Arable GIA work continues

The grouping proposes to establish a new incorporated society that becomes the GIA deed signatory on behalf of growers, processors and distributors for crops harvested for grain, seed and silage, both small and large grain cereals, pulses, legumes, herbage seed, oilseeds and hybrid and open pollinated vegetable crops.
Readiness and response activities will be funded using a biosecurity levy which will be zero rated till it is required.
“It’s a long journey, something like four years, but it’s a complex approach for this industry given the number of industry bodies,” Nick Pyke told farmers at the arable section conference.
“It’s a complicated industry with multiple crops and all stakeholders and growers will be impacted by an incursion.
“There is no existing organisation that can claim to represent the arable industry as the GIA requires so the solution is to establish a single entity and that’s proposed to be Seed and Grain Readiness and Response.”
Pyke said it’s commonsense to cost share and all parties have agreed to that.
“We still have to work through the nitty gritty of the details and receive sign-off from the Ministry for Primary Industries on what is proposed and then go out to growers and industry to seek feedback and support to join GIA.”
Work will continue on progressing the agreement with the intention to seek a grower mandate later this year.
Horticulture New Zealand has signed a Government Industry Agreement (GIA) for Biosecurity Readiness and Response on behalf of Process Vegetables NZ.
PVNZ chairman David Hadfield said robust biosecurity should be seen as an investment for growers.
“Committing to the GIA enables us to have closer, more informed interactions with the Ministry for Primary Industries and other GIA industry partners around biosecurity.
PVNZ represents 350 commercial growers of sweetcorn, beetroot, carrots, parsnips, peas and beans for processing.
The farmgate value of process vegetable crops is more than $60 million a year.