Farmers Weekly NZ July 23 2018

Addition by subtraction Vol 17 No 29, July 23, 2018

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7 Hoban says: Get in behind Vol 17 No 29, July 23, 2018

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Crooks beware Neal Wallace

T

neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz

OUGH new laws with harsher penalties for stock rustlers have gained cross-party support and could be law within months.

The Sentencing (Livestock) Rustling Bill initially introduced by the National Party’s Rangitikei MP Ian McKelvie in June last year has since garnered support from all parties and will make the theft of livestock an aggravating factor for sentencing.

That effectively increases the severity of the crime, giving police more options in the charges laid and sentencing by the courts.

Justice Minister Andrew Little is awaiting advice from officials on the exact details of the Bill but hopes it with be law within three months.

McKelvie welcomed the crossparty support saying he hopes the new Bill would lower the threshold to allow police to confiscate tools such as dogs and vehicles used by rustlers.

“It will be interesting where Andrew Little gets with this in the next two to three weeks.

“Whichever way it goes, the Bill that will come back before the House should be stronger than the one I introduced.”

Little said the outbreak of Mycoplasma bovis created a need for tougher laws dealing with the movement of stolen cattle but the law also has to acknowledge that stock theft differs from the theft of inanimate objects.

Some minor amendments to the Crimes Act are part way through the Parliamentary process onto which he hopes to tack the Rustling Bill.

That was occurring as a Federated Farmers leader said members are reporting an increase in thefts of stock and farm items, a crime the federation estimates costs the industry $120 million a year.

There have been recent reports of 170 lambs and 30 ewes stolen from a south Otago farm, multiple thefts of diesel and farm equipment from dairy farms in Otago and South Canterbury and stock stolen from farms in Wairarapa and Gisborne.

In 2016 500 dairy cows were stolen from an Ashburton farm.

Federated Farmers board member Miles Anderson attributes some of the increase in reported crime to the high price of livestock.

While welcoming the broader powers for law enforcement it needs the support of greater numbers of police to enable crimes to be investigated.

The Labour-led coalition Government has promised an extra 1800 police so some of them should be allocated to rural communities, as was promised by the previous Government.

“Rural communities need extra resources.

“There are large areas police are expected to cover and a lot of one-person police stations where rural police are pushed to do their jobs.”

A spokesman for Police Minister Stuart Nash said where those extra police are stationed is a decision

BACK-UP: Rural communities need more police resources to enforce tougher rustling laws, Federated Farmers spokesman Miles Anderson says.

The Bill that will come back before the House should be stronger than the one I introduced.

Ian McKelvie National for the Comissioner Mike Bush.

Anderson said staffing levels mean rural crimes are not treated the same as urban ones.

“If there was a $30,000 jewellery heist of a store in a city police would thoroughly investigate it but the resourcing issue means

that same value of livestock would rarely get similar resourcing.”

He urged farmers to report incidents of crime, saying such data is used to allocate police resources.

“It is important we do this because police resources are based on reported crime.

“If we don’t report crime, police don’t know about it so won’t put extra resources in to it.”

Senior Sergeant Alasdair Macmillan, the co-ordinator of community policing at Police national headquarters, believes any increase in reported crime could reflect success by police, Federated Farmers and insurer FMG in encouraging rural people to report crime.

“The message appears to be getting out that police care but more importantly that we can’t do it by ourselves.”

Stock theft by its very nature is difficult to investigate but as the spate of thefts of bees, hives and honey showed, by getting police and industry to work together, intelligence can be gathered and perpetrators caught.

That intelligence helped police track down people extracting stolen honey, which led to convictions.

In a similar vein Macmillan said police are working with Ministry for Primary Industries inspectors to find avenues through which illegally acquired meat is processed and sold.

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NEWS

WEATHER

5 No plans to

OVERVIEW

abandon GMO caution

We enter a bit of messy weather pattern for the next week or so with showers in many coastal areas and a number of lows and highs moving around New Zealand. The main trend for this week relates to a sub-tropical low and an incoming high. The two might bring showers and easterlies then southerlies across the country. It’s one of the messier forecasts because it is hard to lock in which regions are most exposed to rain though it appears eastern and northeastern areas might get the most. The low might slide down the eastern side of NZ but at the same time a high from the Tasman Sea is trying to push in.

Western areas might be the driest.

The Government has no plans to loosen rules on genetically modified organisms despite a ryegrass developed here with the technology reducing greenhouse gas and nitrate emissions.

NZX PASTURE GROWTH INDEX – Next 15 days

Pasture Growth Index Above normal Near normal Below normal

7-DAY TRENDS

Mega water scheme gets consent ���������������������������������� 8 Nitrate spikes prompt curbs ����������������������������������������� 10

Newsmaker ������������������������������������������������������20 New Thinking ��������������������������������������������������21

Wind

Rain With a low expected to slide down our eastern coastline it appears eastern and northeastern NZ is most exposed to wet weather this week. A high in the Tasman might help keep western and southern areas fairly dry.

Opinion ������������������������������������������������������������24 World �����������������������������������������������������������28-29

ON FARM STORY

26-27

Consistent performer helps others Former New Zealand Spearfishing champion and international representative Geff Cookson has an impressive record in the water and on the land.

Winds are variable/changeable this week because of a low in the subtropics drifting south near eastern NZ. It’s likely to work with an incoming high so winds might come in from the easterly quarter for a time then turn southerly.

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

Highlights/ Extremes

Temperature After a warmer-than-average week and weekend this week is shaping up to be more normal for late July. Frosts return to inland and southern areas and daytime highs in the north reset to normal for most.

A low drifting to the east of NZ is worth keeping an eye on. While it might not deliver any severe weather it has the ingredients to change and strengthen. Just one to monitor, especially for rain in the east.

14-DAY OUTLOOK

A drier-than-average trend is kicking in for a number of eastern and northern regions and coupled with warmer-than-average weather lately there might be some positive pasture growth. In a nutshell a number of regions look average to maybe drier than average for the next seven days with driest weather possibly shifting south and west. A drier week coming could be a positive but temperatures might be more normal this week and that means frosts return for some.

SOIL MOISTURE INDEX – 20/07/2018

REGULARS Real Estate �������������������������������������������������30-31 Employment ����������������������������������������������������32 Classifieds ��������������������������������������������������������33 Livestock ����������������������������������������������������33-35 Markets �������������������������������������������������������36-40 GlobalHQ is a farming family owned business that donates 1% of advertising revenue to the Rural Support Trust. Thanks to our Farmers Weekly and Dairy Farmer advertisers this week: $652. Need help now? You can talk to someone who understands the pressures of farming by phoning your local Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254.

Source: WeatherWatch.co.nz

This product is powered by NIWA Data

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

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

3

Wool sector to connect threads Annette Scott annettescott@globalhq.co.nz THE wool industry is set to move forward with a new purpose and a fresh plan for action.

Key players in the industry are forming a new co-ordinating group to better tell the wool story and give it a sense of direction with a purpose for the future, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said.

The Government and industry stakeholders took the first step towards revitalising the languishing sector at a Wool Summit in Wellington last Monday.

O’Connor said the gathering of 40 wool producers, processors, marketers and wider industry players all agreed on one key issue.

“There’s a real lack of performance right across the sector.

“The demise of the Wool Board in 1997 and end of the wool levy in 2014 left the industry floating around without any sense of purpose.

“There’s no unity, structure, common vision and strategic focus,” O’Connor said.

There was no questioning that something needed to be done with some urgency.

“That the disintegration of the industry was in need of greater collaboration was unanimously agreed by all.”

While there were some small pockets of the industry doing good things the bigger part of the industry is clearly tagged for a shake-up, he said.

“We need to expand that success of a few doing the good innovative stuff and look at how that can benefit much wider.

“It’s an industry just horribly disconnected.”

O’Connor believes the right people in the room are united on taking a fresh approach.

“They stressed the need for

TANGLED: Unravelling the issues besetting the wool industry is the task of a new working group with Government backing.

The demise of the Wool Board and end of the wool levy left the industry floating around without any sense of purpose.

Damien O’Connor Agriculture Minister industry to tell the story of wool to consumers at a time when the world is crying out for alternatives to plastics and synthetics.

“We have an amazing product and good consumer insight. We have to connect all the threads.

“There was a good mix of

enthusiasm and experience at the summit and everyone agreed we need to build trust and collaboration across all parties to turn wool into a success story for NZ as it once was.”

From the summit a small working group is being formed and will work with the Ministry for Primary Industries to progress the next steps.

O’Connor said MPI is also investigating how it can use its Economic Intelligence Unit to help the sector better connect with high-value customers.

He expects to announce the steering group in the next couple of weeks with its first meeting planned for next month.

“There’s no hard and fast set of names but the group that is formed will be 10-15 in number

and will be representative of the wider industry and all the stakeholders connected to it.

“I have committed MPI and Government to support this summit and the plan to move forward,” O’Connor said.

Federated Farmers meat and wool chairman Miles Anderson said there’s a real sense of urgency to get co-operation and momentum.

NZ wool producers have been under pressure, particularly in the past two years as prices for strong wool hit record lows.

The time for wool is now given how environmentally aware the greater community has become, Anderson said.

“Wool offers an environmentally friendly product as opposed to synthetic, oil-based products

which release micro-plastics into the environment.”

Several working groups have previously tried to unravel the issues but the mentality and commitment that now exists in the industry shows an understanding of what has to be done for wool to compete and thrive.” he said.

“Wool producers have been able to survive during some trying times.

“They’ve done that with tenacity and a keen business sense, which the working group should be able to draw from.”

Anderson applauded O’Connor for initiating the summit.

“His continued support is crucial for success and hopefully this summit has provided the momentum needed to cast on for a vibrant future.”

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

Farm sales quiet but resilient Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz THE rural real estate market remained resilient through the quiet June trading period, especially for drystock farms even though prices were lower overall.

Despite a positive pricing outlook for most sectors, the Mycoplasma bovis virus is a worry in dairy and beef farming zones and early spring is likely to be a test for the Government and industry animal eradication programme, Real Estate Institute rural spokesman Brian Peacocke said.

Sales turnover was lower for the three months to the end of June compared to the three months to the end of May, with 32 fewer sales.

For the year there were 1480 sales, down 17% on the corresponding period a year earlier.

For all farms, the median price per hectare for the three months was $21,745, down from $25,993 for the corresponding time last year, a fall of 16.3%.

Prices were down slightly more on the May 2018 comparison.

Dairy farm prices were lower year-on-year on both measures, by 8.4% on a median price basis and by a hefty 11.5% on the institute’s dairy farm price index.

For the June three-month period the index was down 3.4% compared to May. Finishing farm prices were also easier with the latest median price being $26,245/ha, down from $29,093 for the May period and $27,613 for the three months to

POPULAR: Strong sales of grazing units resulted from increasing interest in sheep and beef in Southland.

June last year. That was a 5% yearon-year fall.

Regionally, ManawatuWanganui had a solid increase in sales, up by 21 over a year earlier, and Waikato, plus eight, and Hawke’s Bay, six, were also busier.

An increase in dairy farm listings is expected in Waikato in the spring.

Canterbury and Northland each had 23 fewer sales though Northland was active across most sectors during June, except that M bovis is affecting some transactions.

There was increased demand for land suitable for horticulture,

stimulated by Zespri releasing more licences for gold kiwifruit as well as ongoing demand for avocado and market-gardening properties.

Peacocke said sales activity in Canterbury was hampered by very few properties being on the market during the winter.

Otago had 12 fewer sales though there was consistent activity in grazing and finishing farms.

There was inquiry for dairy support blocks as farmers look for self-containment to guard against M bovis.

That was also a trend in Taranaki, Wairarapa-Wellington

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After the transition period, it is important to allow animals in the mob to each get their allocation of forage, to ensure animals reach their performance targets.

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In addition to managing and utilising winter crops, cleaning up rank pasture over the winter period is also important. This promotes the growth of high quality grasses in the spring, maximising live weight gain in cattle and milk production in ewes.

and Southland. There were strong sales of grazing units for increasing interest in sheep and beef in Southland.

Nationally, grazing units had a median price of $10,113/ha in the June period, compared with $10,687/ha in May and $10,093 for the June 2017 three-month period.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

5

No plans to abandon GMO caution Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz THE Government has no plans to loosen rules on genetically modified organisms despite a ryegrass developed here with the technology reducing greenhouse gas and nitrate emissions.

Environment Minister David Parker said the Government has a precautionary approach to genetic modification and no plans to change it.

AgResearch has reported promising initial results from field trials of its genetically modified High Metabolisable Energy (HME) ryegrass in the United States with 23% less methane emissions from livestock, less nitrate excretion, grass growths rates 50% higher and more resistance to drought.

Food exporters do not seem too anxious to embrace genetic modification technology, with two key players saying it is not a priority.

We need to recognise the value in NZ’s global reputation for its current GM status and keep a watching brief.

Judith Swales Fonterra Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive Sam McIvor said while it will monitor evolving science and consumer trends, research shows global demand is for red meat that is natural, grass-fed and free of genetic modification, hormones and antibiotics.

“Advocating for the commercial application of genetically modified organisms is currently not a priority for B+LNZ. Our focus is on leveraging our own unique competitive advantage.”

Fonterra’s velocity and innovation chief operating officer Judith Swales said genetically modified organisms are an issue the country and the Government need to discuss and while Fonterra is not anti-GMO it sees value in having options on the technology’s use.

“But the world is changing and we need to listen carefully to

customers and consumers.

“We need to recognise the value in NZ’s global reputation for its current GM status and keep a watching brief.”

GMOs are not banned in NZ with trials regulated under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act. But the HME ryegrass might never be sown in NZ given what many in the biotechnology community consider is a high approval threshold and opposition from some vocal groups.

Parker acknowledged genetic technology research is changing what is possible across a range of sectors and industries and the Ministry for the Environment is monitoring their relevance to NZ. But there are no plans to amend laws around NZ testing of GMOs and he said given AgResearch and partners own the intellectual property to HME there is potential to license it overseas if that is in the best interests of the shareholding parties and NZ. Green Party genetic engineering spokesman Gareth Hughes said the party would welcome a national discussion on the technology but believes NZ’s future is in the production and export of organic food.

Agriculture has GMO-free techniques such as nutrient budgeting, livestock breeding and using nitrogen inhibitors to reduce its environmental footprint.

Earlier this year then prime minister’s science adviser Sir Peter Gluckman called for a new debate about genetic engineering saying science has proved the technology is safe.

A University of Saskatchewan study published in the Journal of Commercial Biotechnology found consumers are willing to accept and pay premiums for genetically modified foods provided they have value personally relevant to them.

That means making genetically modified products consumercentric from research and development through to marketing and not industrycentric, which would mitigate the negatives associated by GMOfood.

University of Auckland business school senior marketing lecturer Mike Lee believes consumers might pay premiums for GMOfree food but the size of premium

FUTURE CLOUDY: AgResearch principal scientist Greg Bryan with the high metabolisable energy ryegrass that might never be grown here because it uses genetic technology.

they say they will pay and what they are prepared to pay could differ.

Consumers would pay premium prices only for NZ produce if all producers are GMO-free.

“Because we are a series of islands we can prove it much easier that we are GE-free.”

Consumers are split into three groups: those totally opposed to the technology who view it as unnatural, those concerned at unintended consequences once the technology is released and those who see it as an extension

of biotechnology and say humans have always affected nature.

“They’re keen that NZ is not left behind.”

But there is equally an argument that if the technology is adopted there is no going back.

“Farmers and agriculture want to be efficient and take a scientific approach but are currently sitting on the fence.

“If they choose one side and adopt genetic technology there is no going back.”

NZ’s isolation and demand for GMO-free food from Europe

and Asia will prove an advantage but there is no certainty price premiums will cover the cost of conventional production against more competitive suppliers using GMO-technology.

He said farming wants and needs products to reduce its environmental footprint.

But the sector’s reputation could be tarnished if it used potential environmental gains from genetically modified products such as grass to ramp up production, effectively nullifying the environmental gains.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

Farmers must get in behind Annette Scott annettescott@globalhq.co.nz

New ops boss

JOIN UP: Beef + Lamb New Zealand northern South Island farmer council chairman James Hoban wants more farmers to join Action Groups.

BEEF + Lamb New Zealand has canned its sheep awards for this year, taking time to review their relevance in a changing industry.

The annual awards, introduced by the organisation’s southern region farmer council, have been running since 2012.

But it’s time to ensure the awards remain relevant so it’s been decided to take a break for a year, B+LNZ chief executive Sam McIvor said.

The awards aim to celebrate

RAVENSDOWN has appointed Stephen Esposito as operations general manager.

A Canadian now Christchurch resident, Esposito, an engineer, was previously export operations general manager at Solid Energy. He has 20 years experience in operations, risk management and strategy development. He has a passion for environmental performance and safety. His remit covers the farmer coop’s three manufacturing facilities and nine aglime quarries. Superphosphate is produced at sites in Napier, Dunedin and Christhurch and the operations team employs 176 staff.

Profit going up ideas into action on farms.

The network, the result of research among farmers, is made up of farmer Action Groups of seven to nine farm businesses.

There’s no intention for the groups to replace discussion groups and field days but to introduce a get-stuff-done, farmer-led, individual and group plan that provides peer support and encouragement.

“I really encourage all of you to consider being part of an action group,” Hoban said.

The groups are farmer-led and supported by trained facilitators to help identify experts who can share new knowledge and ideas needed to achieve goals.

Each group is eligible for kick-start funding of $4000 a farm, which is pooled for the group to pay for a facilitator and expert advice.

This funding is available until June 2020 when the seven-year RMPP winds up.

There are about 120 groups registered or active around

with Southland, ManawatuWanganui and Hawke’s Bay leading the way.

The goal is to get 350 groups to drive sustainable productivity improvements in the sheep and beef sector to deliver higher on farm profits.

MORE:

www.actionnetwork.co.nz Phone 800 733 632

MORE: MEATY MATTERS

P25

Sheep industry awards take break for a revamp Annette Scott annettescott@globalhq.co.nz

NEWS BRIEFS

the best sheep in the country but whether they are relevant in their current format and how B+LNZ can build on their success will be determined in the overhaul.

“The awards are the one occasion that brings stakeholders together to recognise the people and genetics that make the sheep industry world-leading,” McIvor said.

“To ensure the awards stay relevant and reflect the changing nature of the sheep industry, the organisation has chosen to take a one-year break to re-evaluate and where

necessary re-purpose the awards.”

As part of the re-evaluation B+LNZ will review the format, timing and criteria for all the awards.

The review process will include consultation with farmers and all other stakeholders to ensure that when they return in 2019 the awards will be as successful as they have been in the past, McIvor said.

“We’re committed to drawing on the collective experience of those who have been involved to help develop a great event for the future,” McIvor said.

RAIN GEAR

UPDATE: It’s time to make sure the sheep industry awards remain relevant, Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive Sam McIvor says.

LANDCORP Farming (Pamu) has updated its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and revaluations forecast for the 2017-18 financial year. At its half-year result it estimated $33 million to $38m for the full year. That has been revised up to an estimated $47m to $52m. Chief executive Steven Carden said factors including better-than-expected results from milk and red meat and an allocation of extra carbon units in the five-yearly audit Primary Industries Ministry audit of the firm’s forest assets. “The company has had a real focus on controlling costs and maximising on-farm returns while not compromising our commitment to excellent land and animal management,” Carden said. Pamu expects to announce its full-year result in August.

Wool sale down A LACK of inquiry from Chinese buyers made for a disappointing start to the crossbred wool selling season in Christchurch, defying predictions the strong June market would continue.

Lambs’ wool was cheaper in spite of the excellent fleece quality. The 27 to 29.9 micron wool was 1% to 2% down and 30 to 33 micron was 3% to 5% cheaper.

Adult wool 35.1 microns and stronger was 4% to 8% lower and 31 to 35 micron was 3% lower on a limited offering.

Crossbred second shear wool was 2% to 5% cheaper and crossbred oddments were 4% to 6% down. Mid-micron wools were again well sought-after, being up 3% to 5%, PGG Wrightson South Island sales manager Dave Burridge said. A small offering of fine wool also sold well. The pass-in rate was 45%.

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FARMERS need to get behind the Red Meat Profit Partnership’s Action Network so they can drive the benefits of the $64 million Primary Growth Partnership behind the farm gate.

Speaking to more than 200 farmers at the Beef + Lamb New Zealand annual FarmSmart forum in Christchurch, northern South Island council chairman James Hoban said Canterbury farmers are lagging.

The RMPP programme can be a game-changer but only if enough farmers participate.

“We need more of you. We need to form more action groups and we especially need more of you in Canterbury.

“These groups are about farmers taking the ideas and making them work behind the farm gate. If you don’t you won’t get the benefit.”

B+LNZ is a partner in the RMPP, a collaborative programme bringing red meat sector partners together to help the industry get more productive and profitable.

The RMPP Action Network is an initiative to help farmers develop confidence to turn

7

8

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

Mega water scheme gets consent Annette Scott annettescott@globalhq.co.nz PLANS for a $260 million mega water storage facility in the foothills of Mid Canterbury have moved a step closer.

Rangitata Diversion Race Management has been given the green light by independent commissioners who have granted 22 consents related to the storage pond.

While it is an exciting step and reward for five years of work to date the proposers remain a little nervous, chief executive Ben Curry said.

“We are thrilled that all the work, including a lot of international research that we have put in over the past five years has resulted in a very positive outcome.

“It’s still open for appeal until the end of the month but we’re mostly confident that we can address any issues that may be appealed.”

The proposed 53,000,000 cubic metre pond will be the biggest of its kind in Australasia.

The pond will store water to boost local stream flows and managed aquifer recharge to enhance groundwater supply and provide habitat for flora and fauna and support recreation.

The firm has supplied water for hydro-generation, irrigation and stock water in the region for more than 70 years.

Curry said growing interest in water storage prompted the project.

“We have established infrastructure and we’re in a position to meet that need.”

Storage will help manage water more efficiently, improve fish screens and irrigation reliability and put thre firm in a position to provide water for wider use, including into South Canterbury.

“This is a real win not just for RDR and its shareholders but much wider in that RDR will be

TIME: Hunter Downs chairman Andrew Fraser is expecting shareholders will take a few days to get their heads around a proposed new funding model.

We put forward a very strong evidentialbased proposal and we got everything we asked for.

Ben Curry Rangitata Diversion Race Management able to supply water much wider and particularly south of the (Rangitata) river and into South Canterbury.”

Water is also tagged to supplement flows in the Ashburton River and managed aquifer recharge.

“We put forward a very strong evidence-based proposal and we got everything we asked for and there’s a lot of winning in that for a lot of purposes.”

The new consents relating to the

storage pond mean the firm can take an extra 10 cumecs of water from the Rangitata River when the river is in flood and flows reach 136 cumecs.

The pond will be developed across 250 hectares, most of which is owned by the company, next to the Rangitata River.

Curry said storage will allow better use of natural resources, which is encouraged in national policy statements on freshwater use.

The project is predicted to contribute an average $34m a year to the GDP of Ashburton District.

Hunter Downs in South Canterbury is preparing to issue a new product disclosure statement in a bid to secure a future for its proposed water scheme.

Chairman Andrew Fraser said the board is considering a new commercial funding model after Hunter Downs was left high and dry by Crown Irrigation Investments.

“There’s been quite a few changes since the first public disclosure statement so we are preparing a new one to present at a meeting in August where we will update shareholders and announce the board’s recommendation for future funding.”

