Canterbury Farming, February 2023

The hunt is still on

]

by

Kent Caddick

Founded in 1882, South Canterbury Hunt, with permission of the land owners, hunts properties within the South and Mid Canterbury ranging from the Ashburton River in the north to the Pareora River in the south and inland to the Mackenzie Basin.

While some capital was able to be salvaged from the collapse of several financial institutions in the global financial crisis the club has been vigorously fundraising to enable it to have its own prop-

erty again to house its hounds, huntsman and his horses.

The club has just launched its latest effort with a major raffle for which the top prize is a new Toyota SR5 4WD ute valued at over $62,000.

Raffle organiser Liz Beeby said with 140 years of rich history and success, the club now finds itself in uncertain and insecure times with high running costs and the imminent need for a property to house its hounds, huntsman and his horses.

“Unfortunately the decision was made to sell our original property during the global financial crisis,” Beeby said.

“With a small proportion of salvaged capital, some private lending and a fierce fundraising effort by our dynamic group of go getters, we have elevated our situation to the point where our goal, of owning our own property again, is now in sight.

“However property prices have simultaneously increased in conjunction with our efforts and we have come to the realisation that

‘big ticket’ fundraising is now our reality if we are to acquire a suitable deposit.

“Hence our South Canterbury Hunt Hilux Prize Draw to endeavour that our sport and tradition remain in South Canterbury.

“So if you’re in need of some new wheels, and want to support a great sport the South Canterbury Hunt Prize Draw is up and running.”

Tickets can be bought online at schunt.org.nz/shop/ticket

The South Canterbury Hunt club is within sight of its goal of once again owning its own land, which was lost due to the global financial crisis of a decade ago.

On the hunt: Members of the 140-year-old South Canterbury Hunt club use farmland in South and Mid Canterbury to hold their riding events.

Revised Le Bons Bay history available

After being out of print for some time a book

by Kent Caddick

The book, Le Bons Bay, first published in 1978, has sold over 2,000 copies as interest in local history continues to flourish. The latest revision will be the seventh print of the now 200-page book.

Author Garry Brittenden said there is an increasing interest in family history, and this has led to many descendants of pioneer families providing photographs, diaries, and information to add to the depth of the book.

“The digital age has certainly provided wonderful opportunities for history to be sourced and shared. It has enabled families to find their personal histories without leaving home and this has resulted in a growing interest in this area,” Brittenden said.

“I am constantly being contacted by folk from all over the world regarding their historic connection with Le Bons, either seeking information or sharing their own research.”

The latest edition features a chapter on the quite extensive Scandinavian migration to New Zealand that saw around 25 families

settle in Le Bons in the 1870s.

“The New Zealand Government actively recruited immigrants from Scandinavia at this time, and much has been written about the settlements of Dannevirke, Norsewood and Ekatahuna in the North Island,” Brittenden said.

“However, significant numbers came to Lyttelton and ended up in Robinsons Bay and then on to Le Bons to work in the sawmills, where they bought land and settled.

“Denmark had a disastrous war with Prussia in the 1860’s, and many Danes lost land as a result. In Le Bons four Danes who served together in the war came out with their families and ended up with adjoining farms in the bay.”

The new edition also contains many additional historic photos that date back to the 1870’s and reveal an intimate look at a small rural community and its changes over time.

The book is available from Smiths bookshop at the Tannery, Christchurch and also from various outlets on banks Peninsula.

has been revised and updated.

Back in print: Le bons bay author Garry brittenden says there is an increasing interest in family history, and this has led to many descendants of pioneer families providing photographs, diaries, and information to add to the depth of the book.

celebrating early rural settlers on Banks Peninsula

Settlers: The Condon family came to Le bons bay in the 1870s, taking up the contract for delivering the mail, which meant walking through the bush from Le bons to Takamatua and back three times a week.

Young Farmers pave the way for the future of farming

]

by Kent Caddick

Last year, 160 New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF) members battled it out over 11 district contests between October and December to be named as the top contenders who will soon compete in FMG’s Young Farmer of the Year Regional Finals.

There are seven Regional Finals running across Aotearoa between February and April this year. No competition will be the same, with eight contestants at each event vying for a spot in the Grand Final.

Up for grabs is around $70,000 worth of prizes, and the prestigious title of FMG Young Farmer of the Year.

Now in its 55th season, the competition boasts a strong track record of showcasing

the very best talent and skills New Zealand’s food and fibre sector has to offer.

New Zealand Young Farmers Board Chair Jessie Waite said the competition continues to evolve, attracting a diverse mix of farmers including female talent.

This season around 45% of competitors gave it a go for the first time, and 40% were female.

“It’s amazing to see the new generation coming through,” Waite said.

“There’s so much happening in the primary sector right now with science, innovation, and new technologies. The skills being demonstrated by these contestants are proof that there is much more to farming than some may think.”

Each Regional Final will decide who will be

competing at the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final, to be held in Timaru in July.

Two NZYF regions, Northern and the Waikato Bay of Plenty, will be trialling a new Contest format. These will be two-day events, with day one resembling the traditional district contest and day two aligning more closely with a regional final.

NZYF Chief Executive, Lynda Coppersmith, said the end goal remains the same, to find

the region’s best contestant to represent them as grand finalists.

“We know that FMG Young Farmer of the Year is a long season normally and it puts a lot of pressure on our member volunteers to deliver a lot of events,” Coppersmith said.

“We’re trialling this to look at ways that we can still find New Zealand’s best Young Farmer, but in a way that is potentially more streamlined.”

New Zealand’s top young farmers are out to challenge industry stereotypes, with preparations well underway for the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Regional Finals.

Girl power: New Zealand young Farmers board Chair Jessie Waites says the young farmer competition continues to evolve, attracting a diverse mix of farmers including female talent, with over 40% of contestants this season being women.

The year 2023 and beyond

] with Damien O’Connor

]

over $500 million co-invested with businesses across more than 230 projects.

Minister for Agriculture,

Biosecurity, ] Food Safety and Rural Communities

As I write, I’ve been in Europe wearing my Trade and Agriculture Minister hats (leaving the sun hat behind). I’ve just attended the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland.

It’s forward-thinking forum. To my mind it’s one that matters because the world is facing a number of major overlapping challenges: protectionism, climate change, war in the Ukraine, food security, a pandemic and inflation.

Addressing these requires on the one hand the resolve to stick to the principles that have lifted much of the world out of poverty, and on the other hand a change in our thinking so we can tackle the likes of climate change - the impacts of which we’re already experiencing.

One big takeaway was that more than ever, people accept that we need to do things differently. Another was that the market is ripe for agri-businesses and tech companies who can deliver solutions around sustainability and in particular climate change.

It should not be news to any farmer that these are the areas that the Government is focussed on. Examples are the significant investments like $339 million for the new Centre for Climate Action on Agricultural Emissions, and the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund. The latter has now seen

The key to keeping trade doors open and maximising our market potential is staying ahead of the curve in terms of sustainability and climate credentials. Customers are becoming increasingly concerned about the carbon footprint of their purchases.

At a time when consumers abroad are increasingly being told to by local, we need to give them every reason to buy our products.

While in Europe I was asked about our efforts on climate change as well.

The Government’s plan to price agricultural emissions by 2025 has stimulated healthy debate at home.

Some have said it shows that we don’t value the contributions that our farmers and growers make to New Zealand. That’s just not true. It is because we value our farmers and growers that we are working with industry through the He Waka Eke Noa partnership to create a bespoke system to price agricultural emissions, rather than the alternative of putting farmers and growers straight into the Emissions Trading Scheme.

This Government wants to support farmers to adapt to climate pro-actively, rather than trying to catch up once we’ve already fallen behind.

Another thing that struck me in Europe was how they regard inflation. They very much see the direct connection of it to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has lifted fuel prices, fertiliser costs and created food

shortages that will be felt greatest in the developing world. All of which comes on the back of the pandemic’s strangling of global supply chains.

Trade continues to be a priority this year. We are working to bring our Free Trade Agreement with the UK into force and we will also be looking to sign and take the first legislative steps toward ratifying the EU-FTA.

These are both very good deals and will open the door for our great kiwi businesses to realise the opportunities in markets of nearly 500 million consumers combined.

Through 2022 we saw many of our agri-businesses recognising along with the financial sector the market signals around sustainability. What’s important this year is that we maintain long-term thinking so we position our sector for the future.

The new year is certainly up and running – not that things on the land stop for Christmas. It’s been very wet on the North Island and hot down South, where I was able to get the hay off at home near Motueka in early January.

‘This Government wants to support farmers to adapt to climate pro-actively, rather than trying to catch up once we’ve already fallen behind.

Farmers performing well despite external challenges

Article supplied

by B+LNZ

While the focus of the report, produced by B+LNZ’s Economic Service, is to support forecasts that are critical to the industry, it also provides an insight into the challenges farmers are facing and their sentiment. The report shows the performance of sheep and beef farmers remains high, but sentiment is low.

The report showed that after several climatically difficult seasons, farmers rebuilt their sheep flocks in Marlborough and Canterbury in 2021-22, including breeding ewes.

B+LNZ’s Chief Economist Andrew Burtt said the number of lambs born is positive, considering the challenges faced by farmers throughout the year.

“Despite variable climatic conditions nationwide, sheep farmers have again shown their ability to perform consistently,” Burtt said.

“This is a continuation of the improving productivity and performance of sheep and beef farms as farmers operate under demanding conditions including drought for some and a wet spring for others.

“One interesting factor was a reduction in the number of hoggets mated, particularly in the southern South Island, as farmers were constrained by feed conditions and did not want to put at risk the performance of their whole flock both short and long-term.”

The number of lambs processed in the 2022-23 season is forecast to decrease 1.6 percent to 17.5 million head, while the av-

erage carcase weight may be slightly up on 2021-22.

B+LNZ’s Economic Service estimates the number of lambs tailed in spring 2022 decreased by 2.6 percent, or 588,000 head, on the previous spring to 22 million head.

With a small decline in breeding ewe numbers, down 1.4 percent, 22 million lambs tailed in spring 2022 compares with an average of 23.9 million head over the previous 10 years.

In the survey, farmers reported variable lamb growth rates with a wet, slow start to spring for most of the North Island and feed supply being tight for some farms.

The survey showed labour shortages for meat processors were an issue for the red meat sector and a concern for farmers heading into summer.

The survey also showed the sector is not yet seeing the impact on stock numbers caused by the significant number of sheep and beef farms sold into forestry, particularly carbon-only farming. This is because there is a significant lag between farm sales and planting of trees – however reduced stock numbers are expected soon.

B+LNZ CEO Sam McIvor said this was a major issue negatively affecting farmers.

“Information about farmer sentiment was also gathered as part of this survey, and it’s clear that confidence in the future of the sector is very low for some. Farmers are feeling it from all sides and are rightly concerned about the future.” McIvor said.

“Government inaction on issues like carbon farming has been frustrating and the speed, scale, practicality, and disconnectedness of the environmental reforms has been unreasonable and overwhelming for farmers. This is compounded by concerns that commodity prices may fall in the coming year.”

The report shows some farmers indicated they were considering exiting the sector because of these concerns, which could also impact livestock numbers in the future and have flow-on impacts to employees, businesses, and communities in the regions.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Lamb Crop 2022 report shows there is a stark contrast between on-farm performance and farmer sentiment.

Flocks growing: b+LNZ’s Chief economist andrew burtt says the number of lambs born this season is positive, considering the challenges faced by farmers throughout the year.

Maturing the debate

] with Todd Muller ] National Party Spokesperson for Agriculture

In the next 9 months to the October 14 election, you will see our team embracing pragmatic solutions for New Zealand’s toughest problems. The focus in my Agriculture role will be getting things right for farmers, and at the core of my vision will be the kitchen table.

The kitchen table has a special place in all farming homes across New Zealand. They aren’t just a place to share meals, memories and laughter, they’re the heart of rural family life where bills are paid, budgets are balanced, and conversations about the future are had.

Over the last two decades I have spent many hours sitting around kitchen tables across the country listening to the unique stories of our food and fibre producing families.

Those families haven’t just shared their stories with me but also their hopes, dreams, fears, and challenges, an experience that has been both heart-warming and heart-breaking.

These farmers and growers have an absolute love for the land and the lifestyle, but can slowly see their ability to do what they have done for generations being eroded by

waves of impractical regulation and added costs.

As we welcome in the New Year, the conversations happening around those kitchen tables are underscored by a relentless feeling of stress and financial pressure that’s sucking the joy out of farming.

In my view, our farmers are over-regulated and under-appreciated. Our 25,000 farming families produce enough to feed 50 million people and generate $52 billion in exports that everyone benefits from.

Without wanting to over-labour the point, we’d be stuffed as a country without our agricultural sector, and we’re damn good at what we do. Our food and fibre are amongst the highest quality and lowest carbon in the world but we don’t often hear that celebrated. Instead, our farmers are told how they can, and must, improve the way they farm by faceless Wellington bureaucrats with no practical farming knowledge.

Thirty years ago, our farmers were too lightly regulated. Environmental damage wasn’t created by deliberate carelessness, but a lack of understanding and knowledge at the time about the collective impacts of our various farm systems.

That was clearly wrong, but now things have swung too far in the opposite direction and we are swamping our farmers with red tape while their competitors in Europe and America are celebrated and financially supported to improve.

But in New Zealand, our farmers are being told what they can farm, in what paddock, and how they should go about it with constantly changing rules about water quality, biodiversity, climate change, fertilisers and everything else you can imagine. While each of these expectations might sound reasonable enough to the urban ear, it’s the cumulative effect of these rules that is weighing heavily on our farmers.

Some farmers are at the end of their tether, desperately trying to navigate regulatory and public expectations that feel completely devoid of pragmatism, fairness, and common sense. I don’t want our farming families to feel like that, and I’m sure most Kiwi’s don’t either. So, what can we do about it?

The first thing we can do is accept that whenever you use land to produce food, you have an impact. It’s impossible not to. Ruminant animals like cows and sheep all produce methane, soil needs fertiliser to keep

Welcome to 2023

by Teanau Tuiono

Agriculture spokesperson for the Green Party

If there is one thing I want to implore to undecided voters it’s this, dig deeper. Go to a party’s website and look into what their policies are, compare them against each other and if there is a policy vacuum ask yourself why, because if there are gaps it’s probably because they are just making stuff up on the fly.

essarily intended to mislead, it can be just as harmful.

The algorithms that power social media platforms are there to drive engagement not necessarily to inform us. You might see only 100 pieces of content if you sit and scroll for five minutes.

But Facebook has thousands of options it could show you and the truth is often bland and at times just straight out boring.

nutrients high to grow grass and crops, and when it rains some of those nutrients will run off into waterways. Does that mean we should stop doing those things? Absolutely not. Do our customers expect ongoing improvement from the world’s best farmers? Absolutely.

But the measure of success is how we can build on what we are good at, not whether we can grind a sector down so it folds in on itself.

We need to have an honest conversation as a country about what is happening in our rural communities and why. We can’t look away when we hear another farmer has succumbed to stress related suicide. Sector and political leaders need to lean into that discussion and not be afraid to admit where mistakes have been made.

Let’s make 2023 the year when the debate in the agricultural sector around how best to prepare for the future really matures. This must mean being open to pressing pause on some of the reforms or rewriting them so they actually work behind the farm gate.

There’s an awful lot at stake here, it’s important we get this right.

ate.

The other thing I would say is watch out for disinformation and misinformation. Disinformation is the deliberate spreading of false information, while misinformation isn’t nec-

The algorithm picks from those options based on the kind of content you’ve engaged with and optimises for content that gets engagement, or reaction.

Research shows that if content is hateful,

divisive, polarising, it’s easier to inspire people to anger than it is to other emotions.

In Finland the school system is the cornerstone of the fight against fake news. Critical thinking and media literacy have been part of the curriculum for a very long time.

We need to urgently change the school curriculums to teach students how to identify conspiracy theories, fake news. I think there is a good argument for adult education for that kind of support as well.

As agent Scully and Mulder said the truth is out there – it’s probably not as exciting as people think. Stay informed out there this 2023.

The Parliamentary sitting year kicks off this month, and I am incredibly pleased to be returning as National’s Agriculture and Climate Change spokesperson.

This year is a big one with the General Election on the 14th of October. Politicians of all stripes, myself included, will be presenting policies before a hopefully attentive elector-

Record highs for food and fibre

] by Kent Caddick

That’s the view of Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor after the release of the latest Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI) late last year.

The report released by the Ministry for Primary Industries shows food and fibre export revenue is forecast to grow to a record level of $55 billion this year.

“Accelerating our export growth is a major cornerstone of the Government’s economic recovery plan, and today’s report shows further evidence that plan is working,” O’Connor said.

”Despite the global economic storm gathering, the latest SOPI results show our food and fibre export revenue continuing to climb.

“There is some comfort knowing demand for food and fibre should remain strong throughout any global economic downturn, so New Zealand’s economy remains better positioned when compared to others, so long as we maintain our international competitive edge.”

O’Connor said the forecast increase of four per cent in the year to 30 June 2023 is

on top of our record export revenue achieved last year, and $2.9 billion higher than earlier forecasts made in June 2022.

“Dairy remains our largest export, with revenue forecast to grow 6 per cent to a new high of $23.3 billion. Our sheep and beef sector remains strong, with red meat and

wool revenue tipped to increase to a record $12.4 billion.

“Horticulture export revenue is expected to grow 5 per cent to $7.1 billion, and strong demand for our processed food and other products is expected to drive 3 per cent growth to $3.3 billion.

Waste not, want not

“We also expect arable export revenue to grow 5 per cent to $265 million.”

He said the six new trade agreements and upgrades they have secured since 2017, alongside the successful trade missions led by the Prime Minister across five countries, will drive growth of our food and fibre sector into the future.

“We know this is a tough time for Kiwis who are experiencing cost of living pressures and rising interest rates but continuing our export growth means New Zealand is even better placed in a challenging global environment,” O’Connor said.

Forestry Minister Stuart Nash said forestry export revenue was expected to increase this year, despite the tough global economic environment.

“Forestry export revenue is set to increase to $6.6 billion in the year to 30 June 2023,” Nash said.

“This result is to be commended and the forestry sector should be acknowledged, especially over a tough year and in the face of a global slowdown in construction and corresponding lower demand for our logs. It shows remarkable resilience.”

The recent flash floods in the north demonstrated how everyone involved with forestry ducks for cover whenever there is a problem with trimmings and rubbish left after the timber has been felled and taken away.

] by rob Cope-Williams

Looking like a case of “ask someone else, it has nothing to do with me”, the ducking for cover that we see in some Government departments. However, let’s take a look at the situation through open eyes and suggest an all-round solution.

At present all those bits are left in rows or piles to rot, giving I assume, as a long term

compost plan. Sometimes some are burnt, but when in tree plantations, that must be a risk. So, I may be naive, but what sort of timber do we use for wall boards, paper, fire pellets and plus anything else that does not need quality timber.

Somehow I think most timber harvesting companies would pay to have the scruffy stuff taken away, and those that took it would then be able to sell it off to an end user. Well, it was just a thought.

Now let us look at our fruit industry, again I may be naïve, but rather than fruit that is not top quality, being left to rot, could we not

run a pork industry in the areas fruit is grown, and fix the disease problems plus reduce the need to import pork.

I think of some of the Asian countries I have visited where the “only part of the chicken they don’t eat is the clucking.”

Yes I know that we, as consumers want to eat the very best produce, and in fact we now demand it, but surely we do not need to throw out totally edible produce.

I remember a chap years ago who had his apple crop hit with hail with nasty looking blotches on it all, instead of throwing it out, he marketed it as grown in the high altitudes

offering better taste and juices with blemishes to ensure others could not try to compare their crops.

Giessen’s Wines is another example of turning bad into brilliant. A wet season hit their grape crop and they literally rotted on the vine.

Rather than turning their back, they harvested the crop and produced a dessert wine that won worldwide gold medals.

Perhaps we should, as an industry, take a close look at what is being wasted, and, as the old says suggests, one man’s rubbish, is another man’s treasure.

Ronald

New Zealand’s food and fibre export revenue is projected to reach new record highs, helping protect New Zealanders from the sharp edges of the global downturn.

For the record: Minister of agriculture Damien O’Connor says New Zealand’s food and fibre export revenue is projected to reach new record highs this year.

Riding the rollercoaster

It has been a turbulent few years for the global economy and markets.

] with andrew Wyllie

Forsyth Barr

After a strong bounce in the 18 months or so post the Covid crash, in 2022 we suffered the hangover from the withdrawal of substantial government and central bank economic support, rising interest rates to combat soaring inflation, a commodity supply shock after Russia invaded Ukraine, and China’s tight zero-COVID restrictions and property slump.

There are some positive signs as we start 2023, with a number of these challenges starting to ease. Global inflation appears to have peaked, China is reopening, and Europe is coping with the cut to Russian gas imports better than most expected (helped by significantly warmer than normal winter weather).

The key question now is, to what extent will economies slow due to the impacts outlined above? Will central banks be able to deliver the Goldilocks “soft landing” or will we see a recession, and if so, will it be mild or something tougher?

The strong consensus among economists is that while inflation has peaked it will remain stubbornly persistent, necessitating more interest rate rises in coming months. The anticipated result is a generally soft (but not super weak) global economy.

This consensus expectation looks like a reasonable starting point. However, predicting the outlook, in today’s interconnected and unprecedented global economy, with a high level of confidence is extremely difficult. Over the past few years very few economists have been consistently close to the mark. We see risks, both positive and negative.

On the negative side, forecasting the depth of recessions is difficult, and once they get going they can be hard to stop. With central banks fixated on fighting inflation there is a risk they may overtighten, and raise interest rates too far and too fast.

On the positive side, inflation could abate more quickly and the economy could prove more resilient than expected. Covid caused distortions — a change in consumer spending patterns while people were in lockdowns, more demand for goods and less for services, and the inability of global supply chains to respond. Goods’ prices soared. Businesses built up inventory in response. Today this is unwinding, spending patterns are reverting, many businesses have been caught with excess inventory, and discounts are increasing.

Despite the market volatility and uncertain economic outlook, consumer spending and the performance of the companies in which we invest have, so far at least, largely been better than anticipated. Over the December quarter there were some headline grabbing dis-

appointments, mainly from the mega-cap (market value of $200 billion or more) tech companies, driven by concerns around an economic slowdown and rising costs.

More broadly, the significant majority of company results came in ahead of expectation, fuelled by strong sales growth, albeit higher costs have meant (outside of the energy sector) profit growth has been restrained.

This uncertain backdrop is challenging for investors. If inflation continues to moderate and economic activity remains resilient, we expect equity markets will be robust.

Conversely, if we see a significant recession it would have a material impact on corporate earnings and put renewed pressure on stock prices.

We appreciate that market volatility and economic uncertainty doesn’t make an easy backdrop for investors. To discuss your investment options please contact andrew Wyllie, who is an Investment adviser and is Forsyth barr’s Christchurch branch Co-Manager. He can be contacted regarding portfolio management, fixed interest, or share investments on 0800 367 227 or andrew.wyllie@ forsythbarr.co.nz. This article was prepared as at 31 December 2022 and provides market commentary for the three-month period ending on that date. This column is general in nature, has been prepared in good faith based on information obtained from sources believed to be reliable and accurate, and should not be regarded as financial advice.

Davos and Bust

] with Grant edmundson

]

Partner, Helmore Stewart

Lawyers

Coupled with this development, the World Economic Forum convened once again this month in Davos for their annual “think fest” – politicians, the global elite, power brokers, financial luminaries and uber rich all eager to share their intellectual heft with fawning media on a vast array of matters affecting the globe, not least of which were debates concerning carbon emissions, global warming and climate change. The rhetoric has become inflammatory and in many instances, borderline deranged (see Al Gores’ explosive monologue as a case in point).

The question is, what do these developments have to do with the agricultural sector in North Canterbury. Depending on which side of the political spectrum you sit, not a whole lot or, maybe everything.

For many what really matters is the ever increasing cost of living, inflation, energy costs etc. The cost and availability of eggs, exorbitant cost of meat, the lack of strawberries available for the Christmas pavlova, have all littered conversations in the past few months.

Central to these issues, the plight of farmers in the agricultural sector, not unlike the conditions of nurses in the medical field, teachers in education, goes largely unnoticed.

Farmers have been placed under immense regulatory and compliance pressure by this Labour government and are having to carry significant associated costs to keep their enterprises sustainable, let alone profitable and the effects are now slowly trickling through to the consumer – very soon it will be an avalanche when household mortgages come off their fixed placement in the latter part of this year.

Much of what New Zealand has achieved in the fields of excellence, can be traced back to the vibrant and robust agricultural sector that has underpinned our economy for decades and yet it is not fashionable to acknowledge the roles that farmers have played in this history.

Commentary on the farming sector is often condescending, ill-informed and completely one sided. Like any industry there will always be some bad or reckless farmers, just like there are bad dentists or dubious accountants but at this crucial juncture, it is high tide that the farming community receives the support and encouragement that it richly deserves.

Consider the havoc caused by the war in Ukraine to the world’s food supply chain, remember that during our Covid lockdowns (and the climate of fear that pervaded at the time) and it was the farmers that kept our shelves and fridges full and replenished.

Forget the fancy Davos rhetoric, remove politicians who don’t understand this one “truism” of New Zealand – this country was built on agriculture, we are essentially a national farm with pockets of excellence in sport, technology, film and entertainment etc, and we should be incredibly proud of this

heritage. Trends and fads will come and go, cryptocurrencies will burn bright one day and crash spectacularly the next, but hard working, innovative and largely responsible custodians of the land – our farmers, keep us afloat.

To brandish their “woke” credentials our leaders (and often unelected representatives), are so keen to share the spotlight in the international arena, they are falling over themselves to commit to global trends, goals and targets re climate change, but have little comprehension of the hurt that they are inflicting on our regional economies. If we are not careful, we will quickly erode in the next few generations, the very sector that has kept New Zealand going.

To borrow from the tired tag lines of gender debate “I am a lawyer but I identify, as a farmer!”. Maybe more of us need to do so, before we complain about the cost of free range eggs on the shelf.”

by Nigel beckford

Farmstrong helps people cope with the ups and downs of farming by sharing things they can do to look after themselves and the people in their business, especially during challenging times.

Farmstrong encourages farmers to ‘lock in’ good-for-business habits and thinking strategies by:

• Working with Farmstrong ambassador, rugby great Sam Whitelock, who promotes key messages, resources and events.

• Creating resources delivered via the Farmstrong website and face-to-face at events, workshops and online, based on the latest wellbeing science tailored for farmers and growers.

• Sharing farmer-to-farmer stories about what works, via rural media and social media channels such as Farmers Weekly, Dairy Farmer, the Country Radio Show, Orchardist and NZ Rugby magazines.

• Working and collaborating with rural organisations such as Dairy NZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, NZ Young Farmers, the Rural Support Trust, Farming Mums NZ, Dairy Women’s Network, Rural Women New Zealand, Horticulture NZ, NZ Kiwifruit Growers Association, the NZ Shearing Contractors’ Association, Neighbourhood Support,

Northland E-350 project, Surfing for Farmers,Agri-Women’s Development Trust and Farming Women Tairawhiti.

• Running campaigns on key topics such as ‘You Matter, Let’s Natter’, an initiative encouragimg farmers to develop their listening skills and catch up with mates over a cuppa to check how they’re going.

• Organising and supporting events that help farmers connect with each other, including comedy shows at rural halls, community fundraisers, sporting events and even a cycle tour involving 1,600 farmers and their families.

Farmstrong amabassador Sam Whitelock says he knows through the work he does for Farmstrong, how important it is to keep talking and check on those who might have ‘dropped off the radar and stopped communicating’ during challenging times.

“Just listening can be a huge help to someone who is feeling ‘under the pump’,” Whitelock said.

Last year, more than 15,000 farmers directly attributed an improvement in their wellbeing to Farmstrong. Awareness of the programme among farmers has also grown rapidly – from 31% of farmers in 2015 to 77% in 2021.

article published by permission of Farmstrong. For more on how Farmstrong can help to keep you and your family mentally well balanced go to: farmstrong.co.nz.

]

Young Farmer contestant giving back to the community

] by Kent

Caddick

The 29-year-old Mid-Canterbury farmer has secured a spot at the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Aorangi Regional Final, an annual competition dedicated to showcasing the very best talent of New Zealand’s food and fibre sector.

Each contestant competed against 14 people from their district. Levi is one of eight contestants headed for the Regional Final.

With a feed assessment job that takes him and his partner around the country, Hart loves to be social and meet new people, learning about different farming systems and how different places operate.

“Farming is a changing beast, and it puts a lot of people through adversity, but you see that passion and the drive that people have to do better. I think it’s fantastic, ultimately, we’re caretakers of the land.”

Hart said he’s found people are what is most important when ‘the going gets tough’. In the past year, he and his partner have suf-

fered multiple bereavements. Grateful for the support they received from the farming community, this year he wanted to give back by volunteering at Rural Support Trust.

“If having one conversation with one person changes their outlook on what’s happening then that’s a massive win.”

The competition is now in its 55th year, and New Zealand Young Farmers Board Chair Jessie Waite says Season 55 is shaping up to be an exciting one.

“It’s great to see the involvement our competitors have in their local community, and how they are giving back to help others,” Waite said.

There are seven regional finals running across Aotearoa between February and April 2023. No competition is the same, and contestants start the day not knowing which of their skills will be put to the test.

Each Regional Final will decide who will be competing at the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final in July 2023 and the winner will receive around $70,000 worth of prizes.

How does Magnesium help cramp?

Those that experience muscle cramps know how this happens. Mostly at night, muscles can suddenly cramp with intense pain. Cramps can often be related to physical exercise, dehydration, low salt intake and other factors such as some diseases and medications.

Muscle contraction starts with a nerve impulse that arrives at muscle fibres (cells). This commences a process that results in muscles contracting and allowing movement in our body. It is worth noting that there are three types of muscles: skeletal muscles are attached to bones to allow us to move; cardiac muscle is the special type of muscle that makes up most of our hearts while smooth muscle lines our blood vessels and organs.

Calcium is needed for muscles to contract by controlling the nerve-muscle junction. Magnesium is needed for the relaxation of muscles by its role in maintaining muscle electrical activity. Magnesium competes with calcium in this process as it binds to the same sites. A calcium/magnesium imbalance can cause cramps and in cardiac muscle heart rhythm issues. This is often because of low magnesium

intake especially in relation to calcium intake.

Fortunately, increasing magnesium to help with cramp is relatively simple using quality magnesium supplements. The challenge is finding a supplement that works for you. While some supplements use a single form of magnesium, my preference is to combine three different forms as these are absorbed differently. Some are more rapidly absorbed, while others take longer but have longer-lasting effects. I suggest you avoid supplements with magnesium oxide as it can upset digestion.

There are also wide variations in the magnesium doses people need. This is why my magnesium supplement has a dosage range of between 1 and 4 capsules daily. This allows for experimentation to get the ideal dose.

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 newsletter at www. abundant.co.nz.

Giving back: young Farmer of the year aorangi regional Finalist Levi Hart has volunteered to work for the rural Support Trust following the support he and his family have received from the farming community.

After a year of devastating personal loss, Levi Hart is determined to make the most of all life has to offer.

Construction cost growth hits record high

A nascent drop off in the number of new housing consents could soon help to ease the pressure on New Zealand’s residential construction sector, which has dealt with rapidly rising costs for more than 12 months.

CoreLogic NZ’s Cordell Construction Cost Index (CCCI), which tracks the indexed growth of the country’s national residential building prices, recorded an increase of 1.7% in the final quarter of 2022, a significant deceleration from the record 3.4% increase in the three months to September.

However, the annual CCCI growth figure, which measures the cost to build a ‘standard’ 200 sqm three-bedroom, two-bathroom single-storey brick and tile house in Aotearoa, hit a new high of 10.4%, surpassing the previous record of 9.6% set in Q3.

CoreLogic Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson said a surge in new builds, materials supply issues, and labour shortages, alongside completion delays, had all contributed to the unprecedented increase to the cost of residential construction throughout 2022.

He said there had been suggestions demand would eventually ease, but evidence of a slowdown had only started to materialise in the final quarter of the year.

“For most of 2022, new dwelling consents have remained high, with smaller dwellings –especially townhouses – becoming an even higher share of the total (nationally 56% in the year to October, and 77% in Auckland),” he said.

“But the very latest data is finally hinting at the long-awaited slowdown, with October’s dwelling consent figure itself down by 12% from the same month a year ago.”

Davidson warned even as new dwelling approvals slowed, the ‘huge’ pipeline of consents that had already been granted would

take time to be completed, providing builders and the industry with at least another six to 12 months of consistent work.

“Although the supply chain issues for building materials, such as plasterboard, have eased considerably, overall capacity pressures are still a concern,” he said.

“We can see the lingering strains clearly in the December quarter construction cost figures (1.7% rise), which were the lowest for the year, however the index is still running above the ‘normal’ increase of about 1% per quarter.

“The latest CCCI results are also higher than the rise of 0.9% in Q4 2021, meaning the annual rate of cost inflation has accelerated to 10.4%, the first double digit annual figure since the index was launched 10 years ago.”

