Kiwifruit Vine Health finalist for NZ Biosecurity Awards

Helping to maintain healthy kiwifruit after the Psa outbreak is just one job Kiwifruit Vine health is responsible for.

Kiwifruit Vine Health and Te Runanga o Ngai Te Rangi Iwi Trust have been named as finalists in the New Zealand Biosecurity Awards.

Kiwifruit Vine Health was up for the Government Industry Agreement Industry Award while Te Runanga o Ngai Te Rangi Iwi Trust were shortlisted for the Te Puni Kokiri Maori Award.

"We were excited to receive over 60 very high calibre entries, making the judging task difficult, but rewarding," judging panel chairman Dr John Hellstrom said.

"There is a heartening national effort taking place to safeguard the country's biosecurity."

The Biosecurity Awards were established two years ago to recognise and celebrate exemplary contributions to protecting our taonga (precious natural resources) and ensuring New Zealand's biosecurity system remains resilient, effective, and world leading.

The awards reflect the spirit of the newly launched biosecurity brand Ko Tatou This Is Us which has been created to help build a biosecurity team of 4.7 million — all New Zealanders.

Award winners would be announced at a dinner function during the annual Biosecurity Forum in Auckland November 12.

The 19 award finalists in seven categories were announced on October 12. The recipient of the Minister's Biosecurity Award will be announced at the awards dinner on November 12 in Auckland.

Bay finalists include:

Te Runanga o Ngai Te Rangi Iwi Trust
Project: Tauranga Moana iwi biosecurity efforts.
Te Runanga o Ngai Te Rangi Iwi Trust submitted this application to support Tauranga Moana iwi and acknowledge the continued efforts of local kaitiaki are to build capacity and awareness in our communities, and to grow biosecurity excellence in Tauranga Moana.

The trust does this work in anticipation of the incoming threats that are on our doorstep. With the growth of the Port of Tauranga, and horticultural and agricultural industries, the Trust views this as a significant step in the protection of our "taonga i tuku iho" (cultural treasures and heritage).

Kiwifruit Vine Health

Project: Kiwifruit Vine Health.

Kiwifruit Vine Health (KVH) is a leading biosecurity organisation supporting the NZ kiwifruit industry. Established in December 2010 by the industry to lead the response to the Psa incursion, the organisation is now responsible for managing all biosecurity operations on behalf of the kiwifruit industry.

Analysis has shown the cost of the Psa incursion could be up to $885 million over 15 years. KVH's commitment to managing the Psa response for kiwifruit growers has contributed to the remarkable recovery of the kiwifruit industry just eight years on from this incursion.

The organisation is a leader in biosecurity readiness.