Farmers Weekly NZ October 2 2023

Fonterra defers Scope 3 plans

Values over vitriol

presidents since May last year and a largely new executive after three resigned due to the workload.

THE primary sector has become divided after six years dealing with new government legislation, leaders say.

Trying to meet the expectations of farmers, growers and the government, they say, has caused division and taken an enormous toll on leaders.

Rural confidence has been negative for years. People are angry, leaders subject to personal attacks and support for ginger groups such as Groundswell is growing among those feeling disaffected.

Against this backdrop, levy payers have asked producer bodies to be more active in advocacy, but this is now being questioned.

New Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford wants greater clarity about the roles of Federated Farmers, Beef + Lamb NZ (BLNZ) and DairyNZ, which he says now overlap.

He sees Feds as farmers’ political voice and BLNZ and DairyNZ as having roles in extension, science and, for BLNZ, marketing.

Federated Farmers has had two

BLNZ has a new chair in Kate Acland, and there are new chief executives at DairyNZ, Campbell Parker, and at HortNZ, Nadine Tunley.

BLNZ released a report this week that says that in the past six years the government has introduced more than 20 rules and regulations that affect the primary sector.

Langford said the resulting workload has exhausted leaders.

“I’m not surprised there has been a bit of a changing of the guard. There has been a bit of a leadership fatigue,” he said.

Acland said the He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) debate was especially divisive and created anger and mistrust as leaders juggled the multiple views of levy payers and the limits of transparency permitted during negotiations.

“HWEN really fragmented our sector,” she said.

“Climate change is a reality and we have to deal with it, but where we got it wrong with HWEN is we got too far ahead of farmers.

“The government did not lead by providing choices and

Continued page 5

Contractors, crops waiting for the sun

North Island farmers and contractors are waiting for paddocks to dry out enough to get silage mowing and cultivation work underway. Fine, windy weather in early September gave way to heavy rain, leaving soils in some regions waterlogged, though the Hawke’s Bay arable chair for Federated Farmers, Hugh Abbiss, says the earlier fine weather has made conditions ideal for early crop sowing.

NEWS 5

Letting sleeping dogs lie in comfort

Barbie Cassidy started making knopped wool dog beds 32 years ago. She didn’t expect it to take over her life.

PEOPLE 24

Delays in approval to use crop chemicals are disadvantaging NZ farmers and growers.

NEWS 6

NZ’s free trade deal with the UK is already paying dividends for red meat exporters.

MARKETS 7

Don’t blame farm animals for the crypto outbreak in Queenstown, Alan Emerson says.

OPINION 22

Neal Wallace NEWS Leadership

Photo: Vicky O’Connor

National will end the war on farmers.

National

knows how important farming is to New Zealand – it’s how we pay our way in the world.

We’ll cut the red tape holding you back, and work with you not against you to reduce emissions and protect the environment – without shutting down farms.

Rural communities are the backbone of our country, and the primary sector is our biggest export earner.

Read our agriculture policies at www.national.org.nz

National will:

• Cut Labour’s red tape and ensure farming regulations are fit for purpose

• Supercharge the rural economy by doubling the RSE working cap, banning foreign farm-to-forest conversions for carbon farming and allowing normal rural activities on Highly Productive Land

• Get Wellington out of farming by replacing one-size-fits-all rules with local decision making

• Give farmers the tools they need to reduce emissions, by lifting the effective ban on GE and GM technologies and rewarding farmers for on-farm carbon sequestration.

Kiwi farmers are among the most efficient in the world. National will back you because rebuilding the economy depends on a thriving primary sector.

Authorised by J de Joux, 41 Pipitea St, Wellington.

Authorised by J de Joux, 41 Pipitea St, Wellington.

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News in brief

Poor result

Synlait Milk’s 2023 financial results were all bad, with six out of seven key metrics going down. Losses and reductions were reported in revenue, down 3%, a net loss after tax of $4.3 million, earnings down 3%, gross profit down 2%, operating cash flow down 83% and capital expenditure down 31%. Synlait has lost five supply farms to its main Dunsandel processing plant and four from the Pōkeno plant.

Entries open

Applications for the 2024 Zanda McDonald Award have opened. The trans-Tasman award is open to Australian and NZ residents aged 21-35 working in the agriculture sector, and provides development for personal and professional growth. Harriet Bremner, a farmer at Jericho Station, Manapouri, Southland, was this year’s NZ winner.

Last charter

Zespri’s last charter vessel of the 2023 kiwifruit season has departed the Port of Tauranga. Around 782t of Zespri SunGold kiwifruit and 3621t of Zespri Green kiwifruit are on board the Discovery Bay, which and is expected to reach Tokyo in early October. Zespri has used 51 charter vessels to ship this season’s kiwifruit from NZ – including four to Northern Europe, eight to the Mediterranean, two to North America’s west coast and 37 to Asia. The season’s final container shipments will leave in coming weeks.

Plenty of bulls

Fifty-two bulls have been nominated as sires in the Informing NZ Beef programme’s upcoming mating season, the highest number since the across-breed progeny test was launched in 2020. Angus, Hereford and Simmental breeders have nominated the bulls for the 2023 mating of the programme’s test, which will help evaluate good bulls while demonstrating the differences and similarities between the breeds and the benefits of hybrid vigour.

Automatic teat spraying. An

Why

You may as well do it right if you’re going to do it anyway. And there’s nothing better than an extra pair of hands.

Contractors, crops waiting for the sun

harvest the usual amount of grass silage as other years.

BRING on the sunshine.

That’s the plea from North Island farmers and contractors as they wait for paddocks to dry out enough to get silage mowing and cultivation work underway.

The fine, windy weather in early September has given way to heavy rain, leaving soils waterlogged. With soil temperatures rising and pasture starting to grow, farmers are starting to make cropping decisions.

Rural Contractors New Zealand president Helen Slattery said many in Waikato are now playing a waiting game until the ground is dry enough to handle machinery.

“We have had warmth so there is grass growth, which is awesome to see, and the tractors are almost able to get onto the paddocks to do cultivation work.

“There’s still areas that they can’t and it’s going to be that fine line of needing to get things in and is it dry enough.

“Let’s just hope that last week isn’t the only fine weather we get this season because last year was just absolutely incredible. It affected contractors not just

Continued from page 1

demonstrating how farmers can take each step.”

BLNZ has had to become politicised to deal with government policies, she said, and this has led to confusion.

“The last three years we have had to be tactical with what we can influence,” she said.

Former BLNZ chair Andrew Morrison became a casualty of the failed HWEN discussions when he was voted off the board at this year’s annual meeting.

Levy payers felt the proposed HWEN solution on pricing

monetarily but also mental health-wise.”

Waikato Federated Farmers arable chair Donald Stobie said some dairy farmers who annually purchase maize silage are signalling to growers they will either be buying a similar volume or slightly less because of the low payout.

agricultural emissions was unfair to beef and lamb farmers and the tone of remits at the meeting indicated dissatisfaction with BLNZ’s performance.

“The clear message was about the process, listening and understanding,” Acland said.

She conceded that the mix of fear and frustration led to the formation of Groundswell.

“I acknowledge and sympathise with that view but don’t always agree,” she said.

The dairy industry does not appear to have had the same internal conflict, but among the 13 candidates seeking a director’s

A TIME TO SOW:

The recent rain in Hawke’s Bay is welcome, says Federated Farmers Hawke’s Bay arable chair Hugh Abbiss. ‘Everything was due a drink. While it’s held up planting and cultivation, in general everything is in good shape.’

The wet autumn and winter have also prevented a lot of maize blocks being planted back into grass after harvest and this, along with the wet conditions and pasture damage, mean there could be less grass silage made, he said.

“People might think they will cut the same area, but there will be less quantity per hectare that comes off.”

There are no issues with maize seed supply, despite maize seed growers’ crops being battered by Cyclone Gabrielle. Most of the seed supply companies have 40-50% of their stock kept in cool storage to ensure supply and this will be used to cover any shortfall, he said.

He estimated planting costs will be around $300-$400/ha less than last year due to the fall in fertiliser prices.

sweetcorn, the region’s arable chair for Federated Farmers, Hugh Abbiss, said.

It had been getting so dry that it was starting to cause some concern and the most recent rain was welcome.

“Everything was due a drink. While it’s held up planting and cultivation, in general everything is in good shape,” he said.

McCain is offering good prices for these crops.

“It’s given a bit of confidence in terms of potential returns.

“Process vegetables have had very good uptake, and that’s largely on the back of pricing.”

Cultivation has also started on crops such as onions and maize. Crops going into the ground now will be planted into moisture, which will give them a good start, he said.

Growers are also growing slightly less because of this softer demand.

“Although there’s been all the talk about the El Niño, right at the moment, I don’t think people are looking that far ahead.”

With the amount of paddock damage from the weather and the short pasture covers on farm, it is likely that farmers might not

role at this year’s annual meeting, at least three have indicated that they want the organisation to take a more political role.

DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel said the key for leaders is to maintain trust and, having engaged with 3000 farmers in meetings over HWEN, the body had thought it had achieved that.

It had not, and the debate was lost as the issue became clouded and confused.

Having spent 23 years in governance roles, Van der Poel said he knows change is difficult but he can still sit down and have a cup of tea with detractors.

“Although fertiliser prices have come back from their peaks, other cost are probably now locked in at new levels, and a few still rising also, like fuel and insurance. This will make this cropping season a challenge for some growers.”

The recent rain was welcomed in Hawke’s Bay, where after a wet winter, dry weather through August-September made conditions ideal for early sowing of peas, beans, malting barley and

Morrison said issues that divide the sector are not going away and farmers need to decide if they want to be part of the solution.

“Until we fix it, the conversation is not going away and the problem is that we could get a top-down solution: ‘I will tell you how we are going to fix it.’”

Leaders accept they will be judged, but they still deserve respect.

“This is where the farming community has got to sit down and decide if they want to beat up their leaders or support them.”

He said behaviour has at

It is still too cold for summer feed crops and no grass silage is being cut yet because pasture covers are still too tight.

Slattery said the labour issues that have plagued rural contractors over the past few years during the covid-19 border closures have largely gone and while it is always a struggle to find good staff, many employees are reengaging machinery drivers from the northern hemisphere to come and work for the season.

times crossed the line of what is acceptable, citing Groundswell selling golf balls at Fieldays with images of cabinet ministers on them.

“When people start raising personal issues and playing the man rather than the ball, do we as a sector really want to go down that path, is that where we want our sector to be?

“The reality is that if we want to be the best farmers in the world, we need to display behaviour to support that.”

MORE:

More coverage p9, 10, 11

Gerald Piddock NEWS Arable

Photo: Vicky O’Connor

EPA drops ball on crop treatment options

example of a pest whose impact could have been reduced, had chemical approvals been pushed through quicker.

GROWING delays in getting Environmental Protection Authority approval on crop chemicals are potentially disadvantaging New Zealand farmers and growers and narrowing their options as key markets start banning the use of older chemicals.

Data supplied to Farmers Weekly shows delays of up to five times the time limits laid out under EPA statutes, stalling the release of new treatments and the use of existing chemicals for new pests and diseases.

Companies applying for new product approvals claim they are not receiving acknowledgment of the application for some time afterwards, in some cases years.

The statutory time frames placed on EPA approvals only come into effect on acknowledgment of the application, and time waivers can also be used by the agency to extend the approval window.

Data indicates that for category C applications, products with an active ingredient new to NZ took 577 days to be approved in 2022/23.

This was more than five times longer than the statutory 100 days.

Prior to 2016, 94% of applications for new actives were processed on time. Now these are pushed out with time waivers and delays in acknowledging receipt of the application.

High-priority applications needed to control biosecurity outbreaks are also slow in being approved.

An average turnaround for urgent assessments of products already approved but needed to deal with an incursion are taking up to 190 days, rather than the required 10.

Industry sources have cited the arrival of the fall army worm as an

Dr Alison Stewart, CEO of the Foundation for Arable Research, said approval for the spray produced by agri-chem company Corteva was granted only this February, despite fall army worm having been in NZ for almost a year before that.

She said delays with the EPA have been an issue for the past six years, with approval times putting NZ growers behind the rest of the world in treatment options.

“Some of these applications are for biological treatments and they [the EPA] do not have the people with experience in assessing this type of product. The system is set up for chemicals. It’s like a round peg in a square hole.

“It is an issue for growers, who are seeing resistance build up to existing sprays, and they need to be able to mix and match but alternatives are not there.”

Containment applications seeking to research and trial new chemicals are also delayed, taking over 90 days against the statutory limit of 30 days.

A spokesperson for Animal Plant Health NZ, the industry group for crop and animal treatments, said as the European Union moves on its Green Deal strategy, pressure will mount given the backlog of approvals and lack of suitable EUapproved alternatives.

“By 2030 many of the products currently used in New Zealand will no longer be accepted, as the strategy aims to phase out many existing agrichemicals.

“Our industries are relying on the reworking of old chemistry and products which will soon no longer be acceptable to overseas markets.”

One example is the wine industry needing biological controls to replace synthetic bug killers – which are available, but not registered here.

Kiwifruit and onions also need such treatments.

Zespri’s head of global public affairs, Micheal Fox, said the EPA’s processes for assessing agrichemicals should be as transparent, evidence-based and efficient as possible to provide the industry with more certainty.

“These areas could all be improved,” he said.

“We would like to see the EPA improve the time it takes to process applications, to partner

with industry on study design, and provide clarity on its processes, in order to support the success of New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry and the wider primary sector.”

Vegetables NZ has raised similar concerns over the time taken for approvals, and the cost of applications incurred by companies with new products.

Dr Chris Hill, general manager for hazardous substances and new organisms at the EPA, said the time it typically takes to process applications in NZ is comparable to that in other countries and regions with similar regulatory systems.

“As for many organisations, limited resourcing in recent years, coupled with the flow-on effects from covid-19, have made hiring and retaining the necessary expertise a challenge.

“This has affected our processing time frames and led to a queue of applications waiting to be

assessed. This cumulative effect is the major contributor to the current challenges,” he said.

He acknowledged the EPA does typically seek to extend the 30-working day period for a new substance, saying it has never been a practicable period.

“The overall time frames also don’t account for when we have requested and are waiting on supplementary information from the applicant.

“This is also an issue internationally, and often misconstrued as poor performance by the regulator.”

He said in 2022 18 rapid applications usually aimed at biosecurity responses were approved, and the EPA is on track to meet or better that this year.

Stewart welcomed Hill’s confirmation that the EPA has 2023 Budget funding to employ four more staff this year and another three next year.

Richard Rennie NEWS Regulation

Our industries are relying on the reworking of old chemistry and products, which will soon no longer be acceptable to overseas markets.

Spokesperson Animal Plant Health NZ

LAGGING: FAR CEO Dr Alison Stewart says delays with the EPA have been an issue for the past six years.

FTA already lifting UK red meat sales

Bryan Gibson MARKETS

Beef and sheep

THE free trade agreement with the United Kingdom is already paying dividends for red meat exporters but global markets will remain subdued for a while yet, Meat Industry Association chief executive Sirma Karapeeva says.

Speaking on the Farmers Weekly In Focus podcast, Karapeeva said over the past three months, New Zealand has exported 650t of beef worth about $8.1 million to the UK, which is a significant increase in volume and value compared to last year.

“And last year when we were exporting beef into the UK, we were paying at least a 20% tariff. So we are starting to see some meaningful tariff savings in the first three months of the FTA already. It shows that these trade agreements can add real value and make things a little bit easier, particularly in these rough economic times.”

Karapeeva has just returned from China, where she led a Meat Industry Association technical delegation.

“We’re looking at things like training of meat inspectors, residue monitoring in terms of meat hygiene, as well as some of the settings around the supply chain and the cold chain.

People have clearly gone through a tough time during the covid restrictions and zero-covid policy times, but that is well and truly behind them.

Sirma Karapeeva Meat Industry Association

“More specifically, [it was about how to] work together with the Chinese standards, authorities and agencies to make sure that the standards that are applied in market actually maintain the quality of the cold chain, so that the product reaches the consumer at its optimum quality.”

Karapeeva said post-covid China is different to the one she visited prior to the pandemic, but while the economy is subdued there are opportunities for NZ exporters.

“People have clearly gone through a tough time during the covid restrictions and zero-covid policy times, but that is well and truly behind them.

“People are moving on, they are looking at opportunities in the market and elsewhere.

“But people are a little bit more cautious about what they buy, how they buy, and why they buy. As individuals and consumers that is really targeting their need for better health and nutrition.

“I’m speaking specifically around food and quality, quality, quality. A lot of those attributes or consumer drivers work well with the products that we are offering because we’ve got a good story to tell, but we probably need to be a bit more focused on how we tell that story.”

Other global markets mirror China, and Karapeeva predicts demand to remain flat in the medium term.

“Overall, exports so far this year from January to August have been relatively subdued compared with the same period last year. That’s both in terms of volume, but particularly in terms of value. The value has come down for both beef and sheepmeat, which, as I said before, is a reflection of the general global economic conditions and consumer caution around spending and inflation.

“Beef exports to the US have been relatively low in recent times and that’s specifically because there has been quite a lot of drought-driven domestic beef

CHANGED:

MIA CEO Sirma Karapeeva has just returned from China, where she says she found a di erent country to the one she visited before the pandemic.

production in the United States. And that has obviously displaced imported product.

“But we understand that the drought is hopefully going to come to an end very soon and once that happens the US will move into a rebuilding phase. And we’re hoping that once that’s fully underway there is likely to be a significant demand for imports of beef to make up for the reduction in domestic supply that’s likely to occur.”

MORE:

Listen to Farmers Weekly In Focus wherever you nd your podcasts.

Record $41,000 yearling bull price at Twin Oaks

Livestock

A RECORD $41,000 was paid for an Angus yearling bull, Twin Oaks T019, at the Twin Oaks Calving Ease Angus sale for Roger and Susan Hayward, at Waipapa station, Te Akau, Waikato.

The buyer on bidr was Craig Davie-Martin, a Northland breeder of calving ease Angus genetics under the trading name MVP Ag, Waiotira.

Davie-Martin said the yearling bull by Australian-bred Millah

Murrah Paratrooper has excellent calving ease direct (CED), gestation length, birthweight and growth figures plus very good body depth and thickness right through.

MVP already has a Paratrooper half-brother bought last year that has been performing very well.

Twin Oaks also sold a bull for $11,000 to Maranui Angus, Waihi, and in total sold 55 out of 57 bulls offered, with an average price of $5458.

Stokman Angus, Rotorua, had a top price of $15,000 made four times, twice by Davie-Martin.

The other two high prices were

paid by Tangihau Angus and Komako Angus.

Stokman sold 88 from 108 offered and averaged $4317.

The Davie-Martins have bought from Stokman before and in 2018 they paid $27,000 for Real Deal as a yearling, which became the No 1 bull in New Zealand for CED.

Hallmark Angus, Hawke’s Bay, sold all 30 bulls offered, with an average of $3770 and a top price of $6000, made twice.

Takapoto Angus, Cambridge, sold 22 from 33 offered with a top price of $4400 and an average of $2690.

Black Ridge Angus, Taumarunui,

sold 17 from 20 yearlings for an average $3011 and a top price of $6500 paid by Mike Tibby.

Riverlee Herefords, Kimbolton, sold all 58 of their two-year bulls offered, averaging a steady $3024, with a top of $3300.

Riverton Ezicalve Herefords, Whanganui, sold 85 of 90 with an average of $3300 and a top of $5600 paid by Ardo Herefords.

Ardo Ezicalve Herefords, Marton, sold 20 of 25 two-year bulls with an average price of $2724, and 67 of 88 yearling bulls, averaging $2986. The top price was $6200 paid for lot 62 yearling bull Ardo

Trust 2065 by Stephen LyonsMontgomery, Belhavel Herefords, Rotorua.

Vendor Will Morrison said the averages were down on recent years by as much as $500, reflective of the tough economic times. A good selection of bulls remains available for paddock sales and Ardo has large orders outside of auction day.

“A number of clients are making some of their bulls do an extra season or are expecting more matings from the bulls, so they have paused or pruned back their purchasing,” he said.

