Guardian Farming October 2020 by Ashburton Guardian

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Wednesday, OctOber 28, 2020

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Wednesday, October 28, 2020

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GUARDIAN

EDITORIAL COMMENT

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PAGE 21-28 FARM MACHINERY EXPO

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ew freshwater regulations are frontof-mind for farmers, judging by the turnout at an Ashburton meeting organised by Federated Farmers. A lack of input from the agricultural community during the development of the regulations is clearly evident; they are obviously rules written by bureaucrats, creating arbitrary rules like dates for resowing after winter grazing so boxes can be ticked. Farmers are right to point out the rules’ shortcomings but need to be careful they are not just seen as complaining farmers by the general public. Urban people with no farming background or understanding interpret these criticisms as farmer unwillingness to make progress. They fail to see the distinction that farmers are taking steps to reduce their environmental impact but are frustrated and angry at unworkable and prescriptive rules which don’t allow for geographical and climate variations and the practicalities of day-to-day farming. The political messaging coming from the government doesn’t help, failing to acknowledge the work farmers have already done and giving the impression that farmers have operated largely free of rules until now. It is not just farmers, but also regional councils – who by law are required to implement the rules – that are daunted by the prospect. Environment Canterbury has already spent $50 to $60 million developing management plans for 10 water zones across its region in conjunction with the community and

Heather Chalmers

RURAL REPORTER

stakeholders. It will now have to spend at least half as much money again overlaying the new national rules, with no guarantee this will make any difference to progress on water quality. The West Coast Regional Council estimates that it will cost it millions of dollars and much more staff, resourcing and monitoring to implement the new regulations, such as remapping wetlands. The West Coast’s high rainfall also requires particular farm management such as stand-off pads, not catered for in the one-size-fits-all regulations. Many existing farm practices may now require a resource consent, with no certainty these will be granted. This uncertainty and the speed of implementation is heaping further stress on people in what has been a difficult year for everybody. This issue includes some examples of the rural community going beyond what is required by regulation to improve their environment, not just because they have to, but because they want to.

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HV Water’s chief executive Mel Brooks knows from firsthand experience that irrigation schemes are often misunderstood. “When I first took on this role, and when I mention that I work for an irrigation company, people often look at me like I have the plague. “One of my close friends accused me of facilitating pollution, so we had quite an interesting conversation about that.” These days, irrigation companies are not just about delivering water, but ensuring their farmer-shareholders are

Heather Chalmers

JOURNALIST

meeting their environmental compliance, Brooks said. “Irrigation does not equal pollution. Poor farming practice is the problem and our farmers have already made considerable investment in improvements on farm, but we recognise we have more work to do. continued over page

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From P3 “It is not just a rural problem. Water quality is a problem for all of us to solve,” Brooks told a Blinc seminar at Lincoln University. Irrigation is not new on the Canterbury plains with trials in the 1880s proving its benefits for agriculture. Despite high expectations, it took the massive unemployment of the 1930s depression to provide the catalyst for the government to build the Rangitata Diversion Race (RDR) across the Mid Canterbury plains. The 67km canal takes 30 cumecs of water from the Rangitata River to the Rakaia River under gravity, passing through two power stations. The irrigation schemes

“

all farmers within the scheme. “That materially changed what we do as an irrigation scheme. “Up until five years ago we finished at the farm gate. Now we are focused on working with farmers to achieve best practice, rather than just delivering water.” One-on-one meetings are held with farmer-shareholders every year to discuss aspects of their farm environment plans such as nutrients, irrigation, cultivation and soils, effluent and waterbodies. “Every time a manager changes on a farm they need to come along to a workshop with us around our expectations for environmental compliance and water management.” Farmers not meeting

Irrigation does not equal pollution. Poor farming practice is the problem and our farmers have already made considerable investment in improvements on farm, but we recognise we have more work to do

flowing from the RDR were bought from the Ministry of Works by farmers in the 1990s, with the Mayfield Hinds and Valetta schemes merging in June 2017 to form MHV Water. Ten years ago, all MHV water was delivered by open race, with each off-take manually operated. “Farmers were delivered water every fortnight, whether they needed it or not as the nature of our soils means we are never more than two weeks away from drought. “Our job was just about delivering water.” However, MHV Water and other irrigation schemes are now taking responsibility for their farmer-shareholders’ environmental compliance, managing permits to operate and nutrient discharge consents for

compliance are given “wraparound support” to fix the issue. Delivering water to more than 50,000 hectares of farmland, MHV Water has 320km of open race and about 100km of piped infrastructure. It also has three storage reservoirs at Carew covering 150 hectares and holding 6.3 million cubic metres of water. In the last year or so $3.5 million has been spent on replacing manual control gates on off-takes with solar-powered automatic gates and pond level sensors. “Ten years ago when it was all manual gates it was more of an art than a science.” Of MHV Water’s 206 shareholders, 72 per cent are dairy farmers, 26 per cent dairy support with the remainder

www.guardianonline.co.nz arable and other land uses. Farmers had invested a significant amount of money in the scheme’s infrastructure, Brooks said. “Some of our district councils might learn something from the way farmers have approached the investment in water infrastructure and have continued to maintain and grow this to meet the needs of a changing environment.” Only about 3 per cent of the scheme now remains in borderdyke (flood) irrigation with the remainder all converted to more efficient spray. “These are corners and edges that are tricky to put spray on and I am not pushing for these to be changed,” Brooks said. MHV Water covers the Hinds water catchment which faces tough regulations to reduce its elevated nitrogen concentrations in groundwater and spring-fed streams. Under Environment Canterbury rules, farmers in the Hinds water catchment must reduce their nitrate discharge by 36 per cent by 2035. This was under a target of 6.9mg a litre of nitrate-nitrogen for rivers, based on 80 per cent protection of aquatic life. Under new freshwater rules introduced in September the bottom line for rivers is now 2.4mg/l, based on 95 per cent protection. MHV invests in a comprehensive groundwater and surface water monitoring programme across the Hekeao Hinds plains and has employed senior hydrogeologist Justin Legg to take and analyse groundwater samples. “While our scheme covers 50 per cent of the Hinds plains, we want to know what is happening over the whole area.” More testing was done in areas with high nitrate levels such as the well-known Tinwald hot spot. Farmers were funding this monitoring as they wanted

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to know what was happening. In the most recent round of sampling the average nitratenitrogen concentration for the scheme catchment was 8.89mg a litre, but like all averages there are some wells that peak higher and some that are far lower than the average, Brooks said. “We focus on groundwater as well as surface water as a lot of springs feed the lowland streams and drains which then feed the rivers or the ocean.” Groundwater samples taken between September 2019 and September this year show nitrate levels tracking down from 10.16 to 8.86mg a litre. “It is great we

“

It is not just a rural problem. Water quality is a problem for all of us to solve

are getting a reduction. I hope it is the start of a trend, but we need to continue to collect information. “When we have a dry season, which we have had this year, we typically see a reduction in the nitrate in groundwater because rain flushes it through the soil profile.” The catchment is home to the Hinds/Hekeao Managed Aquifer Recharge project, the first of its type in New Zealand. While groundwater in the catchment was previously unintentionally diluted by the run-off from borderdyke irrigation, 500 litres a second is now being purposefully fed through 17 recharge sites in the district. This is already replenishing declining groundwater levels and decreasing nitrate concentrations. “MAR is about dealing with legacy issues. It is not a silver bullet. It is not something that we can do and then keep on farming the same. It is to be used in conjunction with on-farm changes and improvements. “The degradation that happened in our waterways didn’t happen overnight and nor will the solution.” Dairy cow wintering was a challenge in terms of achieving nitrogen leaching reductions, but getting rid of any

one industry was not a solution, Brooks said. “I think you will see farmers having different income streams from their farms. “We don’t care what type of farm they operate, as long as they do it well and operate within the regulations.” In terms of the freshwater reforms, Brooks said everyone wanted to achieve improved environmental outcomes for water quality. Brooks believes that most of the new requirements are achievable within the MHV catchment area, apart from the 2.4mg/l bottom line for rivers. “The 6.9mg/l target was achievable, but a stretch, but 2.4 is very problematic.” While the Rangitata River’s big flows meant it is less than 1mg/l, the main issue is the Hinds catchment’s lowland drains. “The challenge with the reforms is that it looks for a broadbrush approach across New Zealand.” This was in contrast to Environment Canterbury which has designated 10 water zones for the region, each with different challenges and solutions. “The way they have gone about it has done more to undermine improvements in environmental outcomes than any other legislation in the last 10 years. The submissions process was flawed on so many levels. “If you want to get change and bring people on board you have got to do it together,” Brooks said.

Far left – MHV Water has three storage reservoirs at Carew covering 150 hectares and holding 6.3 million PHOTO SUPPLIED cubic metres of water. Left – MHV Water chief executive Mel Brooks says irrigation companies are not just about delivering water PHOTO ASHBURTON GUARDIAN these days.

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Irrigation has made all the difference Heather Chalmers

JOURNALIST

he arrival of irrigation water on the Whillans family farm in Mid Canterbury three years ago has enabled them to diversify into more highvalue specialist crops as well as significantly improve their environmental footprint. The Ruapuna farm was dryland until MHV Water put a pipeline into the area, higher up the plains than the irrigation scheme’s original catchment area. David Whillans said that for about 10 years before the water arrived the property was predominantly used for winter grazing of dairy cows. “The highest returning crop that we could grow under dryland was winter feed, so we grew kale.” Since moving to irrigation they were able to operate a diverse mixed cropping business. This had resulted in significant

Irrigation has transformed the farm of David Whillans, with his children Charlotte, George (top of steps) PHOTO SUPPLIED and Angus.

reductions in nitrogen losses compared with the previous farm operating model. “We have been able to access contracts to grow specialist seed crops such as chrysanthemum

and mustard which were not previously available to us. “The turnover of the business has grown and enabled us to employ a couple of staff on the farm where previously it was

just an owner/operator business. “We also use a raft of local contractors, agricultural supply and service businesses in Mid Canterbury. “The economics of our

business are much more predictable and stable year-onyear versus the original dryland farm operation,” Whillans said. The farm now winters a smaller number of dairy cows, as well as grazing dairy heifers and finishing bulls. It has also expanded its cropping operation, growing cereals and small seeds. The farm’s five centre pivot irrigators can be controlled by mobile phone, particularly handy as Whillans fits in his farm work around his role as Westpac Canterbury area agribusiness manager. “The technology behind the irrigators and the link between them and the soil moisture information is amazing and it just keeps developing.” Annual leave is taken on the farm. “Some people go on holiday, I go farming.” His wife Rebecca Whillans also has an off-farm role as general manager of Ashburton Lyndhurst Irrigation. The MHV scheme provided ongoing support and development through various training programmes and events such as the nitrogen-reduction trade show run in conjunction with other irrigation schemes, Whillans said.

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We need to live within our means W

ell the election is done and dusted with an outcome that probably is no surprise to anyone. Covid-19 has dominated our news, our lives, our freedoms and our futures for the past nine months and it has dominated the political landscape. Congratulations to Jo Luxton on becoming MP for Rangitata. Jo has worked hard to build her profile over the past three years and now holds the privilege and responsibility for being the voice of the Rangitata constituency in Parliament for this term. Well done Jo. While our lives and the political message has been dominated by Covid-19 for the past nine months, this is far from over. While the borders remain closed and we continue to play a game of “whack a mole” in pursuit of the elimination of Covid-19, we in many ways have not even begun the task of rebuilding our nation economically. I am not debating the merits of elimination or suggesting that the various wage subsidy and business support schemes were not appropriate or needed, albeit that some of the spending has seemed a bit free and loose. However, many of these subsidy

David Clark

President of MC Federated Farmers

programmes are nearing their end and our borders remain closed. The outbreak amongst a group of Russian fishermen in managed isolation in Christchurch would suggest that opening the borders to tourism, business travel, or overseas staff is going to be a process fraught with difficulty with an indefinite timeframe so long as the virus freely circulates elsewhere in the world and we stand steadfast with the elimination goal. The end result of this is that the borders are not going to be open to international tourists for some considerable time. So, given that the tourism season is primarily November to April, we actually haven’t yet seen the true hit to what was popularly touted as (arguably) the largest single source of foreign earnings for New Zealand. Any business or household must learn to live within its

Jo Luxton

means. It has a budget to balance and cannot sustainably borrow without limit to provide for today’s wants. It must work out what skills or products others are willing to pay for to provide that income. A government is no different. I have watched with disdain as all political parties tried to out-spend and out-promise each other. I would contend that we are being sheltered from the reality of the post-Covid-19 New Zealand economy and are borrowing the taxes of our grandchildren to buy today’s groceries and paint today’s political vanity.

