Morning rural news for 19 October 2026

So there could be new rules about how to donate home-kill meat for food parcels.

So there's a lot of this going on, isn't there? Yeah.

There is.

It can definitely be a good way to make some savings.

Currently, home kill meat can be donated to food banks, but there are quite a few hoops for them to jump through.

So the Ministry of Primary Industries is reviewing the rules around home kill meat and recreational catch.

That's also obviously in light of those high meat prices and food parcel demand we've been hearing about.

And MPI is looking at how to remove unnecessary barriers to accessing food sources.

In a joint submission with the Meat Industry Association, Beef and Lambs Chairperson Kate Acklin says MPI should allow for clearer lawful sharing and donation pathways while maintaining a clear boundary against any commercial supply.

Loosening of the home kills regulations for gifting meat, And donation just makes sense.

So farmers can do things like confidently donate to their local rugby club or food bank.

So just clarifying what was a pretty murky set of rules previously.

The Animal Products Act legislation allows people to process livestock or hunted animals to eat, but prohibits the sale and trade of it, except for recognised service providers who cared for the animals 28 days before the animals were slaughtered.

Kate Ackland says MPI should consider removing that 28-day rule only if it can revise the rules to help manage food safety risks.

It's inconsistent

with owners already being able to slaughter their own animals immediately and it doesn't really add anything in terms of food safety.

We maintain that there should be a ban on the sale and trade and protecting the really high food safety standards of New Zealand product for sale and trade.

Kate Ackland says appropriate labelling would help let people know where the animal was caught and that it is home kill.

MPI acknowledges that people are more accepting of home kill meat these days, but says they must know the meat isn't subject to the same food safety rules as a butcher.

And in a statement, Food Safety Deputy Director General Vincent Arbuckle says it's received 200 submissions, which it's carefully considering.

So there could be new rules about how to donate home-kill meat for food parcels.

So there's a lot of this going on, isn't there? Yeah.

There is.

It can definitely be a good way to make some savings.

Currently, home kill meat can be donated to food banks, but there are quite a few hoops for them to jump through.

So the Ministry of Primary Industries is reviewing the rules around home kill meat and recreational catch.

That's also obviously in light of those high meat prices and food parcel demand we've been hearing about.

And MPI is looking at how to remove unnecessary barriers to accessing food sources.

In a joint submission with the Meat Industry Association, Beef and Lambs Chairperson Kate Acklin says MPI should allow for clearer lawful sharing and donation pathways while maintaining a clear boundary against any commercial supply.

Loosening of the home kills regulations for gifting meat, And donation just makes sense.

So farmers can do things like confidently donate to their local rugby club or food bank.

So just clarifying what was a pretty murky set of rules previously.

The Animal Products Act legislation allows people to process livestock or hunted animals to eat, but prohibits the sale and trade of it, except for recognised service providers who cared for the animals 28 days before the animals were slaughtered.

Kate Ackland says MPI should consider removing that 28-day rule only if it can revise the rules to help manage food safety risks.

It's inconsistent

with owners already being able to slaughter their own animals immediately and it doesn't really add anything in terms of food safety.

We maintain that there should be a ban on the sale and trade and protecting the really high food safety standards of New Zealand product for sale and trade.

Kate Ackland says appropriate labelling would help let people know where the animal was caught and that it is home kill.

MPI acknowledges that people are more accepting of home kill meat these days, but says they must know the meat isn't subject to the same food safety rules as a butcher.

And in a statement, Food Safety Deputy Director General Vincent Arbuckle says it's received 200 submissions, which it's carefully considering.