Industry news
Vintage Traffic Detours through the Wairau Valley will complicate harvest traffic this vintage, say Police. Senior Constable Paul McKenzie says the closure of State Highway 1 south of Kekerengu will reduce the usual harvest pressure on Weld Pass, and place pressure on SH63 instead. High volumes of freight and tourist traffic have been using the country road since the November earthquake saw traffic diverted from SH1, and the addition of harvest vehicles will inevitably bring congestion. To complicate matters, drivers coming from Christchurch are frequently frustrated by the longer than usual route by the time they get to Marlborough, says Paul. Constant work to repair the roads also means there are now fewer places to pull off
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and let traffic past, he says. “It will be interesting. But as long as the harvest crews are doing all they can, that’s all we ask.” Paul spoke to drivers and transport companies at a Wine Marlborough pre-harvest field day late last month, sharing compliance information and safety briefings. He will also visit contractors and some wineries in the lead up to vintage, as well as talking to trucking companies. Calling on Young Viticulturists The Bayer Marlborough Young Viticulturist of the Year 2017 competition is on in Blenheim on July 6, with entries open until May 31. The national competition is in Marlborough on August 29, and the winner will go on to compete in the Young Horticulturist of the Year competition. For more information on the regional event, contact Wine
Marlborough Events Manager Georgie Leach at georgie@wine-marlborough. co.nz or 03 577 2391. Leadership Course Organisers of the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme and the Nuffield Scholarships are calling for more applications from the viticulture sector. The Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme is an established and recognised leadership programme designed for those working in the primary industries, including horticulture, viticulture, forestry, dairy, red meat and seafood. General Manager Anne Hindson says there has been increased interest from the wine sector in recent years, with viticulturists using the course to strengthen their understanding of primary sector strategy, nationally and globally, to better understand the political and economic context they operate in, and to enhance their leadership skills. The next course starts on June 20, 2017, with applications open until March 20. Applications for January and June 2018 courses open soon. Go to www.kellogg.org.nz for more information.