While he expects it will take a few days for shareholders to get their heads around the new funding model the board hopes to get commitment from shareholders after the meeting.

There will be no changes to the proposed scheme itself or the predicted annual charges.

“If they are all in agreeance we will carry on,” Fraser said.

Hunter Downs has resource consent to use Waitaki River water and plans to irrigate 12,000 hectares and provide domestic water for Waimate and Timaru.

Updated costs for the Waimea dam project have blown the proposed budget by $26m.

Tasman Mayor Richard

PROTECTING NATURE: Rangitata Diversion Race Management chief executive Ben Curry says storage will allow better use of natural resources, which is encouraged in national policy statements on freshwater use.

Kemphtorne said unless a solution can be found to close the gap the dam won’t go ahead.

The construction cost of the Lee Valley dam near Nelson makes up a big chunk of the higher costs, coming in at just over $68m, about $18m higher than the $49.8m build estimate.

Central Plains Water is on track with the $200m stage two to supply water from September 1.

Covering the area between the Selwyn and Waimakariri Rivers, stage two will service 20,000ha, supplying pressurised water to farms, on top of the 23,000ha irrigated in stage one.

In stage two about half of CPW’s farmer-shareholders are existing irrigators who will switch from groundwater to surface water from the scheme, with the remaining half new irrigation.

The district is predominantly mixed cropping and sheep and beef and apart from a handful of farms is not expected to change to dairying.

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News

10 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

Nitrate spikes prompt curbs Tim Fulton timfulton050@gmail.com DEEPER and longer-lasting cuts to nitrate use are on the cards for farmers and lifestylers near Christchurch.

Nitrate levels at some Canterbury Regional Council monitoring sites in Waimakariri are far worse than envisaged and existing plans and regulations don’t go far enough, Waimakariri Catchment Zone committee deputy chairman Grant Edge says.

The council routinely collects groundwater samples from about 300 long-term monitoring wells sampled annually across the region, including about 30 wells in the Waimakariri zone.

The spring-fed Silverstream near Kaiapoi at 9.4mg/litre of nitrate-nitrogen is nearing the maximum allowed level of 11.3mg/l.

Any level higher than that is considered unsafe to drink and levels at 8mg/l are similar in public wells in the ruralresidential lifestyle belt at Ohoka and 9mg/l at a more rural monitoring site inland near Cust.

The official precautionary limit for nitrate concentrations is 5.56mg/l.

A staged approach beyond the existing requirements of Good Management Practice (GMP) regulations will be needed to cut nitrogen use in the district, Edge said at a packed public meeting in Kaiapoi.

COMING ROUND: A growing number of farmers accept the part they have to play in reducing nitrogen, Federated Farmers North Canterbury president Cam Henderson says.

Landowners on light, permeable soils will have to do more to prevent nitrogen loss while farmers on heavier land near the coast will have to trap more phosphorous and sediment.

Some farmers disputed farming’s environmental impact though others including Federated Farmers North Canterbury president Cam Henderson, a dairy farmer at Oxford, said a growing number of farmers accept the part they have to play.

A big question was how fast farming should be expected to cut the intensity of its nitrogen use and to adapt to other new policy.

It is important to get the balance right as going too fast could be catastrophic economically and going too slow could be disastrous environmentally, Edge said.

The meeting heard a major issue for farmers on more intensively-run properties is likely to be limits for nitrogen loss on winter grazing. The district’s proposed Plan Change 5, now being appealled, allows some winter grazing without an audited Farm Environmental Plan or a nitrate limit.

Examples of farming within GMP include replacing fodder beet with kale in winter, culling

earlier, using low-nitrogen autumn feed supplements, off-paddock infrastructure and reducing stocking rates.

Dairy and beef farmers and dairy-support operators can be expected to cut nitrogen losses by up to 25% more than existing GMP levels by 2020 or 2025, depending on regional council policy expected to be adopted later this year.

Arable, sheep and deer farmers will be expected to cut an extra 10%.

A zone committee handout signalled further cuts of 15% a decade might be needed until

2060, depending on how much improvement needs to be made in the receiving environment.

Farmers, authorities and community groups will keep working on enhancement projects, water and soil monitoring, nitrate reduction pilot projects and incentives for improved practices over that time, the meeting heard.

Nitrate concentrations are variable in private wells across Waimakariri but at times the readings are higher than standard for about 40% of wells less than 50m deep.

“Increases in wells are likely to occur over several decades (and) significantly longer in deep wells towards the coast,” a zone committee handout said.

Health-wise, Waimakariri is easily within the drinking water standard but overall nitrate concentrations are rising, zone committee and council staff said.

Nitrate concentrations show increases in many community wells but it is very unlikely they will exceed the drinking standard though a recent council study confirmed some higher-nitrate water will find its way into the Christchurch water supply.

ECan concluded increases in nitrate concentration in city aquifers from land use activity in the Waimakariri zone will occur over 50-100 years. The concentrations are not predicted to go higher than the minimum safety standard, it found.

DIY restoration gets cracking Tim Fulton timfulton050@gmail.com

GREEN FINGERS: Easterbrook Rd planting group members Andy Earl and Grant Edge.

A DOZEN lifestyle blockholders and a dairy farmer are turning their saturated lowland Canterbury soil into a haven for native plants and birds.

One of the lifestylers, truck driver and former All Black loose forward Andy Earl said he’d love to create a corridor of native plants and protected wetlands in the

area. Earl started planting natives on his Fernside block after he sold his North Canterbury farm seven ago.

A springhead on his property feeds the unofficial Easterbrook Creek and a lattice of streams and man-made drains.

Banding together on planting and fencing was a common cause to advance what’s already there, he said.

The Easterbrook Rd community planting group is spending just over $176,000 to create a natural 1.8km waterway to Fernside Rd, restoring original local streams as much as possible.

They had a head start on the project because, unlike other parts of the old Flaxton swamp, their heavy country from Easterbrook Rd to the springhead had never been cut into drains.

Next step is re-establishing native plants and protecting rare ones that have survived 150 years of farm development.

Riparian buffers will help stop sediment flowing into streams and suppress weed growth from runoff. Near-vertical ditch embankments will be smoothed in places and fences will exclude stock from waterways, as per council rules.

Earl has some handy allies in the project including dairy farmer Dave Ashby and landscape architect Grant Edge, the chairman and deputy chairman of

the Waimakariri Zone Committee, a public body creating water policy in the catchment.

Edge said deep ditches capture and divert fast-moving floodwater but it doesn’t make sense for councils to have to continually dig them to remove the weed and sediment they trap.

Nor is it ideal when councils dumped the dregs along the banks, creating unsightly, weedinfested mounds, or for water races down-country to flood coastal towns.

In North Canterbury fastgrowing towns like Rangiora and Kaiapoi are struggling to cope with the flows as well as nutrient-rich water contaminating drinking supplies. Nearby areas like the once-pristine Silverstream near the Waimakariri River are recording record nitrate levels.

There is no single answer to improving the district’s water, Edge said.

The zone committee prefers small groups volunteering on local projects rather than councils legislating for every type of farm, lifestyle block and residential area.

The Easterbrook Rd landowners are putting up $126,000 for their project while the regional council has granted just under $50,000 from the Intermediate Steps biodiversity fund. The group also hopes to attract support from local businesses.

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

11

LIC profit leads to a shareholder dividend Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz LIC shareholders will receive 1.71c a share on their new holdings after the just-completed capital restructuring.

The payout will come from the underlying aftertax earnings of $3.05 million achieved by the dairy farm services group in the year ended May 31.

LIC’s former co-operative shares and listed investment shares were cancelled and converted into a single ordinary share class on the NZAX on July 19 after a long-running and expensive transformation programme.

The dividend, totalling $2.22m and carrying imputation credits, will be paid on August 17 to shareholders registered on August 3. Trading in the new shares will begin on NZAX on July 23.

The transformation process has one-off costs of $20.66m in the latest year, reducing the reported earnings before interest and tax (Ebit) to $14.9m from $32.6m a year earlier.

However, Ebit also includes the non-cash revaluation of the group’s breeding bulls, which was an $8.6m gain compared to a $24.6m gain previously.

We are confident that the measures we have in place will protect our bulls and customers from the disease.

Murray King LIC Chairman Murray King said excluding the revaluation and transformation costs impacts, ordinary Ebit was $27m for the year, well over the double the previous year.

Revenues were $236.4m from $203.5m.

The reported after-tax profit was $9.3m, down from $20.8m, because of the one-off costs and lower added bull values. A significant increase is expected this year.

As a business LIC is more match-fit than it had been before and better positioned to deliver good outcome for farmers, King said.

The core services of artificial breeding (AI) and herd testing performed strongly.

“Ongoing volatility in milk prices, increasing environmental constraints and new biosecurity challenges such as Mycoplasma bovis show how critical it is that we take nothing for granted and that we continue our focus on agility and being ready to respond to disruptive threats.”

LIC extensively tested its breeding bulls and found no sign or indication of M bovis.

“We are taking nothing for granted but we are confident that the measures we have in place will protect our bulls and customers from the disease,” King said.

Indications of LIC’s strengthening operating position are in the operating cashflow figures, up to $37.8m from $25.36m, and in the balance sheet where borrowings were reduced to $19.6m from $32m on total assets consistent at just over $341m.

That pushed shareholders’ equity up to $242m from $233.4m, providing a ratio of 71% equity to total assets.

The main dairy genetics (AI) business increased revenue to $92.9m from $81.4m a year earlier and pre-tax profit rose to $62.3m from $49.6m. Herdtesting also made gains with revenue up to $31.3m and pre-tax profit to $12m from $24.6m and $7.9m respectively. As with the AI services, farm software is a high margin business for the group though growth is slower. Revenue rose to $43.9m from $41.2m and pre-tax profits to $26.8m from $24.7m.

LIC expects to spend $13.2m, 5.6% of revenue, on research and development this year, from

$13.9m or 6.9% last year.

King said this year will not have any transformation costs, which will boost the operating earnings and provide underlying aftertax earnings of between $18m and $22m, assuming there are no significant adverse events.

In the annual report directors said the company has bought back 1.33m investment shares from people not accepting the capital restructuring issue of shares. There is disagreement over the price to be paid for them and arbitration is under way.

READY: LIC is now more match-fit than it was before, chairman Murray King says.

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12 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

Growers’ success spans hemispheres The Lazio district south of Rome is the northern hemisphere equivalent of Te Puke in Bay of Plenty. The districts might be 18,000km apart but growers in both play an invaluable role in Zespri’s efforts to continually meet the burgeoning demand for popular SunGold kiwifruit. Richard Rennie spent some time with Zespri, distributors and growers in the district, learning how leveraging distance and talent is helping make the fruit a year-round success on produce shelves.

IN THE five short years since Zespri launched the SunGold fruit in response to Psa’s devastating impact on its predecessor, the new variety has become a hit with consumers.

China and Japan now account respectively for about 16 and 12 million trays of SunGold fruit from New Zealand a year.

Growth in a single season alone in 2016 was 40% and expectations remain high as penetration into China’s smaller second tier cities continues.

The issue for us is not really having to look hard for more growers.

The challenge for us is to get the best growers growing it.

Marco Mastroleo Apofruit SunGold’s sweet-tart taste has also found favour in the European market, one that has traditionally favoured the tarter taste of Green kiwifruit.

But the sheer popularity of the fruit has risked it becoming a victim of its own success.

Zespri’s European supply chain manager Dario Vegetti said with such popularity comes a need to try to fill in seasonal gaps in the supply calendar, something

NZ simply can’t achieve in one hemisphere.

To date the 6000 hectares of SunGold in NZ is rapidly being followed by supply out of Japan, South Korea and particularly France and Italy. Italy is on track to reach 2880ha of SunGold with 2277ha in the ground and 1700ha in production, harvesting about 8m trays in 2018.

LIke NZ it has been a rapid growth curve for Italian growers with the area more than doubling in only three years.

But unlike NZ, Italian kiwifruit growers do not share access to a single desk seller.

Rather, most generally supply one of four large fruit suppliers, some which are themselves grower co-operatives. For the past 17 years Zespri has worked in partnership with those companies, building grower relationships and area of supply.

Marco Mastroleo is technical grower manager for one of the largest co-operatives, Apofruit, which processes a variety of fruits including pomegranates, plums, blackberries and kiwifruit from about a third of the co-op’s business. It is a big business processing 350,000 tonnes of fruit a year, turning over almost €300m a year.

“The issue for us is not really having to look hard for more growers. There are many wanting to grow SunGold. It is a highmargin, attractive fruit. The challenge for us is to get the best growers growing it.”

OUR MEN OVER THERE: Zespri’s Lazio team is, from left, marketing officer Matteo Lorenti, Apofruit technical manager Marco Mastroleo, grower Aldo Sciotti and supply chain manager Dario Vegetti.

Unlike in NZ, growers do not pay a licence fee to grow the fruit but are required to meet Zespri fruit standards if they want to supply through one of the fruit companies.

With about 25,000ha of kiwifruit in the ground throughout Italy, experience is not scarce and Mastroleo says growers in both hemispheres are united by their common experiences with Psa, with Italian growers tending to manage the disease better than their French counterparts.

Responses to the disease have been similar to NZ, with all the afflicted Hort 16a Gold variety cut out and regular copper applications to keep it at bay.

The bogie man of NZ horticulture, the brown

marmorated stink bug, has already established itself in the northern growing regions around Bologna and growers in Latina are bracing themselves for incursions closer to home.

“In the north the bug has a fruit for every stage of its lifecycle, which fortunately is not so much the case here,” Mastroleo said.

Mediterranean fruit fly has proved easier to deal with over the past five years. Pyrethrum traps hang from vines and are highly effective.

Despite being only half an hour from Rome’s 4m residents, growers share the headache Kiwi growers have finding suitable staff.

To retain a solid skill base for processing the delicate SunGold Apofruit has its post-harvest

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processing done in the north.

However the graft on orchards is hard to fill.

One SunGold grower said unless the government takes an active role in encouraging Italy’s huge migrant population to upskill, increasing crop volumes could be challenging.

He could not find a single worker to fill a role on his orchard that also growers strawberries and vegetables for local markets.

“If they can, workers are heading back to their home countries, such as Romania.

“The government needs to think about a seasonal work scheme for the industry. Despite a lot of people coming here, they simply are not ready and able to work on farms.”

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

Lazio is Italy’s Te Puke equal

Growing aspects • Good quality water supply for irrigation • Well established, skilled growing community • Managable soil type • Affordable land at €100,000 a hectare for SunGold orchards • Close technical liaison between growers and processing companies • Lengthy relationship of 17 years between Zespri, growers and groups • Strong and ongoing IP transfer between growers in both hemispheres, particularly on Psa control • 10,000 trays a hectare common, 15,000 trays achievable for good growers

The greatest challenge to get crops to meet their full potential is managing water application.

Marco Mastroleo Apofruit

KIWI AS: A recently planted SunGold orchard in Lazio district. The netting protects from frequent hailstorms and diffuses ultraviolet light to aid ripening and prevent sunburn to fruit.

share and maintaining its premium value in a global fruit market where most branded fruit struggles to keep its place and command a premium.

At Lazio the dictator Benito Mussolini succeeded where dozens of emperors and leaders before him had failed. In the 1930s he had the swampy district drained to become a fruit and vegetable basket for Rome. Now kiwifruit is a key crop in the district.

The region’s greatest challenge is its soil.

Apofruit technical manager Marco Mastroleo says the deep sticky clay can shift from very

wet to very dry in just days and demands irrigation on kiwifruit crops through the hot, lowhumidity summers.

A typical summer day experienced in early July topped 32C but had only 35% humidity.

“The greatest challenge to get crops to meet their full potential is managing water application and growers are getting much better at this.

“It is easy to apply too much water, which can lead to trunk dieback and rot.”

Growers have overcome the limits shorter sunshine hours

impose on crop potential by installing overhead netting to diffuse ultraviolet light, improving ripening and reducing sunburn on fruit. It is also necessary for hail protection.

Good orchardists also spend significant time keeping leaves strategically in place to protect fruit from sunburn.

Fertiliser comes as both solid and through the irrigation system, with each Apofruit grower having a programme developed specifically for them and supplied via a company-developed calander app.

For Mastroleo, Zespri’s established reputation in Italy and now SunGold’s proven track record for generating good consistent returns means finding growers is easier and is helping his company achieve some big growth targets.

“Planting SunGold is also seeing growers move away from quantity to quality with bigger, better fruit required as Zespri standard, with incentives to motivate them to achieve that.”

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LAZIO province of Italy with Latina as its town centre represents a good partner as Te Puke’s Italian equivalent, helping Zespri meet the opposite hemisphere’s need to keep markets supplied.

Zespri European supply manager Dario Vegetti said the challenge for Zespri marketers in Italy and France is to keep supply lines through to Asia in tune.

Shipping times match NZ’s to Europe with five to six weeks required to supply China and Taiwan.

Being sourced from Europe also means no trade access into Japan, with growers there meeting the local market in NZ’s offseason.

Last season’s harvest had 4.7 million SunGold trays grown in Italy and 0.4m in France with about half the crop going overseas and half of that to China.

Longer term, the three-way partnership between Zespri, fruit processors and growers is proving invaluable in helping cement SunGold on shelves.

Growers are attracted by a fruit they see increasing market

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14 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

DURING: Simon loses his locks at the Mosgiel fundraiser.

Wielding the clippers is Jamie MacKay.

BEFORE: Simon, Tash and their children Braydon, Dusty and Ava.

AFTER: Simon Andrews, minus dreads and three kilos lighter, with broadcaster Jamie MacKay.

Live without dread for wellbeing DAIRY farmer Simon Andrews sacrificed his prized dreadlocks recently in support of nationwide rural wellbeing initiative Farmstrong.

Andrews wanted to raise awareness among farmers and their families of the importance of looking after themselves.

He and his partner Tash O’Neill organised a quiz night and silent auction at the Mosgiel RSA in June, attracting about 60 people.

Those who couldn’t make it on the night were encouraged to donate to the cause on the

farmstrong.co.nz

couple’s Givealittle page.

Jamie MacKay was on hand to do the honours and cut Andrews’ waist-length dreads, which had been 14 years in the making and weighed in at a hefty 3kg.

The couple’s Living Without Dread event raised over $2400 for Farmstrong and shone the spotlight on issues close to Andrews’ heart.

“We need to do more as a

community to talk about it and support each other so we decided to jump on board with Farmstrong and do our bit,” he said.

“Partnering with Farmstrong was a great way to promote positive messages about wellbeing in our community. I also thought Simon’s dreads deserved to go out with some pomp and ceremony,” O’Neill said.

The couple contract manage 310 milking cows on a 100-hectare property in Momona, near Dunedin. They also have three kids so life’s busy.

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Andrews loves farming but says managing the workload and pressure, especially during busy times, is a skill in itself.

Last year was a big one for the couple who took on a farm management role for the first time.

“Taking on all that extra responsibility was overwhelming at times. Being proactive, not reactive, in the way we managed our work and family life was essential for keeping on top of things,” he said.

“Communication is the big thing,” O’Neill said.

“I really believe that a problem shared on a farm is a problem halved.”

Having the right mindset is also important, Andrews said.

“You can’t worry about things that are out of your control in farming.

“If something goes wrong you’ve just got to reset the mind and carry on.

“For example, earlier this year we had a couple of bad milk grades after we made a mistake, which was a real low point for us.

“But we just dealt with it, changed our processes so it couldn’t happen again and moved on.

“My motto these days is always onwards and upwards.”

He urges any farmers feeling under the pump to head to the Farmstrong website.

“There are a tonne of practical tips there to help farmers look after themselves and each other.

“Some of these things sound so simple – like taking breaks, getting exercise, eating properly and getting a decent night’s sleep – but when farmers get busy we often don’t think about them.

“All these things add up so

you’ve got something to call on when you need to,” he said.

O’Neill said it’s also important for farming families to enjoy the benefits of rural living and not take life for granted.

“We love being able to bring up our kids on a farm.

“Seeing the cows, being able to keep chickens, the fresh air and the peaceful moments you get on farm. My advice is don’t lose sight of what you love about farming.”

Seeing the cows, being able to keep chickens, the fresh air and the peaceful moments you get on farm. My advice is don’t lose sight of what you love about farming.

Tash O’Neill Farmer Andrews’ main message for farmers is simple. “I think far too many people in our rural communities are struggling with depression or taking their own lives. Everything you’re striving to look after is going to suffer, if you don’t look after yourself.

“If your animals are in a healthy condition, it’s just common sense that you should be too.”

Andrews and O’Neill are running a follow-on fundraiser that runs till the end of September.

Anyone wishing to donate to rural wellbeing can head to their Shave To Support Givealittle page. is the official media partner of Farmstrong

Simon’s and Tash’s top wellbeing tips

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• Communicate – Don’t bottle things up. Discuss issues with your partner and fellow workers before they become problems. If you don’t know how to do something on farm ask a question, don’t struggle on. That’s how you grow your skills.

• Take your breaks – Sometimes it can be hard to get off the farm, especially during calving and mating, but we make sure we get regular breaks to spend time with friends and family in town.

• Learn to manage stress – We’ve got better each season at managing the busy times. Last year was our first year as contract managers, which meant a lot of extra responsibility. But stress-wise and mood-wise we feel like it’s been our best year. We’ve learnt to recognise our triggers and give ourselves time and space to recharge.

• Keep active – We like doing bush walks with our kids to relax, doing something that works the body as well as the mind. It could be something as simple as chopping wood.

• Eat well – Fuelling up properly is important for farm work. Our freezers are stocked full of meals we’ve prepared for busy times like calving.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

17

Orchard sales part of expansion Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz

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A MAJOR expansion into Northland is already paying off for kiwifruit handler Seeka.

Since buying the orchard and post-harvest operations of T&G Global in the region in April Seeka has signed up a further 340,000 trays of kiwifruit supply from independent growers, chief executive Michael Franks said.

He now has the orchard land plus some other orchards the group has, some planted in avocados, on the market and a redevelopment of the packhouse operations near Kerikeri planned.

No detail has been released but the cost will be several million dollars.

Franks hopes the 288ha of orchard land, including 80ha producing kiwifruit, will be sold to a single large investor, who will agree to Seeka having a long-term management contract.

“We would want at least 15 years of supply to Seeka.”

Bay of Plenty-based Seeka will pack kiwifruit and avocados at the Kerikeri site. It already has avocado growers in the region and has signed up new supply for that product as well.

The facility will also pack citrus fruit on contract for T&G. Seeka’s priority is to get a post-harvest operation in Northland.

It has growers there and leases a small packing facility as well as having some packing done by T&G Global and trucking some fruit to Bay of Plenty.

“We had growers and good support in Northland so went on a search of the region to find a site suitable to put a

post-harvest business on,’’ Franks said.

“Options included a greenfields site and in the end the best site was the T&G site in Kerikeri and in a conversation we found that it was for sale but they required us to buy their kiwifruit orchards as well.

“They’re great orchards in fantastic locations but it was always intended that they would be onsold as our business model is not to be an extensive horticulture landowner.”

We’re in a high investment stage as volumes of kiwifruit are pushed up.

Michael Franks Seeka As well as putting in some other orchards Seeka has sweetened the portfolio offer by successfully tendering for 20ha of licence for new Zespri SunGold kiwifruit, which is being grafted now in preparation for planting.

