Farmers Weekly NZ January 15 2024

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Exports hit by new blow to shipping Neal Wallace

MARKETS

S

Exports

OME New Zealand dairy exports are taking nearly three weeks longer to reach international markets as they are diverted to avoid military tensions in the Red Sea and delays traversing the Panama Canal due to drought.

Santiago Aon, Fonterra’s director of global supply chain, said carriers are diverting around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid conflict in the Red Sea, which increases transit times for the cooperative’s cargo by 14-17 days.

It is very likely these changes will result in congestion and delays for some time.

Santiago Aon Fonterra “It is very likely these changes will result in congestion and delays for some time and detail of those impacts will become clearer over the next few weeks,” Aon said.

Dairy and meat sectors said they have not had significant delays traversing the Panama Canal, where drought has created capacity restrictions that are delaying some vessels by up to a week.

Aon described global shipping as fluid and changing daily, but said Fonterra is working with key partners to prioritise and manage its orders.

Meat companies targeting the lucrative United Kingdom Easter trade are concerned that any shipping delays could impact lead-in times, the Meat Industry Association said.

“Red meat processors are watching developments in the Middle East closely, particularly in regard to the potential impact on chilled beef and lamb exports, but at this stage we haven’t received reports of any significant delays to major markets,” association chief executive Sirma Karapeeva said.

Attacks by Houthi rebels on cargo ships passing through the Red Sea and the drought afflicting the Panama Canal have disrupted global shipping.

Houthi rebels, who control much of Yemen, are using drones and firing missiles at cargo ships passing through the Red Sea in a show of support for the Hamas terrorist group in its war with Israel.

An international naval flotilla is protecting shipping, but there are reports that the number of container ships transiting the Red Sea in the first week of January is down 90% compared to the same time a year earlier, an indication carriers are avoiding the region.

Continued page 3

So far summer’s a breeze – for some While some farmers are labelling summer conditions the best in years, Mid Canterbury crop farmer Eric Watson is hoping for some settled weather over coming weeks as he begins harvesting. ‘It’s been an unusual season. August and September were warm, once the rain dried up, but we haven’t really had the weather predicted for an El Ninō. We’ve had the cold southerlies and a lot of cloudy days so the sun will be good now.’ Watson is busy with the harvester, but also ‘flat out irrigating’ wheat crops and late Timothy and ryegrasses.

Photo: Annette Scott

NEWS 4

Right royal nod for Wellington beekeeper At first Frank Lindsay feared that word of his appearance on the New Year Honours list, recognising more than 50 years of service to the apiculture industry, was a prank.

Photo: James Withington

PEOPLE 18 Prices at early season breeding ewe fairs instil new confidence in the sector.

2024 is shaping up to be as turbulent as last year for farmers, says Daniel Eb.

Milk-sourced probiotics could hold key to improving people’s mental health.

MARKETS 5

OPINION 17

TECHNOLOGY 19

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News in brief

Contents

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Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . 14-17 Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Federated Farmers . 21-24 Real Estate . . . . . . . . 25-29 Marketplace . . . . . . . 30-31 Livestock . . . . . . . . . . 31-33 Markets . . . . . . . . . . . 34-39 Weather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

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Zespri board chair Bruce Cameron will step down in February after five years in the role.

He will also retire as a director of Zespri at the company’s next annual meeting, in August. Cameron has been on the Zespri board since 2010, moving into the chair’s role in February 2019. Nathan Flowerday will take over as chair after February’s board meeting.

Lamb favoured

Supply to: adcopy@agrihq.co.nz

Lamb was New Zealand’s preferred main Christmas Day meat of choice, according to a new survey.

More than a third of respondents (34.29%) in the Retail Meat New Zealand annual Christmas survey opted for the classic Kiwi favourite over ham (33.17%). Beef was ranked in third place at 13.34%, and chicken (7.97%) prevailed over turkey (7.75%).

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Milk prices started the New Year on a positive note with a 1.2% rise in the overall average index price in the first GDT for 2024.

The overall average price on the January 2 auction was US$3363 a tonne with whole milk powder up 2.5%, selling for US$3290.

Results across other categories were mixed, with gains in AMF (0.2%) and butter (2.1%), and falls in cheddar (2.4%), SMP (0.9%), lactose (5%) and butter milk powder (0.1%).

Zespri changes

Dean and Cushla Williamson Phone: 027 323 9407 dean.williamson@agrihq.co.nz cushla.williamson@agrihq.co.nz

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Positive start

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PUBLISHERS

PRODUCTION

Honey production plummeted by 10,000 tonnes last year on the back of a wet and wild summer.

Ministry for Primary Industries data shows the total annual honey production reached only 12,000t in 2023, down from 22,000t in 2022 and a long way short of the five-year average of 20,900t. The poor return reflected last summer’s extreme weather events, and relentless rain at key times, especially in the north of the country.

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ACID ROCK: Ravensdown scientist Dr Ants Roberts’ claim that forestry damages soils has prompted a sharp response from the sector.

STORY P10

Back in 1860, exporting meat to the other side of the world seemed about as easy as nailing gravy to the ceiling. But a few determined kiwis took the bull by the horns and now our grass-fed beef and lamb is sought-after all around the globe.

At AFFCO, we see the same pioneering spirit alive and well in farmers today. We’re playing our part too – exploring every opportunity to take New Zealand’s finest farm-raised products to the world.

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News

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

Narrower focus with new M bovis test Annette Scott

TECHNOLOGY

A

Disease

NEW test that may allow for the elimination of individual animals for Mycoplasma bovis rather than whole herds is expected to change the impact of the disease on New Zealand farmers.

NZ-based biotechnology company Pictor Limited has launched the M bovis test for global markets.

Pictor chief operating officer Steve Richardson said develop-

RESULTS: Pictor chief operating officer Steve Richardson says the new test will provide a better solution for farmers and taxpayers in New Zealand.

Continued from page 1 The Red Sea provides shipping access to and from the Suez Canal, which the Dow Jones said accounts for about 12% of global trade with about 30% of global container traffic. On the other side of the globe, prolonged drought conditions in Panama, worsened by a severe El Niño, are causing delays due to a lack of water to operate the canal’s locks.

ment of the test is complete. It has been externally validated in NZ and Australian labs and is ready for use on NZ farms.

The launch of the Pictor PictVet Mycoplasma bovis Multiplex ELISA kit comes at a time when new active cases of M bovis have been found in Canterbury.

Richardson said the new test will provide a better solution for NZ farmers and NZ tax payers.

“We believe we have a better solution to save heartache, money and the M bovis programme a significant amount of money.”

He said M bovis “is not eradicated when new cases are still coming up.

“We need to do something because we believe we have a better solution for farmers and that’s what we are primarily interested in.

“Our test is 100% NZ developed and 100% NZ manufactured versus a European-based inferior test.

It is also cheaper and much more accurate.”

All detail and materials for the test, together with a full submission, have been with the Ministry for Primary Industries since October.

Pictor managing director Jamie Platt said the test that has been extensively validated in 5000 samples, including bulk tank milk, serum, and individual milk specimens.

“We have completed rigorous internal and external validation trials in NZ and Australia before

launching the test. In side-by-side studies with tests currently used in both Australia and NZ markets, our test has shown superior analytical performance, particularly in bulk tank milk, which is typically used as the primary screening method,” Platt said.

Chief science officer at Pictor Yoichi Furuya said the Pictor PictVet multiplex ELISA achieves superior performance by using three different antigens for detection, each optimised for the most commonly tested sample types.

“We believe that with the use of our M bovis test, farmers and testing agencies could potentially eliminate individual animals rather than entire herds.

“This approach not only reduces stress on farmers but also helps minimise costs associated with control programmes.”

The manufacturing partner for the Pictor PictVet Multiplex ELISA kit is Timaru-based South Pacific Sera.

South Pacific Sera co-founder and production director William Rolleston said his company is proud to apply its expertise and quality production systems to this Pictor project and the fight against M bovis.

The new PictVet Mycoplasma bovis Multiplex ELISA kit is currently being launched in multiple markets including Australia, the United States and NZ.

The Panama Canal accounts for about 7% of global seaborne trade, according to the Wall Street Journal, and last October was the driest October on record for the canal watershed.

Some vessels are offloading cargo and trucking it across the country to be reloaded on the other coast so ships can meet new draught restrictions.

The Panama Canal Authority has cut the number of ships transiting

the shipping artery from 36 to 24 a day, and had planned to lower that to 18 a day from February before recent rains brought a reprieve.

The chair of the NZ Council of Cargo Owners, Mike Knowles, said shipping disruption is unlikely to be on the scale experienced during covid, when a spike in demand meant most ships failed to meet schedules and some stopped calling at certain ports.

He said exporters fear prolonged

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Dairy farmers with a focus on progressing their governance career, and leadership within the dairy sector are encouraged to apply for an associate director role with DairyNZ, for a one-year term.

This is a unique opportunity for farmers to contribute to their industry-good body, participate in discussion and debate, and gain experience in a governance role.

The position is open to dairy farmers who are demonstrating leadership within their community and/or dairy sector.

SUPPORT: The launch of the Mycoplasma bovis test kit comes at a time when a new active case of M bovis has been found in Canterbury.

Meanwhile a new M bovisinfected property, a dairy farm in the Selwyn district of Canterbury, brings the number of currently

active confirmed properties to two.

The MPI reports that depopulation, cleaning and disinfection and the 60-day standdown period for both active confirmed properties are expected be completed early this year.

Ospri’s general manager for disease control planning and integration, Simon Andrew, said finding further infection in the tail end of an outbreak is not uncommon and it has been previously signalled that more properties could be found.

“It is possible more properties will be confirmed infected in the coming months.”

disruption could cause delays in the delivery of empty containers ahead of apple and kiwifruit harvests, which will require storage and will have and effect on shelf life.

Knowles said carriers that have booked slots to pass through the Panama Canal face minimal delay, but those that haven’t can wait up to a week.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said

it does not yet have data on the impact to New Zealand trade.

The Suez Canal is an important route to Europe and North African and an extended period of disruption could significantly impact exporters and importers, resulting in higher transport costs and delays, especially for perishable items.

The spokesperson said some NZ cargo has been delayed transiting the Panama Canal.

We believe that with the use of our M bovis test, farmers and testing agencies could potentially eliminate individual animals rather than entire herds.

Yoichi Furuya Pictor

Qualities we are looking for: • Active involvement in the dairy sector • An emerging leader with future governance potential • Proven contribution to a community or sector through a leadership or volunteer role • A commitment to personal and professional development

• Strong interpersonal skills and an active contributor in Board discussions • A sound understanding of the requirements of the associate director role • An interest in DairyNZ and the work we do • A passion for making a difference in the sector

• Previous governance experience or training Associate directors are non-voting roles and are appointed for a one-year timeframe, comprising Board and Sub-Committee meetings. A commitment of 30 days per annum and the ability to travel are required.

This role will commence 1 June 2024.

For more information and to apply for this role, please email sheree.kara@dairynz.co.nz

Applications close 20 February 2024

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

News

So far summer’s been a breeze Neal Wallace & Gerald Piddock

NEWS

Weather

T

HE nation’s farmers are generally enjoying a favourable summer so far, described by some as the best in two years, although some districts are experiencing seasonal dryness.

In the South Island, parts of Nelson, Canterbury, Otago and Southland are getting dry.

North Otago Federated Farmers president Myfanwy Alexander said more than 20mm of rain and the lack of wind since Christmas have reversed what was looming as a seriously dry period with irrigation struggling to keep pace.

“It could change again so we are taking precautions and expecting it could get dry again.”

The federation’s Otago president, Luke Kane, said parts of the province are starting to dry after an exceptional period of growth up to Christmas.

Karl Dean, the federation’s North Canterbury president, said the region has had more rain than expected.

Areas such as the Banks Peninsula, which has traditionally dried off by now, are still green.

The absence of northwest winds has delayed the onset of extreme dry summer conditions in Mid and South Canterbury, where the foothills have enjoyed regular rain while heat on the plains is helping arable crops mature but drying coastal areas.

This summer on the West Coast has been exceptional, the federation’s local president, Bede O’Connor, said, with an ideal

balance of rain, heat and sunshine.

“It’s been an amazing Christmas period. There’s been lots of growth and plenty of baleage being made.”

Parts of Southland were starting to dry prior to Christmas but recent rain has eased that pressure, according to the local president of Federated Farmers, Chris Dillon.

It has caused a delay to harvesting winter supplements, which Dillon fears could have long-term repercussions.

On the east coast in Gisborne, Toby Williams is also pretty happy with how the summer has gone so far.

The Federated Farmers meat and wool chair said everyone is happy with feed levels and ground conditions, and this takes the pressure off poor market prices.

“We haven’t had feed levels like this and stock doing as well as they are for at least two years. It’s nice, it’s dried out enough that we can go and do some work and it’s really good.”

It is also great for morale after a tough 12 months for the region, he said.

“We have had a hot dry summer so far and everyone’s really enjoyed it. It’s one of those things you look forward to after such a miserable one last year.”

Feed, fruit and vegetable crops are also growing well despite many being planted late due to it being so wet through October-November.

Farmers in the top half of the North Island are upbeat thanks to periodic rain that, along with warm temperatures, has kept pasture covers high and summer feed crops taking off.

Northland Federated Farmers

MIXED BAG: Mid Canterbury farmer Eric Watson harvests a crop of fescue as the dry weather set in last week. As well as working the harvester, he is still ‘flat out irrigating’ wheat crops and late Timothy and ryegrasses.

Photo: Annette Scott

It’s been an amazing Christmas period. There’s been lots of growth and plenty of baleage being made.

Bede O’Connor Federated Farmers, West Coast president Colin Hannah said there is plenty of feed around for livestock and if it does turn dry, any drought is still at least 30 days away.

Farmers had also taken heed of possible drought warnings prior to Christmas and have gone into summer not heavily stocked.

This, along with high feed availability, means farmers have plenty of options if it does suddenly turn dry.

“Everything’s looking pretty good,” he said.

“Maize crops were looking amazing. As long as farmers keep an eye out for fall army worm, they’ll have an exceptional crop this year.”

Further south, in Waikato, periodic rain and warm temperatures have kept pasture covers high with some farmers having cut their second crops of hay or silage.

The region’s Federated Farmers dairy chair, Matthew Zonderop, said there was good rain over Christmas and the New Year period and there is an abundance of feed available.

That, along with the recent upward trend in milk prices, is giving farmers plenty of cause for optimism.

“Everything has shaped up in the New Year-start of January really well.”

Maize and other summer feed crops are also looking healthy thanks to the spike in

temperatures that followed the rain.

“With the combo of the rain and the heat, it’s really kicked in and a lot of the maize has really taken off,” he said.

Crop such as turnips and chicory are growing really well, too.

“You couldn’t ask for a better start to January.”

The possibility of a late summer or autumn drought is still in the back of people’s minds, with many still being cautious in their decision making, he said.

“There’s still a long way to go before we get to autumn and ... as we have found out in previous years, autumn can still be very dry.”

Zonderop is also concerned that the grass growth, rain and humid weather could see facial eczema spore counts climb.

“It would pay for everyone to be more vigilant than they were last year.”

El Ninō already peaking, WeatherWatch says Neal Wallace

NEWS

Weather

WARNING: There have been several potentially serious vegetation fires already this summer, including Canterbury, Matakana Island and Lake Ohau in South Canterbury.

NEW Zealand’s planetary location appears to be taking the edge off what is a relatively strong El Niño weather pattern, says WeatherWatch head forecaster Philip Duncan.

He said that while no two El Niño weather patterns are the same, this current event is peaking.

It has been marked by regular heavy – albeit isolated – rainfall downpours of up to 70mm and high pressure systems sitting further south than normal for an El Niño, reducing the influence of dry weather systems on NZ but bringing rain to the Australian east coast.

He rates the seriousness of this El Niño event a six or seven out of 10.

“You can have an El Niño and it can be a bit broken,” Duncan said.

Duncan said this NZ summer has been drier than last but he warns

that parts of the east coast of both islands are starting to dry.

He is forecasting little rain this week but that could change next week, and for the rest of January he expects most places to get some rain.

“The placement of high pressure systems should be kind and allow more sub-tropical energy to be part of the mix.”

A prohibited fire season has been declared in the Mackenzie Basin, Dunedin, Strath Taieri and Coastal Waitaki, Clutha, Upper Waitaki, Lakes, and Central zones and parts of Southland. A restricted fire season has been imposed on Wairarapa.

There have been several potentially serious vegetation fires already this summer, including Canterbury, Matakana Island and Lake Ohau in South Canterbury on January 7 that Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) warned came within 100m of a tree plantation.

FENZ reports that NZ has about 4400 vegetation fires each year, and they on average burn about 6000ha.

News

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

Prices lift spirits at early ewe fairs Neal Wallace

MARKETS

P

Sheep

RICES paid at early season breeding ewe fairs reveal farmers still have confidence in the sheep industry despite sheepmeat prices being at their lowest level in seven years.

Top Romney 2-tooths made $164-$181 at Stortford Lodge this week. Capital 4-tooth and 6-tooth Romneys sold for $145-$161 and 5-tooths averaged $122.

Similar values were achieved at the Matawhero Ewe Fair.

AgriHQ Livestock Eye senior analyst Suz Bremner said 2-tooth prices were $30 behind last year and 5-year ewes $40 behind.

Hawke’s Bay PGG Wrightson area livestock manager Neil Common said prices achieved were $10-$20/ hd higher than expected.

Bremner said the prices were fair, reflecting the quality and condition of the animals bought, the limited number of ewes for sale, feed conditions and current meat schedules.

“Maybe it reflects that supply and demand is balanced,” she said.

BID: ‘What are they worth?’ PGG Wrightson auctioneer Sam Wright, far right, sells a pen of 2-tooth ewes at Stortford Lodge this week. From left are fellow agents Brendon Giddens, Matt Lorck and Neil Common.

“The key result is that both buyers and sellers are happy.”

The prices paid also reflect confidence in the sheep industry.

“I feel farmers are showing confidence in sheep, maybe not for this year but hopefully next year.”

Bremner said farmers have fewer options to buy replacement ewes. In 2014 the Stortford fair attracted 33,000 ewes with the sale

held over two days. This year it attracted just 12,000.

Fairs continue at Dannevirke and Masterton in the second week of the year, at Ongarue in Ruapehu on Tuesday January 16 and in the South Island later in the month.

Locals said the Ongarue sale, held by neighbouring farmers, has been running for over 100 years but is struggling to attract stock

due to a loss of sheep as farmland is converted to forestry.

AgriHQ senior analyst Mel Croad said with only a few larger fairs held so far, 2-tooth prices are averaging $173/hd.

AgriHQ data shows the average North Island 2-tooth ewe price at fairs last January was $204/hd and $242/hd in 2022, which reflected higher sheepmeat prices.

She said the greater competition for 2-tooths reflects expectations of a lower buy-in price compared to the past six years, along with feed levels and ewe condition.

“It’s positive because equally it could have easily gone the other way, given low slaughter returns since late 2023 for lamb and mutton, higher interest rates and on-farm costs.”

Low prices for cull ewes in November did not inspire confidence for breeding ewe values.

Croad said after these initial sales the current margin to replace cull ewes offloaded in November is about $90/hd compared to $50-$55/hd in 2022 and 2023.

“On this basis its possible 2-tooth prices will start to level

Ewe shearing record tumbles three days in Staff reporter

PEOPLE

Skills

ONE of New Zealand’s most successful female competition shearers has smashed a world shearing record by almost 10 sheep an hour.

Shearing last Wednesday at Nukuhakari Station in coastal King Country, in one of recordsshearing’s most stunning displays, Catherine Mullooly set a new solo women’s eight-hours strongwool ewes record of 465.

She had a quality rating of 10.4, well within the threshold set by the World Sheep Shearing Records Society, and her feat was considered “amazing” by most

• • •

I feel farmers are showing confidence in sheep, maybe not for this year but hopefully next year.

Suz Bremner AgriHQ Livestock Eye Lamb is forecast at $6.10-$5.70/ kg, mutton $2.40-$2.10/kg, prime beef $5.60-$5/kg, bull $5.50$5.10/kg, cow $3.90-$3.50/kg and venison $8.75-$8.70/kg.

At its supplier meetings in November, forecast prices for lamb through until January were $5.80-$6.60/kg.

Last month Alliance released its latest forecasts for lamb, minus programme premiums, of $5.70-$6.20/kg and, for mutton, $2-$2.30/kg.

RHYTHM: Catherine Mullooly averaged more than 58 sheep per hour in breaking the eight-hours strongwool ewes shearing record.

the board, shorn and departing through the porthole, clipping over 1.6t of wool – and also passed the women’s nine-hour record of 452 in the last quarter-hour.

Shearing legend Sir David Fagan was unable to be present but, watching live-streaming midafternoon, said he was particularly proud of the quality that had been made, showing the benefits of a

winning competition career, during which Mullooly in 2014 became the first women to attain a No 1 ranking in any grade since national sports organisation Shearing Sports New Zealand put a rankings system in place in 1992.

He said Mullooly and new lambshearing records holders Megan Whitehead (686 lambs in eight hours) and Sacha Bond (720

lambs in nine hours) had taken women’s shearing “to a new level” and he looks forward to seeing them in women’s events and other competitions throughout the grades later in the season.

