Farmers Weekly NZ May 22 2017 by AgriHQ

27 An urban woman’s view Vol 16 No 20, May 22, 2017

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Stock, capacity now balanced Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com

OUTH Island sheep meat processing capacity could be close to matching supply following the closure of the Silver Fern Farms Fairton meat works near Ashburton. SFF chief executive Dean Hamilton said that depended on future land use change, but it appeared the steam had gone out of converting sheep and beef farms to dairy, dairy support and viticulture. Equally, sheep numbers were unlikely to significantly increase and though land use would always be driven by the activity giving the highest return, Hamilton hoped numbers would settle at about 28 million. “If that is the new level then I don’t see significant changes. “We have no planned changes this season but there is no chief executive in the industry who would say there would never be change.” Hamilton said excess processing capacity meant it was inevitable a South Island plant had to close regardless of last year’s $267 million investment in SFF by Chinese meat processor and retailer Shanghai Maling. SFF decided to close Fairton a month ago after a review determined it was losing money and had inadequate throughput, processing just over 325,000 in

six months this season compared to consistent kills of more than a million lambs up to 2010. There was no pre-commitment or request by Shanghai Maling to close the plant. “The reduced sheep numbers and reduced throughout at Fairton has not been driven by Shanghai Maling. “I don’t know where people have drawn the bow.”

We can be more efficient and competitive with one large, full plant than two part filled plants. Dean Hamilton Silver Fern Farms Improving the use of strategically positioned meat plants had always been SFF’s policy and was mentioned in its submission to the Overseas Investment Office supporting Shanghai Maling’s investment. Accusations by opposition political parties that Shanghai Maling had not contributed anything to the partnership other than the closure of Fairton were well wide of the mark. The year before Shanghai Maling’s investment SFF spent $8m on capital expenditure. This year it was spending $22m on more than 400 projects including packaging

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robotics, upgrading waste disposal and electricity efficiency. “We could not spend $22m if we hadn’t had that capital investment by Shanghai Maling.” Asked about documentation released by Shanghai Maling before the merger that indicated Fairton and Waitane near Gore could close, Hamilton said it was part of the pre-investment discussion. Due diligence by potential investors had highlighted the overcapacity issue and SFF was asked how it could be addressed. Hamilton said SFF had no further plans for rationalisation in the immediate future. Pareora handled sheep, beef and, following a $7m investment, venison. Fairton handled only sheep and bobby calves. While sheep numbers had fallen, cattle numbers had increased. A lack of freezer space at Fairton meant meat was already trucked to Pareora and workers there should now have a longer, more secure season. “We can be more efficient and competitive with one large, full plant than two part filled plants,” he said. Stock sourced from the top of the South Island would have another hour drive to Timaru but Hamilton said 80% of those who supplied Fairton also supplied stock to Pareora.

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P4 P5

NUMBER ONE: Lucy Colin poses with the supreme champion Charolais and PBBnz champion of champion bull Timoho Legacy L2 at last week’s Beef Expo in Feilding. See Markets for more pictures and for full results visit: bit.ly/exporesults.

Leading lady FARMER and industry leader Jessie Chan-Dorman likes giving back to the sector she loves. She’s motivated not just by a desire to help with governance and leadership she also wants to inspire and help the next generation of primary industry people. Read her story to see why she has been named the Dairy Woman of the Year.

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NEWS

NEW THINKING

7 Taste for

23 Crowd-sourced weather to

fat pushing prices The season-ending Global Dairy Trade auction produced buoyant prices to maintain $6-plus payouts and to push dairy fat product prices to new highs.

Soil Moisture Anomaly (mm) at 9am May 19, 2017

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60 Wetter than

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OPINION

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26 Alternative View

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Alan Emerson weighs in on the latest science stoush.

Editorial �� 24 Cartoon �� 24

10 Short delay for stock ban

rules

Rules excluding dairy cows and pigs from all waterways due to come in to force on July 1 have been delayed until later in the year.

14 Wool education returns Wool industry education could soon be up and running fully again, with certificate and diploma courses in the planning stages.

Alternative View �� 26 From the Ridge �� 26 Town Talk �� 27

Map reading tips

REGULARS Real Estate �� 28-36

Livestock �� 38-43

Workers’ mood sombre as axe falls at Fairton �� 5

MARKETS

Report shows plenty to work on �� 8 Short delay for stock ban rules �� 10 Chinese market becoming tougher �� 12 Wool education returns �� 14 Tourism fund a good start �� 21

NEWSMAKER

48 Farmers must meet market Good colour lambs’ wool was well bid at the Christchurch auction on Thursday, with gains of up to 7%.

Market Snapshot �� 44

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Start-ups face ‘clash of cultures’ �� 13

Equally confident at a grassroots level as she is in her governance and leadership roles, Jessie Chan-Dorman is driven by her desire to give back to the industry that has given to her.

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.

Employment �� 37

Fairton closure inevitable, sensible �� 4

winner

Drier than normal (mm)

Pulpit �� 25

Classifieds �� 38

22 Giving back drives award

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Letters �� 24

Rain severely cuts crop planting �� 3

Taste for fat pushing prices �� 7

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News

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

Rain severely cuts crop planting Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com WATERLOGGED South Canterbury farmland will lie idle over winter as farmers wait for spring opportunities to plant crops. Twice the normal rainfall in March followed by four times the normal rainfall in April left farmers battling with sodden ground and unable to meet autumn planting commitments. South Canterbury Federated Farmers arable industry chairman Michael Porter said to date only about 50% of farmers had managed to get the crops they planned into the ground. Of those, 90% didn’t expect to get all their autumn plantings in before cut off at the end of May. In the worst-affected areas cropping farmers expected to get just 10% of their planned crops into the ground. It was mid-May so realistically farmers were not expecting a lot to change in a couple of weeks. That meant there would be a large area of cropping land sitting idle over winter, Porter said. While some crops, in particular oil seed rape, were in the ground they were planted late with no certainty they would come to anything. “The slugs are running rampant so while 50% is in the ground a lot of that drilling was done in less than ideal planting conditions so they are very vulnerable. “Whether they come to anything worthwhile, time will tell.” Porter said there was a drilling window where seed companies and farmers would need to call it a day, in many cases that had happened over the past week. That meant croppers had been forced to let go the highervalue proprietary contracts and resign themselves to planting commodity value, small seeds, grasses and grains.

LIMITED: Wet weather means Mid and South Canterbury arable farmers’ planting has been restricted leaving uncertainty about the variety and volume of the next harvest.

I have been able to only get about 25% of what I planned in the ground. Michael Porter Federated Farmers “Personally, I have been able to only get about 25% of what I planned in the ground. “I have had to pull the pin on brassicas. I have another week on grasses but it’s looking like all the higher-value contracts are gone now. “I spent years building relationships with seed companies to secure seed multiplication contracts and it comes to this but it’s out of our control.” It now came down to what Mother Nature dealt up for spring.

“Spring wheat for us is only treading water. We don’t make money but if we have to put two-thirds of the farm in barley then we will have to look at spring wheat.” Porter said there was one positive from the very wet autumn. “At the end of the day all is not lost because we have got good, meaningful subsoil moisture recharge that we haven’t had for two years so when we get something in the ground we are all set to go for good growth.” Mid Canterbury cropping farmers had battled with sodden ground but they hadn’t fared so badly as their southern counterparts, arable industry vice chairman Brian Leadley said. There would be farmers getting less in the ground than they planned and for many spring cereal crops would become the option.

While frustrating and disappointing for farmers that would also affect the wider industry with what would be available on the arable scene come next season. “There are a few more arable farmers thinking yield drops next year because of the later planting and there will be a swing from wheat to barley and feed wheat to milling wheat as farmers take what best options will be available to fill the void come spring,” Leadley said. That would limit the variety of crops and volumes available. “Farmers will look pretty hard at what options will be out there over grain and this could be spring pea and vegetable options but there will be more risk with these crops. “It really will be up to what individual farmers can see their way clear to do and so there will be uncertainty until we see what

can happen come spring,” Leadley said. Meantime, the latest agricultural production statistics showed farmers produced more than a million tonnes of wheat, barley and maize grain from 120,000 hectares in the 2016 harvest. In a separate report issued by the Ministry for Primary Industries it was estimated the staple crops of wheat, barley and maize contributed more than $1.5 billion to the economy every year – barley at $334m, wheat $468m and maize $722m. The latest Arable Industry Marketing Initiative (AIMI) cereals survey painted a positive picture of the grain industry with lower carry-over stocks and less unsold grain compared to this time last year.

Next week – North Island outlook.

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News

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

Fairton closure inevitable, sensible Meaty Matters

Allan Barber

WEDNESDAY’S announcement by Silver Fern Farms of the proposal to close the company’s Fairton plant was in many ways inevitable. Even the workforce appears to have been resigned to the probability for several years. Sad as it is for workers and the Ashburton community, it is better to front up to the certainty than to have to wait for the axe to fall. The upgrading of Pareora, an hour to the south, as a modern multi-species meat works combined with the loss of sheep in the catchment area had effectively sealed Fairton’s fate. The agonised shrieks from politicians of all the opposition parties railing against last year’s approval of the Shanghai Maling investment in SFF were equally inevitable but completely missed the mark. I am certain the company’s board would have made exactly the same decision

without the new shareholding structure, provided the undercapitalised business could have afforded the costs of closure. If Shanghai Maling had any influence on the decision, other than that of a shareholder concerned to earn an adequate return on its investment, it would be the improved state of the balance sheet as a result of its investment that made it possible to bear the closure costs. For 30 years from the mid-1980s the meat industry suffered from insufficient capital to make logical investment and restructuring decisions because falling livestock numbers made older plants progressively less competitive. At the same time the change in customer requirements meant increased demand for sophisticated products with all the accompanying costs of new processing and packaging technology, hygiene, health and safety and meat inspection obligations. The whinging about Chinese investment destroying New Zealand jobs from Winston Peters and Greens’ spokeswoman Eugenie Sage demonstrates a total lack of awareness of the revolution that has occurred in the meat industry over the last decade. For the first time in my

For the first time in my experience of the industry virtually all the companies are now profitable.

GONE: The inevitable has happened with Fairton workers being told the plant will close.

experience of the industry virtually all the companies are now profitable and well capitalised with modern or completely upgraded facilities and good distribution channels to market. Surely, this is an infinitely preferable situation to what previously characterised the industry when undercapitalised companies struggled to keep staff in work and plants open. While the closure of Fairton, assuming the two-week consultation doesn’t result in a

decision reversal, won’t be the last rationalisation event in a dynamic industry, there are no more obviously imminent prospects. SFF is the last of the big four to address its outstanding capacity issues in the South Island, which are not only a consequence of land use change but also loss of market share. Although the decision to buy Richmond brought a large beef business and North Island presence, it spread financial and human resources across too broad a base.

I believe SFF spent 10 years trying vainly to recover from the Richmond acquisition, losing huge lamb market share in both islands while constantly having to keep its bankers at bay. The recapitalisation opportunity offered by Shanghai Maling’s wish to acquire a significant stake in the NZ meat industry has completely changed the landscape for SFF and the industry as a whole. Finally, SFF can get on with making good business decisions for the benefit of its shareholder suppliers who will receive an appropriate reward for what they produce. It would be good if the politicians could see the positives as well but I won’t hold my breath.

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

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News

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

Workers’ mood sombre as axe falls at Fairton Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com A SOMBRE mood prevailed as 370 grim-faced workers arrived at a meeting in Ashburton where Silver Fern Farms detailed plans to axe the Fairton meat works, an institution in the district for 120 years. Not much was different an hour later when they emerged clutching the proposal for closure documents. SFF chief executive Dean Hamilton had delivered the news many expected – their jobs were gone. Only the pelt house, with 23 workers, would remain because it was only the facility in the South Island for SFF to pickle pelts. “We’re done and dusted,” the first worker out said as he left the meeting. “I’m off looking for a job.” Closure had been a long time coming and the reality was now set in place, was the sentiment of most workers. “We can now get on with some certainty. “It’s been a hell of a place to work of recent times. Nobody tells you nothing and we have been treated like shit,” a group of workers said. For Trevor Taylor, an employee of 41 years, it came as no surprise. “It was what we were all expecting. The only good is there will be redundancy and we have been promised it will be cleaned up reasonably quickly so people won’t be left guessing.”

Fork lift driver Gordon Stevens was despondent. “This is the second time for me in virtually a lifetime in the meat industry.” Stevens was a meat inspector at Fortex at the time of its abrupt ending in 1994. “I survived that one so I expect I will survive this one. “I have five years until retirement. There’ll be forklift jobs out there so I guess like all the others I’ll line up for one of them.” Another young couple who both worked at Fairton were clearly distraught as they questioned how they would support their young family. Another who had worked in smallgoods for 38 years said “Like everyone else, I’ll be job-hunting. I have a mortgage to pay and family to keep.” A little more upbeat, Damian Peeti and his son Wiari were planning ahead. “I’ve been 20 years in the meat industry but I am a painter and decorator by trade so it will be back to into the construction sector for me,” Damian said. “It really is a sad time for this town. I just hope they (SFF) provide finance to help the young ones through and get retrained. “The young ones are our future. Us older ones are survivors,” he said. Wiari, 21, had been working at SFF Fairton since he left school. “I’ve had four years in the workforce. Now I’ll go and study,” he said.

AXED: Father and son Damian and Wiari Peeti will chase new opportunities.

Ashburton Mayor Donna Favel said that the district had one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. Despite it being the biggest dump of redundant workers ever on Ashburton, unlike many, she remained confident. “I hope that if people lose their jobs at Fairton and live in the Ashburton District, they will be able to remain here. “Our district has been through tough times in the past and as a community we have rallied to support one another. This is no different,” she said. Consultation ends on May 30. A second workers meeting was on May 31 to report its outcome and to confirm the closure and issue redundancy notices. Hamilton said the average Fairton wage this season was $20,000. “That’s not a sustainable wage to provide for a family and it

made it harder to retain skilled staff,” he said. He made no bones – Fairton was an unprofitable operation and did not support new investment. Up to 230 jobs were expected to be available at SFF plants in Belfast, Pareora and Hokitika with transfer options offered to redundant Fairton workers. No decisions had been made on what would happen to the plant but its farm was needed for pelt house effluent disposal. Rumours of a water bottling plant were baseless and it would not be sold for lamb processing. “We have not gone through this pain to right-size and then encourage new capacity.” Meatworkers’ Union Aoteoroa Canterbury branch secretary Bill Watt saw little chance of any change of heart. “Unless stock numbers improve there’s not much point in trying to reverse the decision,” he said.

Photo: Annette Scott

This is the second time for me in virtually a lifetime in the meat industry. Gordon Stevens Fairton worker

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

Fights for Feds top jobs are on Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com FEDERATED Farmers’ top job will be contested next month. West Coast dairy farmer Katie Milne, an elected member at large on the national board, has confirmed her hat will be in the ring. The recently elected deputy chairwoman of Westland Milk Products, former Dairy Woman of the Year and 2015 Rural Woman of Influence said she wanted to change the language of farming. “I never thought I would go this far in the organisation but people have asked me why not and then I had to ask myself – why not,” Milne said. After completing the Global Women breakthrough leadership course last year and looking for the answer to others’ question, it became clear. “The people and the course have given me the confidence and if people want choice then they need to be given choice,” she said. “There is frustration among farmers that the good stories in their farming are not getting told.

CONTEST: Federated Farmers board members Anders Crofoot and Katie Milne want the president’s job. “There is a lot of positive stuff happening and we need to change the language in which we communicate with our urban people so we are portraying farming in the positive light that it is,” Milne said. She believed there were connotations around the language of agriculture, particularly involving the word industry, that made it difficult in the social licence to farm.

“We need to start rethinking so people can actually celebrate, rather than chastise farming as part of the New Zealand landscape for what farmers do and how they do it. If Milne won she would be the organisation’s first woman national president. Vice president Anders Crofoot also confirmed he was chasing the top seat. Generally, the vice president

would succeed the president but for the Wairarapa sheep and beef farmer who had served six years on the national board that would not be the case. He couldn’t be reached for comment following Milne confirming her intention on Friday morning. Another contest was confirmed with retiring dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard and national board member Chris Allen confirming their nominations for the vice president’s position. It could be a three-way contest if meat and fibre chairman Rick Powdrell also stands. A Manawatu dairy farmer, Hoggard said he was no stranger to industry leadership having initially started as a Young Farmers’ regional chairman. He served three years as the Feds Manawatu-Rangitikei provincial president and did six years on the dairy executive before his three years as dairy chairman. “I’d like to stay in there and I have signalled my intention for that with my nomination as soon as they opened,” he said. Allen, a Mid Canterbury sheep

and beef farmer also had a string of leadership and representative experience through the ranks from provincial to national level and was spokesman for water and environment with specific interests in the meat and fibre sector. Allen was also nominated for a member at large position on the board. Powdrell said “I am keen to stay involved and I am weighing up what option that will be, vice president or one of the two member at large elected board positions”. “There are some areas including the educational skills and rural security spaces where I would like to stay involved,” Powdrell said. Dairy industry vice chairman and Waikato provincial president Chris Lewis was expected to succeed Hoggard as dairy chairman. Mid Canterbury provincial chairman Michael Salvesen would contest the meat and fibre chair with vice chairman Miles Anderson of South Canterbury. The Feds annual meeting is on June 22 in Wellington.

Taste for fat pushing dairy prices up Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com THE season-ending Global Dairy Trade auction produced buoyant prices to maintain $6-plus payouts and to push dairy fat product prices to new highs. Anhydrous milk fat (AMF) set a new record price of US$6631/ tonne, topping the previous record of $6600 set in 2011. Butter prices also set a new record of US$5479, up a whopping 11.2% in the May 16 auction. Butter’s price more than doubled in the past 12 months

while AMF was up 90%. AgriHQ dairy analyst Susan Kilsby said AMF and butter prices had risen all season and showed no signs of slowing down. “Strong demand for milk fat is attributed to many consumers in developed nations eating more natural foods rather than artificial or processed foods. “Some of the poorer nations are also developing a taste for butter and cakes and cream are being consumed more often by wealthy Asians. “The world remains very short of milk fat products and New Zealand is the largest supplier

of globally traded butter and AMF.” But the flip side was the skim milk powder (SMP) co-product created when milk fat was removed remained at low prices. Kilsby said the combination of low SMP and high fat product prices was equivalent to the healthy whole milk powder (WMP) prices and NZ had an established advantage in markets for WMP. On the other hand, European processors could harvest the high fat prices and sell SMP into intervention stocks, which they were doing.

The AgriHQ milk price indicator for the old season rose by one cent to $6.23/kg, suggesting some potential for a top-up by Fonterra this week. The indicator for next season rose by 19c to $6.45, helped by the strong fat prices and the steady rise of WMP prices. The WMP price index rose 1.3%, extending a 20% rise since March. High world prices and a slightly lower NZ dollar had pushed the ANZ Bank forecast for the new season to $6.75 along with a 15c to 20c upside for the old season price. The priority for farmers would

be repaying the accumulated $1.50/kg of extra debt incurred during the downturn, rural economist Con Williams said. ASB Bank also predicted $6.75 for next season plus a modest lift to this season’s $6. Westpac lifted its prediction for next season from $6.10 to $6.50 though it expected Fonterra to begin more conservatively in the low $6s. A $6.25 opening price would be accompanied by a $4 advance so support loan repayments would not start biting at monthly milk payments until much later in the season.

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News

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

Report shows plenty to work on Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com LACK of progress on mitigating nitrogen losses from dairy farms was evident in an otherwise mainly positive scorecard for the Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord (SD:WA) in year three. The national average nitrogen leaching loss in 2015-16 was 39kg/ ha a year – the same as the year before. N-loss calculations in Canterbury and Otago (64 and 39 respectively) revealed higher figures than the rolling average of the two previous years of accord measurements (50 and 33). This was because irrigation effects were included for the first time after a change in the Overseer computer model used to generate the leaching loss numbers. Nitrogen losses were generally higher through stony soils under irrigation, DairyNZ sustainability team leader Theresa Wilson said. Because Overseer generated rolling averages, improvements in N-loss numbers from changed farming practices such as the targeted use of nitrogen fertilisers or irrigation applications would take years to show up, she said. The third year report was released by DairyNZ and seven dairy companies, including Oceania for the first time. The audited report highlighted the progress against commitments and targets by 11,400 farms in key environmental areas. The scope of the accord did

It’s also about urbanisation so we are all in this together. It is pointless playing the blame game. Nathan Guy Primary Industries minister

ON TRACK: DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle says the year-three report showed encouraging progress although there was still some work to do.

not cover run-offs, only dairy platforms. Dairy cattle were now excluded from 92.7% of waterways on farms and 99.4% of regular stock crossing points now have bridges or culverts. Waterways were classified as greater than 1m in width and deeper than 30cm. Nearly 6000 dairy farms had installed water meters and 9500, or 83%, had nutrient budgets that

generated nitrogen information for farmers. The rate of significant noncompliance for effluent systems dropped to 5.2% nationally, although Northland remained significantly higher. Rate of progress on riparian planting plans for farms with waterways was also disappointing, being only 27% at the end of the latest audit period, versus a 50% target.

DairyNZ, in partnership with regional councils, had produced 13 tailored riparian planting guides. Exclusion of dairy stock from significant wetlands was also lagging well behind the SD:WA target. “This is one area where the nature of the obligation is problematic due to the variability of regional council regulations and an increasing national as well as regional interest,” the report said. DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle said the year three report showed encouraging progress although there was still some work to do. He thought it was the biggest mobilisation on behalf of the environment anywhere in New Zealand and that the average spend on farm was $90,000. Total expenditure in recent years had exceeded $1 billion, of which about 70% was spent on effluent systems.