At some point, hopefully very soon, we need to work out what goods and services we can sell to the rest of the world and what natural and human resources we have to generate that income. Primarily, this country’s economic strength and fundamental source of foreign earnings comes from the production and sale of food and fibre products to the rest of the world. Prior to the election, regulations were rushed through Cabinet rewriting the NPS and NES on freshwater and environment. It is contended by the agricultural sector that those rules are largely unworkable, unachievable, and set unrealistic timeframes even for the standards that could be achieved. Regional councils suggest that hundreds of millions of dollars will need to be spent on writing the bureaucracy to give effect to the new rules. Many farmers face the realisation that production will decrease significantly to meet the limits imposed and, importantly, confidence to invest will be strangled. As a backdrop to Covid-19 devastating the tourism sector and significantly compromising hospitality and retail spending, we have a residential housing

An Education for Life

market that is absolutely going to the races currently. Well not just going to the races, but nearly paralytic on the bubbly, one shoe on, his tie hanging loose and one broken strap on her dress. Interest rates are heading for under 2 per cent and the party is humming. When house prices in some suburbs in Auckland have gone up $400,000 since lockdown and folk are buying new cars and boats on tick comforted by the wealth effect of increasing house prices, it all starts to look like an asset bubble. We all just got a bit carried away back in the 1980s with asset bubbles and lost sight of what we actually did here in New Zealand to earn our income. We also elected a progressive Labour Government for a second term and everything just went a bit sad-faced after that for a while. The nation has spoken and given Jacinda Ardern and her party a majority in Parliament. We all need to trust and hope that the team she has around her are up to the task and we focus on what we do here in New Zealand to earn our income and we focus on living within our means as we work our way back to prosperity.

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26% dip for sheep and beef farmers S

heep and beef farmers’ incomes will drop 26 per cent this season as Covid-19 global market uncertainty hits red meat export prices. According to Beef + Lamb NZ’s (B+LNZ) outlook, the challenging environment is predicted to cause a decline in both sheepmeat and beef export receipts in 2020-21. The outlook forecasts lamb export receipts to decline by almost 15 per cent and sheepmeat co-products to decline by around 8 per cent compared to the 2019-20 season. Beef and veal export revenue is forecast to decline by 9 per cent on 2019-20. The uncertainty in the export market will be reflected in farmgate prices and subsequent farm profitability, B+LNZ’s chief economist Andrew Burtt said. The outlook predicts that the average farm profit before tax on sheep and beef farms in New Zealand will fall 26 per cent to average $115,100 this season. B+LNZ’s chief insights officer Jeremy Baker said the uncertain global picture reinforced the need for stable and predictable domestic regulation to avoid putting further pressure on the red meat sector at a time when its export receipts are critical

Both sheepmeat and beef export prices are forecast to be down this season.

to the New Zealand economic recovery. “Despite the challenges, red meat exports are predicted to be greater than $9 billion and will represent more than 17 per cent of New Zealand’s total export receipts,” Baker said. Burtt said much of the predicted profit decline was a result of Covid-19, drought impacting production and increasing competitiveness in key beef export markets. “This outlook sets the scene for

PHOTO SUPPLIED

a challenging year. Farmers will tightly control expenditure and focus on what can be optimised behind the farm gate to make the most of the season and be best placed for the next. “While there is uncertainly, there are solid underlying market fundamentals that will continue to support demand for New Zealand sheepmeat and beef exports. “Average export values are expected to be supported by the positive market fundamentals,

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and are forecast at similar levels, or slightly above, five-year averages. “China’s demand for meat protein continues to be fuelled by pork shortages that have resulted from African Swine Fever (ASF), and there is growing demand for high quality, nutritionally rich proteins. A shifting consumer preference towards food safety will also support demand for New Zealand sheepmeat and beef,” Burtt said. The trading environment will

also face ongoing uncertainty around key trade negotiations. Brexit outcomes and the relationship between the US and China will have an influence on dynamics in the new season. Wool returns are forecast to remain depressed, with shearing expenses still on the rise. With all these factors combined, gross farm revenue is expected to decline. The weighted average lamb farm-gate price is forecast to be between $6.20 and $7.15 per kg with a midpoint of $6.65/kg, which is down 10 per cent on 2019-20. Despite the decline, the midpoint forecast price is still above the five-year average. The annual average mutton price for the 2020-21 season is forecast at $4.15 to $4.85/kg with a midpoint of $4.47/kg, a decline of 9 per cent on the 2019-20 estimate of $4.90/kg. At an exchange rate of $US0.66, the estimated 2020-21 average annual price for P steer/ heifer (270-295kg) is $5.15/kg. It is forecast to average $3.64/ kg for M cow (170-195kg), which includes a large component of cull dairy cows, and $4.80/kg for M bull (270 to 295kg). The estimate for the overall auction wool price is down 20 per cent on 2019-20.

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‘We will turn this juggernaut around’ Heather Chalmers

JOURNALIST

hile many farmers are feeling overwhelmed by the likely impacts of the government’s freshwater reforms on their business, Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard says he is optimistic “that we will turn this juggernaut around”. Speaking at a Federated Farmers’ meeting on the reforms in Ashburton, Hoggard said the regulations were not even operative when Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor had to change them. “I do not ever recall a piece of legislation or regulation where this has happened.” Rules to exclude stock from waterways were quite different to the original intent indicated in Cabinet minutes, which made them challengeable in court. O’Connor had already signalled that post-election he would be making changes. “Government rushed it in so they could have a piece of legislation in place before the election and have come up with a dog. Whoever is elected will have to spend time to make the regulations workable and practical.” The impacts were the most obvious for Canterbury, Otago and Southland farmers, hit by stringent intensive winter grazing requirements and a 190kg a hectare synthetic

Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard (left) and Mid Canterbury president David Clark say work already done by farmers to improve water quality hasn’t been recogPHOTO HEATHER CHALMERS nised.

nitrogen cap. There were also huge implications for agricultural support businesses. “Can we really support this, particularly in a Covid-19 world,” Hoggard said. The general public were under the misconception that there were no rules for farmers. “They don’t understand what we have been going through for the last 10 years in terms of rules and requirements for regional councils and processors.” The federation was considering doing a costbenefit analysis of the regulations in conjunction with other parties. The farmer lobby group was also highlighting the case for a review of land deemed

‘low slope’ for the purposes of stock exclusion from waterways. Federation principal advisor David Cooper said extensive areas of hill and high country pastoral land was impacted because of the inaccuracy of maps and the regulations. While government analysis of low slope maps showed the regulation would cost $1.1 billion, the federation estimated that the extra land captured would lift this to an estimated $4.4b. “So the regulations don’t match what was intented by Cabinet, or was costed.” The Ministry for the Environment was committed to changing the maps in about six months, Cooper said. The federation was also calling for winter grazing

to be managed under farm environmental plans, rather than resource consents. Meanwhile, sheep and beef confidence has dropped to the lowest recorded level since August 2017, according to a survey by Beef + Lamb NZ. The survey by UMR Research found less than half (46 per cent) of farmers were confident in the future of New Zealand’s sheep and beef industry compared with 58 per cent in May. The southern South Island experienced the largest fall in confidence at 32 per cent (down 27 per cent) followed by the central South Island at 42 per cent (down 19 per cent) and eastern North Island at 50 per cent (down 16 per cent). B+LNZ chairman Andrew Morrison said that sheep and

beef farmers were increasingly concerned at the speed and scale of government-led reforms. “We are hearing that a key factor behind the fall in confidence is the government’s recent essential freshwater rules, but also concerns about the cumulative impact of law changes in the last couple of years such as the Zero Carbon Bill and changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme that has led to a surge in the conversion of sheep and beef farms into carbon farms. “Farmers are concerned the policy settings in areas such as freshwater and proposals on biodiversity are not workable or practical at a farm level, nor will they necessarily lead to better environmental outcomes,” Morrison said.

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Recharge tap ready to be turned on Heather Chalmers

JOURNALIST

project to help recharge the Selwyn River in Central Canterbury during dry spells is now operational, even if the “tap” hasn’t had to be turned on yet. The Selwyn Near River Recharge project, near Hororata, aims to avoid a repeat of the 2014-16 drought when the river ran dry in its lower reaches. Instead it will now be augmented with water from the Rakaia River when needed. Environment Canterbury Selwyn NRR project leader Dr Brett Painter said that studying the river system for many years as a researcher at Lincoln University had given him a good understanding of the stress it was under in dry spells. “We have a lot of aquatic life in good times, but a lot of death during dry times.” Coe’s Ford and Chamberlain’s Ford in the Selwyn River are also popular recreational spots. “During the 2014-16 drought, the Selwyn River stopped flowing at Coe’s Ford. That was quite a dramatic moment for people who are used to going there and being able to swim.” Weather patterns have brought rain to the Selwyn foothills, which meant the Selwyn River has been flowing near the recharge site. This means, in essence, that the river is “doing its job”, flowing downstream and recharging groundwater without the need for targeted stream augmentation. However, this won’t always be the case; changing climate patterns are likely to bring longer dry spells to the Canterbury Plains and foothills. “It will only be used in particular conditions, when the river system needs water and water is available from the Rakaia River. We haven’t had that need yet,” Painter said. The scheme is believed to be the largest NRR project in the world specifically focused on the environmental, cultural and recreational values the river system supports. The Selwyn NRR project cost around $2.8 million dollars, funded by ECan and the Ministry for the Environment’s Freshwater Improvement Fund, with Central Plains Water providing in-kind support. The project uses up to 3.5 cumecs (3500 litres a second) of water taken from a high-pressure pipe carrying water from the Rakaia through the Central Plains Water irrigation scheme, which passes the site. Central Plains has a consent to take this water from the Rakaia,

Above – The Selwyn Near River Recharge project near Hororata aims to prevent the river running dry in drought years, helping the survival of aquatic life. Left – Environment Canterbury project leader Dr Brett Painter talks to pupils from nearby Greendale School about creating habitats to encourage native wildlife. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

but only when it meets minimum flow conditions. “It is really important that we are not robbing from one river to feed another when both rivers are under stress. This is not what this is about. This is a bigger river helping a smaller river,” Painter said. The water enters a valve house where the water is slowed down before being discharged into a large – and leaky – basin. An overflow channel is located at the far end of the basin. From the basin and overflow channel, the water percolates into the groundwater system, recharging the aquifer and eventually reappearing in the springs in the lower Hororata River – home to the endangered kowaro/Canterbury mudfish – and the lower Selwyn River, enhancing flow at the Chamberlains Ford and Coes Ford recreation areas. In this way, the project mimics and enhances the effect of the

river itself, which naturally runs dry as it loses its flow to groundwater. The 37-hectare recharge site was previously a pine plantation. Painter said there was significant potential to create a large dryland ecosystem at the site, with planting under way for a multi-layer totara forest on the 5ha already cleared. “So it will make a significant green dot for birds as we gradually replace the pines with natives.” Rock piles located around the site have created an ideal lizard habitat. “That is what lizards love, to be warmed up by sun reflecting off stones.” Lizard food species trees have also been planted nearby. “We know there are lizards in the surrounding gorse and riverbed area and we expect them to move into their new home.” Pupils at nearby Greendale School have adopted the site as a living laboratory through

the Enviroschools programme. The students have been studying river recharge, predator management, native species and their habitats, and the site provides an ideal space for them to see conservation in action. “So they have a huge outdoor classroom just down the road.” While the Selwyn project would draw comparisons with the Hinds/Hekeao Managed Aquifer Recharge project in Mid Canterbury, the two had different aims, with the Hinds project focused on reducing nitrate concentrations in groundwater. Selwyn had only one recharge site, while Hinds had 17 sites to date, placed in areas with high nitrate readings. Recharge volumes were lower at Hinds, totalling 500 litres a second. As the Selwyn catchment flowed into Lake Te Waihora/ Ellesmere, which can’t always be opened to the sea when full, there was the risk that groundwater could back up and flood in the

lower plains, so the flow was only augmented when required. In the Hinds catchment there was no risk of flooding because of the lower volumes and multiple drains and springs flowing to the sea. Since the first MAR project started at Hinds four years ago, a small project got under way at Waimakariri and a Hurunui project is planned. Elsewhere in New Zealand MAR projects are also under way in Gisborne and Hawkes Bay. “What we have learned from the Hinds MAR is that water travelling though the soil on farms takes many decades to find its way into the groundwater system. While changes taking place on farms are important to halt the increase in nitrate, it will take some time for those changes to be seen. “The MAR project has shown it can greatly increase the speed of rehabilitation of the groundwater system,” Painter said.