We want to hear what you think about our proposed plan to administer the M. bovis Programme in the coming years

A proposal is being made to change how the Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) Eradication Programme is administered.

As the eradication effort enters a new phase, evolving the programme will ensure it continues to adapt to the work that remains ahead.

We are seeking feedback on the proposal especially from those who play an important part in the ongoing success of the eradication programme including farmers, meat and dairy processors, testing labs, and vets.

Submissions close 23 October 2023.

You can find the full draft proposal and more information - including how to make a submission - on the MPI website: www.mpi.govt.nz/consultations.

Hugh Stringleman MARKETS

Congratulations to the Finalists

At Silver Fern Farms the needs of our customers drive how we do things. It’s central to our Plate to Pasture strategy and it’s why we’re so proud to sponsor the B+LNZ Awards Market Leader category.

Congratulations to the finalists, who exemplify the market focus that connects global consumers with New Zealand’s top producers.

Silver Fern Farms Market Leader Award finalists

Ongaha (Featherston) Pearl Veal (Christchurch) Verry Farming Ltd (Te Kuiti)

Lessons from frontlines of ag leadership

Neal Wallace NEWS Leadership

NEEDING to balance the expectations of farmers, politicians and the public means leadership is never a popularity contest.

Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford is discovering that it is an education in time management and being media savvy while also being incredibly accessible.

All that has to be tempered by having limits on what information he can share.

“I have got to tread that fine line about what I know and insights that I have, which is often more than the average farmer, but I have to bring farmers along with me.”

Acknowledging the sector is divided, Langford said that is due in part to a disconnect between the expectations of members and what can realistically be achieved – but also a failure by legislators

to acknowledge the impact of their policies.

Regardless, solutions need to be found.

“If farmers say, ‘They can go

and get stuffed’ then something is wrong.”

Three years ago lobby groups such as Groundswell did not exist, but social media has given them a voice and created an entity around which angry farmers have rallied.

Langford said he understands this, given frustrations at the pace, volume and scope of new legislation.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (BLNZ) chair Kate Acland said achieving consensus is fraught, which is why the focus has to be on transparent and open processes. She wants to review and redefine BLNZ’s purpose and strategy and ensure it can deliver it.

“Success for me is a strategy that delivers tools for the future with farmers that are well engaged and they have got someone keen and ready to take over the farm.” She wants to be judged on her ability to unite and align the sector.

“When sheep and beef farmers are tight and aligned, that is when we are strongest.”

Rabobank NZ chief executive

Todd Charteris said communities have different expectations but he has misgivings about the influence of social media in fuelling division.

“It’s easy for any view to be publicised. It does not need to be credible, but simply someone’s view.”

As economic conditions deteriorate, Charteris said, the job of leaders becomes tougher, especially given the challenge of producing the same or more from fewer resources and with a smaller environmental footprint.

“Leadership is not a popularity exercise, but leadership is all about stepping out of the shadow, which can be uncomfortable.”

Leaders need to cut through the noise and make informed decisions, but Charteris said some have been berated or criticised for doing just that.

“All sector leaders have put in a massive effort, energy and commitment and all have made sound, conscious decisions based on the information available at the time and with the best intentions.”

Despite these challenges, he is optimistic quality leaders will continue to emerge.

NZ Kiwifruit chief executive Colin Bond said after bouncing back from the PSA outbreak, sector leaders have been confronted with difficult years from covid to poor quality fruit, labour issues, squeezed margins, environmental and chemical constraints and climatic issues.

This has created frustration among levy payers but Bond said leaders provide a vision and focus on opportunities for the sector.

It is tough seeing growers grappling with challenges, but despite this tension and these challenges, Bond said, it is a rewarding role.

“It is rewarding. The good days are great days and put the bad days in perspective.”

Bond said young people are still stepping up, because they want to make a difference.

“Attending Young Grower of the Year competitions are some of the best days in this job and reminds you of the exuberance of youth.”

In the firing line when HWEN kicked off

Neal Wallace NEWS Leadership

FOR Andrew Morrison, the scenario is quite simple.

Whether the primary sector is ready or not, policies are coming to address climate change, water quality, resource management and indigenous biodiversity.

“Does agriculture want to be part of the solution or have someone in Wellington dictating what happens?” asked the former chair of Beef + Lamb New Zealand (BLNZ).

Having successfully beaten cancer at the age of 36, Morrison reflected and decided to put his

energy into the industry he loved, agriculture.

“It is NZ and we need the best outcomes and the most forwardthinking people to embrace those challenges,” he said.

As chair of BLNZ, Morrison was one of those who fronted the debate about pricing agricultural greenhouse gases, a debate that polarised the sector when the potential cost of a proposed agreement was considered too damaging to sheep and beef farmers.

Morrison subsequently lost his board position at this year’s BLNZ election to Geoffrey Young, who was backed by the Groundswell lobby group.

Morrison said BLNZ has always

worked with other producer groups but agreed to a request from levy payers to advocate and lobby more on their behalf and for agricultural bodies to work together on an agricultural emissions policy.

But when He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) failed to meet the expectations of many, farmers became polarised. This was reflected in the tone of remits passed at BLNZ’s annual meeting, which included a call for BLNZ to prioritise the interest of its levy payers.

Morrison said advocacy does not always mean groups win their arguments, and having one sector win and another lose is not a desirable solution.

BLNZ could not convince officials to accept all its positions on freshwater reforms, nor HWEN on climate change, but it did moderate government positions.

“We told the government you cannot ask farmers to pay a greenhouse gas price when you will not look at the other side of the ledger, at the sequestration that is occurring. That is not fair nor equitable.”

The government was similarly informed about the shortcomings of freshwater reforms.

“We didn’t roll over on that stuff. We didn’t agree.”

Taking the sharp edges off government regulation has been challenging, he said, but farmers

cannot ignore that consumers want food produced in a certain way.

Much of that work is being done, such as on-farm carbon sequestration, the work of catchment groups and pending farm environment plans, but it needs formal validation.

Morrison accepted that leaders have got some things wrong, but said it was not due to a lack of effort.

“The time and effort BLNZ has invested in this stuff is phenomenal and comes at a personal cost to leaders and management who are trying to get the best outcome.

“We have worked as hard as anybody could.”

VOICE: Wayne Langford says social media has given lobby groups a voice and created an entity around which angry farmers have rallied.

Pushing leaders beyond reason and remit

organisations and if they don’t perform or give us the message we want, we crucify them.”

Smith gave the examples of Beef

FARMERS are asking industry good bodies to solve problems they should be addressing themselves, a young industry leader says.

Jenna Smith, the chief executive of an iwi-owned dairy operation, Pouarua Farms on the Hauraki Plains, said the industry is divided, with that division fuelled by fear of the unknown.

She said farmers expect their levy groups to do too much on their behalf, and in doing so have broadened these groups’ mandates beyond what they were designed to be.

+ Lamb NZ, DairyNZ and Federated Farmers commissioning a study on the relevance of pricing methane, which she believes exceeded their remit.

Farmers have a responsibility to read international signals and position their businesses, but as a sector agriculture needs cohesion and ought to be headed in the same direction.

“We need to find out the direction of travel and be given tips and tools,” she said.

Cheyenne Wilson, the former chair of the Food and Fibre Youth Network and an adviser with Kaiwhakahaere Matua at Te Kaharangi Hono Ltd, questioned the calibre of sector leaders, especially senior management.

“I don’t know how many leaders I would follow,” she said.

When farmers do not get the answer or validation they want, they turn on them.

“We want them to be perfect,” she said of sector leaders.

“I am concerned we put a lot of responsibility on industry good

Wilson, a former contract milker, said leadership is being willing to risk your name and reputation in pursuit of something you believe in, but never at the expense of values.

Wilson said she is optimistic at the calibre of emerging young leaders.

“A lot of youth are standing up for what they believe in and they are willing to take risks.

“They are willing to listen and understand other people’s perspective.

“Leaders are not always the loudest people but are those that understand.”

One issue for young leaders is balancing the commitment of

leadership with the need to earn income and pay a mortgage. She understands farmers’ reservations about He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) but said they ignored an even worse alternative: becoming part of the Emissions Trading Scheme.

HWEN also failed because, she said, leaders did not take risks for the betterment of the sector.

“They had their own agendas and would not take a step back and ask why are they making these decisions and who are they making these decisions for?”

Neal Wallace NEWS Leadership

PRESSURE: Jenna Smith says farmers expect their levy groups to do too much on their behalf, and have broadened the groups’ mandates beyond what they were designed to be.

STANDARDS: Cheyenne Wilson questions the calibre of sector leaders, especially senior management.

If they don’t perform or give us the message we want, we crucify them.

Jenna Smith Pouarua Farms

Politics in the primary sector: who pays?

Neal Wallace NEWS Leadership

PHIL Weir is questioning whether he wants a leadership role in New Zealand agriculture.

The Nuffield scholar wrote his dissertation on structuring industry good bodies for the betterment of levy payers, but describes the option of a leadership role at present as “not overly attractive”.

“I’ve been thinking if I want to enter the world of leadership, but it has become so negative, personalised and people are lacking in the ability to respectfully agree to disagree.”

Those who don’t agree with current or proposed legislated changes to the sector are angry and those who want change are also angry, asking why it isn’t happening.

Weir said ordinary farmers in the middle feel they are losing touch with levy bodies that have become politicised.

“At the moment everyone seems to be piling into the policy and advocacy space.”

He questions the appropriateness of last week’s report for Beef + Lamb New Zealand (BLNZ) about the impact on the sector of six years of government environmental policies, saying that while it is factual, it has political overtones.

“Is it right for BLNZ to do that, is it stuff they need to do? That’s the bit that has become quite muddied at the moment.”

The intolerance of people towards anyone airing views that may differ from theirs is also discouraging him from a leadership role as it curbs the ability to have a conversation.

Weir’s Nuffield topic, Restructuring Industry Good for

the Future, asked if levy fund organisations should be involved in activities for which they do not have the widespread support of those paying.

“The Commodity Levies Act is a compulsory levy so it ultimate needs to act in areas where there is general consensus.”

He suggested a possible NZ organisation or peak body, Ahuwhenua New Zealand, be formed to take the lead in agnostic primary sector-good activities such as attracting and training people, improving farmers as employers, developing support tools, connection to markets, improving water quality and generic research and development.

He said farmers and stakeholders were confused by levy-funded bodies’ involvement in lobbying, advocacy, knowledge exchange, extension and research and development.

Similar bodies in the United

APPROPRIATE: Phil Weir raises the issue of political overtones in the release last week of Beef + Lamb NZ’s report on the impact of six years of government environmental policies.

States and United Kingdom decoupled advocacy and extension roles.

Weir said while He Waka Eke Noa was admirable in trying to negotiate a primary-sectorwide agreement on agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, the topic was political and reaching widespread agreement among levy payers was problematic.

“They picked an issue that individually there was never going to be general agreement.”

Federated Farmers and the evolution of groups such as Groundswell show that advocacy groups are there or will emerge as needed.

“When agriculture is pissed off, ginger groups will form and they fund themselves.”

When water took Bryce to boiling point

Neal Wallace NEWS Leadership

BRYCE McKenzie remembers when frustration and anger boiled over into action.

It was August 2020 and the West Otago farmer and co-founder of the ginger group Groundswell had attended a farmers’ meeting on the government’s new freshwater regulations.

He left angry that leaders had accepted rather than rejected what were obviously unworkable provisions in the policy, and at the meeting were telling farmers how to implement them.

“They weren’t making any noise.

“They were telling us how we can make it work,” he said.

“It was as if we had people who wanted to do what the

government said even though it could not possibly work.”

Laurie Paterson from Southland was similarly frustrated, and Groundswell was formed.

McKenzie said they touched a nerve.

Support quickly grew and now they have an email base of 100,000 and 66,000 followers on Facebook.

The common theme among those supporters is wanting someone who has their back and will listen to them.

“The constant thing we got told, is ‘Thank you for standing up for us,’” McKenzie said.

“They are doing all they can to look after the environment and to feed people, but they feel constantly criticised.”

He said adding to the frustration is the reality that aspects of new policies are unworkable, such as proposed livestock pugging limits from intensive winter grazing.

When Groundswell met Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor, McKenzie said, the minister enthusiastically told him they were making amendments. But “it was never workable and

should never have been included in the legislation in the first place”.

McKenzie said Groundswell has influenced change.

He said Federated Farmers has hardened its stance and is

speaking out more on issues, and Beef + Lamb New Zealand has changed its approach, even if it “comes and goes”. DairyNZ, he said, “keeps its head down and doesn’t say anything”.

He said it is noticeable that science is now being talked about in managing greenhouse gas emissions, especially methane.

“You’ve got people saying ‘Let’s go to science’, which we didn’t have before. They said previously that it was all cut and dried.”

He said Groundswell is not harking back to “the good old days” and is not opposed to rules and regulations per se.

“That is rubbish, we are not against regulations that work,” he said.

McKenzie hopes that Groundswell will one day not be needed but said there needs to be a strong entity that speaks for the primary sector.

NO MORE: Laurie Paterson and Bryce McKenzie’s frustrations with what they saw as unworkable regulations led them to draw a hard line in the sand.

Aus, consumer products a drag on Fonterra

Hugh Stringleman NEWS Dairy

FONTERRA’S stellar 2023 financial results contained some stinkers that prevented the net profit being even higher than the reported $1.6 billion.

Chief among them was the overall performance of the consumer products channel, which had a negative return on capital of 4.6%, considerably worse than in FY22, when the figure was minus 0.4%.

In contrast the ingredients division had a plus 16.4% return on capital, nearly double that of the previous year, and foodservice was 15.7%, nearly triple the previous year.

Chief financial officer Neil Beaumont said the consumer business performance was unacceptable but had improved in the second half of the financial year.

Two-thirds of the loss in consumer occurred in the first half, one-third in the second half.

In the profit after tax contributions from different products and markets, the consumer division was negative $164 million, while ingredients made $1.164bn and foodservice made $241m.

The negative result included $222m of impairments in Fonterra Brands NZ and in the Anlene and Anmum brands in southeast Asia.

The earnings for both foodservice and consumer channels are forecast to improve in the current financial year due to the lag effect of higher dairy product prices and as the lower cost of milk flows through.

Facing flat to declining milk production in NZ and Australia, Fonterra continues to look closely at its asset footprint.

Beaumont did not go into detail about plants and their age, eight of which are in Australia.

Fonterra Australia remains part of the co-operative after a review of its future. The business is doing well and is complementary to NZ brands and products, chief executive Miles Hurrell said.

Operating expenses in Australia

were up due to inflation and the settlement of the class action brought by farmers concerning the 2015/16 season.

Fonterra Australia carries $283m of goodwill and brands, compared with Fonterra Brands NZ $390m.

Non-NZ milk contributed 11% of the co-op’s revenue, mainly in Australia, where revenue was $2.5bn and the profit after tax only $23m, one-third of the previous year.

Total revenue was $26bn, up $2.5bn on the year before.

NZ milksolids allocation to whole milk powder manufacture was reduced and increased to skim milk powder, cream and cheese, where returns are more favourable. An additional 1.5% of total milk went to non-reference products last year, and they now use 31.4% of the total milk flow, compared with 27% five years ago.

Core ingredients, both reference and non-reference, took 75% of milk, active living products 5%, foodservice 13% and consumer products 6.5%.

China imports of dairy products fell by 11% during the year and

those of Asian countries outside of China were down 6%.

Middle Eastern imports were steady on the volumes of the previous year and Latin America was up 13%.

The $2/kg reduction in farmgate milk prices from the FY22 year to the FY23 was offset by $1 gain from foreign exchange.

Milk was collected from 8440 farms, down about 150 on the year before, and the average per farm was 171,000kg milksolids, about 2% up.

The cost of collecting milk has

risen from 2.4c a litre to 3.1c over the past two years, most notably through the increased cost of diesel.

At balance date, supplying shareholders held 83.75% of total shares, ceased shareholders were 8.62% and the FSF fund 6.7% Close to 1000 shareholders now hold fewer shares than the 1:1 share standard, down as low as the minimum 33% requirement for 245 of them.

In contrast, 1276 farms hold at least 20% more than their supply share standard.

Fonterra defers revealing Scope 3 emissions goal

end of the calendar year,” it said.

FONTERRA has delayed revealing its Scope 3 emissions target until the end of this year.

The co-operative made the announcement in its Sustainability Report when it released its annual results on September 21.

“We initially indicated that we would announce the target in the middle of 2023.

“However, timing is important, and we acknowledge that farmers have been under a lot of pressure ... With this in mind, we decided to delay introducing a Scope 3 target by a few months. We now expect to announce our target before the

Fonterra director global sustainability, stakeholder affairs and trade Simon Tucker said there have been good conversations with farmers so far and the co-operative remains committed to announcing the target before the end of the year.

“This engagement took a little longer than we initially planned, but it was important we took this extra time.

“Our customers are setting their own emissions reduction targets and wanting us to partner with them so they can achieve them.”

Tucker said the target will not be built into criteria around Fonterra’s Co-operative Difference framework.

The target, once it is revealed

will be based around emissions intensity and efficiencies. It will be a long-term target out to 2030 from a 2018 baseline, in line with Fonterra’s Scope 1 and 2 targets, he said.

This means any on-farm change now, in the future, or since 2018, will contribute to the cooperative’s overall target.

Asked if the delay means a reputational risk, he said: “Right now, our products are lower carbon than competitors, however there is a lot of activity across other markets to reduce emissions to meet their targets.

“While Fonterra’s reputation is not at risk today in delaying the target, we need to set the target in the near term to demonstrate our commitment to emissions

reduction and maintain our lower carbon position.”

The report also updated Fonterra’s progress on its farm environment plan uptake, revealing that 85% now have these plans with the goal of getting to 100% in 2025.

Tucker said the majority of detail and actions are required to make these plans compliant with the criteria in the government’s Freshwater Farm Plan that started rolling out in Southland and Waikato in August.

“We are working on solutions that streamline the alignment of a Fonterra farm environmental plan to a freshwater farm environmental plan and talking to government and councils about this.

“We are also in discussions with the Ministry for the Environment and regional councils to ensure that certification of the plans is as efficient as possible and does not include a significant amount of re-work.”

Its sustainable dairy advisers (SDA) will also be helping farmers in those two regions on making any changes.

Tucker said Fonterra’s Farm Insights Report – which gives farmers an estimated breakdown of their on-farm emissions –will remain separate from farm environment plans for now.

Looking ahead, Tucker said Fonterra has begun commissioning a new boiler at its Waitoa site and has begun converting its boiler to wood pellets at its Hautapu site.

REVIEW: Facing at to declining milk production in NZ and Australia, Fonterra continues to look closely at its asset footprint.

Gerald Piddock NEWS Emissions

Disaster planning resonates with Westport

Richard Rennie NEWS Climate change

AMAYOR whose district is at the sharp end of climate change is welcoming a proposed policy to better protect life and land from natural disasters and make it easier for councils to plan for them.

The Ministry for the Environment is seeking input to its proposed national policy statement (NPS) for natural hazard decision-making, which will have wide-ranging impacts on all future rural and urban development once in place.

Buller district mayor Jamie Cleine heads a district council whose catchment has been hit hard by repeated flood and weather events over the past 18 months.

The damage to Westport has prompted some intensive planning not only to mitigate against immediate flood risk, but on where the town will ultimately be relocated to over time to avoid longer term risks.

Cleine has yet to have a deep look at the NPS, but said at first glance it provides a guide to councils on how they interpret information and the level of importance they place on it.

“An NPS could work alongside the district plan changes, and the whole focus here is on hazardprone land and zoning changes.”

Prompted by the fallout from Cyclone Gabrielle and a year of mounting community losses across the country, the NPS requires decision-makers to determine the level of risk for a particular project. That risk is categorised as low, medium or high and the tolerance of those being exposed to that risk must be considered.

change impact. Cleine said the district is taking a sensible, considered approach to how it responds.

The NPS will have to be included in future local council considerations whenever new developments of residential, commercial or government infrastructure and buildings take place to minimise the effects on communities from natural hazards.

Westport received $22.9 million in resilience funding from the central government, with the lion’s share going towards a new flood protection scheme, but $2.5m has been allocated to adaptation and master planning for the future.

