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December 2016
Welcome to the latest edition of Growing our Region.
For all of us involved with Accelerate25 it has been an incredibly busy and productive year. It’s one we can look back on with pride as some major milestones have been achieved. The two highlights would be the launch of the Manawatū-Whanganui Economic Action Plan in August, and only a few months later the launch of Te Pae Tawhiti, the strategy for Māori economic development in our Region.
With both documents published we are now moving ahead with the implementation programme. The Lead Team have been meeting on a monthly basis to get this programme in place, and have appointed Craig Nash from Spearhead to be the programme director. Craig, alongside Henley-Hutchings, was a programme director throughout the creation of the Action Plan and has an excellent handle on where the programme needs to go from here.
One of our main goals is to create project teams for each of the identified opportunities in the Action Plan. The tourism project team was recently finalised and will be led by Ruapehu District Council, local and central government, iwi and a number of economic development and business enterprises.
Speaking of important tourism projects within our Region, a review of the walking/biking tracks in the Tongariro National Park is currently underway.
Make sure you also save the date for the NZ Agrifood Investment Week. Further details are available in this newsletter and on their website.
In the meantime, enjoy this edition of Growing our Region. Within this newsletter you will find out more about Te Pae Tawhiti; Tendertips Asparagus; the second largest Asparagus growers in the country and Mavis Mullins; member of the Accelerate25 Lead Team, winner of numerous national accolades, experienced practitioner in the primary industries sector and advocate for Māori.
On that note I would like to say thank you to all who have been involved with and worked on Accelerate25 over this past year, in particular the Lead Team members. The Lead Team are incredibly passionate about this Region and bring a wealth of experience to the table. I would also like to say an extra thank you to Sir Mason Durie who has decided to step down from the Lead Team. Sir Mason has contributed a huge amount to this forum and will be missed.
Enjoy the read and have a restful Christmas break. I look forward to keeping you updated with Accelerate25’s progress in the New Year.
Meanwhile, keep spreading the word about our fantastic Region and the good work we are doing here. If we keep the success of our Region in the forefront of people’s minds, the more likely they will want to get involved.
Have a safe and happy festive season.
Michael McCartney, Lead Team Facilitator – Accelerate25
SAVE THE DATE - NZ AGRIFOOD INVESTMENT WEEK
In March next year, Accelerate25 will be hosting events as part of the NZ Agrifood Investment Week in Palmerston North and Manawatu and you are invited!
On March 13th, we will be looking to host presentations, and possible workshops and tasting stalls to highlight the value of Mānuka to our Region. If you're interested in being involved in the discussions aorund Mānuka processes and production to plate, then please get in touch with us at info@accelerate25.co.nz.
From Thursday 16th to Friday 17th March we will be hosting workshops and presentations on hill country water reticulation at the ASB Innovation Hub, Central Districts Field Days. The newly formed Primary Industries project group will be highly involved in these events.
Keep up to date by visiting www.NZAgInvest.co.nz.
PASSION FOR HORTICULTURE RUNS IN THE FAMILY AT TENDERTIPS
Summer is finally here, and that means one thing - delicious seasonal fruit and vegetables are now available in abundance.
For the Lewis family, owners of Tendertips Asparagus, the lead up to Christmas couldn’t be busier as they frantically work through their harvesting season.
Tendertips, at just over 100 hectares, located near Foxton, is the second largest Asparagus growing company in the country, distributing nationally and also to Japan.
Owner Geoff Lewis has been in the Asparagus business for over 30 years. At times it can be a tough business to be in, this season included, however Geoff wouldn’t have it any other way. He is passionate about the horticulture industry and has contributed to it significantly over the years, including chairing the New Zealand Asparagus Association and the government's seasonal workers programme.
Geoff plans on continuing to have a hands on role at Tendertips for at least the next five years. In the mean time succession planning is well underway with Geoff’s son Cam and daughter-in-law Catherine now taking over ownership of half of Tendertips and half of the family dairy business, Lewis Dairies Ltd.
