Canterbury Farming, December 2021 by Canterbury Farming

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

December 2021 Edition

INSIDE

THIS EDITION Record recycling

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Country of origin: NZPork is urging Kiwis to check the labelling on their christmas ham to ensure it actually comes from New Zealand.

Where is your Christmas ham from? NZPork is urging Kiwis not to be fooled by the ‘made in New Zealand from local and imported ingredients’ label when purchasing their Christmas ham.

❚ by Kent caddick p42

According to the pork industry body almost 41,000 metric tonnes of pork has been imported from 31 countries so far during 2021. Most will be further processed in New Zealand, with some masquerading as Kiwigrown pork. Most pork imports have come from Germany, Poland, Australia, Canada, Spain, the United States and Finland.

NZPork chief executive David Baines said some product labels, which highlight the New Zealand manufacturer rather than the actual origin of the pork, feature “made in New Zealand” descriptions with “from local and impor ted ingredients”, sometimes in fine print. “More than 60% of the pork products consumed in New Zealand is imported from overseas, and for cured products such as bacon

and ham, it’s even higher at up to 85%,” Baines said. “A lot of imported pork is produced using practices illegal in New Zealand and no Kiwi wants to think about that over Christmas. “That’s why when New Zealanders spot a “made in New Zealand with local and imported ingredients’ label, they need to know there’s a good chance it has been imported.”

TO PAGE 2

December 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

Checklist helping farmers to be Covid-19 prepared As Covid -19 vaccination rates build and New Zealand begins to transition to coping with the disease without lockdowns and less reliance on managed isolation facilities, the agri-sector and Ministry for Primary Industries have been working together to prepare farmers. supplied by ❚ Article Federated Farmers ❚ The latest initiative is a checklist for farmers so that they can tick off preparation readiness in terms of personal wellbeing, and everything a neighbour or someone else coming onto the farm would need to know should key people have to go into MIQ or hospital, right down to the names of dogs and where their food is located. The checklist is available on the Federated Farmers website and from the other groups that helped put it together: DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, NZ Pork, Deer Industry NZ, Poultry Industry Association of NZ

and the Egg Producers Federation of NZ. “It’s only a matter of time before we get more positive cases of Covid -19 turning up on farm,” Federated Farmers national board member and employment spokesperson Chris Lewis said. “Distance from health and other facilities, workforce shortages and the need to continue to look after animals and crops raise all sorts of complications. “As DHB Medical Officers of Health will be making the decision on whether it’s practicable for a farmer or key farm staff member to self-isolate on the farm, evidence of pre-planning and preparedness will be an important factor,” Lewis said.

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In a Federated Farmers-hosted webinar Southern DHB Medical Officer of Health Dr Michael Butchard emphasised being doublejabbed was the “very best defence” if a farmer or key team member who tests positive sought to self-isolate on farm. Vaccination rates of people on the farm would weigh heavily on MOHs as they made the “case by case” decisions on how and where isolation would happen if someone tested positive. “The latest data out of the USA indicates if you’re not vaccinated you’re 11 times more

likely to die from Covid-19 and ten times more likely to be hospitalised,” Butchard said. Immunologist and Otago University Associate Professor James Ussher told the webinar a double-vaccinated person had a 75% to 80% lower chance of being infected with the virus. “If you don’t get infected, you can’t pass it on to other people. So it’s about protecting yourself and protecting others.” The checklist can be downloaded from the Federated Farmers website: www.fedfarm.org.nz

Pork regulation delays ‘hugely frustrating’ FROM PAGE 1

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Baines said New Zealand’s pork sector operates to high welfare standards compared to many other countries who have less rigorous welfare and environmental regimes. “Our pig farmers are also proud of the high health status of pigs in New Zealand. Our animals aren’t affected by diseases that are impacting pork industries in many other countries. “New Zealand does not import live pigs but these viruses can enter the country on infected meat. “While they are harmless to humans, they could be spread to pigs in the wild or other kinds of farms or lifestyle blocks through infected food scraps – and ultimately be transmitted to the commercial herd.” Baines said they were disappointed at a further delay to the introduction of Country of Origin labelling regulations. The Government has announced that the

regulations covering fresh/chilled food including pork and cured pork have been delayed until February 2022. “We were eagerly awaiting these regulations to come into force in November,” Baines said. “Without these regulations, imported pork can be ‘hidden’ in ham and bacon processed in New Zealand under a label ‘Made in New Zealand’. “That’s why this three month delay is hugely frustrating for our New Zealand farmers when cheaper pork imports, that don’t have to meet New Zealand’s high welfare or environmental standards, can be presented to consumers without clear labelling. “While we appreciate the delay is due to the disruption and uncertainty caused to business by the re-emergence of Covid-19, we are particularly disappointed that the regulations will not be in place for the Christmas period like we expected.”

FARMING NEWS

CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2021

Environmental gains as farmers reduce nitrogen loss Dairy farmers in Canterbury’s Selwyn catchment are actively reducing their footprint, with data indicating many have reduced nitrogen loss by 30 percent.

❚ by Kent caddick Most Selwyn dairy farmers are required by current Environment Canterbury rules to reduce nitrogen losses by 30% by 2022, compared to their baseline figure from 20092013. A farm’s baseline figure is its average annual nitrogen loss over those four years. In July, a new nationwide nitrogen cap came into effect, capping synthetic nitrogen fertiliser applied to pasture at 190kg N/ha/ year. “Selwyn farmers have been working hard to achieve this milestone, taking steps on their farms to look after the environment,” DairyNZ solutions and development lead advisor Virginia Serra said. “Preliminary information shows 70% of Selwyn farmers have met their 30% nitrogen loss reduction target set by Environment Canterbury. “Another 20% are well on track to achieving it and are receiving support to get there. The remaining farmers will be supported this season to make progress,” Serra said. DairyNZ collated the data from dairy companies and irrigation companies, plus a DairyNZ survey. Dairy farmers are using Farm Environment Plans to identify actions to reduce footprint,

including improving water quality. Nitrogen is one of several contributors to water quality, with phosphorus, sediment and E. coli also playing a vital role and covered by the farm plans. “Reducing nitrogen loss over time helps improve water quality and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Serra said. “Achieving these results is not easy and farmers are working hard to deliver. They are doing their best to keep up with regulations, across the spectrum of farming.” DairyNZ has been working with farmers from Selwyn and Hinds for three years through the Meeting a Sustainable Future project, supporting them to reduce nitrogen loss. This includes trialling options with 40 partner farms and sharing knowledge with local farmers. A recent DairyNZ survey showed all Selwyn and Hinds farmers surveyed are adapting practices to reduce nitrogen loss. This includes improving irrigation efficiency and effluent management, reducing fertiliser use, using the grazing herb plantain (which reduces nitrogen loss) and some are changing their stocking rate. For more information on the meeting a Sustainable Future project, go to dairynz.co.nz/selwynhinds.

On target: DairyNZ says 70% of Selwyn farmers have already met their 30% nitrogen loss reduction target set by environment canterbury. Photo by DairyNZ

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December 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

Reﬂecting on APEC2021

There are times in life when we don’t realise what we have until it looks like we might lose it.

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

Covid-19 has touched and challenged every aspect of life around the world. We’re all aware of the efforts, changes and sacrifices we’ve made here at home in New Zealand to keep ourselves safe and our economy ticking until we’ve reached our vaccination goals. Having been abroad on two trade trips so far this year, I’ve seen first-hand the impacts of Covid-19: empty airports, social distancing and tales of both economic and health hardship. The travel restrictions around the world have alone caused US$1.2 trillion in lost output in the Asia Pacific region. As you’d expect, each economy has had to determine its own path through the pandemic and manage the myriad of social, economic and political issues that Covid-19 brings. Overlay this onto the rise of protectionism in recent years, and we’ve seen trade winds turn into head winds. What’s being demonstrated is how interdependent our world is and how the benefits of cooperation can be lost when it’s disrupted. This is why APEC 2021 has been so important for our region, because it presented a chance for member economies to come together and find ways to solve problems that

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are bigger than any one economy. Bigger than any economy, yes, but in the case of Covid also affecting every single person of the region’s 2.7 billion population. The Pfizer vaccine is a symbol of how interdependent we are. Its manufacture involves some 220 components, sourced from 89 companies spread across 19 economies. APEC 2021 has seen members agree and commit to lowering or removing tariffs on vaccines, along with pandemic related goods, such as needles and personal protection equipment. It’s been an absolute privilege to have chaired a number of APEC sessions during New Zealand’s hosting. Though it would have been great to have hosted it in-person, doing it virtually actually had some upsides. For a starter, it made it a lot easier for ministers and leaders to attend each of the many sessions. Similarly, the numerous one-to-one Zoom sessions that I had with my counterparts helped me in the lead up to the meetings I chaired. I believe these factors prepared the ground for New Zealand getting agreement on our APEC 2021 priorities, which the Prime Minister announced. They include ensuring widespread access to Covid-19 vaccines, making trade easier and faster and promoting policies that kickstart growth, create new jobs as well as boosting food security. This year we have also advanced fossil fuel subsidy reform, in-

Top table: minister of Agriculture Damien O’connor chairing a session at APec 2021. itiatives that benefit the environment, and progressed economic empowerment of ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples and women. Some question the relevance of APEC and its benefits. To them I would say hosting APEC put New Zealand in a leadership role at a pivotal moment. As an APEC ministerial chair, it also gave me the opportunity to attend the G20 in Italy in October, a group New Zealand sits outside of. But, more importantly there is power in this year’s collective APEC agreements to influence organisations like the World Trade Organization (WTO). Later this month I’ll be attending the WTO’s Twelfth Ministerial Con-

ference where New Zealand, along with APEC economies, will be advocating strongly for reform. New Zealand’s fortunes as a nation have depended heavily on our ability to trade – to produce something of value to someone else in another part of the world. As a small economy in the world, we need rules-based systems that secure and promote the benefits of free and fair trade. The Covid-19 pandemic has so clearly illustrated to us that it’s in all our interests to work together and use economic cooperation and trade so we can respond and recover more quickly. In that way APEC 2021 has helped us all.

FARMING NEWS

CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2021

Wool growers support merger Wools of New Zealand (WNZ) and Primary Wool Co-operative (PWC) shareholders have overwhelmingly voted in favour of a proposed merger of operations between the two industry bodies.

❚ by Kent caddick More than 99.7% of WNZ shareholders and 100% of PWC shareholders who voted supported the merger, which will see both companies become partners in a new entity called Wools of New Zealand LP. The new organisation will combine the trading and operating businesses of WNZ and CPW. “Growers have spoken and backed our vision to build one organisation with strength and scale to make a real difference to New Zealand’s struggling wool industry,” chair of WNZ James Parsons said. “We are very pleased with this positive result, which validates our strategy to consolidate the sector and better link the supply chain from the grower through to the consumer,” Parsons said. “By combining operations, we can provide the scale, focus and shared vision to achieve better outcomes for our growers. “This merger represents the first serious grower-owned consolidation of the industry in many decades. By joining forces, we can deliver on our market vision and ultimately better realise the full potential of wool. “We appreciate and value the support and engagement from shareholders over the past 12 months and look forward to announcing further initiatives in the coming months.” Richard Young, chair of PWC and chair of CPW, which is 100 per cent owned by PWC, said the result lays the foundations to deliver

Merged: A merger between Wools of New Zealand and the Primary Wool co-operative is aimed at providing better outcomes for growers according to the two organisations.

improved fortunes for the wool sector. “This single grower-owned entity will help drive our shift from wool as a raw commodity to grower-owned and branded consumer wool products. “Ultimately, the development of an integrated supply chain aims to improve returns

for our growers,” Young said. “It will enable us to capture greater value for wool growers through shortened supply chains and invest deeper in marketing and sales to deliver New Zealand-branded natural strong wool products that meet consumer demand.

“We now have the ability to chart our own destiny as growers and capture greater value. Farmers need two positive income streams from sheep. “We must now focus on delivering these better outcomes that we believe this combined strategy will unlock.”

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December 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

Remember, you are the best Thank you Canterbury.

barbara Kuriger ❚ with Party Spokesperson ❚ National for Agriculture ❚

I was thrilled to visit you on November 11 with southern MPs Stuart Smith (Kaikoura) and Nicola Grigg (Selwyn). As three of National’s key primary industries portfolio holders, agriculture and food safety, trade and export and viticulture, we decided, due to the cancellation of A&P Shows across New Zealand to come and see you. It was wonderful to tour some of Nicola’s electorate and meet up with Selwyn supporters for morning tea. That afternoon, we hosted a Rural Leaders Forum with key stakeholders. Due to Covid restrictions it had to be an invitation only event, but we enjoyed hearing their views This sort of feedback allows us, as your representatives, to bring your perspectives to our ongoing policy work and discussing their vision for the future. You gave us a lot to consider and confirmed much of what we are already working on as we lobby the Government daily. COP 26 in Glasgow was underway at the time of our visit so methane, water quality, water storage and catchment work were among the topics discussed. We also talked about He Waka Eke Noa, New Zealand’s five-year primary sector climate action partnership of food and fibre organisations.

