Farmers Weekly NZ December 3 2018 by AgriHQ

18 Sustainability superstar named Vol 17 No 48, December 3, 2018

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Telling farmers’ stories E VERY week Ash Robinson packs up his camera, overnight bag and gumboots and leaves his home in Auckland to go On Farm. It’s his dream job. “It combines my passions for filming and farming.” Equipped with the knowledge he learned growing up on a sheep and beef farm he heads away to another rural region. Robinson films GlobalHQ’s weekly, short videos that accompany in-depth articles and professional photographs published as On Farm Story in Farmers Weekly and Dairy Farmer. A former film academy manager in New Zealand and Germany, his experience spans every aspect of the industry from feature films to television commercials and corporate videos. When he and wife Ellen Ashenden returned to Auckland in 2017 he was set to return to running his video and production business, Dollarmixbag, full time. But he showed GlobalHQ owner Dean Williamson his latest documentary – a short film capturing a Fijian rugby coach’s passion and personality. It has had more than 680,000 YouTube views this year. Understanding the formula for its success sparked a conversation that led to the creation of On Farm Story. “Ash just has this knack of getting people to open up and tell their story in a really captivating and inspiring way,” Williamson said. He used to meet farmers who absolutely love what they do, who look after the land and love their animals. He would walk away and wish could bottle that story and

Bay, which is fed by perhaps the grubbiest estuary in NZ and has an almost permanent no-swim notice up. “We can all learn a lot from the way farmers invest so much of themselves and their time and money in good land management. They take their roles as custodians of the land for future generations really seriously.”

We set out to help NZ farmers tell their story and it’s working. Dean Williamson GlobalHQ

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: On Farm Story videographer Ash Robinson ready to film farmer and fireman Tony Eade at training for the Foxton Beach Volunteer Fire Brigade. Read Eade’s story on page 32. Photo: Paul Dodge

share it with everyone – kids who are wondering about farming as a career, exporters who need to market our food story, people who criticise farming and farmers and, most importantly, farmers themselves “And now we are bottling them and sharing them with the world.” Since July when GlobalHQ took over Farmers Weekly and began On Farm Story, Robinson has filmed more than 25 farmers. On Farm Story’s home is on the Farmers Weekly website (farmersweekly.co.nz/onfarm). Robinson’s approach, like that of GlobalHQ’s journalists, is to

find out what makes these people tick. The written stories use that approach but also present the farm facts and figures in an interesting and easily understood way. Each story has a deliberate focus on one character – people like Jason Smith, the Kaipara District mayor and his infectious passion for bringing kiwi back to the native bush and Sophie Barnes the 26-year-old English woman who’s now sharing her farming adventures in Taumarunui with thousands of followers across the world. Robinson’s provincial

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upbringing gave him natural empathy for farmers but working with On Farm Story has really driven that home. “Farmers, as business owners, come across as being honest and authentic about how much they love what they do.” He hasn’t set out to be an advocate for farmers but he’s struck by the irony of his own situation. “Once my filming’s done in the regions I return to Auckland to edit the stories about people who are passionate about their animals and environment then the view out my window is across Coxes

On Farm Story has reached more than 350,000 Facebook viewers since it started in July. One episode alone reached 59,000. Add to that the following on other social platforms LinkedIn, Twitter, Vimeo and YouTube and the worldwide viewership of On Farm Story is probably well in excess of 500,000 and growing. Williamson said this is an exciting initiative for the new business, GlobalHQ. “We set out to help NZ farmers tell their story and it’s working.” “It’s all about making interesting short films about interesting people. Farmers are characters and they have the best offices. It’s ideal subject matter for a great story. And at the end of the day everybody loves a story.”

Watch the videos at farmersweekly.co.nz/on-farm

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NEWS

WEATHER OVERVIEW

4 Just two in Fonterra vote rerun Export fears being ‘overdone’ �� 8

We kick off this week with downpours in both islands, some with thunder on Monday afternoon but on Tuesday a classic, traditional, cold front moves through with a norwester surging ahead of it and then a more refreshing west to southwest change behind it. Rain will move in with patchy falls in the west. On Wednesday a cooler change moves in with temperatures dropping in the South Island especially (although not major but daytime highs in Southland and Otago might drop more than 12 degrees on Wednesday with some places failing to warm up into the teens). By Thursday and Friday high pressure grows and dominates the country for the weekend with mostly dry, settled, weather. High pressure possible the following week too.

Newsmaker ��26 New Thinking ��27 Opinion ��28

Rain We see a bit of a drier trend coming back in now after a few weeks of wet. Wet weather this week is mostly confined to the north and south of the country with a little on the West Coast too.

ON FARM STORY Temperature Temperatures swing around a bit this week with an average to warmerthan-average start in many regions but a cold front on Tuesday means Wednesday will be cooler than average, especially in the south. Warmer weather again by late week.

32 Consistent performer helps others

Wind Northerly quarter winds dominate the start of this week then winds shift more westerly quarter with a cooler southwest swing on Wednesday. Beyond that high pressure rolls in and winds for the most part fade out in many areas.

Highlights/ Extremes A few heavy downpours for Monday and Tuesday. A cold change on Wednesday will see a possible dusting of snow on the Southern Alps. A drier trend returning to some areas.

14-DAY OUTLOOK

A Foxton Beach firefighter successfully combines fighting fires with milking.

Pasture Growth Index Above normal Near normal Below normal

7-DAY TRENDS

Alliance steps up its marketing �� 11 Superstar spotlights dairy efforts �� 18

NZX PASTURE GROWTH INDEX – Next 15 days

For further information on the NZX PGI visit www.agrihq.co.nz/pgi After a wet end to November for many, the drier, sunnier weather on the way over the next several days will be great for pasture growth. There is a cold snap on Wednesday that might briefly slow things down a bit for those in the south but overall the forecast is for drier, sunnier and warmer weather to move in over the coming week. Good to see rain falling in most dry regions lately too – a positive gift as we head into December.

SOIL MOISTURE INDEX – 30/11/2018

REGULARS Real Estate ��34-47 Employment ��48 Classifieds ��48-49 Livestock ��50-51 Markets ��52-56 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: $1731. 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

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

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Māori Agribusiness Award: Miraka Minister’s Award: Ben and Nicky Allomes, Hopelands Dairies Ltd

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

POSITIVE: DairyNZ regional team leaders say weather, rainfall and pasture growth have been positive for milk flow and dairy farmers are well set up until early in the New Year.

Farmgate price likely to fall Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz DAIRY farmers setting early summer milk production records will have to factor into their budgeting some reduced farmgate milk price forecasts closer to $6/ kg milksolids. Most analysts believe Fonterra will reset its single-figure milk price under the dairy regulations to the lower end of or even below its current $6.25-$6.50/kg guidance. Westland Milk cut 40c in October and a further 10c at the end of November and now has a forecast range of $6 to $6.30. Open Country revised downwards in November for the three remaining collection periods with price ranges between $5.70 and $6.15. The company said the record October milk supply was a great achievement for the industry but put pressure on market prices. ASB senior rural economist

Nathan Penny has taken 25c off his forecast, now at $6/kg, because of record NZ milk production in October and the likelihood November and December will be bountiful. “World dairy prices are largely a NZ milk production story and the good rainfall and pasture growth momentum will take their toll. “Our milk production has a direct effect on world prices because we are the largest exporter,” he said. ANZ rural analyst Susan Kilsby advised a cut in her forecast to $6.10, which she said still included some improvement in dairy commodity prices by the end of the NZ season. “Although NZ farmers get hit first when global dairy prices fall I am reasonably confident this is not the start of a cyclical downturn that will end up at $4/ kg.” BNZ predicts $6.30, Westpac $6.25 and Rabobank remains at $6.65 pending a review this week.

HAPPY DAYS: Late November rain should carry farmers into January, DairyNZ lower North Island leader Rob Brazendale says.

Analysts have said Fonterra’s forecast range of $6.25 to $6.50 now looks too optimistic. DairyNZ regional team leaders said weather, rainfall and pasture

growth have been very positive for milk flow and most dairy farmers are now well set up until early in the New Year. “Recent timely rain has set things up until Christmas, pasture covers are good and the maize crops are thriving,” Andrew Reid in Bay of Plenty said. “It would be easy to get carried away but most farmers are sitting comfortably, certainly compared with last year.” South Island leader Tony Finch said after a mild winter the regular rain has boosted pasture growth to the extent maintaining quality is now an issue. “Farmers are firmly in the pasture-first mentality and I would expect use of supplementary feeds would be well down.” The very high milk production figures earlier in the season, compared with last season, have now settled down to being 4-5% ahead across the south, he had heard.

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Lower North Island leader Rob Brazendale said widespread rain of 50-100mm in late November resulted in good pasture covers, good cow condition scores and good crop growth. “We have made a lot of grass silage and the crops went in early. “The current conditions should carry farmers through until early January.” Waikato team leader Wade Bell said farmers in his region have a high level of comfort even with talk of a dry summer. “We have had pasture growth rates in the 70s and 80s (kilograms of drymatter/day/hectare) and that has been phenomenal. “Much more silage has been made this year and the maize went in the ground early and is off to a really good start.” DairyNZ team leaders agree palm kernel imports and feed levels are well down and that suits Fonterra’s discouragement of the supplementary feed.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Just two in Fonterra vote rerun Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz JOHN Nicholls of Canterbury and Jamie Tuuta of Taranaki and Wellington will contest the rerun of the Fonterra director election process this year, to fill the one remaining vacancy. One-term director Ashley Waugh has decided not to run again this year although he came within a whisker of being reelected. Fonterra Shareholders’ Council chairman Duncan Coull sent an email to all farmer-shareholders explaining the re-run process and the council’s reasons for not opening it up to new candidates. The re-run was necessary because only two of five candidates for three seats received the required 50% approval of farmers, Peter McBride at 80% and Leonie Guiney at 63%. Waugh got 49%, Nicholls 44% and Tuuta 40%. The rules of the first election said that if not enough candidates received 50% support there must be a second election and the council was responsible for setting the rules for it. “In reaching this decision your council has carefully considered the background circumstances,

the range of possible options to find candidates for the second election, and what is best for the co-operative,” farmers were told. Coull said matters of equity, logic and timing had figured in the new rules, being the first time that a re-run had been required since the new election procedure began in 2016 after the governance and representation review. All three candidates had strong support in the first election, shareholders still had a choice and the process respected the governance and representation outcome, which had strong support in 2016. Also shareholders still had a mandate to approve or reject candidates and if neither reached 50% again the board would appoint a temporary director and Fonterra would move on into the 2019 cycle. There would not be a third election, Coull said. If both get over 50% the candidate polling the highest would be elected. The re-run could be concluded before Christmas and the board could move forward with its performance review, otherwise new candidates would have pushed the process out to March.

Coull said there would be an election process review before the 2019 election and new candidates would have an opportunity at that time. Voting on-line and by mail will open on December 3 and close at 1pm on December 20, the results to be declared later that day. Another round of candidates’ meetings would not be held but videos from both would be made available. Waugh said he had reflected on the result of the first election and that even if he had received 50.4% it was not resounding support from shareholders. “On a milksolids basis more than half of people put a cross next to my name. “I absolutely respect their right to make choices and I really didn’t see the point in going through it all again, to be honest.” Questioning from farmers during the roadshow did reveal the depth of disappointment with the 2018 financial results but Waugh pointed out that the major negatives were sourced in decisions before his time as a director. “In terms of a backlash in voting, I would have hoped farmers looked through the

CHOICE: Fonterra shareholders have a choice of only two candidates, Jamie Tuuta, left, and John Nicholls to fill the remaining board vacancy after sitting director Ashley Waugh pulled out.

financial result to the operating figures. “But the shareholders have spoken and I accept that.” Waugh would continue dairy farming near Te Awamutu and remained a director for Seeka Ltd and Colonial Motor Group. Nicholls is a co-owner with his wife Kelly in the six-farm Rylib Group in Canterbury and chairman of the local irrigation company. Tuuta recently finished a long period as Maori Trustee, is a shareholder and former chairman of Paraninihi Ki Waitotara, the

largest Taranaki supplier to Fonterra, with 15 dairy farms, and is chairman of Maori Television and Te Ohu Kaimoana (Maori Fisheries). Coull said the constitution provided for the council to set election rules and that the re-run process might be different each time it was needed. “It is part of our responsibility to interpret what shareholders are saying and reflect the greatest intent.”

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Synlait predicts more growth after another good year Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz SYNLAIT Milk expects further profit growth though not matching the improvement rate of last financial year. The improvement is based on further substantial increases in sales of consumer-packaged infant formula, expected to be 41,000 tonnes to 45,000t compared to 35,580t in the latest July 31 year. The forecast allows for growth

in the volumes produced for A2 Milk and the Munchkin Grassfed brand, shareholders were told at the annual meeting in Christchurch on Wednesday. Synlait’s after-tax profit rose nearly 90% to $74.6 million in the 2018 financial year, with infant formula sales also up nearly 90%. The company also said it expects to provide a lower milk price forecast in its next update at the end of January. When the 2018 earnings were released in mid-September,

Synlait’s forecast was for a $6.75/ kg MS in-market milk price. Directors said then that lower commodity prices were putting pressure on the market but some medium-term lift in prices was anticipated. Given current market conditions the $6.50/kg MS figure is looking less likely, chairman Graeme Milne said. The group reported good progress with its $450m worth of capital expenditure projects, with the advanced liquid dairy facility at Dunsandel nearing

completion and ready for the Foodstuffs milk supply agreement starting in April. The lactoferrin plant expansion, also at Dunsandel, was completed this month. Development of the greenfield manufacturing plant at Pokeno in Waikato is under way and due for commissioning for the start of the 2019-20 processing season. Milk supplier recruitment is progressing well, the directors said.

Chief executive Leon Clement said the partnership with Foodstuffs is complemented by the conditional deal to acquire the assets of the Talbot Forest Cheese business in South Canterbury. That deal is due for completion in August next year at a cost between $30m and $40m. Milne said the capital investment is being funded from operating cashflow and existing debt facilities and will not need new capital.

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

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Swales to replace Paravicini Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz FONTERRA’S global consumer and food service head Lukas Paravicini is leaving and his interim replacement is Judith Swales. The former chief financial officer since 2013, Paravicini will go in January and return to Europe with his family. Swales is chief operating officer, velocity and innovation, one of the positions founded by past chief executive Theo Spierings and a catch-all for emerging technologies and changing business models. Before that she led Fonterra Australia. But she does have an appropriate background for consumer and food service, being a former managing director of

Heinz Australia and of Goodyear Dunlop, Australia and New Zealand. When Spierings’ departure was foreshadowed in March Paravicini’s name was included in speculation about his replacement. It appeared he might have moved from CFO to consumer and food service in 2017 to deepen his experience before succeeding Spierings. His reputation with Fonterra was made as the precise, articulate (he speaks five languages) financial controller who drove down costs and introduced shorter, controversial terms of payment to suppliers. But the Swiss-born executive was no stranger to consumer and food service, following his 22 years with the world’s largest

GOING: Fonterra executive Lukas Paravicini is leaving the co-op to return to Europe.

fast-moving consumer goods company, Nestle. After the retirement through ill-health of chairman John Wilson the worldwide search for Spierings’ replacement was suspended and New Zealander Miles Hurrell appointed interim chief executive from within the senior management team. New chairman John Monaghan said at the annual meeting last month the board was down to a

short-list of applicants when the halt was called. Preferment of a New Zealander over a replacement European might have been a factor in Paravicini’s exit. During the period for reflection and reassessment of senior positions Fonterra is going through a portfolio review that might dispose of value-add processing assets. Hurrell said Paravicini was

instrumental in maintaining the financial strength of the cooperative during some years of low milk prices and challenging global conditions. He had moved seamlessly from Fonterra’s numbers man to global consumer and food service. He will now quietly leave Fonterra’s head office as Spierings did four months ago – aufwiedersehen, arrivederci and au revoir.

Hustler winner happy “Its unreal to have won the CXR soft hands from Hustler,” he said. “We have gone into herd ownership this season and are leasing a dairy farm. “I’ve been looking on Trade Me for second hand pair as I’ve been relying on neighbours and contractors to move my wrap bales.”

WINNER: Hustler territory manager Gerald Raikes presenting Shaun Gardner with his brand new Hustler CXR soft hands bale handler.

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URENUI sharemilker Shaun Gardner was presented with his new soft hands round bale handler courtesy of Hustler in New Plymouth recently. Gardner was the lucky winner of the Farmers Weekly reader competition and picked up the prize at the Norwood store in new Plymouth.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Country of origin law passed Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz NEW country of origin labelling rules will apply only to single ingredient food products, which exempts dairy goods. The law, passed by Parliament on Wednesday night, applies to packaged and unpackaged food or food products such as fresh or frozen fruit, vegetables, fish, seafood and meat including cured pork products such as ham and bacon. The Consumers’ Right to Know (Country or Origin of Food) Act was welcomed by Horticulture New Zealand and the pork industry, which have long lobbied for such a measure. A spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi said the Bill intentionally applies to minimally processed foods so the law can be easily understood and implemented. Dairy foods do not fit into those covered by the Act because they typically require more processing than the legislation covers. NZ Pork chairman Eric Roy said the legislation will be a boost for local farmers by making it easier for consumers to buy NZ produce at a time the commercial pork industry has been inundated by a flood of imported pork. The absence of country of

The Government wants to make sure that country of origin labelling provides useful information for consumers and is workable for the food industry.

origin information has allowed imported product to capture 60% of the NZ market and 85% of cured bacon and ham sales with products often labelled as made in NZ from imported and local ingredients. Pork is imported from China, Poland and Estonia and from other countries with production systems that would be illegal in NZ. The new law also allows better management of biosecurity risks. Fonterra had raised concerns including dairy products as a single component food meant the addition of imported ingredients such as flavours,

POPULAR: More than 70% of consumers want mandatory country of origin labelling, HortNZ chief executive Mike Chapman says.

processing aids, vitamins and minerals, even at low levels, would preclude the ability to claim NZ origin. “The latter point was a particular concern given the risk that the Bill could, unintentionally, prevent NZ dairy companies from claiming NZ origin even where the product was made in NZ factories with NZ milk,” it said. It gave the example of fortifiers or lactose-free milk and plain yoghurt that could contain as little as 0.2% imported ingredients but could lose the ability to claim made in NZ. After the law passed a Fonterra spokesman said it does not oppose the legislation but preferred the scheme remain voluntary. “For many years Fonterra has proactively provided consumers with information about where its products come from. “The majority of Fonterra’s consumer products available in NZ state where they are made. “Where our products do not contain explicit origin claims we use alternative approaches such as Fonterra’s Trusted Goodness quality seal, which includes a

NEWS BRIEFS SFF wants you APPLICATIONS for Silver Fern Farms’ first board appointed farmer director are open. Chairman Rob Hewett said role will ensure the co-operative has a sound succession plan in place to ensure active farmer elected directors are well equipped and gain governance experience. To be eligible candidates must be a shareholder or have an interest in a shareholding entity and have supplied a minimum of 400 stock units to SFF in each of the last two years. Applications close at 5pm on December 20.

Kris Faafoi Consumer Affairs Minister DOUBLE BENEFIT: Country of Origin will held Kiwi farmers and allow better biosecurity management, New Zealand Pork chairman Eric Roy says.

map of NZ indicating origin.” HortNZ said growers have been seeking country or origin labelling for more than 10 years so consumers can buy fruit and vegetables with the knowledge of where they came from. Chief executive Mike Chapman said research shows more than 70% of consumers want mandatory country of origin labelling. He congratulated the Green Party for persevering with the Bill, noting Sue Kedgley started it in 2006 when her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot. It was then picked up by Steffan Browning and latterly Gareth Hughes. Faafoi said the Bill allows for the inclusion of other foods if needed and he will be consulting further on adding or excluding new food groups and how to implement the new requirements. “The Government wants to make sure that country of origin labelling provides useful information for consumers and is workable for the food industry.” Producers and retailers will have six months to meet labelling requirements for food covered by the Bill, except frozen products, which, because of longer ordering and storage time have 18 months to comply.

Dollar waits CURRENCY markets are hanging out for results of the weekend trade talks between the United States and Chinese leaders. A good outcome, such as a ceasefire pending further talks, could add another US1c to the value of the NZ dollar but if talks went awry a fall of US1c to 2c is likely, BNZ currency strategist Jason Wong said. An apparent easing of tensions between the two parties was one of the reasons behind a 5% strengthening of the kiwi against the US dollar in November, after being sold down from April to October. BNZ doesn’t see any OCR pressure on the currency in the near term. It believes the next RBNZ move is more likely up. – Alan Williams

Clarification A STORY in last week’s Farmers Weekly on negotiations for a Government Industry Agreement in the arable sector might have given readers the impression comments made by Jeremy Talbot were those of David Clark, who was pictured. That was not our intention and we regret any confusion.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Export fears being ‘overdone’ Nigel Stirling nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com FEARS exporters could pay the price for moves to block Chinese technology firm Huawei’s involvement in building a new mobile phone network are being overdone, New Zealand economist Rodney Jones of Wigram Capital says. The Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) last week said it will not allow equipment from Chinese technology firm Huawei to be installed in Spark’s 5G network unless significant risks to national security are addressed. The decision was within days of reports of the United States pressuring allies to shut Chinese companies out of bidding for work on new-generation networks. Australia earlier this year banned Huawei and compatriot firm ZTE from working on its network. One of Australia’s top spies last month said the country’s electricity grid, water supplies and other critical infrastructure could all have been at risk had the Chinese companies been involved. The decision from the GCSB brought a swift response from Chinese officials. “We hope the NZ Government provides a fair competition environment for Chinese companies operating in NZ and does more to benefit bilateral mutual trust and co-operation,” a foreign ministry official told a daily news briefing in Beijing on Wednesday. A meat company director here fears already slow progress in negotiations to improve access for dairy and beef could be further hampered or exports blocked. “They could send a message where all of a sudden some products just don’t get accepted into China for some reason.” China is not beyond using its muscle as a massive importer of food and raw materials to make diplomatic points.

DANGER: The Government has to demonstrate the decision to block Huawei from Spark’s 5G network was not political or as a result of United States pressure or it risks China looking elsewhere for products it now gets from New Zealand, investment banker David Mahon says.

China still acts as though trade is a gift that they give but that is no longer the reality. Rodney Jones Wigram Capital The best known example is the collapse of Norway’s nearmonopoly in China of the market for imported salmon after the country’s Nobel committee awarded a peace prize to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo in 2010. However, Jones, who has 30 years’ experience working and living in Asia, said China no longer has the same scope to use

trade as a diplomatic weapon. In the eight years since Beijing lent on Norway the Chinese economy has almost doubled in size. And while its food distribution networks have been made more efficient in that time it has struggled to raise farm productivity enough to keep pace with demand from the growing middle class. “China has dealt with those supply issues of cold storage and distribution infrastructure but the fundamental issues are still there. “Their comparative advantage is not in agriculture.” Jones said President Xi Jinping is facing growing internal criticism for his retaliation against Donald Trump’s tariffs on Chinese imports with tariffs of his own against imports of US pork and

soy as food price inflation hit double digits in recent months. He described Xi as a statist confident in state-owned farms to meet rising demand but climate change and water shortages mean China is only going to become more dependent on imports. “China still acts as though trade is a gift that they give but that is no longer the reality.” Another New Zealander with extensive China experience, Beijing-based investment banker David Mahon, said NZ is respected in China for its independence in international affairs and has benefited from that. “If for some reason China felt that had changed and that we were allied to America in trying to contain China they would look elsewhere.” Mahon said the trade war with

the US showed China’s flexibility to do so. A farm with 27,000 cattle he recently visited in Shandong province in eastern China had previously met 5% of its feed requirements with American soy. Now only 1% came from American soy with the balance replaced with Indian rapeseed meal. The knock-on in the US is plain to see with its soy farmers going out of business daily. Mahon said the Government needs to demonstrate its decision to block Huawei was not in response to US demands if it is to avoid a similar fate. “If we can come up with a reason that is not political but is based in commercial and technical grounds then I don’t think it is an issue.”

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News

10 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Major focus on value of meat co-products Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz CO-PRODUCTS from livestock are a major focus for Alliance as it looks for a full year of gains from work done last year. The co-operative has more than 100 clients around the world buying casings for sausages and a range of meal, tallow, hides, deerskins, lamb skins with wool-on, lamb skin leather and sheep pelts for processing into products from pet and stock food to biodiesel, soap, upholstery, footwear, luggage, handbags, belts, sheepskins, rugs and luxury clothes, its annual report said. Co-products have the potential to make up 15% to 20% of the overall price paid for an animal, from a lower base now, to provide greater returns for farmers. It is one of several new market opportunities being pursued in the quest for greater value, headed by regular chilled lamb and beef shipments to China. Co-products is a huge opportunity, chairman Murray Taggart said. Alliance is also diversifying the venison market beyond Germany and European sales, putting more chilled product into Britain to try to increase out-of-season consumption. It has built a $700,000 blood

processing plant at Pukeuri in Oamaru. It has similar units at Levin, Lorneville and Mataura. Pukeuri will process beef blood into serum for use in the pharmaceutical industry. The serum market is growing at 5% a year and NZ is a key producer because of its largely disease-free status. Pure South-branded lamb was sold at Alibaba’s giant Tmall online sale in China, with Alliance being the only NZ lamb supplier in the promotion. A successful hogget marketing initiative piloted in the British food sector was developed after requests by farmer-shareholders in response to the big price difference between lamb and mutton. The trial focused mainly on the ethnic food market in which NZ lamb and mutton is regularly sold. It scored high points for taste and succulence and some pilot product was also sent to Asia, where market feedback was also positive. The programme will be expanded this year. Demand for lamb and mutton was solid in Malaysia, an important volume market for the co-operative. The markets in Hong Kong, Thailand and Singapore remained stable. Chilled business throughout the Middle East increased for the

retail and food sectors as Westernstyle trends continue to grow. But high tariffs remain a challenge in India where Pure South lamb is now served at more than 300 five-star hotels and is on the menu for many premium travellers departing India on several major airlines. The higher socio-economic target market is made up of more than 200 million people and is expected to double in the next 10 years, making India a significant long-term opportunity. In the next few years India’s GDP is expected to exceed China’s for the first time. It made the first major shipment to Hong Kong of cutlets, chops and steak in a new skin pack that extends chilled shelf life to 11 weeks while retaining colour and optimising meat tenderness. Alliance said its food service project aimed at high-end British restaurants has reached $10m in sales in the first two-years and that is expected to double in the next one to two years. The business is profitable, Taggart said. The group’s most unusual consumers are endangered black stilts manged by the Conservation Department at Twizel in South Canterbury. Ox hearts from other plants are sent to Smithfield for processing

TRICKY CUSTOMER: Alliance’s most unusual customer is the black stilt. It collects ox hearts at its Smithfield plant to be made into special blocks to feed chicks in the Conservation Department’s breeding programme.

into feed blocks for chicks before they are released at eight-or-ninemonths. DOC hatched and released 184 birds during the year, a record. The population had fallen to a low of 23 birds in the wild in the 1980s. Alliance also said it had offered 18 minimum price contracts to farmers during the year, taking a position on pricing and protecting farmers from downside moves but allowing them to benefit from increases. It also organised the trade of more than a million lambs,

Co-products is a huge opportunity. Murray Taggart Alliance ewes, cattle and deer in store trades between farmers, at nil commission, during the dry southern summer. It now has 4000 shareholders with increases of about 200 in each of the last two years.

Wool prices show some spark at the Christchurch sale Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz LOWER volumes of wool on offer helped Thursday’s Christchurch auction to a higher close. Widespread South Island rain meant the offering was about 2000 bales down on the rostered level and buyers bid up to secure supplies before Christmas, PGG Wrightson’s South Island sales manager Dave Burridge said.

