Farmers Weekly NZ January 16 2023

Rain takes toll on cropping

Lamb sales stand up to global gloom

yards. People like buying off farm.”

AN ABUNDANCE of grass was the feeder for the better-than-expected prices at several South Canterbury on-farm lamb and ewe sales, boosting confidence in the sheep sector.

Lambs presented in top condition contributed to the competitive bidding by a strong buyer gallery that recorded more than 50 registered buyers.

“You wouldn’t get much better than these lambs we put up today, they are a real credit to the vendors given the challenging season,” South Canterbury PGG Wrightson livestock manager Joe Higgins said.

The on-farm run offered 12,500 lambs across four sales around Albury and Fairlie in South Canterbury.

“Everything went above presale expectations and I have to say we were buoyed by the buyer registrations – buyers competed well and pushed prices.”

On a cents-per-kilogram basis, values were well above paddock sales and local saleyards, Higgins said.

“We saw a lot of big lines offered, several in excess of 300 and buyers like that.

“There was a good range across 20-32kg stores that, dependent on weights, made $3.40-$4/kg, and they are not doing that in the

Feed was a big factor in the confidence with most of the lambs going to Mid, central and South Canterbury where grass is currently abundant.

Higgins said despite the falling schedule, there will always be a home for the lambs.

“Despite the current schedule the expectation is not dented long term and carrying finishing lambs into winter is what cropping farmers have got to do, it’s part of their farm systems.

“At the end of the day it is good to see the breeders getting rewarded.”

Selling at his 10th annual on-farm sale, David Timperley of Opawa Downs was “quietly chuffed” with the result.

“You have got to be happy with that,” he said.

Up the road the Irving family of Albury was all smiles.

Selling for the fifth year on farm, 21-year-old stock manager Richard Irving said the family was very happy with the sale.

Irving farms with his parents David and Anna, who are “part of a bunch of Irvings who have been in the district for many years”, and his siblings, co-stock manager Sally and brother Henry.

“It’s all of us involved and we are very happy with how the sale went, much better than we expected and especially amidst the

A future in

Annette Scott NEWS Sheep

RICHARD AND SUZE REDMAYNE OF TUNNEL HILL, HORIZONS

CARBON NEGATIVE

Richard Redmayne has literally been born and bred at this Whanganui property and, along with his family, has continued its successful development with an eye on the future.

His great grandfather Wilfrid Perry bought Tunnel Hill in 1936, with it passing down through the generations until Richard and his wife Suze took over in 1993. Thirty years on, they run it with their children Sam, Ruby and Sophie.

Sheep, beef, maize and forestry are farmed across 950ha of the property that features large stretches of coastal land. Their investment in forestry and additional native planting means Tunnel Hill is not only beautiful – it’s carbon negative.

About half of their annual income is derived from selling the lambs of 3000 ewes. One-third comes from selling maize grain, with the balance split between beef and forestry. The pine plantation also forms a large part of the family’s succession plan.

Tunnel Hill is at the heart of this family and everything they do. As well as running a profitable business, they enjoy using and sharing the farm for recreational activities.

Significant work has been put into regenerating trees in sand dunes along the property’s coastline –protecting these fragile areas while creating shelter and shade for livestock. Wetland areas have been retired and trees have been planted to create wildlife corridors through the farm.

The family plans to continue enhancing the environment along with farming systems so Tunnel Hill is successfully farmed by future generations.

As well as receiving this year’s Regional Supreme Award, Richard and Suze also received:

• Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award

A focus on the future has guided all improvements, with plans adjusted and adapted as needed. Farming systems have been carefully tailored to match the climate, soil type and topography. Marketing has been thought through too, with the Redmaynes teaming up with likeminded farmers to develop Coastal Lamb - a niche product that is sold worldwide.

• Hill Laboratories Agri-Science Award

• Norwood Agri-Business Management Award

TUNNEL HILL IS NOT ONLY BEAUTIFUL, IT’S

“Farming systems have been tailored to match soil type.”

Congratulations to our 2022 Regional Supreme Winners

A 30-YEAR JOURNEY ACHIEVES A LIFELONG GOAL

The Everests have spent the past 30 years developing a sustainable dairy and beef farm that balances the needs of people, animals, economics and the environment.

Since 1989, they’ve expanded the Ashburton property to the 255ha effective farm it is today - and in the process have achieved a lifelong goal. They entered the Ballance Farm Environment Awards because they have learned a lot from their peers over the years and want to do the same for others, while receiving constructive feedback on their business.

In 2010, they developed the property into a dairy farm and currently milk 750 cows on a predominantly pasture-based system.

When they established the 225ha milking platform in 2010, the best technology of the day was incorporated, and considered both labour and the environment. The goal was to have one person in the shed each milking, minimise water use and treat effluent as a fertiliser.

Their ‘give-it-a-go’ attitude has resulted in the implementation of new strategies to successfully reduce greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen loss. Another focus has been to create a good working and home environment for their employees, resulting in a stable workforce that enjoys training and development opportunities.

Monitoring is an integral part of their business across all aspects but especially on their environmental impact. This also includes monitoring of tile drains and all their streams on a regular basis.

Connecting with the local community is important to the Everests and they are involved in several catchment and district initiatives that are largely focused on improving the environment.

The Everests continue to trial and monitor new technologies as they continue to develop a farm that is environmentally sound while also being profitable and beautiful.

As well as receiving this year’s Regional Supreme Award, Phillip, Jocelyn, Paul and Sarah also received:

Environmental sustainability is at the core of how this family runs their business. Among a raft of other initiatives, the Everests have established more than 20km of shelter and riparian plantings – creating a comfortable environment for their animals and enhancing the property’s beauty.

• Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award

• DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award

• Hill Laboratories Agri-Science Award

• Norwood Agri-Business Management Award

• Synlait Climate Stewardship Award

• Environment Canterbury Water Quality Award Visit

“Connecting with the local community is important.”

PHILLIP AND JOCELYN EVEREST, PAUL EVEREST AND SARAH HAYMAN OF FLEMINGTON FARM, CANTERBURY

EDITORIAL

Bryan Gibson | 06 323 1519

Managing Editor bryan.gibson@agrihq.co.nz

Craig Page

Deputy Editor

craig.page@agrihq.co.nz

Claire Robertson

Sub-Editor claire.robertson@agrihq.co.nz

Neal Wallace | 03 474 9240

Journalist neal.wallace@agrihq.co.nz

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Annette Scott | 021 908 400

Journalist annette.scott@agrihq.co.nz

Hugh Stringleman | 09 432 8594

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Farmers Weekly is Published by AgriHQ PO Box 529, Feilding 4740, New Zealand Phone: 0800 85 25 80 Website: www.farmersweekly.co.nz ISSN

Happy Valley Nutrition has entered into an agreement to supply Arla Foods with between a quarter and half of its annual production of milk powder.

The four-year contract with the Danish company is conditional on the completion of Happy Valley’s factory and it reaching quality assurance requirements. The factory is currently being built at its site at Ōtorohanga.

Synlait says first-half net profit will be down when reported in March.

It said the earnings guidance for the full year is unchanged but that earnings will be delayed until the second half. The reason is the implementation of an SAP Enterprise Management System in August, which caused knock-on effects, said chief executive Grant Watson.

News in brief Danish contract Profit down Farmers compliant

Southland farmers are continuing to demonstrate high environmental standards, Environment Southland data shows.

General manager of integrated catchment management Paul Hulse said council staff completed 895 on-site and aerial inspections of dairy shed effluent discharge consent during the 2021/22 season. Of these, 701 were fully compliant, 171 were graded low risk or moderately noncompliant, and 23 (2.5%) were graded significantly non-compliant.

Alliance election

Alliance Group chair Murray Taggart and director Don Morrison were both re-elected to their roles at the company’s annual meeting in Timaru last month.

Taggart received 28,171,656 votes and Morrison 25,971,886. George Tatham was third with 15,696,719 and Stuart Campbell fourth with 13,111,236.

Taggart farms at Oxford in Canterbury and Morrison near Gore.

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.

HWEN legislation ‘unlikely before poll’

Neal Wallace NEWS HWEN

SPECULATION is mounting that the government will run out of time to pass the He Waka Eke Noa legislation before this year’s general election.

But interested parties disagree on whether any delay on HWEN laws would simply be a timing issue or if it could allow changes to the legislation.

Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard said the organisation’s own analysis and well-placed sources have told him the government will not have time to pass the empowering legislation before the election.

He said legislation still has to be drafted and with Parliament not resuming sitting until February 14, it will be March or April before any documents are ready to be put before Parliament.

It must then follow due process and compete for Parliamentary time with other legislation.

He expects the government’s legislative programme will end in

challenging times.”

The family farms 930ha of rolling hill country running 4000 Coopdale breeding ewes and cropping 400ha in mainly cereal crops.

“I enjoy the sheep. Wool can’t get much worse than it is now, but they are looking promising into the future. What you put in you get out and this sale reflects that,” Irving said.

“The on-farm sale seems the way to go these days it gets the people out and they can see exactly what they are buying straight of the farm.”

Across the sales the top price of the day was $160 for black face forward stores at Opawa Downs

June-July ahead of the election, which could be held in October.

“My gut feeling is that it is not

with mediums selling from $126$141 and lighter lambs $106-$113 with just a handful of later lambing and triplet lambs selling under the $100 mark. Motu-nui Romney 2th ewes sold for $190.

All lambs sold from the Irving property carried Farm Assurance Plan (FAP) status available to buyers with the tops of the Coopdale-Sufftex selling up to $158, second cut ranging from $126-$141 and lighter wether lambs $105-$138, while ewe lambs made $127. Coopworth 2th ewes sold for $198.

Meanwhile it wasn’t such a rosy result further south, where prices were back $18 a head compared to last year at the onfarm sale of 2600 lambs on behalf of the Nicolson Partnership at

likely to be passed before the election and that is backed by other sources,” Hoggard said.

He said his view is partially supported by comments from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern late last year that the government will narrow its policy focus this year.

Inflationary pressure will make economic policies a priority, along with passing changes to the Resource Management Act and Three Waters.

Delaying the passing of HWEN legislation could have wider implications, he said.

A Labour-Greens coalition could see changes that reflect input from the Green Party while should a National-ACT coalition government be formed, it could similarly be changed to reflect their policies.

Hoggard said farm emissions will still be priced under either coalition, but under National-ACT, there is more likely to be greater input from the sector.

ACT has previously said it would not impose climate change policies on the primary sector ahead of those implemented by competing trading nations.

Hampden, North Otago.

PGG Wrightson agent Gerard Shea said prices achieved were consistent with other on-farm sales in Otago and reflected the lower schedule.

The Mackenzie Grampians sale reflected the fine wool types down in price compared to the crossbreds with prices more around the $3/kg mark.

Despite the hype of on-farm sales, there is an air of caution in the markets.

AgriHQ senior analyst Mel Croad said the schedule drop of 50 cents over the Christmas-New Year holiday period now has current schedule pricing with the major companies in the high $6 to $7. With the markets still awakening overseas and Easter chilled

DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel also believes the government will struggle to pass legislation before the election, but he expects it to receive the governor-general’s seal after the election.

He understands the government wants to include a Parliamentary Select Committee hearing in its response to HWEN.

“If it’s going to a select committee it will go through three readings. There is a risk the process will not be completed by the election.”

Provided the final legislation adheres to what has been agreed, and given the National Party supports an industry-led solution, he can see no reason for it not to become law.

“Assuming legislation is drafted as expected means whatever government we have after the election, there is pretty good chance it will still be passed,” he said.

The government’s pre-Christmas response to HWEN showed it has moved closer to the primary sector position and is willing to engage, said Van der Poel.

The key will be ensuring the

production set to get underway, nothing is pointing to a change anytime soon.

“We need to see lamb supplies in China absorbed and with many restaurants still closed, I expect we will have to wait until February to see how things stack and if there is any improvement in the wings,” Croad said.

Meanwhile round two of this season’s ewe fairs in the north saw prices at Stortford Lodge constantly exceeding expectations with most of the buying power coming from within the Hawke’s Bay with a few pens going to Manawatū and Waikato.

AgriHQ analyst Reece Brick said considering the market for lamb and mutton is in much the same state as before Christmas, it seems

legislation reflects that new position.

HWEN programme director Kelly Forster said ultimately, the government is in control of the timetable.

The priority of HWEN is to work through all stages of the legislation to ensure a workable system is in place that is fit for purpose.

“The next stage is a cabinet decision and then select committee for consideration.”

Beef + Lamb NZ chair Andrew Morrison agreed, adding that farmers have told him of their frustration at the compressed timeline for finalising a pricing framework and other legislation.

“It’s not a bad thing if this process takes longer as we need to get this right.

“Farmers are feeling overwhelmed by the tsunami of environmental and other regulation that has been rushed through in the last few years.

“Many are mentally exhausted. There is no understanding from the government or appreciation of the damage done by the scale and pace of change.”

the lift was all feed related.

“Plenty of grass has been grown over the past few weeks and the odds of everyone getting dry this summer look close to zero.

“But prices also reflected the relatively moderate size of the yarding plus the good level of quality throughout with about a third of the tallies from capital stock consignments.”

A lone pen of Wiltshire twotooths took out the top price of the day at $240, followed by two pens of Romneys at $220-$232, otherwise there was a fairly tight spread of prices on the two-tooths, mainly falling between $186-$215.

The top end of the aged ewes sold from $177-$180, with overall prices averaging just $38 less than a year ago.

TAKE YOUR TIME: Beef + Lamb NZ chair Andrew Morrison says it’s ‘not a bad thing if this process takes longer as we need to get this right’.

North’s dousing plays havoc with cropping

challenge to get excess pasture harvested.

“Everyone is looking for more sun to brighten up everything.”

NORTHERN dairy farmers are battling with the adverse effects of continual rainfall and the full impact of higher input costs, but morale remains good because of the high milk price, AgFirst Northland director Tafi Manjala says.

Major concerns include delays in cropping programmes because of sodden soils and the expectation of lower maize yields, also threatened by fall armyworm and other pests and diseases.

Citing the NIWA announcement that 2022 was New Zealand’s hottest year on record, Manjala warned of a high facial eczema risk that calls for preventative zinc treatments.

We would normally have got maize in the ground on October 1. This year it was December 1.

Jensen BoP Federated Farmers

Heavy, repeated rainfall benefits other crops, like turnips and chicory, and a lot of silage and baleage is being made throughout Northland, he said.

Concerning the milk price, some uncertainty is creeping in but there is no fear that it could reduce sharply.

Morale among dairy farmers is good, despite the adverse weather, and news of reductions in fertiliser prices would be very welcome, he said.

Northland dairy farmer Stuart Abercrombie said half of his planned maize cropping isn’t sown and that may cause a feed shortage in the winter.

“Spring didn’t fire and we fell 10% behind last year’s milk production, partially caught up since.

“The second maize planting of 10ha at end-December hasn’t worked and it has been a

Bay of Plenty Federated Farmers president Darryl Jensen said all farms on the lower-lying western districts were hit hard before Christmas with heavy rainfall that waterlogged soils and made maize planting extremely late.

“We would normally have got maize in the ground on October 1. This year it was December 1.

“On some of the land around Pāpāmoa, it has only gone in the ground in the past couple of weeks.”

Jensen said milk production to date is 25% back on where it should be after taking the hit over spring, and he has been on oncea-day milking from the season’s beginning.

“Farmers on the hill country areas are having a royal season, including areas like Galatea. But coastal and low-lying farms around the Rangitāiki Plains are finding it tough.

“We did manage to get some silage in over Christmas.

