NZAPI representative Evan Heywood, left, Kelvin Taylor and NZ Apples and Pears chair Lesley Wilson. Taylor won the NZAPI Industry Contribution Award. Photo / John Cowpland
NZAPI representative Evan Heywood, left, Kelvin Taylor and NZ Apples and Pears chair Lesley Wilson. Taylor won the NZAPI Industry Contribution Award. Photo / John Cowpland
A philanthropic Hawke’s Bay apple grower and an environmentally conscious winegrowing regional councillor have been recognised for “outstanding contributions” to their respective industries.
Kelvin Taylor was recognised as this year’s recipient of the New Zealand Apples and Pears (NZAPI) Outstanding Contribution to the Industry award at an event on Tuesday night.
Taylor owns and operates his Hawke’s Bay family business Taylor Corp, an apple-growing, packing and exporting company launched in 1995 from parent company Golden Del Orchards.
He came from an apple-growing family and followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather when he entered the industry in the early 1960s, starting out working for his father.
NZAPI representative Evan Heywood said in his citation that Taylor was a long-standing supporter of the apple and pear industry and someone who has a very strong sense of community.
He said Taylor showed “unwavering commitment, courage, and dedication to his company and the industry” after Cyclone Gabrielle.
“When many would have walked away from the devastation and losses, he refused to let it be the end of his legacy. His priority was the community – offering the company helicopter for rescues and supply drops to many people in the growing community, and also to others,” Heywood said.
“Kelvin stood up for horticulture post-cyclone, rallying local and central politicians, and hosting them on-site to see the devastation first hand.”
He said the award was a symbol of our gratitude for Taylor’s contributions and should serve as inspiration for everyone in the industry to continue striving for excellence.
“Kelvin’s passion, dedication, and vision have left a mark on our industry, and his legacy will continue for many years to come.”
Xan Harding recognised for ‘Outstanding Contributions’ to the winegrowing industry
New Zealand Winegrowers said Harding, who owns a vineyard in Bridge Pa, had been a stalwart of the Hawke’s Bay wine scene for more than two decades.
Xan Harding in 2017. Harding has been recognised for ‘Outstanding Contributions’ to the winegrowing industry. Photo / NZME
“His dedication to the industry is evident in the 14 years he has spent supporting Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers, alongside five years served on the NZW Board and Finance committee, two years with the Sustainable Winegrowing committee, and a seat at the table of the Hawke’s Bay Labour Governance Group, Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers Charitable Trust, and Hawke’s Bay Future Farming Trust,” New Zealand Winegrowers said in a statement.
“A primary focus of Xan’s over the past 20 years has been the state of waterways and he is broadly regarded as the primary representative for Hawke’s Bay Wine’s interests in water and environmental protection.”
