Farmers Weekly NZ May 15 2017 by AgriHQ

5 Rust arrival timing good Vol 16 No 19, May 15, 2017

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Iran trade resumes Nigel Stirling

nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com

NDUSTRY minnow Taylor Preston has grabbed the chance to be the first New Zealand meat exporter to Iran in nearly 20 years. The breakthrough shipment followed strenuous efforts over the past couple of years to restore access to a market that in the early 1980s took one in every four sheep processed in NZ. Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy cleared the way for a resumption of the trade when he concluded a veterinary agreement with his Iranian counterpart in Tehran in February. However, NZ’s largest exporters remained wary and were yet to dip their toes back in the market. Taylor Preston chief executive Simon Gatenby admitted there had been hoops to jump through before the export order – initially only 50 tonnes – could get on the water. They included a requirement for two officials from the Iranian Veterinary Organisation to be present at the company’s Ngauranga plant near Wellington during slaughter and processing. The government officials would be there to ensure meat bound for Iran was processed according to its veterinary and Halal standards. The first NZ shipment to Iran since 1998 would comprise frozen carcases separated into six primal cuts. “We will get to know the customer and he will get to know us and know the rules with a simple and easy specification to

REASON TO SMILE: Simon Gatenby has secured a deal for the first shipment of lamb to Iran in 20 years. Photo: Mark Coote

get into the market.” However, the customer – an established Iranian importer of NZ primary produce who Gatenby would not name for commercial reasons – had also expressed interest in higher-value lamb cuts and beef. “We are very keen for that to happen because it represents an increase in value and we think the opportunity is there for both chilled and frozen to a higher level specification.” Iran emerged as a white knight for the industry in the 1980s as it searched the world for new

markets to deal with a surge in subsidised sheep meat production at the same time as demand from Britain slackened. Iran imported well over 100,000 tonnes of sheep meat a year from NZ between 1983 and 1986. Gatenby said the dynamics of the sheep meat industry had changed out of all recognition since that time. “Back in those days we had 60m sheep. The national kill this year will be a touch under 19m lambs and I am not sure NZ needs a new market that would take tens of thousands of tonnes a year.

They are very keen to do business with NZ. Tim Ritchie Meat Industry Association “We want a steady, high-value market that will absorb some volume without putting pressure on price.” Meat Industry Association

chief executive Tim Ritchie said Iran tapered off in the early part of the 1990s as oil prices fell and technical barriers emerged and shut off completely by 1999 as result of international sanctions. But the lifting of sanctions in 2015 following a deal for Iran to rein in its development of nuclear weapons had cleared the way for the Government to reach an agreement on veterinary protocols earlier this year. About 100,000 tonnes of meat, mainly beef from Brazil, was imported into Iran each year. Now sanctions were lifted Iran wanted to lift its imports of lamb, Ritchie said. “Given the previous trading relationship and NZ’s reputation for quality product they are very keen to do business with NZ.” But despite its potential and the removal of obstacles to the trade resuming NZ’s largest sheep meat exporters remained on the sidelines. Following a trip to Tehran with Trade Minister Todd McClay earlier this year Silver Fern Farms chairman Rob Hewett said he shied away from making an immediate commitment. It would take time re-establish contacts in the Iranian market and he did not expect any sales this season and could not guarantee a resumption next season either. Alliance chairman Murray Taggart said his co-operative had its hands full in India and Brazil and was in “no rush” to establish itself in another new market. “Also, there are challenges in dealing with Iran that there aren’t in some of these other markets.”

Continued page 4

NEWS

NEW THINKING

Soil Moisture Anomaly (mm) at 9am May 12, 2017

23 Grassroots solution for

leaching

60 Wetter than

As the pastoral sector grapples with the slippery problem of diffuse nitrogen losses, part of the solution might lie close to home at a grassroots level.

normal (mm)

OPINION

4 Strong bull market expected A strong weaner market is giving way to a strong bull sale market. That seems to be the talk in the beef sector though there are no guarantees.

8 More quake money for

farmers

A new, $5 million recovery package for the South Island’s quake-stricken farmers has been welcomed with open arms.

10 A world of threats,

opportunities

New Zealand’s pastoral agriculture risks finding itself the fuel for the hype surrounding synthetic food and should move quickly to resonate with consumers, Nuffield Scholar Richard Fowler says.

26 Alternative View

-10

Alan Emerson is sick of third world connectivity in the country.

-20

Editorial �� 24

-30

Cartoon �� 24

-50

Strong bull market expected �� 4

Pulpit �� 25 Alternative View �� 26 From the Ridge �� 27 Meaty Matters �� 27

Map reading tips

REGULARS Employment �� 36 Classifieds �� 36-37

MARKETS

Farmer challenges bore findings �� 7 More quake money for farmers �� 8 A world of threats, opportunities �� 10 Irrigation project will reflect farmer demand �� 18 Rural health needs a fresh approach �� 20

NEWSMAKER

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Job

of the

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Business development lead - Fidus Management Group offers tailored agri-investment solutions. We offer sustainable dairy farm management models providing alternative solutions to succession for dairy farmers as well as offering professional agribusiness solutions for financial institutions, the corporate agribusiness sector and absentee owners/investors. We’re looking for a business development lead with extensive experience across agriculture, business development and finance. For more information and a full job description visit the Farmers Weekly jobs site: farmersweeklyjobs. co.nz and click on Agribusiness category. To find all other agjobs click on All Categories. #agjobs at your fingertips.

Scientists make waves over water complaints �� 11

challenge

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

Real Estate �� 28-35

Rust is like ‘Psa on steroids’ �� 5

22 Winners thrive on a

Drier than normal (mm)

Letters �� 24

Livestock �� 37-43 Aussie suppliers still unhappy �� 3

48 Trends perfect for prices Robust overseas demand for sheep meat against a rapidly declining national ewe flock set a near-perfect scenario last month for New Zealand farmers.

Market Snapshot �� 44

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

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THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

Aussie suppliers still unhappy Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com FONTERRA Australia has made an early milk price forecast for next season plus a recompense payment of 40c/kg MS for the troubled 2015-16 season but some farmer-suppliers remain unhappy. They viewed the extra payment as a supply commitment bribe, not a full and genuine repayment of the clawback 12 months ago. The forecast range was A$5.30$5.70, which equated to NZ$5.75$6.20, though Fonterra in New Zealand had not yet made its first 2017-18 forecast, which was due out later this month.

During the recent downturn NZ farmers got a lot less than Australian farmers for their milk. Andrew Hoggard Federated Farmers The 40c additional payment to “all current, retired and recommencing suppliers” would be paid through the whole Australian season, which began on July 1, or could be taken as an advance on July 31. On Fonterra Australia’s current supplier numbers of 1100 farms, about 1.7 billion litres, or 140 million kg MS, the payback added up to NZ$60m. That money would come out of the earnings of the Australian division, equivalent to 3.75c/share in NZ, as an accrual this financial year or a charge against results next financial year. Fonterra Australia’s historical obligation to pay as much for milk as rival Murray Goulburn resulted

in the 40c top-up. It was the difference between MG’s recently increased 2015-16 payout of A$5.53 and Fonterra’s average $5.13. Co-operative MG responded to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission criticism of its conduct towards the end of last season, by making deep cuts to its processing resources, cutting 360 jobs and forgiving almost $150m in support loans to its farmers. Fonterra’s package still fell short, especially for the 40% of its suppliers who took support loans this season, South Australian dairy farmer Lorraine Robertson said. She expected the class action against Fonterra by disgruntled farmers to go “full steam ahead”. “It’s not a payback because it is well short of our $1 cost; more of a bribe to lock in suppliers.” Robertson included in the $1 estimate the effect of alterations to weighted average payments reflecting fat and protein content, which she alleged were Fonterra’s way of minimising the support loan and “payback” impacts on the company. Those changes had effectively reduced her payout to $5, not the $5.20 the company said was its likely milk price this season. Many disgruntled farmers believed Fonterra had damaged the Australian dairy industry and that was compounded by a lack of apology for the fiasco in 2015-16, she said. United Dairyfarmers of Victoria president Adam Jenkins was on record saying Fonterra was trying to lock in suppliers for its new Stanhope cheese plant. “(The 40c) is not actually rewarding people with more money. It’s just paying them what they were owed in the first place.” The inequality being created was dividing the industry, he told

MORE MONEY: Fonterra’s aim is to deliver high returns to Australian farmers, its Australia managing director Rene Dedoncker says.

the Stock and Land newspaper. His counterpart in NZ, Andrew Hoggard, Federated Farmers dairy chairman, said Fonterra might operate in good faith in Australia but as a foreign company it would always cop flak. “That was unjustified because Fonterra warned the 2015-16 milk price was unsustainable. “Allowing for the differences in our domestic markets Australian farmers only had to look at world prices to know that. “During the recent downturn

NZ farmers got a lot less than Australian farmers for their milk.” Hoggard said he had been told by one Australian farmer after the recent package announcement that Fonterra would end up swallowing MG. “Obviously, Fonterra Australia needs to keep and expand its milk supply and this package will help.” Fonterra’s Australian managing director Rene Dedoncker said the early forecast was aimed at helping farmers plan for next season with confidence.

“We’ve invested in world-class assets, improved our product mix and exited non-strategic businesses. “This coupled with the rebalancing of global supply gives us the ability to pay a competitive milk price to our farmers. “A competitive price supports our investments, helping us to utilise the rebuilt capacity at Stanhope, capture global demand and ultimately deliver higher returns to our Australian farmers and our owners.”

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THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

Angus heifers attract top money Alan Williams alan.williams@nzx.com FAIRLIE farmer David Giddings has set what is thought to be a New Zealand record price for commercial in-calf Angus heifers. A pen of 27 rising two-year-olds was sold at $2600 apiece at the first Meadowslea Angus female onfarm sale on May 5. Giddings was delighted with the prices with buyers keen to build up their herd numbers. “We’re pretty sure it’s a record. There’s nothing we know from earlier years above around $2000 here and I know they’re getting record prices in Australia as well.” PGG Wrightson senior genetics adviser Bruce Orr also believed it was a NZ record. “I’m 50 years in the game and I’ve never seen the schedule so solid. It might have gone higher the odd time but it’s really solid. Up till this year you’d have been looking at $1400 to $1700 for a rising two-year-old heifer in calf and this is a real vindication of what Meadowslea is doing for its commercial clients.” Giddings said the beef schedule was a factor and there was also a big shortage of capital stock nationally. There was terrific demand for

NZ Angus genetics proven to perform in hill country. North Canterbury farmers were buying after the drought as were people moving out of dairy support. He also sold stud heifers at very good prices with averages of $2500 for rising two-year-olds and $2300 for rising three-year-olds. A feature of the sale was the pricing of the commercial animals at similar levels to the stud stock when previously they would have been cheaper. The change was a signal of the capital stock shortage.

BIG BUCKS: Some of David Giddings’ commercial Angus heifers.

I’m 50 years in the game and I’ve never seen the schedule so solid. Bruce Orr PGG Wrightson “That’s the market now,” Giddings said. The record-making pen was bred on Braemar Station near Mt Cook using Meadowslea bulls. Giddings bought the heifers as weaners last year and mated them

Continued from page 1 At a private meeting in Auckland last September McClay gave the Australianowned banks a ticking off for not backing the Government’s efforts to re-establish trade with Iran. But that seemed to have made little difference to the banks, which remained wary of settling export transactions with Iran. Proceeds from sales to Iran could be routed through banks in Dubai but that came with an additional cost of 10%-15% and was on top of Iranian tariffs for sheep meat imports of 5%40%. Bankers Association chief executive Karen Scott-Howman said members could be stripped of their United States banking licences if they were found to be dealing with Iranian banks with links to terrorist organisations and it was a risk most were not yet ready to take. Guy said there was a limit to what the Government could do to encourage the banks to back their clients in Iran. “We have had those discussions. It is up to exporters to find a financier who will bank them into this market. “And, of course, competition is a great thing.”

with young bulls in a low birthweight, calving ease strategy. In August and September they would drop calves of about 32kg, compared to a 38kg calf typically born to a mature cow. Meadowslea had previously sold only bulls, expanding the cow herd since starting the Angus stud in the mid-1980s. “We’ve been expanding for 30 years but leased the next door property two years ago and have been able to increase our cow numbers from 300 to 520.” The heifer sale would be an annual event from now on, with 120 to 150 sold each year and the stud stabilising the cow numbers at about 400. “We’re selling commercial heifers now because we want the

Photo: Kate Roberge Photography

commercial guys to be able to buy stock with a very good stud record behind them,” Giddings said. “Generally there are few options for them to buy stud cattle.” The livestock sold was all bred for hill country, especially harder hill country, and that was where a lot of them were going. Linnburn Station in Central Otago bought the top-price commercial pen and left with 21 stud heifers as well. Some stock were headed for hillier parts of the North Island, such as Taihape, Hunterville and the King Country. “It’s not as high there as in the South but there are some steep slopes and these animals are really sure-footed and robust for that,’’ Orr said.

The total sold at Meadowslea was 120 with more than 40 going as stud cattle. Included in the sale were a number of older cows in the 10 to 12-year age bracket and they averaged $2750, with a top price of $5400. “If they’re well looked after they’ll breed for another three to five years,” Giddings said. “They’re proven calvers every year in the toughest of conditions, through snowfall and droughts. They’ve got tough coats for the high country.” With the heifer and cow sale completed Giddings was now looking forward to the annual bull sale in six weeks. There was already a lot of interest in the 70 bulls on offer.

Beef sector expects strong bull market Alan Williams alan.williams@nzx.com A STRONG weaner market is giving way to a strong bull sale market. That seems to be the talk in the beef sector though there are no guarantees. “We don’t know yet,” leading Reporoa Hereford stud bull breeder Kevin McDonald said. He expected a clearer picture to emerge after this week’s Beef Expo sale at Feilding. He and wife Jane had the top-priced Hereford bull at last year’s expo, with their Kairuru Lasso fetching $20,000. “Past experience is that when weaners sell well, the bulls sell well.” The weaner market was very strong throughout the country. The bull sale season kicks off in the North Island this week.

The Kairuru Stud onfarm sale was on June 7 and McDonald was getting reasonable interest, though a couple of regular buyers had indicated they are happy to continue with their existing bulls rather than add to them this year. The Kairuru bulls were in excellent condition. “One of the best lines we’ve had,” he said. Others were also reporting bulls around the country were presenting well after great weather. “They’re in great nick and we think we’ll have a very good season,” NZ Farmers Livestock’s Waikato-based stud stock adviser Brent Bougen said. “I think it will be similar to last year.” His season started with the King Country Charolais sale on May 29, the first of eight sales in that area. One proviso he had, which was shared by PGG Wrightson North Island livestock

manager Tom Mowat, was that there were fewer breeding cows on farms this year, perhaps requiring fewer bulls. That would be the only factor holding the market back, Mowat said. However, his main view was that with the cattle market being as strong as it was, bull sales “should be on a good wicket”. He expected results at least as good as last year. AgriHQ analyst Reece Brick also noted the smaller cow herds and thought the season might depend on how keen farmers were to put their money into buying good genetics. High lamb prices had also been a past guide to strong bull sales and lamb prices had been very good over the last two months especially, he said. “It’s a wait and see situation but I think we’ll have a good market.”

News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

Rust is like ‘Psa on steroids’ Richard Rennie richard.rennie@nzx.com BEEKEEPERS worried about myrtle rust’s effect on manuka production hope the disease’s timing might ease the worst of its effects on the $300 million honey industry. Apiculture New Zealand non-commercial director and Whangarei Beekeepers Club president Paul Martin said he was thankful the disease arrived at the start of winter. The wind-borne disease had also spread in Australia by human contact, beehive movement and vegetation transport. “We, at least, have the advantage that the hives are being wintered now and if we can avoid moving those hives that is one potential source of infection that will not be a risk.” The spread of varroa in the early 2000s was believed to be exacerbated by the movement of hives before controls were put in place. “But this is wind-borne and a beekeeper could just spread it by touching an infected tree. I guess, pragmatically, if you thought a beekeeper could spread it across the 200km they may have hives, it’s possible the wind would probably spread it even quicker.” But movement control became even more critical once manuka honey started flowing in spring. “That is when you get larger beekeepers come north with their

GOOD TIMING: Apiculture New Zealand non-commercial director Paul Martin is thankful myrtle rust arrived here at the start of winter.

hives for that first manuka flow then move those hives further south to follow the flow. Now is arguably the best time of year to have this disease if we were going to get it.” Because myrtle rust tended to favour sub-tropical climates it had spread rapidly north of Sydney to the Darwin coast in Australia and to a lesser extent south of Sydney. “It is almost a case of if you get out of one side of the bed you are all right but not if you get out of the other.”

However, he was heartened to learn Australian beekeepers had continued to harvest and market “active jelly bush honey”, a version of NZ’s manuka, with parallel claims on healing and therapeutic benefits. “The Australians got myrtle rust in 2010 on the eastern seaboard and they have continued to harvest honey from there. “I don’t know of any data on yields being down but it has not stopped the industry completely there.”

Ministry for Primary Industries response director Geoff Gwyn said officials estimated the disease would spread through Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay and the east coast of Canterbury. That left significant areas in the west that were capable of supporting manuka plant populations. Martin said it was possible individual plants would show tolerance or even resistance to the disease. MPI staff had identified the disease at its original discovery point in a Katikati nursery and in a garden on the same street. “Having attended the MPI presentation on the new definition of manuka honey this week I got the impression from what we were told about myrtle rust that they want us to know the chances of containing it are going to be slim,” Martin said. That was confirmed MPI statements emphasising the disease’s capacity to be carried on the wind and that there had never been a successful eradication of myrtle rust anywhere in the world. “I am expecting over the next week it will be like when Psa was discovered. We will keep hearing of new discoveries of increasing numbers.” Plant Producers Inc chairman Andrew Harrison described myrtle rust as “Psa on steroids” in terms of its ability to spread fast and wide.

“With Psa we knew it travelled tens of kilometres. This travels thousands and affects a number of species.” However, he had expected more of the rust to have been detected by now. “Every plant producer in Northland has been out looking for this. I would have expected more but that is not to say we won’t get more.” The industry body was working closely with MPI and the Conservation Department, issuing alerts encouraging all members to check for the rust’s presence in nursery plants. With their sheltered environment, good soils and young plants, nurseries were the ideal breeding grounds for the rust. “It is a bit like an infection in a kindergarten. It goes through all the kids quickly and completely.” Harrison was heartened by the ability of Tasmanians to limit the disease’s impact when it was discovered there, largely by installing protocols around plant movement and transport that slowed its spread. “We are encouraging people if they think they have seen it to take a picture, not to touch it, report it. The Kerikeri nursery owners who saw this and reported it should be applauded for their actions. They deserve the full support of the community for putting up their hands when finding it.”

Ballance getting more phosphate after ship held Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com BALLANCE Agri-Nutrients is securing fresh supplies of phosphate rock after a 55,000 tonne shipment from the disputed

territory of Western Sahara was detained in South Africa. Chief executive Mark Wynne said it was too early to say if the detained shipment would have an impact on spring fertiliser supplies but the company also

had access to phosphate rock deposits in South Africa, Morocco, China and Vietnam. “It will be tight but it’s not an insurmountable problem. We’ve still got a number of countries in which we can access sufficient

supplies.” The detained shipment represented about 7% of NZ’s annual phosphate demand and about a quarter of the raw phosphate Ballance sourced from north Africa each year.

The NM Cherry Blossom was detained in Port Elizabeth by South African authorities acting on a request from Polisario, a group claiming to be the legitimate ruler of Western Sahara and owner of the rock.

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News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

Farmer challenges bore probe finding Richard Rennie richard.rennie@nzx.com HAWKE’S Bay farmer and irrigator Hugh Ritchie hopes more attention will focus on the standard of urban water systems in the wake of the Havelock North water inquiry. He was outspoken in his criticism of the Brookvale Road water bore identified as the source of the campylobacter contamination last August. At that time he cited a lack of well-head protection and cracks in the bore casing as the means by which contaminated water entered the well. The report said it was highly likely water from neighbouring sheep paddocks entered the bore to contaminate the supply with campylobacter. It also put considerable blame on the Hawke’s Bay Regional and Hastings District councils for the lack of corporate learning from an incident in 1998 that was very similar to the 2016 outbreak. Ritchie was publicly reprimanded by the district council in August for his claims about the contamination and the bore’s condition. District council chief executive Ross McLeod said then there was no clear evidence water entered the bores through the bore heads and nor was there any evidence of cracks in the casings. The inquiry found with 78% certainty the contaminated water was drawn into the bore through its casings or screens and most likely through the screens on the bore itself, then pumped up through the water system. It steered clear of citing the

bore’s poor well head condition as the incursion path. But it found the bore was in poor repair and holes on top let water to flow freely down the bore during testing. “I find it hard to believe that the contamination came in via the aquifer then up the bore and just through that one bore location when there are plenty of other bores in that area sharing that aquifer and none of them reported contamination,” Ritchie said.

The council is fully committed to addressing and fixing the deficiencies. Ross McLeod Hastings District Council Both councils were found wanting over their procedures to ensure the bores were sound for public drinking water supply. The condition of the bore heads was supposed to be reported to drinking water assessors annually but that was not done. The inquiry also found weaknesses in the actions of inspection company MWH, appointed by the district council to ensure the bores met drinking water standards. Rules required bore inspections to be done by inspectors recognised as experts but the inspector appointed had only nine months experience when he assessed the bores in 2014.

The inquiry maintained the inspections were “negligently” carried out. Ritchie said faults in the bore let the pathogens to enter. The inquiry did determine the 5m stock exclusion zone for livestock around well heads had proved less than adequate. The sheep in the August outbreak were beyond the 5m zone. Ritchie said pastoral farmers had already been required to tighten up on management of feedlot systems to reduce runoff infection risk. In the initial stages of the outbreak the feedlots were cited as possible infection sources. However, he hoped the event would bring all parties concerned over water quality, both urban and rural, together to work more co-operatively to deal with problems. One was the quality of urban bore systems. “I would hope the next stage of the inquiry answers questions on how the problems it has identified will be addressed. Taking out wells around the country just because they are in proximity to livestock is not likely to be practical in NZ.” The report authors confirmed stage two of the inquiry aimed to address lessons for the future and possible changes to the statutory regime and likely impacts on other parts of the country. McLeod said the council accepted the wider findings of the inquiry and particularly those pointing to deficiencies in the council’s water supply operations. “The council is fully committed to addressing and fixing the deficiencies highlighted by the inquiry to ensure the safety of

INCREDIBLE: Hawke’s Bay farmer Hugh Ritchie finds it hard to believe contamination of a Havelock North bore got in through and aquifer when other bores on the same aquifer were not contaminated.

drinking water in the future,” he said. Steps already under way to ensure better water quality included more water testing,

installing a treatment plant on one of the Brookvale bores, making provision for further treatment plants and investigating new water sources.

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News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

More quake money for farmers Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com A NEW $5 million recovery package for the South Island’s quake stricken farmers has been welcomed with open arms. North Canterbury Rural Support Trust spokesman Doug Archbold said the key to the new funding was the ease with which it could be accessed by farmers and communities. “This is funding that will be farmer and community project driven. It’s not about a huge pile of paperwork that farmers just don’t need. “This is money that can be accessed with relative ease with real, tangible, virtually immediate benefit,” Archbold said. “This is almost bigger than the initial earthquake funding, especially in the light that there are some farmers who actually have to consider whether they can continue to farm. “The flexibility around this funding and how it can be used is the key,” he said. Primary Industries and Civil Defence Minister Nathan Guy announced the $5m in new funding support for quake-struck farmers and growers in a visit to the region on Wednesday. The money would support projects that investigated longterm land use options. It would also fund professional advisory services for future land use planning. “The November earthquake has caused significant erosion and damage to land in the Hurunui, Kaikoura and Marlborough regions. “Farmers, growers and foresters are now faced with the challenge of determining what to do with their land going forward and this fund is designed to help with

The new $5m recovery fund will support farmers and growers with the longterm issues they are now facing. Nathan Guy Minister

WELCOME: The new earthquake recovery money will give real and immediate benefit, North Canterbury Rural Support Trust spokesman Dough Archbold says.

those decisions,” Guy said. The fund was designed to support farmers and growers in two ways, depending on their needs. Money would be available for farmer- and grower-led, community-driven projects focused on long-term land use diversification, research or restoration. Projects would need to be related to and in the Hurunui, Kaikoura and Marlborough district or primarily for the benefit of the region. Guy said funding would also be offered for farmers, growers and foresters who wanted individual professional advice on their land recovery and long-term land use

as a result of the earthquake. The Government’s $4m earthquake relief fund announced in December was designed for the initial phase of recovery where farmers and growers needed support for repairs. “As they move to the next phase of recovery the new $5m recovery fund will support farmers and growers with the long-term issues they are now facing,” Guy said. The earthquake recovery fund would be administered by the Ministry for Primary Industries and was in addition to other financial and support services available. Funding could be up to $600,000 over three years for projects starting from September.

Farm workers do less, get more Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com FARM staff worked fewer hours but most had a modest pay rise in the past year. The Federated FarmersRabobank Farm Employee Remuneration survey found farm staff worked an average of 42 hours a week last year, down from 43 hours the previous year and 45 hours a week two years ago. The federation’s employment spokesman Andrew Hoggard said that meant an increase in hourly pay rates but also showed some farmers were better at managing their rosters and time recoding to reduce workloads. But it could also have been in response to the low incomes of recent years prompting some employers to be more hands-on instead of replacing staff. The survey also found that finding staff was difficult with 40% of respondent employers reporting it being “not at all easy”

or “not very easy” to recruit staff. Three-quarters of employers were satisfied with the performance of the staff they had recruited. “Recruitment, especially in the dairy and grain industry, is still proving difficult, which is reflected in the fact that there is still relatively high reliance on migrant labour,” Hoggard said. The survey also found an increase in the use of employment agreements, up from 88% last year to more than 90%, which Hoggard said was a legal requirement but also good practice. Agreements were more common in the dairy industry, where there was more than 96% compliance, but Hoggard said he would be much happier if the figure was 100%. “The law has been around for a long time. “There is no excuse but to me it is important to set out the rules and expectations clearly at the start of employment.”

The improvement in dairy employment agreements was in part caused by a focus on the industry by the Labour Inspectorate. The survey attracted 914 respondents for 2834 positions in the dairy, sheep and beef and arable sectors. It found pay rises were more common for junior positions and there was also quite a big jump in the pay for shepherds on sheep and beef properties, at 4%. “Given other non-monetary benefits often make up a farm employees’ total package, such as food, accommodation and power, the total package provided to farm employees is still very competitive in comparison to other off-farm roles,” he said. The remuneration results for the past year might have been an anomaly in response to low dairy and early season meat prices and Hoggard felt in the coming year employers might seek more staff, which could drive up wages.

