Farmers Weekly NZ February 10 2020 by AgriHQ

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Vol 19 No 5, February 10, 2020

Too much water down south

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Dry hits hard The meat companies should do better. They know this happens every year.

Colin Williscroft colin.williscroft@globalhq.co.nz

S DRY starts to ratchet up the pressure on farmers Central Hawke’s Bay farmer John Waldin has been lucky enough to get some of his stock away to the works but there’s still more that needs to go. Waldin was pleased to get a call confirming he will be able to send 240 lamb to the works. Though he’s experienced conditions just as dry as now on his Ashley Clinton property Waldin can’t remember a time when he’s seen such a shortage of grass. He normally aims to kill lambs at a carcase weight of 18kg-plus but a couple of weeks ago he decided there was not enough feed so drafted at 15kg-plus, with anything lighter likely to be worth more as stores. The lambs heading off-farm are destined for Progressive Meats’ Hastings operation as part of a supply arrangement Waldin has with Atkins Ranch. Most of the lambs are part of a commitment Waldin arranged in October but he is pleased to be getting a few extras away as well, with much of the 260ha effective property looking very brown. He’s well aware of how hard it is for some farmers to find space

Prue Ritchie Farmer

CASH DEFICIT: A shortage of grass forced John Waldin to sell 50 calves be bought in October at a loss. Photo: Colin Williscroft

at the works, with processing capacity stretched. The lack of grass means he’s also having to carefully manage his cattle. About half the 100 100kg calves he bought at the end of October were sold last week, unfortunately at a loss, while the other 50 will be fed a grain and palm kernel mix.

He is also buying lucerne balage from Onga Onga farmer Jamie Gunson. The big dry means Waldin is also aiming to kill 18-month bulls lighter than normal, down to 245kg carcase weight from the usual 270kg. They were booked in two weeks ago but are still onfarm.

In previous years Waldin has been able to arrange grazing around this time of year but that’s not an option this summer. If it doesn’t rain in the next couple of weeks he will probably buy some barley maize to go with silage for his ewes, something he can get from grain-growing neighbours.

“We want them growing a little bit prior to the ram going in.” The recent dry weather is a big change from last season when too much rain was the biggest challenge but that is part of farming, he says. Prue Ritchie of Taumarunui has been waiting three weeks to have 40 lambs killed but has been given no indication when it will happen. She expects she will have to try her luck at the sale yards. “Everybody is in the same position,” she says. “You have to hold the stock and they go downhill and then the schedule goes down as well. I bought them for $120 and I’ll probably sell them for $115.” Ritchie says her agent was given space for only 350 lambs last week after asking for more than 2000 to be processed.” Those lambs went from King Country to Moerewa. “The meat companies should do better,” she says. “They know this happens every year. They need to put on more shifts.”

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NEWS

WEATHER OVERVIEW The southerly flow affecting New Zealand fades this week as high pressure rolls in, slowly bringing light winds, sea breezes and mostly dry conditions. Beyond that, towards the end of February as that high departs NZ to the east there might be increased easterlies in northern areas and some rain in the Tasman Sea and sub-tropics. We’re not locking it in coming our way but it is certainly one to keep an eye on if you need rain. The next 10 to 14 days look mostly dry, especially for northern NZ.

NZX PASTURE GROWTH INDEX – Next 15 days

Pasture Growth Index Above normal Near normal Below normal

7-DAY TRENDS

4 Cereal crops deluged Chris Dillon was 10 days away from harvesting 280ha of cereal crops when the Mataura River burst its banks and flooded his Ardlussa farm north of Gore on Tuesday.

Wind

Rain Apart from a few very isolated afternoon showers around the country, especially the lower South Island, most regions lean drier than average.

Highlights/ Extremes

Temperature Temperatures start to lift this week as high pressure moves in then crosses NZ. As the high departs warmer sub-tropical weather might start to increase.

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Expectant mother Lisa Kendall is the first to qualify for this years Young Farmers grand final.

Thanks to incoming high pressure southerly quarter winds fade with afternoon sea breezes and light variable winds for many.

It is drier than average for many, especially the North Island. The tropics are becoming more active north of NZ. There’s nothing yet for NZ but it is worth keeping an eye on with a possible cyclone in the second half of February to our north.

14-DAY OUTLOOK

Following recent rain in the lower South Island and next week an uptick in high pressure and dry weather we expect pasture growth rates in Southland, Otago, the West Coast and some parts of Canterbury to increase. But with drought conditions extending over the North Island and upper/northeastern South Island most other regions will continue to see pasture growth rates slowing down, stopping or grass dying off altogether.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Gloss comes off a good season Staff reporters THE gloss is quickly fading on what was shaping to be an exceptional season for farmers. Export prices are still high by historic standards but a perfect storm of unfavourable weather and coronavirus measures in China are putting pressure on export and store prices. Drought-like conditions in the North Island and wet in the south of the South Island combined with falling export prices have seen store prices collapse. AgriHQ analyst Nicola Dennis says export lamb prices are likely to slip a further 20c/kg this week as exporters manage the impact of coronavirus. In recent weeks the schedule has fallen each week by about 10c/ kg for lamb and 20c/kg for beef. Dry weather and uncertain export prices have in the last three weeks pushed down North Island store lamb prices by 50c/kg to $2.70 to $2.80/kg. Few store cattle are being traded but some North Island farmers have weaned calves early and those cattle are selling for $600 to $630/head, back almost $200/ head on a few weeks ago. “Most regions still have a fair bit of roughage on the hills so it isn’t so dire and cattle are in okay condition,” Dennis said. People are slowly returning to work in China but exporters say ports remain congested, distribution networks are disrupted and factories and workplaces are short of staff as the government encourages people to stay home to slow the spread of the virus. The Chinese red meat market is still quite confusing and New Zealand exporters are responding according to their own circumstances and markets. Some importers are buying product that requires little processing and can easily be shifted to assist with their

cashflow while others are inquiring about placing normal orders. Silver Fern Farms chief executive Simon Limmer says after some initial disruption, the company has balanced cold storage with processing and product mix to resume normal processing. Chinese businesses are starting to operate at restricted capacity.

China appears to be mobilising quickly and trying to keep trade flowing as much as possible. Malcolm Bailey Dairy Companies Assn

“People are still under movement restrictions and in many cases cannot get to work or back home, potentially until at least until February 9,” he said. Access to customer facilities and retail outlets remains a pinch point. “This will be having an impact on both retail supermarket and food service sales in restaurants though the extent of this disruption is not yet known.” Alliance sales manager Shane Kingston says some Chinese provinces have instructed residents to shop only every second day to ration food and prevent the public movement of people. Company inventory is better than at this time last year, which means processing is not constrained. Alliance livestock and shareholder services manager Danny Hailes says stock flows through plants are steady but dry conditions mean the Levin,

Dannevirke and Nelson plants are especially busy. Anzco chief executive Peter Conley says the company has stopped producing to meet planned orders for its Chinese customers to allow them to manage their situation. “It is important to remember that our customers are also facing an unclear way forward as they manage their own in-market supply chains and the immediate demand challenges and we need to support them as best we can.” Product is being diverted to other markets but Conley hopes supply chains in China will begin to free up as people return to work next week. Dairy exporters have not had any significant disruption in China, Dairy Companies Association chairman Malcolm Bailey says. “China appears to be mobilising quickly and trying to keep trade flowing as much as possible.” Potential disruption could come from either lower product prices on Global Dairy Trade or delays in the movement of contracted goods. “The government has called for mid-sized supermarkets to remain open. But most restaurants are closed and that impact will be felt over the coming two, three, four weeks on NZ suppliers if those restaurants stay shut.” The ANZ Bank is bit more pessimistic about the virus’ impact on trade, warning that despite constrained global supplies of dairy and meat, weaker demand could see the sun setting on a golden period for food exporters. It has lowered its milk price forecast for this season to $7.15/kg MS and expects an easing in lamb and beef values, adding those values should still be ahead of last year. On Friday NZX cut its milk price forecast to $7.18/ kg MS.

SLIPPING: Prices for sheep and cattle have fallen and are likely to drop a bit more, AgriHQ analyst Nicola Dennis says.

A2 Milk chief executive Geoffrey Babidge says the company has not experienced material changes to its operations but has limited the movement of its staff in China. The company has donated cash to the Shanghai Red Cross, given product for distribution to

medical teams and those affected by the virus and donated $1 million to researchers in Australia trying to find a vaccine.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

DROWNED: The swollen Mataura River inundated 280ha of cereal crop Chris and Rochelle Dillon were preparing to harvest in 10 days. Photo: Blair Drysdale

THIS HIGH: West Otago farmer Nelson Hancox had water lapping the floor of his woolshed on Tuesday. Photo: Natwick

Cereal crops deluged as banks burst crop while insurance will cover a CHRIS Dillon was 10 days away percentage of the production cost from harvesting 280ha of cereal of the wheat only. crops when the Mataura River Over 40 hours Dillon’s northern burst its banks and flooded his Southland farm was deluged by Ardlussa farm north of Gore on 180mm of rain and even after it Tuesday. flooded his property a further He estimates about 1000ha of cereal crops on eight farms beside 70mm fell. Dillon, who is also Southland the river are under water, His wheat, barley and peas were Federated Farmers arable HW4035_200x265-Inst section chairman and a United exceptional this year. 2020-02-04T16:58:32+13:00 Wheat Growers board member, Provided the water drops has initiated insurance claims quickly he can salvage some

for farmers who have lost crops. The swollen Pomahaka River was lapping the floor of Nelson and Fiona Hancox’s woolshed on Tuesday. The west Otago farmers tipped 200mm of rain out of the gauge between Sunday and Wednesday morning and were relieved the river had retreated towards its natural banks. It damaged some pasture,

destroyed a 7ha kale crop and entered their sheep yards. Nelson Hancox says the lost kale paddock was a bonus and will not affect winter feed because they have another 30ha of crop. When they heard the heavy rain forecast they put stock on and ate the flood-prone area out. While the flooding was a nuisance the river peaked 1m lower than its all-time record flow of 1984.

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The swollen Pomahaka River was lapping the floor of Nelson and Fiona Hancox’s woolshed on Tuesday.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Floods follow poor conditions Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz SOUTHLAND farmers face a race with time to replenish already short feed supplies ahead of winter. A wet, cold spring and summer delayed the sowing of winter crops and forage harvesting in the south but widespread flooding with up to 200mm of rain in two and a half days exacerbated the problem. Flooding was predominantly by the Mataura and Pomahaka Rivers, swamping late sown crops and pasture and destroying baleage stacks with reports of individual farmers losing 300 bales. DairyNZ estimates 100 dairy farms in Southland and South Otago are severely affected by the flooding. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor visited the region on Wednesday and declared the flooding an adverse event, releasing an initial $100,000 for Rural Support Trusts to help the recovery and saying more could follow if needed. Attention is now turning to the clean-up. Brydone dairy farmer Jon Pemberton had water over 20% of his farm. Now the flooding has subsided the land is covered with 30cm of gravel from a pit upstream. It will have to be mechanically removed, pasture resowed and fences, tracks and troughs replaced but he says others are worse off. Dealing with displaced herds and damaged farms has inflated stress levels and there is potential for dispute between farm owners, farm managers and sharemilkers about the recovery response. He is trying to initiate a mediation service. Southland Federated Farmers vice president Bernadette Hunt says gravel and silt deposited on

paddocks is a widespread issue but the flooding has destroyed fences and other infrastructure. “There is a huge amount of work to do.” While the focus has been on the Mataura River, flooding on the Pomahaka River in west Otago and some areas next to the Oreti River in central Southland has also caused problems.

Everyone has had a gut’s full. Blair Drysdale Farmer The federation is co-ordinating the Farmy Army to help clear fences of flood debris. Those willing to help and those needing help should register on the organisation’s website or Facebook. It is miraculous people were not injured and stock losses appear to be minimal given the volume of water and the potential danger farmers put themselves in to move threatened animals, Hunt said. Fonterra’s Edendale and Stirling plants were shut for a period during the flooding but were back to normal on Thursday. Silver Fern Farms closed its Waitane and Finegand plants on Wednesday but they were reopened by Friday. Alliance’s Mataura plant was still closed at time of writing. On Wednesday the swollen Mataura River exceeded 2500 cubic metres a second, causing the evacuation of hundreds of homes in Gore, Mataura and Wyndham. The last evacuated residents returned home on Thursday. Balfour farmer Blair Drysdale, who farms on the banks of the

TOO WET: The Pomahaka River in flood after 200mm of rain last week.

Mataura River, says the area was inundated by localised rain combined with heavy falls in the headwaters that forced rivers to breach their banks. Drysdale emptied 193mm out of his rain gauge from noon on Sunday to early Wednesday, compounding what has been a miserable summer. “Everyone has had a gut’s full. It tops off what has in general been a bastard of a season since August.” In the first five days of February between 70mm and 200mm of rain fell over northern and eastern Southland, south and west Otago.

In some cases rain in the first five days of February was twice that recorded for all of January. Invercargill Agribusiness consultant Deane Carson says while the immediate attention will be on recovery and cleaning up, farmers will need to plan for winter. Pasture production from September to early January for much of Southland was already 15% below average, the equivalent of 1.8 tonnes of drymatter a hectare. But there is time to prepare for winter. “There is still plenty of the

Photo: Natwick

season to go and Southland has a way of providing.” Carson said. FMG chief client officer Andrea Brunner said claims are just starting to come in as floodwaters recede and people can access their properties. “At this stage we’ve had a relatively small number of claims with around 40 lodged and expect that number to rise in the coming days and weeks. “We appreciate it’s a disruptive time for many at the moment and encourage people to make their personal safety and that of their family and friends a top priority,” she said.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

New troubles hide real problem Annette Scott annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz CLIMATE and market uncertainty impacted heavily on the Temuka adult ewe fair with prices plummeting by up to $60 a head. With 14,000 ewes advertised and running on the back of the record prices set at the two-tooth and ewe lamb fair the previous week the annual adult ewe fair looked set to be a cracker last Wednesday. But a lot happened in a week – coronavirus was declared a global emergency, the drought conditions in Canterbury and northern South Island were exacerbated by extreme temperatures soaring into the mid 30s and meat schedules took a dive. As a result about 4000 ewes were late withdrawals by vendors anticipating a slump in the market so just 9300, a third of them capital stock lines being sold because of changing land use, turned up.

Nobody knows what’s around the corner, the market is depressed, supply is outstripping demand and farmers are being very cautious. Craig Harrison Carrfields “It was like a perfect storm for the industry. It certainly kicked the confidence to touch in a hurry,” Carrfields livestock agent Craig Harrison said. “Coronavirus has had a big impact on this ewe fair today – market uncertainty, processing companies clawing back the schedules, the dry verging on drought right up the east coast, it’s the uncertainty. “Nobody knows what’s around the corner, the market is

depressed, supply is outstripping demand and farmers are being very cautious,” Harrison said. While not discounting the market blip because of coronavirus and the weather, PGG Wrightson South Canterbury livestock manager Joe Higgins believes there’s longer-term concern for the industry. “Coronavirus and prolonged hot dry weather have knocked some confidence but that’s short term. “The big bearing is the changing style of sheep farming, people farming sheep just don’t want to lamb ewes. They just want to trade lambs. “We are talking today about the diminishing demand for breeding ewes. Store lambs were not impacted two days earlier at Monday’s store sale,” Higgins said. “It’s a hard sell and there’s no denying prices have plummeted, up to $60 a head compared to the 2019 adult ewe fair. “It’s very tough going and the buyers are just not here. There wouldn’t be anyone much here from north of Canterbury and there’s no North Otago buyers. “There’s limited bidding and on some feature yardings of annual draft ewes, that have been coming here for years, one bid gets you the pen. “A lot of ewes have barely made a premium over what they would make in the prime pens on a Monday and that’s very disappointing.” Prices were well back right across the sale with several lines passed in. A line of capital sock threeshear Border-Romneys topped the sale at $204, the only line to reach $200. The top sale of the two-tooth ewe fair the previous week hit a record $355. “It’s been a huge turnaround in just a week and best described as very tough selling and a very disappointing sale for vendors.” Higgins said store lambs continue to sell well, backing the trend for sheep farmers to trade, not breed lambs. Talking up the sheep industry and referring to recent reports that

GOING, GOING BUT NOT YET GONE: PGG Wrightson auctioneer Bruce Thomson, who is retiring after 40 years in the industry, had his work cut out selling his last line of ewes at the Temuka adult ewe fair. Photos: Annette Scott

UNEXPECTED: South Canterbury sheep farmer Eion McKerchar was somewhat surprised with the mood of the sale.

lamb is becoming the first choice of meat to eat at restaurants and put on the Christmas table, the sale mood was not quite what South Canterbury sheep and beef farmer Eion McKerchar expected. “All the income out of sheep in the past 12 months and now nobody wants breeding ewes. “I’m surprised at the lack of interest and it’s not just the climate conditions or coronavirus, it’s people not wanting to have a breeding flock.” McKerchar runs 2000 breeding ewes alongside a 250-cow beef herd on the family’s sheep and beef property at Cave.

“We are looking at our long term business. The indicators for sheep are good and some of us have to keep lambing ewes for all those preferring to trade. “At the end of the day supply and demand will keep us on the right side – I hope,” McKerchar said. Paying one of the top prices for his Romney two-tooths last week, Hakataramea Valley sheep farmer Alan Bird has long-term confidence in sheep. “We brought very good Romney two-tooths last week and while at record high prices the returns are there but to get the

returns you do need to buy good genetics and have good-quality replacement ewes coming into the flock.” It’s a case of reap what you sow, Bird said. “We are happy with what we got and the industry is in good heart giving the genuine sheep breeder confidence to invest. “If the breeders are producing high-performing stock the finishers reap that benefit too and at the end of the day sheep farming, breeding and trading is about producing what the export markets are demanding,” Bird said.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Brexit lull brings some relief to primary exporters Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz EXPORTERS filled slightly more than half New Zealand’s sheep meat export quota to the European Union last year as political and economic uncertainty from Brexit encouraged product to be diverted to stronger markets elsewhere. Sheep meat volumes to Britain alone were back 22% on 2018 at 47,000 tonnes but total exports to the EU in 2019 were slightly more than half the permitted 228,000 tonnes quota, Meat Industry Association chief executive Tim Ritchie said. Exporters were responding to the political and economic uncertainty caused by the prolonged Brexit negotiations but were also reacting to the strength of other markets, especially China. For the last two years NZ lamb exports have tracked below historic levels. In 2017-18 116,696 tonnes were exported, 1% less than the previous year, with volumes to the United Kingdom back 6%. Beef + Lamb statistics show red meat exports to the EU between October 2018 and June 2019 were back 18% on the previous year and 29% lower than the same period in 2014-15. Over that same period exports to North Asia, which includes China, were up 16% to 126,400 tonnes, accounting for 37% of all lamb exports. That shows NZ exporters are not abusing their preferential sheep meat quota but act to preserve market stability, Ritchie said. “We are only shipping if markets can sustain it.” The convincing electoral victory late last year by British Prime

Big Zespri claim pulled

Minister Boris Johnson restored stability to the UK market. Silver Fern Farms chief executive Simon Limmer said the new timelines for resolving Britain’s divorce from the EU mean the important Easter and Christmas trade is unaffected. Alliance sales manager Shane Kingston said there is relief the feared disruption from Brexit never eventuated and the company’s contingency plans were not needed.

This will have consequences for thirdparty countries including NZ, who are trading into both markets. Esther Guy-Meakin B+LNZ The UK formally left the European Union on January 31, which also marked the start of negotiations on trade and relations to be completed by December 31. Ritchie said that gives exporters 11 months of business-as-usual but he warns failure by the parties to agree trade terms will potentially have a significant impact on NZ. Each year about 30% of UK lamb is exported to Europe but if there is no agreement that lamb will be sold in Britain. Beef + Lamb senior international trade manager Esther Guy-Meakin says there is still some uncertainty. “Depending on the EU-UK bilateral trade agreement there

NO ABUSE: New Zealand is shipping only as much meat to Britain and Europe as the markets can sustain, Meat Industry Association chief executive Tim Ritchie says.

is still some uncertainty about how the market will respond, particularly if the UK is unable to secure favourable rules for its meat exports to the EU. “This will have consequences for third-party countries including NZ, who are trading into both markets.” If the EU and UK agree on trade attention will then turn to

negotiations with countries such as NZ. MIA trade and economic manager Sirma Karapeeva said for NZ those negotiations will centre on a NZ-UK free-trade agreement. “The current EU/NZ trade negotiations are under way and the red meat sector is looking for an outcome that builds on its current WTO access rights.”

A $25 million legal claim against Zespri has been dropped six years after it was filed. The claim by Zespri’s former Chinese importer Shanghai Neuhof arose after the kiwifruit marketer and the company were busted for under-declaring customs duties between 2008 and 2010. Both were fined and Shanghai Neuhof’s general manager Xiongjie Liu was jailed. The importer’s claim was for $25m in compensation while Zespri’s counterclaim calculated damages of $57m. Shanghai Neuhof claimed Zespri was supposed to reimburse it for customs duties and that it built the kiwifruit marketer a coolstore. Jhun Li, the New Zealandbased nephew of Liu, confirmed the case has been pulled but did not want to comment. Zespri said the ending of the case is consistent with its view it had no merit. Costs associated with the case are significant and it is looking at options to recover them. A March decision in the case suggested Zespri’s legal costs till then exceeded $1m. Shanghai Neuhof had until last year been pushing for an early fixture but Zespri had raised many discovery issues causing delays. Last year Justice Ed Wylie said the claim had been hanging about for too long and had to go to trial this year even if the lead witness, Liu, was unavailable. The judge was told Liu might not be paroled until 2021. – BusinessDesk

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Foresters to stop cutting logs Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz FOREST owners will stop harvesting logs for export this week because of a slow-down in the largest market, China, as it tries to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Congestion at ports from logs not being distributed, the extended closure of China’s sawmills and an influx of competing European spruce logs has created an inventory buildup prompting forest owners to stop harvesting, Forest Owners Association president Peter Weir says. “There are a lot of moving parts here.” In response to the coronavirus outbreak the Chinese Government has extended the New Year holidays and urged people to stay at home, meaning people are not eating out, socialising or working, stopping demand for logs from sawmills. The virus has also disrupted meat exports to China with New Zealand processors seeking extra

Logs have held their price until recently but now with the coronavirus we are not sure when domestic sawmilling will restart. Peter Weir Forest Owners Assn cold storage as shipping is delayed because of congestion in Chinese ports and delays in distributing product. Meat exporters are warning prices are likely to fall as demand weakens as people stay home to reduce the possibility of spreading the virus. Association members are meeting this week to decide their response but Weir believes many will stop harvesting from Wednesday, laying off crews or sending them on extended leave

NO GO: A backlog of logs has built up because of circumstances in China and European competition, Forest Owners Association president Peter Weir says.

until there is more clarity. That will also affect logging truck drivers and ancillary services. About half NZ’s logs are exported and more than 95% go to China. Forest owners supplying the

domestic market are not affected by events in China. Traditionally, there is a build-up of imported logs around the time of the Chinese New Year but that is cleared in the subsequent month. This year that wharf off-take will be delayed buts no one knows for

how long because getting market intelligence out of China has been impossible as people are not working, Weir said. “Logs have held their price until recently but now with the coronavirus we are not sure when domestic sawmilling will restart after the Chinese New Year.” Ships are at anchor unable to unload, prompting the pause to harvesting, he said. “The important thing is this is not Armageddon. This is not Australia with the bush fires. The trees are still out there. We are just waiting for the markets to recover.” Compounding the uncertainty caused by coronavirus China has, in the last six months, been flooded by high-quality spruce harvested in Europe. Successive dry winters and an influx of insects has been killing off spruce trees, prompting owners to proactively harvest before the insect challenge with those logs ending up in China. One factor in exporters’ favour is a decline of about $10 a tonne in shipping rates.

As good as it gets for agriculture Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz NEW Zealand agriculture is an island of profitability in contrast to drought, flood, market disruption, disease and low prices overseas. The Rabobank Agribusiness Outlook for 2020 says rural confidence is low, being largely attributed to the policy environment. But our heavy orientation to livestock industries is paying dividends because of swine fever offshore and slow growth in the world’s dairy export regions. And high commodity prices

have been helped by a lower-value NZ dollar. Proximity and access to China have helped and NZ has avoided some of the widespread climate disruption elsewhere. Producers should enjoy a fourth consecutive year of profitability to support them through a year of significant transition. “While the extended run of profitable seasons won’t last forever 2020 offers much to like,” Rabobank NZ chief executive Todd Charteris said. Rabobank predicts positive prices for dairy, beef, sheep meat, fine wool, wine and major

fruits, all helped by a lower dollar and favourable input prices for fertiliser. The year has a general election and its outcome might result in the pace of regulatory change being affected. Meantime, the focus will shift from consulting on regulatory reforms to implementation. Freshwater reforms, greenhouse gas emissions and indigenous biodiversity are flagged by analyst Blake Holgate. “On freshwater, the specific details in relation to nutrient bottom lines, national practice standards and interim controls

on intensification will ultimately determine the degree of impact on farmers.” Rabobank’s analysts predict the lowest exchange rate against the United States dollar since the global financial crisis in 2009. “We expect another round of US/China tension and the risk of a US recession to reduce global investor risk appetite. “This will trigger a flight of investors to quality NO LET UP: Another round of United States-China assets and downward trade tension and the risk of a US recession will pressure on the NZD/USD put downward pressure on the exchange rate, cross rate,” Holgate said. Rabobank analyst Blake Holgate says.

