Farmers Weekly NZ November 13 2023 by AgriHQ

8 Catchment group links hills to the sea Vol 21 No 44, November 13, 2023

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Fonterra sets climate goals for suppliers Gerald Piddock

NEWS

Fonterra

ONTERRA is aiming for a 30% reduction in its onfarm emissions intensity by 2030. It revealed the long-awaited target at its annual meeting in Methven last Thursday. Eighty-six percent of Fonterra’s emissions come from on farm. By focusing on emissions intensity, the co-op hopes to reduce the emissions produced from each tonne of FPCM (fat and protein corrected milk) collected by Fonterra by 30% compared with its 2018 baseline. The target comes after 10 months of consultation with the co-op’s 9000 farmer shareholders. Fonterra chair Peter McBride said that the co-op’s overall onfarm emissions target will affect each farm differently. “There is significant variation within and across farming systems when it comes to emissions intensity. We are confident that we can make solid progress towards our target by working together and sharing information, farmer to farmer. “There’s no one solution to reducing on-farm emissions. It will require a combination of sharing best farming practices and technology to reduce emissions – it’s both our biggest opportunity and our biggest challenge. “We have deep empathy for the

challenges our farmers are already dealing with. “The co-op’s approach will be to work alongside farmers, not against them, as we collectively make progress towards our target, including investing in methanereduction technologies.” In an online media briefing before the co-op’s annual meeting, Fonterra director of sustainability Charlotte Rutherford said the 30% target is a collective target over the whole co-operative.

There’s no one solution to reducing onfarm emissions. It will require a combination of sharing best farming practices and technology to reduce emissions.

Sharing the goods is ‘in my DNA’ Lyndon and Jade McNab and their children Archie, 12, Marla, 10 and Hollis, 6, from South Otago have donated 6000 meals through Meat the Need. The family farm a 3200ha property between Balclutha and Owaka and joined Meat the Need in 2020. Looking at the life their children lead, Lyndon says he feels an obligation to try to level that playing field through donating nutritious protein. Giving is part of his DNA, he says.

Nuffield Scholars step forward

Peter McBride Fonterra “This is not a 30% intensity reduction for individual farmers but rather the cumulative result of progress in different areas for the co-op overall.” The actions of individual farmers across the co-op will scale up to achieve that target, she said. The co-operative has broken down the target, saying it will be achieved via a 7% reduction through farming best practice Continued page 3

Carlos Bagrie, Rachel Baker, Jenna Smith and Peter Templeton, pictured with Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor, centre, have been named Nuffield Scholars for 2024.

PEOPLE 7 Northland farmers fear hill country grazing will disappear under proposed freshwater plan changes.

The three parties trying to negotiate a coalition government have agricultural policies in common.

Chefs and farmers both use artistry to turn NZ beef and lamb into something special, Phil Weir says.

NEWS 4

POLITICS 5

OPINION 21

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Rural investment company Craigmore Sustainables has broken the billion-dollar mark for assets under its management. The company – which employs 229 people – has 60 properties in its portfolio, of which 37% are horticulture, 36% farming and 27% forestry. That total area covers 25,906ha, which also includes leases and forestry rights.

Alliance election Five candidates are chasing two director seats on the Alliance Group board. Incumbent Pat McEvedy from Southbridge is standing again, but Dawn Sangster from the Maniototo is retiring. The others seeking one of the two positions are Ross Bowmar, Methven, Richard Greer, Otautau, Jeremy McPhail, Gore, and George Tatham, Masterton. Shareholders can vote by Wednesday December 13.

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Open Farms, New Zealand’s national open farm day, returns on Sunday, March 10 2024. Now in its fourth year, the project has helped around 10,000 visitors to experience farm life at more than 100 events. The nationwide series of open farm events aims to reconnect urban Kiwis with the people and places that grow their food.

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INFLUENCER: Former prime minister Sir John Key is helping to negotiate with the Chinese over Zespri’s problems with illegally grown fruit. STORY P14

Muka Tangata, the Workforce Development Council for the food and fibre sector, is seeking feedback on streamlined new qualifications for forestry industry workers. Muka Tangata has been working with the industry on the development of a full suite of forestry qualifications since June 2023. The existing delivery and assessment of forestry qualifications are not meeting industry or learner needs.

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News Continued from page 1 such as feed quality and improving herd performance. A further 7% will be reduced via new technologies. Eight percent is to be reduced through carbon removals from existing and new vegetation and 8% will be reduced from historical land-use change conversions to dairy. Rather than caps or limits on feed or cow numbers, in the short-term Fonterra will support farmers in the shift to more sustainable practices and work with industry partners as they develop tools farmers can use. Financial incentives for paying farmers more for low-carbon milk such as through a premium or through its co-operative difference programme are not totally off the table and if they do occur, will start at a governance level, Rutherford said. Some of the 7% reduction has already been achieved by farmers since 2018 through productivity gains and there have been no discussions of penalising farmers who are not reducing their emissions. “This is very much about support and over time – if and when the time is right – and involving our directors and governance, we will start thinking where and when we could incentivise farmers if we feel we need to accelerate or help them more.” Rutherford said farmers’ response so far was “eagerness to hear the ‘what’ and the ‘how’. What does it mean and how will I implement it – what does it mean for me and my farm.” When questioned about the potential for criticism for choosing an intensity target

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

rather than an absolute emissions target, Fonterra co-operative’s general manager of global climate policy Andrew Kempson said the co-operative is already reporting on its absolute emissions in its annual suite of sustainability reporting and will continue to do so. “That already shows that we have reduced our absolute emissions across all gases across all scopes by 1.85 million tonnes of CO2 annually since the 2018 baseline.” Fonterra also launched its Climate Roadmap. The roadmap is a plan that outlines the actions the coop will take towards its 2030 targets and ambition to be net zero by 2050. Earlier this year Fonterra lifted its emissions targets for its manufacturing and operations, this new target completes the package. Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell said having a full suite of targets and a plan to achieve them will provide high-value customers with the confidence to continue buying dairy from Fonterra, as well as protect its reputation as one of the most emissions efficient suppliers of dairy at scale. In addition to this the coop has voluntarily released its first Climate-Related Disclosure report. This report identifies risks and opportunities related to climate and helps the co-op plan for the future. Hurrell said the announcement is important to more than just Fonterra. The targets “will also help the country achieve its 2030 targets set under the Zero Carbon Act. We know we play a significant part in New Zealand’s emissions profile, and it’s up to all of us to work towards helping New Zealand achieve its climate targets.”

SUPPORT: Nestlé CEO Jennifer Chappell with Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell. A major buyer of NZ dairy ingredients, Nestlé works with processors such as Fonterra to support farmers in adopting regenerative agriculture practices, it says.

Farm climate plan very much to Nestlé’s taste Staff reporter

MARKETS

Fonterra

NE of Fonterra’s biggest customers, Nestlé, has welcomed Fonterra’s plan to reduce 30% of its onfarm emissions by 2030. The move sends a positive signal to New Zealand’s dairy industry and supports Nestlé’s own ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout its value chain, the company said. As a major buyer of NZ dairy ingredients, Nestlé continues to work with processors such as Fonterra to support farmers in adopting regenerative agriculture practices that help reduce emissions, Nestlé NZ CEO Jennifer Chappell said. “This move by Fonterra will encourage even greater action by farmers, researchers and policymakers in support of a just transition for the dairy industry, which in turn will help the industry and dairy farmers make the most of the economic opportunities presented by the shift to lower emissions. “Nestlé has sourced dairy from

S E T A R S MATE ST CENTRE CLAAS HARVE

New Zealand for well over 100 years. We will continue supporting farmers alongside our partners to develop new economic opportunities and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. We do this by prioritising our sourcing from farmers engaged in lowering emissions, by providing technical support, and by paying a premium for their products.” Nestlé released its Science-Based Targets initiative-aligned Net Zero Roadmap in 2020, committing the company to reduce its absolute emissions by 20% by 2025 and 50% by 2030 on the way to net zero by 2050, even as the company grows. “Climate change is one of society’s greatest challenges, and requires all of us to act with urgency,” Chappell said. “As dairy is our single biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions, we must work with dairy farmers and their communities towards our goal while supporting a just transition. For this reason, we have over 100 pilot projects with partners around the world, including in New Zealand.” Chappell said some of the projects the company has underway with Fonterra are:

• Working with farmers to plant a million native plants on marginal land on farms to sequester carbon. • Improving nutrient management, including fertiliser use on farm, with the aim of reducing on-farm greenhouse gas emissions. • A pilot farm aimed at demonstrating how to develop a profitable net zero emissions approach. • Reducing on-farm greenhouse emissions by accelerating the adoption of good farming practices. Nestlé is also working with its other NZ dairy suppliers on projects to reduce emission, she said. Nestlé’s global roadmap identifies on-farm measures such as caring for grassland to store more carbon, cutting methane produced by animals through nutrition changes, improving manure management and using more sustainable feed, in addition to improving farm productivity, as key actions to reduce net emissions. Nestlé also inaugurated its Nestlé Institute of Agricultural Sciences earlier this year, which aims to translate novel agricultural science into concrete applications.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

News

Farmers see red over stock exclusion plan Hugh Stringleman

NEWS

Livestock

ORTHLAND farmers networks, their conversations and phone calls, have been set alight by the regional council’s draft freshwater plan change, which opened for consultation on November 1. “It will send farmers to the wall” and “this is the end of farming for me” have been typical responses. Farmers fear that hill country grazing will not be a permitted activity and that they will need costly resource consents in the future. More than 250,000ha have been identiﬁed for livestock exclusion, unless by consent to farm. This is 18% of the region’s land – but it is a much greater portion, around 40%, of Northland’s 600,000ha under agriculture and horticulture. To give effect to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management, the draft plan changes target waterway setbacks to reduce E coli contamination and grazing retirements to reduce sedimentary losses to rivers and coasts. The Northland Regional Council (NRC) estimates the cost of excluding stock from 91,000ha of severely erodible land, with slope greater than 35 degrees, at between $400 million and $600m over 30 years. That would be 70% fencing and

30% operating loss, and the costs would be front-loaded to 70% in the first five years. That would be $9200 to $13,700 per sheep and beef farm over 30 years, 8% to 12% of operating profit before tax. The first category is Highly Erodible 2 (HE 2) and the second category is High Erosion risk (HE 1) with slopes between 25 and 35 degrees. For HE 1, should that be added, the estimated costs to each farm are between $16,500 and $24,700, or 14% to 21% of annual farm profit, Collectively, that would cost the region a further $720m to $1080m. Farmer groups say the NRC figures for fencing and operating loss are conservative and that, in a region that generates about $1 billion of export revenue annually, the stock exclusion proposals could chop 30% of income. In presentations to farmer groups, council staff members have said that freshwater quality comes before people. The Northland draft plan change is more advanced and more specific than other freshwater consultations around the country. Northland also contains soil and water characteristics different from the other regions nationally. One of the most effective tools for improving freshwater is to keep stock away from waterways, wetlands, and off highly erodible land. “We think we will need both wider setbacks for stock and

EXCLUSION: Northland Regional Council has published a draft freshwater plan change that identifies all hill country slopes over 25 degrees, shown here in red.

We think there is a case for excluding stock from our most erodible land to limit erosion and sediment going into waterways. Northland Regional Council enhanced riparian vegetation to achieve the improvements needed in freshwater health,” Northland Regional Council said.

“We also think there is a case for excluding stock from our most erodible land to limit erosion and sediment going into waterways. “The more we do, the greater the environmental benefits – but the higher the costs for landowners, many of whom are already facing tough times. “This can be mitigated somewhat by allowing sufficient lead-in time, but even so the costs will be significant.” The costs can be offset by planting in permanent forest and claiming carbon credits, with full

offset reached at $35/tonne, the draft plan suggests. The council is also proposing new rules limiting vegetation clearance, land preparation and earthworks in areas of high erosion risk. It said all dairy effluent discharges to land will need resource consents. The continuation of grazing on highly erodible land will also require resource consents. Three waterway setback distances are included in the consultation: 3m, 5m and 10m, for permanently and intermittently flowing rivers and streams. The council is known to favour the 10m requirement. The minimum of 3m would apply under the government standard but there may be a case for an averaging approach at 5m on each farm. The interactive map of slope and HE categories show large swathes of hill country included, but do not identify the overlaps with what is already Department of Conservation land, native bush or forestry plantations. Farmers can focus down to their own districts, even paddocks, to check the identified waterways and slopes. The council is also proposing a water allocation policy that in the future would reserve 20% of the water for environmental enhancement, domestic use by marae and papakāinga, or contribution to a Te Mana me te Mauri o te Wai fund.

‘Northland rules will cripple farms, villages’ Hugh Stringleman

NEWS

Land

WIDESPREAD disbelief from farmers has greeted the publication of draft freshwater regulations by Northland Regional Council that include proposed livestock exclusion from 250,000ha of hill country. Federated Farmers provincial president Colin Hannah said the knock-on effects would be crippling to Northland’s economy.

We have seen reports that farm plans and audits are costing up to $35,000, which is the rising cost of farming by consent. Colin Hannah Northland Federated Farmers He forecast the probable closure of one meatworks, reduced competition, transport and animal welfare risks, closure of rural

schools, increased ﬁre risk, loss of council rates, and large costs for consents and auditing. What appears to be the council’s preferred 10m waterway setback would also capture 5000ha of some of the best milking platform and cost Northland’s dairy farmers $27 million annually in lost production, he said. Reduction of one and a half drystock units over 250,000ha of slopes above 25 degrees would add up to $270m of lost meat income annually, he said. The multiplier effect of that lost farm income through the regional economy would be huge. In the announcement at the beginning of the consultation period, Northland Regional Council (NRC) chair Tui Shortland said Te Mana o Te Wai was about putting the health of the water ﬁrst, providing for human health needs second, and other uses of water third. Farmers did not agree with that prioritisation, Hannah said. The stock exclusion rules may get voted through the NRC and the

LOST LAND: A proposed 10m waterway setback by Northland Regional Council would capture 5000ha of some of the best milking platform and cost Northland’s dairy farmers $27 million annually in lost production, Colin Hannah says. resulting scramble for resource consents to graze would overload the system and send farmers broke. “We have seen reports from Southland that farm plans and audits are costing up to $35,000, which is the rising cost of farming by consent. “Nor are the qualified people available to do the assessments and compliance checks.” Many Northland farmers are also facing demands for Significant Natural Areas to be identified and controlled. “The combination of stock exclusion and SNAs will explode in farming districts,” Hannah said.

Federated Farmers is urging farmers to make submissions to NRC on the proposed freshwater plan change by March 4. NRC said that freshwater farm plans will be made mandatory before the end of 2025. After consultation a revised freshwater plan will be published late in 2024. Already 27 staff members are involved in freshwater consent compliance and enforcement and 5800 such checks were made in the 2022-23 ﬁnancial year. NRC issued 176 abatement notices and 101 infringement notices for activities impacting freshwater during that year.

It said all of the potential new actions to improve water quality will cost the council between $4m and $6m annually, compared with total rates income of $47m. Some support to landowners with stock exclusion, riparian planting and wetland development could be budgeted at $1m to $2m annually, the NRC suggested. But incentivisation needs to reach 50% of costs to encourage people to do the work. “At a regional scale, it’s expected this level of contribution would not be nearly enough to encourage landowners to undertake works they wouldn’t otherwise do.”

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

Consensus promises smooth ag policy path Neal Wallace

NEWS

Policy and regulation

HE three parties trying to negotiate a coalition government have plenty in common when it comes to agricultural policy. An analysis of National, NZ First and ACT agricultural policies shows cross-party agreement in multiple areas affecting the primary sector, which could mean rapid policy changes once a government is formed. In general all three parties want fewer regulations and more local decision-making on land and water management. They are united in many aspects of climate change policy, including a more measured approach to introducing emissions pricing, separate treatment of the gases, investing in research and development and broader recognition of carbonsequestering vegetation. The National Party has a policy of setting an emissions price that will not send agricultural production overseas, reviewing methane targets for consistency and ensuring there is no additional warming from the sector. ACT and NZ First both have

policies of not supporting emissions pricing unless adopted by trading partners, to ensure New Zealand growers and producers remain competitive. Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford is not surprised there is plenty of common ground between the three parties. When comparing them with the federation’s pre-election wish list, he said, National has 12 policies in common with Feds, ACT 11 and NZ First 10. Based on the election night results 18 members of the new Parliament – 15% of the total – have direct links to farming and horticulture. Langford expects benefits from that combined knowledge. “We’re looking forward to frontfoot issues rather than being on the back foot as we have been for the last three years.” National wants to lift the ban on genetically engineered and genetically modified organisms to acknowledge technological advances and to potentially find new tools to reduce livestock emissions. Langford said that is one area of difference, with NZ First not as keen to look at the relevance of the current ban as the two other parties.

A doctoral supervisor in Massey University’s School of People, Environment and Planning, Grant Duncan, said it is understandable all three parties would have common agricultural policies because they were all after the same rural vote. “Clearly there has been a lot of protest and dissatisfaction among rural voters at the previous Labour Government,” he said. Policy positions can subtly change and which policies and in what form they get adopted comes down to negotiating power and whether parties join a coalition or sit on the cross benches, he said. All three parties want to encourage on-farm water storage. National plans to make water storage on farmland a permitted activity by introducing a National Environmental Standard for Water Storage and exempting farmers from resource consent for constructing dams. Consents will still be required if wetlands or Significant Natural Areas are affected. There is cross-party support for farm environment plans and to curb the most contentious elements of National Environment Statement on Fresh Water. That includes simplifying the definition of wetlands,

ROW TO HOE: It was no surprise that National, NZ First and ACT – all racing for the same rural vote – had similar agricultural policies, said School of People, Environment and Planning doctoral supervisor at Massey University, Grant Duncan. linking stock exclusion rules to local conditions, deferring intensive winter grazing rules until Freshwater Farm Plans are established and replacing low slope maps, which determine the areas cattle and deer must be excluded from if adjacent to a waterway, with catchment-level rules. Reform of the Significant Natural Areas policy is supported by ACT and NZ First, with both wanting to strengthen property rights. NZ First wants to include them in the NZ Bill of Rights All three parties support the resumption of live animal exports, albeit with more stringent controls, but ACT and NZ First also want to reform the membership of the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee to include

farmers and/or animal handlers. Immigration could be a sticking point. All three parties want barriers lifted to attract immigrants in areas where there are skill shortages, but National and ACT want to allow path to residency for some visas, remove median wage requirements and increase numbers of Recognised Seasonal Employees. NZ First wants a more managed approach, one that links immigration policy with NZ’s interests and needs. It also sees immigration as a way to boost regional populations, by introducing a Rural Visa Scheme requiring migrants to stay in their specified place of settlement until two years after they have secured permanent residency.

Alliance nails down payments after outcry Neal Wallace

NEWS

Food and fibre QUALIFYING Alliance Group suppliers will start receiving newseason advanced payments from Thursday, November 16, after unprecedented demand for the loyalty programme threatened to cause delays. Farmers took to social media last week criticising Alliance’s decision to extend by two weeks the deadline for co-operative shareholders to apply to commit

all their stock to the company this season, for which they receive an advanced payment. Chief executive Willie Wiese said the co-operative has listened to the frustration of shareholders at the delayed payment. “Based on the overwhelming feedback received from our farmers and their need for the advance payment, we have reviewed how we could fairly work through the increased demand and will deposit the advance payments already requested into our farmers’ bank accounts as a single payment on

Thursday 16 November,” he said. “Applications made during the extended period will be paid as a single payment on Monday, 4 December rather than the usual two payments.” The advanced payment programme is open to shareholders who commit 100% of their prime lamb, cattle or deer to Alliance, for which they receive payments of up to 80% of the value. Wiese said this provides funds for suppliers and ensures the co-operative can meet its

commitments to customers. Such was the interest in the scheme given current market volatility, Wiese said, they needed more time to process the applications. “Like all New Zealand meat processors, Alliance is facing significant volatility as a result of geopolitical tensions, inflationary pressures and weakening global markets. “This has flowed through to weaker livestock pricing for our farmers. “Given the challenges, it’s

not surprising there has been considerable demand for the advance payment this coming season, so we have extended the closing date by two weeks until Friday 17 November,” Wiese said. “We wanted to be able to offer the advance payment to as many qualifying farmers as possible in a fair and equitable way, and as a result, we needed more time to process this.” Wiese said following a refresh of its strategy, Alliance is confident it can weather market conditions.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

Nuffield Scholars for 2024 step forward Staff reporter

PEOPLE

Awards

OUR food and fibre sector leaders have been awarded 2024 Nuffield New Zealand Farming Scholarships. The Nuffield Awards Ceremony was hosted by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and the New Zealand Rural Leadership Trust at the Grand Hall in Parliament, Wellington. Carlos Bagrie, an Otago-based sheep, beef and arable farmer, will focus his research on circular farming systems that reduce waste while improving the bottom line. The research of Central Hawke’s Bay agri-investments portfolio manager and dairy farmer Rachel Baker will look at the impact of existing and proposed global food strategies on food producers.

Our leaders need to be more adaptive than ever before, creating healthy and diverse highperforming environments. Kate Scott NZ Rural Leadership Trust Jenna Smith, a Coromandel Māori agribusiness CEO and dairy farmer, will focus on climate change-related land use changes. Peter Templeton, a fifthgeneration Southland dairy farmer, will pursue his interest in the future of farming and the role of innovation. NZ Rural Leadership Trust chair Kate Scott spoke about a global and national context of relentless change, saying that the challenges the sector faces in this context require highperforming leaders for the teams they serve. “Our leaders need to be more adaptive than ever before, creating healthy and diverse highperforming environments that allow teams to acquire the skills and build the resilience they need to thrive in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world,” Scott said. The four new scholars will join the over 180 Nuffield alumni who were awarded scholarships over the past 73 years. Meet the 2024 Nuffield New Zealand Farming Scholars:

• Carlos Bagrie, Otago – sheep and beef/wool/arable/ horticulture Bagrie has been across multiple ends of food production and the value chain, including primary production, distribution, retail and media. He recently founded Royalburn Station, a high-country farm that has carved a niche for itself by distributing premium quality food to some of NZ’s toptier restaurants. He co-founded food distribution company My Food Bag. During the covid lockdowns, Bagrie played director and videographer, filming TV1’s hit Nadia’s Comfort Kitchen on his iPhone. In 2022, he found himself in front of the cameras on TV3’s Nadia’s Farm, a TV show that highlighted the intricacies of farm life and food production at scale. Together, Carlos and Nadia selfpublished a series of No 1 bestselling cookbooks. “I’m humbled to be selected as a Nuffield Scholar and will be focusing my research on circular farming systems that reduce waste while improving the bottom line,” he said. • Rachel Baker, Central Hawke’s Bay – agribusiness/dairy The primary sector is both a passion and growth enabler for Baker. Her path has always involved the people, communities and business of food production. Her extensive professional experience includes working as a dairy veterinarian, a dairy farm systems consultant, sharemilker, dry stock farm owner, educator, and more recently, an asset manager for horticulture investment businesses. “While being relatively new to horticulture, my role as portfolio manager of MyFarm Investments’ Hawke’s Bay apple syndicates has enabled me to learn, understand and challenge the grower model.” Baker’s current governance experience includes serving as a trustee of the Rockit Apple Growers Trust and directorships of horticulture and commercial property. She is a 2016 Kellogg Scholar, a 2018 NZ Dairy Woman of the Year finalist and past chair of the NZ Dairy Industry Awards. On her proposed Nuffield research, Baker said: “My research topic will explore the impact, challenges and opportunities of

You Matter, Let’s Natter

SCHOLARS: Carlos Bagrie, Rachel Baker, Jenna Smith and Peter Templeton with Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor, centre. existing and proposed global food strategies on food producers, with particular interest in the applications for New Zealand.” • Jenna Smith – Coromandel, Māori agribusiness/dairy/beef/ arable/horticulture Smith is the current chief executive of Pouarua, a diverse Māori agribusiness encompassing dairy, arable, beef and horticulture on the Hauraki Plains. Smith serves as a trustee for Dairy Women’s Network, is on the board of BEL Group and chairs St Francis Catholic School in Thames. She has extensive corporate agriculture experience across Waikato, Canterbury, Otago and Southland, having previously worked for Pāmu, and syndicated overseas investment farming portfolios. During this time, she has always “kept a gumboot in the grass” through her and her husband’s farming businesses. Leading Pouarua Farms to be awarded as finalists in the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy for excellence in Māori farming in 2021, Smith was also named a finalist in the 2021 Zanda McDonald Award, which recognises talent and passion for agriculture across Australia and NZ. “I am looking to study economically and sustainably viable alternate land uses for lowlands and peatlands that are

highly susceptible to climatic pressures.” • Peter Templeton – Southland, dairy. Templeton is a fifth-generation dairy farmer based on the south coast of Southland. He is passionate about Southland dairy farming and has been dairy farming for 11 seasons, working his way up from 2IC to farm manager before returning to the family farm in 2016. Templeton began his ownership journey as a 50:50 sharemilker for five seasons, before leasing the

farm for two seasons and finally owning the farm in August 2023. He is interested in focusing on the future of farming, what it is likely to look like on an individual farm basis – in particular on new technologies to implement on farm. “I am always curious to see other systems and challenging myself to see what I could use in my own environment.” Templeton is also excited to see and gain a better understanding of NZ’s value chains, understand how they intend to innovate to compete.

Walk on the rewild side Staff reporter

PEOPLE

Wellbeing NEW Zealanders are being urged to take a walk on the wild side in a new Fish & Game New Zealand public awareness campaign. The Rewild campaign, launched in Christchurch by Fish & Game New Zealand chief executive Corina Jordan and keen angler and hunter Dame Lynda Topp, highlights the many benefits of fishing and hunting, including environmental stewardship and conservation, food-gathering and improving mental health and wellbeing.