“And we are creating that right now. For us it is not about going to electric cars, it is about adaptation to what is happening now.”

It aims to try to iron out the high level of variability between local councils in how natural hazards are identified and how their risk is assessed.

At present there is no national direction to guide assessment where natural hazards may be an issue, meaning less weight is attributed to that under demands for the new infrastructure itself.

Westport is being regarded as something of a test case for community response to climate

He said it was not just about future flood risks for Westport, with the town facing triple risks of earthquake, flooding and liquefaction from rising water tables. Planning has meant there is room to relocate 300-plus homes over time nearby.

Cleine said there are as many as 35 communities throughout NZ facing challenges similar to Westport.

The insurance industry has also welcomed the NPS proposal. Insurance Council CEO Tim

MOVING: Westport is already dealing with the natural hazards the latest national policy statement aims to help councils with in coming years, Buller District mayor Jamie Cleine says.

Grafton – who is also still studying the NPS’s proposals – said at a high level having such an NPS will be helpful for insurers, councils and communities.

“We know we have seen developments in flood plain areas and building as close as possible to the high tide mark. Neither serves us well into the future.”

Last year set a new record for

New Zealand insurance payouts, with climate-related extreme weather claims topping $350m. Estimates are that, in Gabrielle’s wake, this year will be higher again.

Grafton said the challenge will be determining what is tolerable risk, but it means when developments are considered, risk will at least be on the agenda.

“It costs me less than 1¢ a day, per animal. If it’s going to help make my stock healthier and keep condition on them, it’s a win-win.” Maria Bamford Hurunui Hills, North Canterbury

For us it is not about going to electric cars, it is about adaptation to what is happening now.

Jamie Cleine Mayor of Buller District

Significant M bovis strain rears its head

“We don’t know yet, we are working through that and still to figure that out.”

ADAIRY farm in Canterbury has been confirmed infected with Mycoplasma bovis after it was first identified by standard bulk tank milk background screening.

The find follows several months of no infection. Testing has identified the strain as ST-21, the strain originally detected on a South Canterbury farm in 2017. Biosecurity NZ deputy directorgeneral Stuart Anderson said the ST-21 strain is significant at this point in the eradication programme.

The new infected property has not previously been infected. “It is connected to the old strain as that means it is likely connected historically to an infected property.

The property is situated in a pocket of dairy farms.

“It is surrounded by dairy farms so there will be a number of farms to test, including animal movements, that could be 10 farms.

“We expect the number of notice of directions will increase over the next few weeks.”

The M bovis Programme is working with the farmer on a plan to depopulate 1000 cows while also undertaking tracing of animal movements on and off the farm.

“This work will help identify the likely source of the infection and any other farms it may have moved to,” Anderson said.

In September 2022, a new strain of M bovis was identified on a dairy farm in Mid Canterbury, which has now been depopulated, cleaned, disinfected, and all movement restrictions lifted.

Imported semen is considered the most likely source of introduction of this new strain.

“We are pretty certain that new strain was localised and contained to just the one property which is now cleared.”

The new infection does not affect development of the proposed National Pest Management Plan to manage M bovis over the next few years.

“Since the disease was first identified in July 2017, we have learnt a lot about how best to control and remove infection from the NZ cattle population,” M bovis programme director Simon Andrew said.

said the contribution the farming community has made cannot be underestimated.

The programme is jointly funded by the government, 68%, and DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb NZ, 32%.

The budget for the 10-year programme, which started in July 2018, is $870m.

To protect the work and progress to date, the programme undertakes assurance activities to provide complete confidence that no infection has been left behind.

“This will ensure that our statement of absence from NZ stands up to scrutiny so everyone can be confident in the eradication declaration.”

The Ministry for Primary Industries is undertaking case reviews of historic M bovis infection with the additional information now available.

on how confirmed infected properties may or may not have been linked; the possible infection risk period; any cattle that may have been on a confirmed property within its highest risk period; additional cattle movements on and off infected properties; and where to focus disease control activities.

Andrew said in the majority of cases the reviews will be able to rely on the information already at hand to close off any potential risk identified with no further action required.

In a small number of cases, it may be necessary to contact farmers who have previously been involved in the programme, and their trading partners, to determine if any action is required to provide total confidence that infection is not present.

ON TARGET: The new infection does not a ect development of the proposed National Pest Management Plan to manage M bovis over the next few years.

This will ensure that our statement of absence from NZ stands up to scrutiny so everyone can be confident in the eradication declaration.

Simon Andrew M bovis director

But low risk is not the same as no risk, Andrew said.

TESTING: Deputy directorgeneral Biosecurity NZ Stuart Anderson says that, as with previous con rmed properties, it is likely the number of farms under movement restrictions will increase as neighbouring herds undergo testing.

“We have much more information on historic cattle movements in NZ and our processes and tools have matured over time.”

At a cost so far of more than $650 million, 280 farms depopulated and some 2800 farms subjected to movement controls over the past six years, Andrew

Animal movement records have improved greatly since July 2017 and the earlier years of the M bovis eradication effort, providing more insights about historic cattle movements in NZ.

This additional information, combined with improved tracing tools developed by the programme, means there is more information

“We will only contact you if we cannot identify another way to be sure that risk has been addressed.”

Looking ahead the risk of transmission via semen is considered very low, especially following the introduction of the new Import Health Standard (IHS) in May 2022.

As a precaution farmers are encouraged to use semen imported under the current IHS. Farmers planning to use bovine semen that was imported into NZ before May 2022 should check with their supplier to discuss whether that semen has been treated with the Certified Semen Services Minimum Requirements for Disease Control of Semen Produced for AI (CSS) protocol or has been tested for M bovis.

Importers of bovine semen are working with the M bovis programme to bring all imported semen currently in stock to an equivalent level of protection as the new IHS.

Annette Scott NEWS Disease

The MAC boomers are driving China’s growth

Richard Rennie MARKETS Exports

AREPORT drilling down into the generational divides of the China market reveal valuable opportunities for New Zealand exporters as the country emerges from its covid lockdown funk.

The BCG report Mind the Generation Gap, released through market insights company China Skinny, highlights the value of China’s aging demographic as middle-class affluence continues to grow.

In her foreword to the report, BCG MD Cinthia Chen, leader of the China consumer insight division, notes China’s domestic economy is showing initial signs of recovery as travel, consumption and finance demand lifts.

She says the growth of China’s middle class, even with a relatively steady or declining population, will be a steady consumption driver in lower-tier cities for several more years.

From 2022 to 2030 China’s middle-class and affluent consumer (MAC) market is estimated to increase by about 80

million, claiming almost 40% of the population. Over 70% of the emerging MACs will live in cities that are third-tier and below.

Third-tier cities typically have populations of 150,000 to 3 million.

As consumers move from defining their wants as “we” to “me”, the report predicts trading up in quality will be a marked trend in coming years, something noted even during the recent tough economic times, with a greater willingness to pay for premium brands across multiple categories.

The food and beverage sector is predicted to enjoy the largest effects of trading up, with a net 26% gain in consumers seeking to

trade up in their fresh and organic food choices over the coming 12 months. This is exceeded only by healthcare at a net 27%.

This holds upside for NZ food and beverage exporters.

A recent NZ Trade and Enterprise survey found Chinese consumers have the highest regard for NZ food and beverage products, with 80% of them regarding this country as a premium, highquality food source.

This contrasts with United Kingdom consumers, of whom 45% regard NZ as such a source, while in the United States only 26% see NZ as a premium producer of food and beverages. Only a third of Japanese consumers perceive NZ as a premium source of food and beverages.

That awareness has also only just lifted after tipping down in the previous two years.

The BCG report narrows down on “Gen X and Y” and baby boomers as holding accumulated levels of wealth, while experiencing the strength of China’s most recent economic gains to the fullest effect.

Between them the groups also account for 80% of China’s population, and Gen X and Y are

STAFF ACCOMMODATION FOR THE SEASON

regarded as the “twin engines” of growth, despite the recent focus on the younger Gen Z market.

Sitting at the top of the career ladder, Gen X and Y have a strong willingness to consume and trade up for a higher quality of life. Typically, they spend 17-30% more to purchase premium offerings across all categories.

But as a sector, baby boomers also have a big influence on purchase patterns in coming years.

They are the fastest growing sector for social media use and at 16% they match Gen X, with many starting their own YouTube-type video followings.

Their interest in maintaining good health extends to a good

knowledge and strong interest in nutritional products and dietary supplements and they are prepared to pay for them. Traditional Chinese medicine supplements are also important for 30% of them.

The report’s authors recommend marketers consider the Gen X, Y and boomer market more seriously than they have in the past.

“The overall demographic dividend may have disappeared, but a middle class of over 400 million constitutes is a powerful consumer base and the Chinese consumer market continues to possess tremendous resilience,” says Veronique Yang, MD for BCG in China.

With Portacom, you can scale your seasonal workers’ accommodation up or down to suit your needs.

OPPORTUNITY: New Zealand exporters will have valuable opportunities as China’s domestic economy recovers.

Mind the Generation Gap BCG Consulting

Rule change could mean return to India log trade

Richard Rennie NEWS Forestry

ARESUMPTION of the log trade to India could be on the cards if a trial period granted by the Ministry for Primary Industries proves successful.

New Zealand has enjoyed a moderate level of export success in the past with log exports to India, which reached their peak in value before the covid-19 pandemic.

But a decision by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to ban the use of methyl bromide as a fumigant in NZ bought trade to a standstill.

Before this, trade volumes had peaked at 1.7 million cubic metres of timber a year, valued at about $250 million. This compares to annual Chinese exports of about 19 million cubic metres, and 2 million cubic metres to South Korea a year.

Indian regulations stipulate methyl bromide must still be used, with no alternatives proposed.

In September the MPI updated its phytosanitary requirements for Indian log exports, allowing fumigation of logs in ship holds on arrival in India in lieu of

treatment prior to sailing from NZ.

A trial period was granted from September 15 to October 31.

However, one forester said it is unlikely the sector will be rushing to the Indian market quickly.

“This represents a good opportunity, it’s a good result, but there is still a lot of water to go under the bridge yet before we see a return to the earlier volumes to India,” Mark Proctor of TPT Forests said.

He said he suspects most exporters will take a wait-and-see approach to the market, which represents a relatively small portion of NZ’s annual 20 million cubic metre export trade.

“It is not likely to return to that 1.7 million cubic metre level quickly.”

Shane Olsen, manager of plant exports at Biosecurity NZ, confirmed the update and said the interim option is an opportunity for bulk shipments of logs to resume following the prohibition of ship-hold fumigation in NZ that took effect on January 1 this year.

“The interim option is available until October 31 this year to enable India to consider alternative treatment options for NZ logs to India,” he said in a written response.

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A recent trade delegation to India had resumption of a log trade on its agenda, subject to some compromises being reached around how the methyl bromide issue would be dealt with.

During the delegation’s visit, Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O’Connor acknowledged a joint effort to find a feasible alternative that allows the importation of logs from NZ.

Forestry sector insiders have confirmed the export

REVISIT: An interim change to log export protocol to India opens the door for exporters to resume the trade, subject to fumigating their cargo in India.

of unfumigated logs to India remains a risky proposition, with uncertainty over the exact cost an

exporter’s log shipment may face on arrival in India to have the load fumigated.

Mental health drive for rural young

Staff reporter PEOPLE Health

RURAL Support Trust and New Zealand Young Farmers have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen efforts in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people in the rural sector.

“We believe that by combining our efforts with Rural Support Trust [RST], we can make a meaningful impact on the lives of young people working and training in the food and fibre sector. This

collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to support and empower the next generation,”

New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF) chief executive Lynda Coppersmith said.

RST general manager Maria Shanks echoed these sentiments, saying their shared commitment to improving mental health and wellbeing in rural communities makes the partnership a natural fit, and “we look forward to the positive outcomes it will bring”.

Under the memorandum of understanding, RST and NZYF will seek to achieve several objectives:

• Increased awareness: The partnership aims to raise awareness of the existence and services provided by both NZYF and RST.

• Improved connections: One of the primary goals is to improve the connections between young people in the industry and the support they need for positive mental health outcomes.

• Enhanced access to support: NZYF and RST are committed to increasing access to appropriate support for young people with mental health and wellbeing concerns.

Silver Fern Farms recognises that this is a challenging time on farm. We hope you’re able to join us.

Regs cost a lot and do little: report

Neal Wallace NEWS Policy and regulation

ARAFT of new government regulations have proven costly and been administratively demanding but failed to provide demonstrable benefits to farmers or communities, a new report says.

The BakerAg report commissioned by Beef + Lamb NZ (BLNZ) says that in the past six years central and locals governments have introduced more than 20 new regulations, laws and reforms primarily in the areas of climate change, freshwater, biodiversity, highly productive land with regional and district interpretation in implementation.

The report says that most policies have failed to give farmers a clear illustration of benefit.

“In many cases policies have not created the outcomes the government intended – and in some cases have even created perverse outcomes,” it says.

The study looked at four separate sheep and beef farms with differing geographic locations, production systems and regional council administrations.

Annual consenting costs across the four farms were as high as $30,000, while one farm faced one-off resource consent costs of $220,000.

All four farms faced $15,000 one-off direct costs for Freshwater Farm Plans as well as annual costs for updating and auditing.

While excluding stock from waterways affects fewer farms, the report found costs were significant, primarily fencing for stock exclusion.

One case study farm faced potential costs of more than $1.2 million.

Another farm faced one-off direct costs from new policy of $75,000 and annual direct costs of around $88,000, when the BLNZ Sheep and Beef Farm Survey estimates average farm profit before tax for that region or type for 2022/23 of $174,800.

“And this impact is despite the farm [being] engaged and proactive in environmental stewardship,” says the report.

BLNZ chief executive Sam McIvor said the report reinforces calls for the next government to pause new rules and review current or proposed rules to ensure they’re fit for purpose.

BLNZ chair Kate Acland said farmers acknowledge investment in environmental improvements is needed, but it must be targeted at proven actions with measurable impacts.

“Instead, we have a range of one-size-fits all rules that are simply imposing significant cost without clear benefits,” she said.

New regulations were found to be very stringent and time consuming and require significant capital investment upgrading infrastructure and implementing new technology.

Often benefits are uncertain or undermined by other policies.

Complying with water quality regulations, for example, involves fencing and staff time moving stock that may not achieve the environmental objectives the rules tried to achieve.

“These financial obligations strain the resources of farmers, particularly smaller operations with limited budgets, and hinder their overall profitability,” the report says.

The pace and volume of new policies have created uncertainty and anxiety, with one farmer commenting that more sleep is lost over government policies than over farming.

Researchers said that farmers do not reject the objectives of the policies, and would be supportive if the government had taken the time to ensure they were practical and workable and considered in relation to other policies.

COSTLY: The report found the costs of fencing stock from waterways are significant.

How deer affect forest carbon levels

Richard Rennie NEWS Livestock

AREPORT on the impact of deer on native forest carbon levels suggests fewer deer may not necessarily deliver an increase in forest carbon sequestration.

Undertaken by ManaakiWhenua Landcare Research and commissioned by the Game Animal Council, the report found there was not a particularly strong case for culling deer numbers on the grounds this would increased carbon storage ability in forests.

It has been suggested by both government ministers and conservation groups that reducing deer numbers is one way to address New Zealand’s net carbon emissions footprint more quickly, by allowing more carbon to be stored in preserved forest.

In June, Climate Change

Minister James Shaw told Farmers

Weekly he was committed to having farmers’ efforts on pest and predator control acknowledged as a positive contribution to carbon sequestration on farm.

But the report has found the issue is more complex and often more counterintuitive when it comes to how deer browse and select plants for grazing in native forests.

It found attributing declines in forest carbon to wild animals is a fraught process because the evidence base and supporting data

a ect the biodiversity of native forests, but their impact on total carbon sequestered by those forests is less clear.

have seldom been collected in a scientific, empirical manner.

Report co-author and principal scientist in ecosystem ecology

Dr Duane Peltzer confirmed the evidence is weak, and in fact the carbon storage potential of forests has been relatively stable for some time.

“The research shows that in some forest types, the presence of deer may have a small negative effect on carbon stocks, while in other forest types, deer will either make no difference or actually promote more carbon storage.”

The report found the effects of possums on carbon storage is significantly greater, given their treetop, leaf-eating behaviour,

which tends to have a more direct impact on the mortality of large trees.

However even here the report states conclusions on outcomes on total forest carbon can vary widely. In some cases, the presence of possums actually accelerates the rate of woody species succession, by removing competitive species like grasses through grazing.

Generally what limited evidence there is has found non-palatable native species tend to double down on their growth rates when more palatable possum- and deerfriendly species are reduced in forest areas.

Peltzer said the report also found

significant declines in carbon storage are far more likely to come from other factors, including large scale landscape disturbances like earthquakes, weather or even pathogens.

“There is evidence that deer management can have an influence on carbon storage in successional forests recovering from such disturbances,” he said.

“While potential carbon gains from deer and ungulate management are limited and variable, there is far greater evidence to suggest gains can be achieved in biodiversity, particularly among highly palatable species in the browse tier.”

Grant Dodson, chair of the Game Animal Council, said the report is important for helping ensure the right decisions are made when it comes to pest management.

Increasing pressure on future government budgets will inevitably affect pest management control, meaning management programmes have to be targeted to achieve the best possible outcomes for the dollar spent.

“This report makes clear that those outcomes are mostly in improving biodiversity.”

He said management for improved biodiversity protection is not the same as management in the expectation of increasing carbon storage.

The report concludes that significant carbon gains may occur

in certain situations such as when herbivore control promotes the establishment of high-biomass wood species.

It states while carbon gains from herbivore control are unlikely to provide the silver bullet solution for conservation funding at a national level, there is potential in certain areas of NZ’s native bush areas for conservation benefits and carbon gains to go hand in hand.

The research shows that in some forest types the presence of deer may have a small negative effect on carbon stocks, while in other forest types deer will either make no difference or actually promote more carbon storage.

Dr Duane Peltzer Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research

Dodson said the case for sitebased management strategies remains, where a balance between indigenous biodiversity and game animals’ community value is struck.

“The Game Animal Council is fully committed to achieving better outcomes for biodiversity as well as supporting effective measures to address climate change. However, wise investment decisions need to be made,” he said.

Topdressers grounded as wallets close

period in the past two years.

THE amount of chemical and fertiliser applied by aviation is back about 10% for the first six months of this year, and the amount of hours flown down about a quarter.

Data released by the NZ Agricultural Aviation Association (NZAAA) shows that in the year ended December 2022, 637,000t of agricultural product was applied by aircraft to farms, back significantly on the 714,000t a year earlier.

That decline continued in the first six months of this year, with lower volumes applied and fewer hours flown than for the same

For the first half of this year aircraft, both fixed wing and helicopter, flew 33,051 hours compared with more than 45,300 hours for the same periods in 2022 and 2021.

The volumes applied are also significantly back.

For the first half of this year, 239,832t was applied compared to 404,685t for the same period last year and 390,004 in 2021.

NZAAA chair Bruce Peterson said it is a tough time for farmers as well as aviation companies, but it is not new.

He said farmers are applying lighter volumes, making use of lime and innovations such as variable rate application.

Peterson said in addition to the

well-publicised rising costs, in the past year the price of a new aircraft engine has increased 13% and will increase a further 8% in January. Engineers and support staff are also in short supply.

Tony Michelle, the NZAAA executive officer, said the reduction in aerial spraying activity is not as marked as it is for topdressing and has been offset to some degree by activity in the pest control and biodiversity management.

He said operators stepped up to assist events on the east coast of the North Island using their local knowledge.

“Yes, we are facing some headwinds, however our industry has faced many challenges in the past.

“We are an adaptive industry entering an exciting age of innovation and technology that will continue to provide a platform to deliver for our clients and stakeholders.”

It is understood that a special

non-acidulated fertiliser blend that includes lime costs just under $290/t applied by helicopter in addition to transport costs of about $60/t to a farm. This gives a total bill of about $300,000.

GRAZED: Deer

Neal Wallace NEWS Fertiliser

GROUNDED: For the rst half of this year aircraft, both xed wing and helicopter, ew 33,051 hours compared to more than 45,300 hours for the same periods in 2022 and 2021.

