Farmers Weekly NZ May 3 2021 by AgriHQ

5 Concern over Aus trade talks Vol 19 No 17, May 3, 2021

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Positive outlook for dairy Gerald Piddock

gerald.piddock@globalhq.co.nz

HE dairy farming sector has plenty to be positive about despite the potential fiscal and economic headwinds coming its way, economist Cameron Bagrie says. Speaking at the DairyNZ Farmers Forum in Hamilton, he says the economy’s reliance on the farming sector was one of the blunt lessons that emerged from last year. “Thank God New Zealand is one big farm and we can’t lose track of that. NZ needed the farming sector to be the backbone of the NZ economy, as covid gave us some pretty tough challenging times,” Bagrie said. It will remain a big part of NZ’s economic future in a rapidly changing world. He hoped that sentiment coming out of that sector was taking a more positive outlook over the next few decades. The sector had reduced its debt to around $38 billion after being labelled vulnerable in the Reserve Bank’s (RBNZ) financial stability report over the past few years due

to the large amount of interestonly loans being granted. He doubted it will be a focal point in the RBNZ’s next report, due out in the next few weeks. “The dairy sector is one of the few sectors across NZ that I am seeing less points of vulnerability because your balance sheet weaknesses have been addressed,” he said.

NZ needed the farming sector to be the backbone of the NZ economy, as covid gave us some pretty tough challenging times. Cameron Bagrie Economist

But there are still a small amount of non-performing dairy loans at around 3%, which was an indication that these people had embraced business models that did not work. There was also another 8% of loans described as “potentially stressed”.

CREW: Driving the tractor from Invercargill to Christchurch and back are, from left, Bob Anderson, Colin Hitchcock, Graeme Anderson, Keith Watkinson, Win Saxton, Tom Parkes, Fraser Pearce and Owen Anderson.

563km tractor trek for charity Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz EIGHT vintage machinery enthusiasts departed Invercargill on Sunday, driving a 38-year-old tractor to Christchurch and back in the name of charity. The members of the Thornbury Vintage Tractor

Another positive was that China was one of the few countries around the globe where its GDP was back up around pre-covid levels. “My personal view is that you’re going to see milk powder come back from $4000/tonne back to around $3500,” he said. He says covid had caused huge supply chain issues around imports and if it continued,

and Implement Club near Invercargill are driving the bright yellow Massey Ferguson 20D for 563km to raise money for the Southland Charity Hospital being built in Invercargill. Club member Fraser Pearce says the tractor will be driven almost continuously during the 48-hour trek, during which

importers might look to local suppliers instead. “If NZ is starting to have that conversation around stuff that we bring in, you can bet your bottom dollar other countries will be having those conversations around the stuff that they bring in,” he said. This could see an acceleration in investment around technologydriven food.

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they will drive at 30km/h to the Canterbury Charity Hospital before returning to Invercargill. The Southland Charity Hospital was the idea of Southland farmer and cancer victim Blair Vining as a way to address inequitable access to health services, especially for rural areas.

The good news was that population growth meant continued demand for naturally produced food. NZ’s ‘she’ll be right’ attitude towards covid disruption had to change and businesses and central and local government needed to learn to take risks in this new environment.

Continued page 7

ROUND THE FARM TABLE Chef and good keen man Al Brown chats to BFEA entrants from around the country and finds they’re committed to sustainable farming – and growing delicious food.

Everyone has a lightbulb moment in their lives. For Catriona White of Coastal Kiwis Orchard in Opotiki, it happened in a cramped Auckland house where she was living with husband Mark, and preschool aged children Letisha and Lochlan. “I had the sudden realisation that I wanted my kids to be able to ride around the house,” says Catriona. What this really meant was a desire to return to the land. Both come from farming backgrounds on the East Coast. Catriona’s dairy farming parents were kiwifruit pioneers in the late 70s while Mark grew up 30 minutes inland on a sheep and beef farm. A list of business and lifestyle non-negotiables was drafted up and a search across all agricultural sectors began. One that returned them right back to where they grew up. “Catriona’s parents offered us the opportunity to purchase some of their property and established the orchard from land we used to pick up hay bales on during our summer holidays,” says Mark. 14 years later, the Whites enjoy a successful certified (BioGro) organic business exporting organic kiwifruit varieties to over 15 countries through Zespri. A business and lifestyle that has seen them recognised as the first horticulturalists to win the Ballance Farm Environment Trust’s National Award and the Gordon Stephenson Trophy. And the icing on the cake? Children who have grown up not only being able to ride around the house - but now even have their own mini orchard block to manage between studies. Al Brown finds out more from Catriona and Mark. Al: It must have been pretty daunting starting a whole new career, despite your farming backgrounds? Mark: I’d come from being Operations Manager for NZ Post in Auckland, while Catriona was a busy mum to two children under five. So we definitely made a few mistakes!

The Ballance Farm Environment Awards is a pan-sector programme that promotes best practice, sustainable farming and growing. To join the journey or find out more, visit nzfeatrust.org.nz

Catriona: But we always had a clear vision to grow organically, so that provided a focus. The challenge of understanding Mother Nature to help us produce a commercial crop was nerve racking at the start. But she knows a thing or two. Al: So was growing organically a business or philosophical decision? Catriona: Both. The orchard was the kids’ playground so we wanted it to be a safe place to be in. From a business perspective our goal was and is to sustainably grow the best quality organic kiwifruit, and to benchmark ourselves to not only the organic category, but the industry as a whole. Mark: When we first started visitors would say: “Oh that looks quite nice for organic.” We wanted the outtake to be that tasty, quality organic food can be grown commercially. Luckily it’s changing. People’s desire for the kind of fresh, natural whole foods their grandparents ate is only increasing. Al: Caring for the land is obviously important to you? Catriona: It’s been in my family for five generations - our children are the sixth. We swim, play, and eat from our local waterways and coastline which serves to constantly remind us of the special place where we live. Mark: Everything needs a habitat and we aim to keep our orchard environment in a state of natural balance. We want to work in harmony with Mother Nature and increase the biodiversity on the farm to keep producing healthy food from healthy soil and clean water-ways for generations. Al: And how are you keeping that balance? Catriona: Our soil is our biggest asset, so we spend more time looking down, rather than looking at our crop. A small flock of certified organic sheep carry out weed control duties around the sides of the orchard, helping reduce soil compaction from tractors, especially in winter. Mark: Our ‘unpaid pest experts’ work pretty hard in the orchard, including native weka and fantail, who prey on insects. Slugs living beneath the vines in slug hotels’ assist in recycling organic material on the orchard floor. They also provide a source of food for birds to distract them chewing on the newly grafted vines.

No.9

Catriona and Mark White. Organic kiwifruit growers, Coastal Kiwis Organic Orchard (17ha), Opotiki, Bay of Plenty.

WITH

Al: You’ve had amazing success in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards. Why did you enter? Catriona: We were approached by Zespri. Mark’s first reaction was that we weren’t ready but you never really are. We have a rolling five year strategy plan so everything is work in progress. Plus it’s easy to get siloed into what you are doing, so it’s good to get another perspective. Al: Tell us about your BFEA experience. Mark: It was great to have ‘outside’ eyes look at our business and give such a detailed review of our operation. Plus we won an international study tour trip to Italy! The children came and we visited numerous orchards, markets and packing facilities. Catriona: From dairy to sheep and beef farmers, forestry workers, and even to bee-keepers, we’ve had the opportunity to learn and understand common issues from different perspectives. Al: How does what you do in your farming business affect your wider community? Catriona: For us, sustainability extends from our products to our land, people and communities. From our accountants to our pickers, family and community everyone plays a part. Just like every animal and insect on the farm! Al: Ok so what’s your favourite kiwifruit variety? Catriona: All of them! The Tricolour of SunGold, Green & Red Organic kiwifruit taste delicious together, especially in a kiwifruit sorbet. Mark: Can’t beat organic SunGolds with herbs in a boned-out shoulder of pork, on the BBQ, served with a spicy organic kiwifruit chutney. Al: Yum! And finally, if you could invite three people to dinner, who would they be? Catriona: We both love David Attenborough. And Nadia Lim. Her motto – food from the ground, sea and sky and less from the factories – totally resonates. We have a huge vege garden and haven’t bought any in months, so I think she’d love that. Mark: Steven Adams. He’s funny, awesome and still a good kiwi boy at heart. But we’d probably have to cook a bit more to feed him!

rt Try my delicutiocuussttaard with coconn kiwifruit. and golde

FIND THE RECIPE AT NZFEATRUST.ORG.NZ

NEWS

23 Zanda award winner named The future looks extremely bright for Sam VivianGreer of Masterton, who received the coveted 2021 New Zealand Zanda McDonald Award on Wednesday, at a dawn ceremony at Whangara Farms, north of Gisborne

REGULARS Newsmaker �� 26 New Thinking �� 27

20 Sheep lead methane research

Editorial �� 28

A mob of low methane sheep are proving it is possible to produce less methane and grow a healthy, productive animal that farmers will want to put into their flock bloodlines in coming years.

Pulpit �� 29 Opinion �� 30 World �� 32 Real Estate �� 33-37 Tech & Toys �� 38 Employment �� 38 Classifieds �� 38-39 Livestock �� 40-43 Weather �� 45

9 Imported petfoods drying up More than two million domestic cats and dogs face a change in diet away from imported dry foods towards locally-produced wet foods because of disruption to imports.

12 Industry delivers on ag-tech fund

The launch of a venture capital fund targeting the agritech sector has been hailed as a milestone in the industry’s plans to boost New Zealand’s export capacity and value in the sector.

Markets �� 44-48 GlobalHQ is a farming family owned business that donates 1% of all advertising revenue in Farmers Weekly and Dairy Farmer to farmer health and well-being initiatives. Thank you for your prompt payment.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Concern over Aus trade talks Nigel Stirling nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com THERE is mounting concern Australia is ready to agree a lowquality trade deal with the United Kingdom and leave New Zealand on the back foot in its own talks to open up the market for its key agricultural exports. Australia and NZ both began talks with the UK nearly a year ago and both countries have completed four negotiating rounds with their British counterparts. Progress on the key matter of agricultural market access has been slow-going for NZ negotiators who have publicly declared the offer on the table from the UK as short of what is needed to conclude a deal. British media reports in recent weeks suggested talks with the Australians were even slower and that NZ was ahead in the race to clinch a deal with the UK. The reports were later dismissed by Wellington insiders as negotiating tactics from the British ahead of a visit by Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan for face-toface talks with UK counterpart Liz Truss in London late last month. But the tactics may have worked judging by the joint statement from Tehan and Truss following their meeting in which they declared the “vast majority” of the deal done and set a June deadline for concluding the rest. The tight deadline has sparked concern on this side of the Tasman that the Australians have left themselves short of time to negotiate a meaningful opening up of the UK market to key agricultural imports. Australian media reported the removal of agricultural tariffs and quotas are among the areas still to be resolved in the talks. The NZ government’s former agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen says by accepting a lowquality deal the Australians are

RISKY MOVE: Dairy Companies Association NZ chair Malcolm Bailey says Australia was taking a big risk if it believed it could get a better deal out of the British in the CPTPP talks to come.

backing NZ’s negotiators into a corner with the British. “It becomes very easy for the UK negotiators to say ‘here is what we have agreed with Australia, so why would we not agree the same deal with you?’” Peterson said. “It is the precedent that becomes really difficult for our negotiators.” It would not be the first time Australia has left the ANZAC spirit at the door to get one over NZ in trade talks. Australia broke ranks in the crucial final stages of the TransPacific Partnership in 2014 when it signed a deal with Japan to lower beef and dairy tariffs in a separate agreement between the two countries.

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“History shows that rushing to conclude a deal and having the ambition at a lower level and then working on the assumption that there will be an opportunity to upgrade in the future, that path is fraught and experience shows it does not work,” Bailey said. “We do reflect on the Australian deal with Japan pre-TPP and talking to some of the Aussie (dairy exporters) at the time they were confident they would get another bite of the cherry in TPP, but that did not really happen. “So, the lesson is take the time to get it right rather than the quick and dirty approach which really does not cut it.”

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It becomes very easy for the UK negotiators to say ‘here is what we have agreed with Australia, so why would we not agree the same deal with you?’ Mike Petersen Former agricultural trade envoy

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The agreement outraged NZ exporters at the time, who felt the Australians, in return for a shortterm tariff advantage, had spoiled the chance to get bigger tariff reductions for all TPP countries in the heavily protected Japanese market. A similar scenario is playing out again with the UK lining up to join the TPP’s successor agreement, the Comprehensive and Progressive TransPacific Partnership (CPTPP) later this year. Dairy Companies Association NZ chair Malcolm Bailey says Australia was taking a big risk if it believed it could get a better deal out of the British in the CPTPP talks to come.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

SFF weighs ongoing impact of covid-19 Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz LAST year was difficult for Silver Fern Farms but for different reasons, the multinational meat company is not expecting the current year to be any easier. Chief executive Simon Limmer told shareholders at the company’s annual meeting that managing the business last year was like living on a knife edge, requiring almost hourly decisionmaking and that the full SFF Ltd board has not met in person for 18 months. Despite tracking well into the second quarter of the new financial year, Limmer says supply chain issues and the continued threat from covid-19 was creating challenges despite strong demand for meat. “We are shifting product and we are finding consumers want our product,” Limmer said. “The attributes we know that make us relevant today are still relevant in the covid-19 world, perhaps even more so.” He says shipping reliability has plummeted, with the measure of how likely a ship is sticking

to schedule plummeting from the usual 75% to 35% currently, with 85% of ships off schedule by between three and seven days. However, Limmer says there is much to be optimistic about, including predictions the global economy will grow, sustained demand for protein, the covid-19 vaccine roll-out and New Zealand’s reputation. Branded SFF retail packs are expanding through China and are in 700 stores in the US and online retail sales grew in three months, which was initially expected to take three years. Writing in the company’s annual report, Limmer forecasts global meat production to grow 1.4% this year driven by greater volumes of pork and chicken. Beef production is forecast to grow 0.8%, led by 1% growth in the US as breeding cattle numbers which have stabilised, but Australian production will be back 14%. Limmer says while Australian farmers are still rebuilding their herds after multiple years of drought, four beef plants have lost market access to China. South American beef

production has been impacted by plant restrictions preventing access to China due to covid-19. In the year under review, SFF had a marked increase in stock supplied direct, which Limmer says saved about $600,000 in third party fees, a supply channel they want to reduce further. He says the company’s marketled programmes continue to grow. “In 2020 beef programmes grew by 17% and our lamb programme grew by 4% and is nearing 10% of our total lamb supply,” he said. “Given the market conditions this was an excellent result.” SFF Co-operative chair Richard Young told the annual meeting that supplier-shareholders provided 65% of stock in 2020, up from 54% in 2019. The co-op also had an extra 174 new supplier shareholders, a base Young says they will use to reduce the involvement of third party traders. In the annual report Young announced plans to standardise the share structure to reduce the annual $50,000 administration cost. “There is a considerable cost in servicing the over 11,600 holders

TOUGH TIMES: Silver Fern Farms Ltd chief executive Simon Limmer says supply chain issues and the continued threat from covid-19 was creating challenges despite strong demand for meat.

of rebate shares who have fewer than 1000 shares in their cooperative,” Young said. He says just 370 of those shareholders supplied livestock in 2020. SFF Co-op earlier announced a net profit before tax of $32.4 million for the year to December 31, 2020, no debt, $22.3m cash on hand and shareholder equity of $327m. During the year under review SFF Ltd, the company’s trading arm, reported revenue of $2.5 billion ($2.6b in 2019), Ebitda of

$125.7m ($124.3m), net profit before tax of $65.4m ($70.7m) and dividends paid of $26.5m ($1.7m). The dividend represented 40% of SFF Ltd’s net profit after tax, which was evenly shared by the two shareholders, SFF Co-op and Shanghai Maling Aquarius. Two Shanghai Maling appointees to the board of SFF Ltd, co-chair Guoxiang Wang and director Aidi Tang, retired and were replaced by Jian Wu as co-chair and Yan Juan Xu as a director.

Young to step down as SFF chair STEPPING DOWN: Richard Young will retire as chair of Silver Fern Farms Co-operative.

Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz SILVER Fern Farms Cooperative will have a new chair following the retirement of Richard Young. Young, who has held the position for the past two years, announced that he was stepping down at the meat

company’s annual meeting in Dunedin, although he has two years remaining as a director and will see out his term. Young says his decision is designed to assist with succession and reflects the current depth among the board. “It is a good time to bow out,” Young said.

Former chair Rob Hewett was re-elected to the co-op board and was joined by Gabrielle Thompson who was an appointed director but has now been elected. Young says one of the achievements during his term was developing a strategy for the co-op, which has given it direction.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Rural factored into health reform Gerald Piddock gerald.piddock@globalhq.co.nz HEALTH Minister Andrew Little says rural communities will have a say in the management of the country’s future health workforce in the wake of the Government’s health system reforms. This would help address the chronic worker shortages in rural healthcare, he told rural health professionals at the National Rural Health Conference in Taupō. “My expectation is that the Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand will work with you and your communities to ensure the voice of rural communities is reflected in how we plan and manage our national workforce,” Little said. “A key part of addressing rural workforce challenges is ensuring rural people are well represented in the leadership of our health and disability system.”

A key part of addressing rural workforce challenges is ensuring rural people are well represented in the leadership of our health and disability system. Andrew Little Health Minister There are long-standing health workforce shortages in rural areas in NZ. More than 40% of NZ’s medical workforce is made up of international medical graduates (IMGs), and it’s been like that for more than a decade, which is particularly acute in rural settings. “Right now, initiatives such as the increase in rural GP training places, our rural immersion education programmes and support for locum relief are all designed to help fix it. But we still need to do more to ensure a sustainable rural workforce in the future,” he said. “We need to recruit and retain doctors in rural areas to address the long-standing maldistribution of the medical workforce across NZ.” NZ’s future health system will have a national focus on

workforce planning – and the MoH and Health NZ will be much better placed to work with rural communities on innovative solutions and improved education pathways. “I want to see more rural New Zealanders given the opportunity to join our health workforce, and to be well supported to train and work in their communities,” he said. That included leadership opportunities. Little says many of the required actions identified by the rural health sector to improve health services overlapped with the Government’s reforms. These included equitable health outcomes for rural Māori, a greater focus on using technology to deliver care digitally and a much more integrated health system. Nearly a fifth, or 19.4%, of New Zealanders live in rural places, and this proportion was expected to grow slightly over the next 20 years. “We know that rural people have worse health outcomes, the Health and Disability System Review told us, and it’s what I hear from healthcare workers. The situation is worse for rural Māori and people with disabilities,” he said. He says there are challenges in ensuring rural communities have consistent and comprehensive healthcare. “Distance, travel costs, time and poorly coordinated appointment times are all significant barriers,” he said. Mental health challenges and access to health and support services in rural areas also remain a priority, and $455 million has been committed to improving access and choice of primary mental health services. The future system will be driven by a population-health approach and will use data to understand what people need from health services in their local areas. It will work with the Māori Health Authority to tailor services for local communities to meet the needs of different populations, and to provide services in a way that ensures equitable access for all people. Little also saw scope to improve the technology used in rural health. The health system currently used 120 different IT

systems, most of which did not talk to each other. The reforms will provide a new model that will allow the whole system to work more cohesively. “The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners has told me how this limits the range of digital solutions that can be used to improve diagnostic and specialist consultations for rural patients,” he said. “We are working on that. The second phase of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Enterprise’s Rural Broadband Initiative involves rolling out enhanced broadband connectivity infrastructure progressively into rural NZ.”

OUTLOOK: After the sale completion, it appears Aad and Wilma van Leeuwen will continue to own and operate at least one dairy farm.

NZRL to buy van Leeuwen assets NEW Zealand Rural Land Company (NZRL) has made a conditional agreement with the Van Leeuwen Group and its major lender to acquire 14 farms in South Canterbury and North Otago for $114 million. The purchase announcement follows hard on the heels of Van Leeuwen going into receivership, appointed to the vendor by its lenders. NZRL says it has conducted due diligence on the farming assets and some potential lessees over the past four months.

Continued from page 1

GOOD SPACE: Economist Cameron Bagrie says the dairy sector is one of the few sectors across NZ seeing fewer points of vulnerability because its balance sheet weaknesses have been addressed.

COLLABORATE: Health Minister Andrew Little says the rural health profession will have a say in how the national health workforce is managed following the changes to the national health system.

“Not taking risks is no longer a risk-free strategy,” he said, adding it would lead to mistakes, but the public had to be forgiving when those occurred. The era of low interest rates was also ending and had given way to a bigger, more interventionist style of government. “That could be good, or it could be otherwise. We in all seriousness are going to need the Government to step up in the next 30 years because the era of central bank monetary policy dominance was coming to an end.”

The conditions include approval by NZRL shareholders and the termination of the receivership. The agreement covers 6350ha, comprising seasonal supply pastoral dairy farms, hybrid grass-based grazing and cut and carry winter barn farms, and dairy support blocks. The farms will be leased to three NZ farming groups: three to Sustainable Grass Dairy; five to Performance Dairy; and six to Performance Livestock. The lease agreements have an average aggregate annual rental of $5.8m, with an initial term of

Central government had to be able to identify problems and come up with articulate solutions and execute on them. “Bigger government means taxes are going to follow the Edmonds Cookbook and be sure to rise,” he said. And that was fine, as long as those taxes led to tangible investment that would deliver a long term payout. Low interest rates had driven huge growth but were now at a turning point. He questioned what it would mean for asset values and growth if rates lifted.

11 years and two 12-year rights of renewal. There are related potential acquisitions of 866ha and dairy assets to follow the major transaction, which has a June 1 settlement date. After completion it appears Aad and Wilma van Leeuwen will continue to own and operate at least one dairy farm. NZRL was listed before Christmas when it raised $75m at an issue price of $1.25. Shares have since traded in a range of $1.20-$1.13 and the price rose 5c after the big announcement.

“It’s got to come back to real productive investment,” he said. The answer was getting more growth out of the productive part of the economy. “We talk about this, but we don’t execute it,” he said. Inflation has been pretty benign over the past 30 years, but there was now huge pressure on costs through input costs, insurance and wages across most sectors. “I have not seen this sort of price pressure across NZ for 30 years,” he said. This has all lifted the country’s inflation risk profile.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Imported petfoods drying up Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz MORE than two million domestic cats and dogs face a change in diet away from imported dry foods towards locally-produced wet foods because of disruption to imports. Brands from multinational Mars Petcare such as Pedigree, Whiskas, Iams, Nutro and Eukanuba, and from Nestle, Pro Plan and Purina, are in short supply. Spaces have appeared on supermarket shelves, where about 80% of dog and cat foods are purchased. The remainder is sold in pet stores, vet clinics and rural supplies stores. According to the NZ Petfood Manufacturers Association, the market is worth more than $500 million annually, 60% for cats and 40% for dogs. Association manager Richard

DELAYS: The placement of shipping containers was the root cause of the import disruption to kibble-style products made in North America and Asia.

Brake says the placement of shipping containers was the root cause of the import disruption

to kibble-style products made in North America and Asia. These products had cereal bases

that were not readily available or commonly made in New Zealand. Local petfood processors have reported strong demand for their mechanically deboned meats (MDM), packed and frozen before export or further processing. Meateor Foods, jointly owned by Alliance Group and Scales Corporation, has two plants at Whakatu in Hawke’s Bay and in Dunedin. Chief executive John Sainsbury says a majority of the company’s production is exported to the United States and with help from Scales Logistics, the positioning of containers has been manageable so far. But the disruption to ship timetables had caused backlogs in cold storage, which also required careful management. Overseas reports of petfood shortages say wet foods are worse affected, being those in pouches or cans, because of disruptions to

processing traced back to covid-19 lockdowns and workplace changes. Sainsbury says the two biggest petfood companies in the world, Mars and Nestle, had head offices and major processing facilities in the US. The exported MDM was further processed overseas and the consumer-ready products imported for the local market. “Lamb and rice formulas are a common recipe many pet owners will be familiar with and, in many cases, these are made using Meateor Foods lamb,” Sainsbury said. The company also packs other proteins such as venison, veal, beef and offals. Mars Petcare closed its Whanganui processing site in December, with the loss of 140 jobs and the relocation of that output of Whiskas brand products to Thailand.

Synlait launches premium whole and skim milk powders Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz SYNLAIT has launched premium brand whole and skim milk powders for ingredients customers under the name Made With Better Milk. The premium offerings are built on the company’s Lead With Pride farming accreditation and its B Corp business certification. The inaugural customer is a prominent consumer brand owner in Asia. Synlait paid an average premium of 25c/kg to its dairy farmers last season within the $7.30 payout, mostly for A2 milk and Lead With Pride suppliers.

greenwoodinfo.co.nz

But it won’t disclose the Made With Better Milk premiums payable by ingredients customers or the proportion of its annual production of 160,000 tonnes of milk powders that would have premium prices. Departing chief executive Leon Clement says the premium ingredients offering rested on the sustainability credentials of the whole supply chain, from farms to customers. Although well known for quality and food safety, he says New Zealand dairy ingredients needed to raise standards for differentiation in terms of environmental and social performance. Director of sustainability and

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brand Hamish Reid says global consumers are seeking assurances that products are not just healthy, but sustainably, ethically and equitably produced. “Our customers have been asking for this and we can now deliver upon the promise,” Reid said. Made With Better Milk offers the opportunity for customers to differentiate their marketing on a supply chain that takes better care for people and animals, and generates better outcomes for climate, water, soil and biodiversity. Lead With Pride is an internationally assessed farm assurance programme started in 2013, and 151 farms out of

INGREDIENTS: Synlait now produces and sells a range of premium milk powders.