Prices finished in sellers’ favour compared to the disappointing levels during the live auction in Show week. That was especially so for a limited offering of mid-micron wool, securing a sharp lift in line with gains in Australia earlier in the week. Mid-microns were 4% to 10% with the best gains at the finer end. Merino wools were ahead by 2% to 3%. Burridge said a few lots of

last season’s lambs’ wool also sold at good levels, possibly an indication new season wool will be in keen demand. Crossbred fleece lifted slightly off lower levels, with 35.1-micron and stronger up to 2% better. Trading in second-shear crossbred was more muted. The pass-in rate was 13%. Details (all in micron level and price per kg/clean): Full wool, good-to-average

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3-to-4 inches, $3.03, up 6c; 2-to3 inches, $3, up 3c; 37, 3-to-4 inches, $3, up 5c; 2-to-3 inches, $3, steady; 39, 3-to-5 inches, $3.02, up 7c; 3-to-4 inches, $2.98, up 3c; 2-to-3 inches, $3, steady. Merino fleece, best/good topmaking: 16-micron, $27.80, up 60c; 17, $27.10, up 60c; 18, $25.15, up 85c; 19, $24.50, up 30c; 20, $23.30, up 30c; 21, $21.55, up 25c; 22, $20.56, up 24c.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Alliance steps up its marketing Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz SOME new profit streams make the outlook more exciting for Alliance after some trading and operating issues knocked back earnings in the latest year, chairman Murray Taggart says. The food service project in Britain is hitting its straps with good revenue growth and profitability, the Singaporebased Alliance Asia business is building up scale after the move to full ownership and more opportunities for chilled lamb and beef in China are all expected to help achieve improved returns. The food service initiative aimed at high-end restaurants is now being extended to North America. Taggart is more confident Alliance is making the right moves to increase the value from its product mix and stepping up its marketing and sales work inmarket. “We’re being more proactive now, getting more value but you’d always like it to be a lot faster.” “We are getting tangible gains. If we weren’t we couldn’t be paying so much to farmers and still making profits.” Alliance made a pre-tax operating profit of $8m in the year ended September 30. The annual report, released after the preliminary result, showed after equity-accounted gains of $1.48m, mostly from the group’s investment in the NZ Lamb Co business in North America, the pretax figure rose to $10.33m and after-tax the profit was $6.6m. That was all lower than a year earlier when the operating profit was $20.2m and the after-tax profit was $14.4m. That was also after a pool payment of $11.4m, whereas there was no pool distribution from the latest year’s earnings. Revenue was a record nearly

$1.8 billion and more than $1.2b was paid out to farmers for livestock. Compressed beef margins were the biggest factor in the profit slide, Taggart said. Though the biggest lamb processor, Alliance has acknowledged in recent years it has struggled to be competitive in the beef market where it is ranked only fifth in scale. The group thinks it is now competitive in the manufactured beef market and getting closer in prime beef. “We’ve got a bit of work to do but we’re confident we can be a full all-sector company.”

We’ve got a bit of work to do but we’re confident we can be a full all-sector company. Murray Taggart Alliance Alliance believes its South Island capacity matches other players though it is light in the North Island where its small Levin plant is chocker. As it turned out the capacity issues of the late and compressed South Island processing season meant about 4000 cattle had to be sent from the South to Levin. Drought followed by late summer rain also affected lamb processing, forcing Alliance into expensive extra shifts then keeping capacity going in the down-time between peak killing periods. By the time of the second season peak a lot of lambs had been sold out of Southland, Taggart said. Late in the season, as flagged at shareholder roadshows, lamb

FLEXIBLE: Alliance wants to use its Lorneville venison plant for small cattle and its beef unit at Levin for deer, chairman Murray Taggart says.

procurement costs and market pricing moved out of line though that has since come back into balance.

And a factor in the trading figures was a strong flow of lambs into the works in late AugustSeptember and a higher cattle

kill through a mild winter. That meant a lot of product going into inventory at September 30, ahead of being sold in the new financial year. So inventories rose to $111.3m from $77.8m a year earlier and the working capital requirements pushed operating cashflow to a $27.16m outflow from the previous positive figure of $31.4m. Alliance also had a big capital investment programme, highlighted by the new $16m venison processing plant at Lorneville and a robotic cutting upgrade at Dannevirke, mostly debt-funded. As borrowings rose to $84.5m from $28.16m, the ratio of borrowings to total assets rose to 16% from just over 6% and the ratio of shareholders’ equity slipped to 64% from 71%. Taggart said the balance sheet remains robust and directors and management are comfortable with the debt. “It made sense to push on with those projects. They have good pay-back and we can pay that debt down.” Alliance is a major player in venison and in the latest season the balance between farmer and company returns was the best of the three meat sectors. The co-operative is working to have flexible processing plants so there is potential to process smaller cattle through the Lorneville venison plant and to process deer at Levin, Taggart said. The group has also started on a major IT infrastructure upgrade expected to cost about $57m over five years. Shareholders must be happy with the co-operative’s performance, with two directors due for re-election, Jared Collie and Jason Miller being returned unopposed well ahead of the annual meeting in midDecember.

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12 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Cash boost for Westland plant Annette Scott annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz

BIG CHEESE: Westland Milk Products Chief Executive Toni Brendish shows Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern the site for Westland’s new segregation milk plant.

We do face challenges delivering a competitive payout. We simply can’t compete in the bulk dairy commodities arena. Toni Brendish Westland Milk Products different types of milk products. “The objective is to encourage farmers to produce milk that can be turned into much highervalue products, delivering higher returns without requiring an increase in herd numbers,” Jones said. Westland chief executive Toni Brendish said construction of facilities specifically designed for made-to-order segregation of

milk types will have wide-ranging benefits for the West Coast region. The plant will allow Westland to separate and process multiple types of special quality milks into high-value products to meet growing global and domestic demand, returning more money to shareholder farmers and the regional economy. Segregated production of speciality milks is a key component of Westland’s five-year strategy as it focuses on reducing its dependence on bulk dairy commodities with their volatile price cycles. “We’ll do this by expanding our capacity to produce high-value products, differentiated by the special qualities of the milk used to make them.” That will include A2 milk and the co-operative’s new Ten Star Premium Standard milk, milk produced on farms run to a set of very high animal welfare, human rights, environmental, feed,

quality and traceability standards. The PGF investment enables the company to bring forward the development of its segregation capacity. Brendish said there’s also potential, in later stages of the project, for other segregated products such as grass-fed, pure Jersey, goat or sheep milk or even plant-based nutrition. “Currently, while we can produce some segregated product on the shoulders of the season, at peak our existing plant capacity forces us to process low-value bulk commodities just to get the milk volume through. “However, we do face challenges to our objective of delivering our shareholders a competitive and sustainable payout that ensures their future and the future of dairying in our region. “We simply can’t compete in the bulk dairy commodities arena where we have little influence or

control over the vagaries of the global dairy trade and a reduced ability to ride out its highs and lows. “It makes sense for us to focus on low-volume, segregated, highvalue products that are far less susceptible to the cycles of the global dairy trade market.” Brendish said there’s growing demand from customers prepared to pay premium prices for bespoke products that meet their and their consumers’ particular needs. “Most importantly, this is a great best chance to ensure that West Coast dairying remains a viable and sustainable contributor to the region for generations to come.” Other West Coast projects to benefit the Government investment include $87.46m for tourism, $32.8m for extending ultra-fast broadband and mobile coverage and $10m for a garnet mining project at Ruatapu.

LEGAL TALK with Barbara McDermott 90 Day Trial Periods – very useful if used correctly With December upon us and the New Year fast approaching, many of you will be thinking about what lies ahead for 2019. Some of you will be considering hiring new staff to help grow your businesses or simply to replace others who have left at the end of the year. Hiring the right people can be a challenge, so many employers opt to “try before they buy” and use a 90-day trial as part of their recruitment processes. Avoiding unjustifiable dismissal If done correctly, a 90-day trial period will give you a timeframe within which you are able to dismiss unsuitable employees and avoid a claim against you for unjustified dismissal. However, you must be aware of the strict rules surrounding 90-day trials - mistakes can easily be made. Follow the rules 90-day trial periods can only be used for new employees who have never worked for you before. They must be included in your employee’s employment agreement which must have been signed before the employee’s first day of work. If you

wait until after your employee has started working to finalise the employment agreement, the 90-day trial will be invalid. One farm owner found this out the hard way when he waited until after his new manager had arrived on the farm and worked for an hour before finalising the employment agreement. When the farm owner later attempted to use the 90-day trial to terminate the manager’s employment, the Court held it had been invalid as it was not agreed before the manager had started working. To be valid, the 90-day trial clause must state the following: (a) The number of days for which the trial period is to run (no more than 90); (b) That the employee is unable to bring a claim for unjustified dismissal if dismissed during the trial period; and (c) How much notice the employer must give the employee to dismiss them during the trial period. If the clause does not include the correct wording, there is a risk that it could also be found to be invalid.

www.nwm.co.nz

Notice period critical If you wish to dismiss an employee under a 90-day trial, it’s important that you give the notice set out in the clause. If you don’t give the correct notice the termination date of your employee’s employment could fall after the trial period. An employer recently attempted to use a trial period to dismiss an employee on the 89th day of the trial period. However, as the trial period clause had required one week’s notice, the actual date of dismissal fell after the end of the trial period, and was unjustified. You should therefore carefully consider when to give the notice so it is given in enough time to be effective. Despite planned changes, trial periods likely to remain useful for farming businesses If used correctly, the 90-day trial is a useful means by which small businesses can ensure they are hiring the right staff to grow their businesses. While the current government’s proposal would limit their use to employers with fewer than 20 employees, the size of the majority of farm businesses across New Zealand means they would still be able to use them.

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AN ALMOST $10 million Government loan for Westland Milk Products’ proposed $22m hi-tech dairy venture will help future-proof a critical West Coast industry, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Government is investing significantly in the West Coast through the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) to strengthen the region’s economy and create new jobs with a $140m investment package announced by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Thursday. Included in the PGP West Coast investment is the $9.9m loan to enable Westland to build a hi-tech milk segregation plant, a first for the New Zealand dairy industry, at Westland’s Hokitika milk processing site. Ardern was on the West Coast with Jones and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor to announce the funding. “This Government is committed to funding regional growth because local jobs and businesses drive resilient, thriving communities and the West Coast has so much potential,” Ardern said. “This is a significant boost for the West Coast and demonstrates how the Government is partnering with the region to support projects that will build a better future for rangitahi and everyone here,” Jones said. With suppliers from Karamea to the glaciers and 430 employees in Hokitika, an investment in NZ-owned Westland Milk is an investment in the economy of the whole West Coast. The interest-bearing, repayable PGF loan will support the development of segregation facilities at the co-operative’s Hokitika site, which will enable Westland to collect and process

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Kiwi food standards are not okay for UK NEW Zealand has been named with the United States as having food production standards not acceptable to the British public in research by food assurance label Red Tractor and consumer body Which?. It accused NZ and the US of using growth hormones in animals and of chlorine-washing chicken meat. However, more than a third of British shoppers believe NZ and US food production standards are as high if not higher than the UK’s, the research found. Its chief executive Jim Moseley said while UK consumers think standards in British food production are very high they have a similar impression of other mature markets, such as the US and NZ despite the fact that farmers in those countries use growth hormones to produce beef more quickly and increase dairy yields. Washing chicken carcases with chlorine is also commonplace in both nations. “We have lots of technical differences between those countries, the UK and Red Tractor. The difficulty is lots of consumers do not know that. “More than a third of consumers think US standards are equally good, if not better than the UK, and three-quarters of the population believe standards in NZ are equal to or better than the UK.” Other research from leading consumer organisation Which? has shown British shoppers would be uncomfortable accepting US and NZ food production standards in the UK, even if they are not necessarily associated with those countries. The survey showed 80% of UK consumers felt uncomfortable with the use of growth hormones in beef production and 79% with growth hormones used to increase milk yields in dairy cattle. The idea of washing chicken in chlorine was disliked by 72% and 64% would not be happy to accept genetically modified food. Any new British trade deals must not undermine the industry’s progress on the use of antibiotics as the United States admits it will push back against rules banning preventative antibiotic treatments, campaigner Coilin Nunan says. His warning came after a 97% vote in the European Parliament for new legislation that would implement the ban in three years’ time but, given the British government’s intention to keep European Union regulatory burdens in the sector to a minimum, a post-Brexit scenario could see the United Kingdom adopting light-touch regulation on farm antibiotics. Nunan, of the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics, warned the UK could end up with some of the weakest regulatory standards in Europe, which raises questions about the kinds of trade deals it will be seeking with non-EU countries like the US, China and Australia, which have much higher levels of antibiotics. “It may in the end reverse the progress that has been made by British farmers in cutting their own antibiotic use,” he said. The UK government said it supports the legislation but has repeatedly refused to endorse any ban on group prevention in the UK, instead suggesting it will work with stakeholders to agree how to implement the regulation in practice. It will, therefore be aligning itself with the US administration’s position to strongly oppose the European ban, Nunan said. According to new Alliance calculations the use of antibiotics in US farming is six times higher per livestock unit than in the UK, with antibiotic use in US cattle 13 times higher, six times higher

Your comment counts Add your voice to this story at farmersweekly.co.nz

for chickens and 2.5 times higher for pigs. The Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture’s Target Task Force 12-month report said progress is at differing levels among different sectors, with some having met their targets and working on new goals, others focusing on animal health and continual refinements to overcome new disease threats as they emerge. Overall, the industry has dropped antibiotic use by 40% over the last five years. UK Farmers Guardian

ACCUSER: Red Tractor chief executive Jim Moseley has accused New Zealand and American farmers of using production methods unacceptable to British consumers.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Deal will lower prices in shops Colin Ley BRITAIN is committed to negotiating a highly ambitious free-trade agreement with New Zealand, complete with the promise of more jobs in both countries and lower prices for consumers. That was the upbeat rallying call issued by the United Kingdom’s International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox after the NZ Government’s newly issued call for written submissions on what the planned deal should look like. “NZ is one of our closest and greatest friends,” Fox said. “With our deep, shared heritage and unwavering commitment to free and fair trade it is only right that NZ is one of the first countries that we will strike a new trade agreement with after we leave the European Union. “I am delighted that NZ’s Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker is taking the necessary steps so we can begin to negotiate a highly ambitious free-trade agreement that is fit for the 21st century. “This will help to create jobs in both our countries and give consumers greater choice at lower prices as well as pulling British businesses closer to the rapidlygrowing Asia-Pacific region.” The UK Department for International Trade has already

NZ is one of our closest and greatest friends. Dr Liam Fox UK government

GOOD DEAL: A freetrade agreement between New Zealand and Britain will create more jobs in both countries with and lower consumer prices, Britain’s International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox says.

held four public consultations on new free-trade agreements with the United States, Australia and NZ as well as potential membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership. British consultations, including the one dealing with NZ, closed on October 26, after being open for 14 weeks. “We are currently analysing responses and will publish our approach to the new free-trade

agreement before negotiations begin,” a department spokesman said. The NZ Government has called for public submissions on a postBrexit deal with Britain. “The UK is one of New Zealand’s oldest friends and a free-trade agreement makes a lot of sense,” Parker said. “Our shared history, similar legal structures and openness to trade mean a high-quality, comprehensive and progressive

free-trade agreement is a natural next step after Brexit. “Both NZ and the UK have committed to launching negotiations as soon as the UK is in a position to do so.” In line with the Government’s Trade for All agenda NZ will seek an agreement that safeguards high standards and protections for labour and the environment and also promotes gender equality and indigenous rights, among other things.

“We want to reduce costs and barriers for NZ businesses operating with the UK. “Our exports to the UK are already worth over $1.5 billion annually and there is an opportunity to grow the links between our economies even further,” Parker said. “As with all new trade agreements NZ makes, an FTA with the UK will include protections for the Treaty of Waitangi and maintain the Government’s right to pass laws in the public interest. “The work and living rights of New Zealanders in the UK may also be part of future discussions as we look to forge a closer economic relationship with the UK post-Brexit.”

Submissions can be made in writing to UKFTA@mfat.govt.nz. For more information on the UK-NZ FTA visit www.mfat.govt.nz/ukfta.

Kiwi genetics provides boost for Scottish sheep Colin Ley NEW Zealand Suffolk genetics have helped Scottish farmer Donald Macdonald achieve a lambing percentage of more than 170% and a weaning figure of 156% on his highly exposed, wet and windy farm near Thurso in the far north of the country. A new entrant farmer in 1999 Macdonald has gradually increased the size of his holding, Taldale Farm, to just under 240

hectares on which he runs 600 Cheviot and cross ewes and 250 ewe hoggets. His aim is not necessarily to increase ewe numbers but to have 600 productive ewes producing lambs to correct market specification. To achieve that he keeps 400 Cheviots pure and crosses the rest with a NZ Suffolk, the progeny of which are crossed with the Beltex. “I was one of the first in Scotland to buy into NZ Suffolk

genetics and I have been very impressed with their fertility and libido,” Macdonald said. “One shearling will serve 150 ewes and the resulting cross ewe has a good, thick coat, which helps in this area.” He has improved his lambing percentage over the years and now scans at over 170% and achieves 156% at weaning, thanks to blood testing the ewes six weeks before tupping to identify any mineral or trace element

deficiencies. He also soil samples and has the unusual approach of combining the two results and adding the required minerals to his fertiliser programme instead of treating the sheep. “Why do we drench sheep and put up with poor quality grass and silage when we can marry the two together and solve both problems at once,” he said. The key to his winter feeding is making good silage.

He makes about 350 bales a year and has started using a specialist bale wrap that claims to prevent any oxygen entering the bales. “We were losing as many as eight to 10 ewes a year with listeria, which was very frustrating, especially as it usually happened just before lambing,” he said. “Since I started using the bale wrap (Silostop) I’ve not lost a single ewe to the disease.”

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16 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Dairy sector still vulnerable Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz FINANCIAL stress in the dairy industry has fallen but it remains vulnerable to another milk price downturn and some longer-term challenges, the Reserve Bank says. Dairy prices have fallen 20% since May and while most dairy farms are expected to be profitable this season further falls in global prices could put profits under pressure. The bank’s November Stability Report said many farmers are choosing to use higher income to repay debt and banks are increasingly structuring loans for both principal and interest repayments. Since the recent milk price downturn the loans to dairy farmers on bank watch lists have fallen, except the category of nonperforming. That category covers loans that are at least 90 days overdue or otherwise impaired – some 2% of $41 billion in total lending to dairy farmers. “This reflects a subset of more indebted farms that are still struggling to pay down debt,” the report said.

RISKS: The Reserve Bank has warned agriculture is still vulnerable to price shocks and to climate change.

However, loans banks categorise as closely monitored have fallen from 30% to below 20% and those on a watch list or potentially stressed have fallen from 13% to about 8%. The bank mentioned the longer-term challenges of Mycoplasma bovis and the costs of water quality efforts and environmental remediation.

Paying down of debt, factoring in long-term risks to lending decisions and funding investments in farm sustainability were suggested. Diversification of lending portfolios for the banks might also help mitigate the risk that lending to one sector poses to the NZ financial system. Lending growth to horticulture

has been high, at 15% in the year to September, while lending to dairying grew only slightly. Total lending to agriculture was $62b of which dairy accounted for two-thirds. The agriculture sector accounts for about 14% of banks’ total lending. “Although diversification can help to reduce risk overall, most agriculture sectors are at

risk of swings in commodity prices and prices for agriculture commodities often move together. “In addition, rapid growth into smaller sectors can carry risks of its own.” The report also said NZ’s financial system is exposed to climate risks through the sectors it lends to and insures. “Rising sea levels and more frequent extreme weather events could affect coastal property values and lead to higher insurance claims. “And banks have large exposures to the agriculture industry, which could be affected by both the physical risks of climate change and transition risks as the economy moves towards lower carbon intensity. “Managing the consequences of climate change will require co-ordinated action from a range of parties. “Banks and insurance companies will need to ensure longer-term climate risks are adequately reflected in their lending and underwriting standards. “Banks will also have a role in providing finance for mitigating actions,” it said.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Dairy cows on the rise again Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz DAIRY cow numbers in New Zealand rose by 2.7% in the 201718 season compared with the previous season, DairyNZ figures show. There were 4,992,914 cows in milk on 1,755,148 hectares at a stocking rate of 2.84 cows/ha. Cow numbers increased by 131,000 after three seasons of contraction and the average herd size went up by 17 cows to 431. Milk production was 20.724 billion litres, only 22 million litres more than the previous season and slightly below production in 2014-15 and 2015-16. The milk had 1840m kg milksolids, consisting of 1035m kg fat and 804m kg protein. The number of herds milked fell by 158 to 11,590, the third year of easing herd numbers. The average production was 1048kg/ha and 368kg/cow. Both measures were slightly below

those of the previous four seasons, mainly because of weather conditions. The cow production curve showed more lower-end herds producing 150kg/cow to 300kg/ cow than in the two previous seasons. The North Island was home to 59.1% of all dairy cows and 72.3% of herds while the South Island had 40.9% of cows and only 27.7% of herds but an average herd of 635 cows run on 214ha. Canterbury had the largest average herd size of 800 averaged across the province while Auckland, Northland and Taranaki had the smallest herds. The regions with the lowest average cows per hectare were West Coast on 2.21 and Northland on 2.28. North Canterbury had the highest average farm production at 331,739kg and 1420kg/ha. The density of dairy herds was greatest in South Taranaki (969) and Matamata/Piako (902) while

the greatest numbers of cows were in Southland and Ashburton. Ashburton also had the highest average production per herd, at 365,000kg, followed by MacKenzie with 363,000kg. The statistics show 60% of all herds are owner-operator along with 12.4% contract milkers and 27.3% sharemilkers, of whom 60% are 50:50. Sharemilked herds declined by 44 and the figures show a continued move away from sharemilking, particularly variable-order, towards contract milking and greater certainty of income. It is the first report to include contract milkers as a separate group in operating structures. Crossbred cattle were the biggest proportion of cows in all regions except ManawatuWairarapa, where HolsteinFriesians were 43%. Crossbreds were over 50% of cows in the South Island and 48% in Waikato.

PLENTY: Canterbury dairy herds are the biggest, averaging 800 cows, and those in the province’s north are the most productive at 331,739kg at 1420kg/ha.

There was no swing towards Jerseys and their higher fat percentage compared with the previous season. Herd testing was done on 71% of herds and 72% of cows nationwide, continuing a recovery in the practice since the last milk price downturn. The testing data showed average milk fat content was 4.75% and the highest fat was on the West Coast at 5.09%. The nationwide average protein was 3.82% and the region with the highest was again the West Coast, at 3.96%. The average days in milk across the country was 274. Jerseys produced 5.65% milk

There was no swing towards Jerseys and their higher fat percentage compared with the previous season. fat, crossbred cows 4.97% and Holstein-Friesian 4.48%. Because Holstein-Friesians produced the highest volume of milk, 4470 litres, per cow tested they also produced the highest weight of milk fat at 198kg and of protein at 166kg.

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News

18 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Superstar spotlights dairy efforts DairyNZ Environmental Leaders Forum chairwoman Tracy Brown has won a Sustainable Business Network award. She spoke to Luke Chivers about some of the challenges facing the rural sector. WAIKATO dairy farmer Tracy Brown has been named a dairy sustainability champion for inspiring farmers to change onfarm practices, protect waterways, enhance biodiversity and lower their environmental footprints. She was rewarded for her efforts by winning the Sustainability Superstar category at the NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards. The award marks a momentous occasion for New Zealand’s primary industries, Brown says. “It’s a huge win for dairy and it’s a huge win for agriculture. “But, more importantly, it’s an endorsement of the hard work that farmers are doing to make our industry more environmentally sustainable,” she says. Brown is no stranger to on-farm sustainability. She chairs the DairyNZ Environmental Leaders Forum, is a founding member of the Piako Catchment Forum and Mangapapa Catchment Care Group, chairs the Ballance Farm Environment Awards Alumni and is a member of the Dairy Environment Leadership Group, which oversees the Water Accord. Another achievement of is helping farmers understand Maori values and tikanga and encouraging them to become more culturally responsible. Her farm, Tiroroa, is an environmental award-winning property where she and husband Wynn frequently host groups to share the story of what dairy farmers are doing to be more sustainable. Her latest recognition is the result of a lot of hard work but a group effort, she said.

It’s an endorsement of the hard work that farmers are doing to make our industry more environmentally sustainable.

“This award is not just about me. It’s on behalf of all dairy farmers who have a vision to make things better. “Farmers do care. “We’re working hard to make things better. “It’s going to take some time and it’s going to take a collective effort.” But it is critical now, more than ever, that farmers and industry bodies start placing greater emphasis on regional solutions to fix regional problems, she says. “For too long we’ve had a blanket approach to tackling sustainability. “Every region has its own challenges – whether they be sediment volumes, E coli outbreaks or phosphorous loss – but local responsibility and action is needed for managing these effectively.” Brown hopes her involvement with industry groups will allow her to bring more people together from across communities to collaborate locally for the betterment of the environment and the longevity of the sector. “Sustainability is more than just fencing waterways or planting along riverbanks. “Such initiatives are important but sustainability is also about

IMPROVING: Dairy farmers are working hard to make things better, award winner Tracy Brown says.

retaining good people, improving industry governance, upholding animal wellbeing and furthering our on-farm efficiencies.” But a change in mindset is needed from some farmers. “We need to farm like our customer is watching us. “We need to accept that change is constant and we need to adopt a continuous cycle of improvement to our operations. “It’s about doing the right thing and, while there may be shortterm financial cost in doing so, in the long term it will be best for our sector.” Sustainable Business Network chief executive Rachel Brown is encouraged to see farmers like Brown and the wider business sector taking action to be more sustainable. “We’re all desperately looking for how do you do this stuff now. “I don’t think businesses would be deliberately doing things that would harm people or the planet but they don’t necessarily

know how to do things.” She points out Synlait’s new sustainability programme, which features some of the boldest impact reduction ambitions ever announced in the primary sector including a pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35% on-farm and 50% off-farm by 2028. Other highlights of the programme include reducing water consumption on and offfarm by 20% and a 45% reduction in on-farm nitrogen loss in the next decade. “Sixteen years ago businesses may have viewed sustainability initiatives as nice-to-haves. “There is still a risk of that but the message that humankind needs to change its ways is growing ever louder,” she says. “It’s made people feel like we have to move a bit faster. There’s a greater expectation from the community.” The NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards are now in their 16th year and attracted a

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record number of entrants. “The engagement has really lifted,” she said. “Last year we thought we had our largest number with 236 contestants but this year we received 263.” The judges said Tracy Brown’s nomination stood out from the rest. “Tracy is a human dynamo with great passion, commitment and guts. “She set up her farm in a sustainable way long before it became mainstream and has devoted more than 17 years to modelling and promoting sustainable farming. “Sustainable dairying isn’t Tracy’s job. It’s her life.”

Tracy Brown will speak at the annual farmer-led Dairy Environment Leaders’ Forum, December 4-6 in Wellington, where more than 100 industry leaders will gather to explore ways to accelerate positive change for the New Zealand primary sector.