From the Editor

F‘IRST rule of leadership: everything is your fault.” A prophetic quote, not from an embattled organisation leader, but, rather strangely, a grasshopper called Hopper in the 1998 animated move A Bug’s Life.

Roll on 25 years and animation appears to be morphing into reality.

It has always been tough at the top but in the current environment, where many businesses and organisations are trying to work within government-imposed regulations, life in charge has become more difficult and unpleasant than ever before.

As this week’s Farmers Weekly special report on leadership shows, the pressure is taking its toll on some rural leaders as constant criticism, and in some cases abuse, now appears to be part of the job description.

Letters of the week

Revisit FENZ fire mandate

When it comes to governance we want –actually, we need – the best people possible to be challenging for the top roles.

Whether is it prime ministers, politicians, mayors, councillors or heads of industry groups – we need the cream of the crop making important decisions on our behalf.

But leaders are finding themselves stuck in the middle and under pressure as they try to find a balance between reaching workable agreements under regulations and trying to appease those members they represent.

Social media has opened up a new forum for criticism and some see it as a licence to be nasty. It’s easier to post a vitriolic comment than to pick up the telephone or pen a letter to voice your disapproval.

A revealing article in the Otago Daily Times in the lead-up to last year’s local body elections told of the growing abuse directed towards councillors and mayors in the lower South Island, although in reality it is probably being replicated nationwide.

Issues such as covid-19 and vaccinations, as well as contentious reforms such as Three Waters, have created an increasingly tense atmosphere. Councillors spoke of being abused in the street, strangers posting directions to their house online and thinly veiled threats of public hangings.

The thicker -skinned among them saw the

abuse as part of the job, but others feared for their safety and some were reconsidering their future in public office.

For some people, leadership roles are no longer worth the drama that comes with them.

But when good people walk away it only narrows the pool of suitable candidates for these roles. If the top candidate no longer wants the job, who gets it?

At times it feels like we have become a nation of whingers and keyboard warriors.

Yes, those in charge must be questioned and scrutinised and, naturally, some will always be better at their jobs than others. But when that scrutiny crosses the line into abuse it is time to call out the offenders for their behavior.

It is easy to criticise when the final decision doesn’t rest on your shoulders.

Maybe it’s time we all stepped back, took a deep breath and let our leaders focus on what they have been tasked with doing, without all the background noise.

We might find they do a pretty good job after all.

Dave

Field Rotorua

I READ Neil Wallace’s article on the expected fire risk this summer with interest, “Fire risk grows as dry, windy conditions loom” (September 25).

As a retired forester and principal rural fire officer with 40 years’ experience, then a farmer with 20 years of small bonfires on my own property, I have a very good idea of the various “pros and cons”.

Eighteen months ago I wrote to Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) saying we need to reimpose fire permits.

There are too many inexperienced and even foolish people who light fires without oversight.

The reply from FENZ was that it wasn’t their business, and it looks like regional and district councils don’t care either.

I know a number of FENZ staff and how well they deal with fire emergencies. They also assist home owners with fire alarm issues. I am grateful to them for their help and competence but wish the FENZ hierarchy could review their mandate for fire permits, and not just rely on fire suppression.

Drought doubts

Stephen Averill Hastings

IT IS with regret I have to respond to this normally excellent publication, and call you out on irresponsible sensationalist reporting.

I am referring to your September 25 publication predicting doom-and-gloom drought on the east coast as a result of a socalled El Niño weather pattern.

Lets just deal with the facts.

1 Hawke’s Bay has suffered just as many droughts in La Niña and neutral years as in El Niño years.

2 The last El Niño year was an average-togood year farming in Hawke’s Bay, despite NIWA predicting a drought.

3 NIWA’s long-range forecasting is so appallingly bad, it only has a 30% accuracy rate, which is not surprising given we live on a small island nation with sea and mountains making even five-day forecasts difficult for meteorologists.

Farmers have enough to contend with recovering from a flood and falling commodity prices, so leave the fake news long-range weather predictions out of it!!

I am sure farmers on the east coast are enjoying hearing all the rain on their roofs at this time of writing and I wish everyone another great season farming in the Bay.

Between a rock and a hard line

Craig Page Deputy editor

For some people, leadership roles are no longer worth the drama that comes with them.

In my view ... We have found common ground beneath our feet

Chris Falconer and Marnie Prickett

Falconer is a dairy farmer. Prickett has worked for healthy waterways as an educator and community organiser, campaigner, policy adviser and researcher. Both write in their personal capacities.

FROM the noise out there, you might think a dairy farmer and an environmental advocate wouldn’t share the same goals. But the loudest voices and repeated soundbites obscure the fact that conflict isn’t farmers versus environmentalists.

Here we are, on the same page, to say one of the most important ways New Zealand can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, restore rivers, and support rural communities is to move to healthier land use.

And we’re here to explain that the real conflict exists between those who recognise our need to shift to healthy land use and those who are strongly resisting change.

Soundbites like “unworkable regulations” and “tidal wave of regulations” are coming from the usual protagonists; groups like Groundswell and Federated Farmers, who claim to be the voice of farmers, although they’re not. Regulations are framed by their opponents as sudden, numerous,

dubious and onerous – but the reality on the ground does not match the rhetoric. In Waikato, over the past five years, there has only been one additional statutory requirement: to report artificial nitrogen use. It was well signalled and takes all of five minutes.

But still these soundbites go on uninterrogated and are picked up by predatory politicians.

The regulations introduced by the Labour-led Government in recent years have also been well signalled. In 2003, Fonterra and the government signed the Clean Streams Accord, committing to reduce the impact of dairy farming on waterways. A few years later, after a lack of progress and increasing pressure on waterways, the agricultural minister at the time, Jim Anderton, said: “If an industry wants to avoid regulation, it must take concerted action before the rest of the community demands government intervention.”

And it has been communities all over the country that have been pushing central and local government to have stronger regulations on emissions, water, forestry, and biodiversity for decades. Not only to stop where we’re going wrong but put the country on the path to healthy land use.

It hasn’t been politicians or the

VITAL: Pastoral farming, horticulture and forestry occupy approximately 50% of New Zealand’s land so it really matters how the agricultural industry operates.

Regulations are framed by their opponents as sudden, numerous, dubious and onerous – but the reality on the ground does not match the rhetoric.

Labour-led Government pushing for regulation. It’s been the public. It’s been ordinary people, from all sorts of backgrounds and every region, over many years. And again, this is obscured by those soundbites.

Pastoral farming, horticulture and forestry occupy approximately 50% of our land so it really matters for everyone how the agricultural industry operates. Healthy land use recognises and responds to the needs of the natural environment and people.

This might mean that where birds and fish are dying or disappearing, wetlands are restored. Or, if swimming holes or drinking water are contaminated, farm systems are changed to reduce pollution flowing into water. Healthy land use reduces emissions produced and increases emissions sequestered. Healthy land use is more resilient under flooding and drought and reduces these risks to the community.

It’s the win, win, win. And, while there are challenges and nuance to this, it’s doable. Chris has been doing exactly this on his farm for the past nine years; promoting and prioritising values that deliver on the metrics not usually associated with the industry but that really matter to the wider community. Others are out there doing this work across sectors, different soils, and different regional climates. However, we need to be doing it at a larger

scale, across regions, across the country.

Another confused or dishonest claim about new regulation relates to our new national freshwater policy.

The policy is designed for councils to make decisions on a catchment-by-catchment basis.

It has science-led bottom lines that establish what a healthy catchment means broadly. Then councils (along with their local communities) decide how this will be achieved over the next few decades, including what steps need to be taken in the short term.

Groundswell, Federated Farmers and the National Party have repeatedly said they want to change the policy to have catchment-based management. But this is already how the policy works. What they appear to really mean by this is that they want to get rid of bottom lines so that any level of pollution is legal.

Internationally, regulations for agriculture like New Zealand’s are being introduced. Further requirements may be administered through industry schemes, supported by processors, and phased in over time (as the international market demands lower-impact goods).

Very little happens quickly in the regulatory space, and it hasn’t. Extreme language used to resist (and push) change is unhelpful when navigating it. Change is happening, though. It will and must continue if our land use is to support our communities and be resilient in a warmer world.

So we ask, journalists, interrogate those soundbites. Over the noise of this election, ask what do they really mean? What history and reality do they obscure? And for the rest of us, let’s keep working for that common, healthy ground.

Winning over Asian palates chef by chef

Ron Ainsbury

Ainsbury is a businessman, coach and mentor.

IHAVE spent a major part of my business career living and working in Asia and have often wondered – are New Zealand lamb exporters doing enough on the ground to lift demand?

When I lived in Thailand in the 1970s there was a butcher who specialised in importing meat from the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

Expats knew that to get a good steak or lamb chops for the barbecue or a good cut for the occasional Sunday roast, that’s where you went. At that time local “beef” was mostly water buffalo, which needed special care to make it palatable, typically marinating in something like papaya juice.

One almost never saw a Thai buying lamb, and I was introduced to two “truths”: Thais don’t like lamb and they don’t like cheese.

My Thai friends claimed they didn’t eat lamb because “it smells”. However, on one occasion I invited a few friends over for dinner and served them lamb

steaks, which they devoured. When I explained that they had eaten lamb they were incredulous.

If you wanted a pizza in 1970s Bangkok you’d go to the Italian restaurant in the Narai hotel; they served a good pizza. There were no stand-alone pizza restaurants –“Thais don’t eat cheese.”

A US entrepreneur, Bill Heinecke, brought Pizza Hut to Thailand. He was thought to be crazy but within a few years had opened dozens of Pizza

Hut stories across the country, building a small fortune.

My own children (who wouldn’t touch cheese) explained why they were able to eat pizza: “It’s pizza cheese, Daddy.” Of course – mozzarella’s mild cheese taste is masked by the flavours of the tomato base and the toppings. Are we encouraging people to try our delicious lamb? I believe that too often we ignore tried and tested “shoe leather on the pavement” strategies to gain a

foothold in an export market.

When the Late Show host Stephen Colbert visited NZ I think Beef + Lamb NZ missed a trick.

Could it not have arranged for Colbert to film a special feature for his US show (watched by over a million Americans)? Maybe chefs could have been invited to appear on his show featuring simple NZ lamb dishes that Colbert viewers could prepare at home?

Instead, US audiences were treated to Colbert trying a toastie pie, a sausage sizzle and Marmite (I’m sure that segment amused Colbert’s audience.

Next door to my HCMC hotel today, a large crowd gathered around a small mobile kitchen. A presenter was describing a new product from Korea. Two chefs working behind the counter in the mobile kitchen had prepared samples for the crowd. Each person could pick up a small tray featuring two Korean dumplings, some kimchee, seaweed and a special sauce to sample. The presenter was extolling the taste and health virtues and distributing information leaflets.

Why could we not do take the same approach with NZ Lamb

– getting the lunchtime office worker crowd to try succulent NZ lamb?

Or follow the highly successful Ketel One approach in the US? Ketel One started by convincing leading bartenders in San Francisco to use the family’s vodka, telling the story of its origin one on one with a private taste test to switch brands. They built a brand that is now worth billions.

Could we start by introducing lamb into the leading restaurants of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and Danang, chef by chef?

FRESH APPROACH: Is New Zealand doing enough to promote lamb on the international market, asks Ron Ainsbury.

Blaming the wrong flock for Queenstown

purpose. Not that it stopped the rabid rumblings of the likes of Greenpeace, who were committed to blaming farmers.

Now we’re taking the blame for the Queenstown water pollution, which is neither factual nor remotely credible.

For a start, as anyone who has been to Queenstown knows, the place is surrounded by mountains. This time of year they’re covered in snow. Someone should tell academics that sheep aren’t lambed on snowy mountains. That’s followed by the unassailable fact that lambing hasn’t started in that part of the world yet. It is far too cold.

Didn’t anyone in the media scrum figure that itinerant workers living in cars could have been the cause of the crypto outbreak?

It was inevitably easier to blame sheep.

We were then told that the government water agency, Taumata Arowai, had claimed that “taking drinking water from Lake Wakatipu can reasonably be expected to result in the presence of pathogenic protozoa – for instance from effluent overflows from Queenstown’s urban wastewater network”.

You can’t blame sheep for that!

IWAS irritated beyond belief to see a headline telling me that farm animals had caused the crypto outbreak in Queenstown. It was featured, complete with a photo of an earnest-looking, freshfaced youngster, on the TVNZ Breakfast show and kept current for whatever reason by Stuff.

It appears that an academic from Otago University had flown the kite that animals were responsible for the disaster.

It was lambing time, he told us, and that meant pollution in the form of crypto.

What a load of absolute and complete rubbish, exacerbated by the fact that no one questioned the statement. It was just accepted as fact.

Mind you, we should be used to taking the blame for all ills.

I can remember when Havelock North’s water caused both illness and death – and the media told us factory farming in the form of dairy was to blame. The problem was that no one bothered to check if there was any factory farming in the area. There wasn’t.

The reason for the Havelock outbreak, as finally declared, was slack local government. Its water infrastructure just wasn’t fit for

The reason for the epidemic, as with Havelock North, is bad local government infrastructure. Nothing more, nothing less.

The entire episode resembles a circus more than anything remotely credible.

We were further informed that the lack of a protozoa barrier at Queenstown’s water treatment plant created a serious risk to public health. The reason a barrier wasn’t installed was because of the cost.

Consider that. New Zealand’s premier tourist destination can’t provide safe drinking water because effective filters were considered too expensive.

They’d have to be joking.

It all provides an extra strong case to support the government’s water reform initiatives, which the Queenstown Council rejected.

readable, simple English. It worked. The media coverage of the Bosnian deployment was extensive, accurate and supportive. We need a similar approach to farming and rural issues now as

it is blatantly obvious that the mainstream media just don’t have a clue about things rural or who to contact to find out. It could be a joint venture between Feds, Beef + Lamb NZ and DairyNZ. Now there’s a thought.

For a start, crypto (cryptosporidiosis) is transmitted “by the stool of infected people or animals”. A large part of the problem is people not washing their hands after going to the toilet. That’s not a problem sheep have, certainly at lambing.

It can also be passed through food, “tripe, salad, raw milk, offal, sausage or apple cider”.

Queenstown has been in the news for months, highlighting the problem of people living in cars. There’s not enough accommodation at the right price for workers to live in a civilised manner.

If people are living in cars they’re likely to be polluting at whim. The average car doesn’t have either a toilet or washbasin.

The problem is the massive ignorance of things rural by our mainstream media. That’s combined with a degree of inherent laziness that would make a bureaucrat blush.

What needs to happen from here is that our sector puts in place a rural education tool for the media so they at least have some knowledge of what’s going on in the provinces.

Similar initiatives have been successful in the past. In 1992 the NZ Army sent a peacekeeping force to Bosnia. Its research showed massive ignorance on the part of the media of all things military.

The army produced a simple ABC explanation of what an army is and does, including what a soldier wears and their weapons and training. It was presented in easily

Waimai Open Day

Thursday 12 October, 10am – 4pm

Waimai rams are bred to give you a low input flock, with selection for facial eczema tolerance, worm resistance, low methane, low dags and large breech. At the same time, their production traits make you money: strong growth, high fertility and good survival. Join us on our journey toward creating a more profitable low input sheep.

Freshwater plans a tool for precision ag

Seeds of tomorrow

EXCITING progress has been made in the field of precision agricultural technology, with new tools being developed to advance our goals of improving production practises.

Our farmers and growers can now benefit from home-grown agricultural technology that provides precise information to aid our decisions on farm and orchard. This not only provides us with the tools we need to make the best decisions but also allows us to demonstrate our world-leading practices to our consumers. This allows our food and fibre industry

Continued next page

ELITE RAM SALE

841 Waimai Valley Rd. Thursday 2 November, 1pm. We will also be using online auction platform bidr.co.nz. 150 Romney rams and 40 CharaBlack terminal rams available.

Private treaty rams enquiries from 4 November.

ALASTAIR REEVES

07 825 4925 or 027 457 3615

waimairomney@gmail.com

waimairomney.co.nz

ISSUES: Queenstown has been in the news for months, highlighting the problem of people living in cars – and the environmental implications of that, Alan Emerson says.

Alan Emerson Semi-retired Wairarapa farmer and businessman: dath.emerson@gmail.com

If people are living in cars they’re likely to be polluting at whim. The average car doesn’t have either a toilet or washbasin.

Daniel Kenna

Daniel Kenna is a third-generation kiwifruit grower from Katikati.

Dear Chris ...

Eating the elephant

On the global stage, NZ is considered a leader in the environmental movement. We have a compliance-based Emissions Trading Scheme and are developing a biodiversity credit. We are early in both areas. In doing so, we are attracting local and international capital that wants to invest in a “naturebased solution”. The extent of capital looking for credible nature-based solutions is not to be underestimated.

David Eade

David Eade is a Whanganui sheep and beef farmer with a finance background, specialising in investments within the primary sector. eating.the.elephant.nz@gmail.com

In this series, the lads each write to the next prime minister

NEW Zealand is at a crossroads. We face a dual dilemma: a serious productivity problem at a national level, and an international environmental crisis.

The conventional wisdom may suggest that these two issues are at odds, but they both ultimately impact our economic prosperity.

As you lead NZ, I urge you to show that environmental responsibility and productivity are not at odds, but reinforce each other. The long-term solution to our productivity and environmental issues will be market driven, but short-term government action is required to set us on the right course.

Continued from previous page

to both demand a premium price and satisfy evolving consumer demands.

To continue to produce food and fibre that nourishes our families, communities, nations and people around the world, making decisions using the highest quality data specific to our orchard or farm, is imperative.

New Zealand agricultural landscapes are highly diverse.

From the year-round grass growth in Waikato to the tussock lands of Central Otago, a highly nuanced approach to farming practice is needed. Due to the variation not only between regions but different farms within the same catchment, flexibility on best practice that protects the land is required.

Our producers can benefit from spatial mapping and digitisation of land use management tools at the catchment level to assist with future decision-making. Through different lenses we can overlay to include data on the land’s variables, such as soil type, depth, texture, drainage and slope and erosion risk.

Through this we can identify areas best suited for land use change and provide a solid tool for food and fibre producers to build diverse and resilient land use systems. These are

Chris, there are an increasing number of progressive farmers who are ready to step into a market for nature-based solutions. We tend to look past climate campaigns that have villainised farmers, and see that the statistics that underpin this activism are largely right. A 2019 report issued by the Ministry of the Environment stated that NZ has the highest portion of threatened indigenous species in the world, with over 90% of our seabirds falling in this bucket. This fact would not sit comfortably with any New Zealander, farmers very much included.

As someone whose livelihood is tied to the natural world, I look at that statistic and see something else – a threat to my farming business. Because my farming operation exists under the same biophysical conditions as those seabirds, their current level of decline signals a potential loss of productivity for me.

The storms, droughts, pollutants, weather extremes and other volatile environmental conditions that impact them will impact me too. My productivity, and the productivity of all other businesses

tailored for our catchment type and to the individual farm – a balance between climate change adaptation, consumer and market trends and what’s viable on your land.

The benefit in such tools only lies in where we put this information and how we use it.

Such a tool is the Freshwater Farm Plans (FWFP).

FWFP is a regulated farm planning process for farmers

We need an aspirational framework that puts NZ farmers on the front line of the greatest biodiversity recovery in human history.

that rely on any natural resource, would plummet if seabirds (or any other species we might use as a leading indicator) could no longer survive in their natural environment.

I do not proclaim to know all the threatened species, nor do I know how to save them, but I do know that the solution will

and growers that will provide a practical way to identify, manage and reduce the impact of farming on the freshwater environment. FWFP will become a part of the precision ag story NZ is so well known for.

Our FWFP will form the home for the information we gather using our current precision ag tools. A recognition of the land management tools such as our weather station, spatial

be a combination of science and markets for nature-based solutions.

Scientific solutions will reduce emissions and land-based solutions will act as long-term sinks for stubborn emissions and as habitats for our declining biodiversity. Food producers across NZ have land that could be a vitally important part of solving this problem. They just need a credible market to participate in. When setting up the ETS, we were early and aspirational. We now have the mechanics to place a monetary value on a tonne of carbon. Any system that attempts to place a value on biodiversity at this point will be aspirational too.

mapping, irrigation and fertigation management, and our real-time variable rate nitrogen sensors.