276 in total were certified in FY2020. Synlait faces headwinds this financial year from covid-19 difficulties affecting a2 Milk Company (a2MC), its biggest customer and a 20% shareholder. The directors are unable to

make a profit guidance and the company’s share price has halved over the past 12 months, from $7 down to $3.36 currently. The a2MC share price was over $20 in May 2020 and has lost 60% of its value, currently sitting at about $7.50.

SHEDS

News

10 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

ADAPT: Temuka live streaming committee chair Bruce McDougall says younger farmers are adopting this type of technology at a rapid pace, so there’s a need to match that demand to remain relevant.

Temuka cattle sales going online Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz TEMUKA Saleyards Co-operative in South Canterbury will introduce live streaming and online bidding for weekly cattle sales from the end of July. It will be facilitated by full and part-time staff members of the livestock agencies operating at Temuka and a United Statesbased auction technology company, which promises 24hour backup. Live streaming committee chair and farmer Bruce McDougall says Xcira of Tampa, Florida, has been selected as the online service provider. It has more than 20 years’ experience around the world in the fields of livestock auctions, real estate, automotive vehicles and fine arts. For Xcira’s first contract in New Zealand, the sale yards co-op is paying an undisclosed setup cost

out of its financial reserves and the ongoing operating costs will be quite affordable, McDougall says. Cattle yarding fees are currently $7 a head and the new operating cost of 60c will be shared equitably between vendors and purchasers. Sales are conducted by Tessco South Canterbury (Temuka Saleyards Selling Companies), which has about 20 part-time employees on sale days, moving cattle, weighing and NAIT recording, along with up to 40 agents from six participating companies. These are PGG Wrightson, Peter Walsh & Associates, Rural Livestock, NZ Farmers Livestock, Carrfields and Hazlett Livestock. Prime cattle sales are on Mondays and store cattle are sold on other days during the month, for a total turnover of 75,000 head annually. McDougall says the new

technology would be extended to sheep sales, with some physical changes in the yards and could be taken off-site for farm clearing sales and machinery sales. Three fixed cameras will be installed in the ring; one focused on cattle lots, another on the auctioneer and the third on the buyers’ benches. Real-time bidding from registered farmers who are not on location will be called out. “While we haven’t been able to visit existing overseas auction sites, and Xcira hasn’t yet been able to come to NZ, we have sourced all the hardware needed and they provide the electronic platform and the software,” he said. Five attributes were specified in the selection process: • Minimal latency or lag time between live auction and online bids. • Independent branding able to

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be utilised by all stock firms selling at Temuka. • A common buyer registration system. • The ability to run multiple sales simultaneously, and future proofed to handle growth. • Must be simple and user friendly for online bidders. He says because of its farmer ownership, Temuka was the first regional livestock sale yards to be able to propose and introduce a system that was independent of any agency. The co-op has 300 farmer members, mostly in South Canterbury, and was able to run at a profit until 2020, when six weeks in covid-19 lockdown cost about $100,000 in lost fees. “Autumn is traditionally our busiest time for cattle trading, with weaner cattle sales and cull cows arriving in big numbers,” he said. “This period of closure severely impacted the businesses of all

players in the livestock supply chain and effectively removed the live auction selling system as a barometer of values from the marketplace. “Prior to covid we had been researching various options for live streaming and online bidding, so the lockdown provided the impetus to push on and develop a workable system.” Live streaming will begin earlier in July, followed by trial registrations and dummy sales for familiarisation. “Younger farmers are adopting this type of technology at a rapid pace, and we need to match that demand to remain relevant in the livestock supply chain of the future,” he said. “We envisage that once buyers become confident with the system that many will choose to bid from the farm office, particularly those who travel some distance each week to attend the sales at Temuka.”

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Industry questions glyphosate move Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz THE decision by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to seek more information on glyphosate use in New Zealand has left industry leaders and some scientists perplexed. The agency’s decision comes after issuing a statement last July that the herbicide remains approved for controlled use in NZ when instructions are followed and that based on scientific evidence the authority considered, it can continue to be used safely. In the same communication, the EPA also reiterated there was insufficient new scientific evidence to justify a reassessment of its use. But 10 months later, it is calling for information on the use of the weed killer in NZ as a first step in deciding whether to change the rules around its use. However, the chemical user’s association Agcarm’s chief executive Mark Ross says there have been no new developments here or overseas that appear to justify the latest move by the EPA. “When the EPA assessed a range of chemicals in 2018, they put glyphosate as an ‘E’, or way down the list of hazardous chemicals. It seems they have been asked to revisit it,” Ross said. The EPA screened over 700 chemicals and scaled them for maximum human and environmental risk. This resulted in some priority chemicals being reviewed, including synthetic pyrethroids and fumigant products. The EPA stated “glyphosate did not rank highly enough for immediate inclusion in our reassessment programme”. While generally welcoming the EPA’s call for information, some in the NZ scientific community have also questioned the EPA’s decision. “It is concerning that policy over glyphosate in Europe appears to be more swayed by public perception than facts,” Massey University senior lecturer in weed

PRIORITIES: Agcarm chief executive Mark Ross says the EPA has priorities of greater significance than low-toxicity glyphosate.

It is concerning that policy over glyphosate in Europe appears to be more swayed by public perception than facts. Dr Kerry Harrington Massey University science Dr Kerry Harrington said. “Most toxicologists across the world now agree that glyphosate is unlikely to cause cancer in humans.” He says no other herbicide existed that could allow for direct drilling of seed without weed problems afterwards. “The EPA in NZ will hopefully use this exercise to reassure

themselves and the community that it is correct to continue using glyphosate within NZ,” Harrington said. HSNO general manager Dr Chris Hill says glyphosate was approved for use in the European Union until mid-December 2022, and its continuing use was in a review process, with an announcement to be made mid next year. “Issuing a call for information now will enable us to have a greater understanding of the NZ context by the time the EU findings are published, and ensure we’re better prepared to assess those findings,” Hill said. Acknowledging a level of debate on glyphosate’s use, he confirmed HSNO still considers glyphosate is safe to use with proper precautions, in line with Australia, the United States, EU and Canadian markets.

However, he maintained the EPA was taking a stance as a “proactive regulator”, putting the environment and health of people front and centre. But Ross says the EPA has other higher priorities on its schedule that demand greater attention than the lowly-ranked toxicity of glyphosate. HiCane (hydrogen cyanamide), methyl bromide fumigant and synthetic pyrethroids in pesticides were all in line for reassessment. “There is a lot of work going on at EPA and of greater concern that should have high priority. The EPA seems swamped at the moment,” Ross said. The European Union continues to send mixed signals on its intentions for glyphosate use, with France announcing late last year its use would be banned on arable crops when the land had been ploughed between crops.

The maximum annual dose rate has also been reduced by 60% for crops and orchards, and by 80% for vineyards. There is also a level of debate within the EU about how legal France’s decision to enforce this rule is, under collective EU legislation. There has also been fierce debate within the German parliament about any ban of the herbicide and in 2017, the then German agriculture minister voted in favour of the chemical’s use, ensuring five more years of use. Ross says the EU was due to make a decision on glyphosate late next year. Germany, Greece, Italy and Switzerland have, like the United Kingdom, so far refused to introduce a blanket ban. The EPA’s call for information remains open until August 27.

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News

12 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Industry delivers on ag-tech fund Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz

FUNDED: Agritech NZ chief executive Brendan O’Connell has welcomed the commissioning of a new fund aimed specifically at providing agritech venture capital.

It is one of the most difficult issues for agritech, the lack of common definitions that are not stitched together in a way that makes them easily integrated is a problem. David Downs Government Agritech Taskforce “In some ways we have got a great R (research) system but not such a great D (development) system,” Downs said. “But there are also two schools of thought. One is universities

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and CRIs are littered with these projects, the other is they don’t deserve to see the light of day.” O’Connell says it could be the research required a different approach to get it to the commercial stage. Another workstream in the ITP is improving the skills level in the sector. A hot topic with industry delegates, one described the frustrations in a sector where 90% of staff are migrants at a time when getting overseas skills was tougher than usual. The gap between immigration and industry policy was real, and one Downs says was being discussed with government immigration officials. The other bugbear for industry leaders is the issue of data interoperability, or the ability of different data sources to be

integrated into software and systems. “It is one of the most difficult issues for agritech, the lack of common definitions that are not stitched together in a way that makes them easily integrated is a problem,” Downs said. He compared it to systems like online banking, where a common platform had been settled on and customer awareness of where their data was, who was using it and how. “It is a problem that has not been solved properly anywhere in the world. There is a good opportunity here for NZ to partner up with other countries, even big data suppliers, to do it,” he said. Rezare Systems managing director Andrew Cooke says there were niche instances around the world where interoperability had

been achieved, often based on original shared technology. “The approach we are taking is more principle and standards based, to be capable of being used across the world,” Cooke said. Another key objective of the ITP was to set up a robotics academy, possibly within the Bay of Plenty, leveraging off work already achieved there in the horticultural area by companies like Robotics Plus. A year in, O’Connell says this had been revised when it was realised the expertise sat in different places around NZ, and it would prove more effective leveraging off the resources already in place, rather than recreate what already existed. In the meantime, Farm 2050 has established a network for global trial facilities and NZ-based dairy farm trials.

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THE launch of a venture capital fund targeting the agritech sector has been hailed as a milestone in the industry’s plans to boost New Zealand’s export capacity and value in the sector. Agritech NZ chief executive Brendan O’Connell announced the launch of the industry’s Finistere Aotearoa Fund, a $42 million source of venture capital backed by the NZ Growth Capital Partners and San Diego-based capital company Finistere Ventures. Finistere was co-founded by Taranaki-born entrepreneur Arama Kukutai, who has served as chief executive of Taranaki iwi farming group PKW Farms. The investment fund was one of three key outcomes sought in the Industry Transformation Plan (ITP) launched almost a year ago. The other outcomes were a robotics academy and the Farm 2050 initiative, focusing on tech to lower farms’ nutrient losses. O’Connell says the fund would do much to address the disparity NZ agritech has with the likes of Israel, where for a similar amount of investment there is a 10 times greater level of export return. He says the funds were now available, but encouraged start-up firms to consider the Sprout Accelerator programme to become proficient in understanding the steps and expectations of funders through the start-up process. NZ has progressed well in recent years for start-up agritech, moving up the rankings for startup potential to now be recognised as a key mover in the region, and ranking ninth globally. Industry is being updated on the ITP’s progress through a series of roadshows around the country. The Government lead on the ITP project David Downs says the plan also has six workstreams. One of these is exploring the ability to commercialise projects that universities and CRIs may have started on, but lie uncompleted.

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Fund boost as big dry continues on Colin Williscroft colin.williscroft@globalhq.co.nz ADDITIONAL drought support funding of $900,000 has been made available to farmers, with much of the country now classified as facing a large-scale adverse event. Agriculture and Rural Communities Minister Damien O’Connor says the funding will be available to help farmers around the country, with the current large-scale adverse event classification expanded to include Mid Canterbury, South Canterbury and Otago. In March last year the entire North Island, parts of the South Island – Tasman, Nelson, Marlborough, North Canterbury – and the Chatham Islands were classified as being affected by a large-scale adverse event because of drought. The declaration unlocked Government funding to support farmers and growers. That support for farmers in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay,

Wellington, Nelson and Tasman regions, along with Manawatū, Rangitīkei and Tararua districts, will continue until June 30, when it will be reviewed.

Forecast rainfall is not expected to be enough to allow parched soils and pastures time to recover before winter. Damien O’Connor Agriculture Minister Support has been extended until November 30 for Marlborough, North Canterbury, and the Chatham Islands, with Mid Canterbury, South Canterbury and Otago farmers also able to apply for assistance until that date. O’Connor says Taranaki and the Ruapehu and Whanganui districts

have received good rainfall and soil moisture levels there have recovered. For other parts of the country, excluding the west coast of the South Island, dry conditions are forecast to continue. “Autumn has got off to an extremely dry start in multiple regions along the east coast of the country. Forecast rainfall is not expected to be enough to allow parched soils and pastures time to recover before winter,” O’Connor said. “This is the second consecutive year of drought for parts of the country and low groundwater levels have not been able to recharge.” He says the latest funding will ensure feed support services can continue and extra wellbeing assistance will be available to more farmers affected by drought. WeatherWatch chief executive Philip Duncan says little rain is forecast for May across much of the country. Duncan says two large high pressure systems are on the way

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SUPPORT: The latest funding will ensure feed support services can continue and extra wellbeing assistance will be available to more farmers affected by drought.

from Australia that will bring settled weather across most of the country for the first half of May. The first one will take more than a week to move through and the one following will merge with it. That means while the west coast of the South Island is forecast to receive about 15mm of rain, most of the east coast of both islands are more likely to receive 0-5mm. Very dry weather across much of the country during autumn has been a pattern of the past three years, he says, but there’s no real explanation for the uptick

in high pressure systems and the corresponding lack of rain. “It’s just been exceptionally dry,” Duncan said. O’Connor encourages farmers who need help to do a feed budget to get them through winter to contact the national feed planning service. Alternatively, the feed coordination service can help farmers who need supplementary feed immediately.

Details are available on the MPI website.

News

14 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Award winner a shear inspiration Rowland Smith is one of New Zealand’s best known shearers. He’s set world records and won both the NZ Shears and Golden Shears numerous times. Farmstrong asked him how he looks after himself in such a physically demanding occupation.

SHOWCASE: Multi-award-winning shearer Rowland Smith says competitive shearing is a great way to showcase the industry and the hard work people put in daily.

SHEARING is in Rowland Smith’s blood – his father and brothers were shearers, and shearing had taken him all over the world, including Latvia, Finland, the US, Australia, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England. “Shearing’s a great job because you’re out there doing it every day, you’re not stuck in an office. I’ve travelled the world for years on the back of a handpiece,” Smith said. Shearing is unique in that as well as being a job, it’s also a competitive sport. Iconic events like the NZ Shears in Te Kuiti and the Golden Shears in Masterton attract hundreds of competitors and large crowds each year. “Competition shearing is a great way to showcase the industry and the hard work people put in, day after day. That’s what these shows are about – improving the industry. I’ve made a lot of good friends and it’s a good chance to

SECOND NATURE: Rowland in action at the NZ Shears in Te Kuiti.

catch up with everyone. I love competing,” he said. He’s also very good at it. Rowland’s been shearing since he was 10 and competed in his first novice competition at 13. He now has seven NZ Shears titles and seven Golden Shears titles to his name. He also won a world title in 2014 in Ireland and in 2017, the Hawke’s Bay-based shearer smashed a world shearing record in England, shearing 644 Romney and crossbred ewes in eight hours – averaging 44.72 seconds per sheep caught, shorn and despatched. The event was live-streamed to thousands of shearing fans around the world. At the recent NZ Shears in Te Kuiti, we asked Rowland how he’s stayed at the top of his game for 21 years. How do you keep in good nick? Shearing is one of those jobs where you’ve got to be shearing to be shearing fit. I also do training after work in terms of my strength and endurance. You’ve made a series of body conditioning videos for the wool industry. What’s the benefit of stretching? Longevity. There’s nothing like looking after the body to prolong your career. When I was 20, I was told by an orthopedic surgeon to keep going, the only option was to fuse my three lower vertebrae, which I didn’t think was very clever at that age. So, with the help of some pretty switched-on people and a lot of rehab and stretching, I haven’t had surgery and I’ve shorn for 20 years, which is pretty impressive. What about nutrition? Yes, fuelling the body properly is one of the big things. You need to look after your nutrition and health to be able to get up and do it again. We can all grab a pie and a Coke and do it one day, but we want to be back up every day, so your nutrition and wellbeing really has to be number one.

What about mental skills and handling pressure? You can be as good as you like at shearing, but if you don’t have the ‘top two inches’ there, it’s not going to happen. You need a bit of self-belief and I’m also a firm believer in crossing the Ts and dotting the Is in my pre-work, so that I can perform on the day and then don’t have to worry about anything. If it’s all done in the prep, you’ve got nothing to worry about.

I shore sheep, travelled the world, made a lot of money and made a lot of good friends. It’s a great industry to be part of. Rowland Smith Professional shearer It’s been reported that there’s a shortage of shearers in the industry. What advice would you offer young people looking at shearing as a career? People laughed at me at school when I said I’m going to be shearer. But I couldn’t think of a better job if you want to work outdoors and see the world. I shore sheep, travelled the world, made a lot of money and made a lot of good friends. It’s a great industry to be part of. Farmstrong is an awardwinning rural wellbeing programme that helps farmers and farming families live well to farm well.

To find out what works for you and ‘lock it in’, check out our farmer-tofarmer videos, stories and tips on www.farmstrong.co.nz

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News

16 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

OIO to review forest sale policy Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz THE Government has approved the sale of 32,644ha of farmland to foreign buyers since 2018 for conversion to forestry under its special policy that encourages overseas investment into the sector. Information provided by the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) reveals it approved through the forestry test the purchase by foreign investors of 30 livestock farms for conversion to forestry, and a further 35 existing forestry blocks covering 111,517ha. The special forestry test was introduced in 2018 as part of the Labour-NZ First coalition agreement, which effectively streamlines the OIO process for foreign entities wanting to invest in forestry. The policy is about to be reviewed by the Treasury, says an OIO spokesperson. A spokesperson for Associated Finance Minister David Parker says the terms of reference will be released by the Treasury in the coming weeks. The sale of livestock farmland for conversion to forestry has angered many rural communities, who claim it will result in the loss

of jobs, people and services. The OIO figures show that Hawke’s Bay (seven sales), Northland and Wellington (five each) are the areas where most farmland has been sold for conversion to forestry to date. The latest information from the OIO reveals a company owned by European interests has been granted approval to buy three North Island livestock farms to convert to forestry. Kingheim Ltd, jointly owned by Austrian and Irish interests, has been granted approval under the special forestry test “one-off purchase” process to buy nearly 1500ha class 6, 7 and 8 land for conversion to forestry in the King Country and Waikato. It has also approved under the same conditions the sale of the 430ha Bay View Station in Hawke’s Bay to German investors for conversion to forestry, saying the land is predominantly class 6 and 7. The volume of sales to foreign forestry investors does not surprise spokesperson for the lobby group 50 Shades of Green Andy Scott, but he says it is not the greatest threat to livestock farming. The rising price of carbon and the Emissions Trading Scheme

(ETS) pose a greater threat to food and fibre production and if foreign owners were prevented from buying the land, it will be bought by local investors instead. At the current price of $37 a tonne of carbon dioxide, he estimated an investor in the ETS can earn $1500/ha a year. Climate Change Minister James Shaw has said a carbon price of $50/t is needed to change the behaviour of emitters, a figure Scott fears will have dire consequences for land-use change. “The ETS is the elephant in the room,” he said. In the OIO’s latest decisions, approval has been granted to a majority Taiwanese-owned business to buy a 118ha Waikato dairy farm, which it intends spending $3.5 million converting to the milking of goats. The shareholding ministers declined two further applications from foreign investors involving the primary sector. One was for a meat and animal by-products business that intended to “expand the export of NZ meat products, provide greater financing to NZ farmers, and introduce new supply chain technology”.

Going green Farmland to forestry conversion Region

Number of Consents

Gross hectares*

Gisborne

1918

Hawke's Bay

4494

Manawatu-Wanganui

735

Marlborough

1319

Northland

3629

Otago

1328

Taranaki

1221

Waikato

8763

Wellington

9237

Grand Total

32,644

*Total gross hectares includes both New Zealand to overseas interests, and overseas to overseas interests. Source: Land Information NZ

RECEPTION: The sale of livestock farmland for conversion to forestry has angered many rural communities.

Details were heavily redacted due to the proposal not being announced. The second was for an American couple seeking to buy 131ha in Hawke’s Bay, on which they wanted to plant 60ha in manuka to produce

honey for export. In both cases the relevant government ministers, Damian O’Connor and Megan Woods, were not satisfied the proposed investment would result in substantial and identifiable benefit to NZ.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Forest agency to boost capacity

ADVICE: Forestry minister Stuart Nash says the new forest service will deliver more advice and expertise to landowners and farmers wanting to engage in forestry.

Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz FARMERS and landowners can expect more extension support and advice with the announcement Forestry New Zealand Te Uru Rakau will be moving to Rotorua from Wellington. Forestry Minister Stuart Nash has overseen the renaming of Te Uru Rakau Forestry New Zealand to Te Uru Rakau-New Zealand Forest Service, a name change he described as small but significant. “It will provide more on-the-ground support to iwi, private landowners, farm foresters, local councils, processors and other forestry organisations,” Nash said. The body will have greater focus on professional advisory services and forestry management expertise, and will be relocating to a new head office in Rotorua. A long-time concern of supporters of farm forestry has been the lack of extension services available to provide farmers and landowners with the “right tree for the right place” advice. The move has been welcomed by the Farm Forestry Association president Graham West. He says it has a sense of “back to the future” to it, harking back to the Forest Service days when extension officers would distribute advice to a new generation of farm foresters. “It is fair to say there has been something of a vacuum there when it comes to knowledge about tree planting and forestry. The Farm Forestry Association has been providing some information and knowledge where possible on a voluntary basis, but it is overdue for having a professional approach to it,” West said. He hoped the move would include more funds to finance the expertise, and to fill Te Uru Rakau with a greater level of practical forestry experience. “There is a need to bring in practical, experienced people, often older, who may have been forest rangers,” he said. “I can only think of one in the organisation at present, they are generally people brought in to provide information on grants, but don’t have the gravitas to front a group of farmers with practical advice on tree planting.” West also welcomed the social dimension the minister acknowledged the service would deliver. Nash says a public forestry service would help drive the focus on regional economic development, skills training and a low emissions future. “The old Forest Service also provided a social service in many respects. It employed a lot of people in the regions in jobs when there was not a lot of other employment. We have really come back to that now today,” he said. In announcing the new service, Nash acknowledged the potential forestry held for Māori, and the support for Māori aspirations for land management, economic development and job creation. Te Uru Rakau stemmed from the One Billion Trees project, which stopped accepting funding applications late last year. About $23 million of the $240m project remains unallocated and will be channelled into the new forest service model. West says the focus on advisory services would do much to help address the major problem that forestry was not always well understood by farmers.

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18 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Lack of skill costs contractors Gerald Piddock gerald.piddock@globalhq.co.nz

CHALLENGES: Employing under-skilled staff has resulted in a huge increase in damage to expensive machinery, farmers’ property and increased insurance claims, contractors say.

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INEXPERIENCED Kiwi farm machinery operators are costing the industry stress, accidents and insurance claims, a new survey of Rural Contractor NZ (RCNZ) members has revealed. While the industry will continue to train and recruit more New Zealand staff to meet demand, it was fortunate there had been no serious accidents this season, RCNZ chief executive Roger Parton said. Many rural contractors were only barely able to meet farmer demand this season by working unacceptably long hours in machinery, as well as trying to supervise inexperienced staff. “We appear to have been extremely lucky that there have not been any serious accidents, but health and safety cannot rely on luck,” Parton said. He says the problems were indicative of the issues the industry faced as a result of the covid-19 border closures.

We appear to have been extremely lucky that there have not been any serious accidents, but health and safety cannot rely on luck. Roger Parton Rural Contractors NZ

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“The issue is this: the only way you can safely and effectively drive the big combine harvesters and that kind of equipment is to get trained in it and then get a couple of years’ experience under your belt,” he said. However, the nature of the industry meant there was no work for a newly trained person once the season ended. In the past, that person could travel to the Northern Hemisphere and work on farms over its summer to further hone their skills and gain valuable experience. At the same time, NZ contractors employed Northern Hemisphere workers looking to work over the NZ spring and summer to fill any staffing gaps. “These problems are not new. They have been around for a long time, but what has happened is the whole issue with covid and overseas travel has just compounded the issue beyond recognition,” he said. One contractor’s wife said in the survey that they had been so short-staffed, that she and her husband had to drive almost full-time for six to eight weeks. “I had my three-year-old with me a lot of the time in the tractor and believe me, it was not pleasant after five or six hours. I was very lucky I had a few people to help share the load,” she said. Another said all his staff but

one this season was a New Zealander. “It has not been easy getting all these new people trained into qualified operators and I have had more machine damage than I care to think about,” he said. “A number of these people have found it hard with the hours we work and the fact it is a seven-day operation. We were lucky that we were able to get some experienced staff but a high percentage were new to our industry.” One contractor employed some university students to get through, but their return to studies left them severely understaffed for the key maizecropping season. “Employing under-skilled staff has resulted in a huge increase in damage to expensive machinery, farmers’ property and increased insurance claims,” the contractor said. Other contractors said they were losing experienced managers who had become frustrated in trying to meet farmer expectations with inexperienced staff. Some questioned whether to continue in the sector. More than one contractor said gaining the skills to drive complex harvest machinery could only be gained in short and busy windows. “Due to the fact that we can only employ these experienced employees for around six months of the year, it makes it impossible to train up New Zealanders to do this position, as we do not require these experienced harvest operators for 12 months of the year. This is the nature of our business,” a contractor said. The industry will, however, continue to train more New Zealanders, some of who had fitted in well to the rigours of farm machinery operating. “We will continue supporting the training of Kiwis, which includes providing machinery and tutors to short courses such as those at the Telford and Taratahi agricultural campuses which teach tractor driving and other basic skills,” he said. “However, the survey confirms you need a lot of on-the-job practice to cement in even elementary skills, and contractors and insurance companies are paying some of those costs. “Contractors often won’t risk putting someone coming up to speed driving a tractor into the cab of a half-million-dollars plus combine harvester for a silage machine. That requires someone with a whole different level of skills.” RCNZ is now working with the Ministry for Primary Industries to develop a request for a Critical Workforce Border Exception. “We are grateful the Government allowed us to bring in 210 specialist machinery operators for the season just concluding. That helped, but we need 400 for 2021-22,” he said.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Myrtle rust lays waste to cape MYRTLE rust is spreading like wildfire through some native tree species on the East Cape, and Ngāti Porou has sounded an alarm for the threat to an iconic pōhutukawa. Te Waha o Rerekohu is the largest and oldest known pōhutukawa in New Zealand, on the shoreline at Te Araroa. Local Department of Conservation (DOC) ranger Graeme Ritchie (Ngāti Porou) says young ramarama (Lophomyrtus bullata) and rohutu (Lophomyrtus obcordatus) and their hybrids around Te Araroa have been wiped out by the disease. The myrtle family contains many native species, including mānuka and pōhutukawa. He also found the first recorded instance of an adult ramarama tree, perhaps 100 years old and 10 metres high, being killed by the rust pressure, along with all its epiphytes like mosses, ferns and orchids. He says that raised the possibility of localised extension for some native myrtle tree species. Without adult trees, there will be no seeds, no more seedling carpets and no possibility of recruitment. The rust attacks usually die back during winter months to allow trees to send out new growth, but East Cape temperatures are warmer and the disease pressure prolonged. The spores persist and continue to spread through the winter months, most notably preventing spring flowering and seed set. In the conservancy, juvenile ramarama and rohutu are the dominant understory in which wind-born myrtle rust has spread rapidly and widely over the past two years. It is over the whole of the cape, from Gisborne to Opotiki and up to Te Araroa. Ritchie says there was no real prospect of disease control except by saving seeds of trees that showed resistance and replanting them.

We haven’t yet seen widespread infection in manuka, which is some cause for hope. Graeme Atkins DOC Little research work and monitoring was being done on East Cape but when he raised the threat to hundreds of hectares of newly planted mānuka, alarm bells sounded in Wellington. Conservation Minister Kiri Allen, now on sick leave, had visited Te Araroa and seen the seriousness of the disease threat. “Mānuka is valued for honey and for oil, whereas the ramarama hasn’t got any economic clout,” he said. “Millions of mānuka cultivars have been recently planted and farms retired for the purpose on the cape. “We haven’t yet seen widespread infection in mānuka, which is some cause for hope.” Ritchie planted manuka seedlings two years ago among infected ramarama at Te Araroa and at his home north of Ruatoria and monitored them closely. Some rust had appeared, but most seedlings showed evidence of resistance. The mature pōhutukawa also seemed to be resistant, but leaves of self-sown volunteers had been rust coated and knocked back. Atkins is highly regarded on East Cape and in Ngāti Porou for his knowledge and conservation efforts and was awarded the DOC’s Loder Cup in

2020, after being nominated by the East CoastHawke’s Bay Conservation Board. The DOC is one of four government departments engaged in the five-year, 15 million-dollar Beyond Myrtle Rust biosecurity programme, the others being Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment, and the Ministry for Primary Industries.

AT RISK: The iconic native pōhutukawa has come under threat after weather conditions in the East Cape has prolonged the effects of a myrtle rust invasion. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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20 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Low-methane sheep are showing promise Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz A MOB of low methane sheep are proving it is possible to produce less methane and grow a healthy, productive animal that farmers will want to put into their flock bloodlines in coming years. For the past decade New Zealand scientists have largely flown below the radar with the work, but are enjoying world leading success in identifying high and low methane emitting sheep. The work means today researchers including AgResearch scientists, with the support of farmers through the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium have two flocks of sheep, one high and one low methane emitting, and have established a genomic profile over three breeding generations. These provide sheep breeders with useful and accurate data on what their animal’s “methane value” is, relative to its breeding value. Three generations in, they are now able to collect data on the feed efficiency, carcass yield, growth rates and gut bacteria, which influence how their methane emissions stack up against the average. Dr Suzanne Rowe, senior AgResearch scientist says on average the low methane sheep are emitting 11% less of the gas than the average, per kilogram fed. “These low methane emitting

sheep have 20% smaller rumens but have a similar surface area and this appears to be a physiological adaptation. “They tend to eat more dry matter, but it is a little and often, and have different microbial fermentation which enables us to predict if they will be high or low emitters, based on their gut bacteria.” The scientists have identified some upsides in the quality of the animal’s production. This includes more lean growth over fat production, and higher wool production. “They are profitable and healthy sheep, and we are comfortable the changes have done no harm,” Rowe says. Researchers are now able to draw a syringe of rumen fluid from trial animals and gain a sequential DNA profile of the rumen bacteria community. They are observing heritable variations in the microbes present, beyond what feed regimes determine. “So now the microbes and the animal’s genomic profile provide us with an accurate picture of the animal’s low methane nature.” Scientists are now taking rumen samples from ruminants all over the world and assimilating that data enabling them to come up with more predictive ability about what animals will prove to be lower methane than others. “We know the volatile fatty acids and microbiomes differ in low methane animals, so we wanted to

More with less see - what that does to their milk?” The result of profiling ewe’s milk determined a difference in low methane animals, with more polyunsaturated fats in their milk and different ratios of fatty acids in high methane versus low methane animals. “The 10-20% difference between them is significant.” Scientists have also found the meat quality from low methane sheep good, with good eating characteristics. Sheep breeders can already choose to measure their animals’ methane breeding value, working with scientists to get rams measured so they can answer the question if clients ask about it. The low methane breeding value (BV) is available to any breeder choosing to measure it, or has animals with a genomic profile very closely related to animals already measured. It is updated in the national system automatically with all other BVs on a fortnightly basis. “From a commercial standpoint, whether a commercial breeder is using methane as a criteria for ram purchase will depend on market forces. If there is a demand for low methane

GAS UP: Dr Suzanne Rowe says if a methane breeding value was widely called for by farmers, the genetics could be rolled out in a couple of years.

stock nationally the roll out could happen within a couple of years.” Based on their experience with sheep, the researchers can see a similar pathway for dairy cattle that may help identify suitable animals quicker. Sampling a wide population of dairy females could be hastened by using the portable accumulation chambers developed during the sheep research. Developed initially from the sheep research, they enable scientists to hold animals in comfort, feed them a pre-set diet and draw off the CO2 and methane emitted. It is regarded as a low cost, high proof tool for measurement that is capable of sampling dozens of animals, and could be utilised for

Breeding for lower emissions Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz LEON Black has bred rams all his life, but even he was surprised at the 38% variation in methane emissions from within his flock. A few years of research and breeding has convinced Black that a 10% reduction in the greenhouse gas (GHG) is possible per generation without compromising other production traits. The Southland ram breeder is one of seven breeders nationally experimenting with reducing GHG emissions by including the trait as a breeding value. He says the results convince him permanent lower GHG emissions can be achieved through breeding. “There is a big investment being made looking at inhibitors, boluses, vaccines and drenches that might be fine to use on low numbers and animals that you see regularly, but for the sheep and beef sector, especially on extensive farms, that is just nonsense, and the numbers and costs will just not cut the mustard,” Black said. The Black family has been farming near Riverton on Southland’s south coast for 98

REFERENCE POINT: Leon Black says his research so far has given him a benchmark from which to structure his breeding programme.

years and have bred rams for 50 years. Black saw the potential for breeding low methane-emitting rams while a director of Beef + Lamb NZ and an appointee on the boards of the former biotechnology company Ovita and the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Consortium. Working with scientists reinforced the potential of genetics. “I was convinced during my

time as a director that we could breed lower methane-producing sheep without any compromise on production,” he said. He participated in an AgResearch project in which sheep were placed in chambers so emissions can be measured and individual genetic differences realised. It soon became apparent that genetic variation is heritable and can be repeated. Over the past few years Black

has started comparing sire groups and discovered a 38% genetic variation between the least and most efficient, concluding that a 10% reduction in methane emissions was achievable per generation. “It’s not going to cost a lot of money and every year you are breeding less methane,” he said. “A vaccine or inhibitors are forever bills.” Reducing methane even more through changes to feeding or feed additives will be a bonus to genetic gains. Black says his research so far has given him a benchmark from which to structure his breeding programme, but have also thrown up some areas requiring further investigation. One is that on average sires with higher fertility produced 26% less methane, but up to 40% less, something that surprises Black. “I’m scratching my head if it is a marker for that or sheer luck,” he said. This leads to twin lambs producing up to 40% less methane per kilogram of product compared to a single. Black is also wanting to investigate further if there is

other ruminants including goats and calves. “It would be possible for us to go out now and screen dairy herds to see if we find profiles we know of, based off the sheep research. We can turn the research already done on its head by starting with the answers we already know we have, from sheep.” The scientists are reasonably optimistic about the time it will take to breed lower methane traits into livestock. “It has taken 2.5-3 generations to achieve a 11% reduction to date,” says Rowe. “Our hope would be these breeding values are a characteristic of on farm calculations, so the status of the stock is incorporated into the farm environment plan.”

More with less any impact on meat and wool production from sheep having a more efficient rumen. “If the rumen is more efficient, maybe the extra energy will lead to more meat and wool,” he said. “There is no strong evidence to say that is the case, but there is also no evidence to show a reduction.” As a trait Black says the heritability of low-methane will be relatively low, comparable to muscling, growth and fertility, and higher than survivability. “It might not save the world, but it is a little step for my entire client base without compromising production,” he said. The next issue is to get lower emissions recognised by farm GHG audits, something SIL and the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Consortium is working on. Black, who has an estimated 13,000 trees in his 370ha property, which do not earn credits for carbon sequestering, says as with low methane-emitting sheep, farmers should be able to earn credit for their role in reducing greenhouse gas.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Tough solution to gas problem Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz A LEADING scientist is cautioning farmers not to hold their breath hoping gene editing (GE) will provide the silver bullet solution any time soon to their greenhouse gas (GHG) problems. Lincoln University professor in agriculture and vice-president of New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science Jon Hickford says there is considerable appeal in GE technology to deal with the GHG issue, but he sees shorter-term and equally effective solutions laying in more conventional scientific approaches. NZ’s genetic modification regulations limit the ability of researchers to develop genetic technology to trial in-country. AgResearch currently has trials running in the United States on its GE high metabolisable energy (HME) ryegrasses. These are showing good levels of drought tolerance, feed energy and lower methane-emitting properties. But due to regulations it remains uncertain when or even if the grasses could be ultimately trialled and marketed here in NZ. “The problem is politicians do not see votes in this (GE), and

LACKING: Lincoln University professor in agriculture Jon Hickford says he finds it ironic in the current environment that despite plenty of evidence genetic modification does not affect human health, the appetite for change is absent politically.

are unlikely to push for any real change. It has been put in the too hard basket,” Hickford said. “And the reality is that the technology takes 10 years to develop, and will only take longer, given there is no political will there to begin with. We are already 10 years behind on this.” He says he finds it ironic in the current environment that despite plenty of evidence genetic

modification does not affect human health, the appetite for change is absent politically. “When you look at our covid response which has been completely engineered around science, and we have a PM who is responding to that science. If you were to consider GE-based on science, then it would have been here yesterday,” he said. He believes public perception

of what constitutes GE has also changed, leaving some of the transgenic fears of the early 2000s behind. “And the reality is we all eat GE food. All the soybean and canola oil products that come into NZ are genetically modified,” he said. Issues of food security prompted by the covid crisis and breakdown in food supply chains may also have sharpened the political will to reconsider the technology. Countries, including Great Britain now that it has split from the anti-GE EU, are having a conversation about GE and the role it can play in improving food production. A UK report on it is due out in a matter of weeks. Australia is in the process of introducing changes that mean gene editing is no longer classed as genetic modification. He believes GE could “absolutely” help deal with NZ’s GHG issue, pointing to the AgResearch’s HME grass success, and the likes of condensed tannin clovers that suppress methane production. “Anything that improves the productivity of animal systems will help reduce GHG emissions, and even without the GHG issue,

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More with less we should be looking here for our next lift in productivity,” he said. Rather than investing valuable time trying to convert political minds to GE upsides for plant modification, Hickford says breeding work on animals may deliver earlier and heritable results. “Especially if they are able to drill down into the genetics of rumen bacteria, it is justification for AgResearch to have more money spent in this area,” he said. He says the results already achieved with conventionally bred and selected low-methane sheep are remarkable, and the reductions of .5-1% each generation delivers huge gains across the entire 20 million sheep population. “This also gives us the advantage of virtue signalling to trade partners and potential partner countries that we have a low-emitting breed and are well advanced in this area,” he said.

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22 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Skellerup shares jump SKELLERUP shares jumped as much as 2.1% after it upgraded its earnings guidance for a second time this financial year. The shares rose as high as $4.44, up 9 cents, up from $1.90 a year ago, although down from their record $4.65 in March. The company now expects net profit for the year ending June to come in between $37 million and $39m. That’s up from its February guidance of $33m and $37m, and from its guidance in October last year of $30m-to-$35m. Even $30m would be a record result, bettering the $29.1m it earned in the year ended June 2020. Chief executive David Mair says all businesses have continued to perform well. “Sales of potable water products in the US and demand for our flashing and plumbing products in all markets were robust in quarter three,” Mair said, adding that he’s expecting continued solid demand in the fourth quarter. “Sales of essential dairy consumable products were also better than expected during what is a normally seasonal low period.” Because we are heading into the peak part of the New Zealand season when dairy farmers

usually undertake maintenance, Mair expects a strong fourthquarter result. “Demand for our highperformance marine foam products continues to grow in all markets. Our order book remains strong, particularly in the US,” he said. However, not everything is rosy.

Sales of essential dairy consumable products were also better than expected during what is a normally seasonal low period. David Mair Skellerup “The global shortage of containers and shipping space, along with international port congestion, is impacting our business,” he said. The company is focused on delivering the essential products it supplies throughout the world and its manufacturing teams are focused on securing raw

materials and running operations as efficiently as possible to meet customer requirements. Mair says the company has been grappling with covid-related supply chain disruption for quite some time but it does make forecasting tricky, because of the potential for delivery times to slip. Among the ways Skellerup has been dealing with the problem has been by shipping less-than-container-loads more often, although this does mean higher shipping costs, and collaborating with other exporters to consolidate containers. But the company is “quite a distributed business”, meaning it isn’t shipping from a single export base in NZ. While the company is best known for its gumboots – which it still makes – most of its products are rubber or siliconebased and are used in either the milking process or in industrial applications such as plumbing and other water management applications. The company’s first-half results released in February demonstrated a sharp improvement in profit margins in both divisions. The agri division’s earnings before interest and tax (Ebitda) margin have been fluctuating

OUTLOOK: Skellerup chief executive David Mair says they expect a strong fourth-quarter result as they head into the peak part of the New Zealand season when dairy farmers usually undertake maintenance.

between 22% of revenue and 23% in the first-half years since 2017 but jumped to 30% in the six months ended December. The industrial division’s margins have been somewhat more volatile, ranging from 11.8% in the first-half of 2017 and 15% in the first-half of 2019, but they reached 18.2% in the first-half of 2021. Mair says the changes are

broad-based across the company. It takes time for operational changes to flow through into financial results and it also helps to have tailwinds such as current high dairy prices, he said. “I think we’re in a strong position. I think we’re offering a far better service to our critical customers, especially in times like this,” he said. – Business Desk

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

NZ Zanda award winner named THE future looks extremely bright for Sam Vivian-Greer of Masterton, who received the coveted 2021 New Zealand Zanda McDonald Award on Wednesday, at a dawn ceremony at Whangara Farms, north of Gisborne. Vivian-Greer, 31, is a farm consultant at BakerAg in Wairarapa, working alongside farmers who are keen to improve and better their farming operations, and has developed mentoring groups to further develop farm managers and agricultural professionals. The annual award, regarded as a badge of honour by the agribusiness industry, recognises and supports talented and passionate young professionals in the ag sector from Australia and New Zealand. Vivian-Greer will receive a prize package centred around mentoring, education and training that is 100% tailored to his needs. “Sam is a warm and professional person, who has a strong passion for agriculture, and is having a really positive influence on the sector,” Zanda McDonald Award patron Shane McManaway said. “The judging team was really impressed with his dedication

PRIZE: BakerAg farm consultant Sam Vivian-Greer was crowned the 2021 Zanda McDonald Award winner, securing him an impressive prize package centred around mentoring, education and training.

to his role, his leadership and spirit. We’re excited to see what the future holds for Sam and look forward to helping him carve out his path through the opportunities provided by the award, in particular the transTasman mentoring package.” Vivian-Greer was “stoked” to receive the award.

“It’s a huge honour, and I’m just blown away. I’m really looking forward to spending time with top ag leaders in New Zealand and Australia, finding out more about how they tick, and how I can apply those learnings to my own career and the ag sector,” he said. The award ceremony was held

on the beach at Whangara Farms, providing a breathtaking coastal backdrop for the proceedings. Finalists were welcomed onto the land with a karakia at dawn, before Vivian-Greer was crowned at the official ceremony. Vivian-Greer was named as a finalist alongside Ashburtonbased KPMG farm enterprise

consultant Genevieve Steven, 26; Pouarua Farms (Hauraki Plains) chief executive Jenna Smith, 34; and The Whole Story director and VetEnt (Ranfurly) veterinarian Becks Smith, 33. As part of their time in Gisborne, they spent three days broadening their knowledge through intensive media training and sessions with leaders in the sector. Vivian-Greer’s professional development package includes an all-expenses paid transTasman mentoring trip to highperforming farms and businesses in Australia and NZ, $10,000 towards further education, and incredible networking opportunities. Vivian-Greer will travel by a Pilatus PC-12 aircraft to parts of his mentoring trip, enabling him to reach diverse and remote farming operations on both sides of the Tasman. The award would normally crown one winner from across Australasia, but in response to covid-19-related travel restrictions, an Australian and a NZ winner have been crowned this year. LAMBPRO, Australia’s largest prime lamb seedstock business, operations manager Rozzie O’Reilly, 28, was awarded with the Australian title in February.

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24 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Local Govt shake-up looms THE Government is adding a fundamental overhaul of local government to its growing list of major reforms. With the sector already subject to reform of the Resource Management Act (RMA), the so-called three waters – drinking, waste and stormwater – and major new policy development to combat climate change, Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta recently announced the appointment of a five-person review panel to examine local government roles and funding. Potentially the largest shakeup of the sector since reforms in 1989 under the fourth Labour government and then minister Michael Bassett, Mahuta says the time was right for review. “They are now facing a wave of reforms that will significantly affect their traditional roles and functions. They have told us the timing is right to determine what our system of local democracy should look like to make sure it is fit for the future, and I agree,” Mahuta said. Infrastructure New Zealand policy director Hamish Glenn welcomed the review, saying it was a “genuine opportunity to address a wave of serious issues across housing, transport and water, by strengthening the ability of councils to execute, address longstanding infrastructure funding and financing challenges, and ensure that NZ becomes a more competitive, equitable

and sustainable society”. Led by former Waimakariri district mayor Jim Palmer, the review panel has until April 2023 to produce a final report, although an interim report due by September 30 this year, is required to “signal the probable direction of the review and key next steps”, with a draft set of recommendations due in September next year. The draft recommendations will land to coincide with local government elections, while the final recommendations will be delivered in the same year that the next general election is scheduled. The review comes at a time not only of major reforms that have impacts on local government, but also after years of high population growth and tourism influxes many councils have failed to keep up with, creating costly, unfunded infrastructure deficits. Mahuta’s statement and the terms of reference for the review panel marks out “funding and financing” as one of the three core areas of focus for review, along with “roles, functions and partnerships”, and “representation and governance”. It also points the review panel to the final recommendations of the Productivity Commission’s 2019 report into local government funding and financing, to which today’s announcements constitute the Government’s response. The commission found that while levying rates based on

property values should remain councils’ primary revenuegathering tool, there was a case for more use of targeted rates to capture value uplift caused by local government infrastructure investment, congestion charging, water charges and special purpose vehicles for new development financing. Terms of reference for the review emphasise the need for “public trust/confidence in local authorities”, effective partnerships with Māori interests, and a re-examination of what local government is expected to fund versus what central government funds. The review will also examine reforms for the way councils are run and the way they plan their activities. “The scope of this matter comprises what local government does, how it does it, and how it pays for it,” the terms of reference say, while seeking “stronger local democratic participation, active citizenship and inclusion”. The terms of reference make no reference to an optimal number of local government entities, with suggestions of council amalgamations being a longstanding lightning rod for political trouble. However, Glenn says “effective strategic planning and infrastructure delivery needs a degree of scale that 67 territorial authorities are not optimised to implement”.

INVESTIGATION: Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta recently announced the appointment of a five-person review panel to examine local government roles and funding.

“Equally, there are a range of public services which do not benefit from scale and which can and should be delivered closer to affected communities,” he said. Local Government NZ, the sector’s lobbying arm, welcomed the review as a response to its own calls to examine “how local choice and voice will be enabled in the wake of policy reform across three waters, resource management, climate change and the health system”.

“The operational realities for local government are huge urban growth and tourism pressures, greater focus on environmental protections and climate change pressures, all matched to outdated funding tools,” LGNZ president Stuart Crosby said in a statement. “The review panel must deliver a bold response that is in tune with the needs of our diverse communities … and how their local initiatives are funded.”

Fonterra gets creative with China market Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz DURIAN pizzas and cheese lollipops are only some of the creations Fonterra hopes to build upon with its recently opened application centre in Guangzhou, China. The purpose-built facility in the country’s fastest growing province of Guangdong, southern China, gives the co-operative an ear on market developments, and a more rapid means of responding to them, Fonterra director of group research and development Mark Piper says. Guangzhou is in the Pearl River Delta, which comprises almost 8% of China’s population. It has been the subject of intense development focus in recent years as it evolves into a megaregion, building on its proximity to Hong Kong, Macau and the vast hinterland for labour supply. Fonterra has application centres in other regions, including Beijing and Shanghai. “But each region has its own flavours and ideas around food, and it is important to develop applications that reflect the need to be local,” vice president for food service in greater China Justin Dai said. The centre is kitted out with a multipurpose commercial grade kitchen manned by chefs that

can be used for several product development concepts at one time in a market that often regards itself as the epicentre for Chinese cuisine with its strong Cantonese influences. A multiplicity of cooking techniques combine with a wide variety of ingredients, including preserved food items, pork, duck and seafood, with less beef or lamb than in the north. The centre aims to be a staging post for input from foodservice customers in the region wanting to add Fonterra food components to dishes, with the product development work being conducted at the company’s Palmerston North development centre. Dairy products, and particularly cheese, are starting to gain rapid momentum within the Chinese market, with growth in cheese consumption up 32% on 2019, driven largely by a surge in domestic consumption over the covid pandemic. Cheese is increasingly starting to be added to traditional dishes, also driven by a government mandate to have people consume more dairy for improved health. Fonterra has already managed to leverage off the region’s reputation as China’s “dumpling capital”, with mozzarella cheese incorporated into the renown steamed dumplings.

FIT FOR PURPOSE: Fonterra director of group research and development Mark Piper says given the diverse applications Chinese customers are seeking for dairy products, having a working centre on the ground in China is vital.

