

“The affected product is Arran Farm raw drinking milk sold between 23 August 2024 and 17 September 2024.”

The milk was sold through a vending machine at Arran Farm Milk Shop in Feilding. It has not been exported.

“This raw milk should not be consumed. Return it to Arran Farm for a refund or, if that’s not possible, throw it out,” says Ms Bishop. “You can also heat the raw milk until just boiling for one minute to kill any bacteria present before drinking it.

“Drinking raw milk carries inherent risks as it may contain harmful bacteria that are killed through the pasteurisation process.”

Symptoms of Campylobacter infection are vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, headache, and body aches.

If you have consumed any of this product and are concerned for your health, contact your health professional, or call Healthline on 0800 61 11 16 for free advice.

The product under recall was identified through routine testing.

Visit New Zealand Food Safety’s recall page for up-to-date information and photographs of the affected products. 

Arran Farm brand Raw Drinking Milk (unpasteurised)

“As is our usual practice, we will work with Arran Trust to understand how the contamination occurred and to prevent its recurrence,” Ms Bishop said.

Raw milk is not pasteurised, which means it misses out on an important process that kills harmful bacteria.  Read more about food safety risk associated with raw milk on the NZFS website.

Is it safe to drink raw milk and eat raw milk products?

The consequences of getting sick from raw milk can be serious for vulnerable people. We recommend that pregnant people, older people, babies and young children, or those with low immunity should avoid drinking raw milk. 

The vast majority of food sold in New Zealand is safe, but sometimes problems can occur.  Help keep yourself and your family safe by subscribing to our recall alerts. Information on how to subscribe is on the NZFS food recall page.

Recalled food products list

For more information, contact New Zealand Food Safety’s media team on NZFoodSafety_media@mpi.govt.nz.

For general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 00 83 33 or email info@mpi.govt.nz

For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328

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Proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries

On this page

We want your views about modernising the Biosecurity Act

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has completed a review of the Biosecurity Act 1993. While the Biosecurity Act is working well, there are some critical areas that need legislative change. We propose amending the Biosecurity Act to deliver solutions to these problems and capitalise on the opportunity to do things better.

We have developed a range of proposals for discussion to update and modernise the Act.

Your views are essential to help us understand the impacts each proposal may have.

Your input on these ideas will help us advise the Government on a potential amendment bill.

What we are proposing

This consultation package contains more than 70 proposals that span across a range of areas in the biosecurity system. These proposals have been grouped into 6 topics.

  1. System-wide issues.
  2. Funding and compensation.
  3. Border and imports.
  4. Readiness and response.
  5. Long-term management.
  6. Surveillance and legislative interfaces.

We have prepared 7 discussion documents – an overview and separate documents for each topic.

For each discussion document, there is an accompanying regulatory impact statement, which provides a high-level summary of the problem being addressed, the options and their associated costs and benefits, the consultation undertaken, and the proposed arrangements for implementation and review.

Brief summaries about the topics and background information are on this page. Full details are in the discussion documents.  

You have from 19 September until 29 November 2024 to make a submission.

Discussion documents

Regulatory impact statements

Making your submission

Send us your feedback by 5pm on 29 November 2024.

We recommend using the online form.

Proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act 1993 – SurveyMonkey

You can also provide feedback by email to BiosecurityBill@mpi.govt.nz

While we prefer you use the online form or email, you can post written submissions to:

Biosecurity System Policy team
Policy and Trade Branch
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140.

What to include in your submission

Make sure you tell us in your submission:

  • the topic of the consultation. If submitting by email (put ‘Submission on proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act’ in the subject line)
  • your name and title (unless you are making an anonymous submission)
  • your organisation’s name (if you are submitting on behalf of an organisation, and whether your submission represents the whole organisation or a section of it)
  • your contact details (such as phone number, address, and email – unless you wish to remain anonymous).

The next steps following this consultation

At the end of the consultation, MPI will analyse every submission and make recommendations to the Minister for Biosecurity. A summary of submissions will be posted on this page.

We anticipate that final policy proposals will be considered by Cabinet in 2025.

Summaries of proposals covered in the 6 topic areas

The proposals are grouped under topics or interest areas to make it easier for you to give feedback.