These systems paint a clear picture and will form long-term land use plans. Although this falls under compliance, it will help complement and assist what farmers and growers already do to protect their land.

They will be how we share our story of conservation and the care we take as managers of the land. Identifying land for retirement provides a fantastic opportunity.

Community links between town and farm are growing stronger again. The rise in catchment groups and waterway care groups has brought people out of the town and on to the farm, working with the landholder to plant up waterways and take a role in the upkeep of the natural capital we all enjoy.

My family has been producing world-class kiwifruit for three generations through challenging conditions like PSA and market collapse. Throughout the 40 years of operation, how we cared for our land in the first 20 years has dictated how we could produce in the last 20.

The lessons learnt along the way will shape how I sustainably grow kiwifruit into the next generation.

A new group led by growers and supported by Zespri called the

Standing up a credible market for biodiversity is a complex task. Fundamentals like an initial price per credit, market mechanics and regulation mean a system-level approach is required.

To start, this system will have to be engineered by the government. Much like the ETS, any early value created by government intervention will flow on to free market adoption when frameworks such as the Taskforce on Naturerelated Financial Disclosures become mandatory over the next five years.

As you are aware, markets function on trust and credibility. Capital will only be allocated to nature-based solutions that are credible. An example of this is the 20x premium paid for a tonne of carbon listed on a compliance market rather than a voluntary market.

After you have created value, be sure to set up a system that doesn’t get caught in the threeyear political cycle. Arm the Climate Change Commission with the same autonomy and oversight as the Reserve Bank to avoid another $900 million hole in your budget when rejecting their advice. The political term moves at a very different cadence to that of a biological system.

Three years is a rounding error, yet important foundational steps can be achieved during a threeyear term to set about building the foundations required to entice the free market to solve this problem.

To the Chris who takes the reins post-October, we need two things from you: a genuine mindset that sustainability equals productivity, and an aspirational framework that puts NZ farmers on the front line of the greatest biodiversity recovery in human history.

Impact Orchard Network (ION) is being formed to help share the knowledge gained by orchardists to the wider growing community. The purpose of the ION is to develop, improve and demonstrate effective on-orchard practices, validated in science with a particular focus on economic and environmental sustainability.

As freshwater farm plans are rolled out in your region, consider how you can use this new tool in your precision ag tool kit and can tell the story of how you care for your land.

At the heart of this group is an orchard plan that sets our goals for production and our aspirations for improving the land we operate on.

This group enables a focus on those grower-to-grower conversations about the practices we have been using to enhance our profitability, improve the natural capital we operate on and how we’ve built resilience into our businesses.

As freshwater farm plans are rolled out in your region, consider how you can use this new tool in your precision ag tool kit and can tell the story of how you care for your land.

SHARPER TOOLS: From automated harvesting to soil analysis, new tools are advancing the goals of precision ag, says Katikati kiwifruit grower Daniel Kenna.

ONE WORLD: What’s good for wild birds such as this Northern Royal Albatross and chick, says Daniel Eade, is good for his farming operation, ‘so their current level of decline signals a potential loss of productivity for me’.

Letting VIP sleeping dogs lie in comfort

In the first of an occasional series in which Farmers Weekly readers become its writers, Barbie Cassidy of Waipukurau shares the origin story of the knopped wool dog beds that took over her life.

WHEN I started making V.I.P. Dog Beds for Very Important Pets I was carried away with excitement, having just discovered knopped wool.

This is second-shear strong wool, usually Romney Cross, that is run through a centrifugal force to form little balls.

My husband Garth was chair of the Port of Napier at the time and had a transport business in Waipukurau. We had a small farm on the outskirts.

When I read about the knopped wool made by Stewart Tucker of the Clive wool scour, which was being used as home insulation by Phil Collins, I rang both men to congratulate them.

Phil was pleased to be noted and kindly hopped in his car and delivered me a gift of two big bags of knops.

I was touched, and grateful for the kindness but had no idea what I would do with it.

Later that week I visited John and Phillipa Falloon, in Wellington, with two friends.

John, who was minister of agriculture at the time, had become a firm friend since, mercifully, beating my husband to be the National Party MP for

the Pahiatua electorate. As we watched the Falloons’ hard work and life at Parliament evolve, we knew we had dodged a bullet.

Phillipa was unwell and their friend in London, Lord Sam Vestey, had sent two gifts from Harrods: a white nightie and a wee highsided, round dog bed.

I thought it was a lovely protection for their little Highland terrier, and said to John, “This is a great idea, but made of synthetic crap. You as minister of agriculture and me as a wool nut should make them in New Zealand with real wool filling.”

At breakfast the next morning, John said: “I’ve been thinking about it all night. Of course I’m too busy. YOU do it.”

After dropping off my friends I got home at 3am and sat at the kitchen table for hours, making plans. I was with saddler Neil Sloan by 8am, and together that day we made the frames for a Size 5 Labrador bed and a Size 2 terrier bed, and I set about hand-sorting the wool knops to fill them. Luckily for me, Garth was away at a threeday conference in Nelson or it would never have happened.

That was 32 years ago, and until Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr said the word “recession” there were very few days without orders.

I was farming our small block then, and this changed my life. Children and grandchildren have never known me not rabbiting on about wool. Garth organised a twoday wool exhibition in Napier with all sorts of amazing wool-based innovations on show. This wool is incredible. It retains its bulk, does not flatten and does not smell.

The wool moves just enough in the inners to give a bit of a massage to dogs’ joints. The covers are washed as frequently as needed, being thick cotton, but the inners never are. A fresh-up in the

sun is all that is required.

Massey University Veterinary Clinic helped me market the product by having two beds in the waiting room for some years and told me that we could expect a dog to have about two extra working years if they were on a wool bed, helping subdue the pain of arthritis or preventing it from developing.

Mostly my advertising has consisted of putting an extra brochure in with each order so it can be shared with a friend or vet, and they certainly have been passed on to keep me busy, and purring with the fabulous letters I get.

I give beds as a present to Guide Dogs for the Blind as I can, usually a metre-square Mutt Mattress, which is a normal Labrador size.

I am noticing now that many of the orders are repeats from people who have had the beds for 20 years or more, often wearing through covers while the bed remains in good order,

My Irish son-in-law, Brendan O’Connell, the CEO of AgriTech NZ, made me a website, vipbeds. co.nz, and there is a little Facebook page I have no idea how to manage, but I appreciate people sending their photos and comments.

So many lovely rural people have helped me with sewing covers and doing saddlery, so we feel like a family.

Two people have told me of their woollen dog bed suppressing fires.

One day about 30 years ago I was sorting knops in the shed and put the discards that were not fully formed balls in a sack, and my Labrador moved onto it.

That was the start of the working-dog beds. I put about 4kg

of long fleece wool – not knops , as I want these to flatten for kennels – in a sack. Then I sew it up, pull another sack on, sew again, add a name at no charge if required and send it out in a plastic bag with an extra sack to have up the sleeve for re-covering in the years to come. I call them Tough Stuff.

I was farming our small block then, and this changed my life. Children and grandchildren have never known me not rabbiting on about wool.

The nest beds filled with knopped wool are known as V.I.P, the square and rectangular mats are Mutt Mattresses, and we make two varieties of Pillows for People: large Oxford-size pillows for the bed, in four weights, are V.I.P. Pillows for Very Important People and come in good-thread-count cotton with an extra pillow slip as an under-slip.

The wool deserves 100% cotton to allow it to breathe. No nasty polyester is allowed.

Small pillows are V.I.P. Pillows for Very Important Passengers, and are great fun, being made in a variety of craft cottons for every member of the family. They go everywhere, easy to pack or carry on the swing tab around your wrist. From Granny in hospital to a child in a car seat, between the legs after a hip transplant, camping or as corporate gifts, they are most popular.

For $42 you can give a lot of pleasure. Go to bed, thank the sheep and start counting them, but you will not count many. Wool is deliciously soporific.

WITH KNOPS ON: Barbie Cassidy with Campaign for Wool’s Tom O’Sullivan.

LUXURY: Tig the sheepadoodle enjoys a V.I.P. Dog Bed.

Fixing a hole where the pests fly in

Scion wins funding for a study of aerial invaders that run the risk of evading NZ’s admirable biosecurity net.

SCION researchers have received funding to fix the “aerial invader hole in our biosecurity net”.

New Zealand’s trade and tourism border security is among the strictest in the world, but aerial invaders – insects and pathogen pests arriving by wind – are harder to control.

Recent examples of such pests include myrtle rust and fall armyworm.

The research programme Protecting Aotearoa from aerial invaders in a changing climate will use investment funding of $10.85 million over five years through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Endeavour Fund – NZ’s largest contestable research fund.

It will aim to develop a novel, integrated aerobiological surveillance and prediction system to manage aerial pest movement. Scientists will look at trajectory modelling, how airbridges connecting NZ to other landmasses are changing due to climate change, and fill knowledge gaps on aerial invader/pest survival in extreme atmospheric conditions.

The team estimates preventing establishment of just one serious pest would recover programme costs 10 to 100 times through avoided losses in the forestry and/or horticultural sectors, maintenance of carbon sequestration, and biodiversity conservation.

The programme will also establish a baseline of aerial invader arrivals with help from

the Taranaki Mounga Project, a partnership with iwi, agencies and community working on restoring Taranaki Maunga.

It will be led by atmospheric dispersion modeller Dr Ilze Pretorius, who is based in Scion’s Christchurch office.

No one in the world is really doing research on this, there’s this assumption you can’t do much about aerial pest pathways, but New Zealand is in a unique position with water borders.

Dr Ilze Pretorius Scion

Pretorius said the project has been in formation for about five years and some preliminary research has been done. She said reaching this point has been a huge team effort.

“No one in the world is really doing research on this, there’s this assumption you can’t do much about aerial pest pathways, but New Zealand is in a unique position with water borders. If anyone can do something, it’s probably us,” she said.

“It’s a very difficult problem but we are of the opinion that you can’t do anything if you don’t at least research it and get to an answer.

“Either way, even if you can’t eradicate, this research will still lead to a lot of benefit.”

While the goal is detecting aerial invaders early enough for eradication, the tool could also help optimise surveillance networks.

She said she is looking forward to partnering with the Taranaki Mounga Project to establish a baseline of the pests that are coming in, as well as the research about how atmospheric conditions influence the ability of pests to survive in the atmosphere – work that hasn’t been done before. The team is planning to build a custom wind tunnel to test how rainfall influences the ability of migrating moths to fly, to

then incorporate findings in the prediction model.

“That’s easier said than done. Enticing moths to fly in that experiment will be an interesting challenge because it’s up to the organism and not us.”

The funding bid was submitted in partnership with representatives from University of Canterbury, NIWA, Ag Research, Plant & Food, Virginia Tech in the United States, and universities in Europe and Seoul.

While Pretorius is on maternity leave, the project will be handled by colleagues Jess Kerr, Toni Withers and Brian Richardson.

Scion chief executive Dr Julian Elder said the funding illustrates the value of the work Scion is doing in the research and innovation space.

He said NZ’s 2050 greenhouse gas emissions targets could be severely compromised by new pest introductions, so Pretorius’s research is critical.

“We’re delighted with the funding win and are proud to lead research that will tackle climate change and support industry transformation to shape a sustainable renewable future driven by forestry and wood products.”

NZ hort tech could well be pick of the crop

to provide specialist care for each plant.

NEW Zealand has an opportunity to be a world leader in horticulture technology, says Sebastian Chapman, chief executive and cofounder of FruitMinder.

The company, based in Central Otago, is developing a smart app that will map data from individual fruit trees and enable orchardists

Late last year the company was given $44,680 by the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund to help with FruitMinder’s development.

A GPS tag will hold information about the variety of tree and anything that has happened to that tree over its lifetime, such as growing conditions, treatments,

sprays and fertilisers. It could also eventually measure a tree’s genetics “so that over time growers can really increase the assets that are their trees”.

Chapman recently organised an open day at Forest Lodge Orchard, near Cromwell, to highlight the horticultural technology being developed in New Zealand.

“The aim of the day was to showcase some emerging

technology that we are looking to integrate into our system at FruitMinder,” he said.

“We’re working with the researchers to look at what is happening at the universities, and bring it out to the real world.”

About 70 growers, mostly from Central Otago, were on hand for the open day, which featured the University of Otago’s School of Surveying, University of Canterbury computer vision researchers (UC-Vision), Monarch Tractor, Burro Collaborative Robotic Platform, FruitMinder and DataPhyll harvest management software.

“It was a good symphony of all the different technology pieces

and how New Zealand has an opportunity to be a world leader here,” Chapman said.

UC-vision is involved in some exciting work that will enable it to generate a full 3D model of individual trees, he said.

“If you just take a 2D photo you miss a lot of the measurements. This opens up the door for giving more accurate measurements of individual trees.

“It will effectively create a digital twin of that tree.

“We’re looking at how we can link that information back into FruitMinder and cross-reference it so you can just go to that tree and pick up everything that has happened to it.”

DEVELOPING: About 70 growers, mostly from Central Otago, attended an open day to showcase horticultural technology.

The School of Surveying is working on developing applications in the agricultural sector that could remove the need for expensive, purpose-built surveying equipment.

Chapman said FruitMinder is looking at becoming a commercialisation partner with the school where “they focus on detailed stuff and we can build it into software and can be used in a software stack”.

PESTS: Dr Ilze Pretorius will lead research into aerial pest invasions.

Craig Page TECHNOLOGY Horticulture

It was a good symphony of all the different technology pieces and how New Zealand has an opportunity to be a world leader here.

Sebastian Chapman FruitMinder

EU cracks down on carbon offset claims

THE European Union will ban a number of “problematic marketing habits” related to greenwashing and early obsolescence of goods.

The aim of the new rules is to protect consumers from misleading practices and help them make better purchasing choices.

Negotiators from the European Parliament and Council have agreed to ban the following practices:

• Generic environmental claims such as “environmentally friendly”, “natural”, “biodegrad-

We are clearing the chaos of environmental claims, which will now have to be substantiated, and claims based on emissions offsetting will be banned.

able”, “climate neutral” or “eco”, without proof of recognised excellent environmental performance relevant to the claim;

• Commercial communications about goods with a feature that limits its durability if information is available on the feature and its effects on the durability;

• Claims based on emissions offsetting schemes that a product has neutral, reduced or positive impact on the environment;

• Sustainability labels not based on approved certification schemes or established by public authorities; and

• Durability claims in terms of usage time or intensity under normal conditions, if not proven.

The European Parliament also agreed on steps to guarantee that information is more visible, as many people are not aware that all goods enjoy at least a two-year guarantee in the EU.

The European Commission will also design a new label for

producers willing to highlight the quality of their goods by extending the guarantee period free of charge.

The European Parliament’s rapporteur Biljana Borzan said the body had achieved an excellent deal for consumers.

“Sixty percent of European consumers are not even aware a legal guarantee comes with all products.

“That changes today, with a reminder to be present in every shop in the EU and also in some cases on packaging.

“Also, a new extended guarantee label will show clearly which products last longer, so it will be easier to buy more durable products. We have also negotiated a strong stance on early obsolescence. We shouldn’t advertise products that fail too early.

“In addition to that, we are clearing the chaos of environmental claims, which will now have to be substantiated, and claims based on emissions offsetting will be banned.”

In order to become law, the

Get going on grocery code, UK govt urged

BRITISH supermarkets have been urged to “get fair about farming” after it was revealed nearly half of the United Kingdom’s fruit and vegetable growers plan to quit the industry in the next 12 months owing to unfair retail practices.

Guy Singh-Watson, founder of organic fruit and veg box scheme Riverford, published an open letter to the “big six” supermarkets urging them to “get fair about farming”, after a survey for the organic food supplier revealed 49% of farmers said they fear going out of business because of supermarket behaviour.

Riverford’s petition has garnered over 2500 signatures so far, with the Soil Association, television chefs Rick Stein and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, conservationist Ray Mears and TV presenters Julia Bradbury and Jimmy Doherty all pledging their support. Singh-Watson said British agriculture has been left “on its knees”.

“The big six’s buying practices are all too often imbalanced, short-term and wasteful,” he said.

“Good food ends up rotting in the field. Farmers are left without payment for their crops.

“And without a stable, reliable income, they are struggling to survive.”

He concluded that if farms continue to close, British produce risks “disappearing from your shelves altogether”.

Riverford has called for the government to reform its grocery supply code of practice, which would require retailers to buy what they agreed to purchase, pay what they agreed to pay, and for money to be paid to farmers on time.

Anna Barton, who produces fresh fruit and vegetables on Canalside Farm in Staffordshire, said her family moved away from

wholesalers around 10 years ago to sell directly to the public to avoid being held to “ransom” by supermarket demands.

“Fears of not being paid and agreements not being stuck to were just some of the burdens we faced,” she said.

She said selling direct is the best move they could have made, and she has sympathy for farmers reliant on supermarkets.

Another vegetable farmer, who wished to remain anonymous, said there needs to be a national register at farm level to ensure retailers pay a fair and precise amount for their produce, which would give farmers “assurance and confidence” to know what they need to produce and when.

The British Retail Consortium’s director of food and sustainability, Andrew Opie, said food retailers work hard to pay a “sustainable price” to farmers by paying “more”

for their produce but added constraints on costs had made the issue more difficult.

Opie said: “As a result, operating profit margins have fallen to less than 2 pence in every pound of sales.”

It comes after Farming Minister Mark Spencer revealed the government decided to ditch its promised Horticulture Strategy, as it thought it best to address the sector’s challenges through “action” and “intervention”.

It had been hoped the document, which was proposed as part of the wider government Food Strategy published in June 2022, would be a blueprint on how to increase domestic production.

However, in May, the government announced it would no longer be moving forward with the plan, provoking outrage from the sector.

Speaking before the House of Lords Horticulture Sector Committee earlier this month, Spencer said the sector is “so dynamic”, policy schemes almost become “historic” the moment they are published.

He added the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) 10-point plan had been helpful.

NFU horticulture and potatoes board chair Martin Emmett welcomed that recognition from the government but said it is now time to see words put into deeds, with the past years some of the “most challenging ever for growers”.

provisional deal will now have to get the final sign-off from both the Parliament and the Council. The vote by MEPs is expected to take place in November.

NO MORE:

The European Parliament’s rapporteur Biljana Borzan says the body has achieved an excellent deal for consumers.

When the directive comes into force, member states will have two years to incorporate the new rules into their law.

– Staff reporter

Wild birds spread avian flu across UK

HEAD of exotic disease control at the United Kingdom’s Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Gordon Hickman, says farmers should be wary of the unprecedented scale of avian influenza across the country.

Hickman said the UK had seen 294 cases of avian influenza (AI) since October 2021, but 203 of those cases had been within the last year.

He said: “Seventy percent of recorded AI cases have been seen on commercial poultry units, but these are the easierto-trace cases.”

FAIR: Growers in the United Kingdom are urging the British government to reform its grocery supply code of practice.

“Words will only get us so far though. The review into the supply chain will be key to understanding how to create a more stable business environment and we will continue to work with the government to build on our strategy,” he said. – Farmers Guardian

He said the UK’s coastline is starting to become a hotspot, with 10 of the most recent cases being seen on Scotland’s coast.

And, due to an earlier nesting date, a large proportion of infection has been seen in

coastal flocks, especially with black-headed gulls.

“There is a worry that these coastal birds will quickly spread the disease to other species on and off the land. Almost all of the cases so far have been the result of direct, or indirect, contact with wild birds, with little evidence of lateral spread. Evidence shows poor biosecurity or lapses in protocols have been identified in most cases.”

Hickman also said that AI is a global phenomenon and he would like to see an integrated management approach to suppress the disease.

“We are looking towards a vaccine. However, this would not be a silver bullet. We need to use a combination of methods, so we can prepare, respond and recover when the challenge arises.”

– Farmers Guardian

Biljana Borzan European Parliament

THE FLU: Seventy percent of recorded avian influenza cases have been on commerical poultry farms.

