Canterbury Farming, December 2020

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

December 2020 Edition

INSIDE

THIS EDITION Clock ticking

p8 Bank closures

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Revenue generation: It’s being estimated that sales from the rescheduled Agfest West coast will eventually rise to over $18 million.

Agfest West Coast exceeds expectations

Organisers of this year’s Agfest West Coast were delighted with the response to the rescheduled event held in Greymouth in mid-November.

❚ by Kent caddick The organisers were forced to cancel the original event scheduled for March due to Covid-19 pandemic lockdown restrictions.

However, when Christchurch’s annual New Zealand Show was also canned for the same reasons Agfest organisers saw an opportunity to reschedule their event as lockdown restrictions were eased for the November weekend freed up by the Show cancellation.

It was a decision which paid off in spades as over 20,000 people made the trip to Greymouth for the two days of Agfest West Coast, which is held every two years.

One of the event organisers Tracey Anderson said that was up to 10,000 more people than had attended previous Agfest events.

She estimated the weekend had pumped more than $5 million into the West Coast economy.

“We even had people from as far away as

Auckland who said they were coming down for the event but were also taking some additional time to spend travelling around the Coast.”

Anderson said one of the most pleasing aspects of the event was the amount of business that was done over the weekend.

“We had a motor vehicle dealership which sold eight vehicles over the weekend and they had been at the last two Canterbury Shows and sold nothing.

TO PAGE 2

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December 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

Happy campers: Organisers of Agfest West coast 2020 (from left) Andy Thompson, Anna-marie Thompson, Tracey Anderson and Adam berry, were blown away by the response to this year’s rescheduled event.

Numbering up: Over 20,000 people attended this year’s Agfest West coast, an increase of around 65% on previous years.

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FROM PAGE 1 “A building business signed up four contracts to build new homes and we believe around $18 million in sales will eventually be racked up due to business at Agfest, and that’s a conservative estimate.”

She said they had around a 30% increase in the number of exhibitors at this year’s event which she attributed to Canterbury Show cancellation.

“When it came to laying out the site we needed an additional day to do so due to the increase in the number of ex-

hibitors. We were really surprised at the scale of how big it had become.”

One of the other event organisers, Anna-Marie Thompson, said there was a lot going on at this year’s event and people were attracted to it not just because of the exhibitors.

“It is becoming a complete show with enter tainment and things to do for the whole family, it was a chance for ever yone to socialise,” Thompson said.

“It was a privilege to be able to stage an event of this nature given the lock-

downs and restrictions going on all around the world.”

She said a new Ladies Night the night before the event opened was well received with those attending hearing from some key rural women speakers including Anika Moa and Katie Milne.

“The Topp Twins were also excellent with their show being absolutely packed out, while the AgChef competition and the Beef & Lamb Fibre and Food Challenge attracting over 300 entries from children.”

FARMING NEWS

CANTERBURY FARMING December 2020

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Farmers support signing of RCEP Farmers and farmers’ organisations around the country are backing the Government’s decision to sign the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement.

❚ by Kent Caddick The RCEP comprises 15 countries including New Zealand, Australia, ASEAN (the Association of South East Asian Nations), China, Japan and South Korea. Together, these countries account for nearly a third of the world’s population and 30% of global trade.

Federated Farmers say the prospect of reduced red tape from a single set of trade rules for the Asia Pacific is a major reason why New Zealand producers and exporters will give the RCEP deal the thumbs up.

“Anything that takes us further along the path of ironing out border costs and delays, and reducing protectionist tariffs, for our exports has to be a good thing for farmers, and for New Zealand,” Federated Farmers President Andrew Hoggard said.

“A degree of scepticism has been voiced about how quickly our GDP would be boosted by the estimated $2 billion a year from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement signed at the weekend, given we already have free trade agreements in one form or another with all of the 14 other signatory nations. But new opportunities should eventually flow” Hoggard said.

“This is now the largest free trade agreement in the world, covering nations with nearly one third of the world’s population. It includes clear mechanisms to us to address any non-tariff barriers put up against our exported goods by the other signatories.”

Hoggard said RCEP delivers additional tariff elimination on a number of New Zealand food products into Indonesia, including sheepmeat, beef, fish and fish products, liquid milk, grated or powdered cheese, honey, avocados, tomatoes and persimmons.

Done deal: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern applauds after the Minister for Agriculture and Trade Damien O’Connor signs off on the RCEP deal at a ‘virtual’ signing ceremony.

Horticulture New Zealand says the partnership will ensure that this country’s horticulture exports continue to grow as the world comes to terms with Covid.

“Without clear trading arrangements, improved market access and reduced tariffs, it is extremely difficult to export from the bottom of the world to larger economies like Asia and Australia,” Horticulture New Zealand chief executive, Mike Chapman, said.

“Of immediate benefit to horticulture is the expectation that customs authorities will release perishable goods within six hours of arrival. This will help ensure that our produce arrives on consumers’ tables in the best possible condition,” Chapman said.

“Agreements like the RCEP mean greater volumes of produce can be exported, with the higher returns going directly back into regional New Zealand and local communities.”

B+LNZ chief executive Sam McIvor said the agreement will help to deepen cooperation and strengthen trade in the region.

“This dynamic region accounts for onethird of the world’s economy and will clearly be at the centre of global economic rebuilding as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandem-

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ic’” McIvor said.

“It should help the New Zealand red meat sector build on the strong connections we already enjoy with countries in the Asia-Pacific.

“We are disappointed that India has not been able to come aboard the deal for now – we see a lot of untapped potential in our trade relationship. We hope that over time they will come to see the mutual benefits that RCEP offers and will decide to join the agreement.”

Sirma Karapeeva, chief executive of the Meat Industry Association, which represents

New Zealand’s largest manufacturing sector, said the RCEP countries were important export destinations for the New Zealand red meat industry.

“The agreement helps to streamline trade rules around the region. Covid-19 has shown just how important it is to keep supply chains functioning and trade flowing smoothly,” Karapeeva said.

“The red meat sector is supportive of the Government’s efforts to liberalise trade and this agreement sends a powerful signal about the region’s commitment to that goal.”

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December 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

❚ by Damien O’connor

for Agriculture, Biosecurity, ❚ Minister Food Safety and Rural Communities ❚ We made it to the end of the year and what a year it’s been.

We should be really proud of where we are as a country. While other countries are still in lockdown with growing cases of Covid-19, we are enjoying the start of the summer barbeque season. As a nation, we joined together as a team of five million to fight against the pandemic.

In many ways, our biosecurity system paved the way for our response to Covid. Biosecurity is arguably the most important system we have in New Zealand. Our country is unique, and we need to protect it. Our food and fibre sector, tourism industry, unique environment, and even our way of life is underpinned by a strong biosecurity system.

Our Government is committed to doing all we can to keep out pests and diseases.

And the Ministry of Primary Industries does a great job working with the sector, customs, local authorities, communities and consumers. But Government can’t do this alone.

Across the country there are organisations, iwi, councils, local communities, science groups and volunteers doing their bit. Last month I had the pleasure of attending and

FARMING NEWS

Biosecurity system paves way for Covid response Awarded: minister of Agriculture Damien O’connor with biosecurity Award recipient Linda Peacock, of Kiwifruit Vine.

presenting some of this year’s Biosecurity Awards.

As Canterbury farmers, you know full well the damage a biosecurity incursion can cause. You have been at the front line of the fight against M. Bovis. You have stepped up to the challenge and adapted to help fight this disease.

In recent years we’ve also fought collectively against the Queensland fruit fly and the brown marmorated stink bug. Though on-

ly the size of a 10 cent coin, an outbreak of the brown marmorated stink bug could knock $3.6 billion from our economy over 20 years.

Much like our response to Covid, we need our team of five million to all play their part in biosecurity, whether it’s trapping rats in your backyard or washing and disinfecting your shoes after visiting kauri forests. And with Covid causing more of us to shop online, opening overseas parcels carefully and reporting anything suspicious.

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For me, the best part of this year’s Biosecurity Awards was seeing the huge number of people from all works of life that are out there looking after our unique ecosystems.

Among the winners were the Kiwifruit industr y who have bounced back to record har vest levels ten years after PSA, and a special award to Linda Peacock for her work with the science and kiwifruit grower communities. Te Ara Miraka were awarded for the amazing work they’ve done to raise biosecurity awareness and achieve culture change on-farm.

But perhaps my favourite award was the new kura/school award. That prize went to St Paul’s Collegiate School for the biosecurity future proofing strategies they created for secondary schools.

The other two finalists were Kerikeri Kindergarten and Lynmore Primary School. The fact we now have children as young as four learning about biosecurity is truly inspiring.

The year has gone so quickly, I’d like to end with a heartfelt message to you all to take time out this summer, where possible, spend time with your friends and families, and most importantly stay safe.

FARMING NEWS

CANTERBURY FARMING December 2020

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Recent M.bovis infection discoveries not a new outbreak The Ministry for Primary Industries says the recent discovery of further cases of Mycoplasma bovis in Canterbury were picked up through ongoing surveillance operations, and are not a new outbreak of the bovine disease.

❚ by Kent Caddick MPI said as at November 19, there were seven Active Confirmed properties (confirmed infected), all of which were located in the Canterbury region.

MPI M. bovis Programme Director, Stuart Anderson, said of the seven, six are recently confirmed properties were picked up through its Bulk Tank Milk screening programme.

“In Mid Canterbury/Ashburton, three dairies were confirmed infected after on-farm investigation of our August Bulk Tank Milk ‘detect’ results.

“A further two infected properties have been found in the area to date. The properties are all linked by animal movements.

“One property, in the Selwyn district, was confirmed infected following a detect result from the September Bulk Tank Milk screening.

“Movements of cattle from and to these properties are being worked through. A number of properties connected by cattle movements, are moving through our routine testing process under movement restrictions, to ensure their cattle are not infected.”

Anderson said the six newly confirmed properties demonstrate the Programme’s National Surveillance working as it should, detecting possible cases and showing us where to look to eliminate the infection.

“We are working closely with all affected farmers, their staff and whanau to ensure things run as smoothly as possible, and that they are well-supported.”

Control: Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor promoting the NAIT scheme, which MPI credits as helping them to pick up more cases of the bovine disease in Canterbury.

He said it was important to note this was not an outbreak.

“The M. bovis Programme is actively looking for those final pockets of infected properties and fully expected to find more over spring, it’s a time we have more samples to test, animals are under stress from calving and we have 2018 heifers entering the milking platform for the first time.

“Nor is it widespread, no additional farms in Mid Canterbury other than those three dairies originally detected in August, were

detected in September or October Bulk Tank Milk screening, giving us confidence, this is an isolated cluster connected by animal movements.”

Anderson said the recent discoveries show why good NAIT records are so important for farmers.

“They help trace movements of infected animals faster and stop the spread of the disease to other herds and other farms.

“Incomplete NAIT records make tracing infected cattle a difficult job and our nation-

al sur veillance tools like the bulk tank milk screening programme and beef sector surveillance have been developed to, not only help find any remaining infection faster, but to give us all confidence long-term that New Zealand is free from the disease.”

He said the programme is funded by a combination of farmer levies and the taxpayer money.

“The $350m spend to-date has got us to this point, but there is more work to do over the next few years, as we finish tracking down infection and then testing to ensure freedom from disease. Given the investment to date, it’s important everyone does their bit and is vigilant with their NAIT and on-farm biosecurity.”

In total 257 properties have been confirmed with M. bovis, of which 250 properties have been cleared of infection.

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December 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

Facing up to the challenges of 2020 As we approach the end of 2020, I’d like to take this opportunity to pass on my best wishes for the festive season.

David bennett ❚ by Party spokesperson ❚ National ❚ for Agriculture

It has been a year of turmoil and sacrifice as New Zealand, and the rest of the world, have grappled with the ongoing effects of Covid-19. We are very fortunate to live in a country which, at the bottom of the world, is some distance from the worst of the outbreak.

The world will continue to change as countries prioritise maintaining their strategic industries and looking at secure food supplies for their populations.

New Zealand is uniquely placed on the world stage – we have the capacity to supply high-quality products that consumers have confidence in.

Our primary sector will meet this demand and, once again, will be the leading light of New Zealand’s economy. But we need a government that works with farmers and growers to achieve the sustainability goals that farmers want, consumers require and our population demands.

This can be achieved through sensible and well-designed rules. It won’t be achieved through blanket, arbitrary and bureaucratic rules that don’t take into account regional differences.

The challenge for the new Government is to work with, not against, farmers in achieving these goals.

Then we will all benefit and attain our long term aspirations.

Once again, all the best for the festive season.

Hopefully we will have a kind summer and production levels will remain high, setting us up for a successful year ahead.

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FARMING NEWS

CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2020

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Red meat exports maintain momentum but future cloudy New Zealand’s red meat sector continued to demonstrate its agility in the third quarter with exports to the United States growing by 50% over the three months from July to September compared to a year earlier.

