Farmers Weekly NZ May 6 2019

Food firms step up China promos Vol 18 No 17, May 6, 2019

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Vol 18 No 17, May 6, 2019

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Chinese demand still strong Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz

C

HINA’S dairy demand is steady and the feedback from customers there is strong, Miraka chief executive Richard Wyeth says.

After talking to Chinese customers and Miraka’s sales representatives through Global Dairy Network, Wyeth doesn’t expect big commodity price increases for the season ahead but neither will there be big decreases.

“I think it will be steady as it goes, which is a nice situation to be in.”

All of Miraka’s UHT liquid milk output and about half of its milk powder volume go to China.

It’s milk price for this season is $6.30-$6.60/kg MS and it hasn’t yet made a prediction to more than 100 supplying farmers for next season.

Wyeth, Fonterra chairman John Monaghan and Synlait chief executive Leon Clement were part of the dairy delegation in Trade Minister David Parker’s mission of 17 business leaders to Guangzhou and Beijing at the end of April.

Parker said two-way trade between China and NZ reached $30 billion last year and the latest figures show NZ exports to China in March were $1.5b, which was a record.

Wyeth met senior executives from Shanghai Pengxin, the parent company of Theland in NZ, which packs UHT milk in 250ml consumer packs at Miraka.

He also met Jeffrey Lu, the chief of Mengniu, the largest liquid milk company in China and another UHT and whole milk powder

IN THE KITCHEN: Trade Minister David Parker, left, and Fonterra chairman John Monaghan got some instructions on making tea macchiato during their visit to China.

customer for Miraka.

The Chinese business leaders very much appreciated meeting Parker, he said.

Monaghan said the mission supported the Government’s China agenda and Fonterra appreciated being invited to the Belt and Road Forum, though it is not directly relevant to dairy products.

When talking about upgrading the China-NZ Free Trade Agreement, all meetings were constructive.

“Fonterra has been in China for decades now and the more we do on the ground the better for trade talks,” he said.

The delegation visited Fonterra’s Guangzhou food application centre and saw presentations on tea macchiato and other food

service products that sell well in China.

“Commentators talk about a slowdown in China’s growth to 6% but we would take that every day of the week.

“Growth is still strong in our terms and there is still plenty of opportunity.

“Fonterra’s opportunities are underpinned by consumer premiumisation and brand loyalties.”

Looking to the new season and the opening milk price to be published later in May he said supply and demand are well matched globally and that will lead to a positive outlook.

Monaghan didn’t meet Fonterra customers or its Chinese investment Beingmate.

Clement, who led the

delegation, said participants had agreed to park company-specific interests, represent NZ as a whole, deepen and broaden relationships and be active learners and sharers of what they learned.

“We stuck to the script and there was a great dynamic in the mission – this often happens with a group of like-minded Kiwis offshore.”

Food and beverage companies made up half of the mission but there was also good representation from creative industries and Chinese Kiwis who use e-commerce channels cleverly.

“Eighty per cent of Chinese purchase on multi-channels and we have to tell our NZ stories on those platforms also.”

Economists who presented to

the trade mission do not expect an economic slowdown of any significance.

They pointed out moderate, more stable growth over the next 15 to 20 years still presents huge opportunities for traders, bigger than in the high-growth past two decades.

Agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen said Chinese demand for NZ dairy products continues to grow and there are now many examples of premiumisation by well-known brands like A2 and Anchor.

“Other products from Synlait and Miraka are also visible and easy to find.

“However, I would say that domestic brands are growing and gaining more trust with consumers.”

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NEWS

WEATHER OVERVIEW LAST week we talked about a large low forming in the Tasman Sea but high pressure over New Zealand made it complicated to forecast. Well, one week on that low has formed in the Tasman but it remains a frustrating forecast to lock in the timing of when this large but lacklustre low will drift NZ’s way. At this stage we have both a warmer and drier-than-average week coming up for most parts of the country. This high lingers all week but rain-makers are still trying to move in from the Tasman Sea. So a mainly dry week ahead with the chance of rain around Sunday from the west. Next week it appears more dry high pressure continues.

4 Fears forests will eat farms Seven Wairarapa farms have been sold for forestry conversion in the last year but forest owners say it is not a start of up to 5.4 million hectares of afforestation said to be needed to offset the country’s carbon emissions.

Newsmaker ������������������������������������������������������24

ON FARM STORY

Pasture Growth Index Above normal Near normal Below normal

7-DAY TRENDS

Rain

Wind

Other than a bit of rain around Fiordland most of NZ is dry this week – in fact drier than normal for this time of year. Some rain chances in the west this Thursday and Friday with better chances for rain on Sunday.

New Thinking ��������������������������������������������������25 Opinion ������������������������������������������������������������26 World �����������������������������������������������������������������31

NZX PASTURE GROWTH INDEX – Next 15 days

Temperature A warmer-than-average week is on the way across most of NZ with doubledigit overnight lows in many regions and daytime highs pushing a few to several degrees above normal with highs for some in the early 20s.

High pressure lies centred east of the country this week bringing light winds to many areas or a light northerly quarter breeze. This mild northerly flow increases on Thursday with sub-tropical northerlies coming in this weekend.

Highlights/ Extremes

We’ve had some cold nights recently but over the coming week we can expect more subtropical airflows pushing temperatures up.

In fact, this week a number of regions have double-digit overnight lows and highs in the late teens/early 20s. With this warmth and with plenty of sunshine we expect more pasture growth despite the lack of rain. Despite a drierthan-average week in many regions there are some chances of rain in both islands later this weekend.

Warmer than average in many regions this week thanks to subtropical airflows developing. Drier than average for most parts of NZ this week due to high pressure. A chance for heavy rain this Sunday moving in from the west.

14-DAY OUTLOOK

SOIL MOISTURE INDEX – 02/05/2019

32 Cows take quickly to robots Auckland farmers David Yates and son Brian enjoy reaping the benefits of a robotic milking system.

REGULARS Real Estate �������������������������������������������������34-41 Employment ����������������������������������������������������42 Classifieds ��������������������������������������������������������43 Livestock ����������������������������������������������������44-51 Markets �������������������������������������������������������52-56 GlobalHQ is a farming family owned business that donates 1% of advertising revenue to the Rural Support Trust.

Thanks to our Farmers Weekly and Dairy Farmer advertisers this week: $1020. Need help now? You can talk to someone who understands the pressures of farming by phoning your local Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254.

Source: WeatherWatch.co.nz

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News

Wool prices make big sales gains Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz RENEWED Chinese buying and the emergence of new-season fleece turbo-charged the Christchurch wool market on Thursday.

Crossbred wool 31 to 35 microns rose by 5% to 8% in price and above 35 micron had gains of 4% to 7%.

In percentage terms the price lifts for most styles of wool were the best in the last five years, PGG Wrightson South Island sales manager Dave Burridge said.

Most of the summer-shorn wool has now been sold and the fleece from the latest shearing is better colour and quality, producing the good gains for farmers.

“It’s a welcome relief for crossbred wool producers. The price has been too low for too long.”

The tone of the market gave confidence the improvement will continue.

Mid-micron wools have been a market highlight over the last couple of years and prices were ahead by 7% on Thursday to record levels on very limited volumes.

The outlook is excellent for the good volumes of mid-micron wools due to come in from North Canterbury shearing in the next few weeks, Burridge said.

The strong Christchurch market, with all but 3% of the 8400 bales sold, was all the more impressive given that Napier was also selling, he said.

At Napier good style crossbred wool was in solid demand with gains of up to 5%, though lower-quality fleece was down by up to 7%.

The same applied to second-shear wool with good style 2-to-4 inches standing out on a gain of up to 21%.

Lambs’ wool was ahead across the board with 29 micron up by about 3%. There were three very competitive buyers for lambs’ wool.

PGW North Island auctioneer Steve Fussell said a big gap is now evident between the older, poorer-coloured wool with higher vegetable-matter and the new second-shear wools.

MORE:

Full story and prices on farmersweekly.co.nz

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

3

Brexit hiatus gives breathing room Nigel Stirling nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com THE meat industry is once again facing a Brexit deadline in the middle of one of its major selling windows for chilled lamb exports to Britain.

British Prime Minister Theresa May now has till the end of October to get backing from the House of Commons for her plan to withdraw the United Kingdom from the European Union with a 21-month transition during which trade would continue as normal while a comprehensive trade deal with its nearest neighbour is negotiated.

This extra time allows the UK and the EU the time to work constructively with trading partners to avoid detrimental and unfair proposals.

Esther Guy-Meakin B+LNZ If she fails trade between the UK and the EU again faces being thrown into disarray.

Hold-ups at ports as border officials get to grips with significant new tariffs and documentation threaten disruption to imports into the UK from outside the EU too.

The previous March 31 Brexit date was poor timing for New Zealand meat exporters, coming in the middle of the shipping period for the critical Easter chilled lamb market.

Alliance sales general manager Shane Kingston admits to having breathed a sigh of relief with the passing of the end-of-March deadline without Brexit.

Unfortunately, the new deadline falls during the other critical period for lamb exports to the UK. “We will be shipping product across that date for Christmas trading. There will be product going before it and there will be a lot of product going after it.

“It is a continuation of what we were experiencing running into March with a high degree of uncertainty and underlying concern if an agreement doesn’t get found.”

More positively, a delay is another chance to resolve the quota dispute threatening more permanent damage to the industry’s lamb trade with the UK and the EU. A no-deal Brexit would see the immediate implementation of plans for the industry’s longstanding entitlement to sell 228,000 tonnes of sheep meat free of tariffs to the EU to be split 50:50 between the UK and the continent.

NZ has opposed the plan cooked up by the EU and the UK on the grounds it reduces the flexibility exporters have to service markets either on the continent or the UK

SOME RESPITE: Alliance sales general manager Shane Kingston was relieved the last Brexit deadline passed without incident though the new one comes at a busy time for New Zealand meat exporters.

according to which market delivers the highest returns.

Beef + Lamb international trade manager Esther GuyMeakin said while further delays to a Brexit decision are causing uncertainty for exporters they give diplomats another chance to work on their EU and UK counterparts.

“This extra time allows the UK and the EU the time to work constructively with trading partners to avoid detrimental and unfair proposals such as their proposal to split our quotas

and we will continue to urge them to do so.

“We, of course, maintain our argument that the proposal to split our quotas is essentially cutting back the access that is legally binding under the World Trade Organisation.”

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman said officials and other Government representatives raised the matter with EU and UK counterparts at a number of meetings in recent months including at the WTO in Geneva.

53 years of lambing hoggets John Daniell mated all his Romney hoggets at Wairere for the first time in 1966.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

Fears forests will eat farms Forecasters predict up to another 5.4 million hectares of trees will be needed to offset our carbon emissions so New Zealand’s primary sector and rural landscape will be changed irrevocably. Neal Wallace investigates the merits and implications of such a move.

S

EVEN Wairarapa farms have been sold for forestry conversion in the last year but forest owners say it is not a start of up to 5.4 million hectares of afforestation said to be needed to offset the country’s carbon emissions.

Forest Owners Association president Peter Weir says there are not millions of hectares of land available for planting despite reports by the Productivity Commission and Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment claiming planting of that scale is required for the country to be carbon neutral.

But the prospect of largescale afforestation as part of the Government’s carbon-neutral policy has rural communities nervous they might no longer exist as jobs and services linked to livestock farming disappear.

Weir says regional rules and plans protecting water catchments prevent planting on the South Island’s east coast while management of red-zone, erodible North Island land prohibits plantation forestry, pushing forest companies into uneconomic, more expensive classes of land.

“That is the end of forestry looking at cheap, erodible hill country land for plantation forestry.”

To achieve target yields of a 6-7% return on investment the price of land has to be less than $2000/ha but should the price of carbon, now $25 a tonne, increase then that could alter the economics.

Wairarapa farmer Derek Daniell has been vocal in his concerns about the impact of large-scale forestry, saying the Wairarapa farm sales removed 100,000 stock units from the area.

It is doubtful land planted in trees will ever revert to pasture.

The Government’s promotion of tree planting is further erosion of the primary sector and ignores and undermines the country’s economic powerhouse, he said.

“Is there another country that has shafted its major industry, which has built the country for the last 150 years?”

It also ignores the fact livestock numbers are falling and the sheep industry has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions, contrary to growing emissions from an expanding population and industries such as air travel.

Is there another country that has shafted its major industry, which has built the country for the last 150 years?

Derek Daniell Farmer Daniell says it is ironic 75% of NZ forestry is foreign-owned and the Government amended the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) rules to make it easier for those corporations to invest.

While farming has been criticised for its environmental footprint, pine forests are far from immune, causing sediment, allowing little native undergrowth and drying up rivers, Daniell said.

NZ has 7.9m hectares of native forests, 2m hectares of exotic forests and 12.1m hectares of agriculture and horticulture.

Weir says 50,000ha of forestry reverted to pasture between 2002 and 2012 and the volume of

IT’S NOT THERE: Forest Owners Association president Peter Weir says millions of hectares of land for forestry are not available.

land bought by forest companies recently has been small in comparison.

Dunedin City Council’s City Forests has bought two farms covering 650ha in south Otago

FIELD

YS DE ®

and in its half-year report said it is looking for more land to increase both wood and carbon production.

A Colliers International report said there is no sign of forest

interests outbidding sheep and beef farmers.

Forestry companies buying farms do so only if they can make it work economically, Weir says.

Generally available hill country land is too expensive and he believes farmers will be the main driver of any forestry expansion as they look to offset their methane emissions.

“It may be a different bunch of actors doing the next afforestation because I don’t think it will be the companies, simply because the economics do not stack up.”

Forest owners are focused on using genetics and silviculture to increase productivity off their existing land rather than adding to their holdings.

Forestry Minister Shane Jones says by late next year Te Uru Rakau Forestry NZ will have used part of its $240m fund to partner with landowners to plant 2400ha and he encourages more farmers to become involved.

Jones says OIO rules were simplified because foreign companies own 75% of NZ’s exotic forests and change was needed to maintain that investment flow.

He called on farmers to unite and decide how they are going to offset their emissions and whether trees are part of that.

He is dismissive of claims rural communities will be destroyed by afforestation believing them to be exaggerated and an influx of corporate farmers and a reliance on migrant workers has changed them already.

“What are they frightened for?

Communities no longer have a good variety of Kiwis in those workplaces.”

Estimates on the degree of afforestation are not Government policy and Jones says planning is a case of the right tree, right time, right place.

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News

Bridges chimes with farmers Alan Emerson NATIONAL leader Simon Bridges gave farmers the answers they wanted to hear at a meeting in Carterton last Thursday when more than 200 farmers and supporters met to focus on climate change and the Government’s response to it.

Farmer and ram breeder Derek Daniell opened proceedings with a scathing attack on Government policies.

He was followed by Bridges who said it was hard to disagree with Daniell.

“What concerns me is that we have a growing population that doesn’t understand farming and if we want to pay for health and education we need farming.

“Climate change is real but that doesn’t mean you go crazy in your reaction to it.”

An independent Climate Change Commission supported by independent advisers is National’s policy and is desperately needed, he said Asked his position on water storage he said “I’m uncompromising about this – I don’t get the other side of the argument.

I’m confident that in 10 to 15 years irrigation will happen and people will wonder what took us so long.”

In response to another question on agriculture in the ETS he said “I don’t support agriculture coming into the ETS.” The audience was delighted.

A dairy farmer asked Bridges how to return value to the region that created it?

Bridges said “You must have competition as that keeps the pressure on Fonterra.

“The question is how much (competition). We want a big, strong Fonterra. I’m a fan of co-operatives.

“The three hardest jobs in New Zealand are All Black prop, the Leader of the Opposition and the chief executive of Fonterra.”

And on the billion trees programme he said “It’s just PR and spin that’s costing the taxpayer.”

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

5

Forest becomes more appealing Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz TREE-PLANTING incentives being offered by the Government will make forestry a more appealing land use option at the cost of food production, Rabobank sustainability analyst Blair Holgate says.

He does not focus on the social and economic implications of the land use change but notes Government climate and forestry policies make forestry more appealing than it has been in the past.

For other landowners forestry will provide an opportunity to generate income from large areas of land they have previously effectively received very little economic benefit from.

Blake Holgate Rabobank Three Government policy initiatives lower forest establishment costs, underpin consistent, long-term carbon prices and reduce risks of participating in the Emissions Trading Scheme.

The NZ First billion-trees policy, adopted by the coalition Government, aims to reach its goal by 2028 and provides grants up to $4000/ha for landowners for up to 300ha for land clearance preparation and planting depending on whether the species is exotic or indigenous.

The Government also offers a jointventure scheme with Crown Forestry for blocks of pines over 200ha for one rotation or a 30-year term. The Crown can pay for the establishment and management costs over the lifetime of the crop and pay rent to the landowner through an annual fee, a share of the profit at harvesting or a mix

Under the pump?

of both. The landowner retains all rights to any carbon credits.

The introduction of the Zero Carbon Bill, which aims to make NZ carbon neutral by 2050, sets in law greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.

The ETS will be the primary tool to achieve those reductions, using carbonabsorbing forestry and trading of NZ Units to offset emissions.

The bill could remove politics from the issue of climate change, provide greater long-term certainty about future policy and reduce sharp swings in the price of NZ Units, Holgate said.

The third initiative involves ETS amendments to eliminate the need for landowners to repay NZU when forests are harvested, provided the land is replanted.

It also abolishes the obligation to repay NZU for reductions in carbon stock that result from a storm or fire.

Holgate says the opportunities from forestry will vary according to the class of land and pine cannot be registered in the ETS until six years after planting.

For some it could involve planting a portion of land in trees, which will have minimal impact on their existing livestock business.

“For other landowners forestry will provide an opportunity to generate income from large areas of land they have previously effectively received very little economic benefit from.”

Holgate assesses annual carbon farming earnings before interest, tax and rent (EBITR) for three classes of land in Hawke’s Bay-southern North Island based on an NZU price of $25.

For class three hard hill country running six to nine stock units a hectare, EBITR is $291.46/ha, class four East Coast hill country running eight to 13 stock units a hectare is $386.81/ha and intensive finishing East Coast land running 10 to 14 stock units a hectare is $478.97/ha.

But any land use change analysis requires a robust assessment because the legacy implications are more permanent than other land use changes and mean

GOOD THING: The Zero Carbon Bill could remove politics from climate change, prove greater long-term certainty and reduce sharp swings in carbon prices, Rabobank sustainability analyst Blake Holgate says.

forgoing future opportunity costs.

Depending on a landowner’s stage of life and plans it could have a positive or negative impact on lifestyle, land value and income stream, succession, the community and appetite for risk.

Planting to supply manuka honey is another option.

If planted since 1990 manuka earns NZU and the Government offers subsidies to landowners of up to $1800/ha for areas of 5ha to 300ha.

Manuka honey volume has grown at 10% a year since 2007 and accounts for most of NZ’s $350m of honey exports.

Native forests are also eligible for NZU with grants of $4000/ha available.

To qualify the area must exceed 1ha, the forest canopy must cover more than 30% of the ground and trees must be at least 5m high.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

7

Gas compromise won’t be enough Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz IT APPEARS the Government has compromised in the treatment of biological and long-lived greenhouse gases but a farming leader warns it is too early to break out the champagne.

Pressure from coalition partners is said to have forced Climate Change Minister James Shaw to agree to separate greenhouse gas reduction targets but Federated Farmers vicepresident Andrew Hoggard says the new levels appear to ignore the views of scientists and studies.

Those studies claim that because methane is short lived in the atmosphere, cutting emissions rather than eliminating it will reduce global warming.

Hoggard declined to release the targets he has heard saying they are not official but says it appears the Government has fallen well short of the advice.

“It comes down to the targets

CAREFUL NOW: Federated Farmers vice-president Andrew Hoggard is warning farmers not to start popping the champagne corks.

motivated rather than scientifically driven.

“Don’t start popping the champagne corks.”

Oxford University geosystem scientist Professor Myles Allen and Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton have both advocated lower emission targets for methane, which lasts only 12 years in the

and if it is what I am hearing, it will be onerous on farming.”

A report from the Independent Committee on Climate Change setting out that and other recommendations was to have been presented to the Government in the last week but has been delayed.

Hoggard believes the compromise is politically

atmosphere, than longer-lived nitrous oxide and carbon.

Environment Ministry greenhouse gas figures for 2017 show transport accounts for 40.7% of NZ emissions and agriculture 48.1%, of which about 43% is methane.

NZ’s total emissions increased 2.2% between 2016 and 2017, driven by greater emissions from road transport and burning fossil fuels for electricity generation.

Agricultural emissions fell 0.1% over that period, in part because of declines of 0.4% in sheep numbers and 1.5% in dairy cows but offset by a 2.1% rise in beef cattle.

Allen says given methane is a short-lived greenhouse gas farmers might need to reduce emissions by only 10% over the next 30 years or 0.3% a year to stop the gas contributing to global warming.

“A 0.3% decline or 10% over 30 years is about enough to give you no further methane induced warming.”

Biological greenhouse gases are removed more quickly from the atmosphere by natural processes.

Simon Upton

Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Upton also sees merit in treating methane differently.

He argues a zero target be set for fossil fuel emissions with no allowance for offsetting with carbon credits and a goal of reducing methane.

“By contrast, biological greenhouse gases are removed more quickly from the atmosphere by natural processes.

“This means emissions do not need to go to zero to stabilise the atmospheric concentration and warming contribution of these gases.”

A2 milk keeps flowing and growing Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz A2 MILK Company’s sales show no sign of slowing as nine-month revenues reached $938 million, a 42% lift on the corresponding period last year.

Sales growth has continued in nutritional products and liquid milk, building on record market share in the first half of the June 2019 year, the company said in a presentation to a Macquarie Australia investment conference in Singapore. The nine months runs to March 31.

A2 is investing heavily in organisational structure and market and brand development

in China and the United States and has confirmed second-half operating earnings (Ebitda) margins will be lower than in the first-half. Full-year Ebitda as a percentage of sales is expected to be about 32%, compared to the first-half figure of nearly 36%.

The marketing spend in the second-half will be about double the first-half level, encouraged by increasing market share in China.

A slightly weaker Aussie dollar versus the New Zealand dollar will also reduce margins.

Australia is a major market for A2 Platinum infant formula and liquid milk for the NZ-domiciled company.

Third-quarter sales volumes increased because of incoming regulatory changes in China but that effect is expected to balance out in the fourth quarter.

A2 said recent increases in dairy prices, as reflected in Global Dairy Trade figures, will not have a significant impact on this year’s margins but are likely to do so next financial year.

Second-half initiatives for the group include the launch in Australia and China via cross-border e-commerce of A2 Smart Nutritionals, a fortified, powdered, milk drink for children aged four to 12 years.

The number of Mother and

POPULAR: A2 Milk products are now sold in 13,600 Chinese and 12,700 American stores.

Baby Stores distributing A2 products in China increased to 13,600 on March 31 from 12,250 at the end of December.

US distribution of A2 liquid milk increased to 12,700 stores

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Marketing investment will increase again next financial year, A2 said.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

Government hopes for a trade boost Nigel Stirling nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com THE Government is hoping for positive spin-offs for New Zealand’s trade with China after it recently renewed its commitment to the massive infrastructure project known as One Belt One Road.

Trade Minister David Parker recently visited Beijing for a meeting of representatives from a number of countries, convened

by Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss the project that aims to boost transport and trade links between China and central Asia and Europe.

However, support for the multi-trillion dollar project is not universal.

It has attracted criticism for loading debt on poor countries desperate for investment in infrastructure, which are then forced to hand over the projects to the Chinese when they fail to service the loans.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has previously expressed doubt about the project’s aims and the Government has faced criticism for dragging the chain after its predecessor agreed to look into ways NZ could contribute.

NZ however has now revived

the work programme the last government agreed with China three years ago.

Parker says backing the Belt and Road will give a boost to the Government’s relationship with NZ’s largest trading partner.

The recent forum in Beijing followed Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s meeting there with the Chinese leadership during which both sides agreed to continue talks to upgrade the 2008 free-trade agreement.

“I think if we had not gone to the Belt and Road forum we would still have been able to advance our free-trade negotiations with China,” Parker said.

“There was never any suggestion to the contrary but Belt and Road is clearly very important to the Chinese administration.”

Parker said NZ is pushing in the talks for a cut to tariffs on paper and processed wood.

“There are also various things we want to improve based on changes that have been made since the FTA was signed and also to account for changes in patterns of commerce such as with e-commerce, which has developed a lot since then.”

NZ-China Council executive director Stephen Jacobi participated in events on the

STILL TALKING: The Government is still talking to China about upgrading the free-trade agreement, Trade Minister David Parker says.

margins of the Belt and Road forum.

“China is the largest consumer of these agricultural products that we produce and the more that we can demonstrate interest in things that they are interested in the more they are going to want to do things for us such as in an FTA upgrade.”

Jacobi said Belt and Road deserves NZ’s backing for other reasons too.

Through increasing investment in transport infrastructure such as ports and improving customs procedures there is potential for the project to reduce the time and cost of getting exports to China and to other parts of Asia and on to Europe.

“Reducing the transit times of

goods has extraordinary benefits, which are much greater than reducing tariffs, especially as tariffs come down.

“Making it easier and quicker to do business is potentially quite a big dividend for NZ producers.”

While NZ is not on the main trade routes being targeted for infrastructure improvements there is still potential for it to benefit from investment.

The NZ China Council last year suggested NZ become a staging point for increased exports between South America and China as part of an extension of the Belt and Road project.

The report noted flights via NZ are the shortest possible route between Chile and Argentina and

Shanghai while there is incentive to increase shipping services if streamlined customs procedures already in place between China and NZ are extended to include South American countries.

The Government’s agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen said Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba is paying close attention to the idea of NZ becoming a transit point for trade between South America and China and it is possible a provincial centre here could become a logistical hub for that trade.

“It may be that we want to import some South American products as part of a processing hub and then have a secure route into China.”

Swine fever ups meat prices as Alliance rewards suppliers MEAT prices are strong as the African swine fever outbreak devastates Chinese pork production, Alliance chief executive David Surveyor says.

Prices are generally quite solid because the disease is having a massive impact on pig protein prices in China.

That, in turn, is increasing the

value of other meat proteins, both beef and lamb.

“Because of the size of the China market we see that having some roll-on ramifications for prices across the globe,” he said.

Relative to the year to September 30 when Alliance reported a net profit of $6.6 million, from $14.4m a year

earlier, Surveyor said the company is in pretty reasonable shape for this stage of the year.

One key reason for that is its new petfood joint venture with Scales Corporation. In March Scales said Alliance will pay $15m for a half interest in its Meateor business.

Meateor process and sells meat

and other ingredients from New Zealand and Australia to the pet food industry worldwide. More than 19,000 tonnes are exported each year.

Surveyor said Alliance distributed $5.7m in loyalty payments to some of its suppliers for the March quarter.

The weather had affected the start of this season but the value

of the payout was similar, he noted.

The loyalty payments are made to platinum and gold shareholders who supply all their stock to the company. They are paid an additional 10 cents a kilogram for each lamb, six cents/kg for a sheep, 8.5c/kg for cattle and 10c/kg for deer.

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News

10 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

Softer deer prices are still firm VENISON prices have softened from their peak in October when prices became too hot for some manufacturers but Deer Industry New Zealand reports markets are still travelling well.

With the average venison schedule price for a 60kg AP stag now $9.01/kg it is about $2.50/ kg below the peak of $11.47/kg in early October 2018 and below the exceptionally high schedule in April last year but still $1.70 more than the five-year average for this time of the year.

DINZ venison marketing manager Nick Taylor said schedule prices tend to bottom out in April and May before trending up to a peak in September or October.

Underpinning the venison schedule last year was a spike in demand for processing grades from pet-food manufacturers.

The pet food market remains an important outlet for processing grades but Taylor said prices became too hot for some manufacturers who have since switched to other game meats or have reduced the amount of venison used in their products.

Prices for venison in Europe have also eased back from record highs.

Importers reported lower sales through the traditional game period and are working with their NZ suppliers to ensure prices this season are more sustainable for their ADVERTISEMENT

retail and restaurant customers.

“That said, demand for NZ venison remains strong and everyone in the supply chain is predicting continued strong pricing,” Taylor said.

While not the meat that’s traditionally consumed in China, NZ venison marketers have made some successful bridgeheads.

This is reflected in export stats for 2018 that show China is now NZ’s seventh largest venison market, worth $7.167 million.

China is also the second largest market for co-products – bones, pizzles, sinews and tails, worth $8.344m.

The total of $15.51m makes China NZ’s fourth largest combined market for venison and co-products.

The largest market for venison and co-products is the United States with venison at $53.24m and coproducts $19.84m bringing in a total $71.09m.

It is followed by Germany, Belgium, China, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Finland, Hong Kong and Britain.

Most of the exports to Hong Kong are co-products, for which it is the third largest market after the United States and China.

Cervena is the premium appellation for NZ venison, attracting high prices from consumers who value its natural provenance.

To reinforce the premium DINZ and the venison marketing group of the five major venison exporters are

CLEAN: New Zealand venison is being sold as GM-free and might also make an antibiotic-free claim.

Demand for NZ venison remains strong and everyone in the supply chain is predicting continued strong pricing.

Nick Taylor DINZ

continually looking at whether there are other opportunities to add value to Cervena.

“One of these was the introduction from January 1 of the GM-free feeding standard that marketing companies are rolling out with their suppliers.

“This standard is not audited so it can’t at this stage be used to make a GM-free label claim but it does mean we will be able to assure customers that Cervena deer are not given genetically modified feeds,” Taylor said.

There might be other similar opportunities, such as going for an antibiotic-free claim but while that is something that’s important to some Cervena consumers it must be practical for farmers and processors to put in place.

“At this stage it’s a work in progress.” he said.

Cavalier looks for wool carpet boost Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz CAVALIER Corporation is changing the way it operates in Australia in reaction to soft market trading and to improve the prospects for its high-end wool carpets.

The New Zealand and Australian markets remain slow for the manufacturer but sales of premier wool carpets have grown as synthetic carpet turnover has declined, chief executive Paul Alston said.

Growing consumer awareness of wool’s tangible qualities is increasing demand for both carpets and rugs.

Product and marketing manager Rochelle Flint has been appointed marketing and international operations general manager and will oversee the Australian market as well as

continuing responsibility for product development.

The role of general manager Australia has been dropped and state managers will have more autonomy to allow them to respond quickly to market demands, Alston said.

The system will be more flexible and agile and client-facing roles will be enhanced over the next year.

For a time, several years ago, Australia provided the highest sales for Cavalier.

Its share of revenue in 2018 was 39%.

Alston said the company also proposes the main NZ office will take over the duties of the Australian finance and administration team. That will cut overhead costs and generate synergies with the NZ operations.

Cavalier will provide more detail after the Australian election.

LEGAL TALK with Barbara McDermott Agreements to sell and buy subdivided land – the right to cancel A farmer wishes to subdivide off part of his farm and sell the new title for extra cash. Even if a prospective purchaser was prepared to pay for the land before the new title had issued (which would be an unusual and unwise thing to do), the purchaser’s bank won’t advance mortgage finance until there is a title to the land over which the bank can take a mortgage.

However, there is no reason why the farmer can’t market the land and sign an agreement to sell it before the new subdivision has been completed.

Settlement will take place after the new title has issued. Agreements for the sale and purchase of land before it has a title are fairly commonplace. What is not often realised, however, are the conditions implied into such agreements under the Resource Management Act 1991 (the RMA). These conditions mean the agreement could be cancelled if certain milestones are not reached within the time frames specified in that Act. The subdivision process There are four main steps in the subdivision process: 1. Apply to the Council for a resource consent for the proposed subdivision (including a draft plan).

2. Obtain the Council’s approval to the survey plan under section 223 of the RMA. 3. Obtain section 224c certification from the Council (confirming all the conditions imposed by the Council have been completed and the plan has been approved).

4. Lodge the documents in Land Information New Zealand to obtain the new titles.

The RMA conditions and the rights of cancellation The RMA implies certain conditions into Agreements to sell land before the new title has issued.

1. An agreement to sell land being subdivided is subject to a condition the survey plan will be deposited under the Land Transfer Act 2017 (section 225(1) RMA).

2. The purchaser may cancel the Agreement within 14 days of the date of the agreement being signed if the survey plan has not been approved by the Council under s 223 of RMA as at the date of signing the agreement (s 225(2)(a) of the RMA).

3. The purchaser may cancel the agreement if the seller has not made reasonable progress towards submitting the survey plan to the Council for

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approval, or the plan has not been deposited within a reasonable time after its approval at any time after two years from the grant of the resource consent or one year after the date of the agreement (whichever is the later) (s 225(2) (b) of the RMA).

The Agreement for Sale and Purchase If the purchaser decides to use the right to cancel the agreement under the RMA, particularly if it is at the eleventh hour, then neither the seller nor the purchaser is likely to be happy – especially if they have invested considerable money, time and energy into the agreement and the subdivision process.

Anyone buying and selling land being subdivided would be well advised to have the agreement drafted or reviewed by a lawyer who specialises in these types of agreements.

These types of agreements normally have additional clauses included in them which modify or take into account the RMA conditions and tailor the agreement to meet the parties’ expectations.

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Annette Scott annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

11

Meat co-op has a new chairman Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz GO TO IT: Silver Fern Farms co-op must now activate and execute its strategy, new chairman Richard Young says.

NEW Silver Fern Farms Co-operative chairman Richard Young says the meat company is ideally positioned to become an even stronger processor and exporter.

The West Otago farmer replaces Rob Hewett who retired after five years in the role.

Hewett remains as a farmer-elected director, a seat he has occupied since 2008 and is still co-chairman of the Silver Fern Farms operating company.

Young said his elevation at last Wednesday’s annual meeting was the culmination of an 18-month succession plan and marks an exciting new era for the co-operative.

“The ball is at our feet. We must now get out and activate and execute our strategy.”

The co-op has the capital structure, strategy and partner in Shanghai Maling to be even more successful,” he said.

Young successfully sought election in 2013 under the Meat Industry Excellence protest banner, which sought reform of the red meat sector.

He farms 300ha near Tapanui in west Otago.

Independent director Tony Balfour is retiring after nearly 10 years on the board while Wairarapa farmer director Tony O’Boyle was re-elected unopposed.

Balfour, who has an extensive background in product innovation and marketing, was also bullish about the company’s prospects saying its future is bright.

The main marketing challenge is choosing which segment to chase.

In a new move the board named Ashburton farmer Gabrielle Thompson as its first appointed farmer director.

Thompson, an arable and livestock farmer from Dorie, is a vet who grew her business to five clinics before selling them to pursue other business interests.

She has been on the board of Ashburton farm services co-operative Ruralco for seven years.

The constitution was changed during the past year to allow appointments of farmers to the board in a move designed to ensure succession and development of governance skills.

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Doug Woolerton joined the board on Wednesday.

He grew up on a family farm in Waikato and runs a consultancy business. He previously served for 10 years on the board of a co-operative dairy company, the last two as deputy chairman and was an MP for 12 years.

Directors David Nelson and John Brakenridge, whose terms have expired, have left.

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News

12 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

Health claims will sell goods Promoting New Zealand’s horticulture and agriculture sectors as low-input, extensive, often grass-fed sources of food has become a leverage point for the industry, particularly red meat and dairy. But Nuffield scholar and business development manager Andy Elliot challenges it as an aspirational Aotearoa story. He wants to look harder at how products can earn more value through understanding consumers’ dietary and nutritional needs. He spoke to Richard Rennie.

AS ADMIRABLE as New Zealand’s extensive grass-fed farming system might be it’s not enough of a selling point to continue improving margins in an increasingly competitive international market, Nuffield scholar Andy Elliot says.

A year spent examining NZ’s path to markets has left him convinced a better approach is to re-evaluate why people eat, what they hope to get from food and what NZ products offer that others don’t.

“To that extent the current drivers we are using, including a focus on the environment and production become simply components of the solution, not the proposition.

“Becoming more focused on consumer health and nutrition and how we can offer solutions to that would help gain new customers and change our production systems and ultimately environmental outcomes.”

NZ has a well-founded history in efficiently growing, processing and selling products on the domestic market and some, like whole milk powder, have transferred successfully to overseas markets.

But the evolution to more of a niche market by promoting grassfed will offer only limited gains over commodity returns because NZ is not the only country pursuing that path, with plenty of bigger, well-funded competitors using the same story.

Even claiming organic status is fraught because, again, there are plenty of other, well-funded, bigger-scale producers already doing it.

“To get to that higher level of returns we have to approach it from the market end, understanding better what our food can provide in terms of nutritional solutions.”

He found Zespri is one of the

DO MORE: Telling New Zealand’s grass-fed story is not good enough to capture overseas sales, Nuffield Scholar Andy Elliot says.

To get to that higher level of returns we have to approach it from the market end, understanding better what our food can provide in terms of nutritional solutions.

Andy Elliot Nuffield Scholar few food companies that has invested and gained a nutritional claim, based around its Green kiwifruit’s ability to improve gut health. At the time it was the

only fruit in the world to have a substantiated health claim associated with it.

“Interestingly, though, because Zespri has been so successful with its business model that claim has almost become a secondary aspect and not one that is always at the forefront of its marketing,” Elliot said.

However, laying claim to products’ nutritional or functional benefits can be fraught.

“But that should not be a reason to not include health and nutrition benefits within your product strategy when going into a market.

“With A2 Milk, even though the science is still being developed to validate the health benefits many believe, it has already benefited from having it as a key part of its strategy. Every sector has

the potential to go prospecting among its products for potential components that deliver but not all do.”

Research has established NZ avocados have 20% more folate and double the vitamin B6 of those grown elsewhere.

Such nutritional benefits can help producers justify increased margins when competing against well-entrenched, bigger producers.

The Omega Lamb Project is also an example of a new farming system, intended to deliver a better-tasting lamb, found the unique genetic profile also produces a healthier product with high level of Omega 3 and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

“And what we can do well, having found such benefits, is apply selective breeding to

accentuate genetic potential, whether it is sheep or kiwifruit, quite quickly. The trick lies in identifying what that nutritional benefit is that we can leverage off to start from.”

He identifies the emerging hemp sector as an opportunity to start from scratch when marketing its products, with hemp oil only one component of the crop’s overall output that has nutritional value.

“Blackcurrants are another – they do not taste that great but increasingly science is validating their health value.”

Elliot maintains it is the responsibility of sector groups to take a more strategic position on products’ nutritional value and functional claims, with a 10-15 year horizon better than the usual 2-3 years often used.

On one level the Chinese market’s growth has continued to lock NZ producers into a more traditional make-it-and-sell-it approach, particularly around commodity products. However the rapid rise in consumer sophistication and a traditional understanding of brain-gut health linked to nutrition lends Elliot’s case more strength.

“But China is a really tough market. However, there is still an even larger, greater Asian market that we should consider as well.”

Manuka honey is one product poised on the edge of locking in nutritional claims but Elliot fears it risks losing that opportunity amid issues around standards ambiguities and other countries’ efforts to seize some of the market.

“I do take some comfort that things are changing.

“The Nuffield project took 18 months and in that time we have already seen the Primary Industry Council formed and it represents a good opportunity for industries to collaborate more on this and other issues around our Aotearoa value proposition.”

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

ANZ warns farmers to cut debt quickly Nigel Stirling nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com THE country’s largest rural lender is urging its farmer clients to prepare for a possible jump in interest rates by reducing debt as much as they can now.

The Reserve Bank is consulting on a proposal to double the minimum amount of capital trading banks have to hold against their loans.

The increase in capital is designed to guarantee the solvency of the banks in the event of a one-in-200-year economic downturn.

ANZ commercial and agri lending head Mark Hiddleston warned clients in an email the changes will have a significant impact on borrowers if carried out as planned.

“As you would appreciate, the cost of capital, whilst not the only driver, is a material input cost of doing business.

“Like most businesses, significant increases in material

input costs generally lead to an increase in prices for customers.”

While the email did not quantify the likely impact on lending rates those predictions that have been made range from the Reserve Bank’s own 20-40 basis points to the 80-120bps estimated by UBS and Westpac.

This increase is because we currently hold less capital for our agri loans than other banks.

Mark Hiddleston ANZ Based on those estimates Federated Farmers believes the changes would add between $120m and $800m to farmers’ annual borrowing costs.

The email also revealed ANZ faces demands to put aside extra

capital for its agricultural lending over and above that faced by the other big banks.

Hiddleston said the Reserve Bank notified the lender in February ANZ holds less capital against its rural loans than considered prudent and it needs a top-up to bring it into line with its competitors.

“This increase is because we currently hold less capital for our agri loans than other banks and the RBNZ believes the quality of our loan book is not sufficiently better than the others to justify that lower amount,” he said.

The Reserve Bank has given ANZ till the end of June to increase the amount of capital it holds against its rural loans but ANZ still has to decide how much of the resulting extra cost it will pass to borrowers.

“We intend to await the outcome of the May official cash rate determination from the RBNZ before we decide what movement, if any, there will be to interest rates on our loans.

MORE: The ANZ has to find more cash reserves than other banks to back its rural loans, its commercial and agri lending head Mark Hiddleston says.

“A reduction in the OCR could assist in the near term in absorbing capital costs that would potentially otherwise need to be passed on to our agri customers,” he said.

However, the increase in capital being proposed by the Reserve Bank for all the banks would affect borrowing costs.

Hiddleston said the ANZ is encouraging clients to reduce their exposure to higher borrowing costs.

“We think it is prudent to help you plan to reduce your debt as much as you can, restructure

your facility limits or pay down where you may have credit funds elsewhere.

“You should also think carefully about your borrowing requirements in the near future, including factoring in potential increases in borrowing costs.”

Hiddleston said the banks should know by September how much more capital they will have to raise from shareholders to fulfill the new minimum requirements.

The increases are expected to begin to be phased in from the start of next year.

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News

14 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

Reserve Bank greening economy Stephen Bell stephen.bell@globalhq.co.nz WORK to make the economy green must speed up, a group the Reserve Banks has joined says.

It has identified issues including a need to rapidly boost finance for greening of economies and says asset valuations do not reflect the risks posed by climate change.

In December the bank joined the Network for Greening the Financial System and is strongly committed to its work, the bank’s financial system policy and analysis head Toby Fiennes says.

The network has just issued its first comprehensive report, called A call for action: Climate change as a source of financial risk.

“The report targets an issue of extreme importance.

“It is a vital initiative which brings together central banks and supervisors to focus on climate and environmental risk.

“It supports our strategy to facilitate, where possible, a smooth transition to a low-carbon economy while ensuring our financial systems remain sound and efficient,” Fiennes said.

The report says even though the prime responsibility for the success of the Paris Agreement

rests with Governments central banks must shape and deliver on their substantial role in addressing climate-related risks.

“The magnitude and nature of the future impacts will be determined by actions taken today, which thus need to follow a credible and forward-looking policy path. This includes actions by governments, central banks and supervisors, financial market participants, firms and households.”

Modelling might not be able to accurately predict the economic and financial impact of climate change but science leaves little doubt action to mitigate and adapt to climate change is needed now, it said.

“The NGFS recognises that there is a strong risk that climaterelated financial risks are not fully reflected in asset valuations.”

So the network is making recommendations for central banks, policymakers and financial

institutions to enhance their role in the greening of the financial system and managing the environment and climate-related risks.

It suggests central banks integrate climate-related risks into prudential supervision by engaging with financial firms to ensure the risks are understood and discussed at board level, considered in risk management and investment decisions and embedded into firms’ strategies.

And they should identify, analyse, manage and report climate-related risks.

Central banks should lead by example by integrate sustainability factors into the management of some portfolios such as their own funds, pension funds and reserves.

And they should enhance transparency around which economic activities contribute to the transition for a green and low-carbon economy and are more exposed to environmental risks.

The network plans to develop a handbook on climatic and environmental risk management for central banks and financial institutions. It will also issue guidelines on scenario-based risk analysis and best practices for incorporating sustainability criteria into central banks’ portfolio management, particularly with regard to climate-friendly investments.

Network members include the central banks of China, Europe, England, Canada and Australia, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the World Bank.

The United States is not a member.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

New velvet tracing system is on trial Annette Scott annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz DEER Industry New Zealand wants industry stakeholders to give feedback on a proposed new velvet traceability system.

Science and policy manager Catharine Sayer said a new type of tag is needed to replace the existing nylon cable ties that tend to become brittle and break during freezing.

It is a chance to introduce a tag that adds value by enabling fast, accurate and effortless product tracing for food safety or biosecurity reasons indicating the farm of origin complies with velvet, welfare and food safety rules.

The new system of tracing tagged velvet as it moves through the supply chain will support the premium market positioning of NZ velvet by allowing branding to be added and reducing the risk of counterfeiting.

Sayer said the tracing will also help farmers, vets and other businesses in the velvet supply chain with their inventory management, which will become virtually paperless.

If the concept is supported each stick of velvet will be identifiable through a central database to the farm of origin from the 2020-21 season.

Several prototype tags have been piloted by Southland NZ Deer Farmers’ Association members and the three largest velvet exporters.

If this works well we will look to roll out a fully electronic system with electronic chips for the 2020-21 season.

Catharine Sayer DINZ Their feedback and that of the National Velvet Standards Board (NVSB) has been used to make some first-stage refinements.

“The best format appears to be an artificial paper wrist-band similar to that used in past years by the Elk-Wapiti Society,” Sayer said.

In the 2019-20 season a bar-coded version will replace the cable tie but existing tag distribution, recording, paperwork and VSD requirements won’t change.

“If this works well we will look to roll out a fully electronic system with electronic chips in similarstyle tags for the 2020-21 season.

“Only then would record-keeping requirements and methods change.”

The selection and design of the 2019-20 tag is being finalised. Once that is done DINZ will advise on the use of remaining stocks of cable ties.

The 2020-21 wrist-band tags will contain a bar code and a UHF chip, each with unique numbers that will be paired with each other on a database administered by DINZ. “UHF chips have been chosen not only because they are cheap but because when there are large volumes of sticks of velvet in a consignment or container they can be read at once, enabling depots and pack houses to read tags quickly and accurately.

The bar code will enable voluntary on-farm stickby-stick scanning using kit already found on farm, such as smartphones or other bar-code readers.

The stick’s bar code could then be associated with other information entered into a farm management system such as the stick’s weight and grade and the stag’s NAIT tag.

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

Farmers won’t have to do any tag scanning or noting of numbers.

“Farmers would no longer be required to keep paper records of tags received, applied or transferred. Nor would they have to produce paper VSDs.”

MORE:

Garmers, deer vets, buyers, graders, exporters, processors and marketers can read a fact sheet at www.deernz.org/velvet-traceability

VISIBILITY: Deer Industry New Zealand is testing a new velvet tracing system.

15

News

16 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

Report bleak on drug resistance Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz A REPORT to the United Nations paints an alarming picture of rapidly emerging antimicrobial drug resistance with agriculture among industries being called on to invest more in developing alternative treatments and to collaborate with the human health sector.

Antibiotics are typically the main antimicrobial drug class used against bacterial infection.

The high-level report produced by the UN’s antimicrobial resistance group demands ambitious and immediate action on an issue it says will lead to a disastrous crisis.

It documents increasing evidence of resistance among bacteria to antimicrobial treatments, with 35% of common human infections already resistant to medicines. That number is as high as 80-90% in some lower to middle income countries.

Worryingly, the authors say growing resistance to last-line defence drugs is expected to double in only 20 years.

They attribute the overuse or misuse of antibiotics to promote growth and prevent disease in otherwise healthy animals and crops as major contributors to

CAUTION: Mark Bryan of VetSouth says farmers are starting to understand the importance of antibiotic resistance.

resistance development.

Estimates are drug resistance already contributes to at least 700,000 deaths globally a year and that could increase to apocalyptic levels of 10 million by 2050 under its worst-case scenario.

A quarter of those deaths will be in high-income countries like New Zealand.

Left unchecked, resistance development will have an impact comparable to that of the global financial crisis of 2008.

NZ is ranked as a high user of antibiotics for human treatments but low in terms of use in animal production systems and farms.

Human consumption is seventh highest in the world but third lowest for animals.

Veterinary Association’s antimicrobial resistance committee chairman Mark Bryan, a Southland vet, said the link between human resistance and use of antimicrobials in animals remains a thin one.

“And the level of resistance in animal diseases to antimicrobial treatments has shifted very little over the past 20 years. About 37% of pathogens cultured exhibit a level of resistance. There’s been a slight increase but not a significant one.”

While NZ has been on the front foot with a low level of use in animals more work has to be done in getting better data specific to use and farm type, helping provide better surveillance and understanding of use.

“I could see NZVA being the umbrella organisation for this, given vets are at the front end of administration but we are not resourced to do it and it would require funding through MPI to achieve that. To be fair, MPI has had a lot on their plate.

“We have some regional data for

Southland and Canterbury but it would be good to be able to pull this data together from around the country.”

The dairy industry accounts for about 40% of antibiotics used and mastitis treatment accounts for 29% of the total. Dry cow therapy in dairy cows is one of the most significant areas where antimicrobial treatments are used on NZ farms.

Bryan believes farmers’ attitudes to using such treatments have changed significantly in recent years thanks, in part, to vets’ efforts to educate about the impact of antimicrobial resistance. Farmers are being offered alternative nonantimicrobial treatment regimes, including teat sealants.

In 2015 the association set the target to reduce antimicrobial treatments by 2030 to a level the country does not need them to maintain animal health and wellness.

Chemical users’ group Agcarm chief executive Mark Ross said NZ ranks alongside countries like Iceland, Lithuania and Sweden for low levels of antimicrobial use in animals.

Those countries report use of about 9t of antimicrobials per 1000t of biomass compared to countries like Hungary or

I could see the New Zealand Veterinary Association being the umbrella organisation for this given vets are at the front end of administration but we are not resourced to do it and it would require funding through MPI to achieve that.

Mark Bryan VetSouth Germany sitting at well over 200t per 1000t.

Italy and the United States rank among the highest users for both animal and human use.

“It is often the case that high use reflects intensive farming systems for the likes of poultry,” Ross said.

The UN report calls for countries to have established national antimicrobial resistance action plans, something NZ did in 2017. It requires optimised use of antimicrobial medicines in human, animal health and agriculture.

PGG Wrightson banks the proceeds of seeds sale cash Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz PGG Wrightson’s new board of directors expects to make a recommendation soon on a capital return to shareholders following the completed sale of the seeds business.

The $426 million cash payment was received from buyer DLF Seeds on Wednesday.

PGW has paid off its bank debt already and is now assessing options for the capital return, Rodger Findlay said on his first day as a director and chairman of the rural services group.

The sale provides significant value for PGW stakeholders while also enabling the PGW seeds business to benefit from being part of the international DLF Seeds operation, he said.

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The seeds business will have an ongoing distribution relationship with PGW’s rural servicing division.

The focus is now on ensuring a smooth transition to separate the business structures, Findlay said.

PGW directors will reset the company’s debt position suitable for the continuing business.

Half the former board has remained in place so there might

not be a lot of change from earlier statements about the scale of the capital return. They indicated an after-tax profit of about $120m would be made from the sale, with the possibility of a total return of up to $292m to shareholders.

Biggest shareholder Agria is represented on the board by Joo Hai Lee and U Kean Seng with Ronald Seah continuing as an

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Former deputy chairman Trevor Burt and directors Bruce Irvine and John Nichols retired from the board on Tuesday.

PGW shares rose 2c to 55c on the NZX after the sale completion was announced.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

17

Food firms step up China promos Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz

APPEAL: Lewis Road has targeted the top end of the dairy foods market, tapping into the permission to indulge trend.

Dairy trends flow down Lewis Road Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz EIGHT key trends in dairy nutrition are bang on and will be driving consumption now and in the future, Lewis Road Creamery founder Peter Cullinane says.

He responded to the publication of the trends last week by market researcher Justin Mellentin, of the consultancy New Nutrition Business in London (Farmers Weekly April 29).

The key trends are protein, digestive wellness, snackification, authenticity and provenance, permission to indulge, reinventing sweetness, plant-based and fat reborn.

Authenticity and provenance have worked very well for Lewis Road, underpinning all it has achieved since 2012 in an expanding range of products, Cullinane said.

The company now has

organic, premium and flavoured milks, cream and sour cream, seven butter varieties, premium ice creams, two cream liqueurs and three apple ciders.

QMilk is generally under-priced, here, in the United Kingdom, United States and Australia.

Peter Cullinane Lewis Road Lewis Road has also targeted the top end of the dairy foods market, tapping into the permission to indulge trend.

Cullinane has been a crusader for premium dairy products since his initial quest to make a better butter.

PREMIUM PRODUCTS: Lewis Road was demonstrating key dairy nutrition trends, founder Peter Cullinane, left, believes.

The whole dairy industry has a problem when the price of some town-supply water in branded bottles, such as Coca-Cola Amatil’s Pump from Putaruru, is the same as standard Anchor blue-top milk.

That is not just Fonterra’s problem but an issue that bedevils the whole dairy industry, here and overseas.

“Milk is generally underpriced, here, in the United Kingdom, United States and Australia.”

Most milks sold are stretched as thin as permissible and New Zealanders are often surprised to find a milk experience overseas better than they thought they were getting at the home.

By contrast, the Lewis Road milks are all permeate-free and the organic milks also palm kernel-free.

A large segment of milk drinkers want to know where the milk comes from, that nothing has been added and the cows are treated well.

In addition, New Zealanders are slightly miffed they haven’t been getting the best quality this country produces.

Cullinane thinks the success of A2 Milk in Australia in recent years demonstrates those points and its non-permeate story has reinforced the digestive wellness.

In general trends consumers are looking for something more particular – quality over quantity and value over cost.

It is difficult for dairy companies to be commoditiescentric and brand-centric at the same time.

He thinks companies have to be one or the other and focus fully on the chosen path.

In the age of social media brands and products are inseparable and Lewis Road has focused on its product quality first and foremost and that has made the brand strong, he said.

EFFORTS by kiwi companies to collectively approach the Chinese market have stepped up in both the virtual and physical stores owned by retail giant Alibaba.

The New Zealand Food Basket has been launched through Alibaba’s Tmall Fresh e-commerce platform with 18 NZ firms taking part.

Meantime, Alibaba’s Freshippo stores ran a NZ Life Experience week in late April, coinciding with a visit by Trade Minister David Parker.

The campaign included Mr Apple, Comvita, Zespri, A2 and Anchor and showcased products many Chinese consumers perceive as core NZ items.

The Food Basket launched with nine companies including Rockit Apples, Pamu, Zealong Tea and Babich Wines selling immediately with nine more on board by June. They include Zespri, Sanford, Alliance and Lewis Road Creamery.

Alliance chief executive David Surveyor welcomed the chance to connect directly with wealthy Chinese consumers with grassgrown lamb, beef and venison through the Tmall Fresh platform.

“It will serve to strengthen our presence in China, a market Alliance group has been working in since the mid-1990s.”

NZ’s Shanghai trade commissioner Damon Paling said Freshippo sets the benchmark in China for modern retail offering the best cold-chain logistics and last-mile delivery so critical for NZ exporters of chilled seafood, meat and horticultural products.

“They plan to have 2000 stores China-wide so getting NZ on at the bottom of the escalator and riding with Freshippo all the way to the top is a key strategy,” he said.

The Freshippo shops, founded in 2015, represent a continual blurring between online and bricks-and-mortar food retailers.

The chain’s 140 shops in 20 cities running the campaign are at the leading edge of what Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma has described as new retail.

Stores focus on consumer

IT’S GOOD: Freshippo sets the benchmark in China, New Zealand trade commissioner Damon Paling says.

experiences, in-store eating and the online logistical order taking and distribution.

Freshippo customers can scan QR codes to get videos and details of a product’s provenance, ratings on its quality and information on how to cook it.

Payment at the counter can be done through facial recognition software.

They can also use their store app to click and collect or to have the goods delivered to their home if it is less than 3km away.

Reports from China suggest the guaranteed 30-minute delivery time is now starting to affect property values, similar to how school zoning in NZ. More than half of fresh produce sales are to online buyers.

Alibaba says up to 60% of its sales are now online.

Freshippo chief executive Hou Yi said the NZ Life Experience Week aimed to increase consumers’ knowledge of NZ and promote the pure, nutritious aspects of its produce.

Low pesticide use and genetic modification-free produce are key selling points to Chinese consumers often still wary of the safety and quality of local produce.

Alibaba reported sales of $500 billion in the last year. It has 20,000 brands in 4000 categories.

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News

18 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

BACKER: Hamish de Lautour and fellow director Howie Gardner have agree to provide financial support for Primary Wool Cooperative.

Directors back PWC despite audit doubts Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz PRIMARY Wool Co-operative is depending on the ongoing support of two of its directors after reporting another annual loss.

The auditor, KPMG, said in the annual report there is a material uncertainty that might cast significant doubt on the company’s ability to continue as a going-concern.

After a delay of several months in completing the accounts Primary Wool reported a loss of $394,776 for the year ended June 30, 2018, following a $2.36 million loss a year earlier.

The directors say they believe the company can meet its obligations when they fall due.

Directors Howie Gardner and Hamish de Lautour have agreed to provide financial support.

Since June 30 payments of $10,000 from Gardner and $20,000 from de Lautour have been received and $1.95m of shareholder loans have been converted to redeemable preference shares.

The loans include a longstanding one of $1.65m from chairman Bay de Lautour. The notes to the accounts say the

company has promised to service the loan taken out by him to provide the support, if required in certain circumstances.

The three directors also each made loans of $100,000 to the company in 2017.

The directors say they believe the company can meet its obligations when they fall due.

The notes also say the 2019 cashflow budget requires limited cash injections and the requirements can be reduced further by reductions in directors’ fees, which the directors will do if necessary.

Primary Wool is essentially a holding company for its 50%-owned Carrfields Primary Wool (CPW) business. CPW now owns about 70% of Christchurchbased NZ Yarns. In his report Bay de Lautour said NZ Yarn still finds it difficult to generate the volume of orders it would like.

NZ Yarn has been looking

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for further investors and since balance date hemp interests have taken a 12% stake.

The co-op’s equity-accounted share of the CP Wool loss was $87,000, compared to a loss of $1.64m in 2017.

Primary Wool has advanced $2.175m to CP Wool as a loan at 10% interest, payable on demand.

Repayment is not expected in the next year and the directors said the advance is considered to form part of the company’s investment in CP Wool.

Primary Wool used to get income from selling wool sacks to shareholders but that role has been taken on by CP Wool.

The annual report shows at June 30 Primary Wool had total assets of $2.22m, total liabilities of $2.02m and shareholders’ funds of $196,000.

The equity position has increased from $93,524 a year earlier, partly from the subscriptions from new shareholders joining the cooperative.

Shareholders received rebates of $379,704 on the 2017 year but no rebate was paid on the 2018 result.

The operating cash outflow was $303,143, compared to an outflow of $418,313 previously.

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RECORD BREAKER: Napier born shearer Lou Brown three days before setting the new Merino ewe shearing record.

Kiwi shearer shatters Merinos record NEW Zealand-born shearer Lou Brown has completed the quickest-ever day of Merino shearing to smash a world record set 16 years ago.

The 31-year-old Brown, based in Bunbury, south of Perth, Western Australia, but raised in Napier, shore 497 Merino ewes in eight hours in a woolshed near Kojonup.

At just under 58 seconds a sheep it was 31 more than the previous record of 466 ewes set by fellow Kiwi Cartwright Terry in a two-stand record with

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brother Michael James Terry in 2003, also in West Australia.

It was also just 33 shy of NZ shearer Stacey Te Huia’s ninehour record of 530 set in New South Wales four years ago and regarded as one of the greatest tally shears in Australian woolshed history.

The standard of shearing was monitored by an international panel of four judges appointed by the World Sheep Shearing Records Society, headed by northern Hawke’s Bay farmer Bart Hadfield.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

19

Water pilot makes good progress Annette Scott annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz MID Canterbury farmers are leading the way with a project likely to be copied nationwide to improve groundwater quality and quantity.

Findings of the first three years of the Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) project have been revealed in a series of public meetings in Ashburton District.

Chairman Peter Lowe said the pilot MAR, now into its fourth year, has raised groundwater levels in surrounding aquifers and reduced nitrate concentrations.

It has also attracted nationwide attention.

MAR uses surplus stock water fed into a leaky pond so the water filters down into groundwater aquifers.

Three years of data shows pilot has diluted nitrate concentrations from 14mg/l to four and raised well levels up to 18 metres.

Achieving Canterbury regional plan targets of reducing on-farm nitrogen losses by up to 36% by 2035 needs more than good management practice, Lowe said.

While farmers are improving irrigation efficiency and applying less fertiliser, more needs to be done.

“We have got more efficient but we are not tracking where we want to be.

“We are more environmentally friendly in our farming practices and we are leaching less.

“But we are growing more grass so we are not making ground.

“Good management practice alone won’t be enough to meet community expectations that include a nitrate level of 6.9mg per litre or less.”

So everyone needs to work together and that’s the next phase of the MAR project.

It’s important the community understands the success of MAR so far and the potential it has to become a key tool in improving water quality and quantity, Lowe said.

The group rolled out its wider community business plan for the next three years which includes 18

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IT WORKS: Governance group representatives Rab McDowell, Bob Bower, chairman Peter Lowe and Phil Everest reveal the success of the Managed Aquifer Recharge pilot site.

Photo: Annette Scott

It would be good to outline the positive progress the community is making to the law-makers in Wellington.

Peter Lowe Managed Aquifer Recharge testing sites already consented.

By 2021 MAR will operate as a community scheme, projectmanaged and self-funded through a community trust.

The new trust is applying to the Provincial Growth Fund for $1 million for the next phase of the $11m project, proposed to become a vital tool in improving

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water quality and quantity.

Farmers are likely to foot most of the remaining $10m.

But without MAR, the business case, put together by McFarlane Rural Business, outlines a significant impact on farming and its communities.

“Without MAR meeting the targets is not a particularly palatable project,” McFarlane adviser Phil Everest said.

Farm system change would see a 30% reduction in the dairy platform, a 30% reduction in dairy support and a 30% reduction in small seed production.

On-farm profitability would reduce, land values would fall by $20,000 a hectare and the impact on the community would reduce spending by $370m.

“A massive impact on the town (Ashburton),” Everest said.

With MAR no land use changes will be needed.

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“But farmers will have to continue to significantly improve their practices and net profit will reduce by $364/ha or $91,000 for a 250ha property.”

How the $10m is raised for the community MAR scheme is yet to be determined.

“We, as a community, will pay for that, farmers the most and when we know better what pushes and pulls the knobs we can firm that up,” Everest said.

Water solutions expert Bob Bower said 1200 MAR schemes are working successfully around the world.

“So it’s not new. I have been involved in projects in the (United) States for 20 years but this will be a first for New Zealand.”

The design of the Mid Canterbury scheme is the first of its kind.

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Canterbury is a unique system for NZ and a system that can adapt to suit other regions,” Bower said.

“We shamelessly sought data from overseas and we’re happy to share with other areas of NZ,” Lowe said.

He is happy with the response from the meetings.

“There were some good questions and farmers and the community realise the benefits of the project.

“It would be good to outline the positive progress the community is making to the law-makers in Wellington.

“They have been invited down but they haven’t showed face – yet,” Lowe said.

Interest in the project has already come from Southland and Hawke’s Bay with models for the wider Canterbury region in the pipeline.

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News

20 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

Early fruit challenges Seeka Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz BIG kiwifruit post-harvest operator Seeka is well through its SunGold packing and says the season is challenging after a long, hot and dry summer.

The conditions brought forward fruit maturity but not all sizes matured together and earlysoftening was a risk for some fruit, chief executive Michael Franks said.

Bay of Plenty-based Seeka has completed about 70% of the SunGold work. The early harvest meant fruit could get away to market early to get the good early prices.

“How it keeps is the issue for us,” he said.

The Hayward pack-out was about 30% progressed and the pack house teams will be fully into that when the SunGold is completed in the next few days.

The post-harvest operations make up 61% of Seeka’s annual revenues. It is the country’s biggest kiwifruit orchardist with a lot of leased-sites but post-harvest is much the bigger part of both the kiwifruit and overall operations.

Its own orchards supply 36% of the post-harvest volumes.

Labour availability is always an issue for the kiwifruit sector and the early SunGold harvest this year means the group struggled initially as many seasonal workers were still doing other work in Hawke’s Bay, Franks said.

And the increasing SunGold volumes will keep putting pressure on having enough workers.

Seeka will know in the next four weeks or so how the overall harvest season is stacking up and the timing should fit in with more detail on the sale of remaining Northland kiwifruit blocks, which are being sold with long-term agreements to supply the group’s packing business.

On December 31 Seeka had

GLITCH: The avocado business has struggled with the export mechanism for Australia, Seeka chief executive Michael Franks says.

$7 million worth of Northland orchards sold for a $600,000 gain and since then another nearly $26m of sale value has been settled or agreed for a gain of $4.2m. There is good interest in remaining orchards.

After the sales are completed and with a $48m capital-raising late last year, he expects Seeka to be within its targeted debt to operating earnings (Ebitda) ratio by the end of the year despite heavy capital investment over the last year.

It included the acquisition of orchard and post-packing group Aongatete in March for $25m.

Seeka’s earlier earnings guidance for the year did not include the Aongatete impact but Franks said

it would take some time, likely in 2020, to confirm the sustainable contributions from the new business.

New Zealand kiwifruit makes up 76% of group assets and 87% of revenue.

The targeted ratio is debt at 1.5 to 2.5 times the earnings figure.

The ratio was just over three times on December 31.

New Zealand kiwifruit makes up 76% of group assets and 87% of revenue. The other businesses

have proved challenging.

Earnings from the Victoriabased orchard operations in Australia last year were well below previous levels because of a difficult growing season and management restructuring has been done.

The NZ avocado business has struggled with the export mechanism into Australia. The earlier pre-clearance system for fruit in NZ has been removed, with all fruit now inspected in Australia, and delays causing more fruit to fail the testing, Franks said.

The NZ retail business (3% of assets and 6% of revenue) has also been difficult with the banana import and sale operations a constant headache.

The retail business has a nutritionals focus and though small is important for the group’s connections to markets.

The capital-raising late last year was important for Seeka because increased domestic shareholdings taken up have reduced foreign ownership from just above 25% to just over 13% now.

That took the company away from the 25% threshold at which it is subject to Overseas Investment Office rules, Franks said.

The two major holders, Farmind of Japan and banana specialist Sumifru Singapore (an associate of Japan’s Sumitomo group) have reduced their holdings to 5.63% from nearly 16% and to 7.14% from 11.95% respectively.

IHC fundraising calf scheme is on again Annette Scott annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz THE annual IHC calf and rural fundraising scheme fell short of its target last season with organisers reaching out to farmers to get on board this year.

IHC national fundraising manager Greg Millar said last year was terrible for many farmers and he hopes the scheme can bounce back this year.

“Farmers still managed to raise $650,000 for people with intellectual disabilities and despite falling short of our $1m target it was great to see the rural community continue to support our cause,” Millar said.

The national advocacy organisation for people with intellectual disabilities has acknowledged the challenging

times with the introduction of new processes as the industry grapples with Mycoplasma bovis.

Millar said the calf and rural scheme will continue and this year is more important than ever.

“While the process of the scheme has changed, its purpose has not – to make a real difference to the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, particularly those living in rural communities.

“It’s a big ask of farmers but, more than ever, we need your support.

“We want to get as many pink IHC tags into the ears of calves around the country as possible this year.”

Millar said the scheme is off to a good start.

“We have already started to receive pledges of calves.”

Farmers are now asked to

arrange transport of their IHC calves, along with their own calves, going to sales.

“Many farmers have told us they prefer this system as it is more convenient to send the calf or calves at a time that suits them.

“The sale of that particular pink tagged calf will be donated to IHC from any sale yards in New Zealand.”

If farmers can’t send calves to sale with their own lot IHC can pay to get them there.

“You just need to organise this with your local transporter and let us know.”

Other farmers can also donate by way of a lamb or two or a tonne of grain.

“It’s not just dairy and beef farmers who have helped out.

“We have also received interest from sheep farmers who have

HERE’S HOPING: IHC aims to get as many pink IHC tags into the ears of calves as possible this year after falling short of its $1m target last year.

donated a sheep or two at the sale yards and tagged them for IHC.” PGG Wrightson has supported the scheme for 33 years.

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The IHC Virtual Calf Scheme option is still available via the IHC website www.ihc.org.nz/calf or at 0800 442 500.

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22 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

Environmental honou Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz

E

LEVEN regional supreme winners in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards series for 2019 will be judged in May to find the national winner.

The Gordon Stephenson Trophy will be awarded to the national winners at the National Sustainability Showcase to be held in Hamilton on June 6.

As well as hosting a judging panel for the third time at progressive levels of the process, regional winners have opened their gates to public field days, six of which have still to occur during May (see dates below).

Seven of the 11 are sheep and beef farms, two are dairy farms, one has beef cattle, deer and goats, another is a cropping and finishing property and the 11th is a diversified horticulture business.

From north to south the regional supreme award winners are:

Northland

Northland The Malley family of Maungatapere Berries, just west of Whangarei, have a complex, labour-heavy business growing raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and green and gold kiwifruit.

Former Young Grower of the Year Patrick Malley and his wife Rebecca and Patrick’s parents Dermott and Linzi developed the business in eight years from a kiwifruit and avocado orchard on what is now 37ha.

They employ 45 permanent staff and have a seasonal requirement for up to 180 people for berry picking and packing.

The Malleys were praised for continual innovation, exceptional employee management, crop diversity and attention to detail.

Auckland

agrievents AWDT Understanding Your Farming Business & Wahine Maia, Wahine Whenua 3 full-day workshops and an evening graduation ceremony run over four months. Equips and supports women involved in sheep and beef farming to lift business performance.

Registrations for 2019 programmes are now open, visit the website for more information and to register.

Locations and dates (3 modules & graduation): Tuatapere: 22 May, 19 Jun, 17 Jul & 14 Aug Winton: 23 May, 20 Jun, 18 Jul & 15 Aug Taihape: 22 May, 19 Jun, 17 Jul & 14 Aug Geraldine: 30 May, 27 Jun, 25 Jul & 22 Aug Opotiki (WMWW): 29 May, 26 Jun, 24 Jul & 21 Aug Blenheim: 5 Jun, 3 Jul, 31 Jul & 28 Aug Christchurch (WMWW): 5 Jun, 3 Jul, 31 Jul & 28 Aug Little River: 6 Jun, 4 Jul, 1 Aug & 29 Aug

Auckland Ross and Eleanor Webber have proven environmental credentials over four decades farming Angus beef cattle, deer and mohair goats on South Kaipara Head.

They have protected waterways and

natural bush areas, converted pine forests into native trees, enhanced native bush diversity through fruit and seed sources for birds and eco-sourced plants for a challenging habitat.

The Webber farm winters about 150 cows and sells most of the progeny as weaners, retains 20-25 heifer calves as replacements and up to 25 steers to be finished, depending on the season.

Waikato Dennley Farms at Tirau, operated by Adrian and Pauline Ball, has become a showplace of low-input, low-footprint, high-animal welfare values alongside the Waihou River.

The cropping and finishing farm is run on solar power for fencing, pumping and electric appliances.

Fertilisers are applied at appropriate times after soil testing, annually for cropping land and biennially for pasture.

The Waikato judges said the Balls have made bold and brave changes to their farming practices, from production to profit and greater emphasis on the environmental and social footprints.

Bay of Plenty Whakatane dairy farmers Fraser and Katherine McGougan milk 430 cows on a 134ha effective platform.

The farm balance of 16ha has waterways and native bush areas all fenced and now featuring stands of kahikatea with new planting to assist in regeneration.

All waste materials are recycled and the water in the farm dairy is used three times before it enters the effluent ponds.

Fraser is a climate change ambassador for DairyNZ. The role involves keeping up to date with the latest science and feeding it back to other farmers.

Taranaki MataRata Downs, a sheep and beef farm at Tarata, east of Inglewood, exhibited hard work on impressive environmental activities, the regional judges said.

Owned and operated by farming partners Jarred and Susan Coogan and her parents Bryan and Helen Hocken, MataRata has a significant number of established trees to provide shelter for livestock and stabilise at-risk areas.

The plantings and the fencing showed knowledge and passion.

“The team’s contagious passion for all aspects of agriculture and strong intergenerational thinking, its link to the community and a strong business plan edged out their competitors.”

East Coast Sustainable farmers Nick and Nicky Dawson, from Patoka, near Hastings, have been nearly 20 years on the 186ha Glenelg property.

The Dawsons have gained superb environmental performance through innovation and efficiency.

The milking herd has come down from 500 to 360 cows, now milked once-a-day from before Christmas. Yet production remains ahead of district and national averages.

Water use in the shed is 40% below the dairy industry average. A fifth of the farm is fully retired from grazing and stock have been excluded from all waterways.

Manawatu-Wanganui A large sheep and beef farm at Weber owned by Simon and Trudy Hales is being farmed for future sustainability, having been in the Hales family for more than a century.

Now 970ha, it carries 3850 ewes and a flexible number of cattle according to the markets.

After taking on full ownership from Simon’s parents last year they have plans for a future programme of native planting to improve the farm’s aesthetics and to mitigate the effect of soil loss through erosion.

Livestock are now excluded from most of the Akitio River and Trudy propagates native seedlings from local seed sources for riparian planting.

Website: To register visit www.awdt.org.nz/programmes.

Contact: keri@awdt.org.nz or 06 375 8180 for more information Red Meat Profit Partnership (RMPP) – facilitation training workshops For rural professionals looking to facilitate an RMPP Action Network Action Group.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

23

urs come together Greater Wellington Palliser Ridge sheep and beef farm near Featherston is an innovative business that leverages its farm outputs and natural features with the environment always in mind.

Majority-owned by Jim and Marilyn Law and managed by part-owners Kurt and Lisa Portas, Palliser Ridge has many facets.

Its runs an off-grid retreat and onfarm tour enterprise and creates and markets its own honey, lambs’ wool and hand-knitted clothing products used to demonstrate the wonders of wool.

The farmers are committed to enhancing biodiversity, ensuring excellent animal health and welfare, empowering and motivating their workforce and maintaining tidy and efficient infrastructure.

Canterbury Strong community support activities and environmental determination have earned sheep and beef farmers Duncan and Tina Mackintosh regional honours as well as grateful thanks.

They have helped nearby North Loburn school reach enviro-school gold status in the Garden to Table programme.

Tina advocated for the inclusion of meat to teach children about where it comes from and its nutritional benefits.

They also organised a 24-hour Sheara-Thon for suicide prevention that raised $45,000.

The couple recently established a 91ha QEII covenant on the farm, called White Rock Mains.

Otago Fine wool production in a challenging environment underpins the business plan for Rocks Station, owned by Andrew and Lynnore Templeton, at Outram, inland from Dunedin.

Rocks Station has excelled thanks to the use of good genetics and innovative breeding with a productive and profitable sheep flock of Merinos and half breeds.

Andrew has a strong passion for wool and that is a key component in their sheep breeding efforts, with impressive returns, including 40,000kg in annual wool production.

Fifteen years of improvements have included 150ha of irrigation, 100ha of reseeding and 40km of fencing.

Southland Landcorp’s Kepler Farm at Te Anau has produced excellent result under the management of Travis Leslie and Catriona Cunningham since 2012.

Carrying 7300 sheep and 1650 cattle, Kepler is home to the FocusPrime programme to breed terminal sires, 500 of which are sold each December.

The judges were impressed by plantings of more than 10,000 trees and shrubs in the past two years in riparian zones and as livestock shelter.

“It is an amazing example of a largescale farm where high-productivity farming and environmental sustainability have been achieved.”

Open days • Northland: Maungatapere Berries, May 9 • Southland: Kepler Farm, Te Anau, May 9 • Auckland: Webber Farm, South Kaipara Head, May 10 • Canterbury: White Rock Mains, May 10 • Greater Wellington: Palliser Ridge, May 14 • Waikato: Dennley Farms, Tirau, May 16

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24 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

Mum, teacher, farmer, winner Taranaki dairy farmer Trish Rankin was a self-acclaimed townie having never been on a farm until her husband decided to go dairy farming. Now the passionate environmentalist has been crowned Dairy Woman of the Year. She talked to Annette Scott.

D

AIRY farmer, passionate environmentalist and part-time teacher Trish Rankin has taken out the prestigious Dairy Woman of the Year 2019 title.

The Taranaki mum headed off the field of four finalists at the Dairy Woman’s Network conference in Christchurch last week.

Rankin balances full-time farming with her husband Glen and their four boys with teaching part time at Opunake Primary School.

Her passion for the environment and leaving the land a better place for her boys and future generations has led to her involvement in a multitude of environmental roles.

And it’s the support in those roles of her family and community that allows her to follow her passion as an environmentalist while still farming and teaching.

“I was born in Christchurch. My father was a policeman and in the army. We ended up in Greymouth and I went teaching as my career.

“I was a townie through and through but now I couldn’t think of anything but being a farmer.”

Rankin met Glen in Greymouth when he was working for AgriQuality after finishing a Taratahi dairy farming course.

In 2001 he decided to go dairy farming and moved to Canterbury where he was herd manager on an 800-cow farm.

Rankin took a job teaching in Ashburton.

“I had never been on a farm until Glen decided to go farming and while I stayed teaching full time I did take on the accounts, administration and human resources role in the background.”

But five years ago the couple made the decision to knuckle into their dream of farm ownership.

“We had just had our fourth son.

We were frantically busy but still not getting ahead so we decided to look for a sharemilking position.”

By 2016 the couple, following milking stints in Wairarapa and Hawke’s Bay, were successfully sharemilking in Northland and took out the region’s 2016 Sharemilker of the Year title.

It was only five years ago Rankin learnt her farming skills.

“I had given away the full-time teaching to become a full-time farm assistant, pooling our skills and focus to drive our farm business.

“I learnt to milk, drive tractors, feed stock, do fences as well as sort health and safety and human resources out.”

The most challenging part of becoming a farmer was learning to drive a tractor.

“Nothing was easy.

“It was more what wasn’t a challenge as I didn’t have a mechanical mind or much animal

sense but learning to drive a 180hp tractor pulling a slurry tanker was up there.

“If it wasn’t for my husband being so patient I wouldn’t be doing it at all.”

Northland also triggered her passion for the environment and her wider involvement in the dairy industry.

An active Dairy Enviro Leader (DEL) and member of the DEL network Rankin is also chairwoman of the Taranaki DEL group.

Her involvement with DEL started in 2015 with their move to Northland.

With three kids in three different rugby teams in three different towns I couldn’t do it without family and community support.

Trish Rankin Dairy Woman of the Year “It was a complete change of farming for us on hill country. I didn’t know anything about the land and how to farm it so I went to DairyNZ to seek advice and it was through DEL that I got support.

“That’s what’s so good about the dairy industry – anything you need help or advice with, there’s always support.”

Rankin was a force behind establishing DEL in Taranaki.

“It’s a really cool support network if you want to do better on farm.

“Once you get caught up in it you get hooked on its valuable information and the amazing group of people.”

A passionate environmentalist Rankin is working through the Kellogg Leadership Programme with her research project focused on waste minimisation on farms based on how a circular economy model can be developed on a NZ dairy farm.

“Farmers want to do better and the circular model of nonbiological waste is quite big overseas. It’s more than recycle, it’s about redesigning so it doesn’t create waste.

“On our farm we are buying products with the agri-recovery logo. It starts with purchasing decisions. Everybody wants product much better packaged to have less waste and that goes up the line to the manufacturer but we all have to work on it together.

“The Sustainable Business Network is doing a lot of good work for circular economy.”

WELL DONE: Fonterra co-operative affairs manager Mike Cronin presented Trish Rankin with the Dairy Woman of the Year award.

In 2018 Rankin was elected to the national executive of the NZ Dairy Awards and last year was also selected as a NZ climate change ambassador as part of the Dairy Action for Climate Change.

“I didn’t know anything about climate change and so I needed to find out to help me on my farm and in my community.”

As an industry ambassador the role is about being the farmers’ voice to keep farmers’ views forefront in conversations with policy makers.

She still works part-time teaching in terms one, two and four but term three is full time farming.

“I do 0.8 teaching four days a week and relief milk Friday and Saturday but term three is calves full time for me.”

The Rankins are entering their

third season as 45:55 sharemilkers on a 150ha Parininihi ki Waitotara (PKW) farm milking 460 cows in South Taranaki.

“PKW have kaitiakitanga which is guardianship of the land and whanaungatanga, the importance of whanau/family.”

That is key to driving Rankin’s passion for the environment and her willingness to go beyond and make the dairy industry a better place for all and future generations.

“Taranaki is unique, such an amazing place with an amazingly supportive community. We have never experienced such a sense of community and that’s why I can do all that I do.

“It’s just a text to get help and support and we do it for each other – with three kids in three different rugby teams in three different towns I couldn’t do it

without family and community support.

“Being involved in a lot, you get to know a lot of people and the more support there is around you.

We have just got to juggle.”

DWN trustee and judge Alison Gibb said the judges were impressed with Rankin’s selfawareness, her preparedness to grow and focus her make-ithappen attitude to problemsolving environmental issues.

Rankin received a scholarship prize of $20,000 to do a professional business development programme, sponsored by Fonterra.

“I have a bit of planning to do to make sure I make the best of this opportunity.

“It will be a chance to catapult some things I want to do but I want to take the time to plan the right thing,” she said.

New thinking

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

WATER SWAMI: Scientists Dr Val Snow and Professor Stuart Bradley are using sound to improve soil and cut nutrient losses.

25

Photo: Johnny Houston

Sound study makes water music Some avid gardeners swear playing music to plants helps accelerate their growth. Now researchers in Canterbury have found directing sound signals at soil could ultimately help improve its health, reduce nutrient losses and save farmers money. AgResearch senior scientist Dr Val Snow and Auckland University acoustics physicist Professor Stuart Bradley and have been leading work into better understanding the link between sound, water and runoff. They told Richard Rennie about their work.

A

JOINT research project between AgResearch and Auckland University scientists at the leading edge of technology is using sound waves to determine optimal irrigation levels.

Known as the Surface Water Assessment and Mitigation for Irrigation (SWAMI), the technology is being used to define a relationship between how sound waves bounce off the soil surface and controlling irrigation applications.

AgResearch senior scientist Dr Val Snow says the traditional means of determining optimal irrigation levels for modern precision irrigation systems usually relies on measuring soil moisture levels and using that to adjust application rates.

“But what existing precision systems can’t take account of is the effect of free water that ponds on the soil surface. This is water that can go one of three ways.

“It may run off, taking nutrients, sediment and bacteria with it, it

can seep through a macro-pore in the soil and be lost to the plant, possibly ending up in the water table or thirdly it may simply sit there and over time damage the soil’s health, making that soil more vulnerable to the effects of pugging and consolidation.”

The ponding can be caused by systems simply not being able to deliver at a low enough rate to match the soil’s absorption, particularly on heavier clay soils or where the soil is already too wet in places.

With electricity costs constantly creeping up, regional councils seeking greater proof of placement for irrigation and tightening constraints on nutrient losses researchers believe their work will be well received by farmers as it moves to larger-scale trials next summer.

The most basic components of the system are an array of speakers that direct a sound signal at the soil surface with the signal’s return picked up by an array of microphones.

“This is really the low-cost

part of the technology with the real smarts sitting behind the arrays,”Auckland University acoustics physicist Professor Stuart Bradley says.

Early what-if modelling indicates you don’t need to reduce water use by much to easily recoup the cost of the equipment on a variable-rate system.

Dr Val Snow AgResearch As the signal bounces off the soil surface the presence of ponded water will cause the sound signal’s volume to shift.

The patented technology developed in the joint venture is still in its early stages but

researchers are starting to find an algorithmic relationship between the signal change and the amount of ponded water on the soil.

Typically, the more ponded water on the surface the closer the bounced sound signal mirrors the original signal.

“We are finding the shift in the sound signal occurs in the range of about 0-30% of the soil surface being ponded, which is a really realistic, workable range – if it had worked over, say, only 0-5% it really would not have been as useful,” Snow said.

The next step for researchers is to figure out what the trigger is to vary irrigation water application.

“Ultimately, we can see a series of these units on a centre pivot arm, providing immediate feedback to control the flow of applied water.”

In areas where water ponding is detected as being too high by the technology a signal will turn water flow off.

Bradley and Snow are confident the technology can be economically fitted to variable-

rate irrigation systems, with even small savings in water use seeing it pay back in a short period.

“This is subject to further study, hopefully from our next funding round, but the more information we get back the most positive this is looking. Early what-if modelling indicates you don’t need to reduce water use by much to easily recoup the cost of the equipment on a variable-rate system,” Snow said.

So far trials have been done on a relatively small irrigation system with a larger-scale, commercial trial scheduled for the coming season.

Snow said funding has come through the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment’s Smart Ideas programme.

Bradley said the work has linked his past work on rainfall to his more recent work in acoustics while the joint venture process has proved invaluable in sharing expertise.

“It has been very much a case of the sum being greater than the parts of the project.”

Opinion

26 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

EDITORIAL

Women play vital roles in farming

O

N FARM Story star Trish Rankin was named Dairy Woman of the Year last week.

The amount of work the South Taranaki farmer manages to fit into a week puts a lot of us to shame and the accolade is well-deserved.

As well as farming with husband Glen, Trish also teaches part time in Opunake and has various other industry and governance roles. I grew up not far from Trish’s farm so as well as a fair but of parochial pride in her win, it shows just how integral she and other women like her are to our industry.

In some ways farming is ahead of the rest of society on issues like equality.

Running a family farming business is a partnership and each member of that partnership contributes equally.

Things such as childcare can be shared because different jobs on farm are done by different people at various times. One might have practical skills, the other intellectual but both are needed to succeed.

And it’s not just the usual male outdoors, female indoors split one might expect. A scan down our On Farm Story catalogue will show a high proportion of women leading the way out on the land. Agriculture has recognised this contribution and tailored programmes to reinforce the skills women bring to the industry.

There are escalator programmes, networks and other organisations focused on, firstly, recognising the role of women then making sure that talent is nurtured and given every chance to succeed further.

Our industry needs to attract good people who want to make a career either on the land or affiliated to it.

Discrimination won’t get us where we need to be. We’ve recognised that and appear to have the infrastructure in place to make sure worthy women are identified, nurtured and celebrated. So well done Trish, you’ve done farmers – and Taranaki – proud.

Bryan Gibson

LETTERS

More letters P29, 30

Dream on but Fonterra’s vital I CHALLENGE Allan Barber to find a group of dairy farmers anywhere in the world where dairy cooperatives no longer dominate that are satisfied with their payout.

I suggest he talks to a few dairy farmers in Australia and then in England and asks them what life is like once you get rid of your co-operatives.

Private companies, in the vast majority of cases foreign owned, will all pay a little more than Fonterra to attract suppliers.

My nearest privately owned dairy company pays 10c above the Fonterra milk price. It makes no secret of the fact that is the minimum it can pay

and retain suppliers.

Tatua has often paid more than $1 above the Fonterra milk price because it is a co-operative that pays all its profits back to its suppliers or reinvests in the co-operative.

No privately run company would ever pay out all its profits to its farmer suppliers.

They will pay what they need to pay to retain supply and profits will go to their shareholders, who, in the main, live offshore.

Fonterra has some issues, no doubt, some self-made, some forced on it, but if Barber ever thinks dairy farmers will prosper in New Zealand without a co-operative he’s dreaming.

It hasn’t happened anywhere

else in the world and it won’t happen here.

John Gregan Waimate

Sacrifice YOUR April 15 issue headed Gas Tax Is Closer reveals some of the intentions of the Interim Climate Change Committee’s details soon to be announced by the Government.

It is chilling to read emission taxes will be levied on farmers to be used to introduce the policy and also to help rural communities cope with the likely loss of jobs and services such as schools as farming families leave areas when farmland is planted in trees

to offset emissions.

These emissions are principally the carbon dioxide emitted by all transport and electricity generation.

Recently, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton released a report that is science-based with the main recommendation that as carbon dioxide is the principal long-lived greenhouse gas it should be treated separately from short-life methane produced by ruminants such as sheep and cattle.

The report has been rejected by the Government saying planning is too far advanced to change now and to do so will create uncertainty for emitters Continued page 29

Letterof theWeek EDITOR Bryan Gibson 06 323 1519 bryan.gibson@globalhq.co.nz EDITORIAL Stephen Bell 06 323 0769 editorial@globalhq.co.nz Neal Wallace 03 474 9240 neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz Annette Scott 03 308 4001 annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz Hugh Stringleman 09 432 8594 hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz Alan Williams 03 359 3511 alan.williams@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 6, 2019

27

Forests only temporary measure Graeme Edwards

T

HE recent Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment report Farms, Forests and Fossil Fuels is a breath of fresh air, which looks holistically at and puts in historical context a number of our land use sustainability issues.

Further, it presents a coherent way forward, which is particularly relevant given Government consultations on both the Emissions Trading Scheme and Zero Carbon Bill, together with general public concern about water quality and biodiversity.

The logical application of the latest science in commissioner Simon Upton’s report is in sharp contrast to the ideological basis of most public submissions and the simplistic approach being presented by the Government’s Interim Climate Change Committee.

The New Zealand economy has always been based on agriculture, which has demonstrated over time to be remarkably resilient and adaptable.

A family farm with an intergenerational investment horizon has encouraged innovation and development with, for example, typically 50% of dairy farm revenue spent in local regions (NZ Institute of Economic Research report to the Dairy Companies Association).

However, that has resulted in considerable modification of the landscape with the associated impact that can have on water quality.

It is disappointing to see a Government claiming to have a regional focus appearing to blindly consider major policy changes contrary to science.

Without following science it will all be all pain without enduring gain.

Interim measures mooted by the ICCC to impose low-level taxes at processor level will not influence farm behaviour and risks being the Trojan horse for larger imposts.

Upton comprehensively addresses the impact of shortterm gases, principally methane, on global warming.

The oft-repeated claim that agriculture contributes 48% of NZ emissions is based on a simplistic, arbitrary assumption of carbon equivalence known as GWP100. It has been adopted internationally because it is simple and is reasonable for most countries, which have insignificant biological emissions.

For NZ it is highly misleading to equate release of persistent CO2 from fossil fuels accumulated over geological time with methane from a ruminant stomach accumulated by photosynthesis in the previous month, with a twelve-year half-life.

It is acknowledged that each molecule of methane does cause significantly greater warming than CO2.

Upton quotes Allen et al (Oxford University) who has shown that

The

Pulpit

GWP (as opposed to GWP100) is a much better predictor of actual radiative forcing (warming). The principal drivers of GWP are the accumulated CO2 concentration and the annual rate of change in concentration of short-lived gases.

Using GWP, methane’s actual contribution to NZ’s warming since 1990 reduces from above that of CO2 to less than half CO2.

More importantly, the GWP formula means that to hold 2050 warming to the Paris accord’s goal to limit warming to a 1.5C increase above pre-industrial levels, CO2 should be reduced to zero because any emissions will result in ongoing warming in perpetuity. This means NZ use of fossil fuels must be phased out or international credits bought.

A sector that has not attracted much attention but is possibly the most problematic is international tourism, often touted as a replacement for agriculture.

A sector that has not attracted much attention but is possibly the most problematic is international tourism, often touted as a replacement for agriculture.

Government-controlled Air NZ has, without scientific justification, submitted to zero carbon consultation that methane concentrations should be reduced to zero.

However, Allen et al show short term gases, of which methane is the most important, need only to have their rate of release modestly reduced. For biologically derived methane a 10% reduction over 30 years would suffice to achieve the 1.5C. A greater reduction target (IPCC estimated 35%) would apply to fossil derived methane.

GWP100 refers to warming in 100 years.

Upton highlights the focus on 2050 is another arbitrary horizon.

Conveniently, beyond 2050, the easy option treating the symptom rather than the cause via tree planting, will have a much lower effect.

Large-scale forestry should not

LISTEN TO HIM: Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton has presented a coherent way forward for dealing with emissions.

make windfall gains via the ETS at pastoral agriculture’s expense as such forest sinks are not a permanent solution. The extent of largely irreversible land use change from sheep and beef to forestry required to be effective is dramatic, as would be the impact on downstream industry and the regions generally.

One of the strengths of Upton’s report is its pulling together of a number of interrelated issues. Land use change affects both carbon emissions and water quality. Farmers should be incentivised to plant lowproductivity areas in either plantation or permanent forest.

The Ministry of Primary Industries’ ETS consultation documents are not encouraging in this respect.

MPI sensibly proposes to simplify the ETS by moving to an average forest carbon accumulation without the contingent liabilities at harvest or via natural disaster.

However, for the 80% of existing post-1989 forests MPI estimates are not registered, proposed transition arrangements mean they will not accrue any carbon credits for this or any subsequent rotation, yet there is no penalty for not replanting.

The extent of the land use change necessary for forestry to temporarily meet GWP100 targets would be devastating for rural communities and the economics of residual livestock processing.

The ICCC openly contemplates stranded on-farm and processing assets.

Widespread plantation forestry is a biological risk in itself and harvesting poses a huge risk of sediment discharges, of which recent east coast North Island events are just an extreme example.

While farmers are being encouraged to plant riparian strips, plantation forestry refuses to consider realistic set-backs

from waterways, which has contributed to these sediment discharges.

There is also a suggestion that turpene emissions from pine trees might inhibit methane removal from the atmosphere.

Aside from the imperative to eliminate fossil fuels the greatest opportunity for warming mitigation is a reduction of shortterm gases.

Reduction of biological methane beyond 10% over 30 years would exceed the Paris Accord goal. Agriculture should be encouraged and rewarded if it can achieve that and be regarded as climate heroes not villains.

Carbon footprint and productivity gains of about 1% a year over the last 30 years suggest it might be achievable and thus provide NZ a sustainable warming reduction, particularly considering it is generally accepted we are at or close to peak cow.

A similar strategy applies to nitrous oxide, the next most important short-lived gas. Farm system and forage changes plus fertiliser technologies should see reductions in both warming and nitrogen losses to the environment.

Following the holistic approach of the PCE report, the Government, if it genuinely wants a sustainable NZ solution consistent with the Paris accord should: • Plan to eliminate fossil fuels by 2050-2075 with a phase-out that allows adaptation and some purchase of international units; • Treat short-term gases, methane in particular, separately to leverage the effects of their reductions; • Set minimum reductions for short-term gases, perhaps via a separate methane ETS, likely to be reductions of the order of 10-20%; • Incentivise appropriate

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

reductions in short term gases as the best way to sustainably meet or exceed our Paris accord obligations. This is likely to be NZ’s lowest-cost, leastdisruptive and most-likely-tosucceed strategy. Biological emitters should be rewarded for exceeding targets; Prioritise investment in science to achieve methane reduction with minimal production compromise; Encourage via the ETS more diverse tree planting, particularly on-farm and eliminate disincentives such as the proposed transition to forest averaging; Provide that tree planting onfarm can be used to directly offset farm emissions; Ensure incentives to satisfy Paris accord obligations via plantation forestry do not lead to large-scale land use change because they will at best provide short-term relief and pose risks; Require all plantation forestry, agriculture and horticulture to meet equivalent water quality standards. Nitrogen cycle technologies will be important in achieving this; Avoid easy-to-apply processor taxes that do nothing to encourage change in on-farm behaviour and; Not apply capital gains tax to inter-generational farming because it looks beyond shortterm profitability to long-term sustainability.

Who am I? Graeme Edwards is a Northland dairy farmer.

Your View Got a view on some aspect of farming you would like to get across?

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Opinion

28 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

Trees and crops won’t save planet Alternative View

Alan Emerson

THERE’S been a lot of good news recently and I’m only surprised the country isn’t shouting from the rooftops.

Our prosperity is generated from exports and the story around exports is all good.

In March our total exports were $5.7 billion, a 19% increase on March last year.

At the same time imports shrank slightly to $4.8b giving us a surplus of $922 million, the largest since April 2011.

Exports of dairy products increased 22% to $1.4b, followed by meat and edible offal, food preparations including infant formula, forestry products and fruit.

So, take a bow farmers, foresters and orchardists. Without you the country would be stuffed.

That’s the good news.

After that we can read that horticulture and forestry are replacing dairy as primary sector darlings.

Then we hear investors have

planted 1000 hectares in avocados in Northland.

You can almost hear the champagne glasses clinking at Landcorp Towers in Wellington.

There are some issues, however.

Dairy is in production and will be taken out. Avocados need at least three years for commercial harvest so the Northland area will be doing a starve for that time.

Then we have the nitrogen discussion. Putting in trees instead of livestock, that’s what Landcorp and the Greens want – right.

Wrong.

Science tells us avocados use 100-250kg N/ha in California, Israel and South Africa where irrigation is normal.

In Australia growers in areas similar to Northland say they have top yields with 350-400kg N/ha/ year to promote growth.

One could also add that avocados have half the protein of parsley.

There’s also the argument up north of the virtues of kiwifruit.

Research suggests kiwifruit can lose more nitrates than dairy, as do onions and potatoes, mixed cropping and forestry.

So, you’re not going to save the planet by banning cows and planting crops.

When it comes to forestry there are many issues we’re not debating.

We are told cropping and horticulture use 4% of our land, scrub occupies 11%, plantation forests 12% and pasture 72%.

Logic suggests any increase in one ensures a decrease in the other. Avocados in Northland will increase by 1000 hectares meaning dairying will decrease by the same amount.

Between 2016 and 2017 forestry increased by 1700 hectares. In our region that doesn’t mean a reduction of 1700 hectares of scrub but of pasture.

Then there’s Shane Jones’ billion trees. That, by my maths, is a million hectares going into trees.

It won’t come from scrub but pasture and there will be no return for 30 years.

That means mainstream farming will lose to forestry and suffer for one and a half generations, not to mention the massive effect on rural communities.

I know the Government is hell bent on emissions trading and carbon neutrality but the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton’s report tells me pines won’t do that.

I accept his science.

Interestingly, Climate Change Minister James Shaw suggested if he had had the information from Upton’s report he might have done things differently.

NO BETTER: Crops like avocados and kiwifruit leach more nitrates than dairy farming.

That tells me is he doesn’t have a clue. Officials have locked him into one pattern and he’s not going to change – no matter what the evidence to the contrary.

So, we have a complete bugger’s muddle when it comes to farming going forward, a lot of emotion and scarcely any facts.

Getting out of cows into trees or crops won’t fix a lot except to please the fundamentalist vegans.

Taking land out of production for between three and 30 years in the hope of a brave new world won’t achieve much either.

I was highly critical of the previous government’s Te Hono project, where the appointed agricultural elite went to Stanford University and came back with the aim of doubling agricultural receipts by 2025.

They all agreed it was a great idea but they didn’t need a plan or strategy to get there.

As I wrote at the time, I thought it was a complete cop out and I still hold that view.

What we need is a credible, science-based, sustainable strategy that will take us to 2050 and beyond.

I don’t see the will at any level to achieve that.

What I do see are punitive plans, taxes and directives aimed at agriculture that will be plucked out of thin air, full of sound and fury but that will achieve absolutely nothing.

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

What Steve and Jane did on their holidays From the Ridge

Steve Wyn-Harris

I DOUBT if a rural column has ever been written in Milford Sound, so this is likely a first.

I wouldn’t want this to read like what Steve and Jane did on their holiday but there is no way around it.

We and the rest of our family were in Southland for our eldest son Jason’s wedding to Rosa, a good Winton girl.

Jason entered this column a long time ago as a small four-yearold boy.

He was born in Waipukurau and follows the previous four generations of London-born fellows to marry New Zealand South Island women. We know where to find the best women in the world and assist in keeping the gene pool well mixed at the same time.

The wedding, of course, was a great success with two families and their friends mixing and getting to know each other through the union of this young couple.

Following the big event Jane and I took the opportunity to have several days break from the farm.

Neither of us had been to Fiordland, which, in retrospect, seems a terrible oversight but it’s not on the way to anywhere so is a genuine destination and, as we were to discover, is fiendishly expensive, which is another disincentive.

However, I’m not telling the many of you who have been to these parts anything you don’t already know.

Other than the incredibly impressive scenery, the other impressive facet of this visit is the well-oiled machine that is the Fiordland tourism organisation.

There are large and, I imagine, very profitable tourism companies I was completely unaware of doing a roaring trade being very slick at giving the customers a good and well-managed experience then returning them only to do it time and time again.

We made our way to Te Anau where our company collected us in a bus and took us to Manapouri then on a flash ferry to the terminal next to the Manapouri power station. This was a big news story when I was growing up with the building of it and the resulting campaign to prevent the lake being raised, which was eventually successful and the natural lake level was preserved but with a still

FIRST-TIMER: Steve Wyn-Harris on his southern adventure.

decent hydro-generating scheme completed.

Then another bus took us over the only piece of isolated road that traverses the Wilmott Pass.

This was also one of the most expensive roads to build in the country.

We couldn’t see much landscape because of the rain but we were soon to realise this was a bonus as the sheer mountain sides of Doubtful Sound cascaded with myriad waterfalls and the rivers were roaring.

Our boat took us all the way down this fiord to the opening into the Tasman Sea but, just as James Cook, who had described

a possible crossing from the other side as Doubtful, our captain took the prudent step of giving us a good look out into the ocean before turning around and heading to our anchorage in Precipice Cove for the night.

About a third of the 70 on board went for a kayak, which was a wonderful experience, then Jane and I joined half a dozen younger ones for a plunge off the side into the 10C water and a fast swim back to the ladder.

A great meal accompanied by very expensive drinks followed.

It was a good chance to learn a bit about the lives of some of our shipmates.

We were the only Kiwis among the passengers so treated as a novelty in our own land.

We made the return trip with greatly improved views as the sun was now out and the following day walked a few hours on the Kepler Track before the unbelievably scenic drive on the Te Anau to Milford road.

We stopped at the entrance to the 1200-metre Homer tunnel and found the plaque that marks the life and death of Jane’s father’s cousin who was killed by an avalanche in 1936 during the early construction period. His death was followed two years later by those of two other men, also by avalanche.

Milford Sound was equally as impressive as Doubtful and we did the full tourist cruise again.

Last year nearly a million tourists visited, having doubled from just a few years earlier.

The sheer scale and grandeur of the vertical mountains carved by ancient glaciers is truly aweinspiring.

We are now leaving this magical world and heading back to our usual life greatly enhanced by the experience.

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

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Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

29

Protecting the NZ food story Chasing Value

Daniel Eb

I WAS a marketing manager for Xbox once.

To launch new games we would host huge fan events livestreamed to thousands online.

At one event something happened that tarnished a multimillion-dollar brand. An actor, dressed as the game’s strong, silent hero took the stage, went off script and started a cringeworthy conversation with the audience.

The whole episode was offbrand, out of character and, naturally, went viral. In minutes one mistake did untold damage to a brand that took years to build.

It was a valuable lesson. As marketers we are the guardians of our brand. Alongside the proactive campaigns that tell our story it’s our responsibility to confront the threats to our authenticity.

Kiwi food producers are entering a new era of storytelling.

That’s a good thing.

We have a powerful provenance message to tell the world, best demonstrated by Beef + Lamb’s Taste Pure Nature campaign recently launched in the United States.

But storytelling goes two ways.

As Mavis Mullins put it at this year’s AgriFood Week perspective panel, stories are only good if they’re true … let’s own the stuff that’s not great and front ourselves before someone else does.

To better understand this proactive/defensive brand balancing act let’s look closely at a key pillar of the New Zealand food story, animal welfare.

We usually talk about animal suffering reactively as it hits the headlines. Our animal welfare story is often defined by industry condemnation, banning and fines.

But safeguarding our reputation isn’t just about tackling the one-off

events. It’s about taking a harder road, honestly acknowledging that animal suffering is built in to our food system and relentlessly pushing standards and practices forward.

It’s useful to think about animal suffering in farming in two ways – systemic and marginal practices.

Systemic practices are hard to solve and critical to farming operations. Examples include castration, bobby calf wastage and forced weaning.

In contrast, marginal practices are relatively easy to solve and don’t affect most farmers. Live animal exports and cattle feedlots fit in this category.

Reducing our animal suffering footprint across both categories will be critical in the years ahead.

Martin Luther King’s long arc of justice extends to animals too and the rise of animal-free meat, dairy and poultry alternatives will redefine the ethics of animal food production.

If change is the only constant then what do we change first?

It makes sense to start with the marginal practices, such as live animal exports.

Before we talk authenticity and ethics let’s talk numbers. In 2017 we shipped $94 million worth of breeding cattle and sheep around the world. That’s about 0.4% of the $22.9 billion in total annual export earnings from sheep, beef and dairy.

That year we sent 27,000 cattle from NZ, rated A for animal welfare, to China, rated E, Sri Lanka and Papua New Guinea, neither with an animal welfare rating. Numbers did fall in 2018, however, to 14,000.

Never mind the marketing, this is risky business from a purely economic perspective.

And it’s happened before.

The kiwifruit industry’s decision to sell genetic intellectual property to international competitors eroded the national brand and resulted in a global oversupply, driving a price collapse in the early 1990s that almost bankrupted local growers.

But here’s the rub. We can’t tell two stories at the same time.

DON’T DO IT: The marginal gains from practices like live animal exports simply aren’t worth the risks to our collective reputation.

Marketing in this world means having the guts to disrupt our own model when our values call for it.

Either we’re world leaders in welfare, committed to treating our animals with respect and dignity.

Or we’re not.

We are Brand NZ – our reputation is collectively built and affects us all. If the Lord of the Rings crafts a reputation for natural beauty that helps us sell premium meat and milk then the opposite is also true.

Exposes of the horrific conditions aboard animal transport ships and allegations of malpractice undermine our reputation as food producers who farm with empathy.

The underlying message of live animal exporting is that our values are for sale. If the price is right we’ll disregard our self-imposed duty of care and ship our animals off to markets where they’re likely to be mistreated.

The sad case of the 2017 Sri Lankan shipment of dairy

LETTERS and the forestry sector.

No mention was made of the threat to the existence of large parts of NZ producing sheep and cattle.

As outlined above, this sector is earmarked to be sacrificed so the big emitters can continue to produce carbon dioxide while the country is directed towards being carbon neutral.

What is being ignored is that while all carbon dioxide produced by the burning of fossil fuels is adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, the methane produced by ruminants is not.

When the short-lived methane breaks down into carbon dioxide and water in the atmosphere, the carbon is simply returning to where it came from.

This is the process of photo-

breeders demonstrates this hypocrisy in action.

Designed to bolster Sri Lanka’s fresh milk supply, the project has since suffered 10% mortality, significant rates of disease and bankruptcy for several local farmers.

One of two things happened here. Either we failed to ensure our animals remained healthy on the journey or we failed to do our due diligence on the recipient Sri Lankan farmers. The result is the same, we have damaged our credibility as animal guardians.

This is the age of the connected, sceptical customer and authentic storytelling.

Decades of goodwill and trust can be wiped out in a tweet or an Al Jazeera documentary.

The marginal gains from practices like live animal exports simply aren’t worth the risks to our collective reputation in the longrun. The farmers and marketers working hard to build the NZ food story deserve better.

As we reach for a national food strategy we’re going to hit decision points about every aspect of our model in the coming years.

We need to accept that some practices just don’t have a future in the complex, competitive world

of modern food and farming.

It will not be a painless transition.

People will get angry, infrastructure will become redundant and short-term profits will be lost. We need to have the courage to confront the ingrained parts of our model that threaten the incredible story we’re trying to tell the world.

As we hit each decision point let’s remember the best marketing doesn’t happen on camera, across social media or in the advertising executive’s suite. It happens in the supply chain and around the boardroom.

Truly resilient, remarkable brands lead with their values, building customer trust through their actions and standing by their word.

In a world of fake news and fake meat, authenticity is king.

Marketing in this world means having the guts to disrupt our own model when our values call for it.

Your View Daniel Eb is the founder of Dirt Road Comms, a communications agency focused on transforming our food system and the rural New Zealand story.

More letters P26, 30 synthesis where carbon dioxide is absorbed by plants, the plants are eaten by animals and methane is a product of this.

It is a part of the carbon cycle and has happened for millions of years.

These climate change policies are being driven by political considerations and not science.

Rural and provincial NZ will take the hit. It is not just the farmers who will suffer. We need to be aware of what is intended and be prepared to put our case in front of the public.

We have logic, evidence and science to back us up.

Paul Studholme Waimate

Be fair IN RESPONSE to the Farmers

Weekly article, Living affects the environment.

In the article you summarised a Government report, Environment Aotearoa 2019, which highlighted a number of serious environmental impacts. However, you ignored the role agricultural businesses have played in causing those negative impacts.

It is one thing to draw attention to the conclusions of the report regarding urban waterways but to ignore the conclusions regarding pastoral waterways is perpetuating a self-serving narrative that avoids these very real issues.

Further, failing to acknowledge that in your article does a major disservice to the great number of intensive agricultural businesses that are seeking to mitigate

environmental impacts and to optimise their practices to our changing environment.

The selective reading of the report also leads to a number of misleading inferences. The analysis is based on percentage of river length, which is not reflective of the total amount of polluted rivers. Urban centres occupy about 228,000 hectares of New Zealand’s land area. In contrast, pastoral farming occupies over 11,000,000 hectares.

Therefore, to suppose that urban populations are having an equal or even comparable impact on waterways as intensive agricultural businesses is to completely misconstrue the facts. Urban waterways also tend to occur at the bottom of catchments, with most urban

centres at the confluence of river and sea.

It’s also worth noting the cleanup of urban waterways is or will be funded by ratepayers. But the clean-up cost of rural waterways is not being carried by intensive agricultural businesses. All businesses, both urban and rural, should cover their impact on NZ’s environment. If not then those businesses are effectively being subsidised by taxpayers.

While the pollution of urban waterways must change, focusing on this environmental issue alone is an often used tactic by agricultural leaders to deflect criticism from their own back yard. But we all know a failing in one area does not justify a failure

Continued page 29

Opinion

30 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

Where to for Chiwi agrifood?

The Braided Trail

Keith Woodford

CHINA must stay front of mind when considering agrifood developments.

The plan for Chinese Yili to buy Westland Co-operative Dairy has brought renewed discussion about the role of China in New Zealand agrifood industries.

Of course, the Westland issue is just one part of a much greater issue about the trading and political relationships linking our two countries.

There is a need for ongoing debate because the issues are profound.

There is also a need for the debate to be informed. I hope what follows here will contribute to an informed debate.

The starting point is to recognise China is easily NZ’s biggest agrifood destination and it continues to grow every year.

There is a fundamental logic behind why that is happening. It starts with the ongoing growth in the Chinese economy combined with the shift in that economy from saving to consumption.

Yes, in percentage terms China’s growth is now only about 6.5% a year, which is much less than the 10% for most of the last 50 years. But, in absolute terms, the economy is now growing faster than it was 10 years ago.

China is self-sufficient in grains for its human population and that is a fundamental principle of national security.

However, China cannot produce the plant-based foods needed by animal agriculture. So, it has to

import a lot of feed for pigs and dairy. It also makes economic sense for China to import some animal products rather than trying to produce them itself from imported feed.

The only catch from a Chinese perspective is the need to ensure stable supply lines from trustworthy partners. It needs partners who will not play political games.

There is, of course, an irony there. NZ also needs partners who do not play power games with it. Is China one such country or not?

There is no clear answer so many New Zealanders are very worried about our dependence on China. There is a widespread concern that China will undermine our democratic systems. That will undoubtedly be the focus of ongoing debate.

China is authoritarian, no argument about that. It is also a country of censorship.

When in China I find the internet restrictions frustrating but there are workarounds whereby those in the know can navigate through the firewall.

But yes, compared to Russia, for example, which I find relatively open, China is very authoritarian.

I have no doubt China does its share of spying. Every country does that. Unfortunately, it is the way of the world. We are ourselves part of Five Eyes, which has its own spy focus on China.

I find it interesting that China does not try to tell us how we should run our society.

However, we have a tendency to try to tell the Chinese how they should run their society.

I have been fortunate to spend significant time in China with visits going back 46 years to 1973. I have been able to travel and work in regions that foreigners seldom visit.

I have three overarching takeaways about China. The first is the

pace of change – the China you saw last year is already different this year. The second is that once over there, things can seem quite different to what we read in the media. The third is that, as Westerners, there is much about China we will never understand.

On reflection there is a fourth take-away. There are lots of so-called China experts who do not appreciate how little they know. Unfortunately, their clients do not realise it either. China is sufficiently complex that I don’t think Chinese themselves really understand their country.

So, let’s now look at the Kiwi side of our agrifood systems.

We are blessed with some great natural resources for food production and we have learned to produce some food products with great efficiency. Stand-outs are meat, dairy, kiwifruit ad wine.

We are also very good at processing and associated quality assurance. However, some of our processing industries have always had a heavy foreign influence.

We are good at marketing commodities and some ingredients but have a poor record when it comes to consumer products.

There are marketing exceptions, with wine being a great success as a consumer-branded product.

However, our wine industry is predominantly foreign-owned and managed.

So that leaves kiwifruit as the outstanding NZ-owned and managed example. The key issue there is that plant-variety rights for Sungold allow NZ to own both the brand and the category. Other products are typically much more difficult to differentiate than Zespri’s kiwifruit.

The other outstanding example is A2 Milk, which is the largest company of any type on the NZX. By value it has close to 50% greater market value than Fonterra and

LETTERS in another and it certainly does not justify a fundamental failure to accurately and comprehensively report on facts.

Martin Taylor Chief executive Fish and Game

Oil painting THE article about Nuffield scholar Solis Norton (April 22) and his studies of the economic implications of EROI (energy return on investment) points us to a very different future.

For the last 200 years or so we have been harvesting superconcentrated solar energy in the form of fossil fuels and one of the results has been the Green Revolution.

Technology has been given the

TOO TIGHT: Kiwis invest in farms but don’t like spending their own money on market development. And when they do, it often goes wrong, Professor Keith Woodford says.

is far ahead of all non agrifood companies. It is a genuine consumer-focused company.

However, although A2 has its head office in NZ, all the senior officials and all of the intellectual grunt are offshore. Most of the capital is also now owned offshore, with most shares traded on the Australian stock exchange.

We really did let that one go.

Quite simply, we did not get the A2 vision and we did not invest the capital. As an A2 believer since 2003 I remain frustrated at the path New Zealanders collectively chose.

I often read commentators saying we need to diversify away from China and find new markets.

The problem is that no-one apart from India is growing like China.

And good luck to those who think India is an easy market.

The irony is that in dairy, wine and meat it is the foreigners who have found NZ rather than vice versa. Most of our products are sold free on board at portside in NZ. It is others who develop the markets.

There is an additional problem that there is a lack of equity

capital in NZ to drive the market development process. We invest in farms but we don’t like spending our own money on market development. And when we do, it often goes wrong.

If we do want to develop overseas markets then kiwifruit and A2 Milk have to be the outstanding cases to study.

So, what is the path ahead?

I have not given that path here but I will say that each product category has its own unique specifics and therefore its own path.

What I have tried to do here is provide some basics on which any debate has to be conducted.

If people think there are simple answers to any of these issues then they are wrong.

As for a future without China as a major market, I shudder to think what that would mean.

Your View Keith Woodford was Professor of farm management and agribusiness at Lincoln University for 15 years to 2015. He is now principal consultant at AgriFood Systems. He can be contacted at kbwoodford@gmail.com

More letters P26, 29 credit but mostly we are feeding the world on oil – about 12 units of fossil fuel energy used for every unit of food energy.

I look out at my wee farm and see lush green grass – it’s looking a picture. But the picture has been painted with oil. Just think about what is needed to get inputs (fertiliser etc) and what is needed to get outputs away – energy, lots of it, and cheap oil is where we get it.

My stock are effectively eating oil and so are we.

Most people seem to think we can change to renewable energy sources and carry on the way we are. Well, the economic implications of other fuel sources having low EROI remove that option. I hesitate to predict what will emerge but it won’t be the

lifestyle we now have.

Whether I’m just another doomsday forecaster is irrelevant.

It’s about maths and, please, anyone who wants to counter my view, make sure your maths stack up.

Ian Alach Takaka

It’s drivel THE latest utterances by Claire Bleakley of GE Free New Zealand (April 22) follow the traditional pattern of well rehearsed drivel interspersed with the usual unsubstantiated claims of great harm to the environment.

She and her coterie of unnumbered (six?) followers appear to make it their life’s work to deny the advance of science

despite the rest of the world moving on from witchcraft and all other forms of psychobabble.

Updated regulations in Australia now allow scientists to use some genome-editing techniques in plants and animals without Government approval.

The most prestigious Nature journal of science (April 17) headlines experimental gene therapy frees bubble babies from a life of isolation as the therapy restores their immune system function. Presumably Bleakley would rather these children die.

Diabetes sufferers also have much to thank GM for.

The white clover mosaic virus still devastates the powerhouse of NZ’s pastoral system yet modified seed sits on a shelf unable to be used in NZ. Not so in Australia.

I’m all for free speech but surely Bleakley has now used up all her space, freed from the truth.

Gerry Eckhoff Alexandra

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World

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

31

Dairy alone in Europe growth MOST European arable and livestock production is expected to be lower than average for the next two seasons amid bad weather and significant price pressure.

The European Union Commission’s short-term outlook report covers production for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons and suggests Brexit uncertainty, lower growth in the major EU economies and further escalation in tariff wars will result in decline for some sectors.

The arable sector, covering cereals, oilseeds and sugar, will contract to cover about 70.7 million hectares across the twoyears.

For livestock producers, beef and sheep are expected to see declines while pig meat will grow slowly amid African swine fever risks and environmental constraints.

However, milk production is forecast to rise.

The cereals outlook suggests weather extremes are making forecasting more difficult.

Early dry weather and a mild winter in 2018-19 appeared to be a boon for the crop.

Now, though, the central swathe of Europe into Russia is experiencing dry conditions that might hold the crop back.

Global wheat and maize production are expected to fall with EU cereals output forecast to plummet to a seven-year low at 290.5 million tonnes in the 201819 season.

MORE: Dairy production in Europe is predicted to rise this year and next.

However, production should recover the following year but only to a projected 307m tonnes, which remains below the five-year average.

The world market price for soya beans declined by 8% between March 2018 and March 2019 after the crop became the focus of United States-China tariff battles and global production rose by 5%.

Overall, the area under oilseed cropping has declined by 6% in 2018-19, largely because of drought across Europe affecting rapeseed crops.

Oilseed output is expected to recover in 2019-20 with only a minor production decline of 0.4%, yielding close to 33m tonnes.

Bayer appeals on Roundup ruling GERMAN agrichemicals giant Bayer has appealed against a United States court’s decision to award US$78.5m to a park worker who claimed using the company’s glyphosate weedkiller gave him cancer.

Last August a court in California ordered Monsanto, since acquired

by Bayer, to pay US$289m in compensation to 46-year-old former groundskeeper Dewayne (Lee) Johnson, who was diagnosed with nonHodgkin’s lymphoma in 2014 after years of spraying Roundup, the company’s best-selling herbicide.

In October the court slashed the amount to US$78.5m following an appeal by Bayer.

On April 24 Bayer asked a California appellate court to quash the award.

In a statement the company said there is no evidence its glyphosate weedkillers cause cancer.

“Bayer stands behind these products and will continue to vigorously defend them,” the company said.

Bayer, which paid $63 billion for Monsanto last year, said it will push for a retrial if the decision is not overturned.

It said the judge prevented jurors from hearing evidence during the trial from the US Environmental Protection Agency and foreign regulators that have concluded glyphosate is safe and not carcinogenic when used according to the label.

Last month a US court ordered Bayer to pay US$80m to retired Californian farmer Edwin Hardeman, 71, who claimed his exposure to the company’s herbicide caused his case of nonHodgkin’s lymphoma.

Bayer is facing lawsuits from about 13,400 plaintiffs in connection with the use of glyphosate.

The company said “Bayer continues to believe that it has meritorious defences and intends to defend itself vigorously in all of these lawsuits.”

UK Farmers Weekly

Bad weather in the 2018-19 campaign resulted in a 17% year-on-year fall in EU sugar production to about 17.6m tonnes.

The knock-on effect is a 49% decrease in EU sugar exports to 1.7m tonnes for 2018-19.

Despite a world market surplus, estimated at just 0.6m tonnes, white sugar prices have not recovered.

That is likely to result in a reduction in area of 60,000ha for the 2019-20 marketing year compared with the previous year – a decrease of close to 4%.

However, EU sugar beet yields are predicted to rise by 13% to average 74t/ha. Overall, sugar beet

production for 2019-20 is forecast to rise by 9% to 123m tonnes.

In 2018 the EU pig breeding herd declined by 3% year on year because of low pig meat prices, down 2%, higher feed costs and African swine fever (ASF) risks.

But the disease outbreak in China and the resulting increase in demand for imports to fill the production void are expected to raise EU exports in 2019-20.

After exports to China fell by 8% in 2018 analysts predict a 9% increase in the coming 12 months.

That should bolster prices, according to the outlook’s analysis, but it suggests ASF risks in Europe and environmental legislation will continue to hold back production across member states.

Sheep meat production is expected to continue to fall, by 1% in 2019, after a similar decline in breeding flock numbers and poor lamb survival figures in 2018’s adverse weather.

While prices were down by 4.3% in the first months of 2019 the reports suggests prices will firm through 2019 with the lower supply across the EU. A lower level of imports from New Zealand, which has concentrated on Asian markets in the past few years, should also help stabilise prices for EUproduced sheep meat.

EU beef production exceeded growth forecasts with a 1.8% yearon-year increase in 2018.

However, the cold winter in

northern Europe and the summer drought across the EU led to feed shortages, low calving rates and early cow culls.

EU cattle herds shrank by 1.3% with 100,000 fewer beef cows across France, the United Kingdom and Ireland and a reduction of 375,000 dairy cows in the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and France.

As a result, production is forecast to reflect the drop in numbers, with a decline of 1.3% in output.

The limited supply might put upward pressure on prices in 2019.

Despite the effect of the drought, a fall of 1.6% in dairy cow numbers and a 2% drop in breeding heifers during 2018, yield increases led to a 1% rise in milk production.

Output was driven by higher compound use that saw yields rise by 2%.

The production increase is predicted to continue through 2019, with an expected rise of 0.7%, the report says.

As with other markets, the USChina trade battle has opened up potential export outlets for EUproduced dairy products.

Exports to China rose by 11% to account for a quarter of the country’s dairy imports in 2018.

Much of it, 60%, was in whey powder shipments.

In 2019 further world import demand growth is expected and EU prices should remain stable as a result.

UK Farmers Weekly

Britain still needs to import kiwi lamb BRITAIN still needs imported legs of lamb to balance the sheep meat market at Easter when demand for leg roasts outstrips interest in other cuts by a considerable margin.

British farmers might find the sight of imported lamb on supermarket shelves frustrating but Quality Meat Scotland economic services director Stuart Ashworth said purchases of lamb can double in the month before Easter weekend, with demand for leg roasts increasing five or sixfold.

“The reality is that even if all the United Kingdom’s fresh lamb legs produced in the fortnight before Easter were all sold in the UK and none were exported there would still be a shortfall against demand.

“The challenge for processors is managing carcase balance, the key determinant of what they can pay producers, which comes from trying to meet the demand for leg roasts with the challenge of marketing those cuts of lamb not required by the UK consumer at Easter

WE’RE IN DEMAND: Britain still needs to import Kiwi lamb legs to meet demand.

but which inevitably are produced.”

So access to international markets is key to achieving a return on the whole carcase, offering a route to sell product not in immediate demand in the UK. “The importance of this is well illustrated by the way New Zealand distributes different cuts of lamb to different parts of the world,” he said.

“NZ is increasing both the volume and value of its exports to China and is also seeing high value opportunities in the

United States, reducing its dependence on the European market.”

According to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board the need to balance the market means the UK imports relatively few carcases but is a net importer of legs to meet the seasonal demand in the first half of the year.

But, in contrast to NZ, the UK exports more sheep meat in carcase form than it does in individual cuts.

However, UK imports of sheep meat have plummeted since the

beginning of 2019 and were at a record low in 2018.

Shipments fell 19% yearon-year in February 2019 to 4500 tonnes, continuing the dramatically lower imports seen in January.

Trade data is not yet available for March but provisional indications from NZ are that less lamb was shipped to both the European Union and UK in the run-up to Easter.

QMS says these trade patterns collectively point to a tighter-supplied domestic market and rising prices.

A combination of Easter, greater certainty following the Brexit delay and a shortage of finished sheep have seen prices on an upwards trajectory in recent weeks.

Latest figures for England and Wales show the SQQ price for old season lamb on April 22 averaged 222.9p/kg, a 7.1p/kg increase on the previous Monday.

That was also a significant increase on prices heading into the Easter weekend when many abattoirs were shut for the holiday.

UK Farmers Weekly

On Farm Story

32 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

Cows take quickly to robots Auckland farmers David Yates and son Brian enjoy reaping the benefits of a robotic milking system. Sonita Chandar reports.

I

T IS 2am and though it is pitch-black a small mob of cows is strolling toward the cowshed – it is their third visit in one day.

They are the cows that somehow just know a new paddock is available and the only way to get there is through the shed.

They are what Auckland farmer Brian Yates refers to as hoons.

“Some girls hoon around the three-way grazing system like three-year-olds on red fizzy, arriving at each new break as it becomes available and getting up to three milkings per day.

“These midnight movers or hoons are heifers that have adapted to the robotic system really well and come blasting through at 2am for a midnight snack from the in-shed feeding system.”

Fortunately, he does not need to be there to milk them – he can leave that to the milking robots.

When David and Cathy Yates’ children moved off the farm they thought that they would be the last of the family to work on the 106-year-old family farm.

But installing a robotic milking system proved to be a lure for son Brian who told his parents he wasn’t keen to let the farm go.

He and wife Natasha are now lower-order sharemilkers on Heritage Farm at Karaka south of Auckland where they peakmilk 160 cows. He is the fifth generation farmer on the property.

The innovative family are pioneers in the dairy industry – not that they set out to be.

The farm was the original Yates seed farm in New Zealand before switching to sheep and beef. In 1978 the farm was converted to dairy and David built a 28-bail rotary shed considered to be ahead of its time.

By 2009 that rotary had passed its use-by date.

David and Cathy weighed up their options, one of which was

to sell the farm, by now a certified organic operation.

“When our children decided on careers in the city Cathy and I thought we would be the last of the Yates family farm,” David says.

At the time Brian was working in Auckland City as the operations manager for an audio visual company. Though he grew up on the farm and enjoyed dairying Brian was interested in the arts and left to work in television as a cameraman and sound technician, which developed an interest in technology that would later prove useful.

“When mum and dad told me they were thinking of perhaps selling up, I wasn’t a fan of the idea.” Brian says.

“You don’t just flick 100 years of family history down the road.

“They mentioned that one of the options they had looked at was robotics. It piqued my interest and after we did our own due diligence I said if they installed them I would come home and work on the farm.”

So they did their homework looking at various systems and weighed up the pros and cons of each.

Brian says they settled on the DeLaval Voluntary Milking System (VMS) because they liked the engineering of the hydraulic arm and the option of putting cups on manually.

“When you are training heifers they can be jumpy, especially when you are moving the camera head around under her udder to get the teat placement programmed.

“Sometimes it is easier to put the cups on her for the first few

EASY AS: Training the cows and heifers to go through the robotic system took no time as they know there is food and water at the shed as well as a fresh paddock waiting for them after milking.

The improvements really are next level.

Brian and Natasha Yates Farmers times by hand then when she settles we let the VMS take over.”

In 2010 Heritage Farm became the first pasture-based, certified, organic farm in the world to go robotic.

They built a new shed and installed two robots, allowing room for a third should they increase cow numbers. Theirs was also the first milking robot installed in the North Island.

Initially, David and Cathy were worried about losing contact with the cows but after implementing the cutting-edge VMS milking shed they noticed it gave them more flexibility and freedom while delivering amazing results.

“The individual quarters

DO BOTH: Old technology meets new. The wheel is the old way they kept track of the herd but Brian still uses it in conjunction with the computer.

get milked to exactly their requirements, not too much, not too little, and that’s something that robots can do that nothing else can do,” David says.

“We have had top vets in our district say the teat orifices on our girls are the best they have seen.”

