Summerfruit NZ's interim chief executive, Richard Palmer, reminds growers of the value of engaging with the organisation.
A reminder that the Summerfruit New Zealand AGM is on 28 May 2020, as part of our annual conference. All growers who wish to vote on any motion (except for matters where all member classes may vote) must have submitted a planted hectares declaration, as this is the basis for production weighted voting. Please send your declarations into the team before 20 March. Late returns cannot be accepted.
Periodically Summerfruit NZ asks for information about your orchard practices, labour matters, agrichemical usage, etc to inform our submissions to government, and our advocacy. Our engagement with government is based on the facts and evidence you as growers provide. We advocate to support your production and the value chain, so having the correct information on specific issues is critical. We do ask for your support in providing correct and timely information, to enable us to strive for the best possible outcome.
Have you thought about your responsibilities as an employer with COVID-19? There are several matters to consider from employee health at work, to managing staff who may have to work from home, take leave for quarantine, or look after family members. It’s important to take steps now to discuss how your business will deal with these matters. You may also want to consider travel policies for staff, your insurance coverage, and the type of tickets you purchase to give flexibility for change as the situation warrants. Summerfruit NZ is working with others in Wellington to ascertain the Government’s strategy and the likely next steps in order to provide as much certainty to business as possible.
These webpages provide good information for business, including employment considerations: