Farmers Weekly NZ March 14, 2022 by AgriHQ

22 Special report: Dairy down south Vol 20 No 9, March 14, 2022

farmersweekly.co.nz

Three Waters report falls short Colin Williscroft

colin.williscroft@globalhq.co.nz

EEDBACK from the Government’s Three Waters working group was “predictably disappointing” and falls well short of what was needed, an organisation representing almost half of New Zealand’s territorial local authorities says. Communities 4 Local Democracy He hapori mō te Manapori chair and Manawatū District mayor Helen Worboys said the Government stymied working group members with their terms of reference, making any chance of real change impossible. She said the working group was only asked to provide feedback on the Government’s model and not encouraged to come back with alternatives. “This was an opportunity for genuine engagement with local councils and mana whenua, but the Government deliberately limited the scope of the group so it posed no threat to its bottom lines on Three Waters,” Worboys said. “There was widespread hope that working party feedback might result in real change to the policy, and our group even commissioned and presented alternative models that we believed meet Government and community objectives. “Even the small movement on the ownership side falls short of what is needed.”

Last October, the Government announced it would introduce legislation to establish four new publicly owned Water Service Entities (WSEs) to manage the three waters (drinking water, wastewater and stormwater) infrastructure that has been operated by or for councils up to now. Concerns raised at the time led to the formation of the working group, which released its report last week. Recommendations include instituting a public shareholding structure that protects community ownership, with shares held by councils on behalf of their communities. Councils would have the right to vote on any proposal for WSEs to be sold or privatised. The report recommends to strengthen protections against privatisation, councils should have to agree unanimously for an asset to be sold. “No privatisation could occur unless every shareholder council agreed, and councils would be required to consult with their communities,” the report said. The working group also called for tighter accountability from each WSE board to the community. It recommends strengthening and clarifying the role of Regional Representative Groups (RRGs) and, to ensure smaller communities, including rural, are better heard it wants local advisory groups to feed into RRGs.

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Local Government NZ (LGNZ) has welcomed the report, especially the proposal for council shareholding to strengthen community ownership, added protections against privatisation and stronger mechanisms for local voice, as well as an increased focus on the health and wellbeing of water. LGNZ President Stuart Crosby said the working group’s recommendations should go a long way to providing councils and communities with the added protection they were asking for. “Of the concerns raised by councils and the public, possibly the loudest was a sense that ownership of the assets paid for by communities over many years was being taken from them,” Crosby said. “Having councils hold shares in the new entities on behalf of their communities is a critical change that responds directly to that feedback. Worboys said Communities 4 Local Democracy has presented two alternative three waters models: council-owned with stronger regulation and a new council-owned enterprise model. She said both its models meet all the Government’s bottomline objectives – ranging from meaningful partnerships with mana whenua to appropriate balance sheet separation. Cabinet will now consider the working group’s recommendations before finalising reform plans and introducing legislation.

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12 Seaweed solution to improving waterways

A new project is set to get under way in the Firth of Thames to investigate whether seaweed can be used as a tool to clean up waterways.

REGULARS Special Report �� 22-29 Newsmaker �� 30

5 Groundswell counters HWEN options The Groundswell lobby group has announced an alternative to He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN), claiming the industry body’s initiatives to address climate change have lost focus and its solutions are little more than a tax on farming.

New Thinking �� 31 Editorial �� 32 Pulpit �� 33 Opinion �� 34 World �� 37 Real Estate �� 38-45 Tech and Toys �� 46-47 Employment �� 48 Classifieds �� 48-49 Livestock �� 50-51 Weather �� 53

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz –March 14, 2022

Nash sees chemistry in natives NATIVE trees planted as permanent carbon sinks could deliver more than climate change benefits should forestry regulations change in their favour. Earlier this month, Forestry Minister Stuart Nash stated his desire to see the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) forestry regulations change to ensure only native trees could be planted as permanent carbon forests. The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is receiving submissions on ETS forestry changes. “My personal view at the front of mind is the ecological and conservation effect of allowing exotics to be planted with a biological lifespan of 100 years,” Nash said. “We risk not only ending up with unhealthy mature exotic forests that could impact on productive farms, but a potential ecological disaster when you get a storm through on steep planted country, it would be an absolute disaster.” MPI data indicates over the past three years 83,000ha of land has been planted in exotics, with 12%, or 10,200ha, deemed permanent plantings. But Nash said a soon to be released MPI report has highlighted how, with escalating carbon prices, this area could surge to significantly greater amounts. Estimates are it could rise to be as much as 116,000ha a year going to exotic carbon forests from 2025 to 2050. “It ramps up really quick, and has all but the most highly productive land able to earn more from carbon,” he said. Taking a longer-term view with slower sequestering, he said natives could deliver some other upfront gains, including extracting compounds for pharmaceutical type applications from native species. “You end up extracting carbon value and that value, all without

having to pick up a chainsaw,” he said. But Nash acknowledged there were hurdles to overcome to ease the establishment of more natives. Pest control was a major one. Forest & Bird has identified major losses in carbon sequestration as a result of pests, with West Coast podocarp forests losing 3.4 million tonnes a year of carbon due to possums and deer. This is the equivalent to 20% of the vehicle fleet’s emissions. Pest control at the early establishment phase for natives was critical and establishment costs can be four times more than exotics.

It ramps up really quick, and has all but the most highly productive land able to earn more from carbon. Stuart Nash Minister of Forestry “We have had groups come to us asking about removing pest infestations in pre-1990 forests and being able to claim carbon credits. I would say, yes, this should be an option,” he said. He also anticipates private funds will be more strongly drawn to native carbon sequestration than if those forests were exotics, also helping fund pest control. Another area demanding attention was getting accurate numbers on natives’ annual carbon sequestration ability incorporated and updated in the MPI “look up” tables used for carbon calculations. Work is under way studying the kānuka and mānuka carbon sequestration rates. Nash said early indications were promising, with these varieties

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possibly being close to pine in their ability to suck up carbon. “We expect to see some good news here. Both are good nursery crop plants that grow fast, sequester carbon and set up future native trees,” he said. “I think we may find the economics of native forests are a lot more effective than what we are measuring right now.” The Climate Change Commission has recommended NZ plant 300,000ha of new natives and 380,000ha of new exotic forests by 2035 to help meet climate change objectives. He said a ban on permanent exotic forests could prompt a shift around in that ratio of natives to exotics. But he felt the risk of establishing permanent exotic forests with their ecological risks was greater than the risk of not hitting our national carbon reduction targets by having less of them in the ground. He also expected climbing carbon prices will make plantation forestry more appealing to farmers with steeper country that may have typically been too far from ports when carbon was not valued. Drylandcarbon general manager Colin Jacobs said the majority of his company’s managed forests are planted for plantation, with only pockets left as permanent on exceptionally steep, inaccessible land. “We do not agree with a plant and leave approach. You need to ensure land has no other purpose, and in choosing a species it would be native,” Jacobs said. But he suggested government may need to come up with a way of front-loading native carbon credits to recognise the significantly higher costs of establishing them. He said government was on the right track removing the special forestry test for foreign land purchases and making permanent forest native-only.

GOING NATIVE: Forestry Minister Stuart Nash said native plantings could deliver benefits over and above carbon sequestration.

However, to encourage planting of trees beyond central NZ, he believed longer rotation forests (50 years) should also be incorporated into the ETS changes. “Forty years is being proposed, but we believe it should be 50 to really encourage forestry on more marginal land in areas where

maybe trees don’t grow as quickly,” he said. Current ETS carbon payments are averaged based on a 28-year rotation. “Opening it up to 50 years would open up opportunities for a lot of iwi land well-suited to longer growth periods,” he said.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

O’Connor keen to lock-in EU deal Nigel Stirling nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com TRADE Minister Damien O’Connor remains confident he can nail down a free trade deal with the European Union this year, despite its continued stalling on agricultural market access negotiations. O’Connor wrapped up his visit to Brussels with the EU in turmoil, as it grapples with how to respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “We appreciated the time that we got from commissioners and others when the whole EU, and indeed the whole of Europe, is focused on the crisis and disaster in Ukraine,” O’Connor said.

They appreciated that move from Fonterra and indeed the support that they have had from around the world to see this conflict stopped. Damien O’Connor Trade Minister Top of the agenda for O’Connor in Europe’s bureaucratic capital were meetings with EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis and Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski, which went ahead despite both men’s countries being deeply embroiled in the current crisis. Dombrovskis, a former Prime Minister of Latvia, has been vocal in recent days about the growing threat to the security of Baltic states such as his own from Russian President Vladimir Putin and has been integral in the bloc’s sanctions response. “We were appreciative that our meetings were not cancelled and that we did get to meet and

offer our support to these people – some of whom are personally directly affected,” he said. “As well as the Trade Commissioner, the Agriculture Commissioner Wojciechowski is from Poland. “Clearly these are two countries that have grave concerns with what is going on.” O’Connor said he had highlighted legislation passed last week stepping up NZ’s sanctions against Russians linked to the invasion, as well as Fonterra’s suspension of exports to Russia. “They appreciated that move from Fonterra and indeed the support that they have had from around the world to see this conflict stopped,” he said. Fresh from the triumph of the UK FTA signing the week before in London, O’Connor faced a much tougher task in Brussels convincing the EU to hurry up and do the same for NZ. Negotiations began in 2018, but have stalled on the important issue of market access for agricultural exports. It has been two years since former Trade Minister David Parker blasted the EU’s offer to open up a mere 0.02% of its domestic cheese market and 0.03% of its butter market. The EU is yet to refresh its opening offer and O’Connor is not expecting it to before officials begin talks again this week after a nine-month hiatus. “I do not realistically think it will be on the table [this week] but it will be in the pipeline,” he said. It was reported by overseas media late last year that the French had asked the EU to park negotiations with NZ until after the country’s presidential elections next month. Leaked offers before the election showing improved market access for NZ farmers could be safely assumed would not play well for incumbent Emmanuel Macron with the powerful French farming lobby.

OPTIMISTIC: Trade Minister Damien O’Connor hopes to finalise a EU trade deal this year. Negotiations began in 2018, but have stalled on the important issue of market access for agricultural exports.

O’Connor said he had reiterated NZ’s position that any agreement needed to include the removal of tariffs and quotas currently holding back NZ agricultural exports to the EU. “They understand that, but we have to understand the complexities for them of arriving at a useful position with all the member states at a time of great uncertainty in the EU,” he said. “Covid has been a challenge for

all of those member states and now the Ukraine disaster. “We have to be respectful of their focus and the complexities of negotiating, where unlike the UK where it was one country, with the EU you are dealing with quite a number.” Despite the complexity of the negotiation and the continued absence of a sensible market access offer from the Europeans, he said he remained confident a

deal could be agreed before the end of this year. “We have committed to some fairly ambitious timelines to move through the agreement,” he said. “The Europeans know a commercially meaningful market access offer has to be part of the deal. “We are expecting to get that as soon as they can table it and then be in a position to work through the details with them.”

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz –March 14, 2022

Groundswell throws hat in emissions ring Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz THE Groundswell lobby group has announced an alternative to He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN), claiming the industry body’s initiatives to address climate change have lost focus and its solutions are little more than a tax on farming. In a policy document released this week, Groundswell says the proposed pricing options allow the Government of the day to tax farmers at a price of their choosing. “If these options proceed, He Waka Eke Noa emissions pricing will not be based on agriculture’s effect on climate, but rather set to achieve arbitrary government targets, which have no basis in science,” the document said. The lobby group claims that pricing emissions without credible, workable options to reduce them, will force farmers and growers to reduce stocking rates and productivity.

“Since foreign, less carbonefficient agriculture sectors would just fill the gap NZ agriculture would leave, the price signals would lead to an increase in global emissions,” it said. Groundswell proposes integrating various environmental policies for biodiversity, emissions and water into one plan that will include emission reductions that will result, what it calls an integrated Environmental Policy and Action Framework (EPAF). “The major change Groundswell is proposing is to link all environmental issues into one integrated policy framework,” its policy document states. “Nature and farms do not exist in silos – everything is interconnected.” Proposed legislation should reflect and build on the many farm-led initiatives that are addressing environmental issues. “Environmental policy needs to be more focused on achieving

environmental outcomes, rather than making rules.” Groundswell said emission reduction measures need to recognise the lack of alternatives or options, and it proposes the agriculture sector adopt a shortterm research fund to develop emission reduction alternatives within the HWEN framework. It suggests this be followed by a more comprehensive emissions reduction scheme based on new technology, including subsidising and incentivising the adoption of new management and technology. “This would allow time to investigate and test viable solutions,” it said. Groundswell says farmers need to take the initiative or else the Government will continue to dictate. “This is an opportunity for us to control our destiny while looking after the environment under a workable legislative framework,

PROPOSAL: Groundswell co-founder Bryce McKenzie. The lobby group proposes integrating various environmental policies for biodiversity, emissions and water into one plan. but it needs widespread support to be realised,” it said. Groundswell co-founder Bryce McKenzie said in an interview it is unclear whether the Pastoral

Greenhouse Gas Consortium is able to provide short-term solutions needed by farmers and for which the lobby group is advocating.

Takeover bid launched for Blue Sky Meats Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz TWO cornerstone shareholders have launched a $3 a share takeover bid for the small Southland meat exporter, Blue Sky Meats. Southern Lamb Investments, an entity jointly owned by Scott and Jocelyn O’Donnell’s ODFI Ltd, and Andrew Lowe Trustee Ltd, has launched the takeover bid. Shares in Blue Sky Meats, which now trades as Blue Sky Pastures, are listed on the Unlisted Exchange and last traded at $1.30 a share. In the last year the shares have traded from $1.10-$1.40, giving it

a market capitalisation of nearly $15 million. The $3 a share offer is cash and will value the company at more than $34m, but is conditional on more than half of shareholders accepting the offer. An independent committee of directors Sarah Brown and Melvin Sutton will assess the offer and make a recommendation to shareholders. Blue Sky Meats chair Scott O’Donnell has also been the acting chief executive of Invercargill-based transport company HW Richardson Group, which has transport and infrastructure interests throughout the country.

Richardson Group owns 16.92% of Blue Sky Meats. Andrew Lowe, of shareholder Andrew Lowe Trustee, is the managing director of Hasting’sbased Lowe Corp, which owns 17.95%. Lowe Corp has multiple business interests from animal byproducts to property development and land holdings. NZ Binxi (Oamaru) Foods owns 19.84% of Blue Sky Meats and Blue Star Corp, Auckland, owns 11.25%. In 2016, Chinese-backed NZ Binxi (Oamaru) Foods made an unsuccessful $25.3m bid for Blue Sky Meats, a year after taking over the North Otago

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processing interests of Lean Meats. NZ Binxi is 97% owned by the Heilongjiang Binxi Cattle Industry Ltd, Harbin in China, with the balance NZ interests. In the financial year to June 30, 2021, Blue Sky Pastures recorded a $5.3m profit before tax ($3.8m after tax) and paid a 5c/share dividend. Profitability grew 20% on 2020 (a 15-month year), while cashflow was positive at $10.7m. Borrowing decreased by $6.4m and total shareholders’ equity rose 10%. Since balance date, the company has sold its Gore plant. In its annual report, O’Donnell

said the focus was to create a product with a point of difference that appeals to affluent customers, while also improving process efficiency at its 30-yearold plant at Morton Main, north of Invercargill.

The $3 a share offer is cash and will value the company at more than $34m but is conditional on more than half of shareholders accepting the offer.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz –March 14, 2022

ANZ tops milk price predictions Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz ANZ has raised its farm gate milk price forecast by 40c to a pacesetting $9.70/kg and that market confidence now extends well into next season. ANZ agri economist Susan Kilsby has increased the 2023 season outlook by 90c to $9.30, saying that inflationary pressures will hold down farmers’ ability to increase milk supply, keeping dairy prices higher for longer. Alongside a graph of the spot milk price, now over $12, she said the risk of a sharp downwards correction was now very low and most of this season’s output had already been sold. “The sharp rise in dairy commodity prices over the past couple of months has set a much more bullish tone for commodity prices in the shorter-term,” Kilsbury said.

We expect dairy commodity prices to remain at high levels at the beginning of the season, but think it is unlikely prices will stay at such lofty levels as the season wears on. Susan Kilsby ANZ “Despite the high milk prices being paid across the globe we are not seeing any major increase in global milk supplies, which means we are unlikely to see dairy commodity prices drop sharply before the end of the milk production season.”

LIFT: ANZ agri economist Susan Kilsby has increased the bank’s 2023 season outlook by 90c to $9.30.

At the same time, the very high spot price at present has come too late in the season for the final milk payout to reach $10, she believes. Kilsby then looked further ahead. “We expect dairy commodity prices to remain at high levels at the beginning of the season, but think it is unlikely prices will stay at such lofty levels as the season wears on,” she said, Global risks are very high and that brings considerable uncertainties. The costs of producing milk

are rising, especially in Europe, where indoor systems mean greater exposure to high prices for fertiliser, grain and fuel. That has already begun suppressing production in the United States. “It now seems very unlikely that there will be a meaningful increase in production anywhere in the world over the next six months,” she said. “This eliminates much of the downside risk for dairy commodity prices in the shortterm. “However, dairy commodity

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export prices are nearing record levels and when you add expensive freight into the equation, combined with relatively subdued economic conditions, it appears only a matter of time before we start to see some reduction in dairy demand.” However, Kilsby couldn’t see anything on the horizon likely to derail prices immediately. “But we are operating in a highly unusual environment where economic risks are certainly high and markets are not always behaving as they have

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in the past,” she warned. ANZ expects inflation to reach 7% in the second quarter this year and on-farm inflation even higher, particularly for labour, fuel and fertiliser. Interest rates are also rising, along with the incentive to repay debt as quickly as possible. It is unusual to have commodity prices high and the NZ dollar comparatively low. The dairy companies will have hedged much of next season’s currency exchange requirements already at these favourable levels.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

Animal welfare part of UK FTA Nigel Stirling nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com ANIMAL welfare standards have found their way into one of New Zealand’s trade agreements for the first time, but without repercussions for farmers or exporters if they are not maintained. British farming unions pushed for the animal welfare chapter in the United Kingdom’s recentlyconcluded free trade agreement with NZ. The chapter states that NZ and the UK should use their “best endeavours” to ensure that neither’s farming industries lower animal welfare standards to gain a trade advantage over the other. Much of the debate in the UK surrounding its post-Brexit trade negotiations has centred on the potential for British farmers to be bankrupted if the tariffs protecting them from cheap imports from countries with lower animal welfare and environmental standards were removed. Industry sources said NZ negotiators went along with the UK’s animal welfare demands knowing the pay-off was the eventual elimination of tariffs on key agricultural exports into the British market. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) said there were no penalties available in the agreement should either side fail to use their best efforts to maintain animal welfare standards in their respective farming industries. “This means that a party could not use the dispute settlement suspension of concessions provision to withdraw benefits in another area of the FTA if it was concerned about the implementation of any animal welfare obligations,” the spokesperson said. “In addition … the chapter also makes it clear that both parties have the right to set their own policies and priorities in this area.” Trade Minister Damien

LIKELY: Former Trade Minister Lockwood Smith said it was possible the animal welfare part of the UK deal will be beefed up in years to come.

O’Connor said while there would be more cooperation between both countries on animal welfare issues in international standardsetting bodies, there would be no interference in NZ farming practices from British regulators as a result of the agreement. “Animal welfare in [the British] market is a very topical and sensitive issue.

“We have to stay ahead of consumer focus and the acknowledgement of the high standards that we have in both countries was great but … we do run different systems of farming and food production and it was not appropriate that we make judgements on each other’s systems other than a commitment to the highest standards of

animal welfare within the systems that we have,” O’Connor said. Beef + Lamb NZ’s general manager for policy and advocacy Dave Harrison said the animal welfare chapter reflected increasing pressure on governments to find ways to incorporate ethical considerations into trade agreements.

“It is the way that the world is moving; you see those sorts of ethical concerns coming into CPTPP on not just environment and animal welfare standards, but labour standards too,” Harrison said. But Britain’s RSPCA said the deal with NZ lacked teeth and set a bad precedent for future agreements. The animal charity said the absence of penalties showed the UK would tolerate lower animal welfare standards among trading partners for the sake of a deal. But Harrison said countries were still grappling with the finer detail of how such concerns should be handled in trade agreements and negotiators had taken a sensible approach. “I have no doubt that the UK farmers would have been doing everything they could to protect themselves and be wanting something enforceable,” he said. “So they are probably disappointed. “A good thing about not signing up to legally binding disputes is that it gives you an opportunity to see how all of this stuff plays out before you can be challenged.” Former Trade Minister Lockwood Smith said it was possible the animal welfare part of the UK deal will be beefed up in years to come. That had been NZ’s experience in the recent upgrade of its 2008 trade agreement with China, he said. “If you go back to the original China FTA it mentioned the environment in similar ways,” Smith said. “There was a chapter on the environment and it talked about cooperation and that sort of thing to make things better, it really didn’t have any bite, but if you look at the China upgrade it has been taken a step further. “Consumers are pushing for higher standards all the time in these sorts of areas now. “Just look at what is happening here in NZ with eggs and environmental regulations. “We are not going to see these things suddenly turn around.”

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz –March 14, 2022

New startup set to chart new path Annette Scott annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz AN AUTHENTIC New Zealand marketplace for rural space is taking off in a world-first startup by a group of Kiwi business entrepreneurs. Specialising in matching shed space on rural and lifestyle properties with Kiwis who need more space, Heybarn is gaining traction. Launched in mid-February, Heybarn is likened by its founders to “Tinder for barns”. Starting small, there’s big plans for Heybarn. Co-founder and veterinarian Jaimie Hunnam said she was working through a business course when she triggered the idea of Heybarn. “I had to come up with a business idea, we had just bought a small farm here in Australia, it had a really good shed – concrete floor, large, roller door, private and secure,” Hunnam said. “We had no use for it at all; it was a 30-minute drive out of town down a dirt road. “We went to the real estate agent to enquire about renting it out, he was not excited at all but we gave it go. “Within a week we had five enquiries (and) it was signed up to a guy with a small business who was happy to drive 30 minutes from the city into the country. “We now have $10,000 a year passive income – really simple.” Back to the business course, it sparked the business idea. Hunnam called her friends, Otago-based veterinarians Tom and Keara Brownlie, and ran the idea past them.

They agreed, Kiwis need more space. Whether for storage, business, events or creative pursuits, space is hard to find with commercial self-storage occupancy rates in NZ consistently at 90%. On surveying a group of NZ rural property owners, it was realised that about 30% of lifestyle and rural properties throughout NZ have quality sheds, which are underutilised and are ready to rent. This equates to over four million square metres of underutilised space. The group was excited and so were the business proposers. “We developed Heybarn after realising a site wasn’t available which was specifically designed to allow the owners of lifestyle and rural properties in NZ to advertise their available shed space,” she said. By taking the best elements of Airbnb, Tinder and commercial real estate agencies, the Heybarn user experience has been carefully designed with a focus on security, control and maximising the chance of finding a successful rental arrangement. The Heybarn founders, now also joined by Manawatū-based business associate and recently retired Ovis Management project manager Dan Lynch, are excited to bring a potential new source of passive income to NZ rural property owners. Lynch takes up the role of Heybarn’s North Island operations manager. Shed owners can advertise any available shed space of any size on their property on the Heybarn website (www.heybarn.co.nz)

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TINDER FOR BARNS: Heybarn co-founder Tom Brownlie (left) says “pathologically, I do love sheds” and he is excited about the potential of the Heybarn startup, as he secures storage for his boat with Barry McClallan.

at no cost, potentially earning thousands of passive income every year. Kiwis who need space for any reason, including storage, an event, business or creative venture, can also advertise their need at no cost. There is no money transacted until a business agreement is set up. The site is also private, with both hosts and renters able to view the profile of an interested party before committing to a viewing. “There’s no risk, the Heybarn site has been designed with privacy and security as our top

priorities with a high level of protection,” Lynch said. Heybarn eliminates the stress of formalising an agreement between a host and renter by offering a rental agreement that can be tailored specific to the requirement of each party. Initially focused on the Manawatū-Whanganui regions and the lower South Island, the website will expand to the rest of NZ very soon. “If you are looking for listings or renters in the ManawatūWhanganui and Otago Southland regions you’re in the right place (on Heybarn now), we are

focusing on your area,” he said. “If you’re not, don’t go away, we’re coming to the rest of NZ very soon.” Plans are also being made to start Heybarn in Australia. Meanwhile, take a photo of your shed, or item you want to store, sign up to Heybarn, list your space or advertise your need, sit back and wait for a connection. Alternatively browse listing or adverts and make the first move. The first couple of weeks have been most encouraging. “There’s been thousands of hits on the website and the feedback has been really exciting,” he said.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

Grower hit by council rates punch Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz A GISBORNE kiwifruit grower is gobsmacked at the local council’s decision to support a policy that has doubled his rates bill in a year. SunGold kiwifruit grower Tim Tietjen has found himself at the centre of a test case where his 3.11ha SunGold orchard’s valuation is now based on the additional value of the kiwifruit licence it holds. Zespri SunGold licences sold at the last tender round for about $500,000 a hectare. In 2020 the Gisborne District Council (GDC) determined licences to grow the highvalue fruit should be added onto the property’s land value and therefore justified a rating increase. Adding the licence value onto Tietjen’s property would effectively increase its rated value from $2.8 million to $4.1m. With legal assistance from NZ Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated (NZKGI), Tietjen took his case to the Land Valuation Tribunal for a ruling. “The tribunal came back with a ruling that was an emphatic decision against what the council wanted to do,” Tietjen said. In its decision the tribunal concluded the kiwifruit licence was not an improvement to the land or a benefit to the land. The most significant difference was whether the kiwifruit licence is part of the property’s capital value. Ultimately, the tribunal determined the SunGold root stock was an improvement, while the value of the $500,000 a hectare licence was not. The licence reflected a “right

to grow” the cultivar and was effectively intellectual property, not an improvement to the property. Therefore, it was not eligible to be captured by a rating revaluation increase. The decision to utilise the SunGold cultivar was ruled part of the business operation, and a cost of doing business, rather than ownership of the land itself. Given the definitive nature of the tribunal’s ruling, the decision by GDC in February to now appeal it in the High Court has Tietjen querying the time and money it will take.

