The New Zealand Horticulture Export Authority Amendment Bill has been given a third reading in Parliament and will come into force on the day it receives the Royal Assent.

The new legislation has the objective of providing more flexibility for growers and exporters of horticultural products to target their marketing strategies to meet the needs of specific markets.

It also amends the New Zealand Horticulture Export Authority Act 1987 to clarify its administrative processes, including provisions for managing conflicts of interest. This includes the requirements for product groups to enter or exit the export framework provided under the Act, and the regulation-making powers for fees and levies.

The penalties for offences under the Act are updated, and the new law also formalises the sharing of information between the Authority, the Ministry for Primary Industries, and the New Zealand Customs Service.

The bill was introduced on 1 December 2015 and given its first reading on 29 March 2016, being referred to the Primary Production Committee which received 10 submissions and released its report on 31 August 2016 with a recommendation that the bill be passed, with amendments.