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Essential Skills Work Visa changes
The Government has made changes to Essential Skills Work Visas, which took effect from 19 July. In summary:
- The maximum duration of an Essential Skills visas for jobs paid below the median wage ($27.00) is extended from 12 to 24 months.
- A labour market test is required except when the employee is staying in the same job.
- If you have already supplied medical and police certificates to Immigration New Zealand, you do not have to again.
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From L to R: Aurora McGee-Thomas, Bryce Morrison, Emily Woods, Jess Matheson,
Katherine Bell, Quintin Swanepoel, Trevor Macdonald and Yvette Jones will be competing on Thursday.
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Bay of Plenty Young Grower next week!
The Bay of Plenty Young Grower is fast approaching, taking place on Thursday 22 July. Eight contestants will compete for this year’s title, and a chance to represent their region at the national finals.
The practical activities will take place from 9.00am to 1.15pm at Mount Maunganui College, 565 Maunganui Road, Mt Maunganui. All are welcome to come along and support the young growers as they complete a series of fast-paced, practical and theoretical challenges.
The awards gala dinner will be held at Zespri, 400 Maunganui Road, Mt Maunganui, with doors opening at 5.30pm, but tickets have sold out.
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Katherine Rich to speak at The Horticulture Conference: buy your tickets now
Making sure the little guys get a fair deal will be a key theme covered by New Zealand Food and Grocery Council chief executive Katherine Rich at this year's Horticulture New Zealand conference.
The current supermarket scene is dominated by a 'duopoly' of two large companies – the Australian-owned Progressive Enterprises and the Foodstuffs cooperative.
‘Growers of fresh produce can often become the casualties in the competition between these two large companies,’ says Katherine.
‘New Zealand’s supermarket duopoly is causing significant issues for suppliers and consumers. For suppliers, squeezed margins are resulting in under-investment, under-supply and reduced innovation. For consumers there is less choice, variety, innovation, price, and other non-price competition.
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HortNZ's position on Freshwater Farm Plans
Government policy must support the horticulture industry and not add unnecessary cost and compliance, if the industry is to deliver for New Zealand, both environmentally and economically.
The Government is consulting on freshwater farm plan regulations. At the same time, it is getting ready to consult on greenhouse gases, through the He Waka Eke Noa Government and industry partnership.
Freshwater farm plans are a component of integrated farm plans. HortNZ believes that fruit and vegetable growers should be able to meet all these requirements through Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) schemes.
We would like to see existing industry programmes – like GAP – built on, so that growers can meet all the Government’s freshwater and climate change requirements in the most efficient way possible. This approach would enable growers to do what they do best – grow fresh, healthy fruit and vegetables for New Zealanders and the rest of the world.
GAP schemes are recognised by some local government councils, for example, Environment Canterbury (ECan) and Gisborne District Council.
HortNZ’s preferred approach to compliance aligns with the Government’s objectives for the horticulture industry. That is, help grow the New Zealand economy while helping the country meet its environmental targets through land use change to horticulture.
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Grower feedback meetings: Freshwater Farm Plans and NBA
HortNZ will make submissions on the proposed Freshwater Farm Plan regulations and Natural and Built Environments Act (NBA) legislation on behalf of growers. To inform the submissions, HortNZ will be discussing the proposals and seeking feedback at a series of grower meetings held around the country and online:
• Hawke's Bay - 22 July, 1pm
• Pukekohe - 27 July, 1pm
• Alexandra - 29 July, 6pm
• Webinar - 28 July, 1pm
If you would like to attend, please register using this form. Questions about the meetings can be directed to HortNZ Environment Manager, Michelle Sands.
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Pukekohe farm plan workshops next week
Pukekohe growers are invited to a series of workshops on Tuesday 27 July covering Farm Environment Plans and environmental policy updates. Whether you grow indoor or outdoor, there is something on offer for you.
Click here to register for the sessions relevant to your business.
Event details
Venue: Pukekohe Indian Association Event Centre, 59 Ward Street, Pukekohe.