Harvest is the busiest time of the year, with 150 staff employed for the 100 days of the season. It can be logistically difficult to employ that number of staff on a seasonal basis, however Tendertips achieve a return rate of over 80 percent each season. The majority of the harvesting crew are from the Samoan community, based in Levin, Bulls and Palmerston North, while 26 harvesters have travelled from Samoa for the season under the Recognised Seasonal Employer programme. In the pack house, a number of staff have come from the Bhutanese community, others are local and some experienced workers even camp on site in motor homes.
When asked about the benefits of being based in Horowhenua, Geoff and Cam Lewis list many.
“There is the temperate climate and sandy loam soils, the ease of distribution while being based on State Highway One and the low cost of living and doing business in this part of the country,” says Geoff,
“Of course that’s only the start, we are so fortunate to be well supported by the service industry here, we have excellent supply companies and there is a high level of expertise.”
The vicinity to Massey University was also listed as a major positive.
“The mechatronics department at Massey has been invaluable. We can readily access their research and development team which is incredibly helpful as we look to improve productivity, and in turn, market competitiveness.”
As with any business location, there are always challenges to overcome, however Geoff and Cam struggle to identify any.
“At times we find the distance from Auckland Airport an issue but it’s not a major constraint,” says Geoff,
“We are still able to send freight to Auckland Airport on a daily basis, which gives us access to six flight options to Asia on any given day.”
For Geoff and Cam perhaps the best thing about being based in Horowhenua is the community.
“Both the District and Regional Councils support us strongly and the wider community is supportive of local business,” says Cam.
This community support came to the fore with the hugely popular inaugural Horowhenua Taste Trail, which was held in the District recently.
“Horowhenua has a number of niche food producers whose product leaves the District for other parts of New Zealand, the Horowhenua Taste Trail was a great opportunity for our community to become aware of these businesses, what we do and experience the quality products we have on offer,” says Geoff.
Over 2,000 people attended, which involved visiting a number of business sites ranging from farm
visits, to vegetable growers such as Tendertips and Woodhaven Gardens, Ōhau Wines and even the Levin Eel Trading Co and Genoese Pesto. Tendertips were key stakeholders in the event.
Due to the success of this first year, the Horowhenua Taste Trail will become an annual event.
“I believe we can attribute the success of the event to its drive for the provision of excellence, all of the products on offer were of a high standard and no matter how big the event becomes in the future we need to maintain that level of quality,” says Geoff.
So where do Geoff and Cam Lewis see the horticulture industry heading in the future? Geoff believes asparagus and berry fruit will have a strong production offering from this Region, and market gardening in general.
“There will also be some specialist operators who will have a place in the international market.”
For Cam Lewis, urban sprawl is a concern and will need to be managed well by the Horowhenua District Council, as Levin in particular becomes a popular destination for those moving north from Wellington.
“Levin is becoming a very attractive option for those looking to purchase affordable property and transport is improving with the development of Transmission Gully, therefore we need to manage that growth effectively,” says Cam.
“Market gardeners may be at risk on the outskirts of town, which is concerning as that is the best land for growing.”
Cam is just as passionate as his father about the horticulture industry and believes there are plenty of opportunities to be uncovered in the horticulture space.
“There are opportunities there, we just need to uncover them,” he says.
Geoff agrees, “The horticulture industry is made up of entrepreneurs and innovators who are continually looking for new crop or fruit varieties and opportunities.”
Cam has been involved with the creation of the Manawatu-Whanganui Economic Action Plan to this point. He feels that Accelerate25 will also open doors and help facilitate any opportunities identified.
“Accelerate25 creates a climate for innovation and development, in saying that, ultimately it’s up to those of us in the industry to make the most of that climate and use it to our advantage,” he says.
Meanwhile the next few years will involve a period of handover for the Lewis family. They are focused on creating capability in the business which will enable them to continue to grow.
