An annual Awards programme is in place to seek continuous improvements in industry standards and raise the profile of the horticulture industry.

There is little doubt that the NGIA Awards have played an important role in raising industry standards across a number of fronts. But surely the greatest benefit comes from entering, being recognised by your peers and seeing how you stack up against the rest.

NGIA is very grateful to the sponsors of these awards who make it all possible. Please support these companies with your business.

Scotts  Innovation Award

Innovation is about improving systems or creating mechanisms which make for efficiencies or cost savings. The end result may be reduced labour costs, faster production, higher quality or even a happier work force, all of which lead to increased profit. The winner takes home the Murray Richards Memorial Trophy and $2000 worth of Scotts' product of their choice.

Are you under 30 and going places? This successful award is designed to recognise, reward and encourage young people who have excelled in their chosen career. If you:

•     Have an aptitude for producing and/or marketing ornamental plants
•     Demonstrate managerial ability
•     Display excellent knowledge of the products you deal with
•     Have the nursery and garden industry as a first choice career option

Then you should be entering this award.

Hortfert Young Achiever Award

If you are planning on entering for the 2011 Award, then you need to be proactive NOW!

NZ Gardener Marketing Awards

RETAILERS - are you the next Yates Garden Centre of the Year?

This is a great opportunity for every NGIA retailer to have their stores assessed and evaluated by professional retail consultants.

Some of the comments from the 2008 entrants point to good reasons to enter:

To benchmark our business against others in the industry

• Because of our past involvement and good result, entering this competition gave us the information needed to know if our standards had slipped
• … we entered knowing we would be criticised and therefore it helped us recognise our shortfalls
• The main reason was to get an independent overview of our business habits, routine and accepted retailing procedures
• … have a better idea of where we are at compared to like businesses on a national level. I never expected to make the top ten.

In March, all entrants will be visited by Brett and Associates to carry out a full appraisal of the business. In addition, there will a mystery shop of the store. Every entrant will receive a detailed appraisal report. From the results of these assessments, a group of finalists will be selected for final judging in April. The finals judge has been selected from Australia and has a wealth of retail experience.

The winning garden retailer will receive a 5 day trip for 2 to Melbourne. Special prizes similar to the 2008 competition will be awarded, and these and the Yates Award will be presented at the Awards Dinner of the 2010 conference in Christchurch, on the 30th July.

For more information, contact Frances 04 9183511, frances@ngia.co.nz