❚ by Kent caddick Total exports to the US reached $400 million for the quarter, closely followed by a 42% rise to the UK ($71m) and Germany, a 25% increase to $70m.

The growth in the third quarter offset a 25 per cent decline to China ($530m) although the value of sheepmeat and beef exports to China remains at an historically high level. Overall, exports in the third quarter were $1.69 billion, unchanged from the same period in 2019.

For the year ending September 2020, exports were up 8% to $9.39 billion compared to the previous year. The value of exports to nearly all of the top 10 markets (except the Netherlands) increased.

In the September month, overall red meat exports were worth $501 million, down 6% from September 2019.

Both China and Japan were down, but there were increases to United States, Germany and UK. Sheepmeat exports to the US, Germany and the UK rose, as did beef exports to the US and Canada.

Sirma Karapeeva, chief executive of the Meat Industry Association, said the trade data was positive, especially given the volatility as a result of Covid-19.

“There has been some shift from chilled to frozen product for sheepmeat as the industry pivoted away from the challenging food service sector into retail and e-commerce,” Karapeeva said.

“There was also some re-balancing to other markets from the record levels that were going to China last year. This demonstrates the industry’s ability to adjust product specifications and destinations to meet the de-

mand from our global markets.

“There are indications that demand in China will continue to increase and we anticipate strong buying patterns as China prepares for its Chinese New Year celebrations next year.”

Karapeeva said the red meat processing and exporting sector has been a real success story during the Covid-19 crisis and continues to generate crucial export revenue for the country when other sectors are facing significant headwinds.

“However, we cannot be complacent. We

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are yet to see the full economic and social impact of Covid-19. With the UK, Europe and parts of the US going into a second lockdown, we can expect further disruptions in our global markets.

“We are also concerned about potential

disruptions to shipping lines from Europe, the impact of the last drought in New Zealand and the prospect of extreme dry conditions in the coming months. This means the uncertainty and volatility will continue for some time.”

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December 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

Animal welfare clock ticking on shearer border decision Federated Farmers and the Shearing Contractors Association are looking for an urgent decision from the government to allow experienced sheep shearers into the country.

❚ by Kent caddick Federated Farmers Meat and Wool Chair and Wairarapa farmer William Beetham said animal welfare is becoming an issue.

“Shearing largely plays an animal welfare role for the common strong wool breeds,” Beetham said.

“A capable shearing workforce is needed to avoid issues such as fly strike and animals suffering in the summer heat. It is important to all New Zealanders the government considers animal welfare, as well as human welfare, in its border control decision-making.

Farmers need this shearing capacity to ensure the welfare of their animals.”

Beetham said without experienced international shearers New Zealand does not have the workforce here to cover the peak summer shearing period.

“Shearing delays will not mean farmers just have to wait their turn, it means that animals may suffer, an outcome no one in New Zealand wants to see.

“The required international staff have all been identified and are ready to go, they just need the green light from government. Even if they are approved for entry, there are now issues with capacity in quarantine.”

The New Zealand Shearing Contractors Association had initially applied for 200 shearers to fill gaps in the local workforce, but that has been scaled back to 60.

“Even this reduced number will shear up to 100,000 sheep a week, but still is a long way short of the work required.”

Sheer numbers: A lack of overseas shearers may impact of the welfare of the country’s sheep according to Federated Farmers.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

December 2020

9

Protection of Canterbury’s braided rivers top priority We live in a stunning, unique part of New Zealand, with Cantabrians the guardians of land from the snowy ramparts of the Southern Alps to the shimmering blue Pacific Ocean.

To serve and protect: Protection of canterbury’s braided rivers, like the Hurunui river, is one of ecan’s top priorities. Photo supplied by ecan

Jenny Hughey ❚ by Chair, ❚ Environment Canterbury Canterbury has many diverse landscapes, hewn by the elements over eons and more recent centuries, modified by us. Of all these, perhaps the most distinctive are the mighty braided rivers snaking their way across their wide gravel beds out of the mountains and down to the sea.

The greatest of these braided rivers are the Waimakariri, the Rakaia and the Waitaki, along with the Waiau Toha/Clarence, the Waiau Uwha, Hurunui and Rangitata. These rivers make about 85% of all the river flows in Canterbury.

Environment Canterbury puts the health and ongoing protection of our braided rivers as one of our top priorities. As part of the revival of these icons of our environment, our Council has been talking about how we can best protect and restore the margins of these rivers.

River margins are critical for providing a buffer for aquatic ecosystems from the effects of land use on adjoining properties.

They also ensure a home for indigenous flora and fauna in what are some highly modified landscapes.

Seen from the air, our braided rivers slice Canterbury up into distinct sub-regions. We have more of these rivers than anywhere else in the country and in fact are one of the

few places in the world with them, along with Alaska and Canada and parts of the Himalayas.

I find it simply awe-inspiring to stop and think that the land most of us Cantabrians are living on was actually formed by the gravels moved and deposited by these rivers over thousands of years.

The movement of those eroded chunks of mountain, and the continual shifting and abrasion of sediment to form islands, new channels, river mouths and beaches are testament to the mauri (life force) of our braided river systems.

Kaitiakitanga (guardianship) of these rivers underpins any approach to better manage them.

Tangata whenua have a particular interest in the beds of lakes and rivers and their margins. Braided-river mouths, particularly, are highly significant for Ng�i Tahu.

Braided rivers offer outstanding habitats for rare fish, plants and birds, including 25 species of native birds, most of which are classified as threatened, including the tarapirohe/black-fronted tern and the ngutuparore/wrybill.

They are also important for recreation and tourism.

Their beauty alone is a drawcard for visitors, and they provide for a range of activities, such as swimming, fishing and boating.

It’s still early days, but the Regional Council is busy on several fronts enhancing braided-river margins, using existing funding and ‘shovel ready’ project money from the Government as part of the COVID-19 response.

We are already working with the rural community on introducing less intense land-use practices on land next to rivers, and also with the Department of Conservation and Land Information New Zealand, which also admin-

ister similar land along rivers, to ensure a consistent approach within the braided margins.

We know that these rivers are so valuable to our communities – r�nanga, farmers, recreational users, tourists and locals alike and it would be naïve to think the health of these waterways is something that will be easily resolved, to please everyone all of the time.

Bear with us while we undertake the ground work, and make sure you get involved when it comes to consultation time on our Long-Term Plan early next year.

We believe during 2021 we can make good progress on this. In the meantime, thank you for all your feedback this year, and have a happy and safe Christmas and New Year.

As always, I look forward to hearing your ideas or any comments you may have. Please email me at councillor.

Hughey@ecan.govt.nz

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December 2020 CANTERBURY FARMING

RURAL PROFESSIONALS

Review of the law of succession

About a year ago the Government announced that it was to have a review of the law of succession which applies when someone dies without leaving a will or whose will does not adequately provide for the surviving members of the deceased’s family or dependants.

bessie Paterson LLb ❚ with Ronald ❚ W Angland & Son At the present time the rules of succession are scattered through 4 or 5 statutes including, but not limited to, the Administration Act, Family Protection Act, the Law Reform (Testamentary) Promises Act, and the Property (Relationships) Act. The Government warned that it would take some time to complete the review and since then we have had a disrupted year.

The Administration Act provides for the distribution of estates where a deceased person has not left a will. The widow of the deceased is entitled to the personal chattels, a legacy of $155,000 and 1/3 of any residue left.

The children of the deceased are entitled to the remaining 2/3 share of the residue.

The Act also provides for the distribution of intestate estates to entitled relatives in circumstances where there is no will. This is clearly out of date and needs reviewing as soon as possible.

The Family Protection Act entitles family members who may have been omitted from, or inadequately provided for, in a will to apply to the Court for a share of the residue of the estate.

This usually occurs when a parent, for their own reasons, does not wish to leave the family member/s a share of the estate.

The Court is empowered to make an order that the applicant/s are to have a share in the residue of the estate.

The Law Reform (Testamentary Promises) Act provides that if a deceased has promised

‘

to compensate someone, the aggrieved person may apply to the court for a suitable compensatory payment.

to compensate someone for assisting them during their life-time by leaving them a suitable reward in their will and dies without fulfilling that promise, the aggrieved person may apply to the Court for a suitable compensatory payment.

The Property (Relationships) Act also provides two options for the surviving partner/spouse of a relationship if the deceased either did not leave a will or failed to provide adequately for them in their will.

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They can either elect to accept what was left to them in the will or their entitlement under an intestacy OR they may apply to the Family Court for a half share of the relationship property. Obviously a surviving partner/ spouse would pursue the option which would provide them with a better financial settlement.

The above is a brief outline of the law of succession in NZ and a review of all of the rules is timely having regard to the social changes which have taken place in NZ society in the past few decades.

The government has also indicated that the review will not include the rules for succession to Maori land under the Te Ture Whenua Act but it may make general comments in that regard.

This article has been prepared by bessie Paterson, a partner at ronald W Angland & Son, 2 chapman Street, Leeston The partners and staff at Ronald W Angland & Son, John, Bessie, Katrina and Ella wish all readers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for 2021.

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11

Grant edmundson ❚ with ❚ Partner Helmore Stewart, Rangiora

The Wage Protection Act 1983 and Covid-19 Covid-19 has had a massive impact on people’s lives. Whilst businesses scrambled to understand the impact to their businesses, it was assumed that the Covid-19 lockdown would allow a level of flexibility for employers in dealing with employee related issues, particularly in regards to the payment of wages.

This understanding has proved to be flawed.

This was evident in the matter of Raggett and others v Eastern Bays Hospice Trust t/a Dove Hospice (Dove) [2020 NZERA 2663103852] in the Employment Relations Authority.

The dispute concerned decisions made by Dove in response to the Covid-19 lockdown which involved reduction to workers’ wages or salaries and dismissal for redundancy.

On 23 March 2020, Covid-19 level 4 restrictions were implemented. Dove applied for and received the Government Wage Subsidy (GWS). In applying for the GWS, Dove confirmed that it would retain the employees named in the application in employment on at least 80% of their regular income for the period of the subsidy.

On 24 March 2020, Dove closed its retail stores consequent to the level 4 Covid-19 lockdown. The employees did not perform work for Dove from that date.

Dove sent a memorandum to all staff which advised that from 30 March 2020, staff would be paid 80% of salary and wages until 22 April 2020 (the anticipated end of Covid-19 level 4 lockdown). Of importance, the memorandum did not state that the 20% reduction in pay was agreed with staff.

On 8 May 2020, the workers lodged with the Authority challenging the justifiability of the dismissals and the short pay.

The workers stated that they did not agree to be paid anything short of their normal wages and salaries. The workers alleged that Dove had unlawfully made deductions from their normal wages in breach of the obligations under the Wages Protection Act 1983 (WP Act).

Dove counter-argued that there was no breach of the WP Act because due to the

Covid-19 restrictions, the workers were not ready, willing and able to work and therefore there can be no question of any breach of the WP Act or the relevant employment agreements.

The main question arising from this determination was in accepting the government Covid-19 wage subsidy, is Dove released from the obligation to pay wages or salary under the parties employment agreements and / or Wage Protection Act 1983?

The workers were all employed on individual employment agreements.

Section 2 of the WP Act defines wages as salary or wages agreed to be paid to a worker for performance of service or work. Section 4 provides where wages become payable, the entire amount must be paid to the worker without deduction. Section 5 states that deductions may be made from wages payable to a worker for a lawful purpose with written consent.

Dove counter-argued that section 2 of the WP Act says that wages means “salary or wages (to be paid to a worker) for the performance of services of work”.

Dove says it was released from these obligations under the WP Act to pay the normal wage or salary when it became payable because the workers had not performed service or work under their employment agreements.

This argument failed.

The application of the WP Act operates within the context of an employment agreement. The employment agreements did not provide for the suspension of wages or salary for non-performance in the circumstances faced by Dove in late March 2020.

The workers were at all material times ready and willing to work. But for the intervening event of the Covid-19 restrictions

and/or Dove’s decision to not require them to attend work during the notice period, the workers were able to fulfil their obligations under the employment agreements.

Dove was found to ultimately have breached obligations owed to the workers under the relevant employment agreements and the WP Act. It appears from this judgement that in a world of upheaval, the decisions by employers in dealing with wages of workers needs to be carefully considered as the WP Act still retains primacy in protecting wages payable to employees.

‘

In a world of upheaval, the decisions by employers in dealing with wages of workers needs to be carefully considered.

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12

December 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

RURAL PROFESSIONALS

Farm Income Equalisation Scheme (FIES)

Well, we are another month on in the agri-business accounting year, and if you are still waiting for a draft set of Financial Statements, you could be in a long queue.

Alister Stevenson ❚ by Alexander and Associates Ltd ❚ As was the case last month, we are full on this time of year and with the added pressure of the holiday season coming up fast, we are having to shorten the sleep hours.