“There is a need here for reinventing new products, flavours and markets – consumers are always looking for something new,” Dai said. Per head consumption of cheese in China remains low at about .5kg a head, compared to about 8kg in New Zealand, but the potential for growth across such a

significant population is obviously large. “We are seeing a lot of new ideas involving cheese, including drinkable cheese and cheese lollipops. There is no convention or tradition around cheese use here,” he said. Traditional hot pot dishes may now include Fonterra

cheese within the meatballs cooking in it. Piper says given the diverse applications Chinese customers are seeking for the product, having a working centre on the ground in China is vital. “These are just things that we down here in New Zealand just would never think of doing – we need that contact at the customer end,” he said. He says customers also appreciate having a centre they can bring ideas to that has working chefs capable of working up the concept with them. Piper says two of the most recent developments have been creams stabilised to be kept at room temperature for use in tea macchiato mixes. “In tier two and tier three cities supply chain chilling can be a challenge, this takes care of that,” Piper said. Early work on lipid extraction for wellness products and protein formulas is also under way. “The thing with China is that it moves extremely fast, having people on the ground here that can commit to those changes is critical to success,” he said. Piper and Dai agree not all the foods being formulated will get the tick from Western palates, including durian pizzas featuring the infamous Thai fruit, renowned for its distinct smell.

AginED Ag ED

FOR E FUTURIA G R R S! U PR EN E

Volume 54 I May 3, 2021 I email: agined@globalHQ.co.nz I w w w.farmersweekly.co.nz

This graph shows Australian beef exports in thousand tonnes.

STRETCH YOURSELF: 1

How many hectares does Caythorpe cover? The farm produces a diverse number of products. What are these? What is a benefit of having such a broad range of things produced on one farm?

2 The two brothers take care of different facets of the business. Who looks after what?

Have a go: 1

Go to www.farmersweekly.co.nz

2 Find and watch the OnFarm Story of Scott and Simon Bishell “Grow the empire larger “ and read the article “Guardians of the land “ 3 How many generations of the Bishells have been farmers? When was Caythorpe established? 4 Where in NZ do the Bishells farm?

3 They have always made top quality hay and continue to do so. What is one market that they are producing specialist hay for? What grass and legume types are in this hay? What is not in the hay? Why would this mixture suit their targeted market? 4 How much of the farm is planted in vineyards? When did they start producing their own wine? What varieties of wine do they make now? 5 Their rows of vines are spaced at greater width than is traditional. Why is this? 6 Growing cherries commercially is a difficult process with two major growth phases. What is crucial at both of these stages? What happens if either of these stages is interrupted or does not occur?

Have a go: 1

3 How many thousand tonnes of Australian beef was exported in March this year?

STRETCH YOURSELF: 1

THE ORIGINS OF Why is it that we sometimes get a cold front and the temperature barely drops but other times it's so significant the mercury can fall by over 10 degrees? It's all about the origins of the airflow - or put another way, where is the air coming from? When we get a southerly, the temperature usually drops because it's coming from a colder part of the world (likewise a northerly is warmer). But sometimes we can have a "local southerly", but when you actually zoom out the weather map you can see the isobars (which mark air pressure) come from somewhere else.

AIR

But in this example (below), Southland still has a south west airflow - but when you track the origins you can see it's actually coming around a Tasman Sea high with warm northerlies out of the Australian desert. These winds then turn sou'west locally. Understanding this 'big picture' means you can appreciate there is more to a southerly than just the wind direction where you are!

What month were exports at the highest level?

2 What month were exports at the lowest level?

What is the percentage difference between March exports in 2021 and March 2020?

2 In the year to April, the total Australian beef kill is down a whopping 1.1 million head less than the same time period in 2020. Research and discuss drivers behind low supply of Australian beef. 3 Discuss some key differences between Australian beef farms and NZ beef farms. 4 Research a common Australian cattle breed called the ‘Brahman’. What are some benefits of this breed for the Australian climate?

FILL YA BOOTS: Technology is always evolving and finding a place in agriculture.

For example, this set up (below) shows a proper south to south west change - the air is coming from a long way south of NZ which is why it's cold.

What are some benefits of using innovative technology?

2 Can you think of any negatives? What can humans do that robots and automated machinery can’t? 3 How are drones used on farms? 4 What is another piece of technology in farms? Hint: What is in the picture?

YOUR CHALLENGE! Your challenge this week - using the "Brief Outlook" portion of RuralWeather.co.nz (halfway down the page) to find a southerly (sou'wester or sou'easter too) that actually LIFTS the daytime temperature from the colder southerly the day before.

Got your own question about how the weather works? Ask Phil! Email phil@ruralweather.co.nz with your question and he could answer it on the Weather Together podcast!

Newsmaker

26 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

LOOKING BACK: Agmardt general manager Malcolm Nitschke is proud of the work the ag seed funder has done during his time with the organisation.

Agmardt GM steps down After more than eight years as general manager at ag seed funder Agmardt, Malcolm Nitschke has decided it’s time to hand over the reins to someone else. Colin Williscroft reports.

URING his time at Agmardt, Malcolm Nitschke has seen plenty of change, both in the organisation itself and the food and fibre sector it serves. Nitschke says when he was appointed he was asked to drive the independent, not-for-profit organisation into the public eye. “It was a small funder that sat in the background, not very wellknown,” Nitschke said. “The board at the time was looking for someone to take hold of it, grow the network and the brand – I think I’ve achieved that. “Even though we’re still a small niche player in the whole field of funding, there’re not many places that we’re not known. Agmardt has a huge network nowadays.” The fund itself originates from levies paid by farmers when they used to purchase fertiliser. In 1987 the Government wound up the then New Zealand and British Phosphate Commission and out of that came $32 million, which it wanted to return to farmers. As it couldn’t identify individuals through fertiliser purchases it created the Agmardt Trust, set up to provide seed funding for a range of initiatives, innovations and research, as well as helping develop the capabilities of people in the primary sector.

It’s governed by an independent board of four trustees. Nitschke says that independence, which includes controlling its own funding destiny, is important. “Because we’re a very early seed stage funder – whether it be a project, an innovation or an agritech development – there’s always risks that they may fail, but that’s okay,” he said. “It’s all about the idea, the project. Do we like it? Is it going to have a significant impact on agriculture? Is it going to benefit the primary sector? That’s how we look at it.” As an early-stage funder, Nitschke says Agmardt has invested in a wide range of initiatives during his time with the organisation, so it’s difficult to pick out particular highlights. However, he has always been interested in agritech and he says NZ designers and developers in the field are up there with the best in the world, but it is important to clearly define the problem you are trying to solve to ensure farmer or industry uptake. They are often hampered by a lack of funding and capital, which makes it harder to scale to the next level commercially. He’s also proud of the work done helping people within the sector develop. “One of the most rewarding things is supporting Kellogg (Kellogg Rural Leadership programme) or escalator courses for the Agri-Women’s Development Trust and meeting the people who start on those courses and seeing how they’ve developed after the course,” he said. “Some of them go from being farmers to becoming future leader overnight. It’s very rewarding.”

He’s also pleased with some of the in-market approaches that Agmardt has supported in the past. “I’ve always been very focused on our overseas markets, so in the early days we provided a lot of funding for in-market grants to help NZ companies develop products and markets overseas, principally because there’s a lack of significant funding for small to medium-sized businesses. The focus now is very much on understanding our customers in the marketplace, creating products the customer wants, not just expecting them to buy what we produce,” he said. Being independent means managing the Agmardt fund to provide revenue from the initial government investment. Today that has grown to a fund of $90m, but Nitschke says the organisation has to live within its means and the current investment market, just like a Kiwisaver account, goes up and down with the market returns. “In saying that, for an outstanding idea or proposal that was likely to have a huge impact, we will dip into capital if we have to,” he said. As a small-scale seed funder, it is important for Agmardt to maintain its relevance in that space. He says the organisation has just been through a strategic review and it is very focused on the future and looking to accelerate change by working at the “edges”, investing in initiatives that other funding sources may not support. “But we have to be adaptable. We must ensure Agmardt either sits in front of or is right up there with new innovations, new technology and new thinking

going forward, because that’s the only way we will maintain our relevance,” he said. That means over time there will be changes to what it will invest in. He says for Agmardt to grow, even though it’s got a $90m fund, it needs to find new and innovative ways to increase its influence so it can add more value.

It’s a fantastic job and I’m going to be quite sad to leave it. I looked at the job description we wrote the other day and I thought ‘that looks like a pretty exciting role’. Malcolm Nitschke Agmardt “How do we get alternative income streams to be able to provide additional funding in different forms?” he asked. “There are many options – accelerator loans, taking equity in companies we have helped kickstart, and partnering with other funders and agencies. That’s something for the trustees going forward.” He says anyone considering taking on his role after he steps down in August will need to have a passion for agriculture and the primary sector, and an appetite to make change. “I have the fortune of having a background in the ag sector and I like to bring a lot of that to the table,” he said.

“The GM is the first ruler over everything, so having a strong understanding of the food and fibre sector provides the ability to sense-test proposals.” Questions he asks himself about applications include: is this innovative, will it transform how we do things, and will this have an impact on the food and fibre sector? A passion and desire to get out and help the sector grow, a level of financial awareness and strong people skills are important skills for anyone wanting to succeed him. As for himself, Nitschke says after eight-and-a-half years in the role, it’s time for him to step aside. That will allow him to pursue other interests, including his Marton farm and a grain trading business that he’s been developing with his son, plus finding some time for a bit of fishing. “But I’m still interested in remaining part of the industry and looking for governance roles or project work, those sorts of things, going back to potentially being a part-time consultant,” he said. He is confident that he will leave the organisation in a good place and thanks the trustees and office team for their support, which he says has been invaluable. However, it’s time for someone else to drive it. “There are people out there with different skills than I have who can take Agmardt a lot further, ensuring Agmardt can continue to have a significant impact going forward,” he said. “It’s a fantastic job and I’m going to be quite sad to leave it. I looked at the job description we wrote the other day and I thought ‘that looks a pretty exciting role’.”

New thinking

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

From gee whiz to must-have Farmers are being inundated by ‘gee whiz’ technology, as the Internet of Things (IoT) takes over data capture on-farm. An AgResearch study identifies the power of this emerging tech to make grassland farming more sustainable. Its lead author David Stevens spoke to Richard Rennie.

YPERSPECTRAL mapping, satellite images, virtual paddocks and remote cow collars are just some of the technology starting to eclipse conventional farming systems. But AgResearch scientists are cautioning about the need to sort the digital wheat from the chaff, while also not becoming overwhelmed by the gigabytes of data such tech can generate. David Stevens says researchers took a big picture view on how these emerging technologies can help farmers maintain viable, productive pastoral operations, and soon saw the contrast between what farmers want and what researchers/developers can deliver. “We as researchers can get hung up on the level of detail such technology can, or should be, able to supply. The ability to measure to the nth degree is valued by us, but when you are working with farmers, people who understand risk far better than the average person, getting down to very specific details, that can mean very little to them,” Stevens said. That tendency for non-farming developers to get hung up on the detail can be exacerbated by equipment that is now capable of delivering nth degree of detail, overcomplicating and eclipsing whatever practical need the tech may serve farmers. “So, the tech challenge now is to take it once developed and turn it back into a simple application, so that it can be made use of,” he said. The work has also confirmed what Stevens himself has learnt from years of working with farmers, that it is often a simple outcome that draws farmers in, with data capture simply a background incidental possibly of more value to technicians and scientists. A classic example is one of the first commercial users of the Halter technology, Dave Morgan of Te Awamutu. He has recounted how much he enjoyed an extra half hour lie in and a cup of tea before heading to the farm dairy once his cows were fitted with the remote collars, to find his cows had been ‘rounded’ up by a Halter alert and were waiting for him to be milked. New Zealand’s outdoor, grassbased farming systems are also posing some challenges when it comes to calibrating some of the emerging tech to deliver consistent, comparable results. Satellite mapping of feed levels is a classic example where two weeks’ of images can contain some significant differences that

don’t make comparisons valid. “It could be that what it sees on the day is correct, but changes in sunlight, cloud cover, even satellite angle, can be difficult to calibrate as a comparison on the next set of images,” he said. The researchers found systems like Farmote that cross-check using a second type of technology are likely to maintain accuracy and earn farmer confidence more quickly. With such technology generating so much data, the inevitable question falls about who ultimately owns it. This is even more so when much of the technology hardware being developed, whether Halter collars or Zeddy smart feeders, are based on a subscription model with the software being updated remotely by proprietors. “This technology is providing some huge insights on animal behaviour, production and health, not all of it necessarily of interest to the farmer,” he said. “But it matters a lot as to where ownership falls, and subscriber models can make that ownership challenging, something of a grey area.” He points out all large primary processors like Silver Fern Farms and Fonterra have recognised it as farmers’ data.

So, the tech challenge now is to take it once developed and turn it back into a simple application, so that it can be made use of. David Stevens AgResearch

on some beef cattle and not others, and studying how they can draw virtual boundaries around waterways versus conventional grazing, and study the effect on water quality. Researchers will also look at how satellite data can be fed into a monitoring system, to help determine optimal areas for grazing based on feed levels. “There is a lot of exciting work ahead, and the next phase is really about how to bring these technologies together,” he said. “We also must discern the difference between the fascinating and the important in the quest to develop digital solutions. However, we must also be able to recognise when ‘the fascinating’ becomes ‘the important’.”

FIT FOR PURPOSE: Hi-tech developments will draw headlines, but also need to offer genuine, simple solutions for farmers to pick them up, says David Stevens.

HOW DO WE DEFINE A

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Recent advertising by Alleva Animal Health, titled “How do you define a true triple?” suggests the actives in a combination sheep drench

“I am not sure if all tech companies always look at it the same way,” he said. Should companies be able to keep farmers on-side and confident about their data’s security, Stevens sees huge potential for NZ Inc to leverage off the data the tech is generating, getting insights into many aspects of farm and animal production in something akin to real-time, cloud-based field trials. The study work has set the group up for their next phase, which will study how this emerging tech can be integrated to monitor issues that concern farmers, including animal performance, pest detection and water quality. This includes working with Pāmu this winter, putting collars

should work as well together, as they would if you had time to administer them individually, to be a “true triple”. Alleva also claims older triple drenches never had to prove they meet that standard. We may have “older” triple drenches, but most farmers know with age comes wisdom. When MATRIX® HI-MINERAL was registered in NZ in 2005, the regulator was provided with studies that showed all 3 of the main actives were individually

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Opinion

28 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

EDITORIAL

Education better than denigration

ILVER Fern Farms’ annual report predicts global meat production will grow just 1.4% and will mainly be led by chicken and pork. Global beef production is predicted to nudge up a touch, though SFF’s own beef offerings grew 17%. That’s a good sign in a world that is putting red meat under the blowtorch for its climate impact. Just last week the big recipe website Epicurious announced it had taken beef off the menu and wouldn’t help readers cook beef anymore. It said it was not anti-beef but proplanet. Denmark just released its new national dietary guidelines and they now include the greenhouse gas impact of each food. The guidelines also significantly reduce the amount of meat that Danes should eat. New Zealand red meat producers and marketers will have to prepare for more of this sort of thing in the future. Every aspect of our life and diets is being scrutinised for its impact on the environment and the climate. But that’s not such a bad thing for NZ food producers, if we engage the right way. The way to react is not to ridicule, but to educate. People and businesses are entitled to make their own choices about what they eat or promote. NZ red meat production is pretty light on the land. There are no broadacres of crops needed to keep our cattle fed. Our red meat is raised mostly on land that could not produce any other food. Many sheep and beef farms integrate forestry and conservation blocks. This is a good story to tell. Much of the world’s meat production is brought about through an extractive system. Ours is more regenerative in its nature. So let’s stick to telling the story of what we do well, rather than denigrating others for choices they make. Let’s make sure when people do choose to eat red meat, it is ours that they choose.

Bryan Gibson

LETTERS

Productivity growth is a good thing I’VE just read an article on regenerative farming quoting Jules Mathews, where she says “negative comments about what constitutes regenerative agriculture are achieving nothing...”. She then goes on to make negative comments about farming: “...farming has become an unintended treadmill, with farmers having been encouraged and trained to use a model solely focused on production and productivity. This has come at the expense of the environment, livestock care, biodiversity and people”. When those promoting regenerative agriculture make comments like this, I find it personally insulting and it makes me angry. I’ve been a conventional farmer for 41 years on typical Northland class 6 hill country. I

started in the late 1970s using the best scientific advice I could get and used it alongside good business planning. The farmland then hadn’t seen fertiliser in 10 years and was basically one large paddock. With fertiliser, lime and fencing allowing rotational grazing, I’ve improved the topsoil from the cigarette paper thin it was then. I started fencing off my waterways about 26 years ago and with the fenced off bush blocks, I used them to further subdivide the farm. The farm now is a finishing block. So, since I started farming the production has gone up and the productivity has improved. I’ve improved the soil and the environmental impact, my cattle look great and I’m

happy as being a conventional farmer. I’ve attended field days, workshops seminars and I’ve never experienced promotion of production in itself, only as a means to improve productivity and profitability. Mathews is implying that productivity is a bad thing, when it’s a measure of the efficiency of the farm, it’s output divided by input. Increasing productivity is a good thing; increasing production may or may not increase productivity depending on the amount of input to increase that production. I’m at a loss to know why acid-based fertiliser or chemical-based fertiliser is a problem when I’ve used it to improve my soils. My maintenance rate would

be 250kg per hectare of super; this is the same as 25g per square metre, five teaspoons/ sqm – how much does 10cm of topsoil in a sqm weigh? The acidifying effect on 10cm of topsoil/sqm wouldn’t register in a soil test. Don’t forget us conventional farmers are applying lime to reduce the acidifying effect of growing grass. Then the comment that regenerative farming is “... valued-based. It’s principledbased”. So, the conventional farming I’m doing means I have no values and am unprincipled? If you want collaboration you need to stop insulting those you want to collaborate with. Laurie Copland Broadwood

Letterof theWeek EDITOR Bryan Gibson 06 323 1519 bryan.gibson@globalhq.co.nz EDITORIAL Carmelita Mentor-Fredericks 06 323 0769 editorial@globalhq.co.nz Neal Wallace 03 474 9240 neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz Colin Williscroft 027 298 6127 colin.williscroft@globalhq.co.nz Annette Scott 021 908 400 annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz Hugh Stringleman 09 432 8594 hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz Gerald Piddock 027 486 8346 gerald.piddock@globalhq.co.nz Richard Rennie 07 552 6176 richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz Nigel Stirling 021 136 5570 nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com

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Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Time to reflect on how we live Ross Robertson

HE marketing slogan 100% Pure New Zealand has always irked me. I suggest that it is an inappropriate use of the adjective and that we could come up with something more meaningful to present an image of our country. My best shot at this point is NZ – Closer to Nature, and I will outline my support of this proposition. Our known history traces back to the Polynesian navigators, who were very much aligned with the natural world, and then the Māori communities, with very strong relationships with both land, sea and sky. Upon colonisation, land was cleared for farming, sheep stations in the South Island and dairy in the North. Native timber was harvested, plantation forestry was an early land-use and we have always fished in the oceans that surround NZ. Our economy has long been based on the production of food and natural materials.

We have a history of being close to nature and our economy is dependent on the nurturing of our natural resources.

Where we live is significant; usually our cities are on the coast and towns often on rivers. We have a network of roads providing access to mountains, native forest, rivers and lakes, and fresh air and water is abundant. Our climate is temperate and our agricultural industry has benefited from good rainfall and sun. Our population is relatively small, we are surrounded by oceans but distant from our export markets.

The

Pulpit

We need to reflect on how we live. Our young people have ready-access to outdoor sports and activities. Our favoured national sports are outdoors. We make good use of beautiful beaches in the summer, tramp in regional and national parks with native bush, and hunt in alpine landscapes. We are innovative farmers, our pastures are very productive and our animals live outside. We have a growing awareness of the importance of nature, which has given rise to more protection and regeneration of the natural environments. Consider what we produce. While the natural fertility of our soils is limited, they have been improved by the correction of deficiencies and the build up of soil carbon, often on difficult terrain. Farmers have worked with nature, in particular the use of legumes, to fix nitrogen and the grazing of animals on the land. This contrasts with large areas of the US, where soils have been depleted to give a dependence on synthetic fertilisers. We have achieved significant genetic improvement in our production animals and have refined our farming practices to the extent

RETHINK: Ross Robertson shares his views on why 100% Pure New Zealand slogan is not the best representation of the way NZ lives and farms.

that we are world leaders in many aspects. Primary production represents the bulk of our exports, a major component of GDP, and we are highly regarded internationally for our dairy, meat, wool, kiwifruit, apples, wine and seafood. NZ has many visitors from offshore, attracted by the opportunity for activities outdoors, on the coast, in the mountains and on the lakes. These visitors talk about our spectacular natural scenery, which they observe during the day and the clear skies seen at night. Our tourist attractions include national parks and facilities for boating, skiing, hunting and fishing. NZ offers a wide range of natural environments within a relatively small geographic area.

Looking to the future, our young people now receive more education about nature and conservation is becoming a priority. We are looking to reduce carbon emissions with transport alternatives limiting the need for petrochemicals. We are working toward more renewable energy with wind and solar to complement our valuable hydroelectricity. Genetic improvement of livestock will focus on methane emissions, we look to control animal and plant pests without the use of chemicals and to limit our use of synthetic fertilisers. The project to improve and protect our waterways is progressing well. We have a history of being close to nature and our economy is dependent on the nurturing of our natural resources. We

see our future building upon our understanding of the risks and opportunities associated with nature; our alternative name Aotearoa clearly hints at a relationship with the natural world.

Who am I? Ross Robertson has a background in tourism-related industries and farming. He is retired with an interest in design and development of rural landscapes.

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

There are three ways you can read us: 1. Own a farm. If farming is your main income, you register with NZ Post to have Farmers Weekly delivered free to your mailbox. This is how around 77,000 farmers receive theirs. 2. Read the virtual paper online at farmersweekly.co.nz/topic/virtual-publication. Our online eNewsletters arrive before the paper hits mailboxes. You can sign up to receive them at farmersweekly.co.nz/e-newsletter. 3. Subscribe - a great gift for retired farmers and town dwellers. This is for people in town who want a hard copy of the paper each week. Farmers Weekly is just under $4 per issue ($16/month, $192 incl GST per year) Dairy Farmer is $8.95 per issue ($98.45 incl GST / year). Pay by credit card or Farmlands card. Your copy will arrive on Thursdays (give or take a day). farmersweekly.co.nz/subscribe 0800 85 25 80

Opinion

30 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Reforms must heal country’s wounds Alternative View

Alan Emerson

I’VE been interested in the recent health reform announcements and the reaction to them. Simply, the Government intends to abolish our 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) and replace them with a single health authority. I’ve differing views on the issue. The first is that in the Wairarapa we have a good DHB. My experience has been that it functions well with the resources it has. The news stories that regularly come out suggest many other health boards don’t share that commitment to their local communities. Further, we can elect local people to DHBs. That gives me some assurance that the organisation is locally-focused. The broader issue is, however, that the current system isn’t working, as shown by the regular horror stories coming out of the health sector. DHBs have been around in their current form for 20 years, but essentially for much longer. They were first mooted in the 1970s. The Muldoon government introduced Regional Health

Boards and then Labour morphed them into DHBs. Logically that tells me that the DHBs time has come. They were designed for another world and they’re not working in this one. In addition, the total population of New Zealand is similar to many medium-sized international cities. Would an international city of five million people have 20 health authorities? I think not. I have two major issues. The first is that the devil is in the detail. There’s a lot we just don’t know. Health Minister Andrew Little told us that the new system will “do away with duplication and unnecessary bureaucracy”, and I support that.

While I’ll support the thrust of the reforms, doing away with the DHBs and their duplication, I remain unconvinced that a single, centrallybased organisation will provide better outcomes. He added that “we need more health professionals and a bigger health spend”. That’s reassuring. However, what we don’t know is what the new system will achieve that the existing system doesn’t. The second is that while I can accept axing DHBs having a central authority, casting pearls to

YES, BUT: Alan Emerson believes that while District Health Boards are no longer fit for purpose, he questions whether the Government’s reforms are going to benefit those who need it most.

the provincial swine fills me with horror. There are many examples of central authorities showing a complete lack of knowledge and understanding of rural communities, and essential water would have to be one. We had worthy bureaucrats in Wellington deciding what they think is best for you and me, with blissful ignorance of the issues and practicalities. The shambles of gun licencing is another. Farmers need firearms to control the many pests occurring in NZ in addition to sporting needs. The police, by their gun licencing protocol, don’t have a clue. Getting back to health. While I accept there will be four regional hubs with further offices, I remain unconvinced they will understand rural needs. In an excellent article in last week’s Farmers Weekly, Gerald Piddock talked to Rural GP Network chief executive Grant Davidson. He made some extremely valid points. The first is that rural GPs need to be included at the design stage of any new system. I agree. It will be interesting to see if the

Government picks it up. He also suggested that a rural lens needed to be put over the new systems implementation. That needs to happen. He told us that the current system is not working in rural areas, and that tells me there needs to be change. We’re told that the 700,000 rural people deserve a good system. I accept it costs more to service rural people than those in the city, but we’re told that rural people are reluctant to seek medical health unless they absolutely need it. The Davidson king-hit is his statement that “if we want equitable (rural) health outcomes, we need inequitable inputs to get there”. So, what we’re going to have is a central system as against a regionally-based one. We’re told our present system is “fragmented and convoluted”. The review of the system, led by Helen Clark’s former chief of staff Heather Simpson, states that it had led to “inequitable outcomes in health for Māori and Pacific communities, as well as disabled people”. I’d add rural. Ubiquitously, in my view, we’re going to have one central

agency plus one for Māori, yet the Simpson report tells us that it is Māori, Pacifica and the disabled that are failed by the current system. The Rural GPs tell me that the present system disadvantages “the 700,000 rural people”. Why then have a separate system for Māori, when the Government’s own research says that it is not just Māori but Pacifica and the disabled that are missing out? And I’ve just added rural. There’s a further question I have. Is it because of racial or socio-economic issues and, in both cases, why? I’d suggest we just don’t know. While I’ll support the thrust of the reforms, doing away with the DHBs and their duplication, I remain unconvinced that a single, centrally-based organisation will provide better outcomes. I also remain unconvinced that concentrating on Māori while ignoring Pacifica, the disabled and rural is fair and equitable.

