Canterbury Farming, October 2018 by Canterbury Farming

30,287 copies distributed monthly – to every rural mailbox in Canterbury and the West Coast

INSIDE

THIS EDITION Shooter to ﬁnals

October 2018 Edition

From Darfield to China Open for business: Fonterra’s new cream cheese plant at its Darfield site has been opened bringing some good news to the company following last month’s announcement of its first ever net loss after tax of $196 million for the 2017-18 year. The new cream cheese plant at Darfield can manufacture up to 24,000 metric tonnes of cream cheese annually with the bulk of product destined for the Chinese market. MORE, PAGE 2

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Potato virus detected in Canterbury region

Biosecurity New Zealand is working with Potatoes New Zealand to respond to a detection of Potato mop-top virus (PMTV) in potato tubers in Canterbury.

❚ by Kent caddick Incident controller, David Yard, says PMTV is not a food safety issue. “Potato mop-top virus is a crop disease which, if found to be wide-spread, could cause some productivity issues for growers. “It is a notifiable and unwanted organism in New Zealand under the Biosecurity Act.” Yard says to date, potato tubers from two properties in the Canterbury region have tested positive for the virus. Further sampling is under way in the region.

“This is the first time the virus has been found in New Zealand, however it is common in other countries.” Potatoes New Zealand chief executive, Chris Claridge, says the affected potatoes are from the Innovator variety, which are only used for potato chips. “The industry is working closely with Biosecurity New Zealand to learn more about the virus, the impact it could have on growers, and to stop any risk of spread,” Claridge says. “We will then consider if it is possible to

eradicate it, or whether we will need to work with growers to manage its impact over the long term.” The Innovator variety of potato was last imported as germplasm into New Zealand in July 2011. Affected potatoes can display symptoms including distortions to the skin, deep cracking, and rust-coloured arcs, streaks or flecks in the tuber flesh. Biosecurity New Zealand is investigating how the virus may have entered the countr y.

OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

New plant opening ‘bright spot’ While it’s been a rough few months for Fonterra there has been at least one bright spot for shareholders.

❚ by Kent caddick

“Most of the team have learnt everything from scratch,” Mr Taylor said. “They’ve gone from classroom to practice Fonterra’s new cream cheese plant just outside Darfield has started production and is set to real life commissioning of the site. If the to manufacture up to 24,000 metric tonnes plant was a ship, they would have been the of cream cheese annually, bound for China. crew preparing for its maiden voyage and a Darfield’s acting site operations man- long life on the ocean.” Fonterra’s chief operating officer for globager Shane Taylor said the 30 new employees hired to operate the cream cheese plant al operations, Robert Spurway, said the new have been looking forward to the site open- plant is an important part of the Co-op’s strategy to keep up the momentum in producing for the last six months. ing more value-added products for its consumer and Golden Bay Dolomite foodservice business. NZ’s most loved magnesium. “Today, one in four litres

of milk from New Zealand is sold to China – that’s the equivalent of 3.4 billion litres a year. Our focus is on creating the highest return from each of those litres. “The new plant will enable us to convert more milk to high value cream cheese, which is in popular demand. “We’re really proud of our technology which alters the firmness and consistency of cream cheese according to customer preference. It’s a technology first and a huge competitive advantage,” Mr Spurway said. Fonterra says China’s changing demographics have driven a surge in popularity for Western foods.

“The 20kg blocks of cream cheese from Darfield will meet growing demand for bakery goods, like cheese cakes and cheese tarts,” Susan Cassidy, Fonterra’s general manager for marketing, said. “The growth in China’s middle class, rapid urbanisation and changing consumer tastes has contributed to explosive growth in the number of consumers wanting New Zealand dairy. “People in China want natural dairy products they can trust in their baked goods. That’s great for Fonterra and New Zealand,” Ms Cassidy said.

ECan responds

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In response to Bill Woods’ letter in your September issue: I’d just like to bring him up-to-date on what has really been going on at Environment Canterbury and how we are dealing effectively with environmental issues as well as recognising the importance of the rural community for our economic wellbeing. Bill hits the nail on the head when he says he has been saying the same thing for 15 years – and things have in fact moved on significantly. Our Council is very well rounded and experienced. All members, I’m sure, would describe themselves as environmentalists. We are individually and collectively working hard to ensure the best outcomes for the wider community – not

one sector or another. There is a very clear understanding of the differing needs of the urban and rural communities, as well as the issues we need to deal with across Canterbury. To say the problems facing the rural community “far outweigh” those facing the urban ones is simply not true. Our initial focus has been on fresh water issues in rural areas, but there are very large and costly issues looming for urban communities to address the intense environmental effects of urbanisation, as well as the challenge of adapting to climate change. Since we introduced nitrate pollution limits in 2012 the farming community has made huge progress in adopting good management practices, becoming more efficient, as well

as being more accountable for the environmental problems we need to address. We celebrate the progress that has been made and welcome the relationships we have with the farming sector. This has fostered a spirit of co-operation and problem solving, rather than blame and denial. When a new Council is elected next year we expect it will be able to continue to work positively and constructively with the whole community to improve our environmental and economic outcomes.

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FARMING NEWS

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest to undergo overhaul New Zealand’s longest-running agricultural contest, the FMG Young Farmer of the Year, is set to undergo a major overhaul.

❚ by Kent caddick The revamp is designed to entice more women to enter the iconic contest and to help showcase the country’s food story. As part of the significant changes, the TeenAg competition will be rebranded the FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year. “We’ve just celebrated our 50th anniversary, which is an amazing achievement,” said Hinds dairy farmer and NZ Young Farmers Contest Board member Cole Groves. “However, if we don’t make some major changes now, this contest won’t be relevant in another 50 years.” The changes were outlined in a new strategy unveiled recently. “There will still be a strong practical side to the contest, but our modules and challenges need to utilise technology more,” said Dannevirke banker and NZ Young Farmers Contest Board chair Rebecca Brown. “In future contestants might have to use GPS technology to mark out and erect a fence around riparian planting.” Contest organisers say they are keen to tap into innovation and technology being used and developed by sponsors. Groves said they would like to inject a bit of excitement and unpredictability into the contest through the use of innovation. Among the changes awards for the highest-scoring competitor in each of the five challenges, from agri-business to agri-skills, are being scrapped. “They’ll be replaced with new awards as-

sessing contestants’ skills and knowledge across innovation, food, people, environment and technology,” Groves said. “We’re hoping the changes encourage more women to give the contest a go, and we want to expand contestants’ knowledge beyond just fencing and identifying different types of fertiliser.” The NZ Young Farmers Contest Board hopes the much-needed strategy will instil some passion in the hard-working volunteers who organise the contest. “This gives us a clear direction, which I think has been lacking until now. The changes won’t happen overnight at regional level, but we’ve set the ball rolling,” Brown said. The two competitions designed to get school students excited about opportunities in the agri-food sector are also changing. The TeenAg competition will be renamed the FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year although competitors will still compete in teams of two. Groves said the younger competitors idolise the FMG Young Farmer of the Year contestants. “Having AgriKidsNZ, the FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year and FMG Young Farmer of the Year all part of the same event will help lift the prestige of the students’ contests,” he said. The changes will start rolling out at regional finals across the country early next year with the 2019 FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final scheduled to be held in Hawke’s Bay in July.

Champion: the 2018 FMG Young Farmer of the Year winner Logan Wallace from South Otago.

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

Help for those down on the farm

Damien O’connor ❚ by Minister for Agriculture, Biosecurity, ❚ Food Safety and Rural Communities ❚

Growing our food and fibre sectors sustainably to support a thriving economy is the hallmark behind the Government’s launch of a new agricultural investment programme – Sustainable Food & Fibre Futures – in August. It rolls the best of two programmes (Sustainable Farming Fund and Primary Growth Partnership) into one to make it easier to apply for a range of projects that grow critical industries, foster collaboration, build capability in the primary sector workforce, deliver environmental and sustainability benefits and importantly retain those benefits in New Zealand. With $40 million a year to invest, applications are open from October. Have a look at the MPI website or get in touch at funding@ mpi.govt.nz. Following that I joined Green Party co-leader and Rural Affairs spokeswoman Marama Davidson to launch a new service that aims to give busy farmers a helping hand at the farmgate. The Extension Services Model, to be rolled out by MPI over four years, doesn’t start from zero, as many great programmes

We all need a helping hand sometimes and two programmes launched recently reflect the value of the primary sectors to the economy, our national identity, the strength of our rural communities and the progress we’re making through incredible innovation.

exist to help farmers boost their profitability and sustainability. But there’s a greater role for us to play alongside industry to pull together all the parties and target these services where they’re most needed. This is another tool in the kit to ensure

the policy direction at Government level and the innovations and lessons at farm level are widely shared, including with the farmer down the back of the valley. We are working with primary producers to move from volume to value, especially as consumers and markets expect their food and fibre to be produced by sustainable production systems that promote good animal welfare, fair working conditions and sound environmental stewardship. These two wonderful programmes back the Government’s commitment to help our primary sectors extract more value from what they already do, in a sustainable way that means our natural resources are there for future generations.

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there’s a greater role for us to play alongside industry to pull together all the parties and target these services where they’re most needed.

FARMING NEWS

Helping dairy farmers avoid Fonterra FEI penalties Fonterra’s new fat evaluation index (FEI) grading system came into effect at the start of September meaning New Zealand dairy farmers now need to look more closely at what products they are feeding their cows.

❚❚by Charlotte FitzPatrick “For many farmers FEI isn’t an issue, but farmers who use a lot of PKE (palm kernel expeller) have been changing up their feed options to mitigate or avoid penalties,” Daniel Calcinai, general manager of New Zealandbased national feeds company GrainCorp Feeds, said. Fonterra established the FEI test to measure the fat composition in the cow’s milk it collects, to ensure it is suitable for manufacturing products that meet customer specifications. The use of PKE as a supplementary feed was identified as a key influencer on high FEI levels in dairy milk. A by-product of the palm oil extraction process from the fruit of the palm, PKE had become increasingly popular as a feed option in dairying, due to its relative low cost. However high use of PKE can impact the fatty acid profile of milk, and has led to manufacturing challenges for Fonterra with certain products. Fonterra’s FEI test was rolled out nationwide in March 2017 and from September this year farmers suppling milk to Fonterra with higher-than-acceptable levels of FEI will be incur demerits and financial penalties. “The FEI test analyses the milk and if the levels are above a certain threshold during the grading process then the farmer is penalized – in some cases, up to 20% of the value of that day’s milk,” Calcinai said. “That is a significant amount of money for those affected dairy farmers.” He said this year, in the lead up to FEI being implemented, GrainCorp has been working closely with its farming clients to plan alternative feed strategies. Taranaki farmer Matthew Grayling has worked with GrainCorp to prepare for the in-

Challenging: Dairy farmer Matthew Grayling says dealing with the FEI grading system will be a challenge for some farmers.

troduction of the FEI grading system. Based on a 200 hectare farm at Okato, Grayling milks 500 dairy cows across two herds, 300 Jerseys and 200 Friesians. After feeding his stock a small amount of PKE as supplementary feed Grayling was shocked to find his farm’s milk had received an FEI grade of ‘D’. “It was just two to three kilograms (per cow) of PKE, which was a little concerning. A ‘D’ is a 20% penalty, and I felt we couldn’t afford to be in that range.” At that time of year, he estimated it would have cost $700 a day, and even more at the peak of the season. He dried his cows off, and decided to “mix up” his feed options, based on advice from his GrainCorp representative. He added a 30% soya hull to his standard feed (ProCow30, a blend of PKE, minerals and 30% molasses), which brought his FEI grade back to an A. Grayling says dealing with the FEI grading system will be a challenge for some farmers. “To keep producing quality milk we need to manage our input feed carefully,” Grayling said. “If we want to add supplementary feed we have to be smarter in how we do it.” GrainCorp has distribution centres across New Zealand, including ISO-accredited liquid storage facilities at Tauranga, New Plymouth, Napier, Bluff and Timaru.

CANTERBURY FARMING October 2018

OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

Spring has sprung Farmers will be relieved that the days are getting longer as spring is upon us. Lambing and calving is almost done, some early silage has been made and spring cropping paddocks are being cultivated.

Nathan Guy ❚ by National Party spokesperson, ❚ Primary Industries ❚ It was a relief to see common sense prevail at the Tasman District Council where councillors finally voted to support the Waimea Dam. It’s a vital project and will provide a long term solution for the many water issues they have in this catchment. It will help recharge aquifers and increase the water quality for recreational use. This dam will supply water to thousands of domestic consumers, enhance aquatic life in the Waimea River and help produce high value food on the Waimea Plains. This will help reduce nitrates and is likely to see apple trees replace livestock production. With continuous hot dry summers, water storage is massively important for food production as can be seen by the Central Plains Scheme in Canterbury. I’m proud that the National Party has helped progress both of these important schemes. It’s been a very bumpy few weeks for the Coalition Government and cracks are starting to appear. the industrial law reform The industrial law reform bill will have wide ranging implications on businesses like farmbill will have wide ranging ing, and NZ First is only just realising its problems (despite supporting it through cabinet). implications on businesses These changes will allow greater union access to workplaces and force employers inlike farming. to multi-employer collective agreements. At CANTERBURY FARMING 260W X 180H MM 1/2 PAGE ADVERT the time of writing I’m expecting some Government changes during the Select Commit-

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tee stage but am unsure if these will placate concerns in rural communities. Despite solid returns forecast for the Primary Sector, it’s not surprising farmers confidence has plummeted since the election. They are worried about Government policies like climate change and environmental

regulations, employment law reforms, petrol taxes, the slowdown of overseas investment, and a wide-ranging review of the dairy industry. It’s no wonder farmers feel they are being treated like a cash cow by this Coalition Government.

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FARMING NEWS

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Burnham shooter moves through to national ﬁnal Selwyn dairy farmer Martin Bates has taken out the New Zealand Young Farmers Tasman clay target shooting competition to qualify for the national ﬁnals early next year.

❚ by Kent caddick Bates, who contract milks 1,200 cows at Burnham and is a member of Dunsandel Young Farmers, said heading into the competition, held at the North Canterbury Clay Target Association’s range at Fernside near Rangiora, he was feeling a “bit rusty”. However, it didn’t stop the 29-year-old from taking out the Tasman regional clay target shooting title. “It was great to blow out a few cobwebs. Coming away with a win was a bit of a shock to the system,” he said. “It’s probably been about three years since I last swung a gun at a few clay targets.” The win advances Bates and second place-getter, Lincoln University student Cam Lowery, through to the national final. Next year the finals of the NZ Young Farmers competitions will take place at Conference Week in February. The new-look event is being held in Christchurch, meaning the pair won’t have far to travel. “I reckon the changes are a good thing as

previously those events were held alongside the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final. “It meant that if you were competing you didn’t get to see much of grand final. Now people can attend both events,” he said. The New Zealand Young Farmers Tasman Region held its clay target shooting, fencing, stock judging and debating competitions over two days of competition. “We had a great turnout for the shooting,” Bates said. “There was a nice mix of experienced sports shooters as well as first-timers who were keen to have a go and learn.” The Mycoplasma bovis outbreak meant alpacas replaced cattle in the stock judging competition which was held in Oxford along with the fencing competition. Braydon Schroder from Lincoln took out the stock judging event and is set to represent the region at the national final along with Laura McQuillan-Reese from Amberley. Peter O’Connor from Westport and Philippa Mee (Lincoln) won the fencing competition, while the Lincoln team took out the debating title.

Thank you CANTERBURY

RURAL SALESPERSON OF THE YEAR Ben Turner, Bayleys Canterbury LARGE RESIDENTIAL OFFICE OF THE YEAR Bayleys Christchurch Office

On target: burnham dairy farmer Martin bates shooting his way to first place at the New Zealand Young Farmers tasman clay target shooting competition.

Standing in: the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak meant alpacas replaced cattle in the stock judging competition in Oxford.

OUR PEOPLE CONTINUE TO MAKE BAYLEYS UNIQUE. Thank you REINZ for recognising our people at the 2018 awards. Receiving this honour is a tribute to our people and our culture – one of hard work, tenacity and spirit of innovation. We commit to never slowing down, always keeping our focus on delivering the level of service and expertise that leads to Bayleys Canterbury being the #1 Large Real Estate Office In New Zealand. Thank you to our clients, we could never have done this without you.

The REINZ Awards promote and encourage excellence in the real estate industry. We are honoured to have been awarded: Rural Salesperson Of The Year - Ben Turner, Bayleys Canterbury Large Residential Office Of The Year - Bayleys Christchurch Office Large Commercial & Industrial Office Of The Year - Bayleys Auckland Central Commercial & Industrial Salesperson Of The Year - Mike Houlker, Bayleys Auckland Central Multi-Media Marketing Campaign Of The Year - Samara Phillips, Bayleys Auckland Central Small Business Broking Office Of The Year - Bayleys Auckland Central Small Residential Office Of The Year - Success Realty Ltd, Bayleys Mount Maunganui. Medium Rural Office Of The Year - Success Realty Ltd, Bayleys Tauranga Whalan and Partners Ltd, Bayleys, Licensed under the REA Act 2008

ADAPTABLE

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Andrew Wyllie ❚ with ❚ Forsyth Barr

RURAL PROFESSIONALS

Ageing economic expansion still young at heart

While uncertainties in the global economy remain, risks to the economic expansion in the United States are still skewed to the up-side, with global manufacturing indices and positive credit trends both pointing towards ongoing growth in the global economy.

Looking at off-farm investments?

When you are thinking about your investment options, talk portfolio management specific to your investing needs, talk to Investment Adviser Andrew Wyllie in confidence on (03) 365 4244 or email andrew.wyllie@forsythbarr.co.nz 0800 367 227 forsythbarr.co.nz Disclosure Statements for Forsyth Barr Authorised Financial Advisers are available on request and free of charge.

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to Forsyth Barr. To get personalised investment advice and

The market ‘bears’ have worried about the flattening yield curve being an imminent sign that a recession is approaching. They have cautioned against an escalating trade-war, and that expected increases to labour costs and interest rates may hit profit margins. ‘Peak earnings’ have also been a common refrain, as has global debt and the duration of the ‘bull’ market. Instead, the current economic expansion remains intact, with leading economic indicators in the United States economy (the yield curve being the exception) continuing to reach new highs. United States gross domestic product (GDP) growth is currently in excess of +4% and United States corporate profit margins are expanding, even after tax cuts are excluded. In the euro area, manufacturing indices remain expansionary and the latest data indicates a pick-up in private sector expansion. China and emerging markets could be an area of concern, but given the increasing trend for these countries to

raise debt in local currency, it is likely to be less problematic than it was a decade ago. Signs of progress in the trade-war are also encouraging. President Trump has called a ceasefire in his trade-war with Europe. An agreement has been signed with Mexico, and talks have resumed with China (albeit Chinese talks are likely to be more protracted). The last issue is the potential for United States mid-term elections to alter the make-up of the United States Congress and Senate. A shift to democratic control could see potential impeachment proceedings and renew headline noise, however economic activity is unlikely to be adversely impacted.

Equity market momentum With the exception of Asian markets, returns over the last three months ending 31 August 2018 in New Zealand dollar terms have been positive. Most market returns were boosted by the weaker New Zealand dollar with United States and Australian markets were the stand-outs in local currency terms. Trade issues hurt Chinese equities, while the United States topped the return list in New Zealand dollar terms. The United States equity market was driven by strong gains in the healthcare and technology segments. A very strong corporate reporting season was also supportive, with 85% of companies surprising positive. New Zealand’s positive gains were accentuated by a small number of companies. Median returns were still

respectable despite a more circumspect reporting season where forecast revisions saw an increasing number of downgrades. Forecast earnings growth remains subdued. Australian equities had a strong lead-up into the reporting season. Results were broadly in-line with expectations; however downgrades to forecast revisions outweighed upgrades by more than 2:1. Globally, structural growth sectors (healthcare and technology) performed the strongest, while defensive sectors recovered from the lows in May, benefiting from declines in global long-term interest rates. Cyclical sectors were still strong but lagged other sectors, given cyclical companies are more exposed to wage pressures.

Interest rates drifting lower While some price pressures are emerging in the United States, globally, inflation continues to remain well-contained, with little sign of broad-based inflation. In New Zealand, where economic growth is more mature, this has led to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand becoming even more dovish in its commentary. Projected tracks for New Zealand’s official cash rate (OCR) are again lower, with increases now pushed out until late 2020 and cuts nearer-term a possibility. This has allowed both short and long-term interest rates to decline. Credit spreads have also narrowed despite increases in new supply, with the demand for liquidity resulting in government bonds outperforming investment grade bonds.