The campaign, which will feature stories, social media content, billboards and advertising across the country, will include events and resources to support people wanting to have a go at fishing and hunting. Last year approximately 120,000 people purchased fishing and hunting licences. “We created the Rewild campaign to share our passion with New Zealanders and encourage them to get out in nature and enjoy the benefits nature and wild spaces provide,” Jordan said. Dame Lynda Topp, an angler and hunter since childhood, is supporting the campaign.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

News

Bay catchment group links hills to the sea Richard Rennie

NEWS

Environment

URNING one of New Zealand’s most polluted water systems around is the tough job Alison Dewes expected it to be, but she remains inspired by farmers’ efforts in the past three years. Dewes is operations manager and one of the founders of the Wai Kōkopu catchment group in Western Bay of Plenty. The 35,000ha catchment area feeds into the Waihī estuary at Maketu, once a valued source of seafood but now severely degraded from high nutrient loads and pathogens. The catchment includes 220 orchards and 69 dairy farms stretching back into the steep hill country that lies between the Bay of Plenty and Rotorua Lakes district. “There is a need in this catchment to reduce nitrogen levels by 70%, phosphate by 3040% and also deal with high E coli levels,” Dewes said. Three years ago, the group secured $7.5 million in funding from the Ministry for Primary Industries, the Freshwater Improvement Fund, and philanthropic grants from TECT and Bay Trust. While much has been achieved in helping farms make changes, Dewes is under no illusion there is plenty more to be done. In the three years since, 15 leading farmers have opened

up their properties and books to enable a deep dive into their operations and nutrient management. That includes doing land use capability maps, Overseer budgeting and loss calculations, and tracking nutrient changes and losses over four years. “This has given us the ability to say ‘What can these farmers do while still remaining economically resilient, while lowering their footprint?’” With only this year remaining in its funding window, the group is hoping further funding will become available while it pushes ahead with its focus on demonstrating how farmers can lead in establishing viable, practical environmental management in catchments. The Nettleingham dairy farm at Pongakawa has been held as an example of how a challenging, high-discharging dairy unit has transitioned to one of these lower footprint farms, while still remaining viable (see accompanying article). Having retired 28% of the farm into exotics and native plantings, the property is recording a drop in nitrogen losses of a third against its original operation. Working with the Nettleinghams, the group found the better country on the farm was generating almost twice the feed its steep 30-degreeplus slopes were generating. Retiring the steep country on the edge of the Pongakawa River that feeds into the estuary is signiﬁcantly reducing the river’s

nutrient load, and has left the couple to focus on their betterquality milking country for optimal return.

We are now at the point where we are going to treat the entire catchment as a farm. We are going to model that, looking at the most economic mitigations to get the sort of nutrient reductions we need to get. Alison Dewes Wai Kōkopu catchment group Looking out to carbon reduction needs, the property has also managed to slice its emissions by a third. “Four or ﬁve of our major land users have made moves like this across the last three years with good information and support,” Dewes said. Other achievements by the group in its three years of operation include having over 50 farm plans completed and retiring and restoring over 200ha of steep vulnerable land to natives and exotics, with a further 50ha being sought for this year. More than 200,000 trees have been planted, with another 100,000 scheduled for this year. The group has also proven the Timatatree planting method is an economically viable means of getting more natives in the ground and quickly established.

CAPTURED: Wai Kōkopu operations manager Alison Dewes says retirement of steep country can add profit and slash greenhouse gas and nitrogen losses on most properties. “We are now at the point where we are going to treat the entire catchment as a farm. We are going to model that, looking at the most economic mitigations to get the sort of nutrient reductions we need to get.” With one eye on extended funding to keep the group running, Dewes is excited by the prospects for farmer catchment groups nationally.

As they have expanded in both islands, she said, within a year it is quite likely all New Zealand’s farmer catchment groups – which encompass over 3 million hectares – will come together under a single collective umbrella. She said this would add horsepower to the groups’ desire to see farmer-led initiatives rather than council regulations setting the agenda for land management.

Pongakawa farmers drop cows for trees Richard Rennie

NEWS

Land use PONGAKAWA dairy farmers Ann and Will Nettleingham have swapped out cows for trees in the past two years and provide an inspiring example of a pathway to mixed land use that ensures their farm remains viable and environmentally sustainable. The couple opened up their property to 80 farmers, foresters and growers to visit as part of their participation in the Wai Kōkopu catchment group, covering 35,000

hectares of land behind the heavily polluted Little Waihī Estuary, near Maketu. The catchment is one of the most environmentally challenged in New Zealand, requiring a 70% reduction in nitrogen and 40% drop in phosphate losses, with E coli also a major problem in waterways. After years of consolidating land titles, increasing cow numbers, and using nitrogen to ﬁll feed holes, Ann Nettleingham said, the farm peaked as a high-pressure unit, milking 750 cows twice a day across the entire 250ha, which

PLANTED: Bill and Ann Nettleingham say the move to more trees and fewer cows has made their farm operation more sustainable and appealing.

includes steep, 30-degree-plus slopes. “It was high pressure for a lot of the time, on the cows, the people and the environment.” A forced move to once-a-day milking ﬁve years ago helped bring a more holistic, relaxed pace to the operation, and the move to plant more trees and cut herd numbers has taken it a step further. In the past two years cow numbers have been cut back from 750 to 440, and under a 2022 planting programme, pine, redwood and mixed natives were planted, totalling 30ha and taking the total planted area to 67ha. The plantings are dominated by carbon-generating pines, comprising about half the planted area, along with redwoods and 8ha of planted natives alongside 18ha of existing native trees. “With the forestry, we have been dropping our cow numbers from that peak of 700 down to 456, basically reinvesting the money from those cows back into the trees,” Ann said. The couple have also identiﬁed 38ha of land suitable for kiwifruit development, to occur when returns improve in the near future. The couple’s inspiration for their

transition came in part from Wai Kōkopu founding member John Burke’s enthusiasm and proven track record of native planting on his own award-winning farm. Input from expert forester Graham West also helped determine the most effective way to plant the pines to ensure they are efficient at slowing surface water flow, while continuing to grow grass in the valleys for the cows. Contour planting, as opposed to running lines of pine straight from ridge to valley, will also lend a greater aesthetic to the trees as they mature. West said putting the trees into the Emissions Trading Scheme to get carbon-averaged cashflow also makes the move easier. If government meddling in the scheme were less, there would be more farmers inclined to embark on a transition like the Nettlinghams’, he said. “There will be no environmental benefit for four years from the pines, but in that time they will grow like mushrooms, and by year six will be slowing 40% of rainfall runoff.” West acknowledged many landowners may be “anti-pine”,

but at $1600 a hectare planting cost they remain the most costeffective, rapid-growing solution to sequester carbon and improve water slope runoff. “They have this amazing ability to grow almost anywhere on any slope in NZ. Scientists are only just starting to understand why this is and how its root system enables it.” West dismissed claims pines would collapse after 30 years, pointing to stands in Kaingaroa Forest that have existed for 100 years, and other long-lived stands in Wellington city. The economics of the move for the Nettlinghams also look positive. Modelling by agricultural economist Phil Journeaux highlighted how per-cow production has increased by 22% from the original farm operation. Total earnings are up 33%, and greenhouse gases emissions are down by a third, as are nitrogen losses. Based on those numbers, catchment group operations manager Alison Dewes challenged farmers to reconsider whether putting stock on steeper country was in fact the right move.

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

NZ lawyers also say ‘bugger’ to Hilux Richard Rennie

NEWS

Transport

HOUSANDS of farmers may be eligible to participate in a class action being taken against Toyota for a fault in the engine of its utes that has already cost the auto giant a $1 billionplus lawsuit across the Tasman. The New Zealand branch of Australian law firm Shine Lawyers is leading the charge against Toyota New Zealand, having filed an application in the Palmerston North High Court to pursue a lawsuit that relates to at least 35,000 Toyota Hilux, Prados and Fortuner models sold in NZ between October 2015 and 2020. The suit centres on the same issue that cost Toyota Australia a court case. It relates to the ute’s diesel particulate filter (DPF) system failing to operate properly, resulting in some vehicles emitting foul-smelling white smoke, delivering lower engine efficiency and performance. The DPFs are in place as a pollution control device, burning off pollutants and harmful emissions. Shine will be representing owners of the vehicles that are powered by the 1GD-FTV or 2GD-FTV 2.8

litre diesels manufactured after October 1 2015. The Australia class action ﬁled in 2019 resulted in the court ruling in favour of the vehicles’ 250,000 owners putting a value on the damages of 17.5%, or over A$2.5 billion. ($2.7bn) This would have made it the largest damages claim in Australian consumer history. Toyota appealed the decision. Its appeal was declined earlier this year, but the judge reduced the damages liability to 10% of the vehicles’ value, amounting to about A$1bn on vehicles manufactured between 2015 and 2020. This represents a value of about A$5000 per vehicle. The automaker was found to be in breach of consumer law in Australia, having engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct in the marketing of the vehicles with the faulty DPF during their sale, impacting on the value of the affected vehicles. The court did, however, acknowledge that Toyota found an effective ﬁx for the problem in May 2020, offered free to owners and extended the warranty on the vehicles to 10 years. Shine Lawyers senior associate Hamish Davies said the action was being funded by a specialist litigation funding company, Courthouse Capital. He said he was somewhat

SMOKING: Toyota NZ says it will defend the class action and continues to offer related repairs free of charge.

surprised that legal action had not kicked off sooner in NZ. He confirmed the company sought to repeat the outcome of the case in Australia. “The DPF is required meet environmental standards, it’s a serious part of the vehicle and the consequences of a defective one in Australia were quite significant. It can damage the engine, emit white smoke and affect fuel efficiency.” Toyota has the opportunity to file a defence against the action over the next fortnight. Davies noted that in appealing the court’s decision in Australia, Toyota never disputed the fault with the vehicles, only the amount

that fault had been valued at. A Toyota NZ spokesperson said the company has been and remains committed to assisting any customer whose vehicle experiences a DPF issue and continues to provide any related repairs free of charge. “This has been our position to date, and we will defend the class action.” As the matter is now before the court, the company had no further comment. The law ﬁrm has set up a registration log for owners wanting to register, but Davies was unable to say how many had registered at this point. Hilux has long been a popular

farm vehicle choice for farmers and defended a long-held reputation as the country’s No 1 four-wheel drive until 2015. Since then, Ford Ranger has knocked it off its perch, and continues to be the country’s No 1 seller. Davies acknowledged class actions in NZ are relatively rare, with NZ’s court system less geared to such actions. The last signiﬁcant class action affecting the rural sector was when kiwifruit growers successfully took the Crown to court over its management that led to the Psa outbreak. That action resulted in an out-of-court settlement of $40 million.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

News

Job-check process frustrates farmers Neal Wallace

NEWS

Employment

T IS quicker and easier to employ someone visiting New Zealand on a holiday visa than it currently is to renew a working visa for a farm worker, a dairy farmer says. The dairy farmer, who Farmers Weekly agreed not to name, said he faces at least a four-month process seeking an Immigration NZ renewal of a working visa for an experienced European dairy farmworker he currently employs. The farmer is seeking an Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) for the staff member, who has worked in NZ for a year and been in his employ for five months. His visa expires at the end of this month. To employ a migrant worker under the AEWV scheme, the employer must first be accredited, then complete a job check to ensure that there are no suitable New Zealanders it could hire and train, before the role is offered to someone from overseas. The final step is the visa application. Immigration NZ (INZ) said processing a visa application will take six weeks – and when it comes to assessing whether there are available local candidates

with the right skills for the position, or job checking, it recommends allowing another six weeks. Prior to a tightening of the AEWV process, visa renewal took 10 working days. The farmer said he has spent three months on the job-checking process alone.

We have moved more staff onto processing applications under the AEWV gateways and expect improvements in wait times over the next few months as a result. Spokesperson Immigration NZ Previously that check was done through candidates on the books of Work and Income NZ. Now prospective employers have to advertise through employment sites. In the farmer’s case his advertisement attracted 160 applicants, most unsuited and many from overseas or visiting on holiday or student visas. After three months of assessing the applicants, just three were deemed potentially suitable. One did not answer their phone, another wanted on-farm accommodation, which was

not available, and the third was deemed inappropriate, requiring him to source references from the candidate’s former employers. The farmers said the job check disproportionately extends the process. INZ admits its processing times have increased following changes to the AEWV scheme. The policy is designed to ensure New Zealanders are ﬁrst in line for jobs and is intended to avoid employers exploiting migrants. To achieve this, the spokesperson said, changes were made to the AEWV applications process to require more information and evidence from employers. That ensures job vacancies are current and genuine and that employers can support the migrants they plan to hire. “There are currently increasing wait times at the job-check stage. “The ﬁrst two stages were introduced with a high trust model and consequently had a quicker turnaround time. “We have moved more staff onto processing applications under the AEWV gateways and expect improvements in wait times over the next few months as a result.” Federated Farmers dairy section chair Richard McIntyre has met with INZ, which is aware that prospective employers are frustrated.

Fast talkers win over judges Suz Bremner

MARKETS Skills

THE build-up to Canterbury Show week has begun with the Heartland Bank Young Auctioneers’ competition, held with the prime cattle competition at the regular sale day last week. A ﬁeld of 13 young auctioneers from around New Zealand took part – the biggest number since the competition began. The auctioneers were put through their paces with a theory test the day before and then each auctioned three lots of competition steers.

Rural Livestock auctioneer Mick Withers said the judges were impressed with the calibre of the contestants. “The judges noted a lift in the quality and consistency of the auctioning and this competition has had an impact on that,” he said. Contestants can enter as many times as they like, until they take the title, and for Hazlett Livestock agent Henry Miller from Kurau it was ﬁfth-time lucky as he out-auctioned second placed Alex Horn from PGG Wrightson, Canterbury, and Karl Chitam from Carrﬁelds, North Waikato.

WINNER: Hazlett Livestock auctioneer Henry Miller (right) took out the Heartland Bank Young Auctioneers competition, held at the Canterbury Park saleyards. Second place was Alex Horn from PGG Wrightson and third place was Karl Chitham from Carrfields.

Miller now has the opportunity to travel to the Sydney Royal Easter Show and sell as an exhibitor. This is a reciprocal programme and Justin Rohde from Nutrien Ag Solutions, Central Queensland, also auctioned at the Tuesday competition, as an exhibitor to showcase Australian auctioning. The competition was sponsored by Heartland Bank, the New Zealand Stock and Station Association and Bushbuck. The prime cattle competition, sponsored by Progressive Enterprises and the Canterbury Saleyards Company, is always a popular event, with many farmers eyeing the prize. This year, 107 entries were spread across the six different categories with a wide range of breeds on show. The single prime steer section was won by Te Aka Farm, Little River, with a Speckle Park-beef entry, while a pair of SimmentalAngus steers from Seaton Farming, Aylesbury, took out the pair of steers section and also went on to win Supreme Champion. Seaton Farming also won the single heifer with a Limousin and the pair of heifers was won by Aschwood, Vanasch, West Melton, with two South Devon. The dairybeef pair was won by Withers with Murray Grey-Friesian and the local trade section went to C & K Herbert, Scargill. The livestock competitions continue during show week as sale stock are replaced with show stock.

HANDS: A dairy farmer says he faces at least a four-month process seeking an Immigration NZ renewal of a working visa for an experienced European dairy farmworker he currently employs.

Global dairy rise takes a pause Hugh Stringleman

NEWS

Dairy

THE two-month upswing in Global Dairy Trade prices has halted in the ﬁrst auction of November, but only with a small downwards movement. The GDT index fell by 0.7% after four consecutive fortnightly increases of 2.7%, 4.6%, 4.4% and 4.3% respectively. Prices for four of the six dairy commodities offered rose while whole milk powder fell by 2.7% and butter was down 1.6%. The halt in upward momentum will not cause dairy analysts to reduce their farmgate milk price forecasts, having lifted their predictions to around $7.25 earlier in October. That is also the midpoint of Fonterra’s forecast range $6.50 to $8/kg milksolids, which was raised 50c a month ago. NZX analyst Cristina Alvarado said the latest GDT results were a surprising mixture, especially the 2.3% increase for skim milk powder and the 3.1% increase for anhydrous milk fat when butter had a slide. “With a general bearish sentiment, we got some bullish results, including WMP which

went down for the first time in the past four events.” ASB economist Nat Keall said a stronger patch of New Zealand milk production figures in September may have helped stifle WMP prices, along with a background of weak consumption. “The upward kink in the WMP contract cure implies that buyers are still keen to ensure continuity of supply further into the season. “Given projected El Niño conditions in NZ and the pressures on farmgate margins, NZ dairy production can still underperform during its peak production months.” Keall said economic growth among major dairy importers is still anaemic as the season draws to a close – with the outlook considerably below average in the case of China. “This is not a recipe for strong global dairy consumption.” Westpac senior agri economist Nathan Penny said markets had been factoring in an El Niño drought and the September milk production lift of 1.3% came as a surprise. “In our view, this has been overdone, as water tables remain high and farmers have ample feed to mitigate any drought effect.”

CHANGE: Prices for four of the six dairy commodities offered rose, while whole milk powder fell by 2.7%.

Together, Creating the Best Soil and Food on Earth

Aaron Stafford, Ballance National Corporate Account Manager.

Setting up your farm for a strong El Niño year Forward planning is more essential than ever right now as we face reduced farm budgets and an El Niño summer ahead. In the latest Farmers Weekly In Focus podcast episode, Bryan Gibson chats to Aaron Stafford, Ballance National Corporate Account Manager, to find out what farmers can do to be ready. Here are some of the tips they discussed.

What does El Niño mean for farmers across the country?

What can farmers do right now to prepare?

The big thing is the abrupt change that we’re starting to see. As Aaron describes it, “The cycle has almost flipped on its head! To use a North Island example, we’ve gone from a very wet autumn and winter, and now we’re going into a windy dry phase. Pastures have lost a lot of nitrogen and sulphur over the winter period and now they’re looking quite stressed”. Of course, El Niño doesn’t mean the same thing everywhere. The lower South Island and the West Coast areas of both islands are likely to have more rainfall this summer.

Aaron has a number of suggestions to share. “If it’s likely to be dry in your area, there’s a window in spring which could be a good time to use nitrogen early. Ask yourself, can you take more silage or baleage? What crops can you get in the ground now to set yourself up for the drier period post-Christmas? Leverage what you can in the spring timeframe, while you’ve got the soil moisture there.” Aaron is also a big advocate for the role of legumes in supporting robust seasonal pasture systems. “Tightening your fertiliser budget can make sense as a short term strategy to manage cashflow, but not if it will impact on your legume base. With nitrogen caps, getting more from your natural clover system is more important than ever.”

Right product, right place, right time, right amount Remember the four Rs to help your fert budget go further. Right time: Apply nutrients, particularly N, earlier in the season for areas that could go dry. Right rate: Consider lower nutrient rates in the front third of the paddock, and higher rates at the rear. Right place: Maintain exclusion areas around high fertility areas like troughs and gateways. Right product: Aaron’s top tip in these windy spring conditions is to consider using SustaiN rather than urea, because wind drives ammonia loss, so you’re protecting the nitrogen you’re putting on.

We are here to help. Contact your Ballance Nutrient Specialist for farm specific advice or reach out to our Customer Services Team.

ballance.co.nz | 0800 222 090 BAL0033 Ballance Podcast Promo FW_380x262mm_4.indd 1

Seek local advice Ballance is always here to help farmers. If you don’t already have a relationship with your nutrient specialist, you can call the Ballance customer services team and they’ll put you in touch with your local contact. It’s also helpful to talk to other farmers in your local area and find out what’s working for them, or talk to agronomists about what types of crops will work for you in the forecast summer/autumn ahead in your area. We’re all in this together and there’s lots of good advice out there.

Scan to listen to the In Focus podcast

24/10/23 2:13 PM

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

News

‘Third wave’ land use shift on the way Richard Rennie

NEWS

Land

THIRD wave of land use change is about to wash through much of rural New Zealand as a combination of economic, demographic and climatic impacts conspire to shift pastoral hill country farming within 10 years. So says Andrew Watters, founder of MyFarm. Watters said the changes can provide as many opportunities as challenges for farmers, particularly within the lower and central North Island, and he is urging farmers to be curious about what they could gain from them.

There are some unintended consequences of such land use changes. Andrew Watters MyFarm The company is hosting a carbon and mānuka honey seminar on November 28 in Palmerston North to provide farmers, landowners and industry a forum to constructively examine the opportunities and how additional

income streams can be leveraged from them. “In my time we have seen the conversion of marginal land to sheep farming through the Muldoon era, and the second was the growth of dairy farming from 1990 to 2014 with cow numbers going from 2.4 million to over 5 million.” He said he foresees the third phase of land use change to be less pasture on North Island hill country, replaced by more exotic and native forests. Farmers may not always like aspects of such changes, for example the large-scale arrival of dairying in Southland at the start of the dairy wave, he said. “There are some unintended consequences of such land use changes.” Most recently this had been in the form of concerns over increased plantings of forestry in traditional sheep and beef regions, and particularly carbon forestry. But the underlying causes could be sheeted back to a lack of cash surpluses from pastoral farming and an aging farmer population. Related to this the difﬁculties of managing the equitable succession of farm ownership from one generation to the next. “If carbon is an investment, and

STORMY: MyFarm head Andrew Watters predicts the lower North Island will look quite different within 10 years following a ‘third wave’ of land use change in New Zealand. it has a value, then suddenly a new income driver is there to consider.” He anticipated anywhere from 500,000ha to 700,000ha of new forestry being planted in the next decade, some as native, some as exotic and hybrids of the two. “With many hill country farms, you have income coming down and costs coming up and interest rate costs alone have doubled. Farmers can usually make their way through to the other side of that cycle. But when it comes to succession issues, the days of just being able to leave the farm to the oldest son are gone.” Having a value on carbon presents an opportunity for families to consider options,

whether they are to cash up and sell to forestry or consider the prospect of integrating forestry into existing land uses to support the needs of the farming family. Other options the seminar will encourage farmers to consider include the planting of native mānuka on parts of the farm. The fast-growing native has a better carbon sequestration rate than most natives, and can provide a base for higher value mānuka honey production. He is also anticipating in a decade or more there will be a form of biodiversity credit to bring additional value to land that is planted in such natives. Farmers will have the

opportunity to examine the spectrum of land use options such markets present, with input from the likes of Pāmu’s chief investment ofﬁcer, Andrew Sliper, and Comvita’s chief operating ofﬁcer, Tracy Brown. Watters said not all hill country farms are suitable for wholesale forestry conversion, and Afforestation Partners GM Andrew Buswell will outline what does and does not constitute a convertible property. “Whilst the core audience for this seminar is MyFarm investors, we have opened the doors for interested farmers and service providers to gather information,” Watters said.

Vastly more cropland needed to feed world Staff reporter

MARKETS

Food and fibre AN ADDITIONAL 70-80 million hectares of cropland, equivalent to all of Brazil’s cropland, will be required by 2030 to sustain the world’s demand for food, feed, fuel and natural capital, a new report by global consultants McKinsey and Co says. The report, Striking the Balance: catalyzing a sustainable land use transition, notes that most of the demand is driven by three factors: feedstock, food and fuel. McKinsey anticipates that producing feed for livestock production may account for around 70% of all incremental cropland needed by 2030; crop production for human consumption around 20%; and biofuel production the remaining approximately 10%. While the requirement calculated by McKinsey’s model represents less than 10% of additional cropland for feedstocks compared to today, it is a signiﬁcant ask when competition for available and suitable land parcels in other vital areas is intensifying. Hotspots of competition are already emerging in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, which

are likely to be the source of most additional cropland, where land and food prices could increase. “Today 60% of the earth’s habitable land is in use by humans,” said Amandla OokoOmbaka, a partner at McKinsey. “The appetite for land – particularly for food and fuel – is putting pressure on arable land. But unlike in previous decades, new cropland cannot come from deforestation. We need to change how we use land to meet our commitments to climate and nature, and feed a growing global population.” To meet and, where possible, offset additional land demand, McKinsey says conversion of degraded land, stronger yield growth and efﬁciencies from increased trade will be required. However, it’s likely this alone won’t be sufﬁcient, and actions to reduce land demand such as behavior change, reducing food waste and seeking alternative offshore resources are most likely required for a sustainable land transition. The report notes that these actions would require substantial investment from both public and private stakeholders. For example, converting 70-80 million hectares of pastureland to cropland could cost an estimated $300 billion.

The value of these investments is likely to be signiﬁcant, accounting for the higher market price of cropland over pastureland and the added value related to the protection of climate and biodiversity. However, this will require intentional collaboration between public and private sector. McKinsey senior partner Nelson Ferreira said the world will need both sides of the supply-demand equation to strike a balance. “Adverse climate conditions and other shocks to market dynamics could put even more pressure on

supply than our conservative case assumes. Striking the balance is critical for both public and private sector players. Input providers need to know that land prices will increase by the end of the decade. Farmers’ margins will decrease, and input providers need to understand what it means for farmers. “Funds investing in land need to know that some of the hotspots for food, fuel and biodiversity are the same. There could be a race for prime spots of land – so they have to decide where to go now. Similarly, governments can help

GROWTH: McKinsey anticipates that producing feed for livestock production may account for around 70% of all incremental cropland needed by 2030.

create the right incentives and investment in public infrastructure to support a sustainable land use transition, for example irrigation to support restoration of degraded land.” To start to deliver a solution, McKinsey says, a mix of rigorous land use analytics that create an evidence base for net-zero and nature-positive transitions and a pragmatic approach to quickly act on yield, trade and land conversion levers are important. The report identiﬁes 10 “acceleration actions” that target speciﬁc sectors, with potential to offset more than half the land need to 2030 – for example scaling up resilient agricultural practices, including doublecropping, increasing energy and power crops like brassica carinata, and implementing nature-based solution carbon credits through reforestation and conversion of pastureland to forest cover. “With just six harvest cycles until 2030, the risk of passing crucial climate tipping points on the path to net-zero could be substantially higher if we do not act now. Every organisation that uses land in any way – or that is concerned with food security, energy security, or the protection of the environment – should be part of the solution.”

