68109 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister for Food Safety

68109 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister for Food Safety: What progress, if any, has been made in the quarter April to June 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: I refer the member to the response for WPQ 68108 (2024). Total sales of veterinary and horticultural antibiotics in New Zealand are down for a sixth year running, see more here: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/news/media-releases/sales-of-antibiotics-used-in-animals-and-plants-down-for-sixth-year-in-a-row/. I am advised that during this quarter (and subsequent to this), a timeframe was set to review the existing ‘Prudent Use of Antimicrobials on Animals and Plants MPI Directive’ by June 2025. This document can be accessed on the Ministry for Primary Industries’ website here: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/26596-Prudent-use-of-antimicrobials-on-animals-and-plants