History

Our association was set up in 1948 as a trade group within the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation, now part of Business New Zealand.
The first meeting took place in Wellington on January 29, 1948.

What's in a name?

We were first named the New Zealand Agricultural Chemical Manufacturers’ Federation. This became the Agricultural Chemical and Animal Remedy Manufacturers Association, which was shortened to Agcarm.

In 2022, Agcarm became the Animal and Plant Health Association of New Zealand Incorporated (Animal and Plant Health NZ).

Why were we established?

A driving force behind our establishment was the Stock Remedies Board which came into being, along with new regulations in January 1948. Other important issues were stock food regulations, shipping rates and the need for prompter action by government laboratories in testing various samples and new products submitted by member firms.

One of the earliest presidents was Mr D.A. Watkins who in 1955 described our aim as building “a sound industry that is closely connected with and has a full understanding of, the primary industries of this country. It is our aim to serve the farmer, orchardist and market gardener and, of course, that very important section of the public, the home gardener”.

Members

Individuals and firms were eligible for membership if they were actively manufacturing:
(i) Stock remedies as defined in the Stock-Remedies Act 1934 and subsequent amendments or;
(ii) Insecticides, (including domestic insecticides), fungicides, weedicides and growth regulating chemicals

Subscription fees

At our first annual general meeting, members set a subscription of two pounds two shillings per member firm. Our estimated total income on this basis would be approximately £70.

Past Presidents

1948-49A.D. Boyd
1951-55D.A. Watkins
1956-59D.V. Gordon
1960-61A.T.W. Clout
1961-63J.N. Fitzgerald (life member)
1964-66F.E. O’Sullivan
1966-68L.C. Browne
1968-70J.H.M. Carswell
1970-71G. Arnot
1971-73J.R. Yates
1973-75F.E. O’Sullivan (life member)
1975-77J. Thomson
1977-79T.H. Winter
1979-80P.J. Green
1980-82R.N. Paxman (life member)
1982-83P.H.S. Cox
1983-84J.B. Milne
1984-86R.W. Moffat (life member)
1986-88R.M. Gordon
1988-90F.N. Sumich (life member)
1990-92D.D. McPhail (life member)
1992-94J.C. Millward
1994-96R.J. Austen
1996-98Ross Hore (life member)
1998-99S McManaway
1999-00J Mole
2000 (Oct)-2001R Sara
2001(Nov)-2004Derek Moore
2004-2006Patrick Clement
2006-2008Steve Metzger
2008-2010John Yates
2010-2012Justin Hurst
2012-2017Mark Christie (life member)
2017-2020Pauline Calvert
2020-presentGavin Kerr