Canterbury Farming, February 2021 by Canterbury Farming

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

February 2021 Edition

INSIDE

THIS EDITION Wiltshire sell-out

p5 Sheds & shelters

p12 Smart spraying

p27 Velvet coalition

Jersey man: John Totty with his herd of Jersey cows at Staveley in mid-Canterbury.

Family farm comes full circle with Jersey genetics Four generations have farmed on John Totty’s 465-hectare property at Staveley in mid-Canterbury with Jersey cows featuring prominently throughout the years.

❚ by Michelle Good p39

Photo: redbox Photography/NZ Dairy exporter

The Staveley Jerseys stud was founded by John’s grandfather, a passionate Jersey breeder, in the early 1960s. Back then the farm milked 150 cows and ran dairy replacements, sheep, beef, and crop. When John’s parents took over the business the farm was expanded, purchasing a neighbouring property in 1995 which was

converted the following year. A Friesian herd was purchased and for 20 years the property supported a 750-cow herd while continuing to run young stock. In 2015 John purchased the dry-land farm, which today milks 1,000 cows across two sheds with young stock grazed off-farm. Seven years ago, the farm was 50:50 Jersey and Friesian genetics, today the farm is about 70% Jersey genetics and breeding

back towards a full Jersey herd. John says the transition to Jerseys has been an easy decision. “Every season we have increased the Jersey content of the herd and managed to hold or increase per cow production without any farm system changes. This season we have increased production by 15% while only increasing cow numbers by 10%.”

TO PAGE 2

February 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

Jersey advantage ‘key to cash flow’

FROM PAGE 1

John says the ultimate goal is to achieve efficient, profitable production. “We are aiming to get to the point where we produce a kilogram of milksolids for every kilogram of liveweight, while keeping farm working expenses under $4. “Seven years ago, with a 50% Friesian herd, we were doing 265,000 kilograms of milksolids, now we are achieving 385,000 kilograms of milksolids with a predominantly Jersey herd, at a lower cost. As a bonus, our

Fonterra cheque is always ahead of the company average too.” He says the flexibility of Jersey’s was reinforced his first year on the farm when a severe drought forced the herd on to once-a-day in December. “The Jerseys powered through but the Friesians sulked and had to go back on twice a day when the drought broke to get their appetites up. “Jerseys will hold production through tough times, and recover a lot quicker in Autumn.”

“The top herd is mated to AB for 6 weeks using Jersey sires followed by 4 weeks of Jersey bulls and 2 weeks of short gestation dairy. Whereas the jersey bulls go straight out with the lower BW herd meaning we are only doing AB through one shed.” John says the flexibility of the Jersey breed also includes the adaptability to variable milking intervals. “One of our business goals was to move to a 10 in 7 system – that is 10 milkings in 7 days, a variation of 16-hour milkings but with more convenient milking times for staff. “This season is our first employing the 10 in 7 system full season. Jerseys have around a 30-hour holding capacity versus a Friesian at around 20-hours, and this is a big advantage when using variable milking intervals.” He says the Jersey advantage extends beyond just efficiency and profitability to management traits like calving ease, animal health, and mastitis. “Jersey cattle have tremendous calving ease – we averaged one assisted calving per week this season. We also have very few down cows, and often they are our older F16 girls that are more prone to metabolic issues. “This season we had just four cases of clinical mastitis in August and thirty cases total over calving. Our somatic cell count is currently sitting around 100,000. All of these factors contribute to reduced animal health costs, reduced labour costs, and more manageable hours for staff.” He says Jerseys have also been key to cash flow in the business, with a ready market in the South Island for surplus stock. “There is a good market for Jersey bulls with everyone using them over their heifers due to the superior calving ease. “We also sell our young empty cows as carryovers, as well as our lower production worth (PW) animals, bringing through higher breeding worth (BW) replacements that better meet our herd goals. “We’ve even had instances where people have come to look at our surplus Friesian or crossbred stock and ended up buying our surplus Jerseys because of their breeding worth, type and proven efficiency.” The Jersey cow is also gaining a growing reputation for its lower environmental footprint. In the South Island where wintering practices have come under the spotlight, a lighter cow could be beneficial. “In our business the environmental picture is becoming more and more important, particularly around pugging and winter grazing. “We always try to have an eye to the future and a lighter cow that has less impact on the soil structure could be critical going forward.”

Up until this season the farm had previously split the herds by breed but this year for the first time the herds have been split by BW. “Mixed herds didn’t work well with big Friesians. Over time we have achieved more consistency in size through the use of jersey artificial breeding (AB) sires and the sale or culling of higher Friesian content animals, and that has enabled us to split herds by breeding worth (BW) instead. “It has really simplified the operation.

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FARMING NEWS

Kiwi can-do spirit kept agriculture strong through pandemic Kiwi ingenuity and a drive to “make it work” have been pivotal in New Zealand’s agricultural sector getting through the Covid-19 pandemic with relatively little impact, according to a new study by AgResearch.

❚ by Kent Caddick Farmers and others working in the agriculture and food systems in New Zealand and Australia were surveyed or interviewed about the impacts of Covid-19 in the period through to June 2020, which included national lockdowns. While acknowledging overall negative effects, additional stress and pressures from the pandemic and response, only 47 per cent of New Zealand survey respondents viewed the effect on their farms or businesses as negative over that period. A further 37 per cent said the effect was neutral. Much of New Zealand’s primary sector was able to continue working through the Covid-19 lockdowns and, unlike some other nations, its performance held up well. Export revenue from primary products for the period exceeded revenue from the previous year. AgResearch senior scientist Dr Val Snow said the term resilience is a buzzword that’s probably a bit overused. “But it’s clear from our analysis that the in-built ability to cope with adversity through various means, find new ways of doing things and get on with the job, were important in how farmers and their supporting industries performed so well,” Snow said. “Many farmers were already dealing with drought conditions but were able to manage through the extra difficulties. “We’ve seen those in other countries not fare as well. Some Kiwi farmers found being required to stay on their farms through

The Kiwi way: Much of New Zealand’s primary sector was able to continue working through the Covid-19 lockdowns.

Covid-19 restrictions meant they were actually more focused on their core tasks and their family life.” Those interviewed in the New Zealand sector also identified some positives coming out of the pandemic experience such as better ways of working (including going paperless or doing online meetings), opportunities for new markets for their products and increased community appreciation of their sector. One New Zealand farmer talked about the necessity to home-school the kids “meant

they were involved in farming life and saw the decision-making process and us discussing real life events”. Another experienced “indirectly, a change in attitude among public around how they value security of food production and therefore role of farmers in providing that food”. Snow said relatively high technology use and strong connections in the New Zealand sector also meant it was well-placed to the respond to the pandemic, while overseas demand for its products staying strong was also critical.

“Although the outlook is more positive now with access to vaccines looming, many of those we heard from expect impacts of the pandemic to linger for some time. We will be interested to see how those impacts change over time. “That is where further research will be valuable.” AgResearch scientists and NZIER (New Zealand Institute of Economic Research) worked with several science organisations in New Zealand and Australia as part of this collaborative research.

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February 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

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

FARMING NEWS

A tough year and the challenges ahead

The New Year has started well for the primary sector. We have seen some welcome rain prompting good grass growth, strengthening prices at the global dairy trade auction, and continued strong demand for New Zealand meat. Over the Christmas break, when I was lucky enough to get out on my motorbike down South, I could see the hard work that people were putting in to make the most of the conditions and there was an impressive amount of feed being prepared for winter. At the beginning of 2020, we were facing a tough drought in many parts of the country and this looked to be the biggest challenge ahead. Of course, no one could have predicted we would also find ourselves in the middle of a global pandemic. During these trying times, New Zealand’s primary sector led the way by feeding kiwis and getting our great food and fibre to overseas markets despite the logistical difficulties posed by lockdowns and restrictions across the globe. Our dairy and meat producers navigated this new environment well but as we move forward it’s important to continue to adapt. If the last year has shown us anything, it is that we live in an ever-changing world. I encourage farmers and growers to keep an eye on their processing company’s strategies and plans for adapting when disruption strikes. You have an important part to play in ensuring those who take your hardproduced food and fibre to market are pre-

pared for change. The Covid-19 pandemic will continue to loom large this year as a major disrupting force, but we should also look to the future where changing customer preferences and climate change may also continue to disrupt how the sector operates. The events of the last 12 months have demonstrated the impressive ability of our farmers and growers to adapt under pressure, and the lessons learnt are valuable tools for the years ahead. From my perspective, I’m focused on several priorities this year, as I balance both my Trade and Agricultural roles. Firstly, the Government is working hard to navigate the Brexit deal and what it means for New Zealand. Wherever possible, we are committed to establishing new and better trade deals that benefit New Zealanders. I’m also working through some changes to the Government’s freshwater policies and am focused on working alongside industry to drive innovation and creativity in the sector through our Fit for a Better World roadmap. As a whole, this Labour Government is focused on recovering from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and working with the primary sector to ensure our great products get to those who want them.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

February 2021

Mt Cass Wiltshire ram and ewe sale exceeds all expectations

Mt Cass Station’s inaugural Wiltshire ram and ewe sale attracted a big crowd and spirited bidding with the top rams selling for $4000.

❚ by Sandra Taylor At the sale on January 20 full-shedding twotooth ewes were fetching up to $375, with an average price of $347. Buyers from around the country competed strongly for the 3444 Wiltshires on offer, reflecting the growing interest in these low-input, shedding sheep. Alongside the Mt Cass rams, lambs, twotooth and annual draft ewes for sale, were two-tooth ewes from Harts Creek farm at Leeston and two-tooth ewes and lambs from Waitui Holdings in the Marlborough Sounds. All lines sold strongly, with Mt Cass Wiltshire ewe lambs averaging $210 with the top lines making $270. Annual draft ewes averaged $230. Mt Cass’s 48 rams all sold with an average price of $1670. The Mt Cass shareholders say they could not be happier with their first sale of Mt Cass Wiltshire genetics. “Stock are being trucked to new homes from Kerikeri in Northland to North Otago and we are delighted with three significant volume sales into the North Island,” they said. “The sale is a culmination of over 12 years work developing a sheep suitable for the needs of Mt Cass’s organic program and our team is buzzing with the support and interest shown in our first sale.”

Going, going: Mt Cass twotooth Wiltshire ewes sold for $375 to a gallery of willing buyers.

Mt Cass covers 1800ha of hill country near Waipara. The Wiltshires, with their inherent internal parasite resistance and resilience, come into their own in the farm’s low-input, organic system. The sheep don’t need shearing, dagging or crutching and they don’t get flystrike. “This results in significant savings in shearing, labour and agrichemical costs.” Mt Cass started their Wiltshire stud to meet a growing demand for the genetics and the shareholders say there has been growing interest in Wiltshires from farmers frustrated

by on-going depressed wool prices and the work associated with wool production. The progression to a no-shear flock is quite rapid and within a couple of generations crutching, dipping and flystrike is eliminated and within three to four generations so too is shearing. While they don’t produce wool, the Wiltshire are good meat producers, and Mt Cass weans 135-145% off their hill country. Around 40% of the Mt Cass lamb crop is sold prime pre-Christmas at 16.5-17.5kg carcass weight.

Sold out: all 48 Wiltsire rams on offer sold, with the top rams making $4000.

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February 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

The impact of Looking after bees wage increases ❚❚ by eugenie Sage Green Party MP

There is often much talk about the environmental impact of dairy farming and, as a result, the current government is taking a very anti-dairy approach with the freshwater regulations it is proposing.

David bennett ❚ by Party spokesperson ❚ National for Agriculture ❚

This approach directly attacks farmers, especially those in the mid-Canterbury region who will be most affected by the proposed nitrogen levels. The government makes another concerning attack on the Primary Sector through increased minimum wage and higher wage rates (in response to calls for additional migrant labour), especially in the horticulture industry. This forced wage increase needs to be viewed in the context of a government that has explicitly stated the need for redistribu-

tion of the benefits generated by the Primary Sector. The government is essentially focussing on what it perceives as an asset-rich Primary Sector and seeking a redistribution of returns from farmers and growers. With the political inability to apply a capital gains tax on high asset businesses, including farmers, (due to the Prime Minister’s commitment to no capital gains tax), this government is focussing on forced wealth redistribution through wage increases. This is being felt in our horticulture industry, but no doubt, the government will extend this rationale into other Primary Sector areas. Some may say this is not a bad thing, as wages are vital to attracting New Zealand staff. This is a valid argument, but forcibly increasing wages for redistribution purposes will lead to inefficiency and low profitability. This means less incentive to invest and, inevitably, business will contract. The government’s strategy to impose wage increases in the absence of a capital gains tax will mean a contraction of business and economic activity, which will hurt our farmers and regional communities. The long term impact of seemingly innocent wage increases is a country and economy that can’t meet its growth needs, adversely affecting consumers and businesses.