If you’re new to investing please see Forsyth barr’s Introduction to Investing guide available at www.forsythbarr.co.nz/investing-with-us/new-to-investing or to discuss your investment options please contact Andrew Wyllie, an Authorised Financial Adviser with Forsyth barr in christchurch. He can be contacted regarding portfolio management, fixed interest, or share investments on 0800 367 227 or andrew.wyllie@forsythbarr. co.nz. this column is general in nature and should not be regarded as personalised investment advice. report covers the three months ended November 30. Disclosure Statements are available for Forsyth barr Authorised Financial Advisers on request and free of charge.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

RURAL PROFESSIONALS

bessie Paterson LLb ❚ with ❚ Ronald W Angland & Son

OctOber 2018

New rules for sale of residential property

One of our Labour-led Government’s flagship policies was to ban foreigners from purchasing residential properties in New Zealand especially when they had no intention of residing on the property. The empowering legislation has been passed and comes into force 22 October. The Overseas Investment Office is to be responsible for administering the new law. From 22 October every conveyance of land will be required to disclose whether a transaction needs the consent of the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) even if both vendor and purchaser are NZ citizens. All contracts for the sale and purchase of residential land to a non-resident must be subject to the non-resident party obtaining the consent of the OIO. If an overseas resident who does not hold a resident’s permit enters into a contract which is not subject to their obtaining the OIO’s consent they will have committed an offence and may be prosecuted for that offence. New Zealand, Australian and Singaporean citizens and people who are from those countries and who hold a permanent resident’s visa will still be permitted to purchase residential land without having to obtain the OIO’s consent. If a purchaser has a permanent resident’s visa for New Zealand, Australia or Singapore and do they not live in New Zealand, they may apply to the OIO for consent to buy a property. People who do not have a resident visa eg visitors, students and any other temporary visa are prohibited from purchasing residential property in New Zealand. Overseas investors who wish to develop bare land may apply for consent but they are not permitted to reside in any dwelling they build. A statement will need to be signed by all parties to residential transactions confirming the citizenship or residential status of the parties to all transactions. The new legislation does not affect the existing rules about overseas purchasers of land which is defined as ‘sensitive land’ in

Ronald W. Angland & Son LAWYERS

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Overseas investors who wish to develop bare land may apply for

Leeston (03) 324 3033 Email: lawyers@anglands.co.nz | www.anglands.co.nz

consent but they are not

Solicitors of Selwyn since 1965

permitted to reside in any dwelling they build.

bayleyscanterbury.co.nz the Overseas Investment Act. It will be interesting to monitor the effect of the new legislation. On the one hand, many blame the influx of immigrants for the present housing shortage but records held by Land Information NZ show a remarkably low percentage of overseas purchasers. From time to time New Zealand has had housing shortages for any number of reasons. After soldiers returned from World War II, it was almost impossible to buy a house due to the influx of returning soldiers wishing to marry and settle down. To that end the government of the day brought in the Land Sales Court and all residential property sales had to be approved by that Court. Cunning vendors devised many methods of avoiding the rigours of the Court. this article has been prepared by bessie Paterson, a Partner at ronald W Angland & Son, Solicitors, 2 chapman Street, Leeston.

Whalan and Partners Ltd, Bayleys, Licensed under the REA Act 2008

Call Ben for confidential and professional advice on any rural real estate matters.

Ben Turner M 027 530 1400 | B 03 375 4700 E ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

Economic and environmental beneﬁts of glyphosate Glyphosate, the world’s most widely-used weed management tool has extensive economic and environmental beneﬁts for farmers, especially for those involved with New Zealand’s grains industry.

Mark ross ❚ by ❚ Chief Executive of Agcarm

The benefits of reducing farming’s environmental footprint are immense. Not only do glyphosate-based products successfully control a broad spectrum of weeds, they also help farmers grow crops more sustainably. This is because they allow farmers to adopt ‘conservation tillage’ – benefiting soil health, reducing carbon emissions and conserving water. There are countless benefits to the land, the farmer and the environment from adopting a no-till system. First and foremost, by leaving the soil mostly undisturbed and leaving high levels of crop residues behind, soil erosion is almost eliminated. Utilising crop residues in no-till farming drastically increases water infiltration and therefore retention by the soil, ie less evaporation. This conserves water, due to crops requiring less irrigation. It also reduces the runoff of contaminated water – by, for example, fertiliser usage. Some estimates suggest crop residues provide as much as five centimetres of additional water to crops in late summer. No-till farmed soils have a water penetration rate of 13 centimetres per hour – twice as much as for conventionally tilled land – making no-till farming an excellent option for drought-prone areas, such as parts of Canterbury. Because the soil is not frequently agitat-

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Glyphosate has recorded over forty years of safe use in New Zealand.

ed, the practice promotes biodiversity in and around the soil. Organisms like mycorrhizal fungi, which make commensal associations with crop roots, and earthworms, increase water retention in the soil. These organisms flourish through no-till farming – benefiting the plant and fungus. Adopting no-till farming reduces carbon emissions from mechanical equipment as well as labour and fuel costs. Conventional tillage requires as many as five passes over the land with a plough. No-till requires one – to plant the seeds. By running the tractor less, a fuel saving of up to 80 percent can be realised. Another way to reduce carbon emissions is by pairing no-till farming with crop covering – planting crops for the express purpose of soil health. This reduces emissions through greater sequestration of carbon dioxide by the soil. Over half of the potential carbon sequestration from farmlands comes from conservation tillage. Environmental and economic benefits

Benefits: Utilising crop residues in no-till farming drastically increases water infiltration and therefore retention by the soil. aside – without glyphosate – farmers would need to manually till their land to remove weeds. That would catapult New Zealand farmers back to the agricultural methods of the 1970s and 1980s. Why would we want to do that when glyphosate has recorded over forty years of safe use in New Zealand? There are other herbicides we can use – and other weed control strategies besides herbicides. But, nearly all of them come with greater environmental impacts, especially in our grain industr y where it is a cor-

nerstone of no-till agriculture. It is critical that glyphosate continues as a product of choice for New Zealand. Pushing farmers away from no-till farming and back towards more harmful tools for weed management makes no sense for any self-respecting farmer or environmentalist. Mark ross is chief executive of Agcarm, the industry association for companies which manufacture and distribute crop protection and animal health products.

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FARMING NEWS

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Entries closing this month Farmers and growers are being encouraged to enter the Ballance Farm Environment Awards for 2018-19 with entries closing at the end of October.

❚ by Kent caddick The awards are organised by the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust, a charity set up to promote sustainable farming and growing. The Chair of the Trust is Joannne van Polanen, who farms in Mid-Canterbury “There’s a lot of discussion about the need for the primary sector to tell our stories,” van Polanen says. “The awards provide an opportunity for farmers and growers to share the positive actions they are involved in with their local community and a wider audience.” The Trust’s national judging co-ordinator, Andrea Hanna, says all farmers and growers, including orchardists, vegetable growers and viticulturists, are eligible to enter. “Each entrant is visited by a small group of rural professionals who identify opportunities to improve the financial and environmental sustainability of the farm business. It’s not just targeted at top farmers. The awards are an important opportunity to grow and learn from others.” Hanna says the judging teams have a wide range of skills and look at all parts of the farming business. “Judging is conducted in a relaxed and

Winner: Nick Gill, from Greystone Wines and Muddy Water organic vineyards at Waipara, won the Hill Laboratories Agri-Science Award in the 2017-18 ballance Farm environment Awards.

friendly manner and climatic factors are taken into account. “In the past we’ve found farmers can be reluctant to enter if their farm has been affected by unseasonal weather or some other event. “But the judges understand that unexpected challenges are part of farming and will

look beyond this at the wider picture.” Hanna says that many past entrants say their involvement has helped their personal development because they get to meet and be inspired by a range of like-minded people. Entering the Awards is free and takes two minutes by completing a simple form, available online at www.bfea.org.nz.

People are able to nominate another farming or growing business they feel would benefit from involvement in the awards programme. Entries to the Ballance Farm Environment Awards close at the end of October. The entrants and award winners are showcased in regional functions held throughout the country in Autumn 2019.

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

❚ with rob cope-Williams

Relax, city folk are next

While farmers are rightly feeling picked on by rules and regulations with respect to consents and costs involved, it seems the city folk are about to get their own wake up call. I recently had a chat with the ECan Chairman, Steve Lowndes, who assured me that he understood the pain the farming community are feeling and that ECan don’t make up the rules central Government do and all his organisation is doing is carrying them out. I pointed out that the costs involved were crippling some farmers and having to get a consent to carry on in business was horrendous, and again he pointed out central government set the rules not ECan. The conversation then drifted onto rural verses urban representation around the Board table. At the moment it is expected to be in favour of the urban population but a pie chart showed that with Ngai Tahu having a couple of seats, the balance is more even than it appears. So, what of the calibre of those around the table, Steve was very quick to say that there’s a major drive to get professional people to stand, people who are very well equipped in business skills as well as the environment. As we chatted on, the subject turned to the rivers and the fact that the Avon and Heathcote rivers were very polluted, while the rural rivers and waterways were getting

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all the attention from the media and pressure groups. He agreed that farmers are very good at fencing off their waterways, replacing water races and complying with the restrictions on getting rid of waste from dairy sheds and that the rural folk should be proud of what they are doing, but again the levels are set by wombles in Wellington. Being a strong rural supporter I asked how come the city people get away with very polluted waterways while rural folk don’t; the answer was simple and instant. “We are about to ensure that the city is about to get the message that they have to tidy up their act”. It seems that one of the biggest pollutants in the city is copper from vehicle brakes. The pads have a large copper content and as they wear, the copper is dumped on the roads, then gets wash by rain into the water system and thence into the rivers. Steve says there are other options for brake pads and the wombles are looking at making them compulsory as the copper less ones are about the same price. Oh, and be assured local city businesses are about to get visits from ECan if there’s even a slight problem with them polluting the water ways.

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Kickstart to healing Some people who contact me have straightforward problems. I was speaking with someone yesterday who has moderate osteoarthritis (OA) in her knees. We put her on a programme that included some dietary recommendation, some helpful tips and two supplements. I have no doubt that within three months she will be more comfortable. Others have complex problems. A woman in her 60’s contacted me early this year and had problems with OA in her hands, knees, hip and back with sciatica down one leg. She had restricted mobility and also was very tired. I created a comprehensive support programme for her to reduce inflammation throughout her body, to improve circulation and improve energy. This included an intensive supplement programme for the first three months. This included high doses of Omega 3 fish oil to supplement her high Omega 3 and low Omega 6 diet. I then added my joint support programme. This is a little different than many as it is high in chondroitin sulphate (CS). Studies confirm the benefits of high doses of CS. I started her on 1600mg of CS, with 1600mg of glucosamine and 400mg of a high potency, rapid absorption curcumin ( from turmeric) complex. We then added a potent multi-antioxidant complex that included acai berry extract, grape seed extract (OPC), resveratrol and others. Magnesium can be particularly effective to help relax tissue

John Arts (b.Soc.Sci, Dip tch, Adv.Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For questions or advice contact John on 0800 423559 or email john@ abundant.co.nz. Join his full weekly newsletter at www.abundant.co.nz.

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around arthritic joints especially in the complex tissue around hips and backs. Within two months she noticed her thumbs we less painful and her mobility had improved. As a bonus the antioxidant complex had stimulated her energy processes and was feeling much better in herself. After five months she was now able to cycle again. Her thumb joints were almost pain free. Now she describes herself as largely pain free, has much more energy and feels confident about the future. The body is simply miraculous. All I did was to give her body what it needed and then the time to heal.

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

OctOber 2018

Farmers leading the way dealing with environmental issues Farmers have a lot to contend with, much more than the average townie can understand, in dealing with emissions, nutrient leaching and environmental risks.

Steve Lowndes ❚ by Chair, ❚ Environment Canterbury Over the past few years the new rules and requirements to do things differently have been coming thick and fast, from central and local government, from the community as well as from farming leaders. I acknowledge that we, as a regional council, have been at the forefront of bringing in new rules, new plans, raising the bar for environmental management, as well as getting tougher on consents and compliance, all of which impacts on farmers. We do this in response to societal demands to improve fresh water quality, as well as doing what we need to do under law as mandated by central government (we must not let fresh water quality decline, we must maintain, or if possible improve, water quality). At times there is a blame game – people in the rural space point at urbanites and ask what about them, what are they doing? That’s understandable, however, at the same time urban people don’t give farmers credit for the work going on to protect and improve the environment. We also recognise that some of the loudest voices calling for environmental improvement actually come from the rural sector. Farming families know the reality and have the best knowledge of what can be done to make a difference. Farmers and the agri-industry have, by and large, responded very positively to the requirements to limit nutrient leaching and improve environmental performance. We

‘

Urban people don’t give farmers credit for the work going on to protect and improve the environment. Steve Lowndes Environment Canterbury Chair

are already starting to see improvements in fresh water quality trends over the past five and 10 years. It’s clear, however, that many urban people don’t really understand what farmers are being asked to do, or how they have responded. Many also do not understand the changes that will be needed in our towns and cities to deal with emissions from transport and home heating, stormwater and wastewater pollution, as well as urban sprawl and lifestyle blocks. But the need to deal with these issues – as well as adapt to the growing effects of climate change – are looming large. Most of our stormwater networks discharge dirty water directly to urban streams and rivers. Because of the intense effects of urbanisation the two most polluted rivers in Canterbury are in Christchurch, the Avon/ Otakaro and the Heathcote/Opawaho. Inappropriate materials such as oils and chemicals being discharged into our urban storm water system have the equivalent en-

vironmental significance as nutrient leaching from farms, which is why setting, and enforcing, limits matters right across our region. These are very significant issues and will require ongoing change. The cost of cleaning up our cities is huge – we built the infrastructure of stormwater and wastewater networks in the 19th and 20th centuries when the environment was not front of mind. In addition, people will have to adapt to climate change which may include dealing with more frequent storms, coastal flooding, and rising water tables. My final message is that while a huge amount is being asked of farmers, there are very significant changes and costs also heading for our urban communities.

As this is the first of a monthly column, I would invite feedback on what topics you would like me to cover. Please email me at governance@ecan.govt.nz

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

Two new brassica offerings from PGG Wrightsons

Steve Finch ❚ by Speciality Seeds ❚ While technically both these products aren’t brand new to the market this is the first year we have had more seed to offer to our clients, and therefore I’ve felt comfortable to discuss them.

Pallaton raphanobrassica

Persistence: Pallaton has excellent re-growth potential and has the ability to persist for 4-5 grazings over a 12 month period. Although Pallaton is highly tolerant to clubroot, it is still susceptible to other brassica diseases. Pallaton Raphno® has shown to have a 38% increase in water use efficiency (WUE) relative to Goliath® forage rape.

HT Firefly kale Over the last two-three years, I’ve often talked about the Cleancrop brassica system from PGG Wrightson seeds as I like it very much. The clean crop system has provided our clients with an opportunity get weed free

brassica crops established. The clean crop system has been available in swedes, summer/winter turnips, rape, and leafy turnip. The one brassica crop that needed to be included in this system has now been done so…kale. Over the years I’ve seen hundreds and hundreds of hectares of kale fail to reach its potential dry matter yield due to poor weed control. It’s a difficult crop to get excellent weed control on once it emerges so I’m happy to say that we can now offer HT Firefly kale via the clean crop system.

HT Firefly had limited release last season. However this season we have more seed to offer our clients. However, it’s still a bit limited. HT Firefly is a high yielding, intermediate height kale with a high leaf to stem ratio. HT Firefly has very good late winter leaf percentage and excellent crop utilization due to selection for soft stems Very good winter hardiness and excellent pest and disease tolerance. Should you want to try some Pallaton raphno® or Ht Fireﬂy Kale, please contact me – seed supply is limited.

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Developed by PGG Wrightson Seeds under the Forage Innovations joint venture with Plant & Food Research, Pallaton Raphno® is a raphanobrassica, a hybrid between Brassica oleracea (kale) and Raphanus sativus (radish). Persistence under multiple grazings: Pallaton has excellent re-growth potential and can persist for four to five grazings over a 12 month period. Grazing palatability: Pallaton has shown increased palatability relative to forage rape and leafy turnip brassicas. Clubroot tolerance: Pallaton Raphno® has a high tolerance to clubroot. In vitro inoculation pot trials and field trials to date have shown strong tolerance to Pukekohe, Hawke’s Bay and Southland strains of clubroot.

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

Future Farm initiative underway Spring is upon us and with it comes the start of new farming season with lambing and calving well under way in most areas.

Tomorrow’s farm: beef + Lamb New Zealand has set up a ‘Future Farm’ with a North canterbury farming business, the purpose of which is to apply industry best-practice and introduce new technologies and farm systems.

Phil Smith ❚ by Director, Beef + Lamb New Zealand ❚ For us sheep and beef farmers, it is harvest time, when the management of our stock throughout the year bears fruit and we get this year’s crop of lambs on the ground. Apart from the recent cold snap, the weather has been kind and I imagine we will see some good lambing percentages this spring production on dryland farms so we can de-stock as much as possible before the year. NIWA is predicting a moderate El Nino summer dry. This changing climate, coupled with inweather pattern this summer which means an elevated risk of a drier than normal weath- creasing compliance and the need to demonstrate just how good our grass-based farming er on the east coast of both islands. This is far cry from the extreme weather systems are to our consumers and public, affecting other parts of the globe; the grip- means our farm management has become a pling drought in parts of Australia, the in- lot more complex. Fortunately, we have a myriad of tools, tense heat experienced in Europe over their summer and the hurricanes and storms af- technologies and information available to help us manage our businesses, but we fecting the US and Asia. Globally the climate is changing and as don’t always know where to invest our time, farmers, we need to account for this as best skills and money in order to “make the boat go faster”. we can in setting up our farm systems. Earlier this year, Beef + Lamb New ZeaWe are seeing the value of moisture-efficient legume-based pastures and forage land went into partnership with a North CanCANTERBURY FARMINGof260W X 180Hterbury MM 1/2 PAGE ADVERT farming business to set up a “Future crops and the importance maximising

Farm” the purpose of which is to apply industry best-practice and introduce new technologies and farm systems inside this changing business landscape. The organisation will use its involvement to demonstrate to other farmers how this is achieved within an operating farm system – while remaining profitable. The Future Farm is on the Lanercost property north of Cheviot, a 1390ha hill country, dryland sheep and beef farm, typical of many in the region and B+LNZ will share in the improvements that can be made in operating a successful sheep and beef farming business. I liken it to the successful Lincoln University Dairy Demonstration Farm. The practices demonstrated on that farm benefited dairy farmers in the region enormously and I be-

lieve the Future Farm will be of similar value to dryland sheep and beef farmers throughout the country. We are just tending to the last remaining business set-up details – including all the necessary compliance – as we effectively started from Ground Zero on this farm. I’m very excited about the opportunity this farm represents. We are all operating in a far more complex world than previous generations and while I’m very optimistic about the future of our sector, the Future Farm will allow us to observe the application and outcomes of technologies and system changes before we risk applying them to our own businesses. An open day will be held on Lanercost in November, the date is to be confirmed, but it will be well worth attending.

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FARMING NEWS

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Synlait nearly doubles proﬁt Synlait has celebrated 10 years of operation with a reported net after tax proﬁt of $74.6 million, almost double the NPAT of $39.5 million announced for the same period last year.

❚ by Kent caddick The company says the results for the financial year ending July 31, were achieved in a period of large investment, and a renewed focus on the future. Chairman Graeme Milne said an increase in finished infant formula sales helped to drive this profit, which was enabled by a number of investments in the blending and consumer packaging space. “In November 2017 we completed our second Dunsandel wetmix kitchen, and the same month commissioned our Auckland blending and consumer packaging facility. Both these projects have allowed us to increase our finished infant formula capacity,” Milne said. FY18 has been a successful year for Synlait, with top line revenue increasing from $759 million to $879 million and bottom line profit after tax growing from $39.5 million to $74.6 million. “That is a gratifying 16% growth in top line and an 89% growth in bottom line,” Milne said. Synlait’s final average total milk price for FY18 has been announced at $6.78 per kilogram of milk solids (kgMS). This includes a base milk price of $6.65 per kgMS (FY17 base milk price: $6.16 per kgMS) and seasonal and average valueadded incentive payments of $0.13 per kgMS. It has been a year of expansion for

Synlait chairman Graeme Milne says the company’s improved NPAt has been driven by an increase in finished infant formula sales.

expansion of its Dunsandel factory will give Synlait the opportunity to develop more products. the Canterbur y company with the announcement early in the financial cycle of its intention to build an Advanced Liquid Dair y Packaging facility in Dunsandel. The facility is expected to cost $125 million and will give Synlait the foundation to explore other liquid milk product opportunities which utilise the flexibility offered by the plant. “The plant is highly efficient and capable of producing many existing products, as well as product variants which are new and match emerging global trends,” Milne said. In FY18 Synlait also announced an $18 million expansion to its Dunsandel

lactoferrin facility which will double its lactoferrin capacity, as well as improve throughput. Synlait also announced it has entered into a conditional agreement to acquire selected Talbot Forest Cheese assets. This includes property, plant and equipment at a new 12,000 MT Temuka site, the consumer cheese brand (Talbot Forest Cheese) and customer relationships. “The proposed acquisition builds on our existing portfolio of high-quality, flexible dairy manufacturing capabilities that can be tailored to meet customer needs,” Synlait’s new CEO, Leon Clement said.

