The New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science congratulates Dr Stuart Davis, who this year has been awarded the Bledisloe Cup, New Zealand’s highest horticulture honour.
Stuart, the Sustainability Manager at LeaderBrand, is an Honorary Fellow of the NZIAHS and Chair of the New Zealand Horticultural Science Advancement Trust.
The Bledisloe Cup is awarded by Horticulture New Zealand annually in recognition of individuals who have made an outstanding and meritorious contribution to the horticulture industry in New Zealand over decades.
Stuart has played a significant role in the vegetable sector for more than 35 years, championing the introduction of science and innovation to enhance sustainable vegetable production.
He has been a Director of Vegetables NZ and Chair of the Vegetable Research and Innovation Board and has played leading roles in many industry projects, especially in integrated pest and disease management.
Currently, he is the Industry Stakeholder Advisory Group Chair for A Lighter Touch, a pan-sector programme which addresses the question of meeting consumer demands for safe plant-based foods produced under sustainable pest management programmes while also caring for the environment.
Stuart began his career with the Wattie’s group, then moved to LeaderBrand in Gisborne and – after a stint with Sutherland Produce –in Pukekohe.
Stuart says he has enjoyed the many good connections he has among growers, consultants and researchers working on collaborative projects that made a difference to the horticulture industry.
“I am also grateful that I have had employers that granted me the license to do industry-good work and especially proud to bring the Bledisloe Cup back to LeaderBrand in our company’s 50th year,” he says.
Richard Burke, LeaderBrand’s chief executive, expressed delighted at the award bestowed on Stuart.
All the of team at the company were thrilled that Stuart had been honoured for his services to our industry and in particular for his commitment to the environment.
“There is nothing Stuart doesn’t know about growing vegetables,” he said.
“Over the last 30 years I have worked alongside him, his knowledge and dedication has made him an integral member of the team.”
“In every role, Stuart has been instrumental in initiating research, science, and innovation into understanding the relationships of vegetable farming with the environment and developing new thinking on sustainable methods of crop protection.
“He’s also been a strong champion for the industry bodies, sitting on several horticultural organisations championing the industry with government and councils. He has dedicated many hours to the cause and worked tirelessly in all his roles, always having the industry’s best interests at heart.
“He has managed technical and operational areas here at LeaderBrand Gisborne before moving to our Pukekohe farm to ensure our environmental projects are on track and getting done. He manages everything from our Regenerative Farming Project, riparian planting, biodiversity project, our emissions, nitrogen, and water efficiency projects and so much more.”
The topic has been chosen because nitrate (and other forms of nitrogen) regularly feature in media headlines as either being a problem, or a benefit, depending on what sector you work in. The Forum will address this topic because often the arguments presented in the media are imbalanced, devoid of scientific detail, or presented in a narrow context.
Speakers:
Prof Grant Edwards, Vice-Chancellor, Lincoln University
Emeritus Prof Keith Cameron, Lincoln University
Prof Rich McDowell, Chief Scientist, Our Land and Water National Science Challenge
Dr Tim Davie, Director, Environment Canterbury
Dr Murray Close, Principal Scientist ESR
Warwick Catto, Science Strategy Manager, Ballance Agri-Nutrients
Assoc Prof Jacqui Keenan, Dept of Surgery, University of Otago
Dr Mike Beare, Principal Scientist, Plant & Food Research
Dr Alistair Black, Senior Lecturer, Lincoln University
Prof Jacqueline Rowarth, Lincoln University
Emerita Prof Alison Stewart, CEO, Foundation for Arable Research
Full programme and to register:
https://agscience.org.nz/event/2024-canterbury-forum-nitrogen-friend-or-foe/
NZIAHS Canterbury Forum “Nitrogen – Friend or Foe?”
to be held in Stewart 1, Lincoln University on Wednesday 23rd October 2024.
Programme and online registration:
https://agscience.org.nz/event/2024-canterbury-forum-nitrogen-friend-or-foe/
NZIAHS Annual General Meeting
Wednesday 23rd October 2024 at 3.30pm – Stewart 1, Lincoln University, Lincoln
2024 & 2025
Three conferences being run together in Rotorua 11-15 November 2024:
IX International Postharvest Symposium
https://www.scienceevents.co.nz/postharvest2024
VII International Symposium on Postharvest Pathology
https://www.scienceevents.co.nz/postharvest2024
X International Symposium on Human Health Effects of Fruits and Vegetables
https://www.scienceevents.co.nz/postharvest2024
Rootstock and Environmental Physiology in Orchard Systems 2025)
19-24 January 2025
Venue: War Memorial Centre, Napier