The recent warning from Japanese officials that they would block New Zealand honey expor ts if they continued to find unacceptable levels of glyphosate highlights the issues with its widespread use and the risks to New Zealand’s reputation as a producer of safe and healthy food. We all need to work on how we can take better care of bees, and implement a more effective regulatory system to protect these hard working pollinators and the honey industry. Honey exports were worth more than $350 million to New Zealand in 2018/19. More importantly bees are essential for the pollination of many food and commercial crops, so healthy bees are essential for human survival. Glyphosate is a common compound in many brands of weedkiller, such as Roundup. It is widely used by the forestry sector prior to planting, by urban councils in city parks and by farmers wanting to do direct drilling of pasture and crops without cultivation. Bees can forage up to 5km from their hives. Research has shown that glyphosate can impede their navigational ability and foraging behaviour, restrict the growth of bee larvae and disrupt their gut microorganisms. While Apiculture NZ and Federated Farmers have encouraged foresters and

farmers to only use bee friendly products on flowering crops, avoid spray drift, and only use pesticides when bees aren’t foraging, this isn’t enough. The cancer research section of the World Health Organisation has identified glyphosate as a potential carcinogen. We don’t know what a safe level of glyphosate is, and regulators have not assessed it at sub-lethal levels. Some research has shown that exposure to common herbicides such as glyphosate can lead to bacteria becoming antibiotic resistant. If some common antibiotics become less effective this has significant implications for human and animal health. The good news is that the Environmental Protection Agency is working with the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority and reassessing five neonicotinoids. Neonicotinoids are neurotoxins. They accumulate in the pollen and nectar of sprayed plants and kill pollinators such as bees. Even low doses affect bumble bees’ ability to forage and pollinate crops. Harvard research has shown high concentrations of neonicotinoids are present in New Zealand plants. The EPA’s reassessment of neonicotinoids began in December 2018 so it would be good to see the work concluded and decisions made this year. New Zealand lags behind the European Union which instituted a continent-wide ban on three neonicotinoids in 2016.

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FARMING NEWS

February 2021

One Canterbury and getting over the rural-urban divide

I wrote a column for The Star in January, a predominantly urban readership, putting forward the idea of how much more we could get done in our environment if all the different parties looked at our shared goals and what we have in common rather than what our differences are. I thought I would share what I said with Canterbury Farming.

Is it human nature to focus on differences rather than what is the same? Considering ‘them and us’ can be useful. It is a way to make sense of things – a constant, often subconscious, ‘compare and contrast’ exercise. We can all think of a string of these comparisons: Crusaders versus Highlanders, North Island versus South Island, New Zealand versus Australia, National Party versus Labour Party, Marmite versus Vegemite – and town versus country. When it comes to the so-called rural-urban divide, something that comes up time and time again when it comes to the environment, we definitely need to get beyond the initial differences. In this day and age, the idea of rural versus urban when it comes to our land and water is a lazy and convenient construct that doesn’t do much to help resolve issues. To understand whether we actually have a rural-urban divide, it is worth having a look at who we are in Canterbury and the nature of our region. We have our own peculiarities for sure, but are we really that divided? Ours is the largest region in New Zealand, one which in many people’s eyes is predominantly rural or mountainous, covering the vast areas of the Mackenzie country, the iconic Alpine rivers and lakes, the expanse of the Canterbury plains – yet we also have

Christchurch, New Zealand’s second largest city, with a population of more than 380,000 people. Of Canterbury’s 45,346 square kilometres of land, a little over half is farmed, about 18.6% of the total land area farmed in New Zealand. Just over half the South Island’s population lives in Canterbury: 624,000 people now and growing. 82% of us live in Greater Christchurch (61% in Christchurch city, 21% in the Waimakariri and Selwyn districts). So by the numbers at least, it seems our region is quite a well-balanced mixture of both the rural and the urban. I know from many conversations with members of the community – regardless of their age, stage, background or where they live – that we all want clean water, good health and wellbeing, a prosperous economy and a positive outlook for the future. We all want measures taken to address climate change, we want Cantabrians to live well on our part of the planet, and we want to leave the region in a better state than we found it. There are similar problems in town and country environments, which require the efforts of the community to address. Take water, for example: in recent years there has been a lot of concern about the quality of water across the region. And let’s be frank, the focus of much of this anxiety has been on discharges from

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dairying on the Plains and how nitrates and nutrients have degraded rural waterways. This is not unfounded and is a real problem. It is also one the rural sector is now acutely aware of and, more importantly, that it is owning and taking action to fix. But water pollution is far from just a rural issue. In our urban areas there are also significant issues around water, particularly regarding effluent disposal – what people are flushing or washing down the drain – and with how much water people are using. Urban waterways are also often polluted by heavy metals, including copper from ve-

hicle brakepads and zinc from roofing products. And there are still those who pour oil, solvents and paints down the drain without thinking what harm they will do when they reach our waterways. The urban community too is now starting to take the action needed. Different issues, same desired outcome, across the urban and rural areas. I say let’s make 2021 the year that we put down our differences, stop looking across the fence and questioning the action others are or are not taking, but rather embrace our ‘sameness’ and common goals and work as one Canterbury to get there.

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February 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

bessie Paterson LLb ❚ with Ronald ❚ W Angland & Son

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The ﬁne line between hate speech and freedom of speech

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One of the important rights enshrined in our Bill of Rights Act is everybody’s right to “freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and opinions of any kind in any form”. The Human Rights Act, Harmful Digital Communications Act and some provisions of the Crimes Act all have provisions which many would think restrict the freedom in the Bill of Rights Act. Prior to last year’s election both Labour and the Greens campaigned on reviewing all of the relevant offences to see whether they provided sufficient protection for everybody who may be affected by hate speech. The Prime Minister promised to try to close any gaps in the laws relating to hate speech. She also promised to work with all parties to try closing the existing gaps in our current raft of laws. This was brought to the fore following the mosque attacks which took place in March 2020. It was envisaged that any changes to the current legislation would take time and required full consultation with interest groups and the wider public on such an important issue. So far there has been no public consultation and if the opportunity arises the public should take part in the consultation process. Other political parties have made it clear that they will not support new legislation which would have the effect of making criminals out of people who make foolish or silly comments. Perhaps a civilised discussion with the maker of the statement would provide a suitable solution. Some commentators believe that the Labour Party intended to introduce a new offence of “hate crime”. This would

make it illegal to stir up hatred against racial or religious groups on purpose. The UK has draconian hate crime laws which can result in the suppression of free and fair debate. Offenders who are convicted are liable to a term of imprisonment. There is a fine line between hate speech and freedom of speech. Everyone is entitled to have and express opinions which may be offensive or controversial but the line is drawn when their opinions go further than that and require an element of threatening or inciting violence or harm to other groups of people who are different from themselves. Freedom of speech is a fundamen-

tal right in New Zealand and there are some who believe that there should be no laws to restrict the rights we currently have. The United States does not have any laws curtailing freedom of speech as the courts in that country have made it quite clear that such laws contravene the citizens’ rights under the First Amendment to the US constitution. If the Government has public consultation on this issue make sure to take part in that process. This article has been prepared by bessie Paterson, a partner at ronald W angland & Son, Lawyers, 2 Chapman Street, Leeston

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Grant edmundson ❚ with Partner Helmore Stewart, Rangiora ❚

CANTERBURY FARMING

February 2021

Employers beware the pitfalls of restructuring and parental leave

With businesses surviving the worst that was on offer in 2020 in respect of the Covid-19 pandemic, business owners have had an opportunity to “take stock” over the holidays whilst contemplating what 2021 may have in store. Some business owners hold a cautious view in respect of the economic forecast for 2021 whilst others have been buoyed by a significant uptake in commercial activity in their sector. In both instances, employers have taken steps to restructure their business to gain economic efficiencies or to anticipate an economic downturn in 2021. Such steps ought to follow the prescribed requirements under the Employment Relations Act 2000, however, many Employers fall foul of the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act 1987 (“the Act”) whilst planning and implementing the restructuring. There are a number of hurdles to navigate when dealing with Parental Leave in the context of a restructuring. Once an Employee has advised the Employer that the Employee wishes to take Parental Leave, the Employer is required under Section 36 of the Act to notify the Employee (within 21 days of receipt of the notice) to respond to the Employee in the prescribed

form (Parental Leave Confirmation Letter): • stating whether the Employee is entitled to take Parental Leave; and • stating that until the end of the Employee’s Parental Leave, the Employee’s position in the employment of the Employer can be kept open or cannot be kept open (as the case may be). Employers often fail to give this notice to the Employee within the prescribed time or to do so in the prescribed form. Of greater importance however, is the need for the Employer to recognise the significance of Parental Leave under the Act and the protections afforded to the Employee. There is a presumption that the Employee’s position can be kept open under Section 41 of the Act. In addition, Section 49 of the Act states that the dismissal by reason of pregnancy or parental leave is prohibited. The Employer is however entitled to special defences relating to dismissal during Parental Leave under Section 51 of the Act. In Section 51(a)(ii) for example, it states

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February 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

RURAL PROFESSIONALS

Speeding up the preparation of annual ﬁnancial statements For us agri-business accountants, the push is now on to get the 2020 year Financial Statements all filed by 31 March 2021, so the current workload is massive.

alister Stevenson ❚ by Alexander and Associates Ltd ❚ This has been the case for almost every year of the 26-odd years that I have been involved in the industry. Why is this so, and what would be done to help ease the pressure? The problem with agri-business accounting is that we have lots of clients who have a late balance date, by this I mean the standard balance date in the dairy industry is May, and the sheep and beef sector is June, compared to other businesses where March is the standard balance. So we do get off to a late start, and in some instances we have 7 – 8 months to do 12 months of work. We do still have experiences with clients

that are not great record keepers and in many situations still rely on a manual system, which in my experience tends to mean that we are always picking up and putting down the file, waiting for additional information to arrive. This will always delay the preparation of the job. What can be done to speed up the preparation of your annual Financial Statements? Remove the manual processing part of your data collection. Most clients will now be using some sort of specialist agri-business online accounting package. This is used in the first instance for GST return preparation, which grows into budget preparation and then into sensible, balanced core data for annual accounts preparation. Most of these systems are now so in tune with the farming business that it will allow you to file invoices against the transaction an absolute game changer for clients and accountants, a click of a button allows you to see all the detail about that entry. A fully completed stock reconciliation, by this I mean full detail of stock sold and purchased, natural increase number, deaths, all balanced to your closing stock numbers. I sometimes spend way too much time in

trying to balance a client’s stock numbers. I know for some clients this is a very difficult and frustrating process, but with a little education and a good record keeping system, a balanced stock reconciliation will make your accountant’s job much easier. Most of the online systems, as mentioned in the previous point, all have built in stock reconciliation programs, and if the data entered is correct then the annual stock reconciliation is pretty straight forward. If you are still using a manual filing system, then please make sure that this is in order before presenting it to your accountant. You need to have this in such a state that it is easy for your accountant to find what is relevant to prepare your annual Financial Statements. Some accountants I know actually provide their clients with an annual accounts information file. This file may be set out in such a way that it allows the client to file the important annual accounts paperwork in one system or file so that the accountant knows that when they pick up that job, 99% of the information they need will be there. It is easy then to find the paperwork that relates to data such as annual farming re-

bates or dividends, or all term loan statements etc. Finally, please make sure once you receive the draft copy of the annual Financial Statements for review, that you actually do this in a timely manner. There is no point in getting your Financial Statements done early and then sit on the drafts for a couple of months because you don’t like the result or the tax bill – they are more use to you completed not long after balance date than getting them this time of the year.

Key message Complete and accurate annual accounts information will save your accountant time and will get your accounts turned around quicker, and it could even save you some money. Put the work in before presenting your accountant with your annual accounts information. Side note: If you are still using a manual system to prepare and complete your employee/Paye obligations, please consider a payroll provider. These ﬁrms, and there are a number of them, give excellent services for a very reasonable fee.

Wool carpet making a come back ❚ with rob Cope-Williams

It is about time wool growers had a break. But it is my understanding that despite problems with exports, especially China, that the local carpet market is starting to light up again.

I am not sure what is behind it, whether it is the locals who are star ting to think buy New Zealand produce, even though most of our carpet is from wool expor ted to Turkey and returned as the finished product, or that the day of nylon as king may be heading our way. An interesting diversion is that when I asked a carpet dealer about whether the drop in popularity of nylon was because of the electric shocks we get off them from static electricity, he said that wool does the same, it is the atmosphere created by air conditioners that is the cause, but we will keep that quiet and not let the that spoil a good rumour. I have been bleating on, if you can excuse the pun, about making wool fashionable again and concentrating on the advantages over synthetics rather than the features, and hopefully that just may be starting to happen. If there is a good thing about the Covid dramas, it is that people here and overseas are taking a different view of things and lifestyles and what we are seeing is people are now starting to think about sustainability, and a healthier world. In the cities throughout New Zealand people discovered walking again, and many I know have carried on with it because they

enjoy getting out of the house and having exercise. The fact that there is often a reduction in weight is an extra bonus. With that is coupled a desire to eat better and to buy our locally produced food. Yes, imported food is harder to come by because of freight restrictions, but it is all working for the local producers, of course their exports have been trimmed badly so it is a blessing that there is some demand for them. My heart does go out to the producers who lost millions of dollars of produce through a lack of casual staff and the weather conditions, you can’t avoid the weather dramas, but it would be nice if the Government could have been a lot more helpful with respect to manpower. So, anyway just what it is that is swinging us towards wool carpets, may it continue. Chatting with a variety of folk about what is happening locally it seems that there are literally Millions and millions of dollars normally spent on overseas travel, and of course that isn’t happening so people are buying new cars, boats and caravans, but more particularly they are upgrading their homes, and that is where I see a great opportunity for our carpet wool providers to make some ground.

Money, it seems, is sloshing around all over the place, and with property prices so high that there must be a serious correction looming, plus interest rates down around our ankles, people have never had a better chance to invest in a positive manner, as in

increase the value of their homes and enjoy the gains later when values become real again. Perhaps a logo could suggest; “Be proud of owning New Zealand produced carpet, it will always serve you well.”

RURAL PROFESSIONALS

CANTERBURY FARMING

February 2021

Markets rally to year-end highs Global equity markets rallied to end the year strongly, as confidence in a vaccine-led recovery in 2021 grew.

