Canterbury Farming, June 2020 by Canterbury Farming

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

June 2020 Edition

INSIDE

THIS EDITION Budget highlights

p5 Pines control Relief: IrrigationnZ is welcoming a support fund for drought-affected farmers but wants a water strategy to future-proof the country from further negative impacts of drought.

p16 Calving

Drought support a good start but more needed

IrrigationNZ believes the Government’s support through a $500,000 fund to help farmers recover from drought is helpful, but more needs to be done to solve the overall problem.

p28 Time to shine

p38

❚ by Kent Caddick “We don’t have enough reliable water storage to support both rural and urban communities during times of drought,” IrrigationNZ chief executive Elizabeth Soal said. “As a country, we should be creating an overarching water strategy to future-proof us in these situations. Any support is good but, this is simply putting a plaster on the wound. “Water storage is not only about sustaining the agriculture we already have, it can unlock opportunities such as land-use change, topping up low river flows and developing underdeveloped land.” The lack of rain has had detrimental impacts on many regions, including environmental and the health of wellbeing of

communities – but Waikato and Hawkes Bay are some of the hardest hit. IrrigationNZ board member Ivan Knauf, who is a Hawkes Bay farmer, said they were simply running out of water. “Stock feed is limited, and the lockdown has made it difficult to move stock, farmers are already struggling with financial pressure and this doesn’t make any impact in solving the overall issue,” Knauf said. “In the 20 years I have been here it’s the driest I have ever seen it. If this is climate change, we need better strategies and policies to provide support during these times, because it’s happening here this year and it will probably happen in another region next year.” Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said the new fund would provide advisory servic-

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es to equip rural businesses with professional and technical advice to help them recover from and better prepare for future drought. “As we rebuild the economy following the effects of a global pandemic, we have an opportunity to build back better than before and factor in resilience for our productive primary sector,” O’Connor said. “So far this year the Government has invested $17 million to help drought-stricken regions recover from what many are saying is the worst drought in living memory. It has affected all of the North Island and a good portion of the South. “Although there has been a bit of rain relief recently, it takes steady rain at the right time to get grass growing again.

TO PAGE 2

June 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

Not the best ‘moove’ Canterbury Farming would like to correct a photo used in the May edition of the paper used to illustrate an article on Moving Day. The photo was used to show cows on the move but did not correctly reﬂect the huge amount of work farmers have done to fence off waterways to ensure water quality. Additional points were awarded to those who spotted the cattle weren’t dairy cows but beef cattle. Our apologies to those who were offended by the use of the photo.

Water storage essential in times of drought FROM PAGE 1 “The flow-on effects of water shortages and low feed availability take a long time to fully

recover from and some farmers will be dealing with the effects of this drought for a year or more,” O’Connor said. Dair yNZ echoed the sentiments raised by Soal saying while the government fund for drought recover y will be appreciated by farmers in need of feed assistance, it also highlights the

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need for long-term solutions. “This fund increases the options for farmers and having coordinators in the North and South Islands will enable easier access to feed and farm support, which will be appreciated by many farmers,” said Sharon Morrell, DairyNZ’s general manager for farm performance. “We encourage dairy farmers who need feed support to access this service, as tak-

ing action to set up for winter and the 202021 season is crucial right now. However, this year’s drought has affected thousands of farmers and this fund may not extend as far as it is needed. “DairyNZ believes this year’s drought again highlights the urgent need for greater investment in water storage in key regions where dry conditions often has a big impact on farms. “Water storage is essential to giving farmers access to water, when and where farmers need it, in times of drought,” Morrell said. “It’s promising to see the Government starting to move in this direction with water storage schemes recently announced for both Northland and Hawke’s Bay – but what is really needed is a coherent and coordinated National Water Storage Strategy. “In the face of a changing climate, investing in water storage will help build more resilient rural communities.”

FARMING NEWS

CANTERBURY FARMING June 2020

New Zealand Pork welcomes Government food bank initiative A Government decision to purchase surplus pork for the country’s food banks will go a long way to easing the looming animal welfare crisis in the New Zealand pork sector while providing food for communities in need according to New Zealand Pork.

❚ by Kent Caddick Independent butchers were not allowed to open fully for retail customers under the Covid-19 Alert Level 4 and 3 restrictions, resulting in a surplus of up to 5,000 pigs on New Zealand farms every week and a looming animal welfare issue. Independent butchers are a key part of the supply chain and take a large volume of carcasses. However, with butchers being unable to fully serve retail customers under Alert level 4 and 3, many remained closed – leaving a surplus of pigs on farm. Commercial farms typically supply pigs to market on a weekly basis and do not carry spare holding capacity. Overcrowding of pigs in pens constitutes a significant welfare issue under the animal welfare code. Under the initiative, the Government will purchase surplus pork at ‘cost’ up to a maximum of 2,000 pigs or 112,000 kilograms per week, which will then be delivered to food banks via national food rescue network KiwiHarvest. “This concept is a win-win,” David Baines, chief executive of NZ Pork, said. “Quality nutritious food will be provided to people who are in desperate need and surplus pork moved off-farm and through the supply chain. “It will also deliver much-needed cash to pork wholesalers who are under severe cashflow and profitability pressure.

Helpful: A Government initiative will see a surplus of pigs help to feed those in need and ease the spectre of a looming animal welfare crisis in the sector.

“Supply to food banks, together with butchers being allowed to open fully under Alert Level 2, means that the sector is confident the severity of the animal welfare issue can be averted.” Pork wholesalers, who have agreed a common basis of supply with standard product specifications and a flat price per kg, will enter into a contract with MPI. KiwiHarvest will receive the product, which will be processed into vacuum-packed cuts suitable for handling by food banks, and then facilitate its delivery into those communities with the greatest level of need.

“Even at break-even levels, the initiative will be much more attractive than the $1.50/ kg below cost alternative of substituting imported pork with NZ Pork,” Baines said. “The food bank programme will take around 40% of the projected surplus, which equates to 16% of normal weekly production levels. “However, we’re urging Kiwis to support local farmers by eating New Zealand-produced pork. Approximately 62 per cent of New Zealand’s pork consumption is imported with around 85% of this imported pork further processed.”

KiwiHarvest founder, Deborah Manning, said the initiative could not have come at a better time. “Kiwis around the country are struggling more than ever in the face of the economic impact of Covid-19. We’ve seen a sharp and sustained increase in demand for our services since the lockdown began at the end of March, as levels of financial hardship have continued to rise. “This partnership with Government and New Zealand Pork will enable KiwiHarvest to put good, nutritious food on the table for even more families in need.”

June 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

Damien O’Connor ❚ by Minister for Agriculture, Biosecurity, ❚ Food Safety and Rural Communities ❚ The Government knows that our farmers, growers and producers will play a critical role in New Zealand’s economic recovery so we’re making a $232 million investment to boost jobs and opportunities in the primary sector and rural New Zealand. This is a significant investment which will grow and transform the primary sector. Together, as a nation, we are rebuilding from an economic shock not seen since the Great Depression. But there is a clear path through and the Government is committed to getting New Zealand working again. There are significant employment opportunities in our primary industries and we’re going to be training people to have the skills they need for the jobs we have. There are a lot of opportunities in front of us, we now need a skilled workforce to help us seize them. To that end, we’re investing $19.3 million in a range of initiatives that will partner and support more than 10,000 New Zealanders in primary sector jobs by rapidly retraining and absorbing workers displaced from other sectors like hospitality, tourism and aviation. It will be a big change for some, so we’ll be creating familiarisation courses to help new workers settle into primary sector roles and lives.

FARMING NEWS

Jobs and opportunities for the primary sector in the Budget Budget 2020 was announced not long ago and it makes major investments in the primary sector that will support more than 10,000 people into jobs. The $128 million we’ve committed to control wilding pines and wallabies will protect farmers from costly pests and provide hundreds of jobs for people most affected by Covid-19. These projects are getting a once in a generation boost which gives us a real opportunity to get on top of these invasive pests while also giving people a new career opportunity. The wilding pine funding will be a game changer in our fight against a pest that is a $4.6 billion threat to our economy, while providing up to 600 jobs. The programme will expand nationally, including areas hit hardest by Covid-19 such as Northland, Queenstown, Mackenzie, Kaikoura, and Marlborough. Around $28 million for Wallaby control will focus our efforts against this destructive pest and provide dozens of jobs. There is also a $433 million package to fund 4,000 jobs over five years in regional environmental projects. The initiatives in this package will support the Government’s objectives in its Action for Healthy Waterways. These initiatives show how environment-related actions can make a meaningful contribution to the post-COVID-19 economic recovery.

The details: • $19.3 million to help attract and train recently unemployed New Zealanders and grow the primary sector workforce by 10,000 people. • $128 million for wilding pine and wallaby control, providing hundreds of jobs.

• $14.9 million to reduce food waste by redirecting food to people in need • $20.2 million to help rural and fishing communities recover from COVID-19. • $45.3m over four years to help horticulture seize opportunities for future growth. • $5.4 million for critical resources to identify and manage animal welfare issues.

FARMING NEWS

CANTERBURY FARMING

June 2020

Feds ﬁnds positives in Budget Federated Farmers found plenty of highlights in the Government’s recently released Budget, but is wary about the long term plan for the primary industry’s contribution to New Zealand’s economy recovery.

❚ by Kent Caddick Federated Farmers vice-president and economics spokesperson Andrew Hoggard said farmers will be pleased with announcements of a $1.1 billion environmental jobs spend and specific mention of control of pests such as wallabies and wilding pines. “Also positive is the increased support for biodiversity on private land through agencies like QEII and Landcare Trust. “But as with so many aspects of the Budget announcements, the devil will be in the detail,” Hoggard said. “The Budget includes $500 million in initiatives that will ensure our primary industries are supported. “We look forward to seeing more detail on that. We appreciate it appears we’ve been listened to on many of the areas for potential work we’ve raised with government.” Hoggard said the Budget’s investment of another $3 billion in infrastructure is also a big spend but the decisions on where the money will go are yet to be made. “We would hope enhanced rural connectivity, money for water storage and road maintenance are prime candidates for that investment as both will help drive primary sector production and competitiveness.” He said the Budget’s provision for re-training and other support for those New Zealanders who will be among the forecast 10% unemployment queue by next month is also the right step.

Federated Farmers vicepresident Andrew Hoggard has given the Government a pass mark for the budget with a note that more needs to be done.

“Federated Farmers set up its own apprenticeship scheme to find more workers for the dairy industry, and is looking forward to seeing more government support now for this and other similar schemes to get people into primary sector jobs. “Keeping as many Kiwis in work as possible is obviously a priority. We appreciate the acknowledgement of how important the primary sector will be to economic recovery; of

$1.6 billion for training and apprenticeships, $19.3 million is earmarked to place 10,000 people into primary sector jobs. That’s a start.” However, National’s Agriculture spokesperson Todd Muller said the budget hadn’t provided anything of note for the primary sector at a time when it is leading our nation’s rebuild. “The Government’s claim of ‘rebuilding

better’ is nothing but a meaningless slogan for the primary sector. “Costly Government proposals like Essential Freshwater are still on the way, there’s no large-scale water storage funding and not enough support to secure the 50,000 workers needed to stimulate the sector. “Covid-19 has thrown our country into a deep economic hole and we’re now relying on our food and fibre sector to get out of it. We should be encouraging this sector to grow and maximise its potential but funding has gone backwards.” Muller said with farmers and growers across the country experiencing the worst drought in living memory this season, it’s disappointing to see no significant investment in water storage.

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FARMING NEWS

New role for Todd Muller

As Canterbury Farming was going to print, Todd Muller, National’s Agricultural spokesperson and regular Canterbury Farming columnist, launched an ultimately successful bid for the leadership of the National Party. While a new agricultural spokesperson had yet to be appointed by our print deadline we reﬂect on Muller’s words spoken at the time of his elevation into the leadership role.