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

Sebco – your fuel storage solution Sebco diesel stations, Blue stations for AdBlue® and Waste Oil Tanks are proudly manufactured in New Zealand for New Zealand conditions by Ashburton based Fuel Storage Systems Ltd. supplied by ❚ Article ❚ Fuel Storage Systems Ltd. The company has been distributing their Sebco products all over New Zealand to the farming and industry sectors since 2007. Their products are New Zealand’s number one choice for fuel storage and dispensing. End users all over the country are impressed with the products that make meeting compliance issues and day to day fuel handling easy. The Sebco Diesel Stations come in sizes from 1300 litres to 4800 litres, and is the only EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) approved plastic bunded diesel storage tank in New Zealand. This makes it fully HS-

NO compliant in New Zealand, a hugely important issue in today’s safety conscious and regulated environment. Their tanks are even featured on the front of Worksafe NZ’s “Above Ground Fuel Storage on Farms – Good Practices Guidelines”. See their website www.sebco.co.nz for more details. Health and Safety legislation puts the onus fair and square on the PCBU (person conducting business or undertaking) to make sure their property and equipment is compliant and do not pose a risk to staff, contractors or visitors. The main farmer, contractor or business owner, is responsible to have their yard and equipment safe and compliant for all users and site visitors, from users who are filling vehicles to those who are filling their tanks. Ed Harrison started Fuel Storage Systems when he recognised that there was a real need for an ef-

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ficient, clean, secure, safe way to store diesel. The answer was a fully bunded diesel station that housed pumping equipment, level indicators etc all within a compact clean unit. The initial unit was the Sebco 2300, but

the range has grown as the company has grown. Ed says people are really seeing and appreciating the benefits of the Sebco products – the compliance, the ease of use, security and importantly the clean storage of fuel for valuable machinery. Sebco will be at the upcoming Canterbury A&P Show in November, displaying their products. For more information visit the Sebco website www. sebco.co.nz or phone 0800 473 226.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Looking after your tractor Tractors are essential pieces of farm equipment, and with the right maintenance they can run for years with very little trouble.

❚ by Kent caddick Because there are so many different kinds of tractors with specific applications, maintenance may vary greatly from tractor to tractor. However, there are certain universal things you can do to help guarantee a long and useful life for yours, and carrying out regular inspections is a key.

Familiarize yourself with your tractor’s manual There are many different types of tractors on the market with a wide variety of applications and associated accessories. To be sure you properly maintain your specific make and model of tractor, you should read through the manual that came with it. Many tractors require specific types of lubricants and hydraulic fluids that you can identify in the manual. If you do not have a manual for your tractor, you may be able to find the information on the manufacturer’s website.

Give the tractor a visual inspection Before you get started with any planned maintenance on your tractor, give the whole thing a good once over to see if anything looks overly worn, broken, or dirty. Many newer model tractors even have plastic windows on fluid reservoirs to check things like hydraulic fluid levels. Make note of any issues you identify to

Keeping track: regular visual inspections are an important part of tractor maintenance. Use an electronic app to help with record-keeping.

make sure you address them before the next time you use the tractor.

Do a tyre pressure check Tractor tyres can last years, but operating a tractor with under-inflated tyres can ruin the sidewall and cause the tyres to wear faster than they should. Under-inflated tyres will also cause the tractor to burn more fuel in normal operations. You may want to adjust tyre pressure for different types of jobs. For instance, if you plan on driving your tractor on the road, you might want to add a few more pounds of air. Tyres lose pressure more quickly when temperatures change from cold to hot, so you may want to check your tyre pressure more frequently in the Spring and Autumn.

cessively worn rubber components should all be replaced. Look for grazing on the sides and bottom of any belts that may indicate that it’s been slipping. Any rubber that has cracked should be replaced.

Inspect the belts and hoses

Replace the air ﬁlter as needed

Just like in a car, a tractor’s engine relies on a number of rubber hoses and usually at least one belt. Look all the rubber components over for signs of wear or damage. Ex-

Depending on the environment you use your

tractor in, you may need to change your air filter more or less frequently. Locate the air filter using the tractor’s user manual, then visually inspect it. If it’s really dirty, it should be replaced. There’s no real rule of thumb with air filters; they should just be replaced as they appear dirty. You should check your air filter after eight hours of use or so.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

There’s a lot on offer with Tuatara The Tuatara side-by-side was ﬁrst introduced to New Zealand in the form of a two seat, 600cc model, but a year later the three seat 1100cc model was introduced, and so much development and reﬁnement work has been done since that time, much of it on the recommendations of customers. supplied by ❚ Article ❚ Tuatara Machinery Now a lot more people know about Tuatara but many have not looked to see what we have to offer with this machine and are still to take a test drive. What we have on offer, is a side-by-side which is not a four-wheeled motorbike, but rather a motor vehicle which has been specifically designed for the New Zealand conditions, whether it be negotiating deep mud, steep hillsides, or alpine areas or river crossings. The Tuatara is an all-steel construction machine, so it’s strong and can be used to carry and tow much greater loads than our opposition. Recent upgrades to the Tuatara have included the installation of a much larger rear differential that was actually designed for a two litre jeep. The drive train has also been significantly upgraded and the gearing ratio re-

duced for even greater traction in heavy conditions. It also allows an operator to select low gear and ‘chug’ along behind the cattle with feet completely off the pedals without the need to change gear. The braking has also been enhanced with the addition of a brake pedal lock that allows the operator to very simply lock down the foot brake pedal for retention on very steep slopes. Another important feature offered by the Tuatara, is the ability to register the vehicle for on-road use. This significantly adds to the versatility of the machine and provides another great reason for selecting the Tuatara as your next side-by-side purchase. The Tuatara’s huge carrying and towing capacity, and go anywhere capability make it an ideal vehicle, whether you are a farmer, agricultural contractor, beekeeper or even a recreational hunter. Make the call now for a test drive.

Redesigned: the tuatara 1100cc three-seat side-by-side is packed full of reatures inspired through customer recommendations.

Insurance Work

in Specialising

PANEL BEATING

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Cars, Trucks, Buses, Horse Floats & Motorhomes, Caravans, Trailers, Farm Machinery, Jet Boats, Light Engineering and Aluminium Welding 17 Range Street (Industrial Estate) Ashburton Phone 307 0378 l 0274 274 007 Email: busandtruckbodywork@xtra.co.nz 060815

1885835

October 2018 CANTERBURY FARMING

A quality 100 years in the making John Deere has been an innovator in farm machinery for nearly two centuries. But for the past 100 years, it is their tractors that have revolutionised agricultural productivity.

supplied by ❚❚Article ❚❚Drummond & Etheridge

productivity on your own property. Whether you want to mow, dig out stubborn plants and roots, load gravel or lift firewood, the super capable John Deere 1023E sub-compact tractor lets you switch tools or attachments easily and quickly, even without leaving your

Packed with just as many great features as larger ag machines, John Deere compact utility tractors are easy to use and offer you the versatility to transform the

seat. Plus, combine perfect stability and ride comfort with easy parking and storage and you have the ultimate solution for your place. It may be small in size, but do not underestimate the amazing versatility of the John Deere 1025R sub-com-

E R A D MPARE CO

TRAC UTILITY

6-YEAR POWERTRAIN

WARRANTY† Light farm work bliss: Why compromise on performance or capability? The John Deere 3038E Compact Utility Tractor is a simple and affordable machine that gets things done without making a fuss.

ISE

MPROM OUT CO

ITH TORS W

pact tractor. Mow, dig drains and trenches, load mulch or lift and carry garden waste with ease with plenty of implement and attachment options available to fit the 3-point hitch. The 1025R has ample power to tackle the tough jobs, with great comfort and driveability too. Affordability and manoeuvrability does not have to come at the expense of performance or capability. Tackle basic jobs like loading soil, gravel and hay, tilling large garden areas and light farm work without compromise with the budgetfriendly John Deere 3038E. Available on all 1 and 2 Family compact utility tractors, the John Deere AutoConnect™ mowing deck attaches without needing to leave the seat. The deck and driveshaft automatically connects when driven over. The mowing height can be set by changing the gauge wheels on the deck and once they are set there is no requirement to adjust them again. When you want to disconnect, simply lower the deck, shift the lever above the deck and unlock the gauge wheels, sit back on and safely reverse off the deck. The R Series Quik-Park™ loaders are designed for easy, tool-free mounting and removal. The parking stand is attached to the front frame of the tractor and becomes an integral part of the loader during loader operation. To attach, simply drive up, turn off the engine, release the hydraulic pressure and safely dismount the tractor to plug in the colour coded hydraulic hoses. Then get back on, close the latches onto the loader frame on either side and adjust into position with the joystick.

OUR 1023E

Compact Utility Tractor STARTING FROM

20,585

INCL GST

WITH 54D MOWER

• 22 hp (16 kW) 3-cyl. diesel engine

OUR 3038E

Compact Utility Tractor STARTING FROM

29,210

OUR 1025R STARTING FROM

INCL GST

WITH 300E LOADER

Compact Utility Tractor

23,000

INCL GST

WITH 120R LOADER

• 37 hp (28 kW) 3-cyl. diesel engine

For more information on the John Deere range of compact utility tractors, contact your local Drummond & Etheridge on 0800 432 633 or visit www. dne.co.nz

6-YEAR POWERTRAIN 6-YEAR POWERTRAIN

• 24 hp (18 kW) 3-cyl. diesel engine

WARRANTY†

832 East Street Ashburton 03 307 9911

799 Jones Road, Rolleston Christchurch 03 349 4883

85a Beach Road Kaikoura 03 319 7119

1 Main North Road Oamaru 03 437 1111

4 Warwick Street Blenheim 03 579 1111

3 Charles O'Connor Street Greymouth 03 768 5116

70 Gladstone Road Richmond, Nelson 03 543 8041

40 Racecourse Road Timaru 03 687 4005

Utility-Tractors.com/DnE *Prices shown in New Zealand dollars including GST through 31 October, 2018. Price includes pre-delivery, inward freight and assembly. Price for the 1025R and 3038E models excludes the pictured anti-spill kit. Other dealer charges may apply on all models. †Valid on 1-4 Family Utility Tractors. Conditions apply. 6 year/2000 hours (whichever comes first). See us for more information on the Limited Warranty for New John Deere Turf & Utility Equipment.

JNDSA60737_SmallTractors_D&E_CF

Make sure you do your homework first. Then visit us and see for yourself why NOTHING RUNS LIKE A DEERE™

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

The Smart Stakka portable silo system The Smart Stakka is an easy, portable silo system that offers all types of industries more flexibility and ease of operation. supplied by ❚ Article ❚ Advantage Plastics These portable silos are manufactured by Advantage Plastics with UV Stabilized & food grade rated medium density polythene material and with its hot dipped galvanised reinforced frame these are the strongest silo in this configuration. The capacity of the Smart Stakka is 1600litres which equals 1.2 tonne of wheat or fertiliser so they have been specially designed to safely store the contents of a full bulk bag. With their front/side discharge points, four-way fork-liftable pockets and their ability to be stacked, these are giving the end user a controlled and safe discharge while also being able to transport safely and to store easily. However, these have not been just used for this type application but also been used in a range of liquid storage, stationary storage, controlled management for seed and fertilizing mixing, filling of smaller bags the

‘

Absolutely fantastic piece of equipment, we

Portable and ﬂexible: the Smart Stakka system by Advantage Plastics is suitable for both inside and outside use.

would highly recommend. rodent proof, water proof, labour saving and it looks great! Josh Mid Canterbury

list goes on. The Smart Stakka is excellent for both inside and outside use and with its clever design it is water and rodent proof. There is also a big range of additional extras to help you get more bang for

your buck: side ladders, sight glasses, bag splitters and different styles of outlet systems all giving you even more ease of operation. The whole concept is manufactured here in New Zealand and with the ability of the Advantage Plastics team they can deliver to you exactly what you want. Customized framing can be designed and manufactured to the dimensions you require (within reason) to accommodate different machinery or systems etc. So when looking for an efficient, high quality and safe storage system then Smart Stakka is your answer.

contact the friendly team today at Advantage Plastics to order your Smart Stakka to give you more ﬂexibility and ease of operation on 0800 668 534 or email info@adplasnz.com. check them out online www. smartstakka.co.nz

Water Ballast Rollers Spiral Welded Pipe Grain Augers Range of standard sizes available or made to your required size. 16 Robinson Street, Ashburton 7700 Phone 03 308 9623 • grayeng@xtra.co.nz Dave Stockdill

New season stock available now Some disc mowers may look like a KUHN from the outside. However what is on the inside is more important. KUHN’s design and construction standards ensure a long life and reliable operation.

For more information, or to view, contact: Ashburton 03 307 8027 Leeston 03 324 3791

Amberley 03 314 9055 Timaru 03 688 2179

www.cochranes.net.nz

COCHRANES

your farm machinery specialist

October 2018 CANTERBURY FARMING

The long arm on the farm Some businesses work by moving data, others work by moving imaginary money between offshore accounts, others, and you’ll know if you’ve worked in one of these, operate by moving vast amounts of paper from one department to the next.

❚❚by Andy Bryenton But the modern farm works best when things move in volume. Things which are not always easy to handle. Because mother nature didn’t design crops to come neatly packaged in boxes, and because a pallet of drums is very different from a steaming scoop of silage, the average farmer needs a machine which can handle all kinds of consistencies, weights and volumes. And no ordinary forklift will do. Sometimes, what needs moving needs to traverse some gnarly terrain to get to where it’s most useful. Back in 1957, a man named Marcel Braud saw this, and developed a forklift truck with rough terrain tyres. This was the beginning of a long evolution which has led us to the modern telehandler of today – and specifically, the Manitou MLT 840. True agricultural telehandlers like this came on the scene in the late 1980s, and combine a variety of tools with a long, telescoping arm positioned beside the cab for the smallest possible turning circle and clear lines of sight for the operator. Manitou’s MLT 840 is equally at home handling animal feed or a harvest of crops, or fitted out with traditional forklift tines to stow away pallets and load and unload trucks. The figures tell the tale of its hydraulicassisted muscle – this machine can lift four

Heavy lifter: The Manitou MLT 840 can lift four tonnes, or tip three tonnes into a trailer over four metres tall.

tonnes, or tip three tonnes into a trailer over four metres tall. Lift loads over seven metres in the air while commanding a tiny, sub-fourmetre turning circle. And with intuitive controls, placing what you need where you want it is easy. The MLT 840 comes with up to 137 horsepower, courtesy of a john Deere sourced en-

gine – more than ample for the kind of steady and precise work which is demanded of it. It also packs a 180 litre per minute variable flow rate pump, because power to the wheels is only half of the equation. Add in tons of grip, high ground clearance and a five speed transmission, and you have a seriously versatile materials han-

dling tool which goes where most forklifts fear to tread. Most importantly, though, Manitou have put operator comfort at the forefront of their design, making the cab of the MLT 840 an almost relaxing place to spend some time – all while moving mountains to boost farm productivity.

CANTERBURY FARMING October 2018

October 2018 CANTERBURY FARMING

Four Seasons Realty 2017 Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008

0800 789 1011 | www.RuralLifestyle.kiwi Rural Lifestyle | Your Country Partner Contributor to realestate.co.nz

like us on facebook: Harcourts Rural Lifestyle harcourts.co.nz

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Buying and Selling in Lincoln just got better! Lincoln was the obvious choice of location for the next Harcourts Four Seasons Realty office. Lincoln has been growing quickly for some time and with the Lincoln hub expanding, Lincoln University on a push to attract more students, growth is estimated to continue for many years to come.

The new Lincoln Office is located in the centre of the town in what was previously the Westpac Bank site. This prime position has attracted plenty of attention and sets Harcourts apart from other much smaller real estate firms who have traditionally worked from less visible offices and speaks volumes as to the intent of Harcourts to be the go to real estate choice in the Selwyn District.

Lincoln is fast becoming a destination for those in Selwyn and Christchurch looking for a simple commute to work and the feel of a traditional NZ rural town with a wonderful vibrancy. It is a great place for Four Seasons to be a part of.

Four Seasons is very excited to be part of the Lincoln community and is excited to offer the local community a genuine real estate choice that will give their property more exposure through the strength of New Zealand’s largest real estate brand.

Four Seasons is a long-recognised name in the Harcourts group having been in existence since the early 1990’s, boasting eight offices and 100 salespeople Four Seasons has unparalleled strength when it comes to attracting buyers to your property.

Harcourts and Four Seasons Realty look forward to being of assistance.

We Sell Rural Lifestyle Spring 2018

We Sell Rural Lifestyle

6 Gerald Street, Lincoln 03 662 9933 | 027 222 9495 lincoln@harcourts.co.nz Four Seasons have offices in Belfast, Hanmer Springs, Hornby, Kaiapoi, Lincoln, Rangiora, Rolleston & The Palms.

Our next edition of the popular “We Sell Rural Lifestyle” booklet that showcases the very best Rural Lifestyle properties throughout Canterbury is out now.

Spring 2018

For your FREE copy phone 0800 789 1011 or view online @ facebook.com/rurallifestyle.kiwi or www.rurallifestyle.kiwi. 96 Millcroft Lane - Ohoka See page 25 for details.

96 Millcroft Lane - Ohoka See page 25 for details. Belfast

• Hanmer Springs

• Hornby

• Kaiapoi

• Lincoln

• Rangiora

• Rolleston

• The Palms

Belfast

96 Millcroft Lane - Ohoka See page 25 for details. Belfast

• Hanmer Springs

• Hornby

• Kaiapoi

• Lincoln

• Rangiora

• Rolleston

• Hanmer Springs

• Hornby

• Kaiapoi

• Lincoln

• Rangiora

• Rolleston

• The Palms

If you would like to advertise your property in our next edition, talk to one of our dedicated Rural Lifestyle consultants.

Introducing Jon Carswell Four Seasons Realty welcomes Rural specialist Jon Carswell into its fold. Jon based at the new Lincoln Branch will provide support to the farming community throughout the Canterbury Region. Jon has an extensive background in Dairy Farming with his career beginning in the Southbridge area, before moving to west Otago where he enjoyed the role as a corporate farm manager before buying his own dairy farm in eastern Southland. Following the sale of his farm Jon has spent the last four years using his extensive farming knowledge, selling rural real estate through a Gore agency. Jon and his family have recently moved back to Lincoln where he intends to re-establish his connection with the local rugby fraternity. Jon Carswell 027 687 0113 | 03 662 9933 jon.carswell@harcourts.co.nz harcourtsfourseasons.co.nz

Not only outstanding in their field

Our consultants are your country partner when it comes to rural lifestyle property. 0800 789 1011 | www.RuralLifestyle.kiwi Rural Lifestyle | Your Country Partner

Four Seasons Realty 2017 Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008

OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Make every drop count with AquaCheck It can be easy to assume that irrigation is, ‘just add water and it’ll grow’, but many have discovered that there’s more to it than this.

❚ Article supplied by Agri Optics NZ

Visualising what you can’t see under your feet, while looking up at the weather and juggling compliance and profitability, can put anyone to the test. Farmers and growers can now unearth what’s really beneath their feet with the accuracy and timeliness of soil moisture technology. Combining state-of-theart AquaCheck software and sensors with agronomy, allows crops and pastures to be measured and managed more accurately. Irrigation, rainfall and soil temperature data is captured in real time. “This can mean the difference between an average grower or an extraordinary one,” says Agri Optics operations manager Chris Smith. “The AquaCheck range of products provides a powerful tool to improve the management of all agricultural crops,” he says. AquaCheck has more than 20,000 probes installed in more than 20 countries around the world. The technology allows growers to optimise water use, optimise production and reduce potential nutrient leaching by accessing data such as: current soil moisture status, infiltration rate, date and time of irrigations, depths of irrigation and fertigation applied and daily water consumption rates. The AquaCheck soil probe is compatible with a range of telemetry options and end user platforms. The probes are a vertical-

ly-oriented, are easy to install and have a short ‘settling’ time. They also have multiple soil moisture and temperature sensors down their length, giving you a detailed look at what’s going on under your feet. All information from the AquaCheck probes is wirelessly telemetered to AquaCheckWEB software and all the soil moisture and temperature data can be viewed, recommendations made and forecasts given for irrigation requirements or soil moisture trends. Additionally, the AquaCheck soil moisture probe data can also be pushed to other websites so that you can view your AquaCheck soil moisture data along-side other information that you may use for your irrigation scheduling. “Quick and easy access to this data is having a significant effect on farmers’ production and profitability,” Smith says. The farmer has online access to these sensors anywhere in the world through a computer or a phone app in the palm of their hand. “Agri Optics provides the tools and knowledge to understand your soil moisture and irrigation, enhancing management, productivity and profits. Precision is the key to a more robust farming system,” says Sephrah Rayner, an Agri Optics advocate. Agri Optics NZ Ltd is based in Methven but helps people in agriculture optimise their operations New Zealand wide;

combining state-of-the-art Aquacheck software and sensors with agronomy, allows crops and pastures to be measured and managed more accurately.

from horticulture to dairy farming and everyone in between. They have a Spring 2018 limited offer on a range of robust, reliable and affordable AquaCheck soil moisture probes with a range of telemetry options. Optional extras include weather stations and rain gauges.

the Aquacheck soil probe is compatible with a range of telemetry options and end user platforms.