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Most Southland farms compliant Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz JUST 17 Southland dairy farms were found to be significantly non-compliant with regional council rules last year while the number fully compliant rose sharply. An Environment Southland report found 801 farms fully compliant while the 17 significantly non-compliant represented just 1.9% of the industry. It is a vast improvement on the 39 farms or 4.1%, of the region’s farms deemed to have significantly violated council rules the previous year. Significantly non-compliant farms did not comply with many relevant consent conditions, planning rules, regulations and national environment standards and pose significant environmental consequence and a high risk of adverse environmental effects. Inspections in the 2017-18 year found a further 104 farms to have low or moderate noncompliance. The council inspected all dairy farms and, including those visited more than once, made 941 inspections of properties with effluent discharge consents. Council compliance manager Simon Mapp said it was done despite disruption from Mycoplasma bovis, which forced inspections by air as well as on-site visits. Farms determined to be significantly noncompliant did not all face enforcement, with some subjected to alternatives such as re-inspection, infringement or abatement notices. A diversion scheme has been added as a new enforcement option. The council focused last year on new consent holders and those with a variation to consents. In addition, the council inspected 94 winter feed pads finding 70 fully compliant, 21 low risk or moderately non-compliant and three significantly non-complaint. The performance last year of the dairy sector was a marked improvement on the 2016-17 in which 651 were fully compliant, 249 were minor and marginally non-compliant and 39 were significantly not compliant. In August Forest and Bird released a report card on regional council compliance, monitoring and enforcement of the dairy industry for the 2016-17 year, in which it gave Environment Southland an E. It claimed the council does not know how many dairy farms are in the region, does not monitor all dairy farms annually, does not take enforcement action against significantly non-compliant farms nor make follow-up visits. In 2017-18 the council issued 25 letters of direction, 24 formal warnings and 93 abatement notices over all industries. Three enforcement orders were issued against two dairy farmers and an agricultural contractor

and it issued 36 infringement notices and three cases of diversion. Overall, it responded to 961 incidents, a 34% increase on the previous year, in part because the Regional Air Plan took effect, resulting in odour and smoke complaints. Those incidents consisted of 346 complaints about air quality, 125 coastal, 205 land and 285 for water.

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20 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Primary sector employers rewarded ALL SMILES: Ministers, from left, Damien O’Connor, Shane Jones and Stuart Nash with the award winners.

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AGRICULTURE Minister Damien O’Connor has congratulated the best primary sector employers at an awards evening at Parliament. “The primary industries employ about 350,000 people – one in seven working New Zealanders and as many as one in three in some regions. “Attracting and keeping this hard-working talent is a significant challenge and we recognise those exceptional employers who are committing to good employment practices such as training, paying and treating staff well. “I equally acknowledge those working throughout the sector who contribute to these sustainable, high-value business models. “Good employers help to attract and develop the skills we need for today and tomorrow. “Investing in the workforce is critical to the future of our primary industries and a key part of this is providing attractive careers for the next generation of workers. “I had the pleasure of presenting the Minister’s Award to Ben and Nicky Allomes, the owners and directors of Hopelands Dairies in Woodville. “They have creatively solved the age-old problem of work-life balance by investing in a rostering system that allows their workers ownership of when they work and what they do on the ground. “They have also shared this knowledge with their community. “The first ever MPI AGMARDT Primary Industries Good Employer Awards have recognised exceptional employers across the dairy, seafood, forestry and horticulture sectors,” O’Connor said. The winners and highly commended were: Innovative Employment Practices Award: • Winner: Ben and Nicky Allomes, Hopelands Dairies • Highly commended: Jenny Buckley and Dave van den Beuken, Jaydee Partnership Employee Development Award: • Winner: Kevin and Kylie Ihaka, Forest Protection Services • Highly Commended: Patrick Malley, Onyx Capital

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Bespoke farm plans now the norm Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz FONTERRA’S latest environmental initiative has a new approach to farmer engagement, avoiding the one size fits all programmes of the past, sustainable dairying general manager Charlotte Rutherford says. In 17 years of getting dairy farmers engaged with environmental initiatives the sector has done well but has to accept more change is coming and quickly, she told farmers at the Effluent Expo. “So no one size fits all will work now for farmers as that rate of change accelerates. “It is a farm-by-farm, bespoke approach that has become really important.” Fonterra’s Tiaki sustainable dairying programme uses farm environment plans at its heart. They are individually tailored to a farm’s unique topography, management, layout and stocking patterns. Fonterra now has 28 staff developing plans for shareholders, resulting in farm action plans to help them manage any risk they face around environmental management. Most importantly, the process also develops a one-on-one relationship and conversation with farmers about their environmental actions. Farmers receive a hard copy report and so far feedback from them has been highly positive. “Before, with earlier initiatives including Clean Streams and then the Sustainable Dairying Water Accord, we were standing on a burning platform created then by effluent issues. “We would have an effluent day then a stream fencing day. “We thought going in and addressing issues one by one would effect change but that is not how farmers think when they get up each morning. “This takes a more holistic

INDIVIDUAL: Fonterra is taking a farm-byfarm approach rather than one size fits all to environmental management, sustainable dairying general manager Charlotte Rutherford says.

This takes a more holistic approach, taking into account individual farm differences. Charlotte Rutherford Fonterra approach, taking into account individual farm differences.” Dairy farmers have become wired to respond to pressure and change and those early programmes initiated that response. “So, when we develop these initiatives we are working with people in a good frame of mind to do it.” Dry-stock farmers are in a

position where dairy farmers were 10 years ago, having to come to grips with regulatory pressure in catchments like Waikato, where they will be pressured to also fence off waterways, she said. The key parameters dairy farmers are expected to operate in have been clearly laid out in the industry’s Dairy Tomorrow strategy, with several key commitments to fulfill over the next 10 years. They are protecting the environment, building a globally competitive dairy industry, providing high-quality nutrition, ensuring world-leading animal welfare, growing prosperous communities and providing good workplaces. By 2025 all dairy farmers will be implementing and responding

under the certified sustainability plan that includes all those points. “But we also have to acknowledge what we have achieved already. “We have seen spectacular gains in the environmental aspects through the earlier initiatives and we often miss a trick in seeing what we have achieved until it is seen by overseas customers. “We have not always documented the good things that have been done on-farm and the plans allow us to also do this.” Customers’ expectations are varied, with some having quite surprising demands and interest in Fonterra’s supply source. One visiting corporate client recently went to a Waikato dairy farm showcasing the latest initiatives Dairy Tomorrow is striving for.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Third time lucky for hammer man Annette Scott annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz IT WAS the third time with hammer in hand for Ben McKerchar who says he was there to win the 2018 Young Auctioneer of the Year. “I’d given it a couple of cracks, learnt a lot and my hunger to win just got stronger,” the young livestock agent from Southland said. McKerchar earned the New Zealand Stock and Station Agents’ Association trophy and 2018 title when he headed off the eight other contestants in the seventh annual Heartland Bank Young Auctioneers competition at the NZ Agricultural Show in Canterbury. He made no secret he was on the stand to win this year. “I had learnt a lot. The first two competitions I did over the past couple of years were valuable experiences towards this win. “Each time gave me more confidence and this year I was going up to win and so it’s good now to tick that off.” The 25-year-old PGG Wrightson agent took away $2000 in prize money. He also gets to go to the 2019 Sydney Royal Show to attend the ALPA Young Auctioneer contest where he will have the opportunity to sell as an exhibitor. “That’s going to be another valuable career experience.” Organised by the NZ Agricultural Show, the contest took on a new format this year with the judging all taking place on one day. The contest, aimed to showcase and develop young auctioneers

and improve the standard of auctioneering across the board, includes a theory interview and a practical selling section. Before the auctioneering section the contestants are individually interviewed by the judging panel, tested on auction rules, industry knowledge and selling. It is a competition that stands all contestants well in the industry, to gain confidence and open opportunities, McKerchar said.

If the hammer falls right, perhaps one day I will get to be head auctioneer. Ben McKerchar “I’d have to say a little bit of homework on the theory goes a long way.” In the practical section McKerchar and fellow contestants each had to sell three lots from which they were judged on overall performance including voice, diction, manner and values. “This year we sold a stud heifer, a prime cattle beast and a plastic sheep in a charity auction. “We were given the details of the heifer and the cattle beast and had some time to do some homework on their background prior to auctioning them. “Certainly, the practical experience opportunities I have been fortunate to get in my job helped a long way and, as well, the two previous competitions helped the confidence.

“The plastic sheep was a bit left field but a bit of fun and something to play around with.” McKerchar has been in the livestock industry for three years. Despite growing up on a farm and with his Dad in the industry it wasn’t what he initially aspired to as a career. “I grew up around the industry, spent my childhood and school holidays at the sale yards and on the family sheep and beef farm in Southland. “I left school and went to Otago University.” He studied sport and completed a physical education degree. “But it was while I was in Dunedin that I realised what I really wanted to be doing was working in the agricultural industry – working with farmers and livestock.” The PE degree wasn’t just put on the sideline. “It went out the back door when I was lucky enough to get this job with PGW.” McKerchar has his own region servicing central Southland sheep and beef farmers and is enjoying the opportunities before him. “I couldn’t speak more highly of the opportunities my fellow colleagues have given me, especially to sell and at some pretty big sales down here.” In the future McKerchar first and foremost wants to grow his own business. “I want to develop and grow my client relationships and as for auctioneering – I’d like to think one day, if the hammer falls right, perhaps I will get to be head auctioneer.”

Bugged cargo ship gets sent packing A VEHICLE carrier has been ordered to leave New Zealand waters following the discovery of stink bugs and other regulated pests. Biosecurity officers intercepted three live and 39 dead brown marmorated stink bugs and 69 other dead regulated stink bugs after the Carmen arrived in Auckland from Europe on Wednesday morning. The vessel was carrying a range of vehicles from Europe and the United States. “The interceptions indicated the cargo was likely to be infested with stink bugs,” Biosecurity NZ border clearance services director Steve Gilbert said. “We also believed the ship itself was contaminated. “We informed industry prior to the start of the season of our hard line on cargo vessels believed to

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: Ben McKerchar went into the contest to win the 2018 Young Auctioneer of the Year title and win he did.

He acknowledged his key mentors Kirk Pierce, livestock manager Andrew Martin and the whole PGW Southland team. “And Dad (Ross) of course. I’ve learnt a lot from him even if he’s

the opposition working for Peter Walsh.” In his recreational time McKerchar is usually found, ball in hand, playing for the Winton Rugby Club or at cricket or golf.

APPLICATIONS FOR BOARD APPOINTED FARMER DIRECTOR APPLICATIONS CLOSE:

5pm on Thursday, 20 December 2018 With adoption of our new Constitution, the Co-operative is now seeking applications for the newly established Board Appointed Farmer Director. To be eligible for this role, candidates must be a current shareholder of the Co-operative and have supplied a minimum of 400 stock units to Silver Fern Farms for each of the two years ended 31 December 2017 and 31 December 2018. Eligibility also includes those that have a legal or beneficial interest in a shareholder supplier e.g. a shareholder of a company, partner in a Partnership or a named beneficiary of a Trust. DENIED: A vehicle carrier was turned away after officials found brown marmorated stink bugs on board.

be infested with stink bug. “This is about ensuring a dangerous pest does not get a chance to establish in NZ.” The vessel will have to be treated before it can return. “If permitted to come back the vessel should also expect intensive inspection before we allow any cargo to

be discharged,” he said. The Carmen is the first cargo ship to be turned away since the 2018-19 stink bug season began in September. In February, Biosecurity NZ turned around four bulk carriers arriving from Japan because of stink bug contamination.

The successful applicant will be appointed to the Board of the Co-operative for a maximum term of three years, following which if they wish to continue, they will need to make themselves available for election. They can choose to seek election prior to the three year term expiring. The successful applicant will not be eligible to be appointed to the Board of Directors of Silver Fern Farms Limited until such time they have successfully been elected as a Farmer Elected Director of the Co-operative. FOR ANY ENQUIRIES OR AN APPLICATION FORM, PLEASE CONTACT:

Clark Taylor at clark.taylor@silverfernfarms.com or on 0800 362 362

News

24 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

There’s Hope for wool in art show Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz DUNEDIN artist Hope Duncan says a wolf-shaped rug made from crossbred wool is the perfect analogy for the state of the carpet fibre industry. The Dunedin School of Art graduate loves wool but despairs about the state of the crossbred wool sector so for her end-of-year exhibition she chose a two-piece item with a wool carpet in the shape of a wolf as an eye-catching element in a none too subtle dig at how synthetic carpet manufacturers have laid claim to

wool’s natural attributes. Duncan hopes it will provoke conversation about the attributes of wool and issues with synthetic fibres. “What synthetics are trying to do is claim the warmth, durability and colour, which is what wool is. “In a way synthetics are the wolf in the flock, a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Born in Scotland but living in urban NZ for the last 21 years Duncan was introduced to farm life when invited to go four-wheel driving on a farm in Wyndham, Southland. She was hooked on rural life, CAREFUL WHERE YOU TREAD: A wolfshaped wool carpet is an analogy for one of Hope Duncan’s Dunedin School of Art exhibitions questioning why synthetic fibre can lay claim of the attributes of wool.

so much so she offered to help the farming family she met milk their cows for free so she could experience life on a farm. “I love the land and I love the connection to the food I am eating.” But it is wool rather than cows that has captured her attention, partly because she learnt to knit when she was five and grew up in a family that uses wool for clothing and art. When she had to come up with an idea for an art school graduation project she chose wool. “I wanted to spotlight the crossbred wool industry, to examine why people are not using wool and to get people to think why not.” In a bid to learn more about the wool supply chain and processing Duncan enrolled in the wool technology certificate course through Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre. Work on her project only highlighted the parlous state of the sector.

ON SHOW: Hope Duncan with her Golden Lock and the Three fadges exhibition at the Dunedin School of Art exhibition.

That started with trying to find some carpet wool yarn to make her piece while a visit to a carpet retailer emphasised the dominance of synthetic carpets. “It shows that as a nation we are not using our own resources.” She eventually secured some Axminster carpet wool yarn she hand-tufted into a rug replicating a wolf skin, called Careful Where you Tread. The second piece is called Golden Locks and the Three Fadges, an abstract handwoven wool fadge made from discarded crossbred wool with screenprinted silk labels complete with stencilled branding. Her project was also driven

by concern for crossbred wool growers who receive so little for their fibre, despite its desirable attributes, she fears it could turn some off a career in farming. “I’ve always loved rural areas and always been concerned for people in rural communities.” Duncan is uncertain exactly what next year holds but hopes to create a bigger art exhibition around the crossbred wool theme, one she hopes will encourage further debate about why many consumers choose synthetic fibre over wool. “I want to talk about this amazing fibre and material and that we should be using more of it.”

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Get your troubles off your chest SHARING the ups and downs of farming with mates is an important part of staying on top of your game and enjoying the job, Maniototo shepherd Dave Ingham says. His career in the sheep and beef industry is off to a flying start. Since completing his studies at Lincoln University he has been working at Linnburn Station, which runs about 8500 halfbred ewes and 500 Angus cows. “I’m a 24-year-old shepherd. I work on a 9000ha sheep and beef breeding and finishing farm and my role is looking after the farm’s finishing stock.”

I had a great job and was doing well but something wasn’t quite right. Dave Ingham Shepherd Ingham’s profile in the industry is on the rise too. He recently attended the LambEx conference in Australia as one of Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s two sponsored sheep and beef ambassadors and was a keynote speaker at the Getting Over The Hump event in Fairlie hosted by B+LNZ, Vetlife and Farmstrong. But life hasn’t always been plain sailing. A while back Ingham noticed he was feeling stressed and lacking motivation. “I had a great job and was doing well but something wasn’t quite right. I wasn’t getting the same enjoyment out of things I usually would. I wasn’t talking to or catching up with mates as much and struggled talking to them when I did. “I started isolating myself because it was easier to be alone than to make the effort. I’d come up with poor excuses not to go to things, for example ‘I’ve got to be on farm and work this weekend etc’.” Things reached the point where it all got on top of him and depression and anxiety ruled his life.

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The turning point was a simple chat with his boss, who noticed something was amiss. “At the end of the autumn muster the boss came to have a yarn and had the balls to ask me if everything was okay and to say he was worried about me. “That one, five-minute conversation made me realise there was something seriously wrong and I needed to change. To be perfectly honest without that moment I don’t know where I would be today.” Now Ingham’s keen to spread the word about the importance of rural communities openly discussing mental health issues, highlighting the importance of managing stress and supporting one another. “The really important thing is to talk. Don’t be afraid to say how you’re feeling or what you think, bottling it up doesn’t work. The relief was huge once I finally got off my chest what was going on.” While at Lincoln Ingham helped set up the volunteer farmer relief group the Handy Landys. “We would take the barbecue and have a feed and a couple of beers. Sitting down having a yarn and taking the farmer’s mind off farming was often more relief than the physical labour we offered.” Now Ingham is proactive about looking after himself. He aims to spend at least 30 minutes a day doing something that isn’t farmrelated. “For me it could be reading a book, getting in the kitchen and actually spending time making something, training dogs, going fishing or a game of golf. It doesn’t matter what it is but just doing something every day that you enjoy takes your mind off the farm.”

OUT IN THE OPEN: A five-minute chat with his boss who asked if he was okay was all it took for Dave Ingham to realise he wasn’t.

Ingham’s top tips • Keep active: I found going for a run was a really good way to get things out of my head and refresh.

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• Stay connected: Don’t be afraid to say how you’re feeling or what you think, bottling it up doesn’t work. • Take time off farm: Just make time for things off the farm and work them into the schedule like any other tasks.

Farmstrong is a rural wellbeing programme to help farming families live well to farm well. Check out the videos, stories and tips on www.farmstrong. co.nz

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26 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Newsmaker

Mission accomplished for Bluett Garry Bluett took on and stuck with a job few would have wanted. But his persistence has paid off and he’s now leaving Allied Farmers in good heart. He told Alan Williams about the tough times.

EADING Allied Farmers was a battle for survival over much of the last decade and now Garry Bluett says it’s a bit sad to be leaving. It was a story of people working in the business, putting in their own money to keep it going and directors working without receiving fees. Bluett retired as chairman and director after Tuesday’s annual meeting in Hawera highly confident the livestock agency and bobby calf/veal exporter is firmly secure and on a growth path. There’s another important reason behind his decision. With family now based overseas, he wants to spend more time offshore. Shareholders were told good trading at 66%-owned NZ Farmers Livestock and good skins and meat prices helping the bobby calf activities point to first-half earnings being significantly better than a year earlier. They will also receive a dividend, 0.2c a share, the second since the directors became certain of the group’s continuing recovery following the near-terminal collapse in the face of the 2009-10 global financial crisis. ALF is also paying down some significant bond debt. NZFL, also partly-owned by staff, is trading strongly in several areas, notably in Taranaki and with the Redshaw business in Hawke’s Bay. Some areas are a bit tougher but, so far, the impact of Mycoplasma bovis is not as great as the group thought it might be. NZFL’s new livestock-financing company is trading ahead of expectations. In the South Island the group now has access to Coalgate sale yards in Canterbury. “This is important as it opens the door to take on more agents,” Bluett said. “Yard access is a key footprint.” Bluett became a director in 2004 and was part of the decisionmaking when the group bought the assets of the failing Hanover Finance business in 2009. He became chairman in 2010 very soon after ALF’s own finance business, Allied Nationwide

Finance (ANF) was put into receivership. “There was a feeling among the board that the finance company had not breached its covenants and did not need the receivers. That was our view and the auditors also believed that but the trustee had a report saying it was in breach and that was that.” Funding to ANF stopped overnight and the group was unable to adequately manage the Hanover assets, which were also soon collapsing in value. Bluett became interim chairman for an initial three months but that became an eight-year tenure and effectively a full-time executive chairman’s role for a few years during the worst of the crisis. He can now say he’s leaving the company in CHANGE: Long-serving Allied Farmers champion Gary Bluett with incoming chairman Mark Benseman. a better shape than when his term started. The Hanover assets They were all repaid years ago. helped fund the bobby calf were bought by issuing We fought tooth After years of negative business as well as group bonds, shares to its bondholders. The shareholders funds ALF finally took his money out about 18 ALF directors had doubts about and nail to keep it and moved back into the black in 2016. months ago to avoid any potential the sturdiness of the Hanover if the staff had not put Balance sheet equity is now just conflict of interest. valuations so negotiated a share money in we wouldn’t For a few years directors worked over $3 million out of total assets top-up arrangement for its own of $20.3m but overall market without receiving fees. shareholders. That meant they have had the funds to equity, including goodwill, will be “The money just wasn’t there for weren’t as badly affected as the continue. closer to the market capitalisation us,” Bluett said. new and large shareholder group of about $12.5m on the NZX. In 2015 the directors involved was but even the board’s valuation The shareholding structure were paid in company shares. proved too high. Garry Bluett is very stable. Through their Bluett is now the fifth biggest Many of the newcomers had ALF Stockmans Holdings vehicle, shareholder with a 2.6% stake. very small shareholdings and Sweeney and Carruthers hold just During the most difficult most of them exited a few years over 12% of the shares, sitting days there was always a risk of Sweeney and Ollie Carruthers ago when ALF bought back just behind new chairman Mark ALF tipping over, with banks, lent significant sums. Brian Train, unmarketable parcels, reducing Benseman, a director since 2015. Inland Revenue and Crown Asset executive chairman during a the number of shareholders from Bluett believes Benseman might Management, which effectively previous era, also came in with about 17,000 to 5000. look a bit more at opportunities to held all the assets, all wanting money. After the finance business grow the business now it is more their money. The livestock business lost a lot collapsed, saving the livestock strongly placed. “There were times when we of agents. Numbers fell to about arm was crucial. ALF sold its rural For his part, Bluett has made a 25 but are now back up around 50. came quite close. stores, the real estate business clean break, saying his job is done. “One of the things that saved “We lost business but the and other assets to repay creditors But he will keep his shares and us was that we gave those guys loyal customers stuck with us, but livestock was the jewel in the follow the company closely. an undertaking and then we did especially in Waikato.” crown. “They’ve got my number if it and then we gave them another As the business has regained “We fought tooth and nail to there’s anything I can do to help.” undertaking and we did that as momentum, instead of having to keep it and if the staff had not put Bluett has been replaced on well. chase potential new agents they money in we wouldn’t have had the board by Marise James, a “We never oversold it but now approach the firm, he said. the funds to continue. It was a chartered accountant and farmer worked through it and we built up Much of the staff funding was really big factor.” and former director of Fonterra, trust, especially with the Crown repaid as alternative funding Bluett, chief executive Steve Landcorp and FMG Insurance. group.” became easier and Bluett, who Morrison, and NZFL bosses Bill

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New thinking

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Turning old plastic bottles into tough new fence posts Rubbish has inspired a farmer to create a new product that will help New Zealand’s biggest company reduce its waste. Luke Chivers took a look at what they are doing.

TART-UP company Future Post was founded this year by Thames dairy farmer Jerome Wenzlick who got the idea while struggling to build a fence on an old rubbish dump. His wooden fence posts kept breaking but they were not hitting concrete or rocks – they were hitting plastic waste buried in the ground. “Initially, I was just trying to install some wooden fence posts but then I realised there was a good business opportunity beneath the surface. “What we’re doing at Future Post is repurposing everyday waste that could have gone to landfill and turning it into a valuable product for local consumers,” he says. Every year New Zealanders send more than 252,000 tonnes of plastic waste to landfills and nearly a tenth of it is made up of items that have been recycled incorrectly – including soft plastic bags. Over Christmas and New Year, the amount chucked away increases by 10% while the number of items sent for recycling increases by 20%. So Wenzlick looked for a solution.

There’s no splitting, warping, cracking or rotting. And the posts are impenetrable by water, frosts, insects and fungi. Jerome Wenzlick Future Post His business uses Anchor lightproof milk bottles collected from Fonterra’s Takanini site at Future Post’s Waiuku plant, where they are mixed with soft plastics and turned into fence posts. A standard post can be made out of about 1700 plastic bags or 208 milk bottles. The posts are just as strong as timber but more flexible and can be post-driven, cut, drilled, nailed, screwed, bolted and stapled. “There’s no splitting, warping, cracking or rotting,” he says. “And the posts are impenetrable by water, frosts, insects and fungi.” The posts will be particularly helpful for farmers who have issues with timber fence posts breaking and for the wine industry

GREEN OPTION: Farmers can now use posts made from waste milk bottles, Future Post founder and managing director Jerome Wenzlick says. ETERNAL: Fonterra Brands sustainability and environmental manager Larisa Thathiah says the posts can be recycled again and again.

where treated timber cannot be used. But while Future Post is a useful solution local businesses will play a big role in leading the charge. “For instance, our partnership with Fonterra gives us a steady supply of raw material from the co-operative’s own recycling initiatives. “It also provides us with access to a network of nationwide Farm Source stores that can sell the fence posts to farmers.” Fonterra Brands NZ’s sustainability and environment manager Larisa Thathiah says the co-op is delighted to team up with Future Post. “It’s a new way for local farmers to improve their on-farm sustainability. “The posts provide farmers with a more environmentally-friendly fencing option made from the packaging of our farmers’ milk, which is pretty special. “It’s not enough to just recycle any more. “It’s about creating less waste full stop or at least turning it into something useful. “That’s why these fence posts are so exciting. They’re made from 100% recycled material and have a life expectancy of more than 50 years – nearly double that of a wooden fence post. “And at the end of their life they can be recycled again and again.” Thathiah says there is already significant interest in the product, especially among organic farmers. “Many local farmers are ready to adopt more environmentally sustainable practices so I’m confident these new posts will be well received by our sector.” The Future Post supply partnership is the latest waste reduction initiative from Fonterra.

Last year, the co-operative partnered with Skycity to turn Anchor lightproof milk bottles into shampoo, conditioner and body lotion bottles for guests. Wenzlick is focused on launching the new posts but is looking forward to developing other products soon. “We already have plans for some initiatives next year,” he says. The posts will be available in North Island Farm Source stores in the New Year with plans to launch in South Island stores mid year.

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Opinion

28 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

EDITORIAL

Reward farmers on their progress

HEN it comes to farmers and the environment there are always some big, sweeping generalisations thrown about. There are too many cows in New Zealand. All our waterways are degraded. Horticulture is the future of primary industries. While there is a hint of truth to all of these statements they are too blunt to be of any great worth. At the effluent expo last week Fonterra’s Charlotte Rutherford outlined how the big co-operative is moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to environmental management to a more nuanced approach that focuses on the needs of individual farms and catchments. It’s a good move because what works in Canterbury doesn’t work in Waikato. While there might be too many dairy cows in some catchments there might be room for more in others. Mitigation techniques and practices need to vary to match the climate, soils and land use of a farm. Improving the environment will take time. A lot of the issues we have were gifted to us by previous generations. Some, we have created. The first step has been to make every farmer aware of the issues and do the basic things to get things moving: fencing waterways, for example. The next step is more bespoke. It involves those farmers taking a long, hard look at their land, gathering the data, looking at the technology available and creating a plan that will work for them. If every farmer does that we’ll get where we all want to go. Every farmer I talk to knows what needs to be done and is working to do it. Having the backing of our biggest cooperative will help. But time is running out. New Zealanders and those who buy our products want to see results or at least see we have a plan and results are coming. Perhaps it is also time for primary processors to build more incentives into their payments to help things along.

Bryan Gibson

LETTERS

Spray, you’ll have to pray YOUR correspondent Jo Leyland (FW, November 5) is to be congratulated on an extremely well-written and reasoned letter. However, there is one small matter that is not made clear. Does she actually know any dairy farmers who spray their pastures with glyphosate before grazing them with lactating cows or was she putting forward an hypothesis as a warning – do this and that is a possible outcome? We need to be very careful these days in what we say or write. There are any number of nutters out there who would grab something like this letter and distort it for heaven knows what reasons.

