Guardian Farming, Tuesday, December 16, 2020

Farming GUARDIAN

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Dairy Focus

Wednesday, december 16, 2020

TOP IRRIGATION

OPERATORS Page 18

INSIDE

BEATING M. BOVIS Page 3-5

2

Farming

Farming

www.guardianonline.co.nz

GUARDIAN

EDITORIAL COMMENT

INSIDE

Guardian Farming is proudly published by the Ashburton Guardian Limited

W

Enjoy reading Guardian Farming?

You may also enjoy Dairy Focus

Dairy Focus , december Wednesday

PAGE 8

16, 2020

ALL ABOARD

ION TOP IRRIGAT

OPERATORS

Page 18

Read the latest Dairy Focus online at guardianonline.co.nz

We appreciate your feedback

PAGE 16 A GROWING INDUSTRY

Editorial Email your comments to heather.c@theguardian.co.nz Advertising For advertising enquiries email cushla.h@theguardian.co.nz or phone 03 307 7955.

Designers Guardian news producers Post Ashburton Guardian, PO Box 77, Ashburton 7740

PAGE 19 LESSONS LEARNED

hat a year it has been and nothing that anyone expected.

Luckily, New Zealand’s natural advantage of being a group of isolated islands at the bottom of the world meant we were spared the worst effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

While other industries like tourism were knocked for six, agriculture and horticulture continued largely as business as usual, earning valuable export dollars.

The impact of Covid-19 on the primary sectors has been mixed. Horticulture, particularly kiwifruit, has defied expectations while dairy remained resilient, with demand from China recovering.

Fonterra’s forecast midpoint price is $7/ kg of milksolids, not far from last season’s payout of $7.14.

Red meat hasn’t fared as well. Down on recent highs, lamb, mutton and beef prices are still forecast to be at similar levels or slightly above the five-year average.

Of the red meat sectors, venison has been most impacted. As more of a special occasion meat served in restaurants, sales have been hit by the lockdown of hospitality outlets in Europe and the United States, with venison prices falling below lamb.

Perennial under-achiever, strong wool, dropped another 20 per cent on what were already rock bottom returns, but lately there have been some signs of a recovery in demand from China.

More and more good news stories are appearing in the wool space, such as NZ Natural Fibres’ investment in both wool and hemp

Heather Chalmers

RURAL REPORTER

processing and products (pages 30 and 31) and New Zealand carpet maker Cavalier committing to phasing out synthetics in favour of wool and natural fibres.

For decades, global consumers have preferred cheap oil-based products, backed by big advertising budgets, but are starting to realise the environment cannot sustain a throwaway culture of plastics and synthetics.

The farming community has always been aware that wool is natural, biodegradable, renewable, breathable and flame resistant.

Now it’s time for the rest of the world to find out.

While several start-ups using wool are under way, commercial developments need to reach sufficient scale to absorb the large quantities of strong wool that currently is a cost to farmers to have shorn from their flocks.

Here’s hoping 2021 will be the year the turnaround begins and wool finally starts to achieve its true value.

Wishing readers a Merry Christmas and, if you are able to get off the farm, a relaxing holiday break.

• For Casual & Perm • Cardboard • Drum

We offer a regular Rubbish Removal Se hiring our Front Loader Bins and using We also have Open Top Bins on a cas building works and G And a Household and/or Garden All provided by a Compan

Gary McCormick Transport Ltd

PO Box 5044, Tinwald, Ashburton 7741 | Phone: 3072100 | Fax: 307

Save time and money by utilising farm saved seed Seed treatment is your first line of defence against pests and disease Operating 6 length separation indent cylinders combined with a high capacity gravity table to get the best quality seeds for re-sowing and contract specs Mobile trailer with indent cylinders for fine cleaning and length separation with cereals or rye grass Twin rotor screening machine with aspiration for screening all types of seeds for contract specs

• • • •

johnny@jwneilholdings.co.nz OAMARU

Open top bins for property and garden clean ups, perfect for moving off the farm.

• For Casual & Permanent Bin &Hires • For Casual Permanent Bin Hires Bins already on a number of farms in the area and casualRecycling • Cardboard hire available• Cardboard Recycling • Drum Hires • Drum Hires Household and/or Garden waste Drum empty We offer a regular service Rubbish Removal Service, with many local Companies hiring our Front Loader Bins and using our Cardboard Recycling Cages,

Regular Removal Service, with many We offer Rubbish a regular Rubbish Removal Service, with many local We also have Openlocal Top BinsCompanies on a casual basis, for property clean ups, building works Garden tidy ups. companies hiring our Bins Front Loader Bins and using our and hiring our Front Loader and using our Cardboard Recycling Cages, And a Household and/or Garden waste Drum empty service.

Cardboard Recycling Cages

We also have Open Top Bins on a casual basis, forAllproperty ups, provided by clean a Company based in Tinwald.

All provided by a works Company basedtidy in Tinwald. building and Garden ups.

And a Household and/or Garden waste Drum empty service.

McCormick Transport Ltd AllGary provided by a Company based in Tinwald.

PO Box 5044, Ashburton 7741 | Phone: 3072100 | Fax: 3072101 • For Casual & Permanent BinTinwald, Hires • Cardboard Recycling Gary McCormick Transport Ltd • Drum Hires

www.guardianonline.co.nz

3

Dealing with M. bovis

A Heather Chalmers

s soon as Mid Canterbury sharemilkers John and Michelle O’Connell were confirmed with cattle disease mycoplasma bovis in March 2019 they were determined to be back to “business as usual” by the start of the next season.

Growing their dairy business over the last 20 years, the couple

JOURNALIST

are A2 herd-owning sharemilkers for NZ Rural Property Trust at Eiffelton. They also own a 650cow farm at Carew.

The Eiffelton farm was converted in 2015. It now has a 300-hectare milking platform with 80ha of adjacent run-off land. Milking cow numbers have lifted from 900 in 2015 to 1200,

Precision Ag

Yield Mapping & Data Insights

with supplements and some wintering sourced from the runoff.

Supplying Synlait, the O’Connells consistently produce more than 500,000kg of milksolids of A2 and Lead with Pride accredited milk, which both attract a premium over the base payout price.

In January 2019, they received a phone call from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

“They want to come and see you. They don’t want to talk over the phone,” John O’Connell told a DairyNZ resilience during adversity field day at the Eiffelton farm. continued over page

Paveco.

Covering all your concrete needs.

Yield data is one of the most valuable but under-utilised layers of information in arable agriculture. Vantage NZ’s new service helps you every step of the way.

From setup to data processing and post-harvest analysis, we’re here to make yield data management easy.

Enquire about our yield management packages today from $1550* GST per season.

Yield maps made easy – experts to sort through all the data and deliver it in a meaningful way Insights provided as to what the maps show as learnings for future years

* Dairy yards * Wintering barns * Silage/feed pads * Driveways * Floor slabs * Paths/patios

Get wet yield, dry yield and moisture maps processed & reported

For high quality concrete placing, contact Martyn Wheeler on 027 4508196 today.

0800 482 682 www.vantage-nz.com

YOUR PARTNER IN PRECISION AG

13 Robinson Street, Riverside Industrial Estate, Ashburton Phone 03 307 6466 – www.paveco.co.nz

4

Farming

From P3 The notice to cull 15 cows came out of the blue. “We were perplexed at the animal tracing involved.”

In June 2018, the O’Connells had purchased 400 A2 cows and sold some A1 cows. “In hindsight, it was quite a risk,” O’Connell said, with M. bovis cases becoming more prevalent in Canterbury.

The O’Connells realised that the best idea was to get the animals killed and tested as soon as possible to confirm their status, so they booked space at the meat works.

“Right from day one we had to drive the process.”

MPI rang and again said they would visit in person. “Two Rural Support Trust ladies arrived with a big batch of scones so I thought we’re in trouble here.”

Of the 15 cows, five had tested positive for M. bovis which meant the entire herd had to be culled.

Once the O’Connells got over the shock of the result, they quickly gathered a support group around them, including the farm owner who was on a plane the next day. “The day after we were confirmed we had eight people around the table for six hours, formulating a plan.”

Mid Canterbury farmer advocate Angela Cushnie drew up a diagram of all the

www.guardianonline.co.nz

While A2 cows were at the top of the O’Connells’ shopping list, they also sought to get a match for the herd they had lost.

PHOTO ASHBURTON GUARDIAN

people that would need to be involved in the culling, cleaning and restocking process. The O’Connells and the owners were in the middle of the diagram surrounded by graziers, stock agents, business advisors, staff, the cleaning/disinfecting team, compensation team and the Rural Support Trust.

“It sunk in fairly quickly and then we had to think what our end goal was. This was ‘business as usual’ as soon as possible.”

As the Restricted Place and cull notice was received on March 13, the O’Connells could have potentially looked at farming through to the following season.

“But once you’ve had MPI and M. bovis in your life for a week you want to get rid of it as soon as you can.”

The goal was to have a replacement herd of 1200 A2 cows on the farm by mid-July.

“Then we worked back from that

date to make sure that happened.”

The O’Connells set up a “business as usual” spreadsheet for the remainder of the season and were proactive in organising killing space and animal testing.

“We never once stood in the way of anything. We made sure it happened. We are only dealing with five days a week with MPI, so we had to just keep driving it.”

The first unit load of cows off the farm was the toughest to face. This was followed by

another 24 loads, as 1184 cows, 364 yearlings and 32 bulls were culled over a two-month period.

While O’Connell admits he is not the best at paperwork, he quickly realised that everything had to line up to avoid delays in receiving compensation. He also received assistance from some of his farm staff and the team at the DairyNZ, Beef+LambNZ Compensation Assistance Team (DBCAT).

As the MPI compensation team valued animals in various categories such as two to eightyear-olds, empties and culls, the O’Connells would cull and claim these in groups. “We made sure that the first cows that went were our highest value cows as we wanted our money back to get the ball rolling to buy a replacement herd.”

The O’Connells would group 200 animals at a time and as soon as the kill sheet was back from the works, they would put in a compensation claim to get paid within 20 days. The cows were valued by PGG Wrightson, with the works price deducted from this. Each claim required multiple documents and 15 digit animal identification numbers which had to match up.

As soon as the O’Connells received official confirmation that the herd would be culled they went for a drive and purchased the bulk of the replacement A2 herd in one day.

SPECIALISING IN DAIRY FARMS & MAINTENANCE INFILL IRRIGATION OPTIONS

• • • •

• • • • • • • • • • •

• Effluent Ponds & Concrete Tanks Dairy Conversions • Rut Filling Farm Tracks • Shingle Supplies Feed Pads • On Farm Shingle Screening Underpasses • Building - Pump Sheds Silage Pits - Implement Sheds - Hay Barns Bulk Cartage • Concrete Bunkers Site Works & Driveways Tree Removal Water Reticulation & Storage Irrigation Free Quotes Mole Ploughing

• • • • • • • • •

Excavators Loaders Trucks Graders Rollers Transporters Tractor & Rut Filler Hire Tractor & Muckspreader Tractor & Trailer

Micro pivot the best option for irrigating dry corners Accurate use of water, no over watering Towable to more than one site Powered by solar

Irrigation Logistics Ltd A complete irrigation package including design and installation.

Get a competitive quote from the irrigation industry leaders.

Agri-finance options available, terms to suit.

No Job Too BIG or Small

Steve 027 640 3414 Office Phone 03 693 7457

Locally Owned & Operated

E-mail: oliverbros@farmside.co.nz www.oliverbros.co.nz

CONTACT DARFIELD OFFICE Phone 03 318 8371 or 0800 743 723 admin@irrigation-logistics.co.nz www.irrigation-logistics.co.nz

www.guardianonline.co.nz While they didn’t have to buy an A2 herd and the farm owners were supportive of that, the O’Connells were able to source the numbers required.

While other affected farmers were sourcing cows from the North Island, to limit the risk of potentially buying another infected herd, the O’Connells didn’t have time. “We needed 1000 A2 cows and we were on the market on March 13.”

All cows were sourced from Canterbury, with the O’Connells minimising the number of farms they purchased animals from.

They also bought lines of heifers and yearlings.

“In hindsight, we could have cashed up as sharemilkers, but I didn’t think about that until I had purchased another herd so it wasn’t front of mind,” O’Connell said.

Their own Carew farm which is not A2 was placed on a Notice of Direction restricting animal movements, but tested clear.

On April 26, 2019, they milked their last cow for the season, to allow time for the cleaning and disinfecting process and 60-day standdown of stock.

They were not allowed to help with the cleaning and disinfecting process which was done by contractors, who completely stripped the rotary dairy.

Once the cows were gone the O’Connells were left with pasture, but no animals to eat it.

They regrassed 35ha and made silage from the remainder.

“We ended up with a stockpile of feed on hand at the end of that season, which was carried forward, leading to a low-cost year the following season.”

While A2 cows were at the top of their shopping list, they also sought to get a match for the herd they had lost, targeting a Breeding Worth of 85, Production Worth of 110 and a crossbred friesian cow.

As sharemilkers, the O’Connells had also been

5

John O’Connell’s herd has again been tested for mycoplasma bovis as part of the current Ashburton cluster.

PHOTO ASHBURTON GUARDIAN

conscious, even before M. bovis, that their herd was a large and important asset. They realised it was important to work towards having fewer older cows of eight plus years, or unsound/budget cows, if there was a need to sell.

They had also been building some good reproduction results and wanted to maintain that, though this was an unknown after buying animals from multiple farms and districts.

However, reproduction results held up surprisingly

well, recording a six-week-incalf-rate of 77 per cent with the replacement herd in the 2019-20 season, compared with 75 per cent the previous year.

Along with about 200 in-calf heifers the O’Connells were able to keep, they now have a younger herd, with 600 of the 1000 cows bought being first and second calvers.

“If we maintain our reproduction results we will have surplus cows to sell. We will target age groups that we have

too many of. We carry 25 per cent replacements so will have them coming in to keep the herd fresh.”

A younger herd meant that production in 2019-20 was 520,000kg/MS, about 10,000kg lower than was budgeted for the previous year. This year they have budgeted for 540,000kg/ MS. “We have irrigation restrictions looming that may impact on this, but at present we are on target.”