System-wide issues

Proposals under this theme relate to purpose provisions in the Biosecurity Act, ministerial involvement in significant decisions, local knowledge in decision-making, biometric information, and enforcing the law.

Funding and compensation

These proposals seek to improve how the biosecurity system is funded and relate to cost-sharing arrangements under the Government Industry Agreement, cost recovery from non-signatory beneficiaries, and compensation.

Border and imports

Proposals for this area aim to strengthen biosecurity processes at the border and improve the Import Health Standard (IHS) system. The proposals relate to IHS processes, passenger processing, transitional and containment facilities, and biosecurity control areas.

Readiness and response

These proposals aim to strengthen how the biosecurity system prepares for and responds to biosecurity threats once they have arrived in New Zealand. Proposals include changing the Government Industry Agreement partnership, emergency declarations, and biosecurity practices.

Long-term management

These proposals seek to strengthen the pest and pathway management system. Proposals relate to creating pest and pathway management plans, better long-term management outcomes, better management of unwanted and notifiable organisms, and changing definitions related to unauthorised goods.

Surveillance and interfaces with Department of Conservation-administered legislation

These proposals focus on surveillance, and improving how the Biosecurity Act interacts with other legislation including Freshwater Fisheries Regulations, the Marine Mammals Protection Act, and the Wild Animal Control Act. 

Background information on this consultation and the Act

New Zealand’s biosecurity system helps protect our economy, environment, and people from unwanted pests and diseases.

Our biosecurity system is underpinned by the Biosecurity Act 1993. The Act provides the main legal framework for MPI and other organisations to manage and respond to harmful pests and diseases. The Act provides MPI and other organisations the tools to manage biosecurity risk before it arrives on New Zealand’s shore, at the border, and within New Zealand.

While the Act has served us well for the last 30 years, increasing pressures on the biosecurity system from trade, travel, online purchasing and climate change mean some changes are required to keep the system resilient and fit for the future. We have an opportunity now to strengthen the biosecurity system and make it efficient, cost-effective, and adaptable.

Since 2019, we have talked with key stakeholders (including mana whenua, regional councils, Government Industry Agreement partners, and other government agencies) about potential updates to the Act and key policy issues.

Biosecurity Act 1993 – NZ Legislation

Submissions are public information

Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.

People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.

If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.

Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation

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Sales of antibiotics used in animals and plants down for sixth year in a row

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries

Total sales of veterinary and horticultural antibiotics in New Zealand are down for a sixth year running, and sales of antibiotics considered critical for human health almost halved in the past year.

“Antibiotics are essential for the treatment of bacterial infections in humans, animals, and plants. But they need to be used responsibly to prevent antimicrobial resistance (AMR),” says New Zealand Food Safety acting deputy-director general Jenny Bishop.

“AMR is what happens when germs develop the ability to resist the medicines designed to kill them.

“The World Health Organization has identified AMR as one of the top 10 global health threats facing humanity. So, it’s vital we ensure our current antibiotics can continue to be used.

“These results, released today in our latest Antibiotic Agricultural Compound Sales Analysis, are a clear sign that antibiotics are being more carefully used, which is great news for human and animal health.

Antibiotic Agricultural Compound Sales Analysis [PDF, 1 MB]

“They are a direct result of the concerted effort by veterinarians, farmers, industry and New Zealand Food Safety to ensure these life-saving medicines are used appropriately so they stay effective.”

The latest report evaluates 15 classes of antibiotics sold during 2023 for use for farm animals, pets, and horticulture. We use this sales data as a proxy for measuring use. 

Antibiotics sold for animal use were distributed among 24 million sheep, 10 million cattle, 124 million poultry, 600,000 pigs, 148,000 horses, 2 million household pets, and many other species.

The report shows that sales for the 5 classes of antibiotics considered critical for human health decreased by 46% to 3,416kg from 6,285kg in 2022. Total sales decreased for a sixth year in a row, dropping 3.6% from 41,033kg in 2022.

“Since a 2017 peak of 71,361kg, total antibiotic sales have dropped to 39,549kg in 2023. That’s an impressive 45% decrease,” says Ms Bishop.