❚ by Todd Muller “The past few months, our country has made many sacrifices. You have made many sacrifices. You have put a lot on the line to get us through this crisis. Now, we must begin taking another step forward together, with confidence, the confidence to rebuild our country, rebuild our economy and to restore the livelihoods of New Zealanders. Only a National Government can provide the leadership to do that. That is why we must win the next election. Nikki (Kaye) and I, and our team, understand that the task for the next Government is immense. We’re honoured by the opportunity to lead this party. We take it seriously. I want to pause here and acknowledge New Zealand’s tremendous response to the health crisis ravaging the world. We should all be proud of what we’ve achieved togeth-

er. But regardless of these efforts, Covid-19 has hurt us. My absolute focus as National Party Leader will be New Zealand’s economic recovery. We will save jobs, get the economy growing again and we will do so by leveraging our country’s great strengths: our people, our communities, our great natural resources, our values of hard work, tenacity, innovation and aspiration. I know the size of this task and I will bring my all to it. Yes, I’ve run businesses. I can read a balance sheet and a profit and loss account. I can tell a good one from a bad one. And yes, I’ll bring those skills to the Prime Ministership. But that’s not what drives me. What drives me is community – the people who help their elderly neighbours with the lawns on the weekend; the dad who does the food stall at the annual school fair; the mum who coaches a touch rugby team. This election will be about the economy, but not the economy the bureaucracy talks about. It’ll be about the economy that you live in – the economy in your community – your job, your main street, your marae, your tourism business, your local rugby league club, your local butcher, your kura, your netball courts, your farms, your shops and your families. This is the economy National MPs are grounded in, and the one that matters most to New Zealand. For too long this economy – your economy – and your life has been invisible to decision makers in Wellington. This must change, and

under my National Government it will change. The economy that I believe in is the one you live in. It is the economy of your community. If we can rebuild that, we can rebuild our country. This is what you can expect from my leadership: First and foremost I’m about what’s best for you and your family, not what’s wrong with the Government. And I’m not interested in opposition for opposition’s sake. We’re all tired of that kind of politics. I’m about ideas that get results.”

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June 2020

DairyNZ project drives change on Canterbury farms

A DairyNZ project in Selwyn and Hinds is helping dairy farmers signiﬁcantly reduce nitrogen losses on farms, while maintaining proﬁtability.

❚ by Kent Caddick DairyNZ is two years into a five-year levy-funded project working with 50 partner farms to continue improving farmer practices on both partner farms and other Selwyn and Hinds dairy farms, through adopting new practices to reduce nitrogen loss. A recent assessment of 210 farms in these catchments found all farms had changed their practices and the vast majority were on track to achieve targets set by the regional council. “The most common actions farmers reported taking were changing their irrigation system or management (94% of farms), improving effluent systems or management (90%) and reducing nitrogen fertiliser use (80%),” project lead Virginia Serra said. “They also reported taking other actions including changing stocking rates, adopting low nitrogen feeds like fodder beet or plantain, and using catch crops after winter crop grazing to harness available nitrogen for plant growth.” In total, 40% of farms interviewed achieved an A grade through the independent farm environment plan auditing process while 54% achieved a B grade, 4% received a C grade and 2% were waiting for audits. Serra said the project’s focus is on supporting partner farms. “DairyNZ and the partner farms also host field days and discussion groups to share knowledge with other local farmers, along with workshops for rural professionals.

Sharing knowledge: A DairynZ field day in February, at Kintore Farm, shared how this partner farm was reducing its nitrogen losses with other farmers in Selwyn and Hinds.

“It’s very exciting to see changes across so many farms. A lot of information sharing is taking place and there is a huge commitment by farmers to make changes on-farm.” Almost 70% of farmers assessed in Selwyn and Hinds had attended a DairyNZ organised event which discussed ways to improve environmental management.

In Selwyn Waihora zone, dairy farmers need to reduce their nitrogen losses by 30% by 2022. In Hinds, dairy farmers have a series of staged targets, requiring farmers to reduce nitrogen losses by 15% by 2025 and 36% by 2035. “Positively, the assessments found that 85% of farmers had a plan in place to meet

these targets.” Serra said dairy farmers across New Zealand will benefit from the Selwyn Hinds project work. “Many of the changes made by farmers to reduce their nitrogen losses in Selwyn and Hinds can be applied by farmers in other regions and potentially reduce their on-farm costs.”

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Pandemic infects global economy COVID-19 has undoubtedly been the most dramatic “black swan” or unexpected shock since 9/11.

Andrew Wyllie ❚ with ❚ Forsyth Barr The threat has rapidly shifted from an outbreak in China, where the principal economic concern was the impact of Chinese manufacturer shutdowns on the rest of the world, to a global pandemic. Governments around the world responded. In many countries all but non-essential businesses have been closed. The economic and financial landscape has seen a dramatic shift. Interest rates have plunged. Policies to protect jobs and businesses have been enacted, but they still won’t prevent sizeable layoffs. The outlook for corporate earnings is highly uncertain. Many companies have suspended earnings guidance, with little clarity over the medium-term.

bonds to help stabilise credit markets. Governments have provided a range of support measures including wage subsidies to workers forced to stay at home, loans for banks to encourage financial support for businesses, mortgage holidays, and some tax relief. Looking forward, a number of governments are already planning to accelerate and expand investment in infrastructure as a key policy platform to help the economic recovery.

More volatility potentially ahead – be prepared

Defensive markets and sectors have led the rebound

Policymaker responses kicked off a rally in asset prices. From late March, equity and bond prices have recovered sharply. Positive momentum was sustained as lockdown measures across countries have (so far) proven effective in containing the virus’s Policymakers have responded spread. Lockdown restraints are now startFrom late March onward, aggressive respons- ing to be lifted. The rebound in equity markets has been es by central banks and governments around led by higher quality, defensive stocks. New the world shored up financial markets. Central banks have cut interest rates, Zealand’s outperformance reflects the defenprovided liquidity to the banking system so sive nature of many of the leading companies banks can continue to lend to business- on our market. Healthcare companies like es, and have started or continued buying Fisher & Paykel and EBOS, consumer staples such as a2 Milk, electricity utilities, and telecommunications, will all be more resilient through an economic downturn than most. The US market is similarly defensive, dominated by large technology companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet (Google) and Apple, and consumer staples like Johnson & Johnson, Walmart, and Procter & GamWhen you are thinking about your ble. investment options, talk to Forsyth Barr More cyclical sectors —

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like energy, financials, and materials — that are more exposed to the level of economic activity have lagged. A word that has been used a lot recently is “unprecedented”. These are unprecedented times. There hasn’t been a global pandemic since the 1918 Spanish Flu, and the world is a very different place today than it was back then. The result is a tremendous amount of uncertainty as to how economies and companies will fare. Will there be a second wave of the virus? What damage is being done to economies while in lockdown? How many jobs will be lost? How many businesses will fail? Will a vaccine or medical treatment be found, and, if so, when? Forecasters are grappling with the very broad range of possible outcomes over the next few years. What will a recovery look like? V, U, W, L?

There is no doubt that actions from governments and central banks have stabilised financial markets. We think the market lows are most likely behind us. But there is still plenty of uncertainty, and as we’ve seen over the past few months, sentiment can change quickly. There is potential for further market volatility ahead. The past few months do reaffirm some important messages for investors. We don’t believe it’s possible to consistently time or predict short-term movements in markets. Markets oscillate between greed and fear. And they do not need a positive economic backdrop to bounce – markets expect a “less bad” outlook today than they did in March. The low returns on offer from cash and bonds will continue to encourage investors into equities. We all prefer positive news over negative. Investors generally feel better when markets go up, and it can be disconcerting when they go down. But unfortunately volatility is something investors will always have to bear. The key is managing your response to it. Working with your Forsyth Barr Investment Adviser to formulate and stick to an investment plan with clear objectives is one of the best ways to do so. This report covers the three months ended April 30.

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. Disclosure Statements are available for Forsyth Barr Authorised Financial Advisers on request and free of charge.

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A rapid recovery is described as ‘V’ shaped – a sharp downturn followed by an equally sharp upturn. A ‘U’ is a longer period at the bottom before activity picks up gradually. The most pessimistic are ‘W’, a double dip or an initial recovery that doesn’t prove sustainable, or ‘L’ where economic activity falls sharply and remains low for an extended period.

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Bessie Paterson LLB ❚ with Ronald ❚ W Angland & Son

June 2020

Covid-19 recent enforcement legislation ‘

It seems that Covid-19 has dominated our lives for much of this year. Life under Levels 3 and 4 was quite restricted and it gave many of us an indication of what life could be like in an undemocratic country. Under Level 2 our lives are still restricted especially where some of our liberties, which we took for granted, have been curtailed. To give legitimacy to the restrictions under Level 2 Parliament has enacted the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act which received the Royal Assent on 13 May 2020. The legislation was introduced into the House of Representatives a day earlier and passed under urgency. Initially the Government wanted to have the legislation remain in force for two years but that period of time was opposed and it now has a life of 90 days and unless it is renewed by a motion of Parliament for a further 90 days or such other period of time, it will automatically be repealed. The legislation has been criticised for a lack of time to give adequate consideration to the powers which will be vested in enforcement officers and the police and it places too much power in the Prime Minister. These are valid criticisms and it remains to be seen whether the legislation will be enforced in the Courts. The definition of who may be appointed as

enforcement officers under the Act is quite vague having regard to the powers vested in them. The enforcement officers including the police are charged with the enforcement of the Government’s rules on associating with others, gatherings of more than a certain number of people in the same place, keeping social isolation distances and basically anything which may cause the spread or outbreak of the Covid-19 virus. They can also require the closure of premises unless the occupier of the premises complies with certain conditions, then the premises may remain open. They are also empowered to order the isolation, quarantining and disinfecting in any specified manner of places, premises, ports, crafts, vehicles and animals. The Act also authorises the enforcement officers to enter into any land, building, craft, vehicle, place or thing without a warrant if they believe that someone on the premises is not complying with the Act. Marae are included in the definition. However, they are not empowered to enter into a private dwelling house without a warrant – only a police officer may enter a dwelling where they believe the occupants are failing to comply, without a warrant.

Where an offender is prosecuted for contravening the orders imposed upon them and they are found guilty of the offence they are liable for a term of imprisonment of 6 months, or a fine not more than $4000. For a less serious offence the liability is a fine if they are found to have committed an infringement offence.

The definition of who

may be appointed as

enforcement officers under the Act is quite vague having regard to the

This article has been prepared by Bessie Paterson, a partner at Ronald W Angland & Son, Lawyers, 2 Chapman Street, Leeston.

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June 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

eugenie Sage ❚ with ❚ Green Party spokesperson for Primary Industries

Working to overcome impacts of pandemic lockdown As part of the Covid response and recovery package, I’m proud that the Government is investing a record amount into nature-based jobs. An extra $1.1 billion over four years is going towards creating 11,000 jobs in the regions. This investment in nature will not only support thousands of people with jobs but also pay dividends by giving nature a helping hand. This new funding over four years includes: • $433 million for new jobs in regional environmental projects including wetland restoration and riparian planting • $315 million for biosecurity, including weed and pest control • $200 million for the Department of Conservation’s Jobs for Nature Fund • $154 million for enhancing biodiversity on public and private land; including working with organisations such as QEII National Trust The package includes several components important to Canterbury region. In the $315 million biosecurity package, $100 million is for wilding conifer control over the next four years. This involves a major partnership between MPI, DOC, regional councils, especially Environment Canterbury, landholders and wilding conifer control groups.

Many people have worked hard to highlight the $4.3billion threat which wildings represent to our economy, farmed and natural landscapes and to stream flows. It’s great to be part of a Government which is providing the scale of funding need-

ed to really make a difference. Land Information New Zealand wants to be a good neighbour and an extra $40 million over four years will boost its efforts to control pests and weeds such as broom and gorse on Crown land in river beds, and

aquatic weeds in lakes such as Wanaka and Wakatipu. I’m also pleased that $27.5m is going towards getting the ballooning wallaby population in Canterbury, Otago and elsewhere under control. Wallaby browse is a major threat to farms, forestry and conservation. The Covid-19 pandemic has hit businesses hard. Our Government is focused on getting New Zealand working again and ensuring people have livelihoods. The funding will enable councils, iwi, businesses, working alongside landholders and with government agencies such as DOC and MPI to employ thousands of people to better look after our natural landscapes, native bush, birds, waterways and coast. The $1.1 billion for nature based jobs in Budget 2020 shows the power of the Green Party being at the Government table. The package is a win now for New Zealanders wanting to get to work, and the health of the natural environment, in the immediate and longer term.

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FARMING NEWS

CANTERBURY FARMING

June 2020

Walking the talk when it comes to climate change Hot on the heels of the end of the COVID-19 Alert Level 3 lockdown came another good reason to celebrate.

