Consultants
AgFirst, an independent New Zealand based consultancy company specialising in primary industry work, provides consultancy
services to the Future Orchards 2012 project. It has a highly experienced team of independent horticultural consultants, many
of whom have specialized in pome fruit production.
The AgFirst team has extensive experience with the methods of grower empowerment and most of the consultants working on Future
Orchards 2012 have more than 15 years of consultancy experience. They have managed a large range of projects that include:
- Facilitation of the Focus Orchard Program in New Zealand for six years.
- Facilitation and management of the New Zealand National Focus Vineyard Program 2005 - current.
- Data collection, analysis and extension of the NZ Pipfruit Intensive Benchmarking Study throughout New Zealand 2004 - current.
- Production of the Pipfruit Farm Monitoring Report for New Zealand MAF 2000 - current.
Several AgFirst consultants have specialised in modern apple production systems, having gained considerable knowledge of these
intensive systems from extensive travel to leading apple and pear growing regions in USA, Italy, France, Chile and Argentina.
AgFirst was the successful tenderer for phase two of the Future Orchards 2012 program.