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10 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Bananas go with milk up north Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz BANANAS have a lot going for them as a fruitful and remedial crop in northern regions of the country, Tropical Fruit Growers of New Zealand chairman Hugh Rose says. A plantation owner, consultant and stem seller, Rose says the economics of banana growing compare very favourably with most other land uses. At 1500 stems a hectare, two bunches of fruit a stem each year, at least 10 hands a bunch and $5 retail a hand in local growers’ markets, the returns are attractive. When combined with using dairy effluent for watering, their anti-leaching properties for nitrogen and phosphorus and as fall-back supplementary feed for cattle the humble banana goes a long way. New Zealanders have one of the highest consumption figures for bananas in the world, almost all of them Cavendish varieties imported from mono-cultural regions of Philippines, Ecuador, Mexico and Panama. Tropical race 4, a strain of Panama disease, is endangering the commercial production of Cavendish everywhere they are grown because of low genetic resistance. Lady finger and Pacific Island varieties like Misi Luki, Goldfinger and Hua Moa have been present in northern NZ for decades and their fruit are smaller, denser and generally sweeter than imported Cavendish. They crop all year round and will even withstand a light frost, Rose said. His own plantation near Whangarei is a mix of volcanic, clay and rocky outcrops divided into rooms by totara trees and favoured with a large natural lake from which Rose and his wife Pauline have reticulated water for irrigation and established ponds.

BLOOMING: Banana plants are very sought after, especially by dairy farmers, Tropical Fruit Growers chairman Hugh Rose says.

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This is something different and relatively easy to grow. Ross Taylor Farmer When they hear of local bananas New Zealanders of Pacific and Asian origin provide a neverending stream of inquiries for fruit, flowers, leaves and stems. Most commercial NZ bananas are sold through local markets and specialty fruit stores and not enough volume is being produced to involve wholesalers and supermarkets.

TFGNZ has 150 members and demand is growing from dairy farmers and smaller orchardists. The producer organisation also takes in pineapple growers, cherimoyas, sugar cane, coffee beans, mangoes and lucuma, the butterscotch tree. Banana stems grow and multiply suckers rapidly and it is quite realistic to plan for doubling the area of the plantation every year with self-sourced pups, as well as harvesting bunches of fruit. They are gross feeders and thrive on handfuls of fertilisers like hydrocomplex, nitrophoska or animal manure. Nutrient-rich dairy effluent from the second or third ponds is ideal and Rose uses a starter mix of sawdust and whey he gets from Fonterra. Decomposing vegetation works well and trimmed leaves and stems can be piled up around the plant and left to rot.

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DIVERSIFICATION: Dairy farmers Ross and Karen Taylor near Whangarei have two young banana plantations.

Plants produce huge volumes of pseudo stem, all of which is edible for cattle. Rose recommends 3m by 2m staggered rows with vehicle access every four rows plus trickle or spray irrigation or regular rainfall. Bananas in NZ have no diseases and Rose jokes the only pests so far have been pukeko, which, for unknown reasons, peck holes in small stems that can lead to plant failure. Flowers will form 12 to 18 months after planting and take six months to fully size. Bunches are very heavy, perhaps 40-50kg, and must be propped while sizing up. Bunches are picked green when the first of what may be 100 small bananas shows some yellowing and then left to ripen in an area protected from rats and birds. After flowering and harvest the central stem must be cut back to encourage its daughters into fruit production. With some climate warming

NZ bananas have the potential in the north to replace a share of the imported fruit. Rose says consumers are quickly converted to the local supply because of convenience, flavour and texture along with the lack of pesticides and ethylene gassing. Whangarei dairy farmers Ross and Karen Taylor have caught the banana bug and established two plantations in corners of paddocks that wouldn’t grow much pasture. They have 1500 Misi Luki and Hua Moa in one block and 500 dwarf Cavendish in another. The target is 3000 to 3500 plants by 2021, expanding by filling in the margins of the existing plantations to produce fruit in winter and sell it locally and in Auckland. “This is something different and relatively easy to grow,” he said. The first plantings were in March 2018 and bunches are now forming to be ready this winter. The Taylors are TFGNZ committee members.

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

GMO rules could force LIC to go by reducing its ability to attract new and innovative companies, MacDonald said. Federated Farmers Waikato president Andrew McGiven while it takes a neutral position on GMOs it opposes the controls because they might deny the benefits gene technology could give farmers. It supports the status quo where the EPA assesses GMOs case by case. Veteran Maori rights campaigner Angeline Greensill supports the precautions, calling GMOs unnatural and against the tikanga of Maori.

Gerald Piddock gerald.piddock@globalhq.co.nz CHANGES to Waikato District environment rules could force dairy genetics firm LIC to move from the area, its chief scientist Richard Spelman says. Tightening the genetically modified organism precautions in the district plant would affect LIC and its ability to use gene-editing to improve the dairy industry. “We don’t see the need for any regulation from the Waikato District Council level at all,” he told a day-long hearing. The Environmental Protection Agency’s role in assessing GMOs case by case is sufficient. If the precautions mean it cannot house germ plasm that might force it out of Hamilton. Spelman and Biotech New Zealand executive director Zahra Champion said such rules could stifle innovation and science. NZ Forestry Research Institute (Scion) intellectual property executive Gregor MacDonald said it opposes adding GMO provisions because they would duplicate the function of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act, the EPA and the Primary Industries Ministry. The EPA process for approving GMOs is more restrictive than any other regulatory process in the world and creating more barriers could see NZ lose out to overseas competitors using similar technology. It would also have a negative affect on the region

Our customers want genetically modified-free products and I think they should have that choice. Gavin Fisher Organic farmer “We would have difficulty in accepting it in our space. This is an opportunity for a policy to be put in place for GMOs in this district.” GE Free NZ president Claire Bleakley said talk of duplicating the HSNO or the EPA is incorrect. “We are not asking the council to do any scientific evaluation. We are just looking at the council putting in some kind of protection for the effects of once its released

IN PERIL: Organic farmer Gavin Fisher says genetically modified organisms are a threat to his livelihood, family and company.

and how do you control the contamination and the spread and the costs to those people. “We are in essence asking that you please place provisions to the use of GMOs, place rules, policies and objectives in the plan and prohibit the full release of GMOs in this area.” Another concern is the limitations of the HSNO Act. While GMO trials are bound by that legislation, once trials finish it is up to the communities and councils to control any harm the organism causes, she said. Waikato organic dairy farmer Gavin Fisher said GMOs are a threat to his livelihood, family and his company. If a GMO organism found its way onto his farm and was eaten by one of his cows it would lose its certification for the rest of its life under United States Agriculture Department organic certification rules. “Our customers want GMO-free products and I think they should have that choice.”

He doubts GMO grasses can be contained. If his neighbour grew such grass pollen would travel across the fence to his paddock. “I look up into the sky in the last three weeks and see I smoke blowing from Australia and I’m led to believe that pollen won’t blow across the fence and onto my property?” he said. Life Sciences Network chairman and former Federated Farmers president Dr William Rolleston said there is no credible evidence of residual harm from GMOs or of the EPA not doing its job in monitoring GMOs. “There’s room in the marketplace for all kinds of agriculture and that’s how NZ should proceed.” He also believes the organic sector is overstating the potential economic impact if a GMO organism is released. The hearings commissioners are expected to release their decision after the district plan hearings are completed next year.

GOODBYE: LIC chief scientist Richard Spelman said the company might be forced out of its Waikato base if the district council adds genetic modification precautions that mean it could not house germplasm to its district plan.

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12 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Humble hero always backed Kiwis Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz ONE of New Zealand’s leading lights in trade once ridiculed for his suggesting exporting lamb burgers has been praised for his intense passion for this country, its people and its primary sector. Former Prime Minister Mike Moore, who died last week, can claim a legacy of service to NZ his supporters say gave the country a voice on the clamorous world trade stage. He was central in setting the scene for some of our most critical trade deals that continue to deliver today. Born in Whakatane, Moore kicked off his Parliamentary career as Labour MP for Eden in 1972 as a fresh faced 23-year-old, making him one of the country’s youngest-ever politicians.

We get so used to being on the left or on the right but with Mike I never thought that at all. He was always firmly focused on the outcome that would be best for our country. Malcolm Bailey Dairy Companies Assn He was later elected as MP for Papanui in Christchurch, holding the seat for 21 years till he retired in 1999. Moore was one of the fish and chip brigade in 1980. It was a title media gave the group when they were photographed around an impromptu takeaway dinner in a Wellington flat. It included Moore, David Lange, Roger Douglas and Dr Michael Bassett. The prescient shot captured a combination of personalities destined to redefine the NZ economy four years later after the

1984 general election that ousted Robert Muldoon. In his role as overseas trade minister Moore stepped onto the global stage becoming heavily involved in the lengthy General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade negotiations. While also prime minister for 59 days, Moore was most highly regarded for his trade efforts and was recognised by being appointed in 1998 as World Trade Organisation director general for three years. His most recent post was as NZ ambassador to United States for five years until a stroke in 2015. Former special agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen said Moore was an immensely intelligent and insightful man who cared intensely about NZ’s future. He could see the critical role trade played in helping generate more wealth for all New Zealanders. “In all his international roles he always had NZ at the top of his mind, particularly with the WTO position.” Moore’s appointment at the WTO in 1999 came as global trade networks were starting to falter. He oversaw the Doha Development Round in 2001 that aimed to put less developed countries on trade deal tables. It was founded on his belief that high level agreements ultimately affect families, offering hope and income when those deals succeed. The Doha round was abandoned in 2015 after years of negotiations. But Petersen said Moore’s behind-the-scenes efforts at subsequent deals including the Trans Pacific Partnership were vital in keeping NZ’s interests well on the radar of major trading partners. “He was such a strong supporter of world trade, he saw it as the key to unlocking health and wellness of people. The WTO position was the highest international position held by a New Zealander. “He would be dismayed at

PASSIONATE KIWI: Mike Moore has been remembered for his unwavering commitment to growing New Zealand’s wellbeing through trade.

how the WTO is looking now.” The WTO has recently lost its ability to resolve trade wars because the United States is blocking the appointment of judges, effectively leaving the organisation powerless. Meat Industry Association chief executive Tim Ritchie said Moore worked hard to ensure trade was treated in a bi-partisan manner in NZ. “He ensured political leanings were put aside and instead ensured trade was recognised for its importance to the economy rather than for political pointscoring.” That was highlighted by a National government appointing the former Labour leader as NZ’s ambassador to the United States in 2010. Dairy Companies Association chairman Malcolm Bailey also worked closely with Moore in a trade envoy role.

He recalls Moore’s enthusiasm and commitment as WTO director-general in 2001 at the first round of the Doha talks. It was not through a lack of trying by Moore the talks ended up being suspended 14 years later. “And whenever you met him in any corner of the world he would always come up, give you a hug and say ‘how are you comrade?’ “We get so used to being on the left or on the right but with Mike I never thought that at all. He was always firmly focused on the outcome that would be best for our country.” Former Labour MP Peter Dunne said Moore was possibly the most influential New Zealander on the world stage since Peter Fraser in the 1940s. His was, however, a career blighted by tragedy of circumstance. He was a man Dunne describes as mercurial but a constant

source of ideas and plans. One of those ideas was immortalised in the early 1980s as farmers faced tough conditions marketing NZ lamb overseas. Moore, then trade minister, quipped NZ should consider making lamb burgers to sell to the United State. Thirty years later a McDonalds’ partnership with Beef + Lamb aimed to boost consumption of lamb at home by offering a lamb burger on the menu. Moore tweeted with typical self-deprecating humour it was “wrong to be right too soon”. Dunne said Moore’s accent, attitudes and style were undoubtedly those of NZ in the later 20th century – free, proud and independent. “He was a great New Zealander whose passing in many ways marks the end of an era.” Moore, 71, is survived by his wife Yvonne.

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14 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

CLEAN SLATE: Iwi land wiped clear of outstanding rates can be redeveloped under the new grant initiatives.

Iwi win in latest funding round Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz MAORI land owners are the winners in the latest Provincial Growth Fund grant round that aims to kick start under-performing iwi-owned land. The first $30 million is for multiple projects aimed specifically at reinvigorating Maori land previously encumbered by a lack of investment. A further $40m is pending approval for applications still being assessed. Allocations include $6.3m to Northland for seven projects, East Coast $1.8m, Hawke’s Bay $5.4m, Bay of Plenty $11.2m, Waikato $2.5m and Taranaki $1.4m. The projects are varied but focus on land-based developments. They include expanded blueberry production in Northland, redevelopment of East Coast drystock land, a 14ha cherry orchard in Hawke’s Bay and a macadamia orchard in Bay of Plenty. The money comes from the $100m Whenua Maori investment, an offshoot of the $3 billion Provincial Growth Fund. In addition to the grants, changes to the Local Government Rating Act aim to reduce rating barriers for the 1.4m hectares of Maori land that is unused or underdeveloped. Local Government and Maori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta said the package aims to break the deadlock where rates arrears prevent development. Unrecoverable rates can be written off under the changes, effectively giving iwi owners a blank slate to start development. The rates total owed on iwi land is unclear, but estimated to be in the millions. Northland has again been a big winner with seven projects totalling $6m being funded.

Northland has again been a big winner with seven projects totalling $6m being funded. They include almost $1m to Tohu B Ahu Whenua Trust to clear scrub while another trust, Te Rimu in Tairawhiti, gets almost $900,000 for conversion of farmland to a citrus orchard. New Zealand’s first commercial taro plantation is also being funded. The grants typically come in at under $1m, meaning they do not require ministerial approval. On pastoral blocks the money is to be used for redevelopment including fertiliser, fencing and scrub clearing and conversion of dry stock land to lucerne crops. A Northland farming source said the injection will be valued by the iwi blocks that are often in a poor state. “Getting these funds will accelerate their redevelopment by the 10-15 years they would need to fund it out of cashflow.” The key criteria for receiving the funds are good governance, advisers and transparent accounting. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones said the partnerships are integral in developing regional economies and providing Maori landowners with the opportunity to create their own wealth and raise incomes and wellbeing.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Blue-green party is keen to talk to Nats Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz THE leader of New Zealand’s first blue-green party says he has not had a call yet from National leader Simon Bridges about the two parties forming an alliance for the next election. Early this month Simon Bridges ruled out any deal with NZ First, leaving his party with ACT as its sole friend in Parliament. Sustainable NZ party leader Vernon Tava said he has made it clear from the outset his party is prepared to work with either Labour or National. “But, obviously, we would be a perfect coalition partner if conditions were right for National.” So far there have been no direct talks with National. “But we would be comfortable with National and they could number us as people to talk to,” he said. “I suspect they have to see a few things unfold first, including how we rate in the polls.” Tava said polling companies tend to play poll release dates close to their chest but he suspects there should be one out any day.

BLUE-GREEN: Sustainable New Zealand leader Vernon Tava believes he can work with National.

Tava has described the Green Party as anticapitalist and believes the devil is in the detail for freshwater proposals still to be finalised. He would not disclose how many paid up members the party has but said the numbers are healthy. The party’s website claims it has 500 members. Tava sees the main voting group likely to move to Sustainable NZ as the 10% of voters who roam between parties.

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You have a situation where the Greens are really just watermelons. They have positioned themselves where they can only go with Labour. Simon Bridges National Party “And it will be particularly interesting given National’s announcement about NZ First.” Bridges said Sustainable NZ is an option and it is good to have options. “But it is incredibly difficult to get a new party started from outside of Parliament and to be really clear, the best way to change a Labour-NZ First government is to vote National.” He maintains support is growing for National and ACT. Bridges has not had any dialogue with Sustainable NZ but acknowledges there is likely a gap in the political market for a blue-green party. “You have a situation where the Greens are watermelons. “They have positioned themselves where they can only go with Labour. They seem more concerned with social justice than about the environment.” He maintains National’s environmental credentials stand up well, working on freshwater policy and also engaging with farmers to keep businesses viable. Sustainable NZ’s blue-green platform includes revisiting gene editing, putting the right trees in the right places and helping farmers adjust to the tighter environmental standards they face. At the party’s November launch Tava was adamant it would not be dominated by fingerwagging urbanites and aims to have a strong presence in the provinces. “Our approval is a lot broader than the Green Party, which is very much an inner city party. “Our eagerness to work with farmers and the primary sector has been welcomed. Our membership is well spread across the country.”

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16 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Fruit fly response has wound down

KNOWLEDGE: People involved in the fruit fly response have learned a lot, Fruit Fly Council chairman Stu Hutchings says.

Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz A YEAR after the Auckland fruit fly incursion industry leaders are claiming success with one eye on lessons learned for future pest discoveries. The 12 months since last February’s incursion in Northcote and Devonport mark the formal ending of the response that was sparked when the fly was discovered on fruit and vegetables in Devonport.

The discovery put the suburb on lock-down and coincided with the discovery of a separate fly species in Otara. “The situation was complicated by having the parallel incursion of the Facialis fruit fly in Otara, not related to the Devonport incursion,” Fruit Fly Council chairman Stu Hutchings said. Despite the challenge to resources and timing authorities are proving to be more adept with each incursion. “But the one lesson from any incursion is that nothing ever follows the pattern you may expect it to.” The ability of authorities to pool resources with companies is greater under the Government Industry Agreement for Biosecurity Readiness and that means more staff can be seconded to AsureQuality, the body contracted for dealing with the outbreak.

But the one lesson from any incursion is that nothing ever follows the pattern you may expect it to. Stu Hutchings Fruit Fly Council

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“This gave those staff some good hands-on experience in a response.” It was determined a breeding population of flies had been established. Intense surveys for larvae and destruction of tonnes of fruit showed a breeding cycle had been established but the population was eliminated. A trapping and baiting programme using insecticide ultimately eliminated it. Meantime, industry attention has turned to ensuring the brown marmorated stink bug does not become established over the summer. Its impact would be as devastating as the fruit fly, estimated at $430 million on the kiwifruit sector alone. The fruit fly response cost $18m. “We now have 33 countries that are required to treat shipments for stink bugs prior to coming to New Zealand. That is up from 16 last year, pushing a lot of the risk offshore.” Used cars are a particularly problematic source for bug infestations and cars from Japan have to be heat treated. “We have had the odd find in luggage at the border but no significant numbers. “The feedback we have had from the many people who took part in the response is that they learned a lot about specialised biosecurity response activities they can take back to their own organisations and industries,” Hutching said. NZ researchers continue to work closely with their Australian counterparts on controls including sterile male technology.

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NOMINATIONS for two farmer-elected positions on the Silver Fern Farms Cooperative board are open. Directors Dan Jex-Blake and Richard Young, who is also chairman, are retiring by rotation at the annual meeting and seeking re-election. Candidates wanting to contest one of the seats have until Monday March 2 to lodge their nomination. The result of any election will be announced before the annual meeting in Dunedin on April 30.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Pregnant mum wins Young Farmers final EXPECTANT mother Lisa Kendall is the first to qualify for this years Young Farmers grand final. The 28-year-old took out the Northland title on February 1 while pregnant with her first child. “It was an extremely tough competition,” she said. “A lot of the contestants had lots of experience in a lot of the tasks so it was really nervewracking. There were some pretty smart cookies in there and a lot of really diverse challenges.” Kendall works as a Farmlands assistant business manager, Papakura sheep milker, business owner, agricultural contractor and personal trainer. “It’s difficult. “I’m really busy but I’m very lucky to have a supportive family and supportive husband James. I don’t do much of the housework,” she said. She also made the final in 2017 when she came fourth. The contest is based around innovation, technology, food, environment and people. Kendall took the most points in the people and food events. Ballance rural professional Calvin Ball, 28, was second and 50:50 sharemilker Kate Reed, 29, came third. Ball led in the technology and environment categories. “The heat was hard. It was all very challenging there were no easy parts and the practical components were exciting as well,” he said. He is also a former finalist, placing fourth in 2016. “Lisa was very deserving and it was awesome competing against her and the others. They’re all such awesome people. “I’m actually very content and happy to push Lisa all the way because she’s a really solid competitor,” he said. Reed won the innovation section. It was the first time contest for the new mum. She puts her knowledge in the innovation field down to her experience working on DairyNZ research farms and managing the Northland Agricultural Research Farm. With a 10-month-old baby the physical side of the contest was the hardest. “I was a bit worried with chainsaws and building, things that I haven’t done for quite a while,” she said. “The whole competition pushed me outside of my comfort zone but in a good way, pushed my boundaries. I’m also very proud of myself. It was very unexpected.” In the Junior Young Farmer contest, 11 teams from Teen Ag Clubs in northern high schools competed. Okaihau College cousins Nick, 15, and Zoe Harrison, 17 took the title with Whangarei Boys High School pair Archer Walton and Sean Alexander second. The two teams secured spots in Christchurch in July to compete in the grand final. “We didn’t think we’d done that well at all. We missed a lot of things,” Zoe said. Kamo Intermediate proved too hard to beat in the AgriKids competition. The Kamo Koolios, year eight students Ella Tyler-Whiteman, 12, Brooke Woodworth, 11, and Jessie May Butler, 12, won. Ariane Welsh, Josh Gunson and Luca Brown, the Kamo Kream, also from Kamo Intermediate, were second. Third place went to the O C Cuts from Okaihau College – Ben Quarrie, Gemma Harrison and Grace Sanders. All three Agrikids placegetters get spots in the grand final.

WINNER: Pregnancy didn’t stop Lisa Kendall winning the Northland Young Farmer Contest regional title.

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18 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Foreign funds talk to farmers Nigel Stirling nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com

FIRST: Merricks Capital led the way with its $140 million refinancing of the Van Leeuwen Group of Aad and Wilma Van Leeuwen.

AS MANY as 10 foreign funds are talking to largescale farmers about refinancing loans the big banks want rid of, farm debt adviser Scott Wishart says. Sydney-based Merricks Capital was the first foreign investment fund to break ranks with a $140m refinancing of dairy farmer Van Leeuwen Group in December. The money manager said it is targeting $2 billion out of $10b in farming loans it believes the Australian-owned banks want off their balance sheets in the next five years. After years of strong lending growth the Australian banks are reassessing their involvement in the New Zealand market after the Reserve Bank doubled the amount of capital they must hold against their loans. Capital-hungry farm lending is seen as particularly vulnerable to a credit squeeze. Wishart, the managing director of NZ Agri Brokers said Merricks Capital is not the only foreign fund in the debt refinancing market. “There are between five and 10 at different stages of inquiry at the current point in time looking at specific transactions. “And I am not professing to know them all.” In September the country’s largest rural lender, ANZ, said it had rejected approaches from foreign hedge funds interested in acquiring its rural loans. “The banks are looking to unload some of their more leveraged loans and have considered these approaches but have recognised quite correctly that the reputational risk of selling loans to potentially higher-risk funders is quite significant,” Wishart said. The funds are now approaching farmers directly with money to pay off the banks. The terms offered are usually more expensive and for shorter terms but could buy distressed borrowers time not being offered by their bankers. “They are probably not a long-term solution and should only be considered by sophisticated farmers in very limited situations. “Our understanding is that all of these financiers do want to have some sort of exit strategy. “Whether that is two or five years they still see themselves in and out. “So, farmers still need to work out how to get back to being bankable.” Most of the funds are interested only in deals of between $50m and $100m. “There might only be 10 or 15 deals of that scale.” Even if all of those deals were completed it leaves the banks with more exposure than they want. Instead, the focus of the Australian lenders will probably go on reducing loan-to-farm value ratios. That will involve pushing farmers for increased principal repayments. “At the moment the banks are out as far as 70% LVRs but they are keen to get back to 50% or 60% which will take some years to achieve.” That funding gap that will create for some farmers has the potential to be plugged by local, non-bank players, Wishart said. “As well as the hedge funds coming in on the high-risk stuff we are seeing some innovative businesses coming in and looking at how they can fund machinery or livestock or working capital to look at growing a bit of a loan book that way and work alongside the trading banks.” Wishart said that could result in the banks reducing their LVRs to be more in line with those in Australia.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Big role for Nigerian Dwarves THEY might be small but the hope is Nigerian Dwarf goats will have a big future in New Zealand as demand runs high for other dairy goat breeds as the industry grows significantly as a result of Government initiatives. The breed standard is for purebred does to be just 57 centimetres high at the shoulder and bucks 60cm. “Ten minutes after they’re born they’re up and feeding with astonishing appetites,” NZ Nigerian Dwarf Goat Breeders’ Association president Paula Levett said. But once they are browsing firstcross animals consume about half the feed a Saanen goat needs. While milk volume is less, milk fat and protein levels are significantly higher with Australian late spring data for oneyear-old does with varying levels of dwarf genetics showing average milk fat percentages of 6% when the equivalent is 3.2% for Saanens and 4% protein compared with 3%. “With the extra solids their milk would be good for cheesemaking,” she said. Levett has run goats on her seven hectare property at

Glenbrook, south of Auckland, for the last 25 years. She has been a hobby cheesemaker as well as showing Saanen goats, of which she is milking and recording 15. Their milk along with that of her Nigerian Dwarves is used to rear 10 dairy-beef cattle bought from a neighbour. She’s also registrar and treasurer of the NZ Dairy Goat Breeders’ Association. She came across the Nigerian Dwarf breed in an Australian goat farming magazine. They’re originally from west Africa and were used to feed lions and tigers being imported to the United States to stock zoos at the start of the 20th century. A related breed of pygmy goats has been developed in Britain. In Victoria an American goat farmer pioneered Nigerian Dwarf goat semen and embryo importation from his home country to establish the breed there. “He started selling straws of semen to other breeders who, as they were getting older and wanting smaller animals, used them over standard sized dairy goats including Saanens,” Levett said. About five years ago two bucks were imported to NZ by a group

SEE THE DIFFERENCE: Paula Levett with a twoyear-old Saanen doe, right, and a first cross 37% Nigerian Dwarf doe of the same age.

she belongs to from another Australia breeder who was using the imported Dwarf straws over Australian dairy goats to produce a dwarf milking breed. The breeders, all north and south of Auckland, found the importation process not too difficult with an Australian company, Total Livestock Genetics, handling all the paperwork. The bucks were put in quarantine across the Tasman for 45 days so they could go from plane to farm on arrival.