The 34-year-old, from Mātāwai, Gisborne, had a big team of supporters, including her partner, Ardy Donnelly and their sons Brynn, 3, and Coel, 1.

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onlookers considering the struggle with “stroppy” sheep during the day.

On hand to see the effort was Wairarapa shearer Amy Silcock, who had held the record for just three days after shearing 386 near Pahiatua on Sunday.

Starting at 7am, Mullooly shore successive two-hour, above-recordpace runs of 116, 117 and 116 before passing the target about 3.40pm and magic-number 400 soon afterwards, with still over an hour to go to the finish at 5pm.

Signing off with 116 in the last run, after one was rejected by the four-man records society referees panel, she averaged over 58 sheep an hour throughout the day – about 28 tonnes of sheep hauled onto

out as more come on stream.”

Meanwhile, before Christmas Silver Fern Farms released new forecast prime stock prices through to the start of March that show a further softening for sheepmeat as prime stock flows increase.

Allan Bodman OWNER/CHIEF PILOT

Under NEW Ownership

Mobile: 0274 912 443 allan@heliworxwaikato.co.nz

heliworxwaikato.co.nz

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

China’s dairy holdover tariffs end Nigel Stirling

MARKETS

C

Dairy

HINESE tariffs costing New Zealand dairy exporters hundreds of millions of dollars a year have come to an end.

The 10% tariffs were incorporated into the 2008 free trade agreement with China and kicked in when pre-agreed volumes of imports were exceeded.

The Chinese government insisted on the tariffs to give its farmers some degree of protection against surges in imports from NZ it anticipated might have resulted from the reduction in out-of-quota tariffs on dairy products.

The NZ industry was happy to go along with these safeguards because milk powder exports at the time were well below the 100,000 tonnes above which the tariffs would be triggered.

However, the melamine scandal in 2009, which caused a crisis in confidence in locally produced

dairy production and a scramble for imported substitutes, coupled with strong growth in incomes, soon saw the safeguard thresholds comfortably exceeded.

The relentless growth in dairy imports from NZ since saw the thresholds triggered earlier and earlier every year.

The growth was such that NZ exporters hit the limit during January every year after 2013.

Dairy Companies Association executive director Kimberly Crewther estimates that based on $2 billion sales of skimmed and whole milk powders to China in the first nine months of last year, the safeguards resulted in $200 million of tariffs being paid to the Chinese government.

The early removal of the safeguards was the No 1 priority for former prime ministers John Key and Jacinda Ardern as they sought to upgrade the groundbreaking free trade agreement with China.

But despite arguments from NZ that the measures were outdated,

PROTECTION: The 10% tariffs were incorporated into the 2008 free trade agreement with China and kicked in when pre-agreed volumes of imports were exceeded. costly to Chinese consumers, and should be removed, Chinese leaders were unmoved.

Instead, the safeguards were allowed to expire at the end of 2022 (for liquid milk, butter and cheese) and the end of 2023 (for milk powders) as originally negotiated. Around half of NZ dairy exports to China are milk powders.

Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell said NZ is now in the enviable position of having completely free trade with China in dairy products.

“The removal of tariffs gives NZ dairy products a competitive advantage with respect to product coming out of Europe.”

Hurrell said the expiry of the safeguard measures at the end of

The removal of tariffs gives NZ dairy products a competitive advantage with respect to product coming out of Europe.

Miles Hurrell Fonterra chief executive December had been one factor behind a run of price increases in the Global Dairy Trade auction at the end of last year.

“Recently we have seen improved demand from China for reference products.

“The uptick in demand has come at a time when many customers in China have been making

procurement decisions for product with a delivery date after 1 January 2024, when tariffs come off.”

Efforts to stimulate the Chinese economy through increased government spending are also adding to demand, Hurrell said.

As a result of these measures the International Monetary Fund in November raised its forecasts for the Chinese economy to grow by 5.4% in 2023, up from its previous forecast in October of 5% growth for the year.

The IMF said it expects growth in the world’s second largest economy to slow in 2024 to 4.6%, though this was higher than its October forecast of growth for the coming year of 4.2%.

Work afoot to smooth velvet path into China MARKETS

Deer

PROCEDURES to clarify new rules for the importation of New Zealand deer velvet into China remain a work in progress.

Deer Industry NZ (DINZ) is collaborating with the NZ and Chinese governments to unpack new market access regulations.

From May 1 2024, only dried velvet will be able to be imported as a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) into China. NZ authorities are seeking agreement with their Chinese counterparts on the appropriate classification for frozen velvet imports.

DINZ chief executive Innes Moffat said the changes apply to velvet imported by China from all countries, not just NZ. DINZ said the changes are being introduced to better align the

import regime for TCMs in China, which are overseen by several Chinese authorities.

In the lead-up to the end of 2023

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) officials met with their counterparts in China to discuss access for deer velvet.

COMPLEX: A new market access regulatory pathway for velvet exports to China is proving quite complex.

Moffat said the meetings were “highly constructive” but the feedback suggests the regulatory pathway is “quite complex” and will involve a number of different agencies in China.

Despite the complexity, MPI is still aiming for a resolution to the question of velvet access before the 2024-25 export season.

Moffat said DINZ is working with NZ government officials in Wellington and in China and is seeing that MPI is treating this issue as a high priority.

NZ velvet exporters are also working with their customers in China, who have an interest in restoring access for frozen velvet.

They are raising this with their government contacts to seek a resolution to the issue.

“While in the short term the situation creates uncertainty, in the long term we are looking to

While in the short term the situation creates uncertainty, in the long term we are looking to have in place more secure access into China.

Innes Moffat DINZ have in place clearer, better and more secure access into China for both dried and frozen velvet, as befits the high-quality product NZ produces for both categories,” he said.

This season’s NZ frozen velvet production and exports will need to be cleared into China before April 30, but otherwise no change is being made to the Regulatory Control Scheme, nor to NZ’s velvet traceability requirements.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

News

Spy wallabies geared to lead hunters to mob Staff reporter

NEWS

Pests

T

HE release of 10 “seeker” wallabies fitted with satellite GPS collars into sites in South Canterbury last month marks a New Zealand first in the nationwide fight against Bennett’s wallaby, an invasive introduced pest.

Over the next 12 months, these “seeker” or spy wallabies will be monitored by a hunting team in the hope they will lead them to other wallabies.

Those other wallabies will then be shot, leaving the seeker wallaby to continue to seek out more wallabies until no more individuals can be found.

Using “seeker” animals as a method of pest control is common in feral goat and tahr control.

If the technique can be used successfully for wallabies, which are moderately gregarious, it could make a significant difference to efforts to eradicate Bennett’s wallaby from Otago and South Canterbury, particularly in areas

where there are very low wallaby numbers.

The Otago Regional Council’s project delivery specialist for national programmes, Gavin Udy, said the Otago Regional Council (ORC), in collaboration with Environment Canterbury and the Tipu Mātoro National Wallaby Eradication Programme, hopes the two-year research programme testing the usefulness of seeker wallabies will provide a new tool in the battle against this fastbreeding pest.

“Tipu Mātoro’s research programme is all about improving existing wallaby detection, surveillance, and control methods, and finding new ones to address the pest wallaby problem,” Udy said.

“Finding wallabies across large landscapes and difficult terrain where there are few present is labour intensive. Any wallabies that go undetected allow small breeding populations to form and grow and become established over time. This is why it is critical that we develop new cost-effective tools to find wallabies in these environments.”

Any wallabies that go undetected allow small breeding populations to form and grow and become established over time.

Gavin Udy Otago Regional Council ORC is investing $110,000 over two years in the field work component of this research, the potential benefits of which will far exceed the costs of the level of investment made in terms of protecting Otago from wallaby spread and the damage they do to native bush, farms, crops, commercial forestry and biodiversity.

As part of the partnership the Tipu Mātoro National Wallaby Eradication Programme is contributing an additional $100,000, while another programme partner, Environment Canterbury, is supporting the research through landowner consultation, DNA sampling and supplementary control work.

ON A MISSION: Project manager Brent Barrett of environmental consultancy company Boffa Miskell releases a collared wallaby in South Canterbury.

The research is being conducted under approved permits from the Ministry for Primary Industries and the Animal Ethics Committee of Lincoln University, and permission granted by landowners to release the wallabies.

There has been an increase in reported wallaby sightings in the past year, which is good news, and people are asked to keep an eye out and report wallaby sightings, dead or alive, and wallaby kills at reportwallabies.nz

Dairy Holdings seeks to reconsent hydro scheme Gerhard Uys

NEWS

Water

DAIRY Holdings hopes to reconsent the hydro scheme that powers most of its Fereday Island farm in Canterbury.

Dairy Holdings chair Colin Glass said the company submitted an application for reconsent last year, but had considerable hurdles to clear before Environment Canterbury would approve the application.

The Fereday Island farm used to be owned by Rowan and Linda McMath, who installed four turbines that were powered by an offshoot of the Fereday Stream, Glass said.

The turbines powered irrigation pumps, pivots and some of the dairy shed.

The McMaths showed a lot of foresight when they established the small-scale hydro scheme in 2008, and used to be net exporters of power into the local grid, he said.

The turbines produced about 300 kilowatts of electricity at maximum capacity, he said.

Glass said even though Environment Canterbury was very supportive, the process for reconsent was arduous and costly.

“We’re finding that consent renewal on projects like this are incredibly challenging.”

The scheme works on the Dairy Holdings farm because it uses most of the energy it generates, he said.

However, if such a scheme was set up mostly to feed back into

a local network, the “marginal earnings become very marginal”, he said.

It made sense for Dairy Holdings to reconsent and modernise the scheme, but the cost for an owner operator to set up such a scheme would likely be prohibitive, he said.

“We thought a consent renewal would be reasonably seamless. It will be a matter of putting up the work that was done originally, but now we’re finding that it’s a lot more significant than that.

“The way this has played out would nearly be enough to cause us to question whether we should do this in terms of finance

COSTS: Dairy Holdings chair Colin Glass says the process to reconsent the hydro scheme on its Fereday Island farm could exceed $100,000 in costs – and there needs to be distinction between smaller on-farm schemes and large industrial schemes.

and time and effort,” he said.

It appears that there isn’t clear regulatory distinction between large-scale projects and smaller projects, he said.

“Both need a similar level of reporting. It makes it really challenging for smaller scale projects.”

Consenting for small-scale projects needs to be made more seamless in future to allow farmers to operate renewable energy projects, he said.

Glass said Dairy Holdings saves about $200,000 a year by using power from the scheme.

If a completely new system was to be built, each turbine would cost about $250,000, excluding the electricity supply network, or any race maintenance, he said.

The process has taken about a year, with a lot of work, such as reports on stream ecology and fish screening, still to be undertaken, Glass said.

Fereday stream is regarded as a non-consumptive take and the McMaths originally secured consent for up to four cumecs, out of an offshoot of the Rakaia River.

A cumec is equivalent to one cubic metre of water flow per second.

“Effectively it’s operating in a channel that supplies irrigation water to a number of other farms,” Glass said.

Once the water passes through the turbines it is discharged back into the Rakaia river, he said.

“We’re not diverting additional water for this, simply enabling the irrigation diversion channel to run as it would typically... it’s simply utilising what is already there.”

GENERATION: The four turbines on Dairy Holdings’ Fereday Island farm take water from an offshoot of the Fereday Stream and use it to generate power. It is then diverted back into the stream. The turbines produce about 300 kilowatts of electricity at maximum capacity.

We’re quite proud of what’s starting to play out on the farm ... as we start to think about how farms can be more self-contained for their energy requirements in a decarbonized future.

Colin Glass Dairy Holdings The farm runs about 1200 cows at peak milk and has a grazing support operation of about 300ha on the farm.

“At the end of the day I’d imagine it [consenting] will be going close

to $100,000 by the time we have finished this process.”

Dairy Holdings upgraded the farm’s irrigation to spray irrigation, which has increased the energy demand on the farm, Glass said.

It also upgraded the turbines, he said.

“At peak we’re very close to being able to generate enough energy to be able to run all the irrigation pumps.

“We’re quite proud of what’s starting to play out on the farm.

It’s opening our eyes to what might be possible elsewhere as we start to think about how farms can be more self-contained for their energy requirements in a decarbonised future.”

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

Report gives Zespri tick for sector value Richard Rennie

NEWS

T

Horticulture

HE single point of entry model for kiwifruit through Zespri appears to have broken from economic convention, based on a recent report assessing the marketer’s effectiveness.

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers (NZKGI) commissioned economic analysts BERL to assess Zespri’s success on behalf of growers, eight years after growers overwhelmingly voted in favour of retaining the single point of entry (SPE) marketer.

The report authors note that typically a monopsony, or single desk buyer, can tend to be inefficient in several areas. That includes having less flexibility, lower levels of innovation and being difficult to assess for their true cost effectiveness in the absence of any purchasing competition.

But the report on Zespri says the marketer has broken the mould on single desk outcomes, delivering a strong international brand that has drawn in significant income for NZ kiwifruit growers and postharvest processors.

For growers and regions with the fruit, the outcome of the SPE has proven to be highly valuable.

POSITIVE: NZKGI CEO Colin Bond says on the whole the report is favourable towards the ‘single point of entry’ model, with a few limiting factors.

The report compares kiwifruit’s gain in value as a crop over the years to the less-regulated apple industry.

Between 2015 and 2019, apples’ orchard gate returns increased from $43,600 per hectare to $49,000 per hectare.

Kiwifruit outpaced apples by 64% over the same period, enjoying an increase from $60,800 per hectare to $107,100 per hectare, peaking at $124,000 a hectare in 2021-22.

This was also reflected in orchard value, with kiwifruit orchards worth $928,700 per hectare against

$275,300 per hectare for apples.

The report’s authors note that the two crops earned similar export returns back in 2000, and that kiwifruit retained its single point of entry while the apple sector took an open, laissez faire approach to marketing.

Over the past 23 years kiwifruit export receipts have grown at twice the rate of export volumes.

Overall, the report estimates the Zespri “brand” has generated premiums on Gold and Green kiwifruit of 10-20% higher than competing varieties

internationally. Other benefits alongside the revenue gains have included the investment in promotion of over $1 billion since 2017, and $180 million in innovation.

The marketer’s chartered shipping programme was also highlighted for its ability to retain supply certainty during a period of major global shipping upheaval.

However, the report does not deliver only bouquets in its assessment of Zespri’s performance.

The authors say that Zespri’s ownership of plant variety rights to Gold3 has led to a barrier to entry for growers unable to raise the cash to purchase the rights. The current licence value for SunGold kiwifruit is about $801,000 a hectare.

The high entry price is a particular challenge for iwi orchard owners who may struggle to gain bank loans when borrowing against whenua Māori.

NZKGI CEO Colin Bond said another limiting factor is that the producer votes required to be undertaken by growers to decide on important industry decisions can restrict Zespri’s ability to respond rapidly to changing market conditions.

Evidence of this lies in the conundrum Zespri finds itself in with China, where the area of

illegally grown SunGold kiwifruit exceeds that planted legally in NZ. Eighteen months ago, Zespri sought grower approval to enable it to work with the Chinese growers, incorporating their fruit into a trial marketing programme.

However, this was defeated by a narrow margin that required 75% grower support and obtained only 70%.

The producer votes required to be undertaken by growers ... can restrict Zespri’s ability to respond rapidly to changing market conditions.

Colin Bond NZKGI Meantime the area in illegal SunGold fruit has continued to grow.

The report notes that discussion on deregulating the SPE has come up but notes the efficiency gains from deregulation are minimal compared to the value of the total payments growers receive. It notes that Zespri’s scale continues to allow for significant investment in innovation, cultivars and marketing campaigns, maintaining business activities in the best interest of NZ kiwifruit growers.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

News

Forestry pours acid on scientist’s claims Richard Rennie

NEWS

Forestry ONE RING: The 2024 NZDE is set to be more animal and spectator friendly following a hectic event last year.

Photo: Laurens Rutten.

NZDE overhauled for 2024 Gerald Piddock

NEWS

Dairy

M

AJOR changes have been made to this year’s New Zealand Dairy Event as organisers look to make it more user friendly for the animals and the public.

The changes are designed to ensure that the NZDE at Manfeild Stadium in Feilding stays in touch with international best practice and ensures cow comfort over the course of the show from January 22-24.

Exhibitors have responded with strong entry numbers despite the more challenging milk price this season. There are 86 junior exhibitors, 82 Jersey entries, 62 for the combined breeds, 96 Ayrshires, 127 Holsteins, 44 youth handlers, and eight youth challenge teams.

Historically, New Zealand has stood alone in offering a multitude of interbreed age classes that were open to everyone – regardless of where they placed in their respective breed classes.

This extended the schedule, took significant time, and often resulted in different winners because breed judges all get a vote in the interbreed classes.

It also meant some animals got limited time to rest before they were trucked home – which also put additional pressure on their owners for the drive ahead of them.

This year’s NZDE will see it adopt world practice where just one representative of each breed moves forward to compete

respectively for Supreme Junior, Supreme Intermediate, Supreme Senior Champion, and ultimately a Supreme Exhibit of the show.

The 2024 NZDE interbreed will adopt this practice for the first time.

NZDE committee member Isaac Kelsen said the change was an important conversation for the committee to have.

“A lot of cows walked a long way in January, and the programme was long. We want everyone to get home safely, and we felt that the old schedule was starting to put that in jeopardy.

“Things have changed in this space too, so that was a consideration. Gone are the days where you enter cows to participate.

We want everyone to get home safely, and we felt that the old schedule was starting to put that in jeopardy.

Isaac Kelsen NZDE committee member “This is a serious competition, it’s expensive to commit to it, you go to win, and you want to look after your cows while you’re doing it.”

He said it was also important to appreciate that international judges invited to the NZDE take home their impressions of the country – making it important for the NZDE to come into line with other shows around the world.

“We wanted to harmonise

with other events – such as IDW (International Dairy Week in Australia) and WDE (World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin), for example – because we do want to be recognised as a global event.”

Another change is that just one ring will be running at a time instead of two.

In January 2023 there were two rings, and the breed judges alternated judging a class before they had to wait while another breed class came in and was judged.

Three of the five judges are international appointments and include Nico Bons (the Netherlands, Holsteins), Simon Tognola (Australia, Jerseys), Brian Behnke (United States, Ayrshires), Jamie Taylor (Taranaki, Combined Breeds) and Kate Cummings (Southland, Youth Show).

Kelsen said the “stop-start” nature didn’t give the judges’ continuity, which helps in establishing a judging pattern, and it was not easy for spectators either.

“It also makes more sense for the people on the sidelines or for those who can’t attend if they want to watch the Jersey show, they can sit down and watch the whole Jersey exhibition without chopping and changing to other breeds that they may not be interested in.

“It will give a better flow for each of the breeds.”

The additional time means that this year’s cattle sale will be a feature. It will include close to 35 lots that include international pedigrees, index, and show type and will be held on January 22.

THE forestry sector has scrambled to respond to claims

by Ravensdown scientist Dr Ants Roberts that converting land to pine trees can damage soils, taking a generation to get them back to a point where they are once again suitable for pasture.

Late last year Roberts was reported to have said that it can take 20 to 30 years to get soils back to pre-forest pastoral health once it is in trees, due to the acidifying effect of trees on soils and the loss of organic matter that contributes to earthworm populations.

Roberts based his claims on work done with Ngai Tahu on land converted from forest to pastoral use.

ACID ROCK: Ravensdown scientist Dr Ants Roberts’ claim that forestry damages soils has prompted a sharp response from the sector.

Scion has responded to Roberts’ claims, with principal scientist Dr Peter Clinton saying most soils in New Zealand tend to be acidic in nature, having all developed under forests.

“When forest is cleared to make pasture, soils need to be made less acidic through application of lime to reach a pH level that is best for pasture. It is no surprise to see those changes reversing when forest is reestablished,” Clinton said.

He said when soil health has been measured under pasture, pine and indigenous forest, researchers have found soils under pine to be more similar to those under indigenous forest than they are to soils under pasture.

Pine-planted soils also mimic indigenous forest soils in terms of water and nutrient losses.

Clinton pointed out soil pH is only one measure of soil health, while compaction is another factor that needs to be considered. It occurs under pastoral conditions from animals and machinery.

NZ Institute of Forestry president James Treadwell was scathing about the initial report’s claims, asserting the report was misleading and that all NZ soils tend towards being acidic, with the most acidic existing under kauri forests.

He cited Scion research that highlighted pines’ positive effect on coastal sand dunes’ topsoil development and pointed to the need for pastoral soils to receive regular lime applications to maintain their lower acidic levels.

The benefits of forests when it comes to lowering erosion and carbon sequestration mean NZ needs more forests not less, Treadwell said.

He pointed to the need for more wood timber in the future, given the move away from more carbon-intensive products, like steel and concrete.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

Fonterra keeps the gas on Kowbucha Richard Rennie

TECHNOLOGY

T

Emissions

RIALS are continuing on Fonterra’s long-awaited Kowbucha methane mitigation project as scientists work to determine how safe and efficacious the product is in New Zealand dairy herds.

Fonterra’s head of science, Dr Jeremy Hill, confirmed late last year that trials continue to determine whether the milk derived methane mitigation culture can meet the company’s key requirements.

“As per Fonterra’s approach we need to know that it is good for animal health, doesn’t affect milk or meat, it is good for the farmer in terms of its practical use and its cost effectiveness, and it needs to be good for the planet.”

He said the work was also important to determine if the bacteria’s production is scalable and can be applied widely across herds.

“We want to also be confident.

As a biological system there is likely to be a range of responses to it. But we remain excited about the results we are getting.”

The trials involve administering Kowbucha to young dairy animals over long periods, kicking off prior to them reaching lactation age.

Scientists believe if the cow’s rumen can be programmed early through the probiotic’s administration, there could be a lifelong effect on mitigating methane.

Early calf trials showed a 20% reduction in methane emitted, even when they had reached 12 months of age.

The importance of cracking the methane reduction aspect has ramped up with Fonterra’s announcement late last year of its Scope 3 emissions reduction targets for farmer suppliers to meet.

We want to also be confident. As a biological system there is likely to be a range of responses to it. But we remain excited about the results we are getting.

Dr Jeremy Hill Fonterra In November this was announced as a reduction of 30% in emissions from farms by 2030.

Farms contribute to 86% of the co-op’s total emissions.

Breaking down that 30%, “novel technologies” are tagged to contribute to almost a quarter

of the planned reduction, which includes Kowbucha.

“Within the constraints of trail capability in NZ, we are going as fast as we can,” said Hill.

Fonterra is also trialling Asparagopsis red seaweed to help solve the methane dilemma, alongside Australian company Sea Forest.

Trials with this product have also been tagged for expansion, with Fonterra suppliers getting first option should the product prove commercially and scientifically viable.

Bovaer, the methane mitigator developed by Dutch company DSM, is now widely available for use in Australia, Canada and Europe. Hill said it will also likely be included in Fonterra’s arsenal of mitigation tools.

“No one product is doing 100% methane mitigation, so the opportunity to work on it in a pasture system is there.”

Animal Compounds and Veterinary Medicine approval has proven an area of frustration for companies seeking to get their methane mitigation products into the NZ market.

“We intend to cross that bridge when we come to it,” Hill said.

“We have decent-sized trials running so we are anticipating we will have the information required for regulatory approval when the

CULTURED: Fonterra’s head of science, Dr Jeremy Hill, says Kowbucha trials are continuing, and the arsenal of methane mitigation technology beyond that is also being explored. time comes. We only started trials in spring 2021 and it is so far, so good.

“The focus is for NZ dairy farmers and for NZ dairy farm systems.”

Mites bite twice into hive health Richard Rennie

NEWS

Apiculture NEW research findings are only going to add to beekeepers’ headaches as they grapple with ongoing effects of varroa mite.

Since being discovered in North Island hives in the early 2000s, the debilitating mite has spread throughout New Zealand, requiring constant chemical treatments to avoid devastating losses in hive populations. Its presence in hives cause malformation, weakening of bee health and greater disease risk.

Researchers found the presence of varroa in hives dramatically increased the incidence of deformed wing virus, a virus typically closely correlated to varroa’s presence.

Research paper But the latest work by researchers in Germany’s University of Ulm, published in the Royal Society Open Science journal, has found that as debilitating as the invasive mite is on its own, it is also responsible for introducing “hitch hiker” viruses into beehive populations.

The researchers looked at the impact of 14 viruses in hive populations in a global study that included taking samples from NZ hives in the upper South Island, Otago and Auckland region.

Samples were also gathered from hive

populations in the British Isles, Scandinavia and Canada.

As expected, the researchers found the presence of varroa in hives dramatically increased the incidence of deformed wing virus, a virus typically closely correlated to varroa’s presence.

But they also found several other viruses have become prevalent, including black queen cell virus, which causes mortality in queen bee pupae, and sacbrood virus, which infects honeybee larvae.

The findings confirmed the scientists’ hypothesis about varroa opening the door to a greater range of viral infections, supported by the wide global correlation in disease levels and varroa infections in the sampled areas.

They also raised the concern that with 20,000 species of wild bees playing critical roles in agriculture and native ecosystems, the honeybees’ infections could likely spillover into those varieties’ populations.

The findings accompany NZ work released last year that found NZ bee populations are developing a unique resistance to varroa treatment chemical flumethrin, not seen elsewhere in the world.

Loss rates in NZ from varroa have been growing at an increasing rate, up 20% last year on 2021, and overall 62% greater than in 2015. Loss rates of 6.5% were reported in 2022.

Beekeepers only have two key chemicals in their arsenal to protect hives against varroa. Researchers at Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research are hoping that newly developed gene-silencing technology that shuts down certain sequencing in the varroa mite could provide an answer.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

New frontiers of maize growing explored Annette Scott

TECHNOLOGY

Arable

M

AIZE growers will have the opportunity to explore and discuss how to build profitable and resilient maize systems at the upcoming Foundation for Arable Research 2024 maize conference.

The Maize Profit and Productivity conference, to be held in Hamilton on February 12 and 13, will target future challenges for the growing industry as it adapts to consumer and environmental requirements while retaining profitability.

It may sound daunting, but the message is “don’t be overwhelmed”, FAR senior maize researcher David Densley said.

The programme will explore how to build profitable and resilient maize systems and will feature international speakers.

It will include an afternoon at FAR’s northern crop research site at Tamahere, near Hamilton, where trial work will be discussed.

The conference will start with a

PRECISELY: United States precision agriculture expert Scott Shearer will discuss the current and future role of precision agriculture in US maize systems.

ADAPTING: FAR senior maize researcher David Densley says the conference will zero in on ways growers can adapt to environmental changes.

global view of sustainability and carbon emissions targets being set by food companies such as Nestlé and what this means for New Zealand, and zero in on ways maize growers can adapt to these changes and are doing so.

On three panels, growers will discuss what they are doing on farm, including developing soils

that are more resilient to climate variability, reducing nitrogen fertiliser without compromising profitability, the role of biologicals in the production system and the application of precision agriculture.

“So, these farmers are saying that it may sound daunting, but this is the journey we are on and

we are continually refining our production system to make this work for us,” Densley said.

“The message is don’t be overwhelmed.

“It’s a balance of how do I get more profitability, how do I get more resilience in my system and how do I meet environmental requirements.”

International speakers include Dr Connor Sible, a United States expert on biological options.

Sible is a post-doctorate research associate at the University of Illinois and works with internationally renowned maize researcher Professor Fred Below, who attended last year’s FAR maize conference.

Sible’s research focus is plant growth regulators, biologicals and bio-stimulants in maize and soybean cropping systems.

His primary focus is working to categorise these products based on their active components and the mode of action, designed to create an agricultural advantage and determine in which situations these products perform best and bring their greatest value to growers.

It may sound daunting, but this is the journey we are on.

The message is don’t be overwhelmed.

David Densley FAR The second overseas speaker, Scott Shearer, professor and chair of Food Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Ohio State University, will present via video link, discussing the current and future role of precision agriculture in US maize systems.

Shearer said farmers are turning to technology to reach their goals.

“We’ve evolved from precision agriculture to digital agriculture.”

He will be followed by FAR’s technology manager, Chris Smith, on precision agriculture in NZ maize systems.

MORE:

For more information and to register go to www.far.org.nz/events

Lincoln, Ballance join forces Pāmu pays tribute Annette Scott

NEWS

Research LINCOLN University and Ballance Agri-Nutrients have joined forces to drive agricultural innovation and positive change for New Zealand farmers and growers.

The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki Lincoln University and Ballance underscores a joint commitment to advancing new and better farming and growing practices in New Zealand’s agricultural sector, they said.

Lincoln University and Ballance share a common vision of a prosperous, sustainable, and innovative future for NZ’s primary industries.

By joining forces, they said, they aim to drive positive change for Kiwi farmers and growers, ensuring they remain profitable and sustainable while meeting the increasing expectations of consumers, both in NZ and around the world.

Climate change has brought

a pressing need for rapid and effective solutions, especially in areas like greenhouse gas emissions, carbon farming, and carbon sequestration.

Lincoln and Ballance said they are committed to tackling these challenges head-on, as well as promoting on-farm diversification and adapting to climate-impacted land use changes.

By addressing these challenges collaboratively Lincoln and Ballance can contribute significantly to the resilience and sustainability of NZ’s primary industry and support industry aspirations such as the Fonterra Climate Roadmap, Lincoln University’s Provost, Professor Chad Hewitt, said.

He said the agreement establishes a framework for ongoing collaboration, with a focus on identifying and prioritising opportunities for joint projects.

“These opportunities include improving planning and coordination, conducting research and demonstrations on Lincoln University’s farms and enhancing

environmental stewardship.”

One key aspect of the partnership is that it creates a foundation for ongoing and future collaboration with the university, innovation leader at Ballance Stuart Kay said.

“We believe this collaboration will have a positive impact on our industry and will strengthen our connections with universities while showcasing our commitment to innovation and sustainability,” he said.

The collaboration will improve Ballance’s access to valuable expertise and resources as Lincoln University boasts a strong research and development hub with Crown Research Institutes such as AgResearch, Plant and Food Research and Manaaki WhenuaLandcare Research.

Ballance’s intern programme draws significantly from the university, making the partnership an opportunity to build closer relationships with the next generation of agricultural leaders and further establishing the company as a place for agricultural talent to grow.

Under the pump?

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visit farmstrong.co.nz

to Dr Warren Parker

Staff reporter

PEOPLE

Agriculture PĀMU chief executive Mark Leslie has paid tribute to director and chair Dr Warren Parker, who died suddenly on Friday December 29.

“A great tree has fallen. Dr Warren Parker was a highly respected primary sector leader and, as Pāmu board chair, he made significant contributions to our organisation over his five years of dedicated service.

“It was an honour for me to have had Warren as a lecturer at Massey University nearly 30 years ago and then work shoulder to shoulder with his guidance and support when I joined Pāmu as CEO just under two years ago.

“Warren will be remembered for his vision, wisdom, and experience as well as his kindness.”

Parker was appointed as chair of the Pāmu board on January 1 2019.

He was a former chief executive of Scion (the New Zealand Forest Research Institute) and Landcare Research and was previously chief operating officer of AgResearch.

He held several board roles, including on Predator Free 2050 Ltd, Farmlands Co-operative Society and Genomics Aotearoa, and was the chair of the Forestry Ministerial Advisory Group.

He was also chair of the NZ Conservation Authority and recently appointed independent chair of Quayside Holdings.

Parker had a PhD in animal science and was previously a professor of agribusiness and resource management at Massey University, where he spent 18 years in various roles, including supervising the 9000-stock unit Riverside Farm in Wairarapa.

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13 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

13

Working to make farmers’ lives easier A sign of its support for agriculture or a way to accommodate coalition dynamics? Either way, the appointment of three associate ministers of agriculture is unprecedented. In a weekly series starting today, Neal Wallace talks to the first of them, Andrew Hoggard of ACT.

C

OFFEE shops in New Zealand’s self-proclaimed caffeine capital should not be banking on increased business from one new Member of Parliament.

Andrew Hoggard won’t be seeking out Wellington’s best flat white, mocha or, sacrilege for a dairy farmer, a long black. He gets his caffeine fix from a tried and proven cup of instant made in the kitchen across the hall from his Beehive office.

In early December Hoggard was still absorbing the rapid rise that took him from Federated Farmers president in May to successful ACT candidate in October and a minister outside cabinet five weeks later.

He has four ministerial portfolios: biosecurity, food safety, associate minister of agriculture with responsibility for animal welfare and skills, and associate minister for the environment.

“I was expecting to be an MP and wondering what select committees I would be involved in,” he says.

“Apparently I was destined for a bit more and it is a privilege to have this level of responsibility so early.”

He doesn’t underestimate the responsibility that comes with his ministerial roles, aware that the decisions he makes can impact people, businesses and livelihoods.

Hoggard says the fact that there are three associate ministers for agriculture, under Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, shows government respect for the sector.

“It sends a message to the rural sector that we’ve got your back.”

His CV reveals a person accustomed to leadership.

Twice he was a national finalist in the Young Farmer of the Year and for 18 years held various roles in Federated Farmers, including national dairy chair, 2014-17, vicepresident 2017-20 and president 2020 to 2023.

He was elected to the board of the International Dairy Federation in 2020.

The Manawatū dairy farmer’s career had a dramatic change of direction in May when he opted to switch from farming to national politics. Selected to stand for ACT in the Rangitīkei electorate, he was ranked five on the party’s list.

His motivation and his aims for his time in Parliament are simple.

He wants to be a champion for farmers, to tell their story – about how they farm and how they improve their environment.

“My overall philosophy is working to make farmers’ lives easier with regulations that are smart, practical and affordable.

Stuff that makes sense.”

HANDS ON: Associate Agriculture Minister, Minister for Biosecurity, Minister for Food Safety and Associate Minister for the Environment Andrew Hoggard of ACT. It doesn’t mean giving farmers freedom from rules and regulations, he says, as no one wants to be judged by the poorest performers.

“Rules still need to exist and they will impact people but they have to be managed.”

Two weeks into his new role, Hoggard was still in discovery mode – learning the issues and challenges of his portfolios, finding where there are gaps, establishing priorities and recruiting staff.

Elements of his two associate roles – environment and agriculture – are included in the coalition government’s 100-day plan, such as repealing the Water Services Entities Act and ceasing implementation of new Significant Natural Areas.

INVESTMENT: Live animal exports are worth $500 million, and Andrew Hoggard says the economy could do with the extra income.

As minister of food safety he says his experience with the International Dairy Federation will be beneficial as it dealt with issues such as standards and food labelling.

“I have a basic understanding of how processes work.”

In his roles with Federated Farmers, Hoggard dealt with biosecurity issues, which provides him with a basic understanding, but he is learning about new unwanted organisms such as invasive exotic caulerpa seaweeds.

Importantly, his time at the federation means he knows most of the officials and those in related industries.

“I don’t have to learn who people are.”

Hoggard says farmer confidence will be a measure of his overall success or failure.

Other measures will be improved public understanding of biosecurity, that New Zealand’s animal welfare standards continue to be recognised internationally as among the best, and farmers not finding compliance too onerous.

“It is very easy to comply but often the hard part is proving you comply.”

He could face a test soon with the promised resumption of live animal exports, but he is confident the use of purpose-built ships and higher standards will remove some of the contention.

I was expecting to be an MP and wondering what select committees I would be involved in.

Andrew Hoggard Associate Agriculture Minister “Pre-election and even with my time at Feds, a number of people in the industry were saying they were happy to increase standards to ensure we are following best practice.”

Live exports are worth $500 million, and Hoggard says the economy could do with the extra income.

No time frame has been set for introducing the legislation and Hoggard is educating his urban cabinet colleagues that it will take years for trade to resume once a decision is made.

Breeding decisions are made mid-year for calves born the following spring and then available for export only the following year.

“It’s a two-year time frame for breeding decisions. Any later and we will push back the resumption of trade.”

On environmental issues Hoggard says he wants “sensible, practical” legislation.

“It has to be what communities want rather than one size fits all.”

14 Editorial

14

Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

Text to the editor The root of the problem • On drench resistance Why does our industry put so much emphasis on drench resistance and pay no attention to situations where stock are raised with no drenchings?

Our farm/management isn’t special (nonorganic) and we have had no drench policy for the last 10-15 years. Every year we raise 200 dairy heifers to target (+).

My point is, where do we seek no drench advice? Do a paper on that!

The root of the problem is those who can make money from encouraging resistance.

– Robert Fleck I read with interest the article about drench resistance.

I must say, I’m not surprised. I’ve often wondered about the intensive stripgrazing we do here and can’t help thinking that these animals must be ingesting not just dirt but also worm eggs.

I wonder if there’s a difference between animals that are intensively grazed and those with a wider, cleaner area to forage on.

– Nora Voorden

From the Editor

A decade in the editor’s chair Bryan Gibson

Managing editor

T

EN years ago this week I was gearing up to send my first edition as editor of Farmers Weekly to the printers.

It seemed like a golden time for New Zealand food producers.

Fonterra would pay suppliers $8.50/kg MS that season, a record by some distance.

Lambs fetched an average $103 a head, up a touch on the previous year.

But as I’d come to realise, the commodity cycle would turn and farmer income – and confidence – would plummet the following year.

NZ farming was coming to the end of an intense period of land use change.

The formation of Fonterra and other, global, factors had led to a massive drive to dairy.

The Canterbury plains, Southland’s sheep country and the pine forests of the central North Island were all transformed into milking platforms.

That change brought massive economic value to the country but also brought

environmental and social challenges.

At every farming conference I attended in those first couple of years the mantra repeated was of telling a better story. “If only people understood our value,” it was said, “then they’d value our work.”

Not surprisingly, the weather has played a major role in the fortunes of farming over the past decade.

The cycles of drought, flood, snow and wind are expected by those who work the land, but the frequency and intensity of those events have increased.

As they always do, farmers met those meteorological challenges with determination and a fierce community spirit.

At every farming conference in those first years the mantra was of telling a better story – ‘If only people understood our value, they’d value our work.’

They took care of one another and they overcame the worst nature could throw at them.

Reporting on these events has been some of the most inspiring work of my life.

But while a lot has changed since 2014, some things are infuriatingly the same.

We’re still waiting for the holy grail of “added value” to arrive at every farm gate.

We’re still figuring out how to tell our story better to our fellow New Zealanders and to the world.

We still get angry when a metropolitan newspaper attacks farming without understanding the issue it is attacking.

The rise of social media has only heightened this tension and what we thought would be a channel to talk directly to our stakeholders has become a battleground of echo chambers and warring factions.

On this week’s episode of the Farmers Weekly In Focus podcast, Scottish journalist and Nuffield scholar Claire Taylor says farmers in the United Kingdom face many of the same challenges as we do.

Her challenge to them is to forget about finding someone to blame and instead look at the world with clear eyes and take on the task of overcoming them.

We’re a market-driven, export-reliant industry, so why do we wait for the government to show us the way and then complain about the plan put before us?

NZ food producers are uniquely poised to lead the world in developing the sustainable farming systems the planet desperately needs.

But the past 10 years have shown us that as a sector, we’re yet to agree on how to do that.

It’s no use talking about telling our story to others when we can’t yet get that story onto paper and past the industry editors.

I hope 2024 is the year we recognise the value of what we have and the gains we can make by working together to commit to a fair, sustainable evolution.

It’s our story to tell.

Text us your thoughts on issues raised in Farmers Weekly. Look out for the details on how to do it on selected stories, and include the key word in your text to 027 226 8553.

Letters of the week Top-down talk won’t wash Dave Stanton Geraldine THAT was the quote of the century from Helen Moodie, in “A quarter-century of care” (December 18): “If farmers understand the problem, they will solve it on their farm, but if you [Lord it over them and] tell them what to do, they’ll resist.”

This is so true!

Farmers are managers, problem solvers.

Farming is like a game of three-dimensional chess. Farmers manage land, subdivision, fences, electricity, labour, soil moisture, soil chemistry, weather, climate, animal supplements, health and so on.

So if the government or regional councils have a problem with, say, “water quality in rivers”, simply explain the problem to farmers and let them solve it from the farm and catchment up.

The top-down approach doesn’t work, it just gets you into a fight. This is something Labour and the Greens learnt at their peril.

Their government became the problem and farmers solved it.

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15 In My View

Opinion

15

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

In my view ...

Stepping up to the bioenergy challenge Brian Cox

Cox is executive officer of the Bioenergy Association

I

N 2023 Cyclone Gabrielle provided an exclamation mark to New Zealand’s climate change consciousness. The fierce cyclone was the worst – but not the only one – of several that ripped through many provinces and dragged the reality of intensified storm activity out for all to see.

The masses of forest waste and debris challenged the wisdom of past forest plantings, and brought to the fore the issue of what was to be done with it all.

As the claims and counter claims about forestry’s role in resulting storm damage fade somewhat, we are at least starting to see the discussion move to how we can plant forests more intelligently, including looking harder at what can be done with those trees when, and if, they are harvested in the future.

The opportunity for NZ Inc to prove to the world it is capable of meeting its Paris Accord obligations is literally on the back doorstep of our forestry and pastoral sectors.

As new ministers settle into their roles, the Bioenergy Association sees a window now firmly open for NZ to better explore its options for how forestry and agriculture can work together to generate a viable, sustainable pool of raw material that can be used to generate fuels that replace hydrocarbons.

Rather than being viewed as simply an option for the “waste”

stream, both sectors offer materials that are a source of closed-loop, sustainable, lowemitting bioenergy and fuels.

The opportunity for NZ Inc to prove to the world it is capable of meeting its Paris Accord obligations is literally on the back doorstep of our forestry and pastoral sectors. The residue resources already on hand in the forestry and pastoral sectors offer a low-hanging (literally, in some cases) option when seeking alternatives to traditional carbonemitting fuel sources.

Within the arable and pastoral sector, farm crop residues can be recycled for the production of biogas, food grade carbon dioxide production (whose supply has been unstable in NZ recently) and biofertilizer.

This biofuel production stream offers another income source for landowners with the raw material, whether they be farmers or foresters.

Arable break crops, for example, are critical for maintaining soil health, but they can also be a feedstock source for energy production.

Almost a decade ago the emergence of a rapeseed oil biofuel sector was cut short, but not before many farmers had expressed a strong interest in committing to the crop’s establishment. Ten years on, farmer awareness and interest in such crops will only have intensified.

Forest residue will also find a ready market among large-scale processors seeking a raw timber source to replace coal-fired heating processes.

The potential for regionally focused solutions to deal with unwanted forestry slash could mean the likes of vegetable processing plants in Hawke’s Bay for example, have a viable biofuel

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

SLASH: Cyclone Gabrielle brought to the fore the issue of forestry waste and how to make better use of it. source on their back door. This is utilising technology available now, and, unlike some emerging tech, is already well proven.

The success of wood firing Huntly power station has also given significant confidence to the energy sector that forestry residue can be a viable fuel source, and having a large player underwrite such a source will do much to prompt others to explore the option.

Such a move also means the millions that would have been needed to replace a coal-fired Huntly station for base load electricity supply do not need to be spent, with Huntly continuing to be able to provide a solid base load without the emissions.

Meantime, also sourcing biomethane from farming residue and organic waste will provide a “green” gas source to fuel gas turbine generators used to smooth out peak electricity needs, and

ensure more efficient utilisation of solar and wind energy.

More focus on “right tree, right place” on the 10% of land on most farms that is sub-optimal for pasture would encourage more cross-sector forestry-pastoral cooperation, drawing together the sectors in a more co-operative and mutually beneficial manner.

The coalition government finds itself at a point in time when the opportunity has never been timelier to bring the energy, pastoral and forestry sectors together in a shared vision to provide not only food and timber, but also fuel and energy.

A commitment to supporting areas like arable break crops capable of being an energy source, on-farm tree planting rather than wholesale farm conversions to forestry, crop residue use as a biofuel, and recognising bioenergy solutions in Farm Environment Plans would all be valuable cross-

sector first steps.

But because bioenergy and biofuel fall across multiple sectors, we badly need the government to step up and bring all parties around the table, enabling NZ to tap into the sustainable resources its foresters and farmers already have at hand.

Got a view on some aspect of farming you would like to get across? We offer readers the chance to have their say.

Contact us and have yours. farmers.weekly@agrihq.co.nz Phone 06 323 1519

16 Opinion

16

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

Opinion

Geared up to drive you round the bend Alternative view

Alan Emerson

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

W

ITH the government having the civil service in its sights, I decided to try to find out how the agencies are going to fight back.

While supping at the famous Whakataki Hotel, I was able to overhear part of a strategy from Land Transport NZ, or Waka Kotahi. The organisation was feeling particularly vulnerable because of the excess fat in its system and because it has had to change its name.

As “Waka Kotahi” has no future, the organisation decided its new name should be New Zealand’s Super Land Transport Agency.

They will tell the new minister that the addition of “Super” will give the agency more credibility with the public and the media.

They then moved on to the Road to Zero, which isn’t working. Our road toll is going up. It needs to be going down.

NZ Super Land Transport Agency (NZSLTA) is about to start a series of new initiatives, and I have the lowdown.

Loss of control is the biggest factor in crashes causing death and the remedy is simple: improve co-ordination. Co-ordination is

described as “the ability to use your senses”. It can be achieved by “skipping, juggling and balancing exercises”.

A national co-ordination initiative is about to start, with a nationwide skipping, juggling and balancing competition. All those with driver’s licences are encouraged to enter.

They plan to make the test compulsory for the over 65s.

The intention is to show the NZSLTA is actually doing something. It has $20 million allocated for an advertising campaign.

“It is a small step for man and a huge step for mankind” was going to be the advertising slogan but the NZSLTA Committee on Cultural Sensitivity (CoCS) canned the quote as excessively sexist.

The problem was that “a huge step for personkind” didn’t have the same impact.

NZSLTA has formed an additional committee to find a new line for its advertising. The committee will include males, females, LGBT and non-binary plus Christians, Muslims, Jews and Buddhists.

They have 18 months to produce a recommendation. It is a monumental challenge in such a short time frame but NZSLTA has always been up to tough challenges, was the rationale.

The second issue is going too fast for the conditions.

The intention is to have an electronic speed sign plus a weather station every 5km on state highways.

The weather station will determine the conditions that will set the speed limit, which will then be transmitted to the electronic sign, thus changing the limit. It can be updated every 15 minutes, so drivers will need to concentrate.

There will be speed cameras incorporated into the signs so the changes can be rigidly policed.

“The revenue that will produce is

CARRY THAT LOAD: Alan Emerson fires up his imagination to find out how government agencies like Waka Kotahi will counter coalition plans. astounding” was the rationale.

NZSLTA is also committed to further reducing speed limits, especially in urban areas. It believes if speed limits are incredibly low people will be convinced to use other means of transport, specifically bikes and horses.

‘It will boost government revenues even more than their encouraging smoking’ was the rationale.

It believes that its initiatives will not only lower the road toll but save the planet as well. When asked where the horses would live in a city like Auckland, it identified four golf courses it could nationalise and turn into horse paddocks. There’s also the Avondale Jockey Club, which has plenty of room for horses.

NZSLTA knows what is best for motorists and the new speed initiative is part of that. Its mantra being “We always know what is best for you”.

In addition, the new government will be increasingly supportive of NZSLTA because it will be a major generator of revenue. It’ll want to increase our staff, not cut it.

Talking about staff and employment, our new speed limits will make the economy so inefficient more people will be required to do the same amount of work.

NZSLTA is, therefore a social innovator creating more jobs. It knows what’s best for you and the country.

When reminded that the government wants to increase speed limits, the agency had the answer.

It maintained that if it reduced speed limits then commercial drivers, especially stock carriers, wouldn’t be able to get to their destination in the required five

and a half hours, thus earning a fine.

“It will boost government revenues even more than their encouraging smoking” was the rationale.

Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs is the third biggest cause of road accidents causing death, and that will be easily fixed.

NZSLTA has developed a worldfirst alcohol and drug monitor that can be placed on the dashboard of cars. If the monitor picks up alcohol or drugs, the vehicle won’t start.

It was pointed out to NZSLTA that while methamphetamine stays in the system only a few hours, marijuana will stay there for months.

Its answer was simple: “Don’t use dope, use P” followed by the statement “We always know what’s best for you”.

It’s going to be an interesting three years.

Celebrations not wholly justified as EU hits 30 Meaty matters

SEEING STARS: Allan Barber points out that economic commentators have recently asked whether the EU’s formation can be regarded as an unqualified success.

Allan Barber

Meat industry commentator: allan@barberstrategic.co.nz, http:// allanbarber.wordpress.com

U

NDER the leadership of European Commissioner Jacques Delors, 1993 was the year the European Union was established.

With a much grander vision than

the EEC that preceded it, the EU had the goal of political union across the whole of Europe with the right to travel, work and live freely across member countries, moving towards a single currency, which was launched on January 1 1999 with the formal introduction of banknotes and cash three years later. Only the United Kingdom rejected the euro, a decision for which it is now profoundly grateful.

It is coincidental that the 30th anniversary occurred in 2023, the same year Delors died at the age of 98. Economic commentators have recently asked the big question whether the EU’s formation, the major achievement of its instigator, can be regarded as a success. British analysts, as one would expect, have tended to indulge in a dose of schadenfreude Continued next page

17

Opinion Continued from previous page at what they see as an ambitious project that has actually gone backwards over its 30-year existence, more notably over the 25 years since the euro’s introduction. European Central Bank (ECB) president Christine Lagarde was reduced to singing the praises of the beauty of the new banknotes that are about to be issued, reflecting satisfaction that many European citizens may not even be able to remember a time when the franc, deutschmark, lira and others were the individual currencies.

Lagarde failed to mention the salient point that the EU’s share of global GDP has roughly halved since the euro’s introduction.

She made the valid point that the single currency unites Europe by making it easier to work, conduct business and ensure price stability, although she failed to mention the salient point that the EU’s share of global GDP has roughly halved since the euro’s introduction.

Price stability hasn’t been a great success either, with inflation differing wildly from one country to another, whereas greater stability may have been achieved if each country’s currency had been allowed to float independently according to its own economic performance and inflation rate.

The ECB’s original intention was not to bail out individual members’ economies by underwriting huge amounts of debt, which effectively allows them to avoid the tough decisions. However, if it hadn’t resorted to debt funding during the global financial crisis, the whole project would probably have blown apart.

Fifteen years ago Greece hit a financial crisis that necessitated 12 rounds of tax cuts, spending cuts and reforms, resulting in civil riots as well as bailouts from the International Monetary Fund and ECB, in the face of strong objections, particularly from Germany.

Greece also negotiated a 50% reduction of private bank debt to the tune of €100 billion. The Greek recession at that time was the longest ever suffered by a developed economy. On the other side of the Adriatic, Italy’s economy has remained virtually stagnant for the past 20 years.

There is little evidence political

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

and currency union, administered by a massive bureaucracy in Brussels, has actually delivered the economic growth envisaged

by Delors in the early 1990s.

By 2004 he had become disillusioned with the single currency concept because member governments had failed to commit to a common fiscal policy, without which it could not work efficiently. He even agreed the UK had done the right thing by rejecting the euro, although he supported its continued membership of the EU at the time of the Brexit referendum.

The original goal of the EU was to reduce barriers to trade and encourage competition, which explains why the British prime minister at the time, Margaret Thatcher, supported it enthusiastically. But these goals were hindered or defeated by the imposition of centralised product regulation and workplace legislation, the introduction of the single currency without consideration of the wide discrepancies in economic performance across the bloc, and the omission of services which make up more than threequarters of economic activity.

Delors’ vision was to build a European model of society that would present a strong counterpoint to the “savage capitalism” of a United Statesdominated global economy.

This social model envisaged imposing workplace legislation centrally on all member states, covering working conditions, hours of work and wages, which naturally enough strangled competitiveness and innovation.

To place this in a New Zealand context, one only needs to reflect on the dramatic increase in the number of public servants since 2017, the introduction of fair pay agreements, and the regular increase in the minimum wage without consideration of the impact on inflation or productivity.

The EU currently shows many of the same characteristics as this country – higher than desirable inflation, declining productivity, a bloated bureaucracy – but at least we have the advantages of being able (mostly) to make our own decisions, change governments every three years if we want, and having only one currency to worry about.

A biographer of Delors described the EU as “the house that Jacques built”, but it is possible by the time of his death in December that he may have seriously questioned whether his design was good enough to ensure its long-term survival.

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17

Lessons from a hard year Eating the elephant

Daniel Eb

Daniel Eb helps Kiwis connect with farming through his agency Dirt Road Comms and Open Farms. His family farms in Kaipara. eating.the.elephant.nz@gmail.com

I

WAS shooting clays recently.

There were five traps firing.

From four of these, the clay followed a simple, consistent trajectory – left to right, high to low or near to far. But the fifth did something strange. It fired almost directly upwards, hung for a moment and fell awkwardly back to earth.

Compared with the others, there was just more to it. Acceleration and deceleration. A weird gravitydefying pause that demanded a different type of patience and timing from the shooter. In corporate speak, you would call it “dynamic”.

That clay feels like a good metaphor for the year we’ve had.

After years of lockdowns and economic instability, I think we all wanted something normal from 2023. We looked forward to a normal summer, normal markets, normal politics, normal interest rates, normal workloads, normal grocery prices and normal news.

We wanted a go at one of the ordinary targets for a change.

Instead, we got the wettest first half of the year on record and Cyclone Gabrielle, successive interest rate rises, a divisive election season, shock foreign wars and a little recession to top it off.

For thousands of Kiwis, this was the year the house was lost in a flood, the farm was overwhelmed, debt became scary, redundancy loomed or the visits to the foodbank became too regular.

That’s not to say there weren’t wins and moments of pride among the setbacks.

We saw communities and the nation come together in the face of disaster. Political power was transferred peacefully after a fair, clean election (an increasing rarity globally).

We continued to slowly turn the corner on several key national indicators like ram raids, emergency housing gaps, public transport use and even child poverty.

Like the rise, pause and fall of that clay, 2023 was complex and hard to read. It felt weird, messy and full of contradictions. Climate change is a good example. We suffered back-to-back extreme

READY TO LAUNCH: Daniel Eb says like the rise, pause and fall of a rogue clay, 2023 was complex and 2024 will probably continue that trend. The trick is to adjust your mindset, he says.

I think the crux of it is accepting that the mega forces that will impact my family’s life are increasingly chaotic. weather events that upended the lives of thousands of New Zealanders and kick-started serious and hopeful discussions about our response to climate change.

Half a year later, climate action was conspicuously absent from the election campaign. In the same year that our quarterly greenhouse gas emissions finally fell, a new government is halting a raft of climate action policies with no replacements in sight.

Drilling down further into agricultural emissions, who can say what trajectory we find ourselves on now? We started the year expecting something, anything, to come from the unprecedented sector collaboration that was He Waka Eke Noa, only for it to fall over almost entirely.

Fonterra’s long-awaited Scope 3 emissions plan was released, alongside increasingly strong signals from global customers for deep reductions on the farm. At the same time, the new government has punted farm emissions and other environmental regulations down the road. We continue to invest heavily in long foretold technological breakthroughs to fix an issue that new science suggests might not be that big of an issue after all.

In a more personal example of 2023’s contradictions, I spent time experimenting with ChatGPT, the new artificial intelligence

platform capable of writing passable responses on any topic you ask it, and on a course for values- and vision-based communication. Which is it? Will AI do my copywriting for me or do I need to keep studying the art of empathetic storytelling?

If there is a lesson to be learnt from 2023, it’s that contradiction, false starts, crisis and upheaval are our new reality. The normal years are gone and they’re not coming back.

So how do we adapt to a future full of years like 2023? I can only speak for my own experience, but I think the crux of it is accepting that the mega forces that will impact my family’s life are increasingly chaotic. I need to get comfortable with the fact that economic growth, social cohesion, a stable environment, affordable groceries or a need for my skill set aren’t actually guaranteed anymore.

Because I’m expecting more instability, not less, my focus for 2024 is twofold. First up is building my capacity to weather chaotic times by focusing on personal health, family wellbeing, a lower energy and consumption lifestyle and swapping social media doomscrolling for more real learning (aka books).

Secondly, I want to do more work that builds our collective capacity to keep going despite the upheavals and challenges we find ourselves in. For me, that work looks like food security, ecological and farming education for our young people and supporting regenerative farming systems.

In the end, hitting that chaotic clay came down to two things – recognising that the old strategy wasn’t going to work anymore, and slowing down to get the basics right.

18 People

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

People

Royal nod for Wellington beekeeper Affable expert Frank Lindsay appears in the New Year Honours list for services to the apiculture industry, writes Craig Page.

F

RANK Lindsay was supposed to be sworn to secrecy about his impending New Year

Honour.

But the Wellington beekeeper just couldn’t help letting his 102-year-old mother Jean in on the secret, sharing the news of his Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit award with her on Christmas Day. “I said, ‘You’ll have to live a bit longer to see me get it’,” he said.

Lindsay received the honour in recognition of more than 50 years of dedication to the bee industry.

Those in the know say he is an unsung hero – a beekeeper, administrator, life member, disease expert and teacher – and the honour is well overdue.

Lindsay, 77, has owned more than 450 hives throughout the Wellington region over the past 50 years and has held elected positions on the Wellington Beekeeper Association committee for more than 25 years, including four terms as president.

Lindsay’s honour citation said “his skills and expertise have benefited hundreds of new beekeepers that have joined the association”.

He is a life member of the National Beekeepers’ Association, having joined in 1971, and he co-ordinates the Southern North Island Branch of the National Beekeepers Association (NBA), which includes running field days and hosting international speakers.

It is his expertise and easy

manner that make him the go-to on all things about honey bees and beekeeping.

He has presented at conferences in Australia and has been a driving force for New Zealand’s reputation as a leading apiculture country.

His expertise was used following outbreaks of varroa mites in Australia and Fiji in 2022.

Lindsay is relectant to talk up his input.

“I was surprised, yeah. It makes you a little humble, doesn’t it?

“I found out in late October. Like everybody else, you think it’s a bit of a hoax.”

Lindsay’s fascination with bees began as a child when, as a member of a local Cubs group, he visited a honey house.

“I was hooked. I went home and put a pot of honey out in the garden to attract the bees. It was obviously late in the season because lots of bees starting robbing the honey. My dad got stung and my brother got stung and I was told I wasn’t allowed bees until I got my own home.”

Six months after moving into his first home he had a beehive.

It remained a hobby for Lindsay until, at the age of 48, he took redundancy from his post office job and went full-time beekeeping.

“It was a way of life in those days. You didn’t really make a lot of money but it was good fun.

Heavy work but good fun, like normal farming.

“The bees were just fascinating.

Commercial beekeeping in the Wellington area is marginal. But there weren’t many beekeepers

different ways to do things.

“With bees you are always learning. You never know everything. You start off being a beekeeper and doing it for honey but then you get trapped by these insects, which are marvelous things.”

You start off being a beekeeper and doing it for honey but then you get trapped by these insects, which are marvelous things.

Frank Lindsay Beekeeper

A BEE IN THE HAND: Frank Lindsay is all smiles as he removes a bee swarm from an Upper Hutt home this week.

Photo: James Withington around and we did quite well until the mānuka gold rush arrived and we got forced out of everywhere.”

He now runs about 60 hives in Wellington, on farm land between Ōtaki and Johnsonville.

Lindsay initially joined the

beekeepers’ association to learn as much as he could, gleaning valuable information from beekeepers during lunchtime chats.

“If there were five beekeepers in the room you’d get told six

Lindsay said the industry has experienced tough times in recent years, as overseas markets were flooded with honey, but he remains confident things will pick up.

The “mānuka gold rush” attracted plenty of people to the industry in search of a quick dollar, but many have now moved on. Recently a beekeeper had to destroy 2000 hives after going bankrupt. No one wanted to buy the hives and they can’t be left sitting around without being looked after.

“The family businesses are still around but they’ve had to cut hive numbers down to be sustainable.

It’s very difficult for beekeepers to make a living, but it will come right.”

As for Lindsay, he is keen to remain in the industry for as long as he is able.

“Until I’m dead, probably. As long as I can continue to lift a bee box I’ll be okay.”

Brakenridge gonged in New Year Honours Annette Scott

PEOPLE

Agriculture CO-FOUNDER and longstanding CEO of the the New Zealand Merino Company John Brakenridge has been recognised in the New Year Honours as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his exceptional contributions to the nation’s food and fibre sectors.

Brakenridge’s CNZM rewards his visionary leadership, enduring legacy and outstanding contributions that have not only reshaped the Merino industry but also significantly contributed to the economic growth and global recognition of NZ’s food and fibre sectors, according to the citation.

With more than 30 years of experience in international marketing, he has been instrumental in championing NZ’s primary sector products within global markets.

Through the collaboration

with forward-thinking wool growers, New Zealand Merino Company (NZM) disrupted traditional industry thinking and business models, launching the premiumisation of a previously commodity-driven product and bringing more than $500 million in additional value to growers and brand partners.

Under Brakenridge’s stewardship, the differentiation of NZM’s fibre has been underpinned by a collaborative systems approach, environmental credentials, animal

This is a pivotal point in my life where I step back, step up, and step in to ensure I continue to do everything I can to drive positive impact for people and planet.

John Brakenridge CNZM

welfare integrity, and pioneering regenerative agriculture in the wool industry, the citation says.

Beyond NZM, Brakenridge founded Te Hono in 2012, uniting leaders from NZ’s food and fibre companies, iwi, and government agencies and establishing a collaborative partnership with Stanford University.

Representing over 80% of NZ’s primary sector, Te Hono envisions a shift from commoditybased trading to a value-capture model, positioning NZ as a global exemplar economically, socially, and environmentally with high consumer value products.

“It is an honour to be named Companion of the NZOM,” Brakenridge said.

“This is a pivotal point in my life where I step back, step up, and step in to ensure I continue to do everything I can to drive positive impact for people and planet.

“If we are going to double our exports by value, whilst improving environmental and social

HONOURED: John Brakenridge was recognised in the New Year Honours list for his contributions to the Merino industry. outcomes, then the sophistication of how we unlock this value must be enhanced through really smart branding and experiences.

“Time to get busy both in NZ and globally working in targeted markets with bold and ambitious legacy businesses.”

In 2023, he launched the Brakenridge Impact Group, which he described as striving to support world-leading organisations as they pursue their own disruptive

aspirations.

“I am highly energised by a group of remarkable businesses who have reached out to me, seeking to partner in bold, sophisticated, and transformative plans.

“My work is going to be highly selective with a small number of partners, from startups to billiondollar multinationals, all with the common characteristic of impactful ambition.”

Technology

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

Happiness may lie in milk-based probiotics Work at Fonterra raises the prospect of milk-sourced probiotics crossing the gut-brain axis to help improve people’s mental health. Richard Rennie reports.

D

EPRESSION is predicted to be the world’s leading cause of morbidity by 2050, a legacy of the global pandemic that shows little sign of abating. But a Fonterra project has highlighted the possible benefits of milk-based probiotics in altering that dire prediction.

Dr Maher Fuad, principal research clinician at Fonterra’s Palmerston North innovation centre, says mental health’s taxing impact on the global economy is estimated to be costing the world about US$1 trillion ($1.6 trillion) a year.

“That cost globally is significant.

But in recent years there has been a greater focus upon the diet’s impact on mental health.

The gut-brain axis, as it is known, is becoming increasingly better understood and may offer some solutions.”

Fuad says a survey reported in US magazine Psychology Today indicated 80% of consumers would switch their diets if it would improve their mental health and wellbeing.

