Christchurch, New Zealand – 14 August 2025
Pukekohe vegetable grower Peter Reynolds has been presented with a Potatoes New Zealand Life Member Award at last night’s Potato Industry Awards 2025.
The Life Member Award recognises outstanding career contributions within the Potato Industry Awards programme, which celebrates excellence whilst raising public awareness of potatoes’ value, versatility, and nutritional benefits.
Peter represents T.A. Reynolds Limited, a multi-generational family farming business operating in the Pukekohe and Tuakau districts. The operation encompasses over 15 separate blocks covering more than 200 hectares, including potato, onion and pumpkin production, kiwifruit orcharding and cattle fattening.
Peter has long facilitated knowledge sharing amongst growers, promoting best practice adoption across the region. The farm regularly hosts visits from New Zealand and overseas growers and machinery manufacturers seeking to observe the operation’s systems and methodologies.
The family business has become a showcase for sustainable farming practices, particularly reducing tillage and improving soil management. The company’s commitment to environmental stewardship extends to rigorous nutrient management through comprehensive soil testing programmes and precise application timing.
Beyond production excellence, Reynolds has advocated for improved infrastructure maintenance and has demonstrated outstanding leadership in environmental protection and climate resilience.
Following a major storm in 1996, which resulted in silt and stormwater flooding parts of Pukekohe township, Peter became involved in Franklin Sustainability Project. The project needed to find a way of reducing the effects of erosion and increasing the long-term sustainability of vegetable growing in the Franklin area.
Peter’s proactive approach included establishment of shelter belts, riparian systems, and advanced soil control mechanisms. The farm’s extensive silt trap network, bunded headlands, and riparian planting systems have proven effective in preventing soil loss and protecting neighbouring properties.
The award recognises not only Peter’s technical innovations but also his commitment to industry advancement and environmental responsibility. His multi-decade dedication to developing resilient, sustainable farming systems whilst maintaining commercial viability exemplifies the excellence the Life Member Award seeks to honour.
T.A. Reynolds Limited continues to lead by example, demonstrating that environmental stewardship and commercial success are not only compatible but mutually reinforcing in modern agriculture.