Money for advisory services could be up to $5000 a property and would be available late July or early August. Archbold said Guy assured the 50 farmers and community representatives who gathered at Mendip Hills Station for the announcement that MPI would stand shoulder to shoulder with farming communities to get them through. MPI would work with farmers, scientists and industry professionals to provide business assistance packages and to work out future solutions for broken farmland. Guy encouraged people to come forward with their needs to get the region back up and running.

Hurunui Mayor Winton Dalley delivered a forthright message. Dalley said change was needed and the regional civil defence review committee would have comprehensive notes to deliver. Guy assured him there would be consultation with local bodies. Meantime, the Government’s skilled worker initiative, run in conjunction with Federated Farmers, was coming to an end. The initiative launched in January was to finish on May 31. While there would be some overrun time, AgStaff project co-ordinator Trina Moore said there was no indication whether it would continue in any way. “We have had huge demand for skilled onfarm workers. We have worked with more than 50 farms and there’s been a lot of work completed.” But most had been emergency work and there was still capacity to keep workers on for the recovery work now. “We have done the urgent work to keep stock in and keep stock out but there’s a lot of ongoing recovery work to be done yet and there’s a lot more farms.” Moore said farmers could still make requests for help and she encouraged them to get their names on the list to help with planning for ongoing need.

China meat trial will start soon Nigel Stirling nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com A TRIAL of chilled meat exports to China will start very soon, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says. Chinese officials had accepted the 10 processing plants the New Zealand industry nominated last month for the six-month trial. Ministry of Primary Industries officials were now waiting for the appropriate paperwork to arrive so exports could begin. “I would say it will happen imminently,” Guy said. As no new plant inspections were required the trial looked set to run from June to December and take in what was traditionally the low part of the year for NZ meat production. However, good grass growth meant farmers had kept more stock through to the second half of the year than was normal. “So I do not foresee that there will be too much problem for the industry to pick up some production to fill the chilled market opportunity in China,” he said. The premium for chilled over

frozen meant many farmers should get a late-season boost to prices as a result of the trial. “Quite simply, this means we can double the value of the returns back to industry and ultimately back to farmers from chilled to frozen.” The trial took in two plants each for the big four exporters Silver Fern Farms, Alliance Group, Anzco and Affco. Second-tier companies Ovation and Greenlea Premier Meats had one plant each. Guy was confident the arrangement with China would be extended to cover more plants as it had recently been in Australia. “So, while every industry player could not get through the gate this time I am really hopeful that this market will open up to be a significant value proposition for us in the longer term.” The trial crowned efforts by the industry and government officials dating back to the 2008 free-trade agreement and was expected to open up opportunities for exporters in high-end restaurants patronised by increasing numbers of wealthy Chinese.

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News

10 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

A world of threats, opportunities This year’s Nuffield Scholars have covered a broad range of subjects stretching across Chinese dairying and synthetic food to inside the farmgate examining agribusiness governance. Farmers Weekly reporter Richard Rennie is interviewing each in depth about their work and what it means for New Zealand agriculture’s future. This week he interviewed Richard Fowler on the rise of synthetic food.

EW Zealand’s pastoral agriculture risks finding itself the fuel for the hype surrounding synthetic food and should move quickly to resonate with consumers, Nuffield Scholar Richard Fowler says. The Te Puke sharemilker spent his scholarship year going to 18 countries to study work being done on synthetic foods, particularly meat and milk. He found a surging industry fed by the jet fuel of venture capital, often contributed by some of the world’s wealthiest individuals including Google founder Sergi Brin, who provided the seed money for the world’s first labgrown burger. Beneath the ambiguous brand names like Perfect Day and Whitewave Foods lay slick and well-produced marketing campaigns designed as much to appeal to further venture capitalists as to consumers of the synthetic products. But, more disturbingly for Fowler, were the inferred and explicit claims that conventional agriculture was inferior and more harmful to animals and the environment than products these companies were offering. “I think it is the perceptions about conventional farming these brands are playing to that forms the real threat to the likes of NZ, rather than the size of the actual industry itself at this stage.” Fowler observed an industry still very much in the capitalraising phase, still full of many ifs in terms of market size. It still presented threats but also opportunities for NZ’s pastoral sector, depending upon how much of the venture capital promise became a reality. The meat sector faced synthetic products sourced from either plant products or harvested, labgrown stem cells. The greatest threat Fowler saw was in the food service sector, with the likes of McDonalds offering a blended or

solely synthetic burger on environmental grounds. However, he remained dubious about synthetic steaks coming soon, with challenges remaining on building the structure for a steak, compared to the mince-like product presently formulated. The intensive cut-and-carry dairy operations in the United States also pulled NZ’s extensive pastoral system in their negative slipstream that synthetic milk companies played into their promotion. “The general consensus is there is little difference in carbon emissions between a pasturebased farming model and an intensive, confinement model despite the best animal welfare standards in the world.” The NZ farming model risked being “lined up and shot” alongside other countries without a real trial. “There is no concept in the US about our relatively small herds and how farm size is constrained by how far a cow can walk between milkings.” The international dairy sector was finally starting to mobilise over the use of the word milk on assorted grain-nut liquids. But Fowler believed that might be a only distraction from a product that demanded fighting on a more strategic front. “It may be as simple as having a better understanding of our true water and carbon footprints. “These don’t get talked about but we need to find whether we really are better, worse or the same as these new food types in these areas.” He suspected the new plantsourced foods might have higher energy costs than conventional agriculture. “And we need to think about the water footprint when so much of the water used in our systems comes free from the sky. Is that necessarily as demanding as irrigation sourced water?” Fowler also challenged the industry’s processors to make the leap into some synthetic food

investment, at least to engage with the key players in the sector and get the true story on where the industry was heading. “Because if you just look at the internet at present, you really only get a lot of slick messages, not always with substance behind them.” But engaging might also provide business opportunities for big processors like Fonterra to expand into new markets and products in a way that grew the entire market, rather than having milk substituted litre for litre by synthetics. “It really is no different to Coca Cola deciding it is not just into soft drinks and how it got into other drink types, including water.” It was telling that one of the US’s biggest meat processors, Tyson Foods, had invested a 5% stake in plant-based meat company Beyond Meat. Fowler would also like to see industry groups including Beef + Lamb NZ and DairyNZ at industry conventions, taking an open mind of what opportunities might exist. There might also be opportunities for NZ agriculture in providing the basic inputs synthetic food required. Plantsourced products required crops, often peas and potatoes. Landcorp had been in talks with Impossible Foods to see if growing such crops might help reduce its environmental footprint. “But, realistically, NZ is a smallscale crop producer compared to the US and Australia.” Other niche opportunities to help meet the challenge head on might include supplying stem cells to the cultured meat sector. “And with a processor like Fonterra, we already own and control some significant supply channels and have customers loyal to the brand. A synthetic dairy food blend could give consumers a choice not currently available.” Fowler said his year travelling tipped his world upside down and the synthetic threat might at least prompt further changes in conventional farming practices. “If a consumer is prepared to pay $20 a litre for a milk product made in a certain way then who are we to say they should not get what they want for that?”

Fowler’s paper can be read at www.nuffield.org.nz

Dairy accord progress report DAIRYNZ will release facts and figures on farmers’ environmental efforts in Wellington today. It would report year three, the 2015-16 season, progress of the Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord, which was expected to be a considerable improvement on previous figures. DairyNZ had put great emphasis on the accord’s approach, which took over from

the Fonterra-only accord in 2013. It provided audited figures of the work being done on farms to show the rest of society, especially dairy industry critics. Farmers had made a voluntary yet iron-clad commitment to the rest of New Zealand, DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle said. Farming needed to be profitable for environmental initiatives to proceed.

Dairying remained a cornerstone of the NZ economy and the milk cheques supported very many local services and supply companies. Speakers at the Wellington event to be held at Te Papa Museum would be Mackle, Primary Industries Minister and Levin dairy farmer Nathan Guy and Dairy Environment Leaders Group chairman Alister Body of Canterbury.

WRONG WAY UP: What Nuffield Scholar Richard Fowler found on his visits to 18 countries turned his world upside down.

Quad bike passenger confusion cleared up CARRYING a passenger on a quad bike is allowed only when there is no reasonable alternative, a clarification from WorkSafe states. WorkSafe acknowledged farmers and others using quad bikes for work needed the policy clarified so they clearly understood what was acceptable in terms of carrying passengers. It was acceptable only when there was no reasonable alternative, having considered factors such as availability of alternative vehicles, terrain and rider and passenger capability. WorkSafe worked with Federated Farmers, Beef + Lamb New Zealand and DairyNZ on the ruling. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act farmers had to identify and manage risks arising from work, so far as was reasonably practicable. WorkSafe’s position was that single-seat bikes should not normally be used to carry passengers. Carrying a passenger on a quad bike not designed for more than one person could increase the risk of accidents by making it more unstable, more difficult to control and more likely to roll. “WorkSafe’s guidance is that you should use the safest vehicle for the job,” its agriculture leader Al McCone said. “When carrying a passenger this would mean using a vehicle specifically designed for more than one person.”

When a passenger was carried, appropriate mitigation measures must be taken – including limiting speed, briefing the passenger on best practice riding and avoiding unsuitable terrain. If carrying a passenger on a quad bike was a recurring event farmers should look seriously at acquiring an alternative vehicle suitable for the circumstances as soon as was practicable. The clarification also stipulated carrying a child as a passenger on a quad bike created a particular set of risks. As with the general principle, a child may ride as a passenger only if there was no reasonable alternative and following an assessment of the related risk and risk mitigation measures. “This is a good example of WorkSafe and farmers working together to find practical solutions,” B+LNZ chief executive Sam McIvor said. “We all want fewer accidents and injuries on our farms so the important thing is that we always consider risk and this guidance emphasises that,” he said. “It’s great to have this clarification on an issue that has been confusing for farmers,” Federated Farmers health and safety spokeswoman Katie Milne said. “It also encourages farmers to think about the risk their activities create and to manage their work in line with that risk.”

News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

Scientists make waves over water complaints Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com A SCIENTIST at the centre of claims he attacked the integrity and professionalism of freshwater ecologist Dr Mike Joy is still waiting to see the specifics of the allegations. New Zealand Association of Scientist’s president Craig Stevens has written to members after “several” complaints about comments made by soil scientist Dr Doug Edmeades and Environmental Protection Agency chief scientist Jacqueline Rowarth about Joy. The complaints stemmed from a radio interview involving the two of them on The Country and an Edmeades column in which they discussed Joy’s views and conclusions on water quality. The complaints could be escalated with suggestions the Royal Society of NZ might consider disciplinary action. But Edmeades said the association had not told him specifically where he acted contrary to its code of standards and ethics, something he said was contrary to natural justice. He rejected accusations he was attacking Joy’s integrity or professionalism, saying the interview and column discussed whether Joy’s research met the Royal Society of NZ’s scientific standards, which he believed it did not when compared to other papers released on the issue.

It’s not a matter of being biased. It’s plain wrong.

“This should be done as the code requires, in a fair and unbiased manner. It is my view that Dr Joy is not assisting in this regard.” He said Joy had been factually wrong in blaming intensive farming for contaminating Havelock North’s drinking water and that the Selwyn River was dry because of irrigation and intensive dairying. The Royal Society supported association members for following its code of standards and ethics, saying the public needed to “trust their experts to be honest and act with integrity”.

ACCUSED: Soil scientist Dr Doug Edmeades is under fire for his comments about freshwater ecologist Dr Mike Joy.

MOVING OR MOVED YOUR HERD TO A NEW FARM?

Dr Doug Edmeades “What you get from Mike Joy is one contaminant, nitrogen, one source, dairy farming and one solution, get rid of dairy farming. “It’s not a matter of being biased. It’s plain wrong.” Stevens said the society was acting on complaints by members who viewed the column and radio interviews as targeting Joy and not science. Asked to be more specific Stevens initially declined but then pointed to the headlines on the interview and column: “Is Mike Joy a biased scientist” and “Is Dr Mike Joy an extremist or does he have a point?” Edmeades said he did not write either headline and his working headline for the column was “Is balance important?” The column was cleared by a lawyer before being submitted and he said he was surprised when he saw the published article. Joy welcomed the letter from the association adding he did not complain about the column or the interview, choosing instead to ignore them. He understood a complaint could be lodged with the Royal Society but not by him. The Massey University scientist said his science had never been questioned and he rejected claims he singled out nitrogen and dairying as the cause of declining water quality. He blamed the media for giving that perception, saying he discussed other pollutants and causes in talks he gave and papers he had published. But Edmeades said recent freshwater reports such as that from Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, the chief science adviser to Prime Minister Bill English, were more balanced and thorough in identifying the causes of water pollution and solutions. In a letter to the association Edmeades said compared to Gluckman’s report, Joy’s view did not meet the association’s code of striving “to be fair and unbiased in all aspects of their research”. Edmeades said farmers were required to make major changes to the way they operated and needed accurate and scientific information on which to make those changes.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR TBFREE AND NAIT •

Update your contact details

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Record your stock movements in NAIT

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Check the TB status and testing requirements of the area you’re moving to

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Correctly complete an animal status declaration (ASD) form when shifting stock and give to the next person in charge

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Make sure that stock shifting from a TBfree Movement Control Area have a pre-movement TB test up to 60 days before the move

FURTHER HELP GO TO OSPRI.CO.NZ OR CALL 0800 482 463.

NAIT and TBfree are OSPRI programmes

News

12 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

Hops industry hits craft beer growth spurt Anne Hardie verbatim@xtra.co.nz POPULARITY of craft beer around the globe is driving an expansion of New Zealand’s hop industry, which has seen little growth for decades. The Nelson-based industry has revolved around a stable group of 18 growers who had become price takers of a commodity market, prompting a rethink a few years ago to focus on unique varieties to offer to craft breweries looking for different flavours and aromas in their beers. NZ produced a mere 1% of the world’s hop crop, which it sold through the co-operativelyowned company, NZ Hops, but its varieties were now in demand and the $25 million industry here was on a roll enticing newcomers to make the significant capital investment needed to set up a hop garden. NZ Hops chief executive Doug Donelan said several new growers had entered the industry, including a dairy farmer, a former Merino farmer and blackcurrant growers who were investing in the capital-intensive infrastructure of the pole structure for a garden, a kiln and mechanical pickers to strip the flowers from the vines.

On today’s prices, they were likely to average $45,000/ha once their gardens were established and plants mature. Nelson was the only region in the country that could grow the latitude-sensitive crop and fortunately had the right climate to grow it well. Plants grown in Nelson didn’t have the bugs and diseases battled by overseas hop growers and this year that enabled 90% of the NZ crop to be certified sprayfree while nearly 21,000kg of that was certified organic. In the next few years, expansion would take the tiny industry from 442ha to about 650ha, which would produce about 1200 tonnes of a range of varieties. This year the industry harvested 760 tonnes, slightly down on the previous year because of a cooler summer and unrelenting winds, Donelan said. An extremely wet spring was followed by a cool summer and cold westerly winds brought strong gusts that damaged plantings and reduced the overall crop. It was followed by a baffling harvest for many growers because several varieties shifted their harvest window habits by holding on longer than usual. The end result was shortfalls in some

LIQUID GOLD: Nelson’s hop harvest is now worth about $25 million.

varieties of the largely pre-sold crop. About 95% of the crop was sold before harvest with a big chunk of it destined for the United States craft beer market and 20% to NZ brewers. “The total beer volume around the world isn’t growing but craft beer is taking a bigger segment. “We’re seeing major growth in small breweries in NZ and what is happening now in the US is brew pubs, where they are making beer and selling it at that outlet. “It’s great for us because they’re looking for new hop varieties and not only do they use specialty hops but lots of them.” Craft beer was not just for the small breweries though, Donelan said. Beer giants such as DB and Lion were producing their own brands

to appeal to consumers moving away from traditional, cheaper beer. Seventeen of the varieties grown in Nelson were unique to NZ while six were northern types and the combined mix enabled growers to spread the harvest over a longer period. Brewers needed alpha hops to provide the bittering agent in beer while aroma hops, which made up most of NZ’s varieties, provided the individual characteristics of the brew. Countries such as Germany continued to grow hop varieties for the commodity market because they had scale and could grow higher-yielding varieties for less. America had individual hop gardens that were bigger than the entire NZ crop. So the tiny NZ industry relied on offering something different.

Donelan said research continued to be a major focus of the industry through its partnership with Plant and Food Research and developing unique hop varieties remained at the forefront of the programme. Two promising new cultivars were in growing trials after being identified through brewing trials and if successful in the field would be added to the mix for growers. Expansion of the Nelson crop from new entrants and existing growers prompted NZ Hops to expand its facilities at Appleby near Richmond where dried hops were processed into pellets or repackaged as whole hops. In the past three years it had built more cool storage and Donelan said it would replicate that as well as more warehousing and distribution facilities.

Oldest family yet joins Century farmers club Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com PREPARATIONS are under way for Century Farms to welcome a new group of families. Chairman Symon Howard said it had been another good year of applications for the Century Farms and Stations Awards with 36 families to be formally recognised in Lawrence on May 27. The awards were about celebrating generations on the land and each of the families had made the significant achievement of 100 or more years farming their land. Their purpose was to capture and preserve the family history that might otherwise be lost. Families submitted narratives of their farm history with copies of related photographs and supporting documents that were archived at the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington, ensuring all records were kept in perpetuity. Applications received in

the last year were spread well throughout the country. “This year we have six families receiving awards honouring over 150 years on the land, an incredible achievement given the very significant challenges the families faced over the generations,” Howard said. The Matthews family from Kaitaia, being honoured this year, would be the oldest to receive an award to date. It had farmed the land since 1839, an impressive 177 years. Previously the Raine family from Nelson, on the land since 1844, had been the oldest recipient of the more than 400 families acknowledged in the awards since they started in NEW BLOOD: Century Farms chairman Symon Howard with administrator Mel Foster will welcome 36 new families this Otago in 2005. year. At the awards dinner families had the chance to meet other recipients and formally receive families who have owned and to ensure it’s kept in a safe and “There’s some incredible a distinctive bronze plaque and farmed their land since 1917 or professional environment with agricultural and social history certificate to display on their earlier could apply. easy access by the generations to out there in old diaries and properties. come,” Howard said. photo albums and these awards “Our families love to meet the Applications were now open prove to be great motivation for other recipients. It’s part of what MORE: for next year’s awards and any families to gather their history makes the evening so special. www.centuryfarms.co.nz

News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

Rowing helps health, social lives Richard Rennie richard.rennie@nzx.com FOUR Hawke’s Bay farmers among the 25,000 participants at the World Masters Games used the event and their sport as a springboard to improve their health and social lives. Like parents of rowing school children everywhere, Hawke’s Bay farmer and Atkins Ranch chairman Robert Buddo of Poukawa has spent plenty of summers on the banks of rivers and lakes watching them racing and ultimately wondering if he could do it himself. The recent World Masters Games was the stage on which he and fellow rowers Gregory Vanderpeet, Allen Kittow and Gerard Steenkamer got to realise what a couple of years’ of commitment and hard work could deliver in a world-class competition. The men were rowing for the Hawke’s Bay Rowing Club as an E-grade, average age 55-60, quad. They claimed second place in their heat and ultimately pulled out all stops to come a respectable sixth in their final. Two of them also managed a fourth in the mixed quad and Buddo also pulled a second in his mixed double scull race. The rowing events at the games were regarded as the showcase for many ex-Olympic athletes and were held in the sport’s elite arena at Lake Karapiro with crews travelling from as far afield as Russia and Denmark. Race line-ups included Olympic medallists Rob Waddell and Rob Hamill in crews. “None of us had rowed at school but we were very fortunate to have an excellent coach in Chris Morgan as masters. He really proved to be the glue that held us together and kept us on course for this regatta,” Buddo said. The motivation to compete came from a common desire to have an activity off the farm. They sought one that was social and physical and the impetus included a level of mid-life angst that accompanied anyone dealing with children leaving home, having to fill in unaccustomed spare time and stay healthy. The group managed to gain a range of sponsorship for their quest. That included Atkins Ranch lamb as protein for the duration of their camping stay at Karapiro and race gear from rural mental health support group Farmstrong. “Having Farmstrong on board was a really good fit for this. For us it was about getting off the farm and doing something new and having something else to focus on,” Buddo said. The concerted demands of sculling provided more than enough distraction from the usual whizz of emails, phone messages, farm demands and family pressures. The crew also enjoyed the social banter that inevitably rippled through a group on a 20km-plus training row. “The Hawke’s Bay Rowing Club had 20 masters competing, including three full-time farmers so there are people from all walks of life you come into contact with.” Despite being regarded as an elite sport in Europe and the United States it was the egalitarian nature of the NZ rowing scene that had made the regatta a convivial and positive experience. “And you can see that the fitness aspect has really helped some of our guys. Because you are totally focused on learning something new, you are totally engrossed in it. It is a great way to get energised.” Two years ago they competed in the masters national event and decided to focus on the World Masters with the confidence they were not going to look like complete novices. “We did the nationals last year then after a bit of a spell we got back into it.” The team had committed to a training regime that would be regarded as vigorous even by club standards. They went for 25-30km training rows on the Clive River every week. The thrice weekly training included time on the water and fitness and rowing machine work on land.

“There are always a few balls to juggle around at this stage of your life when you take on something like this but it is one of those things you need to make a priority at this stage of life too,” Buddo said. While they took their approach to the regatta seriously, the social element remained a priority, including a post-row beer at the Clive pub every Friday. After some rest and recuperation from the intense world regatta the crew remained committed to continuing training for future regattas. “It’s a wonderful sport. When you are in a quad it is all about synchronicity and when you get that it is hugely rewarding.”

STILL GOING: The Hawke’s Bay Rowing Club world masters crew including Rob Buddo, bottom right.

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News

14 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

Kiwi ban a marketing ploy Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com THE decision by Britain’s fifth largest food retailer to stock only locally produced lamb and pork is a marketing decision and not a sign of growing trade protection, experts say. The seasonality of lamb production meant supermarkets needed complementary supply and the chain’s move should not have any impact on New Zealand lamb exports to the United Kingdom, they said. Earlier this month the Co-op said it would be the first national retailer to stock only fresh British lamb and bacon in its more than 2500 local, convenience and medium sized stores. It based the decision on a doubling of meat imports to the UK in the last 20 years from £3 billion $NZ5.6b) to £6b (NZ$11.6b). The chain urged other retailers to follow suit and received support from Neil Parish, a former farmer, member of Parliament and chairman of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, who complained to the British Retail Consortium in a letter about the amount of imported lamb in shops, especially over Easter. “As the British lamb season is just starting, we do expect to see our supermarkets supporting British farmers and providing consumers with the choice of British meat,” he said. “The current reliance on imported lamb by major supermarket retailers is a real concern to me, especially at this critical time when the UK is preparing to leave the European Union.”

NOT ON: It would be very challenging for all British retailers to cope without New Zealand lamb, Beef + Lamb NZ chairman James Parsons says.

A move by Co-op to UK stock only UK lamb is a nice public relations story. Mike Petersen Trade envoy But NZ’s special agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen said while the Co-op’s decision was a marketing position, sheep meat prices globally had lifted, which,

combined with a weakening UK pound following the country’s decision to leave Europe, made lamb expensive. “A move by Co-op to stock only UK lamb is a nice public relations story but increased prices are also influencing this decision.” Lincoln University senior agribusiness lecturer Nick Lees said other supermarkets had tried stocking only local meat but were forced to change because they needed out-of-season supply. He doubted the move would be replicated by other supermarket

chains because of that. Beef + Lamb NZ chairman James Parsons said simple mathematics and the fluctuating and seasonal kill pattern meant UK supermarkets needed NZ lamb. “When you do the maths, broadly the total volume of lamb produced in the UK, is about what they consume.” The UK was also a large consumer of legs so markets had to be found for other cuts and the two largest lamb consumption periods, Easter and Christmas, were outside the domestic

production cycle. “It would be very, very challenging for all UK retailers to buy local for 12 months of the year.” Parsons said while the Co-op was a small market for NZ lamb, its move was aimed at chilled product. In its May 2 press release the Co-op quoted in-house research that found $9.3b of meat was imported into the UK from Europe, $1.5b from Asia and Oceania, including $544m from NZ and $645m from Latin America.

‘Tricky details’ in post-Brexit deals

Autumn 2017 Deal Classifieds display advertising We’ve decided as the Autumn Deal had such a good response that we are going to extend it to the end of 2017. You are welcome! A reminder on how it works: Buy 4 ads and only pay for 3 What does this include?

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Colin Ley THE post-Brexit future of New Zealand’s lamb exports to the European Union and United Kingdom has been described as one of the “tricky details” that will need to be sorted out over the next two years. A Confederation of British Industry report added the warning that the devil will be in the detail when negotiations on trade begin in earnest. The NZ lamb issue was highlighted in the insight report by the confederation, a high-profile body representing 190,000 businesses, which, together, employ nearly seven million people. The report, Brexit Sector Focus: Agriculture, said Britain’s vote to leave the EU raised many complex questions for agriculture and farming with the UK’s future trading relationship with the EU in farmed goods being vital to industry.

“The period so far (since Britain voted on Brexit) has been a honeymoon,” National Farmers Union Brexit specialist Lucia Zitti, a contributor to the CBI document, said. “We have seen the beneficial effect of the lower pound and we are still a member of the EU so we have access to the single market and a continuance of the income support coming from the Common Agriculture Policy budget. “But now our members are thinking about the future and there is stress over the uncertainty.” Noting the NFU’s official Brexit policy was for a deal that allowed free access as far as possible with no tariffs to trade in agricultural products between the UK and the EU, Zitti warned “Even as free a trade agreement as possible would not equate to what we have now. “Regulations will diverge

and that will lead to facilitation costs being applied to trade. “Trade with the rest of the world is another issue. “The EU applies a common Customs Union tariff to imports and exports with the rest of the world. The current UK government has made clear its intention to exit that arrangement and create a new regime. “There are tricky details to consider. “For example, the EU has an agreement called a tariff rate quota with NZ to import 280,000 tonnes of lamb at a preferential rate. “What will the UK’s share of this quota be when it leaves? “A sensible way to split the quota could be done based on historical trade flows. “But NZ will have its own view. “These kind of complexities mean the devil really will be in the detail when negotiations on trade begin,” Zitti said.

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16 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

FINALISTS: Pukepoto farm manager Terry Head and trustee Weo Maag at the Ahuwhenua Trophy BNZ Maori Excellence in Farming Award field day.

Quick decisions lead to success Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com WEO Maag concedes the Pukepoto Farm Trust does things a bit differently. A trustee of the entity that owns the 1400ha breeding and finishing property at Ongarue near Taumarunui, Maag said the trust aimed to keep things simple but was a willing adopter of any systems or tools that worked. An Ahuwhenua Trophy finalist, the Pukepoto trust was formed in 1978 and its 1000 shareholders owned land that was originally used as a thoroughfare for Maori travelling between Taranaki and Whanganui.