Your View Alan Emerson is a semi-retired Wairarapa farmer and businessman: dath.emerson@gmail.com

The world as we now know it From the Ridge

Steve Wyn-Harris

WATCHING the second wave of covid-19 sweep devastation through India is a good lesson in guarding against complacency for our own country. Just a few weeks ago, India’s government was insisting that it was in the endgame in its fight against the virus. It relaxed restrictions against

scientific advice and is now seeing more than 300,000 new cases each day, daily deaths above 3000 people and total deaths of 200,000. There is speculation that all these figures are lower than reality and that it is far worse. It would seem that a new variant has arisen there being dubbed “the double mutant”, but is not yet known if its more infectious or that the vaccines will have less potency over it. India with its population of 1.4 billion people, in quite dense clusters, is not just a problem for India but for the whole world. With more infections and faster spread, it gives the virus more opportunities to mutate and the chances increase of a new strain appearing that is not affected by

the vaccines that are currently being rolled out. Then we are back to square one if that should happen. Then the hubris of nations well into their vaccination programmes will come home to roost. Likewise, our own pride, comfort and gratefulness for having kept the virus offshore and mostly locked up in isolation centres will be all very well, but the realisation that we may need to remain an island nation bubble for some time to come will dawn on us. With other countries like Brazil, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and the like struggling to contain this virus, it’s becoming increasingly likely that this pandemic will be with us for a few more years yet.

Likewise, our own pride, comfort and gratefulness for having kept the virus offshore and mostly locked up in isolation centres will be all very well, but the realisation that we may need to remain an island nation bubble for some time to come will dawn on us. Particularly if the vaccine rollout is too slow or more than 20% of populations choose not to be

vaccinated, thus preventing herd immunity. What surprised me a while back when I was reading up on the history of the Bubonic Plague (Yersinia pestis) bacterial infection, is that it is still here in pockets around the world, including the US. It’s the same disease that devastated Europe by killing half the population in the mid-1300s and was known then as the Black Death. Over subsequent centuries it caused several more pandemics. In the southern US, wild rodents carry the bacteria but there is only an average of seven human cases a year as folk know

Continued next page

Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Dairy poses big challenges Meaty Matters

Allan Barber

FOR most of the past 30 years, dairy farming has replaced sheep and beef farming as a more profitable use of productive land, except where grapes and forestry have taken over pastoral country in regions like Marlborough and the East Cape. Irrigation has contributed enormously to dairy’s economic success in Canterbury, while large swathes of Southland sheep country has also been converted. This trend has been accelerated by the removal of subsidies in the mid-1980s, which resulted in the national flock falling by well over half and a much smaller reduction of the beef cattle herd. The meat processors have had to undertake substantial restructuring to adapt to lower throughputs, more demanding consumers and more complex overseas markets’ food safety and workplace health and safety requirements. At the same time, farmers have faced all these challenges and more. But after several decades of rationalisation, automation and generational change, sheep and beef farming has largely restructured and is being rewarded with returns which were unheard of in the last years of the 20th century. The dairy sector has also undergone huge change with small dairy factories closing in the North Island through the 80s and 90s, co-operatives being taken over until only New Zealand Dairy Group, Kiwi, Tatua and Westland remained before the formation of Fonterra following government intervention. At the same time, the size of the average dairy farm increased threefold and the South Island’s dairy production exploded. An inevitable outcome of this expansion has been an increase in debt levels and consequently the average farm’s breakeven point. Although co-operatives Fonterra and Tatua still control over 80% of dairy processing, there has been a trend towards corporate Continued from previous page this and are cautious not to handle them and besides, they are sparsely populated areas. And there are about 2000 cases elsewhere in the world, mainly in Peru, India and Africa. The bacteria, which are carried by fleas living on animals, can only exist outside its host for an hour, as it is killed by sunlight and can’t be passed from person to person. And, the infection in the modern era can be treated with antibiotics, so is not the deadly threat it once was.

RISK: An overreliance on the Chinese infant formula market may yet prove to pose another challenge for some of the players who have diversified insufficiently, Allan Barber says.

Dairy farmers in several regions now have a choice between processors and would be well advised to consider carefully the financial robustness and structure of their options before deciding where to send their milk. ownership since the turn of the century. Open Country, now 100% Talley’s-owned, has grown to 1000 suppliers, controlling 10% of milk production, while the record of other start-ups has been more chequered: a2 is buying 75% of loss-making Mataura Valley from its Chinese owner; Synlait’s share price has suffered from its interdependence with a2, which has been hit by the fall in the ‘daigou’ trade for infant formula; Guardians infant formula factory was bought by Danone seven years ago; China’s largest dairy company Yili bought Oceania Dairy from the receivers in 2013; while Westland’s farmer shareholders voted to sell to Yili in 2019 because of their cooperative’s underperformance.

But as we know, Covid-19 is a different kettle of virus. All countries have tried to balance controlling a public health threat while maintaining a functioning economy. Many like the US, UK and Brazil tried to do both and failed on both measures. To date, we have trod the line as well as any nation, but we have also been lucky and surrounded by a large moat. If countries such as India struggle to get their national pandemic under control and we attempt to keep our borders open and open up travel bubbles as we

The newest investment is ASX-listed Happy Valley Nutrition in Otorohanga, which is due to open a drying plant in 2022, for which it intends to build a Waikato supplier base, as well as obtaining milk from Fonterra under DIRA. Meat and dairy processing share many of the same challenges, notably maintaining efficient capacity and an adequate margin between raw material buying price and market returns. Only successful management of margin and cashflow makes it possible to remain efficient. Dairy farmers in several regions now have a choice between processors and would be well advised to consider carefully the financial robustness and structure of their options before deciding where to send their milk. In the 90s there were very few meat processors that could make sufficient profits to be able to reinvest in their plants and it has taken well over 20 years for this to happen. This process started with capacity reduction, but has been largely facilitated by ownership or shareholding changes, notably Affco’s transition over time from a co-operative to a wholly owned subsidiary of Talley’s, Itoham’s buyout of Anzco’s minority shareholders and Shanghai Maling’s investment in Silver Fern Farms. In contrast Progressive Meats and Alliance have maintained their original ownership, while

sharing in the industry’s higher degree of sanity and profitability. In comparison, the dairy processing sector has had to undertake less rationalisation of old plants, while higher production volumes have allowed the construction of new capacity, in addition to attracting new entrants. A future challenge facing the industry is the fact peak production has been reached and, if the Climate Change Commission’s recommendations are adopted, less capacity will be needed in future. Open Country Dairy chair Laurie Margrain sees little likelihood the dairy industry will suffer as traumatic a transition as the meat industry, because there is not the same amount of inefficient overcapacity. He believes capacity will adjust to find its appropriate level, but emphasises the importance of managing the balance sheet carefully as well as guaranteeing milk supply to match plant investment. He also points to the risks associated with making consumer branded products for markets thousands of kilometres away. Open Country has based its business model on efficiency, productivity, high-quality dairy ingredients, well-tested routes to market and prudent use of capital. NZ only consumes 4% of its milk production, so it is critical to export the balance profitably

in forms which don’t destroy shelf life. The company treats its farmer suppliers as key stakeholders in the business, but, unlike cooperative shareholders, they are not required to buy shares in their processor. Open Country aims to leave its suppliers free to farm as efficiently and for as long as possible into the autumn, paying for milk much earlier than a cooperative would. NZ’s dairy sector appears to have successfully weathered a number of challenges, caused by the transition from the Dairy Board marketing model, overseas market access difficulties and tariffs, Fonterra’s loss of focus on where its strengths actually lie, and milk price volatility. An overreliance on the Chinese infant formula market may yet prove to pose another challenge for some of the players who have diversified insufficiently. But, like the red meat sector, overseas markets will continue to offer opportunities to welldiversified dairy companies and, who knows, the UK and EU may even live up to their promises of wanting to conclude broad-based trade agreements with NZ.

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

have with Australia, it is possible that one day our luck might run out. I’m glad I’m not the person required to determine how much risk to national health is acceptable in order to keep industries like tourism afloat and an economy turning over as best as is possible in this new world we live in.

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

NEW NORMAL: All countries have tried to balance controlling a public health threat while maintaining a functioning economy, and with the latest waves of the virus, it will most likely continue for many years to come.

World

32 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

PM taken to task PRIME Minister Boris Johnson has been urged to come clean about government plans for farming amid warnings that ongoing uncertainty is damaging confidence in the sector. It follows mounting concern over the phase-out of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), which is due to begin in England later this year. Industry leaders say more detail is needed about how farmers will be able to make up the lost income. The Government’s forthcoming Environmental Land Management scheme is due to be phased in from 2024. But with direct payments making up 60% of some farm incomes, the NFU says it should not be seen as a full replacement for the old system.

Johnson was taken to task on the issue during a recent visit to Derbyshire livestock producers Stuart and Leanne Fairfax, who farm at Stoney Middleton, in the Peak District National Park. The couple and their three teenage children recently took on the tenancy of Longstone Moor Farm – predominantly a sheep farm, with some cattle, and about 80ha of land entered into an agrienvironment scheme. Despite having to take time out during an incredibly busy lambing season, Fairfax says it was important to show the prime minister how farming and food production works hand-in-hand with looking after the iconic Peak District landscape. “It was also important to talk to him about the uncertainty many farmers are facing at the moment,

particularly as we don’t know the full details of what will take over from the BPS payments that many farmers rely on,” Fairfax said. NFU president Minette Batters joined the farm visit. She says Johnson had seen just how integral farmers are to maintaining and enhancing the environment – whether it was maintaining dry stone walls or looking after hedgerows. Like Fairfax, Batters says she too had raised concern of the lack of information about the Government’s agricultural transition plan. Farming was a long-term business and farmers would be making decisions now for many years down the line, she warned. “Ongoing uncertainty about how they will replace income

QUESTIONS ASKED: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and NFU president Minette Batters on-farm in Derbyshire. Photo: NFU

under the Basic Payment Scheme is damaging business confidence, which remains negative,” Batters said. “I urged the prime minister to provide more clarity on his future agricultural policy as soon as possible.”

Defra says it will offer financial assistance to help farmers prepare for the phase-out of direct payments, and invest in ways to improve their productivity and manage the environment sustainably. UK Farmers Weekly

Crop research opens new avenue GRASS crops are able to borrow genes from their neighbours, which allows them to grow faster, bigger and stronger, new research shows. A study, led by the University of Sheffield, is the first to identify that grasses can incorporate DNA from other species into their genomes through a process known as lateral gene transfer. The findings could inform future work to create

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crops that are more resistant to the effects of climate change and help to tackle food security problems. The Sheffield team found that the process is widespread across the crops studied, including wheat, maize, rice and barley. “Grasses are taking an evolutionary shortcut by borrowing genes from their neighbours,” senior author of the research Dr Luke Dunning, from the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences said. “By using genetic detective work to trace the origin of each gene, we found over 100 examples where the gene had a significantly different history to the species it was found in. “The findings may make us, as a society, reconsider how we view GM technology, as grasses have naturally exploited a very similar process. “If we can determine how this process is happening, it may allow us to naturally modify crops and make them more resistant to climate change.” Dunning says the consequences are similar to hybridisation. “Lateral gene transfer can move genetic information across wider evolutionary distances, which means it can potentially have even bigger impacts. “While only a relatively small proportion of genes are transferred between species, this process potentially allows grasses to cherry-pick information from other species.” “We still don’t know how this is happening or what the full implications are. But we know it is widespread in grasses; a family of plants that provide a majority of the food we eat,” first author of the research and PhD researcher from the University of Sheffield Samuel Hibdige. The team says the next steps will be to determine the biological mechanism behind this phenomenon, and to investigate whether this is an ongoing process in crops that contributes to the differences observed between crop varieties. UK Farmers Weekly

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Should your event be listed here? Phone 0800 85 25 80 or email adcopy@globalhq.co.nz

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programmes/next-level/

OPPORTUNITY: The findings could help create crops that are more resistant to the effects of climate change and help to tackle food security problems.

IMPACT: AHDB head of market specialists Chris Gooderham says that February’s market, like January’s, was hit by the increased time and costs associated with new export rules.

Post-Brexit dairy export slump BRITISH dairy exports remained at drastically low levels in February in the wake of Brexit, according to figures published by the AHDB. The figures, drawn from HMRC data, show trade with Europe down more than 90% for certain products compared with a year earlier. AHDB analyst Charlie Reeve says that in February 2020 there were 76,500 tonnes of unprocessed milk shipped from the UK to Europe. But Brexit trade conditions meant this fell to just 131t in the same four weeks of 2021. Bulk cream exports also slumped, from 901t in February 2020 to just 436t, a 55% decline. Other product categories also saw dramatic year-on-year declines. Cheese exports fell by 75%, whey 83% and milk powder 86%, while butter exports were down 89% on February 2020 levels. Despite the extreme lows, Reeve says these figures were a marginal improvement on January 2021, immediately after the UK left the EU. However, buttermilk and yoghurt, which saw the biggest year-on-year drop, slumped further during February to 91% below last year, or about 10,000t

less product shipped. AHDB head of market specialists Chris Gooderham says that February’s market, like January’s, was hit by the increased time and costs associated with new export rules. With perishable products such as dairy, the time delays caused by extra checks and paperwork meant some buyers and sellers were reluctant to commit to the export market, further reducing trade. Another major block was the EU Rules of Origin legislation. This sets a cap on how much of an EU product can be made up of ingredients imported from third countries such as the UK. Again this deterred EU buyers from importing UK ingredients and demand slipped, Gooderham says. Looking ahead, he says the only slightly better export levels in February compared with January, suggest things would not improve quickly. He says while trade friction should lessen as new processes bedded down, the extra costs would not disappear. It was also too early to predict how issues around rules of origin would be resolved in the longer-term. UK Farmers Weekly

Whakamaru 944 Baker Road and Tihoi Road Deadline Sale

Deer or dairy - 195 ha Here is your chance to purchase a profitable, well established deer farm, with deferred settlement, allowing ample time to establish your own farming program, be it staying with the deer or switching to dairy support. The property has been faithfully farmed by the same owner since last century, who has sown seasonal crops followed by new grass for many years. Soils are volcanic pumice and ash. After 70 or so years there is a respectable buildup of top soil. Contour is approximately 70% tractor, 30% hill with some steep sidings. Buildings: A four bedroom + office home with internal access garage for two cars, two living areas, built by GJ Gardner. An older four bedroom house, circa 1960, with garages. Farm buildings comprise a conventional deer shed, in which 1,300 plus stags give their Velvet each year. One high stud three bay tractor shed, fully equipped workshop and ancillary smaller sheds housing the water bore and pump, plus farm supplies.

Deadline Sale closes Tuesday 11th May, 2021 at 4.00pm, (unless sold prior) View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/TOR86086

Paul O'Sullivan M 027 496 4417

E paulo@pb.co.nz

Doug Wakelin M 027 321 1343

E dougw@pb.co.nz

Katikati 114 Busby Road Tender

A compelling reason to explore the options 234 ha self-contained dairy unit with approximately 70 ha of suitable horticulture land in five titles provides options. 385 cows have produced up to 146,000 kgMS with a low input farming system. The property has a good infrastructure level with a modern 40 ASHB shed - two homes and a single man's quarters - calf sheds and implement sheds. An ideal property to convert the front of the farm to horticulture whilst retaining the balance as a dairy unit or pursue the reconfiguration of titles to create lifestyle blocks with spectacular views across the Katikati estuary Motiti Island and Mount Maunganui. To be sold on a walk-in, walk-out basis with livestock, plant and machinery available. Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 | pb.co.nz

Tender closes Wednesday 9th June, 2021 at 2.00pm, (unless sold prior), Farmlands Te Puna View Sun 9 May 11.00 - 1.00pm Tue 11 May 11.00 - 1.00pm Web pb.co.nz/TNR86272 Eddie McDermott M 027 488 8154 E eddie.mcdermott@pb.co.nz Ian Morgan M 027 492 5878 E ian.morgan@pb.co.nz Sienna Coombes M 020 404 50456 E sienna.coombes@pb.co.nz Proud to be here

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 3, 2021

Lauder Drybread Road Tender

A real change in real estate.

Productive property in Central Otago Motivated vendors have given clear instruction to get this property sold on the tender date. This is the opportunity to own 464.87 ha (1,148 acres) in the heart of Central Otago. Located 8 km from Omakau, 35 km to the larger service town of Alexandra and approximately one and half hours drive to Queenstown and Wanaka. This property has been extensively developed over recent years with the installation of two pivot irrigators, lane ways, fencing, new cattle yards, new pastures, capital fertiliser and is now ready for the new owners to utilize the work done or further develop the irrigation and build your dream home. Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 | pb.co.nz

FOR SALE

Tender closes Wednesday 19th May, 2021 at 2.00pm, 21 Macandrew Road, South Dunedin View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/DNR86886

Russell Cotton M 027 465 7442 Wes Flannery M 027 210 6536 Alan Eason M 027 489 8760

The Property Brokers and Farmlands partnership means great things for provincial real estate Together our combined strengths complement each other to create bigger networks, more buyers and better results. For more information call 0800 367 5263 or visit pb.co.nz/together

Proud to be together

Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008

ATHLIAM DAIRY FARM

5571 - 5575 State Highway 1 Tokoroa - Waikato

FREEHOLD GOING CONCERN OR LAND ONLY + + + + +

373ha of versatile land 292ha* milking platform Milking 730 cows Averaging 260,000kg* milk solids Flexible Settlement Date

+ 50 bail rotary shed with attached

open feed yard + 38ha* of near mature Pinus Radiata + Located just 12km* south of Tokoroa

Deadline Offers:

Thursday 27 May 2021 at 4pm (NZST) *Approximately

Chan Singh +64 27 767 7113 Jeremy Keating +64 21 461 210 Wyatt Johnston +64 27 815 1303

Arotahi Agribusiness Limited, Licensed Real Estate Agent (REAA 2008)

FINAL NOTICE

Hawke’s Bay Taramoa Station, 71 Pakaututu Road, Puketitiri

Ecological paradise with Kaweka x-factor Located in the reliable Puketitiri district, 56km north west of Napier, Taramoa Station is a well balanced 564ha breeding/finishing property. Winning four Ballance farm environmental awards, Taramoa is also GAP accredited with fenced off waterways and over 23,000 native plants for long term sustainability. Boasting large portions of easy finishing land, a spring fed reticulated water system, and pasture renewal programme, fully fed livestock receive excellent market premiums. Farm improvements include a five bedroom homestead, three bedroom cottage, four stand woolshed, stock yards, very good access tracks and laneways. X-factor is world class Sika trophy hunting, a habitat for rare bird species, and over 300 beehives collect high UMF manuka honey. Passive income from the on farm quarry, on farm duck shooting and trout fishing nearby, top off this rare opportunity.

Tender (will not be sold prior) Closing 4pm, Wed 5 May 2021 17 Napier Road, Havelock North View by appointment Tony Rasmussen 027 429 2253 tony.rasmussen@bayleys.co.nz EASTERN REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

bayleys.co.nz/2852552

bayleys.co.nz

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 3, 2021

Farm ‘Dress Circle’ - 412.6354 hectares (1019.62 acres)

‘Fox’s Block’ - 279.63 hectares (690 acres)

Open Farm

242 & 245 Lagoon Road, Rangiwahia • 4 bedroom home • 5 stand woolshed (1600 NP) • Well tracked with central laneway • Excellent fertilizer history

1338 Ruahine Road, Rangiwahia

Auction: 2.00pm Wednesday 26th May at Rural and Lifestyle Sales Ltd 56 Stafford Street, Feilding

• 3 bedroom home

Open Farm: Thursday 6 May 10.00am -12.00pm. Bring Motor Bike & Helmet.

• Excellent fertilizer history

• A great opportunity to own a strong hill country farm with a good balance of contour in the renowned Rangiwahia farming district 4

Auction

Richard Anderson 027 543 1610 richard@rals.co.nz Robert Dabb 027 255 3992 robert@rals.co.nz

Property ID RAL840

Auction Auction: 2.00pm Wednesday 26th May at Rural and Lifestyle Sales Ltd 56 Stafford Street, Feilding

• 4 stand woolshed (800 NP) • 63 hectares of productive flats

Open Farm: Thursday 6th May 1.30pm -3.30pm. Bring Motor Bike & Helmet.

• A great opportunity to own good clean hill country with a good balance of finishing country in the renowned Rangiwahia farming district 3

Richard Anderson 027 543 1610 richard@rals.co.nz Robert Dabb 027 255 3992 robert@rals.co.nz

Property ID RAL841

Rural and Lifestyle Sales.com Ltd Licensed REAA 2008

ruralandlifestylesales.com

eves.co.nz

Your one stop shop for rural Real Estate Get in touch with your agent today

Get in touch farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

Tauranga Central 702/6 Durham Street

Thinking of a Sea Change?

Asking Price $2,195,000

Working hard all your life, maybe its time for a sea change? This apartment offers panoramic water views. The warmly decorated interior has room to entertain visitors, with large decks leading off the living space. Spacious bedrooms throughout, the main bedroom has a large walk in robe and room for a sofa to catch the evening sun. Many options, extended family? Airbnb? Working from home? Situated in the CBD near restaurants. Vacant and ready now! Call Sara for details.

View 11-11.30am Sun 9 May & Sun 16 May or by appointment Sara Browne 027 561 4179 sara.browne@eves.co.nz Grant McFlinn 021 989 951 grant.mcflinn@eves.co.nz

with your agent today to list your property next to news that farmers read. Contact your agent to advertise today.

0800 85 25 80 farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

eves.co.nz/ech06057 EVES Realty Ltd, Licensed under the REAA 2008

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 3, 2021

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

PRESTIGIOUS ONGAHA - MULTI ENTERPRISE BUSINESS WITH PURCHASE OPTIONS Te Maire Road, Kahutara, Featherston, South Wairarapa With a proud history, tracing from the early Wairarapa farming pioneers, historic Ongaha is located just a 10 minute drive west of Martinborough. This prestigious 583ha property (182ha irrigated via 162 litre/second consent with no low flow restrictions) is multi-faceted and includes an irrigated dairy unit, a partly irrigated finishing block and the home grazing block that includes the magnificent Ongaha Homestead. With around 430ha of flats to easy rolling hills and other land in easy/ medium hill country, Ongaha has superb balance supporting, sheep and cattle breeding & finishing, dairying and feed crop production. Built in 1914, the Homestead features 5 bedrooms, formal and informal living rooms and stunning grounds with pool and tennis court. On farm infrastructure is significant with 4 other houses, quality fencing and access, a strong balance of soil types and fertility levels and 5 pivot irrigators. Purchase options include (STFS); The 583ha whole property; the Homestead Block 205ha, the Finishing Block 217ha and the Dairy Unit 161ha. This is a rare opportunity - Ongaha has been innovatively farmed for generations and is waiting for a new owner(s) to add to its undoubted potential. Inspection strictly by appointment only. Detailed Property Report available upon request. Tender Closes 4pm, Tue 18 May 2021. NZR, Level 1, 16 Perry Street, Masterton 5810. See separate Listing for Lifestyle Options nzr.nz/RX2806491

583.10 hectares Video on website

nzr.nz/RX2806397 Blair Stevens AREINZ 027 527 7007 | blair@nzr.nz Dave Hutchison 027 286 9034 | dave@nzr.nz NZR Real Estate Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

RURAL | LIFESTYLE | RESIDENTIAL

Open Day

653 Manawaru Road

99.7 ha approx

Manawaru End Of An Era The cows have been sold and now the farm is offered for sale. Comprising of 99.7 ha approx consisting of 3 freehold titles. Each title has a dwelling of varying ages. Waihou & Ohinemuri rich sandy loam soils. 24 ASHB shed, generous sized implement shedding and large sized workshop. Having 55 paddocks and is well raced. The property provides many options. As an existing dairy unit, dairy support unit, the potential for sand extraction and the milling of the small stand of Pines. Team up with your neighbours and buy it together and have a title each. Motivated vendors!

ljhooker.co.nz/E42GEW

TAUMARUNUI, KING COUNTRY 117 Cemetery Road - Otangiwai Station

Agent Dave Young 0274 579 060

1562 hectares (more or less) - Magnificently contoured farm - extensive flats and easy hill to strong Matiere hills. Excellent fencing and lane-ways throughout the property. Strong fertiliser and top water supply. Vendors have run cattle only in the past - over 3000 cattle wintered. Opportunity to purchase a top class farm with fertility, infrastructure and scale rarely come to the market. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. Please contact Peter for an appointment to view.