Following their experience

with M. bovis they have made changes to improve biosecurity.

This includes leasing a 60ha partly-irrigated run-off block at Ashton Beach for their service bulls. “That was purely around biosecurity.”

They now buy yearling hereford bulls from Mendip Hills in North Canterbury, which when mating is finished are grazed on the coastal run-off.

After mating a second year these are culled.

The number of graziers used for heifer grazing has been reduced from three to one.

It was also important to keep herd records up to date. While animal tracing system Nait “is still clunky sometimes, but we have got a lot better at using the system”.

O’Connell said that during their experience with M. bovis they tried to keep home life as normal as possible. Michelle O’Connell continued her school teaching job and their children went to school. “We talked about it at home, but things continued on as normal, as much as possible.”

Michelle O’Connell said that once all the cows left the farm it was important to get everyone together to acknowledge this, as it affected everyone, including the staff and children. “That’s the end point.

“In winter we went to Australia and that was the best thing, as it was something to look forward to.”

The O’Connells find themselves again caught up with M. bovis, being put on a Notice of Direction as part of the current Ashburton cluster, because of jersey bulls used onfarm.

“We are pretty relaxed about the results from the information I have received, but you never know.”

Milking herds on both Eiffelton and Carew properties have been tested, and the bulls will be culled for further testing.

SIZE, STRENGTH & STABILITY FOR OVER 40 YEARS • • • • •

Bulk Grain Storage Container Cartage Firewood Supplies Hay & Straw Cartage Agricultural Spraying

• • • •

Lime & Super Spreading Precision Nitrogen Sowing Log Cartage Shingle Supplies

Methven - Christchurch - Daily Freight Supplies

• • • • •

Swing-lifting Grain Cartage Silo Storage Cool Storage Stock Cartage

Methven - Ashburton - Daily Freight Supplies ISO ACCREDITED

PO Box 28 Line Road, Methven

Ph 302 8616 - Fax 302 9657

philipwareingltd@xtra.co.nz

6

Farming

www.guardianonline.co.nz

20t/ha remains elusive A

goal of achieving wheat yields of 20 tonnes a hectare remains as elusive as ever, but progress has been made, researchers say.

Established in 2012, the 20t/ ha by 2020 programme is aimed at increasing farm profitability by achieving the highest feed wheat yields in the world.

Foundation for Arable Research senior researcher cereals Jo Drummond told the Crops Annual Expo at FAR’s research site at Chertsey that crop modelling in 2012 showed that a 20t yield was theoretically possible by extending the growing season by bringing sowing dates forward.

This was based on the logic that crops sown earlier intercept more sunlight, grow more biomass and therefore have a higher grain yield potential.

However, in reality, bringing sowing dates forward to February wasn’t successful. For a wheat crop to achieve early sowing yield potential it needed to have good standing power, a long growing season with a slower rate of development and excellent disease resistance.

Early trials found Februarysown crops could accumulate 3t/ha drymatter before winter, but the resulting bulky crop was prone to lodging (falling over) and highly susceptible to disease, Drummond said.

By 2015, trials identified a late-March “sweet-spot” with yields around 16t/ha. However,

robust plant growth regulators, fungicide and insecticide programmes were needed to maximise yield.

By 2017, results showed that the highest grain yields were actually achieved from April sowings, although the late-March “sweet-spot” was still apparent at some sites and promising yields were achieved with early-March sowings.

From 2018, the focus shifted to identifying germplasm with potential to produce high yields at early sowing dates.

These varieties also performed well at mid to late April sowing dates.

The combination of cultivar genetics and perfect conditions through grain fill in the 201920 season contributed to the highest yields of the programme with individual plot yields of over 18t/ha and cultivar yields of 17.7t/ha from an April 24 sowing date.

High yields were also achieved across autumn wheat cultivar performance trials and Mid Canterbury farmer Eric Watson’s world record of 17.4t/ ha was achieved from a midApril sowing date.

“While we learned that very early sowing dates weren’t the answer, we also learned that new germplasm is capable of producing yields in excess of the early model predictions for mid to late April sowing dates.

“These later sowing dates can reduce weed, pest and

disease pressure and provide the opportunity to reduce management inputs.”

Drummond said the production goal posts had shifted and it was not about achieving the highest yields at all costs.

“While it still makes sense to aim for the highest possible yields, those yields must be achieved within environmental and regulatory boundaries.”

Row spacings and sowing densities had also been investigated, but growers may be reaching the ceiling in terms of yields, Drummond said. “We’ve done the big jumps.”

PGG Wrightson Seeds cereal breeder Steve Shorter said that while 20t/ha may be achieved in patches of paddocks it was challenging on any type of scale.

“It is like the 100m record.

You chip away at it, but you don’t suddenly get someone taking half a second off the speed. I don’t expect it to happen with wheat yields either.”

PGG Wrightson Seeds’ breeding programme was focused on broadly adaptable cultivars that did well from one season to the next and could recover from setbacks. Disease resistance was also important, but challenging, as pathogens were constantly changing.

“Future breeding is not about going for that absolute top yield when you can occasionally get it but having that consistent performance across diverse environments,” Shorter said.

Above – Foundation for Arable Research senior researcher cereals Jo Drummond and PGG Wrightson Seeds cereal breeder Steve Shorter say further gains in wheat yields will be incremental rather than being achieved in big steps.

Right – Mid Canterbury arable farmer Eric Watson’s record yield of 17.4 tonnes a hectare was achieved last harvest with Kerrin feed wheat.

PHOTOS HEATHER CHALMERS

It won't fit under your tree but it's the last fuel storage tank you'll ever need so it's really an investment ...unlike your underwear.

SAY NO

to socks & jocks this Christmas

FROM DESIGN TO MANUFACTURE IN OUR ON-SITE WORKSHOP

Manufacturers of Fine Jewellery

270 Stafford Street, Timaru Phone 03 688 1362 www.theringmakers.co.nz

www.guardianonline.co.nz

7

FARM INSURANCE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO SUIT YOU

Land Development and Civil Siteworks Done Right 30 years of local knowledge and

Locally Owned Local People Local Pride.

experience makes us the right people to talk to when it comes to earthmoving and civil siteworks. We explore every angle of a project upfront to ensure it runs smoothly and efficiently. For us, being the best isn’t about getting a job done fastest, or cheapest. It’s about getting it Done Right.

Find out how we will get your project Done Right at tarbotton.co.nz

Qualified, experienced broker with a farming background who works for you to get more out of your insurer. You benefit from our NZbrokers membership, as we provide broader cover and policies to cover your whole business operation.

Phone: David 027 221 9190 | James 027 276 7747 73 Burnett St Ashburton

8

Farming

www.guardianonline.co.nz

All aboard the woke train David Clark

A

President of MC Federated Farmers

s if 2020 didn’t have enough to give us, the Ashburton District Council has just released a report into the economic impact of the new freshwater regulations, and good on them for doing so because it would seem that very few other outfits have bothered, particularly those who wrote the rules.

That is why the economic impact report on the new freshwater rules are so very sobering.

The analysis is very conservative, looking at a district-wide implementation of the rules that farmers in the Hinds plains are already working towards being extrapolated out over the whole district.

That impact is a $283 million (22 per cent) reduction in farm working expenditure and a $113m (82 per cent) reduction in after-tax profit.

It is that profit that buys the shoes, the coffee, the new TV, or

house renovations, the “nice to haves” and funds reinvestment in the business. This is based on analysis of getting groundwater nitrogen concentrations to 6.9mg/l, half of the WHO drinking water standard of 11.3.

There has been extraordinarily little research into what land use change would be required to achieve nitrogen levels of 2.4mg/l in our lowland streams.

In many catchments, the Hinds plains included, that level is close to nature without any human activity, so any assessment of the economic impact of farm

sounds groovy. But, you see, the problem is the how.

How, exactly are we going to make all of Government carbon neutral by 2025.

Burning Indonesian coal to generate electricity to power a fleet of government cars might be a great act of NIMBYISM, but will do 5/8ths of the proverbial for the climate.

Planting New Zealand’s hill country in pine trees might give us a 25-year benefit to the climate on paper and help us show “leadership”, but the end result is in 30 years’ time we

themselves a ticket to ride the woke train, with the release of “carbon neutral” milk products.

Apparently, this is done by investing in projects to support native forest regeneration in Kaikoura, a wind farm in New Caledonia, and a solar energy installation in India.

Now I am a bit sceptical about all of this carry on. To my mind, the only real way to reduce the possibility of climate change bought about by the release of carbon into the atmosphere is to actually reduce the amount of fossil fuels we burn.

... and planting a tree or buying a solar panel in India are not actual solutions, they just soothe conscience system change to achieve that becomes pretty mind-numbing.

What we do know is that the scale of change required would be exponential, not linear.

Regarding freshwater regulations, it is time for the ministers involved to take ownership of their legislation and get out into the provinces and actually quantify the impact.

This last week we had a “climate emergency” declared.

Not sure what any of that means, but I’m sure it all

will be left with over-grown, unharvestable forests that are no longer sequestering carbon, long since abandoned by owners who headed back to the Bahamas after making a quick buck.

The cornerstone of the New Zealand pathway to carbon neutrality is to require a reduction of 24 to 47 per cent in methane emissions. Effectively that is a reduction in livestock numbers by a similar degree.

So, one big milk processor, bless them, have also bought

CALL GROUTPRO FOR AN HONEST DISCUSSION ABOUT YOUR GROUT AND TILE AFTERCARE

So, while you are away on your holiday, taking a flight, getting pulled across a lake on two bits of timber, buying a new TV, wearing synthetic clothing, or turning on an air-conditioner, just remember it’s an emergency and each of those activities are the cause and planting a tree or buying a solar panel in India are not actual solutions, they just soothe conscience.

The Canterbury Regional Council (ECan), faced with the regulatory obligations of

the new freshwater rules and worried about the climate are demanding a 25 per cent rate rise, in fact, one faction of the council wish for rates to increase 36 per cent. No business can behave like that, nor should a council.

Why am I bringing this up? Simply because nobody is standing back and looking at either the feasibility of any of this or considering the cumulative cost of all these ideas that seem worthy in isolation.

Much of our country is relying on wage subsidies, business support packages, bountiful ultra-cheap credit and wealth generated by house price appreciation to pay the bills.

In this district, much of our economic activity and prosperity comes directly, or indirectly, from growing and selling foods to the rest of the world.

It is going to become increasingly difficult to do that and we are not having an honest conversation about that.

On a more cherry note, Merry Christmas to you and your special people.

Whatever you may be doing over the holiday period, take care, get some rest, have some fun and reflect on what an awesome district we live in.

The perfect location for your event…

To deal with Dirty Tiles and Grout CALL GROUTPRO WE HELP YOU KEEP ON TOP OF YOUR SHOWER AND TILE MAINTENANCE • Tile shower makeovers • Professional tile and grout cleaning • Re-colouring existing grout

• Sealing and repairing/replacing tiles/grout • Replacing mouldy and tired silicon

WE TRANSFORM TILES/GROUT IN BATHROOMS, KITCHENS, SHOWERS, BALCONIES, CONSERVATORIES AND ANY TILED AREA

Contact GroutPro Brett Muir for a quote and an upfront honest discussion.

027 746 7632

www.groutpro.co.nz

www.skitime.co.nz | (03) 302 8398

Hilux spares 93-2015 Hilux Specialists Hilux spares 1993-2019 Hilux Specialists 93-2015 Hilux Specialists

location: 68 Falsgrave Street, Woolston, Christchurch email: nzvanspares@hotmail.com | phone: 03 379 3932 / 0508 698 267

location: 68 Falsgrave Street, Woolston, Christchurch email: nzvanspares@hotmail.com | phone: 03 379 3932 / 0508 698 267

• Concrete Water/Feed Troughs • Precast Panels • Water Tanks/ Effluent Tanks • Silage Pits • Concrete Bunkers • Weeping Walls • Cattle Stops • Wingwalls • Concrete Pipes For any quote or inquires contact us on Or call into the yard at

03 308 4816

205 Wilkins Rd, Tinwald, Ashburton

www.hanhamconcrete.co.nz info@hanhamconcrete.co.nz

A

new commercial development on West Street to be known as Aon House, is another in the Tricroft development stable.

The stylish commercial property officially opened on November 26 and will add a new vibrancy to the strip of State Highway 1 from Queens Drive north.

It breaks new ground in the opportunities it offers not only to businesses looking for a permanent home, but also to those looking for office space without the commitment of a sole tenancy.

One area of Aon House is dedicated to a cluster of businesses, generally those based out of town, who require office space for one or two days each week.

This collaborative space has six hot desks and is being used by three businesses with common interests – surveyors Fox and Associates, consulting engineers E2 Environmental and consultant planner, David Harford Consulting.

The complex also provides a permanent home for Aon Insurance, a business that has been in Ashburton for 25 years, moving several times as its business grew.

A permanent home in a modern building that carried its name was an opportunity too good to pass up, Canterbury regional manager Bruce Wightwick said.

“David and the Tricroft team have delivered an outstanding building, one we can now call our home. We’ve been very impressed with the way Tricroft embraced our vision of where we wanted to go.”

The Aon team had been on a long journey together to reach this point, he said, and it could not have been as successful without the support of its loyal clients.

The PGG Wrightson merger in 2005 saw Aon buy the insurance interests of both businesses and it based itself in the merged company’s West Street premises.

“

David and the Tricroft team have delivered an outstanding building, one we can now call our home. We’ve been very impressed with the way Tricroft embraced our vision of where we wanted to go

– Aon Canterbury regional manager Bruce Wightwick

The Ashburton Aon team:

PHOTO HEATHER MACKENZIE 261120-HM-330

◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

Amy Young Andrew Salvesen Braden Forrest Daniel Richards David Sutherland (branch manager) Emily Gilchrist Jan Lee Joanna Gatrell Jo Andrew John Staite Karla Yeatman Rebecca Donaldson Sue Durry Tania Eriha

W

ith the opening of Aon House on West Street, Tricroft Properties has taken another giant step towards cementing its position as a major property investor and developer.

Aon House breaks new ground with its co-operative work spaces and it brings together in one area, several tenants, all of whom work in similar fields and share similar beliefs and philosophies.