Last month, we made a start at trying to demystify your annual farming Financial Statements and work through some of the accounting terminology that is specific to agri-business accounting.

I want to continue with this theme this month and broadly explain a couple of terms that you may have heard about when discussing your Financial Statements with your accountant.

The Farm Income Equalisation Scheme (FIES) This scheme allows farmers to even out fluctuations in their income from one year to the next. You may very well have had a very high profit in the 2020 year, resulting in an increase in your tax payments and at the time of doing your 2020 year Financial Statements, you already know that the 2021 year is not going to be as good.

By making a deposit into the Farm Income Equalisation Scheme against the 2020 financial year, you can pay taxes due in the coming year to a level that will ultimately cover your likely 2021 taxable income.

This type of deposit will impact on the amount of Terminal Taxes due (catch up tax) for the current year and will also reduce the level of provisional tax required for the coming year. So, it’s a useful taxation deferral method, and one that can work well in farming due to the up and down nature of farmer’s income.

A deposit into the Farm Income Equalisation Scheme must be made before filling your annual tax return and, as with any type of transaction now days with Inland Revenue, it must be made by electronic transfer.

The deposit is paid into a special account which earns interest at 3% (yes, 3% is correct) on amounts left on deposit for more than 12 months.

The deposit can be held with Inland Revenue for up to five years. After this period, the deposit plus accrued interest will automatically be refunded to you.

It will become accessible income in the tax year of the withdrawal, so the actual tax saving on when the deposit was made does

not go away, but it is simply deferred to another year over a five-year period.

However, the withdrawal may be in a year where farming is going through a low cycle and a possible tax saving may occur, with the added advantage of a pretty decent cashflow injection.

You can make a withdrawal from the Farm Income Equalisation Scheme at any time after the deposit has been in the Scheme for one year, however, if you were to make a withdrawal from the Scheme inside the fiveyear period, you are not permitted to make a re-deposit against that year. In other words, you can’t make a deposit and withdrawal in the same year, whereas with an automatic

full five-year withdrawal, you can.

What I love about this Scheme is its flexibility around how and when you can make a deposit or withdrawal and the advantages this can have in smoothing out farmer’s good and bad years. If your accountant has used this Scheme to any degree in the past, I am sure they will agree with this comment.

Also, do not underestimate the fact that this deposit or approximately two thirds of the deposit is still your money and is a useful off-farm investment and available to assist when the cashflow is under pressure.

Next month I am going to be covering the tax implications and taxation advantages around deferred fertiliser adjustments.

Same great team, now with national support Johnson Gluyas Tractors are now part of the Norwood network.

Norwood has the largest dealer footprint of any tractor retailer in New Zealand, with 25 locations all across the country. And, we’re proud to announce that South Canterbury and North Otago customers now have access to the full resources of that network, with new dealers in Ashburton, Timaru, and Oamaru. This means we’re expanding on the advice, support, and product solutions available in your region.

It’s all part of our commitement to providing customers with the best range of machinery, expertise and precision farming technology, so we can help grow the country.

Visit norwood.co.nz/locations to find your local dealership. norwood.co.nz 0800 66 79 663

CANTERBURY FARMING

RURAL PROFESSIONALS

December 2020

13

Election result calms investors October capped off a good quarter for the New Zealand equity market, with the earnings reporting season signalling better than expected results for many companies.

The government’s relative success in navigating the Covid-19 pandemic was rewarded in October’s election.

The shift by centre-right voters towards Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Party resulted in the first one-party majority government in New Zealand since the first MMP election in 1996.

This clear-cut win and its political ratification of a more centralist policy platform would likely have comforted most investors.

Inflation data for September quarter was lower than expected at +1.4%, boosting expectations the RBNZ will likely ease financial conditions even further. Investors’ search for income provided further support for defensive dividend yield stocks including listed property, which had a very strong quarter.

A strong housing market flow benefits the economy In addition to stock markets, another beneficiary of ultra-low interest rates is the housing sector.

Around the world house sales, prices, and construction demand have all recovered strongly. The importance of housing to the broader economy should not be underestimated.

Increased housing activity is reflected in areas such as retail, manufacturing, and transport.

Stronger house prices and the positive wealth effect for home-owners boosts consumer sentiment and retail sales. It supports stronger construction activity, and demand for durable goods such as house furnishings. This has all contributed to the better-than-expected resilience of economies this year.

Learning to live with Covid-19 To date, activity in the global economy has exhibited a V-shaped recovery in areas such as housing sales, construction, retail sales, and manufacturing.

Many companies in New Zealand and offshore are experiencing better-than-expected outcomes, which is translating through to better employment demand.

The recovery may face a setback over the next few months as the latest wave of the pandemic sweeps back through the Northern Hemisphere. However many businesses and economies have adapted to live with the virus.

The ‘working from home’ theme is becoming a (at least semi) permanent theme in many economies, with many people moving out of the cities and into the suburbs. While many countries are seeing new virus cases hitting new highs, hospitalisations and deaths are at a fraction of levels seen earlier in the year.

The risk of most economies being completely shut down again is low.

There also continues to be a number of vaccine prospects in late-stage human trials – the potential for a treatment being available at some stage in 2021 remains reasonable.

Investors should be confident that, in general, the trough in earnings is behind us, and a recovery is underway.

Uncertainty still ahead, but stick to the plan The commentary above all sounds pretty positive. And clearly equity markets have responded favourably. But these remain unprecedented times.

We’re still navigating the first global pandemic in over a century. Interest rates are the lowest in history, which may lead to economic imbalances longer-term.

Governments are spending money with abandon, funded largely by central banks printing money, but this can’t last forever.

Given the recovery in equity market values since March, we note that: (1) markets are able to remain resilient in the face of bad news, (2) share prices reflect the long-term earnings companies will generate over the years and decades ahead, not just the next six to 12 months, and (3) it’s not possible to consistently time or predict short-term movements in markets.

Overall, it’s important to establish and remain committed to an investment plan which meets your long-term goals.

This report covers the three months ending October 31.

If you’re new to investing please see Forsyth barr’s Introduction to Investing guide available at www.forsythbarr.co.nz/introto-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.

Looking at off-farm investments?

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

CHC6189-01 - December 2019

Andrew Wyllie ❚ with ❚ Forsyth Barr

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December 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

More bank branches closing Hot on the heels of my story about bank tellers being hard to find, BNZ have recently advised that they will be closing 38 branches, 30 in rural areas.

❚ with rob cope-Williams

several occasions, such was the economy at the time, and I am proud to say that I picked apples despite my fear of ladders and heights, and was paid to shoot birds of the grapes at a vineyard.

I am sure that the modern folk who need an income are softer than those of us who went through the tough times in the past, but why are they not lining up for seasonal work?

Is it that farming is seen as an industry that isn’t attractive to towns folk?

young people about the joys of working on the land and how people can climb the ownership ladder, perhaps we need something like that again, or come up with a scheme that will attract people such as redundant bank staff onto the land.

Afterall it isn’t all gumboots and raincoats, there are lots of other aspects that computer experts can fill, just look at the compliance work that needs to be done so the farmer can actually farm.

Farmers I talk with are frantic about the lack of workers, those local ones that do apply invariably don’t have the passion for the work they need. It does seem that people from overseas are very eager to take on the mantel and enjoy the perks such as free accommodation in some cases, plus they are very willing to learn what to do and when.

I remember a TV campaign a few years ago that the Dairy industry ran trying to make their industry ‘sexy’ with comments from

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Veterinarian Scott McDougall, from Cognosco, the research group at Waikato’s Anexa Farmers Vet Clubs, trialed OxC-beta™ on four NZ commercial farms in Spring 2019.

OxC-beta’s immune support helps maintain udder health The benefits of OxC-beta Dairy supplementation on immune function allowed more cows to remain healthy.

How OxC-beta™ Dairy helps Kiwi Farmers: > Supports immune function to keep your animal’s natural defenses in top shape. > Animals with healthy immune systems are better able to defend themselves against commonly encountered production stresses. > Helps to maintain udder health and optimize milk quality during periods of stress. > Safe for use during the lactation period. > Non antibiotic mode of action – no need to discard milk.

For more information contact Steve Atfield at VetPak at steve.atfield@vetpak.co.nz or call 0272 428 159.

15

% of quarters testing clean

Those in Geraldine, Waimate, Akaroa, Hanmer and Methven will be without a BNZ branch by next June.

Not only will BNZ customers have no access to their local bank, but a raft of jobs will also be lost in small communities where employment certainly won’t be easy to obtain.

The banks of course are saying there are reasons for the closures such as a drop in profits, and vast numbers of their clients now using online banking.

Whatever the real reason, a wee check will show that their profits are still in the tens of billions.

Yes, we are moving very quickly to a computer run country.

I recently went to a Briscoes branch as I wanted to buy something from them. That branch didn’t have it in stock, so the young attendant went ‘online’ on my behalf and ordered it for me. So why would I bother going back to the store and buy online.

I thought to idea of a retail store was to allow us to see and touch the item, compare it to other items and of course make impulse buys.

The thing that I have trouble with is that while so many people are being laid off, and it isn’t just banks in rural areas that are restructuring, the farming industry still can’t find people to pick fruit or milk cows.

In the 1980s I was made redundant on

10

5

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Control

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All cows enrolled in the trial had somatic cell counts >200,000 cells/ml and confirmed bacterial infection of the mammary gland.

Dietary treatment with OxC-beta Dairy 10% (3g/head/day) for 42 days.

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16

December 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

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CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2020

17

Hydraulink expanding its operations Despite the uncertain times brought on by the global Covid pandemic farmers aren’t taking a break and neither are the owners of Hydraulink Mid Canterbury who have expanded their operations.

❚ Business Profile by Kent Caddick

Based in Ashburton Hydraulink Mid Canterbury owners Dan and Abbey Bruce have just opened a second branch in Timaru, to be known as Hydraulink South Canterbury.

Dan and Abbey have owned Hydraulink Mid Canterbury for almost six years and last year moved into their new, purpose built premises in the Ashburton Industrial Estate.

Now the couple have expanded into South Canterbury with the opening of their new premises at 114 Hilton Highway, Timaru.

“We found that a lot of the farmers, contractors and businesses we look after in Mid Canterbury had farms or branches in South Canterbury,” Dan says.

“The feedback we were getting from them is that they wanted that same level of service further south.”

In deciding to expand Dan wasn’t deterred by the pandemic affecting the country.

“Farming doesn’t stop, it just keeps going. Crops have to be planted, cows have to be milked and maintenance has to be done.

Farmers don’t get to turn the switch off every day at 5pm or take the weekends off, they just keep going, and that’s what keeps us going.”

No rest: Hydraulink mid canterbury and Hydraulink South canterbury are on the job 24/7.

He said despite the pandemic there’s a feeling of positivity among the farmers he’s been speaking to.

“It’s still hard, none of them are saying life is easy but the feedback we are getting is that there is a lot of positivity out there.”

So like the farmers they service Dan and the team at Hydraulink are working 24/7 providing a wide range of services to their customers.

“Our team consists of service technicians all with mechanical backgrounds,” Dan says.

“We take pride in our service, products, and our people, the team on the ground who are doing the work and keeping our customers happy.”

Dan has handed over the reins of Mid Canterbury to his workshop manager to focus on building up the business in South Canterbury.

Like the Ashburton based business Hydraulink South Canterbury will provide all the products and service associated with the Hydraulink brand, from hose replacements, components and fittings, ranging from hose joiners to complete hydraulic system build for tree toppers.

The company designs hydraulic systems, supplies pumps, motors, valves and the like as well as fitting hoses to suit.

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December 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Safety first with a chainsaw The chainsaw is an indispensable labour saving aid used by thousands of New Zealand farmers, firewood gatherers and other non-vocational users.

❚ Article supplied by WorkSafe

It makes light work of felling and cutting up trees, but a chainsaw deserves to be treated with respect. Carelessly used, inadequately maintained or incorrectly equipped, a chainsaw can be a lethal weapon.

If you have just bought a chainsaw, you should read the manufacturer’s instruction manual carefully and familiarise yourself with your chainsaw’s operation.

If you have not used a chainsaw before, practice the cutting techniques on a stump or log before you attempt more serious work.

If you use your chainsaw sensibly, follow correct techniques and maintain your saw to the manufacturer’s instructions, it will provide you with safe and trouble-free service.

If you’re a chainsaw novice, it’s an excellent idea to get training from a qualified person. This way you learn by hands-on experience and avoid developing unsafe habits right from the start. Your chainsaw dealer may be able to provide this instruction or put you in contact with a qualified instructor.

Work area safety It’s important to check the work area for hazards before you start felling or cutting.

• Don’t do anything that will harm another person in any place where you are using your chainsaw (this includes harm to yourself).

• Check that there are no people or animals in the work area.

• Do not work in adverse weather conditions such as heavy rain, snow or high winds.

