Farmers Weekly NZ June 18 2018 by AgriHQ

4 Ewe hogget contest winners Vol 17 No 24, June 18, 2018

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Pure taste sours Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com

EAT companies have asked Beef + Lamb New Zealand not to launch the Taste Pure Nature origin brand in North America fearing it will confuse consumers and give competitors a free ride. The Lamb Company, a partnership between the country’s three largest lamb exporters Alliance, Anzco and Silver Fern Farms, has spent 54 years jointly developing the North American market. Its chairman Trevor Burt fears the origin brand will clash with its Spring Lamb brand. He is delaying final judgement until he sees how B+LNZ rolls out the origin brand. The issue will be discussed at this week’s board meeting. “I need to be convinced about how the B+LNZ brand will sit and not detract from the investment our suppliers have made in to the North American market.” SFF chief executive Simon Limmer said the company supports the intent of the origin brand but has questions about its rollout. It should focus on developing markets such as China. The concerns have been raised with B+LNZ, which is listening and discussions are continuing, Limmer said. Anzco said it wants to discuss the issue with Lamb Company shareholders before responding while Alliance did not comment.

B+LNZ chairman Andrew Morrison said it is discussing the rollout with meat companies. “This process is still in its early stages and we are committed to working with, and listening to all processing companies to come up with a plan that meets their needs.” The brand was launched last month to differentiate NZ red meat and to validate consumer trust and confidence by reflecting NZ’s high production standards. China and the United States were identified as two markets where the brand could be launched but Burt fears the origin brand will give Lamb Company competitors “a free ride”. The Lamb Company has since 1964 invested in the US and Canada with annual lamb sales exceeding $500 million a year, potentially reaching $1 billion within five years. “It’s a big entity,” Burt said. “We have got three major players in NZ, hence we are quite protective of our brand and the investment we have put in.” It operates two processing plants and offices in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver in Canada and Wilton, Connecticut, and Los Angeles in the US. It also sells lamb on behalf of Australian producers under the Australian Opal Valley Lamb brand. Limmer said the US is a mature market and it would be better to focus the NZ origin brand on a developing market such as China where the rollout could be tested. “The focus would be very useful in China. There is so much scope

We want to make sure it is complementary and will not create confusion in the market. Simon Limmer Silver Fern Farms

YES BUT: The Lamb Company supports the intent of the Taste Pure Nature brand but has questions about its rollout, Silver Fern Farms chief executive Simon Limmer says.

to build a market that is quite young.” While the meat industry supports the initiative, Limmer said it is qualified support. “We want to make sure it is complementary and will not create confusion in the market.”

The issue has been regularly raised at SFF roadshow meetings by shareholders concerned it could undermine their brand. Greenlea Premier Meats managing director Tony Egan, a strong supporter of the origin brand, believes its use should not

hinder other brands in the market. Too little has been invested in markets and this initiative addresses that deficit. “It is time personalities were put to one side. There is a greater initiative at stake here.” Egan dismissed concerns companies would freeload off the Lamb Company’s earlier investment saying another player will not force the company out of the North American market. Morrison said B+LNZ spent 18 months working with farmers, meat processing companies, the Government, and government agencies developing the origin brand and story. “In April 2018 members of the Meat Industry Council gave their support for the work completed so far, including the origin brand. “However, the most important part of the process is to reach agreement with companies on the activation plan for how the origin brand will be rolled out. “This process is still in its early stages and we are committed to working with and listening to all processing companies to come up with a plan that meets their needs.”

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NEWS

WEATHER OVERVIEW Chaos is a good word to sum up the conditions around New Zealand the week with a lot going on around us but it’s hard to lock in what will happen directly over us. There are three areas of weather we’re monitoring this week – a strong and enormous high drifting from Tasmania towards NZ, more sub-tropical, low pressure to our north and just like last week it’s a bit 50:50 as to where any possible sub-tropical rain could track, and very strong winds surrounding the high. So we need to say the low pressure north of NZ is one to watch. Either way we expect the Aussie high to reach NZ at some point this week and weekend.

NZX PASTURE GROWTH INDEX – Next 15 days

Pasture Growth Index Above normal Near normal Below normal

7-DAY TRENDS

4 Half-point loss brings winner

back

A dare from his brother to change sheep breeds led Richard and Mez Power to top honours in the national ewe hogget competition.

Rain With uncertainty because of an area of low pressure north of NZ this week there is a chance our rainfall estimates could move. At this stage western and northern NZ look most exposed to rain this week, drier than normal elsewhere.

Weather leaves trail of damage �� 8 Slow process for weevil money �� 10

Temperature

Boffins want green tax on meat �� 16

Newsmaker ��22 New Thinking ��23

Cooler, southerly air on Monday might be locked in by a large high from Australia this week. This should mean a slightly cooler week than last week, which was warmer than average for many.

Wind Today is a messy day weatherwise with southerly quarter winds spreading up the country for many regions. A question mark remains on wind directions because of another possible sub-tropical low. If this low doesn’t eventuate expect lighter winds this week.

Highlights/ Extremes Some snow is possible on Monday in the hills and ranges. There is also potential for yet another sub-tropical low to form directly north of NZ this week but any potential is not yet locked in so it’s one to watch.

Opinion ��24

REGULARS

14-DAY OUTLOOK

For further information on the NZX PGI visit www.agrihq.co.nz/pgi We’ve gone from some very cold weather which has stunted or stopped pasture growth to milder but wetter weather. The rain from last week’s sub-tropical low was problematic for some in the rural sector with orchards flooded and pasture going under water. Many areas have a water surplus in the soil which won’t improve until we have at least a week or two of mainly dry weather. Too much rain last week won’t help growth this week.

SOIL MOISTURE INDEX – 15/06/2018

Real Estate ��23-31 Employment ��32 Classifieds ��33 Livestock ��33-35

40 Lamb confidence builds Overseas markets surviving big lamb volumes continue to build confidence for New Zealand lamb sales.

Source: WeatherWatch.co.nz

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

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

Boom year growth near 12% Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com DOUBLE-DIGIT growth from sales of dairy, meat and forestry products helped primary sector export revenue grow 11.8% last year with forecasts of continued growth but at a slower rate. The latest Ministry for Primary Industries situation and outlook report said primary sector export revenue grew $4.5 billion in the year to June 2018 to $42.6b. It was led by 13.6% growth in dairy to $16.6b, 12.4% in meat at $9.4b and 15.8% from forestry to $6.4b. MPI paid tribute to the ongoing resilience of farmers saying that fortitude will help the sector continue to grow.

It forecast growth of between 1.2% and 2.6% from 2019 to 2022, at which point primary sector exports will exceed $46b. “Production and export volumes are forecast to be relatively stable, particularly in dairy and meat and wool, where constraints on production expansion exist.” Dairy growth in the year to June 2018 was led by high butter and whole milk powder prices and growth in infant formula reaching $1.2b, up 53% on the previous year. A modest 0.5% increase in dairy production is forecast for the coming year driven by onfarm productivity and growth in the price of butter, infant formula and skim milk powder. High prices for lamb and

mutton are expected to ease in the coming year due to the rebuilding of the Australian flock and some price resistance from consumers.

Production and export volumes are forecast to be relatively stable. MPI A record harvest and higher demand for logs, especially from China, underpinned forestry growth but the report warned high inventory levels might indicate softening demand.

China accounted for 75% of export log revenue and 47% of all forestry exports last year. Horticulture export returns have lifted 55% in five years to $5.5b, with kiwifruit exports last year growing 12% on high yields and demand for the Gold variety. MPI said kiwifruit exports could reach $2b next year. Wine exports last year grew 3.6% to $1.7b, apples and pears 10% to $780 million, arable 11.6% to $220m despite a difficult growing season and honey $352m, up 7.3%. The reliance on the Chinese market was marked. It took 26% of all primary sector exports, a sixfold increase in the last decade. MPI said dairy, meat and forestry have benefited significantly from the removal of

tariffs following the 2008 freetrade agreement with China but other exporters have also enjoyed phenomenal success. “Kiwifruit exports have grown from $16m to $374m while apple and pear exports to China have increased from $1m to $49m since 2008.” Exports of infant formula and cheese have recorded annual growth of 33% and 25% respectively in China over the last 10 years, beef exports have risen from $1m to $577m and honey exports from negligible levels to $81m. The primary sector accounted for 79% of merchandised exports, up from 72% five years ago, employed 15% of the country’s workforce and in 2016 contributed 11% of GDP.

Slow change won’t help Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com INCREMENTAL change won’t be sufficient to stay ahead of New Zealand’s international competitors such as the technologically advanced Israelis and the Americans, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said at National Fieldays. The new Primary Sector Council of lateral thinkers and disrupters will provide a vision and a sense of direction that will be effective but not imposed. “Our long-term viability depends on us connecting effectively with the international consumers who are prepared to pay for NZ products because they know they are the finest and safest money can buy,” he said launching the Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries. All primary industries contributed to the 11.8% forecast increase in export revenue in the

year ending this month. He mentioned horticulture having huge potential, now earning $5.5 billion annually and forecast to reach $6.3b in 2022. In contrast wool is a wasted opportunity in a world moving away from hydrocarbons and rediscovering natural fibres. “If we can’t get images of our country and the sheep that grow the fibre to boost wool sales then there is something wrong,” he said. O’Connor also referenced the social licence to operate for all farming industries. The dairy industry is regaining general approval over water quality but the reputation of forestry slipped in the recent East Coast floods. Forestry Minister Shane Jones’ criticism of Fonterra chairman John Wilson was dismissed with reference to the Ministry of Primary Industries review of the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act. “I am not saying that Fonterra

CHEERLEADER: There’s something wrong if we can’t boost wool sales, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says.

is our best-performing company but it should be and it needs to be,” O’Connor said. “It’s not for me to make

judgment beyond that. Hopefully the review will throw up clear guidance on what needs to be changed.”

The Government believes in providing guidance, clear signals and legislation where necessary.

Lamb survival is the secret Justin and Deanna McCarthy farm northwest of Taihape at Tiriraukawa. They run 2000 Wairere Romney ewes and 100 MA Angus cows.

“Ten years ago we were topping out with 120% lambing and no lambs prime off mum. Today we expect 150 to 155% survival to sale, with a weaning weight in the early thirties and up to 800 POM. This is set up by a very low 12.5% wastage from scanning. We are also mating our hoggets and lambing at 90% from mating with weaning weights similar to the MA ewes. All our ewes and hoggets are completely unshepherded. The ability of our ewes to lose weight during lambing and lactation and then bounce back always surprises me, especially at weaning, when most are back at mating weight.”

“They are such good mothers I had to get pet lambs from the neighbour”.

www.wairererams.co.nz | 0800 924 7373

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

Half-point loss brings winner back Annette Scott annettescott@xtra.co.nz A DARE from his brother to change sheep breeds led Richard and Mez Power to top honours in the national ewe hogget competition. The North Canterbury farming couple took out the Romney section finishing just 0.34 of a point ahead of runners-up Mathew and Amy Middlemiss of Rocklands Station, Outram, before going on to win the overall breeds supreme honour in the 22nd annual ewe hogget competition in Christchurch. The Powers have farmed the family sheep and cattle stud at Hawarden for the past 28 years. Following a quick stint at Lincoln, Power also had a job as prime lamb drafter. “That really opened my eyes to other breeds and other ways of farming,” Power said. Then 18 years ago he was struggling with the Corriedales. “I was getting frustrated with production. My brother, who farms in the North Island, dared me to change.”

Power took on the challenge and switched to Wairarapa Romney genetics and things have never looked back. “It’s been as wet this year as it was dry last year. We have had the most favourable autumn and the stock have handled it well. “The sheep have really expressed themselves to their maximum potential.” The couple run 3350 flock ewes, 860 hoggets, 150 R2 cattle in a winter trading programme and grow 40ha of cereal crops on their 600ha property that has three of its four boundaries with the small rural township of Hawarden. “We have 36 neighbours but we don’t know half of them.” Their flock breeding objective is to breed robust, sound sheep that can handle the dry North Canterbury summers and respond by getting in lamb early to wean the heavy lambs before the schedule drops and the next dry sets in. “Wool is also important to us and if we are going to pay $4 to shear a sheep we must be clipping

as much and as good a quality wool as possible.” In their first entry last year the Powers finished runner-up by half a point. “I said I would only enter once but it was that half a point that brought me back a second time. “Now it’s great to be standing up here taking the top prize.” Power paid tribute to their righthand man Hayden Chruchward. “He’s been on this journey with us for eight years and been a big part in this success.” This year 250,000 ewe hoggets from 200 entrants were judged throughout the country. Sponsor Alliance Group representative Murray Behrent said producers who deliver the product at the right spec at the right time must be rewarded. “Contestants in this room tonight are achieving and delivering these quality products through breeding objectives, selection and feeding regimes that help attract global premiums and keep NZ lamb ahead of other proteins on the world stage,” Behrent said.

SUPREME WINNERS: Running second by half point last year brought Richard and Mez Power back for a second crack at the national ewe hogget competition. Photo: Lucy Hunter-Weston Results: Supreme winner and Romney section winners – Richard and Mez Power, Hawarden Composite – Spring Valley Enterprises, Matthew and Lynley Wyeth, Masterton Perendale – Allan and Leeann Woodrow, Gore Fine Wool – Penvose Farms, Stuart and Lorraine Duncan, Wedderburn Coopworth – Romani Farms, Ross and Ruth Richards,

Taumarunui Crossbred – Peter and Shona Bennett, Matawai Flock performance award – Brian Coogan, Taihape Large Flock and Phenotype award – Rocklands Station, Mathew and Amy Middlemass, Outram Best quality wool award – Brent and Clare Mathews, Dannevirke Young achievers award – Dougal and Jess Turnball, Kaikoura

LEVY CONSULTATION 2018 Beef + Lamb New Zealand are currently undertaking consultation on a proposal to increase sheepmeat and beef levies to accelerate investment in a range of important programmes.

Come along to one of our local meetings to find out more about the Taste Pure Nature origin brand and Red Meat Story, our recently released Environment Strategy, how we plan to tell the farmer story better, our work on biosecurity, and have your say on the levy proposal. A lot has been happening and we’re looking forward to updating you on the key challenges and opportunities for sheep and beef farmers, what B+LNZ is doing to support you, and how we’re working to help capture greater returns for your sheepmeat and beef. Submissions close 13 July 2018

For more information and to find a meeting in your area visit: www.beeflambnz.com/levy2018

0800 BEEFLAMB (0800 233 352) WWW.BEEFLAMBNZ.COM BY FARMERS. FOR FARMERS

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

Fonterra denies poaching milk Annette Scott annettescott@xtra.co.nz FONTERRA scouts are out and about the West Coast but the dairy giant says it’s not a case of poaching Westland Milk’s suppliers. However, some in the Coast’s dairy fraternity believe otherwise. Federated Farmers West Coast president Peter Langford said it is widely known Westland suppliers are talking to Fonterra as it appears to be making a foray into Westland Milk’s home patch. It was a topic of discussion at the Federated Farmers West Coast annual meeting in Greymouth. The meeting heard Westland suppliers from the Lake Brunner region in the south to Springs Junction in the north are being courted by Fonterra. “The word is that Fonterra has lost volume at the top of the South Island for a number of reasons including dairy conversions to vineyards and hop growers. “But Fonterra is picking the eyes where it suits, targeting specific suppliers for its West Coast business,” Langford said. While he acknowledged a level of disgruntlement among Westland suppliers the past 18 months had seen a marked improvement. “Westland needed to do a better job to assure shareholders it had a sustainable model into the future.” Shareholders had, out of loyalty, given the new board and management breathing space to get a plan in place and the company had responded. “The company has got potential to be really good, everything is in place now, they are upping their game, on the move and in the right direction but just have to bear the fruit.” Langford said there is no panic for suppliers contemplating a switch to make a decision in

POSITIVE OUTLOOK: Westland Milk chairman Peter Morrison is confident the company’s milk supply is secure.

It took the pressure off, giving everyone time to think things through and see how the new season is shaping up. Peter Morrison Westland Milk haste, given Westland extended the period for cessation notices for this year from May 30 to December 31 for any shareholders choosing to cease supply effective from May 31, 2019. While he expected some suppliers would switch he wasn’t aware of an imminent mass exodus. Fonterra chief operating officer Miles Hurrell confirmed Fonterra is “having conversations” with a number of Westland suppliers. “We have had inquiry from Westland Milk suppliers looking to consider options,” Hurrell said. “If it falls under DIRA rules

and regulations then we are absolutely open to having those conversations. “The key point is if farmers are in a Fonterra catchment and wanting to explore options then from a DIRA regulation perspective we are obligated to respond.” Hurrell said it is not “commercially appropriate” to disclose if any or how many farmers have or are contemplating a switch or on what grounds Fonterra was selling itself. Westland Milk chairman Peter Morrison said the company is aware Fonterra has approached a number of shareholders in selected areas of the West Coast. But he is confident Westland’s milk supply is secure. “We respect the right for individual farmers to have such discussions given, at the time of the approaches, it was when supply choices were being considered. “However, I believe that what Westland can offer its shareholders will clearly demonstrate that their best interests will be served by

NZ Representative Daniel Aldworth Mobile 0275 562 256

the end of May, giving everyone time to think things through and see how the new season is shaping up.” Westland’s board has also begun a review of the co-operative’s capital structure. This was a request of the board by shareholders at March district meetings. “The board is strongly of the view that the best outcome for our shareholders will be delivered if they delay considering their future supply options until that review is completed and presented to them for discussion.” Morrison said while there had been a small number of cessation notices come into effect on June 1 this year, the recruitment of Southern Pastures as a shareholder, supplying milk from its Canterbury farms, has Westland going into the 2018-19 season with a net increase in milk supply. Because of the extension for cessation notices this year Morrison said he couldn’t speculate on the possibility of any shareholders choosing to cease supply in 2019.

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remaining with the co-operative that has served their region for more than 75 years,” Morrison said. “There are strategic and budgetary plans that will allow us to deliver a good result for shareholders.” They included Westland’s recent announcement of a predicted payout range for its shareholder suppliers of $6.75 to $7.20 for the 2018-19 season. “This compares very favourably with other dairy companies.” Morrison said there is great shareholder support for the governance and management of the company under its revised board structure and governance processes and new executive leadership team. “We’re working together on plans that represent considerable opportunities for Westland. “The board also moved the deadline for cessation notice and that’s a strong signal of confidence that we can deliver a good outcome for shareholders. “It also took the pressure off shareholders by removing the need to make a decision before

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

Sale yards unsafe, DairyNZ says Glenys Christian glenys.christian@nzx.com BUYING stock at sale yards is “not really” safe more than 100 farmers were told at a Mycoplasma bovis meeting in Pukekohe meeting. There were many questions from farmers mainly about what they could do to protect their animals. One wanted to know if buying stock from the local Tuakau sale yards is safe due when animals mingle with each other there. “Not really,” was the response

challenges for sale yard operators. from DairyNZ’s veterinary It is critical stock records are up technical policy adviser Nita to date and animals are Harding. tagged appropriately. She suggested farmers While only 10% to should see if they can 15% of farmers are fully get stock direct from Nait compliant that other farmers who will improve in future can prove their animal along with enforcement health status. action. Animals sold through A farmer grazing large sale yards should not be numbers of dairy young mixed with other mobs DairyNZ veterinary stock as well as buying on trucks. technical policy If cattle are kept in adviser Nita Harding in weaner dairy beef calves to sell as rising every second pen once two-year-olds was advised to in yards the risk of nose-to-nose manage them in separate units on contact is reduced but that creates

separate parts of the farm. Another farmer wanted to know about service bulls going onto dairy farms and who is responsible for making sure they are free of the disease. Biosecurity NZ senior response manager David Yard said farmers were exposing themselves to risk with no commercial test yet available. “Ideally bulls should go to one farm then to the works,” he said. Harding said there were a lot questions that farmers should be asking of those who supplied their service bulls.

“Look at their practices and how they can ensure they’re clean,” she said. We can see a lot of changes coming in the next wee while.” Another farmer was worried about their stock grazed on land leased from a council where its workers came to and fro without giving any prior warning. They were told the matter was being raised at chief executive level and the same was happening with Transpower. If there was any concern about AI equipment being used farmers should bring it up with the company involved or they could keep their own set.

Big boost for research into finding disease response tools Annette Scott annettescott@xtra.co.nz THE Government is injecting $30 million over two years for scientific research as two more North Island farms have been confirmed infected with Mycoplasma bovis. “At the top of the list of priorities will be developing a single animal test. This will help us to provide greater clarity to affected farmers and help us to

understand the spread of the disease and to focus our efforts where they are most needed,” Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor said. The two farms, a sheep and beef property near Hastings and a Waikato dairy farm, bring the total to 38. The cattle cull is nearing 30,000 head. MPI has received 139 claims for compensation with 46 paid either in part or in full The MPI-led response and

eradication programme is making good progress, O’Connor said. “We have seen the benefit of certainty,” he said. “Moving to phased eradication has allowed MPI to work with industry partners to bring more resource into the response to directly support farmers. “The big push has been bringing in people with practical farming experience to work with farmers under regulatory control.”

The number of farms under regulatory control has been reduced from 300 to about 200 though this is likely to change as the response progresses. MPI is under way with its roadshow with information meetings scheduled at venues across the country. Details are on the MPI website. The call is out for winter feed to help farmers affected by the outbreak. Anyone able to share any

GLOBAL TREK

surplus feed can contact the response team by emailing MBovis2017_Liaison@mpi.govt. nz. Federated Farmers contracts are being updated to include provisions for sharemilkers and farm owners to develop a farm biosecurity plan. “An extra challenge has been put in front of us,” federation spokesman Tony Wilding said. A biosecurity plan is now an imperative.