Davidson said annual inflation for construction costs is expected to hold at around 10% for the first quarter of 2023 before easing over the

Construction cost: CoreLogic Chief Property economist

Kelvin Davidson says annual inflation for construction costs is expected to hold at around 10% for the first quarter of 2023 before easing over the rest of the year.

rest of the year as the red-hot residential building sector finally starts to slow.

Why steel studs are preferred

]

by William Milnes

However, commercial builders tend to prefer steel studs over wood studs. Wood was the traditional choice for framing in the construction industry. Not anymore—construction companies prefer steel studs. What’s with the preference?

Structural strength and integrity

Though wood is tough, it is not as tough as steel, as it is vulnerable to delving insects like borer.

Wood absorbs humidity, expanding and contracting as it soaks up water. This leads to attached coverings cracking and warping with the wood.

Steel stud framing is immune to pests and resistant to fire. It can withstand extremely high winds; one of the reasons why municipal buildings, metal schools, and churches are usually used as rescue centres in areas susceptible to natural disasters or tornadoes.

Saves labour cost

The more time spent on labour to cut lumber to size, boring holes for wiring among other things the more money spent. Thus, the saying time is money, which definitely applies to labour costs as well.

Wood stud framing requires skilled labourers who must spend more time working on the wood, for example, cutting lumber to size.

With steel stud framing, you can have steel frames and panels done before it gets to the work site for walling to be completed using just a set of instructions and reasonably trained labourers.

Wall panels can be pre-constructed at the manufacturer to ensure hole spacing and fitting will be meticulously completed at the site.

Convenience

Steel is lighter than wood and its hollowed shape means it occupies less space—half the space of wood.

This translates to easier transportation and storage.

Cutting of metal studs with aviation snips means no sawdust is produced, which translates to a cleaner environment.

Metal cutting saw blade and a mitre saw can be used to cut in bulk.

Steel studs have superiority in commercial buildings or large structures construction as it is relatively easy to pre-fabricate offsite, rather than doing onsite welding during the construction process.

Patterns and hardened bolts can be prepared in advance for easy setup and connection of beams and posts to one another quickly, once they arrive on site.

This goes to save time and promotes efficiency at a construction site. Steel stud framing allows creating of uniquely shaped structures that are much taller than wood framing could allow.

Tougher: The structural strength of steel framing makes it the builder’s choice.

Loan-to-value ratios not likely to be loosened this year

by Kelvin Davidson

CoreLogic NZ’s

] Chief Property Economist

It was a purely hypothetical scenario musing over the removal of the many handbrakes introduced in recent years including the Foreign Buyer Ban and loan-to-value ratio (LVR) rules.

It was certainly an interesting suggestion but one that all of the commentators interviewed, myself included, concluded would result in little to no significant impact in the near term.

What it did do, however, was get me thinking more generally about the LVR restrictions, and what their future might be.

As a quick refresher, LVR restrictions cap how much a bank can lend relative to the purchase price.

The restrictions were taken off in 2020 but put back in place in March 2021 and then tightened further to help dampen the post-Covid buying frenzy and curb any looming financial stability risks. Current LVR levels mean investors mostly require a 40% deposit while owner-occupiers generally need a 20%

deposit, although new-builds are exempt.

Nobody I’ve spoken to is realistically entertaining the idea that the Reserve Bank (RBNZ) would remove LVRs altogether anytime soon, but it is possible that they’ll be loosened eventually – perhaps by reducing the deposit rule for investors (e.g. 5% of loans < 30% deposit, rather than the current 40% requirement) and raising the speed limit for owner-occupiers (e.g. 20% of loans < 20% deposit, rather than the current 10% speed limit).

However, to me, some form of LVR loosening doesn’t seem imminent. Here’s why.

Most importantly, the current housing downturn isn’t triggering major financial stability risks (such as widespread mortgagee sales) – and technically those would have to be apparent before looser lending rules would start to be pondered by the RBNZ

Indeed, in a falling housing market, looser LVRs might actually create their own risks, e.g. greater chance of negative equity if people only require small deposits

Similarly, looser LVRs at the same time as the RBNZ is trying to cool the economy

and inflation with a higher official cash rate seems counter-productive

There have been suggestions from time to time that LVRs should be removed or relaxed to help more first home buyers (FHBs) get into the market.

However, it isn’t the RBNZ’s job to be concerned if LVRs are hampering one buyer group over another. And in any case, the CoreLogic Buyer Classification series continues to show that FHBs’ market share is actually holding up well

Meanwhile, as noted in the article and hypothetical situation mentioned above, even if LVRs were loosened in the near term, borrowers may not come flooding back (given low consumer confidence at present and higher interest rates), while banks would probably stay pretty cautious too.

After all, even with the speed limit for lowdeposit owner-occupier lending currently sitting at 10%, the actual figure in November for these loans was 4%

Although I think the probability that LVRs will be loosened this year is low, there’s a

reasonable chance we’ll see a shift if/when formal caps on debt-to-income (DTI) ratios are imposed from around March 2024. In other words, giving with one hand and taking with another in early 2024. More detail on DTIs can be seen here, in particular the consultation document.

Again, the RBNZ should be independent from the politics. But to the extent that this shift in the policy mix might help FHBs a bit more (because they find it harder to raise deposits) and hampers investors a little (because they borrow at higher DTIs more often), this would no doubt please the current Government, if they were still in power at the time.

Ultimately though it’s worth reiterating that the cost of finance is the most important factor. Continued high mortgage rates into 2024 would probably restrain housing activity and prices regardless of what was happening to credit policy.

For the latest property insights visit corelogic.co.nz/news

I

‘To me, some form of LVr loosening doesn’t seem imminent.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

WE HAVE THE ANSWER

PASTURAL YIELD WITHOUT FERTILISER NITROGEN

Rolling to steep sheep and beef unit at Ballance. We first applied at Functional Fertiliser mix in 2010 and have applied to 85ha every year since.

We have enjoyed outstanding animal health with both sheep and beef animals regularly achieving top prices at the local sales yards. Independent analysis showed our soil quality to be second to none.

– GRAEME AND JUDY OLSEN

Functional Fertiliser applications over four years have transformed our rotationally grazed pastures into a highly productive summer dominant clover sward.

The “fertiliser’ soft carbon combination brought our soil and pasture to life with amazing alacrity.

Our spring pasture growth supported a stocking capacity of 40 su/ha with the pastures still requiring topping. The Functional Fertiliser wrap around support service has been exceptionally helpful.

– LINDSAY

This stuff is amazing. I have clover coming up where there was none before, thanks!

– LANCE UNSWORTH

We have a small organically registered farm near Otaki specialising in cattle finishing. In the 8 years since applying Functional Fertiliser no nitrogen has been applied and the changes have been exceptional with very strong clover growth providing all the nitrogen required.

It took a little time to kick in however our animal health has been exceptional with no lice or worms and very few vet bills resulting in a low cost easy to manage and profitable operation. The property is at least carbon neutral, and the pastures largely look after themselves.

The stock agent says we fatten cattle quicker than others with two year old carcass weights of 280 – 300kg with the meat having exceptional flavour.

Our costs are 30% less, with 30% less labour required. We run fewer animals with a 30% increase in overall profitability. It’s an easy-to-follow system that is equally successful on both large and small operations.

Functional Fertiliser really works. It sweetens the soil creating the ideal environment for mycorrhizal fungi and beneficial microbes resulting in strong growth throughout the year.

– STUART PRITCHARD

Recently, a major end-user in the UK specified that they would now prefer to buy products from New Zealand that were grown or raised on reduced nitrogen and phosphate land. We believe this is a start of a new trend that will be here to stay.

TO MAINTAIN HIGH

PLEASE READ THESE TESTIMONIALS CAREFULLY.

Proof it works

1. Commitment to Technology

SIT - business division of Te Pukenga, is a market leader in education, investing in their students by providing cutting-edge technology and industry-standard equipment for their training, resulting in graduates with contemporary skills.

The Tenstar Tractor Simulator is just one example of how Telford students get ahead, enabling them to practice skills and scenarios and master techniques, before ever setting foot inside a real tractor, benefiting in: safety outcomes, clocking up more ‘seat time’, and gaining experience with a wider array of implements and settings than would otherwise be possible in real-life situations.

2. Industry-responsive Training

Telford programmes are designed with employment in mind – close collaborations within the sector and a tradition of practical skills training, results in graduates capable

of entering the workforce safely and professionally. The emphasis in hands-on learning sees work placements incorporated into a number of programmes, propagating industry contacts and the successful placing of graduates.

Telford Work Experience Coordinator and Tutor, Allan Roxburgh, said it’s not unusual to have most, or all graduates with jobs to go to; Telford graduates are valued and desirable employees because they have a strong practical component in their programmes, where essential skills are taught from day one.

3. Living the Telford Experience

Telford graduates often comment on the caring, supportive environment they experienced while studying; most live on-campus, forging lifelong friendships with other students through the easy camaraderie of a close-knit community.

Accessible and approachable tutors are frequently acknowledged as mentors - they will definitely know your name (and your grades), and encourage you to give it your best. The smaller class sizes equate to more connectedness with tutors and class-

mates, adding quality to the student experience.

4. Leaders in Innovative Thinking – SIT Zero Fees Scheme (ZFS)

SIT has been doing things differently for more than two decades; the Zero Fees Scheme is in its twenty-first year, and remains the hallmark of the dynamic thinking instigated here in the south.

Savvy students who enrol at Telford can save thousands of dollars, achieving their qualification and setting themselves up for success after graduation, less inhibited by student debt.

The SIT Zero Fees Scheme (ZFS) is subject to NZ government policies.

There’s still time to enrol and train in 2023 – some of Telford’s most popular courses are available under the Zero Fees Scheme. Check our website for more information: www.sit.ac.nz/Telford

Make the call today and discover why Telford has what it takes for your training needs. Phone 0800 835 367

Telford has been skilfully shaping farming futures for more than fifty years, producing well-rounded, capable graduates; here are four reasons why Telford graduates successfully fill roles in NZ’s agricultural sector.

Telford has a strong tradition in hands-on learning; students learn the practical skills for farming, allowing them to enter the workforce safely and professionally.

Advertorial supplied by ] Nelson College

At Nelson College, we want our students to be excited about life, and to discover and pursue their dreams, knowing that there will be challenges along the way.

School should be somewhere that provides the spaces and support for young men to learn and find their passion. A place to be encouraged and extended to succeed in learning.

Our focus is on building students’ key competencies such as literacy, self-management and critical thinking, to build a foundation for further learning. At Nelson College, our curriculum and teaching are designed for boys. As a specialist in boys’ education, we provide the structure, opportunities and pastoral care that will see your son succeed at school and beyond.

Nelson College Boarding is well-known for its welcoming family environment. We have boys from around New Zealand as well as overseas, and we know how important it is for them to have a sense of belonging within our community.

We want our boys to thrive and succeed in

•

these formulative years, so we ensure that they are supported throughout their studies, as well as encouraged in their own interests and endeavours.

