GIA Secretariat Manager, Steve Rich, commended both Government and the horticulture groups on the signing of the operational agreement, saying it will help to ensure New Zealand is kept free from fruit flies. “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. It is also the first operational agreement under the Government Industry Agreement (GIA).”

“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,” Rich said.

Signatories to the agreement are Pipfruit NZ, Kiwifruit Vine Health, New Zealand Avocado Growers’ Association Inc., New Zealand Citrus Growers’ Inc. and the Ministry for Primary Industries. It is expected that other industry groups impacted by fruit fly will also sign the operational agreement once they have joined the GIA partnership.

The agreement was signed by the parties at the B3 – Better Border Biosecurity Conference – and was attended by the Minister for Primary Industries, Hon Nathan Guy. Other attendees included representatives from industry groups, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the GIA Secretariat.

For more information, visit: www.gia.org.nz.