Farmers Weekly NZ January 14 2019

The answer is in the soil Vol 18 No 1, January 14, 2019

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PAGE 9 Vol 18 No 1, January 14, 2019

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No rescue for Taratahi Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz

A

RESCUE package for the Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre was rejected by the Government last year, which left the national training provider no option but to face liquidation.

The Farmers Weekly has been told the package consisted of cost savings, a restructured business and courses, the planned sale of the 518ha Mangarata farm in the Wairarapa, a $6 million working capital cash injection and moratorium on refunding over payments to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).

Last year the Government spent nearly $100m bailing out Unitec, Whitireia and Tai Poutini polytechnics.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins was not available to comment.

The Farmers Weekly has been told the package was prepared by the TEC but Gillian Dudgeon, its deputy chief executive for delivery, said Taratahi approached ministers late last year seeking financial support.

“Taratahi is a private training establishment and the issues that it faces are due to the financial viability of its operating model,

reduced student numbers and unsustainable levels of debt.

“There was no clear pathway for Taratahi. Independent financial advice showed that the amount of Crown financial support needed to clear Taratahi’s debt and ensure it remains viable in just the short term could be more than $30 million if no asset sales were made.”

We need to have something in place very quickly as we are likely to see students starting to come in at the end of the month to start their courses.

Richard Farquhar Telford Farm Board Following the Government’s rejection, a TEC spokeswoman said Taratahi withdrew its 2019 funding application and a week before Christmas called in interim liquidators, Grant Thornton.

Taratahi’s 750 effective full-time students and 250 staff – who had their salaries suspended from Friday – face uncertainty as the liquidator works through realising Taratahi’s $46m of assets to settle

more than $23m of debt – $10.5m to the TEC and $13m to Westpac.

The TEC is working with other education providers and institutions to find courses for students planning to study at Taratahi.

If the liquidator does not consider Taratahi viable, the Farmers Weekly has been told it will need to sell all its assets, including the Mangarata breeding and finishing farm bought in 2011, livestock, vehicles, campus land and buildings.

Its Wairarapa dairy farm, which was gifted, cannot be sold without approval from the Minister for Primary Industries and the Telford farm is held in trust.

In 2018 the TEC provided Taratahi with $17m in funding, but it only recruited half the targeted enrolments for which it was funded, requiring the repayment of $6.5m.

In 2014-15 it had to refund $4m for similar under-enrolment.

The TEC said it is seeking to recover $10.5m in overpayments from the liquidators.

Meanwhile, Invercargill-based Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) is once again looking to take over Taratahi’s Telford campus in South Otago, having looked at it in 2017 when divested by Lincoln University.

Telford Farm Board chairman

Continued page 3

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The world at his feet

FEILDING sheep, beef and cropping farmer Allan MacLeod has won the trip of a lifetime thanks to Farmers Weekly and CR McPhail. McLeod will join the Farmers Weekly Global Trek to central and eastern Europe later this year after being drawn the competition winner from more than 600 entries. The trek will take in notable farming sites and tourist attractions, giving participants both a great holiday and an insight into European farming. To join the tour, visit www.crmcphail.co.nz. Photo: Aaron Davies

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NEWS

WEATHER OVERVIEW As forecast this week kicks off with an area of low pressure and a southerly. This will bring rain back in to some areas for the first time this year but totals may not be very grand.

Some should get a nice localised soaking but the hit and miss nature of the rain bands, plus our localised mountains and ranges, means it’s quite hard to be specific about who will get the most but there should be a few good downpours over the North Island on Monday/early Tuesday. A big high then rolls in followed by cold front on Friday sweeping up the South Island with showers. This weekend another big high which may dominate next week too.

11 Farm Source fills Carrfields gap The acquisition of Fonterra’s livestock trading division, Farm Source Livestock, is the result of several months of strategic planning.

A new wave of stress relief ���������������������������������������������� 7 Labour shortage threatens harvest ����������������������������� 16

Newsmaker ������������������������������������������������������18

Pasture Growth Index Above normal Near normal Below normal

7-DAY TRENDS

Rain

Wind

Some rain around today thanks to an area of low pressure transiting NZ, then a few showers fading for the North Island’s east on Tuesday. Late Thursday/Friday some rain/showers for the South Island. Mainly dry this weekend/next week.

New Thinking ��������������������������������������������������19 Opinion ������������������������������������������������������������20

ON FARM STORY

NZX PASTURE GROWTH INDEX – Next 15 days

High pressure continues to stream across New Zealand coming in from the west. Between each centre of the high we’ll get a weakening in air pressure which may allow west to south west changes in for a time, otherwise calm.

For further information on the NZX PGI visit www.agrihq.co.nz/pgi

Highlights/ Extremes

Temperature Warm across New Zealand with light winds but some south to south west changes will bring a slightly cooler breeze to some southern and western facing regions at times. Otherwise warm to hot weather for the next week.

Drier than normal for this time of the year rainfall-wise in many regions with no significant nationwide rain in sight, other than what we have for today, Monday.

14-DAY OUTLOOK

NZ’s generally in a healthy set up pasturegrowth wise at the moment with so much rain in late 2018 most regions have good soil moisture levels, some are even still much wetter than usual. The driest portion of NZ may be large in size but is mostly bush-covered land in the north west corner of the South Island. Taranaki, Whanganui and Manawatu are the driest dairy regions right now soil-moisture-wise, with drier than average weather continuing for them over the next week.

SOIL MOISTURE INDEX – 11/01/2019

24 The answer is in the soil Regenerative agriculture flies in the face of conventional farming wisdom with soil management the key to profiting from nature, Canterbury cropping farmer Simon Osborne says.

REGULARS Real Estate �������������������������������������������������26-31 Employment ����������������������������������������������������32 Classifieds ��������������������������������������������������������33 Livestock ����������������������������������������������������34-35 Markets �������������������������������������������������������36-40 GlobalHQ is a farming family owned business that donates 1% of advertising revenue to the Rural Support Trust. Thanks to our Farmers Weekly and Dairy Farmer advertisers this week: $765.

Need help now? You can talk to someone who understands the pressures of farming by phoning your local Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254.

Source: WeatherWatch.co.nz

This product is powered by NIWA Data

For more weather information go to farmersweekly.co.nz/weather

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

3

Caution urged on Overseer use Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz A FLURRY of reports advising caution in the use of Overseer has prompted developers of the technology to convene meetings with local and central government to develop better guidelines on its use.

Three reports released last year, and another commissioned

by Overseer Ltd, confirm the technology was a decision support tool for farmers but was increasingly being used by regional councils as a tactical tool used especially for setting and measuring nitrogen leaching limits.

Overseer chief executive Caroline Read said she will work with regulators to get consensus on how to best use Overseer and to move away from it being used to provide an absolute number on the amount of nitrogen leaching.

Reports last year by the Biological Emissions Reference Group, Productivity Commission and the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment all raised doubts about the accuracy of Overseer in establishing absolute numbers on the level of nitrogen emissions.

Read said Overseer was more accurate at measuring trends and proportionate changes over time.

The Overseer-commissioned Continued from page 1 Richard Farquhar said his board is talking to SIT. “We need to have something in place very quickly as we are likely to see students starting to come in at the end of the month to start their courses.”

His board is concerned the Government has no plans for level three and four primary sector training despite course completion rates in the high

SYSTEM FOCUS: Overseer chief executive Caroline Read says Overseer is designed to compare the impact of system changes, rather than providing absolute numbers.

review, by Gerard Willis of Enfocus, described Overseer as a decision support tool for farmers.

“That is, it allows the user to understand the long-term impacts of system wide changes to a farm rather than day-to-day changes in N-loss.”

Actual N-loss from a farm can never be known because it cannot be reliably measured for a whole farm and Willis said as with any modelling, Overseer simplified complex processes and standardised localised variability.

Read said in an interview there were too many variables to accurately measure any nutrient losses from a farm and she wants councils to move away from

having “hard numbers” on which farmers are judged to have either passed or failed to one where Overseer was used to determine trends and compare system and management changes.

As technology improves Read said measuring nutrient loss will become more accurate and provide farmers with a comparison of the impacts of different systems and management changes.

“That is what we are trying to achieve at Overseer, to give farmers the opportunity to understand that if they make changes, what it will mean to their system,” she said.

Willis said in his report that

90% and virtually every graduate getting a job.

SIT chief executive Penny Simmonds said she is waiting for direction from the liquidators.

Political, farming and education leaders all said the current sub-degree model is costly and unsustainable.

To secure funding, training providers predict student numbers for the coming year and lodge a funding application with the TEC.

They then try to recruit their targeted student numbers, but if they fail, they must refund the TEC. Taratahi faces high costs because students are required to live on campus, and it must offer hands-on education, adhere to compliance and provide pastoral care.

A TEC statement said a competitive funding pilot proposal for level three and four primary industry providers run in

Overseer modelled rather than measured nutrient loss, and then only losses below plant root zones.

Councils have used it as a regulatory tool for more than a decade, principally as a compliance measurement tool and to set nutrient loss limits.

Over time its use has extended as regional councils look for technology to measure diffuse discharges and to meet freshwater quality targets.

Willis urged care with its use in planning effects-based water management.

“Overseer should not be considered as a substitute for a broad, multi-pronged approach to water management more generally.”

Willis said after N, phosphorous (P) was the other important nutrient for water quality and while regional councils did not set property-specific P-loss limits using Overseer, there have been calls for this happen.

He said Overseer assumed all farmers followed good management practices, but this ignored changes to improve those practices and similarly ignored those following poor management.

He warned that using Overseer to show compliance or compliance failure against specific N leaching limits could lead to inequities in the way farmers are

2017 and 2018 will not continue this year.

It created different funding rates for different qualifications, but all rates will now be standard, which the TEC said will have meant lower funding for some Taratahi qualifications in the coming year.

“Even if the TEC did fund Taratahi in 2019, without additional government support it was not going to be viable and would not have been able to pay

treated relative to others, drive creative uses of Overseer and be difficult to justify and enforce if tested legally.

For that reason, he advocated Overseer be used to estimate farm performance against a target range and where failure to meet those standards triggers closer scrutiny of a farm operation.

Overseer should not be considered as a substitute for a broad, multi-pronged approach to water management more generally.

Gerard Willis Enfocus This may not necessarily mean refusal or forfeiture of consent, because Willis said Overseer data should not be the only consideration for regulators.

“This approach contrasts with one that uses Overseer as part of a pass/fail test that sees a limit imposed and the activity unable to be authorised, even under a consenting regime, until such time as Overseer can demonstrate that the limit will not be exceeded.”

its debts as they became due.”

The TEC said the number of students studying level three and four agricultural, environmental and related studies has fallen sharply.

“It is partly due to demographic change, with declining numbers of school-leavers in most regions of New Zealand, and also because the labour market is very strong, with low unemployment in most places, making work more attractive than study.”

I was a convert “Kate and I bought our first farm near Eketahuna in 1988. We milked cows until 2004, while buying small blocks nearby, and farming sheep and beef as well.

Dairying provided the stepping stone to a sheep farm which now runs 5,800 ewes, after adding seven small blocks to the original farm. My sheep breeding program has included Wairere for nearly twenty years, first with composite rams, now Romney and some Dominators. I still criss cross with Coopworths.

Lambing is consistently 145% to 150%, with a few hoggets mated to reach the current target of 9,000 lambs.

Dairying taught me to feed stock better. A 115kg calf is “bullet proof”. So is a lamb weaned at 34kg”. Royden Cooper (pictured with Kate and son Liam.)

Royden and Kate won the Wairarapa Farmer of the Year in 2008.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

Polwarths prove their worth again Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz ANDREW and Tracy Paterson are fine-wool winners nearly yearafter-year at Canterbury’s big annual show, but that’s not their main business there.

The focus is on promoting their Polwarth stud rams.

They have their own site at the November show, to meet with ram-buying clients and prospective new clients; winning the supreme fine-wool award “12 or 13 times in the last 16 years” helps with the marketing efforts.

The success lifts their profile in the industry and has led Andrew into the wool judging circles, most recently at the Uruguayan national show in September.

They funded that visit with prize-money from the Dakins Show Ambassador award in 2017, awarded each year to the farmers doing most to advance the show’s ideals.

The Patersons sell 200 stud rams each year and the Canterbury show (now the New Zealand agricultural show) is their main promotional event.

“It’s an important few days for us,” Andrew says.

Wool used to be the main money-earner for their Matakanui Station at Omakau in Central Otago. More recently, lamb meat income has taken over . . . the Polwarth is a genuine dualpurpose breed.

They have 1000 stud ewes and a 9000 commercial ewe flock.

“The lambs are a big part of what we do, and wool is big as well; they go hand-in-hand.”

They also run about 850 Hereford cattle.

“We’ve found that we can’t run as many sheep if we don’t have cattle, but they do provide good income as well.”

High quality and high yields are the objective at Matakanui.

The beef goes into ANZCO’s restaurant supply business in Japan. Lambs go into Alliance’s Silere alpine origin brand restaurant supply.

“The lamb is really good, and the beef is top quality,” Andrew Paterson says.

The Patersons put a lot of time into genetic testing, and he had to take a break from eye muscle scanning of ram hoggets to talk to Farmers Weekly.

They’re also involved in grading The New Zealand Merino Co research flock, and heavily involved in the group’s work on breeding footrot resistance into the wider breed.

We think 21 micron is right in the sweet spot. There’s so much demand and limited supply.

Andrew Paterson Footrot is one of the great challenges of farming merino, and the work is specially crucial in a wet year like this one. He estimates that three-quarters of the 10,000 Matakanui flock is now resistant.

“It makes a huge difference to managing the flock, to the extent that it is not one of our problems now. This year the biggest challenge is having enough stock to eat the pasture down.”

As well as taking big silage volumes this season, the farm is topping pasture to retain grass quality.

The farm supplies 500 bales of wool a year to The NZ Merino Co. Of this, 200 bales are sold to Icebreaker and 100 bales to Smartwool contracts.

The Icebreaker wool is at the stronger end of its supply base, and the supply to Smartwool is at the finer end of its requirements.

Matakanui produces wool in the 20 to 21.5 micron range, having moved finer in recent years from a 23-24 micron range.

“We think 21 micron is right in the sweet spot,” Paterson says.

“There’s so much demand and limited supply.”

They won’t be going any finer than what they do now, because they have a “really good balance” in the meat/wool equation.

“If we go finer, the hoggets will be too fine, and we don’t want our animals to be too small.

“We’ve got good size and meatiness and higher fat content into our lambs, and we’re getting good lambing percentages.

“This season’s rate was 118% and we’re pleased with that. We’ve been getting it up by about 1% each year.”

Matakanui is a big farm, 8700ha of steep high country – ranging from 280 metres to 1600 metres above sea level – and was bought by the Paterson family in 1958.

Andrew is the third-generation farmer, and says his parents deserve a lot of the credit for many of the achievements on his watch.

His wife Tracy is a full partner in the farm operations. She came from a non-farming background, but now does the farm administration and stud recording, including being involved in ram selection, and with marketing.

She’s also a qualified wool classer.

“I’m out of the wool shed now and she has three weeks in there doing the classing,” Andrew said.

“I’ve been teaching her all about the farm so that if something happens to me, she could carry it on, and that’s important for the next generation if they choose to be involved.”

HANDSOME BOY: Andrew and Tracy Paterson with one of their Polwarth stud rams.

Tracy set up the Canterbury show site in November and ran it on her own on for the first couple of days while Andrew was kept at home trying to keep up with the silage work needed because of the exceptional pasture growth after high rainfall.

“We do really well as a team,” he says. “I like to think that I’m a well-rounded farmer, and a good stockman.”

A big project now is mechanical, with a lot of recent restructuring of the irrigation system to spray from border-dyke. They irrigate 430ha of flat to rolling country, allowing them to grow a lot of good lucerne to cut for winter feed.

Without that, they would be running about 5000 stock units

fewer than the average 24,000su they’re doing now. It would also mean going back to selling more store stock, rather than finishing as they do now.

The Canterbury Show is a good fit for the Patersons, as they sell rams into North Canterbury, as well into the Hakataramea and Middlemarch areas, then into the lower central Otago and Northern Southland areas. Their rams do well in usually drier regions similar to Omakau.

They also show their wool at the small Central Otago Show at Omakau, and Paterson says it’s harder to win there than in Christchurch because the top local fine-wool producers are also in the contest.

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

5

No competition barrier, DLF says Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz THE Commerce Commission is wrong in one of its main concerns on the proposed acquisition of PGW Seeds by DLF Seeds, and inconsistent in other areas, the group says.

The Danish group disagreed with the commission’s initial finding that the deal would bring together two of the three main endophyte research and development programmes for use in commercial ryegrass varieties, potentially allowing it to hamper competition and impose price rises.

Many of the concerns mentioned ... had been canvassed extensively in its 2005 decision clearing the merger of Wrightson and PGG. DLF Seeds Replying to a “letter of issues’’ released by the commission in early December, DLF Seeds said the regulator was also suggesting a different approach to that it had in 2005 when it approved the merger of Wrightson Ltd and Pyne Gould Guinness (PGG), with their major seeds’ interests.

DLF Seeds said that it does not have one of the three main endophyte R&D programmes.

Including itself and PGW Seeds, there were at least four market participants with programmes capable of providing endophytes

for inoculation into commercial ryegrasses to protect against insect attacks.

Agriseeds, owned by multinational Royal Barenbrug group of The Netherlands, had developed and had rights for multiendophytes in New Zealand, had its own endophyte scientist at the Canterbury breeding station, and had a strong R&D collaboration with La Trobe University in Melbourne working to “discover and develop the next generation of endophyte for NZ pastures”.

The response said Cropmark Seeds (part-owned by fertiliser group Ravensdown) had also developed and commercialised its own endophyte, which DLF expected to see commercialised in ryegrass as well and was also working on several other products.

Cropmark’s website referred to an “intensive” R&D programme and a plant breeding programme which was “one of the most extensive, highly innovative, and professional breeding programmes anywhere in the world”.

DLF believed a fifth group, Seed Force, was also likely to be involved in endophyte development.

Its submission concluded that if DLF/PGW merged, there would still be at least three R&D programmes rather than just two as assumed by the commission.

DLF did not have materially more high-performing cultivars than other “minor players”, as referred to by the commission, but was in a very similar position to Cropmark.

The Danish group also said that many of the concerns mentioned in the commission’s December 3 letter had been canvassed extensively in its 2005 decision

NOT SO: DLF Seeds says the Commerce Commission’s findings on endophyte research competition are wrong.

clearing the merger of Wrightson and PGG. “While the commission is not bound by previous decisions, it is still required to act consistently.

“DLF maintains that (the 2005 approach) was correct and that factual conditions have not changed since then to justify a departure from the commission’s previous approach.”

In the “letter of issues”, the commission said it believed the ryegrass/tall fescue market was narrower than indicated in the DLF application. It was assessing whether perennial, Italian, hybrid, and annual varieties of ryegrass were each distinct product markets.

DLF said the commission

concluded previously that markets were national and that all seed companies could operate nationally. It had also noted “a high degree of substitutionality” between the ryegrass seed varieties and concluded that the view “that a single market encompassing the different varieties of ryegrass is appropriate”.

The commission also decided in 2005 that it was not necessary to define different product markets for ryegrasses that were inoculated with different endophytes.

DLF submitted that the previous conclusions on the ryegrass market were correct and “there had been no significant change in market conditions since

2005 that would justify a different approach now”.

In its letter, the commission said it was not clear if a precise definition of ryegrass markets would have a material impact on its assessment of the competition impact of the merger.

DLF’s response was that a precise definition would not have any material competition impact.

The company did not accept that it was a close competitor to PGW Seeds for the production and supply of ryegrass, nor that any other players could not replicate the competitive tension if the merger proceeded.

Nor did it accept the commission’s view that barriers to entry in the NZ industry were such that DLF Seeds would not be constrained in the market.

There would still be a competitive market, which would include PGW as a major customer of the combined seeds group.

The commission also had concerns about the narrowing of the merged group’s R&D relationship with AgResearch/ Grasslanz and the ability to hamper competition.

DLF responded that the R&D joint-venture would not change, and existing licensing arrangements with third parties (including Agriseeds) would be unaffected. AgResearch would continue as an independent participant.

It reminded the commission that it had reached a similar conclusion in its 2005 deliberations. AgResearch had said then that it had an incentive to encourage the uptake of technology by industry participants as that ‘’would increase the value of total royalties collected”.

South American weather problems hit PGW Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz PGG WRIGHTSON expects an interim after-tax loss for its Seeds & Grains business because of continuing problems in its South American operations.

Poor weather has impacted crop yields in recent seasons, leading to liquidity issues and tighter credit rules for farmers,

PGW chief executive Ian Glasson said.

This has impacted on the group’s AgroCentro retail jointventure in Uruguay, and to safeguard the business PGW is now buying out the remaining 50% of the company.

The overall Seeds & Grain business - which is in the process of being sold to DLF Seeds - will now have a reduced operating

profit (Ebitda) in the six months to December 31, compared to the previous year, and there will be an after-tax loss for the division, Glasson said.

The division had Ebitda of $10.8 million in the December 2017 period and an after-tax profit of $2.7m. Earnings are typically higher in the second half of the year.

The AgroCentro acquisition is

due to be settled in late January.