Canterbury Farming Oct 2018 260mm x 90mm

MCMILLAN Drilling

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

Water quality vs production

Dr blair Miller ❚ by Manager, Environmental ❚ Group ❚ Research, Lincoln Agritech

Bulk commodities dominate our primary sector exports and this is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. This strategy inevitably leads to intensification and with that comes environmental impact. We need to understand this impact if we are to develop appropriate mitigation strategies. The fate of nitrates attracts the most attention due to dairy intensification. Dairy is not the only sector negatively impacting our environment, other farming systems such as arable can also cause problems. But it is nitrate management that needs greater resourcing to meet the call-to-action. Nitrate leaching from cow urine patches is a major contributor to groundwater contamination. Soil scientists must continue working to solve this issue, but farming system changes also require further attention. It is important to invest in research that helps improve production systems, retain nitrogen in the root zone, and reduce other contaminant transfers. While adding significant value, one of the limitations of the nutrient budgeting model, OVERSEER®, is that it does not deal with the fate of the nitrate once it leaves the root zone. The transport and transformation processes in the area between roots and groundwater systems have not been ade-

Achieving export growth means developing new markets and these markets will be increasingly judging us on the environmental integrity of our production processes.

quately researched to date. The groundwater system is highly complex and modelling its processes is extremely difficult, but necessary, if we are to fully understand how they work. The problem with making decisions before completely understanding the processes involved is that nutrient limits may be set too low, potentially limiting production in areas that could operate safely at higher intensities. Land-use planners need more information – they must make difficult decisions about the appropriateness of farming activities in specific locations and about where to focus resources. Lincoln Agritech has a team of researchers who are working on both direct mitigation approaches, such as trialling woodchip bioreactors, as well as understanding the land’s ability to naturally mitigate nitrate losses from the root zone given specific conditions. Other research underway includes catch crops to reduce nitrate leaching. One of the areas we are most excited about is the recent release of the HydrometricsTM optical nitrate sensor, a low cost technology for measuring nitrate concentrations in groundwater. The sensor has already been used by a number of regional councils as well as being used to understand the positive impact of the Managed Aquifer Recharge trials in Mid-Canterbury. Farmers are now starting

Installation: James Wang from Lincoln Agritech installing a HydroMetricstM nitrate sensor in a monitoring well in canterbury.

to install these sensors so they can directly measure nitrate levels and collect data that provides them with information that allows them to join the continuing discussions on nutrient allocations for their regions. We will continue to use our developing technologies and scientific understanding to help farmers to directly measure their ni-

™

Hydrometrics - Nitrate GW50 Groundwater Optical Nitrate Sensor

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trate losses and this will complement current modelling approaches. In many situations, this data will reduce the level of uncertainty associated with current modelling methods, enabling improved decision-making. The challenge to the Government is to give our scientists the resources so they can contribute to the task ahead.

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Innovative leaders in solid set irrigation systems SSS Irrigation Ltd, formerly known as Stu’s Sprinkler Systems Ltd, was born out of necessity, one man’s vision and his ability to think outside the square.

❚ Article supplied by SSS Irrigation

The origins of the company begin in May 2004 when Stuart McNeill purchased a dry farm property with the intention to develop it as a deer unit. The farm was, at time of purchase, ver y unproductive. The need to find better ways to utilise what water was available, led Stu to seek alternatives to the current irrigation systems then available in the market place. Initial enquiries showed that there were no sprinklers available that met his personal targets of long throw radius, high water volume and soft watering of crop and pasture. His background in mechanical engineering led him to design and fabricate his own units in stainless steel with a good deal of trial and error in the early stages, and ongoing development during the next few years. These proved to be very efficient but not commercially viable, as they were complex and time consuming to manufacture.

High performance, low impact: the SSS Irrigation System requires no landscape modifications or alterations to existing fencelines or shelterbelts.

The on-farm results were little short of spectacular. With the creation of storage dams together with the sprinklers and ancillary system parts, carrying capacity rose from 530 stock units to 3500 stock units over a four year period, with the farms water rights unchanged. A chance introduction resulted in a shift to injection moulded, fibre reinforced, plastic bodies which formed the basis of what has now evolved into the PF30 model that we produce today. We still maintain a strong R&D focus and continue to make minor modifications and

performance improvements to keep us in front of the copiers. In a majority of cases, these are designed to retrofit the earlier models allowing owners of earlier models an inexpensive upgrade path. There is nothing that can compete with the overall combination of performance, durability and cost effectiveness offered by our system.

System overview The SSS Irrigation System is a static set irrigation system with sprinklers permanently mounted on posts, 1.8m above ground with

posts spaced 44m apart on average. Each sprinkler is individually operated via the post kit’s solenoid valve controller. Watering times are infinitely variable, thus allowing for differing soil types and flexible application rates. Underground, the system utilises 100mm-200mm PVC mainlines (varying in size according to individual system needs) with 63mm MDPE lateral lines reducing to 40mm LDPE post lines to the individual sprinklers. For more information, visit www.sssirrigation.co.nz

OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

For all your irrigation needs Water is a commodity that is very much in the spotlight and will remain so for the foreseeable future. supplied by ❚ Article Ray Mayne Hose and Fittings ❚ Ray Mayne Hose and Fittings has the knowledge, products and ability to ensure that your irrigation needs are well taken care of. Founded in 1991 and based in Ashburton, the family orientated company is the exclusive importer and distributor of Reinke Manufacturing and Snap-tite Irrigation Hose. With the wide variety of Reinke and Snap-tite products available, you can be assured there is a system right for you. Since its introduction into New Zealand, Snap-tite has proven to be an extremely hard wearing lay flat hose for many irrigation farmers. Having a tough, durable, smooth unified polyurethane outer cover ensures the hose has excelled abrasion resistance and superior tensile strength. With its unique continuous extrusion process, continuous lengths of up to 350m have been manufactured and are being used in many places in New Zealand. There are many drag hose irrigators operating with 350m x 5” Snap-tite hoses. The outer polyurethane cover has been formulated to resist high ozone and ultra violet conditions, the polyurethane cover also ensures that there in much less drag which

is why longer lengths can be successfully used. With each hose comes with a 10 year factory warranty. Goods stocks of Snap-tite hose are held in Ashburton, with containers arriving regularly in the next few months to ensure all diameters and lengths are readily available for the expected irrigation season ahead. Reinke and the team at Ray Mayne Hose and Fittings can design and supply the desired irrigation system to suit all needs. With the advancement in technology, you can be assured that irrigation water will be applied where you want it and when you want it. Their experienced design team can design all your irrigation requirements for all irrigation requirements for any farm types or improvements to your existing irrigation system, utilising the best products with the best after sales back up. GPS Guidance is the ultimate form of irrigator guidance and Reinke and Ray Mayne Hose and Fittings have been leading the way with GPS guidance for many years. There are numerous pivot and lateral combinations working off single Trimble GPS base stations. Another major feature is the “touchscreen” Main Control Panel. This touch-

screen panel allows the operator to quickly and easily adjust the application rates of any of the systems. A recent addition is the introduction of Reincloud Ag-Data Services. Reincloud is an online software package, designed by Reinke Manufacturing that helps combine field data and irrigation data into one easy to use dashboard. This includes soil moisture or weather data and other environmental data. It is safe and secure; the operator can be advised by

either txt or email. Everyday access is available on multiple devices – smartphone, tablet, laptop or computer. Reincloud is easy to use and informative. Some of the options available are soil moisture, air temperature, ground temperature, wind direction, wind speed, rainfall, humidity and water pressure. All this information is easily accessible to the operator. Reinke pivots and laterals have been sold throughout New Zealand, on many varying farming types.

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Broadband Lincoln Agritech to look Made Easy!

at freshwater pollution

Lincoln Agritech scientists have been awarded almost $8 million in funding to look into ways to better manager freshwater pollution.

❚ by rebecca Doyle The funds for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment programme were made available through the Endeavour Investment Fund. Drs Roland Stenger and Blair Miller, along with their environmental research team, are leading a $7.8m programme to upgrade freshwater management. They will deliver methods and tools for characterising and quantifying transfer pathways at a sub-catchment level. By defensibly establishing the link between land use and its effects on freshwater quality at the sub-catchment scale, they will enable more effective and spatially targeted land use and management, mitigations and policy. “To better manage freshwater pollution, we need to find out more about how nitrogen travels from land to waterways at a sub-catchment level,” Dr Miller said. “We have to understand how quickly nitrogen travels and how much of it is naturally removed by microorganisms as it moves from the soil through the groundwater into a surface waterway. “Only catchment scale resolution is possible at the moment, but it’s at the sub-catchment scale that the best management and mitigation options are available to prevent nitrogen from getting into our waterways. “We’ll also be looking at matching land use to existing natural removal capacity or installing mitigations where they have the greatest effect.” Understanding nitrogen pathways is a high priority for Federated Farmers, and the organisation has endorsed the programme. The programme aims to help farmers, iwi, industry and councils to achieve community-mandated water quality goals, with all councils requiring a water quality management policy by 2025. Lincoln Agritech will be working alongside New Zealand regional councils, research organisations, industry and iwi partners to ensure the programme’s success. Collaborators include Aqualinc Research, Lincoln University, GNS Science, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research Institute, AgFirst and IK and Associates Ltd. The programme is co-funded by the Waikato Regional Council and DairyNZ.

Pollution reduction: Dr blair Miller from Lincoln Agritech is helping to lead a research programme looking at ways to better manage freshwater pollution.

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The Rutmaster provides a simple and cost-effective solution. Shingle, clay or lime chip is dropped into the ruts, filling them in no time. The Rutmaster fills 400/500mm wide ruts and material can be sourced either from the farm or can be supplied. Rutmaster blade - Returns shoulder soil into the rut, reducing the amount of material required. Great end results.

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

Missing out, does it matter?

Dr tony Davoren ❚ with Hydro Services ❚

No matter whether you have missed out on recent rainfalls and haven’t yet irrigated, groundwater is in good supply for the season, whatever it might bring.

It’s a debate that can happen every year and/or at the start of every season. While officially seasons begin and end on a calendar day, the question is often asked “when does or did (for example) spring start?”. In true English fashion we officially consider the start of spring to be 1 September – primarily it seems to make record keeping easier. Many other countries use the equinoxes and solstices to define the beginning of seasons – the astronomical definition. Spring in the Southern Hemisphere would therefore have begun on Sunday, 23 September. And because the timings of the equinoxes and solstices change each year, the length of the astronomical spring will also vary – but I have no idea if is longer or shorter than other previous springs. Soil temperatures have only just (in last few days 16-17 September) crept up above 10degC at 9am. Still not super warm, peaking at about 12.3degC at 5-6pm – yes it takes that long to warm up from that early morning low of 10degC or less. One still wouldn’t be writing home about the “copious” rainfall we have had during the winter or the variability of the rainfall across the plains. No doubt the rainfall at the beginning of September was a blessing and almost certainly kept irrigation at bay until now. However, over the last three months there has been just 75mm in mid-south Canterbury and 61mm at Ridgens Rd and no large

events such as those that occurred at the end of April and during May. Not only is there 25% less rainfall at Ridgens Road than further south, but 61mm is just 35% of the long term average 174mm for the JulySeptember period. No matter the paucity of large rainfall events and the seemingly soon irrigation season, there has been sufficient rainfall to maintain a trickle of recharge to the groundwater systems. For those on Adaptive Management (and everyone in general) the recharge in April and early May has set up groundwater for another reliable irrigation season. For the bore shown the current water level is 10.8m above the level where no water can be taken – a healthy state for this time of the year. With spring upon us, a below average period of rainfall but adequate groundwater, the sixty-four dollar question is “what will the rest of the growing season bring?”. Internationally the consensus from cli-

mate models and modellers is for “the tropical Pacific to transition toward El Niño over the next three-months”. The NIWA climate outlook suggest a 65% chance of El Niño over September and November 2018 in-

creasing to 78% over the March to May period in 2019. We might just be blessed to have had all that late autumn rainfall to recharge groundwater.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

What we can learn from water management in Nebraska I’ve recently returned from a study tour of Nebraska. IrrigationNZ took 25 irrigators, irrigation scheme and service industry representatives over to see how water is managed and used in the Mid-West.

Andrew curtis ❚ by ❚ IrrigationNZ Interestingly, Nebraska is facing similar issues to Canterbury. Nitrates in groundwater are a significant concern. Historic poor nutrient management and poor irrigation practice has resulted in nitrate concentrations well over the US drinking water standard of 10ppm. However, in recent years they have managed to turn this trend around, and nitrate levels are now trending downwards in many areas. This has largely been brought about by a non-regulatory approach. State law requires that water quality and quantity management plans be produced identifying any problems. An implementation plan to address the issues is then developed. Groundwater is managed by local Natural Resource Districts which have elected boards made up mainly of rural representatives. The farmer representatives are very proactive in encouraging other farmers to adopt more sustainable practices. The approach taken includes data

collation to better inform science, farmer-tofarmer education, and best practice standards coupled with incentives. The best practice standards are similar to parts of the Good Farming Practice approach currently being implemented by the primary sectors in New Zealand. All the Natural Resource Districts have a rule framework. Most rules are focused on water quantity and farming practice reporting – rather than setting farm scale limits. The Natural Resource Districts we met with all used an integrated catchment management approach. They have invested heavily in the science (robust data coupled with modelling) to better understand their water resource and looked at a range of farm and catchment based solutions. The catchment based solutions included raising capital to build environmental infrastructure. River augmentation and managed aquifer recharge projects are common. Incentives, knowledge and enabling peer to peer learning in combination with environmental infrastructure is seen as the way forward for water quality. Relying on a regulatory

On tour: A group of Kiwi irrigators recently went on a study tour to Nebraska courtesy of IrrigationNZ. approach was seen as a very costly way to bring about farm practice changes given the United States is an extremely litigious country. The widespread move from surface flood to centre pivot irrigation has been key to reducing nitrate losses to groundwater. There is now also a push for more use of fertigation, as it allows for targeted nutrient applications which significantly reduces the risk of leaching from rainfall events. Data collection is also seen as a key part of the solution to allow progress to be tracked over time and help identify cause and effect. For example in the Central Platte Natural Resource District, all cropping farmers with

large paddocks in areas where nitrate levels remain above 10ppm must report their practices annually. This is a spatially based system that records what crops are being grown, fertiliser and water applications, and crop yield. This has created a useful data set that the district can use for their change management programmes in conjunction with the University of Nebraska. It was also notable that the drivers for change were heavily focused upon farm economics rather than the environmental issues themselves. Our trip participants took a lot away from the experience and there are many areas where Canterbury could learn from what is happening in Nebraska.

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October 2018 CANTERBURY FARMING

CANTERBURY FARMING October 2018

OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

Precision nutrient management with irrigation Precision agriculture technologies continue to push the limits and allow farmers to sustainably manage natural resources and reduce negative environmental impacts.

Sarah elliott ❚ by ❚ Lindsay NZ Lindsay Corporation, the manufacturers of Growsmart® Precision VRI (variable rate irrigation), have recently released new nutrient management tools giving farmers advanced control and reporting capabilities when applying nutrients through their Precision VRI system. The exciting new features enable farmers to create irrigation plans to apply effluent, fertigation and/or chemigation to specific areas under an irrigator with Precision VRI technology. The intelligent system will automatically switch to a specified plan when the nutrients are being injected into the irrigation water line. This enables farmers to target resources to maximise yields, ensuring efficient use of inputs such as water and nutrients, yet preventing leaching and run-off. The Precision VRI technology individually pulses sprinklers on and off, while also

controlling the irrigator speed to modify the application depth along the length of the irrigator. Control of the irrigator speed and individual valves allows the amount of water and nutrients applied to each area to be carefully regulated, optimising application efficiencies. As well as var ying irrigation and nutrient application according to spatial variations in soil characteristics, Precision VRI can also be used to avoid irrigating over buildings, tracks, roads and non-productive areas. Buffered avoidance zones can be placed around environmentally sensitive areas and waterways, which may be particularly prevalent for farmers choosing to apply effluent, fertigation or chemigation through their irrigator. Lindsay understand the expectation that farmers are under to demonstrate they can manage natural resources responsibly – to the community, to government and to their neighbours.

Proof-of-placement reports, analysing individual nutrients applied, help farmers to justify responsible nutrient application. Growers can produce reports from a 24-hour period right up to an entire irrigation season which can also be helpful for future decision-making. Growsmart Precision VRI is compatible with centre pivots, laterals, pivoting laterals and reverse pivoting laterals. It can be installed on new irrigation systems or as an add-on to existing systems. For more information, contact your local Growsmart by

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Lindsay dealer or visit www.growsmartvri. com for more information. Lindsay Corporation is a leading provider of automated mechanical move irrigation equipment and of transportation safety products. The company manufactures and markets center-pivot, lateral-move and hose reel irrigation systems which are sold through its worldwide network of dealers. The Company’s Zimmatic, Growsmart and FieldNET brands are highly recognized for their quality and technological leadership.

With Growsmart® Precision VRI, FieldNET® remote management and Zimmatic® irrigation systems, your Zimmatic dealer will deliver a “single box” irrigation solution – the only fully integrated solution on the market. Growsmart Precision VRI is the world’s first true variable rate irrigation system, and it’s the most advanced precision irrigation solution available. The fully integrated system, managed through FieldNET, provides unparalleled ease-of-use. And with the support of your Zimmatic dealer backed by Lindsay you can rest assured you’re working with the most experienced precision irrigation specialists globally. Having one point of contact makes upgrading and maintaining your irrigation system seamless, so you can spend less time in the field, giving you more time for what matters.

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CANTERBURY FARMING October 2018

The good news on irrigation With the ever-increasing pressure on the agricultural industry from environmental groups and the government to mitigate its often exaggerated effect on the environment it is essential that farmers continue to work towards limiting nutrient leaching from their farms. Article supplied by Plains Irrigators gation over and around pivot ruts, tracks, target resources to maximise yields, ensur- search into FieldNET’s proven technolo-

❚❚

Farmers with irrigation receive more criticism as this is seen as the most serious of evils, but irrigation when used with precision can be beneficial to the environment – good pasture or crop growth uses up available water and nutrients and limits runoff in times of drought. Using precision technology on irrigators not only provides these benefits but also greatly reduces the amount of water used to grow good pasture or crops. Irrigators using Growsmart Precision VRI experience water savings of between 25% to 30%, reducing electricity and giving the other benefits of being able to turn off irri-

water troughs, gateways, drains and any boggy areas. Growsmart Precision VRI has been supplying these benefits for 10 years now with the original systems still working perfectly and producing world record crops for their farmers with technology that leads in this area and is continually updated to provide the farmer with ease of use and the required reporting for the environmental regulators. A new innovation enables farmers to create irrigation plans to apply effluent, fertigation and/or chemigation to specific areas under an irrigator. This enables farmers to

ing efficient use of inputs such as water and nutrients, yet still preventing leaching and run-off. Couple this with FieldNet, which is the platform that remotely monitors and controls all the Lindsay irrigation products from your mobile or laptop. The newest addition to this technology is FieldNET Advisor – a revolutionary management solution designed to provide simple science-based irrigation recommendations enabling faster, better-informed irrigation management decisions. This innovative solution combines more than 40 years of crop and irrigation re-

gy platform, leveraging massive amounts of data, cloud computing capabilities and machine learning to deliver one easy-to-use tool. No need to manually track growth or make complex calculations to ascertain the daily water usage with the frustration of using multiple unintegrated tools to track water needs and manage equipment.

Growsmart Precision VRI can be installed on new irrigation systems or as an add-on to existing systems. For more information, contact Plains Irrigators Ltd. 0800 PLAINS or go to www.plainsirrigators.co.nz.

OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

Nationwide water tax isn’t workable IrrigationNZ says introducing a nationwide water tax is not workable, and that allowing irrigators to continue to invest in more modern irrigation systems rather than taxing them will result in the biggest improvements in water use efﬁciency.

❚ by Kent caddick IrrigationNZ Chief Executive Andrew Curtis says internationally a water tax has been considered in other countries but in every case it has been abandoned. “Other countries have found it too complex and expensive to design a fair water tax which can be easily implemented without resulting in adverse outcomes,” Curtis says. “The Interim Tax Working Group Report touches on some of the complexities around a water tax, like the need to address Maori rights and interests, with many more issues yet to be examined. “However, it is good to see the report recognise that many groups use water, and taxation would not just affect irrigators. “In Canterbury, for example, 55% of water is consented for hydro-generation, 29% is consented for irrigation and 16% is consented for other uses.” The Tax Working Group is looking at a water tax as a way to increase water use efficiency. Curtis says regulations and limits on water availability are already driving the adoption of more efficient irrigation systems. “This is reflected in NZ Agricultural Production Survey statistics which show a big drop in the use of flood irrigation systems which now only account for 5% of irrigated land. “Modern irrigation systems have less water and nutrient run-off which is good for

Efficiencies: centre pivot irrigators are some of the most water efficient irrigation systems available. regulations and limits on water availability mean they are widely used in New Zealand and continue to be installed as farmers modernise their irrigation systems.

the environment. But they are expensive – for example in Canterbury some irrigators will need to spend a total of $80 million replacing their irrigation systems to meet new council rules,” Curtis says. “The government and the primary sector agreed this year that audited Farm Environment Plans should be introduced nationwide to improve farm practices including irrigation efficiency. Irrigators have already invested

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significant time and resources to meet Farm Environment Plan requirements.” Mr Curtis says that introducing a blanket national water tax will make it more difficult for farmers and growers to install more efficient irrigation systems and will reduce the amount of money available to change farm practices by adding a new cost for irrigators. “Internationally there is also increasing investment occurring in water infrastruc-

ture as governments recognise they need to store water in an increasingly volatile climate to provide communities and food producers with a secure water supply. “A water tax could make the development of new water infrastructure like the Waimea dam less viable at a time when New Zealand also needs to prioritise developing more rural and urban water storage infrastructure,” Curtis sayss.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Community feedback sought on Waimakariri water recommendations The Waimakariri Water Zone Committee is seeking community feedback on draft recommendations for addressing challenges for freshwater management in the zone.