“For contractors the silver lining has been the wetter weather, which has meant they can cope better, given they are so short on staff it would have been almost impossible to keep up otherwise.”

The western Bay of Plenty had experienced its total annual rainfall by later October last year, and parts of the region touched 2000mm of rain, well ahead of the long-term annual average of 1250mm.

On the Hauraki Plains, Stu and Lorraine King have welcomed the consistent rainfall through early summer, which is doing much to turn around their farm’s production levels.

“We have been back 5%, but we feel pretty confident we can get that back now,” Lorraine said.

Typically maize should be at fence height by Christmas, and while the Kings’ achieved that, many around the Waikato didn’t after being flooded out and requiring replanting.

“But this time last year we were looking down the barrel of another drought. It’s quite the opposite this year. However, it is

still Waikato, and summer will come.”

She said with yields of 25-28t dry matter a hectare relatively assured from the maize, they are hoping to meet their farms’ usual target of achieving 300-plus days in milk.

As with most farmers, staffing has proved the bigger headache this festive season, making it far harder for farm owners to get any time off as they ensure their staff have a break.

Pasture growth rates in Taranaki reached the peak 80kg DM/ha/day in late November, early December but that was about a month behind normal, based on the fouryear average rate of growth.

November was wetter than normal, in some districts twice the historical average for that month, but December rainfall was below normal – though it is hard to say what is normal, when December 2021 recorded 250-350mm.

The chair of Dairy Trust Taranaki, Duncan Johnstone, said spring was the worst in his time of farming at Waverley and that pasture growth rates and crop contracting activities were at least a month late.

November was wet and cold and milk production fell behind. It is currently 9% down on the previous season.

Crop establishment for maize, turnips and fodder beet was delayed but January’s weather has been good, with regular rain and heat, and the maize is now looking good.

The prospects for recovering lost milk production lie in the weather conditions over the next three months, Johnstone said.

Fonterra said in late November that its milk intake in October was down 3.4% compared with October 2021 and that 12-month milk production was down 4.3%.

However, the milk deficit is a North Island story, where it is down 5.8% for the season to the end of October, compared with plus 0.7% in the South Island.

Fonterra will not publish its Global Dairy Update again until January 31, when it will report on November and December milk production.

Cherries set to round out sweet season

Craig Page NEWS Horticulture

CENTRAL Otago cherry growers are on track for record volumes of fruit this season, provided the weather holds.

Cromwell-based 45 South Cherries chief executive Tim Jones said that, with just a handful of weeks remaining in the export cherry season, growers are cautiously optimistic the dismal past few years – which included covid coupled with poor crops – are behind them.

“Most cherry growers would have a smile on their face,” Jones said.

“The volume has been good, the fruit quality has been good – but the markets have still been challenging.”

Last year the industry exported about 3000t of cherries, mostly to Taiwan, China, Thailand and Vietnam, but the crop volume could double this year.

Airlines are still to get back to

full capacity in the wake of covid and that puts added pressure on exporters desperate to get stock to international markets.

45 South, which produces about 30% of New Zealand’s export cherries, has already topped 1000t of fruit at the halfway mark, which is “a pretty good season”.

“There hasn’t been much money to be made over the last few seasons, so it’s about time I’d say,” Jones said.

“Everyone has been so busy they haven’t had time to look at their season as a success yet. It’s just a matter of getting as much picked as possible, while you can.”

Central Otago has been fortunate to avoid the wet weather experienced in other parts of the country and that has helped boost morale. Labour shortages experienced during the past few seasons have also been alleviated, due to NZ’s border being opened for backpackers and the return of recognised seasonal employers (RSE) workers.

TAKE CARE: AgFirst Northland farm consultant Tafi Manjala wants dairy farmers to be aware of the heightened risk of pests and diseases.

Hugh Stringleman and Richard Rennie NEWS Dairy

Darryl

Pāmu unveils plans to thin Otago herds

Neal Wallace NEWS Sustainability

PĀMU will reduce by 6000 stock units the livestock run on two Otago farms in the next seven years, replacing them with up to 3000ha of forestry and regenerative vegetation to meet climate change and environmental regulations.

Deer and breeding cows will carry the brunt of the reduction from 78,000 stock units to 72,000 stock units by 2020 on Pāmu’s Thornicroft and Waipori stations.

A spokesperson for Pāmu, formerly Landcorp, said breeding ewe numbers will be increased and there will be greater emphasis on finishing stock.

Nationally, Pāmu has 8500ha of forestry and plans to plant between 1000ha and 2000ha of new forestry a year from 2021 to 2029.

“We will utilise marginal land

that is prone to erosion, where we can generate a return, without impacting the profitability of the farm, and we can sequester carbon under the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS),” the company’s sustainability policy states.

planting at Waipori, which could reduce the planted area.

The Pāmu spokesperson said areas that don’t get consent will be left to regenerate to native vegetation.

Pāmu has no current plans to plant whole farms in forestry or plantings for carbon only.

An ecological assessment of the two Otago farms will identify suitable areas.

The two neighbouring Otago farms, an hour west of Dunedin, could have up to 3000ha of forestry planted, involving 650ha of the 3040ha Thornicroft Station and up to 2400ha of the neighbouring 12,564ha Waipori Station.

The Thornicroft plantings could start this winter and be completed next winter, but consent will be needed for some of the proposed

Aspects to be considered include the significance of waterway fencing costs if the farms are to continue farming cattle and deer beyond 2024.

They will also consider areas of low livestock productivity, ensuring safe passage for staff and the potential for growing trees.

“It’s important to note that most of the area identified for potential forestry is very low production land,” the spokesperson said.

“The land use change increases profitability to a point where the livestock areas increase

their viability and gives the farm business additional revenue to further invest in the infrastructure, the environment and staff development.”

Pāmu has already retired a large area of Waipori deemed uneconomic for farming, part of 16,000ha nationally that Pāmu has under covenants with the

Department of Conservation and QEII Trust.

“We don’t envisage any longterm reduction in staffing [on Thornicroft] as we look to a higher percentage of finishing animals on the considerable area of highly productive land across the landholdings,” the spokesperson said.

Shear grit topples 20-year lamb-shearing world record

record attempt – more than 20 years after he set the record at 1406 alongside Whanganui shearer Sean Edmonds.

AFTER sitting untouched for more than two decades, a world lambshearing record has been toppled by a New Zealand pair who kicked off the New Year with a thrilling finish.

Simon Goss, 26, from Mangamahu, and Jamie Skiffington, 32, from Rotorua, edged past the 20-year two-stand record in the final minutes, having shorn 1410 strongwool lambs in eight hours.

The record was set on January 4 at The Shades, the Mangamahu sheep and beef property of Goss’s father Alan – himself the 1985 Golden Shears Intermediate Champion.

Hawke’s Bay farmer Justin Bell could also be found in the historic woolshed helping out with the

After shearing from 7am to 5pm with three short breaks, the men registered final tallies of 715 lambs for Goss, with 182, 179, 179 and 175 for each of the four runs, and a total of 695 for Skiffington, with 166, 175, 177 and 177.

The record was the third to fall in three weeks, with 19-year-old Taihape shearer Rueben Alabaster beating the decade-old solo strongwool lamb record with a total of 747 lambs, only for Te Kūiti shearer Jack Fagan to beat it by eight lambs just two days later.

The record attempt also served as a fundraiser for the Heart Foundation, in tribute to Goss’s mother Ronnie Goss, a former Golden Shears woolhandling champion and industry legend, who died of a heart attack in 2021.

National Open Farm Day

Sunday 12 March, 2023

We’re bridging the urban-rural divide. One open day at a time. Host an open farm day.

CONVENANT: Pāmu has already retired a large area of Waipori deemed uneconomic for farming, part of 16,000ha nationally that Pāmu has under covenants with the Department of Conservation and QEII Trust.

Photo: Pāmu

It’s important to note that most of the area identified for potential forestry is very low production land.

Charlie Williamson NEWS Skills

YOU BE-EWE-TY: World record holder Simon Goss rounds the curves watched by his sister and fellow top athlete, women’s rugby star and former shearer Sarah Hirini.

Photo: Angela Taylor

Mutters as police take aim at firearm fee

Hugh Stringleman NEWS Regulation

SUBSTANTIAL proposed increases in firearms licence fees have gun owners, including farmers, up in arms over the impost and the unknown consequences.

Northland dairy farmer Tom Pow said pest-control efforts would be impacted, as would the on-farm slaughtering of sick or debilitated animals.

Farmers, make up about 10% of licence holders who have declared they keep firearms for employment or business purposes, and they shoot the majority of pests, Pow said.

“Since the demise of the tail tally and ammunition replacement schemes, farmers have spearheaded the national pest control efforts and they should be rewarded, not charged substantially more,” said Pow.

How would the Predator Free 2050 objective be met without farmers shooting possums, rabbits, goats, deer, pigs and wild cattle, he asked.

Farmers should be charging for the cost, training, skill, effort and time that goes into major pest control in the national interest, he said.

New Zealand Police has opened consultation on proposed fee changes for firearms licences and

endorsements, advising some 240,000 licence holders on the database.

Its partial cost-recovery options for a 10-year renewal are $242.50, $485.00 or $727.50, compared with the current $126.50, unchanged since 1999.

Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming said that currently the police are in effect subsidising the regulatory process for firearms licence holders.

“At the moment, licence holders are paying less than 15% of the true cost of a licence.”

The full cost is somewhere between $960 and $1060, he said.

The proposed options are set at 25%, 50% and 75% cost recovery.

The consultation also floats the full recovery of the cost of a separate gun safety training course at $88.

New applicants for an initial five-year licence would pay the course fee and slightly lower application fees: $208.50, $417.10 or $625.60.

The police consultation document says the fees recovery would go back to the government, which funded $15.5 million of the licensing system in 2020-21.

“The increase in fees would not result in additional services.”

The Council of Licenced Firearm Owners (COLFO) said the consultation document has vague assertions without substantiation and fee increases would not deter

the illegal use of firearms. COLFO spokesperson Hugh Devereux-Mack said the police cannot substantiate what real costs firearms owners are being asked to pay, yet wants to charge them up to 400% more.

He acknowledged the need for licence fees to keep pace with inflation, saying something around $240 would be reasonable.

A higher fee would discourage people from seeking a licence and start strangling the sport and recreational activities where guns are used.

Devereux-Mack said licensed hunters and shooters are also major contributors to national pest control and that many hunt to put food on the table.

The police said the fee-setting process needs to strike a balance between discouragement and non-compliance.

The higher subsidy option would be unlikely to change the behaviour of those who choose not to apply for a licence and use firearms unlawfully, the document says.

The fees consultation follows the launch of Te Tari Pūreke Firearms Safety Authority in November, a dedicated unit within the police for licence applications and the new task of linking gun and component serial numbers to licence holders.

There remains a substantial backlog of licence renewals but

online applications made before the expiry date provide extended licence validity.

There will be 10,000 to 15,000 renewal applications a year for five years, comprising those who have been identified as posing no risk of unsafe or non-compliant use of firearms, the authority has said.

Police recruitment for arms supervisors, officers, vetters and administrators is underway.

The basic steps in licence renewal include applicant vetting, testing and interviewing, referee checks and interviews and site visits for storage inspections.

Other considerations under consultation include dealer

licences, museum and curator licences, overseas visitors’ fees and licences for theatrical armourers.

The consultation period is until February 16 and the COLFO has urged farmers to read its Facebook page for updates and the publication of submissions.

At the moment, firearms licence holders are paying less than 15% of the true cost of a licence.

Jevon McSkimming NZ Police

Dairy farms to gain from green solar deal

Richard Rennie TECHNOLOGY Energy

A PRE-CHRISTMAS partnership announcement between the NZ Green Investment Finance fund and Solagri Energy promises to boost the use of solar power on New Zealand dairy farms.

The deal provides $10 million debt financing facility through the government-sponsored NZGIF and will aim to fund more than 100 farm solar power systems in three years.

The NZGIF was established by the government as a “green” investment bank focused on funding projects to increase the rate of investment in lower carbon energy systems across four key sectors – transport, process heating, commercial buildings and agriculture.

Solagri Energy commissioned its first investor-owned solar system on a North Canterbury dairy farm in September 2020 (see Farmers Weekly September 21 2020). The company’s investment model is aimed at installing solar arrays and battery storage on farms with zero capital outlay from the landowners.

Its Rangiora system on the property of Richard Stalker includes a 58kW solar array and

a 128kW battery system, with Stalker contributing a quarter of a hectare for the site’s footprint.

Solagri CEO Peter Saunders said the investment will increase the rate of solar array rollout on dairy farms, particularly as farmers grapple with rising input costs.

“Solagri’s power purchase agreement offering gives farmers the price stability and other advantages that come with solar, without increasing their debt burden, enabling them to continue to focus on their investment in their core business,” Saunders said.

He said the company has eight systems at differing stages of consent and construction, with new work in the pipeline.

The project comes as electricity costs start to loom larger among dairy farmers’ budgetary concerns.

The electricity futures market is projected to surge over 20c/ kWh late this year, representing a massive rise for farmers who may be coming off contracts of 9-10c/ kWh.

In 2020-2021 season the average irrigated Canterbury dairy farm’s operating expenses amounted to $5.25 per kilogram of milk solids.

Irrigation costs including electricity were 31c/kgMS, while additional electricity use was 9c/ kgMS.

Saunders said solar energy had not been a realistic renewable energy option for many farmers until now, with the power purchase agreement enabling farmers to “have their cake and eat it too”.

“We are excited about working with NZGIF and what this investment allows us to do for the NZ farming community. Every new solar array we build frees up existing hydro-generation to be used in other parts of the economy.”

The project also comes as interest in large-scale solar arrays in provincial NZ ramps up.

One of the biggest working through the consenting process is the Todd Generation project on state highway 5 near Taupō at Rangitaiki. The 400 mW project is to be built on a 1022ha dairy unit and will comprise 900,000 solar panels.

Other projects are under construction or proposed in Edgecumbe, Te Aroha and Kaitaia.

CONSULTATION: Northland farmer Tom Pow says proposed large increases in firearms fees are contrary to the national objective for a predator-free country.

EXPANSION: Solagri Energy CEO Peter Saunders, at left with Hamish Hutton, says access to $10 million of NZGIF debt will accelerate the company’s expansion plans for solar energy to dairy farms.

Solagri’s power purchase agreement offering gives farmers the price stability and other advantages that come with solar, without increasing their debt burden.

Peter Saunders Solagri Energy

Fonterra targets protein power

Richard Rennie NEWS Nutrition

FONTERRA is aiming to “restock the cupboard” with innovative nutrition solutions and supplements to meet the shifting dietary demands of consumers in a post-covid environment.

Judith Swales, Fonterra’s newly appointed chief executive for global markets, said that, after extensive travel through Asia, Japan and the United States, it is becoming increasingly clear consumers are aware of the need to take greater responsibility for their own health.

“They have realised that governments are not able to completely protect them and it does come down to taking more care of yourself,” she said.

Coupled with an aging demographic through most developed markets, there is a burgeoning cohort of consumers who enjoy a good income level and want to enjoy a lengthy, healthy later life stage.

Meantime, Fonterra’s current releases reflect the R&D efforts prior to covid and are starting to hit the market now.

These include a protein additive trademarked “Sure Protein” and

the BioKoDelab brand, aimed at improving eyesight and cognitive health.

The two main streams of interest being further developed for the post-covid wellness market are focused on probiotics and proteins.

“The protein component is being increasingly recognised for its value in helping maintain muscle mass in later life, something that often declines for many elderly,” Swales said.

Research has shown that from about 40-45 years old, muscle levels can slide by 1% a year and this can accelerate to 3% a year after 60.