“Apart from tracking sales for the valuable insights they provide, New Zealand Food Safety is doing other important work to help decrease AMR.

“We’re currently reviewing our regulatory oversight of antibiotics used in plants and animals. This could lead to a further reduction in antibiotic use, as controls for some antibiotics might be tightened.

“This extensive piece of work, which involves reassessing hundreds of antibiotic products, has been divided into 4 tranches. Tranche one has been completed and tranche two is underway.”

Summary Report: Tranche One Changes to Cephalosporin, Macrolide, and Penicillin-Based Veterinary Medicines Post-Reassessment [PDF, 462 KB]

“We also work closely with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and international regulators in an effort to manage AMR,” says Ms Bishop.

“In 2017, the New Zealand Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan was jointly developed by MoH, New Zealand Food Safety and representatives from across the human health, animal health and agriculture sectors.

“And just this month, we published our own New Zealand Plant and Animal Sectors’ AMR Implementation Plan to underpin the national initiative.

New Zealand Plant and Animal Sectors’ AMR Implementation Plan [PDF, 552 KB]

“Our plan includes activities to mitigate AMR, the expected outcomes of each activity, the organisation responsible for each activity, and the activities’ deliverables and timeframes.

“We’re all in this together, so New Zealand Food Safety will keep pushing to curb antimicrobial resistance,” says Ms Bishop.

Controlling and preventing antimicrobial resistance

New Zealand Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan – Ministry of Health

For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 00 83 33 or email info@mpi.govt.nz

For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328.

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Hazardous substances newsletter – September 2024

Source: Worksafe New Zealand

Our September hazardous substances update.

In this issue:

  • Consolidated safe work instruments – a new WorkSafe product
  • Improved asbestos guides now available
  • Consultation on proposed WorkSafe safe work instruments
  • Consultation on proposed restricted entry intervals for pesticides and supporting quick guide
  • New resource for emerging technology safety

Read the whole issue(external link)

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Priority plans chart WorkSafe’s way forward

Source: Worksafe New Zealand

WorkSafe has published priority plans, which will bring to life its new strategy over the next two years. WorkSafe will deliver enforcement, engagement, and permitting activities across these priority areas to maximise our influence and achieve better, more equitable outcomes.

The plans cover the sectors with highest work-related harm in Aotearoa – construction, manufacturing, forestry, and agriculture. There’s also a permitting plan covering specific high-risk work such as mining, adventure activities, and some work involving hazardous substances. 

The plans guide WorkSafe’s targeted engagement and enforcement activities and are part of WorkSafe’s strategic reset. The new strategy simplifies how WorkSafe will deliver its main role, which is to influence businesses and workers to meet their health and safety responsibilities and to hold them to account if they don’t. 

The strategy acknowledges WorkSafe cannot be everywhere and emphasises the importance of collaboration. WorkSafe will continue to work with partners, including industry bodies, government agencies, iwi, and unions, to understand risk and harm, measure the impact, and refine plans over time.

Read the strategy

Read the sector plans

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New Zealand Food Safety on track to meet campylobacteriosis-reduction target

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries

New Zealand Food Safety is approaching its target to reduce rates of campylobacteriosis, the country’s most common foodborne illness, a new report published today has found.

Annual report concerning Foodborne Diseases in New Zealand 2023 [PDF, 5 MB]

The report, prepared for New Zealand Food Safety by the Institute for Environmental and Scientific Research (ESR), found that the rate of New Zealand-acquired foodborne illness caused by the bacteria Campylobacter has fallen from 88 to 77 cases per 100,000 population over the past 4 years.

“New Zealand Food Safety has made reducing campylobacteriosis rates a key priority, and we’ve made great strides in recent years,” says New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle.

“Rates of infection more than halved between 2006 and 2020. In 2020 we set a target to reduce the rate by a further 20%, taking it to 70 cases per 100,000 by the end of 2024.

“These latest results show this goal is in sight, which is a testament to the combined and sustained work of government and industry over time.

