Membership of NZ Apples & Pears is open to any person or group growing pipfruit, or intending to grow pipfruit for sale.
There are four classes of Membership:
- Grower (Producer) - is available to those who are actively engaged in the business of producing pipfruit in New Zealand
- Post Harvest - is available to those who are actively engaged in the business of operating pipfruit packhouses in NZ (for the packing of pipfrit produced in NZ), pipfruit marketers or both (specific eligibility criteria being defined by the Rules of the Society).
- Associate - is open to those associated with the pipfruit industry, including nurserymen, spray companies, horticultural suppliers, and consultants
- Life Member
Payment of the NZ Apples & Pears commodity levy entitles the pipfruit grower to NZ Apples & Pears Producer membership. NZ Apples & Pears has around 1000 grower members, including a number of major grower groups that trade under a number of different names but hold membership as a single entity. NZ Apples & Pears's membership includes all known pipfruit growers in New Zealand who grow pipfruit for sale.
In addition to NZ Apples & Pears's Annual General Meeting, NZ Apples & Pears holds a number of meetings throughout the year. Representative members from all regions attend those meetings and all growers are invited and encouraged to attend. The meetings provide a venue for the discussion of issues within the pipfruit industry and are excellent opportunities for growers to network, share information and identify matters that can be pursued by NZ Apples & Pears for the benefit of all pipfruit growers.