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GROWER NEWSLETTER - March 2010

Is your orchard clearly labeled?

Want this to happen to your orchard?

Recently we heard about a contractor who accidentally trunk-girdled 1 hectare of a neighbouring property. The vines in question had already been girdled less than a month previously. This highlights an issue where orchards are adjacent to one another and not clearly identified. This event could have been much more serious, if the mistake had involved spray application on an organic block, cutting over someone else’s block to a new variety or Agfirst taking your clearance sample from the neighbors property who may have a lower "TZG".

The message to take away is: Make sure your orchard is clearly identified to our samplers!

As Agfirst samplers will be in your orchard before long we would like you to please take a moment and have a good look at your orchards labeling.

Orchard entrance - Do you have a sign clearly indicating that this is your orchard and not the neighbors? We also recommend that your KPIN is on your sign.

Block labels - It is essential that you have all blocks clearly marked and that they clearly relate to your orchard map. (We have found many maps that say block A,B,C but the orchard is labeled as 1,2,3 etc) !!! We recommend that blocks have a label at both ends with a block name/number and KPIN.

Orchard Boundaries - Is it obvious to our samplers where your orchard starts and finishes? Many orchards neighbor other orchards, we know you know where the boundry is but is it clear to our samplers?

This image clearly shows the entrance of the orchard and orchard name.

Crop Maturity testing

Want to Ensure your Dry Matter result is optimal to establish ideal Harvest date decisions?

At Agfirst we now offer the service to monitor your orchards maturity results to help determine your optimal harvest date to maximise your orchard gate return.

Why Monitor?

Zespri™ and the whole industry are focused on taste. Small shifts in dry matter TZG can equate to significant taste premiums meaning there is a real incentive for growers to increase their dry matter! Kiwistart and early gold programme offer premiums for identifying suitable maturity areas within the orchard.

Key Benefits

• Determine your optimal harvest date.
• Assist in the selection of maturity areas.
• Identify maturity areas that meet kiwistart and early gold criteria.
• Aid decisions on whether to girdle or not to girdle.
• Identify differences within maturity areas (e.g. vine to vine)

Agfirst BOP offers a range of maturity monitoring services in our Bay of Plenty Lab which can include:

• Fresh weight (w), Dry Matter (dm), Colour (c), Pressure (p), Brix (b) & Black seeds (bs)

Agfirst Maturity Monitoring Service

• You collect the sample and deliver to our laboratory or nominated drop-off point / courier (Agfirst collection service may be available if requested)
• Individual results available quickly via our website.
• Trends and comparative graphs for industry and regions available through our website.

Interested? Phone Leslie 07 549 1044 to check costs and to arrange collection or drop off.

Orchard Hazard Identification

As another season approaches us once again, Agfirst maturity samplers will be in your orchard on a Quad bike to collect maturity clearance samples.

Agfirst are committed to maintaining a safe and healthy working environment for our samplers visiting your orchard and as part of our Health and Safety protocols, it is expected that all growers share in our commitment to avoid all accidents and incidents, which may cause personal injury, property damage or loss of any kind.

Agfirst requires all growers to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of Agfirst samplers. Where there are significant hazards please take all practicable steps to:

Eliminate the hazard, Isolate the hazard, OR Minimise the hazard

All signicant hazards must be highlighted with Flourescent tape or paint to make the hazard obvious and clearly detailed on your orchard map for samplers to be aware of. We can't stress this enough, as riding a quad bike is more risky than taking a walk through the orchard.

Multiple Hazards may include:

• Holes in ground
• Enthusiastic guard dogs.
• Low Pergola Structures
• Loose wires / low wires
• Exposed nails on structures
• Broken pergolas/T-Bars
• Spraying - Ensure appropriate signage is erected at the orchard to indicate when spraying is in progress and during the unsafe entry period.

All hazards are to be marked clearly on your orchard map. Please ensure your map is updated with Hazards clearly identified and updated and that your packhouse has the latest update. Please advise us if you discover a hazard during the season that is not identified on your map to support@agfirstbop.co.nz or ask your packhouse to mention the hazard in the comments field when they request a sample.

The image below shows a huge hole that one of our samplers fortunately discovered before launching the quad bike down the hole. We definately do not want any hazards like this to be found in your orchard.

Week 10 Gold - Expect us in your orchard

This year Zespri have decided to do a monitoring round on all Gold Maturity areas. The monitoring has been brought forward to Week 10 and will be carried out by a combination of Agfirst and Packhouses.

Agfirst sampling will start 7th March 2010 and will be completed by 14th March.

Results of this sampling if processed by Agfirst or packhouses who use our Lab system (NETLAB) will be available on the Agfirst website once completed. You will need to have your login details to review your results, please contact us if you do not have a login. 07 549 1044 or support@agfirstbop.co.nz.

Seed Counting - Pollination Test

Agfirst BOP can also provide a Seed Counting test of your fruit. When compared to the fresh weight measurements, this can help identify if there were any deficiencies during pollination. Seed counting is done by peeling and digesting the fruit in enzymes which break down the cell structures. The resulting slurry is then strained to recuperate the seeds. The weight of 300 seeds is measured, and multiplied across the total weight of seeds to yield an average seed count for the sample.

The cost of this is $65 + gst with sample delivered to the Agfirst Lab.

Please contact Richard at agfirst for more information 07 549 1044.

Agfirst Laboratory Tours

Have you seen our Lab in action yet?

Agfirst would like to invite you see our maturity testing lab in action on:

Tuesday 13th April 2010 - Agfirst Laboratory Tours

If you've been curious about the whole testing process and what happens to your maturity clearance sample as it goes through the process and would like to see what goes on in our Laboratory, then this is your opportunity!

Agfirst Staff will be taking groups through the Laboratory every hour starting at 4.15pm, 5.15pm and 7.15pm to give you a better understanding of the whole process.

If you are interested in coming along then please RSVP to Lisa butler lisa@agfirstbop.co.nz or 07 549 1044 and let her know which time suits you on the 13th April 2010. More visits may be available at later dates.

Agfirst Staff Profile

LESLIE RUF - Data Manager

Leslie is our resident numbers girl. She makes sure the Agfirst data entry makes sense from all the aspects of the industries we work with whether it be Crop Estimation, Data loggers, or Maturity clearance.

Most of you will have no doubt spoken to Leslie on the phone over the years as she has been with us since 1996 joining us after studying science at Massey University. As one of our longest standing staff members thankfully Leslie has a wealth of knowledge about our systems and where to find data when we need it.

Leslie and her husband have an Avocado orchard, but these days her spare time is filled with smelling her roses in the garden and trips over the ditch to catch up with family.

Agfirst staff profile

SHEILA WASHINGTON - Agfirst Technician

Sheila loves nothing more than giving the Agfirst Staff & Clients plenty of cheek with her “no holds barred” fun personality. Whilst she bought her skills along with her from owning a small business, Sheila has been a valuable member of our team since 2002.

As a full time Technician, a Maturity Testing Dispatch operator and Co-ordinator of the Avocado Library trays, Sheila never has a dull moment. Sheila knows most of the kiwifruit and avocado orchards and roads around NZ like the back of her hand but all these roads lead to a Warriors Game.

When not at Agfirst Sheila likes to watch most sports and as a former representative of top Hockey and Cricket teams, means Sheila takes all the challenges of working here as part of her game plan. When we think she's busy working at her desk she can be often overheard plotting adventures aboard a cruise ship to some exotic destination.