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The national council meets quarterly to consider matters of industry interest as well as issues raised by the regional branches.
Within the national council there are five sub-committees covering transport, fertiliser and lime, training, membership and promotions.
The regional branches meet regularly and set their own agendas. Each branch elects its own chairman and committee members.
Keep up to date with what’s happening with Groundspread NZ (NZGFA).
Graeme started as the Groundspread NZ President after the AGM in June 2021. Graeme sees his role as one of advocacy for all members with one strong voice for the industry. No matter the size of your business, Graeme says that the association is here to support, guide and represent you.
In his spare time, Graeme loves to get out fishing on his boat and play tennis. But he is always available for Groundspread NZ members and encourages you to get in touch, “no problem is too small but don’t forget to bring me a solution to that problem with you”.
Grant is the Dispatch Manager and shareholder in a JV with HWR in Southland. Grant has been VP for several years now and holds the Health & Safety Portfolio. Grant is passionate about the association leading the way with Health & Safety and is here to offer as much support as possible. He encourages members to engage with him after incidents so that he can implement the lessons learned in these into industry-wide training to help keep our operators safe, “a safer industry can be achieved with better communication and by working together to seek solutions”.
Grant is a massive car enthusiast, so ask him about his hot-rod build when you get in touch!
Stephen works for RTL in Otago and became a council member to develop and improve the groundspread industry to help add far more value to all stakeholders. He sees the council’s role to be one of deep engagement with members and assisting them by sharing his skills and knowledge of the industry. As a Charitable Trust Trustee, Stephen continuously seeks opportunities to help with driver training days, which is the trust’s main purpose. He encourages members with ideas on how this money could best benefit Groundspread NZ members to get in touch via email with their proposals at trust@groundspreadnz.com
Not only is Stephen hardcore about groundspreading, but he is also passionate about hard enduro dirt bike riding, proving he is not scared of a challenge!
Nick is the owner-operator of Hyslop Groundspread in Oamaru but is a member of the Canterbury branch with the topography in North Otago more like Canterbury’s. Nick has attended a few council meetings in the past but joined the council as a delegate in June 2021. He would like to see his portfolio (shared with Graeme in the North) as a ‘strength in numbers’ portfolio, “if someone is having a product issue in their area, then the chances that it is happening somewhere else is pretty high”. If everyone was passing on these concerns through the main email for this portfolio lime&fert@groundspreadnz.com then him and Graeme are better able to present a stronger case to fertiliser representatives at a national level. This helps individual operators being told that they are the only ones having issues, “this portfolio has real power in numbers to promote change”. Conversely, product successes and tips/tricks could be more widely circulated amongst members if they share their knowledge; again, members should contact Nick and Graeme via this email address.
Nick is also a volunteer firefighter for the Waitaki Rural Fire Force and has been a crew leader for the past eight years.
Dean is our most recent recipient of Life Membership and is mentoring Toby Evans (Young Achiever Award Recipient 2021) in this role. Toby works for Dean in Brooks Spreading in Nelson. Members can now reach the transport portfolio at transport@groundspreadnz.com and members should be engaging with them for queries regarding the transport side of their businesses.
Brooks Spreading started as Brooks Bros Spreading Contractors Ltd in 2003 when Dean and his brother Jason bought their first Fertiliser Spreader. In 2009 Dean and Sarah bought Jim Turnbull’s Murchison spreading operation, bought Jason out of the Nelson business, and changed their name to Brooks Spreading.
The association recently employed Rose as the Executive Officer. She is also a managing director of Hyslop Groundspread in Oamaru. Rose sees the role of the national council as one of advocacy, and to do this effectively, greater engagement and communication is needed, “there is strength in numbers and the association is well placed for being the voice of an incredibly technologically and environmentally savvy industry”. Rose is on-hand to support your branches and work with you on all levels. You can contact Rose via email at eo@groundspreadnz.com or on her cell 027 214 1790.
Alistair works for Spreading Sandfords and is a new member of the national team. Alistair really enjoyed his first council meeting and seeing the progress that is being made within the association. He sees the role of your councillors as helping with the flow of information from National back to the branches and vice versa. He believes that their role is pivotal in achieving the strategic objective of supporting all members and uniting under one banner. Alistair thinks there is strength in numbers and shared knowledge. He has been part of the Taranaki branch for five years and decided it was his turn to represent the branch at this national level and is ready for the challenge. Members can contact Alistair through the branch email –taranaki@groundspreadnz.com (attention Alistair in the subject title). He is keen to get involved and encourages Taranaki members to get in touch with him if there is anything that they would like discussed with the national council.
