Ballance rep Katie Aitkenhead and winner Sam Stockman. Photo / Supplied
Mount Maunganui Intermediate student Sam Stockman has been awarded the Ballance Agri-Nutrients (Ballance) Sustainable Agricultural Award for his project.
Stockman received the award for his research and experimentation into soil erosion using the organic fertiliser, Vermicast. His interactive and well-trialled project was commended by judges as a great project for his Year 7 and 8 age group.
The Sustainable Agricultural Award recognises a student's work, which demonstrates a keen understanding of a current or emerging sustainability issue affecting New Zealand's primary industries, through projects, which apply scientific methods and innovative thinking to solve real-life problems.
Regional Ballance representative Katie Aitkenhead said she was thoroughly impressed with the calibre of entries in this year's science fair.
"Overall, there was a high level of detail and thought in these projects. It was great to see the level of scientific thinking from entrants illustrated through their impressive ideas and experiments.
"It's encouraging to see so many young Kiwi minds involved with science. Our hope is that those with a keen interest continue to pursue their scientific passions."
Ballance is involved with a nationwide programme of sponsorships intended to foster and celebrate scientific and innovative thinking among New Zealand primary and secondary school students.
The initiative sees Ballance partner with a number of regional science and technology fairs around the country to encourage greater interest in and understanding of agriculture in New Zealand.
As a reflection of the organisation's sustainable and agricultural focus, Ballance judges science fair entries which explore topics such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, agricultural chemical use, nutrient loss to waterways, and other environmental concerns.
The sponsorship rollout builds on Ballance's $25 million Future Ready Farms programme – launched in partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries' Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) Fund, with the goal of developing solutions to help farmers and growers further improve on their sustainable agricultural practices.
Ballance's SFF Futures programme manager, Suzanne Young, said the organisation was proud to support students who have a keen interest in tackling environmental challenges that are faced within New Zealand's agricultural sector.
"Each year we are delighted to support science fairs across the country that provide a space for young, creative minds to address issues within the agricultural sector.
"It's our hope that fostering these young, future-focused minds will inspire them to pursue a career in science or innovation."
KuDos Award for Scion and AgriSea partnership
Accolades for the Scion and AgriSea collaboration continue to roll in, with a Primary Industries Award won at the Kudos Awards last week at Claudelands Event Centre in Hamilton.
After two postponements due to the pandemic, the 2021 awards on September 14 saw scientists from the Waikato/Bay of Plenty celebrate their creativity, passion, innovation and results.
In winning the award, sponsored by Hill Laboratories, Scion, and AgriSea were congratulated for their work building on Scion's pulping expertise and AgriSea's 26 years in seaweed processing, resulting in a novel seaweed hydrogel.
Scion high-value biorefineries portfolio leader Dr Stefan Hill says it was really special to attend with the team and AgriSea chief executive Clare Bradley.
"It was a wonderful night celebrating an incredible range of science. Our team is really excited to have won this award."
The Kudos Science Trust Awards were one of New Zealand's prestigious regional science awards, supporting the Waikato and Bay of Plenty's reputation as a vital incubator for creative research discoveries and cutting-edge technology.
Tauranga Business Chamber recognised for digital enablement
Tauranga Business Chamber has been recognised for its national-leading efforts to get almost 1000 small businesses digitally-savvy post Covid-19.
Through the Chamber, 949 business owners have signed up to the Digital Facilitation Scheme – which provided businesses with the opportunity to complete the Government's free Digital Boost programme through a facilitated format.
Digital Boost was created following the Covid-19 lockdowns to help New Zealand small businesses become digitally enabled, and covers everything from digital marketing and integration tools to creating websites and Cloud-based accounting systems.
In May, the Government piloted the Digital Facilitation Scheme as a way of offering the training in a group setting, with a facilitator and peer support sessions.
The Chamber was one of several organisations across the country to run the scheme throughout their respective regions from May to August.
Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash recognised the Tauranga Business Chamber for achieving the greatest regional uptake of the scheme in the country –and almost one-third of the total national uptake.
Of the 3435 businesses that took part in the scheme, 949 of those came via the Tauranga Business Chamber's contract.
"The Chamber has done such a fantastic job of getting businesses on board. These are the people who are embracing the digital change, and celebrating it."
Chamber chief executive Matt Cowley credited the Chamber's success to its highly engaged audience of business owners in the region looking for new ways to better their business.
"It shows how committed our local business owners are to bettering their skillsets and not being afraid to pivot and adapt as challenges arise."
The crux of the Facilitation Scheme was that it offered digital training in a group setting, which allowed people to feel more confident, he said.
"We found businesses really embraced being in a group environment, and the peer support they received really helped to embed their learnings."
Kate Evaroa, owner of Mount Longboards, said the training gave her the confidence to take her business onto social media.
"We now have people coming into our stores who have seen our social media and are now buying. To drive those people into our store is so important to us."
Justine Lette, from Hypnosis New Zealand, said Digital Boost has helped get many of their 400 members onto social media and sharing valuable information to New Zealanders.
"They're now creating some incredibly powerful content to help people with mental health and having such important conversations.
"Before Digital Boost they wanted to help people, but didn't know how to find them. Now they're getting out and helping those who really need it."
While the Digital Facilitation Scheme pilot has closed, people can still complete the Digital Boost training online at digitalboost.business.govt.nz
Bay kiwifruit and avocado post-harvest company's charitable trust increases community donations
A Bay of Plenty kiwifruit and avocado post-harvest charitable trust has increased its donations to the local community this year.
DMS Progrowers Charitable Trust receives donations from generous kiwifruit and avocado growers who voluntarily contribute a portion of money per tray of fruit packed.
The total of these donations is then matched by DMS Progrowers Ltd, doubling the size of the overall contribution.
The Trustees will distribute the funds at the end of each kiwifruit season to charitable organisations. It is the intention of the Trust to have one cornerstone beneficiary who will receive at least 30 per cent each year.
Donations in total for 2022 were $255,000, an increase from $213,000 from the previous
year.
Since the DMS Progrowers Charitable Trust was established in 2018, the sole purpose of the entity has been to provide support for community organisations and for any charitable purpose, within the Bay of Plenty or, with Trustees approval, other New Zealand regions.
Chairman Andre Hickson said given the recent times and difficulties the nation has had
to navigate, there has been a considerable increase in need for support in many different ways within the community.
"We have heard from our many recipients that 2021 has been a tough year, just as 2020 was.
"The continued lockdowns have meant that some charities struggled to provide
their full services due to a lack of funding and sometimes personnel.
"Holding fundraising events has been uncertain, meaning meeting usual operational costs has been extra difficult."
Hickson said growers remained generous in their support of the Trust, with 76 growers making contributions this year.
"Thank you for your continued generosity and supports in helping make an impact within
our community."
ChargeNet launches hyper-rapid EV charging site in Rotorua
ChargeNet has launched new hyper-rapid electric vehicle (EV) chargers to boost Rotorua's EV charging capacity.
The announcement came as part of World EV Day on September 9.
The new ChargeNet EV charging hub is up and running at Rotorua Central in the city's CBD.
It was installed with the support of the Government's Low Emission Transport Fund (LETF), which is administered by EECA (the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) and site hosts Pukeroa Oruawhata Holdings Ltd.
The hub is the newest of ChargeNet's hyper-rapid charging sites.
ChargeNet marketing and communications manager Bailey Gorst said the world-class initiative demonstrates Aotearoa New Zealand was keeping pace with technological
developments and supporting the next generation of electric vehicles.
"A reliable electric vehicle charging network is essential for large-scale EV adoption, in particular charging hubs that can charge multiple vehicles at once, so drivers can travel longer distances between cities without worrying about queuing or congestion."
The project includes an 'attractive bath complex' using geothermal fluids.