Canadian call for SWNZ logo on bottle
Canada's liquor monopolies might be convinced that sustainability is the "DNA" of New Zealand wine, but they want to see proof of certification on every label.
He leads the Environment team responsible for driving progress towards the industry’s sustainability goals through Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand and the biosecurity programme.
The Good: This year biosecurity planning was introduced as a mandatory requirement within SWNZ. It was great to see the high levels of engagement from members across the different wine regions to learn more about biosecurity and biosecurity planning (page 27). Biosecurity is fundamental to the success of the industry, and our members are doing an excellent job as active participants in New Zealand’s biosecurity system.
The Bad: During 2025, Project Raumatatiki: Freshwater Farm Planning for Viticulture successfully piloted a digital freshwater farm planning tool that will help our members to identify and mitigate any risks posed to freshwater by their winegrowing activities. This builds on the education programme and industry guidelines that were developed last year. Despite this progress there remains considerable uncertainty regarding the future of Freshwater Farm Planning as the government is yet to release new regulations that will replace those launched in August 2023. In August this year we got good news as, following NZW advocacy, the Resource Management Amendment Act raised the threshold for viticultural properties that require a plan from 5 to 50 hectares. While this raised threshold will result in significantly fewer members being required to complete a Freshwater Farm Plan, the flip side is that we are still waiting for the details to be released with the regulations – hopefully in early 2026. Good things take time!
The Awesome: It has been awesome to have a key role in the work that has gone into celebrating 30 years of SWNZ. For three decades this industry-led programme has guided members to help to protect New Zealand’s environment, improve efficiency, and strengthen the reputation of New Zealand wine worldwide. This year we have worked hard in collaboration with members to bring our commitment to sustainability to the world stage. Whether that’s through presenting at international events such as Sustainability in Drinks in London in October, working with key influencers in our export markets, or celebrating at New Zealand Wine 2025 in Christchurch, we have been able to demonstrate the passion and longstanding commitment our members show for sustainable winegrowing. It has been heartening to tell our story about the positive actions our members take to leave our industry, our world and our wine better for it.
