Australia and Aotearoa – New Zealand (NZ) share many commonalities in their horticultural industries, from diverse landscapes, diverse climates, and a strong connection to the land. In late August, through the Soil Wealth and Integrated Crop Protection (SWICP) project and hosted by Vegetables NZ, Australian vegetable growers and advisors were fortunate to take part in a study tour to the Pukekohe/Waikato region.
This unique opportunity allowed the SWICP study tour group to learn about NZ’s horticultural innovations, practices, and research while building valuable international relationships.
This summary report provides an overview of the sites visited including a recap of key activities, reflections and observations, and finally the lessons and key takeaways for the SWICP project.
Special Acknowledgments
- The SWICP team would like to thank Daniel Sutton, Research, Development & Extension Manager from Vegetables NZ and the wider Vegetables NZ team for their generosity, time and willingness to host Australian vegetable industry personnel.
- The SWICP team would also like to thank Bryan Hart, Katherine Martin (AS Wilcox & Sons), Miriam Hall, Dr Kar Mun Chooi (Plant & Food Research NZ), Greg Pringle (Syngenta), Stuart Davis, Allan Marques (LeaderBrand) and Luke Reeves (Greengrower) for their valuable time and sharing insights into their businesses and projects
- And thank you to the study tour group; Andrew Johanson (Mulgowie Farming Company), Annie Rea (Simplot), Prakash Adihari (Kalyx), Julie Finnigan (Muirs), Sam Hood (Rugby Farming Group) for sharing their experience and time
More Information
Please contact Sophia Thach (Applied Horticultural Research) on [email protected] or Dr Doris Blaesing (RM Consulting Group) on [email protected].
The SWICP NZ Study Tour was part-funded by Hort Innovation using the vegetable research and development levy with contributions from the Australian Government.
