The following update was received from Craig Hall.
The Summerfruit Exporters Comittee (SEC) AGM was held on 24 September in Queenstown. Fifteen export companies were represented at the AGM. Tracey Burns stepped down as a director and chairperson of SEC. Russell Faulkner of Fresh Produce Group NZ was elected onto SEC as a director to join Kevin Paulin of Clyde Orchards and myself. I have also taken on the chairperson of SEC role.
Tracey Burns' contribution to SEC, and lately the chair's role, was acknowledged at the AGM. Tracey has been a contributor to SEC and the Summerfruit NZ Board. I would like to thank Tracey on behalf of all exporters for the time she has spent as an SEC director and lately as chairperson of SEC.
Prior to the AGM, the SEC group in attendance went through a strategic planning day with Owen Symmans as facilitator. The day was designed to get exporters' views on the role of SEC in the future, what functions are important to SEC members, and how SEC is structured and engages with Summerfruit NZ to deliver SEC requirements. There was a clear message from the exporter group represented at the SEC day for SEC to continue to be part of Summerfruit NZ and the Summerfruit NZ Board to ensure that exporters, and the issues facing the export sector, are heard at Summerfruit NZ level and form part of Summerfruit NZ’s purpose in the future.