FEDERATED FARMERS

Freshwater plan already raising alarm

This month, Otago Regional Council released its draft plan under the freshwater reform.

In mid-2020 Federated Farmers campaigned hard against the government’s then proposed freshwater reforms.

We said the reforms were “unworkable” and that they would have hugely negative e ects on the economic and social wellbeing of rural communities.

The reform package, led by Minister David Parker, included a number of new rules about winter grazing, fencing of rivers, Freshwater Farm Plans, and fertiliser use. But the central pillar to the policy was a series of new national bottom lines for water quality and a requirement that all regions manage freshwater in a way that gives e ect to Te Mana o Te Wai.

The reform package required that all regional councils develop and notify new regional policies and rules to deliver on these new bottom lines and Te Mana o Te Wai by the end of 2024.

While the freshwater rules implemented in 2020 have already eroded rural con dence, it is the rules that regional councils apply in order to meet new freshwater bottom lines and give e ect to Te Mana o Te Wai which could dramatically change the face of New Zealand.

Fast forward to today and we have the rst draft plan released. We now get to see what these reforms will actually mean for farmers on the ground.

This council will consult with communities over the next year before nalising a noti cation version by June next year. The noti cation version is then subject to a Freshwater Hearings Panel before being nalised by the end of 2026.

The Otago plan is quite the eyeopener and a preview of what the rest of the country has in store.

For the catchments of Lower Clutha, Manuherekia, Dunedin and Coast, North Otago, Taieri and Upper Lakes catchments, which make up the vast majority of the Otago region, dairy farming will be a controlled activity.

What that means is that all dairy farmers in these catchments will need a resource consent.

On top of this, the controlled activity has very clear and strict controls. If any of these are breached, a discretionary consent will be needed. For those that know about this process, it is long, hard, and expensive.

So, what are some of the controls that dairy farmers in these catchments will have to meet? First of all, a cap of 100 kilograms of nitrogen fertiliser per hectare. This is signi cantly below the national nitrogen fertiliser cap of 190kg, and the national average fertiliser use on dairy farms of 140kg/ha of nitrogen per year. Note Feds opposes the 190kg as a crude control that doesn’t recognise the di erent needs di erent farmers have for fertiliser.

This new 100kg/ha fertiliser control alone will mean millions of dollars sucked out of Otago’s rural communities, and the wider economy, in lost productivity. Secondly, a cap of 2.5 cows per hectare is put in place for the catchments noted above. This is also well below the regional average of 2.9 cows per hectare. This measure alone could see 40,000 fewer cows in the Otago Region. There is also a requirement that all dairy cows are wintered on the land. This one really ba es us, as in many

cases it is better for the environment to graze cows o farm or in a herd home in winter.

Finally, sheep and beef farmers don’t escape either. While national rules are now in place that require cattle excluded from ‘low slope’ rivers with a three-metre setback (Federated Farmers are asking for changes that allow more discretion on this rule), the draft Otago Plan requires all livestock, including sheep, excluded from rivers with a ve-metre setback on low slope land and a 10-metre setback on

land between 10 and 20 degrees.

What is even worse is the plan makes no allowance for permitting fences that were put up under di erent rules – if a farmer has already fenced three metres back under national rules, they will be required to put up a new fence ve metres back!

For both dairy and sheep and beef farming, a 10-metre setback either side of a stream will mean 20-metrewide corridors removed from farming.

These rules will threaten the economic viability of farming families and rural communities right across Otago.

This draft plan is hugely concerning. When you zoom back and consider the economic situation we now nd ourselves in and the plan to repeal the RMA anyway, you have to ask why are we even going ahead with this process? Is now really the right time to be putting rural communities into further shellshock with threats to undermine the economic viability of farming families?

If this Otago plan is a sign of what we can expect in other regions, Federated Farmers will strengthen our call for the freshwater reform process to be stopped to avoid farmers in every region across New Zealand waking up to similar plans in the next 12 months.

Rather than shellshock farmers with such more unworkable regulations, we will advocate for the focus to be put on rebuilding farmer con dence through meaningful RMA reform.

Paul Melville Federated Farmers GM policy and advocacy

SIGN OF THE TIMES: The proposed Otago Land and Water plan is quite the eye-opener and shows what the rest of the country has in store.

Photo: Our Land and Water

Speed of freshwater change a ‘hospital pass’

we are rst out of the blocks to implement the most recent iteration of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management.

of inappropriate policy here will be a direct impact on food production and the potential to reduce on farm emissions.

Discussions about how we should manage land and water are not new for farmers and growers.

It’s complex. As farmers we run businesses that are dynamic and interconnected with the land and environment.

A national and regional regulatory framework will rightfully create boundaries within which we operate but a new regime will always create unease.

The sector is facing a phase of fast-paced change, with new regional planning frameworks rolling out in response to extensive new government policy direction.

This follows on from a pandemic and on farm a range of headwinds creating a perfect storm for our sector. Unease is elevated.

These headwinds include increased interest rates, increased input costs, lower returns, global uncertainty, and supply chain challenges.

This all combines to put huge pressure on farmer con dence.

People don’t want to be changed, they want to be part of this change and they will support what they are part of creating and take ownership over the solutions.

They often move ahead and above any regulatory framework driven by consumer trends and demands.

The world is changing; farmers are not resistant to this. But when policy lands and is not t for the intended outcome, it fuels mistrust in authorities.

Earlier this month, the Otago Regional Council released the rst draft of the proposed Land and Water Plan for community consultation.

For a range of reasons in Otago,

All eyes are on Otago. The proposed Land and Water Plan represents a huge change in direction for the management of natural resources: some is outside of the council’s control, and some is within their control.

The pendulum is swinging from the “e ects based” approach to a stricter “input control” regime.

Plans must evolve, but a strict input control regime does not t with the dynamic and interconnected environmental systems we operate within.

It limits the potential for innovative community organisational structures to function and evolve.

Responsibility falls to the regulator and fewer people see a need to engage because there is no point, leading to a loss of social capital and engagement as we tick a compliance box.

In Otago we are lucky (as I’m sure other regions are) to have some amazing people stepping into leadership.

The Otago Federated Farmers and North Otago Federated Farmers executives, with the support of a great policy team here in Otago, have worked hard to engage with this process at every opportunity and we were as shocked as anyone to see that little of our e orts re ected in the draft. It was a bitter pill for us.

The draft rules as they stand place a huge burden on some of Otago’s best farmers and growers. Those same farmers and growers who try and engage with our regional council open themselves up to criticism.

We are damned if we do, and damned if we don’t.

But this is a time to step into the helicopter and look at the bigger picture. The speed at which the Otago Regional Council has had to progress a land and water plan has been a hospital pass from central government.

It has placed huge pressure on council sta . This has forced and puts emphasis on meeting a deadline rather than taking on the time necessary to work through the big issues and bring the community along.

rural communities and our rural leadership.

Over the past weeks I have watched a team of volunteer community leaders from across Otago come to grips with the impact that the draft Otago Land and Water Plan could have on the wellbeing of farmers and growers they represent.

This approach is very problematic, especially now, because of the rate of innovation required by our sector to evolve in response to climate change and international/domestic market demands. Communities need to be cohesive and exible.

One area of real concern for Central Otago is the impact of a blunt and one-dimensional water allocation framework. The impact

Otago is a highly diverse and complex region, even at a catchment level. Many of the council sta had a limited understanding of our environment, communities, and farm systems that they are trying to manage. They simply don’t know what they don’t know. While I have empathy for council and its people, my primary concern is burden placed on our

That was a tough watch, but also humbling because it wasn’t about them. Everyone knows the massive pressure our communities are under and there is awareness of how much more this will create.

So far, this process has missed a big opportunity. That opportunity is recognising the critical role that our communities and rural leadership play.

The easy option here would be

to turn our backs on the process and focus on our own patch of land. It has been a long six years of giving, often the same feedback, to various policies, then feeling like our opinions are not heard or important. So far, I am both inspired and humbled by our Otago farmers who have stepped up to make the trip to the rst consultation sessions these past two weeks to meet with Otago Regional Councillors and sta . They turned up, questioned, shared concerns, communicating to debunk the misunderstandings, and o ered solutions to what we hold hope will be an open-minded Otago Regional Council.

It’s time to double down and propose some workable solutions where we can.

ALL IN: Emma Crutchley says when people are part of the change and get the chance to take ownership of solutions, they’ll often go above what any regulatory framework achieves.

Emma Crutchley

Federated Farmers Otago arable chair

So far, this process has missed a big opportunity. That opportunity is recognising the critical role that our communities and rural leadership play.

Emma Crutchley Federated Farmers

Farm plans a fresh frustration

This month Federated Farmers has hosted two webinars for farmers to help them better understand Freshwater Farm Plans.

But concerns remain about the cost, usefulness, and how they join up with with rules and requirements yet to come from Essential Freshwater-mandated regional plans.

Federated Farmers freshwater spokesperson Colin Hurst says the workstream is “arse-about” and farmers are feeling really uncertain about what’s required of them. The organisation’s policy team is being completely overloaded and overwhelmed as they try their best to advocate for farmers interests under the ‘relentless’ impacts of David Parker’s reforms.

Speaking to Bryan Gibson in a recent episode of the Farmers Weekly In Focus podcast series, Hurst said the government is requiring 16 councils to have their new regional plans notified by the end of 2024.

“The sheer volume of work involved for everyone is hugely frustrating. We want to give proper input on how these plans are developed but there are just more and more coming at us.”

And there’s the cost too. Hurst said in his region, Canterbury, about $60 million had been spent over the past decade or so debating and developing a set of land and water regulations and rules.

“Re-doing these things is going to cost millions and millions again as a community. It’s staggering.”

The government has repealed and replaced the RMA but there has been a lot of criticism of the two new Acts. National/ACT have pledged to repeal the new legislation if elected.

“It’s all the wrong way around,” Hurst said on the podcast. “We need to get the central government laws in place and then it flows down to the regions. They’re just making life difficult for everyone.”

The Feds national board member said farmers have made significant improvements in the environment space and are on the journey of continual improvement, “changes that the rest of the community haven’t necessarily caught up with”.

It saps morale when those improvements aren’t acknowledged, and the atmosphere from some quarters is still one of finger-pointing.

And now Freshwater Farm Plans (FW-FPs) are being rolled out, starting with Waikato and Southland, and eventually requiring all arable and pastoral farming operations over 20ha (and horticultural over 5ha) to have one.

Waikato webinar that information about individual Freshwater Farm Plans needed by regional councils will be logged on the Integrated National Farm Data Platform (for example, the intended actions to protect freshwater, details of the certifier, audit status, spatial location of the farm and if the FW-FP is being used as an alternative to meet other regulatory requirements, such as intensive winter grazing).

The ministry will receive some data through the platform, “but it will only be for the purpose of systemwide monitoring and evaluation, for us to see if the system is working as intended, or where it might need improvement”.

“So, the data we received will be aggregated and anonymised.

“We won’t be able to see to which farm or farm operator the data we receive relates; we won’t have line of sight on that at all,” Auld said.

ARSE-ABOUT: They’re just making life difficult for everyone, Colin Hurst says.

Hurst said FW-FPs are a good idea, as an alternative to the need for a resource consent. But Federated Farmers thinks they should be voluntary not compulsory and should be targeted on some of the more environmentally risky activities on farms rather than covering everything.

At least on one front –confidentiality of farm data – he had been given assurances.

Officials had likened plans to a sort of a farm freshwater protection Warrant of Fitness. All the ministry will know is whether a farm has a certified FW-FP, and whether it has passed an audit.

That was confirmed in the Federated Farmers webinars focused on first-off-the-rank regions, Waikato and Southland.

Ministry for the Environment senior analyst Pippa Auld told the

Tracy Nelson, manager primary sector engagement and support at Waikato Regional Council, said if someone asked for information about freshwater risks and intended protection actions under the Official Information Act, the council would have to provide it.

“But we will not be sharing your name, we will not be sharing the location of your property.”

Hurst said another concern was the plethora of plans and paperwork being required of farmers, and the frustration of duplication.

Many farmers already have supply agreements with the likes of Fonterra, Synlait, Silver Fern Farms etc and assurance activities are covered off in these and Farm Environment Plans. He welcomed work being done on integrated farm planning.

Speakers on the webinar also acknowledged this issue. Auld said a farm operation’s existing industry or farm environment plan will already have content that can be used for the Freshwater Farm Plan.

“So, we absolutely wouldn’t advise

you to throw that away and start again. You might just have to think about where the gaps are.”

It’s open to farmers to choose to prepare a FW-FP themselves. They don’t have to use an advisor or consultant, so long as the plan is certified by someone qualified.

Auld said MFE has been working with industry providers who are updating plan templates to be in line with FW-FP requirements.

“I would recommend you contact your existing provider to see what they are doing in that space and whether they can provide a template or resource that can help you.”

Michael Edmondson, MfE principal analyst, said listed actions to deal with inherent water quality

vulnerabilities – such as rolling hill slopes or soils that are susceptible to shallow or sheet erosion – could be as simple as minimising the time paddocks are in bare land, developing larger buffer areas around riparian strips and critical source areas to capture sediment run-off.

“So, it doesn’t have to be pages and pages of detail for each action.  Actions could be a simple as two or three sentences, but they’ve got to be measurable, time-specific, and realistic.”

Federated Farmers members can listen to one of the FW-FP webinars, and hear the answers to questions asked by farmers, by clicking on the Events page on the Federated Farmers website.

We need to get the central government laws in place and then it flows down to the regions. They’re just making life difficult for everyone.

Colin Hurst

Federated Farmers

Sector calls for pest control funding

Farmers, foresters and conservationists have called on whoever forms the next Government to commit to controlling the large mobs of browsing pests such as deer, goats, pigs, and wallabies now common across New Zealand.

Federated Farmers, the New Zealand Institute of Forestry and Forest & Bird wrote to all of the major political parties earlier this month asking for targeted funding to tackle wild browsing pest numbers.

“This is a serious problem for a lot of farmers,” Federated Farmers President Wayne Langford said.  “These animals are consuming huge amounts of grass and undermining e orts to improve environmental outcomes.

“We’ve been getting regular reports of 30 or more wild deer roaming across farmland eating the pasture – and a deer can eat the same amount of grass in a day as two sheep. It’s the same issue with other pests too,” Langford said.

Data shows that these pest populations have been expanding in range across native habitats and primary production land.

In South Canterbury, a farmer recently eradicated more than 2300 wallabies in a single cull. Without adequate control measures on the neighbouring conservation land, similarly large culls will need to continue regularly.

A targeted injection of funding for the Department of Conservation (DOC) to increase their pest control e orts across the country is needed,

We’ve been getting regular reports of 30 or more wild deer roaming across farmland eating the pasture – and a deer can eat the same amount of grass in a day as two sheep.

Wayne Langford

Federated Farmers president

Langford said.  Government budgets are tight, but if pest numbers continue to expand the problem –and costs – will only get worse.

“There will always be an important role for recreational hunting in New Zealand, but the current increase in pest numbers shows that recreational hunting alone can’t adequately control these pests,” Langford said.

The forest sector is spending millions on wild browsing animal control, with reports of 1400 goats shot over 400 hectares in just two months on the East Coast, New Zealand Institute of Forestry president James Treadwell said.

“Without adequate pest management, New Zealand is going to be unable to plant steeper sites and meet the Climate Change Commission forecast of 300,000 hectares of new native forest. This could result in failure to meet future international climate change commitments, and further increase the reliance on purchasing international carbon credits at great cost to every New Zealander,” Treadwell said.

Forest & Bird chief executive Nicola Toki said the risk is native forest collapse. DOC monitoring has shown the feral deer, goal and pigs have colonised a third more conservation land in just eight years.

“[They’re] wrecking native habitats. Even worse, because they eat palatable tree species before those plants have a chance to grow, empty forest understoreys are endangering future forests.

“We need these critical carbon sinks in the ght against climate change. We need them to prevent ooding and erosion. And we need them because, without forests, where are native birds supposed to go?”

A hunter herself, Toki said recreational hunting is one tool in the toolbox here “but will never be enough by itself. This is a problem that’s been decades in the making and we need Government to front up and tackle it now.”

Feds backs OSPRI on M bovis

Federated Farmers agrees with the proposal that the Mycoplasma bovis eradication programme moves to come under a National Pest Management Plan, with OSPRI as the administrator.

But the Federation says shifting it from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) must include extra steps to help OSPRI overcome some of its “current weaknesses”. With the cattle disease now contained to just one known infected dairy farm in Selwyn, partners in the cross-sector eradication e ort see synergies in running the M bovis Programme alongside the OSPRI-administered National Animal Identi cation & Tracing (NAIT) and the TBFree Programme.

MPI has said there is potential for up to $15 million of savings across the three programmes, and the shift of administration of the M bovis programme comes with the promise of a reduced National Plan levy on farmers to nance the rest of its work.

In its submission to MPI, Feds said OSPRI is the best organistion to deliver of the level of integration needed.

“In essence, farmers need a one stop shop for data input and similarly, in the event of a biosecurity incursion, there needs to be a single source of data for tracing purposes,” the submission said.

“However, given the continued delays in the development and release of a fully functioning electronic MyOspri system and other missteps in the rollout of the NAIT system we do have a level concern about OSPRI having enough resources and suitably quali ed people in its current form to expand into a third major programme.”

Federated Farmers said OSPRI must be given ability to second expertise from MPI, other government departments and farming organisations; there needs to be a review of OSPRI governance; there needs to be su cient funding for them to be able to

o er competitive salaries when recruiting for the new programme, and support to complete the fully functional electronic MyOspri system without further delays. When that system is complete, most professional farmers would be able to comply with the 15 rules incorporated in the M bovis Pest Management Plan proposal. But that may well not be the case for some small farms/lifestyle blocks, with limited access to suitable infrastructure for rapidly mustering, yarding, handling and restraint of cattle.

Federated Farmers said the programme would need to investigate providing portable yards and cattle restraints. Provided a robust and transparent system to identify at-risk properties is put in place, Federated Farmers said it agreed with the proposed additional biosecurity measures on high-risk properties, including ineligibility for compensation where there is a failure to comply with the National Plan procedures.

MORE FIREPOWER: While there will always be an important role for recreational hunting in New Zealand, the increase in pest numbers shows that recreational hunting alone can’t adequately control these pests, Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says.

Photo: Ewan Kelsall

Otorohanga 671 Kawhia Road

Tender

Otorohanga 624 Kawhia Road

Tender

Return to dairy

Are you looking for a support block to help take the risk out of varying feed costs when buying supplements or fed up with inconsistent results coming back from grazing? The value of good support land has never been more evident, and the value of reliable water has been made clear over the past few summers. This 145 ha approx. of land is currently used a support block for an existing dairy farm. The property consists of approximately 40 paddocks with reliable water source and troughs to every paddock. This is an excellent block on Kawhia Road which will fit into many existing farming operations. There's the added bonus of a disused 40 ASHB cowshed still in working order.

Matamata 1578 Old Te Aroha Road

Tender closes 4.00pm, Fri 20th Oct, 2023 (unless sold prior), Property Brokers, 138 Arawata Street, Te Awamutu

View Thu 5 Oct 1.00 - 2.00pm Thu 12 Oct 1.00 - 2.00pm Web pb.co.nz/TXR168281

Steve Mathis M 027 481 9060

Dairy support

This pristine 38 ha farm is the perfect country run off block just minutes from Otorohanga and a close drive to Te Awamutu. It delivers an exceptional rural lifestyle and in two titles there are multiple options to be considered. The land is currently used for grazing dairy heifers, fattening beef stock and approx. 23 ha is used to grow maize over the summer period.

Rest easy as there is a comfortable three bedroom home with an office area on an elevated site. The board and batten construction provides a rustic element with a great deck perfectly in tune with country living capturing the rural landscape.

Norfolk 656 Durham Road

Tender closes 4.00pm, Fri 20th Oct, 2023 (unless sold prior), Property Brokers, 138 Arawata Street, Te Awamutu

View Thu 5 Oct 1.00 - 2.00pm Thu 12 Oct 1.00 - 2.00pm Web pb.co.nz/TXR168812

Steve Mathis M 027 481 9060

New Listing

It's all here!