They’re now on a Helensville farm after moving around members of the importing group, who had all their stock tested beforehand to make sure there was no risk of disease transmission. The resulting buck kids were wethered and find a ready market as pets on lifestyle blocks. “We agreed we would hang on to the does and breed them up with a moratorium on selling breeding stock for the

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first three years,” Levett said. Recently some have been sold to a commercial Waikato goat farmer supplying the NZ Dairy Goat Cooperative and Levett has sold a starter herd of two does and one buck to a Timaru farmer. To make more landowners aware of the Nigerian Dwarf goats the association will have a stand and the goats will be shown at the Kumeu A&P Show on March 15. Then on March 28 an open day will be held at the same venue where more detailed information about all aspects of farming and breeding the goats will be available. Levett said they have a number of advantages over other goat breeds such as minimal feet issues. And she believes there might be goat breeders wanting to put a smaller buck over their young does to ensure easier kidding. They do need to be securely fenced behind deer fencing or mesh with an electrified outrigger otherwise they’re adept at climbing out. “They’re incredibly inventive and will go through a tiny gap under a fence.”

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20 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Newsmaker

Connecting communities with their catchments A new, dual Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Waikato University role aims to foster research on sustainable use and protection of natural resources. Colin Williscroft spoke to Edgar Burns, who is the first to take on the job.

S SOMEONE who can shear a sheep, take honey from a hive, weld, dig a post hole and run out fencing wire Edgar Burns is a little different to many of his academic colleagues. But with his farm upbringing and those aforementioned skills in his toolbox Burns can relate to those who work the land, which, along with his academic abilities, makes him well suited to his new Hawke’s Bay Regional Council role as chairman of integrated catchments. Regional councils are facing significant challenges meeting expectations for the environment and its hoped Burns’ work will improve outcomes for land and water while maintaining strong, vibrant communities. Burns, who recently returned from Australia to take up the job, has longstanding connections to the land, particularly in Hawke’s Bay. He grew up on a mixed dairy, sheep and cropping farm between Hastings and Napier. At the time there were two freezing works, Tomoana and Whakatu, nearby which don’t exist today. His father was the secondto-last dairy farmer on the Heretaunga Plains and he has a brother dairy farming near Cambridge, with a brother-inlaw sheep farming south of Nelson. After finishing university and getting married he and Yvonne took over a small part of the family farm, establishing a plant nursery growing apple, pear and stonefruit trees. They also grew ornamentals including a variety of oaks, flowering cherries and roses that went to orchardists, garden centres and councils around the country. Another part of the operation produced about 20 tonnes of boysenberries a year for Watties as part of a local co-operative group. Burns also has personal experience of how things can quickly go pear-shaped for those who work the land. “I was treated very badly by a bank and its lawyer in the 1990s. It understates things to say I learned a lot. “It gave me strong views about finance, business practices and governance structures.”

A sociologist with degrees in sociology, business and psychology, he defines sociology as a hybrid of economics, geography and psychology – which in one way or another is the reality of farming. For the past decade he’s been working in Melbourne and Bendigo and says lessons he learned in dry Australia have interesting applications for NZ, where water quality for farms, cities and leisure are central to continued community wellbeing. He did much of his teaching and research in Bendigo, an important regional town north of Melbourne that’s similar in size to Napier and

TEAMWORK: Edgar Burns, left, is welcomed to his new role by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council integrated catchment management manager Iain Maxwell.

Nelson, but one that’s close to the bush fires. “Sure, we are Anzacs together, but (in) Australian farming, shortage of water and dry landscape is very different. “I may be a professor of water here but Australia has enormous water problems. The MurrayDarling Basin (MDB) situation is becoming much more serious for them over time.

CONNECTION: Edgar Burns’ new role will study the relationship between communities and the environment and how to best care for both.

“I was horrified how previous governments let the MDB Authority cater to corporate interests in water. Even good steps still fall well short of letting the river itself survive. “Farmers and their communities won’t survive if the river itself doesn’t survive.” The MDB catchment is about two-and-a-half times the size of NZ and Burns says what has occurred there is a valuable lesson for those who rely on water catchments on this side of the Tasman about the limits of catchment water capacity or the effect land use practices can have on water quality. As his role is new, how it will unfold is a work in progress though he hopes to link projects that support farmers, academics and other groups. That might help access to funding or target particular problems, working out why changes are not happening fast enough. Some projects will need funding while others are simply academic research documenting and building up a store of knowledge about the successful implementation of new farm and land management regimes. The job is based in Napier but the intention is to be available around the country where people or groups think a meeting or partnership for a project might help their cause to improve land and water practices. “I’m not a water scientist measuring microbes and minerals but I apply those results to help land users, townspeople and different groups adapt that information into how they go about their work. “We’re looking to develop several projects or support people keen to do some work in their communities. “This includes encouraging people to take control in their catchments to bring about changes in their area.” Burns says the social side of water and land use is, in the end, about people and the community.

“As a sociologist helping the uptake of what science is telling us involves people with different agendas, rights and practices in their day-to-day activities. These include having to change water quality or quantity. “My role is helping influence and applying research evidence so communities better get hold of what we are learning. “We all find it very hard to realise the importance and urgency of changes coming whether we are ready or not. “That’s not about the government. That’s about farming in the new day.

I was treated very badly by a bank and its lawyer in the 1990s. It understates things to say I learned a lot. Edgar Burns Waikato University “I spoke to a water scientist recently weary of repeating his message: What part of water limits and quality don’t we get? “We all have a part in answering that question and making adaption to the new reality really get moving. “Farmers will get their mojo back against town folk being negative when they know they are farming right. But the right changes will take many years to correct.” He’s pleased to be back in Hawke’s Bay with the chance to make a difference. “Taking social theory into the practical world of water use and availability, farm management and necessary community changes seems an important challenge to me to try and be useful even a small amount. “Common sense is necessary and sometimes we can add to that with a wider range of evidence and facts.”

New thinking

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Erosion app clears water A project to help growers know how effective their mitigation project will be before they write the cheque will hit the road this month. Richard Rennie spoke to Andrew Barber whose company created the Don’t muddy the water app.

AKING better decisions on the best type of erosion control and how to lower sediment losses is going to become a lot easier for vegetable growers when an app is released as the outcome of a Sustainable Food and Fibre project between NIWA and Agrilink. Agrilink managing director Andrew Barber said the sediment app concept came out of an industry best practice erosion and sediment control process vegetable growers formulated to help reduce red tape and administrative headaches around regional council rules and regulations. “That was all fine but there was a need to be able to show the numbers that sat behind the policies. We knew the measures worked for controlling sediment loads and soil losses.” With support from the Sustainable Food and Fibre Fund the fouryear project ran trials of different good management practices, testing how best to keep soil in the paddock. They included use of covering crops, vegetated buffer strips and sediment retention ponds. The project found almost all larger soil articles can be stopped from entering waterways by almost any sized sediment pond. Overall, a minimum pond size of 50 cubic metres was standard to capture over 80% of soil in suspension. The discovery was ultimately

a key part of the app programme and vegetated buffer strips were also added to its calculation capacity. Initially, Barber thought he could lay out a spread sheet to model how different mitigation processes work in particular catchments for reducing sediment and phosphate losses. But he was told in no uncertain terms by his daughter Victoria he needed to develop an app capable of doing the job and be easily loaded into growers’ phones.

The app enables them to calculate what the highest priority mitigation should be on their particular property for their farm environment plans and provides robust evidence to support consents. Andrew Barber Agrilink “We can see that as farm environment plans become required for growers this is a way for them to readily do a risk assessment on their property. “The app enables them to calculate what the highest priority mitigation should be on their

PROTECTING THE FUTURE: A sediment trap being built on a cropping farm.

particular property for their farm environment plan and provides robust evidence to support consents and prove to regional councils their control measures are effective.” The app has can adjust for a region’s characteristics. For example, Waikato and Pukekohe growers tend to be on steeper ground where retention ponds tend to perform best. They are similar to those now typically found alongside roads and subdivision projects for sediment capture. It has also drawn attention to the inadequacies of some regional plans and how a onesize approach to environmental controls does not necessarily work. Under Plan Change 1 in Waikato, for example, growers are required to have a 5m buffer between vegetable crops and waterways. “But that is pretty hopeless when you have channeled water flow that streams right through that buffer. “In contrast, places like Levin and Canterbury that buffer may be very effective for many growers.

It is a case of being able to adjust the mitigation to the region you are in for genuine benefits to the environment.” So far the app’s development has been targeted solely at vegetable growers with a pastoral option based as a benchmark figure only. “Our hands are pretty full with this one and pastoral mitigation tends to have quite different demands.” Barber said the practical and hands-on nature of the app is helping address a concern NZ’s tech development is not extending out to farmer users as quickly as it needs to. “There has always been quite a lag between research and use, sometimes the research is used almost as an excuse for inaction.” He views the app as a means for growers to set a downward trajectory on sediment and nutrient losses rather than be hung up on hitting exact numbers at the end of that trajectory. “This can show them how they are tracking on that pathway and what combination of controls will help them achieve that.” Grower interest in the app

CREATOR: Andrew Barber’s firm has created an app for farmers to help them keep water clean.

has been strong with one telling Barber to just get on with it at a recent road show on the app’s release. Ministry for Primary Industries investment programmes director Steve Penno said the app is a practical, accessible means of mitigation for growers. The app will be publicly available from February.

g Autumn Calvin

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February 20

The latest Dairy Farmer hit letterboxes on February 3. Our On Farm Story features Waikato assistant manager Ella Wharmby. Coming from a big city, she had a different career path in mind but fate had other ideas. She talks about the challenges she faced to get into the industry, the chance she was given and how she is now revelling in being a dairy farmer. Autumn calving Preparing for autumn calving, we take a look into what it takes to make the switch and talk to farmers about why they choose to autumn calve and the benefits of it.

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Opinion

22 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

EDITORIAL

Meat producers get a raw deal

EAT has been getting a bit of a raw deal lately. Everyone from the Guardian newspaper to the vegan activists are telling us how we should probably give it up to save the planet and our own health. But, for a lot of people, a balanced diet incorporating animal and plant protein has been passed through generations as the best way to stay healthy. It is a proven, simple and effective way of delivering nutrients. A while back a district health board thought it might be a good idea to cut meat from the food it offered to patients. Nutritionists were alarmed. Healing bodies need protein, they said, and animal protein is the only one that contains the complete set of amino acids. Unfortunately, this message is becoming clouded. The environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions from livestock farming are being questioned and environmentalists, animal welfare and vegan advocates have stepped in to promote their causes. There is no denying farming animals has an impact. Farmers are working hard to improve the worldbest production systems they already have. The animal protein industry is being challenged but if consumers are being told plant-based diets are both better for the planet and people’s health, let’s do a better job of telling our story. We need to better promote research showing only animal protein provides easy access to a rich source of nutrients and vitamins, that it turns indigestible carbohydrates into protein and that we are addressing our environmental and greenhouse gas footprint. Ten years of trying tells us that getting angry and playing the man and not the ball hasn’t worked for the sector. We have a strong message. We just need to tell it better.

Neal Wallace

LETTERS

It’s not as bad as some say WHILE acknowledging the fact there are farmers under pressure from banks and indeed regulators of all kinds and there is a lack of confidence in the dairy farming sector I am a bit put off by the rampant pessimism of people like Professor Keith Woodford. There are plenty of dairy farmers who are not under banking pressure, are not in negative equity, are not planing to sell or looking expectantly at the sky to see it fall on their heads. Of course, there are challenges but as De La Rochefoucauld observed in even more challenging times, things are never as bad or as good as you think. The farmer takes the

lesson and moves on as she/ he always has. We need to get on thinking about future greenhouse gas regulations. We need to add more diversity to our businesses and flatten out the peaks and troughs. We need to get our balance sheets in hand before buying a new farm. Nevertheless, we are not going to hell in a hand basket and we never will. Neil Walker Hawera

MMP a dog ALAN Emerson previously pushes for a provincial party. National already holds all but one rural electorate. MMP is the dog. Under first past the post the Auckland and city vote didn’t affect the likes of Carterton or

Darfield. By geographical area (electorates), the governing of New Zealand was decided 66 electorates, first to a majority with one vote decided the government. MMP took the votes and MPs decide on the government layout. If National, as the largest single party, has the same result as last election other MPs would gamble for position. MMP is popularity over policy, fluffy ideology. Look at the United Kingdom and Brexit. Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn pushes self interest over community good, ousts Theresa May then attacks Boris Johnson. Only when Corbyn was booted to touch by voters did it give Johnson a mandate to move forward (hopefully). MMP in NZ ignores the regional vote. The largest party

vote should get first option to govern. Under MMP parties have to cater to the city vote. Rural NZ voted for a party, bottom lines for other parties enabled coalition bartering and 122 MPs complicate the process. I wonder if the certain All Black who promoted MMP through the media is happy with its outcome? Or is Emerson advocating the majority rural party be fractured through split voting to enable an even wider representation of people in Parliament who have absolutely no connection to farming? His comments of January 20 certainly would suggest this. David Kerr Marlborough

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Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Land price fall calls unfounded David Montgomery

ORALE among dairy farmers is very low and not being helped by predictions of farm values falling. Where excessive rain is bogging farmers down or where drought is developing we must be mindful of the damage that ill-informed forecasts can do. In recent days I have heard from dairy farmers who said media comments about falling land values were the last straw in their minds, especially where they are looking for willing buyers. My message to the Real Estate Institute, Professor Keith Woodford and Rabobank dairy analyst Emma Higgins is back off, leave rural valuation to those who know and give dairy farmers something positive for a change. As a rural valuer of 46 years’ experience, in both North and South Islands and with specialisation in dairy farm valuations in recent years, I can say all rural sector industries have their highs and lows. In the past five years dairy farmers have been thumped by low payouts, environmental bashers, banks and Mycoplasma bovis.

The

Pulpit

Back off, leave rural valuation to those who know and give dairy farmers something positive for a change.

As with all farming cycles there are now bright lights on the horizon – a great milk payout for 2020 and positive prospects plus very low interest rates.

SOLID: The outlook for dairy farmers is the best seen for many years.

The medium-term forecasts of falling land values are unfounded, in my opinion. Firstly, if you are going to make public pronouncements you should be qualified to do so. Secondly, any comments should be based on facts. Thirdly, if you haven’t got something positive and realistic to say then, perhaps, you should keep your mouth shut. As a practising, registered valuer I want to point out a few things. Dairy farmers have had a number of very tough issues over the past four or five years. Dairy farm sales numbers are well down on the previous five years. But dairy farm values have not dropped 17-20% in the recognised dairy regions. The dairying outlook in milk price, farm costs and interest rates is the best we have seen for many years. There is a backlog of farm sales in the second and third-tier dairying districts. The sudden change in the appetite of banks for farm lending has impacted massively on farmers’ attitudes and confidence and the number of dairy farm sales. An opportunity exists for alternative farm finance, for example new institutions to manage vendor finance for new entrants in a new type of Rural Bank. Those dairy farm sales that have occurred in Canterbury and North Otago are at values that held well and do not support the 17-20% loss prophesies. Finally, the market will find its own level based on all of the above and the last thing dairy farmers need is ill-informed comments by unqualified people. At all times, especially tough times, successful people keep reminding themselves, no matter what, to take one day at a time, live in 24-hour compartments and limit your worries.

KEEP QUIET: People who can’t say something positive should shut up and farmers should stop hearing and reading negative news, David Montgomery says.

Share any worries with family, especially your spouse. Only share your worries with people who can change things for you. Switch off often and have regular breaks. Keep fit, eat well and have regular health checks. Watch who you mix with because negative people tear you down eventually. Take top advice from the best people, not the cheapest. Remember that your own attitudes will eventually determine your altitude. Don’t listen to or read negative news unless it is a constructive, long-term strategy worthy of your consideration. This is not the time to

exacerbate tough times by speculative, negative predictions. Time and time again the dairy sector bounces back – it always has and it always will.

Who am I? David Montgomery is a principal in Agribuild, an agribusiness consultancy and registered rural valuer, based in Ashburton, working throughout the South Island, specialising in dairying and arable farming.

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

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Opinion

24 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

More tools needed for climate battle Alternative View

Alan Emerson

I ACCEPT the climate is changing and that human activity is a factor. Putting that in perspective, the Industrial Revolution started in Britain in 1760 with thousands of inefficient, coal-fuelled factories belching pollution. We’ve had more than 260 years of rampant pollution by industry with little or no controls. Historically, climate change is a problem for industry not food production. A by-product of the industrial revolution was to encourage people from the farms to the cities. A paper by the Washingtonbased World Watch Institute said urbanisation over the last two centuries has been closely tied to the use of fossil fuel. Fossil fuels produce global warming. I’d further argue that the carbon footprint of the provinces is minute compared with cities. We grow our own vegetables, kill our own meat, collect our own water and dispose of our sewerage and stormwater. That’s one reason why the Paris Agreement excludes food production.

So why do we have unscientific methane targets which are contrary to that agreement? Why are we relying on pine trees to mitigate carbon dioxide despite the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton saying it won’t work. And Professor Keith Woodford, who I have immense respect for, told us for pines to have any real effect they need to be left for 50 years and not harvested. Who’s going to do that? Yet we have good farmland being sold for the blanket planting of pine trees with devastating effect on rural communities plus the threat of exotic pests such as the pine beetle, the increased fire risk, the encouragement of feral pigs, goats and deer, the soil degradation, lack of biodiversity and a reduction of the country’s earning capacity. The Paris Agreement also talks of measures for mitigating the effects of climate change in food production and that’s easy. We could start with irrigation, which certainly mitigates the everincreasing threat of droughts. Then there’s genetically modified grass being tested in North America. Sadly, the Parliamentary Luddites won’t allow it here. I’m also sure we could genetically modify animals to reduce methane emissions. My next question is to ask what behavioural change will occur in the cities to mitigate climate change. After all, fuel emissions

from transport have increased 90% since 1990. Will the Remuera housewife trade her tractor for a Prius? Will light rail ever happen? Will Cabinet ministers and civil servants fly economy to halve their emissions? Will the Government encourage more civil servants to work from home thus dramatically reducing their carbon footprint? Will vegans wear wool instead of polyester to stop polluting the oceans. Will we tax air travel? Will we reduce immigration, encouraging a population increase of more than 50,000 a year, thus increasing our annual carbon footprint by a massive 385,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. To mitigate that carbon footprint would take thousands of hectares of pines. Insanely, we’re picking a population of seven million by 2060. Why is the Government spending $5.3 billion on new roads that will encourage an extra 21m tonnes of emissions over the next 50 years. Will climate activist Greta Thunberg and all her Kiwi mates walk or bike to school, stop flying, reduce their wardrobes and eat meat and dairy products to reduce their carbon footprint? Clothing and fashion have a massive carbon footprint, which is seemingly ignored. As an aside, blaming my generation for climate change

QUESTION: Will climate activist Greta Thunberg and all her Kiwi mates walk or bike to school, stop flying, reduce their wardrobes and eat meat and dairy products to reduce their carbon footprint?

is wrong in fact. Greta and her mates need to sheet the blame 14 generations back. Unsurprisingly, I take no responsibility for the actions of those in 1760. NZ’s pasture-based dairy production is the most carbonefficient dairy system in the world. Why reduce dairy here so the milk production will be exported to less carbon-efficient dairy countries thus exacerbating the problem of global warming. The same is true for beef. If the Government is serious about reducing global warming it should be encouraging NZ milk and meat production and not hitting the productive rural sector with half-arsed methane targets. Cow’s burp – get over it. The Government should also be encouraging electric cars, which it hasn’t done and closing the coal-fired Huntly power generator. That could easily be achieved by closing the polluting Tiwai

Point smelter, which would have the additional effect of cheaper, cleaner electricity for all of us. Instead, we have repressive zero-carbon legislation that will actually achieve nothing. Behavioural change won’t happen. Politicians are just posturing claiming we’ll be carbon zero by 2050. We won’t be. Those out of touch politicians are also, by their actions, willing to starve future generations of Kiwis of both income and food. Tragically, it is politicians of all persuasions except Act’s David Seymour who are involved in the stupidity. As the prophet said, you can’t eat wood and as Upton told us, planting pine trees won’t mitigate climate change.

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

Politicians and pirates share their day From the Ridge

Steve Wyn-Harris

I HEAR its election year again. I thought we had one not that long ago. The three-year election cycle does need addressing. Britain usually has one every five years but, given its situation, perhaps that is no panacea. Here the first year is spent figuring out what to do. The second year is meant to be the year of action or delivery as Labour termed it. They were criticised for their lack of delivery, particularly housing but in the rural sector we saw too much delivery with a new policy affecting us popping up monthly, it seemed. Mind you, John Key promised to reform the Resource Management Act and create new water storage, neither of which happened. We

could do with that Ruataniwha Dam now. And, of course, the third year can become one long election campaign. And they are into it already. This will be a very close election but when one looks back at nearly all MMP elections and even many of the first past the post elections, they could all have gone either way. The last FPP election in 1993 is a good example. Mike Moore, who has just died and is fondly remembered as the person who embraced free trade after the Muldoon protectionist era and ended up heading the World Trade Organisation, took Labour’s vote to within 0.5% of National’s. Jim Bolger ended up with a one-seat majority and was able to get Labour’s Peter Tapsell to be speaker so he could govern. That term of government voted for MMP, started with four parties and ended with seven and an independent as the jostle for positioning ahead of MMP began. Simon Bridges’ announcement he will not form a government with NZ First was inevitable. An announcement closer to the election would have had better

impact and reduced Peters’ ability to spin it all year but the question of would he or wouldn’t he would have dominated every stand-up Bridges gave. He’s the man who took Tauranga off Winston. The Nats haven’t forgiven him for negotiating with them after the last election and at the same time lodging a court action against two of their MPs. For good reason they say they can’t trust him and will hammer at that theme all year.

The third year can become one long election campaign. And they are into it already.

Ruling NZ First out of a National-led government has the objective of being to drive the NZ First vote close to or below 5%. Right leaning NZ First voters might shift to National to prevent a centre-left government or, if they do fall below 5%, other parties proportionally pick up that wasted

vote, which might inch National closer to the unattainable 50% along with a seat or two from Act. Peters is already out of the blocks reminding us Bolger sacked him as a cabinet minister in one term and rang him up and formed an MMP coalition in another but any co-operation between the two parties now seems incredibly unlikely. And, of course, NZ First will reasonably argue that they can act as a handbrake on a Labour/ Greens bloc. Key ruled Peters out in 2008 but Bridges is not Key and Bridges doesn’t have the Maori Party and United Future in his cupboard. Act will keep the one seat with the deal from National and maybe get up enough to bring another MP in on the list. The other difficulty with trying to drive NZ First’s vote down is that they will be putting in a concerted effort to win back the Northland electorate as an insurance policy. Shane Jones has said he is keen to give it a crack and though Jacinda Ardern has ruled out doing a deal like National and Act in Epsom, watch that policy abruptly change closer to the election should NZ First’s polling

look fragile. National wont be in the position to argue the ethics of such a move. National’s and NZ First’s antipathy to each other could overshadow the battle between the two major parties. National’s other dilemma is whether to engage in the negative style politics that has been seen to be so successful in the United States, Britain and Australia. Their recent ads indicate they probably will. Ardern has said she will refrain from that sort of campaign and might become known as The Great Deflector but time will tell. Finally, I note with some pleasure that election day is not only the 127th anniversary of NZ Suffrage but is also International Talk Like a Pirate Day. I’m going to start a campaign to inject some levity into proceedings because we will need it by then and I suggest all election officials be dressed as pirates and greet voters with “Ahoy, me hearties.”