Alongside this, is important to everyone

Nelson College’s experienced staff are committed to creating a strong and caring community within the school’s boarding fraternity. 0800472 563 0800 4 PALMER Farmlands admin@palmeragriparts.co.nz 34 Robinson Street, Riverside Industrial Park, Ashburton Palmer Agri Parts Direct imports and manufactures quality parts that fit machines indicated. These parts are not sold as genuine parts. co-operative

that our boarders have fun, make lifelong friendships and create unforgettable memories within the context of a clear and safe structure.

structure.

Our experienced staff are committed to creating a strong and caring community within the boarding fraternity. Because our two hostels are on the school grounds, it’s easy for the boys to get involved in extracurricular school activities.

We ensure that they are supported throughout their educational endeavours, and we also make sure that they experience everything our beautiful Nelson region offers.

these formulative years,

Nurtured to thrive, inspired to shine

] Supplied by St Margaret’s College

When school finishes each day, the boarding houses come alive with the sounds of chatter and laughter.

The culture of the boarding community is closely aligned with SMC’s vision for a holistic education, embracing the spiritual and emotional wellbeing of its girls, as well as their academic growth, and their development in sports, arts and culture.

Experienced boarding staff take pride in helping boarders to grow into empathetic, confident and connected global citizens, and treasure the moments they spend with them.

Warm, open relationships develop as

staff provide the support to enable girls to flourish academically and succeed in their co-curricular aspirations, while maintaining high expectations around self-management, respect and consideration for others.

Girls are encouraged to step up as leaders and contribute positively to the boarding community. The big sister/little sister culture celebrated at SMC extends deep into its boarding houses, with senior girls developing strong relationships with younger boarders.

SMC’s boarding school is an integral part of its campus, facilitating boarders’ participation in more than 80 after-school

and weekend co-curricular activities. Its three boarding houses are arranged by year group to meet the specific needs of each girl’s development phase, from their transition into boarding from Year 7, through to preparation for life beyond the College gates in Year 13.

SMC’s Open Day takes place on Mon-

day 6 March. Boarders are invited to participate in a Boarders’ Sleepover on Sunday 5 March, giving girls the opportunity to experience life as an SMC boarder, and to meet other girls in their cohort and boarding staff.

To register, visit stmargarets.school.nz/events/ open-day

Open hearts, Open minds, Open Day

Monday

Pre-registration essential at: stmargarets.school.nz/events/open-day/

St Margaret’s College provides a secure home-away-from-home atmosphere for its boarders.

St Margaret’s College combines a first-class education with the building of lifelong values and friendships.

Upskill with local tutor Natalia Benquet

Natalia’s

Some of you may know Natalia from her time working at DairyNZ. She has also farmed in the Canterbury region and works as a farm systems coach for Dairy Holdings and a tutor for Dairy Training Ltd, a subsidiary of DairyNZ. She is also a qualified vet.

Natalia will be tutoring three different courses in the region starting in February, including Business by the Numbers in Hokitika, (February 24), and Timaru (March 16).

Business by the Numbers is a course that covers farm budgets and financial management to help farmers achieve longer-term goals like self-employment or growing their sharemilking or farming business. New and experienced budgeters are welcome.

Natalia has a Diploma in Coaching which also makes her an ideal tutor for the Write a Business Plan course. She loves growing people within the dairy sector and coaching farmers; helping them understand what they want to get out of farming.

Write a Business Plan takes farmers through the process of goal setting, planning, and the steps required to achieve their goals, be that sharemilking, employing a manager, spending less time in the dairy shed, or making off-farm investments.

The third course she’ll be tutoring is Pro-

gression Management, a course for assistant managers and managers to upskill in their current role. Participants improve how they interact with others, get up to speed with tools and technology, identify areas for improvement on farm, improve financial management skills and plan for a rewarding career.

Dairy Training tutor Natalia benquet will be tutoring Progression Management, a course for assistant managers and managers to upskill in their current role.

This course will be in Ashburton starting on 9 February 2023.

Dairy Training has courses for the whole farm team. These three courses start in February and March. So don’t miss out. Find out more and register at dairytraining.co.nz

Learning real-world farming skills

Darfield High School’s Tawera Rural College provides opportunities for students to learn real-world farming skills, with pathways to work, as well as agricultural science and commerce with pathways to Lincoln University.

Starting from Year 9 and through to Year 13, students learn a range of theory and practical skills from teachers who also run farms.

The Malvern community backs Tawera Rural College with great access to a range of farms for extended practical days and work experience.

In 2022, the school’s Gateway programme supported student placements. We aim to help the local farming industry

by increasing the flow of work-ready young people and by inspiring the next generation of agricultural researchers and managers.

In February 2023, Tawera Rural College launches its agriculture academy, developed from farmer input and supported by the Primary Industry Training Organisation, three foundation high schools and the local farming community.

The programme is intended for those Year 11 and 12 students who display a genuine interest and passion for agriculture specifically and the primary industries, in general.

We welcome you as a new partner for student learning experiences. register your interest today at rural@ darfield.school.nz (Gateway), or sb@darfield.school.nz (agriculture academy).

Darfield High School’s Tawera rural College students have access to a range of farms for extended practical days and work experience.

goal is to ensure that every student leaves each course with a higher level of knowledge and understanding about themselves, their goals and their business.

] Advertorial supplied by ] Darfield High School

The boarding advantage at St Andrew’s College

] Supplied by St Andrew’s College

“There are immeasurable benefits to boarding at St Andrew’s. Students learn socialisation, interpersonal skills, organisational skills, and resourcefulness, which benefits them well beyond school.”

Matt says a key point of difference at St Andrew’s is that all its boarding management staff, and many of its tutors, are educators.

“Our teaching backgrounds mean we know how to work with young people and understand the rigours of academic work. We understand what it takes for students to be successful and help them balance academic achievement with their health and well-being, and co-curricular activities.”

The College’s valued group of tutors have a key role in the boarding houses, covering the night shift, and organising lots of fun after-school and weekend activities, says Matt.

“Several of our tutors shared their own leadership stories with Year 12 boarders at the recent Leadership Seminars we ran to help students learn more about leadership, their own leadership style, and leadership

opportunities. This sort of holistic development is another example of the ‘Boarding Advantage’ at the College.”

Boarders at St Andrew’s have access to enviable sports and cultural facilities on campus, including a new fitness centre, two gymnasiums, expansive sports fields, tennis courts, a Music Suite, TV and media studio, Ballet Academy, and library.

There is already strong demand for boarding at St Andrew’s in 2024, says Matt.

“The boarding houses are quite full for 2023, and we encourage anyone interested in securing their child a place in 2024 to be proactive. We’ll be running our usual boarding roadshows around the South Island in Term 1 and look forward to meeting prospective new students and families.”

Matt loves to witness the growth of boarders, who might start in the St Andrew’s boarding family as nervous 12 or 13-year-olds and end their days at the College as confident 17 or 18-year-olds.

“Some students find it a daunting experience to start with, but it’s great to see them thrive and flourish throughout their boarding journey with us.”

As well as a world-class education and host of co-curricular activities, boarders at St Andrew’s College gain valuable life skills and personal growth, thanks to the ‘Boarding Advantage’, says Director of Boarding, Matt Parr.

St andrew’s College boarders taking part in an amazing race event.

Smart spraying saves dollars and makes sense

Optimising spray applications will save money on chemicals and do a better job, according to a leading New Zealand sprayer tester and operator.

] by Kent Caddick

And from what he’s seen, there’s widespread room for improvement in contract and farmeroperator practice.

“The sprayer is the most important piece of equipment on an arable farm today,” Jeremy Talbot of Talbot Agriculture said.

“The biggest issue is the choice of nozzle. With the same water rate different nozzles do very different things.”

Talbot says air-induction nozzles are used far too widely and many operators would do better to use standard flat fan nozzles, or preferably a twin-cap with two flat-fan orifices.

“You get an eight-fold increase in the number of drops and four times the deposition on the crop or target weeds, and for most chemicals that’s where they need to be. If they hit the soil they’re wasted.”

Another problem, particularly where contractors are concerned, is using too little water. Fewer fill-ups means a considerable increase in area that can be covered in a day, hence why contractors are keen to reduce volumes, Talbot says.

“But it comes back to coverage. If you’re using less water there are fewer drops per hectare and you’ll get less chemical onto the target.”

In Europe, some countries have introduced legislation specifying a minimum of 150 litres/ha of water be used as it’s now accepted low water volumes have hastened the onset of herbicide resistance in certain weed populations.

“Only two countries are still using air induction nozzles and very low water rates widely, and that’s Australia and UK.”

Australia’s and the UK’s herbicide resistant grassweed problems are well documented and Talbot says it’s only thanks to the diverse rotations on most New Zealand arable farms that similar issues haven’t arisen here yet.

Driving too fast increases drift, which is another reason why some contractors favour low drift nozzles, says Talbot.

He advocates a maximum of 12kmh, or down to 10kmh if there is drift, slowing to 8-9kmh to turn on headlands.

“Spraying should be a smooth, non-stressful job.”

Spray tips

• Don’t speed: increases drift, boom bounce, yaw, and in/out problems.

• Beware of low-drift nozzles: efficacy compromised.

• Keep water volume up: 150 litres/ha minimum.

• Twin-cap nozzles help hit both sides of target.

• Remove PPE before entering cab.

• Right nozzle, speed and volume = less chemical cost.

Information for this article was supplied by Talbot agriculture.

Drifting: Driving too fast increases drift, which is why some contractors favour low drift nozzles. Photo by Lincoln agritech

Positive signs out of China

by allan Laurie MNZIF ] Laurie

than an air of expectation driving this. Recent announcements by senior China leaders suggesting they expect significant Government investment and a return to stronger economic growth should be very much good news to a Kiwi forest owners ears.

For any new readers, and by way of explanation, when we talk export log price, we are referring to A grade logs. These are the highest volume by grade in the market and therefore the price determinant.

When A grade prices are agreed, all other log prices settle at common margins above or below A grade.

A grade logs are those with a minimum small end diameter of 30cm and 3.8m long plus 100mm trim. Maximum branch size can vary to customer preference, but for most is a maximum 12cm.

A grade compares with the closest grade commonly sold to NZ sawmills producing house framing. Those are typically S30 grade being 4.8m+ long with a minimum small end of 30cm and a maximum branch diameter of 7cm.

Domestic log prices are typically higher quality and

price and much more price stable than export. This, as I have always maintained, emphasises our domestic sawmills are our backbone and must remain the log supply focus.

Even in regions in NZ where there is a good number of sawmills, we very much need export sales to move the heavier branched logs. There is also export log grades right down to 12cm diameter and branches up to 20cm at mostly pretty good prices. Thus, a vibrant market is enhanced where there is good demand in both export and domestic segments.

And when we talk about CFR price settlements, that means the cost of log including freight landed in China in US$ per export cubic metre called JAS. JAS is a ‘Japanese Agricultural Standard’ cubic metre of measure, is generally two dimensional and calculated by small end diameter times length.

The current CFR price is in a range US$127-$130 per JAS A grade basis depending on who you talk to. This is historically quite low. In January 2022 A grade was $139 and June 2022 US$150. In the last three years I have seen it as low as US$118 and as high as US$170. Such volatility is one of the challenges facing forest owners trying to make a decision about when to harvest their trees.

