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.
Ian Greaves receives the HortNZ President's Trophy from Jullian Raine, chairman of HortNZ, last year.
Nominations are now open for the 2016 Horticulture Industry Awards.
There are four awards to be presented at the horticulture industry conference in August.
The awards are:
The Bledisloe Cup - awarded for an outstanding and meritorious contribution to the New Zealand horticulture industry.
The HortNZ President's Trophy - to celebrate inspiring leadership within the horticulture industry.
The HortNZ Industry Service Award - to recognise people with long and dedicated service in a supplier or service role (not a grower) that have worked beyond the call of duty for the betterment of the horticulture industry.
And the HortNZ Life Member - to recognise growers with long and dedicated service as office holders of HortNZ and/or an affiliated Product Group or affiliated Grower Association.
Nominations must be received by 5pm on Thursday 16 June 2016.
Any grower member of HortNZ, an affiliated Product Group or an affiliated Grower Association can make nominations.
Forms are on the website www.hortnz.co.nz
New Zealand's citrus growers have been told to compete on the value built into their fruit rather than the volume they grow.
Hawke's Bay fruit growers are being reminded of the need to prepare for whatever the El Niño weather system may bring in the coming months.
Three and a half years on from when Cyclone Gabrielle hit Hawke's Bay, some orchardists in the region are still receiving counselling to help them deal with the trauma they suffered.
South of the central Hawke’s Bay town of Waipukurau is Taniwha Station – a highly successful 550ha bull beef farming operation.
Beef + Lamb NZ funded research has shown that some simple changes to pasture management could help farmers make better use of rainfall and build resilience before dry conditions hit.
OPINION: There could hardly be a more appropriate theme for a conference than the one chosen by the red meat sector - Navigating Volatility.