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

News

Sir John key to Zespri’s China kiwifruit woes Richard Rennie

NEWS

Horticulture

ORMER prime minister Sir John Key has been bought in to top-level negotiations between Zespri and Chinese officials to try to resolve the issue of unauthorised SunGold kiwifruit being grown in China. The issue of the illegally grown fruit has been a thorn in Zespri’s side for the past five years as the area under SunGold vines in Sichuan province has increased to about 8000ha, greater than the area being grown in New Zealand. The fruit was illegally exported to China by a NZ company later found guilty of breaching plant variety rights and fined $15 million. The company went into liquidation and on appeal had its penalty reduced to $12.1m. Sir John, Zespri CEO Dan Mathieson and chair Bruce Cameron met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. Mathieson said the meeting involved discussions around the importance of IP protection. “We have been encouraged

by the support we’ve received from within China as we’ve sought to address the challenge of unauthorised Gold3 kiwifruit plantings in China,” he said. “This includes the steps taken to amend its Seed Law to grant stronger protections to investors in plant varieties. The unauthorised plantings remain a signiﬁcant challenge with around 8000a in the ground in China, putting at risk the signiﬁcant investment by growers through the potential for oversupply,” Mathieson said. Two years ago, kiwifruit growers were given the opportunity to vote on whether or not to allow Zespri to run a trial allowing Chinese growers to use Zespri marketing and standards to sell the fruit. The vote required 75% support but fell short, at 70%. Mathieson said strong IP protection would be critical to any such partnership, which would rely on New Zealand grower support. “Zespri has also launched legal action in China as part of our efforts to address the issue,” he said. While the pace of SunGold plantings in Sichuan has slowed,

it remains an ongoing concern for Zespri amid risks that the fruit could spill into the company’s export supply calendar, affecting price points and quality standards for the premium fruit’s category.

Zespri has also launched legal action in China as part of our efforts to address the issue. Dan Mathieson Zespri Zespri has managed to achieve more robust protection of its brand in China in recent years, being afforded the sort of copyright protection granted to global corporations including Nike and Disney. It is also now possible to seek prosecution of retailers of the fruit, rather than just orchard growers. Sir John was instrumental in reinforcing the Chinese-NZ free trade agreement that was signed off under the Clark-led Labour government in 2008. During his tenure as PM he made seven state

INFLUENCER: Sir John Key is helping to negotiate with the Chinese over Zespri’s problems with illegally grown fruit. visits to China and reinforced several primary sector deals, particularly for dairy. “The foreign minister was very complimentary of Zespri’s track record here and commitment to the China market and of New Zealand’s high-quality produce. He was reassuring that New Zealand

could have conﬁdence in China,” said Sir John. “We also respectfully raised the issue of the unauthorised plantings and the foreign minister was very understanding of the issue and committed that the matter would be handled according to the law.”

Rockit apples plant their ﬂag in South Island Staff reporter

NEWS

Horticulture THE ﬁrst Rockit apples are now growing in the South Island as the company behind the brand looks to expand its geographical footprint. An initial 20 hectares of apples has been planted in Canterbury, with plans to expand to more than 100ha in the region over the next three years. Rockit Global chair John Loughlin said horticulture has the potential to transform the rural Canterbury landscape in the next 20 years.

“Growing apples uses signiﬁcantly less water and requires markedly lower nitrogen inputs than either dairy or arable production and, as a perennial crop, it doesn’t require annual cultivation,” he said. Rockit general manager commercial Tom Lane said a key part of Rockit’s strategy is geographical diversiﬁcation. “Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne remain home for Rockit, but we are looking to ensure the longterm resilience of our growing footprint. “We are using climate scenario modelling to identify new growing

regions and see Canterbury becoming a prime region for horticultural production in New Zealand in coming years.” Rockit’s ﬁrst South Island partner is Turley Farms.

Growing apples uses signiﬁcantly less water and requires markedly lower nitrogen inputs than either dairy or arable production. John Loughlin Rockit Global

GROWTH: It is hoped to have 100ha of Rockit apples growing in Canterbury within three years.

“Murray and Margaret Turley have a well-deserved reputation as excellent growers at the forefront of innovation and diversification. We are proud to have them as our first commercial partner in the South Island,” Lane said. The Turleys have been significant and innovative producers in Canterbury for more than 50 years, transforming low productivity, dry crop and stock properties into high-value vegetable and arable land. In 2012, they bought into Dairy Holdings, which runs 63 dairy farms and 20 support blocks and, the following year, created Farmers

Mill, which produces all the flour for Griffins NZ. The state-of-the-art facility allows local growers to mill their own wheat. Onion processing plant Southern Packers is another of their ventures. In 2021, Turley agronomist Dominic Cosgrove visited Hawke’s Bay to study the viability of planting apples on a Turley property in Rangitata. The resulting trial orchard, planted under the 2D system with dripline irrigation, gave the Turleys the confidence to align with Rockit. The joint venture between Rockit and Turley Farms has seen an initial 20ha of Rockit apples planted this year. The parties are looking for a third partner to join them to take the total development to at least 100ha over the next three years. Turley Farms Ltd chief executive Murray Turley said the company began exploring the potential for growing pip fruit in South Canterbury two and a half years ago. “During this exploration, Rockit apples emerged as a standout opportunity, offering excellent eating characteristics, a unique consumer proposition and brand, great growing support and premium returns for growers.” Winner of the Supreme Award at the 2022 New Zealand International Business Awards, Rockit is now selling into more than 30 different territories, including China, India, Vietnam, the United States and United Arab Emirates.

News

15 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

NZPork eyes opportunities in home market Annette Scott

NEWS

Food and fibre

HE pork industry has kicked off a programme exploring opportunities to extract more value from locally produced pork supplied into the domestic market. The programme of work is based on new strategic priorities as part of year one of a three-year strategic plan for the organisation. In the latest issue of PorkOutlook, NZ Pork chief executive Brent Kleiss said pig farmers face a number of challenges that are impacting the industry’s longterm sustainability. There has been a contraction in the number of pig farmers as well as other headwinds including import competition, rising production costs, consenting processes and uncertainty over animal welfare and environmental standards. Kleiss said despite the challenges, “the industry remains optimistic and committed to ﬁnding solutions that will enable it to not only survive but to thrive”. One potential opportunity is to extract more value from locally produced pork supplied into the domestic market. “To this end, the industry will

actively engage in analysing the value chain from farm to plate to identify opportunities to increase farmer returns.” This will begin with a review of the current wholesale supply model and engagement with wholesalers and retailers to encourage a rethink of how farmers can be rewarded in a way that drives desired quality and carcase characteristics. “We will explore the development of new products that meet evolving consumer expectations and preferences.” NZPork will also be looking into a research partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFFF) fund. “We understand that limited funding availability can be a signiﬁcant barrier to conducting impactful research. “By partnering with MPI’s SFFF fund and other industry stakeholders, we want to leverage our resources to support research projects that align with our industry’s longer-term goals.” Kleiss said the strategic priorities will not detract from the importance placed on ongoing business-as-usual functions. “Our strong focus on our advocacy and industry support functions in biosecurity, animal welfare and the environment

LOOKING AHEAD: Despite challenges, the pork industry says it remains optimistic and committed to finding solutions that will enable it to not only survive but to thrive.

Industry will actively engage in analysing the value chain from farm to plate to identify opportunities to increase farmer returns. Brent Kleiss NZPork spaces will continue as part of our service to farmers.” NZPork is committed to working collaboratively with other industry

players to achieve these goals. “By engaging proactively with the industry, our stakeholders, government agencies and regulators, the board is conﬁdent that it can overcome new and current challenges and continue to deliver quality outcomes that beneﬁt NZ producers, manufacturers and all pork consumers.” Just under 633,000 pigs are produced each year in NZ with 34% of these processed in the North Island and 66% in the South Island, and with 85% of commercial pig production under

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the Born and Raised NZ PigCare programme. The Strategic and Consultative Intent 2023 three-year plan highlights existing priorities – biosecurity, the animal welfare code and environmental and council compliance. Areas of strategic focus are the value chain review, strengthened research partnerships and domestic commitment to NZ pork. Other priorities for the industry are enhancing meat quality, keeping an eye on export and sector conﬁdence.

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17 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

Risk management a key skill for farmers Annette Scott

NEWS

Production

ARMERS are having to keep a lot of balls in the air when making production system decisions, but it is important to identify risk and manage it. This was the message from speakers at a recent agri-industry science forum. The New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science forum at Lincoln University focused on building resilient production systems. In his address to the forum, Jon Manhire of The Agribusiness Group said planning for resilience is about risk management. “Focusing on risk is a really good way of building resilience and risk can create opportunities. “Risk management is not a new concept, it aims to maximise results and minimise consequences. Resilience is the capacity to bear risk. “It is important to identify risk and manage it or you won’t be around in the future,” he said. Natural hazards are relatively low on the list of reasons businesses fail. Manhire presented figures showing key reasons for failure are: economic factors, 47%; financial troubles such as excessive debt, operating expenses and insufficient capital, 38%; inexperience, 7%; owner neglect, including business conflicts, family problems and poor work

habits, 4%; and other, including natural disasters, 3%. “We are in a world where farmers really have to manage their own risk as best as possible in their own business, as farming is so variable across sectors and within sectors. “Individual businesses and farm systems are driven by any number of reasons, but strategic response is key, rather than proactive response.” Risks can be identified, evaluated and prioritised at a farm or sector scale. When preparing a situational analysis consider the PESTE framework – political, economic, social, technological and environmental dimensions – and rank potential strategic risks. “It needs to be an input into a strategic planning process and updated regularly to ensure that it is responsive to changing conditions with active monitoring, evaluation and management for predicting future risks.” There is a need for the development and promotion of case studies, tools and specialist skills, as well as chief risk officers to help agribusiness identify and manage risks. “Chief risk officers in global businesses have taken the science of risk management to another level. There’s a gap there in relation to NZ’s capability,” Manhire said. GNS principal social scientist Nick Craddock-Henry said building resilience in rural communities and the industries they support is about choice.

At some point, he said, current practice will no longer be sufﬁcient. “Resilience is driven by complex interconnected factors, many of which are driven by factors beyond NZ shores.

Our system in NZ is very much dominated by the stick, not the carrot. Jo Drummond Foundation for Arable Research “A systems perspective is needed. We need to choose to invest in resilience, identify thresholds and tipping points, account for interactions and have ﬂexibility in planning, and be able to anticipate uncertain or novel change. “There are options but no silver bullets. “We can use the past as a guide to the future and challenge the way of our own thinking, but what resilience means to individuals for what end is what will drive investment.” Building resilience into highvalue export and domestic cropping systems is a juggling act for farmers, Foundation for Arable Research senior researcher Jo Drummond said. “Farmers are increasingly being asked to grow more with fewer tools. “We can already grow more on less land. We can also grow more with less chemistry.” But is it enough? “Our system in NZ is very much

TOUGH: Building resilience into high-value export and domestic cropping systems is a juggling act for farmers, Foundation for Arable Research senior researcher Jo Drummond says. dominated by the stick, not the carrot. “Our growers aren’t incentivised with grants and subsidies. This makes it harder for our exporters so the impetus is to only change when you have no other choices, which is a difﬁcult road as opposed to voluntary change, which requires more thought, but allows for greater readiness and ﬂexibility.” The challenge is with the breeders and plant-breeding technologies. “To reduce our footprint we

need to rationalise each application, conserve, protect and support. “We need effective use of plant genetics, cultivar selection, integrating new crop protection technologies, rationalising chemical pesticides programmes – genetic diversity in a mix, but also in a monoculture. “Some time we need to take the plunge and take all our growers on the agroecology systems journey. It needs some big thinking and some big support,” Drummond said.

OIO grants Wairarapa sale under new rules Neal Wallace

NEWS

Land

TEST: The previous special forestry test, which required investors to use the land exclusively for forestry, replant after harvesting and not live on the land, has been elevated to purchases being of benefit to New Zealand.

THE sale of a South Wairarapa sheep and beef farm to a foreign forestry company is the first to be granted under the new, higher “benefit to New Zealand” threshold. Overseas Investment Office decisions for October included approval for the sale of the 256ha Cannock Road property to United Kingdom-owned NZ Forestry Partnership. This is the company’s second land purchase in NZ. After pressure from rural communities watching vast areas of farmland being bought by foreign buyers and converted to forestry, the government elevated the threshold forestry investors must meet for approval to buy NZ land. The previous special forestry test, which required investors to use the land exclusively for forestry, replant after harvesting and not live on the land, has been elevated to purchases being of benefit to NZ. That test has factors that must be met through creating jobs,

introducing skills and technology, improved productivity, introducing processing as well as community and environmental benefits. The NZ Forestry Partnership purchase has met the new test. In its decision, the OIO said the property is Land Use Class 6 and 7. “The investment is likely to benefit to NZ through increased job opportunities, increased revenue from the land, increased development expenditure, various ecological benefits, advancing significant government policy and

The investment is likely to benefit to NZ through increased job opportunities, increased revenue from the land, increased development expenditure, various ecological benefits, advancing significant government policy and potential increased public access. Overseas Investment Office

potential increased public access,” it said. “Consent was granted as ministers were satisfied that the applicant has met the investor test criterion and that the investment is likely to result in benefit to NZ.” In September an application to buy a 300ha farm in West Otago under the “benefit to NZ” test was declined, even though it cited similar benefits. One difference was that the Otago farm was 80% Land Use Class 4 and 20% Land Use Class 6. The October decisions also include granting approval to Japan-based Oji Fibre Solutions to buy a 302ha sheep and beef farm at Rotorua under its standing consent provisions granted in 2020. That approval allows it to buy up to 15,000ha by September next year. This is its second purchase. Approval was also granted to Ingka Investments to buy existing forests in Taranaki and Whakatane, and to Ponga Silva to purchase a Tokomaru Bay forest. Since the start of 2022, the OIO has issued 89 sale decisions in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors, covering 226,275ha.

18 Editorial

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

Opinion Letters of the week Save Feds’ policy teams Andrew McGiven, Bruce Cameron, Colin Guyton, John Numan and Reon Verry Federated Farmers members

From the Editor

Nufﬁeld’s new crop picked Craig Page

Deputy editor

HE Nuffield Scholarship class of 2024 has been announced and once again it has given us a glimpse of the enormous talent that exists in New Zealand’s primary sector. From the Coromandel to Hawke’s Bay, Central Otago and Southland, no stone was left unturned to find the best recipients for the highly prized award. The scholarship was established 73 years ago to help fast-track the professional development of those in the food and fibre sector. The criteria for applicants was a desire to hold positions of influence in their field and to give back to their industries and rural communities. Scholars come from a variety of backgrounds: from hands-on farming in agriculture, horticulture, viticulture, aquaculture, seafood, apiculture and forestry, through to research, regulatory and agri-professionals.

The prize is considered by many to be career defining and provides a chance to travel the world, carry out research and, ultimately, benefit New Zealand. The latest recipients were announced at a ceremony hosted by outgoing Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and the New Zealand Rural Leadership Trust at Parliament last week. Carlos Bagrie, an Otago-based sheep, beef and arable farmer, will focus his research on circular farming systems that reduce waste while improving the bottom line. Central Hawke’s Bay agri-investments portfolio manager and dairy farmer Rachel Baker will look at the impact of existing and proposed global food strategies on food producers. Jenna Smith, a Coromandel Māori agribusiness CEO and dairy farmer, will focus on climate change-related land use changes, and Peter Templeton, a fifthgeneration Southland dairy farmer, will pursue his interest in the future of farming and the role of innovation. The winners should draw inspiration from those who have gone before them. Nuffield scholars were first recognised in 1950 when Brian Murphy of Kaponga, Taranaki and Sir Charles Hilgendorf of Canterbury were named. Sir Charles would be knighted in 1980 for services to the New Zealand Meat Producers Board. Since then around 180 people have received the honour, many going on to

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become leaders and household names in the agricultural sector. NZ Rural Leadership Trust chair Kate Scott, herself a Nuffield scholar in 2018, previously told Farmers Weekly it was a lifechanging opportunity but completing the scholarship was just the beginning. “It’s asking ‘What next?’ and how we apply what we’ve learnt, and how we give that back to our sector – to the primary sector. That’s the really exciting piece,” she said. Up until 1971 only two scholarships were handed out each year, but as many as five are now awarded. The rising cost of travel meant scholarship values increased this year and the number of scholars for 2024 was capped at four to ensure recipients are able travel and gain international experience. As the new intake goes about planning and preparations for the year head, we look forward with anticipation as to how their travels and research might benefit NZ agriculture. As the Nuffield Scholarship’s application documentation says, “if you’re considering applying, it’s important to remember you don’t need to have a degree or any form of academic background to do so. You just need to be motivated enough to make things happen. “We’re looking for the grounded doers – the people who try to make difference in their teams, their communities and industries.”

AS LONG-TERM members of Federated Farmers, it is a considerable cause of concern to hear of “restructuring” due to financial constraints. Federated Farmers has been the gold standard for policy and advocacy representation for all farmers for well over 100 years, and it is very disappointing that many farming families and agribusinesses simply don’t understand how essential the policy and advocacy teams at Feds are for the continuation of farming in sustainable and practical ways in an increasingly challenging and regulatory environment. The proposed cuts to the policy team of around 30% could not have come at a worse time for all farmers as our industry has been inflicted with an unprecedented tsunami of regulation over the last six years, a lot of which, if left unchallenged, would have decimated many agribusinesses. An example of this is the current Plan Change 1 that is now before the Environment Court, and which over the course of 10 years has absorbed hundreds of thousands of dollars and man hours. If it had been left uncontested by the likes of Federated Farmers it would have made the ability to farm sustainably and profitably much more difficult in the Waikato and Waipa river catchments. Federated Farmers cannot afford to “restructure” these policy staff. While groups like Groundswell can (and are) winning in the court of public opinion, we need the largest policy team outside government to continue fighting for us all in the Environment Court, commissioner hearings and regional and district council plan reviews so that our voice is not lost. Federated Farmers is a voluntary levy, member-driven organisation that simply needs more members. It’s time that those farmers who have ridden on the coat tails of Feds policy wins over the years stump up their membership, join the organisation and get involved the issues that will continue to affect the farming industry, because if we lose the only pan-sector organisation with the best policy team around, we will all be much worse off as farmers and agribusinesses.

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Opinion

19 In My View

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

In my view ...

Only the full picture can paint a thousand words Warwick Catto

Ballance Agri-Nutrients science and strategy manager

S WE face a growing list of environmental concerns, there’s an important ethical and moral obligation to be transparent in our ecological reporting. One of the more frequent risks customers currently face is environmental claims that unfairly or partially represent the full scope of emissions associated with the entire life cycle of a product. The most comprehensive and systematic way to gain a full understanding of a product’s emissions footprint is by conducting a cradle-to-grave life cycle analysis (LCA) – that is, stand back and take a look at the product’s entire journey rather than isolating individual parts. Performing such an in-depth analysis allows you to direct your attention to the issues that matter most. As the science and strategy manager at Ballance AgriNutrients, I’ve seen first-hand just how instrumental running a full LCA has been for the improvement of our products. We conducted our first comprehensive LCA in 2002, to

help customers make smarter choices by giving them the lowdown on emissions. Utilising this process as a tool has enabled us to identify opportunities for innovation that support reducing emissions within the primary sector. By breaking down the manufacturing, production and on-farm processes of our New Zealand-produced urea, for example, we’re confident that our nitrogen fertiliser is one of the most sustainable on the NZ market when it comes to emissions footprint compared to average imported products. The LCA was independently verified by AgResearch.

Our aim is to introduce a nitrogen inhibitor solution by 2026, in line with when farmers start reporting their onfarm emissions. By analysing the full life cycle of our nitrogen fertilisers, we can also understand what their relative footprints are, which enables farmers and growers to effect greenhouse gas emissions through their product choices. But the key to sustainability is to not just stop there, which is

why we continue to evaluate each of our products to ensure we’re meeting the evolving needs of our customers. If you were to simply focus on just one part of the process, and not the full life cycle, it would leave room to miss opportunities to further improve a product’s sustainability and overall emissions. For example, as a nation, if we solely focused on reducing transport emissions alone, we would never be able to reach our goal of net zero by 2050, because this factor is only part of our emissions profile. From my experience at Ballance, I can see how it could’ve been very simple to only track either the footprint of our business, offshore activity, or the farmer/ grower activity as the path of least resistance. However, as a co-operative, we’re determined in our commitment to eliminating emissions wherever possible within a product’s life cycle, and we support our customers’ journey towards more sustainable and low-emission farming and growing – through providing the right advice, the right product, at the right time and in the right place. Nevertheless, we recognise that

CRADLE TO GRAVE: Using life cycle analysis ‘has enabled us to identify opportunities for innovation that support reducing emissions within the primary sector’, Ballance Agri-Nutrients science and strategy manager Warwick Catto says. innovation in this sector isn’t easy. We’re constantly focusing on perfecting nitrogen inhibitors in our fertiliser products, as well as continuing to invest in a programme that aims to decarbonise our manufacturing sites, including NZ’s only ammonia-urea plant in Kapuni, Taranaki. Overcoming environmental challenges within our sector demands time and effort, but our aim is to introduce a nitrogen inhibitor solution by 2026, in line with when farmers start reporting their on-farm emissions. And beyond that, to invest in our Kapuni asset with the aim of significantly reducing our

urea manufacturing emissions. These are big goals that we are seeking to find solutions to on behalf of our farmer and grower shareholders and because they are the right thing to do for NZ. Now is the time for leadership; to transform industry practice, we must ensure that we’re representing the full picture of emissions accurately. My hope for the future is that businesses across all sectors will appreciate the importance of adopting a cradle-to-grave life cycle approach, as it not only identifies current vulnerabilities but also opportunities to reduce and eliminate emissions – which is the ultimate end goal.

Firepit left me with just a warm feeling Steve Wyn-Harris

Wyn-Harris is a retired sheep and beef farmer

RYAN the editor kindly rang me the other day for a catch-up and to see how I was after the bout of leptospirosis. I was able to tell him that, other than an annoying persistent ringing in my ears (called tinnitus apparently), I was fully recovered and fortunate compared to others from this region who also caught it after the wet year we have had. Then Bryan asked me if I had an idea for an occasional column and I said, ‘Yes, if you have the space and I’m not bumping anyone else out, I do as it happens.’ It began with a generous invitation from my old sparring mate Jamie Mackay to join his NZME golf team at the annual Norwood Charity Golf Tournament at Wairakei to raise funds for Farmstrong. Farmstrong is doing fantastic work during these challenging times. No golfer would ever turn down a round of golf at Wairakei, one of this country’s most picturesque and wonderful golf courses. And besides, Jamie and I have been playing for a trophy for over 20 years. It’s known as the Choker’s Trophy because neither of us has ever won it. The other guy

inevitably chokes at a critical moment and all is lost. At this point, I was one match ahead and keen to increase my lead.

POND TO PIT: Steve’s stroll into the water hazard at Wairakei was worth its weight in recovered golf balls.

I even had a rare lesson and practised in the lead-up to the day, so keen was I to play well on this course. There seemed to be an inverse relationship between the work I was at last putting into my game for improvement and the actual outcome, which was annoying. Sure enough, on the day I played badly but so did he. However, I performed worse to see him easily snatch the trophy and even up our two-decade rivalry. Towards the end, I was so disconsolate after hitting yet another ball into a lake that I simply walked in shoes and all to fetch it but had the consolation of coming back with 20 other bad golfer’s balls. Anyway, this is all just setting the scene for what was to come. I like to support charity events by doing a bit of spirited bidding, more to push others along to pay a fair price. Sometimes I end up with something that I didn’t really want and must hide from Jane when I get home. There were also a number of items in a silent auction and at the beginning of the evening I noticed no one had initiated one so without reading to see what it was, I put my name down with a starting bid of $300. Just before the auction proper and the close of the silent auction,

a mate congratulated me on my purchase. I shot out to see what had gone wrong. No one else had placed a bid. Now a Valvoline Firepit is a fine thing I’m sure and $300 was way too low. But now that I’m an unpaid shepherd in our business, I’d given Jane the talk about financial probity and care. No more paintings on walls already crowded, or shoes. You know, the talk that never goes down well and is often counterproductive.

I like to support charity events by doing a bit of spirited bidding, more to push others along. Sometimes I end up with something I must hide from Jane when I get home. Coming home with a hard-tohide firepit was not going to be well received. I grabbed the form and started working the room to get at least a $301 bid. Desperation kicked in and I began to offer it for my bid sum and $50 cash thrown in. Then the auction started and in my defence, I did have a decent go at a Manawatū golfing package. As the auction concluded, I strode to the lectern and

announced I had one more item and that I fancied my auctioneering skills. I set to rid myself of this awkward conundrum. I was surprised how difficult it was to get bids even when I told them it wouldn’t cost them more than $200, an absolute bargain. There seemed to be a great deal of amusement from the crowd, though, at the unfortunate and tricky situation I’d gotten myself into. Turns out auctioneer Morty Mortensen and Mackay were behind me signalling the crowd not to bid. I signed off with an expletive of exasperation, only to hear from Morty that having extracted $300 from me they would now proceed to auction the firepit, which went for a healthy $400 to a now keen owner. I may not have had to hide a firepit when I got home but it was discovered that I’d paid good money for something that I never even ended up with, which was an even worse situation. The event, sponsored by Norwood and many other businesses, was an immense success and raised exactly $80,000 for Farmstrong. My consolation being that Mackay chipped in $300 to match mine to get it to the $80,000 total.

20 Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

Opinion

Fonterra an example to co-ops and corporations Alternative view

Alan Emerson

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

HE Fonterra AGM has been and gone. It was a quiet affair compared with many of its previous annual meetings and, inevitably, infinitely more genteel than the current coalition negotiations. The dairy industry has come a long way in a short time. It’s not that long ago that we had many co-operative dairy companies in New Zealand all operating with the NZ Dairy Board. Those many dairy companies reduced to two and then one, Fonterra, which currently processes around 80% of NZ milk. The second largest player is Open Country with 7.4% followed by Westland and Synlait with 3.4% each. I can remember the Fonterra legislation progressing through the House, shepherded by then Labour minister of agriculture, Jim Sutton, ably assisted by National’s

Shane Ardern. The fact bipartisan support was achieved was a massive rarity in Parliament and a colossal credit to those involved. What that bipartisan legislation has meant is that Fonterra has stayed stable over several different governments. It was just 22 years ago that 84% of farmers in the two mega co-ops voted to become one. I’ve had my battles with the coop over the years but I do believe that Fonterra today is the best it’s ever been. It’s also quite different from the co-op of 20 or even 10 years ago. Back then it was dominated by the egos of some of the past chairs, their failure to accept criticism and the crazy routes they encouraged the co-op to travel. I no longer receive gratuitous statements from Fonterra telling me how good the mega co-op is doing in a harsh marketplace or how great the board’s performance has been. The company has also ditched the dog that was Beingmate. Beingmate was never going to add value to Fonterra shareholders and it didn’t. The misplaced China Farms operation is out the door and good riddance, and more recently Soprole in Chile and Dairy Partners Americas in Brazil have been divested. The current chair gives the impression of being business focused and without ego, and I’m pleased Leonie Guiney is back as a director. She has a similar focus as the chair. Some years ago many believed Fonterra was drifting. A group of farmers decided change was needed and organised that to

happen. It started with the election of Peter McBride and Guiney, and has continued to this day. Those dairy farmers are to be congratulated for reforming what was, in my view, a moribund co-operative.

