With only a few short weeks till the April 30 deadline, the heat is on YOU to get your entries in.

We are looking for Young Achievers, Innovations and lots of marketing and advertising material.

Scotts Innovation Award

This is open to all retailers, growers, suppliers in the industry who have created a unique system, practice or tool that has improved the efficiency and environment of business. “New ideas help us to focus and think of ways to achieve our common goal – to green up our country and make a living along the way.” [Andrew Bowman, 2008 winner]. The winner receives the Murray Richards trophy to hold for one year, a framed certificate and $2000 worth of Scotts products plus paid travel and registration to the 2012 conference.

HortFert Young Achiever Award

There have been many worthy winners of this award in recent years and I’m sure there are many more under 30’s in the industry who would benefit from entering this competition. There is a little work involved in presenting yourself for the first round of judging, but to make things easier, the qualification entry criteria of Level 4 national certificate has been dropped to open the competition to a wider group.

Employers, this may mean that staff who were previously ineligible can now enter, so please consider this and encourage them to complete an entry form.

NZ Gardener Marketing Awards

With 12 categories, there are really no excuses for not having an entry for these awards. The criteria are listed on the entry form, and an experienced judging team assesses every entry to select the category finalists.

NEW PRIZE FOR BEST LABEL – Norwood Industries are offering a $1000 product prize package to the winner of the Best Label category. This is a first for the award and a great reason to submit your entries.

Yates Garden Retailer of the Year

 

As I write this, the 29 entrants will be preparing themselves for the preliminary judging and mystery shopper over the next two weeks. The finalists will be known by Easter, then the winner found during the finals judging by Australian guest Peter Whitehead in the second week of April. With Autumn planting in full swing, the garden centres have every opportunity to be looking their very best. Good luck to all entrants.

Entry forms were available with the February NGIA News, the Feb/Mar Commercial Horticulture journal, and on the website www.ngia.co.nz , or just call the office 04 918 3511.