Greatly reduced non-compliance numbers showed that effluent systems were now more efficient, safer in the environment, and saving nutrients for land application. All dairy companies now had effluent system assessments for all farms, several companies doing every farm every year. All regions now had access to accredited effluent system designers among 22 companies offering services. The report said water use measurement on over 100 farms had revealed 26% of Waikato water use was actually losses through long-term slow leaks or shortterm high volume leaks. In the three years of the SD:WA, there had been 253 conversions to dairy farms, with 78 in the 2015-16 season. All conversions had to comply with environmental standards before milk supply began. Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy said the progress achieved in what was a short time was cause for celebration. No longer were dairy farmers copping all the blame for water quality issues, he said. “It’s also about urbanisation so we are all in this together. It is pointless playing the blame game.” Consumers were now actually inside the farm gate because of technology and smart phones and the societal pressure on agriculture to do more came from both domestic and international customers.

Critics raise doubts on clean water progress Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com A REPORT on the dairy industry’s progress on environmental issues was hailed by farmers but treated with scepticism by urban commentators and freshwater scientists. Greenie groups that sought to bolster their fundraising campaigns by targeting dairy farmers needed to read the latest Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord (SD:WA) report, Federated Farmers dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard said. The facts and figures in the report showed how seriously dairy farmers took their environmental responsibilities, he said. “None of us are claiming we’re perfect or that there is no problem with dairy’s impact on waterways. “But the latest report shows the strenuous and ongoing efforts the vast majority of dairy farmers are making to lessen their environmental footprint,” Hoggard said. Such comments were interpreted by mainstream media as dairy farmers fighting back against continual criticism, as

they were “fed up and not going to take it anymore”. Massey University freshwater ecologist Mike Joy called the SD:WA report a propaganda exercise that completely misrepresented the damage being done by dairying to water quality.

We are trying to keep pathogens and pollution out of waterways, but smaller streams feed into larger ones. Mike Joy Massey University By fencing only larger waterways, cows were able access smaller tributaries. “We are trying to keep pathogens and pollution out of waterways but smaller streams feed into larger ones. “Also nitrogen gets into waterways through leaching and groundwater; not mitigated by

riparian fencing.” Hoggard said the water accord addressed waterways of a certain size, “not every trickle”, in order to achieve manageable goals. Minor waterways might be next, as part of a catchment by catchment approach, he said. The whole SD:WA exercise was a big challenge, especially the auditing process that ensured the results from each dairy company was lined up. The Green Party welcomed the progress made in excluding dairy cattle from waterways, which along with stock crossings and nutrient management planes, were the first steps in cleaning up rivers, lakes, and aquifers. But spokesperson Eugenie Sage repeated calls for reduction in cow numbers and intensive nitrogen fertiliser usage. A Green Party in government would require all stock to be fenced out of waterways, wind up subsidies for large-scale irrigation schemes, and put a moratorium on new dairy conversions. Forest and Bird advocacy manager Kevin Hackwell said the report showed that farmers were well behind their own targets on

PROPAGANDA: Massey University freshwater ecologist Dr Mike Joy says the Water Accord report completely misrepresents the damage being done by dairy farming.

the fencing of wetlands. There was no doubt the dairy industry had set and met certain targets, and been upfront about those it hadn’t achieved. But he questioned whether those targets were the right ones

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News

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

Short delay for stock ban rules Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com RULES excluding dairy cows and pigs from all waterways due to come in to force on July 1 have been delayed until later in the year. A Ministry for the Environment spokeswoman said the Government was still consulting on its Clean Water package. “Submissions closed on April 28 and the responses are being considered before drafting the regulations. “It is the Government’s intention to promulgate these regulations by August,” she said. Those rules were likely to include instant fines of up to $2000 for each “observed event of stock in a water body”, according to draft regulations. In February last year the Government released the Next Steps Fresh Water document that set out a timeline for the exclusion of livestock from waterways. Dairy cattle on milking platforms and pigs were to be excluded from July 1 this year and dairy support, beef cattle and deer from July 1, 2022. For beef cattle and deer on steeper country the rules would be phased in from July 1, 2022, to July 1, 2030. A draft regulatory impact statement recommended using regulation to encourage the exclusion of stock from waterways, as opposed to the

It is the Government’s intention to promulgate these regulations by August. Environment Ministry

DELAY: Rules excluding stock from waterways have been delayed but will still take effect this year.

status quo or incentives. “Regulation would provide reassurance to the public and our international markets that action is being taken to protect freshwater quality and ecosystem health,” it said. The regulations intentionally targeted dairy and beef cattle, deer and pigs, which the document said had an affinity for water and the potential to deposit excreta. Sheep and goats were excluded because they were smaller, preferred not to enter water and

could be useful controlling weeds by grazing riparian margins. It also favoured a slope-based approach to differentiate between intensive systems on flat and rolling land up to 15 degrees and more extensive farming systems on steeper country. “On steeper land it is proposed these stock types (cattle and deer) are only excluded where break feeding, due to the very high costs involved.” The exclusion rules would apply to wetlands, lakes and large, permanently flowing rivers

Feds leaders urged to speak up on water Glenys Christian glenys.christian@nzx.com A FEDERATED Farmers member living in Auckland city wants the lobby group to rebuff criticism of farming more vigorously. “I live in Auckland and every day I get a dose of [New Zealand Herald columnist] Rachel Stewart’s negative comments about farming,” Edgar Henson told Auckland Federated Farmers conference on May 12. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of but the federation is not there telling it. It’s a national issue. The federation has to take the high ground.” Henson has a 210 hectare sheep and beef finishing farm at Glen Murray, south of the city, which he commutes to manage several days a week while working in real estate in the city. He said there was a consensus built up in Auckland against farmers but the city’s building boom was being funded largely by debt. “People don’t get the whole story,” he said. “The federation has got to do a better job politically.” Stronger efforts should be made to reduce pollution in the Waitemata Harbour.

“Aucklanders should fix their own backyard before they worry about us,” he said. “Federated Farmers need to fess up. There are problems but they’re getting fixed.” He had recently written a 50page submission to the Waikato Regional Council on its Healthy Rivers Waiora proposals, which he said would not result in cleaner water “which I’m all for”. “Strategically the next decade is going to be about water and we’re not going to be running the debate,” he said. “It will be run out of Auckland if we’re not careful. The federation would get a lot more support if it took a stance for farming.” Leigh Catley, the federation’s general manager of communications, told the conference she totally agreed with Henson. “But it’s a huge problem to get anything positive in the national media,” she said. The federation’s water policy team was “crunching the facts” as part of a long term project to present the lobby group’s view of the state of New Zealand’s waterways. “We are reaching peak greenie,” she said. “People are getting bored with listening to the constant

and streams over 1m wide on rolling and steep land and all permanently flowing rivers and streams regardless of size on the plains. The draft said the cost and time taken to enforce breaches under the Resource Management Act delayed enforcement but changes the act allowed instant fines by setting out a legislative framework. “This enforcement provision will ensure that the stock exclusion regulation will achieve its public policy objectives as it

will provide incentives to farmers to comply with the regulation and a way for councils to encourage farmers that are not complying.” The type of fencing to exclude stock was optional but would allow GPS fencing and natural barriers such as cliffs, the only proviso being that they were stock-proof. It also did not stipulate riparian setback width from waterways because there was no optimum design and the planting and maintenance costs. The document estimated a cost of $14,700 for 1km of two rows of native plants. It was acknowledged it could be impractical to exclude stock in some instances, such as where paddocks were dissected by multiple waterways and stock density was low, such as on the West Coast. Farmers could also use mitigation other than fencing to achieve water quality aims, such as creating artificial wetlands.

Farmers are harvesting solar rays Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com

WATER WORRY: Edgar Henson fears the water debate could be run out of Auckland.

barrage of water quality information.” Later the federation’s national board member with responsibility for water and environment, Chris Allen, said water policies had to be sensible, practical and affordable. If regions had good rules which addressed local issues there was no need for national legislation coming in over top. Recent reports showing the most polluted waterways were in urban areas were telling a clearer story, with a lot of money and 30-50 years needed to clean up some cities’ problems. “If farming is the issue let’s address it,” he said. “But cut us a bit of slack because we’re trying. Most farmers want to do the right thing.”

SOLAR panel arrays on farms and the overtaking of biofuels by electric vehicles were the challenging topics addressed by business consultant Naomi Takeuchi at a Northland meeting of the Rural Business Network. A consultant for the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA), she said that United States state had about 5000ha of panels on former farmland and was second only to California in panel coverage. However, the state had 2.3 million hectares of agricultural land and solar panels covered only 0.2% of that so far. North Carolina was also the number one state for growing sweet potatoes, which was a talking point for her Northland audience. More than 3000 megawatts of solar panels had been installed, with an average panel farm size of 5MW on less than 10ha. Many farmers chose to lease out land to solar energy companies because of the high upfront cost of installation. According to the NCSEA landowners received between US$1000/ha and $3000/ha annually in rent. Some might be withdrawing from growing tobacco or joining the Conservation Reserve Programme so incentives might be involved.

Other farmers were trialling integration with sheep farming around the solar arrays. A downstream benefit of solar energy was the reduction in freshwater use for thermoelectric (nuclear) power stations, which tended to degrade water quality in ways hydroelectric stations didn’t. Takeuchi said solar electricity had the potential to reduce the need for hydrocarbon fuels in transport and the trend towards biofuels in the US was waning. From a San Francisco base, her company, 1000 Cranes, also provided advice to Piedmont Biofuels in North Carolina, a cooperative of workers and customers. It took used vegetable oils and made biodiesel. Farmers in the Northland audience said recycling cooking oils and biodiesel from tallow were being done in New Zealand, on a commercial scale by Z Energy at Wiri, South Auckland, with commitment from Fonterra. Our reliance on diesel for heavy transport for export industries would not be replaced by electric vehicles in the foreseeable future. They were also quick to point out the sunshine hours in many parts of NZ were not like those in California or North Carolina. Taneuchi said she had relatives farming in northern Honshu, Japan, that she was part-Polynesian, and had registered a NZ subsidiary of 1000 Cranes earlier this year.

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News

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

Chinese market becoming tougher Richard Rennie richard.rennie@nzx.com A SERIOUS lack of good coverage about China and particularly its dairy sector compelled Westport dairy farmer Bede O’Connor to push further and deeper into the country to better understand what its growth means for the industry and his livelihood. “It had always been in the back of my mind that we lacked a real sense of what is going on up there. “There is no New Zealand media up there and I was increasingly aware of the massive influence China was having on our dairy industry and its future -- we needed to know more.” Four trips in three years and a Nuffield report later, O’Connor said some of his fears about China ever being self-sufficient in dairying had been allayed while challenges he had not thought of had arisen. O’Connor tempered his report with the observation that to ever fully understand the country one needed to be on the ground the entire time.

Information he sought became less opaque every time he returned and thanks to NZ trade expert David Mahon he was able to talk to the same people more than once. “That meant that what you were initially told and what you were hearing by the time you had met them a third time could differ. “For example, initially little was said about the environmental challenges but by the time I had spoken to people a third time environment was top of the list for issues.” The level of provincial government involvement in regional policy-setting was not appreciated through bland news feeds. The willingness of a local government to support an industry like dairying in its region meant trying to categorise China as “China” risked missing how the subtleties of the country’s enormous regional economies defined policy-setting. Similarly, moving inland from the mega cities on the eastern seaboard meant the type of consumers and their needs

differed significantly from cities like Shanghai, which he described as being almost European in tastes and behaviour. It was the tier three and four cities where future growth was likely to be strongest as incomes rose to meet the price of traditionally unaffordable dairy products. Developments in cold chain networks, even over the two years his report covered, were also helping, with a move away from UHT milk products to fresh and chilled. His research and interviews revealed an unquestionable need for quality forage feed for herds in the sector and he challenged how sustainable it would be for the country to continue importing feed from California. As a nation of traditional gardeners he believed the skill level was there to achieve it, even if the level of soil fertility in many regions was open to question. One interview with an When it comes to the importer of forage feed post-emergent management revealed the need for of broadleaf weeds, Preside™ quality feed including offers performance you can trust. alfalfa in China was Talk to your agricultural merchant seven to nine million or call 0800 803 939. tonnes a year to boost www.dowagrosciences.co.nz cow production, against a supply of 2-2.5m tonnes a year. He maintained the Confidence Chinese dairy sector would struggle with that target in a drum thanks to lower economic returns to farmers and the lack of quality forage feed available for dairying. “The environmental

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factors are there but I also learned that when they have to change they will be forced to change very quickly as a government requirement.” The Chinese government had already publicly acknowledged in NZ the need to recruit NZ skills to remediate land damaged by industrial chemicals and erosion.

However, China is still growing strongly, and if we can continue to capture that growth we will do well. But the message I got is that we are going to have to work a lot harder to do that than we did eight years ago. Bede O’Connor Nuffield scholar O’Connor also noted ambiguities in some of the operations he was shown in China. One large operation set up to milk 1000 cows was milking only 600 and there was a willingness among Chinese operators to slice cow numbers right back when incomes were down. O’Connor noted the Chinese government’s bias towards large scale, mega-project farms but there was a challenge staffing them with skilled workers in a country still becoming familiar with large-scale dairy operations. He cited Fonterra’s work

in that area as invaluable in strengthening ties and acknowledged that while the operations were still to make money, they were playing a valuable role as a sign of corporate good faith by setting up operations the way they had. “Any business operation there has to accept that it may take quite a long time before they generate a good return, whether farming or from selling branded products.” While many processors had ventured into value-added products for higher margins some had taken longer than expected to deliver a return. Staff skills, feed quality and even disease might put the brakes on China’s ability to feed itself with dairy but it was clear NZ no longer had the field to itself as in the 2008-2010 powder boom. “It was clear the Europeans and particularly the Irish are really getting established there. “By the time of my last visit to China I saw Kerry Gold butter throughout supermarkets and the Europeans are doing more powder production than ever.” He believed that with NZ’s free-trade agreement to be upgraded and re-negotiated soon it might prove essential to take significantly more than just a good supply of quality dairy to the bargaining table to maintain any strong advantage. “However, China is still growing strongly and if we can continue to capture that growth we will do well. “But the message I got is that we are going to have to work a lot harder to do that than we did eight years ago.”

News

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

Start-ups face ‘clash of cultures’ Richard Rennie richard.rennie@nzx.com LESS fragmentation and a common platform for onfarm technology will rapidly advance the strength of New Zealand’s agri-tech sector, both locally and globally. ASB’s head of agri-capital and chair of a tech start-up company Kevin Cooney, maintained the sector was sitting on significant growth potential as a stand-alone export sector, but was grappling with the usual challenges fledgling sectors experience. He addressed delegates at LIC’s Innovation Farm during TechWeek’s Farming2020 series. Cooney acknowledged a large corporate bank structure was not always the best “dance partner” for a small ambitious tech start-up company. This was in part due to contrasting company cultures. But his own bank also recognised early on that to not participate in the burgeoning agri-tech sector was simply not an option, and it made a conscious decision to allocate some funds to dabbling in the sector. The bank accepted a level of risk was involved around losing some money.

AIM HIGH: ASB’s Kevin Cooney encouraged NZ to become more aspirational about what the agri-tech sector can do. “The value was in learning more and participating in the agri-tech ecosystem. However we had to accept we are a bit of a gorilla and could risk standing on our dance partner’s toes. We have to be conscious of having a light touch.”

Cooney said the bank had also learned that having equity in all start-ups may not always be the best way to participate. “As a large gorilla it is very difficult for us to be creative around an idea. Start-up companies are better at that than us.” He felt a bank well placed to help build partnerships and enable funding, may take the firm to the next stage of global scale up. He pointed to software company Figured that originated as a real-time livestock reconciliation software system. It has proven to be a company that has expanded successfully, but not before reconfiguring how it penetrated the farming market. “They came to us wanting to scale up, aiming to go to farmers to sell it. We listened and thought intuitively it will not work, given farmers’ ‘ain’t broke don’t fix it’ view on perceived problems. Despite that, it was a good piece of tech.” Three months later the company returned, having decided to take the software to farm accountants, rather than farmers direct. “And it worked, with a channel partner who was also being disrupted by technology changes

themselves.” The software also appealed to banks who could now have up to date information on their clients’ stock (and value) position, helping farmers work and plan better for cashflow and tax implications. “But what agri-tech companies have to face up to is farmers will not sit back and say ‘bring it on’. They need to see the value proposition clearly to pick it up.” Appealing to trusted agri sector advisors with new tech would channel farmers to it, but having a common platform for the multiple pieces of software and equipment available would also help. “Ideally a farmer wants an unbiased platform that verifies the value of the technology it is supporting, so any application they see upon it has been filtered as useful and suitable by the time they see it.” He pointed out the risk companies like Monsanto are running in the United States, where they are formulating a platform despite the company suffering a trust deficit with its farmer customers. While NZ now had a wellfounded and largely government funded infrastructure for getting tech firms off the ground, the

challenge for many was moving beyond the initial growth phase and expanding globally. This typically required funding of between $1-5 million. “If they can’t raise it they will founder. The financial technology sector often goes offshore but the hook is, the company often has to move offshore too.” A more mature sector would ultimately bridge that gap, and there were examples already of that happening. Gallagher has aligned itself with small startup companies with a good idea and brought scale to it, including the Flashmate heat detector for dairy cows. But part of the answer was being an agri-tech company offering a solution to a global rather than just local problem. “You should be able to deploy your technology in any market in the world. For example Figured has proven to be very successful in the United States.” But whatever the finance source, Cooney encouraged NZ to become more aspirational about what the agri-tech sector can do. “Where we do not want to end up is looking for digital tech solutions offshore and effectively being a digital importer.”

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News

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

Wool sacks full of surprises Alan Williams alan.williams@nzx.com STEEL bars, cell phones, and a lot of clothing – all found in wool sacks sent to New Zealand scouring plants. Add to this pizza, $5 notes, towels, stockfeed bags, spray cans, and even a live bullet, Canterbury Wool Scourers production coordinator Struan Hulme said. The steel bars, usually off the wool press, have the potential to cause up to $20,000 of damage to scouring equipment, he told wool classers at a field day in Christchurch on Tuesday. Spray cans can be activated several times through the scour process, discolouring a lot of wool. Wool marker crayons were also a problem. Metal detectors keep some of the worst stuff out, but NZ still had a significant issue with nonwool contamination in terms of money and production costs. “We’ve got a problem,” he said. “We’ve got systems in place but we’re still getting shearing shed rubbish.” Over the last year, there have been an average eight to nine contamination finds a week in wool sent to the scouring plants.

LOST PROPERTY: Canterbury Wool Scourers production co-ordinator Struan Hulme with some of the items found in wool sacks.

Canterbury Wool Scourers in Timaru is now one of only two plants in NZ since the merger of the Cavalier Wool and NZ Wool Services International scour businesses. Its sister plant is the Hawke’s Bay Wool Scourers’ facility in Napier.

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addressed in the shearing shed, he said. Shed workers should ensure that the area round the board and press were kept tidy, and be careful where they tossed clothing and towels after using them. Wool Classers Association

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The scours have staff training days to help find objects when they’re sorting wool and a lot of money has been spent on the inline detection units able to find even small objects, Hulme said. However, the problem had to be

executive officer Bruce Abbott said farmers should make sure they weren’t leaving items lying on the floors and shelves. Hulme said NZ was doing well to be scouring up to 75% of the wool produced here. Abbott told the classers that when he was working at the Timaru scour years ago, a full pay packet had been found in Australian wool being scoured there. “We were able to send it back to them.” These days, since incorporating the volumes of the Kaputone plant near Christchurch, the Timaru scour gets 2000 bales of wool delivered a day “on a big day”, Hulme said, and between 800 and 1000 on a normal day. “One million kilograms a week is big for us, and 700,000kg reasonably big.” As well as the occasional nonwool contaminant, Hulme said afterwards that the overall wool condition is showing signs of the low cross-bred price. “The wool tends to follow the market, and we see some apathy in the presentation when prices are poor. “We say to farmers they should present the wool in its best light. It’s your brand and your image, and you need to protect that.”

WOOL industry education could soon be up and running fully again, with certificate and diploma courses in the planning stages. Classers were told at their annual meeting in Christchurch on Tuesday that the news was positive in both shearing training and also in the wider wool industry where the priority was on reinstating the Certificate in Wool Technology. Both areas have been in a state of flux in recent times, but shearer training has restarted through Te Ako Wool. The certificate qualification has been in limbo since the demise of Tectra in 2015. Lincoln University and subsidiary Telford ran a replacement course for a few months, till Lincoln told the industry last November that the programme would no longer be offered. Since then classers association vice chairman Allan Frazer, as convenor of the Wool Industry Education Group (WIEG), has led efforts to get it reinstated somewhere else. He told the meeting that with the support of Primary ITO, Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre had confirmed it was keen to now take over delivery of the certificate course training, with chief executive Arthur

Graves optimistic that a start could be made in mid-to-late June. So far, 39 people had expressed interest in taking part. Another development was the Diploma in Wool Technology, stopped several years ago, may also return. The need for this had been highlighted in WIEG workshops and industry surveys, Frazer said. Historically, the certificate had been for classers and others working in the industry, including scour workers, brokers, and exporters, while the diploma programme at both Lincoln and Massey University was a more indepth study and was seen as a route into industry leadership. One idea was that the new certificate programme would make up half of the diploma requirements. “The industry also needs the diploma for succession planning because that is the knowledge that is needed,” Frazer said. A survey of wool industry groups indicated demand for 25 to 30 enrolments in a certificate course each year, and ten to 12 for a diploma course. He was also talking to Taratahi, Massey, and Te Ako Wool about greater collaboration between the providers of wool education and training. Wool Classers Association

TOP NOTCH: The wool classers’ annual meeting in Christchurch came at the end of a three-hour refresher course, involving different types and categories of wool.