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WEST COAST AGFEST FEATURE

Coast AgFest bigger and better than ever B

eing forced to postpone because of Covid-19 restrictions has had a silver lining for the organisers of the West Coast’s AgFest, with the rescheduled event now 25 per cent bigger than what was initially planned for March. Farmlands AgFest will open its gates at

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the Greymouth Aerodrome on November 13 to 14, Canterbury anniversary weekend. The one-off change of date aims to provide an alternative option for the rural community, following the cancellation of this year’s New Zealand Agricultural Show in Christchurch, as well as other events. “We are pretty excited about all the new exhibitors that have come on board, not just from the West Coast, but from around the South Island and some from the North Island,” co-owner Andy Thompson said. continued over page

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From P11 The biennial event was postponed in March due to the Covid-19 lockdown. As other agricultural events were cancelled due to ongoing restrictions, the opportunity to shift the event to spring means thousands of people can attend the first major agricultural event re-confirmed for 2020. Into its fifth year, Farmlands Agfest has grown into the largest agricultural event on the West Coast with 15,000 visitors through the gates at the last event. Farmlands has supported AgFest since its induction in 2012 and became naming sponsor in 2014. Farmlands chief executive Peter Reidie said he was thrilled to support the return of live agricultural events to provincial New Zealand. “Spring is a busy time for farmers and a weekend away on the West Coast is a great opportunity to refresh and relax. We are proud to support Farmlands AgFest and congratulate the organisers for adapting to the current challenges all businesses face.” Thompson said that after a challenging, uncertain year, Farmlands AgFest provides a chance for businesses to reward loyal customers. “Visitors will be treated to an upgraded venue, the latest in on-farm technology, farm machinery, expert advice

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WEST COAST AGFEST FEATURE

Left – A creative gumboot competition, a regular fixture of AgFest, is always popular. PHOTO SUPPLIED

and much more. “Farmlands AgFest is proud to play a part in supporting the West Coast economy and giving back to the local community. The event will provide a great chance to reconnect with friends and exhibitors,” Thompson said. By scheduling the event for Canterbury anniversary weekend, it also hoped to

attract Canterbury people that would normally attend the Christchurch A&P Show. “We know that Cantabrians do like to come to the West Coast on a long weekend. With the Christchurch Show being cancelled this year, it is an opportunity to spend a few days on the coast, going to AgFest one day and sightseeing the

other days.” While it was a traditional agricultural field day event, it also doubled as a trade show for the West Coast, so included a lot of retail sites, Thompson said. “We have two pavilions that are just for retail, as well as other stalls dotted around the grounds. These cover everything from hunting gear to jewellery and kitchen appliances to barbecues.” A women’s pavilion will offer the latest in homewares, education, skincare, fashion, food and more, while other pavilions are farm based. The event also includes carnival rides, including a ferris wheel, with entertainment provided by the Topp Twins. In a first for AgFest, aspiring chefs can participate in an AgChef competition, following a similar format to television’s Masterchef. AgChef, held in conjunction with Tai Poutini Polytechnic, is open to all cooks at any level from anywhere. Two preliminary events will be held prior to AgFest to determine the finalists who will compete on the main stage on November 14 at 10.30am to produce a dish from a “mystery box” of ingredients. The winner takes home $2000 worth of

prizes and the glory of being judged top chef for the event. AgChef is judged by TPP culinary arts tutor Bradley Stanger, Greymouth foodie Lisa O’Brien and Linda Connors, formerly of Buccleughs on High. A creative gumboot competition, a regular fixture of AgFest, is always popular. A Beef + Lamb NZ food and fibre discovery challenge aims to provide a fun way for people to discover career pathways and jobs within the sector and connect with training options and employers. The revised November date had been made available by the postponement of the NZ Agricultural show and was a one-off change with AgFest reverting to a March or April timeframe in 2022. AgFest started in 2012 in Hokitika, holding three events before outgrowing its venue and moving to Greymouth in 2018. Held every two years, it was held in the alternative year to the South Island Agricultural Field Days in Central Canterbury. Tickets are available online at www.agfest.co.nz. Entry for adults is $15, school age children $5, with under-fives free.

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Early drought dangers surfacing

outh Canterbury and North Otago farmers are concerned they are on the precipice of a drought. NIWA’s latest hotspot report showed the driest soils in the South Island and both winter and spring had so far failed to deliver meaningful rain. The Ministry for Primary Industries said the Waimate and Waitaki districts had received little rain since autumn and pasture covers are low for this time of year. MPI’s rural communities and farming support director, Nick Story, said farmers were feeding out grain, destocking and looking for alternative grazing. Meetings had been held with farmers to discuss drought management strategies, share information and offer support, he said. “They were in Kurow and Waihaorunga recently and were organised by the local Dry Monitoring Group. The group is made up of farmers and representatives from MPI, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Federated Farmers, DairyNZ and the Rural Support Trust.” Federated Farmers’ South Canterbury president, Jason Grant, said farmers hoped decent rainfall between now and Christmas would turn the situation around. He said if that didn’t happen, summer would be very challenging. “We’ve had one of the driest winters on record and we’re always hoping for those spring rains to come through and get us back on track, but they just haven’t really eventuated.” NIWA meteorologist Chris Brandolino

said the dry theme has been troublesome and there’s more to come. “Rainfall will be normal or below normal for the rest of the year for the South Island, except for the West coast which will be below normal. We really need rain from the heavens to get into the ground, because that limits the irrigation but also replenishes the streams and rivers so that there is water there.” Grant said with the dry weather hitting so early, farmers were missing the chance to build up feed reserves. “People normally try and grow a bit of a surplus at this time of the year just so they can make those feed reserves.” Waimate Mayor Craig Rowley said it was tough for the community. “A drought can be quite devastating, we are an agriculture support town so we rely on our farmers in the district.” He said it was “quite unusual”. “If you drive through the town, it looks green and lush, but as soon as you get into those foothills it is very dry, so it will have an effect on a large number of farmers in the area.” Rowley encouraged farmers to use the rural support services on 0800 RURAL HELP or 0800 787 254. A range of support services are available to help farmers complete a feed budget or source alternative feed. They include a feed planning service run by Beef + Lamb New Zealand and DairyNZ and MPI’s feed co-ordination service. -RNZ

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Chasing the best possible outcomes A

project aimed at adopting more variable minimum flows in drains on both sides of the Hinds River aims to achieve the best outcomes for both farming and aquatic life. While the project was focused on Boundary Drain, just south of the Hinds River, it could be extended to other drains if successful, Hinds Drains Working Party chairman Craig Fleming said. Drains in the area lost a lot of their flow, particularly in the irrigation season, after farmers on the community irrigation schemes higher up the plains switched from borderdyke (flood) to more efficient spray irrigation. Set up in 2014, the working party surveyed the minimum flows of all the drains from the Rangitata River to the Ashburton River. This showed that between 2015 and 2017, the drains were on irrigation restrictions about 50 per cent of the time between November and January. Minimum flows of 150 litres a second were set in the early 1990s, a figure agreed to after farmers sat around the table with Fish and Game and Environment Canterbury representatives, Fleming said.

Hinds Drains Working Party chairman Craig Fleming (right) outlines a project trialling variable minimum flows on the Boundary Drain. The drain flows through the property of Lowcliffe farmer Angus McKenzie (left), before flowing out to sea PHOTO HEATHER CHALMERS at Wairuna Lagoon.

“We were all happy at the time as we had big flows in the drains coming off the borderdyke area, but this has now changed.” The Boundary Drain was three years into a five-year project operating at a variable minimum flow which altered from 100 litres a second up

to 300 litres a second for six months of the year. This was aimed at achieving the best outcomes for both irrigating farmers and the fish and invertebrates living in the drain. One of the conditions of the consent was that a 25mm rainfall anytime in the

irrigation season would lead to a co-ordinated shutdown of pumping to enable a fresh of water to flow through the drain to encourage fish to move upstream. As part of the variable flow trial, monitoring of aquatic life is carried out by Fish and Game and ECan representatives. Fish diversity, fish abundance and aquatic habitat surveys are undertaken at least annually by Fish and Game. These surveys include electric fishing, ecological health assessments and trout spawning surveys. Invertebrate and algae monitoring by ECan is carried out for Boundary Drain at Trigpole Road and Lower Beach Road. Monthly water quality testing for factors such as nitrates is also done. It was hoped that increased flow variability, including fresh protection, would maintain or enhance fish migration and recruitment, fish spawning and fish habitat as well as having farm economic and cultural benefits. As the drains are largely uniform, rock weirs have been created in the Windermere and Deals drains in a project funded by Advance Ashburton to generate pools and ripples and

develop a more diverse habitat. Surveys had identified a lot of longfin and shortfin eels, bullies, galaxias and brown trout in the drain. Boundary Drain, which flows out to sea at Wairuna Lagoon, historically marked the boundary between Longbeach and Coldstream Estates. Drains totalling hundreds of kilometres in length were created to drain what was originally swamp, either flowing into the Hinds River, or directly to the sea. Since the trial had started there had been three wet seasons so minimum flow conditions hadn’t been tested, but this year was looking drier, Fleming said. “If the trial is successful then other drains in the catchment can look at implementing a similar management programme. “It’s our responsibility to make this work,” said Fleming, an arable and dairy farmer. Originally the Fleming family farm had relied on shallow wells and drains for irrigation, but had now mainly switched to pumping from deep wells. They had also given up consents for the Hinds River as it was too unreliable.

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FEATURE

New CEO at IrrigationNZ helm I

rrigationNZ has appointed Vanessa Winning as its new chief executive, following a restructuring of the organisation. Winning will be based in Wellington, after a decision to move its headquarters from Canterbury. IrrigationNZ has now adopted a two-pronged approach, focusing on advocacy at a national level as well as delivering value on the ground in the regions. It represents about 3500 members across the irrigation sector, including irrigation schemes, individual farmerirrigators and the irrigation service sector. IrrigationNZ chair Keri Johnston said the irrigation sector had much work ahead “to continue building public trust and bridge knowledge gaps about the benefits that

fair water management can bring to our communities and environment. We believe Vanessa is the right person to drive this. “Vanessa has the strategic vision to lead our sector in the right direction: she partners to achieve positive outcomes; has commercial experience to grow an effective organisation; understands the primary sector and has worked in it managing large teams; and can navigate the increasingly complex area of water management in New Zealand.” Winning said she saw much potential for water in New

Zealand. “It’s sensible harvesting, fair management, and pragmatic use for balanced outcomes across the economy, environment, and all of our communities, including mana whenua. I can’t wait to get stuck into the role.” Winning is a strategic executive leader with over 20 years’ experience in the agriculture, banking and corporate sectors with stakeholder management and engagement skills. Winning was most recently DairyNZ general manager farm performance, where she led a large team across the country to help farmers improve their businesses and reduce environmental impacts. Prior to DairyNZ, she spent 18 years in banking,

trade, product development, marketing and communications. She has a commerce degree in economics and management and a postgraduate degree in marketing. She just completed a contract for the Federation of Maori Authorities (FOMA) on a He Waka Eke Noa project. While a senior executive, Winning has given time to several ‘not-for-profits’. She is on the board of Surf Lifesaving New Zealand and, until recently, was on the board of the Institute of Primary Industry Management professionals. She was also on the organising committee of Ahuwhenua, and the Pasture Summit (a farmerled board focused on pasturebased farming).

In addition to appointing a new chief executive in Wellington, IrrigationNZ has established a new position of regional policy and planning manager, taken on by former chief executive Elizabeth Soal. Soal will represent and support members in regional planning changes following the roll-out of new freshwater regulations and amendments to the RMA. This role will assist members on the ground to understand these important changes, undertake advocacy and policy work at the regional level, support the chief executive’s national advocacy work by providing regional perspectives into national policy development, and work with stakeholders around developing regionally-led water infrastructure solutions.

IrrigationNZ’s new chief executive Vanessa PHOTO SUPPLIED Winning.