I’ve had my battles with the co-op over the years but I do believe that Fonterra today is the best it’s ever been. That’s all really positive for the mega co-op, which last year had a turnover of $24 billion. It made a $1.6bn profit, which was up 170%, and a return on capital of 12.4%, up from 6.8%. The final farmgate milk price was $8.22 per kgMS, which is most impressive considering the international conditions. I’m unaware of any NZ company performing better. Fonterra isn’t only NZ’s biggest company, it is also a cornerstone of our economy. If Fonterra does well, the country does well. Fonterra was reformed because of farmer involvement and commitment. That involvement and commitment needs to happen with other farming organisations. One can only assume that Fonterra shareholders are happy as the two directors up for re-election were elected unopposed. While dairy farmers seem happy with Fonterra and its directors, it seems that they are anything but with DairyNZ. No fewer than 13 candidates stood for just two positions on the DairyNZ board. The number of candidates

BOARD: Alan Emerson praises Fonterra directors such as Leonie Guiney for being ‘business focused and without ego’. showed there was considerable interest in the direction of DairyNZ but the voter turnout belied that interest. Just 18.3% of eligible voters actually bothered to vote. Less than one dairy farmer in five turned up to tick the ballot paper. That’s criminal. DairyNZ collects $67 million from dairy farmers and that’s $6000 for every herd each year. The election turnout tells me that dairy farmers are happy giving DairyNZ $6000 annually with little involvement in the organisation. They’re obviously also happy with the performance of the chair, who they re-elected for the fourth time. The same problem exists in beef and sheep farming. In the recent Beef + Lamb NZ (BLNZ) director vote, just 36% of those eligible to

vote actually bothered to do so. The election was contentious, yet only one in three farmers bothered to vote. The recent levy vote showed even less enthusiasm, with just 34.9% bothering to vote, with 68% of those voting wanting a continuation of the levy. The Yes figure is about as impressive as the DairyNZ director turnout. The BLNZ levy is $30m, which, combined with the DairyNZ levy, is $100 million taken out of the sector every year. That’s fine if farmers are convinced they’re getting a return on their investment but the degree of apathy would suggest they neither know nor care. Fortunately for all of us, Fonterra shareholders didn’t show that same apathy a decade or so ago.

Beware of sentiment and snake oil Straight talking

Cameron Bagrie

Managing director of Bagrie Economics and a shareholder and director of Chaperon

NEW government signals new direction and change. Sentiment has lifted. Business confidence has risen to the highest level since mid-2017 with a net 23% of businesses confident about the economy according to ANZ’s Business Outlook Survey.

It’s almost as if a magic potion has been formulated in the past few weeks. General business confidence with the agriculture sector has risen to minus 12 (previous -44), the highest reading since mid2021 and a big jump in a month. Should we get excited? Beware the snake oil in magic potions. Business confidence is higher under a blue hue than a red one. There is a bias. Business confidence was negative every month under the previous government excluding four months (three of them when we bounced out of the first covid lockdown and the fourth in September 2023, the month prior to the election), and never rose above +10. Business confidence in the agriculture sector was positive for one month during the previous government’s entire tenure. The economy did reasonably well with the unemployment rate sitting below 4% over an extended period though the fundamentals slowly eroded as costs increased

and hit profits. Business confidence is a poor economic indicator not well correlated with economic performance. Sentiment needs to be matched by substance. Ignore business confidence – but not the other questions in business confidence surveys. A net 56% of businesses in agriculture expect to be making less money over the coming 12 months compared to a net minus 6 for the wider economy. A net 40% of agriculture firms expect to invest less in their business compared to +4 for the wider economy. Employment intentions are negative for agriculture. Lower profitability hits investment and employment. A net 64% of agriculture expect it to be tougher to get credit over the coming year. The economy-wide read is -21. Any new government always blames the departing one for a host of problems. We will see a lot of that. Inflation is a problem. Taming it requires pain. The Reserve Bank’s

November Financial Stability Report points to resilience but also emerging stress. Within the inflation narrative, we focus too little on the impact of business. Costs ruthlessly undermine businesses/ farms and hit profits.

Steps to help improve profitability across the primary sector are essential. Without profitability, capital will not flow. The NZX50 is below where it was pre-covid. The Financial Stability Report states what we all know: “The agricultural sector is facing difficult economic conditions, owing to falls in dairy and meat prices, elevated operating expenses, and increased debt servicing costs.” Both S&P and Fitch have endorsed New Zealand’s AA+ credit rating though. We can’t

be in too bad a place overall and relatively better than a host of other countries. There is a big list of “to dos”. Top of list is getting a policy platform that can bring NZ a step together. Division – which we have – is both economically and socially corrosive. Next is battling inflation. Getting the Reserve Bank to focus solely on inflation and not a dual mandate of employment and inflation will not make a difference. The proposed tax relief package needs to be parked. Fiscal policy needs to be restrictive and help the Reserve Bank. Education, health, infrastructure and law and order require a lot of attention. NZ has the largest current account deficit in the OECD, signalling an unbalanced economy. Climate change policy needs pragmatism. We need more plumbers and fewer preachers in politics to get things done. Steps to help improve Continued next page

Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

Chef or cook – or both? Eating the elephant

Phil Weir

Phil Weir is a Waikato sheep and beef farmer and AgFirst agribusiness consultant. eating.the.elephant.nz@gmail.com In this series, the lads ask if farming is more science or art.

RT and science are two of humanity’s most outstanding and exciting achievements, but for very different reasons. Whether the work of Elvis Presley, Pablo Picasso, Dr Dre, CP McMeekan or Isaac Newton, artistic trends and scientific discoveries are fundamental in defining our histories and shaping our societies. Both art and science are attempts to comprehend and then explain the world around us. However, often they are portrayed as being concepts as compatible as oil and water. Continued from previous page

profitability across the primary sector are essential. Without profitability, capital will not flow. It would be folly for businesses and households to look to the government to provide all the solutions. The seeds of the next economic upswing will ultimately be sown by businesses. Market signals such as currency movements provide direction. A low currency rotates growth

Recently a decent chef came to our place. We rode around on motorbikes and talked about food, farming and family. I shared how our sheep and beef farm works, he shared food trends and what were some crafty cheats to impress dinner guests. We had plenty in common when we shared views around inflation, skills shortages, the real adult challenge of parenthood and excitement about shaking a wet spring and spending some time in the sun over the summer (it was agreed an inch of rain every Wednesday night would work for us both). As hosts, it was one of the rare occasions when we were not on lunch. The obligatory fruit cake with a cup of tea on arrival was offered, but we left the meal making to the expert. Prior to lunch a fire was prepared, and when noon came, we sat around the open fire and had beef, potatoes and a salad, fare often shared by our family. The food, however, tasted better – likely due to the different salts and herbs to what would normally accompany our beef. Sitting around sharing this meal, I thought about the parallels between farming and cheffing. What was apparent was that a chef is clearly differentiated from a cook. A chef, like any good cook, understands the science of food. There is an understanding that temperature, salt and fat work together and react with proteins and carbohydrates to

turn ingredients into food. Any cook can follow a recipe and take a range of consistent ingredients in defined portions and create a meal that is very, very good. Feedlot beef globally can often be paralleled to the work of a cook: it is housed on a feedlot, corn with a few “herbs and spices” are mixed through the rumen, and consistent grain-fed beef is produced. These steaks taste good, but like the difference between the work of the cook and the chef, they lack the artistry to make them truly wonderful. Science at its core is objective and based on data. It follows the scientific method and allows for results to be repeated. Agricultural science in New Zealand has a proud history. For the past 150 years, this work has formed our understanding of the relationships between the many components of our farms. We apply its principles daily. The relationship between soil nutrients and pasture production, the relationship between pasture (quality and quantity) and animal production (meat growth or milk production) are examples and we need more of it. Uniquely for us in Aotearoa New Zealand, we don’t base our beef on corn, corn and urea-produced corn. We farm to the climatic conditions. These conditions include long-term climate trends such as warming, shorter term global weather systems like El Niño and constant micro-climates created

from spending to earning. Tough times bring appetites for change. Cost structures get analysed. Different ways of doing things identified. Good businesses take over poorly run businesses. Higher labour costs encourage substitution for technology and capital investment. Discipline is returning. It started with the torching of Liz Truss, the temporary prime minister of the United Kingdom, and morphed into the United States losing its triple-A credit rating. Local

authorities in NZ are having to address funding pressures, in some cases by selling assets. There is nothing like tough times to sharpen thinking and bring reality back to the table as opposed to ideology. Tough times are an elixir for better productivity. Bad news, such as the demise of an entity, can ultimately be good if that entity is replaced, or gobbled up by a better one. That is an economy at work. We need to see that in action over the coming years.

RARE MEDIUM: A chef uses artistry to make NZ beef and lamb into something special. A farmer does the same.

by each of our farms, being one of a kind. A scientist might suggest disciplined management can navigate these uncertain conditions. Yes, to a degree, but if I come back to my new chef mate, his interest when inspecting our paddocks was not in looking for a round, rolly Angus the same as all its mates, or the weed-free

ryegrass clover sward I proudly displayed. He was looking for a point of differentiation. He was looking for the imperfect to mould into a masterpiece. He found his muse in a striped dairy beef “Taranaki Tiger” I forgot to hide. Through this lens, I was better able to celebrate the joy of farming. It is the imperfect that creates beauty and value. The imperfections and blemishes are what make it real, and being real is what we need to base our marketing stories upon. Yes, we will need to be armed with all the scientific credentials, just like cooks, but it is the real artistic stories of chefs that make farmers artists.

The danger is that we reach for easy levers such as migration, take the dividend (growth) but fail to fund it properly (infrastructure, housing), and complacency sets in. We need substance rebuilt into the growth equation, and productivity and innovation provide it. “Back to basics” has been used as a political tag line, but it applies to households, farmers and businesses too. The new government can help provide direction and will look for

some wins. One could be major if we can secure a trade deal with India but beware the snake oil and political speak. It will take time to rebuild NZ’s economic base, but politics is full of short-term incentives. We need to see examples of the hard questions being asked, and steps taken. An example would be expanding the Commerce Commission investigation into banking beyond retail banking and into where banks make 60% of their profits.

These steaks taste good, but like the difference between the work of the cook and the chef, they lack the artistry to make them truly wonderful.

Do you know someone who deserves a story in Farmers Weekly? Why not write it yourself? We’re keen to hear local stories about the innovators, inspirations and characters that keep our communities ticking over. Farmers tell the best stories and we want to hear yours. yourstory@agrihq.co.nz BLAME GAME: ‘Any new government always blames the departing one for a host of problems,’ Cameron Bagrie says. ‘We will see a lot of that.’

22 People

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

People

Rescue chickens star in farming tale Thirty caged hens were given a new life as free-range fowl with their own caravan. Now they’ve had their biography written too, as Craig Page reports.

HE Chicken Caravan is a book about rescue and rehabilitation, and not just for a worn-out old caravan that’s been transformed into a chicken coop. Sally Newall, a Pātoka farmer and the person behind the popular Facebook page Kiwi Country Kids, has turned her hand to writing and produced a children’s picture book about 30 caged chickens her family “saved” from a local poultry farm that closed down last year. “The story is about how we rehabilitated them, looked after them while they got their feathers back, taught them to eat and drink from different styles of drinkers and how to lay their eggs in nest boxes,” Newall says. “Then we bought a little old caravan for them and turned that into their home. It’s about how they became free-range chickens

and how we protect them from predators. “There is a bit of education in it as well. It’s a real-life story about our rescue chickens.” Newall says the main difference between The Chicken Caravan and other children’s books is that it features photos from the farm rather than illustrations. The book was completed earlier this year before Cyclone Gabrielle ripped through the region causing extensive damage. But it was the impact of the cyclone – Pātoka was isolated for weeks after bridges and roads were washed away – that inspired Newall to persevere. Immediate after the cyclone she found herself the only resident veterinarian in the town, despite not having worked at a practice for ﬁve years. Vets from around the region were ﬂown to Pātoka to tend to the larger animals

ACTION: The Chicken Caravan features photographs taken at Sally Newall’s family farm.

on farms but small animals and routine work, such as vaccinations, were left to Newall. A sleep-out at her and husband Nathan’s bull beef farm was converted into a temporary clinic.

I want to show what we do on the farm every day and take away some of the stereotypical viewpoints on it, I guess. Sally Newall Pātoka author “I guess the book came from having a little bit of stress on the farm through the cyclone and trying to ﬁnd something to challenge me in new ways, and take my mind off the farm.” She found the book relatively easy to write and the reaction to it has been “really positive”. “The following we have got on Facebook is quite helpful. A lot of people are quite invested in our Kiwi Country Kids story and the farm life. They’re very excited about it.” Newall hopes to sell 500 copies before Christmas and then look at a reprint in the new year. But long term, she hopes a publisher will get on board so she can produce a series of children’s books based on other aspects of farm life. The book is $30 and a portion of each sale, and that of a 2024 calendar she has also produced, will go to Ronald McDonald House Charities New Zealand. The family spent a lot of time

EDUCATE: Sally Newall with her book The Chicken Caravan. She hopes it will help educate children about how to look after animals. Photo: Kiwi Country Kids staying at Ronald McDonald House while youngest son Ted was receiving medical treatment in Auckland. “The whole point of Kiwi Country Kids is to educate people about farming and put farming in people’s living rooms in a very positive light. “I want to show what we do on the farm every day and take away

some of the stereotypical view points on it, I guess. The book has just come about through that. “We can help educate children about how we look after our animals, show farming in a realistic, positive light. I’m not trying to show myself as some wonderful farmer, I’m just trying to show that this is how most farmers operate.”

‘New thinking needed for ag to thrive’ Bryan Gibson

PEOPLE

Awards

EW Zealand’s food and ﬁbre sector needs a change of mindset if it’s to thrive in coming years, says the winner of the Beef + Lamb NZ Emerging Achiever Award. Amy Hoogenboom, a beef genetics manager for Zoetis New Zealand, told the Farmers Weekly In Focus podcast that market trends have made people pessimistic. “But I think we need to try and look a little bit further out past what’s impacting us currently, and try and see some of the opportunities and what that might mean for our sector.” She said New Zealand is in the perfect position to lead the world as a producer of sustainable food and ﬁbre. “I think New Zealand does a fantastic job of the way in which we produce food for the world, very conscious of the environment that we’re working with.

“When you talk about sustainability of food production, it’s not just about environment, it’s about the people, the social, and economic side of it as well.” But it will take a shift in mindset to achieve this, including valuing the ideals the next generation of farmers bring. “I don’t want to say we value ourselves more than the older generations in the sector. We are farmers, but that is not our sole purpose. “We want to have that better work-lifestyle balance, and we

want to be valued for the work that we do. “And I think gone are the days of just slogging it out. I think there’s a real shift in terms of younger people’s thought processes to how they relate to the work that they do.” Young people want the work they

do to be meaningful and they want to feel valued, she said. But that’s hard when the sector appears to be more divided than ever. “Watching some of the behaviours of those involved in our sector, there has probably been more division, particularly

We need to be more supportive and respectful of differing views and opinions on different subject matters, and have a clearer vision on what is needed for our sector moving forward. Amy Hoogenboom Beef + Lamb NZ Emerging Achiever

WINNER: Stu Hall, AgResearch deputy chief executive commercial partnerships, presents Amy Hoogenboom with the Emerging Achiever award.

over the last two years, 18 months, than there has been necessarily between rural and urban people. “I think we need to become more supportive of each other. We’re very hard on ourselves and hard on each other as people in the rural sector. “We need to be more supportive and respectful of differing views and opinions on different subject matters, and have a clearer vision on what is needed for our sector moving forward to ensure that we maintain our relevance, particularly given we’re an exportfocused country.” Hoogenboom aims to use her voice to champion collaboration and communication across NZ’s beef sector. “I do think sometimes that the farm gate gets shut and we forget to reopen it. So whether that be between producer and processor or producer, farmer and industry organisations, trying to ﬁnd ways to have that more open discussion and communicate with each other around issues and challenges and how we might move forward with some of those.”

Technology

23 Tech

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

Fonterra lines up cool offer for farmers Technology that offers a better, cheaper milk-chilling solution is being made available for lease to Fonterra suppliers, and is already proving to be a game-changer, reports Neal Wallace.

N THE past month Oamaru dairy farmers Joe and Becky Laming have saved $1100 in electricity costs by installing a new milk chilling system that will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The pay as you save (PAUS) initiative launched last week in North Otago allows Fonterra farmers like the Lamings to lease new-generation, New Zealanddeveloped CoolSense milk chilling technology. The Lamings installed their ﬁrst CoolSense unit six years ago but added another through the PAUS lease system after buying an adjacent farm a few months ago. “We have absolutely nothing to do with it. It’s like buying a subscription,” Joe says. Becky says they hadn’t thought about the impact of hydroﬂuorocarbons on the environment, but once they learnt

about them they were relieved to be using something less harmful. Information provided with the launch states that combined with the more efﬁcient system, shed electricity savings have averaged 30% and the use of fourthgeneration refrigerants instead of HFCs reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to older systems. A bonus is the 2000L of hot water produced each day through the heat recovery system. Milk-chilling systems are required to ensure milk gets to the required temperature of 6degC or below within two hours of milking, but this a signiﬁcant capital investment for farmers and can become increasingly costly as the systems age. The PAUS scheme offers the full servicing of the chilling units as part of a lease agreement with Fonterra farmers. Lease payments will be deducted from monthly

CHILLING: North Otago dairy farmers Becky and Joe Laming were early adopters of the CoolSense technology, now offered in a ‘pay as you save’ initiative that facilitates the lease of the new-generation milk chilling systems.

The use of fourthgeneration refrigerants instead of HFCs reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%. milk cheques with the option to extend the lease when it rolls over, or to purchase the unit. Information provided with the release states that combined with

the more efﬁcient system, shed electricity savings have averaged 30% and the use of fourthgeneration refrigerants instead of HFCs reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to older systems. As chilling systems age they can struggle to meet milk snap-chilling to 6degC or lower, while the new technology provides transparent data and allows real-time remote monitoring. Anne Douglas, group director of

Fonterra Farm Source, says the cooperative was keen to be involved given the project brings both short and long-term beneﬁts. “We’re delighted to be part of this collaboration because it delivers value to Fonterra farmers through things like improved efﬁciencies while also helping lower on-farm emissions. It’s an exclusive deal that we can offer in large part because of the scale of our co-operative and strength of our partnerships.”

Certiﬁcation that’s more than a box tick Richard Rennie

NEWS

Regulation

AVING one farm assurance scheme that rules them all is not likely to be the case any time soon, but making schemes more acceptable to farmers and consumers is a worthy goal. An Our Land and Water (OLW) white paper on farm assurance schemes took a deep dive into the labyrinth of systems to ﬁnd how schemes can be enhanced to improve both farmers’ right to continue to operate and consumer acceptance of chosen farm practices. Paper co-writer Professor Pavel Castka of the University of Canterbury said while a single scheme would appear ideal, there are simply too many actors involved in the food supply network to make it realistic. The authors found a concerning level of cynicism exists around schemes. That comes both from farmers feeling compelled to complete multiple entries of the same data for assorted agencies, and from consumers who have become more informed about failings in certiﬁcation schemes. “An example of that could be consumers learning through a news story about illegally logged timber that ends up being included in a forest stewardship approved supply.”

In the United States a certiﬁcation scandal on seafood revealed almost half that country’s seafood was mislabelled. “So, consumers do start to question if these are just one-off things, or are they part of a larger problem. For anyone it is hard to make a good judgment on that.” The authors found through a combination of adopting modern technology and combining elements of what iwi are doing, better assurance systems could be developed. Background monitoring of key environmental data, for example, could mean the upfront results, the outcomes of farm management, are the focus, rather than the “tick box” approach most assurance schemes demand to achieve that outcome.

“If you look globally at top assurance schemes, this is increasingly what they are deﬁning their success by: the impact they have had, not the procedure used to achieve that.” Meantime iwi landowners and primary producers are working on their own assurance schemes, adopting high levels of tech for monitoring, with full details still under wraps. “And often with iwi they will work hard on building relationships and trust, alongside the business they are building too.” Castka said this does much to capture more of a human element in assurance schemes, something many said is increasingly missing as online box ticking and form ﬁlling become more prevalent.

CERTIFIED: Professor Pavel Castka says farmers and consumers risk becoming more cynical about certification schemes, and combining iwi’s approach with modern technology may help reduce this.

“And that trust building is something some companies are doing well with their schemes.” The report cites Synlait’s Lead with Pride as a scheme where the auditors were recognised as understanding dairying and assisted with ensuring the entire process was professional. But even it had issues identified by farmers, including the risk of simply ticking boxes, and being only a snapshot of the operation at one time on one day. The authors also identified farmers’ frustration at having to comply with more schemes, spreading further beyond food safety and environmental concerns to include aspects such as modern slavery and labour exploitation. They said the government could play a big part in streamlining operations and information demands better across its agencies. Tight fiscal constraints meant NZ is cutting it fine when it comes to resourcing its assurance activities across its multiple agencies, and risks falling behind the rest of the world. The use of technology can also help make assurance schemes more pertinent and effective in identifying and highlighting those areas in a catchment or a country that need more attention to deliver the right outcome than others. “One example is the Eco-Index developed as part of the Biological Heritage national science challenge.”

Using the index, backed by artiﬁcial intelligence tools capable of assessing biodiversity from satellite and aerial imagery, it is possible to deﬁne ecological hotspots that may stand out as needing more attention than others.

If you look globally at top assurance schemes, this is increasingly what they are deﬁning their success by: the impact they have had, not the procedure used to achieve that. Pavel Castka University of Canterbury Integrating such a tool with assurance schemes could provide a means to show farmers in some catchments are already delivering on aspects like biodiversity or water quality, while helping identify those in areas needing speciﬁc work. Meantime incorporating more of a Māori world view into assurance schemes also provides some aspirational assurance models. This includes learning from iwi groups that have built comprehensive monitoring systems for reporting into their collective ownership, while framing them around Māori values and relationship building, all which could provide some clues for non-iwi schemes in the future.

24 World

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

World

Fancy investing in feral camels’ milk? Staff reporter

MARKETS

Dairy

OOD Earth Dairy, a leading Australian commercial camel milk producer, has been awarded a US$2.8 million ($4.8m) grant to construct the ﬁrst powdered camel milk processing facility in Perth. The USD$12.7 million project will allow the brand to increase production of new products for international distribution. In order to execute this project, Good Earth Dairy is looking to IPO on the ASX in 2024 – positioning it for success within the global infant formula market, which is set to grow by over 30% to US$66.4 billion in the next ﬁve years. Camel milk is a premium alternative to cow’s milk, retailing in Australia at USD$8-13/litre, with low allergens and high nutritional value. The closest substitute for

SPITTING IMAGE: Australia is home to the largest herd of feral camels in the world, and their milk, says Good Earth Dairy, is particularly good for human babies. human milk, the product is poised to become a disruptor in the alternative milk space, particularly

in the infant formula industry as it is the only animal milk to not hard coagulate in the gut, making it

arguably the best milk for infants to digest. A tech-ﬁrst company, Good Earth Dairy has invested over US$5m in its IP to be a price leader in this future commodity, sourced from the world’s largest feral camel population, in the Australian outback. Set to be completed for operation in 2026, Good Earth Dairy’s purpose-built facility will allow the company to increase its production capacity to 60kL per day (21.9 million litres per annum), and enter the infant formula market. “Australia is in a unique position to be a global leader in camel milk production,” said founder and CEO of Good Earth Dairy Marcel Steingiesser. “If we were to rely on breeding we would be very limited but we have access to a huge supply of camels in outback Western Australia. We have the livestock, the technology, the climate and the opportunity; now we have

the government backing to move to the next level and begin growing on an international scale.” Launched in 2016, Good Earth Dairy is one of Australia’s leading camel milk producers, and is set to capitalise on the US$944bn dairy market, particularly as more people seek out dairy alternatives. The company has turned over US$1.5m in revenue since distribution began, growing 200% over the last year. Ahead of its planned IPO in 2024, Good Earth Dairy is launching a bridging round through an equity crowdfunding campaign via OnMarket. The capital will enable the company to increase their current capabilities while the new facility remains under construction. Expressions of interest for Good Earth Dairy’s equity crowdfunding campaign are live via OnMarket, and investments are open to anyone internationally over the age of 18.

Johnnie Walker makes Porker strides in regen ag payout THE company behind Johnnie sustainability ofﬁcer, said: “As we Walker whisky has announced commit to continued investment plans to introduce a regenerative in long-term business growth, agriculture programme across we are excited to expand our several Scottish farms. regenerative farming work more formally beyond our current Diageo, which also makes Don Guinness programme in Ireland. Julio tequila and Guinness, has “The Scotch whisky brands launched the scheme across its have such a strong connection to barley and wheat production in a their local communities, and as bid to reduce carbon emissions. we build increased resilience and The company said it hopes the programme, which will look at productivity across our locally adapted end-to-end supply practices chains, we are building broader such as cover partnerships crops, reduced to enhance cultivations and the impact of crop rotations, regenerative will generate farming practices a number of at scale.” “positive onThe ﬁrst phase farm outcomes” of the whisky such as enhanced programme will biodiversity, focus on about 20 improved water farms in three key stewardship, carbon barley and wheat reduction and sourcing regions better soil health in Scotland for management. brands including Ewan Andrew, Johnnie Walker, president of Talisker and The global supply PLANS: The first phase of the Singleton. chain and whisky regenerative agriculture – Farmers procurement programme will focus on about 20 Guardian and chief farms in Scotland.

gets tails in a knot

A UNITED Kingdom pig farmer is said to be being paid in excess of £1 million – more than $2m – by a group of local councils to sell his herd in order to allow house building in the area. James Daniels, whose property straddles the A47 south of Norwich, has agreed to remove the livestock in a bid to reduce the amount of harmful nutrients that run off into two nearby rivers. Local authorities have claimed that, by decreasing agricultural pollution, they will be able to offset the contamination that would allow around 5000 homes to be built across the county. Daniels will be allowed to continue arable production. Speaking to the Daily Mail, the farmer said he had been upset that people thought he was receiving an “obscene amount of money” for “quitting” his job. He claimed he had agreed the offer to help the environment. He said: “It really makes me

ON THE MOVE: A Norwich pig farmer has agreed to remove pigs in a bid to reduce the amount of harmful nutrients that run off into two nearby rivers. angry when people say I am proﬁting from this. It is compensation for giving everything up. “I am the second generation of my family on this farm after my father got it in 1950. My son wanted to take it over.” A spokesperson for Broadland District Council and South Norfolk Council said nutrient neutrality has had a profound impact on many parts of the country, stalling “thousands of desperately needed homes”. However, the move has sparked

concerns over farmland and food security. Lizzie Wilson, chief executive of Britain’s National Pig Association, said: “Decisions around land use must always consider food production whilst balancing the impact on the local environment. “What we must be cognisant of is artiﬁcially inﬂating land rental prices, which already present a substantial challenge to existing and new entrant pig producers.” – Farmers Guardian

UK government backs methane-cutting supplements BRITAIN’S Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs has reinforced its commitment to reducing methane emissions in livestock by announcing its plans to incentivise the use of methane suppressing feed products in England. This follows a call for evidence last year, run jointly with the devolved governments, to better understand the opportunities and challenges associated with them.