I can well imaging the following splashed across the internet: Eminent scientist and world authority Jo Leyland, writing in a prestigious journal, has vehemently condemned the practice where NZ dairy farmers are spraying their pastures with glyphosate before grazing with their herds. This practice has been shown to produce super bugs that are resistant to all known antibiotics, which conceivably spells the end of life on this planet. It is strongly urged that a total ban be put on all dairy produce and any derivatives from NZ. Unless glyphosate is vastly changed from when I last used it we have nothing to fear. Any dairy farmer who follows the above practice will convert his green pastures into

brown dirt desert in very short time and his cows will be dead from starvation or either sold for slaughter or to another farmer who is not stupid. F R Hanham Taihape

Stop costs FULL marks go to Richard Rennie for his editorial (FW, October 29). Our low-carbon mania seems to be out of balance. Under present thinking Rennie indicates our economy will lose $50 billion by the year 2050. “All New Zealand needs to appreciate if the biggest players like India, the United States, Russia and China don’t achieve their reductions then even our most extreme

efforts will only send this country poor while the world continues to warm.” I agree with the statement. The farming industry has enough costs to cope with now without being subject to more unnecessary obligations. John Chesswas Stratford

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Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Lack of meat staff can be fixed Graham Cooke

HE meat industry says there is a shortage of about 2000 workers but that is a challenge that goes well beyond simply demanding foreign workers to fill the gap. Ask any long-term meat worker. I’m talking about the loyal workers who have for years come back year after year and who the industry has relied on for skills and productivity growth. They will tell you things aren’t how they used to be. Sure, the meat industry has always been a seasonal industry. That means no meat worker gets year-round work and there’s always a gap in their earnings. Meat workers used to call this their holidays because the gap was short enough to be filled by their accrued holiday pay. But that gap has grown bigger. Wages have been steadily declining for most meat workers over the last couple of decades while productivity has increased. The Living Wage of $20.50 doesn’t exist for many process workers and labourers. You have to take into account their precarious work and months dependent on finding other work or the State filling the gap with social welfare benefits. As for holidays? Who gets a paid holiday in the meat industry? Then there’s the gradual encroachment into breaks, helped along by the National Government’s rest and meal breaks changes. This means meat workers are now, along with many other New Zealand workers, doing unpaid work as they gear up, degear and regear before paid and unpaid breaks and at the start and end of the day. When the meat industry was deregulated in 1981, politicians and commentators encouraged the closure of plants where meat workers were readily available. It has become obvious that in the small, rural towns where the meat industry predominates there would eventually be a shortage of labour.

The

Pulpit

LET US HELP: Meat workers can offer solutions to staff shortages and other issues if employers are willing to listen, New Zealand Meat Workers Union national secretary Graham Cooke says. Young people are more mobile and seek better opportunities elsewhere. The skilled workforce is aging and the freezing works are no longer an attractive option. Imagine this – you work in a shitty job (I do mean animal faeces) with blood, heat, on your feet on concrete floors for hours a day wearing increasingly invasive protective gear. You rush to have a break, getting yelled at or punished if you are late back to the chain, the speed of which is regulated by the employer or, if you are lucky, by a union agreement.

The skilled workforce is aging and the freezing works are no longer an attractive option.

Your pay depends on throughput, in other words how many beasts are killed on your shift. That’s called piecework. We’ve been here before. In 2005 the Meat Industry Association said firms needed 1000 migrants and were looking to have the meat industry join the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme. The then Labour

Government declined the request and set up a tripartite working group including the union, association and the Business, Innovation and Employment Ministry. There was a lot of work done to identify what would make the industry more attractive to working people and how to avoid costly competition. That report was shelved as soon as the National Government was elected in 2008. Instead, some employers resorted to downward pressure on wages. They’re relying on the old methods of resisting unionisation, challenging workers who choose to join a union, using aggressive actions such as unlawful lockouts, refusing access by union officials and targeting union activists in layoffs and return to work. I’m not saying the whole industry is like this. It’s not. We have good relationships with the majority of the industry but it is time for them to step up. It’s not good enough for

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their industry association to be moaning about the shortage of workers when they have largely stood by and allowed one of the top five meat companies to impoverish and de-unionise workers through some of the most appalling attacks on unionised workers we have seen in a decade. It’s been disappointing to see the association join the chorus claiming “it’s going to ruin us” about the employment relations amendments now before Parliament. In an industry that has had almost no industrial action in decades, apart from the militant (and unlawful) lockouts by Affco, this is pretty offensive. In my experience meat workers want to work together to make their industry successful and they are certainly not sitting around plotting national strikes. There is another solution. We reconvene the industry tripartite group. We work together to find short term and longer solutions not only to labour

shortages but ways of making this industry attractive once again to working people. We figure out how seasonal work can be real work. There are options. That might mean, like other successful companies, getting over the short termism of resisting labour law changes. It could mean becoming an exemplar of how industrial relations can work positively in a seasonal industry. The union has many ideas because our members, meat workers who work day to day in this industry, can help. After all, they do the work on the front lines. The challenge for the meat industry is whether it is prepared to listen.

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

Opinion

30 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Only rejected candidates can stand Alternative View

Alan Emerson

I WAS a little surprised to receive a condescending and fatuous email from Farmlands on its recent board of directors election. While I congratulate the successful candidates I found the process nauseating in the extreme. You can read the new directors were elected within the framework of a rigorous, independent process that allowed candidates to make their case for consideration and demonstrate their skill set to voters. Whether it is remotely relevant or not is another story and I have several issues with the statement. For a start, I don’t want any rigorous, independent process telling me how I should vote. I’m quite capable of making my own mind up, as are farmers. Further, I didn’t think much of the process and the skills were relevant. I know two of the people who were nominated for board positions at Farmlands and my opinion is at considerable variance with the rigorous process employed by the co-op. I also found it largely irrelevant and a means for the board to perpetuate its culture rather than

allow a full and independent election. So my advice to Farmlands would be not to waste your money by lining consultants’ pockets to give me largely irrelevant cliches when I’m capable of forming an opinion without them. What I found interesting is that New Zealand’s richest person, Graeme Hart, left school at 16 to become a truck driver then a panel beater. Another rich lister, Eric Watson, was a butcher’s apprentice before working at Whitcoulls. One could respectfully suggest that though being incredibly successful there’s no guarantee they’d pass a series of pointless academic interviews. Further, I can’t see them queuing to demonstrate their skill set to voters. To their credit Fonterra shareholders didn’t take much notice of what the company system told them and largely disregarded it. Of the three who put themselves through the process only one was successful, which tells you something. As I’ve written on previous occasions, Fonterra shareholders are fully capable of making their own decisions. An issue or problem is that out of five candidates only two, Peter McBride and Leonie Guiney, received the required 50% support. At the time we were told those not gaining 50% were ineligible to stand in subsequent elections. Now the Shareholders Council is going back to farmers wanting

NO CHOICE: Fonterra shareholders are being limited to voting for two candidates they have already rejected, Jamie Tuuta, left, and John Nicholls. them to vote again on the unsuccessful candidates. Sitting director Ashley Waugh, who came close at 49%, isn’t making himself available, which leaves John Nicholls, who received 44% of the vote, and Jamie Tuuta who received just 40%. So why waste a million dollars holding an election that’s restricted to candidates farmer shareholders didn’t support? Why close the process to others who farmer shareholders might want representing them on the board? The reasons given are ridiculous, in my view, and show a severe disconnect with rank and file shareholders who rejected the board and panel process. The Shareholders Council’s reasons are, well, interesting. Its first is that the candidates had strong support in the first election.

They didn’t. Then we read that it respects the 2016 Governance and Representation Review which had strong shareholder support. That was possibly true before the latest gerrymandering and the fact that farmers rejected two out of the three who went through the system tells you something. Then we’re told that shareholders have a choice between candidates but shareholders rejected both. What’s changed? The rest is made up of excuses and self-justification, in my view. My opinion is that there is absolutely no mandate for the coming election as shareholders have already rejected both candidates. Is the Shareholders Council hoping that as farmer shareholders are over it combined with the fact it is a busy time of year that there’ll

be a low turnout so 50% can be reached by someone? Their excuse that if the election was opened to other candidates a vote couldn’t be held until March 2019 is vacuous. We’re talking about the board of our biggest company and surely quality is more important than indecent haste. March is but three months away. I can’t believe we’re going through this charade and can only wonder at the games being played at Fonterra HQ and the Shareholders Council. The board has the ability to co-opt. Professor Nicola Shadbolt was a respected board member for nine years so why not appoint her for another 12 months? That guarantees continuity and the ability for a full and fair election at the end of 2019 and not having someone basically by default for the next three years. So, my strong advice to dairy farmers is to vote. If you don’t you’re allowing a gerrymandered system to run rampant. You deserve better. Finally, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to write a column supportive of Fonterra. I’m a strong believer in co-ops. Sadly the board and Shareholders Council are making that extremely difficult.

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

Alliance puts spin on poor result Meaty Matters

Allan Barber

IT WAS a profit but, as Alliance chairman Murray Taggart said “We don’t budget to make $8 million on turnover of $1.8 billion”. The just-announced 2018 result compared with the previous year’s operating profit of $20.2m though after pool payments the 2017 profit was only 11% higher than this year’s. Alliance and I disagree about pool payments: to me they are merely an unavoidable part of the livestock cost whereas Alliance aims to make a budgeted profit that includes end-of-year pool distributions. In 2018 the intended profit retentions were distributed early and included in the cost of procurement. At the recent round of supplier meetings, suppliers were asked whether they expect further payments or want to save money to reinvest in the business. Their strong preference is for reinvestment because they recognised they have already

received payment upfront. However, shareholders will be rewarded with a bonus share issue based on their supply during the 2017-18 season. Taggart says the co-operative practises transparency with its suppliers who trust it to act in an appropriate way to the mutual benefit of shareholders and the balance sheet. Loyalty payments totalling $14.63m to platinum and gold shareholders who supply 100% to their co-operative and a flexible approach to contract minimum prices are two illustrations of how Alliance rewards its suppliers. Alliance achieved a significant 15% lift in revenue but at the expense of a 16.5% rise in operating costs. The difference between the two percentages was caused by a combination of increased processing costs during the extended dry period and higher livestock costs. Nevertheless, it is a solid result in a challenging year in which Alliance consciously pursued its co-operative principles by ensuring sufficient capacity to handle shareholders’ peak requirements, particularly for lamb and mutton. It was one of those seasons when loyal suppliers enjoyed the benefits of commitment, while those farmers who play the market

have to wait for slaughter capacity. The balance sheet is in good shape though the equity ratio came down because of more debt needed to fund end-of-year inventories, outstanding accounts and capital expenditure. The level of inventories and debtors will automatically reduce this financial year. Meanwhile, Alliance continues to work on a series of projects designed to make it more competitive and better able to deliver higher returns, which will enable it to continue investing in improving its processing, logistics and marketing capabilities. The $15.9m invested in the venison plant upgrade at Lorneville and the installation of the robotic primal cutter at Dannevirke will see benefits accrue over the whole financial year. A major area of attention is prime and bull beef from which Alliance has not yet been able to capture as much value from the market as it should. To this point it has tended to view its beef business through a manufacturing cow lens but recent work on prime and beef puts the company in a good place to enjoy a full year’s gains. The launch of Pure South 55-day aged beef is one early innovation. Taggart is confident suppliers will soon see Alliance as a

multi-species processor rather than seeing it as a sheep meat processor that also happens to have venison and beef plants. With the upgrade to Mataura Alliance is as big as the other South Island beef processors, Anzco and Silver Fern Farms, and is well placed to compete on an equal footing. Supply chain logistics have been identified as a key area for improved operating performance across the whole company, especially in preparation for the new, cloud-based enterprise resource planning IT system to be introduced in three phases. An example of improved supply chain logistics is the removal of operational bottlenecks, such as matching the number of containers of a product sold and processed to the number that can be loaded out in any given week. There are a lot of incremental improvements to be made across the company, which, though small individually, will add up to considerable savings. Judging by the number of press releases touting new product development and market innovations Alliance has been busy and successful in adding value to its product offering, evidenced by the gains made in British food service sector and Chinese online lamb sales platforms.

A statement in the annual report indicates an expected doubling of British and European Union sales through the United Kingdom sales office over the next 12-24 months. As distinct from the traditional sales to retailers like Marks and Spencer and high-volume catering businesses the value-added sales are smaller-scale but highervalue cuts for top end hotels and restaurants. Of course, the challenge here is to find a further processing partner with the requisite capability to translate primals efficiently into high-value cuts without throwing the profit down the waste chute. Slowly but surely should be the motto here. Alliance’s performance for the 2017-18 year shows promise for the future but clearly there is still much more work to do before the transition to a genuinely profitable food solutions company can be regarded as achieved. This year will provide a strong indication of the success of the new strategy.

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

Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Russians see value in A2 milk The Braided Trail

Keith Woodford

IN recent weeks I have been working in Russia on issues of A1 and A2 beta-casein. My journey to Russia has been a long one, both physical and metaphysical. The journey itself from Christchurch to Moscow via Sydney and Dubai is about 29 hours. But the broader journey has been going on for about four years. It all started when a group of New Zealanders asked me to help with a dairy project transferring NZ dairy technology to Russia. In the end that project did not go ahead and for good reason. The key technologies around grassland farming would never have worked in Russia. However, our Russian colleagues did take note when I said A2 milk is the way of the future. So now, four years later, A2 Moloko is a Russian company selling a range of dairy products free of A1 beta-casein. It is still early days but they are already in 200 Moscow stores and next year the plan is to be in 1000 stores.

Part of the development plan was to publish my 2007 book, Devil in the Milk, in Russian. I wrote another 20,000 words bringing it up to date and a few months ago it was published through the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. A highlight for me has been to meet Russian scientists who have been working on understanding the health aspects of betacasomorphin-7 (BCM7, the milk devil). I became aware of these Russian scientists in 2009 from a paper authored by Professor Natalya Kost and colleagues in the international journal Peptides. Their work showed a proportion of babies fed infant formula had elevated levels of BCM7 in their blood and were at risk of delayed psychomotor development – the link between the brain and the muscles. Kost and her team of medical researchers knew it was coming from dairy but were not specialists in dairy science. Hence, they knew nothing of the issue of A1 and A2. It was only when we showed them the dairy science, largely coming out of Italy, that they became aware BCM7 came specifically from A1 beta-casein and there are dairy-related breeding solutions. Another paper coming out of Russia in 2014, this time led by Professor Oleg Sokolov, was also very informative in that it showed

BCM7 was being excreted in the urine of young children and, in particular, by those with autistic tendencies. But the key point for me was that even apparently normal children were excreting the BCM7. The reason that was so important was the European Food Safety Authority had reported in 2009 there was no evidence BCM7 could get from the digestive system to the internal system. Well, there is no other way it can get into urine except via the internal system. From my perspective it was exciting to have these independent scientists, with no links to the dairy industry, unlike the team from the European Food Safety Authority, pushing back the boundaries of knowledge. Another scientist I met was Dr Viacheslav Dubynin from Moscow State Forest University. Much of his career has been focused on casomorphins and their neurological effects. As my Russian colleagues say, casomorphins can be both good and bad. Casomorphins have survived through evolution for good reason, including in all mammals the bonding between mother and offspring, but BCM7 from A1 beta-casein is a recent arrival consequent to an accident of nature. Coming back to the broader issue of agri-food in Russia, I can

TALKING: Keith Woodford, right, and interpreter presenting to Russian paediatricians on A1 versus A2 beta-casein.

Our Russian colleagues did take note when I said A2 milk is the way of the future. report both Zespri kiwifruit and NZ goat milk formula are here in Russia. We have been eating NZ kiwifruit bought at the local supermarket near our hotel. Modern Russia is a big exporter of grains. It also produces and exports vodka, sturgeon and caviar. My Russian hosts have been educating me on the finer points of all of these products. Despite the short Russian growing season there is a plentiful supply of fruit and vegetables that flows into Moscow from warmer climates. There are also plenty of people with sufficient wealth to buy imported products. This means there are interesting agrifood opportunities for NZ.

When the Soviet Union collapsed there was a crazy period. Business and corruption went hand in hand. But those days are long since gone. Vladimir Putin has made sure of that. There are still plenty of oligarchs but they now have to play by the new rules. My colleagues tell me they no longer have to pay bribes. As long as we don’t make the mistake of trying to tell the Russians how they should live their lives then relationships can be positive. But there is nothing that unites Russians of all political persuasions more than unaskedfor advice from foreigners. It is not a good idea to prod the Russian bear that way.

Your View Keith Woodford was Professor of farm management and agribusiness at Lincoln University for 15 years to 2015. He is now principal consultant at AgriFood Systems. He can be contacted at kbwoodford@gmail.com

A present of pennies from heaven

TWO or three weeks go it was becoming worryingly dry. We’d had that deluge at the beginning of September that did a lot of damage to lambing and delivered 200mm here and others got a lot more. That set us up for September. Then, typically, we just got dribs and drabs throughout spring. I had adequate feed but none spare and got the brassica crops in before Labour weekend, which is our rule of thumb, but they struggled to germinate properly. They were starting to look like they might be a failure and certainly not going to help finish a lot of works lambs. I went to the NIWA website and watched Chris Brandolino and Ben Noll, both climate scientists, talk about the potential of a developing El Nino and what we might expect because of it.

1000 off my 780 MA commercial ewes. I just managed to get about two-thirds of the ewes shorn and the weather, as we all know now, did a sudden and dramatic U-turn. It flicked around to the northeast and east and we have been having thunderstorms, downpours, drizzle and heavy skies for the last week.

This amount of rain at the end of November sets us up well going into the New Year.

To date I’ve recorded over 100mm of rain. At the time of writing there isn’t a day in the MetService 10-day forecast that doesn’t have rain and Sydney has just had its wettest day in 35 years and flooded. Consequently, the pastures have sprung to life and where brassica crops were poor they are now magnificent. The usual irony being that

I’ll have so much clover in my Your View short-growing pastures that Steve Wyn-Harris is a Central the brassicas aren’t as essential Hawke’s Bay sheep and beef farmer. as they were when they were swyn@xtra.co.nz rubbish. Shearing everywhere has come to a grinding halt and one feels sorry for the shearers, shed hands and contractors with farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz so much work • 2019 Trainee Programme - Livestock ahead of them Representative in the lead-up to Agribusiness • Agribusiness Christmas. Mining Labourer • Agricultural Agronomy I was fortunate • Agronomy Analyst to do my weaning • Contract Dairy Milker in great weather • Dairy General Maintenance • Livestock Specialist and with dry Farm Manager • Manager yards but others • Livestock Pasture andSpecialist Grazing Specialist now have the • Manager Sharemilker opposite. • Operations Shepherd Manager However, this • Rural Shepherd/General Cadetship amount of rain Shepherd at the end of Employers: Advertise your vacancy in the Shepherd General November on the employment section of the Farmers Weekly and as added value it will be uploaded to east coast might farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz forvacancy one month or Employers: Advertise your in the be a nuisance in close of application. employment section of the Farmers Weekly getting things and as addedDebbie value itBrown will be06 uploaded to Contact 323 0765 done but is farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz for one month or or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz pennies from close of application. heaven and sets us Contact Debbie Brown 06 323 0765 up well going into or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz the New Year.

RURAL SECTOR RURAL SECTOR

JOBS BOARD BOARD

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Steve Wyn-Harris

They give probabilities so it is up to viewers to weigh up those probabilities and risks with their own guess and situation and make management decisions. I was mindful it was already dry, New South Wales was in a big drought, California was on fire and Europe had a heatwave over its summer. And we have been fairly blessed the last few years and are probably due a drought. After all, my career average is a drought every three or four years. They talked about a dominant westerly pattern, which is not unusual for this time of the year, the likelihood of a bit higherthan-average temperatures and a higher probability of average or less-than-average rain. But nothing too severe. Maybe just a good old-fashioned Hawke’s Bay summer hopefully followed by a decent autumn. However, because I had little spare feed and poor crops I thought I should be prudent. Coming up to weaning I even considered selling store lambs given the strength of the market, which I’ve never done before, but, in the end, went for the option to go deep into the terminal lambs but still got just 600 away. In better years I can send 800 to

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From the Ridge

32 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

On Farm Story

Milk and fires, a tricky combo A Foxton Beach firefighter successfully combines fighting fires with milking. Samantha Tennent reports.

ANAWATU farmer and volunteer firefighter Tony Eade had been asleep for only a couple of hours when his pager and cellphone went off. It was midnight and he was being called out to fight a fire. By the time the brigade put the fire out it was time to head to work. He left the site of the blaze and headed straight off to milk. Later that afternoon, he was getting ready to milk when the siren went again. Calls are not always that regular but as a volunteer firefighter he needs to be ready to go at the drop of a hat. He is fortunate to have a supportive work environment and the backing of employers Grant and Katherine Lovelock, who are the sharemilkers on the 280ha farm milking 650 cows at Foxton. Eade is a farm assistant and part of a team of five full time staff and two relief milkers. “It’s great that I have a flexible boss who knows that sometimes I have to go to a fire call-out at short notice,” Eade says. “Our team is big enough that we aren’t all milking at the same time. “If I get a 3am call-out I can call on another member of the team to take my place. It’s really good to have that support in the workplace. Without it I couldn’t do both jobs.” He and wife Lucy bought a property at Foxton Beach 10 years ago and not long after shifting into the community he met a local who

was involved in the volunteer fire brigade. It seemed exciting and a great way to get among the new community. He signed up nine years ago. “It’s satisfying knowing that we are helping. We are there to help everyone who needs our help, including animals.” To be a volunteer firefighter takes a commitment to regular training. It keeps developing their knowledge and skills to be prepared for a call that can involve anything from a fire to a medical emergency. “We train for an hour and a half every Monday evening. You receive all the training you need once you get involved, starting with a week in Rotorua.” All frontline people in Fire and Emergency are first aid trained. “Depending on where ambulances are, we can be the first on the scene to a heart attack, for example, so knowing how to perform CPR is vital in situations like that. That training can save a life.” Eade says rural volunteer fire brigades are particularly vital since many communities are far from main centres. They minimise the delay before other emergency services arrive, which can make a big difference to outcomes. Eade is progressing his career in the service to a management role through further training, which means he will be managing emergency situations. Management roles involve liaising and co-ordinating the teams

TWO JOBS: Tony Eade has been dairy farming for 25 years and for the past nine years has been a volunteer firefighter.

ANIMAL LOVER: Tony Eade says the best part about farming is working with cows.

rather than being on the frontline fighting a fire directly. “As a firefighter you learn a lot of skills in managing situations and how to cope with different scenarios.” The farm does come first but it is not often he misses a call-out. “It depends where I am on the farm and what I am doing. If there is someone who can take over or cover me so I can shoot back to town then I do. “If I’m at home I just go.” Weekends can take more co-ordination because some of the team is on leave or off the farm during the day but good communication and the strong support are key to his success with juggling farm work and his fire service commitments. Lucy helps with the brigade, running social events and their three children know he will soon be shooting out the door and where he is going when they hear the siren. Working as part of a large team is different from his previous jobs, which have generally been on smaller farms. Often, the work is managed between himself and one other. “I always found one staff member easy to deal with but it’s a good change being part of a bigger team. “When you’ve got time off you know there’s someone there who knows what they’re doing and they know who to call if they have any queries. “Our roles aren’t really defined. There are two of us older guys and two younger ones so someone experienced is always around to help.” Coming from a sheep and beef background he has been a dairy farmer for 25 years and is now enjoying passing on his knowledge of dairying and watching the younger team members develop in their careers. He recommends people

interested in the dairy sector talk to people already working in it. “Just get out there, give it a go and see if it’s right for you. “Join the local Young Farmers club, meet other people in the sector and ask questions. Schools have great programmes.” He grew up in Bulls where his dad Tim worked as a stock manager on a large sheep and beef farm. He left home in 1989 and bought a block in Santoft, which was sold last year. Leaving Rangitikei College at the end of year 12, he joined the Air Force to train as an aircraft mechanic. But 18 months later he decided it wasn’t a good fit for him and with the call of the land being too strong, he left the force. He chose dairy farming after talking to a friend of the family who organised dairy farming jobs and found him a chance to work on a dairy farm near Bulls. By the time his six months was up he was hooked on dairying and found another job on a nearby farm as an assistant. Two years later, he was looking to progress in the industry as well as expand his knowledge and responsibilities so moved into a herd-managing role on John McManaway’s farm near Hunterville. “While I was based in Hunterville I met my wife Lucy, a few young people came over to the bosses’ one day and Lucy was among them. She was nursing at Palmerston North hospital at the time and we hit it off really well.” They married in 1997 and have three children Callum, 21, Julian, 18, and Libby, 16. After three years at McManaway’s the couple moved to another farm near Sanson and it was about this time he decided it would be worth getting some relevant qualifications behind him. He completed a certificate in farm business management

Photos: Chelsea Miller

I love the cows. They’re my favourite thing about dairy farming. I don’t have a favourite – I love them all. Tony Eade Farmer and found having farming qualifications mattered and held him in good stead. “It taught me a lot of the financial side of farming. “Cows and grass are a big part of dairy farming but you also have to be able to sit in an office and do your budgets and financials.” They decided to step up to a sharemilking position and went lower order nearby in Kopane. “This is where I really learnt a lot about the business side of farming. The costs associated with everything and the realities of what it took to operate.” The shrinking payout and three small children with busy schedules made him take a step back and take stock of their worklife balance. They decided to move back to a managing role on a 600-cow farm at Rangiotu on the outskirts of Palmerston North. Financially, it was also less pressure being back on a wage rather than being self-employed. Three years later, he decided to take a break from farming and went to work with RD1 Livestock. But that lasted only 18 months before he realised he missed hands-on work and the cows too much. “I love the cows. They’re my favourite thing about dairy farming. They’re great to work with and all have their own personalities and habits. “I like the extra friendly ones

On Farm Story

that come up for a rub in the paddock or the milking shed. “I don’t have a favourite – I love them all. He had been enjoying living off farm so they stayed in their house at Foxton Beach when he went back farming at Lewis Dairies. The farm was only a 10-minute drive and he found being off the farm allowed him to completely relax on his days off. “That’s if there wasn’t a fire callout on those days.” On some of the farms they worked on Lucy took on the role of calf rearer but was never full time on the farm. She continued nursing until the children were born. In 2010 she returned to nursing full-time and is now the programme leader in the nurse education team at UCOL in Palmerston North. Last year she completed her masters degree in nursing, which had been a big commitment. While Lucy was studying Eade reduced his farm work commitment and shifted to a part time role with the Lovelocks in 2015. That helped them manage the family life. He would drop the children at the bus stop in the morning on his way to work and collect them in the afternoon on his way home. Although the Lovelocks make the decisions on their farm, they consult their team first and discuss plans so everyone understands why things are being done the way they are. This season they have reduced cow numbers by 30 but hope to maintain their average production of 310,000kg MS of the past few years. Reducing numbers has allowed them to take lower producers and later calvers out of the system. The farm operates a System 3 with 280 tonne of maize and a reasonable amount of palm kernel fed. They grow the maize on the platform over 10 hectares and balage is made on nearby support blocks. Lovelock does regular farm walks to monitor and assess pasture and usually takes one of the junior staff members with him to give them a chance to learn. The cows are wintered on-farm and young stock run on a couple of support blocks nearby. Calving begins on July 20 and they rear 230 replacements. The Herefords are sold as four day-olds and the Speckle Park bull calves are sold as weaners. They carry the

Speckle Park heifers to finishing if they can, running them on the support blocks. Target weaning is 80kg and once weaned from pellets they are sent to the support block. They begin recording premating heats four weeks out from the start of mating on October 13. Non-cycling cows are vet checked and treated but they do not use many CDIRs. As sharemilkers the herd is their greatest asset so the Lovelocks are very particular with their mating. Lovelock does the AI using the Customate programme through LIC to select the right bulls for their breeding goals. The herd is in the top 10% for BW in New Zealand, which is taken into consideration during mating planning. They are targeting high fertility, overall confirmation and high fat content when selecting bulls for the herd. They have been selecting these traits for several years and say they are pleased the new index weightings have greater emphasis on fat content. The herd is a mix of Friesian and Friesian-cross animals and they are inseminated with Friesian semen for the first six weeks. Hereford and Speckle Park is used before finishing with short gestation. The heifers are synchronised and mated to AI and overall the herd boasts an 82-85% six-week in-calf rate. Even after 25 years of dairy farming Eade still enjoys the work and says he enjoys the rewards of farming – being outdoors, the physical work and working with his hands. “Milking can be quite relaxing if you have good cows, a good shed and a good team. I really enjoy it. “With farming it’s a good feeling to see what you’ve achieved – the condition of the cows, the milk and the farm.” The farm dairy has Protrack, which he describes as a luxury. “It’s the first farm I’ve worked on that has it and it really does make things so much easier. Just type the numbers in and they’re drafted out. It’s so much easier than manually drafting.” Unfortunately, his love of farming hasn’t rubbed off on his children. When they were younger the children would go out on the farm with him and helped their grandparents on their block in Santoft. Their boys Callum and Julian have done relief milking but

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

PLEASING: Tony says it is satisfying knowing he is helping people through his role at the Foxton Beach Volunteer Fire Brigade.

neither is keen on farming as a career choice. However, they do share other interests off farm and he and the boys go trail bike riding at least once a month. Daughter Libby joined them for a while but she has since lost interest. As a family they head down to the beach as often as they can to put the kontiki out, which deploys snapper long lines well offshore

without needing a boat or kayak to take it out. “It’s a relaxing way to fish and one of the great things about living at the beach. It’s right on our doorstep.” Spending time with family is important to getting that work-life balance and he counts himself lucky the children still live at home. “It’s nice to have them around because I know one day they won’t be.”