❚ by Kent caddick The draft recommendations contained in the committee’s draft Zone Implementation Programme Addendum (ZIPA) cover topics such as: reducing nitrate, phosphorus, and sediment losses, managing environmental flows, and improving ecological and cultural values in Waimakariri. The zone committee, a community-led committee supported by councils, has actively engaged with Waimakariri residents, farmers, industry bodies and stakeholders to develop the recommendations which Waimakariri Water Zone chair Dave Ashby describes as, “challenging, but achievable”. Ashby says the recommendations represent the start of a journey towards improving water quality and quantity throughout the zone and that it is vital for everyone from urban residents, to small-block holders, farmers and industry bodies to play their part. “We’re all in this together and everyone agrees that we must improve our rivers and streams. We have been listening to the community’s views and values and have developed a set of draft recommendations that we think will help achieve this. “Many people are already taking action to clean up our waterways, but more needs to be done. Everyone will be impacted and we all have to work together to achieve our goals.” Ashby says that for some farmers, reach-

Your thoughts: the Waimakariri Water Zone committee wants to hear from farmers over recommendations for addressing challenges for freshwater management in the zone.

ing Good Management Practice (GMP) won’t be enough and they will have to make further improvements over time. “We’ve had to balance the need for reaching freshwater goals with community prosperity. This means that famers in high risk zones will need to make reductions in nitrates in stages over the next decade.” He says in some areas of the zone with heavy soils, sediment, phosphorus and E. coli are having a more significant impact on waterways than nitrates. “Runoff Priority Management Areas will be

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established to deal with these issues where contaminants are transported to waterways by runoff from farms, lifestyle blocks and urban stormwater.” He says it is important to acknowledge

the innovative work already underway to improve water quality and quantity throughout Waimakariri. “Farmers have been playing their part by investing in technology to improve irrigation efficiency and by making on-farm changes to reach good management practice.” He says public feedback is a vital part of this community-driven process and Dave encourages everyone with an interest in improving Waimakariri’s waterways to attend upcoming feedback sessions. Once final, the recommendations will go to Environment Canterbury and Waimakariri District Council to inform their water management planning. For more information on these sessions or for a copy of the draft recommendations visit: www.ecan.govt.nz/ waimakariri

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October 2018 CANTERBURY FARMING

Real Hope For Long Term Back Pain Sufferers

After more than ten years in New Zealand, Teeter Hang-Ups have now gained a reputation for success with long-term sufferers of Back pain. Inversion New Zealand was started by Dave and Nancy Hare, Dave had suffered over twenty years of back pain from Degenerated Discs and had basically given up and decided to just live with it. “To me surgery was never an option” he said “as long as I still could walk, there was hope”.

Dave had tried everything; every time he was overseas he would search for anything that could possibly help. While on one of these overseas trips ten years ago, Dave discovered the Teeter Hang-Ups. “The first time I tried it, the pain disappeared and I was completely pain free for about 30 minutes, nothing had done that” he told me. Dave never believed it would fix him, “as specialists had told me it was irreversible, I now knew I had a place to go every time I wanted some serious relief”. To Dave’s surprise the more he used the table the longer the pain stayed away, until after nearly three months he was completely pain free, “I couldn’t believe it’ he told me “I had spent large amounts of money on every form of treatment available and here

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was something I had never heard of sorting it out for me in a very short period of time” It was then Dave decided to introduce Teeter into New Zealand and Inversion NZ was born.

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“We have testimonials from people with over fifty years of back problems and even have them in a number of schools in New Zealand for their special needs children” he told me, “the blood to the brain helps these kids and the results are excellent” What this means for the aging population is that it helps maintain the health of the brain as we all get older. Dave told me that he realised that, had he not tried the Teeter for himself he would still be suffering, “I would still be a miserable grumpy bugger, living with pain, that is why we do the shows, people need to try it for themselves” he told me “most people actually get off with the pain either gone or considerably less” he said “we let the tables do the talking”

Frank Harwood (84) of Turangi using his Teeter, Frank has been Inverting for over eight years and has found it keeps him young

IT IS PURE LOGIC AS TO HOW THE TEETER TABLE WORKS

Discs:

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

Posture: Poor

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

De-Hydrated discs are less flexible, they are harder, more prone to injury, they interfere with nerve roots creating pain and ultimately the de-hydration causes degen eration. The Teeter Inversion table slowly and gently brings the hydration back into the discs, plumping them up. It separates the nerve roots far more effectively and This is pure logic, if a machine is out of returns quality of life alignment it does not last long, the only between the body and a Muscles: A lot of pain is muscular, when difference muscles are stressed they become tight machine is that the body is constantly which restricts the flow of blood and lymph repairing itself, however if the wear and through the muscles so toxins build up, tear on the body is greater than the body’s to repair itself, it is a slow decline. Co2 and Lactic Acid. Traction opens up the ability Teeter slowly brings the body out of its muscles, Rhythmic Traction, is a gentle The decline and allows the body to repair itself, rocking motion that stimulates circulation resulting in a far healthier life. and encourages blood flow through the muscles, which clears the lactic acid into If you are serious about investing in your your lymph system where it stimulates health and really sorting your issues out, lymph flow and deals with it. Most people come see us at one of our local roadshows, with serious neck issues see a large you have nothing to lose and chances are, a improvement after only one treatment. lot to gain.

BACK or NECK PAIN? Here in New Zealand,

Dr Giresh Kanji, one of the countries most respected Pain Specialists completed a PhD on how humans experience pain and then researched lower back pain, writing "Fix Your Back" and then spent a few years researching neck pain, headache and migraine and wrote "Fix Your Neck Pain, Headache & Migraine", both books are in most bookstores. Dr Kanji discovered in the research that the disc is the most likely source of low back pain and Inversion showed the best results of all the trials conducted. Three studies showed a 60% reduction in pain and one showed a 75% reduction in surgery for people with disc prolapse. Dr Kanji endorses Inversion as the best method to manage back pain, he has personally been using the Teeter Inversion tables for his own low back pain, has Teeter Inversion tables at both of his clinics in Wellington (The Sports and Pain Clinic) and has had such success that he is now conducting the largest study in the World on Inversion Therapy. In his own words, "these things are gold and inversion should be a first line treatment for low back pain”. *Dr Kanji does not recieve royalties from the sale of Teeter Inversion Tables

VISIT US AT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING SHOWS FOR YOUR FREE TREATMENT

ASHBURTON Walnut Ave Pavillion

Opposite Ashburton College Sat 6 October 10am - 4pm

GERALDINE

Geraldine Primary School 73 Wilson Street Sun 7 October 10am - 4pm

TIMARU

DUNEDIN Otago Bridge Club

INVERCARGILL

Timaru Celtic Rugby Club Corner of Craigie Ave and Browne Street Sat 13 - Sun 14 October 10am - 4pm

100 Otaki Street Sat 20 - Sun 10 October 10am - 4pm

CCS Disability Action Southland 142 Don Street, Invercargill Sat 27 - Sun 28 October 10am - 4pm

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CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Lamb and beef exports forecast to break $3b ea for second year

As the 2018-19 meat export season kicks into gear, Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s New Season Outlook report forecasts beef, lamb, and mutton prices to remain ﬁrm at historically high levels, helped by an expected weakening New Zealand dollar and strong export demand.

❚ Article supplied by B+LNZ

“We forecast slight increases in farm-gate prices for lamb and mutton in 2018-19, as prices are expected to remain relatively steady in New Zealand’s main export markets and benefit from an expected easing of Good news: beef and lamb farmers the New Zealand dollar,” B+LNZ Chief Econoshould be happy with b+LNZ’s New Seamist Andrew Burtt says. son Outlook report which forecasts beef, “This follows the exceptionally strong avlamb, and mutton prices to remain firm. erage farm-gate prices for lamb, mutton, and beef in the 2017-18 season.” Burtt says the value of the New Zealand dollar has a large bearing on the sector’s outlook. “The New Zealand dollar is expected to ease as the economies of our major trading partners strengthen in 2018-19, principally of a fall in the number of breeding ewes this against the US dollar in which over 70 per year as farmers took advantage of high mutton prices. cent of red meat exports are traded.” Mutton exports are also forecast to be A combination of tighter mutton supply from both Australia and New Zealand, who down, by 17%, because of the smaller and contribute the vast majority of internation- younger breeding ewe flock. More ewe hogal sheepmeat trade, and growing global de- gets were retained for breeding this year mand is expected to continue to drive an reflecting farmer confidence in sheep producincrease in the average export value of mut- tion going forward. Assuming close to average climate conton, which influences lamb prices. China’s demand for red meat from all ditions in 2018-19, beef and veal export sources is expected to continue to grow, but volumes are expected to decline 3.1% as demand for lamb, mutton, and beef is also farmers build their herds. New Zealand’s beef cattle herd grew by expected to remain strong in all New Zea1.9% to 3.68 million head at 30 June 2018, land’s major red meat export markets. New Zealand’s export lamb production is the second small increase in a row after deforecast to decrease by 1.7% in 2018-19 due clining steadily since the 1990s. CANTERBURY FARMING X 180H MM strong cattle prices and the lowtoPOD-LOCK a smaller lamb crop, which is the result267WSustained

er labour requirement associated with cattle has encouraged farmers to maintain or lift herd sizes, particularly in the South Island. As a result of all these factors, total lamb exports are estimated to remain at around $3.1 billion in 2018-19, after breaking the $3 billion mark for the first time in the 201718 season Beef exports are forecast to be around $3.4 billion in 2018-19, a 4% decrease on 2017-18.

“Farm expenditure for 2018-19 is forecast to increase overall, but revenue is also expected to increase, driven by a lift in farmgate prices which we expect will increase revenue from sheep, wool and cash crops,” Burtt says. Overall, however, the report forecasts farm profit before tax to decrease 2.8% to $129,700 for 2018-19 on average for New Zealand sheep and beef farms.

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

Encouraging bees on the block

For lifestyle blocks the bee is an asset as it pollinates clover, crops and garden flowers and produces that delectable sweet delight, honey.

â?&#x161; compiled by Kent caddick Bees are extremely important to agriculture and horticulture businesses. While gathering pollen and nectar from clovers, fruit trees, garden flowers and many horticultural crops, bees move pollen from one plant to another, pollinating the plants as they go. This is necessary if the plant is to produce fruit and seed. Among the main threats to bees are a reduction in flower numbers, the use of insecticides on farms and gardens and the onset of pests and diseases that weaken and kills bees. Bees used to source much of their pollen from broom, gorse and willow, and the pollen was very nutritious for hives. However, now many of these plants are now classified as pests by councils and the Department of Conservation, so there are fewer of them around. This means that in many areas, there is less pollen and therefore honeybee hives are weaker. The effects of insecticides on bees can also be reduced by avoiding applying insecticides to flowering crops in daylight hours while bees are around. Unusually warm temperatures in the early morning or evening may result in bees foraging when they would normally be back in their hive. If using pesticides choose products that break down quickly after application.

Natures helper: Plant or encourage bee-friendly trees and shrubs on waterway margins, in windbreaks, along field edges and roadsides and in native scrub and bush.

Pesticides that degrade within a few hours of application can be applied with minimal risk when bees are not foraging. When temperatures are unusually low, insecticide residues may remain toxic for longer. Products with activity lasting more than 8 hours merit extra precautions.

The most hassle-free way of acquiring a healthy bee presence is to ask a registered local bee-keeper if he or she would like to keep a few hives on your lifestyle block. All you need to provide is a quiet sheltered sunny corner and plenty of flowering plants. To encourage feral bees and bees from

neighbouring hives, plant or encourage beefriendly trees and shrubs on waterway margins, in windbreaks, along field edges and roadsides and in native scrub and bush. For more on how to encourage bees on your property go to www.lifestyleblock.co.nz

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Looking after a farmer’s best friend A dog’s life is about to get a whole lot better thanks to a brilliant bit of Kiwi innovation.

❚ by Kent caddick Our hardest working farm hands, the renowned New Zealand working dog, has always had a tough but rewarding job. All day out in the weather mustering sheep and keeping the farmer company, only to spend the night under a makeshift shelter or kennel, on an old blanket for warmth – that’s the way it’s been since this nation was founded, but one Kiwi entrepreneur thinks it is time for a change. Enter Kelvin – the Thermokennel, the perfect outdoor home for a loyal companion, no matter what the conditions or climate. Rosie Todhunter has par tnered with Locus Research to bring all the modern insulation benefits of the human home to the working dog. “We believe the Thermokennel will seriously improve the productivity of New Zealand farms and give these dogs a better life. And not only our beloved dogs on the farms, any dog who spends the nights outside,” Rosie says. “Just like people, dogs can freeze to death or suffer from heat stroke. Uncomfortable temperatures can release stress hormones and seriously impact the wellbeing of a dog and ultimately their effectiveness on the farm.” The Thermokennel stor y star ted with Tony, Rosie’s grandfather, who was a sheep farmer in Canterbur y. He knew that a warm, well-rested dog would eat less, could work for longer, and heal more quickly from injuries and ailments. He came up with the idea for an insulated dog kennel and the idea was fur ther progressed by his granddaughter Rosie after his passing. Rosie, a sheep and beef farmer herself, teamed up with Tauranga-based product development company Locus Research to fully redesign and develop Kelvin – the Thermokennel for production. The main body and floor are constructed of two layers of UV resistant tough plastic (PE) filled with 50mm of high insulating foam (PU). This combination acts like a solid thermal barrier keeping the cold out and the heat in. At rest, your dog produces much heat as a standard light bulb. Kelvin captures and

holds this heat inside the kennel through quality insulated walls, floor and door. This retained heat and warm kennel environment will dramatically improve the wellbeing of your dog. Its body simply doesn’t work as hard to stay warm, as it would in an uninsulated kennel where the temperature can easily drop below the recommended 15-26degC (AsureQuality’s recommended environment temperature range for boarding kennels). The kennel is completed with a removable front panel, for those hot summer days, and a raised plywood floorboard for your dog to sleep on. The door opening is covered with transparent flaps, similar to those used in walk-in freezers and cool stores. They make it easy for your dog to walk in and out while minimising heat loss. The result is a lightweight kennel that’s durable enough for life on the farm but still comfor table enough to give your dog a good night’s sleep.

Thermokennel beneﬁts • High-end insulation means that Kelvin meets the latest insulation standards for New Zealand homes, creating a warm & dr y micro-climate for your dog. • The one-piece design prevents water ingress while durable and UV resistant construction ensures it’s waterproof, wind resistant, and weather tight. • A raised plywood floor means the wet, frost, and ground temperature won’t disturb the interior climate. • Durable and rigid, Kelvin is made with an environmentally stable and UV-resistant plastic that won’t deteriorate or rot over time. • The Thermokennel has a removable front panel & floor for easy cleaning. The front can also be left off on hot summer days. • Through holes secure the kennel in place using hammered pegs or screwed fasteners. • The Thermokennel is one-size-fitsmost – suitable for the average working dog.

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Cosy and dry: the one-piece design of the Kelvin thermokennel prevents water ingress while durable and UV resistant construction ensures it’s waterproof, wind resistant, and weather tight.

Inspiration: rosie todhunter, here with Lulu, says her grandfather was the inspiration for the thermoKennel.

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October 2018 CANTERBURY FARMING

From farm to city and back again It’s been called a circular economy, where waste is ‘designed out’ of how we live. Where waste recycling is concerned, it just makes good business sense.

❚❚Article supplied by Living Earth

Saffron growers, wine maker and dairy farmers are among the businesses for which the use of organic compost is having significant commercial benefits. The biggest provider of that compost is the Living Earth plant in Bromley, Christchurch, which last year processed a record 62,000 tonnes of food and green waste largely from Christchurch’s green bins, turning it into around 40,000m3 of compost and soil conditioners. Most of that compost goes to regional farmers. The remainder is diverted into the city’s public spaces, gardens and road projects. “Farmers and city planners alike are starting to gain a real understanding of the biological proper ties of organically produced compost, which includes better soil structure to assist in plant establishment, reduced soil erosion and of course biological characteristics that promote growth,” says Daniel O’Carroll, Living Ear th manager. “Using compost to increase soil organic matter also aids water infiltration and retention keeping the moisture in the soil longer. “Compost also contains a lot of minerals, including nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium that it gradually releases into the soil over time, complementing com-

mercial fertilisers,” says O’Carroll. North Canterbury Saffron growers Cheryl Rault and Ray Hughes, who own Kiwi Saffron , are sold on the benefits. They compost the rows of their Greta Valley plots with the black, organic compost, which they consider a key ingredient in the growing process for the crocus corms. Organic saffron growers Steve and Jo Daley, who work with Kiwi Saffron, are so impressed with the results on their high value crop, they are prepared to pay to get the compost freighted to Te Anau. The cost was worth it for them, with the consistency of the compost, its immediate impact on the friability of the topsoil and considering the value of each crocus corm, where their entire crop is measured in kilograms – with about 150 flowers to make one gram of the scarce spice valued at about $37 in its purest form (or $37,000 a kilogram). Another business that saw value in trucking in the Living Earth compost is Clearwater’s Organic Dairy, which started bringing in the compost last season, spreading it over 160 hectares at roughly 10 tonnes per ha. “We make our own compost, but we had a look at Living Earth and were impressed with the processes, the controls and of course,

Beneficial: Saffron growers, along with wine makers and dairy farmers, are among those for which the use of organic compost is having significant commercial benefits.

the end product,” says Bryan Clearwater. He’s happy with the physical results thus far. “I’ve liked the feel of soil underfoot, the better soil drainage after some very wet events this summer and the effect on soil structure into what were otherwise some very compacted paddocks. “If you use the best raw materials, you’ll

end up with the best results and the best products. That goes right through the production cycle but all starts with the soil you use. “We don’t use synthetic soluble fertilisers and any fertiliser we do use is tested for heavy metals. This provides benefits to protecting waterways and ensures we have a better balance on farm,” Clearwater says.

CANTERBURY FARMING October 2018

Spring gardening safety tips As the trend towards growing your own fruit and vegetables continues its resurgence with Kiwi gardeners and lifestyle block owners, it is timely to highlight some simple safety messages according to an industry expert.

❚❚by Steve Sheppard Nursery and Garden Industry Association of New Zealand chief executive Dr John Liddle says soil is rich with living organisms which are beneficial to plants and generally cause no harm to animals or people. “Soil does, however, contain some organisms that are not beneficial such as a type of Legionella bacteria, which is commonly found in the environment. In rare cases this can cause Legionnaire’s disease. “Gardening is a popular pastime enjoyed by thousands of New Zealanders. Apart from the Safety first: It is advisable to wear gloves and a dust mask when handling soil, especially bagged compost which carries with it the risk of Legionnaire’s disease. “Following some simple safety precaurange from mild to severe. obvious cost savings associat• Open bagged products slowly using However, it can be life-threatening to peo- tions will greatly minimise the small risk that ed with growing your own, the positive psyscissors and lean the bag away from ple who have health factors that increase there is. chological benefits can best be described as your face “If people want to find out more they their susceptibility. ‘food for the soul’,” Dr Liddle said. • Gently dampen potting mixes before Those most at risk include smokers, should refer to the Ministry of Health’s Safer use Seven tips for safer gardening the elderly and those with existing respira- and Healthier Gardening pamphlet.” Dr Lid• Make sure your working area eg shed tor y illnesses and weakened immune sys- dle said. or greenhouse, is well ventilated • Gently water your garden & potted tems. • Wash your hands when finished. plants to minimise airborne droplets and dust Not all those who come into contact with • Read the warning label on bagged composts and potting mixes before use the bacteria become sick and symptoms will vary from person to person. • Wear gloves and a dust mask when If people become infected with Legionelhandling soil including bagged prodla, they may get flu-like symptoms that can ucts

October 2018 CANTERBURY FARMING

Quality granny flats built to last The team behind NZ Granny Flats has been in the construction industry for almost 20 years.