The industry also needs the diploma for succession planning because that is the knowledge that is needed. Allan Frazer Wool Classers’ Association chairman Bill Dowle said in his address that the negotiations with Taratahi had been positive, after the disappointment of LincolnTelford pulling out. “Without education, our industry will disappear, and we must persist in the added value we can contribute by

ensuring standards, with proper preparation and presentation, as wool is such a great fibre.” With some poorly prepared wools not selling in the current depressed crossbred market, he urged members not to talk to farmer clients about the money they were making, but about how much they were losing by not getting their presentation right, instead just treating wool as a by-product and a cost. At the moment, the message was not getting through in many cases. The wool classers’ annual meeting in Christchurch came at the end of a three-hour refresher course, involving different types and categories of wool, and then a series of presentations from industry good and commercial groups. These courses are held round the country about three times

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News

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

New shearing courses attract good numbers Alan Williams alan.williams@nzx.com

SPORTY: A new shearing training programme is based on the high performance sports coaching in rugby and swimming.

TE AKO Wools, the new shearing training business, will have about 450 to 500 trainees in study over the next year, either new to the system or moving up the qualification levels. That was likely to be a typical annual figure with about 300 to 350 expected to complete courses over that time, Te Ako general manager Martin Eadie said. The shearing training system had recovered

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from the downturn following the collapse of the Tectra programme a couple of years ago when study numbers fell to about 250 for a time. Numbers were now about where the industry saw a sustainable future. About 60% of trainees were in the shearing course and the others were studying wool handling and pressing, Eadie said. Te Ako was set up last year and was owned by the NZ Shearing Contractors Association to fill the gap caused by the Tectra failure though nearly half of its trainees were employed by non-member shearer businesses. Eadie joined Te Ako in January and has been organising a new training model, based on short, sharp online and video presentations for trainees to complement the initial twoday training courses and occasional one-day refreshers. The plan, which has started to be rolled-out, was given a good response at the association conference last week in Queenstown and was expected to be fully in place around the country during August. “About 70% of our trainees are under 30 and well into smart phones and digital,” he said. “They’re online all the time and in the trials we’ve had they’ve grabbed it.” Regular videos might be just half-a-minute long and there were three-minute videos around an online question-and-answer session. Trainees would also be able to send in video clips to trainers for advice on specific issues such as ensuring they were starting the shearing blow in the right place or standing correctly.

About 70% of our trainees are under 30 and well into smart phones and digital. Martin Eadie Te Ako Wools Te Ako based the presentations on shearing being a high-performance sport and was using the technology that swimming and rugby coaching programmes also used. Te Ako Wools had four fulltime trainers, two in the South Island and two in the North, evenly split between shearing and wool handling with training courses based in Alexandra, Riverton, Te Kuiti and Hastings. Half of the trainers’ contact with trainees would be face-to-face. Eadie was also busy planning feedback and benchmarking arrangements to measure the cost-to-value benefits of the training programme, productivity gains among the trainees and the engagement of employers and trainees with the programme and with each other. Each unit of the course had a $400 cost and usually there was some employers funding as well as Government funding through the Primary ITO, which helped set up the Te Ako system. The ITO connection provided trainees with NZQA qualifications. “We know it’s cost-effective and there’s value in the price and we’ve said to the contractors that we will prove the value to you,” Eadie said. He was also working on a more advanced programme for trainees identified by the contractor employers as potential leaders and that would include study on finance, supervisory roles and dealing with challenging situations.

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

More money for water will increase efficiency Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com MORE money for irrigation has been welcomed by the irrigation industry that says it will contribute to increased efficiency gains and environmental outcomes. Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has announced extra funding of $26.7 million over the next three years plus a capital boost of $63m for irrigation investments in this year’s budget. The money was aimed at delivering economic and environmental benefits through better use of water. “A reliable water supply for growers and farmers has major potential to boost economic growth, creating jobs and exports in the regions. “At the same time these schemes can deliver real environmental benefits by maintaining river flows and recharging groundwater aquifers,” Guy said. Severe droughts had reinforced the importance of water storage and the money would help develop new private-sector

schemes to reduce the impacts. The $26.7m would provide matched grants to regional scale irrigation schemes helping them progress through the phases of development to reach construction. The $63m would fund the construction of regional irrigation infrastructure. Guy said projects likely to need help included the Waimea community dam near Nelson, Flaxbourne community water project, Hunter Downs Water and the Hurunui water project. They would support a wide variety of land uses, including horticulture, sheep, beef and arable while the water could also be used for urban supply and improving environmental, recreational and social outcomes. The money was great news for communities, IrrigationNZ chief executive Andrew Curtis said. “Sustainable irrigated agriculture is NZ’s future. It underpins many of the provincial economies on the east coast of NZ where regional towns like

Hastings, Blenheim, Ashburton, Timaru, Cromwell and Alexandra would be far less vibrant and less resilient without irrigation infrastructure.” “For every $1 an irrigator earns another $2 to $3 of wealth is created in their community. It is estimated that irrigation contributes over $5.4 billion to the NZ economy every year.” Federated Farmers environment spokesman Chris Allen said the money was a powerful stimulant for re-energising provincial NZ. “This is great news for rural communities and will provide access to significant social and economic benefits. “It also emphasises the Government’s commitment to water storage, which is a lifeline for those connected and working in our primary sector. “It will provide greater assurances all-round and ultimately takes pressure off water resources when they are scarce, especially during droughts and dry spells. “Precise agriculture is increasingly being adopted by

Doubt cast on wind borne pathway for rust Richard Rennie richard.rennie@nzx.com DESPITE two of the three identified myrtle rust infections being in nurseries, authorities continue to maintain the disease was wind borne from Australia. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has challenged that theory as a second nursery has been detected with the myrtle rust infection, this time in Waitara, Taranaki. The first incursion was detected 600km north in a Kerikeri nursery. The wind borne theory also appeared somewhat at odds with briefings done by Scion as recently as May last year and in 2010 and by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry risk analysis group in 2011. The 2016 Scion report noted myrtle rust’s spread by wind from Australia, while possible, was not the most likely path. It said there was a good chance any incursion by wind would be in an inaccessible location and detection would not be soon enough to allow a successful eradication. Scion’s 2010 report also noted a number of hoops the disease was required to pass through to become established here through wind-borne transmission. An increase in myrtle rust spores in Australia would lead to its arrival in NZ if the number of days of favourable atmospheric conditions rose. Establishment here was then dependent on the spores landing on susceptible

hosts and only in conditions that favoured its development. NZ had experienced windborne fungal infections before from Australia, including poplar rust in 1973. But the 2016 report found the main driver of myrtle rust spread globally was trade rather than wind, particularly through movement of infected plant material. Australia’s infection started from infected nursery plants on the east coast. Similarly, South Africa’s infection came from a garden specimen host plant. Both Scion reports noted other incursion paths should be considered, including the movement of spores on clothing or footwear, possibly as a result of tourism. It also classed the risk here as significant. The last possibility was the deliberate introduction of spores or infected material by “persons of questionable character”. The MAF report also rated imported plant material into nurseries as a moderate to high risk. NZ First questioned Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy in Parliament on the risks of the disease coming into NZ via nursery cuttings. He was asked what the minimum quarantine standards were for importing nursery stock from areas with myrtle rust. In a written response MPI said a minimum post-entry quarantine (PEQ) period of six months was required for all whole plants and

LIFELINE: More money for irrigation schemes means greater security for rural people, Federated Farmers environment spokesman Chris Allen says.

irrigators, which allows for the exact measurement of crop and pasture needs, where water and nutrient can be accurately applied to meet plant requirements.” And the combination of smart technology with more sophisticated water scheduling ensured nutrients did not leave the root zone of plants, greatly reducing or eliminating nutrient loss, Allen said.

For every $1 an irrigator earns another $2 to $3 of wealth is created in their community. Andrew Curtis IrrigationNZ

Feds talk levy-sharing Glenys Christian glenys.christian@nzx.com

INTRUDER: Myrtle rust has potential to affect native and fruit trees.

cuttings that were hosts of myrtle rust. “It seems incredible the spores carried across the Tasman would avoid the entire West Coast and thousands of hectares of suitable host plants to magically land not just in Kerikeri on the east coast but, by the most fantastical of odds, a nursery,” Peters said. It was even more of a coincidence when the second nursery infection was considered. But MPI myrtle rust response controller David Yard said there were two main reasons myrtle rust was showing up in nurseries first. Growing conditions there were ideal for a fungus, with plenty of young, vulnerable plants in a sheltered, damp environment. There was also a high level of awareness among nursery owners about the disease, making it more likely to be spotted and reported. Landcare Research scientist and Biological Heritage National Science Challenge director Andrea Byrom said it was unusual for such a disease to report only three definitive infection points. “But the other thing is that it is not necessarily the time of the year when we might expect it to be spreading much either. Spring will be the critical time.”

FARMERS will be able to express their views on whether the levy money they pay to Beef + Lamb New Zealand could instead be directed to Federated Farmers in a discussion planned for the lobby group’s conference later this year. Dairy farmer John Glasson from Helensville put a remit to Auckland Federated Farmers’ conference on May 12 that it should explore the possibility of farmers having that choice. “We’re talking about every farmer in NZ having a say as to where their levy goes,” he said. He believed the levy money for the 20 or so boner cows he sent to the works every year should go to the federation, which was struggling to get $5 to $6m a year while B+LNZ received $31m. He admitted there could be issues with larger farmers and corporate farming entities making the choice. “But you should be able to sign a paper and that’s where your levy goes,” he said. “A lot of guys are doing a lot of work for the federation and they’re doing it voluntarily.” Federated Farmers Auckland meat and fibre chairman Bruce Parris seconded the remit, saying B+LNZ did support the federation on various projects. “But are we getting the best bang for our buck?” he asked. B+LNZ did a lot of promotion

for red meat products. “But what about the people producing it?” he asked. “Surely, we should be getting good value for money.” Former B+LNZ board member Tom Mandeno said dairy farmers needed to bear in mind beef was an important part of what they were producing. B+LNZ was putting a lot of work into the Five Nations Beef Alliance and managing the United States quota to improve NZ farmers’ returns. With the present good prices for beef he estimated just a fifth of 1% went into levy payments, which were an investment in the future. “Name another industry which makes such a small contribution to its future,” he challenged. “We need to make that larger because the beef industry needs every cent it can get to remain viable.” John Sexton from Ararimu said a change to the Commodities Levies Act would be needed but there was no harm investigating the proposal. But former dairy chairman Phillip Bell, from Clevedon, was worried dairy farmers might also want a choice about where levies they paid to DairyNZ went. The remit was lost on a vote but the meeting agreed the idea should be forwarded to the federation’s national conference in July as a discussion topic.

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Farm with greater certainty

News

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

Plant breeders want seed law updated Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com PLANT breeders hope a long-awaited seed law review will protect the industry’s future. They have been lobbying the Government for several years to update old laws. The Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment has completed two rounds of consultation with the plant breeding industry as part of the review of the Plant Variety Rights Act. The act gives intellectual property rights to plant breeders who develop new and improved varieties. Last week officials visited breeding facilities at Plant and Food Research at Lincoln and Ambrosia Nurseries in Christchurch. Leading the Plant Breeding and Research

WHEAT CROSSING: An update of plant law is needed to protect new, highperforming seed products.

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Association in its push for law reform, Thomas Chin said discussions centred on key areas including farm-saved seed and enforcement of plant variety rights. “In general, I am hopeful that the review process that has started helps bring about an update of our plant laws to protect new, high-quality, highperforming seed products. “We will continue to let policymakers know that it is vital for plant breeding innovation that a revised law is aligned with our international obligations and consistent with our main trading partners,” Chin said. For NZ’s pastoral, arable, turf and horticulture sectors, there was a need for ongoing innovation and research by plant breeders in areas such as disease or pest resistance and to increase productivity. “It is critical that there are new discoveries and access to overseas varieties for farmers to grow and that the intellectual property around these is protected to incentivise new investment and introduction into NZ.” NZ had signed but not ratified a global seed convention. It committed to implementing the convention in the Trans Pacific Partnership so that had to be the starting point for reform. “We would like to see continued current arrangements enabling farmers to save seed for their own private and non-commercial use and the establishment of a fair system to collect royalties at different points along the value chain for protected varieties of seed.” Royalties helped cover some of the cost for variety development, which took about 10 years and $1 milllion to create a new cultivar.

Project to give Lincoln vision Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com

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A NEW phase of the Refreshing Lincoln project has been launched to provide a 20-year plan for the university. A transformation board chaired by Sir Maarten Wevers has begun consulting people with an interest in the university. It would then suggest to the Lincoln University Council long-term options and a strategic direction for the tertiary institution. The council would adopt or reject its suggestions. Refreshing Lincoln aimed to reverse successive years of financial issues and a stagnant student role. Ideas from the transformation board were designed to provide a long-term vision. Wevers said the board would seek thoughts and ideas from university staff, students, alumni and people with an interest in Lincoln or who employed university graduates and researchers. Wevers believed Lincoln had under-performed but had untapped potential that could make it internationally recognised for education and research in the land-based and primary sectors. “My personal view is that it should be recognised internationally as one of the top places to go and study land-based issues and agriculture or the primary sector.” Lincoln had a fundamental role underpinning and helping the economic drivers of NZ’s economy through the courses offered, its research and by cementing new partnerships with outside entities. While everything was up for discussion, part of the board’s role was to clarify and provide a focus for what the university might choose to do and how to get there. “Our advice to the council will be more strategic in nature.” The board would report to the council in October.

News

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

Tourism fund is a good start

ATTRACTION: The Hokitika Gorge attracts thousands of tourists but they are putting pressure on infrastructure.

Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com WHEN access to a gravel pit near Franz Josef was blocked to keep out up to 70 freedom campers a night who had turned it in to a toilet, Westland District mayor Bruce Smith hoped it had solved the problem. It didn’t. Two days later international travellers had found another camping spot 20 minutes’ drive from the southern West Coast settlement near the mouth of the Waiho River. “That’s what we are up against,” Smith said. He hoped a recently announced Government tourism infrastructure fund could be part of the solution to contain freedom campers, allowing the establishment of Kiwi Camps that provide toilet and washing facilities on a user-pays basis. Fellow councillor Helen Lash said human waste littered the edge of the Franz Josef gravel pit, with little or no attempt to bury it. She said there was a segment of tourists who refused to pay anything for accommodation and services. “They will not spend $5 to stay a night but will spend $5 to $10 in petrol to drive somewhere to stay for free.” The Government’s $102 million package was available over four years to assist the development of public infrastructure used significantly by tourists, such as car parks, toilets, freedom camping facilities, sewage, water, safety upgrades and natural attraction infrastructure. Mackenzie District Council mayor Graham Smith welcomed the fund, but said councils needed a regular and consistent flow of funds to pay for infrastructure. “I still say a visitor’s tax or regular distribution of the GST funds, which the Government pockets out of tourism, should come back in a regular flow to tourist hotspots.” Mackenzie has 4300 ratepayers and last year 2.2 million tourists passed through the central South Island district, although not all stopped. Smith expected that number to increase to 2.5 million. Money was needed for roading, sewage, water and toilets but one area that was of concern was the picturesque Church of the Good Sheppard at Tekapo, which was being swamped by tourists. Services were still held in the church and Smith said they were often interrupted by tourists looking in windows or walking in. Another burden on ratepayers was providing access and removing rubbish from land administered by the Department of Conservation that was exempt from rates, but was expanding in area as pastoral lease land was surrendered following tenure review. Another priority for funding was providing toilets at a popular freedom camping area near Lake Pukaki on land administered by Land Information NZ. Smith said LINZ claimed it did not have money to pay for such facilities. An immediate project the Westland District council would seek funding was the extension of a car park near a tourist spot in the Hokitika Gorge. Smith said it was recently extended to handle 15,000 visitors a year but soon 50,000 people a year were calling. Demand was expected to soon reach between 70,000 and 75,000 next year with extensions costing $300,000 to $400,000. Bruce Smith said with just 8000 residents and 5500 ratepayers, funding infrastructure for 1.2 million visitors a year was a heavy burden for Westland. But, last year tourists pumped $350 million in to the district, making it significant business. “We spend a whole lot of money attracting people to Westland, should we then drive them away? The answer is probably no.”

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

Newsmaker

Giving back drives award winner Rural professional and down-to-earth dairy farmer Jessie Chan-Dorman is driven by the opportunities to contribute in the agricultural industry. She talked to Annette Scott.

QUALLY confident at a grassroots level as she is in her governance and leadership roles, Jessie Chan-Dorman is driven by her desire to give back to the industry that has given to her. “Over the years the agricultural industry has been good to me and my motivation is just making a meaningful contribution,” she said. The Mid Canterbury dairy farmer who has dedicated her career as a rural professional to New Zealand’s dairy industry was named 2017 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year at the Dairy Women’s Network annual conference in Queenstown. With a career spanning farming, business and governance, ChanDorman’s experience stemmed from her roles in big organisations such as DairyNZ and Environment Canterbury and volunteer positions with Federated Farmers, the Land Use Futures Board, Land and Water Forum and Ballance AgriNutrients as a judge for its farm environment awards. She is a director of the Ashburton Trading Society and RuralCo, a Fonterra Shareholder councilor representing farms in Rakaia, a member of the Holstein Friesian NZ external affairs committee and a member of the Institute of Directors and NZ Asian Leaders. She is a Kellogg Rural Leadership scholar, has completed a Fonterra governance programme and was the recipient of Canterbury’s Institute of Directors aspiring director award in 2014. Chan-Dorman grew up in Palmerston North, one of four children. “Dad was very old school. We grew up with the coal range, the chooks in the back yard of our town section and the vege garden to feed us so I was exposed to a rural lifestyle but didn’t live on a farm. “Education was instilled in us

and I was determined to go to university. I left home at 16.” Chan-Dorman’s first taste of agricultural was with the Dairy Research Institute, now the Fonterra Research Institute. “I was intrigued learning about developing products and where they go. I always had an interest in science, in particular biological science.” That led her to Massey University to do a degree in animal science, majoring in ruminant nutrition. At the end of her fourth year there was real shortage of ruminant nutritionists. “So no PhD, it was time to move on.” That move was to Wellington where she worked in several agricultural roles including biosecurity, policy adviser with Federated Farmers and manager of the Johnes Disease Consortium where she also experienced her first taste of governance. “I learnt so much and gained good exposure in all these roles, especially through Feds. That became the catalyst for my involvement in the dairy industry and still now keeps me founded on the grassroots.” Chan-Dorman was the first woman provincial president of the Wellington Young Farmers’ Club and it was through the organisation that she met her husband, Hayden, who was chairman of Tasman Young Farmers. The couple teamed up and their first stint together was milking on a Mid Canterbury dairy farm. “That was going to make or break us.” It proved the making and the couple spent two years as variable order milkers followed by two years herd owning before the farm was sold to Italian buyers and they were offered the opportunity to lease. Before the sale the 420 hectare farm was run as two units carrying 1700 cows.

ONFARM: Jessie Chan-Dorman shares a moment of glory back home with her husband and business partner Hayden Dorman. Photo: Annette Scott

Then the tough years hit and the Dormans made the decision to future-proof themselves. They cut back to 950 cows and became self-contained, introducing split calving and winter milking, growing 70ha of crop to feed their cows and managing pasture to winter their own herd. “It was something Hayden had always wanted to do and the time was right. “We have full control over the whole system and we have established resilience and risk mitigation.” The pair complement one another with Dorman leading the hands-on role with the cows while Chan-Dorman plays out her strengths, including governance. “I self-confess, I don’t milk cows and do I acknowledge that Hayden makes sacrifices for me so I can do what I do. “I have the academics but Hayden taught me a lot about how to be a farmer. “He encourages me and supports me. Together we work as a team and we have little Adam

about to turn four so there is just enough going on for us all that without family and community support just couldn’t happen.” Chan-Dorman’s career over the past decade had seen her add extraordinary value to the business of dairy in NZ. From the variety of roles she has had in volunteering to business ownership and governance she has made it a priority to share her expertise and give back where she can and she’s not afraid to have the tough conversations. Chan-Dorman said the award was a great step for her to continue role-modelling dairy leadership to her peers and those looking to come through the ranks. “I see myself further influencing change by being involved at a governance or representation level in our co-operatives and advocating for the next generation to get involved in the industry. “I’m looking forward to working further on these kinds of collaborative relationships at a higher level.” Chan-Dorman received a

scholarship prize of $20,000 to do a professional business development programme. “I am keen to get more global context for our primary sector and to help inspire others to take up leadership roles and contribute to their industry.” While there were challenges in meeting marketing requirements and producing a sustainable product the biggest challenge for the industry was in its own backyard. “That’s in terms of public perception around how we look after our animals and the land. “It’s about people and how we train people in the industry with the basic fundamentals. “Yes, tertiary education, data, technology are all important but onfarm skills are the critical base that will underpin the drive forward. “At the end of the day we must not lose sight of the fundamentals and the connection to the cows and the land so how we work with this is the biggest challenge fronting the industry – it is a long journey.”

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New thinking

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

Crowd sourced weather drills into district forecasts A new low-cost weather station could bring accurate weather forecasts to regions previously devoid of meteorological data. Richard Rennie looks into the new technology.

