Trade
World Trade Organisation
Improving the conditions of trade is vital to the international competitiveness and ongoing financial security of New Zealand farming.
Multilateral fora such as the World Trade Organisation present the best opportunity for New Zealand to secure concessions on improved market access, the elimination of export subsidies and the diminution of trade-distorting domestic support.
Farmers continue to support the New Zealand government's commitment to free trade.
Country of Origin Labelling
Federated Farmers agrees that New Zealand exporters should invest in any informational, promotional and labelling tools that would help market their product. However, while supporting voluntary labelling, Federated Farmers has consistently opposed mandatory country of origin labelling. This is for a number of reasons.
- Country of origin labelling provides absolutely no assurance that food is safe as there is no link between food safety and country of origin.
- Consumer protection in New Zealand is already safeguarded by generic legislation such as the Fair Trading Act and international standards.
- The costs of implementing mandatory country of origin labelling would be significant - in the first year alone it is likely to cost $60-$110 million.
- Mandatory country of origin labelling is inconsistent with Federated Farmers' long-standing advocacy for more free and open trade that would provide big gains.
- Mandatory country of origin labelling is used by other countries as a non-tariff barrier to trade to discourage imports, including those from New Zealand.
- If New Zealand was to introduce mandatory country of origin labelling, it would have sent a message to our trading partners that New Zealand is protectionist and hypocritical.
Who speaks for farmers on trade?
National Board spokesman for trade is president Don Nicolson. He can be contacted: dnicolson@fedfarm.org.nz.