New Zealand’s recovery swifter than others The New Zealand equity market finished the year on a high with a return of +11.4% for the quarter and +13.9% for the year. The big sector performers during the year were the largecap Utilities (benefiting as central banks slashed interest rates) and Health Care. During December New Zealand’s GDP for the previous quarter of the year was released, which came in at +14.0%, the largest quarterly rise in growth on record, confirming the strong recovery of the domestic economy from the Covid-19 lockdowns. New Zealand’s annual GDP growth by the end of September also expanded into positive territory, significantly outperforming all other developed economies including Australia and the US. This stronger relative economic performance was also reflected in business confidence, with the ANZ business survey indicating a very positive outlook for profit expansion and investment intentions in the year ahead. The strong relative economic performance

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was also reflected in the NZD, which continued its appreciation against the USD during the quarter. New Zealand commodity prices remain firm, with the important milk powder price trading at 12-month highs as global (Asian) demand for the food and goods we produce remains high. This continues to be reflected in our higher terms of trade, or the net amount the country earns from our exports less what we pay for our imports. Higher terms of trade are a positive for our national income, and another factor boosting domestic confidence and the outlook for our economy.

A good backdrop for asset prices despite short-term risks We believe the backdrop remains a positive one for investing in risk assets such as shares and property. Real interest rates (after inflation) are generally negative. Central banks commitment to ultra-low interest rates is forcing investors to look for alternatives outside of traditional safe havens such as term deposits and bonds. The lack of any significant inflation means this position does not look likely to be reconsidered any time soon. Global economic activity 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-thanexpected outcomes, which is translating through to better employment demand. Investors should be confident that, in general, the trough in company earnings is behind us. The recovery could face a setback over the next few months as the latest wave of lockdowns sweep through the Northern Hemisphere. However, the recent success around vaccines means markets are largely looking “over the hill” to a world where medical solutions are being rolled-out.

kets are able to remain resilient in the face Many will be glad to see the end of 2020. De- of bad news, (2) share prices reflect the longspite the virus still rampaging around much term earnings companies will generate over of the world, optimism about the develop- the years and decades ahead, not just the ment and distribution of several vaccines is next six to 12 months, and (3) it’s not possipaving the way for a recovery in economic ac- ble to consistently time or predict short-term movements in markets. tivity in the year ahead. Overall, it’s important to establish and reWe remain positive for a number of reasons, but we also expect the recovery to be main committed to an investment plan which uneven with volatility likely to continue. In the meets your long-term goals. Hopefully you have enjoyed a peaceful and year ahead we expect the following thematics happy holiday season. As the holidays come will be important: to an end the New Year offers an opportunity • Monetary and fiscal support to continto reflect on your financial goals. ue, which will underpin economic acThis report covers the three months endtivity, rising employment, asset prices, ed 31 December 2020. and healthy consumer confidence. • Vaccines to eventually dominate the virus and allow economies to re-open If you’re new to investing please see Forsyth barr’s and some sectors, currently in surviv- Introduction to Investing guide available at www. forsythbarr.co.nz/intro-to-investing/ or to discuss al mode, to re-start normal activities. your investment options please contact andrew Wyllie, • Mergers and acquisitions will remain an authorised Financial adviser with Forsyth barr in an active part of the equity market as Christchurch. He can be contacted regarding portfolio very low funding costs and the attracmanagement, ﬁxed interest, or share investments on tiveness of certain assets listed in 0800 367 227 or andrew.wyllie@forsythbarr.co.nz. This New Zealand continue to attract globcolumn is general in nature and should not be regarded al capital. as personalised investment advice. Disclosure • Climate change and the impact on the Statements are available for Forsyth barr authorised environment is now one of the domFinancial advisers on request and free of charge. inant investment themes globally. Almost all major governments have signed up to some emission reduction targets and investment philosophies and mandates are rapidly changing to reflect this important trend. • Geopolitics will become a more important consideration in investment strategy When you are thinking about your with particular interinvestment options, talk to Forsyth Barr est in the Asia-Pacific To get personalised investment advice and zone. China’s asserportfolio management specific to your investing tiveness and New Zealand reliance on trade needs, talk to Investment Adviser Andrew Wyllie with the world’s secin confidence on (03) 365 4244 or email ond largest econoandrew.wyllie@forsythbarr.co.nz my will pose risks and challenges that will Disclosure Statements need to be navigated for Forsyth Barr carefully. Authorised Financial Advisers are available on Given the recovery in eqrequest and free of charge. uity market values since March, we note that: (1) mar-

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Adding to the positive sentiment was the agreement to additional financial stimulus by US lawmakers, the promise of additional monetary and fiscal support from central banks and policy-makers globally, stronger than expected manufacturing data in the US, Europe, and Asia, and a relatively successful split by the UK from the European Union (EU), which took effect from the end of the year (Brexit). Central banks continue to provide the heavy lifting in monetary support and with the third wave of the pandemic surging through the northern hemisphere, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the US Federal Reserve (Fed) both indicated an increase in the level of liquidity they would inject into the markets going forward, as the effects of the pandemic linger. The impact of central bank policies has been to keep interest rates down, even as economies start to recover. Investment grade and corporate borrowing costs remain historically low and many companies have taken advantage of the cheap funding costs to issue bonds and reduce their overall funding costs, which of course is positive for profit margins and therefore earnings.

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February 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

Choosing a location for your shed When farmers deliberate about the construction of a shed on their property, they often focus on which materials to use, as this is what will take up most of their budget.

❚ by William Milnes Although selecting the right construction supplies is crucial, it is imperative that you make an effort to ensure proper placement of your shed. A mistake that is commonly made is choosing an empty area on your property under the assumption that all you need to bear in mind is the availability of space. In reality, several aspects should be contemplated as this can affect the convenience and even durability of farm sheds. Here’s a guide to choose a location for a farm shed.

stacles are excavated, mainly if you are buying a prefabricated shed. However, rocks are not the only issue that affect the terrain. Extensive root networks could also affect the placement of your shed, and trees in the area will have to be addressed before the structure is built. Generally, flatter surfaces are best for the erection of your farm shed. Furthermore, take note of the incline of the terrain. Try your best to avoid constructing your shed at the bottom of a slope, as you will end up having to contend with drainage issues.

Consider the terrain of the location

Consider your accessibility to the shed

Before you have your shed constructed, you need to determine if the terrain is suitable. If you have your shed built on rocky ground, it is likely that it will not have a stable base. Depending on the state of your property, you may have to prepare the site so that any ob-

Accessibility to your shed may or may not affect your needs depending on what your primary application for the farm shed is. For instance, if you are building your shed with the intent of utilising it as a living space, whether as a home office or ‘man cave’, ac-

On site: As much as the design of your shed is important, so is its location.

cessibility may be critical as you want to be able to access the building easily in all weather conditions. On the other hand, if the principal application for your shed is storage, accessibility may matter less because you’ll potentially be visiting the space less often. Keep in mind though that transporting bulky items such as equipment or tools can

quickly become tedious if your shed is located a distance away. In this situation, you will be better off seeking out a central location that makes it easier for you to move between the shed and the rest of your property. Before you construct your shed, make sure you check with any local bylaws and regulations which dictate where on a property a shed can be built.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

February 2021

Maximising yields a real beneﬁt Hay is an important resource on any farm, one that needs to be looked after to get the most out of it. supplied by ❚ Article ❚ Alpine Farm Buildings Getting the most out of their hay bales was a top priority for Phil May, Managing Director of the Methven based contracting company, May Brothers when they were looking to invest in a new hay storage shed. May Brothers who specialise in all things contracting from cultivation and drilling to transport and cartage needed to add to their existing Alpine sheds on site to keep up with the increase in business. “Keeping our bales in top condition is a massive priority,” explains Phil. “Having them under cover means that every bale that goes in comes out good.” Keeping the bales dry and well ventilated means less deterioration, which helps the bales maintain their market value. The shelter provided by a shed significantly reduces rotten bales compared to conventional storage under covers which would often result in the top and bottom bales being part ruined severely reducing yield.

Storing your hay in a shed significantly reduces rotten bales compared to conventional storage and provides other benefits including efficiency and safer working environments for you and your staff. Storing your hay in a shed also provides other benefits including efficiency and safer working environments for you and your staff. “Having the hay stored in a shed, means our storage process is a lot faster than using conventional tarps,” says Phil. “There is no need to tie down tarps mean-

ing the process of storing them is a lot quicker, and no tarps means the process is safer as we don’t have to have staff working at heights getting the tarps tied down properly.” Phil enlisted the help of Alpine Buildings for their shed builds. Their latest project saw a full shed construction as well as an exten-

sion to an existing shed. “The team at Alpine are great,” says Phil. “Easy to deal with, and nothing is a hassle.” The Alpine design is efficient in hay storage and clearspan sheds. The New Zealand owned and operated company who specialise in large scale, bird proof farm buildings provide the perfect fit for hay and machinery storage. Their structural steel rafter design provides standard clearspans up to 20 metres and wider as required. With no need for apex and knee bracing, the system allows easy access and manoeuvrability of machinery when loading and unloading bales. The structural steel rafter and purlin system also provides a bird proof environment with the purlins being fixed between the rafters meaning birds have nowhere to land within the roof cavity saving your hay and machinery from corrosive droppings. “We are very happy with our sheds,” says Phil. “They have provided us with a safe and efficient storage solution, and we will be enlisting the help of Alpine again in the future.”

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February 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

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CANTERBURY FARMING

February 2021

Collson make it affordable and easy Most of our customers already own a section, or they have access to family land, or they are currently renting a long-term site. Collson offer the most affordable option to add accommodation to your land. supplied by ❚ Article Collson Granny Flats ❚ With 20 years experience we are frequently asked these questions:

What are the advantages of Collson transportable accommodation? Mainly low cost, starting at $89,000+GST, for a 48 square metre, 12m x 4m, single or double bedroom house. Council Compliance, transport, pile foundations and installation on site, can typically range from $12,000 to $20,000. This cost range depends on your site. You could move into your new accommodation, with a total cost starting from between $101,000 to $109,000+GST.

Why is our council compliancing service very important? Leave Council Compliancing to us. Both your new accommodation and your site need to comply with local Council regulations. We’ve had many years complying our buildings and our customer’s sites. Full compliance also means the insurance cover you require will be available.

How long will it take to build and deliver my unit? From confirmation of your order and deposit, to installation on your site is usually less than 3 months. We deliver and install units that are literally ready to live in. Site installation can happen in one or two days including securing the unit to prepared foundations and connection to all services. Delivery and installation can be made anywhere in the South Island safely accessible by truck.

What options do i have with a Collson unit? How much accommodation do you need – 1, 2 or 3 bedrooms? We have several precomplied plans which start the process of designing your own unit. Ensuite? Power points? Storage and wardrobes? Optional verandah? We have 20 years experience to help with that.

How energy efficient is a Collson home? Double glazing, full insulation, efficient to heat and cool. Instant hot water with gas califont system. Full under layed thick carpet and easy care vinyl flooring, these are all your choices. Generous wardrobes and

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storage. Collson understands efficient and comfortable use of space and materials.

How versatile is Collson accommodation? • Extended family – for parents, teenagers or guest accommodation. • Worker accommodation – where extended or flexible working hours are required. • Rental income – Rental income could

secure your future. Collson’s offers you expandable rental income. • Lifestyle choices – An affordable holiday home to enjoy for generations. • A future proof investment – Collson Units are transportable. You can resite, or re-sell your Collson. your enquiries are most welcome. Call 021 028 22495 or 022 318 6953 or email: janandclyde@xtra.co.nz. *Prices are subject to current construction costs.

February 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

Understanding the red tape Before buying that new section here’s a couple of steps you should work through before making that purchase.

supplied by ❚ Article ConsumerNZ ❚ Certificate of title The certificate of title (CT) will tell you the size and general shape of the section, who owns it and whether there are mortgages, leases, rights of way or other interests registered against the title. It will also tell you whether the land is freehold or leasehold. You can get a copy of the CT yourself or ask your lawyer, project manager or another search agent to get it for you. There are many search agents available. Look in the Yellow Pages under Real Estate Agents, Property Management, Land Information, Resource Management, Document Services, Legal Agents, Lawyers, and Surveyors. If you are doing the search yourself, you will need the correct Land District - you can get this from the Land Information NZ (LINZ) website. You also need the CT number. Get this from the real estate agent, property developer, or go to a LINZ processing centre. (You will need the legal description of the property, e.g. Lot 1 DP 1234, which you can get off

the rating records for that address). Once you have the CT number, you can order a copy of the CT by: • visiting a LINZ processing centre • through the LINZ website, or you can post or fax in a request. A small fee is payable. You should get a copy of the CT within 36 hours. Note that some councils require you to have a copy of the CT before you can apply for a LIM. This is to make sure you are researching the correct section. For example, if you give the street address for a vacant section that happens to be a cross lease, you may get a LIM for all the units that have already been built on the other parts of the cross lease.

Covenants and easements Covenants and easements are restrictions and obligations on the use of the section. They are usually put on the title by the developer when the land is subdivided.

But anyone – for example, a person selling off a back section subdivided from their own property – can impose covenants and easements to give themselves some control over the way the new section is used. Examples of covenants are: • Controls over the way houses are built, i.e. size, type of materials, even the plans and the time within which construction is to be completed. Also the type and size of fencing allowed. • Restrictions against people operating a business from home. • Restrictions on the types and numbers of pets.

