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Friday 7 August |
Director nominations open |
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Friday 28 August, 5pm |
Director nominations close |
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Friday 4 September |
Voting papers for the Board directors sent to grower members (if required) |
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Friday 18 September |
Voting closes |
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Friday 25 September |
Results announced at the Vegetables New Zealand Inc. AGM |
After the unprecedented start to 2020, we believe that now, more than ever, emerging leaders will need support to develop their leadership skills and confidence. Therefore, HortNZ is running the 2020 programme while keeping flexible as to it is delivered. It may be on-line or face-face, or a mix, depending on where NZ is at the end of August through to November (when we run the course). There are 30 positions available and 20 scholarships that cover most expenses for 20 of those positions.
Application forms can be downloaded from http://www.hortnz.co.nz/our-work/people/hortnz-leadership-programme.
For enquiries please contact Sue Pickering 021 938 825 or email sue.p@developme.nz. Due to the timing of the Covid-19 Alert Levels and much of horticulture being an essential service (as well as harvesting), application deadline has been extended to 20 June.
Vegetables NZ is pleased to announce a new label claim has been registered for a nematicide in parsnips. This also has a Maximum Residue Level (MRL) set. Vegetables NZ engaged Market Access Solutionz to lead and coordinate this project on behalf of parsnip growers.
Velum Prime (active fluopyram) has been registered for nematode control in parsnips (mirroring the existing claim for carrots and aligning the MRLs). While parsnip growers in general use very few nematicides, there are areas, however, where nematode pressure is high, and growers need to control these pests in order to ensure an economic return. Industry’s preference is to use low risk, targeted products, and this registration provides them with such a tool.
Velum Prime has a reduced risk profile and this allows growers to have access to a new mode of action, and provides alternatives to products being removed from the market.
“The only other efficacious nematicide registered for use on parsnip (Nemacur / fenamiphos) is due for phase out by July 2023, so there was an urgent need for parsnip growers to have access to an alternative product” says Antony Heywood – manager of Vegetables NZ. Nematode damage causes parsnips to fork and without an efficacious nematicide there is no marketable crop. Parsnip growers regard nematode control as the most important production factor in ensuring an economic return from their crop.
The majority of crops produced in NZ are considered minor by crop protection companies and due to low levels of product sales, they do not justify the cost of specific registration trials. There is a real need to assist growers to ensure they have sustainable products to allow continued growth and production of a range of crops.
“It’s great that this collaborative approach between the grower group and Bayer NZ has enabled this label extension to be registered and an MRL set. Growers of parsnips now have another sustainable control option that can be used on label, which is a positive outcome for both growers and registrant” says Antony.
Vegetables NZ wishes to acknowledge and thank Bayer NZ and Fruitfed Supplies for their funding support with the addition of the parsnip claim to the Velum Prime label. Vegetables NZ strongly encourages growers to support the registrant of this product as they have contributed to co-funding the registration.
Any questions please phone or email Rebecca Fisher, Ph 021 059 7364 - Crop Protection Manager, Market Access Solutionz (MAS)
Click here for a copy of the final approved label report.
The 2019 VNZI AGM and Horticulture Conference was a great success and for those of you who were able to attend we hope you found the experience both rewarding and valuable.
All Motions tabled were passed and a highlight of the AGM was presenting Dr Stuart Davis with a Life Membership Award. Stuart has made an outstanding contribution to the vegetable industry and VNZI Board and it was only befitting to acknowledge Stuart's contribution in this way. Later in the Conference Stuart was also award a Horticulture Industry Services Award. Congratulations Stuart!
Results from the 2019 VNZI Board Election process saw Kiran Hari, Allen Lim, Mike Parker and Leanne Roberts re-elected as VNZI Board Directors. Congratulations!
At the first VNZI Board meeting following the AGM held on Thursday 1 August at 8:45am saw Andre de Bruin nominated and elected as Chair of VNZI and Mike Parker nominated and elected as Vice Chair of VNZI. Congratulations!
IMPORTANT NOTICE - As you may be aware there was a media article stating that a needle has been found in a capsicum by a customer of Countdown in Tauranga. (Please refer to the article below).
NZ Police and MPI are investigating the claim.
PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THE MEDIA instead refer them in the first instance to:
Josie Vidal – Communications Manager (Horticulture NZ) 027 542 7475
HortNZ and Vegetables NZ Inc will manage any media at present. We do not as yet know the facts but we have systems in place (NZ GAP) to ensure that our food is safe, so please do not be drawn into deeper discussions around food safety. We will keep the media updated.
Our goal is to minimise media attention to stop copycat repetition.
Needle found in Tauranga Countdown capsicum
The needle contamination scare continues with yet another piece of fresh produce found pierced with metal - this time, a hapless capsicum.
Tauranga man Will Taylor cooked his girlfriend a stir fry on Sunday, using a red capsicum he'd bought from Countdown Bureta Park the day before.
He told Stuff that when his partner bit into the vegetable, she felt something sharp scratch her tongue.
Upon closer inspection, the couple discovered a needle about 4cm long that seemed to have been jammed into the capsicum.
Mr Taylor told Stuff he called the supermarket immediately, and was told other capsicums would be taken off the shelves.
A Countdown spokesperson told Newshub they were aware of the incident, and the matter is now under investigation by NZ Police and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
The pointy discovery came just a day after a needle was found inside a punnet of strawberries at a Fresh Choice supermarket in Geraldine. It's the first time one's been found in any New Zealand-grown produce.
Three needles were found in another punnet in an Auckland supermarket in September.
More than 100 needles were found in fruit across Australia in a contamination crisis that proved devastating to at least one farm.
Newshub.
Announcement - Fresh Vegetable Commodity Levy Vote Successful
VNZI are pleased to announce that the proposed new fresh vegetable commodity levy has been supported. 86.55% by number and 89.05% by value of those that voted in the recent referendum supported the proposal.
The Horticulture New Zealand and other vegetable product group referendums were also successful.
Many thanks if you were one of the 86.55% of fresh vegetable growers that cast your vote.
Next we will make an application to the Ministry for Primary Industries, who will take our request to the Minister for approval. The new levy order is expected to be in place around April 2019.
Under the new levy order, the fresh vegetable levy rate will remain the same at 0.30% for domestic sales and 0.20% for export sales.
Click here for the Horticulture New Zealand Media Release - 21 August 2018
Download a brochure on the Vegetables NZ Incorporated Commodity Levy Proposal.
