HBF
INFO
FEBRUARY 1982 Vol. 2, No. 3
HBF INFO is published quarterly for employees of THE HAWKE’S BAY FARMERS’ CO-OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION LTD. P.O. Box 147, Hastings Telephone 66-119
Registered at Post Office Headquarters as a magazine
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
The Wool Department had the busiest December it ever experienced. HBF sold more bales than any of our competitors in the November and December sales.
1979 1980 1981
Bales received into store – Dec 12,543 13,601 17,303
Bales received into store – July to December 43,389 48,786 51,854
Bales sold – December 14,340 13,308 14,900
Bales sold – July to December 37,609 37,181 40,769
As for the retail department, the holiday season had our cash registers ringing continually. Liquorland sales were more than 20% over budget overall for the three stores in Napier, Hastings and Gisborne; and retail sales exceeded budget.
The livestock kill for the season is way down, because farmers are keeping livestock on the farm to add weight. But we can even be cheerful about this, says General Manager Jim Scotland, “because when we’re not buying meat, we’re using less money so the bank account and cash flow are not unduly affected.”
Livestock Kill 1980-81 1981-82
Lambs 175,850 83,194
Sheep 21 ,323 13,924
Cattle 2,477 779
EMPLOYEES WIN PRIZES
Get your entries in now for the March 31 draw in the HBF Travelbag Competition. You may win a $350 travel voucher, a $150 voucher or a travel bag full of liquor, wine or food.
So far, 110 people – including a whole cricket team – have signed up with our travel department because employees referred them to HBF.
In December, Betty Ferris, ledgers clerk at Gisborne won the $350 prize, and John Gadsby, Hastings real estate, the $150 travel voucher.
In November, Brian Kelsey, Waipukurau area manager, won a travelbag of Cook’s wine, and Heather Gilchrist, Gisborne typist, won a bag of liquor.
Details of the competition and travel referral slips are posted on notice boards throughout the company. For further information, contact your local HBF travel office.
NEW VITICULTURE JOB CREATED
When HBF bought a 25% share in Cook’s New Zealand Wine Company Ltd. last year, a person with practical grape-growing experience was needed to work with Cook’s vineyard development manager and 67 growers, to ensure that Cook’s grape supply in Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay would be despatched from the vineyards in the best possible condition for the making of quality wines.
So the job of Viticultural Field Officer was created. This officer would call regularly on all growers, providing them with vineyard and on-farm requirements, giving sound advice on the planning and establishment of vineyards, grape propagation, management techniques, grape pruning, trimming, spraying and general husbandry. (His job description doesn’t mention wine-tasting. Pity.)
The viticultural field officer must also advise Cook’s vineyard development manager on changes in the area concerning land use, tactics of competitors, climatic and seasonal variations, potential contract areas, suitable growers and soil types that represent opportunities and/or threats to Cook’s operation in this area.
The person chosen to fill this job was Francis Byrne, who has had ten years experience in viticulture and, before that, three years in horticulture, plus farm management. At his Lyndhurst Road, Hastings, home, he and his wife Suzanne and four children raise kiwifruit and gherkins. He also makes his own wine.
Francis is based in Hastings and reports to Horticultural Manager Ally MacKay, in the Mercantile Division.
Photo captions –
HBF Travel Manager Rodger Pilbrow shows his staff at the Hastings office the new brochure describing the $5950 New Zealand Wine Export Promotion and Viticultural Study Mission to Germany and France in ‘“May and June. From the left are Ursula Sinton, chief clerk, Lisa Arrell and Shelley-Ann Dougan, junior travel consultants. The company is especially proud that the Wine Institute of New Zealand Inc., asked HBF to set up the tour. It is the first major overseas venture of this kind for both the Institute and HBF. It’s a new marketing strategy to involve our company in the lucrative business of special interest tours.
Francis Byrne, HBF’s new viticultural field officer, chats with Matty Love at Cook’s 25-hectare vineyard at Fernhill, Hastings.
Do you know something about this record?
Please note we cannot verify the accuracy of any information posted by the community.