• Height restrictions to protect views. • Protection of trees or bush. An example of an easement might be a right of way giving access to the back section, or a right to pipe water across one section to the other. It is important to know that you can’t usually build over whatever the easement is protecting. This could limit your use of the section. Covenants and easements are recorded on the CT and continue even after you’ve built your house. Depending on what the covenant and easements impose, you need to know that: • You can comply fully with the covenant or easement. • The covenant applies equally to the other sections in the subdivision, and not just to you. For example, if height restrictions apply you’d want your neighbour to be subject to them too so that you don’t get overshadowed. • The resale value of your property won’t be affected – covenants and easements stay on the title even when you sell. Have your lawyer check the details for you as part of the title search.

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February 2021

Choosing the right barn for your farm Keeping things where they need to be, in working condition, and making sure nothing goes awry are painstaking tasks that sometimes seem like they’re more effort than the rest of the farm put together.

❚ by William Milnes

What size barn?

A property needs adequate storage, but exactly how much is a tricky matter to deal with. While it’s much better to be caught out with too much space than too little, you won’t want to be paying for a much larger barn than you’ll need. That said, you’ll also want additional space for emergencies, room to grow, and (for some farmers) seasonal storage capacity. Choosing the right barn can be a surprisingly complex decision for such a seemingly simple task. To help you out with that decision, we’ve put together a few models and tips on what to look for to suit your situation. Your barn type ultimately needs to fit your farm type (obviously). Here’s a short checklist to help narrow down your choices. Start by having a think about the obvious uses for your barn, as well as a couple of things about your property: • Do you have any seasonal crops on your property (where you might need long-term storage for equipment in the off-season)? • Do you have any products that can go bad if stored in the wrong type of barn (such as animal feed)? • How large an area will this barn need to service? • Will you need to store animals? • What are the weather conditions?

As a general rule, a large barn is a good barn. Unless you have a very small, manageable, or non-volatile setup that won’t change in volume at all (and can’t experience lean or peak times that will inevitably change your storage needs), then you’re going to need extended redundant setup in the case of a catastrophe. As a general rule, shop for a minimum of 20%-30% more storage space than you’ll require at a general running standard. This will ensure that not only will you have more than enough room to work in, you’ll also have ample room to cordon off perishables and organise your things, and you’ll never be unprepared for a volume in storage needs.

How many barns? As a subset of this for larger properties, you’re going to consider the issue of centralisation versus convenience. In larger properties, long distances and convenience may mean that decentralising your barn into several smaller locations may help overall by saving you daily transport time. This is especially the case for those that have a diverse crop or livestock group, or those that require storing a mix of long and short term products, as well as perishables such as feed. This is mostly the case on sectioned prop-

Choice: Choosing the right barn can be a surprisingly complex decision for such a seemingly simple task. erties; farmers in such situations will often keep a small or medium sized storage facility near their livestock, and another much further away near their crops. Having one large container is slightly cheaper in economies of scale, however for certain farms it might actually cost you a large amount of precious time each time

you need to transport to the far edges of the property. Farms which don’t require many types of storage solutions (and storage conditions) under one roof, and properties with an accessible central location of homestead, should strongly consider keeping one large centralized storage facility.

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February 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

A warm home is a healthy home ❚ Article supplied by ConsumerNZ

Household air temperature should ideally be between 20 and 24degC, and not drop below 18degC, but New Zealand homes are often much colder than this. When temperatures drop below 16degC, levels of condensation, mould and mildew increase, resulting in an increased risk of respiratory diseases. Keeping the home warm reduces the build-up of moisture. Good insulation, ventilation, heating and cooling will give you a more comfortable and healthy home to live in. When homes are cold, conditions such as asthma are worse and people’s resistance to infectious diseases seems to be lower. Clause E3 Internal moisture of the Building Code requires safeguards against ‘fungal

growth or the accumulation of contaminants on linings and other building elements’. Fungi, in the form of moulds or rot can endanger human health. Fungi grow best in damp environments. Having a warm home keeps it drier and gives fungi less opportunity to grow. Another health risk is from dust mites which accumulate in carpet, underlays and soft furnishings. They can bring about allergic reactions. There are treated carpets on the market that help eliminate common triggers of allergies and provide effective control of bacteria, mould, mildew and fungi.

• Cost and efficiency. • Appearance. • Which areas you want heated all the time and which aren’t so important. • Ventilation and airflow. • Insulation. There are two types of heating - passive and non-passive. We outline the non-passive options below. Non-passive heating uses an artificially supplied energy source. The options include:

Plan your heating needs

Central heating either heats water, which is then pumped around the house to radiators, or uses gas or oil to heat air which is then circulated through grilles throughout the house. It is effective for heating the entire house, rather than just some rooms.

When thinking about heating systems for your new home, you need to consider:

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Central heating

Gas heaters These range from small portable gas heaters that either run off natural gas or LPG, to flued gas heaters that remove gas by-products and use fans to circulate hot air more efficiently. Non-portable natural gas and LPG appliances must be installed by licensed gasfitters and operate in a sufficiently large

space with adequate ventilation. Incorrectly installed, faulty or poorly maintained heaters can produce deadly concentrations of carbon monoxide. Unflued gas heating cannot be used in bedrooms. Unvented gas heating also fills the air with moisture.

Woodburners Woodburners and fireplaces are often installed for their ambience, or because people have a good supply of wood to burn, but these are relatively inefficient as a large percentage of the heat goes up the flue or chimney. Other heating will usually be necessary to reach areas away from the fire, or flues can be installed to channel heat to other areas of the house. Solid fuel heaters can only be installed with a building consent.

Other options: • Air-conditioning to cool and heat. • Ceiling-mounted fans cool in the summer, circulate warm air in the winter. • Electric heaters. • Heat pumps (reverse cycle air conditioners) work by the expansion and compression of gas, and operate as both a heating and cooling system.

• Driveways • Earthquake Repairs • New Home Specialists • Patios & Paths Visit us at Totalspan Canterbury 738 Main South Road, Templeton Ph 03 344 0331 Email: canterbury@totalspan.co.nz

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CANTERBURY FARMING

February 2021

Getting access to boarding allowances If your child lives in a remote area or faces other barriers to achieving at school you can apply for funding so that they can board away from home and focus on their studies.

supplied by ❚ Information Ministry of Education ❚

A boarding allowance is funding from the Ministry of Education so that your child can board away from home, either at a boarding school or a private boarding arrangement with someone who is not your child’s legal guardian. The Government provides around $11 million for boarding allowances every year to help young people achieve a great education. There are two different types of boarding allowance, the access barrier and the multiple barrier. The one mostly commonly accessed by rural families is the access barrier allowance which is for students who live too far away from an appropriate school and the Ministry’s school transport does not provide a solution. The multiple barriers allowance is where a student experiences more than one of the following difficulties in their life that makes it hard to go to school or do well as school: Poor participation at school, Poor relationships, Behavioural issues, Low educational achievement, and Environment. The allowance might not cover all of your child’s boarding fees. If it doesn’t you have to pay the rest yourself. The boarding allowance continues for as long as the student is at school, or until the barriers they are facing no longer exist. If your child goes to a boarding school the allowance is paid directly to the school at the

beginning of each term. If your child is boarding privately, it is paid directly to the school at the beginning of each term. The person providing the board needs to arrange to receive their payment from the school.

Is my child eligible for an access barrier allowance? Your child is eligible if they live too far away from an appropriate school and the Ministry’s school transport assistance programme does not provide a solution. “Too far away” is defined as living an unreasonable distance from the nearest appropriate school (eg more than 60km) and: • the closest school transport service to get to their nearest school is unreasonable (eg 20km), or • they have to travel longer than 60 minutes one way to their nearest school each day, or • they have to drive an unreasonable distance (eg 60km) to the nearest school.

How much is the allowance? It depends on the type of boarding allowance. Access barrier: Boarding school and private boarding $3,200 per year. Multiple barriers: Boarding school – up to $8,000 p/a (which includes $500 for pastoral care to help your child address the barriers they face). Private boarding – $4,500 p/a (which includes $500 for pastoral care).

Can I choose what school my child goes to? Yes. You can choose any state, state-integrated school, kura or private school. You will have to still have to meet the school’s usual enrolment and acceptance criteria, and there will need to be a space available in the boarding hostel.

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The allowance might not cover all of your child’s boarding fees.

February 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

Catering for today’s young women Choosing the right school for your daughter is an important step, and with boarding another dimension enters into the equation. supplied by ❚ Article Christchurch Girls’ High School ❚ Not only do parents desire a stimulating, engaging learning environment which challenges students to achieve personal excellence, they also need a safe, comfortable and happy living space.

Christchurch Girls’ High School is a purpose built school for girls, which places young women at the centre of education. Acland, the boarding hostel associated with the school, establishes positive relationships which create a strong sense of family. This feeling is further enhanced by the completely refurbished main homestead. A

landscaped pool area and access to tennis courts complement the living arrangements. Boarders are supervised by a supportive, experienced and caring team. A Director of Boarding leads her staff in ensuring the welfare of the students is paramount. All nutritional needs are met by a professional, friendly, on-site food services team.In

this environment students flourish and thrive. They learn to manage selves, relate to others and participate and contribute. In the process, they develop resilience, independence, a good work ethic and lasting friendships. Learning and living at Christchurch Girls’ High School is tailored specifically to meet the needs of today’s young women.

Acland House Manaakitanga. Whanaungatanga. Aroha. Rangatiratanga.

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR 2022 NOW

acland is a home away from home for Christchurch Girls’ High School boarders.

Applications for students wishing to commence boarding in 2022 are now open and close on 28 February 2021 Limited places available Open Day will be on Monday 15 February 2021 Book an Open Day tour by emailing acland@cghs.school.nz Download an application form from the enrolment section of our website cghs.school.nz For further information contact the Director of Boarding: Acland House, Christchurch Girls’ High School / Te Kura o Hine Waiora, 85 Papanui Road, Christchurch 8014 Ph 03 355 7673 or email gud@cghs.school.nz

Lifelong friendships are developed at the Christchurch Girls’ High School boarding hostel acland.

CANTERBURY FARMING

February 2021

The St Andrew’s College boarders’ advantage Boarding in the South Island’s only independent co-educational boarding school is a special and unique experience, says the Director of Boarding at St Andrew’s College, Matt Parr. supplied by ❚ Article ❚ St Andrew’s College “Before I came to St Andrew’s I wondered, as some parents may, whether boys might be a distraction to the girls in the boarding environment and vice versa. But I’ve been genuinely surprised to discover the opposite is true,” Matt says. “It’s great to see the way the boys from the two boys’ boarding houses and the girls in Thompson House interact. There are lots of healthy friendships among the students, both between the boys and girls, and the different age groups within each house. It’s really impressive. “There is also a real sense of fun and camaraderie in the family-focused boarding environment at St Andrew’s, which provides a home away from home for our students.” Matt oversees a large team of caring and enthusiastic staff, including House Managers, Assistant House Managers, and several tutors in each of the three boarding houses, who have a genuine bond with the boarders and provide an “incredibly high” duty of care, he says.

“Our team understands that boarding is a significant life change for students and their families, and are dedicated to providing a friendly, safe environment, from which the boarders can fully immerse themselves in school life. “Everything we do revolves around supporting the students’ number one objective for being at St Andrew’s College, to get an excellent education.” Matt’s philosophy on supporting student well-being and achievement revolves around making decisions based on “what a great parent might do”. “I believe great parents set the culture and tone of their family and foster a sense of belonging, protection and direction. We set the same intentions in our boarding family at St Andrew’s.” Boarders at St Andrew’s College enjoy state-of-the art, highly resourced facilities and a well-structured routine. They are encouraged to strive for individual excellence in their academic, sporting and cultural pursuits, and participate fully in boarding life, which includes taking part in in-house competitions, fun events offered as

Director of boarding at St andrew’s College, Matt Parr says boarders at St andrew’s College enjoy stateof-the art, highly resourced facilities and a well-structured routine.

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Our boarders develop a wide range of life skills from communal living. Matt Parr STAC’s Director of Boarding

part of the activities programme, and community service initiatives. Other highlights of the boarding calendar include the annual Boarders’ Assembly, and Boarders’ Dinner. Matt has a strong belief in what he calls, ‘The Boarders’ Advantage’. “Our boarders develop a wide range of life skills from communal living, such as socialisation, organisational skills, and resourcefulness, which will help them to flourish in life well beyond secondary school.”

MATT PARR – Director of Boarding

BOARDING ROAD SHOWS Visit stac.school.nz for further information and to register online

1 March 2 March

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CANTERBURY FARMING

February 2021

Become part of the Nelson College boarding family Nelson College is New Zealand’s oldest state school, with one of the best boarding facilities in the South Island. supplied by ❚ Article ❚ Nelson College We are a progressive and innovative boys’ school, taking great pride in nurturing each boy’s individual interests and potential across all areas of academia, sport, arts, culture, and leadership. Nelson College knows the value of a strong and inclusive community. Our Respect 360 programme teaches Y9 boys how to achieve positive goals, and our Mentoring Programme pairs every Y9 boy with a Y13, fostering connections across year groups. Nelson College’s academic levels are consistently well above the national average. We also have a huge reputation for sport, with our Sports Academies providing the highperformance training needed to perform to exceptional levels in regional and national competitions. Our thriving co-curricular programme – from chess and Future Problem Solving through to music and Duke of Edinburgh, as

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well as all our lunchtime clubs – caters to every interest. Nelson College Boarding is known for its welcoming family environment. “Our boarders are at the heart of the school and we’re incredibly proud of them,” says Director of Boarding Samme Hippolite. “We know how formative these years are, and we want the boys to have every opportunity to develop their interests.