A holiday’s great but a holiday where you meet other farmers and learn new skills to bring home to your operation is even better. Farmers Weekly has teamed up with CR McPhail to bring you the Farmers Weekly Global Trek and we want you to pick the destination. CR McPhail is New Zealand’s leading farm tour operator, giving New Zealanders a taste of farming life worldwide for more than 25 years. The Global Trek is for farmers and agribusiness professionals who want to open their eyes to the farming innovations the world has to offer. It’ll be fun, it’ll be a holiday but it’ll also be an education.

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We have narrowed our first trek down to four destinations, all with great opportunities for learning and adventure. Go online to read more about each destination.

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

SURPRISED: ManawatuRangitikei farmers were caught off guard by the amount of water coming from rivers’ headwaters, Federated Farmes president Richard Morrison said.

Weather leaves trail of damage Annette Scott annettescott@xtra.co.nz FARMERS on the North Island’s rain-hammered east coast want a couple of weeks with sun and some wind. “And I say just a little bit of wind. We don’t need to be blown away now,” Gisborne Federated Farmers immediate past president Charlie Reynolds said. As farmland, roads and houses lay under water, stock stood stranded and the region declared a medium scale adverse event. The biggest issue for farmers is getting about their farms. Gisborne’s storm flooding over two successive weeks was classed a medium scale adverse event by Agriculture and Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor on Tuesday. “Well, really the biggest impact at the moment is the wet,” Reynolds said. “We can’t do anything. We can’t get machinery anywhere. I spent three hours slipping all over the place with the tractor trying to

clear just a small slip so I can get along a track.” Keeping stock in was a priority for many and with gates gone paddocks are all running as one. “And you can’t even get a fence post in as the hole just fills up with water.” Reynolds said livestock farmers are quite stretched when it comes to feed. “Winter feed has disappeared, feed budget plans have gone out the window and even supplementary feeding is not an option when you can’t get machinery on the land. “Feeding stock is going to be quite a trick.” Reynolds welcomed the adverse event status that allows the Rural Support Trust to co-ordinate responses and the tax relief is not to be scoffed at. “There’s nothing worse than having your farm disappear under water and IRD sends you an enormous tax bill.” O’Connor acknowledged the area’s infrastructure, farmland and plantation forestry was significantly damaged with silt

and forestry debris washing up over farmland and damaging bridges. “The bigger picture is emerging that it’s not just about cleaning up the immediate damage and stock losses.

There’s nothing worse than having your farm disappear under water and IRD sends you an enormous tax bill. Charlie Reynolds Federated Farmers “It’s about support to our communities and how to feed stock over winter when the pasture and winter crops are now under silt and water,” O’Connor said. In Manawatu and Rangitikei there wasn’t that much rain falling

but that’s what caught some farmers out, Federated Farmers provincial president Richard Morrison said. “It’s bloody wet,” Morrison said. It was the incredible amount of rain in the headwaters and high country that had river levels right up there causing flooding lower down. “That caught some off guard as they were not expecting flooding when there was nothing dropping on top of them.” Morrison said surface flooding had caused significant damage to river flat country but it was more a localised event. The Moutoa floodgates on the Manawatu River were opened to relieve the river flow. “While it’s an impressive wall of water when it’s let go, it’s also an indication of how significant the river flows are. “There will be some farmers with long-term damage and there will be some with livestock issues while farmland under water dries off. But while the Manawatu and Rangitikei Rivers were at their

highest since the 2004 floods, this time flooding was not massively widespread like the floods of 2004, Morrison said. Similarly, in Hawke’s Bay it was not so much the amount of rain that fell but the fact a good summer and autumn meant water tables were quite high so the previous welcome weather has a sting in the tail when the rain is added. In Wairarapa at the peak of the rain deluge flood warnings were issued by the regional council on Tuesday evening. Carterton District cropping farmer Karen Williams said a lot of her farmland was under water. “But fortunately we are mostly spring sowing so it’s mainly pasture that will hopefully drain off or soak in once the rain stops.” Williams said most of the region’s surface flooding was river influenced because of the deluge on the plains. “The rivers are flowing to the brim and once they go down we expect the flooding will subside without leaving too much damage.”

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News

10 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

Slow process for weevil money Annette Scott annettescott@xtra.co.nz WAIRARAPA farmers facing the third year of a ban on growing peas want the Primary Industries Ministry to stump up with promised compensation. Growers affected by the peagrowing ban and eradication programme initiated in July 2016 after pea weevils were found in a Masterton seed store are eligible for compensation or ex-gratia payments. But growers say it has been a “very slow, frustrating process”. One grower got most of his ex-gratia payment for year one, the 2016-2017 season, but is still waiting on payment for this past season. Many others were in the same boat, some having not even received payment for the first year. “These growers are under immense pressure from their banks. “This is causing a lot of grief, anxiety and stress that these

growers don’t need,” the farmer said. The growers had a meeting with MPI in Masterton on April 24. “We voiced our concerns about the slow payment process and making the claim process more streamlined.

They promised they’d have it sorted within the next two weeks. Here we are 46 days later and we’ve heard nothing. Wairarapa pea grower “Nothing’s happened. They promised they’d have it sorted within the next two weeks. Here we are 46 days later and we’ve heard nothing.” Federated Farmers arable industry chairwoman and Pea Weevil Governance Group

132HP-166HP

member Karen Williams said she had heard from a number of growers expressing concern over claims taking too long. “Some of these are dating back to the first season and these are legitimate concerns. These payments shouldn’t be taking this long.” Williams has been working with MPI to address why the payments are not coming though. “On Monday (June 11) I received some comforting reassurance. “By the end of the week MPI will be fully resourced in its (compensation) team so it seems the hold-up has been a lack of resource.” Williams said she’s been assured MPI will be making contact with growers. “I stressed that was essential as people are losing faith.” Payments range from $1000 to $2000 a hectare. “There has been some misunderstanding in expectation but that has largely been a lack of communication and that is

NO GROW: Wairarapa farmers are still not allowed to grow peas.

what growers are really frustrated about. “We just want to see some progress now and that’s fair coming into the third year.” MPI readiness and response acting director Chris Rodwell said 128 applications for $2.3 million have been received. Almost $873,000 has been paid. “We are working to get the remaining applications assessed and resolved as quickly as possible. “We are attending a trap crop meeting in Wairarapa next week and look forward to being able

to talk directly with affected pea growers,” Rodwell said. “We are presently managing a high compensation workload associated with several large biosecurity responses and many of these applications are complex and require detailed or specialised assessment and verification. “This has meant that our turnaround time for compensation applications is currently longer than we would like and we are putting in place a number of changes to get on top of the workload as quickly as possible.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

Petersen gets gong for talking ability SPECIAL agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen is the 2018 Ravensdown Agricultural Communicator of the Year. This is the 32nd year the title has been awarded and the second year of involvement by sponsor Ravensdown. Six people were nominated and the decision was reached by a panel of 10 judges from around the country. Petersen has been described as a superb communicator always able to deliver his messages in tune with his audience in any location anywhere in the world. The Hawke’s Bay farmer has been involved in leadership positions within the agri-food sector for nearly 20 years. During that time, he has been elected to positions on industry organisations representing farmers such as chairing Beef + Lamb New Zealand and his ability to communicate effectively has been a core component of those positions. He has travelled the length of the country speaking to hundreds of meetings over the years, providing the opportunity for farmers to engage

with their organisation and discuss opportunities for the sector. Over the past five years he has spent a considerable amount of his time as special agricultural trade envoy, a ministerial appointment to advocate for the dairy, sheep, beef, horticulture and wine industries in their efforts to improve market access and trading environment. In that role he travels abroad about six times a year to all markets of the world where New Zealand wants to improve market access and market reputation. He speaks to numerous conferences and meets the complete range of stakeholders from farmers, industry groups, corporates, officials to ministers and Prime Ministers, dispelling myths and promoting the NZ agri-food sector.

RECOGNITION: Special agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen has been rewarded for his work with farmers and on their behalf with international customers and policymakers.

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IN THE RING: Mark McKenzie at Maungahina’s cattle sale in Masterton earlier this month.

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Correction FONTERRA Shareholders’ Council chairman Duncan Coull is not standing down this year as mistakenly reported in the last issue. He has a further two years of council membership in his current term and is subject to annual election as chairman by fellow councillors.

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News

12 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

SFF wants direct trade and supply SILVER Fern Farms company is seeking regulatory approval to trade directly with Chinese retailers, bypassing importers and third party traders. Such is the potential of the Chinese market there is room to grow the firm’s $350 million annual sales, chief executive Simon Limmer told 60 shareholders in Balclutha. “China is an opportunity for us to shift the dial.” Its partnership with Shanghai Maling will help that growth but Limmer said their agreement allows SFF to work with other partners.

I think we are just scratching the surface at the moment. Simon Limmer SFF Kiwifruit marketer and exporter Zespri is already registered as a wholly owned foreign entity and Limmer said that allows it to bypass third party traders and importers and track exactly where its product goes so it can connect with consumers. “It is an effective way of getting cut through to the market,” Limmer said. Getting registration is a long, slow process but means SFF will be responsible for aspects such as clearing Chinese customs and duty. But the rewards are potentially huge. “I think China is a potential game-changer. I think we are just scratching the surface at the moment.” Similarly the United States has significant potential with consumers looking for grass-fed, antibiotic and hormone-free meat.

SFF already has $350m of annual sales to the US and this year will roll out retail packs of beef, lamb and venison. Limmer said Brexit is creating uncertainty in Britain while the recent merger of supermarket chains Sainsbury’s and Asda is turning it into more of a pricedriven market, accentuated by the entry of German discounting chains. “Everything is becoming pricedriven and that doesn’t suit us as we are quality-driven.” Sales of high-value cuts to Germany are performing especially well and should continue to grow while the recent push to grow venison sales in Belgium and the Netherlands has been successful. Markets in the Middle East have potential but Limmer said they require investment. Supply chain manager Dan Boulton said meat prices across the board remain high with little likelihood of significant change till October. In the last year 1.6m stock units, equivalent to 10% of throughput, qualified for the company’s addedvalue programme. That is a 30% lift on the previous year and suppliers were paid $7.2m in premiums above the farmgate prices. In the last nine months the national lamb kill was 3% ahead of the same period last year with most of that growth in the North Island but the mutton kill was 16% higher, a concern for the size of next year’s lamb crop, Boulton said. The beef kill over the same period was 7% higher with cows killed to control Mycoplasma bovis accounting for about 3%. The beef season ran late and meant plants were killing prime beef and cull cows at the same time. In one week SFF killed a record 27,000 cattle. The bull kill was up 8% and venison 5%. Chairman Rob Hewett said the company is reducing the role of

third party livestock suppliers. While they supply stock when numbers are short the company wants a direct relationship with suppliers. A patronage reward being introduced to regular suppliers will not be payable to third party traders. The company plans to spend $100m over the next five years in its 14 plants with $30m being spent this year alone. Limmer said it will upgrade machinery such as installing safety band saws, improve environmental standards and introduce new technology.

CHANGE: Silver Fern Farms wants to cut ties with third party traders in favour of more direct relationships with suppliers.

Constitution needs tweaks to increase director numbers Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com SILVER Fern Farms’ cooperative’s constitution needs tweaking to reflect its shift to an investment company, chairman Rob Hewett told suppliers in Balclutha. Those tweaks will mean shareholders being asked to consider increasing the board from eight to 10 directors with terms served limited to nine years along with clarification about who can stand and who can vote for directors. The changes were also needed to create a succession plan for new directors and to provide people with governance experience for roles in the wider rural sector. With three farmer-elected and two independent co-operative directors appointed to the company board there needs to be a steady flow of experienced governors.

If approved, the size of the cooperative board would increase from five elected and three board-appointed directors to six elected and four appointed directors. The fourth appointed director would be a supplier who would be appointed for a yet-to-bedecided term before being required to stand as a farmerelected director. Hewett said appointing a farmer-director would extend further the nurturing and training of governance talent. Directors would have a maximum tenure of three terms or nine years though the board would have discretion to waive that requirement if considered desirable, something Hewett said would rarely happen. The chairman could remain in office for up to an extra two terms to provide continuity before ceasing to be a director. “The changes are about governance development,

opening the gate wide enough so we can get the best potential coming to manage your business,” he said. Other proposed changes include aligning voting rights and patronage rewards by setting the minimum supply requirement to vote at 400 lamb carcase equivalents in each of the previous two calendar years. Only current suppliers or those with a beneficial interest in a current supplier would be eligible to stand as farmerelected directors. Hewett said the proposed changes would increase the ability of shareholders to have a say in the company while also developing future leaders for roles in rural communities and companies. Shareholders are being consulted before a final proposal is considered by the board, which would then be put to a shareholder vote from midAugust.

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News

14 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

Rural sector must fight back Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com THE unbalanced narrative surrounding primary industries is no longer an inconvenience or annoyance but is putting the sector at risk and must be addressed, KPMG global head of agribusiness Ian Proudfoot says. That will be done by telling positive stories about the agrifood sector being the lifeblood of New Zealand, he wrote in the 2018 edition of the KPMG Agribusiness Agenda. It is not only the social licence to operate under threat but how customers perceive our products compared to those of competitors. But the positive stories can appear to be spin when a customer checks on Google and finds nothing but negative comments, leading to questions about integrity and provenance. “The predominant narrative around the sector is costing farmers, growers, processors and their supply chain partners real money every single day,” Proudfoot said. Consumers sit in the centre of a value web, receiving a great deal of information about products and their origin. Any uncertainty about the sustainability, efficacy, safety or quality of one product in comparison with another makes the choice easier for consumers. Consumers now want more than poetry in their story-telling. They want verifiable attributes and every step in the supply chain has a potential input. The cultivar or genetics, the soil in which a product is grown, the way water is used and the

ACT NOW: Negative perceptions of the rural sector can no longer be shrugged off and must be addressed with true, verifiable, positive stories, KPMG global agribusiness head Ian Proudfoot says.

environment is treated can all be attributes. The employees, the technology, the transport and the verification of the provenance are also attributes. Truthful, verifiable stories must be told by industries, organisations and governments around the key environmental, social and economic issues facing the sector. KPMG surveyed ordinary farmers and growers as well as sector leaders in the preparation of this year’s annual publication. Associate director Julia Jones and director Brent Love, in the North and South Islands respectively, summarised the grassroots perspectives. Finding the right technology for the job is a widespread concern, while needing to keep up with the fast-changing complexity of the industry but guarding against hurried development, inadequate

testing and limited effectiveness. Farmers also warned against custody battles over data and called for reliable energy and connectivity infrastructure. They were somewhat inured to the pace of change; for example, the development of alternative proteins, trusting instead in the demand for higher-value real meat and dairy foods. Employment needs and changing expectations of workers were high on the agenda, including the apparent intention of the government to turn off the tap for focused and driven immigrants. Farmers commented on the lack of appreciation in society for what they do, with its risks of low returns, weather and biosecurity events, long hours and animal health issues. They feel picked on for environmental legislation when so

many farmers are doing amazing things for the environment. “They want people to come and see the farms, experience the beauty and feed the pride, passion and belief they put into producing the food we eat,” Jones and Love reported. In a chapter headed Natural Capital, Proudfoot and the KPMG team said intensive production systems had impacted ecosystems and caused environmental degradation. The actions of a few had put all farmers under scrutiny. “The perception farmers can no longer be trusted as guardians of the land is leading the industry towards tighter regulation, more one-size-fits-all remediation and increasing requirements to capture and report data. “This is an undesirable path that will see much invested in managing perceptions and significantly less in fundamentally enhancing ecosystems for the benefit of current and future generations. “The agri-food sector should stand up collectively and make bold commitments on how it will operate moving forward. “This could involve making pledges on achieving carbon neutrality, pest eradication or regenerating native ecosystems so that the industry stands out as being part of NZ’s future rather than its past.” KPMG noted entrenched positions on water and irrigation are such that the opportunity to unlock a diversity of higher-value land uses has become lost in the noise. “One farmer said the industry needs to convince the community that water does not have any

impact on pollution. It is bad farming practices that cause pollution.” People appeared to pick holes in the recent water quality report data because it showed that things were improving. Despite frequent droughts, most of NZ has no water storage despite a plentiful supply of water.

The perception farmers can no longer be trusted as guardians of the land is leading the industry towards tighter regulation. Ian Proudfoot KPMG The agri-food sector needs to move quickly to a collective commitment over swimmable rivers and lakes, KPMG suggested. On the positive side, survey respondents welcomed the Government’s forestry initiatives for their promise of more planting of native trees, an expansion of the national forest estate and a possible link between more trees on farms and carbon-neutral milk or beef. “The potential of the forestry sector to provide a range of environmental mitigations to other agri-food producers, as well as lifting its economic contribution to the wider community, is well-recognised. “Now, for the first time in many years, there appears to be a pathway for these benefits to be realised.”

Country focus for Government policy Bryan Gibson bryan.gibson@nzx.com RURAL communities will be at the heart of all Government decisionmaking under a Rural Proofing Policy launched at Fieldays. “Those living in rural communities can enjoy excellent lifestyles but they face unique challenges that must be reflected in Government policy,” Minister for Rural Communities Damien O’Connor said. “This year alone has seen drought, floods and cyclones. We’ve also seen biosecurity incursions such as Mycoplasma bovis cause huge stress across our rural communities. “The Rural Proofing Policy will ensure that when policy-makers sit down to design the rules they take into account the unique

factors that affect rural communities such as low populations, isolation, and reliance on the primary sector for employment.” The Ministry for Primary Industries will help agencies build rural knowledge and capabilities through practical resources, training and getting analysts out to talk to rural communities and businesses. “Three especially relevant areas are connection infrastructure, access to services, and the ease and cost of doing business and compliance. “All of us, no matter where we live, should have the ability to live, work and fully contribute to and be part of New Zealand society. “The bottom line is that rural Kiwis should have equitable access to social and economic opportunities, to reach their full potential,” O’Connor said.

Rural Support Trust chairperson Neil Bateup welcomed the move. “I was part of the group in Wellington that worked on putting rural proofing together and we actually talked about the fact that the second biggest city in New Zealand is the rural community, something like 600,000 people,” he said. “So it’s a huge part of New Zealand and it’s important that they’re recognised, and we do recognise the challenges around the distances, the isolation and everything else. “But it’s important those people out there do get the same level of service, even if in a different form, as somebody in the city.” O’Connor joined Fieldays chief executive Peter Nation to open the Health and Wellbeing Hub at Mystery Creek.

Nation said last year the hub identified at least 10 people who were vulnerable to health issues and were referred to professionals for advice. “We’re very proud as an organisation to be promoting this very important area and thus we’ve made it a lot bigger and brighter and shifted it. “We know we need more people employed in the rural sector to meet our longterm goals and for many that choose a career in the primary sector and want to move to rural New Zealand health and support are an important consideration. “Those who visit the hub today and in the next three days will benefit greatly from time spent here. And if we can save more lives, as we did last year, the investment for us and the many exhibitors that invested with us will be money well spent.”

UNIQUE FACTORS: Government will be focusing on rural communities when it develops new policies, Minister for Rural Communities Damien O’Connor says.

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News

16 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

Boffins want green tax on meat Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com A SUGGESTION from Otago University academics that a tax on meat is needed to highlight to New Zealand consumers the environmental cost of production have been rubbished by the meat industry. Consumer and food science researcher and PhD student Garrett Lentz said research shows many NZ consumers are unaware of the environmental impact of meat production, which could lead to high rates of consumption and accentuate the cost to the environment. A team of researchers found retail cost and potential health benefits are the greatest motivation for reducing meat intake, with the environmental impact of production one of the weakest. Lentz said the introduction of a meat tax should reflect the relative environmental cost of producing red meat, chicken, pork and fish. Beef + Lamb NZ chief executive Rod Slater said the research reiterates findings the organisation already knows. “With all due respect, we are constantly researching consumers and agree with what they have found.” He described talk of a food tax as ludicrous, saying the high price of meat is already a

significant deterrent to buyers. “People, particularly academics, seem to think that if we have a problem tax is the way to fix it.” Slater said the playing field is shifting more dramatically than it has for many decades with millennials having a totally different attitude to food than older generations.

The study tried to bridge the individual’s choice and issues that are so large that they require larger, overarching policies because they affect everyone. Garrett Lentz Otago University They prefer to graze and don’t treat meals as an occasion. Connecting with that demographic is a major challenge for producers. While Lentz doubted a meat tax will be introduced in the immediate future, he expects discussion on it to become more prominent in the next decade or so as policy makers address environmental issues. An individual’s freedom of choice should be secondary to

the global impact of an activity, he said. “The study tried to bridge the individual’s choice and issues that are so large that they require larger, overarching policies because they affect everyone.” According to figures from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation in 2016 New Zealanders ate less red meat per capita than they did in 2006. In 2006 per capita consumption was 32kg of chicken, 16kg of pork, 17kg of beef and veal and 19kg of lamb and mutton. In 2016 it was 40kg of chicken, 18kg of pork, 10kg of beef and veal and just 1kg of lamb and mutton. Lentz acknowledged environmental issues from meat production highlighted in the report such as deforestation, loss of biodiversity and environmental cost of growing grain to feed livestock are not totally relevant to NZ even though the report was written about factors impacting NZ attitudes to eating red meat. But he said they could be factors if meat is imported from South and North America. Water quality and greenhouse gas emissions are environmental factors in NZ meat production.