“To have a sustainable business we need to find a way to keep highly skilled people for more than 100 days,” says Cam.
“We also need to be competitive and that means using automation wherever we can in order to compete with the likes of Japan, our main export market.”
And what about Geoff? It’s unlikely he will step away from Tendertips completely, however we hear that his bandmates are calling. You never know, you could see them playing on the winery tour in a few years time.
TE PAE TAWHITI LAUNCHED IN OHAKUNE
Te Pae Tawhiti, the strategy for Māori economic development across the Manawatū-Whanganui Region, was officially launched by Minister Te Ururoa Flavell in Ohakune on November 3rd.
Over 80 people, including representatives from local and central government, iwi and business leaders, attended the event, hosted by Te Puni Kokiri, He kai kei aku ringa and Accelerate25.
Te Pae Tawhiti, refers to distant horizons and is a supplementary strategy document to the wider Manawatū-Whanganui Economic Action Plan. The strategy has been outlined until 2040.
While at the event, Māori Economic Strategy Group representative and Accelerate25 Lead Team member Sir Mason Durie said Te Pae Tawhiti reflects the vision of iwi, hapū and whānau for a future where economic growth can be realised as a conduit to the sustainability and wellbeing of whanau, lands, waterways, marae, language and future generations.
“This document has set out a strategy to provide direction and support for Māori to pursue economic development individually and collectively across the region, from now until 2040,” he said.
“Opportunities abound, with areas such as seafood, tourism, honey, forestry, and digital and social enterprise all identified as ways for our community to work together and create prosperity for the betterment of Māori.”
Te Pae Tawhiti identified three factors which stood out as being vital to successful Māori economic development in the Manawatū-Whanganui Region. The first is recognising the importance of alliances – between iwi, between industry, between councils, between marae and between government – while still exercising autonomy and self-management. By creating these
Above: Minister Te Ururoa Flavell speaks at the launch of Te Pae Tawhiti
alliances within the region, economies of scale and shared services can be realised, enabling Māori in the region to be competitive internationally.
The second success factor is alignment. The Māori Economic Strategy Group has seen real evidence of alignment over the last twelve months between Māori and Government as the Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Growth Study and Economic Action Plan have evolved. The Māori Economic Strategy Group are confident the same spirit will be maintained in the implementation of Te Pae Tawhiti.
The third success factor is having a future focus, ensuring the priorities pursued now are sustainable.
“Actions made today, should benefit mokopuna tomorrow,” said Sir Mason.
Māori Affairs Minister Te Ururoa Flavell announced funding of $130,000 from the Ministry of Māori Development/Te Puni Kokiri, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and Horizons Regional Council to advance Te Pae Tawhiti. A further $100,000 from Te Puni Kokiri will also contribute to support Massey University’s Māori science academy.
BUILDING ON A LEGACY, ONE STEP AT A TIME
Building on a legacy, one step at a time
Within the primary industries sector, Mavis Mullins has become something of a household name. She recently received a New Zealand Woman of Influence Award for her work in the rural sector. She is involved and leads numerous organisations as not only is she a member of the Accelerate25 Lead Team, she is also Chair of Atihau Whanganui Corporation; Chair of Rangitane Tu Mai Ra Trust, a post-settlement governance entity; Chair of Taratahi rural training college and until recently she sat on the board of 2degrees mobile.
While doing all this, Mavis and her husband Koro also own a dairy farm just outside of Dannevirke. Houtotara is 150 hectares on beautiful flat country next to the Manawatu River. The farm is a legacy; it has been in Mavis’ family for generations and will continue to be so for generations to come. It will never be sold outside of the family, so Mavis and Koro must ensure they plan far into the future as opposed to the shorter term, as to exit is not an option. They think strategically and perhaps more importantly, sustainably. The health and welfare of their animals and of their land is of utmost importance to them. It is a small farm but one they are hugely passionate about.