Learning life skills are part of being a boarder at Nelson College with plenty of outdoor activities on offer. “We also want them to have fun, make lifelong friendships and create unforgettable memories within the context of a clear and safe structure.” Set alongside the main college campus, the college’s two boarding houses – Rutherford and Barnicoat – are impressive heritage buildings that have recently had major refurbishments.

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“Our experienced staff are committed to creating a strong and caring community within the boarding fraternity,” says Mrs Hippolite. “We ensure that our boys are supported throughout their educational endeavours, and we also make sure that they get to experience everything our beautiful Nelson region offers.”

Nelson College offers the very best in Boarding • • • • • •

Welcoming family environment High-level academic, sporting & leadership programmes Tutor support for academic studies Year-round outdoor activities in the Nelson region Competitive rates No school fees

Talk to us about life-changing opportunities for your son

Where every student belongs

Boarding at NCG

Experience the many opportunities available at NCG

Academic, Cultural, Sporting 7 day, 5 day and short term options are available w: www.ncg.school.nz/boarding e: boarding@ncg.school.nz Phone 03 548 3104 to arrange a tour!

boarding@nelsoncollege.school.nz

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CANTERBURY FARMING February 2021

Home away from home at St Margaret’s College By creating a warm, caring home-away-from-home atmosphere, boarding at St Margaret’s College combines a first-class education with building strong relationships and learning lifelong values. supplied by ❚ Article ❚ St Margaret’s College When school finishes at the end of each day, the boarding houses come alive with the sounds of many voices and laughter and because the boarding school is an integral part of the school campus those who chose to can attend extra circular and after-school activities without disruption. The boarding community is at the heart of St Margaret’s and the culture is closely aligned with the school’s vision of a holistic education, embracing the spiritual and emotional wellbeing of the girls, as well as their academic growth and their development in sport and the arts. “Boarding teaches you many life skills about being independent and looking after yourself,” says Jessica, a Year 13 boarder from Darfield. “It also teaches time management as many girls become involved with all the opportunities available at school. Boarding is a great way to meet many different people, so you learn a lot about yourself and other people.”

The three boarding houses are arranged in year groups and structured to the specific needs of each developmental stage. In Julius House (Years 7-10) the environment is structured and nurturing for the girls to make the transition into boarding. Kilburn House (Years 11-12) encourages the girls to begin personally integrating life skills. Cranmer House (Year 13) allows for more freedom to help them develop these skills and become driven, self-managed young women, all in a monitored setting. These senior girls thrive as they become the leaders of the boarding school and the ‘older sisters’ of the younger girls. “In the boarding house, you form really close friendships with the other girls and are able to get along with anyone,” says Jessica. “Boarding friends are always there to support you and have a good laugh with.” The boarding staff take pride in having the privilege of watching the girls grow into incredible young women and treasure the moments they capture with them. Warm, open relationships develop over the years as they share the girls’ highs and lows, encourage,

The boarding school is an integral part of the St Margaret’s College campus. celebrate and nurture as they all journey through life together. The St Margaret’s College Open Day takes place on Monday 22 March 2021 with the SMC Boarders’ Sleepover the night before on Sunday 21 March, giving girls an opportunity to come and experience life as an SMC

boarder. For further information and to register, visit www.stmargarets.school.nz/openday. To learn more about life at St Margaret’s College, visit www.stmargarets.school.nz or call 03 379 2000 to arrange a personal tour of the College.

OPEN DAY

& SMC BOARDERS’ SLEEPOVER SMC BOARDERS’ SLEEPOVER: Sunday 21 March 2021 4:30pm Pre-registration essential OPEN DAY: Monday 22 March 2021 10:30am – 1:00pm Principal’s Address at 11:45am Pre-register now at: www.stmargarets.school.nz/open-day/

Empowering Girls

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stmargarets.school.nz

February 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

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Plan and record K-line placement. Shift K-lines with your quad bike to the best location to maximise pasture production. No more missed areas or over-watering. Can be used for effluent pods too. As shown in these two tablet screen examples

Manage and guide your self-spreading, order product through the app, record Proof of Application, synch with your Precision Farming map and other platforms like MyBallance.

This tablet screen shot shows where pods can be towed to a new start point

This tablet screen shot shows where pods were 9, 6 and 3 days ago

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North Island Regional Manager Paul Chalmers 021 860 972

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Mid Canterbury Willis Ritchie 021 197 9638 South Canty / North Otago Jo Scott 021 917 042

Call 0800 477 001

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CANTERBURY FARMING February 2021

MAKE LIGHT WORK OF HEAVY CARGO You’ve got a long to-do list. The Can-Am Defender Pro will help you finish it. With its 2,500 lb towing capacity, 94 gal of storage space, and the industry’s biggest cargo box (easily converted to a flatbed), this machine is tailor-made for your toughest jobs. Just lock in and load up, the Defender Pro will do the rest.

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You’ve got a long to-do list. The Can-Am Defender Pro will help you finish it. With its 2,500 lb towing capacity, 94 gal of storage space, and the industry’s biggest cargo box (easily converted to a flatbed), this machine is tailor-made for your toughest jobs. Just lock in and load up, the Defender Pro will do the rest.

February 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING

Our future is in the hands of farmers New Zealand is hitting the mark in providing the world with high quality and safe food.

Mark ross ❚ by ❚ Chief executive of Agcarm Agcarm supports recent government proposals to boost this vital sector but warns of inefficiencies in the political system to enact them. The new government’s support for a productive farming sector was underscored at the Primary Industries Summit by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern held late last year. Being promised is an $84 million cash injection over the next two years and the progression of 22 key deliverables to accelerate the sector. Projects to increase horticultural and agricultural income by $44 billion in the next decade – valued at $262 million – are also in the pipeline. Although this is welcome news, it means that there is a lot of work for industry and government to do to achieve these ambitious goals. The framework must consider New Zealand’s unique environment, fluctuating trade conditions, a declining labour force and consumers demanding healthy and safe food. The agricultural and horticultural industries will no doubt be leading the charge for

progressing these initiatives. Farmers, growers, industry groups, manufacturers and researchers will be delivering the sweat, tears and financial investment necessary. The question is whether the government can keep up with the acceleration. With regulations notorious for blocking progress, officials often hampered by Ministers, and senior leaders slow in decision-making, outputs could fall short and frustrations would soon follow. Unnecessary barriers imposed on companies wanting to trial new and innovative crop protection products in containment, is one example. The benefits they offer New Zealand farmers and growers are amplified

by the need to replace older, more hazardous products with newer, greener and softer solutions. Sustainability, regenerative farming, health and wellness, and zero carbon economies are just some of the new ‘buzz’ topics. Encompassing all these is the need for sensible regulation led by science and facts, versus political interference. Agcarm calls on the new government to front up on its boisterous support for agriculture by putting in the hard yards. Our industry is here to work with the government to increase production and ensure that our food remains healthy, safe and sought after by consumers from all around the globe.

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agcarm calls on the new government to front up on its boisterous support for agriculture by putting in the hard yards.

AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING

CANTERBURY FARMING

February 2021

Smart spraying saves dollars and makes sense Optimising spray applications will save money on chemicals and do a better job, according to a leading New Zealand sprayer tester and operator. supplied by ❚ Article Talbot Agriculture ❚ And from what he’s seen, there’s widespread room for improvement in contract and farmer-operator practice. “The sprayer is the most important piece of equipment on an arable farm today,” Jeremy Talbot of Talbot Agriculture told a recent Foundation for Arable Research-organised workshop. “The biggest issue is the choice of nozzle. With the same water rate different nozzles do very different things.” Talbot says air-induction nozzles are used far too widely and many operators would do better to use standard flat fan nozzles, or preferably a twin-cap with two flat-fan orifices. “You get an eight-fold increase in the number of drops and four times the deposition on the crop or target weeds, and for most chemicals that’s where they need to be. If they hit the soil they’re wasted.” Glyphosate applications are a classic example. To demonstrate the difference the nozzle can make Talbot set up a SAM sprayer with twin-caps and low drift air induction nozzles and applied the same rate of Glyphosate chemical at 1l/ha and water at 160l/ha through both to a paddock in North Otago. A good burn-off was achieved with the twin-caps, while control through the air induction nozzles failed. “Whether it’s glyphosate, other herbicides, or fungicides: this is why people find they don’t get the same results with the chemicals that the likes of FAR get in their trials. They’re just not getting enough onto the target.”

Another problem, particularly where contractors are concerned, is using too little water. Fewer fill-ups means a considerable increase in area that can be covered in a day, hence why contractors are keen to reduce volumes, Talbot says. “But it comes back to coverage. If you’re using less water there are fewer drops per hectare and you’ll get less chemical onto the target.” In Europe, some countries have introduced legislation specifying a minimum of 150 litres/ha of water be used as it’s now accepted low water volumes have hastened the onset of herbicide resistance in certain weed populations. “Only two countries are still using air induction nozzles and very low water rates widely, and that’s Australia and UK.” Australia’s and the UK’s herbicide resistant grassweed problems are well documented and Talbot says it’s only thanks to the diverse rotations on most New Zealand arable farms that similar issues haven’t arisen here yet. “If you have to use air-induction nozzles to prevent drift then I would question whether you should be spraying at all. If you really must get on and the only way to do so is with low-drift nozzles they you need to increase the rate of water to a 150l/ha minimum and ensure that at least 4 bar pressure is used and ensure that a full rate of chemical is used just to get the same deposition as a standard flat fan.” Talbot imports Sands SAM sprayers and is New Zealand’s only UK-qualified sprayer tester. In their own 600ha cropping operation he says they use

Twin-caps with 180 litres/ha of water for almost everything. The forward and backward angle of each pair of nozzles means spray hits both sides of a plant, or, in the case of soil active applications, either side of a clod. “A standard flat-fan leaves a shadow area and you’ll get weeds coming up from that. The Twin-cap does a 20-30% better job even on Treflan etc which surprises a lot of people. Driving too fast increases drift, which is another reason why some contractors favour low drift nozzles, says Talbot. He advocates a maximum of 12kmh, or down to 10kmh if there is drift, slowing to 8-9kmh to turn on headlands. “Spraying should be a smooth, nonstressful job.”

Spray tips • Don’t speed: increases drift, boom bounce, yaw, and in/out problems. • Beware low-drift nozzles: efficacy compromised. • Keep water volume up: 150 litres/ ha minimum. • Twin-cap nozzles help hit both sides of target. • Remove PPE before entering cab. • Right nozzle, speed and volume = less chemical cost.

Be best: Optimising spray applications will save money on chemicals and do a better job.

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February 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

FORESTRY & LOGGING

Keeping it safe when harvesting supplied by ❚ Article Farm Forestry New Zealand ❚

Timber harvesting has been, and unfortunately continues to be, a dangerous task.

The most prudent option is to engage with a professional forestry company, consultant or contractor to ensure they have the approThe Health and Safety at Work Act (HWSA priate health and safety plans in place. The forest industry has been working hard 2015) makes it clear that all Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) at improving its safety record and has a dedicated Safety Council. A comprehensive rehave a responsibility for safety. A landowner engaging in a timber harvest- view of the forest industry was completed by ing activity is by definition a PCBU and should an Independent Panel and a summary docuactively take part in ensuring health and ment outlining some of the main shortcomsafety of the people working on their land. It ings, as well as an agenda for change, was is unlikely that a small scale forest landown- published (IFSR 2014). A number of initiatives have been uner will have the expertise to develop a detailed health and safety plan for the timber dertaken including setting up ’Safetree’ a website that provides resources such as docharvesting operation. uments and videos on how to complete timber harvesting safely. WorkSafe, which is the New Zealand regulator for health and safety, have published a great document entitled “Managing a Safe and Healthy Small Forest Harvest” that provides an excellent resource in terms of practical step-by-step guide for managing your harvest. For example, one task the landowner must complete is the identification of hazards on the property and making Do you have a stand of trees? sure they are communicated Would you like these removed? to the logger. We can offer you competitive rates and Examples of hazards on cash in return! farm woodlots can be fences, proximity to powerlines, PHONE KENT ON but also the strength of stream crossing structures. 021 325 661 SUPPLIES LIMITED You are also likely to be 21 Manion Road, Rolleston responsible for the safe acwww.macrocarpasupplies.co.nz cess to the forest on the

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To find out more call us on 03 343 4101 or visit www.forestmanagement.co.nz

Harvest time: Farmers with a forestry block ready for harvest are advised to engage with a professional forestry company, consultant or contractor to ensure they have the appropriate health and safety plans in place. farm, so if the farm roads and tracks leading to the area to be harvested are steep and not accessible for a logging truck in wet weather, then you need to take action to restrict access. With regard to the individual harvesting tasks, there is an Approved Code of Practice (ACOP 2012) for forest operations that is considered a minimum standard, and it includes the expectation that all workers are both trained (or in training) and competent in carrying out the designated harvesting task. Best practice guides are also available from various sources including for higher risk practices such as manual tree felling or choker-setting (known colloquially as ‘break-

ing-out’ in NZ), or complex harvest systems such as cable logging.

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The forest industry has been working hard at improving its safety record and has a dedicated Safety Council.