It’s a concept that’s been a while in the making, general manager Tony Gilbert said.

However, once the decision was made to develop a commercial property where there could be shared and individual tenancies, the project started moving at pace, he said.

Insurance broker Aon is the complex’s anchor tenant with Tricroft, David Harford Consulting, E2 Environmental Consulting Engineers and survey team Fox and Associates tenanting the shared work space.

This shared space includes six work stations that can be hot-desked, as well as dedicated office spaces and a board room.

Achieving the new development hadn’t been easy, Gilbert said, but the process had been made much easier by the commitment and collaboration of everyone involved.

“In spite of lockdowns, we were very, very impressed with the way our contractors were able to bring this project in well on time.”

As an investment and development team, it was important for Tricroft to undertake projects that would bring new businesses and new opportunities to the Ashburton District, Gilbert said.

“By having this collaborative space, it allows people to have a presence in Mid Canterbury without having to secure a per-

manent office.”

The businesses in the building and those likely to take up the vacant spaces would be a good fit for the district, he said.

One of the vacant spaces in Aon House is under offer and Gilbert is confident the other, the high profile West Street space, will attract strong interest.

A Japanese proverb best described the vision Tricroft had for Aon house, he said.

“Vision without action is a dream; action without vision is a nightmare. Our vision for a collaborative space was not just space, but for people working tougher and sharing their culture. The whole idea about this house is working together and growing our businesses.”

For Tricroft director, David Williams, it’s been a long journey from his early years as a grain and sheep farmer.

The seeds of his love for property investment were sown early, however, when he took the plunge and subdivided a 50-hectare block of land.

That foray in the 1970s into property development allowed him to buy his first farm, a property he named Tricroft. And from that small beginning Tricroft has grown to become a leader in property investment and development.

Its portfolio now includes office, industrial, hospitality, transport and bulk retail, leased to both New Zealand and Australian owned tenants. It also holds sites for future development.

For the Tricroft family, their commitment to the Ashburton District goes beyond bricks and mortar, as the business supports sports teams, clubs and charities.

Tricroft general manager Tony Gilbert (left) and managing director David Williams.

Consult

Design

Fabricate

Precast

Construct

A

on is delighted to have moved premises, into the new Aon House in Ashburton.

Every great opening deserves a great opening celebration, especially after the challenges that New Zealanders, New Zealand business and New Zealand communities have faced in 2020.

With support from the team at Tricroft, it was wonderful to see members of the community come together and celebrate with Aon last Thursday.

“The local Aon Ashburton team is very proud and excited about opening our new office.

This fantastic new building gives us the scope and room to expand our team and the open-plan, agile environment means that our colleagues and specialists from around the country can work remotely from the Ashburton branch – which will benefit both our team and our clients moving forward.

Aon have been operating in Ashburton now for almost 15 years, servicing the insurance needs of our clients in Ashburton and the Mid Canterbury region with face-to-face service and expert advice.

While many businesses are exiting away from local branches in provincial New Zealand, Aon has elected to do the complete opposite; instead we are developing and investing in our local branches. We believe that by doing so, we increase our ability to provide greater service for local communities, something we are very proud to be involved with.

Special thanks to the team at Tricroft for being part of this journey and this site is something we can all be proud of.”

– David Sutherland Branch Manager & Regional Agri Manager, Canterbury

A

on is the leading provider of insurance broking, risk management and associated services in New Zealand, and around the globe. Through access and collaboration with New Zealand’s largest and most trusted insurers, we design and place insurance for individuals, small to medium business, corporate business, as well as across various industries and organisations.

Here is just a snapshot of our offering, but you can talk to your local Aon Ashburton broker to find appropriate insurance solutions for you and your needs:

PERSONAL INSURANCE SOLUTIONS

At Aon, we access an extensive range of personal insurance solutions to help keep you, your family and your belongings covered. We can arrange cover for your personal assets such as home, contents, car and boat, as well as arrange solutions that cover your livelihood and wellbeing, such as health, life and income protection.

AONAGRI | RURAL INSURANCE SOLUTIONS Aon has been long established in New Zealand’s rural sector – we know farming. Our AonAgri division provides cover for every

kind of agri business; from equine and bloodstock, horticulture and viticulture, apiculture and crops right through to bulls, dairy, sheep, beef and silviculture.

diverse needs of many corporation or government organisation, regardless of size.

Our world-wide network can assist you in securing the right insurance programme with the necessary ground support, no matter where you are based or where you do business.

SMALL TO MEDIUM BUSINESS INSURANCE SOLUTIONS

RISK MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

CORPORATE BUSINESS INSURANCE SOLUTIONS

AON IN THE COMMUNITY

We are proud to arrange insurance for over 100,000 small to medium-sized Kiwi businesses. We understand and value the vital contribution that these businesses make to New Zealand’s local and global success. We also understand the challenges and responsibility that the people running these businesses face.

To help you overcome these challenges as business owners, we provide an extensive range of business insurance solutions to keep you adequately covered and ultimately, reduce your risks.

From property and asset protection, to liability, trade credit and professional risks cover, our specialist brokers can help tailor an insurance package that is most appropriate for your diverse business needs.

Aon provides innovative risk management solutions to meet the

We provide an extensive range of professional risk management services.

These include risk accounting, risk engineering and consulting, valuation services, fire protection and sprinkler services.

Aon’s integrated solutions help our clients understand and improve their risk profile, protects their interests and increases their business profitability and organisational resilience.

These services are delivered by a highly qualified and experienced team; Aon’s Global Risk Consulting division (AGRC) is market-leading with unique relationships, including research, engineering, geoscience and disaster recovery firms.

At Aon, we value having a strong and positive presence in business – but also within New Zealand’s cultural and sporting

Visit our new branch today and talk to your local Aon Ashburton broker about insurance solutions that are right for you.

Address | 2 Queens Drive, Allenton, Ashburton.

Call | 03 307 6790

Visit | aon.co.nz

New

communities.

Our partnerships with organisations, not just in Ashburton, but around the country, help to fulfil an ongoing and successful legacy of assisting New Zealanders as they strive for success.

From school yards to stadiums, Aon has long been associated with helping young New Zealanders achieve their sporting potential, every step of the way.

Supporting sporting and cultural organisations on a local, regional and national level is engrained into our company culture.

TALK TO THE AON ASHBURTON TEAM TODAY

With branches up and down the country, Aon is the only broker in New Zealand which has the capability to provide a local service, no matter where you are. Our dedicated teams are on hand to provide service and advice.

From quote to claims management, we’re with you every step of the way.

Talk to one of the Aon Ashburton team today.

Call 03 307-6790 for an obligation-free chat or drop into the new branch at 2 Queens Drive, Allenton, Ashburton.

w Zealand’s leading insurance broker.

DAVID HARFORD CONSULTING

F

or David Harford, relocating his office into Aon House was an extension of the working relationship he already had with the Tricroft team.

It also provided an opportunity to grow his business and after years of working solo, it means having his own offices as part of a larger, collegial workspace.

QUALITY COMMERCIAL JOINERY

Senior members of the Fox and Associates Ltd team (from left) Michael Martin (director), Craig McInnes (director) and Alex Liggett (senior surveyor).

FOX AND ASSOCIATES

ON TIME. ON POINT.

T

LTD

LUNDS JOINERY REGISTERED MASTER JOINERS WWW.LJT.CO.NZ

he team at Fox and Associates are no strangers to the Ashburton District.

The surveying business that prides itself on “creating legacies with land”, has been involved in a number of large-scale works in the district and counts the development of Lake Hood as one of its flagship projects.

With its base in Christchurch, but many working hours spent in the Ashburton District, the option of being a tenant in a collaborative work space in Aon House was too good to pass up, a

Fox and Associates Ltd director Craig McInnes said.

Long term, the goal was to have staff permanently based in Ashburton, he said.

The company offers surveying services that range from traditional to cutting edge and has worked on major projects such as Lake Hood and Kauri Cliffs Golf Course.

Tools of work for the team of 12 include unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) that allow it to work rapidly on smaller jobs at a lower cost.

Creative land development and survey solutions

Now proudly in Ashburton — AON House, 2 Queens Drive, 0800 369 787 | foxsurvey.co.nz

The team from E2 Environmental Consulting Engineers, John Wilson (left) and Andrew Tisch.

“

We are looking forward to having a physical presence in Ashburton

E2 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING

W

hile they are no strangers to the Ashburton District, E2 Environmental Consulting Engineers have not had a local base – until now.

They are one of the cluster of businesses now working out of Aon House, sharing a collaborative workspace and it’s an opportunity the E2 team welcomes, principal engineer Andrew Tisch said.

The company already has a working relationship with Tricroft and one of its

contractors Thompson and, with fellow tenant David Harford, sharing a workspace with those businesses made absolute sense, he said.

“We are looking forward to having a physical presence in Ashburton.”

The business offers a full service civil engineering consultancy specialising in water engineering and land development.

Their team works across the natural environment and infrastructure enhancements to greenfields residential and commercial

projects and they pride themselves on delivering creative and commercially savvy solutions.

They are committed to working in partnership with their clients.

The services they provide include investigations and pre-development advice, consenting, options assessment, hydrodynamic modelling studies, full design services, project management, construction observation and contract management.

Proad to be supporters of Tricroft “Aon House” 03-688 3062 sales@morse2018.co.nz

Proud to have Been involved with the Complete land and water engineering service taking your project from conceptual design to construction • • •

3 Waters from concept to procurement Consenting, numerical modelling, and investigations Design, tendering, and procurement

• • • •

Land Development and On-site civils Flood modelling and complete analytical services Wetlands and stormwater networks Expert estimation and forecasting

e2 has a solid track record throughout New Zealand for successfully completing stormwater, wastewater, water supply, river engineering and land development infrastructure projects.

2 Queens Drive Ashburton, and 1/46 Acheron Drive Christchurch Phone 03 358 4955

aon house Project

WE CAN DESIGN & BUILD ALL ASPECTS OF ELECTRICAL: • COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL & DOMESTIC • LIGHTING AUTOMATION • DATA & FIBRE • HVAC • FIRE ALARM • SECURITY & CCTV

ON CALL 24/7 03 684 8410

Farming

16

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Market for sunflower oil growing Heather Chalmers

JOURNALIST

G

olden fields of sunflowers will again adorn the Canterbury plains this summer as the popular garden plant becomes increasingly sought as a commercial crop.

Canterbury production is being driven by Rolleston-based processor Pure Oil NZ, which already produces cold-pressed rape seed oil and identified a demand for high oleic sunflower oil.

Pure Oil agronomist Roger Lasham said sunflower plantings had expanded since the crop was first trialled four years ago, with 400 hectares being grown this season, up 100ha from last year. However, this was small compared to the company’s more established rape seed oil production, with about 3500ha contracted this season.

“We won’t see the whole of Canterbury yellow with sunflowers, but grown for a niche market.”

The colourful crop is known to be a traffic stopper and a popular backdrop for photos.

Foundation for Arable Research general manager business operations Ivan Lawrie said that sunflowers had previously been grown in New Zealand for the birdseed market and for its edible seeds.

A food products for the future project had identified market demand for sunflower oil, in conjunction with Pure Oil. Rather than competing with the big volume commodity oils palm, canola and soybean, the high oleic sunflower oil is at the high-value end of the cooking oil market.

“The choice to go to high oleic sunflower hybrids rather than

The colourful crop is known to be a traffic stopper and a popular backdrop for photos.

PHOTO SUPPLIED

Pure Oil agronomist Roger Lasham with two products made from Canterbury-grown sunflowers, a high-quality cold-pressed cooking oil available in supermarkets and a horse feed made from the protein-rich husk left after the oil-extraction process.

PHOTO HEATHER CHALMERS

standard types was a response to consumer demand for a highquality product with health benefits both for domestic and industrial use.

“Three years later I’m happy to say that we can find Pure Oil branded product on supermarket shelves,” Lawrie told FAR’s Crops Annual Expo at its Chertsey research site.

The protein-rich husk left after the oil-extraction process is sold as a stock feed for horses.

Internationally, sunflowers grow well in temperate regions where wheat, barley and maize are grown. In New Zealand two hybrids, Idillic and Baltic, are grown, imported from France by Pure Oil. Most of the sunflower crops are grown in Mid Canterbury,

unlike Pure Oil’s rape seed oil crops which are mainly grown in South Canterbury to avoid unwanted cross pollination with other yellow-flowering brassica seed crops on the Canterbury plains.

Lasham said that as sunflowers were only in the ground 130 days it was a matter of where farmers could place it in a rotation to capitalise on its short growing season. Planting was in October and November once soil temperatures reached 12degC. As it was a short-duration crop, growers should consider its profitability in terms of dollars per day. “Some crops achieve greater returns, but over a longer period of time.”

Double cropping was an option, with Turley Farms at

Chertsey, which has the biggest planting of sunflowers, sowing 40ha in the first week of December following a crop of processed peas for Talleys.

Establishment was key to getting the crop uniform with a correct plant population, Lasham said.

“While crops may look like they have uniform establishment, when we do plant population counts we are realising we are losing 20 per cent of plants somewhere along the line to birds, slugs and failed germination.

“Of 18 growers last season, only three achieved target plant populations.”

As a result, seed rates had been increased to ensure 60,000 to 70,000 plants a hectare. “We want evenness and all plants growing at the same stage.”

The crop was relatively inexpensive to grow, with low inputs.

Crops were a magnet for birds at emergence and as they neared maturity, with a sole trial crop in the North Island having to be abandoned because of bird damage. A way to address this was to grow big blocks of the crop, at 10ha minimum, to “dilute the

bird effect,” Lasham said.

At FAR’s Lincoln site, trials are under way to explore aspects of crop agronomy to maximise yield. These include plant density, appropriate plant nutrition and in particular, bird damage at emergence and crop maturity.

Current average yields for commercial crops are 2.5 tonne/ ha.

On October 31, 6.5ha of the hybrid Idillic was established at the Kowhai Research site. In an establishment trial, planting rates ranged from 70,000 to 110,000 plants/ha. Exclusion cages have been set up to measure the effects of birds and rabbits on plant establishment across the different planting rates.

