The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (in Māori, ''Te Manatu Ahuwhenua, Ngāherehere'') was a state sector organisation of

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

which dealt with matters relating to

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peop ...

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. ...

and biosecurity. It was commonly known by its acronym, "MAF". In April 2012, it became part of the newly formed Ministry for Primary Industries.

History

The New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry was formerly known as the ''Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries'', but in 1995 responsibilities for fisheries were passed to the newly formed

Ministry of Fisheries An agriculture ministry (also called an) agriculture department, agriculture board, agriculture council, or agriculture agency, or ministry of rural development) is a ministry charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister f ...

. However, the government of New Zealand decided that, despite the loss of Fisheries, the newly created ''Ministry of Agriculture'' should continue to be known by the acronym "MAF", and should still use the same logo, because of the high recognition and regard for the name and logo amongst the country's overseas trading partners. In 1998, this Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Forestry merged to become the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. On 1 July 2010, the Food Safety Authority and MAF were amalgamated, and on 1 July 2011 the

was also merged into MAF. MAF in turn merged with the New Zealand Food Safety Authority in April 2012 to form the Ministry for Primary Industries. The name change proved problematic however, with New Zealand shipments of meat prevented from entering the lucrative Chinese market due to incorrect documentation. The

Sixth Labour government The Sixth Labour Government has governed New Zealand since 26 October 2017. It is headed by Jacinda Ardern, the Labour Party leader and prime minister. Following the 2017 general election held on 23 September, the New Zealand First party h ...

announced it would break up MPI and re-established the separate portfolios of Minister of Agriculture, Minister for Biosecurity and Minister of Forestry. However, MPI was not disestablished; instead, it was restructured with Biosecurity New Zealand and Forestry New Zealand established as new business groups within the larger agency, alongside an agriculture and investment services unit.

Responsibilities

The ministry was responsible for biosecurity, managing New Zealand's state forests, supporting rural communities, ensuring the humane and responsible use of animals, and helping win access to overseas markets for New Zealand products. It also worked to promote

sustainability Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livin ...

in the New Zealand

rural In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are descri ...

sector, and managed land, water and irrigation in rural New Zealand.

References

{{NZ Public Service Departments Agriculture and Forestry 1995 establishments in New Zealand 2012 disestablishments in New Zealand Agricultural organisations based in New Zealand Forestry in New Zealand

fr:Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Nouvelle Zélande) mk:Министерство за земјоделство и шумарство (Нов Зеланд)

History

Responsibilities

See also

References