CANTERBURY FARMING

FORESTRY & LOGGING

February 2021

Favourable start to the new year A very happy New Year to all readers, and let’s hope 2021 is a better year.

allan Laurie MNZIF ❚ with ❚ Laurie Forestry Ltd In China culture as of February 12, 2021, we enter the year of the Ox, Metal Ox in fact, and we see the end of the year of the rat. The year of the Ox is a good year and will favour those born in the previous years of the Ox, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997 and 2009. If you are like me and do not feature in these years, then I guess it is business as usual. For log markets generally, the start to 2021 has been very favourable. Domestic prices and supply have remained stable and strong. Export Log prices were up NZ$6 to $7 per m3 at the wharf gate in January. Had it not been for a rampant Kiwi dollar, the increase could have been double that after some significant CFR increases in China. For those new to the game, CFR means the cost of logs including freight landed in China in US$ per m3. Across the China Eastern sea-board, we have seen demand drop off as winter bites in to the construction sector. However, daily consumption is still cranking along at 62,000 cubic metres per day, comparing very favourably with last year. Shipping rates have been, holding up at levels that most commentators were not pre-

GORSE, BROOM & SCRUB

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Total inventory is sitting at 2.6 million cubic metres as at mid-January. This is historically very low, representing about five weeks supply at current usage levels and without CNY. Total inventory increased by 200,000m3 since mid-December following some elevatdicting. The apparent cause is what has been described as insatiable demand in China across many commodities which has continued to place pressure on shipping capacity, particularly the Handy Class segment that carries our logs to China. Brent Crude is also holding up at historically high levels, currently US$56 per barrel. Demand and oil prices are giving ship owners plenty of meat in their sandwich at the negotiating table. Most commentators are suggesting shipping costs will soften when we hit Chinese New-year. This runs from 12th February and although is officially for 7 days, most extend for two weeks and China effectively grinds to a halt unless you are a restaurant owner.

•Mulching / Slashing – Gorse & Broom •4 in 1 Bucket work •Farm Tracks •Landscape Raking •Drum Sweeping •Grass Mowing •Track Restoration •Tree Releasing up to 4” diameter

ed arrivals from NZ. But these are very small numbers and in context should see a strong demand profile for NZ exporters in Q1 and 2. Most agree we will be largely dependent on the spread of disease and pestilence globally. Also depending on the benevolence of our government as to a continuing acceptance of infected visitors, domestically this could throw all predictions in to the murky waters of uncertainty. At time of writing, we are still not seeing any attempts by the China and Australia leader to do a kiss and make up. This will continue to see 400,000 + cubic meters of lesser supply of mainly Radiata pine logs in to China.

Over the last three months Spruce log supply out of Europe from Bark Beetle harvest has not reached back up to mid-2020 levels of 1 million+ cubic metres per month. This is largely the consequence of the container trade with freight rates escalating due to lack of empties opening in Europe. Most commentators are suggesting this one remains the sleeping giant and could yet impact if container rates head south. Russia also is not tipping in anything like the normal volumes with President Putin continuing to put demand on local processing. For the moment this supply in both log and lumber does not pose any downside risk to NZ supply.The combination of all of this should see CFR prices continue to strengthen and this in turn will see some pretty exciting times for NZ Forest Growers. The challenges will as always be sustainability. If the log price ramps up, so does supply from other sources, and this drives a reversal. So, despite the apparent positives, this is a time when we certainly do not want to see the pride precede the fall. 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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February 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

DAIRY

Slurry tanker ‘exceeded expectations’ supplied by Lloyd Thomas, ❚ Article Nevada ❚ SpecialistEfﬂuent Management ❚

Bruce Baggott and his son Lyn run an 850 cow dairy farm in Cust, Canterbury. His underground effluent management system was working well, with effluent being pumped from the concrete storage pond through to a travelling irrigator, in fact, you could say it was working too well “Our nutrient levels were too high from all the effluent being spread to just the one area. We wanted to get the nutrients to all available areas and also to the run-off,” Bruce said.

bruce and Lyn baggott say their Nevada slurry tanker has exceeded their expectations.

Essentially, Bruce’s effluent nutrients were going waste because there was too much for the soil to soak up. “There’s only so many nutrients the soil can take up, and when nutrient levels are too high, the soil becomes locked. “This can actually end up causing metabolic problems with the cows,” Nevada Effluent Management Specialist Lloyd Thomas said. Bruce did a lot of research into different brands of slurr y tanker, but he felt Nevada’s features were a

cut above the rest, so he ordered a 10,000L tandem axle. “The double safety protections are special to these [Nevada slurry tankers], so it’s a great reason to buy one,” Bruce Baggott said. He also liked that Nevada slurry tankers included the unique RainWave™ spreading applicator, which promised a wider, more even and controlled spread with minimal wind drift. In fact, since having the slurry tanker, Bruce and Lyn say the tanker has exceeded their expectations.

“That RainWave is a huge advantage over other tankers. It’s [tanker] exceeded our expectations. We were surprised how fast it loaded. We envisioned it [spreading] being a chore, but it’s a fast, easy job,” Lyn said. Bruce and Lyn couldn’t be happier with their investment, saying they’re now able to spread under pivots and other areas they couldn’t previously reach with the irrigators. “It’s far more versatile. We can spread in areas we couldn’t reach before,” Bruce said.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

February 2021

Read before sowing – the new FVI stars are out

Last month, DairyNZ released its latest rankings for its national Forage Value Index. These are always a must-read before any ryegrass cultivar decisions are made, and this year the top ranking for the upper South Island is dominated by one pasture company across all categories. With three perennial ryegrasses, one hybrid and one Italian all in the highest 5 star bracket, Barenbrug describes the 2021 FVI lists as a big endorsement, signalling that its pasture plant breeders and researchers are delivering the goods for farmers. “Just as a reminder of what these rankings stand for, pastures with 5 stars have the highest extra farm operating profit per ha compared with other ryegrass genetics,” Barenbrug pasture systems manager Blair Cotching explains. Using Maxsyn NEA4 as an example, that translates to an extra value of $474-$605 per ha, every year, in the upper South Island region, above the genetic base. Blair says Maxsyn’s five star ranking this year is particularly notable as it has only just been released to the New Zealand market after lengthy R&D. “We’ve been keeping a close eye on Maxsyn in our breeding system for 14 years; it is unbeaten in the industry-

‘

Maxsyn’s ﬁve star ranking this year is particularly notable Blair Cotching

Pasture Systems Manager, Barenbrug

wide National Forage Variety Trials, and having it debut as a 5 star ryegrass in the FVI is no surprise to us.” Uncertified ryegrass by comparison is a 0 star cultivar, and its FVI ‘value’ in this region is in fact an annual loss of $49-$149 per ha, Blair says. Persistent, robust, densely tillered, with superior summer and autumn growth, Maxsyn NEA4 comes with a great endophyte and the highest yield of any perennial ryegrass the company has released. Rated alongside Maxsyn as FVI 5 star perennial ryegrasses for the upper South Island region this season are Governor AR1 and AR37, and Trojan NEA2. Two other Barenbrug cultivars –

Shogun hybrid ryegrass and Tabu+ Italian ryegrass – have also ranked highly in the latest FVI lists. The pair remain in a class of their own as the only 5 star ryegrasses in the 12 month feed category across the upper South Island. In the winter feed category, Tabu+ is the only 5 star cultivar, with cool season growth the FVI calculates to be worth $416-$527 extra profit per ha compared to old genetics. Blair says to put that in perspective, lowest ranked, 1 star cultivars in the FVI winter feed category, including the 30+ year old varieties Tama and Moata, are valued at a loss of $26 per ha to a small gain of $84 per ha. “That’s a huge difference in performance and value, for a very modest difference in the price of seed. And we know the importance of cool season growth for taking up any excess soil nitrogen.” The DairyNZ FVI is an independent, region specific, profit-based index for short-term and perennial ryegrass cultivars. To find the most profitable pasture for your farm this autumn, visit www.dairynz.co.nz and use the Cultivar Selector Tool. For more detail about barenbrug pastures, visit www.barenbrug.co.nz. See our advert on page 5.

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February 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

❚ with Fred Hoekstra

DAIRY

The beneﬁts of claw blocks Do you understand the benefits of the claw block? What responses farmers give to this question is interesting.

Some think they are wonderful, some think they are too expensive, some struggle to make them stick on for any longer than a few steps, and some make comments like “just make sure you don’t have any lame cows”. This last comment is very easy to say but most farmers I know haven’t got easy answers to their lameness issues, but I better not get side-tracked. Claw blocks are life savers for many cows. Without them there would be a lot more cows going to the works - that is if the blocks are put on correctly and, unfortunately, I have seen many instances where they weren’t. Sometimes we come across cows where the block has been put on the sore claw and so it would seem that there is a lack of understanding as to how claw blocks work. The idea of a block is to glue it underneath the healthy claw so that the sore claw is relieved from carrying any weight enabling it to heal up much faster. You should see an immediate improvement in the way the cow walks when the block is correctly applied, because she is experiencing a lot less pain. A block should last for at least 3 to 4 weeks. There are many different blocking systems available now, but my preference would be for the Demotec FuturaPad which uses a wooden block as opposed to the shoe design. The main reason for that is because they are very easy to work with, are nowhere near as weather dependant in the time they need to set (cold and hot days) and, most

importantly, we can position the block much better on the claw. There are several other particularly good systems available such as the Hoof-Tite or Bovi-Bond blocking systems that also use a wooden block. Often you find with the shoe type blocks that they sit too far forward, and this makes the heel part of the block wear too fast or they even collapse in that part of the block. The cow has no choice but to walk on the heel of her foot which puts an enormous amount of strain on the tendon that is keeping the pedal bone down. This can cause such considerable stretch in some cases that there is a degree of lasting injury. The Demotec Easy Bloc system has minimized this effect with their shoe design making it a good choice if you prefer that style of block. With a wooden block, you can always place the block correctly on the hoof. The back part of the block should be flush with the heel of the cow. It does not matter at all if the toe is sticking over the front as long as the heel is flush with the block. This way the block will wear much more evenly and that is

Doing it right: Claw blocks are life savers for many cows, and without them there would be a lot more cows going to the works, but need to be ﬁtted correctly.

much better for the ligaments. The block should also be in line with the inside of the claw and needs to be as flat as possible and not on an angle. Just remember that the block is there to support the weight of the cow. This can only be achieved if the block is placed nice and square and not too far forward. Another benefit of the wooden blocks is that they are much more environmentally friendly than the foam or synthetic blocks, and don’t usually need to be removed as they will wear down over the course of 4-5 weeks.

If you do use synthetic blocks it is important to remember to remove them after no more than 6 weeks as having a block on for too long is also detrimental to the cow. The price of a block is often challenged, and it does pay to shop around as there can be big variations in the prices of the same products between retailers, but even if blocks were sold for $100 each, they still would be cheaper than a lame cow. For more information or to discuss the various options available call Veehof Dairy Services Ltd, FreePhone # 0800 VeeHOF (833463).

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CANTERBURY FARMING

DAIRY

February 2021

The greatest constant is change

In the last 60 years walk-through cowsheds have been replaced by step-ups, then herringbones, and now rotaries and robots.

❚ with Peter burton Fifty dairy cows used to be an economic family farm in the 1960’s, and in the 1970’s a 150cow unit was regarded as the maximum that could be managed by a single person with casual labour in spring. Change whether we like it or not is ongoing and it is the speed at which it happens that can take it from invigorating to unsettling, however kiwis, particularly kiwi farmers take it their stride and emerge stronger and more resilient as a result. Pushing back against enforced change is not only important, it’s essential as it provides time to fully examine the immediate and future benefits ensuring resources are well utilised. Pastoral farmers historically and currently enjoy a somewhat privileged position in this country because the money earned from the sale of meat and milk related products significantly lifts the standard of living of every New Zealander. But could that be about to change? Sometimes change is forced on us by things that are near impossible to envisage, and the changes that have taken place in the tourism industry in the last nine months is a case in point. Visiting overseas tourists, we were told, contributed considerably to our economy, however the money that kiwis spend on their overseas trips was not factored in and it appears that they may cancel each other out. Instead of Queenstown, Wanaka, Rotorua, and other tourism hot spots dying as many expected, they have flourished and there is no indication currently that the situation will change. Behavioural change can also occur when most of the population decide something different is required, and the speed of change can be astonishingly rapid. The demise of plastic bags happened almost

On-going monitoring work into soil content is advisable.

overnight with hardly a dissenting voice; peer pressure can be extraordinarily powerful. Is it too far-fetched to suggest that our lakes, rivers, and pristine water may take priority over the income from intensive pastoral farming in the minds of the majority? Farm owners around Lakes Rotorua and Rotoiti have already accepted a government buy out even though there was no compelling evidence that farming was the major contributor to regular algal blooms. The de-intensification of pastoral farming won’t happen overnight. One farmer politician described the process as death by a thousand cuts, and that will take time. Market returns will have to escalate to compensate for lower volume and that won’t happen immediately. Farmers can front foot the inevitable tide shift and put themselves in a much stronger negotiating position by making the changes to soil fertility practises that sequester carbon markedly reducing carbon dioxide levels and greenhouse gas emissions.

The most rapid way to sequester carbon is under permanent grazed pastures, the science is clear, however nitrogen needs to be fixed by clovers to reduce nitrate-N losses sufficiently. Annual pasture production increases as essential changes to grazing management are implemented. Although these changes may initially seem to be onerous, as the benefits to total farm performance become apparent they soon become standard practice. Pastures containing more protein and less nitrate naturally result in increased milk solid production and more rapid weight gain in rapidly growing animals. Weed and pest pressure decreases and the requirement for regular pasture renewal diminishes as pastures with a strong clover base naturally move from lower to higher fertility species. The data necessary to support these claims has been painstakingly collected over the last twenty years and there is a steadily increasing client base keen to share their experiences. For more information call Peter on 0800 843 809.

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February 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

WATER & IRRIGATION

Good start to a busy year The year got off to a great start with much needed rain falling on areas that needed it the most, namely Banks Peninsula and coastal parts of Canterbury.