They spent a lot of time in the shed tweaking the system with the aim of getting maximum performance from the plant.

“We made small adjustments such as reducing the box-time by 5-10 seconds, which doesn’t sound like a lot but adds up, leading to cost savings,” David says.

“We milk 82 cows per machine, which is very high comparatively speaking, so speeding up the milking time means less standing in the yard for the girls.”

But in recent weeks the system has been upgraded again and the latest in robotic technology from DeLaval, the VMS V300, has replaced what they call the Classic Model. The install is the first in Oceania.

“I had been reading about the

new technology and thought it looked great,” Brian says.

“When our DeLaval reps came for a visit I mentioned it to them that the new robot looked really neat and it went from there.”

The biggest upgrade is the Time of Flight camera, which creates a sonar picture similar to a fish finder, of the distance between the teats.

“The camera improves the accuracy and speed of putting the cups on the cow, which means fewer incomplete milkings and the cow spends less time in the stall.”

A week after the install none of cows had incomplete milkings two days in a row.

“In any shed, whether it be robotic or traditional, there will always be a level of incomplete milking for whatever reason. A cow can stand on the hose or the camera is dirty.

“With the Classic robots we would find there was about a 4% incomplete rate on average during our quiet times and during calving season it could get as high as 10%.

NO HURRY: A mob of cows waits patiently for a turn to be milked through the robotic plant.

On Farm Story

So obtaining 0% is an unheard of result.”

They are in the middle of autumn calving. The highest the average has been is 2.5%, which is outstanding considering it is a period of transition for the fresh cows.

The camera technology is also used for teat spraying directly under the udder so only the optimal amount is used. It has a 99% hit rate.

“That has made a big difference, especially in our shed where it is open at both ends. All it took was for the wind to be blowing in and teat spray wouldn’t hit the mark,” Brian says.

Brian and David agree while the older model VMS was good, the new model is better.

“The improvements really are next level,” they say.

“The arm is gruntier and more robust. The streamlining of the machine’s inner workings makes it easier and quicker for the technicians to service them so the cost saving there could be as much as 50% so there will be ongoing savings.”

Leaving the robots to milk gives them more time to concentrate on other things including fine-tuning their farm system to get more milk in the vat, looking at how the cows are moving around the freeflow system, monitoring pasture quality and residuals closely, looking at the milking frequencies and adjusting milking permissions accordingly.

Brian says the data from the system is invaluable and allows them to get on top of health issues quickly.

“There are screeds of reports with KPIs to help streamline the operation – investing time in these can yield dividends big time.

“The time we are saving is huge.

“In a conventional system, farmers can spend 40-60% of their day harvesting milk and 5-15% managing their business. In a robotic system this is reversed.”

Other reports can be for anything from mastitis cell counts to the yield per quarter to blood in the milk or overall health.

“If the system picks up any irregularities in the cow’s milk it automatically diverts it away from the vat and sends an alert.

“We can programme it so colostrum or milk from any cow is diverted away. Unless we slip-up when programming her number in we should never have any issues with that.”

The beauty of the system is it can be monitored or checked from anywhere in the world through an internet connection. Alerts are sent to his phone but he can control which alerts he receives or the frequency.

Another benefit is the improvement in the herd. Training the herd to go through the robots took a bit of time when they started in 2010 but now they flow through easily and younger cows learn from them. They do run the heifers through the shed several times before calving.

“I am constantly amazed at how quickly heifers adapt to a robotic system. They are all a bit different but on average they are coming in and getting themselves milked within a day or two.”

Brian says the new model looks exactly the same but his

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

33

cows noticed that something was slightly different and carefully inspected the plant as nosy cows do.

“It is a voluntary system so the cows come and go as they please. The girls are sorted prior to the milking yard through two automated three-way drafting smart gates. If she has been milked recently the computer recognises that and lets her go to fresh break instead.

“There is no-one chasing the cows on a motorbike and no dogs so the herd is completely stress-free. There are less health problems. We noticed that our production increased by 15% per cow in the first year.”

I can choose what I want to do and when – there are no limitations.

Brian Yates Farmers Pasture management is more efficient as the herd is leaving better residuals that are easier to look after.

Then they have their hoons, which are first into a paddock, and the couch potatoes that don’t move so well and are pretty much once-a-day.

“About 12% of our herd are milking 1-1.2 times per day but the reality is that by staying back in the paddock they are chewing the pasture down to our target residual. That 12% are every bit as important as the red fizzy hoons.”

They run a System 1 and because they are organic their stocking rate is lower than most.

“If we have a dry spell we cannot just go and buy in feed so we rely on our stocking rate to help get us through the difficult times.

“We make grass silage, balage and hay all on farm. More recently we started growing maize grain to be fed through the robots.”

They have grown maize for three years and find it grows well and is the best option for feed.

“Two years ago, the yield was 7.8tonnes/ha and that was done without any sprays, insecticides, chemical fertiliser or coated seed.

“Last year we grew 12t/ha and ended up with a surplus so were able to sell quite a bit. This year we have just harvested 9t/ha.”

“It is an aspect of our organic system that is so gratifying, being able to achieve those yields without the harmful inputs.”

Brian says feed is a bit tight at the moment because of a fourmonth drier-than-average spell.

“We probably won’t get to our target as a result but not far off.

“And now the nights are cooling down so growth rates are making things a bit tight. The maize will help keep the girls going.”

Last season the herd produced 63,500kg MS and they are targeting 65,000kg MS. The cows are producing 405kg MS. The autumn calvers begin calving on March 15 and the spring calvers begin on August 20. They bring both mum and calf into the shed so the mum can feed

ATTRACTION: Brian Yates is the lower-order sharemilker on the family farm at Karaka, Auckland. He returned to farming in 2010 after they installed milking robots.

from the in-shed feeding system and be milked. They rear 40 replacements and surplus calves go to the Tuakau sale.

In 2017 they installed a DeLaval Herd Navigator system, which was also the first in Oceania.

It monitors progesterone levels in the cows and delivers up-tothe-minute information and advice on what action to take to improve cow reproduction and health.

“It basically pinpoints what stage the cow is in her reproductive cycle,” Brian says.

“If she is having a silent or blind heat the system will pick it up and let us know that she will be ready for mating in, say, 48 hours’ time, which gives us the ability to not only keep an eye on her but inseminate her at the optimum time.”

The system has reduced calving spread and improved the six-week in-calf rate.

“Our rate was not that flash – about 54%.

“Through the use of the Herd Navigator this increased to 65% in just our first season, which is the same as the district average.

We eventually hope to get up to 78-80%.”

Five weeks into autumn calving and they had 81% of cows and calves in and all going well by weeks six, they will have 94% in.

Mating begins on June 11 for the autumn herd and November 6 for the spring herd.

“I do the AI myself, too, which fits well with the nature of cows coming to the shed at all times.

“We put a lot of interest into getting bulls with the right traits for our system. We use CRV primarily but have also dealt with Semex. Both companies have bull teams marketed as having robot desirable traits.

The Herd Navigator has cut the number of weeks mating from 12 to nine. They might put the bull out for a week or two but didn’t use the bull at all last spring.

If a cow slips the system will pick up the change in progesterone levels and send an alert.

“We had this happen a few seasons back and were able to go back and find out which paddock she was in and go and check.

“We found a macrocarpa branch hanging over the fence

that she must have had a chew on, causing her to abort so it is proving to be an invaluable tool for overall management.”

Herd Navigator alsi gives early warnings for mastitis and ketosis.

“In an organic system prevention is easier than trying to cure so the more tools in our bag the better equipped we will be.”

David and Cathy help feed calves and keep an eye on things when Brian has time off.

Apart from the usual jobs on the farm, he can schedule or prioritise jobs without having to allow for milking time.

“I can choose what I want to do and when – there are no limitations.

“I can go play with my kids or look at the figures on the cows or find areas where we can tweak the system further to get the best out of our capital investment.”

Brian and Natasha plan to eventually buy the herd and go 50-50.

This story was first published in Dairy Farmer. >> Video link: bit.ly/OFSyates

34 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

Real Estate

Rural sector cautious on land Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz

T

OP-QUALITY kiwifruit blocks sold at record prices in a flurry of activity in the Bay of Plenty, highlighting a generally slow national rural real estate market.

March was very busy in the horticulture region with prices up to $1.35 million a canopy hectare for gold kiwifruit and $450,000 to $500,000 a canopy hectare for green variety. Those numbers do include this season’s crop, Real Estate Institute rural spokesman Brian Peacocke said.

The evidence is that even in fringe kiwifruit areas prices for orchards are better now than the top prices achieved in the good areas 18 months ago.

Bay of Plenty had a jump of nine farm sales in the three months to the end of March, compared to the three months to the end of February, though on a year-onyear basis there were 14 fewer sales in the province, institute figures showed.

Peacocke said kiwifruit orchard sales activity is expected to tail off heading into the harvest season and is expected to be quiet until spring when pruning and tying have been completed and new growth emerges.

That would fit in with the slower market across most sectors though in the year to the end of March there was a 19% lift in sales of grazing properties and 4.5% more arable farm sales, where numbers tend to be low anyway.

Dairy farm sales were down by 28% compared to the previous years and finishing farm sales were down by 16.3%.

There were mixed reports on farm prices.

For all farms, the median price per hectare year-on-year fell 14.7% but the institute’s all-farm

price index rose nearly 12%. For dairy farms the year-on-year median price/ha rose 9.9%, well ahead of the dairy farm index increase of 3.2%.

The index figures are regarded as the best measure because they allow for differences in farm size and location and in the case of the all-farm index the type of farming as well. The median price measure does not do that.

Even in fringe kiwifruit areas prices for orchards are better now than the top prices achieved in the good areas 18 months ago.

Nationally, the number of farms sold over the year to the end of March was 1448, down 4.3% on a year earlier.

Peacocke said the data shows a fall of 57 in the number of farms sold in the three months to the end of March, compared to the same time last year. Compared with two years ago there were 107 fewer sales.

“Significant changes are occurring within a number of the land-use categories, apart from horticulture, which, while down marginally from the March quarter two years ago, has experienced a 21% lift from the volumes in the March quarter of 2018.”

The drivers for the drop in sales are receiving considerable publicity and include more farmers retiring, pressure on profitability as a result of increasing costs, increasing difficulty in obtaining qualified labour, more compliance demand across a range of issues,

CHANGING: Significant changes are occurring in a number of land use categories, Real Estate Institute rural spokesman Brian Peacocke says.

indications of a lack of empathy from the Government and volatility of income and climate, he said.

There are other reasons as well but also encouraging factors such as interest and exchange rates at good levels and good income for lamb and fine wool, solid for beef, improving for dairy and excellent for some of the horticulture products.

Overall, there is a feeling of caution in the rural sector.

For dairy farming there was a lower level of sales in Northland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty, light activity through the lower North Island and minimal sales throughout the South Island.

Finishing farm sales in Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Taranaki were reasonable, there were strong volumes in Manawatu-Wanganui, and good

activity across the South Island.

Most of the North Island is benefiting from good grazing sale volumes with Canterbury and Marlborough levels modest while Otago and Southland have the strongest South Island results.

For all farms sold in NZ in the three months to the end of March the median price was $23,383/ ha, down from $27,428/ha a year earlier. However, there was a 4.1% gain from February to March this year.

The institute’s all-farm index rose 0.4% February to March and had an 11.9% year-on-year improvement.

For dairy farms the median sale price for the latest March period was $37,100/ha (43 sales), up from $35,807/ha (55 sales) in the February period and $33,750 (80 sales) in the March period last year. The dairy farm index fell

4.6% February to March but rose 3.2% year-on-year.

For finishing farms the median price for March was $31,059/ ha (80 sales), up from $28,872 (106 sales) for February and from $30,044 (132 sales) for March 2018, a year-on-year gain of 3.4%.

The median price for grazing farms was $10,373/ha (117 sales) for the March period, up from $9700/ha (124 sales) in February but below the $10,682/ha (103 sales) for March last year. The year-on-year fall was 2.9%.

Despite the big recent Bay of Plenty prices, median levels are down in horticulture, at $240,064/ ha (46 sales) for March, compared to $277,901/ha (38 sales) in March last year, a 13.6% fall. However, prices are well up from the $164,176/ha (36 sales) median figure for the latest February period.

North Canterbury affordable for local buyers Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz MORE sheep and beef farms are selling in North Canterbury than other parts of the province as lower prices help local buyers increase the scale of their farming operations.

Most sales are of small to medium properties, Colliers International valuer Tim Banks said.

As well as established farmers buying to increase scale there are also younger farmers buying their first farms with family assistance or selling so they can buy larger units.

Dairy farmers are also active in some non-dairying areas buying land for grazing in attempts to become self-contained in their animal management to mitigate the risk of Mycoplasma bovis.

North Canterbury prices tend to be lower than through the rest of

GOING: Sheep and beef farms are selling in North Canterbury.

the province, where there is more dairy and arable farming to drive values higher, Banks said.

Those areas probably have greater reliance on foreign buyers, now more restricted under Government rules, to provide market liquidity.

There’s no sign yet of forestry interests outbidding sheep and beef farmer buyers for land, compared to some parts of the

country where there have been deals at above pastoral values.

Though farming confidence is at lower levels because of bank and Government policies and compliance issues North Canterbury has a history of inter-generational and longterm farming outlook and that is reflected in recent activity.

Banks said the Colliers group believes a market trend will

emerge where the saleability and value of farms will be based strongly on their productivity levels, including good fertiliser history, regrassing programmes and quality infrastructure to enhance operating cashflows rather than from a focus on capital gain.

That means the price gap between low and high-quality properties is likely to widen further.

An example of that is a Darnley Rd, Waipara, farm of just 137ha, which sold at $19,618/ha or $1648 a stock unit for $2.7 million in November with the premium for its irrigation.

A 128ha farm at Elliots Rd, Greta Valley, sold for $2.4m in December, representing $18,697/ ha or $1476 a stock unit.

Other sales included: • Lyndon Rd, Waiau, a 227ha farm sold in March for $4.1m, representing $18,003/ha or

$1394/stock unit.

• A Glenmark Drive, Waipara, farm of 249ha sold in November for $3.15m, representing $12,637/ha or $1267/stock unit.

• Okuku Pass Rd, Okuku, 909ha sold in January for $3.92m, being $4311/ha or $1160/stock unit.

• Pahau Downs Rd, Culverden, $6.65m for 844ha, in December, $7879/ha or $1108/stock unit.

• Birch Hill Rd, Okuku, 240ha for $4.5m in May last year, $8011/ ha or a good $1554/stock unit.

• Random Spur Rd, Cheviot, also in May last year, 647ha sold for $3.75m, $5796/ha or $761/ stock unit.

• Blunts Rd, Kaikoura, 1181ha for $3.4m in March last year, $2878/ha or $1100/stock unit.

• Glenkens Rd, Cheviot, also in March last year, 705ha for $3.8m, $5393/ha or $958/stock unit.

Dargaville Surrounds 455 Paradise Road, Tangiteroria

407ha of farming history

4

On offer is a faithfully farmed 407ha beef and sheep property farmed by the same family since 1906.

Representing as an opportunity to secure a easy rolling large scale finishing, breeding or fattening block. The property is well set out with a central race, in excess of 80 paddocks and above average fencing and improvements. Capable of carrying in excess of 4000su, our vendors operate conservatively with minimum feed brought in or any form of electric tape or techno system. With good water and renowned for its warm valleys and winter grass growth, regular fertiliser applications ensure that this profitable unit will benefit our new owners in the years to come. Stock handling is a breeze with well laid out paddocks, concrete cattle yards and sheep handling facilities for 1200 ewes. Our vendors are entering the next chapter in their lives, this could be yours.

Auction (unless sold prior) 1pm, Wed 22 May 2019 84 Walton St, Whangarei View by appointment Todd Skudder 027 439 1235 todd.skudder@bayleys.co.nz

1

1

2

MACKYS REAL ESTATE LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

bayleys.co.nz/1020314

FINAL NOTICE

Nuhaka 331 Kokohu Road

Kokohu Station - 11,000+ stock units With spectacular views over the Pacific Ocean, Cape Kidnappers and across to Mahia Peninsula, Kokohu Station offers a superb setting to live and farm. Circa 1400ha of farmed land, with additional lease blocks providing sought after scale. Nestled amongst a very productive farming climate, with a favourable balance of up to 2M of rainfall to the back and 1200mm at the front of the farm, providing largely summer safe farming, and moderate winters. Evidence of 30-yrs of robust fertiliser history is clear, with an abundance of feed servicing the 11,000SU (wintered) sheep and cattle operation. Two adjacent lane-ways to the north and south of the farm gives ease of stock workability, supported by a high standard of fencing and very good farm infrastructure. The 6-stand woolshed (2000NP), and 2-tidy homes supported by a single mans quarters further enhance this superb station.

Tender (unless sold prior) Closing 4pm, Wed 22 May 2019 10 Reads Quay, Gisborne Simon Bousfield 027 665 8778 simon.bousfield@bayleys.co.nz James Bolton-Riley 027 739 1011 james.bolton-riley@bayleys.co.nz

bayleys.co.nz/2751328

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

bayleys.co.nz

36

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 6, 2019

Ohaupo

2/359 Mystery Creek Road Auction (unless sold prior) 11am, Thu 30 May 2019 96 Ulster Street, Hamilton View 2-2.30pm Wed 8 May & Wed 15 May & 1-1.30pm Sun 12 May & Sun 19 May Alistair Scown 027 494 1848

NEW LISTING

SUCCESS REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

Rare Waikato River property This exceptionally located equestrian/grazing block on the banks of the Waikato river features a long river boundary, and one of the few remaining building sites left on the river between Cambridge and Hamilton. This spectacular 21.9 hectare (more or less) property is well serviced for a variety of farming pursuits, including covered horse yards, sand track and large sand arena. Complementing the property while you build your new home is a fully renovated cottage. View now.

bayleys.co.nz/2310258

Te Aroha 153 Hill Road 4

Located on the edge of the Kaimai Ranges this 405ha (more or less) ranges from gentle rolling to medium and steeper contour and is currently run as a cattle breeding and sheep operation.

Water is sourced from a spring feeding to a manacon then gravity fed to the farm and buildings. A water ram feeds to a manacon and supplies four troughs at the top of the farm. Buildings include a three stand woolshed, two hay barns, a large implement shed, a set of sheep yards and a set of cattle yards plus a satellite set of each and a four bedroom brick home. Pockets of native bush and a stony bottomed stream runs through the property plus amazing views add appeal. There is also a metal quarry. Scope, location and opportunity on the back of a strong beef and sheep market.

2

1

Auction (unless sold prior) 11am, Thu 30 May 2019 96 Ulster Street, Hamilton View 12-1pm Tue 7 May Russell Bovill 027 273 9025 russell.bovill@bayleys.co.nz Mike Fraser-Jones 027 475 9680 mike.fraserjones@bayleys.co.nz

We’ve got you covered with digital and print options.

Contact Shirley Howard phone 06 323 0760, email shirley.howard@globalhq.co.nz

SUCCESS REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

bayleys.co.nz/2310454

Farmers Weekly 6 May 2019

Tenders close 4.00pm

Looking for the complete package?

1

Wednesday, 29 May 2019

2480REHP

Hill country opportunity

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

Inspection by appointment

Quality and Location An excellent opportunity has arisen with the availability of a top quality block of land situated in the prime location of Mystery Creek & Kaipaki, central to Cambridge, Te Awamutu & Hamilton

 408 Mystery Creek Road, Kaipaki

 water supply from Pukerimu District Water Scheme

 41.02 hectares more or less - 1 title

 a variety of general use shedding; 1 x fertiliser bunker

 elite soil type - predominantly sandy loam - flat contour

 very good cattle handling facilities, concrete base, galvanised rails & load-out race

 utilized for asparagus last 9 years, now sown with quality annual ryegrass

 no dwelling but excellent building sites available

 multiple land use applications:-

 an outstanding block in a top quality location

web ref R1297 Licensed Real Estate Agent - REAA2008

- dairy - horticulture

- finishing - cattle stud

- cropping - equine stud

phone

07 870 2112

Brian Peacocke 021 373 113

office@pastoralrealty.co.nz

MREINZ

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 6, 2019

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

37

Accelerating success.

Reach more people - better results faster.

colliers.co.nz

Accelerating success.

Reach more people - better results faster.

Attractive 34ha Farm & Home

DEADLINE SALE

Situated less than 20 minutes from the heart of Cambridge is this attractive 34.5ha (approx. 85 acres) plus small DOC lease with an impressive five bedroom Golden Home, all of which enjoy the stunning rural vista of the Te Miro Scenic Reserve. Perfect as a dairy support and or beef fattening, the farm has excellent buildings including 2 large sheds over 250m², ½ round hay shed & Versatile garage. Contour is flat to gentle rolling, well raced & fenced making management a breeze. The warm and inviting brick home is move-in ready, with plenty of room for extended family to come and stay.

DEADLINE SALE: Closes 16 May 2019 at 4.00pm (unless sold prior)

Internet ID: CRR2170 Address: 429 Te Miro Road, Cambridge Open Day: Wed 8th 11-12noon & Sat 11th 2.30-3.30pm

Located on the banks of the Whakatane River, Taneatua. A great spot for swimming, trout fishing and close to the Te Urewera forest for hunting.

Area 60.7028ha effective area 57ha. There is an additional 14ha more or less leased support block just up the road, all set up for winter grazing, if required.

Production, has achieved 97,687kg MS from 200 cows, now milking 100 cows, for convenience 1st August calving date.

Contour, flat, centrally raced to 33 paddocks with strong pastures on alluvial soil type, all water from an upgraded bore supply.

Farm buildings, 1970's 14 aside herringbone shed with an Alfa Laval milking plant, 180 cow yard with backing gate. 1 half round hay barn, 3 bay enclosed implement shed, 1 calf shed.

Loading race is located at the milking shed. The home was built in the 1950's, four double bedrooms and open plan living all and renovated inside, in good condition, also a semi self-contained sleepout set among mature grounds. There is a second disused home on the property in as is where is condition.

Farm can be bought as a full going concern.

Contact David Soar 027 284 9755

colliers.co.nz

38

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

A VERY SMART DAIRY FARM

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 6, 2019

129.60 hectares Video on website

988 Tangimoana Road, Ohakea, Manawatu Offering a productive mix of Ohakea silt loam, Carnarvon black sandy loam and Kairanga peaty loam with an area of lighter sand supplying a winter balance. It’s modern 40AS dairy, with ACRs, auto-drafting & in-shed feeding is an easy one person shed with the current 30 clusters. The balance of the on-farm infrastructure is virtually all less than ten years old. Overlooking the farm is a spacious four bedroom home, that has been tastefully re-decorated. A great dairy unit in strong locality.

nzr.nz/RX1861762 Tender Closes 11am, Thu 23 May 2019, NZR, 20 Kimbolton Road, Feilding.

Peter Barnett AREINZ 027 482 6835 | peter@nzr.nz NZR Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

VIEWS FOR MILES

FIRST TIME IN 50 YEARS

• What a find!! Awesome living on the edge of Feilding on this outstanding 43 hectare property (STFS).

• Once you leave town you enter the property as the sealed driveway leads to the home that is positioned to capture all of the views.

• The home has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, large living area, four car garaging and very large rumpus room.

• Other facilities include stables, hayshed, workshop and woolshed with cattle yards.

• The land is made up of some rolling hills and a lot of river silt flats.

• Currently the property is running some dairy grazing along with cattle and sheep.

• This is paradise and the new owners will fall in love with it as our Vendors did.

• If you want to be the new owner then call Les to inspect.

• Great chance to purchase this aesthetically pleasing property in the Midhurst district.

• Situated on Rutland Road and being 44 hectares in size, this property has been well nurtured and looked after for the last half a century by the same family.

• Features include a three bedroom period family home that has had a modernization in the MidEighties and sits very secluded from the road with lovely mountain views.

• Other facilities include a disused dairy that is now used for stock handling, two hay sheds and a four bay older style machinery shed.

• The property is well raced and subdivided, with good stock water and shelter.

• Has been a great family dairy farm and now fattens cattle and our Vendors have decided to sell.

• Call Les to inspect and discuss your options.

Sallan Realty

Google ‘Sallan Realty’ Your Farm Sales Specialist

CALL 0800FARMTEAM

THE DESTINATION FOR RURAL REAL ESTATE

Land is the biggest asset to any farming business - so it pays to stay up-to-date with the market.

Connect with the right audience at farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

Licensed Agent REAA 2008

LK0097462©

Open day: 11am Tue 7 May 2019.

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 6, 2019

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

39

Licensed under the REAA 2008

Boundaries Indicative Only

Boundaries Indicative Only

The Ultimate Avocado Production Block

Coastal Lifestyle with Avos and Views

KATIKATI 50 WRIGHT ROAD

KATIKATI 11B STOKES ROAD

This is one of the largest, quality avocado production blocks to be offered to the market for some time in Katikati. Situated on over 6.7ha (approx.) in the heart of the avocado capital of NZ. Benefits include prime coastal location sitting at 18-30AMSL, 5.9 ca/ha (approx.) of Hass avocado trees with 41 pollinisers, 10 x 10m tree spacing, significant income from consistent production, up to 18,000 trays a season, a healthy and robust production orchard well managed by experienced owners, new bore (consented to 2031), frost and irrigation system with weather station. Predominantly flat and north facing, telecommunications tower for added income. Sold + GST if any.

This idyllic property boasts breath taking country and harbour views, all while being completely quiet and private. Set on 2.9ha (approx.) of gently contoured and sheltered land where you can reap the benefits from the 230 Hass avocado trees. The three bedroom home oozes character of the 1940s mixed tastefully with the conveniences and interior design of today, including double glazing and generous outdoor living areas. Encased by stunning grounds and gardens, outdoor enthusiasts will love this property. Stunning home, income and views - it’s all here!

3

16 May , From 1pm

M 027 949 3725

E durrelle.green@eves.co.nz Web durrellegreen.eves.co.nz

“ARDALE”

1

1

6

16 May , From 1pm

(unless sold prior)

Durrelle Green

1

(unless sold prior)

Durrelle Green

HELD 247 Cameron Road, Tauranga WEB www.eves.co.nz/ektc2057 VIEW Sunday 11.00am-12.00pm

M 027 949 3725

E durrelle.green@eves.co.nz Web durrellegreen.eves.co.nz

HELD 247 Cameron Road, Tauranga WEB www.eves.co.nz/ektc2060 VIEW Sunday 1.00-2.00pm

145 HECTARES Preliminary Notice

TARANAKI DAIRY MILKING GOAT FARM

Waitahora Road, Dannevirke This versatile finishing block boasts a host of farming options, excellent balance of contour and soil types.

Very good array of improvements – 4 stand wool shed, 4 bay implement shed, deer shed, 14 hectares deer fenced, reticulated spring fed water supply, superbly complimented by large attractive four bedroom homestead situated in park-like grounds.

This is a very special spot, 17km from Dannevirke in the renowned Waitahora District.

Craig Boyden M: 027 443 2738 O: 06 374 4105 E: @craigb@forfarms.co.nz

Exclusive Selling Agents LK0097570©

FOR SALE BY TENDER Viewing by appointment

www.forfarms.co.nz

ID FF2817 Property ID FF1299

LK0068450©

www.forfarms.co.nz

Shortly this will become available for sale.

This offers a relatively rare opportunity to become part of this lucrative industry.

We invite Expression of Interest or enquiries from any genuinely interested parties.

Kevin Walsh

Owen Mills M: 027 477 7302 E: owen@mgfn.co.nz 201 Broadway, Stratford

Licensed Under REAA 2008

www.mgfn.co.nz

M: 027 231 1717 E: kevin@mgfn.co.nz

06 765 8550

Keep your stock moving With our experienced agribusiness team For more information about our Agribusiness real estate transactions, valuations or advisory services, visit www.cbre.co.nz

FOR SALE WAIRAKEI ESTATE FORESTRY TAUPO, CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND REGION

7,000HA+ FORESTRY RIGHT OPPORTUNITY Offered for sale by CBRE Agribusiness is a single rotation Forestry Right comprising some 3,506ha of established young age class crop (together with 286ha being established this winter), together with the opportunity to plant 2,201ha that will be available as cutover land as existing forestry rights terminate and a further 1,334ha currently utilised for drystock grazing which will shortly be available for forestry. + Outstanding Central North Island location + 7,326ha* Forestry Right Opportunity + Predominantly 4th rotation forestry land with a comprehensive roading network + Multiple competing destinations for forest products including export via Napier or Tauranga + Tenure by way of simple single rotation registered Forestry Right + Detailed Dataroom available

TWO STAGE EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Stage One closing Thursday 23 May 2019 at 4.00pm

CONTACT US JEREMY KEATING 021 461 210

WYATT JOHNSTON 027 815 1303

*Approximate areas only

www.cbre.co.nz/218323Q29

FOR SALE MANDEVILLE VILLAGE 468 MANDEVILLE ROAD, CANTERBURY

TROPHY ASSET LOCATED IN THE HEART OF A THRIVING COMMUNITY Mandeville Village is underpinned by excellent cashflow security with the key tenants being on 15 and 20 year leases. The enviable tenant mix anchored by SuperValue and NPD is serviced well by a strong local economy with high potential growth prospects. The asset was completed in 2018 with its architectural design being inspired by the affluent surrounding residential and rural catchment. Additionally, guaranteed rental growth up to the greater of CPI or 3% p.a will provide confidence for excellent returns in the years to come.

CBRE strongly recommends your early consideration of this outstanding opportunity. + Architecturally designed and completed in 2018 + Net Rental: c.$575,000 pa + Outstanding WALT of circa 11.75 years + Enviable tenant mix including a supermarket, service station and childcare centre + Fixed rental growth across all tenancies + High profile frontage to Tram Road (with vehicle movements in excess of 6,000 per day) + Additional land for future development options + Growing local catchment + Large underlying land holding of 6,670sqm

DEADLINE PRIVATE TREATY

Thursday 23 May 2019 at 4.00pm (unless sold prior)

CONTACT US TIM ROOKES 027 562 3700

CAMERON DARBY 027 450 7902

www.cbre.co.nz/63298322 CBRE (Agency) Limited, Licensed Real Estate Agent (REAA 2008)

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 6, 2019

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

41

RURAL | LIFESTYLE | RESIDENTIAL

TENDER

OTAUA, WAIKATO 188 Forestry Road Dairy Farm Otaua Size equals production • 240 hectares with 195 hectare dairy platform • Calving 520 cows • 208,000kgMS average for past four years • 36 aside Herringbone built 2003 • 3,500,000 litre effluent pond built 2011 • Three dwellings • Inline feed system/auto cup removers • Comprehensive PIM available upon request • Zoning Waikato District

NEW LISTING

TENDER

Plus GST (if any) (Unless Sold By Private Treaty) Closes 4.00pm, Wednesday 26 June

VIEW By Appointment Only

HATUMA, CENTRAL HAWKE'S BAY Handy Bare Land • • • •

Mark Needham M 027 704 6833 | B 09 237 0644 E mneedham@pggwrightson.co.nz

pggwre.co.nz/PUK30198

• •

166.4 hectares (411 acres) subject to survey Mainly easy to medium hill 73 hecatares deer fenced with excellent stock water Good quality pastures and newly sown fodder crops Excellent house sites with views to the ranges 15km south of Waipukurau

TENDER

Plus GST (if any) Closes 4.00pm, Thursday 30 May PGG Wrightson, Waipukurau

VIEW By Appointment Only

Max Lyver M 027 597 5818 | B 06 858 6780 E mlyver@pggwrightson.co.nz

pggwre.co.nz/WPK30372 Helping grow the country

PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited, licensed under REAA 2008

Million $ Views – will NOT cost a million

TENDER

Can not be seen from road, very private.

You’ve Got to be Kidding?

No- I’m not- here’s your opportunity to get involved in the highly innovative dairy goat industry and supply the Dairy Goat Co-Operative.

On offer is nearly 37ha with a full complement of improvements plus over 80,000 shares. On target to produce 100,000kgMS this season my Vendors are open to a range of offers from a full blown “turnkey” operation to selling down shares, separate titles, goats etc separately.

See you at an open day soon.

