Spring – time for planting. September is always a time of energy and change — longer days, warmer weather, and the promise of what’s ahead. In this edition, we’ll share updates from across the industry and bring you the latest news to help you stay connected and informed.
Please RSVP and attend one of the Vegetable Collaboration Project Consultation Sessions coming soon, so our Board can understand your viewpoint on the proposal.
Also make sure you enter the Father’s Day Promotion and be in to WIN.
WOW – What a Conference!
The 2025 Potatoes New Zealand Conference was a fantastic success — a celebration of our industry, our people, and the resilience and innovation that keep us moving forward. From insightful speakers to vibrant discussions and a buzzing trade exhibition, the energy throughout the event was inspiring.
A huge thank you goes to everyone who attended, exhibited, sponsored, spoke, or helped bring it all together. Your support and participation made the conference truly memorable, and we look forward to building on this momentum going forward.
View the entire Potatoes Conference Photo Gallery and download photos >>
Tuesday Bus Trip – Sponsored by BNZ
Tuesday Visit to Rescue Helicopter
Tuesday Visit to Wyma Solutions
Wednesday Conference Day
Wednesday Conference Day
Congratulations to our 2025 Potato Industry Award winners:
Annual Direct Levy Payments Are Now Due
Potatoes New Zealand reminds all growers that annual direct levy payments are now due as per the Commodity Levies (Potatoes) Order 2025’. Levies are a vital part of funding industry-good activities, including research, biosecurity readiness, market access, grower support, and communications.
By paying your levy, you’re directly supporting the work that helps protect and grow our sector, ensuring a strong future for New Zealand potatoes.
We appreciate your support and commitment to the industry.
Vegetable Collaboration Project Consultation
Dear Potato Growers and Industry Stakeholders,
On behalf of Potatoes New Zealand, we are reaching out to growers and stakeholders for feedback on a vegetable product group collaboration. Many of you will have heard in recent months the work that has been going on to explore an opportunity of a collaborative model with Onions New Zealand, Tomatoes New Zealand, Vegetable New Zealand, and Process Vegetables New Zealand.
As a board we are always exploring ways to better represent growers and stakeholders, and this is no different. With the proposal looking at governance foundations and the future structure of Potatoes New Zealand we are seeking your feedback and guidance.
I encourage all stakeholders to carefully review this proposal, attend regional consultation meetings, and provide your feedback. Ultimately the decision is one for our growers and your input at this stage will direct us as an industry.
Thank you for your continued commitment to our industry and your thoughtful consideration of this important proposal.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Olsen
Chairman, Potatoes New Zealand
You are invited to the upcoming meetings on the vegetable collaboration project.
Potatoes New Zealand’s Board wants to hear from you, so that they can be confident they understand your viewpoints, before the proposal is taken any further.
The Vegetable Collaboration Project has been underway for two years now, considering what a future state may look like for the vegetable industry good structure.
There are meetings around the country to provide you with the opportunity for robust discussion on the future of the vegetable industry good structure.
|
Location |
Date |
Time |
Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Havelock North |
10 September |
5-7pm |
Havelock North Events Centre |
|
Ohakune |
11 September |
9-11am |
Powderhorn Chateau |
|
Levin – with Potatoes New Zealand |
11 September |
4-6pm |
Levin Cosmopolitan Club |
|
Christchurch |
17 September |
1-3pm |
FMG, level 1, |
|
Ashburton – with Potatoes New Zealand |
17 September |
5:30-7:30pm |
Ashburton Events Centre |
|
Pukekohe – with Potatoes New Zealand |
18 September |
6:00-7:30pm |
Navigation Homes Stadium |
|
Nelson |
24 September |
5-7pm |
Venue TBC |
|
Online Webinars |
15 September – Afternoon |
Webinar |
BE IN TO WIN with Father’s Day Promotion – Sunday 7 September
Potatoes New Zealand has partnered with PEPSICO to celebrate the amazing fathers in our lives. We are excited to honour the incredible fathers in our community by offering a chance to win one of five awesome Father’s Day Crisps Prize Packs to make this Father’s Day unforgettable for some deserving dads. Terms and Conditions Apply
Prize Pack 1, 2 and 3
This scrumptious Father’s Day Crisps Prize Pack includes:
12 x packets of delicious Bluebird Originals
Ready Salted crisps
Prize Pack 1, 2 and 3
This scrumptious Father’s Day Crisps Prize Pack includes:
12 x packets of mouthwatering Sea Salt
Copper Kettle Crisps
WEBINAR Recordings
Potatoes New Zealand has a range of webinar recordings on various topics to support our potato growers and the industry.