A range of bird scarers are also being investigated at the Lincoln site, including lasers and predator bird sounds, as well as a range of nitrogen treatments.

A demonstration plot at FAR’s Chertsey site is also exploring the option of strip-till planting.

“In Argentina two million hectares of sunflowers are grown and everything is under no-till, so it is possible,” Lawrie said.

Keeping your farm vehicles working

TRACTORS

4WD

IRRIGATORS

Neumanns Tyres will attend to your tyre requirements anywhere and anytime in Mid Canterbury

197 Wills St, Ashburton Ph 308 6737 www.neumannstyres.co.nz

• Prompt and efficient service • Very experienced technicians • Competitive price • 24 hour service (After hours callout applies)

Dairy Focus

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

TOP IRRIGATION

OPERATORS Page 18

18

Dairy Focus

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Trailblazers in sustainable irrigation L

eadership in sustainable irrigation and community water issues has led Mid Canterbury dairy pioneers Ted and Sue Rollinson to be recognised in a trans-Tasman competition.

The couple are the New Zealand region winners of the inaugural Zimmatic Sustainable Irrigation Awards.

The Rollinsons own a 380-hectare dairy farm at Dorie, south of the Rakaia River. Sharemilkers Tom and Leanne Heneghan have been on the farm for 11 years milking 1500 cows.

The awards aim to celebrate excellence in sustainable irrigation and encourage Australian and New Zealand farmers to share ideas for achieving sustainable water management.

The Rollinsons were recognised for upgrading their irrigation system several times as technology and efficiencies have improved.

For Ted Rollinson, entering the awards was an opportunity to benchmark their irrigation system, which spans 360ha of their farm, against some of the best operators across New Zealand and Australia. He is quick to credit the farm’s success to partnership and teamwork.

“The runs we’ve got on the board with our irrigation management have absolutely been the result of a 50/50 partnership with Tom and Leanne. We’ve all worked hard to get to this point.

One hasn’t got the award without the other.”

Tom Heneghan said he was grateful to the Rollinsons for their commitment to investing in the necessary infrastructure to do the job right.

“Ted and Sue have invested heavily in the infrastructure on this farm when they could have easily cut corners and still had a productive and profitable business. As sharemilkers, we are incredibly appreciative of that.”

They acknowledged the input of Charlotte Glass from AgriMagic, who has been their environmental consultant for more than eight years.

Awards head judge Keri John-

Award winning sharemilkers Leanne and Tom Heneghan (left) with farm owners Ted and Sue Rollinson (right).

PHOTO SUPPLIED

2

ston said the Rollinsons were dedicated to continuous improvement and have been for many years.

“Ted and Sue are just as passionate today as they were when they started. The fact that they have upgraded their irrigation system several times as technology and efficiencies have improved, and are still looking for more opportunities, is testament to their commitment to being irrigation trailblazers.

“They are progressive, smart farmers, who are aware of their environment, the risks and opportunities it presents, and are a valued part of their local and wider community. And now, with Tom and Leanne, they have another generation coming through, bringing more ideas to the table, collaborating and doing research. The strength of their partnership was really evident to us.”

Recognition from the awards comes after a complete reconversion of the Rollinsons’ irrigation system from flood irrigation to spray irrigation, between 2014 and 2017.

“Where our Zimmatic centre-pivots cross tracks, precision variable rate irrigation is used to eliminate watering of these areas. We completed the whole conversion ourselves, re-contouring all paddocks and re-aligning the tracks using a 25-year-old 20 tonne digger and a 50-year-old grader.”

Ted Rollinson first came to Mid Canterbury from Murchison in 1981 and was one of the first drivers of dairy in Canterbury.

The word in the community at the time was that his dairying dream would only last six months before going belly up.

Nearly 40 years later, dairy is now an integral part of the Canterbury economy.

13,550

MOWERS FROM $

S U M M E R M O W -A WAY

YEAR WARRANTY

PFAS_GUARDDEC

FINANCE OPTIONS

Over the years, Rollinson has been an advocate for fair and equitable water access in the region, including working with Environment Canterbury and gaining access for farmers to local irrigation schemes. He was also chair of the Rakaia River Users Group for many years.

The judges acknowledged that the Rollinsons have been influential in sustainable irrigation and their community for a long time.

“One of the judging categories was about sharing knowledge and supporting others in their communities to adapt and change and Ted can certainly claim credit in this space,” Johnston said.

Rollinson said that while he’s had years of farming experience, there was always more to learn and the awards were a great opportunity to do that.

“We’re looking forward to learning from the supreme winners in Australia and see what

*

027 512 7205

+GST

29,990

MOWER CONDITIONERS FROM $

NO DEPOSIT Simon Jackson

ideas we could implement here in Canterbury to help us take the next step.”

Heneghan said the award showed they were on the right track, but it didn’t mean there was no room for improvement, using what they’ve got more efficiently.

“The day you find the perfect farm is the day you give up. And I don’t think you’ll ever find the perfect farm, with a perfect set up, with a perfect use of resources. Nevertheless, we strive for that every day, and this award shows we’re on the right track.”

Each entrant was judged on the following categories: sustainable irrigation management; irrigation-driven improvements, which may include cost reductions, environmental outcomes, yield improvements and/or improved efficiencies; waterway protection; stewardship/community.

James Craft of Zimmatic ANZ said that the awards acknowledged innovative farming operators and rewarded them for the vital role they played in the primary sector.

“We were extremely impressed by the calibre of applications for the award and the excellence being prasticed by these farmers who are focused on improving their irrigation and water management.

“The awards are an opportunity to help showcase the innovative farming operators who will influence future generations and play a role in strengthening New Zealand’s success story as global leaders in sustainable and profitable farming.

“We really look forward to the awards becoming a regular feature on the agricultural calendar in Australia and New Zealand.”

Tasmanian farmers Rob and Eliza Tole of Cressy were the Australian region and supreme winners of the awards. They have won an overseas trip for two to the United States, when international travel is again feasible.

+GST

Kverneland NZ

Ashburton 233 Alford Forest Road 03 307 7153

Terms and conditions apply. Offer ends 30/12/2020. While stocks last. Contact your local dealership for more information. * 2000 & 3000 range has 2 year Driveline warranty, Profiline range has a full 2 year warranty.

Power Farming Ashburton

www.guardianonline.co.nz

19

Lessons learned from ‘year from hell’ Left – South Canterbury dairy farmer John Gregan says don’t assume new staff know what to PHOTO ASHBURTON GUARDIAN do.

Heather Chalmers

JOURNALIST

S

outh Canterbury dairy farmer John Gregan says he has learnt lessons from his “year from hell”.

Staff shortages, severe mastitis and poor decisionmaking led to a lot of stress and a 24 per cent cut in average production, hitting both profits and morale.

However, if faced with the same challenges again, Gregan said he now had the tools to cope, he told a DairyNZ resilience during adversity field day in Mid Canterbury.

Gregan and his wife Cara farm two dryland dairy farms near Waimate, milking 620 and 420 cows after converting from sheep farming more than 10 years ago.

“Our nightmare dairy season began like most seasons, hopeful and sort of confident. We had what we felt was a good team in place with some new faces and some who had been with us for a while.

“Our manager from the previous year had left, but we were confident the team would step up, so rather than have a manager as such I would oversee things and we would have a flat management structure. We have two dairy sheds, so we had a manager for each shed, but we would all step up. Mistake number one.

“Everyone was on a salary with no incentives and we used relief milkers so people didn’t have to work big hours.

“We were just coming off two very low payout years and, like most farmers, had lost money in both those years. We needed a good year.

“The start of calving didn’t go too badly. It was a wet spring which is always difficult. Pretty

›

soon the wheels started to wobble. Roto-virus in the calves meant a lot of extra work.

“We hadn’t herd tested the previous two years because of the poor payouts. We didn’t have particularly good reproductive results either so we really had no room to cull cows except if they were empty or effectively so old or bad in the udder we had to send them away.

“We had bought in other people’s carryovers as replacements, again to try and save money.

“In hindsight we definitely should have seen that disaster was looming,” Gregan said.

After the first month of calving, somatic cell counts were spiking and the farm was starting to grade every other day.

“It turns out I had assumed everyone knew how to spot mastitis, paddle cows and to administer treatment for mastitis. Another big mistake.”

Treatments were being applied at the wrong rates and for the wrong periods and paddling wasn’t being completed properly.

Even teat spraying wasn’t being done properly.

Testing of cultures showed

the farm had lots of types of mastitis, including Staplococcis aurius.

“We were not able to put a lot of milk into the vat due to the mastitis and our production was tanking big time.

“Cara and I had a holiday booked between calving and mating for 10 days.

“The wheels weren’t just wobbling by the time we came back, they had fallen off altogether.

“The guys had panicked a little and stopped all intervention as soon as I left so some cows had only half their treatments, new cases got no treatment and our somatic cell counts were so high we were tipping a lot of milk down the drain.”

Worse was yet to come, with staff injuries and departures.

“Things did slowly improve as the season progressed, but so much damage had been done we were never going to make up the lost ground and it was on the back of $3.90 and $4.40 payouts.”

The Gregans produced only 320,000kg of milksolids, compared with an average of 420,000kg, a 24 per cent drop.

“Our animal health costs were

through the roof, so it was another very tough year for us financially.”

Gregan said that he realised he didn’t deal with things well.

“I blamed everyone for not doing their jobs. I often didn’t keep my cool and let my frustrations show.

“In a roundabout way I am pleased what happened, happened.

“There is an old saying ‘we don’t want to go through the things we need to, to become the people we want to become’.

“I’m definitely a better farmer, and person for that matter, for having gone through that difficult season.”

› ›

›

LESSONS LEARNED

Gregan said that lessons he learned were: › Always keep your cool. “Even when it’s obvious who’s to blame and what went wrong, it will not help to blame anyone or lose your cool. The reality is they almost always already know if they are to blame and you don’t need to point it out.” › Don’t assume. “If you have new staff don’t ask them ‘do you know how to’?

›

People almost always say yes regardless, for lots of reasons. They are too shy, they don’t want to appear stupid, or often they think they know, but they don’t.

So, if in doubt show people yourself, or get your vet to.

Remember it is your business and the buck stops with you.”

People respond to incentives.

“Our contract milkers who were managers look after the motorbikes much better now that they own them. That is no criticism of our contract milkers, that is human nature.

We have changed to contract milkers which helps ensure the right incentives keep us all driving in the same direction.”

Don’t go away if things aren’t right.

Accept adversity as a norm rather than an exception.

“Farming isn’t easy. You are dealing with animals, the weather and people. Look for solutions, not blame.”

Lesson learned. “Build relationships with others and use them. Surround yourself with people smarter than you. Take full advantage of the wealth of clever professional people in the industry. DairyNZ is often a massively under-utilised resource.

Last week, I saw my fertiliser rep, my FarmSource agronomist and my banker for advice and it cost me nothing. My vet also drew up a mastitis plan for us which was an expense, but well worthwhile.”

Look after yourself. “Being busy all the time isn’t the sign of an effective person.

If you are too busy to take time out for yourself, you’ve got a problem. Change jobs or look at the jobs you are doing. Could someone else be paid to do some of them?”

Dairy Focus

20

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Small cattle, big rewards Left – Lowlines are the perfect animal for a lifestyle block Harvey Rhodes believes, as they are high yielding, killing out at over 70 per cent. And the meat is beautifully marbled.

Sue Newman

JOURNALIST Below – Sixteen-year-old

H

arvey Rhodes loves cattle, Charlotte Rhodes with the smaller the better. grandfather Harvey’s prize winning lowline angus heifer, And the Ashburton man can winner of best of breed at claim to be an absolute expert this year’s Christchurch A&P when it comes to breeding some cattle competition. of the best small cattle around.

SUPPLIED He owns a small herd of lowline angus and his breeding CUSTOMER CHRISTCHURCH VEIN CLINIC PUBLISHING 02/09/ efforts were recognised recently with a clutch of top awards SALES REP BERNADETTE.CHRISTIE PUBLICATION STRAI at the Christchurch A&P DESIGNER Unknown SECTION GENE Association’s annual cattle show.

CUSTOMER CHRISTCHURCH VEIN CLINIC PUBLISHING The three-day show might PROOFED 27/08/2014 1:31:18 p.m.

SIZE 10X7 PUBLICATION have been cancelled because SALES REP BERNADETTE.CHRISTIE of the Covid-19 pandemic, but DESIGNER Unknown ERTISING AD ID 6268508AA FAX 4528 SECTION along with a number of other ROOF regular show events, the cattle PROOFED 27/08/2014 1:31:18 p.m.

SIZE home PLEASE with a clutch of APPROVE ribbons in local bakery, buying upAS loadsSOON of THIS AD AS POSSIBLE. NOTE THAT ANY ALTERA section competition was still the boot of theID car. 6268508AA bread and buns he’ll hand feed to AD FAX held, albeit without any public While Rhodes is the breeder his cattle.

MUST BE FINALISED BY OUR MATERIAL DEADLINE. viewing. with a meticulous eye for “Their bellies are definitely Rhodes hasTHIS been breeding the ROVE AD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. NOTE THAT ANY A conformation and breed quality, bigger than their brains,” he small scale cattle since 2006. when it comes to the show ring, said.

He’sMUST never been a large scale BE FINALISED BY OUR MATERIAL DEADLINE. he calls in his grandchildren, Lowlines are the perfect breeder, but says he’s happy with with 16-year-old Charlotte animal for a lifestyle block his small numbers.

Rhodes helping Shelia to her owner, Rhodes said, and they Breeding for quality is his swathe of titles in Christchurch. come with the bonus of being aim and the stats show he With a herd of just nine, high yielding, killing out at over reaches that goal, year after Rhodes knows each animal well, 70 per cent. And the meat is year, championship ribbon after understands their personality beautifully marbled. championship ribbon. foibles and ensures that those Few of Rhodes’ cattle find His results at this year’s heading to the show ring are their way into the freezer, Canterbury show left Rhodes accustomed to seeing strangers. however, as he usually sells grinning from ear to ear.

