Guardian Farming | December 2019 by Ashburton Guardian

Farming GUARDIAN

December, 2019

Record prices

to last? Pages 2, 18-19

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PAGE 8-9 CATCH CROPS REDUCE LOSS

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PAGE 12-13 A GAME OF TWO HALVES

When it comes to world trade, one country’s disaster is another country’s opportunity. So it is with African Swine Fever decimating China’s pig population, leaving the economic super power even more hungry for New Zealand’s lamb, mutton and beef. A highly contagious virus which is fatal to pigs, ASF has reduced China’s pig herd by almost half in the last 12 months – equating to hundreds of millions of animals. Other Asia countries are also struggling to contain outbreaks of the disease. Pork has traditionally been the main meat consumed in China, being cheap and readily available. The average Chinese person eats 30kg of pork a year, which compares with the 26kg of beef a year eaten by burger and steak loving Americans. The devastation of the Chinese pork herd has led to soaring domestic prices, while the country scrambles to source pork and other alternative proteins from overseas to fill the gap. The level of decline in pork production will ease next year, but a recovery is expected to extend well into the 2020s, Rabobank analysts predict. While sheepmeat had already been benefitting from China’s growing demand for protein, the deficit left by ASF has also quickly led it to become New Zealand’s biggest beef market this year, surpassing the United States. Lamb is at seasonal highs of $9 a kilogram, up about $1/kg on the same time

Heather Chalmers

RURAL REPORTER

last year and it will be interesting to see how well prices hold up as greater numbers come forward, though indications are good. A glance at saleyards’ livestock prices shows how buoyant the market has become. However, a dependency on one dominant market is always a risk. Stubbornly low strong wool prices remain the sole weak link, but farmers can bear this if all other sectors are performing well. Previously, peaks in lamb, mutton and beef pricing have only lasted a season or two before inevitably falling away because of market resistance to the higher pricing, protein substitution increased availability of product elsewhere, or an economic slump. One only has to look at venison, which reached highs of $11/kg over the last two years, but is now back at $9/kg at a similar level to lamb, after a softening of the market. Let’s hope that sheep and beef farmers can beat the historic commodity trend of rollercoaster pricing and ride this market peak for longer.

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Biopesticides not standalone solutions As consumers push for lower chemical use on crops, arable farmers need to understand the difference between proven and over-inflated claims for the increasing range of natural alternatives to synthetic pesticides, says Foundation for Arable Research chief executive Alison Stewart. “Plant-based sectors in New Zealand are facing increasing consumer pressure over the use of pesticides in their food production systems and even though the justification is sometimes based on emotions rather than science, the reality is that over the next five to 10 years, the market will drive a reduction in application of synthetic pesticides and we will have to respond proactively to this,” Stewart said.

Heather Chalmers

RURAL REPORTER

In the next five years, a lot of new bio-based crop protection products will come onto the market, both in New Zealand and overseas in response to consumer demand and farmers need to understand how the products work and what questions to ask. continued over page

Foundation for Arable Research chief executive Alison Stewart says biopesticides will not completely replace synthetic chemicals as in many cases they don’t have the knock-down effect.

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From P3 “If something sounds too good to be true, it will be. Biopesticides are not standalone solutions. They work best when incorporated into an integrated pest management programme utilising a range of control measures.” Biopesticides could assist in managing chemical resistance, as well as eliminating the risk of chemical residues entering the food chain, she told a FAR seminar on biopesticides. “They are perceived as more natural and environmentallyfriendly and can be used in an organic operation.” Biopesticides tended to be two different categories. Microbials were based on micro-organisms such as fungi, bacteria, viruses and protozoa, while biochemicals were made from plant extracts, pheromones, soaps and fatty acids. Biopesticides claimed pest control activity, in comparison with biostimulants and biofertilisers which just promote plant growth. Global spending on crop bio-control products had risen from $1.5 billion in 2010 to $4.7b in 2017 and was expected to reach $8b in the next five years. While a surge of products came on the market between 2001 to 2010, these “over-promised and under-delivered”, Stewart said.

“A lot of multi-national companies were more used to making synthetic chemicals and didn’t understand how to formulate and use a biological product. So, there was not a lot of adoption, as the products were too expensive or didn’t work well. “In the last decade, there has been a lot of investment in good quality products that can perform as well as chemicals at a similar price range. These can be mixed and matched with chemicals and other control strategies. “Biopesticides will not completely replace synthetic chemicals as in many

cases they don’t have the knock-down effect when crops are under significant pest or disease pressure. I see biopesticides as an added component to the crop management tool box,” Stewart said. While a Californian fruit, vegetable, or arable grower had 375 bio-control products registered and available, New Zealand arable farmers only had 17. In New Zealand, most products were biofungicides used in high value horticulture in kiwifruit and viticulture to control botrytis, powdery mildew and sclerotinia.

