My Work

I am working at the Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand, a.k.a HortResearch. HortResearch was established in 1992 when a reorganization of government departments resulted in “Crown Research Institutes” (CRIs) to pursue the agricultural research interests of the government. Similar to the agriculture experiment stations of land-grant universities, the CRIs are government-owned, but they differ from the American system because they function as private companies trying to make a profit. Funding is received from both public and private sources, and it is expected that some money be turned back to the government and that scientific advances are made to benefit industry. HortResearch employs approximately 500 people, and research focuses primarily on kiwifruit, apple, and grape, though blueberry, peach, and other summer fruits are also of interest. Two of the primary objectives at HortResearch are making innovations in fruit breeding and advances in Integrated Fruit Production (IFP). Notable HortResearch successes include the Jazz™ apple and the ZespriGOLD™ kiwifruit. These are proprietary fruit which have earned revenue for the company, and their parentage is not disclosed. The work done in IFP has been revolutionary in the exportation of horticultural commodities. IFP is mandated in crops like apple and kiwifruit, and HortResearch is a leader in IFP research. There are ten HortResearch stations between the north and south islands dedicated to these programs; one of these stations is in Te Puke.

Te Puke and the Bay of Plenty region on a whole could quite possibly be considered the kiwifruit capital of the world. Though countries like China, Chile, and Italy have a higher annual production of kiwifruit than New Zealand, the fruit, after all, has its namesake in this country and its people. A drive through the countryside will showcase it as the dominant horticultural crop in this region. Perhaps only sheep and dairy cattle would rival it in terms of the land occupied. The orchards roll with the hillsides. Vines are planted in neat rows, and a grid of wire trellises supports the network of canes. Pendant fruit dangles, awaiting harvest. Each orchard is surrounded by tightly-spaced poplars or pines – soldiers standing shoulder to should at attention. These soldiers protect the orchards from winds and increase humidity, providing a pleasing environment for the crop. Native birds are abundant – fantails dancing on the wind and pukekos scurrying on the ground. A drive through the countryside will showcase such serenity, but I am seeing the industry from a different perspective. During my time here, I will be working with various scientists – from breeders to entomologists to physiologists – to get a sampling of the research being conducted on kiwifruit, but I will also be working with an extension advisor in developing my own project focused around grower outreach. Given my career interest in Cooperative Extension, I am very excited about this project.

Not only am I enthusiastic about my project, there are a couple other perks to my work environment. First, the people at the station are all very friendly, helpful, and have a great sense of humor. It is quite an international office, too. Not only are there Kiwis, but there are also people from Australia, England, Switzerland, South Africa, Tanzania, China, Colombia, there was someone from Italy when I first arrived, and there is another American besides myself. It makes for an interesting cultural experience! The girl from Colombia is actually one of my housemates, so I have someone with whom to continue practicing Spanish. Second, there are lunchtime volleyball games every day that it is sunny. Sometimes it gets pretty competitive, but the nicknames that some people have acquired keep it all in good fun. I anticipate that these next four months will be an interesting and exciting learning experience, which will likely spawn a lot of laughs and stories. Look for them here.

For pictures, connect to the folder "My Work" at my Shutterfly website.