Its role is to achieve the best outcomes for us as primary producers, while playing our part in tackling climate change. We look forward to the details around the workstream being released soon. The next day, I spent time making visits on the West Coast with MP Maureen Pugh. The main message of our visits was to express our gratitude to you, our farming communities. We know our primary sector has kept this country running by holding up our trade sector. We know it will continue to do so because you are world leaders. Here are the important statistics to remember: • 350,000 people are employed in the primary sector • we feed 40 million people globally • we make up 80% of New Zealand’s export revenue • that’s $9000 of export revenue for every New Zealander As Primary Industry MPs we know there are many issues for us to tackle thanks to the current Government. We also have our own industry priorities – www.national.org.nz/primary-sector. As a small food producing nation, agriculture has been the key to our success and will continue to be. It not only feeds us but more than pays our way in the world. As your Agriculture spokesperson and a farmer, I know the perceptions about the pri-

Speaking at the recent rural Leaders Forum in christchurch. mary sector’s role in the New Zealand economy have been frustrating for farmers who are doing so much to improve practices. DairyNZ’s recent report, The View from the Cowshed, highlighted the stress farmers are facing under the top-down model of unworkable regulations. Climate change was very much the focus in November thanks to COP26. We need to play our part in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, but not more than our share. Like me, I want you to be proud to be farmers. We are already working on the en-

vironment and climate and will continue to do more. The most recent comprehensive survey by KMPG of 32 countries puts NZ agriculture at No 1 on the Net Zero Readiness Index and while we continue to improve, it’s a good place to work from. As I write, I don’t know what the festive season will look like for each of our families, but I hope you find some happiness. Next year, 2022, will bring a new set of challenges for us all to tackle so take time to rest, enjoy the company of loved ones and remember, they are what’s most important.

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FARMING NEWS

December 2021

Entries open for AgriKidsNZ and Junior Young Farmer competitions The time has come for primary and high school students to get their teams together for the AgriKidsNZ and FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year contests.

❚ by Kent caddick Entries for the prestigious competitions have just opened for the 2022 season, with the events running alongside the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Regional Finals across the country. Primary school kids aged 8 to 13 years’ old are eligible to enter in teams of three for AgriKidsNZ, meanwhile high school students compete in pairs for FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year. NZ Young Farmers Chief Executive Lynda Coppersmith said learning about the primary sector and where food comes from, the competitions aim to excite and stimulate all school aged students from town and country. She said the best part is that competitors don’t even need to be from a farm to enter. “Most of the challenges in both AgriKidsNZ and FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year are agriculturally based to introduce our youth to the sector, where their food comes from and to also get them excited about all of the different opportunities in the primary industries,” Coppersmith said. Across both events, teams compete in eight different modules before moving on to the final rounds of the day. The top three AgriKidsNZ teams from each Regional Final would be invited to compete in the Grand Final with 24 teams from around

the country, which runs alongside the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final in July in Whangarei. The top two teams from the FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year Regional Final would also be invited to the Grand Final, competing against 14 teams. “We see the whole contest series as a pathway to excellence, with many competitors coming through from AgriKidsNZ, to FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year and then on to the FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest,” Coppersmith said. “At the end of the day, it’s about our tamariki learning to work together, develop lifelong skills, make new friends, learn something new and most importantly walk away with a smile on their face.” The competitions are open but with limited spots available, parents and supervisors are urged to sign up their teams as soon as possible. For schools in the Tasman district entries need to be in by February 6, 2022, with the Tasman Regional final to be held in Lincoln on February 19, while entries for schools in Aorangi district close on February 13 with the regional final set down for the Fairlie A&P Showgrounds on February 26. For more information and to enter visit www.agrikidsnz. co.nz or www.teenag.co.nz

Competitive: FmG Junior Young Farmer of the Year teams competing at the 2021 Grand Final in christchurch.

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December 2021

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RURAL PROFESSIONALS

Our regular ‘Ask a Lawyer’ column provides a high-level legal response to some of the key issues affecting the Agri sector. Q: What duties does a trustee have under the new Trust Act? A: The Trusts Act 2019 (the Act) came into effect on 30 January 2021. The Act identifies five mandatory and ten default trustee duties. Mandatory duties apply to trustees regardless of what is recorded under the trust’s deed. In contrast, default duties apply to trustees unless altered within the trust deed or any variation. These default duties may cause issues for trustees through limiting their ability to exercise particular powers. An example of this is where a trustee is also a beneficiary and the deed does not adequately modify the ability for powers to be exercised in that trustee’s favour, which may limit that trustee’s ability to benefit from the trust. Q: What is the Climate Change Response (Auction Price) Amendment Bill Act 2021? A: The New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is one of New Zealand’s main tools for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and will help New Zealand meet its climate change targets. The Climate Change Response (Auction Price) Amendment Act (Act) builds on the reforms put in place by the Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Reform) Amendment Act 2020 (which takes effect on 1 January 2023). Auctions, which are conducted infrequently on behalf of the Government, are designed to allow the Government to sell units into the secondary market without disrupting the secondary market’s operation.

The Act enables a confidential reserve price to be set for auctions in the New Zealand ETS, to ensure that units cannot be sold at prices significantly below the prevailing secondary market prices, thereby ensuring that the auction does not unduly influence the secondary market. Q: What’s involved in protecting my IP around new product ideas if I don’t have the ﬁnancial means to go it alone and need to sell out to a bigger organisation to commercialize? A: At the early stages of innovation, new product ideas may need to be shared in order to begin capitalising on them. A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) should be put in place before sensitive information is shared to ensure it is protected from further disclosure or unauthorised use. Intellectual property could either be sold outright or ownership retained and licensed to a bigger organisation who could then use that intellectual property to commercialise the idea. It is crucial that the intellectual property is carefully described so it is clear what is being sold or licensed. The key terms of that arrangement should be included in a contract to ensure that there are no misunderstandings about what has been agreed. Q: Are employers required to keep records about workers’ vaccination status within the primary sector? A: An employer is only required to keep a record of their employees’ vaccination status when they have been mandated to be vaccinated under the Covid-19 Public Health

Wynn Williams has been part of the rural community in Canterbury for more than 160 years, supporting our clients with their personal, family and business endeavours. We've shared in the special times and in the most challenging of times. Our specialist rural team provides legal services to private farming operations, companies, offshore clients, and other rural investment entities, across the breadth of the Agri sector. If you think we can help, please get in touch.

Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021. As employees within the primary sector are not currently covered by this Order, there is no legal requirement for those employers to record their employees’ vaccination status. Employers may, however, seek to collect information about the vaccination status of their employees prior to undertaking a risk assessment to evaluate risks to health and safety of persons on the farm who may be exposed to Covid -19. It is important to remember that an individual’s vaccination status is personal information, so any collection, use or disclosure of this information must be done in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020. In particular, the vaccination status of employees should not be disclosed to third parties without the consent of that employee. Q: Can I refuse entry to a milk tanker driver if he or she doesn’t have a vaccination certiﬁcate? A: The Covid-19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations) Order 2021 provides that certain work may only be carried out by vaccinated workers. A milk tanker driver entering a farm is not deemed an “affected person” so is not required to be vaccinated under the Order. However, farmers have health and safety obligations to protect persons on their farm. Therefore, after undertaking a risk assessment, a farmer may determine that it is prudent to implement a mandatory vaccination policy requiring all persons entering their farm to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to protect those on the farm from risks to their health and safety arising from the potential spread of Covid-19.

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Prior to implementing such a policy, the farmer should engage with the dairy company (and others frequently visiting their farm) to explain the reasons for the proposed policy and to discuss the implications, including whether the dairy company can ensure that only vaccinated milk tanker drivers enter the farm. Where customers or suppliers are requiring such a policy, this may also be a factor that could allow the dairy company to introduce its own mandatory vaccination policy for its workplace. Q: What checklist do you need to comply with for on-farm isolation of workers should they get Covid-19? A: There is no strict “checklist” regarding the isolation of Covid-19 positive workers. The rules around isolation for those who become infected with Covid-19 are at the discretion of the local Medical Officer of Health. Any person positive with Covid-19 will receive bespoke instructions from public health officials who will consider the situation and individual needs of the person. Self-isolation is therefore likely to result, but the actual means of this isolation will be considered and conveyed with the workers by public health officials. Workers should update their employer if they have been contacted by a public health official to ensure appropriate isolation arrangements can be made accordingly. If you have a question about how the law applies to a situation you’re facing that you’d like us to answer in this column, please email us at email@wynnwilliams. co.nz with the subject line: Ask a Lawyer.

CHARLENE SELL Specialist areas: ¥ Asset + succession planning ¥ Working with Trusts ¥ Farm transactions M: +64 27 482 2171 E: susan.anderson@ wynnwilliams.co.nz

Specialist areas: ¥ Small + medium sized businesses ¥ Commercial contracts + terms of trade ¥ Intellectual property M: +64 27 685 5653 E: charlene.sell@ wynnwilliams.co.nz

DAVID HAIGH Specialist areas: ¥ Farm succession + ownership structuring ¥ Land subdivisions ¥ Buying + selling rural properties ¥ Overseas investment M: +64 27 573 7775 E: david.haigh@ wynnwilliams.co.nz PHOEBE DAVIES Specialist areas: ¥ Corporate structuring + governance ¥ Rural contracting + acquisitions ¥ Offshore investment M: +64 27 414 9825 E: phoebe.davies@ wynnwilliams.co.nz

ANNABEL SHEPPARD Specialist areas: ¥ Succession planning ¥ Sale + purchase of properties ¥ Trust structuring M: +64 27 484 1417 E: annabel.sheppard@ wynnwilliams.co.nz AMANDA DOUGLAS Specialist areas: ¥ Employment law ¥ Health + safety ¥ Privacy law M: +64 21 885 585 E: amanda.douglas@ wynnwilliams.co.nz

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RURAL PROFESSIONALS

CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2021

Practical preparation for farmers who may be impacted by Covid-19 Alivia Nevin ❚ with ❚ Helmore Stewart Lawyers

With the busy spring period coming to an end, it is a good time for Canterbury Farmers to put a practical plan in place to continue the smooth running of the farm if a Covid outbreak was to occur.

Covid-19 has impacted the way we live and the way we work. With further amendments being made under the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act 2020, forward planning by Canterbury farmers will be important to ensure the smooth running of the farm in the absence of workers or contractors if further vaccination mandates are implemented. Since the Covid-19 outbreak, farmers have suffered from staff shortages. Those within the farming industry are becoming frustrated due to the belief that the advice from the Government is not practical. The South Canterbury Rural Support Trust (www.rural-suppor t.org.nz/Regions/SouthIsland/South-Canterbury) has focused on a practical checklist for farmers to ensure that there are plans in place if a Covid-19 outbreak was to affect the farm. This includes having information available on how the farm works, to health and safety information and the tasks required to be completed over the initial 12-21 days if all workers had to self-isolate or are sick. Setting these plans in place will mean that in a Covid outbreak, there will be some guidance for the running of the farm. Many factors come into play if a Covid outbreak was to occur on a farm such as feed availability, purchasing and selling stock, animal welfare and the general running of the farm. Another layer of complication for farmers is as employers, they have to consider who would run the farm in their absence, within an industry that already suffers from staff shortages. Vaccination mandates are another factor that Canterbury Farmers should consider. Certain sectors such as education and border staff require double vaccinated workers. Although this has not impacted the farming

‘

employees can only be asked about their vaccination status if certain work cannot be done by an unvaccinated person.

sector yet, the government has advised that new prescribed assessment processes will be in place so that employers can determine if their work requires vaccinated workers. This is a friendly reminder that an employee can only be asked about their vaccination status if certain work cannot be done by an unvaccinated person. When you collect, store or share the vaccination status of a worker, farmers need to bear in mind obligations under the Privacy Act 2020. Farmers are encouraged to keep an eye out for when these new prescribed assessment processes are in place. If Canterbury Farmers have any concerns or questions about their farm and employees and COVID-19 impacts, we recommend seeking advice from a lawyer or farm advisor. Remember to keep safe and Canterbury Farmers need to ensure that they and their workers are aware of any new regulations in place. Helmore Stewart would like to wish all readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

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December 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

RURAL PROFESSIONALS

Rural recycling rocketing into record ﬁgures Farmers, growers and lifestyle block owners are demonstrating their commitment to the environment by achieving record-breaking volumes of recycling through the rural recycling programme, Agrecovery.

❚ Article supplied by Agrecovery

A staggering 532 tonnes of plastic, from used agrichemical containers, was collected from Agrecovery’s sites, events and via onfarm pick-ups over the past year. This represents a 32 percent increase and is “a massive leap from the 405 tonnes collected the previous year,” Agrecovery chief executive Tony Wilson said. “Like most consumers, farmers and growers are often left with plastic packaging and they don’t want it to end up in landfill or release emissions by burning it. “They are motivated to do the right thing – and the best thing is to turn it into a resource that doesn’t get wasted,” Wilson said. The plastic Agrecovery collects is shredded, cleaned and broken down into a resin before being made into materials like cable cover and damp course – a building material to prevent rising damp. These products are sold locally for locals. “It’s a great example of a circular economy,” he said. “Because the whole recycling process is done in New Zealand, we use fewer emissions than shipping the plastic offshore, we reuse the materials, and our programme has the added bonus of supporting the local economy. It’s a win-win. “Farmers are under increasing pressure to meet regulatory requirements and face in-

Recycled: Agrecovery rural recycling days, like this one in methven, have led to record-breaking volumes of recycling in rural New Zealand.

creasing consumer scrutiny. We are proud to be able to offer a service to help meet some of those demands.” They are also asking Agrecovery to collect other plastic packaging as well. “We’ve heard their call and are starting to collect soft plastics like LDPE bags,” Wilson said. “Our goal is to collect all types of farm plastics. Our high-density polyethylene (HDPE) recycling is well established and it’s time to tackle other plastic types. We want to raise the game to achieve better environmental outcomes for rural communities by removing plastic from farms.” The Agrecovery Product Stewardship Scheme is focused on providing an easy and convenient scheme for farmers and growers that meets the needs of the Government and

the brands that fund the programme. “Supporting farmers to preserve the environment by providing alternatives to the harmful disposal practices of burning, burying and stock-piling of waste is vital for the future of New Zealand. “As a not-for-profit organisation, we are ideally suited to lead the charge on this and provide solutions for our farmers and grow-

ers in their role as kaitiakitanga – being good stewards of the land.” Agrecovery recycles more than half of the agrichemical containers and drum plastic sold in the New Zealand market. Those manufacturers who participate in the programme pay a voluntary levy to support the recycling of the containers and recovery of any end of life product – at no cost to the farmer.

