Friday, 02 August 2024 07:55

Best young plant producer in the country!

Written by  Staff Reporters
Young plant producer 2024 Anna England. Young plant producer 2024 Anna England.

Anna England from Elliot’s Wholesale Nursery in Amberley has been named as the 2024 Young Plant Producer of the Year.

The award, presented recently at a dinner in Christchurch, was reward for England’s dedication and innovation in the plant production industry.

The Young Plant Producer event tested competitors on the skills needed to run a successful plant production. It is organised by NZ Plant Producers (NZPPI), hosted by IPPS (International Plant Propagators’ Society) and supported by the Horticentre Charitable Trust.

The four finalists undertook two days of challenges at Lincoln University, where they were tested on their skills in finance and dispatch, biosecurity, plant propagation and identification, tool maintenance, agrichemical use and irrigation.

The judges looked for individuals who could make a difference in the industry, going beyond great skills to also include leadership, attitude and personality.

England is sales coordinator at Elliott’s Wholesale Nursery. Along with her trophy, she has won a 12-month programme of mentorship support plus a $3000 fund to advance her career in plant production. She will also take part in the Young Horticulturalist of the Year award in November where she will compete against finalists from the entire horticulture sector, vying for a prize pool worth more than $20,000.

England moved to Christchurch from Taranaki four years ago to study horticulture at Lincoln University then joined the team at Elliot’s in a role she loves as it “offers with both incredible plants and fantastic people”.

“My time in horticulture so far has been a rewarding journey, and I’m grateful to be part of such a supportive industry. I saw the young plant producer competition as an opportunity to challenge myself to develop new skills and knowledge, as well as a great chance to meet other inspired people who are committed to the industry.”

The Young Plant Producer 2024 runners up were:

  • Ellen Ballantine, Team Lead R&D Operations of vegetable breeding company, Enza Zaden in Puni, Auckland
  • Johannes Andresen, despatch manager and sales at Tharfield Nursery in Katikati
  • Jessica Jack, nursery production worker at Kerikeri Plant Production in Kerikeri.

More like this

Horticentre scholarships

Te piko o te māhuri, tērā te tipu o te rākau; The way in which the young sapling is nurtured determines how the tree will grow.

Featured

NZEI unhappy with funding cut for teachers

Education union NZEI Te Riu Roa says that while educators will support the Government’s investment in learning support, they’re likely to be disappointed that it has been paid for by defunding expert teachers.

EU regulations unfairly threaten $200m exports

A European Union regulation ensuring that the products its citizens consume do not contribute to deforestation or forest degradation worldwide threatens $200m of New Zealand beef and leather exports.

Bionic Plus back on vet clinic shelves

A long-acting, controlled- release capsule designed to protect ewes from internal parasites during the lambing period is back on the market following a comprehensive reassessment.

National

Machinery & Products

New Holland combines crack 50 years

New Holland is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the introduction its Twin Rotor threshing and separation technology, which has evolved…

Iconic TPW Woolpress turns 50!

The company behind the iconic TPW Woolpress, which fundamentally changed the way wool is baled in Australia and New Zealand,…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Double standards

OPINION: Imagine if the Hound had called the Minister of Finance the 'c-word' and accused her of "girl math".

Debt monster

OPINION: It's good news that Finance Minister Nicola Willis has slashed $1.1 billion from new spending, citing "a seismic global…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter