Vegetables NZ announces Board composition for 2025-2026

Two new faces – Gordon McPhail and Rob Lindsay – will join the Vegetables NZ Board as Directors at the Annual General Meeting on 26 August. 

‘Both Gordon and Rob have demonstrated they speak-up and bring a commercially sound, constructive approach that benefits vegetable growers,’ said Vegetables NZ Chair, John Murphy.

‘We’re delighted that they’ve made themselves available and look forward to their input.’  

The Vegetables NZ Board is determined to stay in touch with the day-to-day reality its growers face, and respond to constructive criticism productively.

‘We want our industry to be prosperous so our growers can continue to grow fresh, healthy vegetables for New Zealanders at reasonable prices,’ said John.

‘While there are tremendous opportunities in our industry, of recent times, it has been a hard slog for our members financially. Alarmingly, vegetable production is also under real threat due to inconsistent regional policies relating to the Resource Management Act (RMA). We urgently need Government action on a national approach to vegetable production.’

Vegetables NZ has five core priorities:

1.      permitted activity for growing fresh healthy food

2.      a more practical approach to enabling the use of highly productive land

3.      better energy policies

4.      research that enables better growing

5.      increasing vegetable consumption.

Vegetables NZ also announced that following their reappointment, Brendan Balle and Jay Clarke will remain on the Board for another term.

There were four positions available on the Vegetables NZ Board due to:

·       Brendan and Jay retiring by rotation and available for re-election

·       Allen Lim retiring by rotation and not seeking re-election

·       Nick Pollock stepping off the Board in January 2025. 

‘I would like to thank Allen and Nick for their contributions. Allen served the vegetable industry in various roles including Vegetables NZ Vice Chair for several years, while Nick represented Vegetables NZ on the Vegetable Research and Innovation Board and other committees. They both had grower prosperity at heart and worked hard to make a difference,’ said John.

‘I would also like to acknowledge Brendan and Jay for their tireless contributions. 

‘Our Board is focused on enabling our growers to do what they do best - growing fresh healthy vegetables for New Zealanders.’