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

Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Science fiction doesn’t help The Braided Trail

Keith Woodford

SIMPLE: Energy is necessary to make food, natural or artificial. Our system uses plants to capture the sun’s energy to produce food for animals and humans.

are statements of opinion by the authors and are not statements of fact. You should treat them as such and come to your own conclusions based upon your own research.” And then a little further down. “This report includes possible scenarios selected by the authors. The scenarios are not designed to be comprehensive or necessarily representative of all situations. Any scenario or statement in this report is based upon certain assumptions and methodologies chosen by the authors. Other assumptions and/ or methodologies may exist that could lead to other results and/or opinions.”

In our foodproducing world we use plants to capture the sun’s energy. It is a marvelous process called photosynthesis.

I also send people to the seldom-read appendix where it says “Our analysis uses sugar as the main feedstock, with efficiency trending from 3kg of feedstock per 1kg of protein produced (a conversion ratio of 3:1) toward a ratio of less than 2:1 by 2030. There is also scope for other carbohydrates to be used for feedstock.” That feedstock assumption acknowledges a tank of bacteria cannot manufacture its own energy. So, these new, genetically modified organisms that will supposedly shape the future of food will need to themselves be supplied with a source of energy. In that regard, I note the assumed conversion efficiency of these super bugs is inferior to what can be achieved already with fish farming. Turning to the Monbiot report the key example is bacteriaproduced flour. Monbiot, who

has a zoology degree, reports “It sounds like a miracle but no great technological leaps were required. In a commercial lab on the outskirts of Helsinki I watched scientists turn water into food. Through a porthole in a metal tank I could see a yellow froth churning. It’s a primordial soup of bacteria, taken from the soil and multiplied in the laboratory using hydrogen extracted from water as its energy source. When the froth was siphoned through a tangle of pipes and squirted on to heated rollers it turned into a rich, yellow flour.” Now, let’s just stop at that point and assess this use of hydrogen as the source of energy. How is this hydrogen going to give up the necessary energy? The answer is that turning water into separate hydrogen plus oxygen is indeed possible by electrolysis. However, that process requires considerable energy. The hydrogen can then be burned and turned back into water, thereby releasing the stored energy. The only problem is that energy supplied in this way to the primordial soup of bacteria can never be more than the energy supplied to the water during the process of electrolysis. So, where is the energy going to come from to drive the process of electrolysis? If we go back to basics then all energy on earth comes from or has come from a single source. It is called the sun. The hydrogen is simply one means of storing the sun’s energy. If the world is going to be saved by artificial food we will need a huge number of solar panels and wind turbines along with a transmission and storage system to get the sun’s energy moved across the world to the big tanks of bacteria. In contrast, in our foodproducing world we use plants to capture the sun’s energy. It is a marvelous process called photosynthesis. It is something plants do naturally all over the world. In green plant cells and using the sun’s energy photosynthesis

when entrepreneurial shock-jock turns carbon dioxide and water communicators start saying meat, into carbohydrate-predominant milk and even plant products are products, with some of them going to disappear. converted subsequently in plants A good starting point is to to protein and fat. Other minerals recognise Newton’s First Law that come from the soil. We then use energy can neither be created ruminant animals to take some nor destroyed. It can only be of these plants through the food transformed. chain to produce meat and milk products with a higher density of protein and fat. Your View In contrast to ruminants, we humans do not have the capability Keith Woodford was Professor of to digest grass. Just try it and you farm management and agribusiness will get a very sore stomach. But at Lincoln University for 15 years to rumen bacteria allow cattle, sheep, 2015. He is now principal consultant at AgriFood Systems. He can be goats and deer to digest grass in a contacted at kbwoodford@gmail.com way we cannot. As for plantbased artificial meat, it is easy to forget that meats containing plant material have been with us for a long time. One such product is called a sausage. Fake burgers made from plants are no great challenge to make. However, a fake beef steak or lamb chop is a lot more complex. Also, no-one has yet replicated mammalian milk with anything closely resembling the complexity of nature’s product. Now, none of what I say here should be interpreted as TOP END CATTLE & CROPPING implying that • CAMPING, HELI MUSTERING & CATTLE agri-food systems of the future will • CRUISE KATHERINE GORGE be the same as • KAKADU NATIONAL PARK now. Nor am I implying that new, artificial foods won’t have a place. What I am saying is a healthy dose of scepticism is appropriate

TIME FOR A HOLIDAY!

JULY 2020

THE OUTBACK IS CALLING

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IN RECENT months I have received many emails asking if I have seen the RethinkX report demonstrating how in 10 years animal proteins will have been largely replaced by artificial foods. Demand for cattle products will supposedly have fallen by 70% by 2030 when global grasslands can be returned to nature. Lately the emailers have been asking if I have seen George Monbiot’s report on how artificial foods will replace both plant and animal foods, thereby saving the planet. Monbiot says this food of the future will be made in big laboratory-like factories in which the energy to drive bacterial growth-processes comes from hydrogen separated from water molecules. My response to both reports is we need more science and less science fiction when shaping the path ahead. The RethinkX report is being widely quoted by many people. In the sub-title, it self-describes as foretelling the second disruption of plants and animals, the disruption of the cow and the collapse of industrial livestock farming. The first disruption was supposedly domestication of plants and animals many thousands of years ago, allowing human societies to transform from hunter-gatherer lifestyles. They are very big claims about the future and raise the question as to just who these RethinkX people are. I have been trying to work that out. I note that RethinkX self-describes as an independent think tank. The two authors of the RethinkX food and agriculture report are Catherine Tubb and Tony Seba. Tubb’s online biography lists a Cambridge University doctorate in chemistry. Seba’s biography says he is an engineer, serial entrepreneur, keynote speaker and thought-leader (his terms) with a Stanford business administration degree. Seba’s biography also says he has taught at the Auckland University business school. Well, so far so good. The report is beautifully written and provides an impression of strong evidence. Accordingly, most people who seek my views are worried about the implications for their own agri-food businesses. I always tell people to look at a report’s disclaimers, which no-one seems to notice. The disclaimers include the following. “Any findings, predictions, inferences, implications, judgments, beliefs, opinions, recommendations, suggestions and similar matters in this report

Opinion

26 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Brexit still by no means a done deal Meaty Matters

Allan Barber

AT LONG last, three and a half years after the surprise referendum result, Britain has formally left the European Union, with expressions of sorrow in the EU Parliament, dignified satisfaction from the United Kingdom government, anger and sadness on the part of Remainers and noisy displays of joy by chief Brexiteer Nigel Farage and his cohort in the European Parliament. Amid all the excitement the British MEPs still remembered to submit their claims for payment for their last day of work. In spite of both sides’ stated intention of negotiating constructively and in good faith to try to reach agreement on the terms that will govern the future relationship between Britain and the EU there appears to be very little on which they will find common ground. That makes it highly unlikely terms will be agreed by the December 31 deadline, in which case the UK government will either have to ask for a one or two-year extension or crash out without an agreement, otherwise known as a hard Brexit. The second option would mean a reversion to World Trade Organisation tariffs instead of the desired free-trade agreement, meaning trade between the UK and the 27 EU members would incur huge tariffs, some as high as 60%. One such item would be lambs, which are exported live from Britain to France in large numbers to meet French demand, while

Britain is the main destination for Irish beef. That would be a major distortion for British agriculture and food consumption patterns. Obviously, the disruption of the lamb trade would also have a large impact on exports of New Zealand lamb to its traditional markets. Before the emergence of coronavirus in China in the last month, that would have been viewed as more of an inconvenience than a serious problem, and the former might yet prove to be a short-lived issue. But it doesn’t take much imagination to see the potential impact on trade of a global pandemic as well as a hard Brexit. Nobody has any idea when coronavirus will be brought under control or its effect on the consumption habits of the Chinese population or world trading patterns so speculation is pointless.

The disruption of the lamb trade would also have a large impact on exports of New Zealand lamb to its traditional markets.

Brexit is equally difficult to pick but there are several clear pointers to how the two sides will approach the next 11 months. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has already ramped up Britain’s negotiating stance announcing the intention to do border checks on EU imports from January 2021. That has horrified businesses, especially logistics companies and supermarket chains, and will also cause concern for countries exporting to the UK, especially exporters of perishable produce. Since Theresa May’s resignation

Johnson has stated his preference for a Canadian type free trade deal covering most goods, which took seven years to conclude, but the EU has said that will entail alignment with EU regulations, which Britain is adamant it won’t accept, notably on immigration, labour laws and fishing. Johnson is apparently furious at what he sees as the EU reneging on the deal he agreed before Christmas and is no longer wedded to pursuing the Canadian style agreement. The latest British position is it would be happy to negotiate a looser agreement where both sides can cherry-pick their tarifffree preferences, presumably by mutual agreement, while applying a points-based immigration system and reverting to WTO terms on everything else. Since Brexit day the UK has announced its intention to start the process of negotiating a series of free-trade deals, though technically it is not supposed to do so until after December, and to take Britain’s seat at the Geneva offices of the WTO in its first formal step as an independent trading nation. The EU has told the WTO it still speaks for Britain until December 31 but that is clearly not what Britain thinks. New Zealander Crawford Falconer, the UK’s lead negotiator, has a team of 700 lawyers and experts who are all set to implement more than £100 billion of trade deals that will roll over in January 2021. The main trade deals in the UK’s sights, apart from with the EU, are with the United States, Japan, Australia and NZ. Though American President Donald Trump has signalled a wish to conclude a really good agreement with the UK there will be fishhooks that might be difficult to resolve, including the 2% digital tax to be applied to multinational corporations from April.

WON’T BE EASY: New Zealander Crawford Falconer, Britain’s lead negotiator in its trade talks with the European Union, will have his work cut out to reach a deal by December 31.

The US has already made it clear to the EU a similar proposal will invoke retaliation. Britain aims to conclude the free-trade agreement with Japan as soon as the implementation period ends in December and finalise negotiations with Australia and NZ by the middle of next year. Its next objective is to use its trade negotiations with the three Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership signatories as a stepping stone to full membership of CPTPP, which represents 13% of global trade, third only as a trading bloc behind NAFTA and the EU. NZ’s role as the cabinet secretariat of the CPTPP is an

added advantage for concluding an early deal with this country. It is also seen as putting pressure on the EU to agree terms by the end of this year. This all sounds very logical and achievable when said quickly but my suspicion is it will take all Falconer’s trade diplomacy skills as well as Boris’ flamboyant determination if the UK is to have any hope of getting it all done and dusted by the end of this year.

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

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Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Stop the loss of good people The Voice

Craig Wiggins

WELL, 2020 is here. We have a new decade and perhaps a future where farming will be seen as the most sustainable, economic and environmentally friendly way to produce food known to man. Farmers are leaders in rolling with the times and dealing with adversities such as weather, earthquakes, interest rate rises, commodity price fluctuations, fuel costs and the many other influences outside their control. I believe New Zealand farmers lead the world and will lead the research into sustainable farming because we have to. Our country needs us, too, because we will be and still are the main income earner for this country and are also the supporters of so many industries and retail businesses from clothing to finance. The start of the year has been a little tough when I sit back and look over the last month. I’ll be honest, I’ve shed tears more than I should have but it

has been a roller coaster. The early part of January saw my good friend Ricky May suffer a medical event while driving a race horse at the Omakau race meeting. It was very public as it was being screened on Trackside television and it didn’t look good. To cut a long story short he needed CPR and a helicopter trip to a hospital or two and now has a device in him that is equivalent to a Gallagher electric fence unit. But for a few days he tore at the heart strings of people from around the world as he was diagnosed, repaired and released. On the way home from seeing Ricky in Dunedin I called in to see an old mate of mine on Mt Pisa Station who had been flattened by a horse and, as the elderly statesman he is, didn’t fare too well. This will be a long road back to walking for Murray MacMillan, another well respected local of the Cromwell area and never shy to lend a hand to those in need. On the trip home from Mt Pisa I got a message to say a friend in Ohakune had died in a farm bike accident. By this stage I was thinking aloud about how these injuries and losses were going to affect the communities they live in. Ronald Frew is part of the Frew family who commercially market garden and farm at Waimarino. Ronald shore sheep for my father

WELCOME MAT: Anyone who sees this caravan with its door open is welcome to take advantage of a free health check.

and is heavily involved in the Waimarino shearing competition held annually. I worked for his father as a mechanic and think of the family as good friends. They have employed many a worker and contributed to the local community for years so another huge loss as Ronald leaves behind his family at 53 years of age. Just this week I have heard of another loss in the Ashburton area of a farm contractor to a medical event in his early 40s, leaving a family again with pain and disbelief. The Farmer First health check programme we have started now becomes more relavent to me as

we start the New Year. We can’t see every farmer in the country and we can’t stop accidents but I hope we can get that conversation going where farmers’ physical health is talked about and acted on as often as we think about servicing our machinery. We are really finding some issues out there. This week we attended the Hawarden ewe fair and tested more than 60 farmers, both male and female. The ability to get a doctor in front of rural people in their own environment is a powerful catalyst for change in the way the farmers

think about getting checked. We won’t pick up everything or get everyone in the door but we are getting people talking and many that are getting checked are making life changes as the followup calls are finding. As you can see by the people I have talked about in this column everyone has people they influence in their lives, family that need and care for them, communities they are a part of be it small or large and an industry they devote their lives to. The last Farmers Voice video featuring the Copland family talks of the hardship of losing a son and how they got through it. The pain and tears flowed freely as we filmed that video and as with those who have lost family this month you have my respect and condolences. If our travelling around the sale yards and farmer events can save but one person’s family from a loss that might have been prevented by a simple health check then that’s a reason to make sure we continue the journey around rural NZ. The simple fact is we are losing too many farmers and they are a breed worth fighting for. Let’s try to take some control of this issue we can have some influence on. Brought to you by PGG Wrightson Livestock.

Legal tips on using farm debt mediation THE Government’s new farm debt mediation scheme will kick in on July 1. It provides for compulsory mediation of farm debts before creditors can take enforcement action, which will significantly change the landscape for farmers in hard times. So, what is mediation? What will the scheme apply to? What is the process? And what key points do farmers need to be aware of? Mediation involves two or more parties getting an independent third party to help them negotiate an agreement about the way forward instead of one of them just skipping straight to legal action. So, imagine a farmer misses a loan payment or two. The bank threatens a mortgagee sale or to appoint a receiver or administrator. The farmer and the bank then get together with a mediator who tries to broker a deal. A deal requires both parties to agree – the mediator cannot impose an outcome on the parties. If a deal can be done – and sometimes it can’t – it might involve a payment plan or a partial sale or just a more orderly transition. The farm debt mediation scheme applies to any debt owed by any business involved in primary production provided the debt is secured by farm property, which could be land but could also be personal property such as

equipment. Primary production includes agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture but excludes lifestyle farming and supplying labour or materials to primary production businesses. Generally speaking, a creditor cannot take enforcement action against farm property unless it has gone through the mediation process in good faith and has obtained what is known as an enforcement certificate. The mediation process will usually play out like as follows. Either the farmer or the creditor can request mediation in relation to a farm debt. A creditor cannot refuse mediation without good reason. The parties then need to appoint a mediator. The farmer nominates three names from a list of authorised mediators and the creditor must choose one of them. Once a mediator has been appointed the parties and the mediator enter into a procedure agreement setting out how the mediation will be conducted. The parties have to pay the mediator but the farmer’s share cannot exceed $2000. The mediator will then conduct the mediation process, receiving information or arranging meetings. The process must be completed within 60 days of the original mediation request unless the parties agree to extend it. Anything discussed or shared in the context of the mediation is confidential and inadmissible in any court. If a deal can be done it will

be recorded in a mediation agreement. That is a binding contract, which can itself be enforced against the parties. Importantly, a farmer who enters into a mediation agreement can cancel it within 10 working days.

It improves the chances farmers in financial difficulty might be able to keep their farms and livelihoods.

As with any scheme of this nature there are advantages and disadvantages for farmers. Some of the key considerations are as follows. The scheme improves the chances for farmers to negotiate an alternative to enforcement action against farm property. In short, it improves the chances farmers in financial difficulty might be able to keep their farms and livelihoods. The process also ensures farmers have some breathing space to assess their position, take professional advice and see whether there might be a workable path out of financial difficulty. Guarantors, who provide farm property as security, might also be protected by the restriction on enforcement action. If, for example, a family trust owns

farm property but the farming business is operated through a company, both the trust and the company can require a creditor to attend mediation before starting enforcement action. A creditor can request mediation only after a default but a farmer can request mediation at any time before the creditor obtains an enforcement certificate. Early action by farmers, before formal default, often means a greater range of potential options for resolution are available and agreement is easier to reach. Farmers need to be aware of the time frames imposed by the scheme. If a farmer fails to respond to a request to mediate within 20 working days the farmer is deemed to have declined mediation. The creditor can then apply for an enforcement certificate and begin enforcement action. If a farmer defaults within three years after entering into a mediation agreement the restriction on enforcement action does not apply so it will be important to ensure any agreement reached at mediation is truly workable. It would also be prudent for a mediation agreement to address the creditor’s enforcement rights during the following three-year period. Banks and other lenders to the primary sector are, of course, well-resourced and sophisticated players and will quickly learn how to make this process work

for them. Farmers will need to be well organised and well advised to ensure that they get the best possible outcome for their businesses and families.

Who are we? James Burt (james.burt@barrists. co.nz) and Andy Glenie (andy. glenie@glegal.co.nz) are lawyers who specialise in the resolution of commercial disputes.

LK0100740©

James Burt and Andy Glenie

Heavy duty long lasting Ph 021 047 9299

World

28 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Red meat sales take a hit for Christmas RED meat sales took a hit over the festive period as British shoppers switched to plant-based alternatives, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and the market analyst Kantar Worldpanel say. Market data shows 15,000 fewer shoppers bought red meat in the 12 weeks to December 29 than a year earlier. Board analyst Bethan Wilkins said lamb suffered most, with sales down 4% by volume year-on-year. That was slightly offset by a 2% uplift in prices during the quarter, meaning the fall in sales value was lessened somewhat, Wilkins said. Within the lamb category, primary fresh and frozen meat sales fell by more than the overall figure, dropping by 6%. The biggest losses were in chops, steaks and leg roasting joints. Shoulder roasting volumes bucked the trend and grew 5% Pork sales also fared badly. Sales over the three months fell by 4.5% in volume, compared with the year before. However, prices were 4.5% up on the year, effectively cancelling the decline in volume. The poorest performing cuts were roasting joints, chops and steaks in the primary fresh and frozen pork category. Those cuts recorded significant losses in both volume , down 8%, and value, down 7%, Wilkins said. Bacon volumes also continued to slide with a fall of 6%. But prices more than

Kiwi lamb deficit filled by UK BRITAIN’S lamb exports to France and Germany rose last year, filling a gap left by a reduction in product from New Zealand, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board figures show. In France production over the 12 months to November 2019 was virtually unchanged from 2018 (-0.7%), at 75,000t. The tonnage was supported by an increase in carcase weights as slaughter figures dropped by 1.2% to 3.85m head. Total French imports were also reasonably static, down just under 1% annually, to 79,300t, according to AHDB analyst Jennie Tanner. However, despite the relatively steady situation imports from NZ suppliers fell by 16% as Kiwi suppliers targeted Asian markets instead. Buyers in Asia are looking to alternative protein sources to fill the void left by African swine fever, which has reduced China’s production capacity by 40%. Meanwhile, France’s other main suppliers of lamb – Ireland and Spain – also switched, with both countries reducing exports to France by 4%. The United Kingdom was already France’s largest supplier of fresh and frozen sheep meat and well placed to capitalise on the shortfall, Tanner said. UK exporters increased volumes by about 8% to about 35,000t in the 12 months, plugging the gap, she explained. As with France, home-grown lamb production in Germany was unchanged on 2018 at about 22,000t for the year to November 2019. But total fresh and frozen sheep meat imports into Germany dropped by 11% over the 12 months to 38,000t. The major cause was a 15% decline in NZ exports to Germany at about 17,500t for the year. UK supplies to Germany jumped by 15% to more than 10,000t, but this has not been enough to compensate for reduction in volume from NZ, Tanner pointed out. The knock-on effect was a reduction in sheep meat exports from Germany to its biggest markets – the Netherlands, Austria and Sweden. Figures for the latest UK sheep meat prices show lamb values have continued to move upwards. UK Farmers Weekly

DECLINE: Fewer British shoppers bought red meat, particularly lamb, over the festive season. Photo: Kieren Scott, Minaret Station

Lamb suffered most, with sales down 4% by volume year-on-year. Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board offset the decline with an 8% hike. One trend identified in the bacon category is a switch from standard tier products to premium and healthy ranges. Unlike the other red meat categories total beef sales remained relatively stable in volume terms, recording a decline of less than 1% yearon-year. Unfortunately, average prices in the category were lower than in the corresponding period of 2018

and so spend declined by 2%, Wilkins said. In primary fresh and frozen beef, sales volumes declined by 2%, driven by poor sales of roasting joints and mince. A 3.5% increase in volumes of steak sold was wiped out by a 4% drop in the average price. Delving deeper into the statistics, Kantar Worldpanel’s business unit director Nathan Ward said the beef sales stability was attributed to increased promotional support. However, the downward trend in roasting cuts was a result of 113,000 fewer shoppers picking up roasting joints year-on-year and they were selected on 471,000 fewer shopping trips. Beef mince saw a steep drop off, losing 306,000 shoppers and 526,000 fewer trips, Ward said. Steep losses in lamb steaks, down 14%, and stewing cuts,

minus 20%, are concerning for the red meat sector and he blamed a fall in the level of promotional support. Steaks continue to lose shoppers – 515,000 fewer year on year – as in-store promotions were down by two thirds this year, Ward said. Declines in pork sales were also attributed to reduced promotional activity in stores. “Overall, pork is seeing much less promotional support than other meats, with 32% less volume sold on promotion this year, making this a key factor in the decline of the key cuts,” Ward said. He identified so-called empty nesters – parents whose offspring have grown up and moved out – and retired shoppers as the main groups propelling the decline but noted that consumers at all life stages are buying less red meat. UK Farmers Weekly

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production is not jeopardised. “We need food Neal Wallace so other sectors need to do better. neal.wallace@globalhq .co.nz “This is a breath of someone to finally fresh air for HE red meat industry say Rankin says while that.” hopes to ramp up its reports have been previous Taste Pure Nature scathing of farming, this one brand campaign is less so. on “I felt like this the back of the report has helped latest international climate us turn a corner, that change report. affected by climate farmers are change but we The Intergovernmental also really need them.” Panel on Climate Change The report found (IPCC) report global food is being welcomed systems account by New for a quarter of Zealand farming greenhouse gas leaders as an emissions and endorsement of agricultural emissions our low impact of nitrous systems and the oxide and methane importance of are increasing. maintaining food But land also has a role production. as a The IPCC says carbon sink, absorbing land on which 30% of the we rely for food, planet’s greenhou water, se gas emissions health and wellbeing energy, between 2008 and 2017. is already under pressure Crop productio and climate n is being change will exacerbat affected by higher temperatures, through desertifica e that changing rain patterns tion degradation potentiall and land frequency of extreme and greater y affecting events. food security. The report warns consump tion The report’s advocacy patterns, land management and balanced diet including of a population growth will determine animal protein sourced the planet’s future from resilient, in a changing sustainable, low climate. greenhou systems is an endorsem se gas “Pathways with higher demand ent for NZ, for Beef + Lamb chief food, feed, and insight officer water, more ON-FARM training Jeremy Baker says. resource-intensive courses have an consumption important role to “This is the NZ She said there should and productio play n and more limited red always future, Feilding High in agriculture’s be an opportunity production system. meat technological improvem Reesby said the to role that form Meaghan Reesby School student ents training because do practical of training plays “It is definitely in agriculture yields, says. trained staff have in increasing the not saying that The year 13 pupil result in a better understand skills of people in we all need to higher risks from ing of how their agriculture should become vegetarian agri-commerce at plans study water scarcity workplaces, such not be overlooked Massey University or vegan.” in drylands, land as farms, function, and any future next year but said degradation and which is good for changes in how not everyone employers and It is an opportun food insecurity training course are interested in agriculture employees. .” ity to ramp delivered needs wants to go up promotion to remember that. Report contribut to university. of the Taste Pure Feilding High School The daughter of or Associate Himatangi dairy Nature brand, Professor Anita Some people prefer can build their practicalpupils farmers, Meaghan’s to tell Wreford, of farming brother global meat eaters 40 million on approach, whether a more handsLincoln University works experience while on the family farm, about NZ’s low’s Agribusiness that is through at school by complementing a cadetship or beginning carbon footprint, and Economic taking courses offered what he learns at he says. Research Unit, work with building their knowledge a job and Gateway, a programme through DairyNZ climate says it shows the practical courses, through change importance of for young while her sister courses offered people in their last ambassador Trish also is also full time not implemen by workplace year of school ting contradictory Rankin is training providers that allows them fitting her Massey on the farm, heartened the policies. such as Primary to report says some course work ITO. training made up complete around that. sectors need to “The report is of theory and reduce their highly practical unit standards. emissions faster for NZ as we grapple relevant to ensure food MORE: trade-offs involved with the greenhouse gas P3 emissions, with reducing adapting to the change, managing impacts of climate the we value and maintainiareas supporting our communities and ng and societies in this process.

