New mural celebrates Hastings' rural past
The old Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Co-op Association garage in Hastings has become home to a new mural celebrating the activities that happened in the building.
A company credited for revolutionising the apple industry by creating a market for fruit that used to be "mopped up as rubbish" has turned 50.
Johnny Appleseed's managing director, John Paynter says ENZAFOODS innovation has meant growers can prosper because they've created a growing market for second grade fruit that can't be exported.
"ENZAFOODS is a world leader in the international juicing market and should be congratulated on 50 successful years in business. It has revolutionised the apple industry by creating a market for fruit that used to be mopped up as rubbish," he says.
ENZAFOODS, New Zealand's largest apple processing company, has marked its 50th birthday by opening a $4 million processing line in Hastings.
The new $4 million line at, purpose built to produce premium fruit products, and will create up to 30 new jobs bringing the workforce to over 150 during the season.
ENZAFOODS is now injecting an estimated $40 million into the economies of Hawke's Bay and Nelson and providing more profitable contracts to growers for second grade fruit.
General manager Jon Marks says by pureeing and dicing apples, the company has created huge demand for premium fruit products under the FreshFields brand and is delivering profits back to growers.
"We've enjoyed tremendous growth, development and innovation, strengthening New Zealand's international reputation as a premium processor of both fruit and vegetables."
This year Enzafoods will process 110,000 tonnes of apples, pears, carrots, berries, kiwifruit and feijoas into juices, juice concentrates, purees and diced and sliced products, supplied into industrial, food service, hospitality and retail markets in New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and the USA.
The Government is set to announce two new acts to replace the contentious Resource Management Act (RMA) with the Prime Minister hinting that consents required by farmers could reduce by 46%.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on climate change would be “a really dumb move”.
The University of Waikato has broken ground on its new medical school building.
Undoubtedly the doyen of rural culture, always with a wry smile, our favourite ginger ninja, Te Radar, in conjunction with his wife Ruth Spencer, has recently released an enchanting, yet educational read centred around rural New Zealand in one hundred objects.
Farmers are being urged to keep on top of measures to control Cysticerus ovis - or sheep measles - following a spike in infection rates.
The avocado industry is facing an extremely challenging season with all parts of the supply chain, especially growers, being warned to prepare for any eventuality.

OPINION: Your old mate welcomes the proposed changes to local government but notes it drew responses that ranged from the reasonable…
OPINION: A press release from the oxygen thieves running the hot air symposium on climate change, known as COP30, grabbed your…