By Nadine Tunley, chief executive of HortNZ
The Horticulture New Zealand annual conference in Mount Maunganui at the end of this month will be my final engagement with stakeholders as chief executive of the organisation.
As I prepare to step down from a role I have thoroughly enjoyed for the past three and a half years, it seems a good time to reflect on the challenges our sector has faced in that time and the changes we have achieved or set in motion.
I have worked in the primary sector for 30 years and I think it’s fair to say that the past four years have tested farmers and growers as much as any in those previous decades and probably more.
The covid-19 pandemic and extreme weather events, most notably cyclones Hale and Gabrielle, came as hammer blows in rapid succession.
All this while the rural sector was working to navigate an unprecedented flood of legislative change and increased costs, including high interest rates.
I’m proud of the way our team sprang into action, focusing on providing continued relief, advocating for long-term support and ensuring practical resources were available to growers.
After so many years working in the sector, I knew all about the indomitable spirit of growers, but I was still humbled by the determination and the drive of the sector to pick itself up in the wake of the devastation and set about restoring and rebuilding.
I will never forget the many exceptional examples of resilience, passion and tenacity I encountered in those difficult times.
Throughout all of this, there was still the “business as usual” to get on with too, as well as changes to be driven, and I have been very fortunate to have had such a passionate, skilled and dedicated team.
They have worked to facilitate sector access to government and to get ministers and officials out in the fields, to meet with growers and see the challenges and constraints they are dealing with.
Our policy team has been dogged in its focus on working with local authorities and central government to streamline processes and outline where existing or proposed policies are untenable, unworkable – or both.
We have lobbied relentlessly for regulatory changes to reduce the bureaucratic burden on growers and have advocated strongly for long-term, sustainable solutions to support growers in the wake of natural disasters.
This has included lobbying the government on water policies and calling for approaches that support sustainable water management practices – as well as for infrastructure investments in water storage and flood protection.
We’re pleased with the adjustments to the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme policy settings.
Seasonal labour is one of the major challenges for growers and this unique scheme plays such a vital role in our rural economy.
I leave feeling very positive for the future of the horticulture sector and its ability to grow and thrive sustainably and continue to make a valuable contribution to the food security of all New Zealanders and the economy.