“Then there are other crops and diseases where nothing is available. “We need to look and see what products are registered and work with the companies on field trials to extend the label claim to include arable crops, for example extending sclerotinia control currently available on fruit and vine crops.” Stewart said growers need to support the development of home-grown biopesticide products, as there were a lot of pest-crop combinations in New Zealand that overseas companies would not develop products for.

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Left – Biopesticides could assist in managing chemical resistance, as well as eliminating the risk of chemical residues entering the food chain.

Right – When buying biopesticides, farmers were advised to ask about the active ingredient and to be wary of vague answers.

For example, Bioshield granules, a soil inoculant developed by AgResearch and marketed by BioStart NZ to suppress native grass grub. Some US-registered products may also have potential. Through her previous work, Stewart said she was aware of US products with label claims she knew would be useful in New Zealand. For biopesticides to be commercially released in New Zealand, they must meet the same registration and approval process as synthetic chemicals, while some other countries including

the United States have a separate regulatory system. It was possible to have a registered biopesticide synthesised in a laboratory, but its chemical compound was identical to what was found in nature, for example neem oil and pyrethrum. While it was not possible to generalise about the control provided by biopesticides, there were certainly products available with the same efficacy and persistence as synthetic chemicals, but without the persistence in the environment, Stewart said. Bio-control products were now

available as foliar sprays and soil granules, similar to mainstream products. “You do need to understand what product you are using and apply them properly. Most are contact active and spray coverage is crucial. Over time, the companies will develop formulations that will improve. “If you are dealing with a living microorganism, don’t use chlorinated water or have any residual chemical, otherwise you have probably killed it before you have sprayed it on to the crop.” Crop monitoring of pest populations

was important as most biopesticides were protectants and needed to be applied before pest and disease symptoms appeared. For high pest pressure, the knockdown effect of conventional chemistry was needed. “You will always have to mix and match. It would be unusual to go a whole season just using biologicals.” Products based on living microbes could be affected by extreme heat and cold, so storing at ambient temperature was usually recommended, although some products need to be refrigerated. Some products must be used immediately and cannot be resealed and stored. Many biopesticides should be applied in the evening to avoid the heat of the day. Most biopesticides were not systemic or rain fast, so re-application was needed after significant rainfall. When buying biopesticides, farmers were advised to ask about the active ingredient and to be wary of vague answers. Understanding how the product worked was the key to understanding how to use it properly. Reputable companies selling good products would have good trial data to back up their claims. “Ask for detailed information on how the product should be used and what other products it is compatible with. Beware of vague answers or claims that it can be used exactly like a chemical,” Stewart said.

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Local spring property market thrives Reviewing the spring marketing season for rural property, in our region it has been a busy period. In the PGG Wrightson offices in Mid and South Canterbury and North Otago we have been focused on several marketing campaigns. Some of these farms were presented to the market with a price attached, some were offered with no price guidance, in some instances the entire farm was offered, while in others larger farms were subdivided into smaller parcels to make them more appealing to buyers. Every farm we have listed has attracted attention. We expect up to a quarter of the offering will sell by the end of 2019, while the balance may take a little longer to secure unconditional contracts. A persistent theme throughout the country at present for anyone marketing farms is the concern in banking circles associated with exposure to the rural sector, which is hindering farmers’ access to finance. This derives from the greater capital requirements placed on banks, including the Reserve Bank’s review of the capital framework applying to locally incorporated banks and guidelines on liquidity risk. Farmers have found it difficult to

Calvin Leen

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persuade bankers to assist them to purchase property. That said, the level of enquiry for many of the farms currently for sale in our region has been encouraging. For irrigated land in North Otago, particularly around the Lower Waitaki scheme with its lower cost water, there is genuinely strong interest. Further north, in Mid Canterbury, production and the markets indicate that cropping farmers can look forward to a more financially rewarding season this year than last. However, they too are dealing with banks tightening their lending criteria. Smaller spray irrigated Mid Canterbury arable properties have changed hands recently at between $41,000 and $45,000 per hectare, which represents a softening of the market. Several large Mid Canterbury cropping farms will go to the market in the summer.

Subdividing each of these into three or four smaller blocks is likely, which will help facilitate sales, particularly in terms of raising finance, though also in relation to nitrate management. This production season looks likely to deliver excellent returns for many farmers, with positive growth and elevated revenues evident in most primary production sectors. With banks hesitant about supporting purchases, that will not flow through massively to the rural property market, though the positivity of farmers in our region is evident, and sales will proceed. With two or three seasons of buoyant prices for red meat behind

them, positivity in the market for sheep and beef property, in particular, has accumulated, and farmers are increasingly motivated to buy and sell property. For those farmers who have no obligations around succession, and assuming the compliance of their environmental plans is in order, now would be an excellent time to capitalise on the years of hard work by offering property to the market. Calvin Leen is Mid-South Canterbury and North Otago Sales Manager for PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited.