Pure goodness, Better health

We’re here to help! The Essential Freshwater package requires landowners and communities to put the health of our waterways at the centre of decision-making.

Are you happy with your drinking water? Do you know for sure that it’s an acceptable quality? Does it taste good? The water we put into our bodies determines our health to a large extent. The average adult human is made up of 60% water so it better be good!

Drink Healthy, Stay Healthy

We recognise that this new national direction will have a significant impact on farmers and the community, from farm planning to consenting and compliance requirements. Check our website for key dates, information, frequently asked questions and more.

For all your filter needs Free phone: 03 925 8392 | Mobile: 021 276 5700 Email: richard@filtrationcanterbury.co.nz

www.ecan.govt.nz/farmers-hub 0800 324 636

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RURAL PROFESSIONALS

CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2021

Global markets continue to climb There is a saying in investing – “bull markets climb a wall of worry”.

Andrew Wyllie ❚ with ❚ Forsyth Barr Markets generally always find something to worry about, and at the moment there is no shortage of possible concerns – the delta variant, inflation, rising interest rates, slowing growth, an overinflated Chinese property market, soaring energy prices, and persistent supply chain constraints. Despite them all, equity markets continue to deliver healthy returns for investors. Volatility has increased, and global equity markets did experience a significant speedbump in September. However, in October they bounced back and more, principally due to companies continuing to generally deliver better-than-expected earnings results through healthy sales growth and cost savings.

New Zealand market bounces despite Covid lockdowns After lagging global markets for the past year, the New Zealand share market had a strong quarter. Some may be surprised the improved performance has come at a time when we’ve been hit with Covid-19 community outbreaks, and parts of the country remain in lockdown. Lockdowns will impact economically-exposed sectors and companies. The good news for investors, however, is the New Zealand market is dominated by defensive companies in sectors like healthcare, utilities, telecommunications, and consumer staples. The earnings of these companies are less affected by the economic environment.

Interest rates are rising Very notable over the last quarter was the jump in interest rates. New Zealand has been one of the first countries in the developed world to raise in-

terest rates in a post- Covid world. On 6 October our Reserve Bank (RBNZ) lifted the official cash rate by 25 basis points to 0.5%. The highest inflation in over three decades meant the RBNZ had to respond. We are both importing inflation and growing our own. Changes in consumer spending patterns (more goods, less services), supply chain constraints, soaring freight costs, and surging energy prices are pushing up the cost of the products we import. Furthermore, our economy is facing pentup demand and capacity constraints — the housing shortage being the most obvious example — from the tidal wave of migrants over the last eight years. In recent years, that same migration kept a lid on wages. But now, with borders shut, capacity pressures are biting and inflation risks are rising. The market is pricing, that by August next year, we will see six more rate hikes lifting the OCR to 2.0%. The environment, however, does remain fluid and subject to change. Uncertainty over how long level 3 lockdowns will be imposed, how consumers and businesses will react as the delta variant spreads, and growing questions around the pace of the global economic recovery will all influence the RBNZ’s trajectory from here.

A return to (normal) volatility Recent volatility has broken a period of unusual calm in markets. We remain comfortable retaining a healthy weighting of risk assets (shares, property) in portfolios, but we also warn the easiest gains in this cycle are very likely behind us and that future returns will be lower than what we’ve seen over recent time. Volatility is a normal part of investing in equity markets. It’s why investors earn an “equity risk premium” – a higher expected return over time from investing in the share market vs. lower risk assets like bonds.

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To get personalised investment advice and portfolio management specific to your investing needs, talk to Investment Adviser Andrew Wyllie in confidence on (03) 365 4244 or email andrew.wyllie@forsythbarr.co.nz

CHC6189-02 - March 2021

When you are thinking about your investment options, talk to Forsyth Barr

But all investors need to understand and be comfortable with the risk they are bearing. At any time if you have any queries about recent market events or wish to discuss the nature and composition of your portfolio please

don’t hesitate to contact your Forsyth Barr Investment Adviser. They’re happy and available to discuss your investment plan at any time. This report covers the quarter ended 31 October 2021.

If you’re new to investing please see Forsyth barr’s Introduction to Investing guide available at www. forsythbarr.co.nz/intro-to-investing/ or to discuss your investment options please contact Andrew Wyllie, an Investment Adviser with Forsyth barr in christchurch. He can be contacted regarding portfolio management, ﬁxed interest, or share investments on 0800 367 227 or andrew.wyllie@forsythbarr.co.nz. This column is general in nature and does not take any of your personal circumstances into account. For personalised ﬁnancial advice, contact Forsyth barr for an overview of the services we can provide.

December 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

Do it once and do it properly “Do it once – do it properly” that’s the regular advice I get from one of my relatives who lives up the hill from me.

Teanau Tuiono ❚ with spokesperson for ❚ Agriculture ❚ the Green Party

It’s fairly typical of someone who is ex-army but it makes sense, particularly in the context of the plethora of issues facing our communities because of Covid-19. To translate what my relative’s advice means for Government policy is simple: when there’s a problem it’s better just to fix it. People don’t have time for the Government to keep coming back to stuff and tinkering with it. Many of our families are doing it tough right now. The outgoing Children’s Commissioner Andrew Bercroft nailed it when he said successive Governments have resisted transformational change to lift people out of poverty, relying instead on small, incremental changes. Of this approach he said: “Sadly, that has ended up serving the protection of the system rather than the needs of children and young people – especially mokopuna Maori”. Let’s take the importance of making sure everyone has a liveable income as an example of this approach at play. Right now thousands of families simply do not have enough to live on. This has been a problem for decades, but the pandemic has made it much, much worse.

Lockdowns, though the right thing to do for public health, have meant some people cannot work, which has meant a loss of income and an even greater challenge to put food on the table. But instead of fixing the problem, Labour has tinkered at the edges. The decision to boost income support by $20 per week was welcome, but it is nothing like what is needed to fix the problem. Not only that, but in some cases the $20 boost won’t make any difference at all; quickly getting swallowed up by rising food and housing costs. What’s so infuriating about this is that the Government is already having to spend more on extra hardship assistance top-ups each year than income support increases. In other words, we’re paying more to deal with the symptoms of a problem we’re choosing not to fix. Everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand should be able to live with dignity, put a roof over their heads and food on the table. We know this is possible. So let’s do it once and do it properly. Many communities in isolated regions do not have access to a nearby Work and Income office and so depend on their phone having signal to get a top-up when there is an emergency. These frontline services are under massive pressure which means people can face hours on the phone waiting for emergency assistance to cover essentials. We can do

‘

everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand should be able to live with dignity, put a roof over their heads and food on the table.

this differently. We can choose to boost incomes more so families don’t need top-up food grants to survive. This will also take pressure off organisations in the region such as the Beneficiary Advisory Service who support people around Canterbury. Overhauling income support systems should include individualising benefits. Many working couples who faced unemployment last year discovered for the first time that they wouldn’t be eligible for income support because of their relationship status, and faced pressure to take up any job, no matter how unsuitable. This forces one partner to depend on the other financially, and a net-loss of income in the household which can end up putting children in hardship. We must learn from the experience of the pandemic and build a safety

net that works for all of us. Everyone deserves a decent life. As we recover from Covid-19, a fairer social support system will empower people and communities to thrive. For the past thirty years, Aotearoa’s social support system has trapped people in poverty, by keeping benefit rates too low and creating complex barriers to getting support. This means people who are out of work, students, single parents, and those with health conditions and disabilities are often under financial stress with few options to improve their lives – especially as housing costs continue to increase. We can do better and we should. Do it once – do it properly.

FARMING NEWS

CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2021

The biodiversity of braided rivers This is the last edition of Canterbury Farming for the year, so I’d like to take the opportunity to wish readers and the wider Canterbury community a happy festive season.

canterbury’s braided rivers contribute around 88% of the total river ﬂow in the region, making them an integral part of the landscape and distinctive for their shifting channels and banks. rangitata river photo supplied by ecan

Jenny Hughey ❚ by Chair ❚ Environment Canterbury

Although this is a very busy time of year for the farming community, I hope you will still find some quality time to relax and reflect on what has been a year of challenges and changes. Among these, the Canterbury-wide flooding in May stands out as one of the defining events of the year, and one that will determine much of our flood protection and land drainage work in the coming months and years. Our thoughts remain with those communities whose lives and livelihoods were affected by the floods. Environment Canterbury manages 59 river control and drainage schemes across the region. This includes 650km of stopbanks and nearly 700km of drains. Flood protection and drainage are a big part of what we do to protect people and property, but, working alongside iwi, we also have a responsibility to promote biodiversity and biosecurity.

Canterbury’s braided rivers contribute around 88% of the total river flow in the region, making them an integral part of the landscape and distinctive for their shifting channels and banks. Along with their visual appeal, they provide hydroelectricity to the region, support agricultural production, supply drinking water, and serve customary and recreational needs. They are also the habitat for many unique plants and animals and act as a buffer for aquatic ecosystems from the adjoining land. In fact, the biologically rich braided rivers are some of the last remaining strongholds of biodiversity on the Canterbury Plains, forming a vital ecological link from the mountains to the sea. Over time, the biodiversity of these special rivers has deteriorated, prompting the need to take action to improve their overall health while still managing their many important uses.

The Braided River Revival/Whakahaumanu Nga Awa a Pakihi programme is just one example of such work in this space. The programme demonstrates how a holistic approach to river management can cater to multiple needs. It involves partnering with mana whenua and working with stakeholders, government agencies, and councils to regenerate the natural environment of the rivers and restore the mountain-to-the-sea ecological corridors. Although the programme is still largely in the early planning stages, work has already begun on the Rangitata River and Ashley River/Rakahuri. This work includes restoration plans for sites such as Ealing Springs and McKinnons Creek; the monitoring and protecting of braided river birdlife during the nesting season; willow and brush weed control between the Okuku River and Ashley Gorge;

and measures to promote mahinga kai, biodiversity and recreation in the river north of Rangiora. In many cases, the work will involve the wider community and adjoining landowners. In fact, with regard to the work protecting wildlife in the Ashley River/Rakahuri, this is only progressing thanks to the efforts of community volunteers from the Ashley-Rakahuri Rivercare Group. It’s important to understand that this is a collective programme that requires acknowledging and balancing the cultural, commercial, environmental and recreational needs of the Canterbury community and their relationship with the rivers. At the same time, the programme recognises that we all have a part to play in securing the health and wellbeing of these important rivers – that it is a shared responsibility.

Have you seen either of these pest plants? Yellow water lily Nuphar lutea • Freshwater plant with large (30cm long) heart-shaped floating leaves • Stalked buttercup-like flowers (6cm wide) that protrude above leaves • Long (2-3cm) green, flask-shaped fruit containing hundreds of seeds • Spongy, tuber-like submerged stems (10cm thick) Photos by P. Champion

African love grass Eragrostis curvula • Clump-forming, perennial grass up to 1.5m tall • Narrow leaves, bright green to blue-green, that curl at the tips • Blackish-purple, oval seeds attached to stems >1m long in summer • Fibrous roots, up to 50cm deep

Report all potential sightings using the Find-A-Pest app, or by contacting biosecurity@ecan.govt.nz or calling 0800 324 636.

Protect Canterbury, report pests

December 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

Farming excellence awards ❚ with rob cope-Williams great incentives I cannot think of any other industry that awards excellence like the farming industry. Radio and TV have awards, mainly in house ones, for work done and therefore are after the act, but farming pitches person against person. A real case of pitching the best against others and the rewards are invariably an opportunity to better themselves. The general dairy awards that have a delightfully large number of categories and where the knowledge brought into the competition is shared is great. The same thing with the South Island farmer of the year that I covered when I had my TV programme. The judges were sort of unpaid farm advisers as they travelled around. Livestock awards and winterfeed contests all bringing the best information together for others to share and learn from. One does not talk about awards without talking about the Young Farmer of the Year awards. Now open to all involved with the industry not those one the land. The fact there are junior categories is fabulous and doing wonderful things for the PR of our industry.

❚ with John Arts

Remember when the final was broadcast live on free to air TV? It certainly did a lot towards ‘others’ thinking of farmers as people who wore gumboots and that it is a serious business. I see that the Dairy Women’s Network awards for excellence have opened with nominations closing in March. Again, an amazing event with further development programmes as part of the prize list. While on that sort of subject, Rural Women have their own Businesswoman of the year awards which again focus on betterment, and expertise. With the roles women take in the industry those two organisations should be very proud of themselves. Both are lobby groups and hugely supportive of their members. Thankfully the days of ‘Mr. Farmer’ are very dead and buried. Sitting here thinking about the changes in the industry over the 35 to 40 years I have been involved as a media type, they are monumental. That then flows onto the research done by the teams based in Lincoln, Dairy

NZ, Ravensdown, and of course those who are hands on, and I am proud to have been able to watch and talk about it.