• Always ensure you have a clear work area where you have a stable footing

Safety first: carelessly used, inadequately maintained or incorrectly equipped, a chainsaw can be a lethal weapon.

and do not have to reach or work off balance.

• Make your way carefully on uneven or sloping ground.

• Shut the chainsaw off before carrying it. Carry it by the front handle with the bar to the rear, not on your shoulders.

If you are felling trees • Make sure other people are at least two tree lengths away.

• Always have an escape route planned and cleared to the side and rear.

• Check for hazards in the area - such

as electricity or telecommunication cables. If in doubt, seek advice from the controlling authority.

• Always check for any material such as branches or tops which may dislodge and fall into the work area as the tree falls.

General chainsaw maintenance • Finally, keep your chainsaw clean and well maintained. Not only will it be safer to use, but it will also prolong the chainsaw’s life.

• Regularly: Clean your chainsaw, particularly the air filter cooling inlets,

• • • • • •

sprocket cover and chain brake mechanism.

Clean the guide bar groove and oil holes.

Check the guide bar for straightness, burring and wear of the rails.

Turn the guide bar regularly to ensure even wear.

Check the sprocket and chain for wear.

Check the chain for cracked rivets or side links.

Check all nuts, bolts and screws for correct tension.

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TOOLS OF THE TRADE

CANTERBURY FARMING December 2020

19

Looking after your tractor for a long life Tractors are essential pieces of farm equipment, and with the right maintenance they can run for years with very little trouble. compiled by ❚ Article Kent Caddick ❚ Because there are so many different kinds of tractors with specific applications, maintenance may vary greatly from tractor to tractor.

However, there are certain universal things you can do to help guarantee a long and useful life for your tractor, and carrying out regular inspections is a key.

Familiarize yourself with your tractor’s manual There are many different types of tractors on the market with a wide variety of applications and associated accessories. To be sure you properly maintain your specific make and model of tractor, you should read through the manual that came with it.

Many tractors require specific types of lubricants and hydraulic fluids that you can identify in the manual. If you do not have a manual for your tractor, you may be able to find the information on the manufacturer’s website.

Give the tractor a visual inspection Before you get started with any planned maintenance on your tractor, give the whole thing a good once over to see if anything

over for signs of wear or damage. Excessively worn rubber components should all be replaced.

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

Check list: No matter what size a tractor is regular maintenance will extend its life.

Replace the air filter as needed

Photo: Drummond & Etheridge

looks overly worn, broken, or dirty. Many newer model tractors even have plastic windows on fluid reservoirs to check things like hydraulic fluid levels.

Give your tractor a visual inspection before and after each use Make note of any issues you identify to make sure you address them before the next time you use the tractor.

mal operations.

You may want to adjust tyre pressure for different types of jobs. For instance, if you plan on driving your tractor on the road, you might want to add a few more pounds of air.

Tyres lose pressure more quickly when temperatures change from cold to hot, so you may want to check your tyre pressure more frequently in the Spring and Autumn.

Do a tyre pressure check

Inspect the belts and hoses

Tractor tyres can last years, but operating a tractor with under-inflated tyres can ruin the sidewall and cause the tyres to wear faster than they should. Under-inflated tyres will also cause the tractor to burn more fuel in nor-

Just like in a car, a tractor’s engine relies on a number of rubber hoses and usually at least one belt. Look all the rubber components

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Depending on the environment you use your tractor in, you may need to change your air filter more or less frequently. Locate the air filter using the tractor’s user manual, then visually inspect it. If it’s really dirty, it should be replaced.

There’s no real rule of thumb with air filters; they should just be replaced as they appear dirty.

You should check your air filter after eight hours of use or so.

20

December 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

Antibiotic sales trends in NZ A four percent reduction in antibiotic sales in New Zealand may be due to a decrease in farm animal numbers, according to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)’s recently released Antibiotic Sales Analysis report.

mark ross â?š by Chief â?š executive of Agcarm The report, which covers antibiotic sales from the 2018 year, shows a decrease in sheep, pig and dairy cattle numbers and an increase in beef cattle and poultry populations.

MPI has been collecting data on sales of antimicrobials of significance to human health used as agricultural compounds (veterinary medicines and agricultural chemicals) since 2004. This is used to monitor trends in antimicrobial use by class, species and route of administration on a kilogram of active ingredient basis.

The report is based on the sales data and feedback on antimicrobial use from the agricultural sector and veterinarians. It consists of data from 247 trade name products containing one or more antibiotics as an active ingredient.

Total antimicrobial sales in 2018 equate to 68,765 kg. This bucks the trend of increasing annual sales of two percent in 2015, then annual increases of four percent up until 2017, before this four percent dip.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to be of global public and animal health concern as it threatens the ability to prevent and treat infectious disease caused by microbes.

While AMR is a natural consequence of antimicrobial use, inappropriate practices hasten its evolution and spread.

Resistance is present throughout the world in pathogens that are known to cause common diseases.

The report identifies a reduction in quantities sold in four of the six classes of antibiotic identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be of critical importance to human health. Overall, the sales of these antibiotics decreased by fourteen percent. To coordinate AMR reduction strategies across both human and animal health, New Zealand industry and regulators developed an Antimicrobial Resistance Action plan in 2017,

which is supported by the WHO. Prescribing behaviours have resulted in a move away from critically important antibiotics over the last five years, which initially increased the quantity of penicillins sold.

Reclassification of penicillins by WHO as critically important antibiotics in 2016 may have filtered through to authorising veterinarians, resulting in a reduction of penicillin sales during 2018, amounting to 17,373 kg - a 13 percent decrease from the year before.

When looking at the sales data per species, half of the antibiotics sold were products registered for use in pigs/poultry. The pig herd population in New Zealand decreased four percent in the four years to 2018. Conversely, the poultry population grew by 23 percent in the same period.

The pig, poultry, and dairy cattle industries use the greatest quantities of anti-

biotics in New Zealand agriculture. These production systems are far more intensive compared to beef cattle and sheep farming, with animals generally in much closer proximity. This results in a greater incidence of bacterial disease and a need for more antibiotic use. Dairy cattle also have a greater biomass and therefore require more antibiotic mass per animal during treatment when compared to smaller species such as sheep.

The number of dairy cattle in New Zealand totalled 6.4 million in 2018, a two percent drop from the year before and a five percent decrease in three years. The national sheep population has been steadily declining for years, with an eight percent decrease in four years to a total of 27.3 million in 2018.

The national beef herd increased by three percent in 2018 to reach 3.7 million cattle.

For the three years leading up to 2016, population numbers were steadily declining.

There were two antibiotic products registered for use in plants in 2018, including those used in kiwifruit to treat Pseudomonas syringae PV. actinidiae (Psa) infections. The infection was first detected in New Zealand kiwifruit in 2010 and continues to be an issue, with 90 percent of kiwifruit orchards confirmed as Psa positive in 2018.

Antibiotics are also used for pip fruit, stone fruit, and tomatoes. Total quantities of antibiotics sold for use in plants during 2018 amounted to 1,218 kg, a 14 percent increase compared to the previous reporting period. Disease pressure early in the 2018 year was low, but colder than average temperatures and higher rainfall in the spring and early summer resulted in high seasonal disease pressure and increased use of antibiotics.

EMERGENCY

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CANTERBURY FARMING December 2020

Before you paint your bargeboards call us about disconnecting the power Getting in there with that paintbrush around live power lines is very dangerous. Call us about disconnecting the power, it might cost a bit more, but it could well save your life.

You’re our priority.

To find out more, go to:

oriongroup.co.nz 03 363 9898 | 0800 363 9898

Orion operates, and maintains, the electricity distribution network that provides power to central Canterbury. We are always here to help if you have any questions or concerns about the network.

21

22

December 2020 CANTERBURY FARMING

When enough pasture is enough In most pasture based farm systems supplementary feed should only be used to fill feed deficits so that cows maintain energy intake and production.

❚ Article supplied by DairyNZ

There is no advantage to replacing good quality pasture with an alternative feed source or ‘balancing pasture’, therefore, supplements should only be used to provide energy when there is insufficient pasture available.

There is no evidence that supplementing pasture improves mating performance when there is sufficient pasture supply.

If feeding supplements results in high grazing residuals, this is wasted feed and the reductions in future pasture growth and quality should be considered.

When supplements are required in a deficit situation they can help to optimise the area grazed each day, the rotation length, and the pasture residual.

The profitability of feeding supplements varies depending on the situation.

• The cost of the supplement.

• Wastage in storage and method of feeding out.

Autumn and winter supplement for BCS Optimal growth: When supplements are required they can help to optimise the area grazed each day, the rotation length, and the pasture residual.

• The associated costs of supplementthese costs associated with feeding supplement can be 50% more than the cost of purchasing the feed, associated costs include capital, fuel/energy, labour, repairs and maintenance and depreciation.

• The degree of pasture substitution, which governs the response rate to supplement. Supplement is more likely to be profitable where post graz-

ing residuals are consistently under 1500kgDM/ha (7-8 clicks on RPM) without the supplement and do not exceed 1,500kgDM/ha with supplement.

If feeding supplements results in high grazing residuals, this represents wasted feed. It will reduce the immediate profitability of feeding and have ongoing effects through reductions in future pasture growth and quality which must be considered.

Feeding supplement in autumn to milking cows is of limited use for achieving calving body condition score (BCS) targets unless cows were to lose BCS if not supplemented (for example insufficient pasture).

Cows selected for high milk production preferentially partition nutrients to milk production and not BCS gain.

The fastest way to achieve BCS gains is to dry cows off. The timing of dry off depends on your system, BCS gain required and length of the dry period.

If infrastructure exists to achieve high supplement utilisation when feeding dry cows during the winter, this can be a strategy to maximise lactation length while achieving BCS targets. The viability of this strategy depends on supplement cost (incl. associated cost), BCS gain required and time available for BCS gain.

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CANTERBURY FARMING December 2020

23

What is the best seed to use?

We grow crops and grass for a variety of reasons from providing feed for animals or food for humans, and like our diets there are many options.

supplied by ❚ Article ❚ Pastoral Improvements Ltd From a paddock of wheat for processing into bread through grass based pastures to feed stock to produce meat fibre or a milk product.

Optimising the economical and sustainable production of crop is reliant on many factors which have to be taken into account before the choice of seed is made.

We actually need to start at the finish line, that is, asking and answering some questions before making any decision.

What do we need from the paddock?

• Is it winter feed for stock?

• Is it a summer crop for stock when things get dry and feed is short?

• Is it an arable crop grown for harvest and sale?

Paddock selection If there is a paddock that is not perform-

ing in the sense the pasture has run out or is not performing, some further questions need to be asked.

• Is there a paddock that has come out of an annual crop?

• What are the fertility issues with the paddock can they be addressed in time to maximise the next crop?

or no diversity for a crop.

A good mix designer understands the componentry of a mix and what part each species plays in reaching a mix which gets you to the desired finish line.

Choosing a good mix designer is a good starting point for your next seed mix.

To help you answer those questions the team at Pastoral Improvements Ltd, based in Canterbury, is there to give you a hand.

What influence will this have on the farm environmental plan or Overseerer?

• Are there potential water logging or erosion issues that may or may not influence the seed choice for the paddock?

• Soil moisture expectation during the growing season of the crop?

Once those questions are answered it is then that seed selection can be made.

Mix design is about taking all factors into consideration knowing the place of each component of a mix. The mix may require vast diversity to achieve these goals or little

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December 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

Four Seasons Realty

! g n o r t S e r a s e l a S

Summer 2020

Sell this Summer.

The current weather pattern is bringing us a mixed bag of treats. The hot and dry summer days seem a little less frequent and spring has been interrupted by a pattern of cooler often windy days, with little rain. However, with warmth in the soils this should promote feed growth with the hope for some more rain. Our gardens will be looking their best at this time of the year and presentation is of course a key factor when selling your property.

Demand for lifestyle properties in Canterbury is currently very strong although the number of listed properties for sale is significantly below what we would normally expect leading into summer. This is due to people staying in their properties longer as the benefits of a rural lifestyle property are realised and the

improved motorway system makes for easier access to the city. After several years of steady but slowish growth, Canterbury real estate may now be in catch-up mode, as low interest rates and returning Kiwis spur on a market seen to offer some of the best value and lifestyle opportunities in New Zealand.

Harcourts Four Seasons co-owner Greg Roberts says sales have been “really strong” in the past few months with demand from expats, investors in the North Island, first-home buyers and locals looking to upgrade or change pace.

“It’s very much a correction or catch-up on what has been a steady yet cautious market over the last two to three years,” Greg says.

“Time will tell if it’s a boom or not.” So whilst

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1131 Old West Coast Road See page 30 for details.