His cattle live on a small block surplus stock to other lifestylers, His young heifer Edsal Shelia close to Ashburton and generally usually as a cow-and-calf won not only her own class but see few strangers and that means package. also the supreme angus lowline a little preparation is needed pre“You do get attached to them, title, a rare feat for a young cow. show day. but you can’t keep them all,” he It’s the second time he’s taken He’ll load up his cattle trailer, said. this title, the last with Shelia’s haul it into town and park up He bought his first animals father. in 2006 while he and wife Sally The accolades didn’t end there, in noisy spots such as near a school. were living at Fernside. however, with Sheila placing He opens the side windows He’s always been a small-scale second in the all breeds category on the cattle trailer and lets his breeder and this year his calf too. cattle watch the activity and crop yielded four - three bulls “It’s very, very rare for a listen to the noise. and one heifer. lowline to get placed in all It pays dividends as generally Lowline cattle have been breeds. The lowline breeders they’re spook-proof at show bred and developed in Australia were rapt to see the breed going time. since 1964 and today there are forward like this,” he said.

He admits his animals are a a number of herds around New He’s a regular on the show little spoilt. He’s a regular at a Zealand. circuit and generally comes

ADVERTISING PROOF

CHRISTCHURCH VEIN CLINIC LASER VEIN - State of the Art Varicose Vein Treatment

• It’s not just your livestock that needs to be in good condition • Banish the aches, itching or restless legs associated with your varicose veins • Treatment options include injections, laser or minimally invasive surgery

Call us today. Let’s get your legs looking and feeling good again.

146 Leinster Road Merivale, Christchurch Phone: 355-0922 | www.christchurchveinclinic.co.nz

Southern Cross Affiliated Provider

www.guardianonline.co.nz

21

Mid Canterbury dairy farmer Michael Gilbert (far right), holds his ayrshire cow named Delilah who the four judges behind named her supreme champion dairy cow PHOTO SUPPLIED at the Stratford A&P Show in Taranaki recently.

My, my, my Delilah wins again The Gilbert family of Mid Canterbury can rightly claim to have the best dairy cow in New Zealand after their ayrshire cow named Delilah was named supreme champion at events in both the North and South islands.

Recently, Pukekaraka Elle Delilah was judged supreme champion at the Stratford A&P Show in Taranaki. The dairy section at the Stratford show had Royal status this year, attracting 250 cows.

Michael Gilbert said it was the first time an ayrshire had won the supreme champion all breeds in the dairy section at the Stratford A&P Show over the bigger numbers of jersey and holstein friesian cows on show.

“We went up there with high hopes, but to win the whole thing was very pleasing for us.”

Earlier in November, Delilah also won the Canterbury A&P dairy competition, which was run on-farm following the cancellation of this year’s New Zealand Agricultural Show in Christchurch.

The Gilbert family were the only South Island exhibitors at the Stratford show, trucking nine milking cows and two yearling heifers across Cook Strait for the event.

Along with Delilah representing the ayrshire breed, they also took jersey and holstein friesian animals.

“There were a lot of cows from the Waikato, Taranaki and Manawatu, but we were the only South Islanders there. It’s a big trip for the girls, but they did really well.”

Normally regulars at shows, it was the first time the Gilbert family had taken their cows off-farm since 2017 because of concerns about cattle disease mycoplasma

bovis.

The family, led by Peter and Anne Gilbert, have two dairy farms, at Winchmore and Rakaia, milking a total of 1200 cows, run by their sons Nick and Michael respectively. Another son Luke, is driving trucks, but also involved in the farming operation.

They run three registered pedigree herds – jersey, holstein friesian and ayrshire – under the Glenalla stud name.

The cows were transported north on Monday, November 23, arriving early Tuesday morning. “They spent the whole week up there, arriving back on Monday.

They were at the showgrounds the entire time with the cows getting 24-hours-a-day care. We have people round the clock with them, feeding them and keeping their beds clean.”

A team of about 10 tended to the cows, made up of family members as well as four other helpers. “It was great to be out showing again.”

While the Gilberts had never exhibited at Stratford before, they previously attended the New Zealand Dairy Event at Feilding.

Disruptions to the event following the national M. bovis outbreak meant they had last attended in 2017, but hoped to compete there again in January.

A six-year-old cow, Pukekaraka Elle Delila was bought for $2500 from the Robinson family’s herd dispersal at Atiamuri in the central North Island in April 2019. She was one of five cows purchased on the day. “She was the one we expected to do the best out of the five.”

The Gilberts mainly farm jerseys, but also milk about 300 holstein friesians and 30 ayrshires.

DeLaval Clover™ Liner Don’t choose between high performance and gentle milking, choose Clover™ and choose both.

Many of the benefits on offer from the DeLaval Clover™ liner are due to the unique barrel design that is clover like in shape, hence the name.

When combined with the liner’s thin concave side walls and smooth rounded corners, it provides gentle grip and teat treatment. This delivers fast, comfortable milking with a wide range of benefits.

Up to Up to

5% more

milk*

10% faster milking*

22

Dairy Focus

www.guardianonline.co.nz

No proof stones are the lameness culprit Fred Hoekstra

I

Farmers should focus on how to keep the claw healthy rather than worrying about stone bruises from tracks or in the yard.

VEEHOF DAIRY SERVICES

think that we all agree that if you push cows on the track, or in the yard, you will get more lame cows.

We also know that after rain and during mating we tend to get more lame cows. Usually the explanation is physical trauma.

People say that cows standing on stones causes bruises and that twisting and turning on concrete separates the white line just like pushing cows on concrete.

In the last 25 years I have trimmed well over 100,000 cows as a professional hoof trimmer.

I have seen cows with very healthy claws and cows that had gone way beyond repair. I have trimmed cows in cow barns, and I have trimmed beef cows. So basically, I think that there are not many lesions and lameness issues that I haven’t seen. I notice that no matter where we are in NZ the hoof issues look very much the same. Just the severity

PHOTO SUPPLIED

of the lesions varies.

On the face of it the “stone bruise” and “sole penetration” theories appear valid. The evidence points to a more fundamental cause than that stones are the cause of hoof haemorrhage, or hoof holes.

Why do we see very definite patterns in the hooves? If stones cause bruises, I would expect a much more random pattern. Why do we see most of the haemorrhage in the outer claw? It is usually a bigger claw with a thicker sole that offers more protection against stones than the inner claw. The thicker the outer claw the more haemorrhage it tends to have.

Why do we see haemorrhage in the dorsal wall? Why do some cows have soft hooves but have very little haemorrhage and other cows have hooves that are

rock hard and are very badly haemorrhaged?

How come that “sole penetration” is often in the same spot in the hoof ? Why do we often see sole penetration in the opposite hoof on the same cow?

Why do nails and other sharp objects penetrate deep into live tissue, but stones never do? How is a cow going to push a stone into her hoof if I can’t squeeze a stone into a cadaver foot with a pair of pliers even if I trim that hoof really thin? How come cows can run full speed onto tracks on their own accord and don’t get problems, but when they are being pushed, we end up with major lameness issues?

Because of lots of questions like these, and the absence of proof that stones are the culprit I don’t believe that we should focus on stones. I do believe that

physical force is an important aspect in the fight against lameness. If it wasn’t, there would not be any reason to trim cows, but I am convinced that it is a constant overloading of the hoof that is the issue and not the standing on a stone every now and again or twisting on concrete. I think that if hooves weren’t strong enough to handle that, we wouldn’t be milking cows.

The lameness I’m addressing is a two-stage issue. The first stage is that the live tissue in the foot becomes weakened (or unhealthy) due to internal causes.

Once the health of the hoof has been compromised enough it can’t handle the cow’s load. The resulting damage to the corium haemorrhages blood into the hoof as it is growing hoof – that is bruising. In some parts the hoof fails to grow horn so that the cow ends up with holes in that hoof, resulting in lameness.

A sole ulcer is a good example of this process, but other holes are also formed that way.

Both of these two stages (unhealthy tissue AND loading of the claw (pressure)) are needed for a cow to go lame.

Overloading doesn’t happen if the live tissue is healthy. That is

why we can put claw blocks on cows. And cows with amputated claws can still function well for a year or two. Likewise, cows function well with very unhealthy claws, with no load.

Applying this approach we can now try to minimise lameness by either reducing load on the claw OR by keeping the live tissue in the foot healthy - preferably both. Eliminating the load is not an option. You can minimise the load by doing functional trimming, use rubber mats and the like. There is a positive effect when you do those things, but these are not keeping the claw healthy – they are ambulance at the bottom of the cliff stuff.

They only help a cow to deal with unhealthy claws.

We should focus on how to keep the claw healthy rather than worrying about stones. Diet and stress levels on farm are KEY. Every risk factor that has been identified has a diet and/or stress factor attached to it.

Reducing stress with good stockmanship, systems and environment are the first critical element.

Optimising the diet is the second, though no less important, critical element in keeping cow hooves healthy.

Get the right advice when buying and selling your livestock Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous 2021!

Contact Paul Bailey

M: 027 229 9774 E: paul@canterburylivestock.co.nz

Greener fields, greater yields.

NEW FUNGICIDE 28 DAY

WITHHOLDING PERIOD

When it comes to fodder and sugar beet, healthy leaves are a sign of a healthy, nutritious crop.

CUSTODIAÂŽ delivers just that.

ADAMA's new foliar fungicide provides effective control of key diseases Cercospora, powdery mildew and rust. The result is improved leaf retention and palatability, more green leaf area, and better DM yields. And thanks to CUSTODIA's 28 day withholding period, you'll have greater grazing flexibility, essential when feed is tight.

Contact your local merchant for details.

HC AGR0275

Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997 No. P9607. See www.foodsafety.govt.nz for registration conditions. Approved pursuant to the HSNO Act 1996. Approval No. HSR101411. See www.epa.govt.nz for approval controls. Custodia is a registered trademark of an ADAMA Group Company.

FUNGICIDE

24

Dairy Focus

www.guardianonline.co.nz

NUTRITION FEATURE

The three Rs of lameness prevention L

ameness in dairy cows is a multi-faceted problem. It is also highly misleading, often the occurrence of lame cows is not directly associated with the cause – resulting in further confusion.

The team at Sollus put together the 3 Rs of lameness prevention. Management of these Rs is critical for success.

• Races • Rest • Ration The quality of races in NZ is second to none. There is a fantastic focus on this area in NZ. To summarise: they need to be dry, firm, smooth, wide and with little to no impediments likely to cause bunching within the herd. Management of the cows on the race is also very important. The amount of time on a race needs to be minimised yet cows should not be hurried – cows need to travel with heads down, not up.

Moving onto the less known Rs. Rest is a critical component of lameness prevention. It’s a pretty simple formula. 24 (hours in a day) minus time milking (time ex paddock) minus time eating equals rest. Rest should be equal or greater to 14h per day. Is this possible? Cows graze for about 8h (dependent

on the quality and quantity of the sward), this leaves 2h for milking! Remember that is from when they leave the paddock until when they return.

The larger the farm the longer the walk! Large farms, even

geographically complicated farms, result in cows being out of the paddock for long periods of time. Rest is critical for hoof blood flow, rumination, taking pressure off the hoof and is also strongly linked to a well fed cow.

This leaves us to the last R (and for us at Sollus the most important). Ration, or what we feed the cows. Acidosis is well known for causing several types of lameness, including founder and white line disease. Acidosis

in spring, usually caused by the combination of low fibre grass and starch based feeds, can cause a weakness in the white line that does not become a problem until it reaches the surface of the hoof, usually 3 months after the damage has occurred.

Furthermore, the quantity of the ration can also cause problems. Hungry cows don’t rest very well. They spend excessive time grazing, waiting at the gate and even fighting for access to feed on feed-pads potentially damaging their hooves on the concrete. Cows that are hungry will often gorge when presented with feed. This further increases the risks of acidosis as the rumen undergoes massive fluctuations in digestion patterns.

Ration is one of the easiest areas to help prevent lameness.

Numerous studies have shown the inclusion in the diet of high quality forms of zinc, copper and the vitamin Biotin have been very successful at aiding in the prevention of lameness.

In summary, getting to the bottom of your lameness issues is not as easy as laying some rubber in the cow shed. You need to look at your system on a year round basis and keep in mind the 3Rs!

www.guardianonline.co.nz

25

Below – Stags in velvet on a Canterbury high PHOTO SUPPLIED country farm.

Deer velvet selling amidst uncertainty C

onsumer demand for New Zealand deer antler velvet appears to be firming in the main markets, South Korea and China, as well as new growth markets like Taiwan.

This is reflected in some reasonable sales of the new season’s crop, says Deer Industry NZ (DINZ) markets manager Rhys Griffiths.

“Overall sales are down on where they would normally be at this point of the season, but that’s to be expected in an environment of global uncertainty.

Covid-19 is making buyers more cautious than usual, but some are buying.”

Griffiths said market research carried out by DINZ in Korea revealed that the main attributes that consumers associate with velvet are anti-fatigue and boosting immune function.

“That’s a good space to be in right now.

Many Korean consumers take red ginseng products regularly, but when they want something more powerful, they go for a product that contains deer velvet.

“Major Korean consumer product companies are catering for this demand, with several releasing new products based on New Zealand deer velvet during the epidemic. Online sales of these products are likely to have been good, somewhat offsetting the downturn experienced through physical retail stores earlier in the year. The Chinese and Korean economies are both performing better than western countries, which is better news for New Zealand velvet. Both countries have been very successful in suppressing Covid-19.”

Despite this good news, Covid-19 has put pressure on the supply chain. Velvet is harvested and processed over four months of the year, but is consumed for

12 months. This means buyers have to finance their purchases in an environment where Covid-19 remains a real risk.

“Those who are financing purchases are applying a risk premium because of Covid-19, so we have seen prices ease in the early season contracts relative to prices at the close of last season.”

Griffiths said the deer industry had made a major effort in recent years to embed its premium position in key markets. Deer farmers have invested heavily in improved harvesting and cool chain facilities to ensure that velvet is humanely removed in a clean environment and is frozen immediately afterwards.

“Deer sheds are part of an audited regulated control scheme administered by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

This, together with veterinary supervision of velvet removal, gives major pharmaceutical and food product companies great comfort about the quality and provenance of our velvet.

“Our latest initiative, VelTrak – an electronic traceability system that will be introduced for all velvet from next season – has been designed to provide major customers with the proof of integrity they expect from their suppliers. We expect it will open a lot of new doors across Asia and is technology that other producing countries are unlikely to be able to match.”

