2008 AGM

The 2008 AGM is being Held in Hamilton on 8 and 9 February. The agenda for the teo days is available from here, and a registration form can be printed from this link.

Next Executive meeting

The next executive meeting will be held in Hamiolton on 8 February. Members of the Association are invited to attend - please contact us at info@feijoa.org.nz for more details

What Can Growers and Shoppers Do About CoOL?

The following is a press release from Horticulture NZ with their views on Country of Origin labelling.

Horticulture New Zealand wants commercial fruit and vegetable growers and shoppers to join in the campaign to persuade the Government to introduce mandatory country of origin labelling into New Zealand.

HortNZ wants its own growers to tell supermarkets and retailers they'd like to see products retain their origin-based labelling in-store.

HortNZ is also encouraging growers to make more use of the words 'grown in New Zealand' on their products and their packs. Business New Zealand recently launched a new logo for "Grown in New Zealand", which features the classic Made in New Zealand kiwi.

"We also have the New Zealand Good Agricultural Practice logo, or 'NZGAP' which all approved growers are entitled to use, and shoppers should look out for," HortNZ CEO Peter Silcock says.

"Growers, like other Kiwis, have assumed for too long that everyone knows their products are from New Zealand. This is not the case anymore, and shoppers need to be told what they are buying."

While many New Zealand fresh produce growers already label their product packaging, this is not always displayed at retail level, leaving consumers in the dark. Processed product is much more difficult to identify.

The big supermarket chains have both made undertakings to identify CoOL on fresh product, which HortNZ commends them for.

Shoppers need to make sure their local supermarket continues to perform to the standard Head Office has set.

"If you are not sure – ask the staff where it came from," Peter says.

"Mandatory country of origin labelling (MCoOL) is the only way to ensure the consumer gets to make the right choice for them.

"For example a label on a processed product like jam, will read: "made from local and imported ingredients" yet there are only two ingredients, berries and sugar. We know the sugar is imported, so the question is, where do the berries come from? If they are from New Zealand, why not say so?

"On a jar of crushed garlic it says 'made from local and imported ingredients' when we know it is likely the garlic is from China. The information provided is practically useless and almost misleading."