Jenny Hughey ❚ by Chair, ❚ Environment Canterbury On Saturday May 16, we marked a year since Environment Canterbury became the first council in New Zealand to declare a climate emergency. The resolution was approved nine votes to two by the previous council. Its passing met with loud applause by those packed into the Tuam Street, Christchurch, council chamber and more than 100 gathered outside watching on closed-circuit television. The declaration formally put climate change at the hear t of ever ything the council does. But, as was pointed out at the time, Environment Canterbur y was already a leader in climate change work and it will continue to be one without the need to add lots of new programmes at the ratepayers’ expense. Notwithstanding that there is always more that can be done, I am particularly proud to chair a council which has shown such leadership over the past few years. While other alarming global events have understandably distracted all of us in recent months, the climate-change issue is one that will not go away just because attention is diverted elsewhere. During the past year, Environment Canterbury has often been asked: “What are you doing as a result of the declaration? How are you ‘walking the talk’?” Well, rest assured, we are doing plenty. From our programmes in freshwater man-

agement to biodiversity and biosecurity work, from transport and urban development to air quality and also regional leadership – all are carried out with a focus on climate change. To do this, we liaise extensively with our communities, iwi and regional partners, with colleagues at city, district and other regional councils, and with central government and its agencies. We have a climate-change integration programme which forms part of the Long-Term Plan 2018-28. Two highlights of the past year are the completion of the $40 million Waimakariri River flood protection scheme, which shields half a million people and $8 billion of community assets from any major flooding events,

and new bus contracts which will reduce public transport carbon-dioxide emissions by 14% within their first year and introduces 25 new electric buses and 39 new low-emission diesel Euro 6 buses on to the roads. As well as leading the region in these areas, we have been scrutinising our own organisation’s environmental footprint and working towards as sustainable an existence as possible by minimising our greenhouse gas emissions. I was thrilled recently when our Tuam Street headquarters received a “marketleading” energy-efficiency rating of 5 out of 6 in the year to February on the National Australian Built Environment Rating System New Zealand.

A lot of work has gone into achieving this milestone. The roof of the building is now home to 184 solar panels, tied to the grid, which can generate more than 55,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year. During the past decade each staff member effectively reduced their emissions by 26%. We are already using electric and hybrid vehicles for our work, and hope to have half our fleet converted to one or the other by 2022. We continue to offset emissions by investing in our own biodiversity projects and in forestry. Last year, our gross emissions were 2253 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent, but we managed to remove 7883 tonnes of CO2-equivalent through our efficiency efforts and from forestry planting across 2700 hectares. Changes afoot to the Resource Management Act mean the council may eventually also be able to mitigate against, not just adapt to, climate change across the region. We’re making good progress, as are others across Canterbury. While there are now other huge challenges facing us regionally and nationally, we cannot for a moment afford to take our eyes off the ball when it comes to climate change. The ramifications of doing so would be immense. As always, I look forward to hearing your ideas or any comments you may have. Please email me at Councillor. Hughey@ecan.govt.nz

June 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

RURAL HEALTH

❚ with John Arts

❚ with Rob Cope-Williams

Rural Support Trust to the rescue

While the media focus on the lack of water in the Auckland reservoirs, they totally overlook the dire straits the farming industry is in, again. Talking with those running the Rural Support Trust, it is very serious with farmers being hamstrung over the unloading of stock. Literally, there was no chance of moving starving stock off farms because of the Covid-19 lockdown with the result that valuable feed was being consumed by stock that should have been sold off weeks ago. Then, of course, there is the rising cost of supplementary feed that always comes with shortages. The present drought is being described as worse than the rolling three year one of a short time ago, so the pressure is seriously on. Thankfully, the North Canterbury Rural Support Trust has stepped in again and is doing all it can to get farmers through. It has set up a ‘Phone Tree’ where farmers are called by people who can assess their mental state of mind and if need swing support into place. The main message is that this will pass, and like other droughts that the industry has survived, there will be an end to the suffering even though you cannot imagine it at the moment. However, as I have said on many occasions, and I may add from my own experi-

ence, people who are in deep trouble don’t and won’t admit it and will totally hide it from others. That is the dangerous side of mental health problems. It is all very well telling people that they should contact someone and ask for help, it simply doesn’t work like that. It is not a thing about pride or being staunch, it is that a major symptom of being unwell is you go deep. I remember the 1980s when I covered stories for TVNZ about the drought and people literally walking off their farms with just the clothes they could load into their cars. Stock were being slaughtered because they could not be fed, and the banks were desperately trying to keep the lid on things. There was light at the end of the tunnel and we did have some good years after that, and we will again. Well done to the Rural Support Trust for what they are doing, and if they can save even one life, their work has not been in vain. In case you do want to talk to somebody about your situation or your concern about someone else their number is 0800 787 254.

Part 2

Can I improve my Joints? Last edition I mentioned a client who went from having very sore knees to know being able to move with much greater freedom. We looked at the first lesson we can learn from this. All healing comes from specific healing systems in our body. We also saw that these healing systems can be restricted or even dormant if our diets tip the scales in the wrong direction. The second lesson is very important. The ‘gap’ between healing and continued disease is often much less than you think. What surprised my client is how little he actually had to do to activate the healing capacity in his knees. The first step is to slow or stop unwanted inflammation. This does mean you need to think about foods but in most cases it is simply substituting one food for another. This can be swapping the inflammatory high Omega 6 cooking oils for Olive oil and adding fish oil supplements. The rest of his programme was not difficult. I started him on an initially high dose of my Joint formula. This meant that initially he was getting 1600mg of high grade (small molecular size) Chondroitin Sulphate with 1600 mg of Glucosamine Sulphate and 400mg of a 95% bioactive Curcumin (from turmeric) extract. Chondroitin is the most important as it directly improves the heath of cells that

repair and maintain cartilage. Curcumin targeted inflammation Glucosamine helped with joint function. This sounds complex but all this meant was after breakfast taking two of the Joint capsules and three Fish oil then repeating this in the evening. Yes, there is the discipline of having to take the supplements and of course fitting these into his budget. The results meant he has much less pain and more mobility. 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 all new newsletter at www.abundant.co.nz

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CANTERBURY FARMING

June 2020

Grant edmundson ❚ with Partner, Helmore Stewart, Rangiora ❚

Directors under pressure from Covid-19 The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic has forced companies to be agile in responding to the acute decline in business activity and commensurate revenue.

From every angle, this is unchartered territory for government, banks and employees. This level of uncertainty and the added responsibility and stress is no less relevant for directors of enterprises in North Canterbury tasked with navigating their business and employees through these difficult times. In adapting to the change in the business environment, directors are being forced to consider restructuring their businesses on both operational and financial terms. The focus is to protect the viability of the enterprise, retain value and position the company for a future uptick in business activity. Directors will need to identify underlying causes of operational underperformance and to develop and implement a strategy to turn these inefficiencies around. Operational restructuring however does not take place in a vacuum and there are a host of financial decisions to be considered in parallel to seeking operational efficiencies. The directors in implementing a restructuring process, need to have confidence in the financial information and data concerning the business’ trading activities and for robust forecast scenarios to be prepared. Once this is done, the immediate priority will be to stabilize the cash flow position as soon

as possible as there are distinct benefits in acting early. If the business is underperforming, directors ought to consider an operational restructure together with refinancing, sale or partial sale of dormant or underperforming assets, succession planning, etc. These plans naturally take time to implement. The directors will need to engage with key stakeholders including employees, financiers, banks and where applicable, government funding agencies. Initiatives will focus on revenue growth, cost reductions and to develop an achievable plan within a prescribed turnaround time. When implementing the above, directors may avail themselves of a number of relief instruments including wage subsidies, key supplier support, bank relief, landlord relief and in various instances, tax relief. Whilst having options available to directors in formulating a strategy is good, this can be a daunting process when directors are trying to make the right decisions under severe time constraints and where previous assumptions and data are no longer reliable or applicable. The question is, what happens to the risk profile of directors when the results of these decisions do not manifest in the positive outcomes that were hoped for?

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Generally, under the Companies Act 1993, directors retain a duty not to trade recklessly and a duty not to allow the company to incur obligations without holding a reasonable belief that such obligations will be met. The decision to keep trading and to undertake new or further obligations, will, by virtue of new government temporary “safe harbour” regulations, not result in a breach of those duties between 3 April to 30 September 2020 if the following criteria are met: The company was able to pay its debts as they fell due on 31 December 2019 The directors (in good faith) consider the company to be facing or likely to face significant liquidity problems in the next 6 months

as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic The directors (in good faith) consider that the company will be able to pay its debts as they fall due on or after 30 September 2021 (ie this is an interim trading position) To secure the benefit of these “safe harbour” provisions, the directors must be able to generate robust short-term and long-term financial forecasts, engage with creditors to secure creditor approval and to establish with certainty that the company was cash flow solvent on 31 December 2019. Directors should seek accounting advice and assistance from financial and legal experts to ensure compliance with these requirements.

June 2020 CANTERBURY FARMING

Resolving farm debt disputes New mediation scheme coming

On July 1 a new scheme (under The Farm Debt Mediation Act 2019) comes into existence to provide a process for resolving problems with farm debt.

Grant Adams ❚ by ❚ Parry Field Lawyers

It is a welcome change as an additional tool, which farmers will be able to use to reach solutions, when issues arise with their lender.

In particular: • Lenders (e.g. Banks) must offer mediation if a farmer is in default under a debt arrangement, before that lender can take any enforcement action in relation to debt secured over farm property • Farmers can also initiate mediation • The Ministry of Primary Industries will administer the scheme through the Office of Farm Debt Mediation. The Ministry can issue enforcement and prohibition certificates, as well as oversee approved mediators. This is a significant development in moderating relationships between the farming sector and the lending sector – which over recent times has been strained at certain points. This scheme is recognition by the government of the importance of the farming sector to the New Zealand economy. The new law also recognises the vulnerability of farming to factors beyond the control of farmers including climate, environmental regulations, market volatility and also disease or pest incursions. Farmers often face a significant power imbalance in their dealings with lenders which

can be a barrier to timely and constructive engagement between farmers and lenders when debt problems do arise. According to Federated Farmers, many farmers were dissatisfied with dispute resolution options available under the Banking Ombudsman Scheme. Also the recent miss-selling of interest rate swaps, which saw the Commence Commission reach a settlement with affected banks, indicated a need for mediation ahead of any action under a security.

Who does the scheme apply to? All businesses undertaking a primary production of unprocessed materials, including agriculture, horticultural and aquaculture qualify for the scheme. It also includes share milking. It does not include businesses that provide materials, labour or services to such industries.

What sort of debt does it apply to? Any debt incurred by a farmer as debtor (or guarantor) that is for the purpose of primary production and which is secured by a security interest in a farm property (e.g., a mortgage), is covered by the scheme.

How does the scheme work? • Step 1: Farmer, or lender, requests mediation. • Step 2: If they agree to mediate, then a mediator is appointed.

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• Step 3: A procedure agreement is entered into and mediation must take place within 60 working days. The farmer cannot be required to contribute more than $2000 towards the costs of mediation. • Step 4: Once agreement is reached a mediation agreement is prepared and there is a 10 day cooling off period during which the farmer may cancel the agreement provided certain grounds apply.

If the failure to reach agreement is because the farmer has not agreed to mediation then the farmer will not be able to initiate any further mediation process for 6 months. Presumably this then allows the lender to proceed with enforcement under its security if it so chooses.

Will the scheme work?

What if the process doesn’t work? If one party declines to mediate, then the other party can apply for a certificate blocking the reluctant party from taking further action for a period. A lender must agree to mediate unless there is a good reason to decline. If no agreement is reached and the farmer applies for a prohibition certificate the effect is that it suspends any enforcement action under the security by the lender for six months.

A similar scheme in Australia indicates that the scheme should be a significant help to the industry in New Zealand. In NSW the parties settled 72% of the time, according to research from Western Sydney University. Each country is a little different, but the structure and low cost of the scheme must surely give it a very good chance of success here. Disclaimer: This is only a broad summary of the scheme and those wanting more detailed information about the scheme need to speak to their farm or legal advisor. For more information contact Grant Adams, Partner, Parry Field Lawyers, www.parryfield.com

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CANTERBURY FARMING

June 2020

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June 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

New wilding pines projects support Canterbury’s recovery Wilding pine projects in Canterbury are to beneﬁt from $2 million in government funding for the National Wilding Conifer Control Programme.

