Primary Industry Training Organisations To Merge

Media Release
3 April 2012

Two Primary Sector Industry Training Organisations Announce Intention to Merge

The Seafood ITO and the NZITO (meat and dairy sector) have today signed a Memorandum of Intent to investigate a full merger of the two organizations.

The merged entity will service a workforce of over 60,000 people nationally, covering three key export industries – meat, dairy and seafood.

These are all strategically important export industries. The idea of an integrated primary sector ITO has been in the minds of both organisations for some time, and this is a significant step on the way.

The merger will have three principal benefits. It will coordinate effort between these industries, drawing on the experience of each other. There will be greater financial stability and greater efficiency in the use of resources and is a significant step towards a strategically focused primary sector-wide ITO.

We note that this merger is in line with the trend towards a whole-of-sector view which is also evident in other initiatives such as Government’s plan to form a Ministry of Primary Industry and its emphasis on education and economic development.

The purpose of this announcement is to let it be known that serious planning is underway. Staff has been informed of the decision and will be involved in the forward planning. A firm date for the merger will be announced when it is decided and it is expected that the respective Boards will make final decisions by the end of May 2012.

ENDS

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