In 2022, shipping had a significant impact on the NZ log grade, as it did in many NZ commodities. Shipping rates reached US$70 per JAS, more than double the nor-

mal levels. This completely eroded the NZ wharf gate price causing many harvest operations to stop. I am delighted to say shipping companies are having a really tough time of it now, poor souls, (not) with rates coming down quickly.

Like log prices, supply and demand impacts shipping rates. In a typical month NZ forestry Inc requires 45 to 50 vessels to move their logs to China. Right now, there are plenty of vessels opening on NZ, charterers have choice and shipping companies have been firmly told to get their pencil sharpeners out.

The longer than normal summer holiday enforced by some sawmills throughout NZ emphasises a significant over supply of lumber. I highlighted way back in September ’22 there appeared to be a scatter gun approach to orders when volumes were constrained. Those over-zealous chickens have now come home to roost.

Building activity is still strong but many sawmills cranked up production in 2022 so there is a supply correction going on which some have suggested is a three to four month problem. Again, these sawmills and sales are critical to all forest owners so let’s hope this supply/demand arm wrestle match is short live.

As always people, please remember the thoroughly important message, “it remains, as always, fundamentally important, the only way forward for climate, country and the planet, is to get out there and plant more trees”.

The New Zealand forest industry return from summer holidays has been greeted with generally positive news out of China, but our local sawmills have started to come off the boil significantly with furrowed brows being the order of the day.

]

Forestry Ltd

Contention over whether emissions pricing changes address concerns

Article supplied by DairyNZ

DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel said what the Government has come back with is more closely aligned with what the sector proposed early last year, but the devil will always be in the detail and industry will be working constructively to get clarity around that and the changes, where necessary.

“Farmers are already facing huge cost pressures with rising interest rates and onfarm inflation driven by feed, fuel and chemical prices. Emissions pricing is going to add yet another cost, so it’s important we continue work to achieve emissions reductions in a fair, practical and equitable way,” van der Poel said.

“Throughout this entire process, DairyNZ has maintained that ‘no deal is better than a bad deal’ and we would never accept an emissions pricing system that would put our farmers or rural communities at risk – and we stand by that.”

Changes to the Government’s emissions pricing plan include confirmation the price will be set at the lowest rate needed and fixed for five years to give farmers certainty, and better recognition for on-farm planting. Farmers will also be able to manage and report their emissions as collectives.

“The changes are a direct result of strong sector advocacy and shows what can be achieved when we all stay at the table and work through the tough issues together in a constructive way,” he said.

“We are pleased the Government has listened to concerns from farmers and the

rural community during the consultation period. I want to acknowledge that feedback has been taken on board and changes have been made.

“Although we have made good progress, there are still a number of issues we want to continue to work through with the Government, including legislative timelines, the retention of a processor-level backstop and the reduced role of the oversight body from what we understood had been agreed.

“DairyNZ has real concerns that, because of delays in the process, there will not be enough time to implement the scheme before the Government’s intended start date of January 1, 2025, and that, as a result, farmers may end up in a processor-level system through no fault of their own.

“We are also extremely disappointed to see the role of the oversight body has been significantly reduced, with advice to be provided to the Climate Change Commission, not directly to the minister, for consideration. This, in our view, is a key issue we will continue to work on.”

Government has also confirmed the Climate Change Commission will be required to consider scientific developments such as GWP (an advanced metric for measuring methane emissions) when it reviews emissions reduction targets in 2024.

“DairyNZ welcomes this news, as it has previously called on the Government to use the latest and best science when setting methane targets. The current metric overstates the warming impact of methane emis-

sions by three to four times when emissions are stable, as they are in New Zealand.”

New Zealand is committed to reducing emissions through being signed up to the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius, pref-

erably below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“DairyNZ will continue to advocate strongly on behalf of farmers and rural communities to resolve these issues and ensure the Government’s high-level direction aligns with the detail, when we see it this year.”

by CP Lime

Under pressure: DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel says farmers are already facing huge cost pressures with rising interest rates and on-farm inflation driven by feed, fuel and chemical prices, and emissions pricing is going to add yet another cost.

DairyNZ says changes to the Government’s emissions pricing plan are a step in the right direction and acknowledge some of the sector’s concerns, but there are still some important issues to be resolved to address all farmer concerns.

Emissions accuracy and solutions

award-winning research

] by Kent Caddick

AgResearch’s Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Inventory Development Team has produced “excellent and significant science on an important topic for New Zealand”, according to the judges for the annual awards, which include entries from New Zealand’s seven crown research institutes and Callaghan Innovation.

“What is particularly impressive is that between the team members they have made a sustained contribution over a number of years,” the judges said.

“There is also a very high level of engagement with a broad range of stakeholders across New Zealand and internationally which is ensuring their results are being used for policy design and monitoring.”

The team, led by senior scientists Cecile de Klein, Tony van der Weerden, Jiafa Luo, Stefan Muetzel and Arjan Jonker, has been able to show through its work that estimates of nitrous oxide and methane emissions should be significantly adjusted, compared to previous calculations using former standard methods from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

With support of partners, the AgResearch scientists guided the development of what is

known as country-specific ‘emission factors’ to improve the accuracy of calculating New Zealand’s agricultural greenhouse gas emissions estimates. Emission factors relate the quantity of an emitted greenhouse gas to a specific activity, such as fertiliser application.

This is critical for New Zealand given methane and nitrous oxide from agriculture make up approximately half of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, compared to about only 10 per cent in other developed countries.

The NZ-specific emission factors devel-

oped by the team were incorporated into the Ministry for Primary Industries’ national agricultural inventory, which is now considered one of the best inventories in the world. And with every new update, the accuracy of the estimates has been improved by the research from the team.

“It is fantastic to have the work of the team recognised like this,” AgResearch senior scientist Tony van der Weerden said.

“But the biggest thrill of all for us is knowing that the research is making a real difference for New Zealand. We all know the challenge of climate change confronting us, and that agriculture is New Zealand’s single

biggest contributor, so we all need to act.

“By better understanding the challenge and the extent of these greenhouse gases, we can not only better understand how we are tracking as a country, but also what tools and approaches could be most effective in reducing emissions,” van der Weerden said.

This is the second consecutive year that AgResearch has won the Supreme Award in the Science New Zealand Awards, both recognising cutting edge and globally relevant research in the climate change area.

Last year AgResearch’s low methane sheep breeding team won the award.

Doing the research: The agresearch agricultural Greenhouse Gas Inventory Development team (from left): Stefan Muetzel, Tony van der Weerden, Cecile de Klein, Jiafa Luo and Arjan Jonker.

] with Peter burton

Fertiliser costs have already risen dramatically, particularly that of manufactured imported high analysis products.

With a drop in the cost of international shipping a significant reduction could be expected however historically prices have declined far more slowly than they have risen.

This means that without cutting fertiliser inputs there will be, for some, serious pressure on farm profitability, the difference between costs and income, this season.

The question for many will be how little fertiliser can be applied this autumn without risking lower levels of pasture and crop production.

It’s a question there’s no easy answer to because of the number of factors involved. Historic inputs which are reflected in soil test figures are important.

In situations where higher than maintenance inputs over many years have been the norm not applying fertiliser this autumn is unlikely to significantly reduce pasture growth over winter and early next spring unless there is a reliance on synthetic nitrogen.

The other factor often disregarded is the physical structure of the soil. With over 5,000kgN/ha held in the top 25cm of most pastoral soils there’s no shortage of nitrogen.

Its availability for plant uptake that’s the issue and the amount and depth of crumb will largely dictate the amount plants can utilise. As a rule of thumb the areas of the farm that are softest produce the most feed. Com-

pacted soils with poor root penetration grow the least and are slowest to recover in autumn.

There’s a low-cost long-term solution that all farmers, particularly where magnesium is an ongoing requirement, should consider.

Golden Bay dolomite has several unique qualities that make it worthy of serious consideration.

It is a powerful soil conditioner improving pore space in heavy clay-based soils while adding a little stickiness to light sandy soils.

Containing both magnesium and calcium carbonate an autumn application of typically 250kg/ha reduces the amount of lime that is required to maintain soil pH.

Magnesium helps with uptake of phosphorus by plants reducing the likelihood of growth being limited by a lack of phosphorus between now and next summer.

Beneficial soil biology, earthworms along with microbes, respond positively to extra calcium and regular small inputs help with the digestion of dung, old root, and litter on

and near the soil surface.

Dolomite has been regarded as an expensive form of magnesium, primarily because of the cost of cartage from Golden Bay, however much of the magnesium oxide used as an alternative comes from China, considerably further than from Golden Bay.

Dolomite need only be applied once a year, with autumn being ideal, to provide 12 month protection of animals from a magnesium deficiency.

The message from long term dairy clients is that cows down behind hedges at five in the morn-

ing have quickly become a thing of the past.

The requirement for dusting breaks on a daily basis is largely eliminated, as is the necessity to add large amounts of magnesium chloride or sulphate to drinking water.

Heavily dosed drinking water is unpalatable increasing the likelihood of animals drinking from puddles, and production being limited by a lack of clean fresh drinking water.

Dolomite is a natural product originally laid down on the floor of the ocean over millions of years. With land movement it has become compacted and able to be mined in the same way as ag.lime.

Because it is finely ground the improvement in overall animal health is rapid with first time applicants noticing an improvement in pasture palatability within a month of application.

For a cost delivered to property call 0800 436 566 (0800 4DOLOMITe).

Which irrigation system is best suited

farm?

] Article supplied

by

] Thinkwater Canterbury

No two farms are the same, so it’s important to consider the right solution for your needs. Take a look at the pros and cons of some of the main irrigation systems below.

Centre pivot

The leading method of crop and pasture irrigation in many areas, pivot systems boast up to 95% efficiency in water dispersion at a relatively low cost.

Advantages

• Automation. Centre pivots can operate 24/7 if required; providing control over water pressure/levels that ensures optimum pasture growth across the seasons and pastures

• Highly durable. They maintain their value and usually require lower maintenance

• Low labour required. One person can manage multiple machines and these can be managed remotely

• Flexibility. Their construction allows them to straddle fences, sheds and obstacles so they can be set up in just about any paddock

Considerations

• Larger initial investment

• Capturing corner area may require corner arms

• Wind tolerance can be lower than other systems

• Limitations in undulating land

Solid set (fixed grid)

Properly planned solid-set systems lend themselves to their low labour requirement and can be gun, fixed sprinkler, or solid set.

Unlike centre pivots, they’re suited for irregular shaped blocks or hard to water areas such as pivot corners and areas that make others forms of irrigation unviable (such as protected trees).

Advantages

• Low labour cost – often little or no input to operate the system which can be automated from a computer or mobile device

• High coverage area

• Flexibility to tailor the irrigation to certain soil types and requirements

• Easy to repair and maintain with standard parts

• Ability to isolate paddock areas

Considerations

• High initial setup includes labour requirements and costs of materials

• Restrictions around raised posts

• Wind tolerance can be lower than other systems

Irrigation central: Centre pivot systems are the leading method of crop and pasture irrigation and boast up to 95% efficiency in water dispersion at a relatively low cost.

Subsurface

Drip or subsurface irrigation is recognised as the most efficient and advanced irrigation solution because it allows for the system to be localised for maximum accuracy, control and automation.

