Got business news? Email businessdigest@nzme.co.nz Photo / Getty Images
Science NZ Awards celebrate Scion talent
Wood nanotechnology, seaweed nanocellulose products and an internationally recognised microscopist are among the top successes celebrated by Scion at the Science New Zealand Awards.
All seven Crown Research Institutes and Callaghan Innovation have awardees in three categories.
Scion's awardee for Lifetime Achievement is Doctor of Science Lloyd Donaldson for his microscopist work.
The awardee for Early Career Researcher is Dr Qiliang Fu - leading scientist in wood nanotechnology and functionalisation - and the Team Award went to the AgriSea NZ and Scion collaboration.
Scion chief executive Dr Julian Elder said the awards showed the depth of talent across Crown scientists including Scion, which is recognised nationwide and internationally.
"It's wonderful to see a lifetime of significant work such as Lloyd's being recognised, and the innovation behind the wood nanotechnology and the Agrisea partnership are examples of how cutting edge the science here at Scion is."
Scion forests and biotechnology scientist Dr Lloyd Donaldson received one of eight lifetime achievement awards for his influence as an internationally recognised microscopist specialising in plant anatomy and ultrastructure for the past 40 years at Scion.
He has pioneered techniques in confocal fluorescence imaging of wood and biomaterials, with his methods forming a part of researcher toolboxes globally.
With an h-index of 42 (Google Scholar), he has over 100 publications including 16 books and book chapters, with his images selected four times as journal covers.
An Early Career Researcher Award was made to scientist Dr Qiliang Fu who specialises in wood nanotechnologies, including various chemical treatment and functional approaches, applied to tailor and modify the nanostructure of bulk wood. Dr Fu has contributed strongly to developing this field globally.
Dr Fu did the original research on transparent wood and transparent wood film, novel designs and multi-functionalities of sustainable materials. This work has led to breakthroughs in transparent, fire-retardant, hydrophobic/lipophilic and optoelectronic applications.
The Team Award was the third category and Scion's awardee was the Scion and Agrisea NZ collaboration team, which together are accelerating new nanocellulose-based business opportunities.
Scion's wood pulping expertise and AgriSea's 25 years in seaweed processing has resulted in a novel seaweed gel product.
The team developed a method to produce nanocellulose from AgriSea's seaweed waste stream without disrupting products and processing.
Their innovative approach enables the extraction, isolation and manufacture of high-value nanocellulose hydrogel and nanocellulose. Applications for these materials include performance biocomposites, biomedical engineering applications, wound care, cosmetics and drug delivery.
The Scion technology to produce seaweed nanocellulose was licensed and transferred to AgriSea at the start of 2021. Manufacture of nanocellulose was successfully trialled at pilot scale (funded through the Bioresource Processing Alliance).
An intergenerational whānau business, AgriSea is now upgrading its factory to include an industrial nanocellulose production plant in its home town of Paeroa, and employs local people in coastal regions to collect beach cast seaweed.
FMG Young Farmer of the Year regional finalists announced
The finalists for the FMG Young Farmer of the Year 2022 Waikato Bay of Plenty regional final have been chosen.
Last year's Bay of Plenty runner-up Share Farmer of the Year and 50-50 share milker Josh Macdonald and Reporoa Young Farmer Brayden Schroder have been nominated.
BNZ agribusiness partner and drystock farm manager Stephen Brunskill, dairy farmer Chris Poole, dairy farm manager Connor Steens, contract milker Danielle Hovmand, dairy, sheep and beef farmer and 2021 Waikato Share Farmer of the Year Reuben Connolly, and Te Kawa West Young Farmer Daisy Higgs will also go head to head.
The eight competitors were chosen from three district contests including one virtual competition, and will battle it out for the title of Waikato Bay of Plenty FMG Young Farmer of the Year on March 5.
New Zealand Young Farmers chief executive Lynda Coppersmith said every year, the competition improves despite the tests Covid-19 provided for the third season in a row.
