September 2011

NPCA and the New Zealand Biosecurity Institute (NZBI) have signed a memorandum of understanding to merge their conferences from 2012.

Both organisations see mutual benefits in working together to provide an aligned and expanded NETS conference (National Education and Technology Seminar) that will function as New Zealand's one and only biosecurity-focused best practice annual event. The merger will bring together all those who work in the control of terrestrial and aquatic, plant and animal pests. NPCA will bring its specialist focus on vertebrate pests to the NETS conferences, including training opportunities based on its best practice publications.

To avoid running two conferences 6 months apart, the NPCA will replace its 2011 conference with an expanded Annual General Meeting in November this year. The first combined NETS conference will be held in Taupo in July 2012.

> NETS2012 Conference

NPCA Chairperson, Bill Martyn, and NZBI President, Pedro Jensen, sign the combined NETS conference Memorandum of Understanding.