Winter 2021, a lot has been happening, lots of changes for the future and it feels like they’re all starting now.
The governments electric cars announcement has surely sat us all on our backsides and made us realise that it’s getting real. Our options and choices when considering new vehicle purchases suddenly become a more complex decision.
Flooding and damage in the South Island again, grower customers in Canterbury were deluged with flood water which ruined crops. Damn weather events, our fate is and perhaps always has been in the hands of the challenges bought to us by weather, however these days what is predictable is the unpredictable. To prepare for that we must plan and practice planning to eliminate the effect of what such events have or are likely to have on our livelihood.
Product of NZ labelling – United Fresh have released an updated document or the standard for country of origin labelling, while there is a little confusion around wording (which is currently being worked through), I personally am a great supporter and advocate for knowing where my food is coming from. I don’t understand though the polar-opposite government decision to ban the non-compostable fruit labels which not only generally identify the country of origin but, in many cases provide traceability down to grower level. If the information isn’t on a little label, then the product needs more packaging to carry the important information. For a Libra the scales currently seem very unbalanced.
Talking to people around the country who’ve attended the latest RSE conference, there didn’t seem to be any good news bought home from there. Prepare for even less workers next season, really? What is highlighted with my thoughts this month is with all these challenges that are having to be dealt with currently they are all happening so fast with seemingly little or no time for careful and considered reactions.
I watched a Sunday doco recently on the health of Sir Bob Parker. If anything can make you sit up and take notice of the toll of an ongoing stressful situation that documentary certainly could. People in the horticulture industry of New Zealand are going through and dealing with a lot of factors that are out of their control. All I can say is take care people, one step at a time, you need to self-care more now than ever. We will get through these tough times but again way too much resilience testing for my liking.
Take care,
Jo