Farmers Weekly NZ June 12 2017 by AgriHQ

4 Milk grading limits palm kernel Vol 16 No 23, June 12, 2017

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Farmer v farmer Richard Rennie richard.rennie@nzx.com

AIKATO Federated Farmers has outlined some far-reaching concerns over the proposed Healthy Rivers plan in its submission, one of more than 1000 received by Waikato Regional Council. The federation acknowledged the conflict the plan presented to it, given the controversial effect of the plan’s nitrogen limitations on dairy versus drystock operators. Its submission maintained the plan was “divisive”. It had distilled its submission down to concerns in three key areas. But Waikato Federated Farmers president Chris Lewis said the federation also had concerns over the science used by the Healthy Rivers’ Collaborative Stakeholder Group, on which many of the assumptions and impacts of the plan change would swing. Even under the group’s own analysis those impacts were likely to be significant, with the 10year economic impact estimated to cost $193 million a year over its first 10 years in lost income were the plan changes to be implemented immediately. That included estimates of 1880 jobs lost with only forestry experiencing some small gains in job numbers as trees replaced cows. “But we are taking the approach that environmental change is happening, like it or not, so let’s

make it a process where we can all get the greatest gains. “We have now had some experience in this, learning what works and what does not in other regions like Manawatu and Canterbury,” Lewis said. The submission focused on nitrogen allocation, fencing and land use flexibility. It was “strongly opposed” to the existing nitrogen limitations or nitrogen reference points being placed on landowners. They were based on nitrogen use in 20152016, preserving levels for all those other than the top 25% of emitters. Instead, the federation pushed for a best-practice approach until sub catchment plans were completed, as was being done in Canterbury and using the reference points only as an indicator of which farmers were the highest nitrogen polluters. The requirement that all land over certain slope levels be fenced was regarded as “inequitable, repressive and unnecessary”. Lewis said the federation’s preference was instead to see more of a national standardised approach to fencing requirements, based on what the Government proposed in its fresh water regulations earlier this year. “As it stands regional rules are simply going to be too divisive.” Thirdly, the land use change rules made it almost impossible to switch from any other land use to dairying and other land use changes were restricted to no more than 15kg of nitrogen a hectare a year in losses. All three factors culminated in

RIGHT FORMULA? Waikato Federated Farmers has concerns about the science used to make assumptions in the Healthy Rivers plan, its president Chris Lewis says.

significant extra costs for farmers and the federation pointed to mitigation surveys it did on farms to highlight the expense it pushed onto farmers. Drystock properties were going to have to spend $300,000-$785,000, depending how the council’s rules on farm environment plans were interpreted. “Basically, you are looking at drystock operators having to spend about $800 a hectare to meet the regulations.” The submission urged council to instead focus more on sub

catchments within. It wanted to stick with the plan’s intent to make the rivers healthy enough to swim and fish from while enabling farmers to achieve that in ways specific to each sub-catchment’s unique characteristics. In coming months a scientific report commissioned by Federated Farmers on data used in the collaborative group’s work was due to be completed and peer reviewed before being presented to the council. “The question was whether we can trust the science behind the CSG’s analysis,” Lewis said.

Environmental change is happening, like it or not, so let’s make it a process where we can all get the greatest gains. Chris Lewis Federated Farmers

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NEWS

NEW THINKING

Soil Moisture Anomaly (mm) at 9am June 9, 2017

19 Researchers on ants’ trail

7 Overseer

They might have started as a small, local infestation but Argentine ants have swarmed their way through the North Island and now have Plant and Food Research scientists hot on their trail with natural pheromone lures.

is a ‘dog’s breakfast’

The way some regional councils use Overseer to manage farm nutrient loss is “a dog’s breakfast”, Irrigation New Zealand head Andrew Curtis says.

8 CP Wool captures greater

OPINION

32 Alternative View Alan Emerson says Government welfare is aimed away from the provinces.

Editorial �� 30 Cartoon �� 30 Letters �� 30

Carrfields Primary Wool (CP Wool) has relaunched its United States business to put premium New Zealand wool carpets into the homes of rich Americans.

From the Ridge �� 33

Primary industry leaders Doug Avery, Wendy McGowan, James Guild and Ross Scarlett headed the rural people in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Fat tests to limit palm kernel �� 3 Palm kernel makes more profit �� 4 Drought farmers still do it tough �� 5 Overseer is a ‘dog’s breakfast’ �� 7 CP Wool captures greater value �� 8 Lack of listings limits farm sales �� 10 Lamb future looking good �� 11 New Zealand story needs a plot �� 13 Butter demand lifts dairy index �� 15

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Drier than normal (mm)

Alternative View �� 32 Meaty Matters �� 33

WORLD

35-37 Fallout forces farmers

to move

As a manager of one of the Seven and I convenience store chain’s outlets in his native city of Iitate, Yoshiyuki Shigihara dreamed of starting a greenhouse asparagus farm.

REGULARS Real Estate �� 38-40 Employment �� 41 Classifieds �� 41 Livestock �� 42-43

MARKETS

Fonterra boosts butter output �� 16

48 Bull sales

Rural people make honours list �� 17 Wilding pine control a big job �� 23

prices up

NEWSMAKER

Early season onfarm Angus bull sales have averaged about $7000 and set a top price of $24,000 for a Merchiston bull bred by Richard Rowe at Hunterville.

28 The times they are

a-changing

Farm ownership and management is being re-examined with predictions half the owners of sheep and beef farms could retire in the next decade and the number of herdowning sharemilkers entering the industry could also halve.

Pulpit �� 31

list

normal (mm)

value

17 Rural people make honours

60 Wetter than

Market Snapshot �� 44

Map reading tips This map shows the difference or anomaly in soil moisture level at the date shown compared to the average, generated from more than 30 years of records held by NIWA.

Job

of the

Week

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Contact us Editor: Bryan Gibson Twitter: farmersweeklynz Email: nzfarmersweekly@nzx.com Free phone: 0800 85 25 80 DDI: 06 323 1519

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News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Fat tests to limit palm kernel Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com FONTERRA intends to grade milk supplies from more than 10,000 farms for fatty acid composition, effectively discouraging feeding of higher levels of palm kernel to cows. Next season it would introduce a demerit system based on a sixday average fat evaluation index (FEI), to be printed on the tanker docket for each milk pick-up. Since April all suppliers had been notified of their FEI numbers and they would have a season to change farming systems and prepare for the demerit system. But Fonterra was not doing so for corporate responsibility or palm oil sustainability reasons, instead invoking potential dairy product quality issues. Farm Source chief operating officer Miles Hurrell said Fonterra did not take a position against palm products but also referred back to the March launch of the Trusted Goodness quality seal. At that time Fonterra acknowledged consumers wanted

to know more about where their food came from and that it was produced by businesses using sustainable and ethical practices. Farm Source was a large importer of palm kernel from its supplier, Wilmar International, and Wilmar was supporting the feeding guideline and the FEI system. “We have had a voluntary palm kernel feeding guideline of 3kg per cow since 2015 and it is time to tighten up and introduce a grade,” he said. Four FEI ranges were proposed: A level, FEI under 7, suitable for manufacturing requirements and customer specifications; B level, FEI 7 to 7.9, meets requirements but approaching the threshold; C level, FEI 8 to 9.4, exceeds threshold limit and; D level, FEI 9.5 and over, well exceeds threshold. Hurrell said the demerits had not been determined but would be similar to the somatic cell count system. Fonterra was moving to an output system for milk

QUALITY ISSUE: High doses of palm kernel change the amounts and ratios of fatty acids in milk, Farm Source chief operating officer Miles Hurrell says.

composition rather than a palm kernel input system but the science indicated a strong correlation between supplementary feeding at 3kg/ cow/day and a B grade for FEI, he said. “We are not talking about banning palm kernel because of its valuable use in farm systems, especially during adverse weather events. “The science also shows that palm kernel can be safely fed to non-lactating cattle above the guideline.” He was not specific about what dairy products were adversely

We are not talking about banning palm kernel. Miles Hurrell Farm Source affected by changes in fatty acid composition or how, saying that high rates of palm kernel changed the amounts and ratios of fatty acids. “At a certain point the fat becomes difficult to process into

certain products and does not meet customer specifications for other products. “If the palm kernel trend continued as it did at certain times last season, the potential cost is across all of our products.” Hurrell admitted to weighing up the balance between providing supplementary feeding options to farmers through Farm Source and ensuring Fonterra’s consumer products were “best in class”. A long consultation with farmers had followed the voluntary guideline, along with field trials on palm kernel feeding levels and scientific analysis.

Year not long enough Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com HIGH input dairy farmers will have to do a lot of supplementary feed trials and evaluation of their own circumstances and weather patterns, Northland farmer Geoff Crawford said. After attending the Northland Agricultural Research Farm (NARF) field day immediately after Fonterra’s fat evaluation index (FEI) announcement, Crawford said it was not yet clear how different feeding rates of palm kernel, pasture and crops would move the index. “Fodder beet and turnips were apparently lifting the FEI also,” he said. Crawford had 450 autumncalvers milking on three farms in the Hikurangi Swamp district north of Whangarei getting half of their daily requirement from supplementary feeding, including 4kg/cow/day of palm kernel. His milk was testing in the FEI C grade.

Another farmer at the NARF field day had fed up to 5kg/ cow/day of palm kernel with 14kg DM pasture and got an acceptable FEI result. “There appeared to be a dilution effect with the high pasture intakes.” But a year of grace before the demerits kicked in might not be enough for each farmer to work out what moved the index. Crawford called for DairyNZ to do cropping and palm kernel feeding trials at different times and in different locations. He also suggested Fonterra could move milk between factories and regions when higher palm kernel feeding levels were necessary, in the dry months or after adverse weather events. Whole milk powder, for example, might be made from high FEI milk or it could be diluted with milk from low FEI districts. Two or three years could be needed to establish the new operating guidelines on each farm, he said.

TIME: It might take farmers two or three years to adjust feeding regimes to meet Fonterra’s new fat content rules, Northland farmer Geoff Crawford says.

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News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Palm kernel farm makes more profit Glenys Christian glenys.christian@nzx.com AT A time when Fonterra dairy farmers are being urged to check whether their milk’s Fat Evaluation Index means they should limit palm kernel the supplement has shown the highest operating profit in a Northland trial. At the Northland Agricultural Research Farm (NARF) Banking the Lessons Learnt field day on June 8 the second season’s results of its trial that aimed to reduce farmers’ reliance on imported feed were revealed. The trial compares three farmlets of similar size on the farm, just north of Dargaville, where three farming systems were run for two seasons.

The first was grass only, the second ran a cropping system and the third used palm kernel to fill feed deficits. The first farmlet had a slightly lower 2.6 cows per hectare stocking rate compared with 2.8 cows for the other two. Farm working expenses were calculated at $3.72 for the grassonly farmlet, $4.26 for cropping and $3.94 for the one feeding palm kernel. While the cropping farmlet, growing maize for silage, turnips and fodder beet produced the most milk in the 2015-16 season the grass-only treatment showed the greatest operating profit at a low $3.90/kg milksolids (MS) payout. But last season when a $6/kg MS

FACTORS: DairyNZ principal scientist Dr John Roche says the cost of palm kernel and the milksolids response to its feeding have a big influence on profitability.

payout was used in the analysis the palm kernel farmlet produced more milk and had a higher operating profit as well at $2713 a hectare compared with $2670/ha for the grass-only farm and $2207/ ha for the cropping farmlet.

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Farmers at the field day were told they should be checking their herd’s Fat Evaluation Index on the FarmSource website where milk production was given a green, orange or red grading through the season. The red zone meant their herd’s milk had tipped over the point where there might be manufacturing issues for the coop, which was working on a test it hoped would give farmers the information when their milk was picked up. In the NARF palm kernel farmlet’s case its milk was in the red zone from mid-January to February, during very dry conditions, then again in May when more of the supplement was again fed. A dramatic effect was seen when more than 3kg/day of palm kernel was used, the guideline Fonterra had used for several seasons. “We’ve got some learning to do,” AgFirst Northland science manager Chris Boom said. At an $8/kg MS payout it was calculated the palm kernel farmlet would increase its lead to have an operating profit of $4943, compared with $$4594 for the grass-only farmlet and $4307 for

We’ve got some learning to do. Chris Boom AgFirst the cropping system. But if the cost of the extra capital required to set up a palm kernel feeding system was added in at a 6.5% interest rate the positions were reversed. The grass-only system’s operating profit came out ahead at $2638/ha compared with $2551/ ha for the palm kernel farmlet. The cropping system trailed well behind at an operating profit of $2061/ha. DairyNZ principal scientist Dr John Roche, who visits NARF, managed by the BNZ Northland Dairy Development Trust, every six weeks showed a chart of different palm kernel prices and milk responses from cows, showing the marginal cost of increased production. The 130 grams of milk response per kilogram of palm kernel fed in the 2015-16 season, which dropped to about 110g last season, were both very good biological responses and better than expected based on overseas research, he said. And while many farmers’ costs crept up as palm kernel prices did, that was not the case in this trial because palm kernel was added then withdrawn very strategically. He said the trial was gaining interest from around the country with much of that concentrated around the marginal cost of extra milk production. “There was almost a 100% increase in the marginal cost of milk from the cropping farmlet,” he said. “We didn’t anticipate we would get this from this trial.” The calculations did not include any penalty that might be imposed for not meeting the required milk standard.

News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Drought farmers still do it tough Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com IT’S that time of year when the gumboots and Swanndris take a spell from the farm and head for the National Field Days. And while that might be the case for droves of North Island famers it would seem their southern counterparts will more likely be staying put this week. After a few tough years battling drought, earthquakes and low prices the once annual pilgrimage to Mystery Creek hasn’t made it onto the calendar for many southerners this year.

It got farmers away off farm in the peak of the drought, networking and socialising for a few days, the lift it gave everyone was just amazing. Daniel Maxwell Farmer Last year a large contingent of North Canterbury farmers made the trip as a “drought event” to get farmers off farm. “And the benefits of that trip were immense in terms of getting people off farm,” North Canterbury Rural Support Trust co-ordinator Doug Archbold said. “It was huge. The support

was just amazing to get farmers up there. It gave everyone a lift without exception and they still talk about it.” But Archbold said while offfarm events were being planned this year, there would be no repeat pilgrimage. The financial hangover from three years of severe drought was still hovering and would be for some time. “Stock prices have gone through the roof and the banks are saying sorry, there’s no more loans and overdrafts. “We have field days planned in the form of helping farmers getting back on their feet and building resilience into their businesses.” Archbold said the regional field day seminars would be a chance for farmers to look at making use of the earthquake relief fund made available to help farmers commission consultants and industry experts in planning their future farming. He cited succession as posing a real threat to future farming in North Canterbury where many aging farmers had just had enough. Increasing environment and regulatory compliance was causing huge amounts of stress, adding to an already hugely stressful situation. “If you haven’t got scale, particularly in sheep and beef, then it’s very difficult and that really is putting the family farm under threat as many older farmers just feel like it’s all

BIG DAY OUT: A trip to Fieldays last year was huge for drought-hit farmers but is not being repeated this year, North Canterbury Rural Support Trust co-orddinator Doug Archbold says.

closing in and opt out. That would also have significant flow-on effects in rural communities, Archbold said. Cheviot sheep and beef farmer Daniel Maxwell was also full of praise for the 2016 excursion. He was also more optimistic about farming than he had been for many years. “Last year to Fieldays was a great event for farmers and rural communities. “It got farmers away off farm in the peak of the drought, networking and socialising for a few days. The lift it gave everyone was just amazing.” But for most of the cash-

strapped, drought-stricken and shaken farmers, Fieldays week was not on the radar this year. “We have had a fantastic autumn and we are optimistic this is the beginning of the end as we now look forward to a good spring. “Meantime, people are really knuckling down to get their heads above water in the financial recovery,” Maxwell said. While he had managed to fully restock there were a lot of farmers struggling, given skyrocketing livestock prices, to find economic opportunity to buy in stock as they moved into the drought recovery phase. “Long term financial planning

will be very important if we hit another bumpy patch in the next two years.” Maxwell said most farmers would take a good five years to recover financially. “And that’s all going well,” he said. “If you drive through Cheviot at the moment things are looking pretty good but the reality hits when you look at the books. “But still, even though we have been through some very bumpy patches, with the outlook for meat prices looking better than it has for many years, I am feeling more optimistic than I have done since 2010,” Maxwell said.

Trusts go under national body Richard Rennie richard.rennie@nzx.com RURAL Support Trusts around New Zealand are coming together under a national body headed up by long-time Waikato Rural Support Trust chairman Neil Bateup. As newly appointed national chairman Bateup said the 14 trusts would keep their autonomy but a national body provided a single point of contact for other organisations, funding sources and the Government. “We can see it will also

avoid each rural trust reinventing the wheel each time a different region experiences a need for their services. “Trusts already share a lot of their experiences and this will only be encouraged by having a national body,” Bateup said. The future of the trusts had been further cemented thanks to a $12,500 donation from another rural support network, the Farming Mums Facebook group, which had 9000 mainly rural women members. The group sold 2500

cookbooks, splitting the proceeds between the support trusts and St John Ambulance. Bateup said there was a strong level of co-operation between the trusts and groups like Farming Mums. In his 13 years involvement Bateup had noticed farmers becoming more willing to come forward when they faced difficulties. Last spring when Waikato, Taranaki and Northland were experiencing an appalling spring the trusts were receiving at least a call a day from farmers.

AS ONE: A national body for the 14 rural support trusts will provide a single point of contact for other groups, funders and the Government, new national chairman Neil Bateup says.

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News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Overseer is a ‘dog’s breakfast’ Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com THE way some regional councils use Overseer to manage farm nutrient loss is “a dog’s breakfast”, Irrigation New Zealand head Andrew Curtis says. But Overseer chief executive Caroline Read did not believe expectations of the system were excessive, saying it was one tool to manage nutrient loss and how it was applied for regulatory purposes depended on council environmental plans. “It is based on more than just Overseer information,” she said. Overseer was a software tool designed to help farmers and growers make decisions, monitor nutrient use and assess management options. But Curtis said some councils were taking a literal interpretation of the nutrient data it generated. “It’s a dog’s breakfast at the moment but there are a lot of people working their way through it.” Curtis said the Otago Regional Council used Overseer data as a trigger for when farmers needed to apply for resource consent. Farmers in the ManawatuWanganui (Horizons) Region had been told future consents would require more information and be more costly to process following a successful Environment Court case taken by the Auckland-based Environmental Defence Society (EDS) and Wellington Fish and Game. The court found Horizons had not adhered to its One Plan in relation to nutrient leaching. Farmers Weekly was told part of the problem was the council’s reliance on Overseer to provide a literal measure of nutrient loss and Read acknowledged the way various councils used the information differed.

DON’T BLAME US: Nutrient loss regulation is based on more than just Overseer, its chief executive Caroline Read says.

TOO RIGID: Councils are taking a literal interpretation of Overseer data, Irrigation NZ chief executive Andrew Curtis says.

“Some of the ways Overseer was used have challenged how regulations need to be set up to enable regulators and NZ as a whole to have an effects-based approach to manage water quality.”

completely right but as long as it is comparative it will enable an analysis of change over time and Overseer does this well.” Read did not think councils were putting too much emphasis on Overseer data. “The way they have been doing it enables it to be used as a very good compliance tool to help implement changes onfarm.” It worked best providing a long-term average view of a farm system and the impacts of potential management changes by providing baseline numbers but Read said it could provide more. “We are trying to ensure Overseer as a tool provides more than just nutrient loss information for farmers but that they can use it to implement changes being asked of them.” Curtis saw Overseer as a guide but felt requiring landowners to calculate output data every year was needless expense. “It makes no sense to keep recalculating some of this stuff.” Some environmental lobby

The way they have been doing it enables it to be used as a very good compliance tool to help implement changes onfarm. Caroline Read Overseer

Overseer was a simplification of complex science, meaning predictions came with some uncertainty. “This is an area where no model is ever going to be

QUALITY: Work is being done to improve the accuracy of information farmers put into Overseer.

groups wanted every farm to have resource consents so they could be held liable for any breach of their conditions. Read said Overseer was constantly being peer reviewed to ensure it was up to date and to reduce the uncertainty. Work was also being done to improve the accuracy of information and data that was put into Overseer by farmers. “That should make quite a big difference.” Read said NZ environmental management followed an effectsbased system unlike Europe which had strict controls on inputs. Tools such as Overseer gave NZ

farmers flexibility in managing land. Some upgrades to the existing Overseer model would be released early next year ahead of the launch of a new version later in 2018. Overseer received $1 million a year from the Ministry for Primary Industries and $750,000 a year from the Fertiliser Association with in-kind support from AgResearch. Read said the company was recently restructured to a business model so it could be sustainable and eventually it would start generating income by charging for using it.

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News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

CP Wool captures greater value Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com CARRFIELDS Primary Wool (CP Wool) has relaunched its United States business to put premium New Zealand wool carpets into the homes of rich Americans. Carrfields managing director Craig Carr said CP Wool was compelled to push creative boundaries to make a difference for its wool growers. The key to making that difference involved a revamp of the company’s Just Shorn brand and that opportunity arose when the Just Shorn contract, launched eight years ago, came due for renewal. CP Wool identified an opportunity to rein in greater control that would create significantly more value for CP Wool and its grower suppliers.

When we got there amongst it all and saw what was happening we could see it was what we had been waiting 60 years for. Trevor Peters Farmer While the new model was complex, the bottom line was 50% of the retail margin would now be captured by CP Wool. “We have reinvented what we do and how we do it and it’s all about value rather than volume as we hit the high-end North American market.” CP Wool had partnered with North American luxury flooring specialist Carlisle Plank Flooring that provided access for the exclusive Just Shorn product to a ready-made, high-end customer base.

Through newly formed partnerships CP Wool now had a hand in control right along the supply chain from the grower to Christchurch-based spinner NZ Yarns, majority owned by CP Wool, to the American designers, manufacture and marketing. Three celebrity interior designers – American reality television stars Mark Brunetz, Jennifer Bertrand and Lonni Paul – were instrumental in developing the new range of designs and were now charged with producing new concepts every quarter for which CP Wool would contract with growers according to demand. Carr said the key area of opportunity came through identifying the luxury apartment market in New York where 80% of a residence’s floor area must be covered in soft flooring to reduce noise. “We also know that the highend homeowners in the States like to follow trends so they often have carpets in their homes for about five years before replacing them with more-up-to-date colours and styles. “That creates a further strong opportunity for our future sales,” Carr said. “We are compelled to push creative boundaries and will be continuously developing and commercialising step change yarn systems and working with our partners to provide new, unique and exclusive ranges. “This strategy has resulted in a product that stands apart from the rest and will deliver value-add back to growers.” Otago wool growers and sheep breeders Trevor and Karen Peters were part of the 20-strong contingent of farmers and industry representatives that attended the relaunch of the Just Shorn brand at the new World Trade Centre in New York. They were “blown away”. “This is trail blazing. “It’s been a long time coming

PROUD MOMENT: The smiles tell the story for, from left, CP Wool representative Richie Hurring, Primary Wool Cooperative chairman Howie Gardner, Otago wool grower Trevor Peters and Carrfields general manager Craig Carr as CP Wool relaunched on the world stage in New York.

for wool and it’s exciting,” Trevor Peters said. They admitted they were initially sceptical. “But when we got there amongst it all and saw what was happening we could see it was what we had been waiting 60 years for.” The Peters family shears 100,000 sheep across six farms in west and central Otago, producing 1200 bales of wool annually. “This is a terrific opportunity, very powerful. We will be shearing to it,” they said. In time the brand’s relaunch was expected to bring benefits to the wider NZ wool sector, CP Wool chairman Howie Gardener said. “We’re working to add value across the industry from growers up.

“Our marketing of Just Shorn premium carpet in the States will have a positive impact on the perception of NZ wool in general among North American consumers,” Gardner said. Just Shorn’s regrowth in the United States was being driven by Krista Eliason, CP Wool’s managing director North America. Meanwhile, Carrfields Livestock had expanded its livestock network with the purchase of Farmlands Livestock, effective from June 30. “Since the purchase of Elders NZ almost three years ago the Carr family, board and management have been very focused on needing to build a solid South Island footprint to complement our North Island

livestock business,” Carr said. The acquisition would add more than 35 agents across NZ with about 30 of them in the South Island, growing the Carrfields Livestock team to more than 120 agents NZ-wide. Carr said the decision by Farmlands to sell its livestock division had been made in the best interests of its shareholders as livestock marketing and procurement would be provided to more of their 65,000 shareholders than was now possible. “By utilising Carrfields Livestock’s nationwide network of livestock agents we can provide a greater range of livestock options for Farmlands shareholders,” Carr said.

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News

10 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Lack of listings limits farm sales Alan Williams alan.williams@nzx.com

SELLING: Dairy farm sales early this year are double the number of a year earlier.

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FARM sale activity around the country appears to be constrained by a lack of listings, especially for good finishing and grazing properties. In contrast, dairy farm sales are well up from a year ago, the number in the three months to the end of April nearly doubled. Prices paid were also higher, on both a median basis (up 5.1%) and on the Real Estate Institute’s dairy farm index (up 10.5%). The latter adjusted for differences in farm size and location. There were 98 sales for the latest three months ended April, compared to just 52 previously. That continued a strengthening trend with year-to-year sales to the end of April up by 20%, institute rural spokesman Brian Peacocke said. Dairy sector morale had moved in tandem with higher milk prices though volatility remained an issue. Several provinces benefited from the improving trend with a good increase in sales in Waikato, highlighted by a cluster of sales in the good-tomedium price range in the south Te Awamutu and Tokoroa districts. Northland also had good activity though there was an easing in Taranaki after a strong run of sales over recent months. There were several strong dairy farm sales in Mid Canterbury and activity at solid prices in Southland though volumes were lower, Peacocke said. The median dairy farm price for the threemonth period was $35,186/ha, up from $33,507/ ha at the corresponding time in 2016. The latest figure was below the $37,066/ha for the three months to March this year, indicating the better farms being marketed since Christmas had sold earlier than the others. Overall, Waikato had the biggest increase in sales for the period, up by 39, with Otago continuing its good turnover with an extra 17 sales, mainly finishing units though there was also good activity with grazing properties. Northland had a lift in sales of dairy and finishing units with a focus on quality and location, Peacocke said. As with the latest March trading period, some lower-priced dairy units were sold for a shift to dairy support or beef farming. Good turnover and prices for kiwifruit orchards highlighted the trading period in Bay of Plenty and there was also reasonable activity in dairying at medium to lower values in the Rotorua and Taupo districts and an increase in finishing unit sales in the eastern part of the region. Supply was an issue in some places, including Wellington and Wairarapa, where there was good demand and increased values for finishing and arable units. The same applied in Nelson, Marlborough, Manawatu/Wanganui, Hawke’s Bay and Taranaki with steady inquiry across the farm sectors. That demand showed the good underlying confidence in the farm sector, he said. Supply constraints could be caused by a reduced number of finishing properties in some regions because of the past conversions to dairying and because the strong beef returns might be keeping some farmers from selling. The median sale price for finishing farms for the three months was $25,585/ha, up from $24,584/ ha for the latest March period, and $24,657/ha for the April period last year. That was a 3.8% year-onyear increase. For grazing farms, the biggest individual sector for sales turnover, the median price for April was $15,079/ha, virtually steady with last year but down on the $16,202/ha median for the 2017 March quarter. The median price for horticulture block sales rose nearly 14% over the last year, to $278,419/h from $244,365/ha. However, the gain was higher still for the March three-month period which had a median of $317,726/ha.

News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Lamb future looking good

TASTY: Alliance chief executive David Surveyor, chef Samuel Wilkes and Prime Minister Bill English launched Te Mana lamb in Hong Kong.

Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com THE decline in sheep numbers might have slowed or even stabilised, Alliance chief executive David Surveyor says. Improved wool returns would provide long term viability but he hoped the decline in numbers had finally slowed because of better meat prices. “My suspicion is we are starting to see some stabilisation.” Surveyor was the second meat company executive to make such a call after Silver Fern Farms chief executive Dean Hamilton said recently that less land converting to dairying and vineyards in Canterbury and Marlborough should slow the decline in sheep numbers. Buoyed by sheep meat prices that were consistently higher than last year, Surveyor said he had noted an improved mood among sheep farmers and could not see any fundamental risk for prices to ease next year. “While I agree there are things that could make markets fragile, I can’t see a fundamental drop off in markets.” He hoped confidence from improved prices could help stabilise or even grow sheep numbers. If the contribution of wool to sheep income could increase to $50 or $60 a head it would make a significant difference to the economic viability of sheep farming. Alliance was continuing its strategy of removing costs and creating more value and Surveyor said he expected to deliver another $30 million in savings and added value to shareholders this year, similar to last year. The co-operative was working on 112 projects such as targeting food service in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong to reflect changes in consumer eating habits. In Hong Kong Alliance and its project partners launched Te Mana lamb, animals bred to produce meat rich in Omega-3 fat. Other projects were a week-long immersion programme with NZ Trade and Enterprise to create a better understanding of the Chinese market along with projects to improve plant performance and meat yields. “Every 1% (improved yield) you get is highly meaningful in value creation.” Surveyor said $3.5m had been spent on the engine room at its Lorneville plant in Southland and upgrading chillers that would create $4m in returns. More than $10m worth of robotic technology was being installed in the Dannevirke plant and $3.4m in new band saws throughout its plant network that had the BladeStop technology. Surveyor said the company was developing what it considered the ideal processing system and small, pilot programmes were designed to flesh out exactly what that system would look like before rolling it out on plant-wide scale. The Lorneville and Pukeuri plants were part of the industry-wide China chilled meat trial and Surveyor said while a great opportunity it was not straightforward. One challenge was having a reliable cold channel throughout the supply chain but also matching NZ’s chilled season with Chinese lamb consumption patterns.

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Farm with greater certainty

News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

New Zealand story needs a plot Richard Rennie richard.rennie@nzx.com NEW Zealand agriculture must write a clear plot on what it wants its story to be or risk becoming less relevant in the global food mosaic, Nuffield Scholar Jessica Bensemann says. Bensemann, Wellington based agricultural development manager for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, spent her scholarship year looking at how other foodproducing countries had found a lever to pull their sector’s value to a higher level. Each had distinctive and unique drivers behind the paths they chose to take. She chose Ireland, Israel, Chile, Singapore and the Netherlands as example for the path NZ could chose. But despite their differences all five countries shared a common motivation to set their distinct paths for food production. Bensemann described them as facing a “burning platform” of change that was the catalyst for them to move quickly on setting that path. The “burning platform” NZ agriculture stood on took the form of a global trade environment increasingly hostile to liberalisation and even looking to shut down borders on some aspects of food trade, partly to protect voting farmers and partly to maintain a level of self sufficiency. It came after NZ enjoyed the first-mover buzz of the Chinese free-trade agreement from the mid-2000s, coinciding with a surge in commodity volume and value of exports there, particularly for meat and milk. “But we can no longer take those preferred trade agreements for granted. “We have had this focus on free-trade agreements and on increasing productivity and efficiency within the farmgate and through the supply chain, as you must when you are largely an exporting nation. “But they won’t continue to provide the same value gains.”