An earlier collaborative study between Fonterra and Auckland and Otago universities examined the role that phospholipids – lipids found in buttermilk – can play in lowering stress, anxiety and depression.

Over a 12-week period participants experienced a 45% reduction in mean stress levels when they consumed phospholipids as part of their diet.

“That decline in anxiety was not statistically significant, but it was still clinically important,” Fuad says.

The researchers’ most recent study, known as Project Happy, has looked at the role probiotic cultures can play in lowering stress and anxiety.

Over the 30-day period we recorded an improvement in happiness, as measured on the official Oxford Happiness Questionnaire.

Dr Maher Fuad Fonterra Fonterra has two commercially patented probiotic cultures already utilised in probiotic supplements, LactoBHN001 and BifidoBHN019.

LactoBHN001 is marketed as an ingredient that helps support immunity and health in mothers and young children, and Bifido is focused on digestive health and gut flora.

While the products were initially “gut” focused, a greater

understanding of the brain-gut axis is revealing how a healthier gut plays a big part in a healthy brain.

In the trial 120 participants consumed a daily dose of BHN001.

“Over the 30-day period we recorded an improvement in happiness, as measured on the official Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, with accompanying reduced stress levels over that time.”

While clinical understanding of the links between brain and gut health are still unfolding, Fuad says the gut is the organ with the second largest nervous tissue network after the brain, making it an integral part of the stress pathway through the body.

“So, we now have two trials showing similar results, and are looking forward to having the results published in the new year.”

He says the work also reinforces earlier findings on postpartum depression, shown to be reduced with the addition of probiotics to the new mum’s diet.

“We are starting to see more of a shift in the world of psychology’s thinking, where probiotics can be part of the treatment regime.”

Since 2020 the Royal Australian College of Psychology has recommended the administration of probiotics as part of a healthy

HAPPIER: Dr Maher Fuad, principal research clinician at Fonterra’s Palmerston North innovation centre, says the ‘gut-brain axis’ could possibly help address depression and anxiety. lifestyle for depression and mood disorder.

“We are also looking at how a combination of phospholipids and probiotics could be something to offer in the future.”

Fuad says dairy based proteins contain numerous valuable amino acids that act as precursors for improved neural pathways and health, while phospholipids also play a valuable role in moving “bad” lipids out of the blood stream.

Since the early 1900s they have

been referenced for their ability to help reduce disease impact, including on heart disease and diabetes.

As a medical doctor by profession and having practised in the Middle East, Fuad is more familiar than most with the impact of mental health and stress.

“When you consider the implications and costs of mental health, it is exciting to be involved with something that offers a prevention rather than just looking for a cure.”

Dairy dilemma on slopes of a soggy icon Delwyn Dickey

TECHNOLOGY

Dairy

COWS grazing on lush pastures under azure skies, with snowcapped Mount Taranaki in the distance – it’s an iconic image of rural New Zealand.

But the idyllic landscape presents some real challenges for those dairy farming on the volcanic mountain’s slopes.

Taranaki sees high rainfall, often in sharp bursts – and the higher the altitude on the mountain, the more rain. Severe rain events of 50mm an hour and 200mm in 24 hours are not uncommon, with these events increasing in the past few decades and likely to continue to increase as the climate warms.

This high rainfall, plus the slope, make effluent management challenging at times, said Lauren McEldowney, farm systems consultant with AgFirst Taranaki.

In the past, Taranaki Regional Council permitted some farms to discharge effluent to water after pond treatment, while other farms have dual consenting for discharge to land and discharge to water, McEldowney said.

But the council is moving away from discharge to water

consenting, with Fonterra also calling for a halt to the practice from June 1 2025.

Over 100 farms on the mountain slopes may soon be non-compliant.

As part of a team from AgFirst, with funding through the Rural Professionals Fund from Our Land and Water, McEldowney looked at gathering more localised weather, contour and soil infiltration rates than currently available through regional rainfall averaging and large-scale blanket soil mapping.

Weather stations will be installed on four case-study farms on the north, south, east and westerly slopes of Mt Taranaki, along with two soil moisture sites on each farm with sensors set at 100mm and 300mm depths.

Likely impacts of nutrient management, capital expenditure and impacts on farm systems will also be looked at.

The project aims to build a new database for farmers to compare their farm’s conditions – including elevation and position on the mountain – to define their physical and soil characteristics more accurately, to understand how they are affected by rainfall.

This should give a more accurate

The council is moving away from discharge to water consenting, with Fonterra also calling for a halt to the practice from June 1 2025. Over 100 farms on the mountain slopes may soon be noncompliant.

TARADISE COST: The idyllic landscape of Taranaki presents real challenges for those dairy farming on the volcanic mountain’s slopes. idea of the numbers of days effluent irrigation can be used.

From there, current effluent management systems setups can be altered to be fit for purpose.

This may include using pond covers, bladder type systems, stormwater diversion, or catching

rainwater in tanks. New, tailored effluent management systems may also be needed for some.

The project will run until mid2024, with the team hopeful the methodology and results will also be of use in other regions with high rainfall.

High rainfall and sloping land means Taranaki soils have been classified as high risk for effluent discharge to land.

High rainfall sees hundreds of watercourses running down through farmland around the mountain, with effluent irrigators needing to keep minimum distances from these. Large volumes of rainwater risk entering effluent storage ponds.

Various eruptions over millennia have deposited volcanic ash and debris on different sides of the mountain, which now means different soil types fan out and around the mountain. Rocky mounds from lahars can run through otherwise flat paddocks, also making the use of effluent irrigators difficult in some places.

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World

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

Breather for NZ lamb as dams fill in Aus Nigel Stirling

MARKETS

T

Beef and sheep

HE torrent of Australian sheepmeat that has been clogging global markets since the middle of last year has slowed to a dribble as widespread rain helps ease the drought that has been gripping much of the country.

Some areas of northern Australia buffeted by Cyclone Jasper in December received as much as 2m of rain in 48 hours.

That was preceded by good rain across much of the rest of the country.

Before the rain turned up there were reports of Australian farmers shooting ewes in their paddocks.

Dry conditions meant processors were inundated with livestock and prices for ewes fell to a dollar a head as a result.

Alliance Group chief executive Willie Wiese, who returned from Western Australia in late December, said farmgate prices are now off their lows as soil moisture levels are replenished and livestock flows to processors take a breather.

“Over the last four to five weeks prices have definitely been moving up.

“Lamb prices are up and mutton prices are A$2.50 [$2.69] per kilo, whereas at one point they were a dollar a head. It is all because of the changed weather conditions.”

The favorable turn in the weather will be a relief for exporters on this side of the Tasman grappling with the twin challenges of increased supply from their major global competitor and weak consumer demand in key markets such as China.

In October, Australian mutton exports to China were up 57% compared to the same month the previous year, while lamb was up 14%.

Wiese travelled to China at the end of November just as Australian exporters were beginning to pump the brakes.

He said a recovery in prices for exporters would not be immediate despite the slowdown in Australian production.

“There is still a lot of lowerpriced inventory in the Chinese market.

“So it will probably be a lagged effect where that inventory will have to be cleared before the higher-priced inventory can move in.”

The glut in the Chinese market has clobbered returns in other markets, Wiese said.

“China really sets the global price.

“Everybody looks for other markets and they all take their product into those markets with lower pricing when China is down.”

A Sydney-based director for New Zealand meat trader Latitude Commodities Mike Cleary said

It might give us shortterm price lifts once that inventory has cleared but the threat that they will eventually have to clear all residual capital stock remains.

Willie Wiese Alliance

RELIEF: Australian farmgate sheep prices are now off their lows as soil moisture levels are replenished and livestock flows to processors take a breather. there has been a complete turnaround in livestock markets.

“Rain on the eastern seaboard started probably six weeks ago now.”

Most states have received significant rainfall, he said.

“And it has not just been coastal, which it often is. Prior to that it has been an extremely dry year.”

Cleary had heard accounts of some farmers in New South Wales readying themselves to take the unprecedented step of carting water to replenish storage dams that had run dry.

UK growers shrink plans as production costs bite FRUIT and vegetable growers have been shelving plans for growth due to the soaring cost of production over the past two years, putting the future of the United Kingdom’s horticulture industry at risk.

A new report commissioned

by Britain’s National Farmers Union (NFU) found costs of production had increased by almost 40% in the past two years, with energy costs rising 218%, fertiliser by 47% and labour costs by 24%.

The crops impacted most by these increases included strawberries, tomatoes, apples and lettuce.

The report warns that production costs, along with ongoing global volatility, are the “new normal” and businesses should not expect the situation to change any time soon.

NFU horticulture and potatoes board chair Martin Emmett said he is “seriously concerned” to hear growers are cutting production for this coming season, and that they are doing everything they can to ensure the supply of homegrown fruit and vegetables on supermarket shelves.

He said sustainable energy supplies, access to

Now these dams are filling again and processors were having to pay up to secure livestock to keep their plants running.

Farmers are now receiving A$7 per kg CWT for lambs, up from the low of A$4.50 to A$4.80 per kg at the end of October.

Cleary does not foresee lamb prices returning to the A$8-$9 per kg CWT attained between 2020 and the start of 2023, when strong export markets coupled with good rainfall combined to push up farmgate prices.

“It is really not there at the

New opportunities for NZ beef as US reduces herd Neal Wallace

MARKETS

Meat Industry Association

HIGH MAINTENANCE: Tomatoes are among the fresh produce most affected by soaring production costs in the UK. skilled labour, productivity investment and supply chain fairness are all critical to maintain the growth of the sector.

The UK government has committed to a consultation into the horticulture supply chain, which Emmett welcomed, but he said many businesses continue to face “difficult customer relationships” and contract planning cycles that are “out of sync with production cycles”.

“It is crazy to think that, at a time when we want people to eat more healthily, we are only 50% self-sufficient in vegetables and 15% selfsufficient in fruit,” he said.

Jack Pearce, director of

Alfred G Pearce, a root vegetable growing and processing company based in King’s Lynn in Norfolk, said the sector is facing a “perfect storm” and that it is a “worrying time”.

He said his business has not yet cut production levels but has instead considered changing what to grow and methods of production.

“Growing under polythene incurs exponentially high costs,” he said.

“But without it our yields would fall and there could be crop loss.

“Some days you just do not know which way to turn.

Something somewhere has to be done.”

– Farmers Guardian

moment in meat values across the globe.”

Wiese said slowing Australian production is a positive development for shaky global sheep meat markets.

But the establishment of the El Niño weather pattern, forecast to bring hotter, drier conditions to much of Australia, means any reprieve could be short-lived.

“The challenge of the Australian threat that we were all bracing for impact for as they were clearing capital stock is that El Niño will last a number of years.

“The weather relief now is almost delaying that clearance, which will eventually come.

“It might give us short-term price lifts once that inventory has cleared but the threat that they will eventually have to clear all residual capital stock remains.”

According to Meat and Livestock Australia, the forecast mutton kill for Australia in 2024 will be 10% to 15% behind this year’s.

LIQUIDATION of the United States beef herd could continue for the next 18 months, Meat Industry Association chief executive Sirma Karapeeva says.

Drought is impacting about a third of the lower 48 states in the US, causing farmers to reduce herds. Karapeeva, who has just returned from the US, said this creates opportunities for New Zealand exporters.

By January the US beef herd is expected to be 2.7% lower than a year earlier, leading to less production than was achieved in 2023.

This is being offset by higher pork and chicken production.

It is forecast that by 2025 supplies of red meat and poultry will be at similar levels to 2019.

The US beef herd is expected to start rebuilding from about 2025 and take several years to reach completion.

Karapeeva said there is soft demand for high value cuts from whitetablecloth restaurants, but demand is steady from fast-food outlets.

She said US consumer spending is above pre-covid levels, though confidence is low.

“Consumers are looking for value at retail, often buying on promotion and switching to more discount retail chains.”

Demand for beef remains reasonably

steady but by 2025 it is forecast that total meat consumption per capita will decrease from 273 pounds (124kg) to 270lbs (122kg).

She said NZ’s export quota to the US has not been filled for several years and provides exporters with a significant opportunity to boost exports.

Competition from South American beef producers will be tempered by its quota system, which operates on a first come, first served basis and which Brazil has tended to dominate.

On one hand lamb is struggling to gain traction in the US, where it has been considered an old-fashioned meat, but the growth of diverse ethnic restaurants is opening new markets and consumers she said.

“Maybe a challenge for us is to target those chefs and consumers which fit their styles, away from Eurocentric cooking.”

There is also a need to treat the US as multiple markets with multiple demands and requirements.

“We can’t be complacent and think one group of consumers represents the US.” Karapeeva said inflation has pushed red meat prices up 33% on average, which is prompting consumers to trade down to cheaper cuts, and to chicken and pork.

“As returns fall, NZ red meat exporters need to fight harder to keep red meat on the shopping lists. If we don’t, we will lose the opportunity.”

FEDERATED 21 Fed Farmers

FARMERS Vol 2 No 1, January 15, 2024

fedfarm.org.nz

Ute tax gets the axe

N

ew Minister of Transport Simeon Brown has proven himself a man of his word, following through on a campaign promise to repeal the controversial ‘Ute Tax’ in the Government’s first 100 days.

Legislation was passed in the final weeks of last year repealing the Ute Tax and Clean Car Discount for all vehicles registered after 31 December 2023.

Repealing this legislation was one of Federated Farmers’ 12 policy priorities for restoring farmer confidence – a wishlist that is rapidly being ticked off by the new Government.

“Ultimately, it was the right thing to do,” Brown says.

“Removing the Ute Tax was a key election promise from National, so it was important for me to follow through on that and deliver what we said we would.

“I know a lot of farmers were feeling singled out and targeted by some of the last Government’s policies, and the Ute Tax was one of them.”

Brown says the tax unfairly punished hardworking farmers and tradies, who had very little choice about the type of vehicle they need for work.

“Farmers who need utes for their job or to run their business couldn’t avoid charges under the scheme as there were few viable alternatives that could meet their needs.

“We wanted to send a clear message that National back our farmers and we back our productive

sector. This Government wants to grow the economy and get our country back on track.”

Brown acknowledges the important advocacy of groups like Federated Farmers in repealing the Ute Tax and highlighting why it was such a poor policy.

He describes the previous Labour Government’s policy as “inequitable” and “fiscally irresponsible”.

“The scheme was supposed to be fiscally neutral, with the Ute Tax charges covering the rebates and administration costs.

Taxing farmers in this way only added additional cost to productive businesses for no material advantage.

Mark Hooper Federated Farmers transport and roading spokesperson “But more has been paid out in rebates than has been received in charges, and this was only set to get worse, with more taxpayer money needed to keep the scheme afloat.

“More than $579 million has been paid out in rebates and $13.5 million spent in administration costs, while only $290 million has been collected in charges.

“This has left taxpayers facing a $302.5 million deficit.”

Federated Farmers transport and roading spokesperson Mark Hooper was quick to acknowledge the repeal of the tax and thanked the Minister

for following through on his promise.

“Scrapping the Ute Tax was one of our 12 policy priorities in the lead-up to last year’s election so it’s great to see it crossed off the list – but there’s still a lot more work that needs to be done to restore farmer confidence.

“There aren’t a lot of farmers out there who will be able to afford a new ute this season with huge cost increases and lower commodity prices, but it’s the principle of it that matters.”

Hooper says utes are an important part of farmers’ day-to-day work.

“Farmers have a genuine need for reliable four-wheel drive vehicles to tow often-heavy equipment and get around their farms safely.

“Taxing farmers in this way only added additional cost to productive businesses for no material advantage.”

Every time a farmer fills their ute up with diesel, they’re already paying for their carbon emissions through the Emissions Trading Scheme, Hooper says.

“By bringing in a Ute Tax on top of this, the Government were essentially asking farmers to pay for their carbon emissions twice.

“The fact this money was being drained from hard-working Kiwis’ wallets to subsidise wealthy Tesla drivers in cities added extra salt to the wound. It was essentially a wealth transfer from rural communities to Remuera.”

With the Ute Tax now dead and gone, Federated Farmers will be turning their attention to the state of

NOT ON: Transport minister Simeon Brown says the tax unfairly punished hardworking farmers and tradies, who had very little choice about the type of vehicle they need for work. our pothole-riddled rural roads and other infrastructure issues.

“We’ve had years of underinvestment in rural roads and some of them took a real hammering in last year’s cyclone,” Hooper says.

“For farmers and growers, those highways, local roads and bridges are critical to getting product to

processors and markets in a timely manner.”

Federated Farmers will be looking to the new Government to inject funding into the roading network this year. When asked what the Government’s plans were, Minister Brown’s message was simple: “Help is on the way.”

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Rural mental health cases increase in Southland

A

combination of financial pressures, flooding, employment issues and isolation took a toll on Southland farmers’ mental health at the end 2023.

Southland Rural Support Trust wellness coordinator Rachael Nicholson says the organisation received 31 new cases between August and November, twice as many as in the same quarter a year before.

“We saw a noticeable difference in this quarter and the numbers are much higher compared to past years.

“Financial pressures, personal and business relationship challenges, and pure exhaustion from long hours over calving and lambing all played a role in this.

“Many have been referred to us by concerned family members or others in the rural community.”

Nicholson says six of the new cases were farmers hit hard by the heavy rain event in September, which caused slips and widespread flooding across Southland and Otago.

Rural Support Trust’s nationwide statistics show that, of all new cases in August to November, the highest proportion was from the Southern region, at nearly 40%.

Like farmers throughout the country, Southland farmers are under huge financial pressures from high costs and interest rates, and lower commodity prices, but Nicholson says she’s also seeing many farmers struggling because of employment-related issues.

“That’s particularly in dairy. A lot of farmers are having to go back on the farm to do those day-to-day tasks, like milking, because they don’t have the right staff and that puts pressure on them.

“We saw a lot of exhaustion in farmers after calving and lambing.”

Nicholson is particularly concerned about the wellbeing of young male dairy farmers in what she calls a “vast” region, saying isolation is a major factor.

“A lot of my calls were coming from farmers in that 20- to 40-year-old demographic. Tragically, we’ve had some suicides in some of those rural communities.

“We have a lot of young people coming into the Southland farming sector from other provinces and they’re getting isolated living way out on their own. Some of these young people don’t know how to cook or look after themselves properly.”

To help build resilience in young farmers, Southland Rural Support Trust will be running a pilot for three workshops with wellness coach Samantha McBride, starting in February.

“These workshops will give younger rural men tips to grow their self-awareness, tools to improve their mental and physical health, and help to build local connections.”

Nicholson says that last point – building local connections – is becoming increasingly difficult.

“In our rural communities, a lot of the halls, churches and pubs have closed, so we’re not getting that community hub that we used to.

UNDER PRESSURE: Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford knows first-hand how big a difference it makes to pick up the phone and ask for help.

Financial pressures, personal and business relationship challenges, and pure exhaustion from long hours over calving and lambing all played a role in this.

Rachael Nicholson Southland Rural Support Trust “People used to have time to talk over the fence and have those potluck dinners. I think that’s what we’re missing – that connection in our communities.”

One modern way to build connection is through technology, and the young men taking part in McBride’s workshops will be connected through a WhatsApp group, so they can easily stay in contact.

Nicholson says most of the farmers calling or being referred to Rural Support Trust need

urgent counselling, something the organisation can arrange quickly.

“We have a great team of professional counsellors we can call on and get people seen within a week, and often the next day if it’s urgent.”

Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says he’s devastated to hear about the mental stress some farmers are under in Southland, and in other parts of the country like the rain-soaked East Coast.

“I really feel for anyone who’s struggling with their mental health.

I’ve been there before and I’m quite open about my own personal experience and how isolating it can be.

“When you’re in that place, it can be so hard just getting out of bed, let alone trying to run a farm. It’s tough on your friends and family too.

“There are all kinds of pressures that can lead a farmer down that pathway or put them in that position – some of them are in our control, but some of them aren’t.”

Langford says Federated Farmers

in PODCAST

FEATURING A WEEKLY CONVERSATION WITH FEDERATED FARMERS LISTEN NOW

do what they can to help when it comes to things like working through unworkable regulations, helping after disasters, or even just bringing people together for a meal or a drink to build a sense of community.

“But we’re also fortunate to have organisations like Rural Support Trust out there doing great work in our communities. They’re salt-of-theearth grassroots people who know how to talk through the tough stuff with farmers.”

Langford says that if anyone out there is suffering in silence, they just need to pick up the phone and ask for help.

“Picking up that phone and making the call can feel like the hardest thing in the world, but once you’ve done it, I can tell you from personal experience that you’ll never look back”.

MORE:

You can call Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254 or visit www.ruralsupport.org.nz

Federated Farmers

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fedfarm.org.nz – January 15, 2024

Dairy farmer finds his balance again

A

s Matt Bell gets shakily to his feet, steadies himself and feels the whitewater propel him to the beach, he raises his arms and lets out an unbridled shout of elation.

His search for a better lifestyle is officially complete.

It’s a midweek summer evening in Raglan and Matt, Federated Farmers Waikato sharemilker chair, has just caught his first wave ever at a Surfing for Farmers event – and it feels good.

“This is why me and my wife came to Raglan – for a better life. I’m so bloody happy to be here,” Matt says.

After contract milking 1800 cows in Mid Canterbury for four seasons, managing 12 staff at peak, Matt was running on empty and desperate for a fresh start.