Tender Friday 31 May 12noon (unless sold prior) View: Monday 6, 13, 20 and 27 May 11am-12noon harcourts.co.nz/ML4231

157sqm home in tidy condition with two covered verandahs. Open plan kitchen/dining area, large lounge with all day sun. Two bathrooms and three double bedrooms.

64sqm double garage, storage area and work bench.

Also lock up shed with large woodshed and lean to.

10km to Feilding or Palmerston North.

Only $950,000. No agents.

Phone Malcolm Brazendale 06 329 2420

LK0097471©

Orini 1532 Orini Road

• 13.888ha – 34 acres • 5 paddocks, some shelter belts • Large dam, 1-1½ acres provides water for garden, stock and ducks

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

Employment

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 6, 2019

Farm Manager Foxley Station

JOBS BOARD RURAL SECTOR

Harvest Manager

An opportunity for a Manager’s position, on a family owned sheep and beef hill country property 30km north of Taumarunui. Foxley Station is a 1400ha, 11,500su medium to Agribusiness farmersweeklyjobs.co.nzsteep hill country breeding/finishing property Assistant Manager running Romney ewes and Angus cows.

JOBS BOARD farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz

Please visit http://www.scottfresh.co.nz for our full company profile.

To facilitate our growth we are seeking a permanent, full-time Harvest Manager who will be based near Cheviot in North Canterbury and reporting directly to the owner.

We are offering an attractive remuneration package, including a vehicle. Various accommodation and housing options are also available.

To speak in confidence about this role, please phone Deb Francis from AgRecruit on 021 224 5000 or otherwise, send your CV with covering letter via www.agrecruit.co.nz by Friday 10 May 2019.

We specialise in agri-business

www.agrecruit.co.nz

Farmers Weekly

LK0096815©

Farm Manager

We require an experienced person with good MilkerProgramme - Livestock •Contract 2019 Trainee pasture management and stock handling skills, Representative Farm Manager with the ability to perform and oversee routine • Agribusiness General Hand farm tasks as required.

• Agronomy Your key responsibilities will be to manage all •Horticulture Analyst aspects of this hill country station, including •Operations Dairy Manager stock management decisions, budgeting and •Other General Maintenance labour requirements.

• Livestock Specialist This is a sole charge job with a full time •Shepherd Manager shepherd.

•Shepherd Pasture and Grazing Specialist General •Station Sharemilker An excellent remuneration package is offered Manager based on the successful applicant’s experience • Shepherd Manager and qualifications.

•Stock Shepherd/General StockPerson Large four-bedroom homestead available.

Employers: Advertise your vacancy in the

Please respond in writing to

Employers: Advertise your vacancy the employment section of the inFarmers Weekly FA & KM Fullerton-Smith, employment section of the Farmers Weekly PO Box 98, Taumarunui 3946 and as added value it will be uploaded to and as added value it will be uploaded to with CV, background, relevant farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz for one farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz for one month or month or experiences and two referees. close of application. close of application.

Contact Debbie Brown 06 323 0765 Debbie Brown 06 323 orContact email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

This person would be expected to implement farming policy, including full stock/pasture management and supervision of three permanent staff, causal staff and contractors.

0765 or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

Queries to foxley@xtra.co.nz LK0092630©

A Farm Manager is required for Pukekaroro Station, a 1340ha (effective) beef farm in the Far North (Te Kao – 40 minutes north of Kaitaia). This property is part way through a development programme and needs new leadership to take it to the next level.

Applications close 21st May

We are seeking a manager for a 2600ha property carrying 18,500su consisting of 4000 ewes, 2000 hinds 780 cows plus replacements. The property has been leased as a breeding property for the transfer of store stock back to the home farm.

This position would suit someone who is in the early stages of their farm management career as the successful applicant would report to the general manager.

Key attributes required are: • Good communication skills and reporting • Excellent stockmanship • A team of dogs under good control • The ability to plan and monitor all aspects of the farming operation, including feed budgeting, crop and pasture establishment and working within the financial budget as set by the general manager, consultant and farm manager This property will be undergoing a significant development program and the farm manager would oversee a lot of this.

The property is located at National Park where skiing is literally at your back door as is fishing, hunting and mountain biking.

There is a school bus to the gate for primary school at National Park. A recently renovated three bedroom home is available to the successful applicant as well.

LK0097446©

Do you love working outdoors? Have you considered a leadership role in the horticulture industry?

arvest Manager

Applications in writing to Colin Gates and should include a cover letter, CV and a minimum of two work references.

Email – waihipukawa@xtra.co.nz

SHEPHERD GENERAL

ill find innovative ways to improve efficiency, implementing processes For a job description and to submit applications, maximise harvestemail: output in different crops, locations and weather rosie@teaupouri.iwi.nz ions. You will also oversee daily dispatch operations and liaise with To apply, email CV and a covering letter esh’s customers.

by COB, Friday 17 May 2019. e offering an attractive remuneration package, including a vehicle. Various modation and housing options are also available. Hours of work are en 50 and 55 per week, including every second Saturday.

For more information please contact Mike Ramsey on 07 878 7077 Please apply with your CV and cover letter to: hra@crusadermeats.co.nz Applicants must have NZ residency or valid NZ work visa.

OPERATIONS MANAGER BEEF AND DAIRY SECTOR

eak in confidence about this role, please phone Deb Francis from ruit on 021 224 5000 or otherwise, send your CV with covering letter via grecruit.co.nz by Friday 10 May 2019.

• Sit at the top table • Carve a future as well as a career • Great business, great team, great opportunity!

Bellevue helps farming businesses prosper through a range of farmer-focused agrecruit.co.nz

RUN OFF YOUR FEET?

services. At the end of the day, happy and successful clients are what drives this business.The Budget The Operations Manager is one of three leadership roles sitting at the top table; you’ll be joining the CEO (who’s hoping to make himself redundant one day) and the Financial Controller and your job is to make sure the operational performance of the business delivers.

This will be a busy role…and you’ll like that. You’ll also understand that to be successful you’ll have to lead through others, engage, motivate and inspire others through shared visions and a focus on success.

Advertise your vacancy in Farmers Weekly Plus receive added value of online free of charge*

This isn’t a role for your traditional operations manager who would rather talk to cows than people, would rather tell than sell, would rather do it themselves than risk empowering others….this is the opposite; it’s a role for the new generation of leaders who know that their success is dependent on others, that sharing a vision and creating collective movement towards it is critical, and that you are on stage every day for your team and your customers.

And on offer are new generation opportunities…a seat of real influence, an opportunity to put your money where your effort is and invest in the business, and a business that is dynamic, dexterous and flexible…where no two days are the same and they want to hear your ideas and the opportunities you can see.

www.no8hr.co.nz | ph: 07-870-4901

Phone Debbie Brown 0800 85 25 80 or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz LK0097534©

Now’s the time to take your corporate and technical cows and grass experience and really start to make it work for you!

For more about the company visit https://www.bellevueenterprises. com For more about the role and to apply visit https://www.no8hr.co.nz and search under professional services.

*Available for one month or until close of application

LK0097560©

ificant part of your role will be to recruit theattractive seasonal (backpacker) and A large well maintained family home and nent in-field teams, often working them in the beautiful coastal remuneration package will bealongside provided. The region climate ofoffers the Conway Flat or close by at Spotswood. superb lifestyle opportunities.

Marketing, Communications & Event Specialist - Rural Leadership Programmes Christchurch based • Small dynamic team and great working environment • Full time role with an opportunity for working across a range of marketing activities • Two of New Zealand’s most prestigious rural leadership programmes We are looking for a committed, experienced and enthusiastic marketer to join our small Christchurch based team to replace our existing contractor who is leaving Christchurch .

About The Role As the Marketing , Communications & Event Specialist, you will be responsible for the marketing and communications for our two prestigious Rural Leadership programmes helping us to grow our application numbers, nurture alumni and stakeholder communications collaborating with the General Manager and Programme Coordinator.

The role involves: • Providing marketing recommendations and collaborating with the team • Website content management using Wordpress • Planning and executing recruitment campaigns for each of our course intakes • Communications: writing content for newsletters, our website and press releases • Graphic design: creating on brand marketing collateral using InDesign and Photoshop • Managing and growing our image library • Digital Marketing: Social Media content planning and advertising using Facebook Ads Manager • Working with our advertising partners to promote our programmes through alumni and advertisements.

• Developing effective relationships with industry partners to nurture the promotion of the programmes and attracting top talent.

To be considered for this role, you must have: • At least four years’ experience in a marketing /communications role • Strong business event management experience • Digital marketing experience in website management, social media advertising and mailchimp • InDesign or Photoshop skills • Organised – able to balance multiple demands, prioritise and multi-task to meet deadlines with accuracy and efficiency • A ‘people person’ – the role involves developing relationships with scholars, presenters, stakeholders, industry and suppliers • Technology-savvy – able to stay on top of changes in a fast moving environment • Professional and results-driven – with a focus on delivering programmes & events of the highest quality which exceed our participants expectations • Solutions-orientated – showing initiative and thinking creatively to overcome marketing challenges • Passionate – about people development and ideally the agri-food (primary) sector For a more detailed Position Description please contact: admin@ruralleaders.co.nz Applications close on 15 May 2019 and must be sent to: annehindson@ruralleaders.co.nz

LK0097414©

LK0097444©

Positionoutdoors? requirements: u love working Have you considered a leadership role in the • Proven ability to run a high performance farming ulture industry? system esh harvest through all seasons at our different outdoor production We are looking for an experienced Shepherd General to join our • Experience with intensively managed bull finishing n North Canterbury. Please visit http://www.scottfresh.co.nz for our We full are a deer only farm located in the Rerewhakaaitu, between team. systems highly valuable any profile.

Murupara and Rotorua.

• Proven self-motivation and self-management litate our•growth we are seeking permanent, Manager Good communication andacomputer skillsfull-time HarvestWe are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated person, preferably ill be based near Cheviot Northand Canterbury report directly to the • Experience using in FARMAX Farm IQ anand advanwith previous experience working with deer. Ideally, you will have We are committed to the professional growth and development of those tage tractor, fencing and chainsaw experience. team, offering significant advancement opportunities as the business • Ability to contribute to development of and work to a ds.

On occasion you will be required to work on two other Company business plan and financial budgets on’t need•toExperience have experience horticulture to beand successful infarms this role, with staff,in contract management to help out and cover periods of leave. No dogs are required. u will need team to beleadership self-motivated and driven by the idea of building and Success in this role may lead to a management position, in time. ining a safe, positive and productive workplace culture for the in-field • Proven farm maintenance capability t teams. • Be receptive to learning new technologies A 3 bedroom house is available, so could suit a couple or family.

ialise in ness

Station Manager

LK0097404©

42

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

ATTENTION FARMERS FAST GRASS www.gibb-gro.co.nz GROWTH PROMOTANT $5.85 per hectare + GST delivered Brian Mace 0274 389 822 brianmace@xtra.co.nz BUILDER AVAILABLE. South Island. Shed /barn, deer shed and yards. 15 years experience. Phone 027 436 8372.

DAGS .30c PER KG. Replacement woolpacks.

PV Weber Wools.

Kawakawa Road, Feilding. Phone 06 323 9550.

FOR SALE CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISING

GORSE SPRAYING SCRUB CUTTING. 30 years experience.

Blowers, gun and hose.

No job too big. Camp out teams.

Travel anywhere if job big enough. Phone Dave 06 375 8032.

DOGS FOR SALE HUNTAWAY AND HEADING dogs. Deliver South and North Islands, trial, guaranteed. www. youtube.com/user/ mikehughesworkingdog/ videos 07 315 5553.

FOR ONLY $2.10 + gst per word you can book a word only ad in Farmers Weekly Classifieds. Phone Debbie on 0800 85 25 80 to book in or email classifieds@ globalhq.co.nz YOUNG HEADING and Huntaways. Top working bloodlines. View our website www.ringwaykennels.co.nz Join us on Facebook: Working dogs New Zealand.

Phone 027 248 7704.

9-MONTH-OLD very well bred Huntaway bitch.

Excellent bark, looking for work. Phone 06 388 0212 or 027 243 8541.

DOGS WANTED 12 MONTHS TO 5½-yearold Heading dogs and Huntaways wanted. Phone 022 698 8195.

BUYING 350 DOGS annually South and North Islands. No one buys or pays more! www.youtube.com/user/ mikehughesworkingdog/ videos 07 315 5553.

FARM MAPPING YOUR FARM MAPPED showing paddock sizes.

Priced from $600 for 100ha. Phone 0800 433 855. farmmapping.co.nz

FARM SERVICES /SUPPLIES TARPAULINS PVC TARPS. All sizes. Top quality Ripstop PVC.NZ Made. Phone for quote Westlorne Ohakune 06 385 8487. www.westlorne.co.nz or email: westlorne@xtra. co.nz Free delivery North Island.

FO SALR E

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.

SOMETHING? 0800 85 25 80

BEEF SHORTHORN BULLS, R1 and 2yrs. Sired

by Saskvalley Taskforce and Glenrossie Dazzler.

Rough Ridge Primo semen available. Phone Bill 021 556 806 Takaka South Island.

WILTSHIRES-ARVIDSON. Self shearing sheep. No1 for Facial Eczema. David 027 2771 556.

SEEKING PERMANENT Farm/Stock Manager position. Married 24 y/o looking for next step up, 4 years sheep and beef experience, excellent references. Phone 027 872 6121.

PROPERTY WANTED HOUSE FOR REMOVAL wanted.

North Island.

Phone 021 0274 5654.

HORTICULTURE NZ KELP. FRESH, wild ocean harvested giant kelp.

The world’s richest source of natural iodine. Dried and milled for use in agriculture and horticulture. Growth promotant / stock health food. As seen on Country Calendar. Orders to: 03 322 6115 or info@nzkelp.co.nz

LEASE FARM WANTED YOUNG FARMING FAMILY looking for a suitable farm, anywhere from 500 to 5000 acres.

Any location considered but preferably in the North Island. Experienced in leasing. References available. Phone 021 083 04279 or 09 408 4838.

LIVESTOCK FOR SALE ATTENTION WINTER MILKERS. Free autumn service bulls, Hereford/ Angus/Jersey. Experienced lease bull supplier. Phone 027 739 9939.

SELLING

WORK WANTED

PUMPS HIGH PRESSURE WATER PUMPS, suitable on high headlifts.

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

SHARE FARM DEAL 35 to 80 ANGUS COWS. Share farm deal. 50/50 on calves. 15th December Sim Bull. Phone 06 385 8057.

Central NI.

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.

50 TON WOOD SPLITTER

THINK PR EB U IL T

Specialists in superior field grown trees, all varieties grown.

Price list available.

Heavy duty construction for serious wood splitting. Towable.

NAL VISIT US AT NATIROL61 FIELDAYS SITE NEW HOMES

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

0800 436 566

GOAT / SHEEP MILKING We currently seek interested parties, farmers, partners and investors.

• New and exciting venture in growth industry • Large scale farming operation

For further details contact Nick 0274 763 658 Email: nick.aam@xtra.co.nz AGRICULTURAL ASSET MANAGEMENT

COPPERFIELD NURSERIES 221 Snodgrass Rd RD 4 Tauranga

Ph: 07 552 5780 Fax: 07 552 4638 grant.tennet@xtra.co.nz www.copperfieldnurseries.co.nz

SHARE FARMING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE (1) Quality Hereford cows available for share farming. In-calf to a LBW Stud Hereford Bull. A great opportunity to build your numbers of high quality stock without the large outlay of costs.

(2) Registered Stud Hereford cows. In-calf to a LBW Stud Hereford Bull. A rare opportunity to build your own herd of Registered Stud cows.

For either of these opportunities please phone Mark 021 330 425

12HP, Diesel, Electric Start

Moa Master provide quality products and services at affordable prices 13.5HP. Briggs & Stratton Motor.

Electric start. 1.2m cut

SOLID – PRACTICAL

WELL INSULATED – AFFORDABLE

Special Price $3990 Very limited stock LK0097241©

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

TOWABLE TOPPING MOWER

TOWABLE FLAIL MOWER

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

Do you have something to sell?

CITRUS TREES

DOLOMITE

LK0097525©

ANIMAL HEALTH

CONTRACTORS

TEAM OF DOGS. Four Huntaways and three Heading dogs. Phone 04 472 2351.

LIVESTOCK FOR SALE

$4400

GST INCLUSIVE

$4200

11.5HP Briggs & Stratton Motor. Industrial. Electric start. GST INCLUSIVE

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

MOA MASTER

To find out more visit

www.moamaster.co.nz

Phone 027 367 6247 • Email: info@moamaster.co.nz

Phone 027 367 6247 Email: info@moamaster.co.nz

LK0097257©

CRAIGCO SHEEP JETTERS. Sensor Jet. Deal to fly and Lice now. Guaranteed performance.

Unbeatable pricing.

Phone 06 835 6863. www.craigcojetters.com

E N G I N E E R I N G BUSINESS for sale. Sheet Metal, stainless steel and aluminium fabrication, East Auckland area. Established 40+ years ago. Servicing the marine, automotive, building and hospitality sectors. Currently owned and managed by an ex dairy farmer. If you are looking for a change in lifestyle, respectable hours and 5 days a week if you choose. No more worries about mud, mastitis or M. Bovis. Please reply with expression of interest to info@marinestainless.co.nz

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.

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

Advertise in Farmers Weekly

SCOTTY’S CONTRACTORS

✁

ANIMAL AND HUMAN healer, also manipulation on horses and dogs. 6th-16th May, South Canterbury / Otago / Southland / Central Otago. 17th-25th May, Canterbury. 27th May-1st June, Kaikoura / Blenheim / Nelson / Murchison. For more information phone Ron Wilson 027 435 3089.

GOATS WANTED

DOGS FOR SALE

43

LK0092561©

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

BUSINESS FOR SALE

LK0097258©

ANIMAL HANDLING

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

LK0097511©

Classifieds

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 6, 2019

Taking bookings for Gisborne / Tolaga Bay areas.

FROM THIS

1 x 6 foot bale 2m diameter 15 feed positions 15 - 30 animals

classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

100% New Zealand Made Quality Stockfeeders

3 x 4 foot bales 2 x 6 foot bales 24 feed positions 24 - 48 animals 4m long

$ 120+G0 ST

0800 104 404 | www.stockfeeders.co.nz

New Zealand’s proven stock feeder for 24 years | 100% New Zealand Tensile Steel

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

✁

Call Debbie

0800 85 25 80

0 $ 85 +GST

• • • • •

Phone Scott Newman Freephone 0800 2SCOTTY (0800 27 26 88) Mobile 027 26 26 27 2 New Zealand’s Number 1 service provider for under woolshed and covered yard cleaning since 2004

TO THAT

LK00974648©

• • • •

OVAL FEEDER (S2 Pinned)

LK0096638©

STANDARD FEEDER (C6 Pinned)

44

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

Livestock

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 6, 2019

Brooklands & Hillview Simmentals

On Farm Sale

Monday, 20th May 2019 - 1.30pm 1775 MANGAONE VALLEY ROAD EKETAHUNA

OPEN DAY: Wednesday 8th May 2019 on the property 329 Rakaiatai Rd, Dannevirke from 10am

Mark, Anthony & Diana Eagle ‘Chessfield’ 1775 Mangaone Valley Rd Eketahuna p: 06 376 8256 e: eagleeketahuna@xtra.co.nz

Inquiries and Inspection Welcome Colin and Catherine Hutching Phone 06 374 1802 Karl & Louise Humphreys Phone 06 374 1786

LK0097558©

Bulls for sale from this date

SHIAN ANGUS

Kaimoa South Devons have pleasure in putting forward 24 Bulls in 2019 We are committed to producing meaty bulls with good frame, constitution and temperament.

With clients’ needs in mind we have sourced new genetics from overseas to maintain the highest qualities in our bulls.

Annual On Farm Sale - Thursday 30th May 2019 @ 3pm

in conjunction with

Meads Road Taumarunui

10th Annual Bull Sale

43 BULLS FOR SALE

30 RISING 2 YEAR OLD BULLS

Bulls Sired by: • Tangihau Kaino H29 • Kaharau 321 • Turiroa 13740 • Matauri Ulong JO58 • Libido tested & semen evaluated • Lepto & 10 in 1 vaccinated • Shian 609 • TB C10, BVD tested & vaccinated • Free delivery North Island • Shian 446

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

11am Friday 31st May 2019

To be held at Teviot Valley Station Inspections welcome from 9.30 a.m.

PETERS ANGUS

LK0097458©

Enquiries & inspections are always welcomed

1205 Teviot Road, Millers Flat, RD2 Roxburgh 9572, Otago Phone 03 446 6030 or 027 364 1438 Carrfields LIVESTOCK

Roger Keach 027 417 8641 Callum Dunnett 027 587 0131 Donald Baines 027 328 8781 Brent Taylor 027 333 2421 Andrew Holt (Auctioneer) 027 496 3311

PGG WRIGHTSON LIVESTOCK

Callum McDonald 027 433 6443 Chris Swale 027 442 5032 Paul Pearce 027 478 5761

Winners of the Steak of Origin 2018

BULL WALK - Thursday 16th May 2019 11.25-11.55am

Ross & Julie McLachlan, Rob & Lucy Thorneycroft

Waigroup Stud

9.55-10.25am

12.05-12.35pm

Tapiri Stud Pinebank

Te Whanga Stud Jason Coffey, Rob, Paddy & Sarah Borthwick

10.40-11.10am

Dandaloo Stud Angus & Trish Thomson

Willie & Angela Falloon

Light lunch provided at Gladstone Inn Gladstone Inn – If intending

having lunch phone: Joan 06 3722838 or email: centralwaiangus@xtra.co.nz

1.10-1.40pm

3.05-3.35pm

KayJay Stud Glanworth Neil, Joan, Rod & Sam Kjestrup Stud

Joe & Lea, Shaun & Fi Fouhy

1.50-2.20pm

PROFIT-A-BULL EXCELLENCE

www.kerrahsimmentals.co.nz

FOURTH ANNUAL ON-FARM SALE

at Tangiwai Station, Wairoa - 1pm Tuesday, 21st May 2019

3.45-4.15pm

Oregon Stud Totaranui Stud Keith & Gae Higgins CONTACT YOUR LOCAL LIVESTOCK AGENT

Jon Knauf

80

PREDOM

INANTLY POLLED PERF BULLS FO ORMANCE R AUCTIO N

Daimien Reynolds & Tally Jackson

All welcome

PGG Wrightson John Griffith & Co Ltd Carrfields CR Nelson Ltd Kiwi Livestock Ltd Rural Co. Steve Wilkinson John Griffith Chris McBride Craig Nelson Ray Spencer Richard Williams 0275 94 5110 0274 83 6679 0275 65 1145 021 457 127 021 544 791 021 519 153

BULL SALE RESULTS 2019

CONTACT: Or catalogue

Jon Knauf 06 838 6793 E: jsknauf@gisborne.net.nz

Phil Transom 0274 420 060 PGG Wrightson

Ross Mitchell 0274 048 965 Fergus Rural

Farmers Weekly will be sending the autumn bull sale results e-newsletter from May 2019.

Contact Nigel on 06 323 0761, 027 602 4925 or livestock@globalhq.co.nz to sign up or include your sale results and receive weekly updates.

DON’T MISS OUT.

farmersweekly.co.nz

LK0097310©

9.00-9.30am

1447 Hereheretau Rd, RD 6, WAIROA 4196

Livestock

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 6, 2019

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

AUSTREX NZ LTD

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

L IV E TO CK EXPO RT E R S

BUYING NOW

Are you looking in the right direction?

FRIESIAN Y Yearling & FRIESIAN AUTUMN Mated Yearling Heifers – F12 or Better – FOR CHINA EXPORT

or contact your Agent

www.austrex.com.au

LK0097330©

Enquiries to: Paul Tippett 027 438 1623 Colin Jordan 027 667 0903 David Kelk 027 644 1285

Pedigree Jersey Herd & Replacements a/c C & S Pedley, ‘Sunny Lodge Farms’ Levin Thursday 16th May 2019, 11.30am At Rongotea Saleyards, Manawatu

STOCK REQUIRED

HEAVY MALE LAMBS 40kg 150 MA

SIF HINDS MA ANGUS COWS - NOV BULL R3YR ANG HEIFERS R2YR BEEF STEERS 420-480kg 480kg www.dyerlivestock.co.nz

To advertise

Phone Nigel 0800 85 25 80 or email livestock@globalhq.co.nz

Ross Dyer 0274 333 381 A Financing Solution For Your Farm E info@rdlfinance.co.nz

Check them out

Comprising: 174 x 2-8 year old cows and 40 R2 in-calf heifers Producing: 104,072 kgsMS (346.9/cow) 2018/19 season Blanket Dry-cowed (Ceprivin) March 23, 2019 SCC average 131000, C10; EBL free; Lepto vac.; closed herd Due to calve from July 14 (mix AB & selected recorded bulls) These cows will be presented in good condition

Longview

Kerikeri Bull and Incalf Heifer Sale 31st May, 11.30 09 401 9633 - Shane & Dot

Glenrossie

Further enquiries contact:

Lochburn

Vendor – Craig Pedley 021 061 2292

Taupiri Private Sales 07 824 6751 - Kelvin

LK0097448©

NZ Farmers Livestock agent Darryl Harwood 027 449 1174

Or any NZ Farmers Livestock agent

FOR SALE

60 R2 YR ANGUS DAIRY BULLS 550kg 1300 MA EWES CAP STOCK RWR 05/03

Looking for a Beef Shorthorn?

COMPLETE DISPERSAL SALE

NZ Farmers Livestock region manager Malcolm Coombe 027 432 6104

45

Aubrey

Whangarei Heads Sale June 28th, 1pm 09 434 0987 - David 09 434 0718 -Will

Waitomo Private Sale 07 873 6968 - Ron

Browns

Mahoenui Bull and Incalf Heifer Sale May 28th, 9am 07 877 8977 - Russell

Combined Beef Breed Bull Sale

Taupo Sale May 24th, 12pm 027 501 8182 - Cam 027 210 4698 - Brent

Bullock Creek

Waitara Private Sales 06 754 6699 - Roger Whangamomona Private Sales 06 762 3520 - Aaron

Colvend

Mangaotuku

Ongarue Sale 28th May, 3.30 07 894 6030 - Alan

Stratford Private Sales 06 765 7269 - Jack

Hiwiroa Sale

Woodcall

Hinewaka Sale

Takaka Private Sales 021 556 806 - Bill

Masterton Sale June 5th, 3pm 06 372 7615 - David

Glenbrook Station

Waipukurau Sale May 30th, 11am 06 858 5369 - Jim 06 855 4737 - Nick

Dunblane

Omarama Private Sales 021 285 9303 - Simon

Waikari Private Sales 027 233 3678 - Chris

Carriganes Cattle

Westwood

Leeston Private Sales 022 470 2447 - Sarah

Tuatapere Private Sales 03 226 6713 - Anita

Rough Ridge

Ranfurly Sale May 17th, 11am 03 444 9277 - Malcolm

2nd Rauriki Charolais Bull Sale

Katikati Bull and Incalf Heifer Sale May 23rd, 1pm 07 552 0815 - Ken 021 520 244 - Craig Morrinsville Private Sales 07 889 5965 - Hamish

Raupuha

Mill Valley

Orena

Glendhu

Maerewhenua

Oamaru Private Sales 03 431 2871 - Norman

Using a n bull in Shorthor eeding ss-br your cro l increase wil program ne up to bottom li 20%

Heriot Sale May 21st, 11am 027 497 8104 - Fraser

25 R 2 Charolais Bulls

Renowned for great marbling producing top quality meat

‘On Farm Video Charolais Bull Sale’ is Tuesday 28th May at 2pm Viewing from 12 noon The bulls will be penned at the selling complex for inspection on sale day.

Contact: Simon P 06 858 8045

M: 027 636 3243 Wendy P: 027 280 3471 George M: 027 782 5237 email: s.collin@xtra.co.nz

www.raurikicharolais.co.nz

LK0097242©

Bull Open Day: Tuesday 14th May 11am-2pm

www.shorthorn.co.nz

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

Livestock

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 6, 2019

WANTED TO PURCHASE

POLLED HEREFORDS

SINCE 1979

FOR SALE

NEW SEASON MILKING DOE KIDS BORN FROM BEGINNING JUNE TO MID AUGUST

STORE FRIESIAN BULLS IMMEDIATE DELIVERY Located Canterbury

ON FARM SALE JUNE 5 AT 1PM

28TH ANNUAL SALE

Guaranteed Forward Contract available

45 x R1 180kg approx. $3.20kg • 49 x R1 250kg approx. $3.10kg 500 x R1 240-250kg approx. $3.10kg Contact Matt Sanson 027 556 9928

Premium Price Paid – $100 + GST Daily collection available

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

Located Southland

LK0097453©

GET THE WHITEFACE ADVANTAGE

LOT 5

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

For more information call:

Stacey Nicholson 027 772 8082

THIS IS THE BEST RECIPE FOR MAKING MONEY YOU WON’T GET THE G IN S U Y B LT U S E R M U IM T P O ONLYONE INGREDIENT!

Located North Otago

600 x R1 200kg approx. $3kg 300 x R2 Frsn Bulls 375kg $2.60kg Contact James Perkins 027 232 8052

26th March at 1:00pm FREE DELIVERY

RANUI Bull Sale

3.00pm Thursday, 6th June Karamu, 662 Rangitatau East Rd,Wanganui • • • •

All bulls are semen and service tested Scanned for carcase Independently inspected Cow herds run under commercial conditions

• • • •

Bulls displayed on concrete Hard surface in sale ring. Feet visible BVD Tested Antigen Clear & Vaccinated 3-year Guarantee for soundness & fertility

“Internationally proven from sea level to snow line” Enquiries to: 2 bu Lin Johnstone Phone: 027 445 3213 for lls DAY Nationsale at OPEN S Lindsay Johnstone Phone: 027 445 3211 ale, 1a3l AMnagus P.Nth y, 7 MAY ranui.w@farmside.co.nz PGG Wrightson Agents Callum Stewart Ph: 027 280 2688 Ken Roberts Ph: 027 591 8042

Sale Catalogue online: www.ranuiangus.co.nz

S I A L O R A H C E S U 13 in-calf R2yr heifers 7 heifer calves 13 heifer calves 7 bull calves IN THE MIX Registered Polled Herefords

KEVIN & JANE McDONALD

07 333 8068

Registered Speckle Parks Lot 71 Semen Package

LINDSAY S JONESSALE DATE: Thursday June 13 , 2019 @ 1.00pm AIrces OL AR CH #morebeeflessresou

Koanui Kahuna 7299

0274 528 603

#begreengowhite #whenkilosmatter #weightpays #yieldpays

th

70 Rising Two Year Old Bulls on Farm Auction “The Sale Shed” 811 Maraetotara Road, Havelock North.

Ph: 06 874 7844 Mobile: 027 4888 635 Email: kphp@xtra.co.nz

www.koanuiherefords.co.nz

S

T

A

T

I

O

N

Bull Sale – 4th June 12 noon, On Farm Tiraumea

CHAROLAIS BREEDERS NEW ZEALAND Inc P. O Box 503, 75 South Street, Feilding 4740 P:06 323 4494 E: charolais@pbbnz.com

www.charolais.net.nz

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

otapawa@xtra.co.nz Stuart Robbie 027 848 4408 Douglas & Dara 06 376 7765

LK0097365©

LK0097479©

Must be minimum 12 hours old with three feedings of colostrum, no less than 1.5kg liveweight.

LK0097559©

KAIRURU

LK0097532©

46

Livestock SALE TALK

PETER & CAROLINE FOSS

Two old ladies, Shirley and Donna, were sitting on a park bench outside the local town hall where a flower show was in progress.

Shirley, leaned over and said, “Life is so boring. We never have any fun anymore, for $10 I’d take my clothes off and streak through that flower show”! “You’re on!”, said Donna. Shirley undressed, grabbed a dried flower from a nearby display and held it between her teeth.

Completely naked, she streaked (as fast as she could) through the front door of the flower show.

Waiting outside, Donna heard a huge commotion inside the hall, followed by loud applause and shrill whistling. Finally, the smiling Shirley came through the door surrounded by a cheering, clapping crowd.

“What happened”? asked Donna. “I won $1,000 as 1st prize for ‘Best Dried Arrangement’!”

