The president of Federated Farmers wants importers to pay the cost of fighting any pests or diseases brought into New Zealand.
Don Nicolson told a Farm Forestry Association meeting in Invercargill that the march of the varroa bee mite down the South Island is an example of why New Zealand needs more robust biosecurity.
He says that New Zealand is one outbreak of foot and mouth or pine pitch canker away from Armageddon, and that Federated Farmers and the Farm Forestry Association must work together to pressure the Government to make sure importers pay the cost of fighting any biosecurity incursion.
Mr Nicolson says the current plan is to share costs between importers and exporters, all in the hope of keeping down the price of an LCD television at the Warehouse.
