November 2025 

This semi-regular update from the GIA Secretariat is intended to provide a general overview of the key matters considered by GIA governance bodies in the preceding month. It is not intended to communicate formal decisions by any of the parties, nor everything that happens within GIA. If there are any questions, or further information is required please contact steve.rich@gia.org.nz

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Council (BMSBC): 10 November
The following key matters discussed were:

• 25/26 work programme progress update, covering in the summer awareness campaign, chemical registration for Novaluron, triggers for long term management, response exercise Harvest Shield 2.0, collaboration with South Korea and testing parasitoids for the Yellow Spotted Stink Bug (YSSB).
• Multiple teams were invited to share current preparedness work with the Council. This included three teams from Biosecurity New Zealand - Operational Readiness, BMSB Establishment in Australia Working Group, Response. Other guest speakers were the GIA Māori Advisor- Plant Sector, Bioeconomy Science Institute and Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia).
• The 26/27 work programme was provisionally set, with six projects rolling over for another year, as well as five new ideas proposed.
• More international collaboration work with Australia, Chile and South Korea is planned and will be finalised in the coming months.
• The next Council meeting will be held on 23 February 2026 in Wellington.

Fruit Fly Council (FFC): 11 November
The following key matters discussed were:

• 25/26 work programme progress update, covering topics in the research on fruit fly impact on indigenous plants, assessing implementation of the Technical Standard & progress on funding a PhD candidate for overseas research work.
• Several teams were invited to share their current preparedness work with the Council. This included two teams from BNZ - Operational Readiness & OFF Response team. Other guest speakers were the GIA Māori Advisor – Plant Sector, Bioeconomy Science Institute and National Fruit Fly Council of Australia.
• 26/27 work programme was provisionally set, with seven new ideas proposed. These will continue to be refined in the coming months.
• The next Council meeting will be held on 17 February 2026 in Wellington.

​        Poultry Council: 11 November
       The following key matters were discussed:

• Timing and implications of HPAI H7 repayment obligations.
• Progress on the development of interactive online tool, and need for document version control and a ‘single source of truth’.
• Considerations around infrastructure support for poultry producers
• Planning for Roles and Responsibilities workshops.
• Agreement on the project brief and budget for use of regional Containerised Gassing Units (CGUs) in an HPAI response.
• Scope, purpose, and budget confirmation for nitrogen use in CGUs
• Consideration of the whole house gassing trial.
• Review of the heat-based decontamination approach, its validation, and sector applicability.
• Update on industry communications planning and the engagement of an external consultant.
• Supply-chain resilience and agreement to form this into a project concept.
• Potential additional work programme options

Deed Governance Group (DGG): 13 November
The following key matters were discussed:

• Proposed changes to the Biosecurity Act relevant to GIA.
• Alignment of the GIA Strategic Framework with the MPI Biosecurity System Action Plan.
• Scope, purpose, and potential changes for any review of the GIA Deed, including breakout group feedback on key aspects of GIA: what to protect, delivery, partnership roles, readiness, and response.
• Next steps and timeline for the Deed review process.
• DGG meets again 24 March 2026.

Lepidoptera Working Group: 24 November
The following key matters discussed were:

• Work through several active projects is well advanced
  • Multi-lure Surveillance Trapping Options
  • Adaptable Lepidoptera Operational Specifications Pilot
  • Industry Guide for a Lepidoptera Response
  • Lepidoptera Response Communications Plan
• Flore Mas from BSI-PFR joined the meeting and provided an update on a B3 project to explore multi-taxa and multi-modal lures and traps.
• Work and recommendations arising from the pan-GIA project on Māori Engagement were discussed highlighting a draft “Māori 101 for GIA” paper and the piloting of a hui with Council Chairs and Māori “in place” in Gisborne in February.
• Work for the 26/27 year was discussed, and group members will build project briefs for future consideration across several options.
  • Response strategies in relation to the likelihood of eradication success - triggers for moving to long term management.
  • Management tools for priority species and deployment of same.
  • Te Reo Māori translations of BNZ generic Response Comms templates.
  • eDNA - opportunities for application, developing a detection policy, plus communications.
  • UV light traps - scoping exercise and cost benefit.
• The group next meets 3 March 2025.

Xylella fastidiosa Response Operational Agreement (XF ROA): 25 November
The following key matters discussed were:

• Preliminary discussions and exploration of options have been undertaken across identification of beneficiaries, parties impacted by and the extent of impact across Xylella subspecies and fiscal caps.
• Substantive open issues include public to private benefit assessment, cost shares and fiscal caps, decision making and the approach where the identified subspecies does not impact the wine sector.
• Industry parties are preparing their positions through:
  • Public private benefit assessments
  • Phase 2 response options (once subspecies is known or after one month) particularly for pauca and multiplex, where winegrapes are not impacted.
  • Fiscal caps across responses for each of the subspecies fastidiosa, pauca and multiplex.
• The group has also agreed to recast this OA development as a combined readiness and response OA in anticipation of the current readiness OA expiring in 2027.
• The group will next meet early February 2026.

GOL Annual Shareholder and Board Meeting: 27 November
The following key matters discussed were:

• Leanne Stewart was reappointed as a director for a further term.
• Brent Kleiss was appointed as a director of the company
• The Board confirmed GOL met the Companies Act cooperative-company requirements for 1 July 2024–30 June 2025.
• The Board agreed to issue one share each to Egg Producers NZ and the Poultry Industry Association NZ, pending subscription payment. This means 22 of the 24 industry partners have taken up a share in GOL.
• The Board resolved that no shareholder rebate be issued for 24/25.
• The board and shareholders agreed that for 25/26 there will be no auditor appointed, no requirement to produce an Annual Report, and no requirement to use GAAP for the financial statements.
• The Board authorised the Company to renew insurance coverage.
• The Board and shareholders noted technical major transactions for the 24/25 financial year.
   

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