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Forever protected (Nga Kairauhi Papa) Heather Chalmers

JOURNALIST

or the first 16 years that Ian and Sue Thornton owned their dairy farm at Ealing on the north bank of the Rangitata River, they did nothing with an overgrown river terrace below their farm. “It was just a wilderness that we looked at over the edge,” Ian Thornton said. “It was a mass of willows, old man’s beard, gorse, broom and quite a bit of muehlenbeckia, which is a native, but quite an invasive climber.” Since 2016 they have worked to restore the braided river wetland, adjacent to State Highway 1, which now has a QEII National Trust covenant protecting the 3.4 hectare site. The wetland is one of 15 across Canterbury getting restoration support as part of a New Zealand Landcare Trustled project focused on managing wetlands as farm assets. About 90 per cent of wetlands throughout the country have been lost through drainage, land development and land use change. Environment Canterbury councillor and project chairman Ian Mackenzie told a field day at the Thornton farm that wetlands were a habitat most at threat of disappearing as they had traditionally been undervalued by landowners, particularly in a farming system. “We are wanting to turn that attitude around and get landowners to think of wetlands as an asset rather than a liability.” The 15 wetlands involved in the project were spread from Kaikoura to the Waitaki River and reflected different types of geography in Canterbury. When the project started there was some scepticism that sufficient wetlands would be found in Canterbury. Instead it had been “swamped” by landowners wanting assistance with restoring wetlands on their properties, Mackenzie said. “That is really exciting.” NZ Landcare Trust project manager Jo Buckner said that no one size fits all for wetlands. “Every one is different and has different needs. “Wetlands aren’t gardens. You are restoring an eco-system and it takes time. Often Mother Nature can do the heavy lifting for you and she might do it quite quickly if you let her.” Resources were available for those wanting to restore wetlands, she said. Ian Thornton said initially a bulldozer was used to make a track around the toe of the

Left – Ealing dairy farmer Ian Thornton (right), with Environment Canterbury councillor Ian Mackenzie who chairs a project encouraging people to consider wetlands as farm assets. Low rainfall means the wetland is drier than usual. Above – Mid Canterbury dairy farmers Ian and Sue Thornton overlooking the restored braided river wetland which was previously a wilderness of weeds on the north bank of the Rangitata River. Below – The wetland has a QEII National Trust covenant protecting the 3.4 PHOTOS ASHBURTON GUARDIAN hectare site.

terrace for about 300 metres, because about 25 years ago a big flood had wrecked the bottom end of the wetland and drained it. Shingle was moved to the area, with topsoil put back over the recreated berm and pond which now acts as a seal to contain the water and allow replanting. All the water is fed from natural springs. “There is normally a lot more water here, but the water table has dropped about 1m due to low rainfall.” The water level had started to come up again, which might be because of a recent rain, or possibly leakage from the MHV Water irrigation races which were again flowing for the season. The north bank of the Rangitata River is higher than the south bank so the water tended to go south when it flooded. The railway bridge, built in 1875, also acted as a natural barrier, which has

protected the wetland from the ravages of a flooded, braided river. About 2500 plants had been planted so far, but Thornton said some losses had occurred. Since using tree protectors it has been a lot easier to manage weed and pest control and it kept the hares away. “They seem to love the young ribbonwoods, cabbage trees and coprosma, but are not a fan of kanuka.” Possums and stoats were also pests. When the site was cleared by a digger, any remnant native plants were protected. Native plants were supplied by Peter Keller of Geraldine and were eco-sourced from seeds collected in the area. Natives are also naturally reseeding. A planting plan by Ines Stager had assisted with putting the right plants in the right areas. “Before the plan, I planted kanuka where it was too wet and carex where it was too dry.”

Involvement from Hinds School pupils and the Hinds Lions Club helped plant carex secta and toe-toe around the edge of the wetland, along with flax, pittosporum, kanuka, cabbage tree and coprosmas in the drier areas. The area was already attracting native birdlife, particularly fantails, grey warblers, kingfishers and shining cuckoo. Thornton said that going to Lincoln College had been a turning point as he had met his wife Sue and graduated with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science. For the next four years he worked for the Ministry of Agriculture in a dairy advisory role. Keen to get involved in farming, the couple got a job

in Kaikoura as 29 per cent sharemilkers and then at Orari as 50-50 sharemilkers. In 1989, they purchased 78ha at Ealing, gradually leasing then buying the entire 200ha farm. The Thorntons now farm irrigated dairy farms at Ealing and Hinds, totalling 475ha, which are managed by 50-50 sharemilkers. “One of the big strengths of the dairy industry is the sharemilking system, which brings youth and energy and all the latest and greatest into a great tiered system to farm ownership,” Thornton said. The farms have a dedicated workforce including Filipinos, two of whom had both been on the farm for more than 10 years and were now Kiwi citizens. Seeking to improve their environmental footprint, the farms were using oats and grass as catch crops after winter fodder beet crops to soak up surplus nitrogen which may be at risk of leaching. Irrigation efficiency had also been improved over the years from the original borderdyke (flood) irrigation, to laserlevelled wide borders and now centre pivot spray. The farms had received A grades for their Farm Environment Plans.

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Democracy spoke, deal with it

Craig Hickman

ELBOW DEEP @dairymanNZ

had intended to use this month’s column to look back at the three years which have passed since the farmer protests in Morrinsville and determine if a Labour/New Zealand First/ Greens Government was as scary as predicted. Events overtook me and clearly, since Labour won the party vote in all but four electorates, it wasn’t that scary at all. At the last election farming issues were front and centre in a highly divisive campaign that left farmers feeling kicked around like the proverbial political football.

At the heart of this division was the proposed water levy, a proposal that didn’t even make it past coalition negotiations, which generated a lot of heat while distracting from the real message David Parker was trying to push; freshwater reform. This election, in the wake of plummeting tax receipts and a higher than normal reliance on income from agricultural exports, every single political party was courting the farming vote. Even the Greens, whose policies make most farmers roll their eyes, were offering large amounts of money to the rural sector in order to ease the pain of adjusting to a world seen through Green eyes. The Government didn’t get a free ride on these issues, they’ve had a very high profile in the media, both nationally and locally, so how much damage did it cause them? The answer would be none. Traditional and primarily

rural National party strongholds like Canterbury, Waikato, Southland and Taranaki are no longer strongholds with Labour either winning the electorate vote or dramatically reducing National’s majority. I, and many others, thought the oil and gas ban and potential loss of high paying jobs in Taranaki would translate into a loss of support for Labour, instead Labour were rewarded with both the party and electorate vote in New Plymouth. The same can be said for the National Policy Statement on Freshwater, which contains arbitrary and in some cases unworkable rules around planting and grazing for Southland, yet that criticism had no effect and Labour also won the party vote there. On the flipside, National’s inability to articulate a clear alternative vision combined with infighting, leaking and frequent leadership changes caused them immense damage. Todd Muller

and Nikki Kaye staged a bloody coup to oust Simon Bridges, the likes of which hasn’t been seen in New Zealand politics since Jenny Shipley rolled Jim Bolger in 1997. National didn’t win the following election that time either. Obviously not all farmers gave Labour their vote, and some who did voted in the hope Labour would be in a position to govern without the Greens, but the fact remains Labour have been given an overwhelming mandate to move forward with their key policies. Jacinda Ardern made it very clear in her speech that she will seek consensus for “the benefit of all New Zealanders” and throughout the campaign Labour have announced incredibly centrist policies. I’ve been accused on social media of living the good life and being able to take it easy because I farm on the Canterbury Plains rather than in Southland where the perceived goal is to eradicate farming.

The truth is we’ve been operating under strict rules implemented by Environment Canterbury that predate the current Government; renewed consents to farm, farm environment plans, lowering nitrogen caps and increased reporting requirements all came in under a National Government. The changes that were coming to all New Zealand farmers have been well signalled. I’ve heard farming leaders being interviewed since the election and they all seem shellshocked, some expressing hope that Labour will govern alone and others wishing that farmers will finally be “given a break”. The answer I want our leaders to give in these interviews is a simple and clear one; the election results are interesting, but they don’t change our core goal, to work constructively with the Government of the day to the benefit of all farmers and New Zealand. Democracy spoke, deal with it.

Farming

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NUTRITION FEATURE

Is magnesium killing your cows? Dr Joe McGrath

Sollus NZ

he headline might sound extreme and it’s only one possible cause of many on farm, but MPI have recently published an ACVM Guideline highlighting the probable link between magnesium oxide (MgO) and salmonella, and it could be happening to your cows. It must be emphasised that salmonella outbreaks on farm are often caused by multiple factors, including rapid changes to the diet (especially from dry/ high fibre to wet fresh grass), poor effluent management and immunity compromised cows – the list goes on. Our own experience is that salmonella can indeed be encouraged by MgO, especially in conjunction with some of the above factors. However, MgO supplementation doesn’t imply that salmonella arrives in the mineral itself. This suggestion has experienced

Salmonella in dairy cows can be encouraged by magnesium oxide along with other factors.

nutritionists shuddering in their boots. The MPI says that MgO prills and granules increase the risk of salmonellosis by a factor of 10. That’s an important distinction. Some forms of MgO carry more risk than others. But cows need supplemental MgO. We can’t just exclude it from diets, so it’s critical to understand what the differences

are that make one MgO product more likely to encourage salmonellosis than another. Larger particles of MgO are often favoured in blending because they are dust free. The problem is MgO particles leaving the rumen intact. This may be because large particle sizes take too long to react, or that smaller granular MgO were “over-cooked” during

PHOTO SUPPLIED

production causing their rate of reactivity to drop. There is generally not a problem, but if the overall level of MgO added is too high or passage rate is high for some reason – like a fresh flush of grass – a portion can remain unreacted by the time it reaches the small intestine. Once into the small intestine trouble begins to brew.

When MgO reacts in a solution it will drive pH up, in the rumen this means reducing the risk of acidosis and even potentially improving milk fat percentage. A great attribute. However, if it reaches the small intestine unreacted, a lift in pH is not so great. It causes the environment to favour some bad bacteria that may already be present in the gut at trace levels, especially salmonella. To make things worse, the symptoms can make you think your cows are mag deficient so you keep pouring more poorquality mag in to fix the issue, further overloading the small intestine. This is a risk that the Sollus team has always been aware of, so we developed a magnesium to be included in all our product forms, fine enough to react fully before it leaves the abomasum and, at the same time, dust free. A high quality MgO is, simply put, just about the best Mag source for dairy cows. It is cost effective, has multiple effective attributes and should react quickly. So as a farmer, question your feed suppliers, make them show you their solubility data. And maybe, cheapest is not always best.

desire to provide an agricultural and social event for the farming community in a year when many traditional events have been cancelled, has led to 21 Mid Canterbury businesses joining forces to organise their own. The Mid Canterbury Farm Machinery Expo will be held on Thursday, November 5, on JB Cullen Drive, Ashburton Business Estate. The expo is squarely focused on agricultural machinery and products, said an organiser Sebco managing director Ed Harrison. This included everything from tractors and cultivators to irrigation and diesel tanks. The cancellation of the Ashburton A&P Show and other agricultural events in the wake of uncertainty over Covid-19 restrictions on gatherings prompted the event, which was organised within a few weeks. “The expo is to not only showcase our individual businesses, but also to invite the Mid Canterbury farming community to a get-together that can be a social function,” Harrison said. “Farmers haven’t had the opportunity to go to a show and

Mid Canterbury business forces to show off ‘farm wor socialise. As machinery dealers, we wanted to put on an event where farmers could catch up with each other as well as with agricultural businesses. “All farmers love machinery. “We are not looking to compete with the A&P show or anything,” Harrison said. All 21 businesses taking part are Mid Canterbury-based. Entry is free to the expo which will be held between 10.30am and

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5pm. The agricultural machinery and product sites will be circled around a large central marquee, which will be a vocal point for people to gather and socialise. Food vans and coffee carts will be on site. Parking is available next to Mainland Coachwork on JB Cullen Drive, with parking people on site to help direct traffic, thanks to the Lions Club, Harrison said. The timing of the event also

coincided with Movember, men’s health awareness month, with Sebco giving a $100 donation to the charity for every new tank it sells in November. Sebco will have its new fertigation tank system on site at the expo for the storage and handling of liquid fertilisers. Another organiser, EuroAgri general manager James McCloy said there was great support from businesses for the event, which was put

together relatively quickly. “We sent out an email and had a meeting the following Monday and it was all go.” McCloy gave a special thanks to the Ashburton District Council. “They supplied the site free of charge and provided a lot of other assistance.” EuroAgri will have a new range of

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ses join rkhorses’ Lemken cultivation equipment on display which it is now agents for, as well as its existing brands. Power Farming Ashburton dealer principal Simon Jackson said it planned to display a range of equipment including DeutzFahr tractors, Kverneland

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cultivation and spraying equipment and a Merlo telehandler. “We look forward to being there and supporting the local farming community,” Jackson said.