"For season 54 we really wanted to test our competitors and see 'who's up for it' and we exceeded last year's entry numbers across the country.
"All of our volunteers and conveners have created some incredible challenges so far, with regional final season expected to take that to another level."
All FMG Young Farmer of the Year events operate in accordance with the Government's Covid Protection Framework and will require vaccine passes.
Five scholarships awarded to Tauranga school leavers
Five Tauranga school leavers are set to begin tertiary studies with an extra spring in their step after being awarded scholarships by local company Ryan+Alexander.
The recruitment firm, which has a particular focus on filling job opportunities in the regions, created the scholarships to celebrate its first five years in business.
Ryan+Alexander co-director Bernadette Ryan-Hopkins says the decision to support students from state schools who are staying in the Bay of Plenty for tertiary study in 2022 was strategic.
"We felt that when students go to Auckland or Wellington, there are lots of opportunities for scholarships, and we didn't believe there were many opportunities for people who are wanting to study here."
The Bay community has helped Ryan+Alexander grow rapidly during its five years of business and the scholarships are a way for her and co-director Kiri Burney and their staff to give something back, she says.
"It also helps us to support the local community because we're building and growing talent here and that's fundamental to what we do."
Ryan-Hopkins says she has noticed a loss of potential workforce in the region as many younger people move away after high school to study.
Having the University of Waikato's Tauranga campus open here has helped retain young people, but both co-directors felt Ryan+Alexander could play a part too.
"Those young people are part of the community and part of the economic development in the region. Tauranga is our fifth-largest city. This economy is a real powerhouse within New Zealand and will continue to be so.
The Ryan+Alexander scholarships are being awarded through the Acorn Foundation charitable fund.
Chief executive Lori Luke says the foundation is grateful for Ryan+Alexander's commitment to the community.
"The five students who have won these scholarships will value both the monetary support and the confidence boost they will have received to have their hard work acknowledged. It makes such a difference to Acorn to be able to support promising young students with the help of generous businesses like Ryan+Alexander."
The scholarships have been awarded to the following students, who each receive $3500:
Owens Scholarship winners named for 2021
The prestigious Boy & Joy Owens Scholarships have been awarded for 2021 at seven colleges and high schools across the Western Bay of Plenty.
These awards provide a $5000 payment for each of three years to the fantastic students selected.
This year marks the 28th year that Owens Scholarships have been supporting young people in the region who have shown a significant commitment to their schools and to the community, with a strong idea about their future goals.
The Acorn Foundation administers the awards while independent Owens Selection Committees work with each school's administrators to choose finalists who are then interviewed by the panellists.
The Bob & Joy Owens Scholarship panellists at Aquinas College said they selected Charlotte Watson as she showed the "dogged determination to achieve of Sir Bob and the deep empathy for others of Joy Owens".
"We are confident the scholarship will assist Charlotte in her ambition to build a better society."
Scion signs collaboration agreement with Māori Carbon Collective
Māori whenua opportunities will engage with science to welcome an innovative future with the signing of a collaboration agreement between Scion and the Māori Carbon Collective.
Scion Crown Research Institute chief executive Julian Elder and Māori Carbon Collective founding chairman Tā (Sir) Mark Solomon put pen to paper this month at Te Whare Nui o Tuteata in Rotorua.
Tā Mark believes a lot can be done for Māoridom using collaborative research to understand the present and future Māori position relating to carbon sequestration activities on whenua.
"This agreement being signed is the highlight of our year. We've been dreaming of this relationship for a long time," he says.
"One of the projects I'm most excited to work on with Scion is trialling the planting of a mix of Pinus radiata and native trees on whenua for carbon farming where eventually the native forest takes over to become fully native again.
Dr Elder says the agreement will make innovation accessible for Māori landowners.
"As a research organisation, our purpose is to make economic, environmental and social impacts for Aotearoa, New Zealand - we can't do this on our own and we need to help enable others. Entering a partnership with the Māori Carbon Collective is a real opportunity to help the Collective do the things we think are possible to benefit their whenua."