DETAIL: New Zealand agriculture needs to find its kaupapa or guiding principles before telling its story, Nuffield Scholar Jessica Bensemann says.

I think there is a risk we could become a bit irrelevant in the world of food. Jessica Bensemann Nuffield Scholar It came as other countries had upped their game in those areas, including their export focus. “But for a lot of those other countries their markets have been right on their doorstep and easier for them to understand than for NZ where we may be exporting a particular product to 100 different countries it’s much harder to get our heads around each.” But to set a path to continue competing required figuring out

what the sector’s kaupapa or guiding principles and ideas for action were before telling the story to markets. “And I learned this is where we are lacking at the moment. The challenge is to find what our kaupapa are.” If NZ agri wanted to simply declare it was the best producer of protein for meat, milk and fibre, meeting all safety and quality requirements of customer countries, then it was already there. “But if we want to be something different or more we need to set ourselves up to do different things. It is more than just a marketing strategy, it goes deeper than that.” Her study cited the five countries that had achieved this. Ireland’s “burning platform” had been tough economic times

in the mid 2000s and its kaupapa had been to position itself as a global leader in sustainable food production. For the Netherlands land space pressure had pushed it into declaring itself a leader in agri-tech innovation, particularly further up the supply chain in food processing. Chile had chosen to buffer itself from the variability of copper returns through agriculture and had recognised the fastest way to innovate was to go global to seek experts across all fields of that sector. “I realised when I returned home that everyone involved in each part of those countries’ agri sectors could quite clearly articulate what the purpose of their agri-sector was in their country.”

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The need for NZ to lay its foundation principles was even more vital now as the sector faced fierce public debate over contentious issues, including animal welfare and clean water, affecting its future. “It becomes difficult to have those conversations when we don’t have any cohesion around our principles.” Bensemann was not averse to having foreign input to help shape those principles if need be. As debate swirled in the meat sector about the pros and cons of foreign funding she said aligning with better-funded partners could be one solution. “If, for example, we set our kaupapa as being to provide high-quality food focused on the Chinese market, it may make sense to partner with them.” She was struck by the level of collaboration the other countries had engaged in, both abroad and internally in striking their guiding vision. “Within those countries there was more cohesion around the three pillars of government, industry and research all moving together.” Ultimately all had some form of a pan-industry body overseeing food, such as Ireland’s Board Bia. Bensemann stopped short of defining what NZ’s kaupapa should be, agreeing it was big enough to be a separate scholarship subject. However, she was encouraged to go and talk to a broad range of government and industry groups to try to start the conversation. Meantime, as the sector grappled with debate and flak on issues of a domestic nature, including water quality, her concern was they would continue to distract from the need for a shared vision to take to the world. “I think there is a risk we could become a bit irrelevant in the world of food. “When you look at the proportion of food traded globally, it is a small proportion. We need the rest of the world more than it needs us.”

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Helping grow the country

News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Butter demand lifts dairy index Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com GLOBAL dairy prices for butter and skim milk powder helped lift the Global Dairy Trade index by 0.6% after the latest auction, the sixth consecutive rise over three months. Butter, at US$5631/tonne, set a new, all-time record price. Skim milk powder was up 7.9%, and was now up 12% since the recent market bottom in April. Whole milk powder prices eased 2.9% to average $US3143/ tonne, the first fall since early March. The result from the first GDT sale of the new season in New Zealand fed into the AgriHQ forecast of the farmgate milk price pushed it up 18c to $6.62/kg milksolids. It was the first time AgriHQ used actual dairy commodity prices in calculating its forecast. It had previously used only dairy commodity futures prices trading on the NZX dairy derivaties market. Lifts in the prices for skim milk powder, butter and butter milk powder (BMP) at the Global Dairy Trade auction supported the increase in the forecast milk price, AgriHQ said. It expected prices for SMP were expected to strengthen a little further through the season while butter prices were expected to deteriorate. The AgriHQ snapshot price, if all this season’s production was sold on the latest GDT prices, was down 62c to $6.70. Fonterra’s season forecast is for $6.50/kg MS. “The AgriHQ spot price therefore indicates that there is some upside in the forecast based on current market prices. “However, the derivatives market does indicate that dairy commodity prices are expected to decline this year so this upside is unlikely to eventuate.” Analysts said that if WMP prices had remained steady then the milk price forecast would have been 9c/kg higher. Most notable was a near-term weakness in the contracts for

GOOD BUT: Prices for the season’s first Global Dairy Trade auction were good opening numbers but the butter price should be watched as United States stocks mount, Rabobank dairy analyst Emma Higgins says.

While global dairy supply is likely to lift this season, global demand is likely to match this lift. Nathan Penny ASB August shipment, which were down 6.9%. However, the milk price futures market remained above US$3000/ tonne across the board after the GDT auction results were known. Rabobank dairy analyst Emma Higgins said the GDT index was 46% lower after the first auction of the 2016-17 season, so this year’s opening numbers were very good. Weaker prices for WMP contracts delivering in the New Zealand spring suggested the market anticipated increased milk

production by NZ farmers as a response to good prices. The lift in SMP prices might have been a result of the European intervention process slowing to a trickle, she said. As a note of caution, United States butter prices were now $200/tonne below those from NZ. “This is something we have seen for a couple of years and will be something to watch as US stocks mount,” Higgins said. ASB rural economist Nathan Penny said the new demand for butter was caused by a shift in medical opinion in favour of fats in the human diet. That would help underpin demand for dairy products in the future and take the focus off milk supply from NZ and other major dairy exporters. “So, while global dairy supply is likely to lift this season, global demand is likely to match this lift. “As a result, we expect global dairy prices to remain firm this

season at or around current levels.” The ASB forecast was $6.75/kg milksolids. Westpac economist Shyamal Maharaj said demand for milk fats and cheese was evident in the recent GDT results. “Consumers are shifting back toward consuming natural fats, reflecting current health-trends and better information around the benefits of consuming good fats.” While the price index for anhydrous milk fat eased 1.2% at last week’s GDT auction, the US$6670/t that was achieved for regular grade AMF shipping in August was much stronger than the US$6500/t that the June AMF futures contract was priced at following the May 16 GDT auction. AMF futures prices for contracts throughout this season were stronger than they were a few weeks ago despite easing slightly last week.

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The price of regular grade WMP to ship in August fell even further, dropping 6.9%. “This was the contract which was taken into account in the milk price forecast and which will be used for the settlement price for the June WMP futures contract,” AgriHQ said. “Futures prices for WMP had also declined though all contracts that traded were still priced at US$3000/t or higher.” The September 2018 milk price futures contract fell 5c, settling at $6.25/kg MS on Wednesday. The majority of trading in milk price futures recently had been focused on that contract. The AgriHQ farmgate milk price forecast for the 2016-17 season gained one cent, reaching $6.24/ kg MS. The September 2017 milk price futures contract, for last season, settled at $6.15/kg MS on Wednesday, in line with Fonterra’s forecast.

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News

16 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Fonterra to boost its Te Rapa butter lines output Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com FONTERRA has made plant and capacity improvements on both sides of the Tasman Sea to capitalise on the rising demand for butter that has doubled its globally traded price in the past year. At its flagship Te Rapa site in Waikato Fonterra would spend nearly $20 million to expand its mini-dish butter packaging and cream cheese manufacture, to meet demand from China.

At Cobden in Victoria it had just completed a $6m expansion to increase output of Western Star butter, the domestic brand leader. A taste trend towards butter was evidenced by the increase of the country’s imports from 17,000 tonnes in 2009 to 63,000 tonnes in 2016, representing an annual growth of about 20%. “Recently we’ve seen the demand, particularly out of China, exceed supply,” global operations chief officer Robert Spurway said.

HOT: Fonterra has found the demand for butter has exceeded supply, chief global operations officer Robert Spurway says.

“Much of the demand for products like the mini-dish butter is from hotels, restaurants and commercial kitchens in China – all out-of-home eating experiences where consumers are

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choosing dairy to complement their meal. “Where, in the past, many of these markets have trended towards non-dairy creams and spreads we are now seeing a real desire for natural dairy in both food preparation and at the table. “While the food service aspects are important, it is the latter that is really exciting – consumers making their own choices to incorporate more dairy into their daily diets. “So this expansion is all about responding to the market, investing in building capacity and delivering on our value-add strategy by converting more milk into higher-returning products,” Spurway said. Te Rapa would go from six cream product lines to eight, incorporating state-of-the-art technology to achieve highest possible output. The new butter line would more than double production from 250m to 650m mini-dishes a year. As one of Fonterra’s top five manufacturing sites Te Rapa employed about 500 staff and produced 80,000 tonnes of cream products a year. In Australia the 90year old Western Star had grown to a $150m brand as consumers shifted away from margarines in favour of butter and spreads, preferring to eat more natural foods and use butter in their cooking. Cobden site manager Bruce Manson said more than 38m packs a year or more than one pack every second of Western Star were sold. A bigger cool room was necessary at Cobden to ensure Fonterra could keep up with demand. “The cool room features the latest technology, including automatic guided vehicles to pick

This expansion is all about responding to the market. Robert Spurway Fonterra and pack the pallets away in the cool room, reducing handling, which increases efficiency and creates a safer workplace.” Western Star was judged champion butter for the second consecutive year at the Dairy Industry Association of Australia awards. Meanwhile, Fonterra said it would sell its Hamilton office building and lease it back from the new owner without any disruption to staff. Group procurement director Gordon Rettkowicz said capital raised from the sale would be put to better use.

IN DEMAND: Fonterra is more than doubling production of mini-dishes of butter from 250 million to 650m a year at Te Rapa.

“Owning high-tech manufacturing plants so we can make the products our customers want when they want them is part of our core business. Owning commercial office spaces is not.” Fonterra and its predecessor New Zealand Dairy Group had owned and occupied the London St building since the late 1960s.

News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Rural people make honours list Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com PRIMARY industry leaders Doug Avery, Wendy McGowan, James Guild and Ross Scarlett headed the rural people in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. McGowan was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit and Guild and Scarlett Members of the NZ Order of Merit. The former Rural Women New Zealand national president (2013-2016) McGowan had been a member of the organisation for more than 40 years and was a former president and chairwoman of the Rotorua/ Taupo province of Federated Farmers meat and fibre division. She was also a member of the Kaimai/ Mamuku Catchment Forum and represented RWNZ twice at international conferences of rural women. Rakaia resident Guild was a former president of NZ Deer Farmers Association and director of the Game Industry Board and was now chairman of Queen Elizabeth II National Trust and the Molesworth Steering Committee. He was the president of the NZ Association of Game Estates and chaired the organising committee of the first World Deer Congress. Karamea farmer Scarlett was a former chairman of Westland Milk Products and a councillor for five terms on the West Coast Regional Council, including a term as chairman. He was also chairman of the Regional Land Transport Committee and a trustee of the West Coast Ragwort Control Trust. Three further new rural Members of the NZ Order of Merit were Marlborough farmer and mental health advocate Avery, Landcorp dairy farming leader on the West Coast Rebecca Keoghan and Foundation for Arable Research chief executive Nick Pyke, of Canterbury. Avery was known for his pioneering work in growing and feeding lucerne to livestock for drought prevention and new farming systems for low-rainfall regions here and overseas. The Avery family were also 2010 Lincoln Foundation South Island Farmers of the Year. Keoghan was a director of Westland Milk Products and a former operations manager of Westport’s Holcim Cement company. She had oversight of five dairy farms in the Buller region for Landcorp and last year was named dairy woman of the year by the Dairy Women’s Network.

Pyke began FAR in 1995 and now headed 24 staff members. The foundation was now internationally recognised in areas such as cereal, ryegrass, vegetable seed and clover yields, sustainable resource use and environmental management, the citation said. He had extended FAR programmes to Australia and for women and young farmers in the arable industry. North Otago farmer David Finlay was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal for services to irrigation and sport. He served for more than 40 years on committees and boards involved in community irrigation schemes and had been active in Federated Farmers and in golf and rugby administration. Marine scientist Dr Lesley Rhodes of the Cawthron Institute in Nelson was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her revolutionary work in algal and toxic blooms affecting shellfish. Ashburton accountant and businessman Graham Kennedy was made a Member of the NZ Order of Merit for services to business, including chairmanship of Cates Grain and Seed and Earth and Sky, the Tekapo-based tourism venture.

HONOURED: Former Rural Women president Wendy McGowan has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

HONOURED: Doug Avery has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

HONOURED: James Guild has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

HONOURED: Rebecca Keoghan has been made of Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

HONOURED: Nick Pyke has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

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News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Family’s 177 years on same farm Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com A GRAND total of 177 years on the family farm was honoured for the Matthews family of Northland at the Century Farm and Station Awards. The Matthews family was one of 36 honoured at the 11th awards ceremony that attracted farming families from all over New Zealand to commemorate those who had gone before them, share stories and celebrate each other’s dedication, perseverance and success over 100-plus years of farming. Six of 36 families received sesquicentennial awards recognising more than 150 years. Associate Minister for Primary Industries Louise Upston acknowledged the significant achievements of all the families in a formal presentation of a bronze plaque and certificate to display on their properties. The Matthews family’s Northland farming history dated back to 1832 when Joseph Matthews, a missionary, was sent from Oxfordshire by the Church Missionary Society of England. He married Mary Ann Davis in

1833 and settled in Kaitaia where the couple had four sons and two daughters. Land was needed for the sons to work on so in 1839 he bought 2961 hectares at Doubtless Bay, northeast of Kaitaia from Chief Panakareao. Robert, Joseph’s second son, built the first homestead at Aurere. He had seven children and began sheep and cattle farming and in 1867 bought 73 hectares of adjacent land, the Otengi Block for £91. Sheep and beef, dairy farming, flax milling, butchering and earth moving were done with land cleared alongside local Maori from Parapara forming family relationships that still exist today. Robert’s son Ludolph continued farming until his son Geoffrey took over, eventually forming Matthews Farms along with his two sons, Winston and Herbert. The brothers worked long and hard on newly bought machinery and soon developed it into a productive unit. Today the 304 hectares of coastal land is farmed by Larry, a fifth generation descendant and his wife Fiona. They have two

PROUD MOMENT: The Matthews family was honoured for 177 years on their Northland farm.

children, Campbell and Olivia. They run 200ha of intensive beef with the remainder in sheep. Much fun has been had over the years, the family said, fishing, diving, swimming and horse riding “on this slice of coastal paradise”. “The current generation feels extremely fortunate that it has been passed down from father to son and at times between brothers, always in direct line from Reverend Joseph Matthews,”

the family said. Chairman Symon Howard said families always enjoyed the awards dinner. “It’s often a very emotional evening as the significance of getting to such an incredible milestone really hits home.” The awards’ purpose was to capture and preserve the family history that might otherwise be lost. Families submitted narratives of their farm history with copies

of related photographs and supporting documents that were then archived at the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington, ensuring all records were kept in perpetuity. More than 400 families had now received awards. Applications were open for the 2017 year with a November 30 deadline.

www.centuryfarms.co.nz

Student’s work investigates fungicide resistance THIS year’s Agricultural Fieldays scholarship winner Shannon Hunter is doing research that will make an important contribution to the growing avocado industry. The Waikato University masters student was awarded the $22,000 Don Llewellyn Scholarship for her research to determine whether the pathogen causing root rot disease in avocado was building up resistance to the fungicide used to protect the trees. The fungicide phoshpite used to manage the disease was

supervisor Associate used widely across all Professor of biological agricultural sectors for sciences Mike disease management Clearwater said. and was being tested for A microbiology use protecting kauri and course during Shannon’s pine. undergraduate degree “Shannon’s results will sparked her interest in not only be important plant pathology. for the vibrant and Shannon Hunter A summer placement expanding avocado at Rotorua Crown research industry, they will be useful for institute Scion, working in the understanding the threat of forest protection team, saw her loss of control of several other complete a short research project Phytophthora pathogens affecting that made her want to continue the agricultural sector,” her

working in plant pathology research. Hunter was gathering samples from six Bay of Plenty avocado orchards to support her research. With New Zealand having used phosphite to manage avocado root rot for over 25 years it provided an excellent model to study fungicide resistance. Her project involved collaboration with the Avocado Industry Research Council and Phytophthora experts Dr Peter Scott and Dr Rebecca McDougal at Scion.

The scholarship would fund a research trip to the United States to work with University of California, Riverside, researchers to test their cultures from avocado orchards and the University of California, Berkeley, to test other important species for phosphite resistance. Hunter hoped her research would be useful for informing the sustainable use of phosphite for industries reliant on it for disease management, ensuring its effectiveness into the future.

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20 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Agri women’s trust earns a leadership path award Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com PROVIDING a path to inspire women into governance leadership roles has earned the Agri Women’s Development Trust national recognition. The charitable trust, working to develop the leadership and business skills of women in primary industries, has won the outstanding path to governance leadership category at the 2017 Women in Governance Awards. The initiative of Women on Boards, a business unit of Governance NZ, the awards recognised innovation, excellence, creativity and commitment to diversity by organisations and individuals. Trust chairwoman Charmaine O’Shea said changing how women viewed their contributions and how the primary sector viewed their potential changed women’s aspirations for themselves and their farming businesses, communities and industries. “When women gain the right skills, support and confidence and discover where they can add value they find purpose and meaning and contribute more strongly,” O’Shea said. The award was an acknowledgement of the women who had completed the trust’s

programmes, stepped up and showed the leadership needed to transform primary industries as much as it was about the trust. Since it was established in 2010 the trust had provided eight programmes across primary industries with participants from the arable, dairy, deer, goats, honey, horticulture and sheep and beef sectors. O’Shea said graduates were contributing across multiple spheres including industry organisations, farming businesses, Maori agribusiness, environmental and community groups. About half of the 84 alumni of the trust’s 10-month governance and leadership programme, Escalator, had progressed to governance and leadership roles they did not previously have. They included three of Maori corporation Paraninihi ki Waitotara’s seven elected directors and three of Environment Canterbury’s 10 zone committee chairwomen as well as a fourth zone committee member. The two elected women board members of NZ’s two largest meat companies were Escalator alumni as were three of the Dairy Women’s Network’s eight board members with eight Escalator alumni elected to nine local body governance roles in 2016.

The trust was strongly aligning its focus on leadership and governance with key programme offerings at many levels, the judges said. “The trust has positively benefitted NZ in the sector by developing the skills and confidence of 1800 women who are now making an impact at all levels from grassroots to the boardroom.” O’Shea acknowledged the support the trust received from industry organisations. “This has enabled an inclusive approach to women’s development, making programmes available to women at highly-subsidised or no cost,” she said. They included ANZ, Agmardt, Beef + Lamb NZ, DairyNZ, FMG, the Red Meat Profit Partnership and Cashmanager Rural. Women on Boards chief executive Linda Noble said the increase in the number of entries received for the 2016 awards confirmed many organisations and individuals were consciously working hard to ensure the issue of gender diversity was addressed. “The 2017 Women in Governance awards provided the perfect opportunity to acknowledge those organisations and to celebrate our women gender diversity champions,” Noble said.

WINNER: AWDT chairwoman Charmaine O’Shea accepts the 2017 Women in Governance award from Netball New Zealand chief executive Jennie Wyllie.

Is selling your stock like predicting the weather? EXPANDING: AbacusBio consultants planning the company’s expansion to Scotland, from left, Peter Amer, Hadyn Craig and Tim Byrne.

Dunedin firm goes Scottish Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com

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AGRIBUSINESS consultant AbacusBio is opening an office in Edinburgh to service existing clients and tap into the European agri-tech sector. The Dunedin-based company has been working with United Kingdom and European clients for some years on animal genetics, agri-tech and developing and commercialising new ventures but consultant Tim Byrne will move to Scotland in the next few weeks to provide a permanent presence. Byrne said Edinburgh was a European hub for agricultural research, especially in the areas of veterinary science and early stage investment in innovation and commercialisation. “There is a lot of stuff going on.” The company had an established working relationship with Scotland’s Rural College, where it collaborated in research and applied science on animal

welfare, farm systems and genetic evaluation. Other areas AbacusBio was working on in the UK were feed efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions and a beef cattle selection index. Rather than replicating the NZ AbacusBio model which had more than 20 consultants, Byrne said the plan was to build on the momentum and established contacts it had developed from work it had under way in Scotland. Many UK agribusiness companies had shifted their focus to how to deliver value from resources, an area he said was a strength of AbacusBio. Fellow consultant Hadyn Craig said the UK had adopted a policy of using agriculture to help developing countries, an area the company could have some involvement in. But initially the expansion was to help its core customers. “Really, the first point is to enable us to go and support them better in-market but the scale of the market over there is huge,” Craig said.

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THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Consultants learn to boost profit Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com FARM consultants who have completed the latest Dairy Farm Systems Certificate are confident they can add considerable value to the seasonal revenues and net farm profits of their clients. The first group of 14 members of the Institute of Primary Industries Management were recently qualified and a further 44 were part way through, chief executive Stephen Macaulay said. The new study and certification scheme was developed by DairyNZ, helped by leading farm systems consultants and the institute. It was part of the $170 million, seven-year Transforming the Dairy Value Chain Primary Growth Partnership between the Government, Fonterra, DairyNZ and other primary sector companies. Macaulay said certification was no mean feat and it assessed skills and knowledge across dairy farm production, animal husbandry, financial management, environmental planning, people management and business strategy. Some rural professionals

MONEY: Certification of farm consultants aims to lift profit by $15 a hectare through increased productivity, DairyNZ programme facilitator Kate Sargeant says. who had completed the course reported the whole farm assessments (WFA) done had identified ways farmers could make $50,000 to $100,000 a season more. AgFirst Waikato’s Matamata consultant Stacey Belton said it took her two months to work through the certification, her studying and field work culminating in the 16 modules

of questions on the website, for which a 66% pass rate was required. Her WFA took five days, including six hours onfarm working through the very detailed questionnaire. Belton, who had an agricultural science degree with honours in farm management from Lincoln University, had not been required to delve into cow flows and shed design before. She was pleased to find that new material was embedded in the course for her dairy consultancy mainstays, like pasture management. WFAs were developed by DairyNZ and were used by its consulting officers, she said. After the WFA was written up, Belton and the farmer developed an action plan, agreed or disagreed on focus areas and assigned tasks and due dates to different people. She was confident there would be benefits and financial rewards for her clients who did WFAs in future. Included in the certification requirements for each consultant was satisfactory feedback from five farmer clients, including the WFA farmer.

Macaulay said such professional development opportunities were becoming part of the institute’s fabric to enhance the skills and knowledge of more than 1000 members, 60% of whom had something to do with dairying. The farm consultants’ proportion of the membership was about 35% so, therefore, more than 200 members potentially would go through the certification. The steady stream of consultants achieving certification would be a big boost to productivity in NZ dairying and help lift large numbers of farms from average performance to higher performance, he said. The institute thought the time was right to extend the farm systems training and certification approach into the sheep and beef sector and it was in discussion with the Red Meat Profit Partnership along those lines, Macaulay said. DairyNZ programme facilitator Kate Sargeant said certifying private farm consultants was part of the PGP objective of lifting farm profit from productivity increases from an average of $50/ha/year to $65 by 2020. It aimed to increase the value

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More than 200 members potentially would go through the certification.

and consistency of advice provided by consultants to farmers and increase farmer’s confidence in using consultants. It was a path to connect existing and new research and development with the advice provided by rural professionals. The WFA part took a whole-ofsystem approach to identifying the biggest levers that could be pulled to meet farm business and personal goals. Sargeant said a dairy farmer who wanted to find out more about a WFA done by private or DairyNZ consultants should go on the DairyNZ website. She did not know of another industry-integrated programme like this elsewhere in the world and she was aware of some interest from Australia, where government-funded consultancy services were transitioning into private industry.

News

22 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Wait for rabbit disease continues

REPRIEVE: It will be another year before a new strain of rabbit disease will be available to bring relief to desperate highcountry farmers.

Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com

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HIGH country farmers desperately seeking a new strain of rabbit haemorrhagic disease will have to wait another year for the much needed rabbit control vaccine. Reporting to the Federated Farmers high country conference, committee vice-chairman Andrew Simpson said approval had not been secured in time to enable the import of the Korean K5 strain of RHD for an autumn 2017 release. “There was an outside chance that approval could have been secured but the odds were stacked against us just a bit too much,” Simpson said. Autumn was the time of the year when a release would be most effective. The rabbit co-ordination applicant group made up of representatives from Federated Farmers, the Ministry for Primary Industries, Conservation Department and Land Information was now planning an autumn 2018 release. Simpson said a co-ordinated release was crucial for maximum efficacy as he sought full cooperation from landowners. “The biggest risk we have is an illegal importation of the virus because it won’t be a clean virus. “If we get a compromised virus coming in we cannot guarantee what sort of job it is going to do.” The high country farmers were working closely with the government agencies and regional councils on the release of the new vaccine. “It is crucial that we keep sticking together. If we do it together we will have best chance of success,” Simpson said. Federated Farmers submitted a comprehensive application to MPI, which it failed to act on for three months. Eventually it was sent back to the federation for amendments. “The alteration was 900 pages and the cost had gone up from $170,000 to $260,000.” The new strain was expected to boost the effects of the existing strain. The virus had been released in Australia where it was expected to bowl over 20% more rabbits than the old one. “It’s currently knocking over 42% so it’s achieving a lot higher rates than originally anticipated.” The Environment Protection Authority had given its approval. Simpson acknowledged there was some public concern about the new strain and the federation was working to allay that. He hoped for full clearance in September with Environment Canterbury to hold it through the intervening period for a March 2018 release. The co-ordinated approach would involve release sites every 20 kilometres throughout the South Island. A controlled release would ensure a high-quality, commercially prepared product could be made available. “The red tape has been frustrating but we do want it to work when we get it here – just be patient, that’s what I’m asking,” Simpson said.

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

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THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Wilding pine control a big job Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com WILDING conifer management is a huge part of pest management on Molesworth Station, the biggest farm in New Zealand, where conservation, farming and recreation go hand in hand. In conjunction with the Department of Conservation and with Government funding, Molesworth last year rolled into an intensive wilding pine attack. Station manager Jim Ward said not doing it was not an option for the future of farming, conservation and recreation. South Island high country farmers saw the result of that attack at a recent field day on Molesworth. Wilding conifers now covered more than 1.8 million hectares of South Island high country and were advancing at a rate of 5% each year.

The rules of engagement were full throttle, straight ahead. It was a huge sandpit with very big toys. Jim Ward Molesworth Station Because of the threat they posed to ecosystems, land and farms the Government committed $16 million in the 2016 Budget to wilding conifer control over four years to 2021. In November last year it was recognised the wilding pests had taken a hold, choking native habitat and farmland and the battle for control in the Amuri Basin, including both St James and Molesworth Stations, got a $1.87m Government funding boost. Ward said money was going to win the battle and that was the kick-start to roll into a big programme. “We are pretty good at getting shit done but we needed the money and the plan to make it happen,” he said. “So we got a scientist to map a plan that split Molesworth (180,000ha) into 13 zones with the programme concentrating on the sparse infestation first then making its way back to the seed source. “The rules of engagement were full throttle straight ahead. It was a huge sandpit with very big toys.” At $600 a hectare to fell the trees and $200,000 to fix the road it was not to be a money-making option. The Ministry for Primary Industries and the department would jointly spend a further $1m on the programme next year, on top of Molesworth’s up to $400,000 spent annually on pest management. It was a walk back in time for the high country farmers who last had a field trip to Molesworth in 2005 – a visit that triggered the start of the nationally co-

ordinated wilding control programme. Following that field day a few farmers got together over a beer and decided that something more organised should be done about controlling wildings on a wider scale. This group developed into the South Island Wilding Conifer Management Group then expanded to become the NZ Wilding Conifer Management Group. High Country vice-chairman Rob Stokes said farmers recognised the importance of making the $16m do the very best it could. “It seems like a lot of money but the estimate to get totally on top of the wilding menace is something in excess of $180m and growing at a compounding rate so this programme needs to demonstrate clearly to the Government that ongoing, long-term commitment is required if the country is to beat the wilding menace,” Stokes said. MPI wilding conifer management programme manager Sherman Smith said while the Molesworth plan was big and expensive, it was exciting. “This is a very big project for DOC and we are making a big difference,” Smith said. “We are very excited. We are going to win this one.” Smith said it was a complex issue that required co-ordination across multiple parties. “It’s a big problem – a big challenge for NZ that has to be addressed but it’s too big an issue for just one party. It has to be a coordinated approach. “It’s a big issue for all of us, high country farmers in particular, and it works on a cost share basis between the Government, landholders and farmers to get a good picture and better information on control in the future.” The national programme was working closely with regional programmes where there was a lot of good work going on, Smith said. Aerial wand spraying was getting some good kills but onground machine excavation was a good option where possible and a lot less expensive than aerial control. Removing young seedlings before they produced seeds cost less than $10/ha but removing mature trees could cost more than $10,000/ha, given the heli wand spraying alone cost up to $2500/ ha. Department director-general Lou Sanson said the $100m new diversity money in Budget 2017 was welcome but he was expecting there would be more. “I am convinced we will get more money for things like wilding pines as we get better with the high country managing that.” Sanson assured farmers DOC had a shared vision for the high country. “How we work together with your landscape and our landscape is about being good neighbours for good outcomes, for all,” he said.

CHOOSE: Removing young seedlings before they produce seeds cost less than $10/ha but removing mature trees could cost more than $10,000/ha, given this heli wand spraying alone cost up to $2500/ha. Photo Annette Scott

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24 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Federated Farmers national leadership will be a two-way contest at the organisation’s annual meeting later this month Anders Crofoot and Katie Milne to find out what drives their motivation to get the top job.

Disillusion prompted involvement ANDERS Crofoot lives and farms at Castlepoint Station, a large sheep and beef property on the Wairarapa coast. He had been vice-president of Federated Farmers for the past three years and was chairman of the recently established audit finance and risk committee and is keen to take his Feds governance to the top seat. He believed he still had work to do. He graduated from Dartmouth College with a double degree in computer science and psychology. Before migrating to New Zealand from the United States in 1998 he worked in the hospitality and construction industries then set up a computer consulting practice and later worked as a quantitative analyst for a financial services company. On arrival in NZ he bought Castlepoint Station and set about farming. “Castlepoint was always a Feds member and I followed that as I sought to understand different laws, bonding relationships with national policy staff.” It was in 2007 that he rocked up to his first Wairarapa Feds meeting. “I always joked don’t go to an annual meeting, you will come away with a job.”

That’s what happened – that job being right in the deep end as provincial chairman. “I did that for four years before getting quite disillusioned with the national board – in the media a lot but always reaction.” Under new leadership in 2011 and with a collaborative approach to what it did and how it went about doing it, Crofoot, believing the organisation “was up an away” was elected as a board member at large. “Six years on I think Feds is generally headed in the right direction and I am confident I still have a positive contribution to make as president over the coming three years.”