❚ by Kent Caddick Three new projects have been announced, to both tackle the problem of wilding pines and employ people hardest hit by the economic fallout of COVID-19. The funding for the projects, managed by Environment Canterbury, was announced by Minister for Biosecurity Damien O’Connor and Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage. “More than a quarter of New Zealand is at risk from wilding pines, including some of our most iconic landscapes,” O’Connor said. “We’ve brought for ward control projects in Northland and Canterbur y, so we can provide work for people as their sectors recover. Accelerating these projects will remove major seed sources, preventing more infestations. “Wilding pines are a $4.6 billion threat to our farmland, waterways and ecosystems. The cost of wilding control increases 30 percent year on year. By going hard and going early we can reduce the total cost of controlling these infestations.” Funding for a total of 55 projects throughout New Zealand – including the wilding pine control projects in Kaitaia, Dargaville, Arthur’s Pass, Ohau and Tekapo – will come from the government’s $100 million regional support package.

Benefit: Canterbury will benefit from additional funding for the national Wilding Conifer Control Programme including job creation.

Environment Canterbury’s biosecurity regional leader Graham Sullivan describes the importance of both the wilding pines work and the government support. “Canterbury is badly affected by the spread of wilding pines throughout alpine catchments and foothills; currently, they represent our most serious pest threat,” Sullivan said. “We are very grateful to receive this extra funding which will allow us to both expand our control programme and provide assistance to a sector of the community that has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown.”

The three projects in Canterbury will provide jobs for around 50 people, with work for around three months in locations near where workers are available. Sullivan said most of those hired previously worked within the hard-hit tourism sector. “We have targeted people working in the tourism industry, such as mountain guides, helicopter pilots and crew, and the hospitality sector who have all lost their jobs. “These people are an important part of our rural community and we want to assist them to stay in the area.” In Canterbury work will focus on removing wilding pine infestations in the Craigieburn Forest Park and the Mackenzie Basin, protecting both farmland and conservation land in the area. Wilding pine issues in Arthur’s Pass can be traced back to trees planted in the Crai-

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gieburn Range for erosion control in the 1950s and 60s. Wildings have since spread and taken over large tracts of valuable conservation land and productive land. These are home to indigenous subalpine herb fields and various invertebrate species. There are two projects in the Mackenzie basin – Ohau and Tekapo. Trees were planted from the 1950s for erosion control, shelter and beatification. A particular threat in the area is from Pinus contorta, an Unwanted Organism under the Biosecurity Act 1993 and a declared pest in Canterbury’s Regional Pest Management Plan. Contorta has spread from initial plantings infesting the landscape in the Mackenzie basin and upper Waitaki valley, including unique environments and the open and tussock-clad slopes such as the Ben-Ohau Range.

CANTERBURY FARMING

June 2020

Agri-Women critical to change Since 2010, the Agri-Women’s Development Trust has helped more than 4000 women lead change in their farms, communities, careers and businesses, and that focus has only accelerated during the Covid-19 challenges for New Zealand and globally.

supplied by AWDT ❚ Article (Agri-Women’s Development Trust) ❚ AWDT chair, Linda Cooper, said the Trust’s work in empowering women to accelerate progress and change in the primary sector and rural communities has never been more critical than now as we face a new world post the emergence of Covid-19. “All of our unique development programmes have a face-to-face component and the lockdown called for a review of every course so we could continue to connect with, support and empower women through a challenging time,” Cooper said. “We knew there would be an increased need for our programmes within the sector and also from new people who will be attracted to enter agribusiness as a result of the enhanced recognition of its importance to New Zealand’s health and prosperity.” Cooper said all programmes either continued to run, were postponed until a later date or set up for online delivery. “The response of participants has been amazing, reaffirming the demand for what we do and the impact our programmes have for women on farm and in the value chain. All participants have been supportive and want to continue their development. “Based on Government advice and health guidelines we will look to revert to face-toface delivery when it is considered safe and when our participants feel safe to do this as the connection and networking elements of our programmes are vital. Many of our programmes have online content already and this will continue after Alert Levels are over. “Like most people-facing organisations our priority, over the past six weeks and as

we move into the future, is the personal safety of our staff, course facilitators and participants. “Throughout the lockdown, we’ve been in fortnightly contact with our partners, participants, facilitators and suppliers to ensure they are aware of our plans.” Cooper said they have a group of 25 facilitators situated all around New Zealand and it has been important to gauge how they, and

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the participants, felt about face to face contact as the country moved through the Alert levels. She said the Trust had developed and supported the growth of national and regional networks across the primary sector. “Quite often, our women live and work in relative isolation and a valued outcome of participation in our programmes has been friendships and networks which extend into

Support: Agri-Women’s Development Trust chair Linda Cooper says they have reviewed their programmes in light of the Covid-19 lockdown. normal daily life. “This supports high-impact, diverse networks of women across the primary sector and it’s fair to say those networks are probably stronger now than they’ve ever been.”

June 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

FENCING

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

❚ by William Milnes 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 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.

Temporary and semi-permanent 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 deterioration 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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FENCING

June 2020

For all your fencing needs Dwyer Bros. Fencing is fast becoming the go-to team when it comes to all rural, lifestyle, and residential fencing needs, for farmers and lifestyle block owners in Canterbury. supplied by ❚ Article ❚ Dwyer Bros. Fencing While they could be considered as one of the new players in the market the team at Dwyer Bros. Fencing is packed with experience. The company is headed by managing director Thomas Dwyer who started as a sole trader in 2017 and then incorporated the company in August of that year. His team includes Amberley resident Ash Wilson who, as well as being an experienced fencer, has a background in civil construction and dairy farming. He is joined by Ryan Wells and Jake Baikie, who both have backgrounds in fencing, with Jake’s father owning a fencing business in Twizel, and Ryan who already has

over five years of industry experience. “Our modern fleet and young but very motivated employees take our brand with them to every job, and we are making a name around Canterbury as decent guys doing decent work,” Thomas says. “I am proud to employ and train good local guys, and watching my staff develop their skill sets is very satisfying. We challenge each other, and the whole team is growing.” Thomas says they do all manner of rural, lifestyle, and residential fencing. “Sheep, cattle and horse yards, arenas, entrance ways, deer and sheep netting, post driving, subdivisions, electric fencing for under centre pivots, post and rail, and designer gates, we do it all. “All work is quoted, we also enjoy de-

signing to meet the clients requirements such a cattle yards, entrance ways, or subdividing paddocks for equestrian clients.” He says his background as a shepherd and his experience with stock handling helps to create intelligent designs to make handling stock more user friendly. “We have recently purchased a brand new, built to order Taege Contractor post driver. With a bigger monkey and bigger spike, it makes us even more efficient in hard North Canterbury ground.” Thomas says it is their service and communication which sets them apart from other fencers. “We turn up on time, complete the job to a very high standard, and keep the client informed with progress. “As all jobs are quoted, and quotes hon-

oured, there are no cost surprises at the end. As our business has grown, we have been able to expand our supplier base, which gives us a competitive edge on pricing due to greater buying power.” He says their commitment to quality and service has been recognised by their clients. “Without a strong customer base, no business can survive. You get a strong customer base by providing consistent quality and service.” While Dwyer Bros. Fencing is based in the Waimakiriri district they travel all over Canterbury. To find out more, or to get a quote, give Thomas a call on 027 393 0263, or check them out on Facebook at Dwyer Bros. Fencing.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

June 2020

Getting the best job done With a workplace that is as varied as the geography – and that means, in New Zealand, extremely varied – it’s always a case of the right machine for the right job when earthmoving.

❚ by William Milnes Consequently, a contractor needs various types of earthmoving equipment from time to time. And if you are simply a landowner wanting earthmoving done, it pays to have a little background information. Machinery can open a huge capital investment window, but the smart operator today has hiring in mind, because there are obviously different types of machinery for different tasks – moving materials including rock, concrete, asphalt, clay, loam – this list goes on. Projects need to be efficiently carried out in specific contract times and that of course involves earthmovers and other related heavy equipment. Experienced industry operators well know if you are a contractor then you’ll need to hire different types of earthmoving equipment from time to time. Forget great capital investment, which also includes protection and maintenance and insurance. That’s the role of the hirer. It does not make sense to buy the gear when your requirements might change from time to time. Besides, the company that owns the equipment will take care of their maintenance and upkeep. In addition, the company will have professional operators to handle the equipment, if you don’t simply dry hire and have you own operators.

So what do you need to look for in the hire marketplace? Deal with a company that has the equipment that you require and can offer you tandem

tippers, semi tippers, excavators, backhoes, bulldozers, graders, wheel loaders, dump trucks etc. It is no secret that requirements can change as a project develops, so going in well prepared can avoid the necessity of changes in plans leading to changes in contractors. A firm with a wide range of machinery is better than a lone operator who may mean days of delay with the required machinery tied up in jobs elsewhere. Preparation is a guardian of time and should ensure that you will always get the equipment you require in order to complete different stages of your project.

Is the equipment in good condition? If you hire well-maintained equipment then you can be sure that your work gets completed on time. You won’t have to worry about lost opportunities caused due to downtime.

Will the company help with the disposal of debris? Your construction and demolition activities will result in a great deal of debris which you are required to dispose of in a safe manner. Be sure to check if the company that hires out equipment for earthmoving will do this for you. This will save you a great deal of effort.

Big country: earthmoving equipment in action stripping topsoil for the Central Plains Water Ltd’s irrigation canal in Canterbury. maintained brakes, headlights and horns. And finally, cost effectiveness is a nobrainer so ensure the company you choose is affordable, with nothing hidden in the small print. You’ll obviously want to keep your costs down in order to maintain profitability. However, you should not compromise on quality just to get a good discount. Good hiring should result in good work being done on time and within budget.

‘

Always deal with a company that follows industry safety standards.

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Does the company pay sufﬁcient attention to safety? Always deal with a company that follows industry safety standards. The equipment you hire should come with completed maintenance log books. They should also have well-

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June 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

Replenishing the workforce The earthmoving and heavy machinery industry is a vital one, both in urban and rural New Zealand.

❚ by William Milnes From the ‘grass roots’ of farming, where roads, races, dams and more must be constructed with the aid of diggers and bulldozers, through to the multi-billion-dollar roading projects dictated by central government, there’s always a need for those wheels and tracks to keep rolling. That’s why it’s vital to ensure that a new generation of machinery operators come up through the ranks, filling the drivers’ seats in years to come. A ‘crunch’ in the industry is predicted as the demand for earthmoving operators increases – for example, $13 billion was slated for national roading alone in the last five years – but not only is the current skill base ageing, it’s also slow to be replenished by new graduates. Part of this comes down to the requirements to get into the industry now as opposed to in the past. The old method of advancement through opportunity, learning on the job and upskilling when new machines were commissioned has been replaced with a fixed tertiary-level

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training pathway in civil plant operation. Part of this is for reasons of health and safety, and part reflects the relative complexity and power of modern machines as opposed to their forebears.

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With most courses in civil plant and heavy machinery operation boasting an 85 percent rate of flow-through to good, well paid employment, there’s certainly an incentive there for young people not interested in purely academic tertiary training. A basic course in civil plant operation is also relatively inexpensive by comparison with other tertiary studies, and can last only 26 weeks on average – a fast track to real employment. This acknowledges the fact that there is still much to learn once the new operator first gets behind the controls on a ‘live’ worksite. Seasoned drivers will agree that a lifetime of skill and practice is what teaches finesse when operating a multi-ton excavator, for example. And, as new machinery becomes available or familiar designs are modified for ease of use, more versatility or more power, this is also a career which lends itself to constant up-skilling, with internal training programmes undertaken by many large earthmoving and construction companies to keep their team up to date with the most cutting-edge tech in the business.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

June 2020

What lies beneath?

Heavy earthmoving machinery, and of course just a simple trench digger, can have an impact which can spread unwanted ripples far outside their operative zone.

❚ Article supplied by WorkSafe NZ

Simply digging up old posts on a fence line recently cut the telephone services to a wide rural area, when the telecommunications cable was severed. So it behoves contractors, machinery operators and indeed landowners to make sure they know what’s in the ground they are working on. There are rules and regulations aplenty and a wise landowner will acquaint him or herself to the presence of cables, drains, water pipes, and the like. Before commencing any excavation work, including tunnelling or boring, it is the duty of the ‘person in charge’ to make the necessar y enquiries by contacting the various authorities, who could have an interest – usually best identified by the phone company and

then the local or regional council, to find out the exact location of any underground pipes or cables laid within the proposed work area. A record should be made of the enquiries and replies. The greatest source of damage to underground cables and pipes is the use of earthmoving plant such as excavators, backhoes, gradalls, bulldozers, and similar equipment. When it is known that any underground facility exists, pipes, drains, or cables, then it is again the person in charge who needs to make exactly sure of what’s underneath by trial excavations, particularly in the case of signals and communications cables. Then it’s probably a case of flagging these so that they are obvious to all involved on the site, explaining the

location and marking positions on the surface. The serious consequences of broken pipe and cables is underlined by the industry standard warning that it’s essential that there be a detailed investigation in every case, of earthmoving, trenching and excavation work, even though the project might be of a minor nature. The cost of repairing damage is frequently extremely high and in addition the loss of the facility can affect a very wide area, and in the case of cut communications, can in fact be life threatening. At the very least it leads to expensive delays and a serious loss of goodwill. And when hazards such as electrical cables, or gas or fuel pipelines have been identified as existing – all staff working on the site must be told.

