Funding the TBfree programme
Funding for the TBfree programme comes from the Government and the dairy, beef and deer farming industries.
The TBfree programme started in 1993, and was initially run by the Animal Health Board, which became OSPRI in 2013. In 2016, the Government agreed to continue funding TB eradication in New Zealand in partnership with:
- DairyNZ
- Beef+Lamb
- Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ), and
- TBfree.
Together, government and industry are providing $910 million towards eradicating TB over 15 years.
How the funding works
The Government contributes 40% of the funding for the TBfree programme. The remaining 60% comes from the dairy, beef and deer farming industries. They raise funding through:
- the dairy milk solid levy
- levies on all cattle slaughtered
- levies on Deer Industry NZ (DINZ) meat and velvet
- levies on live export of cattle and deer.
How much each industry contributes towards that 60% can change from year to year, depending on their relative size and value. Levy amounts are adjusted every year to match each industry's contribution.
The Biosecurity (Bovine Tuberculosis – Cattle and Deer Levy) Order 2016 explains:
- how industry contributions work
- the process for setting levies.