495 Potaka Road, RD 1, Aria, King Country Ph/fax (07) 877 7881 Email: pcfossy@xtra.co.nz

Sound well fleshed sires, Excellent temperament 200 Fully breedplan recorded cows 20 Bulls Catalogued

WILTSHIRE RAMS AVAILABLE

> Genuine full shed sheep > No shearing > No dagging > No dipping

25TH ANNUAL SALE THURSDAY 6TH JUNE 1PM, TE KUITI SALE YARDS

BULL OPEN DAY • ALL ENQUIRIES WELCOME WEDNESDAY 29TH MAY 1 - 5PM

Red, White & Roans of our world

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

47

A r v i d s o n W I L T S H I R E S - Pure Meat, No Shearing NZ’s No1 F.E. Meat Breed Flock * SIL * Parasite Testing Well Muscled - Fast Growth. Ph: David 027 2771 556

LK0097010©

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 6, 2019

Angus Cattle bred and tested under

COMMERCIAL CONDITIONS for you

Celebrating

pa Wairara th lk 16 Bull Wa 19.

May, 20 s or All visit e. m welco

100 YEARS OF

BREEDING

GLANWORTH

PINEBANK

Shaun Fouhy (06) 376 8869

Willie Falloon (06) 372 7041

Come and join us at our on-farm sale: Tuesday 28 May 2019 at 9am Also selling in calf heifers Contact Russell Proffit

Enquiries inspection always welcome email:and rnmwproffit@xtra.co.nz

2033 State Highway 3, RD Mahoenui, 3978 phone: 07 877 8977 or 027 355 2927 www.raupuhastud.co.nz Raupuha Stud

SPRINGDALE ANGUS On Farm Bull Sale 45 Quality Rising 2yr Bulls Sire – Springdale Dandaloo 472

Thursday 30th May 2019 Ngakonui – 12 Noon

BVD Tested & Vaccinated

Lepto & 10 in 1 Vaccinated

Lot 3 – Springdale Victor 628

Sires of Sale Bulls

Rangatira 14-254 • Kaharau 12-40 • Kaharau 179 • Stokman Thunder L159 Stokman Intensity L169 • Springdale Clarion 244 Springdale Dandaloo 468 • Springdale Dandaloo 472

Catalogue available online at: www.springdaleangus.co.nz

ENQUIRIES AND INSPECTION WELCOME

Ian & Karenne Borck –1094 Taringamotu Rd, RD4 Taumarunui 3994 Ph/Fax: 07 895 3452 ~ Email: springdaleangus@outlook.co.nz Website: www.springdaleangus.co.nz ~ Or your local agent

Hit the bulls-eye with advertising in Farmers Weekly.

Reaching over 78,000 rural mailboxes weekly we are the ideal space to engage with the right audience for your bull sales.

Farmers Weekly also publishes a free weekly e-newsletter during autumn and spring that showcases bull sale results from around the country. Adding digital advertising options to link to your catalogue offers added benefits.

To find out more, contact Nigel Ramsden on 06 323 0761, 027 602 4925 or email livestock@globalhq.co.nz

farmersweekly.co.nz

LK0097312©

Free North Island Delivery

LK0097469©

TB C10

48

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

Livestock

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 6, 2019

COLEMAN FARMS COMPLETE CLEARING SALE – FARM SOLD

PRELIMINARY NOTICE

Herd Clearance Sale

IN CONJUNCTION WITH SALLAN REALTY

A/c ST & KA Daulton Matamau, Dannevirke Thursday 23rd May 2019

Tractors – Case MXM140 (9339hr)

– Case MX110 (11921hr)

– Old Case (plus Forks & Buckets)

EFTPOS available at the sale.

Further enquiries contact Emmet McConnell 027 443 7671

CLEARING SALE DAIRY FARM PLANT & MACHINERY AUCTION A/C Thompson Track L.P. 2264 Thompson Track, Lauriston

Thursday 16th May 1pm “ Approved Quality Outside Entries Invited “

• 20 in-calf, young, Hereford cows

Enquiries contact: Todd Bray 027 235 5991 or Malcom Coombe 027 432 6104

LK0097512©

Full details to follow next week.

COLEMANS ANNUAL CHAROLAIS BULL SALE

Feilding sale May 9 • 30 in-calf Hereford cows For paddock sale

MONDAY 20 MAY 2019 AT 1PM ON FARM AT 168 MATARAUA ROAD RD 1, KAIKOHE, NORTHLAND

All mated to Ardo stud Hereford bulls from December 1 to January 25.

• 50 unmated R-2-yr Hereford heifers

William Morrison – 027 640 1166 Maurice Stewart, PGGW – 027 246 9255

LK0097168©

ON FARM HERD SALE

LK0097439©

20 RISING 19-MONTH SERVICE BULLS

Closed herd, C10, vaccinated annually for BVD, 7-in-1 and Rotovirus.

www.morrisonfarming.co.nz

TESTED CLEAR AND INNOCULATED FOR BVD TB STATUS C10 70% OF BULLS PRESENTED ARE POLLED

FURTHER INFORMATION PH 09 401 0902

Auahi Charolais

ON A/C GA & BG Chick Monday 13th May 12 noon 15 Kaikahu Road, Kerepehi, Paeroa Fonterra 75330 126 CRV Ambreed Friesian-Friesian Cross-Jersey Cross Spring Calving Cows 2 - 8 yr old (88% 6 years and under) Calving from 4/7, 6 weeks AI. Tailed with Jersey + 36 CRV Ambreed R2 In-Calf heifers Calving from 15th July.

All scanned to date. In-Calf to Jersey

Est. 1981

Pio Pio

Henderson Partners

1pm Thursday 23rd May Offering: 26 R2 Bulls

Agents Note: This herd has been owned by the vendor for over 40 years.

TB C10, MBOVIS non-detected on milk test, Blanket Dry Cow, Low input operation, loads of un-tapped potential.

Payment 14 days from date of sale, delivery will be the day after sale but if purchasers have no access to new farm stock can be held until 31st May

View Listings on mylivestock.co.nz WAI70151 & WAI70603 Contact Wayne Robb 021 712 511

Maximum LK0097436©

Terms: Charge to NZFL livestock account, or pay by farm cheque or cash on day.

ANNUAL FEMALE PRODUCTION SALE

Plus 50 x KiwiX i-c heifers (BW115; PW129)

Comprising:

LK0097291©

Comprising 190 x KiwiX cows (BW104; PW150)

WE WILL OFFER Deutz K810 tractor c/w trima loader,

LK0097324©

On property of: A. McBeth 1312 Kellow Road, RD7, Rangiotu, Palmerston North.

Tuesday 14th May, 11am start.

Hitachi 12-tonne digger EX120-5; Set of chain harrows; Claas Liner 680L hay rake; Sam Fert spreader; New Holland BR750 round baler; New Holland 570 small baler; Hustler Chainless 4000 bale feeder; Fence Pro 4.0 post rammer; Pottinger mower conditioner; Kuhn 6xdrum hay rake; Hustler soft hands; Vogal ATV spreader; Eliminator weed wiper; Farmguard back blade; UFO mower; 2 x Cambridge rollers; Rototiller; 1000Lt spray tank; Kuhn GMD800 mower; Redback 3.0m land leveller; Giltrap MSX100 tandemaxle silage wagon; Palm kernel trailers; Workshop equipment; Welding equipment; Compressors; Honda 400 quad bike; 40 teat calfetaria; Weigh platform; Diesel tank.

Plus numerous farm sundries.

CHAROLAIS

C10 • Fully guaranteed Inspection anytime Ph John 07 873 8477 or 027 633 1776

McIntosh multicrop 900 feed out wagon, 10 tonne Tip trailer, IH tractor 685 xl, Walk thru treatment crush, 10 tonne Heavy roller, King Hitter post rammer- w spike, Brandt supercharged auger, Krone mower, Sebco 4800 with cube 70 diesel tank, Oil recovery, PK feeders mobile, Pallet forks, Rata versatile grapple, 2 axle hay trailer, Grader blade king

BLACK RIDGE ANGUS STUD

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

60 series, Grubber clough, Maxi rototiller, Cambridge roller, Lely fert spreader, Spray unit/water blaster, EID wand reader XRS, Isuzu flat deck truck, Cattle crate, Portable cattle yards, Cattle platform for weighing, Mobile loading ramp, Cradle hay feeders, Square bale hay racks, Diesel tank Hay covers, Fencing sundries,

Payment on the day unless prior arrangement with management All Prices are subject to GST.

FOR DETAILS CONTACT STEVE HILL 027 555 4599 www.progressivelivestock.co.nz

On farm bull sale

Thursday 30th May 2019, 9:30am

HAVE A SALE COMING UP?

35 two year old bulls

SIRE BULLS: Matauri Outlier F031, Tangihau J27, Tangihau J28, Stokman K163, Cricklewood H25

DEAN AND TERESA SHERSON,

JOIN US FOR BREAKFAST WITH THE BULLS

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 All bulls libido tested and semen evaluated

|

Inspection and enquiries always welcome

Call Nigel

0800 85 25 80

livestock@globalhq.co.nz

THE DIFFERENCE IN CATTLE PERFORMANCE IS

BLACK AND WHITE Faster liveweight gain. Increased fertility. Superior meat quality.

These are just some of the traits that define the HerefordX advantage.

The science shows that HerefordX steers and heifers hit target weights faster and an extra 15% growth means they command sale yard premiums of a hundred bucks a beast. Cows produce more over a lifetime because they live longer and have a 7% higher pregnancy rate than purebreds.

You can’t argue with genetics when it comes to maximising the value of your herd. To find out more about buying a registered Hereford bull, visit herefords.co.nz/bullsales or talk to your stock agent.

www.herefords.co.nz

50

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

Livestock

FARMERS WEEKLY – May 6, 2019

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

MANAWATU RANGITIKEI ANGUS BULL WALK

Are you looking in the right direction?

Tuesday 7th May 9am - 9.30am Ranui

To advertise Phone Nigel 0800 85 25 80 or email livestock@globalhq.co.nz

10.20am - 11am Pine Park

farmersweekly.co.nz

11.10am - 11.40am Merchiston 11.50am - 12.15pm Complimentary lunch Station Hotel Hunterville

For Sale 70 KiwiX Computer Split BW80 PW103 RA90% DTC 18/7, system 3 $1720 or pick 50 for $2150 50 Jsy/JsyX I/C heifers BW99 PW124 VIC to Jsy bull $1100 99 R1yr Jsy/JsyX heifers BW114 PW131 $500 Paul Kane: 027 286 9279 National Dairy Coordinator 160 F/FX, BW66 PW90, DTC 7/7, 430m/s. $1700 JD 70 F/FX I/C heifers, BW90 Pw110, C/D 10/7. $1150 I/C Heifers – good numbers avail, DTC 10/7, profiles available $1250

Wanted

25 CRV I/C Heifers, need to be tops, calving from 25/7. BD Matt Hancock Ph:027 601 3787 Waikato Dairy Coordinator

LIMOUSIN

For Sale

SOUTH ISLAND

Catalogues will be available on the day.

Enquiries to: Ryan Shannon 027 565 0979

11th Annual Bull Sale

MONDAY 20 MAY 2019, 1PM

Helping grow the country

BE PREPARED TO BE IMPRESSED COME ALONG AND SEE FOR YOURSELF

LK0096434©

250 Frsn & Jersey X cows BW67 PW93 RA82% DTC 25/7 Good sound XBred cows $1800 190 XBred Cows BW80 PW108 DTC 25/7 Sound in udder with good conformation $1750 180 XBred Cows BW100 PW139 RA96% DTC 1/8 Good sound XBred herd $1800 Philip Webb Ph: 027 801 8057 Central & Southern North Island Dairy Coordinator

www.carrfieldslivestock.co.nz

1pm on farm at Brian O’Connell’s property, Main Road, off Rakaia-Selwyn Road, Dunsandel.

Auctioneers: PGG Wrightson, Simon Eddington 027 590 8612 Contact: Warrick James 03 318 2352 or Gary Kennett 03 329 6380 Catalogue available at www.limousin.co.nz

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING PHONE NIGEL 0800 85 25 80

2019 BULL SALES BULL WALK

A great chance to see around 1100 R2 Bulls over five days that will be auctioned this season.

South & Mid Canterbury Tuesday 21st May 1pm to 4pm Kakahu Angus & Centrewood Charolais, Geraldine Meadowslea Angus, Fairlie Stern Angus, Pleasant Point

Facilitated by

Tom Hargreaves David Giddings James Fraser

03 6974979 03 6858027 03 6147080

James McKerchar Robert Peacock Nick France Paul Scott

03 6143332 03 6922893 03 3039749 03 6129962

Andrew Laing Brent Fisher

03 3291709 0272 514791

Rick Orr Jono Reed Sam Holland George Johns Chris Jeffries Greg Chamberlain Will Wilding Rob Stokes Rob Burrows Helen Molloy

0272 457751 0272 580732 0211 814868 0221 983599 0274 608849 021 549229 027 8264015 027 7571673 027 2633582 0274994079

James Murray Johnny Murray Paul Hickman Charles Waddy Richard Van Asch Angus Peter Greg Crombie

027 4866699 027 7319430 021 575155 03 5757388 021 1915584 0224287906 0275511011

South & Mid Canterbury Tuesday 21st May 10am to 4pm

QUALITY

FARM

MACHINERY

SALE

10 MAY FROM 10.30AM AT TINWALD SALEYARDS, ASHBURTON

Sale includes a 2013 Deutz 100G Agrofarm 3, 2009 Vicon Medium Square Baler, 2008 McCormick XTX145, 2014 JCB Loadall 536-60 Agri, 2005 Grain King Agrichaser 18 tonne plus a range of CLAAS 3500 liners, 4 rota rakes.

Other top items such as windrowers, tractors and more are available.

To view all listed items visit carrfields.co.nz

03 307 9400

2.45pm - 3.20pm Ngaputahi

Use Limousin to add MUSCLE, higher VALUE cuts and improve YIELD whilst retaining EASY CALVING and good TEMPERAMENT

190 Xbred Herd BW 80 PW 108 DTC 26/7 $1750 36 Frns Heifers DTC 1/8 BW 96 PW 82 $1600 32 Xbred Heifers DTC 10/7 BW 129 PW 134 $1500 30 Frns X Heifers DTC 10/7 BW 104 PW 112 $1400 Brent Espin Ph: 027 551 3660 Taranaki Regional Manager

CONTACT CLAAS HARVEST CENTRE CANTERBURY

1.15pm - 1.45pm Atahua

CONTACT DRUMMOND & ETHERIDGE

0800 432 633

Merrylea Hereford, Cave Orari Gorge Hereford, Geraldine Okawa Hereford, Mayfield Matatoki Hereford, Cave

Central Canterbury Wednesday 22nd May 12pm to 4pm Sudeley Angus, Irwell Silverstream Charolais & Hereford, Greenpark

North Canterbury Thursday 23rd May 10am to 4pm Red Oak Angus, Weka Pass Grampians Angus, Culverden Hemingford Charolais, Culverden Kaiwara Angus, Culverden Grassmere Hereford & Riverlands Angus, Cheviot Capethorne Hereford, Cheviot Te Mania Angus, Conway Flat Beechwood, Richon and Woodburn Hereford, Amberley

Marlborough Bull Walk Friday 24th May 10am to 4pm Matariki Herefords, Clarence Bridge Woodbank Angus, Clarence Bridge Taimate Angus, Ward Waterfall Angus, Awatere Burtergill South Devon, Koromiko Brackenfield Angus, Awatere Leefield Station Angus, Waihopai Valley

St Arnaud, Wakefield & Rai Valley Bull Walk Saturday 25th May 10am to 4pm Lake Herefords, St Arnaud Martin Farming Hereford & Angus, Wakefield Blacknight Angus, Rai Valley

Malcolm McConochie Richard Martin Ben Maisey

021 2510078 027 2303098 03 5716271

Further Enquiries John McKone, PGG Wrightson Simon Eddington, PGG Wrightson Anthony Cox, Rural Livestock

0275 299375 0275 908612 0272 083071

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING PHONE NIGEL RAMSDEN 0800 85 25 80

Your source for PGG Wrightson livestock and farming listings TOP INDEX HERD AND IN CALF HEIFERS DISPERSAL SALE Thursday 9th May 2019 11.00AM 405 Knight Road, RD9, Ruatangata - Whangarei A/C RM Farms Ltd Comprising 320 X Bred/Frsn/Jsy Cows BW 137 PW 184 RA 100% 140 X Bred/Frsn/Jsy In Calf Heifers.

BW 140 PW 169.

This outstanding herd has been farmed by Shepherd family since 1942 and would be one of the highest producing (consistently around 400 m/s) system 1 OAD herds to be sold this season.

Herd calving 15th July LIC Jsy/X Bred bulls, tailed off Jsy bull out 7th Jan, scanned to dates. TOP 75 cows ave BW 180 PW 331 with individual BWs up to 280 PWs to 575. 23 cows carry AI contract for 2019/20.

In calf heifers mated to AI X Bred/Jsy bulls for 6 weeks start calving 15th July.

All young stock are reared and grazed on property including their service bulls.

Herd will be dried off prior to sale and dry cowed.

315 animals have been confirmed A2/A2.

Purchasers requiring genuine hard working cows with top genetics, high fertility with over 70years AI breeding and herd testing.

TB C10, EBL free, BVD clear, M/Bovis milk test clear.

Payment/Delivery 14days for sale date, delivery immediate unless prior arrangement made before sale day.

Catalogues & 3GPs available on Agonline or

COMPLETE HERD DISPERSAL SALE

CLEARING SALE

Wednesday 22nd May 2019 Feilding Saleyards 11.30 am A/C Tipperary Dairies Luke & Fioana Renton Palmerston North

Wednesday 15th May 11.00AM Start

Comprising: 190 Frsn/FrsnX & Jsy Cows BW 79 PW 107 R.A 95% 59 Frsn/Frsn X & Jsy IC Hfrs – BW 126 PW 146 R.A 99%

Calving 22nd July 2019. TB Status C10.

Cows calving from 27th July to LIC PSS Friesian for 6 weeks and tailed with Simmental bull removed 5th Jan. Cows will be drycow to SAMM Plan. A great opportunity to purchase capital stock, cows & heifers that are being sold due to a change in sharemilking circumstances. The herd is consistently producing in the range of 380420 kg/ms with a bulk SCC of 80,000 farmed on a system 2.

TB C10 – EBL Free, Lepto Vacc.

Contact Brad Osborne 027 208 1015

Heifers are calving from 27th July to Jersey bull, removed 20th December. Will come forward in good order and are well grown.

Payment/Delivery – Payment 14 Days from sale date, delivery immediate.

Catalogues available on Agonline.co.nz or Contact: Andrew Leggett 0220383216 Peter Forrest 0275 986 153 Jamie Cunninghame 0275833 533

Steven Josephs 027 420 5167 Andrew Reyland 027 223 7092

SPRING CALVING HERD

COMPLETE DISPERSAL SALE OF XBRED HERD & REPLACEMENT HFRS Thursday 16th May 11.00am 102A Casey Road, Whatawhata A/C Farmy McFarm Ltd Comprising: 260 X Bred Cows BW 69 PW 106 80 R2yr In Calf Heifers BW 84 PW 112 90 R1yr Heifers BW 116 PW 145

Monday 20th May 11.00AM Start Morrinsville Saleyards

Hard working kiwi cross herd with PWs up to 334.

A/C DL Nixon Ltd

Herd mainly in calf to A2/ A2 Jrsy/XBred AB 5wks.

Comprising 95 Frsn Cows Spring calving content for sale, Ambreed breeding.

Vendors leaving the farming industry.

G3 profiled, TB Status C10.

Morrinsville Saleyards A/C D&S Paton Ltd 80 Frsn & Frsn X Cows BW 63 PW 78 RA 100%

Frsn content of herd left to sell, vendors retiring.

Catalogues/Profiles available on Agonline.

Or Kane Needham 027 839 3612

MACHINERY & HERD CLEARING SALE Friday 17th May Machinery – 11.00AM Start Cows – 12.00PM Start A/C John Burrill Sherwood Drive, RD 4, Pukekohe Herd: Comprising 130 MA Frsn, Frsn X & Jsy Cows BW 72 PW 106 TB Status C10.

Calving 10th July–15th September .

Vendors leaving the dairy industry.

Machinery: Duetz DX160 4X4 Cab tractor, Ford Industrial

Herd calving from 15th July-30th Sept.

Dry cowed & teat sealed 11th April.

TB Status C10.

In calf Heifers in calf to Jrsy Bull.

Contact Brad Osborne 027 208 1015

Calving 9th July-28th Sept.

Or Chris Elliott 027 590 4827

Contact Vaughn Larsen 027 801 4599.

handy tractor, & Fiat 72-93 4x4, Rops, Pearson loader tractor with forks & bucket.

New Holland 2 row maize choppers with grass head. Tandem Disc’s 4.5 metre, 2x grader blades,2x Cambridge rollers, & Sam tandem axle side delivery feed out wagon.

Gallagher Forager & V trailer. 4x PKE Trailers, 2x calf feeder trailers, 3x farm tip trailers, John Deere round baler, & Taarup round baler/wrapper. Grain auger, silage bin, and stock crate.

Catalogues/Profiles available on Agonline.

Contact Brad Osborne 027 208 1015 Or Colin Saunderson 027 493 6524.

TE AROHA AMBREED CLEARING SALE Monday 13th May 11.00AM Start 241 Mikkleson Road, RD3 Te Aroha Tanker #76323 A/C M & S Dyer Comprising 240 Frsn/Frsn X In calf Cows Herd Average BW 62 PW 86

170 M/A Frsn/Frsn X Cows BW 60 PW 96 $1,550+GST

•

RA83% Well presented LIC Bred Friesian/ Friesian X Cows, milked on Sand Country Farm on a System 2 with the Cows wintered on the property , Cows have averaged 351 milk solids to 22/3 /19 & now on OAD. Farm is Sold.

Peter Forrest – 027 598 6153 Agonline ref: 3636

229 3-6yr Frsn, Jsy, X/Bred Carry Over Cows BW 84 PW 137 $1,650+GST •

RA100% These Cows have been synchronised and 120 Cows will calve in the first week.

Mark Houghton – 027 597 5844 Agonline ref: 3471

For photos and more information on listings visit www.agonline.co.nz

Sheep

Other

FEILDING WEANER FAIR & COW SALE Feilding Wnr Fair Thursday 16th May 11.30 am Ricky Alabaster Family Trust Taihape 180 Ang & Ang/Hfd Strs 180 Ang & Ang/Hfd Hfrs` Hfrs suitable for breeding None kept as replacements Rangitane P/S Taihape 100 Ang Strs 100 Ang Hfrs C Alabaster Trust Cross Keys 150 Ang & Ang/Hfd Strs 150 Ang & Ang/Hfrd Hfrs Hardrock Station C/- R Pussell Waituna 60 Ang Strs

Feilding Cow Thursday 23rd May 11:30am Siberia Station Hunterville 180 2.5yr Hfd Hfrs VIC 1/12/18 Ang Bull – ex Atahua Hfrs sourced from Beaumont Station, Maniatoto Further Inquires Maurice Stewart – 027 246 9255

OPAWA SIMMENTALS ANNUAL ON FARM BULL & HEIFER SALE 260 Rutherford Road, Albury South Canterbury Friday 17th May 2019

Commencing 1.30pm, Inspection from 11.30am 20 2 Yr Simmental Bulls 50 2 Yr Simmental x Hereford Heifers PTIC low birth weight Hereford Bulls 13/11/18 (2 cycles) TB C10 Enquiries: David & Jayne Timperley – Vendors 03 685 5785 or 0274 375 881 Simon Eddington PGG Wrightson 0275 908 612 Sam Bell PGG Wrightson 0272 040 499

Tailed with Jrsy bulls, bulls out 21st Dec.

Catalogues/Profiles available on Agonline.

DAIRY HERDS & IN-CALF HEIFERS FOR SALE

Cattle

loader tractor, Ford 4600 2 wheel drive

contact PGG Wrightson Agents Kevin Brown 027 434 7561

Key: Dairy

ELITE FRSN/FRSN X CARRY OVER COWS & IN CALF HEIFERS A2 TESTED

• 2 Contract cows in herd.

Tuesday 14th May 11.00AM Start Morrinville Saleyards A/C Bellevue Farm Comprising: 250 Frsn/Frsn X In calf Cows BW 72 PW 118 64 Frsn/Frsn X In calf Heifers BW 75 PW 76 Cows calving 24th July to Hfd bull, bull out 25th Dec. Young cows 3, 4 & 5yrs. BWs up to 183 PW 325. Cows A2 tested with 120 cows A2/A2. Cows were dry cowed. In calf Heifers calving 24th July, Jsy bull, bull out 25th Dec. Both Heifers and Cows come forward in excellent condition.

Catalogues available on Agonline.co.nz

• Short 9 week making spread with no intervention, (86% herd calved in first 6wks).

Contact Andrew Reyland 027 223 7092 Or Dean Evans 027 243 1092.

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

• Calving from 14th July to nominated Ambreed for 3 1/2 weeks (lower BW cows to Hereford in AI period). Tailed off Hereford bull, bull out 8th Dec.

• Approx half of herd has tested A2/A2 positive.

• Production 437 m/s per cow on a system 2.

• TB C10, EBL Free, M/Bovis free on bulk milk test, H/Bone shed.

• OAD from Christmas (SCC 118,00).

• R1 & IC R2 Heifers also for sale (Off Farm).

Having used 9 years of nominated Ambreed breeding, our vendors offer for auction a good quality herd & replacements that have been bred for fertility & SCC. Farmers in search of genuine dairy stock are advised to attend this fixture.

Catalogues available on Agonline.co.nz Contact PGG Wrightson Agents: Allan Jones 027 224 0768 or Matt Hughes 027 405 2824 Vendors: Mark and Sue Dyer 027 583 6048

PANORAMA POLLED HEREFORDS ONLINE DISPERSAL AUCTION Tuesday 14th May @ 2.30pm Full dispersal of Panorama Polled Herefords Online auction will be conducted on bidr Tuesday 14th May @ 2:30pm after the National Hereford Sale.

The online auction will be available to view and participate in at the Hereford Grazing unit, 428 Levitt’s line, Kiwitea, Manawatu. Signposted from the Main road. Assistance from the bidr team will be available to help you on the day as well as the PGW Genetics team.

On offer in the Dispersal auction will be the entire life’s work of Alan Cook which consists of the following animals: 19 mixed age cows SIC 6 rising 2year heifers SIC 13 Wnr heifer calves 7 Wnr Bull calves 5 18 month Bulls Viewing of Alan’s Herefords will be available on Farm, 35 Junction Road Feilding at 1pm to 4pm - Monday, 13th May or 8am to 9.30am - Tuesday, 14th May To register with bidr: • call the bidr team on 0800 TO BIDR • sign up at www.bidr.co.nz For further information contact: Ryan Shannon – 0275650979 Tony Gallen – 0275901711 A bidr® sale, hosted at www.bidr.co.nz Bid, buy, sell all things rural

Helping grow the country

MARKET SNAPSHOT

52

Market Snapshot brought to you by the AgriHQ analysts.

Suz Bremner

Nicola Dennis

Mel Croad

Cattle

Reece Brick

Caitlin Pemberton

Sheep

BEEF

Deer

SHEEP MEAT

VENISON

Last week

Prior week

Last year

NI Steer (300kg)

5.45

5.45

5.35

NI lamb (17kg)

7.30

7.30

7.30

NI Stag (60kg)

8.90

9.00

11.00

NI Bull (300kg)

5.15

5.15

5.15

NI mutton (20kg)

5.05

5.05

4.95

SI Stag (60kg)

9.00

9.00

11.00

NI Cow (200kg)

4.00

3.90

4.00

SI lamb (17kg)

6.95

6.85

7.05

SI Steer (300kg)

5.05

5.05

5.30

SI mutton (20kg)

4.85

4.85

4.90

SI Bull (300kg)

4.90

4.90

4.95

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

SI Cow (200kg)

3.40

3.40

3.70

UK CKT lamb leg

9.24

9.21

9.31

US imported 95CL bull

7.83

7.92

6.51

US domestic 90CL cow

7.33

7.17

6.77

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Last week Prior week

Last year

Export markets (NZ$/kg) 8.5 $/kg CW

North Island steer slaughter price 6.0

North Island lamb slaughter price

$/kg CW

South Island steer slaughter price

$/kg CW

$/kg CW $/kg CW

10.5

7.5 6.5

5-yr ave

Jun

2017-18

Oct

Dec 5-yr ave

Feb

Dec

Feb

Apr

Aug

37 micron ewe

2018-19

Apr 2017-18

Jun

Aug 2018-19

Last week

Prior week

Last year

Fertiliser

2.96

2.95

3.02

-

-

-

-

Prior week

Last year

Urea

625

625

523

3.10

Super

321

321

307

4.60

DAP

833

833

775

NZ average (NZ$/t)

Top 10 by Market Cap

CANTERBURY FEED WHEAT 480

7.0

Company

Close

YTD High

YTD Low

The a2 Milk Company Limited

16.44

16.98

10.42

Meridian Energy Limited (NS)

4.09

4.29

3.38

8

8.4

7.065

440

6.5

$/tonne

$/kg MS

Auckland International Airport Limited

6.0

400 360

May-18

Jul-18

Sep-18 Sept. 2019

Nov-18

Last price*

320

Jan-19 Mar-19 Sept. 2020

DAIRY FUTURES (US$/T) Nearby contract

Apr-18

Jun-18

Aug-18

Oct-18

Dec-18

Feb-19

Apr-19

CANTERBURY FEED BARLEY Prior week

Aug 2018-19

Last week

Grain

Data provided by

MILK PRICE FUTURES

5.5

Jun

2017-18

FERTILISER

30 micron lamb

Dairy

Oct

5-yr ave

Coarse xbred ind.

Apr

8.5

6.5

(NZ$/kg) Feb

9.5

7.5

WOOL

5.0

Dec

South Island stag slaughter price

11.5

4.5

Oct

8.5

5.5

5.5

4.5

9.5

6.5

South Island lamb slaughter price

6.0

10.5

6.5

8.5

4.5

Last year

North Island stag slaughter price

11.5

7.5

4.5

5.0

Last week Prior week

7.5

5.5 5.5

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

$/kg CW

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Ingrid Usherwood

vs 4 weeks ago

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd

15.65

16.12

12.3

Spark New Zealand Limited

3.69

4.18

3.54

Ryman Healthcare Limited

12.29

12.5

10.4

Mercury NZ Limited (NS)

3.87

3.95

3.51

Contact Energy Limited

6.78

7.03

5.82

Fletcher Building Limited

5.33

5.35

4.57

Port of Tauranga Limited (NS)

6.11

6.11

4.9

Listed Agri Shares

5pm, close of market, Thursday

Company

Close

YTD High

YTD Low

440

The a2 Milk Company Limited

16.440

16.980

10.420

4.200

5.420

4.080

3275

3265

3430

420

10.330

10.610

9.400

SMP

2525

2530

2505

400

Delegat Group Limited Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

4.370

4.850

4.170

1.800

2.000

1.470

6000

6000

5950

380

Foley Wines Limited

AMF

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS)

1.050

1.050

0.750

Butter

5625

5625

5085

New Zealand King Salmon Investments Ltd

2.450

2.980

2.100

PGG Wrightson Limited

0.560

0.580

0.470

Milk Price

6.48

6.47

6.50

Sanford Limited (NS)

7.000

7.060

6.350

Scales Corporation Limited

4.960

5.070

4.340

SeaDragon Limited

0.002

0.003

0.002

Seeka Limited

5.250

5.350

4.200

Synlait Milk Limited (NS)

10.750

11.350

8.860

T&G Global Limited

2.750

2.810

2.600

S&P/NZX Primary Sector Equity

17324

17434

15063

S&P/NZX 50 Index

10086

10086

8732

S&P/NZX 10 Index

9803

9829

8280

$/tonne

WMP

Comvita Limited

360 340 320

Apr-18

* price as at close of business on Thursday

WMP FUTURES - VS FOUR WEEKS AGO

Jun-18

Aug-18

Oct-18

Dec-18

Feb-19

Apr-19

WAIKATO PALM KERNEL

3500

350

3300

$/tonne

US$/t

3400

3200 3100 3000 May

Jun Jul Latest price

Aug

Sep 4 weeks ago

Oct

300 250 200

Apr-18

S&P/FW PRIMARY SECTOR EQUITY

Jun-18

Aug-18

Oct-18

Dec-18

Feb-19

Apr-19

17324

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

10086

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

9803

53

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

5.05

SI SLAUGHTER STAG ( $/KG)

9.00

NI SLAUGHTER LAMB ( $/KG)

7.30

TRADITIONAL WEANER HEIFERS, 215KG, AT STORTFORD LODGE ( $/HD)

655

Dry still having an effect NORTH ISLAND

N

ORTHLAND is dry and very short of feed. There’s been no autumn flush of grass and lots of cattle are being put forward for sale because of it. However, there are few buyers with enough tucker for them so prices have softened. Some animals are fetching $150 to $200 less than at the same time last year.