“Visiting Japan, it was clear the awareness there of the need for more protein is high, and there are many products being supplemented with protein additives.”

Japan has one of the highest proportions of seniors in the world with about a third of the population aged over 65, while its population continues to shrink, last year by 820,000 with no sign of that slowing.

“It is probably at the most extreme end of the age spectrum, but it highlights where other markets are heading,” Swales said.

Fonterra is seeing greater potential with long-established clients in Japan, who due to the shrinking population are also looking to expand further into Southeast Asia.

A study released last year highlighted the value of additional dairy-sourced protein in seniors’ diets for improving muscle mass and bone density.

In a study of 7100 residents in Australian care homes with an average age of 86, those fed 1.5 times more serves of dairy products experienced a 10% rate of falls, compared to a control group where 60% suffered a debilitating fall.

The cost in broken hips from falls in the elderly is estimated at about $1 billion a year throughout Australasia.

A diary-rich diet results in greater stability, thanks to increased muscle mass and stronger bones.

Partial HiCane reprieve dashes kiwi hopes

Richard Rennie NEWS Horticulture

THE kiwifruit sector has signalled its disappointment at the Environmental Protection Authority’s decision on the use of hydrogen cyanamide, despite the agency extending the allowance for use from five years to 10.

Hydrogen cyanamide, often referred to by one if its trade names, HiCane, is used by most conventional kiwifruit growers to promote bud growth.

Its action mimics winter chilling for bud production. A gradual rise in winter temperatures has meant its use has become particularly widespread in recent years in western Bay of Plenty.

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) was originally proposing a five-year phaseout period on the chemical, initiated by information from Europe on its human health and environmental risk assessments.

But in its latest update report on the chemical, the EPA has determined there is a level of “moderate technical uncertainty” around the chemical’s original risk assessment. It extended the original five-year timeline to 10 years.

The authority has also recommended changing the

chemical’s classification, so it is not classed as a suspected carcinogen, and extending buffer zones around its use zones.

Colin Bond, chief executive of NZ Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated (NZKGI), said while welcoming the extension on a chemical for which there is no alternative, NZKGI does not want to see it ultimately banned.

“If it is used in accordance with the instructions, it is not a danger to applicators or the environment,” Bond said.

“The term ‘moderate technical uncertainty’ suggests there are still holes in the science. There simply is not enough science globally on its use to ban it.”

He said latest information from the EPA is there could remain some risks on earthworms and birds that will have to be examined.

“We had hoped we had done enough science to show there was no other risks with its use.

The [EPA] report may have said

EXTENDED: Having had HiCane’s use extended to 10 years from the original five, NZKGI chief executive Colin Bond says the sector is challenging why it should be banned at all.

something different. We intend to keep doing the work on the science.”

There is no visible alternative on the horizon to replace hydrogen cyanamide at this time and Bond said the level of use on non-organic orchards has been very high, particularly over the past three, warmer winters.

There is a sense the sector is “guilty until proven innocent” in its use of the chemical, he said.

Breeding may provide an alternative means to increase bud burst, but Bond said this takes time and replacement vines need to tick multiple boxes to meet supply chain demands alongside budding potential.

The EPA will be reviewing its decision in mid-March 2023, with a final decision proposed to be announced by April.

“We are hoping for a positive outcome. If not we may have to consider a judicial review,” Bond said.

Estimates are that by 2050 the global over-65 demographic will comprise 2 billion people, double what it is today.

Fonterra is also exploring its 300-plus library of probiotic cultures, having already isolated and trade protected two specific probiotic strains LactoBHN001 and BifidoBHN019, aimed at improving gut health and reducing gut infection.

Developing the ability to capsulate the probiotics so they make it to the human gut without degradation has been a gamechanger. It enables them to be inserted into other products.

Swales said an Asian client is looking to include a probiotic “shot” in served coffees, for example.

“As we start to better understand the brain-gut health axis, we are working to unlock more strains that offer health benefits there.”

On the broader global supply of dairy, Swales said she sees little evidence that dairy production is on the rise anywhere, although the US could be harder to determine.

Fonterra has recently made an investment with Dutch company Royal DSM to ramp up precision fermentation R&D, coupling Fonterra’s dairy knowledge with DSM’s fermentation techniques to enable synthetic milk production

to be explored.

“We do not see it as a case of either/or. Demand is strong for quality dairy products and there are still a further 2 billion people to come that will require nutritional products,” she said.

Given the smaller volumes of milk that alternative dairy species like goats or sheep generate, it is unlikely the co-operative will be investing in such ventures in coming years.

Source of tomato disease outbreak a mystery

Craig Page NEWS Horticulture

THE source of a plant disease that forced the destruction of a commercial tomato crop in the Tasman district may never be known, the Ministry for Primary Industries says.

Plants in three glasshouses near Nelson were destroyed before Christmas, after testing identified potato spindle tuber viroid (PTSVd).

Biosecurity New Zealand director of readiness and response John Walsh said the disease source has yet to be established and “there is a possibility that we may never be able to definitively identify how the viroid entered the glasshouses”.

Testing was carried out on imported tomato seed samples used to grow the infected tomatoes. All tested negative.

“We are currently focusing our investigations on sampling host material from the external environment close to the infected glasshouses, and further samples will be taken this week,” Walsh said.

The infected plants were destroyed and the glasshouses cleaned and disinfected. The glasshouses are now being replanted with new, uninfected tomato plants.

The virus had not been detected elsewhere in the country but MPI is working with the sector to monitor for any further signs of it.

Walsh said PSTVd is not a food safety issue and infected produce is safe to eat.

“On plants and produce, symptoms of infection can vary, and some infected plants may show no signs of disease but have a lowerthan-normal yield.

“In more severe strains, visible signs in heavily affected plants include stunted spindly plants, fruit not ripening, spots or streaks of dead tissue on fruit, and yellow, purple or grey leaves which can roll or die.”

Walsh said in potatoes specifically, symptoms get worse with each generation and the potatoes are spindly with pointed ends and growth cracks.

PSTVd has been detected in many parts of the world, including Europe, Central and South America, and Africa.

It was first detected in New Zealand in glasshouse tomatoes in 2000. It was also found in capsicum samples collected from a commercial glasshouse at Auckland in 2005.

The disease was found in Cape gooseberry and tobacco plants in Christchurch and Auckland respectively in 2009.

Infected plants and seeds from the supplier were destroyed for both species.

PSTVd has never been detected in potato crops, and there are no records of the disease in outdoor tomato or capsicum crops in New Zealand, Walsh said.

AGING: Fonterra’s head of global markets Judith Swales says aging consumers are also becoming more aware of the need to supplement their diets for a quality old age.

Visiting Japan it was clear the awareness there of the need for more protein is high, and there are many products being supplemented with protein additives.

Judith Swales CEO Fonterra Global Markets

Dairy prices mark time as China opens up

The price of whole milk powder has fallen to US$3200/tonne, at which the milk price equivalent is more like $7 than $9.

GLOBAL dairy markets are looking for direction as price signals are mixed and uncertain, analysts say.

The biggest unknown is the timing and influence of China’s relaxation of its very strict covid movement controls and the subsequent health challenges.

While farmgate milk price forecasts for this season are holding at around $9/kg for milksolids, nervousness abounds, and the weak trend now appears to be downwards throughout the first six months of 2023.

Prices have fallen in eight of the past 12 GDT auctions, spanning six months from late July until early January.

After a modest collective 3% increase in the GDT price index in late November and early December, two auctions over the Christmas-New Year period produced consecutive 3.8% and 2.8% falls.

After the peak of 1593 on March 1 last year, the GDT index has fallen 35% throughout the year to sit at 1031 currently, which is around the median level for the past decade.

But farmers and their processors

benefit from a New Zealand dollar lag effect when treasury groups hedge future sales at favourable exchange rates.

ASB senior economist Chris

Tennent-Brown said Fonterra is likely to be 90% hedged for the current season at a rate a little north of US64c, which is a favourable rate from an historical perspective.

“The big challenge for forecasters is judging whether this period of comparative USD softness is a blip or a shift that will be sustained.

“It’s a question that will be important for next season’s milk price forecast, and more broadly for exporters’ budgeting and hedging decisions.”

Westpac senior agri economist Nathan Penny expects dairy prices to continue to fall during the first half of 2023, followed by improved global demand and price from the middle of the year as Chinese covid restrictions are eased further.

“Our expectation for a stronger global dairy market from around mid-2023 sets up the 2023-24 season for a bumper milk price,” he said.

Westpac’s opening forecast for 2023-24 is $10/kg. Its current forecast for 2022-23 is $8.75.

ANZ agricultural economist Susan Kilsby believes dairy commodity prices have stabilised and that farmers’ returns for milk next season will be similar to this season – around $8.75.

“Farm gate prices are supported by the lower NZD but market uncertainty remains extremely high.

“Global milk supplies are tight, which will support prices, but demand for dairy products is weakening.

“It is not yet clear whether the reduced availability of dairy products will be sufficient to offset lower demand,” Kilsby said.

She said both supply and demand are weaker than normal at the moment, which is expected to keep prices near, or slightly above, current levels for the rest of this season.

“Looking further ahead, it is less clear whether deteriorating economic conditions in key markets will result in softer prices.

“Weakening demand is the largest risk at present to next season’s farmgate milk price.”

Hugh Stringleman

DEPRESSED DEMAND: ANZ agricultural economist Susan Kilsby says weakening demand is the largest risk to next season’s farmgate milk price.

Our expectation for a stronger global dairy market from around mid2023 sets up the 2023-24 season for a bumper milk price.

Nathan Penny Westpac

Goats on a plane off to meet China demand

Annette Scott MARKETS Livestock

GROWING international demand for dairy goats is signalling a lucrative export opportunity for New Zealand goat farmers.

While still in its infancy, the live export of NZ dairy goats to China has the potential to grow exponentially, according to the live export industry.

Australian-based livestock exporter Austrex NZ is currently preparing a consignment of dairy goats for export to China.

General manager Austrex NZ Paul Tippett said the company has been in the business of live goat exporting in Australia for many years and, driven by demand, has been testing the market in NZ.

“We have been dabbling in NZ for about four years now and there is good potential for growing business,” Tippett said.

He said “it’s very lucrative”, but was not prepared to divulge buying prices.

“Top money is paid but pricing is sensitive and really, it is market driven, dependent on whether we

are buying on the high or the low of supply and demand, the time of the year and the classes we are buying – it varies accordingly.

“It’s fair to say it’s very lucrative.”

Over recent weeks Austrex has procured a consignment of 2500 dairy breed goats including British Alpine buck and doe kids, Saanen doe kids and Toggenburg buck and doe kids.

different quarantine farms in the coming days before heading to Auckland to catch a direct flight to China.

Each goat boards the plane at about 25kg in weight with a $400 one-way ticket.

On arrival they all go onto commercial milking platforms.

“There are specific criteria and every contract can be different,” Tippett said.

“Since covid, air freight has gone through the roof, and right now it’s very expensive at $400 to send one goat but that is slowly starting to come back.

The animals come from up to 30 different farms – all of them private farmers and most in the Waikato region.

They are destined for China where currently there is growing demand for good dairy goat genetics that meet the specific export protocols.

The 2500 export goat consignment is due to go into a 30-day quarantine period on three

“It’s an interesting business exercise, ticking away quietly. We are working on growing it in NZ, and with the increasing demand from China to build their dairy goat herd, it’s looking pretty good.”

But Tippett said China can be fickle and with milk powder prices currently down, “it’s pretty tough at the moment”.

“Look at cattle [live exports] 30 years ago and look what happened there, who would have thought that would happen?

“We just have to keep ticking along and meet the market as it is

demand driven.”

NZ currently exports goat milk formula into China, where the benefits of goat milk have been recognised for many years.

What effect China’s herd building could have on future milk powder exports is difficult to assess.

It is expected China will get its

numbers up over time, and – given goats breed in good numbers, not just one kid but up to five or six at one time – the desired herd build could happen relatively quickly.

With surplus dairy goats in NZ and some bred specifically for the export market, the live export business is not expected to run NZ short of goat milk.

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LOOKING AT YOU, KID: Australian-based livestock exporter Austrex NZ is readying a consignment of 2500 dairy goats for China from 30 NZ farms, mostly in the Waikato region.

It’s an interesting business exercise, ticking away quietly.

Paul

Tippett Austrex NZ

Farm sales take a hit amid economic gloom

Annette Scott NEWS Real Estate

RISING farm interest rates and everincreasing compliance are impacting farm purchase decisions up and down New Zealand.

REINZ figures show that, nationally, farm sales in 2022 were down a third on the previous year at 327 sales.

Significant farming regions such as Canterbury and Waikato have farm sales back 50% by number on the same time in 2021, July to November.

The only regions bucking the trend are Manawatū, where farm sales for spring at 36 are ahead of last spring, and the West Coast, which continues to offer great value for money for those looking for a first farm with farm sales running at twice the previous season.

Property Brokers general manager rural Conrad Wilkshire said the rural real estate market adjustment predates the most recent November 23 Reserve Bank 75 basis point lift in the Official Cash Rate (OCR) to 4.25%, the seventh increase last year.

Farmer borrowing costs have already doubled over the past 12 months and while access to rural credit has improved, Wilkshire said the cost is now weighing heavily on farmers and grower minds when taking on more risk.

In 2021 it was the opposite –rural debt had never been cheaper

but accessing it was not a given.

“The current 75 basis point lift is the most significant since the OCR was introduced in 1999 and in our view, will impact further and reduce levels of buyer inquiry,” Wilkshire said.

“We are often seeing the final sale price below the original appraisal assessments, given invariably these appraisals were undertaken prior to the most recent OCR increases and the knock-on impact of funding the cost of these farm purchase decisions.”

Despite the headwinds, political or economic, in any market there are always willing buyers and willing sellers, he said.

“Farmers and growers are pragmatic, particularly if they have all the relevant information in front of them.”

So why do some buyers choose to step up while others step back?

“We attribute a lot of that sentiment to all the negative chat in the market on just about anything to do with our primary sector.

“The reality is very different when you look at the contribution agriculture makes to New Zealand

export receipts and the growth in these earnings year on year.”

The latest Ministry for Primary Industries Situation and Outlook Report, for December 2022, highlights the contribution the primary sector is making to the NZ food and fibre sector, with export

Challenges to test milk price this year

Hugh Stringleman MARKETS Dairy

FRAGILE economic growth, broadbased food inflation and reduced dairy demand will be the themes for 2023 in the dairy industry, Rabobank senior agriculture analyst Emma Higgins says.

After the record milk prices of 2022, Higgins is predicting some moderation but is holding that bank’s 2023 forecast at $9/kg milksolids.

Rabobank has published its Global Dairy Quarterly Report for the fourth quarter in 2022.

“Our forecast is unchanged from last quarter, but it’s important to note the risks to this forecast are heavily skewed to the downside with any potential upside rally hinging on a supply shock in the northern hemisphere or a meaningful reopening of China in the new post-Covid world,” she said.

After five successive quarters of global milk supply recession, production growth has resumed in Europe and the United States.

In 2023, milk production from the “Big 7” export regions – New Zealand, Australia, the European

Union, the US, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina – is anticipated to grow by 1% compared to 2022, enough to offset the 0.8% decrease in 2022 and remain on par with production in 2021.

Higgins said clear price weakness in dairy markets for the final quarter of 2022 were different between regions and products.

The large, domestically supported cheese and butter markets in the EU and the US remain elevated, but prices have come off highs posted earlier this year.

Meanwhile, a 9% decline in Oceania GDT index prices over the past three months has permeated through the global milk powder markets.