The farm ran 6000 highperforming Romney ewes and 300 Angus cows on 1000ha of moderate to steep hill country that could be farmed. Of the balance, about 100ha was covenanted under the Nga Whenua Rahui scheme, 62ha was in plantation forest and the balance scrub, much of which had been retired to prevent erosion. Maag said the trust was creating a high-performing Angus cow herd and recently cut back cow numbers given their impact on the steep hill country. Its goals were to have 90% of lambs off the farm prime at more than 17kg and steers and cull heifers sold after one winter, the

steers killed at 280kg to 300kg carcaseweight. So far this season 4000 lambs had been sold at an average weight of 18.5kg and average price of $105. It had been an exceptional autumn for grass growth and there were still several thousand lambs to be sold, which Maag said could reduce those averages. With breeding cows, replacements and finishing stock, Pukepoto ran 800 cattle and through purchased heifers and its own breeding programme, the trust aimed to create a highperformance Angus herd. The farm was run by manager Terry Head, a shepherd and casual

labour as needed but one of the challenges was the need for extra staff as productivity grew. Maag said the farm was profitable, which he attributed to having trustworthy people sharing the same values who could achieve what the trustees and shareholders wanted. “They are words that are often bandied around. They are very simple words but it is how you live up to them.” A farm operations committee of three trustees worked almost daily with Head, an arrangement Maag said blurred the lines between governance and management but which ensured decisions were made quickly so

opportunities were captured. “We don’t sit around waiting for monthly meetings and waiting to be told where something is at.” The trust was always looking to improve the performance of the farm but had also been selective in what modern technology it adopted. It recently signed up to FarmIQ with Maag saying the information it captured would have many uses. The trustees were great listeners and readers and any system or technology was tested to ensure its relevance and if they were convinced, it was adopted. “The way we do things is the way we do things and it works for us.”

New group aims to attract more young Maori to farming Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com PRIMARY sector organisations are working on a vehicle for better engagement with Maori youth to raise awareness of working on the land and in support industries. An ad hoc committee has put together a business case for organisations and anyone else wanting to join what they call “a coalition of the willing” to consider. DairyNZ development manager Tony Finch said young Maori were under-represented in agricultural jobs though they were employed in forestry and the meat industry in big numbers. “They might be wellrepresented in those hands-on jobs but we want them to know about vast career opportunities in the wider sector.” The coalition would need to find innovative ways of engaging with Maori youth because they didn’t always fit

Health and safety requirements mean we can’t just grab them off the street and chuck them in the deep end. Lloyd Brennan Omapere-Rangihamama Trust into the mainstream patterns of communication and careers advice. Those organisations already around the table were Primary ITO, Wintec, Taratahi, Te Awanui Huka Pak, Rayonier, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, DairyNZ, HortNZ, Young Farmers, the Primary Industry Capability Alliance (PICA), Whenua Kura, which is the Ngai Tahu initiative, the Ministry for Primary Industries, Te Puna Kokiri, the Ministry for the

Environment and the Ministry for Social Development. Finch said the group was not working to a timetable. “When we got together the why was agreed on straight away so we moved on to how and developing the business case, which is where we have got to. “A lot is happening already – everyone has got a view on how to entice kids into science or whatever work stream. “My preferred approach is to cast the net as wide as possible on behalf of the primary sector and then channel them down career choices. “It is not just one industry that should be taking the lead – it should be a collaborative approach,” Finch said. The new collaboration came to light at the Ahuwhenua Trophy field day on the Kohewhata marae, Kaikohe, for the OmapereRangihamama Trust (ORT). An agribusiness consultant for Maori, William McMillan, said the objective was to get more Maori

NEED: More must be done to encourage young Maori into the primary sector at all levels, FoMA consultant William McMillan says. Photo: John Cowpland/alphapix

succeeding in all roles in the primary industries. “We need to make them aware of the broad range of opportunities across the sector and point them into career pathways that suit their aspirations.” McMillan, who does work for the Federation of Maori Authorities, gained widespread encouragement for the new approach after the field day heard young people could no longer

be taken from school and put to work on farms without basic training and certification. “Health and safety requirements mean we can’t just grab them off the street and chuck them in the deep end,” farm manager Lloyd Brennan said. ORT trustee Colleen Birmingham-Brown said scholarships specifically for agricultural trainees would be introduced next year, funded from farm profits.

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News

18 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

Old water scheme to get revamp Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com AN AGING community-based North Otago irrigation scheme is the latest to receive Government funding. Crown Irrigation Investments has approved development grant funding of $388,000 for the Kurow Duntroon Irrigation Company, matching the company’s own financial contribution for its development phase. KDIC chairman Geoff Keeling said the funding was required to complete the remaining work to start construction and confirm the commercial viability of the proposed scheme. The community-based scheme was established in 1965, irrigating on the south bank of the Waitaki River below the dam but now needed major work, Keeling said. The existing water race was unable to meet further spray irrigation demand so KDIC had embarked on an ambitious plan to revitalise the supply network and increase the command area. It planned to upgrade and expand the existing open canal scheme with a fully piped system capable of expanding irrigation capacity from its existing 2000 hectares to 6000ha.

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This project will mean water is used much more efficiently and effectively. Nathan Guy Minister The water supply comprised consented takes from the Waitaki dam and river together with extra supply from the McKenzie Irrigation Company. KDIC hoped to raise the new capital from existing irrigators and near neighbours. The company already had 1983 shares and wanted to issue just over 3000 new shares on a one share a hectare basis. “The importance of the scheme development extends beyond the local economy. It will deliver wider environmental benefits with reduced irrigation take from tributaries,” Keeling said. In line with Crown Irrigation’s mandate, the scheme was targeted at an optimal size to future-proof the project and KDIC had already received strong interest from irrigators.

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Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com

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That included an initial contribution of $20 a share from a total of $50 a share to pay for feasibility studies. Applicants were also asked to agree to enter easements to facilitate access. Supported by a positive

response the company embarked on the project on a stage by stage basis. When completed the scheme would have the capacity to improve the efficiency and reliability of irrigation in the area by providing water on demand,

Irrigation project will reflect farmer demand

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TWICE AS GOOD: The revamped Kurow Duntroon irrigation scheme will deliver more water and have environmental benefits, chairman Geoff Keeling says.

much greater efficiency of water distribution and an expansion of the command area through pumping, water optimisation and other new technologies. Crown Irrigation chief executive Murray Gribben said the scheme had an existing resource consent from Environment Canterbury that paved the way for considerable economic, agricultural and environmental benefits for the region. “Technology has improved enormously since the current infrastructure was planned in the 1960s. Today water can be supplied on demand and there is little to no waste. “The infrastructure will also have a design-life of more than double the current scheme,” Gribben said. Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy said the grant was an important step forward for the KDIC project that could have major benefits for the North Otago area. “This project will mean water is used much more efficiently and effectively. Importantly, it will deliver real environmental benefits by reducing the irrigation take from small tributaries and help improve minimum flows,” Guy said.

HUNTER Downs Water will forge ahead with a multimillion-dollar irrigation scheme for South Canterbury despite falling short of its capital-raising target. What form it would take was being worked through with the contractor in a redesigned scheme to meet the demand from farmers who had committed through the share uptake, Hunter Downs Water (HDW) project manager Stacey Scott said. The deadline for the uptake of water and development shares in the $195m scheme was on April 28, after its initial April 10 deadline was extended. At the time of the extension Scott said April 28 was the absolute deadline for the scheme and it would not go ahead unless enough shares were sold. “We have a consent that is in its last round of renewal and we have a very favourable nutrient discharge permit that will not be granted again.” The opportunity before farmers would not come again, Scott said. However, despite the shortfall in share uptake, HDW had confirmed its commitment to proceed with a redesigned scheme that would meet the demand. “We are also engaging to confirm the economic viability to reflect scale around

the demand committed,” Scott said. That, together with the next steps, would be shared with the farmers who had backed the scheme to take water at a meeting planned for May 15. Scott would not be drawn on what level of support the scheme had received nor what the capital-raise shortfall was. “We will be in a position to give that detail after the meeting on May 15. “Meantime it is positive for a go-ahead in a redefined form,” she said. HDW chairman Andrew Fraser said while the demand did not support the proposed 21,000 hectare scheme, there was strong support for an irrigation scheme that would further secure the future of farming and the economy of South Canterbury. He encouraged farmers who had not yet committed but who were still interested to ensure they confirmed with HDW before May 15 so their interest was taken into account in future planning. A total 21,000 shares were available at one share a hectare of irrigation with a seasonal allowance of a maximum 2.65 millimetres a day through the season from September to April or May. Up to 200 shareholders were expected to subscribe to the scheme that was designed for 161 water users with a maximum 214 offtakes. Stage one construction was scheduled to start this month

ENOUGH: Strong support for the Hunter Downs Water scheme will further secure the future of South Canterbury farming, its chairman Andrew Fraser says.

with a commissioning date of spring 2019. HDW proposed to use water from the Waitaki River to irrigate farmland between Timaru and Waimate. The scheme received a $1.37m funding boost earlier in the year from Crown Irrigation Investments. The cost equated to $9285 a hectare.

The economic viability and success of the final scheme would be driven solely by the uptake of water shares, Scott said. “We will build a scheme based on the demand that has been committed.” Stakeholders would be involved in assessing the next step as more details on the demand became available.

News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

Keep vaccinating, farmers warned Richard Rennie richard.rennie@nzx.com FARMERS should not put off vaccinating stock, disease researcher Professor Cord Heuer has warned, after a leptospirosis outbreak hospitalised three farm workers. Those who didn’t also faced the risk of prosecution under health and safety legislation. Heuer, the group leader for vet and animal sciences, said the case of three farm workers becoming infected on a North Island farm in 2015 highlighted how an outbreak could move quickly into humans coming into contact with infected animals. Two of the workers made full recoveries but one remained in poor health from a disease that delivered flu-like symptoms and could result in kidney failure and even death. Heuer and his colleagues analysed the outbreak and aftermath that resulted in the workers contracting the Pomona or Hardjo strains. It had provided an almost textbook case study of how the disease broke out in a herd and transferred to human recipients. The property had two separate herds on it and all three staff worked with the same herd. A month after the workers were infected and hospitalised researchers sampled the herd twice in two weeks and found an increase in antibodies in the cows’ bloodstreams.

That including avoiding urine contact where possible, always washing hands after livestock contact, wearing protective clothing, not smoking around livestock and getting tested and treated by a GP as soon as anyone on the farm had flu-like signs of illness. Leptospirosis was ranked as the most significant transmittable disease in NZ, estimated to cost about $36 million a year through infections picked up by farm workers, vets and process workers coming into contact with infected animals’ urine.

COURTING ACTION: Farmer who don’t vaccinate cattle against leptospirosis could be prosecuted under health and safety law if workers catch the disease, Professor Cord Heuer says.

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There are farmers out there who do not vaccinate. Professor Cord Heuer Massey University “The pattern and the time frame indicated the herd had experienced a rapid outbreak a month earlier when the staff were infected. So we had two time points that verified the outbreak,” Heuer said. The fact all three staff in contact with the cattle were struck at once indicated how infectious the disease could be. Recent results from a Massey leptospirosis study proved 30 years of vaccination was effective in controlling the two common strains of the disease, Pomona and Hardjobovis, in New Zealand herds. “But there are farmers out there who do not vaccinate. “Our work indicates 95-97% vaccinate regularly but there was some non-compliance within the responders to our survey that indicates they may also not have undertaken vaccinations.” The infected herd in the case study had not been vaccinated for five years. Failing to vaccinate a herd posed health and safety issues to staff and the risk of farmer prosecution for failing to do so. “In this case that did not happen but there are certainly grounds there if someone becomes infected.” He also cautioned farmers not to be complacent about vaccination on grounds of recent research revealing herds were also susceptible to a leptospirosis strain not covered by existing vaccines. The earlier Massey survey found 25% of herds surveyed contained cows shedding the Tarassovi strain of leptospirosis, something that surprised researchers who were now talking to vaccine companies to get it included in vaccine formulations. “While Tarassovi is an issue, the fact is the workers were infected with the more common strains that existing vaccines have proven to be highly effective against.” As well as vaccinating stock, Heuer urged farmers to ensure they educated workers about the risks in working with livestock.

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20 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

News

Rural health needs a fresh approach Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com

NO BAGGAGE: A Waikato University medical school would be free of the things that prevented existing medical school supplying enough rural doctors, vice-chancellor Neil Quigley says.

THE system for training doctors is failing rural areas so a new approach is needed, Waikato University vice-chancellor Neil Quigley says. Waikato wanted to launch a specialist rural medical school producing 60 graduates a year using a system Quigley said contrasted with the two existing medical schools. He said the training processes used by Otago and

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Auckland universities were too urban and hospitalfocused. A Waikato medical school would take postgraduate students from other courses who wanted a medical career and most of their training would be in rural areas. Quigley said a more complicated medical training system than the one exiting one where graduate, post-graduate and elective specialties were controlled by different bodies would be difficult to design. The Waikato proposal was based on two medical schools in Australia and one in Canada and was designed to produce doctors for rural areas. Quigley said it would be free of the ethos and entrenched systems and structures he believed prevented the existing schools from supplying enough doctors for rural areas. Otago University had affirmative entry criteria for students from rural backgrounds because studies showed they were more inclined to return to rural areas to work and also schemes where students were posted to rural practices. Waikato would also target rural students but they would be post-graduates and much of their training would be done in 12 to 15 community training centres to be established in North Island provincial areas. Less than half their training would be in Hamilton. Quigley said having spent eight years training at Otago and Auckland medical schools, students put down roots in those communities and were hard to move. While they could not be forced to work in rural areas, Quigley said their rural background and the experience of working and training in rural medical centres meant graduates were more inclined to return there. About 60% of graduates from the Canadian and Australian medical schools practised outside the main centres. Attracting post-graduate students was a key, with selection based on a broader range of attributes than used now and bridging courses offered to prepare them for medical training. “We will select people that have the right sort of background. They might be a little bit more mature and decided they want to be a doctor.” The Royal NZ College of General Practitioners limited to 185 the number of students trained in the elective specialty each year, which was heavily oversubscribed. Quigley said that number needed to increase and would be if there was money available. “It does not make sense to have a shortage of places when the medical workforce has to increase by 200 to 300 more doctors than we are training ourselves and coming from overseas.” He had been working with the college as part of the Waikato proposal. The estimated cost of the medical school was $100 million, similar to the cost of expanding the number of placements at the two existing medical schools. “If we want more doctors coming through and we want them posted outside the main centres then we’re just going to have to pay for it.” It was up to the Government to decide if the proposal had merit and he hoped for an indication before the election. Quigley said there had already been promises of philanthropic support and an appreciation and understanding of the pressure points in the health system. “There has been quite a groundswell of support for what we are doing and certainly those district health boards struggling to attract doctors, they’re keen to try a different model.”

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

News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

Rural health not a numbers game Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com SOLVING the issue of recruiting health professionals to rural areas is more complicated than simply pumping out more medical graduates. Otago University health sciences division pro-vice chancellor Professor Peter Crampton said factors such as limited training places for general practitioners and the working and living expectations of the modern generation complicated the recruitment of health professionals in rural areas. He was commenting on solutions to the issue under discussion, Waikato University’s proposal to establish New Zealand’s third medical school, specialising in rural doctors, and plans by Otago and Auckland universities to create a school of rural health. To have a sustainable rural workforce the number of medical graduates choosing general practice had to increase 30% to 50%, Crampton said. Existing medical schools were already doing much to make rural practice attractive for medical students. A rural background was one

COMPLEX SOLUTIONS: Otago University health sciences division pro-vice chancellor Professor Peter Crampton warns recruiting health professionals to rural areas is complex.

of three affirmative entry criteria for the Otago Medical School, alongside being of Maori or Pacific descent. This year 20% of the domestic intake had a rural upbringing and Crampton said research in Canada and Australia showed that on

graduation health professionals from a rural background were more likely to return there to work. Annually, 20 fifth-year students spent a year in a rural or provincial practices under the Rural Emersion Programme. It exposed them to working and living in rural areas but also offered a greater hands-on experience with patients and medical teams than they would have got with a city hospital placement. “For my money it’s the giltedged educational experience.” As well the university had contracts with 200 rural and regional GP practices for the temporary placement of students. Crampton acknowledged many rural communities felt their health services were under threat but said graduates could not be forced to work somewhere they did not want to. Many did not want a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week job, which was the perception of a rural practice. There was also a perception that providing a pathway of care for patients, peer support and issues such as taking annual or education leave or getting cover for illness was difficult in rural practices. A greater obstacle to overcome

was the perceived lack of work and education opportunities and social networks for partners and families in rural communities. It was highly unlikely a GP today would work in the same practice their full career. We shouldn’t expect a GP to be there for life, he said. “Five years is a good tour of duty today.” The Royal NZ College of GPs managed the specialty training programme for general practitioners and each year there were 185 places. Most years it was swamped by the number of applicants from the two existing medical schools. “It’s not about us having enough graduates. We swamp them with graduates.” But solutions to encourage health professionals to work in rural areas were not simple. “I caution everybody about proffering up very simple solutions to very complex problems when so many bits of the jigsaw need to be right. “This isn’t about pumping out more Generation Y graduates in to a system that isn’t ready to receive them. “In order to be able to receive them, enough of these factors need to be right.”

Of the nine health professional programmes offered at Otago, seven were relevant to rural practices and in recent years training had centred on interprofessional or vertical education, having people in the various disciplines working together. “The rural environment is the perfect context for that inter-professional education because they model that behaviour.” The school of rural health had been three years in development and was a joint project between the universities of Otago and Auckland and several professional bodies. Crampton said it involved working with rural communities to provide the medical disciplines needed, ensuring they had the right building, IT and research infrastructure to allow for vertical integration of medical expertise and inter-professional education. It would also build interprofessional faculties based initial on five rural sites around NZ but growing to 20. Crampton said the strength of the proposal was that it was inter-disciplinary, multi-located and rural-focused, which allowed rural academic development to the benefit of rural communities.

Newsmaker

22 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

Winners thrive on a challenge New Zealand’s 2017 Share Farmers of the Year, Christopher and Siobhan O’Malley, had a roller-coaster ride of emotions at the NZ Dairy Industry Awards national finals in Auckland, they told Hugh Stringleman.

XHILARATION was the best word used by Christopher and Siobhan O’Malley to describe their feelings after being named 2017 Share Farmers of the Year, at the third time of entering. All the time and effort in preparing for the prestigious Dairy Industry Awards had earned them national honours, considerable prize money and a big boost along the farm ownership path. They also had the relief of knowing Christopher’s father Brian had survived a major health scare on the night of the awards dinner. As the 33 finalists and more than 500 guests neared the climax of the presentation Brian dramatically collapsed. Christopher rushed to his aid, along with Federated Farmers president Dr William Rolleston and some nurses in the audience. Brian was taken by ambulance to Auckland Hospital, kept overnight and discharged on Sunday and was now back home in Christchurch without illeffects. The judges of the competition said Christopher and Siobhan had a strong partnership on which to grow their business and they thrived on a challenge. “From the previous two experiences we learned how much effort has to go into this in order to get anywhere near the top,” Christopher said. “This time we resolved to do it right. I thought it would take 20 hours each but that was spent in

the first three days and we still had months to go. “We had to dig deeply into what we do and why and we were pleased to find out that most of what we knew was actually right. “A few things we found didn’t have as good a return as we had thought so we will be changing them in the future. The O’Malleys received considerable help from rural professionals – their Ravensdown rep, KPMG’s Timaru office and three people from ANZ Bank Ashburton went to the farm. Nearing the end of their second year 50:50 sharemilking 515 cows on Graham Brooker’s 138ha farm near Ashburton, the O’Malleys have progressed through jobs on the West Coast and in North Otago. The competition judges highlighted the O’Malley’s achievement in 2015 in travelling widely to buy a high-quality herd of 550 cows within budget constraints then selling off the DNA-verified A2 ones for a $250/ head premium to surrounding Synlait suppliers. Next season the herd would go up to 630 cows with some neighbouring leased land. “They demonstrated a passion to give back to the industry and this was evident in their entirely selfless approach to their business and in their relationships with other people,” head judge Neil Gray said. “They were very strong with their human resource management and have developed their team and delegated areas of

WINNER: Dairy Manager of the Year Hayley Hoogendyk.

FAMILY AFFAIR: Dairy Industry Share Farmers of the Year Christopher and Siobhan O’Malley with Finnian, 5, Aisling, 3, and Ruairi, 10 months. Photo: Annette Scott

They are also connecting with schools and trying to promote good, positive images of dairy farming. Neil Gray Judge responsibility to assist their staff to achieve. “For example, one of the staff members was in charge of dairy hygiene and when the operation received a Fonterra award for highest quality milk, it was the staff member that accepted it. “They are also connecting with schools and trying to promote good, positive images of dairy farming, which is fantastic to see in a couple so early in their sharemilking career,” Gray said. The O’Malleys hoped national honours would speed up their path through the dairy industry towards farm ownership, previously planned over 10 years. Christopher was an adventure tourism guide who went dairying eight years ago while Siobhan, a former secondary school teacher,

joined him in dairying six years ago. Now they had three children, Finnian, Aisling and Ruairi. As those names indicated, both sides of the family, the O’Malleys and the O’Rourkes (Siobhan’s maiden name) came from Ireland originally though three generations have been Kiwi-born. Christopher had worked in Ireland and sailed across the Pacific Ocean. In 2016 he was named Mid-Canterbury Rugby Referee of the Year. They would love to go back to Ireland for a visit and look at Irish dairy farming – Christopher said when Ireland got to host the Rugby World Cup he would combine his passions with a holiday there. They would recommend to all young people in the dairy industry to enter their regional awards. National winner in the Dairy Manager of the Year category was Hayley Hoogendyk of Manawatu, the first sole woman winner in the award’s history. The 28-year-old former event manager was farm manager for Te Paratai Farms, on Nigel, Roger and Noelene Taylor’s 220ha, 600cow property at Rongotea. “Her onfarm skills were

WINNER: Dairy Trainee of the Year Clay Paton.

exceptional,” head judge Richard Kyte said, elevating her among the top six or seven regional winners who were close competitors nationally. “The farm business is performing well and her pasture management is excellent. “Hayley is a hands-on manager and likes being out there alongside her staff, empowering them to work together to meet targets. “She has an excellent manner with animals and is concerned about the welfare of each individual cow. In her spare time she is also extremely active in her community.” Winner of the Dairy Trainee of the Year category was Clay Paton, from Nelson, the 2IC on Brent and Michelle Riley’s 163ha Wakefield farm milking 450 cows. “Clay is very professional and all the judges agreed that he will be a fantastic ambassador for the dairy industry and a great future leader,” head judge Andrew Reid said. “He has a clear balance between his work priorities and life and family. He is very driven but has a strong community focus and an awareness of the issues the industry will be facing in years to come.”

New thinking

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

Grassroots solution for leaching A solution to help reduce nitrate leaching could be available at grassroots for farmers. It would involve them doing what they already do well, growing pasture, but adding plantain to the mix. Richard Rennie reports.

S THE pastoral sector grapples with the slippery problem of diffuse nitrogen losses, part of the solution might lie close to home at a grass roots level. The Forages for Reduced Nitrate Leaching (FRNL) programme involving DairyNZ, Foundation for Arable Research, Plant and Food, AgResearch and Lincoln University has been trialling how a wide variety of forages could enable the sector to have its grass and eat it too – by reducing nitrate leaching and improving animal production. The work had focused on studying the ability of mixedspecies pastures to increase herbage production and reduce nitrogen leaching from farm systems.

We found that plantain had a diuretic effect, effectively increasing the volume of urine but also diluting the N concentration. Ina Forages for Reduced Nitrate Leaching It had yielded some valuable results with species New Zealand farmers were familiar with and already capable of growing relatively well. A key species shown to deliver positive results in pasture production, animal output and lower nitrogen losses was plantain. It performed well across those parameters in pasture swards that contain it, perennial ryegrass and white clover. But FRNL programme leader Ina Pinxterhuis said while the

inclusion of plantain in traditional ryegrass-clover swards did have a positive effect on N loss reduction, it was not a simple, silver-bullet solution to the vexing environmental and economic issue. “We have shown from the work that it is an option and that as a key species plantain can increase drymatter production and reduce urine nitrogen concentration. “However we are now looking at how much you have to have to see that benefit. “A lot of farmers have some plantain but often it is not enough as a proportion to have that effect.” Initial indications were leading scientists to the hypothesis that at least 25% plantain was needed in a sward to have the effect research trials indicated. “But we have to really define that percentage.” The trials had shed some interesting and surprising results on the herb consisting of a fibrous, coarse root system and capable of producing up to 19t of drymatter a hectare a year, comparable to ryegrass’ annual yield. Unlike chicory, it tended to persist longer and had often been touted for its ability to grow in areas where summer feed was limited. Farmers had planted it in the past to dodge drought’s impact on ryegrasses or to benefit from its higher calcium levels and vitamin content, including vitamin K. Pinxterhuis said thanks to different root systems and seasonal growth patterns scientists had long recognised multi-species pasture mixes would often have greater annual herbage production than the conventional ryegrass-clover pastures so common on New Zealand farms. “And what we have found is this combination of a herb (plantain), a grass (rye) and a legume (clover) is the best blend.

IT WORKS: Programme leader Ina Pinxterhuis says plantain can increase drymatter production and reduce urine nitrogen concentration. Photo: Johnny Houston

“In the past we may have looked at blends with several different species within them including chicory, plantain, lucerne, prairie grass, ryegrass and so on but this trial set out to identify the specific species and their combinations that get the biggest benefits.” Earlier work indicated the presence of specific, well-adapted and compatible species was more important than the number of species in driving N loss or uptake and herbage production. Based off modelling using the MOLLY cow model researchers settled on four trial pasture mixes – two with perennial ryegrass and lucerne or lucerne and plantain and two with tall fescue containing the same combinations of the other species. They found pastures with plantain resulted in 39% less urinary nitrogen concentration in cows grazing it in summer and it was also lower in spring. Milk production was found to remain almost the same across the four different mixes.