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Real Estate

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Waikato dairy farm sales surge A FLURRY of farm sales activity in Waikato in December has seen 11 dairy farms exchange hands, latest Real Estate data shows. While the sales are a dramatic change from the previous two months when only two were sold, the sales have not altered the overall trend of falling sales and land values as the numbers are still very light across the rest of New Zealand, Real Estate Institute rural spokesman Brian Peacocke, inset, said. The sales were more likely a result of marketing programmes over spring than of than any resurgence in the rural real estate market, he said. There were 23 sales across NZ in December versus 35 in 2018 and 39 the year earlier, he said. Other areas such as Canterbury, Southland and Taranaki continued to have few sales. “There’s been only one dairy farm sale in Canterbury and that was in June. In Southland there had been only six in the last six months.” The Waikato sales pointed to a trend of smaller farms being sold and in some cases a change in land use. There is also little interest in second and third tier farms as opposed to the better located tier one farms. “That’s emphasised by the changes in environmental rules, Healthy Rivers plan change 1 and the national policy statement for freshwater.”

CHANGED HANDS: Eleven dairy farms were sold in December in Waikato.

Nationally, the median sale price for dairy farms was $38,152 a hectare for the three months ending to December compared to $40,589 over the same three months in 2018. The median price for dairy farms has decreased 6 % over the past 12 months. Per kilo of milksolids the median sales price across the three months was $41.40 compared to $40.56 across the corresponding period in 2018, a rise of 2.1%. Nationwide, there were 95 fewer farm sales compared to the same three months in 2018. There were 345 farm sales compared to 282 farm sales for the three months ending in November 2019 and 440 farm sales for the three months ended December 2018.

In the year to December 1266 farms were sold, 15.8% fewer than were sold in the year to December 2018, with a drop of 41.6% in dairy farm sales, 2.8% fewer grazing farms, a 31.4% fall in finishing farm sales and 10.8% fewer arable farms. The median price per hectare for all farms sold in the three months to December was $38,152 compared to $40,589 for three months ended December 2018, down 6%. Five of the 14 regions had an increase in farm sale numbers over the three months to December compared to the corresponding period the year before. Auckland had the most with 12, followed by the West Coast and

Otago where there were five each. Waikato recorded the biggest decline with 32 fewer sales followed by Northland and Southland, both with 16 fewer sales. While sales volumes were down significantly on the equivalent three months a year earlier, it was a distinct improvement on the previous three-month period, Peacocke said. “Modest gains were also recorded in the finishing and horticulture sectors with a strong lift in volume in the grazing sector in December. Product prices remained strong leading into the Christmas/New Year holiday period, with increasingly optimistic forecasts emerging for the milk payout in the dairy sector. “There is little evidence of change in the market-suppressing stance from the majority of the trading banks where it would appear one bank, in particular, is enjoying the benefit of leaving the shop door open. “While rural morale is generally good, a mood of caution exists relating to the forthcoming summer dry period and huge sympathy is evident as NZ farmers empathise with their fire-ravaged Australian counterparts.” While dairy farm values had come back, drystock and cropping, arable or dairy support farms are strong. Some of those prices were as strong, if not stronger than dairy farms, he said.

Grazing properties have also sold strongly, particularly in Manawatu, Whanganui and Northland. “In Manawatu there were seven in November and 14 in December and in Northland, five in November and 11 in December and then in Otago, six in November and nine in December.” Values for finishing farms also held up strongly with the threemonth median price staying largely unchanged compared to the corresponding period a year earlier. Horticulture sales and values were solid but it was a traditionally quiet time of the year for that market with more sales for kiwifruit orchards usually occurring in autumn after harvest, he said. Six farms were sold in Bay of Plenty in December, three in November, six in October, five in September and nine in August. There were four strong sales of grape orchards growing sauvignon blanc-style grapes in the Nelson-Marlborough area, he said. The median sales price per hectare for horticulture farms for the three months ended December was $261,131 from 31 properties, compared to $164,143 from 44 properties across the corresponding period in 2018. The median price per hectare for horticulture farms rose 59.1% over the past 12 months.

Tapping into on-farm forestry Conrad Wilkshire IN THE modern era the farming sector has taken the opportunities market deregulation afforded it, both in terms of increased production and access to credit. The wealth effect and contribution to exports have been nothing short of phenomenal. Our pastoral sector is again set for significant financial gains off the back of the proposed Emissions Trading Scheme reforms and the ongoing sustainability of our production systems but, like most things, overnight success might take 10 years. It is hard to contemplate a stronger forward outlook for sheep and beef producers, particularly given the shortening supply of livestock, continued growth in export receipts and competing land use options. Our sheep and beef sector is probably the best example of doing more from less in the context of sustainable production. Our national flock has halved over the last 25 years. You have to go back to the 1920s to equal where we are today at about 26.5 million sheep. Interestingly, actual kilograms of lamb production in the last 25 years has dropped only marginally (less than 5%) given gains with genetics and farming practices.

The challenge facing our pastoral sector, ironically, is not deregulation but regulation, specifically the recent preChristmas announcements by Climate Change Minister James Shaw and the proposed revised settings for the ETS. Over the last 30 years the sheep and beef sector has lost close to four million hectares to forestry, the conservation estate and dairying. Today pastoral sheep and beef farming accounts for about nine million hectares, half of which is probably not suited to pine production. The plan for the balance is to take a further million hectares out of pastoral production in favour of forestry and, with the Billion Trees initiative as a mechanism, to help off-set a proportion of New Zealand’s carbon liabilities over the next decade. There are potentially billions of dollars of future carbon credits on the table as the Government now proposes capping emissions at 2020 levels in combination with huge changes to ETS pricing, potentially doubling it to $50/tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent, as it looks to buy time to find alternatives to fossil fuels. Near term this has the potential to create windfall gains for farmers already looking to exit the industry but for most farmers it has much

greater opportunity over the next 10 to 15 years to generate new revenue streams inside the farm gate or provide options to scale the existing farm business. Our pastoral sector, when we look back, has done a very good job of navigating change and the country is better for it. However, the current rate of change and the regulatory nature of it, has raised a lot of very genuine concerns. Farming and forestry are not mutually exclusive. The North Island’s east coast and particularly Wairoa District have been challenged with this tension since the early 90s. With about 75,000ha already in forestry and another 7% of its pastoral area going to forestry in 2019 Wairoa will have more forestry than pastoral land inside the next five years, unless policy is moderated. Having attended the recent Wairoa A&P show it is very clear farmers have actively participated in forestry and native planting over the last 30 years. The NZ carbon opportunity over the last 20 years has not generated the investment confidence it should have, given the uncertainty with successive government climate policy positions, notably ETS settings and the corresponding up and down nature of carbon trading. Astute farmers have taken

past opportunities to protect their carbon liability with cheap units over that time but regulatory pressure on the carbon price is changing the situation dramatically. There is nothing cheap in terms of the forward outlook for carbon and this could represent an opportunity as well as a threat for sheep and beef producers. On balance, carbon must be an opportunity for pastoral farmers. Farmers control the land use and given the right planning tools and advice, planting less productive ground in carbon credit-generating forest estates has the potential to enhance cashflow and underpin the longterm valuation of the farm as a sustainable, integrated pastoral farming system, particularly as pressure continues to be applied to give greater incentives for native species. Right now carbon is driving significant capital growth across large tracts of land from the far north to the deep south and while we remain very much in the business of selling farms we are also in the business of leasing them too. For farmers who see the outlook as positive and want options to hold onto their land but take a step back from the day-to daycommitments of farming there are myriad strategies available to take

OPPORTUNITY: Trees have the potential to enhance cashflow and underpin the long-term valuation of a farm as a sustainable, integrated pastoral farming system, Conrad Wilkshire says.

advantage of this fast-changing outlook. Livestock valuations at today’s record highs can release significant cash in favour of a change in strategy to lease the farm. Options to retire part of the farm to trees in combination with a pastoral lease can also be part of the mix. Ultimately, with good advice this has to be a better investment than a bank deposit. The options now are broader than simply exiting the industry and selling the entire property to trees though that will still be attractive to some.

Who am I? Conrad Wilkshire is Property Brokers Rural general manager

NEW LISTING

Puhoi 121 Krippner Road Full of history and grace "Oakdale" homestead and the 150 hectare grazing farm, in five titles, were developed in (circa) 1900 by Charles Straka (of Puhoi's Bohemian founding families). Entirely renovated and tastefully restored in 2000, classic period features are on display throughout this three bedroom home. Notably, elevated 13-foot board and batten ceilings, large sash windows, leadlight panels, and original Kauri timber floors throughout. The farm is well subdivided into 13 large paddocks and is well supported by a reliable all year water supply, a good set of cattle and sheep yards and the original two-stand woolshed.

Tauranga 1932 Pyes Pa Road, Pyes Pa 3

Large scale - top location

Take a virtual tour: www.umoview.co.nz/15213

This 402 hectare grazing property is well located on SH36, being only 27km from Tauranga CBD and 36km from Rotorua. An easy commute to Tauranga City, this farm offers size and scale in a prime location that is seldom found. Varying contour throughout the property, approximately 170 hectares is made up of flat to undulating, 124 hectares in steeper hill country, 97 hectares in bush which is spread over the property with the balance being in a mature pine block. With two homes, a five stand woolshed and various shedding, the infrastructure is well set up to accommodate the different stock classes. Held in six titles with further subdivision a definite possibility. An opportunity for astute buyers looking for a first class rural investment.

bayleys.co.nz/1201955

bayleys.co.nz/2500971

SOLD

NEW LISTING

Taihape 73 Stewarts Loop Road

Ahaura, West Coast 3564 State Highway 7

Clean rolling hills and native bush Located only 1.5 kilometres off State Highway 1 near Taihape, an exceptional opportunity to secure a free draining and easy contoured farm suitable for winter forage cropping and intensive livestock operations. Offering approximately 178 hectares effective freehold, plus a 53 hectare lease, and features a large area of retired native bush, a 'deer stalkers' hut, modern woolshed, cattle yards and six bay Implement shed, plus fully renovated two bedroom cottage. Add solid passive income potential, from planned wind turbine, abundant natural water, reliable summers, lots of new fencing and a regular fertiliser history. An ideal stepping stone farm.

bayleys.co.nz/2900124

bayleys.co.nz

Tender (unless sold prior) Closing 4pm, Thu 20 Feb 2020 41 Queen St, Warkworth View Sun 12-1pm John Barnett 021 790 393 john.barnett@bayleys.co.nz MACKYS REAL ESTATE LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

For Sale offers invited by (unless sold prior)

4pm, Thu 12 Mar 2020 Peter Stratton 027 484 7078 peter.stratton@bayleys.co.nz BARTLEY REAL ESTATE LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

Tender (unless sold prior) Closing 4pm, Thu 12 Mar 2020 247 Cameron Road, Tauranga View 10.30-11.30am Fri 14 Feb Ike Unsworth 027 429 6106 ike.unsworth@bayleys.co.nz SUCCESS REALTY LIMITED, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

To be sold! This Grey Valley gem is to be sold under the hammer in March no messing around. Being located in the sought after Grey Valley gives you the best of everything, schooling options, proximity to town being 25 minutes and great farming for man and beast alike. This property will be approximately 246 hectares once a small boundary adjustment has been completed. You have a 50 bale rotary shed with pellet and molasses feeding ability at the heart of this property and an underpass for ease of management. The soil type allows for the ability to grow a variety of summer and winter crops giving you flexible farming options. Two good homes plus a singlemans unit cover all your accommodation requirements.

bayleys.co.nz/5511694

Auction (unless sold prior) 1pm, Thu 26 Mar 2020 3 Deans Ave, Chch View by appointment Austen Russell 027 441 7055 austen.russell@bayleys.co.nz Shari Ferguson 027 266 6850 shari.ferguson@bayleys.co.nz WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – February 10, 2020

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

FINAL NOTICE

RECEIVERSHIP SALE

Greta Valley 634 Motunau Beach Road

Oamaru 313 Springfield Road, Totara

Gorrie Downs - highly productive Location, contour and stock performance, coupled with very-well maintained infrastructure and mature forestry blocks, are the hallmarks of this 380ha beef, deer and sheep grazing and finishing unit. Cropping and/or dairy support on the deep-silt soils of the river flats could add further to the property’s renowned versatility. Approximately 4km from the coast, the farm captures coastal rain and coupled with a mild climate, promotes year-round pasture growth. Infrastructure includes a well-maintained fourbedroom homestead in a wonderful, elevated garden setting, a very tidy two-bedroom cottage, three-stand woolshed, deershed, cattle yards and support buildings. Gorrie Downs is a great stand-a-lone unit or support for a larger property.

For Sale by Deadline Private Treaty (unless sold prior)

12pm, Wed 19 Feb 2020 3 Deans Ave, Chch View by appointment Ben Turner 027 530 1400 ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz Peter Foley 021 754 737 peter.foley@bayleys.co.nz WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

Opportunity knocks • For sale on behalf of the receivers – this is your opportunity to invest in a property with multiple titles, allowing various options to purchase • 197.44ha of productive, versatile soils with irrigation • In 11 titles, easy rolling contour, creating variable purchasing options • Currently operating as a dairy unit, converted in 2012 with a 40 a-side herringbone shed • Three houses, variety of support sheds • K-line and pivot irrigation • Located in a prominent market-gardening area, approximately 10kms from Oamaru

For Sale by Deadline Private Treaty (unless sold prior)

1pm, Wed 4 Mar 2020 3 Deans Ave, Chch Kurt Snook 027 256 0449 kurts@bayleysmetro.co.nz Ben Turner 027 530 1400 ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz OTAGO REALTY GROUP LTD, BAYLEYS METRO, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008 WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

bayleys.co.nz/5511597

CROPPING, GRAZING OR BEEF? • Situated south of Whanganui is this 81ha farming opportunity that is consented for intensive agriculture. • Great soil fertility and extensive drainage has been put in place including nova flow drainage. • Very good bore that supplies quality water to stock troughs and feed pad. • Includes a 400 cow feed pad, very good stock handling facilities and six bay machinery shed. • Very good layout and is set up with numerous paddocks. Internal fences are mainly two wire electric along with a good internal central laneway system and good rural fencing. • Offers a diverse income stream from beef and cropping due to its coastal climate, and the luxury of living a short drive from Whanganui. • Call Les on 0274 420 582 to inspect.

Sallan Realty

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LARGE LIFESTYLE, BEEF FATTENING • Situated on Taonui Road on the outskirts of Feilding is this 21.8 hectare property suitable for raising beef, dairy heifers or cropping. • Well subdivided with good track access. • There is a three bedroom family home that requires some renovation and a self contained one bedroom flat adjacent to the house. • Water for Stock is supplied by bore and there is tank water to the houses. • There are two good machinery sheds with a lockable workshop and cattle yards. • Generally runs about 80 cattle through the Winter, finishing about 40 per year • A great opportunity to finally get into farming or just a large lifestyle block, in such a tightly held area. • Call Les on 0274 420 582 to inspect.

LK0101163©

bayleys.co.nz/5511571

LES CAIN 0274 420 582

Licensed Agent REAA 2008

RURAL 129 Main Street Pahiatua pahiatua@pb.co.nz 06 376 8486

Property Brokers Pahiatua Ltd Licensed under the Real Estate Agents Act 2008

Dannevirke dairy unit - 132 ha

Small dairy operation / finishing

TENDER

WEB ID PR73450 DANNEVIRKE 1550 Top Grass Road This picturesque dairy unit certainly presents options; being located only 15 km from Dannevirke and under 45 minutes drive to Palmerston North. Extremely well catered for with a centrally located 36 bail rotary featuring in-shed feed system and is serviced by a compliant effluent system. The low cost farming system is milking 350 cows on the effective area of 124 ha of which almost all is flat and is in modern pastures. Four well kept family homes set in mature grounds completes an appealing and well presented package and provides sell down options for the incoming purchasers.

DEADLINE SALE

TENDER View By Appointment TENDER closes Tuesday 10th March, 2020 at 2.00pm, to be submitted to Property brokers 129 Main Street Pahiatua

Jared Brock

Mobile 027 449 5496 Office 06 376 4823

John Arends

Mobile 027 444 7380 Office 06 376 4364

Jim Crispin

Mobile 027 717 8862 Office 06 374 8102

WEB ID PR70577 PAHIATUA Post Office Road Utilised as a dairy unit last season, contour consists of 40 ha rolling to easy hill with the balance flat/undulating this 66 ha* property offers options. Comprised of several titles and access off both Post Office and Ballance Gorge Roads, provides subdivision options for the incoming purchaser. Improvements include a 32 bail rotary cowshed with other shedding, which provide purchasers with the option to carry on the dairy operation or change use to calf rearing, dairy support and/or finishing. Act now to secure a property that has some real options with immediate possession available. *STS.

DEADLINE SALE View By Appointment DEADLINE SALE closes Friday 28th February, 2020 at 2.00pm, (unless sold prior), to be submitted to Property Brokers, 129 Main Street, Pahiatua

Jared Brock

Mobile 027 449 5496 Office 06 376 4823 Home 06 376 6341 jared@pb.co.nz

John Arends

Mobile 027 444 7380 Office 06 376 4364 johna@pb.co.nz

Hirawai - 603 ha

TENDER WEB ID PR73645

DANNEVIRKE 235 Otope Road Hirawai, an exceptionally well located intensive finishing property 5 kms east of Dannevirke. Hirawai features an estimated 510 ha of tractor country currently in a mix of superior pastures and crops, including 70 ha of alluvial flats along the boundary of the Manawatu River. An aesthetically pleasing property with well tended wood lots and native plantings completing a highly productive property.

pb.co.nz

Infrastructure includes a centrally located 5 stand woolshed and covered yards, 3 x cattle yards, 2 smaller woolsheds and satellite sheepyards all serviced by a central lane way. Accommodation is provided by three homes with the main home a superior 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom recently refurbished family home. Hirawai has benefited from an extensive development programme.

TENDER

VIEW By Appointment TENDER closes Thursday 5th March, 2020 at 2.00pm, to be submitted to Property Brokers, 129 Main Street, Pahiatua

Jared Brock

Mobile 027 449 5496 Office 06 376 4823

John Arends

Mobile 027 444 7380 Office 06 376 4364

Jim Crispin

Mobile 027 717 8862 Office 06 374 8102

RURAL 0800 FOR LAND

Property Brokers Limited Licensed under the Real Estate Agents Act 2008

Once in a life time

Super support or conversion

WEB ID WMR72770 WAIMATE View By Appointment 290 Pakihi Road, Otaio Milking platform approximately 475 hectares, with 1,800 quality cows, achieving 760,000 kgMS. Excellent housing including an executive homestead. Two outstanding rotary dairy sheds, supported by a full complement of ancillary buildings. Has location, proximity to two dairy companies, 25 km south of Ian Moore Timaru. Immaculately presented, quality soils, great Mobile 027 539 8152 contour and cost-effective irrigation water on the dairy ian.moore@pb.co.nz units. Growth opportunities abound on this outstanding property. Tim Meehan

BY NEGOTIATION

WEB ID WMR74434 WAIMATE View By Appointment 910 Teschemaker Valley Road 384 hectares. Future conversion is a real option here.

BY NEGOTIATION

The first rate combination of two properties adjoining each other provides vital assistance to the day to day operations of two dairies run in conjunction. You have the best of both worlds here with a great balance of heavy and free draining soils. A flat contour and close proximity makes for super support.

Mobile 027 222 9983 tim.meehan@pb.co.nz

Ian Moore

Mobile 027 539 8152 ian.moore@pb.co.nz

Tim Meehan

Mobile 027 222 9983 tim.meehan@pb.co.nz

Limestone Hills

DEADLINE SALE WEB ID TMR74374

PLEASANT POINT 320 Mt Gay Road Due to a great opportunity the vendors have decided to put this lovely 146 ha property on the market. Currently running 500 MA ewes with 80% lambs being drafted before Christmas, and between 150 - 200 dairy heifers on May to May contract. With a lovely four bedroom home, three stand woolshed plus implement shed, all weather farm lane and much more.

pb.co.nz

Don't miss this opportunity and inquire today.

VIEW By Appointment

Price plus GST (if any)

DEADLINE SALE closes Thursday 19th March, 2020 at 2.00pm, (unless sold prior)

DEADLINE SALE

Michael Richardson

Mobile 027 228 7027 Office 03 687 7145 Home 027 228 7027 michael@pb.co.nz

4 1

SA LE D EA D LIN E

BENNEYDALE CATTLE FINISHING 269 Waimiha Road, Benneydale This 129.6 ha block of bare land of which 90 ha is effective with the balance being native bush holds a great opportunity for getting started as an ideal first farm or growing an existing business. Located midway between Benneydale and Waimiha only 34 kms from Te Kuiti and 56 kms from Taumarunui, this farm is well set up for cattle finishing with an easy rolling valley floor currently wintering approximately 130 cattle.

nzr.nz/RX2114558 Alan Blackburn 06 385 4466 | 027 203 9112 alan@nzr.nz Gary Scott 06 385 4466 | 027 484 4933 gary@nzr.nz NZR Real Estate Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

D EA D LIN E

SA LE

Deadline Sale: 11am Thu 12 March 2020, NZR, 1 Goldfinch St, Ohakune

129.6 hectares Deadline Sale

THE MIGHTY HILLS OF MANGAWEKA 648 Manui Road, Mangaweka A chance to secure a traditional hill country sheep and beef operation. Comprising of 394 ha, (342 ha effective) held in two titles, located a short 12 mintues or 6.5 kms off State Highway 1. Historically wintering approximately 2500 su which consists of 1500 MA ewes, 90 cows plus all replacements stock, as a forward store operation. Subdivided into 20 main paddocks with a good network of 4x4 bike tracking. Infrastructure includes a three bedroom home and a three stand woolshed.

394 hectares Deadline Sale

nzr.nz/RX2109813 Deadline Sale Closes 11am, Thu 19 Mar 2020, NZR. 1 Goldfinch St, Ohakune. Jamie Proude AREINZ 06 385 4466 | 027 448 5162 jamie@nzr.nz NZR Central Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

RUAPEHU ALPINE ESTATE Matapuna Road, Horopito Possibly the best property investment opportunity for 2020. Ruapehu Alpine Estate is a stunning 129 ha Sub-Alpine flat contoured property held in 22 titles ranging in size from 3.26 ha to 14.89 ha giving the astute investor options in the future to land bank or simply sell off titles when the timing suits. Currently farmed as part of a milking platform of an existing dairy farm but land of this contour opens up numerous other farming practices to the likes of vegetable market gardening, or just a fattening unit to support a larger breeding unit.

129 hectares Tender (unless sold prior)

nzr.nz/RX178538

Tender Closes 11am, Thu 12 Mar 2020, NZR, 1 Goldfinch St, Ohakune. Jamie Proude AREINZ 06 385 4466 | 027 448 5162 jamie@nzr.nz NZR Central Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

OFTEN SOUGHT BUT RARELY FOUND Corner Ruatiti Road & Middle Road, Ohakune A prime flat contoured 19.83 hectare bare land title, situated only a short drive from both Ohakune and Raetihi townships and only 2 km from State Highway 4. With itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two long tar sealed road frontages giving excellent access to the entire property and the potential to further subdivide, coupled with top Ohakune silt loam soils and reliable quality water supply make this property ideally suited as a fattening unit, market gardening, horticultural cropping unit or simply create your lifestyle dream from this blank canvas with its numerous mountain views and building sites.

TE ONE A MARA 465 State Highway 49, Tangiwai An opportunity here for the astute investor to secure a diverse property with scale, contour and a stunning scenic environment. Currently a productive 345,000 KG/MS 800 cow herd (5yr average) standalone dairy unit. Comprising of 512 ha total (448 ha effective) plus 278 ha lease adjoining support land. The free draining volcanic soil types opens up for diversification from other land uses or to run in conjunction with existing model. Improvements include a 60-bail rotary shed, 3 dwellings, reticulated water scheme. Te One A Mara will be available for inspection from 12th January 2020 by appointment.

19.83 hectares Tender

nzr.nz/RX2219535 Tender Closes 11am, Thu 19 March 2020, 1 Goldfinch St, Ohakune Jamie Proude AREINZ 06 385 4466 | 027 448 5162 jamie@nzr.nz NZR Central Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

512 hectares Tender

nzr.nz/RX2076585 Tender Closes 11am, Thu 27 Feb 2020, NZR, 1 Goldfinch St, Ohakune. Jamie Proude AREINZ 027 448 5162 | 06 385 4466 jamie@nzr.nz NZR Central Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

END OF AN ERA 212 Quarry Road, Tiriraukawa, Taihape For the first time in 125 years is the opportunity to secure a very attractive 4000 su property. This is your chance to acquire a high calibre farm with a reputation for producing quality, healthy livestock with a long history of fertiliser applications. A great mix of cultivatable, undulating contour ideal for winter and summer cropping, to support the balance of medium hills. Held in five titles with 31 paddocks, all fenced by conventional or electric, good reliable stock water by a gravity feed to troughs or dams. Located 23kms to Taihape must make this a worthy option to increase your existing operation.

