Nathan Guy

23 SEPTEMBER, 2015

Official start of new PGP lamb programme

Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has welcomed the official start of a new Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) programme involving premium quality lamb products.

“The ‘Targeting New Wealth with High Health’ PGP programme aims to reach existing and emerging markets with a new class of premium lamb products with improved health qualities,” says Mr Guy.

“This is a collaboration between Alliance Group, Headwaters New Zealand and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). It will help our producers tap further into the increasing demand for premium and healthy foods, and add value to our exports.

“It will focus on producing premium lamb products from the entire carcass that are lower in saturated fat, higher in polyunsaturated fat and packed with healthy omega-3 oils.

“This seven-year programme has the potential to deliver an additional $400 million to the primary sector over 25 years.

“It will build on our reputation as a producer of premium, healthy and innovative food, and will deliver benefits to all parts of the value chain.”

The project was initially approved in January this year and a total investment of up to $25 million has been secured for Targeting New Wealth with High Health, with MPI contributing around half over the programme’s life.

About the Primary Growth Partnership

• The PGP aims to boost the value, productivity and profitability of our primary sector through investment between government and industry. It provides an essential springboard to enable New Zealand to stay at the forefront of primary sector innovation.

• Government and industry are co-investing $724 million over time into 20 PGP programmes (2 completed and 18 underway).

• Decisions on whether or not to approve a programme are made by Director-General of the Ministry for Primary Industries, under recommendation from the independent Investment Advisory Panel (IAP).

• PGP programmes are generally long-run programmes of five to seven years’ duration and are subject to oversight and monitoring by an independent Investment Advisory Panel and MPI.

• Monitoring requirements include programme steering groups, quarterly progress reporting, annual plans, financial audits, and progress reviews, along with evaluation of the overall programme. Government funding is only released to programmes on receipt of invoices for work completed in accordance with programme plans.

• More information is available at: http://www.mpi.govt.nz/funding-and-programmes/primary-growth-partnership/

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