Part 1

Do I need a nutritional supplement? It is not hard to motivate someone in pain to do things that will relieve pain. We make more of our Bettaflex joint support supplement than any other. It is harder to motivate healthy people to adopt measures that will keep them healthy. Today we look at the benefits of nutritional supplements. Over the past 25 years I have seen thousands improve their quality of life with high grade nutritional supplements. I consider a well formulated multi mineral/vitamin/antioxidant formula is one of the best health investments we can make. Three words summarise the reasons to use nutritional supplements: Deficiency, Sub-Optimum and Optimum. There are some nutrients are lacking to the point where a deficiency causes disease. For example vitamin D deficiency will cause the bone disease rickets. We thought rickets was a Third World problem but an excellent study (Wheeler et.al, 2015) commented that vitamin D deficiencies in New Zealand children are again causing rickets. Blood levels below 50 nmol/l are considered a deficiency. We then move to sub-optimum nutri-

tion. This is where nutrient levels are above deficiency levels but below what is really needed. The results are not so obvious but over time a range of health problems emerge. Again choosing vitamin D, sub-optimum levels increase the risk of respiratory problems, immune system disorders, learning difficulties and mental health issues and many cancers. I consider 50100 nmol/l is sub-optimum. Then we have optimum levels. For vitamin D I consider that over 100nmol/l is ideal and means your body will have plenty of vitamin D. Adding a well formulated multi-mineral/vitamin/antioxidant will firstly prevent deficiencies. More importantly it will lift nutrient levels to the point that our cells can function at their best. This is optimal function. John Arts (b.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv.Dip.Nut.med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For questions or advice contact John on 0800 423559 or email john@ abundant.co.nz. Join his all new newsletter at www.abundant.co.nz

Abundant Health

I suppose it is a case of having to evolve to survive, be nice to be acknowledged though wouldn’t it.

CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2021

Slurry tankers vs irrigators Why have both?

While most farmers start off with one or the other, many end up with both a travelling irrigator set up and a slurry tanker. It’s all about having the best of both worlds. Here’s why:

Lloyd Thomas ❚ by Efﬂuent Management ❚ Nevada Specialist ❚

which most sections are not. Additionally, there’s less control over the spread, with a higher chance of wind drift than a slurry tanker with RainWave applicator, so they need to be kept at least 25 metres away from any waterways for compliance. Not to worry, this is where a slurry tanker comes in.

Irrigators

Slurry tankers

An underground pumping system gives you the power of automation, which equals reduced labour. Not only is it great to automate tasks so you can get on with other tasks, but this is really handy during busy times like calving, or to be able to irrigate overnight when the sun’s not out. The main downside to irrigators is they’re limited by the length of your pipeline and can only move in straight lines,

Your slurry tanker can do what the irrigator can’t, making them a great pairing. With a slurry tanker you can take it anywhere, anytime, and depending on the applicator you may be able to get closer to waterways. Due to its control, many councils have approved the use of a RainWave slurry tanker closer to waterways than what they would allow for an irrigator. A slurry tanker can manage thicker slur-

ries making it useful for feedpads, barns, stone traps, underpass sumps, as well as pig or poultry effluent. They can even be used to clean your trough. Your annual pond empty is also made a lot quicker and easier with a slurry tanker, suck

it up fast and spread it all over the farm. Slurry tankers are very low maintenance, and a good contingency should anything go wrong with the irrigation system. You can even make some money back by contracting out to neighbouring farms.

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December 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

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CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2021

Glyphosate’s economic and environmental beneﬁts

Food and pasture growers as well as the forestry industry rely on glyphosate to prevent deep-rooted weeds from taking over their crops and decimating productivity, according to a report by the NZIER on the beneﬁts of glyphosate to New Zealand.

mark ross ❚ by ❚ Agcarm The world’s most widely-used weed management tool has extensive economic and environmental benefits. It enables farmers and growers to deliver food and fibre efficiently, cost-effectively, and to a higher quality - allowing access to safe and affordable food. The report estimates that herbicides are worth up to $8.6 billion to New Zealand agriculture, with an average impact on output of up to 20%. Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide that can eliminate nearly

all weeds, which many other herbicides cannot. Without it, producers would face substantial weed pressure, as weeds compete with crops for light, water and nutrients. An even greater pressure exists with climate change and the need for farming practices to become more sustainable. Farmers can reduce their environmental footprint by minimising tillage – benefiting soil health, lessening carbon emissions, conserving water and reducing labour and fuel costs. Glyphosate can be applied with fertiliser, seeds and cover crops in one go thereby saving time and money. If glyphosate was not available, farmers would need to use three to four other herbicides in its place, leading to more tillage and more resources to manage weeds. Substitute products are often more toxic or less effective, explains the report. Taking this vital tool away from farmers would lead to more mechanical weeding, more time spent

‘

Taking this vital

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tool away from farmers would lead to more mechanical weeding, more time spent ploughing, and more money spent on fuel.

ploughing, and more money spent on fuel. Councils also use glyphosate to manage weeds in public spaces, including railways and roadways, to improve visibility and enhance safety. A fourfold increase in costs with worse outcomes is likely if glyphosate isn’t available.

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December 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

New app to help manage costly weed A new free web app has been designed to help farmers, landowners and regional councils manage a costly weed that has resisted eradication efforts in New Zealand for over a century.

❚ Article supplied by AgResearch

Nassella tussock (Nassella trichotoma) occurs in drought-prone grasslands, mainly in the Canterbury and Marlborough regions. It is unique in that it is the only weed in New Zealand to have had its own Act of Parliament, the Nassella Tussock Act 1946. The Act legislated for the establishment of the Marlborough and North Canterbury Nassella Tussock Boards to coordinate central government-funded control programmes, a responsibility now resting with the regional councils through Regional Pest Management programmes under the Biosecurity Act 1993. The historical control programmes have substantially reduced the weed’s populations from what were, in some cases, virtual monocultures of up to 35,000 plants per hectare of the tussock, which is unpalatable for livestock. Although eradication has proven elusive, a 17-year study in Canterbury, published in 2016, showed that the population density of the weed across 878 invaded farms in the Hurunui district of North Canterbury is stable at about 15 plants per hectare. Grubbing of the plants (digging out) before seeding each year – the management tactic practiced on these farms - has been responsible for main-

taining this ‘equilibrium’ according to on-farm experiments and modelling. Left uncontrolled, the modelling indicates that the weed’s populations will increase, potentially reaching the economically damaging monocultures of the past which in some cases forced farmers to abandon their properties. The new app, developed by AgResearch with funding from the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment in collaboration with Environment Canterbury, provides a tool to visualise a range of grubbing strategies. The app deploys a population model that counts the number of nassella tussock plants in summer and winter in each of seven different life stages of the tussock and keeps track of their contribution to the total tussock population over successive years. AgResearch Principal Scientist, Graeme Bourdôt, who with colleagues has spent decades researching nassella tussock, said the app follows in the path of another similar tool for giant buttercup which AgResearch developed to support dairy farmers in weed management decision-making. “The nassella tussock app draws on decades of research into how nassella tussock plants grow and contribute to the population

growth of the weed in dryland sheep and cattle pastures,” Dr Bourdôt said. “It enables the user to see how different frequencies, intensities and seasons of grubbing will affect the future Reduction: Agresearch senior scientist Shona Lamoureaux number of nassella tussock holding nassella tussock which despite attempts at eradication plants on a block of land and on nassella tussock still remains on canterbury farms. an adjacent block of land. “Efforts to eradicate nassella have prov- great way for land occupiers to model differen unsuccessful, so now it is a case of liv- ent control scenarios on their properties. ing with it and managing it. This is where the “It clearly demonstrates that annuapp can give the best information to people al control is the best method to decrease on how to manage the weed using grubbing or maintain plant numbers. Applying differto avoid uncontrolled population growth that ent scenarios may also help convince some can lead to increased future grubbing costs, properties to move towards different control losses in farm productivity, and unacceptable regimes. impacts on a neighbour.” “For instance, the modelling shows that for Environment Canterbury Biosecu- some properties controlling nassella tussock rity Officer Matt Smith said nassel- twice a year may lead to a drastic decrease la tussock was such an issue in the in plant numbers. At Environment Cantermid-20th Century that some North Can- bury, we have used the app to measure how terbury farmers abandoned their proper- long it might take an unknown infestation to ties because they were no longer profitable. turn from a few plants into a major issue.” “Many decades of hard work since then have returned plant numbers to a manageable lev- The app can be found at nassella-tussock-populationel.” Smith said. model-nz.agresearch.co.nz or via the nassella tussock “The app developed by AgResearch is a page on the AgPest website: agpest.co.nz

“With fertiliser prices constantly creeping up, things are looking tougher out there. So how do we maintain production and keep afloat financially?”

Fertiliser prices are continuing to rise meaning more financial strain on your operation. As an island nation New Zealand has few natural resources that are utilised in the agricultural sector. We are forced to import most of the commonly used minerals to maintain soil health and offset what we take off property as meat, milk or produce.

While global import/export issues continue we need to look hard at what resources we have close to home and determine what is cost effective and what isn’t.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2021

How can so little achieve so much, yet for so little? Well, the answer to this dear Watson, is simple – you make it more available and able to do its job in a shorter time frame.

❚ Advertorial by CP Lime Solutions

With the cost of freight, fertiliser and application only on an upward trajectory, now is the time to think smarter about building efficiency into your farming system. This needn’t be a complicated endeavour and the evidence is in plain sight ready for you to make an easy transition. There is no trickery to Optimise ultra-fine lime based pellets. We make aglime more available and we make it easier to apply. By making it more available we don’t mean more soluble. Ultra-fine lime does not make soil pH go up one week then down the next. If ground down fine enough, lime, or rather the calcium it contains actually adheres to the soil particles, lying in wait for the plants to take up. It doesn’t stay in soil solution, to be washed away by the next great rain event like urea or super. The more you can cover the soil particle with calcium, up around 70%, the more

efficient your other fertiliser inputs will become. Calcium is the backbone of all soil fertiliser and health programmes, that it gets considered an occasional soil ‘sweetener’ is limiting its powerful influence on your soil’s health. Secondly, by making it easier to apply we mean, it’s practically and economically more efficient. Take the classic example that 1 unit load per 100ha of Optimise ultra-fine lime is sufficient to provide workable and available calcium to not only affect soil pH, but also supports soil and plant health. Compare this and the cost of 10 unit loads or ordinary aglime. Both are good, but the total efficiency equation makes Optimise the stand out winner. Fertilisers in use today are generally aggregated together to make them easier to transport and apply - why not lime? When a large piece of aglime sits on the soil sur-

The more you can cover the soil particle with calcium, up around 70%, the more efﬁcient your other fertiliser inputs will become. face, it is of little, if no agronomic use until it can be broken down by further weathering and taken into the soil. With calcium being a crucial vehicle to nutrient uptake for the benefit of plant and animal health, isn’t

it time we make the application of calcium part of our annual fertiliser programme - at the very least, included in a nitrogen fertiliser programme the efficiency will improve enormously.

What’s the point of pelletised lime? Well, Optimise® transports easily, spreads evenly, stays where you put it, you need 10x less and it breaks down readily. Oh, and doesn’t cost the earth (financially or environmentally). To start seeing the benefits, order your soil test today at cplimesolutions.net.nz or by calling 0508 678 464

by CP Lime

December 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

JUST WHERE TO FOR THIS Super-hotCANTERBURY RURAL LIFESTYLE PROPERTY MARKET THIS SUMMER… Summer 2021

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Four Seasons Realty The early part of summer should provide above normal temps and near normal or below rain fall, with soil moisture levels currently better than last year.

sell a property is significantly shorter too and as a result there are less lifestyle properties available on the market in Canterbury. We’re yet to see if the recent rise in interest rates will have an effect on slowing things down a little, however it seems most economists are picking this factor along with various other influences will slow the market, so it may be that our price gains in rural lifestyle may not be as vigorous in the coming year. But if demand is greater than supply then we know this reflects in price increases.

So, whilst the outlook maybe promising, prudent planning and feed management is still required as we know the impact the climate can have on our rural communities, particularly our farming families. The hot conditions of our Canterbury property market have remained steady throughout the last year, no matter what the season we seem to be in… and our local rural lifestyle market is no exception. People are holding onto their treasured lifestyle properties longer and enjoying the values of living rurally, demand is strong and the median prices continue to rise. The days taken to

If you are considering selling, it’s a great time with the vigorous growth highlighting some breath-taking rural lifestyle properties. Our agents get you more, with the largest real estate network in Canterbury our Harcourts team provides greater exposure for your rural lifestyle property, talk to one of team

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Buyer demand is strong! We have serious buyers currently looking for rural and lifestyle properties. If you are considering selling, we can offer you sound advice, great promotions and help you achieve a premium price. Harcourts Four Seasons has a formidable presence in Selwyn and North Canterbury with over 100 + sales consultants working for you. Contact your local and most trusted real estate experts to help you with your next move. We’ve got you covered!