Farming will need to adapt but that’s what we do, adapt. Anders Crofoot He highlighted water and climate change as the big issues requiring real focus. “Farming will need to adapt but that’s what we do, adapt. “That may mean changing

Others ask

UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Anders Crofoot believes he still has work to do for Federated Farmers.

systems on NZ farms. When we do things we will need to do it at scale with a ready market for it. “Radical change is more difficult on a scale but that should not prohibit change.” Continued investment in science and innovation was vital but Crofoot was keen for more production-based research. “We used to do a lot of production-based research but as a result of a funding shift we lost that and we need to get it back. “That doesn’t mean we need to reinvent the wheel. We can look through the old stuff and build on it,” he said. He would like to see Feds take on leadership in other business opportunities. “That’s not about telling

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farmers what to do, it’s about being pro-active rather than reactive, foreseeing and identifying upcoming issues and making a proactive approach. “Feds is a great organisation. It’s also been around for a long time – things are changing and the organisation, while building on past history, now adapts to being a stronger organisation into the future.” And why would he be the better candidate for the top role? “Katie and I are probably very similar in many respects in what we think is important. “I have more experience on the governance side of things and through my background I bring a different set of experiences to the board table,” Crofoot said.

WEST Coast dairy farmer Katie Milne, elected member at large on Federated Farmers national board, is also the recently elected deputy chairwoman of Westland Milk Products. She was also a former Dairy Women of the Year and 2015 Rural Woman of Influence but she never thought she would go this far in the organisation. “But people have asked me why not and then I had to ask myself – why not,” Milne said. After completing the Global Women breakthrough leadership course last year and looking for the answer to others’ question is, it became clear. “The people and the course have given me the confidence and if people want choice then they need to be given choice,” she said. Milne said there was frustration among farmers that the good stories in their farming were not being told and she was keen to address that. “There is a lot of positive stuff happening and we need to change the language in which we communicate with our urban people so we are portraying farming in the positive light that it is,” Milne said. She believed there were connotations around agricultural language, particularly involving the word industry, that made it difficult in the social licence to farm. “We need to start rethinking, get back to the basic level of what farming is about so people can

MIND YOUR LANGU can be changed but

celebrate farming the NZ landscape farmers do and h do it. “We don’t want fighting expensiv the time. “We need to pi important battles have got be able t smarter in a colla approach with sc backing it. “We need to ut farmer skills mor at tapping into m experience and e a more direct way said. “I have already

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THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

h. Annette Scott talked to vying candidates

Export strength is broad-based Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com

ked her to stand? Katie Milne

g as part of e for what how they

t to be ve battles all

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tilise our re, get better member expertise in y,” Milne

also well versed in the biodiversity space.” Milne said it Feds needed to remain visible. “To stay visible in members’ and potential members’ eyes is crucial. “We have been getting very effective and successful in Wellington communicating with organisations and politicians that we have veered off track from membership. “We risked and have become invisible to members through being very successful on another tack so we have to remedy that.” Social media was another challenge. “Managed effectively and efficiently social media is a very good communication tool – we need to make that work better for us. “Town people have lost connectivity with the people who produce their food. “We need to understand how they can better understand – get in front of the ball and tell the story about farmers feeding families so everyone gets it.” Milne does not believe she is better than Crofoot. “Absolutely not. We are just different, different skill sets and different attributes – like farming there’s no better, just different.”

some small groups to push ideas and to sound-board off, for looking at forward issues rather than in your face now issues.” Milne believed her diverse farming and environmental experiences, including her leadership roles with several Lake Brunner catchment and nutrient management groups, TB-Free and her work in the meat processing industry boded well in the understanding of the national challenges facing farmers. “Our own farm has been subject of a Significant Natural Area so I am

ANZ had previously reported business confidence was strong and 38% expected better times ahead, a similar figure for the sub-group in the agriculture sector. Chief economist Cameron Bagrie said the survey was very positive on the outlook for the economy and GDP growth of 3.5% to 4% was indicated. Williams said the commodity indexes in both traded currencies and the NZD were up 26% and 22% respectively compared to a year ago but dairy commodities were up 50%, lamb cuts were up 35% and meat prices as a group were up 13.6%. Unfortunately, wool prices were down 34% year-on-year. Southern hemisphere fruit hitting northern markets helped to boost NZ apples by 7.5% in May and kiwifruit by 14%. “A late picking season due to

the wet weather and low chill hours meant the market was well primed for new-season fruit to arrive.” While the NZD index was close to its 2011 record because of the NZD strength right now, the world price index at 292 was still below 300+ peaks reached in 2011 and 2013-14. Meanwhile, kiwifruit exports in the year to June 2016 were higher than those of wine, for the first time. Horticulture exports reached $5.1 billion and sales both overseas and domestically were $8.7b, a new record. Horticulture exports were up 19% and were halfway towards the industry’s goal of $10b by 2020. Kiwifruit’s share of exports was $1.67b, compared with wine at $1.55b, apples $690 million, onions $112m and avocados $82m.

BOOMING: Horticulture exports helped boost the ANZ Commodity Price Index to near the all-time peak.

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26 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

UK farming needs a dose of Kiwi cuts Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com BRITAIN has a one-off opportunity to reform its agriculture and eliminate subsidies in the way New Zealand did in the 1980s, a Glasgow agribusiness consultancy says. The opportunity was in 2020 through Britain’s exit from the European Union (Brexit) to refocus on added-value agricultural technologies. The transformation would allocate capital efficiently and bring wide-ranging economic and social benefits across the United Kingdom economy, Ferguson Cardo consultants wrote in a paper The Future is Another Country. It might redefine objectives in trade, aid and economic diplomacy, partner and economist Richard Ferguson said in the paper written with Deepak Krishna in India. They said NZ’s reforms “transformed the food and agriculture sector and led to compelling long-term economic benefits”. The UK had to start with basic issues about the relevancy of subsidy-based agriculture in the modern era, whether food security was relevant to a country with a structural trade deficit in food and whether environmental considerations should influence policy making. “The future of British agriculture lies not in inefficient subsidies and misallocated capital. “Rather, the UK has the potential to re-pivot, refocus and redeploy its capital and energies towards the nation’s value-added agricultural technologies and

STAND ALONE: Subsidies to British farmers should be eliminated when it leaves the European Union, consultant economist Richard Ferguson says.

cutting-edge science capabilities.” Ferguson and Krishna said the prospect of the Brexit-driven transformation and structural adjustment might appear to add to existing uncertainty. “But the process, if mapped successfully, can be a positive one.” The results of NZ’s reforms were immediate and painful and well as long-term and beneficial. They highlighted the withdrawal of government aid, the reduction in agricultural land, the devaluing of the NZ dollar and the diversification in primary industries.

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NZ farmers who used to get an average of one-third of their income from government subsidies now received about 2% of farm GDP in “transfers”, mainly in agricultural research and border security. Whereas NZ export returns used to rise and fall inversely to the NZD value, since 2003 NZD commodity prices increases had largely been lower than world price increases. Therefore, the exchange rate had reduced the benefits of higher world prices yet export earnings had continued to grow, primarily on the strength of widespread productivity gains. NZ exports had been redirected from mainly European countries and tastes to Asian customers, especially China. “Historical analysis allows us to demonstrate the longterm model which emerged

over time: a world-class, highly productive and innovative NZ food and agriculture sector.” The authors turned to the UK agri-food sector, observing it was 13.5% of national employment (4m people), that food and drink imports (£39b) were more than twice exports (£18b) and that the country was only 60% selfsufficient (75% for foods that could be grown in the UK). Fruit and vegetables and meat had the largest trade shortfalls. The EU Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) delivered about £3b annually to the UK under pillars 1 and 2 payments. Among common criticisms of CAP were those of inefficiency, inequity, environmental degradation and promotion of food insecurity by preventing reform and trade. The bottom line income from farming in the UK was £4b, so about 70% of income came from

CAP, though that included specific environmental payments. Wales and Northern Ireland received assistance in excess of 100% of their farm incomes, which would, in effect, be loss-making regional industries without subsidies. The growing of cereals and of livestock farming on the lowlands and in less-favoured-areas, were loss-making without CAP. “Most farms in England, except specialist poultry, dairy and horticulture, made substantial losses or only marginal gains from their core agricultural activities.” However, arguments based on food self-sufficiency and security would carry far more weight in the UK than in 1980s NZ. Turning to the positives, the authors wrote about the opportunities for the primary sector in Brexit. “The UK has an opportunity to take a world-leading role in the development and provision of agricultural technologies and value-added services, marrying the legacy of thousands of years of agricultural cultivation with a prodigious capacity for innovation and inventive application.” Developing countries in Asia would generate a huge demand for more food while Eastern European, Central Asian, Latin American and African countries were not attractive places for investment and had major supply bottlenecks. Ferguson and Krishna put forward an argument for using Britain’s annual £11b Department for International Development (DFID) aid in Africa and Asia as a launch pad for “shared value” with UK agritechnology. Innovative capital-raising through the City in London could play a big part, with the right encouragement. Ferguson said the response to his paper had been enthusiastic from think tanks but conversations with the UK government were not really possible during the election campaign.

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EMMA Parsons has been appointed chief executive of Agrigate, the online tool aimed at helping farmers improve their farm performance. Agrigate, a joint venture between Fonterra Farm Source and LIC, was developed to combine key data farmers needed to make faster and smarter decisions from one, easy to use online dashboard. Agrigate chairman and LIC chief executive Wayne McNee said Parsons brought a wealth of industry knowledge and experience. “Emma’s extensive leadership skills and industry knowledge will be instrumental in the ongoing development of Agrigate as we work to grow the system, collaborate with more industry partners and meet the increasing demand from farmers.

Parsons, who was Fonterra’s general manager responsible for dairying and had held a number of senior management roles at the co-op, would start today. McNee said the position drew a significant amount of interest with a number of internal and external applicants. “Farmers involved in the trials of Agrigate told us it will be revolutionary in helping them improve their farm performance and that was also validated by the number of high-calibre applicants who were keen to take the lead role. “I’d also like to thank Tim Cutfield for his contribution to Agrigate. Tim’s leadership was instrumental to the successful start-up of the joint venture.” Cutfield would move back into his role as farmer innovations manager at Fonterra.

Agrigate was launched to farmers in February and now had more than 1000 users. The tool was continuously evolving with feedback from farmers using the platform determining the roadmap for development. New features were being released every two weeks and farmers were checking back to see what had been added. A new data partner would be named at the National Fieldays this week. Agrigate was designed to help farmers plan ahead using existing data to assess the interaction between different onfarm factors such as weather, animal health, milk production and pasture data. It would help farmers track what effect each factor had on the others so they could plan accordingly.

News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Pork head downplays threat from hepatitis Richard Rennie richard.rennie@nzx.com THE pork industry is downplaying the likely impact of a big disease labelled the Brexit virus, linked to pork products and known to cause people to fall seriously ill. The Brexit virus name was coined after a British researcher cautioned the elderly, pregnant and transplant patients to avoid eating pork because of the risk of contracting the mutant hepatitis strain (HEV) from infected meat. The virus had affected pig herds in several European countries

including France, Holland, Denmark and Germany. New Zealand now imported more than 60,000 tonnes of pork a year since trade regulations were loosened around raw pork imports. Raw pork products have been able to be imported since 2013. Significant opposition from the NZ industry culminated in a Supreme Court ruling dismissing NZPork’s appeal to stop the Ministry for Primary Industries changing import rules. A key part of NZPork’s challenge was around the risk raw imported product could introduce porcine

ODDS-ON: Country of Origin Labelling law has a good chance of being passed, NZPork chairman Ian Carter says.

reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) to NZ herds. NZPork chairman Ian Carter said while there had been some concern at the time over zoonotic (cross species) diseases like HEV also being introduced, they had not been the key concern. “I have also learned a lot about the HEV virus over the past week, and it is really a bit of a non-event in terms of its effects here. “It has been around for a long time. It is not a new disease. It

was just this particular paper that came out in the United Kingdom about it that raised it.” A person would need to have a highly challenged immune system to be affected by it and normal hygiene standards would almost eliminate any risk of getting it. While purely coincidental, reports of the disease came as NZPork made its submission to the Government to support Country of Origin Labelling (CoOL).

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Carter felt the legislation had a good chance of being passed, given nine out of 10 of NZ’s main trading partners also required CoOL. His industry was pushing hard with consumers to reinforce the value of buying NZ-sourced pork products, with its PigCare welfare programme now well established and recognised as a world-leading system to ensure a high standard of animal welfare throughout the supply chain.

Newsmaker

28 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

The times they are a-changing Both the dairy and the sheep and beef sectors are gearing up for change in farm ownership paths and models in the coming decade. The former is looking at the impediments to young entrants making progress while the latter contemplates a wave of retirement. Neal Wallace spoke to those looking for solutions.

ARM ownership and management is being re-examined with predictions half the owners of sheep and beef farms could retire in the next decade and the number of herd-owning sharemilkers entering the industry could also halve. The rising price of land and fluctuating equity values have made farm ownership increasingly difficult for young farmers, prompting professionals to look at formalising less conventional structures such as equity partnerships, leasing and company structures. Statistics New Zealand figures reveal the average age of sheep, beef and deer farmers had increased from 51 in 2006 to 54 in 2013, prompting forecasts half would retire in the next decade. DairyNZ figures showed the number of herd-owning 50:50 sharemilkers entering the industry had slowed from 90 to 50 a year but the number of contract milkers had increased. Those statistics also revealed the number of herd-owning sharemilkers had fallen from 2229 in 2012-13 to 2001 in 2015-16 and, as a percentage of the industry, had fallen from 19% to 17% over the same period. The number of variable-order sharemilkers fell over that same period from 1951 to 1569 and as a percentage of the industry declined, from 16% to 13%. DairyNZ economist Angie Fisher said exact numbers of

contract milkers weren’t reported but were estimated at 1300 to 1400. The total number of herds fell from 11,927 in 2013-14 to 11,970 in 2014-15 and 11,918 in 2015-16. Several years of fluctuating milk prices and herd values had made establishing sharemilking agreement percentages difficult for aspiring landowners to grow equity.

The next 10 years is going to be crucial and such a huge opportunity for our sector in terms of progression. Melonie Sheppard Red Meat Profit Partnership Fisher said DairyNZ research revealed the percentage of sharemilkers intending to buy a farm had plummeted from 70% in 1996 to 47% in 2016. The number of farmers leasing or in equity partnership was also not clear but Fisher said there had been more talk of younger farmers leasing land to build their wealth. DairyNZ was investigating other structures and how they could be used to retain future managers and farm owners.

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Red Meat Profit Partnership people management consultant Melonie Sheppard said the next 10 years would be crucial for the sheep and beef sector given the impending retirement of such a large number of farm owners. “The next 10 years are going to be crucial and such a huge opportunity for our sector in terms of progression.” Sheppard did not see that as an issue because it created opportunities for young farmers to advance into management and their energy and innovation would drive production. Succession did not necessarily mean the sale of land but could involve new ownership and management structures and owners moving to governance roles. That looming change required aspiring farm managers to learn new skills in business, finance, dealing with staff and contractors and feed, pasture and forage management. While plenty of young people were choosing to work in the sheep and beef sector, many lacked formal skills. Primary ITO was investigating structuring training to small blocks and determining if it could be delivered at field days and other farmer gatherings. “We have had a very much tell approach. We haven’t been very good at demonstrating or showing how to do it,” Sheppard said. With farm ownership structures likely to change, the RMPP

TIME’S UP: Statistics NZ says the average age of Kiwi sheep, beef and deer farmers has increased from 51 in 2006 to 54 in 2013, with the likely result that half will retire in the next decade. Taranaki farmer Bryan Hocken has set up a company for his daughter and son-in-law to take over the farm.

was creating resources to help owners with options such as leasing, equity partnerships and succession. Inglewood sheep and beef farmer Bryan Hocken has formed a company in which his daughter and son-in law have shares. Hocken said his two sons had

chosen to pursue non-farming careers and with his daughter and son-in-law keen to take over the 600ha sheep and beef property, establishing a company seemed a simple form of succession. Hocken said he did not favour leasing because there were too many variables.

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THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Researchers on ants’ trail Using pheromones to control invasive Argentine ants could lead to a range of applications to control various unwanted insect intruders, while maintaining crop value and providing socially acceptable solutions. Richard Rennie found out how they work.

HEY might have started as a small, local infestation but Argentine ants have swarmed their way through the North Island and now have Plant and Food Research scientists hot on their trail with natural pheromone lures. While obviously native to South America, since turning up in New Zealand in 1990 the insects have found much of the North Island more than comfortable enough to establish massive colonies that have moved beyond being simply a nuisance. Plant and Food Research doctoral invasive pest researcher Lloyd Stringer said the symbiotic relationship between sapsucking insects like mealy bugs and the Argentine ant could be particularly problematic for plantbased industries. “The bugs excrete a honeydew that provides a carbohydrate source for the ants. “The ants essentially farm the bugs for their energy source, helping them to increase in number to the detriment of the plant.” He and fellow researchers had studied how pheromones could be used to disrupt the ants’ ability to forage for food sources and might hold promise for commercial application and for deterring other insect species. The research exposed ants from five colonies to varying levels of a commercially available pheromone. Typically, ants secured a food source through one ant heading out of the colony, finding food and laying a pheromone trail back to

SEARCHING: Plant and Food Research invasive pest researcher Lloyd Stringer looks for Argentine ants.

the colony nest to lead the others back. Researchers determined that laying down the pheromone over a certain concentration was similar to putting a sensory fog around the ants. It overloaded their pheromone detectors, causing them to lose direction and orientation from the trail. Ultimately, they would not make it back to the nest and the direction of the food source would be lost. The benign distraction left the ants lost and disoriented. The researchers also found the ants did not switch from pheromone cues to touch cues when the sensory overload took place and that their detection was essentially provided through the pheromone trail. Stringer said researchers were surprised at how little pheromone the ants were capable of following.

“They will follow up to about a hundred-fold pheromone strength before it becomes too strong and they lose direction.” The interaction of Argentine ants had the chill of a B-grade science fiction movie to it, with collective nests of ants tending to act as a single colony rather than fighting each other for food resources. “You could take Argentine ants from the South Island and place them up in the north and they would all work together. The population is effectively one massive colony.” The researchers also had some success with pheromone treatment of another distinctly unwanted ant, the imported red fire ant. Recognised as a significant environmental, human and economic hazard if it ever became established here, it had

so far been found on only four occasions, in 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2007. “They have required a specially made pheromone but are probably harder to control using pheromones alone as they also use other sensory cues to get around.” Field trials had been done to determine the potential for a commercial application of the pheromone work and researchers were working on wider applications for pheromones as non-pesticide control methods for high-value export crops and to protect against other unwanted intruders. Pheromones have great potential to find new incursions and be used for the eradication of new pests. For example mass trapping or lure-and-kill methods or for pests such as the brown marmorated

Photo: Johnny Houston

stink bug that was knocking on NZ’s door. Pheromones could also provide a socially acceptable control tool, such as the sterile insect technique – essentially contraception for pests. In populated urban areas where a lot of the new pests were found, the use of pheromones was more acceptable than aerial spraying to rid districts of incursions. “And for commercial growers using pheromones to control problem pests there are higher returns for their crops because of lower chemical residues.” Stringer said there was potential for Plant and Food Research to commercialise pheromone products with a partner or to support NZ pheromone companies and industries to bring overseas products to the NZ market.

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Opinion

30 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

EDITORIAL Make use of momentum

Bryan Gibson

LETTERS

Stop blaming exotic species I READ with interest Council of Outdoor Recreation Council cochairman Bill Benfield’s letter (May 22) taking Alan Emerson to task for his tirade at trout as the “aggressive, invasive, imported” species. Benfield was quite correct. He is not the first to draw attention to the phobia of a hatred of introduced wildlife. Back in 1958 Dr William Graf, a US professor of zoology came to New Zealand to study the deer situation because Hawaii was considering introducing deer for sport. Graf viewed the NZ scene often in the company of departmental officers. In his report following the tour Graf wrote there existed in NZ “an anti-exotic animal phobia to an extent that much of the public as well as many government officials do not

and cannot view the situation in an objective perspective”. The bureaucrats were incensed. A L Poole, the director general of forestry, delivered a conference paper in which he attacked Graf’s credibility. Therein lay the problem – bureaucrats. Bureaucrats set up jobs and empires around a reason, whether it is factual and realistic or mythical and fantasy. It matters not a jot which one. Take possums as an example. They are accused by extreme green groups and bureaucrats of defoliating forests. But senior Landcare Research scientist Graham Nugent told a 1994 Conservation Department possum-pest workshop that DOC’s 70 million possum figure was nonsense and even that number would browse

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Possum populations are not consistent. Some gullies might have high possum numbers while other gullies, because of aspect, low or nil numbers. Some areas, perhaps because of soil nutrition, hold low numbers of any wild animals. We live in a 21st century ecosystem. The argument for biodiversity and turning the clock back to 500 AD has been distorted by ecofundamentalists to be akin to a flat earth argument. Biodiversity can err into selective judgement and hypocrisy. As Benfield pointed out, the pastoral industry is founded on introduced species – sheep, cattle and deer – which graze on introduced pasture species. Tony Orman Marlborough

Letterof theWeek

EDITOR Bryan Gibson bryan.gibson@nzx.com

just 7% of the new foliage produced each night by NZ’s vegetation. Possums have been blamed for Tb spread. But just last year NZ First MP Richard Prosser quizzed Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy in Parliament. Guy replied that of 124,000 possums autopsied over the last 10 years, only 54 had bovine Tb – an infection rate of 0.04%. Furthermore, Prosser’s questions prised from Guy that of 9830 possums autopsied in the last 12 months, none had Tb. The international guideline for Tb infection is 0.2%. Benfield, in At War with Nature, points out NZ has been Tb-free for probably 10 years. Meanwhile, DOC’s understanding of wildlife is either woefully ignorant or deceitfully contrived to keep vote allocation money rolling in and empires intact.

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HE cold mornings signal National Fieldays is once again here but I’d hazard farmers visiting Mystery Creek this year will be far from frosty in their outlook. As I write, the AgriHQ dairy analysts have raised their forecast milk price for the 2017-18 dairy season to $6.62/kg MS. They say the 18c rise in their forecast is mainly down to increasing demand and a subsequent price rise for butter, butter milk powder and skim milk powder. The wheel is beginning to turn. Things are looking up for other producers too. Red meat prices are good and horticulture is experiencing unprecedented growth that shows no signs of slowing. But there are still a few dark clouds overhead and I hope Fieldays will help provide some blues skies. The health and wellbeing of rural folk is something we’ve become better at talking about in recent years and that’s a great thing. Initiatives such as Farmstrong and the work of the Rural Health Alliance are just two of the many examples of the progress we’ve made in opening up about our physical and mental health. This year Mystery Creek will host a Health Hub, which looks like another great platform. I urge you to stop by there if you make the trip to Hamilton this year. The isolation of farmers and others in the country is a barrier to care that we need to keep working to overcome. Also, our social licence to farm is being questioned, as it should be. I’ll certainly be looking out for innovations and answers to the questions of sustainability and environmental protection. It will also be interesting to gauge the feeling of attendees as to how they’re engaging with these issues. Our industry has momentum again so let’s use that to take care of ourselves and our land.

Opinion

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Should we be farming weka? Roger Beattie

ASTERN buff weka are native to the East Coast of the South Island. Six pairs were taken to the Chatham Islands in 1905 to control grass grub. They thrived there as there are no stoats. Buff weka died out on the mainland in the 1930s. I lived and worked on the Chathams for 17 years then my wife and I bought a farm on Banks Peninsula. We missed the weka so built NZs first large predator-proof reserve in 1994 and became New Zealand’s most successful weka breeders, breeding and giving away hundreds. NZ has the world’s worst record for bird species becoming extinct – 74 since man arrived here. Now, 71 of our 218 native bird species are threatened. Only one fish, the great white shark, has that status (Draft Threatened Species Strategy, Conservation Department, May 2017). In contrast to birds, commercial fisheries are in phenomenal shape. According to MPI’s latest stock assessments in the Status of NZ Fisheries report for 2106, 97% of scientifically evaluated landings were from stocks above or well

FARM BIRD? Weka multiply quickly, grow quickly, are good pest controllers, thrive in different climates and have a variety of end uses, farming advocate Roger Beattie says.

The

Pulpit

above sustainable levels. (Seafood NZ, May 5, 2017). Why the contrast between Birds and Fish? Is the answer in the legislation? Before 1984 NZ’s fisheries were in bad shape and getting worse, The Quota Management System (QMS) was introduced to alter incentives and stop the race for fish. DOC didn’t get reformed by the 1984-87 Labour government and as a result DOC runs a command and control, topdown, bureaucracy-knows-best, get-around-the-table, consultwith-everyone, indecision-bycommittee, intentions-matter, pagan-worshipping, myopic monopoly. The Ministry for Primary Industies, fishermen and quota owners are outcomesdriven, bottom-up, efficiencyfocused, scientifically assessed, self-criticising, incentivisedto-be-sustainable, raciallymature-and-harmonious, free-market-property-rights evangelists. The purpose of the Conservation Act 1987 was to establish a department of conservation (DOC monopoly).

IDEAL: Organic sheep, beef, kelp and paua farmer Roger Beattie says it makes sense to add weka to the list of native species that can be farmed.

The purpose of the Fisheries Act 1996 was to provide for the use of fisheries resources while ensuring sustainability. DOC and birds is a horse and cart. MPI and fisheries is a Tesla. How might we improve the Conservation Act? Change the purpose to “To promote the conservation of NZ’s natural and historic resources”. Put individuals, groups, Maori and companies on a level playing field with DOC. DOC should not be the rulesetter, the player, the referee and the judge and jury. Am I being a bit hard on DOC? Consider this. In September 2016 I was heading to the Chatham Islands with a television crew to film a weka programme. I wanted to get some live weka for breeding and some for the pot. I rang the DOC office in Palmerston North and was told that I would have to do four lots of consultation before I could fill out the paperwork for live weka transfer. I rang the Chatham Islands DOC office for 10 weka to eat and the

permit was filled out while on the phone. Go figure. Two years it took to get the last live weka permit and one minute to get a permit for dead weka. DOC is also killing up to 500 weka a year on the Chathams. DOC has a policy to repatriate weka back to their original areas. Yeah right. Many people in DOC including the Minister and the directorgeneral mean well but more power and money is not the solution. Farming is the solution. Weka are ideally suited to farming. They are attracted to humans. They multiply quickly – the best we have done is 17 chicks from one breeding pair in a year. They grow quickly, they are good for pest control – spiders, grass grub, maggots, rats and mice. They have multiple end uses including meat to high-end restaurants, feathers in your cap and weka oil. They thrive in a variety of climates. They are quick to process, they taste fantastic and are oh-sohealthy to eat. They are the ultimate in

sustainable food because no chemicals are needed to grow them. They are enjoyable to farm and are smarter than chooks. They are light on the land and use water efficiently. They require a tenth of a hectare per breeding pair and can be farmed with cattle, sheep, in orchards or on lifestyle blocks. We, in NZ, farm native shellfish, mussels, paua and oysters. We farm native trees, shrubs and grasses. Why not weka? We have a crisis on our hands. We need to change the way we think and act. We need to harness the power of the market and the innovation of entrepreneurs. The future of our endangered bird species depends on it. No farmed species has ever died out.

Your View Got a view on some aspect of farming you would like to get across? The Pulpit offers readers the chance to have their say. nzfarmersweekly@nzx.com Phone 06 323 1519

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Opinion

32 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Farmers pay for urban vote bribe Alternative View

Alan Emerson

LAST week I was critical of the Budget and how it ignored provincial infrastructure for big city benefit, mainly in Auckland. It is worse than that as the $2 billion election bribe for Working for Families and the Accommodation Supplement are taking money from the good farming employers and giving it to the bad Auckland bosses, mainly in the hospitality and retail industries. My information comes from the Federated Farmers Remuneration Survey. It is a detailed, highly credible document. If you have little knowledge of farming you’ll start on a dairy farm at almost $41,000 a year with most (78%) getting accommodation. That moves to $46,000 for an assistant herd manager, $52,000 for a herd manager and $67,000 for a farm manager. With sheep and beef the figures aren’t hugely different. A general hand comes in at $42,000, shepherd at $46,000, head shepherd $51,000, stock manager $57,000 and farm manager $62,000. Sixty per cent receive accommodation. In addition, 86% are New Zealand citizens so farming is providing jobs for Kiwis. And 78% of farmers are extremely

satisfied with their employees’ performance and 75% with their ability. There stands agriculture, earning income for every New Zealander, paying well and employing Kiwis. When you consider a new graduate earns a salary of $39,000 and the median personal income in Auckland is just $29,600, farming is a well-paid occupation. And farming pays the living wage. A person can live well off a farming salary, especially considering the costs of living in a city, which brings me back to the recent Budget, all extra $2b dollars of it. For a start, I can’t imagine any farm employee, with the possible exception of an entry-level person with a pile of children, qualifying for Working for Families. I can’t imagine anyone requiring a housing supplement. So, charitably speaking, the Budget is there to help those less well off. Harshly, it is an election bribe for the cities. While I don’t have a problem with helping those worse off I have a major problem with the Government taking money off the rural sector to provide for lowpaid urban workers. I admit there’s a problem. According to the 2013 census 40% of adults have an income of $20,000 or less with the median income being $28,500. Wages have moved little in the last four years. The figure.nz website, which contained the most up-todate figures available, said accommodation and food service workers, mostly working in the hospitality and tourism industries, earn less than $500 a week compared with $800 for an

PAY TWICE: Farmers who pay decent wages and provide accommodation are also paying for Working for Families and accommodation supplements to support Aucklanders.

entry-level farm worker. Those in retail earn a little more. So, the $2b tax relief and support is going to those in the big cities to subsidise employers not prepared to pay a living wage. They don’t have to. The Government will pick up the tab. They are very cynical about it, too, as evidenced by Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett’s statement on tipping, which my colleague Steve Wyn-Harris covered in depth. We shouldn’t have to tip to put food in people’s mouths. Employers should be made to pay a fair, living wage. I’ve heard the argument that employers pay what they can afford. If you can’t afford to pay a decent wage get out of business. Another argument is that the lower the wages the more people are employed.

There’s little point in being employed or exploited on a pittance when the taxpayer has to subsidise an employer. Again, if the employer can’t afford to pay a liveable wage to an employee they shouldn’t be in business. What is the point in going to work each day if you have to rely on Working for Families, government housing assistance and food banks to survive? I read that of the 60,000 people who collected food parcels last year a quarter, 15,000, were working. The fault is not with low-paid workers. At least they’re making the effort. The fault is that our minimum wage of $15.75 is set at a level where the state is forced to subsidise the worker or, more accurately, the employer. Agriculture is doing it right. We’re paying a good wage,

more than twice what 40% of the population is earning and that’s at the lowest level of farm employment, the unskilled farm worker. We’re employing Kiwis and not exploiting immigrant labour as the accommodation and food service industries are doing. Nine out of 10 farm employees are New Zealanders. Further, we’re providing most of our workers with accommodation so they don’t need landlordsubsidising accommodation supplements. The tragedy is that while rural New Zealanders are being responsible employers we’re being forced to subsidise the exploitive urban sector.