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June 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

FORESTRY & LOGGING

New registration system for forestry advisers and log traders A new log registration scheme and practice standards will bring the country one step closer to achieving ‘value over volume’ in the forestry sector according to Forestry Minister Shane Jones.

❚ by Kent Caddick New legislation introduced as part of Budget 2020 will require forestry advisers, log traders and exporters to register and work to nationally agreed practice standards with the aim of strengthening the integrity of New Zealand’s forestry supply chain. Jones said the new legislation follows a smaller package of measures announced late last year as part of the Government’s ambition to see a thriving forestry sector that benefits New Zealand and New Zealanders first and foremost. “The COVID-19 crisis showed us how an overreliance on log exports to a small number of markets makes our forestry industry less resilient and more susceptible to global forces,” Jones said. “An enhanced domestic wood processing sector will play an important part of the recovery for our regional economies, helping create new export products, new jobs for Kiwis and a renewed sense of ownership of our forests. Jones said industry consultation identified that improved professional standards, market assurance measures and better information resources were critical areas to enable a more integrated system. “The quality of advice from forestry advisers and interactions with log traders is critical to the financial returns forest growers receive, and to the operation of the broader log market.

Register: new legislation introduced will require forestry advisers, log traders and exporters to register and work to nationally agreed practice standards.

“The new regulatory system will provide some critical foundations to help the industry navigate what is anticipated to be a more volatile and uncertain trading environment during the COVID-19 recovery period. “Having a more transparent market will better connect owners of land and owners of trees, and particularly for first-time entrants to the market to timber processors and marketers of forest resources to domestic and overseas customers.” He said New Zealand’s log supply market

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is in transition, with smaller owners playing an increasingly important role in the annual harvest. “Knowing that only registered professionals can provide forestry advice is expected to give growers greater confidence in the recommendations they receive on the management and valuation of their investment, and the financial returns achieved through the sales and purchase process.” Jones said forestry advisers will need to demonstrate they have the relevant skills, ex-

perience, and qualifications to advise growers, and undertake training and professional development in their specialist areas. Log trading entities will need to pass a fit and proper person test, operate in accordance with industry standards, and meet record keeping and reporting requirements. The Bill also allows for an arbitration and compliance system to support accountability. “This will help support a continuous, predictable and long-term supply of timber for domestic processing and export and result in greater confidence in business transactions, both in New Zealand and internationally,” Jones said. “These changes are critical for the country’s reputation as a reliable, high quality producer and exporter of wood products, and for the improved economic, employment and environmental outcomes for the industry and community regionally and nationally.”

FORESTRY & LOGGING

Allan Laurie MnZIF ❚ with ❚ Laurie Forestry Ltd

CANTERBURY FARMING

June 2020

Domestic demand surges despite proposed legislation

Export log prices have been some of the highest we have seen this month as a consequence of all pricing planets being in alignment. The selling price in China has been in a range CFR US$124 - $127 per cubic metre A grade shorts basis depending on cargo log grade and length mix and timing at settlement. CFR is the cost including freight in JAS cubic metres landed at port side, China. The current price levels do not rank amongst the highest we have seen. In the last five years I have seen spikes up to $160. Co-incidentally, the average over the last four years is US$127 exactly what it is at present. Throw in historically very low shipping rate as a consequence of supply, demand and bunker costs, together with a low exchange rate and hey presto – planet alignment. Domestic demand has also been on a significant surge with sawmills all very busy. Despite the gloomy economic factors the media would have us believe, we can only assume the fantastic sales levels are the consequence of re-stocking and real demand. Long may it continue. I consider it important here to state my experience of the last 30 years with regard to export versus domestic log supply. And that is: most log sellers and forest owners continue to regard domestic sawmills as first stop choice for log supply. We recognise the value of a diversity of customers and across countries.

‘

I believe we are in for some challenging trade factors until everything settles back in to the normal levels of abnormality.

The current tirade of Shane Jones policy which manifested in to one of the most concerning attempts at legislation I have seen this week is a first step attempt to bring in export supply control mechanisms. The Legislation or Bill I refer to is the Forests (Regulations of Log Traders and Forestry Advisers) Amendment Bill. It is poorly written and ill-conceived at best. It is of course the first step in introducing mechanisms for log trade controls with a fundamental driver to force supply to local sawmills and put in export disincentives. It is amazing that a Minister should single

out on industry for such treatment. For example, why not the wool sector where about 5% of the annual clip is processed and used locally? In forest sector sales about 40%-45% of the annual cut is sold domestically currently with volumes and percentages traded being a key function of log quality. For the most part, the poorer quality export logs are the logs domestic sawmills don’t want. There are exceptions in regions. For example, in South Canterbury there are no domestic sawmills, and in regions like Gisborne and Marlborough way too few mills to take the annual cut. Forest owners need choice and they need diversity of market. Fundamentally they must maintain the ability optimise value through a framework of international wood fibre pricing mechanisms. To date this has continued to make the plantation industry in New Zealand one of highest yielding of any land use. To deny that to continue is to provide protectionism policies and certainly not free trade. If Shane Jones wants to support a stronger domestic wood processing economy then do what is actually needed. And that is to adopt wood use incentives in house and industrial construction, disincentivise the importation of emissions-nasty steel for con-

struction and get out there in the international arena and grow the market. And back to the current situation, New Zealand production has ramped quickly which is fantastic to see our people back out in the forests and getting land ready for planting. The return to the mix of log, lumber and related products sales will quickly have us back earning the country the normal $400–450 milion per month in export revenue we assume the Government need – or then maybe not according to Mr Jones. In China, log inventory has dropped to about 4.2 million cubic metres, vessels have started to arrive again and off port sales have climbed back up to around 55,000 m3 per day. All of this says the supply chain will likely clog up again and CFR prices could come off in response. I believe we are in for some challenging trade factors until everything settles back in to the normal levels of abnormality. Do not let this current glitch deter you people, as always please remember the thoroughly important message, “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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June 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

CALVING

Zero bobby calves a beneﬁt of milking Holstein Friesians The versatility of Holstein Friesians is being credited with allowing a young South Canterbury couple to produce zero bobby calves.

❚ by Brad Markham Ryan and Billie Moffat milk 460 cows at Waimate. Production on the 145-hectare irrigated property was 262,000 kilograms of milksolids (kgMS) in 2018-19. The couple bought the farm off Ryan’s parents Mike and Chris Moffat last year, after buying their herd four years’ earlier. “Our business doesn’t produce any bobby calves,” Billie said. “We’ve always had a strong market for our surplus heifer and beef calves. That’s a huge benefit of farming Holstein Friesians. “There’s limited demand for bull calves out of Crossbred and Jersey cows.” Six years ago, the Moffats started using Samen’s overseas genetics over their herd. “We were quite a high BW (breeding worth) herd, with a big focus on BW. We used a lot of LIC genetics, then switched to using CRV Ambreed sires,” Ryan said. “But the genetic pool was getting too tight and we wanted to breed a higher-producing, medium-sized Holstein Friesian cow.” The Moffat’s are aiming for per cow production of 550kgMS. “We usually rear about 160 replacement heifer calves, selling 40 after weaning. They go to a local buyer or are sold to the export market,” said Billie. “There’s still a big demand for the heifers. People are starting to look for quality over high BW. We have been really impressed with

Dairying: Ryan and Billie Moffat milk 460 cows on an irrigated property at Waimate. our Samen calves. Last spring’s calves are probably the best we’ve had.” The couple is in their second season do-

ing all artificial insemination (AI). The main bulls they have been using are Seagull-Bay MVP-ET, ABS Joppolo PP-ET, Co-

Op Bosside Massey-ET and DE-SU 11236 Balisto-ET. “We use mainly Holstein Friesian sires. In the final four weeks of mating we mix it up a bit and use Angus, Speckled Park, Belgium Blue and Wagyu semen,” Ryan said. Rising two-year-old heifers, which are at a 185-hectare (effective) runoff owned by Ryan’s parents nearby, are run with Angus bulls. “Our beef calves have always been highly sought-after. Mum and Dad now buy our beef calves. They take them right through to finishing, where they’re worth around $2,000 per head based on current prices,” he said. “Here in the South Island we get between $100 to $150 for four-day-old calves, which is significantly more than what a bobby calf is worth.” The Moffats start calving on August 1 and milk through until the end of June. Tackling the herd’s empty (not in calf) rate, which usually sits between 16-20 per cent, is currently their number one focus. Ryan believes the herd’s high per-cow milk production is a contributing factor, with energy intakes failing to match outputs. “Within weeks of calving our cows are producing well over 2kgMS/day, and they’re peaking at an average of 2.7-2.8kgMS. That is at a time when we are trying to get them to cycle and get in calf,” he said. “I think historically they’ve probably been slightly energy deficient.”

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CANTERBURY FARMING

CALVING

June 2020

Breeding: The Moffats use Samen genetics on their herd.

Bypass fat ration ‘expensive’ but making a difference FROM PAGE 28 This season, bypass fat has been added to the herd’s in-shed feed ration to help plug the energy gap. “Bypass fat is high in energy content. It has an ME (metabolisable energy) of 33 per cent. It’s expensive, but so is having empty cows, so we hope it will make a difference to our final incalf rate,” Ryan said. “It’s already had a positive impact. The cows had a much higher BCS (body condition score) at mating this year.” The farm has a modern six-year-old 54-bale rotary milking shed with automated drafting. The cows’ in-shed feed mix consists of barley, wheat, distillers’ grain, tapioca and proteins like canola. Minerals such as magnesium and calcium are added to molasses. The farm does not have a feed pad. The next big infrastructure project on

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the horizon is expanding the irrigation system. “We have one centre pivot that covers 65-hectares. There are a further 13-14 hectares under k-line irrigation. The remainder of the farm is under flood irrigation which will be converted to pivots over the next four years,” Ryan said. “That side of the farm is an odd shape, so we might need several smaller pivots.” The herd will be wintered on just grass and silage for the first time this year. Fodder beet is grown at the runoff for young stock and beef cattle. The Moffat’s have 313 registered pedigree Holstein Friesians, including young stock, and are keen to grow the number. “We stopped registering our cows through the pedigree system when we were developing the farm,” he said.

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“It’s something we got back into this year. We’ve been using Holstein Friesian sires, so a lot of animals were eligible for registration.” The Moffats trade under the name Deltop Dairy Limited. They featured heavily in the 2018-19 production results for registered Holstein Friesian cows. They were the top producing protein herd in the Canterbury/Westland ward, with an average of 312kg/cow (3.6%). They ranked 9th highest in the country. The Moffats were second highest in their ward for fat, with an average of 337kg/cow (3.9%).

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June 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

DAIRY

Weather’s part in lameness It feels like winter has arrived, and it doesn’t happen very often at all that we get rained out of a trimming job, but it does happen every now and again.

Fred Hoekstra ❚ with VeeHof ❚ Although some rain would be very welcome at the moment, it got me thinking about our cows and how they can’t go and shelter from

the rough weather and this made me think again about the stress we put on our animals. I know that the cows can handle it, but they do suffer. You can see this very clearly when we have a longer period of cold weather. The cows start looking rough and it is difficult to keep them in good condition. This comes back to earlier articles I have written about how much we ask from our cows and the challenges farmers face with the public opposition to housing cows indoors. They have a strong opinion and we need to listen to them because they pay our wages. So, when the cows are outside in the rough weather, we need to minimise the stress they are under. We need to understand what the problems are, and I think there are several factors we need to keep in mind but the main ones I see are: • Cows need about 12 hours per day for resting

• Cows need more energy to keep themselves warm For a cow to have a good rest they need to be comfortable. That means that they need good shelter that’s dry and warm. This is particularly difficult to do when cows are fed winter crops. There is often no dry place for resting, only mud. Wouldn’t it be better if cows had easy excess to a paddock of grass to do their resting? If it is better for the cow it is better for you. Another issue with winter crops is that cows are eating more soil. They can handle about 1kg/day, but often in paddocks with turnips they eat more. Keeping themselves warm takes more energy. This is particularly important for the cows that are being milked through the winter. Straw is a good product for keeping cows warm. Obviously, they can lay in it, but I am thinking more about putting straw into their

diet. Straw takes hours to digest and therefore generates more warmth. These things are important for the wellbeing of the cows, and it also has a big effect on lameness. When cows are not being fed well and are under more stress, either through bad stockmanship or bad weather, the risk of lameness will increase. I guess it has a lot to do with cows feeling good and functioning well, their immune system works better, and the body stays on top of things. When they get run down and start losing condition then the cow suffers and that shows up in their health just the same as it does with people. Not many people realise it, but this is another cause of laminitis in New Zealand. Do not underestimate the negative effect of it as it may potentially be the biggest risk factor on your farm for lameness.

