Fortnight in Review: 1-12 July

*Knowledge Intensive Action group progressed work on the Wai Pay Project. A cooperative of retailers is to be formed, in order to present a unified position to banks and POS device manufacturers to begin negotiations for rates. The group also reviewed research on mobile infrastructure across the region in order to identify where we should be lobbying for improvements.

*The Food Action group visited FoodHQ in Palmerston North to identify ways to align the proposed Food Precinct in the Wairarapa with the FoodHQ facilities and innovation services.

*The region hosted Minister Jones and Minister Jackson for PGF announcements relating to programmes for youth and for our Dark Sky Reserve status application.

*The programme team attended a lunch hosted by Business Wairarapa, with the Minister for Small Business and informed him and the audience there, of the angel investment group that is activating in the region. Discussions at that lunch also included calls from industry to consider the rail route north of Masterton as a priority.

*The Food and Tourism Action Groups met to discuss a food tourism event (one of the actions in the WEDS) for April next year - the Paua Festival. Work is underway to scope this region-wide festival and will be available for discussion soon. The groups also discussed the potential of creating one Wairarapa Farmers Market as both a tourist destination and a commercially viable channel to consumers for our artisan producers in the region.

*A team of farmers are working alongside the WEDS programme to develop content for primary sector skills training, with the hope that this will be delivered by partners yet to be confirmed, in the region in 2020. The Primary Sector Skills Committee, which consists of Mayors, Iwi, Massey, UCOL, YETE and Federated Farmers is also preparing to respond to the review of vocational education announcement, due soon.