Seen something unusual? MAKE A REPORT
Seen something unusual? MAKE A REPORT
30/07/2026
Bird flu: New Zealand has had two detections of H5N1 bird flu, with no new cases since 17 July. Stay alert, avoid sick or dead birds, wash your hands and clean your gear after being outdoors, and report groups of three or more sick or dead wild birds to MPI on 0800 80 99 66. Varroa mite: Millions of bees are being moved from Western Australia to South Australia after varroa mite reduced bee numbers needed for pollination. The situation highlights the importance of strong biosecurity to protect food production.
Read more30/07/2026
Biosecurity New Zealand has expanded its public awareness work to encourage international travellers to declare or dispose of risk goods before arriving in New Zealand. New signage has been installed at key transit airports in Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and Shanghai, alongside targeted digital campaigns in China, the Philippines and India. The campaigns focus on commonly seized food items and are delivered in local languages to help travellers understand New Zealand’s border requirements. Friends and family already living in New Zealand are also being targeted through local advertising, reinforcing that many food products are readily available here and don't need to be brought across the border. To support these campaigns, travellers can click through to border information on the Biosecurity New Zealand website, translated into Simplified Chinese and Hindi.
Read more30/07/2026
Birds can carry kiwifruit seed far beyond orchard boundaries, helping wild kiwifruit establish in new areas. Once established, it can become a difficult and costly weed to manage. We have a new one minute video showing how seed dispersal happens and the simple steps everyone can take to prevent it. If you're handling kiwifruit after harvest, remember: don't spread seed - drop it, mulch it. Watch the video
Read more30/07/2026
We’re currently reviewing the National Kiwifruit Pathway Management Plan (Pathway Plan) and there’s still a couple of days left to have your say and win. The review aims to ensure the Pathway Plan remains fit-for-purpose for managing biosecurity risks across the kiwifruit industry, and will help identify what's working well, where improvements can be made, and which areas should be prioritised for the future. Your feedback is important and we want to hear from growers, orchard managers, contractors, nursery operators, post-harvest representatives, consultants, and others involved in the kiwifruit industry. The survey takes around five minutes to complete, and everyone who participates can enter a prize draw to win one of two $100 Prezzy cards. Contact details collected for the draw will be kept separate from survey responses and used only for administering the prize draw. Have your say here.
Read more30/07/2026
Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) is coming up and grower members have now received AGM packs, including personalised voting information, by email from Electionz. If an email address was not available, Electionz have posted printed copies to members. A copy of the AGM packs can be viewed on the KVH website here. Nominations have been received for two candidates for the Grower Director vacancy – Dave Tanner and James Towers. Therefore, an election is required. Profiles for each are included in the AGM pack. For reference you can directly view Dave’s profile here and James’s profile here. The AGM will be followed by the NZKGI and Zespri annual meetings. Where: Mercury Baypark, Mount Maunganui When: 9.00am, Thursday 20 August
Read more27/07/2026
We’ve published our 2025/26 Annual Report, providing a comprehensive overview of how biosecurity readiness translated into real-world outcomes over the past year. The report reflects a year where preparedness was put to the test, including responses to fruit fly incursions, a brown marmorated stink bug detection, and the ongoing yellow-legged hornet response. It highlights KVH’s key achievements and performance outcomes, while also demonstrating how levy investment was used to deliver biosecurity outcomes for the industry. Read the 2025/26 report.
Read more16/07/2026
📌There’s still time to register for the KVH Biosecurity Symposium on 5 August, bringing together biosecurity experts, researchers and industry leaders from New Zealand and Australia to explore latest threats, innovations, and preparedness measures. Save your spot now and go in the draw to win a prize on the day! 📌Growers are also encouraged to join us at the KVH Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 20 August. AGM packs and online voting information will be emailed during the last week of July.
