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Proposed changes to soil and plant-based fertiliser import health standards

What's being proposed?

MPI invites comment from interested parties on amendments to the import health standards (IHSs) for fertilisers and growing media of plant origin (FertGro) and soil, rock, gravel, sand, clay, and water (SOWTR). The consultation document explains each of the changes we propose.

Download the consultation document [DOCX, 913 KB]

You can also read the proposed new IHSs:

How to make a submission

Email your feedback on the draft by 5.00pm, 12 June 2015 to plantimports@mpi.govt.nz

Include the following information with your submission:

  • the title of the discussion document and number of the clause(s) you're commenting on
  • your name and title
  • your organisation’s name (if you’re submitting on behalf of an organisation)
  • your contact details (phone, email, address).

While we prefer email, you can send your submission by post to:

Plant Imports
Plants, Food & Environment
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140
New Zealand

We will consider all submissions we receive by the closing date before we issue the amended IHS. MPI may hold late submissions on file for consideration when the issued IHS is next revised or reviewed.

Next steps

After we’ve considered all submissions, we publish a provisional IHS for 10 days to give authorised people a chance to ask for an independent review (under section 24 of the Biosecurity Act 1993). If there’s no review, the IHS becomes final after 10 days.

We publish the provisional IHS on this consultation page and in the IHS section of our website

Submissions are public information

Note that your submission is public information. Submissions may be the subject of requests for information under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA specifies that information is to be made available to requesters unless there are sufficient grounds for withholding it, as set out in the OIA. Submitters may wish to indicate grounds for withholding specific information contained in their submission, such as the information is commercially sensitive or they wish personal information to be withheld. Any decision to withhold information requested under the OIA is reviewable by the Ombudsman.