10:30 – 12:30 - Farm Environment Plan workshop for greenhouse growers
This workshop will present the findings of a greenhouse case study, and step through the HortNZ Guideline for Greenhouse Nutrient Solution Discharge and the modified Environment Management System (EMS) Farm Environment Plan template.
12:30 – 1:00 Lunch is provided (please register).
1:00 – 2:00 – Environmental policy update for all growers
This update will cover Freshwater Farm Plan regulations, and the new Natural and Built Environments Act currently out for consultation.
2:00 – 4:00 - Final Farm Environment Plan workshop for outdoor vegetable growers
This last workshop will cover:
- Questions from the previous workshop
- Irrigation management
- Biodiversity management
- Environmental Action Plan – what to include
- Wrap up and next steps to audit.
If you have any questions, please contact Ailsa Robertson.
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Delayed: PC7 to the Canterbury Land and Water Plan
Environment Canterbury has applied to the Minister for the Environment for an extension to the timeframe to make its decision on Plan Change 7 (PC7) until 31 October 2021. We had anticipated that the Council’s decision on the plan change would be made public around June/July this year.
The reason given for the delay to wait for the release of the scientific review of Overseer which is due later this month. Environment Canterbury wants to understand the Overseer review outcomes and the implications of these by the end of July, before making a decision on whether to adopt the commissioners’ recommendations on PC7.
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HortNZ AGM papers
Please find a link below to the 2021 Horticulture New Zealand Annual General Meeting (AGM) papers for our upcoming AGM to be held at Mystery Creek, Hamilton on Friday 6 August 2021 at 7.30am.
If you require further information about the 2021 HortNZ AGM please email board.secretary@hortnz.co.nz. If you have any questions about the 2021 Annual Report, please contact Andrew Bristol.
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Nominations open for Women in Horticulture Executive Committee
Women in Horticulture is seeking nominations for four members to stand on the executive committee for a term beginning 1 August for three years.
Two of these newly elected members must be growers. Diverse representation is encouraged and candidates do not need to be women. This is also a great opportunity to gain governance experience and make a difference at a national level.
Those interested can self-nominate or be nominated by another Women in Horticulture member. Nominations are due by Friday 23 July at 5pm. Please complete the nomination form here.
If more nominations are received than positions available, an election will be conducted via email. If you have any questions, please contact info@women-in-hort.co.nz
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Register for NZGAP Annual Meeting 2021
This year, the NZGAP Annual Meeting will be held via webinar on Wednesday 21 July at 4pm. Click here to register.
The meeting will cover an update on the current strategy review, including draft recommendations after analysis of the recent public survey results. NZGAP will also deliver an update on milestones achieved over the past year, as well as priorities for this year.
The NZGAP session at the Horticulture Conference on 5 August, 10.30am – 12pm, will be grower-focused, covering Farm Environment Plans, Social Practice and the Future of Auditing.
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Citrus NZ conference
The Citrus NZ conference and dinner is being held at Bushmere Arms in Gisborne on Thursday 9 September.
9am – 12pm Conference
12pm – 1pm AGM
1pm + Field trip
7pm Dinner at Bushmere Arms
Attendance at the conference and field trip is free. Dinner tickets (including drinks) are $75. Further details including the conference programme will be out soon.
Members have been emailed a registration form. If you have not received it, please email info@citrus.co.nz
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NZ Apples & Pears Conference
The 2021 NZ Apples & Pears Conference will be held on 11-13 August at the Toitoi Hawke’s Bay Arts & Events Centre.
This year’s conference, Building Resilience in Challenging Times, will focus on learnings from Covid and how the industry must respond in a post-Covid world.
The Grochem Gala dinner will be held on 12 August and a lunch will conclude the event on 13 August. For more information on sessions and speakers, check out the full programme.
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Enter the NZ Biosecurity Awards
If you’ve been putting in the hard yards to keep New Zealand safe from pests and diseases, you should enter this year’s Biosecurity Awards. Entries close on Saturday 31 July.
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