LJ Hooker Morrinsville (07) 889 8015

pggwre.co.nz/TEK33634

For Sale Auction Wed, 12th May at 3:00pm (Unless sold prior) ___________________________________ View Fri 7th May 11am-12.30pm ___________________________________

Licensed Agent REAA 2008

Central Waikato Realty Limited. Licensed Real Estate Agent REAA 2008. All information contained herein is gathered from sources we consider to be reliable. However, we cannot guarantee or give any warranty about the information provided. Interested parties must solely rely on their own enquiries.

PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited, licensed under REAA 2008

$20M

Plus GST (if any)

VIEW

By Appointment Only

Peter Wylie M 027 473 5855 B 07 878 0265 E pwylie@pggwrightson.co.nz

Helping grow the country

farmersweekly.co.nz/advertising 0800 85 25 80

Tech & Toys

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 3, 2021

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• Manufactured from stainless steel • Electric Eye • 800-1000 sheep per hour

• Fantastic penetration • Get one now before price increase

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+ GST

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Innovative Agriculture Equipment

www.pppindustries.co.nz / sales@pppindustries.co.nz / 0800 901 902

Primary Pathways – Jobs, Education & Training

GREAT OPPORTUNITIES

farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz

JOBS BOARD

HEAD OF FARMING (Two roles)

If you’re a collaborative, environmentally aware and innovative leader in Livestock, you could be an ideal candidate for one of two Head of Farming roles in Livestock here at Pāmu.

Aviation LK0106962©

Great opportunities in the following positions include: • Farm manager • Earthmoving operators • Front end loader operators • Cook/gardener • Farm mechanic • Machinery operators So come over and join your friends across the ditch. Be part of our progressive team by emailing your resume to: tom@pjhsons.com Immediate start available.

Dairy Farm Manager

Split into two portfolios (North Island and South Island), we’re looking to fill our Head of Farming roles with individuals who have a strategic mindset and a future focussed outlook. Our Head of Farming will have strong technical farming experience in livestock or dairy, experience working at scale both with stock units and with P&L sheets, and expertise in the NZ pastoral environment. They’ll have an innate ability to increase performance and profitability while always keeping animal, environment and people welfare protected. Being science and technology driven, they’ll be comfortable working in a highly visible and influential leadership role.

General Hand Great Opportunities – Australia Head of Farming Roles – Pāmu Labourer

Regional Livestock Manager

– Western North Island

• • • •

Training Opportunities

Highly sought-after leadership role in a proud and progressive company Operational, commercial, and strategic responsibility Farmer engagement and relationship management Significant ability to positively impact company performance

*FREE upload to Farmers Weekly jobs: farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz *conditions apply

Contact Debbie Brown 06 323 0765 or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz LK0105354©

The company Silver Fern Farms’ vision is ‘To become the world’s most successful and sustainable grass-fed red meat company’. Founded in 1948, Silver Fern Farms is New Zealand’s leading procurer, processor, marketer and exporter of premium quality lamb, beef and venison. Exporting to 60 countries, Silver Fern Farms is a regionally significant business with annual revenue in excess of $2.4bn, 7,000 employees, seven offshore offices and 14 processing sites in New Zealand.

Does this sound like you? Visit http://www.pamujobs.nz/head-of-farming to read our full ad and see videos from our GM Livestock about these exciting leadership roles.

Application close date: Sunday 16th May

To find out more visit their website: https://www.silverfernfarms.com/ An exciting opportunity has arisen in a pivotal leadership role as the Livestock Regional Manager for the Western North Island. The opportunity Reporting to the General Manager Supply Chain, you will take on a key leadership role combining procurement, operational, people, strategy, business and commercial responsibilities. Your primary objectives will be to achieve long-term sustainable business objectives and supply relationships, specifically positioning Silver Fern Farms as the leading grass-fed red meat processor and one of New Zealand’s leading food production companies.

Need staff?

The company prides itself on its’ dynamism, long-term and sustainable business strategy and response to market demands, regulatory requirements and new technologies. You will own the livestock responsibilities and supplier relationships for the Western Region of the North Island while ensuring that the wider livestock function is aligned and responsive to changing market demands.

Advertise your job in Farmers Weekly

Your previous knowledge and experience in developing and fostering strong business relationships with suppliers, customers and key stakeholders in an agri-business, primary industry or similar environment will ensure you deliver continuous and sustainable benefits to the business. Your demonstrated ability to evaluate and investigate current and alternative sources and methods of supply will guarantee you provide the required quality, price, service and support in the sourcing of Silver Fern Farms livestock.

0800 85 25 80 classifieds@globalhq.co.nz farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz

The role requires travel throughout the Western Region of the North Island (encompassing the Kapiti Coast in the south through to the King Country in the north) to meet suppliers and enable you to work closely and one-on-one with your team. What’s in it for you Your experience in an agri-business, primary industry, or similar business will position you to successfully lead your team of 15 across the Western North Island Region. Not essential, but ideally tertiary qualified you will be passionate and driven to achieve successful commercial outcomes and in the development of people and a winning team culture. You will be a confident and energetic self-starter with a keen eye for detail and accuracy. You will have a genuine desire to add value to the business and will enjoy a hands-on role as you collaborate with multiple teams across the organisation.

If this opportunity is of interest, please submit your CV to waynef@huntercampbell.co.nz If you would like to find out more please contact Wayne Fry on 021 656 502 or by email for a confidential discussion.

LK0106887©

You will be rewarded with a competitive salary and additional package to include a company vehicle, bonus, laptop, mobile phone and KiwiSaver

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P & J Harris Group is a family owned broad-scale agricultural operation with farms located in North Western NSW and Southern QLD, Australia.

Noticeboard

DOLOMITE NZ’s finest BioGro certified Mg fertiliser For a delivered price call ....

0800 436 566

- MAY ONLY SPECIAL -

SCOTTY’S CONTRACTORS

TOWABLE FLAIL MOWER ✁

We also clean out and remetal cattle yards – Call Us!

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FROM THIS

$3900 GST INCLUSIVE

TO THAT

To find out more visit www.moamaster.co.nz

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Phone Scott Newman Freephone 0800 2SCOTTY (0800 27 26 88) Mobile 027 26 26 27 2 scottnewman101@gmail.com

Ph 028 461 5112 • Email: mowermasterltd@gmail.com

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✁

Booking & material deadline Wednesday 5th May, 12 noon

13.5HP. Briggs & Stratton Motor. Electric start. 1.2m cut GST $4400 INCLUSIVE

Nominate a school on booking and we’ll donate $100 on payment of your account.

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NEW OWNER $500 REDUCTION

Under Woolshed/Covered Yards Cleaning Specialist www.underthewoolshed.kiwi

AREA TRY D NOW] N U CO HE KING YOUR S K [BOO

classifieds@globalhq.co.nz – 0800 85 25 80

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FARMERS WEEKLY – May 3, 2021

New Zealand’s Number 1 service provider for under woolshed and covered yard cleaning since 2004

Call Debbie 06 323 0765 to book your ad classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

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Cattle Handling

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BTZ Forestry Marketing and Harvesting

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Dedicated to delivering farmers the best service and best returns

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DE HORNER

Phone: +64 6 357 2454 LK106667©

electro-tek@xtra.co.nz

Animal Welfare Sheep Handling

(Obtaining the best profits for our customers) Farmers/Woodlot owner Tired of waiting for someone to harvest your trees? We are not committed to one buyer that is how we get our customers the most profit we can. Set up to do the smaller, trickier wood lots. No job too big or too small.

For more information give us a call on 0800 227 228 or visit the website at combiclamp.co.nz

Free quotes Markets for all species Email: BTZforestry@gmail.com

Live Auction . Online Auction

Adding value from shed to sale! 4 3 S ever n S tr eet Pandor a, Napier

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ALL OF MAY SPECIALS www.thesocklady.co.nz

TH INK P R EB UILT

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ONLINE ORDERS 027 823 6728

Merino Mid Socks

$57.00 3 pair same size pack

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

Travel further

with Farmers Weekly

Have a favourite pic? Email a high resolution of the pic and tell us where it is and we will publish it when room permits. Send your pics to Debbie classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

Fiordland, South Island Photo: Take It Easy Tours

thesocklady@xtra.co.nz Postal orders to: Sock Lady 26 Westminster Drive Rotorua 3010 With product, sizes, postal address and payment.

LK0106668©

. 06 835 6174 . www.kellswool. co. nz

Livestock Noticeboard

Noticeboard DOGS WANTED

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

12 MONTHS TO 5½-yearold Heading dogs and Huntaways wanted. Phone 022 698 8195. BUYING, SELLING DOGS NZ Wide. www. youtube.com/user/ mikehughesworkingdog/ videos email: mikehughesworkingdogs@ farmside.co.nz 07 315 5553

ANIMAL AND HUMAN healer, also manipulation on horses and dogs. 3rd - 4th May, Mid and South Canterbury / North Otago. Dunedin / South Otago, 5th6th May. Gore / Edendale, 7th & 10th May. Invercargill / Otautau / Te Anau, 8th & 9th May. West and Central Otago / Maniototo 11th13th May. Canterbury 14th-21st May. Kaikoura / Blenheim 25th-27th May. North Island 28th May-8th June. For more information phone Ron Wilson 027 435 3089. CRAIGCO SHEEP JETTERS. Sensor Jet. Deal to fly and Lice now. Guaranteed performance. Unbeatable pricing. Phone 06 835 6863. www.craigcojetters.com

ATTENTION FARMERS DAGS .25c PER KG. Replacement woolpacks. PV Weber Wools. Kawakawa Road, Feilding. Phone 06 323 9550.

GOATS WANTED

FARM MAPPING IMPROVE AND SIMPLIFY day-to-day farm management with maps showing names and paddock sizes. Visit farmmapping.co.nz for a free quote.

GIBB-GRO GROWTH PROMOTANT PROMOTES QUICK PASTURE growth. Only $6+gst per hectare delivered. 0508-GIBBGRO [0508 442 247] www. gibbgro.co.nz. “The Proven One.”

GOATS WANTED FERAL GOATS WANTED. All head counted, payment on pick-up, pick-up within 24 hours. Prices based on works schedule. Experienced musterers available. Phone Bill and Vicky Le Feuvre 07 893 8916.

GOATS WANTED. All weights. All breeds. Prompt service. Payment on pick up. My on farm prices will not be beaten. Phone David Hutchings 07 895 8845 or 0274 519 249. Feral goats mustered on a 50/50 share basis. NAKI GOATS. Trucking goats to the works every week throughout the NI. Mustering available. Phone Michael and Clarice. 027 643 0403. 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. BOOK AN AD. For only $2.10 + gst per word you can book a word only ad in Farmers Weekly Classifieds section. Phone Marie on 0800 85 25 80 to book in or email wordads@ globalhq.co.nz

GRAZING AVAILABLE CATTLE GRAZING available. Tararua district. Phone 027 427 8900.

HAY FOR SALE 15 EQUIVALENT ROUNDS $75+gst; Shed stored squares $75+gst. BALEAGE $75+gst. Unit loads available. Top quality. Phone 021 455 787.

HORTICULTURE

PUMPS

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

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

LIVESTOCK FOR SALE WILTSHIRES-ARVIDSON. Self shearing sheep. No1 for Facial Eczema. David 027 2771 556. RED DEVON BULLS. Waimouri stud, Feilding. Phone 027 224 3838. BOOK AN AD. For only $2.10 + gst per word you can book a word only ad in Farmers Weekly Classifieds section. Phone Marie on 0800 85 25 80 to book in or email wordads@ globalhq.co.nz

PERSONAL

A Country Romance For Lonely Men & Women in town or on the land, seeking companionship and love. Call CCN your Personal Matchmakers today. All ages & areas welcome. Please call

0800 446 332

WORD ONLY ADVERTISING. Phone Marie on 0800 85 25 80.

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

WANTED TO RENT OLD FARM HOUSE or cottage with garage. A bit run down is OK. I’m a retired handyman gardener. I’m happy to do some work in exchange for reduced rent. Manawatu area. 027 672 6435.

WORK WANTED CRUTCHING WORK wanted. Waikato / King Country. Shed only with farmer’s plant. $1+gst per animal. Brian 027 236 5409.

Friesian & Friesian Cross & Jersey Clearing Sale To be held in the Morrinsville Saleyards for convenience Account Springhill Matamata Limited.

Tuesday 11th May – 12 noon Favoured with instructions from Michael Smith and the Smith family who have sold their dairy farm we are offering their herd consisting of 147 cattle comprising. • 130 in-calf Friesian Cross and Jersey Cows • 17 In-calf Friesian Cross and Jersey Heifers This herd which is milked on a rolling to steep farm on the Kaimai Ranges has a BW 98 and a PW 124 and calves from July 20th in-calf to 5 weeks AB Kiwi Cross and Jersey. It is tailed with Jersey Bulls. It was established by the current owners 25 years ago. All cows from their complete herd over 8 years old have been removed as have any lighter quartered cows. There will be approximately 90 Friesian Cross Cows and 35 Jersey Cows plus R2 Heifers. A sale cataloque will be available on the sale day at Morrinsville Saleyards.

For all enquiries phone Dave Coatsworth 0274 817 100

Livestock Noticeboard

John F Jones (1998) Ltd

• Production Sale 2021 INAUGURAL SALE • Bulls , Heifers , Embryos • 19•TH Production Sale MAY 1PM 803 Clement Road Kaiwera .

• Bulls, Heifers, Pregnant Recip Cows • 19TH May, 1pm - 803 Clement Road, Kaiwera

Phone Mark Tiller - 027 202 3730 Email - missdaisy@yrless.nz Stock Agents:

Dave Walker 027 218 9526

Callum McDonald 027 433 6443

Ben McKerchar 027 366 7766

RANUI BULL SALE

Storth Oaks Angus

JOIN JOIN US FOR OUR

“Genetics still available” 96 bulls sell: 96 average in top 5% of breed for AP index 96 average in top 10% for SR index 96 average +2.93 for IMF

2021 on farm & bidr simultaneously streamed Annual Sale Wednesday 2nd June, 1 pm Tim & Kelly Brittain 524 Paewhenua Rd,RD 2, Otorohanga. 3972 Phone: 07 873 2816 Mob: 027 5935387 Email: tim@storthoaks.co.nz www.storthoaks.co.nz facebook.com/storthoaksangus

storthoaks

twitter@storthoaksangus

41ST SALE 40TH SALE

ON THURSDAY THURSDAY 10TH JUNE* ON 4TH JUNE* • sale Confirmed on-farm bull sale On farm at Karamu Wanganui at 3.00pm •

Bull viewing available for the month of May - by appointment only. Contact Lindsay or Maria Johnstone today 027 445 3211 or 027 610 5348

ranuiangus.co.nz

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ANIMAL HANDLING

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SALE TALK

TE KUITI SELLING CENTRE

Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He’s not breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls 911.

18 Ahiweka Rd, Dannevirke

Bull Walk – Tuesday 18th of May 12 – 2.00pm, or by appointment Simon Collin: 027 636 3243 Land Line: 06 858 8045

• • • • • •

SELLING 20 R2 CHAROLAIS BULLS

LAST CHANCE HERD AUCTION

LK0106900©

www.carrfieldslivestock.co.nz

Need to mooooove stock? Advertise your stock in Farmers Weekly.

Contact Ella: 06 323 0761 / 027 602 4925 livestock@globalhq.co.nz farmersweekly.co.nz

AUCTIONEERS NOTE: Due to unforeseen circumstances, property is being sold and this established wellconditioned herd and replacements are offered for sale. BBQ lunch supplied. Delivery can be taken immediately or by the 31st May. No trucking day of sale. PAYMENT TERMS: Delayed payment is due on 20th September 2021. ENQUIRIES TO: Carrfields Livestock Agent: Colin Dent 027 646 8908 or colin.dent@carrfields.co.nz Vendors: Jaiden & Hannah Drought 027 464 5200 Dave & Trish Dent 027 425 5016 Or your local Carrfields Representative View our Catalogue at

A/c All Mine Trust Nigel & Kathryn Buckley On Thursday 6th May 2021 at 131 Maratoto Road Paeroa D/C Syn 5277, starting at: Sundries 10:00am & Herd 11:30am

AUCTIONEERS NOTE: Our long-time vendors have decided to employ a 50/50 sharemilker and are offering all their farm machinery for sale. All machinery is well looked after. No items sold prior to auction. LK0106899©

DELAYED PAYMENT DATE: 20th June 2021 – Deliveries immediate or before 31st May 2021 if you have no access to farms.

DETAILS: • Milked on a OAD system for 2 seasons, producing 400kg/ms • Bulk seasonal cell count of 158,000 – verified by factory statements • HB shed, system 3, TB C10, Lepto Vacc • Herd DTC 15/7 – 6 wks AB to LIC Friesian, vetted to dates • Herd T/O with easy Calve beef X bulls. Bulls out 24/12 • Blanket dry cow with Cepravin on 25/4 • I/C Hfrs DTC from 22/7 to Jsy. Removed 22/12 • This relocated herd & heifers from Northland sold with a 3 week I/C warranty from auction day.

www.carrfieldslivestock.co.nz

ENQUIRIES TO: Carrfields Livestock Agent: Jack Kiernan 027 823 2373 or jack.kiernan@carrfields.co.nz View our Catalogue at

COMPRISING: • 200 in-milk Frsn/FrsnX herd BW62 PW65 R/A 91% • 20 in-milk MT cows – Fully ID • 35 CRL Frsn/FrsnX I/C hfrs BW81 PW74 • 50 CRL Frsn/FrsnX R1yr hfrs BW74 PW68 MACHINERY 10:00am Payment on day of sale: 585 4x4 International tractor with FEL & Bucket – Tractor quick hitch – silage forks – Rata soft hands – Rata pallet forks – Giltrap bale feeder – hip lifters – Rex Barns carryall with frame – tedder – topper – 2017 4x4 Honda 500 quad bike – Corohawk dog kennels – 20ft shipping container – reel irrigator & sprinkler gun – portaloo – portable water troughs – Gibbons bike trailer – 3x PKE trailers – hyd post rammer – head bail – cafeterias – 1000L fuel tank – Compass Causmag spreader – bobby calf pen – numerous fencing & shed sundries. DETAILS: • Herd DTC 20/7 to 6wks CRV Frsn – T/O Angus bulls – out 25/12 • I/C hfrs DTC 20/7 to Jsy bulls – out 25/12 • HB, consistently low SCC under 100,000 annually • TB C10, Lepto, BVD, Salmonella, Rotavirus vacc annually • Herd & genetics on farm 40 yrs • Vetted dates – good fertility AUCTIONEERS NOTE: Long established 3-digit herd code in good dairy order. Milked on challenging hilly farm. For sale due to farm sale and herd never listed for sale. Totally recommend this very well uddered, young herd.

PAYMENT DATE: Cash payment due on day of sale or 14 days if you have a current Carrfields account. EFTPOS available.

farmersweekly.co.nz/enewsletters

PREDOMINATELY FRIESIAN – 3-DIGIT HERD CODE DAIRY AUCTION DISPERSAL

FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT John Deere 6210DR & Pearsons Loader – silage forks – pallet forks – Rata yard scrapper – New Holland TS90 Tractor with duals & Pearsons FEL – 3.5tn tip trailer (steel deck) – Giltrap carryall + frame – Hustler bale feeder – Hustler boom & spray unit – Silvan spray tank & boom – Hustler soft hands – Hustler bale carrier – 8ft hyd grader blade – Aitchison roller – Lely 340 series mower – Giltrap topper – Giltrap feed out wagon – CT Engineering maize feed out wagon – CT Engineering Promax feed out wagon (new) – 2018 Honda 500cc bike – Honda 450 Forman bike – bike trailer – post rammer – 2x large diesel/petrol tanks – loads of fencing equipment – SS 3400L milk vat & stirrer – 3x SS milk vats (3200L, 2250L, 1650L) – Stallion Biketown calfateria (powder mixer) – McKee 40t calf feeder – portable calf feeders – 12x 10t clip on calf feeders – 4x sledge meal feeders – 4x cow meal feeders – 8x Wilcox hay feeders – 2x bike calf feeders – 2x calf shelters – 5x PKE troughs – 3x milk lifters – 10x 200L plastic drums – 30,000L Black Premex molasses tank – 2x large 5000L plastic tanks – portable dehorning bale – shed drench unit for 26as HB Shed – electric fence mains & loads of reels & standards – Yardmaster washdown pump & hoses plus numerous sundries. All items sold GST EXCLUSIVE

COMPRISING: • 340 Frsn/FrsnX & Jsy X Herd BW82 PW115 R/A 83% • 46 Frsn/FrsnX I/C Heifers BW118 PW135 R/A 100%

AUCTIONEERS NOTE: Milked on rolling property, this is a computer split reduction from 500 cows. No picking genuine equal split. The cows are in good order and have been owned by our Vendors for 20 + years and predominately bred to LIC sires. A very good high fertility herd producing high consistent production. Purchase with confidence.

Subscribe to our bull sales eNewsletters to receive updates with the latest results from across the country direct to your inbox.

A/c Robren Farms Ltd On Friday 14th May 2021 at 11:00am At Rapid Number 600, SH 31, Otorohanga S/N 74310

A/c Lombardy Farms Ltd Managed by Jaiden & Hannah Drought On Thursday 20th May 2021 at 191 Mangawhero Road Auroa, Taranaki Start time: 10:30am D/N 41597

DETAILS: BW116 PW147 R/A 96% DTC from 20/7 to LIC 6wks, T/O Frsn & Hfrd bulls TB C10, G3 DNA, Lepto vacc, all mating dates verified 480ms/cow avg, HTested, Rotary shed, MT rate 9% All cows dry and blanket dry treated. System 4 feeding

View our Catalogue at

Beef up your bull knowledge

RETIRING VENDORS SELLING BY AUCTION COMPLETE RANGE OF FARM MACHINERY

Established for 30yrs Friesian & Friesian X & Jersey X Herd

COMPRISING: 130 x Friesian X & Jersey X I/C Cows

ENQUIRIES TO: Carrfields Livestock Agent: Brent Espin 027 551 3660 or brent.espin@carrfields.co.nz Or your local Carrfields Agent

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

830 cattle approx inc: 480 MA Angus cows 150 MA Angus & Angus x cows 70 MA Hereford cows 30 MA Speckle Park cows 100 MA Hereford Frsn x cows

Kevin Mortensen (PGW) 027 473 5858 Brett Wallbank (NZF) 027 488 1299 Andrew Jardine (Carrfields) 027 397 7005

A/c Glendalough Family Trust On Monday 10th May 2021 at 252 Dalziell Road, Eltham Start Time: 11:30am – D/C No 41768

•

www.dyerlivestock.co.nz

Ross Dyer 0274 333 381

All the above cows are vetted in calf to various bulls and bull dates. The above tallies also include capital stock lines and annual draft. For further information please ring a local Livestock rep.

LONG ESTABLISHED G3 DNA LIC HERD AUCTION

•

Top ANGUS STEER CALVES 240kg+ R2YR BEEF BULLS 370-420kg

Te Kuiti RWB Cow Fair Friday 7th May – 12pm start

George Collin: 027 782 5237

Conditions apply

•

STOCK REQUIRED

R2YR ANGUS STEERS 400-450kg

All the above heifers are vetted in calf to various bulls and bull dates. For further information please ring a local livestock rep.

If you’ve got a joke you want to share with the Farming community (it must be something you’d share with your grandmother...) then email us at: saletalk@globalhq.co.nz with Sale Talk in the subject line and we’ll print it and credit it to you.

• •

VIC Sim 15/11

LK0106923©

Here at Farmers Weekly we get some pretty funny contributions to our Sale Talk joke from you avid readers, and we’re keen to hear more!

300 R2YR FRSN BULLS 340kg

120 EXOTIC + EX X MA COWS

PAYMENT TERMS:

LK0106910©

There’s a silence, then a shot. Back on the phone, the guy says, “OK, now what?”

Proudly Based in Hawke’s Bay

200 TOP FRSN BULL CALVES 240kg

530 cattle approx inc: • 150 R3 Angus Hfrs • 10 R3 Hereford Hfrs • 35 R3 Speckle Park Hfrs • 180 R2 Angus Hfrs • 70 R2 Hereford Frsn x Hfrs • 25 R2 Speckle Park Hfr • 12 R2 Hereford Hfrs • 40 Aut born 2yr Angus Hfrs

Tuesday 1st of June

STOCK FOR SALE

Te Kuiti RWB Heifer Fair Thursday 6th May – 12pm start

“I think my friend is dead!” he yells. “What can I do?” The operator says, “Calm down. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.”

livestock@globalhq.co.nz – 0800 85 25 80

www.carrfieldslivestock.co.nz

Payment is due on 31st May 2021. Delivery immediate or to end of May for farmers with no access to property. ENQUIRIES TO: Carrfields Livestock Agent: Stewart Cruickshank 027 270 5288 or stewart.cruickshank@carrfields.co.nz Contact your local Carrfields Agents for details and photos.