The flipside, however, is that these systems require a level of maintenance and system knowledge to maximise their potential.

Advantages

• Advanced and efficient, they conserve energy and maximise the use of your water by feeding directly to the rootzone

• Low labour cost

• Below the paddock’s surface which reduces risk of damage

• Suitable for undulating surfaces and irregular shaped paddocks

Considerations

• Careful consultation and analysis of soil profiles are required to determine the suitability of subsurface drip

• Requires knowledge and expertise to manage after install

• Has a higher initial financial investment

• If not managed correctly there may be risk in clogging soil or risking pasture quality through uncontrolled irrigation

Whatever system you choose, it’s important that it’s tailored to your needs and with expertise and support on hand.

] with Ian McIndoe ] Aqualinc

Is

drip irrigation

Designed and installed correctly, SDI applies water very uniformly and efficiently, has no water losses above ground and no runoff. It can apply reduced water applications (little and often) and improve nutrient uptake if fertilizers are injected through the system.

While there’s limited hard data on the production benefits and profitability of SDI systems in NZ, it’s known to increase yields and crop quality while saving water, energy and fertilizer. Recently commissioned projects are looking at quantifying the benefits now.

SDI can be installed in unevenly shaped blocks and can be designed to work well on sloping ground. Installed at typically 100-300 mm below ground, driplines supply water directly to plant roots. There is no labour for shifting and it’s not affected by farming operations.

Given these advantages, why hasn’t SDI taken off in NZ?

The initial investment is high compared to other systems, although it has a life of 15-25

years. Being low pressure, it uses less energy than many other systems. The whole of life cost can be lower than some other methods. It’s not DIY and requires expert design and installation. Poorly done, it will not give the benefits described above. Once buried, it’s hard to fix mistakes.

There is still an element of it being unproven technology despite it having been widely used. Some systems failed due to poor design, poor management or poor quality materials, causing root intrusion and emitter clogging.

Deeper driplines may not be suitable for seed germination during drier periods. A backup irrigation system may be needed to wet up the soil surface before planting. Topography, crop, soil, and paddock shape determine dripline configuration. Dripline spacing will depend on whether you intending to irrigate a row crop such as grapevines or require total coverage such as for pasture.

Soil texture and depth is critical to deter-

mining suitable dripline spacing and depth and selecting appropriate dripper flow rates and spacings. Water will move further upwards and sideways in clays or loams than it will in sandy or stony soils, generally.

Driplines and emitters are installed closer together and have higher flow rates in light soils, increasing cost. In heavy soils, dripline and emitter spacings can be increased and emitter flow rates decreased lowering cost.

We strongly recommend getting soil tests done to determine the depth and soil properties of the soil horizons. Holes should be dug, and samples taken to check soil textures.

Don’t guess when it comes to depths,

spacings and flow rates. Unless you have evidence that a particular configuration will work, get the system designed and analysed by an expert. This is normally completed using specialist software that works out how the water will move through the soil, as shown in figure 1.

The quality of water going into the driplines must be well-filtered and possibly treated to remove physical, chemical, and biological impurities. The filtration system must be welldesigned and reliable to prevent failures resulting in emitter clogging. If there is any doubt about water quality, get it tested. Get an experienced installer to put the system in and ensure that it is fully flushed out, tested, and commissioned.

Finally, learn how to manage it. Don’t let the soil dry out and flush the driplines regularly and it will serve you well for many years.

t o d i f f e r e n t c r o p p i n g , o r c h a r d , v i n e , a n d i r r i g a t i o n s y s t e m s t y p e s T h e l o n g e s t s e r v i n g i n s i t u s e n s o r i n

Providing rural sector with site specific weather data

]

by Kent caddick

MetService provides weather data for CropX to share via its cloud based platform direct to an app on the farmer’s phone. The data will be backed by science, based on modelling as well as from local observations from specific weather stations in farming hubs.

“This partnership means that as well as farmers having access to the data our soil monitors provide, they will have further and fuller information on the weather in order to make good water and nutrient management decisions to ensure the best outcomes for the pasture in the growing cycle, with minimal water and fertilizer inputs,” CropX New Zealand managing director Eitan Dan said.

The agreement will see CropX using MetService weather data on their farm-management platform, with MetService now a licensed reseller of CropX’s technology.

“No business could be more at the mercy of weather than farming,” Dan said.

“New Zealand farmers make important and costly decisions based on the weather multiple times a day - so accuracy and ease of accessing weather information is essential. We want to provide this to our CropX customers to supplement the data they receive from our soil sensors.”

MetService business development manager Peter Fisher said they rigorously evaluated CropX technology, and were impressed by the consistency and accuracy of the data

and the seamless setup and operation.

“We employ over 100 meteorologists in New Zealand, and operate the most in-depth weather observation network in the country, including New Zealand’s weather radar,” Fisher said.

“We were very impressed with both the hardware and software CropX has developed to monitor various aspects of soil, including moisture levels, and we see multiple exciting synergies with CropX.”

CropX was founded in New Zealand six years ago after angel investors provided capital for initial work carried out by Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, a New Zealand Crown Research Institute. The company then moved to Israel.

It has recently returned to New Zealand after acquiring Regen, an effluent and irrigation decision support company.

Dan said he was excited for CropX New Zealand to continue growing its national pres-

ence and to work with more New Zealand businesses to help Kiwi farmers and growers.

“We’re very much a New Zealand business and we want to provide products and services which respond specifically to the needs of growers and farmers here in New Zealand who take land and water management, in the best interests of the environment, very seriously.

“We are supporting them with this.”

BY LINDSAY

Working smarter: eitan Dan of CropX (left)and MetService CeO Stephen Hunt are working together to provide Kiwi farmers with high quality and site specific weather forecasts and data from their smartphones.

]by

]

Soil moisture monitoring is essential in La Niña

tooth soil moisture probes in this way.

andrew

Primary Insight

Curtis

As previously noted, La Niña weather patterns always make for more challenging irrigation seasons due to more frequent rain events, warmer temperatures, but fewer ‘hotdays’. Reliable and accurate soil moisture monitoring is essential.

Soil moisture monitoring is a simple task under pasture farms. Typically, between 1 and 3 permanently installed probes are required that only need to be removed and reinstalled for pasture renewal.

Provided the probe is installed well and the soil moisture trace is setup correctly, soil moisture monitoring is relative plain sailing.

However, for cropping farms the number of probes needed can be upwards of 6, and these need to be installed and removed annually. So how do you minimise the cost of soil moisture monitoring on a cropping farm?

Selecting a reliable and accurate probe that can be easily installed and removed is key. For example, the tapered nature of the Sentek Drill and Drop Bluetooth probe allows for easy installation and removal while ensuring good soil to sensor contact and therefore accurate readings.

The number of probes required can be reduced through their tactical use; using a single probe to monitor the critical growth

stages of at least two crops over the season, for example, autumn wheat followed by a seed crop.

Good choice: Selecting a reliable and accurate probe that can be easily installed and removed is key.

Having said the above, we’ve recently had some great feedback around the cost benefit of investing in soil moisture monitoring on cropping farms, as well as for monitoring winter forage crops on dairy platforms.

The feedback is clients have paid for the probes they’ve purchased within the season through increased yield alongside an ability to tactically use a limited or costly water supply with confidence. Post-harvest we’ll publish some farm case studies of these.

We’ve also had a couple of clients comparing our product with other offerings, and the great news is we’ve come out on top from both a probe reliability and service perspective. This has made us very pleased as our business goal was to provide a cost-effective, quality service to our clients!

Primary Insight are specialists in soil moisture measurement, if you want to put in place reliable and accurate soil moisture monitoring on you farm, need support with trouble shooting an existing installation or would like to understand how to correctly setup, read, and use your soil moisture data for irrigation decision-making, we are here to help.

Alternatively, join us at one of our free irrigation workshops in February, March, or April.

The number of probes required can be halved adopting this approach and some of our cropping clients are now using their Blue-

Check out the event listings on our website for more information on dates and locations www.primaryinsight.co.nz. You’ll also get a certificate of attendance that satisfies your Farm Environment Plan irrigation training requirements.

The NIWA climate outlook indicates that we will continue with the La Niña weather pattern for the remainder of summer but start moving into a neutral phase for autumn.

] with rob Cochrane

] Wool Procurement Manager, ] PGG Wrightson Wool

Three

Cautious optimism for wool market

A large proportion of crossbred wool types were carrying substantial degrees of discolouration (yellowness) due to the dry and humid conditions experienced in the South Island, whilst North Island wools were similarly very yellow however due to much wetter weather patterns.

Yield measurements were dropping like a stone for many South Island wool types due

to the dry conditions but, generally, very good grass supplies creating heavy grease content across most fleece and oddment types.

Wool flows into warehouse facilities across the South Island had been relatively slow throughout January, but with shearing ramping up particularly in Southland into February this trend was expected to change although some growers could opt to hold their

shorn wool on farm until there is either a market price improvement or other more urgent on farm jobs reach completion before wool bales get transported to broker or merchant stores.

Along with New Zealand coarse wool prices being in the doldrums are other producers of similar wool types.

Latest information from the British Wool

market, just prior to the end of December last, was that while there had been a slight improvement, prices were far from great with sales achieving around 80% clearances and their market indicator around 2% cheaper than at the same time in 2021.

Fine wool sales in both South Africa and Australia maintained good levels throughout January with clearances at auction recorded as being in the low to mid 90% ranges.

Lamb shearing is also underway at present and growers need to take particular care with their wool preparation due to significant discounts for those wools which may contain black fibre, are poorly skirted leaving yellow discolouration, or contain vegetable matter in the form of seed and burrs.

Usually at this time of year wool exporters have orders for well prepared crossbred lamb’s wool measuring approximately 30.5 microns or finer and preferably 0.0% or an absolute maximum of 0.1% vegetable matter contamination, therefore in-shed work is of the utmost importance.

Due to the wet conditions experienced in many North Island areas for several months, it’s likely that many of their lambs’ wool lines will show considerable yellowness, possibly benefitting South Island wools which have been prepared well.

Despite the continuing poor coarse wool prices, buyer interest from mainly European based processors has been reasonably firm of late and with recent trade shows taking place during January in the Northern Hemisphere, many exporters have reported good quantity sales for wool deliveries into the second half of 2023 and beyond.

With China recently indicating a re-opening of borders there may also be a hint of improved wool trading to that country which would no doubt be welcomed by all but, as I have learned during the past several decades, don’t hold your breath!

That’s my view.

wool auctions in New Zealand (two in Napier and one in Christchurch) had been completed for calendar year 2023 at time of writing, however the market had showed little movement compared to the end of 2022, and a distinct lack of buying power from China was certainly a major contributor.

‘With China recently indicating a re-opening of borders there may be a hint of improved wool trading.

Drystock financial stress recognised

The government’s thinking about how best to reduce farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is getting closer to a solution that hill and high country deer farmers may be able to live with.

] with Trevor Walton

Deer Industry NZ (DINZ) is cautiously optimistic that the latest version of the proposed emissions pricing system will help reduce emissions without putting drystock farmers under undue financial pressure.

“The report released by government just before Christmas showed that the government and the He Waka Eke Noa partners are finding more common ground.