NOT ON: Taxing meat to pay for the environment is ludicrous, Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive Rod Slater says.

Kiwifruit harvest is on target for big crop Richard Rennie richard.rennie@nzx.com DESPITE filling only half the available seasonal positions the kiwifruit sector is on target to have this season’s crop picked, packed and shipped within weeks, with prospects total volumes will at least match the record harvest of two years ago. Zespri chief executive Dan Mathieson said this season’s crop had benefitted from exceptional growing conditions, resulting in an estimated 66 million trays of SunGold harvested, and Green fruit in the “high 70 millions”. The SunGold harvest was estimated to be up 10% on last year’s volumes. After the much-publicised pressure of labour shortages to get fruit harvested off vines this picking season, Mathieson said market prospects were very positive in both traditional and the rapidly developing Asian markets. “Europe in particular is going very well. There has been short supply in Europe and we are finding the SunGold variety is selling well. The Hort16a (first Gold fruit) did not go so well there, with its sweeter taste profile, compared to the SunGold now.” Zespri offered samples of red kiwifruit at the Mystery Creek Fieldays - a new variety that

GOOD PROSPECTS: Zespri chief executive Dan Mathieson says the kiwifruit industry is looking forward to an excellent export season.

has recently received positive consumer reviews in test marketing in Singapore. “We are particularly excited about it – we know we have to have it in the portfolio but it still has a few boxes to tick.” Mathieson said the marketer was struggling with the fruit’s storage life, which needed to be at least 12 weeks, but was sitting at about eight now. It could be two seasons before that issue is

resolved and it becomes more commercially viable. China continues to charge ahead in sales volumes and is now Zespri’s biggest single market, accounting for 27 million trays, of which 16 million are SunGold. Japan, for years a relatively staid market, has also had a new lease of life. It’s expected to be up 10% this year, accounting for 26 million trays. “Much of this has come from

taking a more integrated approach with retail customers at the point of consumer purchase, to really drive demand.” However, while the European Union remained strong, Great Britain remains a tougher market to crack with the indomitable strength of major food retail chains determining shelf space and selling relationships. “Britain is a bit like the United States was a few years ago. However, we are looking at e-commerce as a different way to reach consumers and deliver.” The marketer is already enjoying success with China’s significant online food sector, with web sales accounting for 20% of sales there. With 700ha of SunGold already allocated for planting this year, and further tranches to come over the next four years, Mathieson was well aware of the labour demands the industry faced. “We currently employ about 18,000 people and by 2030 that is expected to be 29,000. We need a lot more people to come in to the industry at all levels.” Stringing seasonal tasks together made full-time employment a possibility, and better accommodation facilities were needed to retain the appeal for seasonal work. “And even at a managerial level

we need to attract more talent to the industry. We have 22 offices around the world and want to tell that story to people interested in working in that sector.” Other than labour shortages, Mathieson cited land and water availability as another potential constraint on the sector’s growth plans. But the SunGold variety has also proven adept at growing in a wider area beyond the Te Puke-Western Bay of Plenty district, further south into eastern Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay. “We are seeing strong interest from Maori groups that are already invested in timber and dairy and are looking to diversify their investment. A Te Kaha group on the East Coast are now growing SunGold for early harvest, with great taste.” With free trade talks commencing this week between New Zealand and the European Union, there was a prospect the present 8% tariff could ultimately go. It was costing about $30 million a year now, and Zespri would be one of the parties in government-industry negotiations. “Europe still accounts for half our Green sales and has good prospects for SunGold, particularly in Spain, Germany and the Benelux countries.”

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FOR A FULL PRICE LIST SEE: www.donaghys.com Contact your local DONAGHYS TERRITORY MANAGER or FREEPHONE 0800 942 006 to find out your season’s pricing. * Prices effective from May 2018 for orders placed 1 May through to 31 August 2018, with delivery to occur before 31 March 2019. Displayed prices are RRP when total order value at standard RRP pricing is > $40,000, excluding GST and are subject to change. Applicable price band dependent on the value of your season’s order at standard RRP pricing. Mineral pricing reflects usage at full rate for 150 days & 1/2 rate for 150 days. All of Donaghys Dairy farm inputs are eligible for inclusion towards qualifying orders with the exception of Anthelmintics, Rope and Cordage. Shed cleaners are NZFSA approved for use in farm dairies and suitable for hot or cold water. Registered Pursuant to the ACVM ACT 1997 NO’s: A010762, A11218, A011370, A10904, P8774, P008482. See www.donaghys.com for fully detailed price lists, terms and conditions.

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PASTURE

News

18 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

Chinese money is part of global plan Nigel Stirling nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com

NO CHANGE: The United States Agriculture Department reckons its abundant farmland coupled with other advantages will keep it as China’s leading supplier of agricultural products.

CHINA’S investment of hundreds of millions of dollars into New Zealand farms and meat and dairy processors in recent years was done with a larger global plan in mind, according to a United States government report. US Department of Agriculture economists said China’s overseas investments in farming, fishing and forestry assets increased fivefold between 2010 and 2016 to reach US$26 billion.

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Chinese officials first encouraged companies to go global in 2006 as food imports began to rise steeply. The spending splurge was backed with cheap loans from foreign exchange reserves rapidly being added to by a boom in Chinese manufacturing sales to the West. But while the Far and Near East, Africa, Australia and NZ were targets, the US was largely bypassed, despite it being China’s single largest source of food imports. Between 2010 and 2015 North America supplied 31% of China’s agricultural imports, yet accounted for only 2% of Chinese agricultural investment overseas. By comparison Oceania, including Australia and NZ, accounted for 11% of imports but received a proportionately higher 14% of its investment in agricultural assets. The report by Elizabeth Gooch and Fred Gale of the USDA’s Economic Research Service noted $672m of investments in the NZ dairy sector alone by Chinese companies in that time. It also notes China’s massive transport infrastructure project known as One Belt One Road. The multi-trillion dollar project aims to improve trade with Europe and the rest of Asia and Africa but largely excludes the US. The report notes that in favouring other countries for investment it is potentially laying the groundwork for cutting US producers out of supplying China altogether. “For example, Chinese investments in NZ dairy, Australian beef and Ukrainian corn may bolster the share of commodities China imports from these countries versus competing US commodities.” However, the report’s authors are confident the US will hold its own in the Chinese market. “The US’s abundant endowment of farmland, leadership in agricultural technology, efficient management and marketing and skilled and experienced managers are all advantages that may help it retain its role as China’s leading supplier of agricultural products, regardless of where Chinese companies choose to invest.” By contrast, Chinese companies reported low or even negative profits on their overseas investments as they struggled to overcome inexperience in those markets, language difficulties and trade barriers imposed by Beijing itself which hampered exporting back to their home market. However, the report maintained returns are of secondary importance to their state backers. As well as guaranteeing food security the investments could give China greater bargaining and price-setting power for its imports. But Chinese companies are being forced to tread carefully in target countries. One example was when long-term supply contracts were signed between Synlait Milk and China’s New Hope in 2014 with a quid pro quo of a 25% stake in the latter’s distribution business in China. “The company has pursued joint ventures with local companies rather than outright acquisitions, a strategy designed to build goodwill with the public in NZ and Australia – where opposition to Chinese investment has risen – and to reduce the need for investment capital.” The report also noted Synlait majority shareholder Bright Foods’ 51% stake in Silver Fern Farms for $197m in 2016. The acquisitions of stakes in companies like Synlait and SFF is part of a shift in strategy by Chinese companies which had initially focussed on greenfield investments, building their operations from the ground up. But as Chinese investors realised their shortcomings they are now more inclined to enter overseas markets through mergers and joint ventures with companies with existing sales, processing and logistics networks and local managers already in place.

News

farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

PROFIT: Fonterra finds markets such as China and southeast Asia provide better returns than Britain.

Water-based MAGNUM® Nil meat witholding. Nil Lice. Nil worries.

Fonterra won’t flood Britain with products BRITAIN will not be flooded with New Zealand dairy products after Brexit, Fonterra trade strategy manager David Richmond said in evidence to the United Kingdom Parliament’s International Trade Select Committee. And that will be the case even if tariffs and quotas are removed, he said. Dairy and lamb make up almost 60% of NZ’s exports to Britain where there is concern a lowering of tariffs or removal of quotas could open the door to increased amounts. But when he was asked if a liberalised trade regime in Britain would boost NZ dairy exports Richmond said “No,

you would not see a flood of NZ dairy products coming to the UK. “NZ is a large exporter of dairy products and 95% of what we produce is exported but in the world scale of milk production we are actually very small. “We only produce about 2% of the world’s total milk. “Our supply coming out of NZ now is likely to be heavily constrained so you wil not see the five, six, seven or 10% growth in milk coming out of NZ as you have seen historically. “I would add the UK is a highly efficient dairy producer in its own right and the fifth largest dairy exporter in the world

after the European Union 27, NZ, the United States and Australia. “It is a strong competitor on the global market.” Richmond also suggested other markets such as China and southeast Asia offer more of a return for NZ dairy products than the UK. “We are incentivised to send our products to markets in the world where we get the best return. “That is what our farmers pay us to do. “If we were sending product into the UK below what we could get elsewhere then we would not be in our jobs.” UK Farmers Guardian

Horotiu ready roll Zero Harm Farm Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com OPEN Country Dairy has signed sufficient milk supply farms for the first season of processing at its new Horotiu processing plant in Waikato, company chairman Laurie Margrain says. The plant will begin highheat milk powder processing in late August. Open Country will add a few more supply farms in the second season, 201920, to reach plant capacity, he said while attending the company’s exhibit at the National Fieldays. The number two milk processor after Fonterra would have a total of about 1000 supplying farms across its four processing sites this season.

Open Country has forecast a price range of $6.60-6.90/kg milksolids for the new season. The Horotiu powders would be sold into food ingredients used around the world, Margrain said. He did not expect New Zealand milk supply would grow very much in future, because the dairy industry was increasingly constrained by environmental and animal feeding restrictions. Margrain said Open Country’s driving force would be generating more value from the existing milk supply. Open Country would make a comprehensive submission to the Ministry of Primary Industries’ wide-ranging review of the Dairy Industries Restructuring Act, although it was too early to say what issues would be paramount.

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spreading wings Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com ZERO Harm Farm is expanding into Australia and will be launched in Britain early next year, company general manager Mark Orr says. What he called the most comprehensive and fastest-growing farm safety programme in New Zealand is now more than two years old and has subscribers throughout the country. An Australian venture fund has invested in the company and transTasman adaptation has been completed, mainly to cope with multiple time zones and more diverse properties. The initial concept won

an innovation award at the Waimumu field days in 2015 before Orr and business partner Ross Copland decided they would build and launch the online service. The core package costs $39/month with provision for extra sites for a small cost. The property and its health and safety policies and hazards are mapped and described, followed by online contractor inductions and remote sign-ins and monitoring. Once constructed a farm package can be private with invited users only or public on the Zero Harm Farm website. The number of users per site is unlimited.

ACVM No:A7704 ®Registered trademark. Schering-Plough Animal Health Ltd. Phone: 0800 800 543. www.coopersonline.co.nz NZ/MAG/0415/0003C

News

20 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

New faces take on arable roles Annette Scott annettescott@xtra.co.nz

GOOD NEWS: Grain is moving and prices are lifting and arable farmers are doing okay, industry leader Brian Leadley says. Photo: Annette Scott

It is vital we hear from members and we are united on this. Colin Hurst Federated Farmers Mid Canterbury, was elected to fill his position. David Lee-Jones, Manawatu, takes up the co-opted position as a North Island representative. Meanwhile, in his three years as chairman the industry had its ups and downs, Wigley said. But with domestic prices picking up and solid demand for grain and forward contracts being signed for 2019 showing strong interest from end users across the board arable farmers are optimistic, Wigley said. Leadley, who is also United Wheatgrowers chairman, echoed the sentiment of an industry in good heart going into the 2019 season. “Grain is moving and prices are lifting. It’s good news for the industry.

“Looking forward it’s good to see a strengthening of our farmgate wheat prices.” Leadley said the Arable Industry Marketing Initiative (AIMI) report is providing data showing a dropoff in production and planned plantings – supporting the view wheat prices below $350/tonne are unsustainable. “This has resulted in some domestic shortages and we are now seeing price lifts with free feed wheat reaching $400 and premium milling wheat at $430 delivered to mill. “Let’s hope forward contracts for the 2019 harvest reflect these prices or better.” It was pleasing to note the UWG disaster-relief insurance scheme had few claims last year. “This means on the back of depressed grain prices and lowered yields given the difficult weather season, growers have not had to deal with disaster-related major losses.” Leadley said it is exciting a research project is finally under way to quantify the environmental benefits of arable feeds to the dairy industry, work that will include financial modelling.

NEW LEADER: Wairarapa cropping farmer Karen Williams is the first woman to head Federated Farmers arable section. Photo: Rebecca Kempton

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challenging meetings of the Seed Quality Management Authority and the start of the development of a seed standard separate to the certification scheme for growers and merchants. “This is on top of ongoing discussions with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment regarding the review of the Plant Variety Rights Act and any implication it may have on farm-saved seed. “Our main concern is around how farm-saved seed may be treated under any new Act and a potential to enhance breeders’ rights over harvested material.” Hurst urged growers to communicate. “It is vital we hear from members and we are united on this.”

“The project is well planned now and will begin next month involving research work carried out on commercial dairy farms that are currently intensively feeding grain as part of the cows’ diet.” The Foundation for Arable Research, Dairy NZ, Plant and Food, the Grain and Seed Trade Association and independent animal nutritionists are all part of the project. A separate working group has also been set up to research areas of restriction in efficiencies of moving South Island grain into North Island markets. “We are aiming to create greater market accessibility for arable products into more NZ markets,” Leadley said. Hurst reported a busy year in the seeds space with several

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WAIRARAPA cropping farmer Karen Williams made history as she took up the reins of the Federated Farmers arable section at its annual conference. The first woman to head the section, the 2017 biosecurity farmer of the year and former Ballance Farm Environment Award winner takes on the job with a bundle of enthusiasm. “I am excited about the opportunity. “For me this role gives me the opportunity to continue to work in biosecurity and engage in that space in Wellington. “I look forward to a lot more conversation around licence to farm as I wave the arable flag in Wellington a bit more and make sure our arable voice is heard with more presence around the table.” The former local authority policy development manager who graduated with a masters degree in resource management from Otago University and has a completed an Agri Women’s Development Trust Escalator leadership programme, married into farming. “I am not an expert in arable farming but I will bring skills in leadership and I will network hard and champion our issues,” Williams said. She was unopposed for the position and takes over from Guy Wigley who completed his threeyear term as Feds national arable chairman. Brian Leadley from Ashburton remains as vice-chairman grains and Reuben Carter, North Canterbury, stays on as vicechairman maize and forage. Colin Hurst of South Canterbury ended his era of service at a national level when he stepped down from the executive and his role as vice-chairman of seeds to focus on South Canterbury provincial issues. David Clark,

TIPS FOR WINTER GRAZING CROPS Soil is our greatest asset. Holding on to more of it makes good economic sense. Furthermore, too much soil and nutrients in waterways impact on water ecology and can kill freshwater species.

ea Ar ible) e s urc os

So if p al zing c i t ri gra

id vo (A

TIP

Exclude stock from waterways

Leave an ungrazed buffer zone around Critical Source Areas

Graze paddocks strategically

Create an ungrazed buffer zone between the livestock and the waterway. About 3-5 metres is a good starting point, but this should increase with slope and instability of soil.

Critical Source Areas (CSAs) are parts of the paddock that can channel overland flow directly to waterways (e.g. gullies, swales, very wet areas, spring heads, waterway crossings, stock camps and vehicle access routes).

TIP

On a sloping paddock, fence across the slope and start grazing at the top of the slope. That way, the standing crop acts as a filter. Or, if there is a waterway in the paddock, start grazing at the far end of the paddock.

Minimum Size use is 30mm wide.

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News

farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

Arable industry honours two Annette Scott annettescott@xtra.co.nz AN INDUSTRY stalwart who has served in arable industry leadership roles for more than 30 years was honoured at the Federated Farmers arable section conference in Timaru. Canterbury cropping farmer Syd Worsfold was named Arable Farmer of the Year, an award his peers say has been well earned. The award recognises excellence in the sector, acknowledging someone who balances production and profit drivers against environmental, sustainability and other compliance requirements.

Syd has worked extensively not only for the betterment of his own arable farming business but also his peers and future generations of arable farmers. Brian Leadley Federated Farmers Worsfold fits that bill, arable vicechairman Brian Leadley said. “Syd has worked extensively not only for the betterment of his own arable farming business but also his peers and future generations of arable farmers.” Outgoing arable chairman Guy Wigley described Worsfold as a quiet, unassuming and effective leader. “This award is in recognition of his achievements, leadership and contribution to the arable industry, which, despite contributing $750 million to the nation’s GDP, typically flies under the radar,” Wigley said. Worsfold, who farms 400 hectares at

Greendale in partnership with his son, was North Canterbury arable chairman from 1992 to 1994 then served on the arable council. He has been involved with United Wheatgrowers for the past 30 years, first as an electoral college member then a director. Worsfold on the committee that set up the Foundation for Arable Research and a member of the Northern South Island Arable Research Group (ARG). He has also been a member of the Arable Industry Marketing Initiative committee (AIMI) since its inception. A leading advocate for biosecurity and former FAR chief executive Nick Pyke was presented with the Federated Farmers Biosecurity Farmer of the Year Award. Newly elected arable chairwoman Karen Williams said Pyke has always been a strong advocate for farmers and growers over biosecurity at three borders – national, regional and the farmgate. “He has been involved in the velvetleaf, pea weevil and blackgrass responses, sitting on both the governance group and in a number of industry stakeholder groups. “He’s also been actively involved in developing a strong and viable GIA framework for the cropping industry,” Williams said. “Nick has a strong sense of what are the right management decisions to make for the overall industry but also has a lot of empathy for growers and how decisions will affect them on the ground.” Wigley said Pyke was outstanding in each of the responses the arable industry was involved in over the past three years and the award acknowledges his efforts. “Nick was able to provide credible scientific information to aid in the response decision-making and ensure the best outcomes for arable farmers were achieved,” Wigley said.

Water-based MAGNUM® Off-shears. Tough on lice. Easy on you. LONG SERVICE: More than 30 years of industry leadership was honoured as Syd Worsfold was presented the Arable Farmer of the Year Award.

LEADER: Former FAR chief executive Nick Pyke was recognised by Federated Farmers for his leadership on the biosecurity borders.

Arable GIA work continues Annette Scott annettescott@xtra.co.nz FEDERATED Farmers’ arable section is continuing discussions with the Foundation for Arable Research, the Grain and Seed Trade Association, Flour Millers Association and United Wheatgrowers on the best way to engage with Government-Industry Agreements on biosecurity readiness and response. The grouping proposes to establish a new incorporated society that becomes the GIA deed signatory on behalf of growers, processors and distributors for crops harvested for grain, seed and silage, both small and large grain cereals, pulses, legumes, herbage seed, oilseeds and hybrid and open pollinated vegetable crops. Readiness and response activities will be funded using a biosecurity levy which will be zero rated till it is required.

“It’s a long journey, something like four years, but it’s a complex approach for this industry given the number of industry bodies,” Nick Pyke told farmers at the arable section conference. “It’s a complicated industry with multiple crops and all stakeholders and growers will be impacted by an incursion. “There is no existing organisation that can claim to represent the arable industry as the GIA requires so the solution is to establish a single entity and that’s proposed to be Seed and Grain Readiness and Response.” Pyke said it’s commonsense to cost share and all parties have agreed to that. “We still have to work through the nitty gritty of the details and receive sign-off from the Ministry for Primary Industries on what is proposed and then go out to growers and industry

to seek feedback and support to join GIA.” Work will continue on progressing the agreement with the intention to seek a grower mandate later this year. Horticulture New Zealand has signed a Government Industry Agreement (GIA) for Biosecurity Readiness and Response on behalf of Process Vegetables NZ. PVNZ chairman David Hadfield said robust biosecurity should be seen as an investment for growers. “Committing to the GIA enables us to have closer, more informed interactions with the Ministry for Primary Industries and other GIA industry partners around biosecurity. PVNZ represents 350 commercial growers of sweetcorn, beetroot, carrots, parsnips, peas and beans for processing. The farmgate value of process vegetable crops is more than $60 million a year.

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ACVM No:A7704 ®Registered trademark. Schering-Plough Animal Health Ltd. Phone: 0800 800 543. www.coopersonline.co.nz NZ/MAG/0415/0003A

Newsmaker

22 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

GIVING BACK: Ballance Farm Environment Award winners Catriona and Mark White like to put the time orchard flexibility gives them into their community.

No compromise on organic values

Typically, winners of the Ballance Farm Environment Award are of a pastoral nature, usually drystock or dairy farmers. But this year’s winners have broken the mould for the first time, as organic kiwifruit growers from Opotiki. Mark and Catriona Whitle came to the industry almost as green as the fruit they intended to grow. Catriona told Richard Rennie about their success.

ARK and Catriona White have had a roller-coaster ride in the past decade since they established their 5.9ha orchard near Opotiki in 2007. They made the move into kiwifruit when they decided to opt out of their life in Auckland and find a business on the land. “Mark had been working for NZ Post and the kids were at the age where they were about to start school and we were ready to do something for ourselves so it was the time to do it,” White said. The couple initially cast their net wide, considering all land based options from dry stock farming to citrus and crops. But it was a suggestion from Catriona’s father to consider growing kiwifruit on a 13ha block next to the family’s organic dairy farm that gave them most pause for thought. “I had grown up there but really my interest was not that great in the land at that stage while Mark had grown up on a farm but that was about all the experience we had.” Between them they worked hard to keep establishment costs down, planting vines, learning as they went – all supplemented by Mark taking a National Certificate in Horticulture.