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“We found that plantain had a diuretic effect, effectively increasing the volume of urine but also diluting the N concentration. “Being more diluted meant plants were better able to take up the N within the urine patch. However, it was only effective if plantain in the pasture was above about 25%.” While a pure plantain sward could deliver even greater reductions, Pinxterhuis said the combination of species delivered a more sustainable feed source, with the presence of legumes helping to fix nitrogen for the grass and herb species. “And there is the risk of losing one to a pest. For example, we already have plantain moth in the North Island.” The next step was learning from farmers who grew plantain successfully about how they established and maintained it at higher rates in the pasture. “We want to look at the nuts and bolts of pasture management,

how farmers graze it, do they use longer rotations or leave a higher residual, do they use less fertiliser?” Commercial monitor farmers in Canterbury were already providing valuable feedback data and researchers were keen to talk to more farmers happy to pass on their experiences with plantain from the North Island. “We are also working with the Overseer model. You may need something in Overseer to reflect the effects of plantain more accurately.” Pinxterhuis and her colleagues were excited by the fact plantain was a known, available and affordable option to help the industry reduce its N footprint. “The challenge is getting that proportion in the pasture mix up and keeping it there. “Along with using crops like winter oats to mop up N, if they improve your N efficiency and reduce your N surplus it is a win for the environment and your farm business.”

Opinion

24 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

EDITORIAL

It’s all about the attitude

Bryan Gibson

LETTERS

Farmers need to look inwards I ALWAYS look forward to reading your paper and especially Alan Emerson’s Alternative News (oops Views). After years of namecalling anyone who dared to challenge farming the poor chap has been inundated with reports on the parlous state of our freshwater, from authors he cannot abuse. There is no question that farming has had more influence on the New Zealand landscape and ecology than any other resource use and dairy farming, while only part of the problem, is one of the worst offenders. Environment Secretary Vicky Robertson might say the bad influence of farming started 60 years ago. In fact the problem is older than that. When Maori arrived 1000 years ago only about 20% of the country was not in forest. They and our European forefathers did such a good job

of clearing through felling and fire that today only 23% of our land remains forested. Between us we have also accounted for the demise of at least 38 species of native birds. The clearance of upland forests and subsequent farming since the 1850s has led to frequent storm disasters such as on the East Coast, inland Rangitikei and Taranaki catchments. The latest smart idea is to “spray and pray” such hill country and Emerson might like to comment on that. As a semi-retired forester and farmer I agree that the freshwater situation needs urgent, wider attention than farmers alone and I also agree with Emerson about urban and other influences but let’s not be too precious about the culprits. David Field Rotorua

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I JUST had to write and tell you what a cool job you did writing Steve Wyn-Harris’ column for him. I’ll bet he’s proud of you. And I want you to know, I don’t think you look much like a Rottweiler. Just a tiny bit. I can sympathise. I’m a Labrador and people think we’re useless farm dogs too. But personally, I figure pest control is very important. That’s what I do best. That and swim in the dams. Pity we’ve sorted the possums now. I miss that. But no shortage of rabbits. I just love to dig. I’d stay there all day but the boss gets annoyed about the mess. Claims it grows thistles. The other day, I was digging out a real good one, under this stump. I could smell a rabbit down there and I completely ignored the nettles. Never caught it but it sure was fun.

Then the boss caught me shaking my head. He had a look at my ear, which was quite swollen up. He used some bad language and took me straight to the vet. Aural haematoma, she said, gave me an anaesthetic and drained out all the blood and put in stitches in bits of plastic tubing and a mushy pad on the underside to soak up the blood and sent me home. And said not to shake my head or scratch my ear for 10 days. Didn’t say anything about swimming in the dam. The boss was pretty upset when I did that. Really upset the second time. But look, it healed up fine. No big deal. So that’s what I live for, Ditch, digging rabbit burrows and swimming in the dams. I reckon you should try it. You’ll love it. Love Ruby

Letterof theWeek

EDITOR Bryan Gibson bryan.gibson@nzx.com

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HE path to farm ownership is getting rockier by the year with larger farms and corporate ownership putting it out of the reach of many who dream of their own bit of dirt. At least that’s what we’re often told. But last week’s Dairy Industry Awards brought us a bunch of smart, ambitious and successful farmers who are keeping the dream of farm ownership alive. If you haven’t watched Dairy Trainee of the Year Clay Paton’s winning video on YouTube, I suggest you do. It is moving and inspiring and shows us a young man who understands what he wants and how to get there. Putting aside the fact that Clay is a bright and motivated chap, with far more ambition than I showed at the same age, his video lays out his life and career plans and shows us that with the right attitude, anything is achievable. The Government needs to boost the number of people working in the primary industries by tens of thousands if it wants to reach the goal of doubling export values by 2025. It’ll need more people like Clay to do that. He’s bright and first saw his future behind a desk. Like many young New Zealanders, though, he soon realised that life wasn’t for him and a fulfilling career meant working outside on the land. That doesn’t have to mean he’s staring at a dead end, however. With the right education and ambition Clay can clearly see his own farm in his future. The same can be said of the O’Malleys, who won the Share Farmers of the Year title at the same awards. They had a goal of ownership within 10 years of embarking on the dairy journey and look like achieving it. I’m not saying the journey is easy but with the right attitude, it can still be done.

Opinion

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

Expectations shift with people Stephen Macauley

OT that long ago depressed agricultural commodity prices would not only have impacted on the primary industry but would be flowed through the whole economy where both urban and rural New Zealand would feel the economic pinch of low prices of our primary products. While it’s pleasing to see dairy prices lift over recent months, it is fair to say the financial situation is still challenging onfarm, looking to restore balance sheets and in the provinces servicing the farming community. But, unlike past economic downturns in the primary sector, urban NZ has not necessarily shared the same economic rollercoaster ride over the last three to four years. When we look at NZ’s large metropolitan centres, most noticeably Auckland, they appear to be doing quite well and have done so for a number of years. Fuelled by increased immigration, escalating property values and a vibrant service and construction sector, it is fair to say our large metropolitan centres have not suffered the same economic effects experienced by their country cousins. We are one of the most urbanised countries in the world with 86% of the population living in urban areas. The time when everyone seemed to have a relation or friends involved in farming is no longer commonplace. The closest our urban friends might get to the country might be

The

CONNECT: NZ Institute of Primary Industry Management chief executive Stephen Macauley wonders how farmers are going to engage and work with urban people.

Pulpit

limited to the occasional excursion through the country to get to their favourite recreational spot, cycling through rural areas as part of the increasing network of national cycleways or visiting the local farmers’ market.

We are one of the most urbanised countries in the world with 86% of the population living in urban areas.

Tourism is now held up as NZ’s largest export industry in terms of foreign exchange earnings. In the year ended March 2016 international tourism’s contribution to total exports was $14.5 billion or 20.7% of exports, surpassing export receipts from

dairy products at $12.3b for the first time since 2010. Tourism is also a significant employer with 188,136 people or 7.5% employed in the sector, with a further 144,186 indirectly employed in the industry, according to Statistics NZ’s Tourism Satellite Account 2016. Urban NZ’s exposure to the primary industry might now be limited to content from mainstream media and/or through an expanding array of other media channels such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The affinity that urban NZ had with the farming community is not as strong as it once was and there has been a shift in the expectations and general understanding of the primary industry. Scion chief executive Warren Parker notes that until recently the primary industry’s response to environmental concerns has

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been largely political filibuster and mostly superficial and that we have yet to effectively come to grips with sustaining our social licence to farm. In reflecting on this there has been an attitudinal shift in how urban NZ views the social and environmental responsibilities of our agricultural and horticultural industries, in the same way it does for businesses as a whole. More and more, agriculture is linked to polluted waterways and the rise in algal blooms affecting the use of some of our favourite rivers and beaches. Incidents such as the campylobacter outbreak in Havelock North from sheep faeces entering the water supply causing 5000 people to be violently ill are seen by some as further evidence of the impact of agriculture on water quality. The bandwidth of tolerance by the NZ public of environmental degradation resulting from poor

onfarm management practices has narrowed considerably. There are, without doubt, greater expectations of the manner in which we farm and manage our natural resources. Increasingly, the primary industry will have to demonstrate its environmental credentials and, in effect, our social licence to farm. So what is the primary industry narrative we wish to articulate around improving water quality and the enhancing our environmental footprint and how do we intend to engage and work with urban NZ and regulators in developing a shared vision around better environmental outcomes for all?

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 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

Rural services are third world Alternative View

Alan Emerson

THE Government is reviewing its Telecommunications Service Obligation (TSO) that, if my information is correct, could see a removal of the need for Telcos to maintain a copper wire network. While having little effect on the towns and cities it will have a major effect in rural areas. That is exacerbated by the lack of good cellphone coverage in many isolated farming districts. We’re fortunate being close to Riversdale Beach but between here and Masterton there is little coverage. There is also limited coverage east of State Highway 2. With the lack of cellphone coverage there is also a problem with broadband, which is absolutely pivotal for running a business in today’s world. I’ll come back to the Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) but I

remain totally unconvinced about fibre in the less accessible rural areas. I don’t believe stringing fibre along power poles is a great idea as our power goes out quite regularly, mainly because of wind, rain and slips. If fibre is on the same pole as well as losing power we would lose internet capability. It is also important to remember that satellite isn’t part of the RBI. I remain convinced that wireless is the answer. We’ve had it here for the thick end of 20 years. It is extremely cost-effective and works well. So, we do have a major issue in the provinces. There is a lack of good, robust communications services and little interest by the powers that be to fix it. Enter some rural community initiative. Kumeroa is a small, relatively isolated, rural settlement to the south of Dannevirke. They’ve had a hard time recently getting any form of communication. For a start they don’t have any cellphone coverage. There are also extremely limited broadband options. Inspire did erect a tower in the area but many homes are unable to access the service.

Last year they had operational land lines for only 28% of the time and that is disgraceful. According to the locals, Spark had little interest in fixing the problems and providing a reliable service. They called a meeting. Again Spark wasn’t interested in providing cellphone coverage. Vodafone said it would if the locals built a tower. Kumeroa farmer Tim Poulton said the community was determined to have a reliable cellphone system and, with it, broadband. They decided to do it themselves. “We’ve identified two cellphone sites that would cover the entire area with the exception of two or three houses,” Poulton said. “We’ve started the RMA process, involved local iwi and have the council on our side. “The local community is paying for everything. We’re determined to provide a service. “That service will be to houses. The next step will be to have coverage around the farm. “If we’re going to double agricultural receipts by 2025, as the Government has promised, we’re going to need good telecommunications.”

No worms. No stress. No worries.

What is interesting about Kumeroa is that 20 years ago it was solely a farming community. Now there are also lifestyle blocks, some tourism enterprises and other businesses. The re-energising of a relatively isolated rural community is good to see. Talking to other Kumeroa locals was also interesting. “The reality is that if we carry on waiting we’re never going to get a solution. “The RBI seems to concentrate on provincial areas that favour tourism over farming. “Our internet speed is two Mbs download and 0.2 upload. You can’t run a modern business with that. ‘Telecommunications in rural areas is becoming almost as important as roads. “It’s no use getting fast broadband to Pahiatua, Woodville and Dannevirke when most of the population and all of the production is to the east of those towns. “Most of the area has no cell phone coverage at all.” The Kumeroa community is to be congratulated on its drive and initiative but it shouldn’t have had to step up and do it on its own.

Universal cellphone coverage and internet are vital for many reasons, not the least of which is health and safety. I’ve had two mates pinned under quads and while a helmet would have been no use at all cellphone coverage would have been. Also, if the Government wants to encourage people into the provinces it needs to ensure good communications are available. It is an absolute indictment that in 2017 a community has no landlines and no cellphone coverage. That’s third world. I believe the RBI is fine in theory but certainly missing in practice with its focus on tourism areas and state highways. It needs to go back to the drawing board. Finally, the actions of the Kumeroa community are evidence rural self-sufficiency and community spirit are alive and well in provincial NZ. The travesty is it shouldn’t have been needed.

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

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Farm with greater certainty

Opinion

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

Britain today is not 1980s New Zealand Meaty Matters

Allan Barber

A RECENTLY published report entitled The Future is Another Country by British consulting firm, Ferguson Cardo, tries to describe a positive picture of postBrexit Britain, using the example of New Zealand in the 1980s as proof of what is possible. The authors base their hypothesis on certain key events, including the removal of subsidies, dismantling the producer boards’ funding model and compulsory acquisition rights and a refocus away from the United Kingdom towards Asia. NZ’s experience is cited as proof of how a major change in a country’s economy and trading environment demands a revolutionary new approach, which initially produces a sharp and painful shock but over the longer term results in a massive improvement. The report accepts NZ’s reforms were in response to a serious fiscal crisis that affected the economy as a whole, not just agriculture, while the UK is not or at least not yet in anything like the same serious condition. It is that substantial difference in the respective economic conditions of NZ in the 1980s and the UK today that makes me

wonder whether our experience is particularly relevant to post-Brexit British agriculture. The one major similarity is the importance of subsidies to farm income though NZ farmers were not as dependent on them. Under the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy, UK farmers receive subsidies of about £3 billion (NZ$5.7b), which make up 70% of the average farm income. However, that figure is very small in the context of the total British budget of £784 billion. In contrast with NZ’s agricultural trade surplus, the UK has a deficit of £21b in food and beverages. The only sector with a trade surplus is drink while fruit and vegetables and meat are substantially in deficit. The UK’s self-sufficiency ratio, which measures total food production including exports as a percentage of total domestic consumption, has declined steadily from 70% in 1988 to 61% in 2015. The relevance of Brexit is demonstrated by the importance of the EU to UK trade: 60% of its food exports and 70% of imports in 2015. In the overall context of British trade, the agri-food sector is nothing like as important as in NZ but farming is synonymous with the English countryside and of enormous importance to British tourism. Farmers must continue to be subsidised to ensure they maintain the environment, whether in or out of the EU. The challenge for the UK

government is to plot a careful path between removing subsidies after 2020 and having to continue paying farmers what they get from the CAP. That depends on the exit terms negotiated. A good trade deal would enable a gradual reduction of subsidies because trade would remain largely unaffected if, as appears more likely, the process takes longer than two years and the UK has to exit without negotiated terms. There will be some tough decisions – traditional trade with EU trading partners will be subject to high tariffs and hard to maintain at previous levels, putting huge pressure on exporters of all products and subsidies will be essential to keep farmers afloat. That, of course, has implications for NZ’s trade with the UK and EU because our trade negotiators hope to agree free-trade deals with both. The problem with doing an agreement with the UK is that it is prohibited from doing so until after Brexit. Our lamb trade with the UK will be sensitive to a reduction in the present level of lamb trade between the UK and EU, which would automatically mean more product staying at home. Conversely, there might be more opportunity for NZ product into Europe to fill the gap, as well as much greater potential for beef. Using NZ in the 1980s as a case study, the Ferguson Cardo report suggests there is potential for recovery and regrowth in a post-

NOT APPLICABLE: Changes made in New Zealand to agriculture can’t be applied to post-Brexit Britain.

EU subsidy Brexit world. However, that will depend on the government having the vision to redirect expenditure from unprofitable farm subsidies to world-class bioscience and technology businesses. The report makes the valid point the greatest areas of potential are not in Europe or North America but in Africa, China and Russia which have the ambition but not the capability or capacity to produce. The major opportunity for post-Brexit UK is to lead the development of scientific and technological solutions to those problems because, as is the case in NZ, the country’s farms cannot even begin to fill the supply gap. The report also confirms the very low proportion of revenue earned at the farmgate, which mirrors the experience in this country. But it fails to clarify exactly how the farmers of tomorrow can capture a larger share of added value by inserting themselves into the global supply chain to service the regions of greatest demand. The vision is compelling and

the analysis of the problem reasonably correct but the transitional process from today’s farming practice to the future state of nirvana is somewhat sketchy. There is a big difference between NZ’s reforms of the 1980s and the authors’ proposed solution for the UK. Our farmers adapted their farm practice, increased productivity and application of technology, opened up new markets and made significant land use changes but farmers are still farmers. This vision for the UK’s future appears to be based entirely on building a whole new agribusiness sector on science and technology to service vast swathes of the world’s population while a drastically reduced group of landowners will be subsidised to maintain the environment in England’s green and pleasant land.

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

There are no scruples in outer space From the Ridge

Steve Wyn-Harris

PRESIDENT Trump (PT): Hello is this Steve Wyn-Harris? Steve Wyn-Harris (SWH): Yes, it is. Who is this? PT: It’s President Trump. I’m calling about an opportunity for you. SWH: Come on, who is this? PT: President Donald Trump. I already told you. SWH: It sure sounds like you but is this some sort of piss take? PT: What’s a piss take? SWH: You know, a send up, take-off, lampoon, joshing. That sort of thing. PT: No son, this is a job offer. SWH: I’m unconvinced. Tell me something about myself that only the might of the United States

intelligence service could possibly know. PT: (Information withheld). SWH: How can I help you sir? PT: I’m looking for a new director of the FBI and we need someone independent, not connected to the establishment, the Clintons, my team or anyone living in the United States. My Attorney-General Jeff Sessions identified you as that person. SWH: Is he the guy that talks with that southern drawl and appears like any moment he is going to put on one of those pointy white hats with eye holes cut out and walk around carrying a rope? I thought he’d recused himself from this Russian influence inquiry given he had neglected to tell his confirmation committee he had met Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislay while serving as an adviser to your campaign. PT: Yep, that’s Jeff. You’ll like him. We had to terminate and remove from office that bastard James Comey. He’s now on the FBI’s least wanted list. We are not happy with

his handling of Hillary Clinton’s email scandal and he misspoke to the Senate while under oath. Frankly people taller than me give me the creeps. He had to go. The old dart into the phone book trick has brought up your name as his replacement. SWH: Hold on, this is all a bit surreal. Didn’t you praise his behaviour during the campaign and aren’t you firing the very man who most likely made you president by announcing he was going to investigate Hillary and then not going to just before the election? Last week he even said he felt “mildly nauseous” that he might have had an impact on the election outcome. Only last week you said you had complete confidence in Comey. Or is that FBI investigation into Russian collusion with your presidential campaign team getting a little close for comfort? You know they are calling this a Nixonian act? I guess they are referring to the Saturday Night Massacre when Nixon sacked Archibald Cox, the special prosecutor in the Watergate

Scandal. That same night the attorney-general and his deputy resigned in protest. Is everything alright over there and with you sir? PT: Fake news, hoax, phoney issue, lies, taxpayer-funded charade. We will pay you US$185,100 and you can work from home. New Zealand isn’t it? No one needs to know you are doing the job and you report to Jeff. Publicly we’ll appoint someone else but he will answer to you. Anything else you would like? SWH: Umm. Could I meet Obama? I’d be pretty keen on a spaceflight and I’d like to have a little look as those secret UFO documents please? Particularly that stuff on Roswell. PT: Sure, Jeff will organise all that. You like Obama? I tell you I’m no fan and I’m doing all I can to erase anything he accomplished during his disastrous eight years. If they had carved a chunk of Mt Rushmore with his face, I’d get that removed as well. Actually thinking of getting a piece of that mountain made up with Melania and me.

She’d add a bit of class to those other four dour looking fellows. SWH: Well to be fair, Lincoln had some sort of syndrome and suffered from depression so he’s hardly going to be depicted smiling. Look, I’m still a little troubled with this Comey business. First the Democrats have been calling for his head ever since he cost Hillary the election and now they are up in arms that you fired him. To be fair to you, Hillary would have fired him on her first day if she’d won. Even a bunch of Republicans are very critical of you firing him. Everyone is saying this is a breakdown in the democratic process and you are acting like a dictator. PT: You want that space flight boy? SWH: Hell yes. PT: You’re hired.

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

IN G LI ST NE W JOURNEYS END STN - WHERE THE ADVENTURES BEGIN...

927 Koranga Valley Road, Gisborne

Equidistant between Gisborne and Opotiki in the thriving rural community of Matawai, Journeys End offers an unparalleled combination of farming, hunting and fishing.

Tenders Close 4pm,

1438 hectares in size the station is very well tracked and has large portions of easy tractor country that gradually climbs into forest fringes bounded by the pristine Waioeka Conservation Forest. Carrying 9200 quality stock units the station is subdivided into 66 paddocks including approximately 100ha of deer fencing. Journeys End has been producing quality livestock for many years and has the contour, fertility, development and scale for breeding and finishing. The station has a full array of buildings with a main homestead of five bedrooms, a three bedroom home, a three bedroom apartment neatly incorporated into the 5 stand woolshed covered yard complex. These farming assets are enhanced by the existence of two very practical yet contemporary facilities, the hugely popular Sunny Face Lodge and the Toutouwai Cabin, hunting and fishing lodges respectively they cement this magnificent property as a profitable outdoor recreational facility where each day can lead to your adventure of choice. Journeys End Station gives the incredible opportunity of quality farm land, great hunting, renowned fishing, and genuine tourism, located in one of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best rural communities.

www.bayleys.co.nz

Contributor to realestate.co.nz

Fri 9 Jun 2017 (unless sold prior) 10 Reads Quay, Gisborne www.bayleys.co.nz/2750445

James Macpherson

Simon Bousfield

M 021 488 018 M 027 665 8778 B 06 868 5188 B 06 868 5188 james.macpherson@bayleys.co.nz simon.bousfield@bayleys.co.nz MACPHERSON MORICE LTD, BAYLEYS LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

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

WAIPAOA STATION - A PASTORAL ICON

448 Armstrong Road, Gisborne

After a very successful 20 year partnership the vendors have decided to place Waipaoa Station on the market, presenting a unique opportunity for a new owner to become part of New Zealand’s rich farming heritage. Having met their objectives of developing a ’best in class’ farming operation and the Waipaoa Station Farm Cadet Training Trust making a meaningful contribution to the farming community, the vendors believe it is time to sell this iconic East Coast property. Located 58kms from Gisborne, the station is 1,667ha carrying 13,500 quality stock units (16,500 SU incl. adjoining 358ha lease). The owners have invested in subdivision giving 87 main paddocks, and a troughed water system to approximately 1,000ha of the station. The majority of the land is very clean with natural fertility, enhanced by annual and capital fertiliser applications. Estimated contour consists of 25ha of flats and 900ha of easy medium contour hill with discable portions. Station infrastructure is impressive, the most notable being; the 10-stand 3,000 NP woolshed, the spacious fully renovated four bedroom homestead on elevated grounds with superb views, and the 10 bedroom, commercial kitchen, lounge and classroom building used by the Cadets.

WHERE COUNTRY MEETS CITY A superb property located in the prestigious neighbourhood of Austin Road, Maunu, offers you a taste of farming life whilst being so close to the city. Comprised of a generous 8.28 hectares (20.45 acres approximately) of flat volcanic grazing land, this picturesque property with lovely stone walls is set up as a small farmlet with four bay shed, original old cow shed, cattle yards and more. Complementing the property is a charming 1930s three bedroom, one bathroom

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

Auction 10am,

22.49ha (STS) in total and currently run as part of a dairy unit, this

Auction 11am,

Fri 16 Jun 2017 (unless sold prior) 84 Walton Street, Whangarei

Thurs 25 May 2017 contoured land is situated on the eastern side of the road and is well (unless sold prior) 96 Ulster Street, Hamilton elevated with the perfect building platform, propelling 360 degree Tues 16 May 12-1pm

View by appointment

www.bayleys.co.nz/1050111

Stewart Ruddell

Wendy Ruddell

sure thing; future subdivision is a strong possibility in this area.

Simon Bousfield

M 021 488 018 M 027 665 8778 B 06 868 5188 B 06 868 5188 james.macpherson@bayleys.co.nz simon.bousfield@bayleys.co.nz

1152 Kopuku Road, Maramarua

schooling options and amenities right on your doorstep. Very rarely after location so close to the city centre. Invest your money into a

www.bayleys.co.nz/2750347

James Macpherson

GRAZING + SUPPORT

from the city centre makes commuting a breeze, with various does a property of this size present itself in such a highly sought

View by appointment

84 Austin Road, Maunu

M 027 273 6860 B 09 470 0960 stewart.ruddell@bayleys.co.nz

bungalow with a free standing double garage. Approx. 10 minutes

International Tender 4pm, Fri 16 Jun 2017 (will not be sold prior)

M 021 438 211 B 0800 80 20 40 wendy.ruddell@bayleys.co.nz

block is well supported with a large powered barn. The easy

views over the surrounding rural landscape. While a three bedroom

home provides accommodation. The location is within a comfortable

View

www.bayleys.co.nz/812864

Karl Davis

commute to South Auckland with Bombay 26km and Pukekohe 35km M 027 496 4633 away. The thriving township of Ngatea is only 33km away offering B 0508 83 83 83 everyday facilities and outstanding schooling options. 5min drive away is the Maramarua Golf Course and the Maramarua Forest for keen hunters. Start your next adventure here!

Lee Carter M 027 696 5781 SUCCESS REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

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

Bring the whole family including all the animals and live the good life!

Contributor to realestate.co.nz

www.bayleys.co.nz

LI ST IN G

NO TIC E A keen eye for farming will see the opportunity here with this well presented and affordable farm with further potential. Located just 20 minutes east of Whakatane and not far from the coast which provides a great mild climate and regular summer rainfall. The 77.5 hectares has a good mix of contour, has the advantage of approximately 30 hectares of highly fertile flats with the balance, a

NE W

FI NA L

DAIRY OR GRAZING

736 State Highway 2, Opotiki

DAIRY FARM WITH GREAT SCALE

Auction 1pm,

3009 Carrington Rd, Okato

Tenders Close 1pm,

Wed 24 May 2017 (unless sold prior) 247 Cameron Road, Tauranga

This summer safe farm comprises of 264ha (more or less).

Wed 31 May 2017 81 Powderham Street, New Plymouth

View Tues 12-1pm

www.bayleys.co.nz/2300389

Rhys Mischefski

mix of medium to steeper hill. The property is well subdivided into 42 M 027 457 8718 paddocks with bore water reticulated to all paddocks. Further B 07 307 1595 improvements include a well maintained three bedroom home with additional office, which is situated in an elevated position providing

The hard work has been done and a well raced farm with great improvements is presented. These improvements include two very good homes, a 40 aside cowshed with cup removers, two haybarns/implement/calf sheds, PKE/fertiliser bin, proliq feed system and a top effluent disposal system. All this within a half hour of New Plymouth.

rhys.mischefski@bayleys.co.nz SUCCESS REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

Currently milking just over 500 cows. Secure this farm and stock for a 30th June possession

views over the farm, a 120m² implement shed and workshop, a 15

(or other date by agreement).

aside herringbone cowshed complete with alfa lavel milking

To be sold as a going concern.

Taranaki

View 1-2pm, Tues 16 & 23 May

www.bayleys.co.nz/522357

John Blundell M 027 240 2827 B 06 759 5195 john.blundell@bayleys.co.nz SUCCESS REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

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LI ST IN G

equipment and a half round barn.

PREMIUM HORTICULTURAL LAND Located only minutes from Hastings and Havelock North is this attractive parcel of 8.9ha flat land, with top end Twyford and Hastings Silt Loam soils.

610 Te Aute Road, Paki Paki, Hastings

POISED FOR THE NEXT LEVEL

Auction 12pm,

355 Kimberley Road

Deadline Sale 4pm,

Thurs 1 Jun 2017 17 Napier Road, Havelock North

This Kimberley farm is an immaculate 196.8923ha property with

Thurs 25 May 2017 (unless sold prior)

Being rectangular in shape it is well suited to both cropping or

View by appointment

permanent horticultural development, as most of the land can be

www.bayleys.co.nz/2850823

utilised.

