Seen something unusual? MAKE A REPORT
Seen something unusual? MAKE A REPORT
movement of machinery, equipment and tools, personnel, and kiwifruit plant material to orchards where Psa is not detected, and to the South Island, is strictly prohibited or restricted.
06/07/2026
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 more02/07/2026
KVH was proud to be part of both the Bay of Plenty and Nelson Young Grower of the Year competitions held recently, helping put competitors’ biosecurity knowledge and practical skills to the test. In Nelson, we partnered with Farmlands to deliver the biosecurity module – thank you to the Farmlands team for their support. Designed to reflect real orchard situations, the modules challenged contestants to think on their feet and demonstrate how they would respond to potential biosecurity threats. The high standard of competition was encouraging, with participants showing strong practical knowledge and a clear understanding of the role biosecurity plays in protecting not only the kiwifruit industry, but New Zealand’s wider horticultural sector. Congratulations to the Bay of Plenty biosecurity module winner, Danyon Robertson, and to Nelson module winner, Samual Lee. Congratulations also to William Kenna, Orchard and Innovation Lead at KWKiwi, who was named the Bay of Plenty Young Grower of the Year, and Amelia Marsden, Nursery Manager at Thomas Brothers Orchard in Riwaka, who claimed the Nelson title for the second consecutive year. Both will now compete against six other regional champions at the National Young Grower of the Year competition in late August, where KVH will once again be putting finalists through their paces with a biosecurity challenge. It's always encouraging to see the commitment and biosecurity awareness shown by the next generation of horticultural leaders. Events like these play an important role in developing the knowledge and skills needed to help safeguard our industries into the future. See images from the events here.
Read more02/07/2026
A reminder that nominations for a KVH grower director position are open and close at 5pm tomorrow, Friday 3 July. The position is for a three-year term on the KVH Board. Nomination forms and further information is available here. If you've been considering contributing to the governance of our industry's biosecurity programme, now is the time to put your name forward.
Read more02/07/2026
New Zealand is well prepared to respond if bird flu reaches our shores, but it is important that everyone takes steps now to be ready. One of the most noticeable signs of bird flu is the swift death of multiple birds in a group. If you see three or more sick or dead wild birds in a group, report it immediately to the Biosecurity New Zealand hotline on 0800 80 99 66. A specialist biosecurity investigator will assess the information and advise you further. Don’t handle or move the birds. Provide the 0800 number with as much information as you can, including precise location information; photographs and videos of sick and dead birds; how many are sick or freshly dead; and the total number of birds present. If you own birds – including chickens, ducks, show birds or pets – you can take steps now to protect them with good biosecurity and hygiene practices. Full advice for bird owners is available on the dedicated bird flu website here.
Read more02/07/2026
There’s just one month until the KVH Biosecurity Symposium, taking place Wednesday 5 – Thursday 6 August at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. If you haven’t secured your place yet, now’s the time. This year’s programme brings together leading biosecurity thinkers and doers from New Zealand and Australia to explore the threats, opportunities and innovations shaping biosecurity now and into the future, helping ensure we stay ahead of the invasion curve. With real-world response experiences, practical insights, and plenty of opportunities to connect with others passionate about protecting our industry, it promises to be two valuable days. To make it all even more worthwhile, growers who register and attend on the day, go in the draw to win one of three fantastic prizes: a biosecurity-themed cooler bag full of on-orchard biosecurity resources, tasty treats, and a $100 gift voucher. Spaces are filling quickly, so don’t miss your chance to be part of the conversation and help ensure the kiwifruit industry stays one step ahead of the next biosecurity threat. Register now and view the full programme on the KVH website.
Read more02/07/2026
Four new research projects have been launched to support efforts to eradicate the yellow-legged hornet from New Zealand. The work will be led by scientists at the Bioeconomy Science Institute and includes modelling to identify areas in Auckland most at risk of ongoing hornet presence, helping focus surveillance and response activities. The research comes as the response continues to make encouraging progress, with 77 queens and 132 nests removed since the pest was first detected on Auckland’s North Shore last year and no confirmed sightings since early April. However, ongoing surveillance remains critical to ensure any surviving queens are detected. Other projects will assess the potential impacts of the hornet beyond urban areas, improve awareness among Māori communities, and develop a readiness package for the honey and pollination sectors should long-term management ever be required. For kiwifruit growers, the message remains the same: stay alert and continue reporting any suspected yellow-legged hornets or nests. Every report helps protect New Zealand’s pollinators, and horticulture industries. See more about the Biosecurity New Zealand-led response and KVH’s ongoing input on behalf of the kiwifruit industry.
Read more02/07/2026
Thank you to everyone who has joined us at the grower meetings held so far in Pukekohe, Waikato, and Te Puke to discuss KVH’s proposed biosecurity levy increase. We’ve appreciated the thoughtful questions, feedback and discussion shared to date. The proposal is for a 0.2c increase to the biosecurity levy, taking it from 0.8c to 1c per tray from the 2027/28 financial year. The Pathway Management Plan levy will remain unchanged at 0.6c per tray. Biosecurity risk continues to grow and at the same time, the cost of maintaining readiness and responding effectively has increased. The industry’s obligations under the Government Industry Agreement for Biosecurity (GIA) have been clearly demonstrated with five biosecurity responses in the last two years. Levy rates, however, have remained steady for several seasons and with recent response costs, that means the real level of protection through sufficient reserves is slowly eroding. To learn more, some of the resources we have available include a podcast with KVH Chief Executive Leanne Stewart and a one page fact sheet. There are plenty of opportunities to provide feedback and have your questions answered at further upcoming regional meetings – you can see the full schedule here. We encourage all growers to attend a session, hear directly from KVH, and join the conversation about what this proposal means for ongoing biosecurity protection of our industry. Your feedback is an important part of the consultation process. We encourage you to review the proposal information, ask questions, and share your views that will directly shape what is put forward for voting at the AGM.