The South American issues will not reduce the purchase price that DLF Seeds is paying for PGW Seeds, Glasson said. This price was based on the value of the business at June 30, 2018. Glasson said PGW was confident the sale would receive the required regulatory and other approvals in the new year.

He confirmed that the group

expects a capital gain of about $120m from the sale, flowing through to group after-tax profits.

PGW’s NZ-based Rural Services business (Agency, and Retail and Water) were trading solidly though slightly behind the previous year because of a later start to spring sales, and a delayed recovery from widespread heavy rain in many parts of the country.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

7

HANG ON AND HANG TEN: Surfing for Farmers participants ride waves at Midway Beach, Gisborne.

A new wave of stress relief Luke Chivers THE Gisborne farming community is testing the waters this summer and seeing how surfing can be used as a way to let off steam.

Staff at AgFirst have created a programme dubbed Surfing for Farmers to help rural communities reduce stress and it works, AgFirst consultant and programme founder Stephen Thomson said.

“When you get off the farm and into the water it’s like taking a plunge into another world.

“For an hour or two you forget about everything else.”

The idea originated from a documentary, Resurface, which tells the stories of war veterans who use surf therapy to recover from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Thomson thought the concept could be useful for farmers.

“In our case we’re not talking

about trauma but there is science behind the idea of saltwater and the waves being an active ingredient in helping to reduce stress levels,” he said.

“It’s about giving farmers a chance to get away from the farm and have a bit of downtime over the stressful summer months.

“Many farmers could do with that.”

Thomson kick started the initiative with about 30 surfers, more than half of them farmers.

“I was impressed to see how many came long, especially for our first surf.

“The local community has been really excited about the idea.

“I’ve heard from a number of locals, including farmers, who are grateful for it.”

The programme runs once a week over summer, meeting at 5.30pm on Tuesday evenings at Midway Beach, or Makorori, waves co-operating.

The Gisborne Boardriders Club supports the initiative and supplies longboards, wet suits and coaches for people to learn how to surf.

When you get off the farm and into the water it’s like taking a plunge into another world.

Stephen Thomson Surfing for Farmers “We have 20 surfboards available and the sessions are 90 minutes long.

“You might have a go for 45 minutes then come in and fire up the barbecue then have a couple of beers.

“It’s a fun environment so it

doesn’t matter about skill level,” Thomson said.

“Anyone who surfs is welcome to get down to the beach and be part of our crew.”

Ngatapa sheep and beef farmer Hamish Cave is one of the farmers taking part.

“I always find it refreshing to get to the sea and catch a few waves.

“It is great to be able to enjoy the surf and let go of the busy day-to-day workload that farming throws at you.

“Weaning, shearing and picking lambs, it’s a busy time of the year on-farm, especially for sheep and beef farmers,” Cave said.

“But farmers still need to make time for themselves and their wellbeing.

“And surfing is a great way to do that.”

Thomson said winter sports like rugby and netball tend to bring farming communities together in the cooler months but that significantly reduces in summer

and, naturally, so too does their support network.

“The reason I started this programme is to help combat that,” he said.

“It’s also to help turn conversation into action.

“There’s a lot of good work taking place in our community such as talking about depression and anxiety but it’s equally if not more important to provide ways to help mitigate these issues before they escalate.

“Surfing for Farmers is a safe environment. You don’t have to be the best.

“It’s about getting out there, getting away from the demands of work and getting a chance to talk about things other than just farming.”

And it already has a bunch of sponsors keen to support it, Thomson said.

“So, there’s no cost to participants. Farmers just have to turn up and have a go.”

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

Report shows dairy’s role in the economy Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz THE dairy industry has commissioned and released a valuable report on its scale and importance that should be widely used by dairy leaders, Federated Farmers dairy chairman Chris Lewis says.

Facts and figures from the wide-ranging report by NZIER would be used for making submissions to local and national government.

“Dairy farmers know just how inter-dependent we are with local suppliers, tradespeople, and employees, and this report highlights that,” Lewis said.

The report for the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand details how $17 billion annually of export income in 2018 was distributed around the country and is sub-titled “an analysis of the flow-on benefits of dairy’s revenue generation”.

It says dairy farms have an output of $12b and that the farming side of the industry is number one in gross domestic product (GDP) in half of NZ’s regions.

Total annual export revenue from dairying had trebled and cow productivity had increased 23% since 2001 (the formation of Fonterra).

Dairying was the top income generator in Southland (14.8% of the regional economy), West Coast (13.4%) and Waikato (11.2%).

“Dairy provides economic opportunities in many regions where there are few alternative sources of jobs and income,” the report said.

Dairying is the number two industry in Northland, Taranaki and Manawatu-Whanganui, and number three in Canterbury.

The industry paid $2.6b of wages annually to farm and factory workers, 80% of which was earned in rural areas.

Dairy farm workers had the

highest average farming salary, $48,700 compared with the sector average of $45,800.

Dairy processing workers had the highest average food and beverage sector wage of $74,900 compared with the sector average of $59,600.

Females in dairy processing, at $72,100, were ranked fifth highest of all sectors in the national economy.

NZIER estimated total dairy plant investment at $3.1b since 2013, enabling the growth in infant formula exports to more than $1b annually, plus cheese and curd exports over $2b.

Dairy farmers know just how interdependent we are with local suppliers, tradespeople, and employees, and this report highlights that.

Chris Lewis Federated Farmers Two-thirds of the plant investment went into value-add products and the other third into milk powders.

NZIER said the dairy industry was the fifth-largest industry in NZ behind finance, construction, real estate and health.

Dairy accounted for 3.1% of national GDP in the year to March 2017 ($8.2b) and this was a high percentage for a developed country.

Agriculture accounted for 5% of GDP, the fourth-highest country in the 36-member OECD, of which two-thirds had agricultural sectors contributing 2% or less.

Dairy employment in February 2017 was 38,700, divided into

26,500 on farms and 12,200 in processing.

In addition a further 9000-plus jobs were directly dependent on dairying, in servicing industries.

“Dairy employment has been relatively stable since 2014, despite milk price volatility.

“This indicates that dairy farming jobs are “sticky” – farms tend to hold on to workers through price cycles.”

Dairy employment has grown by a compounded annual rate of 3.1% since 2001, above that of the national economy at 1.8%.

The rate of growth in wages for females was about 1% CAGR higher than males and the gender gap was narrowing but was still 35% in farming and 20% in processing, the report said.

Women were currently the national president of Federated Farmers, the chief executive of Westland Milk and the executive director of the Dairy Companies Association, which commissioned the NZIER report.

Fonterra had targets for 50:50 gender balance and 20% ethnic diversity at leadership levels.

Dairy Women’s Network was very active in the industry and one of four organisations partnering in the Dairy Tomorrow strategy.

Maori owned more than 10% of the assets in the dairy industry, including 213 Maori-owned or operated dairy farms supplying Fonterra.

Miraka was a Maori partowned processor and 40% of its employees were Maori.

Many other parts of the NZ economy relied on dairying because dairy farming and dairy processing were the largest purchasers of output from seven and six other industries respectively.

For dairy farming this included rural professionals, veterinarians, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers and motor vehicles.

For processing it included road and rail transport, ware-

CLOSE TIES: The dairy industry is a massive team effort, Federated Farmers dairy chairman Chris Lewis says.

housing, water and electricity.

Dairy farms spent nearly $1b annually on support services, more than $400m on financial services, more than $800m on agrichemicals, more than $400m on forage products and sugar crops, $355m on pharmaceuticals, and $200m each on electricity and accounting services.

“The dairy industry is a massive team effort – we couldn’t run without services and trades and most country towns would collapse without our spending,” Lewis said.

Federated Farmers was writing submissions to the government inquiry into the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act and on immigration matters and this report would be very valuable.

Lewis said the figures on employment and wages were very interesting.

“Wages are increasing quickly and the minimum wage increases are bringing the bottom up.

“Farmers are finding that $6/ kg is not quite enough any longer and we will need $7 on average in future.”

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News

10 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

Wide-ranging quake projects remodelled Tim Fulton timfulton050@gmail.com

TREES: An early priority will be helping farmers get the best out of the Emissions Trading Scheme and other forestry incentives.

THE earthquake recovery project for the upper South Island has been shaken up for better relevance and helpfulness to farmers.

The Government and farming and other landcare groups approved new work areas for the Post Quake Farming Project at a meeting on December 3.

“Thank you to everyone for your patience in

waiting for things to get to the point they are now,” new project manager Michael Bennett wrote in a project update.

“We have a great project stacked up in front of us which will hopefully pay dividends to the rural community for many months to come.”

Bennett said the project will work more closely with farm discussion and Landcare groups, with Beef + Lamb NZ and the Red Meat Profit Partnership as well as Destination Kaikoura and Lincoln University on, for example, farm tourism.

The rejig will help farmers use the Emissions Trading Scheme, regenerating native forest, improved biodiversity, options for horticulture, rural tourism and better communication of the farming story.

The review was based on extensive conversations with farmers and potential serviceproviders such as consultants and researchers.

An early priority will be helping farmers get the best out of the ETS and other forestry incentives while keeping farming land productive.

Farmers will be invited to work with their preferred farm and forestry consultants on a designed approach to fitting forestry into grazing systems, Bennett said.

It is critical to understand downsides of large-scale forestry planting.

2019 N Z

Michael Bennett Post Quake Farming Project

TOU R

The work will be based on a series of farmer case studies showing landowners the financial results from various forestry options.

“It is critical to understand downsides of largescale forestry planting, with an understanding of the opportunities in the ETS and forestry and how the additional income generated can be used to attain business, family and community goals.”

The project will use field days, research and videos to explain the possibilities and support ETS extension with a programme of farm improvement and design to show how forestry can be integrated to complement and enhance grazing systems.”

The remodelled project will work with participating farmers and consultants to design the extension approach and prepare case studies between now and February. Farmers can expect at least five case studies, starting in autumn 2019.

It will also look at the potential of regenerating native forest by doing demonstration trials on enhancing scrubland or regenerating forest to increase the rate of carbon sequestration.

Research will focus on simple treatments such as release sprays to kill gorse and exotic grasses, fencing and canopy manipulation of pinus radiata, if a canopy species is present, and planting coloniser trees to help plant reversion.

The project will also work with the Ministry for Primary Industries on pre-1991 forests, much of which still remains scrubland. That area represents a massive missed opportunity in terms of financial returns, forest regeneration and carbon being sequestered, Bennett said.

The project will try to quantify the missed opportunity on naturally-reverting land in terms of post-1991 and pre-1991 and work with MPI on a better solution.

There will be case studies and trials on assisted natural reversion and research on scrubland and natural reversion, he said.

Have your say on this issue: farmersweekly.co.nz

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

11

Farm Source fills Carrfields gap Annette Scott annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz THE acquisition of Fonterra’s livestock trading division, Farm Source Livestock, is the result of several months of strategic planning by Ashburton-based Carrfields Group, its managing director Craig Carr says.

“It’s been about filling gaps we identified as needing filled and so really this is an exciting opportunity – a glove sort of a fit, we are really happy we could pull this off,” Carr said.

“From our point of view Farm Source Livestock is quite strategic for us.”

In 2014 Carrfields Group acquired Elders which primarily initiated Carrfields’ livestock opportunity in the North Island.

“But it weakened regions such as Taranaki and Waikato and we always saw Farm Source as a perfect opportunity if it arose.

“Most of the agents we are taking on are in the strong dairy regions of Waikato and Taranaki, which will give us a good footing in that sector.”

Carrfields’ more recent Farmlands acquisition helped balance the gap in the country and that left Fonterra “purely strategic” to fill the void.

“It gave us the whole of the South Island and we had to look then at strategically where we

This acquisition has completed the puzzle.

Craig Carr Carrfields

FAMILY AFFAIR: The Carrfields team: James Carr, Stacey McKercher (nee Carr), Glenys Carr, Greg Carr, Craig Carr, Ryan Carr.

could grow – Farm Source is the balance, the last piece of the puzzle.

“Before we were stronger in sheep and beef and this really gives weight to our dairy business where we can now expand,” Carr said.

Carrfields is working with Farm Source to develop a range of

partnership offerings to ensure good relationships and benefits for Fonterra farm owners.

Carr said the strategic partnership will offer Farm Source clients and Fonterra farm owners access to a nationwide team of agents and a saleyard network provided by a New Zealand family-owned business.

Carrfields is a private company started by Carr’s father Greg more than 40 years ago.

Fonterra’s livestock trading division is run by the dairy co-op’s Farm Source arm.

“There is no conflict in either business, we are family-owned and Fonterra is farmer-owned and we will have a team of 150 agents

offering a wider network of people right across the country and for us there’s no duplication of people or process.

“We will have greater depth across the country in particular strengthening dairy.”

With a suite of agricultural divisions including grain and seed, livestock, irrigation and technology, contracting and wool, Carr said the family business was focused on working with farmers to grow and innovate both on and off farm with new technologies, products and innovation to take farming forward.

“This acquisition has completed the puzzle and we need to focus now on innovation and getting more growth in that space.”

Carr would not disclose the purchase cost of the Farm Source Livestock division.

Farm Source Livestock facilitated the sale of about 200,000 cattle last year.

Carrfields Livestock will take over ownership in March.

Livestock first step in Fonterra review THE sale of Farm Source livestock division to Carrfields Group is the first confirmed move in Fonterra’s portfolio review, begun after the trading loss for the 2018 financial year was revealed.

The livestock division had produced positive returns since

inception in 2005 as part of RD1, the Farm Source predecessor.

But the investment needed to maintain and grow the division would be more effectively targeted towards core Farm Source activities, stores director Richard Allen said.

The decision to sell for an undisclosed price was also made in the context of the larger review of Fonterra’s assets and investments, he said.

A former employee said the sale price would not have been large because turnover had been relatively small,

based on transactions of about 200,000 head of cattle annually and 25 livestock agents.

The division was based around respected national livestock manager Trevor Hancock and established to source dairy cows in the North Island for the big

South Island dairy expansion.

Fonterra’s China Farms also required large numbers of New Zealand heifers.

Both of those reasons had now diminished, and the portfolio review had given impetus to the sale of the division, the source said.

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News

12 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

Succeed with succession Some farmers have sons and daughters who are not interested in taking over the farm but grandchildren who might.

CHALLENGING: Starting the conversation about farm succession can be difficult, Malcolm Bailey says.

Malcolm Bailey RMPP

FARM succession is one of the pressing issues facing sheep and beef farmers, with more than 50% of sheep and beef farms expected to change hands over the next decade.

An upcoming series of Red Meat Profit Partnership (RMPP) workshops on farm business transition and succession aims to help farmers navigate what can often be a difficult process. The workshops will also be very relevant for people joining the sector and aiming for farm business ownership.

Malcolm Bailey, chairman of RMPP, says there is an opportunity to help farmers work through these issues and plan for positive outcomes.

“Many farmers have said they find it hard to know where to start the conversation because of

the emotional attachment they have to their farms and the tensions of handling significant assets, often with competing family interests.

“A key goal for RMPP is to help farmers through this process by providing information regarding succession options and ownership structures and sharing examples of successful outcomes.”

Farmers will be provided with resources and advice to help them explore the range of options available to them as they look at entering or exiting farm business ownership.

Bailey also noted the possibility of linking up people who are wanting to progress in the red meat sector with those who are wanting to exit.

“Some farmers have sons and daughters who are not interested in taking over the farm but grandchildren who might. They want to retire but want to keep the farm in the hope that a family member will take it on. Leasing the land or taking on a share farming partner who owns the stock are a couple of ways of achieving this.

“It is also important that retiring farmers can access the capital they require to enjoy life beyond farming. Good planning is important, and we encourage farmers to think about this well ahead of time.”

The workshops have been developed following research by RMPP and discussions with farmers, rural professionals and young people keen to progress in the red meat sector.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

13

Exporters face Brexit challenges

supermarkets or exporters absorbing the loss from port delays depended on at which point ownership of meat was transferred and that varied between customers.

“Ultimately though it is going to be worn by the customer and SFF regardless of who has taken ownership, because the customer is going to be less willing to take product if there is uncertainty.”

Limmer said a no-deal Brexit would also see British sheep meat shut out of the EU by high tariffs.

While that would increase competition in the UK market it would create opportunities in the EU for NZ exporters agile enough to take advantage of them.

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You work very hard to get shelf position with the retailers and we do not want to give that up.

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Fabian Yukich Villa Maria However, she is fighting a losing battle with members of her own party and is almost certain to lose the vote.

Meantime NZ exporters are preparing for the worst.

NZ’s largest seller of sauvignon blanc to the UK, Villa Maria, is running its bottling plants at full tilt to get as much of its product landed before the end of March.

“In January we will be bottling for the first time 24 hours a day to build up a bit of stock and have it there as a contingency,” chief executive Fabian Yukich said.

It was offering extended credit terms to its UK customers to encourage them to build up a buffer.

“You work very hard to get shelf position with the retailers and we do not want to give that up.”

Mark Calver, the commercial director of Villa Maria’s UK distributor, Hatch Mansfield, said May could delay the Brexit date if she did not get her transition deal through the UK parliament this week.

BAD TIMING: Alliance Group chairman Murray Taggart says the timing of Brexit could affect the Easter chilled lamb trade.

Stock up.

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NEW Zealand exporters are gearing up for chaos at British ports in just over two months’ time as the chances of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union without a trade deal continue to mount.

For now there is free trade between the UK and the continent but that is due to end on March 29 when Britain is scheduled to leave the EU. Without a free trade deal, or at least agreement to maintain current trading terms until one can be negotiated, the UK and the EU will be forced to trade with each other on terms still to be approved

by World Trade Organisation members.

British officials are predicting gridlock at ports as exporters and importers grapple with an avalanche of new paperwork and border checks.

The British government has placed 3500 troops on stand-by to assist in keeping the traffic moving.

There is not enough time between now and the March 29 Brexit date for the EU and the UK to negotiate a free trade deal to streamline customs procedures and reduce WTO tariffs.

Instead British Prime Minister Theresa May will take a makeshift deal to the UK parliament this week to maintain current trading arrangements until December 2020, by which time it is hoped a new trade deal will have been concluded.

But that was not guaranteed and Hatch Mansfield was building stocks now to cover six weeks of demand should the UK border seize up from the end of March.

“In a sense NZ is in the worst possible place on this … we have had to make decisions with Villa Maria to do stuff which may turn out to be irrelevant but if we waited to do it and we needed that extra stock it would be too late.”

The chairman of Alliance Group, Murray Taggart, said the potential disruption at UK ports came at the worst time for exporters as they focused on getting chilled meat into British supermarkets for Easter.

Because chilled meat had a limited shelf-life any hold-ups would reduce its value to the supermarkets.

Taggart said that might be able to be covered by insurance or forestalled completely by diverting meat to other markets.

“Ships can be diverted but the reason they were heading to their original destination is because that is the most preferred one from a revenue point of view.”

Silver Fern Farms chief executive Simon Limmer said whether it was UK

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News

14 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

New USA deal for Cross Slot Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz CROSS Slot No-Tillage Systems of Feilding has agreed to licence a new seed drill manufacturer in the United States to supply all the Americas.

Company principal and agricultural engineer John Baker said Appleton Marine in Wisconsin was the planned manufacturer and marketer.

It would be the first venture into agricultural machinery for the big heavy-duty manufacturer and fabricator of marine and mining equipment.

Baker said the agreement had not yet been signed but a US notillage website had publicised the deal, including a mistaken claim that intellectual property had been sold.

Following a restructuring and down-sizing last year, Cross Slot

IP would continue to manufacture the inverted T-shaped drill openers and supply them to licenced seed drill manufacturers.

It would also get the openers made elsewhere under licence.

Further licence agreements would be announced this year in different territories but the IP would always be retained in New Zealand, Baker said.

An agreement signed in January 2017 with Carrfields Machinery of Ashburton, covering

NZ and Australia, was recently dissolved by mutual arrangement.

Since Baker wrested ownership of his technology from former employer Massey University in the late 1990s some $50 million of sales of Cross Slot machines had been made in 20 countries.

He had repeatedly written and spoken about the contribution that no-tillage seed sowing would continue to make to food production and security.

Cross Slots were used by a majority of arable farmers in NZ because of higher seed germination and establishment rates and to guard against the greater financial risks of failure.

The technology’s share of pasture and forage sowing was lower, Baker said.

The number one export market was the US and Canada, and the potential for sales in Brazil and Argentina was very good.

WHILE WE WERE AWAY

Board seat filled CANTERBURY multi-dairy farm owner John Nicholls was elected to the board of Fonterra in the re-run election between him and Jamie Tuuta, the Maori farming leader.

Nicholls received 53% approval from shareholders and Tuuta 37%.

The number of votes cast was 64% by milksolids and 5324 from 9347 eligible shareholders, and nearly 80% voted via the internet.

The second election was required when only Leonie Guiney and Peter McBride achieved the necessary 50% shareholder approval of the five candidates vying for three seats.

Both Guiney and Nicholls were self-nominated candidates, with the backing of 35 shareholders each, and shareholders did not approve of two officially nominated and endorsed candidates – Tuuta and one-term director seeking re-election, Ashley Waugh.

Shareholders thereby signalled their dissatisfaction with Fonterra and its board after the first-ever loss was declared for the 2018 financial year.

