Kia ora Spencer,

Thank you for your official information request received on 19 June 2025.

Your request below will be considered, and a decision provided in accordance with the requirements of the Official Information Act 1982.

If you have any questions regarding this request, please email [email address]

Ngā mihi,

Official Information Act Team
Government Services | Public Affairs
Ministry for Primary Industries – Manatū Ahu Matua
Charles Fergusson Building, 38-42 Bowen Street | PO Box 2526 | Wellington 6140 | New Zealand
Web: www.mpi.govt.nz

-----Original Message-----
From: SPENCER JONES <[FOI #31347 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 19 June 2025 9:46 am
To: Official Information Act <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Official Information Request – Duplication of Regulatory Functions in Hemp Industry Oversight

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Dear Ministry for Primary Industries,

Pursuant to the Official Information Act 1982, I request the following information in relation to the regulation and administration of industrial hemp (iHemp) in Aotearoa New Zealand:

1. **MPI’s Role in Industrial Hemp Oversight**
All documents outlining MPI’s role in industrial hemp licensing, enforcement, monitoring, and compliance since 2018. This includes internal guidelines, ministerial briefings, staff training material, and operational workflows.

2. **Interagency Roles and Responsibilities**
Copies of any memoranda of understanding (MOUs), delegations of authority, joint taskforces, or collaborative agreements between MPI and:

* Ministry of Health (including Medsafe),
* Ministry for the Environment (MfE),
* Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE),
specifically relating to oversight, regulation, compliance, policy development, or standard setting for industrial hemp.

3. **Concerns about Duplication or Inefficiencies**
Any internal or interagency communications, consultation documents, or briefing papers that raise concerns about duplication of roles, redundant regulatory processes, or inefficiencies in the current industrial hemp regulatory model.

4. **Examples of Functional Overlap**
Any evidence, analysis, or correspondence identifying instances where the same regulatory function (e.g. testing standards, compliance checks, licensing assessments, policy oversight) has been undertaken by more than one agency.

5. **Cost and Administrative Impact**
Any impact assessments, cost-benefit analyses, or reviews conducted by or provided to MPI regarding administrative overhead, duplicated effort, or regulatory burden arising from multi-agency involvement in hemp sector governance since 2018.

I am particularly interested in how overlapping responsibilities across MPI, MoH, MBIE, and MfE may affect efficiency, transparency, and cost within the hemp licensing and compliance system.

If any part of this request is unclear or would benefit from refinement, I am happy to clarify. I respectfully request a response by electronic means within the timeframe set by the Act.

Yours faithfully,

SPENCER JONES

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