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

Peters has a way with other people’s words From the Lip

Jamie Mackay

DOES the MP for Northland’s talent hold no bounds? Wily old Winston Peters proved once again last week he was adept at scratching a political itch when he called on Muslim communities to “clean house” and turn in terrorists in the wake of the London attacks. Political lightweights and subservient National dependants David Seymour and Peter Dunne were quick to condemn his comments as naked political opportunism and bigotry but feedback from the great unwashed suggests he verbalised what many were thinking. Whether you love or loathe Peters, you have to admire his talent for political timing and eye for the main chance.

His other talents include being a proof-reader, which I guess is natural for a man who has spent the best part of 40 years correcting reporters. That talent, he told me last week, was put to good use proofing the writing of the man who spends his days writing most of Winston’s press releases. And that’s because his chief of staff David Broome also moonlights as a war historian. Broome, a Wellington member of the Western Front Association, wrote an excellent piece on the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Messines in northern Belguim. One of the great quotes of the Great War came from MajorGeneral Tim Harington’s press briefing on the eve of the battle when he said “Gentlemen, I don’t know whether we are going to make history tomorrow but at any rate we shall change geography”. And change the landscape they did when at 3.10am on June 7, 1917, underneath Messines Ridge 454,000 kilograms of explosives, in 19 huge landmines, created one of largest non-nuclear explosions in history. Legend has it the window panes

of Buckingham Palace rattled as the sound waves crossed the English Channel. Ten thousand Germans died instantly. The crater alone left at Hill 60 measured 80 metres wide and was five storeys deep. By the end of the battle seven days later, 700 New Zealanders had also paid the ultimate price of war.

Gentlemen, I don’t know whether we are going to make history tomorrow but at any rate we shall change geography. Major-General Tim Harrington The landmines were put under German lines by one of the greatest tunnelling efforts in history. What ensued was as Broome described it “a deadly game of cat and mouse with the Germans countermining in the

sodden Flemish ground”. While on my favoured subject of history, a clean-up of our old family farm unearthed some gems. The first was Farming and Subsidies - Debunking the Myths written by former Federated Farmers president (1987-90) Brian Chamberlain. The man who led NZ farming through its darkest Rogernomics days wrote the book to show it was possible to dismantle an agricultural subsidy system without causing all the disasters subsidy supporters predicted. Thirty years on from Rogernomics farmers now salute rather than spit on Roger Douglas. The other is a magazine, the NZ Weekly News, published on Christmas Day 1967. On the cover is a wonderful caricature of the great B J Lochore, then captain of the victorious 1967 All Blacks who cut an unbeaten swath through the United Kingdom and France. Only a foot and mouth outbreak in Ireland prevented a first grand slam. Other features included a story on the said outbreak, an article on fast bowler Dick Motz and a

column by pop music guru Pete Sinclair on a hot new Wellington band, The Avengers. Most entertaining was looking at the advertisements featuring some weird and wonderful products (1000 saccharin tablets for weight watchers for 79 cents) being promoted in the new currency of the day – dollars and cents - which had replaced pounds and pence on July 10 1967. My personal favourite was the letter to the editor debating whether mini-skirts were possibly the cause of economic crises. In the intervening half century we’ve lived through the Vietnam War, the oil shock of the 1970s, the 1987 sharemarket crash, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Gulf War, 9/11, the GFC and Donald Trump. Yes, times were simpler in 1967 but they were a heck of a lot tougher in 1917. Give me an embattled Donald Trump over the Battle of Messines any day.

Your View Jamie Mackay is the host of The Country that airs on Newstalk ZB and Radio Sport, 12-1pm, weekdays. jamie@thecountry.co.nz

Opinion

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Steady progress with Primary Growth projects Meaty Matters

Allan Barber

IT IS eight years since the Primary Growth Partnership programme was announced by the then recently elected National Government. At the end of 2016 there were 20 projects under way and just two completed but June 30 sees the completion of FarmIQ, the largest of the red meat sector programmes. This seems to be an appropriate point to evaluate the success of PGP, in particular the six meat and two wool programmes allocated Crown and industry funding of $342 million. The key point about PGP is its funding structure, with the taxpayer and industry putting up about half each, thus ensuring industry commitment to a betterthan-even chance of a successful outcome. Nevertheless, as a general principle, the larger the amount of money invested, the greater the difficulty of measurement and the wider the potential for missing the target. The two largest programmes are FarmIQ, with a combined investment of $124m and

Transforming the Dairy Value Chain, worth $161m. The remaining meat and wool programmes reach a grand total of $241.6m including the Red Meat Profit Partnership ($64m), FoodPlus ($58.2m), Sheep Industry Transformation ($33.2m), Omega Lamb ($25m), Marbled Grassfed Beef ($23m), Wool Unleashed ($23m) and Passion 2 Profit ($15.4m). Collectively, the red meat and wool programmes aim to achieve $3.1 billion of annual benefits by 2025 while the Dairy Value Chain programme targets annual benefits of $2.7b by 2020. If all this is achieved, the meat and wool projects will deliver a 7.7% return on invesment and the dairy programme 16.8%. A review of the programme updates and stocktakes provides a good summary of how the individual programmes are progressing but, as always with calculations of benefits achieved, it is virtually impossible to judge how accurate the projections will be. But, undoubtedly, one outcome will be an agricultural sector much better off than would have been the case without the investment though farmers might not yet be able to see how these programmes have directly benefited them. Inevitably, it will be several years after the PGP has wound up before attribution of benefits is possible while other factors will have intervened to fudge the results. More importantly, not all

farmers will be affected equally, whether because of differing regional effects and farm size or, more likely, inconsistent uptake across the sector. FarmIQ began in 2010 so it is timely to review how much has been spent and what progress has been achieved to date though the forecast benefits of $1.1b aren’t scheduled to kick in fully until 2025. The programme’s stated objective was to establish a demand-driven, integrated, red meat value chain from pasture to plate which, seven years on, doesn’t appear much closer to fruition though there are some promising signs. Collier Isaacs has run FarmIQ since shortly after its inception and he told me the individual projects have either been incorporated into business as usual or will be reviewed for continuation in the commercial partners’ business operations. FarmIQ Systems has been established as a separate company to measure animal performance, the genetics project has developed two specific breeding chips that are available to all farmers who want to introduce those genetics into their flocks, the onfarm productivity programme has concluded with more than 1300 farmers taking up the recording and reporting systems while the processing project finished 18 months ago after the successful introduction of Eating Quality Beef by Silver Fern Farms. Isaacs had hoped for faster

BRIGHT SIDE: FarmIQ head Collier Isaacs is optimistic more farms will take up FarmIQ.

uptake of FarmIQ’s productivity measurement systems but remains optimistic that is more of a possibility now the whole exercise is, in his words, becoming more of a team sport. SFF sales general manager Grant Howie is really enthusiastic about the success of the company’s branded product programme. It has begun to realise its global potential following extensive consumer research and a careful introductory period involving the establishment of the entire value chain system from farm to plant to market. As he says, everything takes longer in the meat industry and getting farmers to supply livestock to meet Beef EQ specifications has been no exception. Between July 1 and October 31 SFF will offer 40c/ kg for EQ compliant cattle, critical to ensuring sufficient product for the high-wealth markets in Germany, China and the United States. Measurement of lamb eating quality is making slower progress but Alliance-sponsored Omega

Plus is also working towards that objective. The RMPP is aimed squarely at the onfarm end of the chain and, though starting two years later, has already achieved notable success including getting industry buy-in to the NZ Farm Assurance Programme, initiating an electronic Animal Status Declaration trial and improving farmer uptake of new technology. The benefits from PGP will undoubtedly be increased by the mutually reinforcing interaction between compatible programmes such as FarmIQ and RMPP while further success will accrue from the other programmes, both meat and wool. My gut feel tells me the full benefits will take much longer than the next eight years to occur but longer term there will be some huge improvements in agricultural sector fortunes.

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

Challenge to make the world a better place From the Ridge

Steve Wyn-Harris

WHILE we were in Tasmania for a sheep-breeding conference in Launceston we took the opportunity, once it finished, to head south to see what other delights awaited us. Hobart is just over two hours’ drive from Launceston. With only 220,000 souls Hobart is Australia’s least populated state capital. Tasmania has only 520,000 folk and they talk either about Australia or the Mainland as the Chatham Islanders do about New Zealand. In fact, Tasmanians are not dissimilar to Kiwis in the way they

view the world and Australia. I like them. Aborigines had lived here for about 40,000 years and one had to marvel at the fortitude of those folk who either crossed a forbidding Australia or skirted its massive coastline and then crossed the land bridge that existed when sea levels were at their lowest during ice ages to end up so far south by foot. However, through the age-old reasons of disease introduction, displacement, removal and, frankly, mass genocide by the English invaders there is very little evidence of the Aborigines or their culture. Hobart is a pleasant, small city nestled around the second deepest natural port in the world. This attribute makes it a busy sea port and the largest of cruise liners can enter, so come in they do, bringing hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. Because they don’t get earthquakes in Australia even though their and our European

settlement periods are similar, it is a marvel to see Georgian and Victorian stone buildings through all the fashions right up to the present day, sometimes all represented on the same street. We spent a couple of nights at Port Arthur and a full day at the historic penal settlement. Now it is a very picturesque and tranquil place. The stone ruins and restored buildings sit in a compact 40 hectares around the pretty harbour. The guides talked up its attributes as a pioneering institution for new and enlightened imprisonment but reading I’ve done since indicates it was still harsh and brutal, even by the standards of the day. I remembered only vague details of the massacre that happened there in 1996 and there is a small dignified memorial that says nothing of the happenings of that dreadful day. After we left I read about it and was very shocked by the account

and surprised that it had all but faded from my memory over the last 21 years. I suppose it was buried by continuing massacres elsewhere. The day we visited was the latest outrage in London where eight were killed and 48 were injured. That followed the 22-young people killed in the bombing in Manchester a week earlier and five in Westminster in March. That’s just the ones in England this year with no detailing the many other acts throughout much of the world in recent times. These are ascribed to terrorism but the Port Arthur massacre was by a mentally unstable individual as were the Dunblane and our own Aramoana massacres, both considered templates for the Port Arthur perpetrator. I’m reading a book now that mentions an unhinged fellow in Michigan with a minor grievance, who in 1927 who blew up a school of children killing 44. If all the

explosives had detonated he would have killed hundreds. This brutality was almost immediately forgotten as two days later Lindbergh flew the Atlantic and the papers were full of that feat for weeks to come. These things have always happened and they always will. They are attributed to different causes at different times. Currently it is Islamic terrorism by brainwashed, unwell young men mostly. In the future, it will be other disaffected groups. The challenge for all of us is to strive for more compassionate, fairer and egalitarian societies to give less fuel or reason for these terrible things to happen. There’s the challenge, now how are we going to get it done?

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

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World

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Murray Goulburn upsets suppliers MURRAY Goulburn suppliers are furious at its decision to open next season at $4.70 a kilogram of milksolids as it cuts products and brands from its inventory. Farmers said that price, which included loyalty incentives, would force them to move their milk supply. It was below the cost of production and they feared other companies would now simply match it. MG forecast a full-season price of $5.20-$5.40/kg but that was dependent on achieving milk supply of 2.5 billion litres and assumptions about commodity prices, exchange rates and achieving cost cuts. Fonterra Australia, which had yet to give an opening price, forecast a full-season price of $5.30-$5.70/kg plus a 40c a kilogram incentive. Australian farmers said they were shocked and angry by the difference in the prices. In a letter to shareholders naming products and brands to be discontinued with the closure of its Rochester, Kiewa and Edith Creek factories MG supplier relations director Cameron Smith said “Our number one focus at this time is doing everything we can to restore your confidence in the cooperative and build the competitiveness of Murray Goulburn once again.” Products to be cut included Devondale Milkshakes, 8 Bar, custard, desserts, pet milk, Farmdale flavoured UHT milk and co-pack products. They would

HARD TIMES: Murray Goulburn is closing plants and cutting products but has more costs cuts and a full review of the co-op to come as it restores confidence and builds competitiveness, chief executive Ari Merver says.

be discontinued by the end of November. United Dairyfarmers of Victoria welcomed the early price announcement suppliers were shocked at its low level. South Australian Dairyfarmers Association president and MG supplier John Hunt said farmers would reassess their finances. “It does make me concerned for the co-op now. There’s no reason for anyone to stay. “After the last couple of years the loyalty aspect has gone out the window. It is now based on finances,” he said. Strathmerton MG supplier Brad Adams called for Murray Goulburn to be sold. “I’m absolutely gutted. “This is an organisation in diabolical trouble.

“I’ve been reluctant to say that because I am a supporter of what a co-operative should be but I believe it is time to sell MG and do the right thing by the farmers – let them realise the value of the company.” When asked if he would swap processors Adams said “absolutely”. Cobram East supplier Paul Mundy said the price was lower than he budgeted for. He felt “gutted, disillusioned, despondent and very, very angry.” Mundy blamed the directors who remained on the board following the decisions made under former managing director Gary Helou and chairman Philip Tracy. UDV president Adam Jenkins said the early price indication

would allow farmers to do budgets ahead of the season. MG chief executive Ari Mervis didn’t expect to lose supply because of the price and said the early indication from MG was in response to suppliers wanting time to budget. “It is difficult to see (if it’s competitive) in the absence of seeing anyone else’s price but if you look in relation to last year’s price we opened at $4.31 and closed at $4.95 and (this year) we have a forecast close of $5.20$5.40,” he said. “With a favourable grain price the cost of feed is able to be reduced, the macro conditions are looking more favourable. “It is a journey of rebuilding and restoring MG to its rightful place.” The company had “taken a prudent view on key assumptions for commodity prices”. “Although global commodity prices have shown some recovery since this time last year, whole milk powder and particularly skim milk powder prices remain under 10-year averages,” he said. “This has been somewhat offset by firmer butter and cheddar prices. “We have also had regard to Global Dairy Trade auction results over the past two months and current futures pricing, both of which suggest some ongoing price volatility in global markets.” MG also announced a comprehensive strategic review to look at all aspects of its strategy and corporate structure, including the Profit Sharing Mechanism and capital structure.

“I see this review as a fundamental next step to strengthen MG for the future,” Mervis said. “While the previous decisions resulting from the manufacturing footprint review, including the announcement of three site closures were necessary, I do not consider them alone to be sufficient to move the business forward. “Given the time frames associated with the site closures the expected financial benefits are not expected to be fully realised by MG until FY19.” An update on the strategic review was expected with the full year results in August.” www.weeklytimesnow

MG shares at all-time low SHARES in Murray Goulburn have hit a fresh all-time low as investors continue to digest the dairy processor’s announcement of a strategic review amid continued milk price volatility. Murray Goulburn shares traded at 64 cents on Thursday on the Australian Securities Exchange after closing at 73 cents on Wednesday following the announcement of opening and season forecast prices. The shares dropped from 86 cents on Monday. www.weeklytimesnow

COSTLY: The firm controlling JBS, the world’s biggest meat company, has been fined £2.4 billion for its role in Brazil’s political corruption scandals.

Irish want Brazilian meat banned across Europe AGRICULTURE should be removed from negotiations for a free-trade agreement between Europe and the Mercosur trading bloc because of the level of corruption in the Brazilian meat sector, the Ulster Farmers Union says. UFU president Barclay Bell said revelations about corruption and fraud in the Brazilian beef industry were damning. He called for the European Union Commission to remove agriculture from the trade negotiations and to ban Brazilian meat imports completely.

His call followed a court case in which J&F Investimentos, the controlling shareholder of the world’s largest meat-packing company JBS, was fined £2.4 billion for its role in Brazil’s political corruption scandals. It also emerged in March a twoyear investigation found evidence some meat-processing plants in Brazil had been selling rotten beef and poultry on the export market by bribing health inspectors and politicians to get the necessary paperwork. The Mercosur trading bloc consisted of Brazil, Argentina,

Paraguay, Venezuela and Uruguay. “The magnitude of this scandal is shocking and I can see no credible way for the EU Commission to continue to include agriculture in the Mercosur trade talks,” Bell said. “The commission must also take action by immediately banning all Brazilian meat imports to the EU.” Bell argued the Brazilian meat scandal was a public health issue and the situation should have been addressed with the same urgency as the BSE crisis, when

the EU Commission was swift to ban all United Kingdom beef exports. “Politicians must ensure that food standards are upheld and cheap, low-quality imports are not permitted to undermine our industry,” he said. “Countries wishing to trade with us must demonstrate they can meet the high standards expected by UK consumers.” Irish Farmers Association national livestock chairman Angus Woods said it was no longer credible for the EU Commission to remain engaged in Mercosur

negotiations on agricultural issues. If the commission continued to engage with Mercosur talks it would undermine the food safety, traceability, environmental and health standards of the European farming industry. “Standards and controls have to be at the centre of any trade discussions,” Woods said. “The EU Commission cannot stand over negotiations with the Mercosur group against the backdrop of these very serious issues in Brazil.” UK Farmers Weekly

World

36 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Long wait for new farm support scheme BRITISH farmers face waiting the best part of a decade before a post-Brexit support system to replace the Common Agricultural Policy is fully introduced. According to Farming Minister George Eustice any change to a new system would be gradual and might not be completed until 2025. Eustice made the comments after the Tory manifesto pledged a Conservative government would maintain support payments at their current level for an extra two years, until 2022. Previously, payments were guaranteed until 2020. Any change to a new system would involve a transition, Eustice said. “For me, protecting the budget for five years – for the lifetime of this (next) parliament – is crucial because it enables us to give farmers the reassurance that we intend to have a funded agricultural policy.” Asked how long the transition would take Eustice said: “It is highly unlikely we would complete it within the lifetime of the next parliament. As our manifesto makes clear, we envisage some sort of totally new agri-environment scheme for the following parliament, after 2022. “But the reality is that very little,

if anything, would change until we actually leave the European Union in 2019. “And I would then envisage, perhaps between 2020 and 2025, a gradual change in the way we support agriculture so we emerge with something that is much more focused.” Direct payments now made up an estimated 55% of farmers’ incomes. Producers reliant on the payments were likely to welcome a longer transition period. But many farmers voted for Brexit because they considered the system cumbersome and overly bureaucratic. In a recent study by the National Farm Research Unit 32% of farmers said their business would be vulnerable to a reduction in direct payments after 2020. National Farmers Union president Meurig Raymond said “Farmers need stability and certainty as soon as possible. “It is critical that our members understand what environment they will be producing in from the very first day of the United Kingdom being outside of the EU. “So, we are calling on government to work with us closely to develop a detailed timetable for delivering a domestic agricultural policy,

establishing the transitional arrangements that will exist during that period.” The Agricultural Industries Confederation, which represents the UK’s £7.5 billion supply trade, said it was important the next government encouraged competitiveness by investing in farm research, innovation and agricultural technology. The Labour Party had pledged to continue payments until 2020 before introducing a new system of farm support. Skills, innovation and technology were all at the heart of the party’s vision for agriculture, farm spokeswoman Sue Hayman said. “Labour will maintain farm payments until the end of current round and would look to rebalance future funds towards support for smaller farms, linking payments to productivity and innovation as well as to animal welfare and environmental stewardship.” The Conservatives said they had huge ambitions for the farming industry. “We are determined to grow more, sell more and export more great British food,” its manifesto said. But it set out just six commitments for agriculture. It would:

Eaters put big demands on producers AS eating habits continue to evolve farmers face enormous challenges in meeting consumer demands beyond the task of simply producing enough food for a growing population. “Consumer needs vary, which in its own right presents huge challenges for food producers,” Michael Winter from the University of Exeter, the keynote speaker at the Nuffield International Triennial Conference, said. “At one end of the spectrum there are those that tend to have less concern about the source of their food but want healthy meals on the go. “Alternatively, there are individuals who are greatly concerned about the production and ethics behind their food. “Then there is the apparent increase in foodrelated allergies as well as individuals choosing to avoid certain foodstuffs for non-medical reasons.” Farmers were being called on to help meet that ever-changing pattern of consumer requirements but it was hard to know how far such markets would grow.

Winter recommended farmers considering investing in alternative markets such as glutenfree cereals or going into direct retailing or adding value to basic farm commodities needed a good knowledge of marketing. They should also take expert advice to maximise their success. “Education and training is needed to assist farmers and farm workers in all areas of production, ranging from retailing and marketing to the science behind increasing yields sustainably,” he said. “Not everyone needs a degree in agriculture but training and continued professional development are particularly important for farmers to keep up to date with rapidly changing technology and practices. “There are issues, such as soil quality and yield increase that can only be addressed with intelligent, knowledge-rich farming.” Consumer perception was another important aspect of developing the agricultural industry, he said. “To advance production, as an industry we need

the public on our side. Without consumer support growth will be extremely difficult.” In recent years farmers had started to respond to consumers’ animal welfare concerns, as demonstrated by the huge increase in free-range, including in the dairy sector. But consumers should be educated on the realities of farming, including the fact farming practices needed to change with the times to become more efficient. Linking Farming and Environment chief executive Caroline Drummond said educating consumers about the work farmers did in producing high-quality, nutritious food could help farmers seize the opportunities linked to the changing national diet and the needs of today. “Farmers, of course, produce food, but also a wide range of other goods that we use every day and play a vital role in caring for the countryside. “It’s important for them to proudly demonstrate the critical part they play,” Drummond said. UK Farmers Weekly

DELAY: Transitioning to a new system of farm subsidies after Britain leaves the European Union could take till 2025, Farming Minister George Eustice says.

Commit the same cash total for farm support until 2022 and work with farmers, food producers, environmental experts and the devolved administrations to devise a new agri-environment system to be introduced in the following parliament; Replicate all existing EU freetrade agreements and support the ratification of trade agreements entered into during Britain’s EU membership; Improve animal welfare by making CCTV recording in slaughterhouses mandatory and take early steps to control the export of live farm animals for slaughter;

Protect the interests of farmers and fishermen in Scotland under a new UK farming and fisheries policy and use the UK’s muscle to promote Scottish exports around the world as it developed new trade policies; Reconvene the Board of Trade with a membership specifically charged with ensuring exports were increased from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as well as England and; Ensure that by 2020 every home and every business in Britain had access to high-speed broadband. UK Farmers Weekly

Protein shake-up coming FARMERS and growers across all sectors must be prepared for a major shake-up in the protein world as consumer habits continue to change. But while people’s insatiable appetite for protein showed no sign of slowing, they were not necessarily demanding traditional meat sources as part of their diet, food marketing professor David Hughes said. Speaking at the Worshipful Company of Farmers annual lecture in London, Hughes highlighted the rise in plant-based protein and foods such as pea milk, an alternative to dairy and stealth veg, which was increasingly being added to foods such as yoghurt, sausages and meatballs to boost health and nutrition. He highlighted Debbie and Andrew’s “flexilicious, high-protein” sausages, which were launched by ABP Food Group earlier this year and tapped into the flexitarian trend, where diets were plant-based with occasional consumption of meat. “People want more protein without more meat,” he said. But while arable farmers

HUNGRY: Professor David Hughes says people still want protein but not necessarily from meat.

should look to cash in on that increasing demand and work to access new markets, livestock farmers should concentrate on their point of difference. He predicted a “slanging match” in the future between “industrially produced” chicken, which had a feed conversion rate of 1.5kg of feed to 2kg chicken and industrially produced fish which had a rate of about 1kg to 1kg. “There is this great tussle going on,” he said. “Beef and lamb are minority meats and we should celebrate that. “Our beef and lamb should be nowhere near that in the marketplace and should not compete with that.” It was not enough for

United Kingdom producers to promote high-quality, high-welfare foodstuffs because other countries were doing it better. He pointed to Thailand where customers used quick response codes to check meat was free from hormones, genetic modification, salmonella and campylobacter. The same was also happening in the grains and oilseeds market, with products marketed as highfibre and low-gluten barley, omega-3 canola oil and Barley-Max, a blend of raw organic barley and alfalfa. “People will see there is a margin to be had from these high attribute products,” Hughes said. UK Farmers Guardian

World

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

Fallout forces farmers to move Richard Smith in Fukushima AS A manager of one of the Seven and I convenience store chain’s outlets in his native city of Iitate, Yoshiyuki Shigihara dreamed of starting a greenhouse asparagus farm. Iitake has a similar environment as Kitakata, another city in Fukushima Prefecture famous for its asparagus. Asparagus sold in Japan in the winter came from overseas. “We wanted to provide asparagus in winter so we started greenhouse farming,” 56-year-old Shigihara said. It took three years to grow asparagus. Shigihara and his wife Keiko, now 54 and previously working for an electronics company, were just ready to finally harvest when disaster struck. The March 11, 2011, earthquake, which hit a magnitude of 9 on the Richter scale, caused devastation in Japan’s Tohoku region, which includes Fukushima Prefecture. As the United States and Australia were divided into states, Japan was divided into 47 prefectures. The capital, Tokyo, was itself not a city but a prefecture. The coastal region of this heavily agricultural area saw many of its houses, farms and animals washed away by the resulting 10-metre tidal wave. Worse, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant’s meltdown spewed radioactive elements into the water and soil, contaminating agricultural products including animals. Radioactive contaminants even found their way to Tokyo, 227 kilometres away. Fukushima Prefecture’s produce became undesirable in and outside Japan, even when much of it was safe, as radiation levels varied according to areas and products. Immediately after the earthquake, the Shigiharas still did not know the effect of radiation on people’s bodies. “We saw people walking around

in protective suits,” Shigihara said. A government inspector came to check the Shigiharas’ greenhouses. “He sighed and said ‘You worked so hard to grow your asparagus but they are not safe to eat’,” Shigihara said. The Shigiharas briefly evacuated to the prefecture of Aizu then returned to Iitate at the end of March 2011 for three months. They then moved to Fukushima City. Receiving subsidies totalling 23 million yen ($294,000) from both the national and prefectural governments and investing 25 million yen ($320,000) of their own money, the Shigiharas rented overgrown former apple orchard farmland and started a greenhouse asparagus and corn farm in 2015. They now grow 2500 to 3000 cornstalks in two greenhouses with a total space of 196 square metres. And their asparagus grows in a 28.8 square metre space in a third greenhouse. “We shipped 300 kilos of asparagus this year to the agricultural co-operative in Fukushima City and the store where my husband used to work,” Ms Shigihara said. Good fortune had overcome bad for the farmers. Where Iitate was very cool, even in mid-summer, temperatures were much higher in Fukushima City. “The difference of temperature during the day is very good to stimulate the growth of the vegetables,” she said. Because of the heat though, the Shigiharas must work harder in Fukushima City than in Iitate. “We need to ventilate the greenhouses,” she said. One of the difficulties the Shigiharas faced was lack of government support in finding markets. “If we had good markets, we could grow more,” she said. So, profitability remained in the future. “We are in the red,” Ms Shigihara said. The Shigiharas were among

PICKING: Farmer Yoshiyuki Shigihara harvests his asparagus after moving his farm following the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Photo: Fukushima Prefecture Iitate Reconstruction Policy Division

46 IItate commercial farming operations that received financial support to resume farming in another location in the prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture Iitate reconstruction policy division agricultural policy desk chief Makoto Sugioka said. An additional 57 families received support to resume farming for their own consumption, Sugioka said. The national government provided 623,859,043 yen ($7,975,000) with the prefectural government adding 55,022,817 yen ($704,000). Funding from the national government included 122,557,903 yen ($1,567,000) received by the Iitate Village Council, that used the grant in part to buy tractors and hothouses which it rented to farmers, Sugioka said. Crops grown by the farmers included daikon (big carrotshaped white radish), komatsuna (a type of rape), cabbage, Chinese cabbage, blueberries, figs, squash, buckwheat and potatoes. To ensure food safety and reassure consumers in Japan as well as those in countries

2096FW

The online hub for what’s happening now in agriculture. It’s where farmers go for live news, information, jobs, real estate and much more.

importing food from Fukushima, the prefecture’s Agricultural Technology Centre in Koriyama City set strict tolerance standards for radiation. Opened in 2006, the Fukushima Agricultural Technology Centre did not have equipment to measure agricultural produce radioactivity. Following the disaster, Fukushima Prefecture produce samples were sent for testing at the Japan Chemical Analysis Centre in the city of Chiba, the capital of the prefecture of the same name. Entrusted by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), the Fukushima Agricultural Centre started radiation testing in September 2011, agricultural safety promotion department subdirector Kenji Kusano said. Results for each test were posted on the centre’s website as well as the websites of MHLW and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Samples were collected by the Prefectural Agriculture and Forestry Office through

agricultural associations in the prefecture’s cities, towns and villages. The office’s employees washed away the soil and removed the rotting leaves and inedible parts from the samples then tagged them with mention of sample code and produce name, harvest date and area provenance. Received by the Agricultural Technology Centre, samples were first checked with a survey meter, with those showing more than 500 counts per minute of ionising radiation being separately treated as heavily concentrated contamination. Samples were put into containers, having been finely chopped to leave no room for air. “Squashes are hard, so we crush them by banging them down with a hammer,” Kusano said. The samples were then put in a Germanium detector, which measured radioactivity. Standards allowing for radioactive content were very strict, Kusano said. Codex Alimentarius, a collection of internationally recognised standards, codes of practice, guidelines and other recommendations relating to foods, food production and food safety under the World Health Organisation and the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation, considered 1000 Becquerels an acceptable limit. A Becquerel was a measurement of the activity of a quantity of radioactive material in which one nucleus decayed per second. But the Agricultural Technology Centre set the limit at 100 Becquerels. And because milk and milk-containing baby food was consumed by babies, the centre has set a limit of 50 Becquerels for raw milk. “In Japan we apply this stringent standard and unless this standard is met, the food cannot be commercialised,” Kusano said. A lot of foodstuffs tested for more than 500 Becquerels in 2011. “Now, the only samples that exceed 100 Becqerels are river fish and mountain herbs,” Kusano said.

TI NG LI S NE W STUNNING COASTAL FARM - SHEEP, BEEF AND DAIRY

Linton Road, Maungaturoto

Diversify your investments. This magnificent 360ha (subject to survey) property on the Kaipara Harbour boasts a well set up dairy farm, as well as a sheep and beef unit plus three superbly located homes. The Kaipara Harbour has become a lifestyle mecca and multiple titles will ensure future land banking opportunities or even a tourist venture. The property features incredible views, a private setting and direct harbour access to help catch your snapper quota! The 88ha (more or less) dairy unit works seamlessly alongside the balance of the property with its near new 30 ASHB shed and new calf rearing sheds. Immaculately presented, the dairy operation is producing 74,000kgMS and combined with land and infrastructure for sheep and beef, options for the astute farmer are plentiful.

Tenders Close 2pm, 84 Walton Street, Whangarei

View Sun 18 Jun, 2-3pm

www.bayleys.co.nz/1050116

Lin Norris

Alex Smits

M 021 273 6975 B 0800 80 20 40 lin.norris@bayleys.co.nz

M 021 959 166 B 0800 80 20 40 alex.smits@bayleys.co.nz

MACKYS REAL ESTATE LIMITED, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

NE W

LI ST IN G

Having been in the Linton family ownership since the 1890s, changing family priorities mean the property is available for immediate takeover and can be purchased as a full going concern.