LK0106834©

Livestock Noticeboard

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 3, 2021

Livestock Noticeboard

NZ Farmers Livestock in conjunction with

FRIESIAN, FRIESIAN CROSS & JERSEY SPRING CALVING HERD

OPEN DAY: MONDAY, MAY 10TH from 10am to 2pm at their property 66 Rakaiatai Road, Norsewood, Dannevirke Food and drink refreshments provided

andale Allandale U& & Ypres Ypres

Due to the loss of a lease our vendors are offering their entire autumn calved herd. The focus has been to breed a capacious cow that can really produce, using CRV for the past 25 years. Last seasons production – 495ms/per cow. Avg SCC 156. Calving commenced 15th March (8 weeks) currently producing 1.8ms – on track for 2.1ms. These genuine cows will be offered in great condition.

For sale by Private Treaty (on the day or by arrangement): 27 Purebred R2 Limousin bulls and 30 mixed-age VIC Registered Limousin cows

Be in the draw on the day to win 10 Limousin semen straws from their home-bred reference sires Rebate payable to all purchasing agents.

LK0106825©

KUKU

200 x FRSN/FRSN X IN MILK COWS BW’s up to 200 PW’s up to 528 A/c: D & J SCOTT TRUST TUESDAY 18TH MAY 2021 12 NOON 739 Oreipunga Road, Horahora Fonterra 73992

Invite interested parties to view Limousin cattle for sale.

Unless sold prior To be held on farm TUESDAY 11TH MAY 2021 12 Noon Start A/C FELTRIM FARMS 983 Hoanga Road, Dargaville Comprising: 230 x Single Birth ID Frsn, Jsy & XB Cows These cows show a well considered nominated breeding programme that expresses longevity by providing good udders, legs & great capacity. Production 433ms in 240 days. (Very Low SCC and rarely a lame cow) BW 11 PW 18 RA 75% - C10 Calving 5 July 2021-XB, Frsn & Jsy Tailed with Hereford

This sale will be streamed live via MyLivestock.co.nz

IN MILK AUTUMN HERD

Mangatara Limousin Dannevirke

CLEARING SALE

For all enquiries contact: Don McKenzie 021 754 174

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 3, 2021

Further enquiries, phone Erik & Lyn Van Der Velden 06 374 1575 or NZFL agents Clint Worthington 021 209 2236 John Watson 027 494 1975

Allandale KUKU & Ypres

For all enquiries contact: Vendor: Duncan Scott 027 500 2374 NZFLL Agent: Stu Wells 027 282 8204 Catalogues available on MyLivestock.co.nz Hybrid Auction Sale streamed live via MyLivesStock

2021 SALE

39 x In-Calf Jersey Heifers 1 Jersey Heifer Calf (To be won by a Junior Member)

Herd consistently producing 500Kg/Ms & 2000Kg/Ms/Ha.

BullsEye Sale

4th AUTUMN ON FARM SERVICE BULL SALE (UNDERCOVER)

MONDAY 10TH MAY 2021 SALE COMMENCES – 11:30am

On Account of David & Fiona MacKenzie 300 McDonald Mine Road Huntly Sale is signposted from Huntly Bridge. Streamed Live with Online Bidding via MyLiveStock.co.nz

Comprising of 230 - 2yr & 3yr Quality Service Bulls 100 Rising 3yr Hereford Bulls 20 R 2yr Virgin Angus Bulls 60 Rising 2yr Virgin Hereford Bulls I have personally inspected these bulls and they come forward in excellent condition. The Herefords are very well marked and all the bulls have exceptional temperament.

Allandale KUKU &

Ypres

Allandale KUKU &

Buy in confidence!

11TH MAY 2021 @ 11AM

FAIRMOUNT FARMS, FEILDING

Ypres

FAIRMOUNT FARMS, FEILDING Peter & Kathy Horn 1221a ‘THE Cameron RD5, Feilding. TYPE &Line, PRODUCTION HERD’ P 06 323 2711 M 0274 436 412 E kukujerseys1914@gmail.com

GAME CHANGER

Finance Or Bull Plan Available

Terms & Conditions Apply

NZ Farmers Livestock Agent in charge: Bill Sweeney - 027 451 5310

‘THE TYPE & PRODUCTION HERD’

11TH MAY 2021 @ 11AM

The bulls can be held on farm until the following dates at no charge: Monday 10th & 24th May and Monday 7th & 21st June or by arrangement. The bulls are TB & BVD tested and double inoculated. Blood test sample tested for M Bovis, complete traceability.

Andrew Reyland Livestock Representative 027 TH 223 7092 11 MAY 2021 @ 11AM areyland@pggwrightson.co.nz FAIRMOUNT FARMS, FEILDING Jamie Cunninghame National Dairy Sales Manager 0275 833 533 jcunninghame@pggwrightson.co.nz

ENABLER

Stock sale coming up? Give Ella a bell: 0800 85 25 80 livestock@globalhq.co.nz

IT’S A NO BRAINER

FIND OUT WHY FARMERS ARE SAYING IS HELPING THEM MANAGE CASHFLOW.

pggwrightson.co.nz/Go-Stock GO-STOCK provides sheep, beef and deer farmers with a livestock trading margin* with no initial cash outlay. *Subject to contract terms.

Contact your local livestock rep or email us at Go-Stock@pggwrightson.co.nz Helping grow the country

LK0106937©

livestock@globalhq.co.nz – 0800 85 25 80

LK0106437©

Livestock Noticeboard

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 3, 2021

SPECIAL ENTRY IN CONJUNCTION TE KUITI RWB HEIFER FAIR

WAIROA COW & CATTLE SALE

LK0106927©

Thursday 13th May 2021, 11am See what’s happenning 12 noon Tuesday 14 September 2021 346 Kokonga East Rd Waikaretu Valley Pip Robinson 021 611 363 • 09 2333020 kokongafarms@hotmail.com

AN OPPORTUNITY NOT TO BE MISSED (see MyLiveStock listing to view photos) Enquiries to: Brett Wallbank 027 488 1299 This sale will be streamed live via MyLivestock.co.nz

NOTIFICATION OF SALE

TE KUITI RWB HEIFER FAIR THURSDAY 6TH MAY 2021 – 12 Noon A/c: KAHA SPECKLE PARK STUD C/- KM Robertson 25 x R2Yr In calf Speckle Park Heifers 7/8 & 3/4 Bred 33 x R3Yr In calf Speckle Park Heifers 7/8 & 3/4 Bred Contact: Richard Bevege 027 453 9824

THURSDAY 6TH MAY 2021 12 Noon A/c WAIRAMA DOWNS 67 x R2Yr In calf Pure Bred Angus Heifers (Bull in 4th Nov.) 60 x R3Yr In calf Pure Bred Angus Heifers (Bull in 20th Nov.) These capital stock heifers are bred by Twin Oaks sires and have been scanned in calf to Hillcroft Angus Bulls for two cycles. They have been BVD vaccinated and tested clear. These top quality hill country heifers only come forward to the market due to the farm being sold.

Enquiries to: Ian Rissetto 0274 449 347 06 838 8604 Mason Birrell 0274 967 253 06 838 7091 Jamie Hayward 0274 347 586

Helping grow the country

LK0106904©

FOOTNOTE: N.B. 100 x R4Yr to R6Yr will be offered for sale on Thursday 20th May 2021 at the Te Kuiti Selling Complex. Further details to come.

livestock@globalhq.co.nz – 0800 85 25 80

NZ’s Virtual Saleyard UPCOMING AUCTIONS Monday, 10 May 2021 7.00pm Kauri Gold First Annual Female Sale

Stay ahead of the rest

Advertise your livestock in the Farmers Weekly. It’s no bull.

Sign up to AgriHQ’s free upcoming saleyard notifications to find what’s on offer before sale day. Choose which sale yards you want to follow and find out the number and class of stock being entered at the next sale.

Contact Ella: 06 323 0761 027 602 4925

farmersweekly.co.nz/enewsletters

Tuesday, 11 May 2021 10.00am NZ Herefords National Seed Stock Sale **LIVESTREAM ONLY** Thursday, 13 May 2021 7.00pm Lindsay Park Reduction Sale Tuesday, 18 May 2021 7.00pm Thornton Park Ayrshire Sale

livestock@globalhq.co.nz

farmersweekly.co.nz

For more information go to bidr.co.nz or contact the team on 0800 TO BIDR

TAUMARUNUI ANGUS BULL WALK MONDAY 10TH MAY • Shian 9am – 11am, Puke-Nui 11am – 1pm, Black Ridge 1pm – 3pm Or time by arrangement • Proud to be part of Angus NZ

BLACK RIDGE ANGUS STUD On-Farm Bull Sale

Thursday 3rd June 2021, 2pm

ANGUS

27 R2 Year Bulls SIRE BULLS: Stern 094, Stokman South Dakota 226, Matauri Navigator 428, TeMania 314, Matauri Taratara L368

BULL SALE

THURSDAY 3RD JUNE 2021 AT 4:30PM Bull Sale Venue: 303 River Road, SH 43, Taumarunui

32 Bulls

Alan & Catherine Donaldson p: (07) 896 6714 e: agcsdonaldson@gmail.com www.pukenuiangus.co.nz

DEAN & TERESA SHERSON 675 Taringamotu Road, RD 4, TAUMARUNUI 3994 p: 07 896 7211 m: 027 690 2033 e: black_ridge@live.com.au Like and Find us on Facebook

Find us on Facebook

Inspection and Enquiries always welcome. All bulls BVD vaccinated and tested. Lepto vaccinated. Semen evaluated. TB C10.

MARKET SNAPSHOT

Market Snapshot brought to you by the AgriHQ analysts.

Mel Croad

Suz Bremner

Reece Brick

Nicola Dennis

Sarah Friel

Caitlin Pemberton

Deer

Sheep

Cattle BEEF

SHEEP MEAT

VENISON

Last week

Prior week

Last year

NI Steer (300kg)

5.25

4.85

NI lamb (17kg)

7.00

6.95

6.50

NI Stag (60kg)

5.20

7.00

NI Bull (300kg)

5.15

4.85

NI mutton (20kg)

5.50

5.40

4.50

SI Stag (60kg)

5.35

7.00

NI Cow (200kg)

3.50

3.25

SI lamb (17kg)

6.70

6.60

6.30

SI Steer (300kg)

4.65

4.40

SI mutton (20kg)

5.25

5.20

4.00

SI Bull (300kg)

4.60

4.35

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

SI Cow (200kg)

3.20

3.10

2.90

UK CKT lamb leg

11.25

11.34

10.36

US imported 95CL bull

8.14

8.23

8.27

US domestic 90CL cow

8.14

7.36

9.28

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

6.50

South Island lamb slaughter price

Oct

4.50

Dec 5-yr ave

Feb

Jun

Aug 2020-21

Apr 2019-20

Jun

Dec

Feb

Apr

Jun

Aug

2019-20

2020-21

Fertiliser

Aug 2020-21

FERTILISER Last week

Prior week

Last year

2.36

2.38

2.49

37 micron ewe

2.10

30 micron lamb

2.30

2.50

Coarse xbred ind.

Dairy

Oct

6.0

(NZ$/kg)

2019-20

7.0

5-yr ave

WOOL

5-yr ave

8.0

5.0

5.00

Apr

9.0

6.0

5.50

Feb

$/kg CW

$/kg CW $/kg CW

10.0

5.0

Dec

South Island stag slaughter price

11.0

7.0

6.00

Oct

7.0

8.0

$/kg CW

South Island steer slaughter price

6.50

8.0

5.0

9.0

4.00

9.0

6.0

5.0

5.00

Last year

10.0

6.0

5.50

Last week Prior week

North Island stag slaughter price

11.0

7.0

4.50

Last week

Prior week

Last year

Urea

672

567

Super

319

314

DAP

990

787

Grain

Data provided by

MILK PRICE FUTURES

NZ average (NZ$/t)

Top 10 by Market Cap

CANTERBURY FEED WHEAT

Company

YTD High

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd

36.46

YTD Low 27.1

5.41

9.94

5.04 6.65

8.00

405

Meridian Energy Limited (NS)

7.50

400

Auckland International Airport Limited

7.53

7.99

Mercury NZ Limited (NS)

6.75

7.6

5.79

7.00

395

Spark New Zealand Limited

4.415

4.97

4.37

$/tonne

$/kg MS

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

8.0

6.00

4.00

Last year

North Island lamb slaughter price

9.0 $/kg CW

North Island steer slaughter price

Last week Prior week

$/kg CW

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

William Hickson

Ingrid Usherwood

6.50 6.00 5.50

Apr-20

Jun-20

Aug-20 Oct-20 Sept. 2021

71.39

71.99

64.85

Ryman Healthcare Limited

13.89

15.99

13.86

385

Contact Energy Limited

7.6

11.16

6.6

Fletcher Building Limited

7.14

7.38

5.67

The a2 Milk Company Limited

7.65

12.5

7.06

380

Dec-20 Feb-21 Sept. 2022

Apr-20

DAIRY FUTURES (US$/T) Nearby contract

Mainfreight Limited

390

Jun-20

Aug-20

Oct-20

Dec-20

Feb-21

Apr-21

CANTERBURY FEED BARLEY

Listed Agri Shares

5pm, close of market, Thursday

Company

YTD High

YTD Low

ArborGen Holdings Limited

0.175

0.195

0.161

The a2 Milk Company Limited

7.65

12.5

7.06

Comvita Limited

3.6

3.06

Last price*

Prior week

vs 4 weeks ago

WMP

4140

4100

3830

400

Delegat Group Limited

14.4

15.4

13.75

SMP

2835

2830

2825

395

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

4.61

5.15

4.34

390

Foley Wines Limited

1.79

2.07

1.68

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS)

1.1

0.81

4140

4100

4050

Butter

3500

3460

3430

Milk Price

7.72

7.64

$/tonne

AMF

405

385

7.64

380

Apr-20

* price as at close of business on Thursday

Aug-20

Oct-20

Dec-20

Feb-21

Apr-21

WAIKATO PALM KERNEL

4500

400

4000

350 $/tonne

US$/t

WMP FUTURES - VS FOUR WEEKS AGO

Jun-20

3500

300

Marlborough Wine Estates Group Limited

0.3

0.65

0.3

New Zealand King Salmon Investments Ltd

1.65

1.72

1.43

PGG Wrightson Limited

3.34

3.65

3.11

Rua Bioscience Limited

0.4

0.61

0.37

Sanford Limited (NS)

4.64

5.23

4.3

Scales Corporation Limited

4.62

5.09

4.22 4.66

Seeka Limited

5.6

5.68

Synlait Milk Limited (NS)

3.31

5.24

3.3

T&G Global Limited

2.91

2.88

S&P/NZX Primary Sector Equity Index

13919

15491

13852

S&P/NZX 50 Index

12715

13558

12085

S&P/NZX 10 Index

12635

13978

11776

250 3000 May

Jun Jul Latest price

Aug

Sep 4 weeks ago

Oct

200

Apr-20

S&P/FW PRIMARY SECTOR EQUITY

Jun-20

Aug-20

Oct-20

Dec-20

Feb-21

Apr-21

13919

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

12715

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

12635

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

Pulse

WEATHER

Appealing store lamb market

Soil Moisture

Overview May is here and the weather pattern is remarkably settled for this time of year. Once again we’re looking at a drier than average autumn across a large part of New Zealand for the third year in a row. This May is kicking off with some very big high pressure exiting Australia. It will spend the first week stalled over the eastern Tasman Sea/NZ area. This placement means NZ will get a few coastal southerly days, but nothing too major. As we go into the second week of May/mid-May there are some chances of rainmakers moving in from the west, but again the totals may not be that significant for the North Island or eastern regions of both islands.

29/04/2021

Mel Croad mel.croad@globalhq.co.nz

S Source: NIWA Data

Highlights

Wind

With so much high pressure, wind won’t be much of a feature this week for many regions. There will be some southerly quarter winds blowing through at times in coastal areas and the usual northerly/southerly tug of war through Cook Strait. Otherwise, fairly calm.

Highlights/ Extremes

Temperature With an uptick in high pressure, plus a light southerly quarter flow in a number of regions, we’re likely to have a week of colder nights but fairly mild days. Inland frosts are expected at times in the South Island this week.

14-day outlook

Considering we’re moving into late autumn, the weather pattern around NZ is remarkably settled. There is a lack of severe weather threats in the forecast because the first week of May looks settled, with high pressure. A chance for western showers next week, but again more high pressure is expected to come in from the west. Keep an eye on your local 10-day RuralWeather. co.nz rainfall forecast, this is powered by IBM and crunches data for your local part of NZ.

Frosts are in the forecast – light ones, and not as heavy as last week. Drought regions are looking at drier than usual weather moving through, at least for the first half of May.

7-day rainfall forecast

100

200

400

There will be a lack of rain for areas in drought. The first half of May leans drier than average for most regions – perhaps not Westland – and this is due to a couple of slow moving powerful highs. By mid-May there is a better chance for rain and showers, but likely moving in from the west, which will limit the totals in the east of both islands, and possibly the north of both main islands too.

Weather brought to you in partnership with weatherwatch.co.nz

There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.

TORE lamb prices have consistently lifted in recent weeks. After bottoming out under $3/kg earlier on, North Island paddock prices have staged a slight recovery, averaging close to $3.30/kg for 35kg-plus male lambs through April. Good feed conditions and encouraging winter contract prices have underpinned the market. Upside in the South Island has been much softer, influenced by dry weather patterns and declining feed levels. Heavier male lambs are struggling to push much above $3/kg in the paddock, while ewe lambs have been a little more receptive to upside, managing to average closer to $3.10/kg. Disregarding covid-19 impacted markets a year ago, current store prices are tracking similar to 2018 and 2019 levels. The difference back then was April farm gate lamb prices were averaging $7.20/kg in the North Island and $6.75-$7.05/kg in the South Island. To date this month, North Island lamb prices are averaging $6.80/ kg and $6.50/kg in the South Island. This indicates that store lamb prices have been slightly overcooked relative to current farm gate prices – a byproduct of the recent surge in demand. If this trend were to continue, then end margins would come into question. Fortunately, farm gate prices have moved in tandem and it looks like farm gate prices can ably maintain this upward momentum, as exporters note overseas markets continue to go from strength to strength. The only challenge is the inability to get product into markets with shipping logistics unlikely to be resolved until later in the year. While export demand runs hot, the recent rally, particularly for North Island store lamb prices, is lacking consistency. There is a clear desire by some to build numbers to capitalise on the solid winter trade market, but many other buyers are being forced to wait on the sidelines. A long, dry autumn for many has swallowed farmer confidence around

increasing stocking rates leading into winter, despite positive signals from processors. Unfortunately, for those still wanting to up numbers, history has shown us that store lamb prices will invariably continue to lift right through winter, even following a dry autumn. According to AgriHQ data, the store lamb market consistently tops out in August, as winter lamb traders, buoyed by strong pricing, take one last run at the store market. At this point, however, there is still a chance to secure a store lamb that allows for a reasonable margin to be made. Store lamb prices in the North Island typically track at 46% of the farm gate price through May and June.

While export demand runs hot, the recent rally, particularly for North Island store lamb prices, is lacking consistency.

This would place store lamb prices around $3.30/kg and $3.45/kg respectively. In theory this means little movement in store prices next month compared to where they have been in recent weeks, which allows for some breathing space. Right now, the store lamb market is sitting at 48% of farm gate price. So, while stronger prices at the farm gate are forecast over the next month or two, store lamb prices won’t lift as fast, indicating some buying opportunities still exist. In the South Island the window to purchase on a lower store to slaughter ratio is limited to May where store prices track at 47% of the farm gate price before lifting to 48-49% in June. On this basis this would add another 30c/kg to store prices between May and June. However, with all forecasts there are provisos; the key one at this time of the year being weather. If those dry regions receive the rain they need, then any extra demand could start to push that store price beyond those ratios, effectively reducing any margins at processing time.

You can’t control the weather, but you can control how you plan for it. Visit ruralweather.co.nz for detailed hour-by-hour forecasts for your local area, ten days in advance. RuralWeather - Backing farmers and growers who feed New Zealanders.

ruralweather.co.nz

SALE YARD WRAP

Pilgrimage begins for Chathams stock Yet another short week meant some sales were shuffled around, but the amount of sales held significantly reduced as most weaner fairs and calf sales have now concluded. Sale volume tended to be on the low side due to the short week, but Chatham Islands stock started to make their annual pilgrimage over to the mainland, and a top line of very well-presented mixed-sex wether and ewe lambs sold at Stortford Lodge for $140. NORTHLAND Kaikohe cattle • Cows with calves at foot fetched $930 • Nice weaner Simmental-cross bulls, 160kg, sold to $540 • Vetted-in-calf cows traded at $1.90-$1.92/kg and medium empty cows $1.60/kg There was a smaller sale of 480 head at KAIKOHE last Wednesday, PGG Wrightson agent Vaughan Vujcich reported with the market was mostly on par with the previous sale. R2 Angus-Friesian steers earned $2.53-$2.55/ kg, while same aged heifers varied from $2.00/kg to $2.45/ kg. Yearling Angus-cross steers made $2.80/kg to $3.00/kg and better heifers sold up to $2.50/kg.

COUNTIES Tuakau sales • Hereford-Friesian steers, 121kg, made $600 • Prime Charolais steers, 750kg, reached $2.74/kg • Top prime lambs fetched $157 TUAKAU drew a small yarding of store cattle last Thursday, Carrfields agent Karl Chitham reported. Prices for heavy steers firmed slightly with most 400kg-plus making $2.60-$2.65/kg while 300-400kg returned $2.40/kg to $2.60/kg. In the heifer section most 350-400kg managed $2.20-$2.35/kg with 260-300kg Hereford-Friesian at $2.40/ kg to $2.65/kg. Numbers were light at Wednesday’s prime sale. Heavy steers, 600-750kg, traded at $2.64-$2.74/kg and 582kg Friesian, $2.33/kg. Prime heifers, 440-600kg, returned $2.62-$2.74/kg, while Friesian cows, 516-640kg, made $1.77-$1.84/kg and medium boners, 430-470kg, $1.55$1.67/kg. Lighter cows, 380-420kg, fetched $1.32-$1.45/kg. Medium-good prime lambs sold at $128-$143 on Tuesday and lighter primes earned $112-$125. Medium prime ewes returned $142-$158, with lighter ewes selling down to $60.

WAIKATO Frankton cattle sale 27.4 • R2 Angus steers, 419-453kg, fetched $2.61-$2.65/kg • R2 Charolais-cross heifers, 319-384kg, realised $2.62-$2.66/kg • R2 Friesian bulls, 326-384kg, sold well at $2.51-$2.56/kg A moderate yarding of 425 store cattle was offered by PGG Wrightson at FRANKTON last Tuesday. The mixed quality yarding had something for everyone, and a good spread of buyers were present. R3 dairy-beef heifers, 355427kg, returned $2.41-$2.53/kg. R2 Hereford steers, 390kg, earned $2.65/kg while dairy-beef, 349-450kg, traded at a mainly softer $2.39/kg to $2.58/kg. Angus-Friesian heifers, 350-394kg, firmed to $2.49-$2.56/kg. Weaner Friesian bulls, 164-177kg, strengthened to $450-$475. A limited prime offering included steers, 558-565kg, at $2.62-$2.65/ kg. Better boner cows, 585kg, realised $1.60/kg with the balance, 461-475kg, at $1.45-$1.49/kg. Read more in your LivestockEye. Frankton cattle sale 28.4 • R2 Angus-Friesian steers, 315-398kg eased to $2.43-$2.49/kg • R2 Hereford-dairy heifers, 342-376kg, softened to $2.21-$2.27/kg • Weaner Hereford-Friesian and Hereford-dairy steers, 217-218kg, fetched $650-$670 Quality was mixed throughout the 387 head store cattle offered by New Zealand Farmers Livestock at Frankton last Wednesday. A limited number of R3 Hereford-Friesian steers, 472kg, realised $2.62/kg. R2 Galloway steers, 396kg, held at $2.37/kg, as did 305-320kg Friesian heifers at $1.80-$1.84/kg. Autumn-born R2 bulls featured and Hereford-Friesian, 353kg, returned $2.54/kg. Friesian, 335kg, managed $2.48/kg with Hereford, 241kg, at $2.49/ kg. Weaner Angus heifers, 232kg, firmed to $565 while Hereford-Friesian, 143-198kg, realised $365-$510. Friesian bulls, 197-213kg, softened to $500-$540. A small prime yarding had all steers, 525-568kg, at $2.56-$2.61/kg. Top boner cows, 543-635kg, firmed to $1.70-$1.76/kg. Read more in your LivestockEye.

