2019 Briefing Hon Damien O'Connor - for Minister of Agriculture, Biosecurity and Food Safety - nzppi
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
2019 Briefing
for Minister of Agriculture, Biosecurity and Food Safety
Hon Damien O’Connor
About New Zealand Plant
Producers Inc Our contribution
New Zealand Plant Producers A successful and thriving nursery sector
Incorporated (NZPPI) is the peak industry is critical to the success of NZ’s economy,
body for the nursery and plant production environment communities and regions.
sector.
It also enables the government to meet its
NZPPI was established in 2017, continuing targets across a range of economic, social
over a century of industry representation, and environmental areas.
bringing together a membership base
that includes the nursery businesses • Our sector drives innovation.
that propagate, grow and sell plants and Introducing new plant varieties and
seedlings for forests, ecology, horticulture, production systems enables our
wine and amenity plantings. horticulture, wine and forestry sectors
to remain competitive in global
markets.
Our vision • Producing plants for gardens and
A vibrant plant production amenity spaces improves the physical
industry widely respected for its environment, which will support the
government’s wellbeing indicators.
professionalism, innovation and
contribution to New Zealand.
• Supplying seedlings for riparian
plantings and carbon sinks will enable
the government to achieve its targets
for freshwater quality and climate
About our industry change.
New Zealand’s nursery industry has • Nurseries are critical to meeting the
experienced rapid growth over the past 5 government’s target to plant 1 billion
years, largely in response to the growth in trees by 2028.
the plant based sectors: horticulture, wine
and forestry. • We are working closely with
government and the community to
This growth is set to continue as NZ’s tackle kauri dieback and myrtle rust.
primary industries make the transition to
higher value and more sustainable
production systems, with more
horticulture, forests and plants.
2 2019 Briefing to Minister | NZPPI
Key Facts
$600 million
The estimated annual value
525
The estimated number of
of the nursery sector nursery businesses in NZ
(we are the 5th largest 159 indoors
horticulture sector by value) 366 outdoors
15%
The estimated rate of
5000
The area of crops
ha
growth of the nursery that are planted with
sector seedlings
3400
The number of people
28%
employed in nursery The increase in
production indoor nursery
workers since 2011
1250 outdoors
1150 indoors
3 2019 Briefing to Minister | NZPPI
Our priorities Our concerns
Over the past 18 months NZPPI has Our ability to progress
brought the nursery sector together our work is at risk due to
under a single, united industry deepening frustration within
umbrella. our industry.
For the first time in decades our sector has a single • The poor handling of the myrtle rust
voice and the ability to make progress on the things crisis within nurseries has left many
that matter. But this progress is at risk due to increasing of our members frustrated and out of
frustration with parts of the biosecurity system. pocket. Poor decision making, lack of
planning and delays in compensation
payments has left a legacy of mistrust
among the affected nurseries.
Biosecurity
• Over the past 2 years plant importers
Over the past 18 months our sector has been hit by an
have faced new rules and administrative
unprecedented number of biosecurity events including
hurdles. While they support the need
poinsettia thrips, contaminated pelleted seed, GM
for a strong biosecurity system, many
petunia, myrtle rust, the PEQ crisis and the recent
of the new rules are considered to be
impatiens downy mildew incursion.
unnecessary and unworkable. In many
cases they have been poorly planned
MPI has seen the benefits of NZPPI’s work with our
and implemented.
involvement in these crises.
• Lack of resourcing within the MPI
We are preparing for possible incursions of pests
imports team has led to unacceptable
and diseases such as Xylella and Brown Marmorated
delays in administrative tasks, such
Stink Bug and we are working to bring our sector into
as processing import permits. These
GIA.
delays have caused significant financial
losses for a number of importers and
nurseries.
Biosecurity Certification Scheme
The impact of these issues is that many
In partnership with MPI, NZPPI has led the development have simply lost faith in the system and
of the Plant Producers Biosecurity Scheme (PPBS). This disengaged, while tension continues to
programme sets standards for biosecurity management build among others.
in nurseries, ensuring the safety and hygiene of plants.
This programme will drive a step change in biosecurity Left unresolved, these issues may lead to
management, reducing risk of pests & diseases further mistrust and become a barrier to
spreading form nurseries into production areas and the engagement and progress on important
natural environment. initiatives, such as our industry signing GIA.
We are also strong advocates for the ‘Biosecurity 2025 Progress on these issues is now a matter of
strategy, participating in a number of national and urgency.
local initiatives, including Tauranga Moana Biosecurity
Capital.
Continuing to do this work with the support of our
members is important for our sector, for industry and
for the government.
