Author Archives: Anna Lorck

About Anna Lorck

Anna Lorck has a background in journalism, editing and publishing. Along with her husband Damon Harvey, they started ATTN! marketing pr in 2003. A contributing writer to the PROFIT, Anna also oversees business development and works closely with PROFIT clients, contributors and advertisers. Anna is a true champion for her region, Hawke's Bay. She is highly experienced in strategic communications and has experience in running highly successful public campaigns. Anna is an elected member of the Hawke's Bay District Health Board, she served 7 years on the Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce, and she sits on the Hawke's Bay Primary Sector Awards advisory group.

Iconic Hastings hotel takes on new offering

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Hastings’ iconic Angus Inn, once the top business hotel in the city, is now part of a win-win solution to fixing Hawke’s Bay’s housing crisis and the seasonal labour shortage.

In its hey day, the Angus Inn was the place to stay — from hosting All Blacks players to politicians, as well as it being booked out on Saturday nights for weddings and 21st celebrations.

Today the Angus is playing a new role in growing Hastings’ economy along with transitioning locals into full-time employment.

It’s a great example of how Hawke’s Bay’s booming horticultural industry is dealing with the region’s housing crisis, while accommodating the desperately needed seasonal RSE (recognised seasonal employment) labour to get the record crop picked.

Bibby brothers Drew and Nick, together with their father Richard, recently purchased the Angus Inn for $4.8 million and have undertaken a $600,000 refurbishment to provide 312 beds.

The development is part of the apple industry’s $30 million investment in building 1500 new beds to gain the Government’s
confidence that Hawke’s Bay can accommodate the 1000 more RSE workers needed to get the crops harvested.

At the same time, these new beds are becoming part of the solution to the region’s housing crisis, offering transitional accommodation to vulnerable people in desperate need while also freeing up rented houses.

Their positive working relationship with WINZ means every suitable New Zealander looking for employment is being offered the chance of full-time work through a range of seasonal jobs required during the year.

The Bibby’s business, Thornhill Horticultural Contracting, provides a 450-strong permanent and seasonal workforce to a range of leading Hawke’s Bay employers, including Brownrigg Agriculture, Rockit Apples and Delegates.

As part of Thornhill’s pastoral care package, for $130 a week, RSEs staying at the Angus get full lodgings, fresh linen, weekly laundry and cleaning service, this is extra. They will also get three full meals a day for $13.50, including a packed lunch.

Thornhill have started an initiative with the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and Department of Corrections giving New Zealanders the same opportunities as RSE workers; that is, offering jobs, subsidised accommodation and meals to those in need. Named the Accommodate to Work Scheme, applicants are employed with Thornhill, or other employment if they already have full-time work.

The entire premises is now an alcohol-free zone, with full security, a 24-hour on-site manager, and a strong health and well-being focus.

Their focus is on developing a supportive and friendly culture for all different nationalities including people visiting
from Samoa, Vanuatu, Tonga, Thailand and Fiji.

The Bibby family is making a positive difference.

“It’s incredibly rewarding being able to help those who have no place to live,” says Drew.

A fully separated area with its own secure access of 14 units is providing transitional housing in partnership with MSD.

Some of the transitional housing tenants are also becoming permanent Thornhill employees working within the Angus accommodation complex and elsewhere as part of the contracting team.

“MSD clients are often homeless when referred so it’s great to be able to accommodate them and help them into full employment.

Nick says“One of the greatest benefits is it’s giving people the time and opportunity they need to find work and a place to settle, without the fear of where their next bed and meal will come from.

“This is how we can make a real difference towards helping people improve their lives.”

The Angus offered everything the Bibby’s needed: it had great bones, a full commercial kitchen and dining hall, and an open lounge and common area.

“The complex is ideal. Its large hotel rooms mean we can meet all the new size and building, bed and bathroom requirements set by the council for RSEs, as well as providing a great place for people to enjoy their work/life balance.”

It now has an entertainment area with pool tables, 86-inch televisions, computers and free Wi-Fi throughout. Outside there’s a range of different activities available including volleyball, pentaque and a swimming pool during summer.

The Bibby’s are also developing 60+ more beds in the ‘bird cage bar’ area within the hotel site. As well as accommodating their own RSE and New Zealand staff, the Bibby’s are now providing evening meals to other employee staff.