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This November we were the proud major sponsor of the inaugural North Canterbury Wine Region Charity Golf Day at Pegasus Golf & Sports Cub, helping the North Canterbury Rural Support Trust, locals helping locals… The Trust is set up to assist rural individuals and their families to get back on their feet and is linked into local rural networks and can help people facing challenging circumstances, such as financial, personal, or climatic adverse events like drought, flood, or heavy snow. Greg Roberts Licensed Business Owner

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CANTERBURY FARMING December 2021

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December 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

HortNZ scholarships for nextgen growers closing soon Students considering a career in New Zealand’s growing horticulture industry are encouraged to apply for Horticulture New Zealand’s scholarships.

❚ by Kent caddick

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Applications for HortNZ’s annual undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships are open until December 10, 2021 for the 2022 study period. HortNZ chief executive Nadine Tunley said the scholarship programme supports students who have a special interest in the fruit or vegetable industry to pursue their careers. “Young people are the future of the horticulture industry. That is why HortNZ offers these scholarships, worth up to $10,000, to support the next generation of innovators and leaders,” Tunley said. “The industry needs an increasingly diverse range of people and skills because growing is becoming more technical and high-tech. “For example, covered crops like herbs need engineers to optimise and automate growing systems, and fruit crops need the best international marketers to compete overseas. “There’s a huge range of career opportunities in horticulture as the industry continues to diversify and grow. The horticulture industry has grown more than 70% over the past decade, with growth like that projected to continue.” Jack Hosking, a Massey University postgraduate student and recipient of a HortNZ postgraduate scholarship, said

Next Gen: HortNZ ceO Nadine Tunley says HortNZ’s annual undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships, worth up to $10,000, will support the next generation of innovators and leaders in the horticulture ﬁeld. doors have opened for him since receiving the scholarship. “It was such a great thing to happen. It has taken the pressure off finding funding for my research and has allowed me to focus on my studies,” Hosking said. “Looking longer term after I finish my thesis, there’s so many career pathways to choose from. The world’s my oyster pretty much “The scholarship has connected me to the industry and been like a bridge between my study and a career. It confirms that the skills and knowledge I’ve acquired are in demand by the sector.

“A big bonus was attending the 2021 Horticulture Conference. It was inspiring to meet a huge mix of people from the industry, particularly young people, that all had a passion and drive for what they do.” There are HortNZ undergraduate scholarships worth $1500 available for each region, with the top three candidates receiving an additional $3,000 to support their studies. There are two postgraduate scholarships available, each worth $10,000. Visit www.hortnz.co.nz/scholarships for full information.

Call Matthew Reed today 021 526 576

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CANTERBURY FARMING

December 2021

Three steps for a successful harvest season With harvest just around the corner, it’s important to have one eye on the future planning your success.

❚ Advertorial supplied by Vantage NZ

In an arable farming system, this is a key time of year to maximise capturing every last grain that contributes to yield and annual performance. It’s what you strive all year for, one decision after another – to grow the best crops and maximise your performance and profitability. A crucial component of good planning is capturing your yield data so that you can track and optimise your farm’s performance. As always, there’s plenty going on in farming and with Christmas and New Year tied up with the time most arable farmers start, it’s easy to feel rushed and drop some of the important aspects of harvest setup and success. Here are three key steps to ensure harvest success and maximise your yield data.

A crucial component of good planning for your harvest is capturing your yield data so that you can track and optimise your farm’s performance.

After harvest

Before harvest Make sure your combine is serviced, your displays/screens are working (and tested), your wiring looms are installed in your combine (if you’re planning on swapping GPS from one machine to another) and that last season’s yield data on your data card, memory stick or display is downloaded and saved (preferably with a backup) safely for future use. This is also an important time to set up your display with the correct paddock and

crop names so that when it comes time to pull that header into the paddock, it’s good to go.

During harvest When you pull into the first paddock on day one, try to take your time. Make sure everything is set up and working correctly (GPS, moisture meters, flow meters) and that you perform some yield calibrations to get the

data recorded as accurately as possible. There’s no need to get too hung up on this if final paddock weights will be available for post-processing yield data, but it’s important to make sure you will end up with accurate data to give you good insights on your yield performance. After the first paddock, we also suggest downloading and checking that the data is recording and mapping correctly.

Engage with your precision ag consultants to get the data processed as fast as possible. This ensures you maximise your decision-making time and can use your data to guide decisions for the upcoming season – eg variable rate nutrient replacement and/ or variable rate seeding. This data is gold and the more years of yield data put together, the more you identify opportunities to tweak your management practices to optimise profitability across all areas of your paddock or farm. Vantage New Zealand are your local precision ag experts, with reps located throughout New Zealand. To ﬁnd out more about how we can help you maximise your yield data, call 0800 482 682 or visit www. vantage-nz.com/yielddata. Season and multiseason discounts available when you book before Christmas 2021.

Maximise your yield data Unlock your harvest potential with our yield management experts. Our team will collect and interpret your current and historical data, giving you better insight into your farm’s performance and potential. We’ll work with you to better utilise your yield data, turning insights into smarter, data-driven decisions for your farm’s future. Why Vantage? • Improve on-farm efficiency • Increase profitability • Get good quality, reliable yield data

MULTI-SEASON DISCOUNTS: We’re all about providing long-term value and results for our clients. Book before Christmas 2021 to get: 10% off 1 season | 20% off 2 seasons

Book a chat with one of our experts near you. www.vantage-nz.com | 0800 482 682

December 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

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CANTERBURY FARMING December 2021

December 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

This year, next year

bessie Paterson LLb ❚ with ❚ Ronald W Angland & Son

We are almost at the end of 2021 and should be looking forward to welcoming 2022 after the Christmas festivities.

This year has been dominated by the resident virus, Covid-19, and many lives have been turned upside down both financially and health wise as a result of the virus. The Government has had to deal with its usual business along with the essential legal issues relating to the virus and has not always pleased all New Zealanders. The three strikes law which had been set up some years ago is to be repealed. That legislation required Judges to impose a sentence on an offender, in some cases, without taking into account the defendant’s circumstances and in some of those cases it was totally unfair. Tenancy legislation has also been changed to impose obligations on landlords to provide better accommodation for tenants. On 7 November 2020 voters were asked to vote on a referendum to permit a person to ask for approval to end their life. The law is laid out very clearly in the End of Life Choice Act and someone seeking an order for assisted dying will have to submit convincing evidence to support their application. From 7 November 2021 the Act came into force. Everyone will be hoping that 2022 will see the impact of the virus lessen and the coun-

‘

The Government intends to change water supply arrangements that would see the end of the council’s ownership and control of the water supply for its region. This will be a major issue at the local body elections.

try’s borders re-open and we can get back to living our usual lives. It has been difficult to plan ahead as lockdown usually commenced shortly after the announcement. In October 2022 the Local Body elections will take place. These elections are for the

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local body councillors. Everybody should be thinking about whether they could make a difference if they were to stand for and get a seat around the council table. The candidates should also be considered by the voters and voters should vote for the

best available candidates. The Government has announced its intention to change the current arrangements regarding water supply. It has been labelled “Three waters and would see the end of the Council’s ownership and control of the water supply for its region. This will be a major issue at the local body elections. John, Bessie, Katrina and Ella wish all readers a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year. This article has been prepared by bessie Paterson, a Partner at ronald W Angland & Son, Lawyers, 2 chapman Street, Leeston.

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TOOLS OF THE TRADE

CANTERBURY FARMING December 2021

Breakthrough in reducing emissions A New Zealand farmer-owned co-operative has showcased a new methane mitigating technology EcoPond which the dairy sector can use to reduce emissions.

❚ by Kent Caddick Developed with Lincoln University, Ravensdown’s EcoPond system virtually eliminates the methane emitted from effluent ponds. The breakthrough discovery was to target methane with an additive normally used in the treatment of drinking water. Ravensdown and Lincoln University collaborated in the science which underpins the new technology and Ravensdown will provide the system to dairy farmers wanting to reduce their methane emissions. Ravensdown’s general manager for Innovation and Strategy Mike Manning said the New Zealand dairy sector is already a world leader in its carbon emissions efficiency, but the country has set a 10% target of biogenic methane reduction by 2030. “This new tool in the farmer’s toolbox has the benefit of robust science behind it and will assist farmers who want to start tracking towards that target now.” Nearly all dairy farms use effluent ponds and they are the second largest source of

on-farm methane emissions. An average NZ dairy farm of around 400 cows that installed EcoPond could cut total farm methane emissions by about 4% to 5%, depending on the individual farm. A computer-controlled pump and mixing system precisely administer the exact amount of iron sulphate – a safe additive used in the treatment of drinking water. The automated “plug and play” in-line system, which can be retrofitted to existing effluent systems, also reduces odour and risk of phosphate loss from pond effluent when spread on farm. Lincoln University Emeritus Professor Keith Cameron said effluent ponds are an important part of a dairy farm system in order to recycle nutrients and help meet environmental rules as set by regional councils. “The larger the pond, the more micro-organisms in the pond to generate methane,” Cameron said. “This new system has been tested in the lab and at farm scale, where it proves enormously effective at essentially nullifying the

Breakthrough: Lincoln University Professor Hong Di, Emeritus Professor Keith Cameron and Ravensdown product manager Carl Ahlfeld showcase the new methanebusting technology

methane-creating process.” Professor Hong Di said they also found that EcoPond reduced the risk of Dissolved Reactive Phosphate loss to water by up to 99%. “This means that this essential nutrient can be recycled with reduced risk of water contamination. “The EcoPond system also strips out E.coli so that the dairy effluent is much safer to irrigate to pasture.” Manning said next year, farmers will be responding to the government’s reaction to the Climate Change

Commission as well as the new way to account for their own emissions. “In this GHG space, our owners need tested solutions at pace and this is what this collaborative venture represents. “As a co-operative, we take the initiative on their behalf so they can continue to choose to produce within their environmental commitments,” Manning said.

December 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

The Bucket Test now an irrigation efﬁciency app Global farm-management company CropX has a bold vision to ensure New Zealand farmers have access to better farming data that can help them improve their efﬁciency.

❚ by Kent caddick CropX was founded in New Zealand six years ago after angel investors provided capital for initial work carried out by Landcare Research. The company then moved to Israel. Its vision is to revolutionize and automate farm management using advanced Ag Analytics, similarly to the way satellite imagery revolutionized pest-control management. CropX has now opened an office in New Zealand. It has also successfully acquired local company Regen, which provides cloudbased, precision effluent and irrigation decision support tools, including developing the irrigation efficiency app ‘The Bucket Test’ for IrrigationNZ. IrrigationNZ and CropX have entered a joint venture agreement for the Bucket Test app. The Bucket Test is an irrigation efficiency tool which determines application depth, rate and how uniformly water is being applied during an irrigation event. The simple method is based on collecting irrigation water in strategically placed buckets and measuring water collected over a certain period of time. The app is used to collate this data and walks you through the steps to collect all relevant inputs, provides the results instantly to your

phone, and e-mails a summary report to you. CropX New Zealand. managing director Eitan Dan, who has moved from CropX HQ in Israel, said they provide farm-management tools which are affordable, accurate and practical. “The Bucket Test is another addition to the CropX toolkit,” Dan said. “We’ve seen farmers in many countries crying out for an accurate way to measure irrigation efficiency, The Bucket Test offers a ready-made solution that we can now bring to them. “We look forward to continuing to develop this technology with our New Zealand partners and providing it to farmers across the world.” Having developed the app with Regen several years ago, IrrigationNZ is excited to work with CropX to further develop the tool. “We’re very proud of the work we’ve done with Regen to develop a tool that takes the guesswork out of assessing irrigation infrastructure performance,” IrrigationNZ chief executive Vanessa Winning said. “It’s been used thousands of times since development with great outcomes, CropX’s expertise means we will be able to improve the app even further and deliver greater value to our members by ensuring it is brought

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New app: cropX New Zealand managing director eitan Dan with a soil sensor which will work alongside their bucket Test app. into alignment with the IrrigationNZ Code of Practice for Irrigation Performance Assessment.” The Bucket Test works well alongside CropX’s patented Soil Sensor which is embedded with their digital platform, and has already helped thousands of farmers across the world. It was launched in New Zealand at this year’s Mystery Creek Fieldays, where it was a finalist in the innovation awards. “We want to simplify the on-farm experience by giving farmers access to the full package of farm management software,” Dan said. “The CropX solution and Bucket Test are the start of this, and over time we want to increase our offerings so we can provide New Zealand farmers with the full package of af-

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We want to simplify the on-farm experience. Eitan Dan Managing Director, CropX New Zealand

fordable and accurate farm-management tools that will allow them to farm sustainably and efficiently, without needing swarms of advisors on their farm telling them how to do it.”

CANTERBURY FARMING

FORESTRY & LOGGING

December 2021

Forestry Awards postponed again CWC Wood Council Forestry Awards has again been postponed due to Covid restrictions.

