Horticulture NZ right behind Biosecurity Business Pledge

Horticulture New Zealand right behind Biosecurity Business Pledge

Horticulture New Zealand - which represents the interests of more than 5000 fruit and vegetable growers - has signed up to the Biosecurity Business Pledge that the Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor has launched today.

‘We’re very pleased to be supporting this initiative and to see fellow horticulture organisations doing the same,’ says HortNZ President, Barry O’Neil.

‘The pledge is all about businesses working with industry and government to prevent pests and diseases entering New Zealand that could severely affect our economy and the kiwi way of life.’

Horticulture New Zealand has been working with other organisations to take a proactive approach to biosecurity.

‘One of these organisations is Norwood, which is a large importer of farm machinery,’ says Barry.

‘They have committed to the pledge and are taking steps to incorporate biosecurity risk management into their business practices to prevent pests entering New Zealand that could affect their customers and the horticulture industry.

‘We’d like to encourage more businesses like Norwood to sign up to the pledge because biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility.’

New Zealand exports fruit and vegetables to 128 different markets. These exports were worth $3.6 billion in 2018 and are steadily growing. Source: 2019 HortNZ Annual Report.

ENDS

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