❚❚Article supplied by NZ Granny Flats

With an aging population and future housing shortage crisis, we saw a very real need for a local company that specialises in affordable, comfortable ‘granny flats’ – one or two bedroom spaces that can be used as a home, or for extra accommodation. Our personal values are very family-focused, so we wanted to set up a business that would enable us to build safe, warm, healthy homes with the same care and attention as if it were for one of our own family. As well as being affordable, we wanted to be able to offer a quality product, with excellent workmanship that would last. It was also important that our flats were low maintenance, and – above all – we wanted the process to be easy. By designing 12 product options, allowing for customisation and constructing all builds directly on-site, we are able to keep costs down – with savings passed on to our clients. We can also

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take care of everything else, including the paperwork, if you require. All Granny Flats are fixed price builds. You will know exactly what is in each plan before you purchase, so there are no surprises. The exterior cladding, soffits, roofing and decking of all Granny Flats are maintenancefree, so there is no ongoing painting or staining required. Granny Flats are not just for grannies. Our designs are ideally suited to a range of uses and can also be future-proofed for changes in use and location. All Granny Flats come with a Master Builder 10 year Guarantee and our own NZ Granny Flats Personal Guarantee.

Granny Flats are ideal for: • Elderly people or young families who want to move closer to family for safety, security and support. • People who want a low maintenance, cost-effective way of living – ideal for retirees. • Those who want to free themselves financially by downsizing to allow them to do more of what they enjoy doing, such as travelling. • People who want to be able to increase the value of their property by adding a secondary dwelling, while being able to rent their investment out for a return. Register them on Airbnb too. • People who want to move out to the country but don’t want to have a large mortgage. If you decide to build a larger dwelling later, you can rent your Granny Flat or sell it to be relocated.

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Tooling up on the lifestyle block With Spring well upon us and Summer just around the corner lifestyle block owners will be looking at what maintenance needs to be done on their properties following the Winter down time.

❚ by Kent caddick Having the right tool for the job is key so we take a look at what you’ll need for two of the jobs likely facing most lifestyle block owners

Fencing Even a well set up property will require fencing maintenance from wear and tear or stock and vehicle damage. You will probably find there are always new fencing projects coming up too as you develop your block. Having the right tools for this job makes the difference between completing the job with or without tears. Here is what you need: • Hammer with claw head: Treat yourself to a nice well balanced one. • Fencing pliers: What you can’t do with these is not worth talking about. They cut and tie wire knock in staples and then pull them out and much more. • Spade: The best type for fencing is the trenching spade. It has a narrow blade so can fit down a post hole. Get a good and heavy one. • Posthole borer: Type depends on your soil. A mechanical one for a tractor is excellent in free soil but hard work in puggy clay, and dangerous if there are likely to be tree roots around. A simple

hand borer with an almost flat face is excellent in clay. • Spinning jenny: This holds wire and unwinds it as you pull. It can be an elaborate collapsible job, such as those the stock firms sell, or you can make a simple one yourself. • Rammer: This is probably the secret of a good solid fence. The best will be the heaviest with the smallest ramming head. The handle should be solid steel, then it can double as a crowbar. • Saw: A small chainsaw is best. It is easy to carry around and can be used

to either clear scrub out of the way or cut the tops off posts and shape stays. • Wire tensioner: This is a kind of lever which has pieces that slot onto the sides of a wire tightener that stays permanently in the fence once the wire is tightened on it.

Shelter trimming Ideally you will have plenty of trees and hedges for shelter. If so, there will always be some maintenance to do. If you have specific shelter belt species

and hedges you will need them trimming regularly by a contractor, it is unlikely that you would invest in a trimmer yourself. However you will have to deal with trimming overhanging branches and fallen trees. Here is what you need: • Chain saw: A petrol driven machine of a size you can cope with. They come in various sized chains, choose one to suit the size of timber you are likely to be cutting and the weight that you can handle comfortably. • Large bow saw: You will be able to do a lot of small jobs with one of these.

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

Riparian and amenity planting for farms supplied by ❚ Article ❚ Southern Woods Tree Nursery More and more farmers are becoming aware of their responsibility to plant trees and shrubs.

We’ll get you growing. South Island Plant Specialists Good advice: the friendly staff at Southern Woods tree Nursery will give you great advice when it comes to deciding what best to plant for effective shelter belts. Among these responsibilities are: • to provide buffer zones along waterways • to screen dairy sheds and operating areas • to improve stock welfare by sheltering and shading paddocks • improve the efficiency of irrigation, and reduce the amount of water used • to help control nutrient runoff and leaching Given a choice, most cows will graze and rest in sheltered conditions during cold, wet weather, and will seek shade on hot sunny days.

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Canterbury is one of the hardest places in the country to get plants established. The big killers in order of severity are drought, rabbits and hares, stock damage, and out-of-season frosts. Under irrigation there is less risk of the plants drying out but the high nutrient and water levels will also encourage rampant competing weed growth.

What sort of shelter should you plant? Tall perimeter windbreaks These windbreaks will provide shelter well out into the paddock. They may contain a dense understory if the taller species is deciduous. Deciduous and/or evergreen shelter can be planted depending on whether shading will be an issue in winter. Remember that for every 1m of porous shelter height you get at least 15m of good shelter back in the paddock. Tenmeter tall trees will shelter a 150m wide paddock. Plant your shelter at right angles to the prevailing wind if possible. Low dense internal shelter Low dense internal shelter, which stock can back in against, won’t shade or invade pasture or access ways, nor impede the operation of a pivot irrigator. Plant low shelter at 1.2m spacing.

For more information, visit www.southernwoods. co.nz, or phone 0800 800 352 to speak to one of our friendly team.

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Planning and planting an orchard

There’s nothing like fresh fruit or nuts picked straight from the tree which you have grown yourself. However, establishing an orchard on your lifestyle block can involve a good deal of work so it’s worth doing some careful planning before rushing into planting.

❚ by Kent caddick Planning It’s important to look at the conditions you have on your property before beginning planting, because it’s easier to work with the natural patterns of your land than against them. Study air flow, water flow, orientation to the sun, and where the prevailing winds and frost come from. A slope is a great thing to have in an orchard, because it allows cold air to run downhill, and provides frost-free spots at the upper end. Wet patches and very dry spots on your land are not necessarily a bad thing: you just need to put the right plants in the right places. Hazelnuts, for example, like a good sharp winter chill, so a hollow that harbours frost is just the right place for them. Wet areas, particularly those rich in nutrients like the far end of your septic tank leach field, are great for plums. Citrus also like high nutrients but don’t like wet feet. Dry, windy areas are ideal for trees that are prone to fungal and bacterial rots, so these areas can house nectarines, peaches and walnuts.

Planting and maintenance The layout of your orchard can be traditional rows, or something completely different. Rows can be fine, especially if you are only growing a limited range of fruit trees, but it

can create large gaps between plants which may need a tractor for grass and weed control. Consider not using a tractor in the orchard to avoid soil compaction and reliance on fossil fuels. Instead consider a food forest where planting is very mixed, and is based on the best microclimate for the species involved. A minimum space of four to five metres between trees should be allowed, and large spreading trees like walnuts should be at least 25 metres apart. Thinking about the mature height of each tree is also important. Tall trees need to be positioned so they don’t shade other trees. To minimise grass and weed growth, use heavy mulching with organic material (a mixture of lawn clippings and dry leaves is good), applied during the wettest possible conditions to enhance soil moisture retention. Plant a ‘herbal ley’, which could include plantain, red clover, chicory and yarrow, for their nutritive value and companion planting, for example dahlias are helpful near apple trees because they harbour earwigs, which eat codlin moth caterpillars. Water conservation in the orchard is very important, especially if you don’t have a stream or bore available and are relying on rainwater. It’s very helpful to have storage tanks located as close to the top of your slope as

Your choice: Apples are a reliable tree to have in any orchard. Plant a variety of apples that are good to cook with and ones that are great to eat straight from the tree. possible. You can also use the ancient technique of building swales which is essentially small ditches like miniature terraces which

retain water on the slope. And mulch heavily with organic matter to minimise evaporation from the soil.

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

Access free-for-all grates with farmers

Common courtesy and sound workplace and biosecurity safety practice is thrown out the window with proposed new employment laws according to Federated Farmers.

❚ Article by Federated Farmers

Federated Farmers employment spokesman Chris Lewis said there has been little or no fuss with current laws that enable union representatives to enter a farm or any other workplace to talk to workers after liaising with the owner or manager about a suitable time. “But under the Employment Relations Amendment Bill, union representatives can just bowl into a busy shearing or milking shed when they feel like it, with no need to give notice or seek permission. “Not only is that discourteous and a recipe for friction, but it can be dangerous when staff are flat tack with machinery and animals.” Lewis said the Bill also removes the 90day trial arrangements for businesses em-

ploying more than 20 people, which will be a barrier to employers willing to take a punt on a job applicant with a chequered work history or limited qualifications. “It’s the access without notice or permission clauses which will really grate with farmers. It’s a non-fix for a non-existent problem,” he said. “Willy-nilly access to farm properties, which are generally also the owning family’s home, seems to be a flavour of the moment. “Whether it’s Fish & Game people taking a weekend off from running down our sector to access waterways, visitors to the High Country treating private farmland as the national estate and now MPI inspectors not even needing a warrant or reason to search and seize, farming families’ quiet enjoyment of their land appears to be up for grabs.”

‘

Willy-nilly access to farm

properties seems to be a ﬂavour of the moment. Chris Lews Federated Farmers employment spokesperson

Security a constant battle

supplied by ❚ Article Federated Farmers ❚

A major fuel theft in North Otago recently drives home the point that it is impossible to rest as a farmer when it comes to on-farm security, according to Federated Farmers rural security spokesperson Miles Anderson. A property in Enfield, west of Oamaru, had fuel taken from 1000-litre and 400-litre petrol tanks last month. Anderson said while details around the theft are yet to be made public the incident highlights the need for people to be security focused when installing items such as fuel tanks. “You’ve got to put them in high use parts of your farm where people could notice any suspicious activities including visits from unknown people and vehicles. “Also people have to check their fuel levels regularly. Sometimes fuel thefts aren’t noticed until a certain employee has left and it becomes clear that fuel use has gone down.” Anderson said fuel prices are going up

Work safely Watch for wires Always keep equipment at least four metres from power lines. Reduce the risk of electrocution and electrical fires on the farm. Please contact Orion to arrange free onsite advice.

Use industry safe working practices: The New Zealand Code of Practice for Electrical Safe Distances (NZECP 34:2001). Visit our website oriongroup.co.nz or call us on 03 363 9898 or 0800 363 9898 for free advice.

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and when fuel is expensive people steal it. A 2016 Federated Farmers crime survey of 1012 respondents showed that 25% of participants had been victims of fuel thefts – the third highest crime reported.

Other tips to keep fuel secure include: • ensuring fuel tanks are secured and locked • install security lighting that lights up fuel tanks and fueling areas • keep an inventory of fuel consumption so any thefts can be identified quickly • take note of suspicious vehicles and activities in rural areas • install fuel tank locking devices on all petrol and diesel tanks on your property Anderson said all thefts must be reported to the police. “If they’re not reported they’re not recorded, and police will not allocate resources to rural communities.”

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Animal welfare regulation changes impact transportation Changes to animal welfare regulations come into effect this month and some of the biggest changes will be around the transportation of livestock.

❚ Article supplied by BLNZ

The changes bring into effect an infringement system, where farmers can be fined $300$500 for less serious animal welfare breaches where mild to moderate short-term harm has been caused to the animal. This system, similar to traffic fines, means farmers do not get a criminal conviction for what MPI’s animal welfare staff deem to be minor offences. Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Compliance Team Manager Peter Hyde says these regulations will make it easier for MPI to act against animal mistreatment. Serious offences will still be prosecuted under the Animal Welfare Act. Most of the new regulations are based on minimum standards from existing codes of welfare, but the changes that will have the greatest impact on the sheep and beef industr y relate to the transpor tation of lame, injured, sick or heavily pregnant livestock. Farmers will not be able to shift stock which are unfit for transport to a meat processor without risking being fined, unless certified by a vet. Peter says under the new regulations, sheep or cattle must not be transported if they cannot weight-bear on one or more limbs when moving or standing still or they have difficulty walking and hold their head below their backline continuously. “Farmers need to manage and treat lame-

Changes: Farmers need to be aware of changes to animal welfare regulations particularly when it comes to transporting stock.

ness on-farm and not put lame animals on the truck.” Farmers can be fined for transporting livestock with ingrown horns, injured horns or antlers, eye cancer, injured or diseased udders (mastitis) or with lesions on the udder. They can also be fined if they transport livestock in late pregnancy and the animal gives birth on the truck or within 24 hours of arriving at the meat processors or saleyards. Transport operators will need to be aware

of how they transport animals with horns and antlers so these animals cannot injure themselves or others. Farmers and transporters are liable for fines if horn-related injuries occur during transportation. Transporters will also need to ensure tall stock have enough room so they do not suffer back rub during transportation. Other changes include the banning of electric prodders on animals under 150kg and they must only be used on the muscled

hind or forequarters. Cattle must be able to move away from any prodder and inappropriate use of an electric prodder can result in a $500 fine. Goads or prodders cannot be used on the heads or sensitive areas of any livestock. Failure to comply also attracts a $500 fine. For more information about the new animal welfare regulations go to the MPI website: www.mpi.govt.nz/ animalregs

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

FCANZ FENCING TRADE DAY

Beattie Insulators – the permanent insulator with the 50 year guarantee The insulators that put Beattie ahead are the ‘permanents’. These feature low density polyethylene (LDPE) with a high strength nylon insert. supplied by ❚ Article ❚ Beattie Insulators Ltd Beattie Insulators was started by Doug Beattie in 1958 (60 years ago). Doug lead the way in permanent electric fencing and set a benchmark that many in the industry still aspire to. Beattie Insulators is a family run business which was based at the home farm,

‘Haldon Downs’, Kaikoura. Doug’s daughter Linda and grandson Matt managed the business for many years before and after Doug passed away in 2014. In July 2017, brothers Ivan and Roger Beattie bought Linda’s shares in Beattie Insulators and moved the business from Kaikoura to Christchurch. Ivan is the production and sales manager and Roger heads marketing and strategy.

Guaranteed: electric fences are only as good as the weakest insulator. Beattie Insulators now has total control over materials and manufacturing and as a result has the confidence to have a 50 Year Guarantee on its permanent insulators – the No.8 Y post and No.18 wooden post. These are the strongest and longest lasting plastic insulators on the market. Like a mooring chain that is only as strong as its weakest link – electric fences are only as good as the weakest insulator. You wouldn’t compromise on your boat, why compromise on your electric

fence insulators. Poor quality insulators are one of the major reasons for electric fences not working properly. Both Ivan and Roger are farmers and fully understand the cost saving and peace of mind that comes from not having to check or fix their permanent electric fences. If you are building new or replacing broken insulators, think intergenerational farming and buy permanent Beattie insulators. beattie Insulators – Protecting Your Property. “Fences never break down when you have spare time”.

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CANTERBURY FARMING October 2018

Professional industry support The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand Inc was launched in 2006 with the purpose of encouraging and developing professionalism and the highest standards of fencing in New Zealand.

Fencing Contractors Association ❚❚byof New ❚❚ Zealand

“The association continues to grow, offering training, events and professional industry support,” says business development manager, Melanie Weir. “The fencing trade in New Zealand is significant, and the agriculture and farming sectors alone equate to considerable primary industry contribution, plus we see significant activity in areas of industrial, security and residential fencing.” FCANZ supports those in the industry by lifting the profile of the trade, supporting best practice in safety, employment, workmanship and knowledge. The association holds regular meetings and events to facilitate the exchange of information within the regions on new fencing techniques, health and safety, product feedback, pricing and technical information. There are networking opportunities with members and partners, a national conference held annually in July, and access to the FCANZ website directory helping the public and contractors in their area. FCANZ also works in conjunction with institutes such as NorthTec, Taratahi and Primary ITO providing training courses to encourage qualifications for fencing as a career. For example, the level three NZ Certificate in Fencing provides knowledge and practical skills to repair, maintain, and construct rural electric and non-electric fences, or to construct and repair industrial fences. “It is great for those entering the industry to develop skills and knowledge, and to help build a career,” says Melanie. “FCANZ keeps members up to date with the latest fencing products, technical information, trends and developments with access to best practice guidelines, templates and codes of practice.”

Raising standards: FCANZ supports the industry by lifting the profile of the trade, supporting best practice in safety, employment, workmanship and knowledge.

‘

FCANZ keeps members up to date with the latest products, technical information, trends and developments.

FCANZ also offers a range of benefits and services to members including regional association days, a Fence-it price calculator, Accredited Fencing Contractor processes, support from industry providers, buyer discounts and services. By fostering close relationships with affiliated industry bodies, and by representing all members of the fencing community, FCANZ keeps up-to-date on the latest issues that affect business and provides free advice on regulatory, legislative and compliance issues, ongoing support and advice on a range

of subjects including health and safety. Melanie says this is all possible thanks to long-standing partnerships with WIREMARK, founding strategic partner, and Gold Partners, Waratah, Gallagher, Cyclone, Permapine, Mahindra, Steel and Tube and Hurricane.

Melanie Weir FCANZ Business Development Manager

OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

FCANZ FENCING TRADE DAY

Choosing the right fencing When deciding on what type of fencing you need for your farm or lifestyle block, ther are a variety of materials and methods which can be combined to provide a suitable fence for any situation.

❚ by Kent caddick There are several types of stock fences commonly used in New Zealand:

7-9 Wire post and batten Used commonly for boundary fencing and as a general all-purpose fence, as it is strong, durable, and secure. Posts are usually four metres apart, and five battens are spaced evenly between the posts. Although one of the most expensive and labour intensive fences, it will contain sheep, cattle and horses adequately in most cases.

Multi-wire electric Depending on the type of stock being contained, different number of wires can be used, which are then electrified. Posts are

spaced further apart, sometimes up to eight or ten metres between posts. A wide range of both wooden and steel posts can be used. Electric fences create a mental barrier to stock. The shock that they get from the fence acts as a deterrent in future escape efforts. This is opposed to the post and batten fence which simply provides a physical barrier. Because electric fences require fewer materials, they are usually cheaper, easier and faster to erect, however security and longevity can be sacrificed.

Sheep netting Sheep netting is wire netting, about a metre high, with wooden posts. It is ideal for sheep, and other small or young stock such as calves. It is also adequate for large stock when one or more outriggers are added to either the top or side of the netting. Deer fencing operates on exactly the same principles as sheep netting, except on a larger scale.

Post and rail Used commonly with horses as it is highly visible. Spooked horses have been severely injured after running through wire fences, particularly fences using high tensile wire. Most horses are kept within wire fences however, so it comes down to a personal choice. Post and rail fencing is also used around houses and

Going green: Farmers are fencing off waterways to make their operations more environmentally friendly. driveways as it is aesthetically pleasing. Posts are usually two metres apart, with between three and four wooden rails. It can be difficult to get it looking straight and level without a high level of expertise. Post and rail fences are very secure with larger animals, especially when accompanied with an electric wire to prevent stock rubbing. It has a high cost per metre when compared to other fences.

Semi-permanent There are a wide range of materials available, such as electric tape and poly-wires, varying in different sizes and thicknesses. As well there is a range of semi-permanent type steel posts, such as Warratahs and Kiwitahs. Often used on lease blocks, or as a quick fix option. This type of fence is very cheap and easy to build. The disadvantages are the deteriora-

tion of the fence over a few years, and these fences require more regular maintenance.

Temporary Electric plastic tape usually wound up on a hand held reel. It is used mainly for cattle and horses to sub-divide an existing paddock, usually on a day by day basis. They are put up, and taken down, at the pace at which you can walk. They are the least secure of any type of fence and require a good electric current and stock which are trained with electric fences. If unsure of the best type of fence for your situation, speak to other people and find out what works for them and what doesn’t, have a look at other properties and think about your budget. Over the long term, it can be more profitable to invest in good quality fences from the start.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

DAIRY

OctOber 2018

Changes to dairy industry awards Entries have opened for the 2018 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards with changes to the awards programme.

❚ Article supplied by NZDIA

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New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards NZDIA Ford general manager Chris Keeping said visaAnywhere criteria for the Dairy Trainee and Dairy Manager periods. Visit www.ford.co.nz/owners/warranty for further information. categorieswarranty changed. thehave date on which it was first registered by an Authorised Ford Dealer. Tyres, tubes and supplier branded parts and accessories are excluded. Shock absorbers and batteries are subject to shorter 4. Warranty conditions apply. period commences on the date of delivery except where the vehicle is a dealership, demonstration or service loaner vehicle, in which case it commences on “Entrants are now eligible toWarranty enter as long Limited numbers available. 2. For phone and media player compatibility, please visit www.ford.co.nz/sync. 3. Driver-assist features are supplemental and do not replace drivers judgement. as they hold a valid New Zealand work visa 1. Available at participating Ford New Zealand dealerships. Price excludes on road costs, options and accessories and is not available in conjunction with any other special offers. Subject to availability. at time of entry and at each stage of judging and have been employed full-time for two The pinnacle ofwhen SUVen-refinement. years on a New Zealand dairy farm WA R R A N T Y KILOMETRE tries open. Assist (perpendicular and parallel) with Pull Out Assist3 • Hands-free power tailgate • Plus much more UNLIMITED “This reflects the multi-cultural landscape $73,990+ORC1 YEAR colour touchscreen and navigation system2 • Rear inflatable seatbelts • Active City Stop3 • Active Park 4 of dairy employees,” Keeping said. LIMITED RELEASE Bi-Turbo Dieseland Engine: • 2.0L “We’re excited by these changes in- 154kW / Torque: 450Nm • Integrated Active Noise Control • SYNC®3 with 8” trigued to see who will enter because of them.” “We have also removed the qualifications clause in the Dairy Trainee category -where a potential entrant could not have completed an NZQA Level 5 or higher qualification in any field of study. “These changes acknowledge the Awards Programme as a learning platform where people can learn and grow, both personally and professionally. “We don’t want to cut out a large chunk of potential Dairy Trainee entrants just because of previous study.” Entries for the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards opened earlier than previously, on October 1 and will close earlier on November 16, enabling entries to be finalised before the Christmas break. Entries for the 2019 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards can be made at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz. The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra Farm Source, Honda Motorcycles, LIC, Meridian Energy and Ravensdown, along with industry partners DairyNZ and Primary- Winners are grinners: 2018 NZ Dairy trainee of the Year Simone Smail, 2018 NZ Share Farmers of the Year Gina and Dan Duncan, 2018 NZ Dairy Manager of ITO. the Year Gerard boerjan.

