Dr Stuart Davis, LeaderBrand’s Sustainability Manager, has won New Zealand’s highest horticulture honour, being named the Bledisloe Cup recipient for 2024.
Horticulture New Zealand awards the Bledisloe Cup annually to individuals who have made an outstanding and deserving contribution to the horticulture industry in New Zealand.
Dr Stuart Davis was recognised for his worthy contribution to the industry. He has played a significant role in the vegetable sector for over 35 years, championing the introduction of science and innovation to enhance sustainable vegetable production.
Dr Davis started his career in the Wattie’s group, then moved to LeaderBrand in Gisborne, interspersed with an interlude with Sutherland Produce, before returning to LeaderBrand in Pukekohe. He has been a Director of Vegetables NZ and Chair of the Vegetable Research and Innovation Board. He has had many leading roles in many industry projects, primarily pest and disease management.
Dr Davis is the Industry Stakeholder Advisory Group Chair for A Lighter Touch. This pan-sector programme addresses the challenge of meeting consumer demands for safe plant-based foods produced under sustainable pest management programmes while caring for the environment.
Richard Burke, LeaderBrand’s CEO, said that everyone on the team was delighted to see Stuart’s years of dedication to the industry acknowledged today.
“There is nothing Stuart doesn’t know about growing vegetables. Over the last 30 years, I have worked alongside him, and his knowledge and dedication have made him an integral team member,” said Burke.
“In every role, Stuart has been instrumental in initiating research, science, and innovation to understand the relationships of vegetable farming with the environment and develop new thinking on sustainable crop protection methods.”
Burke added that Dr Davis has strongly advocated for industry bodies, sitting on several horticultural organisations that champion the industry with government and councils. He has dedicated many hours to the cause and worked tirelessly in all his roles, always having the industry’s best interests at heart.
“He has managed technical and operational areas here at LeaderBrand Gisborne before moving to our Pukekohe farm to ensure our environmental projects are on track and getting done. He manages everything from our Regenerative Farming Project, riparian planting, biodiversity project, emissions, nitrogen, and water efficiency projects.”
He said the entire LeaderBrand team was thrilled that Dr Davis had been honoured for his services to the industry, particularly his commitment to the environment, and that no one else deserved this honour.
Dr Davis has enjoyed connecting with growers, consultants, and researchers working on collaborative projects that make a difference in our industry. He is also grateful to have had employers grant him the license to do industry-good work and is incredibly proud to bring the Bledisloe Cup back to LeaderBrand in our company’s 50th year.
