Representing New Zealand Meat Processors, Marketers and Exporters
30 January 2002
MEDIA STATEMENT
“Meat Industry Welcomes Reform Of Food Administration”
The Government’s announcement today that the ministries of Agriculture and Health would merge their responsibilities for
food regulations into an integrated food agency based in MAF, and the appointment of Annette King as Minister for food
safety, was welcomed by the Meat Industry Association.
MIA Executive Director, Brian Lynch, said “it’s pleasing that action has at last been taken to overhaul New Zealand’s
outdated framework of food safety regulation. For more than three years food processors and exporters have been calling
for reform. This decision means that after 1 July they will not have to cope with legislation that is poorly focussed
and fragmented. The confusing and costly split of responsibilities between the ministries of Agriculture and Health will
disappear”.
Mr Lynch said meat companies had advocated a single regime of food administration and an authority based in MAF with
sole responsibility for giving food safety advice and administering food-related regulations.
“Ministers have accepted that giving MAF the task of overseeing all food regulations will not risk having an export
focus overshadow the concerns of domestic consumers in New Zealand. We have never seen the interests of processors and
consumers being in conflict. Both stand to gain from the new arrangement”.
Mr Lynch said the export meat sector welcomed the government’s assurance that special care would be taken to protect the
highly respected “MAF brand”. “It is essential that importing countries continue to have confidence in the integrity of
New Zealand’s food safety programmes”, he said.
ENDS