Griffiths said genetic improvement in existing deer herds was leading to modest increases in velvet production.

This ensures sales volumes keep pace with growing market demand.

“The deer industry is not looking for new entrants to velvet production at present.”

Farming

26

www.guardianonline.co.nz

FEATURE

Lack of NZ workers an issue for orchardists

A

n apple exporter in the Hawke’s Bay has told the Government an advertising campaign to attract 300 New Zealand workers received more than 200 applications, but only 55 people got jobs.

The figures are part of the business case the region’s fruit growers used to argue for foreign seasonal workers to be allowed into the country, despite Covid-19 restrictions.

Next year, 2000 seasonal pickers will arrive from the Pacific in the New Year but the industry said it would still be well short and many locals simply were not suitable for the jobs.

Bostock New Zealand is the largest organic apple producer in the country.

In documents released to RNZ, Bostock told ministers it ran a marketing campaign in October on TV, social media, traditional backpacker boards and seasonal worker websites.

By the end of October, it reached nearly 600,000 people.

The company had 227 applications and all of them were contacted to move their application forward.

The company had 77 people respond, in which 55 got jobs and 22 people withdrew their applications.

Despite multiple attempts to contact them, 150 people did not respond after their initial application.

Bostock New Zealand said

based on these figures, it would have to extend its reach massively from 600,000 to over 3.1 million people to achieve their goal of finding an extra 300 seasonal staff.

That was not far off the total working-age population in New Zealand - 3.9 million people.

To pick a hectare of apples, a picker must climb over 20 vertical kilometres while carrying 60 metric tonnes of

fruit.

A worker would have to fill 15kg buckets while going down ladders of more than 2 metres long.

Historically, NZ workers make up 79 per cent of the indoor packing workforce.

But it was the complete opposite for the outdoor harvest, where migrant workers made up 79 per cent of workers.

The companies said there

PFAS_GUARDDEC

HIGH PERFORMANCE, REDUCED FUEL CONSUMPTION AND GUARANTEED COST SAVINGS

Ashburton 233 Alford Forest Road 03 307 7153

Simon Jackson

027 512 7205

1 George Holmes Rd, Rolleston Contact Power Farming Ashburton for more information.

• • • • •

Locally owned and operated Locally owned

and operated T

R

A

N

S

P

O

R

were many reasons why New Zealanders were not suitable for the work: they’re not available for as long as they need to be, not fit for the job, underage, could not commit to the job or had family or animal/pet obligations that could not fit around the work.

The Hawke’s Bay companies told the Government not picking the fruit could lead to big losses and “far-reaching consequences”.

They feared there would be a reduction in regional spending and the investments in new permanent staff or capital equipment would “drop away”.

The companies told the Government that Cromwell needed a new cherry packhouse in 2022 to cope with demand and Hawke’s Bay needed cool storage for thousands of tonnes of apples.

They said the appetite for investment, both by the sector, and bankers, would be curtailed by the 2021 season if crops were – Radio NZ not harvested.

All Merlo Telehandlers come standard with: • HST transmission for precise movement and high towing capacity.

• In house manufactured components with the highest quality - representing 90% of the machine.

• MCDC attachment recognition, weigh system and anti-tipping system.

• Chassis frame levelling and boom side shift options .

• Dynamic Load Control (CDC) anti tipping system means the operator can check at any time the stability of the vehicle.

• The optimal steering modes allow for superb manoeuvrability and ease of use in all terrain.

Power Farming Ashburton

Stock Cartage Bulk Cartage Fertiliser Spreading General Freight Hiab Truck Hire

Proud to service the farming community in Canterbury T

L T

D

Phone 308 4079

Visit our website www.ruraltransport.co.nz

www.guardianonline.co.nz

27

Farmer bank pressure drops but so do satisfaction rates

Banks have been trying to reduce their exposure to agricultural lending.

PHOTO SUPPLIED

Mt Hutt Memorial Hall & Function Centre Methven Address 160 Main Street Methven. Six different Meeting Rooms available for Hire of which we can accommodate 10 to 450 people. Weddings, Conferences or that Special Event.

Check us out on Facebook and our Website.

Contact Sue on 03-3029666 Or email: info@mthuttfunctioncentre.co.nz

F

ewer farmers are feeling undue pressure from their bank, but satisfaction rates continue to slide, according to Federated Farmers’ latest banking survey.

Of the 1341 farmers who responded to the survey independently run by ResearchFirst, 65.4 per cent said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their bank relationship. That’s down from 68.5 per cent in the same survey in May. “Satisfaction has steadily slipped over the past three years - in our November 2017 survey it was 80.8 per cent,” Federated Farmers president and commerce spokesman Andrew Hoggard said.

“That’s probably no great surprise.

Banks have been trying to reduce their exposure to agricultural lending as it is considered ‘risky’, including by the Reserve Bank. Banks put the pressure on farmers to reduce their debt when commodity prices are good to put them into a better position to weather the next downturn, and there is also a trend by banks to diversify agricultural lending from dairy to other sectors, especially

horticulture.

“As a result, agricultural debt has been squeezed down and dairy farming has been bearing the brunt, with dairy debt down almost $2 billion over the past year to $39 billion,” Hoggard said.

One bright spot from the November survey is a slight drop in the number of farmers feeling under pressure from banks, from 19.3 per cent in May to 18.4 per cent last month. A possible explanation is that the further postponement of the Reserve Bank’s stiffer bank capital requirements for higher risk margins is trickling down to the trading banks’ stance.

Farmers’ bank pressure sentiment peaked at 23.2 per cent in November last year, but despite the recent easing in pressure it remains a lot higher than earlier years of the federation’s survey, when it ranged from 5 to 10 per cent.

Pressure is highest for dairy farmers (24.9 per cent) and arable farmers (23.3 per cent). Meat and wool farmers are feeling the least pressure (10.3 per cent).

Despite being less satisfied with bank relationships and bank communication, sharemilkers’ perceived pressure is much lower than that for dairy farmers as a whole (12.8 versus 24.9 per cent) and is also well down on levels felt in earlier years of the survey.

“That might be because bank staff are concentrating on farm businesses with higher debt while sharemilkers, who tend to have lower mortgages and overdrafts, are left to be managed by a call centre,” Hoggard said.

Other key findings from the November survey: Of farmers surveyed, 61.8 per cent feel communication with their bank has been good or very good. This is down from 64.9 per cent in May 2020. Like overall relationship satisfaction, quality of communication has steadily slipped over the past three years (in November 2017 it was 79.3 per cent).

The average farm business mortgage interest rate is 3.9 per cent. This is down from 4.2 per cent in May 2020 (and down from 4.6 per cent a year ago). OCR cuts are flowing through to farmers, although it would seem not as quickly as they have for residential mortgages, where there is lots more competition.

The average farm business mortgage is $4.0 million. This is up from $3.8m in May 2020. However, the median mortgage declined from $2.4m to $2.1m.

Of farmers surveyed, 60.7 per cent have a detailed, up-to-date budget for the current 2020-21 season, while 23 per cent have a detailed, up-to-date budget for future seasons. Sharemilkers remain the most likely type of farming to have detailed, up-to-date budgets.

with Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy, VenaSeal and Endovenous Laser.

Before

After

28

Farming

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Environmental due diligence key A

ctivity in the market for sheep and beef properties remains steady.

The transaction of two significant South Canterbury drystock farms is scheduled for completion in mid-January.

Both prospective purchasers are local, and while those in the market are taking a selective approach, we have also fielded enquiries from out of the district.

Meanwhile, enquiry in dairy properties continues the upward trend experienced over recent months, reinforcing that the sector’s long hiatus is over.

First farms ranging up to the $5 million level are consistently sought after, while largescale dairy properties are also

Calvin Leen

PGG Wrightson Real Estate

attracting attention from those looking for off-farm investment returns.

Low interest rates continue to affect market decisions.

Some who would otherwise sell to exit farming are deciding that leasing their properties is a more attractive retirement option, utilising their equity from the farm to buy a

residential property or lifestyle block and living off the lease proceeds.

Also carrying a heavy influence on farmers’ sale and purchase decisions are the new environmental regulations, most specifically Environment Canterbury’s proposed Plan Change Seven to the Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan.

Compliance is becoming increasingly complex.

Stricter requirements on farming activities such as the intensification of land use, intensive winter grazing, the application of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser and management of wetlands and feedlots are playing a greater role in many farming decisions.

Among those, intensive winter grazing is attracting most consternation from farmers, requiring resource consent for livestock grazing on an annual forage crop, which is anything other than pasture, at any time between May 1 and September 30.

These regulations mean that the days of buying any farm and expecting to do what you want with it are in the past.

Purchasers must check that consents match activities undertaken.

When they offer properties for sale, vendors need to be prepared, including holding all the consents they need, as well as presenting Overseer, farm environment plan and

HAVING PROBLEMS WITH YOUR INTERNAL GUTTER SYSTEMS

compliance records.

Where transaction of rural property is concerned, environmental due diligence is now almost equal in importance to any sale and purchase agreement’s finance clause.

From a practical perspective, taking at least 20 working days to undertake environmental due diligence on a farm is now a given.

It therefore follows that to maximise their asset’s value, any farmer seeking to sell property must understand the legislation and its ramifications.

Calvin Leen is Mid-South Canterbury and North Otago Sales Manager for PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited

PMR GRAIN SYSTEMS

CROP STORAGE AND HANDLING SYSTEMS

AVAILABLE SOUTH ISLAND WIDE TIMBER DRIVE-OVER DRYING FLOORS Also air tunnels, fans and heaters etc all sizes suitable for all crops.

Is water leaking into the soffits or even into your house?

We can change your internal gutters to standard external gutters Give Ben a call for a free quote. All jobs guaranteed.

Alps

Brian

Ben

Danny

Ananias

Kurtis

Ben Kruger • Phone 308 4380 or 027 390 1027 email: benkruger@xtra.co.nz Continuous Spouting www.alpscontinuousspouting.co.nz

CROP DRYING FANS & CONSTANT HUMIDITY GAS BURNERS

5 HP FANS TO 50 HP FANS

CONTINUOUS FLOW GRAIN DRYERS

Dairy Feed and Crop Storage Specialists

Dairy Feed and Crop Storage Specialists

Tel: 03 303 7266 | Email: paul@pmr.co.nz

www.pmr.co.nz

www.guardianonline.co.nz

29

Celebrating the goodness of soil

Mid Canterbury TimeBank members, along with the local Soil and PHOTOS SUPPLIED Health group, celebrate World Soil Day.

Sheryl Stivens

D

ECO EFFICIENCY

ecember 5 is marked globally as World Soil Day by the United Nations to celebrate the importance of food as a critical component of the natural system and as a vital contributor to human wellbeing.

The 2020 theme is to “keep soil alive and protect soil biodiversity”.

This year it was an honour and a privilege to host a wonderful group of folk from the local Time Bank and Soil & Health Association on our farm for World Soil Day. We took a closer look at the range of creatures living in healthy soil. We also discussed ways to improve our soil health and productivity, as well as the importance of returning food

and garden waste back to the soil by composting, mulching, having a worm farm or a bokashi bucket, or simply digging food scraps back into your soil.

Soil is our biggest carbon sink, so making healthy soil by returning organic matter to the earth is something we can all do to help combat Climate Change.

Connecting with the soil and growing food can be a great way to de-stress. One study found that a mere 30 minutes of gardening can lower our cortisol levels and boost moods. Elevated cortisol levels are linked to depression, weight gain, and various illnesses. Spending time growing and harvesting food can really help.

It is so rewarding gathering salad greens and spuds from your own organic garden. As you harvest food from your garden beds you can keep sowing radish seeds or planting seedlings to fill the gaps, including lettuce and other salad greens and summer vegetables so you have a continuous supply.

Growing your own vegetables and fruit reduces packaging,

Need water?

From consent to the pump

saves you money and provides peace of mind and satisfaction as you know exactly what is used on your garden. If you have too much of any one thing swap it, freeze it for winter soup or enjoy sharing with others.

The volumes of waste increase hugely during the Christmas and holiday seasons. Consider how you can help minimise waste, reuse as much as possible and always have a recycling bin handy so stuff gets sorted.

Think about setting up a home compost system that works for you so you can recycle your garden and food waste to improve your soils.

Life seems to get jam packed at this time of year with activities and events to attend. It’s good to have easy recipes at your fingertips.

Here is one of my favourite recipes you might like to try. It’s easy, quick, no added sugar and gluten-free. We enjoy feasting on this all year round. Happy Christmas and may all your dreams come true in the New Year. Let’s hope 2021 is better for us all.

residential

we can help you with water wells

Gluten-free Christmas cake.

PHOTO SUPPLIED

GLUTEN-FREE CHRISTMAS CAKE WITH NO ADDED SUGAR

Mix together: 1C cream 1/2 C water 2t vanilla essence 2t cinnamon 1t nutmeg 500g dried fruit – Stir well and cover.

– Leave overnight or at least two to three hours.

3 eggs

– Beat eggs and add to fruit mixture.

2/3 C (organic) rice flour 1/2 C (organic) tapioca flour 1t xanthum gum 2t baking powder

irrigation

Ph 03 324 2571

– Sieve rice flour, tapioca flour, xanthum gum and baking powder together.

– Stir into fruit mixture, along with three generous tablespoons of melted butter.

– Place in tin lined with baking paper. Bake for one hour at 160°C until the centre is cooked. (It may need an extra 10-15 minutes).

– Enjoy. It keeps for a week and can be frozen.

(You can replace the flour mixture with gluten-free self-raising four or gluten-free plain flour with added baking powder.)

lifestyle

www.drilling.co.nz 120 High St, Southbridge

30

Farming

www.guardianonline.co.nz

New natural fibre company to pioneer A

new natural fibre company has been formed which aims to put New Zealand grown and processed wool and hemp at the forefront of a global swing in consumer preference against synthetic fibres and plastics.

NZ Yarn, a subsidiary of Carrfields Primary Wool (CP Wool), is joining forces with hemp processing company Hemp NZ to create a new natural fibres and materials business, New Zealand Natural Fibres.