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Sebco managing director Ed Harrison on a bare section at the Ashburton Business Estate which will be transformed for the Mid Canterbury Farm Machinery Expo. Photo Ashburton Guardian

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Norwood adds to its tractor stable N

orwood will be flying its flag at the Mid Canterbury Farm Machinery Expo following its acquisition of the Johnson Gluyas Tractors business, a dealer group that operated out of Ashburton, Timaru and Oamaru. The three new dealerships began their transition into the Norwood retail network in August. Norwood chief executive Tim Myers said its first priority was to assure Johnson Gluyas Tractors customers that they could continue to expect to receive exceptional support from the team at their local dealership. “All Johnson Gluyas Tractors staff have been offered a place in the Norwood team and you can continue to contact your existing local parts, service, and sales representatives.” With a network now spanning 25 locations across the country, Norwood has the largest dealer footprint of any tractor retailer in New Zealand. Myers signalled his commitment to building on existing customer relationships, as well as expanding on the advice, support and product solutions available in the region. “Canterbury is home to some of New Zealand’s largest, most

progressive cropping and seed production operations. “Norwood’s suite of professional cultivation, seeding and harvest products, from world-leading manufacturers is well suited to serve these operations. “Norwood is looking forward to enhancing the exceptional level of back-up support, advice and precision farming solutions available, and will work with existing Johnson Gluyas customers to ensure the transition is seamless.” Norwood’s brands include New Holland, Kubota and Vaderstad. This acquisition, alongside Norwood’s investment in precision agriculture business Vantage New Zealand, is a demonstration of its high level of commitment to providing customers with optimal support for their suite of product brands and technology solutions, Myers said. Meanwhile, providing customers with peace of mind when buying a second-hand tractor is at the centre of Norwood’s recently launched programme, Norwood Assured. Customers can now choose from a range of Norwood Assured tractors, all of which have undergone pre-

purchase inspections by factory trained technicians to ensure that each one meets exceptionally high standards of mechanical health, safety and appearance. Peace of mind isn’t the only benefit of buying a Norwood Assured tractor. Customers will also receive a sixmonth full tractor warranty from the date their tractor is delivered. “Purchasing a tractor, new or second-hand, can be one of the largest capital investments a farmer will make,” Norwood executive leader customer relationships, Philippa Dawe said. “The Norwood Assured badge gives farmers peace of mind that their investment will go the distance. Norwood Assured gives them a greater range of choice between new and a great secondhand machine. “We wanted to reduce the uncertainty that can come with buying second-hand. “Norwood customers can now buy with an additional layer of confidence, knowing that their investment is backed by a sixmonth full warranty,” Dawe said.

Norwood, which sells the New Holland brand, now has the la

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he agricultural equipment sector remains in a positive mood throughout the country, says the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA), which represents the sector in manufacturing, retailing and distribution. TAMA sales statistics for the year to date (September 30) are down around 18 per cent compared with 2019’s recordbreaking year. However, indicators remain positive as New Zealand enters the peak of another growing season. TAMA president Kyle Baxter said despite sales volumes being down in some equipment ranges, members were confident regarding business trading across dealerships and local equipment manufacturing. Customers were already discussing their machine requirements for autumn and spring 2021,

which was a really encouraging sign, Baxter said. “Everyone has benefited from a mostly favourable winter around the country. This weather was greatly appreciated by many customers in a year that has seen a never-ending list of challenges.” Baxter said one big challenge still facing TAMA members was the continuation of international border restrictions. “Many TAMA members rely on overseas staff to fulfil a broad range of roles within dealerships, manufacturing and technical support roles. With these roles not being able to be filled from overseas during the season, and possibly beyond, TAMA is urging its members to look at other options available.” These options included Covid-19 government funding for businesses who take on new apprentices or retrain unemployed people from other sectors. The TAMA triennial employment survey, which came out in August, showed that the industry had 318 apprentices, but needed 176 more. The survey also showed

that around 25 per cent of the workforce could likely retire in the next 15 years while only 32 per cent of staff are aged under 30. “We want to attract more under 30s into our industry to help ensure sound succession planning. Given the huge uptake and integration of new technology into our sector, the job opportunities continue to develop as quickly as the technology. “It is hugely encouraging to hear from members who have had successes with the new apprenticeship funding and I am positive that this success will continue into 2021 and beyond,” Baxter said. The Tractor and Machinery Association of NZ (TAMA) is the industry representative for New Zealand’s commercial tractor and machinery industry, including importers, manufacturers and retailers. TAMA obtains retail delivery statistics for around 97 per cent of the tractor market and about 80 per cent of the machinery sector from its cooperating members. Visit www.tama.org.nz.

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Identify lame cows early Fred Hoekstra

VEEHOF DAIRY SERVICES

ow many lame cows do you have? I have a strong suspicion that most farmers don’t actually know. When we go to a farm to do hoof trimming, we often end up treating more cows than what had been booked. This has been the case throughout the 25 years I have been trimming in New Zealand. A lot of the cows we trim are not considered lame by the farmer, but are identified for preventative trimming. However, it still strikes me how often there are more lame cows than expected. Often farmers say they don’t have lame cows, yet when you see their herd walking over the track it is obvious that this is not the case. Maybe not so much that you can tell which foot the cows are favouring but, nevertheless, they are lame.

The curved line of the back indicates a severely lame cow and the straight line a normal cow. PHOTO SUPPLIED

So, what constitutes a lame cow? Cows are lame long before they limp and even at this early stage (known as the sub-clinical stage) they are costing you money. Research shows that a cow will lose 5 per cent production in this sub-clinical stage. If you have a large percentage of the herd in that situation you may be losing more money than you realise. So how can you identify the cows that are sub-clinically lame? There are some good tools available to help you recognise the signs. Zinpro has produced a helpful locomotion scoring

chart which highlights five different stages of lameness and encourages you, the farmer, to observe how a cow stands and walks. In summary: Locomotion Score 1 - a cow should stand and walk with a flat back. Locomotion score 2 - The cow stands with a flat back and walks with an arched back (she has now moved into the subclinical stage of lameness). Locomotion score 3 - The cow stands and walks with an

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arched back, but you are not able to identify which foot she is lame on. Locomotion score 4 – You are now able to tell which foot the cow is lame on and she is now considered clinically lame. Locomotion score 5 - When the cow becomes so lame that her lame foot is not weightbearing anymore. Locomotion Scores 2 and 3 cows don’t always become clinically lame. Most cows don’t stay clinically

lame even if they never get trimmed or treated, and I think it is an important point to make that we, as trimmers, are not trying to just get cows to come right, because most cows will come right if you give them rest and don’t walk them too far. However, our aim is to have cows come right as quickly as possible and their recovery time is a good indicator of the effectiveness of the trimming being performed. We need cows to come right as quickly as possible because: it is an animal welfare issue and they are costing you money. So, I challenge you to have a look at your cows as they walk to the cowshed today with a critical eye and see how many cows you have with a locomotion score of 2 or 3. Give us a call on 0800 833643 and we will send you a free locomotion scoring chart from Zinpro, or you can download it from our website (www.veehof. co.nz) to help you with your assessment. If you get your score three cows trimmed and improve their locomotion, you will be making more money even if they would not have become clinically lame, as production levels will improve for these cows.

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Dairy Focus

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LUDF’s way of cutting N fertiliser D Heather Chalmers

RURAL REPORTER

DairyNZ project leader Virginia Serra says it is better to reduce synthetic nitrogen applicaPHOTO ASHBURTON GUARDIAN tion rates in stages.

WE CAN COME TO YOU

Need green waste or untreated timber dealt with in an environmentally friendly way?

airy farmers looking for a way to cut their synthetic nitrogen applications to meet the new 190kg cap can draw on the example of the Lincoln University Dairy Farm which made a similar move five seasons ago. From the 2014-15 season, LUDF radically altered its management system to reduce its nitrogen loss to the environment while still remaining profitable. As a result, nitrogen applications were cut to the current rate of around 170kg/N/ha compared with peak rates of up to 350kg/N/ha in previous years. To compensate for the lower nitrogen applications LUDF reduced its herd size, instead concentrating on higher per cow production. This season it is milking 555 cows on 162 hectares at a stocking rate of 3.43 cows/ha. It is budgeted to produce 275,000kg of milksolids at $3.95 farm operating costs per kg/MS. While LUDF averaged nitrogen use of about 190kg/N/ha between the 2003-4 and 2009-10 seasons, the spread of the clover root weevil in Selwyn in the early 2010s decimated clover on many farms, including at Lincoln. This prompted an increase in applications to 250 to 350kg/N/ha between the 2010-11 and 2013-14 seasons. DCD (Eco-N) was used during this period to reduce the risk of nitrogen leaching until it was removed from the market in 2013. DairyNZ principal scientist David Chapman told a LUDF field day that adjustments have to be made to adapt to the lower nitrogen rates. “Less N and less pasture growth ripples through the system in different ways.” The reduction in N fertiliser was implemented using two main methods, changing the frequency and amount of N applied at each event, contributing to 85 per cent of the overall reduction in N applied, and markedly reducing N fertiliser to the effluent areas, contributing to 15 per cent of the reduction. As a result of the change in fertiliser management 2.4 fewer applications were made each year with an average 8kg/N/ha less applied at each spreading. As expected, pasture growth was lower in the lower input years from 2014-19 compared with the high input years, with an average reduction of 1.5 tonne of drymatter/ha/year. Growth was reduced in most months. Lower growth rates meant it took longer to reach the pre-graze covers

required to meet feed requirements, automatically resulting in rounds averaging four days longer and higher pregraze targets. “Farmers should anticipate this sequence of events if making large reductions in N fertiliser use,” Chapman said. On average there were 1.7 fewer grazings per year under the low input management. At LUDF, clover had returned to pastures as it was before the clover root weevil outbreak. “We expected this would also have buffered the effects of halving N fertiliser inputs.” LUDF farm manager Peter Hancox said it had increased its use of tetraploid ryegrass cultivars in pastures so it could extend its grazing round without losing feed quality. By 2019, the number of paddocks containing tetraploids had increased to 95 per cent, compared with 20 per cent in 2010. “Initially we were using only tetraploid ryegrass, but we have gone back to a tetraploid/diploid mixed pasture to get the benefit of both.” In terms of overall numbers, Canterbury is the most affected by the N cap which comes into force on June 1, 2021, with 600 farms in the region estimated to exceed the new limit by an average 60kg/N/ha. In Southland, just under 300 farmers will be affected, exceeding the new limit by an average of 68kg/N/ha. About 180 farmers on the West Coast will be impacted, exceeding the new limit by an average of 60kg/N/ha. DairyNZ project leader Virginia Serra said that dairy farms in the under-pressure Hinds and Selwyn catchment involved in a project to reduce their nitrogen leaching losses, had already cut their N applications from an average 244kg/N/ha in the 200913 baseline years to 218kg now. Farmers could drop nitrogen usage by about 20 per cent from higher rates of around 300kg/ha without major effect, but cutting the last 40kg from the average application rate of about 230kg/N/ha down to the new cap could be challenging and may require changes to the farming system, Serra said. Significant reductions of more than 60kg/N/ha will require time to adapt to the new system. “For a successful transition it is better to do it in stages rather than in one blow,” Serra said. Clover needed time to re-establish and be actively fixing N. Farmers also needed to ensure all other limitations were lifted.

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HERBICIDE

SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS FMG knows that dairy farmers wear many hats and make many decisions on a day-to-day basis. The complexity of owning a farming business now requires a higher degree of human resource management, legal knowledge, and financial literacy—just to name a few. “One thing we’ve noticed at FMG is once the cows have dried off, our dairy farmers are forced to make many large decisions before the focus quickly returns to the day-to-day operation of the farm,” says FMG’s Manager Advice, Stephen Cantwell.

“ Consider taking the time this summer to start thinking ahead and putting in place what’s required to set yourselves up for a successful dairy career, and season to come. ” Here are some considerations: Set milk loss expectations to maintain strong relationships In a contract or sharemilking arrangement it’s important to have a complete understanding of who is responsible for what when it comes to milk losses. The milker-owner relationship is usually tested when

things go wrong, and expectation management plays a key role in helping to avoid conflict. Make sure you have a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) The experience of Covid-19 continues to remind us of the importance of a business continuity plan (BCP) in every operation. Often farmers put off the process; the potential threats to the business can seem too farfetched and abstract. We suggest talking with your farm adviser about your BCP. If you don’t have a BCP then we recommend starting with two situations. What will you do if you can’t operate the cowshed for a prolonged period because of a fire, an earthquake or a major flood? Or what if a key person couldn’t work because of an injury? Understand your company’s director and officer responsibilities Often, we see dairy businesses that operate as a company but don’t understand the responsibilities they take on as a director and/or officer. We’ve seen cases, particularly in family-owned businesses where family members have been listed as directors or trustees without taking an active governance role. If you’re unsure, seek advice from a lawyer or accountant about your obligations.

A good relationship will set you up for success Waikato dairy farmers, Sophia and Bert van den Bogaard have been sharemilking for 10 years and stress the importance of a good relationship when entering a business partnership. “The relationship you have with a farm owner is really important. Make sure you get a good feel of the people you’re going into business with. If you’re not on the same page in terms of your goals, vision and values, this is where problems can start. It’s okay to ask for references about the farm owner—people always think it’s the other way around but it’s really important to have a good fit,” says Sophia. When it comes to signing a contract, Sophia also says you can’t ask too many questions. “Really use that time before you sign a contract to make sure you’re happy with it and understand what it means. Everything is great until it’s not; that’s where the contract comes in.” Dairy farm owner Fieke Meyer recommends making sure you have as much advice and information as possible before heading into business with sharemilkers, and agrees a good relationship is key. “You can ask for advice from friends or farming neighbors with farms about their experiences, get advice from Federated Farmers and speak with a farm adviser. When it comes to milk quality, both the farm owner and sharemilker can go on course on how to avoid issues and produce the best quality milk.”

