By 3 News online staff
Biosecurity and food safety systems remain a high priority for primary industry leaders, says KPMG.
The company's annual Agribusiness Agenda is based on the responses of more than 150 surveyed industry leaders.
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy, at the National Fieldays at Mystery Creek, says it shows a strong correlation between Government and industry priorities.
"I'm not surprised to see the significance of biosecurity flagged again by industry, and it has been my number one priority since becoming a minister," he says.
"Ultimately the best biosecurity system for New Zealand will be one where [Ministry for Primary Industries] MPI works in partnership with primary industries on a collaborative approach to preparedness and response, so that industry expertise is harnessed to achieve the outcomes needed."
This year saw the first Government-industry agreement deed signed between MPI and Kiwifruit Vine Health.
The 2014 budget for MPI has increased by around $17 million and Mr Guy says it will go towards "beefing up" the border with new staff, more dog detector teams and new x-ray machines.
3 News
source: newshub archive
