Tuesday, 06 June 2023 09:25

Big boots to fill!

Written by  Staff Reporters
NZ Avocado Growers Association chief executive Jen Scoular will step down in August after 12 years in the role. NZ Avocado Growers Association chief executive Jen Scoular will step down in August after 12 years in the role.

NZ Avocado Growers Association chief executive Jen Scoular will step down in August after serving 12 years in the role.

Scoular's resignation was announced late last month by association chair Linda Flegg.

She says Scoular has served the association tirelessly over the past 12 years, with many achievements along the way.

"When Jen took up the role after a four-year term as a trade diplomat in Hamburg, Germany, our industry was struggling and lacked engagement, communication and systems, which gave Jen a lot to focus on," says Flegg.

"Under her leadership, industry value has increased from $82m in 2011-12 to $213m in 2021, and the New Zealand market value from $19m to $62m in 2021-22. During her tenure, the industry successfully achieved market access for avocados into both the China and India market, joined the biosecurity partnership with the government and achieved the first horticulture primary growth partnership in 2014, which finished in December 2022."

Flegg says the 10th World Avocado Congress held in Auckland was a fitting finale for Scoular.

"With five years in the planning, against the odds of Covid and border closures, it was a phenomenal success."

Scoular will remain in the role until mid-August and will take the opportunity to farewell some of the 1,400 avocados growers across the growing regions.

Flegg says Scoular is leaving "a legacy that will require some big shoes to fill".

More like this

NZ Avocado boss to step down

NZ Avocado Growers Association chief executive Jen Scoular will step down in August after serving 12 years in the role.

'The golden age is over'

Attendees of the upcoming World Avocado Congress NZ 2023 can expect to be challenged by keynote speaker Eric Imbert.

Featured

Australia develops first local mRNA FMD vaccine

Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.

NZ household food waste falls again

Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.

Editorial: No joking matter

OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.

National

Machinery & Products

Yamaha acquires Robotics Plus

New Zealand based company Robotics Plus, a specialist in agricultural automation, has announced an agreement for it to be acquired…

Ecorobotix announces NZ dealership

Swiss-based Ecorobotix has announced its entry into the New Zealand market through a strategic partnership with Canterbury-based New Zealand Tractors.

Sorting unwashed potatoes made easy

Downs, a leader in potato reception, automated sorting, and storage, has introduced its new high-throughput optical sorter for unwashed potatoes…

Jumbo X saves time and money

A winner of a prestigious ‘Technical Innovations 2024’ award by FederUnacoma at the EIMA show in Italy, the Maschio Jumbo…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

A step too far

OPINION: For years, the ironically named Dr Mike Joy has used his position at Victoria University to wage an activist-style…

Save us from SAFE

OPINION: A mate of yours truly has had an absolute gutsful of the activist group SAFE.

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter