Hunt for young Kiwis to join horticulture industry

The Young Horticulturist of the Year 2017 Competition kicks off this month. Photo/File

More young Kiwis need to roll up their sleeves and help save New Zealand's environment, says the Royal NZ Institute of Horticulture Education Trust.

The trust said in a statement getting young New Zealanders into horticulture careers needed to be given considerable urgency following last month's warning from the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) that New Zealand's economic growth model is approaching its environmental limits.

Chairwoman of the trust's Young Horticulturist of the Year 2017 Competition, Elle Anderson, said she hoped the OECD's warning would make more young people choose to make a difference with a career in horticulture .

"Horticulture offers a career that makes a real difference to both this country's environment and economy. If, however, horticulture is to develop as this country's premier economic activity, then we need a lot more bright young talent to make it happen.

"We know that millennials as a generation want to make a difference in the world. They want work that is meaningful, and that is motivated by a strong 'reason why'. They are also high-tech, high touch focused - all of which are demands and expectations that horticulture can amply deliver on."

The Young Horticulturist of the Year 2017 Competition kicks off this month, the best men and women aged 30 and under from New Zealand's horticulture industry going head-to-head in six sector competitions throughout the regions to qualify.

The finalists will be drawn from the winners of six horticultural sector competitions:

•Horticulture NZ (fruit and vegetable sectors)
•New Zealand Plant Producers Inc.
•NZ Winegrowers
•Amenity Horticulture supported by NZ Recreation Association
•NZ Flower Growers Inc. & FLONZI
•Landscaping NZ

Finalists compete for a prize pool of over $40,000 that includes a $7500 travel and accommodation package for the winner and a $5500 Massey University study scholarship for the runner up, as well as an AGMARDT Market Innovation Project first prize of $5000.

The trust said the Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition was made possible through the generous support of Young Horticulturist of the Year 2017 Competition partners AGMARDT, T&G and Fruitfed Supplies. Supporters of the competition are Bayer CropScience, Countdown, Horticentre Trust, NZ Gardener magazine, Primary ITO and Trillian Trust.

For more details see www.younghort.co.nz