Tony Rasmussen

includes an ’A’ frame implement shed and Skyline type garage.

M 027 429 2253 B 06 872 9315 tony.rasmussen@bayleys.co.nz

There is consent to take water, for irrigation and frost control, from

COAST TO COAST LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

Improvements include approximately 200m² of shedding, which

productive Lismore soils, a high standard of fertility and improvements, and shares held in Stage Two of Central Plains Water irrigation scheme. The property has recently been used for wintering dairy stock on kale, fattening lambs and producing hay and baleage from grass and lucerne. Infrastructure includes a large, twelve-bay shed currently used for hay and storage, implement sheds, an airstrip and aircraft hangar, large, modern four-bedroom home in

the 100mm well at a rate of 45 litres per second.

beautifully planted and sheltered gardens with fantastic mountain

The expiry of the cropping lease means the vendors want this

views, and a very good two-bedroom cottage.

property sold.

The addition of irrigation will take this property to the next level.

www.bayleys.co.nz

Contributor to realestate.co.nz

Darfield, Central Canterbury

View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/554618

Ben Turner M 027 530 1400 B 03 375 4700 ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz

Mike Adamson M 027 221 1909 B 03 375 4700 WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

Real Estate

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – May 15, 2017

2058 Ashburton Staveley Road D

Genuine motivated sellers, new business plans calling

Brand new 220m² home with four bedrooms and two bathrooms

152 hectares subdivided into 26 paddocks with two wire electric

138 hectares irrigated by two centre pivots

fencing

Reticulated stock water system

New cattle yards accessed from main central lane

Extensive regrassing programme with Trojan and Aran

Ashburton Forks

Auction

1pm,

Tues 6 Jun 2017 Ashburton Hotel, Racecourse Road, Ashburton

View by appointment

www.bayleys.co.nz/554630

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

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

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

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

IRRIGATED RUNOFF/BEEF FATTENING

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

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

www.bayleys.co.nz TR ANS F O R M I N G R E A L E STAT E I NTO REAL ADVANTAG E FOR SALE MANUKA ISLAND FOREST STATE HIGHWAY 63, Marlborough

1,902 HECTARES OF QUALITY FORESTY Set on the Northbank of the Wairau River near Blenheim Manuka Island offers a superb opportunity to invest in a quality Pinus Radiata and Douglas Fir forest. With predominately ground based harvesting, eligible for carbon credits, and imminent harvest volumes of both pruned and unpruned regimes coming on stream this must be looked at. The location is superb with cart distance of approx. 100km to either Nelson or Picton Ports, and multiple domestic processors nearby. Call today for a full information memorandum and up to date inventory.

2 STAGE DEADLINE EXPRESSION OF INTEREST Thursday 1 June 2017 at 4pm

021 461 210 jeremy.keating@cbre.co.nz

WARWICK SEARLE

021 362 778 warwick searle@cbre.co.nz

N O TI CE FIN AL

KOROMIKO - HEALTHY LIMESTONE, CENTRAL LOCATION 853 Admiral Hill Road, Gladstone

Tender, Closes 4pm Fri 2 June 17 NZR 1st Floor, 16 Perry St, Masterton Blair Stevens AREINZ 06 370 9199 | 027 527 7007 blair@nzr.nz NZR Real Estate Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

VI W DEO EB O SIT N E

Koromiko is centrally located in the thriving rural community of Gladstone. This district is sought after for its limestone soils which are very healthy and clean. Koromiko offers great lifestyle choices for the family - being close to towns allowing the opportunity for off farm employment; it is close to the Gladstone school, the sports complex and the popular Gladstone Inn, and within commuting distance of Wellington. The property is well balanced with approximately 45% of easy rolling limestone - the front country, with the balance being medium hill mudstone soils which are sheltered, and hang on in the summer months as they lie away from the predominant nor west wind. Koromiko has well maintained fencing, with around 38 main paddocks, all with great access and the renowned quality limestone water feeding stock and domestic supply. The property has a four-bedroom house with rumpus room/artist studio, double garage with office/sleep out, a large high stud workshop, three bay hayshed, a tenanted three-bedroom cottage and garage, a four stand woolshed and covered yards, cattle yards and satellite sheep yards. The farm has been leased in conjunction with other properties and regular fertiliser has been applied. The seven titles and central location could provide opportunities to split the farm. Some rare scale in Gladstone- buying quality has always been a good choice! Property report available, drone video on website.

378 hectares Tender www.nzr.nz ref: W025

WAIRARAPA COASTAL STATION ’Cross Keys’, 750 Otahome Road, Whareama, Masterton There´s something special about this section of New Zealand´s Pacific Coast. Cross Keys Station, located between Castlepoint & Riversdale beach, is a 35-minute drive from Masterton and features almost three kilometres of uninhabited coastline loaded with Paua and Crayfish and excellent recreational fishing. An Iconic Kiwi bach sits above a private beach near the middle of the property. There are numerous potential house sites that have sweeping 180 degree views from Castle Rock down to Riversdale, with the sunrise out of the Pacific and the crystal clear night sky´s being world class. The farming operation is a traditional sheep and beef breeding and semi finishing unit in a summer dry climate carrying approximately 5,000 stock units. There are around 540 hectares effective, mainly medium hill, and 72 hectares of pine plantations (included in the sale). A three bedroom dwelling, four-stand woolshed and other support buildings are located in a sheltered valley near the western road entrance. The farm is well set up to be run by one labour unit with good tracks, stock laneways and Otahome Rd enhancing access. The proximity to Masterton means there are off farm employment and top secondary schooling options. The local rural community supported primary school of Whareama is just a few kilometres distant. This is a once in a life time opportunity to secure your slice of heaven. Property Report available.

618 hectares Tender www.nzr.nz ref: W026 Tender, Closes 4pm Wed 31 May 2017 NZR 1st Floor, 16 Perry St, Masterton Blair Stevens AREINZ 06 370 9199 | 027 527 7007 blair@nzr.nz NZR Real Estate Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

Real Estate

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

FIN AL

N O TI CE

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; May 15, 2017

LOCATION, SCALE & AESTHETIC APPEAL- THE SWEET SPOT "Bushgrove" 72 Adams Peak Road, Tinui, Masterton

1,086 hectares Tender www.nzr.nz ref: W024

Located in a sheltered valley just 20 minutes drive east of Masterton sits this picturesque economically sized sheep & beef unit. Bushgrove & Glentarn have been in the vendors family since 1884 over four generations. The two units have been farmed as one for many years and together carry 7,140 su (5 yr av). There are around 845ha effective with the majority being medium hill accentuated by a small area of productive flats and a very attractive 58ha block of QE2. There are 74ha of developed forestry with 31ha being held under forestry right (can be purchased with the farm) The balance of the property being 110ha of bush & bee hungry manuka scrub gullies. A real feature of the property are the lanes, tracking & access. An attractive character homestead and supporting shearers quarters, four stand wool shed with covered yards and other support buildings all being very tidy. With this scale a stock manager can take the pressure off an owner and a partner can work in town, kids are easily schooled in quality local & Masterton primary & secondary options and the sports fields and cafes arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t far away! Tenders for separate units will be considered (conditional on both being sold). A detailed property report is available- please contact Blair for a copy.

Tender, Closes 4pm Tues 23 May 17 NZR 1st Floor, 16 Perry St, Masterton Blair Stevens AREINZ 06 370 9199 | 027 527 7007 blair@nzr.nz NZR Real Estate Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

RURAL Office 0800 FOR LAND

Property Brokers Limited Licensed REAA 2008

Alfredton finishing property

TENDER

WEB ID PR55313 PAHIATUA 15091 Route 52, Alfredton This 466ha (sts) property has been farmed as part of a larger entity for the last 14 years. Significant capital expenditure has been invested in fertiliser, fencing & drainage with the business operating at a stocking rate of 9.5 su's per ha. Featuring a well balanced contour of approx 80ha flats, 140ha rolling to easy hill & 176ha easy to medium hill with some steeper sidlings. 70 ha is ineffective native bush. Improvements include a large comfortable 5 bedroom home, 4 stand woolshed with covered yards (1600 np) & excellent cattle yards serviced by a central lane.

TENDER View By Appointment TENDER closes Thursday 1st June, 2017 at 2.00pm, Property Brokers, 129 Main Street Pahiatua

Phil Wilson

Mobile 021 518 660 Office 06 376 5478

Jared Brock

Mobile 027 449 5496 Office 06 376 4823

John Arends

Mobile 027 444 7380 Office 06 376 4364

www.propertybrokers.co.nz

WE DON’T JUST SAY TEAM. WE GUARANTEE TEAM.

It’s no secret that the rural real estate industry is known for agents working in isolation and jealously guarding their listings. That’s not great for you and is why every member of the Property Brokers’ rural team has signed a binding agreement to work together to sell your property. No working in isolation, no guarding listings. So while you’ll still have a lead agent, you are guaranteed to have a true team of equally committed agents, marketing experts and support staff, from right across the country, working for you to get you and your farm the best result. Find out more at pb.co.nz/trueteam

WAIKATO

LOWER NORTH ISLAND

SOUTH ISLAND Property Brokers Limited MREINZ Licensed REAA 2008 0800 FOR LAND

TRUE TEAM

This is Property Brokers’ Country!

GUARANTEE

RURAL | LIFESTYLE | RESIDENTIAL

OPEN DAY

Licenced under REAA 2008

NEW LISTING

Avocados And An A1 Lifestyle

Lower Kaimai

Stunning Irrigated Farm

Cust

• 8.1ha with mature well managed irrigated avocados (6000 trays last two years) • Three bedroom, en suite modernised warm family farm house with big views • Two large sheds, three phase power, equipment included as an option • Five paddocks for the ponies, sheep or cattle, yards and shearing facility • Superb horse riding and outdoor living on this property and surrounding areas • Exquisite, mature gardens, lots of colour • Visit our website for the property video

TENDER

The sale of Ryelands Farm, 222.4387ha, provides an outstanding opportunity to purchase an almost fully irrigated property with excellent water consents and soils. Its intensive farm history includes cropping, finishing and dairy grazing. It has an impressive four-bedroom home, many quality farm buildings and pivot irrigation. Available total property or: • 164.1178ha (1500 Poyntzs Road) and • 58.3209ha (1922 Oxford Road) Don’t miss this chance to purchase one of Canterbury’s best farms.

DEADLINE PRIVATE TREATY

www.pggwre.co.nz ID: TAR26005

Beef Finishing Lifestyle Property Fantastic, new four bedroom home with office, double car garaging. Built to a very high specification with quality fittings. Surrounded by immaculate, easy care gardens. Overlooking the prime river flats to the north and estuary towards the coast. Easy rolling highly productive farm land. The property consists of heavy river flats, suitable for finishing cattle or growing crops. Four bay lockable, five bay implement with one bay lockable, hay shed, cattle yards. www.pggwre.co.nz ID: DUN26050 AND DUN26049

(Unless Sold By Private Treaty) Closes 4pm, Wednesday, 31 May OPEN DAY 11.00-12.00pm, Sunday, 21 May 193 RUAHIHI ROAD

Andrew Fowler B 07 571 5797 M 027 275 2244

Palmerston Option One $850,000 incl GST (If any) Option Two $750,000 incl GST (If any)

www.pggwre.co.nz ID: CHR26028

Plus GST (if any) (Unless Sold Prior) Closes 2.00pm, Friday, 16 June

Peter Crean B 03 341 4315 M 027 434 4002

Multiple Land Uses

Dipton

• 186ha subject to survey • Three bedroom split level brick home (built 1973) • Three stand RB woolshed and covered yard area, five bay implement shed • All deer fenced (2008) • Central lane to all but one paddock • Water supplied via mostly 25ml line to cattle troughs • Main highway location

$3.95M Plus GST (if any)

www.pggwre.co.nz ID: INV24987

Paul Thomson B 03 470 0332 M 027 435 3936 H 03 489 2555

Andrew Patterson B 03 211 3144 M 027 434 7636 H 03 230 4426

pggwre.co.nz

Employment

FARM MANAGER

EXPERIENCED STOCKPERSON

Lone Star Farms, Kurow, South Island

The Farm Manager reports to the General Manager and is responsible for leading and managing a team of 10 staff to achieve financial, production and performance targets and goals. Caberfeidh is a dynamic environment so identifying opportunities and potential risks and adjusting plans in response to market, climate and other factors is an important aspect of the role. The ideal applicant will have: ■ A strong business acumen and financial awareness; ■ Experience with managing, motivating and coaching staff ; ■ At least 5 years experience in a Farm Management position, experience managing an intensive sheep and beef breeding and finishing operation; ■ Track record of managing and achieving high stock performance levels; ■ Managed a farm financial budget, reporting against it monthly; ■ Good knowledge of agronomy and experience in growing winter fodder crops; ■ Competent in formal feed budgeting and planning.

TIMBURN STATION POSITION (Central Otago)

Experienced stockperson required for a large coastal intensive cattle fattening farm 30km south of Raglan, able to work independently but be a team player, contribute to planning and decision making and be keen to progress, demonstrate farm maintenance skills, be well organised, fit, healthy and enthusiastic with a positive attitude. Full time position with rostered weekends working for a reputable family business. The Raglan, Te Mata area has a leading primary school, vibrant community and active social club. Great area for outdoor pursuits. A clean and tidy 3-bedroomed home with sleepout in sunny position with fenced section and garage. Salary is negotiable.

Lone Star Farms may require the successful candidate to undertake and pass a pre-employment drug and alcohol test. Further information is available at www.lonestarfarms.co.nz Interested applicants should phone Tania during business hours on 03 545 7602 to discuss.

LK0087427©

Applications close on Monday 22 May 2017

Apply by email to hugopeacocke@gmail.com with two recent employers as referees.

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Caberfeidh is a 5300ha (effective) breeding and finishing farm located in the Hakataramea Valley, wintering approximately 30,000su and peaking at over 40,000su. It runs 400 Angus cows and 16,000 Headwater ewes and their replacements, as well as a large finishing and trading operation.

Classifieds

The right person will have the ability to work towards a managerial position running Merino sheep, Angus cattle, finishing, irrigation, mustering and general farm experience required. 3-bedroom house on property with schooling at Tarras. Contact Sam 027 571 3194

HEAD/SENIOR SHEPHERD Cape Foulwind Dairy Support

SHEPHERD GENERAL

Landcorp are looking for an experienced Shepherd who will perform stock work and general duties. Located 10 minutes from Westport, this dairy support property has approximately 18,000 su over 700ha. The ideal candidate will bring experience in managing staff, pasture and crop management, driving tractors and have a strong knowledge of bull farming. This role comes with a two bedroom house.

Experience shepherd general required for a 975ha intensive sheep and beef property situated in the Mataroa and Rangiwaea districts, 25 minutes from Taihape. Must have at least two years experience with good stockmanship, fencing and hand piece skills. 3-4 working dogs required. We are looking for an energetic person with a good work ethic who is willing to work both unsupervised and as part of a team. Comfortable 4-bedroom house. Apply in writing to the Manager: Jono Maxwell 433 Kaimatawi Road, RD1, Taihape 4791 j.maxwell@hotmail.co.nz Must have at least two references with CV. For more information phone after 7pm, 06 388 1625 Applications close Friday 2nd June 2017

Timburn Station in Lindis Pass, Tarras is looking for a self-motivated person to help with the running of the 12,000su property.

What you will bring: • Preferably 3-4 years shepherding experience • Be a motivated team player and have good communication skills • 2-3 well-controlled dogs For more information, phone Tracy Gage-Brown – Farm Manager on 027 200 6980. To apply visit www.landcorp.co.nz/careers Applications close 5pm, Tuesday 23rd May 2017.

ELITE FARM MANAGER

For New Zealand’s largest ram breeder. Wairere has been the biggest selling ram brand since 1987. This reputation has been built on Wairarapa hill country, where a high stocking rate and mob pressure have evolved the Wairere strain, with its renowned shifting ability… Success breeds Success. That ongoing success relies on a manager with top stockmanship, plus the ability to inspire an on farm team of six to seven. Wairere is 1,206 hectares, 1,070 effective, normally wintering around 9,700 sheep and 350 cattle. The manager will also oversee some work off farm with satellite breeding flocks, located in the Wairarapa. Location is 30 minutes from Masterton. With the owner living off farm, the manager’s residence is a 300 square metre homestead, just refurbished, with asphalt tennis court and swimming pool. The Alfredton school bus comes to the gate. The successful applicant must have a track record for superior stockmanship, and equally for people skills. The role involves mixing with hundreds of ram clients and visitors, as well as inspiring the team at Wairere. Managing Wairere is a challenging role, but one that is the hub for the SIL recording of around 10,000 ewes and in lamb ewe hoggets, and breeding the ram team for close to ten percent of New Zealand’s ewe flock. The manager’s role suits a dynamic person who can lead from the front, not from the office. Wairere needs a good communicator who will use Cloud Farmer or similar tool to provide daily updates to all of the Wairere team, on and off farm. The manager should also be familiar with computers, and preferably with sheep weighing technology. Please apply in writing to: Derek Daniell Wairere RD6 Masterton 5886 And/or email derek@wairererams.co.nz And/or Derek at 06 377 2077 or 021 751 163 And/or Simon Buckley at 06 372 5560 Applications close on Monday 29 May 2017

Business Development Lead FIDUS Management Group offers tailored agri-investment solutions. We offer sustainable dairy farm management models providing alternative solutions to succession for dairy farmers, as well as offering professional agribusiness solutions for financial institutions, the corporate agribusiness sector and absentee owners/investors. We’re looking for a business development lead with extensive experience across agriculture, business development, and finance. The purpose of this unique role is to support the growth of FIDUS in the areas of business development, sales, relationship management, and day-to-day operations of the business. Key duties and responsibilities: • Build and develop relationships with existing clients, and secure new business opportunities • Plan and implement a sales and business development plan • Prepare and implement annual business plans • Prepare and present monthly finance, sales and market research reports The successful applicant will have: • Sound knowledge of the farming and agricultural industry • The ability to discuss asset management options with corporate clients as well as everyday farmers, while being equally comfortable taking the lead on farm assessments and financial forecasting and modelling • A background in business development, banking, or an type analyst role. Financial experience and knowledge is essential

RUN OFF YOUR FEET?

… and of course you won’t be out of place walking around a farm environment. Based in the Waikato, you’ll be provided with the resources to work effectively from your home office. Some travel will be required throughout the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Auckland. If you’re keen to use your expertise and experience to shape the growth To apply please email your CV and covering letter to: apply@limelimited.co.nz Applications close Friday 26 May 2017

www.fidus.co.nz

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of an innovative New Zealand start-up company then why not apply?

Advertise your vacancy in The NZ Farmers Weekly Phone Debbie Brown 0800 85 25 80 or email classifieds@nzx.com

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classifieds@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

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ANIMAL HANDLING

DOGS WANTED

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

12 MONTHS TO 5½-yearold Heading dogs and Huntaways wanted. Phone 022 698 8195. BUYING DOGS NOW! Quick easy $ale! No one buys or pays more! 07 315 5553. MIDDLE AGED, voice command. Phone 06 353 2993.

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

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 DEMOLITION houses, villas, buildings, town or country. Please phone 021 165 8664. 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

DOGS FOR SALE 2½-YEAR-OLD Handy Huntaway bitch, broken in. 2-YEAR-old Huntaway dog. Mob, sides. TOP Heading dog, 4 years old. Phone 022 698 8195. 4-MONTH-OLD Huntaway pup. Big noise. Phone 06 388 0212. BRIAN BURKE, NZ Champ 1984 and 5 times NZ Champ finalist, available to train your working dog. In three weeks he will transform your heading dog into a productive asset for the farm. Contact Brian 06 343 9561 for further details and pricing (heading dogs only). HEADING BITCH pups. Proven blood lines. Guaranteed to work. Six weeks, wormed and first vaccination. Masterton area. Phone Joseph 06 372 7119. NZ BIGGEST DOG SALE! On Farm or online. Demonstrations on cattle and sheep. $500$2500. Ship Whangarei to Invercargill. Deliver central NI free. Dogs exchangeable* Trade Ins welcome. 07 315 5553. Mike Hughes. BOOK AN AD. For only $2.00 + gst per word you can book a word only ad in The NZ Farmers Weekly Classifieds section. Phone Debbie Brown on 0800 85 25 80 to book in or email classifieds@nzx.com STRONG EYE HEADING, one dog, one bitch. 14 months. Stop, call, send commands. Both great nature. Genuine dogs. Phone 07 867 3397 or 022 026 9606. THREE HUNTAWAYS. 6, 12 and 18 months. All working. Phone 07 896 6773. WHATATUTU DOG SALE. Preliminary notice, Saturday 22nd July. 4-YEAR-OLD Heading bitch. Fully broken in. Phone 07 896 6773.

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

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

FOR SALE DOG/PET FOOD. Lamb/ Beef and chicken products. All natural - raw - no preservatives or additives. NOSLOC PRODUCTS. Ex-freezer Te Kuiti. For information and prices www.nosloc.com or phone 07 878 6868. WINDMILLS for water pumping. Ferguson Windmills Company. www.windmills.co.nz sales@windmills.co.nz Phone 09 412 8655 or 027 282 7689.

FORESTRY WANTED

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

GOATS WANTED FERAL GOATS WANTED. All head counted, payment on pick-up, pick-up within 24hours. Prices based on works schedule. Experienced musterers available. Phone Bill and Vicky Le Feuvre 07 893 8916. GOATS WANTED. All weights. All breeds. Prompt service. Payment on pick up. My on farm prices will not be beaten. Phone David Hutchings 07 895 8845 or 0274 519 249. Feral goats mustered on a 50/50 share basis.

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

HEIFERS WANTED WANTED TO LEASE up to 50 in-calf raising 2 or 3 year cross bred Heifers. Horowhenua district. Contact Ron Halford on 021 430 961.

LIVESTOCK FOR SALE RED DEER herd for sale. Details, Trade Me livestock. Phone 07 322 1070 or 027 333 1994. Evenings.

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

Classifieds

Livestock

POWER CABLE

Hawke’s Bay Working Dog Sale

We could save you hundreds of $$

Enquiries to: Rocky Hawkins Phone 06 877 5540 Mobile 027 441 0777 Email hawkeyehb@xtra.co.nz

Prices include delivery to your door!

classifieds@nzx.com

T H IN K PRE BU IL T See www.shorthorn.co.nz, and click on sale catalogue in left column to view bulls for sale.

SQUARES BALE FEEDERS

NEW HOMES

Needs no loader!

ATV towable. Feeds medium square baleage hay or straw. All models have variable speed feed, floatation tyres, jack stand, ground driven and hot dip galvanised frames.

Z N MADE

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

LK0087538©

Telephone & Fax 03 308 8012 • A/H David 03 308 6000 119 Alford Forest Road, Ashburton • www.campbellbowis.co.nz

www.stockfeeders.co.nz / 0800 104 404

Tuesday 6th June 2017 – 3pm

NOW

$750

EX GST

• 15 feed positions • 25-30 animals

AT MORLAND 1464 MASTERTON STRONVAR ROAD KEITH & GAE HIGGINS 06 372 2782

$1200

OVAL FEEDER

NOW

$1100 EX GST

BULL WALK 18TH MAY 1.50PM

• 35-40 animals

RAUPUHA SHORTHORNS

New Zealand’s proven stock feeder for 24 years 100% New Zealand Made 100% New Zealand High Tensile Steel livestock@nzx.com

30 BULLS

0NT $DIS1C0 U O

STOP WASTAGE / REDUCE PASTURE DAMAGE S2 Pinned • 2 x size 15 bales • 3 x size 12 bales

OREGON angus

$850

STANDARD FEEDER C5 Bolted & C6 Pinned • 1 x Size 15 Bale • 2m diameter

Anita Erskine, Westwood, Papatotara, Tuatapere RD 9691 Phone: 03 226 6713 Email: westwood.farm@xtra.co.nz (Or PGG Stud Stockman Callum McDonald 027 433 6443)

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

Self loader with electric or hand winch loading, tip deck.

Campbell & Bowis Engineering Ltd

All bulls’ blood tested negative for BVD and vaccinated, TB C10

SOLID – PRACTICAL WELL INSULATED – AFFORDABLE

LK0087526©

Call Debbie

0800 85 25 80

LK0085321©

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

LK0087465©

Do you have something to sell?

Bulls for sale by Private Treaty until 3rd June

LK0087562©

HOMES FARM SHEDS SUBDIVISIONS PUMPS

CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISING

Westwood Shorthorn

80 Morley Rd, Hastings Thursday June 15, 2017 – Midday start Entries are now being taken – closes June 3.

LK0086496©

FOR SALE

Red, White & Roans of our world

Livestock

SPRINGDALE ANGUS LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

Annual On Farm Sale

Thursday 1st June 2017 at Ngakonui – 12noon Offering 48 Quality Rising 2-Year Bulls

Performance Recorded BVD Antigen Tested Clear & Vaccinated Leptospirosis Vaccinated Fully Guaranteed Free delivery in North Island

Call Nigel

Sale catalogue available online at: www.pggwrightson.co.nz and www.mylivestock.co.nz

livestock@nzx.com

Enquiries welcome: Ian & Karenne Borck – 1094 Taringamotu Rd, RD 4, Taumarunui Ph/Fax 07 895 3452 – springdaleangus@outlook.co.nz

0800 85 25 80

Come and join us at our on-farm sale: Friday 2 June 2017 at 10:00am Enquiries and inspection always welcome

Contact Russell Proffit email: rnmwproffit@xtra.co.nz 2033 State Highway 3, RD Mahoenui, 3978 Phone 07 877 8977 or 027 355 2927 www.raupuhastud.co.nz

LK0087346©

Sires of sale bulls: • Kaharau 12-40 • Kaharau 12-218 • Kaharau 11-831 • Kaharau 10-625 • Springdale Clarion 244

LK0087605©

HAVE A SALE COMING UP?

livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

Livestock

Ipurua SOUTH DEVONS

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – May 15, 2017

Peter & Caroline Foss

BLACK RIDGE

R.D. Aria, King Country, Ph/fax (07) 877 7881, pcfossy@xtra.co.nz

Commercial Hill Country

ANGUS STUD

Sound well fleshed sires Excellent temperament

All bulls libido tested and semen evaluated Inspection and enquiries always welcome

200+ Breedplan Recorded Cows

Inaugural on farm bull sale 9:30am Thursday 1st June 2017 25 two year old bulls BULLS SIRED BY: Cricklewood Conquer G801 Maturai Outlier F031, Cricklewood H25,

20 Bulls Catalogued

Annual Sale Thursday 8th June 1pm, Te Kuiti Sale yards

Bull Open Day Wednesday 31st May 1 - 5pm

ALL ENQUIRIES WELCOME COME AND HAVE BREAKFAST WITH THE BULLS

Like and find us on FaceBook

DEAN AND TERESA SHERSON, 675 Taringamotu Road, RD 4, TAUMARUNUI 3994 p: 07 896 7211 m: 027 690 2033 e: black_ridge@live.com.au

SHIAN ANGUS Annual on Farm Sale – Thursday 1st June 2017 @ 3pm

72ND BULL SALE Thursday 8 June at 1pm

41 BULLS FOR SALE

110 years breeding

Lot 67

91 lots consisting of: n 41 Polled Herefords n 16 Charolais n 15 Speckle Park Bulls F1 Angus/Speckle Park Heifers, Semen and Embryo Packages.