This 217 ha property is well presented with very desirable contour and strong farm infrastructure, with an exceptional ability to deliver premium returns.

Located in the Waikato district, 15 minutes drive from Matamata, that winters on average 500 R2 dairy heifers plus beef stock. The property is well farmed and regularly fertilised. The contour ranges from flat to easy medium hill to slightly steeper contour at the rear and has been subdivided into approximately 50 paddocks, mostly with great track access and water troughs. There are two sets of cattle yards, a woolshed, a six-bay calf shed and two workshops.

143 ha Dairy farm

Auction 12.00pm, Thu 26th Oct, 2023, (unless sold prior), Hautapu Sports Club, 211 Victoria Street, Cambridge

View Wed 4 Oct 1.00 - 2.00pm Wed 11 Oct 1.00 - 2.00pm

Web pb.co.nz/TXR104102

Steve Mathis

M 027 481 9060

Our realistic vendors have instructed Property Brokers to offer for sale this 120 ha (effective) Taranaki dairy farm, well located in the strong farming area of Norfolk, Inglewood. With two titles, this summer safe property will appeal to those either looking to upscale to a slightly bigger operation or looking for their first farm. The contour is flat and the property is well subdivided with excellent laneways. The average production is around 110,000 kgMS from an approximate peak number of 270 cows. The infrastructure is of a good standard and includes three houses, multiple hay/calf sheds, workshop, fert bin, PK shed and a 36 ASHB with cup removers and much more.

5 2 3 For Sale From $5,850,000 + GST (if any)

View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/NPR119656 Greg O'Byrne M 027 598 3000

Maungatautari 128 + 248 Stokes Road Auction

Lake side beauty!

A property, the likes of which, you are unlikely to find anywhere else. Bound by Lake Karapiro along its eastern boundary, with quite easy vehicle access right to the river's edge and 3 - 4 amazing sandy beaches at your disposal. The potential for recreational use of this area needs to be seen to be appreciated. The contour is, in the main, easy to rolling with some steeper sidlings.

Interested parties need to inspect this property at their earliest convenience. Lots of options with a recently decommissioned (2.2 years ago) dairy shed, three homes, long road frontage, lots of good contour and of course, direct access to the lake.

Pongaroa 173 Waikakahi Road

Tender

Waikaka - 58 ha + 24 ha *STS

Waikaka provides an exceptional entry level finishing property located in the Pongaroa farming district with purchase options. As soon as you enter this property you will appreciate the work that has gone into this productive farm which was once part of a larger property. With improvements of a high calibre which include a three bedroom family home with encompassing views, Four stand woolshed with covered yards and cattle yards with handling facilities. 45 ha of the country would be suitable for cultivation which includes 20 ha of drained flats in improved pastures. The property has had a good fertiliser history, and excellent reticulated water throughout. *Subject to survey

Tender closes 2.00pm, Fri 13th Oct, 2023, To be submitted to Property Brokers Pahiatua, 129 Main Street Pahiatua.

View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/PR108954

Jared Brock M 027 449 5496

Jamie Smith M 027 220 8311

Auction 11.00am, Wed 11th Oct, 2023, (unless sold prior),

Property Brokers, 94 Duke Street, Cambridge

View Tue 3 Oct 12.00 - 1.00pm Web pb.co.nz/TWR163250

John Sisley

M 027 475 9808 E john.sisley@pb.co.nz

David McGuire

M 027 472 2572 E david.mcguire@pb.co.nz

Mayfield 425 Mayfield Valetta Road

Deadline Sale

272.44 ha - Dairy support

This 272 ha dairy support/finishing property is located on Mayfield Valetta Road which is approximately 25 minutes west of Ashburton and 5 km north of Mayfield. Having a strong dairy support history, an executive four bedroom homestead, excellent second home, great infrastructure, excellent pastures and pivot irrigation. Excellent standalone business or dairy support for the larger dairy farmer. This property is currently leased until 1st September 2024. A quality farm with excellent irrigation, great access from lanes system plus excellent dairy support history. Available to purchase - Option 1 - whole farm; Option 2 - 146.99 ha - Homestead block; or Option 3 - 125.43 ha Bareland block

Deadline Sale closes Wednesday 25th October, 2023 at 12.00pm, (unless sold prior), Property Brokers Ashburton

View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/AR167205

Chris Murdoch M 027 434 2545

Kereru 463 Gull Flat Road, Hawkes Bay

Tender

Kereru - Genuine sheep & beef farm 225 ha

Travelling to the end of a no exit road will bring you to a desirable farm nestled under the Ruahine ranges, in the Kereru district. Currently run in conjunction with the Kereru station but has now become surplus to this farming operation. Included on the block is the following: Renovated four bedroom family home, four stand woolshed with raised board and a NP of approximately 800, excellent set of sheep yards, cattle yards, extra accommodation quarters, very good reliable water systems, generally considered a reliable rainfall area, easy contour with good access. Subdivided into 29 paddocks, local Kereru school, hunting on your doorstep. There is the option to purchase the 144 ha (STT) which is a bare block and around 1 km back down the road. For a full information memorandum give us a call today.

Kereru Gull Flat Road, Hawkes Bay

Tender

4 1

Tender closes 2.00pm, Wed 8th Nov, 2023, Property Brokers

306 St Aubyn Street West Hastings

View By appointment

Web pb.co.nz/HR169235

Mike Heard

M 027 641 9007 E mike.heard@pb.co.nz

Pat Portas

M 027 447 0612 E patp@pb.co.nz

Kereru - Bare land Sherratt block 144 ha

Opportunity exists here with a very well positioned bare land block which has been part of the larger Kereru station in the renowned Kereru district west of Hastings city. Surplus to requirements and all set for a new owner to continue as sheep and beef grazing block. There is a blank canvas when it comes to infrastructure as there is nothing currently on the property apart from 18 fenced paddocks and a very reliable water system. An ideal run off or starter farm you choose but make no mistake it has easy contour, easy access and blocks like this are rare. There is also the option to purchase the 225 ha which is a around 1 km further along the road and has all the farm infrastructure. For a full information memorandum give us a call today.

Tender closes 2.00pm, Wed 8th Nov, 2023, Property Brokers

306 St Aubyn Street West Hastings

View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/HR169192

Mike Heard

M 027 641 9007 E mike.heard@pb.co.nz

Pat Portas

M 027 447 0612 E patp@pb.co.nz

Maheno Kakanui Valley Road, North Otago

Oaks Dairy

This is an exceptional irrigated dairy farm of approximately 489 hectares, including approximately 78 hectares of support land. The first phase of the current owners purchasing land commenced in 2007, and with strategic additions of neighbouring land, they created this large-scale dairy farm. A feature of the property is the 17-hectare 1,300,000m3 water storage pond, which primarily sources water from the Kakanui River under a consent with reliability enhanced by the North Otago Irrigation scheme, giving reliability while managing water costs.

Oaks Dairy presents a remarkable opportunity for investors or dairy farmers seeking an expansive property with a substantial effective area, good infrastructure and a prime location. bayleys.co.nz/5520740

489 ha

Deadline Sale (unless sold prior)

12pm, Wed 8 Nov 2023

201 West Street, Ashburton

View by appointment

Mike Preston 027 430 7041 mike.preston@bayleys.co.nz

Al Brown 022 188 6601 al.brown@bayleys.co.nz

Tapora 392 and 421 Journeys End

Waterfront dairy or avocado gold!

Positioned on the banks of the Kaipara Harbour is Pinehill Farm; a 301 hectare dairy operation with exciting avocado potential. Set in five titles, this top-tier farm boasts an impressive pedigree; 2022-23 production of 223,989 kgMS achieved from its low-input system, and 102 hectares being identified for future orchard development in this proven avocado “capital”. Other special features include highly fertile volcanic soils, a high volume farm bore, a 60 bale rotary shed, and four houses. With direct access to the Kaipara Harbour, Tapora's popular golf course, and within 90 minutes of Aucklands CBD you can enjoy the best of both worlds! Take a tour: www.vimeo.com/867770757 (turn on your sound) bayleys.co.nz/1203601

bayleys.co.nz

301 ha

Tender (unless sold prior)

Closing 12pm, Fri 27 Oct 2023

41 Queen Street, Warkworth

View by appointment

John Barnett 021 790 393 john.barnett@bayleys.co.nz

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

Boundary lines are indicative only

Morrinsville 785B Valintine Road

Complete dairy goat operation

This irrigated dairy goat unit, between Morrinsville and Hamilton, would have to be one of the best around. Excellent infrastructure includes a well located 120 bale rotary dairy. The nicely shaped square unit is all mowable. Water is sourced from a number of bores, with two main ones feeding the centre pivot for irrigating approximately 70 hectares of the farm. The property boasts five modern dwellings to accommodate staff requirements or family.

Around 1,100 mixed age milking does are housed and around 120 dairy replacements are also carried. Production is to 100,000 milk solids with 160,000 MSR’s (milk solid rights) currently held to supply NZ Dairy Goat Co-Op. The location, the set up and the contour all make for a reason to consider the option.

bayleys.co.nz/2314912

100.3488 ha

Tender (unless sold prior)

Closing 2pm, Wed 25 Oct 2023

96 Ulster Street, Hamilton

View 12-1pm Thu 5 Oct

Mike Fraser-Jones 027 475 9680 mike.fraserjones@bayleys.co.nz

Neville Jacques 021 774 190 neville.jacques@bayleys.co.nz

SUCCESS REALTY LIMITED, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

Morrinsville 97 Reay and Watson Road

Good scale – great set-up

In the heart of the Waikato, between Hamilton and Morrinsville, is this good sound production dairy unit. The property is milking up to 420 cows with a 200kgMS per day winter milk contract supplying Synlait Dairy Company. The farm is well set up with a 40ASHB Don Chapman dairy with ACR’s and in-shed meal feeders. Good shedding for calves and machinery storage is mostly near the working hub along with three dwellings. Production has been to 154,336 kgMS supplemented with meal, grass and maize silage plus some mix from a nearby goat farm. With its location and set up for ease of management, this unit should appeal. The Vendors are exiting the industry so stock and machinery may also be available. Well worth the look. bayleys.co.nz/2314911

NEW LISTING

128.1419 ha

Tender (unless sold prior)

Closing 2pm, Thu 9 Nov 2023

96 Ulster Street, Hamilton

View 12-1pm Wed 11 Oct

Mike Fraser-Jones 027 475 9680 mike.fraserjones@bayleys.co.nz

Neville Jacques 021 774 190 neville.jacques@bayleys.co.nz

SUCCESS REALTY LIMITED, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

NEW LISTING

Waikari 554 Waikari Valley Road

Double Hill

Presenting an exceptionally well-balanced grazing property situated in a well-regarded area for stock health, and with low operating costs, this property has plenty of future upside.

637.6981 hectares (more or less), consisting of a substantial area of fertile flats in the front and back of the property, a large area of rolling hill country, and some larger hill blocks. Double Hill has a wonderful balance of both contour and aspect. The property has had a significant amount of capital expenditure over the past five years, including new yards for both sheep and cattle, new fencing, and an upgraded stock water system. There is a range of farm improvements including a wool shed, workshop, and various storage sheds plus two dwellings. bayleys.co.nz/5522003

Taihape 8014 State Highway 1

Small farm with river access

In a great location just 3 kilometres south of Taihape, this unique little farm boasts easy access to the Hautapu River and features free draining fertile flat land that is superbly fenced and watered from an excellent on farm spring.

A modern three-bedroom home is nestled in a private setting with stunning views across farmland to the Ruahine Ranges. Spacious living areas with a separate lounge and office, two sheltered decks plus a spa pool, ensuite and double garage complete a very satisfying picture. Multiple implement sheds including a lock up and workshop compliment the range of stock facilities. A rare opportunity to secure a modern home with flats suitable for a range of farming options, and exclusive access to the Hautapu. bayleys.co.nz/2900626

NEW LISTING

20.3749 ha

Deadline Sale (unless sold prior)

2pm, Thu 9 Nov 2023

View by appointment

Pete Stratton 027 484 7078 peter.stratton@bayleys.co.nz

BARTLEY REAL ESTATE LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

637.6981 ha

Deadline Sale (unless sold prior)

12pm, Fri 27 Oct 2023

3 Deans Avenue, Chch

View by appointment

Ben Turner 027 530 1400 ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz

Peter Foley 021 754 737 peter.foley@bayleys.co.nz

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

Boundary lines are indicative only

Bankside 1031 Sharlands Road

Abvan Farm

Abvan Farm is an opportunity not to be missed by those looking for a quality dairy operation, located in a favoured Central Canterbury area, boasting all the key attributes to enable continued success. Milking approx. 840 cows, Abvan Farm is set on 242.4627ha, with a history of consistent production and budgeted to produce 390,000kg milk solids this season. The farm has a very well-thought-out layout, with a centrally located 50-bail rotary dairy shed, numerous calf sheds and four dwellings. The irrigation system underwent a major redevelopment in 2022 with the addition of new pivots. Water is supplied from Central Plains Water Limited. The surrounding area offers a variety of outdoor adventures and activities. bayleys.co.nz/5522014

242.4627 ha

Deadline Sale (unless sold prior) 12pm, Thu 19 Oct 2023

3 Deans Avenue, Chch

View by appointment

Ben Turner 027 530 1400 ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz

Craig Blackburn 027 489 7225 craig.blackburn@bayleys.co.nz

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

bayleys.co.nz

TENDER

MATAWAI, GISBORNE DISTRICT 6464 Matawai Road

Heartland Opportunity

An opportunity has presented itself in the sought after, close-knit, rural community of Matawai. Those looking for strong hill grazing land that lends itself to multiple uses must check out Pukehinau. Midway between Opotiki and Gisborne, on SH 2, you will drive through the small rural heartland settlement of Matawai in the Gisborne District. Matawai could be described as a snapshot of rural New Zealand at its best with all the attributes that provincial communities are recognised for, in so providing the perfect environment to bring up a family. Social lives are focused around the school, the squash club, the local fire brigade and the township in general.

241.52ha (or 596.82 acres) with good fertiliser history

Spacious four bedroom family home, spring and rainwater supply

Multiple artesian springs supply stock water, gravity reticulated to all paddocks

• 27 post and batten paddocks, most internally subdivided with two-wire electric fences

• Satellite yards are well positioned for ease and efficiency of stock handling

• Four-stand wool shed with covered sheep yards, four-bay implement shed and workshop

pggwre.co.nz/WHK38420

TENDER

4 1 1

TENDER Plus GST (if any)

(Unless Sold Prior)

Closes 4.00pm, Thursday 9 November

VIEW By Appointment Only

Phil Goldsmith

M 027 494 1844

E pgoldsmith@pggwrightson.co.nz

HAVELOCK NORTH, HAWKE'S BAY 2246 Middle Road

Pukekura

A large scale operation comprising some 596.38 hectares (1473 acres) held in four titles. With great location being approx 22km south of Havelock North and titles running down to the Tuki Tuki river with much of the farm affording expansive views up and down this highly regarded River Valley. Pukekura is a very desirable property.

The main executive style home sits on an elevated site with expansive views across the river both north and south. A further four dwellings are noted on various titles. Three are currently tenanted.

The farm has a multitude of utility buildings aside from the main service buildings including a five-stand woolshed, good circular cattle yards plus sheep yards.

A new water system lifts water from a bore beside the Tuki Tuki River into storage tanks. Gravity feeds back to stock troughs and provides external house water for the dwellings. A strong breeding and fattening property with further development potential.

pggwre.co.nz/HAS37294

Showcasing a collection of New Zealand’s premium rural properties.

TENDER Plus GST (if any)

Closes 4.00pm, Wednesday 8 November Hastings

VIEW By Appointment Only

Mark Johnson

M 027 487 5105 | B 06 878 3156

E mark.johnson@pggwrightson.co.nz

WAIUKU, AUCKLAND 1047 Awhitu Road

Time for a Change

Dairy farms of this quality and size located close to Auckland are few and far between. This 161ha farm, with views over the Manukau Harbour, has been farmed with pride by the owners for over 30 years. Infrastructure includes five bedroom home with four bay shed, two bedroom cottage, 30ASHB shed, inline feed system, rubber matting, multiple silage pits, calf rearing facilities, and large implement shed. Currently milking 400 cows, across the property with well subdivided paddocks via well maintained raceways, with a good standard of fencing throughout.

AUCTION

$40,000 PER HA

Plus GST (if any)

VIEW 11.00-1.00pm

Tuesday 3, 10 & 17 October

Kane Needham

M 027 336 8709

E kane.needham@pggwrightson.co.nz

Mark Needham

M 027 704 6833

E mneedham@pggwrightson.co.nz

RAGLAN, WAIKATO 61 Pond Road

Attractive, Flat, Quality 103ha Farm

This 103ha dairy farm, nearly entirely flat with gentle rolling areas, features two comfortable four-bedroom homes, useful sheds, workshops, stables, garaging, implement sheds, calf rearing sheds and a modern 30 ASHB dairy shed. 275 cows are milked with consistent production on a low-cost system. An excellent race system provides access to approx 50 paddocks, a trough in each paddock provides water from the bore. The farm has mature stands of native trees and three spring-fed creeks. Located 6km from Raglan you could have the best of both worlds, a productive farm and amazing lifestyle.

pggwre.co.nz/HAM38417

AUCTION

Plus GST (if any)

(Unless Sold Prior) 11.00am, Wednesday 1 November VIEW 11.00-12.30pm Wednesday 4 & 11 October

Richard Thomson

M 027 294 8625

E richard.thomson@pggwrightson.co.nz

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – October 2, 2023

Real Estate

954 Oreipunga Road, Cambridge

$6,500,000 +GST (if any)

Discover this incredible opportunity to own an established dairy farm spanning across two titles. This expansive property has a footprint covering approximately 213 hectares and boasts a stunning location next to Maungatautari Mountain, with breathtaking views and a thriving birdlife habitat. With a portion of the land covered in native bush, this property creates the added advantage of Environment Benefit Lot (EBL) entitlements, making this an appealing prospect for potential buyers.

The farm has a mix of contours with some steeper sidling’s. Soils are free-draining ash, and the productive area of land will be approximately 141 hectares. Sound farm management is reflected with production of 155,403 kgMS off approx 150 effective hectares over the last 3 years from 380 to 400 cows.

Farm infrastructure is exceptional, featuring a recently rebuilt 30-aside herringbone cowshed, ample storage space in various sheds, two meal silos, a substantial PKE bunker with a 30-tonne capacity. A well-maintained track allows easy access around the farm.

The main home enjoys an outlook of stunning rural views and has recently been renovated to create a modern and comfortable family home comprising six bedrooms and three bathrooms. Heating is ensured with two wood burners and two heat pumps with heat transfer vents in every living area and bedroom. There is also a second 4-bedroom dwelling plus sleepout used as staff quarters.

Located between Cambridge and Tauranga, and handy to Lake Karapiro for recreational activities this offering presents a wealth of opportunity for the purchaser. Don't miss out - act swiftly and give Matt a call to secure this exciting property.

Cambridge Real Estate, MREINZ, Licensed: (REAA 2008) 47 Alpha Street, Cambridge 3434

444 3347 e: matt@cambridgerealestate.co.nz

Prioritise This One 62

The best way to appreciate just how special this 54.9 hectare dairy farm is, will be to visit it in person. Located in the community focused district of Wharepuhunga just down the road from the village hub of the local school and hall, and within an easy commute to Te Awamutu and Cambridge. This attractive property is predominantly flat or gently rolling with only minimal sidlings. Milking around 170 cows through an 18 ASHB. To name all of this properties features would be a lengthy exercise although the fact that it has 2 road boundaries and is in 2 titles with a house on each is worth a special mention. This combination could provide some flexibility around future subdivision.

matamata.ljhooker.co.nz/KFGHR1

75TH JUBILEE 1949-2024

Easter Weekend 29-30 March 2024

To Register

Go to Facebook: Utiku Old Boys RFC 75th Jubilee

Or email: utikurugby@gmail.com

Early Bird Registration Fee $80.00/person — includes a registration pack and dinner on Saturday night.

Cut off for early bird registration is 27th October 2023

For all enquiries contact: Jo Kelly 027 528 1937

CORK OAK TRUFFLE TREES

Digging out and remetalling cattle yards and calf sheds. Also specialising in flood damage and silt removal.