Of T&G’s existing 80ha in kiwifruit, 12.6ha is in SunGold, 46ha in ENZA Gold, 5.56ha in ENZA Red and 9ha in Hayward green. T&G is retaining ownership of the ENZA brands with Seeka having a master licence for them in New Zealand. Those kiwifruit are largely sold into Australia. The orchards also include 12ha of mandarin and 15ha of lemons.

The purchase price on the T&G Global orchards was $31.6m. The sums on the onselling project haven’t been worked out yet, Franks said.

Seeka has also bought $2m

worth of Zespri shares as part of the transaction. With an allup value of about $42m, that puts the post-harvest packing and storage assets at about $10m.

At the time the sale was announced, T&G’s NZ executive general manager Andrew Keaney said it was a positive outcome. Citrus and berries production in Northland and other parts of the country are T&G’s core business and further investment will be made in those areas, including more planting.

Kiwifruit growers and staff transferring from T&G will benefit from Seeka’s plans for long-term investment in the sector, he said.

For Seeka, the Northland investment follows the 2015 acquisition of kiwifruit and nashi orchards and packhouse operations in Victoria, Australia, with fruit volumes due to rise sharply in the next two to four years, and moves to be a NZ marketer of produce outside the kiwifruit sector.

Significant new debt has been taken on to finance the Northland business but debt will return to normal levels once the orchard land is sold, Franks said.

“We’re in a high investment stage as volumes of kiwifruit are pushed up.

“We’re always consolidating our investments but we’re not expecting momentum to slow down.”

The Northland investment is consistent with group strategy because it focuses on Seeka’s kiwifruit foundations, spreads the group’s geographic reach, services existing customers and brings in new customers. Northland is a very good producer of Gold kiwifruit, he said.

STACKS UP: Seeka’s expansion in Northland stacks up with the sale of orchards and new growers being attracted, chief executive Michael Franks says.

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News

18 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

Growers’ roots reach back across century

DIGGING IN: Pukekohe Vegetable Growers’ Association president Pravin Hari says celebrating a century gives a positive focus.

Glenys Christian PUKEKOHE has long been known for vegetable growing but the industry’s importance is at the forefront in 2018, the centenary year of the Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association.

The 500 tickets to a gala dinner on September 21 are almost sold out with growers excited about celebrating the milestone.

“We seem to talk a lot about the issues we face so it’s great to be able to talk about our

ARE YOUR NAIT RECORDS UP-TO-DATE?

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Ensure all your NAIT contact details including email are accurate and up-to-date

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If you are receiving animals on-farm – create or confirm a receiving movement within 48 hours

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Make sure your NAIT account is consistent with your farm management application account

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Register all animals in NAIT within 7 days of tagging or before they move off-farm

Make sure all of the locations you manage where NAIT animals are kept are registered with NAIT If you are sending animals off-farm – create a sending movement within 48 hours, and complete an animal status declaration form (ASD)

Tag and register your animals within 6 months of birth or before moving off-farm, whichever comes first

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achievements,” association president Pravin Hari said.

He’s a member a subcommittee of 10 that has organised a number of events throughout the year to showcase vegetable growing in the area and its contribution to the local economy.

They included grower visits to Franklin schools and a presence at the Franklin Careers Expo to ensure the next generation of growers is ready to step up.

There have been 44 banners erected on Pukekohe’s main streets depicting historic vegetable growing scenes, individual growers, the crops they grow and the machinery used in their operations. They will stay up until the end of September with Hari saying there’s been a very positive response to them from growers and locals alike.

“It gives you a nice feel about the industry,” he said.

Ten road signs will shortly to go up on major roads into Pukekohe, featuring the slogan, A Food Basket for New Zealand, so motorists are reminded of the area’s proud vegetable producing tradition.

Funding for them and the historical banners came from Auckland Council’s Franklin local board.

A community open day is to be held on the day of the gala dinner with a range of activities around the town such as at the Pukekohe Library, where visitors can try their hand at potato printing. In the evening it’s hoped all 12 of the association’s life members will attend the dinner.

The association plans to play a significant role in the town’s Christmas parade.

Hari said one of best things about the celebrations has been the amount of historical detail that has come to light as information has been sought out from growers and the community.

“We’ve realised just how long some of these businesses have been going,” he said.

“Some predate the formation of the association.

And quite a few of them are still operating.”

All local vegetable growers will be looking to the future as they remember where their industry has come from and the strong contributions many different families have made.

“Celebrating 100 years in any organisation is a massive achievement,” he said.

“Growers are really proud and have really got behind it. It’s given everyone something positive to focus on rather than the challenges we face.”

Wallace Group has new processing site WALLACE Group has added a Mataura processing site, requiring about 20 seasonal contractors and 30 seasonal staff, to its nationwide operations.

Chief executive Graham Shortland said “The recycling of co-products from the agricultural sector performs a valuable service for farmers and processors as well as protecting the natural environment from the impact of dead stock”.

“It’s also good news for the local economy as around two dozen contractors are required for slink lamb and calf collection along with about 30 staff for processing.”

Last year Wallace Group bought Nichols (NZ), which operates a specialist tannery in Christchurch and a significant casualty stock collector network across the South Island.

Tannery general manager Bernie Lynskey said “Our collection service has created a positive industry for converting lamb and calf skins into high-quality, finished leathers which are exported for glove, garment, accessory and footwear manufacturing.”

Wallace Group picks up about half a million slink lambs annually in the South Island and about 50,000 in the North Island.

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

19

Action group heads for court Glenys Christian THE Northern Action Group is appealling against the Local Government Commission’s decision the north Rodney area remain under Auckland Council.

The group is raising money for the hearing in the High Court on August 30.

It counts among its members farmers from Warkworth who argue their area has been seriously deprived of infrastructure and funding since the formation of the super city.

Chairman, Bill Townson said the group has been representing itself and has done the lion’s share of the work but is launching a fundraising appeal to hire a lawyer for the Wellington court case.

“Hopefully, that cost won’t be too horrendous,” he said.

One large backer had provided most of its funding so far but the group is now calling on local ratepayers to help.

The commission turned down appeals by NAG and One Waiheke, a group of Waiheke ratepayers, to form unitary councils late last year saying there is insufficient rationale for their reorganisation proposals and the status quo is the preferred option for Auckland governance.

COURT ACTION: The Northern Action Group, which includes farmers from Warkworth, says an appeal is it’s best chance.

But earlier this year the commission made a number of recommendations to Auckland Council about how it should improve services and communications to residents in outlying areas. It described the council’s response last month as very promising and taking seriously the recommendations made to it.

“It has made encouraging progress of its own accord in addressing the very real concerns we heard from residents in Waiheke and Rodney,”

commission chairman Sir Wira Gardiner said.

One of the council’s undertakings was a potential extension of aspects of a Waiheke pilot project empowering the local board, to Rodney. The Rodney Local Board is working on aspects of the pilot that could be put in place that are relevant to Rodney’s critical issues with transport, communication and engagement.

Another undertaking is a planned move of the Rodney Local Board office to the Rodney area, with the potential for a

second meeting space in Kumeu to address the challenges faced by the board given the size of its area.

And the council plans a major increase in Rodney’s road sealing budget with the top 20 roads in an Auckland Transport-prioritised list for tarsealing all in the Rodney area.

The council plans a review of service level variability across the region to determine how to smooth out funding distribution issues across local boards, three-year reviews of local board allocations as an ongoing commitment to localism and devolution and targeted communication improvements. It will report back to the commission on progress in November.

Gardiner said the main issues the commission heard about in Rodney and Waiheke before it made its decision revolved around people feeling disconnected from the council and unable to communicate with it meaningfully when matters important to their particular communities arise.

“All parties involved in the recent reorganisation application process should feel pleased with the positive progress being made.”

But Townson said there is not much commitment from the council to change.

“It’s a predictable response and much of it has come straight out of our proposals,” he said.

“It’s tinkering around the edges when the whole thing needs a total rethink.”

The group is also disappointed at what it sees as an about face by New Zealand First, which it said gave repeated assurances before last year’s election it would initiate a binding referendum on the issue. Labour had also been strongly critical of aspects of Auckland Council’s operation, he said.

“The appeal is now our best chance.”

While One Waiheke has withdrawn from court proceedings Townson said a finding in favour of NAG could lead to that group refiling its proposal for its own unitary council.

Federated Farmers, which welcomed the commission’s report, said it could have gone much further, with more of Auckland Council’s decisionmaking delegated to local boards rather than being made at governance body level. The council’s response is a step in the right direction, showing progress is being made and the Rodney Local Board is getting to grips with the issues involved.

THE NEW DAIRY FARMER

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Newsmaker

20 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

Busy farmer takes over contest Woodville farmer Rebecca Brown has taken up the top seat to become the first woman to head the iconic Young Farmer of the Year Contest. She talked to Annette Scott.

M

OTHER of five, farmer, banker and wife Rebecca Brown is passionate about Young Farmers and its annual Young Farmer of the Year contest.

The 34-year-old from Woodville in southern Hawke’s Bay met her husband Angus through Young Farmers and knows what it’s like to be involved in the organisation’s prestigious competitions.

“My husband competed in the competitions in the early 2000s and was a grand finalist in 2010.

“We have convened two district finals and been involved with a number of regional finals as well as going through the experience of a Grand Final.”

Now Brown steps up to head the 2019 contest.

“Even better, it’s in my hometown.”

Brown is the first woman to hold the role in the contest’s 50year history.

“I am really honoured. This is an amazing event to be part of and such a great opportunity to give back after gaining so much.”

With five children aged from five to 17 years, full time work as a financial lender with the New Zealand Credit Union in nearby Dannevirke and life on the Taratahi farm she and Angus manage, things are just busy enough for Brown who is also one of three women this month appointed to the YFNZ board.

“I have a great support network of family and friends that makes it possible.

“It’s very much a family affair.

Angus is just as passionate about Young Farmers and has been on

the national committee. He has had his time and now it’s my turn as the family grows up.”

Two years ago the couple gave up their lease on the family dairy, beef and sheep farm to take on the managers’ role at Taratahi.

Ultimately, they want to have their own farm.

“But right now we have more family time in doing what we are doing and more flexibility both around family and what else we do.

“We do want to own a farm but that time will come down the track when we get through this phase.”

Brown also plays and coaches netball and is sideline at her family’s sporting activities including rugby and competitive motocross.

“We all work well together and really it’s about making the most of any opportunities that come to me.

“I am passionate about that and want my kids to make the most of every opportunity they are given. I want to be a role model to my kids and to others.”

Brown said being chairwoman of the Young Farmers Contest is her turn to do her bit.

“I have a passion I want to see through. I love being involved and there’s so much satisfaction.”

The only downside is that in between her job as banker and her roles on the competition committee and with the board she doesn’t get so much time to work the family farm.

That aside, getting to eight years old is an exciting time in the Brown household.

“Turning eight is the best birthday ever. It means they

GIVING BACK: Rebecca Brown has taken on the job of organising the Young Farmer of the Year contest because she says it is time to give something back.

can compete in the Agri-Kids section of the contest and then it’s TeenAg.” Brown is keen to grow both those younger sections as the contest takes on new challenges in the next 50 years.

“We have just celebrated 50 years and we are now looking to face the challenges of the next 50 years.

“This is about updating the contest with an overview and focus to match beyond the traditional farming with more innovation and use of technology at the same time bringing that through in the TeenAg and AgriKids competitions.”

Though the stereotypical image

TOGETHER: Rebecca Brown with, from left, MacKenzie, 17, Liam, 11, Scarlett, 5, Akaisha, 13, Angus, and Harrison, 9.

of a NZ farmer is a bloke in a Swanndri or singlet and gumboots women have always been a big part of farming and she’s pleased to see that increasingly reflected in the competitors over her 15-year involvement with Young Farmers.

“There are a lot of women who compete in Young Farmer of the Year and we’ve had many women make it to finals.

“Hopefully, the next competition will be the year a woman finally takes the grand prize.”

While her new roles are a bit of an adjustment she is thankful to get advice from some of the more experienced committee members.

The three elected delegates on

I’m a little bit nervous about the responsibility but I think I’m pretty well prepared. the committee are past committee chairman Dean Rabbidge, Cole Groves and Alastair Neville.

“They are great mentors to me.

“I’m a little bit nervous about the responsibility but I think I’m pretty well prepared.”

Hawke’s Bay is set to host the Grand Final for the first time in 16 years.

It’s been confirmed Hastings and Napier will play host to the final in July 2019.

“Hawke’s Bay is a major foodbowl with amazing diversity,” outgoing YFNZ chief executive Terry Copeland said.

“The region is famous for its award-winning vineyards and is teeming with producers of top-quality fruit, vegetables and meat.”

“There is a real opportunity for that diversity to be showcased in the modules tackled by grand finalists next year,” he said.

“We’re now looking ahead to the next 50 years and how we refocus.

“It’s incredibly important for us to reflect that NZ’s food production isn’t just about meat and milk,” Copeland said.

Napier Mayor Bill Dalton said the region is looking forward to having the contest.

“We are proud to welcome the grand final of the FMG Young Farmer of the Year to Hawke’s Bay. “We are the epitome of a grassroots region championing primary producers across the agriculture and horticulture sectors.”

The practical events for the 2019 contest will be held at the Hawke’s Bay A&P Showgrounds in Hastings while the quiz and evening show will be staged in Napier.

New thinking

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

21

Tomorrow’s farms

Farming in a changing climate The year 2050 looms large and significant for the Government as the target for New Zealand becoming carbon neutral. Neal Wallace investigates what farming could be like 31 years into the future.

K

IWIFRUIT could be grown in parts of Canterbury and commercial banana plantations might appeare in Northland by 2050 as the country’s climate warms.

NIWA principal climate scientist Andrew Tait said in general the climate in 2050 will be wetter in the south and west of the country but drier in the north and the east in what will be a gradual transition to a climate on average 1C warmer.

The impact of climate change in the second half of this century will be even more pronounced, with the temperatures 2C hotter than now and average rainfall and temperatures differing by up to 10% from today.

New Zealand has signed up to the Paris Agreement, committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow global warming to 1C by 2050 and 1C from 2050 to 3000.

Tait said Southland in 2050 will be a major beneficiary of climate change with a longer grass growing season from a wetter but warmer climate while Northland will be drier and warmer.

Conversely, the North Island’s east coast will be more drought prone, which could affect the viability of hill-country sheep and beef farmers.

Kiwifruit production might struggle in traditional areas with orchards forced to move inland, to higher elevation and south to Canterbury to get enough winter chilling to provoke natural bud burst.

Central Otago could be a bit wetter and warmer, bringing into question its niche as the world’s most southern pinot noir grape-

growing region, forcing a change to new varieties to cope with its warmer winters.

If farmers are struggling now it will not get any easier in the next 30 to 80 years.

“Climate change will, at the current margins, make it harder to be profitable doing what we’re currently doing.”

There will also be more issues with weeds and pests migrating with the changing climate.

“As a rule of thumb, if you see things in the north now, they are likely to more south.”

Technology has advanced markedly in the last 30 years and will do so in the next 30 years, providing technology, science and genetics to help farmers.

The increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could boost pasture and plant growth by up to 10% but countering that could be higher rates of evapotranspiration from hotter temperatures and the impact of more frequent, severe weather events such as drought, flood, storms and coastal erosion.

“The carbon dioxide effect is stronger (on production) than the negative affect of climate change.” he said.

While harder to model, the extreme weather events could counter those productivity gains.

Snow levels are likely to rise and ski fields will increasingly rely on snow making but the North Island is unlikely to become snow-free.

“There are still likely to be heavy snowfalls from southerly blasts off the Antarctic but it could mean the snow will not lie around for as long at sea level but melt more quickly.”

Tait said the climate will change slowly and might not be so obvious to those without

weather records but it will test the ability of farmers to adapt their management.

“We’ll see change by 2050 when we look back over the last 30 years but it won’t be dramatic.”

The Government is consulting on its Zero Carbon Bill, which includes new emission targets to replace the current 2050 target of a 50% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels.

The options being discussed are reducing carbon dioxide emissions to zero, reducing emissions of long-lived gases such as CO2 and nitrous oxide to zero while stabilising short-lived gases such as methane and net zero emissions of all greenhouse gases.

Climate change will, at the current margins, make it harder to be profitable doing what we’re currently doing.

Andrew Tait NIWA A Ministry for the Environment economic analysis of those options conceded businesses like agriculture could become less competitive if climate actions lead to higher costs than their overseas competitors.

But, equally, moving to a low-zero carbon economy will encourage innovation and give NZ first-mover advantage.

Economic modelling assumes agricultural emissions face an emissions charge, scientists discover a methane vaccine that reduces emissions by between 20% and 30% and there are no more dairy conversions from 2025.

It also assumes shifts in consumer preferences by 2050 will

reduce global demand for dairy by 11% and red meat by 15%.

By 2050 household income will increase 40% following measures to curb climate change, compared to 55% if no action is taken.

It also estimates economic growth could be 0.2% lower.

Beef + Lamb NZ innovation manager Richard Wakelin expects new uses to be made of existing forages such as lucerne, fodder beet and chicory and for livestock genetics to be more closely tailored to consumer requirements.

Wakelin said changes will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary.

He sees the biggest challenges for farming in 2050 being demands on people dealing with data and traceability required to meet compliance obligations such as monitoring carbon, soil and water.

He believes the sector’s workforce will increasingly come from people not associated with farming but seeking a career change.

The tools used to gather and decipher data and information covering what is produced, when and how it is produced will differ greatly from today and on a scale comparable to the change in technology that evolved in the last 30 years.

Cell fingerprinting to tell the origin of an animal, the production system used and what it was fed or treated with will be in common use and technology will help manage that influx of data.

Climate Change Minister James Shaw predicts agriculture in 2050 will remain one of the country’s major industries but the rural landscape will differ.

Farms in 2050 will be more mixed, incorporating forestry, pasture and ruminant animals but with greater use of new precisionagriculture technology that will effectively result in no waste

of water and fertiliser through runoff.

Shaw predicts more focus on regenerating soil.

The Ministry for the Environment’s Our Climate Your Say document said large scale forest planting is needed to help NZ meet its emission reduction targets, estimating up to 10% of NZ’s landmass will be planted in new trees.

That planting includes a million hectares of land prone to extreme erosion.

Shaw said that will not mean pinus radiata plantations blanketing the landscape.

A policy of right tree, right place, right time is being adopted to ensure the right tree species – a mix of native and introduced – are planted in the right places.

Modelling indicates the economy should continue to grow as low-carbon policies are introduced but Shaw acknowledges some rural communities could struggle as trees replace livestock.

He said the Government will provide resources and programmes to help those communities adapt.

He is uncertain how extensive alternative plant-based protein products will be and expects some farmers to be growing crops for that market.

Consumers will continue to demand animal-based protein and Shaw believes they will be prepared to pay premium prices.

“There will still be quite a segment of the market prepared to pay premium prices for the real thing so long as it is goldplated in terms of having a low environmental impact and being ethically produced.”

While agriculture will continue to be a key export earner in 2050, information technology along with tourism and energy exports using hydrogen technology will have grown.

Opinion

22 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

EDITORIAL

Mutural aid helps us survive winter

A

MATE of mine posted a picture on Instagram last night of the first three calves born on her dairy farm.

For her, and for countless other dairy farmers around New Zealand, it has begun. Calving is an intense period for dairy farmers. There are long hours, late night outings, sleep deprivation and bad weather to contend with. Of course, most farming families also have children to attend to, households to run and cows to milk again.

There were new lambs in the fields on my drive to work this morning too, a reminder this time of year is equally as stressful for sheep and beef farmers who are nurturing this abundance of new life.

Tomorrow I’m off to visit my dairy farming friends. We’ll have a beer and a laugh and share a meal.

I’ll get up on Saturday morning and have a coffee, do a few chores and then probably do a bit of relaxing.

For those beginning calving the story’s a fair bit different and for the next couple of months stress levels and stamina will be tested.

Farming is stressful at the best of times but when you’re out in the rain, headlamp on, trying to calve a troublesome cow in the freezing rain you might find yourself questioning your life choices.

Most farmers I know wouldn’t have it any other way and, like all careers, it’s just a matter of navigating the tougher times and enjoying the view when the sun’s out and the daffodils bloom.

It’s important to take care of one another, too. I’ll be doing what little I can for those farmers I know – the odd hot meal and a bit of babysitting.

Winter gets me down too but I don’t have to spend most of it out in the elements. Still, with a bit of support and a good plan, we’ll all get through it.

Bryan Gibson

LETTERS

Forget science, think survival THE two most recent issues of Farmers Weekly have offered contradictory versions of the future.

The issue No 27, July 9 2018, confronts us with the reality of imitation meat.

It is here now and already starting to compete with us.

Numerous contributors made the point that we, a small nation 1400km from anywhere, and that anywhere is Australia, cannot expect to compete with the big chemical chains and huge moneyed interests that are backing them.

We have to establish and protect our point of difference.

That point of difference is starting to be developed with the Red Meat Story, Taste Pure Nature. As former Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy pointed out “We are GMO and hormone free. Issue 27

also detailed that the imitation meat is made with genetically modified yeast and, among other ingredients, soy, which is almost certainly sourced from GM plants too.

Then, the next week, issue No 28, July 16 2018, we have articles extolling the virtue of GM grass and an editorial calling for a scientific debate.

Sorry, this is not about science. It is about perception.

Hormone growth promotants were not banned from New Zealand supermarkets because of scientific data. It was market perception.

The NZ Dairy Board did not campaign against the use of BST in the early nineties on the basis of scientific data. It was the possibility of adverse market perception.

NZ’s competitive advantage is not so much our grass-based farming – other countries can grow grass too though most of

them have a way to go before they are as efficient – it is our distance from anywhere. There is no casual, cross-border contamination.

If we don’t allow GM in of our own volition then we can say we are GM free.

This is not something we can be a little bit pregnant about. If we are serious about really selling our story, about Taste Pure Nature, about developing and selling our point of difference then there is no place for GM organisms anywhere near our productive food chain.

It’s not about keeping our costs down. It’s about being able to extract a premium price from the 40 million people in the world that we can feed.

It’s not about science. Its about survival.

Get over it

Richard Alspach Dargaville

John G Rawson Whangarei

FOR Heaven’s sake, beekeepers, get over this silly bickering with Australia about manuka.

If it is as good as we think it is, the world can use all we and the Aussies can produce.

The species came from there. Its seeds are light enough to have been blown over the Tasman many times.

Sure, it’s a Maori name but that is used over there too. It is also the name of one of the main centres of their capital city.

We could co-operate with the Australians to produce high-yielding strains that could be protected by plant variety rights.

Any real threat to our exports of this product is likely to come from countries well beyond Australia.

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Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

23

Kiwis still at the leading edge Kate Scott

I

T’S not every day you walk into a room of 80-odd people and the entire room is abuzz with chatter, where people come together with a common and passionate link – agriculture and food.

It’s also not every day that you get to attend the Contemporary Scholars Conference as a Nuffield scholar.

This year went to the proverbial home of agriculture, the Netherlands for a week of immersion in all things Nuffield, including the opportunity to hear from some great speakers, to enter into some challenging debates, see some of the amazing opportunities that the Netherlands have to grow food as well as to hear about challenges the Netherlands is facing in the agriculture space.

It was, however, surprising that despite the Netherlands producing about 12 billion litres of milk a year that it is not overly easy to find fresh milk for your cup of tea.

Where some see this as a threat to the agriculture sector, I see it as an opportunity.