Before the first election Nicholls said frustration with Fonterra failing to live up to its potential had prompted him to

SALES POTENTIAL: The Cross Slot system is becoming very popular in North and South America.

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TOP VOTE: John Nicholls has been elected to the Fonterra board.

seek a directorship.

A graduate of Massey University in agriculture and agricultural science, Nicholls is an experienced co-operative director who chairs a large irrigation scheme and previously served on the Fonterra Shareholders Council.

Since starting out on their first dairy farm in the Wairarapa in 1996, Nicholls and his wife Kelly have built their Rylib Group business to six Canterbury dairy farms employing 30 staff and running 5000 cows.

VOLUME INCREASE: Fonterra’s Christina Zhu is aiming for an increase in milk volume to consumer and catering products.

Fresh milk flies FONTERRA China has begun supplying fresh milk with Anchor branding through Carrefour supermarkets in Shanghai.

President of Fonterra Greater China, Christina Zhu, said this year’s objective was to treble

the volume of milk from Fonterra’s Hebei Farms going into consumer brands and catering products, from 5% to 15%.

New supplies of fresh milk in 750ml bottles would be delivered to the supermarkets every day.

RABOBANK has reduced its seasonal milk price forecast to $6.25/kg milksolids, despite slower milk production growth rates everywhere except New Zealand.

Milk supply growth was only 0.8% in the third quarter of 2018 across the big seven producers – Europe, the United States, NZ, Australia, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil.

NZ was the standout with a season-to-date growth of 4.9% to the end of November.

Dairy analyst Emma Higgins said production contracted in Australia, the European Union and the US. Adverse weather was to blame in Australia and European growth stalled in a second half because of poor feed quantities and qualities.

The US was expected to record the lowest year-on-year growth since 2013 and tighter margins impacted farmers.

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News

16 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

Labour shortage threatens Bay’s kiwifruit harvest Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz

RARITY: Kiwifruit pickers are likely to be in short supply this year.

ARTICLES in European media are one way the Bay of Plenty kiwifruit industry is trying to attract workers for the busy crop picking and packing period from April to June this year.

This is part of a wider campaign appealing to backpackers, retirees, students, and the unemployed to try to solve the shortage of workers that affected the 2018 season.

A shortfall in staff was likely this year after the “severe” issues in 2018, NZ Kiwifruit Growers Inc chief executive Nikki Johnson said.

The industry is getting funds from the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) to pay for efforts to attract more seasonal workers, on top of an alreadygranted increase in the number of overseas workers able to be brought in for harvest, packing, and pruning operations under the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme overseen by Immigration NZ. Bay of Plenty’s kiwifruit industry will be getting another 390 overseas workers next harvest season, but a bigger workforce is still needed, Johnson said.

Those workers will be part of an extended RSE scheme, in which an additional 1750 workers will be added to the 11,100 already allowed in to New Zealand each year. KGI had asked for an additional 600 workers for the Bay of Plenty.

Added to the 2000 existing places, Johnson said the kiwifruit sector would now have 2390 workers under the scheme.

The new workers will come to New Zealand from Pacific Island countries from late March in time for the kiwifruit harvest and packing, and subsequent pruning operations.

Additional workers under the RSE scheme will provide some labour force stability for the industry, but they remained just a small proportion of the total seasonal staffing needs, Johnson said.

Current seasonal staffing needs totaled just under 15,700 workers.

The sector started the harvest season last year about 1200 short of the required number, but publicity resulted in 600 or so workers, mainly New Zealanders, coming forward.

“There’s no reason to suggest we won’t have the same situation this year,” she said.

“Unemployment is lower, and our needs are as high.”

The PGF, Ministry of Social Development, and KGI are contributing cash to employ a labour co-ordinator to attract other workers.

The role is expected to run through to the end of 2020.

NZers will be given priority in this programme, especially people registered with Work and Income, Johnson said.

NZ kiwifruit production would increase from 123 million trays in 2017 to an estimated 190 million trays by 2027, and this would require an additional 7000 seasonal workers over the next 10 years.

The industry expansion was coinciding with a lack of worker numbers, with low unemployment and reduced numbers of backpackers and international students.

To counter this, KGI was also working on initiatives on the consistency of seasonal work, accommodation, welfare, transport, and the perception about pay rates, Johnson said.

Kiwifruit is NZ’s biggest horticulture export crop, with about 2500 growers producing those 123 million trays in the latest year for export to more than 50 world markets. About 80% of the industry was based in Bay of Plenty, Johnson said.

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

17

Rising concern over fruit labour Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz CONCERNS about labour shortages for this year’s kiwifruit harvest are also shared by the apple sector, and there is a strong possibility growers will declare a seasonal labour shortage before the harvest even kicks off.

Last year marked a first for the apple sector, when a severe shortage of picking staff prompted it to announce an official labour shortage well into the picking season. The announcement made through Ministry of Social Development in March last year brought the issue into the national spotlight, and allowed visiting tourists to gain work permits easier for work on orchards.

That announcement was quickly followed by the kiwifruit sector also declaring an official labour shortage, with estimates it was about 1200 workers short for timely harvesting.

Erin Simpson, development manager for New Zealand Apples and Pears, said it was simply not possible for the domestic sector to supply the industry with the necessary staff.

“We will have our crop volumes tied down by the end of January, but by then we will probably also be trying to call a labour shortage, before harvesting even begins. If we declare it early, everyone will know what is going on.”

He said he was loath to put an exact figure on just how short the sector was likely to be for this season.

Last year the shortage was estimated at about 2000 pickers, and prompted a call for more Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) staff to be bought in from the Pacific Islands.

Government answered that call late last year, granting an additional 1750 spaces nationally, bringing the total for this harvest season to 12,850.

Hawke’s Bay is expected to get about 400-600 of those workers, with 350 heading to Bay of Plenty for kiwifruit harvesting.

But Simpson said one of the biggest challenges for local orchardists was having the accommodation to employ overseas staff. There was a need for greater certainty around worker numbers to give investors certainty for not only future orchard investment, but also accommodation resources.

Estimates are accommodation building costs about $20,000-$25,000 per bed provided.

Marcus Pickens, general manager for Pick NZ, the group tasked with sourcing workers for fruit picking by Horticulture NZ, said backpackers were certainly thinner on the ground this year and last.

“I would not want to put an exact number on it, but there are less. They tend to be our third tier of labour preference, after locals and RSE workers.

“Whether they are skipping the rural areas and finding work in the cities, we are not sure. But tourism and hospitality are charging ahead at present so maybe that is where they are going to work.”

He said his greatest concern was sourcing workers well into the season for tasks like pruning in grape growing areas over winter.

Orchardists were competing in an intense employment environment, with staff drawn to other sectors including construction and hospitality.

While apple crop volumes had yet to be confirmed, expectations were this year’s would be again up on last year’s by about 4%, taking the national total to 600,000 tonnes, with 40% of that harvested in Hawke’s Bay. Richard Bibby of Thornhill Horticultural Contracting said the additional RSE workers were welcome, and he expected most orchards would be able to meet their picking needs this season.

However his concern was further into the season, as demand peaked through winter-spring for workers to prune and thin fruit.

“We are going to hit that wall in the coming year, there is no way in hell we will have enough local workers to meet those needs. This is more of an immigration issue than a funding issue, we need that certainty.”

The shortage comes as local labour force engagement is at an all-time high.

Employment Manufacturers Association data indicates Bay of Plenty has only 1500 people actively seeking work in the entire region.

Most regions are also experiencing record low unemployment rates varying between 3.5% and 4%.

Both Simpson and Bibby said there was also ample opportunity for anyone seeking full-time employment in the horticultural industry, beyond simply harvesting and pruning.

Simpson estimated there was a need for about 1000 full-time staff now after the apple sector’s significant growth, with opportunities in logistics, orchard management, marketing and management.

“This is why it is concerning seeing the closure of the likes of Taratahi. The industry has got better in recognising the problems we face collectively around immigration, employment and conditions, it is becoming top of mind.”

BUMPER CROP: This year’s apple harvest is expected to be up by about 4% on last year.

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Newsmaker

18 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

Getting to kids and teachers One of the best ways to spread the word about career pathways in agriculture, and the positives of primary industries, is to target teachers. Red Meat Profit Partnership and Young Farmers are doing just that, with professional development days for teachers. Glenys Christian joined a tour in the Pukekohe area.

R

EAL-LIFE experience often makes for the best professional development day that school teachers attend, according to their feedback.

And that was certainly the case when 84 Auckland secondary school teachers from 41 schools were taken on a bus tour to a range of agricultural and horticultural operations around Pukekohe.

Accompanying them was Leeann Morgan, Young Farmers’ school engagement manager, based in Hamilton, one of two positions funded through the Red Meat Profit Partnership.

“We get a lot of repeat customers,” she said.

“They go away excited about the rural sector.”

The Teachers’ Day Out trip included visits to an organic dairy farm, a dairy goat farm and T and G Global’s tomato growing operation at Harrisville. The big agricultural picture was supplied

by Dr Jacqueline Rowarth, and Auckland’s deputy mayor Bill Cashmore talked about the value of primary industries to the regional economy.

“Teachers can be a critical audience,” Morgan said.

“We’re updating their impressions of the primary industries and smashing some of the perceptions they may have.”

Farmers can talk first hand about sustainable management and can correct negative images quickly.

The tours have been running for the past four years, initially just in Auckland and Christchurch, but were expanded to other regions in 2017.

Last year they were held in Auckland, Raglan, Hawke’s Bay, Palmerston North, Christchurch

and Invercargill with 300 teachers attending.

On the Pukekohe trip there was a mixture of science, business studies, economics, accounting, food technology, biology, horticulture, maths, technology and English teachers and some careers advisers as well.

But the emphasis now is very much on mainstream teachers who can pass the knowledge they gain to up to 150 students a day.

We take them to see the best in the business. Why wouldn’t they be excited?

Leann Morgan Young Farmers The information they learn on the tours can be incorporated into the curriculum in many ways, so food production can be used as a context for teaching many different subjects. Classroom resources are provided at no charge to download.

Morgan also goes into schools with lessons on farming-oriented subject matter.

When it comes to choosing what properties to visit, once the main focus is decided, showing something a little crazy is a good way of getting farming’s message across.

“The more unusual it is the more teenagers love it,” she said.

“They like quirky.”

On the Pukekohe trip there was strong interest from the teachers in career opportunities for students and the paths they can point out to them.

T and G Global already has 20 staff available as speakers to talk to students about the range of jobs available from growing and picking the crop to more technical roles.

To get the message across at an even earlier age buses are also funded to take about 100 primary school classes a year on farm visits.

In one instance, to see the whole production process through, their next visit was to a butcher.

Morgan, whose parents are sheep and beef farmers near Dargaville, has been in her role for the last three years.

She intended to be a teacher and after training taught economics and science in Auckland then at St Paul’s Collegiate in Hamilton for 18 years. She completed a postgraduate diploma in agribusiness in 2015 and when the job came up she could quickly see it combined the two areas she most enjoys.

“I’m in awe of farmers,” she said.

“But I really miss being in the classroom.”

So with her twin 14-year-old sons starting high school this year she’ll return to teaching at Hamilton Boys High School. They spend every school holidays at their grandparents’ farm and might well look at agribusiness careers, she believes.

Her colleague, Mary Holmes, based in Christchurch, will carry on the good work there.

Contact to arrange the visits initially went through the TeenAg and Agrikids programmes or through advertisements in the Education Gazette.

“But now it’s mostly word of mouth,” Morgan said.

“It’s sort of snowballed. We take them to see the best in the business. Why wouldn’t they be excited?”

SPREADING THE MESSAGE: Auckland deputy mayor Bill Cashmore speaks to participants on the Teachers’ Day Out tour at The Secret Garden at Patumahoe with Leeann Morgan in the background.

New thinking

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

19

Vertical farming future is cloudy Complacency about growing vegetables and fruit “somewhere else” is becoming a more common refrain as high-quality, unique, growing soils are increasingly under siege from urban sprawl. Richard Rennie spoke to Nuffield Scholar Rachel McClung who says vertical farming is not all it has been built up to be and we should have a national food security policy to protect productive soils.

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conversion of valuable land to housing will only further affect food production.

McClung’s work was prompted by sustainability strategist Henry Gordon-Smith being reported by KPMG that NZ should focus on vertical farming as an answer to its growing produce constraints.

McClung said her work reveals, however, that despite the claimed productivity gains vertical farming can deliver, it is relatively constrained to a few leafy salad and herb crops.

Having a policy on food security will help ensure we can provide ourselves with a balanced diet in years to come.

Rachel McClung Hort NZ/Nuffield They have to be fast growing, subject to one month harvest time and require only a relatively lowlight density.

Typically, they include crops like tomatoes, peppers and lettuces.

But the technology cannot grow crops like rice, corn and potatoes that are staples for millions around the world.

Viewing vertical farming through environmental, social

and economic benefits, McClung notes the method claims increased yields over traditional horticultural methods while soil degradation and land use area are significantly reduced.

From a social perspective the technique offers opportunities to develop new careers in agriculture, given the complex interweaving of disciplines that include computer programming, agronomy, economics, biosecurity and design.

But in her global examination of vertical farming enterprises McClung could not find any that stand on their own feet commercially.

“It seems they have all been started up with investor or government funding and as soon as those investors walk away they do not seem to be able to sustain themselves.”

She suspects project complexities and a developing field of technology might mean it is another decade or more before the technology is fully viable.

Meantime, her advice is for NZ to keep a watching brief on the technology tempered by the knowledge most crops it was can grow are predominately eaten domestically in NZ and have no likelihood of replacing NZ’s high value horticultural produce.

Instead, McClung advocates promoting greater awareness to New Zealanders about the value of the horticultural land this country is fortunate to have. That includes Hort NZ advocating for a National

LIMITED VALUE: Vertical farming only works for a few crops, and is not the answer some people believe.

Policy Statement on protecting productive land and high quality soils.

It should be part of an overall national policy on food security.

“A national policy on food security is something that the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia all have but we do not.

A policy statement on protecting valuable soils would be part of the jigsaw puzzle that sits under that.”

She said nationally the country risks being complacent about

food security with many people thinking NZ feeds 40 million people.

“But we have to ask ourselves, what is it that we are feeding those people.

“We have sectors like the pork sector where almost 60% of product is imported. We already consume 90% of the vegetables we grow.

“Having a policy on food security will help ensure we can provide ourselves with a balanced diet in years to come.”

LEGAL TALK with Barbara McDermott Understanding Company Decision-making A company is a useful structure for the ownership of a property or business. A company structure may make it easier to raise finance, may attract tax benefits, and the entry and exit of shareholders may be easier than if the business is operated by a sole trader or partnership. Whichever ownership structure is used, it’s critical to understand at the outset how control of the entity will be held and exercised, to reduce the likelihood of disputes.

Family dispute over sale of farm An unfortunate dispute over a family’s decision to sell a company owned farm made its way right through our court system to our Supreme Court recently – no doubt an expensive and stressful experience for all involved, not to mention the irreparable breakdown in family relationships that must have resulted. The shareholdings in this company were held by Mr and Mrs Hodder (70%) and Mr and Mrs Baker (30%). Mrs Baker was the daughter of Mr and Mrs Hodder. Mr and Mrs Hodder’s entities contributed a substantial amount of finance to the purchase of the company’s farm – Heron Creek. Heron Creek was leased to Mr and

Mrs Baker’s business. Unfortunately the Baker’s business was unsuccessful and it owed a substantial amount of rent to the company. The Hodders sought to sell Heron Creek to minimise their losses.

The Bakers endeavoured to block the sale by refusing to sign the shareholders’ resolution that was legally required under the Companies Act 1993 for the sale to proceed.

The Supreme Court decision The Hodders resorted to court action claiming relief under section 174 of the Companies Act on the grounds the Bakers’ refusal to sign the shareholders’ resolution was conduct that was oppressive, unfairly discriminatory or prejudicial. The High Court granted the Hodders relief in the form of an order requiring the Bakers to sign the shareholders’ resolution. The farm was sold.

After an unsuccessful appeal to the Court of Appeal the Bakers were successful in the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court cancelled the order requiring the Bakers to sign the shareholders’ resolution even though nothing could change the fact the farm had

www.nwm.co.nz

been sold. This was because there were implications to the Bakers regarding the costs award in the lower courts, the effect on their ability to bring further action against the Hodders, the stigma associated with the order against them and the important company law issues at stake.

The court stated that the shareholders were entitled to act solely in their own interests (which in this case was preserving their bargaining chip with the Hodders as to whether the sale proceeded or not) despite the fact there was no possibility of them recovering any money from the company when the farm was sold.

Being forewarned is being forearmed If you decide to use a company structure, understanding how company decisions must be made, who exercises control of the company and whether the default Companies Act requirements apply or can be changed by you, prepares you to deal with situations that could arise in future and reduce the likelihood of expensive and acrimonious disputes. Professional advice is invaluable.

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V

ERTICAL farming has become a catch cry in the past three years among advisers and futurists looking to it as a means of answering the challenges of land loss to urban development and population growth.

The farming method involves an amassing technology for large-scale fruit and vegetable production using sophisticated greenhouse methods to achieve a high level of productivity thanks to nutrient controls, lighting levels, temperature, air and growing medium composition.

NZ’s population is expected to reach five million by 2020 with pressure on valuable soil areas only likely to continue, Horticulture NZ environmental policy adviser and Nuffield Scholar McClung said.

In the Auckland region alone 30% of high quality horticultural soils have been lost in the past 20 years to housing and tar seal.

Land and suitable soils might exist in places beyond traditional produce areas like Bombay, south of Auckland, but the climate is not always as forgiving in those other areas for year-round production.

“For instance, Pukekohe supplies the market with Christmas new potatoes while Oamaru is famous for Jersey Benne potatoes, harvested around November.”

By 2043 demand for produce in NZ is estimated to be 33% higher than today while any further

Opinion

20 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

EDITORIAL

New model needed for ag education

O

NCE again, the start of the academic tertiary year for students wanting to study subdegree agriculture has been blighted by uncertainty.

In 2016 and 2017 that uncertainty was for students wanting to attend Telford in South Otago, which Lincoln University was trying to off-load.

But before Christmas the devastating news broke that Taratahi, which in mid-2017 had taken over Telford, has been placed in the hands of liquidators.

It leaves hundreds of students and staff facing uncertain futures, along with a gaping hole in the supply of desperately needed skilled farm workers.

This is further evidence that the present funding model for sub degree agricultural training is not working and a model is needed that differs from other vocational training institutions.

They, too, have had issues. Last year the Government spent $100m bailing out Unitec, Whitireia and Tai Poutini polytechnics.

By its very nature educating primary sector students is more expensive and intensive than other vocational courses.

It requires students to live on working farms, to be given a student-centric education – you can’t teach fencing on a blackboard – and it comes with high compliance and pastoral care costs. Taratahi had a ratio of one staff member to 10 students.

But it appears to have finally succumbed to the millennial factor. Fewer young people are choosing farming as a career, while numbers of potential students have shrunk because of successive years of low unemployment allowing those who would normally seek training to go directly in to work.

Telford and Taratahi have struggled to grow their rolls in recent years and are required to repay the Tertiary Education Commission $10 million for being funded for more students than were enrolled.

Not dismissing the obvious distress to students and staff, collapsing on the eve of Taratahi’s centenary adds to the misery.

But its centennial legacy, from what can best be described as an educational train wreck, is that Government and education officials can no longer ignore the essential issue of creating a sustainable sub-degree funding and administrative model for primary sector education.

Neal Wallace

LETTERS

Setting the record straight on NZ dairy and red meat WE were concerned by the inaccuracies in a Farmers Guardian article of 20 November 2018, reporting on comments made by Red Tractor’s CEO Jim Moseley, and did not want to leave UK consumers and farmers with a wrong impression about the farming practices of beef and dairy farmers in New Zealand.

For the handful of beef cattle in New Zealand who are treated with Hormonal Growth Promotants, it is always under vet supervision and they are tagged, tracked, and their meat is kept separate and is not exported to the UK or Europe. In New Zealand, the use of growth hormones is prohibited in dairy cattle and used in fewer than 0.0001 per cent of our beef cattle.

We also note that recently Coilin Nunan of the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics raised concerns about the use of antibiotics in non-EU

countries. While Mr Nunan didn’t specifically raise concerns about New Zealand, our beef, dairy and sheep farmers have a lower rate of antibiotic usage than most of Europe, and one of the lowest rates in the developed world, a fact noted in the Review on Antimicrobial Resistance that was commissioned by the UK Government in 2015.

UK consumers can be assured that the red meat and dairy products they purchase from New Zealand farmers adhere to regulatory standards that are evidence-based and recognised as some of the strongest in the world.

Sam McIvor Beef + Lamb NZ Tim Mackle DairyNZ Editors note: The Farmers Guardian (UK) stories ran in

the World section of Farmers Weekly late last year.

No dinosaurs needed THERE should be no surprise at Taratahi falling over and taking others with it.

Ag education has been a dog’s breakfast for years with too many providers trying to survive from bums on seats, too many dinosaurs teaching (I was one), and still 40% of young folk leaving school illiterate, and nobody seemingly concerned or with a solution.

Teaching and teachers have been in crisis for years with a tsunami of behaviour problems on the way due to out-of-control drug use.