Some topics include:
- Performing Under Pressure with FarmStrong
- Tomato Potato Psyllid (TPP) / Liberibacter Seminar
- New Breeding Techniques with Otago University
- Integrated Pest Management with Paul Horne
- Growing your Cyber Security
These are available to watch when it suits you and your schedule. More webinars will be added to the list in the future. If you have a topic you would like covered, please let us know at info@potatoesnz.co.nz
Lifeline Aotearoa
We mark World Suicide Prevention Day on Wednesday 10 September. However everyday matters – because every day, someone reaches out in crisis.
Last year, Lifeline created 4,736 safety plans with clients – giving people at risk of self-harm or suicide a way to stay safe. Behind every one of those plans was a person who needed hope. A person who needed to believe that tomorrow could be different.
Farm without Harm
On the Farm Without Harm website, you will find comprehensive guides, toolkits and ‘how-to’ materials for managing risk and harm on farms.
FarmStrong – Recognising the signs of stress
The earlier you recognise the signs of stress, the better you’ll be able to manage them. A general rule of thumb is that a person is under unhealthy stress when their daily functioning and relationships are being impacted.
So, if you’re having trouble eating or sleeping, feeling like you’re not coping with the small stuff anymore or if your thinking is becoming more negative and intrusive, it could be a sign that it’s time to put in place your own personal wellbeing plan (just like you’d review your stock plan).
The Five Ways to Wellbeing are a good place to start to reset your mentality and look after yourself:
- socialise with others
- keep active and exercise regularly
- continue to learn new things
- notice and enjoy the simple pleasures in life
- contribute to your community.
Building enjoyable activities and recovery periods into your weekly schedule is also really important – these are the things that give you more coping space and keep you feeling on top of things.
Safety – Learning team framework and facilitation training workshop
An interactive practical workshop for growers, packhouses, business owners, operations managers, HR managers and safety managers in horticulture organisations. This full-day workshop will be delivered by Safety II expert Moni Hogg.
Thursday, 4 September
PIA Events Centre, Pukekohe
8.30am-4.30pm
Free (for growers and members of the horticulture industry thanks to support from HortNZ)
Workshops will also be held in Hawke’s Bay (18 September), Gisborne (October) and Nelson (TBC). More details to follow. The workshop will cover:
- Introduction to learning teams and normal work
- Facilitation skills
- Learning from incidents.
Register in your region’s workshop by emailing nat.bond@hortnz.co.nz. Spaces are limited to 20 participants per workshop.
Young Grower of the Year – National Final
The search for New Zealand’s top young grower is heating up, with the highly anticipated Young Grower of the Year National Final on 10-11 September in Christchurch.
This competition showcases the talent, knowledge, and leadership potential of the next generation in horticulture. Across the country, young growers have been stepping up to demonstrate their skills in everything from practical growing tasks to innovation, business acumen, and public speaking.
Let’s get behind these passionate young professionals and cheer them on as they grow their careers – and our industry.
Scholarships to Support Future On Farm Advisers
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) runs a scholarship programme for tertiary students to help increase the number of on-farm advisers.
The On Farm Support Science Scholarships were launched in 2023 and are worth $5,000 each.
Six scholarships are on offer for the 2026 academic year. Applications opened on 31 July and close on 15 September 2025.
Events
Vegetables Big Day Out is Back for 2026!
This one-day event explores cutting-edge research, on-farm technology, and practical solutions shaping the future of vegetable growing in Aotearoa.
Thursday 5 March 2026
49 Cronin Road, Pukekohe
REGISTER NOW >>
View the events calendar
Find out about the horticulture industry events and activities that are currently happening.
NIWA National Weather Outlook
NIWA outlook for rain
NIWA outlook for dryness/drought
NIWA seasonal forecast for next 3 months