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

DAIRY

Dairy breeding expert retires ❚ ❚

At 70-odd years young, Neil Gamble says his ﬁeld consultant role with CRV Ambreed is the only real job he’s ever had. Article supplied by CRV Ambreed

He has loved his job, especially 20 years of helping local dairy farmers increase the value of their herds, now retirement has come and he’s imparting his breeding expertise as a CRV rep for the last time. Gamble left school at 15 and went straight into contracting on-farm. By 1967 he was leasing a small family dairy farm, adding two more neighbouring farms to the unit over the years, and contracting to a local tractor company during some downtime. He finally sold the farm and took a commissioned consulting role with CRV Ambreed in 1997. “I never officially had a full-time job until working with CRV Ambreed,” Gamble said. “In 2009, the Otago/Southland consultants all got moved from contracting roles into permanent positions, and it was a huge laugh that I finally landed my first job at 64 years old.” He started as a breeding consultant just south of Dunedin and eventually took on the broader region from Oamaru to below Balclutha. In recent years he has worked all over the South Island as a ‘locum’, filling in when the team needs some extra hands. Last year he became the regional sales and services manager for the Lower South Island. “I owe a debt of gratitude to CRV Ambreed for giving me the opportunity to work all over the South Island,” he said.

Retiring: Neil Gamble says he never officially had a full-time job until he began working with crV Ambreed at the age of 64.

“The one constant wherever I have worked is the wonderful clients – without exception they have been really genuine, hardworking people. It’s been a real honour working with them, and they have all gone out of their way to welcome me to their farm.” Gamble said the business of herd improvement has changed a lot in 20 years and it has been exciting to see the new innovations and technology coming through. “We [CRV Ambreed] started with a small catalogue of bulls and pretty much stuck with

that. Today farmers working with CRV Ambreed have access to a huge selection of bulls, as well as herd testing, herd recording, AI service, DNA testing, A2 milk testing, and raft of other stuff to support dairy farming.” “CRV Ambreed also has the back-up and expertise from Holland, which is a huge advantage for farmers to leverage off.” He’s admired and always been inspired by the passion of his colleagues which has kept him going all of this time and motivated him to be a better consultant.

“I would’ve retired years ago if CRV didn’t have that sort of passion. It runs right throughout the company. “Everyone is willing to work 24/7 for their farming clients, because they’re so passionate about what they do. That’s unique in a business today. “CRV is also a very caring company as far as staff are concerned. If something happens, the amount of support you have around you is unbelievable. That takes all of your worries away and means a lot.”

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CANTERBURY FARMING

DAIRY

OctOber 2018

The beneﬁts of fewer cows ❚ with Peter burton

If the chat amongst farmers is correct, and it almost always is, regulation is about to be imposed on dairy farmers, and a cornerstone of it will be a requirement for cow numbers to be reduced.

The thinking is that cows are the primary imal to produce its liveweight in milksolids producers of the excess nitrates entering each year. This means that 1250kg MS/ha groundwater, and fewer cows means less is achieved at a stocking rate of 2.5 cows/ ha. That’s 20% fewer animals than the ‘avurine and lower levels of nitrates. That argument is flawed, and a reduc- erage’ stocking rate of 2.9 cows/ha in the tion in cow numbers alone won’t deliver the Waikato, and 25% fewer than the 3.3 cows/ hoped-for result, hoewever, should fewer ha in Canterbury. Fewer cows means less feed to maintain cows become mandatory, dairy farmers can liveweight and hence more is available for benefit. Back when payment to farmers was cal- production. Most farmers already know this culated on fat, 200kg of fat per cow was because, as animals are culled during the genuine success, and farmers achieving it season, there is no loss in milk production, often an increase occurs. consistently were held in high esteem. Mating and herd testing costs are charged Today 200kgs of fat equates to around 350kg of milk solids. It’s important to re- per cow, so those decline and, with better member at that time herds were mostly feeding, animal ill-health costs also decline. For many farmers the current focus is on wintered at home, and the supplement fed during winter was also harvested from the having enough animals to fully utilise pasture when it is growing most rapidly. Their property. Standard stocking rate was a cow to the attitudes and practices will have to change. acre, (2.5 cows/ha) producing in today’s fig- Those who have already made the transition ures 850kg MS/ha. Young stock were often are amazed how stress free their operations carried at home and, when that is worked in- have become. Feeding fewer cows/ha means grazing reto the equation, production achieved from pasture alone is little different from the best siduals are significantly longer than before. Therefore, should there be a short-term deoperators today. As in all industries there are a handful of cline in growth there is always a buffer that operators that operate in a different realm. can be utilised. The focus on cow days in milk prior to the Their total pasture production comfortably exceeds district average. Per animal and end of December no longer figures in planhectare production is also superior, and their ning, as high levels of daily production are balance sheets show regular and healthy carried forward into summer. A genuine 30cash surpluses. It is these folk we can learn day interval between grazings means that from. There are a number of secrets to their success. However the most important one is the way they feed their animals, and ‘maintenance’ is not part of their vocabulary. Animals are fully fed 365 days of the year, without exception. • Dairy Lane capping – time Their animals are not necproven screened rotten rock essarily better bred, they • Driveways & yards just consume more because • Roading metals – crushed there is always high-quality – all grades feed available. The pasture grazed is longer than the • Free Quotes norm, so that in their naturally allotted grazing time they can consume more with less time and energy spent walking. KWIKSHIFT CONTRATORS LTD 03 318 4132 The target is for each an-

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pastures are grazed a maximum of three times over summer prior to autumn rain arriving. Maintaining the grazing interval necessary for full recovery of pasture becomes a simpler exercise. Pasture runout is largely eliminated as sufficient self-seeding takes place naturally. To move from a low cover, rapid grazing round system requires planning and effort. The ideal time to break the cycle is autumn, by drying off earlier, reducing animal numbers, and carrying increased covers ahead. It can be achieved incrementally by culling low producers, and others that won’t make next season’s milking mob, late this year, with a focus on fully feeding and longer grazing intervals next year. It takes time, but it’s a stress free way to meet the potentially coming limitations on cow numbers, by making the necessary changes in your own time without pressure.

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

DAIRY

Fred Hoekstra ❚ with VeeHof ❚

Minimising lameness

I have come across the comment a few times that people are confused about the advice they are getting regarding lameness. There are contradicting messages going around from professionals about the causes of lameness, especially when it comes to tracks. It has come to my attention that people hear me saying that I don’t believe that tracks cause lameness, and I thought it was important to clarify my position. I know that tracks are an important factor to consider in minimising lameness and I don’t believe that stones have much to do with lameness - they are only an issue when they get stuck between the claws. To say that stones haven’t got much to do with lameness is quite different from saying that tracks haven’t got much to do with lameness. It is not the stones on tracks that are the culprit but more the stress factors that are caused by tracks with issues like slippery surfaces and extended time spent on tracks, and therefore out of the paddock. Physical force is certainly an issue

for cows, but only if the hooves are unhealthy. If the hooves are unhealthy it is not the stones that cause the problem but a constantly overloaded outer claw. So, the key to minimising lameness is to get to the root of the problem and make sure the hooves are kept as healthy as possible. Look at it this way: Imagine you own a tractor and the engine gets regularly overheated. Your way to solve the problem is by ensuring that you don’t use the tractor for long periods at a time, you also only half fill your feed-out wagon to make lighter work for your tractor. You have done this now for years and because of it you have managed to not damage the engine and your tractor is still going as strong as the day you bought it. If you think about this scenario, what is your thought process? Would you just accept the fact that overheating is normal, and we just need to make life easy for your tractor even though the tractor has plenty of horse-

power or would you expect that there was something wrong with the tractor? If the cooling fluid is low and you fill that up to the required level, then your tractor can do the work it is made for easily and you can use the tractor all day long. In the same sort of way cows hooves are made for the job they are doing. I have not been shown any reason to believe that the hooves are too weak for the job, even when we farm our cows in an unnatural environment. Hooves adapt to changes in their environment and you can see that clearly when hooves grow thick, the result of which is the height difference between inner and outer claw. So, if cows go lame then I need to look at what is going wrong for the cow. Why can’t she handle the environment? There will be things in it that are causing problems for the cow like diet and stress. So, for me, stones are not a consideration but tracks certainly are when considering causes of lameness.

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tony trewinnard ❚ with ❚ Blue Skies Weather

OctOber 2018

Lingering frosts still a risk

From late September through most of October expect south to southwesterly airflow to dominate over New Zealand, as anticyclones occupy the Southern Ocean (initially) and then the Tasman Sea (from mid-October). Airflow will tilt more southwesterly over New Zealand as high pressure builds near Tasmania, and from the end of September into early October expect periods of southerly or maybe even southeasterly airflow to bring colder than usual temperatures to all the country. From around the second week of October airflow will tend more southwesterly as the high-pressure zones track more across the Tasman Sea. Weather will remain cooler in areas of the country exposed to the west and south, but temperatures should return to near normal in other parts. Persistent southwesterly airflows can increase the risk of late frosts for Canterbury in spring months, and also bring the risk of thunderstorms and hail showers, especially in the inland basins and along the coast from the Rakaia to Banks Peninsula. By late October the southwesterly patterns are expected to be breaking down, with a chance of increased low pressure activity

around New Zealand, possibly originating in the sub-tropics. This could signal a wet end to the month for northern and eastern parts of the country. For Canterbury, south to southwesterly dominated airflow is going to keep temperatures cooler than usual for a couple of weeks from near the end of September and into week two of October. Rainfall in this period will be drier than normal inland, but near normal on the coast and about the eastern Plains as periods of southerly airflow bring brief showery spells. Cloudiness may increase with the colder temperatures, but some clear nights in this period will bring some spring frosts.

From mid-October airflow will tend more west to southwest, bringing more sunshine, dryness, and milder day time temperatures. By the end of October or early In November a more unsettled period may emerge with some rain for the region. In the tropical Pacific there is still no clear signs of a developing El Nino, despite computer model guidance strongly suggesting this will happen. However, for the first time in several months wind patterns in the western Pacific are now favourable for El Nino development, and are expected to remain so through to early October.

A battle is raging between pools of warm and cool ocean water, and the atmospheric wind patterns which would be needed to create the beginnings of an El Nino event for the summer. There is still no resolution to this crazy coalition of forces, which act together some of the time, and oppose each other at other times. This probably makes the beginning of October critical in deciding how our summer weather patterns will unfold. If the El Nino can get going in the first two weeks of the month then it should develop further and be the main summer feature (think cold December, dry and warm later in the summer). If it can’t get established (think anything goes), then I would suggest that time is running out for an El Nino this summer, and it may not happen at all (meaning we would stay neutral, or warm-neutral). All I can say is: watch this space.

blue Skies is now regularly generating six-week outlooks and seasonal outlooks for our clients in agriculture and horticulture, and in other fields as well. contact blue Skies for more information or to subscribe. For occasional postings about seasonal and long range information check out the blue Skies Weather Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BlueSkiesWeather

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

LIVESTOCK

Genetic improvements pay dividends Farmer case studies show that genetic improvement can be a very proﬁtable investment. That’s according to Deer Industry NZ Passion2Proﬁt (P2P) manager Innes Moffat.

❚ by trevor Walton DINZ has just published two Deer Fact sheets, ‘Setting your breeding objectives’ and ‘Stag and hind replacements that will boost your bottom line’. These encourage farmers to make more use of Deer Select breeding values (BVs) when selecting replacement stags. The Deer Facts also reinforce the importance of rapid generation turn-over, and objective culling and selection, for farmers wanting to improve the quality of their hind herds. Mt Somers, South Canterbury, farmer, Mike Salvesen is a big fan of using BVs to help his selection of sires. “BVs do work. If you have an average herd, you will see a big leap in performance,” he says. In an on-farm trial in his commercial herd he compared two stags with different BVs for 12-month weight, assuming a schedule price of $9/kg. The benefits were clear – the heavier, faster growing progeny of the higher BV stag would return an extra $10,000 if the stag was used for four years. Deer Select is the deer industry-owned genetic database. It provides farmers with an accurate, unbiased way of identifying superi-

or breeding animals (normally sires) for use in their herds. It uses the SIL (Sheep Improvement Limited) genetic engine to calculate how much of the performance variation between individual animals is genetic. It then ranks these animals in order of their genetic merit for particular traits. Animals are ranked across multiple herds when the stud herds are genetically linked through common sires, mainly through bought-in stags or semen. This allows the effects of the farm environment and management to be excluded from the calculations of genetic merit. The genetic linkages between herds were strengthened by the Deer Progeny Test project carried out by AgResearch from 20122015. This project involved the use of a range of sires in Deer Select herds, in other stud herds and several performance-recorded commercial herds. Deer Select publishes BVs for 14 traits that have strong cross-farm data. Up-to-date values for young sires are published on the www.deernz.org website. These relate to growth rates, meat yield, velvet weight and conception date. Deer Select also records traits – including velvet weight – where there is not enough cross-

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herd data to produce an industry-wide BV. It provides within-herd rankings for these traits to participating breeders. Deer Select manager Sharon McIntyre says BVs for parasite resistance and fertility are being developed. In commercial herds it is normally impractical to select hinds on the basis of BVs, so a rapid generation turnover and the culling of poor performing hinds are the best ways to lift the genetic merit of the breeding herd. That assumes, of course, that you can identify the poor performers. In Sheffield, North Canterbury, farmer Stu Stokes does this at weaning. He separates out the ‘fluffies’ or tail-end fawns from the other weaners and daubs their heads with blue food grade dye mixed with something sticky like the emollient salve used by dairy farmers. After a few hours in the shed – when they’re good and hungry – he lets the fluffies back into the paddock with the weaned hinds. “They go straight to their mums for a feed, colouring their udders bright blue. The next day, the hinds are run into the yards and the blue-bagged ones are tagged for future culling. It’s been very effective at tidying up the tail-end of our hind herd,” Stokes said.

Way to go: South canterbury, farmer, Mike Salvesen is a big fan of using bVs to help his selection of sires. “It’s interesting, but when you look at the mothers of the fluffies, they are a mix of small and large hinds. You can’t tell they’re poor mothers by looking at them.” to learn more about Deer Select or to go on the mailing list for Deer Facts, go to www.deernz.org, or ring DINZ on 04 473 4500.

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LIVESTOCK

rob cochrane ❚ by Wool Procurement Manager, ❚ PGG Wrightson Wool ❚

Wool market inﬂuences aplenty

The ﬁrst quarter of the current wool selling season will be complete by the end of September and although the Crossbred market would certainly welcome further increases, there have been a number of positives across all wool types during the past weeks. As has been widely reported lately, the fine wool market, including Merino and fine Halfbred types, has continued to break records as supplies of similar raw wool types from several of the main sheep producing nations remains low, resulting in well grown wools of super style, such as are grown in New Zealand, drawing absolute attention and extreme interest from high-end processors across the globe. Assisted by a weaker New Zealand dollar, Crossbred wool prices have recently improved which, in turn, has encouraged a few wool growers, who have held wool for a year or more, to decide to “bite the bullet” and sell their (often) rapidly deteriorating Crossbred fleece wools. The best of the market of late has certainly been for those good style wools measuring approximately 35 microns and finer, with plenty of buyer interest directed towards those, provided that length within each line is constant. Three-quarter length and full length wools of good style and colour have enjoyed widespread bidding in the auction room with prices at the 32 micron end exceeding around 425 cents clean for second-shear and 450 for full length fleece. Coarser wools have been easier to sell than earlier in the calendar year with prices ranging from between approximately 335 cents clean through to around 370 clean. Halfbred wool types have experienced very solid demand once again driven by a combination of lack of supply, both here and across the Tasman. Some of the Halfbred types offered over the past month have been brought forward for sale in as good a condition as they have ever been with many exporters and brokers commenting on the magnificent wools. Thankfully also the majority of those wools have been well prepared and classed in the wool shed, often by professional wool classers, to a very good standard. With some of the finer Halfbred

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

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types measuring around 23.5 microns realizing well in excess of 2000 cents clean, and the medium to strong types measuring around 26 microns reaching around 1500 cents clean, and with wool weights this year slightly ahead of last, growers have been well rewarded for their stockman ship and perseverance with the breed. Merino wool types have, as already mentioned, continued to dominate on a price per kilogram basis with plenty of audible gasps noted within the Christchurch auction room after buyers have ended their bidding war on each lot offered via the local broker catalogues. With all international processors represented at each auction in Christchurch, growers have relished the attention of the spirited bidding, to which their wools have been subjected, and with a number of growers attending each auction the atmosphere has been similar to that of the 1980s when

Merino wool prices were absolutely extreme. Although neither volumes nor prices are near what they were during that time frame, wool quality is, in my view, much superior, particularly for the extra fine types which now reflect the years of breeding rather than being undernourished and of poor tensile strength, as many were then when length and strength test measurements were unavailable. This year again, a “live” wool auction will be held on the Canterbury A&P Assn show grounds during the NZ Agricultural Show, commencing at 9.00am Thursday, November 15, providing a great chance for the general public to see and hear the action where around $2.5m worth of wool is sold each hour without even a hand-shake.

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October 2018 CANTERBURY FARMING

LIVESTOCK

Buoyant outlook for lamb If the weather plays its part, sheep farmers should be in for a bumper season with plentiful feed in most areas and lamb prices looking strong.

Phil Smith ❚❚by Director, Beef + Lamb New Zealand ❚❚

This positivity about the sheepmeat industry was very apparent during a recent trip to Australia as part of the Lamb Young Leaders programme and Lambex conference in Perth. As a not so young leader, I was fortunate to spend time with two young leaders from each of the participating countries, namely the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Our local representatives, David Ingham and Katey Craig were outstanding and did themselves and our country proud. The group, which toured parts of South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia also included representatives from the American Sheep Industry Association, the American Lamb Board, Sheep Meat Producers Australia, Meat and Livestock Australia and myself representing Beef + Lamb New Zealand. The purpose of the Young Leaders programme is to encourage and promote leadership in the sheep meat industry and build collaborative relationships between the three lamb producing nations, with a particular focus on increasing lamb consumption in the US.

Australian and US lamb producers are all receiving similar returns to what we are seeing this season of around $8/kg (currency adjusted). While the Australians and Kiwis are very happy with these prices, this represents a drop for US lamb producers and they unfortunately want to see lamb imports reduced. Programmes like this are therefore important to build understanding and manage tensions. The regions of Australia we visited were all doing well climatically and South Australia

was particularly wet. This is in sharp contrast to New South Wales, which is experiencing a ‘400-year’ drought, and Queensland, where drought has been on-going and unrelenting. We heard some very grim stories about farmers in these regions and it was interesting to see the support campaigns running in Australia to help farmers affected by drought. The Australian live hogget and mutton exports into the Middle East have been halted due to animal welfare concerns about the last shipment, but participants are confident

these issues can be resolved and shipment resume soon. The tour ended in Perth where we attended the Lambex conference. Held every second year in Australia, the event attracted 1000 participants who discussed a range of issues ranging from export markets, onfarm productivity, lamb industry products and a proposal for new carcase measurements and lean meat yields. There was much discussion about alternative proteins but the feeling at the conference was that we should build trust in our own product rather than running down the alternatives. Sheep meat is a niche product and we should be positive about it – and there is a lot to be positive about. After a nationwide consultation process, Beef + Lamb New Zealand Board has decided to lift the sheep meat levy from 60c to 70c/head and the cattle from $4.40 per adult cattle beast to $5.20. These increases, which come into effect on October 1, will generate an extra $4 million which will be invested in high priority areas such as the activation of the Red Meat story in market, the implementation of the Environment strategy, better telling the farmer story, and strengthening our capability in biosecurity. We appreciate the feedback we have had from stakeholders throughout this process.