Remember the government’s 50,000 people needed in the industry at all levels between 2015 and 2025 to double the export earnings from agriculture?

It was a dream in 2015, and

must be heading for nightmare now.

It was never made clear how this was to be achieved.

Let us hope that the Minister of Education’s ‘Vocational Education Training Review’ can find folk to sit on it, with the vision to urgently find out why young folk are not interested in farming, and to see a way to fix things.

On their job sheet are massive educational and social problems, the public’s poor image of farming regarding animal welfare and the environment, the increase in vegetarians and vegans, and the massive development of technology that will change farming practice – much of which we haven’t seen yet. That should get them started. Dinosaurs need not apply.

Clive Dalton Hamilton

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Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

21

Vanguard role scary, exciting George Moss

W

E DAIRY farmers are used to change.

We are continually working to keep productivity high while making changes to how we farm that will reduce our environmental footprint.

Farmers are already managing their nitrogen, phosphorous, E coli and sediment levels to monitor and improve water quality.

In my role as a climate change ambassador for the dairy sector the message I am giving farmers is that we need to view our methane and nitrous oxide emissions as the fifth contaminant we need to manage for the betterment of our country.

I’ve found this works, rather than treating climate change as an additional issue.

To get a better understanding of the challenge this presents for dairy farmers my wife Sharon and I took the opportunity to offer one of our farms to DairyNZ to use as a benchmark for the partnership farm project.

The project is part of the Dairy

The

Pulpit

Action for Climate Change, a commitment by the sector to lead change and reduce the sector’s emissions.

A series of case studies is being done on farms like ours to find out which greenhouse gas mitigations work best on different farm systems to reduce emissions.

Taking part in the project was a gamble for us because we didn’t know at the start whether our

FLOODED: Climate change brings with it the threat of more severe weather events.

ACTION: Waikato dairy farmer and dairy sector climate change ambassador George Moss, right, wants to monitor his farm’s climate change footprint and how his mitigation measures affect it.

farm’s greenhouse gas footprint is good, bad or neutral.

We see the challenge of being in the partnership farm project as both scary and exciting at the same time.

Scary because we do not yet know the impact our mitigations will have on our business and exciting because it is good to be part of a nationwide movement that is addressing a global challenge.

I believe all New Zealanders have a role to play in mitigating climate change.

To not do something equates to pointing a gun at humanity’s head and pulling the trigger, whether it is loaded or not.

By putting the information gathered from our farm into the public sphere others will be able to learn from us.

And, regardless of how emissions-efficient our farm turns

out to be, we will still be looking to other farmers and other farm case studies to help our farm do better.

To not do something equates to pointing a gun at humanity’s head and pulling the trigger.

I believe the next generation sees climate change mitigation as less of a challenge and more of an opportunity.

Once NZ figures out how to lower our greenhouse gas emissions at the same time as we remain an agricultural nation we will see the value of our sector soar worldwide.

The world’s growing population will always have a need for dairy and animal proteins and sustainability will be our point of difference.

By embracing this change, and recognising the opportunity we can optimise the NZ Inc reputation.

But this isn’t just on farmers.

Transport has had a 78% rise in carbon dioxide emissions since 1995 so all New Zealanders need to think about their environmental footprint.

Collectively every little bit of change will help.

Your View Got a view on some aspect of farming you would like to get across?

The Pulpit offers readers the chance to have their say. nzfarmersweekly@nzx.com Phone 06 323 1519

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Opinion

22 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

The 2018 Em(erson)y Awards Alternative View

Alan Emerson

Shakespearian Award for Succinct Prose.

THE STAFF at Otago Feds who wrote that as a result of the Labour Party conference being held in Dunedin “there was a notable increase in unwashed, unshaven and shabbily dressed folk in the form of anti-1080 protesters”.

They really don’t let the facts get in the way of their paranoia.

Probably the least informed protesters, aside from those at Trump rallies.

Oscar Wilde Award for Cutting Commentary Feds meat and wool head Miles Anderson who described those at SAFE as “vegan fundamentalists”.

He’s right.

Leading Denmark physician Dr Allan Lund maintains that a vegan diet causes mental disabilities and disorders and I believe SAFE are living proof of that affliction.

Harsh reality for me is that SAFE means Save Animals For Eating.

Court Jester Award for stupidity and irrelevance Fonterra and its sycophantic Shareholders Council over its ridiculously stupid and irrelevant board candidate screening process. Out of the three who played the silly game just one was elected and he would have been successful regardless. The two self-

nominees received shareholder support and are on the board.

Time for a change.

Independent Kiwi Award The Fonterra shareholders for ignoring all the b/s coming from the board.

The Bicycles Need Fish Relevancy Award.

The Fonterra Shareholders Council who are about as much use as boobs on a bull. It needs drastic reform or disbanding.

Donald Trump Award for Fake News Greenpeace with their billboard suggesting the farmer owned co-ops Ballance and Ravensdown were polluting rivers. One should remind these idiots that if it wasn’t for the two co-ops providing essential nutrients for the soil we wouldn’t be enjoying the standard of living we do.

The Emerson theory on Greenpeace is that it is there to remove cash from the naïve rather than reforming the environment.

They certainly don’t let facts get in the way of their rampant rhetoric.

Got it Wrong The weather forecasters who promised a dry spring and summer. That encouraged local farmers to shed stock. For the second year in a row we had record spring and summer grass.

We need a lot more accuracy in weather forecasting. At the moment all the forecasters are achieving is to make economic predictions look good.

As one wit told me, NIWA stands for No Idea What’s Ahead.

School Master Environment Minister David Parker who gave farmers a school master lecture on water quality

while ignoring everything we’re doing to improve it. In addition I’d argue the scientific basis of his statements.

Then adding insult to injury he formed two advisory committees stacked with anti-farming individuals. He knows the report he’s going to get so why waste time and money going through the charade?

Organisational Award Landcorp. They claimed that they had finally got it all together.

If that was the case then I’d suggest they forgot where they put it.

Communicator of the Year Award Federated Farmers for the second year in a row.

They’re punching well above their weight, their communications are always relevant and succinct and the board and senior management is the best I’ve seen.

Joint Winner Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor who’s been open, transparent and effective.

The Alchemy Award for Shoddy Science Oxford University which published a dodgy “research” project suggesting taxing meat to recover health care costs.

It suggested that the price of sausages, bacon and burgers should increase by 80%. That would leave the poor people having to eat steak and put sausages, burgers and bacon in the luxury category thus increasing their consumption.

The Bludgers Award Those with electric vehicles.

They pay no fuel tax, no road user charges and want privileged car parks. EVs in their current form are

SCHOOL MASTER: Environment Minister David Parker has ignored agriculture’s efforts to improve the environment.

At the moment all the forecasters are achieving is to make economic predictions look good. of little use to the rural sector and someone has to pay to maintain roads.

Waste of Space Award The Greens for their obsession with cycleways. As with EVs they’re little use to the rural sector and it would be great for more money to be spent on rural roads. The millions so far wasted would be more productive going to the Manawatu Gorge which is a disgrace. Further I’m not going to hop on my bike to cycle 50km into Masterton to attend the stock sale.

The $23 million wasted teaching

kids to ride bikes would have been better used resurrecting Taratahi where the country would see real benefit.

Finally, bikes are discriminatory to those with hemorrhoids.

The Arrogance in Extremis Award Landcorp for wanting us to pay tax on nitrogen fertilisers, water and capital gains. Obviously a great idea to the non-practical shiny arses in Wellington who would be totally unaffected by the taxes they are trying to foist on the rest of us.

Further, the sneaky nature of their submission meant that I had to send an Official Information Act request to Landcorp to find out what they were proposing. Clowns.

Your View Alan Emerson is a semi-retired Wairarapa farmer and businessman: dath-emerson@wizbiz.net.nz

Tales from The Big Smoke From the Ridge

Steve Wyn-Harris

LIKE most rural blokes, Auckland is not my destination of choice.

Our wives and partners don’t appear to have the same aversion – something to do with the copious retail outlets available.

In this case, I’ve been called upon to drive Jane up to Auckland for some tennis coach commitments.

The first of these was to get her to the tennis courts on Stanley Street to participate in a cardio tennis demonstration before the ASB Classic women’s finals.

Son two and I were impressed to sit and watch her and her coaching colleagues demonstrate their skills on centre court.

Then we sat back to watch Kiwi lass Paige Hourigan and her partner Taylor Townsend play, and eventually lose to, Eugenie

Bouchard and Sophia Kenin in the doubles final, followed by a good tussle in the singles final between the emerging talent of 18-yearold Bianca Andreescu and Julia Goerges, with the latter winning her second successive title.

We’d never stayed in the city centre and I took great pleasure in checking into the Sky City Hotel on a deal intended to entrap gamblers, with no intention of losing a dime in that den of vice nearby.

I once lost $5 in a casino in Las Vegas and decided that was all the gambling industry was ever going to get of my hard-earned cash.

I haven’t even bought a lotto ticket and must be many thousands ahead of the average punter.

Equally determined to restrict the amount of rural capital being injected into the city economy, I’ve bought nothing but food. The shopkeepers implore me to grace their establishments but I have no difficulty resisting.

Mind you, with two Aucklandbased sons having resented for two decades a cancelled visit to the Sky Tower when they were children as a punishment for poor behaviour (nothing like learning

CENTRE COURT: Tennis coaches demonstrating their skills at the ASB Classic.

about consequence early on), the sentence has finally been served and we took them for dinner up there, giving the Sky City shareholders the opportunity to extract some decent return on the discounted room.

I’m not keen on heights but the views are impressive and alcohol obviously alleviates fear because it became more pleasurable as the evening wore on.

I’d never walked around this city before and today while the coach

attended her conference I enjoyed a walk across to and around the Auckland Domain ending up at the War Memorial Museum.

I spent a couple of happy hours there luxuriating in the ability to wander as I pleased and read anything I chose without the clamouring of sons telling me to hurry up which so blighted museum and gallery visits of the past.

This city is now chock full with

the ubiquitous Lime scooters posing hazards to riders and pedestrians alike. Stories around the world abound of the injuries sustained from these things.

Walking out of the museum, there was one just crying out for a novice rider.

I downloaded the app, worked out how to pay and set off.

Given I spend my life on motorbikes, so wasn’t going to experience the novelty of simple independent motion like most of the other users, it was still good fun.

And an efficient means of transport. I see my twenty minute trip spanned three kilometres, cost $7 and saved 757 grams of carbon to boot.

Top speed going down a hill was 30km and with no helmet potentially fatal if one came off or hit a car.

But I can only see this sort of disruptive transport option becoming a major feature of cities around the world.

Your View Steve Wyn-Harris is a Central Hawke’s Bay sheep and beef farmer. swyn@xtra.co.nz

Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

23

That was 2018 – now for 2019 Meaty Matters

Allan Barber

NOW 2018 is over, it’s timely to look at how many of last year’s key challenges will continue into the New Year.

From a New Zealand domestic perspective the attempt to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis has had the biggest impact on farming, most of it focused on the relatively small number of properties forced to cull their entire herd, some of it directed at those properties under surveillance or Notice of Direction, and some of it on the agricultural service industry, including meat processors, cartage contractors, stock agents and sale yards, as well as calf clubs and A&P shows.

Following calving, the Ministry for Primary Industries is optimistic the disease might have been eradicated, which would be the first time any country has achieved such an outcome.

However, it is still too early to say with complete confidence the hitherto impossible has been achieved. 2019 will almost certainly be the year we know for sure, one way or the other.

Brexit continues to provoke enormous speculation about the United Kingdom’s future relationship with the European

Union. This saga has now dragged on for well over two and a half years, with less than three months before the official exit date of March 29. At that point it looks increasingly unlikely the British Parliament will have approved Theresa May’s agonisingly negotiated exit agreement in spite of all the EU states having voted in favour of it. The Irish backstop, which would see Northern Ireland remaining as part of the EU customs union until, or unless, the UK successfully negotiates all other terms, is the spanner in the works.

May has deferred the vote until January without any confidence this will make much difference.

The current alternatives are: Parliament votes for May’s agreement (likely to fail), EU comes up with some palatable concessions to satisfy all MPs (no chance), Britain crashes out of the EU without an agreement or gains an extension to attempt to renegotiate (either is possible), Britain decides to stay in the EU in spite of the referendum result or conducts a second referendum (both are constitutionally unacceptable).

On balance, I sense Britain will ask for an extension while it tries to find a solution that is satisfactory to both EU states and a majority of British MPs. Even if that is the outcome, there is almost no chance a satisfactory solution will be found because the EU is fed up with Britain’s stalling and the Conservatives can’t agree among themselves let alone with Labour.

2019 may not see a solution. In

BRIGHT SPOT: The CPTPP offers improved prospects for beef exports to Japan, a positive in a complicated global trade scene.

spite of NZ efforts to protect its sheep meat quota, this won’t be the most important issue on Britain’s agenda to resolve.

A third issue is the world trade and economic situation, which poses potentially the biggest risk in the immediate future. The world is undoubtedly in the later stages of the economic cycle that has seen positive growth for nearly 10 years since the Global Financial Crisis. The largest global economies have printed money, known as quantitative easing, to recover from the worst effects of the GFC while reducing interest rates to stimulate economic activity, although the Federal Reserve has lifted rates recently. Unfortunately, if activity stagnates there are no further rate reductions available.

The United States, EU and China have large amounts of debt sloshing around with little hope it will be repaid any time soon.

Italy, among other EU members, is very vulnerable to any economic downturn and has no chance of being able to borrow more, nor can it take the traditional move of

devaluation because it is tied to the euro.

The trade war between the US and China is causing a state of global nervousness with all other economies subject to fallout. NZ has a large and increasing proportion of its agricultural trade with these two countries, while the EU and UK, although diminishing, are still very important as key export destinations.

One major positive is the CPTPP, which New Zealand signed up to as one of the first six signatories with the agreement having already come into effect. This will have a positive impact on trade with Japan, notably for beef exports, putting NZ on equal terms with Australia, which stole a march by signing its FTA in 2015.

Another critical issue that came to the fore in 2018 was the growth of alternative or plantbased proteins, which attracted a lot of investment funding, supported by a growing segment of first world society wishing to reduce the impact of livestock production on the planet. This

trend will undoubtedly continue to exert an impact on traditional farming methods and gain an ever increasing share of global protein consumption.

The impact of farming, particularly livestock production, on the environment is a closely linked issue that gained huge traction during this year and 2019 will be no different. This will affect New Zealand as well as our trading partners, but it is almost certain that the deliberations of the Tax Working Group will result in the application of the Emission Trading Scheme to agriculture.

This is likely to be decided in 2019.

In summary, 2018 was a year of unexpected developments and a number of uncertainties.

In an increasingly volatile age, whether politically, economically, financially or climatically, 2019 is likely to be even more challenging.

Your View Allan Barber is a meat industry commentator: allan@barberstrategic. co.nz, http://allanbarber.wordpress. com

Stay Farmstrong Hang out with your mates

Connecting with your mates is a massive part of keeping well, whether you’re farming or playing rugby. Sharing the ups and downs of life helps you keep things in perspective and recharge your batteries. So whether it’s hunting, fishing or just playing some sport, make sure you catch up with your mates regularly.

Sam Whitelock

FARMSTRONG AMBASSADOR

To find out what else could work for you, visit

Farmstrong is a rural wellbeing programme sharing farmer-to-farmer tips and advice.

FS004

24 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

On Farm Story

ESSENTIAL TOOL: Canterbury farmer Simon Osborne is seldom found without a spade in his hand.

The answer is in the soil Regenerative agriculture flies in the face of conventional farming wisdom with soil management the key to profiting from nature, Canterbury cropping farmer Simon Osborne says. Annette Scott visited him onfarm to learn what it’s about.

F

ARMING for yield is not farming for profit, Simon Osborne, who is passionate about his stewardship of the land,

says.

He has a clear focus on farming for profit from natural resources and biodiversity with the firm belief that a paradigm shift in agriculture can hugely boost farmer profits and crop diversity, curb pests and eliminate the need for tilling, pesticides and herbicides.

“So much money is spent to produce those yields that then don’t always make the profit they should be making.”

It’s also not doing the best for the soil, he says.

A fourth-generation farmer on the family property at Leeston, near Christchurch, Osborne says soils are the most important asset and the key driver of farm productivity and environmental outcomes.

“You could say this property has had one careful owner since 1864.”

Operating in one of New Zealand’s most sensitive water quality zones, he’s setting an

example of the existing untapped potential available to solve environmental sustainability challenges.

“The soil is a living thing so making sure you maintain the soil is plain good sense.

“The first way is not to till, tilling kills the soil and then that prohibits the soil from growing again – soil management is key to profiting from nature.”

Osborne says regenerative agriculture is a long-term vision, not just for his own farm but for NZ agriculture in general to reduce the farming footprint.

While soil is the most complex, diverse and important ecosystem for the plant, managing it is comparatively straight forward.

The three key aspects are biology, nutrient and compaction.

“Biology is what makes a soil a soil, and the key to maintaining soil biology is to feed it.

“It (soil) needs a regular and diverse supply of fresh organic residues, ideally as much as the production system can spare.”

Nitrogen and phosphorus are crucial elements in nutrient management and understanding how nutrients are cycled

through the planetary system and why there are optimum, not maximum, levels for soil is critical for effective and profitable soil

management to achieve smart sustainable farming.

“You do the homework and do the reading, I’m not into the

cautious approach. I don’t tend to pussy foot around. Once you start on a path you get on to it.

“Learn on the go and don’t

INVENTIVE: Simon Osborne with his self-designed, purpose-built Bio-Till, the key piece of machinery in his farming business.

On Farm Story

worry if you fail but learn from it.”

Cover crops and green manures are an increasingly important technology to help retain costly nutrients and also to help reduce environmental impacts.

Compaction is an old and well-known problem that has the next biggest impact on yields and profits, after sub-optimal nutrients.

Osborne has a particular interest in soil as part of the ecosystem.

“In its own way agriculture is an ecosystem. People will differ about how you prioritise but if you are not managing the soil well then you will not have a good farming system.”

Osborne’s 235ha property comprises mostly heavy clay soil with a smaller block of silt-clay.

Taking over stewardship of the family property in 1992, he’s been farming the land for 26 years and still some of the 32 paddocks on the farm have not been cultivated.

“It’s a purpose-built type of farming.”

His father was into cattle but they didn’t fit Osborne’s ideal farming system.

“The soils can’t really take the compaction of the cattle over the winter, this isn’t the right place and it didn’t fit the ideal system I wanted to achieve.”

Osborne says he’s not organic farming, he’s biological farming.

“That can be a psychological challenge for a farmer but looking at the big picture it’s about bringing biodiversity back to farm level.

“The fundamentals of doing less on my farm are about doing more, so long as you are using smart systems.”

The only machine that passes through the soil in a typical year is the purpose-built, self-designed Osborne Bio-Till.

A man with machinery at heart, if he hadn’t been a farmer he would have been an engineer.

Osborne designed the Bio-Till to suit his farm system requirements aimed at retaining crop residues and mulches to improve soil organic matter and structure.

The self-claimed machinery fanatic does all his own machinery maintenance.

“I have always had an interest in engineering. I got my first car when I was nine, it was a 1937 Chev sitting behind the shed. Dad said if you can get it going you can have it.

“There was a challenge so one school holidays I spent the whole time on it and got it going, much to Dad’s horror when he found me hooning around the farm. It comes back to being brought up with a can-do, self-do attitude.”

At six metres wide, strong but light, with three hoppers and variation to plant varying row widths and any variety of seed, up to three at a time, the Bio-Till is a simple design built for low maintenance with few moving parts.

Not only is it looking after the soil but it’s also a huge fuel saving.

“That’s the key – getting the external energy out of the system as much as possible.”

He’s also built a compost sprayer “because I wanted a machine that worked for me”.

“It’s a combination of basic principles that makes my machinery work for me.”

The farm has grown a range of crops over the years, including milling wheat, barley, peas, ryegrass, tall fescue, linseed, phacelia, borage, buck wheat, oats, hemp, crimson clover and specialist seed crops including mustard, spinach and hybrid radish.

The property is set up with irrigation, but it’s boom spray irrigation that didn’t require the removal of gorse hedges and trees, because they play an important role in pest and disease management.

Visits to the United Kingdom have given Osborne the opportunity to observe

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

25

ALIVE: Simon Osborne is happy with the living state of his soil.

productive systems. He says while they were “cutting edge”, they lacked environmental consideration.

“Environmental management from a proactive stand-point is pretty much non-existent (in the UK). They only do what they have to in terms of being legislationcompliant.

The fundamentals of doing less on my farm are about doing more, so long as you are using smart systems.

Simon Osborne Farmer “They are so far behind us from a stewardship perspective.”

Osborne acknowledges his farming system is the product of his own creativity and an ongoing learning curve, informed by what science is available and through observing what’s

COMPANIONS: Crimson clover, vetch and oats grow happily together in a healthy soil.

happening in his farming ecosystem.

“I observe things happening and I think I know why they are happening but there is no science to prove it. I do believe firmly in a science-based approach to farming.”

“I am working in the dark because the systems I have developed are essentially around feeding the soil with full residue retention and no cultivation.”

It’s difficult to benchmark his way of farming with his forebears because times have changed and farming systems have changed significantly.

