When it comes to demonstrating a real willingness to engage and work together with our government, Hawke's Bay's apple growers have become leaders in the field.
In the face of Covid 19, with borders closed to thousands of backpackers and limited numbers of RSE workers, our Hawke's Bay industry has survived one of the most challenging harvesting seasons ever.
Throughout this time, local growers and industry have kept talking with very open communication lines into our government – both on the ground with local MPs in Hawke's Bay, and directly with government ministers.
Hawke's Bay can be rightly impressed with the approach our growers are making by focusing on building these stronger and ongoing working relationships, along with the commitments they are making to help meet the critical seasonal workforce shortages.
We have seen record numbers of New Zealanders joining the industry, along with programmes to support those on job seeker benefits into fulltime employment.
Through a major recruitment drive our growers are now attracting a younger and talented student workforce, many of whom are for the first time gaining a taste of what horticulture has to offer as an exciting and dynamic industry, where they can grow their future careers.
Now our region's growers are also leading the way on national Apple & Pears and Hawke's Bay Workforce Transition Plan to 2030.
We've seen a commitment to creating 1000 fulltime jobs in our region over the next five years, along with major employers pledging a living wage.
Looking back, the industry has come a long way since 2005 when 700 local growers got on board a steam train from Hastings to Wellington protesting on the steps of Parliament and camping outside the Australian High Commission, all in the name of getting access for exporting apples to our transtasman neighbour.
I remember it like yesterday because I was there working as part of the team on the "Let our Apples in Aussie" campaign.
Back when I first stood for Labour, I also joined my CHB home town of Waipukurau's farming community, driving their tractors through the main street as they wanted their voice heard over the Ruataniwha Water Storage Project.
At the time I was ridiculed by the then Tukituki MP for turning up. But I saw it as an important way of showing the type of local MP I would be and, more critically, that I am always prepared to listen to and respect the voices of all our community.
But, I won't be at the farmer protest on Friday. I'll be in Blenheim visiting RSE accommodation, hosted by a business that provides seasonal labour both here in Hawke's Bay and Marlborough, so I can see for myself the work under way in another growing region.
Earlier this week, I caught up with a major apple exporter and employer in our region. He asked me, "What was something I didn't quite expect in my new role in Parliament?"
My response was having access to ministers on a regular basis and particularly those in the areas where I am very passionate about, including health and transport, along with my two select committee portfolios of Primary Production and Finance and Expenditure.
He agreed this was great to hear because we'd both been given the impression that being a backbencher was futile.
Now that I am there, I know first hand that for Hawke's Bay having all their local MPs in the Government, working together and advocating hard for them as part of the team makes a real difference for our region.
Our thriving primary sector is the backbone of our economy and a huge part of our regional and national identity.
We are actively looking at the issues raised by farmers and growers. We want to work together to resolve these issues, and ongoing communication is incredibly important.
