After seven years of dedication to keeping the South Island free of Psa and other biosecurity threats, Steve Thomas stands down from the KVH regional coordinator role for the South Island at the end of February. Steve continues his industry connection and strong representation of the local region as NZKGI representative and will no doubt continue his linkages to the biosecurity and emergency response networks for the Tasman region.

KVH sincerely thanks Steve for his efforts and strong engagement in and support of the industry Pathway Management Plan, managing risk item movements across the Cook Strait, help in identifying potential regional biosecurity issues, fielding unusual symptoms and unmanaged kiwifruit reports, and his help in lifting biosecurity awareness amongst young growing professionals via the biosecurity module included in the Tasman Young Fruit growers’ competition.

KVH now looks forward to connecting to the Tasman region via Paige van Vught, who is based in Motueka and is already a known face for many growers and the KVH team.

Paige moved to the Tasman region three years ago, beginning her role as a horticultural consultant with AgFirst Consultants Nelson. This provided a hands-on opportunity to develop a strong technical understanding of kiwifruit production and build relationships within the sector.

She has previously connected with KVH, supporting unusual symptoms follow-up for growers and participated in the Neonectria research project. Paige also leads the annual Tasman region Psa monitoring rounds, which support area freedom from Psa. These experiences have deepened her understanding of biosecurity challenges and reinforced the importance of early detection and proactive management.

In her spare time, Paige enjoys getting outdoors and making the most of having both the beach and the mountains at her doorstep.

KVH looks forward to supporting Paige in this new role and urges growers to also touch base for a chat. A full list of KVH regional coordinator contact details can be found here.