Dr Stuart Davis 2024’s recipient of the Horticulture Bledisloe Cup

Dr Stuart Davis, sustainability manager for LeaderBrand, has played a significant role in the vegetable sector for more than 35 years.

Stuart has been a strong champion for introducing science and innovation into vegetable production. He has been particularly skilled at linking innovation to concrete practical outcomes for enhancing sustainable vegetable production.

During the 1990s, he championed the commercial application of mathematical crop prediction models for sweetcorn and other vegetable production, working in collaboration with Crop & Food Research.

This was leading edge thinking, building an important part of the foundation for the partnership that has been forged between the New Zealand vegetable industry and science.

Stuart’s leadership roles have also included previously chairing the Vegetable Research & Innovation (VR&I) Board, which co-ordinates research investment by a number of vegetable product groups.

He was instrumental in initiating and championing research to understand relationships of vegetable farming with the environment and developing new thinking on sustainable methods of crop production.

This ultimately led to the creation of A Lighter Touch, the $27 million, seven-year, programme jointly funded by MPI as part of the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures programme, and the industry.

The programme addresses the challenge of meeting consumer demands for safe food produced under sustainable pest management programmes whilst also caring for the environment. Stuart also chairs the programme’s Industry Sector Advisory Group.

In recognition of his great service, Stuart is the 2024 recipient of Horticulture New Zealand’s Bledisloe Cup.  This is awarded for an outstanding and meritorious contribution to the New Zealand horticulture industry.