Arataki Honey – 75 years young

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From a single swarm to over 24,000 hives, the story of Arataki Honey started when 17-year-old Percy Berry was asked by a neighbour to remove a swarm of bees.

Percy then began to split and build hives in Nireaha. In 1942 he gave up farming sheep and cattle and moved with his wife and five children to Hawke’s Bay with the dream of becoming a full-time bee keeper.

With Ian, his eldest son, they turned their small family bee keeping business into a commercial venture and began a journey that resulted in the Arataki – New Zealand’s favourite spread!

“Dad gave me a hive when I was 10, along with my brother Alan who was only 7. I bought Alan’s hive as I realised you needed hive numbers to make money and this enabled me to double my hive numbers,” Ian recalls.

Ian was also the one who, as a school boy, developed the iconic Arataki logo in 1944, along with its highly recognisable sunshine yellow and black writing – which has stood the test of time.

Alongside Ian, wife Pat has been the “human resource” over the generations caring for their children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren, enabling their parents to keep working and devote the time necessary to grow the business.

The Berry family are still the heart and soul of the Arataki, after 75 years of leading the way in the business of honey in New Zealand. Along with the Havelock North operation, there are two other divisions run by Ian’s brother Russell in Rotorua and Gore.

Ian’s daughter Pam has been in the business ‘forever’ starting at the age of five “always paid and always into a bank account”.

Number four in a family of six children, Pam has so many fond memories of working with her siblings, neighbours, cousins and school friends (including her husband Rhys) on weekends and school holidays.

“Everyone of us grew up with an incredibly strong work ethic. I developed my sales, marketing and accounting skills very early on.

“When I wanted to play intermediate netball on Saturday mornings, it was up to me to find someone to cover my shift in the honey shop – work and responsibility came first.

“We worked in comb honey production and packing and helped Mum balance the till each night. I didn’t work on payroll until I left school but some of our weekend team from Karamu High got paid in cash and at 13 I would hand out their pay at school.

“I learned so much working with Granddad and Dad but what I really love is working with younger people. By providing seasonal work we have helped fund many, many university degrees including my children and their cousins.

“Our permanent team welcome the skills and enthusiasm of the students and share their own skills and work ethics with them.”

Pam enjoys how young people challenge her to look at alternate ways to achieve goals. “I love it when I teach them a job and they end up doing it faster and better than I can,” she says.

As with all businesses, there have been challenging times and lessons learned in what has become a very aggressive market.

But we’ve had so many more highs than lows and I still get such a buzz when people tell us how much they love our honey and brand.”
Arataki Honey is an honest, reliable, New Zealand family business. Rhys recently became a company director joining Pam and aunt Barbara Bixley, who led Arataki’s marketing and sales for over 16 years.

Today, it’s the next generation of Berry’s who inspire Pam the most with their passion and commitment for growing a sustainable and successful business that will continue to enhance the environment and care for Arataki’s honey bees. “We have an amazing group of young people working with us. The family pool now includes 19 fourth generation and nearly 21 fifth generation so there are many options for the future.”

Working fulltime in the business are nieces Caroline Burnett in accounts, Nat Berry in retail, Nat’s partner Ben Morgan, and nephew Rob Berry in beekeeping.

Nat has been responsible for managing the recent changes in the Visitor Centre. The upgrade is amazing, if you check it out in the holidays you will also see niece Bridget Berry in the visitors centre.

“We don’t start them working quite as young now, but you can spot the cousins in past publicity shots,” Pam says.

ANZ Insight – Change Brings Challenges & Opportunities

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Without doubt, a rapid period of change is coming – creating both opportunities and challenges.  Where a business goes in the future, will depend on mindset, says ANZ’s Agri Economist Susan Kilsby.

“It’s happening across the world. Everything the primary sector is feeling burdened over, can be turn to your advantage in the future by thinking about what the world wants.”

Consumers are caring more about where food is coming from and how it is being produced.  “In a wider-world sense to, looking at businesses in general, it’s not only about making a profit, but how we are making a profit, so everything needs to be done in a more sustainable way.

Increasingly businesses are including ESG (environmental, social, governance) reporting because they are thinking about these critical factors in a longer term.

