New Zealand in 2000

As you have read in the April 1999Compact Fruit Tree, IDFTA is living up to the “international”
in its name and will hold the February 2000 conference in Napier, New Zealand.President
Dr. Steve Blizzard and the Board of Directors are excited about holding our conference in New
Zealand and look forward to a unique educational experience for fruit growers from around the
world.The dates and final costs are listed in this issue under the “IDFTA Calendar” and the full
itinerary was also in the April 1999Compact Fruit Tree.The Napier conference will occur just
before Gala apple harvest begins, providing an opportunity to see all varieties on the tree.

Plans for the Napier conference are progressing well.Napier is an agriculture and tourist center
on the beautiful Hawke’s Bay (Pacific Ocean) on New Zealand’s North Island.The Hawke’s
Bay region is famous for its pipfruit (for North Americans, that’s apples and pears) and grape
production.There are over 25 wineries in the Hawke’s Bay region.

Napier is world famous for its 1930s Art Deco architecture, the style adopted when the city was
rebuilt after the earthquake of 1931 virtually destroyed the city center.The IDFTA conference
will be held in the beautifully restored art deco Napier Municipal Theatre.As stated in a recent
Hawke’s Bay visitor guide, “with its Mediterranean climate, its South Pacific shore location, its
geometric palms and Norfolk Island pines, and its 1930s style sea-front gardens it encapsulates
the spirit of the ‘moderne’ era.”To learn more about the region, Hawke’s Bay has two web sites:
www.hawkesbaytourism.co.nzand www.bayweb.co.nz.

Our New Zealand hosts are planning wonderful events for us.The conference program will
feature outstanding speakers from around the world, including Drs. Tony Webster from England,
Bob Wertheim from The Netherlands, Terence Robinson and Bill Johnson from New York.The
list of international speakers continues to grow.Local authorities from New Zealand will also be
featured.

For those of you from North America, start planning for your winter vacation now and enjoy
summertime in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, one of the most important fruit growing regions in
the world.