HortNZ - stop Direct Exit, bring back the x-rays
Date: 16 May 2012Horticulture New Zealand is calling on the Government to abandon its ‘Direct Exit’ policy at airports and re-introduce 100% x-ray of passenger bags at the border. “We want 100% x-ray of all passengers arriving from offshore. And we want the beagles back at Wellington Airport,” HortNZ president Andrew Fenton says. HortNZ believes this country might still be able to claim we have the world’s toughest biosecurity protection, but it’s not good ... more
Domino's: public holiday surcharge should be banned
Date: 15 May 2012New Zealand's largest pizza delivery company Domino's Pizza, yesterday announced its removal of a public holiday surcharge from across its menu and is now challenging other NZ food service companies to do the same. Domino's CEO Don Meij said the removal of public holiday surcharging is a significant move forward for the company in simplifying its public holiday pricing and offering its customers better value. "Eighty percent of our customers currently order Domino's using ... more
HortNZ watching QFF response effort closely
Date: 12 May 2012Horticulture New Zealand is reassured by the efforts being made by the Ministry of Primary Industries and Auckland Council staff to control the threat triggered by one Queensland fruit fly this week. “This is an anxious time for all growers,” HortNZ president Andrew Fenton says. “We are watching the response effort closely, we are supporting the Ministry and providing advice where we can.” HortNZ is particularly interested in the implementation of ... more
Kiwis assured their beef and lamb is from NZ
Date: 7 May 2012Recent changes in Australia have seen a proposal from the Australian Government to extend country of origin labelling to unpackaged beef, sheep and chicken meat approved by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Although this compulsory labeling does not exist in New Zealand, Kiwis can be assured their beef and lamb is from New Zealand. The New Zealand Beef & Lamb Quality Mark has been in existence for 15 years. The symbol guarantees beef and lamb is both from New Zealand ... more
NZPork considering High Court judgment
Date: 4 May 2012NZPork and its advisors will carefully consider the judgment handed down by Wellington’s High Court yesterday, which does not support its challenge of new import health standards. The pork industry challenged MAF’s process for deciding new standards – which would permit imports of untreated pig meat from countries infected by the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) virus – in the High Court in August last year. NZPork Chairman, Ian Carter, said ... more
Dairy legislation 'crucial' says van der Heyden
Date: 30 Apr 2012The Dairy Industry Restructuring Act Amendment Bill is crucial to Fonterra and crucial to New Zealand, Chairman Sir Henry van der Heyden said in his opening remarks to the Primary Production Select Committee today. “The Bill will put Fonterra in a position where it can introduce Trading Among Farmers. And Trading Among Farmers will enable Fonterra to remain the national champion our farmer shareholders and New Zealand need,” said Sir Henry. “We need a stable ... more
Improving the labelling of food for health
Date: 20 Apr 2012Front-of-pack (FOP) labelling of food in New Zealand has support from industry, policy-makers and NGOs according to new research from the Universities of Otago and Auckland. The study led by the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, Wellington has just been published in the Health Promotion Journal of Australia. Researchers interviewed 17 key stakeholders from the NZ food industry, policy makers and NGOs about improving food labelling. They also investigated support ... more
Proposed law changes bring Trading Among Farmers a step closer
Date: 28 Mar 2012Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited has welcomed the introduction of a Bill that will help pave the way for the introduction of Trading Among Farmers (TAF). The Dairy Industry Restructuring Amendment Bill contains proposed legislative changes that are necessary for the launch of TAF. Fonterra Chairman Sir Henry van der Heyden said some technical changes sought by the Co-op had been made. “It’s nearly there – but there are some further refinements we will ... more
Milk price bill goes to Parliament
Date: 27 Mar 2012Primary Industries Minister David Carter today tabled the Dairy Industry Restructuring Bill, which includes proposals to oversee Fonterra's farm gate milk price setting. "Because of Fonterra's dominance in the New Zealand market, the price it pays its farmers for milk at the farm gate effectively becomes the default price that all dairy processors must pay to attract supply from farmers,'' Mr Carter said. "The proposed regime will give confidence that the aim of the Dairy ... more
FSANZ consultation paper proposes new approach to regulation of nutritive substances and novel food
Date: 26 Mar 2012Food Standards Australian New Zealand (FSANZ) today released a consultation paper on a proposed new approach to regulating nutritive substances and novel foods. Under the current Food Standards Code, nutritive substances are foods that are not normally consumed as food on their own or used as an ingredient, for example an amino acid. Novel foods are foods or substances that don’t have a history of human consumption. FSANZ Chief Executive Officer Steve McCutcheon said there had ... more