“I love farming, but we needed a change. It wasn’t sustainable what we were doing, and it wasn’t fun,” says the 2015 New Zealand Young Farmer of the Year.

Matt, his wife Sam, and six-year-old boy Blake wrote a list of what they wanted from their next farm: money was on the list, but great people and a great location were higher.

They were thrilled to secure a 50/50 sharemilking role on 430 cows just inland of Raglan.

Six months into the job, Matt’s like a man reborn and says he’s never been happier in farming.

“We have an amazing farm owner, the view is incredible, and I have so much more time during the day.”

Getting along to Surfing for Farmers has been a long-held goal, he says.

“I grew up in Morrinsville and spent my summers at the bach at Whangamata. I used to surf a lot but that was years ago, and I’ve been wanting to get back into it for ages.

“I’ve known about Surfing for Farmers and have been so keen to come along.”

Matt and a diverse group of farmers, some who’ve driven more than an hour to be here, meet in the carpark overlooking Ngarunui

Beach at 5:30pm. The friendly Surfing for Farmers organisers and local surfing instructors kit the farmers out with wetsuits and boards.

“As you can see, I’m an athlete,” Matt jokes, showing off his wetsuitclad body, “so it’ll come back to me pretty quickly.”

The group then head down for a warm-up and surf lesson on the black-sand beach.

I love farming, but we needed a change. It wasn’t sustainable what we were doing, and it wasn’t fun.

Matt Bell Waikato farmer “When you feel the wave hit you, you’re going to give it three more strong paddles before you start getting up to your feet,” local Raglan surfer Deli Kaukau instructs the farmers before they head into the ocean.

For the next hour or so, Matt and the other farmers get stuck in, the day’s small swell making it ideal for learning.

The soft-top longboards are

RIDING THE WAVE: ‘Good for the soul’ is how Federated Farmers Waikato sharemilker chair Matt Bell described his first crack at Surfing for Farmers in Raglan.

Photo: Thomas Dela Rue stable, buoyant and forgiving of falls, meaning nearly everyone experiences the thrill of standing up.

Later, back on the beach and beaming, Matt reckons he’s hooked again.

“It’s actually coming back to me

FINDING BALANCE: Matt, centre, gets a lesson on ‘popping up’ to his feet from Raglan surfer and instructor Deli Kaukau.

really quickly. I’m going straight out to buy a board and I’ll be back here next week.”

And although the actual waveriding part is a buzz, Surfing for Farmers is about much more than that, Matt says.

“It just feels really good to be here at the sea, you know? It’s good for the soul, good to get off the farm.

“I don’t know what the words are for it, but it’s a lot of that stuff people talk about, how it replenishes you and makes you feel alive.”

Matt says initiatives like Surfing for Farmers are incredibly important – but the onus is still on farmers to take advantage of them.

“Us farmers are useless at getting off the farm and very few of us have real balance in our lives.

“We’re really good at making up all sorts of excuses for why we need to keep working, and why we can’t afford to leave the farm.

“But when you actually do it – when you come and do something like this – you realise the farm didn’t

explode while you were away for a few hours.”

Afterwards, spirits high and back in dry clothes, the farmers gather with sponsors like Rabobank, and organisers, at the Raglan Surf Lifesaving clubhouse for a hearty BBQ and drinks on ice.

Some farmers know each other, others are meeting for the first time, but they’re united by the fact that they’ve tried something out of their comfort zone.

With the Tasman stretched out behind him and the sun dropping, Matt reflects on a cracking afternoon away from the cows.

“That was so choice. I loved that.

Look at me surfing again.

“I don’t think I’ll be moving from Raglan anytime soon.”

MORE:

Surfing For Farmers (www. surfingforfarmers.com) runs from December through to late March across 16 regions. It’s free and no surfing experience is needed.

24

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January 15, 2024 – fedfarm.org.nz

Federated Farmers

Northland ‘strangled’ by poor roads

F

armers and the new Government agree that Northland urgently needs a fix for State Highway 1 through the Brynderwyn Hills.

Colin Hannah, Federated Farmers Northland president, believes many Northlanders would also support a toll option if it accelerated progress on widening and upgrading a greater length of the crucial stretch of highway.

Federated Farmers Northland, Northland Chamber of Commerce (NorthChamber), the Employers and Manufacturers Association and others are pushing for a fourlane highway from Warkworth to Whangarei, tolled if necessary.

“The sooner it gets done the better, and if it’s a toll road to make the finances work, so be it,” Hannah says.

“The Northland economy is just being strangled by the current poor roading infrastructure.”

Northland Inc has calculated for every day the road is closed, it costs the local economy close to $2 million in lost tourist revenue, extra freight costs and other disruption.

National’s coalition agreement with NZ First includes: “Commit to building a four-lane highway alternative for the Brynderwyns and investigate the use of private finance to accelerate construction.”

That’s the only road route specifically mentioned in the agreement – an indication of its priority. Tolls are one way of paying back private equity investment.

At Federated Farmers events for Northland rural communities in the past year, Hannah has asked farmers if they’d be in favour of the Warkworth to Whangarei upgrade, even if it meant a toll.

“I haven’t had a single ‘no’.

“Even as far up as Waiharahara, north of Kaitaita, farmers were in favour. They told me, ‘let’s just get it done’.”

Waka Kotahi has “mucked Northland around”, Hannah says.

“I’ve been to at least five meetings

UNITED FOR CHANGE: Among those pressing for significant improvements to SH1 between Warkworth and Whangarei, particularly to the Brynderwyn Hills where they’re standing, are (from left) Colin Hannah of Federated Farmers, Constable Alana Cameron of NZ Police, and Darryn Fisher, CEO of North Chamber.

I’ve been to at least five meetings in the last six years to talk about longer-term Northland road solutions and nothing has come of any of them. I don’t think it’s just the funding side of things; I don’t think there’s a will there to do it.

Colin Hannah Federated Farmers Northland president in the last six years to talk about longer-term Northland road solutions and nothing has come of any of them. I don’t think it’s just the funding side of things; I don’t think there’s a will there to do it.

“With a toll road, the funding is quite structured, quite different.”

Former Federated Farmers Northland president John Blackwell, who’s on Northland Regional Council’s roading committee, agrees the Brynderwyns stretch of SH1 isn’t the only problem.

If a toll is a circuit-breaker for larger-scale improvement, “I’d certainly entertain the idea”, he says.

All parties agree that the priority is a solution for the increasingly fragile route through the Brynderwyn Hills.

Waka Kotahi has confirmed $61 million has been approved to repair damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle and build in some resilience “for the immediate to medium term”.

“This is to ensure that the key route can withstand future weather events and disruptions this coming winter and the immediate years to follow,” a Waka Kotahi statement issued late November stated.

But the work means the route will be closed to all traffic for an extended period.

Two options were originally on the table: closure from Waitangi Day (February 6) to Easter Weekend (7.5 weeks, including allowing 13 rain days); or closure post-Easter weekend (10 weeks, including 34 rains days). The options sparked plenty of debate between tourism operators, freight companies and others.

However, the country’s transport agency announced on December 19 that the road will be closed from February 26 until March 27. SH1 will then reopen for six days over the Easter period before closing again on April 3.

Traffic management/delays are expected for much of the next 12 months.

It’s a bitter pill for Northland, Blackwell says, considering the road has already been closed for 73 days over the last 12 months.

The earlier the work is done, the better as far as Blackwell is concerned.

“I think farmers and many others want to see that route secured, and prefer going earlier. It gives you a much better option with ground conditions for the heavy machinery that will be involved.”

When the Brynderwyns are closed, alternative routes are Paparoa to Oakleigh, or the coastal route from Mangawhai to Waipu (Cove Rd), which add about 45 minutes and 20 minutes respectively to an Auckland to Whangarei journey.

Neither of those alternatives are

state highways and neither are suitable for larger trucks.

“Trucks can use those routes, but they’re not rated for 50 tonneplus. They need to go through Dargaville, which is a long hike,” Blackwell says.

“You’d have to say both of those alternative routes under high traffic use are higher risk to operate because they’re not designed for that.”

Repairs and improvements are already being made on both roads in anticipation of the extended closure of Brynderwyn Hills.

Farmers are frustrated but it’s an even bigger deal for foresters trying to get logs to Marsden Point, Blackwell says.

“The charges are higher for everyone to get product up and down here, so it affects our entire economy.”

Debate continues about the best longer-term alternative route for a four-lane highway over the Brynderwyns. Hope remains that whatever route is chosen, it becomes part of a bigger Warkworth to Whangarei improvement package.

25 Real Estate

Rural Market Insight Farm Sales back significantly As we all take a breath and face into the New Year, many in the Primary Sector will be looking forward to 2024 and putting 2023 behind them, and rural real estate is no exception. We can all look at life from many perspectives, and being realistic about the present is an excellent place to start this New Year.

One common theme has been the massive adjustment absorbing the current interest rates and the constraints these costs place on buyer confidence to step up and operate. Much is made of the 1980’s and the borrowing rates back then, but the reality is the debt carried by farmers today dwarf’s any prior period, with corresponding annual farm interest charges now, often equivalent to what you could buy an entire farm for back then.

If we are looking to take some optimism from the current season’s sales, buyers will operate, even with debt service interest rate obligations, status quo of 8%+. However, this appetite has yet to match vendor expectations of late, given they often accept returns on capital, less than half the cost of borrowing it. The counter is vendors have some of the best investment options, post settlement, not seen in over a decade. In fact, the perceived value gap is often very temporary, given the reality of actual operating farm profits compared to the clean investment returns of 6% +.

At a high level, rural real estate drivers as the season progresses over 2024 include;

Seizing the decade’s best investment Dairy represents the best buying opportunity in the last decade. Many of the longer-term signals for the current commodity cycle are very favorable, and the sector drops the strongest pastoral farming profit per hectare by a considerable margin on nationally constrained production.

These are national numbers, not local ones; for example, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay have had price expectations this season of $15,000+/ha, in line with their median.

However, for the 11 months to the end of November 2023, only 3,664 ha have been sold compared to 17,441 ha for the 2022 calendar year. While cyclone Gabrielle has had an effect, the most significant impact has been the change in the Overseas Investment Office criteria away from the special forestry exemption in favour of the ‘Benefit to NZ test’. This has seen pasture-to-production forestry applications on stronger land declined in favour of retaining pasture production systems. This, combined with proposals to tighten regulatory expectations associated with forestry management, has significantly moderated previous new forestry investment appetite.

Forestry: Critical crossroads Permanent and Production forestry remain very dependent on the ETS policy settings. If the new coalition government continues with current ETS settings, where NZ is the only country in the world to offset 100% of emissions using carbon forestry, it’s not hard to envisage NZ-domiciled carbon forestry interests operating again in a significant way. Policy changes are required if NZ food production is to be placed on an equal footing with meeting global climate change obligations as per the intent of these international agreements. Our view is rural NZ is over; seeing large tracts of land retired permanently that adds nothing to the economy and does little to change NZ’s actual emissions profile. The destruction of rural communities will struggle politically and the focus will inevitably shift to better support for NZ-owned production forestry options that support both climate and foreign exchange, not to mention local employment.

When it comes to dairy, they literally are not making any more of them, and there are fewer of them each year.

Dairy-to-dairy sales drive the premiums, and our business is placing a strategic priority on Tier 2 and 3 dairy farms and linking retiring farmer-owners to aspiring ones, utilising vendors’ terms to maximise value and anchor the next generation of farm owners. Not necessarily family. Dairy medians have hardly shifted in the last decade at around $37,000 to $40,000/ha, but the sector has moved extensively to meet its environmental obligations and produce the same volume of milk from fewer cows and fewer farms.

Sheep and Beef, specifically Hill Country, have been hit not only by cyclones and high interest rates but also by the absence of the ‘golden ticket’ of selling to forestry.

This has all combined to dramatically impact Hill Country sales, which are at their lowest levels since the Global Financial Crisis in 2009/2010. the median price is still holding up at 12,000/ha levels (200 ha+), but there is real pressure on that price expectation. To what level of ‘reset’ expectation depends on the carbon market. Based on current interest rates and commodity outlook, real farmer-to-farmer sales have buyer expectations back at five years ago levels ($8,000/ha+).

PB071480

Horticulture – has had a hard landing in terms of real estate activity over 2023, operating at a fraction of previous seasons’ levels in terms of actual sales (open market). However, the sector remains in good heart with proven operators and vertically integrated supply chains, often to established premium markets. Our view is current interest rates will moderate the growth appetite of established operators in favour of existing business operations. However, the sector remains very attractive to new equity investment. With the caveat that recent climate and production risk events of late have seen a significant shift on last season’s land development speculation.

Paving the way for a resilient rural market In summary, 2023 was a challenging year economically for NZ, and our primary sector was no exception. If decisions are being made on the forward outlook, not the past, we expect the market to reset and get back to where it was prior to the eleven consecutive increases in the Official Cash Rate. Our team of rural property specialists welcomes the opportunity to play our part in supporting the rural market operation, assisting buyers and sellers in setting themselves up for a brighter and more promising 2024!

Conrad Wilkshire, GM Rural for Property Brokers Ltd

National Sheep & Beef Sales (200ha+) - 20 Years 1 January 2004 – 30 November 2023

Source: REINZ Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008

Growers weathering the challenges

No. Sales

Significant forces at play with Hill Country real estate

The hyped premium for extensive hill country cannot run on if ETS policy moderation is to prevail; hence, forward valuations for NZ Hill Country are much more likely to be aligned to historical medians than the last 3-5 years ‘golden ticket’ carbon exit. Government policy, not the lamb schedule, will dictate the final outcome.

Med $/ha

Farm sales by value are 33% back on the same time last year for the July to November 2023 spring selling season.

Looking under the hood, Sheep and Beef sales 200ha+ are back 60% for the same period with only 27 sales.

There were only 36 dairy farms sold this spring, just gone too, back 30% on the same time last year.

No. Sales

Med $/ha

26

Reporoa 393 Forest Road Tender

One man band dairy unit - Reporoa

4

Exceptionally tidy 77.46 ha seasonal supply dairy farm located in the heart of Reporoa. This property is flat to gently rolling in contour. Housing is well catered for by an immaculately presented, 2007 built four bedroom plus office, two bathroom, brick, and concrete tile clad home set on an elevated position with views of the entire property. Farm infrastructure includes a 22 ASHB shed, complete with cup removers, in-shed feeding along with various other implement and calf sheds.

The farm is subdivided into approximately 56 paddocks that are connected by a 1.8 km central race system. Three-year average production sits at 85,000 kgMS. Soil type is the easily managed Taupo Ash. The vendor is retiring from farming and will consider 'going concern' sale options. This is a picture-postcard entry level property that will be hotly contested.

2

Tender closes 12.00pm, Fri 2nd Feb, 2024 View Wed 17 Jan 10.30 - 12.00pm Wed 24 Jan 10.30 - 12.00pm Wed 31 Jan 10.30 - 12.00pm Web pb.co.nz/WTR173876 Phillip Berry M 027 478 8892

E phillip.berry@pb.co.nz

Phil Badger M 0273575704

E phil.badger@pb.co.nz

Te Karaka Kanakanaia Road Tender

Opportunity awaits • 205.13 ha • Gisborne 40 km • Cattle & sheep yards Orr's Block located in the Kanakanaia Valley, inland from Te Karaka offers an opportunity to secure a parcel of Gisborne hill country. The block is predominately hill country land but does have an amount of easier flat land, that could be cultivated. There is a set of cattle and sheep yards with a loading race, there is no house on the property. This property lends itself to entry level farming, or add to an existing operation or with the easy commute to Gisborne, add a house to the property and call it home.

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

Tender closes 4.00pm, Thu 8th Feb, 2024 (unless sold prior), Property Brokers, 66 Reads Quay, Gisborne View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/GIR119442

Tom Lane M 027 866 5263

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

Real Estate

27

27

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate – January 15, 2024

NEW LISTING

Hunterville 3402 State Highway 1

Excellent farm opportunity with lovely home

67.0387 ha

Whether you’re looking to expand your farming enterprise or begin your Rangitikei farming lifestyle journey with family in tow, this SH1 property could be what you’re looking for! This outstanding offering, just out of Hunterville, comprises 67 hectares (165 acres) more or less of rolling hills and fertile flat land, a three-bedroom homestead, a full range of farm buildings, garaging, vege gardens and an orchard. The classic home is set back from the road amongst established grounds, allowing privacy and quiet without compromising on the convenience of SH1 and a 3-minute drive to town. As the new owner, you could combine the arable cropping income streams from the fertile flats with a successful sheep and beef operation; all of the infrastructure is ready to go. There are plenty of opportunities here for business and lifestyle! Get in touch to explore this property for yourself.

Auction (unless sold prior) 12pm, Fri 9 Feb 2024 243 Broadway Avenue, Palmerston North View by appointment Andrew Bonnor 027 941 7630 andrew.bonnor@bayleys.co.nz MID WEST REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

bayleys.co.nz/3100568

FINAL NOTICE

Whanawhana 701 Whanawhana Road New Listing

Matamata 169 and 190 Waghorn Road, Wardville Kohatunui's prestigious estate awaits

6

2

Tender closes 4.00pm, Wed 7th Feb, Discover Kohatunui Estate, a timeless blend of heritage and 2024, Property Brokers 306 St Aubyn functionality. This expansive property holds a century-old six Street West Hastings bedroom homestead, recently rewired and boasting polished Kauri, View Sun 21 Jan 1.00 - 1.45pm Rimu, and Matai detailing. Architect T.C. Natusch's design Sun 28 Jan 1.00 - 1.45pm highlights the homestead's historic charm, while two integrated Web pb.co.nz/HR170556

living spaces offer comfortable areas for relaxation and gatherings. Within its 23 ha (56.83 acre) freehold expanse, the estate features rolling terrains, native woodlands, and serene dams, reflecting a history of sheep and beef grazing operations.

Functional and updated, the outbuildings include a spacious total span shed with workshop facilities.

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

Simon Hunt M 021 404 079

For sale by the liquidators 98.47 hectares (more or less) of level contour held in two titles 41.56 hectares and 56.90 hectares (more or less). Offered to the market with the option to submit tenders on the titles individually or for the entire property. Previously operating as a functional dairy unit, ceasing supply in February 2023. 56.90 hectare (more or less) title improvements include a good 20-aside herringbone shed, lined effluent pond, a range of farm buildings, water bore plus two three-bedroom homes. 41.56 hectare (more or less) title improvements include a three-bedroom home plus a twobedroom cottage, 3-bay half round barn, old disused cowshed and water bore. Land use here is wide and varied, you choose.

bayleys.co.nz/2400653

98.47 ha Tender (unless sold prior) Closing 2pm, Wed 31 Jan 2024 65 Arawa Street, Matamata View 12-1pm Wed 17 Jan or by appointment Sam Troughton 027 480 0836 sam.troughton@bayleys.co.nz SUCCESS REALTY LIMITED, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

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Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate – January 15, 2024

Perfection equals Performance...

88.8 hectares

Judd, McFarlane and Lavenham Road, Gisborne Comprised of a perfectly situated 88.8ha of fertile Gisborne flats, incorporating 47 canopy hectares of premium apple varieties, the JudCo Apple block is being offered to the market for the first time. With approximately 34.5ha of Envy and 12.5ha of Jugala, progressively developed since 2017, the orchard is reknown, and proven to be a leading example in terms of infrastructure, management and performance.

The bareland portions, comprising 9ha on Judd Road and 21ha on the neighbouring Lavenham Road provide opportunities for further development, allowing diversity and scale. With 8 out of 12 blocks in production, continued management and operational support are offered alongside the sale. The potential to make a passive investment in a large scale, proven, early season turn key orchard is rare and will appeal to astute investors. Given the property is held across 11 titles there are also opportunities for various purchasing options including a further 34ha of adjacent bareland, from a separate vendor, giving a combined offering of 122ha.

Tender (unless sold prior) 4pm, Thur 8th February 2024 NZR 177 Gaddums Hill Road View by appointment James Bolton-Riley 027 739 1011 Jamie Proude 027 448 5162

Contact James or Jamie for further information.

nzr.nz

Tairāwhiti Real Estate Ltd. Licensed REAA 2008

RURAL | LIFESTYLE | RESIDENTIAL

Accelerating Success.

EXCLUSIVE

Farm for Lease - Dairy support For Lease

519 Ashley Gorge Road, Oxford, North Canterbury For Lease by Tender closing 12 noon, Tuesday 20 February 2024

416.5 ha

History of dairy support

Excellent shelter, access & water supply Known as part of “Ashley Gorge Station”, we are offering for lease approximately 416.5 hectares of well developed flats in a high rainfall area that have enjoyed a history as a dairy support unit to a large scale dairy farming operation. Offered for lease for a four term from 1 May 2024, the property boasts versatile soils, excellent subdivision and shelter with upgraded water scheme and supporting building infrastructure.

Handily located to Oxford, Rangiora and Christchurch this is an excellent opportunity to lease a large scale farming opportunity in a highly regarded farming district.

Shane O’Brien 027 471 6121 colliers.co.nz/p-NZL67026787

High rainfall location

Agri Realty Limited Licensed REAA 2008

BAYLYS BEACH, NORTHLAND Fabulous Work Lifestyle A successful business, four freehold titles with new lease.