Bulls Sired by: l Tangihau Kaino H29 l Mangapapa 029 l Shian 468 LK0087572©

Lot 47

Enquiries & inspections are always welcomed

LOT 1: SHIAN 15-610 l

Libido tested & semen evaluated

l TB

C10, BVD tested & vaccinated

l Lepto l Free

& 10 in 1 Vaccinated

Delivery North Island

Contact: Brian & Sharon Sherson 07 895 7686 Rob & Tracy 07 895 6694/ 027 230 8230 Email: b.sherson@xtra.co.nz www.shianangus.co.nz / Find us on

Contact Mark Mckenzie 027 415 8696 Sale catalogue on line www.maungahina .co.nz

Angus Cattle bred and tested under

COMMERCIAL CONDITIONS for you

Premium Genetics that perform at the top end of the market. KayJay clients have topped the Wairarapa Angus weaner steer sales with $1200 being reached for three lines and a high of $1230

ANNUAL BULL SALE Friday 2nd June 2017 at 12 noon BULL WALK Thursday 18th May

W Wai aira rara rapa pa Bu ll k th Bull WalWkal19 18MthayMay 2017 , 2016. Alll vi visi Al sito tors rs w el co welcom me. e.

GLANWORTH

PINEBANK

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

Willie Falloon (06) 372 7041

You are welcome to inspect the Bulls on the Bull Walk or any time prior to the Sale ALL BULLS ... • Semen Tested • BVD Tested Antigen Clear and Vaccinated • Free cartage North Island and to Picton

KAYJAY QUATRO H491

KAYJAY FREEDOM L136

Enquiries welcome contact Neil & Joan Kjestrup phone: 06 372 2838 Email: kayjayangus@xtra.co.nz or Rod Kjestrup phone: 06 372 2495 Westmere-Hakakino Rd, RD 10, Masterton.

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING Advertise your stock sales in The NZ Farmers Weekly

farmersweekly.co.nz

LK0087435©

Lot 3

MEADS ROAD TAUMARUNUI

Livestock

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – May 15, 2017

livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

0087578 On Farm Sale

KAIMOA

livestock@farmlands.co.nz

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

Mark & Diana Eagle

300 2-8 year old Crossbred cows BW48, PW57 Asking $1,700.00 + GST

‘Chessfield’ 1775 Mangaone Valley Rd

100 3rd calving Crossbred cows BW58, PW71 Asking $1,900.00 + GST

Call Nigel 0800 85 25 80

Eketahuna p: 06 376 8256

All cows located in Canterbury

livestock@nzx.com

e: eagleeketahuna@xtra.co.nz

Contact: Grant McIlroy 027 345 9262

Kaimoa South Devons have pleasure in putting forward 21 Bulls in 2017 We are committed to producing meaty bulls with good frame, constitution and temperament. With clients’ needs in mind we have sourced new genetics from overseas to maintain the highest qualities in our bulls.

Jon Knauf

1447 Hereheretau Rd, RD 6, WAIROA 4196

CONTACT: Or catalogue Jon Knauf 06 838 6793 E: jsknauf@gisborne.net.nz Phil Transom 0274 420 060 PGG Wrightson Ross Mitchell 0274 048 965 Fergus Rural

Kaimoa1775 South Devon MANGAONE VALLEY ROAD EKETAHUNA

FOR SALE

Are you looking in the right direction?

PROFIT-A-BULL EXCELLENCE

Monday, 22nd May 2017 - 1.30pm 90x130.71

www.kerrahsimmentals.co.nz

Second On-Farm Bull Auction at Tangiwai Station, Wairoa - 1 pm Tuesday, 23 May 2017

Predominan tly polled performance bulls for auction

2017 Bull Sales Bull Walk

A great chance to see around 1100 R2 Bulls over five days that will be auctioned this season. South & Mid Canterbury Tuesday 23rd May 1pm to 4pm Kakahu Angus/Centrewood Charolais, Geraldine Meadowslea Angus, Fairlie Stern Angus, Pleasant Point Tuesday 23rd May 10am to 4pm Merrylea Hereford, Cave Orari Gorge Hereford, Geraldine Okawa Hereford, Mayfield Matatoki Hereford, Cave

Hillcroft Angus Est 1960

ANNUAL SALE – 27 bulls

June 6th – Midday 735 Matahuru Rd, Ohinewai

• All bulls fertility tested & fully guaranteed LOT 7

LOT 11

LOT 15

LK0087515©

Hill Country Specialists

• BVD tested clear & twice vaccinated FREE DELIVERY NTH ISLAND

LOT 18

Malcolm & Fraser Crawford: Malcolm Ph 07 828 5709; Fraser Ph 07 828 5755

Photos in catalogues at www.angusnz.com

03 6974858 03 685 8027 03 614 7080

James McKerchar Robert Peacock Nick France Paul Scott

03 614 3332 03 692 2893 03 303 9749 03 612 9962

Central Canterbury Wednesday 24th May 12pm to 4pm Sudeley Angus, Irwell Andrew Laing Richon & Beechwood Hereford, Oxford Rob Stokes Rob Burrows Silverstream Charolais & Hereford, Greenpark Brent Fisher

03 329 1709 03 312 4362 0272 633 582 0272 514 791

North Canterbury Thursday 25th May 10am to 4pm Red Oak Angus, Weka Pass Rick Orr Grampians Angus, Culverden Jono Reed Hemingford Charolais, Culverden Sam Holland Kaiwara Angus, Culverden George Johns Grassmere Hereford & Riverlands Angus, Cheviot Chris Jeffries Capethorne Hereford, Cheviot Greg Chamberlain Te Mania Angus, Conway Flat Will Wilding

0272 457 751 0272 580 732 0211 814 868 0221 983 599 0274 608 849 021 549 229 027 826 4015

Marlborough Bull Walk Friday 26th May 10am to 4pm Matariki Herefords, Clarence Bridge James Murray Woodbank Angus, Clarence Bridge Johnny Murray Taimate Angus, Ward Paul Hickman Waterfall Angus, Awatere Charles Waddy Burtergill South Devon, Koromiko Richard Van Asch Brackenfield Angus, Awatere Angus Peter

027 486 6699 027 731 9430 021 575 155 03 575 7388 021 191 5584 027 428 7906

St Arnaud, Wakefield & Rai Valley Bull Walk Saturday 27th May 10am to 4pm Lake Herefords, St Arnaud Malcolm McConochie 021 251 0078 Martin Farming Hereford & Angus, Wakefield Richard Martin 027 230 3098 Blacknight Angus, Rai Valley Ben Maisey 03 571 6271 Further enquiries Callum Dunnett, PGGWrightson – 0275 908 612 Anthony Cox, Rural Livestock – 0272 083 071

For Maternal Excellence, guts, butts n nuts. 22 Poll Hereford Sires Bred for performance Martin & Mary Taylor Ph:06 8555 322 E:taylors@glenbraestud.co.nz View Online: www.glenbraestud.co.nz Visitors always welcome

Glenbrae Louis 1582 Lot 1 Glenbrae Sale

Glenbrae Logan 1565 Lot 2 Glenbrae Sale

2017 AVERAGES OF GLENBRAE SALE BULLS ‘VS’ BREED AVERAGE EBV’S

Combined Bull Sale

at Glenbrae, 1019 Mangaorapa Rd,

Porangahau. 2 pm 1st June 2017

LK0087400©

A Simmental bull for every purpose!

Gerald Hargreaves David Giddings James Fraser

livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

Livestock

Auahi Charolais

Est. 1981

Pio Pio

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – May 15, 2017

Inaugural On Farm Bull & Heifer Sale

Charolais Bulls

Henderson Partners

Offering 28 Bulls

For Sale By Private Treaty

18 TWO-YEAR-OLD BULLS AND 10 TWO-YEAR-OLD IN-CALF HEIFERS

Breeding for structural soundness • More polled • calving ease • Live calves on-ground unassisted, • Good growth EBVs “Our Charolais bulls, purchased from Kuwau Stud in recent years, have progeny which are quiet and grow into big animals. The bulls themselves have good temperament and sound feet”. Ron Frew, Ron Frew Family Partnership, Ohakune

Bruce and Chrissina Donald 1877 Weber Rd, RD 10, Dannevirke 4970 p: 06 374 2939 e: bruce.chrissina@xtra.co.nz View our catalogue on www.herefords.co.nz Like and find us on FaceBook

Looking for a Beef Shorthorn? Longview

Check them out Tangiteroria Private Sales 021 556 806 - Bill

Whangarei Heads Sale June 30, 1pm 09 434 0987 - David 09 434 0718 -Will

Lochburn

Taupiri Private Sales 07 824 6751 - Kelvin

Waimai

Ngaruawahia Private Sales 07 825 4763 - John

Aubrey

Waitomo Private Sale 07 873 6968 - Ron Smith

Waipawa Sale June 13, 11am 07 378 8979 - Tim

Waipukurau Sale June 13, 11am 06 858 5369 - Jim 06 855 4737 - Nick

Mangaotuku

Stratford Private Sales 06 765 7269 - Jack

Beef Expo

Feilding Sale May 15, 3.30pm

Tall Poppy

Hinewaka Sale

Blenheim Private Sales 03 572 4013 - Mike

Maerewhenua

Glendhu

Heriot Private Sales 03 204 2052 - Fraser

WEDNESDAY 31st MAY 2017 AT 2:30PM

« STUD AND COMMERCIAL HEREFORD CATTLE « « TOP YIELDING MEAT BULLS « WAIAU MEN AT WORK 12076 (AI) EBV 200 DAY 400 DAY 600 DAY EMA BULL +40 +70 +108 +3.8 +30 +49 +70 +2.9 Breed Avg

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Using a Shorthorn bull in your cross-breeding program will increase bottom line up to 20%

$$$$$$$$$$$

Ranfurly Sale May 19, 11am 03 444 9277 - Bev

50th ANNUAL PRODUCTION SALE

Oamaru Private Sales 03 431 2811 - Norman

$$$$$$$$$$

Rough Ridge

Masterton Sale June 7, 3pm 06 372 7615 - David

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Westwood

Winton Female Dispersal Sale May 18, 1pm 03 236 1139 - John

otapawa@xtra.co.nz Stuart Robbie 027 8484 408 Donald & Marlene Robbie 06 376 7250

Hiwiroa Sale

Ongarue Private Sales 07 894 6030 - Allan

Fully Guaranteed Service & Semen Tested TB Clear C10 EBL & BVD Tested & Vaccinated Free Delivery (NI)

Katikati Sale May 25, 1pm 07 552 0815 - Ken 021 520 244 - Craig

Tahuna Sale

Corsock

Brigadoon

Orena

Browns

Mahoenui Sale June 2, 10am 07 877 8977 - Russell

12 noon, On Farm Tiraumea

Morrinsville Private Sales 07 889 5965 - Hamish

Raupuha

Bull Sale – 6th June

Kerikeri Private Sales (50) 09 401 9633 - Shane & Dot

Glenrossie

Woodcall

Tuatapere Private Sales 03 226 6713 - Anita

MILK +13 +14

Renowned for great marbling producing top quality meat PICTURED: WAIAU MEN AT WORK 12076 (AI) at 3 years 4 months at Lake Hauroko. The second crop of Waiau Men At Work 12076 (AI) calves are offered for sale this year.

TB C10 – PERFORMANCE RECORDED – VET TESTED – CARCASE SCANNED

KING FAMILIES LK0087345©

www.shorthorn.co.nz

LK0087518©

Bully A/h 06 385 4310 Paddy 027 484 0700

LK0087366©

Bulls are available for inspection anytime Ph John Henderson 07 873 8477 or 027 633 1776

“Predominately Angus herd, Tawanui introduced a (B) herd and decided to mate to a terminal. A Charolais was decided and so purchased 3 bulls from Kuwau Charolais Stud. Temperament for me, a very big plus, the bulls held good condition after mating, cows scanned out well, but most impressive were the calves at foot”. Stephen Tapa, Manager Tawanui Station, Atihau-Whanganui Incorporation

Thursday 1 June 2017 – 10 am Breakfast viewing starts at 8am

LK0087052©

• BVD tested & vaccinated • Guaranteed

LK0087365©

Congratulations to our local bull buyers Carl and Sonia Hurley for once again getting top results! 12 month X Steers 496kg achieved $1530 at Te Kuiti sale.

COLIN & FAY • 1437 Lillburn Valley Road, RD 1, Tuatapere 9691 • P: 03 226 6791 • E: waiau1@farmside.co.nz DARRYL & NICKY & FAMILY • 65 Dean Forest Road, RD 1, Tuatapere 9691 • P: 03 226 6606 • E: darryllillburn@gmail.com

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – May 15, 2017

COMPLETE DISPERSAL

Quality Friesian & Crossbred Herd In-calf Heifers, Yearlings & Machinery

1ST AUTUMN ON FARM SERVICE BULL SALE - UNDERCOVER

MONDAY 29TH MAY 2017 – Sale Commences 11.30am On Account of David & Fiona McKenzie

MONDAY 29TH MAY 2017 300 McDonald Mine Road – Huntly

On Account of David & Fiona McKenzie 210 BULLS COMPRISING: 300 McDonald Mine Road - Huntly

10 x R3 PB Murray Grey Bulls 40 x R2 Jersey Bulls $50 BULL PLAN AVAILABLE TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY AGENT IN CHARGE: BILL SWEENEY - 027 451 5310

Te Awamutu Saleyards Friday May 19th 12pm On A/c Paetui Holdings Ltd (in receivership) 600 mainly Jsy & Xbd VIC hfrs consisting of: • Approx 60 late autumn calving hfrs – Jsy bull • Approx 540 spring calving 10/7 hfrs – Jsy bull

A/c Taniwha Farms Ltd 251 Old Te Kuiti Road Otorohanga (D#74805)

or Dean Evans PGGW 027 243 1092 www.agonline.co.nz

NZ Farmers Livestock are pleased to offer for sale our vendors herd and replacements. After 9 years sharemilking at this property, our vendors are hanging up the cups!! The herd and replacements will come forward in excellent condition. The herd has been blanket dry-cowed on 28/4, with long acting Enduro and Dryclox.

TARANAKI MACHINERY CLEARING SALE On farm at 285 Ngatimaru Road, Tikorangi, Waitara Monday May 22nd 2017, starting at 10.30am

Nearly 60% of the herd is made up of 2, 3 or 4 year-old cows. TB status is C10. EBL free. This is an excellent opportunity to purchase sound, attractive, young producing cows in one spot. Payment is 1st June 2017. Sharemilkers can graze until 31st May 2017 at the purchaser’s risk. Download the catalogue on www.mylivestock.co.nz Or contact agent in charge: Gareth Price 0274 777 310 gareth.price@nzfll.co.nz

Download the app today

LK0087508©

Light luncheon will be provided.

Comprising: 3 x Crystalix stock licks, ATV tool box, drum of bloat oil, empty plastic 200 & 100Lt drums, 2 x Hecton calf trailers, hoof care equipment in weather-proof tool box, effluent pontoon with pump, 500lt diesel tank, CDAX 50Lt ATV sprayer, Bertolini 100Lt motorbike sprayer, Fieldmaster GM270 mower/ topper, Kuhn GMO 700 mower, Pearson bale clamp, back blade, 2-year-old Burkhart 8-tonne tip trailer, 2014 Giltrap RF13 silage wagon, Giltrap Quick-Hitch, hip lifter, 2 x PK trailers, rubber tyre field roller, Leveller, Pearson/Euro hitch adaptor, Captive bolt gun, Udy bale feeder, Pearson silage grab, PTO effluent pump + line + irrigator, Manure scraper, Pace bale feeder, Stallion 50 teat Calfateria, Bertolini 1000Lt tractor sprayer. Plus plenty of other farm sundries VEHICLES: International 585, 2007 Ferguson 5455 w Pearson loader (5900 hours), 2007 Ferguson 5455 w Stoll loader (3800 hours), Suzuki Trojan 200cc farm bike, Suzuki TF125 farm bike, 1997 Daihatsu Terios 4x4, 2005 Holden Rodeo Ute 4WD cab plus 3.lt (187k). Vendors Tony and Loie 027 411 8946 Enquiries: Vendors agent/auctioneer Simon Payne 027 241 4585 or email simon.payne@nzfll.co.nz

Download the app today

LK0087551©

Production for last season was 134,000m/s, or 380m/s per cow, 1063/ha.

Download the app today

The herd has been vetted to dates, all young stock are well grown and will represent great buying.

Machinery 11am – Cows followed by Heifers start at 1.00pm On A/c DB & AM ELLIOTT – 1495 Orini Rd, Orini  80 M/A Predominantly Jersey Cows with some Ayrshire and crossbred. BW BW21/23 PW43/10, RA65% C10 Tidy capacious cows doing 400m/s. Calving from 17 July to CRV bulls, tailed with Angus and BWF, bulls taken out 20th Dec 40 in-calf Heifers BW60 PW82. Calving from 15 July to Jersey, bulls out 20th Dec

MACHINERY

A/c Tony and Loie Penwarden Full Dispersal Auction

The herd is in calf to LIC AB (5 crossbred sires) for 5½ weeks, calving starts 26th July 2017, and is tailed off with Purebred Angus bulls until removed 9/1/17.

Download the app today

Calving from 08/07/17 to Ambreed sires (5 weeks) and tailed with quality Hereford bulls, are TB clear, EBL free, SCC 175 and Lepto innoculated.

Monday 22nd May

LK0087557©

All Enquiries to: NZFLL Ollie Carruthers 0274 515 312 www.mylivestock.co.nz

All enquiries to Darryl Houghton 0274 515 315 or darryl.houghton@nzfll.co.nz

220 Fr/Xbd/Jsy In-calf cows BW 39 PW 57 RA 65% Calving 25 July 2017, 5 weeks AB Frs Sires LIC, tailed Fr & Hfd bulls BO 8/1/2017 Average 391 MS/cow l/s 175 – Fr/Xbd/Jsy In-calf heifers BW 60 Calving 10/7/2017 Jersey bulls BO 20/12/2016 All enquiries to – Agents in charge: NZFLL Gareth Price – 0274 777 310 Ken Riddle – 0274 522 918 NZFLL Micheal Conwell – 0272 261 611

CLEARING SALE

Our vendor has used LIC & CRV AB since inception. The heifers are unrecorded.

Herd comprising: • VIC cows x 295 - Fr/FrX/Xbd/JsyX BW54, PW70, RA 78% • VIC R2 heifers x 75 - Fr/FrX/Xbd/JsyX BW78, PW89 DTC 20/7 (Jsy bull) • Empty R1 heifers x 81 - Fr/FrX BW90, PW95. Well grown yearlings

A/c Landcorp Farming Ltd 703 Rawhiti Road, Reporoa (D#79207)

Note: The herd has produced up to 445 MS/cow and 1058 MS/ha with no brought in feed (maize grown on farm) and all young stock on farm. The herd is well dried off, blanket dry cowed and are in good condition.

Full quote and profiles on www.mylivestock.co.nz Quote: WAI47157

JERSEY & CROSSBRED R2YR HEIFERS

BWs to 144; PWS TO 291. M/S 1063/ha

Thursday 25th May 2017

• 90 Friesian and Crossbred Yearling Heifers

$50 BULL PLAN AVAILABLE • TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY 210 BULLS COMPRISING: AGENT IN CHARGE: BILL SWEENEY – 027 451 5310 120 x R3 PB Hereford Bulls 40 x R3 PB Angus Bulls

Tuesday 23rd May 12 noon start

PRELIMINARY NOTICE

• 94 FFX in-calf Heifers

120 x R3 PB Hereford Bulls 40 x R3 PB Angus Bulls Delivery dates are on the Monday of 29th May, 5th June & 12th June 10 x R3 PB Murray Grey Bulls 40sound, x R2 The bulls are guaranteed TB &Jersey BVD testedBulls and Double innoculated.

EXCELLENT PRODUCING CROSSBRED HERD

Wednesday 24th May 2017 Machinery 11am – Herd 12.00pm (Full details next advert)

The bulls are guaranteed sound, TB & BVD tested and Double innoculated.

“Just 15 cents,” replied the old timer.

On A/c Horizon Endeavours 382B Seifert Road, Morrinsville

Comprising of: • 324 Friesian and Crossbed Cows Herd BW 63 PW 77 RA 83%

Commences 11.30am Delivery dates are on the Monday Sale of 29th May, 5th June & 12th June – you pick your day.

“Why?” asked the barman. “What’ve you got?’

(unless sold prior)

LK0087528©

The drinks were placed in front of him. He gulped down two and just before he quaffed the third he said: “Shouldn’t be drinking these really, with what I’ve got.”

TRACTORS 1 x Valtra CAB tractor 101 Booster 130 horsepower + 3rd service – done 3500hrs 1 x Valtra tractor 900 crowd action + 3rd service – 3200hrs 1 x Ford tractor 3910 – 1x owner – 4000hrs approx. 1 x Ford super major 1961 – works fine 1 x Ford 5000 tractor fully rebuilt and painted TRACTOR PARTS & ACCESSORIES 1 x Soft Hands Euro Hitch – Pearson 2 x tractor buckets -1.9 metre Euro hitch 2 x tractor forks – Euro hitch 1 x seed drill – Aitchison seeder 1020 1 x spray unit Bertallini W - P48 and boom arms 1 x tractor bucket – Scoop N Tray 2.1metre – Euro hitch 1 x feed out wagon – Hydra Flow CUB 4000 1 x SAM 5 metre Combridge & Alexandra feedout wagon 1 x Farm Guard grader 1 x water blaster – tractor 3000psi rebuilt approx. 2 years ago – Hurrican 1 x Amazon twin disk tractor fert spreader 1 x Suction tank, pto driver suction tank. 5000L 1 x roller seed drill 1 x Donalds post driver 1 x concrete roller 1 x diesel/petrol tank holder and stand 1 x hay trailer 5.2 meters long 1 x dual wheel Taupiri ENG tip trailer 1 x Giltrap 270 topper 2.7 metre 1 x Krone easy cut 280 hay mower, near new

1 x UFO full hydrollic hay mower 1 x READ haymaker 300 tedder 1 x solid Giltrap tip trailer 1 x Holgase Argur bucket 1 x Bulcher loader and bucket 1 x single bail feeder – Burkhart FARM GEAR 1 x stainless steel VAT 3400L 2 x PKE mobile trough feeders – ‘through mobile’ 6 meters long – motorbike tow 1 x motorbike fert spreader – Vogal CALF REARING GEAR (lots of) WORK SHOP GEAR Plus extras 1 x concrete mixer – good condition Bulk lot of timber ranging from 3x2, 4x2 and 6x2 – numerous sizes 20 or more steel gates – various conditions Bulk lot of 50ml, 25ml galvanised pipes 1 x Nova 260 welder 1 x generator 2800W 1 x sand blaster 2 x gas sets 1 x pipe bender 1 x Shoof calf puller 1 x steel weed eater A few grinders and drills, cut off saw Various chemicals for the farm 1 x Honda 2 inch WZ Suction pump 1 x new 3 phase Mig welder – never used

Plus lots lots more.

For all enquiries please phone: Brent Houghton 027 288 8207 – Vendor Dave Elliott 022 549 1234

Download the app today

LK0087507©

“I’ll have 3 double Scotches please,” he whispered to the barman.

1ST AUTUMN ON FARM SERVICE BULL SALE - UNDERCOVER

livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

LK0087509©

The conversation stopped as the old bloke entered the pub. He was in his pyjamas, slippers and with the aid of a walking frame shuffled towards the bar.

LK0087506©

SALE TALK

Livestock

livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

Livestock

FROM THE NOTED COUNTRY CALENDAR DIRECTOR RICHARD LANGSTON AND HIS CREW

POLLED HEREFORD

POLLED HEREFORDS

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

ANGUS

HAVE A SALE COMING UP?

A hill country classic.

MORRINSVILLE INCALF COW SALE

ON FARM SALE

26TH ANNUAL SALE

livestock@nzx.com

JUNE 6TH w w w. h a i n . c o . n z

SAM, GEMMA, LILLA & TOM HAIN SID & MERRAN HAIN

26th March at 1:00pm 28 R2YR BULLS

0800 85 25 80 6 ANNUAL ON PROPERTY BULL SALE @ 3PM GISBORNE.

GET THE WHITEFACE ADVANTAGE

KEVIN & JANE MCDONALD (REPOROA) 07 333 8068 • 027 451 0640 JEFF & NICOLA McDONALD 021 510 351 • kairuruNZ@gmail.com

HIGH PRODUCTION OUTSTANDING CONFORMATION JERSEY COW & IN-CALF HEIFER SALE

OUTSTANDING HIGH PERFORMING HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN HERD HIGH INDEXINGDISPERSAL JERSEY &SALE JERSEY

MERRYLEA

Tuesday 23rd May 2017 at 11.30am

CROSS HERD

Monday 22nd May 2017 at 10.30am

OVER 50 YEARS OF PERFORMANCE BREEDING

Vendors: Richard & Joy Gibson 2066 SH 56, Longburn, Palmerston North Ph 06 353 6933

Vendors: M/s Gates Family

BW 143/50 PW1060 161/67 RA 100% Makino Road, Feilding (in top 10 All Breeds for NZ ) Offering will comprise: SALE Friday 26th May 2017, 2pm • • • •

148 Holstein Friesian Spring calving cows 2 Ayrshire Spring calving cows Many cows contracted to LIC for 2011 matings 21 Holstein Friesian Empty in-milk cows Due to calve fromFriesian 16-7-12, weeks 38 Holstein Spring calving6.5 in-calf heifers 2 Ayrshire spring calving in-calf heifers AB Jersey and50Kiwi cross Holstein Friesian yearling heifers Estimated to 4 Holstein be Friesian 420 mixed-age cows bullsafter non 265older head pregnant, culls, cows & 5% rejection TB status C10, EBL Free, BVD Milk tested, Lepto last season 347kgs ms/cow, vaccinated.

