Ministry for Primary Industries
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI; Māori: Manatū Ahu Matua) is the public service department of New Zealand charged with overseeing, managing and regulating the farming, fishing, food, animal welfare, biosecurity, and forestry sectors of New Zealand's primary industries.
| Māori: Manatū Ahu Matua | |
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| Ministry overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 30 April 2012 |
| Preceding agencies | |
| Jurisdiction | New Zealand |
| Headquarters |
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| Annual budget | Total budgets for 2019/20[1] Vote Agriculture, Biosecurity, Fisheries and Food Safety  $848,779,000Vote Forestry  $277,099,000 |
| Ministers responsible |
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| Ministry executive |
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| Child agencies |
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History
MPI was formed in April 2012 by a merger of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), the Ministry of Fisheries (MFish), and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA).[2]
At the 2017 general election, the Labour Party campaigned on disestablishing the Ministry and restoring the previous agencies. However, MPI was not disestablished; instead, it was restructured with Fisheries New Zealand, Forestry New Zealand, Biosecurity New Zealand and New Zealand Food Safety established as new business groups within the larger agency, alongside an agriculture and investment services unit.[3]
Te Uru Rākau, the New Zealand Forest Service, was re-established in May 2018 after its 1987 disestablishment. It is based in Rotorua.[4]
In March 2024, the Ministry proposed slashing 384 job following a cost-saving directive from the National-led coalition government.[5] In May 2024, the Ministry confirmed that it would be slashing 391 jobs, which amounted to ten percent of its workforce. These included 65 early redundancies, 193 vacant positions and 133 non-frontline roles. Those made redundant would be able to apply for new positions. Following a submission from its Biosecurity NZ unit for the retention of its animal and plant health directorate, 22 jobs were retained.[6]
Structure
The Ministry is structured into ten business units. Each business unit is led by a Deputy Director-General.
- Agriculture and Investment Services
- Biosecurity New Zealand
- China Relations
- Corporate Services
- Fisheries New Zealand
- Māori Partnerships and Investment
- New Zealand Food Safety
- Policy and Trade
- Public Affairs
- Te Uru Rākau (New Zealand Forest Service)
List of ministers
The Ministry serves 6 lead portfolios along with 3 associate ministers for Agriculture.
| Officeholder | Portfolio(s) | Other responsibility(ies) |
|---|---|---|
| Hon Todd McClay | Minister of Agriculture Minister of Forestry | |
| Hon Shane Jones | Minister of Oceans and Fisheries | |
| Hon Andrew Hoggard | Minister for Biosecurity Minister for Food Safety | Associate Minister of Agriculture (Animal Welfare, Skills) |
| Hon Mark Patterson | Minister for Rural Communities | Associate Minister of Agriculture |
| Nicola Grigg | Associate Minister of Agriculture (Horticulture) |
Primary industries
| Colour key (for political parties) |
|---|
| National |
| No. | Name | Portrait | Term of office | Party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Carter |  | 14 December 2011 | 28 January 2013 | Key | ||
| 2 | Nathan Guy |  | 28 January 2013 | 26 October 2017 | |||
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