A couple of highlights included the chance to cycle to the farm of 2015 scholar Gerjan Snippe where we saw the inner workings of Biobrass, his organic co-operative farming business, and for me a highlight was also being able to attend the Royal Holland Flower Market, a modest 270 hectares of land dedicated entirely to selling and distributing flowers and plants.

The inside tip for people interested in flowers, is that pastel colours are on trend for the coming seasons.

It was also a great opportunity to visit the recently opened World

The

Pulpit

Horticulture Centre, which is a great example of collaborative use of space between industry, education and research to advance development in the horticulture sector.

The Netherlands is truly world-leading when it comes to horticulture and the ability to grow an abundance of food and produce, especially from a relatively small footprint.

I was also given the chance to take part in a panel discussion on the future of agriculture, 2030, from a New Zealand perspective.

It enabled me to reflect on where we are at the moment and what the opportunities might be for NZ in the future.

One of the key things that came to mind for me was that there is a clear need for us to have an agriculture strategy and we need to focus on having the hard conversations so there is a path forward for NZ to be the most environmentally friendly farming nation in the world.

The chance is there for us, as the leaders in the agriculture sector, to seize but we need to be brave enough to start the conversation.

Despite a jam-packed schedule there was also a chance to see some commonality among the various countries represented, including the increasing disconnect between rural and urban communities, leading to

BEING WATCHED: Nuffield scholar Kate Scott found the international farming community is well aware of the intense scrutiny New Zealand farmers are under.

a number of discussions around social licence to operate or licence to produce.

Many said NZ was perhaps the country feeling some of the most significant scrutiny, with a few people saying NZ’s farmers are now considered to be on the table of social standing at about the same level as the politicians.

There was also a lot of talk about the vegan movement, which I saw as creating a lot of angst for some in the room.

However, where some see this as a threat to the agriculture sector, I see it as an opportunity.

I don’t believe we are going to change the views of those who

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are so strongly engrained in their vegan view of the world but I also don’t see that there will be a move to most people choosing to be vegans, certainly not in the short to medium term.

The chance to focus on providing good-quality, nutritious food known to be safe, exceeds animal welfare requirements and grows in an environmentally sustainable way is where we need to be spending our time.

Those nations who can move quickly towards providing this certainty, traceability and confidence in their food stand to prosper from the increasing knowledge food consumers have.

I believe NZ has the ability to lead this space.

After having spent the week in the Netherlands I am still firmly of the view NZ is still at the leading edge in many aspects and if we can foster a collaborative approach to managing the effects of agriculture our future will continue to prosper as a leading agricultural nation.

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

24 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

Buy land to stop the dairy spread Alternative View

Alan Emerson

A HEADLINE in a South Island newspaper recently suggested an irrigation decision was an act of environmental vandalism.

No, it wasn’t al Qaeda taking anthrax to Auckland, Boko Haram releasing ebola at the Crusaders headquarters or even Islamic State taking foot and mouth to Feilding.

This environmental terrorism was irrigation.

I know many farmers who irrigate and I know Andrew Curtis from Irrigation New Zealand.

No one remotely inspires me as having any terrorist leanings at all.

In fact, exactly the opposite, more peace over passion.

South Canterbury Salmon Anglers Association spokesman Phil de Joux was complaining about an increased irrigation take from the Rangitata River, a mere 10 cubic metres a second when the river flow is above 132 cumsecs.

De Joux described the increased water take as environmental terrorism for the sake of a few dollars and the newspaper gave him headlines.

There are several interesting

facts that are ignored by salmon fishers.

The first is that the Rangitata is under a water conservation order that ensures the preservation as far as possible of the water body’s natural state.

Second, the Environment Canterbury commissioners found the increased water take will have minor or less than minor effects on salmon fishing, salmon passage, water-based recreation, aquatic macroinvertebrates, aquatic bird habitat or the braided quality of the river.

Further, when the Rangitata flow is above 132 cumsecs it’s unfishable.

Those are the facts.

The salmon fishers are only slightly ahead of the perennial whingers from Fish and Game who described the increased irrigation take as a slap in the face.

Then, in the realm of rampant hyperbole Fish and Game said it was a real setback for the environment.

They don’t say how it’s a setback but they’re inevitably unworried as they have the headline.

Whether there are any facts involved is incidental.

The lesson for primary industries is that you are to be commended for solid, factual argument but be aware groups like the salmon fishers and Fish and Game don’t give a fig about fact.

Which brings me to the Mackenzie country.

I’ve been fishing the Mackenzie

for longer than I care to remember and love the place. The issue is that 20 years ago no-one was remotely interested in it, covered as it was by the invasive weed hieracium and rabbits.

Around that time there was an application to introduce myxamatosis, which was declined because dead rabbits would encourage stoats and weasels, which would threaten the iconic black stilt.

So a rabbit-inspired desert was fine as long as the stilt survived.

That the rabbit virus then fell down from the sky and eradicated the rabbits, thus restoring the landscape, is to be commended.

Now we have rampant protests from Greenpeace wanting the Mackenzie to stay the way it is.

I was going to say was but that would involve first forest then desert.

An excellent article by Annette Scott in Farmers Weekly of July 9 tells us the situation in the Mackenzie.

Basically, the farmer has spent millions of dollars getting consents, is incredibly conservation minded and has a farming plan that will enhance the environment.

The farmer has jumped through more hoops than you’d see at a circus and is ready to make the land productive.

Sadly, it isn’t that easy.

Dairy giant Fonterra prefers not to see dairy expansion in the Mackenzie.

INVADED: Greenpeace activists protesting about a new dairy farm in the Mackenzie Basin put up this big sign.

They’re not qualified to make that call and it seems to me they’re just positioning themselves for the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act debate at the expense of their shareholders.

Then there’s the anti-farming protesters at Greenpeace who, while willing to chain themselves to machinery, have been unwilling to talk to the farmer about the issues involved.

That says they’re not interested in factual discussion. It’s just about grabbing headlines at any price like the salmon fishers and Fish and Game.

The issue for me is really simple.

The farmer is obeying the rules.

He bought the land fairly and squarely.

He spent vast sums of money going through an excessively complex bureaucratic process to get consents to farm, be it through irrigation or anything else.

He has done exactly what is required according to the laws of the country. In fact, I’d argue

even more than that. The farmer didn’t have to initiate the major conservation projects he did.

Also, the regeneration of the Mackenzie to where it is today is thanks to farmers’ environmental commitment and investment. Noone else did it.

That makes the Greenpeace protest anti-legitimate land ownership, anti-democracy and democratic process and illegal.

They certainly can’t argue from any factual base but then that hasn’t worried them in the past.

It also shows their overall modus operandi as being nonfactual anti-farmer hysteria.

My answer to the problem is very simple. If the land in its current state is so valuable to Greenpeace they should buy it.

No-one is stopping them.

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

Hapless farmer ends up in the soup From the Ridge

Steve Wyn-Harris

I THINK I might have been the target of Loki, the Norse God of mischief these last couple of days.

I’m usually a great believer in that you make your own luck with a positive attitude but I just couldn’t buy a break this time.

The run probably started a couple of days earlier when I sat next to Katie, who sniffled and coughed her way through our car trip. Having finally got over a cold myself, I had my fingers crossed it was the same virus and my immune system, already programmed to resist, would see it off laughing.

No such luck. Yesterday I was full of it and would have preferred a day in bed or at least the office but dragged my sorry frame around the ranch shifting stock and doing chores.

Stopping at the bottom farm 5km from home I was unloading the four-wheeler off the back of the ute when Loki again surfaced.

Preferring not to ride down the ramps but stand to the side with my thumb on the throttle and guide the steering, somehow one of the ramps dislodged and the bike thudded onto one side of the tailgate before gracelessly bouncing to the ground. The tailgate appeared a bit bent though could be closed but then wouldn’t open again.

Now I couldn’t get my bike back on and would have to lift the dogs up.

I mustered a few cattle to the yards and they broke a slam post and railing.

I shot into town to do a radio show, which surprisingly went error-free.

Around to the panelbeater to show him my foolishness and could he book it in for a bit of a straighten.

“Sorry mate but its bent internally and you’ll have to get a new one somehow.”

I explained I’d been with the same insurance company for 35 years, hadn’t had a claim for several years and wouldn’t

you know it, had just changed companies and was in my third day with them. I said I’d likely not be troubling FMG but would quietly pay for it myself.

Back to the bottom farm to meet a truckload of bulls arriving from Waikato only to hear it had broken down on the Napier-Taupo road.

Despite feeling crook but wanting to do something useful while waiting, I assembled the necessary tools and dug out the broken slam post, replaced and reinstated the railing. Quite pleased with myself, I went and replaced another broken post then sat waiting for the truck as it grew dark until he finally arrived at 7pm.

It was now too late to quarantine drench and I’d had more than enough for one day so left them in a small paddock and went home.

Next morning after the checks and shifts up here I returned to the other farm.

The new arrivals flew down the lane towards the yards with such gusto they all went through a gateway together and broke yet another slampost.

I started drenching them with

the floating hook I’m so adept with and began to feel a dampness down my back. The drench pack was split, my gumboots had drench in them as did my back pocket with a now very soggy ASD form that MPI will be delighted with should they come to visit.

While I was away looking for a replacement pack one of the bulls somehow managed to get out of the race and onto the walkway.

I had to dismantle the rail to get him off.

The only replacement pack to hand had the smaller outlet on it so I had to drench the rest of them with four squirts from a lamb drench gun while in the race among the brutes. Naturally, I came off second best but felt some satisfaction as I gave each one a jab for 6-in-1.

Finally, I finished and took them away only to discover the dog had pulled the plastic bag off the fence and eaten my sandwiches intended for lunch but had kindly left the orange and feijoas. Ate lunch.

Then somewhat unenthusiastically and now much later than intended I began vaccinating ewes. I broke more needles than usual and ran out

but found a cattle one to finish the job.

The last ewe managed to evade me and sprint back down the race but determined to do 100% I kept her in my sights and grabbed her in the corner of the big yard and wrestled with her.

Somehow it was me that fell to the ground and she was on top of me. Exactly opposite to my intention. I vaccinated and let her go and lay there in the mud surrounded by my ewes.

I wondered now that I’m in my 60th year if I might be getting a bit old for this carry-on.

But then I gazed up at the now dark sky already sprinkled with stars and could see Venus, Jupiter and even Mars rising in the east and thought it could be worse.

At least I had an idea for a column.

Bugger Loki, I mused as I lifted the dog into the ute and drove home to a warm house, a welcoming wife and bowls of hot soup.

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

Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

25

Farmer groups must lead change Meaty Matters

Allan Barber

RED Meat Profit Partnership Action Groups are a key initiative of the $64 million Primary Growth Partnership project jointly funded by farmers via Beef + Lamb New Zealand, six meat processors, two banks and the Government through the Ministry for Primary Industries.

RMPP’s objective is to drive sustainable productivity improvements in the sheep and beef sector to deliver higher onfarm profitability.

It has a seven-year lifespan and is due to wind up in late 2020 but the expectation is for a number of the projects to gain momentum of their own that will become part of business as usual.

The hope is Action Groups will continue long into the future because, as RMPP chairman Malcolm Bailey says, “Farmers will see the benefit of putting a dollar in to get $10 back.”

There are 120 groups but the goal is to build the number up to 350, which, he expects, will involve a quarter of the commercially operating sheep and beef farms in the country.

As well as the action network, RMPP has a range of other

projects, all with the objective of increasing farmers’ productivity through training and capability building, a comprehensive set of key performance indicators and measurement systems, data systems like electronic animal status declarations and online support tools and an industrywide farm assurance programme.

A companion programme, Understanding Your Farm Business, run in conjunction with the Agriwomen’s Development Trust, aims to increase the involvement of women in farming.

Setting up an Action Group takes a while from the expression of interest and finding a facilitator to reaching agreement on action plans and objectives, which will differ between groups and geographical locations.

Each group consists of between seven and nine farm businesses, which receive $4000 a farm to fund their activities, including costs of facilitation and guest speakers. In the second year each farm business will contribute $800 to cover further costs and demonstrate commitment to the group’s activities.

After that it will be up to the farmers to decide whether the investment of time and money justifies continuing the programme. The purpose of each group is to develop an action plan to deliver improved profitability or other objectives such as improving the quality of water in their catchment, identified as relevant to the area and member farm businesses.

The establishment of the RMPP

RETURN: Farmers will see the benefit of putting a dollar in to get $10 back, Red Meat Profit Partnership chairman Malcolm Bailey says.

Action Network came about as a result of research among farmers.

While valued, field days, monitor farms and discussion groups don’t necessarily address the challenges of an individual farm nor lead to a specific action plan. It is not the intention of the groups to replace discussion groups and field days but to introduce a get-stuff-done, farmer-led, individual and group plan that provides peer support and encouragement.

Factors critical to the success are, firstly, somebody to act as a connector or co-ordinator who could be a farmer, a rural banker or consultant and, secondly, the facilitator who might be anybody willing to do the training, including rural consultants, farmers and meat company extension staff. There is a very thorough training process for facilitators that recognises how important good facilitation is to a successful outcome.

Manawatu consultant John Stantiall facilitates five groups from King Country to Dannevirke.

He takes them through a futuring

process to identify areas farmers want to improve and the extra skills needed, then engages subject matter experts who can communicate relevant information and help them develop those skills.

Stantiall has many years of facilitation experience and is convinced this approach is the correct one to build knowledge, confidence and resilience, but it also depends on the involvement of farmers with an open mind who are prepared to learn.

The key to the success of this process is its farmer-led approach.

The role of the facilitator is not to tell the group what it should do but to tease out those aspects the members agree are most important to their farm performance, productivity and profit.

For example, a North Otago group was initiated after one property had participated in the RMPP pilot farm programme and wanted specifically to find out how to make sheep farming on irrigated land pay. A bit further north some of Anzco’s extension

staff have completed facilitation training and act as facilitators for several groups that do not need to be exclusively made up of Anzco suppliers.

Anzco livestock manager Grant Bunting says the company’s extension team provides a point of difference and the programme is very positive from Anzco’s perspective with very encouraging participation. He notes each group is largely a product of its member participants and there can be a lot of variation between different groups but the overall programme will contribute significantly to farmer knowledge and productivity.

RMPP has many different parts but they are all targeted at meeting the stated objective.

The action network lies at the core of the programme, which will succeed only through the support and commitment of the farmers who belong to the action groups throughout the country.

With just over a third of the target number as yet in operation and less than three years of RMPP to run, there is still much work to be done before the programme can be regarded as a complete success. Evidence to date suggests, provided enough farmers participate, the farmerled action network can be a real game changer.

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

Nitrogen is necessary for food production Jacqueline Rowarth

IN A world of 7.64 billion human mouths the food production system cannot cope without the use of nitrogen fertiliser.

It is estimated the Haber-Bosch process, which is fundamental in the production of ammonia (the precursor to the making of nitrogenous fertiliser), feeds 50% of the global population.

Though some sectors of the world are now overweight because food is both available and cheap, in other parts of the world food security and malnourishment are still problems.

Remove nitrogen fertiliser from the equation and the problems will increase.

In a perfect world all the applied nitrogen would be taken up by the plant and then, in a grazing system, the animal. But the world isn’t perfect and some nitrogen has the potential to leak from the production system into waterways. That occurs when the

conditions are right, generally in wet soils, whether the nitrogen has been applied in fertiliser, animal urine or released from clover.

Research in the 1990s at Ruakura showed leaching from 146kg nitrogen/ha is not affected by source – clover pasture or grass plus urea.

Advances in science and technology have enabled farmers to manage their nitrogen loss.

Fences, riparian planting, bridges and culverts all play a part but so does timing of fertiliser application, grazing management and improved production so more of the applied fertiliser is taken off in the product.

Last year NIWA’s June magazine said “Water quality in most rivers is now considerably better than it was in the 1980s.”

This April the LAWA 2018 report showed New Zealand has more waterways improving than deteriorating. The data show concentration of nutrients such as nitrogen (as nitrate) are a factor of 10 lower than rivers in other agriculturally-focused countries such as Ireland. And Ireland has rivers with some of the best coarse fishing in the world.

Having achieved positive trends in retention of nutrients does not mean that anybody should be thinking job done but it should be cause for celebration – the

investment in terms of time and money has been considerable.

DairyNZ and Federated Farmers estimate over $1 billion. And, of course, praise encourages people to do more.

However, it isn’t only waterways that people worry about with respect to nitrogen. It is also soil quality, particularly organic matter. The concern appears to be based on research last century where soil organic matter was found to decrease when urea is applied instead of farmyard manure. Of course.

Farm yard manure has considerable carbon in it from bedding as well as all the excreta containing nitrogen and phosphorus from animals. Urea has nitrogen. That means the soil micro-organisms have to adjust to a new diet and will consume the soil organic matter as they reach a new equilibrium. It is the lack of carbon input rather than the input of nitrogen as urea that causes the change.

Professor Tony Parsons, recently retired from Massey University, has shown the easiest way to increase soil organic matter is to stimulate photosynthesis in plants by overcoming any nitrogen limitation then allow the plants to grow without grazing them. As the plants die they will fall to the ground and the micro-organisms

will digest them, releasing carbon dioxide and nitrogen as they Your View grow and die. The less easy parts Dr Jacqueline Rowarth has a PhD in to digest will build up as organic soil science and has been analysing matter. the interaction between agriculture, That is how mulching works. the environment and society for But it doesn’t create food for several decades. humans. And food for humans is what the world needs while we try to stabilise the population in equilibrium with resources.

Not using synthetic nitrogen farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz but relying on nature could Agribusiness mean a reduction Dairy in the human Farm Manager population.

Farm Supervisor How one feels Fencer about that is Fencer General probably a matter General Manager of perspective, Livestock Representative influenced by Shepherd country of birth, Shepherd General affluence and age.

Stock Person But in the face Wool Innovation of the challenge scientists will go Employers: Advertise your vacancy in the on trying to find employment section of the Farmers Weekly better answers and as added value it will be uploaded to for the future: farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz for one month or close of application. lives depend on them doing so Contact Debbie Brown 06 323 0765 and so does the or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz environment.

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On Farm Story

26 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

Consistent performer helps The Cookson family are at the true heart of Northland’s beef finishing industry beside State Highway 1 at Kawakawa and consistently producing carcaseweight yield and financial results well above the provincial average. Their pursuit of knowledge from hosting trials and research projects energises the Cooksons and draws hundreds of farmers to their field days. Hugh Stringleman went along.

F

ORMER New Zealand Spearfishing champion and international representative Geff Cookson has an impressive record in the water and on the land.

He has hit target after target and inspired many fishers and farmers over a lifetime of sports activities and on the Kawakawa hill country home farm he took over from his father in 1970.

Now more than doubled in size to 730ha (485ha effective) the family business is bull beef finishing and forestry with four Cooksons involved.

Geff’s wife Dinah is the record keeper and two of their children, Kaleb and Emarn, are working alongside recently hired farm employee Axel Goodhue.

It is now hard to remember when the Cookson farm was not in the public eye because the list of community involvements is long.

It has been a Meat and Wool NZ focus farm, hosted the Clover 300 trials, pugging trials and Kikuyu Action Group trials, featured in the AgResearch Making Good Production Better project, hosted a major field day for the Grassland Conference 2009, participated in the Totara Working Group, the Finished by 20 Months project and is among the Northland

Diversified Forages hosts.

The business runs on two blocks about 2km apart, both on the hard hills a little to the east of the town along Ruapekapeka Road, which leads to the historic pa and 1846 battle site.

The pasture area is 50ha of flat-easy contour, 320ha rolling to medium hill and 155ha steep hill.

They have 70ha of pines and the rest of the property is native trees, mostly fenced off to prevent erosion and protect natural waterways.

Slips and gullies have also been planted with poplars and willows that provide shelter for livestock as well as holding the soil.

The property is managed with the help of a soil conservation plan.

Class 7e, steep, erodible greywacke hill country has been retired and encouraged to regenerate to native bush.

Apart from 90ha of semivolcanic soils, the rest is podzolised silt loams or heavy clay hills.

Topsoil and clay depths can be very shallow on the bony hilltops but those drier summits can run cattle in prolonged wet periods.

The fertiliser programme is mixtures of reactive phosphate rocks (RPR) with potash and sulphur and some potassium, copper, cobalt and selenium when indicated by herbage tests.

The soil pH average is 5.9, the Olsen P 28 and the potassium test is 6.

The anion storage capacity results were low in five of the 11 farm zones where soil tests were done, according to Neil Walker of Ballance, indicating podzolised soils with low retention of

TRIO: Emarn, right, a qualified commercial pilot, has joined her father Geff and brother Kaleb in working on the Cookson family farms, near Kawakawa.

nutrients.

Phosphate is applied annually as a mixture of RPR for slow release and Super10 for faster release of phosphorus and all blocks have been maintained in the target zone of 20 to 30 Olsen P. Almost all 485ha of pasture has been fenced into grazing cells, either permanently or with moveable hot wires, enabling small mobs of 25 to 35 bulls to be stocked at 700-750kg/ha liveweight in the winter (10-11 su/ ha).

The mobs are rotated through 1ha cells over 60 days in the winter and 40 or 30 days for the rest of the year.

When dry, the mobs might stay two or three days in a cell but more regular shifts are required in the winter, providing a constant work demand for moving up to 30 mobs a day.

THRIVING: Dairy-beef bulls get the best conditions and grow at rates between 1kg and 2kg/day all year round in Northland.

“It does require more labour shifting mobs every day and putting up temporary tapes every winter but it lasts for only three to four months and the benefits are worthwhile,” Geff said.

Efficient, long-rotation cell grazing ensures the nutrients are spread evenly by the stock across all classes of land rather than being concentrated at stock camps on ridges or not spread at all on steeper faces.

Total bull numbers were about 1030 on June 30, a third R1 and two-thirds R2. The R1s count as four stock units and the R2s 4.7su.

Therefore, total stocking is about 4500su.

Wetter winters have prompted a move away from high stocking rates and the risk of pugging damage to soil profiles.

Soil condition has improved over the years through using efficient grazing systems though

rat’s tail weed re-infestation is a problem right now.

Strong clover growth over the whole property is evidence of the attempts to avoid pugging damage.

Stock numbers peak in the late summer/early autumn to help manage the kikuyu grass volume and clean up the pasture covers to encourage ryegrass and clover growth during winter and spring.

Mostly Holstein-Friesian weaner bulls are bought from around Northland and on occasion from as far away as the South Island.

The objective is to get bigger bulls to slaughter before their second winter but they must be 275kg CW or more.

Geff also likes to retain selling options in the case of extreme weather such as droughts and storms.

On Farm Story

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

27

others

LISTEN: When Northland beef producer and farm forester Geff Cookson speaks, farmers pay attention.

It does require more labour shifting mobs every day and putting up temporary tapes every winter but it lasts for only three to four months and the benefits are worthwhile.

Geff Cookson Farmer Pasture use is about 9000kg/ ha dry matter annually and the rotations are planned to have the bulls go into 2500kg/ha DM and leave 1400 behind.

Both blocks are now completely reticulated with livestock water supplies consisting of spring sources, pumps and hill-top tanks distributing to different types of

troughs.

When closely stocked not all mobs have trough access at all times during the winter but wet grass keeps them going until the next shift.

Dinah’s very detailed production records show an average of 280kg/ha CW net production over the past 20 years ranging from a low of 150 in 200405 when clover root weevil hit to a high of 390 in 2007-08.

Production also dipped down to 200-250kg/ha in the drought years 2008-09, 2009-10 and 201213.