It seems to me this is more about a way for council to grab more money from the most productive sector of the region’s economy, targeting businesses that are doing well and give some other ratepayers a discount. Tim Tietjen Kiwifruit grower The impact of the higher valuation, which the council has already started to charge Tietjen, has been to push his rates from $4363 a year to $8220 a year. “It seems to me this is more about a way for council to grab more money from the most productive sector of the region’s

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SOUR TASTE: Adding the SunGold licence value onto Tim Tietjen’s kiwifruit orchard would effectively increase its rated value from $2.8 million to $4.1m. Photo: Phil Yeo economy, targeting businesses that are doing well and give some other ratepayers a discount,” he said. GDC chief executive Nedine Thatcher Swann would not comment beyond the council’s written statement on the reasons behind the council’s decision to appeal. The council maintains the effect of the tribunal’s decision is to treat SunGold orchards the same as other kiwifruit orchards, despite the properties selling for far higher values. But Tietjen said this ignores the risks inherent in taking on the crop and the high-value licence, even more pertinent when the industry has already come close to being wiped out previously by Psa infection. “And there is a three-year

period there where we are expected to pay those higher rates and we don’t even have a crop established that is generating income,” he said. He said the wider implications could also include the likes of dairy farmers with shares in a dairy company selling milk at a premium, compared to those selling to a non-shared lower paying company. The case is being closely watched across the country and particularly by the horticultural industry, given the array of apple types also requiring a licence to be grown. Western Bay of Plenty District Council has the greatest density of kiwifruit orchardists in NZ as ratepayers. Western Bay acting manager for finance and tech services

James Graham said it was aware of the case and the pending appeal. It was working through the potential implications for the district. “We will be working with QV, the council’s Valuation Service Provider, to undertake a Districtwide revaluation as at July 1, 2022,” Graham said. “As with any revaluation process, we will communicate with our ratepayers the process once final wider revaluation methodology decisions are made.” The case also represents something of a squaring off between the kiwifruit industry and government-rating czars. The Valuer General is backing the appeal costs faced by GDC, while NZKGI is providing legal assistance to Tietjen.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz –March 14, 2022

Russia conflict hits fertiliser prices Gerald Piddock gerald.piddock@globalhq.co.nz RUSSIA’S invasion of Ukraine has led to another spike in global fertiliser prices, with prices expected to remain high due to sanctions and disruption caused by the conflict. Russia is a major exporter of fertiliser, globally accounting for 46% of ammonium nitrate, 23% of ammonia, 15% of urea, 14% of MAP and combined with ally Belarus, accounts for 40% of potash exports. Ballance Agri-Nutrients general manager of sales Jason Minkhorst said both fuel and fertiliser prices will increase as a result of the conflict. Ballance’s focus had been on ensuring there was enough fertiliser supply for autumn, particularly as meat companies face ongoing delays to process animals. This could lead to farmers having to keep animals longer on their farm than anticipated. “And we do have enough product for the coming autumn. The timing of this isn’t great. Just as we saw fertiliser prices start to drop, the Ukraine crisis unfortunately has seen prices rebound,” Minkhorst said.

This is because Russia was one of the world’s largest exporters of fertiliser, as well as a major supplier of energy for Europe. This directly affected nitrogen supplies. Belarus was also being hit by sanctions because of its support for Russia, he said. Making N also required a lot of energy, this combined with the already high prices caused by covid disruption and the food commodity boom. “This has come on top of it. The timing is wickedly bad,” he said. Just in the past week, global urea prices have risen US$150 a tonne, which was nearly 20%. “Ballance does not expect to be impacted in the short to mediumterm because it doesn’t source materials from Russia, Belarus or Ukraine. However, we’re watching the knock-on impact very closely,” he said. What it means for spring was the big unknown. “While we deeply hope that the conflict ends quickly, the sanctions might last longer and how long those sanctions last for will determine how long this disruption and adverse impact lasts for,” he said. Ravensdown general manager of supply chain Mike Whitty said

KNOCK-ON EFFECT: Ballance Agri-Nutrients general manager of sales Jason Minkhorst said both fuel and fertiliser prices will increase as a result of the conflict.

the next four to eight weeks would show more clearly the impact that the conflict will have on fertiliser supply and prices. He said Ravensdown had not sourced any of its products from Russia or Ukraine since last year. “As a co-operative Ravensdown’s ability to insulate shareholder farmers from the worst of this global buffeting is because it has pursued a strategy of enduring supplier relationships, a bulk shipping joint venture and a strong stock position,” Whitty said.

Ravensdown was ordering products late last year for the coming spring and all of its autumn purchases are either in store or on the water. “Currently there are no expected issues around supply going through the autumn and into winter. Strong stock positions mean Ravensdown has been able to hold the superphosphate price through to May 31,” he said. Rabobank senior agriculture analyst Wes Lefroy said there

was much uncertainty around the situation with fertiliser prices. “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put a major dent in the likelihood of local urea prices significantly declining ahead of the autumn and spring application period,” Lefroy said in the bank’s Agribusiness Monthly publication for March. “We now expect global urea prices to increase to levels just below the November peak for the next couple of months before tapering once again by mid-year.”

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

Project examines seawood solution Gerald Piddock gerald.piddock@globalhq.co.nz A NEW project is set to get under way in the Firth of Thames to investigate whether seaweed can be used as a tool to clean up waterways. The two-year trial starting on April 1 is the first of its kind in New Zealand and will measure the effectiveness of ulva sea lettuce in filtering out nutrients from the Waihou River as it empties into the sea. Paeroa-based AgriSea is working with University of Waikato on the trial at the Kopu marine precinct in the Coromandel. The project is funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund. The bulk of the investment of $697,000 is from the MPI fund, with $108,000 from AgriSea and $150,000 from the Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust (AGMARDT). Thames-Coromandel District Council is gifting the land lease for the project, with support from Ngāti Maru and Ngāti Hako. Hauraki District Council and Te Waka are also assisting with consenting. The seaweed will grow for 12 months in three large rectangular tanks drawing water from the Waihou Estuary, with data collation and analysis in the final year. Around 36,000 litres of water a day enters the tanks from the river on high tide and passes through a filter to remove any sand or sediment. The concept worked on the same principle as the role wetlands play in filtering out nutrients in freshwater rivers and streams. The seaweed feeds and grows off the nutrients as the river water passes through, a process called bioremediation. The water then exits the tanks and is pumped

PROJECT: University of Waikato scientists Chris Glasson and Marie Magnusson and AgriSea’s Clare and Tane Bradley with seaweed growing tanks at the University’s Tauranga site, which are similar to the ones used in their new study on the Waihou River in Waikato. into a treatment tank, then passes through a UV filter before exiting into the Hauraki Gulf. The project is equipped with sensors and cameras to track and analyse the water and seaweed throughout the process. It is hoped the results will enable a calculation of how much seaweed would be required to make a sizable dent in the river’s nutrient loading. The ulva seaweed species has about 20% nitrogen protein, which is one of the higher percentages for seaweed. AgriSea harvest the seaweed twice a week and take it to the university for analysis and product development. The seaweed is selfsustaining and they do not need to re-seed it.

Around 300kg of dried seaweed per year will be collected from the tanks. AgriSea general manager of science, research and development Clare Bradley said on a per hectare basis that scales up to around 55 tonnes of dried seaweed a year. “If we can prove that this is a really useful tool, then we can envisage these seaweed farms near coastal areas as part of tools to help clean up some of that N and P and heavy metals,” Clare said. The technology and infrastructure required for that already exist and are widely used in the prawn farming industry. “My hope is that we prove the concept and we prove the cost so that whoever may take this on –

iwi, farmers, councils – can say we could get potential N credits or biomass out of this that we can sell back into products,” AgriSea managing director Tane Bradley said. If successful, Tane hopes to test the concept in freshwater rivers using freshwater seaweed or algae species. He also believes it could eventually one day see the concept used at a farm level as part of a farm’s effluent system. The Bradleys said the idea of the project came from discussions with Waikato University. Tane then floated the idea as a way to reduce N and P loading from the Waihou River in the Hauraki Gulf to the Hauraki Gulf Forum.

Initial testing was then done to establish that the nutrient levels and salinity in the water from the river was high enough to grow the seaweed. Once that was confirmed, Tane sought support from local iwi, councils, the MPI, Waikato University and Waikato economic development agency Te Waka. It then took two years to get the project off the ground. “There’s a growing desire from science institutes with assistance from government funding agencies to explore innovative projects such as this, not only for their environmental benefits, but as potential commercial harvest of seaweed for food, bio stimulants and high-value bioactives,” he said. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said the trial is a nationwide first and seeks to address an important environmental issue. “Currently the loss of nutrients not absorbed by plants enters the soil and drains into groundwater that leads straight to our waterways. This promotes algal blooms which reduces oxygen levels, which then threatens animals such as tuna (eels), kākahi (freshwater mussels), kōura (freshwater crayfish), and īnanga (whitebait),” Damien O’Connor said. “This bioremediation project is using Kiwi ingenuity to see if the seaweed can act as a sponge, soaking up excess nitrogen, phosphorus and helping clean our waterways.” O’Connor said the project supports sustainability and was in line with the Government’s aquaculture strategy. Seaweeds are being increasingly recognised for their potential. “If successful, this will be an environmentally-friendly way to improve water quality, create jobs in the science sector, revitalise our waterways and improve our onland farming systems.”

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

Call to reverse imbalance of power These included making more land available for new grocery stores by changing planning laws to free up sites, banning the use of restrictive land covenants and exclusivity clauses in leases that prevent retail grocery stores from being developed, and monitoring land banking by the major grocery retailers. “The best way to improve competition in the retail grocery sector is through measures that will make it easier for independent grocery retailers to set up and expand,” she said.

Gerald Piddock gerald.piddock@globalhq.co.nz HORTICULTURE New Zealand has backed the recommendations in the Commerce Commission’s final report in its study into the retail grocery sector. The recommendations will improve the relationship between growers and grocery retailers, HortNZ chief executive Nadine Tunley said. ‘If implemented, these recommendations would help reverse the imbalance of power that the commission identified in its investigation,” Tunley said. ‘The improved relationship along with greater transparency should ensure that growers get a better return on their investment.” The commission has proposed establishing a mandatory code of conduct between suppliers and grocery retailers to improve transparency and ban unfair conduct. It recommended prohibiting unfair contracts and creating a disputes resolution scheme. This scheme would resolve disputes in supply contracts and supplier relationships with retailers. The commission also recommended establishing an independent grocery sector regulator charged with overseeing whatever recommendations the Government decides to adopt within the report. Tunley said greater transparency should also enable consumers to understand better the price they pay for fruit and vegetables. Grower returns have not increased for at least 10 years, while retail prices and costs – labour, freight and compliance – had steadily increased. Covid has brought about further, more recent, steep cost increases, she said. New Zealand Food and Grocery Council chief executive Katherine Rich called the report a victory

Many grocery suppliers fear having their products removed from store shelves if they do not agree to accept some costs, risks and contractual uncertainty. AGREEMENT: The Commerce Commission has proposed the introduction of a mandatory code of conduct between suppliers and retailers, which it believes will improve transparency and relations between the two groups – a move supported by Horticulture New Zealand.

for suppliers in terms of fairness, competition, and common sense. “The Commission’s report delivers on all we brought to their attention, and more. The findings and recommendations confirm what we have been saying for years – competition in the market is not working well, stifling innovation, consumer choice, and genuine competition, and creating an environment where suppliers are treated unfairly.” Commission chair Anna Rawlings said the UK and Australia both had supplier codes of conduct with frameworks that are similar to what the report had recommended. “We favour the Australian code most likely as being readily

applicable here,” Rawlings said. “Many grocery suppliers fear having their products removed from store shelves if they do not agree to accept some costs, risks and contractual uncertainty. “This can reduce the ability and incentive for suppliers to invest and innovate, reducing choice for consumers.” The report recommended that the code of conduct be determined by the Government rather than be industry selfregulating. The key features of the code include an overarching principle of good faith, requirements aimed at improving the upfront transparency of terms of supply, limits or prohibitions on certain conduct and access to a dispute

resolution process, which is independent, affordable, timely, confidential and informed by specialist expertise. The commission also recommended the Government consider a statutory authorisation or exception for collective bargaining by grocery suppliers. The process would need to be limited to ensure that collective bargaining did not facilitate anticompetitive conduct and only applies to the business and circumstances where it would likely be beneficial. Other major changes recommended by the commission are aimed at increasing competition to improve the price, quality and range of groceries and services available.

Anna Rawlings Commerce Commission “We found that the biggest challenges facing competitors are a lack of suitable sites for store development and difficulties in obtaining competitively priced wholesale supply of a wide range of groceries.” Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark said he knew there was a desire to see the Government act swiftly and he will immediately progress work to address the commission’s recommendations. “The report sets out a clear justification for change in the grocery market. The status quo will not deliver fairer prices for consumers and a better deal for producers and suppliers, and I hope the sector will constructively engage in the changes that need to be made,” Clark said.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

Provinces hit in record claim year Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz A RECORD claim year for insurers has again raised the possibility of relocation and abandonment of settlements in some rural areas due to increasing climate risks. Latest Insurance Council data highlight that 2021 was a record year for claims, totalling $324 million, an 18% jump in claim value from 2020. Rural New Zealand was hit particularly hard last year. The July 19 flooding through the lower North Island and upper South Island amounted to $140m of claims, the largest flooding

event of the year in terms of spread and cost. The Canterbury flood event a month earlier on June 1 accounted for $46m of claimed damage. After the devastating floods that hit Westport last July, and again in its hinterland only weeks ago, the potential to relocate such a town has been mooted. In July the town’s 4000 residents claimed almost $90m of damages to houses and businesses, with 460 homes left either written off or damaged by floods. Another weather event in February had farmers in the town’s hinterland wear the brunt of heavy rain and flooding, with the town

DOUBLE WHAMMY: The Buller District has been hit by two flooding events during the past 12 months.

narrowly escaping more damage. Insurance Council NZ chief executive Tim Grafton said decisions around relocating vulnerable small centres like Westport are ones that rest with councils and revolve around issues of legality, time and the mechanics of actually achieving such a move. “There are many issues buried within such a step that would need clarity before proceeding,” Grafton said. He did not believe insurers were likely to walk away from communities more likely to face greater risk of flooding anytime soon. Rather, he said insurers tend to balance their portfolios across a range of geographic and risk factor areas, to spread their exposure. Nor did he believe there was a tension between insurers wanting to lower exposure to risky parts of the country where further council infrastructure investment such as flood controls could play a role in reducing that risk. “The issues are challenging and we need good communication. Insurers can provide good data to councils to help make decisions, as they are the only party that is actually pricing risk in these situations. We can show that by doing nothing, this is the loss amount you are exposed to,” he said. Christchurch city, however, provides a good example of insurers responding to a greater level of risk, and businesses or households having to pay higher premiums. Post earth-quake, the Flockton Basin in the city sunk lower, increasing flood occurrences through some suburbs. Their residents faced increases in insurance excess payments and only after $50 million of mitigation by the council did those rates fall, along with premiums. But Grafton acknowledged a denser city ratepayer base had more opportunity to raise funds than a remote, sparsely populated rural one. “So, there is an issue there for central government to consider additional funding, and perhaps

SPREADING THE RISK: Insurance Council NZ chief executive Tim Grafton did not believe insurers were likely to walk away from communities more likely to face greater risk of flooding, but they would balance their portfolios across a range of geographic and risk factor areas, to spread their exposure. that needs to be a criteria if the rating base is insufficient,” he said. Westport faces this very issue, with a regional council proposal in play for $3.5m to be spent on Buller River flood walls and stop banks.

So, there is an issue there for central government to consider additional funding and perhaps that needs to be a criteria if the rating base is insufficient. Tim Grafton Insurance Council New Zealand Westport mayor Jamie Cleine said the concept of moving his town has been misunderstood. “This is a multi-pronged approach and a gradual 50-year movement that is happening anyway,” Cleine said.

He said they were, however, difficult conversations for a community to have, despite the move not being an overnight one. But he said councils had to be thinking of the next generation, and what was going to be liveable for them. “The easy thing to do is to kick it all down the road,” he said. Efforts to relocate rural communities hit by storm events can be fraught affairs. In 2005, Bay of Plenty village Matata was inundated by debris flows during heavy rains falling at the rate of 2mm a minute. Future flood risks prompted the Whakatāne District Council to require residents to abandon the town by March last year in a managed retreat programme. The programme cost Whakatāne District Council, central government and BoP Regional Council a total of $15m. The exercise has been held up as an example of the challenges likely to face other communities as climate change impacts ratchet up.

Do your Kellogg in Whanganui. Applications for Kellogg Whanganui now close on 20 March. Farmers, fishers, foresters, growers and agri-business professionals, fast track your professional development in 2022. Applications for the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme in Whanganui now close 20 March. Kellogg Lincoln closes 17 April. Register now at ruralleaders.co.nz/kellogg/

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz –March 14, 2022

Interest increasing in deer marketing fund Annette Scott annette.scott@globalhq.co.nz COMMITMENT to the deer industry’s marketing innovation fund is reaping rewards as the initiative heads into its second year. The marketing innovation fund (MIF) was set up by the Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ) board in 2020 to support the sector’s response to the covid pandemic. The aim being to drive and rapidly increase sales of NZ venison into retail in export markets. In its first year, Silver Fern Farms received funding to accelerate its programme in China. Three venison companies, Mountain River Venison, Alliance and First Light Farms, have been selected for support in 2022, with a total of $400,000 going from DINZ to support the programmes. “It is a critical time for us to be supporting processors to increase sales as quickly as possible,” DINZ chair Ian Walker said. “We received strong applications from all the processors, which shows their commitment to the industry.”

Mountain River Venison will be using its support to build on its foundational work in the Scandinavian premium retail sector, especially in Sweden. The company’s goal is to increase the number of stores stocking farm-raised NZ venison to 60. In-store promotion activity will take place including in the affluent cities of Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo and Gothenburg, growing awareness of a wide range of cuts including tri-tips, short-loins, steaks, goulash, tenderloins and mince. This will be supported digitally throughout Scandinavia, continuing the company’s association with Instagrammer Henning Kvicken and also with celebrity chef Magnus Blomgren. MIF is helping Alliance Group in a programme with its Chinese partner Grand Farm to launch a range of new venison products in China. Two of nine new products, venison hot pot rolls and venison brisket cubes in premium packaging, were launched in December. The programme, a major focus

for the co-operative’s venison marketing team, is being driven by its Singapore office. Their promotional focus will be Chinese festivals, such as New Year, Spring Festival and Golden Week. In-store promotions are planned for physical stores in several major cities and as well the products will be promoted on China’s largest e-commerce platform jd.com, enhanced by brand exposure via social media channels. First Light will use the funds to boost the launch of NZ venison onto the exporter’s new US Direct to Consumer (DTC) e-commerce website, launched in the US in the first week of February. Fresh venison photography and videos are currently being produced to tell the NZ venison story as part of the company’s target Craft Consumers marketing campaign. This will be supported by dedicated public relations activity to launch venison onto the new site in a few weeks, including disseminating health and other information to health and hunting groups and sending samples to influencers.

DEDICATION: DINZ chair Ian Walker says strong applications from processors to the marketing innovation fund demonstrates their commitment to the industry.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz –March 14, 2022

Chemical report highlights shortfalls Richard Rennie richard.rennie@globalhq.co.nz COMPOUNDS used extensively by the agricultural sector have been highlighted in a Knowing What’s Out There – Regulating The Environmental Fate of Chemicals report from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PcE) that raises concerns over New Zealand’s poor reporting standards on chemicals’ environmental fate. In the report, Simon Upton says NZ is the only developed country globally to not have a register of pollution release and transfer (PRTR). The register enables countries to join the dots between permitted discharges of potentially harmful substances to the environment and monitoring to detect those discharges. The possibility of a register was explored back in 1998 and suggested by Upton again in 2018, but did not proceed. Upton’s concern was also driven by NZ’s agricultural environment where chemicals’ entry to the environment is diffuse and varied. He notes that while what is being used in agriculture is known, little is known about where and how it reaches the environment and in what quantities. Upton highlighted NZ’s reporting and understanding shortfalls in four chemical types: tetracycline antibiotics; neonicotinoid insecticides; terbuthylazine herbicides;

and zinc for facial eczema (FE) treatment. At least 80% of neonicotinoids can be lost to the environment from the likes of treated seeds. Some studies found that after a year soils that have had treated maize seed can still have levels exceeding Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) exposure limits. The report highlights continuing build ups of neonicotinoids at “chronic concentrations”, and raises concerns over their impact on non-target pollinators, like bees. Neonicotinoids have long been a centre of controversy in Europe, where they have been severely restricted in use. Amid growing global concern over neonic levels in surface water, Upton found NZ only surveys groundwater once in four years for pesticides, but not neonicotinoids. Sampling in Waikato maize paddocks has found eight of nine samples exceeded the EPA’s environmental limit, with up to two years of residue. He recommended further soil, groundwater and surface water monitoring in areas with neonicotinoid use to improve understanding of environmental contamination. He noted seed coated with neonicotinoids was not currently regulated under the HSNO Act, as it was not a “manufactured article.” Zinc used for FE management is estimated to be used in quantities of 5000-8000 tonnes a year in

Waikato, significantly higher than industry use figures. As a soluble chemical it can be spread through water, soils and plants, and the commissioner cites a NZ study that identified an accumulation of zinc in a wide area of Waikato over the past 30 years, with 12% of soils exceeding safe levels to microorganisms function. He also cites accumulation of zinc in Waikato rural lakes, with 86% having at least double background levels, and three having values exceeding current guidelines. A concern is higher zinc levels contribute to antimicrobial resistance in manure and in soils. In the meantime, monitoring of zinc levels by regional councils is variable and doesn’t extend to lakes or groundwater in agricultural areas. Reporting issues also exist with the herbicide terbuthylazine, used in forestry, agriculture and horticulture for general vegetation control. As a chemical, terbuthylazine was prohibited from use on certified forests between 2007-2015 due to its ability to accumulate in the environment, but it was reinstated after 2015. Despite its extensive use and known toxicity to non-target organisms, there remains a lack of chronic toxicity studies, with environmental impacts remaining unknown. Similarly, tetracycline antibiotics often used in animal treatments and concentrations found

DISJOINTED: Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton has highlighted NZ’s patchy and disjointed reporting and monitoring for chemical use, including some significant agrichemicals.

overseas in the environment have been high enough to trigger antimicrobial resistance in parts of Europe, Asia, and the US. Thirty-one tetracycline products are sold in NZ for animal treatment, with use monitored by MPI. Upton identifies the general global lack of monitoring for tetracyclines as a concern for NZ, and the lack of guidance here on disposing of containers or of manure containing the compound. Overall, he summarises NZ’s approval system for chemicals as complex, with a “disjointed and patchy” system for asking and answering questions about the environmental fate of chemicals. With 150,000 substances approved for use comprising

30,000 chemicals, only 3500 are subject to individual approach, with merely a few hundred fully assessed. The commissioner’s overarching recommendation is that all agencies dealing with chemicals need to develop a common framework to prioritise their efforts in considering and managing those chemicals’ environmental impacts. He wrote it needs to be based on the scale of the use, the chemical’s potential environmental harm and the extent to which its presence is being detected in the environment. Upton has also called on the Ministry for the Environment to develop regulations to empower the EPA to collect and report on the quantity and use of chemicals in NZ.

Regulations in NZ patchy and disjointed THE head of New Zealand’s agrichemical body agrees with the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s findings that the country’s chemical sector is governed under a patchy, disjointed and complex system. This was one of several weaknesses identified by Simon Upton in his Knowing What’s Out There – Regulating the Environmental Fate of Chemicals report. The commissioner also found

NZ was the only developed country that does not have a register for chemicals, recording chemical pollution release and transfer. But Agcarm chief executive Mark Ross was not convinced such a register would be as effective for recording agrichemical use as it could be for industrial chemicals. “We are not totally convinced, due to the diffuse nature of agrichem use and the fact we have no less than four Acts governing the use of chemicals in NZ, which makes it complex,” Ross said. Those four Acts are the HSNO,

ACVM, Health and Safety, all with the RMA overarching. Ross maintains a better first step for NZ may be to try and simplify the administration, recording and monitoring of chemicals. “In Australia, they just have the one to cover all chemicals, the Agricultural Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines authority, which is far simpler,” he said. In the meantime, he maintains the industry does a good job controlling agrichemicals and is also subject to tight council rules on their use in the environment. He said it had been noted the

report’s four case study chemicals were all used as agrichemicals, while industrial products had received little analysis. Ross said Agcarm would support further monitoring of chemicals in the environment, possibly through regional councils. “With antibiotics and antimicrobials, NZ is a low-level user of these products. Also, when it comes to neonicotinoids and terbuthylazine sprays, we are also quite low users of these too,” he said. He pointed to neonicotinoid’s effectiveness in removing the need

to use an array of other sprays once plants had germinated, and problems experienced in the EU when their use was limited. “We will continue to have further dialogue with the commissioner and would be happy to discuss monitoring. I know the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has been talking about chemical mapping for a while,” he said. However, he suspected regional councils and the EPA would face significant limitations on monitoring due to lack of resources.

ISSUE: Agcarm chief executive Mark Ross points to complexities in NZ’s regulations as a key issue when it comes to better monitoring chemicals levels in the environment.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

Questions raised over solar projects Gerald Piddock gerald.piddock@globalhq.co.nz

IMPACT: Waiterimu resident Douglas Dobbs says a planned solar farm in the district would destroy the farming landscape.

THREE large solar farm projects on Waikato farmland could soon see cattle and sheep replaced by thousands of solar panels dotted across the countryside. All combined, it could see around 1500ha of land converted to solar energy. Most of the focus for the solar farms is in the Waiterimu district, northeast of Huntly. Waiterimu farmer Colin Hickey confirmed he had been approached by a consultant representing multiple companies including Genesis Energy. Hickey said he was taking a ‘wait and see’ approach on the proposal until more information became available. Genesis said in a statement it would not disclose locations until all agreements are signed. It said it was looking across multiple regions and will confirm specific project locations when in a position to do so. “Locations for the solar developments will be mainly in the North Island, with a focus on existing transmission connection points. We are currently assessing sites and approaching landowners and hope to announce our first solar location later this year,” it said in a statement.

Taumata Arowai is the new water services regulator. We’re committed to safe drinking water for everyone.

Have your say on technical documents required by the Water Services Act 2021 such as standards, rules, aesthetic values, acceptable solutions, and network performance. te-puna-korero.taumataarowai.govt.nz

However, another local resident, Douglas Dobbs, claimed one of those sites was adjacent to UK-based Island Green Power’s (IGP) plan to convert 380ha of farmland in the district to solar farming. IGP is expected to lodge a resource consent for the proposal with the Waikato District Council in the next month. IGP, through consultancy company Boffa Miskell, sent a letter to local residents in early December and more recently, held a meeting to explain the project to the community. Dobbs, who attended the meeting, said he was left with more questions than answers. He said not all of the community received the letter or were informed of the meeting and discovered the project either through neighbours or the media. “Two people have said to me that they haven’t had any notification from them at all and they are immediate neighbours,” Dobbs said. Others in the district are taking a ‘wait and see’ approach until more information about the proposal is released, while some are outrightly against it, he said. While Dobbs supports solar power he believes the district is the wrong location for the project and it would be better suited in areas where there was non-productive farmland. “It’s a pretty valley and for the life of me, I can’t see how people would just fill it with glass and aluminium and think that’s acceptable,” he said. He rejected questions that his stance was NIMBYism. The district was a beautiful spot that should be enhanced, not destroyed by solar panels. “This solar farm could be anywhere in New Zealand and they would have the same problem. The end result is that you’re spoiling the landscape, whether it be my backyard or somebody else’s backyard,” he said. “I’ve worked here for 44 years and this has to be one of the most picturesque valleys in all my working life.” The letter said the district had been chosen because of its proximity to transmission infrastructure. The farm would generate up to 150 megawatts of electricity, which could power 30,000 homes. The solar panels would be mounted two to three metres off the ground and would be able to rotate to follow the sun during the day. “Given the height of the mountings and the gaps between the panels, the site will continue to be used for agriculturally-productive purposes, such as the grazing of sheep,” it said. Dobbs disputes this. The district was prone to dry summers and wet winters and he was concerned about potential runoff from the clay soils after a heavy rain event and possible weed infestations around the panels. IGP chief executive Ian Lawrie, responding by email, said the main concern from initial feedback was the visual effects on the rural character of the area. “We will take these concerns onboard and we will develop landscaping and planting plans that should address a lot of the visual concerns from specific viewpoints

over the site,” Lawrie said. He said feedback from locals had been both in support and in opposition to the project. “In a project of this nature, there are always people that are opposed and that is totally understandable. A solar project of this size is new to New Zealand so naturally people are cautious of change and need reassurance about the impact the project will have on the area,” he said. A common theme from the feedback was potential environmental benefits of the project from reduced effluent and fertiliser runoff, he said. “The area is an important part of the water catchment of Lake Waikare, which is in poor condition, and we are hopeful this project will have a meaningful impact on eventually restoring the natural condition of the lake,” he said. IGP planned to make direct financial contributions towards community projects restoring the lake. “Other particularly encouraging feedback was about our plans to restore areas of native bush and for landscaping in general,” he said. There were also concerns around security fencing, agrichemicals used for weed control, the solar panel’s carbon footprint and fire risk.

A solar project of this size is new to New Zealand so naturally people are cautious of change and need reassurance about the impact the project will have on the area. Ian Lawrie IGP Lawrie said they planned to lease the land off landowners. The land will be reconfigured with new fencing, improved drainage, planting of natives in the unused areas and rows of posts will be installed with solar panels mounted on top, involving job creation. The farm will also require ongoing operations and maintenance employment, to keep the property tidy, to clean the panels, maintain the underground cables and service the machinery that enabled the panels to track the sun. The third solar farm proposal has Harmony Energy wanting to convert 182ha of land currently used for dairy farming at Te Aroha West owned by Tauhei Farms Limited. If approved, it will see the installation of solar panels that would have the capacity to produce up to 147MW of power at peak times, generating the equivalent electricity needed to power 30,000 average NZ homes. The proposal is awaiting lodgement under the Government’s fast-track consenting scheme introduced to speed up projects to boost the country’s economic recovery from the covid-19 pandemic.

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NZ PROTEINS IN HOT DEMAND

This graph shows average values for beef bred heifers at the Stortford Lodge Weaner Heifer and Bull Fair.

Read the article

“ALL ROUND RECORD PRICES FOR NZ PROTEINS at https://farmersweekly.co.nz/s/ fw-article/all-round-record-pricesfor-nz-proteins-MC5K6AOXPES5G WJIV3GN5PBWEVJA?fbclid=IwAR0 8kFCQNq7ghTiqqlWFT _ REE6-vRVx7vSzjpzkzAph5imHU39mts2c3lk

Head to https://beeflambnz.com/ knowledge-hub/podcast/gainingresilience-result-tragedy-louise-rob son?fbclid=IwAR1SGXeavrMwfsjrC3j 032JDtG1Bj0qaR0hxQ2bs6tnBA7Mzg mmlxifjnMQ

Can you answer the following? 1

Louise is a small block owner in Central Southland. Emigrating from the family crop farm in the UK 19 years ago to follow her passion for livestock, she has worked on both dairy and sheep farms before focusing on animal nutrition for the last five years.

The article talks about GDT. What is this?

2 What factors are firming (improving) export prices for red meat? 3 Why are dairy products at record highs?

1 What event is the podcast recorded at? What exactly is this event? 2 What brought Louise to New Zealand? 3 Louise talks about resilience in the face of tragedy. What is her experience? How has she used this to help others?

4 What is the difference for each of the South and North Island in farm gate prices for steers compared to a year ago levels? Then when compared to the five-year average?

4 What are her key messages?

5 What was the difference between lamb prices in February compared to year ago levels and the fiveyear average?

6 Louise talks about love languages. Do some research, what are these?

6 Although prices are currently high most farmers are facing increased costs on farm. What are these?

5 How does she suggest putting the motto “if you think it, you can do it” into practice?

7 What does she mean by “build your village”? Why does she see this as important?

Using Hyperspectral Remote sensing to protect New Zealand’s reputation as a producer of high-quality carrot seed

New Zealand is a major supplier of carrot seed to the world. Most of this production is based in Canterbury. Carrots are an important and growing crop worldwide, which means there is a need for increased production of seed varieties with high genetic purity. Consequently, there is interest in expanding seed production in Hawkes Bay. The presence of wild carrot (Daucus carota subsp. carota L) plants near the production areas can result in contamination of the carrot seed crop through the transfer of pollen from the wild carrot to the carrot seed crop. Hyperspectral remote sensing is being used to detect and map weed plants. Hyperspectral remote sensing and imaging involves detection and analysis of a wide spectrum of electromagnetic radiation to create a spectral reflectance library of different materials. If a unique spectral reflectance “fingerprint” for wild carrot plants can be identified, this can be used to locate their presence near carrot seed crops. Carrot pollen can travel large distances. However, high resolution spectral data of larger areas can be acquired to enable identification of wild carrots within pollen transfer distance.

QUESTIONS: CAN YOU ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: 1

Can you find out why carrots are an important food crop?

2 The carrot tap root consumed by humans is orange – but what was the original colour of the tap root in wild (uncultivated) carrots? 3 How does pollen move from one plant to another? 4 What does the term roguing mean in a seed crop?

Photo credit: Sunmeet Bhatia, Massey University

MASSEY UNIVERSITY IS WORKING ON HYPERSPECTRAL REMOTE SENSING TO IDENTIFY WILD CARROTS WITH FUNDING FROM THE SEED INDUSTRY RESEARCH CENTRE (SIRC - https://sirc.co.nz/). For more information, contact Sunmeet Bhatia (S.S.Bhatia@ massey.ac.nz) or Craig McGill (C.R.McGill@massey.ac.nz).

Photo credit: Robert Southward, Massey University

What hat year were average weaner heifer values at the highest?

2 What year were average weaner heifer values at the lowest? 3 How does the 2022 average compare to the year before?

STRETCH YOURSELF: 1

Why do you think straight beef bred cattle generally make more than dairy-beef cattle?

2 The top value in the heifer pens was achieved by heavy 280kg Simmental-cross heifers which made $940. Why are heavier weaners preferred? 3 Throughput was at the lowest levels seen since 2017 with a total of 889 weaner bulls and heifers penned. Why do you think this is? Hint: think about feed levels currently especially compared to last year.

Dairying has a future

IT CAN BE DONE: Winton dairy farmer John van Hout says farming is possible with lower application of synthetic nitrogen. Photo: Natwick

THE NZ dairy herd increased 82% between 1990 and 2019, with some of the largest increases in Canterbury and Southland. In hand with that land-use change came greater use of water, fertiliser and issues with nutrient loss, prompting a response from regional councils. In this series, Neal Wallace investigates the future of dairying in those regions and talks to some innovators who are confident that with the use of technology and management changes, dairying has a future.

Special report

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

CHANGE: There are forecasts the number of dairy cows in Canterbury could decline by up to 20% over the next 20 years, depending on how regional councils implement National Policy Statement For Freshwater (NPS-FW) limits on the use of synthetic nitrogen and controls on leaching.

Concern over new freshwater rules Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz THE impact of the Government’s new freshwater regulations could invariably end dairying in Southland or result in a 20% decline over 20 years, depending on who you talk to. Similarly, there are forecasts the number of dairy cows in Canterbury could decline by up to 20% over that period, depending on how regional councils implement National Policy Statement For Freshwater (NPS-FW) limits on the use of synthetic nitrogen and controls on leaching.

I think dairying is quite well-positioned into the future and there is no reason for it not to be.

that will mean an average 70% reduction in each of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) over all catchments, targets labelled unrealistic by Ivan Lines, an Invercargill dairy adviser with AgriBusiness Consultants. “At a minimum it will mean massive change. At worst, it will bring a complete end to farming in Southland,” Lines said. He said those targets equate to a pre-human state and will make even sheep farming impossible. A regional forum is to report back later this year on limits and implementation, but a 25-year phase in for new nutrient limits and technology will temper any decline in Southland cow numbers, Environment Southland chair Nicol Horrell said. He estimates numbers could fall by 20% over the next 20 years, the decline primarily driven by improved per cow production and

management decisions rather than by new nutrient limits. Acknowledging some requirements are confronting, Horrell said technology will assist, citing an analogy where sheep numbers more than halved but meat production has been maintained. The degree of the herd decline depends on the response of farmers and input from the industry-funded Southland Dairy Hub, which he said will provide specific advice for southern conditions. Environment Canterbury (ECan) planning manager Andrew Parish says the NPS-FW will be incorporated by council by December 2024 and new limits are still being discussed. In the Waimakariri catchment, for example, it is looking at a 30% reduction in nutrient loss by 2040 and 36% in the Hinds catchment by 2033.

Charlotte Glass AgriMagic New regulations limiting nitrogen use will require changes, worrying farmers, especially in Canterbury and Southland, where dairy expansion has made nutrient loss to waterways an issue. Existing management and new technology is already available to halve nitrate and nitrogen losses, lessening the impact of living with annual synthetic nitrogen limits of 190kg/N/ha. Councils are consulting on the degree of reduction required. Environment Southland has started consulting on proposals

INNOVATIVE: Canterbury consultant Charlotte Glass says dairy farmers have repeatedly shown they can adapt quickly, and there is no reason that will not happen with this challenge.

By setting parameters in an output-based regulatory system, Parish said farmers can continue to farm. “We are not specifying any land-use change if they can pursue a line that will lead to lower output streams from good management practices,” Parish said. Canterbury consultant Charlotte Glass from AgriMagic said the expectation the milk price will stay elevated for several years will ease the transition. Similarly, the soaring price of urea will dampen demand and force farmers to look at other options, including using supplementary feed. “Thirty years ago, we learnt how to use nitrogen fertiliser. Reducing its use is not the end of the world,” Glass said. She said dairy farmers have repeatedly shown they can adapt quickly, and there is no reason that will not happen with this challenge. “I think dairying is quite wellpositioned into the future and there is no reason for it not to be,” she said. Ministry for the Environment’s director of policy implementation and delivery Sara Clarke said limits on nitrogen use will mean fewer dairy cows. “Southland, Otago and Canterbury will look different, but it was different 20 years previously,” Clarke said. It will be up to communities to determine the extent of those changes. “The people of Southland are the best people to think about how they will transition,” she said. The environmental impact of dairying has become politicised and Clarke said the views of critics

have to be balanced by those of rural communities, which will not please everyone. DairyNZ strategy and investment leader Dr David Burger said one strategy showing promise is the organisation-led $22 million Plantain Potency and Practice Programme (PPP), which research has shown use of plantain pastures has the potential to reduce losses by 37%. “Modelling by DairyNZ forecasts a potential reduction of 15,000 tonnes a year in nitratenitrogen leached on 4200 NZ dairy farms in nitrogen-sensitive catchments per year by 2035,” Burger said. Jeremy Savage, a farm consultant with McFarlane Rural Business and also the demonstration lead at the South Island Dairying Demonstration Centre at Lincoln, said DairyNZ and AgResearch research implemented on the Lincoln University Dairy Farm shows nitrogen losses can be halved. Nitrogen losses have reduced from 72 to 36kg/N/ha a year through lower stocking rates, using less bought in supplementary feed, applying less nitrogen and culling cows in early autumn before the weather and ground conditions heighten the risk of leaching from cow urine. The stocking rate on the Lincoln farm has been cut by 0.4 cows/ha and synthetic nitrogen application reduced from an average of 300 to 160kg/ha/a year, but Savage said production per cow has actually increased, from 430 to 500kg/MS/cow. He attributed that increase to more careful pasture and stock management to compensate for less synthetic nitrogen and supplementary feed.

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

Special report

FEPs best tool to track nitrate loss Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz ENVIRONMENTAL degradation from nitrate loss is not a national issue and DairyNZ does not support blanket input controls such as on applying synthetic nitrogen. DairyNZ strategy and investment leader David Burger says Farm Environment Plans (FEPs) are a better tool as they are tailored to each farm and local conditions and can be reviewed to ensure they meet regulatory needs and catchment outcomes. “Around half of all dairy farms already have a FEP,” Burger said. Dairy farming will continue to have a key role in Southland and Canterbury economies and communities, even though those regions will be hit hard by the 190kg/ha/ a year cap on the use of synthetic nitrogen. He said those farmers are responding by reducing their environmental footprint through riparian planting, reducing sediment and stabilising stream banks. “While dairying does contribute to elevated nitrate levels, it’s important to note nitrate levels were high in shallow groundwater and spring-fed

streams and drains in Canterbury long before dairy arrived,” he said. In 2020-21, dairy contributed $3.27 billion directly to Canterbury’s local economy and $1.95b into Southland. In Southland it was the top economic contributor and a top three economic contributor in Canterbury. While farmers in those provinces must make significant changes to achieve the Government’s new national bottom line for nitrates, Burger said the issue is when and how? He said DairyNZ will work closely with regional councils over the next four years as they develop catchment limits, but he wants the focus on action that restores natural habitats. “A great example of this has been in Taranaki, where habitat restoration of riparian areas has been shown by NIWA to have resulted in improved ecosystem health, despite some catchments recording increasing nitrate concentrations,” he said. In Southland, DairyNZ has provided analysis, research and a technical review of water quality and catchment science and in Canterbury it has been working with farmers in Selwyn and

Hinds for three years through the Meeting a Sustainable Future project, to help them reduce nitrogen loss. It also led research for new solutions in a Forages for Reduced Nitrate Leaching programme, which ran from 2013-19. “This cross-sector approach provided new scientific knowledge, tools and technologies for forage production that can amount to more than 20% reduction of nitrate leaching from dairy, arable, sheep and beef and mixed-farming systems,” he said. DairyNZ is also leading a seven-year research programme aiming at breeding cows with a lower nitrate leaching footprint that will enable farmers to meet environmental targets by identifying cows with urine excretion characteristics that reduce the risk of nitrate leaching. Further research aims to determine the genetic basis of those characteristics and the scope for selecting sires that produce ‘low N’ daughters, while also developing the breeding and management strategies required to implement ‘low N’ cows in farm systems.

FOUNDATION: DairyNZ strategy and investment leader David Burger says because many farms already have FEPs in place, tailored to their specific needs, it provides a good foundation for meeting regulatory requirements.

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Special report

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

Act sooner not later on nutrient loss, farmers told Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz THE sooner farmers start addressing nutrient loss, the easier the transition and the less likely Environment Southland will need to implement punitive measures, chair Nicol Horrell says. The council requires more action from farmers to improve water quality and to achieve that, ES is considering setting an extremely high bar. “It is clear that just to meet national bottom lines for key contaminants, nitrogen and phosphorus, our region has to achieve significant reductions to the amount of contamination in our waterbodies,” says Horrell. Final standards are still to be confirmed, but three nutrient reduction models are being circulated by ES: the NPS-FW; the ES proposed water and land plan; and Murihiku Southland freshwater objectives, which focuses on the health and wellbeing of water bodies. “We have modelled three different sets of outcomes, so the three reductions represent different levels that might be required to achieve a specific outcome in our waterways. “These objectives represent the level required to achieve hauora, or a healthy resilience in our waterways.” ES calculates a 47% reduction in nitrogen is required to meet NPS-FW national bottom lines, but to achieve the council’s proposed water and land plan standard, the required reduction increases to 66%. To meet the Murihiku Southland freshwater objectives, the reduction required is 70%. Similarly for phosphorus, a 21% reduction will comply with national bottom line standards, but ES is considering a 69% target to comply with its land and water plan and 70% for provincial freshwater objectives. For E.coli the council’s plan requires an 82% reduction, but 90% to meet freshwater standards. That standard will also require a 24% decline in suspended sediment in rivers and 32% decline for visual clarity. According to the council’s proposed land and water plan, catchments such as Waituna require a reduction of 96% in total nitrogen (TN) and 62% in total phosphorus (TP), Mataura 79% and 58%, Aparima-Pourakino 64%

and 34% and in Oreti-Invercargill 62% and 75%. Over the whole province, the average reduction required by the council’s plan for both TN and TP is 70%. Ivan Lines, a dairy adviser with Invercagill-based Agribusiness Consultants, said farmers acknowledge water quality must improve, but the proposed targets are idealistic and will return the provincial waterways to a pre-human state. Lines warns that based on Overseer data, meeting those levels will make dairying and sheep farming, Southland’s largest industries, impossible as neither will be able to reduce contaminants to ES’ levels. “A sheep farm can’t achieve it, but trees might or we could revert the province to tussock, its natural state,” Lines said. Human activity impacts the environment. “ES says these limits can be achieved, but that have not said how to achieve that in practice or what the cost will be to achieve that,” he said. He has seen DairyNZ studies that dispute ES analysis of periphyton levels and water quality, which he says the council analysis has been overstated.

To get waterways back to their natural state in a humanmodified environment will be incredibly hard to achieve. Charlotte Glass AgriMagic

He said technology and management techniques are currently available to achieve a 30-35% reduction in contaminants, but 90% could be a struggle over the 25 years the land and water plan will be implemented. “I think over time we should be able to get that to improve further, and most farmers are striving to achieve that already,” he said. A deluge of large, scientific documents has made it difficult for land-users to understand let alone keep track of proposed changes. “I think the whole process ES

ACT NOW: Environment Southland chair Nicol Horrell is urging dairy farmers to implement management changes that reduce nitrogen loss. has been going through has been pretty average to date,” he said. “To get waterways back to their natural state in a humanmodified environment will be incredibly hard to achieve.” Given the size of the changes ES is requiring, Lines said it needed a more critical analysis than the council has given it. A regional forum will recommend methods to achieve draft freshwater objectives which will only be formalised once ES considers recommendations and other information and formalises the plan change to the proposed Southland Water and Land Plan. Horrell rejects claims ES standards will take Southland water back to a pre-human state and that the economic cost will decimate the Southland community. “The economic impacts of the limit setting plan change will continue to be assessed as we move through the formal process. “We have not yet made any decisions and we have more information to gather, including more information that combines science and economic modelling,” says Horrell. He accepts the size of nutrient loss decline could be confronting, but the 25-year implementation

timeframe and new technology such as nitrogen inhibitors, new nitrogen products or application methods will temper any impact. He predicts a 20% decline in cow numbers in the province over the next 20 years, but says that decline will be driven by commercial factors rather than just the new regulations. For example, the Southland Dairy Hub, an industry-funded research farm near Winton, will be crucial in finding specific solutions to specific southern conditions, Horrell said. The best way to get farmer buyin is to provide a map, set interim targets and let industry decide the best way to get there, he said, which is what the council intends to do. “I believe we need to put out ambitious but practical targets over 10 years,” Horrell said. “The cumulative effect will be significant.” No fan of the ability to grandparent nutrient losses, he said he favours a situation where two neighbouring farms have the same lower nutrient loss targets. Dairying has expanded into some areas of Southland where soils are not suitable, and he said the market could enable that issue to take care of itself or it may

require some persuasion, but that is not an issue the council has addressed. The council’s water and land plan is before the Environment Court but Horrell said within the next year it will be matched to the Government’s National Policy Statement (NPS) for freshwater, which has to be implemented by 2025. A 2019 nutrient loss study of 90 livestock, horticulture and arable farms reveals the vast majority of dairy farms were losing between 25kg and 55kg/ha/year of nitrogen and 0.5kg and 1.5 kg/ha/ year of phosphorus. Modelling of mitigation measures show nutrient losses can be reduced by between 10% and 40% within the existing farm production systems, but it did impact profitability. “Some dairy farms had relatively high baseline nutrient losses for the industry and few mitigations,’’ an ES report states. “For these farms to achieve relatively low nutrient losses, they will need to consider other options, such as retiring land or a change in farm production system.” Farms with low nutrient losses had less ability to mitigate those losses.

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

Special report

Farming with flexibility and control Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz JOHN van Hout has always been innovative with his nutrient management on his Southland dairy farm, an approach that is about to pay further dividends as regulations on nitrogen use are enforced. Policies adopted by the Winton farmer have enabled him to halve the volume of synthetic nitrogen used to 100 units a year, which underpins an approach of running fewer cows but feeding them better. The nitrogen he does use, along with other fertilisers and agents, is applied in a liquid form at low rates over six applications throughout the year.

Everything we put on is in a diluted form, so it sits on the leaf and the plant takes it up as soon as it dries. John van Hout Farmer “Everything we put on is in a diluted form, so it sits on the leaf and the plant takes it up as soon as it dries,” Van Hout said. An eco-bag is being installed to meet the extra storage required by the new regulations, which will capture shed and barn effluent and be used to fertilise an area of the farm which has

CUTTING DOWN: John van Hout says the nitrogen he does use, along with other fertilisers and agents, is applied in a liquid form at low rates over six applications throughout the year. Photo: Natwick not previously had it applied. The new system will also allow for methane capture, which could be used as an energy source in the future. “It’s fertiliser and it is worth a lot of money,” he said. Average pasture growth across his two farms is 16-17 tonnes DM/

ha and his stocking rate is about 2.8 cows/ha, about 0.7 cows/ha below the district average. Van Hout has a wintering barn on one property, capable of housing 660 cows, and he runs 340 cows on a second farm, where cows are kept outside. The wintering barn gives him

flexibility and control, allowing cows to be taken off paddocks when it is wet, effluent to be captured and it helps stretch out his milking season to 305 days. Production from his 660-cow herd is 625kg/MS/cow and from the 340-cow herd it is 525kg/MS/ cow.

He said it is possible to farm in a low nutrient environment, but it requires a different approach to herd management. “You just need to think outside the square,” he said. “You feed the cows and get high production per cow by having less mouths to feed.”

DairyNZ challenges Southland water limits Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz A STUDY of Environment Southland water quality standards has concluded alternative but acceptable water quality targets can be achieved at a much reduced cost to farming and the regional economy. DairyNZ has reviewed

ALTERNATIVE VIEW: DairyNZ water quality scientist David Burger says at the request of farmers, it is developing an alternative perspective on how to achieve council freshwater targets.

the science that underpins Environment Southland’s water quality limit setting process and says proposed nutrient reductions are not achievable and could force people out of farming. DairyNZ strategy and investment leader for dairy and water quality scientist David Burger says at the request of farmers, it is developing an

alternative perspective on how to achieve council freshwater targets. These findings will be shared with Southland farmers and Environment Southland and he says it follows repeated requests for the council to review its targets. “We have been looking at Environment Southland’s data and modelling closely and we believe

improvements could be achieved with nutrient loss targets much lower than what Environment Southland is proposing,” Burger said. For six months DairyNZ has unsuccessfully urged Environment Southland to review its water quality monitoring modelling, assumptions and detail of the impact on the community. “When targets have such major impacts on the community, they need to be robust and reflect what the community wants,” he said. “Having an alternative perspective on what targets may be needed, and the implications of these targets, will help start a discussion.” DairyNZ joined Federated Farmers in expressing disappointment at a recent council report suggesting a 90% reduction in nutrient loss is required in some catchments. “This is causing enormous stress for farmers who want to understand how the proposed targets came about,” he said. He said this is why the council needs to review its modelling and the economic impact of its proposed policy. Earlier this month council chair Nicol Horrell responded to that data. “We’ve taken our current

assessment of environmental health and compared it to our draft freshwater objectives, or goals,” Horrell said. “A significant improvement on the current state of waterbodies is signalled, rather than any return to a pre-European state. “Recently we’ve modelled the reductions in contaminants from waterways that could be required to meet these draft objectives.

When targets have such major impacts on the community, they need to be robust and reflect what the community wants. David Burger DairyNZ “The numbers from this modelling provide a sense of the scale of change needed, but they are not limits or targets.” While the council is required to develop limits and targets, which will be included in the proposed Southland Water and Land Plan to be notified at the end of next year, there will be opportunities for public input.

Special report

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

LUDF cuts N loss by 50% Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz IT REQUIRED a new approach to management, but researchers at the Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF) have halved nitrogen losses as they adjust to farming within a synthetic nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha. Jeremy Savage, a farm consultant with McFarlane Rural Business and also the demonstration lead at the South Island Dairying Demonstration Centre at Lincoln, says research by DairyNZ and AgResearch has reduced nitrogen loss on the property from 72 to 36kg/N/ha a year. It has achieved this through lower stocking rates, using less bought-in supplementary feed, applying less nitrogen and culling cows earlier. Culling starts on April 1, before the weather and ground conditions heighten the risk of leaching rates from cow urine. He said Lincoln is also finetuning its irrigation use and embarking on a plan to plant a third of the farm in plantain at the rate of 10% a year. The nitrogen capturing characteristic of the plant is expected to further reduce annual losses from 36kg/ha to 26kg/ha, but he said there will be challenges integrating the management of plantain into general pasture rotation. “We are getting to the high hanging fruit here,” Savage said. The farm’s stocking rate has been reduced from 3.9 to 3.5 cows/ha, a reduction of 70 cows to 580. Synthetic nitrogen use has been lowered from an average of 300 to 160kg/ha/a year, but Savage said production per cow has actually increased from 430 to 500kg/MS/ cow. He attributed that increase to more careful pasture and stock

management to compensate. Achieving lower nitrogen losses will prove challenging for some farmers, especially those who have high cost production systems that produce marginal cost milk. The cost of marginal milk, where a high stocking rate is supported by all year round grain feeding, comes with production costs of $8-plus kg/MS. “They will have to make substantial system changes if they are to achieve lower nutrient losses,” he said. Some have made changes with the average supplement use among his clients falling from 800kg/cow to 580kg/cow in the past five years.

They will have to make substantial system changes if they are to achieve lower nutrient losses. Jeremy Savage Farm consultant Research is also looking at the impact on nitrogen losses of variable milking on production and land-use intensity. At LUDF, Savage said they are specifically looking at milking 10 times in seven days: twice on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and once on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Initial findings are that production per cow is about 5% lower. “The idea is that this milking pattern lowers energy demand so less feed is required, but there will be savings in fuel and electricity, winter feed, cleaning and staff,” he said. Fonterra is forecasting a 2% reduction in future milk

RESULTS: McFarlane Rural Business farm consultant Jeremy Savage says research by DairyNZ and AgResearch has reduced nitrogen loss on the Lincoln University Dairy Farm from 72 to 36kg/N/ha a year.

production, but Savage said while a portion will be from fewer cows, especially in Canterbury and Southland, there are other factors. It will also be driven by landuse change, small farmers exiting the industry and urban encroachment as dairy farms are subdivided. While winter grazing regulations will reduce nitrogen loss, he said it will also reduce phosphate washing into waterways by encouraging farmers to protect critical sources

and risky areas when sowing winter crops. But the provision in the regulations, which restrict the area cattle can be wintered, removes flexibility and restricts winter grazing to where it is at present. For example, drier areas of northern Southland are suited to wintering grazing, but unless areas are designated for wintering cattle, to get approval requires a resource consent process. Savage said there has been

a reduction in the number of graziers for next year which could create a supply problem. He is optimistic research will continue to find solutions, such as the joint Ravensdown and Lincoln University developed EcoPond, which has reduced methane emissions from effluent ponds by 99.9%. He is hopeful a nitrogen inhibitor will follow. “Investing in science has meant we are able to resolve a lot of issues and I am sure we will into the future,” he said.

GOING DOWN: Farm consultant Jeremy Savage says the Lincoln University dairy farm at the South Island Dairying Demonstration Centre has reduced nitrogen loss on the property from 72 to 36kg/N/ha a year.

Special report

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

ECan footprint project on track Neal Wallace neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz A FIVE-YEAR project to help Canterbury dairy farmers reduce their environmental footprint is paying early dividends, with 70% of those in the Selwyn catchment already meeting initial nitrogen loss targets of 30%. DairyNZ solutions and development lead advisor Virginia Serra says preliminary results reveal that after three years of its Meeting a Sustainable Future project, most Selwyn farmers are ahead of Environment Canterbury’s (ECan) preliminary contaminant reduction targets. “Another 20% are well on track to achieving it and are receiving support to get there,” Serra said. Nationwide regulations introduced last July capped synthetic nitrogen fertiliser applications at 190kg N/ha/year. ECan targets for dairy farmers in the Selwyn catchment require that by 2022 farmers must lower nitrogen losses by 30% compared to a baseline figure averaged over the 2009-2013 period. In Hinds, nitrogen losses must be 15% lower by 2025, 25% by 2030 and 36% by 2035. A recent survey of 234 of the 450 farmers in the Selwyn and Hinds catchments revealed all were

INFORMATION DISSEMINATION: A DairyNZ field day in Mid Canterbury, showing farmers how to farm in a low nutrient era. reporting positive environmental changes from shrinking their environmental footprint. The survey revealed 81% have improved irrigation systems or effluent management, some have altered stocking rates or are using plantain to capture nitrogen. Dairying has grown rapidly in Canterbury, with the number of dairy farms almost doubling from 632 to 1149 in the 10 years to 2015. The average herd size is 912 compared to the national average of 413. Last November ECan extended its Land and Water Regional Plan throughout the province, setting new quality limits for ground and surface water, meaning

lower nitrogen-loss limits, higher minimum flows, a cap on water extraction and the exclusion of livestock from a broader range of waterways. “The plan change introduces requirements for some farms in these areas to further reduce their nitrogen losses and to exclude stock from more water bodies,” Councillor John Sunckell said in a statement at the time. The synthetic nitrogen fertiliser cap applies to all grazed land, except for grazing of livestock on arable crops. Farm managers are required to record nitrogen purchases, use and type and application rates, including the percentage of nitrogen component by dry

weight in other fertiliser mixes and the rate at which it was applied. All dairy farm managers must supply an annual report on their use to their regional council starting from July 31 next year. Selwyn catchment data sourced from dairy and irrigation companies alongside a DairyNZ survey shows farmers were using Farm Environment Plans (FEPs) to reduce their footprint and improve water quality by managing nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment and E.coli. Trials are being held with 40 farmers on how to adjust, and that knowledge is shared with local farmers. “Achieving these results is not

easy and farmers are working hard to deliver,” Serra said. Further change is coming for Canterbury farmers, with a new integrated plan for Canterbury to be notified by ECan by 2024 under the Essential Freshwater package. It will introduce new rules and regulations for freshwater, coastal areas and Regional Policy Statements. How that will impact dairy farming, ECan says it is too early to judge. In the 2019-20 summer, ECan sampled 55 freshwater and 46 coastal sites, of which 76% of freshwater sites and 91% of coastal sites are considered as being generally suitable for contact recreation. All lake sites were graded as fair or better compared to 64% of river sites. Primary contact recreation was suitable in every coastal beach and all but one harbour. A third of all estuary sites are unsuitable for bathing. Four freshwater and two coastal bathing sites improved a grade, while four sites (three freshwater and one coastal) decreased a grade. Half of monitored shellfish gathering sites are considered suitable for collecting and consuming shellfish safely.

The Northland dairy farmer using regen ag practices Concern for the soil structure led Adam Cullen to introduce multi-species cover crops and use direct drilling where possible on his Northland dairy farm. This change of mindset prioritises improving the environment and the farm resources rather than constantly driving for production. Watch the video now at youtube.com/OnFarmStory This episode was made possible with support from Rabobank

On Farm Story

6 things you’ll learn from monitoring your water tanks These days, water tank monitors are affordable and easy to set up. Having frequent live updates on your water supply straight to your phone removes the need for daily water runs and reduces stress on hot summer days. Leak detection is the number one benefit of monitoring farm water tanks. It is estimated that more than 26% of stock water is lost every year to leaking infrastructure. Tank monitors can alert users of abnormal usage much faster than can be picked up on the daily rounds. Whether it is a damaged ballcock or a break in a line, leak detection alarms will quickly notify you when tank levels drop, giving you a headstart in fixing the problem. Not only will this save water, but it will also reduce the chances of trough damage from stressed animals. Another benefit of tank monitoring is picking up slow leaks. A hole in a tank or trough, the size of a small nail, could lose approximately 14,000L in one day - that’s roughly half a tank. In a stock water system, you generally expect to see no consumption throughout the night when the animals are sleeping. Having 24/7 water level monitors on your tanks, you can quickly identify small level changes throughout the night and track down the

leaks you didn’t even know you had. At the dairy shed, ensuring cooler tanks and washdown tanks are operating smoothly before heading out for milking saves significant time and hassle. Most water level monitors can identify leaks and low levels in tanks before significant water is lost, and can give frequent water level updates throughout the day. Using a remote tank monitoring system can give visibility to water tanks that are far away or on another property. These will jump onto local wifi or cellular networks to send tank readings to your phone, no matter where you are. This will bring a huge time and travel saving for owners of multiple farms and runoff blocks, a reliable and cost effective solution for reducing visits while maintaining the confidence that animals have access to water all year round. When upgrading infrastructure or moving to a new farm, water tank monitoring is a quick and cost effective way to get to know your water system. Finding water consumption trends throughout different seasons

lets you know exactly how much storage capacity you require and where it is most needed. Adding tanks and upgrading troughs can be very expensive. Knowing exactly how much water your farm uses will give you confidence in your decisions and let you hold off until it is absolutely necessary. Training new staff or handing over responsibility to workers is no easy task. Nothing beats years of experience with your farm water systems and conveying it all to new workers can be difficult. Tank monitoring can provide a good head start for workers, helping them learn the trends of critical tanks and giving you confidence in their ability. With the whole team able to access tank level information and leak detection alerts, not much can slip through the cracks. Overall, tank monitoring gives you peace of mind, knowing with confidence that your stock has access to water when they need it. Spend less time chasing leaks and more time with family, having your tank levels right in the palm of your hand, no matter where you are.

Newsmaker

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

Using science to identify forage value A scientific method already used widely across medicine and forensic science could provide a fast and cost effective way for New Zealand farmers to identify the nutritional value of native forage and exotic forage.

ASSEY University Masters student Gregory Coleman is researching the effectiveness of Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared (ATRFT-IR) spectroscopy to enable farmers to accurately analyse nutrients in shrubs and trees. His research is one of the many trials and studies under way through the Hill Country Futures Partnership programme (HCF). The $8.1 million five-year partnership programme is cofunded by Beef + Lamb New Zealand, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, PGG Wrightson Seeds and Seed Force NZ. It is focused on future-proofing the profitability, sustainability and wellbeing of NZ’s hill country farmers, their farm systems, the environment and rural communities. It incorporates traditional science research, farmer knowledge, social research and citizen science and has a strong emphasis on forages and providing decision-making tools to help farmers select the best forage option for different land management units. One aspect of the research is to gather robust scientific evidence on the potential of native shrubs and trees in steep erosion-prone hill country. This will help inform farmers’ decisions around planting. Potentially, native shrubs could be used to help retain erosion-

prone land, enable farmers to claim carbon credits while still also using the land for grazing, and provide a complementary forage for sheep and cattle. Feral deer are known to graze on certain native shrubs and the research will assess the suitability of these for livestock. Coleman’s role in the programme is to help identify a faster and more cost-effective process for farmers to test nutritive qualities of the native shrubs. “There are two other methods which are commonly used to analyse the nutritive content of plants but these can cost up to $200 per sample,”Coleman said.

This has the potential to be a faster, cheaper and better predictive method for farmers than the alternatives previously used. Gregory Coleman Researcher “ATR-FT-IR chemometrics method is much cheaper and faster. It has already been used to analyse pasture species in New Zealand, but this is the first time it has been applied to native New Zealand plants, so it’s a chemistry first.”

RESEARCH: Massey University Masters student Gregory Coleman is part of a five-year research project, where he is helping identify a faster and more cost-effective process for farmers to test nutritive qualities of native shrubs. Griselinia, coprosma, pittosporum, horeria, mahoe and pseudopanax are being used in the trial. Samples are freeze-dried and then ground up, with only a tiny amount needed for analysis. The samples are first analysed for their nutrient content in the lab by wet chemistry, then they are scanned with the ATR-FT-IR equipment. Both the wet chemistry data and the scanned are then used to develop calibration equations for the different nutrients. “This has the potential to be a faster, cheaper and better predictive method for farmers than the alternatives previously used,” he said. “Farmers could send a sample of their crop to the lab to be freezedried, ground up and then run

through the ATR-FT-IR equipment. Based on the calibration equations developed in this project a table with the nutrient content of the sample will be provided to the farmer. “We have a good system in place and we now need to explore more analysis methods to ensure we have the most accurate calibration to use for the predictions. “If it proves as reliable as the other two methods, the benefit for farmers will be a cheaper, faster method of analysing forage crops on their land. At a later stage of the project we will be trialling using fresh samples, rather than freezedried, which will mean farmers could get results even faster.” Coleman was born in the UK – where he developed an interest

in agriculture through visits to a family farm – before moving to NZ in 2014. He graduated from Massey in 2021 with a BSc, with a major in chemistry and a minor in earth science. He is due to complete his Masters research in June this year. “I’m finding it really interesting applying chemistry to potentially help hill country farmers,” he said. “It’s very satisfying. There’s the biodiversity side, getting natives back on slopes and using New Zealand shrubs and trees as an alternative to imported plants like pines. There’s the potential to help address erosion and also provide an alternative forage. All that could be very good for hill country farms.”

CHOICES: Gregory Coleman wants to gather robust scientific evidence on the potential of native shrubs and trees in steep erosionprone hill country to help inform farmers’ decisions around planting.

New thinking

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

Spuds focus of Lincoln research

GAME-CHANGER: A new research partnership with Lincoln is spuddy good news for the NZ potato industry.

ITH the help of Lincoln University, Potatoes NZ chief executive Chris Claridge hopes to solve many of the problems growers and industry face here. The memorandum of understanding that’s just been signed includes a centre of excellence for potato research and extension where scientists can chip away at solutions to the challenges confronted by spud growers. The research conducted at the centre will focus on working with potato growers to identify and understand the problems confronting them and to devise solutions to those problems. It will secure a sustainable future for the potato industry, PNZ chief executive Chris Claridge said. “Solving grower and industry problems is our key purpose, this partnership will enable us to do so more effectively,” Claridge said. While partnering initially with Lincoln University, Claridge said PNZ will be reaching out to other strategic partners to work with the industry to build a new way of organising research for the primary sector. “Zespri has done something similar but at a commodity level

Potatoes NZ is calling its partnership with Lincoln University a game-changer for the industry here. Annette Scott found out what the programme will mean for growers. we will be first to do it,” he said. “The key purpose is to build research capability and capacity over the long-term, we are talking decades. “The model we plan will look at how to attract young talent to the industry and how to retain researchers. “Attracting and maintaining talent is the major issue worldwide.” The NZ potato industry is valued at more than $1 billion a year, with 175 growers across the country and multiple frozen chip and crisp processors. “We’re very excited to be involved with Lincoln University, especially with their track record in agricultural research and education,” PNZ chair Stuart Wright said. Lincoln University associate professor of plant science Clive Kaiser will be the establishment director for the potato research that he says will be extension-led and grower-centric. The fundamental tenet of the concept of extension is to extend the knowledge gained through research, typically conducted by universities and research centres, to growers in the field. Solutions will be developed through discovering new knowledge, as well as by using existing knowledge in new ways. This will be underpinned

by strong local, national and international collaborations. “This cooperative, collaborative research approach will have immediate, significant and longlasting benefits for NZ growers,” Kaiser said. Before joining Lincoln University Kaiser was interim director of the Hermiston Agricultural and Research Extension Centre (HAREC), a world-renowned research centre for potatoes based at Oregon State University.

Being explicit about our strengths could mean greater market opportunities for growers. Chris Claridge Potatoes NZ He shares PNZ’s vision to establish a similar grower-centric, extension-led research capability at Lincoln where the centre’s researchers and collaborating partners will contribute to an open, collaborative network of NZ and international researchers focused on ensuring the growth

and success of the NZ potato industry. “Like HAREC, the Lincolnbased centre of excellence will be a grower-centric knowledge, expertise and research hub designed to support the potato industry and growers to address their grand challenges, as well as to help them identify market growth opportunities and successfully commercialise those opportunities,” he said. HAREC is presently the go-to global hub where potato growers from NZ and all over the world go for advice, education, problemsolving and inspiration. “Now NZ growers and other potato industry participants will be able to find that support and practical assistance at the new centre at Lincoln University.” As a specialist land-based university, Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki Lincoln University continues to play a key role in shaping a more productive and sustainable future for Aotearoa NZ. Vice-chancellor Professor Grant Edwards said Lincoln University is committed to building collaborative partnerships with industry and research providers to achieve innovative and sustainable solutions to some of the world’s most pressing landbased challenges.

“This determination aligns completely with PNZ’s ambition to build a secure and sustainable future for Aotearoa’s potato growing industry,” Edwards said. In the meantime, PNZ is finalising its plan for the year ahead based on a sustainability strategy and a new framework for research and extension. Claridge said global and domestic consumer demand fuel the pace of change, including regulation. He said the silver lining in the covid pandemic has been a chance to prioritise activities based on the economic, environmental and social pillars of sustainability informed by grower insights, technical advisory panels and strong governance. “Though challenging, this is an exciting time for our industry, we already have quality standards and a low environmental impact compared to many other staple foods and vegetables,” Claridge said. “Being explicit about our strengths as an industry could mean greater market opportunities for growers. “It could also allow us to succeed in the face of changing consumer expectations.” The revised PNZ strategy and annual business plan will be released next month.

Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

EDITORIAL

Change will not come cheaply

UCH was the pace with which dairying expanded from 1990, especially in Canterbury and Southland, that environmental regulations have struggled to

keep up. Now, caught between a Government and public demanding improved water quality, Environment Southland and Environment Canterbury are imposing challenging new nutrient loss limits, including halving nitrogen and phosphorus losses in some catchments. As our special report outlines this week, meeting these new water quality limits can be achieved for most by changes to farm management. But this does not come cheaply. But just as important for councils is getting farmer buy-in, which requires an understanding and appreciation of the cost and commitment they are seeking from land users. It would appear that buy-in or support from farmers in Canterbury and Southland is not uniform, with many considering some of the new water quality targets impractical. While Environment Southland is still to finalise its targets it has caused confusion and consternation by publishing three different nutrient reduction models that might be required to achieve healthy water quality standards. Farming is Southland’s largest industry and meeting nutrient loss limits will be challenging, but consultants warn that if these targets are too extreme, sheep and beef farming, let alone dairying, will not be possible. For both economic and farmerconfidence reasons, councils have to tread a fine line and establish nutrient loss standards that are practical and which farmers can continue to operate, albeit with some management tweaks. Environment Minister David Parker expects regional councils and the Ministry for the Environment to improve water quality, resulting in sharp increases in staff numbers for both entities, creating pressure on sector leaders and councils’ staff. The hope is that it doesn’t result in unworkable targets that will create dissent, frustration and non-compliance.

Neal Wallace

LETTERS

Clear and present danger to farmland I ENJOYED the editor’s comments criticising the Emissions Trading Scheme and in particular the line “the right place for a pine right now is everywhere”. That is if we consider nothing but economics. I have written and spoken frequently on the unintended consequence of carbon farming in New Zealand over many years and now sadly those consequences are becoming reality. Currently, I have a debtfree cropping farm with a valuation on it at $6.7 million. It’s 153 hectares of extremely good land, with a low turnover relative to its value at roughly $400,000. If making money was my only driver, I would sell that farm and buy as much hill land as possible. Let’s say 1000ha growing sheep and pockets of native bush and convert the

whole lot to pine. At 30 tonnes a hectare of carbon locked up, times by $80 per tonne, an accountant with nothing but bottom right hand line in mind would see an annual turnover of $2.4m and the cost of the planting negated in just a few years. Easy money. This is inevitably going to create a massive tide of green desert crawling up our hills like cancer. Our magnificent back country is now the wet dream of a corporate raider. Our native flora and fauna is under a clear and present danger, the threat of extinction even. The ETS is a single-fix solution to a multi-faceted problem that is completely wrong for this country. And it will destroy so much more than it cures. NZ stands on the brink of selling its soul for money. I don’t always agree with

Alan Emerson but when he said (February 7) about banning polyester clothing and synthetic carpets and subsidising our woolproducing sheep so that it can see off the true reality of the ETS, then I am totally with him. Andrew Luddington Christchurch

Recovering energy from waste IT IS well known in the Government that we cannot stop the thermal generation for electricity. The truth being that without thermal generation, we will have massive ongoing power cuts every time the water levels drop in our hydro lakes and the wind doesn’t blow. This will require more thermal generation, not

less, and under the current system this means even greater amounts of coal being imported. So what are the alternatives? The first thing that gets mentioned is the excess electricity that will become available when the aluminium smelter at Bluff shuts down. Many say that this will provide a great buffer until sustainable generation is available in More letters page 36

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

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Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

Animal ag vital to global food system The

Pulpit

Pablo Gregorini

NIMAL foods can form part of a healthy, sustainable and ethical lifestyle, despite increasing claims to the contrary. What’s more, there is evidence that livestock farming is integral to the overall agricultural system, contributing to biodiversity and improved plant food production while creating food security and a path out of poverty for some. However, many in the urban West deem animal foods universally unhealthy, unsustainable and unethical, ignoring the complexity of the food system. Whether any food production system is harmful or benign is extremely nuanced and depends on differing geographical and cultural factors. But mainstream – and mostly Western – narratives seem to want to simplify the global reality. Animal foods offer a wide spectrum of nutrients that are needed for cell tissue development, function, health and survival. However, various public health institutions worldwide are now

advocating moderate to heavy restriction of red meat, processed meats and saturated fats, despite the scientific debate not being settled. The evidence has been challenged by various scientists, both for red meat and saturated fat, the latter of which is not exclusive to animal foods. High red meat consumption in the West is associated with several forms of chronic disease, but these associations remain weak in other cultures or when red meat is part of a wholesome diet. That is because meat is often consumed as fast food and where high-meat consumers also tend to have less healthy diets and lifestyles in general. In a Canadian study, eating more meat was only associated with higher cancer rates for people eating the lowest amount of fruits and vegetables. Adopting a plant-based diet requires careful planning and supplements or adequately fortified foods, which can be difficult to achieve for many people. This is particularly true in locations where such foods are inaccessible or unaffordable, or when allergies create other dietary restrictions that exclude plant staples like grains, peas or nuts. In terms of environmental impacts, some agricultural methods are detrimental – potentially leading to intensive cropping for feed, overgrazing, deforestation and water pollution – but the damaging effects of food production are not only found in animal agriculture. Well-managed livestock farming can contribute to ecosystem management and health while delivering high-quality foods by using resources that otherwise cannot be used in food production. About a quarter of the global agricultural surface is unsuitable for cropping, so shifting away from animal agriculture could compromise the world’s nutrient

supply and lead to a sharp increase in other methaneproducing animals that are less efficient at converting feed. High-productivity lands already under crop production also have relatively low levels of biodiversity, whereas properly managed livestock can help maintain greater biodiversity by grazing unploughed, less productive areas while being economically more efficient. Integrating livestock and crop farming where possible could also benefit plant food production through enhanced nutrient recycling, while minimising fertilisers and pesticides.

Many in the urban West deem animal foods universally unhealthy, unsustainable and unethical, ignoring the complexity of the food system. As far as animal welfare is concerned, livestock farming can be valued as a symbiotic relationship between humans and animals, to the benefit of both. But this only works when animal welfare standards are in place and livestock receive a dignified life. However, it is true that animal welfare standards can be low in some operations and this must be addressed. In some, though, they are excellent and these practices should be encouraged and rewarded. Animal agriculture can also play an important role in culture, societal wellbeing, food security and the provision of livelihoods. Arguments for the decimation or even abolishment of livestock and the large-scale rewilding of marginal lands could only find root in a post-industrial Western context.

BALANCE: Lincoln University professor Pablo Gregorini says despite all the negative media coverage agriculture has received in recent years, livestock farming plays a key role in ensuring people have access to animal-based nutrition. Its proponents neglect all services that livestock provide worldwide and their role in social sustainability. Food policy needs more community-derived insights and wisdom from people who are practically invested in health care, agriculture, landscape management and food security. It is certainly fair to address the practices in animal production that give rise to concern because of a net negative impact on humans, animals and the environment. However, when done well and in alignment with local

ecosystems and social contexts, animal husbandry should be part of the solution to improve public health and environmental resilience.

Who am I? Pablo Gregorini is professor of livestock production at Lincoln University.

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

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Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

Focus on food rather than hysterics Alternative View

Alan Emerson

THE old Chinese curse ‘may you live in interesting times’ is certainly applicable today. We’ve had the protest at Parliament removed and not before time. I fully support the actions of the NZ Police, but don’t believe the problem will go away. We’ve hysteria about climate change, but emissions at source seem largely irrelevant. There’s the Ukraine crisis, which has certainly provided a bandwagon. We had our Minister of Foreign Affairs jumping up and down and condemning Russia, which will achieve little. A bit like a flea-kicking an elephant’s backside. That was followed by sabrerattling from Gerry Brownlee and Christopher Luxon. I found that interesting as National was in power in 2014 when Russia invaded Crimea. The silence was deafening. We had President Biden and PM Johnson making lots of noise, but doing little. To quote the Bard, “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”.

To be honest, I find little difference from Russia invading Ukraine to the US and UK invading Iraq, not that either event has any justification. It is an absolute tragedy, as wars always are. At worst, we will have a nuclear conflagration. At best, Helen Clark’s hope of a neutral Ukraine not being part of either NATO or the Warsaw Pact will become a reality. What is irritating has been the commentary in the media that has lacked analysis. Ukraine is a huge, wealthy country that was part of the old USSR. Many Russians still live there. Putin wants it back. It is fourth in the world by total value of natural resources. That includes uranium ore, iron ore and coal. It also has massive deposits of titanium, mercury, manganese and shale gas. It has the largest arable land area in Europe, with the ability to feed 600 million people. That’s 15 times more than we can. It is huge in barley, corn, potatoes, rye, honey, wheat, dairy and egg production. Ukraine is also a highly industrialised country that has been courted by the West, which has predictably made Russia nervous. What’s it all mean for New Zealand? For a start, as there’s not a lot of future farming in the middle of a battle zone, there are going to be considerable international food shortages. In addition, with many supply lines

already compromised as a result of covid, the situation will inevitably worsen. And, as we’re already seeing, the price of fuel will increase with the inflationary pressures that will bring. My cynical view is that whether there are shortages or not, the fuel companies will use any excuse to increase their profit margins What is more concerning is the suggestion that China could use the confusion as a distraction and flex its muscles in either the South China Sea or Taiwan. What will NZ do then? Boycott our largest market? Get the Chinese Ambassador in and give him a good ticking off? My strong belief is that NZ should remain totally neutral. We can praise and condemn but not align. The world needs a solid, independent voice and the United Nations and NATO by their actions have shown themselves ineffective. NZ politicians jumping up and down with hysterical condemnation is an absolute waste of time that will achieve precisely nothing. What we need to do is to consider the effects of the Russian invasion and the first consideration needs to be international food supply. Since the invasion global wheat futures have risen almost 70%, that equates to an extra 33 cents on a kilo of flour. A similar scenario will be occurring with sunflower oil, barley, corn,

REASSESS: Alan Emerson believes that instead of “hysterical condemnation” of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the NZ Government should be assessing where it could make that greatest impact to alleviate the pressures of war. potatoes and dairy products. While on one hand that makes agricultural commodities more expensive and profitable, it is going to exacerbate the hunger crisis that currently affects over 800 million people or 10% of the world’s population. Hunger creates dissent. NZ is an efficient, sustainable and ethical food producer. There are opportunities for us to take the lead. That is a better use of political energies than the current unbridled hysteria. It won’t be easy, but we can take a lead. Further, it is a constructive effort against destructive rhetoric. We are better off than most, which puts us in a strong position to take that lead. We are fortunate in having trade agreements which will

survive the current chaos. The recent FTA with the UK is a quality agreement. It’s the first time in 50 years we’ll have free access to that market. We have the RCEP and are working on a trade agreement with the European Union. Finally, we are facing massive challenges with the Ukrainian invasion, the biggest threat to world peace in almost 80 years. We have a proud record as a food producer and our humanitarian record, including peacekeeping, is strong. That’s where we should be concentrating and not getting drawn into the insane politics of the big boys.

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

Worst of times brings out best in people From the Ridge

Steve Wyn-Harris

DON’T you reckon we need something positive this week? Well, I feel the need at least. Putin’s violent invasion of a sovereign nation and murdering of innocents recalls Robbie Burn’s quote about man’s inhumanity to man. This morning’s news was about a maternity hospital bombed killing and trapping women in labour, babies and medical staff. Our own riots fuelled by misinformation, the pandemic finally getting into our communities causing sickness and disruption, terrible images of our Australian neighbours being hammered by flooding, rapidly rising costs and a host of other things to worry about are dragging us all down. But there is great stuff happening out there in the world being done by good people. It’s as if the worst of times brings out the best in people. Let’s start with the wonderful folk of Moldova. I wasn’t sure where it was either,

but I’d heard of it at least. Right next to Ukraine to its south and they have opened their borders to allow 250,000 Ukrainians to freely cross to date. They can barely afford this humanitarian gesture, as the 2.6 million Moldovans are some of the poorest people in Europe. Moldovans are driving their cars to the borders and collecting refugees and taking them to safety. Others are greeting the frightened refugees with food and hot drinks. Moldova is also worried about its own fate in this crisis. They wonder if they might be next. They, like Ukraine, have

a breakaway region, called Transnistria, which is a thin strip of territory between Ukraine and Moldova. Russian troops are already stationed there in what the Russians call a peacekeeping force. Moldova as a post-Soviet state has balanced between East and West but rapidly realising there is no middle ground seeing what is happening over their border. It has quickly applied to join the EU, which might further anger Putin and put them at some risk. Georgia too has immediately applied for EU membership, but it is a process that can take years. Poland has also reacted with

SUPPORT: About 12,000 Russian citizens protesting against the war have been arrested by their government and over 20,000 scientists and other professionals have put their names to petitions speaking out against the war. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

great humanity to this crisis brought on by this unnecessary war. The border there has seen amazing displays of kindness and generosity. I watched a video of an accomplished German pianist who had towed his piano across Poland and was playing at a border crossing, surrounded by intrigued children listening to his surreal soundtrack in that place of refuge. The Poles have opened their arms to 1.2 million fleeing Ukrainians, with many more coming every day. Polish families have donated large quantities of food and clothing, which are laid out for the incoming refugees to help themselves. They are getting the women, children and elderly into buses and ferrying them to centres they have set up to house and feed them. Others are being offered rides from the border by Europeans who have driven across Poland from their own countries to offer these desperate people somewhere to stay. The Polish government has set up a NZ$2.5 billion fund to support these refugees, which includes an initial payment and further healthcare and social assistance, as well as housing and feeding them. An extraordinary generous response to Europe’s largest refugee crisis since WW2.

Then there is the exceptional bravery of the menfolk of Ukraine who are staying to fight the invading Russian army. Knowing they are facing overwhelming odds. Jane asked me what I would do and I had to admit my first thought was I’d hide or run, as I don’t think I have a high courage index. But it would also be exceedingly difficult to take that course of action when everyone else was taking up arms. And let’s not forget the courage and integrity of the Russian citizens in Russia who at significant risk to themselves are protesting against this war. Already 12,000 have been arrested and over 20,000 scientists and other professionals have put their names to petitions speaking out against the war in support of people in another country being murdered by their own. Putin will treat these folk harshly, as one of the contributing factors to the collapse of the Soviet Union were the widows and mothers of dead soldiers protesting against the state. In these times it is good to know that the world is full of people with kindness, empathy, courage and generosity prepared to help fellow humans in terrible plight from another country.

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

Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

HWEN caught in crosswinds The Braided Trail

Keith Woodford

FOUR weeks have slipped by since I last wrote about the He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) proposals for dealing with agricultural emissions of methane and nitrous oxide. During that time, DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb have been conducting roadshows around New Zealand, trying to convince their members to support the HWEN proposals. If the HWEN proposals are accepted by farmers and the Government, then this will be the framework for agriculture’s greenhouse gas (GHG) levies through to 2050. So, we have to get it right. My assessment is that the roadshows are not going particularly well. I make that judgement in part from the flood of emails I am getting from upset farmers, but more importantly because of the fundamental flaws within the current proposals. I think there is some sort of consensus emerging that HWEN, rather than the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), is the way to go, although there are dissenters even to that. These dissenters tend to be people who would like to throw a figurative grenade into the overall process of levying agriculture for its GHG levies. Well, they are unlikely to succeed. One way or another, agriculture is going to be levied. Like it or not, all major political parties recognise that NZ has to do something to live up to the principles that it signed up to in 2015 at the Paris Agreement. So, one way or another, NZ agriculture is going to be included in an emission reduction programme. It can either be the ETS or an HWEN scheme. I am very clear that it has to be HWEN. This is because

agriculture is a total misfit within the ETS. Being in the ETS would be destructive not only for agriculture but for the NZ economy. There is a lot of misinformation about the importance of agriculture within the NZ economy. This is in part because of the crazy way we measure the contribution to GDP of what is called ‘agriculture’. The crazy GDP measurement system assumes that shearers are not part of agriculture. Nor are any of the contractors that supply farm-level services to farmers, such as silage contractors or crop harvesters. Inputs such as seed and fertiliser are regarded as costs which are deducted from agricultural revenue in the calculation of GDP. Similarly, all rural professionals are excluded from agriculture’s contribution and included as part of the services sector. Fonterra and the meat companies also lie outside the sector. Some clever Americans at Harvard University figured out way back in 1957 that the way to look at agriculture’s contribution was to look at the whole agribusiness system from inputs through to the plate. But here in NZ, many people are still locked into ways of thinking that go back to peasant-farming days in Europe, when a large proportion of people worked on farms and the economy could be divided into three simple categories of farm-based agriculture, manufacturing and services. To understand the importance of the agribusiness sector, or as I often term it the agrifood sector, we have to look at the whole system from farm inputs through to the plate. Within our current crazy system of collecting and presenting statistical information, the best way of getting an insight into the overall NZ agribusiness system is to look at exports. What we see is that primary sector exports, including forestry and fishing, total around $50 billion per annum. Returns have been steadily increasing and now total well over 80% of total exports. Within this $50b, more than

CAUTION: Keith Woodford says NZ needs to think very carefully before it brings in levies that destroy our economic base.

COMMITMENT: If the HWEN proposals are accepted by farmers and the Government, then this will be the framework for agriculture’s greenhouse gas levies until 2050.

$30b comes from dairy and meat. Quite simply, our primary industries, and particularly dairy and meat, are what underpins our whole economy. These are the products that allow us to pay for vaccines, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, fuel, computers, vehicles and machinery. Accordingly, NZ needs to think very carefully before it brings in levies that destroy our economic base. A key element of the Paris Agreement is that although we must reduce our emissions, we must do this in a way that does not threaten food production. That is very explicit and right upfront within lines 9-11 of the substantive statements that follow immediately after the preamble and definitions. That requirement within the Paris Agreement does not let us ‘off the hook’ from doing something about emissions, but we have to do it without shooting ourselves in the foot, or perhaps shooting into even more important organs of the body. That leads me to a perspective that there are fundamental principles within HWEN that almost all of us should all be able to agree with. However, I am also of the view that the current HWEN proposals are somewhat of a dog’s breakfast when it comes to the specifics. A lot more work is going to be needed on those specifics to bring them into line with the fundamental principles. So, what are the fundamental principles? There are four of them. The first principle is that there must be a split-gas approach. Lumping things into a singlegas approach of carbon dioxide equivalence leads down a deep rabbit hole from which there is no way forward. The second principle is that what we do must not threaten food production. That is what we signed up for in Paris. The particular value of NZ’s pastoral production is that it is protein rich. That also happens to be why its dollar value is high. It is what people want. The third principle is that levies on methane and nitrous need

to be channelled exclusively to researching and implementing emission-reduction technologies. The aim is not to arbitrarily tax agriculture. Rather, the aim is to have the necessary funding for addressing our Paris commitments to reduce emissions within that framework of not threatening food production. This principle of recycling of all levies is currently a proposal, but it now needs to be locked in with the Government. The fourth principle is that HWEN needs to focus on the ‘main game’, which is methane and nitrous oxide. Anything to do with carbon sequestration should be handled within the ETS.

So, one way or another, NZ agriculture is going to be included in an emission reduction programme. It can either be the ETS or an HWEN scheme. One of the problems with the specific proposals is that there is far too much emphasis on sequestration within HWEN. This drags things back into the mess of carbon dioxide equivalence and away from a genuine split-gas approach. Currently, there are anomalies within the ETS in relation to sequestration. Also, the bureaucracy associated with getting a lot of indigenous forestry into the ETS is destructive. But the answer to that is to sort out those anomalies and bureaucratic hurdles, not put forestry into HWEN. Those sequestration issues in the ETS can be handled right here in NZ, without going anywhere else in the world seeking approval, as long as the ETS retains carbonsequestration integrity. In contrast, shifting aspects of sequestration across into HWEN simply means that instead of being issued with valuable NZUs, it becomes a case of robbing Peter

Farmer to pay Paul Farmer, and with both Peter and Paul paying for lots of administration to make that happen. What we now need to do is lock in those principles. That could mean Groundswell, for example, agreeing with HWEN that this is the path forward and putting out a joint statement to that effect. The next step is that HWEN needs to acknowledge that the current proposals are somewhat of a dog’s breakfast, although no doubt HWEN will prefer some more polite language for that. And the following stage of getting the proposals sorted out needs to be more inclusive, with less focus from HWEN in selling the specific proposals, and more on genuine ongoing consultation with leaders from groups who are currently unhappy. The significant group of people who are outside the tent need an invitation to work with recognition from inside the tent. This would be consistent with the meaning of HWEN, which is that ‘we are all in this together’. One of the big things that has to happen is for HWEN to ask itself some hard questions about the amount of necessary RDE&E, with that acronym standing for research, development, extension and education, that is required for emission reduction within an industry that generates $30b of export income per annum. It certainly needs to be more than the current indicative figure of $10 million per annum. It is this RDE&E, and the associated support of specific mitigation responses, that needs to be the focus of HWEN funding. I had planned to also say something here about the various mitigation strategies that need to be focused on through RDE&E. But that will have to wait for another article.

Your View Keith Woodford was Professor of farm management and agribusiness at Lincoln University for 15 years to 2015. He is now principal consultant at AgriFood Systems. He can be contacted at kbwoodford@gmail.com

Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

UK deal offers greater flexibility Meaty Matters

Allan Barber

THE Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the UK signed at the beginning of this month is a significant advance on current access rights to one of the world’s most important markets to which New Zealand exporters have had restricted access since 1973. When Britain joined the Common Market, NZ retained rights under WTO rules to export a large volume of duty-free sheepmeat, but precious little else, unless it incurred a substantial tariff.

I anticipate the meat exporters already supplying sheepmeat to UK retailers and foodservice companies will be more prepared to take advantage of their established trading relationships to up their beef business.

Following ratification by the respective parliaments, likely before the end of this year, suppliers of all sorts of products and services will be entitled to sell without tariff and quota restrictions. For obvious reasons meat and dairy are the exceptions, although both of these have a transitional period during which increasing volumes will be granted free access until they too can compete on a completely even playing field. An independent economic modelling report forecasts up to a $1 billion increase in NZ’s GDP as a result of a more than 50% rise in exports to the UK over time and substantial savings in

duty payments. Duty savings are somewhat hypothetical, as they are paid not by the exporter, but by the buyers who must assess their effect on the price of the goods in their buying decision. Products which stand to benefit from the new arrangements are butter, cheese and beef, which till now have been almost totally excluded by very limited quota and high tariffs, as well as a range of other agricultural goods, including wine, honey, onions and hoki. Since 1973 Britain has imported most of its dairy products from the EU at zero duty, while over 90% of beef imports have been of EU origin, mostly from Ireland. Last year NZ supplied less than 1% of UK dairy imports totalling $4.6 million, of which two-thirds was infant formula, while the beef quota was a mere 424 tonnes, incurring a 20% tariff. This state of events is not suddenly going to change dramatically as soon as the FTA has been ratified, because building business relationships will take time; UK buyers already have their preferred suppliers and NZ exporters must satisfy existing customers. Eventually money talks and products will find their way to the highest paying markets, but it will take time for the parties to trust each other and for buyers to be confident that what they decide to import can be delivered on schedule to their customers’ satisfaction. But it will also rely on marketing programmes to inform British buyers of the desirable characteristics of NZ beef and dairy products, although older consumers will remember our butter, while a broader cross section will certainly know our lamb. I anticipate the meat exporters already supplying sheepmeat to UK retailers and foodservice companies will be more prepared to take advantage of their established trading relationships to up their beef business. The duty-free quota in year one has been set at 12,000MT, rising to 38,820MT by year 10 and 60,000MT by year 15. These volumes should be compared

SAVINGS: An independent economic modelling report forecasts up to a $1 billion increase in NZ’s GDP as a result of a more than 50% rise in exports to the UK over time and substantial savings in duty payments.

with annual beef exports to China and the US, which are between 160,000 and 190,000MT each, while none of our other main markets – Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Canada – exceeds 30,000MT. The quantity of exports to the UK will depend on how competitive prices are, how badly they want the product and whether our exporters can or want to satisfy their demands. Silver Fern Farms chief customer officer Dave Courtney welcomed the new FTA, noting while tariff reductions were relatively small, it would provide greater options, especially for beef where SFF had been unable to build any enduring relationships. “The FTA gives us the opportunity to put beef in front of existing lamb customers in various channels, from foodservice, manufacturers and retail. This will bring a broader range of NZ products to discerning consumers,” Courtney said. Anzco’s Rick Walker agreed the FTA will provide a great opportunity for beef which did not previously exist, but warned against expecting too much

in the short-term. He sees the greatest potential in developing foodservice sales to the high-end restaurant trade through food processors and distributors which focus on that end of the market. The other market segments, retail and food ingredients, offer less opportunity because retailers have made a big push into British origin beef and lamb, while food ingredients tend to be more pricedriven, with that market wellserved by Irish exporters. Anzco is currently looking at the costs and benefits of investing in UK market development when compared with existing markets. Affco’s Mark de Lautour echoed the belief the FTA contains relatively small benefits for red meat exports, especially sheepmeat, which comes nowhere near filling its existing quota. While he welcomed anything that boosts international trade, he noted the broad political view in NZ appeared to target decreasing livestock numbers at the expense of carbon farming. Dairy exporters will face similar issues when looking at developing sales to what is essentially a new market, albeit one with huge

LETTERS sufficient quantities to cover the increased demands. But there are two main problems with this scenario: the Bluff smelter has yet to shut down and there is no transmission infrastructure available to direct that supply to the North Island where the demand is the greatest. But here in New Zealand we have another option that will allow us to keep the lights on without the need to import dirty coal from Indonesia. Instead of filling our landfills with waste, we can use that waste to produce power by incineration. Given the latest technology available, the relatively simple engineering needed to transform

potential. The UK imports around $7b of dairy products annually and is the world’s second-largest dairy importer, with a 77% milk self-sufficiency level. It imports approximately half a million tonnes of cheese a year, a quantity 50% larger than NZ’s total exports. Most of the imported dairy product comes in duty-free from the EU. Fonterra is in the very early stages of looking at the opportunities, although it is too early to say which specific products have the greatest potential. Their PR spokesperson said the company’s long-term goal was to grow foodservice and high-value ingredients, although global branded products may also offer opportunity. In summary, the FTA is a positive step forward, but is not considered likely to produce much immediate gain for the meat and dairy sectors.

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

More letters P32 the Huntly Power Station to use waste, the availability of area for the processing of the waste, the existing transmission network and the existing rail network into the site, there will be less harm done to the environment from using waste as a fuel than there is from importing and using coal. According to the waste hierarchy framework, the recovery of energy from waste is the next preferred method after recycling. Disposal to landfill is the least preferred method of waste management, yet it is the current best practice in NZ. The Auckland region produces approximately one and a half million tonnes of waste a year that

mostly goes into landfills. The Government has committed to stopping the use of fossil fuels and converting to electricity use instead and given this focus on the use of electricity to replace the use of fossil fuels, the demand for electricity is going to increase exponentially. NZ currently does not have the capacity in sustainable generation of electricity to stop the use of thermal generation outright. If the hydro lake levels drop significantly due to weather effects and the wind doesn’t blow at that time, then we will need to rely on thermal generation or see rolling blackouts as happened in August 2021.

There is another option that should be explored as soon as possible and that is to use incineration of waste to fuel power generation, rather than using imported coal. By using waste incineration at Huntly Power Station we can achieve the following benefits: reduce the amount of waste going into landfills and reduce the methane emissions from landfills accordingly; with the new incineration technology available we can reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions of thermal generation from coal burning; utilise the existing supply infrastructure into Auckland, the largest market; and gain time to

develop the sustainable generation capacity from wind and solar without the need for rolling blackouts. We have the capability on government-owned land, where the infrastructure could be sited to accommodate the sorting of the waste streams into separate recyclable and incineration resources. There are no reasons not to use waste incineration when compared to the environmental effects from burning imported dirty coal. Let’s stop the lights from going out. Andy Loader Primary Land Users Group

World

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

Australian farmers backing milk portal Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz THE farm gate milk price in Australia is sitting around A$7/ kg milksolids and expected by the Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) to remain steady for this season and the next. Among processors, milkproducing regions and different seasonal quarters, the range is $6.50-$7.50. Last season’s full season national weighted average price was $6.36. Average farm gate milk prices being paid can be found on the new Milk Value Portal, supported by more than 90% of Australian processors through the Australian Dairy Products Federation (ADPF). The portal was built by the ADPF to restore trust and transparency between processors and farmers and has been enabled by the Dairy Code of Conduct. Companies are now required to publish their milk prices and offer contracts by June 1 before the start of the season in July. They can offer exclusive and non-exclusive supply contracts.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) deputy chair Mick Keogh said the code had brought about positive changes in the industry over the past two years. As the market evolves, for instance with risk management tools, the code will need to be reviewed.

The Dairy Code of Conduct has brought positive changes over past two years. Mick Keogh ACCC An objective of the Australian dairy industry is to build confidence and grow milk supply after more than a decade of falling prices and upheaval that saw a majority of processors change from cooperative to foreign ownership. According to publications

released at the ABARE Outlook 2022 virtual conference, milk production has fallen below 9 billion litres annually and the return to farms is an average 58c/litre and $5 billion in aggregate. ABARE said the value of dairy exports will rise 31% this season to $3.7b and then fall to $3.1b next season due to easing supply chain bottlenecks and limits on fertiliser. The dairy industry is battling contrasting problems, drought conditions in Victoria and Tasmania and flooding in New South Wales and Queensland. Fonterra Australia is currently paying $7.30/kg and managing director René Dedoncker said the decline in milk production in Victoria and Tasmania was limiting the company’s ability to maximise the high world prices for dairy products. Australian milk production in January was down 6.3% on January 2021, Tasmania down 9.3%, Victoria down 7.5% and Queensland down 6.8%. In the seven months of the current season-to-date, Australian

CHALLENGES: The dairy industry is battling contrasting problems, drought conditions in Victoria and Tasmania and flooding in New South Wales and Queensland. Photo: Wikimedia Commons production is down 2.6%, with the standout states being Tasmania, down 6.5%; Western Australia, down 4.7%; and Victoria, down 3.2%. Flooding in southeastern Queensland and northern New South Wales hit some dairy farmers very hard, including cow losses, no milking and building and equipment damage. Norco, the biggest remaining dairy cooperative in Australia with 200 members in the

Sale yard prices driving graziers’ confidence Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@globalhq.co.nz AUSTRALIAN beef production is forecast to be a record A$16.3 billion in 202223, as high rainfall across much of the eastern states has led to greater pasture availability and widespread restocking. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) Outlook 2022 conference in early March heard the national cattle herd is at a very low 23 million head. High sale yard prices are driving

BOOST: High sale yard prices are driving confidence among graziers that they can pay high prices now and profit from future sales.

confidence among graziers that they can pay high prices now and profit from future sales. The nationally averaged yards price is 789c/kg, among the highest in the world, and it is expected to fall into the low 700s over the next year. Slaughter volumes have been low over the past year and beef production is steady at about 2m tonnes annually in both 2021-22 and 2022-23. Of that half will be exported and half sold domestically. World prices are expected to remain strong during the outlook period and the

value of exports is estimated at $9b in both this year and next. ABARE forecast a return to normal processing levels as the pandemic runs its course, borders reopen, government policies take effect and supply chain disruptions become resolved.

Australian sheepmeat production is forecast to reach a record $5b in 2021-22 and the value of exports to $4.4b.

Tariffs are falling for exports into countries like Korea, China, Indonesia and the United Kingdom. Other producers are also seeing those benefits, such as the United States into Japan and Korea. Live cattle exports fell 16% to 650,000 head in 2021-22 as limited availability and high prices made live importing too expensive. Australian sheepmeat production is forecast to reach a record $5b in 2021-22 and the value of exports to $4.4b. Exports to the United States received a huge boost, when between July and November 2021 the trade volume was up 45% on the previous corresponding period. Lamb sale yard prices are just under 900c/kg and sheep 648c/kg. Lamb slaughter is 21m head in 2021-22 and sheep slaughter is 6m head.

flooded region, said half of its farms were affected, some devastatingly. Chief executive Michael Hampson said Norco’s head office, ice cream factory and rural store in Lismore were inundated and damaged. The plant would be out of action for some time and all cold-stored stock was lost. Norco has an additional two plants at Labrador in Queensland and in Raleigh, NSW.

Agrievents Wednesday 09/03/2022 – Thursday 31/03/2022 Farmax Conference The Farmax Conference is a platform for thought and discussion around how we can advance New Zealand’s pastoral farm systems into the future. For more information: agritechnz.org.nz/event/ farmax-conference-2021/ Wednesday 30/03/2022 – Thursday 31/03/2022 DigitalAg DigitalAG 2022 brings together technology leaders, agritech developers, early adopters and the next generation of primary industry operators. This event showcases the digital technologies transforming the agricultural and horticultural sectors. Formerly MobileTECH Ag, this is a must-attend event for NZ’s agritech community. Venue: Distinction Hotel & Conference Centre, Fenton Street, Rotorua To register: agritechnz.org.nz/event/digitalag/ Food & fibre women – are you ready to lead change for the people and places you care about? To step-up & make change happen, join our friends @AgriWomensDevelopmentTrust on Next Level - a six-month leadership and governance programme for developing the confidence, skills & connections to inspire others. Connect with your cohort of aspiring food & fibre leaders, grow through individual executive coaching, build a leader mindset and set your action plan to make change happen. Learn more & register at www.awdt.org.nz/next-level/ Module 1 Wairarapa: 05/04/22 – 07/04/2022 Christchurch: 07/06/22 – 09/06/2022 Online: 10/05/22 – 12/05/2022 Module 2 Wairarapa: 27/09/22 – 29/09/2022 Christchurch: 01/11/22 – 03/11/2022 Online: 18/10/22 – 20/10/2022 Should your event be listed here? Phone 0800 85 25 80 or email adcopy@globalhq.co.nz

Matiere Ohura Road Open Day

Brookbank This 85.57 ha (more or less) farm was the home of Brookbank Romney Stud for many years and now the property offers an exciting opportunity to purchase a productive bare land block to either support your existing farming operations or to get you on the first rung of the farm ownership ladder. The farm lies 35 km northwest of Taumarunui and mostly lies to the north putting it in a warm and sheltered position for stock. Fenced into 25 paddocks, it has maintained a consistent fertiliser history over many years and is supported by satellite sheep yards. The contour is made up of approximately 25 ha of flat land, the balance is rolling hills to some steeper hills, all safe for cattle and it could be suitable for dairy support, maize growing or fattening beef cattle and sheep.

Tender closes 4.00pm, Wed 13th Apr, 2022, Property Brokers, 27 Hakiaha Street, Taumarunui View Wed 16 Mar 11.00 - 1.00pm Wed 23 Mar 11.00 - 1.00pm Web pb.co.nz/TUR11879

Katie Walker M 027 757 7477

E katiew@pb.co.nz

Tokirima 3779 Whanganui River Rd (State Highway 43) Tender

Hawea Hills Owned by the Tocker family since 1929 and presented to the market for the first time in over 90 years, Hawea Hills is a traditional sheep and beef breeding property located in the Tokirima district, 37 km west of Taumarunui • 955 ha contained in 19 titles; 900 ha effective, wintering 8,400 - 8,600 stock units; 60% sheep 40% cattle • Predominantly class 6 and 7 hill country with a small proportion of class 3 and 4 flats • Consistent fertiliser history and well subdivided into 82 main paddocks • Extensive road frontages bound and dissect the property enabling good access • Good level of farm infrastructure including six-stand woolshed and three brick dwellings This offering represents a superb opportunity to acquire a genuine hill country block with good scale. Contact Dave for open day details. Pre-registration with agent required, 4wd quad bike & helmet essential Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 | pb.co.nz

Tender closes 4.00pm, Wed 27th Apr, 2022, Property Brokers, 138 Arawata Street, Te Awamutu View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/TWR13954

Dave Peacocke M 027 473 2382

E davep@pb.co.nz Proud to be here

Mamaku 74 Bayley Road Tender

A property with opportunities 451 ha (more or less) located in the keenly sought after district of Mamaku between Tirau and Rotorua. 192,000 kgMS from 740 cows on a Dairy NZ system of 1 to 2 with around 150 calves reared on farm until 1 May returning as two year olds. While the farm contour is mixed, the front is predominantly flat with a gentle rolling Mamaku nature, as you head to the rear of the property, the balance of the farm is more rolling with the Mamaku native bush at the back boundary. The property enjoys fertile ash soils and healthy pastures with access to about 65 paddocks via a well-formed all weather race system. Infrastructure includes a 46 ASHB, a large four bay calf shed with doors and three solid, recently renovated homes. There are two bores that supplies ample water while effluent is managed by a newly installed lined pond covering approx 50 ha. This attractive contoured farm is 379 ha effective including 10 ha of railway lease. A 50/50 sharemilker has been employed and has two seasons left.

Tender closes 4.00pm, Tue 12th Apr, 2022 (unless sold prior) View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/TXR13654

Steve Mathis M 027 481 9060

E steve.mathis@pb.co.nz

Rangiwahia 120 Halls Road Open Day

120 Halls Road - 466.44 ha Located in the renowned Rangiwahia farming district, 45 mins from Feilding, Halls Road Farm has had an ongoing capital investment over the past 10 years. With approximately 400 ha of traditional breeding country being complemented with 25 ha of easy rolling country, the property has the ability to both breed and finish stock. Infrastructure on the property includes a four stand woolshed, covered yards with excellent shedding and stock handling facilities. A genuine feature of the property is the superb track access across the entire property to all 40 paddocks. Additionally, it has good natural water throughout the hills, and a reticulated water system across the easy contoured country. The property features a three-bedroom home, with a recently renovated batch (used for guest accommodation), an easy-care section and several outbuildings. With stands of native bush and scattered Manuka, Halls Road Farm has an outstanding atmosphere that engulfs the property.

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

Deadline Sale closes Thursday 31st March, 2022 at 11.00am, (unless sold prior) View Wed 16 Mar 1.30 - 2.30pm Web pb.co.nz/FR14830

Blair Cottrill M 027 354 5419

E blair@pb.co.nz

Stuart Sutherland M 027 452 1155 E stuarts@pb.co.nz Proud to be here

Tauherenikau 1942 State Highway 2 Open Day

Kemptons - 155 ha Located on State Highway 2 just 2 km south of the boutique and bustling village of Greytown, Kemptons offers to the discerning buyer, multiple options as either a smaller sheep and beef breeding and finishing unit, or dairy support and or fattening farm. With two existing access points from the State Highway, the property is currently being utilised as a fattening unit in conjunction with two other properties. Kemptons is in very good heart and has been farmed and maintained to an excellent standard with a consistent fertiliser history and has stock water provided by the central Moroa water race. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to own this outstanding property. Call for more information or to book a private viewing, or come along to one of our open days.

Leeston 311 Knyvetts Road

Tender closes 4.00pm, Thu 14th Apr, 2022, Property Brokers Ltd, 84 Chapel Street, Masterton View Thu 17 Mar 11.00 - 1.00pm Thu 24 Mar 11.00 - 1.00pm Web pb.co.nz/MR12467

Tony McKenna M 027 901 0246

E tonym@pb.co.nz

Ashburton Forks 3239 Thompsons Track Tender

382.4 ha - Namirembe Dairy A lot of thought has gone into every aspect of developing this quality and high specced dairy unit. The focus has been on the farm efficiencies, for stock and staff, providing a productive easy to manage dairy unit. 252 ha centre pivots, 47 ha rotorainer and 23 ha k-line irrigation from three strong, reliable wells with some capacity to extend to dry land corners. The farm has an "A" audit for its recent Farm Environment Plan. Currently milking 1,200 cows and produced 572,815 kgMS in 20/21 season through a near new 80 bail rotary shed with automatic cup removers, Protrac and in shed feeding system. The results of strong pastures from good fertility levels are evident.

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

Tender

137.52 ha - Strategic dairy support Tender closes 3.00pm, Mon 28th Mar, 2022 (unless sold prior), Property Brokers (Canterbury) Limited 217 West Street Ashburton View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/AR12075

Paul Cunneen M 0274 323 382

A strategic land holding held within the vendors family for over a century. This mid-sized dairy support farm offers purchasers a rare opportunity to secure a quality title not often available in this location. Featuring reliable cost-efficient Ashburton Lyndhurst Irrigation scheme water combined with Mayfield/Eyre soils, climate and central plains location make this a desirable strategic addition. Ideally placed as support to dairy platforms, existing farms or a standalone operation. A road boundary and effective shelter around the farm add an extra dimension for bio-security isolation for self-contained dairy support/livestock options.

Tender closes 12.00pm, Tue 5th Apr, 2022 (unless sold prior), Property Brokers (Canterbury) LImited 217 West Street Ashburton View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/AR10901

Greg Jopson M 027 447 4382 Chris Murdoch M 027 434 2545

Proud to be here

FINAL NOTICE

Ngatapa 233 Hihiroroa Road South

Early, sheltered, well watered farmland

458.0589ha

Wickham Hill presents location, exceptionally early country and appealing contour. Located a short 35km commute to Gisborne, just over 2km up Hihiroroa Road South, in the popular Ngatapa community, Wickham Hill is 458ha of well managed, well maintained and exceptionally well presented farmland. Currently run in conjunction with a larger farming enterprise, the farm is equipped with quality farm infrastructure to be also run as a performant stand-alone unit. Approximately 25ha of flats lie to the front & through the centre of the property, with a gradual rise to predominantly easy to medium contoured & sheltered hill country, all of which are well supported by a system of reticulated water supplies, backed up by a network of quality dams. The very tidy three-bedroom home is elevated, overlooking the flats & surrounded by excellent sheds & established grounds.

Tender (unless sold prior) Closing 12pm, Wed 13 Apr 2022 10 Reads Quay, Gisborne View by appointment Simon Bousfield 027 665 8778 simon.bousfield@bayleys.co.nz Stephen Thomson 027 450 6531 stephen.thomson@bayleys.co.nz

bayleys.co.nz/2752453

FINAL NOTICE

Wellsford 115 Biddle Road

Puhoi 475 Ahuroa Road

Set away from the crowds, yet only a short drive from Wellsford township is this 67-hectare former dairy farm, with multiple income stream possibilities. The farm's predominantly undulating contour has been subdivided into approximately 30 paddocks and linked by an extensive central race system. Other notable features include a three-bedroom & two-bedroom home (which currently generate over $33,000 pa), an all year round water supply and much more. Currently being used as a beef fattening operation - would also suit those looking for a lifestyle change, or solid investment proposition. The vendors instructions are to sell!

BOUSFIELD MACPHERSON LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

FINAL NOTICE

Farmer, lifestyler, landlord?

67.426ha

Tender (unless sold prior) Closing 4pm, Tue 22 Mar 2022 41 Queen Street, Warkworth View Sun 10.30-11.30am John Barnett 021 790 393 john.barnett@bayleys.co.nz MACKYS REAL ESTATE LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

Farm, lifestyle, subdivide! Bathed in sunshine and enjoying spectacular rural views is this beautifully presented 23 hectare lifestyle grazing farm, with a resource consent to create an additional title. The property is extremely well established, with sheds, cattle yards, an artesian water bore, and much more. Use the woolshed "as is" or convert it for stylish rustic living, or build a new home on your new title. The farm's old airstrip was one of the first to be created in the Puhoi area. It now commands 360-degree panoramic views over protected established native enclaves, neighbouring farmland, and beyond - an ideal position for your dream home.

Take a virtual tour: vimeo.com/680601949 (turn on your sound)

Take a virtual tour: vimeo.com/680601111 (turn on your sound)

bayleys.co.nz/1202896

bayleys.co.nz/1202900

23.1524ha Tender (unless sold prior) Closing 4pm, Wed 23 Mar 2022 41 Queen Street, Warkworth View Sun 1-2pm John Barnett 021 790 393 john.barnett@bayleys.co.nz MACKYS REAL ESTATE LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

bayleys.co.nz

Real Estate

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

NEW LISTING

Boundary lines are indicative only

Orini 170 Woodward Road

Rolleston 35 McClelland Road

Quality 98 hectares This highly fertile property has been generously farmed by the same family for the past 34 years. With its flat contour, quality soils and excellent management, the land is well positioned for future endeavours. A multitude of ventures could be explored with consolidated peat soils ideal for dairy support, cropping or even horticulture to maximise your potential return. Infrastructure includes two implement sheds and a large set of cattle yards, with load out ramp. Located in the heart of Orini and Whitikahu’s rural landscapes, the potential to build could also be an option. This property is a credit to the owners for their consistent management, which offers the ability to secure a highly productive unit at its best.

98.29ha Auction (unless sold prior) 11am, Thu 7 Apr 2022 96 Ulster Street, Hamilton View 12-1pm Wed 16 Mar or by appointment Scott Macdonald 027 753 3854 scott.macdonald@bayleys.co.nz SUCCESS REALTY LIMITED, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

bayleys.co.nz/2313099

GREAT LOCATION WITH VIEWS 538 Puketawai Road, Otorohanga Fenced into 11 paddocks by way of permanent 8-wire batten fencing with some 4-wire electric internal fences. Well fertilisted and also limed. Rolling contour with four hay paddocks making between 45-60 bales of baleage annually. Wonderful views from proposed building sites. 55-75 15 month cattle purchased each year and taken through to primes. Water easement for stock water into 16 troughs. Excellent location being so close to Te Kuiti, Waitomo and Otorohanga. If you ever had a dream to own your own small farm, this could be it. Well suited to run replacement heifers.

FARMERS WEEKLY – March 14, 2022

Balance lifestyle and income The return on investment on this property is hard to beat and comes with a fabulous home and lifestyle opportunity. The threeshed poultry operation provides steady revenue with the current contract in place until 2035 with Tegel Foods. Very easily managed by a fully automated system with very good profitability. Those looking for a new challenge or a hands-off investment, whether it be an absentee owner or living on-site, could enjoy good monthly returns with a manager in place. Perfect for large families or those who desire plenty of space to entertain, the five-bedroom family home boasts a games room and indoor swimming pool, plus a separate two-bedroom home. This lifestyle block is well suited to pursuing a wide range of hobbies.

4.0469ha Deadline Sale (unless sold prior) 12pm, Thu 31 Mar 2022 3 Deans Avenue, Chch View by appointment Ben Turner 027 530 1400 ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz Craig Blackburn 027 489 7225 craig.blackburn@bayleys.co.nz WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

bayleys.co.nz/5517819

21.3937 Hectares Deadline Sale

IRRIGATED ON ALLUVIAL SOILS - 75HA

VIEW BY APPOINTMENT

Only 5km from Bulls, this attractive dairy unit is predominantly free draining Manawatu & Ashhurst silt loams and some black sand, with 60 hectares irrigated. Alongside is approx. 40 hectares of accretion that is used as support.

nzr.nz/RX3189704

Deadline Sale Closing 11am, Wed 6 April 2022 1 Goldfinch St, Ohakune Gary Scott 027 484 4933 | gary@nzr.nz NZR Central Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

560 Parewanui Road, Bulls

The dairy facilities are very up to date, with the smart 20AS Herringbone dairy only 5 years old and a Kliptank for effluent. Accommodation is via an older three bedroom home. Rare to find this scale of farm with irrigation.

75.2490 hectares See video on website

nzr.nz/RX3182281

VIEW BY APPOINTMENT Peter Barnett AREINZ 027 482 6835 NZR Limited

| Licensed REAA 2008

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – March 14, 2022

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

EXCELLENT RETURNS ON YOUR INVESTMENT

RURAL | LIFESTYLE | RESIDENTIAL

NEW LISTING

$11.5m + gst Located in the central heart of the Taranaki, this chicken broiler farm offers a solid business income and may be the perfect opportunity to make the change and embrace a unique country lifestyle. Set on 5.0425ha (approx. 12.5 acres) and enjoying stunning open rural views the property is only a short drive to good schooling and community hubs and 15km (approx.) to New Plymouth with all that has to offer. The 3-bedroom family home is very comfortable and has recently been fully refurbished. A separate double garage has an adjoining rumpus/games room for the family to spread out. All of the 8 broiler units have been well maintained, fully upgraded and automated to a high standard. An array of support buildings including implement shed, office, feed silos, generators and other assets make this a very attractive property. Recent improvements to the operation include natural energy and water harvesting facilities that have received recognition and environmental awards.

ASHBURTON 185 Stevens Road Arable, Lamb Finishing and Dairy Support

Currently operated as an investment with one full-time manager plus a further fulltime labour unit, the property and business includes all necessary equipment required day to day along with training and assistance for new operators.

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An extremely profitable business showing exceptional returns – don’t delay, enquire now.

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www.trademe.co.nz/a/property/rural/listing/3210321089

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0204 051 0527 ross@countrywiderealestatesales.co.nz Licensed REAA 2008

Geoff Pridham

027 232 1516 geoffp@abcbusiness.co.nz www.abcbusiness.co.nz

Plus GST (if any) (Unless Sold Prior) Closes 1.00pm, Thursday 14 April

Tim Gallagher M 027 801 2888 Dan van der Salm M 021 918 233

pggwre.co.nz/ASH35715 JW110947©

Ross Christensen

Very well presented 294ha arable/dairy support property in five titles with well balanced soils Spray irrigated with cheap water being a mix of long-term surface and MHV scheme water 132,000m³ storage pond with outstanding duck shooting, boat ramp and jetty Over 1500T of grain storage and a drying elevator capable of drying over 10T/hr Two homes, numerous implement/storage sheds and a 2-stand woolshed and sheep yards A-grade FEP Audit with max winter grazing area of 117.3ha under NES Fresh Water 2020

DEADLINE PRIVATE TREATY

PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited, licensed under REAA 2008

Helping grow the country

DEADLINE SALE

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

Get in touch farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate Iron Hill Chicken Farm

9.45 ha

Matamata Progressive investors are recognizing the chicken industry for its secure and enticing return on capital. Iron Hill Farms has a secure contract with Inghams Enterprises and consists of six automated growing sheds totaling 9024m2 on 9.45ha. The property is fully compliant and will be sold as a going concern including two very good homes plus a neat two bedroom unit. The icing on the cake here is the location part way between Matamata and Cambridge. What more could you ask for, the figures stack up and the industry is thriving - look no further.

matamata.ljhooker.co.nz/JHHHR1

Deadline Sale Closes Thurs 7th April, 4pm (unless sold prior) ___________________________________ View By Appointment Only ___________________________________ Agent Peter Begovich 027 476 5787 Rex Butterworth 021 348 276 LJ Hooker Matamata 07 888 5677 Link Realty Ltd. Licensed Agent REAA 2008

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

0800 85 25 80 farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

Real Estate

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

FARMERS WEEKLY – March 14, 2022

CARBON COUNTRY

234 HECTARES

326 Creek Road, Whanganui

An opportunity to join the Carbon investment industry at a scale that is affordable. Plant your own forest and watch your investment grow three ways—Carbon, Timber, Land Values—all this while enjoying income from bees. You can watch all this from the hunter’s hut, situated at the back of the property. Takeover dates are flexible with the option to lease back to the current owners. Another 250ha may also become available to the Purchaser. This property would also suit an individual or syndicate buyer.

David Cotton M: 027 442 5920 H: 06 342 9666 E: davidc@forfarms.co.nz

We welcome your inspection by appointment with Vendor’s agent.

www.forfarms.co.nz - ID FF3360

JW110814©

FOR SALE BY TENDER

Tender closing 5 April 2022 (will not be sold prior)

Your destination for rural real estate. Add another touchpoint to your campaign on the website built for farmers, and align your brand with the content they read. Geotargetting, print packages, and premium positions are available. Market your property to an audience that counts. Contact your agent to advertise today!

www.farmersweekly.co.nz

Sallan Realty

Google ‘Sallan Realty’ Your Farm Sales Specialist

JW110780©

GROWS GRASS ALL YEAR

• Situated 15 mins east of Palmerston North is this 204 ha farm. • This property is in five even sized titles and in a summer safe area on free draining Matamau and Kopua silt loam soils. • Has been milking around 340 cows on a level 2 system with Most of the herd wintered at home. • Infrastructure includes a modern four bedroom family home set in lovely treed grounds. • 40 aside herringbone Dairy with cup removers, large 400 cow feed pad, five bay hay shed and numerous other farm sheds. • Very well raced with own metal, good access to all paddocks. • With good fertility, excellent layout and convenient location This could be your next farm. Takeover to suit. Tender closing 4 pm on 31st March, 2022 (if not sold prior) Call Les on 0274 420 582 to inspect

CALL 0800LESCAIN

Licensed Agent REAA 2008

Sheep and Beef Farm for Sale

Mixed Farm for Sale

Farm for Sale

Exceptional Foothills Property

Versatile Farming Unit

Productive Small Farm

For Sale by Deadline Private Treaty closing Sheep and Beef Farmatfor Sale Thu 31 March 2022 4pm

For Sale by Deadline Private Treaty closing Mixed Farm For Saleat 4pm Thu 31 March 2022

For Sale by Deadline Private Treaty closing Farm Sale 2022 at 4pm Thu 31for March Productive Small Farm with Options

Exceptional Foothills Versatile Unit 102 Lewis Road, ViewProperty Hill, Oxford, 344 DepotFarming Road, Oxford, North 86 Welchs Road, View Hill, Oxford, For Sale by Deadline Private Treaty North Canterbury For SaleCanterbury by Deadline Private Treaty closing Thu 31 March 2022 atCanterbury 4pm For Sale by Deadline Private Treaty closing Thu 31 March 2022 atNorth 4pm (unless sold prior) closing Thu 31 March 2022 at 4pm (unless sold prior) 102 Lewis Road, View Hill, Oxford, North Canterbury

344 Depot Road, Oxford, North Canterbury

86 Welchs Road, View Hill, Oxford, North Canterbury

Shane O'Brien 027 471 6121 715.88 hectares

Very good balance of contour

Two wellpresented homes

Proven fertiliser history

Reliable rainfall

High 258.5694 standard of hectares paddock development

Four titles, Richard Well presented two road O'Sullivan1980's, 4 frontages bedroom home

Handy to Oxford and Christchurch

027 292 3921

Local scheme water

High standard 77.2949 of hectares infrastructure

Shane O'Brien 027 471 6121 Two Richard Well maintained separate home and farm O'Sullivan titles infrastructure 027 292 3921

Handy to Oxford and Christchurch

Shane O'Brien 027 471 6121 Richard O'Sullivan 027 292 3921

“Miro Downs” is a most impressive offering combining scope and scale colliers.co.nz/p-NZL67018032 with strong production and performance credentials. A traditional sheep and beef finishing property, this beautifully balanced property offers a superior standard of development in this highly regarded farming location. Stunning views from a commanding foothills location with outstanding recreational opportunities on your doorstep all within minutes of Oxford and an hour to the city. Offered in excellent heart by genuine sellers this farm is worthy of the most serious consideration.

Realty Ltd “Killarney” is a flat 258 hectareAgri holding with 2 road frontages within 45 Licensed under the REAA 2008 colliers.co.nz/p-NZL67017959 minutes of Christchurch. An excellent farming history it boasts good soil fertility, versatile free draining soils, high standard of fencing and farming infrastructure as well as attractive 4 bedroom family home in established grounds. Held in 4 titles it has all the hallmarks of a very prudent rural investment offering location, scale and potential so close to the city.

Rare opportunity to acquire well developed productive smaller unit in Licensed under a the REAA 2008 Agri Realty Ltd colliers.co.nz/p-NZL67017958 a tightly held farming location. Complete with 3 bedroom home and fullLicensed under the REAA 2008 farming infrastructure all in good condition. Very good shelter and fencing with an impressive farming history including livestock finishing and cropping. An impressive offering in every respect.

colliers.co.nz/p-NZL67018032

colliers.co.nz/p-NZL67017959

colliers.co.nz/p-NZL67017958

Shane O’Brien 027 471 6121

Agri Realty Ltd

Richard O’Sullivan 027 292 3921

1 Farm for Sale

Farm for Sale

View vide online

View video online

Dairy Development

Dairy Support

For Sale by Deadline Private Treaty closing Thu 31 March 2022 at 4pm (unless sold prior) For Sale 3292 Highway, Waimate, Canterbury 3292Hakataramea Hakataramea Highway, Ikawai

For Sale by Deadline Private Treaty closing Thu 31 March 2022 at 4pm (unless sold prior) For Sale 513 Clarkesfield Road, Waimate, 3292 Hakataramea Highway, Ikawai Canterbury

Jonn

Jonny O'Sullivan 021 510 024 409 hectares freehold

Effluent consent (1250 cows)

310 hectares irrigated

Modern dairy pasture

389 History of Richard hectares dairy O'Sullivan freehold support

Irrigation consent

Well laned

027 292 3921

Grassy Hills is a productive 409 hectare irrigated property that is farmed as part of the dairy platform of a larger dairying enterprise. With both water and discharge consents in place and a history of dairying the opportunity exists to develop the property by building a cowshed and making it a stand alone dairy farm. The property has two dwellings, one being a substantial homestead set in established grounds, plus other support buildings and improvements. Well formed lanes give good access throughout the property and modern dairy pastures are already in place. A good balance of soil types and contour offer scope and management flexibility for any future opportunity. This property would suit a range of dairy systems, and as a dairy development it is a unique offering in todays market.

Agri Realty Ltd Highlea is a large scale dairy support block that has been improved over recent years to become an easy to manLicensed under theNew REAA 2008 an upgraded stock water system and well formed lanes provide a good base to age productive unit. fencing,

colliers.co.nz/p-NZL67018128

colliers.co.nz/p-NZL67018130

colliers.co.nz

Jonny O’Sullivan 021 510 024

colliers.co.nz

make the most of the versatile Timaru silt loam soils. This property has an easy to medium contour and a large area of cultivatable paddocks. Regular pasture renovation has been undertaken with over 150 hectares of permanent pasture sown in the spring. The real appeal of this property though, is the consent to irrigate with water from the Waitaki River, and the future ability to produce a reliable feed supply at a time when feed costs are increasing. With a history of winter grazing and dairy support, and the option of irrigation development, this block has plenty to offer any incoming owner.

Richard O’Sullivan 027 292 3921 Agri Realty Ltd. Licensed under the REAA 2008

Licensed unde

Tech & Toys

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THE ALL NEW COOPER

FARMERS WEEKLY – March 14, 2022

RUGGED TREK

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Northland to Manawatu

10 SOUTH ISLAND AGENTS Nelson to Invercargill

INNOVATIVE AGRICULTURE EQUIPMENT

Require a feed system or an upgrade? • Rotary & Herringbone Sheds

• Skiold Disc Mills and Silos

Spare Parts: • Drive Units & Control Units • Flexi augurs, elbows

• Unloaders & Anchor bearings • Stainless pool cables 48mm & 90mm pulleys

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REQUIRE SPARE PARTS? Call PPP and get the BEST price

JW110944©

Ten Basic Fertiliser Facts You Must Know and Adopt to Meet 2025 Water Quality Limits: Call Regan Beaver at Quinfert Waharoa bag depot on 021 873 748 or Bert Quin direct on 021 427 572 or email bert.quin@quinfert.co.nz Quinfert – the thinking farmer’s choice farmersweekly.co.nz/s/advertising

Dr Bert Quin

High-analysis nutrients pre-incubated with high allophanecontent subsoil • The allophane binds water-soluble phosphate, in plantavailable form, minimising phosphate leaching and run-off • It also stabilises the soil organic matter, sequesting carbon and greatly reducing CO2 GHG emissions • Reduces maintenance lime requirements by up to 50% • Contains N-vig™ nitrogenated root stimulator Also available: • QUINFERT Algerian RPR V2 and S90 blends Lime, dolomite and potash blends available • QUINFERT ‘PUSH‘ MAP/SOA blends (North Island only)

Contact your partnership manager to discuss your options today!

bremworth.co.nz

(patent applied for)

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Fact 1. The overuse of soluble P fertiliser is by far the largest cause of P run-off and leaching, and therefore of the decline in the quality of Kiwi waterways. Fact 2. Once you have Olsen P levels that are more than a third of the P retention (ASC), application of additional soluble P is very prone to loss to the environment. Fact 3. If you want to build up your soil P in an environmentally-protective way, simply apply RPR. It does not get leached or lost directly in run-off, but releases P in a sustained fashion for plants. Fact 4. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain. RPR-based fertilisers are even cheaper than super-based products as well! Added sulphur bentonite (sulphur 90) is far more efficient than the excess sulphate in super. Fact 5. Following 1-4 above will greatly reduce P run-off and leaching. This should be done before anything else, and the situation reassessed before spending huge amounts of money! Fact 6. It is nonsensical to give in to pressure to install expensive mitigations riparian strips, excessively large wetlands and ‘phosphorus walls’ when you have no idea of their long-term effectiveness and maintenance costs, and before you have established whether changing to sustained-release RPR is all you need to do! Fact 7. in any case simple fenced-off 3-metre wide grass riparian strips are essentially as effective and vastly cheaper than more complex strips. Both reduce bacterial and sediment losses. Neither will have any significant long-term beneficial effect (on a whole -farm basis) on soluble P and nitrate-N loss. But grass strips can be harvested in summer to be fed out, to improve P and N cycling. Fact 8. In a nutshell, for maintenance of P levels any genuine RPR (not an RPR/Boucraa mix please!) can be used. Just check the Cd content. For low fertility situations or low rainfall, use a blend of RPR and high-analysis soluble P. Fact 9. For N, rather than granular urea, use prilled urea, sprayed immediately prior to, or during, the spreading with urease inhibitor. Use of N can be literally cut in half with big savings. Fact 10. Potash is more efficient, and must less likely to cause metabolic problems, if applied in small doses 4 times a year, adding up to 50-60% of the total annual amount you are using now. Easy to mix with your prilled urea. Leaching of anions like nitrate will be minimised as well. For more info, email Bert Quin on bert.quin@quinfert.co.nz, or phone 021 427 572, or visit www.quinfert.co.nz

Farmers Weekly delivers news and insights relevant to farmers, for farmers.

0.5% N, 7.9% P, 7% S, 23% Ca. Potash blends available

•

Let's talk Tech & Toys!

Amazing new fert sequesters soil carbon AND minimises P loss!

QUINFERT ALLOPHOS ™

Feature in the publication farmers read, value and advertise in every week.

NEW FROM

Dr Bert Quin

Gain some traction with Tech & Toys

www.quinfert.co.nz

TA K E A S TA N D AGAINST PLASTIC

47 farmersweekly.co.nz/advertising 0800 85 25 80

Tech & Toys FARMERS WEEKLY – March 14, 2022

Primary Pathways – Jobs, Education & Training

JOBS BOARD

STOCK MANAGER

We are looking for an enthusiastic, passionate Head shepherd / Stock Manager for our farming business. Finishing Unit (Pukenui station) is located on the Napier/ Taupo highway (225ha) carrying (2500/3500su): R1yr steers/heifers, R1yr hinds/ stags,2500 lambs and supports Hineuru station (7000su; 2500ha, 486 EFA) Sheep, deer, cattle. Both farms are located at Te Haroto.

FAIRFIELD ANGUS DISPERSAL SALE

The successful candidate will report to the Farm Manager and will have the opportunity to be involved in the day-to-day management and planning responsibilities of this business, in a supportive environment. A key understanding of feed budgeting, stock nutritional requirements, cropping, and grazing management to meet KPI targets is required.

COALGATE SALEYARDS

We seek to employ for the role of Stock Manager applicants who have management experience with: • 2-4 working dogs • An interest in stock records • A willingness to learn Applications to FJ Hall, AgFirst Waikato: recruitment@agfirst.co.nz

farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz

TRACTOR DRIVERS REQUIRED

*conditions apply

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

Please email Gavin & Liz gavin@blackwaterbalingltd.co.uk or telephone UK 077 0232 2203

Jw111019©

Ag jobs first! Farmers Weekly Jobs to view primary industry jobs first! farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz

SENIOR BUSINESS MANAGER - FARMS MANGAKINO/TAUPO After a 3-year period of progressive growth and business improvement, WMI is looking for a dynamic agribusiness leader to help drive our dairy farming portfolio of 15 farms into the future. This role will lead from the front, actively collaborating internally and externally to bring the best resources and outcomes to the dairy farming business. A good head for ﬁnancial metrics with high-end project management skills and an ability to deliver production targets on budget will be the high priorities of this role. The Senior Business Manager will need to be an active communicator, networker and meeting facilitator who can effectively connect up and down the reporting chain to inform all stakeholders, the operational farm teams, company executive and suppliers. We are looking for an experienced leader with a strong practical dairy farming background and a passion for developing people, leading continuous improvement, building health and safety capability and driving environmental protection. A relevant tertiary qualiﬁcation is preferred. This role reports to the GM – Farm and the successful applicant can be based in Taupo or live on farm in Mangakino. If you are a dynamic team player looking to advance your agribusiness career, apply directly online through www.no8hr.co.nz. Applications close Friday 18th March 2022.

hazlett.nz

He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tāngata. He tāngata. He tāngata In business for over a decade, Hazlett Limited are built on the belief that PEOPLE come first and they live and breathe this principle. As a thriving and successful rural services business, they have a proud reputation for top-of-the-line procurement, livestock broking, insurance, agri-supplies and funding. With a motto of ‘Tough business, powerful harmony’, they work as a team to provide New Zealand farmers and businesses with services that will enable their success. As the company continues its impressive growth, they want to add additional resource to their procurement business unit. The procurement unit specialise in livestock supply chain management in a highly competitive industry. On a day-to-day basis, this role will require you to engage with: o Livestock Brokers o Farmers o Transport companies o Meat processing company o Other Hazlett people and external parties

Noticeboard SHARE FARMING OPPORTUNITY

Quality Hereford cows available. Guaranteed incalf to Hereford stud bull. Term starts April, (negotiable). No cost way to increase herd numbers. 50-200 available. Call Mark for more info. 021 330 425

JW110876©

Supply Chain Co-ordinator

www.no8hr.co.nz | ph: 07-870-4901

Phone Mark 0800 478 729 or Tracey 027 554 1841

QUALITY Feeds You Can TRUST

CANTERBURY

JW110985©

www.no8hr.co.nz | ph: 07-870-4901

12HP, diesel, electric start, 50 ton Heavy duty construction for serious wood splitting. Towable. Supplied flatpack or inquire for assembled pricing

JW110826©

If you are looking to take the next challenge in your career and can demonstrate integrity, intelligence, energy, and courage please apply now @ www.eqconsultants. co.nz/recruitment/currentvacancies. To discuss the role in confidence, please contact Steve Kennedy on 021 223 2850.

MOWER MASTER

Splitter with hydraulic lifting table $4800

Splitter

$4200

To find out more visit

JW111013©

We are seeking an individual that can work in a dynamic, fastpaced and changing environment. This is an exceptional role with a business that is going through a period of significant growth.

• Scope • Profile • Performance • Innovation Ngāi Tahu’s long-term aspiration is to grow and sell produce while demonstrating their values of sustainable whenua (land) use, efficient and effective wai (water) use and having a low greenhouse gas emissions profile. Ngai Tahu Farming is actively seeking out future Dairy farming systems and technology to build resilience and sustainable economic returns for future generations. The successful candidate will embody that aspiration within an energetic, high performing and fun team. The role oversees 8,000 cows across eight farms, all having the latest in shed and irrigation technology, as well as our irrigation infrastructure and Kōkōmuka Lodge complex. With several exciting initiatives, variable rate irrigation and Halter to name two, you will be well placed to refine operational performance whilst challenging the status quo to the conventional farming system. With a mix of sharemilking and managed farms, a focus on the adoption of technology and the management of the wider asset portfolio included in the role, this Operations Manager role is a long way from the standard and will suit a leader ready to take a strategic role in leading operational evolution whilst also being comfortable to get their hands dirty in operational delivery. If you think you have what it takes to deliver Ngāi Tahu’s vision and ensure their farms operate beyond best practice, please contact Beverly Birnie (Senior Consultant) on 021 477 605 or register your interest on www.no8hr.co.nz. Applications close 27 March 2022.

LUCERNE BALEAGE PEA VINE BALEAGE MEADOW BALEAGE Available in Squares & Rounds

OPERATIONS MANAGER – DAIRY AND ASSETS

Reporting to the Procurement Team Leader we are looking for a person with the following experience and skills. • Experience in, or an understanding of, the agriculture sector. • Experience working in a dynamic environment; transport, logistics, supply chain or procurement.

www.eqconsultants.co.nz

Exotic Animals Keeper Farm Manager Foreman and Riggers General Manager Head Shepherd / Stock Manager Senior Business Manager Stock Manager Supply Chain Coordinator Tractor/Truck/Machinery Operator *FREE upload to Primary Pathways Aotearoa: www.facebook.com

We are a family run contracting and farming business specialising in big straw and hay baling, silage and haylage production. We are looking for employees to help us this coming season. Start date is June and finishing the end of September. We have accommodation suitable for males and females and are situated within one hour of London.

JW110982©

The successful applicant will: 3rd May - 1pm start Tuesday • have 3 - 4 well controlled working dogs Viewing from 10am • preferably have deer experience and&3 Graziani - 4 years sheep, beef experience On A/C of Franco Luporini • Have excellent stockman ship, and animal husbandry • Be an effective communicator and have a >110 friendlyR2 personality >220 Mixed Age Cows Heifers • Be committed to 18 highMonth standards of quality>80 and safety >50 Bulls Bull Calves • Have experience in operating and maintaining machinery >80 Heifer Calves >TBfarm Status C10 • Pay attention to detail This sale brings a great opportunity to purchase We are offering astud comprehensive remuneration package and will and commercial cattle. commensurate with the level of skill and experience of the applicant. This stud is performance driven and run under Applicants must commercial be eligible to work in New Zealand, have a current and conditions. clean NZ Full Drivers Licence, be drug free, and provide For a sale catalogue please visit an up to date CV with references, including their current employer. www.hazlett.nz/livestock/sale-catalogues/ Please send CV to: recruitment@agfirst.co.nz by 22 March 2022 Further enquiries: Callum Dunnett 027 462 0126 Ed Marfell 027 462 0120

Our clients 820 ha grazing business is located on the outskirts of Te Kuiti. This property has excellent facilities, a 3-bedroom cottage, and on offer is a remuneration package commensurate with relevant skills and experience.

JW110983©

HINEURU PROPERTY LIMITED HEAD SHEPHERD / STOCK MANAGER

FARMERS WEEKLY –March 14, 2022

JW110988©

classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

JW110870©

www.moamaster.co.nz Phone 028 461 5112 Email: mowermasterltd@gmail.com

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

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

ANIMAL HEALTH www.drench.co.nz farmer owned, very competitive prices. Phone 0800 4 DRENCH (437 362).

ATTENTION FARMERS 40c/50c PER KG dags fadges/bales. Replacement woolpacks. PV Weber Wools. Kawakawa Road, Feilding. Phone 06 323 9550. PROFESSIONAL HUNTER available for pest control, goats, deer and pigs. Years of experience full time hunting. Carcasses brought back for dog food if required. Email Gerry at: cullerone@gmail.com or phone 022 322 3100.

CONTRACTORS GORSE AND THISTLE SPRAY. We also scrub cut. Four men with all gear in your area. Phone Dave 06 375 8032.

10-MONTH-OLD grizzly Huntaway, working. 10 MONTH OLD Huntaway with big noise, just starting. Phone 027 243 8541. 5 1/2-YEAR OLD Huntaway, will suit a firm hand. 2 YEAR OLD Heading dog. Running, strong pull, hard on cattle. Phone 027 752 2600. WORKERS FROM $1.14 per day! Deliver NZ wide. Trial, guaranteed! www.youtube.com/user/ mikehughesworkingdog/ videos 07 315 5553.

DOGS WANTED 12 MONTHS TO 5½-yearold Heading dogs and Huntaways wanted. Phone 022 698 8195.

FARM MAPPING SIMPLIFY YOUR farm planning with practical, affordable and accurate maps from www. farmmapping.co.nz – contact us for a free quote.

FOR SALE JAMES AERATOR 5-leg, shear-bolt, only done 20 hectares. $12,500 includes gst. Phone 07 322 2337.

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.” BOOK AN AD. For only $2.20 + gst per word you can book a word only ad in Farmers Weekly Classifieds section. Phone Debbie on 0800 85 25 80 to book in or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

GOATS WANTED

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

GRAZING AVAILABLE DAIRY SUPPORT OR OTHER. Good Facilities and experienced grazier. Long or short term options. Waikato area. Call Mike for further details 027 487 8633.

HORTICULTURE NZ KELP. FRESH, wild ocean harvested giant kelp. The world’s richest source of natural iodine. Dried and milled for use in agriculture and horticulture. Growth promotant / stock health food. As seen on Country Calendar. Orders to: 03 322 6115 or info@nzkelp.co.nz

LEASE LAND WANTED SHEEP AND BEEF. Northland. Long term. Phone 027 385 8209.

LIVESTOCK FOR SALE WILTSHIRE RAM hoggets. Full shedding. For sires. Phone 027 243 8541.

LOG BUYER

HAULER CREW available for harvesting. Wairarapa area. Phone 027 489 7036.

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

RAMS FOR SALE WILTSHIRES-ARVIDSON. Self shearing sheep. No1 for Facial Eczema. David 027 2771 556.

STOCK FEED

MOISTURE METERS Hay, Silage dry matter, grain. www.moisturemeters.co.nz 0800 213 343.

TRACTOR PARTS

HEALEY AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT

DOLOMITE

Looking For & Selling All Farm Machinery Market Gardening Valuations Cropping Dairy Orchard Contracting Machinery Brokers Pukekohe Contact Ph Brian Healey 027 231 5913 healag@xtra.co.nz

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

0800 436 566

w w w. e l e c t r o t e k . c o . n z STOP BIRDS NOW!

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

ZON BIRDSCARER

electro-tek@xtra.co.nz DE HORNER

Phone: +64 6 357 2454 HOOF TRIMMER

EARMARKERS

Plenty of driveshafts available

JOHN DEERE 6620, 6410, 6800, rollover damage,dismantling Andquiparts.Phone 027 524 3356.

WANTED TO BUY SAWN SHED TIMBER including Black Maire. Matai, Totara and Rimu etc. Also buying salvaged native logs. Phone Richard Uren. NZ Native Timber Supplies. Phone 027 688 2954. HOUSES FOR REMOVAL. North Island. Phone 021 455 787. 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)

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

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

Heavy duty long lasting Ph 021 047 9299

THINK PREBUILT

Mark Copeland LLB, CMInstD Rural Disputes Expert Available to assist with resolving rural disputes, or for appointment as a Sharemilking Conciliator, Rural Arbitrator or Farm Debt Mediator Ph: 07 345 9050 | e-mail: copeland@copelandlawyers.com

NEW HOMES

Adventures - 4WD Tours

Pests out of control?

SOLID – PRACTICAL

WELL INSULATED – AFFORDABLE

Our homes are built using the same materials & quality as an onsite build. Easily transported to almost anywhere in the North Island. Plans range from one bedroom to four bedroom

Information packs are available for the 2023 season

No job too big, I offer efﬁcient and conﬁdential service.

First Home – Farm House Investment – Beach Bach

CONTACT: 0275258321

www.nzadventures.co.nz

Cost-effective pest control using the latest thermal equipment & technology. I am an experienced hunter and ex farmer, I can get rid of the pests eating down your farm, disturbing your stock, and frustrating you and your neighbors.

Selling something? Call or email us for your free copy of our plans Email: info@ezylinehomes.co.nz Phone: 0800 399 546 (EZYLINE) Web: www.ezylinehomes.co.nz

JW109922©

JW110832©

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

LK0109814©

DOGS FOR SALE

LK0109558©

ANIMAL HANDLING

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

JW109880©

Noticeboard

FARMERS WEEKLY –March 14, 2022

Advertise in Farmers Weekly - the only weekly paper that farmers read and value enough to advertise in themselves Phone 0800 85 25 80 or email classifieds@globalhq.co.nz

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

OUTSTANDING YOUNG JERSEY COWS & HEIFERS On Farm Auction A/C: H E DAIRY LTD

Tuesday 5th April - 12 Noon 75 Rapurapu Road, Matamata DN 78199

Comprising: 100 x 2-5yr Incalf Jersey Cows BW 254 PW 278 28 x R2yr Incalf Jersey Heifers BW 255 PW 253 Our vendors have purchased a small farm and are putting forward an elite line of 2-5yr cows (however they are retaining a small number for family breeding purposes). Having used Nominated Semen for 22yrs with an emphasis on Capacity, Protein, Fertility, Udder Confirmation and Developing Cow Families. Excellent production Averaging 400kgms for the last 3 seasons on System 3. Cows DTC 20.7.22. 5 wks AI with 80% Incalf then tailed to Vendors DNA Profiled Jersey Bulls. Heifers DTC 20.7.22 to Vendors DNA Profiled Jersey Bulls. TB C10. Lepto Vaccinated. M. Bovis and BVD undetected. A2A2 results will be available with the catalogue. Payment 20th May 2022 Purchaser has the option to take immediate delivery or Vendor is happy to retain until 31st May 2022. Dams of some of the sale cows will be presented alongside their progeny on Sale Day for viewing purposes. Jersey Breeders - if you are looking for well-bred exceptional type cattle with high Indexes this sale is a must attend. Viewing welcome prior to sale. This auction will be screened live via mylivestock.co.nz with online bidding available

Further Enquiries: Vendor: Herb Wuest 021 565 464 NZFLL Agent: Michael Conwell 027 226 1611

Livestock Noticeboard

LIVESTOCK EXPORTERS

GRAZING REQUIRED

TE KUITI CATTLE SALE

in the North & South Island from May 1st For a 12 month term (negotiable) For 8mth old Steers

Friday 18th March Start 12noon

45 – 2.5Yr Beef x Strs 60 – 2.5Yr Hfd Fries x Hfrs 25 – 2.5Yr Beef x Hfrs 80 – 18mnth Ang & Exotic x Strs 50 – 18mnth Fries x Strs 30 – 18mnth Beef x Bulls 20 – ylg Autborn Dairy x Strs 70 – 18mnthBeef & Dairy Beef x Hfrs 20 – Ylg Autborn Dairy x Hfrs

FARMERS WEEKLY – March 14, 2022

AUSTREX NZ LTD

TE KUITI LIVESTOCK CENTRE

JW110981©

For more information contact: Paul Tippett 027 438 1623

www.austrex.co.nz

Market your dairy herd sales to an audience that counts today.

CROPPING MACHINERY CLEARING SALE

Call Javier: 0800 85 25 80

23RD 11.0 24TH 1.30

Assist farmers to make the right purchasing decisions for their herd with Dairy Farmer’s May feature

To view the catalogue & to register to buy visit: bidr.co.nz NZ’s Virtual Saleyard

NZ’s Virtual Saleyard

JW 110999©

Better Bulls, Better Calves Talk to us now about your Dairy Farmer 2022 bull sale advertising 0800 85 25 80

farmersweekly.co.nz

UPCOMING AUCTIONS

15TH MARCH 7.00pm Brecon Milking Shorthorns Sale 22ND MARCH 8.00pm Wainuka South Devon Stud Female Sale RD 23 MARCH 11.00am Allerton Farms Herd Clearing Sale 24TH MARCH 1.30pm Torrisdale Murray Grey Stud Annual Female Sale 7.00pm Beltex NZ Pure Bred Ewe Lamb Sale 7.30pm Beechwood Polled Hereford Heifer Sale Regular Livestream coverage of five North Island Saleyards Head to bidr.co.nz to find out more.

IS NOW THE TIME?

Foundation Female Sale 160 MA ANGUS COWS PTIC Approx.

28 MARCH – 11am – on farm at Rata

THE POWER OF PREMIER

PASSION, PERFORMANCE, PERFECTION

Female & Genetics Sale

Friday 18th March 2022 at 5pm 400 Brunskill Road, Cambridge

Viewing 27 March 1-4pm

See catalogue online at www.merchiston angus.com or contact Richard Rowe for a catalogue mercang@farmside.co.nz • 0272798841

merchiston angus

15TH 7.00 22N 8.00

Kelly Higgins Auctioneer Carrfields Livestock 027 600 2374 Bruce Orr Stud Stock Services 027 492 2122 Derek Hayward 027 226 6686 derek.premier@farmside.co.nz Premier Cattle Company Ltd www.premiercattleco.co.nz

7.00 7.30

Livestock Noticeboard

Check out Poll Dorset NZ on Facebook

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

Anerley Station

FOR SALE

On-Farm Capital Stock Cow Sale

Due to pine trees

Complete Hereford Herd Dispersal Sell Privately On Farm

On-farm at Meadowslea Mt Cook Road, Fairlie. 100 2th Rams - Perendale x - Romney (including a selection ideal Texel x Romney for mating Merinos) - kelso. Terminal - Romdale (blackface) - Texel x Romney - kelso. Maternal - kelso. x Romney (hogget maters)

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

Comprising 300 cows & 5 Sire bulls • 70 Rising 3 yr Angus Cows • 50 Rising 4yr Angus Cows • 70 Rising 5yr Angus Cows • 70 Rising 6yr Angus Cows • 40 Mixed Aged Composite X Cows • 5 Mixed Aged Angus Bulls VIC 24-11-21 to 1-2-22

NATIONWIDE DAIRY SPECIALISTS Visit: www.carrfieldslivestock.co.nz Login to register your requirements and be informed when new listings arrive.

Ross Dyer 0274 333 381 A Financing Solution For Your Farm E info@rdlfinance.co.nz

Please call for any further info Craig Nelson 021 457 127 Or vendor Hamish & Penny Johnson 06 372 6879

"MAXIMISING YOUR RETURN THROUGH PERSONAL LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT"

STOCK WANTED

Mixed Age Angus In-Calf Cows & Heifers. Will take Ang/Frs in-calf to Angus 300-400kg Friesian Bulls 450kg Beef X Steers Richard Seavill, Ph: 021 169 8276

Tuesday 3rd May - 1pm start Viewing from 10am On A/C of Franco & Graziani Luporini

STOCK O SA E

38 x 460kg appx. 2.5yr Frs Bulls, $2.90/kg Bryce Young, Ph: 027 496 7411

This sale brings a great opportunity to purchase stud and commercial cattle. This stud is performance driven and run under commercial conditions.

24 x 480kg ave. Ang/Simm. Steers Harrison Levien, Ph: 027 496 7410

For a sale catalogue please visit www.hazlett.nz/livestock/sale-catalogues/

0800 827 455 admin@byl.co.nz www.byllivestock.co.nz

A/c ALLERTON FARMS LTD will be available for online bidding Wednesday 23rd March 2022 at 11:00am 21 Grayden Rd, Morrinsville D/N 76581

FRANKTON SALE

Pick 220 from 520 Jsy/Frsn X Cows

Tuesday 15 March A/c Tainui Group Holdings Complete Angus Herd Dispersal Comprising: • 25 R3yr Angus Cows • 100 MA Angus Cows • 20 2nd Calvers Frsn/Ang Cows

BW 160 PW 233 RA 90% DTC 16/7 I/C LIC Frsn 3 weeks tailed Hereford. 407 M/Solids per cow. $2100 Ref #012649 Rhys Mellow 027 664 5143

Due to change in farming policy, complete Angus herd is to be sold. Vetted in calf to Angus Bulls (Twinoaks Breeding) due from 12 August, bull out 1 Feb.

Visit www.agonline.co.nz for all listings.

Contact: Dean Evans 027 243 1092

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

Helping grow the country

MORRINSVILLE EMPTY COW SALES

DETAILS: • Bulk seasonal cell count of 105,000 – verified by factory statements. • HB shed system 1-2, TB10, Lepto vacc. Bulk BVD test Zero • Herd DTC 5th July – 5 weeks AB to LIC Friesian, vetted to dates, bulls out 15/12 • Production 387ms, MT rates 10% annually, tailed with Hereford bulls • this totally closed herd is currently OAD due to dry weather. Sold in-milk.

High Premiums Paid For Young Empty Cows

AUCTIONEERS NOTE: Our vendors have sold their property for 1st April settlement. Cows must be gone immediate or by Friday 25/3/22 still in-milk. Herd is in good condition and well farmed. Genuine herd that’s been in family for 50+ yrs. Always LIC bred, great shifting herd and good styled Friesian dairy cows. PLEASE NOTE: This auction date is scheduled subject to any changes due to Covid-19 regulations. PAYMENT TERMS: Delayed payment is due on 1st May 2022, immediate delivery ENQUIRIES TO CARRFIELDS LIVESTOCK AGENT Matt Hancock 027 601 3787 or matt.hancock@carrfields.co.nz OUR VENDORS: Nigel & Vicki Rogers 021 764 379

Morrinsville Dairy Complex Thursday 17th March 2022 and every Thursday thereafter Empty Cows 12 Noon Approximate tally of 450 Good milky Friesian, Crossbred & Jersey Cows. Good demand for High BW Empties. Clients are looking for good sound Young Empties. If you are looking for good milky empties you should attend this sale.

Market Report Elite Empty Cows $2700 - $3200 Top Frsn & XBD Cows $1200 - $1500 Good Frsn & XBD Cows $900 - $1100 Top Jsy Cows $900 - $1100 Good/Medium Jsy Cows $700 - $800 Lesser Empties $550 - $700

Give your local NZFL Agent a call or for more details phone: JW110834©

• DH2496 – 220 x Jrsy/JrsyX early calving BW129 PW167 DTC 26/6 Hardworking $1780 Call Andrew: 027 449 1228 (Northland)

WAIKATO HERDS FOR SALE

hazlett.nz

COMPRISING: 170x Friesian LIC bred MA herd BW128 PW148 LW153 RA 99% 7x Predominantly Friesian in-calf heifers BW190 PW207

• DH2502 – 130 x Frsn herd BW92 PW128 RA85% DTC 25/7. Frsn content from herd $1850 Call Max: 027 538 4961 (Wairarapa)

Other

>110 R2 Heifers >80 Bull Calves >TB Status C10

CLOSED HERD – 3 DIGIT HERD CODE In-Milk Early Calving Friesian Cows

• DH2491 – 220 x Frsn & Xbred herd BW119 PW164 RA95% DTC 20/7 Long established herd $1850 Call Paul: 027 304 8994 (B.O.P)

Sheep

>220 Mixed Age Cows >50 18 Month Bulls >80 Heifer Calves

Further enquiries: Callum Dunnett 027 462 0126 Ed Marfell 027 462 0120

• DH2511 – 140 x Organic herd BW159 PW207 RA97% DTC 25/7. Mixed breed 400+ ms $1950 Call Richard: 027 407 0562

Cattle

FARFIELD ANGUS DISPERSAL SALE COALGATE SALEYARDS

300-350kg Angus Steers & Heifers Chris Kyle, Ph: 027 496 7412

SELECTION OF LISTINGS:

• DH2508 – 240 x Frsn/FrsnX herd BW107 PW143 RA83% DTC 23/7 Low-cost system 350ms $1825 Call: Andrew: 027 487 2044 (B.O.P)

Contact your local agent or call: Paul Kane: 027 286 9279 National Dairy & Live Export Coordinator

TB Status C 10

Angus Cows and Bulls are 100% Kakahu Angus stud breeding. Composite cows are Rissington cross breeding Note. The sale will be conducted in the middle set of cattle yards on the farm so 4wd vehicle is recommended No trucking on day of sale

50 x Purebred Simmental Cows, Exceptional Line 16 x 249kg ave. Purebred Simm. Wnr Bulls, $1,125 Chris Kyle, Ph: 027 496 7412

Key: Dairy

88 Frsn Frsn X Cows

Farm sold – Genuine Capital Stock Cows

35 x 160kg ave. Frs Weaner Bulls, $625 Richard Seavill, Ph: 021 169 8276

Helping grow the country

BW 123 PW 164 RA 79% DTC 10/7 I/C LIC Frsn, Jsy, Kiwi x 10 weeks tailed Jersey bulls 370 m/solids per cow - System 2 $1880 Ref #012225 Dave Stuart 027 224 1049

Monday 4th April – 11.30am start

www.dyerlivestock.co.nz

JW110877©

On offer will be 720 Calves: • 300 Hereford Steer Calves • 160 Angus/Hereford x Steer Calves • 105 Hereford Heifer Calves • 155 Angus/Hereford x Heifer Calves All calves being offered are October born SI High Country Station bred calves. They will have been mustered and weaned a good week prior to the sale. Trucked to Temuka Saleyards where they will be drafted and sorted into sale lines. Due to time weaned and presale handling these calves are renowned for their quietness & good temperament. All calves have had horns checked and dehorned at weaning. All Bulls purchased in recent years are polled. Our Vendor’s regularly purchase 15-20 Sire Bulls per year from re nouned Beef Studs throughout the South Island. Doing this ensures continuous improvement and genetic gains. Calves traditionally range in liveweight between 160-240kgs TB Status: C10 This sale will be conducted purchase price plus GST. Light luncheon provided at conclusion of sale. Due to the country being in COVID Red Light we are Limited to numbers attending auctions (100), so we ask that only those intending to purchase attend please. All attendees must have a COVID Vaccination Pass and scan or sign into the sale. Enquires: Ken Wigley Vendor 03 438 9642 Johnny Wigley Vendor 03 438 9644 Joe Higgins PGW 027 431 4041 George Mannering Hazlett 027 462 0182

(approx 20km from Tinui Village & will be signposted)

To Hereford Bulls 2 cycles 205 R3YR Heifers VIC 10th Nov 400 R4–8YR Cows VIC 25th Nov 250 Heifer Calves 12 R3-6YR Koanui Bulls

Friday 18th March 1pm

GLENLYON & HUXLEY GORGE 93RD ANNUAL CALF SALE Temuka Saleyards Wednesday 30 March, 2022 Commencing 12 Noon

Tinui Valley Road, Masterton

100% Koanui Breeding

Autumn Ram Sale

JW110962©

FARMERS WEEKLY – March 14, 2022

Darryl Houghton 0274 515 315 Hybrid Auction Sales streamed live via MyLiveStock

FOR FULL MACHINERY LIST & STOCK VIEW OUR WEBSITE: www.carrfieldslivestock.co.nz

SALE TALK Back in the days when tractors were just becoming popular an old farmer who had worked with nothing but horses all his life decided that one of these new, fangled inventions might just make life a little easier so he bought one. When it arrived, he got the salesman to park it in the barn and after dinner he and his wife admired and polished the new purchase before retiring for the night. During the night a couple of larrikins from the local village shovelled a big pile of horse

manure directly behind the tractor and quietly sneaked away. When the old farmer came out in the morning he was greatly perturbed and immediately fetched the tractor’s handbook to see what was wrong. After half an hour’s quiet study he shouted to his wife it’s alright Ma it says here in the handbook that a tractor does twice as much as a horse. Ivan Mcphail Middlemarch

MARKET SNAPSHOT

Market Snapshot brought to you by the AgriHQ analysts.

Mel Croad

Suz Bremner

Reece Brick

Fiona Quarrie

Hayley O’Driscoll

Caitlin Pemberton

Deer

Sheep

Cattle BEEF

SHEEP MEAT

VENISON

Last week

Prior week

Last year

NI Steer (300kg)

5.95

5.00

NI lamb (17kg)

8.30

8.35

6.50

NI Stag (60kg)

7.95

5.35

NI Bull (300kg)

5.90

5.00

NI mutton (20kg)

5.80

5.10

SI Stag (60kg)

8.00

7.95

5.35

NI Cow (200kg)

4.30

3.50

SI lamb (17kg)

8.20

8.25

6.25

SI Steer (300kg)

5.85

5.90

4.50

SI mutton (20kg)

5.55

5.00

SI Bull (300kg)

5.75

4.50

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

SI Cow (200kg)

4.15

4.20

3.25

UK CKT lamb leg

13.64

13.95

10.65

US imported 95CL bull

10.27

10.45

7.50

US domestic 90CL cow

9.00

9.23

7.11

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Last week Prior week

Last year

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

6.5

5.5

7.0 6.0 5.0

8.0 7.0 6.0

10.0

5.0

9.0

South Island lamb slaughter price

8.0 6.0

8.0

5.0

$/kg CW

4.5

South Island steer slaughter price

Oct

5.0

WOOL

4.5

(NZ$/kg) Feb

5-yr ave

Apr

Jun

2020-21

Dairy

Aug 2021-22

Dec 5-yr ave

Apr 2020-21

Jun

Aug 2021-22

Prior week

Last year

Coarse xbred ind.

2.64

2.70

2.30

37 micron ewe

2.70

30 micron lamb

2.85

$/tonne Jul-21 Sep-21 Sept. 2021

Prior week

vs 4 weeks ago

WMP

4850

4775

4600

SMP

4150

4170

4025

AMF

6700

6800

6085

Butter

6550

6600

5250

Milk Price

9.77

9.51

1190

637

2.15

Super

373

305

2.40

DAP

1345

891

Apr-21

Jun-21

Aug-21

Oct-21

Dec-21

Feb-22

Company

YTD High

YTD Low

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd

27.27

33.4

25.93

Meridian Energy Limited (NS)

5.08

5.36

4.33

Auckland International Airport Limited

7.15

7.885

6.88

Mainfreight Limited

4.69

4.75

4.3

Spark New Zealand Limited

78.3

94.4

75.95

Mercury NZ Limited (NS)

5.68

6.36

5.45

Ebos Group Limited

37.23

43.13

36.11 7.55

Contact Energy Limited

8.01

8.42

Infratil Limited

8.2

8.34

7.5

Fletcher Building Limited

6.55

7.44

6.23

Listed Agri Shares

$/tonne

450

YTD High

YTD Low

ArborGen Holdings Limited

0.235

0.27

0.215

The a2 Milk Company Limited

5.77

6.39

5.31

Comvita Limited

3.5

3.78

3.22 12.5

$/tonne

4500

Aug

14.45

3.34

3.78

3.29

Foley Wines Limited

1.5

1.57

1.42 0.18

Greenfern Industries Limited

0.184

0.25

400

1.45

1.3

Marlborough Wine Estates Group Limited

0.22

0.26

0.21

New Zealand King Salmon Investments Ltd

1.38

0.99

350

PGG Wrightson Limited

5.76

4.95

Apr-21

Jun-21

Aug-21

Oct-21

Dec-21

Feb-22

450

5000

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS)

WAIKATO PALM KERNEL

5500

5pm, close of market, Thursday

Company

Delegat Group Limited

WMP FUTURES - VS FOUR WEEKS AGO

Jul 4 weeks ago

NZ average (NZ$/t)

Top 10 by Market Cap

500

Feb-21

Jun

Fertiliser Urea

400

Feb-21

* price as at close of business on Thursday

Apr May Latest price

Aug 2021-22

Last year

CANTERBURY FEED BARLEY

Last price*

Mar

Jun

Prior week

450

350

Nov-21 Jan-22 Mar-22 Sept. 2022

DAIRY FUTURES (US$/T) Nearby contract

Apr 2020-21

Last week

CANTERBURY FEED WHEAT

$/kg MS

May-21

Feb

FERTILISER Last week

500

Mar-21

4000

Feb

Grain

Data provided by

MILK PRICE FUTURES 10.00 9.50 9.00 8.50 8.00 7.50 7.00 6.50 6.00

Dec 5-yr ave

5.5

Dec

Oct

6.0 5.0

Oct

7.0

6.0

4.0

South Island stag slaughter price

11.0

9.0

6.5 $/kg CW

8.0

10.0

7.0

US$/t

9.0

5.0

4.0

Last year

10.0

9.0

6.0

Last week Prior week

North Island stag slaughter price

11.0

$/kg CW

7.0

$/kg CW

10.0 $/kg CW

North Island steer slaughter price

North Island lamb slaughter price

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

$/kg CW

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Sara Hilhorst

Ingrid Usherwood

Rua Bioscience Limited

0.405

0.53

0.39

Sanford Limited (NS)

4.61

5.07

4.38

Scales Corporation Limited

5.02

5.59

4.75

Seeka Limited

5.01

5.36

Synlait Milk Limited (NS)

3.3

3.54

3.12

T&G Global Limited

400

2.85

3.01

2.82

S&P/NZX Primary Sector Equity Index

13415

14293

13215

S&P/NZX 50 Index

11926

13150

11733

S&P/NZX 10 Index

11608

12725

11311

350 300

Feb-21

S&P/FW PRIMARY SECTOR EQUITY

Apr-21

Jun-21

Aug-21

Oct-21

Dec-21

Feb-22

13415

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

11926

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

11608

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

Analyst intel

WEATHER

Overview Generally speaking, this week the South Island is going to be more settled, while the North Island has a low lurking nearby, bringing rain in the east. Most places are settled today, but cloud and showers build for the North Island’s east coast as the low to the northeast nears. Tuesday sees a weak cold front push northwards over the South Island while we have southeasterlies further north. Wednesday to Sunday we have a southeasterly airflow over the country and a low to the northeast of the North Island ensures a wet week in the east. The eastern South Island has some cloud and the odd shower, while out west has sunny weather.

14-day outlook This week’s main focus will be a low pressure system near the North Island bringing in a southeasterly airflow. Rain is likely for eastern regions, while out west is drier. However, there could be some rain as we head towards next weekend. The South Island has higher pressure overall, so it is more settled by comparison, but we still have a few showers in the east at times, with south to southeasterly winds. Expect dry, with mostly sunny weather in the west. A front may move through early next week from the southwest, then it looks settled from then on, with a big high pressure system taking control.

Hayley O’Driscoll hayley.odriscoll@globalhq.co.nz

Soil Moisture

Highlights

24/02/2022

Wind

Tuesday and the rest of this week sees a breezy southeasterly airflow for the North Island; gusty about some coastal spots, especially in the west. Through Cook Strait and East Cape these winds will be strong to gale force.

Source: NIWA Data

Temperature

7-day rainfall forecast

Highs in the mid to late teens in the east this week. The eastern North Island will be warmer than further south. The West Coast gets into the early 20s, while the western North Island gets into the mid-20s at times.

The eastern North Island is looking to have a wet week ahead, areas of rain may be heavy at times. The western North Island is drier but on Friday, and especially next weekend, there is a chance of rain making it out west at times. The South Island has a dry week in the west, while the east coast will see a few showers from time to time, thanks to southerly quarter winds.

Plant disruption set to continue

Highlights/ Extremes

100

200

400

Rainfall accumulation over seven days, from March 14 to March 21. Forecast generated at 1am on March 11.

The main point of interest will be a low pressure system delivering a constant stream of rain to the eastern North Island this week. There is room for this to change somewhat, so please keep up-to-date with the forecasts at RuralWeather.co.nz

ISRUPTIONS at processing plants have now become our difficult reality. Large staff absenteeism rates remain at the core of these disruptions. The top half of the North Island has been experiencing significant processing disruptions for a few weeks now, as surging Omicron community case numbers have spread to the regions around Auckland. Increasing community infection rates and stringent testing measures upon arrival at processing plants means staff absenteeism rates have shot skyward, as the surge of Omicron forces employees to self-isolate. Allocating slaughter space has become a juggling act as the capacity of processing plants is largely unknown until the day, as staffing numbers can change at short notice.

Allocating slaughter space has become a juggling act as the capacity of processing plants is largely unknown until the day, as staffing numbers can change at short notice. Now, as the highly contagious variant is quickly making its way down the country, an increased number of processors and their support businesses are being significantly impacted by large numbers of staff isolating at home. The lower half of the North Island and the South Island have higher concentrations of sheep processing plants than the upper North Island, so we are now seeing the full effects on both beef and sheep processing. Already this season, the North Island lamb kill has been significantly trailing last season and the five-year average by over 500,000 head. The South Island on the other hand has had a more favourable

season, which has allowed for smoother lamb throughput, and its lamb slaughter is down by over 40,000 head compared to last season and down over 80,000 head on the five-year average. Based on Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s mid-season report, while the total lamb crop is forecast to be lower, lamb export slaughter tallies remain the same as earlier expectations. Therefore, a lower kill rate so far this season points to a much more congested lamb kill for the remainder of the season, particularly for the North Island. Typically, April is when lamb slaughter numbers begin to decline after peaking in February/March. This could still be the case, however it won’t be down to the same reasons of prior years where lamb kill rates have been higher in previous months; it will be because of processors’ inability to operate at full capacity, with large numbers of staff still isolating at home. A staggered lift in rebuilding capacity, and the upcoming three short weeks in April because of public holidays, means processor space backlogs could magnify, given the number of lambs that remain to be killed for the season. This year’s autumn weather conditions and feed levels are a different picture to the previous two autumns. The east coasts of both islands were very dry in March 2020 and March 2021. So far this year these regions have been experiencing wetter conditions and have much-improved feed conditions heading into autumn, which could spread the flow of lambs heading to the processors. Farmers in Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Southland are experiencing dry conditions and could be under much more pressure if they are unable to get processor space. April is also the month when cow slaughter rates typically start to ramp up, peaking in May. With the dairy payout at its current high level, it will be interesting to see if the same volume of cull cows head to slaughter in April or if they will be held longer this year. Already there are indications of increasing bookings of cull cows as dry conditions bite through parts of the North Island. If these processing backlogs continue, dairy farmers may be required to hold onto cull cows for longer.

Make sure you get wind of the weather ahead.

Next time I’ll check WeatherWatch

Get hyper-local, accurate wind forecasts for every small part of New Zealand. Exclusively on WeatherWatch.

WIND FORECAST

www.weatherwatch.co.nz

SALE YARD WRAP

Pressure on prime and boner markets The week has been one of easing prices in the prime and boner markets as stock processing limitations flow down to the yards. Most prime markets covered by AgriHQ reports showed an easing across both the cattle and sheep pens. The impact is due to staffing issues at plants that have meant reductions in shifts and therefore space available for finished stock. In some regions stock typically destined for the processors is being diverted to the yards and sellers are meeting the market to move them out the farm gate. One exception to the trend at some yards have been grazing ewes, as buyers with paddocks to graze out utilise this market. AUCKLAND Pukekohe cattle • Good weaner Hereford heifers achieved $800 • Medium R2 steers earned $2.75-$2.86/kg, $1360-$2090 • Medium R2 heifers fetched $2.69/kg to $2.80/kg, $1550-$1570 • Boner cows made $1.82-$1.86/kg, $770-$910 A large number of mostly lesser quality weaners put pressure on prices at PUKEKOHE on Saturday 5th March. Weaner steers made $555-$600 and crossbred heifers $380$555. Prime steers sold at $2.75-$2.86/kg, $1360-$2090 and heifers eased to $2.69/kg to $2.80/kg, $1550-$1570.

COUNTIES Tuakau sales • Belgian Blue-cross steers, 386kg, made $3.47/kg • Hereford-Friesian weaner steers, 185kg, managed $680 • Angus-Friesian heifers, 316kg, earned $3.16/kg • Heavy prime lambs realised $160-$181 TUAKAU’s store cattle sale drew 320-head last Thursday and the market was firm, PGG Wrightson agent Craig Reiche reported. Hereford-Friesian steers, 603kg, made $2.93/kg, while 502kg Charolais and 422kg HerefordFriesian both returned $3.12/kg. Hereford-Friesian and Angus-cross heifers, 362-370kg, earned $3.07-$3.09/kg. Hereford-Friesian, 202kg, realised $670 and 112kg, $480. Prime steer prices lifted 10-15c/kg last Wednesday. Heavy steers traded at $2.91-$2.96/kg and light-medium, $2.73 to $2.91/kg. Medium-heavy heifers realised $2.71-$2.86/ kg, with beef cows at $1.91-$2.03/kg and heavy boners, $1.66/kg to $1.82/kg. Medium cows made $1.54-$1.66/kg and light, $1.40-$1.54/kg. Over 1200 sheep were yarded on Monday. Medium prime lambs fetched $130-$160 and store lambs, $70-$127. Heavy prime ewes sold well at $168-$200 and medium, $130-$168.

WAIKATO Frankton cattle 8.3 • R3 Angus-Friesian heifers, 436kg, managed $2.67/kg • R2 Charolais-cross heifers, 400-433kg, earned $2.67-$2.71/kg • Weaner Friesian bulls, 147-174kg, eased to $500-$540 Just 90 store cattle were penned at FRANKTON last Tuesday for PGG Wrightson. Three R2 Charolais-cross steers, 350kg, topped their section at $2.80/kg. HerefordFriesian above 350kg managed $2.63-$2.74/kg. Ten-month dairy-beef steers, 282-305kg, traded at $740. Just over 60 prime cattle were offered. Hereford-Friesian steers, 550kg, earned $2.73/kg while same breed heifers, 427-532kg, eased to $2.52-$2.70/kg. Boner Friesian cows, 458-502kg, softened to $1.48-$1.53/kg. Read more in your LivestockEye. Frankton cattle 9.3 • R2 dairy-beef heifers, 286-340kg and vetted-in-calf to Angus, earned $630-$800 • R3 Hereford-dairy cows, 310-391kg and run-with a Hereford bull, fetched $640-$780 • R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 357kg, reached $2.93/kg Store cattle throughput lifted to 345 head at FRANKTON last Wednesday for New Zealand Farmers Livestock and vetted-in-calf heifers and run-with-bull cows made up 50% of that tally. R3 Hereford-dairy steers, 461kg, managed $2.67/kg. A pen of R3 Hereford bulls, 503kg, realised $3.06/kg and same breed R2, 421kg, earned $2.71/kg. R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 274-280kg, eased to $2.61-$2.64/ kg. Limited weaners included Hereford-Friesian bulls, 126kg, at $550 and Friesian, 140kg, $500. Prime cattle numbered 43 head and Hereford cows, 580kg, held at $1210, $2.09/kg. Boner cows, 455-543kg, softened to $1.45$1.48/kg. Read more in your LivestockEye. Reporoa feeder calves • Top Hereford-Friesian bulls made $352 The feeder calf season kicked off at REPOROA last Thursday and got off to a strong start, PGG Wrightson agent Finn Kamphorst reported. A total of 115 were offered and medium Friesian bulls reached $230 and Hereford-Friesian, $335-$355. Medium red Hereford-Friesian returned $160-$165 and small, $70. Small Angus-cross sold for $40. Top black

Hereford-Friesian heifers were $247-$255 and medium $230 while smaller calves came in at $40-$60. Medium red factor heifers sold for $80 and the balance of these and Angus-cross made $30-$40.

KING COUNTRY Te Kuiti cattle and sheep • Heavy prime ewes made $144-$157, medium $120-$138 and light $70-$90 • Blackface ewe lambs traded at $107 • Traditional weaner steers, 276-299kg, earned $3.25/kg to $3.41/kg • Weaner South Devon-cross steers, 218-240kg, achieved $3.81$3.90/kg • Well bred weaner Hereford culls, 282kg, realised $3.29/kg, $930 There was a small yarding of lesser quality sheep at TE KUITI last Wednesday. The best of the prime lambs made $120-$131. Top store lambs earned $125-$128 and the next cut $100-$120. There was a good quality yarding of about 900 weaner steers at TE KUITI on Thursday. There was a small bench of buyers with support from both locals and those outside the region. Breeding was mostly Charolais and Simmental and the best consisted of 320kg, which made $1105, $3.45/kg. Traditionally bred steers around 230-250kg achieved $3.55-$3.62/kg, $840-$865 and 239kg Hereford $3.51/kg, $840. A good line of Simmental-cross bulls, 290kg, were secured for $3.26/kg. Around 70 pens of weaner heifers were offered on Friday. The best exotic around 310kg made $3.16/kg, $980 and other good lines of 256-295kg exotic $3.07-$3.11/kg. Traditional, 196-208kg, fetched $3.20/kg to $3.35/kg. Smaller types around 150kg sold at $450-$500.

BAY OF PLENTY Rangiuru cattle and sheep • Ten R2 Hereford-cross steers, 455kg, fetched $2.99/kg • Two pens of prime lambs earned $170 Cattle yarded at RANGIURU last Tuesday met lower demand. Dairy-beef steers, 581-642kg, returned $2.71$2.83/kg and well-finished Friesian bulls, 674kg, collected $2.80/kg. Boner cows were in better condition and traded from $1.38/kg to $1.51/kg. Better R2 beef and dairy-beef steers realised $2.82-$2.94/kg while lighter and off-types sold just over $2.40/kg. Belgian Blue-Friesian and HerefordFriesian heifers, 355-398kg, were the pick of their section and earned $2.52-$2.66/kg. Being between fairs, demand for weaners was lacking but some traditional bulls and heifers did go for $570-$735. Medium lambs collected $151-$158 and heaviest ewes made $130. Read more in your LivestockEye.

POVERTY BAY Matawhero sheep • Mixed age prime ewes sold at $130-$152 • Prime wethers earned $160-$180 • Store ewe lambs fetched $122-$132.50 Prime lambs lifted at MATAWHERO last Friday with the best $164-$170 and lighter types $131-$149. In the store pens, top 5-year Romney ewes earned $145-$161 and mixed age ewes mostly $126-$140. A big yarding of store male lambs mostly eased to $131-$146.60 and the next cut $124.50-$128. Read more in your LivestockEye.

TARANAKI Taranaki cattle • Quality R2 Charolais-cross steers, 476kg, achieved $3.08/kg • Top R2 heifers made $2.55-$2.61/kg and the next cut $2.40-$2.50/ kg • Good R3 dairy-beef steers traded at $2.90-$3.00/kg and heavier heifers $2.86/kg • Autumn-born 1-year steers typically earned $3.16-$3.19/kg • Prime steers and heifers held at $2.96-$3.01/kg Just over 800 cattle were presented at the TARANAKI cattle fair last Wednesday and a smaller bench of buyers couldn’t quite meet supply. R2 cattle made up the bulk of the yarding and better types 400-430kg sold to $2.99-$3.02/ kg and the next cut $2.60/kg to $2.80/kg. In the weaner pens better steers and bulls reached $500-$550.

HAWKE’S BAY Stortford Lodge prime sheep • Very heavy mixed-age ewes traded at a steady to improved $166$175 • Medium to good mixed-age ewes improved to $116-$140.50 • Very good 2-tooth ewes and wethers were consistent at $139 • Good ram lambs earned $130-$134 • Good ewe lambs realised $147-$154 Prime ewes numbered 1093 head at STORTFORD LODGE last Monday and sold to increased competition. Two extremely large mixed-age ewes topped the sale at $203. Very good to heavy ewes held at $143-$161. Lightmedium types firmed to $100-$108.50 with lighter options at $59-$80. Lamb throughput increased slightly with 105 penned and traded on a softer market. Heavy ram lambs earned $161-$178. Heavy mixed-sex lines managed $152 and medium to good, $100-$141. Read more in your LivestockEye. Stortford Lodge store cattle and sheep • R3 traditional steers, 436-580kg, eased to $3.02-$3.10/kg • R2 traditional heifers, 482-521kg, also eased to $2.78-$2.87/kg • Good ewe lambs sold for $128-$138 The cattle sale took a breather at STORTFORD LODGE last Wednesday as 216 cattle were penned; the bulk of which were R3 steers. Prices eased and a small R2 steer offering matched R3 prices. Two pens of R2 Angus heifers, 247-312kg, sold for $2.82-$2.94/kg. Store lamb volume lifted to a moderate yarding of 3200 and overall prices were firm. All lambs were shorn or slipe and good cryptorchid varied from $133.50 to $155.50. Medium ram lambs held at $127-$128.50 and same weight ewe lambs sold well at $120$130.50. Ewes sold to limited interest as 2-tooth Romdale and 4-tooth Romney returned $164-$167 and 5-year Perendale, $80-$134. Read more in your LivestockEye. Wairoa cattle sale • R3 traditional steers earned $1490-$1715 • A small entry of R3 bulls achieved $1410 There was a good line-up of 1130 well-bred cattle at WAIROA last Thursday and buyers came from South Auckland down to Manawatu. Most cattle were annual draft Angus, Angus-Hereford and exotic and all sold well. Buyers appreciated the larger lines sizes on offer and top R2 traditional steers made $1000-$6120 and heifers $920$1325.

MANAWATŪ Feilding prime cattle and sheep • Heaviest mixed-sex lambs collected $198 • Three Angus bulls, 503kg, held at $3.16/kg A shortage of processing space eased returns on lambs at FEILDING last Monday and many pens were passed at auction. A large proportion of those sold were good types which made $174-$184. A large yarding of ewes sold to the usual buyers and the market was relatively steady for condition. Medium types were most prevalent and earned $110-$131. The market also eased on boner cows and most traded from $1.35/kg to $1.50/kg though one with better weight and condition reached $1.97/kg. Steers and heifers were generally under-finished and the heaviest were Hereford-Friesian heifers, 440kg, which made $2.76/kg. Read more in your LivestockEye. Feilding store cattle and sheep • R3 straight-beef steers, 565-735kg, were $3.10-$3.15/kg • R2 straight-beef steers, 470-535kg, sold for $3.10-$3.20/kg • Weaner Friesian bulls, 130-205kg, mainly made $3.20-$3.45/kg • Store male lambs averaged $134 • Store ewe lambs averaged $120 There were 1100 head at the FEILDING store cattle sale. Heavy Friesian bulls, 530-625kg, made $3.05/kg. Goodsized lines of 285-330kg straight-beef R2 steers were $2.90$3.05/kg, while 395-435kg R2 Friesian bulls were $2.90/ kg. Good-sized lines of R2 straight-beef heifers, 280-285k, were $2.90-$3.10/kg while almost a hundred 275-370kg freemartin Friesian heifers sold for $1.95-$2.15/kg. A little under 12,000 store lambs were traded. Heavy males were

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022

SOUTH-CANTERBURY Temuka prime and boner cattle, all sheep • Heaviest prime lambs made $198 • Prime steers eased with most at $2.85-$2.95/kg • Good prime heifers held at $2.70/kg to $2.89/kg A good yarding of store lambs was offered at TEMUKA last Monday to a selective buying gallery with a preference for male lambs. Good whiteface males traded at $130-$137 while mixed-sex lines of similar size made $120. The ewe market generally held, aside from the lighter end which eased $5. Cattle pens mostly consisted of boner heifers and cows and the market dropped. Friesian cows made $1.25-$1.35/ kg and a few heavy types $1.40-$1.50/kg. Boner heifers were more resilient and the top end of Friesian above 500kg eased 10c/kg to $2.45-$2.56/kg. Read more in your LivestockEye. Temuka store cattle • R2 Simmental-Angus steers, 367kg, fetched $3.12/kg • A pen of 28 R2 Hereford-Shorthorn bulls, 361kg, collected $3.05/ kg A mostly quality line-up of cattle was offered to a small but strong buying gallery at TEMUKA last Thursday. R3 Pitt Island steers traded at $2.80-$2.83/kg. R2 steers from the same location, along with other good beef types, collected $2.80-$2.96/kg. The best dairy-beef options, including Speckle ParkFriesian and Hereford-Friesian, weighed 359-423kg and realised $2.93-$3.02/kg. Well-marked Hereford-Friesian heifers, 385-441kg, returned $2.65-$2.68/kg while lighter types and reds made less. R2 bulls were also solely Pitt Island Hereford-Shorthorn and most earned $2.78-$2.91/kg aside from those lighter than 300kg which were passed in. Hereford-Shorthorn bull calves and Hereford-Friesian steers near 250kg met low demand and made $660. Read more in your LivestockEye.

OTAGO

WHO, ME? Cattle in the pens at the recent Southern Man sale in Lorneville.

$150-$155, good sorts $135-$145, mediums $120-$135, and lights $100-$115. Good ewe lambs were mostly $135$145, mediums made $115-$125, and lights were $90-$110. Almost 800 ewes sold relative to their weight and condition on all age groups, where good types were around $160$170 and mediums made $130-$140. Read more in your LivestockEye. Rongotea cattle • Beef-cross heifer feeder calves earned $150-$265 • R2 Hereford bulls, 620kg, achieved $2.90/kg • Weaner Angus steers, 216kg, traded at $685 • Weaner Limousin-cross bulls made $450-$600 • Better weaner heifers reached $440-$550 Feeder calves sold well at RONGOTEA last Tuesday, New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent Darryl Harwood reported. Friesian bulls made $145-$155 and beef-cross, $150-$270. R2 steers fetched $2.53/kg to $2.94/kg and heifers $2.50$2.63/kg.

CANTERBURY Canterbury Park cattle and sheep • R3 Hereford steers, 421kg, collected $3.16/kg • R2 Angus heifers, 355kg, reached $2.73/kg • Heaviest prime lambs made $215 Another small yarding of store lambs met high demand at CANTERBURY PARK last Tuesday. Male Romney pens got the ball rolling as the heaviest fetched $143 and middle cut

Photo: Natwick

made $133. Other medium types traded from $108, and a small premium was paid for shorn and slipe wool lengths. The prime lamb market eased, and good types earned $160-$177. Ewes remained steady. Prime cattle markets also eased and steers over 475kg made $2.81-$2.93/kg. Heifers, 440-535kg, returned $2.56-$2.69/kg as $2.80-$2.86/kg was reserved for 590-720kg weights. Better R2 steers collected $2.67-$2.75/kg and others were discounted. Returns of $2.55-$2.64/kg were common for R2 heifers of reasonable quality. Read more in your LivestockEye. Coalgate cattle and sheep • Angus-cross steers, 589kg, earned $2.92/kg • Weaner Angus steers, 340kg, fetched $1150 • Heaviest prime lambs made $215 on a softer market • Good shorn ewe lambs collected $140 Prime cattle were generally under-finished at COALGATE last Thursday and the market softened. Angus and Dexter steers, 505-510kg, made $2.75/kg while dairy-beef under 480kg traded at $2.60-$2.70/kg. Heifers over 460kg realised $2.70-$2.87/kg and lighter types were at least 20c/kg behind. Bulls, 540-760kg, made $2.89-$2.98/kg while the boner cow market dropped 25c/kg. R2 dairy-beef steers over 300kg traded above $2.77/kg and returns for heifers over 280kg were 20c/kg below. A small yarding of store lambs from North Canterbury sold on a steady market and were mostly medium types which realised $100-$117. The prime ewe market eased, particularly on heavier types. Read more in your LivestockEye.

Balclutha sheep and cattle • Store lambs firmed a few dollars to $82-$128 • Store steers, 400-480kg, averaged $2.35/kg with the best at $2.66/ kg Prime lambs sold by PGG Wrightson made $129-$190 at BALCLUTHA last Wednesday and prime ewes averaged $134 while the tops sold to $180. In the store cattle pens, heifers above 400kg averaged $2.24/kg and lighter types, $2.00/kg to $2.15/kg.

SOUTHLAND Lorneville cattle and sheep • Better prime bulls earned $2.70/kg to $2.90/kg • Weaner Friesian bulls traded at $450 and beef-cross $465 • Weaner beef-cross heifers, 138kg, achieved $325 • Boner cows made $0.90/kg to $1.20/kg • Heavy prime ewes realised $140-$160, medium $120-$138 and light $90-$110 There was a large yarding of prime cattle at LORNEVILLE last Tuesday. Prime steers 550kg and above eased to $2.50/ kg to $2.70/kg and better dairy heifers, $1.50/kg to $2.00/ kg. In the store pens, R2 Hereford-cross steers, 416kg, sold at $2.46/kg, $1025 and 429kg Friesian bulls $2.49/kg. Heavy prime lambs lifted to $150-$188, medium $130-$147 and light $115-$129. Top store lambs eased to $118-$125, medium $100-$115 and light $85-$95. Charlton sheep • Store ewes earned $150 • Store lambs averaged $87 with the best at $116 Prime ewes sold by PGG Wrightson made $78-$170 at CHARLTON last Thursday and prime lambs $128-$162.

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Markets

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – March 14, 2022 NI STEER

SI STEER

NI LAMB

($/KG)

5.95

5.85

8.30

BONER FRIESIAN COWS, 530KG AVERAGE, AT TEMUKA ($/KG LW)

1.28

high $1030-$1070 $135-$155 & Angus-Hereford Good to heavy male lights Angus lambs, at Feilding store steers, 302-310kg, at Wellsford Weaner Fair

Grass feeds demand in weaner market Suz Bremner suz.bremner@globalhq.co.nz

RASS continues to have a positive influence on the weaner fair market and another round of fairs posted good results. A yarding of 1085 weaner steers and bulls were penned at Wellsford last Monday. Angus and Angus-Hereford steers, 279-358kg, realised $1000-$1150 and 154-275kg, $635-$940. Top Charolais, 308kg, fetched $1120 and 203-250kg, $780-$910. Charolais-Hereford, 271297kg, finished at $1050-$1080. Hereford, 194-323kg, returned $715-$1030. Hereford-Friesian met good demand and 300-303kg fetched $1050-$1055 and 160-240kg, $680-$780. Top Angus and Hereford bulls, 295-310kg, earned $910, while Hereford, 216-240kg, fetched $650$675. Dairy and dairy-beef bulls, 123164kg, traded at $550-$590. Just over 600 mostly dairy-beef calves were penned at Taupō last Monday, which sold to good demand. Competition was strong for heifers and those above 250kg reached $805-$930 regardless of breed. The next cut of 190-260kg earned $620$775 and lesser types $440-$590. Good steers, 250-300kg, traded at $830-$900, though most sold for $610-$780. Beef weaners numbered 1102 at Frankton last Monday and prices were firm. Angus steers, 245-263kg, earned $930-$965 and 130-218kg, $530-$800. Charolais-Angus, 232-269kg, returned $860-$960. Heifers were the largest section and Angus, 272kg, reached $900, while 163-248kg earned $555-$790. Charolais-Angus, 327kg, fetched $950 and 208-232kg, $690-$765. Hereford, 225-248kg, firmed to $720-$765 and 147-206kg, $500-$670. Bulls numbered 289 head. Angus, 218-274kg, managed $690-$870. Ten 309kg Hereford bulls topped the sale at $1440, $4.66/kg, with the balance, 166-298kg, at $630-$1190.

ALL EARS ON MASTERTON: Weaner fairs have started at Masterton and these South Devon were among the yarding of 400 penned at the heifer fair. Kauri sold around 450 weaner steers last Tuesday, of which the bulk were the traditional and exotic. Top lines weighed 280-310kg and made $950-$1085, $3.20/ kg to $3.57/kg. Those in the 215-255kg range made $810-$850, $3.30-$3.75/ kg and 200-210kg’ $700-$750 for per kilogram rates. Smaller calves returned $590-$680. Around 1250 weaner steers were presented at the Kaikohe fair last Wednesday and mostly consisted of Simmental, Charolais and Angus. Autumn-born steers, 300-370kg, fetched $3.10/kg to $3.30/kg, $1100-$1200. Top spring-born steers traded from $3.15/kg to $3.40/kg, $950-$1050, and the next cut $3.25/kg to $3.50/kg. Small to medium lines, including dairy-beef, sold from $3.40/kg to $4.40/kg. The market was solid at the Masterton weaner fairs. Cattle headed out of Wairarapa to Hawke’s Bay and Manawatū, and one unit load went to the South Island. Approximately 800 steers were offered, topped by Simmental-cross at $1200 at an estimated $3.30/kg. Those

280-310kg typically fetched $3.60/kg to $3.80/kg and 230-260kg $3.90-$4.05/kg. Of the 400 bulls, most earned $3.70/kg to $4.00/kg and the top traditional $1335, $3.70/kg. Around 400 heifers were offered last Wednesday, and top Simmental reached $910. Better types typically traded at $3.20-$3.30/kg and lighter $3.50/kg. The market was also strong at Peria last Thursday, where 1900 mainly traditional and exotic calves were offered. Prices varied through the weight ranges as different lines ticked different boxes for the mainly local buying bench. Steers, 300kg-plus, mainly traded at $910-$1100, $3/kg. Most steers weighed 210-290kg and sold for $770-$935, with the top pens at $3.10 -$3.40/kg. Lighter pens traded at $600-$750. Heifers 220kg and better sold for $725-$900 at similar $/kg to the steers. The top pen of heifers weighed 342kg and made $1070, $3.13/kg. Angus heifers, 165-185kg, sold well at $610-$675, $3.63-$3.92/kg. A highlight was springborn Simmental bulls, 325-370kg, which achieved $3.70-$3.78/kg, $1100-$1250.

sale

ACROSS THE RAILS SUZ BREMNER

Online trading expands the buying bench TECHNOLOGY came to the Northland sale yards for the weaner fair season, as bidr provided livestreaming and online bidding for the first time, opening up the buying bench significantly for sellers and also helping to keep crowds at the yards within the 100-head limit in red setting. Bidr upper North Island territory manager Jess Davies had a busy week covering the fairs at Wellsford, Kaikohe, Kauri, Peria and Broadwood, but was pleased with results. “Fifteen to 20 buyers registered for each, but there were also a lot of watchers. Uptake at the beginning of the week was slower than expected but Peria was the busiest day, with a lot of online activity,” Davies said. While buyers registered from outside provinces such as King Country, Gisborne and Waikato, it was local buyers who were mainly successful through the system, especially on heifers at the Peria fair. “Local buyers that could not get to the yards due to covid really took advantage of bidr. There was a lot of action on the heifers at Peria and mostly on the top lines of heifers, especially Charolais,” she said. The introduction of the bidr system at these Far North yards was well-received, but the days were not without challenges. Davies said the biggest challenge was selling over the rails.

There was a lot of action on the heifers at Peria. Jess Davies Bidr “At Peria the calves were sold over the rails, which meant at times it was hard to get a good view for those watching, as well as moving between the pens. Each yard also had a different set-up that provided its own logistical challenge, but everyone was super friendly and helpful and keen to give these weaner fairs more exposure,” she said. “The one area that we expected challenges was with the internet but that did not falter, even at the more remote yards.” Davies was looking forward to the heifer fairs next on the calendar.

Farmers Weekly NZ March 14, 2022

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