CANTERBURY FARMING

DAIRY

June 2020

Digestion comes before growth ❚ with Peter Burton

Many areas have received insufﬁcient rain for strong growth before the middle of May, which means there’s little time left before the winter slow growth period sets in.

The question often asked is whether compensatory growth is likely during winter. While soil temperatures are less than 10 degrees, and that is easily measured, pasture growth will be modest. There are likely to be brief periods during June and July when a little extra growth occurs. Warm wet conditions will provide some encouragement, however it’s not until early September that sustained growth will occur. People have talked of a green drought this autumn. Pastures have looked as though they ought to be growing and sufficient plants have recovered yet there’s not a lot happening. The reason is that full breakdown, or digestion, of the dung, old root matter, and litter on the soil surface has not occurred. That work is done by beneficial soil life, fungi, bacteria, earthworms and a myriad of others. There has been insufficient moisture and time for that to take place. Over winter that digestion process will continue, and when soil temperatures reach 10 degrees plus, accompanied by bright sunny days there will be a release of nitrogen from soil organic matter and strong spring growth will rapidly follow. The strongest growth will be evident on properties that have applied little or no fertiliser nitrogen. Although applied nitrogen may provide a burst of growth now it is at the expense of growth later. The growth lost is in early spring when the feed deficit is greatest which will have to be covered by more expensive bought in feed,

and the benefit already gained is largely if not totally negated. Nature always wins in the long term, and nitrogen for permanent grazed pastures is always best when provided via clover. There’s a school of thought gaining popularity at present that nutrient provided by fertiliser is unnecessary and with the right mix of pasture species and grazing management applied nutrient, particularly phosphorus and sulphur, will become obsolete. That flies in the face of the decades of work by dedicated scientists at research institutes throughout the country prior to fertiliser practises being dominated by information and products provided by superphosphate manufacturers. Taking the view that all of the work carried out by DSIR , much of it on different species and soil biology, is no longer relevant suggests either supreme arrogance, or more likely a lack of a basic understanding of soil, plant, or animal requirements. Nitrogen, an essential plant requirement, is provided by either bacteria in conjunction with clover, or fertiliser. It is nitrogen provided by urea that is the recent experiment, one that is rapidly drawing to a close as the consequences become increasingly apparent. The late Professor Tom Walker of Lincoln University was often quoted as stating that any farmer could grow grass, it took a special farmer to grow clover. Prior to urea largely replacing nitrogen fixed by clover, permanent grazed pastures regularly grew 18 tonne of dry matter per hectare annually.

Data from DairyNZ and others indicates Winter is the time to research and find out that 14 tonne in an excellent growing sea- more about products and practises that will son is now the norm, as much as a 22% increase total production, markedly reduce decrease, with a loss of both energy and pro- costs, as well as meet the soon to be mantein as a natural consequence. dated environmental standards. However, there is a resurgence of interest in both the soil fertility and pasture manage- For more information talk to Peter Burton, ment practises required to return to profita- 0800 843 809 ble low-cost permanent grazed pastures. Fortunately, there’s a group of highly skilled farmElectrical Problems or Maintenance? ers for whom these practises are second nature, ready to share their insight and expertise.

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June 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

Embracing food waste solutions Today there are 800 million undernourished people in the world, yet the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that one-third of the world’s food is either lost or wasted.

Mark Ross ❚ by Chief ❚ executive of Agcarm

The New Zealand Government’s recent decision to allocate $14.9 million to redirect unused food will go some way to address the issue, but there are broader challenges to address. Food loss begins in the planted field where, without pest management, up to half of all crops can be lost to pests, diseases, and post-harvest losses. Droughts and natural disasters can also be devastating. The New Zealand Treasury estimated that the 2007-08 and 2012-13 droughts jointly reduced GDP in New Zealand by around $4.8 billion. Globally, they were responsible for 83% of all global crop losses and damage in the decade up to 2016. Floods, storms, and other catastrophic events meant a loss of approximately US$96 billion (NZ$159 billion) worth of crops and livestock between 2005 and 2015. Reduced harvests, insufficient storage, or not being able to pack and transfer goods can cause the supply chain to break down. This can be exacerbated by restrictions in

transport and supply of workers, as experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. All of this can lead to food shortages and fluctuations in prices. According to the UN’s food loss index, an average of 14% of the world’s food is lost from post-harvest till it reaches the consumer, due to inadequate storage, transit, or human error. These losses vary by region. In central/southern Asia, the losses are around 21%. In Australia and New Zealand, they are just 6%. Crops and animals need protection from harmful pests and diseases to ensure an abundant food supply. If farmers couldn’t access innovations in plant science and animal medicines, global food losses would double each year. Food waste exacerbates the issue. Supermarkets often reject food because it is the wrong shape, size or colour – apples not being red enough, for example. As supermarkets occupy a large portion of the supply chain in many countries, this waste is considerable. New Zealand supermarkets waste approximately 60,500 tonnes of food a year – equating to 160 tonnes per store per annum. In the UK, where big retailers represent 85% of the market, a reported 25% of apples, 20% of onions and 13% of potatoes are wasted for cosmetic reasons. Restaurants can waste up to 12% of their total food spend. In a crisis, such as Covid-19 where restaurants, cafés, caterers, cor-

porate cafeterias and farmer’s markets are forced to close, farmers face a huge supply issue because there is nowhere for their highly perishable produce to go. The response to the pandemic has disrupted food supply chains and retailers, causing problems with access to food and risking further food waste. As outlined by the Ministry for Primary Industries, the food with the highest risk of being wasted includes 20% of all fresh fruit and vegetables that move through non-supermarket channels and 10% percent of weekly egg production. Kiwi households waste 86kgs of edible food each year. Often this is due to households buying too much and not having time to eat it all or throwing it out because it has reached the ‘best-before’ date, even though it is still fit for consumption. A survey by Love Food Hate Waste NZ shows that Kiwis waste 157,389 tonnes of edible food, equal to 271 jumbo jets. At a value of about $1.17 billion, it is enough to feed the population of Dunedin for nearly three years. Instead, that food goes somewhere to rot. To combat food waste, government plans, companies and consumers all have a part to play. As part of Budget 2020, the government has allocated $14.9 million to redirect unused food. This initiative provides funding to purchase primary produce and distribute it to those in need, scale up Fruit in Schools to

deliver an additional 100,000 fruit and vegetable boxes to children over 10 weeks, and develop and trial digital platforms to enable other novel solutions to connect food with consumers. Companies like KiwiHarvest help alleviate waste by linking food that would be wasted with community groups that support people in need. Some other well thought out solutions include food sharing apps to connect neighbours to local shops, so that surplus food isn’t thrown away. This approach has been adopted in more than 30 countries. Some companies, like Imperfect Foods in the United States – take surplus and ‘imperfect’ food items from farmers, growers, and food purveyors and deliver them to customers at a discount. This initiative has saved more than 52 million kilos of food from going to waste since it began in 2015. The actions of everybody in the production cycle, from farmers to consumers, will make the difference in global attempts to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12, which includes halving global food waste by 2030. Our success in achieving this goal relies on the actions of everybody in the production cycle, from farmers to consumers, and everyone in between. If New Zealand truly embraces the power of food loss technology and food waste solutions, we will find a wealth of ways to contribute to global food security.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

WATER & IRRIGATION

June 2020

Well-managed irrigation is integral

To think that we are heading into winter yet there are parts of the country that are experiencing water shortages seems bizarre and cruel.

elizabeth Soal ❚ by IrrigationNZ CEO ❚ The Hawkes Bay has been hit the hardest – where the ongoing implications of water shortages and drought are starting to hammer down on farmers, growers, and the urban communities. The region’s stalwarts are saying it is the driest they have ever seen it. We cannot simply make it rain and the reality is these extended periods of low rainfall are becoming more common. We can, however, capture some water when it is plentiful, save it, and then distribute effectively across multiple uses. Canterbury is currently experiencing dry conditions for this time of the year and warm soil temperatures. Of the six main centres in New Zealand for April 2020, Christchurch was the driest, (NIWA). Irrigators have been left on and driving around it seems weird that water fords are dry. Although many of the people reading this will be Cantabrians it is important to keep in touch with what is going around New Zealand. At some stage in our life’s drought and or extreme weather events have or will affect all of us and the thought of running out of water becomes a reality. Although weather patterns occur at different times and in different ways across the country, we still experience the same challenges with water regardless of our location. Therefore, water storage is a necessity for Aotearoa New Zealand. According to NIWA, for 2019 temperatures were well above historical averages, almost two degrees more in the Hawkes Bay. This continued into 2020 and in January, Gisborne reached the fifth hottest January temperature on record of 38.2 degrees. In April, rainfall was 50-79 percent lower than normal for most of the North Island. The ongoing lack of rain resulted in soils remaining considerably drier than normal in many parts of the North Island, especially about Hawke’s Bay.

The ongoing drought in the Hawkes Bay highlights the importance of access to water and not just for irrigation, but for maintaining the health of waterways, for stock water, and for community and urban supplies. The drought the region is facing is terrible and is going to have ramifications for years to come both in terms of what it is doing to farms but, also in terms of reduced aquifer recharge. That is going to affect streamflow and water availability not just for farmers but for communities and the environment for a couple of years to come. The major consequences of droughts affect the consistency and quality of food production, they affect mental wellbeing, they affect our communities and they limit our ability to control environmental and economic outcomes. This will be exacerbated under climate change. Doing nothing is no longer an option. To all of those who are experiencing ravages of drought, from the bottom of my heart, my thoughts go out to you. IrrigationNZ appreciates the hard work farmers and growers put into looking after their land and animals and when mother nature does not oblige it can take a huge mental, financial and emotional toll on day to day work. We credit you for your work and how difficult it is to remain resilient when it seems

‘

terway during drought in the first instance (Te Mana o te Wai); it supports improved freshwater quality and biodiversity; it supports economic outcomes by providing reliability to industry (energy generation or other waterreliant industries) and primary production; it provides for cultural use, and improves landuse flexibility for Maori agricultural land; and it can support community needs. The cost of building and maintaining multi-benefit water storage infrastructure should be shared among those who benefit, which may include the wider community. There are multiple ways to store water including reservoirs, aquifer storage, and dams. New Zealand needs an overarching water strategy and it could be appropriate that this strategy be guided by an independent water commission. A significant amount of food production in New Zealand (including fruit and vegetables) relies on access to reliable water and, if that is jeopardised it will affect food prices and consumers. To be truly resilient, we need to think not only about how our current infrastructure responds to major events (both floods and droughts), but we also need to think about how we can manage water better in the first place to minimise and prevent negative effects on lives, property, and the environment.

The cost of water storage infrastructure should be shared among those who benefit.

there is little to be done to make circumstances better. We are doing our very best to talk to Government level about how important it is for New Zealand to plan for and invest in water infrastructure. And now, as we rise out of the wreckage of Covid-19 we must urgently look for stimuli for our economy. Correctly captured, efficiently distributed and effectively used water is one of those. Access to reliable water increases employment opportunities, increases the proportion of ‘higher status’ occupations in communities, improves incomes, improves social outcomes (including access to social, education, and health services), allows for sustainable land-use flexibility, and improves environmental outcomes and resilience. Water storage must be multi-benefit – meaning it can protect the health of the wa-

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June 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

WATER & IRRIGATION

Funding for Canterbury water project A $950,000 Provincial Growth Fund investment will go towards completing feasibility and pilot work on a managed aquifer recharge to help protect and improve groundwater quality and supply in mid-Canterbury.