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Beltex spreading throughout NZ Two years after being imported to New Zealand by a Mid Canterburybased syndicate, the distinctive muscle-bound beltex sheep are now spread throughout the country. “We have sold rams to farmers from north of Auckland to Southland,” said farm adviser and syndicate member John Tavendale. Former Invermay head Jock Allison, Mount Somers farmer Blair Gallagher and Tavendale are behind Beltex New Zealand, which brought the breed to the country in 2017. The first new breed to land on New Zealand shores in almost a decade, beltex is a double-muscled texel offshoot from Belgium. The sheep breed is known for its seriously big backside and eye muscle. More rams will be offered for sale at Beltex NZ’s third annual auction at the Gallagher family’s property Rangiatea, Mount Somers on March 6. Some were on display at the New Zealand Agricultural Show in Christchurch where they were getting good feedback from farmers already using the breed. At this year’s sale one ram sold for $22,000 and another for $21,000. For the first time, beltex-texel ram lambs and beltex-cheviot cross rising two-tooth rams will be offered, in

Heather Chalmers

RURAL REPORTER

addition to the suffolk, poll dorset and perendale cross rams sold previously. Significant numbers of threequarter-bred ram lambs would also be offered compared with only about six at the last sale. While one or two other sheep breeders now had first cross rams available, Beltex NZ remained the only source of purebred animals. As the beltex was a terminal sire, a lot of farmers were using them over their ewe hoggets, as they were being sold as ram lambs, rather than ram hoggets, Tavendale said. There were no lambing difficulties with beltex mated over commercial ewe breeds as lambs were born small and vigorous. The pronounced muscling was not apparent at birth, but started to develop shortly afterwards. Tavendale said that as a terminal sire, beltex would have a significant

Hamish Gallagher with two beltex-cheviot cross rising two-tooth rams which will PHOTO HEATHER CHALMERS be offered for sale at Mount Somers next March.

influence on carcass quality and value for those who opt for the breed in New Zealand. “Increased killing out percentage and meat yield are the benefits and particularly a greater eye muscle area and muscling in the leg.” Carcass data from Scotland showed that beltex ram lambs recorded an eight per cent higher killing out percentage and 5 to 17 per cent higher meat yield in the carcass compared with charolais, hampshire, suffolk and

texel breeds. While meat companies were not yet paying on meat yield “this will come”, Tavendale said. Beltex cross animals were widely preferred in butchers’ markets in the United Kingdom and commanded premium prices. The decision by the Government to allow direct import of sheep embryos from Europe without quarantine provided Beltex NZ the opportunity to bring in the breed.

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Catch crops to reduce N loss Growing catch crops to soak up nitrogen from grazed winter forage paddocks is not only good for the environment, it is also a profitable exercise for farmers, says a researcher involved in Canterbury trials. Lincoln Agritech field research scientist Peter Carey said trials showed that winter-sown cereal catch crops reduced nitrate leaching by 20 to 40 per cent. Sowing a short-term crop such as oats, triticale, or Italian ryegrass, as soon as possible after cows had finished a winter forage crop of kale or fodder beet was an effective way to capture nitrogen at a high-risk time for leaching. It was also profitable, providing extra feed for farmers. Traditionally, winter forage paddocks were often left fallow for three to five months post-grazing, posing a risk of nitrate leaching from animal urine patches. Losses from wintering systems have been measured at 50kg to 180kg/ha, Carey said. Large-scale corporate dairy farmer Dairy Holdings is hosting a catch crop trial at its Rushtons’ Farm dairy support block near Mount Somers. Rushtons’ Farm carries young stock and heifers as

Heather Chalmers

RURAL REPORTER

well as wintering cows. DH agronomy manager Brent Davison said the business had been using catch crops for the last three years, preferring an oats and Italian ryegrass mix. “We have been getting six to 10 tonnes/ha off the oats at the first cut. “It is worthwhile economically, as well as from an environmental point of view,” Davison said. At Rushtons’ Farm a catch crop had been sown in early June and a second in mid-July. The earlier the crop was established, the

greater the potential to reduce nitrate leaching, Carey told a field day at the property. “You need to have it in by August, but the earlier the better. “If you have an early kale crop, don’t hang around, get a catch crop in and you will get the benefits. It also means you can harvest the catch crop sooner and go back into another winter forage crop or pasture. “Canterbury has had some milder, drier winters, so farmers and contractors are able to get the tractor out more often.” Figures based on trials also showed

