France's Minister of Agriculture, Jean Glavany, is to visit New Zealand next week, Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton said today.

Mr Glavany will be accompanied by his partner, Karine Hoarau, and officials during the three-day visit.

The French delegation arrive in Auckland on Friday, September 15, and leave Auckland on Sunday, September 17.

During his visit, Mr Glavany is to visit three farms and two vineyards to get an appreciation for New Zealand agriculture. He will also meet representatives of agricultural groups while in Auckland.

Mr Sutton said he was delighted Mr Glavany was to visit New Zealand.

When Mr Sutton visited Paris in May, the two ministers had a frank discussion about the viability of farming without subsidies. Mr Sutton said it would be eye-opening for his French counterpart to meet and talk with ordinary New Zealand farmers who were doing well without government handouts.

"New Zealand agriculture is a shining example to the world of what can be achieved. The contribution of farming to the New Zealand economy has significantly increased since subsidies, including supplementary minimum prices, were abolished in the mid-1980s."

Note: a media stand-up press conference with both ministers will be held on Friday, September 15, at 5.15pm at the Sheraton Hotel in Auckland. Any media interested in attending are requested to arrive in the hotel lobby by 5pm and will be taken to the room where the ministers are meeting.

Biography for Jean GLAVANY
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries

Date of Birth: 14 May 1949
Married, three children
Studies: Sociology degree,
Economics degree,
Diploma from Paris Institute of Political Studies,
Specialised Diploma in Urban Economics,
Thesis completed 6/12/1977 entitled "The Social
Costs of
Urban Growth "

Professional Career:
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|
|1972-1975 |Teacher
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|
|1975-1976 |Research Executive, Department of Construction
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|
| 1976-1979 |Parliamentary assistant
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|
|1979-1981 |Assistant to the First Secretary of the Socialist
|
| |Party
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|
|June 1981 - July|Principal private secretary of the President of the
|
|1988 |French Republic
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|
|March 1988 |Prefect
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|
|July 1998- April|National co-ordinator for the Winter Olympics 1992
|
|1992 |
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|
|Since 1989 |Mayor of Maubourguet (Hautes Pyrénées)
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|
|April 1992 - April|Secretary of State for Technical Training
|
|1993 |
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|

|Since March 1992 |First Vice-President of the General Council of Hautes
|
| |Pyrénées
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|

|April 1992 - March|Regional Councillor For Midi-Pyrénées Region
|
|1993 |
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|
|March 1993 |Member of Parliament for Hautes-Pyrénées
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|
|Since 1993 |Member of the Executive Committee of the Socialist
|
| |Party
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|

|June 1997 |Re-elected Member of Parliament
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|

|June 1997 |Elected first Vice President of the National Assembly
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|

|June 1997 |Employment policy advisor for the Socialist Party
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|

|Since October 1998 |Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries
|
|-------------------+-----------------------------------------------------
-|

Office of Hon Jim Sutton

© Scoop Media