| Agency Name: | Ministry for Primary Industries |
| Type: | Ministry |
| Nativename: | Maori: Manatū Ahu Matua |
| Preceding1: | Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry |
| Preceding2: | Ministry of Fisheries |
| Preceding3: | New Zealand Food Safety Authority |
| Jurisdiction: | New Zealand |
| Budget: | Total budgets for 2019/20[1] Vote Agriculture, Biosecurity, Fisheries and Food Safety $848,779,000 Vote Forestry $277,099,000 |
| Minister1 Name: | Todd McClay |
| Minister1 Pfo: | Agriculture, Forestry |
| Minister2 Name: | Andrew Hoggard |
| Minister2 Pfo: | Biosecurity, Food Safety |
| Minister3 Name: | Shane Jones |
| Minister3 Pfo: | Oceans and Fisheries |
| Minister4 Name: | Mark Patterson |
| Minister4 Pfo: | Rural Communities |
| Chief1 Name: | Ray Smith |
| Chief1 Position: | Director-General |
| Child1 Agency: | Agriculture & Investment Services |
| Child2 Agency: | Biosecurity New Zealand |
| Child3 Agency: | Fisheries New Zealand |
| Child4 Agency: | New Zealand Food Safety |
| Child5 Agency: | mi|Te Uru Rākau|Forestry New Zealand |
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI; Maori: Manatū Ahu Matua) is the public service department of New Zealand charged with overseeing, managing and regulating the farming, fishing, food, animal welfare, biosecurity, and forestry sectors of New Zealand's primary industries.
MPI was formed in April 2012 by a merger of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), the Ministry of Fisheries (MFish), and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA).[2]
At the 2017 general election, the Labour Party campaigned on disestablishing the Ministry and restoring the previous agencies. However, MPI was not disestablished; instead, it was restructured with Fisheries New Zealand, Forestry New Zealand, Biosecurity New Zealand and New Zealand Food Safety established as new business groups within the larger agency, alongside an agriculture and investment services unit.[3]
Te Uru Rākau, the New Zealand Forest Service, was re-established in May 2018 after its 1987 disestablishment. It is based in Rotorua.[4]
In March 2024, the Ministry proposed slashing 384 job following a cost-saving directive from the National-led coalition government.[5] In May 2024, the Ministry confirmed that it would be slashing 391 jobs, which amounted to ten percent of its workforce. These included 65 early redundancies, 193 vacant positions and 133 non-frontline roles. Those made redundant would be able to apply for new positions. Following a submission from its Biosecurity NZ unit for the retention of its animal and plant health directorate, 22 jobs were retained.[6]
The Ministry is structured into ten business units. Each business unit is led by a Deputy Director-General.
The Ministry serves 6 lead portfolios along with 3 associate ministers for Agriculture.
| Officeholder | Portfolio(s) | Other responsibility(ies) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minister of Agriculture Minister of Forestry | |||
| Minister of Oceans and Fisheries | |||
| Hon Andrew Hoggard | Minister for Biosecurity Minister for Food Safety | Associate Minister of Agriculture (Animal Welfare, Skills) | |
| Minister for Rural Communities | Associate Minister of Agriculture | ||
| Nicola Grigg | Associate Minister of Agriculture (Horticulture) |
See also: Minister of Agriculture (New Zealand), Minister of Fisheries (New Zealand) and Minister of Forestry (New Zealand).
| No. | Name | Portrait | Term of office | Party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Carter | 14 December 2011 | 28 January 2013 | Key | |||
| height=15 style="border-bottom:solid 0 grey; background:" | 2 | Nathan Guy | 28 January 2013 | 26 October 2017 | |||
| English | |||||||