‘

as part of our sector’s climate change commitment, farmers will be expected to begin calculating their on-farm

Phil Smith ❚ by + Lamb New Zealand ❚ Beef Director Northern South Island ❚

It was a huge relief for many and also meant farmers got a break from irrigating for a few days, which is always welcome when it feels like the rest of world is on holiday. Many parts of the province have plenty of feed on hand which is great for the store lamb market. While lamb prices are back on last year, they are still at historically strong levels. I do hear from some farmers that they are getting more for their old ewes than for their lambs, which highlights the strength of the Chinese market for mutton. I really hope all farmers have been able to take some time out before over the past few weeks, because there is a lot happening in 2021. From a Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) perspective, our priorities include securing sensible rules on water and climate change and supporting farmers by developing practi-

emissions. cal tools to help them meet new regulatory requirements. Before Christmas, there were glimmers of progress around the water regulations and we fully support the recommendations of the Southland Winter Grazing working group which were released in December. As farmers, we need clarity about the rules as soon as possible so we can get our systems in place before October. B+LNZ will keep farmers up-to-date on progress. Climate change continues to be a huge issue for our sector and we are continuing to push the Government on restrictions on carbon farming to stem the conversion of sheep and beef farms into forestry. As part of our sector’s climate change commitment (He waka eke noa), farmers will be expected to begin calculating their onfarm emissions from this year and B+LNZ will be providing advice on how to do this. Improving sheep and beef farmers’ so-

cial license is another priority for B+LNZ. We need to help our urban communities understand what we do and why we do it. People had a greater appreciation of food producers over the lockdown period and we need to build on this by opening our farms and telling our stories. I would really encourage any farmer to participate in the nationwide Open Farm initiative on February 17. Feedback from those who participated by opening their gates to the public last year was overwhelmingly pos-

itive and both hosts and visitors got a lot out of the experience. Another priority for B+LNZ is dismantling trade barriers and expanding the successful Taste Pure Nature origin brand to support our exports. It will be a big year for us as an organisation, because levy payers also get to vote on the future of B+LNZ. The Referendum is held every six years and is a great opportunity for farmers to let us know whether the organisation is meeting their needs.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

February 2021

Passion for the farm planning approach After starting out as a warm and dry irrigation season it is now turning into an ‘average’ Canterbury summer.

andrew Curtis ❚ by ❚ Water Strategies The latest climate outlook from NIWA (January 2021 to March 2021) is for above average temperatures, (evapotranspiration rates will continue to be on the higher side), but for rainfall to be average to above average. The PET and rainfall graphs below, show how we are tracking against last season and an average Canterbury summer. The average is based on data from the last 20-years. More frequent summer and autumn rainfall events can make irrigation scheduling challenging, particularly for irrigation systems with long return periods. When should I start up, and how much should I apply are questions we are frequently asked? We will have a focus at our February irrigation workshops in Rakaia and Geraldine, on answering these questions for anyone who attends and will also work through how to interpret your soil moisture trace. If you’ve any queries bring along your data and we will go through it during the workshop.I thought it would be timely to touch on farm planning given it will soon be rolled-out for freshwater nationally, and other areas, greenhouse gases for example, will also be included.

To be clear only Freshwater has a direct regulatory link, for others the focus is improved awareness and business risk management. I will admit upfront that I have a passion for the farm planning approach, as when done well its benefits outweigh its costs. The benefits include improved business risk management (increased farm value); improved business performance management (improved farm profitability); and enabling specific solutions to existing and future requirements (practical and workable farm solutions). Quality farm planning adopts a risk-based approach and follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act process. Put simply this means understanding the farms risks and putting in place actions to minimise these; regularly reviewing the adoption and effectiveness of these actions – ideally this involves self-reviews alongside periodic independent audit; and making changes accordingly based on the reviews and future updates to the risk assessment. The beauty of the above approach is it can be applied to any aspect of farm man-

agement (freshwater, greenhouse gases, biosecurity, health and safety, animal welfare, waste management…) and enables solutions that deliver upon multiple risks across multiple farm management areas – a whole of farm business approach. Canterbury farmers are leading the way with the farm planning approach given their considerable investment in Farm Environment Plans. However, there are a couple of

aspects to work-on. The risk-assessment process needs to be made more consistent and robust, and more regular self-review needs to occur with updates being made accordingly. If you would like help taking your farm planning to the next level, give the team at Water Strategies a call. We’ve a team of farm systems specialist that are known for their skills in thinking beyond freshwater compliance.

February 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

WATER & IRRIGATION

Timely rainfalls start the year ❚ with Dr Tony Davoren

Until November and late December we were tracking along pretty like the 1988-89 La Niña drought, however a timely Christmas-New Year reprieve put paid to any similarity I had been drawing with 1988-89.

The persistent La Niña in 2020-21 has brought “near normal or below normal” rainfall in north and east of the South Island, quite the contrast to 1988-89. Christmas-New Year 2020-21 delivered a most welcome gift – a timely rainfall with 6080mm. The rainfalls were in stark contrast to 1988-89: • Christchurch Airport 1988-89: 13mm • Christchurch Airport 2020-21: 63mm • Ridgens Road 2020-21: 73mm Welcome because nothing beats rainfall for wetting up soil profiles, gives time off from shifting and worrying about irrigation, and gives groundwater some respite. Furthermore, the 2020-21irrigation season no longer has that similarity to 1988-89 with nearly 2.5 times the rainfall since 1 September: • Christchurch Airport 1988-89: 98mm • Christchurch Airport 2020-21: 230mm • Ridgens Road 2020-21: 234mm The Xmas-New Year rain gave (or should have given) everyone a break from irrigation for over ten days and at a time that was not too disruptive for any harvest. But the dribs and drabs of rainfall and some persistent north-easterly (La Niña type) conditions in January have challenged the harvest of early ryegrass and fescue seed crops (despite some raging NW conditions as

considered this article). While rainfall has put paid to the drought comparison with 1988-89, the Southern Oscillation Index strengthened in December 2020 and January 2021 suggesting La Niña is here to stay for a while yet. The NIWA climate outlook for the first couple months of 2021 continues to suggest “air temperatures are very likely to be above average” and rainfall is about “equally likely to be near normal or below normal in the east of the South Island”. The 1988-89 like conditions leading up to late December 2020 certainly put pressure on groundwater supply. Couple those conditions with the increased number of irrigators compared to 1988-89 and it is little surprise groundwater levels have taken a bit of a “hammering”. The ECan observation bore on Aylesbury Road shows there has been a drop of over 5m between the beginning of September and early December – much the same as 201920. If water levels continue to drop at the same rate there may be some issues with reliability for the rest of the season. Of equal concern is the amount of recharge required to get back to August-September 2019 water levels to ensure reliability next irrigation season.

Fortunately (other than pasture irrigation) the peak irrigation demand has passed and (hopefully) below normal rainfall coupled with

above average temperatures is perfect for arable harvest. But let’s hope for a wet autumn and winter.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

February 2021

Investment in infrastructure starting to build momentum Although, many holidaymakers in the Canterbury area endured what was a wet Christmas/New Year, it came as a welcomed boost to what was looking like it could be a very dry summer season.

Vanessa Winning ❚ by IrrigationNZ Chief Executive ❚

The climate we live in today is becoming increasingly unpredictable and often unsettled; having the right infrastructure to mitigate this is becoming more and more important. You will have also seen many articles over the past few months about the lack of infrastructure investment in townships and cities, and the impacts this is having on our natural environment, and ability to swim in our beaches or urban waterways. From my conversations with farmers and growers, they ask about fairness, when they must take responsibility for any water/waste or development on their properties, why have councils been allowed to get away with it for so long. To read recently in an article by News-

room that New Zealand is set to be divided into four large regions and central Government will take over responsibility for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater under national agencies, is music to our ears – local Governments do not have the budget, the long-term planning ability, or the mandate from their constituents to fix a problem that needs significant national investment from generational underinvestment. Couple this with the changing climate, a move to more precision water uses for agriculture, a transfer toward more horticulture verse pasture-based farming which has been able to rely mostly on mother nature; our need to capture, store and manage water becomes increasingly a whole of community problem to solve and invest in. Toward the end of last year, there was some meaningful movement on water as a resource, on the need for investment for irrigation, a move away from the negative rhetoric that irrigation equals intensification. Now the conversations are more about the opportunities of irrigation, and the infrastructure needed to support new and existing schemes, that support a cleaner environment, rather than damage it. There are still some NGOs who fault irrigation, without a good understanding of what good water applications achieve, and we will continue to work

‘

We have a real opportunity right now to do some long-term game-changing investment.

with them on shared outcomes, as mostly we want the same things. But, in working with MPI and the climate change impacts groups, it is becoming clearer as understanding good management and precision applications improves, that irrigation is key to sustainable economic and community development. With anything, this means a national strategy and big investment though – and one that needs central Government engagement with local government implementation, so the new proposal is a good step forward. The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) (responsible for three waters – drinking, wastewater, and stormwater) is the lead agency on water, and as part of the Covid acceler-

ation approach, completed a review and an infrastructure investment outline, which announced (quietly) in December the need for up to $50 billion in investment. We are keen to see the productive economy included in the conversations, so that infrastructure not only supports urban improvements but also de-risks our productive economy against a changing climate and builds on the opportunities for improved precision around horticulture and export growth, relying less on river flow in the future. MPI is working on water infrastructure needs analysis which we applaud – we want to see MPI with DIA working together under the proposed four agencies approach – infrastructure investment that supports urban outcomes needs to support the job creators, the productive economy, and the community too. We have a real opportunity right now to do some long-term game-changing investment if we do it well and work together. There have been some excellent local examples from the past that were created for the Agri sector that supported community needs – it is time we thought big again.

February 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

❚ by rob Cochrane

Procurement Manager, ❚ Wool ❚ PGG Wrightson Wool

LIVESTOCK

Preparation is important Wool growers are very aware of the seriousness of the current wool market as returns have continued to collapse during the past few seasons but none more dramatic than the cross-bred wool sector.

With ‘wool’ commanding less than 3% of the global fibre market, care must be taken to future-proof what has always been a niche product. In the February 2020 issue of Canterbury Farming I wrote, “Whilst we all know that commodity markets rise and fall according to supply and demand pressure, from a New Zealand strong wool grower’s perspective price falls experienced throughout the past three years have created major doubt as to whether quality wool is worth pursuing. The resultant apathy towards wool production and in-shed wool preparation is, in my view, likely to cause permanent damage to New Zealand’s outstanding global reputation

The Working Wool Buyer

as a producer of high-quality strong wool, if it hasn’t done so already,”... “wool exporters will pay premiums for well-presented lines of wool, rather than risking their reputation by delivering a sub-standard product to their overseas customers,”... “try and portray that to a grower who can prove that their associated shearing, handling, transport and selling costs have outweighed financial returns for their wool clips for the past two or three years.” Little did we know in February 2020, what disruption was about to occur for many processors and manufacturers of woollen products, plus what effect the faltering of various global economies amidst a global pandemic would have. The past year for the wool industry has been challenging, to say the least, with interruption to shipping

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schedules a significant influence for New Zealand wool exporters, however, although wool prices have generally eased for all categories the majority of wool types offered for sale have successfully exchanged ownership and begun their journey along the wool processing pipe-line. With many wool processors located in Asia and Europe, interruption to work environments due to health issues was inevitable and, in some instances, crippling to smaller family operated businesses. As time progressed and many countries accepted that the virus would probably continue to interrupt but not totally destroy their businesses, the wheels of industry began to turn in response to different requirements compared to those previously. Major carpet yarn manufacturers found that demand from domestic markets increased, while supply to the hotel and cruise

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industries suffered. Garment manufacturers in Europe ramped up productivity as on-line sales of apparel items increased while populations remained in various stages of restricted freedom and began to shop more from home. The net result was that demand for wool remained reasonably stable and, at current price levels, wool is definitely competitive against other natural fibres, such as cotton. In my opinion New Zealand wool growers should not risk possible future increased demand by neglecting basic wool handling and preparation functions necessary to cement that recovery. Under current low-level pricing, some oddment types may be best used on farm as weed suppressants or fertilizer, however they must still be removed at shearing to ensure main body wool and pieces lines are maximised. I read recently that British Wool is reducing the number of grading depots they currently operate in a bid to save £1.5million annually, whilst maintaining service and wool quality. British Wool’s acting CEO commented that carpet wool types are under severe pressure due to an over-supply, mainly from New Zealand but also from various European markets, and the closure of much of the UK and European hospitality trade due to the Covid-19 pandemic has reduced demand. In my view 2021 is likely to provide more challenges.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

LIVESTOCK

February 2021

New health foods for China market Three companies marketing deer velvet antler in Asia, CK Import Export, PGG Wrightson and Provelco, have formed a coalition to develop a market for New Zealand velvet as a health food ingredient in China.