“In the year ahead, we also expect expensive input costs will remain a clear headwind for dairy producers worldwide, and result in farm-level margin pressure,” Higgens said.

Dairy demand is going to be tested by significant price increases in the dairy cabinet, and emerging markets are most at risk.

“Dairy demand in the US has remained defiant in the face of cost-of-living challenges, while European consumers are now

feeling the pinch at the retail level.

“Some resilience in southeast Asia is evident, but smaller sales volumes and downstream margin pressure illustrate the headwinds.”

All eyes are on China, its covid restrictions and local inventories and imported stocks.

“We expect buying patterns will remain subdued across the first half of 2023, due to the potential for continued rolling lockdowns, milk production growth, and wavering consumption as challenging economic conditions take hold.

“China is likely to re-enter markets in Q2 with a bigger presence from Q3 2023 onward,” Higgins said.

revenue growing by 11% to $53 billion in the year to June 30 2022.

The sector has continued to perform well despite domestic and international challenges.

Export revenue is again forecast to increase by 4% to a record high of $55b by June 30, 2023,

underpinned by a favourable NZ dollar.

“So, going against much of the rhetoric directed at our dairy, sheep and beef sectors, if this year’s forecast is achieved, our primary sector contribution will be up 15% for the last two seasons combined, led by pastoral farmers,” Wilkshire said.

The forestry sector makes a big contribution to the national economy, but for the past six years national forestry export receipts have been flat at best.

“Before we all believe forestry is a one-way bet, our pastoral farmers have sound economic reasons to back their industry too,” he said.

“The sector has defied all the naysayers since the 1980s and this next decade will be the same.”

Innovation and adaptation remain central to the sector’s future, including accurately monitoring the contribution to the carbon footprint, but there might come a day when consumers also share that responsibility as many of the discretionary things they consume have little to do with food and shelter.

“You only need to look at the ever-increasing size of NZ’s airport car parks to get a measure of that.” Wilkshire is confident the market will reset, saying that “it always does”.

He advises buyers to step up and meet the market head-on.

“Standing back may mean a lost chance to take a once-in-ageneration opportunity as quality listings continue to come forward,” he said.

Elders gets back into NZ market

AUSTRALIAN agri-services firm Elders has jumped back into the New Zealand market, taking an 11% stake in NZX-listed PGG Wrightson for just over $37 million.

Elders bought the stake from BCA New Continent Agri Hldg in an off-market trade for $4.35 a share, 15 cents higher than PGG Wrightson’s closing price on December 14.

It told the ASX the transaction was in line with its geographic diversification strategy and would be funded through debt facilities.

Elders did not “currently” intend to initiate a proposal to acquire control of the company.

It previously operated in NZ but sold its operation to Ashburton-based Carr Group in 2014.

That business, which now operates under the Carrfields brand, included wool, livestock, seed and insurance brokering.

BCA bought into PGG Wrightson in September 2020, buying nearly 9 million shares off Beijing Holding BAIC in an off-market trade for about $24.3m.

In October 2020, it then bought another 760,000 shares in Wrightson for about $2m through a number of on-market transactions.

Elders bought the stake from BCA New Continent Agri Hldg in an off-market trade for $4.35 a share, 15 cents higher than PGG Wrightson’s closing price on December 14.

Singaporean company Agria (Singapore) PTE has a 38% stake in Wrightson.

In the 12 months to June this year, PGG Wrightson posted a net profit of $24.3m and revenue of $952.7m.

The company’s shares have risen in the past month to $4.64.

WILLING: Property Brokers general manager rural Conrad Wilkshire says despite political or economic headwinds, in any market there are always willing buyers and willing sellers.

Standing back may mean a lost chance to take a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

Conrad Wilkshire Property Brokers

BusinessDesk NEWS Business

DAIRY DEMAND: Rabobank senior agriculture analyst Emma Higgins says all eyes are on China as it takes its first steps out of a strict covid lockdown regime.

Voices for beef heard at climate congress

Stringleman NEWS Sheep and Beef

NEW Zealand beef producers are acknowledged as world leaders in greenhouse gas metrics, the importance of beef in nutritious diets and ongoing environmental and animal welfare improvements.

Beef + Lamb NZ farmer director George Tatham said this was one of his take-home messages from the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) Congress in late November. NZ is one of 12 countries with regional roundtables, of which B+LNZ is a founding member.

Tatham attended the congress in Denver, Colorado with North America trade and relationship manager Jason Frost and senior trade policy advisor Nicholas Jolly.

GRSB executive director Ruaraidh Petre, who lives in Nelson, also attended the congress, the first in-person version of the event since 2019 as the scheduled 2020 world congress was held virtually because of covid travel restrictions.

are too marginal for crop production, and livestock is the only realistic way to produce food from the land.”

Petre said that the private sector and farmer organisations are rising to the challenges of climate change on all continents.

Their positivity is in direct contrast to media reporting, which focuses on slow decision making and the many problems left to solve, he said.

Tatham Beef + Lamb New Zealand

Petre said there were 244 attendees at the congress with good representation from all round the world, especially Latin American countries, relatively new members of the GRSB.

Tatham said the GRSB’s global reach and whole-of-supply-chain coverage provides it with a strong voice to advocate on areas of interest to all beef producers.

“It was extremely useful to hear from our beef global producing colleagues about how they are approaching challenges and opportunities, particularly regarding how they work with their governments, NGOs, and processors to communicate their message about sustainable beef production.

“The huge variety of beef production systems around the world means that everyone is taking different approaches and we can learn from each other.”

Tatham said GRSB provided a robust and positive voice for global beef producers who attended COP27 climate change negotiations in Egypt immediately following the Denver congress.

“Their goal was to demonstrate the importance of sustainable beef production for global nutrition and advocating for the recognition of metrics that recognise the short-lived warming effect of methane emissions such as GWP*.”

Petre went on to COP27 in Egypt, where agriculture was on the agenda for the first time, and he spoke during a session on the livestock sector in Africa.

“Livestock are of critical importance to food production in Africa because of their multipurpose nature.

“The majority of food is produced in mixed crop livestock systems, where cattle in particular have roles in animal traction, manure for fertiliser, food provision and as a tradable commodity when cash is needed.

“Much of the continent is semi-arid and arid, so there are very significant areas that

GLOBAL VIEW: Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef executive director Ruaraidh Petre says it was ‘extremely useful’ to hear from beef producers in other countries about how they are tackling the challenges and opportunities of sustainable beef production.

Hugh

The huge variety of beef production systems around the world means that everyone is taking different approaches and we can learn from each other.

George

Palmer appointed to Environment top job

and director strategy (strategy development) at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

JAMES Palmer has been appointed head of the Ministry for the Environment as it faces a challenging political and policy period.

Palmer has a background in policy development, including senior roles. However, since 2017 he has been the chief executive of Hawke’s Bay Regional Council. A criticism of successive governments’ environmental policies has been the placing of more responsibility on councils that may not have the funding or capacity to cope with it.

Councils may welcome someone who has experience of their perspective in the primary role of shaping policy and regulatory advice.

Palmer also has extensive experience in central government.

His roles include a brief period as acting chief executive at the Environmental Protection Agency, deputy secretary (sector strategy) at the Ministry for the Environment, director strategy systems and science policy at the Ministry for Primary Industries

Record claims follow extreme weather

Annette Scott NEWS Climate Change

THE Insurance Council of New Zealand is urging central and local government to work with communities to invest in resilience.

ICNZ has released its final claims data for 2022 and with it comes a warning of repeat patterns in extreme weather events as the claims’ running total reaches an all-time record.

The data shows extreme weather-related claims spanning five events across July and August have reached 11,086 claims for a total of $123.8 million.

This is an increase of 35% or $32.1m on provisional reporting for these climate-related events.

The total for extreme weather events for 2022 is currently at the new record high of $335.58m.

“We are used to reporting separately on discrete climaterelated events, but this is an example of something different,”

ICNZ chief executive Tim Grafton said.

From 1999 to 2003, Palmer worked in the Beehive as a senior private secretary in several offices.

In 2003, he worked in the UK prime minister’s strategy unit as a policy intern.

The select committee said it has extended submissions on the bills for two weeks to February 5, 2023, with extensions of up to February 19 considered on a case-by-case basis.

This follows pushback from a wide range of groups and businesses about the difficulties in making detailed submissions over the summer break on very complex legislation, which includes new legal and policy principles.

Other hot-spot areas for the ministry include managing water quality and allocation reforms, biodiversity policy, and implementing climate change policy and emissions reductions.

He will take over from Vicky Robertson as environment secretary next March for a fiveyear term.

Robertson has led the ministry since 2015 and she hands over a very busy and complex set of work programmes.

Among these is one of the largest reform programmes in decades – the overhaul of the Resource Management Act.

The first two bills in that process are currently before Parliament’s environment committee.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council chair Hinewai Ormsby said Palmer’s last day there is February 10, and they will be sorry to see him go.

The region has been grappling with water quality and allocation issues for many years.

“James is destined for great things at a national level with the Ministry for the Environment and his influence, particularly in the freshwater space, will be invaluable for the country,” Ormsby said.

Drench resistance sparks on-farm alert

Staff reporter NEWS Animal welfare

SHEEP farmers are being urged to test the effectiveness of their drenches after a national report revealed stock on a third of farms tested were drench resistant.

the growing number of cases of autumn ill-thrift and even deaths in lamb mobs, where large numbers of this resistant worm had been allowed to build.

“Wave after wave of extreme wet weather led to weeks of local flooding and slips during what NIWA has declared as Aotearoa NZ’s warmest and wettest winter on record.

“This is certainly reflected in the damage and disruption across the motu.”

Grafton said there is a clear pattern of repeat bands of extreme rain saturating the ground, making it more prone to slips, flooding and infrastructure damage.

“As the long-term warming trend continues, we can expect this to keep happening.

“We want central and local government to work with communities to invest in resilience.

“If risks are not reduced, then the trauma of these events, the risk to lives, disruption to local business and damage to the environment, economy and communities will keep getting worse.”

The cost of claims for November’s extreme weather events will be reported early this year.

The ICNZ figures are just

for general insurance and do not include the cost of claims met by Toka Tū Ake EQC, by local government for running emergency and clean-up operations, or for road repairs.

ICNZ data collection process provides provisional data about four weeks after an event, when policy holders have lodged claims and initial assessments have been made.

Final numbers are reported after about three months, once the cost of claims is known.

Calamities and claims

• NZ weather

July 11-13 – $18.21m

• South Island weather

July 15-21 – $20.56m

• NZ weather July 24-27 – $18.21m

• Nelson Tasman oods

August 18-21 – $31.14m

• Rest of NZ

August 18-21 – $36.7m

• Total = 11,086 claims totalling $123.78m

A report by national veterinary laboratory Gribbles Veterinary found that 33% of farms tested had Trichosytrongylus worms that were resistant to triple combinations.

It also revealed 18% of farms had Teladorsgia species that were resistant to this mix of drugs.

The commonly used Moxidectin (popular for control of Barber’s Pole worm) is showing resistance in both these species – 38% of farms for Trichostrongylus and 40% of farms for Teladorsagia.

Wormwise programme manager Ginny Dodunski said there have been reports in recent years from farmers and vets of an increase in combination drench resistance.

“The Gribbles report confirms these findings. This is the largest set of drench-testing data released in New Zealand to date, reporting results from 64 tests in the North Island and 102 tests in the South Island,” Dodunski said.

“In 2017, less than 7% of the tests run showed triple combination resistance in any species and now 33% of cases are showing up triple-resistant Trichostrongylus.”

Dodunski said this reflects

“The use of combination drenches as a means to slow the development of drench resistance was advocated for situations where there was a low level of pre-existing resistance to the individual actives in the drench, and where other known measures to delay drench resistance were also in place,” she said.

“Unfortunately, most farmers did not know their resistance status when they started using combos, and the other safety measures (such as not using long-acting treatments in ewes, and not wintering lambs in excess of ewe replacements), have not been well understood or adopted.

“We’re now in a situation where substantial changes to management practices are required on some farms because they have so few drench options left.”

Wormwise’s advice to sheep farmers is “get testing yesterday”.

“Many will be undertaking routine weaning drenches at the moment. A great first step is to collect 10 fresh faecal samples from lambs 10 days after you drenched them, and send them for a faecal egg count.

“ If there are no eggs present after drenching, that’s great news, but if there are, that’s the start of a conversation with your animal health advisor.”

EXPERIENCE: James Palmer has held senior roles in central government, and since 2017 has been the chief executive of Hawke’s Bay Regional Council.

His influence, particularly in the freshwater space, will be invaluable for the country.

Hinewai Ormsby Hawke’s Bay Regional Council

CUT OFF: ICNZ chief executive Tim Grafton says if risks are not reduced, the trauma of events such as this ood damage in Mid Canterbury this year will keep getting worse.

GM a good bet for safety, profit – review

Richard Rennie TECHNOLOGY Genetics

AMAJOR review of genetically modified crop research confirms that after 25 years there have been no human health issues from GM crop consumption, and the technology is delivering improved environmental and economic outcomes to farmers globally.

John Caradus, CEO of AgResearch subsidiary Grasslanz, has recently had his review paper published in the New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research.

He reviewed more than 800 studies conducted in the past two decades on GM technology’s impact on health, environment, economic production and social outcomes.

The paper, Intended and Unintended Consequences of GM Crops, concluded that the technology is a valuable option for delivering positive environmental and economic outcomes with risks that can and have been well monitored, quantified and mitigated.

“What I have tried to do is step back and say ‘What is in peerreviewed literature to compare risk and benefits of GM crops and their outcomes?’

“This is why there are so many study references in there, I did not want to be seen to be cherry picking from the work out there,” Caradus said.

Breaking down human/ animal health, environment,

economic and social impacts of the technology, the studies have generated a wealth of data and conclusions bought together under Caradus’s work, generally proving positive in their conclusions on the tech’s value.

Estimates are that as at 2018 there was 192 million hectares in GM crops globally, consisting of 32 different crop species with over 2000 GM foods approved in 43 countries, including NZ.

Economic studies showed between 1998 and 2018 the technology has returned US$225 billion (about $351b) to 17 million farmers, of whom 95% are in

developing nations. On average crop yields have been increased by 34% in cotton, 12% in maize and 5% in soybeans.

In 2018 alone the on-farm benefit was calculated by one study to be US$19b, an additional 5.8% added to the global value of soybeans, maize, canola, and cotton crops.

The bulk (75%) of gains have come from improved production gains in GM crops and 25% from cost savings through less tillage and pesticide/herbicide use.

“There are some big numbers in here because you are talking about some really large broadacre crops like soybeans now grown with the technology,” Caradus said.

Estimates are there is at least a further US$65b that could still be accrued to the world’s developing farmers through use of the technology.

Countries such as Uganda, for example, have been shown to enjoy cost benefit returns of up to 2.1 times by utilising GM corn that is resistant to drought and stem borer insects.

Toxicity risks of GM crops on human and animal health have been cited over the years as reasons for banning the crops’ use here.

However, Caradus said some earlier studies that indicated such risks have since been proven to be invalid, based on poor science and bad study design. None of the work he reviewed had found human or animal health compromised by GM food consumption.

“But unfortunately, those

earlier studies have since become ingrained into some views of it.

“I am not saying we should throw the baby out with the bathwater and do away with checks and balances. But we also have to know that there are a lot of other treatments like synthetic chemicals that have had a lot more issues around them.”

Some crops, like Golden Rice that boosts the body’s vitamin A levels, have proven valuable in countries such as Philippines in helping improve consumer health.

One of the key negatives of GM tech raised in studies has proven to be the contribution of Roundup Ready crops to the development of glyphosate resistance in weeds.