Scion will work with the Māori Carbon Collective to enable pathways that lead to outcomes in indigenous forestry; forest-to-cultural-aspiration products; forestry value chain development; indigenous tree breeding and planting; production forestry; climate change mitigation planning; and sustainable community infrastructure.
The Māori Carbon Collective was formed to ensure land trusts are provided with guidance to participate in the carbon trading market, while acknowledging the whenua as kaitiaki.
All benefits that can be retained when registering with the Government's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) are returned to the mana whenua. Protection is also extended to eliminate any risk or threat of the loss of land.
ANZ search for Rotorua's next female cricketing talent
As New Zealand prepares to host the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022, official sponsor ANZ is seeking the next generation of female cricketing talent from Rotorua to join the ANZ Next XI.
Eleven young women aged 12-18, will be selected from across New Zealand to join the ANZ Next XI.
They'll be invited to an exclusive White Ferns junior training academy, where they will meet the players, train with the team, attend expert-led masterclasses, and learn valuable skills to inspire them to become the very best cricketers they can be.
White Ferns all-rounder Suzie Bates said she can't wait to meet the ANZ Next XI.
"An opportunity like this would have been a dream for me as a kid, so I know it's going to mean so much to these young cricketers.
"It's amazing to see ANZ support the next generation of female cricketers in the same way they back the White Ferns."
ANZ is on the lookout for cricket fanatics of all abilities, ranging from passionate beginners to the talented few who eat wickets for breakfast and always try to smash it out of the park.
These young women will be dedicated to spending time on the cricket pitch, and be determined to improve their skills.
Applicants will be judged on the passion and determination they can demonstrate in their application.
To apply for a spot on the ANZ Next XI team or to nominate a deserving young sportswoman head to www.anz.co.nz/worldcup/next-xi. Entries close at midnight on February 7.
Tauranga firm doing its bit for environment
Staff from Tauranga Hardware and Plumbing will down their tools on Wednesday to pick up rubbish along the highways and byways.
Ben McCord said it was a way to give back to the community and to thank them for their support.
He said the company had a busy year and wanted to give back.
McCord came up with the rubbish-collecting idea after noticing an increase in litter in some areas.
''A lot of this stuff ends up down drains and out in the ocean which isn't good and pretty disappointing.''
The team was planning its rubbish collection around Sulphur Point and Route K.
McCord said he hoped to make it an annual event and would like to challenge other businesses to do the same.
Blueberry prices set to drop leading up to Christmas
The harvest for New Zealand blueberry varieties has now begun and growers are encouraging Kiwis to buy them as larger volumes come to market.
Prices are also set to drop below $3 a punnet in the lead-up to Christmas.
Last year 8.6 million punnets of blueberries were consumed worth more than $32m - an increase of 600,000 punnets and $2m on the year before.
Blueberries New Zealand executive member and exporter representative Craig Hall says demand for fruit rich in vitamin C is now soaring around the world thanks to Covid-19 and he expected sales to be even higher this year.
"So far volume has been small on the domestic market, but we're now getting into the main season and higher volumes are coming through.
"Post-Christmas, a larger quantity is exported to Australia as their season ends and that can affect New Zealand prices.
"But there should be plenty of opportunities for consumers to get some really good deals on blueberries from all retailers over the next four weeks so people should take advantage."
Olympian Eliza McCartney is Blueberries New Zealand's ambassador for the sixth year running and says the health benefits are second-to-none.
Blueberries New Zealand Chairman Liz Te Amo says local production of blueberries is due to ramp up significantly in the next few years as different varieties are now being grown that are larger, sweeter, juicier, crunchier and have an earlier harvest window (August – December).
"There's multiple varieties in the ground now and that really reflects how the international markets are going and growing. There's been a massive upswing in consumption for blueberries – particularly with Covid-19. People are looking for the healthiest fruit and vegetables available.
"In the coming years, we hope to see Kiwis eating a lot more blueberries and to improve our market access for exports to handle this increase in production."
The jury's marathon deliberations ran for two weeks.