Seed Orchard Manager Jayne Arscott is pretty clear that Agrecovery is the simplest and most convenient way for Proseed NZ Ltd to get rid of their used herbicide and fungicide containers. “It’s really simple – we have a set group of staff who do the spraying; they triple rinse the containers as they’re emptied, and then when there’s enough, they take them down to the Amberley collection site. It’s not complicated.” Proseed NZ Ltd is the principal tree seed supplier in New Zealand and they also export to over 30 countries from their seed orchards in North Canterbury. According to Jayne, they used to give containers to people who wanted them or took them to the Amberley dump. “But when ...
Gisborne sheep and beef farmer, Myles Mullooly credits much of his recycling to his partner Adriana, who he says is a greenie through and through. “I tend to let the drench containers build up, but she whips me along and reminds me to get the containers down to the collection site. It’s great to have a place that will take them and you know they’re actually getting recycled. “We do reuse some of the containers, but there are only so many uses you can find for them. Previously they would have just gone to the dump, so it’s really good to have an alternative. “We are trying to be good custodians of our farm environment, choosing more natural products where ...
Steve Wheeler has the enviable job of Viticulturalist at Mission Estate Winery in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand’s oldest winery, where wine making and protecting the environment go hand in hand. “We have a strong commitment to sustainable wine growing practices and have been part of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand since that started up in 1995. Plus, we’re certified to the international environmental standard ISO 14001 and have a number of Biogro certified blocks. “The practical aspects of these programmes mean we have a variety of initiatives such as planting to enhance natural predators and therefore reduce sprays, and introducing sheep to replace mowing. We also use GPS and precision viticulture to measure variations in the soil and grapevine quality across ...
Founded in 1975, LeaderBrand is recognised as one of New Zealand’s largest and most diversified horticultural and fresh food businesses. With farms located in Gisborne and Canterbury, LeaderBrand is the largest grower, packer, and shipper of buttercup squash (Kabocha) in the world, and the largest grower, packer, and shipper of broccoli, lettuce and fresh sweetcorn in New Zealand. They are also one of the largest growers of ‘Gisborne Chardonnay’ and Pinot Gris grapes. “The highly discerning Japanese market is a large scale export customer and the protocols they require are applied to all LeaderBrand produce,” explains the company’s Annual Crop Manager Richard Burke (pictured). “We’re certified with NZGAP and have a certified HACCP-based food safety programme. We also conduct regular ...
Gavin Malcolm, a former farmer who now lives in Wakefield near Nelson, had a stockpile of chemicals from his farming days that he wanted to get rid of.
He had to pay for Agrecovery to come and collect them from him, but it was worth it, he says.
South Island vegetable growing business and New Zealand GAP approved supplier Wai-iti Fresh waited a long time for a programme like Agrecovery to solve their plastic disposal problems.
Leading New Zealand agribusiness Brownrigg Agriculture has a reputation for innovation with a proven willingness to test and adopt new practices that enhance product quality.
Its latest initiative to ensure continued long-term sustainability has been to support the Agrecovery rural recycling programme.
Katikati farmer and avocado and kiwifruit grower Hugh Moore will be heading to Government House on April 10 to pick up his Queen’s Service Medal for services to horticulture. A prominent figure in the industry since the 1970’s, this latest accolade adds to the Bledisloe Cup award he received in 2008, and recognises his past and current efforts on behalf of growers including executive roles with NZ Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated, the Avocado Growers Association, Katikati Fruitgrowers Association, and the Horticultural Export Authority. In addition, Hugh’s own business, Morris Moore Farms includes four orchards producing more than 150,000 trays of kiwifruit and 10,000 trays of avocados a year, as well as a packhouse operation. With all this under his belt, he ...
After more than 45 years as an agricultural pilot, Hallett Griffin has long dealt with the issue of disposing of the many plastic agrichemical containers generated in his line of work. Based in Palmerston North, he owns agricultural aviation company Griffin Ag Air, which he formed with his wife Gloria in 1981 after spending the previous 18 years flying for Manawatu Aerial Topdressing. These days the business operates across an extensive area in the Manawatu region with Hallett doing the aerial spraying while another pilot does the topdressing – the spraying alone amounts to around 50,000ha a year, he says. This generates a lot of empty plastic agrichemical containers which need to be disposed of, but the recent installation of ...
The Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2007 has been awarded the trophy for Best Sustainable Wine, 2009, representing years of commitment to sustainable wine production by Villa Maria Estate. Presented at the Romeo Bragato Wine Awards, it recognises both the wine as being of outstanding quality, and the commitment from Mark Dixon and his team at the Keltern Vineyard to sustainable grape production. Villa Maria viticulturist Ollie Powrie, who oversees the Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough regions, says all the company owned vineyards are accredited with Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) and they are hoping their contract growers will all be accredited by the 2010 harvest. On a day to day basis, operating sustainably means the company is particularly ...