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that adding a catch crop generated more income than growing a winter fodder crop alone, with returns of $1000 to $2000/ha net of expenses at 25 cents a kg of drymatter. “If you get a wet season and more leaching in the late winter/spring period and don’t have anything to mop it up, a lot of the nitrate can disappear out of the bottom of the soil profile and end up in a stream or aquifer. “A winter grazing block may be 10 per cent of a farm, but represent 50 per cent of total nitrate leaching loss.” When cow urine was deposited, it went through a process of mineralisation, becoming ammonium (NH4+) first, which bonds to the soil. “However, it doesn’t stay in this form very long.” Microbes in the soil turn this into nitrate (NO3-), the more mobile form of nitrogen, which isn’t held by the soil and is prone to leaching through the soil profile. If the timing was right, the crop would be growing and drawing up nitrogen as the soil started to warm and more of the ammonium was converting to nitrate. As the crop was using water, it was also reducing drainage, so the reduction

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in N leaching was because of both, Carey said. Direct drilling or minimal cultivation was the preferred method of establishment. Cultivation gave the catch crops a good start because of better germination rates from a better seed bed, but also by stimulating the soil to produce more soil mineral nitrogen. Cultivation was more likely to be necessary after fodder beet, because of heavy soil compaction and Inspecting an oats and Italian ryegrass mix catch crop at Rushtons’ Farm near Mount Somers are (from left), Dairy pugging. Holdings agronomy manager Brent Davison and contracting manager Clint Jordan, Brendon Malcolm and Shane Additional applied PHOTO SUPPLIED Maley, both of Plant and Food Research, and Peter Carey of Lincoln Agritech. nitrogen may be required for the growing crop. “We are seeing, Oats, triticale and Italian ryegrass kale paddock, sown on July 13 and update of Overseer to include a more particularly on stony soils, a need for were compared as catch crops, with oats harvested on November 22. comprehensive catch crops module to added nitrogen. Once the crop starts achieving the highest yields. Up to 220kg of nitrogen was removed account for the reduction in N loss. growing it can be quite hungry for “We are finding that oats are in the crop, with no nitrogen applied. The study was two years into a threenitrogen and there may not be enough dependable as they are early A slower start than 2018 meant year Ministry for Primary Industries for maximum yield production,” Carey germinating.” yields were not at last year’s levels and Sustainable Farming Fund project, run said. At a trial at Te Pirita last year, 12 harvesting was later, Carey said. by Lincoln Agritech in partnership with The project compared direct drilling, tonne/ha of oats and 10 tonne/ha of Environment Canterbury was Plant and Food Research and supported cultivation and leaving the trial sites triticale was produced from a former looking at the trial results, with a future by other companies and agencies. fallow on farms with different soil types.

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The eyeballing and dust tossing Besides following my cricket passion at Mount Maunganui, I also fitted in some compliance work for a large corporate dairy operation at Mangakino. They have a “passion” for jersey bulls and they did their usual at the fenceline – thankfully I was a paddock and laneway away. Irrigation in Mangakino – you bet ya. This place can get seriously dry. The pumice soils are very free draining, don’t really hold too much water and even though there is relatively high and reliable rainfall, production can be limited by moisture stress. Irrigation is used extensively in the area, mostly centre pivots and some K-line to fill in the gaps. Not everything is able to be irrigated, just try getting anything through the gorse “ravine”. While sorting out a telemetered soil moisture site, across the lane were some friendly jersey bulls. Of course, they can’t help themselves, snorting and bellowing, tossing a bit of dust in the air. Typical and thankfully they were two hot-wired fences from me. Oh, and I should mention the power lines – small ones and the main transmission grid lines and just like in Canterbury in the way of irrigation! Irrigate they do and were going to start on November 26, because

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soil moisture had almost reached the bottom of the optimum operating range. There was a common thread on the farms, they don’t want to get behind. They have got through until nearly December without irrigating, but the rainfalls of November 10, 13 and 18 have run the course and time to start. I haven’t been on site with everything going, but firing nearly 1200L/s through the pivots on this country must be some sight. Soil moisture is key to their operation because the lifts involved mean serious cost when 1200L/s is turned on. Irrigation will also help moderate the soil temperatures – in late November they peaked at 24°C, the upper comfort limit for ryegrass production. This is the Christmas edition article, so I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May the weather gods smile on us all and the weather be what you want.