Managers home with attached office/reception, business laundry and workshop facility sit on one of the freehold titles, a bare section with potential for development, a house and batches on the third title and a three bedroom house on the fourth title. A new lease with a 15 year term and a right of renewal for 15 years; a total of 30 years. Kitchen and ablution area, picnic area and BBQ area, 30 powered and 25 non-powered sites on the lease land. A short walk to Baylys Beach - a fantastic Northland location.

DEADLINE SALE

Plus GST (if any) (Unless Sold Prior) Closes 2.00pm, Thursday 15 February

VIEW By Appointment Only

Cindy Younger M 027 278 2309 E cindy.younger@pggwrightson.co.nz Keegan Dalbeth M 027 250 7575 E keegan.dalbeth@pggwrightson.co.nz

pggwre.co.nz/DAG38874 PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited, licensed under REAA 2008

Helping grow the country

Real Estate

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate – January 15, 2024

OPEN DAY

BY NEGOTIATION

Quality in all Respects

Open Day:

Sun, 21 January

2.00pm � 3.00pm

After many years of ownership, retiring vendors offer their especially attractive property, located on a private no�exit road, featuring gentle rolling contour, versatile land use and a quality, executive�style residence, strategically situated to maximise the advantage of all�day sun, and the captivating, panoramic rural outlook.

• 103 Jury Road, Koromatua district, 10 kms southwest of Hamilton City • 15.9287 hectares � 2 titles • picturesque landscape with mature, autumn colouring deciduous trees • exceptional presentation with quality fencing and subdivision • currently finishing beef cattle, grazing dairy heifers and producing silage � ideal also for growing maize

• quality low maintenance residence; access via tar�sealed driveway & landscaped grounds; brick cladding, concrete tile roof, dble glazed alum. joinery; 4 brms with ensuite & walk�in robe off master; quality rimu kitchen; open plan living/dining; sep. lounge; air conditioning + gas heating; triple garage with internal access • separate stand�alone garage / workshop • additional storage shedding; very good cattle yards and an excellent water supply • first�class location with multiple options for schooling

Ph Brian Peacocke 021 373 113

TradeMe search # R1429

Price by Negotiation

PRL Enterprises Ltd t/a PRL Rural

021 373 113

bjp@prl308.co.nz

Licensed REAA2008

MREINZ

Advertise with us

Reach every farmer in New Zealand every week Call 0800 85 25 80 Email realestate@agrihq.co.nz

30 Marketplace FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

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30

New Zealand’s Number 1 service provider since 2004

JOHN DEERE COLLECTION AUCTION

Warren Stratford 9190 State Highway 6, Westport Friday 23rd February - 11am Featuring 40 John Deere Tractors & Crawlers.

Full details of this amazing collection can be viewed on the Hazlett website at www.hazlett.nz - “What’s On”.

Click on the date 23rd February. Please read the terms & conditions of this auction.

Further enquiries: Phil Manera 027 462 0125 pmanera@hazlett.nz

Bidr® online bidding option available if you cannot attend the auction.

Lots 1-60 only.

To register for Bidr® please go to www.bidr.co.nz.

If you would like assistance registering please call 0800 TO BIDR (0800 86 2437).

It grows under them.

CORK OAK TRUFFLE TREES

Find primary sector vacancies at:

Trees produce truffles at around year 7, producing up to 1kg a year by year 15.

Currently black truffles are selling at $2,500$3,000 per kg, with high demand.

Great stock shade and shelter with 0% loss of grazing land. Stock protector options are available for cattle, sheep & deer.

farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz

Fantastic stock feed which is low tannin and high in carbohydrates. Produces up to 1 ton of acorns per tree each year.

Extremely resilient. Fire resistant, stabilises erosion, frost & snow resistant to -9 degrees.

Drought & heat tolerant over 40 degrees.

To advertise phone Julie 027 705 7181

Add value far into the future. Trees last over 200 years. Cork harvest income at year 25, then every 10 years. Potential carbon credits at 30% with a minimum 1ha canopy cover.

hazlett.nz

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

Tour 1: Molesworth Station, St James, Mailings Pass & Rainbow Stations Dates: March 11-14, March 25-28, April 8-11, April 22-25

Tour: 2 D’Urville Island and Marlborough Farms Tour

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

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

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Dates: April 24-28

For tree availability call 021 327 637 or visit truffles.nz

BW 143/50 PW 161/67 RA 100% (in top 10 All MPlace/Livestock 31 Breeds for NZ )

Marketplace Livestock

Many cows contracted to WEEKLY LIC for –2011 matings 31 FARMERS farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024 Due to calve from 16-7-12, 6.5 weeks AB Jersey and Kiwi cross • Estimated to be 420 cows after non SALE TALK pregnant, culls, older cows & 5% rejection A blonde woman decides to dye her hair Production brunette so people would• stop calling her a last season 347kgs ms/cow, 1000kgs ms/ha, on rolling to steeper stupid blonde. contoured After doing so she decides to take a stroll outfarm, no meal, palm kernel or maize in the country, and soon enough fed.reaches the • Ayrshire Herd, 150 cows, fully recorded, home of a shepherd. due to calve fromalso 1/8/24.

1st June delivery.

• Young replacement stock available 120 Autumn Calving cows • •

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

0800 436 566 CONTRACTORS GORSE AND THISTLE SPRAY. We also scrub cut.

Four men with all gear in your area. Phone Dave 06 375 8032.

DOGS FOR SALE 30 DOGS UNDER $1995.

Deliver NZ Wide. https:// w w w.youtube.com/@ mikehugheswork ingdog.

Phone 07 315 5553.

HUNTAWAY PUPS. 3½ months old. Situated in Sth Canterbury. $150. Phone John 027 435 1138.

HUNTAWAY BEARDIE PUPS. Black/tan, 14 weeks old. 1 male, 1 female. Vaccinated and wormed.

Parents great working dogs. $350.

Cambridge. Phone 027 827 3395.

PARAPARA/MAKIRIKIRI SDT Clubs annual working sheep dog sale on 21st January 2024 at 966 Ruatangata Road, Whangaehu. Sign posted from SH3. Auction 12 noon, viewing from 10.30am. Register dogs for sale with Secretary Brenda O’Leary email: brenda.dog@inspire.net. nz or ph 0272922173.

All Enquiries to Duncan Atkinson Ph 0272 422 2881 or Auctioneer Chris Hay Ph 027 632 7177.

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

ELECTRO-TEK ENGINEERING

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

FARM MAPPING MEASURE YOUR FARM’S effective area with a practical and cost-effective map. Visit farmmapping.co.nz for a quote.

GOATS. 40 YEARS experience mustering feral cattle and feral goats anywhere in NZ. 50% owner (no costs). 50% musterer (all costs). Phone Kerry Coulter 027 494 4194.

GRAZING AVAILABE SUMMER AND AUTUMN grazing available, Ruapehu district. Daily shift, ryegrass and clover, with ample silage supplement available. Prefer dairy weaner heifers but anything considered. Phone 021 589 440.

MAINTENANCE WOOLSHEDS/YARDS TIME TO SCHEDULE. With over 20 years experience servicing farmers across the North Island, Scotty’s Contractors are specialists in Under Woolshed manure extraction, repairs, repiling, drainage and remetalling all types of yards. Let us know your needs so we can factor you into our schedule this year. Phone Scotty on 027 262 6272, 0800 272 688 scottnewman101@gmail. com

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

WANTED TO BUY OLD HAY ELEVATORS, working or not. Must be motor-driven. Prefer blue Hollard or O’Connell elevators for project. Must have complete chain. With or without motor. Taranaki, Waikato, Manawatu areas preferred. Phone/text Nathan on 027 485 1208.

Thursday 18th January 2024 11am Start

MORRINSVILLE SALE DAIRY COMPLEX PRELIMINARY NOTICE Thursday 25th January 2024

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20 x Wool Breed Rams: 10 x Romney 10 x Perendale

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Enquiries to: Brent Bougen 0272 104 698 NZ Farmers Livestock Stud Stock

Inmilk InCalf Dairy Cows For further details contact: Agent: Glenn Tasker 0274 777 345 See full details on www.mylivestock.co.nz and our Facebook page

Bjorn Andersen 0274 405 888 Cam Heggie 0275 018 188 PGG Wrightson Stud Stock

ANNUAL 15MNTH HEIFER SALE

Waitui Wiltshire Taihape On-farm Sale

Friday 19 January, 12.30pm

600 Ewe Lambs 100 2th Ewes 150 MA Ewes A selection of Rams 40 Wairepu East Road, Taihape Tuesday 30th January 2024 – 12.30pm Viewing from 11am Bidr link https://bidr.co.nz/auction/2749

Contact: Charles 06 388 7555 (farm manager) Tama 027 287 4010 (stock agent)

Tuakau Saleyards A/C Waipuna Valley Farms Ltd 1050 Traditional Beef Heifers Comprising: • 750 Angus Heifers • 100 Angus/Hereford Heifers • 100 Exotic Beef Heifers • 50 Hereford Heifers Approx 340-400kg 2% rebate prior arrangement from outside companies Dave Short (Vendor) 07 826 7763 Stephen Hickey (PGW) 027 444 3570 NZ’s Virtual Saleyard For more info bidr.co.nz

ANNUAL R3YR STEER SALE Thursday 8 February, 12.30pm

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Advertise with us wordads@agrihq.co.nz

Ph 027 526 5994

FOR SALE 2000 ROMNEY 2TH EWES

140 x Meat Breed Rams including: Poll Dorset, Suffolk, South Suffolk,Southdown, Texel, Texel X Rams

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.

Call 0800 85 25 80

North Island preferred

Gary Falkner Jersey MarketingWAIKATO Service PREMIER RAM FAIR FRANKTON SALE YARDS PH: 027 482 8771 or 07 846 4491

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

or heifers required

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

Rangiuru Saleyards A/C Morunga Station, Matawai 950 Traditional 2.5yr Beef Steers Comprising: • 550 Angus Steers • 200 Hereford/Angus Steers • 150 Exotic Steers • 50 Hereford Steers Rebate paid to participating companies with prior arrangement.

PGGW Dannevirke Helping grow the country

Key: Cattle

Sheep

MATAWHERO WILTSHIRE SHEEP SALE Thursday 8 February 2024, 10am Approx 3700 Wiltshire sheep Comprising: A/c Turihaua 300 M/A ewes • 200 2th ewes A/c Waikohu Stn • 400 5yr ewes scanned 172% • 1000 ewe lbs FET rams used • 80 ram lbs (elite) FET rams used A/c The Ranch • 400 ewes (1yr mouth) scanned 180% • 600 ewe lbs • 50 ram lbs (tops) A/c Arakihi Stn • 200 5yr ewes • 400 ewe lbs A/c Pongaroa Stn • 70 ram lbs Chris Hurlstone 027 598 6542 Alex Chrisp 027 801 0104 www.bidr.co.nz | www.AgOnline.co.nz Facebook: PGG Wrightson Livestock - East Coast

Dave Short (Vendor) 07 826 7763 Stephen Hickey (PGW) 027 444 3570

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

NZ’s Virtual Saleyard For more info bidr.co.nz Helping grow the country

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DOLOMITE

Dairy Cows Wanted to lease

Woman: “Good day too you, sir.”

Replacements also available.

Shepherd: “Howdy ma’am.”

Outstanding genetics & calving potential to be one of • Autumn Ayrshire Cows (25) and XBred Woman: “Say, if I can guess how many sheep you the countries leading suppliers of Genetics to have, can I have one for myself?”

Cows (30). the dairy industry for years to come. Full details Shepherd: “Sure, go ahead.”

• Jersey Weaner Heifers (30), all G3 profiled, Woman: “Looking at them Iavailable. would say you have exactly 300 sheep.”

BW ave 395. Well bred, nice calves.

Enquiries to the sole marketing agents: Shepherd: “Wow, that’s amazing!

Go ahead, choose a sheep, you deserve it.”

Enquiries to: The woman chooses a sheep and is about to Robinson Brian Robinson Brian BRLL leave before the shepherd stops her.

Phone 0272 410 051 PH: 0272 410051 or 07 8583132 Shepherd: “Say, if I can guess your natural hair b.robinson1@xtra.co.nz color would you give me back my dog?”

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ATTENTION FARMERS

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.

Dairy Cattle For Sale

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Prices based on works schedule. Phone Bill and Vicky Le Feuvre 07 893 8916 / 027 363 2932.

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ANIMAL HANDLING

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32

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

Notice of Movement Controls for Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) Pursuant to section 131(2) of the Biosecurity Act 1993, TBfree New Zealand declares those parts of New Zealand shown as Movement Control Areas in the maps published with this notice to be Controlled Areas for the purpose of limiting the spread of bovine tuberculosis.

Pursuant to section 131(3)(a) of the Biosecurity Act 1993, TBfree New Zealand gives notice that the movement of cattle and deer within the Controlled Areas is restricted and regulated to the extent of and subject to the conditions specified below.

Notice 1. Definitions In this notice, unless the context otherwise requires: Herd means: a. One or more cattle, or deer, or cattle and deer, managed as one unit; or b. One or more cattle, or deer, or cattle and deer, kept within the same enclosure or behind the same fence.

Herd of origin means the herd with which a cattle beast or a deer is, for the time being, grazing.

Order means the Biosecurity (National Bovine Tuberculosis Pest Management Plan) Order 1998.

Controlled Area means any area shown as a Movement Control Area in the maps published with this notice.

2. Testing Prior to Movement From or Within Controlled Areas 2.1. No cattle beast or deer aged 90 days or more may be moved: a. from any Controlled Area to a place outside that Controlled Area; or b. within any Controlled Area from its herd of origin, or the place or establishment at which the animal is being kept, to a place other than a place occupied by the owner or person in charge of the cattle beast or deer unless it has undergone, within 60 days prior to the date of movement, a negative test for bovine tuberculosis in accordance with the Order.

2.2 The restriction on movement in 2.1 does not apply where an animal is being moved directly to a place of slaughter.

2.3. Notwithstanding 2.1, an animal may be exempted from the requirement for a test in accordance with the TBfree New Zealand Operational Plan.

2.4. Where a herd is managed or kept on a property, or group of properties, divided by the boundary of a Controlled Area, then the requirements to test cattle or deer described in 2.1 above apply to the whole herd.

This declaration takes effect from 1 February 2024.

Dated at Wellington on 10 October 2023.

Stephen Stuart, Chief Executive, OSPRI New Zealand Limited Detailed maps and information on the location of properties within Controlled Areas are available from TBfree New Zealand, freephone 0800 482 463 or visit ospri.co.nz/disease-control-map.

General Information Any animal moved in contravention of this notice may be seized by an inspector or authorised person and destroyed, treated or otherwise dealt with, if it is reasonable in the circumstances to do so. TBfree New Zealand Limited may also recover the cost of testing for bovine tuberculosis pursuant to the Biosecurity Act 1993 and the Biosecurity (Deer and Other Testing Costs) Regulations 1998.

Failure to comply with the requirements of this notice may result in prosecution under the Biosecurity Act 1993.

If convicted, an individual will be liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three months, or a fine not exceeding $50,000.00, or both. A corporation convicted of an offence is liable to a fine not exceeding $100,000.00.

Revocation This declaration of Controlled Areas for bovine tuberculosis hereby revokes any previous published declaration of Controlled Areas, with effect from 1 February 2024.

Summary of Changes This declaration has the effect of reducing the movement control area for bovine tuberculosis in the Hawkes Bay region, Moonshine region, Buller/Southern Karamea region, Mt Alexander region and Kaikoura Region.

TBfree is an OSPRI programme proudly funded by:

TBfree Farmers Weekly 2024 FA.indd 1

Livestock

Livestock

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33

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

Disease Control Areas from 1 February 2024 TB Disease Control Areas

Further information To view our interactive map that shows whether you are in a movement control area, special testing area or surveillance area, simply enter any New Zealand address into the search bar. ospri.co.nz/dcamap

10/01/24 12:17 PM

34 Markets

Markets Good grass bolsters condition, demand

Proudly sponsored by

With plenty of positivity around, top quality cattle were rewarded with premiums in the year’s first sales.

Suz Bremner

MARKETS

G

Livestock

buyers came from local farms in King Country, and there was outside demand from Waikato and Manawatū.

Bullocks led the charge on Wednesday, January 3 and top Angus steers traded up to $3.27/ kg, while $2.85-$3.12/kg was common across the most beef and dairy-beef lines.

Exceptional growth rates for 15-month steers meant some Simmental-cross steers posted weights up to 514-572kg and these sold for $3.08-$3.11/kg.

OOD grass growth has been the key to the success of early 2024 sales, as stock have come forward in very good condition after enjoying the bounty that the silly season provided.

And on the other side of the coin, grass-driven demand has added more competition to the markets, providing very positive atmospheres at sales both in the yards and on farm.

The weather was In the first week of sales for picture perfect, the stock 2024, several yards opted to delay was presented in very the start of the selling year as good condition and a farmers were under no pressure good number of buyers to offload, and most sales kicked off from January 8. However, and onlookers were in for those involved with the Te attendance – some for Kuiti saleyards, this is one of the the stock, some for the busiest times of year as the annual hospitality and most for bullock and 15-month fairs are both. held.

This year there were more cattle Shane Scott yarded than expected as more Central Livestock farmers opted to farm with these fairs in mind. A total of 4250 Lighter lines of exotic steers cattle was offered at Te Kuiti over were able to push up to $3.30five sale days, followed by a sheep $3.45/kg while Angus proved their sale to finish the marathon effort popularity, as top cuts reached off. $3.66-$3.84/kg and second and There was plenty of positivity third cuts, $3.40-$3.65/kg. in the marketplace. Top quality The strength flowed into the cattle were rewarded with 12:51:26 pm steer sale as heavier dairy-beef premiums,Farmers-Weekly-Built-by-us.pdf though all classes 1 21/08/2023 lines made $3.11-$3.37/kg and had an audience. Most of the

lighter lines pushed up to $3.63/ kg.

Heifers finished off the fairs on Tuesday, January 9 and the strength did not waver as top Angus reached $3.10-$3.19/kg and lighter Angus and HerefordFriesian made $3.20-$3.33/kg.

On-farm sales have also had ewe and lamb buyers heading out to the paddocks in the South Island; and inland from Tokomaru Bay, Tairāwhiti, for the eighth annual Puketoro Station sale.

Central Livestock auctioneer Shane Scott said this sale once again had everything going for it.

“The weather was picture perfect, the stock was presented in very good condition and a good number of buyers and onlookers were in attendance – some for the stock, some for the hospitality and most for both.”

On offer were 39 Angus cows and calves, 738 15-month Angus steers, 2400 2-tooth Coopdale and Romdale ewes and 2650 5-year Romdale and Coopworth ewes.

A large percentage of the lines sold to regular buyers, with some travelling from as far as Manawatū to soak up the atmosphere and buy in-person.

The cows and calves sold for $1520 per unit, while steers traded at $1220-$1500 with most making $3.48-$3.54/kg. Steers sold to Tairāwhiti, Central Plateau and Hawke’s Bay. Ewe sales were strong as the 2-tooth Coopdale made $159-$167

READY FOR SALE: Angus cows and calves sold for $1520 per unit at the Puketoro Station on-farm sale. and Romdale, $164-$172.

Scott said the sale of the day was the top line of 5-year Romdale ewes, which consisted of just over 1840-head and sold to Manawatū for $139 with the balance at $86-$98.

Finally, North Island ewe fairs are also an early starter in the new year. Results have been above expectations for sellers as grass-

driven demand and loyalty to the stock class provide a buffer on the lower mutton and lamb schedules plaguing this season.

Just over 12,000 ewes were offered at Stortford Lodge on Tuesday, January 9, and 2-tooth Romney averaged $169 while 5-year ewes averaged $122. A line of 2-tooth Wiltshire ewes had an exceptional sale at $332.