Kinder ❚ bCEOy erica West Coast ❚ WoodCanterbury ❚ Council

This highly anticipated event was to be the first of its kind for both regions, bringing together people from all parts of our sector with over 400 tickets sold. Students, Mayors, Ministers, and MP’s along with our members and wider forestry friends were hugely disappointed when our Christchurch Forestry Awards evening was caught up in our Covid woes only four days out in August. And now with continuing restrictions, we are unable to hold our event on 19 November as planned. So here we go again, postponement. Our new date is now August 19, 2022, which seems a long way off, but will give us time to celebrate our nominees for the next nine months and profile all their hard work, and individual achievements in our sector. We will be back, and better than ever. So hold onto your tickets, and a kind thanks to all our wonderful sponsors for sticking with us. If you would like your ticket money refunded please get in touch. We will continue to promote this event and look forward to planning a bigger and better night than ever, with over 400 tickets sold we still plan on having a great showing. Not to forget the University of Canterbury School of Forestry students. Thanks To SRS and Stoneyhurst Sawmill, they were sponsored for 20 guests to attend our event. We are sad they have missed out, but will extend this invitation next year and look forward to seeing our future graduates in the mix. Over the next few months, we’ll be celebrating our nominees and sponsors for these awards through newsletters and Facebook so we don’t forget it’s our people out there

Next year: cWc Wood council board members (from left): erica Kinder ceO, Glenn moir Forest management Group, bryan mccorkindale SrS, John Gardner mcAlpines Ltd, Sam Hawkins Stoneyhurst Sawmilling co, Paul robertshaw Daiken NZ, chris murphy SmL, Tony brand brand Logging. (Absent Hamish mcconnon rayonier matariki Forests. we are applauding. We will also be getting in touch in the New Year to profile attendees and their workplaces in local newspapers. We are also opening up for more nominations next year in the 12 categories, so get your thinking cap on and check the website to nominate in the New Year. We will be sending out certificates of achievement for all those nominees so far to celebrate their

‘

We will be back, and

contribution to the success of our sector. Well done team. These awards have always been about our people in forestry and we don’t want to forget that in our search for beer and a night out. If you have any concerns with tickets or new dates for these awards please get in touch.

better than ever, so hold onto your tickets. With over 400 tickets sold we still plan on having a great showing.

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December 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

Allan Laurie mNZIF ❚ with Laurie Forestry Ltd ❚

FORESTRY & LOGGING

Challenging and extraordinary times ‘

The wheels fell off the log export trade in November with wharf gate prices plummeting to a six-year low.

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These are certainly challenging and extraordinary times, with Covid impacting the supply chain and ship owners absolutely gouging New Zealand exporters across all commodities. The combination of very high shipping costs and falling prices in China has seen the log market indicator A grade fall to mid to late NZ$70’s per cubic metre landed at Canterbury Ports. For many projects with a high percentage export grade, net returns to forest owners have fallen through the floor and operations have quickly ground to a halt. As a consequence, and in the space of three weeks, log deliveries to NZ ports have halved with logging crews and trucking companies forced to take early holidays. Not a good outcome, as we head toward the ‘festive’ season. The dramatic fall in volumes has had an immediate impact on shipping costs. The dramatic slow-down now sees shipping companies prepared to negotiate. We are seeing daily hire rates falling with some commentators suggesting over US$30 per cubic metre has come off rates in two weeks, absolutely unprecedented. Unfortunately, this is all too little too

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late, with few in the forest industry in NZ having any sympathy for ship owners and price falls in China continuing. Whilst the combination should see a significant lift in December net at wharf gate prices, they are unlikely to be at levels that would get the chainsaws going again. Our local sawmills are also suffering the greed of ship owners. One sawmill owner advised me last week, the hike in container rates has meant with recent consignments, the value of the lumber in the containers was worth just US$50 per cubic metre more than the freight cost. Not surprisingly, that market outlet just went away. On a positive note, daily consumption on China has been running at an average 70,000 cubic metres per day, much lower than last year, but higher than most were expecting. Eastern seaboard inventory has started to fall off a 6 million cubic metre high, currently sitting at around 5.2 million. This is expected to plummet once the current cargos are unloaded. If NZ owners keep the chainsaws in the shed until after summer holidays, most commentators are suggesting inventory will fall below 3 million cubic metres. That is exactly what we need to see happen for confidence to return. Of some concern right now is neither sellers nor buyers can reach agreement on price. As a consequence, the few shipments there are, are heading to China without Letters of Credit or contracts. When the market turns like this, no one wants to settle first and until they can see where the bottom is. You would certainly need a very bright torch to look for the bottom in the murky abyss of the market right now. Last week the China Government made some encouraging changes to the Real Estate sector. I thought the following made for interesting reading. “Mortgages up, rates down. China banks extended 348.1 billion yuan

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Our local sawmills are suffering the greed of ship owners.

(US$54.5 billion) of mortgages, an increase of 101.3 billion yuan or 41% from September, the central bank said. Analysts attributed the jump to a correction from over-implementation of real estate lending policy since late September. “Banks started accepting new mortgage applications in October after a suspension of a few months in compliance with a mechanism introduced in December by the central bank and the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) to cap banks’ outstanding property loans as a proportion of total loans and their ratio of outstanding mortgages to total loans. “Meanwhile, mortgage rates also declined. The average mortgage rate in 90 major cities for first-home purchases was 5.73% in October, and the rate for second-home purchases was 5.99%, both down 1 basis point from last month. A basis point is a hundredth of a percentage point. It was the first monthly drop this year, according to Beike Research Institute.”. This is very much what the NZ forest industry wants to hear. But is does highlight our reliance on a single sector market, namely, apartment construction on China. It is certainly time for NZ Forest Inc to start spreading its market wings if we want continuing vibrancy in all sector sales. As always people, please remember the thoroughly important message, “It remains, as always, fundamentally important, no matter the challenges, the only way forward for climate, country and the planet, is to get out there and plant more trees.”.

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December 2021

Review ﬁnds bovis eradication programme on track An independent review into the Government’s Mycoplasma bovis eradication programme has found the programme is on track to achieve eradication.

❚ by Kent caddick The independent review panel of industry experts included Professor Nicola Shadbolt (Chair), Professor Caroline Saunders, Doctor Roger Paskin and Tony Cleland. Minister of Agriculture said the decision to attempt eradication was a big one for the Government and its sector partners, DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand. “It was driven by a motivation to prevent endemic M.bovis in our national herd and the associated animal welfare, economic and social costs for all farmers that it would bring,’’ O’Connor said. “The economic cost of endemic M.bovis would top $1 billion in the first 10 years alone and continue to burden the sector into the future. “The review finds that the programme is running well and is on track to achieve the world first of eradicating M.bovis. It also notes the impact on farmers involved and the work the programme has done over the past two years to make necessary improvements, following a difficult start. “We are now in a situation where we are down to four infected farms, all of which are situated in Canterbury.” O’Connor said he wanted to acknowledge the sacrifices made by farmers and the hard work of sector groups and the people on the

On track: The Government’s mycoplasma bovis eradication programme is on track to achieve eradication according to an independent review. M.bovis programme. “The reviewers found that it has taken a lot of commitment to get to this point and that the programme has developed unique biosecurity tools and capabilities. “The review panel has made some sensible recommendations for us and the primary sector to boost biosecurity and future animal disease responses. “By working together, and taking the lessons and improvements from the M.bovis programme with us, we are better placed to meet future biosecurity challenges,’’ O’Connor said. The 10-year, $880 million cost of the M.bovis programme is split between industry and the Government. The Government is paying two thirds and industry partners the other third through an M.bovis levy. To date nearly 270 properties have been cleared and nearly 173,000 cattle culled. Farmers have received more than $212 million compensation from 2676 claims, with just over 50 claims still being processed.

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December 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

DAIRY

N cap clearer but across farm average still wanted New Ministry for the Environment guidance gives dairy farmers much-needed clarity on how to meet the Government’s synthetic nitrogen fertiliser cap regulations.

❚ Article supplied by DairyNZ

DairyNZ said it was pleased to see new ways for farmers to measure their nitrogen use but would continue to seek more changes to help farmers, including highlighting more practical solutions for managing and reporting nitrogen fertiliser use on-farm. “We want to get this right once and for all for farmers as it has been causing considerable stress. Dairy farmers are working to reduce nitrogen use, but there was no pragmatic way for them to meet the measuring and reporting requirements,” DairyNZ strategy and investment leader Dr David Burger said. The nitrogen cap applies only to the pastoral sector, not horticulture and market gardening which also use nitrogen fertiliser. Under the rules, both beef and dairy farmers are required to record nitrogen use, but only dairy farmers have to report on their nitrogen use to councils. “There’s inequity there, so DairyNZ will keep working with the Government to get greater fairness for dairy farmers across the board, while our sector continues our environmental work throughout the country,” Burger said. The regulations requiring pastoral farmers to meet the new 190kg N/ha/year cap on synthetic nitrogen fertiliser came into effect in July. DairyNZ challenged the strict per hectare limit in the regulations for nitrogen ap-

plications as impractical and not delivering increased environmental benefits. The new guidance partly addresses the measurement issue, as farmers can now record fertiliser use using a GPS system. Alternatively, farmers can record their average per hectare nitrogen fertiliser use by paddock, groups of paddocks or part of a paddock, if the fertiliser is evenly applied. “DairyNZ worked hard with the ministry, the primary sector and regional councils to get this solution,” Burger said. “We’ll keep calling on the Government for farmers to be able to measure and report their nitrogen use using an across farm average. This is a more practical solution advocated for by both DairyNZ and various regional councils.” Burger said DairyNZ continues to invest heavily in farm systems research to further reduce nitrogen loss from dairy farms. This includes research on alternative feeds such as plantain, alternative timing of feeding regimes that can reduce nitrogen concentration in cow urine, and comparison of known technologies in different farm systems. “For now, it’s important farmers record all nitrogen fertiliser applications and look at options to reduce nitrogen input, if above the 190kg/ha limit. They need to record their applications during the year so they can report the required information to their regional council, in July 2022.

Not equal: DairyNZ strategy and investment leader Dr David Burger says there is inequity in the Government’s synthetic nitrogen fertiliser cap regulations.

In some circumstances, farmers must apply for a regional council consent by the end of 2021, if they can’t meet the nitrogen cap. Farmers with a consent will still have to reduce fertiliser use. “We’re concerned these consent applications will mean significant cost to farmers and councils. It’s unclear how this is going to work after the review of Overseer and we

urge local government to prioritise information and education to farmers,” Burger said. “There must be a flexible approach in how farmers can report to regional councils on their nitrogen fertiliser use next year. They should be able to use an existing programme, such as a fertiliser company programme, or a template from their regional council.”

CANTERBURY FARMING

DAIRY

December 2021

Why the cart is before the horse

Parallels between the farming situation now and late 1970s is eerily similar and comes with a cautionary message.

❚ with Peter burton Meat, milk, and wool prices are steadily climbing, however if the pattern follows farmers may still struggle to generate a worthwhile surplus at the end of the season. One of the reasons is that farm costs are also increasing due to more expensive energy in the form of fuel and electricity costs, and they must be paid before the return from the sale of produce is received. The other is the cost of money. Interest rates are steadily lifting, and an example recently was a shift in interest from 3.5% to 4.1% for a farm related business. That’s a 30% increase in the cost of debt servicing. The owner wasn’t concerned because he saw it as a 0.6% lift that could be easily covered by a small increase in the price of his services. That would be fine if farmers were in the position of being able to recover the extra cost in the price received for the meat, milk, grain, or whatever else is being produced. Farmers aren’t in that position. Everyone providing essential goods and services also recover their costs in advance of farm income being received. Imported fertiliser costs are soaring, the cost of DAP moving from $750 to $1,200 is just one example, with suppliers handing on most if not all of the increase. There’s another perhaps more serious issue involved that should be examined, and that is the productive capacity of the land. There is often the ability to lift production by more efficient management of pasture, crops, and animals, with minimal extra costs, however fundamental changes must be made. Reorganisation of resources when

Essential: clover in a well-managed sward can provide all the nitrogen necessary for optimum annual production.

margins are tight is scary. Any innovation is seen as risky and farmers being commendably conservative are reluctant to go there. Meat and milk processing businesses have fixed costs and a lift in animal numbers or litres of milk processed means increased costs can be spread. However, the only sustainable way more meat or milk can be produced is by increasing pasture production, and in recent times that is not happening, the reality is pasture production is declining. When animal numbers are prioritised without more feed being available, underfeeding occurs with an inevitable reduction in farm income as more goes into maintenance with less available for production. It was tried in the 1970s with farmers being financially incentivised to carry more sheep. It became known as the skinny sheep scheme and soon axed. Over the last 30 years ever increasing amounts of synthetic nitrogen have been applied, only to find that although there is a short-term lift in pasture production, the following slump largely offsets the initial gain. Recently it has become increasingly apparent that long-term use of synthetic nitrogen results in a decline in soil carbon, and soil carbon is the

foundation of all growth. Louis Schipper of Waikato University in 2007 wrote, “Modern farming practises of high nitrogen use have and continue to erode soil carbon and nitrogen levels in spite of purported conservation measures and contrary to what agricultural ‘experts’ have espoused and continue to claim.”. That nitrogen is essential for high levels of pasture production is not in question, however clover in a well-managed sward can provide all the nitrogen necessary for optimum annual production. Over the last twenty-five years Functional Fertiliser products and programmes have been shown to outperform all synthetic N dependent schemes with a measured 70% reduction in nitrogen lost to groundwater. Programmes tailored to individual farms ensure that the transition phase does not result in the often-discussed drop in production. For more information call Peter on 0800 843 809.

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December 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

WATER & IRRIGATION

The world of water and policy

In the past few months, IrrigationNZ has been busy addressing a schedule of submissions on relevant public or ministerial consultations.

Stephen mcNally ❚ by IrrigationNZ ❚ Principal Technical Advisor ❚ Our submissions reflect our specific expert knowledge built on wide industry and policy experience. We are deeply involved with a program of wide collaboration with government agencies, regional councils, and freshwater end users.