Thurs 27 Jul 2017 (unless sold prior by private treaty)

LARGE WELL BALANCED DAIRY UNIT This large stunning 285.4ha farm offers as an established core dairy unit with significant scope for increased production and grazing land with the benefit of being self contained. Currently milking 235 cows off approximately 140ha, it is impressive in its production with a

51 Cartwright Road, Matakohe

For Sale by Deadline Private Treaty 2pm, Fri 14 Jul 2017 105 Victoria Street, Dargaville

FARM, LANDBANK OR DEVELOP! An exceptionally well located 79 hectare (195 acre) property on the edge of the Warkworth town boundary. The former dairy farm shares a one kilometre boundary with the neighbouring Warkworth Golf

M 021 790 393 B 0800 268 6879 A/h 09 422 3303 john.barnett@bayleys.co.nz

View by appointment

extensive race network system and a delightful north-facing aspect.

www.bayleys.co.nz/1020096

This property is zoned Future Urban & Countryside Living (active),

120ha of support land is also part of this appealing package

M 0800 422 959 B 0800 80 20 40

currently growing grass for silage and hay supporting all young stock

catherine.stewart@bayleys.co.nz

and wintering additional cows. A well maintained compact limestone

MACKYS REAL ESTATE LIMITED, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

providing all the hallmarks for a strong long term capital growth with numerous options; utilise it as a grazing block, build your dream home(s) or call in the diggers and develop it straight away. The acute housing shortage of Auckland city combined with a much reduced

track travels through the centre of the farm which leads to 63

commute time to the CBD (via the toll road extension between Puhoi

subdivided paddocks that are well fenced. Are you looking for an

and Warkworth), will secure your investment into the future.

investment or your next step in the dairy industry? This property is

Take a virtual tour: www.umoview.co.nz/14217

worthy of an inspection.

www.bayleys.co.nz

www.bayleys.co.nz/1200532

John Barnett

pockets of scattered native bush and complimented by two well

Catherine Stewart

For Sale View by appointment

Course, and benefits from two access roads, a gentle contour, an

target of 100,000kgMS for this season. Contour is flat to rolling with presented family homes and an 18 ASHB dairy shed. Approximately

185 Sandspit Road, Warkworth, Auckland

MACKYS REAL ESTATE LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

Real Estate

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

NA L

NO TI CE

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; June 12, 2017

OTOKA STATION

Matawai Road, Otoko, Gisborne

Situated in the naturally fertile and historically summer safe, thriving rural district of Otoko is this profitable sheep and beef breeding block carrying circa 3800 Stock Units. Being only 53km from the Gisborne City limits on the Matawai Road this 468.54ha property provides affordable scale within commuting distance of the city. The vendor has undertaken an array of recent improvements presenting a very clean, healthy property. There has been extensive fertiliser application. High quality maintenance of fences including new fencing. New and refurbished yards and laneway development. The woolshed has been renovated with an extension to night pen capacity. A large implement shed and workshop providing good cover for farm equipment. The farm has great access and the shape provides for ease of management. A lovely warm four bedroom character villa set on expansive grounds has been extensively remodelled and awaits its new owners finishing touches.

Auction

This opportunity offers proven profitable farming and affordable scale within commuting distance of Gisborne city.

1pm, Fri 23 Jun 2017 (unless sold prior) 10 Reads Quay, Gisborne

View by appointment

www.bayleys.co.nz/2750474

Simon Bousfield

James Bolton-Riley

M 027 665 8778 B 06 868 5188

M 027 739 1011 B 06 868 5188

simon.bousfield@bayleys.co.nz

james.bolton-riley@bayleys.co.nz

MACPHERSON MORICE LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

All companies within this composite are Members of Bayleys Realty Group

www.bayleys.co.nz

FOR SALE 2290 STATE HIGHWAY 1 KAIWAKA

RECEIVERSHIP SALE

*Approximate boundary only

SOUTH CANTERBURY

Albury

668 Chamberlain Road

Deadline Sale

307 hectares of mixed contour

Very well sheltered farm with pine plantations, natural shelter and planted hedgerows

Approximately 70 hectares deer fenced

Excellent woolshed and yards plus modern cattle yards

Presently running sheep and beef, approximately 2,600 SU

Four bedroom concrete block home set in mature sheltered grounds

Located only 19km to Fairlie

Vendor has new plans and seeks genuine offers

WATER BOTTLING PROPERTY + 39.934ha contained in 4 titles 1pm,

Thurs 6 Jul 2017

View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/554765

Kurt Snook M 027 256 0449 B 03 687 1227 kurt.snook@bayleys.co.nz

+ Approx. 1,637sqm modern shed + Pasture and native bush adjoining picturesque Mount Pukekaroro + Resource Consent for 120m3 daily water take + Currently tenanted

Noel May

+ Tender for one or all titles

M 021 457 643 B 03 687 1227 noel.may@bayleys.co.nz

+ Extensive SH1 frontage

DEADLINE TENDER Closing 15 June 2017 at 4.00pm* JEREMY KEATING 021 461 210

WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

JAMES LEE 021 344 517

*Unless sold prior

www.bayleys.co.nz

www.propertyconnector.co.nz CBRE (Agency) Limited, Licensed Real Estate Agent (REAA 2008)

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Real Estate

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – June 5, 2017

New Zealand’s leading rural real estate company

Licenced under REAA 2008

RURAL Office 0800 FOR LAND

Property Brokers Limited Licensed REAA 2008

FINAL NOTICE

Family Farm With Options

Ultimate Avocado Orchard 4.5ha waterfront paradise (6-7000 trays, crop included). Orchard has done 13,000 trays. 314 Avocado trees. This is a top 10 orchard in a premium waterfront location. Fairytale three bedroom home with new designer kitchen and bathrooms, pizza oven and lots of space for the kids. Large historic dance hall/school house plus implement shed/ workshop all in excellent condition. Boat ramp water access. Venue potential B&B or lodge. Amazing property. www.pggwre.co.nz ID: TAR26081

Pahoia TENDER

(Unless Sold By Private Treaty) Closes 4.00pm, Wednesday, 14 June

Andrew Fowler B 07 571 5797 M 027 275 2244

NEW LISTING

WEB ID TMR55678 TAIKO 573 Sutherlands Road • 417 hectares (4 titles) • 2 x Excellent dwellings • Good infrastructure • Recent re-pasturing • Location (approx 20km Timaru) The majority of the farm is easy rolling with flat tops and a larger area of flat land on the eastern side of the farm. There are a few steeper gullies on some of the hills. This is a great opportunity to purchase the property now, and with continued development, take this farm to the next level.

AUCTION View By Appointment AUCTION 2.00pm, Thu 29th Jun, 2017, (unless sold prior), Venue: Benvenue Hotel 16-22 Evans Street Timaru

Michael Richardson

Mobile 027 228 7027 Office 03 687 7145 michael@propertybrokers.co.nz

4 2

Quality Dairy Farm • • • • • •

Lower Waitaki Papakaio North Otago 107ha freehold, fertile pukeuri silt loam soils 100ha of similar land to lease, part milking area Spray irrigation, Lower Waitaki Irrigation Scheme 50 rotary dairy, farm buildings, housing available 800 cows, with lease. High yield on investment

North Otago DEADLINE PRIVATE TREATY (Unless Sold Prior) Closes 4.00pm, Friday 30 June

www.pggwre.co.nz ID: OAM26199

www.propertybrokers.co.nz

Dave Finlay B 03 433 1340 M 027 433 5210 H 03 434 8390

pggwre.co.nz

THE ADDRESS FOR RURAL REAL ESTATE Stay up-to-date with the real estate market with

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

Employment

classifieds@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

Shepherd/General

An Exciting Opportunity Livestock Specialist

NZ Farmers Livestock are currently seeking experienced Livestock Specialists in order to extend our livestock business throughout New Zealand.

We are looking for someone who is reliable, can work independently and with the owner. For further information or to apply Phone or email: Adrian Omelvena 027 316 7360 mcdavittfarms@gmail.com

Phone (not text) Hayden 027 2826 221 or email: huroodowns@gmail.com

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

ATTENTION FARMERS www.gibb-gro.co.nz GROWTH PROMOTANT $5.85 per hectare + GST delivered Brian Mace 0274 389 822 07 571 0336 brianmace@xtra.co.nz

Only those with the New Zealand residency need apply. Applications close 5 pm Friday 16th June 2017.

Classifieds

CONTRACTORS GORSE SPRAYING. Experienced team, up to eight, using mist blowers and 400 litre motorised sprayer. We cut scrub and plant Manuka seedlings. Phone Dave 06 375 8032. TICKLE AG CONTRACTING, offering gorse/broome spraying services to Otago/ Southland area. Phone Reagan on 027 471 0051.

DOGS FOR SALE BRIAN BURKE, NZ Champ 1984 and 5 times NZ Champ finalist, available to train your working dog. In three weeks he will transform your heading dog into a productive asset for the farm. Contact Brian 06 343 9561 for further details and pricing (heading dogs only).

CLASSIFIEDS Advertise in the NZ Farmers Weekly $2.00 + GST per word - Please print clearly Name: Phone: Address: Email: Heading: Advert to read:

DOGS FOR SALE HAWKE’S BAY WORKING DOG sale cancelled due to insufficient entries. (Was to be held June 15). RETIRING FARM MANAGER down sizing team. Three Heading dogs AND one Huntaway for sale. Phone Rex 027 449 0048. HEADING PUPS. Bloodlines by ‘Hyde’ L Smith’s ‘Skelt’ and G. Anderson’s ‘Jeff’. ‘Pip’ and E. Herbert’s ‘Haigh’. Phone Ken White 03 571 6079. See: dogblacks. co.nz and through FB. FIELD DAYS WEEK dog clearance sale! June 12-17th. Natural easy to work dogs for bulls, dairy, sheep. Verbal or whistle commands. Demonstration on cattle and sheep. View online or on farm. Deliver NZ wide. Trade-ins welcome. 07 315 5553. Mike Hughes.

DOGS WANTED 12 MONTHS TO 5½-yearold Heading dogs and Huntaways wanted. Phone 022 698 8195. BUYING DOGS NOW! Quick easy $ale! Buying 250 dogs annually. No one buys or pays more! 07 315 5553. Mike Hughes.

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

FERTILISER Return this form either by fax to 06 323 7101 attention Debbie Brown Post to NZX Agri Classifieds, PO Box 529, Feilding 4740 - by 12pm Wednesday or Freephone 0800 85 25 80

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

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. WINDMILLS for water pumping. Ferguson Windmills Company. www.windmills.co.nz sales@windmills.co.nz Phone 09 412 8655 or 027 282 7689.

FORESTRY WANTED

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

GOATS WANTED

FERAL GOATS WANTED. All head counted, payment on pick-up, pick-up within 24hours. 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.

GORSE SPRAYING CERTIFIED CREW. Gun and hose work units available and mistblower work. All gear supplied. Covering Lower North Island. Phone 06 375 8660 or 021 396 447.

LIVESTOCK FOR SALE

PROPERTY WANTED

B R O O K L A N D SIMMENTAL, LBW, short gestation, bulls, suitable for beef or dairy, EBV’s available. Phone 06 374 1802.

HOUSE FOR REMOVAL wanted. Phone 021 0274 5654.

To the Dog Owner Keep your dogs worm free DOG WORMING PROGRAMMES For the control of all tapeworms eg. Taenia Ovis (sheep measles) Roundworms and hookworms • 3-monthly starting $34.00 per dog per year (Drontal plus) • Monthly starting $54.00 per dog per year (Droncit monthly & Drontal plus 3-monthly For more information contact John

OVIS CONTROL NZ LTD

Phone 03 439 5783 or 027 432 2641 Email mckeownjj@xtra.co.nz

LK0087677©

ANIMAL HEALTH

BOOK AN AD. For only $2.00 + gst per word you can book a word only ad in The NZ Farmers Weekly Classifieds section. Phone Debbie Brown on 0800 85 25 80 to book in or email classifieds@nzx.com

For more details about the role please contact, in confidence, Matt Iremonger on 027 444 2808 or Brent Thomas on 0274 526 418 or email your application and CV to: matt@willesdenfarms.co.nz

T HI NK P R E B U I L T OTIWHITI STATION Land Based Training Agricultural School

NEW HOMES

SOLID – PRACTICAL WELL INSULATED – AFFORDABLE

OPEN DAY: Sunday 18 June 2017 1pm – 3pm

Our homes are built using the same materials & quality as an onsite build. Easily transported to almost anywhere in the North Island. Plans range from one bedroom to four bedroom First Home – Farm House Investment – Beach Bach

Students that wish to apply for places in 2018 are encouraged to attend

Real Agricultural Live-in Hill Country Training Please RSVP to Jenny on 0508 872 466 Email info@landbasedtraining.co.nz For more information visit www.otiwhitistation.co.nz

Call or email us for your free copy of our plans Email: info@ezylinehomes.co.nz Phone: 07 572 0230 Web: www.ezylinehomes.co.nz

LK0086496©

FLY OR LICE problem? Electrodip - The magic eye sheepjetter since 1989 with unique self adjusting sides. Incredible chemical and time savings with proven effectiveness. Phone 07 573 8512 w w w. e l e c t r o d i p . c o m

We offer a competitive remuneration and benefits package, as well as ongoing training and personal development to help you reach your personal and career goals.

LK0087882©

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

The home farm, Double Hill, is situated 25 minutes drive from Amberley and one hours drive to Christchurch.

• People management and leadership skills • Passion and enthusiasm for livestock farming with good commercial acumen in relation to running a successful livestock farm • Proven leadership and stakeholder management skills across community, suppliers and owners • Ability to use farm management and record keeping technology systems • Mapping and computer skills are essential • Current and full NZ drivers license • Ability to be future focused, innovative, continually aiming for improvement and can communicate well with the owners • Maintain farm assets and animals to a high standard • Focus on Health and Safety, Animal Welfare and Environmental Management

The Oamaru airport is just up the road where the Waitaki flight school offer high quality, six wing flight training through to your commercial pilot’s license. Earn while you learn!

The combined business will winter approximately 8000-10,000su run as a capital stock breeding property fattening all stock, and in addition will both trade stock and grow some cereal and specialist small seeds crops.

We are looking for a motivated, self-driven, honest, people focused, skilled manager who is wanting to work with progressive and motivated owners. The focus will be on farm development and top production. What you will bring:

We take an interest in our employee’s ambitions and help them to upskill. We respect our stock, our environment and run things well so we can balance all the hard work with a bit of play.

LK0088002©

Contact: Bill Sweeney – General Manager 027 451 5310 – bill.sweeney@nzfll.co.nz

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

LK0087987©

A four bedroom home is available.

No previous experience needed although some skills along with not being afraid to get your hands dirty would be an advantage.

All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

ANIMAL SUPPLEMENTS

Kaiweka Farms Ltd has an exciting opportunity for a up and coming Farm Manager to make their mark on a new business that is combining two properties in Waikari Valley/Weka Pass of 651ha, and is run in conjunction with two irrigated lease blocks at Waipara and Coutts Island giving a total farm area of 865ha.

We have a farm assistant position available on our team.

Key skills and attributes the successful candidate should have are: • Energy and vitality • Sales experience • Extensive dairy knowledge • Superior relationship building and communication skills • Ability to work in an autonomous manner • High levels of drive and self motivation • Computer literate

ANIMAL HANDLING

SHEEP, BEEF & MIXED CROPPING WAIKARI VALLEY, NORTH CANTERBURY

The successful applicant would require 3+ working dogs and have two years shepherding experience.

GET YOUR COMMERCIAL PILOTS LICENSE – DEBT FREE

Competitive remuneration package Supportive team environment Immediate start Unique opportunity for a change of career direction

classifieds@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

FARM MANAGER

LK0087998©

• • • •

KAIWEKA FARMS LTD

Experienced shepherd required for 1200ha (660ha effective) hill-country breeding property, 10 minutes from Mokau.

This is your opportunity to join an experienced 100% NZ owned and operated Livestock Company, NZ Farmers Livestock are leaders in their industry operating across New Zealand. We define ourselves on the strength of our expertise and commitment to working with farmers for farmers. We are continually making grounds in the industry and positioning ourselves as the leader in the online space of livestock trading with the successful and ever growing MyLiveStock Website and MyLiveStock App.

LK0087965©

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – June 12, 2017

livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

Livestock

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – June 12, 2017

STOCK FOR SALE POLLED HEREFORDS

BULL SALE RESULTS 2017

STOCK REQUIRED STORE LAMBS 30-37kgs Breeding EWES SIL Mar/Apr 470-550kgs R 3YR STEERS MA COWS VIC Due Aug-Oct R 1YR BULL CALVES 150-180kgs

Bull sales are in full swing

• Extensive performance recording • Balanced performance figures • Stringent visual assessments • Bulls health, service and semen tested • The Koanui back-up and Guarantee

Farmers Weekly is emailing a weekly update of 2017 bull sales results to all breeders on our email database. www.dyerlivestock.co.nz

If you have recently had a sale, please send in your results today.

SALE DATE: Thursday June 15th, 2017 @ 1.00pm

• Number of bulls on offer • Number of bulls sold

60 Rising Two Year Bulls On farm auction

Ross Dyer 0274 333 381

• Average price • Purchaser of top priced Bull

A Financing Solution For Your Farm E info@rdlfinance.co.nz

For further information, or if you would like to recieve these updates, please contact Nigel Ramsden: 06 323 0761, 027 4602 4925 or email livestock@nzx.com

RIVERLEE HEREFORDS

2353FW

Fred, Chris, Jennifer Chesterman & Family @ 811 Maraetotara Road, RD12, Havelock North 4294 Ph: 06 874 7844 or 06 874 7728 Mobile: 0274 888 635 or 0274 777 637 Email: kphp@xtra.co.nz

11 x 2 YR SIMMENTAL BULLS 30 x R1 YR ANGUS BULLS 300kgs

1st Annual Bull Sale 14th June 2017, 1pm

Held under cover on farm 2354 Rangiwahia Rd Rangiwahia, Manawatu

WWW.CRICKLEWOODANGUS.CO.NZ

WWW.TANGIHAUANGUS.CO.NZ

WWW.ALPINEANGUS.CO.NZ

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING Are you looking in the right direction?

gisborne angus stud breeders 82nd angus bull sale matawhero saleyards wednesday 28th June 2017 @ 12.00pm

SALE TALK

Stortford Lodge Sale Stortford Lodge Wed 14 June 11.30am

Annual on Farm Registered Bull Sale Friday, 23 June, 12.30 pm Kevin and Jean Downs Property 923 Wingrove Road RD 23 Stratford

Lance and Janelle Downs 4 2yr Registered Herefords Bulls 8 2yr Commercial Grade Bulls Phone 06 762 3531 Aywon Angus Peter and Alison Bishop 14 2yr Registered Angus Bulls Phone 06 762 8508

A/c NB Twist Argyll East Otane CAPITAL STOCK 700 Border Leicester X 4,5,6yr Ewes SIL as of 20/02 to Suffolk & South Suffolk 174% Further Inquiries Brenton Giddens 027 446 9961

The elders of the second church, deciding they could not harm any of God’s creatures, humanely trapped the squirrels and set them free outside of town. Three days later, the squirrels were back.

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

It was only the third church that succeeded in keeping the pests away. The elders baptized the squirrels and registered them as members of the church. Now they only see them on Christmas and Easter.

Te Kupe Angus Ron Martin 9 2yr Registered Angus Bulls Phone 06 765 4130 Please contact your local agent or vendor for bull viewing. Catalogues available on request. PGG Wrightson Genetics Cam Heggie Caitlin Rokela NZ Farmers Livestock Jeremey Newell Simon Payne Brent Bougen Stud Stock Agent

027 501 8182 027 405 6156 027 664 8832 027 241 4585 027 210 4698

Squirrels had overrun three churches in town. After much prayer, the elders of the first church determined that the animals were predestined to be there. Who were they to interfere with God’s will? they reasoned. Soon, the squirrels multiplied.

NIGEL RAMSDEN 0800 85 25 80

Selling Agents: PGG Wrightson Callum Stewart 027 280 2688 Alex Stewart 027 461 1215

www.agonline.co.nz or www.herefords.co.nz

To advertise Phone Nigel 0800 85 25 80 or email livestock@nzx.com

66 bulls for sale

21 R2yr Polled Hereford Bulls

HILL COUNTRY BRED FOR HILL COUNTRY FARMERS

Enquiries & Visitors Welcome Murray & Fiona Curtis 06 328 2881

Email: mfcurtis@farmside.co.nz

Red Oak 14th Annual Bull Sale

Friday 16th June 2017 3pm on-farm 40 meaty hill-country 2yr old bulls

Stud cow with a hill-country bull calf from this season

All seasons at Red Oak - dry and snow

At Red Oak we breed cattle that are run commercially on hill country up to 2600 Ft . They compete with large sheep numbers, 66% sheep to 33% cattle stock units, and are exposed to all conditions from 2 year droughts to snow as the pictures indicate. We select cattle that thrive in this environment and deliver top actual growth and scanning data. We are proud of the raw actual data our cattle achieve which is always available for potential clients to observe. We don’t believe in, or hide behind estimates as they have failed to deliver results under our conditions.It is easy to breed pieces of paper but a bit harder to breed decent cattle! The results of this, breed bulls like Herdsire ; Red Oak High Country 770 (pictured), Outstanding sons will be available for sale this season. Combining old NZ bloodlines, common sense stockmanship and modern technologies to produce functional high performinghill country cattle!

Rick & Deb Orr

Red Oak, Weka Pass, RD3, Amberley Phone: 03 314 6759 Mobile: 0272 457 751 redoakstud@amuri.net

INSPECTION & ENQUIRIES ALWAYS WELCOME

LK0088001©

WWW.KENHARDTANGUS.COM

Livestock

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – June 12, 2017

Looking for Hill Country Bulls?

livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

BULL SALE

Paeroa 22nd June 2017- 1pm

Wa i t aw h e t a A n g u s

45 ANGUS 2-YEAR-OLD BULLS FRIDAY 16TH JUNE AT 1PM 839 VALLEY ROAD, HASTINGS Contact: Will MacFarlane 06 874 8762 will@waiterenui.co.nz

On Farm 2yr Angus Bull Sale Bulls Sired By:

S Chisum 6175 (Imp USA) - Waitawheta D12 Waitawheta H8 ET - Kenhardt F920 Plus 5 Waitawheta Pure NZ Sires Meadowslea F540

Meadowslea Angus offers: 70 Hill Bred Bulls Strong NZ Bloodlines

LK0087799©

10 sons and 17 grandsons on offer 9x DEEP MEATY ANGUS SIRES

On property Fairlie, Friday June 23 at 1pm

Catalogue and DVD online: www.meadowslea.co.nz

Kevin Fathers 0272 799 800 - Brent Bougen 027 210 4698

MATAPOURI POLLED HEREFORDS & FOREST VIEW CHAROLAIS

NZ Farmers Livestock Stud Stock: If you are looking for Pure NZ Genetics with substance and constitution we recommend you attend this sale. LK0087968©

David Giddings 03 685 8027 PGG Wrightson Peter Walsh & Associates Rural Livestock

21ST ANNUAL BULL SALE

Contact: Alistair & Pat Sharpe 07 863 7954 or 021 054 7862

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

Annual Bull Sale

Thursday 29th June 2017 at Marua Farm 11km from Hikurangi

Advertise your stock sales in The NZ Farmers Weekly

Phone 0800 85 252017 80 Tuesday 4thJuly

Waitangi Angus

Hill country bulls for hill country breeding

OFFERING: 26 Herefords & 24 Charolais

20 17 Tu es da y 4t h Ju ly at 1.oopm on farm

These bulls are guaranteed to perform.

nds Waitangi, Bay of Isla 25 TOP R2YR REGISTERED HILL COUNTRY BULLS ON OFFER

• BVD CLEAR & VACCINATED • TB C10 •

11th September 2017

Catalogues available.

Contact John & Joss Bayly Ph: 0274 743 185

Email: jbayly@xtra.co.nz

www.waitangiangus.co.nz

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: BRIAN CLEMENTS IAN CLEMENTS 09 433 7033 09 434 3320

ANNUAL COMBINED HEREFORD & MURRAY GREY SALE

HERD SIRES INCLUDE: • Matatoki King Pin 1101 • Limehills Hogan 100455 •

Angus Cattle bred and tested under

CONTACT: Tom, Philip & Mary Atkins P: 07 871 0524 M: 027 711 1291 E: okupata@farmside.co.nz

Selling Agents : PGG Wrightson, NZ Farmers

Okupata Herefords

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING 0800 85 25 80

COMMERCIAL CONDITIONS for you

www.alpineangus.co.nz

rarapa SWelailin by Bull Walg k 19th Priv at e Tr16 ea. ty May, 20 JuAlne & l visitoJu rsly welcome.

GISBORNE ANGUS STUD BREEDERS 82nd ANGUS BULL SALE Matawhero Saleyard on Wednesday, June 28th, 2017 @ 12noon Steve Herries Phone: (06) 863 7000 Email: alpine.angus@wnation.net.nz

GLANWORTH

PINEBANK

Joe Fouhy (06) 376 7324 Shaun Fouhy (06) 376 8869

Willie Falloon (06) 372 7041

LK0087963©

19th June 2017, 12pm Winter Sale

MARKET SNAPSHOT

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Grain & Feed Prior week

Last year

Canterbury (NZ$/t)

6.62

AS OF 24/05/2017

AS OF 08/06/2017

6 5 Nov 16

Jan 17 Mar 17 AgriHQ Spot Fonterra forecast

May 17 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

334

340

NI mutton (20kg)

4.05

4.00

2.60

326

285

SI lamb (17kg)

6.35

6.30

5.10

Feed Barley

334

333

265

SI mutton (20kg)

4.05

4.00

2.50

210

Export markets (NZ$/kg) 9.12

9.21

8.06

225

UK CKT lamb leg

Maize Grain

410

347

PKE

219

* 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.

North Island 17kg lamb 7.0 6.5 6.0 5.5

INTERNATIONAL Last week

Prior week

5.0

Last year

CBOT futures (NZ$/t)

4.5

Wheat - Nearest

219

223

264

Corn - Nearest

204

207

236

315

317

340

3500

APW Wheat

3000

ASW Wheat

307

316

325

2500

Feed Wheat

288

293

287

Feed Barley

276

275

295

South Island 1 7kg lamb

7.0 6.5

PKE (US$/t)

May 17 Aug 17 NZX WMP Futures

5.40

326

Australia (NZ$/t)

1500 Aug 16 Nov 16 Feb 17 C2 Fonterra WMP

6.35

334

4000

2000

Ex-Malaysia

NZ venison 60kg stag

6.0

600

5005.5 4005.0 300

4.5

Oct Oct

108

Dec Dec

Feb Feb

5‐yr ave NZX DAIRY FUTURES (US$/T) Nearby contract

Prior week

vs 4 weeks ago

WMP

3170

3150

3100

SMP

2230

2175

AMF

6775

Butter

5750

Last week

Prior week

Last year

Last week

Prior week

Last year

2100

Urea

507

496

29 micron

6.65

7.95

6655

5875

Super

317

330

35 micron

3.85

5.90

5650

4800

DAP

840

39 micron

3.50

5.65

739

2750 Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

THE European Central Bank meeting was a major event on Thursday that the market was watching closely. Expectations were for the bank to begin to talk about tapering the massive quantitative easing programme it has undertaken over the past few years, as economic data from the region continues to improve. However, this turned out to be a non-event, with no changes made. The central bank continues to believe that monetary policy will need to remain accommodative and with underlying inflation remaining subdued the bank is still ready to increase asset purchases should it need to. Also on Thursday was the testimony from James Comey, ex director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to the Senate Intelligence Committee. The testimony had been built up to be something that would rock markets and all eyes were on Washington. However, the testimony concluded without any significant revelations for the market and they resumed a business as usual approach believing that it had not impacted the prospect for tax cuts and infrastructure spending. However, the political world remains fixated on the testimony after Comey accused the White house of lying. Market commentary provided by Craigs Investment Partners

10186

S&P/FW AG EQUITY

12473

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

7459

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

7342

$/kg

250 150 Jun 13

Jun 14

Jun 15

Jun 16

Feed barley

4 w eeks ago

Sharemarket Briefing

5.5

NZ venison 60kg stag

600

c/k kg (net)

350

NZ$/t

US$/t

3000

39 micron wool price

6.5

CANTERBURY FEED PRICES 450

S&P/FW PRIMARY SECTOR

This yr

(NZ$/kg)

3250

Latest price

Last yr

AugAug

NZ average (NZ$/t)

WMP FUTURES - VS FOUR WEEKS AGO

Aug

JunJun

WOOL

* price as at close of business on Thursday

Jul

AprApr

FERTILISER

Last price*

2500

Last year

6.40

Feed Wheat

Waikato (NZ$/t)

Last week Prior week

NI lamb (17kg)

Milling Wheat

PKE

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

$/kg

6.50 MILK PRICE COMPARISON

$/kgMS

Last week

AGRIHQ 2017-18

FONTERRA 2017-18

US$/t

SHEEP MEAT

DOMESTIC

$/kg

MILK PRICE FORECAST ($/KGMS) 2017-18

Sheep

c/kkg (net)

Dairy

Jun 17

PKE spot

Auckland International Airport Limited

YTD High

YTD Low

7.2

7.43

6.31

Meridian Energy Limited

2.875

2.96

2.57

Spark New Zealand Limited Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd Fletcher Building Limited Mercury NZ Limited (NS) Ryman Healthcare Limited Contact Energy Limited Xero Limited Air New Zealand Limited (NS)

3.705 10.92 7.55 3.29 8.45 5.14 25.75 3

3.845 11.17 10.86 3.33 9.05 5.26 26.36 3.02

3.32 8.5 7.47 2.94 8.12 4.65 17.47 2.08

Listed Agri Shares Company

400 3.5 300

2.5Oct Oct

Dec

5‐yr ave

Feb

Apr

Last yr

Jun

Aug

This yr

Dollar Watch

Top 10 by Market Cap Company

4.5

500

5pm, close of market, Thursday

YTD High

YTD Low

The a2 Milk Company Limited

3.35

3.85

2.06

Cavalier Corporation Limited

0.39

0.81

0.39

Comvita Limited

5.7

8.65

5.2

Delegat Group Limited

6.49

6.72

5.65

Foley Family Wines Limited

1.36

1.5

1.2

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

5.96

6.4

5.88

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS)

2.5

2.61

2.5

New Zealand King Salmon Investments Ltd

1.4

1.42

1.22

PGG Wrightson Limited

0.61

0.49

Sanford Limited (NS)