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A game of two halves To take a much-used rugby term, we sure have a game of two halves currently in agriculture. On one hand, we have extremely solid product prices with lamb at an unprecedented mid-$8/kg and beef not a long way behind; dairy with contracts available to lock a farmgate milk price at early $7 with expectation of a floating price reaching $7.50 and firm small seeds and grain pricing. Other than the disgrace that the strong wool market is, languishing at somewhere south of the cost of removing it from the sheep, things onfarm should be smoking along. That’s the downhill, downwind side of the paddock. Playing uphill, into the wind is the ever-present pressure from banks and the push of new policy out of the Beehive. These factors are continually weighing on people’s confidence and affecting maintenance, development and investment decisions, both consciously and sub-consciously. I was in Wellington twice during November, once under my own steam as a private individual supporting the march by 50 Shades of Green to present a petition highlighting concerns about the sale of large tracts of farmland to mainly offshore carbon

David Clark

President of MC Federated Farmers

farming speculators and the resultant blanket planting of hill country in forestry. My impression was this was a well run, peaceful expression of genuine and valid concerns. At Parliament we were met by a bevy of politicians. Of particular note was Shane Jones, in my view, revelling in the theatrics of the whole event. His singing of a waiata followed by referring to the crowd as belonging to Ngati Redneck was all part of an intentional spectacle in view. I sat in the public galley of Parliament later that afternoon and witnessed Minister Jones double down on his allegation that the crowd were “Rednecks”. On reflection, I think this speaks volumes; Shane Jones had no idea or interest in who stood in that crowd. He completely misunderstood that

some of the southern North Island’s most astute farmers and landowners, many of multi-generational tenure, stood before him. He also didn’t realise that among the crowd were many of our up and coming young shepherds, stock

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managers, fencers and farm managers; the future of agriculture. If they were Rednecks, then I was proud to stand amongst such a fine group of Rednecks. Last week, I attended the Federated Farmers’ National Council in my

capacity as provincial president. The opening address was by the Minister of Finance Grant Robertson. His speech was good natured and uplifting. In Government’s view, our economy was strong, global headwinds prevailed, but we had an economy growing at a faster clip than comparable trading nations. Primary sector returns were strong and looked robust moving forward. While it wasn’t said in as many words, one could have taken the message that the primary sector was the engine driving the New Zealand economy up some steep hills. Levels of future GDP growth were portrayed as solid and reliable. I asked a question as to whether the impacts of the freshwater reform proposals had been fully modelled and assessed by Treasury, particularly the impact of the Environment Canterbury modelling for the Selwyn Te Waihora zone for a similar set of water quality targets, which found the catchment would need to revert to dryland sheep farming and forestry. Given that the ECan report is a footnote on page 86 of the freshwater proposal document, which would seem to have relevance, justifying economic impact assessment. The response was broadly that

it was vital that we limit further conversion to dairy and that we cannot continue to convert large tracts of land in places like Canterbury, because of the environmental impact regardless of the economic benefit. I couldn’t believe the disconnect. Large scale conversion of land to dairy in Canterbury has stopped, the requirements of the Canterbury Land and Water Plan and its zone specific iterations put an end to conversions on the basis that environmental impact is capped and set for staged reductions. It’s old news. The proposed freshwater rules and particularly the limit of dissolved inorganic nitrogen as indicated by the ECan model has nothing to do with holding the line or stopped conversions. This is a requirement that would require the Selwyn Te Waihora zone and others to transition land use to dryland sheep and forestry. I would have thought that was something the Minister of Finance and Treasury would want to take a close look at. As I said I was surprised by the disconnect. It’s little wonder it feels like we are playing the second half running up the side of Mt Somers into a gale force nor’west.

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Reducing wooden pallet waste Every year word wide 15.3 billion trees are chopped down and around 46 per cent of the world’s trees have been cleared over the past 12,000 years. The challenge is – how do we provide sustainable alternatives as well as reduce the wooden pallets in our waste streams? A Dutch start-up called CocoPallet is one of the companies that’s taking action to change this. What is CocoPallet? CocoPallet produces 100 per cent bio-based, durable transportation pallets out of recycled coconut husk waste. The process used by CocoPallet is cheaper than using wood and it doesn’t require the highly toxic methyl-bromide fumigation that some countries still use in wood pallet manufacturing. They also don’t require any glue because the coconut husk has it’s own natural glue called lignin. This natural glue is activated when they grind the coconut husk and press them together at high temperatures. It’s estimated that CocoPallet saves more than 200 million trees from being chopped down every year that are used for manufacturing shipping pallets. This technique was originally

Do the right thing

Sheryl Stivens

ECO EFFICIENCY

developed by researchers at Wageningen University, but was later commercialised by Michiel Vos, entrepreneur and founder of CocoPallet. It never occurred to him to craft objects out of coconuts until an Indonesian man entered his office at the college 20 years ago with a piece of board made entirely from coconut bark, the rock hard outer shell of the fruit. Rock-hard wood-like materials made into board. In many tropical countries, coconut waste rots away or is set on fire and burnt, affecting air quality and human health. Making raw materials out of the husk gives farmers an extra income, in addition to reducing pollution that can affect climate change. Asia produces more than a billion pallets every year. They require softwood, which is imported from Canada, New Zealand

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Of the coconut husk by-product, 85 per PHOTO SUPPLIED cent goes to waste.

or Eastern Europe on a large scale. Complete forests are being shipped to Asia to make pallets, that are mainly used to ship products back to America or Europe. It is clearly a lot more efficient to make them in Asia with local materials. CocoPallets are stronger and lighter than wooden pallets, they are fire retardant, easier to stack and so take up less space. Above all, they are cheaper, and a

lower price is always the best sales argument for a sustainable product. The coconut pallets are also moisture proof and termite resistant which is important for tropical use. CocoPallet have won entrepreneurial and innovation awards and now have a factory in Indonesia. CocoPallets are a win-win solution that saves millions of trees while also recycling a waste product. It doesn’t get any better than that!