EW Zealanders have a great capacity to talk in detail about the weather and MetService media manager Angus Swainson intends to take that a step further by arming as many as possible with kit that will add a new level of accuracy to district forecasts. The state-owned enterprise has partnered with Bloomsky, a Californian start-up tech company that used Kickstarter crowd funding to develop a weather station system that was affordable and capable of sharing its data through a user-friendly smartphone app. As the Internet of Things became a growing network of onfarm devices, Swainson said the Bloomsky weather station was a first for the simplicity and accessibility it brought to farm or home-based weather surveillance. “There are plenty of weather

station systems out on the market,” Swainson said. “However, they all require no small degree of programming, computer ability and software to get them presenting their data in a readable manner. “The Bloomsky system sets up easily without software and using the app makes it possible to observe weather at any other station in place.” The solar-powered wi-fi internet-connected system was designed to measure humidity, temperature, barometric pressure and with an addition, also recorded rainfall and wind speed. Developed by a company with industrial designers at its core, it offered a compact set-up easily installed on a farm fencepost or mounted to a stainless steel tripod. A built-in camera was angled skyward to record cloud formations and provide an in time lapse record via the smartphone app.

COVERAGE: MetService’s Angus Swainson says the weather stations would add significant crowd-sourced weather observations to the MetService’s own array of high-tech, set-piece weather radar systems deployed around NZ.

But for MetService meteorologists and managers Bloomsky’s value lay in the data multiple Bloomsky units would be capable of collecting across the country. They would add significant crowd-sourced weather observations to the MetService’s own array of high-tech, set-piece weather radar systems deployed around NZ. MetService was a partner in the Agrigate dairy portal with LIC and Fonterra. Swainson said that outlet would play a big part in the future as MetService developed hyperlocal district forecasting, based on weather data fed in by the Bloomsky systems. He hoped the ticket price of $600 for the full kit would prove a strong lure to get more farmers on board with a system that sat 20% below the price point of comparable existing systems. So far the densest deployment of the stations were 51 in Auckland which claimed 27 defined microclimates, making it a notoriously difficult area to apply a single forecast to. This month the company has

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installed its first unit on the LIC Innovation Farm in South Waikato, marking Farming 2020 as part of the Tech Week initiative. Swainson said connectivity to the internet was vital for the system, and the company was working closely to develop alternative systems to wi-fi connectivity for areas where coverage was challenging. Power comes via a solar panel system and lithium ion battery. “We have calibrated the Bloomsky against our own sensitive equipment and found it to be extremely accurate.” He said some farmers had asked for a soil moisture probe to be included, and while not part of the kit, MetService was sourcing out suitable suppliers to add to the system’s family of devices. The SOE currently offered local level weather conditions on its site, as “Your Weather” but this had required some special skills to get the stations on line. “This will just enable us to get more data points on the grid. With this it is possible a group of farmers or growers may decide to invest in some in their particular district, getting very accurate

The Bloomsky system sets up easily without software and using the app makes it possible to observe weather at any other station in place. Angus Swainson MetService updates of (say) frost risks across their particular valley at different heights.” Ultimately by working with partners Fonterra and LIC through Agrigate it would be possible to combine multiple data inputs to come up with “risk matrices” for certain conditions farmers may need to know about, including fire or even pugging risk on pastures. Pasture growth predictions could also benefit for on the spot local meteorological input. So far there were 7000 Bloomsky devices active around the world and users can engage with other devices located anywhere, through the smartphone app.

Opinion

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

EDITORIAL

Reality drives Fairton closure

Neal Wallace

LETTERS

Farm species are all exotic ALAN Emerson’s column (May 8), Time to Stop Picking on Farmers, was generally pretty good in its basic message that the degenerating state of the country’s rivers and streams, both in quality and quantity of flow, is from a range of causes both rural and urban. Unfortunately, Emerson, in the fourth column, paragraph two, had a sudden affliction of “anti-exotic phobia.” I refer to his description of trout as “the aggressive, invasive imported trout”. It is simply echoing Federated Farmers spokesmen who continually rant about the “invasive, introduced trout”. Well, let’s come back onto Planet Earth. Yes, trout were introduced and have been here for 150 years or so. If “introduced” is the criteria for being undesirable,

as Emerson and Federated Farmers assert, then a pause to reflect shows humans are introduced by way of migration, the first about 1350AD. The Polynesian migrants brought rats and dogs with them then in an amazingly short time the moa was rendered extinct by predation by humans and destruction of habitat. Then early Europeans came and introduced beef cattle, sheep, deer and imported pasture grasses and a host of insects and plants. Probably when Emerson dines on a beef steak, potatoes and vegetables and then weeds his vegetable and perhaps petunia patch, he should reflect he is getting sustenance and enjoying propagating introduced species.

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interested to know in the 1970s the Hawke’s Bay Acclimatisation Society (trout anglers) implored the government to declare koi carp noxious and act quickly. The government ignored the plea by trout anglers, sat on their hands and thus koi carp became established. What is missing from Emerson’s list of damaging influences is monoculture commercial forestry. Pines sap greater quantities of water from catchments than native forest and induce acidic trends in soil. At clear felling time whole catchments are exposed to the elements and consequential silt-laden runoff that damages freshwater ecosystems. Bill Benfield Co-chairman Council of Outdoor Recreation Assns

Letterof theWeek

EDITOR Bryan Gibson bryan.gibson@nzx.com

Emerson and Federated Farmers, by such outbursts, are self-branded hypocrites. This is not to decry farm animals, vegetables or the like. It’s simply to remind the “exotiphobes” that we live in the 21st century, a newly evolved ecosystem which is always dynamic and we, both rural and urban, need to get on with managing it much better. Emerson also wades into deep water in identifying among the causes of water deterioration as “wildfowl such as ducks and geese, trout and koi carp”. Ducks and wildfowl were in droves, which early Maori hunted, many to extinction. Trout are not the evil invasive species the zealots decry. Koi carp, yes, are environmentally damaging. Emerson might be

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EWS that Silver Fern Farms plant to close its Fairton works in Mid Canterbury was sad but inevitable. It had been telegraphed for many years that at least one South Island sheep meat works needed to close and while gutting for the up to 370 workers now without jobs, it was obvious by their reaction many knew an axe was dangling over the plant. Sadly for those workers, drought, dairy cows and vineyards have replaced sheep from Canterbury north, exacerbating decades of falling sheep numbers. The country’s 2016 lamb crop was the smallest since 1953 and the total number of sheep has fallen by three million in three years to 27 million. Drought in Canterbury and Marlborough caused the ewe flock to fall 600,000 between 2014-15 and 2016-17 and the number of lambs tailed fell by 640,000 over the same period. The statistics from Fairton were telling, with the number of lambs processed falling two-thirds since 2010 to just over 325,000 in a six-month season this year. Really, the only question was which company would move. SFF has signalled for some years that Pareora would be its main central South Island works with major investment in technology and in recent months it shifted venison processing from Islington in Christchurch and bobby calves from Fairton to the Timaru plant. Opposition political parties have tried to turn this in to an election issue and have justifiably questioned the merits and influence of China’s Shanghai Maling following its purchase late last year of 50% of SFF. NZ First leader Winston Peters has said that given demand for high-quality protein “we should be opening plants not closing them.” That reaction, however, ignores the economic reality that no one consistently made money out of sheep and the declining kill meant the availability of seasonal employment for some workers was getting shorter each year. That aside, the heartache and stress was devastating for those who have lost their jobs and for their communities, so hopefully the closure of Fairton will be the last for a long time.

Opinion

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

Crossing the finish line in one piece Dave Hunger

NTIL recently I ran an adventure and amusement park on my farm as a way of helping town families reconnect with the land, animals and farmers. It was going great guns until it was brought to my attention that under our present health and safety laws I was sitting on a timebomb if anyone ever got hurt. The experience prompted me to take a hard look at the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and the way it is changing our Kiwi culture. When I was a lad health and safety was about commonsense. Today it is about compliance, hivis vests and paper trails. I discovered that the Australian equivalent of our WorkSafe is an organisation called Safework. “My goodness,” I thought to myself. “I wonder if we copied their legislation too?” Turns out we did. And the Aussies copied theirs from the United Kingdom. Now we all know that the UK is as confused as a gay ram at tupping time so why we would want to follow their lead is beyond me. But that is the path we have started down. In the course of operating my farm park I met many nationalities who love the freedom we have in New Zealand. Perhaps I should say the freedom we had because things are changing, fast. We are being forced to live in ever-decreasing circles of personal freedom. Activities we all grew up with on the farm are now labelled dangerous and unacceptable. A new culture is emerging where no-one is held responsible for their own safety but you can be held responsible for someone else’s mishap. We erect the signs on our farm gates and keep the health and safety manual up to date, not because we believe those things will result in fewer accidents onfarm, but because we are scared of running foul of the law. We wear our quad helmets, not to protect ourselves from injury

The

Pulpit

but to protect ourselves from prosecution. Everyone is primarily concerned with covering their own butt. And with the new regime of fines running into the tens of thousands of dollars, who can blame them? The Act was designed to keep Kiwi workers safe, which is commendable. We should be delighted about it. Yet when you mention health and safety to people their first reaction is often a profanity or an exaggerated eye roll. Nobody likes what is happening but, perhaps, that is the price we must pay to be kept safe. So, are we safer? Unfortunately, the WorkSafe statistics for 2016 show no change in the number of workplace fatalities. Studying the WorkSafe fatality figures throws up some interesting facts. I have long had a sneaking suspicion that wearing a helmet on a farm quad would make very little difference to survival rates in the event of a farm accident where speed is seldom a factor. That said, I would never take my quad on a road without wearing a helmet. Asphalt surfaces and 100kmh traffic are completely different hazards to what is inside the farmgate. The stats show that while 25% of agricultural accidents do

GET REAL: Dave Hunger says farmers need to be honest with themselves and realistic about the limitations that come with age.

Consequently, everyone is very safety conscious. That is to say, we are trying to keep ourselves safe from prosecution. involve quads, the details reveal that fatalities usually involve crushing and asphyxiation rather than head injuries. That quad bike accidents are serious stuff wasn’t news to me. What did surprise me was that there was another, even larger common denominator behind many agricultural accidents – age. The average age of all NZ farmers is just 47 years. Yet more than 33% of agricultural fatalities happen to men over 65 years old.

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We need to ask why are our older, most experienced farmers dying like this? These are men who have farmed safely for more than 40 years. What is taking the lives of these men isn’t speed, recklessness or inexperience. It’s the little things that come with age. The last agricultural fatality of 2016 happened the night before Christmas Eve. A farmer loaded his dogs onto the back of his ute and headed out to shift stock after tea. When his family found him at 11pm he was already dead. He had climbed out of his ute to open a gate and been squashed against the unopened gate by his own ute. He was 80. To die alone in those circumstances is a tragedy. He deserved better. We all do. I turned 55 recently. I feel on top of my game. My mortgage is paid off, my back is 100%, my

health is excellent. I stopped running marathons a few years ago only because I had so many other interesting things to do that I couldn’t justify the time it takes to train. Life is good. I feel bulletproof yet I am deluded, for the rot has already set in. Newsprint has become unreadable without glasses, hearing a conversation in a noisy room is a nightmare and at some stage in the last 20 years half my hair went AWOL. During the next decade or two my chances of having a serious mishap will begin to climb exponentially. My reflexes are slowing, my physical strength is waning, my already poor memory will become a forgetory and my ability to make good decisions will be slowly compromised. And these are the little things that are killing older farmers. The bad news is – we are all becoming older farmers. Will Worksafe campaign as diligently to warn us of this problem as it did to make us wear helmets? Probably not, which is fine by us. We’ve been brought up to look out for ourselves and we wouldn’t have it any other way. So, we will look out for ourselves. We will need to be honest with ourselves and realistic about the limitations that come with age. We will have to train ourselves to take our time, be careful and think cautiously, bearing in mind the fact that we aren’t 21 any more and we don’t bounce like we once did. We might have farmed successfully and safely for half a century but the only thing that matters now is how we finish. As a wise man in the bible said long ago “You’ve got to finish the race to get the prize”.

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 22, 2017

Clear heads needed on the water issue Alternative View

Alan Emerson

IT’S been an interesting week for agriculture. It started with the release of the report into the Havelock North water contamination crisis that received little media coverage. If one cow had been identified as the cause there would have been an absolute media frenzy along with wild media releases from the Greens, Fish and Game and Mike Joy. That it was caused by incompetence at local and regional government level hardly raised a yawn. Maybe the media expects local and regional government to be incompetent and dysfunctional. Looking back over the crisis and the reasons for it was interesting. Joy said the link to intensive farming was clear. He talked about dairy runoff, feedlots and tile drains being problems. There aren’t many cows, feedlots or tile drains in the Havelock North area. He told us New Zealand has the highest rate in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development of gastro diseases that come from animals. That’s only true if you classify

humans as animals where most gastro illness is transmitted, often by badly cooked chicken. Joy also said the Havelock North crisis highlighted the degradation of water from intensive agriculture. It did no such thing. Fish and Game claimed the water pollution was an agricultural problem. It wasn’t. Green’s Catherine Delahunty showed her anti-farming bias by demanding the Government look at how land use and water management contribute to E coli and waterborne disease contamination.

It seemed reputable science was secondary to the grabbing of headlines.

Land use had little to do with the problem, which is why the Government rightly rejected her suggestion. As I said, the cause of the problem was local and regional government. Before last week I’d never heard of the Association of Scientists and by their utterances it was just as well. Agriculture has two real scientific champions in Dr Jacqueline Rowarth and Dr Doug Edmeades.

We certainly need them as last week’s events showed. I’ve worked with both over a number of years and have absolute respect for their professionalism, ability and integrity. The association got its knickers in a knot over a discussion between them and Farmers Weekly columnist Jamie Mackay over whether Joy should be labelled an extremist. Either they’re incredibly thin skinned at the association or they didn’t bother to listen to the interview. I found the programme interesting and incisive but not an attack on Joy, more a discussion about his approach. Mackay did an excellent job of adjudication, sometimes playing the role of devil’s advocate. Further, I’d respectfully suggest that if anyone has a problem with the interview they could have complained to the Broadcasting Standards Authority about a lack of balance. The fact that nobody did speaks volumes. The association also didn’t like an article Edmeades wrote under the headline: Is Mike Joy a biased scientist? It is a legitimate question and I found the article both accurate and science-based. What I find incredibly iniquitous from the brains trust at the association is that if the maintenance of reputable science is an even remote aim, then it

HARD DONE BY: Are Jacqueline Rowarth and Doug Edmeades victims of hypocrisy and a breach of ethics by the Association of Scientists?

should have become involved in the debate over the Havelock North water contamination. On that instance it seemed reputable science was secondary to the grabbing of headlines, in some cases by scientists, to promote a cause. I also deplore the association’s hypocrisy. When Rowarth was being pilloried by other scientists over her correct stand on the state of the Waikato River, there wasn’t a dickie bird from that august body. What it did to Rowarth and Edmeades was actually what it accused the two of doing to Joy. I also believe it’s politicising science, which won’t do anyone any good, especially scientists. Perhaps rather it should be called Ass, as its utterings on the Rowarth/Edmeades issue give it about as much intellectual credibility as the Flat Earth Society.

Now it seems we’re going to have that auspicious organisation the Royal Society involved. Looking at its code of ethics is certainly interesting. It says scientists should “always be scrupulously honest in the application of findings from research and in the transfer of technology to the community” and “ensure that all speculative and interpretive statements are identified as such”. So the Society could indeed start an investigation but not concerning either Rowarth or Edmeades. That would be interesting wouldn’t it?

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

Hippy, then farmer becomes a train enthusiast From the Ridge

Steve Wyn-Harris

I HAD never planned to write about trains. Ever. But right on column deadline night Pete, Jane’s cousin’s husband, drives up the drive unannounced and in tow he has his mate, Grant. Turns out Grant is a gricer. Not that Pete or Grant knew the term, but I did. Once, long, long ago I was a hippy in southeast Asia and in my wanderings I ended up on the train to Darjeeling up in India’s northeast Himalaya region. The train is an incline railway built in 1881 on a two foot track and is famed for the engineering feat in getting a train to climb such a steep rise. I just wanted to get to Darjeeling to peer at Everest in the distance to save the trouble of walking to base camp, but my carriage had several fellows with thick glasses, chunky cameras strung around

their necks and little notebooks which they assiduously scrawled notes into. I asked them what they were doing and in accents from different parts of the globe they said they were gricers and were intent on experiencing one of the great rail trips on the planet. It turned out that a gricer is a fanatical rail enthusiast. I appreciated the trip with newfound interest. Grant had been dragging the freshly retired Pete all around the North Island to look at remarkable feats of railway engineering. They had been peering up at viaducts, walking through disused tunnels and clambering over significant cuttings. They had washed up in nearby Ormondville and Grant was in seventh heaven as he could watch from his bed in the old Ormondville Station the freight trains as they thundered past during the night. Pete was able to sleep through undisturbed. As there was still some light I invited them to come down to the bottom farm to check my newly shorn ewes and from where we could observe the railway lines that cut through the little valley from the Hatuma Lime Works

EXPERT: Steve Wyn-Harris now has extensive knowledge of trains.

at Maharakeke to the Hatuma Settlement. This appeared of such great interest that I said I’d take them around to Hatuma. I showed them the site of the old railway yards and recounted how I could still remember as a young boy walking cattle down there with my father and the wagons shunting into position so the cattle could climb in before the door was closed and they headed off to the Hawke’s Bay Farmers freezing works at Whakatu. We went over the two crossings

and Grant peered up and down the lines knowingly. There seemed to be very little this man didn’t know about trains. When we got home Jane had prepared them a meal at short notice. Pete called for wine and we pointed out our meagre cellar was down to just three bottles of highly valued vintage. We drank two of them. Jane told Grant stories of growing up in the rock country next to the Middlemarch to Dunedin railway line. How she used to wave the train down at

their little Matarae Station to travel to school in Dunedin and how Frances, her mother, used to sell fresh eggs to the jigger men. The train would collect and deliver their mail. Grant said he was envious of her upbringing. Grant reciprocated with interesting, though long, stories of many of the engineering marvels that make up our railway network. Just when we thought we had heard all the stories he showed us on our iPad some of the remarkable international feats such as the Tehachapi Loop in California with a long video of a train quietly travelling around a spiral so that it went over itself still coming through a tunnel below. Apparently, thousands travel from all around the world to just see this sight. Who would have thought? I said to Grant his wife must love it when he travels away and she has a break from the train stuff but he felt that she might miss it. Anyway, we finally shooed Pete and Grant off and I wondered about what I should write.

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

Opinion

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

City folk do care about rural NZ Town Talk

Amy Williams

This week Farmers Weekly introduces Amy Williams, an experienced journalist and and Aucklander who will give an urban perspective on issues facing rural New Zealand. ASK any Aucklander about farming and you’ll get a myriad of answers based on what we’ve read recently, the documentaries we’ve seen or the relatives we’ve visited out of town. There’s no one answer, which gives me plenty to write about. Let me first clear the air on city living. On our back porch there’s a pile of firewood (my husband will shudder at that description as each stack is artfully organised), the winter vegie garden is in hibernation and one of the

neighbours has a beehive tucked away in the untouched bush that hides the boundaries between the backs of the properties a few doors down. This is city life for me in Auckland where most of the bungalows still have backyards and I can cycle or walk to the city centre in less than an hour. Like many Kiwis, I don’t have to look too far back into my family history to find farming in my DNA on both sides of the family, but for at least a generation there’s been no farm to visit. Perhaps that’s part of the reason people like me are looking for more of a connection between the food we eat and the people who grow it. I want to know that the food I feed my young family is produced sustainably and that it is what it says it is. You might well wonder where my views of farming come from. I spent a good few years as a business journalist before going freelance, covering companies from start-ups to NZX-listed firms and the issues haunting and spurring business in this country before, during and after the global financial crisis. For the primary industries, food safety, sustainability and

TELL US: Aucklanders might not have strong farming connection but they are still interested in and care about what is happening in rural areas.

authenticity became real – not just something to talk about in the boardroom but to actually measure and reach. It seems the primary industries have been like a possum caught in the headlights in mainstream media recently, with dairy getting a blast for its role in New Zealand’s declining fresh water quality and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy saying there will be limits on further dairy intensification and that future export growth will focus

on creating high value not high volume. This is the type of news my social network reads about farming. When I asked my friends what they’d say in this column, some expressed concern about some of the farming practices (bobby calves for example) and the environmental effects. But some also remembered visiting grandparents’ farms and mucking in on whatever needed doing.

On a lighter note, I grew up watching the television series Country Calendar, which also formed part of my rural education. It ticks all the boxes for me about what I like to hear about rural life and those exporting to all corners of the globe. It’s worth asking why the farming industry isn’t telling more of these stories about making a living in rural NZ. These are the good stories that, built up over time, help an industry to develop a good public perception. Right now, the public perception of our primary industries isn’t in the best shape. As for life in the city, if I don’t know my food is safe, sustainable and authentically produced I’m simply not going to buy it. I’m often pushed for time when it comes to the weekly household shop but I like to buy my fruit and vegies from the local store and get a cut of meat from the butcher. I like to support local businesses but I also know I’ll benefit from their values for good quality produce. The thing is, we city folk really do care about what’s happening on the farms and how our food is produced and that NZ can be sustainable into the future.

Confessions of a collaborator Different Perspectives

Lindy Nelson

HAVE you ever had those moments of clarity when past thoughts, feelings and emotions collide and a problem or situation you had pondered for years suddenly makes sense in an instant? Sunday morning, watching my husband shovel sand into our granddaughter’s newly-formed sandpit, was one such moment for me. It seemed that only 30 minutes before we had “informally” agreed that the out-of-control topiaries in the front garden would be the recipients of his skills with a hedge trimmer and the top priority for that day. Enter daughter with the “I can really do it by myself” look on her face, armed with a tiny shovel to fill a rather large sandpit. Then exit husband with the tractor, trailer and a man-sized shovel, hedge trimmer now placed gently on the ground and forgotten. Of course, any women or men who are parents or grandparents will know one times daughter multiplied by one times granddaughter is a higher factor than one times wife.