2020

2020

many rural lifestyle block owners will be busy dealing with matters at hand, such as last minute maintenance before a summer BBQ or mowing that cricket pitch for the backyard test, many others are in fact busy preparing their properties for the reason of selling. No matter if it’s moving down the road to a new larger lifestyle block or a shift in location for a new job, the reasons vary, but from time to time we need to sell our lifestyle property and the best time to do so is when things are looking their best.

So if you’re looking to sell while the market is strong, then contact one of our experienced Country Partners to take you through the process.

We’re happy to provide a free no obligation appraisal of your property and our local team is committed to achieving the best possible result.

Out now! We Sell Rural Lifestyle Summer Edition On behalf of our clients, we are pleased to present some of our finest rural and lifestyle properties.

Our teams coverage of the Canterbury lifestyle market is second to none. When it comes to marketing your property, Harcourts have the strength in numbers with 191 offices and over 2288 sales consultants throughout New Zealand, all working on your behalf to get you the best results. For global exposure, national strength and local knowledge, choose Harcourts!

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If you are thinking about selling your rural lifestyle property, now is a great time, we have lots of buyers and need more properties.

Our aim is to provide a level of service and results that will exceed your expectations. Phone for a free no obligation market appraisal.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

Four Seasons Realty

December 2020

25

Rural | Lifestyle Your Country Partner

0800 789 1011 | fourseasons@harcourts.co.nz | harcourtsfourseasons.co.nz | Facebook: Harcourtsharcourts.co.nz Rural Lifesyle

Contributor to realestate.co.nz

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December 2020 CANTERBURY FARMING

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from all of us at VetEnt Our Christmas & New Year hours are: Thursday 24th Dec: 8am – 4pm Friday 25th Dec: Closed Saturday 26th Dec: Closed Monday 28th Dec: Closed Tuesday 29th Dec: 8am - 5pm Wednesday 30th Dec: 8am – 5pm Thursday 31st Dec: 8am – 4pm Friday 1st Jan: Closed Saturday 2nd Jan: Closed Monday 4th Jan: Closed Normal hours resume Tuesday 5th January

Our phone-first emergency service is available 24/7 during the holiday period.

VetEnt Darfield 03 318 8611

CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2020

27

Holiday time for many, others on call While many agri-businesses adjust their hours to take into account the public holidays over the Christmas and New Year period, like most farmers it’s still 24/7 for members of the Canterbury and West Coast Rescue Helicopter Service. supplied by ❚ Article the Rescue Helicopter Trust ❚ The South Island of New Zealand is a unique place. Rugged coastlines and vast rural landscapes to lush forests and towering alpine peaks; it is an environment that has few equals.

When things go wrong in these environments we are vulnerable and isolated, rescue helicopters provide a critical lifeline. The Canterbury and West Coast Rescue Helicopter Service watches over the lives of more than 600,000 people.

The Christchurch Westpac Rescue Helicopter and the ROA Rescue Helicopter based in Greymouth are on standby 24/7, 365 days of the year.

Also, a third, backup helicopter is available in Christchurch. These two bases cover the region from Kaikoura down to Waitaki and, from Karamea to Haast on the West Coast.

Furthermore, the Rescue Helicopter Crew (consisting of a pilot, a Crewman, and Intensive Care Paramedic) are ready to deliv-

The canterbury and West coast rescue Helicopter Service will be operating 24/7 over the holiday period. er life-saving aid using the best training and technology.

The vast and diverse rural environments

mean the speed and manoeuvrability characteristics of a Rescue Helicopter offer unique advantages over conventional land ambu-

lances. In a life and death situation, the Rescue Helicopter Service may be a patient’s only chance for survival.

In trauma cases such as road accidents and medical emergencies, getting emergency care or treatment to a patient at the scene within 60 minutes of an accident or incident increases the patient’s chance of making a full recovery by over 80%.

Rescue crews make a real difference in the lives of the Canterbury and West Coast communities. They provide advanced care to patients much faster. In remote and hard to reach areas, the Rescue Helicopter Service can mean the difference between life and death.

The Rescue Helicopter Crew faced unfamiliar territory this year as the country transitioned through Covid-19 lock-down levels.

Each level saw the crew adapt to a ‘new normal’ method of operating as an emergency service. The Rescue Helicopter crews were trained as part of the Government directive to assist and transport Covid -19 patients throughout the pandemic.

28

CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2020

Buyers keep up with bumper arable crops With total grain production for the 2019-20 season well up over one million tonnes, Federated Farmers says it’s great to see that willing growers are finding willing buyers.

supplied by ❚ Article ❚ Federated Farmers According to the just-released October Arable Industry Marketing Initiative (AIMI) report, cereal grain production (wheat, barley and oats) for the season totaled an estimated 881,800 tonnes, and maize grain 181,800 tonnes, for a total of 1,063,600 tonnes.

Unsold stocks of grain, across all six crops are estimated to have reduced by 50 percent between July and October.

Federated Farmers Arable Vice-Chairperson Grains Brian Leadley said even when compared to the same time last year, unsold stocks across all six crops are pretty much unchanged, with an increase in the unsold

stocks of milling and feed wheat (57,600 tonnes, up by 18,600 tonnes) offset by a decrease in unsold stocks of malting and feed barley (38,700 tonnes, down by 18,900 tonnes.

“Obviously, we have plenty of end users recognising the benefits of quality NZ-grown grains, whether that’s for products for human consumption or for stock feed,” Leadley said.

The AIMI survey report said the total area sown, or intended to be sown, in cereal crops is estimated to be 95,500 hectares, down 3% on last year. At the date of the survey (October 10) 85% of this total area had been planted, with 15% left to sow.

Spring sowings in Southland have been

delayed by wet conditions while growers in other regions have reported concern over low moisture levels.

Leadley said this underlined the case that re-sowing paddocks used for winter grazing by a blanket national deadline, despite regional climate variations, was a flawed approach.

“The intent of the freshwater regulations - to stop nutrients from moving - is right, because plants hold the soil. But to try to do it by putting a timeframe on it, with no regard to good management practice allied to weather conditions, is detached from common sense.”

He said heavy sowing machinery used on paddocks that are too wet just compacts the soil.

“You get a double hit. You get run-off from compact soil, and it also means that you might only get 40 to 50 percent germination of the plants. Fewer plants mean less root mass to hold the soil.”

Leadley said some Covid-related turbulence is still apparent in contracts for malting barley. The AIMI report found the percentage of hectares forward sold as at October 10 for malting barley was only 41%, compared

‘

The total area sown in cereal crops is estimated to be 95,500 hectares.

to 97% at the same time last year.

“It’s known that the lockdown and subsequent restrictions hit the sale of kegged beer, though bottled beer for drinking at home continued apace. “I think it’s just that uncertainty factor,” he said.

“There had been talk that China’s ban on Australia’s barley might lead to product landing on us from across the Tasman but it hasn’t happened. Our local industry is pretty committed to domestic grain.”

Leadley said he was confident the malting barley market and forward contracts would pick up again.

To read the full reporty go to: www.far.org.nz/ articles/46/arable-industry-marketing-initiative-aimi

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29

Harvest 2020 is nearly upon us Do you have yield mapping capabilities? Are you storing your data in a secure location? If your combine harvester is capable of yield mapping, do you use it?

Jemma mulvihill ❚ by ❚ Vantage NZ Yield map data is a powerful tool for making decisions on your farm. It is a record of how your crops reacted and performed under that season’s constraints.

Constraints and variation may be apparent in your crops nutrient levels or application methods, or available water in the profile at critical times in the plant’s life cycle, and in most cases a combination of all the above, and more. The final result is that often yield varies more than we care to admit and we quickly remember the good parts of a paddock and forget the poor parts.

Your yield data is a map of how well the crop has performed under that season’s conditions and how much variability there is in the soil profile and nutrient levels within a paddock. It provides us a ‘warts and all’ view of paddock performance so that we can then further dissect what’s worked well and what hasn’t and make a plan for the coming years, all based around dollars and cents.

Many arable farmers have paid for the technology but don’t harness the power of the information that it provides. Vantage NZ are here to help with this.

One thing that isn’t stressed enough to growers with yield monitors is that they

should capture the data regardless of whether they are able to use it at present or not, as multiple years’ worth of data is far more useful than one year of data.

The more years’ worth of data you have lessens the influence of a single seasons weather pattern or any out of the ordinary extremes. For example, in a wet year the lighter freer draining soils may be preferable for a higher yield and vice versa in a dry season.

This process of compiling several years of data is called normalisation. Data is put into a relative scale and is compared across the years or types of seasons as required.

Once data is normalised then we can identify common zones or production areas. These zones can be marked for future management decisions.

Processing or “cleaning” the data is the key to successfully utilising the captured data. Raw yield points have a large amount of errors and “noise” that can significantly impact on the results.

With these noisy bits removed and tidied up the data becomes more representative of the paddock. Some of the factors that impact on the data accuracy are cut width, flow delay and travel distance errors.

Yield data can also be useful for identifying problems during the actual harvest of the crop. In one example a grower saw the

Collect the data: Yield data is a map of how well a crop has performed under that season’s conditions and how much variability there is in the soil profile and nutrient levels within a paddock. results of him harvesting grass seed in the hottest part of the day. He was able to spot the mistake as recorded yield dropped in the swaths that he completed in the hottest temperatures.

Ultimately the yield information informed him that the decision to continue harvesting in the heat had cost him.

Making useful yield maps – the essential information ‘Rubbish in equals rubbish out’ – you only get one opportunity to collect this data so ‘do it once and do it right’ Start the season with an empty data card save a copy of all previous data to your computer and external hard drive then ‘clean’ the card. If you need help please call your local precision ag expert to help Naming – use the same naming for the same paddock each year as this makes finding your data easier at the end of the season Check the flow and moisture sensors – if these are not working properly then eve-

rything that follows may be a waste of time Calibration – at the start of harvesting each grain type calibrate the flow sensor Operation setup – make sure the cutter bar width is correct and the flow delay is as accurate as possible Card check and back-up – confirm data is being logged by importing it into your mapping software or sending it to your local precision ag expert once you start for the season, not at the end of this season. Backup the data as a raw format throughout the harvest season also.

If you collect the data as accurately as possible in the first place, then post-processing of the data to make it a useful resource is much simpler, takes less time and costs less!

Yield data is the final measure of a season’s work. Yield data allows for insights into different management practices and the old adage “what gets measured gets managed” comes to mind.

Have a good harvest.

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30

December 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

Maximising yield in maize crops Maize is a vital crop for many New Zealand dairy farmers and represents a significant investment in time and resources.

❚ Article supplied by DairyNZ

Maize grown on the dairy farm can add value to farms’ feed supply, help mitigate climatic risk, extract soil nutrients from high fertility effluent paddocks, and be used as a ‘break crop’ in the pasture renewal process.

Maize should be fed to fill genuine feed deficits for economic responses and be well managed to reduce feed costs and wastage.

Sowing location, sowing date, hybrid choice and population will all influence the potential crop yield. Potential yield can be reduced by weed and pest presence, moisture stress, disease, and nutrient limitations.

Ploughing is a quick and effective way to bury plant residues that might otherwise impede secondary cultivation or cause weed problems. A comment we often hear from dairy farmers is that maize is ‘hard on the soil’ and one of the main causes of this is associated with ploughing. Ploughing buries and makes fertile topsoil out of reach for new grass trying to establish after maize.

Talk with your contractor about alternatives to ploughing such a discing. Be aware that you may need a longer fallow period (time between spraying out pasture and first

cultivation pass); you need to balance this against the long-term damage to your soil fertility.

There are other reduced tillage options for maize such as strip tillage and direct drilling, however these require more attention to detail and are best suited to specialist maize growers.

Dairy effluent can be used as a nutrient source for maize provided the crop requires the nutrients and good effluent practices are followed. If the paddock is just out of grass, the soil can supply plenty of N and further additions through effluent are probably not needed. Paddocks with a history of cropping (e.g. a dedicated cropping block or runoff) are most likely to benefit from effluent application.

Maize silage grown on effluent paddocks will significantly reduce fertiliser inputs.

Maize silage can also be used to extract excess nutrients from effluent paddocks, as it removes large amounts of N and K, reducing risks of N leaching and occurrence of metabolic diseases.

To maximise potential yield we need to maximise radiation interception.

‘

sowing. However, this should be balanced against many factors such as: frost risk, soil conditions and pasture harvested pre-crop.

To maximise potential

3. Hybrid

yield we need to maximise radiation interception.

Four main factors drive this:

1. Location Temperature and radiation are different around the country. Often our growing location is fixed but if leasing or buying land for maize, investigate the site’s climatic conditions.

2. Sowing time This affects radiation interception as radiation interception changes during the year. Radiation peaks late in December, so aim to sow your crop to have full canopy cover by this stage.

In general, early sowing has higher yields than late

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The main difference between hybrids are is the number and size of leaves (which effects green leaf area), crop maturity (number of growing degree days (GDD) before the crop is ready to harvest), and ability to cope with stresses such as drought. As a general guide, short season hybrids tend to yield less because they have fewer smaller leaves than long season hybrids. They also tend to need fewer GDD’s to reach maturity so are in the ground for fewer days.

