More than 30 countries will today officially sign up to the New Zealand-led Global Research Alliance on agricultural greenhouse gases at a Ministerial Summit in Rome.

The Alliance brings together countries with a mutual interest in researching ways to produce more food while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The inaugural ministerial meeting to formally approve the Charter, or working methods of the Alliance, will be chaired by International Climate Change Negotiations Minister, Tim Groser.  Agriculture Minister David Carter leads the New Zealand delegation. 

The work programme considering government support for the screen sector, including its response to the review of the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) by Sir Peter Jackson and David Court, has been released.

“Government initiatives play a significant role in supporting the film and television industries in New Zealand,” Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson said. “So we want to ensure our response to the review by Sir Peter Jackson and David Court is part of a work programme looking at government initiatives across the sector.”

Customs Minister Maurice Williamson and Biosecurity Minister David Carter today welcomed the signing of a contract to develop a new border processing and management system.

New Zealand Customs, with MAF, has signed the contract which formally kicks off the development of a joint border management system (JBMS). The new system combines Customs’ and MAF’s existing independent systems, Cusmod and Quantum.

Mr Williamson said the new system would bring very sophisticated technology to the New Zealand’s border.

Agriculture and Economic Development Minister David Carter will represent New Zealand at the inaugural Global Research Alliance Ministerial Summit in Rome next week, and travel to Milan and London.

While in Rome, Mr Carter will also lead the New Zealand delegation to the 37th meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) where he will deliver New Zealand’s Ministerial Statement and participate in the election of the new Director-General of the FAO.

Agriculture Minister David Carter has today announced steps to further improve New Zealand’s animal welfare system.

An advisory group is being formed to oversee the development of a national animal welfare strategy, to feed into a review of the Animal Welfare Act.

"New Zealand has one of the best animal welfare systems in the world, but we are always looking at improvement. The Act is now more than a decade old and needs to reflect changing practices and attitudes," says Mr Carter.

Economic Development Minister David Carter is welcoming negotiations with SkyCity to build a large international convention centre in central Auckland.

Mr Carter says the proposed 3500-seat centre would create around 800 new jobs and inject an estimated $90 million a year of extra spending by international visitors into the New Zealand economy.

“The proposed New Zealand International Convention Centre will give New Zealand an edge in a significant growth market as the venue would compete with other centres in Australia.

Biosecurity Minister David Carter has reiterated the Government’s commitment to Government Industry Agreements (GIA) in a round of meetings with leading industry representatives this week.

Mr Carter says strengthened partnerships between industry and government will lead to better results in dealing with incursions of pests and diseases.

“In discussion with industry, the Government has agreed to meet a minimum cost share of 50% for priority readiness and response programmes,” says Mr Carter.

Economic Development Minister David Carter and Customs Minister Maurice Williamson today announced changes to wine excise tax regulations which will benefit more than half the country’s wineries.

From 1 July, thresholds for the payment of excise tax will lift tenfold, allowing smaller wineries to shift from monthly payments to six-monthly or yearly payments. 
Currently, only wineries with a tax liability of less than $10,000 are exempted from paying monthly. The new thresholds are:

A new temporary entertainment and performance events village to be set up in North Hagley Park will receive $650,000 from the government's Major Events Development Fund, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Acting Economic Development Minister David Carter announced today.

Mr Brownlee said the government had also backed the Christchurch City Council plan to stage a Rugby World Cup 2011 fanzone and festival events in the North Hagley Park events village and a travelling fan zone for east Christchurch.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett and Agriculture Minister David Carter have activated Enhanced Taskforce Green to clean up parts of Hawkes Bay recently damaged by severe flooding.

“This means around 48 people, many of whom are currently on benefits, will get to work helping clear debris and repair damage to property,” says Ms Bennett.

“Around 120 farms in the Wairoa, Hastings and Central Hawkes Bay area are affected and urgently need some extra hands to do the work,” says Mr Carter.

A successful bid by a Manuka honey industry consortium for Primary Growth Partnership funding is a sign the industry has the potential to grow significantly, says Agriculture Minister David Carter.

The Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) is to fund half of a $1.7 million research programme proposed by the consortium to increase the reliability of supply and volume of medical grade Manuka honey.

The Government has agreed to a forward work programme on water reform that will involve the Land and Water Forum, iwi and ongoing analysis by officials, Environment Minister Nick Smith, Agriculture Minister David Carter and Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples say.

Agriculture Minister David Carter today announced an expanded irrigation fund to support the development of new water harvesting, storage and distribution infrastructure.

Budget 2011 will allocate $35 million over five years for the Irrigation Acceleration Fund, to support the development of irrigation infrastructure proposals to the ‘investment-ready’ prospectus stage.

Environment Minister Nick Smith and Agriculture Minister David Carter today announced the Government's fresh water policy package saying improved water management is needed to grow the economy while better caring for our rivers, lakes and aquifers.

“This balanced package is about getting the right rules and funding in place to support irrigation development and economic growth, while ensuring protection of the environment,” the Ministers said.

Agriculture and Acting Minister for Economic Development Minister David Carter today welcomed the red meat industry’s goal to grow the sector from $8 billion to $14 billion by 2025.

Mr Carter says the Red Meat Sector Strategy, initiated by Beef + Lamb New Zealand and the Meat Industry Association, is an ambitious plan to lift the performance of the meat industry and to give it clearer direction.

Agriculture Minister David Carter has announced that farmers hit by the severe storm in Hawke’s Bay are to get assistance from the Government.

Pasture loss and damage to farm infrastructure is serious enough to declare a medium-level adverse event in the area, triggering government relief measures.

Acting Economic Development Minister David Carter says the Government has considered recommendations on how to enhance New Zealand as an international financial services centre.

The recommendations are outlined in a report by the International Funds Services Development Group (IFSDG), a taskforce established by Cabinet last year.

“The report shows that New Zealand could be a viable funds domicile – essentially a centre for funds accounts and administration – in around 10 to 15 years,” says Mr Carter.

Acting Economic Development Minister David Carter has announced an $850,000 contestable fund to drive further growth of our second-largest export earner, the red meat industry.

The Red Meat Market Development Contestable Fund is a joint initiative between New Zealand Trade & Enterprise and Beef + Lamb, with funding allocated to successful applicants on a 50/50 basis.

Acting Economic Development Minister David Carter today reconfirmed government support for Emirates Team New Zealand’s entry into the 2013 America’s Cup in San Francisco.

Under a commitment made in 2007 by the previous government, the National-led Government is contracted to contribute up to $36 million to support Team New Zealand’s America’s Cup bid.

The $2 million fund launched to help earthquake-affected Christchurch exporters reassure international clients that the region is open for business has been extended.

The Christchurch Market Connections Fund, announced last month as part of the Government’s economic recovery package, is now $4 million.

“More than 180 export businesses are reinforcing their relationships with key customers thanks to the Fund. It is clearly meeting a need, with $2.8 million allocated so far,” says Acting Economic Development Minister David Carter.