He has a philosophy not to say no to opportunities as they come along but for now he’s very happy with the work-life balance he has with his family. His gets every second weekend off but even on the weekends he does work the team is doing only the essentials. Often he can be at home with the family for a few hours between milkings. “It’s good to be able to come home and get stuff done.” He hopes he and Lucy will do some travel one day, see the world, but for now he’s quite content with life. This story was first published in Dairy Farmer.

DINNER TIME: The farm runs a System 3 feeding maize, silage and palm kernel. Tony heads off to feed a load of palm kernel.

FEWER COWS: Herd numbers have been reduced this season but production has averaged 310,000kg MS over the past few years.

>> Video link: bit.ly/OFSeade

Real Estate

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Will dairy farm sales bounce back? Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz

ALES outcomes of dairy farm marketing programmes will show the level of resilience following a 20% or so decline in prices over the last year, Real Estate Institute rural spokesman Brian Peacocke says. There have been sales at earlyseason November auctions with several more scheduled through early December. Going into late November indications were it was still a buyer’s market but very good locations were achieving good sales, he said. At other levels a lot of work is going on to bridge the gap between vendor expectations and what buyers are prepared to pay. Sheep and beef farm activity remains strong around the country. In his report for the three months to the end of October Peacocke said dairy farm sales activity was nearly non-existent but in October many farms of most types came onto the market throughout the country. “That poses the question as to the likely uptake, where, in many regions, purchasers have unprecedented section opportunities,” he said. Vendors’ expectations will be a key factor. Across all farm types, median and overall index prices were higher at the end of the October three-month period than a year earlier with finishing farms, in particular, well sought-after in most districts and significantly higher in price but dairy farm prices were well down. Dairy farm prices are measured in two ways, median prices and the REINZ Dairy Farm Price Index. The median price for the October three-month period was $28,555/ha compared to $30,876/

HOLD YOUR BREATH: Vendors’ expectations will be a key to how the farm sales season shapes up, Real Estate Institute spokesman Brian Peacocke says.

Sheep and beef farm activity remains strong around the country.

ha for the equivalent September period and $40,012 for October last year. That is a 28.6% year-onyear fall. The index is considered a more accurate gauge because it adjusts for differences in farm size and location. It fell 6.2% from September to October and by 16.6% year-on-year. Peacocke said there appears to be good demand across the country but short supply of good

dairy farms and the second-tier market is very slow. In Waikato, after very light recent activity, a large selection of dairy farms is available but buyer interest at open days has been extremely variable. Taranaki is quiet and there are reports of vendors holding firm and not being prepared to accept lower offers. Reports from Bay of Plenty indicate hard work in the diary sector and general dissatisfaction over issues such as environment, labour, Fonterra and the Coalition Government. In the South Island Canterbury activity is quiet but there are signs of a pick-up in interest and a supply of farms. Supply of capital is restricting

the dairy market in Otago with Overseas Investment Office rules a barrier as is also the case in Southland for larger properties, causing some frustrations. Over all farms, the median price for the October three-month period was $27,121/ha, up from $24,982 in October last year, an 8.6% lift, and the market was also up 6.8% on the latest September period. The REINZ All Farm Price Index fell 5.8% from September to October but rose 9.1% year-onyear. Finishing farms had a median price of $32,969/ha for the October period, up slightly from $32,412 in September and from $29,057 in October last year. The year-on-year gain was 13.5%.

Goldmine Tatua farm snapped up for $7.2m Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz A NEIGHBOUR has snapped-up a Te Aroha dairy farm supplying top-end processor Tatua Cooperative and with it the ability to lift supply. The 78ha property in Farmer Road was sold at auction on November 15 for $7.2 million. Tatua-supply farms sell at a premium but this still represented a very good sale, Bayleys real estate country manager Mark Dawe said. There were multiple interested parties but just one bidder on the day.

The sale included 554,720 Tatua shares and an entitlement to supply 85,617kg MS to Tatua, a much higher level than the 58,768kg MS three-year average production on-farm. It milks 150 cows, with once-aday milking after Christmas, and carries 60 replacements. The property is less than 10km from the Tatua plant and is in five titles but Dawe understands the buyer’s focus is on long-term milk production. Tatua farms do not often come to market and that was reflected in Bayleys advertising describing the property as a goldmine.

BIG MONEY: This Tatua dairy farm sold for $7.2 million at auction.

The median price for grazing farms for October was $11,335/ha, down from $11,936 in September and $11,822 in October last year for a 4.1% year-on-year fall. Horticulture farm sales figures can be influenced by one-off sales and the median price of $198,768/ha, while higher than for September, was 43% down on the October 2017 figure of $350,833. Peacocke said Wellington and Southland had the biggest increases in farm transactions during the October threemonth period with Waikato and Northland having the biggest falls. For the year, there were 1475 farm sales, 10.5% down on the 2017 figure, with lower numbers across the grazing, dairy, finishing and arable sectors.

Pikowai 166 Airstrip Road

Award winning 452ha farm

Lovingly nurtured for 44 years, this rare and prestigious offering provides options for the discerning purchaser. 452ha (more or less) of mixed contoured land that includes approximately 100ha of forestry. A first class infrastructure with a secluded three bedroom home; plus two other great staff homes, woolshed, sheep yards and an excellent cattle facility. There are well-subdivided and fenced paddocks with a spring water supply. Prospects here include continuing one of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest beef bull and sheep breeding blocks, a large support block for existing dairy operations or progressing your current farming business. Consistently inside the top 10% with regards to economic performance - recognised in 2010, winning The Ballance Farm Environment award. Handy to Whakatane and the Rotorua lakes, with Tauranga CBD a short 65km via the Eastern Link.

Tender (unless sold prior) Closing 4pm, Tue 26 Feb 2019 247 Cameron Road, Tauranga Phone for viewing times Mark Spitz 027 442 1295 mark.spitz@bayleys.co.nz

SUCCESS REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

bayleys.co.nz/2500061

bayleys.co.nz

FINAL NOTICE

Taupo 581 Otake Road, Marotiri

Versatile 229 hectares 581 Otake Road is known as Jacaroma and is situated in the renowned farming district of Marotiri. Comprising approximately of 203ha easy to rolling, 20ha hilly, making the effective area 223ha from the total of 229ha. There is approximately 10ha in the Taupo catchment. The Nitrogen Reference Report completed using overseer 6.2.3 gives a number of 85. Enabling the new owner to be in the best position going forward under the proposed Healthy Rivers plan one change. The current owners also have a policy for bio security and only source cattle within the current farming operation. Jacaroma is well supported with a three bedroom house, woolshed, and two sets of cattle yards. Located just 14km from Kinloch Village, with Taupo only 32km away.

bayleys.co.nz/2651292

Auction (unless sold prior) 5pm, Fri 14 Dec 2018 Level 1, 38 Roberts Street, Taupo View 10.30am-12.30pm Wed 5 Dec or by appointment Stan Sickler 021 275 7826 stan.sickler@bayleys.co.nz WESTERMAN REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

NEW LISTING

Wairoa Waimaara Farm, 906 Tiniroto Road, Marumaru

Magnificent finishing/cropping, excellent location A fantastic opportunity to buy a premium 576 hectare, early cropping/finishing property with summer rainfall, located only 16 kilometres north of Wairoa. A great mix of soil type, aspect and contour provide the platform for early lamb and beef finishing. Being approximately 130 hectares of fertile flats growing maize and forage crops as part of a pasture renewal program, regular fertiliser applications and extensive reticulated water along with subdivision of approximately 99 paddocks and laneways ensure an exceptional productive and profitable unit. A six bedroom homestead provides open plan living, modern kitchen and bathrooms, inground swimming pool and sleepout. Rarely does a property of this quality, in such good proximity to town come to market. As a stand alone operation, or to support an additional operation as an intensive finishing/cropping unit, this is a must view.

Auction (will not be sold prior) 2pm, Wed 19 Dec 2018 Waimaara Farm, 906 Tiniroto Road, Marumaru Phone for viewing times Tony Rasmussen 027 429 2253 tony.rasmussen@bayleys.co.nz Simon Bousfield 027 665 8778

bayleys.co.nz/2851450

EASTERN REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008 MACPHERSON MORICE LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

bayleys.co.nz

NEW LISTING

Wairoa Painga Farm, 119 Painga Road, Ohuka

Strong, clean well contoured farming Nestled in the heart of the renowned Ohuka valley, near the Te Urewera national park and Lake Waikaremoana is Painga Station. 471 hectares of clean, healthy and fertile farmland, with significant portions of easy contour, including an abundance of tractor country and plentiful sheltered and warm country. A good history of fertiliser and lime applications along with a strong annual rainfall and fantastic farming climate provide the perfect environment for exceptional clover growth - the livestock on the property being a testament to this. Improvements include a sound four bedroom home, very tidy fully functional shearers quarters, three bedroom cottage, 4-stand woolshed/covered yards complex, cattle yards and killing house. A productive farm with added recreational attributes of fishing/camping at Waikaremoana and abundance of hunting both on and off the farm.

Tender (will not be sold prior) Closing 12pm, Fri 14 Dec 2018 17 Napier Road, Havelock North Phone for viewing times Tony Rasmussen 027 429 2253 tony.rasmussen@bayleys.co.nz James Bolton-Riley 027 739 1011

bayleys.co.nz/2851453

EASTERN REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008 MACPHERSON MORICE LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

Te Awamutu 511 Otorohanga Road

Pungarehu 579 Warea Road

Good scale dairy operation

156ha self-contained unit with 40 bail rotary

With great road appeal, this good scale dairy operation provides 127.3073ha (more or less) of well-developed dairy land. The farm improvements include a 40ASHB dairy shed, 280 cow feedpad, bunker, calf and other sheds. Water is bore supply and the contour is flat to gently rolling. Average production is 219,864kgMS derived from spring and winter milking. Homes include a four bedroom plus office homestead and two staff cottages. Situated a short drive from Te Awamutu this farm has ready access to weekly supplies plus is handy to both the coast and the mountains for the weekends.

bayleys.co.nz/2310099

Auction (unless sold prior) 12pm, Thu 6 Dec 2018 96 Ulster Street, Hamilton View by appointment Stuart Gudsell AREINZ 021 951 737 stuart.gudsell@bayleys.co.nz Sharon Evans AREINZ 027 235 4771 sharon.evans@bayleys.co.nz SUCCESS REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

156Ha self-contained unit with 40 Bale 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 bale 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, 3 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 Street, New Plymouth View 1-2pm Thu 6 Dec 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

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; December 3, 2018

FINAL NOTICE

Tokomaru 869 Scotts Road and Williams Road

Canterbury 74 Riverview Road, Domett

Moturimu Station - 1189 hectares

Good soils, great water

Located only 15 minutes drive from Palmerston North, this well balanced scale property is currently used for beef finishing but traditionally ran around 7000su. It is being offered as two options, 134 hectares on Williams Road, flat/rolling with strong silt loam soils, four bedroom two storey family home, good farm infrastructure and 35 hectares in new grass. 1054 hectares on both sides of Scotts Road has around 250 hectares of cultivable land, balance medium to steep hill. 4 stand woolshed and large covered yard, three bedroom relocated villa with exceptional views, 25 hectares pines and native bush for hunting. Scale, location, contour and options. Call to discuss this exciting opportunity.

For Sale by Deadline Private Treaty (unless sold prior)

4pm, Wed 12 Dec 2018 View by appointment Rob Deal 027 241 4775 robert.deal@bayleys.co.nz Andrew Bonnor 027 941 7630 andrew.bonnor@bayleys.co.nz EASTERN REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED REAA 2008 MID WEST REALTY LTD, LICENSED REAA 2008

bayleys.co.nz/3060606

bayleys.co.nz/558852

Queenstown Dalefield Malaghan's Farm Malaghan's Farm is nestled in the hills between Queenstown and Arrowtown, at the base of Coronet Peak. It is probably the most significant large parcel of farming land available in the Queenstown Basin. The farm features cattle yards, an implement shed and a large natural pond with sweeping well fenced paddocks. The current owners have moved and it's time for the rural block to go. The farm features two fantastic building platforms with amazing elevated views looking directly North to Coronet Peak, while still being very sheltered and secluded from the views of other houses. This property fits a lot of buyers needs and is a very rare commodity in the Queenstown area. Land Size 52ha (more or less).

bayleys.co.nz/4501952

A 301.6ha finishing farm boasting versatile soils, easy contour, approximately 144ha under irrigation with room for expansion and two generous water consents. These are key to the multifaceted upside this property presents. Currently run as a support and fattening unit, the irrigated terraces may also suit crop or vegetable production, as the property enjoys a mild, coastal climate. The spacious family homestead has wonderful views and is set in mature gardens with a tennis court and pool. There is a very good second four-bedroom home, and supporting farm sheds and yards. Multiple soil types provides adaptability and the possibility of several farming options. Trees could be planted on steeper sidings. There is massive upside here.

For Sale by Deadline Private Treaty (unless sold prior)

4pm, Thu 6 Dec 2018 311 Hawthorne Drive, Queenstown View by appointment Jimmy Allen 021 676 013 jimmy.allen@bayleys.co.nz Greg Ross 027 432 0261 greg.ross@bayleys.co.nz QUEENSTOWN & SOUTHERN NZ REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED REAA 2008

Deadline Sale (unless sold prior) 4pm, Wed 12 Dec 2018 3 Deans Ave, Chch View by appointment Ben Turner 027 530 1400 ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz Peter Foley 021 754 737 peter.foley@bayleys.co.nz WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

RURAL rural@pb.co.nz 0800 FOR LAND

Property Brokers Limited Licensed under the Real Estate Agents Act 2008

Ngutunui grazing 37.5 ha

Kilgaren 441 ha

OPEN DAY

AUCTION

WEB ID TER65328 NGUTUNUI 70 Robertson Road VIEW Wednesday 5 Dec 11.00 - 12.00pm AUCTION 1.00pm, Thu 20th Dec, 2018, (unless sold prior), • Ex-dairy - ideal grazing, cropping or calf rearing Te Awamutu Information Centre, 1 Gorst Avenue. • 35 ha effective, flat to undulating contour, 32 paddocks with water gravity fed via a bore supply • 16 ASHB, two calf sheds, three & four bay implement sheds, hay barn • Tidy three bedroom home with office, rumpus room (4th bedroom) & three car garaging on elevated site offering panoramic Pirongia Mountain and rural views • The current owners leave this property in exceptionally 3 good heart having placed a huge emphasis on fertility and pasture management over the past 22 years Doug Wakelin

AUCTION

Mobile 027 321 1343 dougw@pb.co.nz

Waimiro 561 ha

pb.co.nz

AUCTION

Office 06 928 0520 bevanp@pb.co.nz

Camelot Dairy 259 ha

DEADLINE SALE

WEB ID PR62092 PONGAROA 4317 Pahiatua Pongoroa Road Situated on Pahiatua Pongaroa Road. 6km west of the township of Pongaroa and under 40 minutes drive to Pahiatua. Waimiro is a sheep and beef breeding/finishing property running in excess of 3,100 su. 365 ha of effective pasture which is extensively subdivided into 40 paddocks with 83 ha suitable for cultivation. 15 ha has already being drained and in superior pasture. The ineffective area features 80 ha in established and regenerating Manuka providing further income for the property. Improvements include a 4 stand woolshed (600np), cattle yards, satellite yards & a renovated 3 bedroom home.

WEB ID WR64670 CENTRAL HAWKES BAY 896 Te Awa Road View By Appointment AUCTION 2.00pm, Tue 18th Dec, 2018, Waipukurau Club, • 28 km south east of Waipukurau Russell Street, Waipukurau • Easy / medium hill with some steeper faces • Four bedroom homestead plus second three bedroom cottage • Four stand woolshed, sheep & cattle yards, deer shed Pat Portas • 160 ha deer fenced 1.8m netting Mobile 027 447 0612 Office 06 928 0521 • Water reticulated to 55 paddocks from the Farm Rd Home 06 855 8330 Water Scheme patp@pb.co.nz • Presently breeding and finishing lams, finishing bulls, deer breeding and velveting Bevan Pickett • A genuine unit showing excellent returns Mobile 027 220 2766

DEADLINE SALE

DEADLINE SALE View By Appointment DEADLINE SALE closes Tuesday 11th December, 2018 at 2.00pm, (unless sold prior), to be submitted to Property Brokers, 129 Main Street, Pahiatua

Jared Brock

Mobile 027 449 5496 Office 06 376 4823 Home 06 376 6341 jared@pb.co.nz

John Arends

Mobile 027 444 7380 Office 06 376 4364 johna@pb.co.nz

WEB ID AR65320 MAYFIELD 102 Anama Station Road View By Appointment DEADLINE SALE closes Monday 17th December, 2018 at Top quality dairy Mid Canterbury 4.00pm, (unless sold prior) • 60 bail rotary shed with automation (three years old) • In shed feeding ability • Large three bay silage bunker • Excellent auxiliary sheds including large office conference complex • Four very good homes • Pivot irrigation and capped lanes The recently converted farm has it all, from its dairy Chris Murdoch shed, irrigation and housing. This really is an opportunity Mobile 0274 342 545 not to be missed. Office 03 307 9191

DEADLINE SALE

Home chris@pb.co.nz

03 307 2940

N O TI CE FIN AL

JUST 2KM FROM THE EDGE OF FEILDING 234 Sandon Road, Feilding This 64 ha farm will be perfect if you want to be handy to the saleyards, your home in Feilding or if you want to build a new home with exceptional views and privacy but still be close to the shops.

64 hectares Video on website nzr.nz/RX1722631

FIN AL

N O TI CE

Tender Closes 11am, Wed 12 Dec 2018, NZR, 20 Kimbolton Road, Feilding. Outstanding stock handling facilities include the combo sheep/ Peter Barnett AREINZ cattle yards and a 3 stand woolshed, with an adjoining hayshed. 027 482 6835 | peter@nzr.nz Trough water is reticulated throughout from a high-point tank NZR Limited | Licensed REAA 2008 filled from reliable sources. In four titles, our vendor is nonGST registered. A quality address.

WELL LOCATED IRRIGATED SILTS 320 Riverside Rd, Martinborough, Wairarapa An aesthetically pleasing property with fertile alluvial soils currently used as a dairy support block and before that as an intensive cropping and livestock finishing block. Crops grown have been; peas, barley, sorghum, green feed oats, kale and brassicaÂ´s. An 8.5ha lease gives a total area of 84ha. Around 40ha of Greytown Silt Loam soil is protected from flooding and 60ha is irrigated via 40l/s bore. There is a hayshed, combination sheep & cattle yards with load out and a concrete silage bunker. This is a quality, well located and versatile property with great infrastructure that isnÂ´t overcapitalized.

75 hectares Video on website nzr.nz/RX1412132 Offers Close 4pm, Wed 12 Dec 2018, NZR, Lvl 1, 16 Perry St, Masterton. (unless sold prior) Blair Stevens AREINZ 027 527 7007 | blair@nzr.nz NZR Real Estate Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

"MT HUIA" 906 Ruahine Road, Mangaweka We are privileged to present a well located 309 ha medium hill country sheep and cattle property, 9 km from SH 1 at Mangaweka. The tastefully renovated 5-bedroom Homestead is set in beautiful gardens with a native bush back drop, along with a second dwelling "Hodd Cottage", a well established Farmstay Business, plus quality infrastructure throughout the whole property. Regarded as a top performer from its 1300 Romney ewes, 80 Angus breeding cows plus replacements. Held in two titles giving purchasing options.

309 hectares Deadline sale nzr.nz/RX1722948 Deadline Sale Closes 4pm, Fri 14 Dec 2018, 1 Goldfinch Street, Ohakune (unless sold prior). Jamie Proude AREINZ 027 448 5162 | jamie@nzr.nz NZR Central Ltd | Licensed REAA 2008

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – December 3, 2018

AUCTION

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

TENDER

Orini 10 Rye Road The Jewel of Orini

Often admired, this impeccably presented 70.8ha dairy unit has been highly regarding for many reasons. A great level of infrastructure throughout including shedding, farm races, exceptional pastures and production to match with a best of just over 111,000kgMS. Add in the tidy home in a beautiful setting, the gorgeous specimen trees and groomed hedges, the scene is set – are you ready to put yourself in the picture? With our long serving sharemilkers hanging up their aprons and the owner family ready to move on to new directions I highly recommend inspection at your earliest convenience.

Rangiriri 821a Te Ohaki Road Get in on the Golden Mile

Auction Thursday 20 December 2018 11am on site (unless sold prior)

The sandy silt soils of Te Ohaki Road have often been regarded as some of the finest in the Waikato and evidence of that is in play with the market gardening right next door to this “healthy as a horse” 128ha FH with 19ha LH dairy farm. With production averaging a good 120,000kgMS over the past 5 years this is a seriously affordable opportunity to get into some real scale of economy without blowing the bank account. Jump on the web to check out the images then jump in the ute and pop out for a look at the farm. It looks fantastic due to our great sharemilkers (who are hanging up their milking aprons), supportive owners (check out the fertility records). The orders from my owners are very clear and concise – “Kevin get us a result”

View: Friday 7 and 14 December 11am-12nooon harcourts.co.nz/ML4157

SOUTHLAND

Aparima, 132 Guise Road 5th year conversion. Great opportunity to purchase an evolving property in a strong farming district. Located 11km from Otautau and 35km from Winton. Flat to easy rolling contour with centrally located 54-bail rotary dairy shed with DeLaval plant, ACR’s, auto drafting, teat sprayer and feed system. Featuring a substantial 5-bedroom brick and roughcast homestead, refurbished 2000 in established attractive garden setting and an additional 2006 relocated 4-bedroom red brick home. Support buildings include a calf shed, workshop (ex woolshed/covered yards) and a 6-bay implement shed. Added income stream from raw milk sales, Ministry of Primary Industries approved.

Deadline Treaty Closes Tuesday 11 December 2018 at 4pm, Harcourts Office, 182 Dee Street, Invercargill. (unless sold prior) View: By appointment www.harcourts.co.nz/IV39653

Terry Forde P 03 214 4080 M 021 361 516 E terry@harcourtsinv.co.nz

HOLMWOOD REAL ESTATE Licensed Agent REAA 2008

LK0095643

Aparima Dairy Unit

185.7222Ha

Invercargill

Tender Friday 14 December 2018 4:00pm(unless sold prior) View: Wednesday 5 and 12 December 12noon-1pm harcourts.co.nz/ML4147

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; December 3, 2018

New Beginnings

TENDER

On the market for the first time in 90 years, this superb 35.5 ha (88 acres approx) property with excellent soils and flat contour is a real cracker. Originally a dairy farm the property has been run as an apple and stone fruit orchard, an asparagus block and is now a maize and grazing unit. In an enviable location close to Lake Karapiro with all of its sporting and recreational amenities, this property will hold wide appeal as a kiwifruit orchard, equine facility, dairy support unit or a superb lifestyle property. Infrastructure includes large packing shed, 2 implement sheds, yards/loading ramp and a tidy three-bedroom Lockwood home. TENDER: Closes Tue 18 Dec 2018 at 3.00pm at the office of Cambridge Real Estate, 47 Alpha Street, Cambridge (unless sold prior) Internet ID: CRR2139 Address: 888 Maungatautari Road, Cambridge Open Day: Wed & Fri 11.00-12.30pm Contact David Soar 027 284 9755 or Matt Seavill 027 444 3347

Rare Subdivision Potential

TENDER

COASTAL DAIRY FARM WITH SCALE

157 Wataroa Road, Pungarehu This 165.5884 hectare (409.1689 acre) farm is currently milking approximately 400 cows through a modern 44 bail rotary cowshed, with ACR and in-shed feed system. Contour is a mix of flat, easy and lahar, there is plenty of mowable contour for supplements. The farm is well raced, fenced, has a new bore and there is a rings mains water system to 58 paddocks. With two tidy homes, very good infrastructure and a handy location to New Plymouth this is a great opportunity for those looking for a little more scale.

Tender Closes 4pm, Friday 14 December 2018 at McDonald Real Estate Ltd 288 Broadway, Stratford Viewing By Appointment Only View On eieio.co.nz # STR01757

AUCTION

Located just a short drive from the centre of Cambridge you can find 71 ha (177 acres approx.) of flat-rolling to medium hill country for sale. A future subdivision is possible utilizing the large stand of native bush and manuka on this historic property. Then roll up your sleeves and get stuck in to bring back it back to its former glory. The large duck ponds and extensive cover for all kind of game birds will excite both bird hunters and nature lovers. Infrastructure includes 7 bay implement shed, half round barn, and 3 bay hay shed, yards and two loading races and an original three-bedroom home plus extensive aviaries. AUCTION: Fri 14 Dec 2018 at 11.30am at Goodwood School (unless sold prior)

Peter McDonald 027 443 4506 Blair Burnett 021 190 7728

Internet ID: CRR2140 Address: 454 Aspin Road, Cambridge Open Day: Tues & Thurs 11.00-12.30pm Contact David Soar 027 284 9755 or Matt Seavill 027 444 3347

In order to appreciate this property viewing is highly recommended. Biosecurity systems are in place and clean vehicles only please.

THE DESTINATION FOR RURAL REAL ESTATE

Rare Subdivision Potential

FOR SALE

PROPERTY WITH OPTIONS

3872A Mountain Road, Cardiff Having been owned by the same family for the past 30 years, this property has seen extensive development. Properties of this size and caliber, this close to town rarely come to the local market. This amazing flat fertile 17.04 Ha (42.11 acres) grazing block has been set up to offer easy grazing management. Built on the farm, is a large Homestead that in recent times has been fully redecorated including new bathrooms and kitchen. A large salt water swimming pool and BBQ area compliment the overall setting with established gardens. Locals will well remember the vintage machinery museum that was a large part of this lands history. To accommodate this, extensive sheds have been built which now offer fantastic storage to those valuable toys you may own! This property comes with multiple purchasing options so please take the time to come along and view it.