They established their initial plantings on the organic block consisting of Hayward Green and the doomed gold Hort 16a cultivar. Just as the vines were starting to hit their production stride Psa hit in late 2010. The couple made a decision early on in the devastating outbreak to remove the Hort16a vines sooner than later while many growers opted to get another crop off them before making their move. “We had been up to Te Puke where there are plenty of very good growers and witnessed how much impact it had on them despite their management skills so we chopped out ours early in 2011 while a lot held on for another crop.” In an entrepreneurial move borne out of cashflow necessity they opted to plant another high-value crop between the devastated vines. Passionfruit ultimately helped deliver some income as they worked to regraft the new Psatolerant SunGold variety. “Back then it was not known if G3 (SunGold) was tolerant to Psa and would survive or not so the passionfruit helped fill that gap.” At the same time responses to Psa were demanding some non-

organic treatments that left the couple facing a philosophical and economic dilemma. “We did not know if kiwifruit were going to survive and a lot of people said we should go conventional to deal with Psa in the vines.”

We realised it was our Bio-Gro organic status that was our real value, it was our organic soil that was our strength and we wanted to keep that. Catriona White Orchardist However, they did a stocktake of their own values, the potential future for the crop and where global markets were heading and opted to hold the line on growing organically. “We realised it was our Bio-Gro organic status that was our real value, it was our organic soil that was our strength and we wanted to keep that.” Today their orchard comprises 3.19ha of Zespri organic Green

producing 23,483 trays this season and SunGold on 2.65ha producing 38,362 trays. They are production levels easily matching conventionally cropped kiwifruit, with organic green crops delivering a $2 a tray premium over the conventional. The family land has been treated organically for much of its five-generation ownership and White believes as a sector, organic is one whose time has come. “Consumers are about their health and they are also wanting to know about where the product is from and what type of growing practices are used to create it.” While the cost levels for growing organic are similar to conventional the components differ. For the Whites organic fertiliser is a significant part of their operating costs, using a mix of seaweed, fish and compost applications. Labour costs can also be higher than on conventional orchards. White says she is surprised more growers are not organic but believes the payment differential might not yet be what it needs to be to get more to make the shift. “And there is also a bit of a mindset among some growers that it is somehow harder to be growing organic.”

She acknowledges they do have to pay very close attention to pest levels but a range of organic pyrethrum sprays and controls exist to manage them. “Weka and fantails also play a role in helping keep insects down with specially planted bird seed plants to distract birds from eating the vine flowers over spring. Weed control around orchard edges is taken care of by a small flock of certified organic sheep, doing much to help reduce tractor compaction. The couple have no plans to significantly increase their operation, focusing more time on community work that the flexibility of an orchard allows. They are also encouraged by the optimism in the sector and that Zespri recognises the value of the organic sector, offering a further 45ha specifically for organic SunGold in the latest tender round. The Whites were also recognised by the judges for their respect for Maori kaitiakitanga conservation values. “They are outstanding strategic and agile thinkers on the key issues for New Zealand and have strong primary sector and community leadership qualities,” judging panel chairwoman Dianne Kidd said.

New thinking

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

TB work will help in M bovis fight Eradication of Mycoplasma bovis could be supported by the 25year legacy of co-operation between OSPRI/TBfree and AgResearch in tracking and researching bovine tuberculosis. Richard Rennie spoke to Dr Neil Wedlock, one of the country’s senior bTB researchers on what can be learned.

OLLABORATION between AgResearch scientists and disease control managers at OSPRI TBfree and its predecessor the Animal Health Board has led to important technical breakthroughs resulting in a drastic reduction in the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in livestock. Eradication of TB from the national herd by 2026 will be hailed as a disease control success story but there are some challenges to deal with before that happens. AgResearch scientist Dr Neil Wedlock said the challenge that arises is akin to the needle in a haystack search. As the incidence of the disease declines it becomes increasingly difficult to identify the animals that have it and it can be complicated by undetectable sources of infection known as ghost hosts. “Not all TB infections are obvious and some hosts may be infected but the infection cannot be detected by conventional TB tests. “They may not show a positive result through the skin test or the blood test and it may not be until they go to the processing plant that any signs of TB infection are detected. “It may be rare but if you are seriously aiming to eradicate a disease then detection is hugely important from both a disease eradication perspective and in terms of the impact on a farmer and their herd’s status.” The challenges of detection of these rare cases in an increasingly disease-free stock population are prompting scientists to look at new technologies to find such ghost hosts, in both cattle and wildlife vectors. “We would anticipate that the research funded by OSPRI into some of the new technologies and tests for TB could be adapted and developed for Mycoplasma bovis so the disease can be detected earlier, enabling effective control measures to be put in place and to decrease the risk of further outbreaks.” Some of the new technologies are blood-based diagnostic tests that have higher levels of sensitivity and which virtually

HARD WORK: Both bovine tuberculosis and Mycoplasma bovis will be difficult to eradicated, AgResearch scientist Dr Neil Wedlock says.

eliminate the risk of false negative diagnoses. “If these could be developed into practical tests they may also have applications for Mycoplasma bovis.” Another avenue Wedlock said is the holy grail of diagnostics is developing a test that detects live TB organisms in the blood of an infected animal. “If we can pick up the presence of live TB organisms in the blood it will enable earlier detection. “It may also be possible to widen the range of sample types to include faeces, nasal secretions, saliva or urine, reducing our reliance on blood tests alone. “Part of our research involves developing novel technologies to identify infection by analysing an animal’s breath.” Researchers are also excited at the potential of another test in development. “We are using magnetised microbeads which are coated with antibodies which bind to the specific disease organism. “The beads can then be recovered from a sample, bringing the bacteria with them. “The beads essentially concentrate a dispersed disease to a level that allows other diagnostic tools to identify them. The technique has the potential to significantly improve the diagnosis of diseases such as TB and Mycoplasma bovis.” While still in development, work using the paramagnetic beads has already shown promise in improving detection of Johne’s disease and TB in cattle. Genetically typing strains of the TB organism, done by AgResearch scientists, has been used by OSPRI to guide livestock and wildlife control efforts for

decades but recent advances in technology have made the process much more precise. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) costs have fallen significantly, from millions of dollars to just a few hundred per sample, opening up opportunities for researchers to significantly refine the typing of diseases. “Looking at the whole genome means we can now identify minor genetic variations between infections in various animals or herds. “This fine-detail view is being used with TB, enabling us to identify regional strains of the disease, which can be used in parallel with NAIT to track the sources of infection then inform disease management decisions by OSPRI.” Primary Industries Ministry and Massey University scientists have recently used WGS to determine when livestock in NZ were likely to have been initially infected with Mycoplasma bovis. “When it comes to Mycoplasma bovis, if the disease does prove to be difficult to eradicate then WGS will be a very useful epidemiological tool.” Wedlock said the parallels between Mycoplasma bovis and TB will also continue, even after both diseases are hopefully eradicated. “Yes, they will both be challenging to eradicate. “But even once we have, we will need sensitive tests to ensure we can monitor herds, be able to detect hard-to-find instances of the diseases and have the tools available to ensure we do not get another outbreak.” Given the huge financial and emotional toll on farmers to control Mycoplasma bovis and TB, the new methods might prove game-changers in limiting the impact of such difficult-to-detect diseases.

Private database used for M bovis tracking Tim Fulton timfulton050@gmail.com A VOLUNTARY database of farms and lifestyle blocks is at the frontline of efforts to contain and eradicate Mycoplasma bovis and trace cattle. AgriBase, owned and developed by state-owned AsureQuality, holds information on more than 142,000 rural properties including farms, vineyards, orchards and forests. The information includes property locations, owners, contact details and stock holdings. It gives a helicopter view of the nation’s rural properties and was purpose-built to record disease management information and facilitate tracing, an AsureQuality spokesperson said. The agency, which has a profit imperative, licenses use of the data to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). A ministry spokesperson said it was developed to create a data warehouse of information about testing results from Mycoplasma bovis and other illnesses that might affect herds from time to time. Agribase holds detailed property level data, including testing information, which is available to MPI but not the public. Although the information contributed by farmers and small block-holders is voluntary, the database is reasonably comprehensive. The data provides authorities with results from successive testing rounds on farms suspected of having cattle that have been in contact with Mycoplasma bovis-infected animals. MPI experts are using it to determine whether a herd is clear of infection, needs more testing and whether an

infection is likely or already present. The testing information originated from MPI’s Animal Health Laboratory at Wallaceville. The information from the testing is also reviewed by epidemiological experts to help analyse any infection patterns and likely trends throughout the lifespan of a disease outbreak. AgriBase is also helping MPI to plan responses to localised outbreaks of Mycoplasma bovis. AgriBase is used in epidemiological research into human and animal health and to create food safety traceability and verification systems. The database has been used in response to natural disasters such as the February 2004 floods in the lower North Island, when it helped authorities contact affected farmers and survey the damage. It also records stock exclusion from waterways, farm fertiliser plans and maps onfarm hazards. MPI has its own web-based database for biosecurity and other emergency responses, FarmsOnLine. An MPI spokesperson said FarmsOnLine today has a different function to AgriBase, including identifying farm ownership and finding farmers in response to a biosecurity emergency. The platform was used that way after the discovery of myrtle rust. An MPI webpage says “We need FarmsOnLine because it’s critical that there are systems in place to protect stock, crops and farmers’ livelihood and the New Zealand economy. “Our trading partners need assurance that we can respond effectively to disease outbreaks and we need to reduce the chance and the extent of trade restrictions that could cost us millions of dollars.”

Opinion

24 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

EDITORIAL

When industry good goes bad

H DEAR. That’s probably the mildest reaction anyone will see to the fiasco the muchheralded launch of the Taste Pure Nature brand for New Zealand red meat is turning into. It’s the sort of news that really does leave one speechless. Stunned silence is probably the most appropriate response to this giant cock-up that suggests Beef + Lamb New Zealand and the meat processessing companies haven’t been able to agree on a roll out of the brand. Farmers and anyone else with an ounce of commonsense will be wondering how on earth B+LNZ could spend several years and goodness knows how much money developing a brand the big meat companies now say they don’t like and don’t want to use because it will compete with their own marketing, confuse customers and give rivals a free ride. And what B+LNZ was up to has hardly been a secret. It’s been known ever since the debate about having processor seats on the B+LNZ board several years ago, about the same time as the meat companies said they didn’t want to fund a joint marketing campaign with B+LNZ farmers, that B+LNZ has been deciding on and developing its marketing strategy. Both B+LNZ and the meat firms, whether they be co-ops or companies, directly or indirectly represent farmers. They both depend on farmers for their existence and farmers depend on and trust them to get it right. And to give farmers credit they were asking for some leadership and guidance from the last Government during the Meat Industry Excellence campaign to reform the industry but it wasn’t forthcoming. Perhaps, if there was closer scrutiny someone might have said “Hang on a minute mate, let’s get all our ducks in a row and make sure they are in the same row”. Now our meat industry looks like a laughing stock. But perhaps instead of each industry sector, and in this case factions within a sector, doing their own thing someone can coordinate the efforts and produce an umbrella brand for all NZ exports. Stephen Bell

LETTERS

More letters P27

Will shearers give up perks? A FEW questions spring to mind regarding the news of a 25% increase in shearing costs. Firstly, will farmers no longer have to supply meals to the gang or pay to have said meals supplied? This is the only occupation where three meals a day is part of the cost and many farmers supply good-quality food, not to mention tea, coffee, juice and the end of day beers. Next, will those farmers who have invested in better infrastructure and facilities receive a discount for their efforts, including those of us who supply hot water wash, separate kitchen, tidy work space, a clean flush toilet, well emptied, dry, dagged sheep and generally a spare hand to pen up? And for this extra cost at a

time when crossbred wool is barely paying the cost of removal will the farmer be guaranteed quality workers who are competent at their job? Or is the relationship between contractor and farmer going to become more like the meatworks, shopping around for the best deal? We understand the long term view but wonder if maybe the middlemen need to clip a little less of the ticket for the benefit of all concerned? Tracey Neal Piopio

Farming is cool I HAVE a DRZ 125. It is very good for mustering in some of our bigger hill blocks. I home school so I get up at 5.30am to do my school work so I can be done at 10.30am

and go on the farm. I like drenching the Romneys and do not like drenching the Wiltshire crosses because they shake their heads around and fight constantly but they are very meaty and also have very good udders. We also have Angus cows. They are very good at cleaning up roughage behind the ewes. We have the Angus bulls and heifers on kale in the winter. They take a while to settle down but as the winter goes on they don’t waste very much of it. I help with the kale breaks. I go through and cut a track for the temporary fence with a machete. I normally like it but not when it has rained because you get soaked by the wet leaves. I think it is cool that I can help and work on the farm

and learn lots of the basic skills needed on a farm and when my friends come and stay they can learn to butcher a sheep or to shift kale breaks or lots of other things. Josh Tarbotton, 12 Kumeroa

Short memories IF EVER anyone wants to study how not to do it, let them consider the early days of the dairy boom in Southland. I arrived back on the scene in 1995 after 12 years away. Fonterra was building at Edendale and the new dairy colonists were getting stuck in, Cows to Mt Cook their apparent model. Cows everywhere, one model fitted everything, any soil type, more cows per Continued page 27

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Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

No need to fear greenhouse gas Trish Rankin

Y HUSBAND doesn’t believe in the phenomena of climate change so in our house we don’t really use that lingo. However, like me, as a dairy farmer, he is committed to always knowing more and doing better. He believes in the importance of continually looking for ways to improve farming for our children and the dairy sector. I bet there are a lot of dairy farmers and farmers in general who feel the way he does. Up until a few months ago I really didn’t know what greenhouse gases were, what I did to contribute to them, what I could do better and how relevant my small actions could be to reducing them. To get in front of climate change I applied for and recently became a Climate Change Ambassador for the dairy sector – one of 15 dairy farmers from around the country wanting and willing to be upskilled in the climate change space so we are better prepared for the changes coming our way. This is particularly relevant in the current political context. Whether you believe in climate change or not, New Zealand signed up to the Paris Accord in 2015 to lower our greenhouse gas emissions to 30% below 2005 levels by 2030. The Government is now full force ahead implementing a Zero Carbon Bill – something all New Zealanders should be taking notice of. This week I attended the Ministry for the Environment‘s Zero Carbon Bill consultation meeting. The science presented was pretty bare and they seemed intent on relying on the shock factor of greenhouse gas increases since the 1990s to scare us into taking action.

The

Pulpit

But one thing I did appreciate was the chance for cross-sector participation in a public forum. It is clear that NZ needs a clear target set so all businesses have a chance to adapt over time, to survive and thrive during the journey towards a zero-carbon future.

It is clear that NZ needs a clear target set so all businesses have a chance to adapt over time, to survive and thrive during the journey towards a zerocarbon future.

I appreciated Climate Change Minister James Shaw pointing out the reason agriculture has a role to play is because of NZ’s emissions profile. Agriculture is our number one emitter of biological emissions, particularly methane. He also made it clear that other sectors, particularly energy and transport, have a significant

part to play too. He believes there is an opportunity for the emission-reduction technologies we develop and implement now to be adopted in the ensuing years by other countries, as other countries get on top of their main greenhouse gas emitters. Recently fellow Climate Change Ambassador George Moss in Waikato suggested that instead of farmers now having another thing to manage and report on, ie climate change, we should develop the mindset of planning to manage our contaminants. This is because we already have plans in place or in the pipeline to manage contaminants including nitrogen, phosphorous, sediment and E coli. Much of the work we are already doing to improve the quality of our waterways has the side benefit of improving our greenhouse gas emissions. So let’s view climate change as just another contaminant within our farm management plan for our farming businesses. I am still getting my head around all of this. And I know many of my fellow farmers will feel the same. On June 21 DairyNZ is holding

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KEEP CALM: Climate Change Ambassador and Taranaki dairy farmer Trish Rankin views climate change as just another contaminant to manage. a climate change workshop in Inglewood for Taranaki dairy farmers – and others are rolling out around the country this week and next week. I will be attending and encourage all dairy farmers to come along and learn about greenhouse gases, mitigation options and the Government policy under way.

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

Opinion

26 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

Water plan is easy, practical Alternative View

Alan Emerson

I WAS pleasantly surprised to see media releases from both the Government and Federated Farmers on water quality as both are on the same side. That is certainly progress, Team Ag aligned with central and regional government. It was about the launch of the Good Farming Practice: Action Plan for Water Quality.

There’s no future just telling people what we’re doing. We’re going to have to prove it.

It was launched in Waikato on World Environment Day by Environment Minister David Parker and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor along with farming representatives. I really appreciated being able to read a practical plan for solving a problem that was free of emotion, hyperbole and histrionics. I was also pleased the group coming up with the plan involved all key stakeholders – Federated Farmers, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, DairyNZ, Horticulture

NZ, Irrigation NZ, regional councils, the Ministry for Primary Industries and the Ministry for the Environment. It is a credit to those involved that consensus was reached with such a positive result. Further, the plan is simple and practical. O’Connor’s position is the principles are not a stretch for many farmers and growers. Reading through the document I agree. There are just 21 key principles that I believe are sound and reasonable. The plan is just 20 pages long and is practical and easy to follow. In addition, on the Feds website there are videos and discussions that are simple and easy to follow. The spokespeople used are credible and include Feds past meat and fibre head Bill Garland. Yes, there are technical recommendations such as the use of soil moisture monitors for irrigation but the presentation is both informative and easy to follow. We often hear irrigation is the root of all evil when it comes to the environment but with modern technology nothing could be further from the truth. I was both impressed and surprised by the absolute precision that water can be applied to the land that needs it in the exact amount that is required. The industry needs to be congratulated for that. Its next priority will be to get that information into the nonfarming media so people can see the environmental commitment of those farmers who irrigate. Feds environment spokesman

ON BOARD: Environment Minister David Parker launched the Good Farming Practice: Action Plan for Water Quality.

Chris Allen made the telling point about the Action Plan that “We wouldn’t sign up to it if it wasn’t practical, workable and good common sense. We should be doing it because it’s good farming practice.” He used fertiliser as an example. “We’re not suggesting limiting production but we should only apply the fertiliser that a crop needs. It saves the farmer money and cuts any harmful runoff.” It is a similar story to that of irrigation and is good common sense as well as environmentally sustainable and financially rewarding. Practically, the initiative requires all farmers who aren’t doing so to develop farm environment plans. Currently only 30% are. There is an excellent video on the Feds website that has

Barrhill farmer Malcolm Cairns saying how plans improve both environmental and economic outcomes. That was one fact that impressed me about the entire exercise. It isn’t telling farmers to mortgage the farm to improve the environment. It is telling farmers what they can do to both improve their bottom line and the environment. The two aren’t exclusive. Another upside from plans is that the information becomes available. Non-farming people can see what farmers are achieving with their environmental stewardship. The Action Plan for Water Quality should be compulsory reading for all farmers. Environment plans will also be required in the future and I support that.

There’s no future just telling people what we’re doing. We’re going to have to prove it. Also, the processors and the market are going to require farm plans so the earlier we get started the better. Both Parker and O’Connor congratulated the group on the work it did and the results achieved. That is an incredible plus for the farming sector. It then behoves the sector to get behind the initiative. That would be a surefire way to head off regulation and we all know a voluntary, consultative process everyone buys into is a lot more successful than heavyhanded regulation with an army of bureaucrats annoying us all in their attempts to enforce it. The plan was developed over 12 months by the groups I’ve mentioned. They had the advantage of starting from the Canterbury plan and developing from there. What we now have is a single, national plan that is non regulatory. Some practices might differ according to contour and climate but the principles will remain the same. It gives farmers a degree of uniformity and certainty they haven’t had. As Allen said “It was a big job but we got there.” His team is to be congratulated for that.

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

Meat tax madness another cross for farmers to bear Yeah Right

Stephen Bell

FROM the what’ll-they-think-ofnext files comes the meat tax. Or equally it could have come from the flogging-a-dead-horse department or the here-we-goagain people. But before you shrug you shoulders and dismiss it out of hand this suggestion has come from Otago University so will be taken seriously by our employees in Wellington and pounced on by those of a vegetarian persuasion. And before I go any further it is important to understand where the researchers are coming from. They obviously started with their belief that eating meat is bad. Therefore, they wondered how

the Government can make people eat less meat. So they looked for factors that make people eat less meat. Cost and health benefits were strong motivators for people cutting down. But people making decisions to eat or not to eat don’t worry about the environment when making a decision. The Otago boffins want to change that. So they suggest putting an environment tax on meat to combat its environmental impact. And that would force meat eaters to make a connection with the environment, they say. A tax forcing people to look for a more plant-based diet would also help overcome the multiple barriers in the way of people changing their eating habits, particularly because meat is often a central component in many western diets. The researchers haven’t just produced this because it’s an interesting way of wasting a bit of time.

They have done it so people can understand how to influence policy on reducing meat consumption. They also want their work to offer some direction for strategies or policies like a potential meat tax. And they don’t expect the meat industry to be surprised. They say companies already know they will have to focus on quality rather than quantity and most businesses are trying to get ahead of the curve so the meat industry sees where future demand is heading. So, as well as including farmers in the Emissions Trading Scheme we can now clobber them with a meat tax on top of water charges, fertiliser taxes, stocking and cropping limits and a mountain of environmental plan compliance issues. Recently I said I was disappointed the review of the tax system is just more fiddling rather than clearing the board and starting from base zero for rates and taxes.