Production 1000kgs ms/ha, rolling steeper This will beon one of the nicest qualityto straight bred herds offered for sale this autumn. Years or of selective Lot 1 – Merrylea Focuscontoured 2514 farm, no meal, palm kernel maize breeding have gone in to making this the outstanding High Index bull with an impressive set of EBVs fed. 23 rising two year bulls for sale production herd it is today. Overseas genetics have • Young replacement also available been used stock to compliment NZ bloodlines to breed cattle Carcase scanned, BVD tested, BVD vaccinated, C10

Outstanding MERRYLEA HEREFORDS

with stature, very nice dairy conformation, good udders and productive ability. The vendors are retaining 15 genetics & potential to be one of older cows.

263 Greenhill Rd, Cave, South Canterbury Enquiries to James & Georgina McKerchar 03 614 3332 Eoin McKerchar 03 614 7712

Or are available from the auctioneers:

LK0087511©

LK0087530©

www.holstein.org.co.nz

A part reduction sale of an outstanding 700 cow Jersey herd comprising: • 51 Jersey cows (all cows 6 years and over) • 10 Jersey in-calf heifers • Total of 61 head TB C10, EBL free, innoculated Lepto and Blackleg. This truly outstanding herd is renowned for the conformation, stature and capacity of it’s cows. Production has seen this herd among the top producing Jersey herds in New Zealand on numerous occasions. The herd has indices of BW 110, PW 127 with recorded ancestry of 99%. All sale animals are DNA profiled to sire and dam. Many are sired by the Jersey breeds top sires and carry services to highly ranked AB sires. High individual production cows are on offer. Be sure to attend this sale where many top individuals are on offer. Catalogues giving all details can be viewed on line at www. brianrobinsonlivestock.co.nz or www.jersey.org. nz or can be obtained from the auctioneers: Brian Robinson Livestock Ltd or Jersey Marketing Service.

Registered Polled Herefords

Gary Falkner

OKAHU Jersey Marketing Service

PH: Herefords 027 482 8771 or 07 846 4491 Polled 47TH ANNUAL BULL SALE Thursday 18 May 2017, 3pm

Okahu Sonny Bill

• 2014 Champion Asia/Africa in World Hereford Championships • Champion of Champion at 2014 Aginnovation

Approximately 20 two-year old bulls to be sold on property BVD clear & vaccinated - TB status C10 Semen tested - 2 x Covexin 10

Contact: Kelly O’Neill 06 385 4558 Callum Stewart, National Genetics Manager, PGG Wrightson 027 280 2688 Ken Roberts, PGG Wrightson Livestock Representative 0275 918 042

Okahu Herefords are run under natural conditions at an altitude of 2000 feet and over, near Mt Ruapehu. Our aim is to breed hardy, heavy muscled, good hindquartered cattle which can compete with sheep on the hills.

K.A. O’Neill - 7425 Valley Road, RD6, Raetihi 4696

OKAHU - Over 100 years of breeding Herefords

Enquiries to: Kevin Hart ph 027 291 5575, Brian Robinson Ph 0272 410 051 Ross Riddell Ph 0272 111 112

KEVIN & JANE McDONALD

0274 528 603

240 Frsn Frsn x I/C cows Tuesday 16 May 10.30am Start Machinery first then cows straight after. Cows start no later than 11.30am A/C Tetley-Jones Dairy, 4765 State Highway 1, Tokoroa - Dairy Number 78143 BW61, PW82 – Ancestry 98% 9 C/O Rising 4yr in calf to Hereford bull Milked on a flat to rolling. The cows produced 440M/S and are doing 1450 M/S per hectare. 220 calves reared on whole milk for 2016. Cows will all be drycowed 30 April 2017 Emphasis on nominating sires with low SCC (Currently 58 this season), big capacity, strong udder traits and temperament has bred a uniform, profitable, hard working herd that our vendors are proud to offer for sale with confidence. Herd calving from 18 July for 6 weeks AI and tailed with Hereford Bulls, bulls came out 31 December 2016. Scanned to dates. Mark this sale down as a must attend if you are looking for top replacement cattle. TB C10, EBL Free, Lepto Vacc, BVD Neg, Herringbone Shed.

Payment – 1st June 2017. Catalogues available online at Agonline or Contact: Bill Donnelly 0274 932 063

Buy and sell livestock at

LINDSAY JONES

MACHINERY & SUNDRY RECEIVERSHIP SALE

COMPLETE DISPERSAL SALE

Delivery – Immediate unless prior arrangement made with Agent.

Tuesday 23rd May, 11.30am Start Morrinsville Saleyards A/C JMS Trust Comprising 200 Predominately Frsn Cows BW59, PW54, RA98% Calving 10th July AB Frsn 4 weeks, Tailed Jsy Bulls, Bull out 20th December. Dry Cow Treated, TB C10. A good sized cow with type and capacity. Over 50 years in the same family (3 Letter Code). A genuine opportunity to buy cows that have stood the test of time on hilly to steep farm on the Kaimais. Jason Roberts 02752 431 429

Registered Speckle Parks

07 333 8068

MACHINERY: John Deere tractor 6125 120 HP 1200 hours, water blaster, hedge clippers, calf feeders, Cause Mag spreader, generator, hand tools,block and tackle, pipe spanners, mower, trailer, calf trailer, silage wagon, round bale feeder, Polaris 4x4, bale clamp, bike weed sprayer, hip lifters, electirc fence reels and standards, car trailer, diesel tank 1000 ltrs.

Monday 22nd May, 11.00am Start 360 Manuel Rd, Morrinsville A/C S & D Singh 160 Frsn/ Frsn x Incalf Cows, BW53, PW77, RA98% Due to late farm sale, herd being sold. Herd calving 12th July to LIC Frsn for 4 weeks. Tailed off Jsy Bull, Bulls out 20th December. TB C10, EBL Free, Lepto Vacc, H/Bone Shed. Great Shifting Herd, Milked on Hill Country. Low inputs, production 325 per cow, SCC 114,000. Payment – 5th June Delivery – 1st June Catalogues available on Agonline. Brad Osborne 0272 431 816

7 heifer calves 7 bull calves

Livestock Ltd theBrian soleRobinson marketing agents:

Phone Selwyn Donald 027 437 8375 Brian BRLL View our sale bulls at Robinson Brian Robinson www.merrylea.co.nz PH: 0272 410051027 or241 070051 8583132

SHORT NOTICE FRSN/ FRSN X HERD

EARLY CALVING FRSN COWS

13 in-calf R2yr heifers 13 heifer calves

Cataloguessuppliers giving all details are on line at: to the FOR countries leading of available Genetics BREEDING MEATY BULLS THE www.brianrobinsonlivestock.com or BEEF INDUSTRY the dairy industry for years to come. Full details

available. Free transport S.I. wide

Wednesday 17th May, 11.00am Start Morrinsville Saleyards A/C Sturae Farms, RD3 Te Aroha Comprising: 130 Kiwi x Incalf Dairy Cows • BW74/42, PW82/57, RA92% • DTC 15th July, Incalf LIC PSS Kiwi x, 6 wks tailed Jersey Bull. (Scanned to Dates – Last Cow 30th September Calving.) • 320M/S per Cow (Dry 1st May) • Blanket Dry- Cowed • TB C10, EBL Free These Cows are LIC Computer Split from Complete Herd. Farmers in search of genuine cows are advised to attend. Catalogues available at www.agonline.co.nz Allan Jones 0272 240 768 Vendor: Stuart & Lorae 0274 309 092

JUNE 7 AT 1PM at Kairuru, Reporoa (midway Rotorua – Taupo)

Call Nigel

SINCE 1979

LK0087430©

HEREFORD

KAIRURU

LK0087343©

ROMNEY

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – May 15, 2017

LK0087533©

Thursday 25th May, 11.00am Start Casey Rd, Whatawhata A/C Riverbend Dairy Farms Ltd (In Liquidation) ATV 2009 Honda TRX 420, ATV Trailer & Cage, ATV 4WD Yamaha Grizzly, Tandem axle Trailer with Cage, Tractor 2003 Massey Ferguson 6290 with Pearson Frontend Loader, Tractor Massey Fergusson 188 with Pearson Loader (Not Going), Tractor Massey Ferguson 399 Front End Loader, (Not Going), Nissan Navara 4WD 2003, Tip Trailer Tandem Axle 8T, ATV Fertiliser Spreader, Bale Feeder Clough Sidewinder, Bale grab hustler, 3x Calf Feeder on Trailer 50 teat, Cambridge Roller, Chain Harrow 3 mt, Cultivator Redback 3mt, Feed out Wagon Giltrap MSX80, Feed Pad Scraper 3mt, ATV Spray Tank 50Lt with Pump & Gun, Feed Trough Feeder 6mt, 3x Fert Spreaders, Grader Blade Farmguard 2.1mt Levelling Bar 3mt, Loader bucket, Offset Mower, Post Rammer Kinghitter, Power Disc Hooper 2.2mt, Quick Hitch, Power Harrows, Silage Forks Pearson, Spray Unit Winstone 500Lt Tombstone, 2x 1000Lt Plastic Tanks, Diesel Tank, Waterblaster, Plus Various Farm tools. Payment Terms are Strictly Cash, EFTPOS or Cheque. Contact Dean Evans 0272 431 092

Livestock

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – May 15, 2017

livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

OPAWA SIMMENTALS ONCE A DAY MILKING JERSEY/JERSEY X HERD AND HEIFERS AUCTION A/C MELDEN FARMS LTD DATE: Friday 19 May 2017 ADDRESS: 555 Kopuku Road, Te Kauwhata D/C NO: 70502 START TIME: 11.00am (auction under cover)

Thurs 25 May Feilding Saleyards 11.30am

COMPRISING OF: • 184 predominately Jersey-based herd (60 x Xbreed), BW 82, PW 95 R/a 91% HERD DETAILS: • Herd calving from 14 July to Nom LIC for 4 weeks, 6 weeks short gest sires • System 2 farming, on property 7 years • All cows vetted to dates, HB shed • Once-a-day milking herd producing 330kgMS/cow, 80 000kg/200 cows • Good framed capacity Jersey cows • TB C7, Lepto vac. annually, all in-milk at auction • Young age spread, tight calving spread • Well farmed by fastidious vendor and cows in great condition Pre-sale inspection welcomed and photos available from agents.

FARM SOURCE LIVESTOCK AGENT: Stewart Cruickshank 0272 705 288 VENDOR: Jeremy 027 229 0229

Hunterville 165 2.5 year Hereford Hfrs VIC Ang Bull 1st Dec 2016 1st Calvers. Hfrs sourced from Beaumont Stn, Maniototo as Ylgs every year. Bull sourced from Merchiston & Atahua Angus. Outstanding LK0087520©

PAYMENT TERMS: 1ST June 2017 Grazing available to 31st May for farmers without access to farms.

A/C Siberia Stn

View the sales catalogue on nzfarmsource. co.nz/livestock

EARN DOUBLE FARM SOURCE REWARD DOLLARS For every purchase of livestock at any Farm Source Livestock on-farm auction during April and May 2017*

line of Hfrs. See link for photos: http://agonline.co.nz/ sales/upcoming Further Inquiries Maurice Stewart 0272 469 255

T&Cs apply. See nzfarmsource.co.nz/livestock

Feilding Weaner Sale Thurs 18 May 11.30am A/C R Alabaster Family Trust – Taihape Kowhanui Stn 180 Ang & Ang/Hfd Strs 180 Ang & Ang/Hfd Hfrs Rangitane Stn 100 Ang & Ang/Hfd Strs 100 Ang & Ang/Hfd Hfrs Great Opportunity to buy well bred traditional cattle. Heifers suitable for breeding A/C Umutoi Valley Farms Ltd C/- SM O’Reilly Apiti

ON FARM BULL & HEIFER SALE

18MTH HEIFERS 300-400kgs 470-550kgs R3 YR STEERS

MA EWES RWR/SIL store LAMBS 32-38kgs MA COWS due Aug-Nov

Inspection from 11.30am 17 R2 Simmental bulls 11 R2 Simmental/Hereford x heifers 10 R2 Simmental/Stabilizer x heifers PTIC low birth weight Hereford bulls 3 R2 Simmental Purebred heifers Transferable. Enquiries: Vendors – David & Jayne Timperley 03 685 5785 or 0274 375 881 Callum Dunnett – PGG Wrightson 0275 908 612 Sam Bell – PGG Wrightson 0272 040 499

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

HAVE A SALE COMING UP? Call Nigel 0800 85 25 80 livestock@nzx.com

The most comprehensive Dairy Livestock network in New Zealand.

18MTH BULLS 380-460kgs 340-450kgs 18MTH STEERS

260 Rutherford Road, Albury South Canterbury Friday 19th May 2017 Commencing 1.30pm

80 Ang Strs 80 Ang Hfrs Further Inquiries Maurice Stewart 06 323 9654 0272 469 255

STOCK REQUIRED

www.dyerlivestock.co.nz

Ross Dyer 0274 333 381 E info@rdlfinance.co.nz

LK0087541©

Feilding Cow Sale

HAWKES BAY ANGUS HERD WALK Thursday 25 May Times Clients 2 – 2.30pm Waiterenui 3 – 3.30pm Whenuapapa Friday 26 May 9 – 9.30am 10 – 10.30am 10.45 – 11.15am 11.30 – 12.30am 1.00 – 1.30pm 1.45 – 2.15pm 3.00 – 3.30pm

Mt Mable Dandaleith Brookwood Lunch Provided Leopard Hotel Waiwhero Motere Elgin

Please call Jon 06 877 9462 for Lunch Booking Catalogues will be available on the day. Further Inquiries Tom Suttor

0274 469 967

PGG Wrightson has more than 100 specialist dairy representatives, involved in trading 150,000+ head of dairy livestock annually. We focus on adding value and developing strong relationships with our clients. Our dairy team can facilitate all of your livestock needs: completing herds; surplus cows; weaners, yearling or in-calf replacement heifers; in-milk cows; pedigree dairy stock; bobby and feeder calves; cull and boner cows; and service bulls. With a nationwide network, we broker sales on-farm and via private treaty as well as at auction. We offer quality advice in all aspects of livestock selling and purchasing, with a clear understanding of animal evaluation records combined with the practical aspects of dairy farming.

Contact your local PGG Wrightson Dairy Livestock representative today for more information.

Freephone 0800 2466 5463 www.agonline.co.nz

Helping grow the country

MARKET SNAPSHOT

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Grain & Feed 6.22

AS OF 23/02/2017

AS OF 04/05/2017

US$/t

WMP GDT PRICES AND NZX FUTURES

347

NI mutton (20kg)

3.70

2.40

321

286

SI lamb (17kg)

5.90

4.90

Feed Barley

328

267

SI mutton (20kg)

3.75

2.30

198

Export markets (NZ$/kg) 9.40

9.41

7.84

218

UK CKT lamb leg

Maize Grain

406

347

PKE

216

204

* 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.

6.5 6.0 5.5

Last week

Prior week

Last year

Wheat - Nearest

229

237

247

Corn - Nearest

207

210

222

5.0

CBOT futures (NZ$/t)

4.5

3500

APW Wheat

318

319

332

3000

ASW Wheat

308

305

317

2500

Feed Wheat

291

290

278

Feed Barley

277

288

PKE (US$/t)

Apr 17 Jul 17 NZX WMP Futur es

North Island 17kg lamb 7.0

INTERNATIONAL

4000

1500 Jul 16 Oct 16 Jan 17 C2 Fonter r a WMP

5.10

333

Australia (NZ$/t)

2000

6.10

321

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

Ex-Malaysia

South Island 1 7kg lamb

6.5 6.0

NZ venison 60kg stag

6005.5 5005.0 4004.5 300

4.0 Oct Oct

Dec

Feb

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

Prior week

vs 4 weeks ago

WMP

3165

3225

3100

SMP

2080

2120

AMF

6275

Butter

5050

Last week

Prior week

Last year

Prior week

Last year

1950

Urea

507

505

6.65

8.95

6110

5550

Super

317

330

35 micron

3.85

5.90

4900

4450

DAP

840

39 micron

3.80

5.70

739

$/kg

c/k kg (net)

NZ$/t

US$/t

5.5

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Sharemarket Briefing THE local reporting season continued last week and included some of the biggest names on the Australian and New Zealand markets. Of note were the big Australian Banks, which all had fairly lacklustre results with margin pressure notable. They all had a strong run over recent months, riding the increasing interest rates wave but softer earnings saw a major pullback in the sector. The most important event for NZ last week saw the Reserve Bank holding the Official Cash Rate at 1.75% for the third time in a row. That was expected, however, the market was watching for forecasts to be updated in the Monetary Policy Statement, in particular the forecast path for the OCR. With positive data points from the first quarter painting a bright picture for the NZ economy there were expectations the RBNZ would bring forward its next expected move from mid-2019 to the end of 2018. That was not the case with Governor Wheeler saying developments since the previous meeting were neutral. Monetary policy is expected to remain accommodative for a considerable period, which saw market expectations for a rate hike pushed back further. The NZ dollar weakened after the announcement. Market commentary provided by Craigs Investment Partners

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

7490

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

7388

May 14

May 15

May 16

Feed barley

4 w eeks ago

NZ venison 60kg stag

600

250 150 May 13

39 micron wool price

6.5

CANTERBURY FEED PRICES

2750

12874

This yr

6.65

350

10507

Aug

Last week

3000

S&P/FW AG EQUITY

Last yr

Aug

29 micron

450

S&P/FW PRIMARY SECTOR

Jun

(NZ$/kg)

3250

Latest price

Jun

NZ average (NZ$/t)

WMP FUTURES - VS FOUR WEEKS AGO

Jul

Apr

WOOL

* price as at close of business on Thursday

Jun

Apr

FERTILISER

Last price*

2500

Last year

6.10

333

Waikato (NZ$/t)

Apr 17 AgriHQ Seasonal

Last week Prior week

NI lamb (17kg)

Feed Wheat PKE

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Milling Wheat

Feb 17

Last year

$/kg

6.00

Dec 16 AgriHQ Spot Fonterra forecast

Prior week

Canterbury (NZ$/t)

MILK PRICE COMPARISON

$/kgMS

Last week

AGRIHQ 2016-17

FONTERRA 2016-17

5 Oct 16

SHEEP MEAT

DOMESTIC

$/kg

MILK PRICE FORECAST ($/KGMS) 2016-17

Sheep

c/kkg (net)

Dairy

May 17

PKE spot

Auckland International Airport Limited

YTD High

YTD Low

6.85

7.43

6.31

Meridian Energy Limited

2.81

2.95

2.57

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

3.73 8.58 10.51 3.21 8.47 5.26 3.23 23.00

3.74 10.86 10.54 3.25 9.05 5.26 3.30 23.20

3.32 7.77 8.50 2.94 8.12 4.65 3.14 17.47

Listed Agri Shares

400 3.5 300

2.5Oct Oct

Dec

5‐yr ave

Feb

Apr

Last yr

Jun

Aug

This yr

Dollar Watch

Top 10 by Market Cap Company

4.5

500

5pm, close of market, Thursday

Company

YTD High

YTD Low

The a2 Milk Company Limited

3.800

3.850

2.060

Cavalier Corporation Limited

0.620

0.810

0.550

Comvita Limited

6.050

8.650

5.880

Delegat Group Limited

6.230

6.720

5.650

Foley Family Wines Limited

1.350

1.500

1.200

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

6.020

6.400

5.880

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS)

2.600

2.610

2.550

New Zealand King Salmon Investments Ltd

1.360

1.420

1.220

PGG Wrightson Limited

0.590

0.600

0.490

Sanford Limited (NS)

7.250

7.750

6.700

Scales Corporation Limited

3.410

3.650

3.210

Seeka Limited

5.200

5.500

4.300

Tegel Group Holdings Limited

1.080

1.460

1.070

S&P/FW Primary Sector

10507

9307

S&P/FW Agriculture Equity

12874

10899

S&P/NZX 50 Index

7490

6971

S&P/NZX 10 Index

7388

7389

6927

THE kiwi dollar hit a low This Prior Last around US$0.6825 after the NZD vs week week year Reserve Bank surprised on USD 0.6847 0.6868 0.6817 Thursday by not showing EUR 0.6303 0.6252 0.5994 any interest rate tightening AUD 0.9290 0.9271 0.9307 bias. It recovered slightly GBP 0.5318 0.5314 0.4718 but was still below 0.6850 on Friday morning. Correct as of 9am last Friday The market was perplexed that the RBNZ gave no weight to developments since February, indicating the strength of the economy, notably higher inflation and inflation expectations, BNZ Bank currency strategist Jason Wong said. The RBNZ does not expect to lift the OCR from its current 1.75% till the second half of 2019 but the BNZ believes it will have to do so earlier. Wong said market pricing is now right for the first hike going back to May next year and for two hikes next year and a 100-basis point rise by the end of 2019. This is much more aggressive than the RBNZ outlook. The kiwi had moved higher ahead of the RBNZ comment, expecting a policy change. After falling, Wong noted that on a TWI basis the kiwi was around the 75 mark, the same it had been a week earlier. In its comments, the central bank said the fall of the kiwi dollar since February had been encouraging. If it was sustained it should help rebalance the NZ growth outlook. It remains concerned about potential negative overseas influences on the economy. BNZ believes the kiwi is likely to be at US$0.67 at year-end. Alan Williams

Markets

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017

NI SLAUGHTER LAMB

SI SLAUGHTER LAMB

SI SLAUGHTER STEER

($/KG)

HEAVY STORE MALE LAMBS AT STORTFORD LODGE

($/KG)

($/HD)

5.90

6.10

5.50

Cattle & Deer Last week

Prior week

Last year

NI Steer (300kg)

5.65

5.70

5.40

NI Bull (300kg)

5.55

5.60

5.30

NI Cow (200kg)

4.30

4.20

SI Steer (300kg)

5.50

5.10

SI Bull (300kg)

5.15

4.80

SI Cow (200kg)

3.95

3.65

US imported 95CL bull

7.62

7.50

6.84

US domestic 90CL cow

7.17

7.08

6.97

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

North Island steer (300kg)

6.5

$/kg

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

NZ venison 60kg stag

c/k kg (net)

$/kg

600 5.0 500 4.5 400

4.0

300

3.5

Oct Oct

Dec Dec

Feb Feb

5‐yr ave

Apr Apr

Jun Jun

Last yr

Aug Aug This yr

VENISON Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Last week Prior week

Last year

NI Stag (60kg)

8.40

7.45

NI Hind (50kg)

8.30

7.35

SI Stag (60kg)

8.60

7.45

SI Hind (50kg)

8.50

7.35

New Zealand venison (60kg Stag)

9.5 8.5 $/kg

NZ venison 60kg stag

c/k kg (net)

600 7.5 500

6.5 400

300

5.5

Oct Oct

Dec Dec

Feb Feb

5‐yr ave

Apr Apr Last yr

$2000-$2050

$100-$139

VIC R3 traditional South Island prime heifers, at Wairoa in-calf lambs heifer & cow fair

Cow market going great

BEEF Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

118

high lights

Jun Jun

Aug Aug This yr

OLLOWING hot on the hooves of the weaner fairs and calf sales, traditional in-calf cows have been in the spotlight the last few weeks, with prices exceeding last years in most cases. Numbers available have been very limited, with most yards offering up 220-550 mixed age. Good Angus and Angus-Hereford mixed age cows to Angus bull have been making $1300-$1550, while at Wairoa, most lines of R3 Angus heifers sold for $2000-$2050. NORTHLAND NORTHLAND A mixed bag of cattle was offered up at WELLSFORD last Monday, and though numbers were not lacking at 550, just five lines had over ten head. R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 358513kg, fetched $2.83-$2.95/kg to be the best selling cattle of the day, with most other lines trading at $2.73$2.77/kg. Heifer prices did not move much out of $2.70-$2.80/kg, with nearly all lines of Hereford-cross cattle selling within this range. Angus bulls, 312381kg, returned $2.93-$3.01/kg. The best of the weaner cattle were five Charolais steers, 301kg, at $945, and Angus-Friesian heifers, 197265kg, $605-$800. Most small lines of bulls traded at $600-$660. Winter mode is setting in at KAIKOHE, and the yarding of around 600 head sold with mixed results, with good cattle continuing to sell well, while lesser types are harder work, PGG Wrightson agent Vaughan Vujcich reported. R2 steers were mainly beef-Friesian and beef-cross, with better types making $2.92-$3.06/kg, though Friesian and Friesian-cross lines dropped away to $2.45-$2.65/kg. A similar result in the heifer pens saw quality lines not far off finishing make $2.80/kg, though the majority traded at $2.65-$2.75/kg. The Friesian bull market was solid on limited numbers, with most earning $2.85-$2.94/kg. Weaner cattle prices softened, though compared to past years they are still selling well. Steers were

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HOT STUFF: Buyers at the first Meadowslea Angus female onfarm sale on May 5 paid top dollar. Photo: Kate Roberge More photos: farmersweekly.co.nz

mainly Angus-cross and beef-Friesian, and the heavier types sold for $3.35$3.45/kg, with lighter lines returning $4.00-$4.10/kg. Heifers of similar breeding traded at $3.20-$3.30/kg, but again the bulls were well sought after, with heavier types making $3.15$3.30/kg, and light, $4.00-$4.10/kg. The cow market continues to make solid returns for vendors, and incalf Friesian sold for $1.85-$1.92/kg, while empty Angus fetched $1.80/ kg. Lighter dairy lines fetched $1.50$1.65/kg. COUNTIES COUNTIES There was plenty of demand for good weaner steers and heifers at TUAKAU last Thursday but some of the heavier cattle were harder to sell, Kane Needham of PGG Wrightson reported. The steer section included a pen of 521kg whiteface steers, which traded at $2.72/kg, $1420, with good R2 Angus steers, 442kg, making $3.02/ kg, $1335, and 454kg whiteface steers $2.83/kg, $1285.Very good Charolaiscross weaner steers, 284kg, sold at $925 and 182kg whiteface steers fetched $820.