Read more17/06/2026
Pick up one of KVH’s new luggage tags and take biosecurity on the road with you. Durable, eye-catching, and proudly representing our industry, they’re an effortless way to help spread the message wherever your travels take you. Perfect for suitcases, backpacks, road kits, and even laptop bags, grab yours at upcoming KVH events – while stocks last!
Read more17/06/2026
Heading into the end of harvest, growers are reminded that unpicked kiwifruit should be removed from vines by 1 July to help limit wild kiwifruit plants establishing in nearby areas, especially around native bush, or forestry. Fruit left on vines to ripen over the winter months provides a food source for birds (such as the wax-eye/tauhou) that then spread seed into the wild which readily germinates in New Zealand’s environment. Unpicked fruit needs to be dropped to the ground and mulched to prevent this from happening.
Read more17/06/2026
The KVH Board is calling for nominations for a grower director for a term of three years. Grower members will be asked to vote for their preferred nominees, and the successful candidates will be announced following this year’s annual meeting. Nominations close Friday 3 July and the AGM takes place at 9am, Thursday 20 August, at Mercury Baypark.
Read more17/06/2026
We had a busy week at the annual Mystery Creek Fieldays. Thank you for coming by and talking with us, it was great to see such interest in biosecurity – particularly the hornets in resin we had on show. The lunchtime presentations were particularly well attended, and during our talk we discussed ongoing biosecurity protection though our levy proposal – you can read more about that in full detail here. If you’d like more of the pest ID resources we had at the event, please get in touch and we’ll send you copies.
Read moreKiwifruit orchard contractors are considered high-risk because they routinely move machinery, equipment and tools, personal effects, kiwifruit plant material, and/or compost into, within and between orchards.
Growers should have confidence that their contractors are not adding additional risk to their orchards by moving new pests and diseases around the industry through contaminated tools and machinery. Therefore, the Pathway Plan requires kiwifruit contractors to have a biosecurity plan that identifies the potential risks they bring, and steps taken to manage these risks.
KVH recognises that risk will differ depending on the activities undertaken. The outcome sought is a plan that includes biosecurity hygiene practices and staff awareness and training programmes that are appropriate to the level of risk they pose. KVH also recognises that the kiwifruit industry already has existing systems in place and where possible we seek to incorporate our requirements into these to keep things simple and efficient for all involved.
Contractors who are part of the Zespri Gap/Compliance Assessment Verification (CAV) will have a biosecurity plan included as part of their CAV requirements, and this will be audited as part of their existing CAV audit.
There is a CAV contractor list available on the Zespri website.
Contractors who are not currently required to hold a Zespri CAV need to complete a Non-CAV Contractors Biosecurity Plan and present it to growers (much as a CAV is currently). This form is available below as a PDF and as a Word version so that you can adapt it to suit your needs.
Traceability of any plant material is critical so contractors such as grafters and pollen applicators, who are on multiple orchards, need to ensure they have records of source and destination orchards for all plant material they supply. Traceability records must be maintained so that in the event of an incursion a contractor can supply information about the orchards they and their staff have visited over any nominated time period.
Growers need to ensure the contractors who come on to their orchards have evidence that they either hold a current Zespri CAV or have completed a Non-CAV Contractors Biosecurity Plan.
Template plans for contractors are provided above and are adaptable to suit the biosecurity risks identified. You/your contractors may also wish to adapt a template to include other requirements, such as Covid-19 protocols for example.
Growers then need to ensure biosecurity risks posed by contractors, their people and equipment, are appropriately managed.
KVH investigates reports of unusual symptoms to identify and manage any biosecurity risks.
06 Jul 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 Jul 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 more02 Jul 2026
KVH was proud to be part of both the Bay of Plenty and Nelson Young Grower of the Year competitions held recently, helping put competitors’ biosecurity knowledge and practical skills to the test. In Nelson, we partnered with Farmlands to deliver the biosecurity module – thank you to the Farmlands team for their support. Designed to reflect real orchard situations, the modules challenged contestants to think on their feet and demonstrate how they would respond to potential biosecurity threats. The high standard of competition was encouraging, with participants showing strong practical knowledge and a clear understanding of the role biosecurity plays in protecting not only the kiwifruit industry, but New Zealand’s wider horticultural sector. Congratulations to the Bay of Plenty biosecurity module winner, Danyon Robertson, and to Nelson module winner, Samual Lee. Congratulations also to William Kenna, Orchard and Innovation Lead at KWKiwi, who was named the Bay of Plenty Young Grower of the Year, and Amelia Marsden, Nursery Manager at Thomas Brothers Orchard in Riwaka, who claimed the Nelson title for the second consecutive year. Both will now compete against six other regional champions at the National Young Grower of the Year competition in late August, where KVH will once again be putting finalists through their paces with a biosecurity challenge. It's always encouraging to see the commitment and biosecurity awareness shown by the next generation of horticultural leaders. Events like these play an important role in developing the knowledge and skills needed to help safeguard our industries into the future. See images from the events here.
Read more