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The year that was: The good: In all the years I have been connected to farming and that’s my whole life, I have never seen the value of primary products at such all-time highs. Crossbred wool is the only low point. Dairy at a possible $7.50/kg of milksolids, lamb at $9/kg, beef at $6/kg, grain prices solid but not spectacular and on top of that interest rates at all-time lows and looking like they will go lower. I have never seen interest rates at below 4 per cent. With African Swine Fever still having a huge inpact in China and this government forcing the dollar even lower, this year and the next look like they are going to be two of the best seasons in history, apart from the 1950s wool boom. The bad: However, I have also never before seen product prices at such a high level, interest rates so low and yet we have Australian banks saying they don’t want to loan any money to anyone connected to farming. We have New Zealand’s Treasury saying we need to prepare for a 200 year economy shock and yet we haven’t even been farming for 200 years!

Chris Murdoch

PROPERTY BROKERS

To top this off, the banks are saying every farmer needs to be able to be on a 20-year interest and principal repayment of loans process and be able to pay a 7 per cent interest rate as well. Or maybe you need to exit the farm you are on. Which of course is impossible, because that very same bank won’t loan money to purchase the property. They are making other farmers sell. Surely these cannot be the same banks that five years ago fell over themselves to hand out money to anyone who was interested in farming. Can the worm turn that quickly? The ugly: Where do you start? A Coalition Government that is being run by the very minor party that has nothing but a self-important, radical thinking group of people.

We don’t just say team. We promise it.

Canterbury has been particularly impacted by the Government programme to eradicate cattle disease Mycoplasma Bovis, with the Ministry for Primary Industries only proving to date that it doesn’t have a clue how to even slow the spread of the disease. You then take the one thing that was putting new capital from outside New Zealand into the rural sector and cut that off all together except for where replacing of good farmland with plantation forestry is now seen as good management by Government.

These are only a small portion of the issues that face farmers. Farming has in my mind never been more profitable. Enjoy the day, enjoy the year and let’s hope next year brings us new hope and a new government. Have a great Christmas and New Year. Thanks for your support and comments over the past year in connection with these articles. Advertising feature

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Giving the hoiho a helping hand It’s great to see farmers, through Fonterra, doing their bit to help hoiho, the yellow-eyed penguin. New Zealand’s unique hoiho is struggling. This amazing bird is the world’s rarest penguin. Even though they’re rare, they are well-known birds, being the star of the five dollar note and recipients of generous Fonterra sponsorship. And they’ve had a bit of media atttention lately, having won the Bird of the Year competition. But they’re at serious risk of extinction if their breeding success doesn’t improve. There are only about 220 pairs remaining on mainland New Zealand. Despite considerable efforts to control predators on land and provide safe nesting areas, numbers of the hoiho have declined markedly over the last 20 years or so. The penguin nesting season is under way for hoiho. The YellowEyed Penguin Trust’s volunteers begin to search for nests in early October. “Following nest searching, the monitoring regime involves regular checks of nests and monitoring the health of adults and chicks,” says Dave McFarlane, field manager for the Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust. Hoiho face many threats on land and in the sea, from plastic pollution,

Mary Ralston

FOREST AND BIRD

fishing nets, being chased by dogs, and tourists who get too close. Climate change is probably adding to their woes because warming oceans will alter food availability and possibly predator behaviour. “We believe that the key threats are found in the marine environment,” Dave said. “The biggest challenge in 20182019 was starvation – the sea wasn’t able to sustain hoiho and at times through the season both chicks and adults starved and needed rehabilitation.” Monitoring nests regularly means that starving chicks can be identified and helped. “Nests are visited regularly – probably on average weekly over the season and the data gathered informs management actions,” Dave said. “For instance, by knowing the hatching date, we can work out how the chicks are doing and if (they are)

A yellow-eyed penguin, or hoiho, emerges from the sea.

too light for their age we can take action.” There is also an extensive programme of predator control and habitat restoration. “The trust traps mustelids and cats around hoiho breeding sites and also picks up a substantial by-catch of rats and hedgehogs,” Dave said. “A total of around 300 hectares is trapped in some way. “We plant around 1000 trees and shrubs and several thousand flax every season, with a planned increase

PHOTO DAVID HALLETT

to almost 3000 trees and shrubs in the coming season. “The main planting effort will be at our Long Point Reserve in the Catlins, where habitat restoration improves hoiho nesting habitat, and contributes to general biodiversity.” Mainland/Fonterra is the trust’s founding sponsor, donating to the trust for 30 years. It’s believed that this is the longest sponsorship for an environmental organisation in the southern hemisphere. So, thanks dairy farmers!

