Growers elect two new members to HortNZ Board

Horticulture New Zealand’s grower members have elected two new directors to their board. Voting closed on Friday.

The two new directors are:

John Cook, a kiwifruit grower, from Bay of Plenty
Mike Smith, a kiwifruit grower, from Bay of Plenty

John Cook has an extensive background in agriculture and horticulture, owning both a dairy and sheep farm, and worked on and had investments in pipfruit, summerfruit and kiwifruit businesses in Australia and New Zealand. John is a member of ZESPRI’s Industry Governance Development programme, New Variety Steering Group, and Green 14 Product Development Group, and a member and founder of the ZESPRI ‘BIGTIK’ committee (Bringing Innovative Growers Technology in Kiwifruit). John has a diploma in Agriculture from Lincoln University and was a recipient of a Kellogg Rural Leadership Scholarship.

Mike Smith has been in the kiwifruit business for more than 20 years, and has a background in dairy farming and the stock and station industry. He is an alumni of the HortNZ Leadership Programme, a member of the New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc Forum and the kiwifruit industry representative to the Horticulture Industry Forum. Mike is also chair of the Green Kiwifruit Growers Association and a member of the Bay of Plenty Young Fruitgrower Committee.

The new board’s term starts at the HortNZ annual general meeting in Rotorua on July 28.

Source: voxy.co.nz