6.95

7.75

6.7

Scales Corporation Limited

3.34

3.65

3.21

Seeka Limited

5.15

5.5

4.3

Tegel Group Holdings Limited

1.09

1.46

1.05

S&P/FW Primary Sector

10186

10507

9307

S&P/FW Agriculture Equity

12473

12874

10899

S&P/NZX 50 Index

7459

7500

6971

S&P/NZX 10 Index

7342

7390

6927

PARITY of the New Zealand This Prior Last NZD vs dollar with the Australian week week year dollar is something to USD 0.7215 0.7062 0.7122 expect over 12 to 18 EUR 0.6432 0.6296 0.6293 months, BNZ currency strategist Jason Wong says. AUD 0.9558 0.9576 0.9574 “We have come up GBP 0.5574 0.5481 0.4918 rapidly against the AUD Correct as of 9am last Friday from 91c to 95c and we think it might struggle to get any further momentum given where it has come from,” he said. The present exchange rate of A95-96c was therefore “about right” for the NZD. He was commenting on BNZ chief economist Tony Alexander’s musing last week on the possibility of parity. “People are wondering whether if this time around we could reach parity. We have seen too many wrong forecasts of parity over the past three decades to take such a stance,” Alexander said. NZ’s relatively stronger economic position stemmed from acrossthe-board commodities prices, tax cuts and benefit increases here versus tax hole-plugging in Australia and the likelihood the Reserve Bank here would start tightening monetary policy ahead of its counterpart. Our terms of trade were possibly the highest they had ever been, Wong added. The clouds on the horizon included further tightening by the United States Federal Reserve and a stronger USD that might bring market nervousness and put commodity prices under pressure. As Wong spoke he was reading the exit polls for the United Kingdom general election, which suggested the Conservatives might face a hung Parliament. The pound had fallen steeply on that news. Hugh Stringleman

Markets

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

SI SLAUGHTER LAMB

SI SLAUGHTER STEER

SI SLAUGHTER COW

($/KG)

FRIESIAN COWS, 425475KG, AT FEILDING

($/KG)

($/KG LW)

5.55

6.35

4.00

Cattle & Deer BEEF Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Last week

Prior week

Last year

NI Steer (300kg)

5.70

5.50

NI Bull (300kg)

5.60

5.45

NI Cow (200kg)

4.45

4.30

4.40

SI Steer (300kg)

5.55

5.50

5.30

SI Bull (300kg)

5.15

5.00

SI Cow (200kg)

4.00

3.95

3.90

US imported 95CL bull

7.51

6.92

US domestic 90CL cow

7.15

7.09

7.05

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

North Island steer (300kg)

6.5

$/kg

6.0 5.5 5.0 4.5 4.0 South Island steer (300kg)

6.5 6.0

NZ venison 60kg stag

c/k kg (net)

$/kg

600 5.5 500 5.0 400 4.5 300

4.0

Oct Oct

Dec Dec

Feb Feb

5‐yr ave

Apr Apr

Jun Jun

Last yr

Aug Aug This yr

VENISON Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Last week Prior week

Last year

NI Stag (60kg)

8.50

7.70

NI Hind (50kg)

8.40

7.60

SI Stag (60kg)

8.90

7.70

SI Hind (50kg)

8.80

7.60

New Zealand venison (60kg Stag)

$/kg

c/k kg (net)

600 8

NZ venison 60kg stag

500 7 400

300

6 Oct

Oct

Dec Feb Dec Feb 5‐yr ave

Apr Apr Last yr

Jun Jun

Aug Aug This yr

$110-$160

$107-$112.50

Prime lambs at Temuka

Feilding medium to heavy male store lambs

In-calf cattle the feature in short week

NE of the main features of the short week was the in-calf beef heifers and cows offered at various yards. Frankton offered up Hereford and AngusHereford heifers, with values reaching $1450-$1700, while at Stortford Lodge, Hereford-cross and Angus-Hereford cows returned $1300-$1450. NORTHLAND NORTHLAND A dramatic drop in numbers following the long weekend saw just over 60 cattle yarded at WELLSFORD last Tuesday. With just 15 main lines to sell, the sale took up little time, though limited interest did result in some lines being passed in. Quality was very mixed across all sections, with the majority of lines having some dairy influence. Small lines of R3 steers sold well, making $2.85-$2.92/ kg, with the top lines over $1900. Prices for R2 heifers were consistent, with 356-368kg earning $2.51-$2.53/ kg, while a lighter line of AngusFriesian, 290kg, made $2.66/kg. Two small lines of good weighted Friesian heifers, run with an Angus bull and due to calve mid-August, sold for $1200-$1460. Prices reflected steady demand for most classes of cattle at KAIKOHE last Wednesday, though the R2 heifer market was harder going, PGG Wrightson agent Vaughan Vujcich reported.Around 450 were yarded, and the lineup included in-calf Ayrshire cows to Hereford and Angus bulls, which sold well at $1.85-$1.88/ kg. Other cow numbers were limited, and most traded around $1.60/kg.The R2 steer pens consisted mainly of beef-cross cattle, and prices were steady at $2.80-$2.85/kg, while dairy bulls traded at $2.50-$2.60/kg. A class had to give, and it was the heifer markets, with R2 Angus-cross and exotic-cross lines very buyable at

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1.87

high lights

STARTING YOUNG: Amelia Cheney, 2, at last week’s Frankton sale. Photos: Sarah Brook

More photos: farmersweekly.co.nz

$2.70-$2.75/kg, while the younger heifers also trended down to $2.78$2.90/kg, with quality not an issue. R1 steers and bulls still sold at solid levels though, with steers returning $3.40-$3.50/kg, while heavy bulls fetched $3.10/kg, and lighter, $3.50/ kg. Hereford bulls sold for breeding at $3.80-$4.00/kg. COUNTIES COUNTIES Fine weather and a shortage of numbers helped fuel a lift in store cattle prices at TUAKAU last Thursday, Chris Elliott of PGG Wrightson reported. The buyer’s bench was a little busier

than previous weeks, and prices for all classes in the yarding of just under 400-head firmed. Steers were up by around 10c/kg and heifers, 10-15c/kg. The steer section included heavier lots at 530-630kg, which traded at $2.70-$2.81/kg, selling up to $1720. Prices for R2 steers exceeded $3.00/kg for the first time in many weeks. Most R2 lots in the 350-470kg range made $2.81-$3.02/kg, and a small entry of weaner steers, 150-280kg, earned $660-$840. Bull numbers were light, but most lots sold well. Friesian weaner bulls

Continued page 46

Markets

46 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017 weighing around 200kg made $710-$780, and 156kg, $665. Demand for heifers was noticeably stronger than other recent sales. Hereford-Friesian heifers, 560kg, fetched $2.86/kg, and 410-480kg, $2.70-$2.80/kg. Lighter condition R2 heifers, 330410kg, made $2.70-$2.94/kg and weaner heifers, 150kg, $600. About 410 steers, heifers, cows and bulls were yarded at last Wednesday’s prime sale, and the market remained steady. Prime steers averaged $2.86/kg, with the heavier lots selling up to $2.92/ kg, and lighter crossbred, $2.68/ kg. Prime beef heifers averaged $2.76/kg, with the section topped by a 567kg Angus lot at $2.82/kg. Lighter dairy-type heifers sold down to $2.20/kg. Demand for boner cows was strong, with heavy, wellconditioned Friesian making $2.10-$2.45/kg. The next cut earned $1.85-$2.10/kg, and lighter boners $1.35-$1.76/kg. A small offering of bulls, mostly Jerseys, averaged $2.68/kg, with the best lots selling to $2.80/kg. Due to the long weekend, Monday’s sheep sale was moved to Tuesday, and about 800 ewes and lambs were on offer. Prime lambs averaged $118, with the best lambs earning $144, and lighter types $85-$90. Store lambs also made good money, fetching $60-$110. The ewe market was very firm and the section averaged $106. The top line made $136, and lighter ewes sold down to $60. BAY OF PLENTY BAY OF PLENTY Throughput numbers were kept in check at RANGIURU, by long weekend and time of year. Just over 350 cattle were offered, while sheep numbers dropped off peak levels the previous week. Prime lamb numbers dropped to 115, and sold on a firm market at $101-$121, while store lambs traded at $68-$73. What the ewe offering lacked in number was made up for in quality, with most lines very good types, and selling for $94-$107, while a line of runwith-ram fetched $75. A small number of boner cows sold with mixed results, with top lines easier at $1.90-$1.96/kg, though one line managed $2.08/ kg. Prime, and the better R3 steers were the standout, with Angus and Angus-Hereford, 666-673kg, firming to $3.08-$3.11/kg, while R3 lines consistently traded for $2.87-$2.97/kg. R2 steers were in a similar boat to the R3, with most of the better lines selling at what can be considered winter levels of $2.78-$2.87/kg, while HerefordFriesian heifers, 460-472kg, made $2.61-$2.70/kg. All R1 cattle lines were under ten head in size, and offered up a mix of quality and condition, with lines selling accordingly. WAIKATO The cattle market did not falter at FRANKTON last Wednesday, with another influx of most classes of cattle pushing numbers up to 860, and the buyers were there to greet them. There was plenty of quality in the pens, and by sale end the market had a very firm tone for most types. An impressive line of 744kg Angus-cross steers sold for an equally impressive price of $2200, $2.96/kg, while the top R3 and R2 beef lines

More photos: farmersweekly.co.nz

BIG EARS: Stock at last week’s Frankton sale

just hit the $3/kg mark, though most traded at $2.76-$2.90/kg. The heifer market showed good strength, with a feature being vetted-in-calf R3 and R2 Hereford, 425-555kg, which made $1360$1640, while Angus-Hereford returned $1450-$1580. Empty Hereford-cross, 449-527kg, fetched $2.75-$2.83/kg, and Hereford-Friesian, 407-422kg, $2.69-$2.76/kg. Bulls featured in the R1 pens, and Hereford were picked up for breeding at $1225-$1245, while Friesian, 100-200kg, returned $535-$740. Hereford-cross steers, 197-198kg, were off the pace at $585-$590, while Hereford-Friesian, 124kg, sold above market value at $710. A reasonable line up of vettedin-calf cows were offered, and Shorthorn and Hereford traded at $1440-$1580, with most earning $2.35-$2.45/kg. TARANAKI TARANAKI A busy week at STRATFORD saw 310 boner and in-calf dairy cattle sold last Tuesday, followed by 900 store cattle last Wednesday. The markets followed the usual trend for this time of year, with strong demand continuing for steers, while interest in heifers waned, New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent Stephen Sutton reported. The Tuesday offering included 170 in-calf dairy heifers, with a few cows also offered. Heavy Friesian and Friesian-cross recorded heifers sold to local buyers at $1200-$1400, and medium, $1000$1150. At these prices they were very good shopping.Boner cows sold on a steady market, with heavy types earning $1.99/kg, medium $1.65-$1.80/kg, and light, $1.40/kg, with most sitting in the medium range.The store cattle sale last Wednesday was all about the boys, with over half found in the R3 and R2 steer pens, and the June market showed its usual strength for these types. Around

150 R3 steers were mainly beefFriesian, with a few traditional lines on offer. The average price over most was $2.90/kg for 520570kg, though some small lines of heavier types did push to $3/ kg. The R2 market performed at very good levels for the 400 head offered. Prices were up on recent levels, with $2.90-$3.10/ kg common for the heavier types, while 330-350kg returned $3.15/ kg. The heifer market was harder work, which was expected. Good quality R2 heifers were very buyable at $2.50-$2.60/kg, with the odd line managing $2.70$2.80/kg. R1 cattle market also showed signs of cautious bidding, and while a line of 300kg Charolais steers managed to make $1050, bids had to be coaxed out. A feature was 20 Angus bulls, which sold for breeding at $1200-$1250 for all weights. Hereford cows, vetted-in-calf to Hereford bull, sold for $1620, while older beef cows made $900-$1100. Vetted-incalf R3 heifers just made market value at $1250-$1300. POVERTY BAY POVERTY BAY The short working week did have any impact on sheep numbers at MATAWHERO, where the store lamb yarding was the largest in a month, though it was only moderately sized relative to sales earlier in the year.There was more than enough buying power to soak up the extra numbers though. Good quality lines were rewarded with decent prices. The majority of the heavier ewe lambs made $95.50-$98.50, while medium sized pens were usually $87-$93.50, and the lighter end $77-$81. Heavy male lambs generally went for $100-$111.50, with mediums making $93$100.50 and lighter types at $80$87. Prime lambs topped out at $156, with the cut below $128.50$132 and the lowest $105-$110.50.

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HAWKE’S BAY HAWKE’S BAY The first sale for the week at STORTFORD LODGE was the store offering last Wednesday, with breeding ewes and breeding cows the feature event.Sheep numbers were moderate at 3500, but included 730 specially advertised, scanned-in-lamb ewes. One consignment took up most of the pens, and had a scanning percentage of 134%-136%, with the two-tooths earning $125, while the medium-good mixed age ewes returned $120-$124. The ewe section finished with a heavy line of woolly mixed age, scanned-in-lamb 153%, which had plenty of bids and eventually went under the hammer for $146. The lamb sale was small, and there was a noted easing in prices for the longer term types, while good quality, forward lambs held their value. Light ewe lambs came back to $51-$75, though most were medium-good and traded at $86-$105. Good male lambs made $91-$110, with heavy types steady at $112-$127. Salegoers would have been forgiven for thinking they had stumbled across a cow fair, with 200 vetted-in-calf cows penned. The cows came from several farms for various reasons, though the biggest consignment was a continuation of the farm sale dispersal. Very few cows stayed in the local area, with Te Puke and Feilding buyers very active. Herefordcross to a Hereford bull traded at $1290-$1450, with most making $2.22-$2.26/kg, while Angus to Angus bull returned $1090$1340 for similar values. Vettedin-calf heifers from the same consignment as the Herefordcross cows sold well, with straight Hereford making $1620, and the second line, $1550. The rest of the sale was small but included some quality lines, such as R2 Angus heifers, 408kg, which sold for $2.88/kg, and specially advertised Simmental-cross steers, 531kg, $2.98/kg. MANAWATU MANAWATU A smaller yarding of stock were offered at RONGOTEA last Wednesday due to the short week, with prices steadying after a week of reasonably fine weather, New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent Darryl Harwood reported. The boner cow market continued to show good strength on the back of limited numbers, and Friesian, 550kg, made $2.16/ kg, with 355-397kg Friesian and crossbred earning $1.80-$1.90/ kg. Jersey, 356kg, returned $1.44/ kg, while in-calf Jersey cows made $520, and heifers, $780-$800.A reasonable sized offering of R2 steers saw Angus and Murray Grey, 475-486kg, take top honours at $2.88-$2.90/kg, while lighter types

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traded at $2.46-$2.64/kg, and crossbred, $2.13/kg. Friesian bulls, 455kg, sold on a steady market at $2.81/kg, while Hereford-Friesian and Angus-cross heifers, 397412kg, made $2.45/kg. In the R1 pens, Hereford-Friesian steers, 290kg, managed $765, though lesser quality lines of mixed breeding sold for $450-$480. Hereford-Friesian bulls, 305kg, sold to $840, with Angus-cross, 260kg, $685. Dairy-cross lines mainly traded at $320-$435, while in the heifer pens, HerefordFriesian were lighter types at 121123kg, and fetched $500-$510. Calf numbers are still trickling in, and Friesian bulls fetched $150-$200, and Hereford-Friesian, $120-$350. Angus-cross sold to $200-$320. Hereford-Friesian heifers returned $180-$320, Angus-cross, $200$305, and Friesian, $60-$80. Porkers sold for $60 and weaner pigs, $20-$50, while mixed age ewes made $82, and mixed sex lambs, $84-$107. The change of sale day for the FEILDING prime sale did not deter 5000 lambs from coming to town, with wet conditions making finishing difficult. The rostrum was quieter though, as 140 cattle went through. A few regular buyers were missing from the rails for the lambs, but those present were competitive enough to keep the market steady to firm, helped by improving schedules. Just over 1000 of the lambs fell in the heavy category, and sold for $136-$161, while most were second cuts at $116-$137. Store types were also firm at $54-$115. Early scanning is underway, though to date that has not altered ewe numbers to auction. Prices were steady across all types, with heavy lines making $117-$133, medium $89-$115, and light, $57-$87. Cow numbers are still coming into the yards, albeit at much reduced levels, and buyers made a last ditch effort to secure numbers. Prices lifted for the medium-good dairy lines, with most trading at $1.90-$2.00/kg, though lighter types softened to $1.84-$1.91/kg. Hereford-Friesian, 453-535kg, sold to $1.89-$1.91/kg, while the only decent sized line of heifers was Friesian, 396kg, which sold for $2.20/kg. Friday’s sale was the smallest sheep and cattle store sale for many weeks with winter upon us and the hills running down to winter stock levels. This encouraged renewed buying interest in the sheep pens, mostly driven by Hawkes Bay agents and there was an obvious lift in lamb sale prices. The better males were heavier than last week, but not greatly so, and 532 male lambs sold for more than $123 with the top price being $127.50 paid for 119 shorn cryptorchids from Raetihi. Buyers are referring shorn lambs if possible. The ewe lamb section also lifted and these lambs sold comparatively firmer than the medium male lambs this week. A reasonable number of scanned ewes still looked cheap enough buying. Ewes; SIL, $80-$151; lambs; very heavy, $114-$127.50, heavy, $94$116.50; medium, $88.50-$112 Vetted in calf cows and heifers came in to test the market and sold at similar levels to last week for similar cattle. The better traditional steers sold to firm-lifting demand, especially

Markets

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017

More photos: farmersweekly.co.nz

IN CHARGE: Keith Simpkin in the pens at last week’s Frankton sale.

straight Angus with 20 R3 Angus steers at $1822, $3.03/kg, and 9 R2 Angus steers selling for $1565, $3.08/kg. More two-year old bulls came forward this week and they, too, lifted, selling up to $1430, $2.87/kg, for Friesians but the per kilo rate lifted for all weights and included the weaner bulls. Heifer numbers were similar to last week with firming prices but not quite to the extent of the male cattle and considering weights were a little lower. Average weaner steers and heifers are still being cleaned up at the end. Steers; R3, 429-617kg, $1360-$1822, $2.60-$3.36/kg; R2, 273-508kg, $890$1565, $2.79-$3.49/kg; R1, 131-205kg, $515-$855; Bulls; R2, 383-498kg, $1120$1430, $2.85-$3.08/kg; R1, 137-288kg, $455-$890, $2.92-$3.51/kg; Heifers; R2&3, 272-498kg, $750-$1370, $2.39-$3.03/kg; R1, 150-210kg, $450-$720, $2.21-$4.03/kg; VIC, 549kg, $1610, $2.93/kg; Cows, VIC, 518-656kg, $1210-$1480, $2.25-$2.33/kg. CANTERBURY CANTERBURY Sheep numbers came down but cattle numbers lifted at CANTERBURY PARK last Wednesday. The sheep numbers were the lowest seen since the last long weekend and change of sale day, while a combined prime and store cattle sale kept auctioneers busy.Just over 1840 sheep were penned, with store lambs totalling 500 head. They were predominately mixed sex, and the lack of numbers worked in buyer’s favour, with prices firm to lifting across the board. Medium types traded at $73-$103, while prices were firm for the top lines at $104$109. There was a bit more action in the prime pens, though both the ewes and lambs had under 700 head apiece. Lamb schedule prices are making positive movements, and that brought increased competition to the pens, with prices firming $4-$5. $110-$149 was common ground, with no lines selling under $100. It took a very plain ewe to sell under $100, as prices also firmed in these pens. Most ewes were medium-good to heavy, and traded at $113-$146.The cattle yarding of 500 head was mainly store cattle, though 110 primes also featured. Prime steers sold on a solid market, with straight beef fetching $2.95-$3.01/ kg, and beef-Friesian, $2.80-$2.90/kg. Heifers suffered the consequences of limited processor space, with most better yielding types easing to $2.75-$2.88/ kg. The cow market however showed improvement, as these are still the focus at the processors, and good beef cows

fetched $2.10-$2.30/kg, while most bulls made $2.50-$2.60/kg. The store market was positive, as there are still enough buyers with grass to make for a competitive environment. R3 Angus and Angus-Hereford steers featured, with 475-500kg at $3.03-$3.13/kg, while R2 Angus heifers, 403-420kg, sold well at $2.92-$3.06/kg. Angus heifers stood out in the R1 pens for all the right reasons, and a competitive bench pushed the 192-237kg lines up to $755-$920, with the lighter lines over $4/kg. The steers could not quite match their sisters, but still sold well, with 166-197kg, earning $730-$840. Heavy Hereford and Charolais bulls, 302kg, sold for $930-$1130. It was a fairly quiet affair at COALGATE last week, especially in the cattle section, though sheep were hardly in abundance either. The lack of numbers gave store lambs at lift of $2-$5 with virtually all lines selling in the $90-$109 range. Two lines of mixed age run-with-ram ewes made $135-$158. Prime lambs followed schedules upwards. The cream of the crop were $161-$171, though the bulk of the good lines were $130-$148, with the rest largely $120$128. Prime ewes also firmed, peaking at $168-$174. Most heavy types were $140-$156, with middling lines around $121-$136. There were only 35 store cattle to choose from. Of note were two lines of 365-390kg R2 Murray Grey heifers which made $1010-$1140 or $2.75-$2.95/kg. A line of traditional R1 steers, 200kg, made $795, or $3.95/kg. R2 Friesian bulls, 300415kg, were $2.60-$2.65/kg.Prime steers, 445-590kg, largely made $2.80-$2.90/kg. Prime heifers peaked at $2.85/kg, with a number of 465-515kg at $2.65-$2.75/kg. A line of 650kg prime cows made $2.20/kg, while a 565kg line of bulls were $2.75/kg. SOUTH CANTERBURYSOUTH CANTERBURY Numbers took a bit of a breather on recent levels at TEMUKA, though just over 300 cows still made the journey, which was higher than expected. Both store and prime lamb numbers came back, which only heightened demand in both sections. A total of 2600 sheep were offered, with all sections well down on numbers compared to recent levels. Prices were strong across the board for the 1500 store lambs, and no bigger lines sold under $85, with light to medium ewe lambs selling for $85-$99. The market didn’t falter into the mixed sex offering, where small size lines dominated the yarding.

Medium-good types lifted to $100-$110, matched by the top lines at $105-$106. Limited numbers of prime lambs, and improving schedules saw prices lift to $110-$159, while the ewe offering sold on a firm market for a variable yarding. Top ewes sold as high as $164-$180, with most selling for $111-$160, and a small tail end, $70-$100. Cattle numbers continued to flow into Temuka, though at reduced levels to the build up to Gypsy Day. The market for Friesian cows was consistently steady across all weight ranges, and again most sold over a tight band. The range of $1.60-$1.70/kg was common ground for the lighter types, while medium to heavy lines crept up to $1.73-$1.83/kg. A nice line up of Angus and Hereford cows, 562665kg, sold for $1.99-$2.09/kg. Numbers were limited in other sections, with the best of the heifers making $2.75-$2.85/ kg for good beef lines and the odd high yielding Friesian, while light Friesian and Friesian-cross sold for $2.25-$2.38/ kg. The bulk of the steers were HerefordFriesian, 499-508kg, and returned $2.72/ kg, with Limousin, 470kg, fetching $2.77/ kg. A relatively small yarding combined with good feed conditions through Canterbury and Otago meant it was quite a successful store cattle sale on Thursday. R2 steers weren’t too different from the previous sale. Angus and Angus-cross, 375-465kg, went for $2.90-$3.05/kg, with 395-440kg Hereford-Friesian lines falling into the $2.75-$2.95/kg range. R2 heifers were the standouts with some impressive prices paid even though they accounted for nearly half the yarding. A consignment of 290-310kg Angus heifers sold very well at $3.30-$3.35/kg, or $970$1035. Hereford-Friesian heifers, 340-410kg, easily matched their brothers by making $2.90-$3.05/kg, or $1030-$1180. A line of 445kg R2 Friesian bulls were $1170, or $2.60/kg. Consistency was lacking in the R1 cattle line-up, with few lines of note offered. Two lines of 190-225kg Angus steers made $780-$830, and 185-200kg Angus heifers were $680-$750, or $3.70$3.80/kg.R1 Friesian bulls, 240-260kg, sold for $790-$820, or $3.20-$3.30/kg, and Charolais, 215-235kg, made $770-$850, or $3.55-$3.60/kg. Two lines of vetted-in-calf Angus cows, 480-630kg, made $2.45$2.60/kg, or $1240-$1530. OTAGO OTAGO Good demand across most classes of sheep at BALCLUTHA last Wednesday saw prices continue to improve, PGG Wrightson agent Emmett Sparrow reported. Forward store lambs were the focus for buyers, and prices improved $3-$5 for these types. The top lines traded at $95-$104, while medium lines remained steady at $80-$9. Lighter types eased a fraction to $70-$75. The strength continued into the prime lamb pens, where schedule prices are helping to keep the market positive. The top money paid was $135-$150, while medium types returned $120-$130, and lighter, $100-$115. Few sold below $100. A small offering of ewes sold on a steady market, with heavy lines earning $120-$140, medium $80-$110, and light, $60-$70. Rams sold for $40-$70. SOUTHLAND SOUTHLAND At CHARLTON, forward store lambs sold up to $104, PGG Wrightson stock agent Greg Clearwater reported. Medium store lambs made $86-$95 and the smaller end $65-$72. The better prime lambs sold for as much as $138, while the mediums sold in the $108-$115 range, bottoming out at $105.Prime ewes peaked at $157, though the middling types were $110-$118, and the lighter ewes $70-$80. Two lines of rams made $70 and $88 respectively.

Farmer confidence evident at recent on-farm bull sales Recent on-farm bull sales underline the current strength of the beef market, with farmers paying an increased premium to introduce the most highly sought after traits to their herds, says PGG Wrightson Livestock National Genetics Manager Callum Stewart. “Leading on from this year’s Beef Expo in Feilding, early in May, farmer confidence has been evident in PGG Wrightson’s onfarm bull sales since then, with hereford and angus bulls to the fore. Performance cattle are commanding attention. IMF and EMA are the target traits. Prices for angus bulls able to deliver those qualities have lifted by around $1000 per head compared to last year. “We are also seeing excellent demand for bulls that will enable farmers to capitalise on the developing AngusPure Special Reserve export brand. To qualify for that, purchasers are looking to add a balance of constitution and body into their herds. This was a motivating factor at the Storth Oaks sale in Otorohanga on 31 May, where a full clearance of 73 bulls was achieved, averaging $8090 and a top price of $17,000. Then on Friday last week, the KayJay Angus on-farm bull sale in the Wairarapa again achieved a 100 per cent clearance, of 33 bulls, with a top price of $17,000 and a sale average of $9393. “Hereford bull sales in the South Island have also demonstrated farmer demand. Waiau Hereford Stud’s 50th anniversary sale, on 31 May at Tuatapere in Southland, attracted a large gallery of buyers from throughout New Zealand, recording a top price of $15,500, with an average $6861,” he said. Similar confidence has been displayed at on-farm sales featuring other beef breeds. “Smaller breeds are also having a good run. We have seen prices lift by $700 to $800 per head at on-farm sales featuring these breeds, with an across the board under the hammer clearance rate of 93 per cent. Everyone is achieving optimum results,” said Callum Stewart. “Every year our stud clients put months of work into a bull sale, following on from years, and decades of stock development. For PGG Wrightson to be associated with these sales is immensely gratifying, particularly when they are achieving such satisfactory results. Covering off all the details of a sale on the day to, and leaving the people who have done all the hard work leading up to it to enjoy the occasion, is highly rewarding,” he said.

Get in touch: 0800 10 22 76 www.pggwrightson.co.nz

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48 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 12, 2017 NI SLAUGHTER COW

NI SLAUGHTER STEER

NI SLAUGHTER LAMB

($/KG)

ANGUS HEIFERS, 290310KG, AT TEMUKA

($/KG)

($/KG LW)

5.70

4.45

6.40

3.34

high lights

Bull sales prices up Hugh Stringleman

hugh.stringleman@nzx.com

ARLY season onfarm Angus bull sales have averaged about $7000 and set a top price of $24,000 for a Merchiston bull bred by Richard Rowe at Hunterville. It sold to Stern Angus, James and Fiona Fraser, at Pleasant Point, South Canterbury. Merchiston sold 35 of 46 offered for an average of $7271, compared with last year’s $6689. Another high price was $20,000 made by Springdale Angus, Taumarunui, paid by Taumata Moana Station, Te Anga, west of Te Kuiti. Vendor Ian Borck said he was very pleased with the sale when 39 of 47 sold for an average of $7358, up from $6400 last year. Price averages appear to be up to $1000 better this year than last year, livestock agents reported. PGG Wrightson agent Caitlin Rokela said it was good to see bull breeders get well rewarded and to benefit from the higher beef prices. Tim Brittain, Storth Oaks, Otorohanga, averaged $8090 for a full clearance of 73 Angus bulls and a top price of $17,000. Wairarapa breeder Neil Kjestrup, Kay Jay Angus, Masterton, also got a top price of $17,000 and an average of $9394 for a full clearance of 33 sold.

TOP PRICE: James Fraser paid $24,000 for a Merchiston bull bred by Richard Rowe at Hunterville.

The Sherson family, of Shian Angus, also at Taumarunui, averaged $7388 for 36 sold and Dean Sherson, Black Ridge Angus, averaged $7362 for 24 sold. Tom and Sally Law, of Waimara Angus, Waikouaiti, made an average of $9200 for 20 bulls sold and a top price of $14,000. Alton and Isobel Devery, Pikoburn Angus, Tuatapere, averaged $8892 for 14 sold with a top of $14,500. John and Tracey Cochrane, of Delmont Angus, Milton, achieved a top of $15,000 and an average price of $7600 for a

full clearance of 24 bulls. Hain Herefords, Gisborne, sold 16 of 23 offered at an average price of $6031, including bulls sold for $9200 and $9000. Bruce Donald, of Ngakouka and Cascade Herefords, Dannevirke, in his first onfarm sale, sold 15 of 17 bulls for an average of $4880 and a full clearance of 11 heifers for $2040. At Glenbrae Herefords, Porangahau, Martin Taylor had a worthwhile lift in average from $4950 last year to $6568 this year and all 11 bulls sold.

The top price was $16,000, paid by the Murray family of Matariki Herefords, Kaikoura. Otapawa Herefords, Wairarapa, sold all 31 bulls for $7000 average and a top of $12,000. The average was up $1700 on last year. Wairere Angus at Hawera sold a full offering of 24 bulls for an average price of $5312 and a top of $12,000. Robert Peacock, Orari Gorge Herefords at Geraldine, sold 27 of 28 bulls offered for an average of $5945, with a top of $10,000 paid by the Grant family, Gore, and $9000 paid by Monymusk Herefords, Te Anau. Nick and Penny France, Okawa Herefords, Mayfield, made a top price of $11,500 when selling to Matarae Station, Outram and the average paid for 39 bulls of 40 offered was $6826. Towards the end of bull sales in the far south, Netherton Angus at Middlemarch sold a complete catalogue of 23 for an average of $7000 and a top price of $10,200. At the same venue the Gibson family of Foulden Hill Hereford sold five of five to average $5100, and then four of four Blue Stone Santa Gertrudis bulls to average $7675. Pine Park Angus, Marton, sold 39 from 41 at a considerably increased average of $7089 and a top of $14,500. Ranui W Angus, Whanganui, sold 29 or 35 and averaged $5368.

