Hon Jim Anderton

Minister of Agriculture, Minister for Biosecurity
Minister of Fisheries, Minister of Forestry
Associate Minister of Health
Associate Minister for Tertiary Education

Progressive Leader

5 February 2008 Media statement

Planning in the face of the continuing dry

Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton today confirmed that he will be meeting with sector leaders to discuss the effect on farming that the continuing dry weather is having in a number regions around the country.

“If the dry weather continues, the situation will become very serious in some areas,” Jim Anderton said. “I have called this meeting to get an understanding of the overall picture, as well of what is happening regionally.”

Jim Anderton has asked industry leaders to bring to the meeting details of the situation in their area, including what current and planned initiatives they have put in place to minimise the impact of the dry weather, and to each give a five minute update on the key issues.

“This will be an opportunity to share ideas about the best way to handle the situation and to see if there needs to be a national coordination of resources and initiatives,” Jim Anderton said.

The meeting will be held at Parliament on the afternoon of Tuesday 12 February. Representatives from the following industry sectors have been invited to participate:
DairyNZ, Meat & Wool New Zealand, Fonterra, Federated Farmers of New Zealand, the banking sector, Meat Industry Association, Horticulture New Zealand, the New Zealand Veterinary Association, Agribusiness, Local Government New Zealand and the arable sector.

“I know that New Zealand primary producers are used to managing dry and drought conditions but we are experiencing drier than usual weather conditions and I want us to be as prepared as it is possible to be should the situation become more serious,” Jim Anderton said.

Following this meeting, Jim Anderton intends making a series of visits to those regions that were identified during the meeting as being most at risk.

ENDS

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