Read more16/07/2026
KVH’s consultation on the proposed biosecurity levy increase continues, with growers across the regions taking the opportunity to learn more, ask questions and share their views. Recent meetings have been held in Pukekohe, Waikato, Te Puke, and Gisborne, with constructive discussions focusing on how rebuilding KVH’s biosecurity reserves is essential after five biosecurity responses in the last two years and what it means for growers. See the upcoming meeting schedule here and look out for reminder emails from KVH direct to your inbox. (Unfortunately, our meeting in Motueka last week was affected by weather conditions and cancelled flights, and this has now been rescheduled for Tuesday 11 August). Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the proposal so far.
Read more16/07/2026
KVH is reviewing the National Kiwifruit Pathway Management Plan (Pathway Plan) to ensure it remains fit-for-purpose for managing biosecurity risks across the kiwifruit industry. The review will help identify what's working well, where improvements can be made, and which areas should be prioritised for the future. We are seeking feedback from growers, orchard managers, contractors, nursery operators, post-harvest representatives, consultants, and others involved in the kiwifruit industry. The survey takes around five minutes to complete, and everyone who participates can enter a prize draw to win one of two $100 Prezzy cards. Contact details collected for the draw will be kept separate from survey responses and used only for administering the prize draw. Have your say here, by Friday 31 July.
Read more16/07/2026
KVH has produced a new sampling video to help growers and technical staff confidently collect high-quality samples when unusual symptoms are found in the orchard. The video walks viewers through KVH’s simple three-step process and explains what to do before, during and after sampling. It covers the most common sample types, including wood, root, soil, and nursery plant samples, and provides practical tips to avoid contamination and ensure samples are suitable for testing. Correct sampling is an important part of biosecurity and disease investigation. A well-collected sample can help laboratories identify potential pests or diseases more quickly and accurately, supporting faster decision-making and reducing the risk of unnecessary delays. The video also reinforces the importance of contacting KVH first, recording key orchard information, maintaining tool hygiene, and safely packaging and sending samples for testing. Whether it’s a suspected case of Psa or an unusual symptom that could indicate something new, the video provides clear, practical guidance to help ensure the right material reaches the lab the first time. By improving sample quality and consistency, growers can play an important role in supporting early detection and protecting the biosecurity health of the industry. Watch the new video and access supporting sampling resources on the KVH website. If you notice anything unusual, remember to report it to KVH and seek advice before collecting samples.
Read more06/07/2026
Unfortunately, due to challenging weather conditions and cancelled flights the evening of Monday 6 July our team is unable to make it to Nelson as planned and as a result, we need to cancel the KVH presentation scheduled for Tuesday 7 July in Motueka. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. We’ll reschedule the meeting as soon as possible and keep our South Island growers updated with new arrangements. If you have any questions or feedback about our levy proposal in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to visit our proposal web page and get in touch.
Read more02/07/2026
The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is a serious threat to New Zealand’s crops if it ever establishes here. This project carried out a national baseline survey to identify the stink bug egg parasitoid species already present in New Zealand. The survey gave us a better picture of which species are present and how they might help control BMSB in the future. These insights will support efforts to eradicate or manage BMSB if it ever arrives in New Zealand. This work was funded through Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFFF). You can view the full report here.
Read moreDuring a biosecurity response, the industry comes together - led by KVH - to develop and implement various activities quickly and effectively that limit impacts on growers and orchards, and support continuing production.
The same response model, and way of working, has been adopted for use during other types of responses to significant adverse events.
An Emergency Response Management (ERM) framework for the kiwifruit industry has been developed, with KVH at the helm, to facilitate a more co-ordinated and cohesive approach to supporting growers in times of need.
Backed by industry, KVH has expanded its strategic mandate to also coordinate responses to emergencies of significant scale and impact (other than biosecurity) to the kiwifruit industry, through development of an Emergency Response Management (ERM) framework.
Many different kiwifruit organisations provide support to growers during emergencies;; however, by putting in place dedicated co-ordination of that support from one organisation, we can ensure that everything we do as an industry to help growers is efficient and effective, and limits further impacts.
