Croplink - Andrew Steens

Personal Details:

Address: 13 Harbourview Rd, RD6, Warkworth.

Phone: 021 968 405

Email: andrew@croplink.co.nz

Date Of Birth: 31^st August 1965

Andrew is the consummate horticulturalist, having experience right across the fruit, vegetable and flower industries in production, post harvest operations, education, consultancy and marketing. He is totally committed to horticulture, having devoted all of his working life to this field. He has a special interest in subtropical crops, particularly Heliconia and Bromeliads. He is a leading breeder of Bromeliads and his work can be seen on his blog.

Education, Awards & Achievements
1984-88	Bachelor Of Horticulture, Massey University
1993	Sir Victor Davies Award from RNZIH
1993	Ravensdown Award from NZSHS
1994	Registration as a Horticultural Consultant with NZSHS
2000	Bronze Medal - Ellerslie International Flower Show
2003	Merit Award - Ellerslie International Flower Show
2003	Published “Bromeliads For The Contemporary Garden” through Random House NZ Ltd. More than 20,000 copies have been sold all over the world.
2005	Silver Medal - Ellerslie International Flower Show
2007	Published “Bromeliads For The Connoisseur” through Random House NZ Ltd. More than 5,000 copies have been sold all over the world so far.

Professional Activities
1996 -	Managing Director of Croplink. This company was established to provide quality technical advice to the horticulture sector. Since establishing the company, Andrew has published more than 150 technical manuals and booklets on floriculture crops. He has also written more than 100 articles relating to horticulture in a wide range of national and international horticulture publications or newspapers. He has provided consulting services, expert witnessing, valuations and crop assessments for numerous horticultural crops and insurance claims. Crops dealt with include: Cut Flowers: Anthurium, Boronia, Carnations, Chrysanthemum, Curcuma, Cymbidium Orchids, Delphinium, Freesia, Gloriosa, Heliconia, Hydrangea, Leucadendron, Lilies, Limonium, Matthiola, Narcissus, Nerine, Phormium, Protea, Ranunculus, Roses, Sandersonia, Tuberose, Tulips, Vallota, Zantedeschia. Fruit Crops: Avocado, Banana, Cherimoya, Citrus, Feijoa, Kiwifruit, Macadamia, Persimmon, Table Grapes, Tamarillo. Vegetable Crops: Beans, Brassica, Capsicum, Carrots, Chillies, Courgette, Cucumber, Lettuce, Onions, Passionfruit, Pineapple, Potatoes, Squash, Spinach, Strawberries, Tomatoes.
1993 - 2008	Managing Director of Mauao Flowers Research Ltd. This company was established to conduct field research into new crops and growing techniques. In the early years, most research was concentrated on determining cropping techniques, nutritional requirements, pathogen complex and symptoms for ornamental crops such as Bromeliads, Heliconia, Galtonia, Gloriosa, Sandersonia and Zantedeschia. Much of this work has become the industry standard for these crops. Part of this work led to the development of a new hydroponic system for bulb crops, which has received a New Zealand patent (NZ244944). The commercial side of the business has been sold to a former employee and can be viewed at www.bromeliads.co.nz Andrew continues to hybridise Bromeliads as a past-time. His breeding results can be viewed at exoticabromeliads.blogspot.com
1995 - 1996	General Manager of Opotiki Fruitgrowers Cooperative Ltd. A fruit packing and crop management company annually packing nearly 1.0 million trays of Kiwifruit, plus Squash and Avocados. Under the guidance of Andrew, this company was extensively restructured in terms of operations, legal structures and financial systems, eventually being sold to a neighbouring Kiwifruit Cooperative.
1991 - 1995	Senior Horticultural Consultant for Kerry Ryan & Associates Ltd. A consultancy firm servicing the horticulture and agriculture sectors with 5 full time consultants advising over 400 growers, including more than 150 orchards and 100 flower growing properties. Company market share in horticulture advisory services was substantially expanded during Andrew’s term as senior horticultural consultant.
1989 - 1991	Customer Services Representative for Analytical Services Ltd. A nutrient testing laboratory servicing primary industry. Main duties were servicing the orchards and flower growing properties using soil, water and leaf nutrient tests and developing new services.
1988 - 1989	Orchard Manager for Horner Greenlees Corporation. A Kiwifruit orchard and packhouse management company. Main duties were the management of a 10 hectare Kiwifruit orchard and assisting in the management of a 500,000 tray packhouse.