PUTAKI - WHEN SIZE MATTERS 291 Mahoe Road, Waitomo Putaki presents the opportunity to secure a large scale sheep and beef operation on easy to steep hill country in an area that is historically regarded for its consistent summer rainfall and favorable soils renowned for quality livestock production. A total of 1274 ha with 1000 ha being classed effective. Sheep and cattle breeding station with lambs sold as forward stores or killed. Full property report available .... potential here. Deadline Private Treaty, 11am, Thu 19 Mar 2020, NZR, 1 Goldfinch St, Ohakune

352 hectares Tender

nzr.nz/RX2090375 Tender Closes 11am, Thu 12 March 2020 NZR, 1 Goldfinch St, Ohakune. Jamie Proude AREINZ 027 448 5162 | 06 385 4466 jamie@nzr.nz NZR Central Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

1274 hectares Deadline Treaty Sale

nzr.nz/RX2168360

Gary Scott 027 484 4933 | gary@nzr.nz Alan Blackburn 027 203 9112 | alan@nzr.nz jamie@nzr.nz NZR Central Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Te Awamutu, Te Pahu, 154 Godfrey Road First Farm buyers, this is it! Handy to the Pirongia Village, Te Awamutu and Hamilton this entry level Dairy unit is going to tick a lot of boxes, not just for its location but what the farm itself has on offer. • Total Land Area 84.3543 hectares (more or less) • 75 ha milking platform. • Average production from 250 cows is 81,369 Kg/ms with a best of 103,454 Kg/ms • Good 22 Aside HB cowshed with PPP in-shed feed system • Compliant effluent storage facilities • Three-bedroom weatherboard home Retiring Vendor with realistic price expectations is serious about selling, and may consider the sale of cows. For those looking to acquire a larger farm, the adjoining property at 336 Grove Road is also on the market and can easily be linked to create a very sizable farming proposition in this area.

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – February 10, 2020

Te Awamutu, Te Pahu, 336 Grove Road For Sale By Tender Closing Monday 9th March 2020 (Unless Sold Prior)

View: Wednesday 5th February 11am sharp www.harcourts.co.nz/OH8677

Kerry Harty

M 027 294 6215 E kjharty@harcourts.co.nz

Rural Blue Ribbon Realty Ltd mreinz Licensed Agent REAA 2008

The Time to Buy is Now Owned by the same family for 22 years the time has come to sell. Under no illusions of the current market conditions, our retiring vendors have made the big decision and want sold. • 139.5756 hectares (more or less) • 115 ha in grass, milking off a 105 ha dairy platform • Milking 350 cows with an average production of 122,000 kg/ms • Modern and compliant effluent storage facilities • 35 Aside HB cowshed and in-shed feeding system • Large 4-bedroom home and a second 3-bedroom cottage. An outstanding opportunity to secure property in a prime location. Available as a going concern if required and with the adjoining farm at 154 Godfrey Road also for sale, could be of interest to those looking for something a bit larger as the two farms could easily be amalgamated.

For Sale By Tender Closing Monday 9th March 2020 (Unless Sold Prior)

View: Wednesday 5th February 11am sharp www.harcourts.co.nz/OH8673

Kerry Harty

M 027 294 6215 E kjharty@harcourts.co.nz

Rural Blue Ribbon Realty Ltd mreinz Licensed Agent REAA 2008

Accelerating success.

Reach more people - better results faster.

colliers.co.nz

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – February 10, 2020

CASH COW

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

TWO TITLES – 34 + 21HA = 55HA RURAL | LIFESTYLE | RESIDENTIAL

EXCLUSIVE

728 No. 2 Line, Fordell Our retiring vendor offers for sale his specialised deer velvet operation which shows excellent financial returns. Option to purchase as going concern with 380 top class velveting stags. Buy one title or buy them both. Improvements include 3bdrm homestead set in mature grounds, deer sheds, implement sheds, woolshed, Fordell water scheme, sheep and cattle yards. All this just five minutes from Whanganui. The land contour gives a range of farming options.

Tender closes 4pm, 4 March 2020 (will NOT be sold prior)

ONEWHERO, WAIKATO 216 Nolan Road Scale, Balance and Character

David Cotton

M: 027 442 5920 E: davidc@forfarms.co.nz

Wairamarama Valley is around one hour south-west of Auckland. Highgate Hill Farm has two homes on 880 hectares. Currently leased. Prior to the lease the property was farming a mixture of bull grazing, finishing and breeding, running 70% cattle and the balance in sheep. Well fenced to 95 paddocks. The property has two reticulated water systems supplying water to over half of the farm with natural water accessible to all of the balance. Well-formed tracking provides ease of stock movement to three sets of cattle and sheep yards. Highgate Hill Farm, provides that great investment opportunity.

John Thornton

M: 027 443 0045 E: johnt@forfarms.co.nz

Inspection is needed to fully understand the great lifestyle you can enjoy with this property so call today to arrange a viewing. Rateable Value $1,795,000. We welcome your inspection at our Open Day or by appointment. LK0100934©

OPEN DAY: Thursday 30 January 2020 12 noon to 2.00pm

www.forfarms.co.nz

Property ID FF1299

LK0068450©

www.forfarms.co.nz – Property ID FF2956

DEADLINE PRIVATE TREATY

GV $6,210,000 Plus GST (if any) (Unless Sold Prior) Closes at 4.00pm, Thursday 12 March

VIEW By Appointment Only

Adrian van Mil M 027 473 3632 E avanmil@pggwrightson.co.nz

pggwre.co.nz/PUK31808 PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited, licensed under REAA 2008

Helping grow the country

Tender

141.32ha Approx)

We’ve got you covered with digital and print options.

2480REHP

Contact Shirley Howard phone 06 323 0760, email shirley.howard@globalhq.co.nz

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

Location and Size

Tender Closes 3pm, Thursday

27th February 2020 (unless sold prior), LJ Hooker office, 41 Mahoe Street, Te Awamutu ljhooker.co.nz/1AYMGG8

Open Tuesday 11th February 2020 11.00 – 12.30pm Friday 14th February 2020 11:00 – 12:30pm

Mark Weal 027 451 4732 mark.weal@ljhta.co.nz Te Awamutu 07 871 5099

Situated in the prestigious Ohaupo farming district midway between Hamilton and Te Awamutu. First time on the market in 25 years our Vendors have cared for this property and brought it to market in outstanding order. From the flat to gentle rolling pastures to the infrastructure, seldom comes the chance to purchase a quality dairy farm in such a distinguished locality. The centrally positioned 44 bail rotary cowshed with Waikato milking system and Protak drafting race overlooks the property with all 58 paddocks feeding onto a well maintained race system. The farm water is sourced from two deep bore wells. There is an abundance of farm buildings to complete the operation. A four bedroom home, with swimming pool creates modern living on a picturesque site overlooking the farm. There is also a tidy second four bedroom home with garaging.

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

LK0101232©

Looking for the complete package?

Ohaupo 361 McGregor Road

RURAL | LIFESTYLE | RESIDENTIAL

OPEN DAY

TE PUKE, BAY OF PLENTY 917 Te Matai Road

Kiwifruit and Magnificent Home Tick's all the Boxes A unique opportunity to acquire one of the regions magnificent homes set amongst established grounds, the lucrative Sungold G3 kiwifruit and Hayward green kiwifruit, a slice of grazing land plus a truly impressive staff accommodation facility.

• • • •

5.2 canopy hectares total area Superior approx 290sqm home, open plan living Inground pool, spa, several outdoor entertain areas Impressive and well spec'd accommodation set up to cater for seasonal workers on a large scale Located on the very desirable Te Matai Road, Te Puke Asking $5,150,000

• •

A very special package. • 9.3852 hectares total area • 1.3 canopy hectares producing G3 Sungold • 1.7 canopy hectares of first year stump grafted G3 Sungold • 2.2 canopy hectares Hayward green

Come and view at one of the open days, you will be very impressed. Phone or email to receive the full Information Memorandum.

DEADLINE PRIVATE TREATY

Plus GST (if any) (Unless Sold Prior) Closes 4.00pm Thursday 27 February Enquiries over $5,150,000

VIEW 1.00-2.00pm Sunday 9 and Wednesday 12 February David McLaren M 027 223 3366 E dmclaren@pggwrightson.co.nz

pggwre.co.nz/TEP31846

EXCLUSIVE

TENDER

WAIHI, HAURAKI Quality Production Orchard & Lockwood Home • •

6.3970 hectares total area 5.06 canopy hectares of high producing Hayward green kiwifruit • Strong Ag beam pergola growing structures • Three bedroom very tidy 137sqm (approx.) Lockwood home • Various orchard buildings and staff accommodation • This seasons crop and proceeds included • Fantastic growing location • A quality orchard in every respect Phone or email for Information Memorandum

DEADLINE PRIVATE TREATY

Plus GST (if any) (Unless Sold Prior) Closes 4.00pm, Thursday 5 March Enquiries over $2,400,000

David McLaren M 027 223 3366 E dmclaren@pggwrightson.co.nz

One, Two or Both • • • •

124ha in two titles (84ha and 40ha) Beautifully presented home in well established grounds Good quality water, cattleyards and shedding Possible future subdivision potential

TENDER

Plus GST (if any) (Unless Sold By Private Treaty) Closes 2.00pm, Wednesday 11 March

VIEW By Appointment Only

Great location with Sanson on the doorstep and full rural service town, Feilding only 13km away. Genuine sale from retiring vendors. Wayne Brooks M 027 431 6306 E wayne.brooks@pggwrightson.co.nz

Mike Matutinovich M 027 474 5345 E mmatutinovich@pggwrightson.co.nz

pggwre.co.nz/TEP30265

pggwre.co.nz/FDG31789

PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited, licensed under REAA 2008

For more great rural listings, visit www.pggwre.co.nz www.pggwre.co.nz

SANSON, MANAWATU

PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited, licensed under the REAA 2008

Helping grow the country

NZ’s leading rural real estate company

Helping grow the country

Agri Job Board

dairy units milking 1550 cows across both. There

We offer a variety of work, fencing, general maintenance, weed spraying, yard work and operating farm machinery. Rotational stock shifts (2 x working dogs ideal). A high standard of stockmanship and husbandry is required.

1000 hectare arable farm with modern machinery with sheep in Chelmsford Essex (45 minutes from London main line train).

is support land within close proximity to the

LK0101261©

dairy farms.

Competitive remuneration package is offered together with a comfortable three-bedroom home. Three local primary schools within 5 minutes drive, local high school 10 minutes drive.

Devondale is situated between Temuka and

Accommodation available for female and male applications, would suit travelling couples.

Geraldine and is our 700 cow unit. The farm operates a modern 44 bail rotary shed with in shed feeding and ACR’s. The 190ha is predominately watered via pivot and has some gun and K-line areas.

Drivers license essential. Applicants must have NZ residency or a valid NZ work visa.

Your responsibilities will include supporting the

Email a CV with at least two references to: applications: tappholdings@gmail.com

entire farm including pasture management, team Attributes we value are: A happy nature when

JOBS BOARD

integrity and reliability.

electro-tek@xtra.co.nz

dealing with both stock and people and proven We provide a professional work environment with a point of difference: • Specialised training • Exposure to financials and business strategy • Flexibility in work hours and start date • To be part of the upper management team to This position may suit a couple looking to progress their careers. The successful applicant will be able to move

on farm. Please reply to b_schrider@yahoo.com with CV and references

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

www.highcountrycabinsandconstruction.com • Farm accommodation • Horse stables • Small buildings Available in kitset & fully build packages. Available NZ wide. Further information phone 027 963 5390

For the full job description see: TradeMe #2511749677 Any queries: Nick Garden on 027 447 1187

Senior Shepherds

*conditions apply LK0100828©

LK0101296©

industry. There is comfortable accommodation

EARMARKERS

We are looking for a Farm Manager for our 10,500su breeding and finishing property in Central Otago. We value our team and strive to deliver results, we’re also not afraid to try and fail.

A large four bedroom home is available, with a great salary, incentive and benefits package.

with the innovation and challenges of the dairy

HOOF TRIMMER

High Country Cabins & Construction

This position is responsible for a senior and junior shepherd as well as part time tractor driver. You will be reporting to the Managing Director.

achieve business performance

DE HORNER

Phone: +64 6 357 2454

Are you a collaborative leader with proven management experience on properties with scale?

Kereru Station – Hawke’s Bay

NEED

STAFF?

0800 85 25 80

Casual sale yard job opportunity Feilding sale yards Join the frontline team at AgriHQ. Operated by the country’s most innovative multimedia agri-information hub GlobalHQ, AgriHQ is at the forefront of livestock market information. This role is an integral part of the foundations that make up AgriHQ’s business and while down at the sale yard, you will be the face of AgriHQ for many of our customers. Accuracy and attention to detail is key as information collected at this point flows through to AgriHQ’s sound and respected reports and make up part of the commentary on the market pages in GlobalHQ’s flagship newspaper, Farmers Weekly. Role: Weigh crate operator – Feilding sale yards, Feilding Get in amongst the action with this hands-on role. Here, you will attend the Feilding store sale each Friday plus extra days as and when required. Alongside another team member you will efficiently weigh as many lines of store lambs as possible, recording the data. The role is on a casual employment basis. Attributes needed: • A good level of physical fitness • Excellent stock handling skills • Be able to work as a team in close quarters with other staff members • Be able to operate the portable weigh crate • Be able to work around other persons operating in the Feilding sale yards in a professional manner and without causing conflict • Be able to work efficiently and effectively to ensure the job is completed under time pressures

Kereru Station is a stunning 2848ha flat to medium hill country property located in the Kereru district, Hawke’s Bay. Owned by two charitable trusts the property is divided into two areas, a finishing operation situated at the main station and Thornflat, the breeding operation. With the career progression of the current Experienced Shepherd, Kereru have reorganised their staffing structure and are excited to now offer two Senior Shepherd positions to the market. These roles will support the Stock Manager on either the finishing or breeding block and assist the team across the business at busy times of the year. Senior Shepherd – Finishing Block (Kereru Station): This position provides a great learning opportunity for those who have a passion for finishing lambs and bulls. The 1100ha block runs 12,000su (approx.) with a diverse range of high value crops including lucerne, chicory and Raphno, enabling you to develop a strong understanding of feed management. The role consists of 80% (approx.) stock work requiring a capable team of 3-4 working dogs and practical ability in all areas of farming. The role comes with a tidy, three bedroom home located centrally on the station. Senior Shepherd – Breeding Block (Thornflat): Thornflat is a 1050ha intensive breeding block running 6800 breeding ewes, 2600 replacement ewe hoggets, 320 Angus breeding cows and a component of finishing. If your interest lies with breeding then this position will provide a great career step where you will be supported to upskill and grow your breeding knowledge and dog skills. As Senior Shepherd you will work with the Stock Manager to organise the working week giving you exposure to all aspects of the day-to-day running of the property and building your practical farming skills. With mobs of 2000-3000 ewes you will need to build your team to 5-6 capable working dogs. This role comes with a tidy, four bedroom home with double garage. These roles provide a fantastic opportunity to further develop your skills on an award winning farm and within a welcoming team environment. The established rural community of Kereru has a wellresourced pre-school and primary school and plenty of outdoor activities for you to enjoy. To view a Job Information Pack or to apply, please visit www.ruraldirections.co.nz or phone the Rural Directions team in confidence on 06 871 0450 (Reference #2511). Applications close 5pm Monday, 24th February 2020.

For more details please contact suz.bremner@globalhq.co.nz

LK0101329©

Training will be provided.

Water Bores Offal Holes Piling South Island wide Phone 03 2111 567, 027 2230 884 manager@southdrill.co.nz

FO SALR E

NOTICEBOARD ADVERTISING

LK0101333©

Commercial Manager Farm Business Manager Farm Manager Feedlot Manager Fencer General Large Scale Farm Managment Opportunites Shepherd Shepherd General Stock Manager Tractor/Truck/Machinery Operator Weigh Crate Operator

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

ZON BIRDSCARER

Phone: 00447860875333 / 00441245471242 Email: richard@speakman.nitrex.net

FARM MANAGER

STOP BIRDS NOW!

P.O. Box 30, Palmerston North 4440, NZ

LK0101298©

farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz

w w w. e l e c t r o t e k . c o . n z

Previous experience essential. Training available, must have international car licence.

Operations Manager with the direction of the management, animal husbandry and reporting.

Harvest opportunities in the UK for tractor drivers starting end June to September.

FOR MORE NOTICEBOARD ADVERTISING

LK0101155©

farming business operating two neighbouring

SEE PAGE 40

LK0101200©

Te Awa land Co is a proudly family owned

We are a 260ha finishing operation, North Waikato, Huntly 30km from Hamilton CBD.

TRACTOR DRIVERS

Have something to sell? Advertise in Farmers Weekly

RECRUITMENT & HR Register to receive job alerts on www.ruraldirections.co.nz

LK0101186©

Sheep & Beef Finishing, Waikato

Farm Manager with progression - Canterbury

LK0101268©

EXPERIENCED FENCER GENERAL

Noticeboard

Phone Debbie Brown 0800 85 25 80 or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

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

Noticeboard

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

0800 436 566

• Town or Tank Water • Chlorine Removal

SCOTTY’S CONTRACTORS

• No Expensive Cartridges

NZ’s #1 Under Woolshed/Covered Yards Cleaning Specialist For Over A Decade

• Installer Network

www.underthewoolshed.kiwi

SHOP ONLINE LK0099618©

Ph 09 376 0860 www.jder-cintropur.co.nz

Now working in Northern Wairarapa

Detailed information pack with basic terms and conditions and proposal requirements available from:

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

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 Only $6.00 per hectare + GST delivered Brian Mace 0274 389 822 brianmace@xtra.co.nz

DOGS FOR SALE 9-MONTH HUNTAWAY, well started. Keen running, good in yards. Good noise, no bite. Phone 021 022 41610. END OF SEASON clearance sale from $395! Deliver, trial. www.youtube.com/user/ mikehughesworkingdog/ videos 07 315 5553. BOOK AN AD. For only $2.10 + gst per word you can book a word only ad in Farmers Weekly Classifieds section. Phone Debbie Brown on 0800 85 25 80 to book in or email classifieds@ globalhq.co.nz

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

DOGS WANTED

CONTRACTORS 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 KELPIES, blues and reds. $550 each. Phone 09 439 6720. Dargaville.

12 MONTHS TO 5½-yearold Heading dogs and Huntaways wanted. Phone 022 698 8195. BUYING DOGS NZ wide. No one buys or pays more! 07 315 5553. Mike Hughes.

FARM MAPPING SIMPLE AND CLEAR farm maps with paddock sizes will help you achieve your daily goals. Get a free quote from farmmapping. co.nz

HOLIDAYS

14 & 15 MARCH PALMERSTON NORTH

LK0101135©

To inspect please contact Stuart Mackenzie 027 289 1115

ANIMAL AND HUMAN healer, also manipulation on horses and dogs.10th -15th February, Canterbury. 17th-22nd February, Kaikoura, Benheim, Nelson, Murchison. 24th29th February, Canterbury. 2nd-12th March, South Canterbury, North Otago, South Otago, Southland and Central Otago. For more information phone Ron Wilson 027 435 3089.

Colin Mackenzie Trust 1221 Waitewhena Road, Ohura • 10,000 plus su. Approx 1100 eff ha. Summer safe • 3+3 years from 1 July 2020 with first right of refusal offering compatible tenants a longer term relationship on this 3rd generation family property • Suited to sheep and cattle breeding and finishing • Well maintained infrastructure including two dwellings

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

ANIMAL HEALTH

ANIMAL HANDLING

CA LL RM IN ER G A S LL A FF YO IL UN IA TE G S

ATTRACTIVE KING COUNTRY LEASE OPPORTUNITY

Ph: Scott Newman 027 26 26 272 0800 27 26 88 LK0101303©

• Whole House

FARMERS WEEKLY – February 10, 2020

FOR FARMERS

EMAIL FOR MORE INFO MARTON.REUNION@GMAIL.COM

20M2A0R

NIGHT SHOW TICKETS ON SALE TINYURL.COM/MYFREUNION

Next Stop BRAZIL

3 R 31 MA TUES

FRI 1

Geoff Burton Farm Business Management, Taumarunui Phone 07 895 8052 • gtb@xtra.co.nz

CRAIGCO

THIN K PRE BU IL T WEBSITE

www.crmcphail.co.nz

NEW HOMES

enquiries@crmcphail.co.nz PHONE

SOLID – PRACTICAL WELL INSULATED – AFFORDABLE

(06) 357 1644

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

06 8356863 . 021 061 1800

www.craigcojetters.com

Order anytime 0800 STRAW4U Neville 027 500 3554 • BJ 021 051 5149 Hannon Road, Cambridge

GOATS WANTED

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

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

WILTSHIRES-ARVIDSON. Self shearing sheep. No1 for Facial Eczema. David 027 2771 556. BERKSHIRE PIGLETS 8 weeks old. Available now. Maniototo area. Phone 021 207 3841 NINE 2TH TEXEL rams for sale at the Feilding All Breeds Ram Fair on the 14th February. www.texel.co.nz RAMS. HILL COUNTRY Perendales. Easy care with good size and quality wool. $250-$550. Phone 06 376 4751 or 021 133 7533. RAMS. TERMINAL SIRES Southdowns and Suffolk/ Southdown X for heavy fast growing lambs. Suitable for Hogget mating. $250$550. Phone 06 357 7727 or 021 133 7533.

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

RAMS FOR SALE WILTSHIRE & SHIRE® Meat rams. Low input. www.wiltshire-rams.co.nz 03 225 5283.

STOCK FEED HAY 12 EQUIVALENT squares $70; BALEAGE rounds $80; STRAW 12 equivalent $50; HAY rounds. All orders supplied in unit loads. Phone 021 455 787. MOISTURE METERS Hay, Silage dry matter, grain. www.moisturemeters.co.nz 0800 213 343.

WANTED HOUSEKEEPER/ GARDENER

CASUAL HELP required in rural Marlborough. Small renovated cottage available for rent. Suitable single mature person. Reply with two references, some general background and contact details to: advertiser.PO BOx 5001, Springlands Blenheim 7241.

LK009-531©

NOTICEBOARD ADVERTISING

Do you have something to sell? LK0101070©

• Meadow Hay • Baleage (AR37 or Annual) • Rye Grass Straw • Barley Straw • Wheat Straw Quality Product Quality Service Competitive Prices

WANTED

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

LIVESTOCK FOR SALE

FOR SALE

Guaranteed Performance Save time and Money . Flystrike and Lice cost $$$ Quick to Set up . Easy to use . Job Done

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

FORESTRY

HORTICULTURE

SHEEP JETTERS SINCE 1992

Robust construction. Auto shut gate. Adjustable V panels Total 20 Jets. Lambs 5 jets. Side jets for Lice. Davey Twin Impeller Pump. 6.5 or 9.0 Hp motors

BOOK A WORD only ad in Farmers Weekly Classifieds. Phone Debbie on 0800 85 25 80.

NAKI GOATS. Trucking goats to the works every week throughout the NI. Phone Michael and Clarice. 027 643 0403.

SHEEP JETTERS CRAIGCO SENSOR JET

FOR SALE 2x NORTHERN LIGHT marine generators. Model M1064A-67KW (John Deere) Year 2014. Only 24,000 HRS Running. Main control unit, sound shields, base plate for installation, mixer and silencer for marine use included. Price includes $25,000 worth of spare parts. Professionally maintained. Transport at buyers cost from Silverdale. $25,000 for the 2. Offers welcome. gennz9447@gmail.com

Advertise in Farmers Weekly

Call Debbie

0800 85 25 80

classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

Southern Field Days – 12-14 February

NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS

Information packs now available for 2020/21 season

HOMEOPATHY Another tool to use for the health of all your farming livestock

TALK DIRECTLY TO THE EXPERTS SOUTHERN FIELD DAYS SITE NO. A122 LK0101331©

Where: 33 Awakino Point East Road Dargaville When: 5-7 March 2020 Are you an exhibitor at the Northland Field days? Let your customers and potential customers know you are attending. Why should you advertise in the Farmers Weekly? Because we reach every farmer on every farm. Get your message out and let them know why they should come and visit you at your site. Northland feature running in Farmers Weekly issues 24 February and 2 March.