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ASF brings uncertainty to global an With African Swine Fever (ASF) set to restrict global growth in animal proteins, New Zealand red meat producers can look forward to continued strong pricing for their beef and sheepmeat exports in the coming year, according to Rabobank. In its Global Animal Protein Outlook 2020, Rabobank said that while production growth was expected in most regions in 2020, “the impact of ASF in Asia overwhelms the outlook”, as China’s production losses exceed the growth in all other regions combined. Chinese pork production was expected to decline by a further 10 to 15 per cent from 2019 levels and, while less than the decline in 2019, the report said it will ensure 2020 production was well below the 201418 average, prior to the major ASF outbreak. Pulling down overall growth, ASF brings uncertainty to the global animal protein outlook alongside trade disputes, sustainability developments and the ongoing rise of alternative proteins. New Zealand Rabobank animal proteins analyst Blake Holgate said the pork supply gap created by ASF had been a key

Rabobank animal proteins analyst Blake Holgate says red meat producers can look forward to continued strong PHOTO SUPPLIED pricing.

factor in the surge of New Zealand beef exports into China during 2019, and this trend was set to extend into 2020. “Another significant jump in Chinese demand for New Zealand beef products is forecast over the next 12 months, further cementing China’s recently-acquired position as our largest export market for beef products. And, with this growth

continuing to put upward pressure on export returns, we expect to see farmgate pricing at levels equal to, or above, those received in 2019,” he said. “In the United States – our second largest market for beef – we also anticipate good returns in 2020 due to a combination of limited availability of New Zealand beef supplies and an expected easing of

the New Zealand dollar.” According to the report, New Zealand’s beef production was expected to increase marginally in 2020, lifting by about two per cent. On the sheepmeat front, New Zealand farmgate prices were forecast to remain at record levels, while production was set to increase slightly. “In-market pricing for New Zealand lamb is expected to remain firm in most key export markets during 2020 and any favourable movement in the exchange rate is likely to push export returns higher,” Holgate said. “As with beef production, we expect to see a very slight lift in New Zealand sheepmeat production with slaughter numbers in 2020 anticipated to increase to around 19 million head.” Despite the largely rosy outlook for New Zealand’s red meat producers, the report said freshwater and climate change reforms posed a key challenge for the sector in the year ahead, while the Brexit process looms as another potential downside risk which could result in reduced access to the UK/ EU market. Global outlook Expected strong increases in

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imal protein outlook animal protein production in both North America and Brazil would not be enough to offset the massive fall in pork production resulting from ASF, Holgate said. The report warned ASF was likely to spread to new countries in 2020, due to frequent shipments of feed and live animals – as well as the movement of people and equipment – across borders, but “we do not expect new countries to experience the same level of impact as China and Vietnam”. As such, the herd loss caused by ASF in 2020 was expected to be lower than in 2019, with recovery extending well into the 2020s. Holgate said that while ASF was the key contributor of uncertainty in global animal proteins markets, there was also uncertainty stemming from trade disputes, sustainability developments and the ongoing rise of alternative proteins. The growth of alternative proteins had the potential to impact animal protein markets. “Globally we’re seeing strong growth in meat alternatives, however, at this stage, they’re not stealing growth from animal protein and are instead adding to total protein consumption volumes,” Holgate said.

Blenheim sheep breeder Christina Jordan, with her southdown ewe and three lambs, judged supreme meat breed exhibit at the New Zealand Agricultural Show in Christchurch. At left, is runner-up, Ellesmere farmer Neville Greenwood, with his fourtooth poll dorset ram, earlier judged supreme champion for the breed. Sheepmeat prices are expected to remain at record PHOTO HEATHER CHALMERS levels, with production to increase slightly.

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BACK Farming

NECK PAIN?

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Then try a Teeter WHY INVERSION?

Because in most cases it works! Inversion Therapy is the oldest recorded medical cure for back issues, first recorded by Hippocrates in 400 BC, otherwise known as spinal traction. Traction was used by modern hospitals for many years however because it is a slow process and ties up hospital beds for many weeks, they recently stopped using the treatment. Inversion Therapy is gentle and relaxing if done properly and has many other benefits apart from relieving back pain, it helps realign the spine and pelvic area, loosens up tight muscles, increases oxygen to the brain, stimulates circulation and the lymphatic system and has many other benefits.