“It’s also happening at a farm and orchard level, where once it was about the quality of produce that came out the gate, it’s now about treating the environment, animals kindly and your staff well, which can be the difference in a competing market.”

Adding value will be in connecting this with consumers’ needs.  Susan sees this as two-fold. Firstly in having the data and information to prove what’s happening, but, what she believes is going to make the biggest difference around price, are then the stories that come with it and how these resound with people’s emotions.

“Technology will play a significant part in story-telling and connecting to the global audience. While we’ve seen marketing at a country-wide and large corporate level, it’s going to start getting right back to individual farms and were sharing their own stories really well results in being rewarded top dollar.

“It might become as simple as making an online post once a week about what’s happening on the farm, that captures interest and creates a whole group of social media followers who then go out and buy that farm’s own brand of produce,” she says.

ANZ Regional Manager Marcus Bousfield highlighted a recent example of a young and very popular social media influencer in Holland who was looking for carbon neutrality in purchasing food.

“While not every market is looking for that yet, eventually there will be an expectation that it comes with the territory.

“So it’s important to know what’s relevant if you are exporting to a particular part of the world – is it premium taste, coming from a clean and trusted source, or do they have a carbon neutral food sources,” he says.

Where Susan sees huge potential is in the crossover between the primary sector and tourism industries. “In a region like Hawke’s Bay we could get real traction is in these two areas working more closely together.

“We’re are not yet making the most of these real synergies of opportunity around farming and how we’re improving water quality and highlighting these as attractive places to visit and experience.”

“Hawke’s Bay is in good shape with a lot of diversity across the primary sector.  While, the region’s  GDP, per capita, traditionally tracks lower than the national average, in last few years the rate has been as strong as the national growth – and the region’s closing that gap.

“But the reality is there is still a lot of environmental areas to improve on and these challenges are happening all over the world.

“The real messages we’re hearing are coming from the market, not Government, and if we don’t move quickly, unfortunately we’re going to be left behind.”

Marcus says succeeding generations are coming through and driving business with a lot of positivity and they’re looking for ways of being proactive.

As a bank, he says, the ANZ relationship team is out in the field asking those important questions around risk assessment, environmental and sustainable planning  so individual business are set up in the right way.

“We understand it’s heading in this direction so we’re helping get farms and businesses “future ready” to be as resilient as they can to meet the ever-changing needs of the consumer, the environment and financial world”.

Call for Young people to get involved and take lead in horticulture

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Outgoing Hawke’s Bay 2018 Young Fruit Grower of the Year Lisa Arnold is calling on more young people to get involved and take the lead in her industry.

“Hawke’s Bay needs more young people for our horticultural industry because its growing careers.  Every year the region is planting thousands of apple trees and more orchards, along with creating new sustainability initiatives,” Arnold said.

“We want young people to get involved and take the lead.”

Arnold, a HB Young Orchardist Group member, is an orchard operations assistant with Bostock New Zealand.  She created history last year as the first woman to win the prestigious and strongly contested local title.

Attending the Horticultural Field Days this week, Arnold says she’s looking forward to supporting this year’s finalists in the HBYFG competition, which is going from strength to strength.  She is also featuring at the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s stand as part of highlighting productive sector success.

Ask her what the future holds for both her and Hawke’s Bay and the first word that springs to mind is – Wairoa.

She recently purchased an acre of good fertile land in Wairoa where she hopes to grow crops in a district she says is on the cusp of exciting opportunity and growth.

“Wairoa’s on the move, it’s going to be the place to be.”

“It has great soil, weather and access by road and rail is improving, locals are friendly and there’s available land with affordable housing, not to mention the weather and being close to the beach!”

Growing up in Gisborne and now living back home in Hastings where she was born, Arnold says as well as work, Hawke’s Bay is a really great place live.

“You can get outdoors, we’ve got Te Mata Peak, the beaches and it’s a great place to get out walk your dog”.

PickMee! in Full Blossom

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PickMee! summerfruit trees are in full blossom, with almost perfect conditions producing good strong flowering for pollination, to grow crops of nectarines, plums and peaches in time for Christmas.

“Blossom is right on time, with plenty of flowers for the bees to do their work,” says John Altham, whose family business is a major New Zealand producer under the PickMee! brand into Countdown supermarkets.