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

For more information please visit our website or contact us info@nzadventures.co.nz Ph: 03 218 8569 027 550 6727 or 027 435 4267

HOMEOPATHIC FARM SERVICES info@farmservices.nz 07 858 4233

GET IN TOUCH Debbie 06 323 0765 • classiﬁeds@globalhq.co.nz

LK0101238©

FARMERS WEEKLY – February 10, 2020

www.nzadventures.co.nz

farmservices.nz

FAST RURAL BROADBAND IS IN THE SOUTH ISLAND. $10 OFF

your eligible Vodafone mobile plan

when you sign up to a 24-month term

If you live rural, talk to the rural connectivity experts at Southern Field Days in Waimumu, 12-14 February. Our Timaru-based team has been delivering fast and reliable wireless broadband solutions to rural New Zealand for the last 17 years. And soon, with the power of Vodafone, we’ll be doing the same for more areas of Southland.

TRACTA62757_SIFD_FW

Get 3 months FREE* 120GB or 200GB

Come visit us at Site 148 and take advantage of our amazing deals at Southern Field Days.

data plans

*3-months free rural wireless broadband offer is only available to new Farmside RBI customers, signing up to an RBI Wireless Broadband plan for a 24 month term. Available only on 120gb and 200gb RBI Wireless Broadband plans. 3 months free only applies to the standard monthly plan charge and eligibility criteria apply. Applied when your broadband becomes active and will appear on your first or second bill. Will be debited back if plan is downgraded during the first 6 months of the term or terminated before the end of the term. Early Disconnection Fees apply see https://www.farmside.co.nz/terms. Rural Wireless Broadband and 4G not available everywhere. Connection not guaranteed. Traffic management policy applies. The RBI II network is a 4G only network. 4G calling is only available on VoLTE capable device, including emergency services. Additional charges may apply for Managed Installations & additional travel. For more information call Farmside on 0800 32 76 74. Farmside will supply required equipment. $15 modem postage and handling fee applies. Modem required to be returned at customer’s cost if plan is terminated within 12 months of 24 month term. Offer available until 29 February 2020, unless Farmside, in its sole discretion chooses to extend it. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other Farmside promotions. Standard Terms & Conditions apply, see https://www.farmside.co.nz/terms.

Livestock Noticeboard

SALE TALK A young lad called Fraser was heading on his annual visit to field days. He was probably not the sharpest tool in the box, but he did love tractors. Upon arriving, he went straight to the first tractor he saw, a Massey Ferguson and jumped in. He soon found the key, turned it on and had the loader going up and down. A red-faced sales rep quickly pulls him out of the tractor and tells him to leave the site. Fraser looks around and spots a John Deere tractor. Again, he jumps in and powers it up, unluckily this time it shunts forward into another tractor and causes damage. Another sales rep pulls him from the tractor and repeats the previous telling off. He is left a bit disheartened and then sees the New Holland tractors. He runs and jumps in one of these, finds the key and powers it up. However, 200HP going backwards at 1500rpm gets a bit messy. By this stage word had got out, and after being told off by the NH rep, he is escorted out of field days. Upset by this, he jumps back in his ute and heads home. Along the way he stops at a café for a drink. Suddenly there was a commotion in the kitchen and smoke starts pouring out. Fraser just stood up, waved his arms around and the smoke was gone! The kitchen staff were grateful but wondered, ‘How did you do it?’. “Easy” replied Fraser, “I’m an ex tractor fan!” Supplied by Brian Reed

Here at Farmers Weekly we get some pretty funny contributions to our Sale Talk joke from you avid readers, and we’re keen to hear more! If you’ve got a joke you want to share with the Farming community (it must be something you’d share with your grandmother...) then email us at: saletalk@globalhq.co.nz with Sale Talk in the subject line and we’ll print it and credit it to you. Conditions apply

DAIRY SHEEP GENETICS High yielding imported bloodlines

Check out Poll Dorset NZ on Facebook

Rams and semen available from top imported bloodlines Contact Art & Jill Eastham

027 419 8768 www.talla.co.nz

STRATHCLYDE SHEEP STUD DARFIELD

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

East Friesian 2-tooth rams for sale. Dams milking records available. Contact: Callum Dunnett 027 587 0131

CALL HANNAH 0800 85 25 80

LK0101292©

LK0101215©

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

www.carrfieldslivestock.co.nz

Livestock Noticeboard

STOCK FOR SALE

WANTED

145 20MTH FRSN HERE & FRSN ANG

2019 Spring born Friesian heifers

450 ROMDALE 2 TOOTHS - CS

MORRINSVILLE DAIRY SALE

STEERS 400-440kg STOCK REQUIRED

To be combined with High BW Empty Sale THURSDAY 13th FEBRUARY 2020 Start time 11.30 am On A/c: PT & PJ Kelly

SPECIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: • True to type Friesian Heifers, including the F8-F11 unrecorded heifers. • Standard Chinese Protocol, heifers must have been on the property for a minimum of 6 months at the time of delivery.

Delivery Date – Approx 10th June 2020 • True to type Friesian Heifers

www.dyerlivestock.co.nz

LK0101280©

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

Please phone TJ on 027 314 8833 for more information

Glenrobin Stud

Contact Don Allison 027 451 5318

tj@dairylivestock.co.nz

Beltex X Ram Lamb Sale AUCTION at Gore Showgrounds Viewing from 12pm – Sale starts 2pm

Special Ram Sale

• Beltex X Texel Ram Lambs • Beltex X Poll Dorset Ram Lambs • Beltex X Suffolk Ram Lambs • Beltex X South Suffolk Ram Lambs

50 kelso. Terminal rams

This includes some 3/4 Beltex X Ram Lambs All Ram Lambs are showing the unique double muscling and the higher yielding density characteristics of the Beltex breed.

Waimumu, Southland

250 ewe lambs

23 years breeding

Australian genetics

Flock10 / SIL No. 2960 • For sale 2th Texel Rams Fully performance recorded and ranked from one of New Zealand’s largest registered studs.

• Terminal and material sires available

Matawhero saleyards

• Free transport offered

Gisborne 14th February

Open Day: Monday 24 February 2020 at 133 Robinson Road, Glenham, Wyndham Viewing from 1-3pm

To be sold at our display site 502 at the

Southern Field Days

LK0101109©

Sale consists of approximately 200 Ram Lambs sired by top pure Beltex Rams:

Within the lower 1/2 of North Island, for lines of 5 or greater purchased

Further details contact Jamie Hayward PGGW

Callum McDonald PGGW 027 433 6443 Brent Robinson 03 206 4958 or 027 206 4958 Michael Robinson 027 210 5977

Ph 027 434 7586

Thursday 13th February 2pm Food and drinks provided (followed by Southland vs Fiji rugby) David Giddings 027 22 99 760 George Giddings 027 656 3323

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

027 587 0131 027 417 8641 027 433 6443 027 412 5766

MCMILLAN SHEDDING SHEEP

CALL HANNAH 0800 85 25 80

In Conjunction with

w h y w i lt s h i r e s ?

PGG Wrightson

3 0 0 e w e la m b s D o yo u wa n t s h e ep t h at: 28 5 2t h e w es Are commercially farmed on the hills? 3 0 r a m la m b s 1 0 2t h r a m s Never see a hand-piece?

Are free lambing with high survivability? T h u rs d ay Simple and profitable? 2 0 t h F e b r u a ry

w e h av e t h e s h eep fo r yo u 15 Years Selected For: Genuine fleece shedding Facial Eczema tolerance Meat production g r a n t & sa n d R A MCMILLAN P: 07 8 9 4 6 1 3 6

2020

12pm TE KUITI SA L EYA R D S

Weekly Auctions

www.sheddingsheep.co.nz

Stewart Cowan – 06 372 2770 texels4u@gmail.com Andy Phillips – 027 238 4961 halfy490@gmail.com

Open Day – Limestone Downs 1340 Port Waikato – Waikaretu Rd

FEATURE AUCTIONS:

Tuesday February 18, 2020 10am at Woolshed

South Island Friesian & Dairy Beef Weaner Calf Sale Monday, 17 February 2020 at 7.30 pm South Island Store Lamb Sale Friday, 21 February 2020 at 3.00 pm

Speakers will present in the morning. There will be a farm tour in the afternoon around the sheep, beef and dairy unit.

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

Topics to be covered: 1. Nutrient leaching under intensive sheep grazing 2. The ups and downs of fly populations 3. Ewe and lamb survival at Limestone Downs 4. What can farmers do to enhance their farm environment? 5. Future Thinking – Farms, Forestry and Carbon Credits

For Sale Pinnacles Wiltshire Rams

Note:

• No shearing • All born twins

E: sa n d r a m c m i l l a n @ x t r a .c o .n z no wool, no worries

“Muscling and meating the market”

C. Alma Baker Trust (NZ) Ltd

Wednesday night – North Island Thursday night – South Island third annual 2th ewe, ew e l a m b & R A M L A M B sa l e

• Wairarapa Texel Developments Partnership

NZ’s Virtual Saleyard

Phone Dave on Ph 06 327 7843 or 027 416 8188

LK0101167©

Callum Dunnett Roger Keach Callum MacDonald Keith Willson

PHONE TIM ON 027 443 7420 FOR MORE INFORMATION

WAIRARAPA TEXEL DEVELOPMENTS

Arakihi Wiltshires

Sale Day: Tuesday 10 March 2020

Livestock paid for in 8 days. LK0101328©

Contact Donald McKenzie 021 754 174

2019 BORN 170KG LWT FRIESIAN HEIFERS

• Standard Chinese Protocol, heifers must have been on the property for a minimum of 6 months at the time of delivery.

Ross Dyer 0274 333 381

LK0101172©

BW 70 PW 118 RA 93%

Approximate tally of 500 Good milky Frsn/Frsn Crossbred & Jersey Cows

Delivery Date – approx. 20/05/20

All prices are plus GST and less commission

2YR BEEF BULLS 470kg+ 2YR ANG STEERS 470kg+

Calving from 1st April 2020 for 8 weeks to Hereford Bull

Empty Cows 12 Noon

WANTED

2019 BORN FRIESIAN HEIFERS F12: $1475 + GST / head F8-F11’s: $1375 + GST / head Unrecorded: $1175

- F12 and Above $1475 / head - F8 to F11 $1375 / head - F0-F7 $1175 / head

MALE STORE LAMBS 24-35kgs 15MTH ANG STEERS 400kg

48 Autumn Calving Cows

FARMERS WEEKLY – February 10, 2020

LK0101267©

- If possible please bring a 4WD vehicle Helmets will be required on quads, no passengers - No riding on back of farm utes - Farmlands are putting on a sausage sizzle for lunch, or bring your own packed lunch - Tea and coffee provided - Will proceed wet or fine Contact General Manager: Paul Mahoney 09 232 9897

LK0101254©

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

LK0101225©

Key: Dairy WAIPUNA VALLEY FARM DROUGHT SALE

MCMILLAN SHEDDING SHEEP 3RD ANNUAL SALE

Friday 21st February 12.30pm Tuakau Sale Yard A/C Waipuna Valley Farms Comprising 1100 – 15mth old Beef Heifers • 500 Angus • 450 Exotic incl approx 300 Charo X • 90 Angus/Hereford X • 50 Hereford This seasons draft are farmed in large mobs on genuine hill country. The cattle are on hand several days prior to sale day & are weighed empty. Ideal weights for early winter trade estimated 300-350kg. No reserves. Contacts: Vendor David Short - 07 826 7763 Dean Evans 027 243 1092

Thursday 20th February

ELITE CHAROLLAIS MAJOR FLOCK REDUCTION Genuine Ewe Flock Reduction bidr Online Auction, 27th Feb 1pm Start We will be Offering Approximately: • 60 Ewe Lambs • 100 2th Ewes • 115 MA Ewes An opportunity to purchase New Zealand’s biggest diversity of Charollais Genetics. Open Days: 20th Feb 2020 10am - 2pm 195 Mingaroa Road, Halcombe 27th Feb 2020 10am - 12.30pm Feilding Saleyards Contact: Tony Gallen 0275 901 711 Caitlin Rokela 0274 056 156 Ryan Shannon 0275 650 979

at Te Kuiti Saleyard 12pm • 280 2th Wiltshire Ewes • 300 Wiltshire Ewe Lambs • 30 Wiltshire Ram Lambs • 10 2th Wiltshire Rams Once again Grant and Sandy will offer an outstanding line of sheep for sale. • They are farmed commercially on Ongarue hill country and are bred for their full shedding ability, facial eczema tollerance, fertility and growth rates. • The ewe lambs being offered are the tops so are effectively capital stock and will be plenty big enough for hogget mating. • The 2th’s are very well grown and in top condition. • The ram lambs are the pick of 800 lambs all born as twins. • This is a great opportunity for anyone wanting to buy quality Wiltshire genetics. Further enquiries: Grant & Sandy (Vendors) 07 894 6136 Marty Cashin (PGG Wrightson) 0274 976 414

Sheep

Other

STORTFORD LODGE SALE YARDS

TE KUITI WILTSHIRE SHEEP

Wiltshire Ewe Sale Wednesday 12th February, 10.30am The Ranch Station Ltd Mohaka • 280 Wiltshire 2th Ewes • 200 Wiltshire Cast for Age Ewes • 1-2yr mouth & Uddered • 20 Wiltshire 2th Rams Genetics: McMillan & Ardvinson used over the flock. Been breeding Wiltshire’s for full shedding ability. Ease-of-care and the ability to thrive on hard hill country for 125 years. Scans 175% Sunvalley Livestock Ruakituri, Wairoa • 380 Wiltshire 4&6th MA Ewes • 80 Wiltshire Ewe lambs Further enquiries: Hamish Forrester 027 601 2351

Te Kuiti Saleyards 19th February 2020. 1pm start

Rua-Tike Farming Ltd Martinborough • 200 Wiltshire Ewe lambs. Approximately 30kg. Full Shedders Genetics: McMillan & Glenbrae Rams Further enquiries: Rihi Brown 027 404 7514 Waldheim C/- D&S James, Weber Road, Dannevirke • 400 Wiltshire Ewe lambs Full shedders (many years of breeding behind them) Further enquiries: Dean Lindsay 027 442 1753

A/C Curraleigh Wiltshires 40 Well grown fully shedding ram lambs • Flock producing heavy lambs off very steep hill country • No docking, shearing, dagging or foot trimming • No fertiliser used • All lambs sold at 18kg+ CW • Breeding for worm resilience minimal drenching of lambs/hoggets and ewes never drenched. • No facial eczema detected in last 12yrs Enquiries: Paddy and Linda Sheely 07 974 8558 Len Sheeran (PGG Wrightson) 07 877 8133 / 0274 735 859 A/c Harper Griffin Farming • 50 2th Ewes • 15 5 and 6yr ewes • 60 MA Ewes • 45 Ewe Lambs • 20 Ram Lambs Flocks/Rams from Dave Addison A/c Client • 100 Ewe Lambs • 20 Full shedding polled Wiltshire ram lambs Enquiries Paul Mitchell (PGG Wrightson) 0272 733 538

List Your Dairy Herd Now

A bidr sale, hosted at www.bidr.co.nz ®

NZ’s Virtual Saleyard

Cattle

pggwrightson.co.nz/dairyherdsales

NORTH ISLAND HERDS & IN-CALF HEIFERS FOR SALE

DAIRY HERDS & IN-CALF HEIFERS FOR SALE

370 Frsn/Frsn X Cows BW 81

PW 98

139 XBred Cows

$1,950+GST

BW 120

•

RA 99% Calving 24th July, young herd, low input, 35yr one owner. Chris Ryan – 027 243 1078 Agonline ref: 5981

PGG Wrightson Dairy representatives are specialists at marketing and selling dairy herds. Benefit from the nationwide team that is dedicated to matching herds with the right buyers and achieving an optimal outcome for your business.

PW 103

$1,750

+GST

•

RA 98% Calving 15th July, 345 m/s per cow, high fertility. Kent Stove – 027 529 7748

Agonline ref: 5413

250 XBred Cows BW 92

PW 127

273 Capital Stock Friesian & Friesian X Herd

$1,900+GST

•

BW 61

RA 100% Calving 27th July, xbred content out Jsy Herd. Andrew Reyland – 027 223 7092

Agonline ref: 6233

BW 85

PW 122

$1,800+GST

•

RA 100% Calving 19th July, DNA Profiled, AB Mated. Todd Van Berlo – 027 529 7748 Agonline ref: 6262

RA 98% Calving 27th July, ave 400 m/s, 170 cows 5yrs & younger. Dean Evans – 027 243 1092

Agonline ref: 5701

BW 78/46

PW 102/60

Freephone 0800 10 22 76 | www.pggwrightson.co.nz

$1,700+GST

•

RA 99% Long Established Frsn X/X/Bred Herd. A quality X/Bred herd. Nominated breeding, farmed on hills on an all grass system, including replacements. Very tidy, uddered Cows that will shift. Kim Harrison - 0275 010 013 Dennis Dravitzki - 0274 062 372

Agonline ref: 6058

$1,800+GST

•

110 Frsn X, X/Bred Cows $1,900+GST

PW 65

RA 98% Long established, hardworking herd farmed in a difficult climate. Vendor exiting industry and farm is sold. Very low cell count. Herd tested and milked on System 2. Tim Pickering – 027 446 9963 Agonline ref: 6157

83 Frsn/Frsn X Cows

332 Frsn/Frsn X Cows BW 83

PW 171

Pick up to 80 from 104 Frsn/Jsy X G3, DNA’d Cap Stk Weaner Heifers BW 159

PW 187

$850+GST

•

RA 100% Outstanding line of G3, DNA’d Capital Stock Wnr Heifers from high index, once a day herd. Pick up to 80 from 104 offered. Tim Pickering – 027 446 9963 Agonline ref: 5978

NATIONAL TEAM. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE.

Helping grow the country

MARKET SNAPSHOT

Market Snapshot brought to you by the AgriHQ analysts.

Suz Bremner

Mel Croad

Nicola Dennis

Cattle

Reece Brick

Graham Johnson

Caitlin Pemberton

Sheep

BEEF

William Hickson

Deer

SHEEP MEAT

VENISON

Last week

Prior week

Last year

NI Steer (300kg)

5.20

5.40

5.50

NI lamb (17kg)

7.30

7.45

7.20

NI Stag (60kg)

8.40

9.75

NI Bull (300kg)

5.20

5.40

5.05

NI mutton (20kg)

4.95

5.15

5.00

SI Stag (60kg)

8.25

9.75

NI Cow (200kg)

3.80

3.95

3.90

SI lamb (17kg)

7.30

7.50

6.90

SI Steer (300kg)

4.95

5.05

5.20

SI mutton (20kg)

4.65

5.10

4.85

SI Bull (300kg)

5.05

5.15

5.00

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

SI Cow (200kg)

3.85

3.95

3.75

UK CKT lamb leg

11.41

11.29

8.77

US imported 95CL bull

7.77

8.06

6.98

US domestic 90CL cow

8.32

8.23

6.80

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

South Island lamb slaughter price

Oct

Dec 5-yr ave

Feb

Apr 2018-19

$/kg CW

Dairy

Jun

Aug 2019-20

Prior week

Last year

2.87

37 micron ewe

2.58

2.65

30 micron lamb

3.78

7.25 $/tonne

6.75 6.25

616

650

2.70

Super

314

321

DAP

787

843

Nov-19 Sept. 2020

Company

400

DAIRY FUTURES (US$/T)

Dec-18 Feb-19

Apr-19

Jun-19

Aug-19

Oct-19

Dec-19

CANTERBURY FEED BARLEY Prior week

vs 4 weeks ago

WMP

2970

3185

3150

SMP

3060

3070

2970

AMF

4750

5175

Butter

4000

4150

Milk Price

7.20

7.40

7.35

YTD High

YTD Low

23.9

24.34

21.2

Meridian Energy Limited (NS)

5.35

5.4

4.9

The a2 Milk Company Limited

14.63

16.3

14.2

Auckland International Airport Limited

8.5

9.21

8.2

Spark New Zealand Limited

4.68

4.69

4.33 15.91

Ryman Healthcare Limited

15.96

17.18

Mercury NZ Limited (NS)

5.09

5.35

4.93

Contact Energy Limited

7.2

7.74

7.09

Port of Tauranga Limited

7.35

8.08

7.16

Fletcher Building Limited

5.4

5.7

5.07

Listed Agri Shares

YTD High

YTD Low

14.63

16.3

14.2

Comvita Limited

2.75

3.25

2.75

Delegat Group Limited

11.1

12.1

11.1

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

3.9

4.06

3.9

Foley Wines Limited

1.86

1.91

1.8

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS)

0.82

0.75

360

Marlborough Wine Estates Group Limited

0.194

0.197

0.193

340

New Zealand King Salmon Investments Ltd

2.14

2.3

2.06

PGG Wrightson Limited

2.36

2.47

2.34

Sanford Limited (NS)

7.8

8.2

7.51

400 380

320

Dec-18 Feb-19

Apr-19

Jun-19

Aug-19

Oct-19

Dec-19

Scales Corporation Limited

4.5

5.17

4.47

0.003

0.002

Seeka Limited

4.6

4.74

4.51

Synlait Milk Limited (NS)

8.25

9.1

8.25

SeaDragon Limited

WAIKATO PALM KERNEL

3300

300

2.85

2.93

2.84

3200

280

S&P/NZX Primary Sector Equity Index

16032

16941

16032

S&P/NZX 50 Index

11604

11901

11511

260

S&P/NZX 10 Index

11416

11722

11233

3100

$/tonne

US$/t

WMP FUTURES - VS FOUR WEEKS AGO

5pm, close of market, Thursday

The a2 Milk Company Limited

420

* price as at close of business on Thursday

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd

Company

440

$/tonne

Last price*

320

Jan-20

NZ average (NZ$/t)

Top 10 by Market Cap

360

Nearby contract

Aug 2019-20

Urea

440

Sep-19

Jun

Last year

480

May-19 Jul-19 Sept. 2019

Apr 2018-19

Prior week

CANTERBURY FEED WHEAT

7.75

Mar-19

Feb

Last week

Grain

Data provided by

MILK PRICE FUTURES

5.75

Dec

Fertiliser

Aug 2019-20

Last week

Coarse xbred ind.

2018-19

Oct

FERTILISER

(NZ$/kg)

5.0

$/kg MS

Jun

WOOL

5-yr ave

8.5

6.0

5.5

Apr

9.5

7.0

6.0

Feb

South Island stag slaughter price

5-yr ave

5.0

Dec

8.5

6.5

8.0

South Island steer slaughter price

Oct

9.5

7.5

9.0

4.5

10.5

10.0

6.5

North Island stag slaughter price

11.5

5.0

4.5

$/kg CW

7.0 6.0

5.0

Last year

6.5

8.0

5.5

Last week Prior week

7.5

9.0

6.0

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

$/kg CW

6.5

Last year

North Island lamb slaughter price

10.0 $/kg CW

North Island steer slaughter price

Last week Prior week

$/kg CW

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Ingrid Usherwood

3000 2900 2800

T&G Global Limited

240 220

Feb

Mar Apr Latest price

May

Jun 4 weeks ago

Jul

200

Dec-18 Feb-19

S&P/FW PRIMARY SECTOR EQUITY

Apr-19

Jun-19

Aug-19

Oct-19

Dec-19

16032

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

11604

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

11416

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020 NI SLAUGHTER STEER ( $/KG)

5.20

SI SLAUGHTER LAMB ( $/KG)

7.30

SI SLAUGHTER COW ( $/KG)

3.85

PRIME TRADITIONAL STEERS, 555-740KG, AT CANTERBURY PARK ( $/KG LW)

2.32

A case of extremes NORTH ISLAND

DON’T STOP HERE... If you love the information you get from these pages, you will love AgriHQ’s livestock reports.