Benchmarking in 201516 indicated Northland hill country farms achieved average production of 192kg/ha and the top 20% managed 256kg/ha.

The Cooksons have consistently ranked near the top of all Northland beef farms surveyed in CW yield and economic farm surplus (EFS).

The 2015-16 benchmark was $112/ha EFS when the top 20% achieved $552.

The Cooksons made $572 that year on $1519/ha gross revenue less $768/ha expenses.

Their best result in recent times was the year before, 2014-15, with $913/ha EFS. The family were award winners in the 2018 Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Northland, winning the Beef + Lamb NZ Livestock Award and the Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award.

The judges were impressed by the truly sustainable land use now evident on the properties and made special mention of Geff’s high reputation for pasture management and stockmanship and his willingness to host and to involve himself in research and trial work on behalf of fellow farmers.

Community involvement also

CLOVER: Farm consultant Gavin Ussher, of Kaitaia, guides Northland farmers through his clover trials on the Cookson farms.

includes employment of local atrisk youth to prune pine trees.

He will also be mentoring farmers enrolled in the three-year Extension 350 programme, the Northland-wide initiative to bring more farmers up to the level of the best.

>> Video link: bit.ly/OFSCookson

Rolling in clover THE clover section of the Diversified Forages Project is being partly conducted by farm consultant Gavin Ussher on the Cookson home farm near Kawakawa.

The project is run by the Northland Diversified Forages Group of the Northland Dairy Development Trust and has support from the Ministry for Primary Industries, Hine Rangi Trust, T R Ellett Agricultural Research Trust, Ballance, Agricom, PGG Wrightson Seeds and Northland Seed and Supplies.

For the first year at Kawakawa low rates of ryegrass seeds (5kg/ha) and high rates of clovers (20kg/ha) were sown in autumn and pasture cuts made to establish annual production until the following autumn.

Mixes of 14 annual clovers, three whites and four reds were used with annual and perennial ryegrasses.

Contributions up to last Christmas from clover averaged 2000kg/ha DM out of total yields for 12 months of 12,000 to 13,800kg/ha.

Clover content was 41% in October with perennial ryegrass

and 5% with Italian ryegrass then measured at 28% and 19% respectively in November.

Annual clovers will also provide 130-140kg/ha of nitrogen fixation worth about $175/ha and that will be plantavailable more slowly and steadily than contributions from bagged nitrogen.

Oversowing annual clover into unsprayed but mulched kikuyu-dominant pasture failed because of the presence of kikuyu trash, competition from grass early on and the presence of soil-borne pathogens.

This year power harrows were used more successfully to get good clover establishment and Geff Cookson asked for higher sowing rates of perennial ryegrasses to provide more persistence in coming years.

Ussher has also established plots of clover monocultures and obtained high spring growth rates between 80 and 100kg/ha/day DM. He said it is important to get good germination to ensure high establishment rates and have the clover plants available to fuel rapid pasture growth in spring and early summer.

World

28 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

UK wants free trade with EU AGREEMENT among British cabinet ministers for a new free-trade area for goods with the European Union marks a significant breakthrough towards ensuring unfettered access for United Kingdom food and agricultural commodities post Brexit, farm leaders say.

However, the plan has yet to gain EU approval and already the Irish are expressing opposition to it. There’s also upheaval in the ruling British Conservative Party that might also put a spanner in the works.

The agreement said the UK and EU will maintain a common rulebook for all goods, including agri-food and will commit by treaty to ongoing harmonisation with EU rules on goods.

That would ensure the UK and EU have frictionless access to each other’s markets, protecting the uniquely integrated supply chains and just-in-time processes that have developed over the last 40 years.

The UK will also be able to negotiate its own trade deals and set its own tariffs with the rest of the world while collecting different tariffs on behalf of the EU for goods going into the UK but destined for the EU. Such a Facilitated Customs Arrangement would remove the need for customs checks and controls, maintaining an open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

National Farmers Union president Minette Batters said more detail is needed but avoiding friction at the border is vital to maintain the high levels of trade in agricultural goods with our largest market, which is so important to the farm economy.

“The NFU has argued strongly since the EU referendum that maintaining as free and frictionless trade as possible between the EU and the UK postBrexit will be critical if British farmers are to continue to play their part in providing high-

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OIL THE WHEELS: Avoiding border friction in trade with the European Union is vital to farmers, National Farmers Union president Minette Batters says.

world, will not work for agriculture and food,” IFA president Joe Healy said.

“It would allow the UK to open the floodgates to cheap food imports, for example Brazilian beef, that would not only destroy the UK market for Irish farmers but would also wreak havoc across the entire EU market.”

Healy reiterated the IFA’s demand for no border on the island of Ireland, no border in the Irish Sea and no scope for the UK to pursue a cheap food policy.

“That means that the UK must apply the EU’s common external tariff and tariff rate quotas, which

The details

200x71.67

The statement suggests: • Free trade area for goods, including agri-food • UK will continue to harmonise with EU rules for frictionless trade • UK will apply common rulebook on state aids • UK will not let standards of environmental protection slip • UK will be able to strike trade deals with rest of world • UK will collect higher tariffs on behalf of EU

agrievents RMPP Action Network – Facilitator training courses For rural professionals or farmers looking to run an Action Group under RMPP Action Network. No course fees. Register at www.actionnetwork.co.nz/training Lead Facilitator workshops • Invercargill 11 & 12 September • East Coast/Gisborne 16 & 17 October • Nelson 7 & 8 November

• Open border will continue with Northern Ireland • UK will leave the Common Agriculture Policy and develop its own policies • A mobility framework will allow UK and EU citizens to apply to work in each other’s territory • Money no longer going to Brussels to be used for domestic priorities, such as the National Health Service

limit the import volumes of agricultural and food products.”

As well as commenting on trade, the government promised to maintain high regulatory standards for the environment, climate change, social and employment and consumer protection – meaning it would not let standards fall below their current levels.

Green umbrella group Sustain said it remains concerned about the detail and practicalities, not least the UK’s relationship with European institutions (such as the European Food Safety Authority), important to maintaining high food standards.

“We are also concerned about the protection of British food and farming standards in future UK trade deals,” Sustain’s chief executive Kath Dalmeny said.

“It is not yet clear how the UK government hopes to solve the conundrum of meeting EU food standards while also seeking trade deals with countries such as the United States, whose food standards differ so much from our own.”

UK Farmers Guardian

Frictionless deal must be top priority

Action Network Fundamentals & Extension Design workshops • Hamilton 19 & 20 September • Invercargill 24 & 25 October • East Coast/Gisborne 27 & 28 November For more info contact info@actionnetwork.co.nz Sunday 26/08/2018 Silver Secateurs Competition Venue: Yealands Estate Vineyard, Rowley Crescent, off SH1, Blenheim, Marlborough Time: 8:30am – 8:00pm Admission: Free

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Friday 26/10/2018 – Sunday 28/10/2018 Waikato A&P Show Venue: Claudelands Arena, Brooklyn Road, Hamilton Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm General Admission Friday: $5.00 General Admission Saturday: $5.00 General Admission Sunday: $5.00 Family Pass Friday (2 Adults, 2 Children): $15.00 Family Pass Saturday (2 Adults, 2 Children): $15.00 Family Pass Sunday (2 Adults, 2 Children): $15.00 Saturday 03/11/2018 – Sunday 04/11/2018 Manawatu A&P Show Venue: Manfield, South Street West, Feilding Time: 9:00am – 4:00pm Admission: Door Sales Only

quality and affordable food to the British public.”

Country Land and Business Association president Tim Breitmeyer described the development as an important breakthrough in delivering a clear vision for a post-Brexit UK. “A future relationship which imposes barriers to trade or excludes agri-food would not just put at risk farming businesses but have a devastating impact across the wider rural economy,” he said.

Breitmeyer said the statement will give farmers and rural businesses more confidence about the future but he noted the government’s vision still has to be negotiated and agreed with the EU. An indication of how difficult that will prove to be comes from the Irish Farmers Association “The proposed Facilitated Customs Arrangement and EU-UK Free Trade Area, under which the UK would control its own tariffs and trade with the rest of the

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BRITAIN’S Country, Land and Business Association (CLA) has welcomed the post-Brexit trade plan set out by the Government, saying a free, frictionless trade deal should be the priority.

CLA policy director Christopher Price said “Since the referendum the CLA has called for frictionless trade and movement of goods across EU borders so we are pleased the government has recognised the importance of this for agricultural products.

“The UK’s future trading relationship with the EU must avoid damaging disruption to supply chains.”

Organic farm lobby group the Soil Association described the proposals as potentially a step in the right direction.

“Over the years EU countries have tended to be more supportive of organic farming and food than the UK. “Frictionless trade with the EU is critically important for farming while the risks of

trade deals with the United States have been widely debated,” it said.

However, the plan is not a final outcome but the UK’s position for the next phase of negotiations with the EU. The White Paper said free movement of European citizens will end when the UK leaves the EU. Food and Drink Federation chief executive Ian Wright said “The UK government is right to make no-friction trade with our most important trading partner its number one Brexit priority. It is extremely encouraging the White Paper seeks to do so.”

The Confederation of British Industry said a freetrade deal makes sense for both sides and helps protect jobs and investment now and in the future.

The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, said on Twitter member states and the EU parliament will analyse the White Paper in light of

guidelines drawn up by the bloc’s leaders.

The EU had offered the UK an ambitious free-trade agreement and co-operation on issues, including a strong security partnership.

Barnier said he is looking forward to further negotiations, due to resume last Monday.

In a joint statement, the National Farmers Union, NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland and Ulster Farmers’ Union said the principle of a free-trade area with the EU bloc is vital for the food and farming industry to continue delivering highquality and affordable food to the British public.

“British farmers produce food to some of the highest production and animal welfare standards in the world and we are pleased to see the government intends to maintain these standards as part of a deal.”

The union leaders said establishing a close

relationship with Europe postBrexit will enable the UK’s high standards on agri-food to continue.

“It is our sector’s hope we maintain the high levels of trade in agricultural goods between the UK and the EU, our largest market for agrifood products,” they said.

The government has committed to ending the free movement of people from the EU post Brexit but farm leaders stressed that the importance of both seasonal and permanent workers from outside of the UK who help farms to continue producing food for the nation must be recognised.

All four unions have urged the UK government and the European Commission to work urgently to achieve an agreement on trade.

“We look forward to working with both in the ongoing negotiations,” they said.

UK Farmers Weekly

World

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

29

Dairy trade limits to spark crisis ANY limits put on free and frictionless trade resulting from the United Kingdom leaving the European Union would lead to an unparalleled dairy crisis across the continent, according to the body representing Europe’s milk processors.

The European Dairy Association said Brexit could cause disruption to supply chains, forcing up consumer prices, limiting choice and driving people to less healthy and nutritious alternatives.

Brexit has the potential to create a completely new scale of milk crisis.

European Dairy Assn The association said tariff barriers, maintaining access to skilled labour, minimising delays at customs and regulatory divergence all have the potential to create a completely new dimension of milk crisis for European dairy farmers.

As Britain is a net dairy importer, a hard Brexit would

mean thousands of tonnes of EU dairy products would have to find new markets while UK dairy producers would likely have the chance to increase domestic production to offset imports.

Dairy UK has worked closely with the association to develop a Future UK-EU Dairy Framework laying out the aims of both organisations to remain as close as possible to the status quo after the UK leaves the EU on January 1 2021.

“The 2014 Russian ban on imports of dairy products triggered a crisis in the European dairy sector,” an association spokesman said.

“Significant changes were needed in the very short term for exports of large volumes of milk and dairy products.

“New markets had to be found and unlocked very rapidly.”

The association said the results of sudden changes in milk price and urgent intervention by the EU Commission are adversely affecting European and global dairy markets to this day.

“Yet, compared to the experience of the Russian ban, Brexit has the potential to create a completely new scale of milk crisis,” it said.

HOLD FIRE: Any limits put on free trade after Brexit will cause a crisis across Europe, the European Dairy Association says.

“Volumes of EU-27 butter sold in the UK are three times higher than were EU-28 butter exports to Russia.

“For cheese, EU-27 exports to the UK are twice the volumes we used to sell to Russia.

“These are just some small examples,” the spokesman said.

In a best-case scenario for the industry the UK should remain

part of the single market or in the customs union.

That would facilitate the free movement of milk and dairy products between the UK and EU with no tariffs or quotas from either side.

The EU and UK should also have minimal divergence in the regulatory sphere when it comes to policies affecting dairy and

GLOBAL TREK

h h h t t t u r u o No erica so erica s frica europe a Am Am

dairy products and a level playing field should be sustained, the association said.

“As they debate the future relationship between the UK and the EU we urge decision makers on both sides of the Channel to take these observations into account and to do all they can to avoid damaging our industry and not to harm the consumers we serve.

“Don’t spill the milk.”

Meanwhile, the farmgate milk price in Britain is expected to rise over the next three months, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s dairy section said.

Predicted increases are based on improved prices for skim milk powder and cheese on wholesale markets.

While rises in product prices slowed in June, the overall market value for milk increased.

That was mostly due to firm cheese markets and a continued shortage of fresh SMP, the board’s latest market intelligence report said.

However, the price rises for those commodities were small and the increases in farmgate milk prices are predicted to be lower than in previous months.

UK Farmers Weekly

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Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – July 23, 2018

Accelerating success.

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TENDER closing Thursday 16 August 2018 at 4pm RAYSBURN FARM, MATAWAI DISTRICT MIXED USE

SH 607ha of freehold land

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Warwick Searle 021 362 778

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Canterbury and Otago regions

Dairy farming investment opportunity

An opportunity exists to invest in an established Limited Partnership alongside existing partners. The business incorporates multiple freehold and leasehold land holdings covering ten properties across the Canterbury and Otago regions.

• c.5,000 ha • c.13,000 dairy cattle • properties 86% irrigated • generate c.4m kgMS per annum

Contact PwC Advisory Services for further details. Offers must be received not later than 4pm Friday 17 August 2018.

E: dairyopportunity@nz.pwc.com T: 09 355 8171

The securities available are interests in the limited partnership, and shares in the general partner of the limited partnership, which would give the investor an interest of at least 55.2 percent in the limited partnership.

The minimum amount payable by a subscriber will be substantially in excess of $750,000.

Accordingly, any subscriber will be a “wholesale investor” in terms of the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013, and this notice is not regulated by that Act.

PwC Advisory Services (Licensed under the REAA 2008) © 2018 PricewaterhouseCoopers New Zealand. All rights reserved.

Contributor to realestate.co.nz

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – July 23, 2018

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

31

07 883 1195 Land of Opportunity

BY NEGOTIATION

780 & 801 Mangatutu Road, Wharepuhunga/ Korakonui  Located 28km from Te Awamutu in the Wharepuhunga District  200 hectares effective and 55 hectares not milked on  500 cows twice a day through a 36-aside herringbone cowshed with a meal feeding system  The last 4 year average milk production was 180,779kgMS  Ample support buildings, maize silage stack and a feed pad for 500 cows  Pumice and rotten rock quarry on farm  The vendor is flexible on the possession date and terms Don’t miss out on this opportunity to purchase in the Wharepuhunga/Korakonui District.

David McGuire Steve Mathis

027 472 2572 027 481 9060

Web ID: RAL596

www.ruralandlifestylesales.com

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318 Totman Road, Rd1, Tirau • • • • • •

Excellent central location 20ashb shed with in shed feeding Plenty of shedding and barns Mostly rolling contour Superior four bedroom homestead Comfortable three bedroom cottage

Visit the link below to watch the video

rwputaruru.co.nz/PUT21668 Waikato Real Estate Limited Licensed (REAA 2008)

For Sale

By Negotiation View by appointment

A 5+ I 69.9ha O Kate Scott 0278581492

Employment

FARM MANAGER – SMITHTON, TASMANIA

FARMERS WEEKLY – July 23, 2018

FARM MANAGER OPPORTUNITY

Farm Manager / Aspiring Farm Manager

· On the beautiful North West coast of Tasmania · 1500 cows milking once a day · 450ha milking platform and a 300ha grazing block

Diverse 780ha coastal farming operation in Northern Hawke’s Bay,

Equity Partnership Potential

OPOHO STATION is seeking a Farm

Waikawa Farms are offering this new position of Farm Manager/ Aspiring Farm Manager with the opportunity to progress to stock ownership and with the potential of equity partnership.

Our client’s farm is run as a simple and efficient pasture based self-contained unit. They are now ready to employ a switched-on Farm Manager with large-scale farming skills in a pasture-based system. You will be working alongside the owners to develop the farm to its full potential.

Manager.

This is a unique opportunity to be involved in a multi-dimensional family farm operation. Looking for the right person to help us succeed in our goal of efficient and sustainable profitability. Opoho runs sheep and beef breeding and finishing enterprises, a TMR beef feeding system and maize production.

Waikawa Farms is a 514ha specialised beef finishing operation based in the Pukekawa district of Northern Waikato. The property is well developed with a lot of pride being taken in the stock and land.

Currently the farm runs a high-performance bull-finishing system.

Supported by three fulltime staff, you will need to have excellent communication skills. The team is a cohesive unit that works well together to get jobs done efficiently and effectively. Senior staff share the workload and support each other.

In the busy times casual and relief staff are added to the staff roster. There is an employment opportunity for any support staff that may want to relocate with the new Manager.

To join Waikawa’s small but focused team, you will need to be forward thinking, with excellent stockmanship and farm management ability.

In return, Waikawa will provide the opportunity for you to progress into share-farming and equity partnership.

Infrastructure includes a 70-bail rotary shed with auto cup removers, automatic drafting and in race teat sprayer. There is an in-shed feeding system, new workshop and a 13-bay calf shed with a colostrum-pumping scheme.

Established planning and organisational skills and positive communication are essential.

The role would suit an individual who is motivated to progress from being a farm employee to a partner in an iconic NZ farm business. The successful applicant will be required to have a strong drive towards achieving farm and personal goals and will be well supported and encouraged with their personal development.

Located just 15km from the close knit community of Smithton, and an hours drive from the airport, this job comes with a spacious three-bedroom house with a large rumpus room, bathroom with spa bath, roomy kitchen and living areas and a garage. School bus is at the gate.

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In a beautiful location, with great fishing just down the road and a generous roster, this could be just the role for you!

Please apply through www.no8hr.co.nz Ref#no8hr1041

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

Tailored remuneration package to suit the right applicant for our business.

Waikawa has a proud history of awards for farming excellence based on high levels of performance, innovative farming systems and good environmental stewardship. The farm is well known for the practical application of the latest farming technology, hosting field days for FarmIQ, Beef + Lamb NZ and international visitors.

Enquiries to opoho@xtra.co.nz for a full job description, or visit NZ Farming Jobs or TradeMe Jobs for more information.

The property is located just 15 minutes from Tuakau and 30 minutes from Pukekohe for local amenities. Accommodation is a modern and warm three bedroom home; schooling is nearby at Pukekawa and Onewhero (with school buses available).

FARM MANAGER

If you are looking to establish yourself within a high performing farming operation where you will be mentored and encouraged to take on responsibility then look no further.

RUN OFF YOUR FEET?

Be quick to apply as applications will be reviewed as they are received.

To view a Job Information Pack or to apply, please visit www. ruraldirections.co.nz or phone the Rural Directions team in confidence on 06 871 0450 (Reference # 6067).

Advertise your vacancy in Farmers Weekly Plus receive added value of online free of charge*

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

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32

Our clients seek an enthusiastic and experienced farm manager for their coastal sheep and beef farm located at Te Akau, approximately 50km west of Hamilton.

This 600 hectare hill country property farms approximately 6500-7000 stock units.

Applicants must have:

Phone Debbie Brown 0800 85 25 80 or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

RECRUITMENT & HR Register to receive job alerts on www.ruraldirections.co.nz

*Available for one month or until close of application

• Excellence in animal husbandry, stockmanship and general farm skills • Effective time management and interpersonal skills • A team of 4-5 good working dogs LK0093558©

• Not less than five years’ sheep and beef industry experience • Good reporting skills, computer literacy and experience with Farmax would be advantageous.

A good three bedroom house is available, primary school bus to the gate.

The Position: The company’s principal, Christopher Grace, is seeking a full-time Livestock Agent to play a vital role within his team, with key strengths in reliability, respectfulness and honesty and with a focus on providing top customer service. He is looking for an individual with a keen interest in the agricultural sector, with good practical skills, excellent oral and written communication skills and a friendly down to earth manner.

• Extensive experience in livestock procurement either as a Stock Agent or a Fat Stock Buyer

Duties will be wide ranging including all facets of stockwork and some mustering on horseback.

• Excellent organisational skills are a necessity

You will need:

• A high-level communicator and decision maker with credibility across the industry

- Current and full NZ Drivers Licence - NZ Residency or a valid NZ work visa

Applications to office@crgrace.co.nz or if you would like to discuss this role further, please contact Greg Parkes, Livestock Manager on 021 276 9772.

Applications close on Friday, 3rd August 2018.

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A full, current and clean New Zealand driver’s licence is essential.

SMEDLEY STATION & CADET TRAINING FARM

The ideal candidate will have 3 years plus, shepherding experience, proven stockmanship and feed management skills. They will require an understanding of good animal health and welfare practices and a competent team of working dogs.

Critical to the role are the following attributes:

Why should you apply: If you are looking to further your already promising career in Agri-business, enjoy communicating and visiting clients, then this may be the role for you. Remuneration package is structured with a highly competitive salary plus add-on commission income opportunities.

Car, smartphone and laptop will be provided. Flexible working hours.

Applications close: 27 July 2018

Te Kumu offers a unique opportunity to be part of a large-scale, highly productive family business, running sheep, beef and deer.

The applicant must have excellent communication skills and be able to work in a team or independently. A positive ‘can-do’ attitude and the ability to demonstrate leadership, including the responsibility for 2-3 Junior shepherds, is required. They should be highly motivated and committed to high standards of quality and safety.

• Be self-directed and flexible in order to meet the changing demands of the role

Please send CV’s to: recruitment@agfirst.co.nz

We are looking for an experienced full time Head Shepherd who is keen to work on a progressive hill country station running 40,000su on 4200ha situated 27km from Taihape and 28km from Hunterville.

Tikokino, Central Hawke’s Bay Requires a Fencer/Maintenance Manager The position of a Fencer/Maintenance Manager has become available on Smedley Station; this is a rewarding position that has a large level of responsibility. Smedley is a 5054ha station (3186ha effective) situated under the Ruahine Rangers, farming sheep, cattle and deer.

We are seeking a person who has a high skill level in all types of fencing and farm maintenance, also a passion for handing down knowledge to young people. This is a rewarding position that offers a unique experience in teaching, working and living in a fantastic environment.

Must be a team player, have a can do attitude and enjoy a good challenge.

An excellent renumeration package is on offer and a warm, tidy 4-bedroom house is available. School bus to Hunterville School is 12km away.

We offer a comfortable 3-bedroom house with excellent primary school in our district. There are also recreational activities on the property.

Hunterville and Taihape are both strong rural communities in the Rangitikei District, with lots of activities like an active NZ Young Farmers Club, rugby & squash. Hunting and fishing easily assessible and further enhancing this rare shepherding opportunity.

Applications to office@crgrace.co.nz or if you would like to discuss this role further, please contact The Manager: Lawrence Spicer, Taihape 4796, after hours: 06 388 7556 Applications close on Wednesday, 31st July 2018.

Applications in writing close with the Manager Friday 3rd August, including 3 referees.

