Steve brings over 30 years experience to his pipfruit and kiwifruit consultancy clients. He provides intensive orchard consultancies, working with clients on a fortnightly basis discussing issues such as:

• Orchard management
• Pruning
• Thinning
• Harvest management
• Pest and disease management
• Financial planning
• Staff management

His strong financial management skills also provide financial planning and monitoring, budgeting, performance analysis and purchase appraisals for a range of clients.

Steve is involved in economic analysis on an industry level, and managed the MAF Nelson Pipfruit monitoring data collection and commentary reports. He also currently managed the 3 year MAF Sustainable Farming Fund project on “Enhancing Dry Matter of Nelson Kiwifruit”, and has contributed to a wide range of projects, including two reports for ENZA “New Zealand pipfruit production – financial analysis for the year ending 1995” and “New Zealand pipfruit variety performance 1996”, repeated in 1998.

Agfirst Motueka has established independent laboratory services and Steve runs a Zespri approved Independent Kiwifruit Dry Matter laboratory in Motueka that provides maturity clearances to all Nelson kiwifruit growers.

Steve also works as a crop loss insurance assessor for kiwifruit and apples across the Nelson Region.

Other areas of expertise include:

• Established and ran pipfruit pruning courses for long-term unemployed WINZ clients in Nelson.
• Attended three International Kiwifruit Symposiums, Faena, Italy in 2010, Rotorua in 2006, Greece in 1995.
• Completed a study trip to Japan in 1991 to investigate green tea production – sponsored by MAF.
• Owns and manages 2.0ha Gold3 orchard
• Involved in kiwifruit pollen orchard and milling