Caradus said this has been the main negative around the seed technology – “but glyphosate resistance has also developed in spite of GM tech too”.

“But in those countries that have it, the degree of resistance may have been exacerbated by its use.”

However, overall, the environmental benefits of the technology have proven solid.

On average GM crop use has led to a 37% lower pesticide use, a 22% increase in crop yields and a 68% increase in farmer profits with the greatest gains again in developing countries.

Based on environmental indices, the GM crops delivered a 23% lower environmental impact than conventional, and 620 million kg less of crop sprays being applied between 1995 and 2015.

In 2010 alone 13 million hectares less land was needed to

‘Set and forget’ tech may slash emissions

Gerald Piddock TECHNOLOGY Emissions

WAIKATO company

Ruminant BioTech is developing technology that it hopes will cut ruminant methane emissions by as much as 70%.

It consists of a bolus capable of reducing methane over a sixmonth period, and the company aims to bring it to market by 2025.

Ruminant BioTech chief executive George Reeves said the bolus has the potential to provide every dairy, sheep and beef farmer in New Zealand with an effective, easy, “set and forget” methane reduction solution that is both highly effective and practical for grass-fed animal farming operations.

Reeves sees the bolus as a tool farmers will be able to use to reduce their emissions, rather than a silver bullet.

Companies producing options for farmers to reduce their emissions are coming from different angles, which gives farmers plenty of options depending on their farming system and animals.

“Our approach has been to address what does a farmer in a New Zealand farming system

actually need and that’s something where you can stick the bolus in and walk away and not worry about it, knowing that it’s going to reduce emissions,” Reeves said.

“I kind of call it a ‘set and forget’ solution. It doesn’t need a lot of interaction once you have applied it.”

Using the bolus will remove the need for a feed additive,” he said.

“Other methane mitigation products in development are primarily feed additives. However, because New Zealand farms are grass-fed systems, feed additives are not a very practical solution.

“The aim is for our bolus solution to be suited to every ruminant animal, on every New Zealand farm.

“There is no other solution

currently available anywhere in the world like it. It’s a real game-changer.”

Most of the initial research has been focused on cattle because they are larger and produce more emissions.

The target reduction was 70%, but over the past 18 months Ruminant BioTech has developed a proof of concept that reduces 90% of methane over almost three months.

That proof of concept is a prototype that has been tested on animals in a managed and measured study carried out in research laboratories at AgResearch’s Grasslands facility in Palmerston North.

“It’s the same efficacy as seaweed except that its 24/7 in the rumen knocking down methane,” Reeves said.

In lay terms, the bolus inhibits methanogen – a form of stomach bacteria – that live in the rumen and its enzyme pathway, stopping this stomach bacteria from producing methane.

“It prevents the methanogen from converting other substances into methane,” Reeves said.

Hypothetically on a springcalving dairy farm, Reeves sees the bolus been administered to a cow just prior to calving when the

animal is about to enter the peak milk spring flush period of the season.

On a sheep and beef farm the ideal time could be when a farmer has the animals yarded for an annual task such as weaning.

Ultimately, the bolus’s usage could come down to the farmer’s goal – whether they are aiming for compliance or wanting to create a high-value product that could obtain a market premium, he said.

“The frequency of application will be determined by the objectives of the farmer and what they are trying to do.”

The prototype has also not caused any residue within the animal’s milk or meat, meaning there is no cause for concern, he said.

The government is backing the research, committing $7.8 million to Ruminant BioTech, which the company will match.

That funding will go into further research & development and forge partnerships in the primary sector to further develop the prototype. Reeves hopes the bolus will be ready for large-scale farm trials by 2024. Those trials will examine the most effective time to use the bolus and its impact on productivity.

It is too early to know how much

grow the equivalent amount of crops using conventional methods, averting emissions equivalent to 15% of all US car emissions in that year.

On a social level, many critics of Roundup Ready GM seed claimed its proprietorial demands had prompted increased suicides among farmers in India in particular.

This was not the case, and increased GM crop yields of 24% contributed to a 50% gain in profits for small farmers and stopped many falling below the poverty line.

Caradus said he hoped the extensive review would contribute to more informed, science-based discussion in NZ on GM use. He was encouraged by it ranking among the “top 4” papers in the NZ Journal of Agricultural Research in 2022.

“This is not really part of my job but there has been an injustice here with naysayers getting a platform, and that is just wrong.”

the bolus as a commercial product will cost, but Reeves is confident it will be a cost-effective solution.

He is equally confident that the product will be ready by 2025 and in the process establish a business that could potentially generate export revenue as a solution for farmers around the world.

“This isn’t a New Zealand problem, it’s a global problem. We get focused on New Zealand but we’re 10 million cattle in 1 billion,” he said.

SOUND: Grasslanz CEO John Caradus says a review of hundreds of papers shows GM technology is safer and more environmentally friendly and economically positive than naysayers claim.

TO MARKET: Ruminant BioTech chief executive George Reeves said he is confident the bolus will be ready by 2025.

The aim is for our bolus solution to be suited to every ruminant animal, on every New Zealand farm. There is no other solution currently available anywhere in the world like it.

Georges Reeves Ruminant BioTech

I am not saying we should ... do away with checks and balances. But we also have to know that there are a lot of other treatments like synthetic chemicals that have had a lot more issues around them.

John Caradus Grasslanz

Gas pricing must not threaten food production

Graham Pinnell Retired Cambridge drystock farmer

THE pre-Christmas announcement on the He Waka Eke Noa proposals apparently describes high-level decisions by the ministers of agriculture and climate change on emission pricing in spite of admitting that their analysis of submissions is incomplete.

How can that be, when they have a duty to avoid predetermination by keeping an open mind while considering submissions?

Their choice of the HWEN farm-level system is not fit for purpose. Instead, the starting point should be to understand the legislation that empowers the making of the regulations to ensure consistency. The key point that has been missed is that the purpose statement in any legislation has pre-eminence, as the meaning of the rest of an act must be ascertained “in light of its purpose”, as required by the Legislation Act 2019.

Embodied in the purpose statement of the empowering legislation, the Climate Change Response Act of 2002 (CCRA), are our international obligations of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement.

Under the Paris Agreement there are two relevant obligations with regard to food production. In the preamble New Zealand and other parties to the agreement recognise “the fundamental priority of safeguarding food security and ending hunger, and the particular vulnerabilities of food production systems to the adverse impacts of climate change”. In Article 2.1(b) is the obligation to foster low greenhouse gas emissions in a manner that does not threaten food production. The Framework Convention and Kyoto Protocol have similar requirements.

This means that while we are required to aim for the 2030 and 2050 emission reduction targets, the methods used should not threaten food production. While the burning of fossil fuels is a harm deserving of taxing through the ETS, food production is not considered internationally to be a harm and so is not deserving of a polluter-pays tax. Farm-level pricing comprehensively charges

for all emissions and is therefore a polluter-pays tax.

Instead, pricing should be used selectively to incentivise emission reduction in ways that do not threaten food production. Specifically, emission pricing should be confined to only incentivising mitigations. Any other reduction in methane emissions requires a reduction in pasture and stock numbers, leading to reduced food production.

The purpose statement of the CCRA takes an international perspective. This means emission intensity is important, that is, low-emission food produced in NZ should not be priced out of existence, resulting in emission leakage and an increase in global emissions. Low-emission food is exactly what the open market has delivered ever since the subsidies of the Muldoon era were removed. There is an extremely high free market price incentive for farmers to improve productivity through animal and plant breeding, together with fully feeding livestock and optimising farm system management to grow fodder having high palatability and energy density. The climate dividend is low emission intensity. There is no market failure in the drive for low emission intensity. A reasonable conclusion is that no regulatory barrier should be placed in the way of the market driving further improvements in emission intensity.

This approach by no means gives farmers a reason to do nothing in response to the climate crisis we face, as viable mitigations will emerge. It is an approach we can take to our markets and use in trade negotiations with pride as it is entirely consistent with our legislation, our international climate obligations, and our role in promoting unsubsidised trade to the world.

The administration and compliance costs would need to be funded by levies on farmers. These costs for a mitigation incentive scheme are minimal compared with those for the planned farm-level reporting system. A mitigation incentive scheme would be a high integrity system as it would be based on independently verifiable evidence. Farmers would only need to file claims for the mitigations they undertake. The only audit requirement would be disclosure of the invoices for the mitigations

that were adopted.

Now let’s contrast this scheme with the government’s farm-level system that apparently has the support of the remaining HWEN partners.

The government maintains that the primary consideration is ensuring emission reduction targets are achieved. Other factors such as socioeconomic impacts are relegated while no mention is made of the need to safeguard food production. The 10% reduction in methane by 2030 requires a 20% reduction in sheep, beef and deer numbers if no mitigations are approved.

Even with mitigations, food production remains threatened as reducing pastoral production may be cheaper than adopting the mitigations. If the government persists with this approach, it faces the risk of judicial review.

Food production remains threatened as reducing pastoral production may be cheaper than adopting the mitigations. If the government persists with this approach, it faces the risk of judicial review.

The farm-level reporting is hugely complex. For the scheme to have integrity, the level of detail required is much greater than either HWEN or the government is admitting. Reporting must be extremely accurate as the government will need to have confidence as to whether the reported trend towards the 2030 target of 10% reduction in methane is likely to be achieved. It requires reporting of all livestock tallies, weights, and production as they change throughout the year, including all purchases, births,

sales, deaths and missing stock. Not only does that involve farmers in a lot of reporting, but it also involves the regulator in a lot of auditing and enforcement, the costs of which will be levy-funded by farmers. That will force some farmers to the wall.

An unresolvable challenge in farm-level reporting of emissions is the incentive for farmers to under-report and evade the levy. If the research indicating income tax evasion of 20% is a reasonable benchmark, then we may witness an apparent emission reduction that exceeds the 10% target reduction long before 2030 without any real reduction having occurred.

A sophisticated compliance and enforcement regime will be required but is unlikely to be successful. For example, just imagine trying to verify the number of ewes on a high-country station. An experienced stockman would have to be contracted to tally the flock after a muster. The entire station would have to be flown by helicopter to check for stragglers or a withheld mob, and those under trees would remain unaccounted for. Then a reconciliation would have to be made back to the reporting period being audited, accounting for age classes or weights of livestock, births, deaths and missing. This data would have to be supplied by the farmer but has no audit trail. The only independently verifiable data available for the reconciliation would be sales and purchase invoices.

The only thing a farm-level scheme does that a mitigation incentive scheme doesn’t is calculate how much grass each farm produces each year in order to translate that figure into methane emitted. As grass production is essentially fixed, there is no point in undertaking this data-intensive procedure

unless the government is intent on forcing land use change out of pastoral farming by punitive pricing.

This scenario is completely avoidable. Good on Federated Farmers for taking on board these matters in their submission and calling for a pricing system that only incentivises mitigations so that food production and emission leakage are not threatened.

Meanwhile, Dairy NZ, Beef + Lamb NZ and the remaining HWEN partners refuse to acknowledge that their proposal threatens food production, would lead to emission leakage and require needlessly high and destructive levies to pay for the new army of auditors and administrators.

In their desperation to stay inside the tent with the government they are failing farmers and providing the government with a foil to deflect farmer submissions.

It is high time that the government and the HWEN partners consider submissions with open minds and either accept a mitigation incentive scheme that is simple, has integrity and a modest cost or give good reasons for remaining wedded to the monster that HWEN has created.

Contact us and have yours.

farmers.weekly@agrihq.co.nz

Phone 06 323 1519

In my view ...

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

PRODUCERS NOT POLLUTERS: Farm-level pricing comprehensively charges for all emissions and is in effect a polluter-pays tax – entirely inappropriate when it comes to food production, says the writer.

Buckle up for another bumpy ride in 2023

Alternative view

farmers processed by Silver Fern Farms and distributed to the needy.

Milk can also be donated to be processed by Fonterra and Miraka.

Late last year in a Telethon-like fundraiser, Meat the Need aimed to get enough meat donated for 1 million meals. They exceeded it by 20% to get 1.2 million, almost enough to give one in four Kiwis a meal.

Meat the Need is promoted as NZ farmers feeding NZ families via City Missions and food banks. It is a most worthwhile charity and provides a real and much-needed boost to the image of farmers and farming.

We’ve been on Wifi for years and it works really well. So well, in fact, that I was surprised the previous government went to fibre to the extent it did.

In today’s world you’re lost without a good internet connection and rural NZ does present challenges. I’m pleased the government has accepted that, invested in the scheme and pledged to bring an internet connection to everyone, no matter how remote.

WELCOME to 2023.

If you thought 2022 was a wild ride, buckle your seatbelts for this one.

We’ve consistently read how 2022 was a horror year for farming and in many aspects it was. There were, however, quite a few positives to come out of it.

The first was the sector leadership shown by Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard. He had a hard act to follow with Katie Milne but he’s stepped up and done it well.

For a start, Hoggard isn’t overawed by the Wellington scene, be it political or bureaucratic. He will succinctly present a submission as he sees it without fear or favour and that’s unusual from many of our sector representatives.

His open letter regarding the He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) changes back in October last year was masterful, as was his summary of the essential freshwater package.

Although there’s much water to go under the bridge, I also believe that the fact the government and farmers are still consulting on HWEN is positive. The sector presented an option to the government, the government came back with a response the sector didn’t like and further changes were made.

While we’re yet to see the final draft, I’m pleased that dialogue is continuing.

My personal position, which I’ll discuss in a separate article, is that NZ would be crazy to lead the world in taxing food production. In addition I’d prefer that Feds were part of the discussion and not excluded. Solely relying on what I consider the political sycophancy of Beef + Lamb NZ and DairyNZ doesn’t fill me with happiness.

I’m pleased that the government has committed funds to properly research regenerative agriculture. There has been considerable comment on the practice, most of it without any scientific base, so it’s good we’re going to get some definitive science-based research.

Announcing the initiative in September, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor told us that the government’s aim was to “prove to the world why New Zealand food and fibre should always be the number one choice”.

That’s a difficult position to argue against.

Finally, the political sphere has become even more interesting. O’Connor knows farming and the political scene, and has achieved much, which would be difficult considering the cabinet lineup. Kieran McAnulty and Jo Luxton have also shown they understand the sector and are prepared to listen and assist.

From the opposition parties, ACT’s Mark Cameron has been outstanding. He knows the sector and is energetic supporting it. National has been, in my view, missing in action.

All the very best for 2023. As I said, it will be an interesting year.

Up the creek but not without a paddleboat

From the ridge

Hoggard has the benefit of a strong policy team to back him up, an accomplished media group and a sophisticated farmer research model, but it is him representing grassroots farmers and he does it well.

His factual, research-based, uncompromising and unemotive advocacy on issues is a great asset for the productive rural sector to have.

Hoggard’s deputy, Wayne Langford, is also doing his bit for the image of rural New Zealand.

Langford co-founded Meat the Need with Siobhan O’Malley, a Hokitika sharemilker and provincial entrepreneur.

They get stock donated by

I’ve spent hours considering the various research projects on regenerative agriculture and the only scientific study I could find was one recently completed in Australia. The result, interestingly, was that if you want to go bankrupt, adopting regenerative practices is a good start – so it will be good to get a definitive NZ study.

The funds allocated are considerable, with over $26 million put aside, with Massey’s School of Agriculture and Environment being the lead agency. As research partners include AgResearch, Lincoln University and Dairy Trust Taranaki, we can expect a robust scientific study that will be peer reviewed.

I’m also really pleased with the government’s rural connectivity plans.

THE wonderful thing about making new year predictions is what are the chances that anyone will remember in a year and even if they do, will they trouble themselves to hold you to account?

