fbpx
Print this page
Friday, 16 September 2016 14:31

Viticulture business on the right track

Written by 
Allan Johnson, Pip Goodwin and Blair Savage at Palliser Estate. Allan Johnson, Pip Goodwin and Blair Savage at Palliser Estate.

Entering the Greater Wellington Ballance Farm Environment Awards was a valuable exercise for South Wairarapa viticulture business, Palliser Estate Wines of Martinborough Ltd.

Chief executive officer Pip Goodwin says the operation aims to be a leader in the production of high quality wine using the most sustainable methods possible.

“The Ballance Farm Environment Awards gave us a chance to be judged by our peers and find out what we could do to improve in future.”

After being involved in the Awards several years ago, Goodwin says entering the 2016 Awards helped Palliser Estate Wines “check we were still on the right track”.

And the judges confirmed this, awarding the operation three category awards, including the Hill Laboratories Harvest Award. This award recognises excellent crop, pasture and soil management while taking into consideration the effects the farming system has on the land resource now and in the long term.

Judges says the Palliser Estate Wines team demonstrated an excellent understanding of crop genetics and water requirements for different varieties and soil types. They also noted the operation’s “focus on minimising the impact on the environment through the use of low impact sprays”.

Pip says winning the Hill Laboratories Harvest Award was very pleasing “because growing good grape crops is our core business”.

She says being involved in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards was a positive experience for the operation, which is always looking for ways to evolve.

“Sustainability is a journey. It’s not like you wake up one day and go ‘hey we’re sustainable now.’ and you can stop working on any initiatives. We need to keep finding new ways of making our environment better.”

As a winery, the operation differs significantly to the sheep, beef and dairying businesses involved in the Awards. But Pip says the Palliser Estate team enjoyed mixing with people from a range of different industries on Awards night.

“It was inspiring to see what others are doing to improve sustainability on their farms and orchards. It doesn’t matter what industry you are in: we are all selling product offshore and doing our best to show our customers that our products are produced in an environmentally-friendly way.”

Being acknowledged by the judges of the Ballance Farm Environment Awards was good for the winery’s profile within the local community and may also help with international marketing because it shows that the business is trying to do the right thing, Pip says.

She encourages other viticulture, horticulture and agricultural operations to enter the Awards.

“It’s a great opportunity to learn something that will help you improve your business in the long term.”

Entries for the 2017 Greater Wellington Ballance Farm Environment Awards close on October 31, 2016. It costs nothing to enter and entry forms are available online at www.nzfeatrust.org.nz 

More like this

Rewarding farmers who embrace sustainability

Winners of DairyNZ’s Sustainability and Stewardship awards in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards have their eyes firmly fixed on progressing a positive future for New Zealand dairy.

Otago's supreme winner

Angus Barr and Tara Dwyer of The Wandle, Lone Star Farms in Strath Taieri have been named the Regional Supreme Winners at the Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Dunedin.

Featured

Feds make case for rural bank lending probe

Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.

National

Fonterra unveils divestment plan

Fonterra is exploring full or partial divestment options for its global Consumer business, as well as its integrated businesses Fonterra…

Fonterra appoints new CFO

Fonterra has appointed a new chief financial officer, seven months after its last CFO’s shock resignation.

Machinery & Products

GPS in control

In a move that will make harvesting operations easier, particularly in odd-shaped paddocks, Kuhn has announced that GPS section control…