Kiwifruit industry in New Zealand and Growers, who were calling the berries "melonettes", because the local name for the fruit, "Chinese gooseberry", had political connotations due to the Cold War, and to further distinguish it from real gooseberries, which are prone to a fungus called anthracnose. An American importer, Norman Sondag of San Francisco, complained that "melonettes" was as bad as "Chinese gooseberry" because melons and berries were both subject to high import tariffs, and instead asked for a short Maori name that quickly connoted New Zealand. In June 1959, during a meeting of Turners and Growers management in Auckland, Jack Turner suggested the name
New Zealand Young Farmers Canterbury at this time where it remains today. AgriKidsNZ and TeenAg New Zealand Young Farmers expanded its programmes to include primary school aged children with AgriKidsNZ and high school students with TeenAg clubs. NZYF runs the annual FMG Young Farmer of the year, a major event on the rural calendar with up to 300 entrants taking part annually and a total prize pool of over $300,000. The Contest began in 1969 and was initially run by individual clubs, coming under the control of the national body in 2006. Entry is free and open to all NZYF members. District Finals are