4. Plant population More plants mean more leaf area. Typical populations for maize silage is 100-120 thousand (k) seeds per ha. Final populations are normally 5K/ha less than what was originally sown.

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DAIRY

❚ with Fred Hoekstra

December 2020

31

Heat stress and lameness

We have been getting a few days lately where summer is showing us how hot it can get.

the heat day and night for weeks on end at times. Nevertheless, it is still important to think about strategies to minimise the effects of heat stress in NZ as well. A cow’s optimum air temperature is between 5-15degC depending on humidity, so when it is hotter than 15degC, a cow is starting to feel warm.

Some of the things you can do to minimise the effects of heat stress is to provide a cow with cooler resting places and/or help the cow to handle heat better.

The first one would be to provide shade, either in a barn or with trees. Barns are expensive and trees are not practical with irrigation. A hedge can provide shelter from wind but is not that good for shade. They certainly don’t provide much shade when the sun is at its highest point and the temperature the hottest.

So, the next best option is to help cows handle heat better.

Water is crucial with this strategy. It is very important at the best of times but when there is a lack of shade, it becomes even more important. A cow’s body is 80% water.

Water is the second most important nutrients after oxygen. Lots of farmers add minerals to the water. Whilst It is a great way to get the minerals into the cows, the downside is that they make the water taste horri-

There is a strong correlation between heat stress and lameness, as cows suffering from heat stress stand a lot. ble and cows will drink less water because of it. Maybe it is better to mix the minerals with salt and make it available to the cows that way and leave the water fresh. It works great with my cows at home.

Other things you can do is have sprinklers on the yard and misters in the cowshed.

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Have the cows walking the long distances in the cool of the day and keep the cows in the paddocks closest to the shed during the day.

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Veterinarian Scott McDougall, from Cognosco, the research group at Waikato’s Anexa Farmers Vet Clubs, trialed OxC-beta™ on four NZ commercial farms in Spring 2019.

OxC-beta’s immune support helps maintain udder health The benefits of OxC-beta Dairy supplementation on immune function allowed more cows to remain healthy. % of quarters testing clean

Personally, I like to be inside when it is that hot – at least I need to be able to find some shade every now and then so I can cool down.

You can see where I am going with this article can’t you?

Cows feel the heat more than people. The reason for this is because cows have a big rumen that creates heat as it is digesting food. They also have relatively less skin surface area than people so less heat transference.

A cow will also use her horns to regulate her body temperature (as well as being a fighting weapon), but for particularly good reasons, we remove the horns. Unfortunately, from a heat regulation point of view, this does make life more difficult for cows.

It is not unusual to see cows panting in the paddock or in the yard. At mating time, when you stand on the observatory platform behind the cows you realise that it can be much hotter up there than at milking level.

There is a strong correlation between heat stress and lameness. Cows that suffer from heat stress stand a lot. They have the stress of the heat itself to deal with and they are also not resting.

Fortunately, our climate in NZ is such that the nights are a lot cooler, so the cows do get relief from heat stress sooner than cows in Australia and America. There they are in

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32

December 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

DAIRY

The importance of growing clover ❚ with Peter burton

There are differences between farms. Size and contour vary, as does the type and number of animals grazed.

However, whether dryland or irrigated, there is one constant, the necessity of nitrogen for pasture growth.

The air we breathe is 78% nitrogen, so there is no shortage. A limitless resource can be taken for granted, particularly when there is no cost, as we tend to value only stuff we have to pay for.

An abundance of plant available nitrogen is essential for profitable farming and many pastoral farmers have opted to buy it on a regular, even monthly basis while others seldom if ever do.

Those not purchasing nitrogen ensure they have enough to meet their requirements by appreciating that clover fixes nitrogen and manage and fertilise their pastures accordingly.

That knowledge and those skills have been passed down since long before the time when urea became readily available.

That star ted in the late 1980’s and therefore its widespread adoption is relatively recent.

The amount of nitrogen that can be applied is 190kgN/ha/year, 40kg less than the average on intensive dairy farms.

Some farmers will already be figuring out how to lower their inputs, while others are trying to decide if they can cut it out completely in contemplation of a steadily sinking lid.

Many of the farmers using clover, and clover alone, to supply their nitrogen requirements are not “organic”, and are growing

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more pasture annually than their neighbours, and have been for at least the last twenty years.

One of the other reasons for potentially superior farm performance is the higher feed value of clover relative to grasses particularly from November to May. The calcium content of clover is often 2.0% and as high as 2.5% when fully mature. Grasses typically contain no more that 0.6%, one third to a quarter of a healthy clover plant.

Farmers dependent on fattening lambs appreciate the fact that lambs fatten most rapidly on a clover dominant pasture.

Calcium is a requirement for bone growth and clover contains calcium that is immediately available for frame growth due to its digestibility, particularly over late spring and summer, the period when young animals grow most rapidly.

The time that an animal spends grazing is distinctly hereditary. Even when presented with extra high-quality pasture the grazing time does not greatly increase and therefore total intake is highest when feed is most digestible.

Energy is an important factor, and at almost any time during the year animal performance lifts with more energy in the diet.

Clover nearly always contains more soluble sugars as measured by a refractometer,

a hand-held easily operated device that provides valuable real-time data.

Soluble sugar levels are lowest overnight and first thing in the morning. As sunlight increases, the energy (brix level) of pasture lifts peaking usually in early afternoon.

Clover and bloat are often linked in people’s minds, with good reason, however that doesn’t have to be the case.

Bloat is often related to feed rich in potassium relative to sodium, and extra fertiliser potassium is not recommended unless soil and leaf tests show that pasture growth is limited by a lack of potassium.

Extra calcium in the form of lime provides the calcium necessary to grow large leafed long-stemmed clover that animals thrive best on, and because clovers naturally contain little sodium, having salt available will further reduce the likelihood of bloat.

Functional Fertiliser developed the product CalciZest twenty years ago which contains lime, soft carbon, and a wide range of selected beneficial fungi and bacteria.

CalciZest is often applied at this time of the year at 300 to 400kg/ha through conventional groundspread equipment, or by aircraft, to ensure optimum clover growth over summer and autumn.

For information on grazing management call Peter on 0800 843 809.

DAIRY

CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2020

33

Dairy industry shows progress on antimicrobial resistance A reduction in dry-cow antibiotic therapy shows New Zealand is making progress in addressing Anti-microbial Resistance (AMR), regarded as one of the biggest challenges to human and animal health.

supplied by ❚ Article NZ Veterinary Association ❚ AMR occurs when antimicrobial medicines, including antibiotics, become less effective at treating infections. AMR is considered a global threat to human and animal health.

Data from DairyNZ shows a decline in blanket dry-cow antibiotic therapy (DCAT) from 2015-2018, and an increase in partherd (selective) DCAT over the same period.

DCAT involves the treatment of cows at the end of lactation with a long acting antibiotic preparation to prevent intra-mammary infection.

Dr Helen Beattie, Chief Veterinary Officer at the New Zealand Veterinary Association said the figures show as a country, we are moving away from blanket use of DCAT, which is when every cow in a herd is treated with antibiotics, whether or not there is any indication of infection.

“Considering the significant and growing threat of antibiotic resistance to human and animal health, it is encouraging to see we are making real progress when it comes to reducing antibiotic use in dairy cattle,” Beattie said.

“Any use of antibiotics can contribute to increased anti-microbial resistance, which means farmers and veterinarians, and all of New Zealand, need to focus on infection prevention and control, so we can all reduce the need for antibiotic use.”

Beattie said the NZVA provides guidance and advice for veterinarians and farmers who want to further reduce antibiotic use on-farm, whilst maintaining high standards of animal welfare.

“These materials include prudent use guidelines that outline broad principles of appropriate antibiotic use and guidance on the appropriate use of specific antibiotics in different species.

“With the right advice, and by working together, veterinarians and their farmer clients can do our bit to use antibiotics only when needed, and contribute to the national effort to take action on AMR. She said the NZVA has set a goal of anti-

Decline: New Zealand Veterinary Association’s chief veterinary officer Helen beattie says any use of antibiotics can contribute to increased antimicrobial resistance. Data from DairyNZ shows a decline in blanket dry-cow antibiotic therapy (DcAT) from 2015-2018, and an increase in partherd (selective) DcAT over the same period. biotics not being required to maintain animal health and welfare by the year 2030.

“We will need to maintain our momentum if we are to achieve this target,” she says.

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34

December 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

FORESTRY & LOGGING

EPA to investigate use of chemicals Chemicals found in timber treatment substances, are among the additions to the Environmental Protection Authority’s priority list for reassessment.

❚ by Kent caddick The EPA regulates hazardous chemicals under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act. This includes making decisions on whether to approve the use of new hazardous substances in New Zealand, and reassessing approvals of those already in use.

The Priority Chemicals List contains 43 substances that we believe are most in need of review in New Zealand, drawn from a longlist of 1200 chemicals we have screened.

The six additions to the Priority Chemicals List are: • azocyclotin, an insecticide used in spider mite control products • chromates, a group of industrial chemicals, found in timber treatment substances • hydramethylnon, an insecticide used for professional and home use ant baits • nonylphenol, a multi-use chemical found in professional and home use pesticides, cleaning products and veterinary medicines • propiconazole, a fungicide used in the production of fruit, cereals, grass seed, and on turf • tricresyl phosphate, used as a flame retardant in a variety of products, such as adhesives, lubricants, and surface coatings.

EPA spokesperson, Siobhan Quayle, said all of these chemicals scored highly when they screened them for human health and environmental health harm, and have been added to the Priority Chemicals List on that basis.

‘

Over time we will review the rules that apply to each of these chemicals to ensure they are fit for purpose.

Siobhan Quayle EPA spokesperson

“We are updating the Priority Chemicals List to ensure risks to people and the environment continues to be managed effectively,” Quayle said.

“Over time, we will review the rules that apply to each of these chemicals in our reassessment work programme to ensure they are fit for purpose.”

More than 150,000 hazardous substances are approved for use in New Zealand. Approvals do not expire; the only way they can be amended or revoked is through a formal reassessment process. Reassessments can be complex, lengthy, and costly – with some costing more than $1 million.

“We now have a dedicated team focused on progressing these reviews, with several reassessments currently underway including for the log fumigant methyl bromide and the horticultural spray ingredient hydrogen cyanamide,” Quayle said.

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December 2020

35

Domestic sales positive despite Chinese resistance

The last month has seen some of the most significant elements start to impact markets than has been seen for some time.

While the media focus has been on US elections and Covid -19, news of the trade barriers imposed on Australia by China have hardly made the headlines.

And yet here in lies potentially one of the most significant events to hit the log and lumber trade in the Pacific Rim for a long time.

Initially we heard the trade block had been imposed on Queensland with bans on exports of logs, lumber, lobster, barley, wine, copper and coal destined for China. Interestingly Chinese authorities have not officially confirmed the restrictions but stop they did.

In the last few days, bans have been placed on log exports from Victoria after China’s customs stated bark beetle had been detected in logs heading to China. What we don’t see reported is in fact China traders have basically turned off the Australian log and lumber trade by refusing to open Letters of Credit on Shipments already under way.

Thus, the trade has ceased almost overnight.

Many forest owners and communities in Australia have been hugely impacted with fire damage forest harvest adding to the mix of devastation. If this important supply tap cannot be turned back on there will be a sustained loss of over 450,000 cubic metres

of logs and lumber per month in the supply lines.

Given China is heading in to a lower usage period, and New Zealand is maintaining a pretty steady supply, the overall impacts will be lessened. However, market commentators are already talking up supply shortages and the likelihood of prices heading up.

Despite a period of expected falling log usage across the China eastern seaboard, we have been seeing numbers ticking along at 90 to 95,000 cubic metres per day. Meanwhile total inventory has been falling by about 100,000 cubic metres per week, currently sitting at around 3.4 million cubic metres.

At current usage levels we are now sitting at less than six weeks supply. Port space is clearing as a consequence, and prior vessel waiting to discharge times are close to nonexistent at many ports.

At the same time, we have been seeing China domestic wholesale log prices increase ¥20 – 30/m3 over the last week. This translates back to NZ$3 – 4/m3 so we would expect to see a US$1 – 2 lift in sales prices for December settlements based on this alone.

For the moment a US$1-2 lift in settlements for November sales has impacted similarly on NZ wharf gate prices which are now in the top 85 percentile of the market of the last 3 years.

Meanwhile NZ side, log and lumber exporters are not eyeing the new governments impact on the US$/Kiwi$ exchange rate favourably. This has gone from 0.66c to 0.69c in a flash, effectively eroding close to NZ$5 off December log prices at the wharf gate.