GETTING A SLICE: If the Government taxes an extra cut of meat income with an environmental meat tax the customers’ steak might be a bit thinner.

This suggestion only reinforces my view that we cannot and should not keep adding bits and pieces here and there to the tax system to pay for this or that for for someone to make a point. And yes, it’s not just farmers suffering but they seem to be the whipping boys and girls for all ills these days. We might think it’s ridiculous but taxes on fatty and sugary foods are gaining traction around the world.

People making decisions to eat or not to eat don’t worry about the environment when making a decision.

And even farmers now accept things as routine that they wouldn’t even have considered a decade or so ago.

Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

This interview is fake news Steve Wyn-Harris

SWH: President Trump, Steve here from The Ridge. Thanks for agreeing to the interview. DT: No problem boy. I like talking to my friends from Denmark. SWH: I think you are getting us mixed up with that big Danish island in the Baltic. I’m from New Zealand. DT: Oh yeah, next to Australia. You’ve got some good real estate down there I hear. Isn’t that prime minister of yours pregnant. Belinda, right? Tell her Donald is a good name if it’s a boy. SWH: Jacinda. Well she is while we are talking but the arrival is imminent, so anything could have happened by the time this is published. She’s had a lot of name suggestions but none of them

Donald, or Steve for that matter that I know of. I wanted to talk to you about your diplomacy with North Korea. Credit where credit is due, most of us thought that meeting would never happen or that it would end badly. It was only a few months ago you were calling him ‘Rocket Man’ and threatening to turn his country into an ash heap and he was calling you a “mentally deranged dotard.” But it happened and who knows, something good might come out of it. If so, there will be a lot of folk in that region very grateful whatever the motivations. DT: We had to do those insults to gain each other’s respect. Kim is a strong guy, a great negotiator and a strategic kind of guy. He’s got a very good personality, he’s funny, and he’s very, very smart. SWH: Yeah, I heard you say that in another interview. If this thing falls over, your detractors will be playing that effusive quote repeatedly at your next election. He doesn’t come across as all that funny to be honest. DT: He’s got some great jokes. They don’t even get lost in

translation. You’ve got to meet him. Look, the Democrats reckon I gave away too much. Ending those silly war games, agreeing to end the Korean War, lifting sanctions and inviting him to the White House. He might not have signed anything saying he’ll get rid of all his nukes but I’m pretty sure he will. I’ve got great instinct for these matters. Now I’ve just got to sort out the Canadians. SWH: You got very angry with Justin Trudeau and all he did was criticise those steel tariffs again. You’ve threatened to economically punish the people of Canada, which is extreme. Mind you, not as extreme as your trade advisor, Peter Navarro saying Trudeau was weak and dishonest and there was a special place in hell for him. The Canadians are about as mild mannered, polite and reasonable as you could find anywhere. I thought they were your allies and friends. DT: A lot of that 20 trillion of debt we have is from bad trade deals like the one we have with Canada and Mexico and I’m going to stop other countries ripping us off as well.

FUNNY GUY: Does Kim Jong Un really have a great sense of humour?

SWH: Isn’t America’s debt problem largely because you consume more than you produce? You are only 5% of the world’s population but consume 25% of the planet’s energy resources. DT: That’s why we need to bring the Russians in from the cold. There’s a lot of oil and gas up there in Siberia. SWH: Everyone is surprised how fond of Putin and the Russians you are. Do they really have something over you? DT: Fake news and if you see that video the dishonest media has put my head on someone else’s body. The Russians and the

LETTERS Continued from page 24 hectare was all that mattered, no matter the mud at the end of the winter. As a forester I didn’t relish the front page picture in a farming paper of a neanderthal Cantabrian saying “First thing we do is rip out all the trees” – and they did. As a trout fisher I worried about the onslaught on any stream. All over the South Island it felt that there were little groups of people plotting, planning, drawing on maps how to divert this stream to that, dam it, put it in a pipe. It was quite the fashion to kill your own river. There was even a water resource plan written for Southland that measured everything against dairy production and milk price right down to irrigating the south coast. In the beginning no hydrologists, no knowledge but slowly common sense prevailed and the rules began to bite. You don’t hear of white gold any more. Alan Emerson and Jamie Mackay need to remember that. Memory lingers on. Those golden days were not so golden for many of us – in fact, they scared the shit out of us. John Purey-Cust Gore

Dam is fatal ALAN Emerson’s Alternative View on irrigation (Farmers Weekly 14.5.18) mentions Dr Morgan Williams’ support for the Waimea

North Koreans are terrific people with strong leaders. SWH: It’s just that it appears you are a lot closer to your country’s former enemies than your allies and friends. An isolation policy is no good for the States or the rest of us. DT: I must do whatever it takes to make America great again. Got to go.

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

More letters P24 Irrigation Dam near Nelson. Williams is a johnny-comelately to the project and does not appear to understand the dam’s poor recharge ability of the aquifers from just running water down the Waimea River. I believe he has been duped by the Tasman District Council, a 51% shareholder in the dam that continues to spread misinformation about the abilities of the dam to justify the substantial ratepayer subsidy to the irrigators. Williams should understand the Waimea River is only a surface conduit to take run-off and other agricultural and horticultural pollutants from the catchment. The deep aquifers originate in the hills with the Delta Zone aquifer bountiful for irrigation and urban supply. Williams is the face of a group of paid professionals who have all contributed to the wonderful Waimea Dam story and who are likely to be challenged on the information and models they have produced. Williams and his voluntary disciples have now set up to advise the council on the benefits of the dam. Notwithstanding, the group’s good environmental intentions the dam is fatally compromised as Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage will not sell the 9.4ha of Conservation Department land in the dam footprint nor give the Lee River and its margins to the council and irrigators for the dam. Williams could well channel his energies into containing the urban

pollution of the Auckland beaches as Emerson suggests. B E Halstead Consultant Waimea Water Users and Irrigation

The good dope PARLIAMENT needs educating. Parliament’s intent to spend $245m on trees to save the earth from cows is a futile exercise. Cows and trees only cycle atmospheric carbon while fossil fuels add carbon. New Zealand could be the first carbon neutral nation and enjoy fuel costing 20c/l at the pump. Hemp absorbs four times more carbon than trees and is our best biofuel crop option. Hemp expeller cake has an impressive 33% complete protein profile, cheaper than maize and will replace imported palm kernel, a known disease risk. Used for set stocking or silage, hemp boosts immunity, reduces mastitis infection rates and will not host internal parasite larvae. Hemp excels at purifying effluent and when grown along waterways absorbs nitrogen runoff. All this and Parliament fails to deliver, promises hemp this year and asks for industry submissions while refusing to discuss licensing and fees. Prospective hemp farmers are discouraged by the $500 licence fee and the invasion of privacy in security inspections and personal background checks by the police. The term licence means an

exemption from prosecution for a Letters to the Editor criminal act. Farmers feel like criminals Letters must be no more than 450 words because they are criminals under and submitted on the condition The New the Misuse of Drugs Act. Zealand Farmers Weekly has the right They pay the $500 fine for a to, and license third parties to, reproduce licence to avoid prosecution but in electronic form and communicate they are still criminals under the these letters. Letters may also be edited Act. for space and legal reasons. Names, This is where the law needs addresses and phone numbers must be changing. Parliament acknowledges included. Letters with pen names will the law is unfit for purpose generally not be considered for publication. because hemp cannot produce a drug but it still insists farmers pay the fines to grow it. The removal of hemp from the Act and accessibility by a registration farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz process similar to the Animal 2IC (1) Health Board herd Agribusiness (1) number system is Assistant Manager (2) CEO (1) paramount. Dairy (1) Victims of Farm Manager (2) Mycoplasma bovis Fencer General (1) General Hand (3) culling should be Livestock Operations (1) given first options Regional Manager (1) on hemp to start Sharemilking Opportunity (1) Shepherd (3) earning again, Shepherd General (3) which would Stock Manager (2) be less callous Tractor Driver (3) than parking the suicide prevention Employers: Advertise your vacancy in the tent next to the employment section of the Farmers Weekly and as added value it will be uploaded to insurers at the farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz for one month or Fieldays.

RURAL SECTOR

JOBS BOARD

close of application.

Stacey King Opouteke Northland

Contact Debbie Brown 06 323 0765 or email classifieds@nzx.com

LK0092630©

From the Ridge

bayleys.co.nz Contributor to realestate.co.nz

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – June 18, 2018

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

TRANSFORMING REAL ESTATE INTO REAL ADVANTAGE FOR SALE

FOR SALE

FERNHILL FOREST LAND HILLSIDE ROAD, Porirua

TE MATA FOREST THAMES, Coromandel

Boundary lines are indicative only

FORESTRY LAND 37KM TO CENTREPORT For the astute purchaser, the land under Fernhill Forest provides a unique opportunity to acquire a significant land holding only 37km from CentrePort. The lower slopes already have roading and skids sites in place, with 82ha replanted in 2014. A Cutting Right is being retained across the balance of the crop through to 2022 following which the successful purchaser will assume ownership of substantial additional roading and infrastructure. The underlying land potential and proximity to Wellington helps underpin the investment attributes.

INVENTORY AVAILABLE ATTRACTIVE LAND HOLDING + 381.52ha freehold land

+ 463ha land area and >235ha Radiata

+ 37km to CentrePort

+ First rotation forest with majority of the crop older than 20 years

+ First and second rotation forest land

+ DOC boundary, plantation manuka potential

+ 282.3ha productive area

+ Pruned and thinned, showing excellent growth

+ 82ha in four year old Radiata

+ Under two hours from Auckland CBD + Significant area suits ground-based harvesting

FOR SALE BY TENDER Closing Friday 22 June 2018 at 4pm (unless sold prior)

FOR SALE BY NEGOTIATION

WYATT JOHNSTON 027 8151 303

JEREMY KEATING 021 461 210

GERRARD WILSON 021 537 245

WYATT JOHNSTON 027 8151 303

JEREMY KEATING 021 461 210

www.cbre.co.nz/213641Q28

www.cbre.co.nz/492205302

DAIRY FARM WITH OPTIONS

TOP QUALITY

VENDORS ARE RETIRING

• Situated in Konini, Pahiatua is this quality 66 hectare dairy farm with excellent soils. • Very nice four bedroom family home set in lovely grounds. • Current dairy infrastructure includes a modern herringbone dairy with a 300 cow yard. • Currently supplies Open Country, has produced up to 1220 kgs/ms/ha consented for dairy farming. • Shedding includes machinery shed and calf rearing facilities. • Your opportunity to own this outstanding dairy farm. Call Les.

• Well laid out 185 acre dairy farm situated in the heart of Manawatu. • Lovely art deco homestead with great views over the property. • Modern 18 aside herringbone dairy with in bale feed system. Very nice feed pad along with good calf and milking sheds. • Effluent and water systems have been upgraded and are consented for intensive agriculture. • In retirement mode for the last few seasons our Vendors currently milk up to 160 cows and carry all replacements on farm. • Priced to sell at $2,200,000 plus GST. Call Les to inspect.

OUTSTANDING DAIRY FARM

LOCATION, LOCATION

DAIRY, CROPPING, BEEF?

• Situated in the farming district of Konini south of Pahiatua is this 153ha property in five titles, can be split into three properties. • Modern 30 aside herringbone dairy positioned in the middle front of the property, which suits a split herd system. Consented for intense agriculture and some of the best river silt soils in the area. • Excellent race system and upgraded effluent system. • Two well maintained family homes set in their own grounds. • Truly a turn key operation, with a June 2019 settlement available. • Plan your next step into a top operation. Call Les to inspect.

• Situated on Rangitikei Line west of Palmerston North is this outstanding 136 hectare parcel of land with the option to purchase adjoining 40ha. • A host of potential uses from market gardening, dairy or beef production, along with growing silage and crops. • Irrigation bore in place supplies top quality water. • Modern dairy infrastructure in place includes a 30 aside herringbone dairy and adjacent 400 cow feed pad. • Call Les to inspect.

• Situated on Rangitikei Line west of Palmerston North is this 91 ha parcel of land. • Exceptional soils that are currently used for dairy farming and growing maize, but would suit a number of uses. • Deep lead irrigation bore to supply top quality water for up to 70 ha. • Current dairy infrastructure in place including a modern 30 aside herringbone dairy and 400 cow feed pad. • Very good road access with central laneway system. • Call Les to inspect.

Sallan Realty

Google ‘Sallan Realty’ Your Farm Sales Specialist

• • • • • • •

Situated south of Whanganui is this 175ha farming opportunity. 20 aside herringbone dairy and 300 cow yard with adjacent feed pad. Herd is split calved, milked all year round, supplying Open Country. Bore water supplies water to stock troughs, dairy and houses. Large machinery shed, large silage bunker. There are two three bedroom family homes set in treed surrounds. Your chance to buy this farm with a flexible takeover date and take advantage of the coming season, current RV $3 mil. • Price reduced to $2,995,000. Call Les to inspect.

LES CAIN 0274 420 582

Licensed Agent REAA 2008

LK0092924©

CBRE (Agency) Limited, Licensed Real Estate Agent (REAA 2008)

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; June 18, 2018

FIN AL

N O TI CE

BUSHGROVE - 1086 HECTARES 72 Adams Peak Road, Tinui, Masterton Located 20min from Masterton sits this economically sized sheep & beef unit. Bushgrove & Glentarn have been farmed as one for many years and together carry around 7,000su on around 845ha effective with the majority being medium hill, also 58ha of QE2, 60ha of forestry and 120ha of bush & Manuka scrub gullies. A real feature of the property are the lanes, tracking & access. An attractive character homestead and supporting shearers quarters, 4 stand wool shed with covered yards and other support buildings all being very tidy. Attractive scale and location- close to the shops, employment & schools.

1,086 hectares Video on Website www.nzr.nz / RX1506959 Tender, 1pm Fri 22 June 2018 NZR 1st Floor, 16 Perry St, Masterton 5810 Blair Stevens AREINZ 06 370 9199 | 027 527 7007 blair@nzr.nz NZR Real Estate Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

Accelerating success.

Reach more people - better results faster.

colliers.co.nz

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; June 18, 2018

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

RURAL rural@pb.co.nz Office 0800 FOR LAND

Property Brokers Limited Licensed under the Real Estate Agents Act 2008

City fringe investment

Punawaitai - coastal 465 ha

TENDER

WEB ID TER62281 WHATAWHATA 614 Whatawhata Road 73.9ha located approximately 1.3km west of the Hamilton City boundary. This property, on consolidated peat soil, is fenced into approximately 50 paddocks. Structural improvements include a 17 bail rotary dairy, 5-bay implement shed / workshop, 3 barns and a three bedroom dwelling. While currently dairying, the property would also make an ideal finishing or cropping proposition.

DEADLINE SALE

TENDER View By Appointment TENDER closes Friday 13th July, 2018 at 4.00pm, (unless sold prior), Property Brokers, 78 Studholme Street, Morrinsville.

Doug Wakelin

Mobile 027 321 1343 dougw@pb.co.nz

Charles Digby

Mobile 027 669 1511 charlesd@pb.co.nz

WEB ID WR62173 CENTRAL HAWKES BAY 3340 Pourerere Road View By Appointment DEADLINE SALE closes Tuesday 17th July, 2018 at 4.00pm 465 hectares - in multiple titles. Well established and developed bull and lamb finishing farm. Stunning setting at popular Pourerere Beach in CHB. Three dwellings plus holiday accommodation. The Bevan Pickett modernised homestead with tennis court and salt-water Mobile 027 220 2766 Office 06 928 0520 swimming pool adds to this fantastic property. Dwellings are on smaller titles and the main farm is bare bevanp@pb.co.nz land - providing multiple options. 4 Pat Portas Mobile 027 447 0612 This is an iconic strong coastal hill country property that Office 06 928 0521 will sell.

DEADLINE SALE

Home patp@pb.co.nz

06 855 8330

www.propertybrokers.co.nz New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading rural real estate company

Just released THE DESTINATION FOR RURAL REAL ESTATE

Land is the biggest asset to any farming business so it pays to stay up to date with the market. Connect with the right audience at

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

Check the market pulse today, with the latest edition of the Rural Property Pulse. We have just released the winter edition of our highly-read, national publication that contains relevant and up-to-date information on the rural and lifestyle real estate market. Sourced from expert market commentators from across the PGG Wrightson business sectors.

Pick up a copy from your local PGG Wrightson Real Estate branch today. Or go to pggwre.co.nz/rural-property-pulse

PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited, licensed under REAA 2008

pggwre.co.nz

Employment

Must have current drivers licence. No house available. Feilding area.

What you will bring: • 1-2 years’ experience as a Shepherd • Minimum of 2 well controlled dogs • Be a team player with good communication skills

Accommodation plus transport provided. Farm is three kilometres from town. LK0093105©

We are looking for an experienced Shepherd to join our team. Located 10 minutes from Westport, this dairy support unit carries approximately 19,000 su per year over 700ha. Stock units include a mix of bulls, steers and dairy heifers. This role offers a variety of work including fencing, tractor driving, stock work and animal health management. A tidy 2-bedroom house is available.

Phone Geoff Corpe 06 328 9642 Between 8.30pm and 9.30pm

For more information call John. Mobile 00353 8795 05371 or email jos10@eircom.net

Shepherd GENERAL

Sheep & Beef Sharefarmer with Potential Equity Investment Nithdale Station

Applicants should have: • 2 - 4 working dogs • a good attitude and be able to work in a team environment • a keen interest and affinity with both sheep and cattle

Applications close 5pm, Friday 29th June 2018.

Accommodation is shared with another shepherd. Remuneration in accordance with experience.

SENIOR SHEPHERD HAYCOCKS STATION

Please phone John or Lachie McFadzean 06 372 7045 or 06 372 7520 email: lachie.mcfadzean@gmail.com

We are looking for an experienced shepherd to join our team on Haycocks Station. A 6,500 ha hill and river flats property running sheep, cattle and deer. The station runs 40,000 su and is located in the Mavora Valley 40 km from Te Anau.

Sisam & Sons Limited are recruiting for the position of an experienced stockperson on a 1100ha block, situated 24km south of Whakatane, Bay of Plenty.

To learn more about this opportunity call Paul Ewing – Farm Manager on 0274 880 869 or 03 249 8055

This position offers a wide experience of intensive and extensive farming systems comprising of bulls, dairy heifers, steers, carry over cows and breeding ewes. This is an excellent opportunity to develop management skills.

Details of how to apply: https://pamunewzealand.com/company#careers Applications close 5pm, Tuesday 26th June 2018.

Experienced General

Applications close Friday, 29th June 2018

A vacancy has become available at Wishaw Farming Ltd, a dryland sheep and beef finishing property consisting of approximately 4500su, situated in North Otago, 25km southwest of Oamaru.

The successful applicant will possess the following:

• Be comfortable working in a team environment and alone

The successful applicant will need to have some experience in the following types of farm work: • Stock work, including lambing beats • Tractor work, such as seeding, spraying and fertiliser spreading • Maintenance of farm vehicles and machinery • Fencing and other general farm maintenance • Will require at least 3 working dogs under good command • Must be motivated, have good communication skills and be able to work unassisted as well as in a team environment

• Competently operate a tractor, bulldozer and machinery including a spray rig on hills and flats • Understand and maintain water system and pumps • Fence, weld, and maintain machinery and buildings • Help with stockwork at busy times, including handpiece and knife work • Be a good communicator • Computer competency to record information on Farm IQ and Quip Excellent working conditions and equipment provided. Remuneration will be negotiated with successful applicant and will reflect their experience.

Emily Crofoot Castlepoint Station, RD 9, Masterton 5889

LK0093131©

An opportunity has arisen to join a progressive farming business dedicated to being a market leader, employing industry best practice, creating innovative systems that drive both productivity and profitability without compromising our core driving principle of sustainability. Makarika Station is an 860ha breeding and finishing operation that offers a mix of expansive hill country and cropable flats. Makarika operates alongside Pakihiroa Station and adjoining lease blocks situated near Ruatoria on the East Coast.

Good housing is available, school nearby, emphasis on work/ life balance with a couple of great rugby clubs and hunting and fishing on your back door. A competitive salary based on experience and capability will be offered to the successful applicant.

Remuneration package subject to experience. As this position is permanent, applicants will need to have NZ residency or a valid NZ work visa and hold a current drivers licence.

Applicants for this position should have a NZ residency or a valid NZ work visa.

Trademe Jobs Listing#1664668490 For more information or to apply please send your CV to: Murray Rodger. mrodger@netspeed.net.nz Or phone 0274 119 813

STOCK MANAGER

Pakihiroa Farms Limited will provide a supportive working environment and encourage career development.

Applications close Friday 29 June 2018. LK0093141©

Please e-mail or post CV with two referees: emily@castlepoint.co.nz or phone 06 372 6465

classifieds@nzx.com

You will be involved in preparing and planning of grazing plans, stock movements, animal health plans and a high emphasis of health and safety. Skills to maintain the fences, water, farm equipment and machinery is vital to this role.

A 3-bedroom house with large double car garage and sleepout attached is available on farm.

• HT license preferred

Call Debbie 0800 85 25 80

The qualities we seek in candidates include: • Experience with all aspects of cattle, sheep stock work, quad bike, tractor and horse work • Sound planning and time management skills • A positive outlook can do attitude and good reliable work ethic • Excellent communication skills • Commitment to ongoing learning • Happy to work by themselves and in group situations • 5-6 working dogs • 1-2 horses

The position offers a variety of work as well as the opportunity for the successful applicant to become involved in the day-to-day management of on farm activities.

