The centre of NZ's food sector

From the beginning of human settlement, the land, forests and waterways around what is now the city of Palmerston North/Papaiōea in Manawatū, provided a bountiful food basket.

The first 'harvests' were timber, flax and aggregate, but the capacity of the cleared land to support extensive agricultural pursuits quickly became apparent.

The new town became a focal point for spin-off enterprises, with primary production remaining a bedrock of Palmy's economy, while growing to achieve national reputation and prominence.

Then as now, returns from the agri sector circulated several times through the local community, consolidating the town as a centre for commerce, while attracting an ever-widening range of services and amenities.

Diversity has always been a hallmark of the local agri sector, with dairy, sheep, deer, red meat, pork, poultry, equine studs, forestry, cropping, orcharding and horticulture in the wider mix.

In 1904, Wellington businessman Joseph Nathan began dried milk production at Bunnythorpe under the brand 'Glaxo'.

Glaxo went on to form the nucleus of multinational pharmaceutical colossus Glaxo Smith Kline.

In 1928, Massey Agricultural College accepted its first students, growing in stature to become Massey University in 1963.

Along with its focus on agricultural science the university has New Zealand's only veterinary school and is the site of Te Ohu Rangihau Kai - the National Food Science Building, headquarters of FoodHQ, which opened in 2021.

Established in 2013, FoodHQ is a collaboration involving most of New Zealand's leading food science and innovation organisations, including AgResearch, Plant & Food Research, The Riddet Institute, Cawthron, and the New Zealand Food Safety Science and Research Centre.

FoodHQ's commitment is to capture extra value from the quality produce our primary sector excels in, and as the biggest food science cluster in New Zealand, builds on the city's proud primary sector heritage.

As part of that heritage in 1948, brothers Charles and Walter Norwood established farm machinery company CB Norwood in Palmerston North.

Now trading as Norwood, the company is the largest farm machinery business in Australasia.

Pioneering livestock identification company Allflex International began its journey here in 1955.

Manufacturer of the renowned Hilux, Toyota has had a strong presence in the city since 1977 when Toyota NZ relocated its parts warehouse and distribution centre to Palmy before setting up its New Zealand HQ and National Customer Centre here in 1992.

Kubota NZ is another famous farm vehicle supplier headquartered in the city.

Palmy also hosts the NZ Rural Games, unfortunately kiboshed by Covid this year, and NZ Agrifood Week, which has been reduced in scope to two-days of AgriTalk seminars on May 17-18.

With the primary sector almost singlehandedly making up for lost international tourist dollars, and the world's increasing desire for quality Kiwi food products, the profitable partnership between 'town and ground', 'Palmy and Farmy' looks set to endure indefinitely.

Grant Smith is mayor of Palmerston North.