The Trust offers grants to the New Zealand fruit growing industry and are interested in applications that focus on:
- Research
- Education
- Fruit grower groups
- Generic industry issues
- Industry People
- Flow-on benefit for New Zealand
The application of Trust Funds is governed by our Trust Deed which permits spending in the following areas.
Research
To promote, encourage and foster in the fields of and relating to fruit growing and to disseminate and make available the results and outcomes thereof for public use and for the improvement of human knowledge and to generally concern itself in fruit growing research within New Zealand.
This may include export or domestic market research or specific pests or diseases. The Trust does not fund Product Group research such as plant breeding.
Education
To promote and improve standards of training and education in the New Zealand fruit growing industry; and
To assist with the education of persons associated with the fruit growing industry in New Zealand; and
To promote education in the subject of fruit growing; and
To establish and support professorships, fellowships, lectureships, scholarships and prizes.
The Trust does not pay the tuition fees of individual students (other than through scholarships) and does not make grants to non-residents.
Fruit grower groups
Trust grants may assist in the establishment of organisations or structures:
- To meet establishment costs
- For research and development
- To facilitate dissemination of results from such research and development
- For education and training of officers and employees of such organisations
- To meet the operating costs of industry organisations in any of the foregoing charitable purposes
Except in the start-up phase, the Trust does not fund the administrative or management costs of fruit grower groups. The Trust does not normally assist with marketing costs.
Industry People
To relieve poverty of persons who are or were engaged in activities and employment associated with the New Zealand fruit growing industry.
The Trust does not provide 100% funding and preference is given to fruit growers where the benefits will be shared with the wider industry. The Trust will consider grants to fruit grower welfare groups (e.g. Rural Support Trust) during hardship. Grants are not made for the betterment of individual fruit growers.
Flow-on benefit for New Zealand
To promote encourage and foster any aspect of the fruit growing industry likely to be of benefit to New Zealand whether as a result of increased efficiency, improved productivity, improved product or better marketing.
Generic industry issues
Bio security
Entry into New Zealand of pests and diseases is a major concern for New Zealand generally but particularly so for agriculture including horticulture. The PSA bacteria has caused widespread and severe impacts to New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry since its detection here in 2010. There are many other pests that would cause similar severe disruption to the fruit growers should they enter the country. Some are well known such as fruit fly and others not so well known but equally as dangerous e.g. brown marmorated stink bug.
Labour
The horticulture industry is faced with continuing challenges related to the attraction, retention, and upskilling of a suitable workforce. The horticulture industry in New Zealand employs over 25,000 permanent employees many of them in highly skilled jobs. In addition there are over 20,000 seasonal jobs. Many of these seasonal jobs have been performed by overseas workers including back packers and Pacific Islanders brought into the country temporarily under the RSE scheme. In addition, various contractors add another 30,000 people to the horticulture work force. As has been well publicised with Covid related restrictions, many of these workers are no longer available.
The industry has implemented several programmes to try and fill this hole. The Trust has helped fund a number of these initiatives with the likes of regional careers progression managers (www.gohort.co.nz) and the PickNZ (www.picknz.co.nz) recruitment programmes. The industry supports a range of initiatives at multiple levels to ensure it has fit for purpose leadership skills in our students, supervisors, managers, and executives. The Trust provides scholarships for students at both university diploma and post graduate levels.
Funding
The Trust generates funds from rent from a commercial building asset and other financial assets in order to be able to provide grants to those in the fruit growing industry. See our history for more info.