Choice time for me – pick up the hedge trimmer myself? No choice, it’s decidedly man-sized. What about resentment; that would be a fair emotion. The problem is resentment is an emotion that serves no purpose. Okay, I settle on collaborate and observe. So I jump in the ute, now with a large load of sand courtesy of the tractor and bucket and head off to daughter’s house to fill the sandpit. It was that moment when I was observing the cute intergenerational family scene unfold as everyone pitched in good-humouredly to unload “gang-dads” trailer – as granddaughter refers to him – that the clarity of thought hit me. The years of feeling frustrated after being bumped down the list of priorities with husband suddenly informing me that “he just has to pop out and move the ewes, the kids need me to do x,y and z or the neighbour needs a hand”. Well, those frustrations, those thoughts all came together in a moment of blinding crystallisation. Looking at him up on the trailer, shovel in hand carefully filling the sandpit while avoiding the tiny granddaughter trying to help with her spade; I had married a good man and this good man and his actions contributed to this intergenerational family scene I was part of and experiencing at this minute. He’s a man who instinctively understands the difference between urgent and important

and not-so-urgent and can wait, a man who had juggled family, farm and community needs and in doing so had contributed to and played his part in all that is good about the New Zealand farming culture. And a man who right this minute realised his daughter’s and granddaughter’s needs were more important than his date with the hedge trimmer and what’s more, knew that if I had a choice to make on any given day I would prioritise family, farming and community over the demands of a garden as well. Good men abound in our sector, they marry women who share their aspirations to combine family and farming with lifestyle and become part of close, integrated communities that are the envy of our townie friends. Lately it feels like good men and women are under attack, especially from the non-farming sector and some media who are identifying and highlighting poor farming practices. It’s hard not to feel tarred with the same brush, hard not to feel overwhelmed with how we connect with our consumers to tell the stories of who we are as farmers, the values we hold and the families and communities we create. But I am optimistic that opportunities present every day and that on an individual level we can build connections and tell our stories well. A few weeks ago I was MC at the Worldwomen17 conference in Auckland. The audience of 500

IT’S JEALOUSY: Townies who criticise farmers envy their family and farming lifestyle and close, integrated communities.

was mostly urban women but included about 60 women from the primary industries. During the conference an opportunity presented itself when one of our keynote speakers talked about perception, especially media portrayal of a situation. As MC, I had the chance to leverage this. As the speaker left the stage I said “It’s interesting how we build a picture based on what we are told rather than what we experience or fact check”. When I asked “Hands up who has eaten today?” every hand went up. “So if you have eaten today you have the primary sector to thank.” I then invited the women from primary industries to join me on stage. Sixty women responded.

My message to the wider group was “These women produce your food; they are part of farming partnerships which create produce that creates prosperity for NZ. These women are not denigrators of the environment – they want what you want”. Over the next 24 hours I saw conversations, connections and new awareness emerging between urban and rural NZ. We are good men and women who want and value the same things in life as our urban cousins. We have traditions, create families and build communities through our values, what we focus on and what we prioritise, even if that prioritisation is laying down a hedge trimmer to build a strong intergenerational farming family.

LI ST IN G NE W OTOKA STATION

Matawai Road, Otoko, Gisborne

Situated in the naturally fertile and historically summer safe, thriving rural district of Otoko is this profitable sheep and beef breeding block carrying circa 3800 Stock Units. Being only 53km from the Gisborne City limits on the Matawai Road this 468.54ha property provides affordable scale within commuting distance of the city.

Auction 1pm,

The vendor has undertaken an array of recent improvements presenting a very clean, healthy property. There has been extensive fertiliser application. High quality maintenance of fences including new fencing. New and refurbished yards and laneway development. The woolshed has been renovated with an extension to night pen capacity. A large implement shed and workshop providing good cover for farm equipment. The farm has great access and the shape provides for ease of management. A lovely warm four bedroom character villa set on expansive grounds has been extensively remodelled and awaits its new owners finishing touches. This opportunity offers proven profitable farming and affordable scale within commuting distance of Gisborne city.

www.bayleys.co.nz

Contributor to realestate.co.nz

Fri 23 Jun 2017 (unless sold prior) 10 Reads Quay, Gisborne View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/2750474

Simon Bousfield

James Bolton-Riley

M 027 665 8778 B 06 868 5188

M 027 739 1011 B 06 868 5188

simon.bousfield@bayleys.co.nz

james.bolton-riley@bayleys.co.nz

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

LI ST IN G NE W STRONG, HEALTHY FARMLAND WITH FORESTRY

Jobson Road, Waingake, Gisborne

Located just 20km from Gisborne, amongst some of the regions healthiest farmland, is the opportunity to purchase 294 hectares including 11.2ha of mature 24 YO pine and 12ha of fertile flat land ideal for fodder crops for fattening stock.

Auction 1pm,

Wintering circa 2100 stock units, the farm benefits from an abundance of clean stock water accessible throughout via springs, streams and dams, and enjoys a mild winter climate with generally steady summer rainfall. The strong hill country provides a mixed aspect offering excellent shelter for lambing and calving. Improvements include a 4 stand woolshed, sheep and cattle yards at the entrance of the property and additional satellite yards. A good standard of fencing and subdivision and the addition of smaller paddocks and laneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cement the ease of workability. Diverse income streams through forestry, farming and the option to capitalise on the benefits of portions of Kanuka/Manuka and native, which also provide for good hunting.

Fri 23 Jun 2017 (unless sold prior) 10 Reads Quay, Gisborne View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/2750470

Simon Bousfield

James Bolton-Riley

M 027 665 8778 B 06 868 5188

M 027 739 1011 B 06 868 5188

simon.bousfield@bayleys.co.nz

james.bolton-riley@bayleys.co.nz

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

Herein lies the opportunity to add to oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current land holdings, or to purchase a farm with excellent proximity to Gisborne and an abundance of farming and recreational appeal.

Contributor to realestate.co.nz

www.bayleys.co.nz

WAIPAOA STATION - A PASTORAL ICON 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.

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

View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/2750347

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.

JOURNEYS END STN - WHERE THE ADVENTURES BEGIN...

927 Koranga Valley Road, Matawai

Equidistant between Gisborne and Opotiki in the thriving rural community of Matawai, Journeys End offers an unparalleled combination of farming, hunting and fishing. 1438ha 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. Assessed at 9200 quality stock units and subdivided into 66 paddocks including approx.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. Buildings include; 5 bedroom homestead, 3 bedroom home, 3 bedroom apartment neatly incorporated into the 5 stand woolshed covered yard complex, plus two very practical yet contemporary facilities, the hugely popular Sunny Face Lodge and the Toutouwai Cabin, hunting and fishing lodges respectively which cement this property as a profitable outdoor recreational facility where each day can lead to your adventure of choice.

Tenders Close 4pm,

Journeys End Station provides quality farm land, great hunting, renowned fishing, and genuine tourism!

www.bayleys.co.nz

Contributor to realestate.co.nz

Fri 16 Jun 2017 (unless sold prior) 10 Reads Quay, Gisborne

View by appointment

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.

LI ST IN G NE W

MAGNIFICENT COASTAL DAIRY FARM

858 Redhill Road, Dargaville

HIGH PERFORMANCE GRASS FACTORY

This very attractive and well presented dairy unit is situated 12

For Sale $3,256,000

Situated in the renowned Wallingford farming district is this complete

a three year average production of 126,090kgMS. With easy contour

www.bayleys.co.nz/1020094

fattening operation. The contour is predominantly flat to easy rolling

Sam Twigg

the farm has predominately good pasture, a near new 40 ASHB

Catherine Stewart

hills with a small portion of steeper sidlings. Excellent water

M 027 655 4702 B 06 858 5500 sam.twigg@bayleys.co.nz

kilometres south of Dargaville. Comprising of 148.42 hectares (more plus GST (if any) or less) the farm has been run under management and takes pride in View by appointment

cowshed, excellent limestone races providing easy access to all wellfenced paddocks and further benefitted by a good water supply. There are two dwellings on the property, a very tidy three bedroom

M 0800 422 959 B 0800 80 20 40

278 Wilder Road, Central Hawke’s Bay

property comprising of 328.94ha held in two titles. The farm has a mix of sheep and cattle but predominantly run as an intensive bull

reticulation to most paddocks. Infrastructure includes two dwellings;

catherine.stewart@bayleys.co.nz MACKYS REAL ESTATE LIMITED, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

the main house, built in 2000, consists of four bedrooms with a sleep out, second dwelling is a 1970 Lockwood home with three

brick homestead with three bay garage and a second three bedroom

bedrooms. Farm buildings include a large four bay implement shed,

home. With the combination of fertilizer application, extensive re-

four stand woolshed, two sets of cattle yards and sheep yards and

grassing program and the effluent irrigation system on this property,

numerous sundry buildings. There are two choices of primary schools

grass growth is proven. An additional 39.7ha Kaipara District Council

in the area and secondary schooling in Waipukurau. Within close

lease is situated on the western boundary and may be seen as

proximity is the Porangahau Country Club and Beach resort. This

offering further scope. Phone me for further information.

property offers a discerning buyer a wonderful opportunity.

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. Being rectangular in shape it is well suited to both cropping or permanent horticultural development, as most of the land can be utilised.

610 Te Aute Road, Paki Paki, Hastings

58.8HA OF FERTILE RIVER TERRACE FLATS

Auction 12pm,

This tidy little farm offers three titles and is located only 11

Thurs 1 Jun 2017 17 Napier Road, Havelock North

The free draining and flat soils are a great balance of Kawhatau silt

View by appointment

and stony sandy loams, suitable for intensive livestock farming,

www.bayleys.co.nz/2850823

horticulture plus cereal and fodder cropping. Reticulated water is

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

kilometres off State Highway 1, South of Taihape.

supplied via the Omatane water scheme, plus a permanent stream. Attractive pockets of native bush provide shade and shelter as well as enhancing the aesthetic appeal. Featuring a superb building site overlooking the Rangitikei River

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

basin, a private track also offers easy access down to a large

The expiry of the cropping lease means the vendors want this

reserve on the river, where trout are guaranteed!

property sold.

Attractive fertile and free draining river terrace flats with exceptional views over the Rangitikei River.

Contributor to realestate.co.nz

Price by Negotiation View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/2870105

Andy Hunter M 027 449 5827 B 06 858 5500 andy.hunter@bayleys.co.nz COAST TO COAST LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

245 Omatane North Road, Taihape

Don’t miss this! Auction 2pm, Fri 23 June 2017 The Workingmans Club 34 Kuku Street, Taihape (unless sold prior)

View by Appointment

www.bayleys.co.nz/3100065

Pete Stratton M 027 484 7078 B 06 388 0098 A/h 06 3888 0568 peter.stratton@bayleys.co.nz COAST TO COAST LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

www.bayleys.co.nz

DEVELOPMENT EQUALS GROWTH

Ashburton

IRRIGATED RUNOFF/BEEF FATTENING

198 Mill Road, Westerfield

Deadline Sale 4pm,

2058 Ashburton Staveley Road

Following the boundaries of the Ashburton River is 94.5ha of quality

Thurs 8 Jun 2017 (unless prior)

silt loams in two titles and only minutes from Ashburton. With years of proven arable, small seed production and lamb finishing this is well supported by quality infrastructure. A groundwater consent of 30 litres per second further enhances options. Completing the package is a three bedroom home with plenty of charm and character, this is a property all about potential, all you need to do is move in and enjoy!

View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/554153

Genuine motivated sellers, new business plans calling

Brand new 220mÂ˛ home with four bedrooms and two bathrooms

152 hectares subdivided into 26 paddocks with two wire electric

Mike Preston

fencing

M 027 430 7041 B 03 307 2400 mike.preston@bayleys.co.nz

Jon McAuliffe M 027 432 7769 B 03 307 7377 jon.mcauliffe@bayleys.co.nz

138 hectares irrigated by two centre pivots

Reticulated stock water system

New cattle yards accessed from main central lane

Extensive regrassing programme with Trojan and Aran

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

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

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

LI ST IN G NE W

NE W

LI ST IN G

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

FOR LEASE - IRRIGATION AND OPTIONS

Lowcliffe, Mid Canterbury

DEER/ARABLE OR MIXED LAND USE

30 Waipuna Road

Tender 12pm,

180 Ward Road

Deadline Sale 1pm,

This is an excellent opportunity to lease a large scale property of

Fri 16 Jun 2017

This 82.7582 hectare fully deer fenced/arable property of

Thurs 29 Jun 2017

approximately 255 hectares at Lowcliffe, Mid Canterbury. Approximately 155 hectares is under irrigation via two centre pivots with a good groundwater consent from two bores. Currently the property is utilized for dairy and dairy support with some traditional cattle grazing. A good combination of quality soils would also allow arable production options. Sheep and cattle yards available by arrangement with the lessor. The new lease would commence on 14 December 2017.

View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/554694

Jon McAuliffe M 027 432 7769 B 03 307 7377 jon.mcauliffe@bayleys.co.nz WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

predominantely flat contour, situated 20km from Timaru offers the ability to run multiple stock types. A three bay deer and handling facility including crush, cattle yards, external sheep yards with a large

View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/554731

Noel May

three bay hay barn complement the property.

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

Enter the extensively planted driveway with a stunning array of

Kurt Snook

two stand woolshed. A workshop, three bay implement shed and a

M 027 256 0449 B 03 687 1227 over a period of time has been completely renovated, including a new kurt.snook@bayleys.co.nz

ornamental trees to the three bedroom home (plus sleepouts) that bathroom, full insulation and external recladding. Set in a large

garden of magnificent plantings complemented with an adjacent orchard with many varieties of fruit and nut trees.

www.bayleys.co.nz

Southburn

Contributor to realestate.co.nz

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

Real Estate

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; May 22, 2017

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Deadline Sale

FOR SALE 2290 STATE HIGHWAY 1 KAIWAKA

NEW LISTING

Boundary indicative only

*Approximate boundary only

WATER BOTTLING FACILITY

Boundary indicative only

+ 39.934ha contained in 4 titles

Northland | Dargaville

+ Approx. 1,637sqm modern shed

173.9 Hectares

+ Pasture and native bush adjoining picturesque Mount Pukekaroro + Resource Consent for 120m daily water take 3

+ Currently tenanted + Tender for one or all titles DEADLINE TENDER Closing 15 June 2017 at 4.00pm*

+ Extensive SH1 frontage

JEREMY KEATING 021 461 210

JAMES LEE 021 344 517

*Unless sold prior

Deadline Sale

More or less

Deceased Estate. Located only 13km east of Dargaville on Pukehuia Road, this property offers a useful balance of river flats and gentle hill country, while stands of mature native bush provide good shelter for stock. It comprises of four titles, each with road access. There are two sets of cattle yards, a disused herringbone cowshed where there is power, electric fence unit, and together with the round yard and hay shed they combine to enhance the cattle yard facility. There is an improved old-style villa and two cottages that would require some work. With its gentle contour, sheltered aspect and handy location, this property offers you the opportunity to farm it, fix it up or split it up. RV $1,280,000. | Property ID DG1024

Closing 10am, Thursday 22 June 2017 (unless sold prior)

Inspection By appointment

Contact Nicky Reid 0800 100 027

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

Licensed under REAA 2008

0800 200 600 | farmlandsrealestate.co.nz

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

ÂŠ2087RE

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Real Estate

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – May 22, 2017

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 9.5su'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. There is 70ha of ineffective native bush. Improvements include a large comfortable 5 bedroom home, 4 stand woolshed with covered yards (1600np) & 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

FIN AL

N O TI CE

www.propertybrokers.co.nz

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 (see website for video) 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.

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

WE’VE CHANGED THE GAME. FOR GOOD.

When you list your rural property with any Property Brokers’ agent, you are guaranteed a true team of agents from across the country working alongside that agent to get you the best result. That’s because every Property Brokers’ rural agent has signed a binding agreement to work together to sell your property. It’s a New Zealand first for the rural real estate industry and ensures that we put your best interests first. Which is exactly where they should be. Find out more at pb.co.nz/trueteam

TRUE TEAM

Property Brokers Limited MREINZ Licensed REAA 2008 0800 FOR LAND

This is Property Brokers’ Country!

GUARANTEE

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Real Estate

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – May 22, 2017

RURAL | LIFESTYLE | RESIDENTIAL

Licenced under REAA 2008

OPEN DAY

Ultimate Avocado Waterfront Paradise

Pahoia

4.5182 with 6000-7000 trays (crop included). This is in the top 10% of orchards in the BOP (as stated by crop monitoring experts). This orchard has done 13,000 trays. 257 Hass, 44 Reed and 13 Fuerte avocado trees, including 30 new clonals on dusa and the balance approximately 32 years old.

TENDER

Improvements include a three bedroom fairytale home with new designer kitchen and bathrooms, a partially restored historic school/dance hall, an ex-packhouse which is now the workshop and implement shed and a disused hot water bore.

(Unless Sold By Private Treaty) Closes 4.00pm, Wednesday, 14 June OPEN DAY 11.00-11.45pm, Sunday, 28 May 196 STEWART ROAD

Water access from the property for kayaks or a small boat. Potential house sites, with massive sea views. Lodge, B&B or wedding venue business options? This is an amazing business in an incredible location. www.pggwre.co.nz ID: TAR26081

Andrew Fowler B 07 571 5797 M 027 275 2244

pggwre.co.nz

New Zealand’s leading rural real estate company

Accelerating success. Reach more people - better results faster. Licenced under REAA 2008

GILT-EDGED WHOPPERTUNITY FOR SALE BY AUCTION 11:00AM THU 15 JUNE 2017 AT 161 BROADWAY AVENUE (ABERDEEN RESTAURANT) PALMERSTON NORTH (UNLESS SOLD PRIOR) 141-145 OXFORD STREET, LEVIN COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT

15 year lease from 2011

Annual CPI growth

Rent $235,687pa net

Freehold Fee Simple site

David Palmer 021 272 9834 Doug Russell 027 222 8088

colliers.co.nz/59553

Commercial Property Solutions Ltd, Licensed under the REAA 2008

farmersweekly.co.nz

Stunning Irrigated Farm

Cust

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

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

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate Peter Crean B 03 341 4315 M 027 434 4002

pggwre.co.nz

www.pggwre.co.nz ID: CHR26028

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

colliers.co.nz

Employment

MAKIRI FARM

ELITE FARM MANAGER

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

This position requires the successful applicant to have 2-3 years’ experience to support the following: • Responsibility for dairy management and milk quality • Competent tractor operating and feed-out skills • Exposure to pasture measurement and feed management • Some staff supervision • Ability to take charge when owner is away • Comply with all health and safety requirements. This role will suit a person who is keen to develop their dairy career. Three-bedroom accommodation is part of a competitive remuneration package. To view photos www.fegan.co.nz To apply phone 07 823 0117 or email jobs@fegan.co.nz

www.fegan.co.nz

Please send C.V. to: Makiri Farm 7 Scotts Road, Turakina, RD 11 Wanganui 4581

EXPERIENCED STOCKPERSON 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.

Experienced Shepherd Business Development Lead

NEED

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.

STAFF? Advertise your vacancy in the NZ Farmers Weekly

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.

We require an experienced shepherd for a 3500 hectare intensive hill-country sheep and beef station situated at Glen Murray, northern Waikato. This position is one of responsibility doing the day-to-day movements on 560 hectares, as well supporting the team on the rest of the station.

classifieds@nzx.com

OHINEWAIRUA STATION

The successful application will have: • an excellent team of dogs • ability and will to work in a team environment • absolute attention to detail keeping stock records • awareness of farm health and safety practices

We are looking for a self-motivated person with a positive attitude and good work ethic to work closely with the farm manager in all aspects of the farming operation.

This position would suit a young person wanting to further his/her career.

Lochiel Farmlands Ltd Private Bag, Tuakau 2342 – Ph 0274 995 077 Email kim@lochielfarmlands.co.nz

EMPLOYMENT REACH EVERY FARMER IN NZ FROM MONDAY $2.00 + GST per word - Please print clearly

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

Name: Phone: Address: Email: Heading: Advert to read:

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

LK0087726©

To apply please email your CV and covering letter to: apply@limelimited.co.nz

www.fidus.co.nz

HEAD SHEPHERD

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

LK0087660©

Call Debbie

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

Applications close Friday 26 May 2017

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

We are offering a competitive remuneration including a three bedroom house.

0800 85 25 80

LK0087527©

This 220ha (incl run off) dairy farm sits just 16km from the thriving town of Cambridge. 370 cows are milked through a 32ASHB and the land is a mixture of flat to rolling. There is some dry stock on the steeper section.

Regular rostered time off and accommodation provided. Must have a drivers licence and be able to pass ongoing drug testing.

Consisting of 49,000su, sheep, cattle and deer on a 7500 hectare property, located 30 minutes from Taihape on NapierTaihape highway. Communication skills and a good team of working dogs are essential. You will be responsible for organising four shepherds and their weekly work. A 3-bedroom house is available with primary school bus at gate.

Apply to Mark Haynes Phone 06 388 1503 Email with CV to: ohine@xtra.co.nz

LK0087675©

Do you want to work on a well-developed farm, alongside an experienced owner who is prepared to help you further develop your farming career?

LK0087665©

Dairy farm worker required to help milk 600 cows and general farm work. 20km from Wanganui.

For New Zealand’s largest ram breeder.

SHEPHERD GENERAL 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

LK0087512©

2IC Dairy Farm – Cambridge

Livestock DOGS FOR SALE

GOATS WANTED

GRAZING AVAILABLE

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

2-YEAR HUNTAWAY dog. Basic training done, needs work now. Plenty of energy and ability. Whangarei. Phone Leslie 021 714 506. 4-YEAR HANDY Huntaway. Genuine dog. Good in yards. $2000 ONO. Phone 021 247 7466. HB. DAIRY, BULLS, Sheep dog sale! On-farm or online. Demonstrations on cattle and sheep. $500$2500. Deliver Whangarei to Invercargill. Dogs exchangeable* Trade-ins welcome. 07 315 5553. Mike Hughes. DELIVERING DOGS TO potential buyers North Island 27/5/17 for free. Dogs exchangeable* Trade-ins welcome. 07 315 5553. Mike Hughes. HUNTAWAY PUPS. Three dogs,10 weeks. Proven trial and farm bred. Phone Lawson 06 756 7052 (evenings).

