Statement of Intent
Nature and Scope of MAF’s Functions
MAF’s Role
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is responsible for developing and implementing a range of interventions and initiatives on behalf of the Government. These are centred on the sustainable development of New Zealand’s agricultural, food, forestry and related sectors and the protection of our biosecurity status.
Accordingly, MAF is mandated to:
• develop, provide and implement policy advice and initiatives on matters affecting the sustainable development of sectors;
• co-ordinate, further develop and co-implement New Zealand’s biosecurity system;
• co-ordinate, develop and negotiate market access frameworks associated with the trade in sector goods;
• develop and implement policy advice and initiatives aimed at “rural proofing” in New Zealand;
• administer and implement aspects of New Zealand’s indigenous forestry legislative framework;
• manage the Crown’s forestry and related assets;
• further develop and administer New Zealand’s animal welfare legislative framework;
• develop and implement aspects of New Zealand’s response to climate change.
In doing so, MAF’s mission is to enhance New Zealand’s natural advantage by leading the protection and sustainable development of our biological resources for all New Zealanders.
One of our key functions is developing and implementing fit-for-purpose and efficient regulation that sets rules governing business behaviour, while minimising compliance costs and fostering innovation. A list of legislation that governs MAF’s activities is included at the end of this SOI.
In performing its role, MAF promotes the economic prosperity, health and wellbeing, and environmental sustainability that contribute to the quality of life New Zealanders enjoy.
MAF’s Role Alongside the Sectors
MAF works in partnership with the agricultural, food and forestry sectors to ensure the operating environment of these sectors supports long-term economic and environmental sustainable development. We view these partnerships as one where we are responsible for developing and maintaining effective and efficient institutional frameworks while the sectors focus on “producing the goods”. In doing so, we work with a range of public and private sector stakeholders to ensure seamless “whole-of-government” engagement and support.
This partnership approach is ably demonstrated in the recently announced New Zealand Fast Forward initiative, a government–industry investment collaboration that responds to emerging threats and opportunities facing New Zealand’s largest sector. This partnership will lift the long-term science base, capability, environmental performance and global competitiveness of New Zealand’s pastoral and food industries. It brings together the Government’s Economic Transformation and Environmental Sustainability themes, and aims to boost the living standards of all New Zealanders.
The Government will make a capital investment of $700 million over 10 to 15 years. Industries and businesses in the pastoral and food sectors will also substantially increase their spending on innovation – beyond “business-as-usual” investments – aiming overall to match the level of Government’s investment.
The New Zealand Fast Forward initiative provides the opportunity to marshal complementary public and private investment to leverage the comparative advantage of New Zealand’s largest sector and our natural resource base. At the same time, the initiative will generate spill-over benefits that will enhance the growth of many of our other sectors. It will help to connect New Zealand producers and manufacturers with both the demands of global markets and the scientists and researchers who can help develop solutions, to give New Zealand the best chance of using our strengths and resources to be world class and globally successful.
MAF engages with the sectors to make sure our decisions regarding industry strategies and structures take into account the wider institutional frameworks. Many of New Zealand’s most important primary sectors are currently facing decisions of how to optimise both their strategies and their structures. One example is the Dairy Industry, which produces over 20 percent of New Zealand exports. MAF has led an interdepartmental group involved with the policy, regulatory, and legal implications of Fonterra’s proposed capital restructure. The core of this proposal envisions the globalisation of New Zealand’s dairy industry in terms of multi-origin sourced milk in addition to selling and promoting New Zealand sourced milk.
MAF has also interacted with a broader range of dairy industry participants and stakeholders through the Review of the Raw Milk Regulations. One of the goals of the Review is to ensure that regulated milk made available under the Regulations is fairly and efficiently priced, which has critical implications for developing a vibrant and innovative sector. Alongside the New Zealand Fast Forward initiative, the Regulations will contribute to a step up in research and development by helping to ensure that raw milk is allocated to its most valuable use, leading to potential new industries based on biotechnologies. This presents opportunities to not only increase the value of New Zealand’s exports but also for New Zealand firms to benefit internationally from their technologies and management systems.
MAF will continue to work alongside the forestry sector in the Forestry Industry Development Agenda (FIDA). The FIDA Steering Group is a forum for strategic industry-government dialogue, supported by strategic research where necessary. FIDA will continue to support the NZ Wood generic wood promotion project, the Excellence in Wood Design project and projects in trade access and bio-energy.