Sensor Jet. Deal to y and Lice now. Guaranteed performance. Unbeatable pricing. Phone 06 835 6863. www.craigcojetters.com

DOLOMITE

For a delivered price call ....

CONTRACTORS

GORSE AND THISTLE SPRAY. We also scrub cut. Four men with all gear in your area. Phone Dave 06 375 8032.

DOGS FOR SALE

BORDER COLLIE-CROSS 7-month males. Work ready. Parents intelligent, good working dogs. $300+GST. Phone 021 911 800. DELIVERING AND BUYING NZ Wide. https:// www.youtube.com/@ mikehughesworkingdog Phone 07 315 5553. HEADING PUPS. Strong eye, Father tricolour, 3 Dogs. $350.00 each, good working parents. Phone or Text 027 476 2579, 07 871 9934.

DOGS FOR SALE

BEARDIE PUPS, 10-weeksold. Both parents working dogs. $1000 each. Phone 021 299 2375.

GOATS WANTED WORD ONLY ADVERTISING. Phone 0800 85 25 80.

GOATS. 40 YEARS experience mustering feral cattle and feral goats anywhere in NZ. 50% owner (no costs). 50% musterer (all costs). Phone Kerry Coulter 027 494 4194.

GRAZING AVAILABLE

DAIRY HEIFER grazing available. Bulls /Marton areas. Phone 027 223 6156.

HORTICULTURE

LIVESTOCK FOR SALE

THE GULLIES WILTSHIRE & Low Input Rams. SIL; FE and worm tolerance. Richard Morrison Phone 021 626 513. richard@thegullies.nz www.thegullies.nz

RAMS FOR

WILTSHIRES-ARVIDSON. Self shearing sheep. No1 for Facial Eczema. David 027 2771 556.

FARM MAPPING

MEASURE YOUR FARM’S e ective area with a practical and cost-e ective map. Visit farmmapping.co.nz for a quote.

GIBB-GRO GROWTH PROMOTANT GIBBOOST INCREASE PASTURE growth and dry matter. $5.50 per/ha ex store + GST. Phone 0508 733 343. www.vernado.co.nz

NZ KELP. FRESH, wild ocean harvested giant kelp. The world’s richest source of natural iodine. Dried and milled for use in agriculture and horticulture. Growth promotant / stock health food. As seen on Country Calendar. Orders to: 03 322 6115 or info@nzkelp.co.nz

PROMOTES QUICK PASTURE growth. Only $6.50+gst per hectare delivered. 0508-GIBBGRO [0508 442 247] www. gibbgro.co.nz. “The Proven One.”

GOATS WANTED

GOATS WANTED.

LEASE LAND WANTED

DAIRY OR GRAZING FARM wanted. Open to leasing, equity, share farming or developing land in partnership. Rangitīkei, Manawatū or HB areas. Phone Michael 027 223 6156.

KAAHU GENETICS

KAAHU WHITE™ MATERNAL SHEDDING RAMS 4th ANNUAL SALE

Sale Day - Friday November 17th,

1pm Approximately 150 2th rams for sale by Auction 11am rams penned ready for viewing

On farm @ 154 Whakamaru Road, SH 30, Whakamaru. Livestreamed on Open Day - Thursday 2nd November, 1pm - 3pm

Elit e Ram Sale

SIL Recorded... All traits measured and recorded

Top Production

Low input extremely high output Our ewes pregnancy scanned 201% this year, ewe hoggets 163%

Carcass meaty and high yielding EMA muscle scanned & Sires CT scanned for yield

Great eating quality Eczema tolerance Ramguard testing @.40

ORARI GORGE GENETICS

FAST GROWTH, HIGH YIELD, LESS DRENCHING, GUARANTEED PERFORMANCE

Breeding MORE PROFITABLE & MORE SUSTAINABLE sheep in the HILL COUNTRY for the HILL COUNTRY. “Home of the Beef + Lamb Genetics Low Input Progeny Test”

Orari Gorge Romney, RomTex actively select for FEWER DAGS AND GREATER RESISTANCE AND RESILIENCE TO WORMS.

NZ Maternal Worth with Meat, Wool & Body Condition Score

4949

Please contact us any time for more information or to arrange a visit.

Station, RD 21, Geraldine, South Canterbury, New Zealand

Elit e Ram Sale

Elit e Ram Sale

20th November 1pm

20th November 1pm

20th November 1pm

Symonds Road, Waipara

Symonds Road, Waipara

Symonds Road, Waipara

· 70 2th Wiltshire Rams

· 70 2th Wiltshire Rams

· 70 2th Wiltshire Rams

· SIL recorded

· SIL recorded

· SIL recorded

· Brucellosis tested

· Brucellosis tested

· Brucellosis tested

· Organically rasied

· Organically rasied

· Organically rasied

Contact:

Contact:

Contact:

Dave Wooldridge: 027 259 4859

Dave Wooldridge: 027 259 4859

Dave Wooldridge: 027 259 4859

Callum Dunnett: 027 462 0126

Callum Dunnett: 027 462 0126

Callum Dunnett: 027 462 0126

Alex Horn: 027 5918 449 www.mtcass.co.nz

Alex Horn: 027 5918 449 www.mtcass.co.nz

Alex Horn: 027 5918 449 www.mtcass.co.nz

KAURI SPRING CATTLE FAIR

Friday 6 October 2023

12.30pm start Kauri Saleyards, Whangarei Approx. 800 head: 150 2yr Strs

• 80 2yr Hfrs

• 360 1yr Strs

160 1yr Hfrs • 50 A/B Wnr Strs

For further information, please contact: Mike Laing 0275 986 736 Andrew Leggett 0220 383 216

There were two brothers who lived in the country. One day they decided they wanted to move to the big city and get jobs there. When they got there they went to the employment office to ask for jobs.

The first brother went in for an interview and less than 10 minutes later he comes out of the office jumping for joy yelling “Hoo wee! I got a job!”

The second brother was so happy and excited for what he would get.

He enters the office and the interviewer asks him what his skills are.

“Well” he says, “I can cut and split wood like crazy”. The interviewer looks at him and says “Hmm, well it’s going to be hard to find a job in this city with those skills. Everything in the city is steel and concrete, we don’t have much use for a wood cutter”.

Disheartened, the second brother says “But my brother was just in here and he got a job”. The interviewer says, “Yes but he says he can pilot, and that’s a valuable skill”.

The brother sits up in his chair and says, “That may be so, but he can’t pile’it ‘till I cut it”.

QUALITY IN MILK AUCTION

A/c S & S Farm

Thursday 12th October 2023

Stratford Saleyards

Start 11:30am

150 Frsn, F/X & Jsy Cows 45 x Frsn, XBD & Jsy in milk heifers

Auctioneers Note: Herd owned 18 years.

Due to a change in farming policy this herd has become available for auction and will come forward in milk and in sound condition.

Farmed under system 2 up under the mountain, the herd averages 380-400 milk solids annually.

The cows have been herd tested 27/09/23 Ave BW170 PW200

TB C10, Lepto vaccinated annually & BVD bulk milk tested.

Deferred payment available by arrangement with vendor.

Full Catalogue available www.mylivestock.co.nz

Enquiries: Sheldon Keech 027 222 7920

SALE TALK

STOCK REQUIRED

R1 bulls 200kg to 380kg

R2 bulls 380kg to 600kg

R2 Steers 380kg to 550kg

Service bulls R1 & R2

Larger lines of R1 & R2 store cattle

BEN MORE AND PIWAKAWAKA BULL SALE

Warrick & Duncan James and Gary Kennett, Coalgate

7pm, Tuesday 10th October

> 10 R1 Limousin Bulls

> 10 R2 Limousin Bulls

Via online auction.

For videos and EBVs of bulls, and to register for Bidr® please go to www.bidr.co.nz.

If you would like assistance registering please call the team on 0800 TO BIDR (0800 86 2437).

Further enquiries: Duncan James 027 209 4202 Gary Kennett 029 377 4545 Callum Dunnett 027 462 0126

ECZEMA TOLERANT ROMNEYS

RAMGUARD TESTING SINCE 1985

• 5 star rating

• Bred on challenging hill country

• Robust functional sheep that survive

• Structurally sound

• Selecting for parasite tolerance and less dags

• No ewes worm drenched, dipped or vaccinated

KEITH ABBOTT, RAGLAN

027 463 9859 | www.waiteikaromneys.co.nz @waiteikaromneys

TOP QUALITY IN-MILK

COW AUCTION

Date: Wednesday 4th October

Address: Cambridge Saleyards

Start Time: 11:30am will be available for online bidding

A/c V Jensen: End of an era, 40yrs owner bred in-milk Frsn/FrsnX 3 digit code young cows.

75 x Friesian & Friesian Cross In-Milk young cows including a complete replacement line of 2yr heifers. BW203, PW234, LW235, RA93%. Herd tested 30th August 27.7ltrs, 2.3ms, SCC

77. Many years LIC nominated and Premier Sires (Emphasis on A2A2 sires for the last 12 years). These strong uddered cows will come forward in excellent condition. BVD tested, Lepto Vacc, TB Status C10

CONTACT:

Luke Gilbert 027 849 2112

A/c Bayliss Farms: Genuine Spring Calving Content of Autumn Herd.

50 x In-Milk Frsn/FrsnX cows. BW195, PW279, LW290, RA93%. Young spring content of an autumn calving herd with outstanding indexes. Lepto Vacc, TB Status C10. Herd tested 21st September 2023.

CONTACT:

Kelly Higgins 027 600 2374

A/c Te Kopia Farms: Mixed age/breed Cows

21 x In-Milk Mixed breed cows. BW169 PW221 LW290 RA83%

No mating for autumn calvers due to farming policy change, cows ready for spring mating Mixed age cows, selection criteria: Big cows, more jersey type cows and white Friesian cows. Herd Tested 18th September 2023.

CONTACT:

Jack Kiernan 027 8232373

PAYMENT TERMS:

Payment to be made within 14 days of the sale. Delivery Day of sale.

8TH ANNUAL YOUNG IN-MILK FRSN/FRSNX COW AUCTION

‘Our best line up yet’

A/C Troy Stevenson

Date: Friday 6th October 2023

Address: 437 Patiki Road, Pihama, South Taranaki

Start Time: 11:30am (undercover, gourmet BBQ lunch provided) will be available for online bidding

COMPRISING:

142 x young Friesian / Friesian Cross

In-Milk Cows BW227, PW280, LW281 RA99%

DETAILS:

• TBC 10 – Mycoplasma Bovis not detected and BVD negative.

• All cows in-milk, milked twice daily in rotary shed.

• Herd Tested 18th September 2023, 2ms/cow, SCC 69

• Strict selection policy all young cows mainly 2-4 year olds, including a CRL top Friesian Heifers DNA Profiled and A2 Verified.

AUCTIONEERS NOTE: Due to a very robust selection process, this 8th annual offering will be one of the highest that has been presented. All cows personally guaranteed by our vendors offering 1-Week soundness trial. Cows are milked to supply calf milk then offered for auction. Young and all sound these cows will come forward in good condition ready for mating. We totally recommend these cows. Annual buyers have commented on the high standard of cows been offered previously.

PAYMENT TERMS:

Deferred payment due 20th January 2024 Immediate delivery.

CARRFIELDS LIVESTOCK AGENTS:

Brent Espin 027 551 3660

Daniel Crowley 027 215 3609

Daniel Hornby 027 636 2090

Tim Hurley 027 414 6756

OUR VENDOR:

Troy Stevenson 027 469 7636

COMPLETE HERD IN-MILK AUCTION NORTHLAND

LINK LIVESTOCK on behalf of our vendors

Craig & Kim Morris are pleased to offer the following complete herd auction TUESDAY, 10TH OCTOBER

610 MARUA ROAD, HIKURANGI

DAIRY # 12752

Commencing 11am On-Farm

100 Jersey/JerseyX complete OAD Herd Herd BW 225 (BWs up to 330)

PW 204 (PWs up to 411)

TB C10

Herringbone shed

Current SCC 103,000

Milking OAD as per previous seasons

DELIVERY:

Selling as in milk, immediate delivery, Cows can stay on property by arrangement and at purchasers risk if awaiting transport.

PAYMENT TERMS:

Due to Link Livestock 20th October 2023

AUCTIONEERS NOTES:

Very attractive predominantly Jersey herd, milked once a day for 10+yrs (System 1 Farm). Owned by vendors for 30+yrs, very good age breakdown cows that will shift to any system.

CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Link Livestock Agents

Vendor Agent Grant Aiken Ph 027 245 8821

Northland Agent Cory Bellamy Ph 021 113 1968

Head Agent Stewart Cruickshank Ph 027 270 5288

www.linklivestock.co.nz

Proudly sponsored by

Where will store lamb prices end up?

IN SOME parts of the country docking and tailing crews have been busy for weeks, with tallies pointing to exceptional lamb survival. With lambing only just getting underway for the higher country farms, it is hoped a return to more settled weather will encourage similar results.

The focus is now shifting to the season ahead and, more importantly, what those lambs will be worth.

It has not shaped up as a spectacular year for lamb or mutton prices. With overseas markets not banging down the door to secure supplies of New Zealand lamb, export prices and subsequently competition between processors have been softer than usual for this time of the year.

The latest data confirms the state of the export markets for lamb. The average export value (AEV) for August dropped 50c/kg between July and August to land at $10.40/kg.

AEVs haven’t been this low since April 2021, which was just before

markets started to rally in the covid recovery phase.

August values were over $1.40/ kg lower than June and $2.40/kg lower than August last year. This significant drop in values is the key reason underpinning much weaker farmgate returns in recent months.

Export returns through September haven’t shown any solid upwards movement either, with prices instead holding.

Lamb slaughter prices started the new 2023-24 export processing season on October 1 at just over $7.00/kgCW, which is comparable to 2020 and 2017. Time is running out for much more upside before prices start their seasonal descent towards Christmas.

While negotiations are well underway for the Christmas chilled market, there are still opportunities for increased demand from China as they secure supplies for Chinese New Year.

But that is likely to coincide with higher production out of NZ, limiting any pricing upside.

The likelihood of a drier summer for some regions, combined with additional lambs on farm, means the flow of stock into processors will lift from November and likely remain high.

Outlook report points to lamb slaughter prices tracking at an average of $6.80-$7.00/kgCW through November and $6.60$6.80/kgCW in December.

These forecasts are reviewed monthly and subject to change depending on evolving export market conditions and slaughter rates.

However, they provide a good starting point to gauge store lamb values, given the strong connection between the two.

This is 50-60c/kg lower than November 2022. In December the correlation eases back with the store prices only tracking at 44-45% of the farmgate price reflecting softening market signals. That would reduce store lamb prices to average $2.90-$3.05/kg.

Rain last week relieved some immediate feed pressure in some eastern regions. But to buffer the higher stock numbers and maximise growth rates pre-weaning, rain and warm temperatures will need to be the alternating forecast. El Niño has been known to deliver cold spring conditions, which would be counterproductive.

AgriHQ’s September Livestock

Store prices as a percent of schedule are at their lowest between December and February, reflecting a general lack of store demand due to usual summer conditions and slaughter prices hitting their low point.

In the paddock, 25-32kg male lambs average 45% of slaughter prices through November. This would place them at $3.05$3.15/kgLW, based on the latest AgriHQ Livestock Outlook report.

If November/December slaughter prices dip lower than our current expectations, there will be additional downside on store prices too, unless there are regions in a position feedwise to take a punt.

Last year store prices were even weaker relative to slaughter prices as market conditions unravelled hard and fast. A stable, albeit lower-priced market for lamb means farmgate prices are not forecast to plummet like last year. But weather could be the wild card this spring/summer, which could have a greater influence on prices and that will need some serious consideration.

REACTION: If November/December slaughter prices dip lower than current expectations, Mel Croad says, there will be additional downside on store prices too, unless there are regions in a position feedwise to take a punt.

It’s not looking like a bumper start to the season for lamb or mutton, with export prices and competition between processors softer than usual for this time of the year.

Weather could be the wild card this spring/ summer.

Mel Croad MARKETS Lamb

Weekly saleyards

Stortford Lodge hit a milestone to close out September 2023. Just over 1000 store cattle were offered at the last sale for the month, which brought the monthly tally to 4124 head. That is the highest September tally for this yard in AgriHQ records, which date back to 2008. It surpassed the second highest (3634 in 2018) by nearly 500 head. The high throughput was the result of annual draft cattle and Hawke’s Bay farmers preparing early for an El Niño summer, though recent rain will keep the dry at bay for a few more weeks.

CHARACTERS: These exotic-cross heifers were part of a record-breaking yarding at Stortford Lodge last week. The Charolais-cross heifers sold for $1315, $3.06/ kg, and autumn-born yearling Simmental-cross from Lynmar Farms, Sherenden, sold for $1525, $3.17/kg.

COLOURFUL

Cattle Sheep Deer

NOTE: Slaughter values are weighted average gross operating prices including premiums but excluding breed premiums for cattle.

Fertiliser Forestry

Dairy

Data provided by

Grain

Close of market

Price 7.567.456.80

* price as at close of business on Wednesday

Listed Agri shares

The state of the nation in mid spring

Philip Duncan NEWS Weather

WINTER ends with a big blast – and that blast is called spring. We’re now in the thick of spring and El Niño is like putting a hat on a hat: it only adds to the same set-up we already have now.

It’s a good time to look at the state of the nation as we properly leave winter and start to slide into summer. The severe gales over the weekend and again kicking off this new week are a hallmark of mid-spring.

October is well known for being stormy and unpredictable. The El Niño side to things will make those winds windier and make the warm days hotter. The rest of the time it’s the usual unstable season of spring with cold fronts, nearby highs and squally, thundery, showers in the mix.

Around New Zealand many farmers and growers are giving us feedback on current conditions.

In the upper North Island, as in Waikato, many are happy to see a boost in pasture growth – but

are perhaps not so ecstatic about recent heavy rain.

The warmer air and lack of frosty nights is a positive for those in northern and western parts of the North Island, but plenty of westerlies means cloud can be an issue for the western side of the North Island in El Niño.

Along eastern parts of the North Island the recent rain was welcomed by most – although again a bit too much of a good thing around Gisborne.

Most places in the east came away with just the soaking they needed, with recent wind, frost and hot days having made for a very dry and hard layer on the top of the soil.

We have a drier week for the east coming up – and while Monday is mild the rest of the week looks a little cooler.

The recent rain was also very welcome in the lower North Island, in Wairarapa and Wellington. These areas – and bordering on to Manawatū – were fast drying out a week ago, now they have bought more time.

In the South Island the eastern areas, like Canterbury, have had a very broken up past couple of

MORE RAIN: Forecast rainfall from Sunday 1 October through to 7am Sunday 8 October backs up ‘what we’ve been saying for months now, that an El Niño spring and summer may bring more rain to the south of NZ’.

months. Some pockets have had too much rain, others have had far less than normal. At the moment soil moisture levels around places like Timaru and Banks Peninsula are still a bit below normal – but northern, inland and southern

WHAT TIME IS IT? JCB SERIES III JCB SERIES III IT’S III TIME. III

BLUE MOON: As you head into Otago the soil moisture maps are now dark blue – not often you see that in mid-spring, Phil Duncan says.

areas have had a good soaking.

As you head into Otago the soil moisture maps are now dark blue – not often you see that in midspring, but it backs up what we’ve been saying for months now, that an El Niño spring and summer may

bring more rain to the south of NZ. And while the West Coast has had some very heavy rain lately, they’re actually about normal moisture-wise and looking very positive from a farming point of view.

IF YOU CAN IMAGINE IT, A JCB SERIES III CAN LIFT IT.

Some farmers think a telehandler is for the big farms or best suited to European or North American operations. But you’ll be surprised to know that telehandlers are the fastest growing on-farm utility category in the New Zealand market. You’ll also be surprised by what you can do with a LOADALL and how much it improves productivity on all types of farms. You won’t however be surprised to know that the JCB SERIES III is the world’s No.1 LOADALL.

You’ll wonder how you farmed without it!

JCBAGRICULTURE.CO.NZ