“There’s a shared commitment to further reduce emissions from farming through onfarm sequestration and the development and adoption of new technologies,” DINZ chair Mandy Bell said.

“At the same time, there is a shared recognition that some farmers – especially beef, deer and sheep farmers running extensive hill and high country operations – are already financially stretched and have no economically viable way to reduce their emissions.”

The timing of the report was driven by the Climate Change Response Act which required the government to release a report by 31 December 2022 on an emissions pricing system for agriculture.

“Emissions reductions will come from the development of new technologies funded by emissions levies and government,” DINZ CEO Innes Moffat said.

“Because of the lack of off-the-shelf solutions that farmers can apply, the government appears to have recognised that the levies on emissions need to be set at a low level, sufficient to make the system self-funding, rather than using levies as the major driver of emissions reductions.

“Also, some of the financial impact of the levies will be dissipated by making a wider

range of on-farm tree plantings eligible for carbon payments, outside the ETS.”

Moffat said DINZ remains concerned that even ‘low-level’ carbon levies could have a severe impact on the viability of some extensive farmers and will be keeping a close eye on how a proposed ‘transitional pricing system’ shapes up. Under such a system, farmers without mitigations, or the ability to derive income from sequestration, would be eligible for some reduction in levies.

DINZ wants all GHG-related calculations, such as non-ETS on-farm sequestration and the adoption of recognised GHG-reduction technologies, to be captured by a single farm calculator.

“Farmers are already burdened with compliance activities – we don’t want that load to

be increased,” Moffat said.

“We are also keeping an eye on nitrous oxide emissions calculations, to ensure that the impact of slope is recognised. Basically, less N is leached and emitted from urine shed on a slope than on flat land.”

He said finding a way to price greenhouse gas emissions from farming was always going to be extremely complex. But he notes there is strong drive from the public, our markets and farmers themselves for our food

production to be as green as it can be.

“The government has clearly listened to what the He Waka Eke Noa partners have been saying about what is practical, affordable and achievable. There is now much more common ground to work upon.

“Under the Climate Change Response Act agricultural emissions will be priced, DINZ has been working within this context to represent the interests of deer farmers, it is therefore encouraged by the approach the government has taken but will continue to work on the details.”

Meanwhile DINZ is keeping a close watch on the development of new technologies that promise to reduce emissions from farmed deer.

As most hinds and velvet stags come into the yards only a few times a year, the feed additives that have a potential for reducing emissions from dairy cows are unlikely to have a role on deer farms. Of greater interest are slow-release boluses that are now being trialled in cattle and if successful, could probably be adapted for use in deer.

Reduction: The government and the He Waka eke Noa partners agree on the need to further reduce emissions from farming, but they are also mindful that some farmers have no economically viable way to reduce their emissions.

Photo by Doug andrews

Wolverine made for NZ conditions

ard – the same hydraulic-assist tilting device fitted to the hard working Viking three seater utility SSV.

Featuring Yamaha’s durability and reliability, the new X2 prioritises work over recreation by featuring a larger cargo bed than stand-

The Wolverine X2 is one of the smoothest and quietest side-by-sides ever made. Noise, vibration and harshness is minimalised thanks to the refinement of the twin-cylinder powerplant as well as an array of specially formed body panels and insulating dampeners throughout the chassis.

Smooth, ultra-quiet power comes from an 847cc twin-cylinder engine, along with the Ultramatic CVT transmission, Yamaha’s OnCommand System with 2WD, 4WD and 4WD with full differential lock, and Yamaha’s exclusive EPS.

Forged pistons and connecting rods ensure durable high-rpm performance. To improve efficiency the engine features a drysump design for a more compact layout and offset cylinder block to reduce friction loss, while rubber engine mounts and a geared counter balancer ensures smooth running from idle to redline.

Yamaha’s renowned On-Command 4WD system lets you switch between, 2WD, limited-slip $WD and a fully locked differential

4WD. Unlike competitors’ automatic 4WD, On-Command puts the driver in full control to make the most of available traction in any sort of terrain.

The Wolverine X2 also comes standard with a Speed Management System which allows the owner to limit the vehicle to a top speed of 40kmh, ideal foro work sites or other special operating conditions.

Kitted out to tackle tough tasks, the X2 comes with high-back seats, refined cabin features and aluminium wheels. It also shares the comfort, capability and confidence of the XT-R modelbut is developed for the man on the land who values practical features to help get the job done.

The Wolverine X2 features well-dampened suspension at all four corners for improved chassis control and handling feel. Built for Yamaha by KYB these shocks give the X2 a flexible, balanced

Bigger deck: The new X2 prioritises work over recreation by featuring a larger cargo bed than standard.

MACHINERY SALES & CONSULTANTS

ride character, whether the day calls for cargo carrying or trail blazing.

The X2 features a Viking-spec large tilting cargo bed (only fitted to the New Zealand Wolverine X2 Utility) is wider, longer and deeper than standard and designed to take a pallet. Add in a full 907kg towing capacity thanks to the standard 2-in receiver and the Wolverine X2 is ready to work when you are.

The new Wolverine X2 Utility is specifically designed for the tough environment of New Zealand farms.

Bliss: The Wolverine X2 is one of the smoothest and quietest side-by-sides ever made.

Ranger goes platinum

] Article supplied by Ford NZ

Exclusively powered by Ford’s 3.0L V6 Turbo Diesel, Ranger Platinum adds premium exterior touches, like 20-inch alloys, Matrix LEDs, bespoke grille, and unique-in-market Flexible Rack System.

Ranger Platinum’s interior will feature quilted leather accented trim, heated and cooled front seats, 12.4-inch instrument cluster and a heated steering wheel.

“Ford listened hard to our customers throughout the design and development of the Next-Generation Ranger, and in doing so we’ve set a new bar for the segment,” Ford New Zealand’s managing director Simon Rutherford said.

“We’ve seen growth in high-end variants in this segment over recent years, so we challenged ourselves to create a vehicle that provides all of our customers’ wants and needs.”

Ranger Platinum is available exclusively in five-seat, double cab specification, and is powered by Ford’s 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel engine, producing 184kW and 600 Nm of torque.

Power is delivered through the Ranger’s electronically controlled full-time four-wheel drive system, combined with Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission.

The result is refined, responsive, confident performance regardless of conditions, and a generous

maximum braked towing weight of 3,500kg, like the whole Ranger line-up.

Key exterior enhancements include a unique grille, 20-inch alloy wheels, ‘Platinum’ hood badging, Silk Chrome trims, Matrix LED headlamps, a damped tailgate which makes lowering the tailgate effortless, and Ford’s ingenious Flexible Rack System (FRS).

Ranger Platinum boasts premium appointments, like quilted leather accented seats and heated steering wheel. The front seats are heated and ventilated with 10way power adjust and with memory function for the driver, while the 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster and decorative finishes add to the

sense of opulence when you get behind the wheel.

It will come with Ford’s Flexible Rack System (FRS) which consists of Folding Roof Racks and a first-tomarket patent-pending Sliding Load Rack.

The roof racks feature crossbars that swing across the roof when needed, can be adjusted to two different lengths, and then stored away in the roof rails when not being used.

The clever Sliding Load Rack can be operated by one person and locks into five different positions along the length of the load box.

A pop-up crossbar increases the height of the loading platform to match the Folding Roof Racks.

Hurrah for cruise ships

The cruise ship season is well underway with tourists being shuffled around our special sights by a squadron of coaches, but it is a lot more than selling views and the odd cup of coffee.

] by Rob Cope-Williams

Think for a moment about what anywhere from 3,000 to 5,500 people consume during a week at sea, remembering they return from a sightseeing trip to eat back on board.

A couple of examples from the batch of boats suggest the weekly amounts vary, but are significant.

Spuds, 20,000, IBs pizza slices 3,200 per hour, chicken 20,000 IBs beef 18,000 IBs eggs 60,000, fish 7,000 IBs fruit a salad stuff 26,000 IBs crayfish tails 5,400, plus much more. Then there is the booze, vodka, scotch, beer, gin, wine, rum, plus tonic and other splits.

Simply out they cannot carry enough on board to feed all the passengers and crew with fresh supplies. That is where the supply companies come into play.

I understand that most ships restock about every seven days at designated ports. So when they arrive at a port, they will have consumed numbers such as those above and need a similar amount to be taken on board.

Note that we are talking about each ship needing that amount of food, and there is a raft of them around our shores.

Suffice to say cruise ships

are a hidden export business that is totally off the radar but certainly helps the local trade extremely well.

I am sure that those who are supplying the produce this summer must be panicking about trying to supply around 60,000 eggs per ship, but other areas such as fresh fruits that is available this time of the year will certainly be enjoying the boom.

Naturally those on board will know that the cherries, stone fruit, and meat are New Zealand grown, so hopefully they will look for it in the local supermarket. Local markets and exports both winning.

There are other little areas that sit below the main supermarket type radar, consider for a moment how much beef, chicken, lamb, lettuce, tomatoes, eggs and cheese get consumed by those eating fast foods every week.

Add in the local restaurant insustry that gobbles up goodness knows how much quality produce very week. I am sure that the people such as McDonalds have their own contract growers, but again it is a lot of business being done within New Zealand rather than exports and of course the supermarkets.

A limited edition Ranger Platinum will join Ford New Zealand’s line up later this year, combining the capability and versatility of Ranger with unique styling and premium features.

All torque: Ford Ranger Platinum is available exclusively in five-seat, double cab specification, and is powered by Ford’s 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel engine, producing 184kW and 600 Nm of torque.

Proud to introduce the new look team for your Central Canterbury Rural and Lifestyle needs

Nationally, for the six months to December 2022, rural property sales (20ha+) equalled $1.6 billion, back from $2.3 billion on the same period last year. Nationally the number of farm sales at 395 are back a third on last year too.

December rural sales nationally equalled $548m approx. a third of this season’s total sales in a single month, however Canterbury REINZ reported December rural sales are well back at $39 million ($124 million last year) with half the number of sales 13 (24). There just have not been anything like the same number of dairy farm transactions this December. Values are holding, particularly for properties with favourable consents in place, notably dairy grazing, but premiums on last year look unlikely given the current trend in Canterbury.

While our business has the vantage point of dealing with 1 in 3 rural transactions this season, it does not make us fortune tellers but what we do know is interest rates have a big impact on our rural market. But it does tend to lag, given the seasonality of rural real estate. Over the past year, the Reserve Bank has lifted the Official Cash Rate (OCR) from its all-time low of 0.25% to 4.25% - a level not seen since before the GFC, in 2008.

The opportunity for buyers of primary sector assets in 2023 remains significant, exports for the current season are still tracking ahead of MPI’s previous forecasts and are now predicted to hit $55 billion this June, which would be 15% up on two years ago.

In times of market change, experience and dedication are required to ensure that your real estate needs are met by a highly trained, highly knowledgeable, and highly experienced team who will put your needs first. It gives me great pleasure to introduce you to our Central Canterbury rural team that will leave you in no doubt you have chosen the best to represent you, whatever your real estate needs.

For rural and lifestyle property advice call 0800 367 5263 or visit pb.co.nz

Gareth Cox, Canterbury Rural Manager gareth@pb.co.nz

From the left; Grant McIlroy, Chris Moore, Simon Anderson, Matt Collier and Gareth Cox.