Time to flip the levy-payer industry-good body model
OPINION: Industry good organisations have long played a key role in supporting New Zealand’s primary industries.
HortNZ chief executive Mike Chapman says his organisation wrote to the Prime Minister when the lockdown was first announced asking for independent retailers to be allowed to open during Alert Level 3.
He says in Auckland independent retailers account for 60% of sales to the public and also sell culturally significant fresh fruit and vegetables to their communities, which aren’t readily available in supermarkets.
In the letter, HortNZ tells the PM that in Auckland a large number of households in the poorer outer suburbs have lost the ability to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables from their local retailers at affordable prices. They also warned the PM about the financial effect on growers.
As Rural News went to press on late last week, Chapman says they have not received a response from Ardern – only notice that the matter had been handed on to Minister Phil Twyford for his consideration.
“They need to get their act together because the longer the delay, the more food that is wasted and that is absolutely absurd.”
Chapman says it’s clear the MoH don’t understand the supply chain. He says the border is based on the Auckland super city boundaries, but a more sensible approach would have been to consider the actual commercial growing production areas.Chapman told Rural News that the MoH never asked for any advice and they seem to be controlling it in their own way.
A brilliant result and great news for growers and regional economies. That's how horticulture sector leaders are describing the news that sector exports for the year ended June 30 will reach $8.4 billion - an increase of 19% on last year and is forecast to hit close to $10 billion in 2029.
Funding is proving crucial for predator control despite a broken model reliant on the goodwill of volunteers.
A major milestone on New Zealand's unique journey to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis could come before the end of this year.
We're working through it, and we'll get to it.
The debate around New Zealand's future in the Paris Agreement is heating up.
A technical lab manager for Apata, Phoebe Scherer, has won the Bay of Plenty 2025 Young Grower regional title.