He is proud to claim soil organic matter (SOM) level at an average 10% under continuous cropping.

“That means the soil texture is close to excellent and there is more than just the odd worm or two.”

The farm has also reduced its nitrogen footprint by an average 33% and he’s confident he can reduce that to nil.

“But there’s work to do and none of this work is being done in NZ. “From grassroots we see nothing coming out of CRIs to help regenerative agriculture.

“There’s all this work being on plant breeding technologies but ryegrass for me is the worst weed in the pasture – invent a problem, grow a problem.

Osborne’s longer term vision is fixed on growing efficiencies and improving understanding of weed control.

“I don’t have a problem with insect pests, they are easier to manage, but weed control needs more information around individual weeds and how they are best managed in a no-till situation.”

A huge part of Osborne’s insect management stems from retaining habitats for insects and spiders with grass and diverse plant species along fence lines, laneways and in shelterbelts.

As for the cover crops, the issue is finding something that doesn’t interfere with cropping rotations in terms of contamination or pathogens.

“The ultimate goal for farmers is to produce healthy, nutritious food for everybody not just these who can afford it. Fundamentally it’s not right to be pouring poisons on the land so we have to learn techniques to get away from that.

“While there’s work being done in parts of the world there’s sweet all being done in NZ even though there’s a small group of passionate scientists working under the radar – it’s up to farmers.

“There’s a long legacy hanging over our heads in terms of what we as farmers have done in agriculture and I’m not saying we have done wrong, just we have better ways now so let’s move on.

Osborne is a member of Regenerative Agriculture NZ with group members from Dargaville to Invercargill trying different techniques.

“It’s an incredibly positive experience at the moment, learning and helping others as well and I am prepared to share what I’ve learnt to genuinely help other farmers for the same reason.

“The way forward is about building knowledge and that builds confidence. Our monthly discussion groups have a big effect on the mental health of farmers.

“It’s hugely uplifting sharing hugely positive information and experiences.

“It’s hard in this game to make a profit but profit for me is paying the bills while producing healthy, nutritious food and knowing I am building my farm ecosystem from the soil up.

“You have to think of an openended future so let’s not crap in the nest so the nest is no longer liveable.”

>> Video link: bit.ly/OFSosborne

26

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Real Estate

Whangarei 79 Taylor Road The complete drystock farm A property with multiple options - continue with bulls, run breeding cows, or dairy support. This will appeal to outdoors types who like rolling hills and native bush with a feel of being in the 'real country' without being remote nor rugged. 302ha in 7 titles with an estimated 265ha effective. Complemented by a 240m2 executive style homestead, featuring four bedrooms plus office, three bathrooms, two living areas with open plan kitchen and dining. Double glazing and a free standing fireplace ensure warmth in all seasons. With a wrap-around deck extending indoor and outdoor spaces plus a separate fully fenced swimming pool.

There are multiple sheds including a five-bay implement shed with high stud, plus good stockyards. Easily managed by one person.

FARMERS WEEKLY – January 14, 2019

Pungarehu 579 Warea Road 4

3

3

Asking Price $2,600,000 + GST (if any) View by appointment Alex Smits 021 273 6975 alex.smits@bayleys.co.nz Lin Norris 021 959 166 lin.norris@bayleys.co.nz MACKYS REAL ESTATE LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

156ha self-contained unit with 40 bail rotary 156ha self-contained unit with 40 bail rotary in just its third season.

Plenty of the land can be mowed and a turnip crop has been grown annually in recent years so some new grasses in place. The 40 bail rotary with cup removers is in just its 3rd season is a pleasure to milk in. This is a totally self-contained block as far as grazing goes. Calves born and raised on the property through to calving. 340 cows are milked. There are two, three bedroom homes on the property. There are plenty of support buildings including a large workshop, haybarns and calf sheds.

Tender (unless sold prior) Closing 1pm, Wed 23 Jan 2019 15 Courtenay St, New Plymouth View 1-2pm Thu 17 Jan or by appointment John Blundell 027 240 2827 john.blundell@bayleys.co.nz SUCCESS REALTY TARANAKI LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

bayleys.co.nz/2600072

bayleys.co.nz/1050286

For Sale

Maungaturoto | 37 Brynderwyn Road

Tender

200.4 Hectares Simply The Best. The property includes two homes, a 50 bail rotary cowshed with a yard capacity for 480 cows, concrete feed pad and bins, calving pad, PKE bin with a retractable roof, concrete silage bunker, fertiliser bin, a large range of barns, calf house and workshop. The property is raced to 71 paddocks, an excellent water supply services all areas of the farm, each paddock has two water troughs ensuring cattle have an abundant supply at all times. Limestone for the races are sourced from any of the three quarries located on the property.

This property is well known for consistent high levels of pasture growth resulting from a well-planned fertiliser programme that ensures steady production levels. | Property ID WF1011 Licensed under REAA 2008

Closing 3pm, Monday 4 February 2019 (unless sold by private treaty)

Inspection By appointment

Contact Tom Hackett 027 498 2908 Tim Holdgate 021 475 465

0800 200 600 | farmlandsrealestate.co.nz

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – January 14, 2019

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

27

Licensed under the REAA 2008

Boundaries Indicative Only

Boundaries Indicative Only

Boundaries Indicative Only

Quality G3 Kiwifruit Production Block

Green and Gold Kiwifruit Production Orchard

KATIKATI 140B WHARAWHARA ROAD

KATIKATI 28 LINDEMANN ROAD

This Gold3 kiwifruit orchard is a quality production block in all respects. An immaculately presented 4.48ha (approx.) block with a proven production history. Sloping predominately to the north with some eastern aspect and near flat contour. Here is a great opportunity to purchase a quality production unit just prior to 2019 harvest season and benefit from substantial cash flow from coming crop proceeds. Don’t hesitate to contact Durrelle or Grace today to view- these quality G3 production blocks don’t come along that often!

This premium kiwifruit production orchard at a total land area of 5.65ha (approx.) has 3.68 canopy ha (approx.) of kiwifruit on new Agbeam structures. The aspect of this north facing block, at a great altitude (20AMSL) in combination with superb soil type and good climate ensures that with continued good husbandry, this orchard will continue to produce good tray numbers. Good size fruit and T.Z.G’s add to an enviable OGR, which would please any investor or bank manager.

There is nothing to do here but step in and take over.

31 Jan, From 1pm

Durrelle Green M 027 949 3725 E durrelle.green@eves.co.nz

(unless sold prior)

Grace Anderson P 07 549 3772 M 027 472 2301 E grace.anderson@eves.co.nz

HELD 247 Cameron Road, Tauranga WEB www.eves.co.nz/ektc2020 VIEW Sunday, 11.00am-12.00pm

Durrelle Green M 027 949 3725 E durrelle.green@eves.co.nz Grace Anderson P 07 549 3772 M 027 472 2301 E grace.anderson@eves.co.nz

31 Jan, From 1pm (unless sold prior)

HELD 247 Cameron Road, Tauranga WEB www.eves.co.nz/ektc2021 VIEW Sunday, 12.30-1.30pm

DAIRY FARM

OTOROHANGA, 781 Tauraroa Valley Road

VIEWING BY APPOINTMENT

Larger self-contained dairy of 469 hectares

TARANAKI SHEEP AND BEEF FARM

2560 Rawhitiroa Road, Mangamingi

652 ha Central Taranaki sheep and beef breeding and finishing property located approximately 25 minutes drive east of Eltham. This mainly hill country farm has areas of mowable / ploughable contour which are utilised for cropping, supplement production and finishing stock Over recent seasons stock wintered have been around 2700 ewes plus 760 other sheep together with 130 breeding cows plus 240 other mixed age cattle with majority of stock finished. This well established farm has a main 3 bedroom plus office (4th bedroom) summit stone home, second 3 bedroom home, 5 stand woolshed with both covered yards and outside sheep yards, separate extensive cattle yards and loadout plus two outlying sets of yards. Added substantial income received from bee hive contracts. Our Vendors who are purchasing

elsewhere are genuine sellers.

Owen Mills M: 027 477302 E: owen@mgfn.co.nz

$4,000,000 + GST (If any) Web ID: www.mgfn.co.nz/SFDRU376 201 Broadway, Stratford

www.mgfn.co.nz

06 765 8550 Licensed Under REAA 2008

Located 30 kilometres East of Otorohanga, in the popular Maihiihi district Tauraroa dairies offers a larger self-contained dairy unit with a good mix of contours, fertile free draining soils and modern on farm infrastructure.

• 469.9179 hectares • 304 hectares in grass of which 219 hectares is milked off balance used as dairy support.

• Milking 630 cows with 260 replacements also grazed on farm as well as growing 15 ha of maize.

• Three-year average production of 242,177 Kg/Ms obtained.

• Modern 50 aside herringbone cowshed with cup removers and feed pad.

• Recently installed lined effluent pond.

• Good quality farm buildings, three quality homes.

• Large areas of native bush teaming with wildlife.

A farm that will tick a lot of boxes for those looking to secure a larger dairy that can winter the herd as well as having the capability of protecting the herds bio security, by being able to graze all replacements. Priced to get immediate interest this property must be viewed before you commit to any other, you won’t be disappointed.

FOR SALE $9,500,000 +GST (if any)

View: Thursday 17 Jan 11:00am to 1:00pm www.harcourts.co.nz/OH8244

Kerry Harty P 07 873 8700 M 027 294 6215 E kjharty@harcourts.co.nz

Rural Blue Ribbon Realty Ltd mreinz Licensed Agent REAA 2008

PUKEKAKA STATION - 1,103 HECTARES OF HIGHLY DEVELOPED, QUALITY HILL COUNTRY 919 Pukeokahu Road, Taoroa, Taihape Re-investment over a long period of time is clearly evident at Pukekaka, making it one of the best presented hill country farms we have been involved with.

Strong country, a significant portion is medium hill with around 100 hectares of flat to undulating country that is regularly cultivated. With a 6 km Rangitikei River boundary, in the main free draining ash soils overlay a papa base, with a strong fertiliser history. Stock water is a mix of local scheme, natural and tapped springs.

The standard of fencing overall is of a high standard, with many new fences, all conventional other than a 80 hectare deer block. Access is excellent with very good tracks and various laneways radiating from the central stock handling facilities, although the property is also well served with 4 sets of quality satellite yards.

Other recent capital injections include a woolshed upgrade with covered yards and lots of concrete added, alterations to the spacious 1980’s main home with great garaging, sheds and outlook. Impressive results from the 10,000su forward store operation has seen the last 5 years lambing averaging 150%, with the Wairere bred lambs leaving the farm at 35-38kg average (incl. over 2,000 killed last year) and cattle at 18 months. The well bred stock is well regarded and sought after.

Situated just 21km off SH1, south of Taihape, Pukekaka is to be offered for sale by Tender closing 11am, Thu 14 Feb 2019.

1,103 hectares Video on website nzr.nz/RX1734212 Jamie Proude AREINZ 027 448 5162 | 06 385 4789 jamie@nzr.nz Peter Barnett AREINZ 027 482 6835 | 06 323 4434 peter@nzr.nz NZR Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

PRIME FINISHING COUNTRY CLOSE TO FEILDING Mt Stewart-Halcombe and Ngaio Roads, Mount Biggs, Feilding Situated only 11km from Feilding, this well set up property will suit those looking for quality lamb finishing or dairy support in a great location.

Only coming to the market due to the owners purchase of a larger property, this 278 acre farm is currently utilised as a lamb and cattle finishing unit, in conjunction with a breeding operation. Comprising a high proportion of flat and easy contoured country, around 10 hectares has been re-grassed annually, supported by a strong fertiliser history, meaning pasture quality is high with livestock clearly thriving. Both summer and winter crops are looking great, with a short-term settlement a possibility here. On inspection the standard of fencing immediately impresses, with high quality conventional fencing with electric outriggers through-out the property. Centrally located is an excellent set of sheep and cattle yards.

Other improvements include a fertiliser bin, airstrip, two haysheds, reticulated trough water with tile drainage is apparent. Scattered Totara add to this attractive property that has frontage to two roads in this great community with Mt Biggs school close-by.

GRAZING, HUNTING & FISHING 146 Geanges Road, Apiti Situated just north of Apiti, this 201 acre farm has been a great home for the owners dairy heifers and beef cattle, but it’s the stunning 2km river boundary, deer in the bush margin and duck shooting that really gets them excited about this block. Only for sale due to another purchase, the easy/moderate hills with strong pastures are complemented by approximately 18ha of flats and undulating river terraces. With reliable natural water, cattle yards, the old woolshed has adopted a new life as a hut.

A place where you can mix cost-effective and quality grazing with rest-effective adventure. Call for viewing times.

81.5 hectares Tender nzr.nz/RX1734897 Tender Closes 11am, Thu 7 Feb 2019, NZR, 20 Kimbolton Road, Feilding.

Peter Barnett AREINZ 027 482 6835 | peter@nzr.nz NZR Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

112.8 hectares Video on website nzr.nz/RX1753380 Tender Closes 11am, Tue 5 Feb 2019, NZR, 20 Kimbolton Road, Feilding.

Peter Barnett AREINZ 027 482 6835 | 06 323 4434 peter@nzr.nz NZR Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

30

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Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – January 14, 2019

colliers.co.nz

Accelerating Success

06 323 3363 Farm & Lifestyle Massey-Side Finishing Farm

AUCTION

559 Tennent Drive, Linton, Manawatu  Farms of this scale within 7km of the Palmerston North CBD rarely come to the market - also just a couple of kilometres to Massey University and the Fonterra Research Centre.  Of the 106ha around 90 hectares is flat; centrally-laned for easy access.  Over 21.4km of Novaflo drains have been installed since 2013.  Excellent near new cattle yards with good off-road hardstand parking.  The majority of the pasture has been renewed over the past five years.  Used for beef production and dairy heifer grazing, carrying over 450 head of mixed age cattle.  Town water supply reticulated to troughs.  Attractive building sites and in this prime location it will be difficult to over-capitalise.

OPEN FARMS - Wednesday 23 & 30 January from 1.00pm to 2.00pm To be sold by AUCTION at 11.00am Thursday 28 February 2019 at our office.

Robert Dabb Richard Anderson

027 255 3992 027 543 1610

Web ID: RAL636

www.ruralandlifestylesales.com

Do you want your farm

SOLD?

Real Estate

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Call 0800FARMTEAM For Action QUALITY LIFESTYLE

OUTSTANDING DAIRY FARM

• Situated in a sought after location only minutes from Foxton Village is this quality 2.75ha lifestyle property with excellent sandy loam soils.

• There are 600 mature olive trees on the property planted in 2002.

• Large modern five bedroom family home with outstanding indoor/ outdoor living featuring an in ground swimming pool.

• With two ensuited bedrooms and separate living area this home lends itself to cater for the extended family.

• Why not move your family to this great location for summer?

• Call Les on 0274 420 582 to inspect.

• Your opportunity to own this quality dairy farm in full production.

• Situated in Northern Horowhenua and very well laid out with central laneways, rotary dairy and 600 cow feed pad.

• 170 hectares in three titles with a great mix of Kairanga silt loam and Pukepuke sandy loam soils.

• There are three good family homes in their own sections.

• Our vendors are looking to retire and have priced this property to sell.

• Call Les on 0274 420 582 to inspect.

Sallan Realty

QUALITY DAIRY FARM

FARM WITHIN CITY BOUNDARY

• This quality property is located on the outskirts of Palmerston North and is 76 hectares in 4 titles including lovely scattered bush.

• Currently milking cows and would be suited to any agricultural activity with resource consent for intensive agriculture along with a recent upgrade to the cowshed effluent system.

• Facilities include a 16 aside dairy, machinery shed, good hay shed.

• With silt loam soils this could be a great chance to add a forage and heifer block to your current dairy business.

• Call Les on 0274 420 582 to inspect.

Google ‘Sallan Realty’ Your Farm Sales Specialist

THE DESTINATION FOR RURAL REAL ESTATE Land is the biggest asset to any farming business so it pays to stay up to date with the market.

Connect with the right audience at

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

31

• • • • • • • •

Situated in Linton is this exceptional 114.5ha dairy farm.

Has produced up to 120,000kgs/ms from 290 cows.

Good Tokomaru silt loam soils that have been regularly fertilised.

Three good family homes along with a very good 30 aside dairy.

Tank water to the home and bore water to stock troughs and dairy.

Large machinery shed, two silage bunkers and feed pad.

Great chance to own this genuine farm close to the city.

Offers around $4 mil, Call Les on 0274 420 582 to inspect this property.

GREAT STARTER PROPERTY

• • • •

Situated on Whangaehu Beach Road is this 60ha dairy farm.

Well laid out with a good mixture of contour, soils and layout.

Currently milking a 160 cow dairy herd.

Improvements include a 16 aside herringbone dairy, hay shed, machinery shed, small feed pad and good yards.

• There is a nice family 4-bedroom character home set back off the road on a rise with native bush backdrop.

• Great chance to buy a farm that could be used for dairy or beef.

• Priced to sell at $1,885,000. Call Les on 0274 420 582.

CALL 0800FARMTEAM Licensed Agent REAA 2008

LK0095080©

FARMERS WEEKLY – January 14, 2019

Employment

TESTIMONIAL

TE AWAITI STATION

EXPERIENCED CONTRACT MILKER

South Wairarapa coastal property of 6618ha requires a competent Livestock Manager. The property farms sheep and beef, deer, and bees.

Thank you for placing our recent advertisement for an Observer role for the Dairy Holdings Limited Board.

We had a huge response.

Yours sincerely Dairy Holdings Ltd Greg Gent Chairman

LK0095802©

Additional requirements: • Possess an excellent team of working dogs • Have a good standard of horse riding competence • Possess your own saddle For all inquiries, phone 06 307 8850 Evenings preferred

EMPLOYMENT ADVERTISEMENTS LK0096022©

To apply for the position, email your CV along with a short cover letter and contact details of three professional referees to: danriddiford@teawaitistation.co.nz

USA Harvest Workers Based in northern Minnesota, Carlson Harvesting, Inc., is hiring Header, Truck and Tractor Drivers.

Starting the end of March till the middle of December. Travel from Texas to Canada following the wheat harvest. We also harvest beans, corn, sunflowers and canola. We operate 5 CaseIH headers, 5 Kenworth T800 trucks, a 370 CaseIH tractor and a 470 CaseIH tractor.

Under the Human Rights Act, 1993, it is unlawful, apart from some exceptions, for employment advertisements to restrict applicants because of their sex, marital status, religious belief, colour, race, national origins, age, family status, or sexual orientation.

Advertisements that discriminate in any way will not be published.

• North Rotorua • Summer safe • Mainly flat country • 480 cows • 30 ASHB shed • Low input grass based system • Must have good pasture management Excellent accommodation provided.

Email: farmpositionsnz@gmail.com Mobile: 027 493 9064

Due to a current staff member progressing after six years with us we have a vacancy on this special property. Waipa Pastoral is a 540ha dairy grazing property 10km south of Pio Pio in the King Country focused on growing 1100 quality heifers for its farmer shareholders.

We are looking for an individual with the following qualities and capabilities: LK0095833©

November 2018

A team player who works well and communicates well with others is essential.

RURAL SECTOR

RURAL SECTOR JOBS BOARD

JOBS BOARD farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz

If this sounds like you then please send your CV to: waipapastoral@gmail.com by the 20th January.

• 2019 Trainee Programme - Livestock Representative • Agribusiness • Agronomy • Analyst • Dairy Agricultural Mining General Manager • General Maintenance •Labourer Livestock Specialist Livestock Manager • Manager AgriHQ casual Rural Cadetship • Pasture and Grazing Specialist •positions Sharemilker Sharemilker • Shepherd Agronomy Shepherd • Shepherd/General

farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz

Contract Milker

EMPLOYMENT REACH EVERY FARMER IN NZ FROM MONDAY Please print clearly

Stock Manager

LK0092630©

Contact Debbie Brown 06 323 0765 or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

• Possess strong values set • Ability to work as part of a team – coming with a “can do” attitude • An eye for detail – taking pride in everything you do • Good stock sense with previous dairy experience an advantage You will be working with the manager with a varied workload to achieve the goals set for the business and in return share in benefits of achieving these goals. A competitive salary and tidy 3-bedroom brick home comes with the package as does living close to Pio Pio with good schooling and a close knit vibrant community.

Name:

Employers: in the USA Harvest Workers Dairy Advertise your vacancy employment section of the Farmers Weekly and as added value it will be uploaded to farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz for one month or Employers: Advertise your vacancy in the employment close of application. section of the Farmers Weekly and as added value it will be Contact Debbie Brown 06 323 0765 uploaded to farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz for one month or close or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz of application.

LK0096009©

For more info or to apply see www.carlsonharvesting.com or email questions to carlsonharvesting@gmail.com

Waipa Pastoral Ltd Stock Manager Vacancy

2019 / 2020 Season

We are looking for a self-starter and natural stockman who is hard working, diligent, and up for a challenge.

We work weather permitting, so some days can be very long! Living quarters would be in one of two 50 foot crew trailers. You need to get along with others because you are eating, sleeping and working with your co-workers. We pay for all lodging expenses, and a food allowance.

We do ask that the entire crew help with daily maintenance on the trucks and headers.

