Rural Delivery - Series 11, Episode 38

Television (Full Length Episode) – 2015

A safer future for forestry workers is in focus in this episode of farming and horticulture show Rural Delivery. First up, scientist and onetime tree feller Richard Parker (from Crown Research Institute Scion) discusses using robots to fell trees. The development would improve physical safety for workers in the high risk forestry sector. The second story is an in-depth profile of New Zealand's biggest blueberry orchard. Family-owned company Blueberry Country is heavily invested in research and development, makes minimal use of fertiliser, and sells most of its product in overseas markets.

In New Zealand we enjoy a very good pest and disease status. There's a lot of horrible diseases that they have in other parts of the world but not here. So that's why we're absolutely phobic about having imported material come in.
– Greg Furniss from company Blueberry Country on keeping crops disease free