4 2019 Briefing to Minister | NZPPI
Plant & seed imports Plant importers are experiencing
significant delays in processing
Plant and seed imports are vital plant import permits.
to New Zealand’s plants-based
industries, firstly as a source of new Import permits that previously took 1-3 weeks to
genetic material and also for clean, process are now taking from 1-3 months, creating
frustration and significant financial losses for
virus free propagation material. importers and plant producers.
Over the past 3 years new phytosanitary requirements These delays are due to new importation rules
in the nursery stock pathway have become a and under-resourcing within MPI’s plant imports
significant barrier to plant and germplasm imports. team.
We are concerned that a lack of funding, capacity
We encourage greater recognition of the and workforce stability is undermining the ability
value and importance of plant imports to achieve meaningful action and resolution of
to the NZ primary industries. significant issues.We note that these resourcing
issues in the plants team are happening while
resourcing for M Bovis has increased.
NZPPI is calling for strong leadership
and a fundamental change in the way
in which risk is managed for imported
nursery stock. Continuing to impose We welcome the recent announcement
barriers to plant and seed imports will of additional staff and resourcing in
ultimately leave our horticulture and the plant imports team. This comes
plant-based sectors uncompetitive and after a long period of under-resourcing
vulnerable. in this important area.
We applaud MPI for initiating the First We request that this team gets the
Principles Review, which will look into support and resources it needs to
the plant imports system. We hope undertake its responsibilities in a
that this review will deliver a more timely and efficient manner.
workable plant imports system.
5 2019 Briefing to Minister | NZPPI
Pelleted seed testing Quarantine and
(ornamentals) laboratory facilities
In June 2016, MPI implemented The quarantine and
emergency measures that require laboratory facilities that
testing of imported pelleted seed are provided by MPI at the
in response to an incidence of Tamaki site in Auckland, are
contamination of fodder beet with outdated, under capacity and
serious weed species, including velvet inadequate for their purpose.
leaf.
A lack of investment in this site over
many years means that this site has fallen
The testing regime has captured all types of pelleted
behind what is available in many of our
seed, including plant species used for bedding plants and
competitor countries, including Australia.
vegetables for use in home gardens. The testing protocols
require the destructive testing of 10% of the quantity of
Capacity at the Tamaki facility is fully
seed. This trial has cost seed importers and bedding plant
booked until 2022, with bookings in place
nurseries business over $200,000 in testing and lost seed.
out to 2029.
The testing requirement remains in place despite test
results showing no detected contamination from risk
species.
NZPPI supports MPI’s proposal
to rebuild and relocate the
Plant Health and Environment
Laboratory (PHEL) and Level 3B
We request the immediate withdrawal of
Post Entry Quarantine (PEQ)
the testing programme for ornamental
Greenhouse facilities.
pelleted seed.
This testing programme was introduced as
a temporary measure to assess risk. Test
results have confirmed that this category
of seeds presents no material risk and
continuing to include ornamental seeds in
this programme is unjustified.
6 2019 Briefing to Minister | NZPPI
One billion trees
NZPPI welcomes the government’s
announcement of the One Billion Trees
fund, in particular the commitment
of $120 million partnership fund for
innovation and capability building.
This investment is urgently needed to develop the
science, innovation and skills that will enable our
sector to grow the quantity of seedling needed
to meet the increase in demand over the coming
decade.
There are some significant challenges
to overcome, including:
• subsidised and government funded
plant production from prison, DoC and
regional council nurseries operating in
competition with commercial nurseries.
• government procurement practices that
drive down value are impractical, lack
fairness and push risk back to plant
producers.
• a lack of forward planning and
engagement with nurseries initiating
planting projects.
NZPPI BOARD MEMBERS
Andrew Harrison
The One Billion Trees programme has taken time to Independent Chair
get underway and we are looking forward to making
faster progress during 2019. Geoff Thorpe (ONZM)
MD Riversun Nursery Ltd
Vince Wylaars
NZPPI has applied for project funding
MD Zealandia Horticulture Ltd
from the PGF to scope out many of these
pipeline issues and work out solutions in Mike Simpson
order for these projects to have a far better MD Waimea Nurseries Ltd
chance of success without putting local
Patrick Murray
business out of business.
MD Murray’s Nurseries Ltd
Greg Kitson
MD Ambrosia Nurseries Ltd
7 2019 Briefing to Minister | NZPPIPO Box 3443 Wellington 6140 l Level 5, 23 Waring Taylor Street, Wellington P: 04 918 3511 F: 04 499 9589 E: office@nzppi.co.nz W: www.nzppi.co.nz
You can also read
