A $1 million lobbying campaign to persuade the government to restart live animal exports has been launched by key players in the agriculture industry.
The previous Labour government announced a ban on live animal exports by sea in 2021, which came into effect in April 2023.
The new government intends to change course, with the coalition agreements saying it will, “reverse the recent ban on live animal exports while ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare”.
But Livestock Export New Zealand (LENZ) says without a major lobbying campaign, and a PR pitch to allay public concern about animal welfare standards, the government’s pledge could stall or even fail.
