James Blair Named 2026 Young Grower National Champion
James Blair, an agronomist for AS Wilcox and the Pukekohe regional champion, has won the 2026 Young Grower national title.
Door-to-door, local fruit and vegetable box deliveries can go ahead under Alert Level 4 restrictions.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) says door-to-door, local fruit and vegetable box deliveries can go ahead under COVID-19 Alert Level 4 restrictions.
However, COVID-19 anti-transmission measures must be in place.
The MBIE advisory follows a query from Horticulture NZ.
In a posting on its website, HortNZ says “MBIE has just advised HortNZ that door-to-door, local fruit and vegetable box deliveries can go ahead, but Covid-19 anti-transmission measures must be in place, such as the 2m distancing rule and deliveries being done without individual contact”.
Orders must be made by phone or online and paid for online, so there is no handling of cash. Orders must also be left at the door, so there is no physical contact: appropriate safe food handling and COVID-19 anti-transmission measures must be in place at all times.
MBIE has also pointed out that independent fruit and vegetable outlets must remain closed to the public.
There's been widespread support from the primary sector for the Government's announcement on changes to freshwater farm plans that come under the Natural Environment Bill, which is now set to replace the existing RMA.
A partnership between state-owned enterprise Pāmu (Landcorp Farming Limited) and charity Meet the Need is putting more than quality New Zealand beef into food bank parcels this year.
The Opportunity Party has faced criticism during the election campaign that its policies are too urban-focused and offer little for rural communities.
The chair of the country's environmental regulator, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), says changes are already under way to improve the performance of the agency to better meet the needs of those who interface with them.
Alliance Group's $16 million programme to install innovative heat pump systems at its Otago and Southland processing plants wins a New Zealand Energy Excellence Award after cutting annual emissions by more than 24,000 tonnes of CO₂e.
The arable sector losing good people and land is a major concern for the 2026 Arable Farmers of the Year, Mid Canterbury seed growers John and Mel McCaw.

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