This raised questions about the financial implications of using such products given rising inputs costs, credible certification, widespread availability and finding a solution for intake in grazing cattle. Methane-suppressing feed products are expected to enter the market from 2025 and Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) stated its plans could include

guidance, advice and support through schemes such as the Farming Innovation Programme, Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, Environmental Land Management schemes, or the introduction of a tailor-made programme. The United Kingdom’s farming minister, Mark Spencer, said: “We are fully committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the UK by 2050

and it is vital that we continue to explore ways to assist farmers in sustainable food production while also further reducing emissions from agriculture.” While broadly welcoming the announcement, National Farmers’ Union deputy president Tom Bradshaw said: “Methanesuppressing feed products arejust one piece of the puzzle, and need to work alongside a range of other methane-reducing techniques.

“Crucial questions still need answers, such as whether the correct calculator is being used to truly represent the warming potential of methane from livestock. “Farmers need clarity on how these products work, their long-term effectiveness and, importantly, how they impact on animal health and welfare.” – Farmers Guardian

FEDERATED 25 Fed Farmers

FARMERS Vol 1 No 10, November 13, 2023

fedfarm.org.nz

‘Cautious optimism’ on gas targets Wayne Langford Federated Farmers president

ast week Fonterra announced their longawaited on-farm emission reduction target, putting to bed months of speculation in dairy circles about what their methane targets might look like. Farmers have been nervous about where Fonterra might go with these targets, but now that I’ve seen them, I have to confess I’m cautiously optimistic about where they have landed. Fonterra have chosen to set an efﬁciency target that focuses on the amount of methane produced per kilogram of milksolids. This means it won’t push farmers to reduce production. That’s very different to an absolute reduction target, like ones set by the government that would require farmers to reduce emissions even if it meant less milk through the vat, less money in our back pockets, and an increase in global emissions. Federated Farmers have been consistent in our message that the government’s methane reduction targets are too high, and that regulation should only be used to set the minimum standard when it comes to emission reductions. We’ve argued that the ambition should be left to individual farmers, and the companies they supply, to be led by market signals and the expectations of their customers. Fonterra are saying they need these targets to retain

high-value customers like Nestle, open up new markets, and secure access to capital. Although a 30% reduction in the next seven years will undoubtedly be challenging, it’s really important to look at how that target is broken down and how Fonterra plan to work with farmers to achieve it. Around 7% is set to come from ‘best practice’ farming and efficiency improvements behind the farm gate. This is where a lot of the hard work will need to be done by farmers through things like breeding, feed conversion, and refining our systems. The good news is we’ve already achieved a 2% reduction in the last few years, so we’re on our way. The challenge is that because Kiwi farmers are already the world’s most emission-efficient producers of milk, we have less levers to pull to help us achieve another 5% by 2030. A further 7% reduction is expected to come from new technologies like methane inhibitors. This is where things get a little bit more uncertain for farmers. We’ve been investing in the development of these tools for a long time now and we’re always told they’re just a few years away from a breakthrough – but a solution is yet to eventuate. We all need to be asking some tough questions about where these tools are, what they’ll cost, and whether they will be able to be used in New Zealand’s predominantly pasture-based

SUPPORT: Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says Fonterra need to remember they’re the ones taking on this challenge and they’ll need to really get in behind farmers.

We’ve argued that the ambition should be left to individual farmers, and the companies they supply, to be led by market signals and the expectations of their customers. Wayne Langford Federated Farmers farming system. The next 8% is proposed to come through recognition of existing trees and incentivising new planting on farms to suck in carbon. I know this will be of real

interest to a lot of farmers, but we still need to see the detail of how this will work in practice. My farm is a great example. The property is 120ha, but it’s only 90ha effective. I have 30ha sitting in regenerating native bush and rough areas that aren’t currently included in the Emissions Trading Scheme. Is that going to be recognised? The ﬁnal 8% is a bit of a tricky one to wrap your head around, but under the current carbon accounting rules, changing land use from forestry to farming means an emission has to be accounted for 20 years. A lot of land in the central North Island and parts of Canterbury

were converted from pine to dairy between 2003 and 2008, so this deforestation will be coming ‘off the books’ in the next few years and will give us a signiﬁcant emission reduction on paper. When you break it down like that, the target does sound much more achievable. Make no mistake, though: it’s still incredibly ambitious and won’t be easy. This can’t simply be a case of setting a goal and telling farmers they have to meet it. Fonterra need to remember they’re the ones taking on this challenge and they’ll need to really get in behind farmers, along with the likes of DairyNZ, to help them achieve it.

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Federated Farmers

Waikato rules will be ‘shock to the system’

ost Waikato farmers will have heard of Plan Change 1 but probably don’t know what it might mean for them, says Federated Farmers Waikato meat and wool chair Reon Verry. For example, Verry says, farmers might not be allowed to cultivate within five metres of a waterbody and there will be limits on the amount of nitrogen fertiliser that can be applied. “I feel like the boy who cried wolf because I’ve talked so much about it, but Plan Change 1 is getting closer, and when it takes effect, it’ll change things for a lot of farmers. I think it’ll definitely be a shock to the system,” Verry says. “This thing has been going on for a long time, and it’s been through many iterations, so you’d have to be pretty close to it to know how it’s actually going to affect farmers.” Plan Change 1 (PC1) proposes

a wide-sweeping set of rules for agricultural land use to reduce contaminants going into the Waikato and Waipā catchments. Federated Farmers has appealed a number of the rules, such as setbacks for stock exclusion, how critical source areas are identified and managed, consent duration, and how often fertiliser spreaders need to be calibrated. Along with other parties, it’s currently having those appeals heard in the Environment Court. “This court case is winding up and the judges will make their decision sometime next year. Then the plan will become operative,” says Verry. “PC1 could bite within the next six to 12 months, and for some farmers it could be longer, but it is coming.” Verry, who’s been heavily involved throughout the PC1 process, says the work of Federated Farmers and others to push back on unworkable

parts of the plan has made a huge difference. “Yes, it’s been a long process, but all policy is a long process. That is what Federated Farmers do. These things take time and they cost a lot of money. That’s not ideal, but in this case, we’re going to end up with a way better result than if it’d been three years ago, or back at the start, when it was totally unworkable. “I’m optimistic that Waikato farmers will end up with something much more workable and practical than what we started with.” Even so, the bare bones of PC1 haven’t changed, he says. “You’re going to have to do a farm plan; you’re going to have to do some stock exclusion; if you’re a dairy farmer, you may have to reduce N loss on your farm; and everyone’s going to have to register with the regional council. That hasn’t changed much, but the finer details of what you’ll have to do within those

MASSIVE: Plan Change 1 will apply to ABOUT 10,000 properties and a land area of 1.1 million hectares within the Waikato and Waipā river catchments.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Plan Change 1’s final version will be much more workable and practical than earlier iterations, but it’ll still change things for a lot of Waikato farmers, says Federated Farmers Waikato meat and wool chair Reon Verry. requirements has changed a lot.” Verry says, initially, many farmers may feel overwhelmed by what’s asked of them. “An extra layer of complication is added by the rollout of National Freshwater Farm Plans occurring simultaneously. “I’m just hoping the regional council will have a pragmatic implementation plan in place, so the plan can be broken down step by step for farmers.” PC1 will affect all Waikato farmers, but some more than others, he says. “Those in the Whangamarino Catchment [east of Meremere] need to sit up and take notice because of the international significance of that wetland. The rules are likely to fall harder on them, no matter what sort of farming you’re doing in that area.” King Country sheep and beef farmer Verry says he’s nervously awaiting the Environment Court result, so he can work out what needs to be done, and when, on his 1370ha farm. “For us, it will be a question of how much stock exclusion we’ll have to do, and what sort of timeframe. There’s quite a good chance we’ll need to apply for a consent because we won’t be able to get all the stock

exclusion done within the required timeframe. “At the moment, farmers only have two years to do all the required stock exclusion (otherwise resource consent is required) but some parties want longer timeframes.

I’m optimistic that Waikato farmers will end up with something much more workable and practical than what we started with. Reon Verry Federated Farmers Waikato meat and wool chair “We’ve already fenced off 25km of waterways on our place, so we haven’t been sitting on our hands. We’re well down the road, but we may need to do a lot more.” Verry says he can’t speak highly enough of Federated Farmers’ policy team. “They’ve been fantastic. The amount of work they’ve done to pull the Feds case together, and to get ‘Team Ag’ as close to being on the same page as possible, has been incredible.”

Federated Farmers

fedfarm.org.nz – November 13, 2023

A tale of two school farms One goes woke, the other goes broke

hange is on the way for two of the country’s longstanding high school farms, but the drivers of that change couldn’t be more different, says Federated Farmers meat and wool chair Toby Williams. Rangiora High School in Canterbury is considering moving away from animal agriculture as they explore opportunities to make their farm more relevant in the 21st century. Meanwhile, Te Awamutu College in the Waikato has made the difficult decision to sell their farm because increased compliance costs and falling commodity prices have eaten into their returns. “This is very much a case of one going woke, and the other going broke through no fault of their own,” Williams says. “Rangiora High School seems to think traditional Kiwi farming is no longer relevant and that hands-on experience with pastoral farming is of no value to its increasingly urban school roll. “Te Awamutu College seems to have done everything right but has made the decision to sell the farm because of increasing cost, complexity, and compliance – which is something most people will have a lot of sympathy for. “This really highlights the societal, financial, and regulatory pressures on farmers right across the country. Things are really tight and it’s getting harder to turn a profit.” Rangiora High School principal Bruce Kearney told RNZ in October the school needed to consider what was sustainable and added value to the school, which meant it was weighing up the future of animals. “The world is shifting to be more sustainable and shifting away from

meat, so we need to prepare our students for a changing world,” Kearney said. Board of Trustees chairperson Simon Green was quoted: ‘’The board is excited about moving away from a more traditional farm to an outdoor lab or outdoor classroom.’’ In response, Federated Farmers North Canterbury provincial president Karl Dean has written to the school’s Board of Trustees, calling strongly for a rethink. “The unfortunate implications in the story were that traditional farming is not relevant in the 21st century, farming isn’t sustainable or ethical, the world is shifting away from eating meat, and the farm isn’t of value to your increasingly urban school roll. “While we respect the school’s right to do as they please with their own farm, we strongly disagree with those implications and would urge them to reconsider or correct their statements. “Federated Farmers sincerely hope these are not views held by the school’s leadership and that their position has simply been mischaracterised in the RNZ story.” Although many students might not go on to become farmers, they’ll at least have the opportunity to experience and learn about New Zealand’s most significant sector, Dean said. “An increasingly urban roll is not a good reason to shift away from having a livestock farming operation – it’s the very reason it’s so important for the school to keep it. “It’s urban kids, not the ones who already live on farms, who get the most out of having the ability to learn about animal care and food production at school.” Dean has invited the Board to

TOUGH CALL: Rogers Charitable Trust has made the difficult decision to sell Te Awamutu College’s dairy farm, saying it’s the best way to honour the intent of the trust and serve the school community. meet with Federated Farmers to discuss their concerns and better understand the school’s position. Further up the country, Te Awamutu College’s farm is being sold for several reasons, but a big one is that increasing farm costs have steadily eaten into returns. Bequeathed to the college in 1962 by the late Dr Lindsay Rogers, the farm has given students practical farming experience, and its returns used to provide generous financial contributions to the school. That funding has helped the college do some amazing things, like redevelop its Horticulture Compound, buy hall chairs and a school van, and make its school uniforms available at cost price. As reported by the Waikato Herald in October, The Rogers Charitable Trust (RCT) has made the difficult decision to put the 57.5-hectare working dairy farm on the market, on the advice of experts.

RCT chair Wade Bell told the Waikato Herald that the future cash investment from the farm sale was the best way to keep supporting Te Awamutu College and its students.

An increasingly urban roll is not a good reason to shift away from having a livestock farming operation – it’s the very reason it’s so important for the school to keep it. Karl Dean Federated Farmers North Canterbury provincial president “Despite my passion for dairying, the rising cost of compliance and associated risks to the college are becoming disproportionate to the returns generated,” Bell said. RCT had been considering selling

the farm for some time as they work to deliver on the intent of the trust and serve the school community. Trustee Jock Ellis said running the farm was becoming complicated and the returns weren’t reflected in the value of the property and buildings. Toby Williams says higher farm input costs and lower payouts have made life challenging enough for farmers, but having to comply with a barrage of regulations and rules is something that can, and must, be changed quickly. “We really feel for Rogers Charitable Trust and Te Awamutu College, and we completely understand why they’ve made the tough decision to sell. They’ve done the right thing by acting on the advice of experts. “Federated Farmers is calling on the new Government to move fast to make changes to the unworkable rules and regulations that have done little more than add cost and complexity to Kiwi farmers.”

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November 13, 2023 – fedfarm.org.nz

Clear signal to halt emissions pricing

new report provides a loud wake-up call that pushing ahead with emissions pricing now would be disastrous for farmers, says Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford. The Reserve Bank has been working with the largest banks in New Zealand to assess the potential impact of emissions pricing on farmers, using four different price levels. It found that at a price of $150 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), and current low payouts, a staggering 82% of sheep and beef farmers would be unprofitable, and more than 40% of dairy farmers would be unprofitable. “That’s devastating – it would completely gut our rural communities,” Langford says. Although $150/t of CO2e is at the high end of pricing, the banks’ modelling showed even a moderate emissions price would put many farmers out of business. “The immediate concern is that, even at a low emissions price of $15, we’d still see 8% of dairy farms and 22% of sheep and beef farms become unprofitable. “This $15 emissions price is much closer to what’s currently proposed by the government, but that price

would continue to rise over time. “The strong signal from this report is that now’s not the time to be moving ahead with introducing emissions pricing for farmers.” The Reserve Bank’s latest sixmonthly Financial Stability Report also painted a clear picture of the stress farmers are under right now.

The immediate concern is that, even at a low emissions price of $15, we’d still see 8% of dairy farms and 22% of sheep and beef farms become unprofitable. Wayne Langford Federated Farmers president “The agricultural sector is facing difficult economic conditions, owing to falls in dairy and meat prices, elevated operating expenses, and increased debt servicing costs,” it says. “In the dairy sector, loan defaults remain low but are expected to increase. This could accelerate if there is a prolonged period of low prices.” Langford says the report’s findings come as little surprise. “Federated Farmers have been

HELP: Federated Farmers will only support pricing if it’s used to incentivise the uptake of viable mitigation options. That’s because farmers will need new tools and technologies to reduce emissions further.

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sounding the alarm for some time that farmers are going through a very tough time right now – rural confidence is at an all-time low. “All of our costs have gone up, interest rates have gone through the roof, commodity prices are dropping, and we’re facing the threat of an El Niño drought this summer. A lot of people are struggling to keep their heads above water. “Then at a national level, we’ve got high inflation, a potential recession, and Government books in the red.” Langford says our rural communities desperately need stability – not more regulation, cost and uncertainty. “We need the government to focus on rebuilding farmer confidence, so we can get our economy – and our country – back on track. “New taxes and regulations are the last thing we need right now. They will just add more complexity and cost – tipping many into unprofitability.” In August, the government released its agricultural emissions policy decisions. Mandatory farmlevel reporting on emissions has been delayed to the December quarter 2024, and emissions pricing is planned to start in the December quarter 2025. Langford says Federated Farmers’

PRIORITIES: Wayne Langford says the new government needs to focus on rebuilding farmer confidence, not adding further taxes and regulations. response to that plan in August was a resounding ‘no’, and he expects the new Government to make significant changes. “Federated Farmers were never going to accept a proposal that would put one in five sheep and beef farmers out of business or reduce our dairy production by 5%. If anyone thought we would, then they’ve been living in la-la land. “We agreed to work with the government and other sector partners to try and make sure any emissions price would be fair and cost-effective for farmers, but that’s just not what they’ve delivered.” Federated Farmers have three clear bottom lines that would need to be met before we would even consider supporting emissions pricing, he says. “Firstly, the current methane reduction targets must be reviewed to take the different warming impact of methane into account. “Secondly, we’ll only support pricing if it’s used to incentivise the uptake of viable mitigation options.

That’s because farmers will need new tools and technologies to reduce emissions further than what we already have. “Finally, we won’t support emission pricing if it’ll just lead to so-called ‘emissions leakage’. It makes no sense to reduce our production here, only for the gap in the market to be filled by a less-emission-efficient producer. “That will ruin our economy while increasing global emissions.” Langford says New Zealand farmers already lead the world when it comes to low emissions food production. “That doesn’t mean there isn’t more work to be done, or that we can’t get better, but it’s important to celebrate that huge achievement,” he concluded. Resolving farmers concerns with on-farm emissions pricing is a top priority for Federated Farmers and we’ll be meeting with the new government before Christmas to make sure they understand our position loud and clear.

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29 Property

Ruawai 1108 Tokatoka Road Tender

Premier 650 ha beef farm in Northland

This 650 ha beef farm, has earned a reputation for excellence in prime cattle production for export and the local market. Prime location, nestled in Northland's lush and temperate climate, ideal for beef farming. Exceptional pasture, meticulously subdivided with limestone races and lush rye grass and clover pastures, ensuring optimal cattle health and growth. Proven excellence, a legacy of top quality prime cattle production spanning over 55 years. Impressive infrastructure, three sets of efficient cattle yards, well maintained fencing, and a valuable limestone quarry. Turnkey operation, ready for immediate ownership with no additional investment required. Retiring owner offers a chance to take over this premier farm. This is your chance to own a remarkable beef farming operation with a rich history of success.

Ongarue 987 Ongarue Back Road

Tender closes 4.00pm, Mon 4th Dec, 2023, Property Brokers, 180 Bank Street, Whangarei View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/WHR168663

Mike Colthurst M 021 741 414

E mike.colthurst@pb.co.nz

Taumarunui 66 Kirton Road Open Day

Pukeawa On top of a hill overlooking picturesque King Country farmland is this stunning small farm/large lifestyle property only 13.8 km to Taumarunui. The house has been designed to make the most of the sun and rural aspect. Built in 2016, the large 301m2 home is built with family living and entertainment in mind. There are sheltered outdoor living spaces so you can sit, eat, and take in the views and enjoy the quiet rural environment. Inside there are two large living areas, plus an office, three big bedrooms and two bathrooms plus a very spacious and practical laundry/utility room. The storage space in this home is incredible and would make it so easy to live in.

Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 | pb.co.nz

Deadline Sale closes Wednesday 6th December, 2023 at 11.00am, (unless sold prior) View Thu 16 Nov 3.30 - 4.30pm Sat 25 Nov 1.00 - 2.00pm Web pb.co.nz/TUR173275

Katie Walker M 027 757 7477

Open Day

Ribbonwood This super contoured dairy farm on the outskirts of Taumarunui is an outstanding opportunity. The property is 100.37 ha (STS) (approx) plus 2 lease blocks that make up the 125 ha (approx) milking platform producing an average of 90,000 kgMS from 300 cows. Located just 8.5 km from Taumarunui township, on the edge of the Whanganui River, the dairy platform has an excellent layout with short walks on flat to easy rolling contour. The cow shed is centrally located and is supported by a good range of farm buildings. The farm has a high standard of improvements with quality pastures, pumice lanes and tidy fencing. The main home is a comfortable four bedroom home.

Tender closes 11.00am, Fri 8th Dec, 2023 (unless sold prior), Property Brokers, 27 Hakiaha Street, Taumarunui View Tue 14 Nov 1.00 - 2.00pm Tue 21 Nov 1.00 - 2.00pm Web pb.co.nz/TUR166654

Katie Walker M 027 757 7477

Proud to be here

Ian & Chelly Paeroa Rotokohu Road - Dairy Portfolio Tender

'In Receivership' - Substantial Dairy Opportunity Total land area 527.9902 hectares (more or less). Large dairy opportunity for investors seeking to acquire a large scale dairy portfolio located in the Hauraki Plains District. Five operational dairy farms with multiple titles and contiguous boundaries. Three-year production average of 584,000 kgMS (accounting for a lease of two adjoining blocks of 57 ha and 8 ha (more or less), which the purchaser will need to negotiate to continue). Good accommodation provided by nine dwellings. Livestock can be purchased. The properties are located on Rotokohu Road and Thorp Road in close proximity to Paeroa township. Capitalise on efficiencies that can be created by scale and enquire today. Farm Open Days between 11.00am - 1.00pm on Wednesday, 15 Nov, 22 Nov 2023. Note: Please sign in at “Farm 82” on Farm Open Days

Coromandel 57 Hall Road and 2511 Kopu Hikuai Roads - SH 25A

Tender closes 2.00pm, Thu 30th Nov, 2023 (unless sold prior), Property Brokers, 78 Studholme Street, Morrinsville View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/MAR171261

Ian Morgan M 027 492 5878

E ian.morgan@pb.co.nz

Chelly Aitchison M 022 697 8779

E chelly@pb.co.nz

Paeroa County Road

Tender

"In Receivership" - Hikuai Farms 136 hectares (more or less) dairy unit in two titles of flat to rolling contour with steeper sidlings. Three-year production average of 78,936 kgMS from approximately 230 cows. Farm improvements include a modern 32 ASHB dairy shed, in-shed meal feeders, 16 tonne silo, 4-bay implement shed with concrete floor, half round calf shed, storage shed, fertiliser bunker and Kliptank for effluent storage. There is one three-bedroom weatherboard farm dwelling. 81 hectares (more or less) drystock block in one title is available to be purchased with the dairy unit or standalone. This property is of rolling contour, currently subdivided into 13 paddocks, with yards and load out ramp. Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 | pb.co.nz

Tender

'In Receivership' - County Road Tender closes 2.00pm, Thu 30th Nov, 2023 (unless sold prior), Property Brokers, 78 Studholme Street, Morrinsville View Thu 16 Nov 10.00 - 10.45am Thu 23 Nov 10.00 - 10.45am Web pb.co.nz/MAR171267

Tender closes 2.00pm, Thu 30th Nov, 2023 (unless sold prior), Property Brokers, 78 Studholme Street, Morrinsville This property is a bare grazing block subdivided into approximately View Thu 16 Nov 2.00 - 2.30pm eight paddocks. Thu 23 Nov 2.00 - 2.30pm Web pb.co.nz/MAR171269

59 hectares (more or less) drystock/grazing property in two titles with rolling contour.

Ian Morgan M 027 492 5878

Chelly Aitchison M 022 697 8779

Proud to be here

Pahiatua 302 Ballance Road Tender

Generation Farms - 177 ha One of a kind, this excellent dairy unit is extremely well located just 10 minutes west of Pahiatua township and under 30 minutes to Palmerston North. A development programme over generations of ownership has resulted in impressive grass based production from this semi self-contained dairy operation with a 3 year average of 160,000kgMS peak milking 450 cows. A 2008 built 50 bail rotary cowshed is centrally located to the operation and features auto drafting and weighing, ACR, Auto teat spray and in-shed feed system. Further farm infrastructure includes a good range of shedding and a covered feed pad (300 cows). Three homes provide ample accommodation on the property, with the main five bedroom, two story family home being on a separate Title offering purchase options. Dairy units of this calibre in an affordable location which are fully compliant and have proven production history are unique in the current market.

Tender closes 2.00pm, Mon 27th Nov, 2023, To be submitted to Property Brokers Pahiatua, 129 Main Street Pahiatua View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/PR164728

Jared Brock M 027 449 5496

E jared@pb.co.nz

Jamie Smith M 027 220 8311

E jamie.smith@pb.co.nz

Bulls 287 State Highway 1 Tender

Multi season productivity - 182 ha Located on the edge of Bulls, this property has been developed to mitigate the limitations of both summer and winter production. With a 110 hectares of centre pivot irrigation, extensive drainage, loafing pad and covered wintering barns, 'Killeymoon' has massive multi season productive capability. Farm infrastructure includes two centre pivot irrigators, 40 ASHB shed, brand new eight and six bay implement sheds, feed pad/wintering barns, and excellent support buildings. Recent capital development has included a new water filtration and water system, upgraded effluent storage and central race development. The main dwelling, a four bedroom weatherboard homestead has open plan living, a separate large billiard room and is heated by two wood burners, both the second and third dwellings are two bedroom. With a significant capital expenditure program evident in the past two years, this property presents an opportunity for the new owner to take advantage of and reap the productive rewards.

Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 | pb.co.nz

Tender closes 11.00am, Thu 7th Dec, 2023, 54 Kimbolton Road, Feilding View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/FR168190 Blair Cottrill M 027 354 5419 E blair@pb.co.nz Stuart Sutherland M 027 452 1155 E stuarts@pb.co.nz Ted Shannon M 021 833 536 E ted.shannon@pb.co.nz Proud to be here

Edendale 545 Coal Pit Road New Listing

Simply the best This is a very productive high producing and therefore profitable 123.80 ha dairy farm. The Vendors converted this farm 30 years ago. They have farmed it themselves for a number of years and in recent times have employed 50/50 sharemilkers. It is so simple to manage, the dairy shed is centrally located along with the calf shed, this makes the walks short for the cows. The farm is located very handy to both Edendale and Wyndham townships, schooling and their respective communities. Being by the Mataura River you have access to some of the best Brown Trout fishing available in Southland. We also have for sale presently 106.58 ha next door which is in three titles. Inspection is a must.

