May 2019 will mark the expiry of Horticulture New Zealand’s Commodity Levy Order.
In order to continue its functions, the board will be sending out voting papers to levy-payers as of today, asking growers if they wish to renew funding.
The funding rates are currently set at 14 cents per NZ$100, with a maximum increase of 15 cents per NZ$100. This is planned to stay the same in the new six-year levy order.
'The purpose of Horticulture New Zealand is enabling, promoting and advocating for growers in New Zealand to achieve the industry goal of a $10 billion industry by 2020,' said board president Julian Raine.
'There are significant opportunities and issues facing horticulture and we believe it is essential to have the united voice that Horticulture New Zealand has, both to maximise those opportunities and find solutions for the issues,' Raine added.
The 14 cent levy is expected to raise around NZ$4.6m (US$3.12m) annually, and is spent on running the Horticulture New Zealand body who represent growers in areas of biosecurity, land access, water, people, research and development, education/training, and maintaining quality assurance programmes.