KING COUNTRY Te Kuiti sale • Better R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 322kg, made $2.52/kg

• R2 Angus and Murray Grey heifers, 327-393kg, earned $2.50$2.52/kg • Weaner Angus heifers, 180kg, fetched $3.06/kg • Better store ewe lambs made $114-$117 and the next cut $85-$90 • Prime lambs sold at $125-$140 Approximately 550 head of cattle was offered at TE KUITI last Friday. R3 Angus and Hereford-Friesian steers, 477488kg, made $2.71-$2.88/kg. A good yarding of weaners was offered due to a farm sale. Weaner Angus and Angus-cross steers, 200-233kg, fetched $3.35-$3.36/kg. Store lambs improved on Wednesday with shorn lambs to $127 with the next cut $117-$120. Heavy prime ewes traded to $190-$200 with the balance mostly $130-$150.

BAY OF PLENTY Rangiuru cattle and sheep • R2 Angus and Hereford-Friesian steers, 359-446kg, fetched $2.31$2.40/kg • R2 Hereford and beef-cross bulls, 432-454kg, earned $2.37-$2.47/ kg • R2 Friesian and Friesian-cross bulls, 445kg, made $2.35/kg • Weaner Hereford-Friesian steers, 188kg, sold for $575 • Weaner Hereford-Friesian heifers, 130-213kg, all made $400-$500 A typical late-autumn yarding greeted sale goers at RANGIURU last Tuesday. Heifers provided the bulk of the R2 section and Hereford-Friesian, 365-390kg, achieved $2.40-$2.53/kg. In the prime pens the best-selling were 711kg Hereford-Friesian steers that earned $2.74/kg. A level of $2.46-$2.48/kg covered 476-480kg Hereford-Friesian and Hereford-Jersey, whereas the only heifers were 444kg Hereford-Friesian at $2.55/kg. A pen of 422kg Friesian and Friesian-cross proved best amongst the boner cows at $2.04/kg while same breed and 425-505kg earned $1.60$1.73/kg. Prime lambs ranged from $123 to $138.50 while ewes had mostly been run-with-ram and were $149-$157. Read more in your LivestockEye.

POVERTY BAY Matawhero sheep • Top prime lambs earned up to $179-$192 with the next cut mostly $144-$168 • Prime ewes made $160-$200 • Better store ewes fetched $124 Heavy male store lambs sold at $106-$109 at MATAWHERO last Friday with the balance $65-$89 and the lion’s share of ewe lambs traded at 106-$108.50. Better ram lambs achieved $123 with lighter types $98. Read more in your LivestockEye.

TARANAKI Taranaki cattle • R3 Hereford bulls, suitable for breeding, fetched $1640-$1760 • Better R2 dairy-beef heifers, 486-521kg, earned $2.55-$2.60/kg • Weaner Hereford-Friesian steers, 175-177kg, firmed to $600-$640 • Weaner Angus-Friesian heifers made $500 • Top boner cows achieved $2.08-$2.14/kg A smaller yarding of 330 store cattle was offered at TARANAKI on Wednesday and the market was mostly steady to firm. The top end of the steers sold to $2.51/kg to $2.62/kg, with the next cut around $2.40-$2.50/kg. R2 dairybeef heifers typically earned $2.30-$2.40/kg.

HAWKE’S BAY Stortford Lodge store cattle and sheep • Weaner South Devon-cross steers, 211-251kg, sold for $680-$800, $3.18-$3.22/kg • Weaner South Devon-cross heifers, 200-237kg, returned $520$600, $2.53-$2.60/kg • Top pens of Romney and Romney-cross breeding ewes made $160-$162 • Good to heavy male lambs held at $124-$134 • Medium ewe lambs came back to $90-$106 Dry conditions limited buyer interest at STORTFORD LODGE last Wednesday and the type of stock offered did not tick the right boxes for many. A small cattle sale was mainly from the Chatham Islands and the pick was 12 R2 Hereford-beef steers, 331kg, at $2.57/kg. R2 beef-

cross heifers sold for $1.97-$2.14/kg. Overall the lamb market softened though short-term lambs held. Medium males came back to $98-$115, though two pens of heavy mixed-sex sold well at $136.50-$140. Read more in your LivestockEye.

MANAWATU Feilding prime cattle and sheep • A 680kg Hereford bull topped the sale at $2.60/kg • Angus and Hereford steers, 575kg, managed $2.45/kg • Very heavy wethers achieved $210 • The best ewes returned $157 with the balance medium-good at $117-$149 Buyers found a good rhythm at FEILDING last Tuesday with very heavy lambs $168-$179.50 and heavy lines $133$163, followed by a few medium-good pens at $116-$121. Cows again made up the bulk of the prime and boner cattle yarding. The pick of the boner cows was a 720kg Friesian that made $1.79/kg while the balance was mostly 445-536kg and $1.38/kg to $1.58/kg. Read more in your LivestockEye. Feilding weaner fair • Traditional steers averaged 220kg and $755, $3.44/kg • Traditional heifers averaged 185kg and $500, $2.67/kg • Exotic-cross heifers averaged 220kg and $615, $2.80/kg The FEILDING weaner fair was reduced to one day last Thursday but equated to the largest single-day to date this season at just over 1800 head. Traditional steers and heifers accounted for the majority, though as is typical there was also a good showing of exotic-cross. Traditional steers held on last fair results and the top pens of 250-290kg sold well at $900-$1020 and most $3.40-$3.60/kg. Those 200-240kg returned $660-$850 and mostly fell within a $3.30-$3.40/kg range. Charolais-cross steers, 232-350kg, sold from $840 to $1105 and varied from $3.16-$3.21/kg for the heavier lines up to $3.58-$3.61/kg as the weight decreased. Heifer tallies decreased and so too did the market. In the traditional pens there was little consistency for per head and per kilogram rates though $450-$500 covered a lot of lines at 160-200kg. Only a few 225-250kg were available and all traded within a few dollars of $600. Exotic-cross prices showed more consistency and 165-255kg sold for $2.65-$2.80/kg, though one pen of 210kg Charolais-cross pushed to $650, $3.10/kg. Read more in your LivestockEye. Feilding store sale • R3 beef steers, 500-590kg, were $2.60-$2.75/kg • R2 Friesian bulls, 325-405kg, made $2.30-$2.35/kg • Weaner Friesian bulls, 145-170kg, sold at $380-$430 • Store male lambs averaged $129.50 • Store ewe lambs averaged to $123.50 The 750 cattle at FEILDING were mainly lesser-quality types. Decent R2 and R3 dairy-beef steers were $2.45-$2.55/ kg at all weights. Tidy lines of R2 and R3 dairy-beef heifers, 370-400kg, made $2.35-$2.45/kg. The market was mildly softer on the 8800 store lambs. Male lambs getting up to prime weights were $150-$160, but this stepped back to $130-$140 on good lines, $120-$125 for mediums, and mainly $105-$115 for lights. A number of heavy, quality ewe lambs with breeding potential were offered, these selling at $130-$135. Other ewe lambs were mainly good weights, making $120-$125. Some capital stock, run-with-ram, Romney ewes were $198 for two-tooth and $190 for fourtooth. Read more in your LivestockEye. Rongotea cattle • R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 300-458kg, traded at $2.28-$2.36/kg • Better weaner heifers fetched, $500-$580 • Friesian boner cows, 414-503kg, earned $1.28-$1.39/kg The short week resulted in a small sale at RONGOTEA last Tuesday, New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent Darryl Harwood reported. Weaner Charolais-cross steers, 170223kg, made $510-$610, and same breed bulls, 268kg, $680.

CANTERBURY Canterbury Park cattle and sheep • R3 Hereford steers, 425kg, made $2.12/kg • R3 Hereford-Friesian steers, 411kg, managed $2.06/kg • R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 317kg, fetched $2.12/kg

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021

PILGRIMAGE BEGINS: Livestock from the Chatham Islands started their annual pilgrimage and will continue to be sold at Temuka and Stortford Lodge through winter and spring.

• One prime ewe achieved $282 with the rest of the section mostly $93-$230 CANTERBURY PARK featured a mixed-quality store cattle section last Wednesday and only four pens surpassed $2/ kg. Nearly half were R2 heifers whose top cut maxed out at $1.73-$1.83/kg for 350-400kg with second cuts $1.59-$1.69/ kg. Weaners had a large presence, but many were passed in. The best was 173kg Angus-cross that made $375 while their sisters were $340. Fortunes were less mixed in the prime pens where steers over 550kg mostly sold in two cuts: $2.30-$2.42/kg and $2.20-$2.29/kg. Most heifers, 500-600kg, earned $2.11$2.21/kg. Quality had a substantial bearing on prices in the store lamb pens with many heavier pens $95-$109. Prime lambs were largely concentrated into a range of $110-$127 with the balance mostly $130-$189. Read more in your LivestockEye. Coalgate store and prime cattle • R2 Angus-Hereford steers, 353kg, made $2.27/kg • Better prime heifers held at $2.22-$2.28/kg • Friesian-cross boner cows, 458-524kg, earned $1.04-$1.13/kg Store cattle mostly consisted of weaner calves at COALGATE last Tuesday. Hereford-Friesian steers, 219250kg, made $405-$480, and the lion’s share of same breed heifers $375. The top end of prime steers firmed to $2.43$2.44/kg. Coalgate high country calf sale and all sheep • Angus steers, 362kg, made $910 • Traditional steers, 200-253kg, earned $650-$810 • Charolais steers, 208-272kg, traded for $645-$785 • Angus heifers, 194kg, made $460 • Angus-Hereford heifers, 170-200kg, largely sold for $420-$480 A second high country calf sale at COALGATE last Thursday mostly featured consignments from two wellknown stations that provided two-thirds of the calves offered. Results were largely on par with the previous

sale, but the line-up was much lighter overall. Quality and demand for prime lambs rose and this was reflected in prices where very heavy achieved $196-$213 before numbers were evenly split between those that earned $140-$188 and the balance at $120-$139. Very heavy ewes managed $202-$242 with many heavy types $183-$186, before the lion’s share made $100-$177. Most of the better store lambs ranged from $100 to $126 with medium pens $80-$99. Read more in your LivestockEye.

SOUTH-CANTERBURY Temuka prime cattle and all sheep • Hereford-Friesian and Devon-Hereford steers, 520-620kg, earned $2.39-$2.45/kg • Murray Grey steers, 498-504kg, made $2.29-$2.31/kg • Hereford heifers, 538-725kg, traded at $2.33-$2.41/kg • Dairy-beef heifers over 450kg sold for $2.23-$2.29/kg • Four prime ewes managed $240 while other heavy types earned $190-$218 A total of 420 boner cattle was entered at TEMUKA last Tuesday. Most cows over 475kg sold in a range of $1.03$1.14/kg, aside from a small minority of heavy pens, 555708kg, that stretched to $1.15-$1.24/kg. Angus, 563-663kg, earned $1.43-$1.48/kg. Heavy store lambs generally made $99-$116 while lighter Merino and Merino-cross ewes and wethers were available in numbers and often made $55-$75. Most prime lambs sold for $130-$149 with heavier pens $154-$169. Ewes were typically $130-$173 for the most part while lighter pens sold for $90-$129. Read more in your LivestockEye. Temuka store cattle • R2 Hereford-Friesian and Charolais-Friesian steers, 474kg, made $2.24/kg • Autumn-born weaner Charolais-cross steers, 318-404kg, sold for $670-$970 • Weaner Simmental-Hereford steers, 278kg, fetched $680

• Weaner Simmental-Hereford heifers, 215-244kg, fetched $520$660 Buyers were mostly interested in well-presented lines at TEMUKA last Thursday and anything lacking quality struggled to attract bids. R2 steers sold in two cuts and many of the better conditioned pens of Hereford-Friesian, 403-456kg, achieved $2.18-$2.24/kg. Second tier HerefordFriesian, along with the occasional pen of Angus or Hereford, generally fetched $2.01/kg to $2.16/kg. A few pens of Hereford-Friesian heifers, along with Angus and Angus-Hereford, 398-405kg, managed $1.83-$1.84/kg, but the rest of the mostly Hereford-Friesian line-up, 373-425kg, traded at $1.62-$1.71/kg. Read more in your LivestockEye.

OTAGO Balclutha sheep • Heavy prime ewes held at $150-$180, medium $120-$140 and light $80-$100 • Prime rams earned $90 The top end of the prime lambs at BALCLUTHA last Wednesday eased to $130-$160 with the balance at $100$120. Buyers preferred drafted lines in the store pens and the top end fetched $100-$108, medium $70-$90 and the tail end $50-$60.

SOUTHLAND Lorneville cattle • R2 Angus heifers, 550kg, made $2.18/kg • Heavy prime lambs eased to $120-$140 and medium $112-116 • Local trade rams earned $40-$72 A small yarding of cattle was presented at LORNEVILLE last Tuesday. Boner cows struggled with the best at $0.80/ kg, and 480-540kg prime steers $2.00-$2.08/kg. Heavy prime ewes sold to $142-$158 with medium at $120-$128 and light $90-$112. The top end of the store lambs traded to $100-$110, medium $90-$95 and light $70-$80.

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Markets

48 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 3, 2021 NI STEER

SI MUTTON

NI LAMB

($/KG)

5.25

7.00

WEANER TRADITIONAL STEERS, 220KG AVERAGE, AT FEILDING ($/KG)

3.44

$740-$810 high $108-$131 Weaner Hereford steers, halfbred wether lights Top lambs at Maniototo lamb 230-253kg, at Coalgate sale

Carbon prices recover after inaugural auction

EW Zealand carbon prices are recovering following the inaugural NZ Units (NZU) auction, with a closing price last Friday of $37.60 on Jarden’s CommTrade and $37.43 on competitor platform Carbon Match. The first carbon auction on March 17 under the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) saw prices fall by about $1.50 a tonne, with a recent recovery signalling the beginning of a rebound, according to Jarden’s head of institutional commodities Nigel Brunel. “The auction clearance rate pulled the market down – not with much volume being traded, I might add – but now it’s starting to edge back up again,” said Brunel. “It feels like the market is breaking the shackles of what might be considered a disappointing clearance price, and one which took the wind out of the market’s sails.” Looking to the next quarterly auction on June 23, Carbon Match’s Lizzie Chambers says the recent gentle firming in prices “seems fairly well supported above that level”. “Buyers know they have another opportunity at the next auction, which isn’t far away, and sellers aren’t keen to sell it down,” Chambers said. “It is healthy, but it is not going crazy.” The long-awaited first auction under the ETS was a key test of the new market and includes a confidential ‘floor’ price the Government sets before each auction to ensure there is no price collapse. Historically, the price of NZUs has tended to stagnate in the first half of the year and rise in the second, but history didn’t

OUTLOOK: Carbon Match director Lizzie Chambers says, looking to the next quarterly auction, the recent gentle firming in prices seems fairly well supported.

have a carbon auction. “What happens at the next auction is the 64,000 dollar question,” Brunel said. “Over the last eight years, the market has gone up by an average of 34% between May and December as most trading activity happens in the latter half of the year. “It will be interesting to see if we get a repeat of those second half returns because of the changes to the scheme. We haven’t had an ETS with auctions before. “If the market can shake off the next five million tonne auction, we will know history can repeat.” – BusinessDesk

It will be interesting to see if we get a repeat of those second half returns because of the changes to the scheme. We haven’t had an ETS with auctions before. Nigel Brunel Jarden

ACROSS THE RAILS SUZ BREMNER

All set for duck shooting THE timing of the Maniototo Last Muster Lamb Sale is not set by chance. Most of the locals are keen duck shooters and enjoy a relaxed weekend in their favourite maimais. So, in true Kiwi style, the sale date is dictated by opening weekend, as it is always held on the Tuesday before the big event. This tradition works well for all and while the day of the sale starts off with talk of lamb markets and prices, by sale end the conversation has very quickly turned to how many ducks are around and who is making the bacon and egg pie. This recipe has proved so successful that in the 12 years of holding the sale, the lamb tallies have grown from 3-4000 to just over 19,000 offered this year. Over the years, the Waipiata sale yards have been expanded to allow for the extra volume but there was still overflow, and this year 1400 sold on-farm at a neighbouring property as well. PGG Wrightson Otago regional manager John Duffy says that while the sale being held prior to duck shooting cleared the decks for farmers and created a bit of a lull before rams went out, it was also well-timed for when the buyers wanted the lambs. “Most of the buyers are from Mid Canterbury and the timing of the sale works well for them. We do have a few local buyers, though they were not as strong this year due to the dry conditions,” Duffy said. He says a sharp change in the weather was also a timely reminder that our hard winters are very close. Skiffs of sleet, hail and rain did not make for a pleasant selling environment but that had little bearing on the market itself, Duffy says. “The short-term lambs sold to expectations, but medium to longer-term types exceeded them. This was largely due to buyers focusing on certain vendors and filling trucks, so in some cases there was more competition on the second and third cuts,” he said. “A lot of hard work has been put into the breeding of the halfbred lambs in particular, and regular buyers know the lambs and how they grow and will return for them each year. The big lines are also an attraction as most have 400-600 head and one line-up to 900 head.” Twelve vendors offered up halfbred wether and ewe lambs, as well as Romney and blackface-cross lambs. The halfbred were all woolly, which added to their value, while many of the meat-breed lines were shorn, which did the same to theirs. The top halfbred wethers made $108-$131 and second cuts, $95-$107. Top halfbred ewe lambs sold for $90-$124, and the balance of both sold from $78. Top price of the day went to a line of blackface mixed-sex at $147, and woolly Romney ewes sold for $110-$120. suz.bremner@globalhq.co.nz

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Shelter Shed Calf Pen • 3m x 3m

• Includes mounting brackets - Post to post - Post to rail - Rail to rail

GREAT VALUE $

1,195.00 +GST

895 .00

+GST

3,995.00

+GST EXCL FREIGHT

Bullmax One Man Auger

Bullmax Two Man Auger

• Powerful 2-stroke, 52cc engine / 1.45kw • Commercial quality • 100mm, 150mm, 200mm drill sizes • 450mm extension bar • Recoil spring • 12 month warranty

• Powerful 2-stroke 68cc engine / 1.9 kw • Commercial quality • 150mm, 250mm, 300mm drill sizes and replaceable cutting blades • 450mm extension bar • Recoil spring • 12 month warranty

799 .00

+GST

899 .00

Bullmax Post Driver • Powerful 6 x 35 Honda 4-stroke engine • Includes interchangable 45mm, 55mm, 73mm & 80mm sleeve heads • 12 month warranty • Comes with carry case designed to hold machine and all accessories

+GST

1,695 .00 +GST

Bullmax Electric Compressor

Bullmax Petrol Compressor

• FAD – 320L/Min AS-4637 approved 15.9 CFM • Weight: 105kg

• FAD – 385L/Min AS-4637 approved 20 CFM • Weight: 116kg

1,295 .00

+GST

1,995 .00

+GST

SHELTER & EQUINE ShelterShed 3m x 3m Shelter for: Calves, horses, sheep, lambs, alpacas Storage for: Hay, farm implements, bikes and more! • Kitset, easy bolt together design, quick to install • Comes with steel colour cladding for roof and 3 sides • Heavy duty 50 x 50 RHS galvanised steel frame • Lower walls clad with 18mm plywood insert • 3000mm W x 3000mm D x 2200mm H

3m ShelterShed No Gates $

2,995

.00 (FHS400)

+GST EXCL FREIGHT

ShelterShed - Includes 4x Panels & 1 x gate $

4,295

.00

+GST EXCL FREIGHT

ShelterShed 4m x 4m

Farmhand Round Horse Pens

• Ideal for horses • Heavy duty 50 x 50 RHS galvanised frame • Easybolt together design • quick to install • Comes with steel cladding for roof and three sides • 12, 15, 18 & 20 meter round pens • Kitset easy pin together system • 5 rail

3,790

.00 +GST

Optional ground spikes $15.00 each

4,590

.00 +GST

Rechargeable Horse Horse Jump Clippers/Tail Trimmers Wings • Comes with 2 x 12V battery & 1 hour charger

• Pair of jump wings with cups

4m Sheltershed

NEDWUCT

4,295 .00

PRO

+GST EXCL FREIGHT

Farmhand Lifestyler Hay Feeder Farmhand Lifestyler Hay Feeder

• Hangs on railed fence or gate • 467H x 454 W x 270 deep

FOR

$120 $ 6

399

.00 +GST

PLUS FREIGHT

250 .00

+GST PLUS FREIGHT

69.00

+GST

PLUS FREIGHT

SHEEP HANDLING

150 Head Sheep Yard anagement

710 Head Sheep Yard • Includes adjustable sides draft module

• Includes adjustable sides draft module

S S

S GATE

GATE

10,995

+GST

Sheep Weigh Crate

• Manual weighing and 3 way drafting • Alloy, lightweight, transportable • Mounts on to any existing loadbars

2,195

.00

.00 +GST

19,995

Adjustable Sides Draft Module

• Fit into any existing sheep yard

3,795

Crutch & Weigh Combo Sheep handler

.00 +GST

RED ---------- 1500 BLUE ---------- 2000 GREEN ------ 2500 CYAN --------- 3000 THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN S-SHEETED PANEL THIS DRAWING IS PROPRIETARY TO

GATE

.00

FARMQUIP AND SHALL NOT BE REPRODUCED OR DISCLOSED IN WHOLE OR IN PART OR USED FOR ANY DESIGN OR MANUFACTURE EXCEPT WHEN SUCH USER PLAN No. POSSESSES DIRECT WRITTEN AUTHORISATION FROM FARMQUIP.

SHEEPYARD SYSTEM

FREEPHONE 0800 843 024

+GST

3 Way Draft Module

• Fit into any existing sheep yard

1,595.00 +GST

Auto Weigh Sheep Handler • Fast and efficient weighing, drafting

and dagging.

• 3-way and 5-way drafting options • Made in New Zealand

• The only automated sheep handler giving full access to belly and feet. • Tips sheep on their sides for dagging & crutching

• Made in New Zealand

Daggers DaggersMate Mate Sheep Handler

Rechargeable She

Sheep Express Conveyer

Sheep Handler

• • • •

The ultimate machine for fast and efficient dagging and crutching Air controlled on skids Tips sheep on their sides for dagging and crutching Adjustable overhead clamp • Made in New Zealand

• The ultimate sheep conveyor with high volume throughput, saving time and labour • • • Hydraulic control of speed and direction (optional) • Deep V design for best restraint of sheep •

Available in 3.2m and 4.1m Optional: walkways. transport kit, hydraulic width control Made in New Zealand

Promotional offers valid until 31 May 2021. Not to be used in conjunction with any other finance offers. See finance T&C’s for details. Finance terms facilitated by UDC and Heartland Bank. Many products shown are manufactured to order so standard Farmquip leadtimes and freight apply. Freight charged on all orders unless otherwise stipulated. Cattle yards pricing excludes concrete and site works.

Sheep Express Conve

Auto Weigh Sheep Handler

Small Meat Saw

Medium Meat Saw Large Meat Saw

Rural Meat Saw

• • • •

• Throat size 380mm H x 250mm W • 1.5kW motor • 260mm alloy pulley wheels • Table 700 x 550mm

• The orginal farmers meatsaw • Throat size 320 x 250mm • 3/4HP enclosed motor • 250mm alloy pulleys • Cutting guides

Throat size 270mm H x 200mm W 1.1kW motor 210mm alloy pulley wheels Table 500 x 600mm

895 .00 +GST

BU91

Rural Meat Slicer • Slice meat to perfection every time. • Suitable for home, to semiprofessional use.

1,895 .00 +GST

BU92

Rural Meat Mixer

• Throat size 460mm H x 285mm W • 1.5kW motor • 300mm alloy pulley wheels • Table 700 x 550mm

2,695 .00

BU93

+GST

8” Meat Cleaver

• Easy mixing handle and pivoting cradle with lid.

2,395 .00 +GST

BU01

Magnetic Knife Holder

$ .00 $ .00 $ $ / Calf .00 Sheep Ramp Farm BU58 39 Portable Sheep Ramp Sheep Weigh Crate/ BU94 BU14 399 695 39.00 BU110 Stainless Steel Butcher Saw Stainless SteelCombo Railed Wall Shelf Pen Weigh Scale Workbench +GST

+GST

• Stainless frame

Sink Bench

• 1200 L x 600 D

• 1200 L x 300 D

479

.00 +GST

BU82

Woolshed Lift and Swing Gates

299

.00 +GST

BU80

139

.00 +GST

Wool Fadge Holder

BU84

18” 22”

59.00 $ 69.00

+GST

25”

79.00 +GST

BU50,51,52

Sheep Draft Module She Adju V-Sides

Promotional offers valid until 30 April 2021. Not to be used in conjunction with any other finance offers. See finance T&C’s for details. Finance terms facilitated by UDC and Heartland Bank. Many products shown are manufactured to order so standard Farmquip leadtimes and freight apply. Freight charged on all orders unless otherwise stipulated. Cattle yards pricing excludes concrete and site works.

Farmers Weekly NZ May 3 2021

Articles inside

World

Pulpit

Editorial

New Thinking

Opinion

Newsmaker