❚ by Trevor Walton Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ) marketing manager Rhys Griffiths says the companies are collaborating in order to get the critical mass needed to make an impact. In all other respects they will continue to compete vigorously with each other for sales and farmer supply. He says that deer velvet and red ginseng, two of the two most highly-prized ingredients in traditional oriental medicine, have in recent years enjoyed an explosion in demand from South Korea for use in branded natural health products to combat fatigue and boost immunity. “The aim of the coalition is to replicate this phenomenon in China, where locally produced and imported velvet is still mainly used in traditional medicines,” Griffiths says. “A Shanghai-based business development manager will be doing the ground work. Their role will be to identify and work with a small group of brand-name companies that are willing to develop and promote products based on velvet from New Zealand. Interviews for the position are now underway. “The success of these products would likely give other companies the confidence to develop and market similar products, thereby expanding demand for velvet from New Zealand.” Griffiths says the three companies will col-

lectively provide most of the funding, with a contribution from NZ Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) and administrative support and some funding from DINZ. He thanks NZTE for its support of the coalition, which he says goes well beyond the financial contribution it is making. The business development manager is being hired by Primary Collaboration New Zealand (PCNZ), a China-registered company the coalition has joined as a member. PCNZ represents several NZ food and beverage product marketers in China and works closely with NZTE. The Shanghai-based NZ Trade Commissioner Richard Dunsheath, who attended the public launch of the partnership in Christchurch, says the coalition is a really exciting development. “I look forward to working with them. Collaboration makes a huge amount of sense in a market as large and complex as China,” Dunsheath said. Griffiths says China has introduced strict food safety laws in recent years. “New Zealand is one of only two velvet producing countries that can comply with these. We have an MPI-administered Regulated Control Scheme that ensures that velvet is removed and stored in clean facilities, provides traceability and meets cold chain management requirements from the farm to the market, or until it is processed.”

Co-operation: Competitors co-operating to make an impact in the China health-food market, from left, PGG Wrightson velvet manager Tony Cochrane, CK Import-export operations and marketing manager Shaun Stevenson and Provelco general manager ross Chambers New Zealand also has a National Velvet Standards Body that manages a strict code of welfare to ensure that velvet removal is pain-free. Velvet can be removed only by veterinarians, or by accredited farmers under veterinary supervision. DINZ chief executive Innes Moffat says he was heartened when the companies approached DINZ with the proposal to form the coalition. “Collaboration means companies can

make faster progress in the market and it makes it easier to secure government and industry funding. The venison industry’s Primary Growth Partnership programme, Passion 2 Profit, operates on a similar basis,” Moffat says. “The initiative has our support because of its potential to benefit the whole industry. It aligns with our objectives of building market recognition of NZ velvet as a premium product, developing new markets, and creating sustainable on-farm value.”

Benchmarked production and Johne’s disease info on your deer

Ideal maize to maize feed Base your deer management decisions on the numbers. Contact DeerPRO for your report.

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February 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

Outback gets upgrade for 2021 Subaru is significantly elevating the specification list across its entire new generation Outback range, with the all-new version of New Zealand’s most popular Subaru appearing in showrooms from this month.

❚ Article supplied by SubaruNZ

Subaru of New Zealand’s managing director, Wallis Dumper said the Outback has outperformed all other Subaru SUV models over the bulk of the last 25 years in New Zealand and we expect the evolution of our largest model will continue this momentum. “Subaru has made a conscious decision

New models have arrived for the smaller lawn with a smaller price!

to take the Outback considerably upmarket, confirming its status as the flagship in the Subaru range. “In fact, this entirely new Outback is fondly referred to as the greatest Outback of all time. It’s certainly the biggest, safest, most technologically advanced and luxurious Outback ever,” Dumper said. “The aggressive, rugged design, along with the suite of luxury features, technology, infotainment and safety inherent in every Outback will only add to its rock-solid reputation for value and whole-of-life costs.” The simplified three-variant range features the Outback, Outback X and Outback Touring, with Subaru’s Symmetrical All Wheel Drive remaining standard across all models. The entry level variant is considerably ‘spec’ed-up’ and adds an impressive array of features in comparison to its predecessor. The 2021 Outback includes a 90% new Direct Injection 2.5 litre Boxer engine, with nearly 7% more

0800 38 44 50

Bells and whistles: The new generation 2021 Subaru Outback Touring tops the range with premium speciﬁcations. power (138 Kilowatts) and 4.2% more torque (245 Newton Metres) than its predecessors. It will have a braked towing capacity of 2,000 kilograms. It features the largest Outback cabin to date, with key interior dimensions increased and including a longer wheelbase and larger, wider-opening cargo area. One of the new key safety features is the inclusion of a passenger seat cushion airbag. In the event of a frontal collision, this airbag is designed to push up the front section of the seat, helping to prevent forward movement of the waist.

This can prevent the body from sinking below the seatbelt and improve the restraint protection performance, helping to reduce chest injuries, and by suppressing the front passenger’s leg movement it minimises contact with the instrument panel and can reduce leg injuries. The new mid-range Outback X adds multiple features to the Outback specification, including: water repellent seat upholster y, heated front seats and rear outboard seats, handsfree powered tailgate with memor y height function, and front and side view monitors.

CANTERBURY FARMING February 2021

Ford Ranger Wildtrak X returns The Ford Ranger Wildtrak X, with a range of cohesive exterior and interior styling enhancements that further differentiate it from the Ranger Wildtrak, is back in 2021.

supplied by ❚ Article Ford NZ ❚ Ford New Zealand managing director Simon Rutherford said the customer-focused updates build on the Ford Ranger’s already comprehensive standard equipment and capability, which includes Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with Pedestrian Detection and a five-star ANCAP rating “Since we first launched the Ranger Wildtrak X in the second half of 2020, it has proven popular with customers because it built on those core thoroughbred Ranger qualities, while offering more personalisation for family weekends away,” Rutherford said. “With the arrival of the more aggressively designed 2021 Ford Ranger Wildtrak X, we aim to ensure it remains front-of-mind for customers.” He said customers were clearly attracted to the value proposition of the previous Ranger Wildtrak X, which is now sold-out, and it has been a major contributor to the Ranger’s on-going success in the New Zealand. Ford New Zealand has now secured an extra limited run of Ranger Wildtrak X models. For 2021, the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X includes the following upgrades over the standard Wildtrak: • Genuine Ford Black nudge bar • Lumen 20.5” slimline LED Light Bar

Plenty of tow: With a 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo, 10-speed turbodiesel powertrain as standard, the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X has plenty of towing power.

• Unique 18-inch black alloy wheels with 35 mm offset • Wheel arch flares, now in Ebony Black • Unique front grille, now in Ebony Black with Saber accent ‘nostrils’ • Unique rear sail plane, now in Ebony Black with Saber accents • Black side steps • Roof rails, box rails, lower front bumper insert, rear bumper, headlamp / fog lamp bezels, mirror caps, fender features, door and tailgate handles now all finished in Ebony Black

• Unique illuminated scuff plates for front doors • Unique seat materials and accents With the addition of the exciting new Ranger FX4 MAX and updated Wildtrak X, and introduction of the Ranger XLT with the popular BiTurbo and 10-speed transmission, the Ford Ranger will be strongly positioned to maintain its leadership into 2021. Available with the 2.0-litre Bi-Turbo, 10-speed turbodiesel powertrain as standard, the Ford Ranger Wildtrak X is based on the Ranger 4x4 Wildtrak Double Cab Pick-Up.

With 157kW/500Nm, the Bi-Turbo powertrain was first introduced on the Ford Performance Ranger Raptor and is fitted with the specifically tuned, new-generation 10-speed automatic. The 10-speed automatic includes a lockout feature to hold specific gears when towing, giving the Ranger Wildtrak X a towing capacity of 3,500kg and 943kg payload. In addition, the Bi-Turbo brings a fuel efficiency figure of 7.4L/100km. Ford’s full Driver Assist Technology suite is standard, among which is Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) with Pedestrian Detection, Adaptive Cruise Control, Hill Descent Control, Hill Launch Assist, as well as electronic rear differential lock. There is also a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, and Active Park Assist.

February 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

Ford scores highly on sustainability The Ford Motor Company has been recognised for leadership in corporate sustainability by CDP, securing a place on the global environmental non-profit group’s prestigious ‘A List’ for tackling climate change and protecting water security.

❚ Article supplied by Ford NZ

CDP’s annual environmental disclosure and scoring process is widely recognized as the gold standard of corporate environmental transparency. Ford’s chief sustainability, environment and safety officer Bob Holycross said climate protection and water management are key parts of Ford’s comprehensive approach to long-term sustainability and helping transition to a low-carbon economy. “This is the second straight year Ford, one of 270 global companies named to the A List, has been recognized by CDP for climatechange efforts.” Ford has received A’s from CDP for water reduction for six years in a row and is one of only 106 companies globally to earn such an award for water security.

“We are making real progress in reducing our impact on the planet,” Holycross said. “Our people, customers and investors expect us to do more around climate change and we are up to the challenge, because we know that what’s good for the planet is good for our business.” Ford is the only full-line U.S. automaker that has committed to reduce CO2 emissions in line with the Paris Agreement for climate change. Earlier this year the company announced it intends to achieve carbon neutrality globally no later than 2050, while setting urgent interim targets to address climate change. Ford also led the way in reaching a voluntary agreement with California to adopt meaningful greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Ford is investing more than $11.5 billion

Future Ford: Ford, the manufacturer of the ranger raptor, has been recognised for tackling climate change and protecting water security. in electric vehicles through 2022. In 2017 Ford achieved its goal to reduce the company’s global carbon dioxide emissions from manufacturing operations by 30 percent per vehicle produced by 2025, eight years early. Since 2000, the company has worked to

conserve water through its global water initiative and has reduced operational water use by 70 percent, saving more than 11 billion gallons of water. Holycross said Ford continues to incorporate more water-efficient processes and technologies, with a long-term goal of using zero drinkable water in its vehicle manufacturing. “For example, the company uses internally treated and externally sourced non-potable water at its Irapuato Transmission Plant in Mexico. In China, treated wastewater recycling systems have been installed at four assembly plants. “And in the U.S., Ford’s Flat Rock and Kansas City assembly plants have recycling and reuse systems that generate treated wastewater to supplement water used in their paint shops.”

CANTERBURY FARMING

February 2021

Attenborough vs Fred Dagg

Santa’s reindeer delivered the new book by David Attenborough’s ‘A life on our planet – my witness statement and a vison for the future’ to my stocking.

❚ by Solis Norton I suggested he might like some good quality red-wap cross genetics to replace Rudolph and his rusty old team. Santa’s been round the block a few times and wasn’t falling for it. He should worry less about his corporate image and more about stock performance. But the book. The book is worth a look. David Attenborough has lived a truly incredible life. Virtually all his ninety four years have focused on planet earth, wildlife, humans, and their inter-relationship. He has indeed witnessed first-hand thousands of incredible scenes around the globe over almost a century, all the while rubbing shoulders with an endless flow of experts. What an adventure and what a wonderful legacy in his work. I loved his ‘Our World’ TV show as a kid and was curious about his thoughts now forty years later. David describes what he has seen as ‘the great acceleration’... humans booming from two to eight billion in number, wilderness area dropping by half. Wild mammals today make up just four percent of the mass of all mammals. The other ninety six are either humans or the animals we raise to eat. The usual explanation of environmental issues follows. He predicts tipping points in the coming

decades. They are rather gloomy and I must confess to being more upbeat about the future. David offers solutions. He is braver than most in pointing to a lower human population as one of them. But he sees it occurring through natural gradual trends as people’s quality of life improves, rather than any shock. He also sees as key humans transcending economic growth. Rewilding too is a big thing for him, especially the oceans, switching to clean energy, and valuing natural assets more highly. You know the drill. What struck me was the dichotomy between nine billion people improving their quality of life while simultaneously abandoning economic growth. I gazed out the window, my mind wandered off. I see Fred Dagg yarning with David at the pub in Kurow, slouched on their stools after a long evening. Fred slurs to David “I got eight billion merinos up my place Davie, mate. Council says I got to rewild! Let the gorse go for a bit and stop shooting the pukekas and wallabies I guess. They say no more sheep nuts and palm kernel (coal and oil) I hafta use baleage and hay (clean renewable energy) instead. Degenerative ag think they call it. Don’t take FarmMax to see the feed budget is a bit out. Ahh well, she’ll be right mate. What you drinking? Last quick pint before they close up?”

Rural fund raising I was reminded recently about the community spirit that existed what seems like a lifetime ago but was in fact quite recently.

❚ with rob Cope-Williams There was a discussion about how funding was generated for local projects such as the building community halls, sports clubs and whatever was required within the district. Firstly, there was always a couple of characters who so the need for something to happen, and it just happened. As it was suggested by the time the local contractors struggled into their high viz to build or repair a facility, a local would have done it, and better than the 10 bosses and one worker scenario. I suppose that fell apart OSH reared its head and Work and Safety knocked the spirit out of people along with the ability to create and produce what was needed. On a more financial focus there were sports clubs who provided manpower to cart hay. It must have been part of the rugby clubs fitness training plus of course it helped the farmer get the hay under cover whilst raising funds fer trips and facilities. Along came the big squares and round bales and that all evaporated along with a chance of. community bonding. A few beers after the last bales were hurled into place was an obvious chance to catch up with the goings on around the area. I imagine having a coffee after being in the gym for a couple of hours won’t do it for the crop of rugby players of the day.

Then there were things such as hare drives. Groups of chaps with shotguns around the perimeter of a paddock and walking backwards towards the centre, the hares would feel trapped and make a break for it, as they burst through the circle, they were shot. The resulting carcasses were then sold to whoever processed the meat and low and behold, funds were produced, fun was had, and the community spirit was again built upon. Plus, speaking of guns and eradicating hares and rabbits, spotlighting escapades were common with the same results. That seems to have gone as a community exercise due to chemical warfare against rabbits plus there is no longer a marker for the meat. And what about the community get togethers just for the fun of it? As a very young chap I remember all sorts of things the grown-ups got into. Time trials in a variety of vehicles, and I mean serious competition, plus a raft of other games ranging from archery, through to improvised tennis. It does seem that we are so focused on being busy, safe, and politically correct that we may have lost the ability to have fun and enjoy our community. Yes, progress can be blamed for much of that, but I do find it sad that the new generation will never have the memories to share that we of my age have.

February 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

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