MAF helps facilitate collective industry action by maintaining, advising on, and processing orders under multiple empowering Acts. Examples include the Commodity Levies Act, which enables compulsory funding to be raised by industry for investment in industry-good activities, and the Horticulture Export Authority, which enables standards to be set and enforced for exports of horticultural commodities.
The National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) project also involves partnering with the livestock industry to meet mutual needs. MAF and industry both need good quality information to manage animal disease incursions and demonstrate freedom from disease, ensuring continued access into premium markets for our products. NAIT will establish a single, overarching framework for livestock identification and tracing, starting with cattle and deer. It is in the final stages of design and is expected to roll out in 2009/10. NAIT will hold electronic records of all individual cattle and deer, their movements between properties and other supporting information in one central database. This information can be used for biosecurity, market access, food safety, and will enable better on-farm decision-making and information sharing.
MAF will continue to work alongside the sectors on a range of new opportunities as they arise in 2008-11.
Collaboration with Other Government Agencies
Working collaboratively with other government departments is critical to MAF’s success. The employment of a “one-government” approach creates consistency and co-ordination between departments’ activities. MAF works with several departments across a range of issues such as trade (with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority) and economic transformation (with the Ministry of Economic Development). Two other significant areas of collaboration for 2008–11 are outlined below.
At the Border
In October 2007 Cabinet approved the establishment of a border sector1 governance group, supported by a strategic framework (including shared outcomes) and accompanying work programme.
As a border agency, MAF shares the vision of delivering excellent border management outcomes (see below) by thinking and acting as one. Border agencies are tasked with improving collaboration with one another, and collectively with stakeholders, to:
• increase the border sector’s overall effectiveness and efficiency;
• streamline services to stakeholders while not changing existing accountabilities for individual agencies.
The primary performance measure for 2008/09 is delivery of a joint work programme, with particular emphasis on:
• establishing common definitions, standards, data requirements and protocols for the operation of the sector;
• progressing passenger facilitation initiatives in collaboration with air industry stakeholders;
• achieving detailed scoping and a business case for the inter-agency Border Sector Trade Single Window systems development;
• reviewing governance arrangements in December 2008.
This measure recognises that the border sector agencies are currently in a building phase, focusing on ensuring basic processes and systems are in place to support ongoing collaboration. While there will be early signs of increased collaboration, it is expected that discernable movement toward the sector objective will become evident after several years. Border sector agencies will continue to progress the development of impact performance measures for the three sector outcomes during 2009/10.
Border sector outcomes
Protection: New Zealand is protected from goods, organisms and people that pose a risk to our interests.
Facilitation: New Zealand’s economic and social interests are enhanced by facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel across the border.
Partnership and Responsibility: Everybody understands and undertakes their roles for the effective management of the border.
Border sector objective
An integrated and responsive border management system that best serves New Zealand’s interests by facilitating trade and travel while managing risks.
Resource Use and Climate Change
MAF works collaboratively with the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) on a range of natural resource-based initiatives. Much of this work is ongoing and will continue beyond 2008–11. MAF and MfE are jointly responsible for the Sustainable Water Programme of Action and will continue to work together on initiatives that particularly focus on national instruments using the Resource Management Act 1991 framework. We also work collaboratively on the Flood Risk Management Programme and Sustainable Land Management and Hill Country Erosion.
With regard to climate change, MfE has overall responsibility and co-ordination for the Government’s climate change work, whereas MAF has specific policy leadership on climate change issues as they affect the land-based sector. As such, MAF will work across departments on developing an emissions trading policy, the New Zealand National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, the New Zealand Net Position Report on Greenhouse Gases and international climate change negotiations on Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry, and agriculture. MAF has lead responsibility for implementing the Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change Plan of Action but works collaboratively with MfE on relevant issues such as the Resource Management Act 1991, research and adaptation policy.
1 Comprising the New Zealand Customs Service, Department of Labour, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Ministry of Transport. Because the New Zealand Food Safety Authority and the Department of Internal Affairs have particular border interests, they are closely involved in relevant aspects of the work programme, with other agencies being involved as required.
Contact for Enquiries
Strategy and Performance Group
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: +64 4 894 0100
Fax: +64 4 894 0738
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