Damien O Connor & Jacinda Ardern defend live animal export ban
14 Apr, 2021 02:30 AM
4 minutes to read
Agriculture Minister Damien O Connor. Photo / Supplied
The Country
Agriculture Minister Damien O Connor admits a live export ban will be a blow for some farmers, but dealing with change is part of the job. This morning, the Government confirmed plans to ban live animal exports from 2023.
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The two-year transitional period would give people time to find another area of opportunity, O Connor told The Country s Jamie Mackay. There will be emerging opportunities in the primary sector. There has always been change and I think that we re some of the most adaptive farmers and people in the world and that will continue.
Wednesday, 14 April 2021, 3:49 pm
The Government’s decision to ban exports of livestock
for breeding is morally and practically unjustified,
according to the Animal Genetics Trade Association, as it
will financially devastate many farmers and require the
premature slaughter of thousands of livestock
annually.
“This is an ill-informed, massively
consequential decision for the nation, to earn short-term
political brownie points from a few activists,” said Dave
Hayman, spokesperson for the Animal Genetics Trade
Association.
“This is an immoral ban against a trade
being conducted humanely, with world leading standards.
There is no morality in removing half a billion dollars from
our economy and forcing the early deaths of up to 150,000