TAKE TIME BEFORE YOU SIGN

PLANNING YOUR NEXT DAIRY PARTNERSHIP. As you progress, it pays to have good people on your side to help with due diligence. DairyNZ, Federated Farmers and the team at FMG are here to help so that your sharemilking and contract milking relationships can be the successful business partnership that you intend it to be. Check out DairyNZ’s ‘Progressing Farmer Checklist’ and have a chat with your FMG Adviser to help you understand your insurance options and provide you with risk advice to help you establish a successful partnership. Head to fmg.co.nz/dairy to find out more helpful information which includes DairyNZ’s ‘Progressing Farmer Checklist’. Pictured: Sophia & Bert Vanden Bogaard (Sharemikers), Ben & Fieke Meyer (Farm owners) and FMG Senior Rural Manager Candice Batty.

We’re here for the good of the country.

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Market enthusiasm for dairy farms revived

fter a long hiatus a new market for dairy farms finally seems to be emerging. For at least three years, sales of dairy land has been scarce. However, low interest rates, a strong milksolid price and limited alternative investment options has rekindled enthusiasm for the sector. Through the winter a couple of Canterbury farms previously considered impossible to sell found willing buyers, and more recently a similar shift occurred in Waikato, with market activity taking positive steps. Comparable activity is starting

Calvin Leen

PGG Wrightson Real Estate

to occur in Southland, while in our own region interest is stirring. Low interest rates make leaving money in the bank unattractive, and commercial property has become more risky in recent months. Off-farm

investors see opportunities around dairy and can realistically expect returns on investment between 4 and 6.5 per cent, greater than can be safely realised elsewhere. These new investors are helping generate confidence in dairy. In the coming months this should translate into sales. However, a percentage drop in values has occurred. While the lack of local transactions make this difficult to accurately gauge, prices appear to have fallen between 10 and 15 per cent over the last 18 months. How many vendors will accept offers at that

level remains to be seen. Meanwhile increased enquiry for larger livestock units has been evident recently. Interest in farms holding between 8000 and 15,000 stock units is steady, largely from farming families seeking to scale up, looking for multi-faceted properties to activate succession plans. One recent listing that will test this trend is Balmoral, an extensive high country property reckoned to be the largest North Otago farm offered to the market for several years. Comprising a 4511 hectare Crown pastoral lease, including a 21 kilometre

long run block, alongside freehold titles totalling 391 hectares, this is a classic high country run, predominantly suited to summer grazing at the higher altitudes, augmented by attractive cultivatable downland paddocks. Balmoralâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s progress on the market in the coming months will be carefully monitored, and any sale is likely to set a benchmark. Calvin Leen is Mid-South Canterbury and North Otago Sales Manager for PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited

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FEATURE

Switching to milking sheep, goats A

leading developer and manufacturer of dairy technology is moving to help New Zealand farmers switch over to the emerging dairy sheep and dairy goat industries. Waikato Milking Systems recently commissioned three small ruminant milking parlours in the central North Island to farmers who are among the first independent commercial suppliers of goat and sheep milk in the country. It included a 40-bail inline rapid exit sheep milking plant for Green Park Sheep near Te Awamutu, a 40-bail inline rapid exit for Schuler Brothers at Te Aroha and an internal 70-bail sheep rotary plant installed for Browne Pastoral near Cambridge. The company also installed nine goat rotary parlours in China in 2020, one farm includes two, 90-bail rotary systems side-by-side under the same roof, milking 4500 goats. There was also a 60bail rotary installed for a leading goat milk producer in Wisconsin, USA. Waikato Milking Systems Small Ruminants Specialist Andy Geissmann, who led the installation projects, said

demand for dairy and sheep milk products is on the rise, drawing interest from dairy cow farmers looking to make the switch. “We know that the dairy landscape in New Zealand is changing, as it is in other parts of the world. “It’s being driven by consumers who are looking for dairy products that are made from farming systems which have a lower environmental impact.

“And people are developing a real taste for new products produced from sheep and goat milk.” That was backed by the Sheep and Goat Milk Industry Development Business Case, a report by the New Zealand Food Innovation South Island with funding from the Provincial Growth Fund. It said New Zealand has an emerging sheep milk industry concentrated in the

central North Island, near FoodWaikato’s open access processing facility in Hamilton. The three farms are among the first four independent commercial suppliers to Maui Sheep Milk. “New Zealand exports of sheep milk products are valued at about $20 million,” the report said. “Under the current model, expanding the industry through the production of high value

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products such as infant formula, has potential to increase the sector’s economic contribution to $250 million in 2024.” New Zealand also has a small, well established goat milk industry that is concentrated in the central North Island close to industrial scale processing facilities in Auckland and Hamilton. In 2019, New Zealand exports of goat milk products were estimated to be valued at $250 million with potential to increase to $480 million in 2024. Over the past 18 months, Waikato Milking Systems has redesigned its small ruminants offering to incorporate the lessons from a pilot 100-bail goat rotary project in Canada, in 2018. “We used the knowledge gained from the Canada project and pooled our indepth knowledge of product management and engineering design, as well as feedback from farmers already working in the sheep and goat dairy industry,” Andy Geissmann said. This resulted in designing a separate system for sheep and another for goats, recognising the behaviour and physiology of sheep and goats were different.

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Left – Toetoe growing on a roadside. Note the leaves growing from ground level rather than a thick PHOTO SUPPLIED base which is the pampas grass growth habit.

Pampas or toetoe?

hey are both big bunching grasses often planted in farm shelterbelts, but pampas and toetoe (also called toitoi) are not the same thing. Toetoe is a New Zealand native and has evolved to suit local conditions; pampas from South America can easily become an invasive weed. They are fairly easy to distinguish by the shape and colour of the flowerheads. Toetoe has drooping, light golden-yellow flowerheads from September to January. Pampas grass flower stalks point upright, producing a straight, dense and fluffy white or pinkish flowerhead from January to June. They often fade to a dirty white colour as the seeds form. Other varieties of pampas produce purple flowerheads. Other differences can be seen in the way the plants grow – toetoe grows from ground level, whereas pampas builds up a solid base that can rise up to a metre above the ground, with dead leaf ends that spiral like wood shavings. This part often makes it a fire hazard, as there is a lot of dry material making up this solid base. Pampas grass produces copious quantities of seed in those fluffy seedheads. It can be easily spread and the plants are difficult to remove. Like many weeds, pampas is tolerant of a range of conditions: heat, frost, salt, wind, poor drainage, drought and fire. The seed can travel a long way on the wind and by water, colonising bare areas along water courses. Natural areas can be invaded and plants can establish before native ferns and shrubs. Once established, it can be hard to get rid of. If you have

Mary Ralston

FOREST AND BIRD

some you want to remove, the first step would be to take off the flower and seed heads to prevent seed spread. Put these in a bag and burn them; don’t leave them in a pile for the seed to blow away. Toetoe on the other hand will not invade where it’s not wanted. It’s a very useful plant for farm shelterbelts – it is quick growing, hardy, evergreen and not poisonous to stock. It grows well on a wide range of sites, but does best in wetter conditions (irrigation suits it). There are five species of toetoe, all members of the genus Austroderia. A. richardii is the South Island species but A. toetoe is the one often grown in farm shelterbelts. Maori had many uses for toetoe: the long and strong leaves were used to make baskets and mats and the long stems were used to line the walls of houses and provided good insulation. Toetoe’s medicinal properties were also utilised: as a treatment for diarrhoea, constipation and kidney ailments. The flowers were used as a sieve for removing the seeds of tutu berries. Apparently the magnificent seed heads of the toetoe and pampas grass are becoming fashionable in wedding flower arrangements – if they take your fancy, make sure you’re using toetoe, not pampas, or you may end up with unwanted guests a bit later!

Farming

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Demand for velvet in an uncertain world N

ew Zealand deer velvet products are enjoying strong underlying consumer demand in a very uncertain world. It is unknown how these opposing factors will influence prices to farmers in the 2020-21 season, which is now under way. “Covid-19 has caused huge economic damage and disruption across the globe. “Air freight prices have soared. But in our major velvet markets consumers are looking for products that support immune function, one of the key attributes associated with velvet. It’s not a bad space to be in right now,” Deer Industry NZ marketing manager Rhys Griffiths said. “Our embassies in South Korea and China are reporting that NZ products with health attributes are doing well. In Korea 20 new consumer products containing NZ velvet have been launched in the past six months, despite the disruption caused by Covid-19. “Just like in NZ, people in Korea avoided visiting their medical professionals (in this case oriental medicine doctors) at the peak of the pandemic for fear of picking up the virus. “Patients are reported to be now returning, which will hopefully continue during the new velvet season. “South Korean companies are further investing in consumerfriendly velvet products, with another 20-odd

Left – In Korea’s high-end New Origin cafés, customers can add NZ deer velvet to their healthy smoothies. New Origin has just added premium sections, featuring NZ velvet, to its cafés.

products launched this year alone. At South Korea’s New Origin cafes, where well-to-do consumers can buy health food drinks containing velvet, premium sections profiling velvet products have been established. In Taiwan the first branded consumer-friendly velvet-based product has been launched by South Korea-based KGC, a major NZ velvet customer.” On the other side of the ledger, Griffiths said

business confidence was an issue. Businesses have suffered during the pandemic. Their working capital has been eroded. So they might be more cautious than ever about taking forward positions. “Buyers should, however, be reassured by the fact that there is no evidence yet that production in New Zealand is getting ahead of market demand. “We estimated last year’s production would be around 850 tonnes and it looks like it might fall just short of that – much less than some market pessimists were predicting.” Deer farmers would like certainty in terms of what all this means in terms of farm gate prices, but it’s a question he

can’t answer. “Certainty is not something I can offer. Because of Covid-19, this is a unique season. Prices will be what buyers and sellers agree on,” he said. To support sales by NZ velvet marketers, DINZ is working closely in major markets with NZ Trade and Enterprise staff who will be visiting major velvet customers on the industry’s behalf. “NZTE staff, particularly in Korea, China and Taiwan have been very supportive of our industry,” Griffiths said. This connection is hugely helpful in a world where exporters cannot travel and Griffiths is grateful to NZTE for its support. DINZ is also supporting a NZ Government recovery initiative, Made with Care, which will be promoting NZ food and beverage products in a major campaign. DINZ will use Made with Care marketing materials during planned virtual market visits in Korea from October. Despite Covid-19, DINZ is also maintaining its long-term market development strategies designed to create new demand, especially for branded health food products. China is a major focus. Health food companies regard product quality assurance and traceability as critically important. So DINZ is developing VelTrak, a sophisticated webbased traceability system that producers in competing countries will likely be unable to match.

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Left – Silver Fern Farms has expanded its range of farmed venison products. Below – The venison is all pasture-raised, grass-fed on New Zealand farms. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Changing venison perceptions S

ilver Fern Farms says its expanding range of farmed venison products reflects the growing popularity of the red meat. Additions to its venison range reflect growing consumer demand in this category as a result of growing awareness of the high nutritional value and delicate flavour and versatility of farmed venison. Silver Fern Farms’ group marketing manager Nicola Johnston said there were still legacy misperceptions about venison, for example that its flavour is too gamey or that it’s only for fine dining, which hold some consumers back from

trying it, but those who do are converted. “Our research shows that 41 per cent of premium meat consumers are now regularly buying venison, up from 30 per cent five years ago. “We’ve responded to that by ensuring our venison range offers something for everyone, from cuts that can be used to create special occasion meals to impress, to those that are quick, easy and nutritious for family week-night meals,” Johnston said. Each of the two new products in Silver Fern Farms’ venison range, cutlets and minute steaks, cater to different needs, and complements the wider range of

venison products. The 300g venison cutlets (portioned for two) are the first bone-in product in the range and look exquisite on the plate as well as being tender; while the 400g venison minute steaks can be prepared as fast as the name promises and open a realm of possibilities. such as a quick and easy lunch, canape or snack to enjoy on the go. “Our venison is all pastureraised, grass-fed on New Zealand farms, with no hormones added, ever. The result is a consistent, delicate flavour. In addition to its great taste and versatility, it’s incredibly nutritious – so good that it has been said by experts

that if a scientist could create an ideal meat it would be venison,” Johnston said. Venison is higher in iron and selenium than beef and lamb, and lower in fat than skinless chicken. With its higher proportion of energy from protein, it’s a great choice for those who want to benefit from the nutritional value of meat while reducing saturated fat intake. It is also a great choice for conscious consumers who care about the provenance of their food and the relative environmental footprint of its production. In addition, like all other products in Silver Fern Farm’s

retail range, the venison cuts come trimmed and portioned, so there is no further wasteproducing preparation or trimming required. It is also more sustainably packaged following Silver Fern Farms’ introduction late last year of new recyclable outer sleeves, which has halved its plastic waste. In 2019, Silver Fern Farms became the first red meat company to be CEMARS (Certified Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme) certified, reflecting its wider commitment to driving sustainability-fed lamb, beef and venison.