❚ by Kent Caddick Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones said the funding will go to the Hekeao Hinds Water Enhancement Trust. “Work on the Hekeao Hinds Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) Pilot has been pro-

gressing for a number of years,” Jones said. “Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) funding will enable the project to complete its feasibility investigations and finalise the business case.” The pilot aims to develop an acceptable, fundable and durable system by which to im-

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plement and govern comprehensive surface and groundwater management using managed aquifer recharge for the 140,000ha Hinds water catchment area. “The aim is to have a system that meets the needs of the local community,” Jones said. “The pilot is evaluating the use of MAR to enhance groundwater quality for ecosystem health and safe drinking water, improving flows to spring-fed streams and rivers and replenishing declining groundwater levels.” He said the use of MAR worldwide has

been proven to be an effective water management tool which enhances the economic, environmental and cultural benefits of the communities in which they exist. “Ashburton is one of the most productive agricultural regions in New Zealand, with a wide variety of land uses and a large number of people employed in the agriculture and forestry sectors. “A managed aquifer recharge will protect this existing economic activity and complement improvements on farms to significantly reduce nutrient losses to groundwater,” Jones said.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

WATER & IRRIGATION

June 2020

Looking back at the season To wrap up the 2019-20 irrigation season we’ve analysed the weather data from the Lincoln and Winchmore climate stations and then estimated how much water an efﬁcient irrigation system would have used.

Andrew Curtis ❚ by Water ❚ Strategies The 2019-20 irrigation season was characterised by a cold start with regular rainfall, a relatively warm and dry peak of season and a warm end to the season but again with regular rainfall. Using the data summarised, a daily timestep water budget was used to determine how much irrigation an efficient system would have applied. To calculate this, some simple irrigation rules were used: • An irrigation application depth of 10mm for soils with a Profile Available Water (PAW) of 60mm and 80mm, and 15mm for soil with an PAW of 100mm and 120mm. • An irrigation trigger point of 50% PAW for the shoulder seasons and 60% PAW at the peak of the season For Lincoln, due to the much lower rainfall, an efficient irrigator would have used between 390mm and 450mm depending upon PAW, and for Winchmore between 300mm and 390mm. For all scenarios there was no reason to irrigate in September or April. The take home from the above is, if you have applied greater than 450mm this irrigation season or have irrigated in September or April, it would be prudent to review your irrigation management and explore ways to improve. A basic review of your irrigation is simple to undertake; a water budget spreadsheet alongside your irrigation and rainfall records

Table 1: This table provides a summary of average daily and monthly water use for pasture (Potential evapotranspiration – PeT) alongside monthly rainfall.

Table 2: The ‘efficient irrigator’ results are shown in this table.

is all that is required to gain valuable insight. A few hours analysis work over winter could result in saving you thousands in operating costs for next season.

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June 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

WATER & IRRIGATION

Taking the guess work out of groundwater field data collection Bowden Environmental, based in Kaiapoi, has significant expertise in groundwater field data collection and analysis, with the team at Bowden environmental often being called on to provide aquifer testing, surface water gauging and water quality testing. supplied by ❚ Article ❚ Bowden Environmental This information is often required when farmers take water from a well. You need to test both the wells capacity and determine what affect this will have on other neighbouring wells. Certain aquifer testing can only be undertaken in the non-irrigation season so if you have recently installed a well and intend on applying to take and use water, then contact the team at Bowden Environmental to ensure you don’t miss your window of opportunity this winter. Another key project which can only occur during the wintertime is seepage testing of effluent ponds. These ponds need to be near full and be able to isolate all inputs and outputs. So, with the end of the milking season upon us, and this fine autumn period, now is an ideal time to discuss your seepage test requirements. We specialise in all aspects of resource management, so farmers don’t have to deal with the paperwork. With the skills and knowledge to organise environmental work we have the expertise and understanding to guide you through the process from start to finish; from organising consents, preparing Farm Environment plans to Au-

Christine Mawhinney and John Talbot of Bowden environmental setting up for an efﬂuent pond seepage test.

diting Farm Environment Plans (ECan accredited). Essentially, we try to take the stress away from the farmers workload so they can do what they love, farming. The team at Bowden Environmental find that assisting farmers with their environmental management and consent requirements to achieve a successful outcome is very satisfying. If you are a farmer or farm manager and land and water management is one of your top priorities, contact Bowden Environmental today to see how they can assist.

Canterbury owned and operated Bowden Environmental has been in the industry for over 20 years and specialises in all aspects of groundwater and surface water consents, effluent discharges and storage, gravel extraction, Farm Environment Plans, Nutrient Budgets, Audits of Farm Environment Plans, bore and aquifer Testing site investigation, feasibility and due diligence. They have a broad experience in regional council and environment court hearings, compliance and environmental monitoring programs and reporting.

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erin Harvie of Bowden environmental measuring ﬂow of water with portable ﬂow meter.

CANTERBURY FARMING

WATER & IRRIGATION

June 2020

Covid-19 locks down rainfall ❚ with Dr Tony Davoren

End of May and maybe just over three months or so before we potentially might be back irrigating. But where is the rain and how much do we need to get a safety net for that next season?

We’ve all done really well during the Covid-19 lockdown, Level 3 and now Level 2. Without exception during this time the weather has been a discussion point – “how good has the weather been during lockdown” and “imagine if it had been cold and wet”. Yep we sure have been fortunate with warm and dry conditions. Of course, that has meant irrigation in some places has been needed well in to the third week of May. While I do remember having clients irrigating in June, this is pretty unusual. My thoughts recently have drifted to the next irrigation season and how our water, especially groundwater, is placed. Since December we all know it has been dry and irrigation has been pretty much full on. Looking at Christchurch Airport rainfall, only March rainfall has exceeded the long-term (19432020) average. In the last six months there has been less than half the average rainfall; 145mm compared to 308mm long-term (assuming we don’t get another 50mm in the last week of May to match the long-term average). Given we are so far behind

average rainfall and irrigation has been hard out for the last 5-6 months I was surprised that groundwater levels haven’t reached uncomfortably low levels. Looking at observation bore BX23/0623 up on Aylesbury Road, we are really in reasonable shape – out of the red and heading back in an upward trend. For this time of the year (May 20 reading) water level is 2.5m below the maximum for the month of May. Given how dry it has been (and still is) it would be nice to catch up on that difference in water levels. While 2.5m might not sound

that much, the amount of rainfall recharge needed in the next couple of months to replenish the millions of cubic metres of water required to close that 2.5m gap is not something to “sneeze at”. Just how much rain is needed then? Also, at the airport there are some very deep (1.9m) soil moisture access tubes. When the soil moisture was measured on May 12 the difference to Field Capacity was 132mm. On these Rangitata soil types (shallow stony sandy loam) at least 132mm is required before any groundwater will occur. On any unir-

rigated deeper soils, the deficit will be even greater, so the “at least 132mm” won’t come close to producing any recharge. Fortunately, where there is irrigation the soil moisture deficit will not be anywhere near as great. Here’s hoping we move to Level 1 soon and that brings a change in the weather pattern (sounds bit like a Trumpism that Covid-19 has affected the weather!!). Regardless we need to see some recharge to get water level in the BX23/0623 bore above the 50mbgl, which means some large rainfall events before the end of July.

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June 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

LIVESTOCK

Farming’s time to shine

The last few months have been extraordinary on so many levels. A virus we hadn’t even heard of at this time last year has wreacked havoc in nearly every country in the world and while we have been fortunate so far in that Covid-19 hasn’t become widespread in our community, its impact continues to be far-reaching.

Phil Smith ❚ by ❚ Director Beef + Lamb New Zealand

The silver lining in this cloud is the way that it has turned the spotlight on food producers and highlighted the importance of the primary sector in generating revenue for our economy. As farmers we were fortunate to be able to carry on with business almost as usual and we must be grateful for support industries such as vets, transport operators and process workers who were also were willing to work during level four lockdown. For many farmers, the dry conditions were of more of a concern than Covid-19, particularly as reduced processing capacity meant they were carrying extra mouth. We are now even more grateful for meat processors and sale yards. It is a great testament to the agility of our industry that we were able to maintain stock flows and divert product into overseas markets as they opened and closed. When China shutdown, our processors were quickly able to send product into Europe and the US and as these markets shut down, product was diverted back to a reemerging China. This agility, along with a low NZ dollar, has helped cushion some of the effects of the complete closure of many of our traditional market channels such as the food service sector. Market commentators suggest we will

see an easing in prices for our red meat, although it won’t be a ‘fall off the cliff’ as other sectors of our economy are experiencing. Credit for this must go to our processors, marketers and our farmers for having developed a strong yet agile red meat value chain. Economically some positives have come out of Covid-19, these include lower fuel prices, lower interest rates and a lower NZ dollar helping export returns. It appears the government is keen to keep the dollar down and

even see it go lower to help the economy. While the government is looking to agriculture to play a major part in rebuilding the economy, it does need to be careful some of the rules and regulations they are proposing don’t kill the golden goose. Feed supplies are tight as we head into winter so we are going to have to be pro-active with our feed planning to get through the next 20 weeks. To help support farmers, B+LNZ has

launched three feed planning and management resources. These include a feed budgeting and advice service, farmer case studies and a supplementary feed table which helps farmers see the range of supplementary feeds available, their energy value and relative costs. Information about all of these can be found on the B+LnZ website. I strongly encourage farmers to make use of all of these tools and resources.

Smartrace proves to be a great option Giving ewes a slow-release dose of important trace elements makes sense to Jeremy Pitts. So, he switched to dosing ewes with a Smartrace capsule of selenium, cobalt and iodine. “I’ll definitely do it again this season.” “We’ve had the best ewe survival rate over winter and lambing for several years.” The extensive nature of Jeremy and Hayley Pitt’s 5500-hectare high country property, Mt Gladstone Station, means limited trips through the yards for ewes. “I really like that we can give the ewes what they need with two capsule doses – prior to tupping and then at shearing in late pregnancy,” said Jeremy. The property runs mediummicron Merino ewes, hoggets and wethers. Smartrace really fits the animal health plan for the ewes, and has potential for wether flocks who require long term supplementation. The capsule is two pills of trace elements, held together with a biodegradable paper. The paper dissolves and the pills rub together. As they scratch together the elements are released. “I like the fact that there is no plastic going into the sheep.” The Awatere property in Marlborough has a proven issue with low selenium soils. Cattle showed up with selenium

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Jeremy Pitts on his high country property. Photo: Hayley Pitts

“We’ve had the best ewe survival rate over winter and lambing for several years.” deficiency 15 years ago and resolving it made a huge difference to fertility. Ewes have always had selenium, iodine and cobalt supplementation, but Jeremy was

keen to try a product that gave a longer-acting dose. “Selenised drenches are more short-term and we don’t drench often enough.” “I decided against the injection as it’s another needle for ewes, when they are already getting two or three vaccinations.” Jeremy read about Smartrace in the Vet Marlborough newsletter and grabbed a sample pack of capsules from the vets when in town. The capsules were given to ewes in

the race using an adapted capsule gun, and Jeremy estimates only 12 or so capsules were immediately coughed up out of 3200 ewes. Any ewes seen doing this in the race were given another. Smartrace has released a new applicator that will make the dose process even faster. Research by Agrimin (the manufacturer) shows the capsules deliver all three ingredients for up to at least four months, but potentially beyond. Jeremy noticed that a ram killed for dog

tucker still had the capsule inside after four months. “It was still breaking down.” “It was really interesting to see.” Like many treatments, proving the benefits of a supplement is hard to do, Jeremy said. “But I feel that they are going better.” “The lambing percentage in the ewes was the same but the ewe survival rate was much improved.” “We only lost three ewes from ram joining in June to September.” “Our wool clip was also up but that could also be the season too.” Iodine regulates ewe body temperature and helps foetal development. Jeremy said iodine is really important pre-lamb so this is probably the key time to give a capsule, if farmers just wanted to give one. His ewes typically graze high country oversown-top dressed pastures, which are of moderate quality for much of the year. Giving long-acting selenium means the Pitts have to make sure they give only unselenised drench to the ewes. “It takes a bit of planning to make sure staff know not to drench ewes with selenised drench, but we write it all on a whiteboard in the shed.” Jeremy’s advice to other farmers is to give Smartrace a go, as it’s a great option.

CANTERBURY FARMING

LIVESTOCK

June 2020

Retail and on-line sales targeted Marketers of New Zealand farm-raised venison are making a concerted push to build venison sales through on-line outlets and gourmet retailers.

