NZGSTA Newsletter Sept/Oct2014 Page 1

This newsletter covers the following ite ms of interest: Post-election Politics • Post-election Politics Following the General Election (held on 20 • Blackgrass -1 Year on September) and the return of the led administration the Association will be looking • IHS for Capsicum seed forward to the announcement of ministerial • IHS for Coriander & Corn seed portfolios within Cabinet early next month. Mindful that John Key will reshuffle and promote • Seed Exports to Russia some of his current Ministers, the Ministerial • Hemp Seed review portfolios and personnel to watch include: • Primary Industries (currently • Bee health – responsible for agr, biosecurity) • GIA Conference discussion panel • Food Safety ( – responsible for • Industry working group on fungicides food standards) • Importing seeds for sowing workshop • Foreign Affairs & Trade (Tim Groser – • Conference 2014 responsible for trade negotiations) • Conference Sponsors 2014 • Commerce ( – responsible for • New contact details for Seed Industry Office IPR matters & PVR Act)

President: John Duncan • Environment (Nick Smith) 03 318 8514 Vice President : Barry McCarter 09 307 0000 The Association will also be interested in the

personnel line-ups to be appointed to the Primary Chair: Forage & Turf Section Production Select Committee . The Committee is Brent Stirling directly relevant to the seed industry as it 03 347 7950 considers all matters relating to agriculture, Chair: Vegetable Seed Section biosecurity, food safety, lands, and land Mark Johnson information. New National faces with a primary 04 972 1613 industry background include: Stuart Smith Chair: Grains Section (Kaikoura), (Taranaki King Barry McCarter Country), (Bay of Plenty), and Alastair 09 307 0000 Scott (Wairapapa) General Councillors:

George Gerard 03 372 0864 Next steps: Duncan Storrier 03 308 1265 • Election results to be confirmed by 4 Stephen Tait 03 307 6979 October General Manager: Thomas Chin 03 349 8430 • Ministerial warrants by 20 October

Administration: • Parliament to meet by 21 October Tricia RadfordNZGSTA NEWSLETTER 03 349 SEP/OCT14 8430

NZGSTA: P.O. Box 23-143, Templeton, Christchurch, NZ 8445 Phone 03 349 8430 Email:[email protected]

NZGSTA Newsletter Sept/Oct 2014 Page 2

Blackgrass -1 Year on hold]. NZ food and seed was not included in the It has been a year since the accidental spill of ban. blackgrass seed. To date, nine rounds of survelliience, mowing and spraying has been Hemp Seed review completed and there has been no detection of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) blackgrass. The operations programme, looking says it expects the Ministerial review of the law for signs of black grass in mid-Canterbury, has around hemp seeds as a food to be completed on another two years to run. The next round of 5 December 2014 for consideration at a meeting activity is planned to start week starting 13th of the Legislative and Governance Forum on Food October and finish week starting 23 rd March 2015. Regulation in late January 2015. A law change could enable the industry to grow seed to export IHS for Capsicum seed to those countries who consume hemp food. MPI has advised an amendment to the capsicum (Currently, our trade partners would not buy any seed IHS. The change is required to manage the product which isn't meeting the Food Code). risk of PSTVd entering New Zealand through Hemp seed oil, flour and protein are sold in currently uncontrolled pathways – which includes countries such as the UK, Europe, Canada and the capsicum seed. From 1 September the IHS for USA. With the exception of hemp seed oil, hemp capsicum seed requires one of the following foods are not allowed to be sold in NZ for human additional declarations: consumption. Hemp could be legalised for edible • That the seed has been sourced from a products in 2015. Pest Free Area (PFA) or Pest Free Place of Production (PFPP) or Bee health In late July Parliament’s Primary Production Select • That a representative samples has been Committee released a report ‘Briefing on the health of bees’. The report says there is little or no tested and found of PSTVd evidence that pesticides, when used correctly, are affecting bee health. Specifically, there was no It is likely that seed to be imported in early 2015 evidence of colony collapse in NZ, even though may not comply with the PFA/PFPP requirement neonicotinoids have been used as a seed dressing and will require testing to ensure compliance. and as foliar sprays since the early 1990s. [In the European Union, some neonicotinoids IHS for Coriander & Corn seed (clothianidin, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam) The Association has been in discussions with MPI have been restricted,]. to have further fungicide treatments added to the import health standards for coriander and corn The report can be viewed at: seed. The Association continues to provide advice http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/pb/sc/business- to MPI about the active ingredients and summary/00DBSCH_INQ_12262_1/briefing-on- formulations for these crops and on any other the-health-of-bees schedules members may have concerns with. Elsewhere, the Environmental Protection Seed Exports to Russia Authority continues to monitor the risks of In August, the Russian Federation imposed a ban insecticides to bees and other insects. They are on food imports from most Western countries, monitoring international developments and will including the USA, Australia and the 29 member be updating its requirements for applicants countries of the European Union, in retaliation seeking approval to allow new pesticides to be against trade sanctions over Russia's actions in used in New Zealand. Ukraine. [Earlier, the NZ Government put a free trade deal with Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus on