For Sale By Negotiation Viewing By Appointment Only View On eieio.co.nz # STR01623

Brent Dodunski 027 498 4346

AUCTION

Land is the biggest asset to anyAUCTION: farming business Fri 14 Dec 2018 at 11.30am at Goodwood School (unless sold prior) so it pays to stay up to date with the market. Internet ID: CRR2140 Connect with the right audienceAddress: at 454 Aspin Road, Cambridge Open Day: farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

Tues & Thurs 11.00-12.30pm

Contact David Soar 027 284 9755 or Matt Seavill 027 444 3347

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – December 3, 2018

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Accelerating success.

Reach more people - better results faster.

colliers.co.nz BILL TURNIP TRUST —THE COMPLETE DAIRY UNIT

HUIARAU STATION

Norsewood

River Road, Akitio

Self contained dairy unit 151.9 hectare dairy unit 63.8 hectare runoff (1km away) 30 a/s HB cowshed, new effluent tank Outstanding 268m2 homestead plus 4-bedroom and 3-bedroom homes • Flat to undulating fertile silt loam soils • 19 titles provide numerous purchase options

LK0095381©

14th December 2018 LK0068450©

ID FF2720 Property ID FF1299

There is a 30+ year fertiliser history and, coupled with strong soil types, the farm is ready for the next generation. With a 5-stand woolshed, laneway with metal track and 50 paddocks you will find this one of the best farms in the district.

Jerome Pitt M: 027 242 2199 O: 06 374 4107 E: jeromep@forfarms.co.nz

FOR SALE BY TENDER

DEADLINE SALE

www.forfarms.co.nz

Huiarau Station, situated on River Road in Akitio is a 1,001ha (2,475ac) farm with approximately 200 hectares of quality flats.

(If not sold prior) Tender closing 4pm Friday 14th December 2018

LK0095313©

• • • • •

1,001 hectares (2,475 acres)

Craig Boyden M: 027 443 2738 O: 06 374 4105 E: craigb@forfarms.co.nz

Call me today to book your visit. www.forfarms.co.nz www.forfarms.co.nz

ID FF2717 Property ID FF1299

LK0068450©

215.7496 hectares (533.13 acres)

www.forfarms.co.nz

1,001 HA

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – December 3, 2018

For Sale 24.22 Hectares

37.74 Hectares

40.25 Hectares

61.73 Hectares

Boundary indicative only

Wardville | 1291 Alexandra Road 164.11Hectares Supporting All Options • Four titles • Irrigation resource consent for 366,000m3 of water intake • Two dwellings • All flat vegetable production block • Waitoaf sandy loam soil and Puningaf deep loam soil An opportunity to secure an irrigation consented production block for a range of commercial farming systems. | Property ID MT1069

Tender Closing 2pm, Thursday 20 December 2018 (unless sold prior)

Inspection By appointment

Contact Ian Morgan 027 492 5878 Glen Murray 027 488 6138

Maungaturoto | 37 Batley Road 155 Hectares Dry Stock Grazing - Maungaturoto. Handily located to Maungaturoto this well-developed beef grazing unit comprising 155 hectare/143 hectare effective, with majority easy rolling hay country. Subdivided and raced to some 69 paddocks, effective dam sourced water and sound fertiliser history. Buildings include a 1950’s style three bedroom home that has been totally renovated, large wrap around deck and detached double garage built in 2017. Disused 40 bail rotary cowshed, 3 bay implement shed, 9 bay poly calf shed, storage shed and cattle yards. | Property ID WF1010

Inspection By appointment

Contact Tom Hackett 027 498 2908 Tim Holdgate 021 475 465

0800 200 600 | farmlandsrealestate.co.nz

Licensed under REAA 2008

QUALITY DAIRY FARM

Sallan Realty

Looking for the complete package?

We’ve got you covered with digital and print options.

Contact Shirley Howard phone 06 323 0760, email shirley.howard@globalhq.co.nz

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

Google ‘Sallan Realty’ Your Farm Sales Specialist

• Situated on Whangaehu Beach Road, Whangaehu is this lovely 60ha dairy farm. • Well laid out with a good mixture of contour, soils and layout. • Currently milking a 160 cow 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, beef or cropping. • Priced to sell at $1,885,000. • Call Les on 0274 420 582 to inspect this property.

CALL 0800FARMTEAM Licensed Agent REAA 2008

LK0095382©

GREAT STARTER PROPERTY

• Situated in Linton is this exceptional 114.5ha dairy farm currently milking 280 cows. • Has produced up to 120,000kgs/ ms from 290 cows with herd wintered off. • 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 Palmerston North City • Call Les on 0274 420 582 to inspect this property.

2480RE90X265

Tender Closing 3pm, Thursday 13 December 2018 (unless sold by private treaty)

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – December 3, 2018

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

countryandco.nz

Licensed under the REAA 2008

LK0095409©

348 - ha approx. -

Te Mara Farm 393.65 hectares

Blackmount

• Situated at Blackmount, on the Southern Scenic Route, with close proximity to Te Anau and Manapouri, this property has been the cornerstone of the Slee family’s farming business and is being offered to the market for the first time in 54 years • Comprising flat, gentle rolling to steeper contour, with sunny faces, excellent balance of soils, contour and shelter throughout • Good range of farm buildings include a recent implement/workshop, a four stand woolshed, covered yards and numerous support buildings • Normally running 3500 MA ewes, 850 hoggets, plus fattening cattle as feed dictates, Te Mara has proven to be consistently profitable • Spacious and comfortable, four bedroom homestead and a modern, three bedroom managers house provide outstanding accommodation

Tender closing Thursday 6th December at 2pm

Ref: CC20154

Philip Ryan 0274 325 770 philip@countryandco.nz

Alana Tait 0275 420 256 alana@countryandco.nz

Shay Moseby 0272 686 879 shay@countryandco.nz

Paula Laughton 0275 331 268 paula@countryandco.nz

Matt Harrington 0274 980 474 matt@countryandco.nz

03 218 8959 office@countryandco.nz

Otorohanga/Te Kuiti 1467 Rangitoto Rd Low Input - High Profit Set Date of Sale By 2pm, Wed 12th Dec 2018 (unless sold prior) View www.ljhooker.co.nz/F1GHR1 ljhooker.co.nz/F1GHR1

Profitable Dairy Unit of 236ha (more or less) on with a modern 54 Bale Rotary with milk meters, auto draughting and in-shed feeding system.The farm is well sub-divided with good races and fencing. Estimated 210,000kg/ms and still improving. Plenty of housing on the farm with 3 in total.

Jack Van Lierop 0274 455 099‘ LJ Hooker - Matamata 07 888 5677

Adjacent to the farm is 112ha (more or less) runoff, 70ha in grass, for all your young stock, makes this a self contained unit. A safer option with Bio Security.

Link Realty Limited

Link Realty Limited Licensed REAA 2008. All information contained herein is gathered from sources we consider to be reliable. However, we cannot guarantee or give any warranty about the information provided. Interested parties must solely rely on their own enquiries.

06 323 3363 Farm & Lifestyle Sales

‘Waimarie’

TENDER OFFERS

2736 Ridge Road, Apiti An excellent opportunity to own a prime deer, sheep and beef farm:       

Situated 6km from Apiti and 44km from Feilding 292.3094 hectares (282ha effective); 215 hectares is deer fenced 4-stand woolshed built in 2006 3,000 stock units wintered Very well tracked with good access to all parts of the property Water supply is from springs and pumped to a tank, troughs in most paddocks Three bedroom family home with expansive decking and a tennis court

Contact Richard or Robert for more information.

OPEN FARM - Thursday 6 December from 1.00pm to 3.00pm

70 MOODY ROAD, WHAKATANE

WHAKATANE DAIRY FARM - 155 HA Rangitaiki Plains, Moody Rd. Vendor seeks offers, expecting interest over $7.5M. Farm held in four titles, total land area, 155.1956 Hectare. Combined with two neighbouring leases, 8 Ha and 7 Ha respectively, to create a 155 Ha milking platform. Land 90% flat, 10% rolling. Well fenced, pumice races maintained using on farm quarry. An extensive irrigation system with three pivot irrigators and sprinkler network ensures summer safe production. Three water supplies to the property including artesian bore. Currently operated by a 50/50 sharemilker, with management input from Farm Consultant and Trustees on behalf of Family Trusts. Approx. 570 F/Fx cows calved, average production of 200,000 kg ms. through a 40 aside Herring Bone Dairy. Accommodation includes three good homes, self contained cabin and an excellent range of farm buildings. The farm as a whole is very well maintained and offered for sale in excellent order. Detailed Farm Information Memorandum available from the Agents or can be downloaded from the Professionals Website. For sale as Land, buildings and farm chattels. Price will be PLUS GST (if any). Viewing by appointment with the agents. Bio-Security protocols will be followed for on farm visits.

For sale by TENDER closing 4.00pm on Tuesday 18 December 2018 Richard Anderson 027 543 1610 Robert Dabb 027 255 3992

Web ID: RAL627

www.ruralandlifestylesales.com

Maurice Butler AREINZ

@RuralRealEstateWhakatane

0274 514 395 07 307 0165 maurice@professionalswhakatane.co.nz

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – December 3, 2018

New Zealand’s leading rural real estate company RURAL | LIFESTYLE | RESIDENTIAL

ion t i d ks e ly! e e tw x eek e W n e in rmers e r F a of F

Check the Pulse

WIN A TRIP TO EUROPE

PAGE

farmersweekly.co.nz

Vol 17 No 47, November 26, 2018

Threat to rural life Neal Wallace

neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz

ARMING leader Chris Lewis fears rural communities could disappear as regional councils increase the number of previously permitted farming activities now requiring resource consent. New nitrogen limits in places like Lake Rotorua make livestock farming uneconomic and mean trees are the only land use option, Lewis, a Federated Farmers board member, says. Regional councils propose or require resource consent for cultivating some hill country, intensive winter grazing, converting land to dairying or increasing herd size. Farm environment plans and best practice management guidelines are increasingly becoming mandatory. And those requirements will only increase, Local Government NZ regional sector chairman Doug Leeder said. “That is the general direction of travel.” While councils such as Waikato, Bay of Plenty, ManawatuWanganui, Canterbury and Southland are leading the tougher regulations other regions that do not have the same water quality issues will follow.

24 $3.95

Incl GST

Lamb sales sizzle despite rain

It’s not going to be an easy transition for some but a transition we’re all going to have to make. Doug Leeder Local Government NZ

P8 FULL REPORT: BULL BEEF REPORT: P64

“I think it is going to be the norm rather than the exception and it is essentially being driven by water reform.” Councils and farming groups need to find ways to reduce the number of consents and so reduce charges and site inspections, he said. The increase in regulation is driven by the Government and community concerns water management has been too lax. Environment Minister David Parker has signalled changes to the Resource Management Act to help councils improve water quality management, which all points to changes in the way farms are managed, Leeder said. “It’s not going to be an easy transition for some but a transition we’re all going to have to make.” Lewis said Waikato Regional Council’s Healthy Rivers is on hold because of iwi-initiated court action with hearings likely

SUE and Stu Thomson were among farmers who put lambs up for a series of on-farm sales in Canterbury last week. They offered 5500 lambs at Manahune, Glenmark, in North Canterbury. It was damp start but that didn’t deter buyers and prices were up despite increased numbers on offer. to resume early next year but when it is implemented its good management practice provisions will force changes in farm management. It could curb land use change, limit stocking rates and nutrient losses and require all farmers to fence all waterways. Another contentious provision will restrict sheep and cattle grazing on slopes in areas with poor water quality without a grazing management environment plan, which farmers label as akin to requiring resource consent. Nearly half of Canterbury’s 8800 farmers will require land use consent to continue farming under new laws rolled out by Environment Canterbury to

protect and improve water quality. ECan chief operating officer Nadeine Dommisse believes more councils will require consent for farming activities previously exempt though those activities will differ as councils tackle specific environmental issues. Environment Southland’s proposed Land and Water Plan, under appeal before the Environment Court, will require consent for activities including cultivation of some hill country, new or expanded dairy farms or intensive winter grazing if conditions cannot be met. Further regulation is likely given Parker’s intention to strengthen the National Policy Statement on Freshwater, Environment Southland policy, planning and

of the summer rural property market

regulatory services director Vin Smith said. “It may mean further regulation is needed to go faster to improve water quality or further regulation and control to meet central Government’s requirement for the policy statement.” Councils are trying to manage activities that lead to adverse effects. “There is a raft of provisions that you can do as of right but if you cannot do it within those provisions you may need consent.” Lewis called for a more practical approach to regulation and environmental management, saying humans have an impact on

Watch out for the latest edition of the Rural Property Pulse in next weeks Farmers Weekly. Check out the newly released, summer edition of our highlyread national publication. This free magazine is packed with relevant and up-to-date information, sourced from our rural experts within PGG Wrightson. View online and subscribe

pggwre.co.nz/rural-property-pulse

Continued page 5

pggwre.co.nz

PGG Wrightson Estate Limited, licensed under REAA 2008 Water, ProCoolReal Ice or Glycol

Cost effective milk pre-cooling options to suit your farm.

“The unit has performed well above our expectations and we’re really happy with the excellent service” ProCool Water customer Mike Smith, Brentworth Dairy Farms

SUPERB

How are you tracking? Let’s talk.

Talk to our helpful on-farm refrigeration experts about your options.

0800 TRU-TEST (878 837)

6497 State Highway 1, Victoria Valley, Kaitaia 4 |

2 |

Northland Heritage Property for sale, one family ownership for 140 years

A first step into rural living, a special purchase for semi-retirement, or an addition to an existing operation. • 35ha of spectacular level farm land • Currently run as a beef fattening unit • 20 paddocks all with water • Immaculate house upgraded in 2004

_______________________________ Price

$1,200,000 inclusive of GST

Viewing By appointment only Internet www.oneagencyglobal.com Contact Alan Broadbent 027441 8149 alanbroadbent@oneagency.net.nz

_______________________________ Northland Property Group Ltd, Licensed REAA 2008

FAR NORTH

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

New Zealand’s leading rural real estate company RURAL

LIFESTYLE

RESIDENTIAL

AUCTION

When Location and Quality Count 115ha grazing/finishing unit, well located approx 7km from Matamata. This well presented property has been in the same family for 80 years and comes to the market in excellent heart. The property offers a great opportunity for purchasers to buy a grazing unit ideally suited for dairy support, finishing, cropping or stock trading. Excellent fertiliser history along with free draining soils provides for quality livestock production. A full range of improvements includes a three bedroom homestead, a two stand wool shed, sheep and cattle yards, and three haybarns. Retiring Vendor's want a result! pggwre.co.nz/MAT29491

OPEN DAY

Matamata, Waikato AUCTION (Unless Sold Prior) 11.00am, Monday 17 December Matamata Club, Matamata VIEW BY APPOINTMENT

Peter Donnelly B 07 888 4572 M 021 449 559

pdonnelly@pggwrightson.co.nz

Trevor Kenny B 07 888 4572 M 021 791 643

Above Average Returns Dairy - 71.8823 Ha 4768 Galatea Road • All flat, 50ha irrigated - remaining area on river flats assuring summer production • Best production 89,000kgMS, milking 195 cows • Very good standard of improvements over property • 20 ASHB dairy with in-shed feeding system • Well maintained four bedroom, two lounge home • Additional self-contained sleep-out and garage • Easy management with a central race and own pumice pit for raceway maintenance • Galatea area - NZ Dairy study shows comparative high return on investment

trevor.kenny@pggwrightson.co.nz

pggwre.co.nz/WHK29316

Marton, Rangitikei

Rostriever - Iconic Fine Wool Property

Galatea, Whakatane District TENDER Plus GST (if any) (Unless Sold By Private Treaty) Closes 4.00pm Thursday 13 December VIEW 12.00-1.00pm Thursday 6 December

Phil Goldsmith B 07 307 1620 M 027 494 1844

pgoldsmith@pggwrightson.co.nz

UNDER OFFER

Good Place to Start 492 Fern Flats Road 3.3375ha Kiwi fruit orchard situated in the fertile Rangitikei district and approximately 10km from the Marton Township. This season the orchard produced in excess of 24,000 trays on approximately 2.00ha. The orchard is well maintained and the majority of the labour has been carried out with regards to this year's harvest. There is a very pleasant and welcoming house which has three bedrooms situated on the orchard.

$700,000

pggwre.co.nz/WAN27738

Doug Glasgow B 06 349 2005 M 027 204 8640

Plus GST (if any)

dougglasgow@pggwrightson.co.nz

PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited, licensed under REAA 2008

• Rich in history and faithfully farmed by the Munro family since early 1900's • 3554ha (pastoral lease) in 2 blocks, the main Rostriever property 2263ha with 51ha pivot irrigation and Mt Thomas block 1291ha • Carrying 5,800 s.u. - merino ewe flock of 2,830 s.u. • 5 bdrm homestead, 3 bdrm house, 4 stand woolshed • Bordering Lake Benmore offering exclusive water frontage and private bays with postcard vistas • Fine wool, irrigation, tourism, lake frontage • This is your chance to capture a once in a lifetime opportunity to become the new owners pggwre.co.nz/OAM29294

Otematata, North Otago DEADLINE PRIVATE TREATY Plus GST (if any) No Prior Offers Closes 2.00pm, Friday 14 December

Dave Heffernan M 027 215 8666

david.heffernan@pggwrightson.co.nz

pggwre.co.nz

Employment

Classifieds ANIMAL HEALTH

ANIMAL HANDLING

DAIRY EQUITY MANAGER CAREER OPPORTUNITY Apply early to be considered for 1st June 2019 Ngatira Group is a Waikato based family owned company. Ngatira is growing each year and we are on the hunt for an ambitious equity manager to take the challenge and help us optimize profitability across this project by adding real value: controlling farm working expenses, increasing production and lifting cow quality. Why choose us? • We are passionate about dairy farming • We are a genuinely growing business, being able to offer growth in capital while enjoying working on farm. This is based on a strong support system on and off farm. • Attractive package and Scale with 650 cows on 400ha lease.

Rural Cadet

ANIMAL AND HUMAN healer, also manipulation on horses and dogs. 3rd, 4th & 5th December, in Kaikoura and Blenheim. 6th to 18th December, North Island. 19th to 22nd December, Nelson, Murchison and West Coast. For more information phone Ron Wilson 027 435 3089.

THE COMPANY Dairy Holdings Limited is a New Zealand owned, growing dairy business that provides the highest quality food from 100% pasture.

CRAIGCO SHEEP JETTERS. Sensor Jet. Deal to fly and Lice now. Guaranteed performance. Unbeatable pricing. Phone 06 835 6863. www.craigcojetters.com

→ Career progression systems allowing high performers to grow themselves and assets. → 100% pasture based, profitable farming systems ensuring progression in the dairy industry is possible for the high performers and hard workers. → Extensive South Island based operations that include heifer and winter support farms. → Dairy farming operations include 59 farms, producing 17M milk solids under various operating structures. → Strong support systems both on-farm, and from the Ashburton office ensuring physical, financial, and people management skills are continually developed. → Agreements are farm specific.

ANIMAL SUPPLEMENTS APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, GARLIC & HONEY. 200L - $450 or 1000L - $2000 excl. with FREE SHIPPING from Black Type Minerals Ltd www.blacktypeminerals. co.nz

LK0095404©

HOW TO APPLY: Applications can be sent to: info@dairyholdings.co.nz or Farm Vacancies Dairy Holdings Ltd PO Box 224, Ashburton 7740 Further information regarding Dairy Holdings Limited can be accessed on the website: www.dairyholdings.co.nz Applications close Friday, 7th December 2018

Are you an energetic team player looking to kick start your career in the rural sector?

ATTENTION FARMERS www.gibb-gro.co.nz GROWTH PROMOTANT $5.85 per hectare + GST delivered Brian Mace 0274 389 822 07 571 0336 brianmace@xtra.co.nz GIFT WINE without leaving the farm! Our famous Christmas cases and gift boxes are available now. Delivered everywhere in NZ. www.winefriend.co.nz

CONTRACTORS 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.

DOGS FOR SALE 12-MONTH HEADING dog and bitch. Fast. Strong. Good command, pulling sides. Good station with trial potential. Phone Nolan Timmins 06 862 7543. HUNTAWAY PUPS, six months, ready for work. Phone 06 863 9815. NZ BIGGEST SELECTION working dogs since 2012. Deliver NZ wide, trial, guaranteed! www. youtube.com/user/ mikehughesworkingdog/ videos 07 315 5553. ONE HUNTAWAY, 9 months old, ready for work. ONE young Heading dog, also ready for work. 06 388 0212 / 027 243 8541. 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 SOUTH AND North Islands. No trial or breeding required. No one buys or pays more! www.youtube.com/user/ mikehughesworkingdog/ videos 07 315 5553.

FARM MAPPING YOUR FARM MAPPED showing paddock sizes. Priced from $600 for 100ha. Phone 0800 433 855. farmmapping.co.nz

FERTILISER DOLOMITE, NZ’s finest Magnesium fertiliser. Bio-Gro certified, bulk or bagged. 0800 436 566.

FOR SALE RIPCORD HALF PRICE. Search TradeMe under ‘Ripcord half price’. BOOK AN AD. For only $2.10 + gst per word you can book a word only ad in Farmers Weekly Classifieds section. Phone Debbie Brown on 0800 85 25 80 to book in or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

FORESTRY WANTED

NATIVE FOREST FOR MILLING also Macrocarpa and Red Gum, New Zealand wide. We can arrange permits and plans. Also after milled timber to purchase. NEW ZEALAND NATIVE TIMBER SUPPLIERS (WGTN) LIMITED 04 293 2097 Richard.

GOATS WANTED 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.

GRASS SEED ONE X TON of Tama Rye seeds, (short term). One x ton of White Oats. $4398.00. Phone Peter 027 373 7244.

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

LIVESTOCK FOR SALE WILTSHIRES-ARVIDSON. Self shearing sheep. No1 for Facial Eczema. David 027 2771 556.

PROPERTY WANTED HOUSE FOR REMOVAL wanted. North Island. Phone 021 0274 5654.

PUMPS 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

TRACTOR PARTS CNH MXU110 /100. TSA 100/110. Dismantling. ANDQUIP. Phone 027 524 3356.

WANTED TO BUY 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.

Employment

Our Rural Team are looking for an enthusiastic individual to join the team as a Rural Cadet. You don’t need to be an experienced farmer, but someone who has a keen desire to begin a career in farming and is willing to do what it takes to succeed. Based in the Central Waikato, you will gain invaluable experience in all aspects of our rural operations.

OPERATIONS MANAGER

EMPLOYMENT REACH EVERY FARMER IN NZ FROM MONDAY

Based Greater Waikato / Central Plateau

Under the direction of the Drystock Manager, you will assist initially with fencing and then move into general farm work including animal husbandry and pasture management. Your on-farm work will be complimented by a structured programme of learning supported by Primary Industry Training Organisation.

Please print clearly

If you enjoy driving on-farm performance, taking control of a PnL and mentoring farm managers to grow their skills and advance their careers then this is an organisation that wants you to do just that.

Name: Phone:

Milking 26,000 cows Theland Farm Group has dairy farm assets in both the North and South Islands both with a range of managed and share or contract milked farms. This role is based in the North Island and will oversee a number of farms, taking responsibility for the overall business performance, planning, coordination and implementation of the operating plan for reporting farms.

To be successful in the role, you will need to:

• Be passionate about farming with a desire to succeed • Be physically fit and hard-working • Be punctual, reliable and trustworthy • Have excellent listening and communication skills • Have a willingness to learn • Demonstrate strong initiative and work ethic • Have a good cultural understanding of WaikatoTainui practices and protocols • Hold a current Full NZ driver’s license

Address: Email:

This is a tier-three management role, reporting to the Senior Leadership Team member responsible for Farm Performance. As you would expect at this level of Operations Management, strong leadership, communication, planning and execution alongside proven technical farm business management skills are needed.

Heading: Advert to read:

With primarily pasture focused on-farm systems and an emphasis on grass utilisation, your job is to ensure farm managers have the skills, support and systems they need to make timely decisions ensuring production and budget results are met. At this level of appointment we’re expecting all the normal things: proven leadership of on-farm operations, the ability to make the right decisions at the right time, experience in budget holding and financial management, strong computer including excel skills along with experience in farm performance software, well developed personal and planning skills so the right priorities are called… what’s a bit different about this role is the context within which this business operates.

This cadetship provides a fantastic opportunity for a motivated individual who is keen to accept responsibility to learn farming from the ground up! You’ll be working for a dynamic and highly successful company who are the kaitiaki (guardian) that provides economic wealth for WaikatoTainui. We have a strong values-based culture with a sustainable focus on people, Maaori culture, environment and commercial outcomes.

LK0095597©

So whether you’re an up and coming operations manager yourself or a seasoned campaigner, if this role sounds like you, you are looking for a fast paced business and a challenge with plenty of variety then go to www.no8hr.co.nz to take a look at some detail and register your interest, or give Toni at No8HR a call to find out even more.

www.no8hr.co.nz | ph: 07-870-4901

LK0095583©

Theland are part of an integrated supply chain that sees fresh NZ milk airfreighted four days a week to China; this means the results of your work are highly visible to clients on a daily basis. As a foreign-owned entity there are OIO obligations to meet, one of which is the Central North Island Dairy Academy which provides training for future industry leaders and a direct opportunity for the business to secure employment for these focused and professional on-farm leaders of tomorrow. And most importantly, there is a business structure that shows you what successful and profitable corporate farming looks like and delivers.

If this is what you’re looking for, please apply online at https://www.tgh.co.nz/en/careers/ including a cover letter detailing why you would be suitable for the position accompanied with your CV. Our recruitment process also includes a preemployment Drug and Alcohol Test and Ministry of Justice Check.

Applications close at 5pm on Thursday 6th December 2018.

Apply early to be considered for 1 June 2019

Why choose Dairy Holdings Limited?

Please contact Andrew & Christiane at ngatiragrouprecruit@gmail.com with a cover letter and CV. We will be in touch discuss further details.

For further enquiries about this role or to request a job description, please contact Kiera Daji on 021 214 4357 or mahi@tgh.co.nz

VARIABLE ORDER | CONTRACT MILKER CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Dairy Holdings Limited wishes to advise that a number of contract milking and variable/lower order sharemilking positions will be available for next season.

LK0095663©

Key Skills • Superior relationship building and communication. • You will be showcasing your impressive pasture based business acumen and knowledge of the dairy industry while working in an autonomous manner. • You will be accountable for meeting long term goals and driving the efficiency and profitability of the business through your effective management strategies, in order to help the business achieve top performance. • To work within budget parameters and effectively lead staff, ensuring compliance with environment, animal, safety and employment legislation. • Minimum investment 100k

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

www.drench.co.nz farmer owned, very competitive prices. Phone 0800 4 DRENCH (437 362).

Return this form either by fax to 06 323 7101 attention Debbie Brown Post to Farmers Weekly Classifieds, PO Box 529, Feilding 4740 - by 12pm Wednesday or Freephone 0800 85 25 8

classifieds@globalhq.co.nz – 0800 85 25 80

FREEZERS

(Shelters removed or harvested) What do we do?

JOHNNY GRAY

We can purchase standing trees, land and trees or harvest and market on your behalf.