FARMERS WEEKLY – January 14, 2019

Phone: Address: Email: Heading: Advert to read:

Casual sale yard job opportunities Join the frontline team at AgriHQ with either of these two hands on roles.

Operated by the country’s most innovative multimedia agri-information hub GlobalHQ, AgriHQ is at the forefront of livestock market information.

These two roles are an integral part of the foundations that make up AgriHQ’s business and while down at the sale yard, you will be the face of AgriHQ for many of our customers.

Accuracy and attention to detail is key as information collected at these points flow through to AgriHQ’s sound and respected reports and make up part of the commentary on the market pages in GlobalHQ’s flagship newspaper, Farmers Weekly.

Cattle Data Collector – Temuka sale yards, Timaru If you have a good knowledge of cattle breeds and ages, and the ability to ‘condition’ cattle, then keep reading.

You will need to attend the Temuka cattle sale every Monday and every second Thursday, plus extra days as and when required (for fairs etc).

This role requires you to be able to follow the sale process efficiently and without distraction, inputting data from each pen of cattle into the tablet as it is sold.

Some knowledge of operating a tablet is preferred.

Training will be provided.

Start date: As soon as possible.

National Dairy Sales Manager Reporting to the General Manager, Livestock, the National Dairy Sales Manager takes overall accountability for the dairy livestock function and its performance, with particular emphasis on increasing dairy herd sales, maximising market share and enhancing the networking of PGG Wrightson dairy livestock representatives between the North and South Islands. The role will also play a key strategic role as a member of the Livestock Leadership team, and alongside the National Livestock Sales Manager, will be a critical leadership role for the salesforce.

Key objectives for the successful candidate include:

Weigh crate operator – Feilding sale yards, Feilding Get in amongst the action with this hands-on role.

Here, you will attend the Feilding store sale each Friday plus extra days as and when required. Alongside another team member you will efficiently weigh as many lines of store lambs as possible, recording the data.

Attributes needed: • A good level of physical fitness • Excellent stock handling skills • Be able to work as a team in close quarters with other staff members • Be able to operate the portable weigh crate • Be able to work around other persons operating in the Feilding sale yards in a professional manner and without causing conflict • Be able to work efficiently and effectively to ensure the job is completed under time pressures

• Leading an experienced team of dairy specialists and Managers; providing strategic focus and guidance together with hands-on and visible leadership - finding the balance of being in the field with the teams, modelling behaviours and driving success - while designing strategy and communicating your vision effectively • Driving a culture focused on safety and sustainability; including a strong focus on sustainable work practices and animal welfare • Working with the wider Leadership team to inspire sustainable change; and contribute as a high performing member of the Livestock Leadership Team; supporting overall planning and execution of strategic and high value, operational initiatives Skills and experience: • Proven sales management and strong leadership experience; exposure and experience in the Dairy industry is essential • Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and build effective working relationships through strong communication skills • Experience in influence and persuasion in a consultative manner • A balanced and informed approach to problem solving, including change management.

If this sounds like you, please apply today!

Training will be provided.

Apply now or to find out more about working at PGG Wrightson or view other opportunities visit https://careers.pggwrightson.co.nz/search and enter reference number 8124FARWEE.

For more details please contact suz.bremner@globalhq.co.nz Both roles will be on a casual basis

LK0096024©

Applications close on Sunday, 20 January 2019.

www.pggwrightson.co.nz

Helping grow the country

Return this form either by fax to 06 323 7101 attention Debbie Brown or post to Farmers Weekly Classifieds, PO Box 529, Feilding 4740 - by 12pm Wednesday or Freephone 0800 85 25 80

LK0096026©

classifieds@globalhq.co.nz – 0800 85 25 80

LK0092630©

32

CONTRACTORS

ANIMAL HANDLING FLY OR LICE problem?

Electrodip - The magic eye sheepjetter since 1989 with unique self adjusting sides.

Incredible chemical and time savings with proven effectiveness.

Phone 07 573 8512 w w w. e l e c t r o d i p . c o m

ANIMAL HEALTH www.drench.co.nz farmer owned, very competitive prices. Phone 0800 4 DRENCH (437 362).

ANIMAL SUPPLEMENTS APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, GARLIC & MANUKA HONEY. 20L - $54.95, 200L $495 or 1000L - $2,200 plus GST with FREE SHIPPING from Black Type Minerals Ltd www. blacktypeminerals. co.nz

DOLOMITE NZ’s finest BioGro certified Mg fertiliser For a delivered price call ....

0800 436 566

GORSE SPRAYING SCRUB CUTTING. 30 years experience.

Blowers, gun and hose.

No job too big. Camp out teams.

Travel anywhere if job big enough. Phone Dave 06 375 8032.

DEERLAND TRADING LTD DEERLAND TRADING LTD buying deer velvet this season and paying above the average. Also contractor required to buy deer velvet. Payment on commission basis. Contact 021 2697 608.

DOGS FOR SALE BEARDIE HEADING pups. Two girls, four boys. Excellent working parents. Dad Heading.

Mum Beardie Huntaway.

9 weeks vaccinated and wormed. Ready now. $250 each. Phone Claire 021 622 081.

SMITHFIELD PUPS, bobtail, from long working lines. $500. Phone 027 255 7217.

DOGS FOR SALE

FARM FOR LEASE

SOUTH ISLANDERS shipping dogs down there 26/1/19. Trial, guaranteed! www.youtube.com/user/ mikehughesworkingdog/ videos 07 315 5553.

FARM FOR LEASE by tender – Tauranga. Quality 196 ha (180ha effective) located in Oropi. Historically used for dairy grazers, beef, sheep and deer.

Good infrastructure. Lease commences 1st June 2019.

Farm open day Saturday 19th January 2019. For further details please contact Dean Edwards, FarmWise consultant, 027 474 3273.

NZ BIGGEST SELECTION Huntaways, Heading dogs since 2012. Deliver NZ wide, trial, guaranteed! www.youtube.com/user/ mikehughesworkingdog/ videos 07 315 5553.

YOUNG HEADING and Huntaways. Top working bloodlines. View our website www.ringwaykennels.co.nz Join us on Facebook: Working dogs New Zealand.

Phone 027 248 7704.

DOGS WANTED 12 MONTHS TO 5½-yearold Heading dogs and Huntaways wanted. Phone 022 698 8195.

BUYING HEADERS AND Huntaways South and North Islands. No one buys or pays more! www.youtube.com/user/ mikehughesworkingdog/ videos 07 315 5553.

Wood fired central heating specialists

Check out our website and let results speak for themselves www.aotearoastockman.com

LK0094762©

Specialists in mustering Wild Goats, Cattle, Horses and Sheep across New Zealand

• Dry • Wetback • Radiators/Underfloor Don’t want to be cold next winter? Talk to us now!

YOUR FARM MAPPED showing paddock sizes.

Priced from $600 for 100ha. Phone 0800 433 855. farmmapping.co.nz

FOR SALE

Heating

JOHNNY GRAY

FARM MAPPING

To contact us ph 03 310 6534 www.hunterstoves.co.nz

THINK PR EB U IL T

DOG/PET FOOD. Lamb/ Beef and chicken products.

All natural - raw - no preservatives or additives.

NOSLOC PRODUCTS. Ex-freezer Te Kuiti. For information and prices www.nosloc.com or phone 07 878 6868.

GOATS WANTED

FERAL GOATS WANTED. All head counted, payment on pick-up, pick-up within 24 hours. Prices based on works schedule.

Experienced musterers available.

Phone Bill and Vicky Le Feuvre 07 893 8916.

GOATS WANTED. All weights. All breeds.

Prompt service. Payment on pick up. My on farm prices will not be beaten.

Phone David Hutchings 07 895 8845 or 0274 519 249. Feral goats mustered on a 50/50 share basis.

Working alongside Crusader Meats

GOATS WANTED

PUMPS

GOATS. 40 YEARS experience mustering feral cattle and feral goats anywhere in NZ. 50% owner (no costs).

50% musterer (all costs).

Phone Kerry Coulter 027 494 4194.

HIGH PRESSURE WATER PUMPS, suitable on high headlifts.

Low energy usage for single/3-phase motors, waterwheel and turbine drives. Low maintenance costs and easy to service. Enquiries phone 04 526 4415, email sales@hydra-cell.co.nz

HORTICULTURE NZ KELP. FRESH, wild ocean harvested giant kelp.

The world’s richest source of natural iodine. Dried and milled for use in agriculture and horticulture. Growth promotant / stock health food. As seen on Country Calendar. Orders to: 03 322 6115 or info@nzkelp.co.nz

STOCK FEED MOISTURE METERS Hay, Silage dry matter, grain. www.moisturemeters.co.nz 0800 213 343.

33

4X4 TAGALONG TOURS Bring your own 4X4 on a guided tour to discover more of the South Island.

Tour 1: Molesworth Station, St James, and Rainbow Stations Dates – 2019: March 3-6, Oct 21-24, Dec 30-Jan 2, 2020 Tour 2: D’Urville Island and Marlborough High Country Dates – 2019: March 24-28 Other dates available for either tour for groups on request.

Ph: 03 314 7220 Mob: 0274 351 955 Email info@southislandtoursnz.com www.southislandtoursnz.com

TRACTOR PARTS CNH MXU110 /100. TSA 100/110.

Dismantling.

ANDQUIP. Phone 027 524 3356.

LIVESTOCK FOR SALE POLL DORSET RAMS, muscle scanned, SIL recorded.

Brucellosis accredited. All sires. Foot rot and eczema tested.

Phone 09 292 2504 or 021 0731 620.

FOR ONLY $2.10 + gst per word you can book a word only ad in Farmers Weekly Classifieds. Phone Debbie 0800 85 25 80.

UNDERGROUND LOCATORS PATHFINDER LOCATES underground services and assets. Lower North Island. www.pathfinder.kiwi.nz Or call Brendan 021 089 59158. Email: pathfinder@ inspire.net.nz

WANTED TO BUY

PROPERTY FOR LEASE

SAWN SHED TIMBER including Black Maire.

Matai, Totara and Rimu etc. Also buying salvaged native logs.

Phone Richard Uren. NZ Native Timber Supplies. Phone 027 688 2954.

AWAKINO. 234 HECTARES of excellent coastal land including approximately 50 hectares of flats with balance of mainly easy/ medium hill.

History of growing out excellent stud cattle. A large tractor/implement shed plus two sets of cattle yards. For viewing call 027 848 4408.

WANTED TO LEASE HILL COUNTRY FARM lease for hardworking couple wanted. Anything and anywhere considered.

Phone Jason 022 095 5465 or email: runcountry14@ gmail.com

PROPERTY WANTED HOUSE FOR REMOVAL wanted.

North Island.

Phone 021 0274 5654.

LK0095582©

Ph: 027 959 4166 johnnyanderin2017@gmail.com maiexperiencejohnnygray

classifieds@globalhq.co.nz – 0800 85 25 80

LK0094978©

Classifieds

FARMERS WEEKLY – January 14, 2019

NEW HOMES SOLID – PRACTICAL

CRAIGCO SENSOR JET

WELL INSULATED – AFFORDABLE

Do you have something to sell?

Call Debbie

0800 85 25 80 classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

Call or email us for your free copy of our plans Email: info@ezylinehomes.co.nz Phone: 07 572 0230 Web: www.ezylinehomes.co.nz

$7850 +GST Weigh Combo*

AFFORDABLE VERSATILE DURABLE

✁

SCOTTY’S CONTRACTORS WE’RE BACK AND TAKING BOOKINGS FOR 2019!

FROM THIS

• Adjustable V panels • Davey Twin Impellor Pump • 6.5 or 10hp motors

SHEEP JETTERS SINCE 1992

*Loadbars and indicator not included

Under Woolshed/Covered Yards Cleaning Specialist www.underthewoolshed.kiwi

• Robust construction • Auto shut gate • Total 20 jets • Lambs only 5 jets • Side jets for lice

Save time and money – flystrike and lice cost $$$ Guaranteed performance Quick to set up – easy to use – job done

LK0095830©

CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISING

Our homes are built using the same materials & quality as an onsite build. Easily transported to almost anywhere in the North Island. Plans range from one bedroom to four bedroom First Home – Farm House Investment – Beach Bach

Auto Head Yoke $2,700 +GST

Ph 06 835 6863 Mob 021 061 1800 Jetter video: www.craigcojetters.co.nz

FOR SALE

SELLING

SOMETHING?

✁

Phone Scott Newman Freephone 0800 2SCOTTY (0800 27 26 88) Mobile 027 26 26 27 2 New Zealand’s Number 1 service provider for under woolshed and covered yard cleaning since 2004

Standard Crush from $10,395 +GST

TO THAT

Vet Crush from $11,695 +GST

0800 227 228

LK0091995©

Nominate a school on booking and we’ll donate $100 on payment of your account.

Anytime

™

www.combiclamp.co.nz

South Island - Stuart 027 435 3062

Have something to sell?

Advertise in Farmers Weekly Phone Debbie Brown 0800 85 25 80 or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

LK0095993©

FOR SALE

34

livestock@globalhq.co.nz – 0800 85 25 80

Livestock

FARMERS WEEKLY – January 14, 2019

SALE TALK

A man with a huge grin approaches a priest.

THE VIEW HILL ON FARM RAM SALE

STRATHCLYDE SHEEP STUD

Friday 18th January 2019 On the property of Mr A D Gillespie McGraths Road, Oxford Inspection from 11.00am, Sale at 1.00pm

Matt & Tracey Jones 2817 West Coast Road RD 1, Darfield

Tuesday 15th January

East Friesian Rams 2nd February 2019 11am Viewing – On Farm 1:00pm Start

On Account of G F Robertson 1400 Capital Stock

We will offer: A D GILLESPIE – 50 Southdown Rams D J MARTIN – 15 Poll Dorset Rams

Approximate tallies: 50 1shr East Friesian Rams

Romdale Ewes Farm sold Further enquiries to LK0095990©

Bradley Livestock Simon Bradley 027 442 6177

After 8 years of breeding Strathclyde will start milking in 2019 and are pleased to announce the first on site Ram fair.

For further details please contact Anthony Cox 0272 083 071 Aaron Leckie 0274 730 808 Or your local livestock agent

Phone Carrfields – Callum Dunnett 027 587 0131 Vendor – Matt Jones 021 502 480

Catalogue is available to view on our website www.rurallivestock.co.nz NZ Owned & Operated

LK0096003©

4th- 4 year

“Do not fret, my son,” says the priest. “All you need to do is take seven lemons, squeeze the juice into a glass and drink the juice.”

“Will that cleanse my sin from me?”

“No, but it’ll wipe that stupid smile off your face.

STORE LAMBS FRIES BULL CALVES 130-150kg 330-400kg 15 MTH FRIES BULLS 15MTH ANG & AHX STEERS 360-400kg 350-400kg 15MTH BEEF HEIFERS 2YR BEEF STEERS 450-600kg

STOCK FOR SALE

36 x FRIES HERE 18MTH STEERS 450kg 50 x 15MTH FRIES BULLS 500kg

www.dyerlivestock.co.nz

Ross Dyer 0274 333 381 A Financing Solution For Your Farm E info@rdlfinance.co.nz

LK0095988©

Ongarue Sale

“Bless me father, for I have sinned,” he says.

“I’ve spent the week with seven beautiful women.”

STOCK REQUIRED

DAIRY HERDS WANTED URGENTLY • 220 strong Xbrd to Frsn well recorded,high-index cows for June 1.

Spring Calving Cows

Approx 800 Ewes Comprising:

300 June Calving OAD Mixed Breed Herd BW83 PW82 RA94% DTC 22/6. Web Ref DH1235 Young G3 Herd. Low SCC, 350ms OAD $1800 153 In-Milk 2-6yr Very Fertile OAD Xbred Cows.

BW82 PW101 RA95%. DTC 20/7. Web Ref DH1247 Young Herd, 2-6yr olds. $1750 31st May Del 280 Top Quality Xbred Cows. BW63 PW86 RA 92%.

DTC 25/7. Web Ref DH1232 Young Xbred herd 420ms system 3. 7% empty rate, Low SCC. $1900.

250 Proven OAD Xbred Herd BW103 PW132 LW129 RA87%. DTC 19/7. Web Ref DH1236 On very steep Northland farm, long walks. System1. $1850

230 2th Ewes Tex/P/dale (1/4 Texel)

Paul Kane: 027 286 9279 National Dairy Coordinator

LK0095989©

Hill country ewes from Te Waitere.

Change of farming policy.

All ewes scanned 156%

Ram Private Sales

March 15th – 2th Rams plus Ram Lambs selected for hogget mating

DAIRY HERDS/STOCK FOR SALE

• Romney • Romdale • Perendale x Tex x Romney • Texel x Romney • Kelso x Romney • Kelso Maternal • Kelso Terminal (Black Face)

220 F/FX Herd BW73 PW65 RA89% DTC24/7 Web Ref DH1250 Well-bred herd on rolling/steep farm, great production with low SCC $1950.

Approx. – 80 fully recorded Stud Females

– 50 Meadowslea bred commercial R2yr Heifers

Philip Webb: 027 801 8057 Central & Southern North Island Dairy Coordinator

– May 1st

www.carrfieldslivestock.co.nz

NZ CHEVIOT

Contact: David Giddings – Meadowslea 03 685 8027 PGGW: Keith Willson 027 412 5766 Greg Uren 027 4314051 Carrfields: Callum Dunnett 027 5870131 PWA: Hamish Zuppicich 027 403 3025 RLL: Anthony Cox 027 208 3071

• 550 KiwiX or FrX July calving cows from genuine, closed herd.

Need good figures & age structure.

Contact Brett Wallbank 027 488 1299

• 140-170 Fr or FrX cows (can include heifers) with calving date around 20/7. Good capacity and production potential.

Contact Simon Payne 027 241 4585

2nd Annual Angus Female In-Calf Sale

360 FX Herd BW67 PW77 DTC 15/7 Web Ref DH1198 Bred for udders & Fertility, Great temperament & confirmation. $2050

• 1100 Fr/FrX high capacity cows, plus 150-200 Fr/FrX heifers.

A2A2 preferably. Contact Tim Hurley 027 445 1167

• 100+ single herd code Friesian cows from a closed herd.

Contact Richard Trembath 027 499 3992

Jan/Feb – 2th Rams available now – all breeds Hogget mating options

170 XBred Cows BW98 PW104 RA98% DTC 1/8.

Web Ref DH1238 Closed Herd for 40 years. Can be purchased in-milk 1st March Del. $2000.

LK0095716©

300 MA Ewes

Upcoming on-farm Sales Autumn 2019

Autumn Ram Sale

61 mainly 2 & 3yr old OAD xbred BW89 PW114 DTC 20/7 Small to medium stature. I/C Hereford.. Suit a herd top up. Available in-milk as well $Offers

280 4th Ewes Tex/P/dale (1/4 Texel)

• 150 Jsy/JsyX cows from low input system. Preferably Samen breeding. Sam Cowley 027 451 5317

• 475 Frs/Xbd cows BW88/46; PW108/63; RA98%. DTC 20/7.

Owned by the same family for 40 plus years. $2150. Listing # WAI65274. Contact Steve Morton 027 246 5165 • 260 Xbd cows BW104; PW120; RA99%. DTC 20/7. Best production 461ms/cow; 1531ms/ha. $1890 Listing # WAI65342.

Contact Darryl Houghton 027 451 5315 • 399 Xbd/Fr well-uddered cows from challenging farm. LowSCC. BW83/45; PW105/57; RA97%. $1950 Listing # TAR65293.

Contact Daniel Hornby 027 552 3514

LK0096029©

Friday January 18 12 noon Capital Stock A/C G & J James Te Waitere

Enquiries to Grant Ross 021 174 8403

• 200 Frs high prod Ambreed or WWS type cows.

Contact Bryan Sweeney 027 869 2620.

Further enquiries, contact John Watson ph 027 494 1975 or check out other listings on www.mylivestock.co.nz

The magic behind the Perendale USE A REGISTERED CHEVIOT RAM FOR: • Better constitution, mobility and longevity • Less labour and costs • High worm tolerance

LK0095711©

• Potential for heavy carcase weights with top grades • Unrivalled for hogget lambing survival • More and better quality stock to sell

For further information contact the secretary Phone 03 318 8260 • jcpascoe@xtra.co.nz See our website www.cheviotsheepnz.com

North Island: • Todd Johnson • Clive Akers • John Hendrickson • Barry Cleaver • John Spellman • Gilbert Timms • Kevin Nesdale • Wayne Frank • Gilbert McWherter • John Herlihy • Ross Pellow • David Allan • Katee Herdman • Brenda Coleman

09 423 9574 06 329 1822 06 374 3888 06 388 7871 07 877 8401 06 362 7829 06 328 5804 06 754 4311 06 855 5498 06 762 5520 09 439 5885 06 870 0732 027 460 3027 07 824 5978

South Island: • Beverley Hay • Anthony Gray • Malcolm McKelvie • John Minty • Ray Mitchell • Stuart Sinclair • Brent Mackie • Peter Lankow • Francine Murray • Stephen Whittaker • Ian Alach • Blair Gallagher • Grant Midgley

03 314 9388 03 329 7977 03 206 6603 03 225 4631 03 415 7187 03 302 3824 03 415 7220 03 314 7511 03 318 3678 03 685 4864 03 525 9038 03 303 9819 027 446 886

LK0096002©

TE KUITI MA EWE FAIR

Livestock

FARMERS WEEKLY – January 14, 2019

livestock@globalhq.co.nz – 0800 85 25 80

Wiltshires for sale

WEANER GRAZING AVAILABLE Central North Island

Ewes, rams, ewe hoggets.

