The Ministry of Agriculture (MAF) has confirmed its restructuring plan, which will result in the loss of more than 230 jobs.
The restructuring follows the merger with the Ministry of Fisheries and the earlier transfer of the Food Safety Authority back into MAF.
The number of job cuts, 233, is slightly fewer than the 241 proposed when the restructuring plan was announced in August.
More than 100 of the positions are already vacant, which means there will be 128 redundancies.
Most of the job cuts, 166, are in Wellington.
As MAF signalled earlier, there will be no frontline staffing cuts for fisheries surveillance, quarantine inspectors or animal welfare officers. The reductions mainly affect staff in areas such as corporate services and policy advice.
Director-general Wayne McNee says some of the detailed plans have been changed as a result of consultation with staff.
He says the next step will be filling senior management positions. That's due to be done by the end of the year. Other appointments flowing from the restructuring will be confirmed by early next year.