Specialists in mustering Wild Goats, Cattle, Horses and Sheep across New Zealand

021 441 180 (JC)

Check out our website and let results speak for themselves

frigidair@xtra.co.nz

Ph: 027 959 4166 johnnyanderin2017@gmail.com maiexperiencejohnnygray

GUARANTEED PAYMENTS Call or email Aaron West 027 562 3832 aaron@treetec.co.nz

LK0095587©

Working alongside Crusader Meats

LK0095582©

www.aotearoastockman.com

LK0095585©

udly NZ Madew Pro Since 1975

No worries as we’ll do all the hard work for you around health and safety, resource consent application and management. Harvesting and trucking.

Heating Wood fired central heating specialists • Dry • Wetback • Radiators/Underfloor Don’t want to be cold next winter? Talk to us now! To contact us ph 03 310 6534 www.hunterstoves.co.nz

w w w. e l e c t r o t e k . c o . n z STOP BIRDS NOW!

P.O. Box 30, Palmerston North 4440, NZ

ZON BIRDSCARER

electro-tek@xtra.co.nz

FOR FARMERS & HUNTERS

LK0094762©

WANTED FORESTRY/ WOODLOTS

CHILLERS &

DE HORNER

Phone: +64 6 357 2454 HOOF TRIMMER

LK0095591©

Classifieds

FARMERS WEEKLY – December 3, 2018

EARMARKERS

When only the best will do!

AFFORDABLE

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 Dec 30-Jan 2, 2019, Feb 22-25, March 3-6, April 4-7, Oct 21-24, Dec 30-Jan 2 2020

PRACTICAL

TOWABLE TOPPING MOWER

TOWABLE FLAIL MOWER

Tour 2: D’Urville Island and Marlborough High Country Dates Dec 2-6, 2018, March 24-28, 2019 Other dates available for either tour for groups on request.

VERSATILE 11.5HP Briggs & Stratton Motor. Industrial. Electric start.

DURABLE

$3570

To find out more visit www.moamaster.co.nz

LK0095630©

MOA MASTER

Phone 027 367 6247 • Email: info@moamaster.co.nz

FOOTWEAR LTD

ALL

NZ MADE BOOTS

Visit www.lastrite.co.nz for more quality products Gusset Casual Boot – The tough, flexible, cleated, fully repairable sole, ensures durability and the ability to handle the kids playing fields. A turned out, one piece full grain leather upper, with elastic side panel construction, ensures comfort and sleek appearance. Being fully leather lined with a leather in-sole adds to the comfort.

pro our

duct

$7850 +GST Weigh Combo*

™

CRAIGCO SENSOR JET • Robust construction • Auto shut gate • Total 20 jets • Lambs only 5 jets • Side jets for lice

Heavy Duty Yardmate Boot – Great heavy duty boot, perfect for farmers, heavy industrial workers, builders, fencers etc. With an upper constructed from thick full grain leather, an insole and mid-sole which are brass screwed and stitched.

0800 227 228 www.combiclamp.co.nz

SHEEP JETTERS SINCE 1992

Ph 06 835 6863 Mob 021 061 1800 Jetter video: www.craigcojetters.co.nz

Videos on website South Island - Stuart 027 435 3062

50 TON WOOD SPLITTER

100% NZ Merino Sleeping Bag Sale

Heavy duty construction for serious wood splitting. Towable.

DEADLINES

50% off and valid to 4 January 2019

Last issue Farmers Weekly 17 December 2018 Booking deadline: Wednesday 12 December, 12pm Material deadline: Wednesday 12 December, 5pm LK0095243©

$125.00 NOW $62.50

12HP, Diesel, Electric Start

END OF YEAR

December sale

• Adjustable V panels • Davey Twin Impellor Pump • 6.5 or 10hp motors

Save time and money – flystrike and lice cost $$$ Guaranteed performance Quick to set up – easy to use – job done

*Loadbars and indicator not included

LK0095590©

10 HALL ROAD, RD 5, WHANGAREI PHONE 09 438 8907 EMAIL: lastrite@xtra.co.nz

Ph: 03 314 7220 Mob: 0274 351 955 Email info@molesworthtours.co.nz www.molesworthtours.co.nz

+ GST

LK0095598©

+ GST

First issue Farmers Weekly 14 January 2019

Booking deadline: Wednesday 9 January, 12pm Material deadline: Wednesday 9 December, 5pm

Special Price $3990 Very limited stock

Email: info@nurturedbynature.co.nz Or visit our website: www.nurturedbynature.co.nz

Debbie Brown, 06 323 0765 classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

2491FW

Ph: 09 425 9813

The Farmers Weekly office will be closed from 12pm Tuesday 18 December 2018 until Monday 7 January 2019

To find out more visit

LK0095631©

$3910

LK0094978©

Moa Master provide quality products and services at affordable prices 13.5HP. Briggs & Stratton Motor. Electric start. 1.2m cut

4X4 TAGALONG TOURS

www.moamaster.co.nz Phone 027 367 6247 Email: info@moamaster.co.nz

livestock@globalhq.co.nz – 0800 85 25 80

Livestock

KILORAN Poll Dorsets

GRAZERS WANTED

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

WAGYU DAIRY CROSS WEANERS

Have ewe heard the most successful place to advertise your livestock is in Farmers Weekly?

Phone Nigel 0800 85 25 80 or email livestock@globalhq.co.nz

Natural condition rams bred for constitution longevity, weight gain ‘Guaranteed’.

AUCTION

WEDNESDAY 5TH DECEMBER A/C CLIENT

Stortford Lodge Saleyards Wednesday 5th December 2018, 3pm

25-35kg STORE

LAMBS 1YR FRIESIAN BULLS 250-350kg

280-320kg 1YR BEEF BRED HEIFERS 2YR A/AX or XBRED STEERS 500-550kg

www.dyerlivestock.co.nz

6% Commission outside agents

LK0095466©

FRANKTON STORE SALE

BREEDING EWES ROMNEY PERE X EWE HOGGETS

• Vet tested • Brucellosis free • Early finishing • Hill bred

OR Register your interest for future grazing of R1yr and R2yr from May 2019 For further information please contact: Tim or Erin O’Brien Phone: 06 857 8305 Email: tim@brownrigg.co.nz

STOCK REQUIRED

Poll Dorset – 70 Rams Poll-Tex – 30 Rams

• Steers and/or heifers at competitive per kg weight gain rates • Minimum 90kg start weight • From November 2018 start date • Short and long term options available • Simple no-fuss agreements

To advertise

FARMERS WEEKLY – December 3, 2018

LK0095512©

PGG WRIGHTSON: Don McGregor 027 445 7629 CARRFIELDS: Iain MacEwan 027 293 4866 VENDOR: John Frizzell 06 857 8783

Ross Dyer 0274 333 381 A Financing Solution For Your Farm E info@rdlfinance.co.nz

60 Pure Bred Sth Devon 2 Yr Steers 60 Pure Bred Sth Devon 1 Yr Steers

Further enquires: Bill Sweeney 027 451 5310 Bryan Sweeney 027 869 2620

LK0095651©

Hill country Cattle

Account of Ata Rangi Pastoral 700 Autumn calving cows to be sold for 1st Feb delivery Due to start calving 10th March 2019

FOR SALE Young Dairy Herd for June 1 delivery 485 x Xb/Frs/Jsy cows (BW97; PW118; RA96%)

Contact NZFLL agent: Emmet McConnell 027 443 7671

For herd listing & profile or to book an inspection contact: LK0095645©

Visit website listings HAW64280, HAW64287 and HAW64289 for photos and profiles.

Location: Tokoroa, South Waikato

Bryce Young 027 496 7411 bryce@byl.co.nz

Aaron Clapperton 027 496 7410 aaron@byl.co.nz

Office 07 823 4559 BYLLIVESTOCK.CO.NZ byllivestock

FOR SALE

500 x Friesian Bulls Delivery March/April 2019 Weight approx 230-250kg, all good types Reared off M Bovis clear properties $3/kg truck weighed empty All Enquiries: Steve Brunell – 0274 730 317 www.rurallivestock.co.nz NZ Owned & Operated

BUYING OR SELLING A DAIRY HERD?

5th Waterton Ram Sale

Charollais, % Charollais, Suffolk and South Suffolk Rams (as seen on rural delivery)

AUTUMN CALVING COWS

•

Tailored marketing program

•

Access to Fonterra’s extensive farmer network

•

Fonterra farmer exclusive: Earn valuable Farm Source Reward Dollars on all sales and purchases

Tuesday 18th December 2018

Thursday 13th December 12 noon Morrinsville Dairy Complex

THIS WEEK’S FEATURES

Viewing from 2.30pm Helmsman Sale 4.30pm Belmont Station 50 Kerr Road, Cave South Canterbury

Hill bred Commercially farmed SIL recorded Eye Muscle Scanned Brucellosis Accredited Over 50 years breeding 11 Pure Charollais – 32 Suffolk – 16 South Suffolk – 16 Charollais Suffolk – 16 Percentage Charollais

On A/c: D J Van Bysterveldt F/T 130 Frs, Xbd Autumn Calving Young Cows BW 109(up to 192) PW 157 (up to 305) RA 98% DTC 10/3/19 to AB Xbd, expected calf BW 166 PW 176 All cows scanned to date, with a tight 4-week calving spread. Our vendor purchased these cows as elite young MT’s at the Morrinsville High BW empty cow sales. They have been diligently milked right through the winter and progressively dried off over the spring. All cows have been dry cow treated. M Bovis free, certificates available.

•

90 outstanding XB in-calf hfrs, BW 111, PW 121, capital line, one herd code, 16/7 calv, $1800. Mark 027 550 9554

•

100 wnr hfrs, BW 148, PW 150, capital line, from exceptional herd, 580 kgms herd, Nominated LIC sires, $770. Trevor 027 283 8389

•

243 Fsn/FsnX herd, BW 91, PW 113, r/a 98%, 20/7 calv to LIC, DNA G3 profiled, $1650. Noel 027 588 7632

THE LARGEST OFFERING OF CHAROLLAIS AND CHAROLLAIS X IN CANTERBURY

Suffolk sires include both No. 1 & No. 2 for growth and No. 1 NZTW Suffolk NZ Across Flock. Four of the top five pure Charollais in the Charollais Across Flock are Waterton and will be offered for sale.

DEFFERRED PAYMENT UNTIL 1 MARCH 2019

For more information or a catalogue, contact: Chris Hampton PWA PWA PGGW 03 614 3330 Wayne Andrews Snow Buckley Greg Uren 027 202 5679 027 484 8232 027 561 4652 027 431 4051 cahampton@xtra.co.nz Linsday Holland 027 266 0648 Also on www.peterwalsh.co.nz

0800 548 339 | nzfarmsource.co.nz/livestock

LK0095626©

LK0095635©

Visit mylivestock.co.nz for further details Or call Ollie Carruthers 027 451 5312

Contact Farm Source Livestock for specialist advice and expertise that will help you achieve optimal results, including:

EARN FARM SOURCE REWARD DOLLARS ON ALL FARM SOURCE LIVESTOCK PURCHASES & SALES* T&Cs apply. See nzfarmsource.co.nz/rewards

LK0095636©

Option to pick or split available. FriesianX replacements also available: 143 x R2s (BW128; PW132; RA96%) 175 x R1s (BW148; PW155 RA96%)

LK0095654©

This large commercial herd is made up of mainly Friesian and Kiwi-cross cows. Farmed for the last 2 seasons on newly converted forestry land that consists of flat to rolling and some steep contour. This herd has been mated using select CRV Ambreed, A2 A2 Friesian sires to boost value into an ever-growing market demand. M.Bovis milk Negative.

LK0095604©

Over 80% 2, 3 and 4 year olds. Currently averaging 55,000 SSC. Low cost system doing 380 milk solids per cow. OAD last season and all will be once a day by 7th December 2018, due to long walks on tough rolling farm.

Livestock

• 129 A2A2 capital line of heifers BW 129 PW 131 mated to kiwi A2A2 bulls for 10 days. Well grown. $1950 Canterbury

One day, however, Teddy ran out of pecans; instead he substituted hickory nuts.

Romdale Rams

• 205 A2A2 heifers BW 106 PW 105 Central NI $1850

Dr. Benson sat down and took a sip under Teddy’s watchful eyes; he frowned.

No frills hill country rams

Contact Dave Marsh NZ Livestock Brokers Ltd 027 492 0875

Northland bred 158% lambing unshepherded Good survival Hogget mating since 1996

LK0095640©

LK0095656©

• • • •

“Say, Teddy, this isn’t an almond daiquiri. Just what is it?” “I can’t lie to ya,” Teddy said. “It’s hickory daiquiri, Doc.”

Phone: PW and SC Cook, Peter 021 022 73135 river_run@xtra.co.nz

ROCKLEA

SOUTH SUFFOLKS & POLL DORSETS On-Farm Ram Sale Friday 7th December 2018, 2.00pm, by Auction

11th Annual Ram Sale • • • • •

Stud and Flock rams available 117 South Suffolk rams 39 Poll Dorset rams Eye muscle scanned SIL Recorded

• High growth and high yielding rams • Born and bred under challenging conditions • All Sires DNA foot scored

Rams that will MEAT your requirements. For further information or catalogues please contact: Simon Prouting, 06 374 3661, 1529 Ngapaeruru Road, RD3, Te Uri, Dannevirke • prouting@inspire.co.nz • www.rocklea.co.nz

LK0095257©

For years Dr. Benson had left his office and gone to Teddy’s Bar, where Teddy would fix him a daiquiri laced with crushed pecans.

• 450 A2A2 frx/xbred herd BW 81 PW 97 100%. Very young herd with low scc $2350 Canterbury

Y W RT NE PE O PR

SALE TALK

FOR SALE

livestock@globalhq.co.nz – 0800 85 25 80

PR N O EW PE RT Y

FARMERS WEEKLY – December 3, 2018

WHAT DO YOU SEE? That’s right, guaranteed black face lambs sired by Suffolk rams.

In-Milk Herds 153 In-Milk 2-6yr Very Fertile OAD Xbred Cows. BW82 PW101 RA95%. DTC 20/7. Northland. 100% in-calf rate last season! Young Herd, 2-6yr olds Low

END OF YEAR

Last issue Farmers Weekly 17 December 2018

Paul Kane Ph: 027 286 9279 170 XBred Cows BW98 PW104 RA98% DTC 1/8.

Wednesday 12 December, 12pm

Philip Webb Ph: 027 801 8057

Material deadline:

Waikato/BOP

Growth - Meat - Survival

DTC 20/7 Waikato Sharemilker owned, closed herd for 23 yrs $2100. Philip Webb Ph: 027 801 8057

First issue Farmers Weekly 14 January 2019 Wednesday 9 January, 12pm

15/3. BOP $1750 Philip Webb Ph: 027 801 8057

Material deadline:

South Island Herds

MANFEILD PARK, FEILDING

Wednesday 9 December 5pm

490 A2A2 Jerseys BW47 PW58 DTC 10/8.

TUESDAY DECEMBER 11, 2018

Southland 100% A2A2 DNA tested herd. Low SCC,

460 FX/J BW82 PW101 RA92% DTC1/8. Canterbury System 1, Bred for fertility & udder, Good age structure with many young cows $2085

Paul Kane: 027 286 9279 National Dairy Coordinator

The Farmers Weekly office will be closed from 12pm Tuesday 18 December 2018 until Monday 7 January 2019 Nigel Ramsden 06 323 2189 livestock@globalhq.co.nz

www.carrfieldslivestock.co.nz

WOOL BREEDS Sale starts: 10.30am 3 Perendale Rams 3 Cheviot Rams

2491FW

plenty of potential.

LK0095657©

Great young herd milked on dry farm, 375ms/cow,

PERFOR

FEILDING ELITE RAM & EWE SALES

Booking deadline:

51 Young C/O Autumn XBreds BW108 PW159 DTC

IT’S TIME TO MEAT A MODERN DAY SUFFOLK FOR A SUFFOLK BREEDER NEAR YOU VISIT nzsheep.co.nz/suffolk

Wednesday 12 December 5pm

245 outstanding Jersey Cows BW96 PW86 RA100%

purchased as in-milk 1st March delivery. $2000.

SEA

Whether finishing or selling store, only a genuine black face Suffolk ram can give you this advantage.

Booking deadline:

Manawatu Closed Herd for 40 years. Can be

FOL UF K

LK0095504©

system 2, computer splits available. $1800neg

DEADLINES E

BW106 PW115 DTC 10/7. North Waikato G3 profiled,

190 In-Milk Jersey/Xbred Cows Immediate delivery

327ms on once a day. Reduced to Sell $1650

SCC, in top condition. Low input PKE/Soya in shed.

Followed by 17 22 13 8 16 3

PROMOTE YOUR STAG SALE IN FARMERS WEEKLY

Contact Nigel 027 602 4925 | livestock@globalhq.co.nz

Poll Dorset Rams + 2 Poll Dorset Ewes Southdown Rams + 2 Southdown Ewes Dorset Down Rams + 5 Dorset Down Ewes Texel Rams Suffolk Rams Dorper Rams

LK0095453©

MEAT BREEDS

View catalogue online at www.pivotdesign.co.nz under catalogues 2018. Rams for the Feilding Sale have been selected on type and performance for typical North Island sheep breeding conditions.

Auctioneers: NZ FARMERS LIVESTOCK • PGG WRIGHTSON • CARRFIELDS LIVESTOCK

MARKET SNAPSHOT

Market Snapshot brought to you by the AgriHQ analysts.

Suz Bremner

Rachel Agnew

Mel Croad

Cattle

Reece Brick

Sheep

BEEF

Deer

SHEEP MEAT

VENISON

Last week

Prior week

Last year

NI Steer (300kg)

5.50

5.60

5.70

NI lamb (17kg)

8.10

7.20

NI Stag (60kg)

10.80

10.90

10.55

NI Bull (300kg)

5.10

5.65

NI mutton (20kg)

5.00

4.90

SI Stag (60kg)

10.90

11.00

10.55

NI Cow (200kg)

4.00

4.45

SI lamb (17kg)

7.90

7.85

7.25

SI Steer (300kg)

5.30

5.40

5.55

SI mutton (20kg)

5.00

4.95

SI Bull (300kg)

4.75

4.80

5.30

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

SI Cow (200kg)

3.80

3.85

4.30

UK CKT lamb leg

8.83

8.96

9.30

US imported 95CL bull

6.39

6.32

7.25

US domestic 90CL cow

6.21

6.84

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Last week Prior week

Last year

Export markets (NZ$/kg) 9.0

6.0

$/kg CW

South Island steer slaughter price

6.0

South Island lamb slaughter price

9 8 7

7.0

Oct

Dec

6.0

4.0

Feb

Apr

5-yr ave

Oct

Dec

Feb

5-yr ave

Apr

Jun

2017-18

Jun

Aug

2017-18

2018-19

Fertiliser

Aug 2018-19

WOOL

5.0

Oct

Dec

Feb

5-yr ave

FERTILISER

Apr 2017-18

Jun

Aug 2018-19

Last week

Prior week

Last year

Coarse xbred ind.

2.87

3.10

37 micron ewe

2.85

2.80

30 micron lamb

Dairy

Last week

Prior week

Last year

Urea

650

520

3.20

Super

315

297

DAP

778

704

Grain

Data provided by

MILK PRICE FUTURES

Company

2900 2800 US$/t

6.5 6.0

2700 2600 2500 2400

Jan-18

Mar-18

May-18 Sept. 2019

Jul-18

Sep-18 Sept. 2020

Nov-18

DAIRY FUTURES (US$/T) Nearby contract

Last price*

Dec

Jan Feb Latest price

Mar Apr 4 weeks ago

May

Prior week

vs 4 weeks ago

WMP

2605

2620

2655

SMP

2020

AMF

4800

5240

Butter

3750

4170

Milk Price

6.08

6.10

6.21

3.25

3.42

2.75

The a2 Milk Company Limited

10.90

14.62

7.66

Spark New Zealand Limited

4.17

4.22

3.28

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd

13.23

16.44

11.92

Ryman Healthcare Limited

11.55

14.09

10.27

Mercury NZ Limited (NS)

3.47

3.08

Contact Energy Limited

5.82

5.96

5.15

Fletcher Building Limited

4.79

7.96

4.54

Air New Zealand Limited (NS)

3.10

3.43

2.59

5pm, close of market, Thursday YTD High

YTD Low

10.900

14.620

7.660

420

Comvita Limited

5.760

9.210

5.590

400

Delegat Group Limited

9.750

11.000

7.510

Foley Family Wines Limited

1.400

1.610

1.310

380

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

4.720

6.660

4.510

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS)

0.720

3.000

0.700

New Zealand King Salmon Investments Ltd

2.510

2.990

1.840

PGG Wrightson Limited

0.560

0.720

0.560

Sanford Limited (NS)

6.810

8.500

6.700

Scales Corporation Limited

4.490

5.000

4.300

SeaDragon Limited

0.003

0.006

0.002

Seeka Limited

4.780

7.010

4.600

Synlait Milk Limited (NS)

8.760

13.530

6.260

360

Jan-18

Mar-18

May-18

Jul-18

Sep-18

Nov-18

350

2800 300

T&G Global Limited

3.050

3.300

3.000

S&P/NZX Primary Sector Equity

15492

17682

14417

S&P/NZX 50 Index

8795

9376

8059

S&P/NZX 10 Index

8288

9212

7640

$/tonne

2600

250

2500 2400

6.11

Meridian Energy Limited (NS)

The a2 Milk Company Limited

WAIKATO PALM KERNEL

2700

YTD Low

440

Nov-17

2900

7.49

320

WMP FUTURES - VS FOUR WEEKS AGO

YTD High

7.05

Company

340

* price as at close of business on Thursday

Auckland International Airport Limited

Listed Agri Shares

CANTERBURY FEED BARLEY

$/tonne

5.5

NZ average (NZ$/t)

Top 10 by Market Cap

CANTERBURY FEED WHEAT

7.0

$/kg MS

8.0

(NZ$/kg)

US$/t

South Island stag slaughter price

5.0

5.5

4.5

$/kg CW

$/kg CW $/kg CW

6.0

7.0

9.0

4.5

4.0

5.0

Last year

5.0 5.5

Last week Prior week

North Island stag slaughter price

8.0 $/kg CW

North Island steer slaughter price

North Island lamb slaughter price

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

$/kg CW

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Ingrid Usherwood

Dec

Jan Feb Latest price

Mar Apr 4 weeks ago

May

200

Nov-17

S&P/FW PRIMARY SECTOR EQUITY

Jan-18

Mar-18

May-18

Jul-18

Sep-18

Nov-18

15492

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

8795

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

8288

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018 NI SLAUGHTER COW

SI SLAUGHTER STEER

SI SLAUGHTER STAG

4.00

5.30

10.90

$/KG

YEARLING FRIESIAN BULLS, 315-330KG, AT STORTFORD LODGE $/KGLW

2.94

Rain welcome for most NORTH ISLAND

DON’T STOP HERE... If you love the information you get from these pages, you will love AgriHQ’s livestock reports.

LivestockEye

We create transparency for the industry with these independent, objective reports providing full sale results and informed commentary covering 10 saleyards across NZ that are emailed directly after the sale.

WELCOME: Rain in Bay of Plenty was welcomed by farmers at the Raniguru sale last week.

was so dry for November but now they’ll also be held for longer. Horowhenua was also well topped up with about 50mm. Moisture levels are amazing for this time of year. Every mower and baler is being hammered dealing with the surplus grass. Beef and dairy young stock are being weaned at good weights because they have had marvelous tucker. Friesian bulls that weren’t finding a ready market in Hawke’s Bay might start moving now there has been rain over the mountain range. Asparagus picking will end in the next couple of weeks, well before Christmas this year. Vege growers are under financial pressure because a lot of produce is coming on stream, forcing prices down. SOUTH ISLAND Some 40mm of rain in Nelson and Motueka has heightened the risk of disease in kiwifruit orchards. Bees were set to go into green orchards over the weekend. With a big crop of apples, everyone is flat out thinning but there is a significant labour shortage and lots of road signs offering jobs. Tapawera hops growers are a bit concerned plants are not as high up the strings as they could be and they’re blaming the wet. Southeast Marlborough got 80mm and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The lucerne crop, that needed a drink, is away, lambs are being drafted and two and a half year old bulls are going on the truck at 650kg to 700kg so farmers are likely to get about $1700 an animal. Up the Awatere Valley wire lifting is going full bore in vineyards. Hand bud rubbing is done and flowering is due to start on the pinot grapes. In the Lake Brunner area on the West

Coast, easterly winds have dried the ground and it became quite hot towards the end of the week so a shower wouldn’t go amiss. Our contact, who does once-aday milking, says milk production is up 18% on last year. He says it makes a big difference when the cows don’t have to swim around the paddock to find a blade of grass. Thursday was the first day farmers in Mid Canterbury didn’t see rain in what seems like a long time. The sun even appeared for a few hours in the afternoon. With the poor weather over the last few weeks all ag work is well behind. Farms with heavier soils will be waiting a long time before farmers can get onto paddocks again while lighter soils will drain and dry quite quickly. Lamb growth has slowed and pasture growth on dairy farms has slowed to the point where quite a few farmers are feeding out. A Central Otago farmer says he has never seen the clover so good. He recorded 175mm of rain for the month and 763mm for the year – that is already up 250mm on the long-term average. On the downside contractors are struggling to make balage and silage. Some paddocks freshly sown with fodder beet have been washed out after heavy rain and flooding. Elsewhere tailing and lamb marking is well through and shearing done for the year. Coastal Southland had strong easterlies and at Waimahaka to the east of Invercargill there was no rain last week and pasture covers have dropped. Oats are being harvested for balage and crops will follow. The first round of AI is done and a farmer says the technician’s due back this week for cows that haven’t taken. He says good log prices have seen some farmers decide to harvest trees planted 25 to 30 years ago.

Courtesy of Radio New Zealand Country Life You can listen to Country Life on RNZ at 9pm every Friday 9pm and 7am on Saturday or on podcast at radionz.co.nz/countrylife

Livestock Insight

Every week, we explain the context of the current market situation, drivers which are impacting the livestock markets and what to expect in the coming week.

Livestock Outlook

For those who want to see and understand forecasting, this monthly report projects farmer operating prices six months ahead and supports these prices with analysis of supply/demand, procurement factors, key export markets and exchange rate effects.