• Be honest, reliable and have a high standard of workmanship

STAFF?

We are looking for a motivated Stock Manager to work alongside the Farming Operations Manager. The farming enterprises include stock breeding and finishing and an expanding forage cropping program.

FARM HAND GENERAL

Castlepoint Station is an iconic and progressive 25,000su sheep and beef hill country property in coastal Wairarapa, 64km from Masterton.

Excellent recreational activities available e.g fishing, diving, hunting etc. A comfortable 4 bedroom house is provided. Start date negotiable.

LK0093110©

Three bedroom house will be provided along with a competitive remuneration package. Please attach CV and written application to Matt Sisam, matt@sisamson.co.nz or 31 Sisam Valley Road, RD 1, Whakatane Enquiries phone 07 312 9060 or 027 3318 579 (evenings)

NEED

Sharefarming Opportunity c/o Peer Review, PO Box 77, Gore 9710 or email: brendon.harrex@peerreview.co.nz www.nithdale.com

The successful applicant must have excellent stockmanship skills and run a minimum of three working dogs. A positive attitude, sound judgement, initiative and dependability together with good communication skills and the ability to be a team player being important attributes.

The role comes with a 3-bedroom home with fantastic access to beautiful walks, fishing and hunting. A primary and secondary school bus service is also nearby.

The sheep and beef farming business covers 1229ha, with a commercial sheep flock of 3500 ewes, two sheep studs of 2000 ewes, a beef herd of 100 cows, finishing cattle from the beef herd and dairy unit and dairy support.

Expressions of interest should be made by forwarding a copy of your business plan/profile, demonstrating your management experience and proven ability to lift farm performance; to the address below by 30 June 2018.

SHEEP BEEF 2IC BLOCK MANAGER

This position is primarily sheep and beef but a very small amount of time is required with deer, e.g. weaning, scanning. The successful person will be a team player, show excellent initiative and be ready to hit the ground running.

A tidy house and a very competitive salary will be provided. For more information, or to make an application please contact: P & J McDonnell Ltd Phone 06 388 0961 mcdonnell.farm@outlook.com

The opportunity presented is for a full responsibility sharefarming contract with the potential to include equity investment.

Sisam & Sons Limited

It has a central location in the Ruapehu district, being 20 minutes from Ohakune, 30 minutes from Taihape, with primary and secondary school buses nearby. It is part of a wider operation totalling 7500 acres. The position will involve stock shifts, decision making, grazing management, and taking charge when the manager is away overseeing the entire business. Some fencing and tractor skills are also helpful. With the guidance and training provided by the manager, it gives you opportunity to gain knowledge and experience that will take your career to the top.

An exciting sheep and beef opportunity on a diversified property in Eastern Southland. Nithdale Station is a progressive family farming business with variety. The Station is made up of a commercial Sheep/Beef unit (including dairy support), a sheep stud operation, a dairy unit, forestry and a farmstay. The farm is located in the hills, 15 minutes from Gore in Eastern Southland.

A position has become available at Glenburn Station, a 2830ha breeding/ finishing property on the Wairarapa Coast.

To learn more about this opportunity or to apply, please visit: www.pamunewzealand.com/company#careers

Previously had a number of excellent employees from New Zealand.

Tangiwai is a 2500 acre (741ha effective) breeding and finishing farm. It is intensive, wintering 12,000 stock units. 650 cows, 6000 breeding ewes and replacement stock.

For more information or to apply please send your CV to: Rob Andrews Farming Operations Manager pakihiroa@pakihiroafarms.co.nz

LK0093161©

Reliable self motivated farm worker to work with stock. Able to do maintenance and all aspects of tractor work etc.

LK0093160©

West Coast Dairy Support

A position is available on a 250 cow dairy farm in County Cork starting as soon as possible.

AMBITIOUS SHEPHERD

www.farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz

Required for sheep and beef farm

EXPERIENCED DAIRY FARM WORKER – IRELAND

Ag jobs at your fingertips

General Hand

SHEPHERD GENERAL

FARMERS WEEKLY – June 18, 2018

LK0093058©

LK0093001©

classifieds@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

LK0093159©

Classifieds

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

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

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

An inflatable jockey was riding an inflatable horse for an inflatable trainer and an inflatable owner. It was his first time over the jumps.

DOGS WANTED

WINDMILL WATER PUMP manufacturing business for sale. Contact: ross@ windmills.co.nz

GORSE SPRAYING SCRUB CUTTING. 30 years experience. Blowers, gun and hose. No job too big. Camp out teams. Travel anywhere if job big enough. Phone Dave 06 375 8032.

12 MONTHS TO 5½-yearold Heading dogs and Huntaways wanted. Phone 022 698 8195. BUYING DOGS NZ wide! No trial or breeding required! No one buys or pays more! 07 315 5553 mikehughesworkingdogs@ farmside.co.nz HARD HEADING DOGS. Bite no bark cattle only. 07 315 5553. Mike Hughes.

DAIRY SHED REPAIRS

FARM FOR SALE

PRITCHARD MASONRY. Milking shed masonry repairs. Concrete or block. Solid plastering or pad placement etc. Workmanship guaranteed. Prepared to travel. Phone 06 346 5617 or 027 2740 306.

APPROXIMATELY 7000 SU. Good housing and infrastructure. Sheep, Beef and Deer. South Canterbury region. Phone Mark Lemon 027 339 6665, email marklemon@pb.co. nz DEER FARM, 80HA. 20km to Timaru. Options to expand. 4-bdr home. Listing ID TMR61110. Enquiries to michael@pg.co.nz

CONTRACTORS

DOGS FOR SALE FORTY DOGS $1000$2500. Trial. Guaranteed. Deliver NZ wide. 07 315 5553. www. youtube.com/user/ mikehughesworkingdog/ videos

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

NEW SLEEP-OUTS. North Otago and South Canterbury. $9000 inclusive GST. Call / text 027 967 6881.

FORESTRY WANTED

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

GOATS WANTED GOATS WANTED. All weights. All breeds. Prompt service. Payment on pick up. My on farm prices will not be beaten. Phone David Hutchings 07 895 8845 or 0274 519 249. Feral goats mustered on a 50/50 share basis.

HORTICULTURE NZ KELP. FRESH, wild ocean harvested giant kelp. The world’s richest source of natural iodine. Dried and milled for use in agriculture and horticulture. Growth promotant / stock health food. As seen on Country Calendar. Orders to: 03 322 6116 or info@nzkelp.co.nz HERITAGE APPLE TREES. Farm pack specials. www.tastytrees. co.nz – Phone 027 346 7645 or 09 408 5443.

POWER CABLE

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

We could save you hundreds of $$

PUMPS HIGH PRESSURE WATER PUMPS, suitable on high headlifts. Low energy usage for single/3-phase motors, waterwheel and turbine drives. Low maintenance costs and easy to service. Enquiries phone 04 526 4415, email sales@hydra-cell.co.nz

WANTED TO BUY

JOHNNY GRAY Specialists in mustering Wild Goats, Cattle, Horses and Sheep across New Zealand Ph: 027 959 4166 johnnyanderin2017@gmail.com www.aotearoastockman.com maiexperiencejohnnygray

SAWN SHED TIMBER including Black Maire. Matai, Totara and Rimu etc. Also buying salvaged native logs. Phone Richard Uren. NZ Native Timber Supplies. Phone 027 688 2954.

NZ MADE BOOTS

WEED SPRAYING

Visit www.lastrite.co.nz for more quality products

BOOM SPRAY. Broad acre, brush weed control, total vegetation. Hilux gun and hose units x 2 and mist blowers for gorse, broome, blackberry control. Covering Lower North Island. Phone 06 375 8660 or 021 396 447, email kingbilly718@gmail.com

WORK WANTED RETIRED FARMER wants to shoot pests (rabbits, wallabies, goats) own ammo, 4WD, ATV. Anywhere between North Canterbury and North Otago. Call Kit 027 487 8671.

Workman Safety Boot is another heavy duty construction boot for the tough jobs. Thick full grain leather upper, with a stitched and screwed construction insole to mid sole secured to a rugged JB Cleated replaceable sole. Heavy Duty Yardmate Boot – Great heavy duty boot, perfect for farmers, heavy industrial workers, builders, fencers etc. With an upper constructed from thick full grain leather, an insole and mid-sole which are brass screwed and stitched.

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

Looking for Hill Country Bulls?

MEGA MACHINERY SALE Sale held on farm, under cover - light lunch provided - 12pm

Email: contact@glenrossie.co.nz

Meadowslea F540

Exceptional figures for Hill-Country

Meadowslea Angus offers: 70 Hill Bred Bulls Strong NZ Bloodlines

On property Fairlie, Friday June 22 at 1pm

When he was facing them, he stuck a pin in himself.

Catalogue and videos online and facebook: www.meadowslea.co.nz

The Stewards said to him, “You’re a disgrace. Not only did you let the horse, the trainer and the owner down, you have let yourself down too.”

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

For friendly & professional advice CALL 0800 843 0987 Fax: 07 843 0992 Email: power@thecableshop.co.nz THE CABLE SHOP WAIKATO www.thecableshop.co.nz

Livestock

Ph: Fred/Tracy - 09 4340 987 Will - 09 4340 718

LK0093012©

Because of this he was called in front of the Stewards.

Prices include delivery to your door!

FOOTWEAR LTD

After the last fence he was leading easily but he pulled up way too early allowing two other horses to pass him. After the race the jockey was so mad with what he’d done, that he stuck a pin in the horse, then he stuck a pin in the trainer and then the owner.

HOMES FARM SHEDS SUBDIVISIONS PUMPS

LK0090954©

BUSINESS FOR SALE

livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

SALE TALK

HUNTAWAY BITCH chipped, de-sexed, 4½ yo, $2000. EYE DOG bitch, 4½ yo, $2000. Both experienced in bulls. Basic commands including sides. Phone 021 0239 1568.

PROPERTY WANTED

LK0090922©

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

FOR SALE

DOGS FOR SALE

Mike Laing (PGG rep) A/H 09 436 0309

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

SATURDAY 23rd JUNE 11:00am

Waikaka Rd, Matiere, Taumarunui Sign Posted from Taumarunui, Te Kuiti Rd On A/c GR & RV Bruce Comprising: 2012 Deutz-Fahr 85hp cab tractor (1400 Hrs), tractor tray, 2.4m Topper, 1.8m Topper, 3-Way hydraulic back blade, Giltrap 3T trailer, Ag 200 farm bike, bike trailer, harrows, King Quad 300, 500L P48 pump spray trailer, sprayboom & hose, petrol/diesel tank, chainsaw 48” bar, concrete mixer, meat saws, Prattley sheep crate, docking gates, timber, concrete & wooden posts, scrim, freezer, chiller, generator 4.5kva and other farm sundries numerous to list. Household items for sale: Oak bedroom suite, dining room stools, oak dressing table, coffee table, kitchenware, oil heater, desks. All lots at this sale are in great condition and it is a sale well worth attending. Refreshments available. STRICTLY CASH, EFTPOS OR CURRENT NZFL ACCOUNT Please phone Vendors Geoff & Rhonda Bruce 07 893 7879 Agent in Charge Brent Bougen 027 210 4698

LK0093133©

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

BIRDS/POULTRY PULLETS HY-LINE brown, great layers. 07 824 1762. Website: eurekapoultryfarm.weebly. com – Have fresh eggs each day!!!

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BULL SALE RESULTS 2018

Farmers Weekly will be launching Bull Sale results e-Newsletter from the 25th May. Contact Nigel on 06 323 0761, 027 602 4925 or livestock@nzx.com to sign up or feature your sale results and receive weekly updates today.

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2353FW

ANIMAL HANDLING

classifieds@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

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FARMERS WEEKLY – June 18, 2018

livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

STOCK REQUIRED

FARMERS WEEKLY – June 18, 2018

22ND ANNUAL BULL SALE

STORE LAMBS 28-40kgs

MATAPOURI POLLED HEREFORDS & FOREST VIEW CHAROLAIS

Breeding EWES Due Jul/Aug

18MTH FRIES BULLS 400-480kgs

• Q 1159 - 49 Fsn/Fsn/JsyX R1yr hfrs, BW 137, PW 131, 25/7 calv, $950. Nick 027 601 8685 • Q1158 - 33 Fsn/FsnX i/c hfrs, BW 97, PW 106, 20/7 calv to Jsy, $1300. Paul 027 481 3160 • Q1154 - 30 Jsy cow herd, BW 83, PW 94, 25/7 calv, $1450. Steve 027 278 3837 • Q 1149 - 200 Fsn i/c hfrs, BW 99, PW 94, 20/7 calv to Jsy, 460kg/LW. $1450. Hamish 027 432 0298 • Q 1117a - 89 top CRV i/c hfrs, BW 45, PW 22, calv 15/7 to Jsy, $1500. Noel 027 588 7632

Thursday 28th June 2018 at Marua Farm 11km from Hikurangi

18MTH A&AH X STEERS 380-480kgs 400kgs 18MTH ANGUS HEIFERS

www.dyerlivestock.co.nz

Ross Dyer 0274 333 381

0800 548 339 | nzfarmsource.co.nz/livestock

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

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

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SIL

Livestock

OFFERING: 27 Herefords & 17 Charolais These bulls are guaranteed to perform. Catalogues available. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: BRIAN CLEMENTS IAN CLEMENTS 09 433 7033 09 434 3320

AUTUMN CALVES AVAILABLE

LK0093042©

PHONE NIGEL RAMSDEN 0800 85 25 80

Mid JuneMid July B/W Bulls B/W Hfrs Black Spotty Bulls & Hfrs Red Bulls & Hfrs 100kg & Dehorned 10in1 Vacc, Pinkeye Vacc All reared on milk powder. Very good article.

WWW.CRICKLEWOODANGUS.CO.NZ

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Your girls deserve a diamond quality bull.

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WWW.KENHARDTANGUS.COM

WWW.TANGIHAUANGUS.CO.NZ

gisborne angus stud breeders rd 83 angus bull sale matawhero saleyards wednesday 27th June 2018 12.00 noon

Contact Paul to discuss how our program can make your cow herd more profitable.

Telephone: 64 6 868 6709 Email: turihaua@gisborne.net.nz

Two Year Bull Sale 3pm 26 June 2018 Yearling Bull Sale 1pm 26 September 2018

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING www.turihaua.co.nz

www.facebook.com/Turihaua

Y R E N I H MAC

E L A S E N I L D A E D 18 0 2 E N U J 2

VIEWING OF ITEMS CAN BE ARRANGED BY CONTACTING DRUMMOND & ETHERIDGE

FENDT 930 VARIO JOHN DEERE 1750 PLANTER JOHN DEERE 960 COMBI WRAPPER BALER CLAAS AIRION 640 CEBIS WITH STOLL F51 SL LOADER CLAAS LEXION 570 COMBINE NEW HOLLAND TM155 W/ QUIKE Q65 LOADER NEW HOLLAND TM190 SIMBA X-PRESS & ST BAR PLUS MANY MORE

JOHN DEERE 7750 PRO DRIVE FORAGE HARVESTER CASE 2388 COMPLETE WITH 6M GRAIN FRONT & TRAILER BREDAL MULTIDRIVE 6185 FITTED WITH BREDEL FERTILSER BIN JCB 434S WITH BUCKET KRONE TRIPLE MOWER GROUPER MERLO 40.7 TELEHANDLER PLUS MANY MORE

0800 85 25 80

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All enquiries to Ken 027 452 2918

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03 307 9400 FOR A COMPLETE LIST VISIT

carrfields.co.nz

22nd June 2018 – 11:00am Wairere King A/- Murray & Fiona Gemmell 950 Capital Stock Ewes Wairere King FE tolerant 260 2ths / 690 MA ewes Scanned in lamb to FE Wairere King Ram 15th March for 3 cycles Mid January shorn Off steep hill country Lease expired CONTACT GRANT ROSS, CARRFIELDS 021 174 8403 MURRAY GEMMELL 07 896 6722 GLEN LANE 027 280 9779

LK0093120©

Your source for PGG Wrightson livestock and farming listings COMPLETE FRSN/ FRSNX/ JSYX HERD DISPERSAL Tuesday 3rd July, 11.30am Start (Note Change of Day) 904 Old Te Aroha Rd, Matamata A/C B & J Andrew Comprising:

100 Frsn/ Frsnx/ Jsyx Incalf Cows BW70, PW78, RA89% Vendor retiring after 34yrs, All stock grazed on farm. Cows calving 27th July to 6 weeks AB Frsn, Tailed off Hfd Bull, Bull out 27th December. TB C10, EBL Free, Lepto Vacc, BVD tested Negative, Mycoplasma Milk Tested Free. Contact: Jason Roberts 0272 431 429

FIND US ON FACEBOOK Follow what’s happening out in the field, visit: fb.com/pgwlivestock

Key: Dairy

78 Incalf Frsn, XBred, Jersey Cows. BW 162/50, PW 232/54, RA 100% 38 Incalf Frsn, XBred,Jersey Heifers. 18 High BW Empty Cows. 134 Head. Due to ill health our vendors’ herd, which currently ranks number 2 in the country for both BW & PW, is being sold thus giving purchasers a great opportunity to obtain cows with indices -AI contracts (42) and proven bull dam families rarely sold in NZ. 4 Koru Glen bulls currently at LIC and making an impact on the national herd include the top XBred bull Beckon, BW 260, his dam Flor, BW249, PW554 and 9 family members sell mostly with contracts. Calving commences 12th July with all cows in-calf and scanned to AI. In-calf heifers were mated to AI and then tailed with Jersey bulls. Our vendors have achieved up to 1800MS/ha and average 440/450MS cow most seasons with a 129 SSC this season.If you are wanting to up the ante with your herd genetics or require genuine herd replacements this is a must attend sale.

Agonline is the key source for livestock listings from around the country supported by our national network of livestock agents.

Sheep

Other

2ND ANNUAL IN CALF HIND SALE THE KOWHAIS

OUTSTANDING HERD & IN CALF HEIFER SALE Tuesday 19th June, 10.30am Start 25 Cochrane Road, Ngahinapouri A/C David & Karen Camp Comprising:

Cattle

This is a totally closed herd including young stock grazed on a lease block next door, bulls which have been reared & retained on the farm. Tested negative to BVD, EBL, Staphyloccus, Milk test free for Mycoplasma. TB C10. Machinery Comprising: New Holland TA 100 Tractor 2006, 6500hrs loader bucket & forks. JD6510 Tractor 2000, 8500hrs loader & bucket. Brevie spike rotor. Log forks. Taupo hand (root rake), Silage grab. Narrow load bucket. Sam 5 tonne wide belt spreader (2003) Jaylor 2015 mixer wagon. Jeep 1973. Rota-tiller. Cambridge roller. Level bar. Slurry tanker 2015 Navada. Tandem trailer. Ag 200 motorbike. Bobby calf pen. Calf dehorner crush. Calf puller. 2x chainsaws. 3 phase Young welder. 3 phase leads. Plus numerous other items of farm equipment. A catalogue will be available online with all relevant information at pggwrightson.co.nz or Contact: PGGW: Andrew Reyland 0272 237 092 Vendor: David Camp 021 182 3402

C/- T&S Macfarlane 480 Gudex Road, Fairlie Thursday 28th June 2018, Viewing from 12 Noon Sale Commencing 1pm We will offer:

35 English 14 Born Hinds 35 English/Eastern 14 Born Hinds 95 English/Eastern 15 Born Hinds Pregnancy tested in calf to Elk / Wapiti Sires 220 English/Eastern 16 Born Hinds 205 English 16 Born Hinds Pregnancy tested in calf to High BV (30+) Eastern Stags Barbecue to be Sponsored by Duncan’s Venison Signposted from Pleasant Point & Geraldine Fairlie Highway For full and up to date details and age groups please refer to www.agonline.co.nz or www.temukasales.co.nz Enquiries: Tom Macfarlane 03 614 8262 Or 0276 008 555 Murray Coutts 0274 039 377 or contact your local Deer Agent

Contact your local PGG Wrightson Livestock Agent today and make sure you are up to date with the latest livestock listings from throughout New Zealand.

agonline.co.nz NORTH ISLAND JUNE

BULL SALE DATES Specialists In Genetics Performance We’re fully invested in genetics performance to achieve your production goals.

To achieve top results at your next on-farm bull sale contact your local genetics specialist or head to www.pggwrightson.co.nz

NATIONAL TEAM. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE.