A job description is available along with further information by contacting the Manager: Rob Evans (06) 856 5725 smedley.stn@xtra.co.nz Smedley Station, Smedley Road, RD 4, Waipawa

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The Company: CR Grace Ltd has been a leading livestock procurement business for over 30 years, specialising in stock buying, transport and logistics for Taylor Preston Ltd a thriving quality meat processing and export company, situated in Wellington. Both CR Grace Ltd and Taylor Preston Ltd are renowned for their service, delivery and integrity. They have built their reputations on looking after their farming clients.

Location: Hunterville/Taihape, Rangitikei

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You’ll be responsible for developing client relationships in the Manawatu/Wanganui/Rangitikei region and continuing to build a strong client base with regular travel within the area.

A remuneration package will be commensurate with the level of skill and experience.

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

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TOWABLE FLAIL MOWER $3910 + GST

TOWABLE TOPPING MOWER $3570 + GST

DOGS FOR SALE 40-80 DOGS in stock (350 annually) when you need a dog! Deliver South/ North Islands.

Thirty day trial.

Guaranteed.

View OnFarm/Online at www.youtube.com/user/ mikehughesworkingdog/ videos 07 315 5553.

WHATATUTU DOG SALE. Preliminary notice. CHANGE of date and venue. Saturday 1st September at Otara Station, 319 Whatatutu Road, Te Karaka, Gisborne. Enquiries Allen Irwin 06 862 3618 or email: toromirostation@ gmail.com

NEW HOMES

MOA MASTER

GORSE AND THISTLE SPRAYING. Experience teams with mist blowers, hand pumps and gun and hose. No job too big.

Camp out teams. Phone Dave 06 375 8032.

HEADING BITCH, 10 months, going well. Make nice farm dog. Phone 06 388 7728.

HEADING PUPS, well bred, b&w. Seven weeks.

Both parents in full work. $250. Phone 06 328 9606.

HUNTAWAY PUPS, well bred. 10 weeks. Phone 06 863 9815.

DE HORNER

DOGS WANTED 12 MONTHS TO 5½-yearold Heading dogs and Huntaways wanted. Phone 022 698 8195.

LK0093236©

Call or email us for your free copy of our plans Email: info@ezylinehomes.co.nz Phone: 07 572 0230 Web: www.ezylinehomes.co.nz

CONTRACTORS

QUICK EASY SALE! Buying 350 dogs annually South and North Islands!

No trial. 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

FOR SALE DOG/PET FOOD. Lamb/ Beef and chicken products.

All natural - raw - no preservatives or additives.

NOSLOC PRODUCTS. Ex-freezer Te Kuiti. For information and prices www.nosloc.com or phone 07 878 6868.

FERTILISER DOLOMITE, NZ’s finest Magnesium fertiliser.

Bio-Gro certified, bulk or bagged. 0800 436 566.

GOATS WANTED

FERAL GOATS WANTED. All head counted, payment on pick-up, pick-up within 24 hours. Prices based on works schedule.

Experienced musterers available.

Phone Bill and Vicky Le Feuvre 07 893 8916.

GOATS WANTED. All weights. All breeds.

Prompt service. Payment on pick up. My on farm prices will not be beaten.

Phone David Hutchings 07 895 8845 or 0274 519 249. Feral goats mustered on a 50/50 share basis.

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 HERITAGE APPLE TREES. Farm pack specials. www.tastytrees. co.nz – Phone 09 408 5443 or text 027 346 7645.

LIVESTOCK WANTED STEERS WANTED. 50100, 8-12 months. Huntley area. Phone Richard 022 317 3905.

MANUKA SITES WANTED CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND. Whanganui, Taranaki, Wairarapa.

Excellent site rental paid on quality honey. Contact 027 372 0842. Email: zerbywerby@gmail.com

PROPERTY WANTED HOUSE FOR REMOVAL wanted.

North Island.

Phone 021 0274 5654.

TRACTORS/ MACHINERY P U N C T U R E P R E V E N T I O N .

Tyreshield. Use on all vehicles. Tractors, rideon mowers, bobcat and earthmover tyres, quad bikes and all farm vehicles. Contact Mike 06 342 7880 or 0274 425 249 www. mikestyreshield.com

WEED SPRAYING BOOM SPRAY. Broad acre, brush weed control, total vegetation. Hilux gun and hose units x 2 and mist blowers for gorse, broome, blackberry control.

Covering Lower North Island. Phone 06 375 8660 or 021 396 447, email kingbilly718@gmail.com

CLASSIFIEDS

“WOOD SPLITTER” 50 TON

12 HP DIESEL MOTOR “ELECTRIC START”

$3990 + GST

To find out more visit

ADVERTISING Have something to sell?

Advertise in Farmers Weekly

SALE TALK

Three male dogs: a Pit Bull, a German Shepherd and a Chihuahua, sat at a bar drinking when a beautiful lady Collie walked in and sat near them.

Breeding the difference

35TH ANNUAL ELITE HIND & WEANER SALE WEDNESDAY 1ST AUGUST 2018 @ 1PM OFFERING TO INCLUDE MATINGS TO AND PROGENY OF:

She noticed that they were drooling over her so said. “If any of you can use the words ‘liver’ and ‘cheese’ in a sentence that I like, I’ll let you buy me a drink.”

CANE 641 IOA 15.5kg HA @ 3yrs

MCCAW (692 IOA), GREGOR (684 IOA), ADIDAS (640 IOA @ 5yrs), HUNTER (802 IOA @ 5yrs), MALSON (630 IOA @ 4yrs), RIGBY (706 IOA @ 4yrs) Catalogues will be posted out in July

“No! How base!” snarls the lady Collie.

ALL ENQUIRIES: Barry Gard 021 222 8964, a/h 03 431 2803 bgard@foverandeerpark.co.nz | foverandeerpark.co.nz

The Shepherd speaks up, “Liver and cheese make good food.”

The Collie turns her head and says, “Ha! No good!”

STOCK REQUIRED STORE LAMBS 28-40kg

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING 0800 85 25 80

CLEARING SALE OF CAPITAL PLANT AND MACHINERY Friday 27th July, 1.00pm start 144 Taipo Rd, Teschemakers.

North Otago A/c Taipo Park Ltd Signposted from SH1 at Fortification Road 2009 John Deere 6930 Tractor c/w Self Levelling FEL, Motor remapped to 170Hp at PTO, 4083hrs; 1987 John Deere 7720 Harvester, Hydrostatic, 18ft Front on Trailer, 4871 engine hrs; 1985 John Deere 6620 Harvester, 16ft Front on Trailer, 3932 engine hrs; 1981 International T2670, Current COF, 697306km, FOB Hoist; Can-Am 800 Commander Side-by-Side,723km; Can-Am 450 Outlander L 4WD Motorbike, 3330km; Bertolini 1000Lt 3PTL Sprayer with 15mtr Custom Boom; TeeJett 844-E Sprayer Control Unit; 2004 Boqballe M2W 3 PTL Fert Spreader, Auto calibration & Weigh Cells; Bertolini 650lt Spray Unit, 100m Hose Reel, 9Hp Honda motor; Taege 360 Direct Drill, 29 Run c/w Travelling wheels; Hubbards 310 Maxi-till, 6mtr; Celli Rotor Spike 3.2mtr; Farmgard 7 Leg Ripper; Flexicoil 6.3mtr Folding Roller; Aluminium Loading Ramps, 4.5T Load rating; Silage Grab; Rata Bale Forks; Steel Framed 10ft Cambridge Roller; Hard Hose Irrigator, AIWI; Portable Irrigation Pump, 6 cylinder Diesel Motor with Southern Cross size 4 pump; Fairbrother Kinghitter Series 3 Post Driver, Rock Spike & Side Shift; Pottinger Novadisc 305 Mower; UFO Hay Bob; John Deere 550 Round Baler; Paddon Hydraulic V-Rake, 6 Reels per side; Farm King 1060 Grain Auger, 60ft, 10inch; GT 545XL Batch Grain Dryer, 10T Barley; Grain Trailer with Twin Underbody Hoist; Weed Wiper; Hecton ATV Trailer with Drop Down Ramp; 400Lt C-Dax Trailing ATV Sprayer with Boom; K-Line Shifter; Ute Crate; Sheep loading Ramp; 5 Bay Mothering Up Pens; Wooden Sheep Ramp; Lister Nova Dagging Plant; Fadge Holders; Vangaurd Hydraulic Wool Press; Landquip Portable Tailing Yards, 20 gates; Tailing Shute; Hecton Air Operated Sheep Handler; Pratley Weighing Crate, 3way Manual Draft c/w Gallagher Scales; Sunbeam Double Ended Grinder; Power Head with 2 Augers, 1x400mm & 1x600mm, fits small digger; Genelite Generator; Electric Water Blaster; Table Saw; Topmaq Bandsaw; Assorted electric Fencing Gear; Quantity of Warratahs; Assorted Pipe Fittings; 20 New K-Line Pods; Alkathene Pipe; 2 x Black Polythene Tanks; Dog Motels; Old Truck Sides; Sundries; Tracmap GPS Unit.

For full List and Photos go to: www.agonline.co.nz/upcomingsales EFT-POS available Food available as a fundraiser for Kakanui School.

Contact: Kelvin Wilson – 027 478 6190 Mark Yeates – 027 590 4217 PGG Wrightson Ltd Oamaru

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

Phone Debbie Brown 0800 85 25 80 or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

22.3kg 44 pts @ 5yrs

KALLIS (575 IOA 28kg HA), APEX (708 IOA @ 5yrs),

The Pit Bull blurts out, “I like liver and cheese.”

“Liver alone, cheese mine!” He got to buy the lady the drink.

ORLANDO 713 IOA HA

Also featuring:

The male dogs got very excited.

Finally, the little Chihuahua crawls up on the bar and speaks,

FITZROY 691 IOA 23.28kg HA 44 pts @ 6yrs

Helping grow the country

SIL Perendale EWES Due Aug/Sept 18MTH FRIES BULLS 400-480kg 18MTH A&AH X STEERS 380-480kg R2YR ANG & EX HEIFERS R1 YR ANGUS STEERS 260-300kg www.dyerlivestock.co.nz

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

DAIRY COWS & HEIFERS FOR SALE • 44 x Fsn hfrs, BW 55, PW 53, owner bred with ID bulls, $650.

Warren 027 677 6361 • 86 Fsn herd, BW 59, PW 62, R/W 98%, mid July calv, grade free for years, long established small herd, 360ms/cow, $1920.

Stewart 027 270 5288 • 400 Fsn/FsnX herd for immediate delivery or after calving, BW 70, PW 80, established herd milked in HB shed, good dairy type, $1800.

Matt 027 601 3787 • 50 Fsn, R1yr hfrs, BW 93, PW 92, good genuine owner bred hfrs, good type, $850.

Bunter 027 444 1169 • 75 Fsn /FsnX i/c hfrs, BW 75, PW 95, calv to Jsy from 25/7, good medium hfrs, $1200. Trevor 027 283 8389

AUTUMN WNR BEEF X FOR SALE Large numbers ready to shift now.

• Hfd Fsn bulls and hfrs • Fsn bulls Call Brent Espin 027 551 3660 0800 548 339 | nzfarmsource.co.nz/livestock

EARN FARM SOURCE REWARD DOLLARS ON ALL FARM SOURCE LIVESTOCK PURCHASES & SALES*

LK0093265©

ANIMAL HANDLING

33

Livestock

Kiwitea

Stratford

South Westland

Rai Valley

Taumarunui

Blenheim

Takapau

Dannevirke

Masterton

Clinton

Alexandra

Elsthorpe

Atahua

Aywon

Bannockburn

Blacknight

BlackRidge

Brackenfield

Brookwood

Dandaleith

Dandaloo

Delmont

Earnscleugh

Elgin

LOCATION

STUD

winter.

In North Canterbury Te Mania Stud principal Tim Wilding was delighted with his gross income of $1.4 million from the 123 rising two-year bulls sold on-farm, the biggest yarding of any of the sales, for an average $11,380 an animal.

“To get that over all the bulls offered it’s a lot of support from the commercial guys,” he said.

The outlook is exciting with a global trend to grass-fed, marbled beef and Angus is a strong brand globally. Te Mania has been putting marbling into the cattle carcase for more than 20 years.

The stud had a record top price of $47,000 and the average was also a record.

Kaharau sold its headline young bull for $95,000 at the late June sale, much higher than even the good price studmaster Penny Hoogerbrug expected. She described the bidding as nervewracking and the bull as just beautifully balanced.

Kaharau sold another bull for

G

ISBORNE’S Kaharau Stud dominated the top end of a very strong overall Angus bull market over the

alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz

Alan Williams

33

28

No.

No.

35

24

30

26

26

10

27

7

8

15

28

35

26

30

27

27

10

27

7

8

15

33

No.

SOLD

No.

BULLS

AVE.

9767

6818

6695

8372

7300

7538

7800

8389

5041

6437

6073

PRICE ANGUS 9212

AVE.

He still figures in the operations of Stern Angus in South Canterbury. through the cows bred from him and a son doing stud duty.

Stern had the second biggest sale, with 105 rising-two bulls offered and sold this year.

“It was outstanding, unbelievable, and a record for us,” stock manager Donald Hay said.

“We focus not just on getting top cows but also on an animal that can be finished well and people are shopping round for that.”

Donald Hay Stern Angus

It was outstanding, unbelievable, and a record for us.

$50,000, the third highest among the Angus, and the results led to the top average, at $14,970 a head across the 51 sold.

Second top was achieved

by Springdale Thor, offered by Springdale Stud, Taumarunui, fetching $62,000, and the stud averaged $10,963 on the 42 sales.

The top Kaharau bull was sired by the acclaimed Braveheart of Stern and Springdale Thor was from a Braveheart cow.

price was $60,000 for a bull breeder Chris Jefferies said is a “long bull, structurally good and with a good temperament” that appealed to buyers.

“I thought the second time last year was pretty good but three in a row is awesome.”

Jefferies liked the bull but that auction just had two very keen buyers who kept pushing the price up.

“Sometimes you have a good bull but there’s no-one there to challenge a buyer and sometimes you’re on a win and get the value on the day.”

The bull was sold to an Amberley, North Canterbury, stud.

Commercial buyers are his core clients and a stud sale is a bonus.

His other seven bulls sold averaged just under $8500.

Koanui Hereford Stud at Havelock

TOP PRICE: Though this Kaharau bull sold for $95,000 it wasn’t a record.

TOP

17,000

12,000

11,500

13,200

11,500

14,500

9000 x 4

13,000

7000

9,000

8000

20,000

PRICE

TOP

Carrick Stn & R.Aitchison

T. Copeland, Gore

Te Kopi

Houkura Stn

Marewa Stn

Foxley Stn, Ongarue

Burtergill, Blenheim

Hill Bros, Ngahere

Shian Angus, Taumarunui

BUYER

LOCATION

Porangahau

Cheviot

Grassmere and Caethorne Glenbrae

South Westland

Middlemarch

South Westland

Alexandra

Wyndham

Hikurangi

Irwell

Glacier

Foulden Hills

Flagstaff

Earnscleugh

Duncraigen

Clements Farm

Beechwood

Earnscleugh Genetics Alexandra

STUD

20 No.

No.

8

12

8

17

22

3

19

17

30

SOLD

No.

AVE.

7,800

14,875

10,625

6,500

5,047

6,023

7,000

4473

7,600

PRICE COMPOSITE 7115 HEREFORD

AVE.

TOP

13,000

60,000

19,000

9,000

14,000

13,000

9,000

7000

10,000 x 2

13,000

PRICE

TOP

with a big result at The Steak of Origin competition at Mystery Creek in June, providing the European breed and Overall Grand Champion.

At his Kerrah Stud sale in late May, his top rising two-year-old bull fetched $27,000, nearly $10,000 more than the top price a year earlier. The average price over a large yarding of 81 young bulls, all sold, was $7910, also well up on the 2017 average of $6711.

The prices were very encouraging for his farm and for the Simmental breed, Knauf said.

“We’re getting a more loyal following each year.”

His breeding business is focused on breeding for calves that grow quickly and are easily finished, mainly for the commercial market.

All but four in his yarding were bought by commercial farmers.

Of the Steak of Origin success, Knauf said it was “a feather in the cap and a good one to tick off”.

Kaharau Angus Stud’s $95,000 was a stunning price though not an all-time record as suggested in July.

Feilding’s Kiwitea Stud sold rising two-year bull Atahua Legacy for $155,000 at the 1992 Beef Expo to joint-buyers Kaharau and Rangatira studs. Rangatira was a joint-buyer of the latest Kaharau bull. Rangatira Angus also sold a rising two-year bull for $100,000 at its 2015 on-farm sale.

Beechwood and Richon, Amberley

Oatley Hill , Five Rivers

ClarkesBrae Farming, Clarkes Junction

Birchfield Holdings, Stillwater

R.Tucker. Becks

Lake Station, Lake Rotoiti

Brown Bros

Lochindorb

BUYER

North had very good results with all 63 bulls offered being sold. Top price was $51,000 and the average was $12,295.

The Grassmere and Koanui values were well up on last year, the top prices ahead by about $20,000 in each case.

This year has been doubly successful for Wairoa-based Simmental stud breeder Jon Knauf who followed up his best sale price

23

10

12

9

20

32

3

27

17

38

BULLS

No.

Farmers Weekly 2018 Bull sale results

There’s rising confidence in the sector and buyers are focused on profit as early as weaner sales.

Stern’s top price this year was $20,000 and the average was a very strong $11,030 a head for a gross income of $1.15m.

Like may people, Hay believes there’s a move to beef from sheep among many older farmers looking for a less strenuous working life.

Stern also had its first in-calf heifer sale during early winter with very strong demand from commercial buyers.

Wilding says there is a lot more confidence in the sector, which stud breeders are matching with more consistent bull quality. Most farms he visits could run a few more cows and he is a long-term advocate of breeding from two-year heifers as the quickest way to higher profitability.

Both his $47,000 sale bull and the $37,000 top price lot at the national Angus sale in May were bred that way.

Gisborne-based Turihaua Stud had a strong average, $12,655, across 74 bulls, which all sold, and Rangatira Stud, also Gisborne, averaged $11,860.

Hereford bulls had some very good price action, highlighted by Grassmere Stud from Cheviot in North Canterbury, achieving top price for the third year in a row. In a small on-farm yarding the top

Winter bull market proved very strong

Mosgiel Culverden Hastings Gisborne Geraldine Masterton Nuhaka Nelson Fairlea Angus Omakere Kumeroa

Middlemarch

Ashhurst Masterton Millers Flat Otautau Marton Taumarunui

Te Karaka

Wanganui Tolaga Bay Weka Pass Cheviot Ohakune Eketahuna Taumarunui Taumarunui Pleasant Point Otorohanga Irwell Ward Gisborne Masterton Mahoenui Stratford Conway Flat Masterton Pahiatua Gisborne Wairoa Palmerston Hawera Paihia Paeroa Hastings Waipukurau Seddon Gisborne Clarence Valley

Culverden Te Kuiti Masterton Motueka Waipukurau Christchurch Ranfurly Northland

Nethertown

Ngaputahi Oregon Peters Genetics Pikoburn Pine Park Puke-Nui

Rangatira

Ranui Ratanui Red Oak Riverland Ruaview Seven Hills Shian Springdale Stern Storth Oaks Sudeley Taimate Tangihau Tapiri Tarangower Te Kupe Te Mania Te Whanga Totaranui Turihaua Turiroa Waimara Wairere Waitangi Waitawheta Waiterenui Waiwhero Waterfall Whangara Woodbank

Hemingford Kia Toa Maungahina Moonlight Rauriki Silverstream Taiaroa Whananaki

Bull Sales 2018.indd 1

Pahiatua

Glanworth

LOCATION

Glenwood Grampians Hallmark Kaharau Kakahu KayJay Kenhardt Martin MeadowsLea Merchiston Motere Mt. Mable

STUD

40 34 13 6 17 65 22 18

38 35 40 15 15 60 39 43 105 82 44 55 25 10 35 7 124 23 28 74 44 26 22 65 23 4 27 6 36 58

57

46 29 27 18 37 28

23

10 36 23 51 95 36 22 28 71 45 24 43

BULLS 31

36 30 12 3 15 63 22 18

34 34 40 12 13 52 38 42 105 81 44 55 25 10 35 7 123 22 25 74 44 24 21 59 17 47 26 6 35 58

57

45 27 26 18 34 28

23

10 36 23 51 93 36 22 28 66 43 17 40

SOLD 31

21,000

14,000 18,000 12,000 9,500 10,000 x 2 13,500

15,000

10500 x 2 14,000 14,500 95,000 19,000 21,000 12,000 12000 x 2 18,000 14,000 7,500 x 4 20,000

PRICE 16,500

6,650 13,000 9235 30,000 8034 13,500 5891 8,500 5538 9,000 7000 20,000 8776 13,000 10963 62,000 11,030 20,000 8406 16000 x 2 7400 15,000 9827 17,000 10,800 15,000 8790 14,000 7150 8700 X 2 6320 8500 11,380 47,000 6300 11,500 8200 11,000 12,655 25,000 10,897 14,500 6770 12,500 7419 6827 15,000 4260 5500 7132 12,500 7538 9,000 x 3 4700 5500 9794 14,000 8655 17,000 CHAROLAIS 7471 27,000 6627 10500 6072 8,800 5100 5800 4963 5800 8619 21,000 7600 11500 5800 7500

11,860

8367 8111 6950 7200 7176 6778

8000

7200 8800 8456 14,970 8935 9750 8454 6340 8300 7000 5600 10,850

PRICE 8000

D. Scott, Hunter Hills

Springside Ltd Springdale Stn, Puketapu Kia Toa Charolais

J. Henderson, Pio Pio K & W Best, Taihape

B. Crawshaw, Motu G. McClintock, Cheviot.

Glenburn Stn Rotowai Farms, King Country Kiwikana, Okawa

L. Bellringer K. Higgins, Oregon Stud, Masterton Manawa Stn Monarae Stn Grampians and Brackenfield Freethlands Stn Heckler Farming, Palmerston

Muller Stn, Awatere M.Reeves, Tiniroto D. Barton, Mauriceville

Tangihau Stn, Gisborne D & T Sherson, Taumarunui.