Mr Altham has been growing summerfruit in both Hawke’s Bay and Hamilton for over 50 years. During winter his family planted thousands of more summerfruit trees with both new earlier and later varieties to extend the season “so Kiwis can keep enjoy eating more summerfruit for longer”.

With his 50ha of summerfruit trees a picture of pink (nectarines and peaches) and white (plum) blossom, Mr Altham says New Zealand demand for eating fresh, health fruit just keeps on growing.

“This season under our PickMee! brand we’ll grow and pack out over a million kilos of nectarines, peaches and plums for Countdown – it’s an exciting time for growth in our business and across the industry”.

Mr Altham said over recent years the outstanding success of New Zealand’s pipfruit industry has seen many growers replace their smaller summerfruit blocks with more popular higher value export apple varieties.

“But for us, summerfruit is an important part of our overall business mix. Having summerfruit along with pipfruit, has enabled us to create more better paying, permanent jobs for New Zealanders. We’ve also opened a new state-of-the-art $25million pack and cool operation, which has future proofed the business ready for increasing production as new plantings come on stream,” he said.

In three month’s time, PickMee!’s first nectarines and peaches will be harvested for sale, followed by plums which will go through to April combining with the apple harvest starting at the end of January.

CAPTION: PickMee!’s managing director John Altham (left) and orchard block manager Schalk Fourie checking out nectarine trees in full bloom at Ruahapia Road, Hastings.

HB Young Fruit Grower of the Year Makes History

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Ask Hawke’s Bay Young Fruit Grower of the Year Lisa Arnold what the future holds for both her and the region and the first word that springs to mind is – Wairoa!

At 27 years old, Lisa is about to invest in her own small plot of land to build “tiny” houses in a district, which she sees as being on the cusp of exciting opportunity and growth.

“For horticulture there’s so much untapped potential in Wairoa, it has great soil, weather and access by road and rail is improving, locals are friendly and there’s available land with affordable housing, not to mention the weather and being close to the beach!

“Growing up in Gisborne and now living in Napier, it’s a perfect spot to realise my longerterm vision. Wairoa’s on the move, it’s going to be the place to be.” Lisa, an orchard operations assistant with Bostock New Zealand, created history in July as the first woman to win the prestigious and strongly contested local title.

Up against seven other finalists(including five who were EIT graduates) and a record number of entrants representing the growing number of rising stars in Hawke’s Bay horticulture, Lisa says it’s a privilege to represent women and organic growers.

It was also a strong showing by Mr Apple NZ work colleagues, foremen Tom Dalziel and Anthony Tuaeki who placed runner up and third respectfully, along with Anthony winning the speech competition. Anthony says the competition stepped up a notch this year.

“It’s fantastic to compete with young growers who enjoy a challenge, believe in our industry and what we are achieving, while showing our industry is not just a picking bucket and a ladder – everyone gave it their best. “Lisa is a great young grower, she put up a strong performance and came out on top – well deserved.”

This week Lisa will compete in The Young Grower of the Year finals, along with other regional winners up and Young Vegetable Grower of the Year winners in Napier. When Lisa entered for the second time, having come fourth last year, she wanted to better her result and knew the areas she need to work on. Her homework paid off as did her decision to enroll with Toast Masters.

“One of the greatest personal benefits is the competition hasbrought me out of my shell, I’ve learned that to grow in this job you needed get out and meet people. “I love the diversity, networking, making connections with different cultures and it’s good to see more women entering the industry.”

Lisa’s “green thumb” comes from her family’s lifelong dedication for growing organics. So on graduating with Bachelor of Science she set her sights on working in the field where she could build a career and follow her dream. Today one of her specialist areas is compliance and she’s passionate about sustainability including reducing and recycling plastic use on orchards.

She’s also managing the Bostock NZ Karamu Stream restoration project, which she would like to help encourage others to follow. But it’s bees that are her favourite pastime, having launched a small business Helia Bees a year ago, she’s managing 30 hives organically which are placed on Bostock orchards. “I like to be busy, keep active and focus on meaningful work”.

Mr Apple’s HR Manager Rachelle Hayes says with three finalists, the Mr Apple Horticultural Apprenticeship program is thriving as the company continues to invest in the future.