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.

LOOKING FOR 150 cows to winter graze and carry through on a MayMay basis. With over 8 years experience we have proven successful results on our 70ha terraced block near Nelson. Previous dairy farmers we know how to feed and grow your animals well. Contact us on: funnyfarm578@ icloud.com

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

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

CONTRACTORS GORSE SPRAYING. Experienced team, up to eight, using mist blowers and 400 litre motorised sprayer. We cut scrub and plant Manuka seedlings. Phone Dave 06 375 8032.

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

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

+$104

600-day weight EBV

+108

+100

EMA EBV

+6.1

+4.6

www.totaranuistud.co.nz Pierre Syben 027 625 9977

Mark Crooks, PGG Wrightson 027 590 1452

Autumn AARON TO RESIZE 175mm high x 3 cols 2017 Deal Classifieds display advertising See www.shorthorn.co.nz, and click on sale catalogue in left column to view bulls for sale.

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!

FOR SALE

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

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)

A reminder on how it works: Buy 4 ads and only pay for 3 What does this include? • Colour • Discussion around the content of your ad • The design of your ad • Proof to you for your approval for signing off

EARMARKERS

BIRDSCARER DE HORNER

HOOF TRIMMER

RAUPUHA SHORTHORNS

To be part of this deal – Call Debbie on 06 323 0765 or email classifieds@nzx.com.

Red, White & Roans of our world

Livestock

For the control of all tapeworms eg. Taenia Ovis (sheep measles) Roundworms and hookworms • 3-monthly starting $34.00 per dog per year (Drontal plus) • Monthly starting $54.00 per dog per year (Droncit monthly & Drontal plus 3-monthly

MANGATARA Limousin Angus • Lim-Flex

LK0087677©

For more information contact John

1 June 2017 - 10.30am Viewing from 9am

LOOKING FOR BETTER RETURNS?

111 Rakaiatai Road, Dannevirke Come and join us at our on-farm sale: Friday 2 June 2017 at 10:00am

30 Polled Bulls

We currently seek large scale farmers, graziers and investment partners.

BVD clear & vaccinated, C10 16 Females – Run commercially on 500ha Calving 300 recorded cows annually

• Large scale beef finishers • Beef breeding properties/partnerships LK0087701©

• Profit share, per kg $ rate or JV

AGRICULTURAL ASSET MANAGEMENT

+$121

+$130

Bulls for sale by Private Treaty until 3rd June

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

Phone Nick, 027 476 3658 Email: nick.aam@xtra.co.nz

+$152

Self replacing index

• BVD tested and vaccinated • C10 status • Carcase scanned • Independently assessed

Westwood Shorthorn

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

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

2017 Breed avg

Angus Pure index

Daimien & Tally 06 376 8400

FERTILISER

OVIS CONTROL NZ LTD

Totaranui Angus sale bulls avg

Email for a catalogue: bulls@totaranuistud.co.nz

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. MONTHLY NORTH ISLAND buying trip 27/5/17: Serious buyer with $$$ buying now! All abilities. 07 315 5553. Mike Hughes.

Keep your dogs worm free DOG WORMING PROGRAMMES

Friday 9th June 1.30pm on farm, Pahiatua

40 BULLS

DOGS WANTED

To the Dog Owner

2-YR BULL SALE

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

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.

TOTARANUI ANGUS

Enquiries and inspection always welcome

Performance recorded & carcase scanned

ERIK & LYN VAN DER VELDEN PHONE 06 374 1575

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©

ANIMAL HEALTH

GORSE SPRAYING

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

LK0087718©

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

PUMPS

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ANIMAL HANDLING

This is a photo sale of select elite jersey genetics to be held at the Pukeahu National War Memorial Exhibition Wellington at 5:30 pm on Wednesday 24th May.

Ipurua SOUTH DEVONS

Peter & Caroline Foss

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

Auahi Charolais

Est. 1981

Pio Pio

Commercial Hill Country

Offering 28 Bulls

Sound well fleshed sires Excellent temperament

Featured are: • Rising 3-year cow Okura Manz Kea EX2 BW175 dams full brother is Okura OLM Kaino BW 192 • Kaitaka TGM Leonie EX4 BW186 Dam of Kaitaka Murmur Leo and Kaitaka Murmur Lazarus and carrying a contract calf • 4 well related high BW incalf heifers • 6 super yearling heifers BW’s to 174

200+ Breedplan Recorded Cows

Ross Riddell 0272 111 112 or Grant Aiken 0272 458 821

Breeding for structural soundness • More polled • calving ease • Live calves on-ground unassisted, • Good growth EBVs

20 Bulls Catalogued

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You are invited to attend this auspicious jersey breed event or contact the sale agents:

• BVD tested & vaccinated • Guaranteed Annual Sale Thursday 8th June 1pm, Te Kuiti Sale yards

Catalogues available from JerseyNZ or view on www.jersey.org.nz

Henderson Partners

Bull Open Day Wednesday 31st May 1 - 5pm

ALL ENQUIRIES WELCOME

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.

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

LK0087697©

JERSEY PRIDE SALE

CHAROLAIS BREEDERS NZ

Simon & Wendy Collin

L & B Burgess Peal Ridge Charolais 1815 Pukehuia Road RD 4, Dargaville 09 439 6046

Contact Simon Collin: P 06 858 8045 M 072 636 3243 Wendy Collin: M 027 280 3471

M & S Riddington Kaahu Charolais 875 Ohakuri Road, RD 1, Atiamuri 07 333 2903

AD Reed Stonehenge Charolais 188 Waipapa Road, RD 5, Te Kuiti 07 878 8716 S & K McDonald Clearview Charolais 82 Clearview Road, RD 3, New Plymouth 027 244 2404

www.raurikicharolais.co.nz

SELLING BY PRIVATE TREATY

P Chambers Kuwau Charolais 7674 Valley Road, RD 6, Raetihi 06 385 4310

KIA TOA CHAROLAIS

S & L McManaway Goldcreek Charolais 94 Moffats Road, RD 1, Carterton 06 379 5459 G & V Woolf & Adnams Moonlight Charolais 1085 Motueka River West Bank Road RD 1, Motueka 027 667 6009

On-farm Sale

973 Troopers Road, Te Kuiti

K & P Jordan Willowaugh Charolais 692 Middle Renwick Road RD 1, Blenheim 027 305 9577 T & G Hargreaves Kakahu Charolais Stud RD 1, Geraldine 03 697 4858

30 GENUINE HILL COUNTRY BULLS ON OFFER Monday 29th May 2017 at 1pm

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Contact: Paul and Claire Grainger 07 878 6458 – 027 209 1959 pcgraingers@xtra.co.nz

J & G Kemp Pouriwai Charolais Private Bag 7618 Gisborne 06 867 0867 J Bull Bull’s Charolais RD 4, Napier - 07 378 3220 N & E Gwillim Kaitoke Charolais 25 Jervois Road, Jervoistown, Napier - 06 844 4417

M & O Duffy Pukemoe Charolais 75 Makino Valley Road, RD 14, Hawera 06 278 4021

MJ Totman Potaka Stud RD 4, Taihape 06 388 0034

Est 2003

ALL BULLS BVD TESTED AND VACCINATED TWO SEASON FOOT GUARANTEE

B & J Clements Clements Farms (Matapouri) Ltd 1050 Marua Road, RD 1, Hikurangi 09 433 7033 M & S Fitzpatrick Tawa Ridge Ltd 31 Pugh Road, RD 6, Te Puke 07 533 1866 P & C Mikkelsen Nouvelle Charolais 1363C Manawahe Road, RD 4, Whakatane - 027 496 9529

C & G Harman Whananaki Coastal Charolais Ltd 193 Rockell Road, RD 1, Hikurangi 09 433 8253

WJ Vallender Taikorea Charolais 296 Couper Road RD 3, Palmerston North 06 329 7865

RWP Sandford Topaki Livestock 4567 State Highway 50, RD 1, Hastings 027 462 0136 SFH & WF Collin Rauriki Stud JB McKenzie 839 Tourere Road Maungahina Charolais RD 2, Waipukurau 196 Masterton Castle Point Road 06 858 8045 RD 6, Masterton 06 377 4836 A & T McIntyre Haupuke Charolais A S & A E Holland 83 Towai Road, RD 1, Dannevirke Hemingford Charolais 06 374 3687 St Leonards Road M & N Keen RD 1, Culverden Tui Springs Charolais 03 315 8689 2/119 Days Road, RD 4, Christchurch 03 329 5147 BC & BT Fisher Silverstream Charolais 2105 Christchurch Akaroa Road RD 2, Christchurch N Sanderson 03 329 0994 Roseville Charolais

100 Paradise Gully Road, D & C Dundass RD 5C, Oamaru Taiaroa Charolais 03 432 4093 917 Upper Taieri-Paerau Runs Road RD 4, Ranfurly AJ Roulston 03 444 9770 Poller View Charolais 31 Whitiker Road, Te Houka, RD 3, Balclutha F & K Templeton 03 415 7581 Twin River Charolais Quarry Hills, RD 1, Tokanui 03 246 8516

When kilos matter

LK0087643©

“Pukerua”, 839 Tourere Road, RD2, Waipukuarau.

EXCELLENT PRODUCING CROSSBRED HERD

ANGUS R1 HEIFERS & MT R2 HEIFERS

AUCTIONEERS NOTE: Our vendors for many years lease dairy cattle out to farmers on annual basis. These cows have been leased by regular clients and are now being offered for sale. Most of the dairy cattle are bred by the Blythe family. All dairies will be dry at auction and quality of cows and heifers is very good. PAYMENT TERMS: 12 days from auction date. Catalogue available from agents.

Herd comprising: • VIC cows x 295 - Fr/FrX/Xbd/JsyX BW54, PW70, RA 78% • VIC R2 heifers x 75OF- DATE Fr/FrX/Xbd/JsyX CHANGE & VENUE BW78, 25 MAYDTC - MORRINSVILLE PW89 20/7 (Jsy bull)SALEYARDS - 11AM • Empty R1 heifers x 81 - Fr/FrX BW90, PW95. Well grown yearlings

Contact: Des van der Wal 021 933 018 or Andy Carlson 0274 529 697

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 drycowed on 28/4, with long acting Enduro and Dryclox.

High performing Jersey Herd Vendor: Mayfair Trust C/- Nicky Hine 29 Snell Road, RD 43, Waitara 4383

SOLD

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

LK0087646©

Or contact agent in charge: Gareth Price 0274 777 310 gareth.price@nzfll.co.nz

EARN DOUBLE FARM SOURCE REWARD DOLLARS For every purchase of livestock at any Farm Source Livestock on-farm auction during April and May 2017* T&Cs apply. See nzfarmsource.co.nz/livestock

LK0087666©

Light luncheon will be provided. Download the catalogue on www.mylivestock.co.nz

www.dyerlivestock.co.nz

Ross Dyer 0274 333 381

DISPERSAL SALE

Friday 2 June – 11.30am start

Brian Robinson Livestock Ltd Brian 027 241 0051 or Neil McDonald 027 218 8904 www.brianrobinsonlivestock.com

1ST AUTUMN ON FARM SERVICE BULL SALE UNDERCOVER

« 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

MILK +13 +14

MONDAY 29TH MAY 2017 Sale Commences 11.30am

On Account of David & Fiona McKenzie

300 McDonald Mine Road Huntly Delivery dates are on the Monday of 29th May, 5th June & 12th June The bulls are guaranteed sound, TB & BVD tested and Double innoculated.

210 BULLS COMPRISING: 120 x R3 PB Hereford Bulls 40 x R3 PB Angus Bulls 10 x R3 PB Murray Grey Bulls 40 x R2 Jersey Bulls 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 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

ROMNEY

HEREFORD

POLLED HEREFORD

ANGUS

A hill country classic.

6TH ANNUAL ON PROPERTY BULL SALE @ 3PM GISBORNE.

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

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

QUALITY FRIESIAN/CROSSBRED HERD & OUTSTANDING IN-CALF HEIFERS (unless sold prior)

Download the app today

WEDNESDAY 31st MAY 2017 AT 2:30PM

FROM THE NOTED COUNTRY CALENDAR DIRECTOR RICHARD LANGSTON AND HIS CREW

Offering will comprise: 65 Purebred Jersey Cows 8 Purebred Jersey MT Cows (Dry) 19 Purebred Jersey In-calf Heifers 16 Purebred Jersey Yearling Heifers TB Status C10, Lepto Vaccinated, BVD clear & vaccinated Our vendor is giving up supplying and has decided to offer her fully recorded, very well presented, top quality, high producing herd for sale. This season the herd has averaged in excess of 430kgs/ms in short days as they were dried off early for this sale. A third of the herd were on first lactation as half the herd of older cows were sold at the end of last season. The herd peaked at 22Ltrs and 2kg/ms at the factory. Meal was fed in the shed and no other supplements have been fed. Cell count for the season was 35,000. All cows have been dry cow treated (3/5/17) and are dry. All young stock are exceptionally well grown. Calving commences from the 20th July to nominated Jersey Bulls. These are large stature Jersey cows that carry very good udders with overall conformation of a very high standard. All cattle are LIC transferrable. Catalogues giving all details are available from the auctioneers: NZ Farmers Livestock Ltd Simon Payne 027 241 4585 - simon.payne@nzfll.co.nz Tim Hurley 027 445 1167

Download the app today

50th ANNUAL PRODUCTION SALE

E info@rdlfinance.co.nz

LK0087659©

COMPRISING OF: 265 of very good dairy cattle: • 52 Friesian rising 2nd calvers BW 73, PW 90, calving 18/7 to Friesian AB, bulls out 1st January, vetted dates • 60 Friesian 2nd calvers, BW 87 PW 97, calv 1 August, 4 weeks AB, vetted dates, t/o Hereford bulls • 38 Xbred rising 2nd calvers, BW 87 PW 104, calving 10 July, 4weeks AB, t/o Jersey bulls out 26 December • 19 Friesian and FriesianX rising 2nd calvers BW 73, PW 71, calving 13 July, AB 5 weeks, bulls out 5 Jan, Orbenin dry cow • 35 Friesian and Friesian MA cows, BW 40, PW 61, calving 25 July, bulls out 1 Jan • 26 In-calf Friesian heifers, BW 96, PW 112, in-calf to AB, calving 25 July, vetted dates • 34 FriesianX 2-3 years old, BW 78, PW 86, calving 27 July to 5 weeks Ambreed Friesian, bull out 25 December

Category 2 Multi Sire and True to Type. Price Negotiable on larger lines.

STORE MALE LAMBS 30-37 kgs BREEDING EWES SIL 18 MTH BULLS 380-470 kgs 330-370 kgs 18 MTH STEERS 18 MTH HEIFERS 300– 400 kgs 470-550 kgs R3 YR STEERS MA COWS VIC due Aug - Oct

$50 BULL PLAN AVAILABLE TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY AGENT IN CHARGE: BILL SWEENEY - 027 451 5310

On A/c Horizon Endeavours 382b Seifert Rd, Morrinsville Wednesday May 24th Machinery 11am – Herd 12:00pm Comprising: 124 Friesian & Crossbred Cows Herd BW 63 PW 77 RA 83% 94 Mainly Friesian In-Calf Heifers BW 90 PW 93 Exceptionally well grown and & in TOP condition Calving 10/7 to Jsy Bulls Machinery Comprising: 2007 MF tractor with F35 stoll loader, Sam 9m3 side feed wagon, 3.25T Sam spreader, 3M Machio power harrow, 2.5m Machio rotary hoe, Homebuilt spray rig with 2000L tank & 10m boom, Suzuki quad LTF400 4WD, Mag/Fert tow spreader, dog kennel & run, JD ride-on mower plus assorted farm sundries. 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. Calving from 8/7 to Ambreed Sires (5 weeks) and tailed with quality Hereford bulls, TB Clear, EBL Free, SCC 175 and Lepto Innoculated. The herd has been vetted to dates, all young stock are well grown and will represent great buying. Full quote, photos and profiles on www.mylivestock.co.nz Quote # WAI47157 & #WAI47462 All Enquiries to Darryl Houghton 0274 515 315 or darryl.houghton@nzfll.co.nz

Download the app today

LK0087696©

BWs to 144; PWS TO 291. M/S 1063/ha A/c Taniwha Farms Ltd 251 Old Te Kuiti Road Otorohanga (D#74805)

DATE: Thursday 25th May 2017 ADDRESS: 90 Swainson Road, RD 2, Otorohanga, 3972 START TIME: 11.30am

FARM SOURCE LIVESTOCK AGENT: Ben Deroles 027 702 4196

WANTED

Tuesday 23rd May, 12 noon start

YOUNG ID DAIRY COWS AUCTION A/C BLYTHE FARMS

LK0087707©

STOCK REQUIRED

SUDELEY

SALE TALK

Bull Sale – 6th June 12 noon, On Farm Tiraumea

LK0087366©

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

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

RICHON/BEECHWOOD

Tuesday 13th June, 2pm At ‘Meadowbank’ 546 Selwyn Lake Road, Irwell, Leeston BULL WALK – WEDNESDAY 24TH MAY Andrew and Anna Laing Rob and Julie and Roz Stokes Rob & Mary Ann Burrows 03 313 2857, 027 263 3582 03 329 1709, 027 253 5625 03 312 4362

Looking for a Beef Shorthorn?

OREGON angus 30 BULLS

Tuesday 6th June 2017 – 3pm

Longview

Check them out

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

Glenrossie

Woodcall

Tangiteroria Private Sales 021 556 806 - Bill

AT MORLAND 1464 MASTERTON STRONVAR ROAD

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

Lochburn

Taupiri Private Sales 07 824 6751 - Kelvin

LK0087465©

Waimai

KEITH & GAE HIGGINS 06 372 2782

BULL WALK 18TH MAY 1.50PM

Ngaruawahia Private Sales 07 825 4763 - John

Aubrey

Waitomo Private Sale 07 873 6968 - Ron Smith

Raupuha

Tahuna Sale

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

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

Hiwiroa Sale

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

F1 Angus/Speckle Park Heifers, Semen and Embryo Packages.

Heriot Private Sales 03 204 2052 - Fraser

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

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

Renowned for great marbling producing top quality meat LK0087572©

Lot 67

91 lots consisting of: n 41 Polled Herefords n 16 Charolais n 15 Speckle Park Bulls

Glendhu

$$$$$$$$$$

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

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

Oamaru Private Sales 03 431 2811 - Norman

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

Brigadoon

Rough Ridge

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

$$$$$$$$$$$

Thursday TH 8 June at 1pm 110 years breeding

Lot 47

Maerewhenua

Westwood

Tuatapere Private Sales 03 226 6713 - Anita

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

Browns

Ongarue Private Sales 07 894 6030 - Allan

72ND BULL SALE

Orena

Morrinsville Private Sales 07 889 5965 - Hamish

Corsock

Lot 3

LK0087529©

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

www.shorthorn.co.nz

LK0087345©

The Vicar had not seen young Johnny at Sunday school, so when he found the boy beside a country road minding his dad’s cattle he thought it was an appropriate time to deliver an impromptu sermon. “A wonderful day to be out in the country Johnny.” “They are very fine steers. Do you know who made them?” “Dad did.” said Johnny. “Oh no,” the Vicar smiled, “God made those steers.” Johnny shook his head. “God made them bulls. Dad made them steers.”

Livestock

KAIRURU POLLED HEREFORDS

BULL SALE 2017 ON FARMRESULTS SALE SINCE 1979

26TH ANNUAL SALE

Farmers Weekly will be emailing a weekly update of 2017 bull sale results to all bull breeders who are on our email database.

JUNE 7 AT 1PM

LK0087708©

R2YR BULLS at Kairuru,28Reporoa (midway Rotorua – Taupo)

We are looking for: • Number of bulls on offer • Number of bulls sold • Average price • Purchaser of top priced Bull Look out for our introductory email, sent out to our valued Beef Breeders Friday 26th May For further information, please contact Nigel Ramsden: 06 323 0761, 027 4602 4925 or email livestock@nzx.com

26th March at 1:00pm GET THE WHITEFACE ADVANTAGE

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

LOT 1

NIGEL RAMSDEN 0800 85 25 80

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

SHIAN ANGUS

Angus Cattle bred and tested under

COMMERCIAL CONDITIONS for you

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

MEADS ROAD TAUMARUNUI 41 BULLS FOR SALE W Wai aira rara rapa pa ll W k th BuBu ll Walkal19 18MthayMay 2017 , 2016. Alll vi visi Al sito tors rs wel m w elco come. e.

Enquiries & inspections are always welcomed Bulls Sired by: ● Tangihau Kaino H29 ● Mangapapa 029 ● Shian 468

LOT 1: SHIAN 15-610 ●

Libido tested & semen evaluated

● TB

C10, BVD tested & vaccinated

● Lepto ● Free

& 10 in 1 Vaccinated

Delivery North Island

LK0087435©

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

GLANWORTH

PINEBANK

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

Willie Falloon (06) 372 7041

13 in-calf R2yr heifers 7 heifer calves Inaugural on farm bull sale BLACK RIDGE 13 heifer calves 9:30am Thursday 1st June 20177 bull calves ANGUS STUD 25 two year old bulls Registered Polled Herefords

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

Genetics that perform at the top end of the market. KayJay clients Registered Premium Speckle Parks have topped the Wairarapa Angus weaner steer sales with $1200 being

BULLS SIRED BY: Cricklewood Conquer G801 Maturai Outlier F031, Cricklewood H25,

KEVIN & JANE McDONALD

07 333 8068

reached for three lines and a high of $1230

ANNUAL BULL SALE LINDSAY JONES Friday 2nd June 2017 at 12 noon

0274 528 603

BULL WALK Thursday 18th May

You are welcome to inspect the Bulls on the Bull Walk or any time prior to the Sale 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

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.