Deadline Sale closes Thursday 7th December, 2023 at 4.00pm, (unless sold prior), Property Brokers Invercargill, 62 Deveron Street, Level 1 Hargest House, Invercargill 9840 View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/IR164985

Deadline Sale Closing 4pm, 7th December 2023, unless sold prior. Offers over $4,020,000 + GST (if any) will be considered.

Wayne Clarke M 027 432 5768

E wayne.clarke@pb.co.nz

John Hay M 027 435 0138

E john.hay@pb.co.nz

Waimumu 110/78 Waimumu Road Open Day

Self contained Dairy unit - options available Property Brokers are proud to present this well located and well presented dairy farm to the market. Established in 2014, Waimumu Downs has gone from strength to strength with a strong record of production and an emphasis on environmental care that has seen the farm be nominated for and win, several awards over the past decade. With an effective area of 268 ha and a milking platform of 206 ha, all stock is wintered on farm on a grass-only system. Milking is done from a 50 bail rotary shed with DeLaval plant, centrally located on the farm and approximately nine years old. The lanes are in good to fair condition throughout and all fences are in good order. Two stand-alone homes are included as well as two flats in the former DSIR complex which are currently tenanted. If you are looking for a solid farm with close proximity to schools, healthcare, and other services. Open Day - Wednesday, 15th November -10.00am, please contact the listing agent to register your interest. Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 | pb.co.nz

Deadline Sale closes Friday 15th December, 2023 at 4.00pm, (unless sold prior) View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/GOR166543

Ryan Osborne M 027 340 4333

E ryan.osborne@pb.co.nz Proud to be here

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate – November 13, 2023

Ashburton 1509 Maronan Valetta Road

Matata 337 Greig Road RD 4

346.89 ha - Proven dairy support

59.7 ha - This is a beauty - just immaculate!

This top quality unit sits in the favoured Valetta farming district and is surrounded by dairy, dairy support and fattening farms. Special features include low cost Mayfield Hinds Valetta Irrigation water, 4 centre pivot irrigators, excellently located large set of cattle yards, central lanes system to most paddocks supported by a good standard of other infrastructure. A very tidy renovated home set in a well laid out mature garden with native plantings. As a proven dairy support and beef fattening property this is a great opportunity to either support your dairy operation or purchase as a standalone dairy support property. Serious vendors looking for a change. Possession 1st June 2024.

Deadline Sale closes Thursday 30th November, 2023 at 12.00pm, (unless sold prior), Property Brokers Ashburton View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/AR167203

Chris Murdoch M 027 434 2545

Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 | pb.co.nz

• Milking 200 Jersey cows, twice a day, all season • 16 aside herringbone with padded standoff • Average of the last ten seasons = 72,693 kgMS • Excellent farm infrastructure • Quality pasture, fencing and races • Dairy NZ system 1-2 at a stocking rate of 3.5 cows/ha • Modernised 5 bedroom home plus two double garages • Good choice of schooling • Whakatane 20 kms and Edgecumbe 9.7 kms • Matata and the beach approximately 5 minutes away Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 | pb.co.nz

Tender closes 12.00pm, Thu 23rd Nov, 2023 (unless sold prior), Property Brokers, 38 Landing Road, Whakatane View Thu 16 Nov 11.00 - 12.00pm Web pb.co.nz/RTR166128

Robert Davies M 021 595 767 Ian Morgan M 027 492 5878

Accelerating Success.

Accelerating success.

Work, Life, Balance New Listing

For Sale

5301 State Highway 6, Marlborough For Sale by Deadline Sale closing Wednesday 6 December 2023 at 2pm

Sheep/Beef

• 68.05ha in two titles centrally located between Blenheim and Nelson

Waitio - 687ha in the Renowned Makuri district Tender closing Thurs 7 December 2023 at 2pm (unless sold prior) (plus GST if any) 791 Coonoor Road, Makuri, Tararua Jason Waterman 027 376 8313 jason.waterman@colliers.com

Land Area: 687.5051 ha (more or less)

Sheep/Beef

4 bedroom 2 bathroom home

Great infrastructure

Located in the Makuri district, a 30 minute drive east of Pahiatua. Waitio is currently wintering approximately 4,700 high performing stock units on the 577ha effective area plus 33ha of pines. Infrastructure includes woolshed, covered yards, cattle yards, great shedding and additional centrally located stock handling facilities. The 2006 built villa replica designed four bedroom plus office home compliments the land. colliers.co.nz/p-NZL67025826

• Ideal for intensive beef grazing, dairy support, calf rearing or continue the current milking operation without staff issues, the perfect one person property • Currently milking 140 cows, 14 ASHB shed, wintering barn, numerous sheds and outbuildings. 30ha k-line irrigation, reliable 1880mm rainfall • Exceptionally well presented five bedroom residence, positioned on an elevated setting with unobstructed views A must view property if you’re wanting a lifestyle with income located in the very desirable Marlborough region and close proximity to the Pelorus Sounds.

Andy Poswillo 027 420 4202 CRWAI Limited Licensed under the REAA 2008

colliers.co.nz

colliers.co.nz/p-NZL67026210

Marlborough Rural Realty Limited Colliers Licensed REAA 2008

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate – November 13, 2023

Your Rural & Lifestyle Specialist New Listing

FOR SALE

Open Days Thursday 16th & 23rd November 11:00am

ROBOTIC MILKING DAIRY FARM 350 Hill Road, New Plymouth, Taranaki

Tender Close Wed 6th Dec 2023 at 1pm, 269 Broadway Stratford

Exciting opportunity to take Taranaki's first robotic dairy farm to the next level. This 187 hectare dairy farm with a Lely robotic milking system established in 2018, is in a great location being only 20 minutes to New Plymouth, with excellent development potential for future focused owners. This is the first fully automated dairy farming operation established in Taranaki. The property is currently milking 240 cows on an A/B/C grazing system. It is also self-contained, grazing all young stock on farm being an added bonus. Outbuildings include a very tidy 5 bedroom brick dwelling plus employees cottage and usual farm buildings.

Murray Gibson 027 448 5782 murray@fntaranaki.co.nz

www.fntaranaki.co.nz

Owen Mills

027 477 7302 owen@fntaranaki.co.nz

Licensed REAA 2008

NEW LISTING

Hunterville 460 Leedstown Road

Fertile arable, sheep and beef property.

47.0068 ha

This 47 hectare (116 acre) block of fertile flat and rolling arable land is currently being run as a sheep and beef unit offers a number of opportunities. Situated between Marton and Hunterville townships in the Rangitikei district. Land in this area is strongly held and this property offers an opportunity to develop a finishing farm to complement existing farming operations. Alternatively, the properties mainly flat land has previously grown several commercial cash crops. Fenced into eight paddocks to facilitate strategic pasture management this relatively blank canvas could make an ideal larger lifestyle property with a possible income stream. The soils are Kiwitea silt loam predominately with an area of Hunterville Silt Loam Hill. The property has a solid stock water system in place. Call to view this property.

Auction (unless sold prior) 12pm, Mon 4 Dec 2023 243 Broadway Avenue, Palmerston North View 1-2pm Wed 15 Nov Andrew Bonnor 027 941 7630 andrew.bonnor@bayleys.co.nz MID WEST REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

bayleys.co.nz/3100543

FINAL NOTICE

Boundary lines are indicative only

Putaruru 653 Overdale Road Larger lifestyle, grazing or both! Located more or less midway between Tirau and Putaruru, this block is well positioned to exploit a multitude of farming and lifestyle options. Approximately 65% of the contour is tractor country, suitable for harvesting supplements or growing maize with the balance being of a mixed nature. Mostly fully deer fenced, currently growing prime beef cattle, it would be perfect for those looking for a quality dairy support or be appreciated by horse lovers. Nestled in the landscaped grounds is a four bedroom refurbished contemporary home, featuring two bathrooms, large kitchen, dining and family living area plus separate lounge. Great block, great location, call now!

bayleys.co.nz/2400597

bayleys.co.nz

Taupo, Kinloch 957 Poihipi Road 52 ha Tender (unless sold prior) Closing 2pm, Tue 21 Nov 2023 65 Arawa Street, Matamata View 11am-12pm Tue 14 Nov Sam Troughton 027 480 0836 sam.troughton@bayleys.co.nz SUCCESS REALTY LIMITED, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

Montana – dairy farming with pride Montana will give you a lift once you enter the tree lined driveway and take in the immaculate surrounds. This 199-hectare (more or less) property offers a solid investment in all that you would expect from a dairy farm. Approximately six kilometres from Taupo, this property enables the new owner to capitalize on everything a thriving town like Taupo has to offer. Montana is milking 630 cows through a 44 ASHB. The 630 cows have produced 270,698ms for the 2022/2023 season. Only 300 of the 630 cows are wintered off the property. This is the best example of a large dairy unit you will find this close to Taupo. Call today to find out more.

bayleys.co.nz/2654636

199 ha Tender (unless sold prior) Closing 1pm, Wed 6 Dec 2023 44 Roberts Street, Taupo View by appointment Stan Sickler 021 275 7826 stan.sickler@bayleys.co.nz WESTERMAN REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate – November 13, 2023

NEW LISTING

Kaikoura 3717 Inland Kaikoura Road Charwell Farm

Springston 379 Days Road 1,044.3518 ha

A statement property perfectly suited to sheep and beef breeding. 1,044.3518 hectares (more or less) ranging from large hill blocks to broken terraces and quality flats. In a good rainfall area, well-tracked providing easy access, for a simple low-cost farm system. An array of sheds including a four-stand raised board woolshed, an implement shed and workshop, hay sheds and cattle yards complete the main working area of the property at the homestead end of the farm. Complementing the farming operation is a large five-bedroom family home on an elevated site that provides easy care living with great views. Within an easy commute to Kaikoura for the local amenities and schools and numerous fishing, boating, and outdoor activities.

Price Indication $6,900,000 + GST (if any) 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

bayleys.co.nz/5522403

Sudarra Farm

78.4212 ha

At 78.4212 hectares (more or less), this is a rare opportunity being a dairy farm of this size. Consented to milk up to 250 cows in the 24-aside herringbone dairy shed, Sudarra Farm features wellsheltered paddocks ensuring excellent grass growth, even in drier years, while the low-cost water system guarantees economical irrigation. Irrigation water is supplied from two wells, irrigated via three Southern Cross guns on the main block and Rotorainer on the lease block. The property has extensive shedding including a 12-bay hay shed/calf shed. The four-bedroom spacious family home is a comfortable retreat, with a private outdoor living area, the main living area connects seamlessly to the outdoor patio. Located 5.5kms from Lincoln.

Deadline Sale (unless sold prior) 12pm, Thu 7 Dec 2023 3 Deans Avenue, Christchurch Phone for viewing times Ben Turner 027 530 1400 ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz Evan Marshall 027 221 0910 evan.marshall@bayleys.co.nz WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

bayleys.co.nz/5522433

KAIRIMU BLOCK

THUNDERCROSS VALLEY DIRT BIKE PARK

VERSATILE LANDHOLDING + INCOME POTENTIAL

MULTIPLE INCOME STREAMS INCLUDING POTENTIAL PUBLIC CAFE

Kairimu Block is an attractive landholding totaling 879 hectares (subject to subdivision) consisting of mostly clean farm land, planted and regenerating mānuka, younger age class Radiata pine, and mixed-age native bush. Operated as a breeding block for a larger station, Kairimu is capable of being run as a standalone support block with key infrastructure in place. Located near Marokopa beach and surrounded by native reserve land providing ample opportunity for hunting, Kairimu has appeal for those looking for a substantial landholding with income potential.

Thundercross Valley Dirt Bike Park is a highly regarded adventure tourism business operating on a versatile 300 hectare landholding near Glen Murray – less than 100km* to Auckland and Hamilton and 160km* to Tauranga. In addition to the Dirt Bike Park, the farm land is currently leased for grazing cattle. There are a range of opportunities for either a hands-on farmer or investor alike, to increase revenue through adding accommodation or activities such as paintball or ziplining to maximise the potential from this Highway 22 location. A comfortable four-bedroom home with an established garden and an elevated setting awaits, providing the perfect view over the valley.

FOR SALE

Marokopa, Waikato

+ 879ha* freehold (subject to subdivision), 432ha* farm land; + Predominantly undulating – moderately steep contour; + Arterial track network, satellite yards, spring fed reticulated water;

+ Income potential via 3rd party Beehive Access License & ETS; + 63km* to Te Kūiti, 112km* to Hamilton; + 142ha* ETS registered (radiata and indigenous); + This farm land is available for sale;

Glen Murray, Waikato

+ Over 3,000 riders per annum; + 38kms of formed tracks and on-site quarry; + 4 bedroom / 2 bathroom home + 4 bay implement shed + Majority easy contour; + 237ha* effective grazing;

+ Rustic ‘Wool Shed’ with public cafe potential subject to consenting; + Attractive basin setting and mature bush; + Two sets yards and reticulated water; + This business and farm land is available for sale;

Deadline Offers: Thursday 7 December 2023 at 4pm (NZDT)**

Deadline Offers: Friday 8 December 2023 at 4pm (NZDT)**

Wyatt Johnston +64 27 815 1303 Jeremy Keating +64 21 461 210

Jeremy Keating +64 21 461 210 Wyatt Johnston +64 27 815 1303

*Approximately **Unless sold prior

Arotahi Agribusiness Limited, Licensed Real Estate Agent REA Act

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate – November 13, 2023

Boundary line is indicative only

Te Awamutu 487-507 Pekanui Road Seriously For Sale With Multiple Purchasing Options

Whether it be a larger farming operation a smaller first farm or a top notch grazing or lifestyle you seek, these exciting new listings located just 15 minutes’ drive from the Pirongia Village offer incredible value for money in a location sought by many. Purchasing options include the following: • 236.0353 ha dairy unit in entirety • 161.6340 ha (subject to survey) smaller affordable dairy option • 71.3000 ha (subject to survey) grazing/support block with x factor • 9480m2 lifestyle with comfortable 3 bedroom home with office • 2.1533 ha (subject to survey) lifestyle section with incredible views. Improvements on the dairy include a tidy 40 aside Herringbone cowshed and feed pad, a good standard of shedding, and depending on which land area is of interest, there are 3 homes available. For more information and price range that will be sure to get your attention, contact Kerry today.

For Sale Tender closes Thurs 14 Dec, 1pm (unless sold prior) View Open Days: Fri 17 Nov, Wed 22 Nov, Wed 29 Nov, Wed 6 Dec, 11.00am-1.00pm blueribbonharcourts.co.nz/property/OH22251 / OH22248 / OH22250 / OH22252 / OH22254

Kerry Harty M 027 294 6215 P 07 873 8700 E kjharty@harcourts.co.nz Blue Ribbon Realty Limited Licensed Agent REAA 2008

4.4 ha B 3 C

Kerikeri, 403 Kapiro Road Bay of Islands Retirement • • • • • •

Lifestyle block close to vibrant Kerikeri Privacy, comfort, warmth and fertile land Seven fenced paddocks with troughs Three bay shed with power Stockyards, commercial water supply Marina and boating just 9km away

For Sale $1,495,000 View by appointment harcourtsbayofislands.co.nz

Bay of Islands Realty Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008

FINAL NOTICE

317 Aotearoa Rd - Dairy

119 ha

Wharepapa South Infrastructure + Grass = Profit Milking 300 cows through a 32 ASHB dairy, your farming operations will run smoothly with the convenience of this well-equipped shed. Ample shedding for your equipment, calves and hay. Water supply is via 2 bores and the effluent system is a weeping wall and 120 days storage irrigating approximately 25ha. Average 3 year production is 123,538 kgs/ms. Approximately 85% of contour is flat to rolling with 15% steeper. The main home is spacious with four bedrooms and there is also a three bedroom cottage, perfect for staff. Centrally located between Te Awamutu and Putaruru. Contact Jack for more information.

matamata.ljhooker.co.nz/KENHR1

Deadline Sale Closes Thurs 23rd Nov, 3pm (unless sold prior) ___________________________________ View Wed 15th Nov 1pm - 2pm ___________________________________ Agent Jack Van Lierop 027 445 5099 LJ Hooker Matamata 07 888 5677 Link Realty Ltd. Licensed Agent REA 2008

Link Realty Ltd. All information contained herein is gathered from sources we consider to be reliable. However, we cannot guarantee or give any waranty about the information provided. Interested parties must solely rely on their own enquiries.

View online

Properties advertised in Farmers Weekly also appear on our website

Visit farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

2D 2J

Robi Quilter 021 223 3267

Marketplace Heavy duty, long lasting incinerators

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

MOWER MASTER TOWABLE MOWERS Topper / Finishing Mower

• Located in Poukawa, Hawke’s Bay

Genuine 11.5HP Briggs & Stratton Motor. Electric start. Belt driven. Cutting Height 30mm - 300mm

• Remuneration package includes accommodation, work ute and other benefits • For further information please visit https://bit.ly/3Q0FXk7

GST INCLUSIVE

LK0116485©

WHAT

Phone 021 047 9299

To find out more visit

www.mowermaster.co Phone 0800 422277 or 028 461 5112 Email: mowermasterltd@gmail.com

irontreeproducts.co.nz

CHILLERS & FREEZERS

Find primary sector vacancies at:

See TradeME #2251190054 [For farmers and hunters] Become self-sufficient

With an overall farming footprint of 9000+ ha of freehold and leasehold land, the Poukawa Farm is a 2200ha mixed farming operation, with lamb and beef finishing combined with high value cash crops in the summer and lamb grazing through winter. Comprising a 1200ha grazing platform, the contour encompasses 400ha steeper hills, 500ha of easy rolling hills and the balance are flats.

LK0117193©

frigidair@xtra.co.nz

WHO LK0115404©

Phone JC 021 441 180

Assisted by a Stock Manager (2IC), you will lead a team of 3-4 shepherds, with additional support from a shared general team (Farm Support Team). Your day-today will include stock rotations, pasture management, animal health and welfare, weighing and condition scoring, recording, and reporting, health and safety and general farm maintenance.

Brownrigg Agriculture is a largescale farming agribusiness situated in Hawke’s Bay, growing a range of natural farm produce of excellent provenance. Recently, changing the way they farm to offer more career progression to their valued team, the management structure has been reviewed and amalgamation of ten farms to five enables a greater level of on-farm leadership & responsibility.

To advertise phone Debbie 06 323 0765

Since 1975

Working closely with the Livestock Business Manager (LBM), the Farm Manager is responsible and accountable for implementing plans and organising operations for the Poukawa Farm. This will include monitoring and reporting farm performance information and contributing to the wider Livestock team. A key component of this role is leading and developing people under your management and supporting others across the business to do the same.

WHERE

farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz

When only the best will do!

FARM MANAGER – HAWKE’S BAY

$4200

Three sizes available

Join the team! Graduate Journalist (fixed term 12 months)

We’re wanting to hire someone who is as passionate as we are about the opportunities for our people and our planet that come from New Zealand farming.

The successful applicant will be driven and have the desire to continually progress themselves and the property. To succeed in this role, you will bring: • Excellent understanding of the fundamentals of farming. • Knowledge and passion for finishing lambs and bulls. • Strong understanding of feed quality and supply/demand. • Excellent communication and relationship-building skills. • Ability to lead a team and a passion for developing staff. • Interest and ability in utilising technology and modern systems for accurate record keeping and reporting; competence working in spreadsheets and experience with Farmax would be advantageous. • Strong forward planning and time management skills. • High level of stockmanship with a team of 2 - 5 working dogs. • A full New Zealand Driver’s Licence. WHY • This is a rewarding position and provides learning opportunities for someone who has an understanding and passion for finishing lambs and bulls. • Be part of a structured livestock leadership team, giving you regular exposure of running a farming business. • Develop a strong understanding of feed management with a range of forages gaining valuable experience across the entire business. • Brownrigg Agriculture has a strong culture of its own and in-itself is a thriving and busy community. • Attractive remuneration package commensurate with experience and the importance of this role including accommodation, work Ute and other benefits. • Accommodation is a newly purchased four-bedroom home with two living areas, warmed by heat pump and wood burner. It is a sound house in a stunning location. • There is the option to live off-farm in a drive-in position if desired.

Our aim is to discuss and inform beliefs, principles, and policies to shape the future of New Zealand farming. Climate change presents an opportunity to reassess our relationship with nature and redesign our food system, with farmers leading the charge. New Zealand is home to brilliant farmers, scientists, and innovators, and already possesses a green reputation on the global stage built on the highquality products we produce. Using the blueprint for stewardship and regeneration provided by mātauranga, New Zealand can lead the way to a new era of food and fibre; while feeding, clothing, and healing the world in partnership with tangata whenua. Our Land and Water, Toitū te Whenua, Toiora te Wai, projects are focussed on enhancing the production and productivity of New Zealand’s primary sector, while maintaining and improving the quality of the country’s land and water for future generations. AgriHQ with funding from Our Land and Water are looking for a science reporter for 12 months, working full time from Feilding, to join our award-winning editorial team, working closely with the editor and sub editor of Farmers Weekly to write stories and help implement the editorial strategy. Our team will work with you to hone your reporting skills. We have industry-standard equipment for podcasting, video-making and photography and use current software for editing. AgriHQ invests in great people to create best-in-class products that include flagship newspaper Farmers Weekly, the AgriHQ suite of data and analysis products, Dairy Farmer magazine, the On Farm Story video series, and a range of podcasts, education and information resources, and various social and website destinations.

For further information on this role or to apply please visit www.ruraldirections. co.nz/jobs or give the Rural Directions team a call on 06 871 0450 for a confidential chat.

This is an opportunity to inform the rural community about cutting edge innovation, climate mitigation and adaptation, changes in diets and culture, advances in technology. Tell the stories of how researchers are making a difference in the areas of food equity, food intelligence and food innovation.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Only job seekers who have NZ working rights will be eligible for this role.

A basic understanding/background in agriculture, science and/or farming is desirable, as well as journalism and newsroom experience.

If you’re ready for the responsibility and the challenge, we invite you to register your interest and request a job description and application form now by emailing hr@agrihq.co.nz

LK0117061©

Along with receiving top class on the job training and mentoring, there is a competitive salary plus a relocation fund available. The role is predominantly normal office hours Mon-Fri, although from time to time there will be events outside this to cover.

LK0117195©

JW114362©

39 Marketplace

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

SCOTTY’S CONTRACTORS

Marketplace

Adventures - 4WD Tours

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

High Country Heritage Tour – Spaces still available for 2024

✁

Digging out and remetalling cattle yards and calf sheds. Also specialising in flood damage and silt removal.

• 6 day tour • Low Ratio Vehicle required

NOW WORKING IN WAIROA / HAWKE’S BAY AREAS CONTACT TO BOOK YOUR SHED

New Zealand’s Number 1 service provider since 2004

info@nzadventures.co.nz Ph: 03 218 8569, 027 550 6727 or 027 435 4267

LK0116868©

LK0117194©

✁ Contact Scotty to discuss all that needs to be done Ph 0800 27 26 88 • Mobile 027 26 26 27 2 • scottnewman101@gmail.com

www.nzadventures.co.nz

4X4 TAGALONG TOURS Bring your own 4X4 on a guided tour to discover more of the South Island.

Tour 1: Molesworth Station, St James, Mailings Pass & Rainbow Stations

2023 Elections to Forest Growers Levy Trust Board

Dates: March 11-14, March 25-28, April 8-11, April 22-25

The candidates for the one position on the FGLT Board to represent forests fewer

Tour: 2 D’Urville Island and Marlborough Farms Tour

than 1,000 hectares are: Ket Bradshaw and Bert Hughes

Dates: Feb 11-15 2 places available,

The candidates for the two positions on the FGLT Board to represent forests more

Other dates available for groups of 6 or more people on request

Voting by owners of forests closes 5pm Friday 24 November.

Go to Forestvoice.org.nz for voting details

LK0117107©

David Cormack, Lees Seymour and Phil Taylor

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April 24-28

than 1,000 hectares are:

Ph: 0274 351 955 E: info@southislandtoursnz.com • www.southislandtoursnz.com

EXPERIENCE SUSPENSION™

WITH TRIPLE MOWING TECHNOLOGY From $12,999 RRP Ferris® suspension systems are engineered to provide you with a smooth ride on uneven ground. The deck of the mower works in conjunction with the suspension system to provide a consistent quality of cut. And, the TRIPLE mower deck (on selected models*), now gives you side discharge, rear discharge and mulching configurations that can be converted as required. *TRIPLE Deck available on the 400S and ISX2200 (not shown).

You wouldn’t drive a car without suspension. So why buy a Ride-on without it?

Take a Ferris for a test drive. Phone 0800 274 447 for your nearest dealer. Or visit ferrismowers.com for more information.

FERRIS® SRS®Z1 STAND-ON

FERRIS® IS®600Z - 48” deck

FERRIS® 400S - 48” deck

Ride confidently into narrow spaces with advanced comfort and stability. The new SRS Z1 offers excellent productivity with our exclusive suspension technology - all in a compact frame that will fit into a van or smaller trailer. RRP from $18,899inc.

The best value in a compact zero-turn mower. With our exclusive suspension technology, heavy-duty Hydro-Gear® Drive System and speeds up to 16 km/h, this mower will give you all you’re looking for and more. RRP from $17,849inc.

Affordable & durable with commercial-grade power and maneuverability. Advanced debris management system, large turf friendly 20” tyres for increased traction, with speeds up to 12.8km/h. RRP from $12,999inc. FW/FERRIS/2022

Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ltd (B+LNZ) give notice that nominations are now open for B+LNZ Directors. Written remits for the 2024 Annual Meeting are now being accepted.

FARMING LEASE WANTED Over 10 years experience.

Kate Acland has indicated she will be seeking re-election in 2024. Martin Coup will be retiring after six years as a Director.

021 088 73115

• Northern North Island (NNI) • Northern South Island (NSI) The successful candidates for these Director positions will also be appointed to the Board of Directors for the New Zealand Meat Board. Remits are called for under section 12 of the Second Schedule: Proceedings at Meetings of the B+LNZ constitution. Remits are a matter that the proposing farmers are raising for discussion and resolution at the annual meeting. The B+LNZ remits policy and guidelines can be found at https://beeflambnz.com/about/corporate-documents. All nominations and written remits must be made on the official forms. Nomination forms and information regarding the elections are available: • visit www.electionz.com/BLNZ2024R • emailing iro@electionz.com • phoning 0800 666 035. Remit forms are available from B+LNZ: • at https://beeflambnz.com/about/corporate-documents • by emailing enquiries@beeflambnz.com • or phoning 0800 233 352. All nominations must be received by the Returning Officer, and written remits received by B+LNZ, by 5pm on Friday 8 December 2023.