“We do this to help meet the growing demand for skilled staff within the orchard industry in Hawke’s Bay. All full time students will have permanent jobs which will continue after their training has finished. Graduates have the opportunity to take promotions throughout the business and also to undertake further study such as leadership and personal development courses or further study at diploma level.

Training includes both on the job and in class learning and includes working in various parts of the business including Packhouse and Coolstore operations. Topics cover all aspects of Orchard Work, including planting, pruning, pest and disease control, tractor driving, harvest management and staff supervision.

“The qualifications and experience gained during this training is extremely beneficial to both the employees and the company. Employees are our most valuable asset and we pride ourselves in our ability to grow and train people to be the best they can be,” says Rachelle.

Hawke’s Bay Fruitgrowers’ Association president Lesley Wilson says the competition continues to show the quality of young people entering the horticulture industry. “Lisa has a bright future ahead of her, and shows that there is an influx of clever young people into growing”.

 

Mana Ahuriri announces $100m of New Developments for Napier

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Mana Ahuriri Trust has set out a bold vision to become one of Hawke’s Bay’s largest commercial property and asset owners announcing new developments worth over $100 million, as part of the first phase of a growth strategy following its Treaty Settlement.

Kerry Avery (left), director of Avery Team Architects discusses plans for the development of the “gravel pit” site on Napier’s Monroe Street with Mana Ahuriri Holdings Limited directors Warren Ladbrook (centre) and Barry Wilson (right).

Directors of the Trust’s subsidiary, Mana Ahuriri Holdings Limited, Barry Wilson and Warren Ladbrook, who is also project manager, today launched a visionary plan that will transform the commercial and retail landscape in Napier.

Mana Ahuriri was established as the post settlement governance entity to receive and manage the Ahuriri Treaty of Waitangi Settlement and represents the Ahuriri and Napier areas with 2500 members. The Trust’s settlement was signed in 2016 and the majority comprises over 90% of Crown land assets along with $19.5 million cash.

Mr Wilson, who was the lead negotiator of the Settlement and worked closely with the Crown, said until now commercial growth in much of Napier City had been stalled because there has been limited land for development in key areas.

“Through our Treaty Settlement, Napier’s retail and commercial sectors can expect to see a great improvement in the overall offering. This will attract business and more investment, enabling economic growth and new jobs.

“The new developments are part of building a strong investment portfolio with a solid revenue base and on-going cash flow, representing long-term business partnerships and sustainable growth to support and benefit the Trust’s 2500 members.

“This is an exciting time for everyone in Hawke’s Bay. We will be creating great opportunities for our members and also for the people of Napier and the wider region. The first ten, of up to 50 different projects, have the potential to create more than 1000 new jobs alone,” he said.

Napier Mayor Bill Dalton said Mana Ahuriri’s plans are robust, progressive and will breathe new life into Napier.

“Our region is already in good heart, and Mana Ahuriri’s vision will help to ensure that the growth we are enjoying now is sustained well into the future.

“I’m particularly pleased at the many opportunities for employment these projects will afford our community – they’ll not only bring new blood into Hawke’s Bay, but ensure our top local talent find reasons to stay, work and live here,” Mr Dalton said.

The first project, Napier’s 65 Munroe Street Large Format Retail (LFR) development is planned to start in September.

Mr Ladbrook said the $20 million project of almost 6000m2 will turn the unsightly “gravel pit” into an impressive large format retail strip. It will house high profile retail chains including Briscoes and Rebel Sport, along with over 150 customer carparks.

“The aim is to centralise and consolidate LFR in Napier and is part of our vision of providing a better retail offering and experience, with greater employment opportunities.”

The next area for development is Napier’s Prebensen Drive industrial zone, where the Trust will own two sites covering 30ha and 6ha. Already there is strong interest in this $40- $60million project from blue chip, long-term clients, he said.

Over the next decade, Mana Ahuriri Trust will develop a wide and varied asset portfolio representing a range of investments.

It will include high profile retail and industrial zoned sites, significant residential development, commercial investments across Napier, forestry and the Ahuriri Landcorp Farm.

Mana Ahuriri Trust will also have a 50% shareholding in Ahuriri Airport Hawke’s Bay and will own the site which has a $4.5 million shipping container depot, which opened last month with new tenants ContainerCo.

Mr Wilson said the Trust would lead by example and as the first Mana Ahuriri Trust project, the Munroe St development would feature the latest waste and water treatment technology, including a new filtering system.

