We’re excited to announce the launch of our new brand for the New Zealand Truffle Association. This refreshed look reflects the future direction of our industry while celebrating the quality, passion, and innovation of New Zealand truffles. More details of the new brand and how you can use the logo is in the Members Only area.

As part of the launch, we’ve also opened our new Instagram channel (@NZTruffle), giving members and followers another way to connect with industry news, events, grower stories, and all things truffle. This is just the beginning, and we look forward to sharing the journey with you.

After the Special General Meeting on the 15th March the new constitution was updated and then uploaded to the Incorporated Societies. 

We were notified that we have re-registered prior to the deadline of the 5th April.  Well done to everyone that attended the SGM to discuss the Constitution and the Exec members who worked hard to get the changes into the constitution signed, and then uploaded to the Incorporated Societies website well before the deadline.

The SGM was held on the 15th Mar.

This was to review a number of draft constitutional changes to meet the 2022 Incorporated Societies Act. The first order was to confirm that we could continue with the meeting, even though there was a shortened notification time frame. This was agreed to by all that attended and the meeting continued.

Each of the draft changes were discussed and agreed too. They were:

1. Section 3: Objects to include two statements showing the objects of the Association.
2. Section 8: Minimum Number and Classes of Members. This was changed from five to three classes of members:
   Full Membership
   Life Membership
   Overseas Membership
3. Section 9: Becoming a member section changed to being an online form, naming of who will hold the full membership.
4. Section 10 Disclosures and Limitations section also required the authorised person who will hold the full membership
5. Section 13: Ceasing to be a Member provided more clarity around cancellation of a membership by the Executive
6. Section 17: Voting, clarifying that there is only one vote per full membership. This hasn't changed, just clarified further.
7. Section 26: Qualifications section was reduced to prevent duplication from the Incorp Societies Act. If there is any doubt about a person being an Executive, the Incoporated Societies Act Section 47 should be referred to.
8. Section 34: Register of Members section has identified the use of electronic capturing of membership information and that the the voting member is the Full Member, or a person nominated by the full member

The new constitution is located in the footer of every page on the website.

The changes were all agreed to before moving onto the request of members to increase the membership fee from $175 (excluding GST) and the Research and Development Fee from $50 to $100 (excluding GST). The total new membership being $300 (excluding GST). All members attending agreed to the increase of fees as fees had not been increased since 2011.

The new Executive Committee has taken on board the technical issues growers experienced during the 2025 membership renewal process and moved quickly to improve the system.

In October 2025, we reviewed five available membership platforms and selected Wild Apricot — a system purpose-built for associations like ours. This change means a simpler, more streamlined renewal experience for members, with much of the process now automated. It also reduces administrative workload behind the scenes, allowing the Executive to focus more on supporting the industry rather than managing systems.

As part of this upgrade, we’re also asking members to take a few moments to update their details. This information plays an important role in strengthening the industry as a whole. It allows us to:

• build a clearer picture of truffle production across regions
• represent the industry more effectively when applying for funding and support
• showcase the growth and potential of New Zealand truffières at both a national and international level

Your information remains secure and is used responsibly. While individual details are kept private, aggregated data helps us tell a stronger, more credible story about our industry — and that directly benefits growers.

This is a step forward for all of us. A better system, better information, and a stronger position for the future of New Zealand truffles.