Olivia Manusauloa and Josh Easton of Baygold Ltd are the Regional Supreme Winners of the Bay of Plenty Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
Their kiwifruit development and management company, Baygold, is a great example of a business that is integrating environmental excellence into its kiwifruit production.
In awarding the Supreme Award,the judges noted Olivia and Josh’s guardianship of the land, ensuring its practical use for the future, as well as various initiatives that show a real commitment to sustainability. The couple also has a strong focus on providing real and meaningful support to staff, actively practicing social responsibility within their community.
Baygold’s orchard, The Station, spans 32 hectares of rolling land between Paengaroa and Pongakawa, with 16ha of this planted in orchards.
The team’s vision is to ensure that the development of the business is balanced with caring for the environment. Their approach is based on a cross-business foundation of caring, inspiring, performing and growing.
A 2.5ha wetland was commissioned and developed before the orchard’s construction began, as a partnership between the local iwi and council and Government. The wetland feeds into Little Waihī Estuary, slowing and filtering water.
The team is now exploring how they can harness the carbon sequestration potential of the indigenous plants. Baygold is also one of New Zealand’s first companies to participate in a carbon-zero trial, with an aim of delivering carbon-positive kiwifruit to the market.