NZ Natural Fibres chairman Craig Carr said the new company aimed to be a pioneer in the global natural fibres revolution.

“We have a clear purpose to transform natural fibres to enable earth-positive choices. Products will be made from renewable, New Zealand-grown hemp and wool, as well as blends of the two fibres, using proprietary technology to prototype, produce and market a wide range of consumer and industrial options,” said Carr, the managing director of Ashburton-based Carrfields agribusiness group.

NZ Natural Fibres chief executive Colin McKenzie said the creation of the new company paved the way for the development of an extensive portfolio of new product innovation, as well as opening new national and global sales channels.

“We are very positive about the future of New Zealand wool and hemp products worldwide.

There is tremendous potential to increase awareness of the sustainability, versatility and quality of wool and hemp across a variety of value-add applications.

“With this in mind, we have aspirations to build our farmer and grower base, ramp up our research and development activity and launch into new domestic and

Above – Hemp harvesting.

Right – Hemp fibres are one of the strongest and most durable of all the natural textile fibres and have been used for centuries to manufacture clothes, bags, paper, building materials and insulation.

PHOTO SUPPLIED

offshore markets,” McKenzie said.

NZ Natural Fibres will be based in the NZ Yarn plant in Burnside, Christchurch, where the company is in the process of installing a leading-edge natural fibre processing facility imported from Europe.

The highly advanced equipment, the first of its kind in New Zealand, enabled NZ Natural Fibres to begin what was thought to be the first-ever

commercial processing of hemp stalks into fibre in the southern hemisphere.

The new processing facility will operate alongside NZ Yarn’s existing yarn spinning equipment, which spins strong New Zealand wool into yarn for the carpet industry worldwide.

NZ Natural Fibres’ investment in new equipment means the company has a strong and difficult to replicate platform

from which to develop marketleading innovations in hemp fibre processing, as well as the development of new consumer products made from wool yarn, wool and hemp hybrid yarns and non-woven wool and hemp products, McKenzie said.

Further bolstering the market positioning of NZ Natural Fibres was its vertically-integrated structure, boasting a large and geographically-diversified base of

contracted growers of hemp and wool.

Wool and hemp are among the oldest fibres known to humankind and people have used these ancient materials in a

www.guardianonline.co.nz

31

hemp and wool innovations

Above – Once installed, a decorticator at NZ Natural Fibres’ plant in Christchurch will begin the first commercial processing of hemp stalks into fibre in the Southern Hemisphere.

Right – NZ Natural Fibres chief executive Colin McKenzie says he is positive about the future of New Zealand wool and hemp products worldwide.

wide range of applications for millennia, McKenzie said.

“It’s therefore only fitting that today, in the face of looming global environmental challenges, natural fibres including wool and hemp are now re-emerging at the forefront of a global sea-change in consumer preference.

“We are tremendously excited to be at the forefront of a growth industry that is working to address some of the most critical issues facing life on earth. As

our oceans fill with plastic and grim climate change predictions threaten the livelihoods of communities around the world, consumers are choosing to shun synthetic fibres and plastics in favour of products made from sustainable materials which help us reduce our impact on our fragile environment.”

This presents a tremendous opportunity for growers of materials such as wool and hemp, and producers of consumer and industrial products made from them, to ride the wave of changing consumer behaviour, McKenzie said.

“Among the possible product applications we are exploring are wool and hemp blends for use

in soft flooring. Blending hemp with merino fibre to produce yarn for use in outdoor active wear is another area we are well advanced in, with partnerships already in place with major brands in New Zealand, North America and Western Europe.”

Non-woven products are also being developed and tested; including a natural hemp-based material that could replace singleuse plastic food packaging, as well as a hemp-based replacement for the permeable synthetic ‘geotextile’ fabric which is used to stabilise soil in infrastructure works.

In the future, NZ Natural Fibres also plans to look at how hemp fibre could be used to

produce a natural replacement for carbon composites, packaging and building materials, as well as in many other industrial applications.

“Wool and hemp are two natural, New Zealand-grown fibres which have many synergies in terms of sustainable provenance, ethics, environmental credentials, processing performance and product characteristics,” McKenzie said.

“We are extremely excited about moving forward under the NZ Natural Fibres brand and realising the enormous potential natural fibres have to help change the world.”

NZ Yarn is owned by Carrfields Primary Wool (CP Wool) and

independent investors including farmers, wool growers and others who are passionate about the wool industry and showcasing New Zealand wool yarn on a global scale. NZ Yarn manufactures and markets high quality woollen spun yarns for the carpet industry throughout the world.

Hemp New Zealand is owned by a group of New Zealand families.

Its mission is to lead the New Zealand hemp industry in the growing, harvesting and processing of high-quality hemp products, to meet increasing market demand for sustainably produced food, fibre and supplements.

RANGE OF PRODUCTS AVAILABLE Machinery for sale PRIC

$200

Howard 80” Selectaith.......................................$2500

E

0

Ferguson 9 tine Grubber.....................................$ 650 Mowtown 3pth 3.6 Maxi Till...............................$3000 Farmgard Grader Blade .....................................$500 Clough front coil tines..........................................$ 70

PR

$12

$37 5 +GS T

18volt battery grease gun comes with charger & 2 batteries

Sitrex rake reels...................................................$250

FRO

ICE

M

00

Reid and Grey 3 furrow trailing plough .............$300 Loader Bucket 2.2m New..................................$2000 Berends 3pth Discs 2.0m..................................$1500

Cattle Ramp. As New Heavy duty

Heavy duty quick red hitch in stock.

Fieldmaster HD 60 Topper ...............................$3500 Morris chain bar lube 205 litre.............................$675 Rata Soft Hands to suit JD 640 loader ...............P.O.A

Phone: 0274 326 847 mcmullanent@xtra.co.nz - www.mcmullanenterprises.com

All prices exclude GST

32

Farming

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Plastic pollution killing off our bird life Mary Ralston

FOREST AND BIRD

P

lastic pollution in the ocean has become so widespread that around 90 per cent of all sea birds are eating plastic as they feed.

In New Zealand, the problem is especially critical because we have the greatest diversity of seabirds in the world and we have a lot of coastline, islands and ocean to look after.

Of the 360 seabird species found throughout the world, 86 breed here and 37 are endemic, meaning they only breed in our waters. This gives an urgency to the problem here, although the issue is a global one.

Seabirds are particularly vulnerable to ingesting plastics because most species feed on the ocean surface. They forage along eddies and oceanic convergence zones – the very places where marine plastics accumulate.

Eating plastic can seriously limit a bird’s feeding capacity,

Plastic rubbish collected at Doughboy Bay, Stewart Island.

PHOTO VAL CLEMENS

leading to starvation or internal ulcers, and eventually death. This usually means the chicks die too because the adult hasn’t eaten enough to return with enough food for the chick. The other adult of a breeding pair may also die waiting for its mate to return.

It’s not just eating the plastic that’s the issue – getting entangled in plastic fishing line is another awful death.

And it’s not just birds – whales, turtles, fish and small marine creatures such as sea

horses all face the same problem.

Around 90 per cent of New Zealand’s seabirds are threatened with extinction. As well as plastic, they also face pressure from fishing limiting their food resources, rising sea temperatures which may limit food supplies and threats on land where they nest such as predators and habitat loss through rising sea levels.

Research shows the extent of the problem for some species – one-third of New Zealand marine turtles have died or become

ill due to plastic ingestion and a 2015 study suggested that 99 per cent of seabirds would be ingesting plastic by 2050. The authors also predicted that seabirds in the Tasman Sea would be the hardest hit, because of the high densities of seabirds foraging in the region and the overlap with high amounts of plastic.

In Australia, up to 100 per cent of flesh-footed shearwater fledglings contained plastic.

Fledglings with high levels of ingested plastic had reduced

IT’S OFFICIAL. BAYLEYS IS NEW ZEALAND’S #1 RURAL REAL ESTATE BRAND.

body condition and increased contaminant loads.

The chemical structure of plastics means that they act as toxin sponges, attracting harmful contaminants from the surrounding seawater, including persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals. Those toxic chemicals can leach into the bird’s tissues.

Chemicals such as PCBs and flame retardants that are added to plastics during manufacture have been found in seabird tissue around the Pacific. High concentrations of toxic chemicals can retard growth, reduce reproductive fitness and kill the bird.

Plastics can directly affect humans too – when we eat fish or muttonbirds we’re also probably ingesting plastic.

It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of a global issue, but there are things we can do. Politicians need to be made aware of the seriousness of the issue and encouraged to do what they can at a political level to effect change.

Reducing plastic use and lobbying for the banning of single-use plastic bottles and bags, recycling the plastic you use and cleaning up rubbish, especially plastic, when you are at the beach are small but important steps we should all take.

Get the best result for your property with the best team.

0800 BAYLEYS bayleys.co.nz/rural

BAYLEYS IS HONOURED TO HAVE BEEN AWARDED

BY THE REAL ESTATE INSTITUTE OF NEW ZEALAND WITH THE FOLLOWING AWARDS: WINNER RURAL SALESPERSON OF THE YEAR

Kevin Jenkins 027 577 4232

Niki Bradley 027 607 2555

Ross Ditmer 027 482 2056

Dean Pugh 027 335 6303

Evan Marshall 027 221 0910

Fee Ensor 021 705 014

Joel Meikle 027 814 5208

John Bailey 027 893 0234

Jon McAuliffe 027 432 7769

Mike Preston 027 430 7041

Peter Foley 021 754 737

Ben Turner 027 530 1400

Brook Yates 027 807 8093

Chris Jones Craig Blackburn 027 220 5043 027 489 7225

Ben Turner, Bayleys Country Canterbury

WINNER COMMUNITY AWARD MEDIUM Bayleys Canterbury

WINNER MEDIUM RURAL OFFICE OF THE YEAR

Bayleys Country Waikato

WINNER LARGE RURAL OFFICE OF THE YEAR Bayleys Country Tauranga

NOMINATED RURAL RISING STAR Hamish Lane

2020

Awards for Excellence in Real Estate

WINNER

Georgie Robson Hamish Lane 027 562 4100 027 685 6204

Kerry Eyles 027 472 6780

Lance Farrant 027 228 2846

Jack Pringle 027 533 4820

Jane Moody 027 455 0161

Mark Parry 027 433 0350

Mark Pringle 027 433 3334

Sam Sidey Sandy Butterick Simon Sharpin 027 346 3500 027 417 2639 027 631 8087

Residential / Commercial / Rural / Property Services

www.guardianonline.co.nz

33

Gisborne a horticultural food basket Typical Gold Kiwifruit soil moisture record, Gisborne 2020

Tony Davoren

SWIMS CONSULTING Ltd

T

his season I have had the opportunity to get back to my hometown (Gisborne) on a regular basis. Great because I can return to where it all began and do some consulting for two valuable horticultural crops – gold kiwifruit and Envy apples.

Both have value to behold – Count 20 Envy apples (20 fruit/ tray and about 86mm diameter) have sold for $US5 each in Hong Kong and premium gold kiwifruit for $US3 each in Beijing. The plantings of both on the Poverty Bay plains is expanding what is already a large industry for the area.

During my school days in Gisborne, I don’t remember much in the way of irrigation except for broccoli and lettuce production.

It was previously a matter of who needs to irrigate on such deep high water holding capacity soils.

Gold kiwifruit on December 2, already elongated to 55mm and 35mm diameter.

The Waipaoa, Matawhero, Makaraka and other deep silt and clay loam soils support a wide range of high-value horticultural crops. The area has always supported fruit growing and crops like onions, maize and sweetcorn; was the “home” of chardonnay; the home of Leaderbrand (broccoli, lettuce and squash); and more recently home to an expansion of gold kiwifruit and Envy apples.

Irrigation is now the norm for all these high-value crops and there is a new $4.5 million gold kiwifruit development in

the Patutahi area which includes a 5-6km pipeline to deliver Waipaoa River water to the site.

While the soils are deep, have not a stone in sight and have very high water holding capacity, the subsoil can be dense and is often waterlogged, with lots of tell-tale red brown mottling from 300-400mm onward.

The kiwifruit and Envy apples are grown on mounds to ensure the critical root zone drains and is aerated. This means the kiwifruit (in particular) has a limited root zone with few, if

any roots, below about 350mm.

With a very warm temperate climate, readily available water is rapidly transpired and irrigation is critical for the kiwifruit.

This is all in an area that is effectively water short – run-off river water from the Waipaoa River is fully allocated and of poor quality with very high suspended sediment almost yearround. Groundwater is also fully allocated and bores have low yielding poor quality water.

Already this season irrigation has been required (although as

the plot shows there was an “ooopsy” that shouldn’t have occurred).

We are just about at a six-week critical growth period following fruit set when the fruit grows rapidly and moisture stress just has to be avoided. The soil moisture measurements are showing the shallow rooting of the kiwifruit with little change in soil moisture in the 40-50cm and 50-60cm layers – primarily because of the dense and often waterlogged subsoils.

An exciting industry to be involved with and I get to enjoy what is a truly superb climate and catch a swim at some of the best beaches in New Zealand.

Get your lime orders ready for whatever summer throws at you.

This year is almost at an end so make sure you have all your lime needs covered over this busy time. From aglime, dairy tracks, feed pads to animal health we’re here to help.

0800 303 980 • www.palmerresources.co.nz

Summer hours Closed from 24th December - 5th January

Summer hours Victory Lime will remain open except for stat days

Farming

34

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Has the rock rolled?

Chris Murdoch

W

PROPERTY BROKERS

ill 2021 bring new energy and vigour into the rural real estate market or will it bump along the bottom as we have seen for the past three years?

Over the past six weeks, I have taken several dairy farms to the market and I must say,

during that time I have had more purchasers and bankers in my car than I have over the past three years all put together.

This tells me that either the bankers have nothing to do or they are starting to get out there and loan some more money to those who are good clients and require help.

It seems to me that they are not chasing each other’s clients and if their clients wish to step out then it appears most will get some form of support.

This same interest has turned into contracts being drawn up and we received multiple offers on some of these new listings.

We don’t just say team.

We promise it.

Will they sell? Ask me in the New Year.