❚ by Trevor Walton This gourmet product, normally sold mainly through food service distributors to chefs, has been particularly hard-hit by the sound of restaurant doors slamming shut around the globe. Deer Industry NZ (DINZ) chief executive Innes Moffat said Covid-related restaurant shut-downs created a crisis for their food service suppliers and the farmers that supply them. He said demand from chefs for NZ farmraised venison, one of the industry’s greatest assets, overnight became a vulnerability. “Fortunately our venison export marketers and/or their overseas partners already had small retail and on-line marketing programmes. They are now putting a lot of energy into generating more sales through these channels, while looking out for the green shoots of recovery in food service.” This is a shift in priorities from developing new markets offering year-round demand at premium prices for a wider range of venison cuts, a strategy where the industry was having considerable success. Moffat said venison was still selling through food service in those markets where

restaurants have remained open, or which are now reopening. “But volumes are much reduced and few forward sales have been made for the northern hemisphere winter game season.” Another new priority for DINZ has been restoring access for venison to China. Some venison has been successfully shipped China since the pandemic began, but there is widespread uncertainty among Chinese regulators about the legal status of venison. This follows a clamp-down earlier this year on sales of meat from wild animals – the pre-

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sumed source of the Covid-19 virus. “MPI and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade are working closely with us, and we expect we will have formal confirmation later this month that NZ farmed venison is an approved meat,” Moffat said. “We can then work with regional officials to dispel any uncertainty. In preparation for this we are now preparing new material in Mandarin to highlight to the trade and consumers the safety of NZ farm-raised venison.” Moffat said venison marketers, along with DINZ, are also keeping a close watch on food

service for signs of a recovery in demand. “Promoting venison to food service will be most effective when restaurant sales have resumed and stocks of venison that were in the market when Covid-19 struck are moving through distribution channels.” On the positive side, he said venison was in a pretty good place when the pandemic hit. “Thanks to previous market development work by venison companies, we now have two major markets – Germany and the United States – which each take about 25% of our production. “In the second row we have solid demand for our venison in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Belgium and China which each take about 10%. This gives our marketers some flexibility when rebuilding sales. “Each of these markets will respond differently when Covid restrictions are lifted, but all have customers who are convinced of the quality of our product and will readily buy it again when circumstances allow. “Eventually, Covid-19 will be a memor y and restaurants and cafés will be back to a new normal. When that happens I am confident that venison will resume its place as meat sold for premium prices,” Moffat said.

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June 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

Rob Cochrane ❚ by Procurement Manager, ❚ Wool ❚ PGG Wrightson Wool

LIVESTOCK

Wool pipe-line slows signiﬁcantly

Working from home for a period of approximately eight weeks allows awareness of how life can be changed by something completely beyond our control.

More returns for your wool. Carrfields Primary Wool (CP Wool) is a 50/50 joint venture between Carrfields and Primary Wool Co-operative (PWC), a 100% wool grower owned co-operative. • CP Wool has stores in key locations across NZ • CP Wool offers significant benefits and advantages to New Zealand wool producers Talk to your local CP Wool representative about maximising the returns on your wool clip.

Contact your Canterbury representative Mark Greenlaw 027 227 8898 Roger Fuller 027 683 6993 Grant Andrew 027 481 6219

Gavin Crump 027 431 6555 Milton Hulme 027 229 9794 www.cpwool.co.nz

Most Christchurch domiciled Cantabrians can reflect on how their lives changed in an instant at 12.51pm on February 11, 2011, as can also those living near Waiau and Kaikoura at two minutes after midnight on November 14, 2016. While all of us who were near to either of those events at the time, could relate somewhat to a sudden upheaval tipping our world upside down (no pun intended), none of us in ‘godzone’ could imagine how Covid-19, a disease festering in a faraway place, would create extreme havoc across the entire planet resulting in, not only significant loss of human life, but also the crippling of businesses due to immediate cashflow withdrawal. From a global wool perspective, the spread of disease quickly impacted Asia and Europe forcing partial closure of mills due to illness, but also to protect the healthy. As global demand ceased for unessential goods, such as many apparel items, carpets and furnishing textiles, more complete closure followed.

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Obviously, a lack of demand for finished woollen goods forced the wool pipeline to slow significantly and export shipping preference was for food stuffs and perishables. With hotels and shipI hear that home knitting is ping cruise liners accounting for major consumption growth making a come-back around of woollen carpets and interior textiles in the past, and the globe, however, I’m not New Zealand a huge contributor to those manufacturing convinced that could be our industries, it should come as no surprise that the entire saviour. wool pipeline from farm to export would find itself between a rock and a hard place. Wool auction sales ceased in New Zealand after March 19 and at time of writing were about to resume after agreement be- types suffering from extremely limittween wool brokers and exporters that ed buyer interest. Exporters representa limited and orderly flow of wool to ing Chinese processors were the major buyers of most types sold on the day. market should recommence. The wool industry generally has sufThe original wool auction sales roster drawn up for the 2020-21 season fered a long period of weak pricing and, had allowed for more than 80,000 apart from some finer wool types which bales to be offered after March 19 and had experienced a few years of improvebefore May 28, with a further 45,000 ment until recently, did not need a panbales offered by June 30, therefore a demic to create further distress. However, if the years of hard work by resumption of auctions was going to be a challenge with agreed maximum offer- Kiwi exporters and marketers around ings of 7000 bales for each of the first the world, expelling the virtues and benefits of New Zealand wool, are eventualtwo auctions, Napier and Christchurch. North Island wool brokers resumed ly realised, plus various individuals and auctions on May 21 in Napier where wool groups continue to lobby governaround 60% of the 7000 bales cata- ment and local councils within New Zealogued were cleared to the export trade land to specify wool products are used from the auctioneer’s rostrum. Prices in educational institutions, government for good to average crossbred types, buildings and housing, we might begin including full length fleece and varia- to see some light at the end of, what is ble length second-shear, were quoted currently, a rather dark, gloomy tunnel. I hear that home knitting is making between approximately 15% and 25% a come-back around the globe, howevcheaper compared to March 19. Lamb’s wool and all oddment pric- er, I’m not convinced that could be our es were very subdued, with poor col- saviour. That’s my view. our and vegetable matter contaminated

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CANTERBURY FARMING June 2020

June 2020 CANTERBURY FARMING

Yaris Cross a small but true SUV

Toyota’s new Yaris Cross draws on the company’s development of advanced hybrid technology, small car design and SUV engineering.

❚ by Kent Caddick Toyota introduced the first use of a hybrid system in a B-segment car with the original Yaris Hybrid in 2012, which was first introduced in New Zealand with the Prius the same year. The experience it has gained ensures that Yaris Cross’s fourth generation hybrid synergy drive powertrain delivers performance and efficiency. The Yaris Cross is also a genuine SUV, benefiting from Toyota’s experience in originating the concept of the recreational SUV 25 years ago with the RAV4. Adding Yaris Cross to the line-up will give Toyota a comprehensive SUV range that spans from the Yaris Cross, to the C-HR, RAV4, Highlander, Fortuner, Land Cruiser Prado and Land Cruiser 200 series.

Mini me: The Yaris Cross design evokes the classic qualities of SUVs. With a higher body and larger wheels, the Yaris Cross is the first model to use Toyota’s latest 1.5 hybrid system. The Yaris and Yaris Cross are the first models to use Toyota’s latest 1.5 hybrid system,

developed directly from the 2.0 and 2.5-litre engines used by recent new models such as the Corolla, C-HR, RAV4 and Camry. This features a new 1.5-litre, three-cylinder Atkinson-cycle petrol engine, precisionengineered to reduce friction and mechanical losses and optimise combustion speed. The result is high torque at low engine speeds and excellent fuel efficiency. The engine’s thermal efficiency is rated at 40%, which is greater than comparable diesel engines and ensures good fuel economy and low CO2 emissions. In terms of emissions efficiency, the front-wheel drive model starts from below 90 g/km CO2. Special attention has been given to power delivery, making the system very responsive to drive.

With the Yaris Cross, Toyota has produced an authentic SUV on a smaller scale, giving customers the higher driving position, practicality and interior spaciousness, they desire in a car with compact dimensions. The design evokes the classic qualities of SUVs, with a higher body and larger wheels/ tyres communicating strength and purpose. Yaris Cross has the same 2,560 mm wheelbase as the new Yaris hatchback, but is 240 mm longer overall, with 60 mm added to the front overhang and 180 mm to the rear, securing more interior space. The ground clearance is 60 mm higher and the vehicle is taller and wider overall – by 90mm and 20mm respectively. Toyota New Zealand expects to introduce this model towards the end of 2020.

CANTERBURY FARMING

What does success look like?

The intensity of public discourse swamping all the media at present has left me stood agape. Sitting back shaking the old swede and looking out the window there can only be ‘OK, let’s get back to basics’. And the beauty of the basics is there are only ever three.

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now there may be some debate on this point but I reckon success looks like being able to rest easy enough.

❚ by Solis norton

The first one is ‘how are we going? Well it does indeed look like New Zealand has avoided a major human health disaster, hopefully there are no second or third waves of virus to test our mettle. Now we must contend with the cost and everyone has their own perspective of this. Farmers, teachers, shop owners, social workers, all view the impact in their own way. Does this make the impacts just as diverse? Well maybe to some extent but ultimately the impact is a human one. The second of the basics is “what do we need to get through the next bit?” For all of us who have been heavily impacted the answer is an old chestnut. The answer is talk. Not just to anyone. You’ll get arrested and the girls at the New World check-out counter will just look the other way and pack your strawberries under your box of beers. Talk to your friends and family, your work team and your dog about anything that grabs your fancy or theirs. And listen. Take a beer around to a friends and just have a yarn. Go for a coffee, the world won’t end if

you sit down for half an hour. This doesn’t mean text them and it doesn’t mean putting some vacuous inspirational blanket bullshit in flashing lights or doing a stack of bad pushups on Facebook. Actually talk to them. I have seriously needed to do some of this lately and seriously it is actually working well. The third of the basics is “what does success look like?” Now there may be some debate on this point but I reckon success looks like being able to rest easy enough. I don’t mean in some utopian blissful state, but I do mean starting and ending the day without those steel bands of worry cutting in too deep. So you can actually enjoy doing the things you should enjoy without being consumed by issues elsewhere. Ask yourself, can I do that? I couldn’t. I’d go hunting and worry the whole time about other stuff, but lately I’ve talked a lot more to my friends and it is actually working. It’s a load off I can tell you. Didn’t cost me a cent. I’m on the road to success and it feels alright.

June 2020

❚ with Rob Cope-Williams

Learning from the Budget Well the dust has settled again as other news overtakes the budget and the who got what and how much has faded into the blurry distance, but perhaps there are lessons to be learnt from it all. The first lesson is to be noticed. Remember that this is an election year and Governments are going to be handing out money to attract votes. It is assumed that voters have short memories and therefore will have forgotten any pain delivered during the previous couple of years. Education, health and social welfare are easy targets, but so should a balance of consistent rulings be. Restaurants verses bars opening, and social distancing regulations. I wonder how those who were prosecuted for breaking the two metre rules on our beaches feel when a large group of people attended a funeral with no action from the Police who were in attendance. I will not even begin to wonder how those who were unable to go to a funeral for a loved one or a close friend must be feeling. Actually, on that point, well done New Zealanders for getting behind a petition to open funerals up from 10 to the 50 limit. The excuse that people hug and kiss at funerals doesn’t hold water with me especially as rugby is allowed again, perhaps those in power haven’t noticed that rugby involves scrums and rucks and such. Anyway, the budget also promised support for New Zealanders to work on our farms.

Frankly, that is as practical as having an ashtray on a motorbike. Ask any farmer about their experiences with local workers and you will understand why there are so many non-New Zealanders on out farms. And while talking about money being wasted spending $1.2 billion on the rail system is, to me, like totally restoring a shearing shed on a dairy farm. I did like the buy NZ made and shop locally idea. It will be automatic if we continue to insult China, who after all is our major market. Yes, Taiwan is part of China and no they did not want any sort of investigation about the virus and where it may have been developed. Of course, the old chestnut about more low-cost houses being built so low-income earners can have their own home was brought up in the budget, but that is always expected. I think it is fair to say that farming again was totally overlooked and that was normal as Government target the Auckland voters, so where is the farming voice? Obviously, the general media aren’t interested unless its bad news, and therefore the general public are totally in the dark. I’m not suggesting SMP type support again, but a level playing field would be nice and even just a little recognition would go a long way.

June 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

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