$1590-$1700

$4.04/kg

Vetted-in-calf Hereford heifers, 540-595kg, at Frankton

R1 Angus heifers, 190kg, at Canterbury Park

South Island store lamb numbers vary WHEN I sat down to write my column about South Island lamb market trends I thought I would be able to chuck a blanket over the island because the regions would have followed a similar Suz Bremner pattern. AgriHQ Analyst The blanket fits over the prices with all regions reporting a lifting market this year but it has to be removed when looking at throughput because that was variable. There is no doubt this season has been a fantastic one for growing and finishing lambs, to the detriment of some but not all of the South Island sales. Lambs in Marlborough were snapped up very quickly at the end of 2016 and with farmers retaining numbers to finish the search has been on to secure lines from other areas. All lamb quotes that went across agents’ desks were placed and a standing order of two units a week has been at Feilding for the past three or four weeks though it has now reduced to one unit. Head further south into Canterbury and store lamb numbers to auction have actually picked up, with more than 71,000 already sold at Canterbury Park this season and numbers are expected to keep flowing as more vendors favour the saleyards. The closure of Tinwald sale yards has also helped boost numbers. Coalgate’s popularity continues to grow and lamb throughout to date is already above previous years’ total yarding. Temuka has traipsed a similar path to the Marlborough region with the fantastic growth season resulting in more lambs staying at home to be finished and numbers at the sale yards are down on previous years. The Southland lamb market has been consistent with other years, with similar numbers flowing and strong prices to boot. Most of the selling at auction was done through in April and May with the annual paddock sales heading into Mid and South Canterbury. suz.bremner@nzx.com

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June 12, 2017 – farmersweekly.co.nz/field-days

HERE’S HOPING: Machinery suppliers are optimistic a pickup in sales to farmers will be continued at the Fieldays.

Tractor sales indicate confidence Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com MACHINERY sales are picking up following a couple of tougher years on the farm signalling farmers will be on the lookout to replace ageing agricultural equipment at Fieldays this year.

Carrfields Group managing director Craig Carr said the machinery market had been relatively strong in recent months with forward orders going into next year. That was across all sectors of dairy, sheep, beef and arable. Farming was tough whether prices were

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apple production and continuing growth in high or low and ageing machinery still the NZ wine industry,” Nehoff said. needed replacing. Tractor sales in Marlborough had “Farmers do need to replace gear increased nearly 120% compared to and while they are not out there madly January through April last year while sales spending because the prices have in Hawke’s Bay had increased by 50%. improved, they are buying but doing it That was driven by the planting of more sensibly.” grapes and the need to replace an ageing The Canterbury agricultural group has fleet. businesses across a wide range of primary Several traditional dairy, sheep and industry production including machinery, beef regions including Taranaki, Otago irrigation, livestock, wool and grain and and central North Island were reflecting seed. the positive signals in the economy with “There is confidence out there an growth. we are finding farmers are generally Among the standouts was Taranaki, positive. where tractor sales almost doubled “It has been pleasing to see the response compared with the corresponding period to the opening of our machinery branch at last year. Waipara (North Canterbury) that has met “This is considered to be due to good demand and meant expansion into confidence lifting with dairy farming viticulture.” customers coupled with the need to Carrfields sold the Claas combine across replace or update ageing machinery prior New Zealand and would be exhibiting the to winter”. 780 Lexion, the largest of its kind in the Overall, tractor manufacturers were country, at Fieldays. positive about 2017. The new cross-slot, no-till drill the group Anecdotal feedback from farmers at field sold across NZ and Australia would also be days in Feilding and Kirwee was that there a feature at Fieldays. was more confidence in the market and Tractor sales nationwide had remained it would be reflected in farmers replacing steady this year compared to last year, machinery. demonstrating continuing confidence The improved outlook meant the tractor in the primary industry, Tractor and industry could reinvest in the Machinery Association (TAMA) vicemarket with more technicians, president Roger Nehoff said. apprentices and parts to The number of tractor sales in the first support customers. quarter of the year was 803 compared “All of my counterparts to 796 during the corresponding period that report to TAMA see in 2016, demonstrating that overall positive signs across the NZ’s primary industry was stable and economy in general,” coping with weather and any volatility Nehoff said. in global markets. The figures, compiled by TAMA, showed sales increases in the horticulture and viticulture industries in Northland, Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough while those in Bay of Plenty and Auckland had declined. “In spite of the adverse weather events, the growth in horticulture and viticulture looks set to continue, especially with the current kiwifruit boom, BUOYANT: Farmers are generally positive, Carrfields Group managing director expansion of Craig Carr says.

June 12, 2017 – farmersweekly.co.nz/field-days

Innovation awards attract 71 entrants ONE of the most popular sites for visitors is the Fieldays Innovations Centre, which showcases agricultural inventions and new applications with the potential to lead change in the rural sector. Fieldays Innovations event manager Gail Hendricks said 71 entries had been received in the Fieldays Innovation Awards. They included innovations in fencing, irrigation, pasture management and animal health.

NEW: For the first time genetics, animal science and chemical innovations are being accepted for awards competition at the National Fieldays, Innovation Awards event manager Gail Hendricks says.

Agricultural technology would also be on show with several app-based innovations and a virtual reality innovation, Hendricks said. The theme of Fieldays 2017 was Leading Change and Hendricks said the Fieldays Innovation Awards were at the cutting edge of what was happening in agriculture and the future of the industry. “Originally, the Fieldays Innovation Awards was about widgets, gadgets and devices to improve farming and now, more and more, we are seeing how science and technology are impacting agriculture,” Hendricks said. This year, for the first time, organisers accepted entries relating to genetics, animal science and chemical-based innovations. “There has been increased interest in this field recently so this year we have two new judges on board who can judge the science behind these innovations, which is really exciting,” she said. The three main categories were Fieldays Prototype Award, Fieldays Launch New Zealand Award and Fieldays International Award. Other awards up for grabs included Fieldays Young Inventor of the Year, Vodafone Innovation in Technology Award, Locus Research Innovation Award, the Crowe Horwath Agri Innovation Award, the Tompkins Wake IP and Commercialisation Award and the Origin Intellectual Property Award. Judges considered things such as inventiveness, design and originality, the process of coming up with the innovation,

POPULAR: Innovations Awards entries attract big crowds at Fieldays.

commercial opportunities, intellectual property protection, technical viability and its benefit to NZ agriculture. The winners would be announced on Thursday June 15. Hendricks said they would not only receive the kudos of winning the awards and any resulting publicity but access to expert support and business advice thanks to the companies sponsoring each award. Entrants got a lot of value from entering the Innovation Awards, as Fieldays provided access to a large group of potential customers and gave them a chance to do valuable market research. Innovation Awards entrants also had exclusive access to business advisers, legal experts and product development

consultants at a dedicated space in the Innovations Centre called The LAB – Powered by Locus Research. In addition, they had a chance to meet with potential investors at an invitation-only evening, Fieldays Innovations Capital sponsored by Enterprise Angels on Thursday June 15. “The Innovations Centre is an exciting place to be at Fieldays,” Hendricks said. “People visiting will see all sorts of interesting inventions and ideas that have practical and commercial application, to help streamline work on the farm.”

For more information on the awards visit www.fieldays.co.nz/enterinnovationcentre

National Field Days® Site: F36A

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Waikato/Taupo/BOP: Wetit 0800 493 848

Wairarapa: Cotter & Stevens ph: 06 306 9491

Northland/Whangarei: Advance Dairy & Pump ph: 09 438 7038

Tasman/West Coast: On Farm Agri ph: 03 547 3276

Kerikeri: Northland Dairy Specialist ph: 09 407 3400

Canterbury: Betaquip – John ph: 027 337 7595

Taranaki/Wanganui: Wetit – Maurice Doyle ph: 021 568 101

Otago: Waitaki Dairy Solutions ph: 03 434 6304

Manawatu: Farm Supplies Central ph: 06 324 8426

Southland: Dairy Tech South ph: 03 236 8324

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Same field but different paddock.

LIC and LIC Automation have moved for Fieldays® 2017 If you’re wandering around Fieldays this year and you’re looking for the LIC site, well, we’ve shifted. We’ve been heard to say to our farmers on occasion that you can’t always stay in one place and that’s no less true of us.

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So we’ve moved, bringing the LIC and LIC Automation sites closer together. LIC are now based at Fieldays at site F62 and just across the way you’ll find LIC Automation at site F63 & E64.

We’re still doing what we’ve always done, looking for smart ways to improve your productivity and profitability. But now we’re doing it in a different place, these Fieldays. So if you miss us, well, now you know where to find us.

June 12, 2017 – farmersweekly.co.nz/field-days

Get the good oil on manuka honey MANUKA honey with its promise of a pot of gold has been one of the headline acts for the primary sector in the past five years, Manuka Farming New Zealand general manager Stephen Lee says. So Mystery Creek provided an opportunity for landowners to learn more about growing the increasingly valuable scrub plant. Manuka seminars had been organised by Manuka Farming NZ, the commercial arm of the Manuka Research Partnership established in 2011 under industry and council co-operation to encourage the establishment and research of manuka plantations. The Manuka Research Partnership had co-investment from the Ministry for Primary Industries through a Primary Growth Partnership programme. Industry members included Comvita, Arborex Industries, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Landcorp and Te Tumu Paeroa Maori trustees. Lee said the seminars were not intended to hype up the sector and, if anything, aimed to defuse expectations about high returns from manuka plantations. “If anything we want to be conservative. “We want to ensure people have a very clear idea about what to expect in a realistic fashion from the industry.” Landowners often thought they could expect to yield high-grade

THE TRUTH: Landowners can expect a realistic appraisal of manuka honey prospect at free Fieldays seminars.

Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) honey when lower-level grade honey might be more likely. The price differential between a low UMF honey and a high UMF was significant. Lower grade honey might get a beekeeper $20 a kilogram while the top grade might yield $72 a kilogram. “There is a misconception out

there that simply by planting a few seedlings a landowner will end up with a valuable manuka crop.” However, it was not as simple as that. The right cultivar of manuka seedlings had to be planted and planted over sufficient area. “We would say at the very least you will need to have 20ha of land available and planted.

“The bigger the site you have, the better the security you have of reducing the risk of contamination from other plants and competition from other beekeepers.” The free seminars included industry experts from all sectors of the manuka chain covering topics on financing options, plantation design, disease risk and

optimising bee health. Lee said the seminars were designed to be small with no more than 15 people in a group. The Manuka Farming NZ site is at E56.

People could register online at www.manukafarmingnz.co.nz

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June 12, 2017 – farmersweekly.co.nz/field-days

Robots ready to take on work ROBOTS have arrived and they want to make farmers’ lives easier. At this year’s Fieldays, horticultural robotics will be on display at the University of Waikato’s stand. Tauranga-based company Robotics Plus will have its latest prototype of the Autonomous Mobile Multi-purpose Platform (AMMP) on show and prototypes for apple and kiwifruit picking robots will also be on display. University of Waikato Professor Mike Duke, from the School of Engineering, said it was time to embrace the robot revolution in horticultural industries as the ability to harvest high-quality, resilient crops would keep New Zealand at the top of its export game. “Robots never sleep and this makes them ideal workers,” he said. They’ll do the menial work humans should no longer be expected to do. “Increasingly, robots will be built to work in industries that struggle to maintain a full workforce.” The AMMP machine, developed by Robotics Plus’ Dr Alistair Scarfe, was designed to reduce labour costs by providing an autonomous on-orchard harvesting system. Capable of driving around an orchard

ON SHOW: The Autonomous Mobile Multi-purpose Platform will be displayed at the Fieldays.

Robots never sleep and this makes them ideal workers. Mike Duke School of Engineering by itself, the AMMP, with the addition of detachable robotic arms, had sensing technology that made it stop at the right place in the orchard and perform required tasks. Sensing systems, custom arms for harvesting or spraying systems could be interchanged without the need to build a whole new machine for each task. Waikato engineering students supervised by Duke had worked with Scarfe on

the functionality of the various robotic attachments for the AMMP. The University of Auckland, led by Professor Bruce MacDonald, was focused on developing the sensing and software systems that would allow the robots to interact with and navigate their environment. That collaboration, along with input from Plant and Food Research, had gone a long way to ensuring the technology being developed was suitable for the environment it would be working in. More than 70% of NZ’s merchandise exports came from the primary industries, with the Ministry for Primary Industries aiming to double primary exports from $32 billion in 2012 to $64 billion by 2025. Duke said the widespread introduction of robotics and smart machinery into primary industries could save companies

money while improving safety, quality and efficiency. “Robots have been used for decades in automotive factories and, more recently, they’ve been introduced in horticultural pack houses. “However, in-field robotics are more challenging because of the variability of the environment and products.” Duke said recent developments in computing power, algorithms and sensing, combined with advances in computer-aided design and manufacturing technologies were resolving many of the problems. In future robots would be designed to do more than just harvest fruit and would perform other jobs such as pollination, weed spraying, thinning, transportation, quality control and pasture repair. The university’s stand would be in the Mystery Creek Pavilion.

Charity wants bras donated for its artwork SWEET Louise, New Zealand’s only charity solely dedicated to incurable breast cancer, is urging visitors to Fieldays to take any unwanted bras (underwire or otherwise) with them. Chief executive Fiona Hatton said of the unorthodox request “We are aiming to collect 570 preloved bras”. Each bra would represent one of Sweet Louise’s 570 members, who ranged in age from mid 20s to late 80s. The Sweet Louise team planned to create a giant chandelier using the bras to shine a light on incurable breast cancer.

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The work of art would be unveiled in Auckland in the lead-up to NZ Fashion Week and those who donated their bras would go into the draw to win two frontrow seats at a designer show. Hatton hoped the expected haul of bras of all shapes, sizes, colours and styles would represent the diversity of New Zealanders affected by incurable breast cancer. “We wanted to create a piece of art that becomes a conversation starter, something visual that would remind people that incurable breast cancer is not about statistics – it is about real people and

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their families and their unique hopes and dreams.” An estimated 600 New Zealanders each year were delivered the devastating news they had incurable breast cancer. Sweet Louise touched the lives of more than 90% of them and relied solely on donations because it received no government funding. People could leave bras at the Sweet Louise site, which was part of the Health Hub space. Donated bras would be displayed on fence wire at the site in a nod to the popular Wanaka fence of bras. “We don’t care what condition the

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PLEASE GIVE: Sweet Louise chief executive Fiona Hatton and her team have put a call out urging visitors to Fieldays to take unwanted bras to their stand.

bras are in as, like us, they all have an authentic story to tell,” Hatton said. Visitors without a bra could make a donation. Sweet Louise’s regional co-ordinators around the country worked with the charity’s members, getting to know them and their families so they could offer bespoke services based on their individual needs. Examples of support offered to members included help with childcare, housecleaning, gardening, massages, mastectomy underwear and wigs. For more information about Sweet Louise visit www. sweetlouise.co.nz

June 12, 2017 – farmersweekly.co.nz/field-days

Cows are going green for Fieldays Modelling suggests farmers who start a breeding programme for low MUN now could reduce nitrogen leaching by 10-12% by 2025. Phil Beatson CRV Ambreed through the soil profile on grazed pasture. Expectations were that New Zealand could save 10m kilograms a year of leached N within 10 years, based on a national herd of 6.5 million cows. “Modelling suggests farmers who start a breeding programme for low MUN now could reduce nitrogen leaching by 10-12% by 2025,” Beatson said. The company said the selection of low nitrogen genetics did not result in any trade-off in other important traits, including longevity and milksolids production. The discovery came as researchers also started to better understand the impact

Xero aims to put life into farm budgets PULLING the farm budget out of the bottom drawer and making it an active part of farm management is a key message Xero is taking to farmers at the Fieldays this year. Xero senior account manager Paul Churchman said looking at the recent history in farm technology and innovation, farm financial systems had typically trailed behind the nuts and bolts technology used daily on farms. “We are really keen for the financial part of the farm business catch up to this. It is starting. We are beginning to see some of the big players feeding into farm accounts through their invoicing systems. “What we are working towards is achieving more data flow rather than data entry and this is where the efficiency starts to come in.” Getting more cost-revenue data loaded into a farm’s books through the Xero system increased the transparency of the true financial position, its real-time relevance and made the information available to more parties. “At Mystery Creek our key driver is to encourage that and we will be talking to the likes of rural contractors who service the industry on how they can get their information in quicker. “If you have completed work for someone on long payment terms you want to be able to invoice them as soon as possible, at the truck when the job is finished, from a device, to keep that term as short as possible.” BNZ and ASB encouraged farmers to adopt a Xero system, working the software in conjunction with specialty farm software Figured that included production planning and farm budgeting tools to integrate with Xero and boost a farmer’s forward planning ability. “The Reserve Bank has highlighted that currently only 20% of farm businesses are using their budgets actively for decision-making and planning. There are heaps with a budget for the bank but it goes to the bottom drawer and is never looked at again,” Churchman said.

GOOD GIRLS: Cows bred ford lower milk urea nitrogen could cut the amount of nitrogen leached in soil, CRV Ambreed lead geneticist Phil Beatson says.

using different grasses in pasture swards could have on lowering nitrogen losses. Work involving DairyNZ in the Forages for Reduced Nitrate Leaching programme was revealing the value of adding plantain to pasture mixes. With concentrations of more than 25% of the plant in a mixed species sward, nitrogen losses could be reduced by as much as 39% through lower urinary nitrogen losses in grazing cows. CRV Ambreed sales and marketing manager Mathew Macfie said the company’s genetic discovery was a “game changer” for the industry.

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OUCH: Xero aims to make farm accounts less like going to the dentist, senior account manager Paul Churchman says.

Xero intended to encourage farmers to use the systems to benchmark farm businesses against their equivalent peers, based on current financial data and not historic last-season numbers. “You will also be able to see into the next 12 months and see if your spending or income will be running ahead or behind everyone else and you can address the issue before it arrives.” Having transparent, shareable information not only gave farmers the ability to plan for opportunities knowing they were financially secure to seize them, it also gave them some negotiating strength with their bank manager. “If you are using Figured accurately with real-time data to give your real financial position you can show your accountant who could argue to that bank that you should be getting a lower interest rate because you represent lower risk than when your rate was initially negotiated.” Churchman said Xero aimed to help farmers bring their accountants on board as helpful advisers with transparent information and make visiting them “less like going to the dentist”. Xero will be in the Pavilion.

“There has been a high level of excitement in the product and the concept is already resonating with dairy farmers who understand the importance of genetics to improving herds.” The company intended to run auctions on its stand at Mystery Creek selling LowN Sire semen straws. The low nitrogen concept had also been entered into the Launch NZ award category in the Fieldays Innovation Awards. The category recognised agribusiness products launched to the NZ market by small to medium sized businesses with a strong agricultural relevance.

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FARMERS seeking to lower their nitrogen footprint will have the chance to kick around a new genetic tool to put into their mix of mitigation measures at this year’s Fieldays. A genetic discovery announced earlier this year by CRV Ambreed around milk urea nitrogen (MUN) levels and genetics had resulted in the company using Mystery Creek to launch the its LoNSires range of dairy semen. The company estimated the discovery could result in nitrogen leaching dropping by as much as 20% over 20 years as the genetics were integrated into dairy herds. The genetics would be supplied from more than 20 existing bulls exhibiting a genetically superior ability to reduce the level of MUN in their daughters. Measured as urea, MUN reflected the amount of nitrogen contained in milk and international evidence pointed to a direct connection between MUN and the amount of nitrogen lost as urine. Low MUN cows typically excreted less nitrogen as urine. CRV lead geneticist Phil Beatson said cows bred for lower MUN levels were expected to excrete less nitrogen in their urea, in turn reducing the amount lost

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June 12, 2017 – farmersweekly.co.nz/field-days

WIN THIS: Fieldays visitors can race tankers round a track in Fonterra’s marquee and eight winners each day will win die-cast tanker models.

Tankers link to global markets Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com FONTERRA will link milk tankers with global markets in its National Fieldays exhibit this year. A centrepiece of its site will be its From Here to Everywhere story, now running on television, which explored how Fonterra took New Zealand innovation to the world. A race track in the marquee would let two people race milk tankers against each other around Fonterra’s global markets and be in to win a die-cast milk tanker – eight to win each day. A digital scoreboard would keep track of winners over the day. The marquee would showcase the best of Fonterra and Farm Source under one roof, from product sampling to sharing expertise and knowledge and fun activities for the kids.

Fonterra would have representatives from many aspects of its operations on site at the Fieldays this year, Farm Source chief operating officer Miles Hurrell said. A large promotional display would feature the season-relevant specials and farmers could order online or talk to a technical sales representative. Their job was to provide individualised advice and solutions and place any sales orders. The Farm Source Partnership team would be present to talk about exclusive deals including discounts on insurance, electricity, telecommunications, onfarm fuel and milk cooling solutions. Animal nutrition representatives from Agrifeeds would be on hand to discuss the needs of farmers for the year ahead. That included

tailored blends and contracted bulk feeds as well as introducing the new onfarm grass and silage testing service. NZAgbiz representatives would discuss the financial benefits for farmers using calf milk replacers from Ancalf instead of vat milk as well as their supplements including a probiotic for infant species. Hurrell said Fonterra area managers, sustainable dairying advisers, business development managers and shareholders’ councillors would also be on site. The Agrigate joint venture between Fonterra and LIC would be represented with the sole purpose of providing value to farmers by bringing dairy industry data together in one place. Agrigate had been designed to help farmers plan ahead using existing data to assess the

interaction between different onfarm factors, such as weather conditions, animal health, milk production, financials, pasture cover and fertiliser applications. It would help farmers track what effect each factor had on the others so they could plan accordingly. Hurrell said Farm Source Digital and Rewards would be available to help farmers navigate the various apps and keep track of their loyalty accounts. The planning and logistics people from Milk Collection would be on hand to show farmers how the co-operative went about scheduling and dispatching tankers daily. There would be live demonstrations showing where tankers were on the road at any given time. The tanker team would also

explain sampling and answer any general transport questions. Support would also be available on the installation and maintenance of onfarm vats, cooperative maintenance and safety, tanker roadway and dairy shed compliance. Fonterra’s global stakeholder affairs group would be hosting government and stakeholder representatives. Fonterra Brands NZ would be offering samples and EFT-POS sales of consumer products, including yoghurts, cheeses, Anmum products and liquid milks. The site would also feature the new product authentication technology, which, on the base of every Anmum can, provided the ability to trace the contents right back to the milk pool it came from.

Big screen adds to pulling power THE noise, smoke and grunt of the loudest contest at Fieldays will again take place in the Tractor Pull Area beside the Waikato River. One of the most powerful motorsports on offer, the Tractor Pull is always a crowd favourite at Fieldays. With grandstand seating overlooking the action and plenty of refreshments nearby, the Tractor Pull Area is a great place to sit

back and enjoy the thrilling competition and friendly rivalry between drivers, all trying to prove their tractor is the toughest and fastest in the land. This year there’ll also be a big screen to maximise the excitement. All heats are run during the week of Fieldays with the competition final on Saturday afternoon and the prize giving at 3pm on the Village Green. Before that the two

HOSTS: Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Primary Industries Ministry directorgeneral Martyn Dunne will host a red meat showcase.

Tasty time at red meat showcase PRIMARY Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Primary Industries Ministry director-general Martyn Dunne will host a red meat showcase at 2pm Wednesday June 14 on the Village Green at the Mystery Creek Fieldays. The showcase will demonstrate benefits and opportunities for the red meat sector from the Primary Growth Partnership (PGP), such as the adoption of onfarm innovation to boost farmers’ profits. MPI and the industry are co-investing in PGP programmes to help build a more

productive, profitable and sustainable red meat sector. Attendees at the showcase can hear from and speak to some of those involved in the red meat programmes including farmers, processors and others and sample premium lamb, beef and venison cuts barbecued on site and developed with support from the PGP to target high-end demand in the retail and restaurant markets.

Anyone wanting to take part should email pgp@mpi.govt.nz RIP SNORTERS: The tractor pull is on again at this year’s Fieldays.

finalist schools will battle it out at 1.30pm on Saturday in their version of the tractor pull. They will be competing for a $2000 prize with the runner-up taking home $500. Eight Waikato schools battled it out in the heats before Te Awamutu Primary School and Cambridge Primary School emerged as the finalists. And their twist on the event – the pupils pull the tractor.

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10 Keep your cool with technology June 12, 2017 – farmersweekly.co.nz/field-days

ONE issue many dairy farm owners and managers face this week at the National Fieldays will be contemplating how they tackle the new milk cooling regulations, which have a June 2018 compliance deadline. As a dairy farmer with 850 cows and four staff across two farms at Hiwinui near Palmerston North, James Stewart knows exactly what it takes to feel prepared for the Primary Industries Ministry’s future milk cooling regulations. “Farmers have had various warnings about the future regulations. “I knew my old cooling systems weren’t performing as well as they should. “Investing in new equipment in advance and knowing it will comply with the future standards gives me one less thing to worry about. It’s a total relief.” While writing out some rather large cheques for his new plant, Stewart’s role as the ManawatuRangitikei provincial president of Federated Farmers helped him focus on the big picture. “Given the dairy industry’s recent downturn it’s easy for people to be cynical about increased costs, especially costs relating to compliance. “But I know the payback will be worth it. Not just for my farm but for New Zealand’s international reputation as a producer of highquality milk. “It’s a competitive, global marketplace. We need to keep proving that we measure up.” When faced with change Stewart was philosophical. “Change isn’t always easy but it’s inevitable. We can fight it or embrace it. We’re part of an evolution.” Agri-tech companies specialising in cloud-based data monitoring was one example of that. One company, Levno, was an example of companies providing a

smart tech solution to address the impending rules. As a nation of world-class farmers reliant on global markets, Stewart suggested MPI’s future regulations would ultimately benefit dairy farmers. “Investing in new plant and innovative technology helps me do my job, ie produce milk that meets several criteria and passes various tests – temperature, cooling times, no antibiotics. “It’s a bit like buying a new tractor. Technology is another tool that helps me produce a topquality product.” Dairy farms were once much smaller so it was easier for farmers to know what was happening in every paddock, trough and shed. “As farms get bigger and more staff are employed, the risk of something going wrong increases. Technology helps farmers check things off so important tasks are not forgotten. It alerts them to problems before it’s too late. “As the dairy industry is scrutinised more and more, technology provides farmers and their communities with proof of their impact on the environment. It reduces wastage – less spoilt milk ends up going down drains and more troughs are filled with the right levels of water.” Levno technology made it easier for data to be collected, filed and shared electronically – saving farmers much time and reducing the need for information to be duplicated in print. “All of my staff have smart phones now. They rely on them for everything. They use them to keep their timesheets up to date and record information about the animals. They even use them for drafting.” Traditionally, it took a lot of time and effort for farmers to monitor and analyse their milk production. “Today, with technology, it’s never been easier,” Steewart said.

RETURN: The payback will be worth James Stewart’s investment in new technology.

“Someone told me once that the difference between an average farm and a good farm is two weeks. Changing one variable can affect the performance of an entire farm very quickly. Technology that puts farmers in the driver’s seat and at the forefront of smarter and faster decision-making is exciting. It’s real progress.” Another farmer, Cam Lewis, juggled multiple jobs, farms and staff every day. As a joint shareholder of one of NZ’s largest asparagus growers and the managing director of his family’s dairying business in

JUGGLING: Cam and Catrherine Lewis juggle multiple jobs every day managing a dairy business and asparagus operation with the help of new technology.

Levin, he couldn’t be everywhere at once. Levno, an early stage agritechnology company that will be at the Fieldays is bringing solutions via cloud-based, cellular, farm monitoring. Their milk monitoring product helped Lewis significantly improve the productivity of his business. “I can’t imagine how else I’d hold down my day job and manage two herds of cows, six milking staff and a run-off manager across two farms. With continuous monitoring I know exactly what’s happening when – wherever I am, 24/7, without the delay or cost of a third party audit.” And when things did go wrong on a farm, they could go very wrong, very quickly. “Dairy farming is time-intensive and time-critical. There are massive profits at stake. Knowing I’ll be alerted about a problem and having access to the data I need to solve it gives me enormous peace of mind and ultimately maximises our profits.” His passion for technology was born out of a series of experiences that would otherwise have seen him out of pocket by thousands of dollars. “Within months of having Levno install its system one of our milking staff forgot to turn the refrigeration unit on. I was alerted immediately and we managed to save the whole vat, $5000 worth. And because we didn’t need to make an insurance claim for spoiled milk our excess wasn’t increased.” On another occasion, Lewis quickly diagnosed the source of a milk grading issue without having to wait until milking resumed the next morning.

I can’t imagine how else I’d hold down my day job and manage two herds of cows, six milking staff and a run-off manager across two farms. With continuous monitoring I know exactly what’s happening when – wherever I am, 24/7, without the delay or cost of a third party audit. Cam Lewis Farmer “I logged into my dashboard remotely, got some accurate insights into the problem and fixed it before it was too late. “The tanker might have driven off without 21,000 litres of our milk or we could have been issued with a fine equal to 200% of the milk’s value.” Lewis also relied on the technology to monitor his staff’s use of diesel. “It’s a handy deterrent that reduces theft and is less confrontational than a camera.” Whether a farmer owned one or more farms, milked their own cows or employed staff, Lewis suggested everyone was at risk. “There’s no knowing when something will go wrong. At nine o’clock at night or three o’clock in the morning – there can be a power cut, a fuse can blow, the stirrer can break. And everyone needs time off.” Levno NZ will be at site D95 near the Innovations Centre.

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June 12, 2017 – farmersweekly.co.nz/field-days

South Island youngsters staying away Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com WHAT was once an annual highlight for young farmers, a week at the Mystery Creek Fieldays, barely makes it onto the calendar these days, at least not for South Island young farmers. But the national organisation would be taking part with a stand of its own and would be launching a mental health documentary through its involvement with the Fieldays Health Hub. New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF) Aorangi territory manager Biddy Huddleston said the days of the once annual mini-van trips north to Fieldays appeared to be a thing of the past.