I believe we would want to see the prime Minister call the Reserve Bank Governor in to her office for a pretty intense deep and meaningful and a little cap doffing, erstwhile insisting we get this under control. I am sure there is a strong need to ensure maximised overseas returns so we can build more houses and pay those Kiwis not working an even higher incentive not to do so.

NZ side, domestic customers are still reporting sales are going gang busters, in fact at elevated levels compared to October. Recent respondents stated there are truck-

loads of lumber heading to Auckland every week from the South Island, this must be a first surely.

Another Canterbury mill has reported 40% of last month’s sales were out of region. Another first.

On the log supply side, most sawmills are running on a “just enough” basis. But sensibly, prices are steady and for the most part an air of optimism pervades, meaning everyone gets their small slice of the action along the way.

In short, the NZ plantation forestry sector remains in great shape and that looks set to continue as long as our politicians don’t follow the example set by their Australian counterparts and start making jabs at China. Behave people... and we will all be okay.

As always people, 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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36

December 2020 CANTERBURY FARMING

WATER & IRRIGATION

WATER & IRRIGATION

CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2020

37

Shaping the future use of water It is no doubt that something on your Christmas dinner would have been grown with irrigation, whether that be your meat, vegetables, berries, wine, beer, or the cream on your pavlova.

❚ by Vanessa Winning ❚ IrrigationNZ Chief Executive

We are so lucky to live in New Zealand where we have all this amazing produce right at our fingertips. If it were not for irrigation our Christmas dinner would look a lot different, there would not be the quality nor the accessibility.

With this big day of the year where we reap the benefits of our hard-working growers and farmers as well as falling at what can often be the height of the irrigation season, what better time to highlight the ongoing need for reliable access to water for our communities.

I write this after my first AGM at Irriga-

tionNZ, and the end of my fifth week in the IrrigationNZ chief executive shoes. I feel privileged to be in this role and having input in the future use of water for irrigation and water management in New Zealand and appreciate there is a lot of work to be done, starting with the irrigation sharing their vision to gain public confidence.

No matter what your diet, taste, or favourite food, at some point it has most likely been grown with some form of irrigation. We need to share this and help wider communities become educated about where our food comes from and that irrigation is so much more than just turning the tap on to water a paddock.

2020 has been a challenging year, to say the least, but with challenge comes opportunity. Covid-19 has highlighted the need to have reliable food sources which cannot be done without dependable and consistent access to water.

This has helped encourage conversations with the Ministry for Primary Industries, Ministry for the Environment, Government and Regional Councils abut a pragmatic approach to freshwater management including the ever-increasing need for multi-benefit water storage, with the efficient and use of irri-

‘

I appreciate the pride farmers and growers take in producing to the best quality and abiding by high standards.

gation to create the smallest environmental footprint at the rudder of it.

Looking ahead we have some challenges coming with the implementation of freshwater reforms, as well as the increasing onset of climate change and the requirement of ongoing investment in water infrastructure, storage, and accurate use.

We are part of the solution rather than the problem and we are working our way to informing and educating why irrigation is so important and why it needs to move away from the conversation about agriculture intensification to one about risk mitigation, food surety, drinking water, com-

munity benefit, and regional development.

I have been grateful to meet with scheme leaders, IrrigationNZ members from those who are part of schemes, individual irrigators, and industry – these people have helped me deepen my understanding of the sector which I continue to find more and more interesting. Thank you to those who have reached out and been supportive and I look forward to meeting many more of you.

Home for me is Auckland, however, I will commute to Wellington where our new HQ is as well as visiting other regions. We have staff spread across the country from Oamaru to Hawkes Bay, so it is fair to say we are more regionally diverse than in the past.

I am passionate about our industry and appreciate the pride farmers and growers take in producing food and fibre to the best quality and abiding by high standards, in which irrigation is best used by harnessing the great technology and knowledge we have access to.

All the best, and happy irrigating for the summer months, bring on 2021.

I welcome your feedback/ideas on how we can improve this organisation and support you better, so please do get in touch.

Taking the challenge out of irrigation Farmers are starting to weigh up the challenges which have been introduced since the start of the calendar year.

❚ Article supplied by Onfarm Data

PC7 staged nutrient reductions, the NPS-FM rules for stock and contaminate exclusion, and the introduction of a synthetic nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha/year, would make any farmer start to question their long-term business viability.

At Onfarm Data, we have spent the winter months redefining our business model, our key products, and more importantly, our focus on the end-user.

This all started with the purchase of Streat Instruments in January 2019. With the acquisition of Streat Instruments, Onfarm Data now owns New Zealand’s most trusted and reliable soil moisture sensor – the Aquaflex.

This has set the tone for how the company, its people, and our products and services will evolve moving forward.

The Onfarm Data staff are driven by customer feedback and end-user satisfaction.

We, like you, are constantly improving how efficiency is gauged.

This is why we are proud of our vertical, single stack platform that allows our users to monitor, control, and report all of their various applications from a single login dashboard.

Soil moisture, pivot control, fertigation/ effluent proof of placement, pond/tank levels, etc. – everything in one place.

Our software developer, the talented Mr. Fox, has put the finishing touches on our major platform upgrade, which is scheduled for release in late August.

This will give our users a fresh look, new functionality, and greater flexibility and control.

But there is no point having great software if the hardware is going to let you down. That’s why the Onfarm Data team has been developing a new control board with almost limitless applications.

From the most basic of functions like flowmeter or soil sensor logging, through to the next generation in irrigation exclusion systems and fertigation variable rate control, this little board will set the benchmark for performance and flexibility for all your monitoring and control needs.

Season 2020/21 will also see some exciting new releases to the market. In line with the new expectations from the NPS-FM and regional rules, Onfarm Data is releasing the next generation in SMART control solutions.

From pivot control, fertigation/effluent control and proof of placement, and exclusion control. The Onfarm Data team has redefined simplicity when it comes to adding control to your already existing irrigation system.

Our completely modular systems allow it to be overlaid on the existing control panel and is designed to complement your man-

agement needs – not complicate it. Control your pivot from anywhere in the world as if you were standing at the panel.

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The Onfarm Data team are more than happy to discuss your current and future integration needs, whether its regulator y requirements for the Regional Council or your irrigation scheme, control and monitoring, technology replacement, or fertigation and effluent proof of placement and control.

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38

December 2020

CANTERBURY FARMING

❚ with Dr Tony Davoren

WATER & IRRIGATION

Was it a drought breaker?

Nothing like writing about a drought and then getting a rainfall event that alleviates the immediate situation.

The rainfall at the beginning of November was not in the forecast when I last wrote but came as welcome relief. Since then we’ve “officially” been in a heat wave.

For the last couple of months I’ve been comparing the 1988-89 La Niña drought with 2020 and the developing La Niña. It is fair to say that the meteorological scientists agree that we officially have a La Niña event, and it is here to stay until 2021. And while the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) has remained pretty similar and the 8-9 November rain this year has changed the similarity of late winter-early spring rainfall.

While the SOI is still positive, as the latest from weatherzone.com.au shows, the “strength dropped off a little for the month of October. While this is a key index it is not the only influence on our weather and some of those other influences (like ocean temperatures) still point toward very warm and potentially drier conditions. However, the rainfall in early November has left the comparison with 1988-89 behind, that is, rainfall since 20 July in 1988 was 87mm compared to 135mm in 2020.

Furthermore, as I write this article another SW system has dropped temperatures

and produced some “beefy” showers which will add to the difference.

NIWA scientists have predicted for November-January marine “heatwave” sea surface temperatures with follow-on “air temperatures very likely to be above average”. It doesn’t take much for heatwave conditions to arise – the World Meteorological Organiza-

tion defines a “heatwave” as as five or more consecutive days during which the daily maximum temperature exceeds the average maximum temperature by 5degC. Temperature records since that welcome rainfall in early November show we have been in a heatwave, although today has put an end to that.

Thus far the NIWA La Niña based forecast

is holding pretty true – that is rainfall will most likely be near normal or below normal and for near normal or above normal temperature.

We should heed the likelihood these conditions will remain into 2021. That could mean irrigation continuing through into March and April 2021. Annual volumes (if you have one as a resource consent condition) will most certainly be put under pressure.

Every irrigation management decision made now will influence water availability in February-March next year. Those decisions come down to the “same old same old”: • know how much rainfall you receive and eek it out • know your soil moisture, not just where it is at today but how it is trending, and • know what is in the forecast, and not just rainfall but cloud cover, temperatures and wind.

Put it all together and consider whether that irrigation can be delayed a day or two, or is diverted to another crop, or can wait until the next weather system passes through.

You might save just one or two irrigations, but it might well be the one you desperately wish you had in March next year.

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WATER & IRRIGATION

Optimising your irrigator For this article we thought it would be useful to share some insights from the irrigator performance tests we have undertaken this season.

Andrew curtis ❚ by Water ❚ Strategies All the pivots we’ve tested were potentially very efficient irrigation systems, however, for a number of older machines (+15,000 hours) we are starting to see performance impacts from worn nozzles and regulators (particularly for surface water takes), alongside maintenance issues such as broken rotators and hooked up or split droppers.

Remember 70% of a pivot’s performance is directly due to how its sprinkler pack is performing, so you need to check and test these at least annually.

The other issue we are finding is sprinklers and regulators not being replaced correctly. Each regulator has a pressure rating on it and each nozzle a number, so make sure you replace like with like.

We have also come across a couple of pivots where the sprinkler pack has been installed incorrectly (one along the length the other on three individual spans). Spending an hour walking along your pivot checking

each regulator and nozzle with the sprinkler chart is likely one of the most productive investments you will make on your farm each season!

Rotorainers can be very efficient irrigation systems providing they are well maintained and operated at the correct pressure and flow rate. The key information you need to know for a Rotorainer is its design pressure and flow rate.

Typically, both M125 and M250 are designed to operate at 275 kPa (400 psi). All Rotorainers come with a pressure gauge on them, however, as pressure gauges typically do not survive the Canterbury winter, we suggest replacing them with an 8mm tap and keeping a quality 600 kPa pressure gauge in your ute instead. This lets you regularly check the pressure at the cart with confidence, without the annual cost of replacing pressure gauges.

The flow rate required for your Rotorainer will depend upon how it has been nozzled, but typically anything less than 18 l/s for an M125 and 25 l/s for an M250 means you will have insufficient flow to drive them, and therefore excessive application depths and poor uniformity.

The other common finding through our Rotorainer assessments is the depth being applied is greater than the soils Readily Available Water.

In many instances the machine was running at 4 or 5 cams instead of at 8 cams (full speed) so it was an operational issue – staff that were unaware of the importance of the cam setting.

Turbo Rains also have the potential to be efficient, however we find their main challenge is the high instantaneous application

rate (IAR). At 40l/s (how most were setup) the IAR is around 95 mm per hour. For most Canterbury soils this is way to high and results in much of the water applied running-off into low spots or preferential flow through the soil.

To resolve this, you can install a new drive turbine with a speed controller, and nozzle the Turbo Rain back (preferably replacing the flood jet nozzle with sprinklers).

If your irrigation system is starting to show its age, or you are experiencing issues with your irrigation system, and would like experienced independent support to work through the most cost effective solution, give the team at Water Strategies a call.

CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2020

39

40

December 2020 CANTERBURY FARMING

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

LIVESTOCK

Good export trade clearances

A wide variety of wool types offered at wool auctions in Napier and Christchurch during October and November, resulted in very good clearances to the export trade.

Crossbred wool types drew good competition from the full bench of international buyers and prices at the very least remained stable, mid-micron types rallied significantly, and merino types, whilst attracting plenty of interest, also maintained their previous relatively healthy levels.

Following on from the renewed buying interest for crossbreds from Indian wool processors during August and September, the market improved during October and November as Chinese processors once again began to purchase wool, although there was not too much evidence that many of the finer crossbred micron ranges were fetching any realistic premiums, compared to the medium to coarse types, as has often been the case

The Working Wool Buyer

during previous seasons.

On the mid-micron front, and after some see-sawing of prices during the previous few weeks, late October and early November auctions enjoyed renewed interest from buyers particularly for those in the approximately 24 to 27.5 micron ranges provided they were very well prepared and well classed.

Merino wool types experienced keen buyer interest in the Christchurch auction room throughout the October and November periods with particular bidding strength shown from several Australian based wool exporters representing European and Asian manufacturers. Most of the Merino types catalogued were of very good quality and appeared wellgrown, although several tensile strength test results were poorer than anticipated, something which seems to be par for the season and maybe a reflection of changes to feed patterns after a pro-longed dry spell.

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Similarly, and at Australian wool auctions held in Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle, local brokers there reported very good interest for sound, well-prepared wools, however average prices reported after each auction on a type for type basis appeared to fluctuate somewhat, depending on bale quantities offered, proving it difficult to make quick assumption of the actual market strength.

