The Government's Budget boost to spending on biosecurity may not keep pace with the growth of tourism and imports, according to Federated Farmers Hawke's Bay provincial president Will Foley.
Speaking straight off the farm in Central Hawke's Bay last night - after a Budget delivery in Parliament which had possibly less references to primary industries or farming than any before it - Mr Foley said he was pleased with the announcement of an $18.4 million spend over the next four years to beef-up border protection.
"The risks to the economy of any incursions of pests and disease are big," he said.
"But is this just keeping up with the increase in the numbers of tourists and imports as a result of increased economic activity, or is it over and above."
Possibly in keeping with the tenet of Budget 2017, a statement from Federated Farmers national headquarters doesn't mention its sector until the fourth paragraph, where national president Dr William Rolleston said: "There is additional spending for MPI on biosecurity, irrigation and trade facilitation. These are all important priorities for farmers.
"We welcome an increase in science and innovation spending but would have preferred more emphasis on building our science capability across the country, particularly in biological and environmental sciences, rather than it going to companies for commercialisation," he said.