Friesian R2 bulls at 385kg made $2.67/kg, $1030. The heifer section included a black-bodied whiteface lot at 455kg, which made $2.71/kg $1235. Another whiteface lot at 375kg earned $2.54/ kg, $955, and top Charolais-cross weaner heifers, 271kg, made $865. Good whiteface weaner heifers at 180kg earned $760 but lighter and lesser-bred lots were harder to shift. Over 800 cattle were on offer at last Wednesday’s prime sale. Heavy prime steers sold up to $2.91/kg, with good-medium steers averaging $2.85/ kg. Lighter lots sold down to $2.75/ kg. The best of the prime heifers made $2.84/kg and other good-medium lots traded at around $2.79/kg. Lighter heifers $2.70/kg. Beef cows sold at $2.00-$2.13/kg and good wellcovered Friesian cows $1.85-$2.05/kg. Medium boners made $1.64-$1.75/kg and lighter cows $1.45-$1.65/kg. About 2000 ewes and lambs were yarded at last Monday’s sheep sale. Heavy prime lambs sold up to $145, with other good-medium lambs making $112-$124 and lighter primes

Continued page 46

Markets

46 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017 $105-$110. Store lambs traded at $88-$102 and the best of the heavy prime ewes sold up to $110. Medium ewes $75-$85 and lighter ewes $45-$60. BAY OF PLENTY BAY OF PLENTY Cattle travelled from the East Coast, as well as local areas for the RANGIURU sale last Tuesday, and the yarding of just over 1000 sold on a softer market. Angus & Angus-Hereford featured in the R2 heifer pens, with a line of 38 heifers, 360kg, selling to $2.64/kg, while Hereford-Friesian, 382-398kg, returned $2.41-$2.47/kg. Friesian, 373-411kg, fetched $2.08-$2.16/ kg. A sizeable offering of R2 steers was split between good beef and beef-cross lines, which sold on a firm market at $2.68-$2.78/kg, and Friesian, 318-412kg, at $2.23$2.29/kg. Top steers made $660-$810, which included a line of 19 185kg Angus and Angus-Hereford at $660. Heifers from the same consignment and 187kg, made $605, though the section was topped by seven CharolaisHereford, 228kg, at $700, with Angus, 215kg, hot on their hooves at $685. Friesian bulls, 170-186kg, sold well at $660-$710, and Hereford-Friesian, 132-182kg, $500-$690. The boner cow market eased slightly, and 458-497kg traded at $1.49-$1.61/kg, with better types making $1.67-$1.80/kg. WAIKATO For the second week running, bids were still flying at 7pm FRANKTON, as another wave of cattle hit the sale yards last Wednesday. Prices held for prime cattle, and Hereford and Charolais-cross steers, 571-609kg, made $2.89$2.93/kg, while R2 HerefordFriesian sold over a tighter range at softer levels of $2.82$2.96/kg. A smaller yarding of Friesian bulls, 452-496kg, were steady at $2.73-$2.79/kg, while small lines peppered the heifer pens, with prices varied. Light Hereford-Friesian sold over $3/ kg, but $2.60-$2.72/kg was more common, and Hereford-cross,

309-435kg, sold for $2.57-$2.64/ kg. Prices eased in the weaner pens, which were also dominated by small lines of mixed quality. Hereford-cross steers, 185-213kg, made $560-$640, while Friesian bulls, 141-165kg, fetched $600$665. Two lines of quality Hereford bulls, 232-291kg, sold for $1140$1240, while most heifers traded at $475-$600. Boner cows, 496513kg, eased to $1.56-$1.62/kg, and vetted-in-calf Friesian cows sold for $720-$920, $1.51-$1.65/ kg. TARANAKI TARANAKI A capacity yarding of 1125 cattle was offered at STRATFORD last Wednesday, New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent Stephen Sutton reported. Tuesday’s sale of 250 head was top heavy with boner cows. Farming cows were still making good money at $1.85-$2.10/kg, though these prices were softer, while boners eased 5-10c/kg, with heavy types at $1.65-$1.75/ kg, medium $1.50-$1.60/kg and lighter, $1.35-$1.45/kg. Much of the focus for the week though was on the store cattle sale, though prices eased 5-15c/kg across the board. R3 steers traded at $2.80-$2.94/kg, while a bigger yarding of R2 steers meant buyers could be more selective. Lighter lines still managed to sell over $3/kg, but the majority traded at $2.80-$2.90/kg. Angus, 355-375kg, sold for $2.98-$3.06/kg. The better heifers were beef-Friesian cross, and at 393-445kg, made $2.78$2.89/kg, but again a large portion sold well back at $2.45-$2.55/kg. POVERTY BAY POVERTY BAY A moderate yarding of store lambs at MATAWHERO eased in line with the rest of the North Island. Good ewe lambs were $89.50-$96 while medium-tolighter lines made $74-$85. Medium-to-good male lambs were $85-$90.50 while a few very heavy pens made $101-$116.50. Medium quality run-with-ram ewes made $54-$65. HAWKE’S BAY HAWKE’S BAY Winter preparations have

begun, now that weaner fairs and other sales are out of the way, and STORTFORD LODGE offered up solid numbers for all types of stock. Strong ewe prices drew more out last Monday, though the 790 were easily absorbed by the regular buyers. One line of very heavy ewes sold to $130, with most making $105-$122, and no change out of $80 for lighter types. Just 166 lambs were offered, with prices strong at $120-$133. Prime cattle numbers were limited, with one line of 20 Angus steers, and two smaller lines making up the sale. Unlike the steers the previous week, this line had not been off the grass long, and at 576kg, sold for $2.82/ kg, which was relatively steady compared to the previous week’s empty steer price. All other lines traded at $2.70-$2.80/kg. Sheep numbers last Wednesday were boosted by another consignment of top quality, scanned-in-lamb Romney ewes from the same vendor as the previous week, as well as big lines of lambs from Wairoa, Taupo and Pitt Island. The ewe prices lifted as each pen was sold, with the first making $155, but subsequent lines at $159-$161.50. Bidding was also spirited on a line of medium condition, woolly mixed age ewes from Pitt Island, which sold for $105. A further 6200 store lambs were offered, and of note was a big yarding of heavy lambs from Pitt Island. These brought out the regular fat lamb buyers, and males sold to $110-$124, mixed sex $102$123, and ewe lambs, $98-$120. The rest of the male lambs sold on a steady market at $92-$107, though medium-good ewe lambs eased to $86-$106. Just shy of 500 store cattle went under the hammer, with some lines well-travelled as cattle from Chatham Islands and Taupo joined the local bunch. Local buyers were competitive, with R3 Angus & Angus-Hereford steers making $3.13-$3.15/kg, while R2 Angus, 397-465kg, returned $3.24-$3.26/kg. Hereford featured in the R2 bull pens, with very good quality, 382-434kg, selling to

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$3.54-$3.66/kg, and 502kg, $3.20/ kg. Heifer quality was more mixed, with Hereford-Friesian, 360-384kg, earning $2.66-$2.69/kg, while lesser quality Hereford-cross, 333-342kg, fetched $2.41-$2.50/ kg. One lighter line of HerefordFriesian, 245kg, sold to $3.04/kg. Weaner numbers were low, but the heifers stood out from the bunch, with Angus, 175-203kg, making $680-$720, and Hereford-Friesian, 194-232kg, $630-$735. Numbers were moderate at DANNEVIRKE last Thursday. Ewe lambs dominated the yarding of 2800, with 1500 found in these pens. Quality was not up to the previous week, with top lines $8 back at $100, while lighter lambs made $45, and medium, $84. A smaller offering of cryptorchid and ram lambs sold for $90-$111, while wether lambs traded at $72$106. Ewes made up the bulk of the prime offering, with prices steady. Heavy types sold to $108, medium $96, and light, $53. Just 80 prime lambs were sold, and made $96$123. The quality cattle came to the WAIROA sale yards last Thursday, and a determined buying bench were there to meet them, with record prices set for vetted-in-calf heifers in particular. The heifers were not the biggest cattle, but with plenty of quality breeding, buyers from Hawkes Bay and East Coast were prepared to pay $2000-$2050 for them, with just two other lines making $1650$1830. The top beef cows were big, well-bred types, with Angus selling to $1640, while the top AngusHereford line made $1518. Most other good lines earned $1410$1490. Quality was also top notch in the store pens, with R3 steers making $1750, and R2 steers, $1300-$1550. Other R3 Angus heifers made $1120-$1200, making the whole yarding an expensive day out for buyers. MANAWATU MANAWATU The cattle pens were full to capacity at RONGOTEA last Wednesday, New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent Darryl Harwood reported.

The best of the boner cows traded at $1.70-$1.73/kg, with medium types earning $1.48$1.55/kg, and Jersey, 372-432kg, $1.37-$1.46/kg. A big yarding of R2 cattle featured and prices softened for lesser types, with the top beefcross and beef-Friesian lines selling to $2.84/kg, but lesser lines dropping away to $2.49-$2.61/kg. Friesian, Ayrshire and crossbred mainly traded at $2.34-$2.49/kg. A similar result in the heifer pens saw top Hereford-Friesian and beef-cross earn $2.56-$2.64/kg, with second cuts returning $2.47$2.48/kg. Friesian and crossbred, 285-417kg, sold for $1.79-$2.12/ kg. Bull numbers were limited, with 18-month Friesian, 352kg, making $2.81/kg, and HerefordFriesian, 368kg, $2.60/kg. There were plenty of younger cattle for punters also, and the buying bench were more competitive on these. HerefordFriesian steers, 207kg, made $720, with 155-165kg returning $600$640. A nice line of Angus, 150kg, made $610, while Friesian, 170kg, returned $440. Heavy HerefordFriesian bulls, 345-350kg, sold for $980-$1000, and Hereford, 362kg, $1300, while Friesian 370kg, made $960. Lighter Friesian, 125-212kg, fetched $450-$750, Angus 200230kg, $610-$660, and HerefordFriesian, 135-168kg, $520-$600. A smaller yarding of heifers saw top lines make $660-$880 for Hereford-Friesian and Angus, while lighter sorts traded at $400$540. Calf numbers are slowing, and Friesian bulls made $150-$355, and Hereford-Friesian $250-$350, with heifers making $200-$280. Porkers sold for $120 and weaner pigs, $40-$70, with mixed age ewes earning $77, and mixed sex lambs, $64-$119. FEILDING offered up another sizeable yarding of prime lambs last Monday. Two weeks of big prime lamb numbers meant buyers could easily fill orders, and the yarding of 7300 eased, with few selling over $140, and most trading at $105-$135. Store types traded at $69-$115. The opposite rang true in the ewe pens, where the market

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Markets

could have handled more than the 1000 offered. Prices firmed, with heavy ewes making $109-$114, medium $82-$108, and light, $56-$82. Beef and beef-cross cows featured more readily in the rostrum, making up nearly half of the 320 offered. Processors again competed with a paddock buyer, and prices for most types held up well. Beef and exotic cows mainly traded at $1.97-$2.07/kg, with two better quality lines of Angus & Angus-Hereford, 530-549kg, achieving $2.10-$2.15/kg. Cull dairy cows sold on a steady to softer market, with Friesian, 411-586kg, making $1.74-$1.78/kg. The heifer pens were top heavy with Friesian & Friesian-cross, 358-397kg, which firmed to $2.08-$2.10/kg. Steer quality was mixed, which was reflected in the prices, with most trading at $2.65-$2.73/ kg. The later date for the first in-calf heifer and cow sale at FEILDING last Thursday suited vendors better, and as a result throughput numbers lifted to 630. Compared to last year’s prices, R3 heifers lifted $160-$235, and cows, $120-$280. R3 Angus heifers to Angus bull topped their section at $1700, though most other good lines made $1600-$1690. Top cow prices were $1740 for very heavy three & four-year Hereford-Friesian, and $1710 for a line of young Angus. Most other Angus and Angus-Hereford cows sold for $1400-$1550, while exotic-cross returned $1270-$1310. The latest cyclone affected the sheep yarding at FEILDING on Friday with significant cancellations, however, and only 16,600 sheep were yarded. In the lamb section, that allowed buyers to be more selective. The first pen, 192 woolly cryptorchids, sold for $118 which remained the sale’s top sale price. Woolly Romney ewe lambs made $108.50 to top that section. As the sale moved into the lesser cuts and the ewe lambs there was a definite easing, which was not dramatic but still noticeable. Ewes RWR; $67-$123; Lambs; Very heavy, $101.50-$118; heavy, $95-$110, medium, $85-$106.50. Some very good beef steers were offered but only those buyers with dry paddocks or feed pads could really get going. Again, this allowed the buyers to be selective and the good beef cattle sold well enough but the lesser dairy types struggled. Eight good Angus and AngusHereford R3 steers sold for $1850, $2.95/ kg, and 23 Charolais-cross R2 steers sold for $1792, $3.10/kg, but the dairy steers dragged the overall market a little. Older Friesian bulls were steady after last week’s fall – 20 sold for $1535, $2.83/ kg, to top the section – but reports suggested the weaner Friesians were barely steady. Heifer numbers were reduced on last week and sold to a reasonably steady market once again allowing for buyer selectivity. Steers; 3+, 587kg, $1750, $2.98/kg; R3, 436-627kg, $1000-$1850, $2.22-$3.17/kg; R2, 272-578kg, $810-$1792, $2.51-$3.21/ kg; bulls; R2, 357-542kg, $950-$1535, $2.66-$3.01/kg; heifers; R2&3, 240-490kg, $755-$1310, $2.55-$3.14/kg. CANTERBURY CANTERBURY The covered yards at CANTERBURY PARK had a real winter feel last Tuesday as temperatures dropped, but prices for most stock kept some heat in the complex. A small yarding of 1700 store lambs were well travelled, with consignments of mixed sex from Kaikoura and Hokitika. Two decent sized lines of males sold for $105-$108, but the rest of the yarding was mixed sex, which sold on a steady to lifting market. Very light types continued their expensive run at $71-$97, while medium-good returned $85-$101. Prime lamb numbers were not far off

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017 the stores at 1340, and prices held, with $100-$139 common ground, and the odd sale up to $142-$146. A small ewe offering was a repeat of the previous week, with heavy types earning $122$140, medium $100-$119, and few selling below $70.Lack of numbers is still pushing prime cattle prices, though much of the cattle section was forward stores. Steers traded well over $3/kg, and up to $3.25-$3.28/kg for 440-441kg. Heifer demand was solid, and the majority sold for $2.84-$2.99/kg. The strength continued into the cow and bull pens, with heavy beef cows trading at $2.00-$2.05/kg, with lighter beef, and good Friesian earning $1.80-$1.95/kg. Bulls, 490-537kg, traded at $2.54-$2.62/ kg. Typical for this time of year was a sizeable yarding of mixed quality store cattle, as vendors look to tidy up for winter. The quality R2 steers were found in the first ten pens, and Angus-Hereford, 362-463kg, achieved $3.23-$3.34/kg, with the tops just shy of $1500. Heifers all came forward in lots under ten head, with good lines selling up to $3.15-$3.20/ kg, though other types eased. The top weaner steers sold to $930-$1080 for beef-cross, and Hereford, 148-169kg, returned $480-$565. Friesian bulls, 146180kg, were good shopping at $460-$555. Vetted-in-calf Angus and Angus-Hereford cows, 542-605kg, sold to $1270-$1360. COALGATE joined the in-calf cow faze going around sale yards, with 230 breeding cows included in the Thursday sale, and the resulting market was very strong. Store lambs were well sought after for a mixed yarding, with medium to good types making $90-$110, and covering 80% of the yarding, while very small types managed $60-$75. Prime lamb prices firmed, with $101$139 common ground, and a good top end at $140-$147. Quality was also very good in the ewe pens, with most making $90-$146, while a small top end earned $170-$174. A buyer from Blenheim dominated the in-calf cow sale, while buyers from South Canterbury northwards helped underpin. A capital stock consignment of hill country Angus cows sold for $1500$1850, with most other lines annual draft, and making $1350-$1870. Vettedin-calf R2 Angus heifers to an Angus bull sold to $1400-$1800. The store cattle pens featured R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 360-418kg, at $3.21-$3.31/kg, while a consignment of Angus weaners saw steers make $900-$1050, and heifers, $600-$910. There was no faulting the prime market, as demand continues to outstrip supply. Heavy steers flew $3/kg to $3.08-$3.11/kg, while good yielding heifers mainly sold for $2.80-$2.96/kg. Cow prices were steady, with better types making $1.80-$1.96/kg and medium, $1.70-$1.79/kg. SOUTH CANTERBURY SOUTH CANTERBURY The return of the regular Thursday store cattle was well supported at TEMUKA. Lighter store lambs felt the pinch of the 5200 yarding, though good mixed sex sold on a mainly steady market. Medium-good mixed sex returned $88-$99, with heavier lines achieving $94-$113. Light lambs tended to trade around $60-$72, while two lines of 40kg plus ewe lambs returned $112$122. Prime lamb numbers are gradually increasing, but prices were resilient, with most making $100-$139, and a few heavy lines to $140-$145. Ewe prices bettered that however, with the top lines making an impressive $180, and a good spread of types meant all budgets were catered for. Apart from the $180 ewes, heavy types traded at $124-160, medium $90-$118, and light, $70-$89. Paddock buyers again competed with

the regular buyers for cows, and Friesian prices were steady to firm, though Jersey prices eased. A line could be drawn down the middle of the Friesian pens, with the lighter end making $1.50-$1.60/kg, and better types trading at $1.65-$1.75/ kg. The pattern was repeated in the Jersey pens, with lighter types selling for a discounted $1.30-$1.50/kg, to the heavier lines at $1.52-$1.73/kg. Hereford, 589-607kg, returned $1.99-$2.00/kg, and lighter Angus and Hereford, $2.03-$2.11/ kg. A consignment of Hereford heifers proved popular, with forward store types, 405-680kg, trading at $2.89-$2.99/ kg, while Hereford-Friesian, 360-475kg, returned $2.89-$2.97/kg, and Friesian, 356-453kg, $2.68-$2.78/kg. The steer market could not be faulted, with the beef and beef-cross contingency making $2.91-$3.04/kg, and Friesian, 475-700kg, $2.85-$2.95/kg. Over 1700 store cattle were offered last Thursday, with all bar a handful of cows and R3 heifers found in the R2 and calf pens. Buyers were keen to lay their hands on quality R2 cattle, with prices lifting. Hereford and Angus-Hereford were hard to beat in the R2 steer pens, with 363-406kg selling to $3.30-$3.35/kg, though heavier Hereford-Friesian made $3.09-$3.15/kg. Friesian steers were very buyable though, with 417-463kg making $2.61-$2.71/kg. There was no faulting the heifer market, and Charolais-cross, Angus, and Hereford, 355-466kg, sold exceptionally well at $3.04-$3.14/kg, while the better end of a big HerefordFriesian class made $3.00-$3.18/kg. Calf prices eased, with HerefordFriesian steers, 150-200kg, at $660$790, though the heavier lines were not necessarily making the better money, while heifers of similar breeding and weight made $540-$675. Buyers sought out the Angus and Angus-Hereford lines however, and steers, 250-294kg, sold for $985-$1160, and heifers, 224-264kg, $865-$975. A huge yarding of Friesian bulls came back, with 150-200kg earning $570-$700. OTAGO OTAGO Lambs were in hot demand at BALCUTLHA last Wednesday, while a big yarding of mixed quality cattle sold well to good demand, PGG Wrightson agent Emmett Sparrow reported. Buyers were very competitive on a large yarding of store lambs, and with quality also better, prices firmed $2-$3. Top lambs sold for $90-$100, medium $80-$87 and light $64-$75. Prime lamb prices continued to strengthen, with few lines selling under $100. Heavy types sold on a steady market at $125-$133, but it was the medium and light lines that lifted $7-$13 to $112-$120 and $100-$110 respectively. The strength continued into the ewe pens, with the top line selling to $140, while medium lines made $100-$112, and light, $81-$93. Rams traded at $61$75. SOUTHLAND SOUTHLAND Store lambs featured at CHARLTON last Thursday, and the large yarding sold on a firm to lifting market, PGG Wrightson agent David Morrison reported. Top store lambs firmed to $95-$100, with medium types steady at $85-$95, and light lambs up $5 to $70-$75. Prime sheep met strong demand for a medium sized yarding, and lambs were steady across the board, with heavy types making $130, medium $110-$120, and lighter, $90-$95. Ewe prices improved, with the heaviest line selling to $150, while medium types lifted $10-$15 to $100-$110, with lighter lines following suit at $60-$70. Two-tooth’s made $75$90, and rams, $50-$60.

Autumn North Island dairy livestock market in excellent shape Regular auctions and good autumn grass growth have helped establish a solid North Island dairy livestock market in recent weeks. PGG Wrightson Dairy Livestock Manager Paul Edwards says holding daily on-farm auctions throughout the North Island for five weeks from 20 April has given farmers a reliable indication of market sentiment. “What we have seen in the past month to six weeks is good quality stock selling at firm values approaching $2000 per head; medium value stock holding steady; and poorer end stock decreasing in value. Across the board we have willing sellers and willing buyers who agree on price, so the market has found a level and is operating effectively.” North Island prices for rising two-year-old heifers have gone through a similar price re-setting process and currently range from $1000 to $1700. Outside enquiry from the South Island, where prices remain higher than they are on the North Island market, is a feature at present, says Paul Edwards. Meanwhile, prices for rising one-year-old heifers have undergone a quantum change in the past four weeks, he says. “With live export companies offering more generous prices than the domestic market has been prepared to make, values have lifted substantially to levels between $1100 and $1150 per head. Payout forecasts for the 2017/18 season, most of which are now in the $6 plus range, mean these prices also represent a good trading option for farmers ready to bring those heifers through for next season.” Paul Edwards says that as confidence in the sector returns farmers are assessing how best to milk more cows. “Through the downturn, many North Island farmers have operated with reduced herd sizes, which they are now ready to rebuild. While many will do that by natural increase, others are coming to the market, where the auction system has the capacity to satisfy all buyers. “This autumn has been notable for the lack of cull or boner cows coming out of herds. With lower herd numbers and such good autumn conditions, many farmers are milking longer than they expected, bringing in increased revenue. “Notably, the North Island market is now widespread, not isolated in individual districts. Buyers are going across districts, trading outside their home localities. This trend has developed across the course of the autumn, where earlier in the season farmers were only looking in their own backyard. “It is a particularly healthy sign,” he said.

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

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48 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 15, 2017 NI SLAUGHTER COW

SI SLAUGHTER COW

NI SLAUGHTER BULL

($/KG)

MEDIUM-GOOD MIXED SEX LAMBS AT TEMUKA

($/KG)

($/HD)

4.30

3.95

5.55

high lights

Trends perfect for prices Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com

OBUST overseas demand for sheep meat against a rapidly declining national ewe flock set a near-perfect scenario last month for New Zealand farmers. The two trends had resulted in a range of favourable price records, AgriHQ analyst Reece Brick said. Export prices for lamb pushed higher in April as solid demand overseas coincided with soft supply from NZ. Benchmark frozen lamb prices for legs, French racks and forequarters all lifted at the same time to hit multiyear highs. And Brick said sheep farmers could expect to see continued benefits from the robust overseas demand versus the limited volumes of lamb available this season. At the farmgate, lamb slaughter prices lifted 30-45c/ kg in April and were now at the second-highest level on record for this time of year. The most encouraging findings were fewer doubts about the near-term sustainability of the returns being achieved. That was particularly the case in China where, despite prices plateauing, there was no expectation prices would fall away as had happened in the past. UK importers had shown good demand for the last few

STILL BUYING: Despite campaigns against imported sheep meat British demand is for New Zealand lamb is holding up.

Scanning results would be the determining factor in ewe retention. months while continental Europe was hopping from strength to strength. Brick said the rise in overseas prices combined with low lamb availability had translated into impressive returns for local farmers, with the national average slaughter price up 7% over the past four weeks to hit the secondhighest level ever recorded for this time in the season, lagging only the exceptional 2010-11 season.

“There’s common optimism that kill prices will at least hold into winter. “The only factor that could disrupt the market is if a sudden wave of lambs went to slaughter – while possible, this is unlikely.” Meanwhile, NZ’s breeding ewe flock was on the verge of its fight for survival as numbers onfarm continued to plummet. Breeding ewe numbers at June 30, 2015 were 19 million head nationally. the updated report showed by June 30, 2016, more than a million breeding ewes disappeared from farms across the country. That happened in a year when dairy conversions were all but non-existent. The new threat to sheep

flocks was the increasing trend to reduce sheep numbers in favour of trading cattle. AgriHQ analyst Rachel Agnew said it was expected the breeding ewe flock was in for another blow with numbers expected to show a further decline this season. While weather and feed levels at tupping were improving, scanning results would be the determining factor in ewe retention this winter. The biggest threat to hogget numbers had been the pull from record high slaughter prices with that option looking more profitable, albeit short-term, than lambing a hogget and that was likely to reduce numbers retained, Agnew said.

$1440-$1560

$3.00-$3.18/kg

VIC MA Angus cows at Feilding Cow Fair

R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 340-450kg, at Temuka

Traditional breeding stock coming back WELL, what a season the weaner cattle have had, with record prices from last year quite literally blown out of the water. Attention has now turned Suz Bremner to the mothers of those calves, AgriHQ Analyst though, given that traditional prices, in particular, have been so strong, farmers appear very reluctant to relinquish their gold-plated breeding stock and rightly so. There has been a noted swing back to the breeding cows but those looking to get into or back into this farming practice have to stretch the purse strings for the very limited number available. Most breeding cows on offer are cast for age and replacement heifers in any decent numbers are as rare as hens’ teeth. Expectations were high for traditional breeding cow prices and have been fully founded. A quick sweep of the in-calf cow sales around the country shows prices well up on last year. Angus cows to Angus bulls are generally trading at $1350-$1550 in both islands while Angus-Hereford, mostly to an Angus bull, have been making $1300-$1500. Heifers have been hard to find but buyers needed $1600-$2000 for Angus to Angus bull if they were lucky enough to find them. Their ovine counterparts are also subject to a lift in interest from buyers looking to cash in on a good lamb market, though again, I think that those looking for ewes are going to be hard pressed to find the numbers as farmers look to rebuild flocks after drought years. Ewes are a bit more of a risky business than the cows, given that we all know how volatile the lamb market can be, but the attraction is the smaller outlay, which, in itself, reduces that risk somewhat. Breeding ewe numbers to date are still low but, given the prices paid, it has been a very good start to the market. Suz.bremner@nzx.com

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A G R I C U LT U R A L Lincoln University Lincoln, July 5-7 Farmer speakers from Australia and New Zealand

DICK TAYLER – NZ Guest Speaker Dick was the 1974 Commonwealth Games’ gold medalist in the 10,000m and held many New Zealand titles over 1500m to 10,000m distances

TIM REINBOTT – USA Will discuss his work using the Albrecht programme on corn and forages and the effects it has on soil health

STEPHANIE HOWARD – New Zealand Will discuss market issues around genetic modification (GM)

DR DON HUBER – USA Will talk on the role nutrients have on plants and how these protect it from specific diseases

NEAL KINSEY – USA Discussing how to achieve nutrient-dense crops and foods. He will also discuss the role of sulphur

BOB PERRY – USA Will provide an overview of peer reviewed papers investigating Albrecht and testing methods

PETER EGGERS – Canada He will talk about why and how his yields are better than both GMO and conventional crops

JOAN TIMMERMANS – Netherlands Will speak on use of plant sap analysis

DR DALE BLEVINS – USA Discussing the inter-relationship between calcium and boron, and why we need these two elements

PETER NORWOOD – Australia Peter will be discussing human and animal nutrition

To register visit www.wwag.co.nz or email bruce@wwag.co.nz

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WORLD WIDE AGRICULTURE CONFERENCE