22 25 25 26 26 27 27 27 28 28 28 29

SEPTEMBER Tawanui Hereford Ratanui Angus, 12.00pm Kaharau Angus, 4.00pm Whangara Angus, 11.30am Turihaua Angus, 3.00pm Rangatira Angus, 9.00am Matawhero Combined Angus, 12.00pm Turiroa Angus, 4.00pm Forrestview Charolais Matapouri Hereford 12.30pm Mokairau Hereford, 10.30am Wilencote Hereford, 2.30pm Glenrossie Shorthorn/Santa Gurtudra 1.00pm

Stratford Matawhero Gisborne Gisborne Gisborne Gisborne Gisborne East Coast Marua Gisborne Gisborne Whangarei Heads

JULY 2 3 23 24 26

Te Whanga Yearling Angus Waitangi yearling Angus, 12.00pm Totaranui yearling Angus McInnes Yearling Hereford, Riverton Hereford, 12.00pm Kay Jay Angus, N & J Kestrup, Yearling Bull and Heifer, 12.30 pm Sitz-Stokman Yearling Angus, 1.00pm

Masterton Waitangi Pahiatua Kauri Fordell Masterton Taupo

SOUTH ISLAND JUNE 22

Meadowlea Angus, 1.00pm

Fairlie

SEPTEMBER Te Puna Herefords, 12.30pm Moana Herefords, 1.00pm Argyle Angus, 12.00pm Arahau Hereford, 1.00pm Matauri Angus 1yr & 2yr Bull

Okaihau Dargaville Kaikohe Tangiteroria Matauri Bay

SEPTEMBER 5 6 7 7 10 10 11 11 12 12 17

17 18 18 18 20 20

Te Atarangi 1yr Angus, 12.30pm Waimaire Otengi Herefords, 12.00pm Matapouri 1yr Hereford, 12.30pm Hukaroa 1yr & 2yr Hereford, 12.00pm Craigmore 1yr Hereford, 12.30pm Tetley-Jones Jersey Bull Ranui yearling Angus. 12.00pm Kokonga 1yr Hereford, 12.30pm Shadow Downs Hereford, 12.00pm Charwell Hereford Hillcroft 2yr Hereford & Angus, 11.30am

Freephone 0800 10 22 76 | www.pggwrightson.co.nz

Dargaville Kaeo Marua Waerenga Rukuhia Wanganui Hamilton Waverley Manawahe Huntly

Shrimpton Hills Hereford, Noon

Cave

OCTOBER 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 4 5 8 10 10 13 17 17

Glen R Angus, 1.30pm Sheffield Woodbank Angus, 3.00pm Clarence Bridge Te Mania Angus, 1.00pm Conway Flat Bluestone Hereford, 1.00pm Cave Red Oak Angus, 1.00pm Weka Pass Kakahu Angus, 1.00pm Geraldine Centrewood Charolais, 1.00pm Geraldine C & J Humphries “Putechan” Polled Hereford Bull Wyndam Medowslea Agnus, 1.00pm Fairlie AG & GJ Whtye 2yr Hereford Taramoa Stern Angus, 1.00pm Totara Valley Torrisdale Murray Gry Yearling Bull Winton Focus Genetics Angus, 1.00pm Te Anau Mrs CH Miller Hereford (pm) Pyramid Downs Rockley Angus Yearling Bull Balfour

Helping grow the country

MARKET SNAPSHOT

Dairy

Grain & Feed

MILK PRICE FORECAST ($/KGMS) 2018-19

FONTERRA 2018-19

AGRIHQ 2018-19

7.00

6.87

AS OF 24/05/2018

AS OF 07/06/2018

Last week

Prior week

Last year

Canterbury (NZ$/t)

6.0 5.5 Dec 17

Feb 18 AgriHQ Spot Fonterra forecast

Apr 18 Jun 18 AgriHQ Seasonal

What are the AgriHQ Milk Prices? The AgriHQ Seasonal milk price is calculated using GDT results and NZX Dairy Futures to give a full season price. The AgriHQ Spot milk price is an indicative price based solely on the prices from the most recent GDT event. To try this using your own figures go to www.agrihq.co.nz/toolbox

WMP GDT PRICES AND NZX FUTURES

7.65

6.45

396

379

334

NI mutton (20kg)

5.00

4.10

386

381

326

SI lamb (17kg)

7.55

7.45

6.45

Feed Barley

384

381

334

SI mutton (20kg)

5.15

4.15

221

Export markets (NZ$/kg) 9.05

9.04

8.46

284

286

UK CKT lamb leg

Maize Grain

421

410

PKE

285

287

218

* 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.

7.5

Last week

Prior week

Last year

Wheat - Nearest

276

219

Corn - Nearest

211

221

204

5.0 4.5

South Island 1 7kg lamb

8.0 7.5

451

317

Feed Wheat

325

324

289

2500

Feed Barley

399

398

285

2000 Aug 17 Nov 17 Feb 18 C2 Fonterra WMP

PKE (US$/t) 112

120

Ex-Malaysia

NZ venison 60kg stag

7.0

327

6006.5

$/kg

425

c/kkg (net)

442 453

Nearby contract

6.5 5.5

CBOT futures (NZ$/t)

ASW Wheat

NZX DAIRY FUTURES (US$/T)

7.0 6.0

3000

May 18 Aug 18 Nov 18 NZX WMP Futures

North Island 17kg lamb

8.0

INTERNATIONAL

APW Wheat

3500

5006.0 4005.5 3005.0 4.5 Oct

Oct

Dec

Prior week

vs 4 weeks ago

WMP

3155

3240

SMP

1915

1890

AMF

5900

Butter

5660

Last week

Prior week

Last year

WOOL Last year

1895

Urea

483

507

3.40

3.75

5900

6125

Super

302

317

Nth Isl 37m

3.60

3.80

5505

5250

DAP

739

Sth Isl 35m

4.55

5.00

3.90

750

Nov

Dec

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

8978

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

8717

$/kg Jun 15

Jun 16

Jun 17

Feed barley

4 weeks ago

LAST week was a busy one for central banks around the world. The Federal Reserve said it will raise the target range for its federal funds rate by 0.25%, making the new range 1.75%-2%. This increase puts it above New Zealand’s Official Cash Rate for the first time in 18 years. The Fed also suggested two more increases are likely this year, saying the economy is doing very well, noting solid gains in employment, household spending and business investment could continue. That saw treasury yields rise, pushing bond prices lower. United States markets held steady after President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed an agreement aimed at establishing a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. However, a lack of detail in the agreement was noted. Meanwhile, the Italian share market surged after Italian Economic Minister Giovanni Tria said the new government has no plans to leave the euro and is seeking to boost growth through investment and structural reforms instead of deficit spending. The latest Real Estate Institute figures showed house prices have set a new national price record of $562,000, up 5%. Market commentary provided by Craigs Investment Partners

c/k kg (net)

US$/t

NZ$/t Oct

NZ venison 60kg stag

4.5

600

250 150 Jun 14

Coarse xbred wool indicator

5.5

CANTERBURY FEED PRICES

Sharemarket Briefing

22433

Aug

This yr

Prior week

3100

16452

Last yr

3.40

350

S&P/FW AG EQUITY

Aug

Jun

Last week

3200

S&P/FW PRIMARY SECTOR

Jun

Coarse xbred ind.

450

Latest price

Apr

(NZ$/kg)

3300

Sep

Apr

NZ average (NZ$/t)

WMP FUTURES - VS FOUR WEEKS AGO

Aug

Feb

5‐yr ave

* price as at close of business on Thursday

Jul

Feb

FERTILISER

Last price*

3000

Last year

7.70

Australia (NZ$/t)

4000

Last week Prior week

NI lamb (17kg)

Feed Wheat

Waikato (NZ$/t)

6.5

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Milling Wheat

PKE

7.0 $/kgMS

SHEEP MEAT

DOMESTIC

MILK PRICE COMPARISON

US$/t

Sheep

$/kg

PKE spot

3.5

400 300

2.5Oct Jul

Dec

Sep

5‐yr ave

Feb

Nov

Apr

Jan

Last yr

Jun

Mar

Aug

May

Jul

This yr

Dollar Watch

Top 10 by Market Cap Company

YTD High

YTD Low

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd

15.01

15.06

11.92

The a2 Milk Company Limited

11.50

14.62

7.66

Auckland International Airport Limited Meridian Energy Limited Spark New Zealand Limited Ryman Healthcare Limited Fletcher Building Limited Mercury NZ Limited (NS) Contact Energy Limited Air New Zealand Limited (NS)

6.93 3.15 3.80 12.00 6.75 3.43 5.88 3.20

6.99 3.19 3.86 12.25 7.96 3.45 5.93 3.43

6.11 2.75 3.28 10.27 5.74 3.08 5.15 2.86

Listed Agri Shares

500

5pm, close of market, Thursday

Company

YTD High

YTD Low

The a2 Milk Company Limited

11.500

14.620

7.660

Comvita Limited

5.740

9.210

5.600

Delegat Group Limited

8.900

7.510

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

5.010

6.660

5.000

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS)

2.750

3.000

2.250

New Zealand King Salmon Investments Ltd

2.370

2.450

1.840

PGG Wrightson Limited

0.700

0.720

0.560

Sanford Limited (NS)

7.570

8.500

7.350

Scales Corporation Limited

4.660

5.000

4.350

Seeka Limited

6.900

7.010

5.800

Synlait Milk Limited (NS)

10.550

11.600

6.260 3.100

T&G Global Limited

3.100

3.300

Tegel Group Holdings Limited

1.180

1.240

0.810

S&P/NZX Primary Sector Equity

16452

17332

14417

S&P/NZX Agriculture Equity

22433

23669

18488

S&P/NZX 50 Index

8978

8059

S&P/NZX 10 Index

8717

7640

INTERNATIONAL events This Prior Last NZD vs have created an unsettling week week year week for the New Zealand USD 0.6950 0.7027 0.7119 dollar, which was weaker EUR 0.6010 0.5955 0.6404 against the United States greenback but strengthened AUD 0.9318 0.9216 0.9553 against the Euro and GBP 0.5244 0.5234 0.5587 Australian dollars. Correct as of 9am last Friday Fears a weak Australian housing market might see a hard landing have heightened investor nerves while Asian investors have flocked to buy the Australian currency. ASB institutional currency dealer Tim Kelleher said the Australian dollar was trading at a three-month high against the NZ currency at about NZ93.3c late on Friday morning, nearly 1c higher than close of trading Thursday. In contrast the NZ-US cross rate fell, due in part to reaction to a weakening in the US-Euro rates following an announcement from the European Central Bank there will be no interest rate increases until late 2019. Kelleher said that drove the NZ-Euro rates higher to NZ60.25c late Friday morning compared to NZ59.50c the previous day and NZ58c in May. The NZ dollar was steady against sterling. Looking ahead Kelleher described prospects for the currency as tentative tending toward weakening. The tit-for-tat reaction to the US imposition of tariffs had unsettled equity markets and there is a risk NZ could be dragged along by unsettled commodity-heavy currencies, Australia and Canada. Also creating uncertainty were the weakening Australian housing market and concern about the economic impact on dairy production of the Mycoplasma bovis cull. Neal Wallace

Markets

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

CANTERBURY MILLING WHEAT

COARSE WOOL INDICATOR

NI SLAUGHTER LAMB

($/T)

($/KG)

GOOD TO HEAVY MIXED SEX LAMBS AT TEMUKA

($/KG)

($/HD)

3.40

396

7.70

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

Last week

Prior week

Last year

NI Steer (300kg)

5.40

5.70

NI Bull (300kg)

5.30

5.65

NI Cow (200kg)

4.35

4.45

SI Steer (300kg)

5.25

5.70

SI Bull (300kg)

5.05

4.95

5.15

SI Cow (200kg)

3.80

3.70

4.25

US imported 95CL bull

6.53

6.58

7.39

US domestic 90CL cow

6.94

6.97

7.05

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

North Island steer (300kg)

$/kg

6.0 5.5

4.0 South Island steer (300kg)

6.0 5.5

NZ venison 60kg stag

c/k kg (net)

$/kg

600

5.0

500

4.5 400

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)

10.60

9.00

NI Hind (50kg)

10.50

8.90

SI Stag (60kg)

11.10

9.00

SI Hind (50kg)

11.00

8.90

New Zealand venison (60kg Stag)

12 11 $/kg

$2.69-$2.78/kg

$1.65-$1.72/kg

Prime beef-cross steers, 665-670kg, at Rangiuru

Prime Angus & AngusHereford cows, 500600kg, at Temuka

Wet sets in

T IS shaping up to be a very wet winter for most of the country and sales were affected this week as rivers and streams rose and roads were closed. Stock struggled to even get to sale in some areas, but those that did met very limited interest as buyers were reluctant to add more pressure to already sodden paddocks.

5.0 4.5

NZ venison 60kg stag

9 600

c/k kg (net)

126-141

high lights

500 8 400 7 300 6

Oct Oct

Dec Dec 5‐yr ave

Feb Feb

Apr Apr Last yr

Jun Jun

Aug Aug This yr

NORTHLAND NORTHLAND The curse of the long weekend came home to roost at WELLSFORD last Monday, with no sale the previous week meaning numbers swelled to just over 900. Interest was very localised and limited at best, and while steers made respectable values there was nobody home on heifers. A few lines of R1 heifers were passed in, but with most vendors in no position to take stock home they had to meet the market. A price ceiling of $2.70/kg sat quite firmly over the R2 steer pens, though quality Hereford-Friesian, 462-466kg, did manage to push to $2.71-$2.80/ kg. A blanket could have been thrown over the rest of the beef and beefFriesian lines as the better lines made $2.56-$2.68/kg. A consignment of Friesian were good animals for their breeding but at 365-409kg made just $1.99-$2.09/kg. R1 steer prices were acceptable, given the time of year and the fact there were 240 head to sell. Common ground across the beef and beefFriesian pens was $660-$750, with a nice offering of 313-316kg Angus & Angus-Hereford reaching $800-$830. A few standout lines of R1 bulls were also penned. Five Simmental, 335kg, fetched $810, and a few other breeds, $735-$765. Breeds and prices were a mismatch in the heifer pens as good quality beef and beef-Friesian were

TOW THE LINE: The big rigs in action in the tractor pull at National Fieldays last week.

extremely buy-able. A line of Angus, 475kg, made $2.61/kg, with similar weighted Hereford-Friesian firm at $2.59/kg. These were by far the highlight, as most other lines of Hereford-Friesian and Hereford-cross, 373-424kg, traded at $2.31-$2.50/kg. That improved little in the R1 pens as the rostrum emptied out. Hereford-cross, 142-185kg, made just $350-$470, while two lines of AngusFriesian, 203-234kg, returned $565$645. Vendors had to meet the market at KAIKOHE last Wednesday, as very few buyers came forward for the 250 head yarding. With up to three weeks wait at local processors farmers have been unable to offload finished stock, and are therefore unable to re-enter the market, PGG Wrightson agent Bernie McGahan reported. Well-bred R2 steers sold for just $2.60-$2.65/kg, with lesser crossbred lines making $2.40-$2.50/kg. If the

steers were hard work the heifer market was twice as bad, with very nice beef heifers selling for a song at $2.35-$2.42/kg. A small yarding of R1 steers mainly sold around the $3.00/kg mark, while heifers made very similar $/kg values as their older sisters at $2.40-$2.45/kg. Bulls were of very mixed quality and traded around $2.00/kg. AUCKLAND AUCKLAND No sale the previous week meant sale goers were treated to a good sized yarding of cattle at PUKEKOHE on Saturday 9 June, and buyers were in a shopping mood. There was a bit of caution for prime cattle before the sale started, but that was soon put to rest as steers, 600710kg, went under the hammer for $2.67-$2.76/kg, and second cuts, 500535kg, $2.55-$2.69/kg. Prime heifers,

Continued page 38

Improving farm productivity through Genetics.

SPECIALISTS IN GENETICS PERFORMANCE

We understand your farming business and we can help you improve your farm productivity by: • Helping you sourcing a huge variety of genetics that suit your farm / production requirements • Providing you with the latest livestock breeding innovations, knowledge and advice • Connecting you with the right stock breeders or buyers through our nationwide network of breeding professionals • Achieving top auction results for you with our National Auctioneering Team

To find out more contact your local genetics specialist or head to www.pggwrightson.co.nz Freephone 0800 10 22 76 www.pggwrightson.co.nz

Helping grow the country

Markets

38 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018

South Island bull sales progressing well This season’s South Island bull sales are progressing satisfactorily, says PGG Wrightson Livestock Manager for South and Mid Canterbury Joe Higgins. Midway through a series of early June bull sales, ranging from North Canterbury to North Otago, he said Herefords have been in strong demand. “Demand for Hereford bulls has been exceptional this year. Taking a couple of South Canterbury sales as an example, of the 29 Hereford bulls offered at Orari Gorge, 23 sold averaging $6300; and at Okawa we achieved an almost total under the hammer clearance, with 47 out of 48 bulls selling, at an average of $7800 each,” he said. Commenting ahead of the Angus sales, where around 300 bulls are on offer to local farmers, Joe Higgins said the latter breed also sold strongly last year. “With the way that calf sales have gone, we expect that to continue this year, and Angus bulls will again prove popular. Angus prices will likely hold close to the levels they were at last year,” he said. Joe Higgins complimented breeders on the quality of bulls through the sales. “All this year’s bulls are in excellent condition, showing the attention that local breeders have put into them, and also the benefit of the last two seasons, which have been among the best 24 months feed wise that most farmers can remember,” he said. A change in trend is evident in South Canterbury. “We have sold more calves than last year, and it appears that farmers are moving back into breeding cows. M bovis might have influenced that. Farmers are assessing calves on how they will rate as a breeding heifer option, for a closed and self-contained herd, only buying in a bull, therefore minimising their risk of contact with the disease. That is how things appear to be moving at present, however, and it is too early predict how that will ultimately play out,” he said.

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507-645kg, made $2.52-$2.65/kg, and boners, 442-508kg, $1.56-$1.87/kg. Demand for store cattle was respectable, though quality was mixed. Light crossbred steers, 387-422kg, fetched $2.40-$2.72/kg, while heifers, 340-388kg, managed $2.46-$2.65/kg. In the R1 pens medium steers, 133-144kg, made $400-$645, and heifers, 167-188kg, $460-$640. COUNTIES COUNTIES Last week’s store cattle sale at TUAKAU was a relatively brief affair, with just 244 steers and heifers on offer, Craig Chamberlain of Carrfields Livestock reported. The size of the offering made it difficult to accurately gauge the market, but most classes appeared to sell at rates similar to the previous week. Older steers and heifers made up most of the yarding and there was little of note in the weaner sections. In the steer section, 2-year beef and dairy-beef lots in the 400-520kg range sold at $2.62-$2.70/kg, and R2 steers, 320-400kg, made $2.57-$2.77/kg. The heavier heifers, 380-450kg, traded at $2.43-$2.61/kg and 300-370kg lots earned $2.38-$2.58/kg. Wet conditions and tight space at the processors meant there was a big line-up of prime steers and heifers at last Wednesday’s prime sale. With so many on offer prices eased by around 5c/ kg on the previous week. Heavy steers, 650kg-plus, returned $2.67-$2.73/kg, and medium, 550-650kg, making $2.62-$2.70/ kg while trade-types, 450-550kg, returned $2.58-$2.67/kg. Heavy heifers, 550kgplus, sold for $2.59-$2.67/kg and trades $2.45-$2.62/kg. The 590-head yarding included a small entry of beef cows. The heavier lots earned $1.95-$2.10/kg and medium $1.77-$1.90/kg. Boner cow numbers were limited and the best of the heavy Friesian made $1.80-$1.92/kg. Medium cows fetched $1.66-$1.79/kg, and lighter boners $1.45-$1.62/kg. Last Monday’s sheep sale drew a big yarding of 3000 ewes and lambs, with prime lambs making up just over half of the offering. Heavy lambs traded at $141$174, and medium $125-$138. Lighter prime and forward-store lambs made $116-$124. The best of the store lambs fetched $105-$119, medium $94-$104 and lighter $78-$90. Heavy prime ewes sold for $150-$170, and good-medium $135-$148. Lighter ewes returned $60$110.

WAIKATO An air of hesitancy was felt at FRANKTON last Wednesday, although there were a few more new faces on the rails. Perhaps it was the wintry day that kept buyers hands firmly in their pockets, making it hard going for most of the sale. R3 beef-dairy steers, 469-488kg, softened $2.46-$2.58/kg, although a single steer, 540kg, managed $1480, $2.74/kg. Beef-bred steers, 459-580kg, had solid returns at $2.55-$2.70/kg. In the R2 pens Hereford-Friesian steers, 363-495kg, softened to $2.58$2.69/kg, although one line at 330kg pushed to $2.76/kg. Angus heifers, 469497kg, were a highlight earning $2.59$2.60/kg. Hereford-Friesian, 430-447kg, managed $2.53-$2.56/kg, while lighter, 284-402kg, could only muster $2.29$2.38/kg. Bulls of the same breeding and 340-471kg fetched $2.54-$2.59/kg. A consignment of quality R1 Angus steers with weight at 245-300kg made top $/kg for the day at $825-$1005, $3.35$3.37/kg. Angus-Friesian heifers, 162206kg, eased to $430-$500, $2.43-$2.65/ kg, while Angus, 186kg, managed steady returns at $500, $2.90/kg. A pen of mixed-sex Murray Grey-cross, 195kg, traded at a respectable $615, $3.15/kg.