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 Logan 1565 Lot 2

Glenbrae Lender 15105 Lot 12

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

RIVERLEE HEREFORDS Thursday 25 May Times Clients 2 – 2.30pm Waiterenui 3 – 3.30pm Whenuapapa

21 R2yr Polled Hereford Bulls

We will offer approx. 600 In-Calf Red Hinds. Pregnancy tested in-calf to Elk/Wapiti Sires. For full and up to date details and age groups please refer to: www.agonline.co.nz or www.temukasales.co.nz Enquiries: Tom Macfarlane 0276 008 555 Marcus Adlam 0274 039 377 or contact your local Deer Agent

Please call Jon 06 877 9462 for Lunch Booking Catalogues will be available on the day. LK0087319©

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

Email: mfcurtis@farmside.co.nz

Tuesday 13th June 2017 – Commencing 1pm

Mt Mable Dandaleith Brookwood Lunch Provided Leopard Hotel Waiwhero Motere Elgin

1.00 – 1.30pm 1.45 – 2.15pm 3.00 – 3.30pm

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

C/- T&S Macfarlane 480 Gudex Road, Fairlie

Further Inquiries Tom Suttor

CAPITAL REPLACEMENT LINES OF TOP IN-CALF HEIFER AUCTION

0274 469 967

Herd Dispersal of Quality High BW Jersey Cows & InCalf Heifers

SPRINGDALE ANGUS

COMPRISING OF:

On A/C: S Dodunski Lincoln Road Inglewood

Annual On Farm Sale

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

LK0087295©

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

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

260 In-calf heifers • 140 Friesian and FriesianX outstanding

Fri 26 May 11.30am Start

Feilding Cow Sale Thurs 25 May Feilding Saleyards 11.30am

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

A/C: ACORN FARMS DATE: Friday 26 May 2017 ADDRESS: Cambridge Sale Yard, Hickey Rd, Cambridge START TIME: 11.30am (auction under cover)

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

heifers • 120 Jersey and JerseyX in-calf heifers

Comprising 178 M/A Jersey Cows 20 Rising 2yr Jersey Heifers Due to farm sale, PGG Wrightson are proud offer this long established High BW Jersey herd, bred for Strength, Capacity and Milk Volume.

PAYMENT TERMS: DELAYED PAYMENT TO 20TH JULY 2017 Photos, pre-sale inspection or catalogues contact Paul - our vendor’s agent. FARM SOURCE LIVESTOCK AGENT:

Herd facts: • BW 99 PW 95 Recorded Ancestry 98% • High Fertility (93% conception rate) • A Life Time Of Nominated Breeding • 104 cows are 4yrs and under • Due to calve from 1st August and tailed with Jersey bulls • Vetted incalf, Lepto vaccinated C10 TB Status • Grass only System • All cows dried off, including dry cow therapy. • Herd tested

For further details please contact: PGG Wrightson: Jeff See 06 7568 488 or 0275 680 813 Or Any PGG Wrightson Agent

June 6th – Midday 735 Matahuru Rd, Ohinewai

LOT 15

LOT 11

LOT 18

• BVD tested clear & twice vaccinated FREE DELIVERY NTH ISLAND

Enquiries or inspection welcome Malcolm & Fraser Crawford: Malcolm Ph 07 828 5709; Fraser Ph 07 828 5755

Photos in catalogues at www.angusnz.com

On A/c Grazecare NZ Ltd To be held at: The Askin Feedlot 2427 Boundary Road, Hinds Friday 26th May 2017 Commencing 10am 1550 Friesian Bull Calves 350 XBred Bull Calves

The calves are being trucked to the feedlot on Wednesday where they will be weighed and drafted into selling lots. The majority of the calves will be in the 160kg-240kg weight range and have been subject to a comprehensive animal health plan of Eclipse Pour On (double active), Covexin 10, B12 with Selenium and De-budded. For further details please contact: David Hazlett Ph 027 235 5300 Ed Marfell Ph 027 462 0120 Marty Amos Ph 027 462 0122 Paul Whittaker Ph 027 431 3234 Hazlett Rural Ltd, Auctioneers

LK0087694©

LOT 7

• All bulls fertility tested & fully guaranteed

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

CAPITAL STOCK BEEF SHORTHORN, SHORTHORN X, CHAROLAIS VIC COWS, HEIFERS & BULLS

Est 1960

ANNUAL SALE – 27 bulls

For every purchase of livestock at any Farm Source Livestock on-farm auction during April and May 2017*

To be held on farm under cover, Electronic Screens operating on sale day.

Hillcroft Angus Hill Country Specialists

EARN DOUBLE FARM SOURCE REWARD DOLLARS

This is one of the last opportunities to purchase genuine Herd cows this season!!

Full LIC catalogues available from our website www.agonline.co.nz

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

Paul Nitsckhe 027 482 3160

LK0087720©

Friday 26 May 9 – 9.30am 10 – 10.30am 10.45 – 11.15am 11.30 – 12.30am

HILL COUNTRY BRED FOR HILL COUNTRY FARMERS

Enquiries & Visitors Welcome Murray & Fiona Curtis 06 328 2881

PRELIMINARY NOTICE 1st ANNUAL IN-CALF HIND SALE THE KOWHAIS

HAWKES BAY ANGUS HERD WALK

Held under cover on farm 2354 Rangiwahia Rd Rangiwahia, Manawatu

LK0087658©

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

Wednesday 7th June Frankton Saleyards – Hamilton A/C Johnny & Sue Brown – Aotea, Raglan 24 MA Beef Shorthorn Cows (VIC S/Horn Bull) 23 MA Beef Shorthorn – Hfd/ Frsn x Cows (VIC Char Bull) 12 2yr Beef Shorthorn – Hfd x Heifers (VIC S/Horn Bull) 6 3-6yr PB Charolais Cows (VIC Char Bull) 3 R3 PB Charolais Heifers (VIC Char Bull) 3 R2 PB Charolais Heifers (VIC S/Horn Bull) 12 R1yr Beef Shorthorn & S/Horn-Hfd x Heifers 3 R1yr PB Charolais Heifers Herd Sires 2 R4yr Beef Shorthorn Bulls (1 White, 1 Roan) 1 R3yr Beef Shorthorn Bull (Roan) 1 R3yr PB Charolais Bull 2 R2yr PB Charolais Bulls Owing to a change in farming policy we are proud to present this rare opportunity to purchase genuine capital stock farmed under Raglan coastal hill country conditions. With 40+ years of sire selection enhancing growth rate, durability & temperament, the weaner cattle are consistently in the top prices at the Kauroa Weaner & Spring Fairs. This is a wonderful opportunity for purchasers to capitalise on years of genetic input from our vendors. The cows are mainly 3-5 yr with a small number of older cows. They had a copper capsule and a pour-on drench on 1st May & carry a C10 TB Status. The cows run with the bull from 28th October until 7th January 2017. Vendors: Johnny & Sue 07 825 6835 PGGW: Chris Leuthart 07 825 8410 or 0274 936 594

MARKET SNAPSHOT

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Grain & Feed

MILK PRICE FORECAST ($/KGMS) 2016-17

6.00

6.23

AS OF 23/02/2017

AS OF 18/05/2017

Prior week

Last year

6 5 Oct 16

Dec 16 Feb 17 AgriHQ Spot Fonterra forecast

Apr 17 AgriHQ Seasonal

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

WMP GDT PRICES AND NZX FUTURES

6.10

5.15

333

347

NI mutton (20kg)

3.70

2.40

323

321

286

SI lamb (17kg)

6.00

5.90

4.95

Feed Barley

330

328

267

SI mutton (20kg)

3.80

3.75

2.30

201

Export markets (NZ$/kg) 9.40

9.41

7.84

218

UK CKT lamb leg

Maize Grain

406

347

PKE

217

216

208

6.5 6.0 5.5

INTERNATIONAL Last week

Prior week

5.0

Last year

4.5

CBOT futures (NZ$/t) Wheat - Nearest

229

237

247

Corn - Nearest

207

210

222

South Island 1 7kg lamb

6.5 6.0

318

337

3000

ASW Wheat

311

308

322

2500

Feed Wheat

291

284

2000

Feed Barley

276

277

291

PKE (US$/t) Ex-Malaysia

600

$/kg

321

c/kkg (net)

APW Wheat

Apr 17 Jul 17 NZX WMP Futur es

North Island 17kg lamb

7.0

* 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.

3500

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

NZ venison 60kg stag

5.5

500 5.0 400 4.5 300 4.0 OctOct

DecDec

FebFeb

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

Last year

6.20

Australia (NZ$/t)

4000

Last week Prior week

NI lamb (17kg)

Feed Wheat

Waikato (NZ$/t)

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Milling Wheat

PKE

8 $/kgMS

Last week Canterbury (NZ$/t)

MILK PRICE COMPARISON

US$/t

SHEEP MEAT

DOMESTIC

AGRIHQ 2016-17

FONTERRA 2016-17

Sheep

$/kg

Dairy

AprApr

Jun Jun

Last yr

AugAug This yr

FERTILISER

Last price*

Prior week

vs 4 weeks ago

WMP

3250

3150

3180

SMP

2060

2080

AMF

6605

Butter

5600

Last week

Prior week

Last year

WOOL

NZ average (NZ$/t)

(NZ$/kg)

Last week

Prior week

Last year

2100

Urea

507

505

29 micron

6.65

8.95

6300

5700

Super

317

330

35 micron

3.85

5.90

5050

4800

DAP

840

39 micron

3.80

5.70

739

* price as at close of business on Thursday

CANTERBURY FEED PRICES 450

3250

350 250

2750 2500

c/k kg (net)

3000

Jun

Jul Aug Latest price

Sep Oct 4 w eeks ago

Nov

Sharemarket Briefing THE week started on a reasonably positive note for global markets with the FTSE 100 in the United Kingdom registering a fresh record close, as did the S&P500 and the Nasdaq Composite indices in the United States. However, the good times came to an abrupt end, as US politics became front of mind for investors as the unpredictable President Trump came under fire. The latest Global Dairy Trade auction’s 3.2% increase took the market by surprise with most expecting a more moderated gain. It sparked talks Fonterra might increase this season’s payout from the $6/kg of milksolids. More importantly, it also sparked hopes the initial forecast for the next season will be higher than previously expected. Fisher & Paykel Healthcare got a share price boost after it was announced Australian rival ResMed had filed a motion with the US International Trade Commission to terminate the investigation by withdrawing its complaint. A pre-trial ruling found evidence was inadequate and subsequently the share price rose 1.7%. The withdrawal of this complaint however does not impact the patent litigation proceedings due to be held in the US, UK, Germany and New Zealand. Market commentary provided by Craigs Investment Partners

S&P/FW PRIMARY SECTOR

10254

S&P/FW AG EQUITY

12508

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

7372

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

7236

150 May 13

NZ venison 60kg stag

5.5

600

$/kg

3500

39 micron wool price

6.5

NZ$/t

US$/t

WMP FUTURES - VS FOUR WEEKS AGO

May 14 Feed barley

May 15

May 16 May 17 PKE spot

Auckland International Airport Limited

YTD High

YTD Low

6.79

7.43

6.31

Meridian Energy Limited

2.89

2.95

2.57

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

3.61 10.07 7.99 3.25 8.63 5.18 3.23 23.2

3.76 10.54 10.86 3.25 9.05 5.26 3.3 24.55

3.32 8.5 7.77 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

3.510

3.850

2.060

Cavalier Corporation Limited

0.560

0.810

0.550

Comvita Limited

5.980

8.650

5.880

Delegat Group Limited

6.400

6.720

5.650

Foley Family Wines Limited

1.360

1.500

1.200

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

6.010

6.400

5.880

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS)

2.550

2.610

2.540

New Zealand King Salmon Investments Ltd

1.350

1.420

1.220

PGG Wrightson Limited

0.600

0.490

Sanford Limited (NS)

7.150

7.750

6.700

Scales Corporation Limited

3.360

3.650

3.210

Seeka Limited

5.050

5.500

4.300

Tegel Group Holdings Limited

1.060

1.460

1.060

S&P/FW Primary Sector

10254

10507

9307

S&P/FW Agriculture Equity

12508

12874

10899

S&P/NZX 50 Index

7372

7490

6971

S&P/NZX 10 Index

7236

7389

6927

CURRENCY momentum This Prior Last NZD vs has switched as prospects week week year for rapid United States tax USD 0.6847 0.6868 0.6817 reform and infrastructure EUR 0.6303 0.6252 0.5994 spending wane. AUD 0.9290 0.9271 0.9307 Just days after GBP 0.5318 0.5314 0.4718 weakening in the face of an RBNZ on longish-term Correct as of 9am last Friday hold on interest rate rises and a US Fed due to start a hiking phase, the kiwi has started to push higher. It has gone from US$0.68 to 0.69 in short order and the ASB Bank economics team expects it to drift higher over the course of the year, to a year-end 0.72, economist Nathan Penny said. “It now looks like President Trump might not get his tax and spending plans in until well into next year and that takes the US dollar outlook back a bit this year even though we think the Fed will lift rates in June and September. The top side has just been taken off.” Against the US doubts, the NZ economy continues to do very well, Penny said. “It’s a good safe place to keep your money.” ASB has a bullish view on dairy returns next season and he pointed to good horticulture, wine, beef and now lamb prices as well, boosting export income. Some of those sectors might have to cope with a strong kiwi against the aussie dollar, with ASB expecting a lift to about A$0.95 at year-end. Penny isn’t expecting a lot of movement on the sterling, euro and yen crosses from current levels. Alan Williams

Markets

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

39 MICRON WOOL

NI SLAUGHTER LAMB

SI SLAUGHTER LAMB

($/KG)

FRIESIAN BONER COWS, 475-575KG, AT FEILDING

($/KG)

($/KG LW)

6.20

3.80

6.00

1.80

high lights

$91-$98

$2.95-$3.00/kg

Good mixed sex lambs R2 Hereford-Friesian at Temuka steers, 415-435kg, at Wellsford

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

Last week

Prior week

Last year

NI Steer (300kg)

5.65

5.40

NI Bull (300kg)

5.55

5.40

NI Cow (200kg)

4.20

4.25

4.30

SI Steer (300kg)

5.50

5.20

SI Bull (300kg)

5.15

4.90

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

TOP BID: Auctions in action at last week’s Beef Expo in Feilding. Photo: Aaron Davies

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

North Island steer (300kg)

6.5

$/kg

6.0 5.5

More photos: farmersweekly.co.nz

5.0 4.5

Lesser quality cattle coming off the boil

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

JunJun

Last yr

AugAug 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)

8.70

7.45

SI Hind (50kg)

8.60

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

5.5Oct

Oct

Dec Feb Dec Feb 5‐yr ave

Apr Apr Last yr

Jun Jun

Aug Aug This yr

ITH winter knocking on the door there has been a notable easing in interest for lesser quality, off-breed cattle after very good market prices for all types to date. All yards are reporting a buttoning off in demand for these types though good-quality lines continue to sell extremely well. NORTHLAND NORTHLAND Quality cattle continued to sell very well at KAIKOHE, with a yarding of 650 selling to a determined local bench, PGG Wrightson agent Vaughan Vujcich reported. The best of the R2 steers were still managing to sell to $3/kg and over, with the main lots Angus-Hereford and Angus-Friesian, while inferior types dropped back to $2.50-$2.70/kg.

Want to know the best time to sell your stock? Try AgriHQ’s new Finisher tool.

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The bull market could not be faulted, with Friesian earning $2.85-$2.90/kg, while prime heifers sold to $2.90/kg, and mixed breeds, $2.60-$2.70/kg. A feature in the weaner steer pens was a line of quiet Limousin-cross, and at 190-220kg, sold for $3.70$3.80/kg, with other types making $3.40-$3.50/kg. The best of the Friesian bulls sold for $3.30-$3.40/ kg, with medium Friesian, and beefcross, earning $3.00-$3.20/kg. Heavier beef heifers sold for $3.00-$3.10/kg, while lighter beef-Friesian returned $3.30-$3.40/kg. In the cow pens, a standout line of Shorthorn cows with calves-at-foot made $1500, while in-calf cow mainly traded at $1.85-$1.88/kg. Few empty cows are coming to auction, but those offered eased to $1.50-$1.60/kg. Annual draft lines were a common feature at WELLSFORD last Monday,

as the region winds down for winter. Like most yards the market is trending down for lesser quality types, though extra buying power from the far North ensured buyers were not let off too lightly. The best of the R2 steers were Hereford-Friesian, 414-435kg, at $2.95-$3.00/kg, with most other lines trading at $2.70-$2.90/kg. Two lines of Angus, 429-455kg, sold for $1265$1420, with the tops making $3.12/kg. A quality line up of Hereford-Friesian heifers met good demand, and at 359418kg, sold for $2.70-$2.80/kg, Lesser Hereford-cross eased to $2.66-$2.70/ kg. Weaner steer and heifer results were mixed, with the best steers selling to $830-$990 for Angus and Devon, while lighter types returned $500-$690. The heifer pens were inundated with small lines, with the

Continued page 46

Markets

46 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 22, 2017 biggest being 18 Friesian-cross, 169kgs, at $445, while Herefordcross, 157-166kg made $600-$645. Cows mainly traded at $1.69$1.74/kg. AUCKLAND AUCKLAND The market showed some adjustment at PUKEKOHE on Saturday 13th May, as processor space is tight, and demand for lesser quality store cattle buttons off.Boner cow prices were variable, with lesser types, 416kg, making $1.20/kg, while 548kg managed $1.95/kg. A similar story in the bull pens saw the lighter, lesser quality types sell well below the heavier, better lines, though this was the strongest section for the day, with 349kg making $2.86/ kg, and 421kg, $3.80/kg.Prime heifers, 416-510kg, returned $2.59-$2.68/kg, with the best of the steers being R2, 421-454kg, at $2.62-$2.73/kg. The rest of the yarding was mixed in quality, and 15-month heifers, 298-381kg, varied form $2.81-$3.00/kg, while weaners, 124-132kg, were buyable at $440-$650. Plain weaner steers, 240-244kg, made $720-$900, with lesser types trading at $640-$740, and very light, $270-$510. COUNTIES COUNTIES About 500 store cattle were on offer at TUAKAU last Thursday, Keith West of Carrfields Livestock reported. The heavier, well-bred steers and heifers held value, but lighter, and lesser-bred lots were harder to shift. The steer section included some older beef and beef-cross lots at 480-600kg, which traded at $2.68-$2.82/kg. Top 18-month and R2 steers, 392-458kg, made $2.78-$2.96/kg, with medium steers, 320-370kg, earning $2.85$3.02/kg. In the weaner section, good Hereford-Friesian steers, 185-210kg, sold for $800-$850 and medium, 160-185kg, $690-$770. Lighter and lesser bred weaner steers made $550-$630. Good R2 heifers, 397-442kg, traded at $2.52-$2.65/kg, and medium, 350-385kg, $2.60-$2.65/ kg. Top Angus weaner heifers, 228230kg, sold to $745, with the best of the Hereford-Friesian heifers, 201kg, making $700. The next cut of weaners earned $650-$690 and lighter and lesser-bred lots realised $570-$630. About 450 cattle were yarded at last Wednesday’s prime sale, and boners again made up a large portion. Steers and heifers sold at similar rates to the previous week but, with so many cows yarded, price for boners eased by 4-5c/kg. Heavy steers made $2.80-$2.86/ kg, medium $2.76-$2.80/kg, and lighter $2.70-$2.76/kg. Heavy beef heifers made $2.72-$2.79/kg, and medium lots $2.64-$2.71/kg. Dairy-type heifers earned $2.02$2.29/kg, and a small entry of beef cows returned $1.95-$2.05/ kg. In the boner section, heavy, well-covered Friesian cows sold at $1.73-$1.84/kg, and medium cows $1.62-$1.71/kg. Lighter boners fetched $1.38-$1.50/kg, with a handful of heavy bulls making $2.76-$2.94/kg. Last Monday’s sheep sale drew a small yarding but the market was strong. Heavy prime lambs traded at $138-$155, medium $120-$135, and lighter $108-$120. Store lambs sold from $68-$95, and heavy

ON SHOW: One of the bulls up for sale at last week’s Beef Expo in Feilding.