But you can never be too sure, so it’s best to predict certainties or leave some vagueness around the forecast. It works well for economists, horoscope writers and futurists.

I can tell you that the wet areas will get drier, and the dry areas will get wetter. At a point sometime in the future.

One of the best climate forecasts I saw last year was by Rob Sharpe, the Sky News Australia

Meteorologist. He turned out to be right on the money.

Back in October I read a piece by him saying that although La Niña was waning, don’t expect the massive amounts of rain in parts of Australia and here in New Zealand to come to an end.

I’d found this particular piece because I was searching to see if the Tongan volcano eruption had resulted in our wettest winter in my career.

It was a year ago on January 15. Those here at the house heard the sonic boom of the eruption but I was on my motorbike on the farm and annoyed to have missed this epic sound from so far away.

The volcano went off with the force of about 100 Hiroshima nuclear bombs.

Because the volcano was under the water but not so deep (150m) that water pressure suppressed its power, the superheated sea water became explosive steam and headed into the upper reaches of our atmosphere.

It seemed logical that if this eruption had ejected 50 million tonnes of water into the atmosphere, the old adage of what goes up must come down comes into play.

They reckon about 4 million tonnes of this went so high that it escaped gravity and went into space, which has never been observed before.

That space water vapour even

influenced a thing called the equatorial electrojet, which normally runs west to east in the ionosphere but reversed direction because of the water.

But I was wondering about the other 46 million tonnes up there, and was that why I spent much of the year in gumboots and leggings and am still wearing them in January?

Well, the volcanic event may very well have contributed to our record rainfalls and may still be in play with the continuing rain.

The southern hemisphere has had 20% more water in the stratosphere than before the eruption.

Some of that water vapour has formed clouds and fallen back to earth. That makes sense.

But there are other factors in play as well.

For a start, the event put a lot of extra energy into the atmosphere, creating more turbulence than usual and thus more storm systems.

The extra water vapour up there has had a slight increase on global warming but because Antarctica has had a blanket of extra water vapour over it reflecting sunlight back into space, the Antarctic has been colder than usual.

This chilly air has increased the polar vortex, which means the

Alan Emerson

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

NOT OVERAWED: Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard was masterful in his approach to the He Waka Eke Noa developments in October last year, Alan Emerson says.

Steve Wyn-Harris Central Hawke’s Bay sheep and beef farmer: swyn@xtra.co.nz

Damien O’Connor knows farming and the political scene and has achieved much, which would be difficult considering the cabinet lineup.

Time to be reasonable and fair in victory

Meaty matters

IT LOOKS too much of a stretch to imagine there will be a speedy resolution to the war in Ukraine unless Russian premier Vladimir Putin has a Saint Paul-like conversion on the road to Kyiv or quite simply runs out of troops and firepower. But peace between the New Zealand government and the farming sector may be about to break out following the last-gasp release of Wellington’s report on Agricultural Emissions Pricing under section 215 of the Climate Change Response Act, holding out hope the main disagreements on this thorny issue can be overcome.

The Meat Industry Association (MIA) is “cautiously optimistic about the government’s changes to its agricultural emissions proposal”, while Beef + Lamb NZ (BLNZ) says the report is a significant improvement on what was released in October, although the high-level nature of the response means there are still important details to be confirmed.

The key issues to be resolved are, in summary:

• The warming targets for which the latest science will be taken into account including the use of

GWP* as opposed to GWP100;

The impact of offsetting rules within the Emissions Trading Scheme on sheep and beef farming;

The price level for methane to be applied at the lowest level necessary;

The role of the industry in price setting, ensuring equitable treatment of sheep and beef farmers or compensating them appropriately; and

Certainty about the recognition of sequestration of all vegetation categories by 2025.

The concessions made by the government in its pre-Christmas report appear to accept in principle virtually all the points raised by He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) in its original submission which were rejected or modified in the government’s October response. The only major points of contention, apart from achieving agreement on the detail, appear to be the government’s desire to retain the option of a processorlevel levy as a backstop and the primacy of the Climate Change Commission in determining the price of emissions.

The first question that arises from this sequence of events is why the government persisted in alienating the agricultural sector for another two months before suddenly accepting almost everything it had previously rejected. The answer is probably the inevitable tension between the perspectives of Labour’s Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and the Greens’ James Shaw as Minister for the Environment. O’Connor has amply demonstrated his support for the agricultural sector, despite having to follow his party’s line on emissions, whereas Shaw is compelled to promote the more extreme Greens’ view.

It would appear Shaw’s more

powerful westerlies have stayed closer, swirling around Antarctica, and means southern Australia and NZ have had fewer cold fronts and less wind.

Those here at the house heard the sonic boom but I was on my motorbike on the farm and annoyed to have missed this epic sound from so far away.

This means the east coasts of both Australia and NZ will end up with more onshore winds bringing extra wet weather.

The meteorologist has been right so far and did say back in October that this would continue through the summer.

Time will prove whether he gets this right as well.

I’ll tell you one other strange and impossible-to-predict outcome of the Tongan eruption bringing

more onshore conditions on this coast.

Before Christmas I was out at one of our local beaches.

I thought I could spot an overturned dinghy in the surf and

The HWEN partners’ demands are absolutely understandable, but they would do well to recognise the extent of the recent concessions and the straitjacket the government has to wear.

purist perspective won out in October, when the ministers no doubt hoped its response would be accepted without too much objection, but the industry’s angry reaction must have made them realise it was an unwinnable battle. There is too much at stake for the government to get completely offside with the farming sector for two reasons: its huge contribution to the country’s economy, especially in the absence of tourism and education for the past three years, and the potential for the whole HWEN partnership

to blow apart, leaving the government with egg on its face without a scheme to implement.

The reaction of Groundswell and its supporters, as well as the refusal of Federated Farmers to join its HWEN partners in responding to the initial government response, will have made the ministers realise they faced more extreme farmer resistance than that from HWEN partners, notably BLNZ, MIA and DairyNZ. The concerns of Māori farming incorporations must also have given them pause. Politics, after all is the art of the possible, and before the release of the December report it was looking increasingly impossible to achieve willing participation in a core government election commitment.

The government’s intention is to finalise all the details of its emissions pricing scheme early this year, which hopefully is not too ambitious a target, given BLNZ and MIA’s list of topics for discussion. These are presumably

echoed by Federated Farmers, who may be less tolerant in their requests.

While the HWEN partners’ demands are absolutely understandable from the perspective of the members they represent, they would do well to recognise the extent of the most recent concessions and the straitjacket the government has to wear. It is restricted by the commitments it has made in global forums like the United Nations, as well as the attitudes and opinions of a sizeable and noisy percentage of the electorate as it faces a general election later this year.

In the words of Abraham Lincoln, you can’t please all the people all the time, so it is reasonable to expect the government to attempt to please as many as it can as much as possible. But it must also weigh the economic consequences of hamstringing NZ’s largest contributor to its GDP and export income in the face of serious farmer and agricultural sector opposition.

On the other side of the coin, the HWEN partners also have to weigh up the extent to which they can afford to play hardball in the final discussions with the government to arrive at a negotiated agreement which is fair and equitable for farmers, while at the same time able to be sold to overseas parties and the NZ electorate.

The last thing farmers need is to be accused of getting away without accepting their obligation to make a sufficiently serious commitment to climate change mitigation. I sense the agricultural sector in NZ is currently winning the PR battle, but it would not take much to tip it the other way. It is preferable to complete a historic agreement on fair and reasonable terms acceptable to as many people as possible, including farmers.

and strapping it down.

We asked around the local beaches and no one reported missing one, nor had ever seen anyone with one in the sea.

It had small mussels growing on it so had been in the ocean for a few weeks.

I googled to see if some fool had gone missing during an attempt to cross the Pacific on a paddleboat or if anyone was reporting one lost, but nothing.

My best guess is that it had blown off a superyacht or cruise ship.

The only thing broken was the rudder, so I jury-rigged one and the local kids had great fun over Christmas and the New Year on the estuary.

rushed off to see if anyone needed help.

No sign of any people so I dragged the craft out of the surf and up onto the beach. It wasn’t a dinghy but a

paddleboat like you see at resorts.

Others find useful things like craypots and buoys, but this must be a unique bit of beachcombing.

I got the ute and had quite a struggle getting it onto the back

I ordered a new rudder from Texas on New Year’s Day for US$50 and an eye-watering $50 to FedEx for delivery. You get what you pay for because it arrived in an astonishing six days despite New Year shutdowns and coviddisrupted deliveries.

Nearly everyone else at the beach has a fishing boat but I’m the only one with a paddleboat.

Allan Barber

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

TREAD LIGHTLY: Allan Barber says the agricultural sector in NZ appears to be winning the PR battle, ‘but it would not take much to tip it the other way’.

WATER WAY TO GO: The Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai eruption this time last year left quite a legacy of water in the atmosphere, affecting winds and temperatures.

Going with the flow, even in white water

[laughs]. I was working as a chiropractor, had built up a decent patient base, life was looking pretty good.

Farm-raised Haley Pugh helped run a thriving chiropractic business in Hokitika, until cancer turned her life on its head. Farmstrong asked her to share what she’s learnt about coping with change and uncertainty.

TELL us about your background and connection to farming.

I grew up on a farm on the West Coast. I am sixth generation. It’s just a small family farm, 160ha running 150 Angus cows and 100 Perendale ewes. Enough to keep you busy. Ever since I was old enough to be useful, I’ve always worked for Dad, helping out with things like fencing and shearing. Dad and I were crutching ewes and lambs last week.

What do you like about farm life?

I just love that connection to the land and the freedom of being in the country – the solitude, the quiet, hearing the birds. I’ve travelled and lived in many other countries, but that’s always the place I go back to. On a farm you’re always out and about doing stuff. There’s something very satisfying about looking along a kilometre of fencing and seeing all the posts you’ve put in the ground.

You’ve had a pretty challenging time recently. Tell us about that. Yes, I’ve hit a few speed bumps. I must’ve been going too fast!

Then suddenly found a lump, got it checked and a week later I was diagnosed with breast cancer. After that it was ‘get on board the crazy train’ – MRI scans, surgical consultations, full-body bone scans. Within six weeks I was in surgery. Since then, I’ve had 16 different rounds of chemo and radiation. That was about as fun as you can imagine.

Then I started getting back to normal, working rurally, labouring just to try and rebuild my fitness. But after a few months I started feeling tired again, got checked and discovered the ‘rust’ had come back and spread to my spine. That meant more rounds of chemo and immunotherapy every three weeks. Now I’ll never be cancer-free, but thanks to the wonders of modern technology there’s a good chance I’ll die with cancer, not of it.

That sounds an incredibly tough time

Yes, as a woman, it felt like I’d almost lost everything that made me female – you lose the boobs, then the steroids blow you up like a balloon, then you lose all your hair. You feel like you’re getting kicked at every point.

How did you cope with all that?

I think a lot of people will be interested in how you kept going mentally in the face of such major setbacks.

Well, I soon realised a lot of what was happening to me was completely out of my control. So instead, I just focused on what I could control – which was how I responded and reacted to the situation.

What did that look like? What adjustments did you make to your thinking?

I told myself, ‘Okay, you can have a sulk, but once you’ve had it, you need to take steps and start living again.’ That was my mindset. I decided I wasn’t going to be a victim, so I asked myself, ‘What brings me joy?’ The big thing for me was getting back outdoors, back out in the weather – having a swim, a paddle, surf casting down the beach. I also loved getting back on farm and helping out, so I felt like I was contributing again.

A lot of people might go back into their shell in that situation. Did you share what you were going through with others?

You’re right, sometimes people don’t want to let their guard down, but connecting with others was massive for me. I can tell you that having a good yarn with someone and sharing your feelings is not only a sign of strength, it’s also very cleansing.

I made sure I had plenty of people to talk to and I’ve always said to other people if you want to have a yarn give me a call. One of the benefits of living in a smaller area is that everyone knows everyone, and the bush telegraph works pretty well.

Farmers face a lot of uncertainty too. Do you think the things you’ve learnt are relevant? Absolutely. In farming, you think you’re swimming along nicely and then the prices drop or there are challenging new regulations or a weather event. You’re constantly having to pivot and look at what you can do differently in farming. It’s a roller coaster.

Do you get a sense that rural communities are feeling under the pump these days?

I think the last couple of years have been pretty mad for everyone, including farmers. I guess things like new regulations are a bit like having extra rocks in your backpack. You can keep going, but it all feels harder.

What can people do to maintain a good headspace? What have you found helpful?

Sometimes you just need to get off the rollercoaster for a bit, have a rest and make things a bit easier for yourself. Having pursuits outside of farming that you can look forward to, is good. My dad’s into his shooting and heads off for competitions with a really good bunch of people. That’s a great way to get off farm and talk about things other than farming. I like fishing, paddling and getting into the outdoors.

What else has worked for you? It’s good to keep up your strength and fitness. That gets your endorphins and feel-good hormones going and boosts your mood. It also sets you up for demanding seasons like calving. Having the fitness to get through busy periods is a big thing, so you’re making life easier for

I soon realised a lot of what was happening to me was completely out of my control. So instead, I just focused on what I could control – which was how I responded and reacted to the situation.

yourself and not burning yourself out at the start of a season.

Many farmers tell us they struggle with sleep. How do you stop waking up and worrying about things? Any tips?

I think the trick with worries is don’t let them spin round and round in your head – get them out of your head and write them down. For me, it’s as simple as having a notepad by the bed.

The other thing to remember is that you’re not in it alone. There’ll be other people feeling the same way. So, having a chat with someone is a great way to relieve stress. There’s a lot of wisdom in rural communities to tap into.

Looking back, what’s your biggest insight about coping with uncertainty?

Life doesn’t always work in a

linear fashion. It takes twists and turns and sometimes you’ve just got to learn to go with the flow. You need to stay flexible in your thinking and be prepared to pivot. I’ve always been pretty good at going with the flow even when life’s sending me down a few rapids and bouncing me off the banks.

The past few years have also taught me that small changes in your thinking can make a big difference to how you feel. It’s a bit like when you get a flat tyre. You can either get grumpy and let it spoil your day or you can just get on with it, change the tyre and be on your way again. It’s about your attitude – how you react to a situation. That’s what you can control.

What’s up next for you?

A West Coast summer. Anything outside, and in all weather. There’s nothing like it.

MORE: Farmstrong is nationwide, rural wellbeing programme for farmers and growers. For free farmer-to-farmer tools and advice on how to cope with the ups and downs of farming, visit www.farmstrong.co.nz

farmstrong.co.nz

of Farmstrong

FARM STRONG: Haley Pugh says ‘It’s good to keep up your strength and fitness. That gets your endorphins and feel-good hormones going and boosts your mood.’

BUMP IN THE ROAD: ‘I was working as a chiropractor, had built up a decent patient base, life was looking pretty good,’ says Haley Pugh of the period before she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Climate shifts may send maize production south

Annette Scott TECHNOLOGY Arable

MAIZE is shaping up to be an option for South Island cropping farmers with a first-year trial showing a warming climate will allow maize to be grown in areas which have previously been marginal for the crop.

Plant and Food Research also forecasts larger and more frequent drought events in the North Island, so – depending on future spring and summer rainfall patterns in the North –the South Island may become a major growing region for maize, Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) maize researcher David Densley says.

Maize silage demand from the dairy sector is also increasing as its use can complement pasturebased systems nutritionally and economically.

However, for maize silage to compete with palm kernel as a suitable pasture supplement for South Island dairy farmers, economic yields and consistent forage quality are required.

Densley says for arable farmers maize can provide an alternative income as well as several agronomic benefits.

