When seeking your support to form and join NZPPI last year, we promised a fresh start and a completely new model and direction.

The Prospectus we released at the end of 2016 captured the essence of the new organisation, who we are as an industry (including our contribution) and the people – it shared vision and experiences from some of our fellow inspiring plant producers, and it introduced us your new (at the time) board.

Following release of the Prospectus we turned our attention to “strategy” – setting the new direction for NZPPI and leading change needed to implement this and make the new model work. This update shares where we’ve landed and what’s happening now!

NZPPI Strategic Direction 2017-2020

We’ve captured this on one page here. There’s no rocket science. The new strategy picks up many of the themes from the National Plant Producers Summit held in August last year, and other conversations we’ve had with our members.

It sets our vision for: A plant production industry widely respected for its professionalism, innovation and major contribution to New Zealand.

And it sets a clear mission - NZPPI exists To support our members by working to create a positive industry profile and business environment.

The strategy establishes five goals, which will now shape how NZPPI invests and operates to deliver results for our members. Under each we list some early priorities/investment areas. In brief, these are built around:

1. Engagement – examples being plant producer Summits and Conference opportunities.
2. Influence – an ongoing priority to respond rapidly to emerging events, e.g. leadership roles we’ve taken on in the current Myrtle rust response (including preparing for a mainland incursion) and in relation to pelleted seed imports.
3. Toolbox – examples are negotiating free EMA membership for NZPPI members, and tools to assist managing cybersecurity and meeting workplace health and safe obligations.
4. Innovation – the first step is the Plant Producer Science and Innovation Summit to be held on May 4-5 to build a platform for future science investment, followed by the Growers Technical Seminar in the second half of 2017.
5. Image – we are putting a renewed focus on professional development for our industry and attracting talent, and investment in economic research (to help regulators/key decision-makers understand the significant economic contribution our industry makes – something grossly under-estimated at this time).

Finally the new strategy identifies values that will underpin everything we do, including how we want to lead and serve you as a board.

Change management – implementing the new NZPPI model

Many organisations do a sound job of developing strategy. Most however fall down at the implementation stage. We’re setting out well aware of this, recognising the task of “remodelling” and that the quantum change required is significant. We are conscious of the need for timely progress and to get it right! We need a hand and have enlisted expert assistance.

Firstly, we sought specialist advice on our legal structure. In short, this is to make sure the mechanics of the new NZPPI model operate smoothly, and to maximise advantage from our legal structure and from an accounting perspective. This included establishing how we’ll operate “Special Interest Groups” under the new model; now captured in a new board policy on special interest groups and we’ve established the first of these - the “Plant Trolley System Special Interest Group”.

Secondly, we’ve engaged Price Waterhouse Cooper (PwC) to assist with change management; in short, to ensure NZPPI has the capability needed to effectively implement the new model and strategic direction. This work is well underway and will be completed over the next 6-8 weeks – this is a challenging and demanding undertaking for both the board and staff, so we ask for your understanding. You can expect a further communication from us once this work is complete, and the PwC team will share its findings and insights (including experiences working with similar organisations to ours) at our July Conference.

A final note – get the most out of your membership

Our NZPPI “newsletters” and “special alerts” have shared key information and resources: EMA membership and employment resources, updated IRD valuation guidelines, biosecurity alerts (e.g., Brown Marmorated Stink Bug and Myrtle Rust), health and safety and cybersecurity resources etc. We’re working hard to roll out useful information, tools and resources that will benefit your business – please give us feedback on both what’s been delivered to date, and on what you need (info@nzppi.co.nz).

If there’s one event not to miss this year it’s the upcoming “Plant Producers Science and Innovation Summit” 4-5th May, Scion, Te Papa Innovation Park, Rotorua. Not only are there great speakers, opportunities to see cutting edge innovation/plant production facilities, and opportunities to grow your networks (with plant producers and the science community). We believe this is the start of something BIG! Plant producers have been disconnected from the science conversation for decades - we’ve been missing out. This is our opportunity to reconnect, to attract investment, to get scientists and innovators focused on solving our challenges and delivering knowledge and tools we need. We’ll be there – if you haven’t already please take the time to register and get this into your calendar! A full programme and registration info are available at: www.nzppi.co.nz/ppsis.

©2017 NZPPI New Zealand Plant Producers Incorporated PO Box 3443, Wellington 6140 Level 5, 23 Waring Taylor Street, Wellington P: 04 918 3511 | F: 04 499 9589 E: info@nzppi.co.nz | W: www.nzppi.co.nz