Pipfruit NZ signs GIA Deed

04 December 2014

Pipfruit NZ has signed the GIA Deed for biosecurity readiness and response, becoming the fourth signatory to the Agreement.

Alan Pollard, Chief Executive of Pipfruit NZ, commented, “We are committed to working with government to deliver the best biosecurity outcomes that we can to protect our growing pipfruit sector.”

Pipfruit NZ has been a key partner, along with KVH, MPI and other horticultural sectors, in developing an Operational Agreement for fruit fly which is expected to be finalised early next year. This operational agreement will set out how readiness and response for fruit fly is managed, by whom and how the costs are shared.

Pipfruit NZ was also involved in the recent response to the recent Yellow Spotted Stink Bug. During the response both KVH and Pipfruit formed part of the Response Strategic Leadership (RSL) group as joint decision-makers with MPI. This response was a good example of how industries will work together with MPI under a GIA agreement.

KVH was the first industry signatory to sign the GIA Deed in May this year. Other signatories to the GIA Deed are the Ministry for Primary Industries and NZPork.