The prime market was softer on a $/kg basis for most, but with some seriously weighted bulls on offer returns were still pleasing. Two lighter Hereford, 622kg, made healthy returns at $2.80/kg, and three ex-service Angus bulls, weighing in at 915-1010kg, earned $2080-$2200, $2.06-$2.31/kg. Angus cows were on offer from the same vendor and 441-465kg managed $1.84-$1.87/kg. Boner cows traded at slightly softer levels, with 405-525kg earning $1.65$1.81/kg. BAY OF PLENTY BAY OF PLENTY With paddocks very wet and not getting the chance to dry out interest in any cattle at RANGIURU - heavy or light - was very limited last Tuesday. Working in vendors favour, though, was low numbers coming forward, and prices were just a shade softer than recent weeks. The biggest section was the prime steers, and for the second week running very heavy ox from Motiti Island were penned. These tipped the scales at

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660kg-plus, and with such weight behind them and $/kg price tags ranging from $2.60 to $2.88/kg most sold for $2100$2190, while beef-cross, 665-670kg, made $1790-$1860, $2.69-$2.78/kg. There was also an offering of 530-602kg Hereford-Friesian, which sold on a softer market at $2.57-$2.65/kg. Prime heifer numbers were much lower. The better lines matched the boys at $2.66-$2.73/kg, but second cuts dropped away to $2.33$2.44/kg. Ex-service bulls of a mix of beef and exotic breeds all sold for $2.90-$2.96/ kg, while boner cows, 446-492kg, sold on a steady market at $1.75-$1.83/kg. The store section was harder work with few prepared to take on cattle at the moment. The R2 steer pens featured some nice lines of Angus and HerefordFriesian but buyers could only be persuaded to go to $2.52-$2.60/kg on most. Similarly beef-Friesian heifers also trended down, with 355-370kg making just $2.28-$2.31/kg. The rest of the yarding was small lines of mixed quality. The biggest line was 20 R1 Friesian steers, 246kg, which sold for $540, while Hereford-Friesian bulls, 212-216kg, fetched $575-$605. A line of 10 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 221kg, bettered all of them at $660. TARANAKI TARANAKI TARANAKI seems to have a good thing going holding one big fair a month, because buyers know when the cattle will be there in good numbers. Last Wednesday nearly 1300 cattle were penned, and the bigger number drew buyers from Wanganui, Manawatu, King Country and local. Compared to the last fair in May R2 prices were steady to firm, although R1 cattle didn’t sell so freely. A bigger R3 Hereford-Friesian steer offering was firm, with 484-519kg consistently selling at $2.68-$2.77/kg.

The heifer market was also firm and the three lines offered traded at $2.63-$2.69/ kg. There was plenty of action in the R2 steer pens, with a good mix of beef, exotic and beef-Friesian. Levels of $3/ kg were back on the table for Charolaiscross, 436kg, while a line of 393kg Angus sold to $3.13/kg. Angus, 470-510kg, sold well, averaging $2.83/kg, while a good entry of Angus-Friesian and HerefordFriesian sold on a mainly steady market across the weights. Hereford-Friesian, 470-550kg, traded at $2.59-$2.72/kg, while 340-460kg were steady to slightly softer at $2.72-$2.82/kg. Angus-Friesian results were more mixed as buyers tend to be a bit tougher on this breed. Buyers were prepared to pay up to $2.85-$2.89/ kg for 400-405kg though. HerefordFriesian heifers were mainly medium types at 357-406kg, which earned $2.49$2.64/kg. R1 cattle had certainly enjoyed the feed in the past month and weights were notably up, with more lines over 200kg. A line of Speckle Park steers, 304kg, were worth their $980 price tag, while a clean line of Angus-Friesian, 269kg, sold for $820. Other lines of that breeding and 214-239kg sold consistently at $705-$745, which was also the range for 210-226kg Hereford-Friesian. Lighter HerefordFriesian made similar values to a month ago at $465-$520. Something had to give and unfortunately it was the R1 heifer market. Prices were softer than last sale and a number of lines were passed in. Top price of $730 was spent on a line of 247kg Angus-Friesian, with the remainder 191230kg and earning $575-$650. HerefordFriesian sold to $680 for 218kg, but then dropped away to $550-$615 for 166204kg. The lighter end, 132-144kg, made steady returns at $460-$505. POVERTY BAY POVERTY BAY It was a rapid fire sale at MATAWHERO with only 165 lambs at 50 ewes yarded. Two pens of good-to-heavy lambs were as strong as past weeks at $135-$146.50, but any medium lines dropped back to $105-$120, and lighter types only managed $70.50-$85. Most lambs were mixed sex. Prime lambs were mainly $130-$145, but one pen did take top honours at $169.50. Prime ewes were $90-$142. HAWKE’S BAY HAWKE’S BAY East Coast weather had a lot to answer for last week, and impacted on all sales held at STORTFORD LODGE. The Monday sale was wet and wild, though the numbers were well and truly there, but the store sale last Wednesday lacked both stock and buyers. Just shy of 100 prime cattle were on offer last Monday and Angus steers, 575-628kg, that had been in overnight maintained levels of $2.96-$3.02/kg, trading just fractionally below 2017 levels. Angus heifers and cows were also solid, with heifers, 521-569kg, trading at $2.70-$2.72/kg, and cows, 525-467kg, $1.91-$2.01/kg. With Queen’s Birthday the previous week there was almost a double sale on the one day for the sheep. Ewe throughput continues to increase with scanning underway and it likely contributed to a slight ease for the majority, despite a large number of buyers present. Two two-tooth wethers took top honours for the day earning $216, while two-tooth ewes were steady at $125-$129.50. Very heavy mixed-age ewes eased by $10 to $157.50-$172, and heavy lines were back $3 to $141-$154, good to very good types eased marginally to $125$139. Medium & medium-good lines also eased $3 to $110-$121.50 and the lighter end softened $5-$10 at $83-$108.50. Very

Markets

heavy mixed-age wethers were hot property, earning $185.50. Lamb numbers increased to the highest levels seen since September 2017, and the market felt an ease. This could be attributed to a number of lines that arguably would have been more suited to a Wednesday store sale. Very heavy cryptorchid and ram lambs returned $156-$196. Top males were steady at $212, while very heavy types softened by $4 to $194.50-$200, as did heavy lines at $156-$190. Good types were steady on recent levels at $129-$141. Mixed-sex lines eased by $5-$30 for some as heavy lambs traded at $144-$176, and light-medium to medium lines, $109-$132.50. Ewe lamb numbers swelled but this did not affect their returns with most lines steady. Top ewe lambs softened by $20, whilst very heavy lines were steady at $168-$182. Heavy ewe lambs strengthened by $3 to $159-$170, while very good types managed $139-$152, and medium-good to good lines traded at $119-$136.50. Sheep numbers reduced significantly to 1470 head last Wednesday as access issues kept many at home, but the impact of more rain on sodden paddocks also meant buyer interest was very limited, and the sale lost about $10-$12 per head. Quality was very mixed and the sale had weights and prices not seen in some time, with a consignment of later born, light lambs from Oporae having a few very light lines which returned prices in the $46-$47.50 range. All lambs from 32-40kg generally made the same per-head values regardless of sex. Medium male and ram lambs sold for $123-$125.50, with similar money paid for heavier ewe lambs. There was limited interest on lighter, lesser quality whiteface ewe lambs and as a result these sold for $67$93.50, while mixed-sex lines were medium to heavy types that made $116-$131. Breeding ewe numbers were limited though that was fortunate given that interest from the rails was the same. Condition was only light-medium to mediumgood and a line of four-six tooth, scanned 141% topped the section at $150. A small line of scanned single two-tooths returned $132. Cattle numbers were also well down with just one consignment of 27 R1 Angus cattle penned from Tutira. Two lines of steers, 120-151kg, sold for $480-$605, $4$4.01/kg, with one line of heifers, 115kg, also making $4/kg when they went under the hammer for $460. The other line had more weight at 149kg and sold for $560, $3.76/kg. MANAWATU MANAWATU For the second week running prime lamb numbers exceeded 6000 head at FEILDING last Monday. It was a busy day in the sheep pens as they were joined by 2000 ewes. Business was back to normal in the rostrum, and farmer interest for cows resulted in a firm market. Medium forward store types were common in the lamb pens and with wool length hiding an unknown quantity of meat, bidding was more cautious on these types than of late.

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018 The demand for heavy, finished lines was more than evident and very heavy rams made $180$184.50, with one line of 25 mixed sex also reaching $184. The top end of the heavy male and mixed sex types made $162-$178. Lighter top cuts fetched $154-$157, which was also the range for top ewe lambs. From there prices eased. Heavy mixed sex sold for $133$149, cryptorchid, $136-$141. Most other ewe lambs earned $129-$150. Ewe numbers more than doubled as more scanned dries came forward, but despite the bigger number prices were consistent with recent weeks. The top line of 123 mixed age made $163, with good and very good types trading at $121-$148. Medium and medium-good mostly sold for $107-$117. Farmer interest in cows meant the processors took a back seat. That resulted in a firm market for heavy cows though medium Friesian of lesser quality eased. All the beef cows were up towards the $2/kg mark, with one Devon, 550kg, reaching $2.16/kg. In-calf Devon-cross, 620kg, also sold well at $2/kg. The top Friesian, 485-580kg, lifted to $1.80-$1.85/kg, while 431-527kg Friesian and Friesiancross firmed to $1.61-$1.71/kg. Something had to give though and medium boners, 420-437kg, eased to $1.44-$1.53/kg. The cattle yards were barebones on Friday with only 630 head offered. Quality was quite mixed too, but there were decent lines around if you paid attention. Traditional R2 steers, 410-505kg, were $2.90/kg and 460-480k beefFriesians made $2.75/kg. Several lines of 340-410kg traditional and Devon R2 heifers were mainly $2.75-$2.90/kg, whereas 380410kg Hereford-Friesians were $2.45-$2.60/kg. Two lines of 430-450kg Friesian bulls sold at $2.60-$2.70/kg, but a heavier line were passed in. Dairy and dairy-cross R1 lines were a fairly common sight. The larger lines of 160-205kg Hereford-Friesian steers were $570-$660, $3.25-$3.55/kg, while good 200-225kg heifers made $580-$680, $2.90-$3.00/kg. Half of the Friesian bulls were 205-245kg, making $3.25-$3.30/kg, and the rest 170-180kg at $3.65-$3.85/kg. The lamb and ewe auction was a bit longer-running, but still smaller than past weeks. The 1500 in-lamb ewes had a mediocre sale. Better quality lines, SIL 155186%, were $178-$195, but the remainder were more like $137$170. Store lambs were showing the symptoms of the latest round of winter weather, but still sold well enough considering their state. Male-type lambs were largely steady, with heavy lines mainly $142-$150.50, though a few pens were $155.50-$157, and a single line managed a massive $179. Other good pens were $124.50$143. Ewe lambs were plentiful again, and were down just a little. Heavy ewe lambs were $112-$133 and medium-to-good pens made $94-$123.50. CANTERBURY CANTERBURY As the wet sets in more stock filled pens at CANTERBURY PARK last Tuesday. There was no issue

with selling bigger numbers in the sheep pens, but the cattle market was hard going. Store lambs sold well and mixed sex topped the section at $140-$144, though most traded at $110-$136. Male lambs sold for $122-$133 and a handful of ewe lambs $114-$130. The market tone was repeated in the prime pens where prices held the previous week’s values across the board. A handful pushed past $200 to $200-$205, with other heavy lines making $170-$199. Most of the rest sold for $130-$159. Ewe numbers dropped slightly but the yarding was top-heavy with good ewes, and with a slightly stronger market few could be found for less than $140. The very heavy lines made $208$258, with good and heavy types earning $170-$198. Light-medium to medium-good lines made up most of the yarding and sold for $120-$159.

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Adult male sheep were also still finding quite an audience and a very heavy line of wethers made $255, with other lines trading at $119-$148. Two parts of one sale could not have been more different as the sheep and cattle sales showed a clear divide. There were 600 cattle to find homes for, which was no easy task with limited space and little to no interest in store cattle. Prime steer and heifer numbers pushed to 110 and 114 apiece and most were unfinished beefFriesian. The best that could be coaxed out of buyers for these types was $2.40-$2.60/kg for steers and $2.36-$2.45/kg for heifers. There was not much improvement for prime lines as traditional steers, 540-695kg, returned $2.60-$2.70/kg, with one Charolais and seven AngusFriesian pushing to $2.80-$2.84/ kg. The best of the heifers sold for $2.50-$2.61/kg. Cows really struggled and lowline Angus, 339-570kg, made just $1.18-$1.27/kg. Better lines of Hereford and Hereford-Friesian did manage $1.67-$1.89/kg. A special entry of in-calf traditional heifers to an Angus and a Hereford bull kicked off the store section and traded at $1205$1480. However a consignment of in-calf cows only made processor value though will head out to have their calves. These traded at $1010-$1280, with Angus taking top honours. Everything was stacked against the rest of the section but vendors met the market. Beef-Friesian

filled the R2 steer pens. Better types made $2.55-$2.66/kg, and second cuts, $2.43-$2.54/kg. Angus heifers, 409-435kg, were good shopping at $2.35-$2.40/kg, while similar weighted HerefordFriesian sold for $2.34-$2.39/kg. R1 numbers were low and featured some nice lines of beef calves, which were very good shopping. Angus steers, 268kg, made $820, while heifers of same breeding fetched $700-$780. The sheep markets continued to strengthen at COALGATE last Thursday, but the same could not be said for cattle as prices headed south. There were plenty of prime lambs for buyers to get stuck into, with volume only slightly down on the previous week. The market was a carbon copy, with a handful of lines making $200-$203, and few to be found under $120. A lesser number sold for $190-$199, but bids were very consistent at $130-$188. More competition in the prime ewe pens meant another successful day for vendors. As scanned dries start to come out they are adding more size to the yarding, and coupled with a firm market a good portion sold for $160-$186, with the next cut earning $130-$157. Just a small number traded below that level, with most still making $116-$129. Fewer than 1000 store lambs were offered and buyers had to work to secure lines. The majority sold for $120-$129, with all bar 10 of the balance making $110-$119. Prime cattle prices eased as space is proving hard to find. The top line of steers, 641kg, could only manage $2.61/kg, while those 438-573kg eased to $2.47$2.54/kg. Heifer prices fell further and dairy lines, 385-395kg, eased to $1.57/kg, while 369-378kg fell further to $1.30-$1.40/kg. R2 heifers more than dominated the store section, making up 80% of it. Two vendors sold all lines - one from Mackenzie Basin offering up all the HerefordFriesian, and the other vendor selling all the Hereford-cross. Most of the Hereford-cross weighed in at 331-392kg and sold for just $2.38-$2.45/kg, while Hereford-Friesian traded in two main price bands - $2.32-$2.37/kg for 379-381kg and $2.40-$2.49/kg for 342-346kg. These prices were softer than recent levels as interest was limited. SOUTH CANTERBURY SOUTH CANTERBURY TEMUKA offered up another good yarding of sheep last Monday, with throughput up in all sections. The cattle pens featured a consignment of 100 Angus & Angus-Hereford cows from Fairlie, and the market for these held. The store lamb pens featured some big lines of mixed sex, entered by a regular ewe buyer, and with plenty of weight in these lines the average weight for the sale increased. Most were good types and prices were steady at $131-$141, with medium-good also steady at $126-$135. Easily the biggest portion of the section sold in these ranges, with two lines of male making $130, and one line of good ewe lambs, $125. The prime lamb market reflected very favourable schedule

prices and buyers easily absorbed the extra numbers up to 1400 head. Prices firmed, with most trading $10 up at $130-$179, and 150 head selling to $180-$197. For the first time in a few weeks the ewe market was not dominated by just one buyer, with the yarding mostly split three ways. Prices were every bit as strong and more than 200 head sold for $190-$268. From there lines were well spread over a $60$189 range as all shapes and sizes came forward. The main feature of the cattle sale was about 100 dry beef cows from a station near Fairlie. Most were lighter end cows with Angus and Angus & Angus-Hereford prominent. Top price was paid for the latter, 449-499kg, at $1.75$1.84/kg, with most other lines steady at $1.65-$1.76/kg. A much smaller offering of Friesian cows struggled to find homes and prices eased across the board. Heavy types traded at $1.40-$1.55/kg but from there prices dropped to $1.25-$1.37/kg for medium, and even further to $1.10-$1.20/kg for light lines. There was no difference in prices for steers and heifers, though numbers were very limited. Good traditional steers, 520-690kg, could only muster $2.59-$2.66/kg, though a few other lines of different breeds did manage $2.66-$2.72/kg. This included one very heavy Galloway steer, 790kg, which sold for $2149. Friesian, 570-590kg, matched the beef lines at $2.62-$2.66/kg as they had the yield required. Heifers mostly matched the steers at $2.58-$2.61/kg, though again one 730kg Hereford sold to $2.72/kg, which was just shy of $2000. Angus bulls, 605-765kg, also sold within a very similar range to most of the steers and heifers at $2.57-$2.66/kg, while Friesian, 622-665kg, eased to $2.42-$2.46/ kg. SOUTHLAND SOUTHLAND A medium yarding of sheep met keen interest at LORNEVILLE last Tuesday, while Charolais-cross heifers were the main feature in the cattle pens. The store lamb market continued in a similar vein to recent weeks as the top pens made $105-$115, medium $90$100 and light $60-$85. Prime lamb prices firmed and $145-$182 was needed for heavy lines, while medium types sold for $124-$139, lighter $110-$120. Ewe prices were a shade softer but still vendors would be happy with returns. Heavy ewes realised $131$161, medium $100-$121, and light $80-$94, with tail-end lines earning $50-$60. Rams sold from $10 up to $100. It was all about the cows in the prime pens with few other classes offered, and all weight ranges were firm. Good prime cows, 500-550kg, firmed to $1.40-$1.50/ kg, medium $1.30-$1.40/kg, 400450kg, $1.10-$1.20/kg. A large store cattle yarding featured R2 Charolais-cross heifers, 386-425kg, which sold for $2.58/kg, while Hereford-cross, 390-420kg, returned $2.35-$2.38/ kg. R1 Hereford-Friesian bulls, 219kg, returned $550, and 190kg, $495.

Markets

40 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – June 18, 2018 NI SLAUGHTER BULL

NI SLAUGHTER BULL

SI SLAUGHTER COW

($/KG)

R2 HEREFORD-FRIESIAN HEIFERS, 465-470KG, AT WELLSFORD

($/KG)

($/KG LW)

5.30

7.55

3.80

2.59

$133-$151 high $655-$745 Hereford-Friesian Heavy mixed sex lights R1 steers, 200-240kg, at lambs at Feilding Taranaki Cattle Fair

Lamb confidence builds Annette Scott annettescott@xtra.co.nz

VERSEAS markets surviving big lamb volumes continue to build confidence for New Zealand lamb sales. From a short-term perspective, the past month has been encouraging for NZ lamb sales in overseas markets, especially given it’s been the busiest month of the year for the world lamb export trade, AgriHQ analyst Reece Brick said. NZ alone pumped 37,600 tonnes of lamb on to export markets in May, a figure exceeded only once in the past three years. Most of this figure was made up of frozen cuts. “What is most encouraging is that worldwide markets were able to hold their own during this period, which happened to coincide with a record monthly shipment of lamb out of Australia, totalling 29,400 tonnes,” Brick said. “With the globe still clearly hungry for whatever lamb NZ’s got, the question remains as to how these markets will react if they can’t get the volume they need.” Based on the slaughter to mid-May, NZ will have 400,000 fewer lambs to kill through the remainder of the season compared with last year. But the issue is the longerterm outlook, with more price increases making

FOR SALE: At that price who will buy us – store lambs are averaging $3.70/kg in Canterbury yards, equivalent to 50.5% of slaughter prices.

lamb even more vulnerable to competition from other, usually cheaper meats. “We don’t want to arrive in a situation like in 20112012 when lamb prices saw it pulled from menus across the globe, eventually resulting in the market tanking and not recovering for several years.” The challenge for the remainder of the year lies with exporters to try to strike a balance between maintaining enough margin to stay competitive in sourcing lambs within NZ, while also ensuring customers overseas don’t point their eyes in other directions, Brick said. Meanwhile, lamb slaughter prices rose again last week as the rush of lambs seen from mid-April onwards runs out of steam, prompting the latest weekly price increases

with $7.40-$7.60/kg now commonplace. Schedule increases are forecast to slow now through the remainder of the season. This is based on international lamb prices which look to be very near their peak, especially on frozen cuts which make up the largest portions of exports through winter. “However, competition for supply can often override the influence of export returns, so this is not set in concrete.” With North Island JulyAugust contracts peaking out to $7.85-$7.90/kg, Brick predicts lamb will be $7.80$7.85/kg in four months’ time. “It might hit $8 in the South Island late September into October – it will be interesting to see. “But if processors start

moving much more than they are now it will be coming out of their bottom lines.” The South Island store lamb equation was simple - lots of feed plus high and rising schedules equals big money paid, with some debate as to whether store lambs are too expensive. In the past fortnight lambs have averaged $3.70/kg in Canterbury yards, equivalent to 50.5% of slaughter prices. This is at the upper end of the 47-50% range seen in the previous six years, but still short of 2011 when store lambs made 57% of slaughter prices. Numbers of store lambs available are moderate with regular buyers having to contend with traders making the switch from cattle to lambs as they try to avoid Mycoplasma bovis.

Prime Sale

Crazy, wet week at the sale yards THE common theme around the country this week has been the rain … yet again. Here at our farm in Hawke’s Bay I have never seen it so wet – not so much from the Suz Bremner amount of rain that has fallen AgriHQ Analyst recently but more the fact that after a good summer and autumn where rain fell regularly our water tables managed to stay high, which is now to our detriment as we are at saturation levels and any extra moisture is running off. Sales around the country have been adversely affected by the big, long wet, as I like to call it, with different regions bearing the brunt each week. Last week Northland had the umbrellas out but have managed to miss much of the rain this week, much to their relief as it has allowed some drying out. Not so for the top of the East Coast and Bay of Plenty though, who must have done something to annoy the big guy as they have borne the brunt of both weather systems. Other North Island regions and the South Island have not escaped either with most areas also at saturation levels. And what has this meant for the sales? It has meant that some yards, such as Stortford Lodge, had stock cancelled because of access issues though farmers needed to get heavy stock off sodden ground but no space at the processors has seen a bit of a lift in numbers of nearly finished cattle going to yards such as Canterbury Park and Rangiuru. The double edged sword of the adverse weather means there has been a noted drop in buyer interest as few are keen to add yet more pressure to sodden paddocks. Couple all of that with concerns over Mycoplasma bovis and the cattle markets really are a struggle, putting a bit of a golden glow around sheep. suz.bremner@nzx.com

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