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Dairy boom expected in Southeast Asia D

airy exports into the Southeast Asian market are set to surge over the next decade creating future opportunities for dairy companies in New Zealand and other key dairy exporting regions, according to a new report by Rabobank. In the report, “Dairy export boom beckons in Asean-6 – with a push and a pull”, Rabobank said the combined annual milk deficit of the Asean-6 – Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – is expected to grow to 19 billion litres in 2030, up from an estimated 12.9 billion litres in 2020. RaboResearch senior dairy analyst Michael Harvey said a growing milk deficit in Southeast Asia was likely to be a major pull factor for dairy exporters looking for strategic dairy export growth. “The large populations, combined with increasing urbanisation, a growing middle class with purchasing power and continued development of integrated supply chains will all support dairy consumption growth across the region,” he said. “Per capita dairy consumption rates in the Asean-6 are also currently low in comparison to other advanced Asian economies providing significant headroom for growth.” Furthermore, the report says dairy companies will be pushed towards dairy export opportunities into Asean-6 countries by rising geopolitical tensions and receding demand tailwinds in China. “Coming into 2020, China’s trade relations with key trading partners were already on shaky ground – particularly so for Australia and the United States. And while dairy trade has largely been immune so far, there has been a notable deterioration in trade relations, which has the potential to reverberate far and wide.” Harvey said. “Slowing Chinese dairy demand is a further factor which will prompt dairy exporters to

over time.” Market competition is expected to intensify due to a combination of factors. “There are also several established global dairy companies operating in Southeast Asian markets which continue to double down with investment. This includes the world’s largest dairy company – Nestle – which has identified these markets as key for potential growth, as illustrated by several recent investments,” he said. “In addition, dairy companies in the Northern Hemisphere and China are broadening their scope and looking to further establish themselves in the region.” KEY CONSIDERATIONS

Rabobank senior data analyst Michael Harvey says Southeast Asian dairy markets have long been a critical battleground for PHOTO SUPPLIED dairy exporters.

look at markets outside China, with this expected to ease over the next decade as the rate of growth in per capita income slows.” These factors would likely compel dairy exporters to reassess their export growth strategies and consider increased investment in the Asean-6 region. “This is particularly relevant for New Zealand dairy companies who are more tradeexposed versus their peers and, consequently, have the highest

level of market concentration risk,” Harvey said. “With over 35 per cent of New Zealand dairy trade bound for China and less than 20 per cent heading to Southeast Asia, now is a good time for New Zealand dairy companies to evaluate their portfolios to determine if they are overweight in China and/or underweight in Southeast Asia.” CRITICAL BATTLEGROUND

The report said Southeast Asian dairy markets have long been a critical battleground for

dairy exporters. “Oceania exporters have a slight competitive edge in the region because of tariff advantages provided by a cocktail of bilateral trade agreements and the Asean-Australia New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA),” Harvey said. “However, with many global peers seeking their own free trade agreements with the Asean economies, the market is expected to become mostly harmonised with respect to tariffs and non-tariff barriers

The report says there a number of factors for dairy companies to consider as they aim to strengthen their position in Asean-6 dairy markets. “One of the key considerations for dairy exporters and their supply chains looking for growth in Southeast Asia, is how they can best extract premiums and capture more value,” Harvey said. “Right now, exporters’ ability to commercialise and/or generate added value in the region with sustainability initiatives remains limited as many consumers in the region are price sensitive. “Nonetheless, over the next decade we do expect to see an increased focus by multi-national food and beverage companies operating in these markets to tackle more sustainability issues across dairy supply chains.” With Southeast Asian dairy trade flows expected to remain heavily skewed towards milk powders, the report says, a further consideration for dairy companies is how to manage milksolids. “A push into these markets naturally provides a home for protein, but will leave dairy companies with the task of marketing the butter fat components, as the demand for skim milk powder (SMP) is more than double that of whole milk powder (WMP),” Harvey said.

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New effluent tech delivers massive water savings A

new effluent treatment system at Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF) has saved over 600,000 litres of freshwater in its first full month of operation. The quantity of freshwater saved equates to the average daily water use of about 3000 people, or the amount of water that an individual person would use in eight years. The new effluent treatment technology known as ClearTech could potentially save billions of litres of freshwater a year if used across the New Zealand dairy industry. LUDF farm manager Peter Hancox said the impact of the ClearTech system on the farm’s operations has been a revelation.

“Our ClearTech plant has been fully operational since the start of our milking season, and already the amount of freshwater we’ve saved is remarkable. We are saving at least 50 per cent of the water used to wash the yard. “If we continue along this trend, and we fully expect to, then over the whole 10-month season we’ll achieve a total saving of six million litres of freshwater.” Hancox said the costs of setup and ongoing maintenance were relatively modest and far outweighed by the benefits that will accrue to farms and the wider community. And as the ClearTech system works away in the background, its benefits are delivered with no extra effort on

Lincoln University soil science professors Keith Cameron (left) and Hong Di developed the ClearTech effluent PHOTO SUPPLIED treatment system.

behalf of the farmer. “It’s a win-win for farmers and the communities they’re part of, as every litre of wastewater recycled is a litre of freshwater saved.” The breakthrough technology, developed by Lincoln University soil science professors Keith Cameron and Hong Di, in conjunction with commercial partner Ravensdown, won the science and research award at

The Lincoln University Dairy Farm team (from left), farm manager Peter Hancox, James Beattie, Robert Lockhart and McKenzie Watson, have made significant water savings using ClearTech since the start of this milkPHOTO SUPPLIED ing season.

the inaugural Primary Industries Awards in July 2019, and the South Island Agricultural Fieldays Agri-Innovation Award, as well as a highly commended at the 2019 National Fieldays Innovation Awards. The ClearTech system collects farm dairy effluent, treating it with a coagulant to bind effluent colloidal particles together to settle them out from the water. The treated water can then be recycled, with the leftover treated effluent being safely used to recycle nutrients back to the pasture without odour. In addition to reducing freshwater used in the yard by about 50%, the ClearTech system effectively increases effluent pond storage capacity, while at the same time reducing leaching losses of phosphate and E.coli from the treated effluent when applied to the land. Peter Hancox continues, “These are huge benefits for farmers, with really significant implications for farmers’ relationships with the natural environment and their local communities. “Farmers want to do the right thing, and ClearTech delivers us a system where we can make a real difference to our environmental impact without busting the budget and with no disruption to our normal farm

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operations,” Hancox said. Lincoln University Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Bruce McKenzie said the development of ClearTech exemplifies the university’s significant contribution to discovering agritech solutions to help address some of the world’s most pressing land-based challenges. “We’re committed to delivering world-class research and education that equips new generations of leaders with the knowledge and motivation to build more prosperous, productive and sustainable communities in New Zealand and globally. “We’re also focused on developing meaningful partnerships with like-minded organisations, and our close collaboration with Ravensdown has enabled the successful delivery of the ClearTech system to farmers. “At Lincoln, we proudly declare our vision to ‘unlock the power of the land to enhance lives and grow the future’, and that’s exactly what we do every day in our research, our teaching, our partnerships, and in our pursuit of innovation. There’s no better example of the rewards of this resolve than the development and application of the ClearTech system,” McKenzie said.

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FEATURE

Celebrating Recycling Week R

ecycling Week is a good way of celebrating the achievements of our rural communities in working to support the principles and practices of a circular economy, resource efficiency and waste reduction. At Agrecovery, these principles are at the core of programmes delivered across the country every single day. Our rural communities have made a real and sustained effort to move away from the takemake-waste linear consumption to a circular restorative and regenerative economy. Despite the challenges faced this year with recycling being paused for almost two months, farmers have maintained their resolve to keep recycling and being good guardians of the land. The government has also stepped in to try and help this become the norm for all farmers and growers. “Given the central role plastics

play as an essential tool in today’s agricultural community, we recognise the achievements New Zealand farmers and growers have made, and continue to make toward sustainability in farm operations for present and future generations,” Agrecovery general manager Tony Wilson said. “Every year, the number

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of New Zealand farmers and growers who use the Agrecovery programmes to manage agricultural plastic waste is growing. There’s no doubt that as stewards of their land, they want these programmes to collect empty agrichemical containers, drums and IBCs, so that recycling becomes a standard throughout every rural

community.” With regulated product stewardship due to start in August next year, we are preparing to collect even more plastic. This plastic is all made into useful new products right here in New Zealand. Other programmes being investigated will continue to bring more recyclable plastics into the

circular economy for processing and remanufacturing. One project seeks to identify the best way of collecting and recycling more farm plastics like silage wrap and twine as well as fertiliser, seed and feed bags. This has also prompted many farmers, growers and industry groups to provide feedback on what else can be done in this space. We value this knowledge sharing and encourage our rural communities to discuss these ideas with us. We’re also establishing a series of pilot projects to identify and test new ways to manage these materials safely and to avoid disposal in landfill. This includes assessing the options for collecting and processing these plastics. Through our programmes and other projects, Agrecovery is helping farmers operate their farms sustainably, reflecting best practices in a circular economy, and celebrating the goals of Rural Recycling Week.

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Plenty of reasons to plant more trees Left – Sheryl Stivens picking granny smith apples.

Sheryl Stivens

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on’t you just love trees? I don’t just mean the beautiful giant natives in Peel Forest and the rainforests of the West Coast. I mean the exotics, the seed of which was transported here by the early settlers to provide food, building materials and fuel to enrich our overall diversity. In my permaculture design and teacher certification training, I learned about factoring in three reasons to select a tree to plant. If it’s a pine tree maybe you will choose an edible pine nut tree or an oak with edible acorns. It’s hard to believe that most of the nuts for sale in our shops are imported. Amongst the 2000 trees we have planted in our food forest are walnuts, hazelnuts, chestnuts, and pine nuts we have grown from seed. And yes it does require patience and a vision for the future. But there is a certain magic that accompanies growing giant trees from seed. And then there’s the feel-good factor of trees. Did you know that Above left – A gorgeous manna ash tree. trees can improve human health? Above right – Heritage peaches ripe for the pickHave you noticed how vibrant the PHOTOS SUPPLIED flowering exotic trees in our gardens ing. and parks have looked this spring? And the fruit and nut trees covered in blossom and humming with bees. Research shows that exposure to trees has a relaxing effect on humans. Stress is our biggest taker of human life. Hospital patients with a window view of trees recover faster than those without. Children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) are better able to concentrate after time spent outdoors under the leafy canopies of trees. Trees are a truly beautiful part of the natural environment, but they are also amazingly efficient machines – constantly working to make Earth a healthier planet. Trees are sometimes called the lungs of the Earth because they absorb pollutants through their leaves, trapping (or “sequestering”) and filtering contaminants in the air. Like all green plants, trees also produce oxygen through photosynthesis. Most importantly, trees sequester carbon, helping to remove carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the air, which cools the Earth. Research has shown Above – Ceanothus (californian lilac). that oaks and horse chestnuts are amongst the highest absorbers of CO2. animals, which is so sadly lacking as you What you may not know is that trees now drive across our Canterbury Plains. also build soil, which is hugely important For those of us who have lived more than in terms of climate change, as soil is our 40 years here, don’t you notice how the largest potential carbon sink. wind velocity is increasing with the loss of A tree’s leafy canopy catches thousands of kilometres of tree shelter on precipitation before it reaches the ground, our plains. allowing some of it to gently drip and the Trees help record the history of your rest to evaporate. family as they grow and develop alongside Tree roots hold soil in place, reducing you and your kids. Many people plant trees erosion. In these ways, trees lessen the as living memorials of people they have force of storms and reduce the amount lost or life-changing events. of run-off into aquifers, streams, rivers, Let’s all find a reason to plant more trees and sewers, thus improving water quality. Trees also help soak up stormwater before in 2020. Surely one of the most important it can create a flood. If you have a patch of things we can do is to continue to expand the diversity of useful and edible trees and boggy ground plant one or several trees plants for the future of life in Aotearoa and your problem will be solved. and globally for our beautiful planet Earth. Trees create shade and shelter for

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True blue through and through T

he pressure is on, I’m breaking into a cold sweat, my hand is beginning to shake. The question is, can I do it? Can I really tick a red box when all my life I’ve ticked blue! I reckon I can but when the time came I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I was told tick red and it should keep the Greens out, but now I’m glad I didn’t, but obviously lots did. However, have we got rid of the Greens – no. They now have 10 members in Parliament and because Labour is the friendly party they may just

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still invite them along for the ride. Hopefully they won’t have as much say as in the last Government, but I guess time will tell as far as that goes.