Some of the key consultation and advocacy work performed by IrrigationNZ recently has included a submission to MfE on the Draft Freshwater Farm Plan Regulations Discussion Document. In this major legislation submission, IrrigationNZ provided a comprehensive document setting out our industry views and recommendations. IrrigationNZ supported the intention of the proposed Freshwater Farm Plan (FW-FP) regulations but presented some compelling statements of principle and detailed responses to specific questions. There was an emphasis in our submission on making any regulations workable in terms of getting buy-in, that is people accepting and using FW-FPs as a tool, rather than seeing the regulations as another compliance tickbox exercise. Concern was expressed that highly prescriptive regulation may restrict agricultural land and water use management changes that will need to happen in the future arising

from innovation and externalities. IrrigationNZ’s five key points were highlighted as follows: Certainty for the farming community will come from nationally consistent regulations but with flexibility in some regions to adopt and adapt well-established locally focused farm planning processes. Timing must reflect, different regions and farming communities are at different stages of dealing with farm environmental plans. IrrigationNZ agrees that transition to a fully implemented FW-FP system needs to acknowledge existing processes and knowledge relating to those plans. IrrigationNZ accepts the fundamental concept behind the FW-FPs as being the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management – Te Mana o te Wai (TMoTW) principles. These principles establish joint obligations of communities, tangata whenua, and regional councils of New Zealand to work together in a partnership. The TMoTW principles of environmental, social, and cultural concepts are stated in the encompassing languages of the Treaty Partners, yet they are not the sole preserve of any one party. While the NPS-FM is quite directive towards the relationship between regional councils and tangata whenua as needing renewed effort, the NPS-FW does not require the only decision-making process to be between these two parties.

The role of the community is highlighted throughout as being critical in establishing freshwater values and actions to address risks. The reference is clear in the NPS-FW Governance and Stewardship obligations – the onus is placed on ‘all New Zealanders to manage freshwater’. The language and intent of the proposed FW-FP regulations need to be drafted to reflect the active role of the food and fibre sectors accordingly. There needs to be a nationally integrated approach to capacity building, through training and accreditation of FW-FP certifiers and auditors to support the development of functional FW-FP regulations. Finally, IrrigationNZ advocated that any regional plan drafting, and implementation timeframe should be in alignment with the nationally determined general regulations and guidelines to enable and ensure relative consistency of processes across the country. IrrigationNZ’s knowledge and relationships enable us to present soundly based commentary and recommendations on how national and regional regulations can be refined to allow practical implementation. We are focused on how our members can meet requirements for water resource efficiency and environmental management matters within their food and fibre production operations.

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December 2021

The importance of data Ian mcIndoe ❚ with Aqualinc ❚

Aqualinc thanks Canterbury Farming for the opportunity to provide a regular article on water matters. As we are taking over the slot that Tony Davoren has held for many years, we wish to acknowledge the huge contribution that Tony has made to irrigation and water management in Canterbury and in fact throughout New Zealand. His knowledge of water and soils and irrigation management is second to none.

In our articles, we will be taking a broad view of water and its impact on our rural and urban communities. We all need water to thrive and prosper, and our aim is to address a range of topics to help people achieve that. A lot has happened in the water space over the last year or two. The Essential Freshwater Rules and Regulations place some challenging demands on water users, particularly around lowering nitrate levels in groundwater. We have the concept of Te Mana o te Wai and how it prioritises the health and well-being of water first, then the health needs of people and the ability of people and communities to provide for their social, economic and cultural well-being. The new drinking water standards could potentially impact on any farms and small subdivisions that have a water supply serving more than one dwelling. The increasing emphasis on groundwater protection zones is an issue that could limit land use near water supply bores. We also have Environment Canterbury’s plan changes to consider, with more to come in the next few years. We note that the decision on Plan Change 7 has just been released. In addition, Overseer is not recommend-

ed to be used as a regulatory tool, which has created a high degree of uncertainty and delay around the processing of water and land use consents. On top of this, our communities have had to deal with the vagaries of climate variation – floods, droughts, strong wind as examples. Climate change is receiving increasing attention. While it is easy to take a negative view of these issues, our challenge is to find solutions, which is something that Aqualinc is committed to being involved with. Technology improvements will help, but there is increasing research to suggest that technology on its own will not be the solution. Activities like managed aquifer recharge will help, but more will be needed. We have a reasonable understanding of water quantity matters, but there are still gaps in our knowledge around water quality, particularly the relationship between changes in land use and the impact those will have on water quality in groundwater and our rivers and streams. We know that reducing nitrate leaching will tend to lower nitrate levels in water, but where, when and by how much is uncertain. One thing we do know is the importance

Challenge accepted: The essential Freshwater rules and regulations place some challenging demands on water users, particularly around lowering nitrate levels in groundwater.

of data. With electronic sensors becoming more affordable, it is now much easier to measure water flows, groundwater levels and water quality than it has been. While ECan has been monitoring water for many years and has provided a good base dataset, we are pleased to see that others, such as some of the irrigation scheme water managers, are implementing additional monitoring. It all helps.

On a positive note, the heavy rainfall events at the end of May increased our groundwater levels in Canterbury to above average and well above the near record low levels seen earlier in the year. We wish everyone a happy Christmas and New Year and look forward to making a regular contribution on specific topics next year. If anyone has burning issues that they would like us to look at, please get in touch with us.

December 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

WATER & IRRIGATION

Irrigating under a La Niña weather pattern The NIWA climate outlook (through to January 2022) is now clearly showing a second consecutive irrigation season under a La Niña weather pattern.

Expectations: A La Niña weather pattern means we can expect above average temperatures during summer and the rainfall and river ﬂows are predicted to be normal to below average.

Andrew curtis ❚ by Water ❚ Strategies This means we can expect above average temperatures during summer and the rainfall and river flows are now predicted to be normal to below average. The Lincoln weather station data shows that for spring 2021 we have had a dry and warm September with only 28 mm of rain (the average is 36 mm) and Potential Evapotranspiration (PET) of 72 mm or 2.4mm per day (the average is 2.1 mm). October was colder than usual with PET averaging 2.9 mm (average 3.2 mm) hence some crops are behind this season, but with near normal rainfall. November is shaping up to be much warmer and drier than normal; by mid-November

PET was already averaging 4.3 mm (monthly average 4.2 mm) with only 10 mm of rainfall. Very similar trends can also be observed for Winchmore and Timaru airport weather stations, noting it’s been wetter in South Canterbury. The data above, alongside observations of client soil moisture data, show for most soil’s irrigation season 2021-22 should have kicked into gear around the 20 October. However, there was justification for irrigation on soils with low plant available water to have started in late September; up until the rain event in early October. I’ve recently run a couple of irrigation workshops where I’ve spent time looking at participants soil moisture traces, helping them to better understand and interpret their data. Of note was many full and stress points

were set incorrectly, which makes staying between the tram lines an impossible task. The other point of note was many soil moisture probe user-interface set-ups need improvement. The ideal primary display for a soil moisture probe is a single trace that combines the data from the top 400 mm with correctly set full and stress points. This makes irrigation decision-making simple (stay within the tramlines); and when used in combination with a single deeper trace (600 mm is ideal for this) it will allow efficient irrigation practice to be easily demonstrated. If you would like a hand with scheduling your irrigation this season, correctly setting up your soil moisture sensor trace so the fullpoint and stress point make sense, replacing

‘

November is shaping up to be much warmer and drier than normal.

or calibrating your weather station sensors, or resolving telemetry problems give me a call. Alternatively, if you are experiencing performance issues with your irrigation system and you would like to know how to resolve them l can also help.

CANTERBURY FARMING

LIVESTOCK

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

December 2021

Slight renewal of interest The end of another challenging year, and no doubt we’re all looking forward to the festive season when we can have at least a few days with family and friends in readiness for whatever 2022 has in store for us.

I used to think a crystal ball would be handy for a preview of the future, but in hindsight it’s probably much clearer to look back. In the December 2020 issue I wrote, “Shipping delays and interruptions are creating frustration for exporters as container availability proves difficult and ports are congested. There also remains uncertainty around effects of the on-going Covid pandemic and, whilst it appears that many European mills are working to capacity, the outlook is still murky”. Guess what? Not too much has changed. At the same time last year, many crossbred wool growers were holding their wool clips on farm or in broker or merchant stores, because the market was weak and prior lock-down had interrupted the wool pipeline from functioning with any normality. Similarly, several mid-micron growers, disillusioned by market fluctuation, were holding on to part of their wool clips. During this calendar year, most grower-held wool stocks from previous years, have been cleared to the trade, however preference for the hard-core is to wait for substantial market improvement. Unfortunately, our previously largest export destination, China, has drastically reduced its requirement for raw wool due to several reasons, not-theleast being decisions to reduce coal use resulting in closure of several manufacturing plants thus directly affecting our wool market. India as an export destination for

New Zealand wool has become the major player over the past few months and while this may sound like a solution, from a wool processing perspective, wool market levels are constantly being challenged by increases in freight prices as shippers question the viability of visiting New Zealand ports compared to others nearer to departure port, offering a quicker turnaround and more lucrative though often backloading with empty containers. More recently at the South Island auctions of 4th and 18th November, a slight renewal of interest from Chinese buyer representatives was evident with some of the poorer crossbred types improving in value, in comparison to earlier levels, and a handful of finer woolly hoggets wools also selling exceptionally well. Very good interest was also shown for crossbred second-shear particularly those containing little or no vegetable matter contamination. Most crossbred oddments also received enthusiastic responses from buyers. Throughout the season mid-micron types have proved difficult to value, with demand fickle to say the least. While those measuring from around 24 microns or finer have generally experienced the best interest, the odd auction has seen the market sag badly only to rally again a couple of weeks later, and growers who resisted lower levels often recovered all the lost ground. Coarser mid-micron types however

have generally continued to struggle in the face of the limited Chinese interest. This season’s final auction containing significant volumes of Merino wool, was that of 18th November in Christchurch with market prices following recent Australian auction trends. Good style wools with very good staple strength and low vegetable matter readings continued to gain solid support from exporters, with hesitancy shown towards those containing high vegetable matter contamination. I take this opportunity to wish all readers a very Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous 2022. That’s my view.

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December 2021

CANTERBURY FARMING

LIVESTOCK

Agriculture’s response to climate change

We have been thinking a lot lately about how agriculture ﬁts into the climate change conversation and how we can position meat as part of a healthy, sustainable and ethical diet into the future.

Nicky Hyslop ❚ by Beef + Lamb New Zealand ❚ Director, Central South Island ❚

Climate change is an incredibly complex subject which creates a lot of confusion and misinformation. What’s clear is that all countries have agreed to reduce emissions to keep the global temperature rise to 1.5C, therefore New Zealand needs to reduce emissions to meet its international commitments. Every sector must and will play its part. New Zealand’s greenhouse gas profile is unique in that around 40% comes from gases emitted from agricultural production, predominately methane. This doesn’t mean that methane contributes to 40% of the warming. Methane is a

short-lived flow gas, compared to CO2 which is long-living and cumulative. He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN), is a partnership between the primary sector, iwi and government to empower farmers and growers to measure, manage and reduce on-farm emissions. This partnership is the agricultural sector’s opportunity to formulate its own solution; where gases are treated separately and all measurable sequestrations will count. The alternative is to be part of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), which would be a disaster for agriculture, not least because it treats all gases the same. HWEN also gives us a degree of control over the pricing mechanism and over how any funds generated are used. We must accept that although different to CO2, methane does have a warming effect and some reductions will be required . Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is advocating for methane to be treated separately to other greenhouse gases (the split gas approach) and that reduction targets are science based relative to the impact agriculture has. It is important to note that HWEN is separate to the reduction targets which are set by Government and not yet finalized. B+LNZ is pushing for all measurable sequestration to be allowed in HWEN. Every tree should count. This includes areas like shelter belts and riparian planting that aren’t currently recognised under the ETS. We see there is a great opportunity, par-

ticularly for extensive sheep and beef farmers to incorporate trees into less productive areas of their farm alongside their livestock operations and either generate income through the ETS or use these to offset emissions under any HWEN non-ETS pricing mechanism. NZ farmers are acknowledged as some of the most efficient food producers in the world with a relatively low GHG footprint (kg of protein/kg of carbon equivalent). There are fears that if we produce less as a result of domestic reductions, our output will be replaced by products from less efficient producers. There is a risk that this could occur, but we are now seeing some of our major competitors adopting methane reduction targets (i.e. Ireland and Denmark) and it is likely this will continue as methane becomes increasingly a target for reduction. We continue to position our food as high quality, sustainable, nutritious food to consumers who are increasingly asking the question about where their food is from and whether producers are committed to reducing their impact on climate change. This is not just a trend in individual consumers, but also amongst multi-nationals. In short – our customers want us to demonstrate that we are playing our part. If we ignore this, we risk red meat being further demonised. Early in 2022, in partnership with other primary sector organisations, B+LNZ will be consulting with farmers on some of the options for HWEN.

CANTERBURY FARMING December 2021

LIVESTOCK

Deer velvet enjoying strong demand The 2021-22 deer velvet season has opened on a strong note, with prices up 10 to 15 per cent on last season’s close.