No shearing, crutching, docking. Minimal dagging.

JANUARY – MAY

• Summer safe • Facial Eczema safe Drench provided

North Otago and Canterbury

Managed by ex-dairy farmers, weighed and drenched regularly with weight reports provided.

Fully-managed Grazing

May to May grazing also available

Looking for stock.

Fully-managed grazing available with experienced graziers.

Expect to see excellent weight-gain results.

Dairy replacement and all classes of stock.

LK0095992©

For more information call:

Andy Carlson 0274 529 697

Phone Stu 06 862 7534

Dorper Sheep Breeders Open Day and Sale – 19 January 2019, 1pm Venue: Café at corner of Main West Road and Sandy Knolls Road just west of West Melton

Objectives of the Day

• A meeting of enthusiastic breeders who are prepared to share knowledge with each other and prospective Dorper sheep owners.

• An opportunity to see examples of quality Dorper sheep on display and to discuss the characteristics which contribute to the ideal Dorper • Breeders will offer a small selection of quality Ewe and ram lambs, ewes and adult rams for sale via a Helmsman auction (between 2-3pm).

• A social get together.

Contact Murray Gill 027 206 6760 murray.gill@grazcare.co.nz

TE KUITI 2TH EWE FAIR

Thursday 17 January 2019 12 noon

At 1pm there will be a short presentation followed by questions and discussion.

ONGARUE EWE FAIR Tuesday 15th January, 12pm 13650 Ewes Comprising: 1600 4th – 5yr Romdale Ewes – Capital Stock 1400 4th – 5yr Romdale Ewes – Capital Stock 1300 4th – 5yr Romney Ewes – Capital Stock 700 2th – 5yr Romney Ewes – Capital Stock 350 4yr Pere Ewes 5300 5yr Romney Ewes 600 5yr Romdale Ewes 300 5yr Pere Ewes 300 5yr East Frsn/Romney x Ewes 1600 6yr Romney x Romdale Ewes 200 Romney Ewe Lambs – Capital Stock 30 2th Suffolk Rams

A/c Moketenui Station 400 2th Coopworth Ewes A/c Arapito Station 600 2th Coopworth Ewes A/c AT Brandon & Sons 350 2th Perendale Ewes A/c Windsor Park 400 2th Romney Ewes A/c GT & RE Burton 450 2th Coop/Rom Ewes A/c Te Toko Station 150 2th Perendale Ewes A/c CG Wright 400 2th Romney Ewes A/c HA Tucker Ltd LK0096035©

400 2th Romney Ewes

Special Entries A/C Kohunu Farming – Capital Stock 1600 4th – 5yr – Romdale Ewes A/C GF Robertson – Capital Stock 1400 4th – 4yr Romdale Ewes A/C C&G Wright – Capital Stock 1300 4th – 5yr Romney Ewes A/C L.E. Fetzer – Capital Stock 700 2th - 5yr Romney Ewes 200 Romney Ewe Lambs The annual lines of 5yr ewes are renowned for having top mouths and great shifting ability.

Ongarue is 24kms north of Taumarunui and will be signposted.

Further enquiries: Allan Hiscox (NZ Farmer) – 027 442 3434 Simon Bradley (Bradley Livestock) – 027 442 6177 Marty Cashin (PGG Wrightson) – 027 497 6414

STAY OUT FRONT OF THE MOB Advertise your ram sales in Farmers Weekly Phone Nigel 0800 85 25 80 or email livestock@globalhq.co.nz

LK0096036©

SPECIAL ENTRY

150 2th Perendale Ewes

Farmed easy-care on steep hill country.

LK0095304©

Scanned 164% ewes, 103% hoggets.

Grazing available for Weaners from now through to May 2019.

Large areas available

A/c GJ & HM Beeson

35

Check out NZDorperbreeders

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

Enquiries Jim McPhee 021 453 406 Don Edgecombe 021 033 8064

PH NIGEL 0800 85 25 80

Key: Dairy

Beef

Sheep

Other

26TH ANNUAL ON FARM WEANED CALF AUCTION

AUTUMN CALVERS FROM LARGE HERDS

A/C INVERNIA HOLDINGS GEORGETOWN, NORTH OTAGO

Tuesday 5th February 2019 at 1:30PM Comprising approx: 850 Frisian Bull Calves 60 Frisian 18 month Bulls All calves de-horned, drenched and weaned off nurse cows in December.

TB Status C10 1% Rebate to outside companies Further inquiries (PGG Wrightson Oamaru): Simon Vernon 027 405 8248 Mark Yeates 027 5904 217, a/h 03 434 7980

48 predominantly Friesian Cows: C.O. BW 80/PW 90. RW Hereford Bull 3-6-18 through 18-7-18. $1800.00 18 Fres & Fres x Cows: C.O. BW 123/PW 175.

RW Angus Bull 28-5-18 through 12-7-18. $1700.00 39 Fres & Fres x Cows: C.O. BW 108/PW 147.

RW Hereford Bull 2-6-18 through 15-7-18. $1700.00 250 Fres & Fres x Cows: C.O. BW 90/PW 155.

RW Hereford Bull 1-6-18 through 20-7-18. $1800.00 Contact: Alan Aldridge (Taupo) on 0274 720 901

ONGARUE EWE FAIR

TE KUITI 2TH EWE FAIR

Tuesday 15th January Total yarding approx. 13650 Ewes Special Entry A/C Kohunu Farming 1600 4th – 5yr Romdale Ewes • Capital stock • Being sold due to end of lease • Farmed on steeper hills • High fertility flock – docked 149% • High EBV eczema tolerant rams used • These 2th are well grown and are recommended to shift well Further enquiries: Marty Cashin – 027 497 6414

Thursday 17th January Special Entry A/C Kohunu Farming 450 2th Romdale Ewes • Capital stock • Being sold due to end of lease • Farmed on steeper hills • High fertility flock – docked 149% • High EBV eczema tolerant rams used • These 2th are well grown and are recommended to shift well Further enquiries: Marty Cashin – 027 497 6414

FORDELL CATTLE FAIR Tues 15th Jan 12pm 2000 1.5yr Steers 160 1.5yr Hfrs Large lines of traditionally bred hill country cattle Enquiries to: Harvey Falloon 0274 429 955

Annual Lines: Roto Partnership Aranui Station Matawhitia Station

Freephone 0800 10 22 76 | www.pggwrightson.co.nz

The Shades Inzevar R Murray I&C

Frecklington A&S Horrocks Mt Zion

Helping grow the country

MARKET SNAPSHOT

36

Market Snapshot brought to you by the AgriHQ analysts.

Suz Bremner

Mel Croad

Nicola Dennis

Cattle

Reece Brick

Caitlin Pemberton

Sheep

BEEF

Deer

SHEEP MEAT

VENISON

Last week

Prior week

Last year

NI Steer (300kg)

5.45

5.45

5.40

NI lamb (17kg)

7.30

7.30

6.80

NI Stag (60kg)

10.20

10.30

10.70

NI Bull (300kg)

5.10

5.10

5.25

NI mutton (20kg)

4.90

4.90

4.50

SI Stag (60kg)

10.20

10.35

10.70

NI Cow (200kg)

3.90

3.90

3.95

SI lamb (17kg)

7.10

7.45

6.90

SI Steer (300kg)

5.20

5.15

5.30

SI mutton (20kg)

4.95

4.90

4.50

SI Bull (300kg)

5.00

4.85

5.20

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

SI Cow (200kg)

3.90

3.80

4.10

UK CKT lamb leg

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Last week Prior week

Last year

8.79

8.80

6.56

US domestic 90CL cow

6.59

6.56

6.56

North Island steer slaughter price

$/kg CW

6.0

5.5

$/kg CW

4.5 South Island steer slaughter price

6.0

6

6.0 5.0

11

4.0

10

South Island lamb slaughter price

7.0

6

6.0

Jun

2017-18

Dairy

Aug 2018-19

Oct

Dec 5-yr ave

Feb

6.0

Jun-18 Sept. 2019

Aug-18

Oct-18 Sept. 2020

Prior week

Last year

2.09

2.83

2.74

Last price*

WMP

2860

650

520

315

315

303

813

813

752

5.00

-

-

DAP

Top 10 by Market Cap Company

420 370 320

Dec-17

Feb-18

Apr-18

Jun-18

Aug-18

Oct-18

Dec-18

Close

YTD High

Meridian Energy Limited (NS)

3.60

3.61

YTD Low 3.38

Auckland International Airport Limited

7.28

7.35

7.07

The a2 Milk Company Limited Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Limited Spark New Zealand Limited

11.36

11.50

10.42

13.50

13.50

12.74

4.16

4.18

4.11

Ryman Healthcare Limited

10.98

11.50

10.68

Mercury NZ Limited (NS)

3.61

3.64

3.51

Contact Energy Limited

6.05

6.06

5.82

Fletcher Building Limited

4.97

5.06

4.78

Air New Zealand Limited (NS)

3.20

3.20

3.04

Listed Agri Shares

5pm, close of market, Thursday Close

YTD High

YTD Low

The a2 Milk Company Limited

11.360

11.500

10.420

2790

420

Comvita Limited

4.640

4.830

4.500

400

Delegat Group Limited

9.900

9.900

9.850

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

4.800

4.850

4.610

Foley Wines Limited Livestock Improvement Corporation Limited (NS) New Zealand King Salmon Investments Limited PGG Wrightson Limited

1.470

1.480

1.470

0.750

0.750

0.750

2.220

2.280

2.220

0.510

0.510

0.490

Sanford Limited (NS)

6.890

6.900

6.600

Scales Corporation Limited

4.400

4.500

4.400

SeaDragon Limited

0.002

0.003

0.002

Seeka Limited

4.260

4.300

4.250

Synlait Milk Limited (NS)

9.200

9.430

8.860

T&G Global Limited

2.870

S&P/NZX Primary Sector Equity

15390

15419

15063

S&P/NZX 50 Index

8919

8947

8732

S&P/NZX 10 Index

8490

8527

8280

2190

2095

AMF

5210

5100

4900

Butter

4250

4180

3810

Milk Price

6.19

6.07

6.05

380 360 340 320

Dec-17

* price as at close of business on Thursday

WMP FUTURES - VS FOUR WEEKS AGO

Feb-18

Apr-18

Jun-18

Aug-18

Oct-18

Dec-18

WAIKATO PALM KERNEL

3000

350

$/tonne

2900 2800 2700 May Jun 4 weeks ago

650

Company

2250

Mar Apr Latest price

Urea

440

SMP

Feb

Aug 2018-19

Last year

30 micron lamb

vs 4 weeks ago

2755

Jun

Prior week

2.83

CANTERBURY FEED BARLEY Prior week

Apr 2017-18

Last week

-

$/tonne

Nearby contract

NZ average (NZ$/t)

2.75

Dec-18

DAIRY FUTURES (US$/T)

2600

Last week

CANTERBURY FEED WHEAT

6.5

Apr-18

Feb

FERTILISER

470

Feb-18

Dec

Fertiliser

Aug 2018-19

37 micron ewe

$/tonne

$/kg MS

Jun

Super

7.0

US$/t

Apr 2017-18

Grain

Data provided by

MILK PRICE FUTURES

5.5

Oct

5-yr ave

Coarse xbred ind.

5-yr ave

8 7

(NZ$/kg) Apr

9

8.0

WOOL

Feb

South Island stag slaughter price

12

5.0

5.0

Dec

8

7.0

4.0

Oct

9 7

5.5

4.5

10

8.0

9.0

5.0

$/kg CW

North Island lamb slaughter price

9.0

Last year

11

9.04

$/kg CW

7.01

$/kg CW

6.95

Last week Prior week

North Island stag slaughter price

12

Export markets (NZ$/kg) US imported 95CL bull

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

$/kg CW

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Ingrid Usherwood

Jul

300 250 200

Dec-17

S&P/FW PRIMARY SECTOR EQUITY

Feb-18

Apr-18

Jun-18

Aug-18

Oct-18

Dec-18

15390

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

8919

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

8490

37

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019 SI SLAUGHTER STAG

NI SLAUGHTER STEER

SI SLAUGHTER MUTTON

$/KG

$/KG

WEANER FRIESIAN BULLS, 140KG, AT TARANAKI WEANER FAIR

$/KG

$/HD LW

10.20

5.45

4.95

5.40

Wool positive start

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Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz

T

HE calendar 2019 wool sales season in the South Island started brightly, with indications of business being written in China, and helped by lower volumes.

Crossbred prices remain at depressed levels and there are still issues to be faced, but the positive start was refreshing, with finer crossbred wools up to 6% dearer at Christchurch on Thursday, and strong wools up to 2% better, PGG Wrightson’s South Island sales manager Dave Burridge said.

The small volumes of new season’s lambs’ wool were keenly sought after, with prices well ahead.

The total bale count was 5800 bales, compared with the rostered number of 7300. Only about 5% of the tally was lambs’ wool.

There was still a lot of shearing catchup to be done after the wet pre-Christmas period, and there were farmers storing wool for a time before going to market, Burridge said. Nevertheless, those that offered on Thursday did meet the market with just a 7% pass-in rate. Mid-micron wool sold strongly, also on limited volumes.

Lambs’ wool volumes are low also because farmers are taking advantage of lush pasture conditions to grow their lambs and are also delaying shearing to add value by length and wait, sometimes for up to a month.

Farmers did need to be careful not to take this too far and have their lambs’ wool grow-out to a stronger micron reading, he said.

The plentiful grass conditions are also causing some discolouration in wool, putting extra pressure on growers to ensure preparation was of a good standard.

There was cautious optimism about the year ahead, Burridge said. Although crossbred prices are low, the PGW average indicator price graph does show a gradual rising trend since mid-November.

A positive start was also made at Napier’s Thursday sale, except for lambs’ wool which sold at a softer value than this time last year, PGW’s North Island auctioneer Steve Fussell said.

Otherwise, prices were firmer, notably in the 34-to-39-micron range for both full

LivestockEye

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Photos: Rebecca Williams.

wool and second shear. The pass-in rate there was just 3%.

CHRISTCHURCH SALE: (All by micron level, price in kilograms/ clean).

Full wool, good to average colour.

27 micron, $9.86kg/clean, up 40c; 31, $5.90, up 75c; 32, $4.58, up 40c; 33, $4.24, up 62c; 34, $3.31, up 12c; 35, $3.14, up 17c; 36, $3.08, up 12c; 37, $3.06, up 10c; 38, $3.06, up 16c; 39, $3.02, up 12c.

Crossbred second shear: 33 micron, 3-to-4 inches, $3.65kg/ clean, up 27c; 2-to-3 inches, $3.40, up 22c; 35, 3-to-4 inches $3.15, up 18c; 37, 3-to-4 inches, $3.03, up 3c; 2-to-3 inches, $2.97, up 4c; 39, 3-to-5 inches, $3.00, up 3c; 3-to-4 inches, $3.00, up 4c; 2-to-3 inches, $2.98, up 2c.

Crossbred, lambs’ wool, first shear:

28 micron, $6.82kg/clean, up 22c; 29, $6.40, up 46c; 30, $5.30, up 35c; 31, $4.40, up 15c.

NAPIER SALE: (All by micron level, price per kg/clean).

Full wool, good to average colour.

34 micron, $3.32kg/clean; 36, $3.02, up 16c; 37, $3.00, up 11c; 38, $2.88, up 6c; 39, $3.09, up 27c.

Cross-bred, second-shear: 35 micron, 2-to-3 inches, $3.09kg/ clean; 37, 3-to-4 inches, $3.08, up 21c; 2-to-3 inches, $3.01; up 19c; 39, 3-to-5 inches, $2.96, up 20c; 3-to-4 inches, $3.08, up 11c; 2-to-3 inches, $3.01.

Lambs’ wool: 27 micron, 2-to-3 inches, $7.27kg/ clean; 28, 2-to-3 inches, $5.95, down 31c; 29, 2-to-3 inches, $5.74, down 25c; 30, 2-to-3 inches, $5.33, down 31c.

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HOT DAY: Shade was a popular option for the buying bench at the recent Puketoro on-farm sale inland from Tokomaru Bay.

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38

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

High cull ewe prices drive breeding ewe market up The feature at North Island sales was the breeding ewe fairs, with sales held from Te Kuiti through to Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay. High returns for cull ewes have meant that buyers came to the rails with bigger budgets, and prices pushed past last year’s results by $50-$70 per head. Two-tooths below $200 have been a rarity and five-year ewes have also pushed past that mark on some occasions – an event that has not occurred since 2012.

where only a few sold below $220. Buyers were getting edgy about missing out once the older ewes rolled around. Two large five-year pens were the talk of the day at $220-$231.

On average two-tooths made $245, four-year and fiveyear ewes made $190, while six-year and mixed-age pens averaged $180.

Matawhero sheep sale • Good store lambs were $126-$131 • Medium store lambs made $100-$113 • Light store lambs were $66.50-$91 A selection of 800 store lambs began the year on a solid footing. On average prices were down on a little on preChristmas levels, but not by much. Good and medium cuts were the more stable sections, but buyers were quite selective through anything lighter. No big lines were on offer.

HAWKE’S BAY NORTHLAND Wellsford store cattle sale • Two-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 400kg, were steady at $2.98/ kg • Yearling Hereford-cross steers, 312kg, earned $3.24/kg • Yearling Hereford-cross heifers, 337kg, returned $3.03/kg • Autumn-born Belgian Blue-cross weaner steers, 289kg, fetched $960 • Friesian weaner bulls, 123-135kg, managed $450 A small sale kicked off 2019 at WELLSFORD, with 152 cattle penned and quality mixed.

Two-year Friesian steers, 412kg, traded at $2.51/kg, with Hereford-Friesian heifers, 322-508kg, returning $2.87$3.04/kg.

Weaner cattle were steady as Hereford-Friesian steers, 104-148kg, managed $415-$555, while Friesian and Friesian-cross, 115-140kg, earned $350-$420.

In the autumn-born weaners Hereford-Friesian steers, 293kg, earned $925. Three Angus-Friesian bulls, 355kg, sold to $1000, with the balance of this section returning $710$750 regardless of breed.

Three beef-cross cows with forward calves-at-foot had been run with a Hereford bull and sold for $1280 per unit.

Kaikohe cattle and sheep sale • Five-year Romney ewes sold for $128-$140 • Two-year Angus steers made $2.85/kg • Weaner beef-Friesian bulls returned $530-$580 • Weaner Friesian bulls made $460-$480 KAIKOHE started the year with a small breeding ewe sale, with the market at expectations, PGG Wrightson agent Vaughan Vujcich reported. A line of two-tooth Romney ewes made $186, and mixed age Perendale, $146. Lamb prices were pleasing at $95-$110.

A quiet start to cattle selling had about 200 penned.

R3 Friesian-cross steers earned $2.48-$2.52/kg, with 18-month Friesian and Angus-cross bulls returning $2.55$2.65/kg. One line of two-year beef-cross heifers made $2.60/kg.

Yearling Angus steers sold for $2.90/kg, beef-cross heifers $2.65-$2.70/kg. Weaner dairy-beef heifers proved harder going and sold for $370-$450, though most traded around the $400 mark.

Good Friesian and Friesian-cross cows fetched $1.75/kg.

WAIKATO Frankton prime and store cattle sale • Prime Hereford bulls, 540-760kg, improved to $2.69-$2.81/kg • Prime Hereford-cross steers, 707-723kg, returned $2.80-$2.81/kg • Two-year Hereford-cross steers, 525-585kg, eased to $2.76-$2.77/ kg • Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 247kg, softened to $3.46/kg • Yearling Angus-cross heifers, 225-343kg, were steady at $2.60$2.62/kg A smaller yarding matched the small local buying bench at FRANKTON last Wednesday, and with quality mixed throughout most traded on a softer market.

Two-year Angus-cross steers, 486-520kg, traded at $2.81-$2.84/kg, and beef-dairy heifers, 413-421kg, $2.67$2.74/kg.

Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 380kg, softened to $3.11/kg, as did Angus-Friesian, 434kg, $2.90/kg. HerefordFriesian heifers, 359-428kg, traded at $2.69-$2.88/kg, with Friesian and Friesian-cross bulls, 214-306kg, back to $2.20$2.49/kg.

A consignment of autumn-born yearling Stabilizer heifers, 425-434kg, returned $2.72-$2.73/kg.

Most of the prime section traded on a softer market with beef-dairy steers, 696-701kg, at $2.77-$2.85/kg while all heifers, 477-558kg, returned $2.69-$2.84/kg.

Four in-calf Murray Grey-cross heifers, 492kg, were picked up for $1385.

BAY OF PLENTY Rangiuru cattle and sheep sale • Hereford bulls, 533-701kg, firmed to $2.81-$2.94/kg • Yearling Angus steers, 376-448kg, firmed to $2.86-$2.95/kg • Friesian bulls, 100-117kg, came back to $290-$400 • Light to medium store lambs made $69-$100 • Medium to heavy prime lambs sold for $135-$170 Just over 1000 cattle made the journey to the RANGIURU last Tuesday, with volume boosted by ex-service Hereford bulls and 400 weaners.