Nukuhakari Stn & Alexander Family

Ngaputahi Angus , Ashhurst

C.Patterson Atahua, Feilding, & Merchiston Stud, Marton Nga Tahu Farming Haylands Farming, Rangiora

K.Lane, Western Bays, Taupo

C. Biddles Hingaia, Taumarunui Whyte Farming, Awakino Addenbrook Family, Clifton TourimuLtd & Tikapu Stn Ohingaiti Grampians Stn, Culverden

Timburn Stn, Tarras

Gower Family

1 to A.Wilson, Owaka, & 1 to Traquair, Lee Stream, Otago Palmside Stn, Culverden Mangawhiti Stn, Wairoa Rangatira, Te Karaka, & Turiroa, Wairoa Farmvale Genetics, Moa Flat Turiroa Angus, Gisborne Whangara, Gisborne Ranui Angus, Wanganui & M.Ferguson, Waipuna Red Oak, Amberley Turihaua, Gisborne

BUYER

Masterton

Eketahuna

Westhams Kaimoa

Maungahina

Te Kuiti Mosgiel Otautau

Ipurua LochLomond Wainuka

Masterton

Middlemarch

Foulden Hills

Maungahina

Ohakune

Stratford

Tawanui

Ruaview

Palmerston

Stoneburn

Pio Pio

Oamaru

Seadowns

Albury

Mahoenui

RockEnd

Potawa

Irwell

Richon

Opawa

Christchurch

Pute

Roxburgh

Otautau

Pourakino Downs

Lone Pine

Tiraumea

Otapawa

Mosgiel

Geraldine

Orari Gorge

Wairoa

Geraldine

Orari Gorge

Leafland

Mayfield

Okawa

Kerrah

Dannevirke

Ngakouka

The Catlins Waipukurau

Dannevirke

Ngakouka

Beresford Glen Anthony

Te Anau

Monymusk

Masterton Katikati Mahoenui Takapau

Gisborne

Mokairau

Hinewaka Morton Shorthorns Raupuha Tahuna & Hiwiroa

Dargaville

Moana

Matamata Whangarei

Cave

Merrylea

North Island Sale Snake Gully

Masterton

Maungahina

Gisborne

Kaikoura

Matariki

Wilencote

Nelson

Martin Farming

Lilburn Valley

Lowburn

Locharburn

Waiau Hererford

Millers Flat

Limehills

Ohaewai

Havelock North

Koanui

Ohaewai

Reporoa

Kairuru

Te Puna [yearlings]

Gisborne

Hain

Te Puna

LOCATION

STUD

8 Heifers

14

20

22 6 6

4

14

20

18

17

26

81

17 17

18 11 11 10

16 18

29

21

8

12

12

25

22

20

11

18

12

36

29

29

47

19 Heifers

24

34

31

23

21

38

56

3

39

51

63

26

BULLS 26

8

14

19

14,500

16,000

6500

6700

10,000 x 2

11,500

6,000

9,200

8,000

12,000

22,000

20,000

11,000

11,000

14,000

2,200

8,000

13,000

11,500

7,500

7,000

13,000

27,000 x 2

6,000

11,500

33,000

51,000

13000 x 2

PRICE 10,500

5446

5615

5800

6392

5825

7910

19,162

27,000

18,000

11000 x 2 SPECKLE PARK 10164

6275

9000 6000 4000

6000

8500

8500

7500

17000

11000

27000

LIMOUSIN 4430 8,900 4100 8,000 SHORTHORNS 6200 21,000 5918 7000 5500 7000 4470 6,000 x 5 SIMMENTAL 7580 14000 6333 14,000

10,548

6,250

3700

4818

6350

6,820

4,100

6,480

5,500

6000

7,600

7,774

5,640

6540

8,050

1,750

5,500

8,066

7000

4987

5,000

7,309

9303

4,700

6,369

9,512

12,295

7,620

PRICE 6,225

SANTA GERTRUDIS 4 5500 SOUTH DEVON 20 5400 3 4500 4 3600

13

20

18

14

17

81

17 9

15 8 7 8

14 15

29

17

7

11

11

25

8

20

7

14

12

32

23

23

47

16

15

33

31

23

19

35

56

3

32

49

63

25

SOLD 24

A. Reader, Kaikoura

T & H Molloy, Culverden

20/07/18 11:27 am

1 to Tauhu Stn, Wairoa, & 1 to M.Shannon, Waituna West

P. Foss, Aria Gunn Family, Te Anau

D. Ramsay, Middlemarch

A & T Neal

N & J Neal, Pio Pio

D. Scott, Hunter Hills

Opawa Simmentals, Cave

O. Evans, South Otago

C & C Hutchings, Dannevirke

A & T Neal, Pio Pio Beresford Simmentals

Park Taumarunui &J Syme, CHB Stewart & Muggeridge, Kumara Bullock Creek Shorthorn

McGurk Family P. Gowdin, Aria

The Forsyth Family, Stratford

S.Joyce, Inch Valley Farm, Palmerston

Eskhead Stn, North Canterbury

McDavitt Farm, Awakino

N. Jefferies

Minzion Stn

Locharburn Stu, Central Otago

Big River, Waikato

The Grants, Gore

B. Tomlin, Masterton

Gisborne

Awatere Stn, Waikaia

Papanui Stn

Pongaroa Stn, . Mahia

Riverview, Albury

Roundaway Stn, H.B.

Woodburn

Craig Roy Stn, Cromwell

Okawi Herefords, Mt.Somers

M.Taylor

B.Heard, Rotorua, & Maugahina, Masterton

Wairakaia P'ship

BUYER

MARKET SNAPSHOT

Dairy

Grain & Feed

MILK PRICE FORECAST ($/KGMS) 2018-19

FONTERRA 2018-19

AGRIHQ 2018-19

7.00

6.53

AS OF 24/05/2018

AS OF 19/07/2018

Last week

Prior week

Last year

Canterbury (NZ$/t)

6.0 Mar 18 AgriHQ Spot Fonterra forecast

May 18 Jul 18 AgriHQ Seasonal

What are the AgriHQ Milk Prices?

The AgriHQ Seasonal milk price is calculated using GDT results and NZX Dairy Futures to give a full season price. The AgriHQ Spot milk price is an indicative price based solely on the prices from the most recent GDT event. To try this using your own figures go to www.agrihq.co.nz/toolbox

WMP GDT PRICES AND NZX FUTURES

7.90

6.75

405

405

338

NI mutton (20kg)

5.15

5.15

4.10

398

398

342

SI lamb (17kg)

7.85

7.80

6.65

Feed Barley

398

398

352

SI mutton (20kg)

5.35

5.30

4.15

221

Export markets (NZ$/kg) 8.93

8.95

7.97

285

284

UK CKT lamb leg

Maize Grain

420

424

410

PKE

284

283

220

* Domestic grain prices are grower bids delivered to the nearest store or mill. PKE and fertiliser prices are ex-store. Australian prices are landed in Auckland.

INTERNATIONAL Last week

Prior week

Last year

Wheat - Nearest

274

262

256

Corn - Nearest

205

196

203

CBOT futures (NZ$/t)

2500 2000 Sep 17 Dec 17 Mar 18 C2 Fonterra WMP

446

444

380

7.0

6006.5

ASW Wheat

462

460

375

Feed Wheat

328

327

290

Feed Barley

402

401

332

116

115

88

PKE (US$/t)

Jun 18 Sep 18 NZX WMP Futures

Ex-Malaysia

NZ venison 60kg stag

$/kg

3000

South Island 1 7kg lamb

7.5

APW Wheat

3500

North Island 17kg lamb

8.0 7.5 7.0 6.5 6.0 5.5 5.0 4.5 8.0

Australia (NZ$/t)

4000

5006.0 4005.5

3005.0 4.5 Oct

Oct

Dec

Dec

Feb

Feb

5‐yr ave NZX DAIRY FUTURES (US$/T) Nearby contract

Prior week

vs 4 weeks ago

WMP

2915

2960

3165

SMP

1990

1960

AMF

5750

Butter

5080

Last week

Prior week

Last year

Last yr

Aug

This yr

Last week

Prior week

Last year

1990

Urea

485

483

477

Coarse xbred ind.

3.17

3.29

3.75

6000

6075

Super

304

302

309

Nth Isl 37m

3.32

3.60

3.80

5345

5375

DAP

702

Sth Isl 35m

4.55

4.55

3.90

750

750

450

Sep Oct Latest price

Nov Dec 4 weeks ago

Jan

Sharemarket Briefing LAST week was action packed with plenty of local economic data to digest and the global reporting season taking the spotlight offshore. And United States President Donald Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin while Fed chairman Jerome Powell appeared before Congress. Locally, we saw inflation figures for the June quarter come in slightly lower than expected, the Global Dairy Trade index continue to fall as did the latest figures from the Real Estate Institute.

The local bourse continued to track lower and is nearing a one-month low after reaching a record high of 9084 at the start of the month. The ASX 200 hit a 10-year high after seeing a rebound in banking stocks. However, signs of a softening Chinese economy dented sentiment after second quarter economic growth expanded at a slower pace. Furthermore, June industrial output growth was the weakest in over two years.

Back home, the consumer price index inflation rate was 1.5% in the June year and up 0.4% for the quarter. That followed a 1.1% annual inflation rate in the March year. The largest contributor was higher prices for housing and household utilities and higher fuel prices also a major driver.

Market commentary provided by Craigs Investment Partners

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

8918

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

8575

$/kg

350 250 150 Jul 14

NZ venison 60kg stag

4.5

600

c/k kg (net)

3000

Coarse xbred wool indicator

5.5

CANTERBURY FEED PRICES

NZ$/t

US$/t

Aug

Jun

(NZ$/kg)

3500

16588

Jun

NZ average (NZ$/t)

WMP FUTURES - VS FOUR WEEKS AGO

S&P/FW PRIMARY SECTOR EQUITY

Apr

WOOL

* price as at close of business on Thursday

Aug

Apr

FERTILISER

Last price*

2500

Last year

8.00

c/kkg (net)

5.5 Jan 18

Last week Prior week

NI lamb (17kg)

Feed Wheat

Waikato (NZ$/t)

6.5

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Milling Wheat

PKE

7.0 $/kgMS

SHEEP MEAT

DOMESTIC

MILK PRICE COMPARISON

US$/t

Sheep

$/kg

36

Jul 15 Feed barley

Jul 16

Jul 17 PKE spot

3.5

400 300

2.5

Oct Jul

Dec Sep 5‐yr ave

Feb Nov

Apr Jan Last yr

Jun Mar

Aug May

Jul

This yr

Dollar Watch

Top 10 by Market Cap Company

Close

YTD High

YTD Low

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd

14.55

15.50

11.92

Auckland International Airport Limited

6.75

6.99

6.11

Meridian Energy Limited The a2 Milk Company Limited Spark New Zealand Limited Ryman Healthcare Limited Fletcher Building Limited Mercury NZ Limited (NS) Contact Energy Limited Air New Zealand Limited (NS)

3.12 10.75 3.85 12.00 7.00 3.32 5.74 3.24

3.20 14.62 3.90 12.50 7.96 3.45 5.96 3.43

2.75 7.66 3.28 10.27 5.74 3.08 5.15 2.86

Listed Agri Shares

500

5pm, close of market, Thursday

Company

Close

YTD High

YTD Low

The a2 Milk Company Limited

10.750

14.620

7.660

Comvita Limited

5.850

9.210

5.600

Delegat Group Limited

8.780

8.900

7.510

Foley Family Wines Limited

1.480

1.610

1.400

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

5.250

6.660

5.000

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS)

0.750

3.000

2.250

New Zealand King Salmon Investments Ltd

2.740

2.750

1.840

PGG Wrightson Limited

0.670

0.720

0.560

Sanford Limited (NS)

7.710

8.500

7.350

Scales Corporation Limited

4.670

5.000

4.350

Seeka Limited

6.500

7.010

5.800

Synlait Milk Limited (NS)

10.700

11.650

6.260 3.100

T&G Global Limited

3.100

3.300

Tegel Group Holdings Limited

1.150

1.240

0.810

S&P/NZX Primary Sector Equity

16588

17332

14417

S&P/NZX 50 Index

8918

9084

8059

S&P/NZX 10 Index

8575

8848

7640

INTERNATIONAL trade This Prior Last NZD vs tensions have pushed the week week year kiwi dollar lower and the USD 0.6729 0.6784 0.7353 weakness will stick as long EUR 0.5783 0.5813 0.6363 as those concerns persist, AUD 0.9172 0.9155 0.9285 ASB Bank rural economist GBP 0.5176 0.5144 0.5644 Nathan Penny says.

Correct as of 9am last Friday As the Chinese yuan has fallen further against the United States dollar than the kiwi has, the impact has been to push commodity prices lower and that price fall has also exceeded the dollar’s weakness. As long as the trade fears remain, commodity currencies like the NZ and Aussie dollars will stay under pressure, Penny said.

“The dollar has fallen and we think the fall will stick. It might drift a bit higher next year but the weakness will last through this year.”

ASB had expected the dollar to push towards US$0.72 over this year, before the trade rows emerged, but that has been revised much lower to current levels. Another pressure on the dollar is a market view that there is a chance (about one in five) the Reserve Bank might reduce the OCR before year-end. ASB doesn’t rule that out but its core view is the bank will defer its first rate hike of a new cycle until November next year rather than August.

The kiwi has been fairly stable on the other big currencies for farm exporters and ASB expects that to continue to year-end . . . with possibly a move down to £0.50.

Alan Williams

Markets

WAIKATO MAIZE GRAIN

COARSE WOOL INDICATOR

SI SLAUGHTER LAMB

($/T)

($/KG)

R2 HEREFORD-FRIESIAN HEIFERS, 400-455KG, AT FRANKTON

($/KG)

($/KG LW)

3.17

420

7.85

Cattle & Deer Prior week

Last year

5.45

5.45

5.65

NI Bull (300kg)

5.35

5.35

5.60

NI Cow (200kg)

4.40

4.40

4.50

SI Steer (300kg)

5.40

5.40

5.55

SI Bull (300kg)

5.20

5.20

5.20

SI Cow (200kg)

4.25

4.15

4.35

US imported 95CL bull

6.76

6.74

6.90

US domestic 90CL cow

7.13

7.19

6.99

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

North Island steer (300kg)

$/kg

5.5 5.0 4.5 4.0 South Island steer (300kg)

6.0

NZ venison 60kg stag

c/k kg (net)$/kg

5.5

600 5.0

500 4.5 400

300 4.0

Oct Oct

Dec Dec

Feb Feb

5‐yr ave

Apr Apr

Jun Jun

Aug Aug

Last yr

This yr

VENISON Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Last week Prior week

Last year

NI Stag (60kg)

11.00

11.00

9.10

NI Hind (50kg)

10.90

10.90

9.00

SI Stag (60kg)

11.30

11.30

9.10

SI Hind (50kg)

11.20

11.20

9.00

New Zealand venison (60kg Stag)

12

$/kg

11 10

c/k kg (net)

600 9

NZ venison 60kg stag

500 8 7

300

Oct

Dec Feb Dec Feb 5‐yr ave

R1 Devon-cross bulls, 265-300kg, at Temuka

R2 Angus steers, 370-490kg, at Feilding

W

ITH plenty of interest on how the feeder calf market will go this year, all eyes were on the first sales for the year, which included a small yarding at Rangiuru, and around 400 head at Reporoa.

Reports from the early sales were that calf numbers were down and fewer buyers were in attendance, though Reporoa made a solid start to the season.

NORTHLAND NORTHLAND While Northland was saved from any major damage caused by another short and sharp weather system, it still kept a lid firmly on the cattle market at WELLSFORD last Monday.

The yarding was small at just 300 head, but even smaller was the buying bench, and vendors had to meet the market.

Values of $2.55-$2.65/kg was common ground for the better lines in both the R2 steer and heifer pens, but even that was only reserved for the best, with a number of steers of mixed quality and well off that pace. Dairy dominant lines such as Friesian-cross, 361-454kg, were discounted to $2.22-$2.28/kg. An autumn-born line of Hereford-cross, 365kg, did manage $2.78/kg.

All bar one line of R2 heifers sold for $2.60-$2.65/kg and weights varied from 344kg for Hereford-cross up to 493kg for Angus-Jersey.

The heifers took up most of the time in the R1 pens, with 81 offered.

One line of 19 Angus, 188kg, were the highlight, selling for $605, $3.22/ kg, while lighter Belgium Blue-cross returned $515. Angus-Friesian, 232250kg, sold for just $2.48-$2.56/kg.

A few feature lines of steers hit and passed $800, including 10 HerefordFriesian, 225kg, which made $3.56/ kg. Two lines of Belgium Blue-cross bulls, 141-180kg, made $570-$620.

400 6 Oct

$2.94-$2.95/kg $3.14-$3.37/kg

Apr Apr Last yr

Jun Jun

Aug Aug This yr

AUCKLAND AUCKLAND Finished cattle were the main feature at PUKEKOHE on Saturday 14th July, as wet wintry conditions

BIG SHOW: A scene from the recent in-lamb ewe fair at Temuka.

draw them out. These met keen interest, though it was still too early for store cattle, with demand limited.

Prime steers, 548-628kg, firmed to $2.70-$2.80/kg, with second cuts, 501kg, making $2.69/kg. Heifers, 466-542kg, returned $2.57-$2.69/kg.

Boner cows were once again variable depending on yield potential, and the top line at 628kg made $2.02/ kg, while lesser lines dropped below $1.00/kg.

Store cattle were good shopping for those in the market as steers, 368-377kg traded at $2.41-$2.50/kg, and lesser lines dropped to $2.10/kg.

Good R2 heifers, 449kg, varied from $2.36/kg up to $2.65/kg, while medium 14-month lines, 291-332kg, made $2.40-$2.50/kg. R1 heifers, 247253kg, fetched $2.46-$2.72/kg.

Weaner numbers were low and sold to limited interest. Steers, 138-145kg, earned $390-$580, and heifers, 106121kg, $340-$510.

COUNTIES COUNTIES Only 200 store cattle were on offer at TUAKAU last Thursday but competition for the limited supply kept the market strong, Chris Elliott of PGG Wrightson reported.

The heavier 2-year steers, 460500kg, traded at $2.80-$2.88/kg, with yearling and 15-month steers, 280-330kg, earning $3-$3.20/kg, $850-$990. Weaner steers, 90-130kg, returned $430-$520. Ayrshire yearling bulls, 260-280kg, $2.30/kg, $620-$650, and good autumn-born Friesian weaners, 120kg, $505. Good Hereford heifers, 415kg, made $2.80/kg, 360400kg Hereford-Friesian, $2.60/kg.

Yearling Hereford-Friesian, 250300kg, sold from $2.57/kg to $2.98/kg, $830-$940, and weaner heifers, 100kg, made $530. Another pen at 94kg fetched $440.

About 350 cattle were presented at last Wednesday’s prime sale and

Continued page ??

29, 2017

NOVEMBER

EYE LIVESTOCK TTLE TARANAKI CA

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT YOUR SALEYARD?

2.47

2.96

2.86

2.73

Store cattle

not enough475n good but while Angus-Friesian, Localisededrai $2.82/kg, $2.74-$2.77/ off the pace at on a quiet note VIEWPOINT

Suz Bremner

R

225 - 245KG

310KG

350 - 415KG

400 - 505KG

1-YEA R HEIFE BEEF/ DAIRY

1-YEA R STEER BEEF/ DAIRY

1-YEA R STEER BEEF/ DAIRY

2-YEA R STEER BEEF/ DAIRY

tallies

Weaner 13

Steer Heifer

1-year 112

2-year+ 34 9

16

6

Total 159

19

41

-

2-YEAR STEER Dev x Ang/Fr Ang/Fr Ang/Jer Ang/Jer Here/Fr

Jer

M

8

M

9

M

1400

540 475 - 506 401 - 445 366

M/G M

546 492 377

M

2 R

2-YEAR HEIFE Ang/Fr

Here/Jer Fr & Fr x

M/G

5

2

Jer x

Ang/Fr Here/Fr

M

3

2

M/G

8

M

2

M

2

L/M

3

M

2

M

530 370 467 315 451 320

4.0

$/kg

$/hd 1140

452

2

3

Fr x

Weight

Cond.

Tally

1300 - 1400 1090 - 1200 940 1542 1220 600 1455 910 1285 800 1060 400

3.5

2.52

3.0

2.59

2.5

2.74 - 2.77 2.70 - 2.72

2.0 100kg

200kg

300kg Steers

500kg 400kg Heifers

2.82 2.48 1.59 2.75 2.46 2.75 2.54 2.35 1.25

ph 0800 85

info@agrihq.co.nz

600kg

2.57

SUBSCRIBE TODAY AT AGRIHQ.CO.NZ/FARMER

agriHQ.co.nz

31

Beef/Dairy

LE

STORE CATT

Receive comprehensive liveweight-based results from the entire sale even when you can’t make it there yourself. Sign up to LivestockEye reports and keep your head in the game.

0800 85 25 80

60

3 Bull ed , were November finish apart from a doozy 506kg s-Jersey, 401-445kg, return 297 Cow 62 Angu sale, 169 upted the kg. -$2.77/kg. at the Taranaki 19 m that interr Total and two $2.74 of a thunderstor a mixed bunch cattle were Heifers were reached A total of 340 auctioning. cons isted beef-Friesian gh main ly small lines of other lines well below tallies Total penn ed, thou three over Prime cattle all Cow just with /kg 15kg, with Bull Heifer 40 of smal l lines localised $2.75 Ex-service Red bulls, 688-7 Steer 20 ite the odd /kg.

1 getting that.

10 head. Desp 19 ged $2.94-$3.00 and some areas hit and itions on mana had to be quite light to thunderstorm Lines yesterday, cond steer pens, up to 25mls drying out in the 1-year n tallies rties are still old effect pass $3.00/kg Hereford-Friesia Store cattle most prope ever-popular causing a two-f g to but the a few occasions. 1500 on fast, which is comin that cattle ge 10kg, quality did mana h were 308-3 them. of more mixed offered thoug buyers to greet at $2.92- 1200 sale and fewer sold over a very tight Mostsold on a steady market 900 sian, and er Angus-Frie Prime steers what was a /kg, with heavi s.

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25 80

grihq.co.nz

web agrihq.co.nz

email info@a

2398HQV2

Last week

NI Steer (300kg)

6.0

2.70

high lights

Feeder calf sales kick off

BEEF Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

37

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018

Markets

38 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018 prices lifted across the board. The prime steer market was up by 5c/ kg on the previous sale, with the heavier types making $2.78-$2.96/ kg.

The top rate was paid for a 712kg exotic, which earned $2010.

Heifer prices also increased by around 5c/kg. A very good exotic heifer at 630kg fetched $2.87/kg and good Hereford-Friesian sold from $2.78/kg.

Medium heifers made $2.70$2.78/kg, and lighter types also sold well at $2.55-$2.70/kg. A small entry of beef cows traded at $2-$2.35/kg. Boner cows were in short supply and prices reflected this.

Heavy, well-conditioned Friesian sold at $2-$2.25/kg and other good cows made $1.85$2/kg. Medium Friesian made $1.60-$1.85/kg, and lighter boners $1.40-$1.60/kg.

Prime lamb prices eased slightly on Monday but the ewe market was very strong. Heavy prime lambs sold at $140-$175, medium $115-$140, and lighter types $110-$115. Store lamb prices ranged from $70 to $110, and the best of the prime ewes made very good money at $140$196. Medium ewes earned $80$135 and lighter types $30-$70.

WAIKATO A yarding just shy of 640 quality cattle was penned at FRANKTON last Wednesday. The market was solid with dairy-beef lines showing particular strength.

In the R2 pens Herefordcross steers, 378-515kg, lifted to $2.67-$2.80/kg. Angus-Friesian of similar weight lifted to $2.72$2.86/kg, while Hereford-Friesian, 371-404kg, made $2.83-$2.91/ kg. Hereford-Friesian heifers, 402-455kg, lifted to $2.66-$2.74/ kg. Twenty Autumn-born R2 Friesian steers, 311-325kg, traded at $2.33-$2.37/kg. HerefordFriesian dominated the R1 pens and steers, 209-252kg, lifted to $795-$860, with the lighter end managing $4.14/kg.

Heifers of the same breeding and 193-215kg lifted to $650-$705, $3.27-$3.47/kg. Other features included R1 Hereford-cross steers, 178-182kg, improving to

$670-$705, and Friesian bulls, 119-167kg, $520-$575. Weaner Hereford-Friesian heifers 96104kg managed $450-$560, and bulls, 97-137kg, $590-$690.