“We would like to see our actions as the beginning of Napier working towards this becoming standard in terms of new building consents.”

Mr Wilson said Mana Ahuriri Trust is fully committed to working towards cleaning up the Ahuriri Estuary, and protecting the ecology of the area, which holds significant cultural and historical value to Trust members, for everyone to enjoy.

“Another highlight of all our new building developments will be the introduction of subtle but important Mana Ahuriri Trust influence in both look and feel, projecting the connection and cultural values on both the architecture and landscape,” Mr Wilson said.

Local artist Jacob Scott is working closely with the Trust and his influence is already featuring in the design of the Watchman Road roundabout and the corridor to the airport terminal as well as the new airport terminal expansion by projecting the story of the Kuaka (Godwit Bird) which is significant to the land, sea and air of Ahuriri.

As with ContainerCo, Munroe St tenants are entering into a goodwill agreement offering jobs for Trust members along with opening up opportunities for everyone through career training, development and permanent employment, Mr Wilson said.

The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is also pleased to be working closely with Mana Ahuriri on the future management and restoration of the Ahuriri Estuary. Chairman Rex Graham said the development on Napier’s Prebensen Drive presents an opportunity to showcase best practice commercial design and storm water management.

ENDS

 

New Zealand’s Apple Industry Leads the World Four Years Running

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The World Apple Review has for the fourth year running named New Zealand’s apple industry the most competitive on the global stage, against 33 major apple growing countries.

Released this week by Belrose Inc, the US based world fruit market analysts, the World Apple Review, stated that the innovations emerging from New Zealand’s apple industry will increasingly impact production and marketing throughout the world.

New Zealand’s high productivity gains helped deliver the outstanding performance, ahead of its closest rivals Chile and the United States.

New Zealand Apples & Pears chief executive Alan Pollard said being named the best in the world is a huge honour and signaled the major significance New Zealand has on shaping and leading the industry on the world stage.

The world leading ranking comes as a huge reward to New Zealand’s $850million apple industry which is celebrating one of its best seasons this year.  This also recognises the efforts of the thousands of Kiwis working across the sector, he said.

“To earn and then retain this world leading title year on year is an outstanding achievement, and rewards everyone who is part of New Zealand’s exciting and dynamic apple industry.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for our apple industry, together we are growing great people and the best apples for the world.

“Our world leading achievements reflect New Zealand’s apple industry’s ongoing investment and commitment to leading and adopting greater innovation, research and development, new technologies, and environmental and social sustainability,” said Mr Pollard.

The World Apple Review highlighted that given New Zealand’s relatively small size, export orientation and distance from major markets, the industry had long relied heavily on innovation to provide it with a competitive edge.

It had been the leader in popularising Gala and Fuji, pioneered the first true club variety JazzR, developed and produced a stream of new varieties Pacific RoseR, EnvyR, SmittenR and KoruR.

Mr Pollard said not only has the industry benefited from this varietal innovation, but the New Zealand Government via its Crown Research Institute, Plant & Food Research, has benefited significantly through royalty streams on these successful varieties.

In ranking the 33 countries, the World Apple Review compares production efficiency, infrastructure and inputs, and financial and market data.  New Zealand was the best performer when all three rankings were combined.

According to the World Apple Review, over the past two seasons, New Zealand’s top performance, through exploiting new growing strategies and technologies produced over two and half times the average yield per hectare compared with the rest of world’s apple growing countries.

In general, off-season exporting countries like New Zealand had been forced to continually upgrade production systems to meet growing demands from the Northern Hemisphere.

For almost three decades, much of the innovation in apple varieties has emanated from New Zealand as the country has sought to offset its geographic disadvantage in accessing world markets.

The report stated that probably the single, most significant measure of innovation in a country’s orchards is the percentage of new varieties in production.  It specifically highlighted how New Zealand was still actively searching for newer apple varieties to remain ahead of the field.

The bottom line on competitiveness, is that it is a moving target –continually moving upwards.

The apple industry needs to always monitor how the competitive bar is shifting and needs to be willing and able to adapt rapidly so they do not lose out in the competitive race, the report stated.

 

Direction Focused

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“Stay focused on your direction, and don’t get too hung up on specifics,” is the advice one of Hawke’s Bay’s most experienced farming leaders has for the future generation when goal setting.