At the other end of the spectrum, Mavis has been chair of Atihau Whanganui for just on four years, six previously as a board member. Atihau farms 200,000 stock units and 3,000 hives throughout the northern area of the Manawatū-Whanganui Region, below Mount Ruapehu. That said, for Mavis success isn’t necessarily about volume but from productivity and building strong relationships.
“At Atihau we meet with our clients, identify what they need and figure out how we best can deliver it,” she says.
“By doing this we want them to commit themselves to us for the long term.”
These relationships exist with the likes of Glerup Shoes of Norway and Dixie Wools in the United States of America, through Merino NZ.
Back at home in Tararua, Mavis wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
“There is so much on offer here, we are halfway to everywhere, the climate is temperate and we are a part of a community who cares,” she says.
She believes the Tararua District Council are also extremely supportive of the primary industries, evident in their Go Tararua programme. The programme created GIS mapping of land to identify the best match of horticultural and seed products to this place.
“It is highly innovative and there are still some kinks to work out to make it more user friendly, however it is certainly a strong step in the right direction,” says Mavis.
Perhaps one of the challenges for the Go Tararua programme and the primary industries in general is connectivity. Mavis feels the rural broadband network is not good enough, which makes it difficult for those in the industry to advance and be fully competitive from the provinces.
The other challenge Mavis points out for their small community is ensuring they have the ability to look after themselves.
“We need to support our youth and work to bring the disadvantaged to a point they have the confidence to contribute to their community,” she says.
“Luckily, in this Region we have a head start with so many institutions for tertiary education and skills based learning on offer, whether it is the likes of Massey, UCOL or Taratahi,”
When talking about the primary industries sector as a whole, Mavis sees a huge number of opportunities to be grasped.
Above: Mavis Mullins overlooking Houtotara
Above: Hori Herehere
“One thing we can do, which has been talked about as part of Manawatū-Whanganui Economic Action Plan, as well as Te Pae Tawhiti, is to build better linkages,” she says.
“If we learn how to share best practice amongst ourselves more effectively, we will be able to work smarter and more collaboratively.”
Mavis also believes we have some great products on offer in our Region.
“Rather than looking at new products, we could focus on what we know well and strive to make it better, support the infrastructure around those sectors.”
The recent and upcoming treaty settlements around the Region could also provide potential opportunities for the primary industries.
“There is huge resource coming into our Region with these settlements and if aligned the investments should have great community outcomes,” says Mavis.
There are always challenges within any industry, and with her wealth of experience Mavis is more than aware of them.
“The use of technology and precision agriculture could be the key to opening the door but we need to learn to be less resistant to change, we need to unlearn so we can relearn,” she says.
“At the moment the dairy industry have picked up technology but sheep and beef are lagging,”
There are smart tools out there, they just need to be easier to use.” Mavis believes that if there was a greater uptake of new technology within the sector, it could also lead to more young people being attracted to the cool stuff, coming on board, seeking job opportunities.
“Its win-win really, we are looking after our youth while also getting smarter, more productive and hopefully building profitability.”
Succession planning can also be a major issue for many farmers in the sector. Mavis and Koro are hoping to overcome that by building a legacy while also finding the best uses for their land.
“We don’t want to just to strengthen our family with this legacy but also the wider community our hapu and iwi,” she says.
Giving back to the community is extremely important in Mavis’ family. Mavis’ father built Hori Herehere, a whare on the corner of their farm which is open for the community to visit at any time. Hori Herehere has information on the families who have been part of the legacy for Houtotara, it helps the wider community to understand where they come from, and the why the land is so important for all. This initiative has become the template for a Te Mana o Te Wai, Ministry for the Environment, project being driven by the hapū of the Manawatū River.
It certainly puts into perspective Mavis and Koro’s passion for the land they live and work on and why they need to look after it for many generations to come.
What's been happening in and around our Region?
Over the past two months there has been plenty of exciting news and events around our Region. Many of which we should be shouting from the rooftops! To keep up to date with whats going on, join us on twitter @Accelerate_25 or check out the following news stories.
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