Seen something unusual? MAKE A REPORT
Seen something unusual? MAKE A REPORT
KVH works collaboratively with regional councils and landowners to manage wild kiwifruit populations and unmanaged orchards to reduce biosecurity risk to the New Zealand kiwifruit industry.
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 moreIn October 2020, KVH and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC) signed an agreement to continue to work together to manage this pest plant over the next 10 years. Under the new agreement, KVH will manage the administration involved in the running of the programme while also contributing $150,000 annually towards control costs and surveillance costs. BOPRC will contribute $100,000 per annum and support KVH in gathering landowner contributions.
KVH has also partnered with Zespri and the Kiwifruit Breeding Centre. Through their significant contributions, the programme has been able to expand and control wild kiwifruit infestations previously left unchecked.
If you know the location of any unrecorded wild kiwifruit infestations, contact your local regional council or unitary authority with details so the infestation can be assessed and programmed for control.
Why control the wild population? The reason wild kiwifruit vines are a biosecurity risk to New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry is that they act as a vector for Psa and other kiwifruit pests and diseases. The wild population can act as a reservoir for biosecurity threats, undermining eradication, and control efforts on commercially productive vines.
They are also a threat to our environment. Wild kiwifruit vines are vigorous climbers, and if left uncontrolled, it can form dense heavy blankets of vines that strangle trees, causing them to die or collapse. Vines can also smother forestry plantations and New Zealand’s native bush.
GROWERS
Remove unpicked fruit from vines and mulch as soon as possible. This prevents mass feeding by birds and allows the fruit to compost as quickly as possible.
POST-HARVEST OPERATORS
Cover bins of reject fruit to prevent birds feeding on ripening fruit.
FARMERS
Cover stockpiles of fruit with shade cloth, windbreak netting or something similar to prevent birds from getting to any fruit. Feed out only what will be eaten by stock at one time to prevent birds from eating leftovers.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
Be very careful with the disposal of kiwifruit, particularly while out in the bush.
KILL WILD KIWIFRUIT PLANTS
Cut vines at ground level. Apply Vigilant Gel® herbicide to the top and sides of the cut stump or any exposed roots. Ring-bark stumps or large roots with a machete or pruning saw to assist absorption of the herbicide gel. Carefully trace all vine stems to find where they may have taken root. Cut any rooted stems at ground level and apply Vigilant Gel®. Never apply Vigilant Gel to stumps within a kiwifruit orchard. For controlling kiwifruit stumps within an orchard, please refer here.
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