Who would ever have guessed seeing Rangitata going red. This is meant to be the heart of National country. But it does show how big an impact the Jacinda Ardern influence has had. I just hope this new Labour Government take some advice and listens to the rural sector in New Zealand, but I guess that’s like trying to stop the nor’west wind blowing with just a prayer. No hope! Being in real estate I was interested in the Sunday programme on TV1 saying how

Auckland property sales are going through the roof. I know in our patch of Canterbury, demand for all things within the residential zones are going from strength to strength yet we are not seeing it flow into the rural markets yet. How long will the bubble in residential real estate continue? Will it burst? If it does, will banks then turn back to rural and realise rural is really a good long-term bet? Will this Government ever realise that New Zealand as a

whole, requires farming-earned exports. A house in town earns no overseas funds. I think over this next three years, farmers in particular need to unite and start to care about what’s happening to their business. One of the biggest issues is most farmers think that because issues are still two or three years out that’s okay but it isn’t. We need to unite and support the rural leaders that are doing their best to put our arguments forward to Government or we will get walked over!

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FEATURE

Accidents prompt vigilance warning L

essons learned from the events of four tragic farm fatalities in early spring should be quickly heeded by others in the industry, according to Worksafe. Worksafe have been notified of the four fatalities in September, two of which involved tractors, one a child in a dairy shed and a quad bike accident in the Hawke’s Bay, with investigations opened into all four incidents. It is understood that the two tractor incidents have involved drivers feeding

out on steep terrain in which initial reports suggest the tractors may have slipped. WorkSafe understands the dairy shed incident involved a piece of machinery. This quad bike incident occurred on steep terrain. WorkSafe engagement lead for agriculture Al McCone said there is plenty that can be learned and applied by farmers in the wake of the tragedies. “This is the time of year where a lot of work is taking place,” he said.

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“Farm work consists of a neverending list of tasks and constant reprioritisation as weather, commodity prices and other factors outside and inside the farmer’s influence change. “It is a time of variable weather and growth, and variable ground surface conditions. Slope surfaces are especially tricky at this time of year. “There is also a shortage of contractors and some farmers will be doing tractor work that normally a contractor might do with equipment better suited to the task. “We cannot let these challenges contribute to loss of life or injury. The people with the most power to influence this are those on the ground each day doing the work. McCone says seatbelts should also be worn when doing farm work. “Mistakes happen and your seatbelt might be the difference between a sore neck and a broken one.” Understanding the role children play in a farming business is also critical, says McCone. “Too often we are seeing children fatally injured in the workplace. That extends beyond the farm into other industries as well. From experience, we know that keeping an eye on them can be hard in a busy workplace. “If your kids need to go to work with you, have a system in place that isolates them from where work is happening or where risks may be present.”

Reducing the risk on farm ■■ Prioritising tractor and machinery maintenance. That should include attachments, good tyres and brakes. ■■ Tired people make mistakes. Do difficult things earlier in the day - save the easy stuff for later. ■■ If your vehicle is fitted with a seatbelt – you should be using it. ■■ Consider installing crush protection on your quad bike. ■■ Ensuring that the vehicle is safely stopped and brakes are engaged before leaving the vehicle. ■■ Ensuring that machinery with moving parts have the appropriate guarding fitted and in use. ■■ Don’t be afraid to seek assistance when you need to – neighbouring farmers are always more than willing to offer a lending hand.

Farming

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La Nina weather pattern developing L

ast month I wrote of how the weather pattern reminded me of 1988 and I made a little faux pas with the rainfall totals! I’ll set that right in this article, though the weather pattern is still a reminder of 1988-89. Both 1988-89 and 2020-21 thus far are being influenced by a La Niña weather pattern. My faux pas was the rainfall totals I quoted after an Excel mix up. So not quite an eerily similar “history repeating” rainfall pattern. To put it right, since July 20 the rainfall totals at Winchmore have been 63mm (1988) versus

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92mm (2020). This pattern is repeated at other rainfall stations in Mid and South Canterbury, although South Canterbury was typically drier in 1988 (around 45mm). It is a different story north of the Rakaia though with 53mm (1988) and 64mm (2020) at Christchurch Airport.

For several months now climatologists both in New Zealand and elsewhere have been warning of the development of a La Niña weather pattern this summer. We generally associate droughts in Canterbury with a predominance of north-westerly conditions brought about by El Niño as in 1972-73, 1982-83 and 1997-98. But in 1988-89 the drought was a La Niña weather pattern. Typically, La Niña is characterised by more northeasterly winds with low rainfall in the south and south-west of the South Island. Typically, areas like Central Otago and South

Canterbury can get both El Niño and La Niña droughts. Usually La Niña brings warmer-thannormal temperatures and that has been the case since July. As Niwa scientists have predicted, there is a developing La Niña event, not too dissimilar to 1988-89. In both seasons the La Niña began to develop following quite strong El Niño conditions (1987 and 2019) followed by a period of neutral conditions with La Niña anomalies developing in July. While 1988 anomalies were much stronger, the pattern is very similar. For October-December Niwa

scientists are forecasting air pressure “to be higher than normal to the south-east and lower than normal to the north of New Zealand”. “This is expected to be associated with developing La Niña-like north-easterly air-flow anomalies, although a westerly flow anomaly, which may be strong at times, is favoured to continue for much of October”, along with “near normal or below normal” rainfall in north and east of the South Island. So far in October this forecast is holding pretty true and it will be interesting to see how the La Niña and similarities with 198889 continue to develop.

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Dairy farmers re-elected on to board T

wo dairy farmers, Jim van der Poel and Colin Glass, were re-elected on to DairyNZ’s board at its annual meeting in Ashburton. The two were elected to the DairyNZ board for the next three years. They will be two of five farmer-elected directors and three board-appointed directors who contribute to DairyNZ’s strategy and priorities on behalf of dairy farmers. This year’s annual meeting focused on DairyNZ’s highlights and key activities during the 2019/20 dairy season – which included the investment of dairy farmer levy funds. DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel reflected on the previous year, including DairyNZ’s achievements and the complex environment farmers are working in. “It has been a busy and challenging year for the sector, with Covid-19 an unexpected event which affected many Kiwis. “This also provided the opportunity to highlight the value and importance of our sector to New Zealand’s future,” van der Poel said. “Last year we made good progress towards mycoplasma bovis eradication and in a world-leading emissions programme, He Waka Eke Noa, to collectively build a farm-level emission reduction framework.

Jim van der Poel (above) and Colin Glass (right). DairyNZ also advocated for pragmatic essential freshwater rules for farmers.” DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle shared key programmes and projects and looked ahead to the 2020/21 season. “The flexible milking project is a highlight. “This is a promising option for farmers who want more

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Mackle said. “Looking to next year, a key focus is our new project Step Change, which aims to help dairy farmers achieve financial gains, while making progress towards their environmental goals and adapting to pending regulation changes. “DairyNZ will continue to advocate for farmers on freshwa-

ter policy and continue to look for opportunities in research which support sustainable and profitable farming.” Board-appointed directors Peter Schuyt and Mary-Anne Macleod were confirmed at the meeting. Macleod replaces Dr Helen Anderson, who is stepping down from the board after 10 years.

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CROPPING AND CULTIVATION FEATURE

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he Foundation for Arable Research’s ProductionWise farm recording package is now able to interface directly with OverseerFM, a development which will make nutrient management reporting a lot faster and cheaper for most ProductionWise users. FAR ProductionWise manager Melanie Bates said that enabling the two systems to talk to each other was always a goal and although it’s taken a while, testing shows that the benefits will be huge. “Formal discussions with Overseer about the project began in January 2019, and late last year, the ProductionWise technical team, headed by Chris Day from Flurosat, and the OverseerFM technical team started working together to plan out the integration process via computer json files. Chris has developed a very simple and visual way to build up the json file from recorded data in PW into OverseerFM. “In simple terms, you can extract your ProductionWise data to a file that can be imported into the OverseerFM platform, allowing you to create your year-end analysis easily.” Once the system was designed, it had to be tested. Enter Mark Everest, a consultant at Macfarlane Rural Business in Ashburton, who assisted Day in constructing and trialling the new joint platform using real farmer data. Everest said the whole process was very complex. “Designing software is a lot like growing a top yielding crop; there are lots of moving parts and inter-dependant interactions. Chris had to grapple with a range of mechanical challenges, like aligning and/or interpreting terminology, products, methods and practices, as well as providing an easy to use and stable interface.” However, the end result is excellent. “Traditionally, the biggest consumer of time, and therefore cost, of preparing nutrient budgets for arable properties, or any property that grows crops, is the accurate collation of crop input data, things like drilling, fertiliser, harvest dates and yields. This new ProductionWise-OverseerFM integration could cut that time by up to 50 per cent. “The key to making the integration work successfully is ensuring that

all paddock inputs are recorded in ProductionWise; OverseerFM needs complete crop data to model accurately. “The software does everything it needs to do and nothing more, making intuitive decisions or assumptions where they can be reliably made and leaving the balance for the operator to define. It’s a fantastic resource, but it’s still only a tool to support the streamlining of a business and, as such, will not provide the same savings to all operators. Nor is it a silver bullet solution to not having put any effort into the annual preparation of a nutrient budget. “Its main limitation is around the use of default options for management practices and inputs that are aligned to those in OverseerFM, however, the operator can change or refine inputs in the platform before exporting to OverseerFM. “All in all, this ProductionWiseOverseerFM Integration will streamline environmental management for arable farming businesses, and enable operators to spend more time identifying opportunities rather than ticking compliance boxes.” FAR would welcome any feedback on this development to help continually improve the system and keep farmers farming. Let us know if you need help to get started or need training on the latest developments. ProductionWise has been undergoing continuous improvements, based on user feedback, since it was first made available to FAR levy payers in 2013. All development work is signed off by a working group of FAR staff and board members, growers, agronomists and industry representatives. The idea of integrating ProductionWise with OverseerFM was first raised at a working group meeting in 2017. Development work began and by mid-2017 ProductionWise users could create an Overseer Report that captured sowing, harvest, fertiliser, grazing, irrigation and soil data. However, although this data is in one report, it still had to be entered manually into Overseer. This latest development eliminates that requirement. ProductionWise data can now be integrated directly to OverseerFM.

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FEATURE

The Herbage Seedgrowers Subsection needs you

Philippa Rawlinson

Executive Director FQC

o you grow Nui, Huia, Moata, Tama, Ruanui, Manawa or Pawera? These cultivars are known as the Non-Proprietary Cultivars (NPCs) and a Commodity Levy is collected on the first purity and germination test of that seed line.

Seed collection agencies such as AsureQuality or Luisetti Seeds collect the levy on behalf of the Herbage Seedgrowers Subsection of Federated Farmers. The levy income is paid to Grasslanz, who maintain the genetic material to ensure the NPCs continue to be available to farmers for continued use. The Herbage Seedgrowers Subsection holds the Commodity Levy enabling the collection of the levy. This levy has just been renewed for another six years, expiring in 2026. Each year members of the Herbage Seedgrowers Subsection

come together to determine levy rates for the NPCs and uncertified ryegrass and red and white clover. The levy rates are determined on the basis of information received about grower prices, areas in the ground and income needed to pay Grasslanz ($140,000 annually). It is not only setting the NPC levies that Herbage Seed members are involved with. They are also involved with the New Zealand Seeds Authority (NZSA), Seed Crop Isolation Distance (SCID) and development of the new Seed Computer Information System

(SCIS) to support New Zealand’s Seed Certification scheme. The Herbage Seedgrowers Subsection is meeting on Tuesday, November 3 in Ashburton. North Canterbury has two positions on the subsection (held by Matt McEvedy and Reuben Carter) and Reuben will retire by rotation at our November meeting. If you grow one of the NPCs and want to get involved with the Herbage Seedgrowers Subsection, please email me for me information (prawlinson@ fedfarm.org.nz). And while we’re on the

topic, there’s also a vacancy for a Federated Farmers Arable Chairperson for North Canterbury. Your peers will thank you for stepping up into a leadership position, and training courses are available. Philippa Rawlinson is Federated Farmers Arable Industry Advisor. The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the author and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, positions or strategies of the Ashburton Guardian Co Ltd or any employee thereof

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