Angus-Friesian bulls also featured with 104-111kg earning $505-$560 and Friesian, 109kg, lifted to $555.

A smaller prime yarding was lacking some of the very heavy types seen in recent weeks, though this did not diminish the appetite for quality from the bench.

Exotic steers, 513-555kg, returned $2.81-$2.86, with Hereford-Friesian, 670kg, lifting to $2.80/kg. All heifers, 447-532kg, earned $2.63-$2.68/kg regardless of breed. Heavy Friesian boner cows, 601-665kg, were steady at $2.01-$2.15/kg, while 357-515kg managed $1.74-$1.87/kg.

The first feeder calf sale at REPOROA had about 400 calves and the market was driven by good demand, PGG Wrightson agent Simon Rouse reported.

Prices exceeded both expectations and last year’s early results. The best of the black whitehead, 45kg, made $280, with 36kg lines earning $200. Red whitehead, 40kg, sold for $180, with smaller lines, 35kg, at $100.

Black whitehead with speckled faces and 42kg made $190 while their red counterparts of same weight sold for $175.

The Friesian bull market was positive, as prices lifted around $45 on last year. The better types, 40-45kg, ranged from $245 up to $252, with 38kg making $215.

Black whitehead heifers, 33-35kg, sold for $100, while a large entry of crossbred lines made $30-$100.

BAY OF PLENTY BAY OF PLENTY RANGIURU’s store market had the first signs of spring potential last Tuesday as prices firmed for better quality.

Pens of both R3 steers and heifers pushed past $2.90/kg.

Lesser lines made $2.75-$2.79/kg.

Regular buyers were more persistent on R2 steers and Hereford-Friesian, 412-450kg, firmed to $2.87-$2.91/kg. Heifers, 389-398kg, firmed to $2.65/kg, though a lighter line at 345kg sold at $2.77/kg.

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Four Angus, 410kg, topped the section at $2.78/kg. R1 Angus steers, 271kg, sold for $920, and a line of Limousin, 263kg, reached $870.

Hereford-Friesian, 167-202kg, sold on a steady market at $700-$780. A line of early born Hereford-Friesian had plenty of weight at 365kg and sold for $960 while better beef and exotic lines, 230-248kg, made solid returns at $755-$770.

Autumn-born HerefordFriesian weaner bulls, 92-101kg, made good values of $460-$550, and 96kg heifers, $475, though lesser lines at 87-93kg sold for $280-$380.

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The prime section was small but mighty and all steers firmed to $2.89-$2.98/kg. One line of heifers, 615kg, made $2.83/kg, while in-calf Friesian cows made $1280-$1510.

Scanned–in-lamb ewes sold for $143-$148 and run-with-ram $110-$118. Lambs made $70-$160 and prime ewes, $126-$143.

TARANAKI TARANAKI The much anticipated monthly TARANAKI cattle fair was held last Wednesday and exceeded expectations. R3 beef and beefcross steers off hill country cattle still had plenty of room to grow and Angus-cross, 416-462kg, earned $3.04-$3.06/kg, and the remainder, $2.84-$2.93/kg.

Hereford-Friesian store steers, 370-435kg, $3-$3.10/kg,

a significant lift on the June fair.

Heavier lines, 487-516kg, also made good value at $2.91/kg, with the lesser lines of beef-cross and beef-Friesian selling at the level the better cattle were making a month ago. Beef-Friesian R2 heifers, 368-401kg, traded at $2.79-$2.84/kg. The R1 pens posted some very good weights, as a number of lines of beefFriesian steers exceeded 240kg.

The market lifted $85-$125 on June results. Hereford-Friesian steers, 220-240kg, made $880$905, and Angus-Friesian, 230-260kg, $820-$870. A line of Charolais-cross heifers, 260kg, were out of Angus-Friesian cows and sold exceptionally well at $932.

POVERTY BAY POVERTY BAY Like much of the country the Gisborne region finished off a spring-like week in the same fashion, and there were few vendors that felt the need to offload much into MATAWHERO yards last Friday.

Store lambs were the main attraction of the 770 head yarding for local buyers, though just two pens housed more than 100 head apiece. Heavy lambs proved popular and males sold for $150, matched by a similar line of ewe lambs. Good male lambs made $125-$137.50, while a light line sold for $109. Medium ewe lambs firmed to $119.$121.50, though compared to the better lines there appeared to be something left in the tank for light ewe lambs, which made $76-$96. A handful of prime lambs were penned and these traded at $130-$188.

HAWKE’S BAY HAWKE’S BAY Prime tallies at STORTFORD LODGE were similar to the previous week. Lamb numbers are trending down to the end of the season too.

In the prime cattle pens last Monday quality Angus steers and heifers were well received.

Three steers, 455kg, were strong at $2.98/kg, while their sisters, 423490kg, lifted to $2.92-$3.00/kg.

Cows of the same breeding and 565kg managed steady returns at $2.20/kg.

In the sheep section there was a softer feel to the prime lambs as most eased $2-$10. Two very heavy male lambs made $200, with other heavy and very heavy lines managing $148.50-$196.50.

Very heavy ram and cryptorchid lambs traded at similar levels of $160.50-$181.

Very heavy ewe lambs made up the majority of their section and earned $169-$189, with good to very good types at $139.50-$150.

The ewe market was solid with the majority steady, though the top end showed improvement.

Nine very heavy 2-tooth ewes lifted to $152, with medium-good to heavy types steady at $128$137.50.

Very heavy 2-4 tooth lines managed $159, with good types lifting $10 to $132-$140.50, and medium-good at $121-$123.

Top mixed age ewes lifted to $170-$189.50, with other very heavy lines steady at $160.50$164.50.

Heavy types were strong at $147-$150.50, although very good and good ewes softened $3-$6, trading at $127-$140.

Light-medium and medium types maintained levels of $110-$119, with a very small lighter end at $76.

Five very heavy wethers made strong returns at $185.50.

Chatham Island lambs were omitted from the store lamb line-up last Wednesday, bringing numbers down to 2600. Local buyers dominated the market, though had to pay slightly more than the previous week to do so.

The top line of male lambs reached new levels of $169.50 while the market had a firm tone for other heavy lines at $149-$162, and lifted for good types to $138$145.

Per head buying on the lighter end of the ewe lambs was evident as light through to medium–good types all traded at $115-$138.

Good to heavy types sold on a firm market, matching and in some cases surpassing the male prices. Most made $127-$147, with heavier types up to $151$163.

Mixed sex quality was just that – mixed – and prices reflected

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Markets

that. Good types mainly sold for $128-$136.

The breeding ewe section also reflected a mix of quality, with just a few standout lines, while the remainder were mainly small pens of in-lamb or dry ewes.

The feature line was 100 4-year Romney, scanned-in-lamb 140% to a Poll Dorset ram. Good demand pushed the price to $201, while nearly all the lines of dry ewes were picked up by one regular buyer for $100-$125.

Another small yarding of store cattle took little time to sell as decent sized lines of good quality came forward.

Just 131 cattle were offered, of which a third were from the Chatham Islands.

The older steers off the boat were a typical cross of beef breeds and at 269kg sold for $2.90/kg, paling in comparison to a line of Angus & Angus-Hereford, 387kg, which made $3.07/kg.

Their sisters soon followed and had a 1kg advantage on the boys, though sold at a 17c/kg discount.

A feature line of Angus heifers were well presented and had good weight at 470kg. They sold for $1350, $2.87/kg, while a light line of Hereford-cross from the Chatham’s made $3.00/kg though only tipped the scales at 255kg.

A specially advertised line of Friesian bulls, 491kg, headed to Taupo for $2.80/kg.

All the R1 cattle were off the boat and by sale end headed off for Wairoa together.

Two lines of steers, 163-200kg, made solid returns at $645-$760, with the heifers, 183kg, slotting in the middle at $670.

MANAWATU MANAWATU Quality lines of cattle sold well at RONGOTEA last Wednesday, though proved hard to find within a typical winter yarding.

Boner cows made up a good portion of the yarding and Friesian, 415kg, fetched $1.74/ kg, while the better end of the crossbred and Jersey boners returned $1.65/kg. Second cuts were solid at $1.48-$1.50/kg.

Heifers were the highlight in the R2 pens as Hereford-Friesian, 459kg, reached $2.65/kg, while crossbred steers, 419kg, sold to limited interest at $2.17/kg.

This was repeated in the R1 pens as the heifers had the quality but the steers were mainly crossbred.

Hereford-Friesian heifers, 267kg, fetched $725, though crossbred lines only sold up to $490 for 187-215kg. Crossbred steers, 174-257kg, traded at $445$590. Bulls sold on a solid market as Friesian, 184-225kg, returned $560-$650, and Hereford-Friesian, 205kg, $575.

Weaner prices were very consistent as most bulls traded at $430-450, though weights varied from 125kg for Friesian up to 158kg for crossbred. Crossbred heifers, 115kg, earned $220.

Four-day old calves are trickling in and Friesian bulls made $40$155 and Hereford-Friesian, $145$180. Hereford-Friesian heifers had a bit more size and sold for $145-$225.

Ewes with lambs-at-foot made $80-$99 all counted, run-withram ewes $65 and mixed sex lambs $79-$141.

An almost spring-like day at

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018 FEILDING Last Monday put another decent yarding of sheep in good light, while cattle once again took a back seat.

Lamb numbers lifted slightly, helped by big lines of males as well as a larger entry of ewe lambs, of which 90% were heavy types and sold exceptionally well at $150-$166.

At these levels they matched the male lines of similar size. A large chunk of the male lines were however classed as very heavy and sold for $171-$203, though 15 rams took out the top spot at $215. Most mixed sex earned $141-$168, though traded up to $200.

The ewe market wins the consistency award as another week of solid returns was ticked off. Throughput dipped to just over 1700 head, with most mixed age ewes medium-good to very good and ranging in price from $121 up to $153. Two-tooth’s traded at $118-$149.50.

Cattle numbers were very low at 19 head, with 11 of those Angus cows, 454kg, which sold well at $2.22/kg.

Numbers were a little larger at the store cattle sale on Friday, attracting a few more buyers which supported pricing through nearly all sections.

Traditional R2 steers were very well competed for, seeing nearly all 370-490kg lines make $3.15$3.35/kg.

The bench held-off on the exotic lines though, which put 485-555kg Charolais-cross steers at $3.00-$3.10/kg. Traditional and Devon-cross R2 heifers, 335425kg, had a solid sale at $2.90$2.95/kg, whereas 340-465kg beef-Friesians were down at $2.65-$2.80/kg. No R2 bulls were offered.

Quite a few beef R1 lines were available again. Per head budgets reigned in the steers, with 215275kg Angus making $840-$875, and 225-275kg beef-Friesians were $775-$850.

Large numbers of R1 heifers sold more consistently – 220270kg exotic types made $3.30$3.35/kg and 190-235kg Angus were $3.50-$3.55/kg. R1 bulls were varied but 210-220kg beefcross and Friesians did make $705-$725.

Two pens of 115-140kg autumnborn Hereford-Frieisan heifers sold at $500-$535.

Two large lines of 510-620kg R4 Angus cows made around works value at $2.30-$2.35/kg.

Store lambs went from expensive to even more expensive, largely down to numbers falling back by around 2000 head. Whether lambs were short-term or longer-term prospects mattered little to buyers. Medium-to-heavy maletype lambs were regularly sold at $152-$162. Ewe lambs were the majority though, and heavy lines of these were $148-$160, falling to $124-$152 for medium quality lines. Medium and good mixed sex lambs made $122-$143.

In-lamb ewes were all over the place in terms of quality, line sizes and scanning percentages.

Decent 5-year and mixed age pens, SIL 154-164%, were mainly $168-$187, but one line made topdollar at $195. Other mediocre lines were at $126-$152.

The first ewes with lambs-at-

foot were for the season went under the hammer. These 57 Romney ewes with 70 lambs were $116 all-counted.

CANTERBURY CANTERBURY There was very little let up in prices for stock at CANTERBURY PARK last Tuesday, with buyers digging deep once again as numbers continued to fall.

A small yarding of store lambs attracted a decent sized bench of buyers who were competitive enough to take a share of the 670 head home.

The market had a slightly softer tone, led by lesser quality good lambs which pulled back in price

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to $134-$145. Most under that were steady and traded at $122$141, with heavier types making $139-$165.

Continued improvements in both lamb and mutton schedule prices was once again reflected in the prime pens, though a smaller yarding of lambs appeared to have hit a price ceiling with values steady at $150-$194 and few trading outside that range.

Ewe numbers were similar to the previous week and mixed age reached $260 for a line of four. Other heavy lines traded at $181-$240, while medium and medium-good types firmed to $133-$168. Most 2-tooth’s sold for $138-$165.

Beef schedule prices are also heading up and that was felt in the yards where a bench of regular buyers were very competitive on the 60 head yarding of prime cattle.

One line of two 683kg HerefordFriesian steers hit $3.00/kg, though were outclassed by a high yielding Limousin heifer at $3.11/kg. From there very little differentiated steer and heifer prices as buyers focused on the yield potential. Angus-cross steers, 667-695kg, sold on a steady market at $2.94-$2.95/kg, while lighter heifers of same breeding made very similar values.

All bar the Limousin heifer traded at $2.85-$2.96/kg while second cut Hereford-Friesian steers, 545-615kg, were some of the cheaper buying at $2.78$2.87/kg.

Even Friesian-cross heifers found a good audience and at 440-485kg they sold for $2.65$2.70/kg, while Friesian cows, 709-740kg, lifted to $2.05-$2.10/ kg.

SOUTH CANTERBURY SOUTH CANTERBURY The prime cattle market has seen a change of guard at TEMUKA, as more beef

cattle come forward, replacing dwindling numbers of boner cows and heifers. Sheep numbers are also trending down and procurement wars and rising schedules are playing right into vendors hands.

A much smaller yarding of store lambs sold to strong competition last Monday, with the market lifting on the previous week.

One line of heavy male lambs made $160, though a heavier line of mixed sex pushed to $161.

Most mixed sex were medium to good types and prices lifted to $131-$151, with the lightest line making $118. Medium-good Merino mixed sex made $119.

The prime lamb market benefitted from a big battle for numbers and lifting schedules.

That meant 75% sold for $170$197, with most of the rest making either $200-$208 or $150-$169.

Strong competition from regular cull ewe buyers resulted in no let-up in this market and prices firmed. Of the 1088 offered nearly 150 head made $200-$254, though most were medium-good to good that traded at $130-$178.

Very few fell below $110.

Boner cows have taken a back seat in the last few weeks, as their numbers drop and are replaced by traditional cattle.

The lack of volume of boner cattle benefitted vendors, and Friesian cows, 468-557kg, lifted to $1.98-$2.10/kg.

Beef prices were equally as robust, with strong competition from processors resulting in lifts across the board. High yielding steers easily surpassed $3.00/kg on a number of occasions, with both beef and beef-Friesian doing so.

Good weights were also posted, with a large portion of the steer section at 540kg plus. For the top cuts $2.92-$3.04/kg was common, with second cuts earning $2.87$2.96/kg.

Heifer prices firmed as the heavier Hereford, 520-625kg, easily made $2.76-$2.88/kg, with local trade not far off the pace at $2.65-$2.81/kg.

Beef cow prices lifted on average 10-15c/kg as Hereford, 543-664kg, returned $2.40-$2.48/ kg, while Hereford-Friesian, 568645kg, also improved to $2.35$2.40/kg.

A run of good frosts but nice days put a small store cattle yarding in good light last Thursday, with the market better than expected. Devon-cross bulls and Hereford-Devon heifers from the Chatham Island’s dominated the yarding.

Aside from the Chatham’s cattle one main talking point was a consignment of good quality R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 387-406kg, which sold on a lifting market at $2.86-$2.96/kg.

The R2 Devon-cross bulls made solid returns, with slightly better per kg money spent on lighter lines of 324-349kg at $2.84-$2.85/ kg, while heavier pens, 384-423kg, sold for $2.72-$2.76/kg.

Options for good cattle were limited in the R1 steer pens, though a line of 12 HerefordFriesian, 281kg, did manage $870.

A big chunk of the section were Friesian-cross and two lines were variable in quality, with the lighter line selling for a $60 premium over the heavier pen.

39

The heavier Hereford-Devon heifers, 257-278kg, made the same $/kg as the R2 heifers at $2.88-$2.96/kg, though smaller per head outlays of $610-$680 for 206-227kg meant these pushed to $2.96-$3.00/kg.

There was minimal price difference for the Devon-cross bulls, which at 264-298kg sold for $780-$875, $2.94-$2.96/kg.

A heavier line of 15, 321kg, did not sell much higher at $885. The Hereford-cross brothers to the heifers however did sell notably better, with two lines at 238-319kg making $3.07-$3.09/kg, and a lighter line, 202kg, fetching $660, $3.27/kg.

OTAGO OTAGO Store lamb numbers are trending down at BALCLUTHA as the season marches on, which meant buyers had to up their game to secure lines, PGG Wrightson agent Alex Horn reported.

Prices firmed across the board as the top lambs sold for $130$150, and medium $110-$130.

Light lambs earned $90-$110, though numbers were low at this level.

In contrast a decent yarding of prime ewes came forward, though coupled with an increase in demand the market also had a firm tone.

Top lines made an impressive $180-$220, while medium types found $130-$180 and lighter, $100-$130.

Lesser sorts sold for $60-$100.

Firm was also the order of the day for prime lambs and the top line of 12 blackface lambs fetched $210, with heavy types making $190-$210. Medium lambs sold for $170-$190, and light, $140$170.

SOUTHLAND SOUTHLAND Buyers were prepared for another expensive day at the office of the LORNEVILLE sale yards, and it did not disappoint vendors last Tuesday.

Sheep prices were firm, while the store cattle market also showed promise.

A small yarding of store lambs had top lines making $120-$130, medium $110-$115 and light, $100-$105.

Those prices looked small when compared to the prime lamb section as price firmed and few traded below the top store price.

Heavy lambs reached $161-$184, medium $140-$152 and light, $135-$139.

Similar results in the ewe pens meant these traded up to $142$174, with medium types making $120-$140 and light, $80-$115.

Lesser sorts sold for $20-$72 and rams, $62-$72.

A small yarding of prime cattle featured mainly cows and 430480kg traded at $1.70-$1.74/kg.

Bulls, 530kg, returned $2.62/kg.

There was a bit more action in the store pens, though numbers were still winter-low.

The market was strong and included R2 Hereford-cross steers, 420-454kg, which firmed to $2.85-$2.92/kg.

In the R1 pens Hereford-cross bulls, 225kg, returned $580, while Friesian, 225-296kg, made $580-$700. Hereford-cross heifers, 227kg, fetched $545, and Friesian, 211kg, $430.

Markets

40 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – July 23, 2018 NI SLAUGHTER STEER

NI SLAUGHTER LAMB

SI SLAUGHTER MUTTON

($/KG)

($/KG)

R2 HEREFORD-FRIESIAN STEERS, 370435KG, AT TARANAKI CATTLE FAIR

($/KG)

($/KG LW)

5.45

8.00

5.35

3.05

Feeder Calf Sale

Forecast looks too rosy We expect dairy market nervousness is likely to continue in the short term.

Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz

A

GRIHQ has again reduced its 2018-19 milk price forecast and Westpac says the Fonterra forecast is too optimistic.

That follows another fall in the Global Dairy Trade auction prices on July 17, down 1.7% on an index basis, led by an 8% fall in butter prices.

That outweighed a 1.5% rise for key index component whole milk powder after its sharp fall earlier in July and skim milk powder rose marginally.

The futures market had been expecting a slight WMP price fall.

Tuesday night’s GDT reading was the fourth fall in a row.

AgriHQ has reduced its 2019 year payout forecast to $6.53/ kg MS, from $6.68 in late June and from $7.03 at the start of May, which was close to Fonterra’s $7/kg MS forecast.

ASB Bank rural economist Nathan Penny said given international trade concerns and currency movements the downward move could have been worse.

He thought there were signs of the market stabilising, especially with WMP and SMP, saying a 9% index fall in two months is modest, given historical falls in the 20% range.

ASB’s forecast remains lower at $6.50/kg MS. Westpac’s is lower still at $6.40.

Nathan Penny ASB

EVEN: The outlook for dairy commodity prices is very flat, AgriHQ dairy analyst Amy Castleton says.

In her post-GDT review senior economist Anne Boniface said fortnightly auctions can be volatile but the latest subdued result suggests genuine softness in demand for dairy commodities.

That was likely to reflect weaker demand in China and concerns around the impact of trade tensions involving the United States.

She noted that despite the latest fall, with butter down 13% since May, fats prices, including butter and AMF, remain at historically high

Sitting

levels, if off their recent peaks.

WMP has the biggest influence on the NZ milk price.

AgriHQ analyst Amy Castleton said short date futures contracts have lifted slightly in value but longer dated contracts have eased, resulting in a very flat forward outlook, rising from US$2940/ tonne in August to just US$3050/t in May next year.

SMP is priced to ease into year-end then season-end.

Forward pricing for butter has flipped around, from expecting prices to continue

FENCE? ON THE

$140-$195 high $245-$252 bull calves, South Island prime lights Friesian 40-45kg, at Reporoa

easing through the season to now expecting them to rise but with a fairly flat trend overall.

Milk production levels aren’t a factor in the GDT, with peak NZ production levels still two to three months away, she said.

Though agreeing with Westpac that markets remain nervous about US-China trade relations, Penny said relatively healthy global dairy demand is still underpinning prices. A large chunk of the of the downward price move is caused by lower currencies in key markets, with the Chinese yuan down 5% against the US dollar in the last two months.

“Nonetheless, we expect dairy market nervousness is likely to continue in the short term, particularly as the trade tensions could escalate further.”

It is a watch-this-space situation, he said, describing market actions as hints of temporary uncertainty rather than a fundamental change in demand.

While sticking with a $6.50 forecast this time, ASB noted the increased risks around the trade issues.

lamb range

Monthly fairs pay dividends THE organisers of the Taranaki cattle sales held at Stratford seem to be onto a good thing – each Wednesday they hold their regular cattle sale but once a month advertise and hold a Suz Bremner cattle fair.

AgriHQ Analyst It was the brainchild of longstanding New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent Stephen Sutton, who, 30-odd years ago pushed for a monthly cattle fair that would have the numbers and quality to draw in a wide bench of buyers. That concept quickly proved its worth and as more vendors started going to those sales the success grew.

In Stephen’s words “A cattle fair never fails” and with that drive behind it the Taranaki Cattle Fair was born and is still going strong today.

It started at the Inglewood yards, as, back in the day, there were a large number of satellite yards in operation in the region, but once consolidated to Stratford the monthly cattle fairs continued. What was taken from the other yards was the sale dates, with most fair dates representing a day when there were large sales held at one of the satellite yards.

The proof in the success this year has been the steady increase in prices over the winter fairs from May to last week’s fair. Much of the focus is, not surprisingly, on dairy-beef and from the May fair to the June one prices were mainly steady. June to July was a very different story, however, as the R2 steer market lifted $60-$150 a head and R1s $85-$125. That meant that R2 steers were already pushing past $3/kg.

The next fair will be that much closer to spring and expectations are the upwards trend in price will continue.

If you are interested in following the Taranaki sale at Stratford we now have LIVESTOCKEYE Taranaki available. There is no better way to get an independent review of the sale with almost line-by-line data and analysis. suz.bremner@nzx.com

MORE FROM AGRIHQ: MARKET SNAPSHOT MARKET WRAP

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