INDEPENDENT • OBJECTIVE TRUSTED • WORTHY Discover how we can help you keep up to date with market conditions.

agrihq.co.nz 0800 85 25 80

2476AGHQ

orthland has had rain, sunshine and heat – superb according to our ag consultant. Everyone is smiling because until this week it was getting very dry. Now grass will be growing well, including, unfortunately, a weed called parsley dropwort. It is sometimes, incorrectly, called carrot weed. To stop it growing, paddocks need to have been tightly grazed and now farmers are using more annual clovers, which can’t be chewed out, the parsley dropwort is getting away. South Auckland has been graced by mainly light winds with some sunshine and showers. Conditions have been ideal for strong growth of crops and transplanting of new ones. Not so good, though, has been the oversupply of broccoli and lettuce. Broccoli is going for 80c a head and an iceberg lettuce for a dollar. One grower said they’re Christmas presents for consumers. Waikato had wonderful rain too. Some farmers who planted three early varieties of Pioneer maize have had up to 30% of their seeds fail and those that have struck are looking sick. Farmers in East Coast and Hawke’s Bay have had similar issues and claims are being lodged with Pioneer. And it’s ditto for Bay of Plenty in terms of welcome moisture. Pollination is coming to an end in the green kiwifruit. Grass is growing well. King Country had 50mm of rain and, with good pasture covers, it all soaked in rather than running off. Our farmer contact sent his first lot of lambs to the works last week another lot will go next week. Rams that are facial eczema tolerant and parasite resistant are in demand. There was a lot of interest at the Wiltshire ram fair in Te Kuiti on Thursday. They don’t need shearing. There was about 30mm of rain in Taranaki. Grass is growing back quickly after being cut for silage. Milk production is well up on last year. In Hawke’s Bay many farmers tipped up to 150mm out of rain gauges on Monday. That was wonderful because the region was worryingly dry. Farmers now have confidence to buy stock. Rain totals ranged from 100mm to 200mm across Wairarapa in the past 10 days. There has been a lot of surface water but it is warm so grass is slowly growing. Rivers have been filled. The area from Ohakune to Whanganui got 50mm to 80mm. Pastures have responded, silage is being cut. The store market for lambs has strengthened. Yearling bull sales were depressed but there is now strong interest with them as well. Those who held off making silage because of the forecast rain last week, which then didn’t come, are now scrambling to get it made. Manawatu-Rangitikei had 40mm to 70mm of rain. Farmers are calling it a godsend, a game changer and are visibly more relaxed. Milk production had started dropping so, hopefully, it will hold for a while now. Sheep and beef guys will be happy farming lambs on a bit longer. Store cattle were being sold because it

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

Store lambs flying to fresh heights following the rain Store markets for all classes of stock are tracking along about as well as can be expected, all thanks to the late-spring rains that now have everyone well set-up for early 2019. The other big gainers, apart from store lambs, have been one-year Friesian bulls in the North Island, that are now somewhere around 30c/kg firmer than just a fortnight ago. NORTHLAND Wellsford Dairy Beef Weaner Fair • Autumn-born Friesian bulls, 181-227kg, fetched $620-$700 • Angus-cross steers, 107-183kg, traded at $585-$620 • Hereford-Friesian steers, 127kg, returned $725, $5.71/kg • Angus-Friesian heifers, 113-156kg, managed $425-$580 • Hereford-Friesian bulls, 96kg, earned $550, $5.73/kg The regular Monday sale at WELLSFORD was replaced with a weaner fair. A good bench of buyers was present, though quality was mixed and returns reflected this. Hereford-cross steers, 163-219kg, earned $705-$710, and Murray Grey-cross, 113-172kg, $480-$595. HerefordFriesian, 89-163kg, traded at $450-$660, Hereford-cross heifers sold in two main bands as 96-147kg earned $420$495, and 158-181kg, $510-$590. Hereford-Friesian, 158169kg, were steady at $565-$630, though 118-131kg eased to $535-$555, and 91-113kg, $410-$510. Friesian bulls, 107-160kg, traded at $505-$590, and 85-103kg, $300-$440. Autumn-born steers, 256-268kg, made $710-$855 regardless of breed, with heifers, 203-245kg, earning $610-$800. Hereford-cross bulls, 190-265kg, returned $630-$740. Kaikohe sale • 920 head yarding including 420 weaners • Small entry of two-year steers made good returns at $2.80/kg • Heavier yearling beef and exotic steers made $3.00-$3.10/kg • Very good autumn-born Friesian and Angus bulls averaged $3.35/kg • Autumn-born beef and exotic heifers, sold up to $800-$860 Rain was timely for 420 weaners, which were included in KAIKOHE’s sale last Wednesday. Good cattle sold on an improved market, PGG Wrightson agent Vaughan Vujcich reported. Two-year beef-cross bulls averaged $2.60/kg, with the better heifers making up to $2.80/kg. Demand for yearlings picked up and lighter steers traded at $3.35-$3.45/kg, while beef-cross and Friesian bulls returned $2.65-$2.85/kg. Heifers had a harder sale and returned $2.25-$2.70/kg. Autumn-born sold well as the better lines made $3.10-$3.15/kg, though a lot made $650$750, $2.60-$2.80/kg. Good Hereford-Friesian weaner heifers made $470-$480, and crossbred, $350-$400, while Hereford-Friesian bulls traded at $560-$600, and Friesian, $450-$460. Cows with calves-at-foot returned $1100-$1200 per unit, and boner cows, $1.60-$1.70/kg.

AUCKLAND Pukekohe sale • Prime steers sold to $2230 at $2.79-$2.94/kg • Prime heifers were steady at $2.77-$2.82/kg • Weaner Hereford-Friesian heifers sold well at $640-$655 There was a clear void in prices for quality cattle versus lesser bred lines at PUKEKOHE on Saturday 24th November. Good prime steers and heifers reached pleasing levels, but plain pens of steers made $2.60-$2.80/kg. Fifteen-month crossbred steers were light and traded at $2.65-$2.90/kg, while similar heifers made $2.60-$2.70/kg. Quality weaner heifers sold well but off bred types made just $135-$215. Boner cows varied from $1.65/kg up to $2.18/kg, while light cows with calves-at-foot earned $1200-$1340 per unit.

COUNTIES Tuakau sales • Store cattle market steady • Hereford-Friesian steers, 420kg, were strong at $3.48/kg. • 15-month Hereford-Friesian heifers, 407kg, made $2.88/kg • Prime Angus-Friesian steers, 726kg, firmed to $3.00/kg • Demand for prime ewes remains strong. About 650 cattle were yarded at the store sale last Thursday, Karl Chitham of Carrfields Livestock reported. Crossbred steers, 481-520kg, made $2.84–2.96/kg, with most yearling steers trading at $3.08-$3.26/kg. Hereford-

Friesian weaner steers, 110kg, made $625, and Friesian bulls, 103-105kg, $465-$485. Good yearling and 15-month heifers, 365-407kg, earned $2.79–2.88/kg, with lighter types, 231-243kg, fetching $675-$725. Hereford-Friesian weaner heifers, 108-116kg, fetched $460-$485. At Wednesday’s prime cattle sale, 650kg-plus steers traded at $2.95-$3.00/kg, and medium, $2.81/kg. Heavy heifers, 575kg, earned $2.86/kg, with 447-529kg beef heifers making $2.73-$2.82/kg and Friesian cows, 435-480kg, $1.67$1.88/kg. Top prime ewes fetched $210-$212 at last Monday’s sheep sale. Medium ewes sold for $155-$168, and light $54-$96. Heavy prime lambs sold at $167-$197, medium $146-$158, and light $120-$131. Good store lambs returned $104-$110, medium $68-$89, and light down to $35.

WAIKATO Frankton dairy beef weaner fair • Hereford-Friesian bulls, 105-115kg, were steady at $550-$625 • Friesian bulls, 95-105kg, were steady at $400-$450 • Friesian bulls, 110-120kg, eased to $440-$500 • Friesian bulls, 120-175kg, were steady at $500-$570 The FRANKTON dairy beef weaner fair last Tuesday was best described as a ‘game of two halves’. It featured large entries of pens 100kg and under in the beef-Friesian bull and heifer sections, and a bigger variance in quality and type. That meant there were large price discrepancies within weight ranges, such as good Hereford-Friesian bulls, 80-100kg, at $500-$595, but lesser types dropping to $280$410. The heifers followed a similar path, and over 50% of the Hereford-Friesian weighed less than 100kg. Those 90-100kg came back to $270-$400, while 105-130kg made $350-$500. Frankton cattle • Local trade beef and beef-cross heifers were steady at $2.85-$2.89/kg • Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 324-341kg, firmed to $3.35-$3.45/kg • Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 278-306kg, firmed to $3.50-$3.57/kg • Yearling Hereford-cross and Hereford-Friesian heifers, 312-338kg, returned $2.90-$3.05/kg • Autumn-born weaner Hereford-Friesian heifers, 252-256kg, earned $835 FRANKTON finished November on a positive note last Wednesday, with short term cattle holding value and grass driven demand for longer term types firming the market. Prime entries were up and steers, 700kg plus, traded at $2.91-$2.99/kg. Traditional bulls, 585-648kg, made $2.63$2.74/kg. No older heifers or bulls were offered, while HerefordFriesian steers, 469-543kg, made steady at $2.91-$2.99/kg, with similar weighted Angus-cross 10c/kg behind. Yearling beef-cross steers were variable, though most lines still traded at $3.10/kg and better. $3.00/kg was the top end for heifers with only a few pushing past. South Devon-cross, 361-399kg, reached $3.01-$3.02/kg, while lesser Hereford-cross lines, 271-292kg, made $2.76-$2.79/kg.

BAY OF PLENTY Rangiuru cattle and sheep sale • Prime Hereford-Friesian steers, 500-760kg, steady at $2.97/kg • Prime Hereford-Friesian heifers, 471-547kg, firmed to $2.90$2.93/kg • Yearling Herford-Friesian steers, 273-341kg, firmed to $3.20$3.31/kg • Weaner Friesian bulls, 108-120kg, traded at $410-$450. • Big yarding of ewes sold for $80-$158 After a stop-start spring the market at RANGIURU last Tuesday finally gained consistent momentum, with local buyers more optimistic. A big yarding of prime Hereford-Friesian steers and heifers sold to strong demand, while Hereford heifers,

525kg, reached $3.02/kg, and Angus-Hereford, 509kg, $2.95/kg. Two-year Friesian steers, 361-401kg, sold well at $2.81-$2.87/kg. Yearling steers were top notch, and prices reflected the lift in quality and demand, with HerefordFriesian front and centre. A line of Angus, 322kg, made $3.17/kg. Heifer numbers were low but beef-Friesian, 278312kg, sold very well at $2.98-$3.08/kg.

TARANAKI TARANAKI Taranaki Cattle • Two-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 536-551kg, steady at $2.99$3.00/kg • Two-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 459-518kg, firmed to $3.00$3.10/kg • Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 320-415kg, steady at $3.32/kg • Yearling Hereford-Friesian heifers, 260-280kg, steady at $2.85/kg • Three and four-year Angus cows with calves made $1560-1840 per unit The abundance of grass in the Taranaki region was reflected in a strong cattle sale last Wednesday, with most classes steady to firm. A highlight was a consignment of Angus cows with calves-at-foot which drew in good interest and sold to expectations. A small prime section firmed and Hereford-Friesian and exotic cross steers made $3.04-$3.08/kg. $3.00/kg was also hit in the two-year steer pens, while Hereford-Friesian heifers reached $2.93-$2.99/kg and beef-cross, $2.84-$2.89/ kg. Light yearling steers were strong and Hereford-Friesian, 273-268kg, reached $3.70-$3.96/kg. Angus-cross, 215272kg, earned $3.01-$3.02/kg. Heifer prices were better relative to recent levels. Angus-Friesian, 197-239kg, returned $3.05-$3.13/kg. POVERTY BAY Matawhero • Better store lambs made $108-$122 • Mid-range store lambs were $93-$103 • Light store lambs ranged across $75-$90 Another good selection of two thousand store lambs at Matawhero followed the same path as the rest of the North Island – trending upwards. The lambs themselves were mainly a mixture of whiteface lambs draughted by sex. Ewe lambs mainly sold at a $5-$10 discount to their male equivalents. The few blackface pens were essentially equal to the whiteface males. Two small pens of medium ewes with lambs-at-foot were $67-$71 all counted.

HAWKE’S HAWKE’SBAY BAY Stortford Lodge prime sale • Hereford-Friesian steers, 632-673kg, traded at $2.95/kg • Medium-good ewes were steady at $130-$149.50 • Light-medium ewes earned $111.50-$119.50 • Very heavy lambs maintained levels of $154-$177 A smaller yarding of quality cattle were on offer at STORTFORD LODGE last Monday, and Angus steers, 660kg, made a premium at $3.11/kg. The ewe market was steady for most as very heavy types made $169, though heavy ewes lifted to $154.50-$160.50, and medium, $120-$130.50. Medium to good two-tooth ewes traded at $117- $130. All lambs were offered in mixed sex lines and quality varied amongst the pens. Heavy lines softened to $134.50-$151, while the lighter end improved and lightmedium lifted to $103-$114. Stortford Lodge store cattle and sheep • Medium Romney cryptorchid lambs made $101-$117 • Light mixed sex lambs firmed to $78-$94 • Two-year traditional steers, 399-453kg, lifted to $3.51-$3.57/kg • Two-year beef-cross bulls, 508-518kg, were strong at $3.15$3.27/kg • Yearling Friesian bulls, 314-331kg, lifted to $2.93-$2.95/kg Recent rain was a game-changer at STORTFORD LODGE last Wednesday, with all classes of stock lifting and over 100 buyers registered. Just over 4300 lambs were offered and prices lifted $8 per head. Heavy cryptorchid sold to $120-$125, with medium ram lambs making $94-$106 and wethers, $88-$92. Similar weighted mixed sex made $75-$90, and medium ewe lambs returned $105-$109. A good entry of hoggets with lambs-at-foot sold for $86-$90 all counted. There were plenty of highlights in a strong cattle sale. Two-year Angus and Angus-Hereford bulls, 497-509kg, reached $2.93-$2.98/kg. Heifers in both age groups were predominately beef-Friesian and two-year HerefordFriesian, 428-444kg, made $3.00-$3.08/kg, while yearlings, 242-329kg, earned $3.05-$3.07/kg. Yearling Angus & Angus-Hereford heifers, 222-315kg, were strong at $3.15-$3.17/kg. Chatham Islands steers featured in the yearling pens and consistently traded at $3.44-$3.56/kg for 250-367kg, while Angus, 370kg made $3.61/kg.

SALE YARD WRAP

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018

confidence across all cattle sections with happy vendors and buyers. Prime exotic steers reached $2.84-$2.86/kg, while dairy-beef traded at $2.70-$2.80/kg. Bulls were a highlight, with better demand for all. Prime, 594-740kg, made $2.56-$2.62/kg, while store bulls made solid returns. Yearling Hereford-Friesian heifers, 344-404kg, made $2.97$3.03/kg, while weaner Murray Grey, 118kg, reached $475, and Hereford-Friesian, 103kg, $570.

SOUTH-CANTERBURY Temuka prime cattle, and all sheep • Coopdale cryptorchid lambs sold for $107-$127 • Medium mixed sex lambs made $111-$119 • Most prime ewes firmed to $110-$178 • Angus & beef-cross heifers, 507-643kg, eased to $2.55-$2.64/kg Hereford-cross steers, 500-533kg, eased to $2.60-$2.67/kg An increase in store lamb volume was welcomed at TEMUKA last Monday, though it was only enough to whet the appetite of a few buyers. A special entry of cryptorchid sold to keen interest, while light mixed sex made good values at $98-$115. Ewe volume increased due to weaning and top levels of $200-$300 were reached, with a small pen taking top honours. Prime lamb numbers reduced and prices firmed to $130-$179. The cattle market felt a blanket easing due to falling schedules and one processor closed due to flooding. Beef and beef-cross steers and heifers lost 10-20c/kg, though boner cows sold at steadier levels. No steers exceeded $2.80/kg, and Angus and Hereford, 590-608kg, made $2.68$2.72/kg. Hereford bulls, 619-750kg, were reasonably priced at $2.60-$2.61/kg. Boner cow numbers were minimal, and 560-695kg Friesian were steady at $1.78-$1.86/kg, while Friesian and Friesian-cross, 453-550kg, eased to $1.66$1.73/kg. SUCCESS: A scene from the Omagh ram and ewe sale last Tuesday, where the top ewe hogget sold for $2100.

MANAWATU Feilding • One-year Friesian bulls, 325-380kg, jumped to $2.78-$3.03/kg • One-year traditional steers, 340-385kg, rose to $3.50-$3.69/kg • Two-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 530-590kg, were $3.10-$3.15/kg • Mid-range blackface lambs lifted to an average of $107.50-$120 • Heavy blackface lambs also rose to an average of $125.50-$133 A medium-sized, mixed quality yarding of store cattle didn’t put off buyers who pushed most classes up another level. Yearling bulls were the main winners, though halfdeceent beef-Friesian cattle of all ages had a solid auction too. For example, 265-325kg beef-Friesian steers were $3.15-$3.40/kg. Store lamb tallies almost doubled but the largest turnout of buyers to date this season easily pushed prices up another step. Generally speaking $5-$7 was added through all cuts, though there was a fair bit of variation through mid-to-lower sized pens. Only one pen of midrange wet-dry ewes were sold at $138.50. Feilding prime sale • Medium to medium-good ewes firmed to $124-$154 • Heavy lambs firmed to $162-$171 • Beef cows, 570-660kg, made $2.36-$2.40/kg Interest for ewes came from processors and those looking for grazers at FEILDING last Monday. Heavier lines held value at $156-$166, but the remainder sold on a firm market, with light-medium lines making $91-$122. Lamb numbers dropped to 1240 and also on a firm market. Top lines made $186-$190, while the cheapest were $142. Cows made up the majority of a small yarding and were split between the beef lines and Friesian. 445-505kg, were steady at $1.92-$1.99/kg. Rongotea sale • Two-year beef and beef-cross bulls and steers ranged from $2.82-$2.86/kg • Two-year Hereford-Friesian heifers, 440kg, made $2.86/kg • Top lines of yearling steers sold up to $3.04/kg • 260kg Hereford-Friesian heifers made $3.17/kg • Weaner Hereford-Friesian heifers, 103-185kg, sold for $580. Significant rain brought a sharp rise in cattle numbers at RONGOTEA last Wednesday, along with a full rostrum, New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent Darryl Harwood reported. Older cattle prices were strong and Hereford bulls, 717kg, reached $2010, and boner cows traded at $1.50-$1.81/kg. Increased interest for yearling cattle meant prices firmed for the quality lines. Hereford-Friesian steers, 292-385kg, traded at $2.77-$3.04/kg, while Friesian-cross, 260-315kg, returned $2.89-$3.11/kg. Friesian bulls, 238-305kg, earned $2.46-$2.73/kg and Friesian-cross of similar weight, $2.08-$2.81/kg. Good heifers reached $2.71-$2.81/kg. Weaner Friesian bulls, 103-190kg, made $390-$550, and Hereford-Friesian, 85-131kg, $420-$615, while Charolaiscross steers, 125–165kg, realised $400-$540.

WAIRARAPA WAIRARAPA Masterton lamb sale • Blackface mixed sex lambs topped the sale at $128 • Good types sold for $112-$115 • Light lambs traded at $80-$90 MASTERTON offered up another good yarding of 3500 annual draft lambs last Wednesday, with an even split of blackface mixed sex and Romney cryptorchid. Strong demand from Wairarapa, Southern Hawke’s Bay and the South Island meant prices firmed on the previous week, PGG Wrightson agent Steve Wilkinson reported. South Island buyers mainly focused on medium types, which traded at $102-$105. CANTERBURY CANTERBURY

Canterbury Park prime cattle and all sheep • Medium and good mixed sex lambs lifted to $114-$128 • Light mixed sex lambs traded at $80-$111 • Prime beef-cross steers, 470-770kg, eased to $2.70-$2.79/kg • Forward store Traditional steers, 435-520kg, firmed to $3.05/kg • Prime Hereford-cross heifers, 495-615kg, eased to $2.68/kg CANTERBURY PARK offered up a decent number of store lambs last Tuesday, due to a big consignment from Marlborough. Strong demand meant prices lifted, with plenty of buyers active. Prime lambs were steady at $130$177, while demand for ewes continued to be strong and very heavy types sold for $207-$271. Most were lightmedium through to medium-good and $115-$171 was common. One line of 89 hoggets with 82 lambs-at-foot sold for $79 all counted. The cattle market reflected easing schedules and the type of cattle offered. Over 200 steers eased by 5-15c/kg, while heifers lost a further 5c/kg on top of that. Angus-Hereford steers, 478-573kg, made $2.99$3.06/kg, and Limousin, 640-658kg, returned $3.00-$3.10/ kg. A large offering of Hereford-Friesian, 500-615kg, eased to $2.66-$2.73/kg. Heifer volume was much lower, but many were over-fat. Heavier types up to 615kg traded at $2.60$2.68/kg, while medium with better yield eased to $2.70$2.79/kg. Friesian cows, 564-664kg, sold for $1.82-$1.90/kg. Coalgate cattle and sheep sale • Most store lambs were medium types at $106-$115 • Prime lambs were steady at $130-$168 • Prime heifers, 529-600kg, sold for $2.60-$2.74/kg • R2 Friesian bulls, 446-471kg, made $2.60-$2.61/kg • Weaner Friesian bulls, 119-137kg, traded at $415-$465. Rain provided the fuel needed for a buoyant market, and all classes of stock were at least steady, if not firm at COALGATE last Thursday. Store lambs firmed, and good types made $120-$133, with lighter types earning $81-$83. The top prime lambs sold to $170-$178. Most hoggets had lambs at foot and along with mixed age returned $87-$102 all counted. Ewe prices were steady to firm and a good number exceeded $200, while most were medium to good types at $140-$179, and lighter, $100-$136. There was good

OTAGO Balclutha cattle and sheep sale • First good entry of store lambs made $100-$118 • Medium to heavy prime lambs made $130-$165 • Prime ewes firmed with heavy types up to $170-$190 • Cattle sold strongly on a grass market Demand was strong for all classes at BALCLUTHA last Wednesday. Prime lambs made solid returns, selling down to $115, while hoggets traded at $100-$170. Medium ewes firmed to $140-$160, and light, $115-$120. A big yarding of cattle sold to strong demand from mainly Canterbury buyers, PGG Wrightson agent Russell Moloney reported.

SOUTHLAND Lorneville cattle and sheep sale • Perendale-Border Leicester ewe hoggets made $204 • Prime ewes firmed, medium types made $158-$176 • Two-year Charolais-cross cattle, 520-527kg, made $2.65-$2.75/kg • Yearling Charolais-cross heifers, 190-245kg, reached $3.23$3.30/kg • Yearling Murray Grey-cross cattle, 363-379kg, made $2.90/kg Sheep numbers were low at LORNEVILLE last Tuesday, but there was plenty to talk about. Lambs were offered in both sections. Store types made $90-$120, while prime lambs were steady at $126-$160. Hoggets made $140-$166, and heavy ewes lifted to $182-$202, with lighter types making $138-$152. Prime prices were consistent with the previous week as beef-cross steers and heifers, 460-520kg, made $2.60-$2.70/kg, and dairy heifers, $2.40/kg. Heavy cows were steady at $1.80-$1.85/kg, though medium types eased to $1.60-$1.70/kg and light, $1.30/kg. Exotic cattle featured in the store section and sold to strong demand. Outside of those, two-year Friesian bulls, 482kg, made $2.50/kg and yearling steers of same breeding at 300kg, $2.83/kg. Charlton cattle and sheep sale • Prime lambs sold well at $140-$164 • Heavy ewes reached $204 • Heavy two-year Angus steers, 710kg, made $2.64/kg • Yearling Angus-cross steers sold up to $4.09/kg • Yearling Hereford-Angus heifers, 311kg, reached $3.98/kg Results from CHARLTON last Thursday were very positive due to exceptional feed conditions, PGG Wrightson agent Greg Clearwater reported. The sheep market was firm and medium ewes traded at $160-$175, and light, $100. Just over 420 store cattle were penned, and a good bench of buyers ensured pleasing returns for vendors. Two-year Angus steers, 428kg, sold well at $3.13/kg. Yearling Angus-cross, 328kg, made $3.62/kg, though 264kg exceeded $4.00/kg. Hereford-cross, 370kg, returned $3.13/kg. Traditional yearling heifers stole the spotlight, though two lines at 311kg varied from $3.98/kg to $3.66/kg. Herefordcross, 313kg, returned $3.09/kg, which was the same $/kg for 339kg Friesian steers. Weaner Friesian bulls, 111-122kg, made $460-$480, and Hereford-cross, 112kg, $535.

Markets

56 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 3, 2018 NI SLAUGHTER STEER

NI SLAUGHTER BULL

NI SLAUGHTER LAMB

($/KG)

PRIME BEEF-CROSS STEERS, 470565KG, AT CANTERBURY PARK

($/KG)

($/KG LW)

5.10

5.60

8.10

2.79

Record lambing limits fall Alan Williams

alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz

RECORD high lambing percentage hasn’t prevented a fall in the number of lambs tailed during the latest spring

season. The gain, plus slightly more breeding from hoggets, could not offset the lower ewe numbers, Beef + Lamb New Zealand said. The average lambing for this season was 129%, a 1.7% gain on last year and nearly 8% above the 10-year average of 121.4%. More lambs were tailed in the South Island, with a substantial increase in Marlborough-Canterbury as recovery from drought continued, but a lower number in the North Island, where the decline in ewe numbers was greater. The east coast of the North Island suffered losses in the rain bomb during lambing in early September and the region is estimated to have had 331,000 fewer lambs tailed than a year earlier, a 5.9% fall to 5.3 million. Farmers tilting land use to beef from sheep were also a factor across the North Island. Total lamb numbers tailed for NZ were 23.5m, a 163,000 or 0.7% decline. B+LNZ’s surveys indicated the fall in breeding ewe numbers was 2.1% to 17.4m. The record lambing percentage is further evidence farmers are continuing to achieve productivity gains, doing more with less and improving efficiencies, the head of B+LNZ’s economic service Rob Davison said. North Island lamb numbers fell an estimated 3.2% or 371,000 head to 11.3m. South Island numbers rose 1.7% or 208,000 to 12.2m. Features included a Northland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty lambing rate

NOT ENOUGH: A record lambing percentage and a rise in hogget mating couldn’t offset the fall in ewe numbers.

The record lambing percentage is further evidence farmers are continuing to achieve productivity gains. B+LNZ of 139%, up from 132%, continuing a run of gains. Though ewe numbers in those regions have fallen to 2.263m mated from 2.344m last year, lambs tailed increased by 51,000 to 3.15m. Taranaki and Manawatu percentages were steady. In Marlborough and Canterbury the lambing rate jumped nearly 10% to 129.4% despite some variable individual farm results. Across the region, 3.37m ewes were

mated, producing 4.37m lambs. Last year 3.39m ewes mated had 4.06m. Southland had a small increase in lambing percentages and Otago a small decline. The South Island lambing rate was 129.9% and the North Island rate was 128.1%. The B+LNZ survey showed 1.1m lambs were born from hoggets, up 2.7% from a year earlier. That was 4.7% of total lamb numbers. Of them, 622,000 were in the North Island and 475,000 in the South. Growth in hogget breeding was greatest in the northern North Island and in Marlborough and Canterbury and the east coast had half of the North Island tally. B+LNZ estimates the number of lambs for export this season will be 19.05m, a 4% fall on the 19.87m last year. The export tonnage is forecast to be 4.4% lower, with a slightly lower average carcase weight expected.

high $118-$130 lights Good mixed sex

lambs at Canterbury Park and Temuka

$107.50-$120 Medium mixed sex blackface store lambs at Feilding

ACROSS THE RAILS – SUZ BREMNER

So what about that rain, huh? IT’S fair to say that over the last two weeks rain has been a popular topic of conversation around the kitchen table, in the paddocks and in the sale yards. Just the mention of the word has brightened up many farmers’ faces, especially in those areas, and we here in Hawke’s Bay were one of them, that were seemingly missing out on all the liquid gold others were raving about. Not so now as we have tipped more than 100mm out of our rain gauge here in the foothills of the Kaweka Ranges, putting us 150mm over our yearly average rainfall for the last three years with one month still to go. The effect on prices at the sale yards has been like a tidal wave – rising high and fast, leaving a strong finish to a month that really could have gone either way at the beginning. Feed has gone from a famine to a feast and those who have been putting off buying are now scrambling to get mouths. The phrase grass market has been part of many conversations had with stock agents around the country and nearly all classes of stock have been positively affected. One market that will be worth watching is the Friesian bulls. A lot of bull farmers have started the offloading process but were somewhat reluctant to re-stock until they knew what summer was going to look like but now it appears that the buying floodgates have opened and we have already seen a resulting lift in prices at the yards. In the next few weeks they will no doubt become a hot commodity but, as always, bull farmers are very astute and will buy to a limit. The market to be perhaps less affected, though, has been the dairy-beef weaners. They are well through the selling season in Waikato and Taranaki and buyers are filling up so though some might take on a few more head there has been very little upwards movements at those sales.

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