All of this activity I feel speaks well for the coming autumn selling period and hopefully the gap that has been between the vendor and purchaser has closed and sales will take place even if it means at lower levels than happened a few years ago.

This is all well and good, but it really does concern me when only a few minutes ago on the radio I hear how China has put a 212 per cent tariff on all Australian wines going into China and boy we do not want to get tied up in their arguments too much.

We must support our Aussie

friends, but we also must not fall out with China to the extent they have.

I guess it is a worry that we are so tied to China that if they did the same to us, for example put 212 per cent tariff on our dairy products where would we end up as a country, and believe me the speed at which that would happen is very scary.

We need China, no questions, but I hope the powers that be are looking further afield for new outlets for our sought after primary products and this government and their green friends don’t try to tax or make us reduce inputs to the degree that

farming is no longer a profitable business.

It really concerns me that we get that much environmental and government pressure to reduce our emissions etc and our outputs, and yet if we don’t supply the goods then another part of the world shall and with a footprint 10 times larger than ours. Is that good for the environment?

To close off I would like to thank all of Property Brokers’ clients for their support over the year, and boy what a year, and wish everyone a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Roll on 2021.

When you list your farm with our South Island team, there are Property Brokers’ members across the country working alongside them to get you the best result. That’s because every one of them has signed a binding agreement to work together to sell your property. It’s a New Zealand first for the rural real estate industry that means we put your best interests first. Which is exactly where they should be.

Find out more at pb.co.nz/trueteam

South Island Rural Team

pb.co.nz Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008

www.guardianonline.co.nz

35

New store to become community hub Heather Chalmers

Left – Celebrating the rebranding of Rakaia’s Farm Source store are (from left) Fonterra’s Farm Source regional head Charles Fergusson, Rakaia store manager Teresa Hamill and Chertsey dairy farmer Craig Copland, who features in a dairy scene on the store’s back wall.

JOURNALIST

ASHBURTON GUARDIAN

R

akaia’s rebranded and refurbished Farm Source store aims to be a community hub as well as a place to buy farm supplies.

Fonterra’s Farm Source regional head Charles Fergusson said the refurbishment was an investment in the Rakaia community and local farmers.

“The objective is for it to be a community hub that people can use. People can come and talk to the Farm Source team about using the meeting rooms that are available. It is not just for farmers.”

The store had traded through the refurbishment, which was delayed by Covid-19 restrictions.

The Fonterra-owned Farm Source farm supply network has about 70 stores throughout New Zealand and had taken several years to update and rebrand these from RD1. The first Farm Source store was opened

in Methven six years ago. The Ashburton store has also been rebranded on a new site.

Ashburton-based Fonterra director Andrew Macfarlane said it was not just a matter of generating a decent payout price for dairy farmer-suppliers but

keeping input prices down.

Macfarlane said he was “quietly confident” about Fonterra’s future prospects after the co-operative had spent the last two years paying down debt and returning to profitability.

This included the sale of its

China farms business, for $555 million in October, which had to be carried out online as staff were unable to travel to China.

“We are now at the point where we can start to be future focused again in looking at ways to receive a premium for New

Zealand milk.”

Fonterra researchers at Palmerston North had developed a product for the Asian market, where consumers were prepared to pay for milk, but many didn’t have refrigeration. Researchers had spent several years developing an ambient ultra high temperature (UHT) long-life cream which could last in the market at between 0°C and 40°C. A key breakthrough was new cooling regulations on-farm to get milk temperatures down within a required timeframe.

This was linked with computer tracking of milk tankers with milk best suited to UHT production.

“It is not a big market right now, but it could grow, as the bulk of the markets we supply seek ambient as well as refrigerated product,” Macfarlane said.

36

Farming

FEATURE

www.guardianonline.co.nz

www.guardianonline.co.nz

FEATURE

37

From Boeing to baling A

number of out-of-work airline pilots are considering roles as large machinery operators and tractor drivers.

Former pilot Andy Pender says he won’t be surprised if they find they’re happy working in the country and don’t go back to flying.

Pender is a former captain for Virgin Australia (New Zealand) and now the New Zealand Air Line Pilots’ Association (NZALPA) medical and welfare director.

He says the association has been working for several months with the Ministry for Primary Industries and the Rural Contractors’ Association to match pilots with rural jobs.

“We’ve found almost 200 opportunities for pilots to put their skills to use.”

Pender believes there is a match between the several hundred pilots laid off or put on furlough, and the rural sector which has an urgent skills shortage.

“Pilots are quick thinkers, critical decision-makers, used to skilled training, under constant pressure. And that’s before you look at the multi-million dollar machines they use as workhorses.

“We thought pilots would be a perfect fit.”

Many pilots have been keeping themselves busy up-skilling, Pender says.

“They’re getting heavy truck

licences and extra endorsements on their licences so they can operate farm machinery just in case these opportunities arose.

“We’re counting in the hundreds the number of opportunities in the rural sector right now.

“And we are also counting the number of redundant pilots we have, also in the hundreds.”

So far, about a dozen pilots are working on roles in the rural sector, he says.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if many of our members find new horizons. I mean airline work does have its challenges. It could mean career changes.

“I am a little bit biased

Freephone: 0800 EUROAG

because I grew up on a farm.

“The feedback from many of our members is they never knew how fulfilling it would be to work in rural areas and with fabulous people in the agricultural sector. They’re jumping into it headfirst.”

Rural Contractors Association chief executive Roger Parton contacted his members after a survey of pilots found many had transferable skills or the willingness to learn.

A number had previous agricultural large machinery operating and farming experience, he says. – Radio NZ

Farming

38

www.guardianonline.co.nz

FEATURE

Giant savings with this direct drill D

riven by an intention to do better for himself and the environment, James Halford of Methven needed a direct drill. His Gaspardo Gigante from Power Farming has already proved to be a vital tool in his new venture.

“Using the direct drill I have cut the time to establish a crop from 75 to 15 minutes per hectare.

“My fuel consumption has reduced by about 75 per cent. It used to take 32 litres per hectare to establish a crop. Now it takes 8 litres per hectare. Less passes are achieving the same result.

“My main drive is to do something to reduce my carbon footprint. But I not only want to reduce it, but eventually to sequester carbon and enjoy doing it.”

Halford has farmed his 193-hectare alluvial silt-loam arable property since 1997, but recently he realised he was on a plateau. By continually doing more of the same, nothing was going to change.

Following some research, he sought information and guidance from Jono Frew of Natural Performance. Frew was fully supportive of his choice of the Gaspardo Gigante as the direct drill to kick start his regenerative arable operation.

“It’s really a beautiful machine, well built, and nice and simple to use,” Frew said.

Power Farming brought the Gaspardo Gigante into New Zealand in 2002.

Over time it has been developed to perform particularly well in New Zealand’s conditions.

It was chosen as a fit for Halford’s new venture largely because of its reputation to handle the heavy stuff.

Designers from Maschio/Gaspardo have visited farms around the Taupo/ Rotorua region and listened to users on the requirements of a direct drill in New Zealand.

In response, the Gigante is robust in the extreme.

Features such as the low position of the dual hopper have emerged out of need for a low centre of gravity on the hills and easy loading, wherever it might be.

The standard European configuration of 7in/17.8cm has been reduced to 6in/15.2cm, specifically to meet NZ’s demands.

Discs and coulters have been strengthened to meet New Zealand’s hard ground.

The Gigante is ISOBUS controlled and Halford uses it via his tractor’s screen.

The fault detection feature is reasonably self-explanatory. Although depth control

Methven farmer James Halford bought a Gaspardo Gigante direct drill to kick start his regeneraPHOTO SUPPLIED tive arable operation.

can be easily adjusted individually, Halford uses the factory settings. With a multitude of seed sizes, he finds it best to stick with the standard setting for the time being.

“It’s easy enough, it’s just time consuming. With centralised greasing, it’s low on maintenance,” he said.

The 280-degree steering drawbar allows the drill to turn on a sixpence and it folds easily to a 3m transport width.

“My goal is to improve the health of the soil, which will in turn improve the health of the plants.

“Hopefully, and according to everything I’ve read and learned, strong plants suffer from less disease – less disease, less pests as healthy plants are not as attractive to bugs.

“Ultimately, I hope to use less chemicals and eventually less synthetic fertiliser, and so less input all round for a better environment.

“Presently, I am planting into unmoved ground, though the drill works equally well in cultivated land. Grass seed is planted directly into wheat stubble, after the straw has been removed.

n g i s e D

“I may do it differently in the future and leave the stubble almost full length and drill into that. I feel confident the drill will cope.

“I suspect that by leaving the stubble, and direct drilling into it, we may achieve even better results than they are achieving in Australia, where moisture retention is a major concern.”

The Gaspardo Gigante suits Halford’s operation and is aligned to the principles of regenerative agriculture, of minimal disturbance of the soil, whilst regular sowing of cover crops are the key to improving overall performance.

Having owned the drill for less than a year, Halford is already seeing improvements.

It has been used to sow his usual crops of cereals, autumn sown brassicas and grass crops, spring linseed and peas, as well as multi-species cover crops.

The Gigante’s dual hopper has been used to simultaneously drill barley and legumes, with the legumes being left behind at harvest to maintain biodiversity and improve the soil biology.

“It is very early days, but the soil does

By

YOUR DEUTZ PFAS_GUARDDEC

YOUR WAY 1 George Holmes Rd, Rolleston

4

YEAR WARRANTY

Simon Jackson

027 512 7205

MONTHLY PAYMENTS*

4208% DEPOSIT Ashburton 233 Alford Forest Road 03 307 7153

Terms and conditions apply. Offer ends 28/2/2021. * Finance requires 20% deposit and payment of all GST in month three, with 48 months to pay at 1.99% interest. Warranty has two years full warranty and four years power-train warranty. Offer valid on selected tractors.

appear to have a better feel and smell, particularly when compared with the one field that I didn’t direct drill. There is more life and the colour has improved.

“The field left from direct drilling has a very different feel. It had been in potatoes and that soil has just slumped. It has had the crap cultivated out of it and would blow away in the wind as it has no structure. I’m starting from ground zero with that paddock.”

Halford is no longer leasing ground for potato growing as it goes against the principles of non-disturbance of the soil.

“The biggest single change to how I farm, is how I look at things,” Halford said.

“Much of what we’re doing now is what our grandparents were doing years ago.

“We have been drawn in to using more and more input in the way of machinery and synthetic fertilisers to fix our problems.

“I believe that our grandparents’ profitability was probably better than ours today. Now, with regenerative agriculture practices we have the potential to change that.”

Build the Deutz-Fahr that is perfect for your business and have it delivered in time for Spring in 2021. Place your order before February 28th 2021 to create the tractor that is built specifically for your operation and we’ll not only lock in the price, we’ll also give you a four year warranty and a great finance deal.*

Power Farming Ashburton

STAY AND PLAY KAIKOURA

So much to do!

Kaikoura is a special place and there is certainly no shortage of things to do there. Here’s a list of many of the incredible activities Kaikoura offers: Whale watching, by air or boat Dolphin swimming and watching Kayaking with seals Kayaking and diving

Quad biking Llama trekking Brewery Mini golf Escape rooms Rafting on the Clarence River Historic Fyffe House Hunting 4WD wildlife tours E-bikes Museum

Short and long walks Lavender farm Mountain biking Scooter hire Sheep shearing show (daily 1.30pm) Shopping Fishing Albatross encounters Marine eco tours Surfing

ANCHOR INN MOTEL Kaikoura Kaikoura’s superb WATERFRONT location

WELL APPOINTED FAMILY APARTMENTS AND OCEAN VIEW STUDIOS

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL BOOK ONLINE Reservations Freephone 0800 72 00 33

Tripadvisor’s #1 ranked Accomodation

208 Esplanade, Kaikoura, Canterbury 7300 P: (03) 319 5426 E: info@anchorinn.co.nz www.anchorinn.co.nz

CELEBRATING OVER 20 YRS OF KAYAKING

Wildlife Kayaking Tours.

Family Kayaking Tours.

Kayak & SUP Hire.

Kaikōura’s only Kayak operator permitted to view Dolphins & Whales.

Seal viewing is 100% Guaranteed.

NZ Free Phone

0800 452 456 www.kaikourakayaks.nz

#kaikourakayaks #uniquelykaikoura

Farming GUARDIAN

Thank you to all our customers for their support in 2020.

IF ANYONE CAN MAKE IT RAIN, RAINER CAN.

We will be closing at 12pm 24th December and return on Tuesday 29th December.

Merry Christmas from Greg and all the staff at GDC.

The team at Rainer Irrigation wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Our store will be open normal hours and closed stat days. Service teams will be working and available throughout the Christmas period. Office closed until January 11.

Call the experts on 03 307 9049

Phone 308 8479 www.gdc.net.nz office@gdcgroup.nz

Cnr Robinson & McNally Streets, Ashburton Email admin@rainer.co.nz www.rainer.co.nz

Elgin Transport

®

Your freight connection between Ashburton and Christchurch!

General freight cartage • 9.1m curtainsider • Tail lift

• Dangerous goods • Locally owned and operated Proud to support local business

Phone today

for your next trade freight order WISHING OUR CUSTOMERS A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

Nigiel & Susan Harvey

We believe in being loyal, committed and dedicated to the success of our customers. Contact Trident Homes Ashburton to start your build journey!

Ph 03 308 2127 | www.tridenthomes.nz

Phone Nigiel 0274 856 759 | After hours 03 308 1192 | Email office@elgintransport.co.nz

Merry CHRISTMAS

MI-M03D045

(Age 3+)

29894

$

22994

$

+GST

DEUTZ-FAHR 7250TTV C/W FRONT END LOADER KR-M03D046 $ 19 +GST

362

(Age 2+)

DEUTZ-FAHR 5115 C/W FRONT END LOADER AND TRAILER MI-M03D071

DEUTZ-FAHR 7250TTV

(Age 3+)

+GST

PFAS_GUARDDEC

AND MANY OTHER IDEAS FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS CONTACT POWER FARMING ASHBURTON 1 George Holmes Rd, Rolleston Contact Power Farming Ashburton for more information.

John MacPherson Parts Manager

027 359 7195

Ashburton 233 Alford Forest Road 03 307 7153

Power Farming Ashburton