These include the opportunity to use different herbicide chemistry and nutrients that may not have been accessible to shallower rooting crops, reducing the risk of nutrient leaching.

Crop management will likely be different to the North Island with different cultivation methods being investigated to demonstrate how to plant and

harvest crops commercially using narrow row spacing compared with the industry standard practices optimised for the major growing regions in the North.

Meanwhile this season, for the first time, maize growers and purchasers have the option of using a high-tech sensor as a measurement tool during harvest for maize forage trading.

Summers are becoming hotter and drier, making the practice of hand sampling increasingly challenging.

David Densley FAR

New Zealand is possibly the first country in the world to provide the option, streamlining the information-gathering process.

The near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy sensor is mounted on the delivery chute of a forage harvester to measure whole plant dry matter as it passes through a field.

It will provide an alternative to the current practice of physically collecting samples.

Densley says about 80% of maize grown in NZ is for silage with about half of that traded between maize growers and dairy farmers.

For a fair transaction to occur between grower and purchaser, determination of dry matter tonnes (tDM) requires accurate weights of each truckload harvested (wet weight) and the dry matter percentage of that forage.

“We are excited about the

opportunity to use this NIR technology as a tool to determine whole plant dry matter percentage after a rigorous evaluation by our research team and other collaborators,” Densley says.

Most of the industry uses the good practice guide for the trading of maize forage, which has been available since the mid-2000s.

The guide, now overseen by FAR, provides protocols for the fair trading of maize silage between growers and dairy farmers.

“Summers are becoming hotter and drier, so there is an increasing level of maize variability within the field, making the practice of hand-sampling to determine dry matter increasingly challenging.”

Contracts and protocols for using the new technology are available for the 2023 harvest.

Wet weather affects sowings

THE latest Arable Industry Marketing Initiative (AIMI) survey of NZ Maize growers reveals sowings and growth of both grain and silage crops have been affected by wet weather in several regions.

Some of the intended sowings may not be made, resulting in the 2023 harvest predictions being less reliable than in a more normal season.

Final average yield of maize grain at 11.2 t/ha for the 2022 harvest was slightly down on last season at 12.0 t/ha, while final average yield of maize silage at 20.9t dry matter (DM/ha) was similar to the 21.1t DM/ha in 2021.

The estimated final total tonnage

of 187,000t for the maize grain 2022 harvest was 11% down on last season’s harvest tonnage at 209,300t, as the result of a reduced yield, down 6% and a reduced harvest area, down 5%.

An estimated 99.4% of the total crop had been sold at October 31, 2022, compared to 97.0% sold as of June 1, 2022. This corresponds to a reduction in unsold tonnage from 5600t on June 1, to 1200t on October 31.

The unsold tonnage on October 31, 2021 was zero. Stocks held by merchants are not considered here.

For maize silage, the estimated final total tonnage of 1,194,900t DM for the 2022 harvest was up 2% compared to last season being the

result of a slightly decreased yield, down 1%, and an increased harvest area, up 3%.

Spring 2022 sowings and sowing intentions for maize grain at October 31 were estimated to be up 7% on the area harvested last season.

Sowing was only 50% complete as compared to an eight-year average of 77% with an estimated 76% of the 2023 maize grain harvest forward sold.

For maize silage, spring 2022 sowings and sowing intentions are estimated to be up 6% on the area harvested last season. Sowing was only 51% complete as compared to an eight-year average of 70% with an estimated 92% of the 2023 maize silage harvest forward sold.

Nelson tech company lands the perfect catch

stuff onto it and embedded a tiny microprocessor that uploaded data to the web.”

SNAP Group has come a long way from Dave Rodley’s garage where his sons Chris and Andrew first started playing around with webcams.

Rodley snr, who worked as an electrical engineer, put a camera on his holiday home in Hanmer Springs so he could keep an eye on the weather from his home in Nelson.

It was a bit of novelty back in the early 2000s, a fact reflected in the $5000 price tag to import the camera from the United States.

“It was probably one of the first webcams in New Zealand,” Chris Rodley, the chief executive and cofounder of Snap Group, said.

“But it was a crap piece of kit that took terrible photos. We figured we could do better. We bought a camera for $100, took it apart, hacked it, soldered new

Their high-definition camera caught the attention of tourism operators, MetService, TV3 weather and construction sites.

It was while working on a job for ASB in Auckland that Chris stumbled on an opportunity that changed the direction of the company.

“I was up a ladder installing a camera when the CEO of one of the largest fishing companies in New Zealand walked past and said, ‘Can you put that camera on a boat?’” he said.

“We talked to Callaghan Innovation who helped us develop a marine-proof, AI-enabled camera and within 10 days we pitched to 10 fishing companies and haven’t looked back since.”

The company received a number of 50% co-funded grants from Callaghan Innovation worth $2 million, which helped pay for R&D, and had help and guidance

from NZTE and the Ministry for Primary Industries.

Callaghan also provided strategic advice and support including project road-mapping and connections to high-end suppliers, and helped confirm the company was focusing on the right opportunity.

“The support from Callaghan enabled us to hone our commercial skills, not just the technology and IP that startups tend to focus on,” Rodley said. “That was really helpful for us.

“The temptation is to think that your product — in our case the camera and the data capability behind the technology — is the star. But actually the customer’s problem should be the star, not your solution.

“When we’re working with any client or sector the first question we ask is ‘What’s the problem you need to solve?’”

Snap offers GPS tracking, satellite communication, on-board video cameras, and specialises

in AI-driven data storage that is capable of identifying fish species, type, and size. By auditing catch limits it enables safe, legal fishing practices that reduce compliance costs and assures the ongoing sustainability of NZ’s wild fisheries.

already delivered the majority of Teem Fish’s hardware and software required for its fisheries monitoring systems.

“It made sense to combine our two areas of expertise,” Rodley said.

“It will help both companies to scale quicker than they could have otherwise. Using our tech and Teem Fish’s understanding of fisheries, we know we can assist fishermen with a compliance solution, but also take that data and repurpose it for business intelligence.

In 2021, the Nelson-based company acquired Canadian partner Teem Fish Monitoring, a fisheries enterprise using advanced electronic monitoring technology to support fish harvesters to meet their regulatory requirements and ensure the future of sustainable commercial fisheries.

Before acquiring Teem Fish, Snap

“The real benefit comes from empowering fishermen to make changes to their business. The value isn’t the camera or the data; it’s what you can do with the data. Good information leads to good decisions.

“If we know how many fish there are in the ocean we can set appropriate fishing levels so our children and grandchildren can eat fish from the ocean when we’re gone.”

CHANGING TIMES: FAR maize researcher David Densley says crop management on South Island arable farms will likely be different to the North Island, and different cultivation methods are being investigated.

The real benefit comes from empowering fishermen to make changes to their business.

Chris Rodley Snap Group

Outlook for era of ‘unprecedented change’

FARMERS are living through a time of unprecedented agricultural change and the next decade could see a structural shift in the industry, Andersons consultants say.

Speaking at an Andersons breakfast event at the Oxford Farming Conference in early January, company partners John Pelham and Richard King reflected on what had been a tumultuous 2022, and looked to the future.

“It is 50 years this month since we joined the European Economic Community,” Pelham said.

“However, none of those years would rank alongside last year in terms of the scale of change in terms of the structure of the industry.

He said pigs and poultry businesses are being rocked by huge rises in input costs, and horticulture is being hammered by a lack of labour.

However, he said, for some dairy and arable businesses it is a time of unrivalled profits and performance.

That, he suggested, raises questions about future farm legislation as, currently, “all these [farms] are embraced by one policy” and that may not necessarily provide equitable support.

then that is a 10% cut in farm support year on year in real terms,” he said.

Pelham warned that reducing direct support will start to change the structure of the industry over the next decade; change that had been stalled because of Common Agricultural Policy support.

If you look at the gap between the best and worst performing businesses, it is bigger than it has ever been.

LONG VIEW: The coming years will see a change in the landscape for many farmers.

“If you look at the gap between the best and worst performing businesses, it is bigger than it has ever been.”

Grassroots must be driver of farm reform

FARMERS wanting change and a move to agroecology cannot wait around for the political elite, because real change is achievable only from the grassroots level.

That was the message from speakers at the Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC) who called for collaboration as grassroots movements continue to grow in the United Kingdom.

Shumacher College founder and Indian-British activist Satish Kumar warned attendees not to wait for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to change the world.

“To be an activist you have to be an optimist. I am 86 years old and I am an optimist,” he said.

“Do not expect real change to come from 10 Downing Street or

the White House. Real change comes from the grassroots level.”

He gave the example of leaders such as Mahatma Ghandi and Nelson Mandela who came from the grassroots level and made real change in their communities.

“As our future depends on the land, our future also depends on you, the real farmers.”

ORFC co-founder Ruth West said the movement is growing.

“There is a growing feeling worldwide that we need that change to real farming,” she said.

To succeed, she said farmers need non-farmers to support them by paying a “proper price” for food grown, buying directly from farmers and putting pressure on supermarkets to make changes to

the way they operate.

Oli Rodker, land-use and forestry campaigns co-ordinator at the Landworkers Alliance, urged people to put aside their differences and work together, encouraging those in the mainstream to reach out.

“Do not let small differences prevent us from working together,” he said.

“Reach out to people you might not normally talk to.”

Rebecca Mayhew, Pasture for Life regional facilitator and a Norfolk farmer, said her farm is proof that change is possible.

Mayhew has a background as a land agent, while her husband had been a conventional arable and “industrial pig farmer”.

King said while UK Farming Minister Mark Spencer provided more details on Environmental Land Management at the conference, the government needs to be aware that the wider economic climate needs factoring into the application of support.

“If inflation is running at 10%

John Pelham Andersons

“The next five to 10 years could see latent change come through in a rush as it was held up by direct payments.”

Farmers Guardian

They had been looking for a way for Mayhew to return to the farm to work.

“We looked at selling pork direct, but despite producing so much food, we did not have anything to sell to the individual,” she said.

“When you start talking about

it nobody wanted to buy what we had to sell.”

But she said they would now “spend the rest of their lives working to improve the quality of the soil, the ecosystem and the lives of their animals”.

Westland sued for trademark breach by butter brand

BusinessDesk MARKETS Dairy

IRELAND’s Ornua Co-operative and its subsidiary, Ornua Foods North America, are suing Westland Dairy Company for “willful trademark infringement”, according to legal documents filed in the US district court in northern California.

A spokesperson from Westland said it “can confirm that we have received legal notice that our fellow butter brand, Kerrygold, is seeking to prevent Westgold butter from using our packaging in the US market”.

The lawsuit is aimed at stopping Westland from advertising, marketing, distributing or selling butter products using a trademark and trade dress “that are confusingly similar to Ornua’s federally registered Kerrygold trademarks and trade dress”, the preliminary statement said.

Trade dress is the commercial look and feel of a product that identifies and distinguishes its source, according to US trademark law.

Ornua sells Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter, while Westland is selling Westgold Butter.

Both packages are similar in colour, both have a black and white cow on them, and both have a “grass-fed” seal.

According to Westland, however, its “distinctive packaging is linked to our rich heritage on the West Coast of New Zealand and the taste of our traditionally churned, grass-fed butter is rapidly gaining recognition around the world”.

Ornua said when it learned Westland intended to start selling in the US with a name and packaging “confusingly similar” to Kerrygold, it sent the company a cease-and-desist letter.

It said Westland responded to Ornua’s letter on August 27 2022, and since then Ornua has tried to

reach an agreement with Westland to protect the Kerrygold trade dress.

Those efforts, however, recently reached an impasse, Ornua said.

Last November, Westland issued a press release announcing its salted and unsalted 8-ounce (about 230g) butter products are now available at 570 Walmart stores, including in California.

Ornua said: “Westland could

have chosen any name and packaging for its entry into the US market. Instead, it intentionally chose to enter the US market with a name and packaging confusingly similar to Kerrygold to take advantage of the exceptionally strong reputation and goodwill associated with Ornua’s brand.”

It argued that the harm is “incalculable”, and sales will inflict “immeasurable destruction to the goodwill and reputation associated with the Kerrygold Marks, developed at great effort and expense over decades”.

As well as seeking monetary damages, it wants a preliminary injunction until Ornua gets permanent injunctive relief through trial.

Westland

According to Ornua, the Kerrygold brand includes the word mark, plain and stylised, and its distinctive trade dress for butter and other dairy products. It owns several federal trademark registrations for Kerrygold.

Ornua said it has spent more than US$287 million ($450m) since 2015 developing its Kerrygold brand in North America. It added that Kerrygold is the number two selling butter brand and the number 2 selling imported butter brand in the US.

It claims to have six causes for action and, among other things, wants an accounting for Westland’s profits arising from the alleged unfair competition and trademark infringement, an awarding of those profits to Ornua and an award for damages sustained by Ornua.

Ornua is also calling for a jury trial.

Westland had not yet formally responded to the filing made on December 29. Its response is due on January 19.

“While we would prefer that consumer taste be the ultimate judge, we will vigorously defend the claims made,” the Westland spokesperson said.

Farmers Guardian

GROUNDED: Activist Satish Kumar says farmers should not expect ‘real change to come from 10 Downing Street or the White House. Real change comes from the grassroots level.’

Our distinctive packaging is linked to our rich heritage on the West Coast of New Zealand and the taste of our traditionally churned, grass-fed butter is rapidly gaining recognition around the world.

Eureka 964 State Highway 26

In the heart of the Waikato

• 43 ha currently run as a very tidy dairy unit

• 10 ASHB shed and a comfortable home

• All flat land with silt and sandy loam soils

• Centrally located - midway between Hamilton, Cambridge and Morrinsville.

No one ever regrets buying quality. Contact the agents for details.

In conjunction with P.R.L Rural.

Real heartland Waikato

• 32.3 ha in a very central Waikato location

• Currently run as a bull finishing unit

• A dairy support option for all local farmers

• Three bedroom home

• Contact the agents for details.

In conjunction with P.R.L Rural.

John Sisley

Tender

3 1 2

Tender closes 4.00pm, Thu 16th Feb, 2023, Property Brokers, 78 Studholme Street, Morrinsville, 3300 or PRL Rural, 308 Pickering Road, Tamahere, 3283

View Tue 17 Jan 11.00 - 12.00pm

Tue 24 Jan 11.00 - 12.00pm Web pb.co.nz/TWR113840

John Sisley M 027 475 9808 E john.sisley@pb.co.nz

Tender

3 1

Tender closes 4.00pm, Thu 16th Feb, 2023, Property Brokers, 78 Studholme Street, Morrinsville, 3300, or PRL Rural 308 Pickering Road, Tamahere, 3283

View Tue 17 Jan 12.30 - 1.30pm

Tue 24 Jan 12.30 - 1.30pm

Web pb.co.nz/TWR113841

John Sisley

M 027 475 9808 E john.sisley@pb.co.nz

Tauwhare 958 Victoria Road

Stratford 59 Tawhiwhi Road

New Listing

437 ha breeding / finishing block at Matau

Genuinely for sale is this great 384 ha (effective) eastern Taranaki sheep and beef farm. Located at Matau (approx. 45 min from Stratford) with six titles, it has traditionally farmed 2,000 to 2,500 sheep and 265 cattle. Since 2019 it has solely been used as a breeding and finishing block for 400 Angus cattle. Being well subdivided into 40 paddocks with a strong history of fertiliser application (airstrip on property), impressive weight gain is achieved from healthy looking cattle. The property consists of well balanced and easier contour and is well tracked, providing good access for animal movement. A water reticulation system is on the easier country, backed up by a reliable, natural water supply. This property offers a sound three bedroom summit stone home and strong infrastructure, including a four stand woolshed with 900 np, cattle yards and three satellite yards. This high quality, well located farm provides an excellent mid-scale dry stock opportunity.