Prime steers sold well as high-yielding lines made $2.98$3.04/kg, and the balance $2.81-$2.89/kg. Beef-Friesian heifers, 475-495kg, eased to $2.80/kg, but beef-cross, 518602kg, earned $2.99-$3.01/kg.

Two-year beef-cross and beef-Friesian steers mostly sold for $2.71-$2.85/kg, although two pens of Hereford-Friesian reached $2.91-$2.94/kg.

Buyers were selective on yearling and weaner heifers.

Yearling Hereford-Friesian sold in two price ranges, with better lines at 301-320kg making $3.16/kg, and second cuts, 250-345kg, $2.79-$2.95/kg. Good weaner heifers in a 92131kg range made $495-$510, and lesser $390-$465.

TARANAKI Taranaki cattle fair • Prime beef and beef-Friesian steers, 580-662kg, were steady at $2.85-$2.93/kg • Two-year Hereford steers, 398-533kg, sold for $3.22-$3.30/kg • Two-year Hereford steers, 452-460kg, sold for a premium at $3.38-$3.41/kg • Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 336-351kg, lifted to $3.36-$3.48/ kg • Yearling beef-cross and Beef-Friesian heifers, 255-330kg, lifted to $3.12-$3.18/kg The grass market strengthened the market at TARANAKI last Wednesday. The star attraction was a consignment of two-year Hereford steers, which drew in buyers from around the North Island. Prices were up 28-36c/kg on last year, and the extra buyers also helped the two-year and yearling dairy-beef markets. Two-year beef-cross and Hereford-Friesian steers, 420-532kg, sold for $2.96-$3.06/ kg, and heifers, 353-387kg, firmed to $2.84-$2.89/kg.

The yearling steer section had 320 head and a large portion sold for more than $1100. Hereford-Friesian, 408437kg, made $3.19-$3.24/kg, and Angus-cross, 353-371kg, $3.31-$3.32/kg. Heifers were strong with plenty exceeding $1000 as Shorthorn-cross, 289kg, reached $3.74/kg, while Charolais-cross, 312kg, made $3.43/kg.

Taranaki dairy beef weaner fair • Friesian bull calves, 150-175kg, lifted to $590-$630 • Friesian bull calves, 120-135kg, were steady at $505-$540 • Hereford-Friesian bull calves, 110-125kg, were steady at $600$640 • Hereford-Friesian heifer calves, 110-125kg, rose to $500-$540 Just under 1600 calves tested the market at TARANAKI. All sections managed to sell at least steady on the previous fair a month before, mainly down to the excess feed in paddocks through the country. Heavy first-draft Friesian bull calves were a major drawcard, usually selling for $600plus at 150kg or more. Beef-cross bull and steers calves were mainly stable, while equivalent heifer calves lifted.

POVERTY BAY Matawhero ewe fair • Top two-tooth Coopworth ewes were $257-$266 • Other quality two-tooth ewes were $222-$252 • Top five-year Coopworth and Romney ewes were $220-$231 • Other quality four-year and older ewes were $182-$197 A selection of 7500 ewes was simply not enough to meet demand at the MATAWHERO ewe fair. Out-of-towners fought heavily through the 3200 two-tooths, to the point

Stortford Lodge prime cattle and sheep sale • Top ewes lifted to $178-$195 • Good ewes were steady at $135 • Heavy mixed sex lambs eased to $138.50-$170.50 • Heavy ewe lambs earned $145.50-$147 STORTFORD LODGE kicked off the new year with a strong ewe sale. Just on 1730 quality ewes were yarded and competition was strong. Heavy ewes strengthened to $140-$158, as did medium types up to $125-$130, with the tail-end solid at $95-$118.50.

A decent number of lambs were presented, and the majority were very good types. They traded on a slightly softer market for the majority, with top mixed-sex easing to $172.50-$178. Light-medium to medium mixed sex were steady at $110-$144.

No cattle were offered.

Stortford Lodge store cattle and sheep sale • Four yearling Friesian bulls, 291kg, made $2.96/kg • Good cryptorchid lambs made $116-$133 • Good ram lambs sold for $127-$144, and medium, $103-$110 • Medium-good mixed sex firmed to $113-$125 • Heavy Romney wether lambs sold for $125-$140 With little pressure to offload, the first store sale at STORTFORD LODGE was a quiet affair, with the main feature being 1900 mainly good quality store lambs.

A big crowd was present, and lambs were purchased by local buyers, with prices slightly softer than the last results of 2018, although medium-good mixed sex did firm. Most mixed-sex traded at $102-$125, with a few heavier lines up to $144-$145, and lighter $54-$73.

Stortford Lodge 2-tooth and mixed-age ewe fair • Top line of two-tooth Romney made $302 • Most other two-tooth Romney sold for $245-$289 • Five-year Romney lifted to $180-$225 • Mixed age Romney sold for $198-$225 The STORTFORD LODGE ewe fair last Friday was nothing short of outstanding, with prices lifting $50-$70 on 2018 results. Volume was similar at nearly 12,700 head, but the condition of the ewes was significantly better with all weaning well on to good pastures.

Romneys easily dominated and buyers from Waikato, Taihape and local were very competitive on all lines, right through to the smaller pens at the end of the fair.

Small offerings of four-tooth ewes sold for $241-$267, while six-tooth and four-year ewes returned $207-$240.

Dannevirke ewe fair • 8300 breeding ewes were offered • The top Romney and Perendale two-tooths sold for $226-$257 • Most other two-tooths traded at $200-$221 • Most five-year Romney ewes made $210-$214 The strength of the breeding ewe market at DANNEVIRKE last Thursday was undeniable. Volume was down on the previous year and regular buyers competed on lines they had purchased before. New faces were also in the crowd and the two-tooth market lifted $50-$75, with five-year ewes up $55. The top price was $275 for a line of heavy Romney two-tooths, while two lines of four-tooth Romney earned $221-$232.

Five-year and mixed-age prices exceeded expectations and the top mixed age Romney made $200-$212, with the balance of that breed at $175-$181. Perendale sold for $195.

MANAWATU Feilding prime cattle and sheep sale • Angus cows, 550-705kg, firmed to $2.10-$2.17/kg • Jersey bulls, 450-515kg, firmed to $2.38-$2.50/kg • Heavy prime mixed sex lambs were steady at $150-$165 • Good ewes firmed to $131-$156 The FEILDING prime sale got off to a solid start last Monday, with prices across all classes at or above the last sale for 2018.

SALE YARD WRAP

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019

39

mixed-sex and the top three pens housed just over 600 head and made $125-$147. A further 320 made $104, with the sale averaging $117. Ewes were all older types and the top line made $164, with the tail-end at $82.

Also on Wednesday Black Partner, Pareora Gorge, sold just over 2060 Sufftex mixed sex lambs to strong competition, PGG Wrightson agent Jonty Hyslop reported.

Prime types traded at $128-$149, with the sale averaging $119.

The strong theme continued last Thursday at the 18th annual Surrey Hills on-farm sale in Mid Canterbury, where 5000 lambs were offered. A good gallery of returnee buyers helped lift the market by $30 a head on last year, Greg Cook from PGG Wrightson reported. 2500 Romney male lambs stayed local at $114-$144, while the ewe lambs headed to North and Central Canterbury for breeding. Blackface mixed sex sold for $118-$146, though the sale was topped by a line of Beltex lambs at $150. These traded at $116-$150.

SOUTH-CANTERBURY

WATCHING: Tennant McNeil keeps an eye on proceedings at the Puketoro on-farm sale last week.

Six Hereford bulls, 715kg, made $2.79/kg, while Anguscross cows, 497-570kg, returned $1.89-$1.98/kg.

Sheep were the focus though and lambs held value while ewes firmed. Second and third cuts of lambs made $123$148, while the top line of 20 ewes sold for $218. Lighter ewes earned $105-$126.

Feilding store sale • One-year Simmental steers, 505-545kg, made $1690-$1770 • One-year traditional steers, 390-440kg, made $3.39-$3.51/kg • Two-year Friesian bulls, 505-510kg, were $2.87-$2.92/kg • Medium cryptorchid lambs eased to $112-$121 • Good cryptorchid lambs averaged $129-$135 The cattle yards were jam packed with stock, yearling steers being the big feature, numbering 1100 head all up. Heavy exotic steers were the talk of the day, selling to $3.18-$3.36/kg for 505-545kg lines. Even the HerefordFriesians, 380-435kg, did well enough at $3.21-$3.29/kg.

Dairy service bulls were the other drawcard, and 500kg plus Friesian and Herefords all made $2.87-$2.92/kg. A yarding of 21,000 lambs was enough to take the edge out of prices, but vendors still walked away pleased. The average price for the day was $116, with $100-$125 the common range. Some good mixed age ewes were $164-$176.

Rongotea cattle sale • Two-year Hereford bulls, 520-592kg, earned $2.85/kg • Two-year Jersey bulls, 465-475kg, averaged $2.51/kg • Weaner Friesian bulls, 108-153kg, returned $410-$550 • Weaner Hereford-Friesian bulls, 111-135kg, earned $490-$510 • Weaner Angus-cross heifers, 97-118kg, fetched $350-$530 The first sale at RONGOTEA last Wednesday showed no signs of festive season hangovers as buyers came looking for mouths to keep the grass down, New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent John Watson reported.

Two-year Hereford steers, 570kg, reached $2.91/kg, and ex-service two and three-year bulls, 685-810kg, $2.75/kg. A line of 18-month Hereford bulls sold for breeding at $1700, while Friesian, 410kg, made $2.75/kg. Yearling Friesian and Angus-Hereford bulls, 342-390kg, returned $2.76-$2.80/kg.

Weaners made up a big portion of the yarding and posted solid returns relative to type. Crossbred bulls, 98-141kg, sold for $370-$420, and heifers, 100-138kg, $280-$410.

Exotic heifers reached $530-$540.

Boner Friesian cows, 497-513kg, fetched $1.76/kg.

CANTERBURY Canterbury Park cattle and sheep sale • Heavy beef and beef-cross steers, 620kg plus, firmed to $2.90$3.00/kg • Prime Hereford-cross heifers, 460-475kg, firmed to $2.99/kg • Medium to good mixed sex store lambs were steady at $103$121.

• Very light mixed sex lambs made $58-$83, males $81-$91 • Light-medium ewes sold for $108-$128 The cattle sale at CANTERBURY PARK last Tuesday was all about prime steers, with these making up 70% of the

Photo: Rebecca Williams

yarding and most at 600kg-plus. Most fell in a $2.90-$3.00/ kg range for the better yielding types, while five AngusHereford, 524kg, made $3.20/kg. Second cuts, including Angus, 562-590kg, returned $2.75-$2.85/kg.

Store volume was low and Angus & Angus-Hereford steers, 441kg, made $3.29/kg, while two-year HerefordFriesian heifers, 411-420kg, earned $2.64-$2.73/kg.

Store lambs made up the bulk of the sheep section, though most were very light types at 20kg and less. Demand was solid across all types.

Most of the prime lambs were third cuts and sold on a softer market for $115-$137, with a small entry of top cuts making $141-$188. Just shy of 600 ewes were offered and the $200 mark was still on the table, although only 15 ventured to $216-$224. Medium-good ewes sold for $146$162, while adult rams earned $115-$129.

Coalgate cattle and sheep sale • Most prime ewes were steady at $131-$178 • Good store lambs sold for $111-$119 • Prime steers, 565-750kg, firmed to $2.85/kg • Prime beef cows, 655-760kg, firmed to $2.10/kg • Weaner Friesian bulls, 97-111kg, came back to $350-$410 Fortunes were mixed at COALGATE last Thursday. With just over 1000 head in each main sheep section there was good volume for buyers to work with. A few pens of ewes hit $190-$126, while lighter types made $80-$128. Prime lambs eased with most trading at $120-$149, with a small portion up to $150-$179.

Store lambs came forward in small lines, but a pen of 266 mixed-sex sold for $115, while 127 ewe lambs earned $100.

Medium mixed-sex made $89-$96.

Cattle prices were mixed, with prime and good shortterm cattle firming although longer-term types eased.

The prime market reflected increased demand with most classes firm. Heifers, 486-615kg, returned $2.72-$2.78/kg, while a line of 16 dairy bulls at 521kg made $2.70/kg. Boner cows, 553-664kg, were steady at $1.70-$1.80/kg.

Good quality store cattle met keen interest although volume was limited. Yearling traditional steers, 285-405kg, firmed to $3.15/kg, while two lines of Hereford-Friesian heifers, 343-347kg, made $2.94-$3.05/kg.

Canterbury on-farm sheep sales • Top prime lambs at Opawa Downs on-farm made $147 • 870 older Perendale-cross and Romney-cross breeding ewes sold for $135 at Opawa Downs • Store lambs at Black Partnership on-farm exceeded expectations at $99-$120 • Romney ewe lambs at Surrey Hills on-farm all sold for breeding at $134-$146 Much of the focus in Mid and South Canterbury has been on on-farm lamb sales, and grass-driven demand meant all results were up on 2018. Mid and South Canterbury buyers easily dominated the sales.

Last Wednesday at Opawa Downs in South Canterbury 2100 lambs and 1260 ewes were offered, PGG Wrightson agent Bruce Dunbar reported. Lambs were terminal-cross

Temuka store cattle sale • Yearling Devon-cross steers, 248-338kg, earned $3.35-$3.53/kg • Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 401-456kg, eased to $3.02$3.09/kg • Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 339-389kg, also eased to $3.07$3.17/kg • Clean lines of yearling Hereford-Friesian heifers, 312-350kg, made $3.21-$3.37/kg.

• Devon-cross bulls, 316-370kg, earned $2.92-$3.01/kg The 965 head store cattle sale at TEMUKA last Thursday was centred around Chatham Islands and dairy-beef cattle.

The market eased though heavier weights meant per head prices were similar to last results. Few two-year cattle were penned, aside from Hereford heifers, 354-429kg, $2.87$3.06/kg and Angus, 480-527kg, $2.77-$2.79/kg. Angus and Angus & Angus-Hereford bulls, as well as Devon-cross, 360450kg, fetched $2.83-$2.91/kg.

Yearling Angus-cross steers, 271-341kg, sold for $3.64$3.76/kg, although the Hereford-Friesian market lost 2535c/kg for those 340kg-plus. Devon-Hereford heifers from the islands and 268-271kg made $3.14-$3.21/kg, while the better lines in a 293-329kg range reached $3.37-$3.46/kg.

Shorthorn-cross bulls, 346-397kg, achieved $3.02-$3.05/kg.

OTAGO Balclutha sheep sale • Medium to good store lambs made $100-$120 • Medium and heavy prime lambs sold for $120-$150 • Heavy prime ewes returned $140-$160 It was a quiet start to the year at the BALCLUTHA sale yards last Wednesday, with all classes of sheep selling well, PGG Wrightson agent Russell Moloney reported.

At least $80-$95 was needed for store lambs, while the third cuts of prime lambs made $110-$115.

Medium ewes sold for $120-$135 and light $90-$110, while rams returned $90-$125.

SOUTHLAND Lorneville cattle and sheep sale • Boner cows, 450-550kg, returned $1.70-$1.80/kg • Yearling Hereford-cross steers and heifers, 180-250kg, earned $500-$600 • Good store lambs made $105-$115 • Medium to heavy prime lambs were steady at $126-$161 • Heavy ewe were also steady at $151-$170 It was small tallies all round at LORNEVILLE last Tuesday, with a quiet start to the new year.

Prime sheep made returns in line with the last sale for 2018. Third cuts of lambs sold for $119-$121, while light and medium ewes returned $76-$148.

Store lamb prices were also solid, and medium lines sold for $95-$100, light $60-$90.

Cattle volume was low and quality mixed. Prime bulls, 620kg, made $2.80/kg, and 450-500kg dairy-cross steers, $2.50-$2.60/kg. Lighter cows, 400-450kg, returned $1.60$1.70/kg.

Store cattle prices eased and Friesian bull calves, 117kg, made $460, and Hereford-cross, 113kg, $515. Heifers of same breed and 100kg earned $440.

Charlton sheep sale • Medium to good store lambs sold for $100-$117 • Medium and heavy prime lambs returned $130-$150 • Medium prime ewes firmed to $130-$140.

CHARLTON made a quiet start to the year last Thursday, with a medium yarding of prime and store sheep, PGG Wrightson agent David Morrison reported.

Demand was strong and at least $115 was needed for prime lambs, with the third cuts making $115-$120. Twotooths sold for $150, and heavy mixed-age $160, while lighter lines returned $110-$120.

Light store lambs sold for $65-$80.

Markets

40 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 14, 2019 SI SLAUGHTER BULL

SI SLAUGHTER LAMB

NI SLAUGHTER MUTTON

($/KG)

($/KG)

TWO-YEAR ANGUS STEERS, 540600KG, AT FEILDING BULLOCK FAIR

($/KG)

($/KG LW)

7.10

5.00

4.90

3.10 - 3.25

$3.22-$3.30/kg high $245-$266 Hereford lights Very good Coopworth Two-year steers, 400-530kg, at two-tooth ewes at Matawhero

Taranaki

ACROSS THE RAILS - SUZ BREMNER

Quality on-farm sale draws big crowd

STEADY: Three good auctions in a row mean solidified farmgate milk prices at $6/kg MS, analysts say.

GDT recovery steadies farmgate price forecasts Hugh Stringleman

I

hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz

NCREASES in world dairy prices for three Global Dairy Trade auctions in a row through December and January have steadied the floor under New Zealand’s farmgate milk prices for this season of $6/kg milksolids.

The recent lift in market prices followed six months of continual decline from mid-May to midNovember during which the GDT index lost 20%, of which 7% has now been recovered.

Skim milk powder prices have risen 12% and are now at their highest level for 18 months, a period of gradual success in selling the European Union stockpile built during the 2014-16 dairy downturn.

Butter and anhydrous milk fat prices rose 3.9% in the latest GDT auction and the demand was strong for short delivery contracts – 8% and 6.3% respectively for the February 19 shipments.

Skim milk powder prices have risen 12% and are now at their highest level for 18 months.

Whole milk powder had the weakest recovery – up 1.2% in the early January event and 4% since November – and the reason is the continuing strength of NZ milk production.

As the world’s largest producer and exporter of WMP, our season-to-

date milk production increase of 5% has sent a clear signal to the market, particularly number one buyer China.

ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley said NZ milk supply would constrain prices in the short term following bumper weather conditions over the peak production months.

He expected production to remain firm for the rest of the season and that 5% figure to hold.

ASB maintained its milk price forecast at $6.

The 20% smaller offering of dairy products in the first January GDT auction compared with the two December events could also have contributed to better prices, Tuffley said.

Chinese buyers tend to compete strongly for near-delivery shipments early in the calendar year when dairy tariffs are at their lowest.

THERE was no easing into the New Year at Puketoro Station inland from Tokomaru Bay, as last Tuesday a hot summer’s day provided the backdrop for the third annual on-farm sale. This is a massive event that started when the McNeil family took over the property, with 7000 sheep and 700 Angus steers on offer. Puketoro Station is one of seven blocks run by McNeil Farming and is an 8500-hectare hill country property in the foothills of Mount Hikurangi, running 41,000 stock units. One of the owners, Tracey McNeil, said the family recognised early on the high demand for good quality, well-bred lines of stock that shift well. That inspired the on-farm sales, now in their third year with a very bright future ahead.

The sale runs like a well-oiled machine, with friends, family and staff all converging to lend a hand and be part of what is a unique event in the North Island. The quality cattle and sheep on offer make many a farmer’s mouth water, and as a result buyers travel from as far afield as Waikato, Central Plateau and the wider Hawke’s Bay. They found tough competition on the McNeil’s doorstep though, with local buyers boosting registrations to 52. It doesn’t take a maths expert to figure out if you have 52 buyers registered and 26 lots of stock to sell, someone is going to go home empty-handed, but that was not before many fought tooth and nail to try to secure the top-quality stock.

The recognition of the quality is seen in the big attendance of buyers, but as auctioneer Shane Scott from Central Livestock Limited reported, it is not just about the selling of the stock but also the experience and hospitality, and the crowd would have numbered over 200. This onfarm sale was started at the right time as far as market prices are concerned, but it is fast getting a reputation for offering top quality stock that brings buyers back each year.

There were high expectations for a successful sale and that was fully founded. Breeding ewe prices lifted $30-$55 on last year’s sale, with Romdale two-tooths making $216$242 and Perendale $184-$221, but top honours went to a line of Coopdale at $256. Five-year ewes of all the breeds mentioned made $170-$192, while four-six tooth Perendale earned $218.

Four lines of male Romdale lambs were sold, with the top line at a 30kg average making $119, and the balance at a 26kg average made $111. All stayed local.

More than 700 Angus steers were also offered and sold right up with prices seen for similar stock at saleyards around the country, to mainly Hawke’s Bay buyers. One pen of two-year steers, 515kg, made $3.27/kg, while the yearlings split into two weight ranges with 385-423kg making $3.60-$3.63/kg and 350kg $3.66-$3.67/kg. These prices were 10-20c/kg up on the previous sale. suz.bremner@globalhq.co.nz

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