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LIVESTOCK

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Farm Environment Plans for sheep and beef farmers

colin tyler ❚ by Ravensdown ❚ EnvironmentalPrincipal Consultant, ❚

Environmental compliance is already a part of existing business practices for the horticultural and dairy industry. However, the introduction of Farm Environmental Plans (FEP) for sheep and beef farmers is a daunting prospect for some in the sector. Throughout the country, there is an increase in the number of sheep and beef farmers required by regional councils to document the effect their farming practices are having on the environment. Through an FEP they must outline how they will mitigate any detrimental practices and demonstrate their action plans to meet regional environmental regulations. With all the uncertainty and external pressures, farmers are grappling with the work they need to get done. FEPs require an assessment of each council or catchment’s key issues and need to be completed by a suitably qualified rural professional, who will normally charge for their time. So in the initial view of many, there is just extra cost, more regulations and no benefit to their business in completing one. However, environmental management is a core part of business risk management – and it pays to do it right the first time. The benefit comes from protecting yourself and your industry. Issues like stock access to waterways and intensive winter grazing or cropping are SILO CANTERBURY 267W high-profi le subjects and FARMING are everyone’s re-X

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the role of the FeP is to correctly identify the scope of the problem.

sponsibility. Poor management practices, even in isolated cases, can attract a lot of negative attention not just for individuals but for the whole industry. Throughout the farm planning process, farmers often realise that becoming compliant or implementing some improved management practices is not as onerous as they initially thought. For example, certain waterways or stock classes may not be covered by stock exclusion rules, or there may be management practices that will exempt the requirement to fence. More commonly farmers find that through years of fencing to aid grazing management or to reduce stock losses, they have already achieved much of what is required. Many good management practices regarding reducing environmental impacts are just common sense. These practices often result in productivity and financial gains by conserving soils, reducing the loss of valuable nutrients or improving stock health and performance. If meeting targets is more challenging, 180H MMrole of the FEP is to correctly identhen the

Best practices: ravensdown environmental consultant colin tyler says environmental management is a core part of business risk management.

tify the scope of the problem, break it into achievable steps and commit to a reasonable time-frame to complete. This may make an initially overwhelming amount of work more realistic, or it could form part of a resource consent which will provide some legal protection. If there is a legal requirement to complete an FEP, it will need to be completed to a certain standard by a suitably qualified person, for example a Certified Nutrient Management Advisor. They need to have a comprehensive

understanding of the rules and regulations, as well as knowing your industry and your business so they can ensure your plan meets the requirements. There is already fantastic environmental work being done on sheep and beef farms throughout the country and your FEP should acknowledge this. There are challenges ahead but farmers should be proud of what they have already achieved and are willing to do in the future to play their part in enabling smarter farming for a better New Zealand.

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

FORESTRY

Productivity Commission Report heralds massive land conversion Forest owners say the Productivity Commission’s call for up to 2.8 million hectares of land to be turned into forests as a carbon sink would require implementing the most ambitious land-use change project a New Zealand government has ever set itself.

❚ Article supplied by NZFFA

Forest Owners Association President Peter Weir says the scope of afforestation proposed to get New Zealand to carbon neutrality by 2050 would need a new-planting rate, of 100,000 hectares a year, which has been achieved only once in New Zealand in recent times – in 1994. “The government would then have to maintain this planting rate for three decades to achieve the goal.” Weir says it’s vital that the government

works closely with all landowning groups to ensure an efficient and equitable transition to an envisaged ‘decarbonised economy’. “A carbon price, with a transparent and realistic system of price setting, needs to be high enough to encourage change from current activities and land use, to forestry. “The Productivity Commission escalated price projections are realistic in that respect.” Farm Foresters Association President Neil Cullen believes the only sufficient land area

Get planting: the Forest Owners Association say the scope of afforestation proposed to get New Zealand to carbon neutrality by 2050 would need a new-planting rate, of 100,000 hectares a year.

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to achieve the Commission’s goal is to be found on farms. “Farmers will need to have access to the best advice on how to go about planting woodlots, and so avoid the mistakes too prevalent in the past, such as poor planning for road access at harvest time. “That’s not just a government job, but I believe farm organisations have a central role in helping the transformation of farm properties into an integrated land use operation with a substantial investment in forestry.” Weir says he has a concern there might be two ‘pools’ of methane accounting arising from the report. “It is likely to lead to a grand-parented tradeable emission right for dairy farmers which is denied to sheep and beef farmers.”

Cullen says widespread planting for carbon fixing needs to focus on the species of trees which are best at doing that in the required time scale. “In the distant future our new indigenous forests will be locking up a lot of carbon. But if you are to achieve efficient carbon capture in the relatively short term, that’s to 2050, there is no doubt that exotic trees, such as conifers and eucalypts, are the best candidates for the job.” Peter Weir says the vast afforestation envisaged by the Productivity Commission will need to incorporate whole catchments to reach the target. “For a scheme of such scale, we cannot afford to get either the environmental or the economic side wrong.”

CANTERBURY FARMING

FORESTRY

OctOber 2018

Stabilisation after tumult

Allan Laurie MNZIF ❚ with ❚ Laurie Forestry Ltd

After a pretty tumultuous market in August centred around a reasonably signiﬁcant drop in China export prices, the market has stabilised.

CFR settlements in US dollars in China have remained largely unchanged for early to midSeptember settlements. The market presents as a reasonable mixed bag as at mid-September. Domestic sales remain strong. It is pleasing to see sawmill yards full to over flowing with logs, a function of better wood quality within forests and woodlots together with stable and consistently good log prices. My spies around the country report sawmills quite happy but a universal complaint that log prices are too high and lumber prices too low pervade the market. Given the pressure on log suppliers I would not see any log price drops anywhere in our future but there certainly seems a dire need to lift lumber prices. Whilst the large box stores basically rob the margins between wholesale and retail, getting prices up is going to be tough going. However, a lot of sawmills have commented on a much more vibrant export scene with a more favourable exchange rate allowing some good sales at better levels. Unfortunately Australia is not included in the happy hunting grounds with demand weak and prices at levels that ensures a low profit space for those want to play in that space. Wharf gate prices in New Zealand firmed very slightly in September in response to stable CIF settlements, a lowering exchange rate and shipping costs off US$1 to $2 per cubic metre. Again China feature in all discussions and all eyes are on what the tariff besotted Donald Trump does with his toys in his imaginary world sized sandpit. Recent news of an attempt to rule the Sandpit game through a range of tariff impositions continues to spark interest.

The latest news the originally suggested tariff of 25% on wood products being reduced to 10% is potentially good news. It is only potentially good because the commentators have also suggested we should expect the unexpected. The one thing we know is Trump plays dirty and kicking sand in to the face of China is potentially not going to end well. At least US consumers have finally woken up and realised an increased tariff regime is going to greatly increase the cost of their new TV and dishwasher and the pressure is starting to mount on Trump to cool it or face having his toys taken off him. Goodness, imagine the tantrum that would create. Meanwhile in our land of reality, the critical inventory levels across China ports on the eastern seaboard have lifted to just over 4.0 million cubic metres. Up some 200,000 cubic metres in a month but not expected to increase greatly as Uruguay and Pacific North West volumes dry up. Daily consumption has also lifted to close to 87,000 cubic metres up 7,000 from mid-August. This is a function of a more buoyant construction sector with recently announced home buyer incentives targeted at lifting supply/demand volumes. It is also a response to the onset of cooler Autumn months and construction workers spending longer days on the job. Shipping rates were dropping nicely through August but have made a rebound as demand for shipping increases significantly. In the short term, this relates to grain being shipped from the West to the East in Australia in response to extreme drought conditions. I suspect the grain farmers in New Zealand will be eyeing this situation up with

grain values expected to lift significantly internationally as a consequence. All in all we expect New Zealand wharf gate prices to lift in October in response to firm CFR settlements. The combination of a slightly weaker exchange rate and increases in shipping costs are likely to balance each

other out. An overall positive mood pervades the market at most levels. Meanwhile in the land of great promise and opportunity, it remains as always fundamentally important, the only way forward for climate, country and the planet is to get out there and plant more trees.

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

Defending the best of both worlds Some companies would double down on simply producing more of the same, but Can Am have decided to keep on adding what the people are asking for with their forthcoming range.

❚ by Andy bryenton It’s been a good run for Can Am recently, both on and off the farm. With the top 13 places nabbed at Australia’s gruelling Finke desert race – slated as tougher than the Baja – their sports off roaders are riding high. And their Defender HD8 model has just been crowned New Zealand’s top selling side by side. The new 72 horsepower, v-twin Defender TX HD10, for example, comes with some unexpected possibilities. There’s been a lot of debate on the farm about the practicalities of buying a tiny off roader or a small, knobbly-tyred truck instead of a side by side to get the job done. One offers the DNA of the quad bike, with its nimble, light agility. The other offers a fully enclosed cabin for those times the weather is miserable. Several brands such as Suzuki and Mahindra offer what appear to be fully specced road vehicles which are solely for use on the farm in this capacity. Now Can Am have covered the middle ground perfectly – by offering accessories which transform the best-selling Defend-

‘

can Am have covered the middle ground perfectly

Added extras: Fully kitted out, the Defender tX HD10 can offer electric windscreen wipers, electric windows, a full audio system with bluetooth, MP3 and waterproof speakers.

– by transform the bestselling Defender into a small, fully enclosed farm vehicle. er from a side by side into a small, fully enclosed farm vehicle. And we’re not just talking about a perspex windscreen and some plastic roof panels. Fully kitted out, the XT can offer you electric windscreen wipers, electric windows, a full audio system with bluetooth, MP3 and waterproof speakers (just in case you leave the door open). And that’s just the start. If you want a little Mercedes-Benz luxury

on those cold winter days, opt for a heated steering wheel, passenger grab bar or even heated seats. Yes – in a side by side for the farm. Can Am have bundled many of these mart features into an XT Cab model, but there’s lots of scope to add further practical tool racks, cage sides – even an electric tipping tray like you’d find on a full sized dump truck. And that’s before we even broach the subject of optional tank treads.

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Of course, the key features of the Defender will always remain core principles rather than options – though things which used to be add-ons like power steering are now becoming par for the course. It’s just nice to know that, alongside providing a tough, go-anywhere working machine, CanAm can also factor in a whole suite of comfortable and easy to install upgrades to keep the rain, snow and slush on the outside.

CANTERBURY FARMING

OctOber 2018

Funkier in the remix Volkswagen have made some memorable cars over the years – from the iconic Beetle through to the obsessive, perfectionist and sadly underappreciated Phaeton, a rival for Mercedes at its best.

❚ by Andy bryenton But right now, two of the top sellers from the quintessentially German brand are the Touareg – a big, comfortable and capable SUV, and the Golf – successor the crown of world’s best supermini. So it makes perfect sense, in a world of crossover SUVs, to cross them over. Visually – and this is a sense which is utterly, ultimately important in the realm of the small and funky sports utility - it works a treat. Some crossovers are like a cocktail made of high-test moonshine and exotic fruit juice, spiced up with too many paper umbrellas and slices of pineapple. Aesthetically, the T-Roc, as it’s been named, is as smooth, crisp and cosmopolitan as... well, a cosmopolitan. What the T-Roc brings from the bigger SUVs in the VW stable, then, is a confident 4x4 system, big 19 inch alloys, a surprising amount of comfortable interior space, and a suite of electronic toys, safety features and creature comforts which place it above and beyond many other crossovers.

Economical: the t-roc manages a tidy 6.8 litres per 100km at the pump.

Here in New Zealand we’re being treated to the limited R-line variant, which carries a higher price tag than the base model but more than makes up for it with added accents and toys. Stelvios and Evoques are definitely in its social circle. But it’s what the T-Roc brings to the party from the Golf side of the family tree which makes it exciting. That bit of heredity comes courtesy of a long line of hot, hot hatches, and it has given the baby VW 4x4 a nice 187hp and a hearty 320Nm of torque, enough to make this diminutive sports utility boogie when the 2.0 litre petrol TSI block begins to sing in harmony with a seven speed transmission. While many crossovers focus on the utility and space side of the equation, this emphasis on rockstar looks and a peppy twist of power makes the T-Roc stand out in its

class. And despite being only a school ruler’s length shorter than the mid-sized Tiguan, the T-Roc manages a tidy 6.8 litres per 100km at the pump. Engine sizes down to a two wheel drive single litre option are available overseas, but here in New Zealand only the spiciest T-Roc has broken cover. If you buy a car for fuel economy, luggage space and, let’s be honest, over-

all cheapness, this is perhaps not your first port of call. But if you loved the feel of those oldschool Golf GTis, yet still want some practicality, a bit of bling and a real presence on the road, the T-Roc might rock your world.

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

Redrawing the benchmark in utes ❚ ❚

The RAM 1500 is now on sale in New Zealand and, quite simply, redraws key benchmarks for the fastest growing market sector in the New Zealand vehicle market. Article supplied by Fiat Chrysler New Zealand

The RAM 1500 sets new standards for towing capacity, tub size, interior space and comfort and, with the legendary 5.7 litre HEMI V8, it resets the performance yardstick as well as marking the return to the market of the much loved V8 Ute that is a New Zealand icon. But, despite all these new benchmarks, with an opening price of $94,990 plus on road costs which includes sides steps and a heavy-duty tow bar, the RAM 1500 sits comfortably amongst the key top end utes in the New Zealand market. The RAM 1500 is backed by a national dealer network, supported by a parts and accessory warehouse in Auckland and a factory-backed three year/100,000 km warranty with three-year roadside assistance. “The RAM 1500 is built and equipped to meet the changing demands of the New Zealand Ute buyer who are demanding more towing capacity, more space inside and out, and better performance,” says David Smitherman, chief executive officer of Fiat Chrysler New Zealand. “With a maximum towing capacity of up to 4.5 tonnes, it is a clear full tonne ahead of its rivals and with the legendary Hemi V8 under the bonnet, it has both power and a chassis designed by the world leading experts to

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safely tow that extra weight. Smitherman said the RAM 1500 has a choice of two cab sizes, both which offer a level of space, and therefore comfort, of which other lesser utes may only dream. “The space story continues with the tub, again two sizes, with the largest six feet four inches long or nearly two metres long and more than 1.2 metres wide between the wheel arches. “Then there are the features that other Utes simply can’t offer such as a choice of axle ratios and the unique and uniquely useful RamBoxes, two 240 litre lockers on either

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tailored and equipped to meet the very different needs and desires of their prospective owners. Meanwhile the RAM Laramie with its traditional RAM chrome grille and tasteful use of chrome highlights clearly indicates its intent to offer a unique blend of total luxury with a hard-working ethos of all-round capability. From its heated and cool ventilated front seats, its heated steering wheel and rear seats to its use of leather, deep pile carpeting and an equipment list that puts some luxury cars to shame, the RAM 1500 Laramie simply has it all – and knows how to use it.

side of the tub that may be used as secure storage or as a pair of ice-filled cool boxes.” At 5.8 metres long and a little over two metres wide, the RAM 1500 is significantly larger than other utes in its market sector and this translates into more space inside and outside and a much larger towing capacity. The RAM 1500 is offered with a choice of two cab sizes, the Express with the Quad Cab and the Laramie with the Crew Cab. The different cab sizes are not the only things that separate the RAM 1500 Express and the RAM 1500 Laramie. Each is styled,

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• POWERFUL 500CC EFI ENGINE • L-H-N-R RANGE • POWER STEERING • SELECTABLE 2WD AND 4WD MODES WITH DIFF LOCK • TOUGH CANADIAN CVTECH TRANSMISSION • ENGINE BRAKING • INDEPENDENT FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION • INDICATORS, HORN • HEAVY DUTY FRONT AND REAR RACKS • WINCH & HAND GUARDS • WARP AROUND PROTECTOR BARS • ALLOY A-ARM PRETECTORS • TOW PACK • ALLOY WHEELS WITH 6PLY TYRES

Dan’s Motor Centre • Geraldine Ph: 03 693 8536

RIDE

INTEREST*

• POWERFUL 500CC EFI ENGINE • L-H-N-R-RANGE • POWER STEERING • SELECTABLE 2WD AND 4WD MODES WITH DIFF LOCK • TOUGH CANADIAN CVTECH TRANSMISSION • INDEPENDENT FRONT & REAR SUSPENSION • GAS ASSISTED TIP TRAY • ROPS CERTIFIED ROLL CAGE • ROOF • GLASS WINDSCREEN & WIPER KIT • REAR PVC SCREEN • STEEL MOUNTED MUD FLAP KIT • TOW PACK • WINCH • INDICATORS, HORN & MIRRORS AS STANDARD

EX-GST

Limited time only until the 31th October 2018 or until stocks last

www.cfmoto.co.nz

*Finance offer is valid with participating dealers only. Total cost for CFMoto X500 Farm Spec is $9,954.09 paid via three equal instalments of $3,318.03. Total cost for CFMoto U550 Farm Spec is $15,129.11 paid via three equal instalments of $5,043.03. The initial instalment is in the form of a deposit time of purchase. The second instalment is payable after 12 months where the third (final) instalment is payable after 24 months. These totals equate to the cash price including GST plus a $180.60 application/documentation fee and $10.00 PPSR Lodgement (Total charges of $190.60). Total cost is subject to 0% interest rate and applies specifically to these models only. Normal lending criteria apply. Offers end 31st October 2018.

CANTERBURY FARMING

Carbon capture in New Zealand

Exploring energy related issues from a New Zealand farming perspective is the focus of my Nufﬁeld Scholarship.

❚ by Solis Norton I never got my head around the idea of carbon capture and storage until last week when I listened to an outstanding Ted Talk by Jennifer Wilcox. She explained it brilliantly in ‘A new way to remove CO2 from the atmosphere’. So brilliantly, in fact, that I grabbed the nearest used envelope and my pen to do a few rough calculations. How would it apply in New Zealand? Rough calculations are an essential tool for Nuffield study – good enough to get a reasonable ballpark figure, but without taking the time and effort to build the ballpark. Good enough to put the topic in context. So here’s what I got. Three points on energy, space, and cost to capture the CO2 equivalent of just one third (26 million tonnes) of New Zealand’s annual emissions. Manapouri, our largest hydroelectric dam is rated at 850 megawatts. We would need 12 of them running at full capacity to get the required 10,400 megawatts of energy each year. The land area required for the actual physical machines is around 3000 square kilometers, equivalent to three Auckland cities. Taking an optimistic estimate of the cost per tonne of CO2 captured, $750, we have an annual cost of $19.5 billion. For

context, that’s 10% of New Zealand GDP in 2017, or almost one and half times our dairy exports of around $14 billion. I’m ignoring an exchange rate from the US dollars Jennifer talked about to Kiwi dollars. More importantly I’m ignoring the cost of building, maintaining, and recycling the carbon capture system. ‘Why?’ I hear you ask, why is it so flipping expensive? The answer is this. It takes a huge effort to capture things that are at a low concentration. Huge efforts require huge investments of money and energy. You see, four hundred parts per million of carbon dioxide in the air is actually not very much at all. For perspective, a 20kg sack of wheat for the chooks is about a million grains. Paint 400 of those grains red and put them back in the sack. Mix thoroughly. Tip the whole lot on you kitchen floor, yes the whole lot. Then try and find every one of those 400 red grains. It would be easier to put the chooks in the kitchen for the afternoon and leave them to it. Chooks aside, Jennifer’s message was really important. It was be careful of putting faith in potential future technologies without at least a back-of-the-envelope understanding of them. You can now tell anyone what the physical realities of carbon capture and storage from the atmosphere are for New Zealand.

OctOber 2018

❚ with rob cope-Williams

Ban on beer and cucumbers looming There are very strong calls from central government to reduce stock numbers with a target to reduce methane emissions by 22% by 2050. The reduction in stock numbers is an easy target as animals are known to belch. The fact it is par t of their digestive system and chewing their cud is as natural as their eating the grass is beside the point. The powers that be are suggesting special feeds, vaccines or tweaking livestock breeding, I may be a little thick, but surely if an animal has to chew its cud, whatever it eats or its lineage isn’t going to change that. So the only thing that is going to reduce the ‘warming’ is reduce the numbers of sheep and cattle. That will mean, of course, that we will need to impor t red meat with the resulting hike in prices, however just think of the reduction in ‘warming’ from ovens and barbeques. To discuss the lack of exports would be silly because that won’t affect the majority until the prices on impor ts rocket, including fuel and luxuries. So once the livestock numbers have been reduced to a minimum and the processing companies, Fonterra and all the other suppor t companies have gone out of business

raising unemployment to record levels, the emission levels will still be too high for the targets, so what then? Well if belching is the main problem, as the chorus of greenies suggest, the next target must be us, as in humans. No we don’t have several stomachs that need attention with digestion, but we are inclined to belch. The main causes in my case are beer and cucumbers, so will they be limited or even banned in our fight for lower emissions. The poor farmers are in for another hiding; having killed off all their cattle and sheep, and turned to cropping in a vain attempt to make ends meet, they won’t be allowed to grow barley for brewing as beer will be off the shelves, so they will have to turn to other crops such as clover and grasses, but whoops, there are no animals left to eat it, so again a blank. Ah, we can become like Britain where they are paid to not produce anything and let city folk wander all over their farms at will. In the mean time, drink lots while you still can.

Freephone: 0800 443 547 Phone: 027 425 5862

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SPRING SPECIALS (for a limited time)

Brush Killer on Gorse / Broom

$485 + GST per hectare Metsulfuron on Gorse $299 + GST per hectare

Metsulfuron on Briar / Matagouri $155 + GST per hectare Includes chemical. Minimum 4 hectares

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OctOber 2018

CANTERBURY FARMING

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JJ Ltd Timaru

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