Board of Directors and Annual Meeting Resolutions and Remits Voting for the B+LNZ Board, annual meeting resolutions and remits (if any) will all be conducted at the same time. Voting will be conducted by postal and internet voting, with voting papers posted to all farmers on the B+LNZ electoral roll. The mailout of the voting packs is expected to be on Tuesday 13 February 2024. B+LNZ Board elections will close on election day and postal and electronic voting for company resolutions and remits will close on the same date, Wednesday 13 March 2024 at 2pm. Farmers can vote in person on company resolutions and remits only, at the Annual Meeting on Tuesday 19 March 2024. To be eligible to vote in the B+LNZ Director elections, or for annual meeting resolutions and remits (if any), a livestock farmer must, on 30 June 2023, have owned at least 250 sheep, or 50 beef cattle, or 100 dairy cattle and be on the B+LNZ electoral roll. Additionally, voters must farm within the respective electorate to be eligible to vote for the Board of Directors. If you have previously received voting papers you are on the electoral roll and do not need to re-register. To check if you are on the electoral roll contact B+LNZ on 0800 233 352. The electoral roll will close for those who wish to vote by post at 5pm on Friday 19 January 2024, although new registrations will be received after that date (for online voting only). All queries regarding B+LNZ elections should be directed to the Returning Officer on 0800 666 035. All queries regarding annual meeting remits should be directed to B+LNZ Chief Operating Officer, Cros Spooner on 0800 233 352.

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Under section 42 of the B+LNZ constitution, two electoral district Directors will retire by rotation at the annual meeting. This year, Martin Coup (Northern North Island) and Kate Acland (Northern South Island) must retire by rotation but may stand for re-election.

Nominations are being called to fill two Board of Director vacancies, one for each of the following electoral districts:

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LK0117169©

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Warwick Lampp Returning Officer – Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ltd PO Box 3138, Christchurch 8140 iro@electionz.com, 0800 666 035

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

JW117025©

Marketplace

ANIMAL HANDLING

DOGS FOR SALE

HORTICULTURE

RAMS FOR SALE

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 ro d i p. c o m

BEARDIE HUNTAWAY. 11 months old. Good noise, beautiful nature. Phone 027 243 8541. SMITHFIELD-CROSS heading dog pups. Parents good handy dogs. Maungaturoto. $350. Phone 021 257 1680.

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 WORD ONLY ADVERTISING. Phone 0800 85 25 80.

WILTSHIRES-ARVIDSON. Open Day 27.11.23, 2-5pm Auction 28.11.23 11am 15 Oruanui Road, Taupo Saleyards. Phone David 027 277 1556.

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

ATTENTION FARMERS

ELECTRO-TEK ENGINEERING

LEASE LAND WANTED ZON BIRDSCARER

DOLOMITE

electro-tek@xtra.co.nz Phone: 06 357 2454

NZ’s finest BioGro certified Mg fertiliser

FOR SALE

For a delivered price call ....

0800 436 566 BOOK AN AD. For only $2.30 + gst per word you can book a word only ad in Farmers Weekly Classifieds section. Phone 0800 85 25 80 to book in or email wordads@agrihq. co.nz

BALAGE FOR SALE EXCELLENT QUALITY, $85 per bale plus GST. Unit loads available. Phone 021 455 787.

DOGS FOR SALE DELIVERING AND BUYING NZ Wide. https:// w w w.youtube.com/@ mikehughesworkingdog Phone 07 315 5553. HUNTAWAY PUPS, STATION bred. Proven parents with breeding history available. $350. Phone 022 046 5417. BEARDIE HEADING DOGCROSS pups. 3-months old, working parents. South Auckland. Phone 027 486 5361.

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL Buy $200 + grab a FREE 2pr Xmas socks $50 Worth

www.thesocklady.co.nz

DAIRY OR GRAZING FARM wanted. Open to leasing, equity, share farming or developing land in partnership. Rangitīkei, Manawatū or HB areas. Phone Michael 027 223 6156. BOOK AN AD. For only $2.30 + gst per word you can book a word only ad in Farmers Weekly Classifieds section. Phone 0800 85 25 80 to book in or email wordads@agrihq.co.nz

LIVESTOCK FOR SALE

GIBB-GRO GROWTH PROMOTANT PROMOTES QUICK PASTURE growth. Only $6.50+gst per hectare delivered. 0508-GIBBGRO [0508 442 247] www. gibbgro.co.nz. “The Proven One.”

GOATS WANTED GOATS WANTED. 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.

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Check out Poll Dorset NZ on Facebook nzsheep.co.nz/poll-dorset-breeders

PERSONAL ALONE IS NO FUN! Join our community of people seeking friendship/love! Connect via personal phone calls not a computer. City/ Rural and Outback members of all ages (seniors welcome). Call 0800 315 311 to make contact today! www. newbeginningsnet wor k . co.nz 30+ years experience in helping genuine people find love!

STOCK FEED STANDING GRASS and/or baleage available. Phone 027 223 6156.

WANTED TO BUY OLD HAY ELEVATORS, working or not. Must be motor-driven. Prefer blue Hollard or O’Connell elevators for project. Must have complete chain. With or without motor. Taranaki, Waikato, Manawatu areas preferred. Phone/text Nathan on 027 485 1208. SAWN SHED TIMBER including Black Maire. Matai, Totara and Rimu etc. Also buying salvaged native logs. Phone Richard Uren. NZ Native Timber Supplies. Phone 027 688 2954. WHAT’S SITTING IN your barn? Don’t leave it to rust away! We pay cash for tractors, excavators, small crawler tractors and surplus farm machinery. Ford – Ferguson – Hitachi – Komatsu – John Deere and more. Tell us what you have no matter where it is in NZ. You never know.. what’s resting in your barn could be fattening up your wallet! Email admin@ loaderparts.co.nz or phone Colin on 0274 426 936 (No texts please)

WORK WANTED GRAZIER AVAILABLE FROM start of January on private contract Looking for around 70-80 weaners on 18-month contract. Tauranga/Katikati area. Phone 027 632 6223.

42 Livestock

Livestock

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

SOUTHDOWNS

Building Better Bloodlines

WILLOWHAUGH SOUTHDOWNS Elite Rams for Sale - Online Bidr Auction Wednesday 22nd November - 7pm

Phone Ross Dyer 0274 333 381 info@dyerlivestock.co.nz www.dyerlivestock.co.nz

www.southdownsheep.org.nz LK0116999©

Enquiries and viewings welcome Will Jackson 027 739 9939 william@piquethillfarms.co.nz www.piquethillfarms.co.nz

BLENHEIM

1YR Angus Steers 330-400kg 1YR Exotic & Beef Bred Heifers 250-320kg 2YR Ang & Ang X Steers 450-550kg 1YR Frsn Bulls 250-340kg 1YR Hereford Bulls 330-400kg 1YR Frsn Ang or Frsn/H Steers 290-340kg 2YR Beef Bred Bulls 460-540kg

4 Early finishing LK0117035©

Piquet Hill Rams are: • Moderately framed and structurally sound • Extremely hardy • Prolific and vigorous • FE tolerant • Worm resistant • DNA profiled and parent verified Maternal composite (FE testing @ 6.7) Shedding composite (FE testing @ 4.0) Romney (FE testing @ 7.2) Blackface terminal composite

STOCK REQUIRED

A Financing Solution For Your Farm www.rdlfinance.co.nz

MT CASS STATION WILTSHIRE RAM SALE MONDAY 20TH NOVEMBER 208 Symonds Road, Waipara Viewing 11am, Sale 1pm

> 30 specially selected SIL performance recorded terminal sires

>45 1shr Pure Bred Wiltshire Rams >35 1shr Wiltshire & Exlana x Rams These are top lines of SIL fully recorded and organic farmed rams.

Freight will be paid to Feilding or Christchurch. Videos and ram info will be available to view on Bidr®. To register for Bidr® please go to www.bidr.co.nz. If you would like assistance registering please call the bidr team on 0800 TO BIDR (0800 86 2437).

Further enquiries: Callum Dunnett (Hazlett) 027 462 0126 Alby Orchard (Hazlett) 027 534 5753 Alex Horn (PGGW) 027 591 8449 Simon Eddington (PGGW) 027 590 8612 Dave Wooldridge (Mt Cass) 027 259 4859

STOCK REQUIRED R1 bulls 200kg to 380kg R2 bulls 380kg to 680kg R2 Steers 380kg to 650kg

Further enquiries: Christina Jordan (Vendor) 027 628 5308 Callum Dunnett (Hazlett) 027 462 0126 Graham Sidey 027 572 7189

Larger lines of R1 & R2 store cattle. Cull cows. Prime cattle and bulls. SOUTH ISLAND WIDE Contact Colin 027 285 5780

LK0117102©

R1 Angus and Angus Hereford X steers 220kg to 350kg

SUFTEX A NEW ERA IN TERMINAL RAMS

GRUNT

Fast growth, high meat yields, meat quality, excellent survival and tough hardy rams

AND THE BREEDERS North to South

PERFORMANCE

TS Flks Avg Rpt Flks Avg

1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0

Raupuha Kelso Pahiwi Paki-iti Hemingford Taiko Downs Longdowns Nithdale Twin Farm Strathallan Run Mount Linton Crossiebeg

King Country Hawkes Bay Hawkes Bay Manawatu Nth Canterbury Sth Canterbury Otago Gore Gore Wyndham Ohai Invercargill

07 877 8977 0800 453 576 06 855 4943 06 328 5772 03 315 8689 027 685 5702 027 976 0928 027 418 3423 03 208 5904 027 201 7312 021 271 1106 027 230 4052

PREMIER SUFTEX PremierSuftexNZ

LK0116793©

1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0

199 5 199 7 199 9 200 1 200 3 200 5 200 7 200 9 2011 201 3 201 5 201 7 201 9 202 1

CENTS

NZ Standard Terminal Worth (NZTW)

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Reach every farmer in New Zealand every week

Call Andrea 027 602 4925

Livestock ELITE RAM & EWE SALE

WAIRARAPA TEXEL RAM AUCTION DEVELOPMENTS AT GLENLANDS

12.30PM Friday 1st November 2023 (Viewing from 9am) Canterbury Agricultural Park 102 Curletts Road, Christchurch

"MAXIMISING YOUR RETURN THROUGH PERSONAL LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT"

Quality Rams & Ewes for sale Corriedale English Leicester Border Leicester Romney Texel Dorper

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

Tried, tested, proven and matched perfectly to New Zealand conditions for efficient, cost effective lamb production.

STOCK WANTED 150 x 240-280kg R1 Angus Steers Chris Kyle, Ph: 027 496 7412

Suffolk Shropshire South Suffolk Poll Dorset Southdown Dorset Down

330-400kg Friesian Bulls Richard Seavill, Ph: 021 169 8276

Sustainability

STOCK FOR SALE

40 x 270kg Hereford Heifers. $3.30/kg Sam Cowley, Ph: 021 263 2019 Email: admin@byl.co.nz

Texel Flock No 10 SIL No. 2960 Suftex Flock SIL No 5044

Website: www.byllivestock.co.nz

Advertise with us 28 November 1-4pm

Ram Sale

LK0117181©

LK0117127©

Office close dates December 19 to January 7

Contact: Blair & Sally Robertson 027 444 4085 Callum McDonald, PGG 027 433 6443

SILKY 100% SHEDDING

With 100 plus Texel 2th rams and 80 plus Suftex 2th rams

• Fertility • Feet – walkability • Productivity • Easy manage • Early maturity

Plus – 200+ ram hoggets available for 2024 ewe hogget mating including 50+ Cheviot/Texel ram hoggets.

Contact your partnership manager for deadlines

5 December 2023 – 1pm (inspection from 10am)

“Meating the Market” All fully SIL recorded for sale 2023

Last issue for 2023 December 18 First issue for 2024 January 15

On Farm Open Day

www.merrydowns.co.nz

WAIRARAPA TEXEL DEVELOPMENTS THE TERMINATOR -PACKING MEAT

Inspection and enquiry are always welcome, or visit our Facebook page wairarapa texel development.

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

PINERAMPARK SALE 312 Tutaenui Road, R D 2, Marton COOPWORTH

Peter & Reuben Moore MOUTERE DOWNS Romney 027 267 7370

LK0117182©

ROMWORTH

Craig & Tina Alexander ARDG Romney 07 888 1703

Forbes Cameron NGAPUTAHI Romney 027 529 4050 Paul & Dayanne Crick ARAHURA Romney 027 450 4085

Kerry France HAZELDALE Perendale 03 204 8339 Allan & Sonia Richardson AVALON Ultimate & Texel 027 220 2672 Scott & Kjersti Walker AVALON Perendale 027 630 5301

FE Tolerant SIL Recorded Muscle Scanned Simon Smith PGG Wrightson 027 444 0733

John & Jan Marchant ARDG Romney 09 232 5613

Ross & Ruth Richards ROMANI Coopworth 07 895 7144

Graeme & Sue Maxwell LONGVIEW Perendale 06 839 7412 Robert Peacock ORARI GORGE Romney 03 692 2893

SHEEP FARMERS A long term solution for parasite control starts with your first ram purchase.

Private sales available from 27th November

Ed Sherriff 021 704 778 or 06 327 6591 edsherriff@farmside.co.nz

Adrian & Jenny Savannah GLENBROOK Romney 09 427 6393

Keith & Trish Abbott WAITEIKA Romney 027 463 9859

NEW ZEALAND MEMBERS

• Drought tolerant • Hardy, tick resistant • Productive all regions • Aseasonal

Reps Names – Genetics Tom Suttor 0274469967 Auctioneer – Sam Wright 0272479035 Dean & Antoinette Martin | Glenlands Farm, Hawkes Bay, NZ Ph: +64 27 250 2850 Available on E: info@glenlandsfarm.co.nz www.glenlandsfarm.co.nz

Kate Broadbent NIKAU Coopworth 09 233 3230 Alastair Reeves WAIMAI Romney 0274 573 615

HELMSMAN 12.30pm, Tuesday 21st November 2023

TERMINAL

LK0117192©

Ph: 0800 827 455

Profitability

No crutching No shearing No tailing No flies

30 x 530-550kg R2 Frs bulls, tested, vacc. & ready for service. $1900 Chris Kyle, Ph: 027 496 7412

PGG Wrightson Ltd, Simon Eddington, 027 590 8612 Rural Livestock Ltd, Anthony Cox, 027 208 3071 Hazlett Rural Ltd, Callum Dunnett, 027 462 0126

Gates open 12pm – Auction 2pm 16 November 2023 1330 State Highway 5, Glengarry, Napier

What makes a SheepMaster?

250-300kg Friesian & Dairy Beef Bulls Sam Cowley, Ph: 021 263 2019

For more information, contact our Auctioneer Representatives:

SHEEPMASTER STUD

Andrew & Heather Tripp NITHDALE & WAIRAKI Romney 027 256 6647

Contact a member today www.wormfecgold.co.nz

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

MANU POLL DORSET 35th Annual Ram Sale A/C AA & DJ Clements

ON NOW! Held on the property of Alex & Delwyn Clements 201 Drake Road, Purua, Whangarei

Livestock SALE TALK I was on a train the other day when two Swedish men sat down next to me. The two introduced themselves as Sven and Olf. Olf in particular was wearing a t-shirt with the USSR flag on and boasted a cap with a hammer and sickle on, so I assumed he was an avid communist. I asked them if either of them knew where I could get alcohol on the train, and Olf piped up: “If you go to carriage 4, you can get a Guinness, you idiot. You can also find a Stella in carriage 6, moron. There’s also someone microbrewing in the front of the train, but he looks stupid.” I was a bit taken aback at how mean Olf was, but I thanked him for the information. Soon after, when he got up to go to the bathroom, I asked Sven what the deal was with his friend. “Don’t worry about him” he said. “Rude Olf the red knows train beer.” 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@agrihq.co.nz with Sale Talk in the subject line and we’ll print it and credit it to you. Conditions apply

Monday 27th November 2023, 1pm start 49 One Shear Poll Dorset Rams

TE WHANGA ON FARM LAMB SALE

5 One Shear Poll Dorset Cross Rams

Wednesday 15 November, 1.00pm

All Rams Ovine Brucellosis Accredited All Rams Eye Muscle Scanned All Manu Rams Performance Recorded (SIL)

Comprising:

Contact: Alex Clements 09 433 5871 aadjclements@gmail.com Auctioneers: PGG Wrightson & Carrfields

To download a nationwide sales schedule visit pggwrightson.co.nz/ram-sales

Scan me for more information

A/C: Te Whanga 5500 store lambs • 2800 Mixed sex black face • 2700 Romney c/o lambs Outside entry A/C: Glendonald station • 1500 Mixed sex black face lambs All lambs are GAP accredited & antibiotic free and come with a grand reputation as a quality line of lambs for their shifting ability. Further enquiries to:

Andrew (Elvis) Jennings 027 594 6820 Helping grow the country

KAAHU GENETICS KAAHU WHITE™ MATERNAL SHEDDING RAMS 4th ANNUAL SALE

Sale Day - Friday November 17th, 1pm

Approximately 150 2th rams for sale by Auction 11am rams penned ready for viewing

On farm @ 154 Whakamaru Road, SH 30, Whakamaru. Livestreamed on

BLACK COLOUR MATTERS

SUFFOLK – NO. 1 TERMINAL BREED THAT WILL GIVE YOUR LAMBS 100% BLACK COLOUR

BLACK COLOUR = PROVEN STORE PREMIUMS It’s real, just ask your stock agent BLACK COLOUR = 100% HYBRID VIGOR That’s more growth, more meat and more live lambs

FOL

Carcass meaty and high yielding EMA muscle scanned & Sires CT scanned for yield Great eating quality Eczema tolerance Ramguard testing @.40

KAAHU GENETICS Murray Sargent 027 392 7242 | murraysargent@hotmail.com

Find us on

Cam Heggie - 027 501 8182 Alan Aldridge - 027 472 0901

PERFOR

That’s more money for you, proving that BLACK COLOUR DOES INDEED MATTER when using terminal sires

FOR YOUR NEAREST SUFFOLK BREEDER VISIT nz.sheep.co.nz/suffolk

LK0116799©

SIL Recorded... All traits measured and recorded Top Production Low input extremely high output Our ewes pregnancy scanned 201% this year, ewe hoggets 163%

SEA

Livestock

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

Ram Sale

Thursday 30th November 12:30pm On-farm at Meadowslea Mt Cook Road, Fairlie.

Two Tooth Ram Sale

350 Rams

- Romney - Romdale - K. Maternal

NZ’s Top 200 FE Rams for Wiltshires Leading the development of Shedding Sheep in NZ

(high-performance composite)

(hill-bred blackface)

- Kiki South worm-resistant Romneys

Thursday 23rd November ‘Rangiatea’

571 Upper Downs Rd, Mt Somers, Mid Canterbury.

• First (1995) to performance select on Animalplan/SIL • First (2006) to Ramguard™ Facial Eczema Test, currently 0.54 • First (2012) to Carla™ antibody parasite test • Hoof Score (2016) every year, every toe, every hogget ram and ewe, scored in a roll over crate

David Giddings 027 229 9760 giddingsfamily@xtra.co.nz George Giddings 027 656 3323 george@yourbid.org

Viewing from 11am, sale starts 1.30pm or online via Bidr® Simon Eddington 0275 908 612

Blair Gallagher 021 022 31522 John Tavendale 027 432 1296 Hamish Gallagher 027 550 7906

LK0114634©

Cam Heggie Mobile 027 501 8182

- Perendale x Texel x Romney - Texel x Romney - Terminator

- K. x Romney

Open Day 27th November 2-5pm Auction (80 rams) 28th November 11am Taupo Saleyards, 15 Oruanui Road

Arvidson Wiltshires – arvidsonz@gmail.com • 09 296 0597 On Farm Sales - Wellsford, Bombay, Matamata. David 027 277 1556

Purebreds (9) Suffolk Cross (61) Texel Cross (12) Cheviot Cross (24)

PAKI-ITI SUFFOLK & SUFTEX

Ryan Carr 027 432 4022

Peter & Caroline Foss 495 Potaka Road, Aria (07) 8777 881 • pcfossy@xtra.co.nz

SALE DAY THURSDAY 23RD NOVEMBER, 2PM ON FARM AT 495 POTAKA RD, ARIA

• Longevity – For the last 13 years, all ram hoggets have been wintered on the steep hills at Paki-iti for two months.

Rams that cannot handle this regime are culled

• Performance – Fully performance recorded. Growth, Live streamed on

• Reputation – Over 500 Suffolk and Suftex rams sold and leased every year

Visit paki-iti.co.nz to view our breeding programs

Stewart Morton 06 328 5772 • Andrew Morton 06 328 2856 RD 54 Kimbolton, Manawatu • pakiroms@farmside.co.nz

LK0117129©

Meat Yield, Survival and Meat Quality Traits

✓ No shearing ✓ No dipping

✓ SIL Recorded ✓ FE dosing

✓ No dagging

✓ Live streamed sale

ON OFFER

Full Shed 2T Wiltshire Rams

IN CONJUNCTION WITH

Waterfields Wiltshires Anna Martyn • 021 247 2278 • akmartyn@yahoo.com.au

46 Markets

Markets

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Calf-rearing perseverance is paying off Last year costs were up and the number of people willing to rear calves was way down, but those who stuck it out have scored a small and well-deserved win at the saleyards. Fiona Quarrie

MARKETS

Livestock

HE lower supply of dairy-beef weaners last year is starting to show through in yearling supply now that the grass is taking off, and the 2023 season looks to be following a similar path. It has been a good start to the season with positive results, but it will be interesting to see how things progress as peak throughput hits through November. For now, it is a small and well-deserved win for calf rearers. To assess the market environment this year, data from seven fairs across Frankton, Taranaki, Rangiuru and Feilding has been compared and the ﬁndings conﬁrm suspicions that supply is low once again. Total throughput of springborn weaners at these yards from mid-October to mid-December was above 21,000-head for the 2019-2021 period. It was last year

that figures came in just shy of 16,000-head as increased rearing costs meant some farmers exited calf rearing. The running total at the end of the first week of November in 2021 and 2022 sat at 24% of the total of the mentioned period. If this pattern were to continue, the figure for 2023 come midDecember should once again be around 16,000-head of springborn weaners. There has been a positive impact from fewer calves being reared and that’s on quality. New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent Brent Bougen commented that what they are seeing at Frankton in Waikato is “generally a better calf, particularly in the autumn-born lines, which have had good grass all the way through and are better bred. There are a few more exotic-cross types coming through, such as Charolais-cross, and the true whiteface Hereford-Friesian and Friesian bulls are still sought after.” Weaner fairs at Frankton haven’t

BETTER BRED: This pen of 23 Friesian bulls at the October 26 weaner fair at Frankton averaged 111kg and made $570, $5.14/kg. average weight by 5kg, down to 100kg even. “The better end of the whiteface and Friesian bulls have always sold well.

thrown any big surprises out so far, with average throughput and regular regions represented on the buying bench. “Buyers have turned up as the grass has grown,” Bougen said. At the start of November, Northland buyers were very active at both Frankton and Taranaki fairs, where bull tallies were high, and this put the pressure on local buyers. The day before, however, Rangiuru missed buyers from that neck of the woods and that showed in bull returns. With three fairs under its belt, Frankton saleyards has hosted a signiﬁcant number of Friesian bulls and returns have been positive. Comparing the November 2 sale to the same in 2022 shows a $22 per head lift in returns. Per kilogram returns make interesting reading too. At the ﬁrst fair held at Frankton, the average per kilogram return was $5.24/ kg, up from $4.82/kg last year. This was driven by higher perhead values, up $35, and a lower

What we’re seeing is generally a better calf, particularly in the autumnborn lines, which have had good grass all the way through and are better bred. Brent Bougen New Zealand Farmers Livestock Those around 100kg and lighter are getting a little tougher as we progress,” said Bougen. At the time of going to print, Frankton was busy yarding 16001700 weaners for the fourth fair, typically one of the largest, and Bougen was wary that the jump in supply could test demand. At the ﬁrst Frankton fair, springborn dairy-beef bulls and heifers posted heavier average weights,

but this didn’t put a halt to an increase in per kilogram returns as they lifted 35c/kg for bulls and 55c/kg for heifers. This meant a solid lift in the average per head return by $80 for bulls and $75 for the heifers to $605 and $460 respectively. For the rearers willing to stick it out under trying ﬁnancial conditions, it looks as if the hard work has paid off. The call to rear Jersey bulls also played out well for the few who did. “There has been a shortage of yearling Jersey bulls in the last year or so and people are buying weaners as they look ahead to the future”, Bougen said when asked about the $610-$650 returns seen at Frankton on November 2. The three pens of Jersey bulls that achieved this averaged 90-96kg, which put perkilogram returns at a whopping $6.67-$7.07/kg. “It will be interesting to see whether a few more get reared,” Bougen said.