Photo: Aaron Davies

More photos: farmersweekly.co.nz

ewes $102-$126, with medium earning $78-$98. BAY OF PLENTY BAY OF PLENTY RANGIURU offered up another typical pre-winter yarding last Tuesday with numbers in all sections. The boner market was underpinned by paddock buyers, and prices steady, with the better types, and younger cows, making $1.64-$1.77/kg, and medium, $1.48-$1.59/kg. In-calf Friesian cows sold for $1.61-$1.67/kg. The prime steer market softened, with most trading at $2.70-$2.76/kg, though a line of 850kg CharolaisFriesian managed $2470, $2.90/kg. R2 steer quality was mixed, and the market also eased, with Angus, 443-460kg, making $2.70-2.75/ kg, and Hereford, 348kg, $2.83/kg, though dairy lines traded around $2.37-$2.58/kg. Heifers proved popular, and Hereford-Friesian, 308-421kg, made $2.44-$2.53/ kg, while the top R3’s sold to $2.57-$2.59/kg. Weaner cattle sold well, with good demand from the regular buyers, as well as a party from East Coast. HerefordFriesian steers made $610-$785, and Angus, 176-211kg, $580-$765. Beef-Friesian heifers, 143-166kg, traded at $500-$570, and Angus, 178-189kg, $555-$680. A specially advertised consignment of incalf Angus cows saw two lines make $1.84-$1.86/kg, though the standout was a line of six, in-calf to a Charolais bull, at $2.18/kg. WAIKATO It has been a busy month for those operating in the FRANKTON sale yards, with yet another yarding over 1000 head last Wednesday, though a number of bigger lines helped shorten up auctioning time. The market felt the pressure of the extra numbers, and while R2 steers and bulls softened only slightly, the saturated heifer market came back. Good beef steers sold to $2.86-$2.92/kg, with most beefFriesian, and other beef lines, trading at $2.69-$2.79/kg. The Friesian bull market softened only slightly, and all types sold for $2.79-$2.90/kg. A further 165 R2 heifers was more than the buying bench needed, and prices came back in this section. Angus-Hereford, 388-424kg, made

$2.54-$2.64/kg, and Hereford, 449kg, $2.67/kg, but $2.42-$2.54/ kg was more common. Most weaner buyers are relatively full following the fair season, and while prices are still respectable, they have come off the highs seen earlier. A big yarding of heifer’s mainly traded at $300-$600 for Hereford-cross, and $555-$650 for better Hereford-Friesian. Friesian bulls, 167-230kg, sold over a tight range at $630-$640, and HerefordFriesian steers, 195-236kg, returned $825-$850. A small offering of boner cows fetched $1.52-$1.60/kg for most. TARANAKI TARANAKI STRATFORD had another hectic week, with 1000 cattle offered again last Wednesday. The colder weather is bringing more cattle out, and many underestimated the amount of stock that was held onto when feed levels were high, which is accounting for the big yardings, New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent Stephen Sutton reported. The week started last Tuesday for the usual cow and dairy sale, with 350 offered. The market eased 10c/kg, with the better cows making $1.65-$1.75/kg, medium $1.55-$1.70/kg, and light, $1.40$1.50/kg. Farming cows still sold around $2/kg. Wednesday’s sale was basically a weaner fair, with around 130 older cattle only. Cautious bidding saw prices come back, with R3 steers easing 10c/kg to $2.70-$2.80/ kg, while most other types came back 20c/kg. The weaner market was softer across the board, with buyers sticking firmly to per head budgets. Top Hereford-Friesian steers, 220kg, made $850, with better types trading at $700-$800, and medium, $600-$700. AngusFriesian were $25 per head back on those prices, though in the heifer pens the market reversed, with the Angus-Friesian bettering the Hereford-Friesian at $650$750. Prices dropped significantly across the board though, with better types making $600-$700, medium $450-$500, and light, $400-$450. Bull prices were variable dependent on the quality of the lines. Most 150-200kg Friesian bulls made $665-$700,

with 130-140kg returning $575$600. HAWKE’S BAY HAWKE’S BAY Breeding ewes are becoming more of a regular feature at STORTFORD LODGE’s Wednesday sales, while R2 bulls made up over half of the 570 store cattle yarding. Monday’s prime sale saw forward store lambs fill most pens, while Angus steers featured in the rostrum. Prime sheep numbers were low in both sections last Monday, with the offering of 580 ewes selling to similar demand as the previous weeks, and good and heavy lines made $111-$121, while others traded at $91-$109. The lamb pens had forward stores in small lines, and interest was restricted, with medium-good ewe lambs making $85-$96, though prices improved for slightly heavier, better types to $106-$113. True prime lambs sold well, and heavy males returned $146-$147. Two lines of empty Angus steers firmed 2-4c/kg to fetch $3.01$3.02/kg, while a line of AngusHereford cows, 580kg, sold for $1.97/kg. Breeding ewe numbers continued to climb last Wednesday, with most of the 1350 offered run-with-ram Romney ewes in medium to good quality. Two small lines of scanned-inlamb made $146-$165, while the majority of the run-with-ram fetched $100-$117. Chathams lambs helped bump up numbers, joining a good local contingent to push to nearly 6800 head. Heavy lambs eased on last week, with both ewes and males making $95-$108, though the remainder sold at steady levels. Good male lambs, 32-37kg, made up the bulk of their section and traded at $94-$112, with lighter types fetching $81-$91. Ewe lambs were more widely spread, with light-medium, steady at $77-$92, and good, $86-$98. R2 bulls filed off the trucks in big numbers, with 300 offered, and the majority Friesian bulls from local areas, and HerefordDevon from the Chatham Island’s. The buying bench was mainly local, with a handful of outside buyers. Demand for Friesian bulls

was strong, and 443-496kg made $2.95-$3.00/kg, while slightly lighter types returned $3.02-$3.07/ kg. The Hereford-Devon bulls sold at lesser levels of $2.54-$2.72/ kg. Vetted-in-calf cows also had a good showing, with nearly all lines selling for $2.33-$2.39/kg. Other sections were small, and highlights included 27 weaner Friesian bulls, 197kg, at $742, and R2 Angus-Hereford heifers, 392kg, $3.01/kg. Just shy of 2000 sheep were offered at DANNEVIRKE last Thursday, with most of the action in the store lamb pens. A quality offering of cryptorchid lambs met firm demand, with the top end making $103-$109, and wether and ram lambs hot on their hooves at $103-$107. Ewe lambs were also good quality, with top lines making $104, and averaging $88.A small prime section included some heavy lambs, with prices ranging from $105-$129, while ewes traded at $72-$134. MANAWATU MANAWATU The weaner pens were full at RONGOTEA last Wednesday, with buyers favouring a lighter hoof print as a wet autumn continues, New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent Darryl Harwood reported. In the older cattle pens, in-calf Friesian cows made $710-$810, and Jersey, $560. Prices eased for boner cow’s, with better types making $1.60-$1.66/ kg, and lighter $1.33-$1.48/ kg. R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 435-555kg, made $2.70/kg, and Hereford, and Hereford-Friesian bulls, 610kg, $2.83-$2.84/kg. A bigger yarding of heifers saw Hereford-Friesian, 300-438kg, reach $2.53-$2.62/kg, but most other lines sold on a softer market at $2.31-$2.41/kg, with crossbred dropping away to $1.62-$1.89/kg. The weaner pens featured Hereford-Friesian steers, 218277kg, at $810-$860, with lighter types earning $455-$700, and crossbred, 215-225kg, $580-$710. Bulls came out in force, and Friesian, 200-212kg, made $660$705, Hereford-Friesian, 207235kg, $680-$710, and 135-165kg, $460-$560. Jersey bulls, 235-295kg, were buyable at $460-$510. Hereford-Friesian heifers were lighter types and traded at $530$695, while Angus and Anguscross fetched $440-$645. Calf numbers are falling, and Friesian bulls made $220-$345, HerefordFriesian $150-$350, and Angus, $300. Hereford-Friesian heifers fetched $150-$380, and Friesian, $80-$100. FEILDING held the last weaner fair nationwide for the season last Thursday, and while prices were still strong, they had come off the highs seen in peak season. Fewer prime lambs met fewer buyers which balanced out the lamb job last Monday, while the cattle sale was dominated by 360 dairy cows. Lamb prices held, with top lines earning $140-$150, though the yarding was mainly good ewe lambs, with the bulk trading at $108-$130. Store types fetched $76-$114. One buyer dominated the ewe section of 980 head, with heavy lines lifting to $113-$128, and medium firm at $83-$109. Lighter types sold on a steady market at $60-$81. It was the dairy cow’s day in the rostrum, and boner cow prices

Markets

were steady to easing, with the paddock buyers who have been very strong until now taking more of a back seat. The Friesian cow market held, with heavier lines averaging $1.80/kg, though the market wavered for lighter types, and 339-396kg returned $1.58-$1.66/kg. Jersey-cross cows were softer still, with 355-405kg managing just $1.40-$1.41/kg. Friesian featured in the heifer pens also, with all 303-440kg, and earning $2.11-$2.20/kg, while two lines of Angus-Hereford were store types and made $2.39-$2.46/kg. In-calf Friesian and Friesian-cross, 346-383kg, made $1.96-$1.98/kg, with Friesian cows fetching $1.99$2.00/kg. A grand total of nearly 15,000 weaner cattle have been sold through Feilding at this year’s weaner fairs, with Thursday’s fair the last chance to buy from decent numbers anywhere in the country. Buyers from the North and South Island turned out in good numbers, though the market did have a softer tone. Most of the weaners came from Taihape, with plenty of quality in the pens. Steers sold to a good spread of North Island buyers, with traditional lines ranging from $735-$905 for 150-200kg, and $915-$1100 for 210-270kg. Top Angus, 300-330kg, made $1125$1280. On a c/kg basis, heavy traditional lines made $3.90$4.10/kg, and lighter, $4.20-$4.40/ kg, though Angus, 155-180kg, sold to $4.68-$4.74/kg. Exotic steer numbers were low, with most trading at $825-$1020. The heifer market was helped along by South Island interest, with a large portion of the Angus heifers heading over the strait to build breeding herds. Angus, 200-250kg, sold for $785-$945, with most earning $3.80-$3.93/ kg. Angus-Hereford, 170-200kg, returned $690-$790, and 220250kg, $815-$860. CANTERBURY CANTERBURY A competitive buying bench on prime stock kept the market strong at CANTERBURY PARK last Tuesday, though the approaching winter threw more caution into the store lamb market.The store lamb offering of 2500 sold was bottom heavy with lighter mixed sex lambs, and cautious bidding saw these come back in price, with light lines trading at $59-$78. Medium lambs held their value at $83-$103, and good types made $97-$108. Prime lamb numbers pushed up to nearly 1300, but vendors were still well rewarded, with all types also up $3-$4. Heavier lambs were very sought after, with the top lines making $151-$157, with the majority earning $100-$149. The scenario was repeated in the ewe pens, with all lines subject to strong interest and trading at $90-$136 for most. One small line of scanned-in-lamb ewes proved popular at $161.The prime cattle section had plenty going for it, with a good showing in all classes. Cows numbered just over 80, and with space on the tight side, prices eased. The easing was marginal on the good beef cows, which returned $1.93-$2.08/ kg, though dairy lines falling, 425-475kg, came back to average $1.70/kg, with most 490-540kg earning $1.70-$1.88/kg. The very light cows however sold well to

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

were low, though two ex-service Angus, 990-1030kg sold over $2000 at $2.25-$2.29/kg. OTAGO OTAGO Only sheep were offered at BALCLUTHA last Wednesday, though there were good numbers and prices in both the prime and store lamb sections, PGG Wrightson agent Emmett Sparrow reported. Store lambs featured a good yarding, and prices were steady, with good types making $90-$98, medium $80-$87, and lighter, $70-$75. Heavy prime lambs lifted to $130-$145, with medium types firm at $115-$124, and lighter steady at $95-$110. Ewe numbers were low and of mixed quality, and while heavy ewes held last week’s values at $120-$140, medium types eased to $90-$105, with lighter lines following suit to $70$85. Two-tooth’s fetched $100.

UP CLOSE: Cow #456 being auctioned at the recent Matai Trust Farm onfarm dairy cow sale near Invercargill. More photos: farmersweekly.co.nz

good demand from paddock buyers, and 368-416kg made $1.44-$1.50/kg. Prime steer and heifers continued their strong run on the back of limited numbers, and steers, 588-700kg, sold for $3.00-$3.15/kg, with nearly all other lines trading somewhere in the $2.94-$3.04/kg range. Prime heifers hit $3/kg, though most traded at $2.85-$2.95/kg, while dairy-cross lines mainly fetched $2.70-$2.80/kg, and crossbred, 352-361kg, $2.46-$2.50/ kg. The bulk of the bulls were a consignment of store Friesian, and at 486-497kg, sold for $2.60/kg. Low numbers of store lambs continue to come forward at COALGATE, which is keeping the pressure on buyers, while a big offering of prime cattle sold with mixed results.Just over 1000 store lambs were penned, and by sale end they headed off in four main directions they headed off in four different directions as demand is not waning. The top lambs were rams at $105-$106, with most other good lines trading at $90-$100, and lighter types, $61$89.Prime lamb numbers were similarly low, though that is not as unusual for this time of year. Three main buyers dominated this market, and prices firmed to $100-$140. The ewe market continued its strong run, and light ewes lifted $2-$5 to achieve $50$79, while the better types mainly traded at $90-$129, with a small top end up to $133-$161. Breeding ewes are coming out slowly, and

one significant line of 189 mixed age sold very well at $154.A big yarding of prime heifers and cows kept auctioneers busy, and prices held up fairly well, though cows did ease. Heavy prime steers, up to 630kg, traded at $2.82-$2.95/kg, but as the weights dropped the c/ kg came up for the better quality lines, with forward beef stores, 401-437kg, achieving $3.10-$3.16/ kg. Prime heifers were not far behind the boys, and a good portion of the offering were 511560kg, and made $2.83-$2.90/kg, with second cuts earning $2.75$2.82/kg. Local trade also sold up to $2.80-$2.90/kg. Cows were mainly dairy, and prices eased to $1.65-$1.75/kg.Weaner cattle featured in a small store section, with a mainly beef and beef-cross line up selling well. Angus steers, 130-180kg, made $635-$780, with a heavier line to $1000, while traditional heifers, 142-161kg, returned $650-$715. SOUTH CANTERBURY SOUTH CANTERBURY A stunning day at TEMUKA could not hide the fact that winter is just around the corner, and prices for lighter lambs came off their high levels, while a further 940 cattle were offered, in 200 lots.While light lambs are still exceeding $3/kgLW, it is to a lesser degree, with most trading at $82$90 for male and mixed sex. The market improved as the weights did, and medium ewe lambs were firm at $93-$97with mixed sex at

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similar levels. Good mixed sex returned $97-$103, $2.84-$2.93/ kg and males, $95-$106.The first real yarding of breeding ewes proved popular, with most part of a capital stock consignment due to a farm sale. These were run-with-the-ram Romney-cross, and managed $140-$161. The prime lamb market was driven higher by one buyer, lifting $5$10, and cracking $150, though most sold for $100-$149. Ewes are still coming out despite most properties now having rams out, and the market continued its solid run, with most trading at $80$140. Cattle continue to come out in droves, with the yarding comprising of nearly 650 cows, with heifer numbers also high. The boner cow market was resilient, with the strength lying in the varied buying bench, as paddock buyers continue to battle for lines. The lightest Friesian cows were 430kg, and lifted 5-10c/kg, while most fell in the 500-600kg range and sold on a steady market at $1.65-$1.74/kg. Traditional cows eased as kill space is tight, with most making $1.86-$1.96/kg, and a consignment of Shorthorn, 508-595kg, returned $1.72-$1.73/ kg. Heavy heifer prices matched the steers, with the market driven by a fattener, and the bulk of the heavy beef steers and heifers managed $2.86-$2.96/kg. A big yarding of Friesian and Friesiancross heifers, 407-478kg, eased to $2.59-$2.74/kg. Bull numbers

+ +

SOUTHLAND SOUTHLAND Store cattle continue to come out in good numbers at LORNEVILLE, as vendors prepare for winter. The market was good for better types, though a common occurrence of late is a softening in prices for lesser quality cattle. The store lamb market was solid, and good types made $100-$110, medium $90-$95, and light, $78$85, with a small tail end earning $55-$60. A line of capital stock Coopdale ewe hoggets sold well at $130. It is hard to fault the prime market, with the best of the lambs selling to $120-$136, medium $110-$119, and lighter, $90-$109. Ewe prices are not far behind as the tops made $120-$150, medium $96-$115, and light, $70-$95, with very light condition ewes making $40-$60. Two-tooth’s traded at $70, and rams, $60-$96. Cows came out in big numbers, with prices steady, and the prime market also held for the better types. The best of the cows made $1.60-$1.70/kg, with medium types at $1.50-$1.60/kg, and light, $1.38-$1.50/kg. The best of the steers sold to $2.70-$2.80/ kg, though prices dropped away to $2.40-$2.58/kg for 400-440kg. Heifers, 450kg plus, returned $2.70-$2.75/kg, and 400-440kg, $2.60-$2.70/kg, while dairy types fetched $1.80-$2.20/kg.Good quality store cattle featured in the pens, and included R2 Herefordcross steers, 444-484kg, which made $2.80-$2.92/kg. Weaner Hereford bulls, 180-200kg, sold for $710-$850, and heifers, 150200kg, $610-$760. Angus-cross bulls, 169kg, returned $600, with Friesian steers, 260kg, buyable at that level also. CHARLTON ticked off another sheep sale with solid results for vendors, PGG Wrightson agent David Morrison reported. A large gallery of buyers gathered for an equally large offering of store lambs, ensuring that last week’s values were maintained. Good lambs returned $100, medium $85-$90, and light, $65-$80. Prime lambs also sold on a steady market, with heavy types making $131, medium $110-$115, and lighter, $90-$95. Medium and light ewes firmed to $100-$115 and $70-$75, while heavy lines returned $129. Two-tooth’s traded at $95-$100, and rams, $70-$100.

Markets

48 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 22, 2017 US IMPORTED 95CL BULL

NI SLAUGHTER COW

SI SLAUGHTER COW

FRIESIAN BONER COWS, 475-575KG, AT TEMUKA

(NZ$/KG)

($/KG)

($/KG LW)

7.62

4.20

3.95

1.70

$2.80-$2.90/kg high lights R2 Friesian bulls, 390490kg, at Frankton

Farmers must meet market alan.williams@nzx.com

REALITY CHECK: With no sign of improvement the wool market might have to adjust to a different level, Wool Services International chief executive John Dawson says.

said there was no change in market conditions with no sign of an increase in Chinese demand. While demand from supporting regions such as Western Europe and Australasia was still present, it was not enough to soak up the volumes on offer. The market would likely continue to move sideways until there was some significant change but that was not on the horizon yet. Spikes in prices might be driven by exchange rate movements and some short term cover requirements but would not be sustainable. Wool was still being held back from the market, largely by farmers but also by brokers and exporters. That will

become a concern only if they continued to be held back indefinitely. Most farmers were now well aware of the issues and were not expecting a rapid adjustment to prices but the speed of the downturn had taken many in the industry by surprise. There was plenty of volatility in Chinese buying behaviour, which should keep the market very cautious going forward. With no sign of change it was likely the wool market might have to adjust to a different level so 2017 looked to be a very challenging year for NZ wool. Thursday’s sale had 7600 bales on offer and the clearance rate was 85%, a

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higher level than at many previous sales. There was a small range of mid-micron and fine wools, attracting very strong demand. Overall sales included (per micron, all in kg/clean): Full wool, good to average colour: 25m $11.38, 26m $10.33, 27m $9.82, 28m $8.56, 29m $7.60, 32m $4.50, 33m $3.97, 34m $3.81, 35m $3.80, 36m $3.81, 37m $3.91, 38m $3.85, 39m $3.84. Crossbred second shear: 33m 3 to 4 inches $3.92, up 17c, 35m 3 to 4 inches $3.85, up 15c, 37m 3 to 4 inches $3.78, up 21c, 2 to 3 inches $3.32, up 2c, 39m 3 to 5 inches $3.78, up 21c, 3 to 4 inches $3.71, up 19c, 2 to 3 inches $3.33, up 3c.

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R2 Hereford-Devon bulls from Chatham Islands, 330370kg, at Stortford Lodge

100 years old and still going strong

Alan Williams OOD colour lambs’ wool was well bid at the Christchurch auction on Thursday, with gains of up to 7%. Highlights were 31 micron crossbred up 23c to $3.66kg/ clean compared to the previous, May 4, sale, 32 micron up 21c to $3.61kg/ clean, 29 micron up 14c at $4.29kg/clean and 30 micron up 12c to $3.85kg/clean. The 33 micron was steady at $3.80. There was spirited bidding for good colour, better prepared crossbred wool generally from a full bench of buyers but getting poorer quality wools away remained a struggle, PGG Wrightson South Island sales manager Dave Burridge said. That was the wool that was passed in or withdrawn before sale only to be brought back to a later sale and again not selling. There was a lot of it in store and brokers were telling farmers there was now no point in reissuing it to the market unless they were prepared to meet the market, Burridge said. There were only three Christchurch sales left before the end of the season, with an oversupply still to be sold. Those stocks would soon be competing with higher quality, early pre-lambing shear wool. Wool Services International chief executive John Dawson

$2.55-$2.70/kg

I’M GOING to put Frankton sale yards in the spotlight this week as they win the award for the biggest increase in cattle numbers through the rostrum in a month and also for stickability Suz Bremner – with the first sale in May AgriHQ Analyst selling right into Seven Sharp time – not that Mike Hosking would have noticed. Frankton sale yards is just a stone’s throw from Hamilton CBD and like most rural New Zealand towns and cities, was once the hub of the region, with the city growing around it. Selling started at Frankton in 1917, making 2017 very significant as the yards celebrate their 100th birthday. Of interest is that back in the day most of the stock sold was transported by rail, with the rest arriving on foot though, of course, today all stock is transported by truck. With Waikato being dairy dominant, most of the cattle sold at Frankton are of dairy origin in some form, with Hereford-Friesian extremely popular and regularly making premiums over straight beef. In this milestone year, the future is looking bright with throughput increasing on average levels to a record last year of 31,300 store cattle with 2017 looking to continue in the same vein. May 2017 really was a standout and while there are still a few more sales to go, to date numbers have been up 300-1300 head on 2016. The talk is that the cattle we are seeing are the autumn tip-out (good term that), which has started a few weeks earlier than usual as buyers take the money and run while prices are high. Also a possibility is that the number kept onfarm when growth was good was underestimated and now that the days are shorter and colder, these cattle are being pushed into market. Whatever the reason, Frankton is looking good for a 100-year-old. suz.bremner@nzx.com

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