Around Pukekohe the weather’s been a repeat of last week with nearly 15mm of rain on Monday followed by fine , mild, sunny days. Outdoor crops are growing well. A very large producer of indoor tomatoes says the Australian summer heat wave gave New Zealand exporters eight weeks of good returns across the Tasman. Bad weather since hasn’t been good for the Queensland crop due to be harvested soon and any of that crop coming in to NZ is expected to meet strong competition from good volumes grown under cover here.

In Waikato pasture growth rates are below average and a lot of farmers will struggle to get pastures up to target levels

by June 1. When farms change hands there’s an agreed amount of feed to be left on-farm and if there’s not the vendor must pay so the new owner can buy in supplements to make up the shortfall or leave plenty of balage. There are some pretty skinny cows around and a consultant says there’s not a snowball’s chance they’ll put on enough weight in time to milk as well as they could after calving. He says they should have been dried off a lot earlier. It would pay to draft off the skinniest and give them preferential treatment.

It’s been fabulous weather for the kiwifruit harvest in Bay of Plenty. Pack houses are working around the clock ... nearly.

A few frosts have reminded King Country people that winter is on its way.

Flats and easy country are going along quite nicely but the hills are still very dry with low pasture covers. That’s a concern for those with beef cows and breeding ewes. A lot of nitrogen has been applied by tractor and spreader, trucks and helicopters to give grass a boost. Farmers are taking rams out from the ewes and they can now have a rest. They lose condition because of all the work they’ve been doing.

Taranaki has had cold southerly winds and heaps of rain. Some areas got 130% to 200% of their usual monthly rainfall in April. Farmers were hoping that with all the rain there’d be a burst of pasture growth but it’s been only average because of the low ground temperatures. Dairy farmers are mainly still milking but will dry off earlier than they had hoped.

Until Friday it was a wet week in Gisborne and cold southerlies have meant fires are going hard out. The cooler weather will check pasture growth but until now it’s been positive. As elsewhere duck shooting was on the agenda last weekend. As one ag consultant said it’s great that farmers have a social component to their year. Mai mai have been smartened up. It’s a time when town goes out to meet the country too.

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PERFECT DAY: The sun shone on the Maniototo Last Muster lamb sale near Ranfurly last week.

Hawke’s Bay has heaps of feed but it’s getting cool. There have been no frosts yet though. Pasture’s having a really good season and there are some nice clean crops about. There’s not been a lot of rain but sufficient and the region is better off than most places in terms of feed supply.

The demand for winter-finished lambs is picking up and prices have been lifting week on week.

Wairarapa’s had follow-up rain so grass growth has been good though there have been a couple of frosts, which will bring soil temperatures down. Most dairy farmers will be hoping to get a few more milking days in though there are very tired cows and farmers around at this end of the season. Not down in the dumps, just tired.

The lowland area of Manawatu around Feilding and Palmerston North is still 100mm short of moisture and farms don’t look great because of that. Just up the road towards Taihape, Whanganui or Rangitikei and south in Horowhenua there’s lots of tucker and it’s green so there’s a real contrast when you’re driving around.

SOUTH ISLAND The Department of Conservation says the high number of dead native trees being seen across the top of the South Island is likely caused by drought stress.

Areas affected include the Wairoa Valley and the Wangapeka area of Kahurangi National Park.

Dead trees have also been reported in the Murchison and Nelson Lakes area, the Wairau Valley in Marlborough, the Marlborough Sounds and the Takaka area in Golden Bay. DOC staff have seen extensive areas of dead mahoe in Abel Tasman National Park’s Wainui Inlet, browning rimu trees on dry ridges near the Heaphy Track, and dead beech trees particularly in

places where they grow on thin or stony soils along the banks of the Buller River.

Introduced species, including pines and eucalyptus, have also died.

Rain last weekend in the Lake Brunner area on West Coast left about 100mm in the gauge. Since then there have been a couple of frosts and fine days.

Dairy farmers are sending the last of the empties and any cows with high somatic cell counts to the freezing works. The remaining cows are busy in the milking shed until the month’s end while younger stock and carry-over cows are already on winter run-offs.

Pasture growth remains higher than normal in Canterbury for the time of year.

Dairy heifers that have completed their May to May contract are on the move and that’s keeping trucking companies busy. Winter feed looks like it might be in short supply. Country rugby is back in full swing, which puts a bit of pressure on getting jobs done on the farm before the kids play on Saturday mornings.

Farms in Otago’s Taieri area could do with a bit of rain but on the other hand no one wants to go into winter with ground that’s too wet. Grass growth’s been sluggish so cows are on supplements to keep them going until milking ends in three weeks. Our contact says even if the weather holds up he won’t extend milking beyond May. He likes to give them a break before calving starts in August.

Western Southland had a few showers and some beautiful autumn days last week. Bull calves are going onto swedes and, for a bit of roughage they’ll get a daily dose of balage. Heifers are on grass and balage too. The ram’s starting to look a bit rugged and worn after a few weeks on the job. It’s hard work for them, especially on steeper hill country.

A farmer at Blackmount says his rams service 120 ewes each but for the hoggets more work is required so it drops down to a rate of one to 80.

Courtesy of Radio New Zealand Country Life You can listen to Country Life on RNZ at 9pm every Friday and 7am on Saturday or on podcast at radionz.co.nz/countrylife

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

A good week to sell store lambs Lifting schedules plus an increase in croppers looking for lambs to finish have often added a few extra dollars to the store lamb market. Even sales that weren’t up on last week held steady on larger yardings. The annual Maniototo Last Muster sale saw 20,000 mainly halfbred lambs sell to an average of $119, up $2/head on last year.

Store cattle are a mixed bag, however. Both Feilding weaner fairs this week were a success, however, R2 beef-dairy cattle are often a tough ask to sell, especially in the South Island.

NORTHLAND Wellsford store cattle • R3 Hereford-Friesian steers, 457-506kg, sold well at $2.73-$2.84/ kg • R2 beef-dairy steers, 388-465kg, traded at $2.63-$2.81/kg • R2 traditional steers, 323-393kg, softened to $2.55-$2.63/kg • Weaner Hereford-Friesian steers, 173-182kg, held at $615-$680 • Weaner Angus-Friesian heifers, 142kg, were solid at $580, $4.08/ kg A big yarding of 816 cattle was penned at WELLSFORD last Monday, with a moderate number of buyers on hand.

R3 Hereford-cross steers, 457-481kg, earned $2.63-$2.64/ kg.

R2 Angus-cross heifers, 313kg, eased to $2.24/kg, as did Hereford & Hereford-Friesian, 312-416kg, back to $2.34$2.52/kg. Friesian bulls, 367-397kg, held at $2.32-$2.43/kg.

Heavier weaner steers traded at softer levels with beefdairy, 241-300kg, discounted to $650-$835. Heifers sold to per head budgets and Hereford-Friesian, 170-215kg, returned $525-$580. Bulls eased with Angus & AngusHereford, 195-252kg, back to $400-$560, and Devon-cross, 143-208kg, $345-$400.

Kaikohe cattle sale • Best of the R2 beef and beef-cross steers made $2.70-$2.75/kg • Large quantities of R2 steers traded at $2.30-$2.48/kg • Good R2 beef-cross heifers reached $2.40-$2.50/kg • Weaner beef-cross steers sold for $2.60-$2.80/kg • The best of the weaner heifers made $2.20-$2.40/kg A yarding of 880 cattle at KAIKOHE last Wednesday proved to be challenging, with tight feed meaning few buyers in the market, PGG Wrightson agent Vaughan Vujcich reported.

R2 Friesian bulls made $2.55/kg, though crossbred dropped to $1.90-$2.10/kg. Weaner bulls traded at $2.30$2.50/kg and crossbred, $2.00-$2.10/kg. Small dairy-beef lines sold for $400-$450, and crossbredheifers, $2.00-$2.05/ kg.

Good Friesian and Angus-cross cows, including vettedin-calf, fetched $1.70-$1.75/kg, with mediumtypes at $1.40/ kg, and lesser Jersey-cross dropping below $1.00/kg.

AUCKLAND Pukekohe cattle sale • Light prime steers and medium heifers sold for $2.81-$2.83/kg • Boner cows varied from $1.39/kg up to $2.17/kg • Good quality weaner steers made $505-$730, and heifers, $500$575 A small buying bench were able to pick and choose at PUKEKOHE on Saturday 27th April, as large entries of mixed quality cattle were offered. Prime cattle sold on a solid market, but the quality offered in the store pens dictated price. Light R2 crossbred steers ranged from $2.38/ kg to $2.70/kg, with similar heifers falling in the middle at $2.46-$2.53/kg. Very light heifers earned $2.07-$2.48/kg.

A similar selection in the weaner pens meant small crossbred steers fetched $340-$450 and heifers, $400-$475.

COUNTIES Tuakau sales • Prime beef steers, 600-750kg, traded at $2.70-$2.80/kg • Top prime lambs made $204 • Heavy ewes earned $130-$160 • Hereford-Friesian feeder bulls sold to $320 TUAKAU’s store cattle market was patchy last Thursday, reflecting tough feed conditions, Craig Chamberlain of Carrfields Livestock reported.

Friesian-cross steers, 500-600kg, earned $2.35-$2.44/kg, and R2 beef steers, 330-430kg, $2.45-$2.85/kg. Hereford-

cross and Angus heifers, 420-500kg, made $2.40-$2.55/kg and autumn-born yearlings, 250-320kg, $2.20-$2.70/kg.

Prime heifers, 440-480kg, fetched $2.50-$2.63/kg last Wednesday, and 450 cows sold on a softer market. Beef cows returned $1.70-$1.85/kg and Friesian, 500-600kg, $1.50-$1.70/kg.

Medium cows made $1.35-$1.50/kg.

Good-medium prime lambs fetched $140-$150, and light $115-$135. Medium prime ewes made $100-$140, and light $60-$100.

WAIKATO Frankton cattle • Good R2 beef-cross steers, 390-485kg, improved to $2.72-$2.74/ kg • Traditional R2 heifers, 310-385kg, held at $2.26-$2.43/kg • Traditional R2 bulls, 410-490kg, earned $2.34-$2.58/kg • Prime steers, 530-605kg, improved to $2.71-$2.76/kg • Prime dairy-beef heifers, 410-485kg, lifted to $2.60-$2.73/kg Throughput lifted to just over 700 cattle at FRANKTON last Wednesday, most sold to expected levels with both vendors and buyers happy enough.

All R3 steers, 420-490kg, earned $2.45-$2.55/kg.

R2 Hereford-Friesian, 380-455kg, held at $2.64-$2.74/ kg. The 430kg heifers topped their section at $2.65/kg, with lighter types steady at $2.33-$2.49/kg. Angus-Friesian, 345390kg, managed $2.30-$2.35/kg.

Weaner steers, 210-240kg, traded at $605-$645. Beefcross bulls, 245-260kg, fetched $600-$650, while Friesian, 120-165kg, eased to $210-$350.

Prime Angus-Friesian steers, 540kg, returned $2.55/kg, with beef-cross heifers, 435-590kg, firm at $2.66-$2.78/kg.

Frankton dairy beef weaner fair • Charolais-cross steers, 255kg, earned $900 • Angus steers, 120kg, sold well at $560, $4.63/kg • Red Hereford-Friesian bulls, 145-195kg, improved to $520-$600 • Angus-Friesian heifers, 160-195kg, eased to $410-$460 A limited buying bench were selective at FRANKTON last Tuesday, with most working to per head budgets.

Angus and Angus-Friesian steers, 145-275kg, traded at $500-$635, while red Hereford-Friesian, 115-165kg, held at $405-$520.

Charolais-cross, 255kg, managed $900.

Angus-Friesian heifers, 160-195kg, eased to $410-$460, while Charolais-cross, 265kg, returned $710.

Hereford-Friesian heifers sold in two bands, with 165247kg, managing $425-$645, and 110-165kg, $300-$380, though ten at 150kg pushed to $405.

Hereford-Friesian bulls, 135-145kg, were discounted to $490-$520, with small lines of 185-245kg Angus-Friesian trading at $460-$520. Friesian bulls were harder work with 155-215kg returning $400-$600.

BAY OF PLENTY Rangiuru cattle sale • R2 Hereford bulls, 493kg, sold well at $2.84/kg • Weaner Hereford-cross steers, 260-277kg, made $640-$680 • Weaner Hereford bulls, 263kg, earned $720 • Prime cows, 470-480kg, sold for $1.82-$2.04/kg A typical pre-winter sale was held at RANGIURU last Tuesday, with the added pressure of lack of feed heading into winter.

R3 steers all made $2.34-$2.54/kg and better heifers achieved $2.62-$2.64/kg. R2 steers were mixed though most made $2.51-$2.57/kg, while Hereford-Friesian heifers sold for $2.15-$2.28/kg.

Weaner steers generally made $460-$550, and light heifers struggled at $300-$440.

Prime steers eased to $2.53-$2.66/kg, while larger lines of boner cows held at $1.38-$1.50/kg.

KING COUNTRY Taupo cattle • R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 395-510kg, made $2.51-$2.66/kg • Angus and Angus-cross heifers, 360-415kg, sold for $2.53-$2.60/ kg • Angus weaner steers, 240-285kg, earned $840-$960 Last Thursday’s TAUPO cattle sale was a struggle with low pasture levels keeping buyers away. Better quality R2 steers sold well however the rest was commonly down at $2.24$2.38/kg. R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 309-410kg, were split with better types making $2.39-$2.46/kg and the rest at $2.19-$2.26/kg.

TARANAKI Taranaki cattle • R3 Hereford-Friesian steers, 559kg, earned $2.70/kg • Weaner Hereford-Friesian steers, 290-320kg, sold well at $775$860 At last week’s TARANAKI cattle sale, a good bench of buyers kept the market steady.

R2 steers were beef-cross with better lines at $2.67-$2.75/ kg and lesser types, $2.51-$2.58/kg.

Heifers softened into two common ranges of $2.30-$2.45/ kg and $2.02-$2.24/kg.

Weaner steers mostly sold for $545-$645, while good heifers made $600-$605 and bulls held at $490-$595.

Mixed-age Angus cows, vetted-in-calf, largely earned $1.92-$2.24/kg, $855-$1140.

POVERTY BAY Matawhero sale • Prime lambs made $130-$137 • Romney breeding ewes, run-with-ram, sold for $170 • Very heavy male store lambs sold for $145 Last Friday’s MATAWHERO sale had a reduced volume with just under 2000 store lambs. Heavy male and ram lambs mostly sold for $128-$135.50, while mediums made $116-$130 and lighter lambs $85-$125. Better quality ewe lambs earned $114-$128 with the lesser quality at $84-$104.

Run-with-ram breeding ewes sold between $132-$170.

HAWKE’S BAY Stortford Lodge store cattle and sheep • Good cryptorchid lambs lifted to $128-$137.50 • Medium to good males sold for $108-$121.50 • Good ewe lambs sold well at $120-$137 • R2 Angus and amp; Angus-Hereford steers, 403-417kg, held at $3.07-$3.08/kg • Weaner Angus steers, 250-266kg, returned $960-$1000, and heifers, 210-247kg, $590-$770 The lamb market was buoyant at STORTFORD LODGE last Wednesday. Heavy ram and cryptorchid lambs proved popular, selling for $135-$144, while medium to mediumgood ewe lambs held at $97.50-$114.50.

The cattle section was a typical pre-winter event, both in composition and results. Good quality, traditional lines piqued buyer interest but lesser quality, off-bred types sold to limited demand. R2 traditional heifers, 382-393kg, earned $2.76-$2.84/kg, but beef-Friesian traded at $2.29$2.52/kg.

Weaner Friesian bulls, 153-189kg, firmed to $545-$570, while eight Hereford, 278kg, managed $930.

MANAWATU Rongotea cattle sale • All R2 beef-dairy and beef-cross steers ranged from $2.42-$2.66/ kg • R2 Friesian bulls, 405-435kg, made $2.26-$2.28/kg • The best of the R2 beef-Friesian and beef-cross heifers earned $2.37-$2.55/kg • Friesian and beef-cross bull calves sold for $150-$290 • Boner cows traded at $1.23-$1.55/kg, and in-calf dairy cows and heifers, $800-$1080 The cattle pens were full at RONGOTEA last Wednesday, after a drop of rain to help pasture growth, New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent Darryl Harwood reported. Prices for the better lines were respectable, though buyers could afford to be selective.

Weaner beef-dairy and beef-cross steers traded at $380$605, while Hereford-Friesian and Angus-cross heifers, 114254kg, made $350-$620. Friesian bulls, 127-265kg, earned $390-$565.

In the calf pens Hereford-Friesian heifers sold for $120$270, and beef-cross, $150-$180.

Feilding weaner heifer fair • Exotic heifers, 265-290kg, were $2.95-$3.01/kg • Charolais-cross heifers, 205-255kg, were $3.07-$3.15/kg • Traditional heifers, 250-290kg, made $2.98-$3.14/kg • Traditional heifers, 160-240kg, mainly lifted to $3.10-$3.30/kg

SALE YARD WRAP

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019

55

There was a good showing in the cattle pens too, but limited bidders on the steers and heifers saw these come back 5-10c/kg. Almost all 450-650kg prime steers were $2.45-$2.60/kg, never higher. Cull dairy cows were steady.

Temuka in-calf beef heifer and cow sale • Top Angus cows to Angus bull made $1610-$1720 • Most Angus cows to Angus bull sold for $1000-$1320 • Hereford-Friesian cows to Simmental bull earned $1210-$1220 • Top R2 Angus heifers to Angus bull made $1710 • Remaining R2 and R3 heifers traded at $1100-$1440 Volume was down nearly 70% on 2018 at the TEMUKA incalf heifer and cow sale last Thursday, due to fewer farmers willing to sell at auction. At just 290 head there was not a large number to be absorbed, though local buyers were still selective. While the top pens exceeded last year’s levels the balance sold at lesser rates.

Temuka store cattle • R2 beef-Friesian steers, 425-470kg, were mainly $2.50-$2.62/kg • R2 beef-Friesian heifers, 345-400kg, made $2.15-$2.36/kg • R2 Friesian bulls, 370-460kg, fell sharply to $1.86-$2.01/kg • Weaner Friesian bulls, 150-185kg, struggled at $260-$350 • Weaner beef-Friesian heifers, 135-185kg, were also poor at $365$400 It was a sale to forget at TEMUKA. A yarding of 1400 cattle found little interest, with a fifth of the yarding passed in.

A mainly beef-dairy selection of R2 steers began the day on a solid footing, only below $2.45/kg through the poorer types. Things slowed considerably afterwards though, with Friesian bulls finding very little interest, especially the weaners. The highest 145-200kg weaner Friesian bulls reached was $2.30/kg, even with more than two hundred on offer. Straight-dairy R2 heifers, 340-420kg, were often $1.45-$1.85/kg.

WHO’S NEXT? PGW livestock auctioneer Chris Swale looks for bids at the Maniototo Last Muster Lamb Sale last week.

OTAGO The FEILDING heifer fair piggy-backed off the strong results set the day prior with the steers. On average exotic heifers lifted 25c/kg on a fortnight earlier to $3.08/kg, though on a little better quality. Traditional heifers averaged $670 or $3.21/kg at 210kg, though there was quite a spread of prices through these. Big premiums were around for anything with breeding genetics, such as a big line of 250kg Angus which made $880, $3.55/kg.

Feilding prime cattle and sheep • Boner Friesian cows, 460-535kg, were $1.58-$1.60/kg • Boner Friesian cows, 415-455kg, went for $1.40-$1.53/kg • Simmental-cross heifers, 815kg, made $2.50/kg • Medium prime lambs were $145-$154 • Medium-to-light prime ewes made $95.50-$110 An offering of almost 400 cattle was the largest at the FEILDING prime sale in almost two years.

Almost all were Friesian cows, however bidders had enough orders between them to keep the market steady, only occasionally selling outside of $1.40-$1.60/kg. Other cattle were either very heavy or quite light. HerefordFriesian steers, 435-890kg, were the strongest of these at $2.60-$2.61/kg. Prime lambs and ewes were around steady, though small yardings in past weeks made direct comparisons hard. Good prime lambs were $157.50-$172, and the heaviest ewes made $147-$157.50.

Feilding weaner steer and bull fair • Traditional steers, 260-305kg, were usually $3.62-$3.80/kg • Traditional steers, 230-260kg, lifted to $3.80-$3.96/kg • Traditional steers, 200-230kg, mainly made $3.73-$3.92/kg • Traditional steers, 170-200kg, were still muted at $595-$690 • Exotic steers, 220-290kg, frequently made $3.48-$3.60/kg There are limited chances left for buyers to find straightbeef weaners, and this lifted the market at FEILDING. The heavier half of the traditionals were especially well sought after, though even the rest were around steady on a fortnight ago. Although the prices above were the norm there were some exceptions above these levels. For example, a large pen of 270kg Angus steers were $1050, $3.89/kg, while 235-280kg exotics made as much as $3.74$3.79/kg. Limousin-cross, 270-330kg, were the highlight of the bulls at $3.11-$3.16/kg, $850-$1020, with other varied beef bulls frequently $2.84-$3.06/kg.

Feilding store • R3 Angus steers, 835kg, made $2430, $2.91/kg • R2 traditional steers, 360-400kg, were $2.98-$3.08/kg • R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 380-455kg, went for $2.62-$2.70/kg • R2 Friesian bulls eased, mainly $2.37-$2.45/kg • Better half of the male lambs lifted to $136-$146 The FEILDING yards were almost at maximum capacity in both the sheep and cattle pens. Masses of R2 and R3 cattle there the focal point of the cattle sale, where the market absorbed the supplies without too much issue. Big lines of 540-835kg traditional R3 steers were a highlight at mainly $2.89-$2.95/kg, breaking $2000/hd on three

occasions. Straight beef R2 heifers, 360-445kg, went for $2.68-$2.79/kg. Store lambs went from ‘hot’ to ‘hotter’, even around 20,000 head on offer. The average price jumped $11/hd to $128, with only a dozen pens out of the first 130 selling below $110.

CANTERBURY Canterbury Park cattle and sheep • R2 Angus steers, 339-450kg, earned $2.79-$2.88/kg • R2 Angus heifers, 393kg, made $2.54/kg • Prime Belgium Blue steers, 575kg, sold for $2.72/kg • Best prime lambs made $170-$189 At last week’s CANTERBURY PARK sale, numbers were more in line with tradition.

Few beef cattle were offered, and beef-cross mostly sold in two ranges of $2.33-$2.53/kg and $2.00-$2.21/kg. Prime dairy-cross steers largely traded at $2.30-$2.54/kg.

Quality was mixed in the store lamb pens. Heavy lambs made $88-$117, medium $64-$97, and lightmales sold for $71-$77. Ewe lambs averaged $82.

Prime lambs lifted and medium types made $130-$150, and lighter $110-$130.

Canterbury Park high country calf sale • Angus steers, 200-300kg, improved to $730-$970, • Angus-Hereford steers, 195-270kg, held at $720-$995 • Hereford steers, 204-275kg, lifted to at $735-$900 • Angus & Angus-Hereford heifers, 155-265kg, rose to $510-$700 • Hereford heifers improved, with 165-195kg at $490-$630 Just under 1950 weaners were penned at CANTERBURY PARK last Thursday. Most were back $100-$150 on 2018 levels, but all traded strongly on the current market, with many improving on last sale a fortnight earlier.

Angus & Angus-Hereford steers held with 165-210kg, earning $670-$690, and 220-270kg at $790-$950, and Hereford, 180-200kg, $660-$750.

Angus heifers, 200-255kg, lifted to $610-$760, $3.00$3.12/kg, with 165-175kg, earning $525-$540 or $3.07$3.16/kg. Angus-Hereford, 190-200kg, held at $520-$600.

A consignment of Hereford bulls, 225-285kg, were purchased for dairy sire duties, at $900-$1035.

SOUTH-CANTERBURY Temuka prime cattle and sheep • Boner Friesian cows, 495-575kg were steady at $1.40-$1.48/kg • Prime heifers mainly eased to $2.35-$2.45/kg • Capital stock ewe lambs went for $136-$143 • Good mixed sex store lambs made $105-$124 • Medium-to-good store ewe lambs were $101-$113 It was all action in the TEMUKA sheep yards where store lamb tallies climbed above 10,000 head for the first time in four years. Despite the influx prices held up well, averaging $106/hd, with shorn lines often making a premium. In contrast the prime lamb and ewe sales were moderate in numbers, largely holding steady on the week prior.

Balclutha sheep sale • Good to heavy prime lambs firmed to $120-$135 • Lighter prime lambs also firmed to $110-$120 • Ewes held, with heavy types at $150-$160 • Light to medium ewes held at $100-$140 Results were mixed at BALCLUTHA last Wednesday, with prime lamb prices firm but store lambs eased. However, good store male lambs did make a premium.

Balclutha cattle fair • Standout line of R2 Hereford steers, 504kg, made $1340, $2.65/kg • R2 Angus steers, 462kg, reached $2.70/kg • Most R2 traditional steers traded at $2.60-$2.80/kg • Top R2 Angus heifers, 468kg, returned $1140, $2.43/kg • Most R2 traditional heifers fetched $2.35-$2.45/kg Annual draft cattle from Gore were the main feature at the BALCLUTHA cattle fair last Thursday, where around 1000 head included mainly traditional steers and heifers.

Prices were back on 2018 due to tight feed conditions, though the fair still flowed well, PGG Wrightson agent Russell Moloney reported. Hereford-Friesian steers mainly sold around $2.50/kg, while heifers made $2.25-$2.30/kg.

Maniototo last muster lamb sale • Top lambs made $130-$143 • Medium lambs earned $115-$125 • Lighter lambs sold for $90-$110 The annual MANIOTOTO last muster lamb sale was held at Waipiata Saleyards last Tuesday and a record number of mainly Halfbred lambs were on offer, tallying to 20,000 head.

The sale was very pleasing all round with the average price up $2 on last year to around $119. Buyers came from mainly mid-Canterbury, enticed to the sale by the large line sizes and the good reputation for quality this sale holds.

SOUTHLAND Lorneville cattle and sheep • Good store lambs firmed to $100-$115 • Prime lambs held at $120-$149 • Dairy cows, 430-500kg plus, eased to $1.20-$1.30/kg • Prime beef steers, 585kg, held at $2.45/kg • R2 Hereford-cross steers, 445kg, made $2.35/kg The last sale for April proved to be fruitful for sheep vendors at LORNEVILLE last Tuesday. Store lambs firmed, and medium types made $90-$98, and light, $75-$85. Heavy and light ewes held at $137-$160 and $80-$98, though medium lines eased to $100-$132. Rams made $60-$116.

Dairy heifers sold well with 400-430kg at $2.00-$2.10/ kg, while Friesian steers, 600kg, made $2.30/kg. Local trade beef heifers firmed to $2.42/kg.

Good R2 Hereford-cross heifers, 398kg, realised $2.22/kg, and Friesian steers, 444kg, $2.02/kg.

Weaner Hereford-cross heifers,198kg, made $500 and bulls, 152kg, $530, while Angus-cross steers, 215kg, earned $480.

Markets

56 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 6, 2019 NI SLAUGHTER COW

NI SLAUGHTER STEER

NI SLAUGHTER STEER

($/KG)

($/KG)

HEAVY MIXED-SEX LAMBS AT TEMUKA

($/KG)

($/HD)

4.00

5.45

6.95

117

Halfbreds come off the hills at full price Alan Williams alan.williams@globalhq.co.nz

M

ANIOTOTO farmers cleared the decks in grand fashion ahead of the start of the duckshooting season.

The famous Last Muster Sale at Waipiata sale yards near Ranfurly on Tuesday brought in a record 20,500 lambs from the hills, newly weaned, very well presented and they sold very well, PGG Wrightson Otago livestock manager John Duffy said.

PGW’s share of the muster was 12,500 lambs, mostly halfbreds.

The average price for them was $119 a head. The top-cut made $130 to $140, a big number of middle-cut lambs $115 to $125 and the third cut of younger, smaller lambs sold at $90 to $100.

Stock numbers were high because of the excellent season – a wet spring, good early summer growth and a mild autumn – meant most farmers carried their lambs through a lot longer than in a usual, dry Central Otago summer.

Extra pens had to be put up at to handle the numbers.

The halfbreds are born later than the crossbred lambs sold months and weeks earlier as stores or for processing but cannot be carried through the winter. They’re the last of the lambs and have to be sold and the week duck shooting starts was chosen as an ideal time, hence the Last Muster Sale.

“They’re well-bred and we have the same 25 or so vendors each year and the same repeat buyers who chase the same breed each time because they’ve done so well with them in the past,” Duffy said.

Most of the lambs are sold to specialist finishers and cropping farmers in Mid Canterbury. They

PAY UP: PGG Wrightson Otago livestock manager John Duffy looks for bids at the Maniototo Last Muster Lamb Sale held near Ranfurly on Tuesday.

come off the hills to the warmer plains pastures where they thrive through the winter, are shorn for a valuable midmicron wool clip and finished well for the good spring lamb schedules.

“They get good margins.”

The overall head-count was up about 5000 on last year and the average price was about $2 higher, a very good return, Duffy said.

“It was a good, fair market. The vendors were happy and the buyers were happy.”

Nearly all the lambs are sold for finishing with just a few pens of ewe lambs for bought for breeding.

They’re well-bred and we have the same 25 or so vendors each year and the same repeat buyers who chase the same breed each time.

700 John Duffy PGG Wrightson

high $1050-$1130 $2.14-$2.28/kg Hereford-Friesian lights Angus steers, 270- R2 heifers, 320-410kg, at 307kg, at Feilding Weaner Fair

Rangiuru

ACROSS THE RAILS MEL CROAD

Lamb continues to shine as the demand rolls on THIS time last year sheep farmers were rubbing their hands in glee. Lamb slaughter prices had catapulted above $7/kg while mutton was on the brink of soaring through the $5/kg barrier. We were cautious last year about extending the market beyond its capabilities. There were concerns that if supply increased it would weaken export values, which would flow through to the farmgate.

What did eventuate was that New Zealand and Australia together exported 22,000t more lamb in 2018 and markets absorbed it willingly. The key driver was the increased spread of lamb into markets that hadn’t really existed in previous years.

Non-traditional markets were stepping up to the plate demanding greater volumes, leaving our traditional markets with less to devour. That set the scene for a solid rise in both average export values and farmgate prices.

Five months into 2019 and the lamb market looks set to follow the same course. Lamb slaughter prices and average export values are strong despite first quarter lamb exports from NZ and Australia lifting by 19,000t on the corresponding period in 2018 and by 16,000t when compared to the five-year average.

In an historical sense we now rely more heavily on our export markets despite the overall decline in lamb numbers. However, it is unlikely we will record much higher monthly export volumes over the balance of this season.

Lamb supplies both here and in Australia are expected to be much tighter over the remainder of this season and into next. Spring farmgate price expectations are already gaining traction. A supply shortage could drive prices beyond what we saw last year, however, that naturally implies demand fundamentals will be the same if not better. It is becoming obvious key markets are facing a protein shortage but lamb is far from the first option.

With that said, global sheep meat consumption is forecast to grow regardless of African swine fever.

With other markets also producing less lamb, if well managed, the NZ sheep industry faces another good season. The challenge will be managing procurement and market expectations to ensure a seamless and positive transition into the new season. mel.croad@globalhq.co.nz

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