Markets

35

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

Weekly saleyards The weather has been relatively kind to farmers over the Christmas period and enough rain has fallen to keep the grass growing. This made for a relatively quiet start at saleyards, with most sales posting a lower than average throughput. Ex-service bulls off dairy farms bolstered numbers and results for these were strong as in-spec traditional bulls over 600kg typically traded from $3.11/kg to $3.23/kg. Like prime, store cattle are coming through in low numbers at a time when buyers need big mouths to tidy up rank pasture. This has kept markets relatively steady when money would usually be reflective of shorter feed. $/kg or $/hd

Wellsford | January 8 | 134 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

3-year Friesian bulls, 476-504kg

2.86-2.92

R3 dairy-beef steers, 457-510kg

3.01-3.07

R3 dairy-beef steers, 318-347kg

3.22-3.29

R2 Speckle Park-Friesian steers, 372-377kg

3.14-3.23

Weaner Hereford-Friesian steers, 88-118kg

610-715

R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, one line, 405kg

3.05

Prime dairy-beef steers, 518-587kg

2.86-2.93

Tuakau | January 4 | 900 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

R2 Angus heifers, 307-342kg

3.10-3.39

R2 Hereford heifers, one line, 322kg

3.01

R2 Charolais-cross heifers, 315-335kg

3.23-3.35

R2 Simmental-cross heifers, one line, 339kg

Prime dairy-beef steers, 518-600kg

2.99-3.06

Prime Hereford bulls, 718-736kg

3.11-3.19

Prime Jersey bulls, 476-561kg

2.71-2.87

Te Kuiti | January 3 | 790 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

R3 Angus steers, most, 455-593kg

3.07-3.27

R3 Angus-Hereford steers, 525-653kg

2.90-3.06

R3 Simmental steers, 565-588kg

3.06-3.10

R3 exotic, exotic-cross steers, 532-719kg

2.92-3.06

R3 Hereford-Friesian steers, tops, 553-572kg

3.05-3.12

R3 Hereford-Friesian steers, 508-654kg

2.85-3.05

3.45

R2 Shorthorn heifers, 268-273kg

3.00-3.23

R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 335-390kg

3.01-3.05

R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 297-320kg

2.91-3.03

Tuakau | January 9 | 1228 cattle

Frankton | January 10 | 176 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

R2 Angus steers, 400-482kg

3.17-3.25

R2 Angus steers, tops, 280-390kg

Te Kuiti | January 4 | 657 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

Aut-born 2-year Charolais, Simmental steers, 474-560kg

2.92-3.04

3.43-3.57

R2 Charolais steers, 353-461kg

3.30-3.43

R2 Angus steers, second cuts, 280-390kg

3.30-3.39

R2 Simmental steers, 514-572kg

3.08-3.11

R2 Angus-Hereford steers, 357-376kg

3.37-3.54

R2 Simmental steers, 379-441kg

3.34-3.45

R2 Hereford steers, 340-395kg

3.31-3.57

R2 Simmental-cross steers, 414-520kg

3.20-3.40

3.58

Te Kuiti | January 5 | 1001 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

R2 exotic-cross steers, 381-484kg

3.21-3.36

R2 Angus steers, tops, 317-426kg

3.66-3.84

R2 exotic-cross steers, 306-380kg

3.34-3.46

R2 Angus steers, second cuts, 346-484kg

3.52-3.65

$/kg or $/hd

R2 Angus steers, third cuts, 311-448kg

3.40-3.50

R2 Simmental-cross steers, one line, 437kg

Rangiuru | January 9 | 302 cattle, 61 sheep R2 Jersey bulls, 313-404kg

1190-1245

Weaner Friesian bulls, 118-122kg

490-495

Weaner Hereford-Friesian heifers, 105-123kg

510-520

Prime traditional bulls, 610-635kg

3.13-3.23

Prime Jersey bulls, 502-509kg

2.91-2.98

Boner Friesian, Friesian-cross cows, 427-514kg

1.71-1.76

Prime ewes, medium to very good

35-60.50

Frankton | January 9 | 313 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

R3 traditional bulls, 555kg

1670

Te Kuiti | January 8 | 744 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 405-483kg

3.11-3.25

R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 343-376kg

3.28-3.37

R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 293-334kg

3.46-3.63

R2 Angus-Friesian steers, 342-430kg

3.18-3.32

R2 Charolais-Friesian steers, 317-428kg

3.25-3.46

Te Kuiti | January 9 | 1059 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

R2 Angus heifers, tops, 340-432kg

3.10-3.19

R2 Angus heifers, second cuts, 340-432kg

2.87-3.07

R2 Angus heifers, 265-322kg

3.25-3.30

R2 Angus-cross heifers, 263-356kg

860-1040

R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 318-406kg

3.13-3.29

R2 traditional bulls, 476-561kg

1640-1680

R2 exotic-cross heifers, 326-452kg

2.92-3.13

R2 Friesian bulls, 437-561kg

1340-1550

R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 438-498kg

2.79-2.87

R2 Jersey bulls, 393-424kg

1210-1320

R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 354-437kg

2.84-3.03

Prime dairy-beef heifers, 563kg

2.93

R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 289-341kg

3.20-3.33

Prime traditional bulls, 599-725kg

3.04-3.22

Aut-born yearling exotic-cross heifers, 252-294kg

880-965

36

36

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

Markets

$/kg or $/hd

4-5-year Romney ewes, all

101-125

2-tooth Romney, Coopworth, Romney-Coopworth ewes, FET, good

180-185

5-year Romney ewes, tops

124-141

2-tooth Cooperworth, Romney-Coopworth ewes, FET, medium

151-171

5-year Romney ewes, medium to good

93-118

4-tooth Romney-Coopworth ewes, FET, good

155.50

5-year Romney-cross ewes

80-110

5-year Romney ewes, good to very good

100-120

Mixed-age Romney ewes, capital stock, one line

122

5-year Coopworth ewes, light to medium

54-91

6-year Coopworth ewes, FET, good

100

Mixed-age Romdale ewes, medium to medium-good

97-113

Taranaki | January 3 | 162 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

Stortford Lodge | January 10 | 97 cattle, 2117 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Matawhero | January 5 | 3291 sheep

R2 Angus steers, 344-392kg

3.43-3.58

2380-2580

R2 Angus, beef-cross heifers, 339-367kg

2.97-3.04

3-year plus traditional bulls, most, 507-622kg

1520-1750

R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, one line, 338kg

3.20

R3 Jersey bulls, 472-511kg

1380-1540

Store Romdale cryptorchid lambs, medium to good

71-82

R2 Jersey bulls, 332-435kg

1330-1410

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

73-90

R2 dairy-beef heifers, 278-385kg

2.84-2.95

Store whiteface mixed-sex lambs, medium to good

58-58.50

Feilding | January 8 | 187 cattle, 2486 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

3-year plus Shorthorn-cross steers, 527-635kg

2.93-2.98

3-year plus traditional bulls, 716-815kg

Taranaki | January 10 | 329 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

R3 Hereford-Friesian steers, 528-560kg

3.14-3.22

R3 dairy-beef heifers, 451-492kg

2.79-2.83

R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 421-494kg

3.02-3.24

R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 369-372kg

3.27-3.36

R2 Angus & Angus-Hereford heifers, one line, 249kg R2 dairy-beef heifers, 327-401kg

3.01 2.71-2.83

Prime Hereford bulls, 688-861kg

3.39-3.42

Prime Hereford bulls, 533-607kg

3.18-3.26

Prime Jersey bulls, 491-590kg

2.96-3.14

Boner Friesian cows, 513-655kg

1.96-2.10

Prime ewes, medium to good

46-88

Prime Charolais-dairy steers, one line, 836kg

2.99

Prime lambs, heavy to very heavy

101-136

Stortford Lodge | January 8 | 1376 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Rongotea | January 9 | 179 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

Prime ewes, heavy to very heavy

80-96

Prime ewes, medium

61-74

Prime 2-tooth ewes, good

89

Prime cryptorchid lambs, heavy

135

Prime mixed-sex lambs, medium to good

Stortford Lodge | January 9 | 12,038 sheep 2-tooth Wiltshire ewes, one line, very good

100-125

$/kg or $/hd 332

R3 Hereford-Friesian steers and heifers, 486-568kg

2.91-2.92

R2 beef, dairy-beef steers, 351-387kg

3.10-3.16

R2 traditional steers, 271-396kg

3.22-3.29

R2 beef, dairy-beef heifers, 296-400kg

830-1170

Weaner Friesian, dairy-beef bulls, 113-221kg

510-600

Canterbury Park | December 12 | 117 cattle, 4394 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

2-tooth Romney ewes, tops

171-181

Prime beef, dairy-beef cows, 475-770kg

1.90-2.02

2-tooth Romney ewes, medium to good

130-164

Prime Speckle Park-dairy steers, 535-680kg

2.83-2.93

4-tooth, 6-tooth Romney ewes, capital stock

156-161

Prime dairy-beef heifers, 513-620kg

2.80-2.93

Make your decisions easier Understand your opportunities and barriers with this weekly snapshot of store and slaughter prices, and international market trends.

* Prices are GST exclusive

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Markets

37

37

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

GOING, GOING, GONE: PGG Wrightson auctioneer Sam Wright sells a line of 2-tooth Romdale ewes at the Stortford Lodge Ewe Fair.

The ewes sold for $150.

Store mixed-sex lambs, good

71-80

Store lambs, medium

64-79

Store blackface mixed-sex lambs, small

51-75

Prime ewes, medium-good

60-70

Prime lambs, very good

113-122

Temuka | January 8 | 540 cattle, 5985 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Balclutha | January 10

$/kg or $/hd

Store lambs, medium to good

60-84

Store lambs, small

30-55

Prime ewes, medium to good

50-86

Prime ewes, light

30-50

Prime rams, light

30

Prime lambs, all

90-120

$/kg or $/hd

Prime Hereford-Friesian steers, 519-665kg

2.64-2.77

Lorneville | January 9

Prime Hereford bulls, 483-774kg

2.76-2.88

R3 beef-cross steers and heifers, 532-552kg

1300-1330

Prime Angus heifers, 492-585kg

2.61-2.70

Weaner Friesian, dairy-beef bulls, 105-113kg

430-530

Boner Friesian cows, 478-665kg

1.86-2.02

Prime beef bulls, 620-640kg

2.64-2.67

Prime dairy bulls, 415-480kg

2.50-2.58

Store wether lambs, good

69-84

Store mixed-sex lambs, good

81-88

Prime ewes, most

40-60

Prime mixed-sex lambs, most

100-139

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Store lambs, all

50-85

Prime ewes, medium to heavy

50-80

Prime ewes, light

30-45

Prime lambs, all

100-135

38

38

Markets

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

AgriHQ market trends Cattle

Sheep

Deer

Beef

Sheep Meat

Venison

Slaughter price (NZ$/kgCW)

Xmas week Last year

Slaughter price (NZ$/kgCW)

Xmas week Last year

Slaughter price (NZ$/kgCW)

Xmas week

Last year

North Island P2 steer (300kg)

5.60

5.80

North Island lamb (18kg)

6.15

7.10

North Island AP stag (60kg)

8.65

9.00

North Island M2 bull (300kg)

5.65

5.65

North Island mutton (25kg)

2.55

3.75

South Island AP stag (60kg)

8.70

9.00

North Island M cow (190kg)

3.90

4.10

South Island lamb (18kg)

6.00

6.90

South Island P2 steer (300kg)

5.25

5.60

South Island mutton (25kg)

2.25

3.50

Fertiliser

South Island M2 bull (300kg)

5.35

5.40

Last week

Last year

South Island M cow (190kg)

3.80

4.05

DAP

1264

1794

Super

474

509

Urea

897

1240

Urea (Coated)

946

1289

Nov

Last year

Fertiliser

Export markets (NZ$/kg) China lamb flaps

8.49

9.57

Wool

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

8.54

US domestic 90CL cow

7.91

8.95

8.61

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

Steer slaughter price ($/kgCW)

(NZ$/kg clean)

14-Dec

Last year

Crossbred fleece

3.21

2.35

Crossbred second shear

2.85

2.13

Courtesy of www.fusca.co.nz

Lamb slaughter price ($/kgCW)

6.5

6.0

5.0

Exports NZ Log Exports (tonnes)

7.5

China

2,067,667

1,574,235

Rest of world

161,638

156,926

Xmas week

Last year

68.7

76.0

Carbon price (NZ$/tonne)

6.5

Jan

Mar

May North Island

Jul

6.0

Sep Nov South Island

NZU Jan

Mar

May

Jul

Sep

North Island

Nov

Stag Slaughter price ($/kgCW)

South Island

10.0

NZ lamb exports (Oct - Dec, thous. tonnes)

NZ beef exports (Oct - Dec, thous. tonnes)

Forestry

8.0

7.0 5.5

NZ average (NZ$/tonne)

50

40

40

30

9.5 9.0

30

8.5

20

20

8.0

10

10

Jan

0

0 China

Japan

S. Korea

Rest of Last year Asia

US This year

Other

Chin a

EU Mid. Eas t Last year

UK

US This year

Mar

May North Island

Jul

Sep Nov South Island

Other

Data provided by

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39

Markets

39

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – January 15, 2024

NZX market trends Dairy

Grain

Data provided by

Milk price futures ($/kgMS)

Close of market

Canterbury feed wheat ($/tonne)

5pm, Wednesday

700

9.5

650 8.5

S&P/NZX PRIMARY SECTOR EQUITY

600

10242

550 7.5

450 Dec

Feb

Apr

Jun

Aug

Oct

Sep-2024

Dec

YTD High YTD Low

ArborGen Holdings Limited

0.168

0.172

0.162

The a2 Milk Company Limited

4.4

4.6

4.31

Cannasouth Limited

0.121

0.132

0.121

700

Comvita Limited

2.55

2.62

2.3

650

Delegat Group Limited

6.8

6.9

6.4

600

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

3.42

3.5

3.42

Foley Wines Limited

1.2

1.2

1.14

Greenfern Industries Limited

0.054

0.058

0.052

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS)

0.98

0.98

0.98

Marlborough Wine Estates Group Limited

0.17

0.17

0.155

NZ King Salmon Investments Limited

0.27

0.28

0.225

PGG Wrightson Limited

3.4

3.44

3.36

Rua Bioscience Limited

0.115

0.121

0.115

Sanford Limited (NS)

4.1

4.14

3.99

Scales Corporation Limited

3.33

3.49

3.3

Seeka Limited

2.6

2.7

2.6

Synlait Milk Limited (NS)

0.95

1

0.92

T&G Global Limited

1.98

2

1.98

S&P/NZX Primary Sector Equity Index

10242

10311

10127

S&P/NZX 50 Index

11769

11844

11730

S&P/NZX 10 Index

12100

12180

12040

Feb

Apr

Jun

Aug

Oct

Dec

Canterbury feed barley ($/tonne)

Dairy Futures (US$/t) 4 weeks prior

WMP

3305

3280

3150

SMP

2615

2630

2660

AMF

5700

5725

5800

Butter

5650

5700

5250

Milk Price

7.81

7.75

7.78

550 500 450

* price as at close of business on Wednesday

400 Dec

WMP futures - vs four weeks ago (US$/tonne) 3600

Feb

Apr

Jun

Aug

Oct

Dec

Waikato palm kernel ($/tonne) 450

3500 3400 400

3300 3200 3100

350

3000 2900

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Latest price

May

300 Dec

4 weeks ago

Feb

Apr

Jun

Aug

Oct

Wharfgate log prices firm Shipping starting to rise again EXPORT

PRUNED

NZ$/TONNE

+1 S1 DOMESTIC LOGS (NZ$/TONNE)

-4

132

A-GRADE EXPORT LOGS ( US$/JAS [CFR])

+14 150

-3.4

SHIPPING – CHINA

CARBON

NZD:USD

(US$/JAS)

(NZ$/NZU)

(LAST WEEK)

47.2

+4.7 80.0

+0.6C 0.672

MARCH 2022

LOG PRICE INDICATOR

Omicron slows NZ production

MARKET REPORT

Dec

MARCH 2022

FEBRUARY 2022 Key Points

FORESTRY

UNPRUNED

NZ$/TONNE

117

-

LOG PRICE REPORT PULP

NZ$/TONNE

184

-

EXPORT PRUNED

NZ$/TONNE

119

+1

A-GRADE

NZ$/JASM3

56.0

-

-

A

K

KS

KI

KIS

Pruned

Unpruned

Unpruned

Unpruned

Unpruned

Unpruned

40

30 - 40

22

20 - 26

26

10

Knot size (maximum) cm

105

Northern North Island

0

10 - 15

15

15

25

No limit

4.0 - 5.8

4.1 +

4.1 - 12.1

3.6 - 4.0

4.0 +

3.7

183

134

100 95

JULY 2022

90

Mar-14

Mar-15

Mar-16

Mar-17 Mar-18 10 year average

Log Indicator Trends

Mar-19

China wakes up

Mar-20

2.67

Mar-21

Mar-22

NZ SLAUGHTER STEER

$/KGCW

6.17

US$/KG

6.30

170

90

119

122 56

180 127 56

130

117

ph

email

web

+64 6 323 6393 | info@agrihq.co.nz | agrihq.co.nz

150

VIEWPOINT

Mid-winter markets mellow

115

107

102

121

113

105

109

103

115

111

➔

Sentiment poorer for export sales

➔

Backlogs develop on lambs

-26%

-27%

-29%

➔

FMD on the radar for Aus/NZ

-26% -19%

-19%

-20%

-21%

-22%

-23%

-24%

-

$/KGCW

LAST WEEK

0.621

Jan

Mar

5yr ave

May

2020

Jul

2021

Sep

Nov 2022 S ource: AgriHQ

National e xport pruned log price (NZ$/JASm3)

190 170

116 123

* Weightings are calculated on the volume of softwood logs traded through each port in the past 12 months, as indicated by available data.

This month's report is weighted as follows;

Port Weightings Port(s) / Regions

210

112

Short-term we are unlikely to see much more upside than has already been reported. Shipping costs are starting to increase as of late-February due to a mixture of demand changes and increasing bunker costs partly brought on by the Russia-Ukraine situation.

111 113

117

9.18

165

Jan

Mar

5yr ave

115

115 116

122

110

56

116

122 123

118

National grade logLAMB price (NZ$/JASm3) NZ ASLAUGHTER NZD:USD

150

124

124

124

130

128

After a three-month price lull there's finally been a bit of life injected into log export markets. This largely comes from China getting back into the game after coming back from break, supported by mildly weaker shipping costs and the exchange rate. Reduced supplies out of NZ in recent months has been key for reengaging Chinese buying, particularly when other parts of the world aren't offering any more volumes than normal, usually noticeably less.

CHINA FOREQUARTER

126 125

KEY POINTS

Source: AgriHQ

185

...there's finally been a bit of life injected into log export markets.

Reece Brick

MONTHLY SHEEP & BEEF

US IMPORTED 95CL US$/LB

12 mths ago

VIEWPOINT

55.5

Export P

Length m

Mar-13

+0.5

Pruning

110

75 Mar-12

NZ$/TONNE

132

-

NZ$/JASm3 - Weighted Average*, Delivered to Wharf

115

80

PULP

NZ$/TONNE

191

Grade SED (minimum) cm

85

S1

NZ$/TONNE

132

+2

Ten year NZ Combined Log Indicator ($/Tonne)

125

P1

NZ$/JASM3

181

WHARFGATE LOG PRICES

120

Sara Hilhorst

12100

Close

Dec

Prior week

11769

Company

400

Sep-2025

Nearest contract Last price*

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

Listed Agri shares

500

6.5

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

May

2020

Jul

2021

Sep

Nov 2022 S ource: AgriHQ

+64 6 323 6393 | info@agrihq.co.nz | agrihq.co.nz

Region Level Island Level National Level

Marsden

33%

Tauranga

67%

34%

27%

-

51%

40%

Northern Nth Isl.

16%

13%

Gisborne/Napier

66%

New Ply/Wellington

34%

17%

13%

Southern Nth Isl.

-

49%

39%

North Island

-

-

80%

33%

43%

26%

Nelson/Picton

67%

Lyttelton/Timaru

33%

21%

4%

Northern Sth Isl.

-

64%

13%

9%

P. Chalmers/Otago

61%

22%

5%

Bluff

39%

14%

Southern Sth Isl.

-

36%

7%

South Island

-

-

20%

3%

40

Weather

ruralweather.co.nz

State of the nation as 2024 gets going northerlies for northern NZ than we’d normally expect in El Niño, and in turn a few extra downpours / thunderstorms.

My feeling looking at the long-range maps is that this low pressure in the Tasman Sea, coupled with low pressure in the sub-tropics, will eventually break through to NZ. Meaning our longrange forecast going into February is one of chances of rain, mixed in with the dry. It’s a forecast that usually pleases most of you – but not all of you.

Philip Duncan

NEWS

F

Weather

IRST column and newspaper of the year and if you’re reading this at the start of the week there’s a chance of rain across New Zealand today as a cold front moves in.

January has been far more summer-like than many may have predicted in our final paper last year. Despite rain, thunderstorms and drizzle, there have been some vary large and settled periods of weather.

NZ’s soil moisture map at the moment looks like Swiss cheese with “holes” here and there of dry and wet zones. Despite El Niño being here globally, there are other things at play impacting our weather.

One of the reasons I love my job so much is that despite historical data giving us some ideas of how the weather unfolds, it regularly surprises us.

This year, despite El Niño being well established, the extra marine and atmospheric warmth (on top of low pressure being stuck near

Soil moisture anomaly at 9am on 10/012024 RAIN: Incoming rain expected over the next 15 days shows some places leaning wetter than usual, others getting relief, and some needing rain missing out.

Sydney for months) is making this like a Weather World Cup in which all the teams are playing well and it’s hard to pick the winner.

They are all there and making an effort. El Niño is winning overall, it’s the biggest player. But the low pressure zones and extra subtropical warmth near NZ are sure

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VARIETY: The current soil moisture map shows variety across the country.

giving traditional El Niño weather patters a high pressure test.

I personally think the weather pattern we have this year over NZ is a great one – no such thing as a perfect forecast to suit all regions, mountain ranges, divides, businesses and gardeners, but I do believe summer so far is proving to be pretty good to us.

It’s been hot at times, but the low-pressure zone in the Tasman Sea has, for now, limited the amount of hot nor’westers we get out of Australia in El Niño (cooler lower South Island).

High pressure has been further south in Australia, allowing for low pressure near Sydney and that’s created more easterlies and

Who is leaning drier than usual soil-moisture-wise?

• Parts of Northland • East Cape • The lower North Island (from Hāwera to Wellington) • Marlborough • South Canterbury • Central West Coast • Southland Who is leaning wetter? (All North Island) • The Far North • Auckland • Western Coastal Waikato • Waitomo / King Country • Central Plateau