Given the circumstances of main shear fast approaching for many crossbred sheep flocks within NZ and the obvious grower stock-piles of earlier shorn wool sitting onfarm or in broker stores, recent open-cry auction results have delivered a better than expected outcome to both wool growers and brokers and change of ownership has allowed for wool movement further through the processing pipeline.

Of course, from an export perspective, there remains dependence upon wool scouring capacity and shipping container availability, with the latter problematic at present due

to an apparent reduced flow of containerized goods into NZ. From a grower perspective availability of shearers to harvest the new wool crop is obviously important and, to that point, there may be some issues looming, mainly in the North Island, as a result of border closure resulting in restricted entry into NZ for seasonal workers.

With the Kiwi dollar maintaining its strength against its US counterpart, many observers of and participants within the NZ wool industry, could be forgiven for being a little nervous that currency maybe the biggest influencer in the market place during the next few weeks or months while international political stability is threatened.

No doubt we can all agree that 2020 has re-written many history books and we would like to forget. I wish all readers a Happy Festive Season and may you all look forward to a Healthy and Safe 2021.

That’s my view.

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December 2020

Meating the need

41

Meat consumption has again come under the spotlight recently with the Heart Foundation recommending New Zealanders reduce their cooked red meat consumption to less than 350g per week.

Their recommendations are aimed at reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

In the US, Vice President elect Senator Kamala Harris also took a swipe at meat and called for Americans to become educated about the impact that meat production has on the planet.

These statements all make consumers think about their meat consumption but it’s important to add some balance to these discussions.

In terms of meat production, most of the research that leads to consumer concern is based on intensive grain-finished farming systems but, as we know, New Zealand’s farming methods are very different.

As meat producers, farmers can take some comfort from the fact we have an increasing world population and there are opportunities to tell our stories to people who want to know more about where their food comes from and what that means for them and for the planet.

In terms of health concerns, it’s important to note that grass-fed meat is leaner than grain-fed and has a range of nutritional benefits.

But the news is better for the retail sector as, due to Covid-19, more people are cooking at home. This has been quite a shift, particularly in the US where traditionally lamb was mainly used in the food service (restaurant) sector.

A Brexit deal is still undecided as we go to print, so the outcome of that may also have an impact on lamb prices. Currency is another factor to watch with so much turmoil around the US election.

I still firmly believe, that despite the challenges, there are a lot of opportunities for our sector.

‘

In our markets, meat is selling well at retail level, but the restaurant trade has been severely impacted by covid-19.

Have a good christmas and hopefully some time off with family.

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Red meat is rich in bioavailable iron and is particularly important for brain development in children. If we were to replace meat with plant-based food, the body would struggle to absorb enough iron and compared to meat, a lot more plant-based food would need to be consumed to meet energy requirements.

One factor that promoters of a plant-based diet often forget is that plant production requires large amounts of phosphate and nitrogen fertilisers to grow high yielding crops, so it too has an impact on the planet. All food production systems have an impact and the key is to make informed choices.

Our challenge is to get consumers thinking about where and how their meat was produced and hearing the great stories New Zealand has to tell.

Recently I was on a Global Sheep-meat Group Zoom call with farmer organisations from South America, Canada, USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand.

All of the participating nations reported that they are dealing with the same issues as us. These include climate change, social licence, poor wool prices, environmental rules and regulations relating to phosphate run off and nitrogen leaching, and consumer demands for sustainably produced food. But unlike others, one we don’t have is predators killing livestock.

In our markets, meat is selling well at retail level, but the restaurant trade has been severely impacted by Covid-19. This is reducing prices for high-value cuts of beef and lamb, such as French racks.

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42

December 2020 CANTERBURY FARMING

LIVESTOCK

Power of genetics shines through Breeding values really show their worth in a commercial farm setting. That’s been the resounding conclusion of a year-long exercise on three commercial venison farms.

❚ by Trevor Walton On each farm, sires with different BVs for their progeny’s weight at 12 months were mated with hinds in the farm’s breeding herd.

The resulting progeny, born in late 2019, were all run together in the same conditions but linked to their sires using DNA parentage testing and weighed at regular intervals.

The aim of the exercise was to see whether Deer Select breeding values (BVs) for growth – in this case weight at 12 months, or W12 – would be expressed properly in a realworld situation.

Deer Select is the national deer recording database. Using the database, BVs are estimated and economic Indexes calculated for breeding animals, based on their pedigree records and performance data.

On two of the farms, one elk/wapiti farm in Southland and the other a red deer property in Canterbury, the BVs for the two sires used were more than 10 kg apart.

On each farm, the progeny of the higherperforming sire did indeed perform in line with expectations, with progeny averaging carcass weights about 4.5 kg heavier, worth about an additional $27 per head at today’s schedule prices.

Wapiti farmer John Hamilton said he always looked for good all-round venison sires, but this exercise had encouraged him to look

‘

When you’re choosing a sire it’s really important that the breeder’s objectives for genetic improvement are the same as your own.

Duncan Humm

South Canterbury red deear farmer

more closely at growth BVs when making his selection.

Duncan Humm, who farms red deer in South Canterbury was delighted with the way the progeny from the two high-BV sires had performed, noting the gap in their BVs for weight at 12 months had been born out in the final weights of their progeny.

“When you’re choosing a sire it’s really important that the breeder’s objectives for genetic improvement are the same as your own,” Humm said.

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Carcass weight

70

Breeding matters: South Canterbury deer farmer Duncan Humm who participated in a case study that showed that selecting stags based on their breeding values works well in the real world “That’s certainly how it worked out in this case.”

The third farm, in the central North Island also runs red deer. Farmer David Seifert tracked the weights of progeny of four highBV stags, with a range of nearly 9 kg in their BVs for weight at 12 months.

He was impressed that even though the progeny of the highest-BV sire had started

out relatively light as weaners (mainly due to their dams being younger hinds), they grew faster than the other groups of fawns and eventually overhauled them. The superior genetics shone through and by 12 months they were the heaviest group.

“I was already a convert on the value of good BVs, but this exercise has really confirmed it for me,” he said.

CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2020

43

Toyota Hilux resonates with Kiwi customers Over 1900 customers rolled into Toyota showrooms across the country to get their hands on the new 2021 Hilux when it became available in October.

❚ Article supplied by ToyotaNZ

Toyota New Zealand chief executive officer, Neeraj Lala said while one month does not define success, the initial demand has been phenomenal across both fleet and private customers.

“Delivering 731 new Hilux to customers was a big effort by our Toyota stores, however, delivering the additional 1,200 vehicles over the next six weeks will be a challenge given supply and logistics constraints,” Neeraj said.

“Demand for Hilux accessories is also exceeding all our initial expectations as customers continue to invest heavily in customising their own Hilux.”

Up to November Toyota New Zealand had sold 4,720 Hilux in both 2WD and 4WD variants. It is proving to be the company’s highest selling vehicle by volume; the second bestselling Toyota is the RAV4, of which 4,443 have been sold in 2020. The two models occupy the second and third highest slots of all new vehicles sold in New Zealand this year.

Overall, Toyota remains the country’s leading new passenger and commercial vehicle provider with a 17.7% market share, al-

Strong Sales: Despite an overall downturn in new commercial vehicle sales in New Zealand, sales of the 2021 Toyota Hilux has exceeded expectations.

most twice its nearest competitor. It leads the passenger car segment with a 16.5% share and is second in the commercial market with a 20.9% share.

While the total commercial new vehicle market was down 26.4% in the 10 months to the end of October, Toyota performed better than all its major competitors with a decrease of 18.8%.

Neeraj said the Hilux result in October and the leading market share position was a re-

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“Despite our position in the market, we are not being complacent about anything – especially in this current uncertain economic environment.

“Everyone in our team is working harder and smarter to ensure our business here

continues to thrive,” he said.

“Our investment over recent years into IT systems, people development, and the Toyota Drive Happy Project has created a resilient business for these challenging times.”

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From horse floats to campervans With new premises, the Design Coach & Body Company has evolved with the times to do more than just motorhome and caravan repairs.

supplied by ❚ Article ❚ Design Coach & Body Company

With a brand new 12-metre-long drive in, drive out, 5-metre-high paint booth, a chassis plant with 3 straightening towers with 23T Hydraulic Rams and an additional 10T Maxi tower and a 100M long, 25M wide workshop there is no end to the capabilities of DCB. With 25 years’ experience in coach building, panel and paint repairs, electrical, gas and modifications DCB have the ability and knowledge which has helped them to build a huge clientele.

In more recent years DCB have moved into manufacturing for the rental industry and have fully fitted out motorhomes for Tui Campers and Pacific Horizon Motorhomes.

DCB have custom built for customers some amazing recreational vehicles including a slide on camper for the hunter/fisherman and teardrops for the more adventurous types.

DCB have now ventured into something very new in the equine area and have manufactured a horse float that can be driven on a class 1 licence.

They are capable of insurance repairs on any type of vehicle and nothing is too much of a big challenge for them to turn their hands too.

For the newest, modern, spacious repair and build facility in Canterbury, Design Coach & Body are the ones to see.

The Design Coach & Body Company’s impressive workshop has the capability to take on the biggest of jobs.

Check them out on Facebook: www.facebook.com/The-Design-Coach-and-Body, or their website: www.designcoach.co.nz, or give them a call on 03 344 2442.

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December 2020 CANTERBURY FARMING

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❚ with rob cope-Williams

December 2020

47

Why wouldn’t you?

When you are looking for the best insurance cover, why wouldn’t you use a broker?

Let’s take a look at my situation; I live in the city, have a home and contents and a couple of cars, so my collective covers are not huge by any means, but I am very happy to make a phone call if there is anything new to be covered, or if I have a claim.

Today I rang my broker to add another car, the present work horse to be replaced by a comfortable car as I have decided I deserve comfort at my age.

Firstly, my account manager knew me and we had a wonderful chat about cars in general and my new purchase in particular.

She then said that because it is a Jaguar,

she wanted to get the best available cover for the best available price.

Yes, you have twigged, she will make several phone calls to get the best deal for me.

I wouldn’t even know the top three or four companies to ring, let alone get any preferential treatment.

With respect to my home and contents, I vary who is underwriting it from year to year because my wee treasure in charge of my insurance chases the best cover and prices on my behalf.

During my home rebuild, I lost my house in the quakes, my broker informed me of all

the ‘extras’ I was covered for. Things such as landscaping retaining walls and even the costs of new drapes.

Actually that is another point, the people who made them charged me full price, but my broker pointed out that half was the responsibility of EQC, however EQC didn’t seem to be interested, so into battle went my broker even though it was over and above their duties, and the EQC coughed up their half.

People ask who I am insured with, and I simply say I use a broker. The response is normally a look of slight confusion followed by “that must cost you a lot.”

Wrong, it saves me lots, it ensures that I get the best cover and the best attention, and I am a person, not a name on a computer.

For the same reason I use a travel agent.

I enjoy the fact that I have a person who knows me, does all the hard work for me and gets the best deals.

Perhaps the best part of it all is that I don’t pay my broker or travel agent, the companies who get my business through them do the paying.

Seriously, why wouldn’t you?

Local answers to global questions Christophe Glade spoke to us. He’s the Senior Energy Analyst at the International Energy Agency in Paris, that’s Paris, France not Paris, Idaho. He is extraordinarily intelligent, qualified, and experienced. His organization has as good a view of our energy future as one could hope for. Here is how it went for me.

❚ by Solis Norton

The pandemic has so far knocked about 5% off global energy use. The impact is greater in oil and coal than renewables. Hence a 7% reduction in global emissions is forecast for 2020.

Assuming Covid-19 is brought under control in the next couple of years, business as usual will recover to 2019 energy consumption levels by 2025-27, all going well.

But overall, emissions show little sign of

decline. To meet Net Zero 2050 globally from today requires change on a scarcely conceivable scale including new technology and massive upscaling of existing tech.

Like the world’s battery production needs to double every two years between now and 2050.

My focus wavered. A sense of hopelessness set in. Is he saying create more industries to address industrial civilization?

Christophe is making me very grumpy. Why? I sat on the hill for an evening to think about it. Here’s what I came up with.

Diverse groups of Kiwi farmers have in-

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spired me lately with their stories of steady, voluntary progress in the ‘great green transition to sustainability’.

Inspiring too are the carbon sequestration values on farms described in the report commissioned by Beef & Lamb NZ. In fact, it is just plain inspiring to work in a good industry producing good food with good systems. So I’m inspired? Or am I hopeless?

Christophe made me grumpy because he challenged as fake my aspiration to be a fine and inclusive leader in our global community.

His talk pricked my growing inner conflict between global and local.

Think globally and act locally is all well and good. But what happens when global thinking drives local action to foster itself rather than the big wide world?

Is this natural, healthy progress I wondered. The type we want? Do we have a choice?

The dog looked across at me in that way it does to say ‘it’s all just in your head boss, it’s OK. Look, there’s a deer.’

Sure enough a spiker had stepped into view away down the hill in the evening gloom.

We quietly head off that way.

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