This enhancement to KVH’s role provides value to growers by helping the industry be more prepared for emergency events and help aid in faster recovery. KVH has been successfully managing biosecurity and readiness and response activities for over a decade – we have proven internal readiness and response capability and strong relationships with others who also have a key role in emergency response management – such as the Ministry for Primary Industries.
The framework itself is a living document, updated as readiness work progresses over the coming months. Its purpose is to facilitate KVH coordination of governance and operational activities during an emergency response, so that efficient and effective support is provided to growers and wider industry.
An event that causes significant impact to kiwifruit growers at a given location(s), and of a scale and severity that results in the industry not being able to cope.
There are a range of triggers that would be considered to activate the ERM framework. In some instances when an emergency is extreme, it will be obvious that activation is necessary, in other instances there may need to be an assessment of criteria before any recommendation to activate a response is made.
The framework that KVH intends to use to coordinate a response is the proven Coordinated Incident Management System (CIMS) that is used by emergency services across New Zealand (see below). By following the CIMS framework the industry is using best practice during a response and can align with other response agencies as necessary.
The framework has been developed following significant weather events that have impacted the industry, and the need for better preparation for when the next emergency occurs.
At the June 2023 Industry Advice Council (IAC) meeting of industry leadership, KVH presented the concept for the development of such a framework to inform the coordination of emergencies that cause significant impact to growers and vine health. The feedback from conversations with industry leaders during engagement of the concept was to develop a framework that can not only be used for vine health emergencies but could also be applied to other significant emergency events the industry faces – such as flooding, and other severe climatic events, as well as natural events such as earthquakes.
KVH, together with members from NZKGI, Zespri and post-harvest formed a working group to develop an outcome based ERM framework, building on existing kiwifruit industry systems, processes, and capability.
To ensure KVH has ongoing mandate to undertake ERM coordination and development of this framework a resolution was put to industry at the August 2023 KVH Annual General Meeting and passed with a high level of support.
The ERM framework was approved by industry leadership at the October 2023 IAC meeting.
During the time the ERM portfolio has been in place:
Alongside this work, a comprehensive engagement programme has been in place to keep industry organisations up to date with progress, in addition to establishing relationships with local and national emergency agencies.
KVH investigates reports of unusual symptoms to identify and manage any biosecurity risks.
30 Jul 2026
Bird flu: New Zealand has had two detections of H5N1 bird flu, with no new cases since 17 July. Stay alert, avoid sick or dead birds, wash your hands and clean your gear after being outdoors, and report groups of three or more sick or dead wild birds to MPI on 0800 80 99 66. Varroa mite: Millions of bees are being moved from Western Australia to South Australia after varroa mite reduced bee numbers needed for pollination. The situation highlights the importance of strong biosecurity to protect food production.
Read more30 Jul 2026
Biosecurity New Zealand has expanded its public awareness work to encourage international travellers to declare or dispose of risk goods before arriving in New Zealand. New signage has been installed at key transit airports in Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and Shanghai, alongside targeted digital campaigns in China, the Philippines and India. The campaigns focus on commonly seized food items and are delivered in local languages to help travellers understand New Zealand’s border requirements. Friends and family already living in New Zealand are also being targeted through local advertising, reinforcing that many food products are readily available here and don't need to be brought across the border. To support these campaigns, travellers can click through to border information on the Biosecurity New Zealand website, translated into Simplified Chinese and Hindi.
Read more30 Jul 2026
Birds can carry kiwifruit seed far beyond orchard boundaries, helping wild kiwifruit establish in new areas. Once established, it can become a difficult and costly weed to manage. We have a new one minute video showing how seed dispersal happens and the simple steps everyone can take to prevent it. If you're handling kiwifruit after harvest, remember: don't spread seed - drop it, mulch it. Watch the video
Read more