“The Campylobacter Action Plan, put in place to help tackle the issue, mainly focuses on steps to reduce the levels of Campylobacter through the poultry food chain. We have worked with government, industry and NGOs right across the poultry food chain through the Campylobacter governance group with representatives from Ministry of Health, Poultry Industry Association of New Zealand, Foodstuffs North Island, Foodstuffs South Island, Woolworths NZ, and Consumer NZ.”

Campylobacter Action Plan

The poultry industry has continued to improve processing practices over time, resulting in a sustained reduction in the proportion of birds that have detectable levels of Campylobacter at the end of primary processing.

While changes in the food supply chain have achieved good results, consumer awareness remains an important part of the effort, Mr Arbuckle says.

“We know that about half of all foodborne illness is caused at home. These illnesses can be prevented with good food preparation techniques as well as proper cooking and storage.

“To support prevention of Campylobacter at home we run public education campaigns which focus on giving people information they can use to keep themselves safe.

“While it is rewarding to see campylobacteriosis rates falling, there is more work to do. The symptoms of campylobacteriosis can be unpleasant for healthy adults and the consequences for the very young and people over 65 can be serious.”

The report also provides data on other foodborne illnesses in New Zealand, including listeriosis, which remains steady with 37 cases notified this year, Mr Arbuckle said.

“Listeria is common in the environment and while case of illness are low, listeriosis can have tragic consequences, including death. Of the notified cases, 26 people were in the 60-plus age group, and 7 people died with listeriosis this year.

“There are a range of practical measures people can take at home to reduce their risk from Listeria. More information is available on our website.

Listeria infection: symptoms and advice

New Zealand Food Safety ran a Listeria education campaign in June targeting pregnant people and those aged over 60.

By the numbers:

  • 76.8 campylobacteriosis cases per 100,000 population, with 4,010 cases domestically acquired
  • 989 hospitalised with campylobacteriosis, with 325 in the over-70 age group – the highest number of hospitalisations across all age groups
  • 37 cases of listeriosis, with 7 deaths. 26 of these cases occurred in people aged over 60. 

Media release: Simple steps to avoid life-threatening listeriosis

Campylobacter infection: symptoms and advice

For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 00 83 33 or email info@mpi.govt.nz

For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328.

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WorkSafe advisory: slide pulsators

Source: Worksafe New Zealand

WorkSafe is recommending the dairy industry reassess its use of slide pulsators, following a recent death in a Waikato milking shed.

Jeff Bolstad died on 27 July in Morrinsville, when his clothing become entangled in the rotating bar of a slide pulsator. There is no indication the 69-year-old intentionally reached into any part of the machinery.

WorkSafe is in the early stages of investigating the circumstances, but already has enough information to urge caution.

“We are extremely concerned about the risk posed by exposed moving parts on slide pulsators, and urge farmers to check their set-up is safe or bring a specialist in for advice,” says WorkSafe’s investigation manager, Paul West.

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, there is an obligation for businesses to manage their health and safety risks.

For farmers, this means to either ensure slide pulsators are safe, substitute them for an electronic pulsator, install safeguarding to prevent access to any moving parts, or remove them. PVC tubing used on some farms is unlikely to provide enough protection to eliminate the risk and meet the required guarding standards.

“The risk of clothing entanglement is real, and steps need to be taken to manage that risk. Any rotating shafts that can catch clothing or body parts need as much protective guarding as possible, or to be replaced,” says WorkSafe’s Paul West.

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Recovering the costs of goods management activities at the border

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries

Have your say

The New Zealand Customs Service (Customs) and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) want your feedback about proposed changes to the fees and levies charged for clearing and handling goods at the border.

We want to:

  • make goods clearance activities financially sustainable
  • improve fairness by recovering costs from all importers.

MPI is not proposing to increase biosecurity expenditure on the cargo pathway.

These proposals will affect users of MPI’s services such as commercial vessels and importers of low-value goods.

Some other proposals are part of this consultation. Those proposals relate to Customs’ fees, including changes to the method of charging and to fee levels.

Full details about the proposals, the consultation document, and instructions for making a submission are on the Customs’ website. Submissions must be received by 31 October 2024.

Recovering the costs of goods management activities at the border – Customs

Submissions are public information

Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.

People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.

If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.

Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation