The horticulture industry will hear about the opportunities, challenges, innovation and export growth in the year ahead at its conference in Tauranga next month.

American food and agribusiness expert Roland Fumasi has been announced as one of the keynote speakers at The Horticulture Conference 2017, being held at ASB Baypark, Tauranga, from July 12-14.

He’s well-known worldwide for his work for Rabobank’s RaboResearch Food and Agribusiness group and his understanding of the consumer-led market that growers are providing for.

His address will be of great interest to our conference and beyond. Dr Fumasi is a proponent of delivering exactly what consumers want – safe, consistent, high quality produce that is good value, but also has a light impact on the environment.

Dr Fumasi joins an illustrious line-up of more homegrown speaking talent at the conference including Dr Jacqueline Rowarth, chief scientist of the Environmental Protection Agency; Tiaki Hunia, chair of theMaori Kiwifruit Growers Forum and deputy chair of Te Tumu Paeroa; andRachel Taulelei, founder of Yellow Brick Road and the first female CEO of one of the country’s largest food and beverage exporters, Kono.

Kiwi talent

We’ve got great Kiwi talent to draw from who are working very successfully in horticulture and we are keen to hear from them and show off their skills. While the conference is for the horticulture industry, this industry is a big contributor to the Bay of Plenty economy and we expect there to be broader interest in some of the speakers and their presentations.

More and more people are showing an interest in the provenance of their food and therefore, the workings of the horticulture industry. A lot of our concerns around land and water are also broader community concerns.

The Horticulture Conference 2017 is the conference of Horticulture New Zealand, Vegetables New Zealand, Tomatoes New Zealand, and the New Zealand Asparagus Council.

Valuable role

Horticulture is the primary industries’ quiet achiever – expanding, growing and meeting global consumer demands for healthy food. Growers play a valuable role in the New Zealand economy, both at a local level as producers, employers and food suppliers to New Zealanders, and with exports, which have increased by 40 per cent in the two years from June 2014 to 2016. Today, 60 per cent of what we grow in New Zealand is exported.

The conference is being made possible with support from Platinum sponsor Countdown; Gold sponsors United Fresh, T&G, and Plant & Food Research; and Bronze sponsors Farmgard, Rabobank, MG Marketing, AsureQuality, Hill Laboratories, Huhtamaki, and Primary ITO.

More information can be found at: www.confer.co.nz/hortnz2017/