Inversion helps to: • Relieve Back Pain • Relieve Neck Pain • Relieve Muscle Tension • Stimulate Blood And Lymph Flow • Improve Posture • Increase Flexability

Inversion NZ have been teaching people how to use this treatment for over twelve years, it is an amazing process with most people getting off the Teeter pain free for the first time in years or with their pain substantially reduced. The relief usually lasts around 30 minutes to three hours and as the pain returns you use the machine again, after using this method of treatment, in a few weeks the relief increases, which is the discs starting to retain more fluid, muscles starting to loosen up and the body coming back into alignment. In our experience most people are pain free in around three months, then the Teeter is used daily to maintain the health of the body.

WHY TEETER?

Frank Harwood (84 at time of picture) using his Teeter, Frank’s been Inverting for over eleven years and has found it keeps him young

The biggest issue with inversion tables is there is no safety standards that need to be met. Because of this, other brands use mild steel for 100% of the metal involved. Mild steel is great for static loads, in other words things that don’t move such as chairs, tables etc, however with Inversion Therapy there is considerable movement and this movement causes mild steel to flex. Because it always flexes in the same place it eventually causes metal fatigue and can result in failure. All Teeters are manufactured for extreme safety. Heat treated high tensile steel has been used in all areas subjected to stress. High tensile steel is far stronger and most importantly does not flex. This means Teeters are the strongest and safest tables on the market today.

IT IS PURE LOGIC AS TO HOW THE TEETER TABLE WORKS

Discs:

It uses gravity to apply traction, the traction gently opens the discs and as they open up they create suction, this suction draws fluid from the surrounding tissue back into the discs, re-hydrating them. This is the key! Discs do not have their own blood supply, they rely on trans fer of fluid from the surrounding tissue to keep them healthy and hydrated and over the years as discs get thinner with age, they lose the ability to take on fluid (just like squeezing a sponge) and they start to de-hydrate.

Posture: Poor

posture is one of the major cases of pain and is a major contributor to the deterioration of the body with age. A difference in leg length causes most of the hip and knee issues, as they continue to place uneven loads on the joints; similar to the wheels out of alignment on your car. Trying to correct posture is extremely difficult due to muscle memory, as it constantly pulls the muscles back to where they were. At a level of 40 degrees or more on the Teeter, the muscle groups open up and eventually come back into alignment, using the table daily, does not allow the muscle memory to pull them back out of alignment and slowly the muscles start to lose their memory and go with the flow, allowing the body to come back into correct posture. Then using the table once a day will ensure it is kept there.

De-Hydrated discs are less flexible, they are harder, more prone to injury, they interfere with nerve roots creating pain and ultimately the de-hydration causes degen eration. The Teeter Inversion table slowly and gently brings the hydration back into the discs, plumping them up. It separates the nerve roots far more effectively and This is pure logic, if a machine is out of returns quality of life

Muscles: A lot of pain is muscular, when

muscles are stressed they become tight which restricts the flow of blood and lymph through the muscles so toxins build up, Co2 and Lactic Acid. Traction opens up the muscles, Rhythmic Traction, is a gentle rocking motion that stimulates circulation and encourages blood flow through the muscles, which clears the lactic acid into your lymph system where it stimulates lymph flow and deals with it. Most people with serious neck issues see a large improvement after only one treatment.

alignment it does not last long, the only difference between the body and a machine is that the body is constantly repairing itself, however if the wear and tear on the body is greater than the body’s ability to repair itself, it is a slow decline. The Teeter slowly brings the body out of its decline and allows the body to repair itself, resulting in a far healthier life.

If you are serious about investing in your health and really sorting your issues out, come see us at one of our local roadshows, you have nothing to lose and chances are, a lot to gain.

RANGIORA Fernside Memorial Hall

287 O'Roarkes Road Sat 7 December 10am - 4pm

Inversion NZ Ltd

0800 62 62 83

www.inversionnz.co.nz

Our Back Pain Expos We host a number of back pain expos throughout the country almost every weekend, these expos are a way for people to try out a Teeter Inversion Table and feel the benefits for themselves in a way that is instructive and informative. It is also a great way for people who already own a Teeter to come along and get a refreshment course on the use and operation of their Table and clear any questions they have about it. Sessions run continuously from 11am to 4pm and there are no bookings required, just come along at a time that suits you. There may be a wait during certain times and in these instances chairs are set out for anyone waiting for a turn, or anyone who just wants to ask us a few questions. We strive to cover the entire country and always try to book the most accessible venues we can. All our upcoming shows in the region are listed in the bar below, otherwise check out our website for more

www.inversionnz.co.nz/agenda

LINCOLN Lincoln Community Care

16 Lyttelton Street Sun 8 December 10am - 4pm

Inversion NZ Ltd

0800 62 62 83