46072 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister for Food Safety

46072 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister for Food Safety: What progress, if any, has been made in the quarter January to March 2024 to ‘Develop a national programme or standard for AMS in animal health’ under ‘Objective 4: Antimicrobial stewardship’ within the New Zealand Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan 2017?

Hon Andrew Hoggard: This Objective 4 activity has been included in the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Draft Animal and Plant Sector Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Implementation Plan, which has been developed to continue the MPI AMR work programme aligned with the objectives in the second New Zealand National AMR Action Plan. The second New Zealand National AMR Action Plan is currently under development, as the first five-year Plan covered 2017-2022. MPI’s Animal and Plant Sector Implementation Plan was consulted with MPI’s Antimicrobial Resistance Coordination Group (AMRCG) during March 2024. The MPI AMR implementation plan describes the animal and plant health sectors’ priority activities, desired outcomes, measurable targets within relevant timeframes and identifies facilitating and supporting organisations for the activity. The activity to ‘Develop a national programme or standard for AM Stewardship in animal health’ has been incorporated in an activity under Objective 4 of the MPI AMR implementation plan and will be facilitated by MPI and the Veterinary Council of New Zealand, with support from the New Zealand Veterinary Association. During the period January 2024 to March 2024, MPI commenced reviewing regulatory controls and guidance for veterinarians using antibiotics.