It’s very moving and very powerful, a big statement for young farmers to come out and say we are not going to cover up any longer. Nadine Porter NZ Young Farmers “While a few individuals will go there are no planned group trips. “It seems they have died out these days. It’s costly, the lure of the city lights is a bit far.” Huddleston said changing times also meant there were a lot of alternative industry-specific events that were more appealing to young farmers, including the biennial South Island Agricultural Field Days at Kirwee that did lure large numbers from South Island Young Farmers clubs. “Each industry has specific sector groups

targeted at young farmers and events with these groups have pushed the Fieldays down the order of priority,” she said. Mid Canterbury district chairman Sam Clements-Stewart said he was going to Fieldays but with family in the Waikato there was added reason for his trip. “It was mentioned at a club meeting but really Mystery Creek is so far to go it doesn’t really come on the calendar. “While it’s a time of year when we could go there’s the cost to consider and there was more interest in going to the (Young Farmer) Grand Final in Manawatu in July,” he said. Young Farmers’ national body would have a presence at Fieldays and the Waikato and Bay of Plenty Young Farmer membership would be heavily involved in varying aspects of the event, NZYF communications manager Nadine Porter said. The organisation had invested heavily in rural mental health and would be launching a documentary as part of its involvement with the Fieldays inaugural Health Hub. The documentary would feature Methven young farmer Sam Robinson who had put his journey battling years of depression into the public arena in the hope he could help other young farmers suffering the debilitating condition. “It’s very moving and very powerful – a big statement for young farmers to come out and say we are not going to cover up any longer,” Porter said. The national organisation would also have a Fieldays presence on its own site where Young Farmers would be promoted more from a corporate level than a membership level. Last year Fieldays generated $430 million in sales revenue for NZ agricultural businesses across 1507 exhibitor sites with the four days attracting 131,000 people through the gates.

NO MORE: The era of van trips to Fieldays seems to have died out for southern youngsters because of the cost and distance, Aorangi Young Farmers territory manager Biddy Huddleston says.

STORYTELLER: Methven young farmer Sam Robinson features in a documentary telling of his struggle with depression. The documentary is being launched by Young Farmers at the Fieldays.

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June 14-17 Mystery Creek

13 Gallagher to show off new tech June 12, 2017 – farmersweekly.co.nz/field-days

THIS year’s Fieldays be the venue for the broadest range of new products released in recent times by Gallagher, its national sales manager Darrell Jones says. The firm will be introducing farmers to some of the company’s most innovative and practical equipment that kept farmer customers firmly in the frame while it was being developed. “The two pieces of equipment we will be showcasing in particular this year are the TW series of weigh scales and the Insulated Line Posts.” The TW-1 and TW-3 weigh scales replaced the robust W810 and W610 models. They represented a complete redesign, engineered around how farmers interacted with equipment based on their experience with other digital devices like tablets and smart phones. With touch screens part of farmers’ daily lives, the TW series incorporated one into its user interface, ensuring day-to-day, inthe-field weigh activities could be simply accessed without confusing navigation or complex menu paths. Repeated testing with farmers in the field ensured the mission was complete – delivering an intuitive menu easily followed from initial scale set-up to final weigh data download. The scales had software systems easily connected and compatible with load bars and readers, regardless of brand, and connectivity to Gallagher’s own Animal Performance Software (APS) system to provide easy access to reports on individual animal information for timely analysis. The scales were designed to help farmers avoid a task they hated most, having to enter data twice. All data recorded in the field could be uploaded into the APS software. Links via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth could connect the user’s cell phone and bring up the Gallagher Dashboard software, giving a quick view of crucial top-line data. “The scale systems represent a major leap in innovation with a very user-friendly, logical system for operation and we

ON THE BUTTON: Gallagher product manager Dan Lougnane puts a Flashmate heat detector on a dairy cow.

have allowed more space on site to fully demonstrate the technology,” Jones said. Another piece of equipment being showcased at Mystery Creek for the first time was the Gallagher Insulated Line Posts. The posts were a practical contrast to the high-tech engineering and design of the weigh systems but as equally relevant to a modern farming system. The posts featured a polyethylene sheath with a strong flexible inner fibreglass core, enabling them to bend without breaking and minimising injury to livestock. Coming in four different heights, the posts offered a comprehensive system for fencing in sheep, cattle, horses and deer.

Energizers, with solar, mains and battery power options, with new models for smaller operators and the Insulated End Strainer. And the FlashMate Electronic Heat Detector launched at Mystery Creek last year would also be on display again. The Gallagher building is on the corner of M Road and D Street.

Jones said farmers would be able to see first-hand how easily the system could be set up and the level of robustness it had thanks to advanced plastics technology and strong design to the posts’ groundanchoring foot and the flexible, solid fibreglass core component. Gallagher would also show its updated

Theme says change is vital THIS year’s Fieldays theme, Leading Change, was chosen to help drive primary sector prosperity, National Fieldays Society chief executive Peter Nation says. “To excel and grow in the future, innovation and change is vital. “It is an exciting and challenging time for the industry but with good leadership we have great opportunities.” New Zealand was a world leader in agriculture and primary production and the Fieldays led the way as a place where businesses and individuals went for the latest in agricultural innovations and technology. “We hope Leading Change is a theme that our partners and exhibitors will embrace,” Nation said. “The dairy downturn has been challenging for many but with visionary leadership and fresh, innovative thinking we can transform the future of primary production in this country.” Leading Change supported the Fieldays pillars of education, internationalisation and innovation, which were represented at the event with the Innovations Centre, the Careers and Education Hub and the Business International Centre. The Fieldays was the largest event of its kind in the southern hemisphere. In 2016 the event generated $430

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June 12, 2017 – farmersweekly.co.nz/field-days 2013

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We want your feedback so we can deliver the information you want, when and how you want it. 2017 FEBRUARY 23,

JANUARY 2017

strong A-grade at wharfgate up slightly Structural logs up slightly Pruned logs Pulp steady

PULP (NZ$/TONNE)

(NZ$/TONNE)

A-GRADE (NZ$/TONNE)

Industrial pulp

prices

due to are left blank

insufficient data

)

to mill (NZ$/tonne

responses to

177

118

124

WHOLE MILK POWDER

ensure accuracy.

S1-S2 Long

S3 Short

L350

Pulp

JANUARY 2017 Key Points

Key Points

LOG PRICE REPORT

NZD:USD

ulp

Industrial/P (US$/T)

3315

Key Points

DAIRY T INSIGH Roundwood

0.719

Unpruned Unpruned T 10 10 VIEWPOIN

FONTERRA VE COOPERATI GROUP SHARES

6.20

Milk price futures

ease in price

milk production China’s domestic for better prices Growers wait to continue Current weather

PALM KERNEL

MILK PRICE FUTURES (SEP17)

($/T) WAIKATO

248

6.20

STRY RT FOREET REPO

slows

MARK

FEED BARLEY ($/T) Y CANTERBUR

S1 DOMESTIC

287 LOGS

A-GRADE EXPORT LOGS ( US$/JAS [CFR])

(NZ$/TONNE)

Forecast ($/kgMS) Milk Price 118 2016-17 FONTERRA

127

USD:NZD SHIPPING

– CHINA

(US$/JAS)

19.2

(NZ$/NZU)

0.7162 AGRIHQ WMP

17.20

PRICE (US$/TONNE)

3300

2016-17 AGRIHQ

BALTIC DRY INDEX

EUR:USD

CARBON FUTURES NZX WMP 2017 FEBRUARY (US$/TONNE)

3210

NZD:USD

1.0774

0.7292

ASW

LANDED ($/TONNE AUCKLAND)

275

($/TONNE)

high

SMP rra offers more

CBOT CORN PKE

786

Y CANTERBUR FEED WHEAT

286Prices

expected to

($/TONNE

254

AVERAGE)

Key Points Early barley

US farmers

Wild weather

0.7162

MARKET REPORT

hits NZ

NZD:AUD

0.9500 MILK POWDER WHOLE AGO VS. MONTH (US$/TONNE)

3300

13,300t of WMP available next week

NZ P2 STEER ($/KG)

5.21

Inside this

MONTHLY DAIRY

Key Points

for February gap emerging and Rare supply by low supply again, driven US market rallies

differs in North

plant less wheat

NZD:USD

(USD/BU)

3.696

harvested

Crop condition and South

Milk price share prices Dairy company

firm demand on GDT More SMP available the quiet market supply reaching Peak-season NZ DOLLAR NZ LAMB SCHEDULE ($/KG)

(US/$)

0.7292

5.18

NZ MILK PRODUCTIO FORECAST 2016-17

-3%

AGRIHQ WMP PRICE (US$/TONNE)

3300

NZX WMP FEB 2017

issue

y markets Dairy commodit Milk production

FUTURES

(US$/TONNE)

3320

JANUARY 2017

FEBRUARY 2017

JANUARY 2017

NG WEEK BEGINNI 2017 FEBRUARY 7,

TUESDAY 2017 JANUARY 24,

FRIDAY 2017 FEBRUARY 3,

IRY GRAIN & FEED GLOBAL DA INSIGHT SNAPSHOT

domestic market No signs of slowing wharfgate Solid lift at the demand Good Chinese bolsters prices sales maintain Log export strong pace

Inside this

Lamb

MONTHLYEF 10

SHEEP & BE 12

PRICE AGRIHQ MILK 2016-17 (NZ$/KG MS)

US IMPORTED LAMB SCHEDULE (NZ$/KG)

6.40LEG CKT

(£/KG)

5.10

4.50

95CL BEEF

(US$/lb)

LOG PRICER INDICATO 2

Wool

Beef

P2 STEER SCHEDULE (NZ$/KG)

5.24

2.12

issue

Mutton

EXPORT ( NZ$/TONNE)

120

PRUNED ( NZ$/TONNE)

170 d Year Combine

UNPRUNED ( NZ$/TONNE)

117 Log Indicator

for New Zealand

PULP ( NZ$/TONNE)

10 fall at next SCENE and pulp indicies for some lights offer of pruned, unpruned were necessary GDT GRAIN MARKET Combination 6.00 7 GDT event, – replantings Unpruned LAMB late plantings. Grade Global markets For the February unchanged from Unpruned However there growers, on top of already been dreary firm No limit Processors Pruned its offer ns 20 - 30 protein levels. continue to of SMP are Market need Specificatio increased of NZNo limit Pruned has been weather has Rare lamb in 8.0 - 13.0 as benefit 40 / 30 Derivative s of may struggle 13 lambs that with 2200t (SMP) volumes e laterbeen Fonterra has whether there interest Into this year, it has gotten dry quite on the back NZX Dairy 3.0 - 6.0 30 - 40 pretty quiet 6 supply gap high SMP offer Less WMP availabl Last week 3.7 40 are not at 120 Pruning chilled summer, for supply for skim milk powderby 2000 earlier forecasts, The is a concern 6 There is some tight supplies Activity has This week and windy and regions. volume of to be available. 4.9 - 6.1 With the Easterof under to be offloaded and have 0 cm up for harvest. Milk price lights emerging Trade (GDT) critical Easter 85 - 85 ends up. enough sunshine. sourced SMP 3.7 - 4.7 of the March 08-Feb-17 0 SED (minimum) period now growers gearits WMPhappening before grade wheat quickly in some been through 15-Feb-17 on Global Dairy next 12 months. It 4.8 - 6.1 lifted at each some lodging the year killable weights, as stores cm chilled trade production justify futures to start how milling 45 - 45 the 3.7 - 4.8 volumes are that were ↔ 0.0% at the March 6.2 that lamb 80 - 90 also adjusted February s struggle to to be ready There has also way, itThis off. Dairy in moved on 93 - 94 has largely Knot size (maximum) emerging g 6.20 3.7 - 4.8 tonnes over demand for 2255t on offer Fonterra has enquiries is expected event. at the islands. is 98 - 112 dairy processor for raw milk when Sep 2017 have dropped is “smoothin 110 0.3% of sunshine may not been m events, with seen strong 46 - 51 so far Fonterra the March 21 81 - 89 the milk price is the trade 98 - 123 Christmas the totalwere buying barley Wheat crops in both 6.28 in early February forcrops said it has instead. A lack 86 - 131 Length (minimum) high prices canola for supply and is therefore 7 event and 2355t at 6.30 as with 115 - 170 at the April offer volumes.offerfarmers Coast of the expected being harvested milk powders Sep 2018 in particular 112 - 117 volumes, Dairy paying could The outlook 46 - 49 163 - 174 but it as been an issue seed 75 - 86 the cream dairy fat products WMP on the West as secure 117 - 123 ↔ 0% prior to Christmas, be 3280t available itsVan remains quality imported cost. 6.9 Amy 88 - 120 out” for next season. mix towards Van while not grass be crops, the year. up. earliest. and the lower Agnew uckland 12amonths 133 - 182 bit of wheat 6.9 Amy leg as There will some Rachel a lower favourable 65 - 76 are expected to high 108 - 116 and - 53 Ossenbruggen n in 52 Northland/A shifting product over the next North Island UK CKT lamb crops. is 180 - 190 ‘weather bomb’, crop that and meant is offered own Sep 2019 be pretty stockedneed earlier available at streams, such has Ossenbrugge to 111 - 123 wheat t prices - 115 Island week’s were are 100 Van ty event. 100 available seem China’s 4 some Last Amy the product 179 South of of SMP commodi 128 l Plateau but now This adjustmen also affect timed. The 115 - 115 levels for will desperate generating half of the Lamb numbers 48 - 54 Ossenbruggen BoP/Centra - 84 The expansion 175 - 185 73 current s and SMP. 550 slowed, so WMP Futures The extra volume to support SMP at 322,640t. than No-one currently in 115 - 125 0% growth rates, to ideal, was not badly is forecast to be down 78 - 109 harvested. previously -trade near Island 3300 130 - 178 calendar year. farming operations has But to be willing protein ingredient performing more do much 95 - 115 largely been always expected y, too e but it appears also restricting that less WMP 3290 51 - 53 of *Northern North - 882017 dependent 170 - 170 to November. 80the and most seem should not likely to 110 - 123 Sellers was ready had in Canterbur remainder currently 95 - 114 -1% of grain from July will remain Fats have been prices stagnat some time 130 - 179 forecast But Jan 2017 is underway. ryegrass, which apier on last year, lambs plays out as 3320 90 110 - 115 this market in Dairy may be whereas stagnated powders for SMP on the be available 47 - 50 prices. Gisborne/N 170 - 182 until harvest 3290 78 - 85 than the market If solid start grass is keeping dairy products. is of the 2016 This includes 114 - 125 y prices waitpreviously estimates and collected 450 contract for 89 - 119 strongly than 0% butter or SMP earlier will mean a Feb 2017 the much Island there will be more January. the last complete Dairy 130 - 178 on imported product Dairy commodit The February and delivering 108 - 115 3300 of SMP and 48 - 52 Lower North have been windrowed expected, this ive regarding 170 - 173 50 - 90 are still latest Global settled at US$2500/t of this dairy in December has been 3315 on farm. 112 - 123 now. A mix hit. like at theconservat - 2017-18 dairy season. this is mostly Price will result the format Island WMP available 0% milkfat (AMF) powder Derivatives marketfallen 3.7% from last available to be 13,300t GDT 128 - 178 Mar 2017 thethe 84 - 103 decline. for before the weather is a different story, somewhat event, crop,ofthough with of 44 - 60 The supply gap *Southern North 3300 for next season steadily moving from ingredients 174 - 183 69 - 87 and anhydrous extent There is 103 - 119 prices The same 80 milk s are 85 - 95 3310 - Milk price futures of Trade (GDT) 350 than whole milk yesterday, havingmedium heat SMP sold week. 135 - 142 condition GDT event. The North Island to finished consumer Apr 2017 90 - 113 1% 0.6%. Whole 21few forward sales ry. about a lot in firmer farmgate 2 47 - 55 more profitable *North Island - 95over the past next week’s now. 165 - 174 Easter 82little 3300 lifting just Climatic milk powders 105 - 120 the February have been 85 - 95 ing to the a negligible about mid-Janua in prices week. Contract the last GDT event. A at Shaye Lee buyers with serious concerns through the -eased back a 3330 There milk price shrivelled Index forecast for lborough contribut is of May 2017 86 - 106 at (WMP) since alsoeased Feb-‐1 7 1% of for lamb crop, with most 95 2018 45 - 55 Kilsby (WMP) prices Nelson/Mar goods. the 165 - 175 SMP volume is offer volumes are expecting 93 -Sept the weakness period. There 104 - 119 Aug-‐1 6 fundamentals for US$2605/t WMP 3300 Susan The East Coast 85 - 105 for new season a 21% the harvest looks crops. Some have not powder -Last week expected for at $6.38/kg milk Feb-‐1 6 production This is despite 3335 Jan-17 135 - 142 250 performing supply gap.pay The underlying 98 - 112 70 event. Howeverthe April 4to event, generally of schedule higher that just simply was see what - 95 Aug-‐1 5 45 - 52 Canterbury MS Jan-16 will is currently 86priced 165 - 174 0.1%. 4% fall is therefore to fats have been 98 - 125 Feb-‐1 5 demand are In 2017 Jun 2017 93 - 105 crops, or crops -contract Jan-15 already evidence At the unwilling to 8625t at waitinglasttherefore Island unlikely there for SMP, as spot the North Island settled at $6.30/kg 115 - 140 supply and 98 - 100 Jan-14 (MS) but Buyers are stuck at drop timeIt’s year. 45 - 54 drought-like m ov e m e n t s a n d 75 - 89 *Northern South (US$/T) solids ingthough 155 - 180 at the like. Source: AgriHQ for next season. 98 - 105 Jan-13 on the same taken off. market prices. AgriHQ SMP price has at the moment, 88 - 105 10,975t strongly. to 2017 crop contracted wasthe WMP PRICES by Jan-12 there of is unlikely to 115 - 130 Derivatives the slaughter normal conditions crops prices for WMP experienc there is decline in April 2016, 98 - 108 The driving favourable i.e. late 46 - 54 yesterday. 79 - 88 . However due be much production Jan-11 Otago prices is expected 150 - 170 Wetter than premiums in 98 - 118 The NZX Dairy prices for AMF and 86 - 98 affected week, indicating in WMPconditions 60 first event global milk no obvious factor is well underway lambs a rate that have lift this Jan-10 is - 137 y in will 107 2% 115 small sales 10 year av erage a harvest 51 There that 90 rates year $2600/t than Any 46 until Jan-09 market. week’s at more 153 - 177 Southland end of last the in the market. at the time. as dairy commodit slow growth 102 - 119 does indicate continued of WMP available.prices have or 88 - 115 early March. Jan-08 4000 to fall at next and early end of the season. near expand able to be absorbed by Island the ground 128 - 140 little movement prices have continued the price down 105 - 114 maize the to bob along be on the spot market. that were in February through spring WMP futures February 161 - 175 *Southern South February butter are expected 110 - 122 the case for Yearly Median week. European SMP week. Theare mostlyat 2017 barley sold however. The prices are expectedsome time. NZ is should 128 - 171 3500 US$2222/t this are to decline this currently been This was certainly settled 2014 GDT event, 21 a bit of milkfat 172 - 182 *South Island at US$5380/t market. 2017 levels for for averaging for contract settled January has fall, falls 2015 current to AMF futures There ending North further from price 2016 ing a premium Global demand high. This is contract for 2017 WMP ensure accuracy. *New Zealand down 3.3% 3000 Data – week sharply in the Roundwood Low command Trade 1.6% from the responses to stillulp The EEX indicates with the February already. droppedTrends harvested last Regional Price extremely Island High 1 year ago a 1.4% Industrial/P insufficient data on Global Dairy Log Indicator yesterday, down grade AMF sold for BEEF US$3210/t yesterday, Europe, prices have indicates Pulp blank due to Last week was some barley but this was 2 weeks ago 12 mths ago VIEWPOINT next s, but the South growth in demand 88 - 88 this is making it remains product (based last settling There expected in week. This Store lamb prices are left 145 L350 Average 2500 nextearly, 6 mths ago at contract – for at was February Industrial pulp this time last prices Contract 2 regular prices on this market quite driven by steadysector in some of our High 158 the drier conditionwell relative to schedules. Chinese is mths ago The futures month Free 3 prices)- but S3 Short to WMP 46 in price early. contract past which from due event. ago n 46 exporters (GDT) Low the milk priced Long SMP 177 1 mth Island noted arebeen planted when Further 82 93 2018 is expectedweek stage. that S1-S2 in and was the bakery 350 96 - 97 market quiet to mill (NZ$/m³) 171 had 100 perspective, variation at the last GDT settled at US$5380/t . This month they were P2 -harder to secure deals Low imported performing extremely 2000 there is expectatio much this crop There The September up slightly this week 327 settled declineGDT event at and consumers n from from 171 91 that has 101 - 115 high Price delivered increases in largely P1 butter has had stock market is still rom a farmgate 47 - 53 327 as New Year price at US$2171/tfurther out have also from the US the market that the offerings 166 there’s not been the key talking point 110 barley crop 84 - 91 competitio 101 - 127 supply and ng has traded contract for key Asian markets favouring natural thethis g markets, ties are relatively n week’s positions 89 - 135 for anyone who 350 fromfor Sentiment 183 117 49 -face strong price bullmeat prices 2.3% from the where lights Contracts 119 - 175 morning. e good and Wheat-Milli is season – Zealand, T Nov Feb May In terms of cattle, Samples remains 8411 open markets rather celebrations for dairy commodi seasonkind 1500 VIEWPOIN will increase 300 NewIsland factor influencin 115 - 121 for interventio 117 173 51 Grade firm end-user for at drought-lik stock 168 - 179 so far look 47 - 51 North beef market MS earlier this yesterday, down suppliers. 303 products. ago. Within with another Limited supply arkets 77 - 89 104 of cow meat 170 121 - 127 49 likely in short is has developed Bay, where imported to sell. The majorwas the low numbers of end of butter sold still lower. The next tender though nothing currentlycurrently.been harvested 91 - 124 However Canterbury Feb May Aug are underway 284 but $6.43/kg definitely do -European from Chinese buyers are currently from a month willing 48 uckland 171to draw cattle demand sees 110 over processed 94 the moment. 2 unsalted 137 - 188 the back and Hawke’s were signs of in coming weeks. There cloud are good yields. contract 111 - 119 286 There345 Contract through Northland/A term 48 110 next week, 92 Northland Pruned balanced at 186 - 196 54 - 55 away too quickly NZ farmers could operating expenses whichmuch like in December, Demand67 - 78 of milk powders products supply side the one Both prices positive. levels NZX Futures 310 115 - 127 US market lift 51 the 112 seem to indicate to get a good feel for Wheat-Feed 105 is the state of enough incentive of the 310 a stock closes sell. traders, as some hesitation 103 - 119 prices falling across the country favourable GDT event. atlast 260 price On the from GDT l Plateau farms. 132 - 184 quantity 49 brought out 108 price covers the to come out early 310 has117 to farm. preventing have mainly have provided subsequently 119 - 119 the than they were 373 BoP/Centra milk resistance offtake at ports again t Asian is the large that supported the bids on 49 108 180 - 191 49 - 56 plenty yet Canterbury levels are holding optimism 310 higher it is still too is expected more supply lifting too far as the milk off and between the average volume. This Currency movements Unpruned 75 - 86 119 - 129 380 grew nervous at the from reduced overseas marketsif you exclude conditions moving 48 100 more expected 80 - 112 traders to lift Island 310 stored in market looking 2016 meant inventory on the horizon prospect of the crop, with reasonable - 184 considerablyChinese few $5/kg MS for suffer this season -traded on GDT. South-eas is a quite of the from North 134 365 (SMP) prices kill industry, with some 119 many 48 about Middle domestic There 106 136 quality cow 98 with levels Kilsby bulls, rising the sheep 175 powder Agnew the *Northern out being 370 Susan Zealand will 175 years’ milk ly while 53 - 55 the main Rachel With the In the Southland 104 146 - 91 while re is preventing but milkfat continues had been 83 113 - 127 steady Pulp Zealand exporters. year ago. 360 ith thevsNew the older Friesian cattle are also 105 98 - 117 Some farmers few months, fob L bull Northern Hemisphe have of skim There is more than 400,000 GDT results 163 pace prices 288However, as cow meat. be significantly or above recent Reece Brick -demand is atfarmers t apier of grass 134 - 185 vs Change is steady be for New deteriorate significant as is often the to be harvested. 1.2 latter end of growth weeks. Prime 108 162 91 114 - 119 US Imported 95C Last year low oil prices to Gisborne/N which Northland Manawatu Prices – US$/tonne set for the comingforestry industry will 175 - 188 281 weeks ago. 48 - 51 Europe. been plenty Latest Change for performed situation won’t for milk powder butter prices up throughou supply. - 88 wellago 162 ago 89 80as is weak 117 - 128 are year into key export to emerge in the comingCombined with poor livestock main two of currency. Island. holidays, however, 281 There has 92 - 123 stored in Europe g power of ly the case in the Dairy Commodity next supply be tight, expected Four weeks Dry soils well. Demand 335 151 -East 107 Island previous 134 - 184 unknown. AgriHQ 310 the influence through February, purchasin in the South s close for the the more regularity, Island in spring the 300 tonne of SMP 112 - 119 is particular ng a very dry summer. Barley-Feed in one hit continues to of frozen product Change the 325 170 Lower North 112 49 demand keeping Average focus for many market plays out in the to underpin This - 54 with with 1 down Last week of d This is up 175 - 178 49 very high harvested 240 supply market 93 businesse - 127 supply in short reduced 05-Feb-16 also shipping firm, prices the 52 115 be 112 attention 160 be Island 48 325 concern silage tight to North force the 360 to Change South Island Waikato demand direction enough shouldn’t released to the Chinese 111 as some regions who are now experienci with parts of theThe 161 340 49 132 - 184 which is slaughtere in parts of the of WMP how70% demand may 350 end user detrimental 49% 87 - 106 and case with China, for exporters will be the risen, and it will week *Southern North has garnered this region.71 - 89 domestic milk if 310 49 162 104 Change 06-Jan-17 88 180 - 189 45 - 62 term demand, The South Island though of course this Canterbury note is China, recorded conditions the world. 2920 1% recent 350 106 - 123 27-Jan-17 the general 49 had to put aside here also. 1% sets the tone destinations further south 0.8 105 87 88 - 98 250 would be extremely a spike in short 350 but surely 3310 Pruned have held stable in 107 - China’s own Of particular Reece Brick Also of interest 139 - 146 Southland feed 4300 48 traders have highest also evident three months. 101 as normal, but prices. risk of this happening shipping03-Feb-17 in reaction continue log market often true picture 93 - 116 We may see the 350 have slowly feed this season, harvest plays out. 46% 44% two or0% *North Island WMP prices 170 - 179 48 - 56 49 112 lift bids further ↔ 0% 104 have sufficient at a level equal to the diverted into the cause. se New Year and420 85 - 98 in 2016 the prices. But the slowed itself with 4350 1800 108 - 124 forward covered more expensive slaughterUnpruned the Prime markets of large still in-market head. Oil prices Commission well 88 - 98 49 104 how March -5% much timed farms flat. as resistance dry. rates post-Chine 4350 Manawatu plenty general, flaps 400 be production Waikato how is kill 2610 not scale lborough In The secure the 0.6 Around pretty European will the depends back both 109 just price are to is bull in at There 2750 101 ting49 the 89 lamb to see The large Nelson/Mar now 400 soon.buying stocks SMP in order 69% 12 months. 200 46 - 57 is low. The 170 - 180 400 returns. 49 Butter 100 prices in 2017 $6/kg of milksolids (MS) ↔ 0% to be soft on 143 portions of 96 - 98 Most farmers with in-market weeks. The increased beef market, counterac 107 - 123 becomes clearer 400 last 4% be interesting following 65% 2600 1950 see some rain AgriHQ. Large operating Oats-Feed 88 - 108 price but ion with 2600 most of these to be 370week Cow 99 outlook for -1% 156 -to lower season product being 400 139 - 146 5770 for the Pulp next few weeks, will need to by competit level, the to have high Chinese demand 365 observed. 101 101 - 115 – who own in the US crop 3350 at a reasonable 174 and58% Canterbury volumes of Powder rebalance themselves becomes as a result.always in direct Skim farmers for the current 46 - 54 170 - 180 product. on hand but trade for the Milk 44% in China tend 380 89 - 98 101 - 129 At the farmgate 170 98 to reduce due out further ↔ 0% Southland typically been104the market for improvement competit or of log supply feed available Australia 5% keeping an eye 3300 by Fonterra not want its milk prices AMF 96 - 108 prices typically 3300 2750 Island 350 to blowEaster Weather impacts 170 91 119 - 144 150 0% ing than last year. an issue. The North would have or levels chilled in – does 4590 traded from Combined market, and Supply from which are- difficult be Although not domestic buyers will be supplementary being offered ↔ Amy Van 101 - 103 that 350 low firmer of the 56 export *Northern South buying Lee 164 costs of bull will 3950 111 in underpinn brought 160 - 186 to better Powder very s little 92 46 overdraft the NZ 108 a Shaye decline currently on still ends 55% at futures 77 Canterbury en 23% 358 101 want . China trade, n – for and the approach 181 117 49 Whole Milk movement ↔ 0% faced with Feb-‐1 7 91 - 108 1% rates are is due to the -to their dependence situation. Ossenbrugg Commission Butter 3950 6200 and milk price price farmers won’t 360 have been irregular, 119 - 134 conditioAUD:USD and tactfulreturns 117 years, CFR prices remains low 352 of easing. countries their New Year 16 171 international 50 0% Aug-‐safe. affected by any 3950 3540 to reflect this 101 - 111 New Zealand looks have both high again. In addition the Otago 405 48 - 56 155 - 175 NZD:USD Locally, slaughternear normal levels, mainly 106 82 - 91 169to 49 not numbers unlikely Maize-Grain signs 7600 ↔ 367 Feb-‐1 6 milk price forecast of the past five place through until the out for how they will be will take a careful using milk 100 101 - 122 milk price Average 325 58% back from 89 - 101 -feed. Unless the farms to 48 170 is 109 93 Cheddar Cheese kill is showing 370 Aug-‐1 5 ↔ 0% which market processors are lines. the contract in cattle prices an inflated Both the AgriHQ this level. Participants towards next therefore Infor 119 - 141 7600 all majority 3550 worse 48 93 - 110 109 pegged in 91 Feb-‐1 5 410 5% the South Manawatu 48 - 52 should support celebrations this week, Island has liftedalong the east coast, but Southland 7600 e. The those and a reliable Pruned GDT sellers doesn’t want EUR:USD 158 - 182 ity*Medians farmers to above , such firmness 51 112 105 or mill These factors - 119 of Q2 stayed 340 105 - 123 5350 sunshine in extra feed. dairy 91 attention significanc priced prices for all in sales. store Acid difficult and of productiv on – 0% their still Short-term prices indication 144 their Island very 61% ade heat nearest 49 117 are beginning 108 117 is *Based stock. Steady weeks Casein bull ↔ 132 turn some in of Some 108 dry conditions then it 5600 GlobalDairyTr 2090 year. 49 108 - Prices delivered *Southern South starting to will provide s with any backlogs is not an issue. This last, especially for primeUnpruned 166 - 180 -1% the 5600 dairy to encourage further upside 113 - 126 concerned about. the past couple maturing, WaikatoAgriHQ for their milk periods. Source: Grower Bids 48 101 Shaye Lee futures are end of the same As the NZ 3410 extra milk. direction for When global 132 - 176 not a lot to be finding themselveis slower, where feed Island over weeks. 48 105 start Anhydrous Milkfat ↔ 0% Source: 177 - 187 in coming weeks. lifts from of market *South Island 3370 kill 103 to make a profit. are low Chinese produce the crops to As of now, there’s for the past three also season. 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June 12, 2017 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; farmersweekly.co.nz/field-days

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