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Farmers-Weekly-CaseIH.indd 1

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Markets

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

Weekly saleyards Saleyards are currently busy places as high volumes of store cattle are being traded, new season lamb numbers continue to build and special dairy-beef weaner fairs are held. New season lambs made more of an appearance at South Island yards in the past week, mainly in the store pens though to a lesser extent in the prime pens as well. At Canterbury Park, terminal-cross mixed-sex ranged from $54 to $108 and at Coalgate most sold for $84-$97. New season lambs at Temuka sold for $93-$116 and at Balclutha they made $60-$70. Kaikohe | November 8 | 400 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

Prime Angus-Friesian steers, 675-735kg

3.02-3.07

Mixed-age cows & calves

960-1100

Prime traditional bulls, 685-760kg

3.26-3.32

2-year Hereford-Friesian steers

2.85-2.90

Boner dairy cows, 486-548kg

2.19-2.21

2.90

Frankton | November 2 | 1042 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

Yearling beef-cross bulls

2.90-3.10

Weaner exotic-Friesian steers, 101-124kg

585-665

Yearling heifers

2.70-3.00

Weaner Hereford-Friesian (black) bulls, 102-129kg

630-690

Weaner Hereford-dairy bulls, reds, 101-112kg

500-530

2-year Angus heifers

Wellsford | November 6 | 904 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

2-year Angus-Friesian steers, 397-455kg

3.00-3.04

Weaner Friesian bulls, 115-127kg

540-665

2-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 472-540kg

2.98-3.06

Weaner Friesian bulls, 95-113kg

460-545

2-year Hereford-Friesian heifers, 377-394kg

2.73-2.80

Weaner Hereford-Friesian heifers, 95-122kg

450-550

Yearling Angus-Friesian steers, 287-308kg

3.18-3.25

Weaner Charolais-Friesian heifers, 91-107kg

480-535

Yearling Hereford-Friesian heifers, 264-265kg

3.13-3.22

Aut-born weaner Angus-Friesian steers, 137-211kg

4.00-4.01

Aut-born weaner Angus-Friesian heifers, 162-202kg

2.97-3.03

Pukekohe | November 4

$/kg or $/hd

Aut-born R2 steers & heifers

2.94-3.01

Yearling steers

3.44-3.58

Yearling heifers

2.98-3.11

Weaner steers & heifers

350-565

Prime steers

2.98-3.00

Prime heifers

2.80-2.90

Store hoggets, all

115-130

Store lambs, all

60-102

Prime hoggets & lambs, all

112-150

Tuakau | November 2 | 910 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

3-year dairy-beef steers, 500-560kg

3.07-3.19

2-year dairy-beef steers, 420-480kg

3.13-3.29

2-year dairy-beef heifers, 380-440kg

2.95-3.06

Yearling dairy-beef steers, 280-350kg

3.35-3.50

Yearling dairy-beef heifers, 220-300kg

3.15-3.30

Tuakau | November 6 | 760 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Store lambs, all

60-80

Prime ewes, all

66-78

Prime lambs, all

130-150

Tuakau | November 8 | 420 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

Frankton | November 7 | 901 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

2-year dairy-beef steers, 525-532kg

3.01-3.10

2-year Belgian Blue-Friesian steers, 459-487kg

2.88-2.96

2-year Hereford-Friesian heifers, 405-470kg

2.77-2.83

Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 318-345kg

3.24-3.33

Yearling Charolais-Friesian steers, 311-331kg

3.24-3.31

Yearling Charolais-Friesian heifers, 293-331kg

3.05-3.09

Yearling Hereford heifers, 274-277kg

3.18-3.19

Frankton | November 8

$/kg or $/hd

2-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 433-470kg

3.19-3.23

2-year Friesian steers, 467-478kg

2.93-2.95

Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 273-291kg

3.64-3.74

Yearling dairy-beef heifers, 245kg average

3.28

Prime Hereford-Friesian heifers, 467-505kg

2.95-2.98

Boner Friesian cows, 437-509kg

1.77-1.85

Te Kuiti | November 3 | 295 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

3-year Angus-Friesian steers, 580-598kg

3.07-3.13

Yearling Angus steers, 350-375kg

3.49-3.60

Yearling Angus steers, 227-321kg

3.87-4.09

Yearling dairy-beef steers, 301-410kg

3.32-3.40

Yearling Angus-Friesian, Hereford-Friesian heifers, 349-393kg

2.77-2.98

Matawhero | November 3 | 647 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Store ram & ewe lambs, small to good

52-85

Prime ewes, good

80-87

Prime hoggets, medium to heavy

70-139 85-98

Prime beef cows, 500-600kg

2.00-2.41

Prime lambs, good

Prime steers, 580-720kg

3.02-3.15

Matawhero | November 7 | 2090 cattle

Prime heifers, 480-600kg

3.00-3.14

3-year traditional cows & calves, 431kg

1500

Boner cows, 440-500kg

1.89-2.00

2-year traditional steers, 475-510kg

3.29-3.35

Boner cows, 500-560kg

2.10-2.17

Yearling traditional steers, 315kg average

Rangiuru | November 7 | 399 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

3.70

Yearling traditional steers, 343-402kg

3.48-3.71

2-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 398-482kg

2.96-3.09

Yearling Devon-Hereford steers, 322-384kg

1125-1345

Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 275-316kg

3.10-3.35

Yearling traditional bulls, 340kg average

3.36

Yearling Hereford-Friesian heifers, 300-356kg

2.80-2.91

Yearling traditional heifers, 276-337kg

3.09-3.28

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

Taranaki | November 2 | 736 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

Aut-born weaner Friesian bulls, 165-203kg

650-750

Aut-born weaner dairy-beef heifers, 161-177kg

650-790

Weaner Hereford-Friesian steers, 107-123kg

680-720

Weaner Angus-Friesian steers, 116-141kg

560-645

Weaner Hereford-Friesian bulls, 100-115kg

615-700

Weaner Friesian bulls, 107-125kg

520-580

Markets

Feilding | November 3 | 1426 cattle, 881 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

3-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 616-704kg

3.00-3.16

2-year Angus steers, 564-599kg

3.33-3.39

2-year dairy-beef heifers, 429-533kg

3.03-3.10

Aut-born R2 Friesian bulls, 439-472kg

3.28-3.31

Aut-born R2 dairy-beef heifers, 366-422kg

3.01-3.11

Weaner dairy-beef heifers, 195kg average

485

Yearling traditional steers, 300-315kg

3.71-3.93

Taranaki | November 8 | 835 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

Yearling dairy-beef bulls, 232-310kg

3.36-3.48

Yearling Hereford-Friesian heifers, 267-328kg

3.20-3.38

Store whiteface ewe hoggets, shorn, good to heavy

93-139

Store blackface mixed-sex lambs, medium

72-93

Store blackface mixed-sex lambs, small

2-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 525-592kg

3.00-3.10

2-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 399-394kg

3.16-3.31

2-year Hereford-Friesian heifers, 450-474kg

2.85-3.02

Yearling dairy-beef steers, 315kg average

3.35

Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, one line, 358kg

1300

Yearling Angus-cross steers, 333-365kg

1080-1110

Yearling Hereford-Friesian heifers, 213-351kg

3.11-3.23

Stortford Lodge | November 6 | 876 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Feilding | November 6 | 92 cattle, 1548 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Prime Hereford-Friesian steers, 540-606kg

2.99-3.01

Boner Friesian cows, 547-567kg

1.90-1.91

Prime ewes, all

42-105

Prime ewe hoggets, all

102-152

Prime ewes, very heavy

117

Prime ewes, good to heavy

88-94

Prime mixed-sex hoggets, heavy

139-154

Prime ewe hoggets, medium to heavy

120-160

Prime mixed-sex hoggets, all

130-153

Prime mixed-sex lambs, heavy

129-132

Prime mixed-sex lambs, all

107-160

Stortford Lodge | November 8 | 276 cattle, 2167 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Rongotea | November 7 | 109 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

2-year Hereford-Friesian heifers, 345-552kg

2.87-3.02

Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 289-298kg

3.35-3.48

Hereford cows, Hereford & Hereford-Angus calves, 693-731kg

1720-1805

2-year beef, exotic-cross heifers, 431-578kg

2.89-3.09

Yearling Angus heifers, 327-365kg

3.21-3.24

Yearling Angus heifers, 292-319kg

3.30-3.39

Store terminal-cross mixed-sex lambs, good

88-114.50

Aut-born weaner Hereford-Friesian steers, 178-186kg

630-750

Store terminal-cross mixed-sex lambs, small to medium

63-86.50

Aut-born weaner Friesian bulls, 125-161kg

550-690

Feilding | November 2 | 706 cattle Aut-born weaner Friesian bulls, 177-200kg Aut-born weaner Hereford-Friesian bulls, one line, 206kg

$/kg or $/hd 790-800

550-650

Weaner Friesian bulls, 92-111kg

450-560

Weaner dairy-beef heifers, 96-109kg

465-520

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Coalgate | November 2 | 183 cattle, 2831 sheep

3.03

$/kg or $/hd

Prime beef steers, 498-720kg

3.02-3.12

Prime dairy-beef heifers, 494-675kg

2.96-3.09

Boner Friesian cows, 568-622kg

2.08-2.10

865

Weaner Friesian bulls, 112-119kg

Get ahead of the market

Yearling dairy-beef heifers, 300-336kg

Store hoggets, all

50-82

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Markets

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

Store terminal-cross mixed-sex lambs, medium to good

84-97

Yearling Angus, Angus-Hereford steers, 232-356kg

3.75-3.93

Prime ewes, very good

109-126

Yearling Hereford steers, 277-366kg

3.44-3.67

Prime hoggets, heavy

159-177

Yearling Simmental steers, 381-461kg

3.23-3.49

Prime lambs, very good

150-168

Yearling Stabilizer steers, 379-443kg

3.32-3.53

Yearling Angus heifers, 209-284kg

3.45-3.53

Yearling Hereford heifers, 225-316kg

805-1100

Yearling beef-cross, exotic-cross heifers, 232-355kg

3.38-3.51

Canterbury Park | November 7 | 466 cattle, 3632 sheep Prime Charolais-Hereford steers, one line, 655kg

$/kg or $/hd 3.35

Prime traditional steers, 580-765kg

3.00-3.17

Prime dairy-beef steers, 523-573kg

2.84-3.04 3.23

Balclutha | November 8 | 323 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

Prime beef heifers, 565-610kg

2.94-3.13

Yearling traditional steers, 210-388kg

3.22-3.45

Prime dairy-beef heifers, 450-543kg

2.70-2.97

Yearling exotic-cross steers, 333-360kg

3.34-3.44

Store terminal-cross mixed-sex lambs, good to heavy

101-108

Yearling dairy-beef steers, 278-368kg

910-1210

Store terminal-cross mixed-sex lambs, small to medium

54-86

Prime ewes, good

82-97

Yearling beef, dairy-beef bulls, 322-441kg

3.01-3.16

Prime lambs, good

122-135

Yearling dairy-beef, Friesian bulls, 224-244kg

3.17-3.28

Yearling traditional heifers, 290-344kg

980-1100

Prime Hereford heifers, one line, 615kg

$/kg or $/hd

Temuka | November 2 | 581 cattle 2-year Friesian, Friesian-cross bulls, 452-549kg

2.83-2.94

Store lambs, good

60-70

Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 279-354kg

2.97-3.17

Prime ewes, all

60-100

Yearling Hereford-Friesian heifers, 251-344kg

2.83-2.97

Prime hoggets, all

100-150

Yearling Angus heifers, 239-258kg

3.16-3.26

$/kg or $/hd

Temuka | November 6 | 404 cattle, 4609 sheep

Charlton | November 2 | 501 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Prime ewes, all

40-86

Prime hoggets, all

40-110

Prime lambs, all

132-150

Prime Hereford cows, 593-705kg

2.16-2.20

Prime Hereford-Friesian steers, 527-712kg

2.85-2.94

Prime Hereford-Friesian heifers, 483-580kg

2.71-2.90

Boner Friesian cows, 534-576kg

1.98-2.16

Lorneville | November 2

$/kg or $/hd

Store mixed-sex hoggets, most

128-157

Prime cows, 549-630kg

2.22

Store finewool mixed-sex hoggets, good

100

Prime heifers, 465-477kg

2.62-2.82

Store mixed-sex lambs, good

93-116

Prime dairy heifers, 430-480kg

2.36-2.41

Prime ewes, most

70-99

Prime 1-shear ewes, most

81-102

Prime mixed-sex hoggets & lambs, most

120-159

Palmerston | November 3 | 986 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

3-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 517-520kg 2-year Hereford-Friesian heifers, 396-506kg

Mixed-age ewes & lambs

70-85

Store lambs, all

50-100

Prime ewes, all

44-100

2.92-3.02

Prime hoggets, all

110-160

2.97-3.02

Prime lambs, all

125-134

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Markets

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

AgriHQ market trends Cattle

Sheep

Deer

Beef

Sheep Meat

Venison

Slaughter price (NZ$/kgCW)

Last week

Last year

North Island P2 steer (300kg)

5.95

6.80

North Island M2 bull (300kg)

6.00

6.50

North Island M cow (190kg)

3.95

4.90

South Island P2 steer (300kg)

5.65

6.55

South Island M2 bull (300kg)

5.45

6.25

South Island M cow (190kg)

3.85

4.85

Slaughter price (NZ$/kgCW)

Last week

Last year

North Island AP stag (60kg)

8.80

8.95

5.80

South Island AP stag (60kg)

8.75

8.95

6.70

9.05

2.75

5.75

Fertiliser Last week

Last year

DAP

1197

1794

Super

474

509

Urea

897

1340

Urea (Coated)

946

1289

Sep

Last year

Last week

Last year

North Island lamb (18kg)

6.60

9.05

North Island mutton (25kg)

2.95

South Island lamb (18kg) South Island mutton (25kg)

Fertiliser

Export markets (NZ$/kg) China lamb flaps

8.73

10.78

Wool

Export markets (NZ$/kg) US imported 95CL bull

9.14

US domestic 90CL cow

8.80

10.62

9.02

NOTE: Slaughter values are weighted average gross operating prices including premiums but excluding breed premiums for cattle.

Steer slaughter price ($/kgCW)

Slaughter price (NZ$/kgCW)

(NZ$/kg clean)

26-Oct

Last year

Crossbred fleece

3.36

2.69

Crossbred second shear

3.19

2.48

Courtesy of www.fusca.co.nz

Lamb slaughter price ($/kgCW)

NZ average (NZ$/tonne)

Forestry Exports

7.0

10.0

NZ Log Exports (tonnes)

6.5

9.0

China

1,789,412

1,660,959

6.0

8.0

Rest of world

204,344

195,418

Carbon price (NZ$/tonne)

Last week

Last year

5.5

7.0

70.7

88.2

5.0 Nov

Jan

Mar

May

North Island

Jul

NZU

6.0

Sep

Nov

Jan

South Island

Mar

May

Jul

North Island

Sep

South Island

NZ lamb & mutton slaughter (thous. head)

NZ cattle slaughter (thous. head) 80

800

600

400

200

Stag Slaughter price ($/kgCW) 10.0 9.5 9.0

0 29-Jul

29-Aug 5-yr ave

29-Sep

29-Oct This year

29-Nov 29-Dec Last year

0 29-Jul

8.5 8.0

29-Aug 29-Sep 5-yr Ave

29-Oct This year

29-Nov 29-Dec Last year

Nov

Jan

Mar North Island

May

Jul Sep South Island

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Markets

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 13, 2023

NZX market trends Dairy

Grain

Data provided by

Milk price futures ($/kgMS)

Close of market

Canterbury feed wheat ($/tonne)

5pm, Wednesday

700

10.5

650

9.5

S&P/NZX PRIMARY SECTOR EQUITY

600 8.5

10139

550

450

6.5 Oct

Dec

Feb

Apr

Jun

Sep-2024

Aug

Oct

400 Nov

Sep-2025

Jan

Mar

May

Jul

Sep

Nov

Canterbury feed barley ($/tonne)

Dairy Futures (US$/t) Nearest contract Last price*

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

11151

11419

Listed Agri shares

500

7.5

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

Company

ArborGen Holdings Limited

0.178

0.23

0.17

The a2 Milk Company Limited

4.25

7.83

4.11

Cannasouth Limited

0.163

0.32

0.161

YTD High YTD Low

Prior week

4 weeks prior

700

Comvita Limited

3.04

3.48

2.75

WMP

2965

3050

3110

650

Delegat Group Limited

10.2

7.89

SMP

2550

2690

2750

600

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

3.13

3.88

2.94

AMF

5580

5450

5200

550

Foley Wines Limited

1.24

1.42

1.18

Butter

5180

5000

5050

500

Greenfern Industries Limited

0.042

0.113

0.042

Milk Price

7.77

7.91

7.85

450

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS)

0.97

1.25

0.97

Marlborough Wine Estates Group Limited

0.153

0.19

0.15

NZ King Salmon Investments Limited

0.2

0.24

0.181

PGG Wrightson Limited

3.31

4.67

3.1

Rua Bioscience Limited

0.15

0.22

0.094

Sanford Limited (NS)

3.95

4.39

3.7

Scales Corporation Limited

3.05

4.25

2.75

Seeka Limited

2.18

3.72

2.18

Synlait Milk Limited (NS)

1.38

3.65

1.16

T&G Global Limited

1.86

2.37

1.86

S&P/NZX Primary Sector Equity Index

10139

12870

9974

S&P/NZX 50 Index

11151

12212

10742

S&P/NZX 10 Index

11419

12411

10937

* price as at close of business on Wednesday

400

WMP futures - vs four weeks ago (US$/tonne)

Nov

Jan

Mar

May

Jul

Sep

Nov

Waikato palm kernel ($/tonne) 450

3500 3400 3300

400

3200 3100 3000

350

2900 2800 2700

Nov

Dec

Jan

Latest price

Feb

Mar

Apr

4 weeks ago

300 Nov

Upskill with an online course For shearers by shearers agricademy.co.nz/womolife

Jan

Mar

May

Jul

Sep

Nov

Weather

ruralweather.co.nz

November reign – some order to the chaos Philip Duncan

NEWS

Weather

OVEMBER is usually the month that sees the “crazy” part of spring start to ease and traditionally New Zealand has plenty of westerlies and an uptick in high pressure during this month. With the exception of November 2022, most other years have been fairly westerly driven with high pressure to the north. Over the next couple of weeks we see more high pressure crossing NZ or to our north. This will also encourage more westerlies over NZ – which will be warmer than the uptick in southerly flows we’ve had recently. This also means eastern areas will continue to see lower rainfall totals with the usual regions, like Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa and Canterbury, looking driest. However, Canterbury may have some good spillover from the West Coast where a few hundred millimetres are coming over the next 10 days or so. It’s actually quite a classic El Niño setup, after a month or so of colder than

usual weather. There have been a number of southerly events lately, and these really dropped temperatures. Even those in the upper North Island were lighting fires and heaters in the first week of November – which in my 45 years isn’t a normal thing. Our recent FMG El Niño Watch podcasts (available at farmersweekly.co.nz) have been focusing on what to do if you’re farming but it doesn’t feel like El Niño. The consensus from our experienced farming guests so far is to plan for the worst but hope for the best. NZ’s location on Earth does mean we get surprise weather events thrown at us. El Niño makes for more westerlies into NZ, but it only takes a slight twist from being a westerly to more of a sou’westerly and suddenly colder air comes in. Places like Wellington and southern Wairarapa can shift from a westerly (mild) to a southerly (colder) very easily. Lately we’ve even had sou’easters in the mix and they can be bleak for eastern NZ. So the uptick in westerly winds should bring a more traditional

setup to the country as we go through November. The tropics directly north of NZ is active too, with a tropical storm (or depression) dominating this week around Vanuatu. However, unlike Lola, which saw the remnants regroup with another low north of NZ to bring severe weather into North Island for a few days, we’re expecting more high pressure between NZ and this tropical low to keep it north of us. This is usually what El Niño does – but didn’t do last month with Lola. But any low near Vanuatu is worth monitoring from a NZ perspective. And finally, Australia has had some significant downpours over the past week in southern Queensland and New South Wales – and more this week for some dry eastern areas, but it is hit and miss.

Highlights this week • Big jump in temperatures back into the 20s for eastern areas • High pressure around northern NZ for the start of this week • Windy westerlies off and on this week • Wettest on the West

WET AND DRY: Rainfall accumulation over seven days starting from 7am on Sunday, November 12, through to 7am Sunday, November 19 shows West Coast wettest and eastern areas driest.

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4,799

SAVE $49.01

SAVE $408.01

1056837, 1056836

1044720

.99

FREE GIFT WITH PURCHASE* Buy a 25,000L tank, get a $250 Digital Prezzee Card Buy a 30,000L tank, get a $350 Digital Prezzee Card

WATER FLOWING

WITH FARMLANDS

Stallion Trough Round 260L Green

199.99

*Digital Prezzee card will be supplied within one week of tank being dispatched.

KEEP YOUR

Stallion Trough Round 150L Green

299.99

SAVE $77.51

SAVE $57.96

1004004

1000524

With El Niño here, will your stock water system beat the heat? Book a free stock water design session with an Iplex stock water specialist. They’ll visit your property to discuss your requirements and design the best system for you. Scan the QR code to register for your free session today.

SUMMER SHAPE UP! Betacraft Sport Short and Cooltec Shirt 1064124, 1064097

ANY 2 FOR

M18 FUEL™ Fencing Stapler Kit

X Fence Netting 8 Line 90cm x 50cm x 100m

SAVE $379.01

1,499.99

199.00

1061234

SAVE $76.95 1007273

$79.00 +REMEMBER OUR bundle offers EVERYDAY

VALUE

FAR_11001

2 FOR $200.00

2 FOR

$75.00

2 FOR

$82.00

$59.00

Stockman & Paddock Dog Food

CopRice Cool Conditioner 20kg

McMillan Grain Free 20kg

NRM Peck N Lay Pellets 20kg

1064471

1007615

1021419

1023203

For even more deals head in-store or check out shop.farmlands.co.nz/trader *Terms and Conditions apply. Special prices and offers apply for the month of November 2023 while stocks last. Product range varies by store.

EVERYONE'S WELCOME

TAG YOUR CHARITY

And support your community

TAG YOUR CHARITY

Give to our national charitable partner Farmstrong, or the local registered charity.

Help your co-op support your local community

Supported by:

Visit your local Farmlands store to find out more.

Promotion effective 1st November - 31st December 2023.

great christmas Gift Ideas $

STONEY CREEK BUNDLE OFFERS

Buy ANY Cocky Bag & get a FREE Cocky Cap

Outback Ironbark Leather Hat

69.95

ADULT BUNDLE

45.00

Stoney Creek Kids Jester Shorts & Tee

1057521, 1051866, 1051865, 1060742, 1060743

1025230

KIDS’ BUNDLE

Stoney Creek Jester Shorts & Tee or Singlet

60.00

Outback Wagga Wagga Leather Hat

85.00

1024715

Boonies Comfy Slipper

79.99

*Selected products

SAVE $19.96 1051470

Skellerup Red Bandal Mens

Skellerup Red Bandal Child or Junior

Tail Trimmer Tailwell2 Complete

Shoof Tailwell Tail Trimmer Titanium

19.99

13.99

370.99

548.99

SAVE $5.00

SAVE $3.00

SAVE $128.01

SAVE $150.01

1024795

1024966, 1024965

1008209

1039407

CELEBRATING 65 YEARS OF SKELLERUP RED BANDS!

It's back! Saturn Pour-On 5.5L

1,448

.00

SAVE $392.00 • Double active pour-on for cattle containing levamisole and abamectin.

Buy a 5.5L gun pack and get a bonus 2.5L free

+ more great gifting in-store Spend $800 on selected Animal Health products and get a $50 voucher to put towards a Christmas Ham!*

Cydectin® Oral Drench Selenium 15L

418

.00

SAVE $120.00

• Ideal drench for calves over 100kgs, up to 15 months of age

• Control parasites on pasture with 35 days persistent activity against Barber’s Pole worm and 21 days against Teladorsagia (Ostertagia) circumcincta

1019644|A010206

1000458|A007388

Coopers Alliance 10L, 5L & 1L • ALLIANCE is a low dose BZ/ML/clear triple combination oral drench for the management of internal parasites in sheep & cattle.

10% OFF

1008285|A010249 100828|A010249 1018646|A010249

*Available for shareholders only. Purchase $800 or more of any of the qualifying Animal Health Products in one transaction, and receive a $50 supermarket voucher. Max 3 vouchers per shareholder account during promotional period 01/11/23 to 08/12/23. Shareholders will receive the vouchers after the promotional period. Full T&C›s with list of qualifying products can be found on the Farmlands website.

thanks to

h t

Looking for a Summer hobby?

Ready To Go Hive Full Depth Original Bottom Board

109.00

$ Farmyard 20 Tyne Plastic Rake

OCP Slasher Organic Weedkiller 5L

SAVE $6.90

SAVE $8.21

1017146

1061474

13.60

SAVE $49.50 1032864

164.29

Buy the hive & get your Beetek

BONUS Plastic Queen Excluder FREE* 1032864, 1012425 *While stocks last

Daves Chicken Manure and Humate Pellets or Humate Biogro 8kg

18.99

SAVE $3.96 1033453, 1033451

NEW

Rural Butcher Knife Set 11 Piece

product

179.00

Tui Chicken and Sheep Pellets 20kg

SAVE $25.50

.50

1049576

SAVE $1.15 1061474

Buy any 2 Farmyard Ash Handle Tools and get 20% off

Trowel Transplanter, Flax Cutter, Cultivator, Trowel and Hand Fork 1022265, 1033994, 1022262, 1022264,1032368

FARM deals Pro Plan Performance Extreme 32/30 18kg OR Pro Plan Dog Performance 20kg

BUY 5 GET 1

FREE

BUY 12 GET 3

FREE

Arxada Tag G2 20L

Lichfield Legend Shirts

1025553, 1063739, 1063645, 1024812, 1024815, 1024811

625.00

SAVE $74.00 1004032

1039367, 1039544, 1021111, 1021112

Pro Plan Adult Performance Chicken 20kg

Pro Plan Performance Extreme 32/30 18kg

159.00

TAGR YOUR IT Y R CHA TN E PAR

BUY 2 OR MORE & GET

20% OFF

159.00

SAVE $51.00

1064004

1038467

To see these deals and even more check out shop.farmlands.co.nz/trader or shop in-store now. *Terms and Conditions apply. Special prices and offers apply for the month of November 2023 while stocks last. Product range varies by store.

EVERYONE'S WELCOME

STOCK RUNDOWN WHEN IT’S GONE, IT’S GONE! Stock Rundown deals are available in selected stores only, while stocks last.

WATER

WaterGuard 20L

134.80

management

SAVE $33.70

SAVE $120.60

1051373

1051374

Face Mask with Helix Wool Filter

Drive Professional Front & Top Load Laundry Powder 5kg

18.00

OFF

AHD Iodine Tincture 10% 5L

Ritex Synthetic Wool Pack

360.38

482.40

HOUSEHOLD deals

ANIMAL CARE + MANAGEMENT

25%

WaterGuard 5L

31.00

SAVE $6.96

SAVE $8.50

1047975

1044162

14.00

SAVE $120.12

SAVE $2.48

1017222

1007748

me in

FENCE Summit Xtralife High Tensile Wire 2.5mm 10% Extra

Gallagher Sighter High Visibility 5 Packet

95.00

20% OFF

10.00

SAVE $27.95

SAVE 3.00

1010841

1020604

GRAB IT while you can

20%

AG-CHEM

OFF

Eukanuba Dog Food Range 3-19kgs

NOW

146.40

NOW

146.40

Nufarm Bonza 5L

Nufarm Bonza 20L

NOW

SAVE $10.50

SAVE $34.95

1015266

1015265

149.60

1011085

1011082

1056397

70.00

255.00