LivestockEye WARY: Carrfields agent Craig Harrison says uncertainty has farmers treading with caution.

good winter and spring conditions. A long run of 30-plus days in Hawke’s Bay has put apples at risk of sunburn and a sunburned apple becomes a reject. But growers are trying to cool down their orchards rolling back reflective cloth, keeping the grass long and irrigating to keep losses at bay. Preparations are under way for the royal gala harvest, which gets under way next week. A beef farmer we speak to says the hot, dry weather is normal for February in the Bay. His feed situation is good and stock are fine as long as rain comes by the end of February. It’s been another week of no rain in Manawatu and significant concern for farmers. It’s never easy when it’s getting hotter and drier and you’re starting to run out of feed about three weeks ahead of normal. Dairy cows are on high supplements. Feed crops are coming on early so yields might be lower. The works are tight and cancelling space, meaning stock have to be kept on farm and that’s stressful for farmers. It’s the last thing they need at the moment. A Wairarapa farmer says his farm’s browned off with no effective rain last week. His stock are in good condition though with lambs on a crop of rape and ewes on turnips. Fodder crops are holding but will be under stress in the dry. He’s been drafting lambs for sale and trying to get cattle to the freezing works. SOUTH ISLAND Apple picking’s under way in Nelson. Early pears are coming off too. The plum and peach season’s coming to an end while apricot picking finished a couple of weeks ago. Apart from a light shower or two there’s been no rain to speak of so irrigation systems are going full bore in orchards. Water rationing’s in place across the Waimea Plains and the fire risk is climbing. Marlborough farms have turned golden brown. Our contact near Blenheim had a mere 2mm of rain last week. It’s cooled off a bit too after temperatures reached 36C earlier in the week. Stock are on slow summer rotation. In the province’s vineyards getting water to grapes is paramount now that they’re starting to soften up. Rainfall at the head of the Wairau River has raised flow levels and

might delay irrigation restrictions. A West Coast farmer in the Grey Valley was relieved to get some rain as it’s been getting dry. Last week there was 50mm in the gauge. Cows are ticking along but not breaking any records. Tractor work’s in full swing as farmers get last year’s winter crops back into grass. Canterbury’s finally had some rain with up to 20mm falling last week after over a month with none. More is required to get pastures and winter feed crops growing. Feed levels remain tight, however, farmers expect grass to kick into gear quickly with the cooler temperatures and rain on irrigated land. Because of the dry conditions freezing works space is limited and that’s also affecting prices for store and prime animals. Flooding in south Otago is starting to subside. A sheep and beef farmer near Balclutha recorded 185mm of rain in 48 hours. He says he’s never seen it fall with such intensity. About 80 hectares of his land that borders the Clutha River was under two metres of water but it’s mostly gone now and there’s not too much damage apart from fences being clogged up with branches and residue carried by the fast river flows. A metre of water filled the covered yards around the shearing shed so shearing’s on hold until they dry out. There’s plenty of feed around though so stock are doing okay. Our Contact at Waimahaka just east of Invercargill in Southland says due to the Mataura River flooding Fonterra tankers have not be able to reach his farm and so far they’ve had to dump 21,000 litres of milk. The farm’s had about 100mm of rain but the ground took most of it in because it was so dry. He says south of the hilly property, along the lower reaches of the Mataura River, whitebaiting huts were totally submerged under water. Another dairy farmer near Gore says he’s lost 20 hectares of farmland along the Mataura River. Paddocks of grass are now covered in gravel and large rocks will need to be dug out. The flooding’s destroyed hundreds of hectares of crops in the region and thousands of bales of balage are believed to have been swept away. The farmer says he’s only just getting his head around what’s happened but everyone’s pulling together to support each other.

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 rnz.co.nz/countrylife

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HE big dry continued in Northland last week with not a spot of rain to relieve drought conditions. Farmers would normally send their cattle to the works in these circumstances but the plants are jam packed and chillers are full of product that hasn’t been shipped to China because of uncertainty around the effects of the Wuhan coronavirus. A consultant said farmers are doing it tough and would welcome an official drought declaration. Obviously, animal welfare is the most important thing but not all have the luxury of supplementary feed like maize, silage or palm kernel. Around Pukekohe a brief shower on Tuesday night was the nearest the district came to receiving some rain. With constant wind flow afterwards all evidence was soon lost. Preparing dry, hard soils for winter planting only extends to subsoiling. Without rain or irrigation, cultivating the soils to a fine tilth is near impossible. The situation is frustrating and challenging. Bay of Plenty needs rain too. It’s been incredibly dry. There was rain forecast last week but nothing transpired. Hopefully, the rain forecast for Monday will come. Any moisture in the air is sapped by an annoying dry wind that has slowed the vigour of kiwifruit vines. Final thinning and cleaning up is being done, however, but the work flow is slower than usual. A consultant wanted to remind farmers and orchardists under pressure they shouldn’t forget about organisations like the Rural Support Trust which can help, by providing a truckload of feed for instance. The dry, hot weather in Waikato is putting pressure on people, stock and water and feed supplies. There’s a bit more on hand in parts of the south but farmers are working their way through feed crops and silage if they have them. Some maize crops in the ground are showing signs of lack of moisture, which will influence final yields. Cows are holding their condition despite the weather but a consultant says farmers will have to think about drying off their lighter animals. Milk production is holding at lower levels but the longer the dry continues the worse it’ll get. King Country had some rain last week but not really enough to do any good. The dry weather has been exacerbated by wind. A farmer told us his lambs are not weighing as much as they should but they’re holding okay. Cattle are being sorted with fatter ones off to the works. It’s been stinking hot as he goes about his jobs like hay-making and general maintenance. It’s the same story in Taranaki ... dry and windy conditions are starting to bite and farmers are running out of grass. Our sharemilker has a crop of turnips and silage though to keep his cows going after the good spring. But he’s looking to oncea-day milking at the end of the month. He’s heard of some who are already milking at that lower rate. Most farmers are pregnancy scanning. He’s got 100% of his heifers in calf and the rest of the herd at a better rate than last year, put down to

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

Early offloads keep wolf from the door Store cattle throughput around the country is well down on historical levels for this time of year despite dry conditions. A larger volume traded in November and December when prices were very high. Given the very dry conditions over most of the country, that early offload has been a blessing in disguise because it has taken the pressure off at a time when there are few buyers in the market. Those cattle that are coming forward are out of necessity and sellers are meeting the market. NORTHLAND Wellsford store cattle sale • Eight R3 Hereford heifers, 406kg, reached $2.54/kg • R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 428-465kg, eased to $2.39-$2.47/kg • R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 192-293kg, earned $2.59-$2.68/kg • Autumn-born weaner Maine Anjou-cross heifers, 318kg, fetched $720 • Weaner Friesian bulls, 117-138kg, eased to $385-$400 Throughput lifted at WELLSFORD last Monday to just shy of 500, and most traded on a softer market. R3 Angus heifers, 368kg, softened to $2.31/kg, and Friesian, 476kg, $2.18/kg. R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 265328kg, eased to $2.47-$2.52/kg, with the balance $2.00/kg to $2.25/kg regardless of breed. R2 Angus and Angus-cross heifers, 260-291kg, traded from $2.13/kg to $2.25/kg. Twelve weaner Maine Anjou-cross steers, 146-181kg, returned $410-$510, and beef-dairy and exotic heifers, 109-166kg, $305-$430. Hereford-Friesian cows, 494-565kg, run-with a Maine Anjou bull, earned $800-$950, $1.62-$1.68/kg. Kaikohe cattle sale • Quality R3 Angus steers, 527-590kg, earned $2.45-$2.55/kg • 18-month Hereford-Friesian heifers returned $2.60-$2.65/kg • Weaner bulls improved to $450-$550 Top weaner heifers lifted to $400-$460 A small yarding of 160 cattle was penned at KAIKOHE last Wednesday, though current market and weather conditions eased returns for most, PGG Wrightson agent Vaughan Vujcich reported. Off-bred 18-month heifers eased at $2.00/ kg to $2.20/kg, as did lighter dairy-beef weaner heifers to $280-$310.

AUCKLAND Pukekohe cattle • Heavy prime steers improved to $2.70-$2.85/kg • Prime heifers sold over a softer range of $2.48/kg to $2.72/kg

• Boner cows came back to $1.31-$1.50/kg • Medium crossbred steers lifted 4c/kg for the top end and traded at $2.42/kg to $2.72/kg • Weaner heifers eased to $400-$450 Heavy top-quality steers were offered at PUKEKOHE on Saturday, February 1 and these sold well. The remainder of the yarding traded at softer levels, as combined dry conditions and lack of processing space eased returns for most. Good 20-month steers earned $2.56/kg. Good to heavy bulls traded at $2.35-$2.43/kg.

WAIKATO Frankton dairy-beef weaner fair • Hereford-Friesian steers, 103kg, were discounted $22 to $448 • Most Hereford-Friesian bulls, 115-130kg, softened to $475-$480 • Friesian bulls, 143-177kg, came back to $395-$480 • Hereford-Friesian heifers, 118-119kg, improved to $428-$430 A reduced yarding of 585 weaners were penned at FRANKTON last Tuesday, and most eased. A $45-$60 discount was common for beef-dairy bulls and AngusFriesian, 184kg, earned $510. Friesian bulls made up most of their section and sold to limited demand, and 112-143kg eased to $250-$305. An outside buyer kept the heifers at mostly steady levels. Hereford-Friesian, 153-164kg, eased marginally to $472-$522, while 135-144kg held at $452$460. Hereford-dairy, 112-127kg, maintained levels of $330$382, whilst Friesian, 119kg, fell to $150. Frankton cattle sale • R3 Hereford-Friesian steers, 464-491kg, earned $2.51-$2.57/kg • R2 Hereford-dairy steers, 313-405kg, were discounted 9c/kg to $2.40-$2.47/kg • R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 331-354kg, fetched $2.52-$2.54/kg • R2 Friesian heifers, 316-358kg, sold to limited interest at $1.90/kg to $2.03/kg • Prime Hereford-Friesian steers, 536-583kg, eased to $2.46-$2.55/ kg

Store cattle throughput dropped to 212 head at FRANKTON last Wednesday, as vendors offload only out of necessity. R3 Hereford-dairy heifers, 430-466kg, returned $2.44-$2.51/kg, and six South Devon, 432kg, traded at $2.47/kg. R2 Murray Grey and Murray Grey-cross heifers had varied returns as 320-336kg managed $2.28-$2.38/ kg, though 12 at 348kg pushed to $2.59/kg. Boner cows dominated a very small prime section as vendors continued to shed their empties. Heavier boner cows, 481-559kg, softened to $1.13-$1.17/kg, with $1.00-$1.10/kg common for lighter types.

BAY OF PLENTY Rangiuru cattle and sheep • R2 Hereford bulls, 280kg, earned $2.50/kg • R2 Jersey bulls, 347kg, fetched $2.54/kg • R2 steers, 380-462kg, made $2.37-$2.45/kg regardless of breed • R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 413-484kg, achieved $2.32-$2.44/kg • One pen of R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 290kg, stretched to $2.69/kg It was a buyer’s market at RANGIURU last Tuesday. Most prime cattle were boner or dairy-cross cows and averaged $1.10/kg. Prime steers and heifers fared better, as most Angus or dairy-beef types over 500kg earned $2.32-$2.44/ kg. Around a quarter of the normal tally of store cattle were present. Sheep prices also took a downturn, with lambs up to $125.50 and ewes $109.

POVERTY BAY Matawhero cattle sale • R2 Angus steers, 305-345kg, dropped to $2.66-$2.69/kg • R2 Angus heifers, 355-380kg, returned $2.53-$2.56/kg • R2 Angus heifers, 300-335kg, made $2.75-$2.76/kg • R2 Hereford heifers, 320-350kg, varied from $2.52/kg to $2.77/kg Volume was higher than expected at the MATAWHERO cattle sale last Tuesday, though a late entry of traditional heifers were the highlight. Prices were down on December 2019 levels, but respectable in the current market environment. R2 Angus-Hereford steers, 325-375kg, varied from $2.64/kg to $2.77/kg, while a line of Charolais heifers, 415kg, fetched $2.58/kg. Angus cows with calves sold for $1450 per unit, and exotic, $1200.

TARANAKI Taranaki cattle sale • R3 Angus-Friesian steers, 499kg, earned $2.57/kg • R3 Friesian bulls, 410-435kg, varied from $1.98/kg to $2.25/kg • R2 Friesian heifers, 440kg, topped their section at $2.27/kg • R2 Jersey bulls, 362-285kg, softened at $2.42/kg to $2.60/kg Vendors met the market at the TARANAKI Dairy-Beef Weaner Fair last Tuesday, and just over 500 head sold at reduced levels. Friesian bulls, 151-165kg, earned $460-$500, while 135-150kg came back to $385-$425. A small beefdairy bull section varied from $350 to $580 dependent on quality and type, while Angus-Friesian heifers, 115-130kg, returned $400-$420. Taranaki dairy-beef weaner fair • Hereford-Friesian steers, 110-115kg, eased to $500-$545 • Hereford-Friesian heifers, 110-115kg, came back to $345-$365 • Hereford-Friesian heifers, 125-145kg, also came back to $410$455 • Friesian bulls, 118-130kg, returned $370-$380 Vendors met the market at the TARANAKI Dairy-Beef Weaner Fair last Tuesday, and just over 500 head sold at reduced levels. Friesian bulls, 151-165kg, earned $460-$500, while 135-150kg came back to $385-$425. A small beefdairy bull section varied from $350 to $580 dependent on quality and type, while Angus-Friesian heifers, 115-130kg, returned $400-$420.

HAWKE’S BAY Stortford Lodge prime cattle and she • Heavy to very-heavy ewes softened to $84-$105 • Good ewes eased to $65-$75 • Heavy mixed-sex lambs came back to $130-$131 • Medium-good to good mixed-sex lambs eased to $103-$110.50 • Good to heavy ram lambs returned $115-$128 Current inclement market and weather conditions combined to make for a tough sale at STORTFORD LODGE last Monday, and all sheep traded at softer levels. Throughput lifted to 871 head with ewes making up 708 of that tally, and prices came back $12-$45. Light-medium ewes eased to $38.50-$45. Eight very heavy rams managed $97. Prime mixed-sex lambs eased slightly in line with reduced schedules. No cattle were sold.

BOWING OUT: PGW livestock manager Joe Higgins takes bids as retiring auctioneer Bruce Thomson sells a line of Perendale-Texel ewes at Temuka.

Stortford Lodge store cattle and sheep • R3 Angus heifers, 424-480kg, varied from $2.41/kg to $2.60/kg • R2 Hereford-dairy steers, 328-345kg, returned $2.46-$2.50/kg • Medium to good cryptorchid lambs made $90-$104.50

SALE YARD WRAP

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020

• 55 weaner Friesian bulls earned $260-$275 A day off for Waitangi Day meant the COALGATE sale was held last Wednesday. A change of day resulted in fewer entries in all classes and heavy ewes came back to $130$145, with much of the balance $90-$119. Prime lamb prices also dropped, with three-quarters of the yarding at $123-$158 and the tops $162-$171. Prime steers over 500kg provided most of the cattle section and generally made $2.40-$2.48/kg, down 6c/kg. Smaller 378-500kg lines sold on par with the previous sale at $2.22/kg to $2.36/kg.

SOUTH-CANTERBURY Temuka prime and boner cattle; all sheep • Hereford bulls, 535-745kg, were stable at $2.53/kg • Friesian bulls, 597kg, were down slightly to $2.30/kg • Hereford steers, 595kg, fetched $2.46/kg • Hereford heifers, 638kg, made $2.33/kg The top store lambs made $99-$129 at TEMUKA last Monday, while prices for mid-range and lighter stock depended on quality. Prime lamb throughput was double the usual amount with the top pens $140-$167 and threequarters of the yarding $100-$138. Ewe prices eased and while a few managed $170-$183, two thirds made $70-$128. Steer volume was only a third of the previous week’s sale, with Angus-cross the bulk of the section, and 572-638kg earned $2.18/kg to $2.43/kg. Heifers were largely Hereford with 440-490kg priced at $2.46-$2.47/kg. Boner cows, 470540kg, sold in two cuts of $1.64-$1.69/kg and $1.51-$1.55/ kg. WHAT’S UP? A Coopworth ewe checks out sale proceedings at Temuka. • Four pens of wether lambs ranged from $60 to $84.50 Just 85 cattle sold at STORTFORD LODGE last Wednesday, as seller’s only offload out of necessity. A consignment of R3 heifers were the main feature at nearly half the yarding, and the third cut of crossbred sold for $2.36/kg. Lamb volume lifted to 2500 and very short term lambs sold for $115-$117.50, but the balance of the sale came back. Light to medium ewe lambs earned $43-$63, and similar weighted males $55-$80.

MANAWATU Feilding prime cattle and sheep • Red Devon bulls, 550-605kg, earned $2.46-$2.55/kg • Jersey bulls, 375-570kg, improved 9c/kg to $2.26/kg • One Hereford bull, 770kg, made $2.61/kg Sheep volume was sharply down at FEILDING last Monday. Around $20-$30 per head came off ewe prices and a quarter of the tally sold for $100-$109, and medium-good $50-$90. Lamb values declined, but not as severely as the ewe section as heavy types made $150-$165, with just over half of the tally medium-good at $121-$149. Dairy bulls dominated the small cattle section of 41 head where Friesian bulls, 480-565kg, lost 14c/kg to earn $2.35/ kg. Feilding store sale • Some 395-450kg R2 Angus-Hereford steers were $2.77-$2.78/kg • R2 Friesian bulls, 410-525kg, eased to $2.29-$2.35/kg • R2 traditional heifers, 325-405kg, made $2.45-$2.54/kg • Store lambs averaged $89 • Medium-to-decent type ewes were $65-$85 Only around 250 store cattle were available and sold on a flatter market. All R3 steers were 440-520kg straight-beef types, mainly $2.62-$2.66/kg though one 475kg Angus pen was $2.80/kg. Almost all R2 steers were traditional breeds, anywhere between $2.58-$2.78/kg with traditional heifers always $2.45-$2.54/kg at 325-405kg. Thirty 410-525kg Friesian bulls were split between two pens, but never made more than $2.35/kg. Store lambs numbered 4300 head and sold for similar values to the week before. The bulk of the lambs were male and terminal-cross lambs, with good cuts mainly $95$105, only going above $110 once, and second-tier options mostly $80-$90. Light lambs of all variations were usually $50-$70. Rongotea cattle sale • R3 Hereford-Friesian steers, 433-685kg, returned $2.39-$2.41/kg • R3 crossbred heifers, 320-430kg, varied from $1.44/kg to $2.17/kg • R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 320-345kg, eased to $1.74/kg to $1.87/kg • R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 270-340kg, came back at $1.90/kg to $2.21/kg • Boner cows, 541-550kg, eased to $1.29-$1.30/kg Continued dry weather and current market uncertainty impacted returns at RONGOTEA last Wednesday, New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent Darryl Harwood reported. Most traded on a softer market, though weaner HerefordFriesian heifers, 147-155kg, managed steady returns at $430-$475. Weaner Friesian bulls softened to $430-$470.

CANTERBURY Canterbury Park cattle and sheep • R2 traditional steers, 315-350kg, fell to $2.16/kg • R2 traditional heifers, 275-325kg, dropped to $1.80/kg • Prime Hereford-Friesian steers, 535-700kg, lost 20c/kg to $2.25/kg • Prime dairy-beef heifers, 470kg-580kg, made $2.14/kg • Heavy prime lambs were $156-$190, with most of the tally $100$139 R2 steers were mostly Angus or Angus-Hereford at CANTERBURY PARK last Tuesday, with nearly half 315434kg at $2.17-$2.26/kg. Only three pens of heifers exceeded $2/kg, while Angus and Angus-Hereford bulls, 239-412kg, fetched $2.06-$2.14/kg. Prime prices were down 15-30c/kg across the board. Top price was paid for a 490kg Piedmontese bull at $2.70/kg, but traditional steers, 555-740kg, dropped 15c/kg to $2.29-$2.36/kg. Quality was noticeably down in the sheep pens. Heavy ewes dropped to $139-$158 with the lion’s share $101-$137. Store lamb buyers were limited, and heavy types earned $94-$129 and mid-range $58-$91. Coalgate cattle and sheep sale • R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 323-343kg, made $2.20-$2.29/kg • R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 420kg, sold for $2.19/kg • The best store lambs made $98, with the majority $90-$98

Temuka adult ewe fair • A small line of mixed-age Poll Dorset ewes reached $214 • Capital stock 2-shear Perendale-Texel ewes made $195, and 3-shear $182-$184 • Two-shear Border Leicester-Romney sold for $172-$204 • Mixed-age Perendale and Romney traded at $119-$143 Rain was the hot topic at the TEMUKA Adult Ewe Fair last Wednesday, and proved to be one of the few positives in a tough day. Low expectations reduced ewe throughput to 9400, which comprised of mainly medium-type ewes. Processors and traders were largely absent and it was a buyer’s market, with older ewes back $30-$60 on 2019, and younger ewes by a greater margin. Most 2-shear and 3-shear ewes made $115-$158, and 4-shear $123-$163. Fiveyear ewes varied from $110 to $160.

SOUTHLAND Lorneville two-tooth ewe fair • The top five pens of ewes earned $300 upwards • Just under a third of the yarding were first-cross Border Leicester-cross and earned $270-$312 • Approximately two-thirds of the offering were crossbred and traded at $240-$275 Just on 11,000 two-tooth ewes were penned at LORNEVILLE last Tuesday, which was considered a success in challenging weather conditions PGG Wrightson agent Andrew Martin reported. Most ewes held up well considering current market conditions and varied inclement weather challenges.

HARD GOING: It was tough selling for all including auctioneer Snow Buckley, selling on behalf of Peter Walsh and Associates, at Temuka.

Markets

48 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – February 10, 2020 NI SLAUGHTER LAMB

NI SLAUGHTER BULL

SI SLAUGHTER STEER

($/KG)

R2 TRADITIONAL HEIFERS, 335KG AVE, AT MATAWHERO CATTLE SALE

($/KG)

($/KG LW)

5.20

7.30

4.95

2.68

high $270-$312 Leicester-cross lights Border ewes at Lorneville 2-tooth Fair

Virus chews dairy prices Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz

ORONAVIRUS has taken a chunk out of world dairy prices but so far has not stopped Chinese buyers or threatened the New Zealand farmgate milk price. The Global Dairy Trade index dropped 4.7% at the most-recent auction, including a 6.2% fall for whole milk powder and 4.5% for anhydrous milk fat. ASB senior rural economist Nathan Penny found signs in the auction details the impact of the virus on dairy markets will be short-lived. Chinese buyers remained active at the same level as previous auctions and the prices of three of the nine products actually rose while the overall impact on the market was a comparatively mild downwards move. The 4.7% fall didn’t make the top 30 of GDT auction price falls despite fears of something larger. He maintained the bank’s forecast of a seasonal $7.50/kg milksolids price for the time being but warned another false step by auction prices will lead to a reassessment. Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell said the drop in GDT prices was not unexpected and he expects some volatility as buyers take a wait-and-see approach. “It is difficult to gauge the real impact on demand from just one GDT event. “If there is a sustained drop in eating out in China then that could have an impact on our sales.” Fonterra will watch its food service sales and the GDT prices very closely. NZX dairy analyst Amy Castleton said New Zealand is the largest supplier of world-traded WMP and AMF. “Markets have been nervous that coronavirus and the associated practices to prevent the spread will stop China buying. “Given China is such a large destination for NZ product this could have a large impact on our economy. “But there does not appear to have

NOT EASY: It is difficult to gauge coronavirus’ impact from just one Global Dairy Trade auction, Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell says.

There does not appear to have been a large drop in Chinese demand at the February 4 GDT event. Amy Castleton NZX been a large drop in Chinese demand at the February 4 GDT event.” China bought a larger volume than it did at the equivalent event last year. Westpac market strategist Imre Speizer said the results of the GDT auction posed some downside risk to his milk price prediction but $7.40 is still achievable if the disruptions caused by coronavirus proves to be short-lived.

NZX senior analyst Julia Jones said negative market sentiment was to be expected at a time like this. Though the coronavirus will have a short-term impact NZ dairy companies will be able to strategically reposition if necessary. On Friday Castleton said her milk price forecast has tumbled 16 cents to $7.18/kg MS. “Prices for dairy commodity futures on the NZX dairy derivatives market have dropped significantly over the past week or so. “Fears over market demand due to the spread of coronavirus have those trading on the market nervous and pulling back their positions.” That market sentiment was likely to have driven of the fall at the GDT event because so far there has been no evidence of a significant drop in demand.

$184-$195 Capital stock 2-3-shear Perendale/Texel ewes at Temuka Adult Ewe Fair

ACROSS THE RAILS SUZ BREMNER

South Island on-farm lamb sales well supported THE general sentiment at the South Island onfarm lamb sales has been very positive, having been well-supported by mainly returnee buyers. That rang true for last Monday’s Ashburton Gorge on-farm sales, which featured three properties with many years of selling between them. About 20,000 lambs were spread over the properties and while that sounds like a daunting task at any sale yard each pen offered headed off to new owners and vendors were very pleased with the results, especially considering everything that is being thrown at the prime and store lamb markets to shake them up. PGG Wrightson agent Greg Cook was well involved in the sales and gave full credit to the vendors for offering lambs that buyers come back for each year. “The lambs were all presented very well and close on half were prime as each property offered their lambs up undrafted. They were keenly sought after by regular buyers from central and mid Canterbury with the market generally steady to firm on 2019.” Cook said while the terminal lines sold well the highlight was the Halfbred cryptorchid lambs at Mount Possession, with premium prices for the store types driven by their wool potential. They sold for $101-$126. The balance were terminal-cross with Suffolk-cross featuring at Mount Possession where the top pens made $135-$175 and forward stores, $95-$115. Poll Dorset-Merino were equally popular at the second stop, Castle Ridge Station. Out of Merino ewes, they had a big following and the sale averaged $138.50 across the ram and ewe lamb pens. Big line sizes up to 1000-1600 head meant that while there weren’t many lines on offer, trucks were easily filled with only a few bids. The top ram lambs made $188 with next cuts at $142$160 and stores $100-$119. Little differentiated ewe lamb prices as the top pen made $182, second cuts $133-$160 and stores $105-$117. The day finished at Mount Arrowsmith Station where a further 2000 Poll Dorset-cross lambs were offered. They ranged from $95 to $168 for cryptorchid and ewe lambs. suz.bremner@globalhq.co.nz

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