Rule Change Great News For Pastoral Farmers

News Release: 12 July 2013

Rule Change Great News For Pastoral Farmers

New Zealand farmers will gain faster access to innovative new pastures thanks to new clearance procedures announced this week by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

Plant breeders have welcomed the move, which they say will make it much easier to tap into the country’s biggest collection of pasture genetics, the Margot Forde Germplasm Centre at Palmerston North.

Comprising tens of thousands of seed samples, the centre holds more than 2000 different species of forage grasses, herbs and legumes from throughout the world.

Thomas Chin, general manager of the New Zealand Plant Breeding and Research Association, says his members will now be able to access genetic material without having to go through costly and time consuming post-clearance quarantine regimes.

“MPI is to be congratulated for issuing these new procedures, which will pave the way for breeders and researchers to obtain new plant genetics and innovate and improve on existing pasture species.

“New plant and pasture varieties bred from the MFGC material with desirable traits that can withstand drought conditions, resist pests, produce more animal nutrition and deliver more yield mean New Zealand farmers and our national economy will be the clear winners,” he says.

The new rules will be in place in time for the coming growing season.

New Zealand is a world leader in seed production. In 2012 over $168million was generated in export seed revenue.

ENDS

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