Auckland Ballance Farm Environment Award Winners Announced

Peter and Michelle Pan of Healthy and Fresh have been named Regional Supreme Winners at the Auckland Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Ellerslie this evening.

This family-owned company was established in 2008 and has grown into a major supplier of fresh produce and ethnic food to supermarkets across New Zealand. Peter and Michelle lead a team across two divisions – a distribution centre in Mangere and a farm division in Karaka.

The 28ha farm features 15 greenhouses that span 60,000 square meters. In 2020, the company embarked on an ambitious project to establish the largest hydroponic farm for leafy greens in New Zealand. This led to the implementation of a cutting-edge hydroponic nutrient film technique system that ensures efficient water and nutrient use. Just 5% of the typical outdoor vegetable farming nutrient requirement is applied, while a highly efficient water reticulation system recycles fluids and nutrients, enhancing plant growth while using a fraction of the water required for typical outdoor vegetable production systems.

Additionally, more than 100,000 native trees and shrubs have been planted along riparian areas, stabilising the soil, reducing erosion and supporting the sustainability of the broader ecosystem’s waterways. Judges also observed that Healthy and Fresh fosters a family-oriented work culture, prioritising employee well-being, retention and staff development.

Healthy and Fresh specialises in leafy greens and melons, cultivating 30 different varieties. Their precise planting formula ensures optimal crop numbers year-round, aligning with contract demands and market trends, and reflecting a strong understanding of global trends and domestic demand.

Driven by a strong interest in innovative agri-technologies, the team plans to further refine its sustainable farming model. Ultimately, their aim is to achieve a consistent supply of safe and healthy vegetables that is less dependent on weather conditions. They believe this will enhance New Zealand’s food security and contribute to a more sustainable food system.

In awarding the Regional Supreme Award, the judges identified Healthy and Fresh as a standout operation employing advanced growing techniques to mitigate climate risks, minimise waste and ensure a steady supply of high-quality produce. “They embrace a continuous learning approach, using trends, data and science to tailor international knowledge to their local conditions and growing techniques, ensuring production efficiency and business success.”

Peter and Michelle also won the following awards:

• Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil and Nutrient Management Award

• Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award

• Hill Laboratories Agri-Science Award

• Norwood Farming Efficiency Award

• NZFET Innovation Award

Other Auckland Ballance Farm Environment Award winners include:

Troy and Karin Everson — Hermanus, Rodney

• Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award

• DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award

• Rabobank Agri-Business Management Award

James and Stephanie Kellow — Lighthouse Station Farm, Awhitu Peninsula

• NZFET Biodiversity Award

Chris and Greta Harris — Chritas Wood, Franklin

• Auckland Council Water Quality Enhancement Award

Deb Crump — ASB MAGS Farm, Mount Albert

• NZFET Climate Recognition Award

The awards also served to showcase the Friends of Te Wairoa Catchment Group as part of the Catchment Group Showcase. The group is making significant strides in restoring the mauri (life force) of the Wairoa River – the second largest in the Auckland Region. Formed by the merger of two groups in 2018, the Friends of Te Wairoa Catchment brings together local residents, Ngai Tai ki Tamaki iwi, Auckland Council, the Franklin Local Board and other stakeholders in a collaborative effort to improve the river’s health. They run numerous activities to restore and enhance the environment and empower residents to act on their own properties by connecting them with knowledge and materials. A key focus for the group is predator control; over the past five years, they have reached a quarter of the catchment’s 2000 properties, resulting in the removal of almost 22,000 pest animals, including possums, ferrets, stoats and feral cats. This success is creating a halo effect, protecting native species within the adjacent Hūnua Ranges and paving the way for potentially reintroducing kiwi.

The Ballance Farm Environment Awards are run by the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust and champion sustainable farming and growing. Peter and Michelle will join the Supreme Winners from the ten other regions involved in the awards in being considered for the Gordon Stephenson Trophy at the Trust’s National Showcase in Wellington in June. The recipients of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy then become 2025’s National Ambassadors for Sustainable Farming and Growing.

© Scoop Media