Monthly ArchivesDecember 2009

After more than 45 years as an agricultural pilot, Hallett Griffin has long dealt with the issue of disposing of the many plastic agrichemical containers generated in his line of work. Based in Palmerston North, he owns agricultural aviation company Griffin Ag Air, which he formed with his wife Gloria in 1981 after spending the previous 18 years flying for Manawatu Aerial Topdressing. These days the business operates across an extensive area in the Manawatu region with Hallett doing the aerial spraying while another pilot does the topdressing – the spraying alone amounts to around 50,000ha a year, he says. This generates a lot of empty plastic agrichemical containers which need to be disposed of, but the recent installation of ...

The Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2007 has been awarded the trophy for Best Sustainable Wine, 2009, representing years of commitment to sustainable wine production by Villa Maria Estate. Presented at the Romeo Bragato Wine Awards, it recognises both the wine as being of outstanding quality, and the commitment from Mark Dixon and his team at the Keltern Vineyard to sustainable grape production. Villa Maria viticulturist Ollie Powrie, who oversees the Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough regions, says all the company owned vineyards are accredited with Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) and they are hoping their contract growers will all be accredited by the 2010 harvest. On a day to day basis, operating sustainably means the company is particularly ...

Agrecovery plays an important part in helping sheep farmers supply quality product to high-end overseas markets, say this year’s Silver Fern Farm’s Marks & Spencer Supplier of the Year award winners. Julie Crawford and her husband Barry farm a 300ha property near Gore, and, up against 94 other candidates, won the award that recognises top quality product backed by robust environmental practice.