HortNZ levy vote looming
Commercial fruit and vegetable growers are being urged to their say in the upcoming levy referendum to enable Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) to continue its work for the sector.
Voting has started in a crucial decision for the future of Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ).
HortNZ's board wants grower support for continued levy funding for the next six years. HortNZ will cease to exist without this funding, when the current levy order expires in June 2013.
Voting papers for the HortNZ levy referendum have been posted to all 6000 commercial fruit and vegetable growers. Voting closes on September 28 at 5pm.
The referendum is seeking approval for a grower levy of 15 cents for every $100 of sales on all fruit and vegetables, which is the same as the maximum levy rate in the current order.
This rate is forecast to raise about $2.5 million a year for HortNZ work on industry wide issues, like biosecurity policy, land and water use issues and seasonal labour needs.
"Our biggest single success has been our ability to unify growers' voices," HortNZ president Andrew Fenton says.
"The industry faces enormous challenges now and in the next few years. So it's critical to have a unified voice if we are going to overcome these challenges and grow the industry value."
The major change since the last referendum (in 2005) is that because HortNZ can no longer rely on the Fruitgrowers Charitable Trust to top up the fruit growers' levy, it is proposing that all growers pay the same levy rate.
This year fresh vegetable, potato, process vegetable and fresh tomato growers currently paying an integrated HortNZ and Product Group levy will receive at least two voting papers, one for the HortNZ levy and one for each additional product group levy. Growers must vote for both to continue to receive the same level of services.
"We have received very positive feedback from the more than 100 meetings with growers held to discuss the proposal since March," Andrews says.
"Now is the time for growers to have their say. Their voices will not be heard if we do not have HortNZ."
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.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has informed staff it will cut 391 jobs following a consultation period.