A lot has been achieved since we confirmed your support with the 2013 levy referendum.    We'd like to share some some highlights:

 ‘Fresher by Sea’ postharvest research project – TomatoesNZ, along with Vegetables NZ, investigated technologies and techniques to increase the shipping life of tomatoes and capsicums to allow seafreight to higher value markets beyond Australia.

It was identified in 2013 that the cost and availability of airfreight to the valuable market of Japan was a limiting factor to growing volumes to that (and other Pacific rim) markets, and the Fresher by Sea Project was initiated

The project resulted in “guidelines” for sea freight of tomatoes (and capsicums) to Japan, describing how to maximise the storage life of their export crop. It also reviewed the potential for emerging storage technologies to be developed for future use. The guidelines have been taken up by exporters and incorporated into crop and postharvest management, with the outcome being successful sea freight to Japan.

The project also allowed TomatoesNZ and the exporters to forge a relationship with the passionate Plant and Food Scientists who conducted the work, and we keep in touch over ongoing work they are doing in this field and about potential for future work to enhance our access to export markets.

This science is critical to developing NZ’s ability to access distant markets with our highly perishable products. Long term investment in postharvest science is a big part of what allowed our kiwifruit and apple industries to spread their products across the globe.

Tomatoes NZ invested $80,000 of levy funds over three years (2014/15 – 2016/17), against a total project cost of $300,000. Vegetables NZ also contributed $80,000, and $140,000 of government funding was leveraged by Plant and Food Research contributing from CORE science funding.  The exporters involved, T&G’s and NZ Hothouse, also made in-kind contributions of fresh tomatoes to conduct the storage experiments.

Irradiated Food Labelling – TomatoesNZ successfully advocated for imported tomatoes from Australia to be labelled irradiated at the point of sale, with requirements for labelling in place under FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand). 

In April 2015, TomatoesNZ commissioned a survey to gauge consumer views on whether fresh produce, pre-packaged food, or pre-prepared meals that has been irradiated or contained irradiated ingredients, should be labelled.   The survey found that 85% of participants wanted irradiated fruit and vegetables to be clearly labelled as irradiated.

With this in mind, we expressed our views on the necessity of labelling irradiated produce to the Minister of Food Standards and developed information on the requirements, running an awareness campaign with retailers.  We provided information packs directly to wholesalers and food service providers, along with articles and advertisements in industry magazines.

Mid 2017, following an 18 month review of labelling for irradiated food, FSANZ concluded that the irradiated food labelling rules will not be changed.  TomatoesNZ was consulted directly and made a submission advocating for the retention of the labelling requirement. 

TomatoesNZ annual conference - alongside Horticulture New Zealand, we host an industry conference yearly. The fresh tomato commodity levy covers the costs of registration and some accommodation and travel costs for levy payers. Levy funds have also contributed to costs involved with bringing renown international speakers to the conference, along with accessing other funding available such as AGMARDT sponsorship. At our 2016 conference, Dr Michael Bledsoe, Village Farms VP Food Safety & Regulatory Affairs, spoke on the challenges and solutions of growing tomatoes in North America, and provided an overview of North American greenhouses including crops, pesticides and products. Michael’s Ph.D. is in Entomology and he has managed all of the new minor use greenhouse product registrations for the US, and serves on the Canadian minor use program for greenhouses.

In 2015, TomatoesNZ hosted Ines van Marrewijk, a specialist in covered crop plant hygiene from the Netherlands, at the conference. Ines gave presentations on Managing residues and MRL’s, and Covered Crop Hygiene.

 Tamarixia biocontrol agent – TomatoesNZ contributed over $11,000 in funding to the application and consultation process for industry to import for release the Tomato Potato Psyllid biocontrol agent Tamarixia Trioaze through the Vegetable and Research Innovation Board.

A programme of release and monitoring into outdoor horticultural environments is being undertaken through a Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF) project, with the parasitoid wasp first released in Hawke’s Bay and Canterbury in October 2017. Research is currently being undertaken and findings likely to be reported by mid-2018.