NZGSTA P.O. Box 23-143, Christchurch, NZ 8445 Phone 03 349 8430 Email:[email protected] NZGSTA Newsletter Sept/Oct 2014 Page 3

GIA Conference discussion panel We received well qualified and expert Biosecurity is a key concern of the primary presentations from Dave Rollinson (Ministry of industry. Protecting our borders from unwanted Primary Industries), Steve Pugh (GVI) and Sonia pests diseases and organisms is also vitally Taylor (Mainfreight). GVI and Mainfreight also important to the grain and seed industry and this took the 45 attendees through the practical steps point will be stressed at our Conference panel around clearance of seed and provided an discussion. Over the coming months we will operational site visit of their transitional facilities . continue to discuss (with other parties) how best to engage and be directly involved in decision A workshop for North Island based importers is making and funding with the Government Industry scheduled for 7 November. Agreement (GIA) on Biosecurity Readiness and Response. It’s likely the grain and seed industry Conference 2014 participation in GIA might be by way of in-kind The NZGSTA is holding its AGM and annual contributions such as making available industry conference on 22-23 October at the Scenic Hotel, expertise and knowledge to help in the event of Southern Cross, Dunedin. an incursion getting past NZs border defences. This year’s conference is grain-themed with a key Of interest, it is noted that New Zealand Pork in note highlight on emerging grain-based food July and the kiwifruit industry in May this year trends and a field trip to look at the malting have both signed the GIA Deed. process.

Industry working group on fungicides The full programme can be viewed on the An industry/MPI working group has been set up to website. For more information please see the provide technical advice on new and current NZGSTA website www.nzgsta.co.nz . If you have fungicide treatments to the import health any questions please don’t hesitate to contact standards for various crops and to resolve speicifc Tricia at: [email protected] issues with the schedules. The formation of the group came out of the recent need to urgently CONFERENCE SPONSORS amend the IHS for beans and peas back in July. We would like to acknowledge our sponsors for Our Industry representatives on the group are their contribution to our conference this year: Craig France (HM Clause) and Wayne Campbell (PGWS). AsureQuality BASF Importing seeds for sowing workshop Bayer Importing seeds for sowing into New Zealand is a BNZ Partners complex area and there are many legal and process requirements that have to be met, which GVI Logistics at times can cause a few headaches for our seed Mainfreight/Owens company administration staff. Mediterranean Shipping Co. Monsanto To help relevant staff, NZGSTA held a half-day NZ Agriseeds workshop in late August to help explain to Oritain Global Ltd businesses what’s required for them to meet New PGG Wrightson Seeds Zealand’s biosecurity standards pre and post Ravensdown border and other reporting requirements for the Staples Rodway fast freight/air cargo import of small samples to Synergy Business Solutions container lots of seed and their fast and efficient Textile Bag & Sack clearance. Toll

NZGSTA P.O. Box 23-143, Christchurch, NZ 8445 Phone 03 349 8430 Email:[email protected] NZGSTA Newsletter Sept/Oct 2014 Page 4

Our boardroom is available for meetings, and members are welcome to call in and re-charge a SEED INDUSTRY OFFICE – Available for cell phone, make a fax, or just stop in for a coffee members’ use break when passing through Christchurch. Please let Tricia know if you wish to book the boardroom. The Seed Industry Office is located at:

185 Kirk Rd, Innovation Park, Templeton, CHRISTCHURCH PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW CONTACT DETAILS: The office is handily located on the southern New PO Box 23143, Templeton 8445 outskirts of Christchurch, just off State Highway 1. Ph: (03) 349-8430 We are also 10minutes from the airport. Fax: (03) 349 8436

DIRECTIONS TO SEED INDUSTRY OFFICE, 185 KIRK ROAD, TEMPLETON

Meeting Schedule of NZGSTA Executive Council for 2014

- 22 October – Dunedin

Please advise Thomas Chin of any matters you wish to have discussed at a meeting.

NZGSTA P.O. Box 23-143, Christchurch, NZ 8445 Phone 03 349 8430 Email:[email protected]