Agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review

Overview

Submissons on the agricultural and horticultural products review have now closed.

Farmers and growers use a range of different agricultural and horticultural products in their businesses, including feeds, fertilisers, veterinary medicines, pesticides, and environmental inhibitors. 

These products support horticultural and farming productivity, boost our agricultural and horticultural exports, and help protect against pests. 

Timely access to newer and improved products is important to maintain our competitiveness and to stay ahead of any developing resistance.

New agricultural and horticultural products can pose both opportunities and a range of risks, including some that are unique to our environment and primary production systems. 

Risks could include residues in food that might have detrimental impacts on human and animal health, our agricultural and horticultural exports, and the environment. 

To manage these risks, agricultural products are approved under the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act 1997, and if the products are hazardous substances or new organisms, they also require approval under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996.

Approval path for agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review 

The Ministry for Regulation is seeking to assess whether the current approval path is maintaining an appropriate balance between access to these products and managing risk.

We have produced a Terms of Reference for this review as well as an economic analysis issues AgHort Products Regulatory Review economic issues paper(PDF, 242 KB).

Timeline

What happens next

We are now considering the feedback and written submissions we received through direct engagement and through the engagement hub.

The Ministry will continue engagement and testing of analysis and recommendations with a range of stakeholders, including a sector review panel and other government agencies, before making any recommendations for consideration by government. 

We will provide a report to the Minister for Regulation, Minister for the Environment, and the Minister for Food Safety, followed by a Cabinet paper seeking decisions on any recommendations and next steps.