❚ with Trevor Walton Deer Industry NZ (DINZ) markets manager Rhys Griffiths says this reflects strong underlying consumer demand, as well as the concern of wholesalers and manufacturers to secure stock in advance of any possible Covid-related supply disruption. Deer antler velvet, along with ginseng, are two of the most prized ingredients in Oriental medicine. In recent years there has been rapid growth in demand for NZ velvet for natural health products to combat fatigue and to boost immunity. Demand is strong from both South Korea, which has a suppression type approach to Covid-19, as well as China which is continuing its Covid elimination policies. To celebrate the Korean traditional oriental medicine sector, and as part of its Covid-19 recovery, DINZ last week participated in the annual Bojewon ceremony at the Seoul Herbal Market in Jeggi-dong. “Bojewon is a charitable institution set up in 1392 to provide traditional oriental medicines to the poor. “It is steeped in Korean cultural traditions and it is mark of the standing of NZ velvet in Korea that Seoul-based NZ Trade Commissioner Stephen Blair was asked to play a leading role in the ceremony on our behalf – the first foreigner to do so,” Griffiths says.

On brand: NZ Trade Commissioner Stephen Blair (centre) leading a Korean traditional ceremony held annually at the Seoul Herbal Market. Last year’s ceremony was cancelled due to Covid restrictions.

In addition to the traditional medicine sector, demand is growing in Korea from health food companies producing brand name products, many of them marketed on the basis of their NZ provenance. “Many of these companies have reported strong sales during the important Chuseok holiday, also known as Korean Thanksgiving, which fell this year in late September. During Chuseok, people celebrate their ancestors, spend time with their families and participate in gift-giving as well as traditional customs.

Luxury packs of velvet-based products are seen as prestigious gifts.” In China, fears of possible supply chain disruptions have become a reality, with Dalian Port closed in mid-November because of a further Covid outbreak. Griffiths says Dalian is the main por t in China for the impor t of frozen food products and the only one that handles deer velvet. “We hope China gets on top of this outbreak quickly, so our customers can restock

in order to meet consumer demand. New Zealand is the only country that is permitted to export velvet to China, so continued supply is important for the many Chinese who purchase health products based on deer velvet,” he says. Griffiths says the Dalian lock-down is creating logistical challenges, so he encourages farmers to communicate with their preferred buyers about their supply intentions. At times like this they are looking for as much certainty as they can get, he says.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

Lexus globally reveals all-new LX Lexus has unveiled its all-new LX, the second model of the next-generation range of Lexus following the NX.

supplied by ❚ Article ❚ Lexus New Zealand According to Lexus New Zealand (LNZ) the new LX embodies the brand’s commitment to meeting the diversifying needs and lifestyles of customers while providing an elegant travelling sensation and exceptional driving experience. “As the flagship SUV of the Lexus brand the new LX is a significant model in our range,” LNZ general manager Andrew Davis said. “The new LX has a striking new exterior design, a new vehicle platform and has a full update of driver and vehicle technology. The new platform also enables us to launch an all-new powertrain for LX as we continue to focus on the right powertrains for all customer needs.

“It is not often that you get to launch new vehicles like LX, so we are really excited to bring it to the New Zealand market. Lexus New Zealand is also focused on reducing the CO2 emissions across our whole fleet and the new LX is no different, with an 11% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the previous model,” Davis said. The all-new LX is approximately 200kg lighter and is on the GA-F platform giving it an increased rigidity through the body of the vehicle. The reduction in bodyweight is aimed at improving responsiveness and fuel consumption. The new LX will be available with a powerful 3.3-litre V6 diesel twin-turbo engine with 227kw power output and 700Nm torque. Electronically controlled brakes (ECB) and an electric power steering system (EPS) are also adopted to ensure customers will be able

Lexus’ ﬁrst ﬁngerprintauthentication push-start switch in the all-new LX will help reduce the risk of theft.

to enjoy Lexus-unique driving performance to the fullest, both on-road and off-road. The vehicle’s front/rear centre of gravity has been optimised by placing the engine further back. In addition to downsizing the engine and employing a lighter new Active Height Control (AHC) suspension, the roof material, which is high above the vehicle’s centre of gravity, has been replaced with lightweight aluminium. This has resulted in a thorough lowering of the centre of gravity and a weight reduction of approximately 200kg. To promote a safer and more comfortable driving experience, the instrument panel features dual display with a 12.3-inch upper screen and 7-inch lower screen view which displays the area beneath the rear part of

the vehicle as well as 22” wheels, which are the largest factory equipped wheels Lexus produces. Among other featured technologies, Lexus’ first fingerprint-authentication push-start switch contributes to reducing the risk of theft. It will also be available in both a seven and five seat configuration. The all-new LX will be revealed locally at the beginning of 2022 with further information about line-up and pricing available closer to the local reveal. Since its launch in 1996, the LX has sold a cumulative total of approximately 500,000 units in more than 50 countries as of the end of August 2021. In New Zealand, LX sales to the end of September 2021 were 687.

CANTERBURY FARMING December 2021

Subaru unveils true electric SUV Subaru has revealed its all new electric, dual-motor, all-wheel drive SUV to be known as the Solterra.

❚ Article supplied by SubaruNZ

The Subaru Solterra is built on the e-Subaru Global Platform, which is a new AWD, all-electric vehicle architecture. Subaru of New Zealand Managing Director Wallis Dumper said the Solterra signals a new era for the Subaru brand and works towards a more sustainable future in New Zealand. “The global reveal will no doubt stir great anticipation and excitement in our Kiwi Subaru drivers. The Solterra will enable them to explore the places they would rather be in their own back yard, while taking care of it at the same time, as we see the next expression of Subaru’s commitment to electrification. “It is important to us that we remain true to our 100% All-Wheel Drive strategy and we look forward to working with Subaru Corporation to bring an All-Wheel Drive electric vehicle to the New Zealand market, with the same DNA that is shared by the rest of our Subaru line-up. “The reality is that Subaru Corporation is yet to confirm a timeline for the Solterra’s arrival in New Zealand. We are working very closely with Japan and Australia and future electric projects form part of ongoing dialogue between our three entities.” Dumper said New Zealand has some unique challenges imposed by our Government to force a change to electric vehicles ahead of global timelines.

BEV SUV: Subaru’s new Solterra SUV will be the cornerstone of the company’s future Battery-Powered Electric Vehicles, and has adopted a new system which drives the front and rear wheels with separate motors. Solterra was designed to be a practical SUV so that customers can choose it comfortably and confidently, as this vehicle will be the cornerstone of Subaru’s future Battery-Powered Electric Vehicles (BEV). “At the same time, as a Subaru SUV, it retains all the essential qualities that ensure existing Subaru customers can feel

that it truly is a Subaru.” High-capacity battery packs are placed under the floor, and by utilising that battery as a part of the structure, a low centre of gravity and high body strength and rigidity are realised. Solterra has adopted a new system that drives the front and rear wheels with sepa-

rate motors. Taking advantage of the expertise in AWD technology precisely controlling the four tyres that Subaru has accumulated over many years, the agile response of the electric motors and the flexible driving force distribution between front and rear, Solterra fully utilises the grip of all four wheels and offers driving confidence and peace of mind. Like the other Subaru SUV models, Solterra features the X-Mode AWD control system that enhances the sense of security on rough roads. By adding the new Grip Control function, which enables the vehicle to run at a constant speed while stabilising the vehicle even on rough roads, the capability is further enhanced. By devising the skeleton shape of each part of the body and optimising the material strength, Solterra achieves both weight reduction and superior collision safety at the same time. In the event of a collision, the structure that transfers the load to multiple body skeletons efficiently absorbs the collision energy. It protects not only the vehicle occupants, but also protects the high-voltage equipment in the BEV. The Solterra launch will start by the middle of 2022 in some international markets including Japan, the United States, Canada, Europe and China. Subaru of New Zealand is working with Subaru Corporation to confirm a timeline for Solterra to arrive on New Zealand shores.

December 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

Backing for rural driver licensing support programme The Government has committed an extra $600,000 in funding to support driver licensing and education programmes in rural communities across the country.

❚ by Kent Caddick The funding, provided by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), will be spread over three years to boost the Waka Kotahi Community Road Safety Fund. Waka Kotahi will use the funding to partner with community providers to deliver rural-focused driver licensing and education, which will include free driving lessons. Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor said the aim is to help people to get jobs in the food and fibre sector and learn how to drive safely. “Everyone deserves the chance to have the independence that comes with obtaining a full driver’s licence, and the job opportunities this can provide.” O’Connor said. Transport Minister Michael Wood said people in rural communities face higher barriers to getting their driver’s licence than those in our urban centres, and these include difficulties with accessing driver licence training. “Increasing access to driver training and supporting more people in rural communities to get their full licence will also help make our roads safer for everyone who uses them.” Wood said it will complement driver licensing programmes already underway across the regions. “By offering driver training specific to rural people, we’re supporting connections with rural employers and getting more people on their way to getting their full licence.”

Up close: Geraldine Primary School students get an insight into truck driving as part of the Wood is Good programme. Increasing access to driver training and licensing is one of the deliverables under Road to Zero, New Zealand’s road safety strategy which aims to reduce deaths and serious injuries on New Zealand roads by 40%. O’Connor said this work builds on previous work funded by MPI earlier this year to help migrants in Mid-Canterbury to get their

driver’s licence and supports the Government’s goal of boosting jobs in the food and fibre sector. “A central goal of our Fit for a Better World roadmap and our Opportunity Grows Here campaign is boosting food and fibre sector jobs for Kiwis. “Increasing rural community access to

driver licensing training will open up more job opportunities by equipping our rural people with skills sought by many employers. “The new community initiatives will help ensure we have right workforce in our rural communities to drive our economic recovery from COVID-19 and help pave New Zealand’s way to prosperity,” O’Connor said.

CANTERBURY FARMING

❚ with rob cope-Williams

December 2021

Lincoln University worth more than Cop 26

Millions of dollars, in fact probably billions of dollars getting world leaders to Glasgow to solve the climate change seems to be a bit of a farce when you consider that days afterwards parts of the world were putting people into lockdown because of pollution. I agree that there are genuine concerns and if the oceans were to rise as much as they are being predicted small islands may well disappear. I also wonder at the move the New Zealand Government made when we sent a very large sum of money to Fiji to move villages inland, however we do need to share our love with the pacific. Now having that off my chest, I am extremely proud of the work being done in general at the Lincoln University, but especially the work that Prof Keith Cameron and Prof Hong Di have done with respect to New Zealand leading the charge, and it is obvious and simple when you think about it. Before we ended up with expensive window cleaning ‘stuff’ our forebears poured vinegar into some hot water and cleaned their windows without a single smear. It is that sort of thinking that our two Profs have led to providing our Dairy industry a total ‘get out of jail’ card.

‘

I am extremely proud of the work being done in general at the Lincoln University.

They noted that drinking water is purified by adding a little iron Sulphate and so they looked at the dairy effluent ponds, and wow, the natural substance reduces methane emissions by 99 percent, slashes E.coli amounts, reduces ammonia emissions, kills the bad odours and even cuts out phosphate

leaching into our waterways by around 90 percent. Effluent ponds are the second biggest source of m ethane gases with cattle belching being the most serious. I would not be at all surprised to see more work being done about that.

One Lincoln student, Cameron Marshall, has already proved that feeding cattle with plantain rather than ryegrass the percentage of N passing through said beast will drop by 28 percent. He also has worked on genetic selection to reduce less N. Perhaps selective breeding may be an answer to the methane gas burps, after all some humans burp more than others. Whatever does it, I expect our clever folk at Lincoln will be behind it.

Farming bioenergy a way forward? Are we missing a big opportunity here? A substantial new revenue stream for dry stock farm systems, a chance to contribute even more to our national low emissions ambitions but, refreshingly, at a proﬁt rather than a cost.

❚ by Solis Norton

Bioenergy, as in wood based fuels. The potential to produce it on-farm has been an interesting discussion in recent weeks. It’s an old idea I know, but maybe it’s time for this dog to have his day. Think not just fuel as wood pellets and chips for commercial heat, but also liquids to fuel transport. Major growth in energy from wood is essential for us. Just look at the forecast in

economic modelling of our low emissions transition. Increasing from 66 petajoules per year at present to 106 in 2050 is a big job. It must be done at a profit. Why not capture that profit on-farm. We the farmers have an unfortunate view of forestry. It is hiding a genuinely important and real opportunity. We need to reimagine our future with trees. Get passed the idea of blanket pine trees. Think about the right tree in the right place. But shelve the usual buzzwords of biodiversity, sustainability, water quality, and aesthetics. Think about the right tree in the right place to meet New Zealand’s energy demand. Crops like coppice type wood along-

THE FARMALL

side crops of lambs, beef, and deer. An alternative income stream. Pleasantly, not directly via a carbon taxing system that should in the medium term asphyxiate our economy. More pleasant yet, one that should appreciate along with the price of carbon. Demand for bioenergy has to grow. Maybe through the ethereal forces of economics and regulation. Definitely through the simple physics of less fossil fuels emerging from a global industry increasingly tortured by divestment, shunned in the main stream media, and struggling, ever more frantically with dwindling reserves. The mighty are falling. They leave a critical opportunity. We must seize it.

No, energy is not derived from wood as efficiently as from oil. But we may just have to accept that. We need to measure the difference. To understand the implications and plan accordingly. Lots more energy from wood offers a certain self-sufficiency, both on-farm and as a nation, that is starting to hold real appeal. There’s infrastructure and some research too we need to make this work. But none insurmountable. The sooner we get busy with it the better. Relative to the uncertainty growing almost daily in so many aspects of our great green transition, this seems actually seems surprisingly solid. On the face of it. We should look more closely.

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