Sam Robinson, who is this year’s recipient of the Laurie Dowling Memorial Award for services to agriculture, is now spending more of his time mentoring and sharing his experience as a company director and chairman, of both private and public cooperatives and investor-owned entities.

As a young farmer, Sam says he can remember putting down some goals – have 5,000 sheep, 200 cows and to be on the New Zealand Meat Board. While he never made it onto the meat board, Sam, says doing this simple exercise made him realise where he wanted to head.

“Opportunities are never obvious, and when you do spot them, there is always risk attached. If you do see an opportunity, back yourself and have a go.”

Sam freely admits to being “one of those” from the PMS (pale, male and stale) club, but says for him, diversity is more than the result of genetics; it is also from how you think.

He’s always taken a long-term view of life, both on his farm and in governance.

He’s put an emphasis on making his Flemington farming business resilient both economically and environmentally. Of the 1,030 Hectares of land he and his family own, only 830 hectares are in pastoral use, and even that has a good covering of willow and poplar plantings, and at last count there are about 18Km of shelter belts on the farm. The remaining 200 hectares are made up of approximately 75 hectare of production forestry, and the balance is retired. Recently he entered a sharefarming equity partnership with young farmer Jason Wyn-Harris on the property.

Similarly, with a business such as AgResearch, which he chaired for nine years, Sam says there can be up to 15 years between deep discovery type research to commercialisation.

The Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme he says was also about a long-term view of what improvements are possible for both the Hawke’s Bay economy and environment.

A fundamental strength and opportunity for both New Zealand and Hawke’s Bay is food production.

“Food needs three things to grow. Hawke’s Bay has an abundance of soil and sun, and the third – water – can be provided as irrigation, which is only precision rainfall.

“If we look at the Heretaunga Plains, they were once predominantly pastoral, including a good proportion of dairy farming. In 1935 Sir James Wattie built a food processing plant. By the 1960s there were significant areas of peas and beans as well as apples and pears, and today we’re growing squash, new varieties of apples and other high value crops.”

In 80 years the Heretaunga Plains have gone from basic to sophistication in food production.

“When I think about the transformational opportunities for the Ruataniwha Plains we can do the same.”

He accepts that “at this stage” the RWSS has some significant challenges to be overcome if it is to eventuate. However, he is hopeful that “in time there will be another discussion about the merits and risks of the RWSS and the true potential of the Ruantaniwha Basin Plain can be realised for Hawke’s Bay, all the way from the paddock to the port”.

In accepting the award, Sam paid tribute to the late Laurie Dowling, for his self-less commitment to both agriculture and the community.

“Laurie always had time for people.”

From Delivery Boy to HB Farmer of the Year

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At the age of 12, Hawke’s Bay’s 2018 Farmer of the Year David Danks had a fated encounter that would one day come true, leading him to earn the prestigious award.

Collecting money for his milk and paper runs in Westshore, he called on a house, where the lady asked him what he wanted to do when he grew up. “To be a farmer,” David replied.

She pointed to the hills and said, “I own a farm up there. Maybe you’ll come and work for me.”

It wasn’t until he’d been at Monarae Station, Putere, in Northern Hawke’s Bay, for a while that he remembered this conversation and it “clicked” that the woman he spoke to was the late Pam Torbett.

Although he was unsuccessful for a Smedley cadetship, he gained a five-year cadetship with Federated Farmers, and began his career, moving to Tutira as a manager. He moved to stock manager working three properties and started at Monarae in 1991.

He’s been there for 27 years. It was founded in 1928 with the purchase of 3,200 acres by the Torbett family and became a charitable trust in 1988, which has benefitted many local charities. The trustees are chairman Roydan Day and Doug Smith.

He farms sheep, cattle and deer in a 51/35 and 14 percent split on 1,530 hectares (1,171 effective), including a 90-hectare property in Wairoa with its own block manager.

In accepting the award, David said a number of people had been of tremendous support and inspiration to him over the years.

He thanked his partner Jeanette Nestved and their dedicated team, and expressed great admiration for the late Alf Dixon who was the chairman and main trustee when he started. Alf arranged for the farm to be placed into a charitable trust under Pam’s wish just before she passed away in 1988 and had a huge love for Monarae.