Bell Block 132, 216b, 310 Henwood Road

Bell Block 132, 216b, 310 Henwood Road

Block 1 - 132 Henwood Rd 14.42 ha $3.5m plus GST (if any)

Block

For Sale

Three grazing blocks located on Henwood Rd, Bell Block. Property Brokers and Robert Angus Real Estate are pleased to bring to the market these three great blocks of land. All three blocks are ideal for grazing of dairy heifers or beef cattle.

Henwood Road - Bell Block

Henwood Road - Bell Block

Three grazing blocks located on Henwood Rd, Bell Block. Property Brokers and Robert Angus Real Estate are pleased to bring to the market these three great blocks of land. All three blocks are ideal for grazing of dairy heifers or beef cattle.

For Sale $8,000,000 + GST (if any)

Three grazing blocks located on Henwood Rd, Bell Block. Property Brokers and Robert Angus Real Estate are pleased to bring to the market these three great blocks of land. All three blocks are ideal for grazing of dairy heifers or beef cattle.

Block 1 is suitable for land banking / potential subdivision and both blocks (1 & 2) are suitable for growing maize or harvesting hay and silage.

Block 2 has great building sites plus a new set of cattle yards and small hayshed.

For Sale $8,000,000 + GST (if any)

View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/NPR114361

View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/NPR114361

Block 1 is suitable for land banking / potential subdivision and both blocks (1 & 2) are suitable for growing maize or harvesting hay and silage.

Block 1 is suitable for land banking / potential subdivision and both blocks (1 & 2) are suitable for growing maize or harvesting hay and silage.

Block 3 has an older three bedroom house and sheds. It also adjoins block 2.

Block 2 has great building sites plus a new set of cattle yards and small hayshed.

Block 2 has great building sites plus a new set of cattle yards and small hayshed. an older three bedroom house and sheds. It also adjoins block 2.

If you are looking for land with possibilities and close to New Plymouth, contact the agents for further details.

Block 3 has an older three bedroom house and sheds. It also adjoins block 2.

View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/NPR114361 Property

If you are looking for land with possibilities and close to New Plymouth, contact the agents for further details.

If you are looking for land with possibilities and close to New Plymouth, contact the agents for further details.

Greg O'Byrne M 027 598 3000 E greg.obyrne@pb.co.nz

Greg O'Byrne

Greg O'Byrne M 027 598 3000 E greg.obyrne@pb.co.nz

M 027 598 3000 E greg.obyrne@pb.co.nz

Darrel Nicholas - Robert Angus Real Estate 027 248 4011 E darrel@robertangus.co.nz

Bell Block 132, 216b, 310 Henwood Road

Glacier Horned Herefords

Open Day

Tender

closes 3.00pm,

This is a 177 ha sheep and beef farm with approximately 50 ha under k-line and 104 ha under pivot from the Waihao Downs irrigation company.

Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 | pb.co.nz Proud to be here 25

South Westland Cook Flat Road, Fox Glacier

One of NZ's most distinguished Stations

Waipaoa Station; 3,648.36ha (STS) is for sale by way of International Tender and provides the opportunity to acquire one of the most exemplary sheep and beef properties in NZ. The Station may be considered in its entirety, or as 4 individual operations, each of which contains a multitude of very favourable farming attributes and is set up to deliver superior farming performance and results. Waipaoa comprises an abundance of flat land, the heart of which is under centre pivot irrigation, consented for 124ha. The farm's easy-rolling contour has excellent water infrastructure, and outstanding fertility throughout, with the rear of the farm being home to the esteemed Waipaoa Farm Cadet Training Trust. Years of extensive investment, quality contour and focus on productive performance, have ensured efficient farming practices and has seen farming operations thrive. bayleys.co.nz/2752753

3,648.36ha

International Tender

Closing 4pm, Wed 15 Feb 2023

10 Reads Quay, Gisborne View by appointment

Simon Bousfield 027 665 8778 simon.bousfield@bayleys.co.nz Stephen Thomson 027 450 6531 stephen.thomson@bayleys.co.nz BOUSFIELD MACPHERSON

Waipunga

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• disused 12 a/s h.b. farm dairy with in shed feed system

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• 31.3 hectares

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• easy rolling contour; predominantly mairoa ash soils

• well subdivided with good access races

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• large combination hayshed/implement shed

• spacious 4 brm homestead with ensuite off the master bedroom; open plan living areas opening onto outdoor decking area; nicely situated on an elevated site with sunny, picturesque views across the property; good garaging

• a competitive range of options for schooling

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An attractive and well presented finishing / dairy support unit, enhanced by a scattering of mature specimen trees , situated in the Wharepuhunga district, approx. 27 kms south east of Te Awamutu.

southeast of Te Awamutu, and 19 kms north east of Otorohanga.

KATIKATI, BAY OF PLENTY

Remarkably Unique, Undoubtedly Desirable! From an elevated position, the property offers beautiful expansive views of the Pacific Ocean and Bay of Plenty. With its Kaimai Forest Park boundary, wild deer often roam the native bush around the impressive architectural home (Master Builders Gold Award 2020). It oozes quality, with polished concrete floors, luxurious bathrooms, attractive kitchen, glass facades and solar energy system. The 30.2ha of land features bush, approx 13-14ha of grazing, a farm shed, stockyards and good water supply. Central location with opportunities to create an equine retreat or luxury tourism destination.

pggwre.co.nz/TAR36824

4 2 3

TENDER Plus GST (if any) (Unless Sold By Private Treaty) Closes 12.00pm Wednesday 15 February

NEW LISTING

EIFFELTON, ASHBURTON

Low Cost Dairy Unit Less Than 15km From Town 151ha dairy unit 14km from Ashburton milking 520-560 cows

• 40 bail rotary shed with in-shed feeding and new ACRs this season

DEADLINE PRIVATE TREATY Plus GST (if any) (Unless Sold Prior)

Closes 3.00pm, Thursday 9 February

Anton Terblanche

VIEW By Appointment Only E anton.terblanche@pggwrightson.co.nz M 021 324 702

Sitting on Longbeach and Waterton soils, the farm is irrigated from a bore with long-term consent for 90L/sec via rotorainers

• Accommodation includes a 4-bedroom home, a 3-bedroom home and a single persons unit (unconsented) 3 & 4-bay calf sheds, and a 2-bay high stud shed (one bay is a concrete bunker) plus workshop

pggwre.co.nz/ASH37039

VIEW By Appointment Only E tim.gallagher@pggwrightson.co.nz M 027 801 2888

Tim Gallagher

Stock Manager General with a Passion for a Regenerative Future required

Mangarara Station, Elsthorpe, Central Hawkes Bay

We are looking for a special person experienced in farming beef and sheep but looking to ‘be the change they want to see in the world’ and develop regenerative agriculture skills.

Mangarara Station is a diverse 600ha regenerative farm raising beef cattle for supply to butcheries, as well as having an Angus cow herd, dairy heifer grazers and sheep are traded depending on seasons and markets.

You will work alongside the owner manager and carry out day-to-day activities with the goal being to hand over more of the management role as you grow into the position.

Mangarara Station is involved in a number of scientific research projects, provide lodge accommodation and host farm discussion groups and field days.

This position could suit a couple as many opportunities exist on farm.

Good practical skills, appreciation of soil and a positive, friendly disposition is required.

Accommodation available.

Bus available to the Elsthorpe School. Remuneration will be at a competitive market rate based on experience.

View – http://www.mangarara.co.nz/ For more information or contact Greg 06 858 4343 evenings

Please apply in writing with your CV and references to: greg@thefamilyfarm.co.nz

Applications close Sunday 22nd January 2023.

Farming Aggregation Manager

Since 1996 our client, a privately owned NZ company has been investing in agricultural assets in both NZ and Australia, the most recent purchase is Vaucluse, Tasmania. The property consists of 4400 hectares; the enterprises include irrigated and dryland cropping as well as livestock. The 2600ha of irrigation allows a diverse enterprise mix.

A Farming Aggregation Manager is now required to develop and implement management plans to realise the full potential of the Tasmania aggregation. This includes overseeing the cropping and livestock strategy, leadership of the team and reporting.

To be successful in this role you will:

• Be commercially astute with strategic focus

• Have farm management experience with a background in large scale mixed agricultural production operations

• Be a collaborative leader with outstanding people management skills

The challenge is to define and deliver the optimal long-term rotation with refined production systems for both cropping and livestock.

A generous remuneration package is on offer including accommodation and vehicle.

For a confidential discussion, and a copy of the position description you are encouraged to call Al Kellaway on 0061 1300 380 701 or apply with a cover letter and your resume via https://www.rimfireresources.com.au/ primary-industry-jobs/farm-aggregationmanager/3477057

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

’The board observer role was an excellent opportunity to become part of an operating board and test my skills and attributes whilst learning from some excellent directors from different backgrounds’ – Will Grayling (previous Associate Director).

Time to Take the Leap in Your Governance Journey Ballance have a governance structure consisting of six shareholder elected Board members, three appointed Board members and an Associate Board Member.

We are inviting applications for an Associate Director to join our Ballance Board of Directors for a 15-month term.

Associate Director Vacancy

As an Associate Director, we are offering you a development opportunity to grow your knowledge and experience in one of New Zealand’s leading primary sector organisations.

As a New Zealand farmer-owned co-operative we love the land as much as you, so we are committed to working alongside our communities and customers to create a strong, sustainable future for all New Zealanders.

The Opportunity

As a Ballance shareholder, this role offers you an opportunity to enhance your skills in primary sector governance. You will contribute equally to all discussions but will hold no voting rights on Board decisions. The position is voluntary (unpaid) however travel and accommodation for Board meetings is provided.

We offer a supportive environment and are focused on helping you grow your knowledge and understanding of good governance practice. We provide a full induction into the role, along with training and coaching to support you to achieve your career objectives.

We are looking for the following attributes:

• An active Ballance shareholder

• A team player with the ability to disseminate a wide range of views

• An independent thinker who actively contributes ideas

• Excellent relationship building skills

• Demonstrated experience in community leadership or active involvement in the community

• Governance training is preferred, but not essential

If you are motivated, enthusiastic and have a vision for a successful and progressive rural sector, come and make your place with us – “Together, creating the best soil and food on Earth“. It’s a big ambition, but we can‘t think of a better one for the good of our customers and our country. How

Your CV and cover letter should be submitted to the email address below no later than Friday 27th January 2023

Directors@Ballance.co.nz

Combi Clamp Stock Handling Equipment offers a user-friendly design, versatility and incredible reliability with manual operation, durable construction and minimal maintenance requirements. Whether you’re handling Sheep or Cattle, the resounding feedback is that this gear is clearly designed by practical farmers.

BIRDS/POULTRY

PULLETS HY-LINE brown, great layers. 07 824 1762. Website: eurekapoultryfarm. weebly.com – Have fresh eggs each day!!!

DOGS FOR SALE

Website: https://www. theretreatnz.org.nz

DOGS FOR SALE

HUNTAWAY AND HEADING dogs. Deliver NZ wide. www.youtube.com/user/ mikehughesworkingdog/ videos - 07 315 5553.

12-MONTH HEADING dog and bitch. Fast, strong, good stop, pulling sides. Station and trial potential. Nolan Timmins. Phone calls only 027 932 8839.

PARAPARA/MAKIRIKIRI

STD CLUBS annual sheep dog sale on Sunday 22nd January 2023 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, Phone 06 342 7508. All enquiries to Duncan Atkinson Phone 06 342 6807 or Auctioneer, Chris Hay Phone 027 632 7177.

FARM LEASE WANTED

ANY SIZE, with or without house, for beef and sheep. References available. Phone 027 232 4104.

FORESTRY

WANTED

NATIVE FOREST FOR MILLING also Macrocarpa and Red Gum New Zealand wide. We can arrange permits and plans. Also after milled timber to purchase. NEW ZEALAND NATIVE TIMBER SUPPLIERS (WGTN) LIMITED 027 688 2954 Richard.

GOATS WANTED

FERAL GOATS WANTED. Pick-up within 24 hours. Prices based on works schedule. Phone Bill and Vicky Le Feuvre 07 893 8916 / 027 363 2932.

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.

GOATS WANTED

GOATS WANTED. All weights. All breeds. Prompt service. Payment on pick up. My on farm prices will not be beaten. Phone David Hutchings 07 895 8845 or 0274 519 249. Feral goats mustered on a 50/50 share basis.

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

HORTICULTURE

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

PUMPS

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

RAMS FOR SALE

2T FULL SHEDDING Wiltshire Rams for sale. All rams brucellosis tested negative. For more information please ring Kevin New 07 878 4758.

HAIR SHIRE® Low input meat rams! www.organicstud. nz 027 225 5283. tim@ organicstud.nz

RURAL MASSAGE

RELAXING FULL BODY massage in rural Ohaupo. Unwind. De-stress. www. ruralmassage.co.nz or call 027 529 5540.

STOCK FEED

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

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

WANTED TO BUY

WHAT’S SITTING IN your barn? Don’t leave it to rust away! We pay cash for tractors, excavators, small crawler tractors and surplus farm machinery. Ford –Ferguson – Hitachi – Komatsu – John Deere and more. Tell us what you have no matter where it is in NZ. You never know.. what’s resting in your barn could be fattening up your wallet! Email admin@ loaderparts.co.nz or phone Colin on 0274 426 936 (No texts please)

SALE TALK

There was an elderly couple who, in their old age, noticed that they were getting a lot more forgetful. They went to their doctor who told them that they should start writing things down.

They went home and the old lady told her husband to get her a bowl of ice cream. “Write it down,” she said. The husband said, “No, I can remember that.”

She then told her husband she wanted a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream. “Write it down,” she told him, and again he said, “No, I can remember all of that.”

Then she said she wants a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on top. “Write it down,” she told him and again he said, “No, I got it. You want a bowl of ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on top.”

So o he goes and spends an unusually long time in the kitchen. He comes out and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs.

The old wife stares at the plate, then looks at her husband and asks, “Where’s the toast?”

Puketi Angus Stud

Markets

THE year has started on a very wet and soggy note for the North Island.

Feed and crop levels are some of the best seen for this time of the year unless they’ve faced storm damage. Drought concerns are mainly limited to patches of the South Island; coastal Otago, Queenstown, and Banks Peninsula all beginning to glow on drought maps.

Most are enjoying the growthy January conditions, but if it lingers much longer stock condition will take a check. There are still plenty of woolly ewes and lambs that need a long fine break to get shearing and growth rates back on track.

Most market activity in the last week has focused on breeding ewe fairs in the North Island and on-farm lamb sales in the South Island. Store cattle sales have mainly been limited to large annual auctions through Waikato/ South Auckland.

As processors get back up to speed, fresh feed may slow slaughter rates. However for many, slow spring growth rates meant a lot more stock was carried into 2023 than normal, and the need to keep cashflow ticking over will trump excess feed levels in some cases.

There has been no escaping the downside at a slaughter level through the break. Lamb prices felt this acutely despite most plants being closed. In the week leading into Christmas the AgriHQ lamb indicator was sitting at $7.25/kg in the South Island and $7.40/kg in the North Island.

Prices are currently operating below $7/kg across either island, which is significantly lower than this time last year. However, a year ago export demand bounced rather than following traditional moves lower. Without the support of strong export demand, more pricing downside looks likely.

Typically lamb slaughter prices bottom out through March, coinciding with peak export volumes. This is still the expectation despite well over

$2.50/kg coming off prices since October. This compares with a 70c/kg drop for both last year and the five-year average for this period. The slump in prices is a direct result of plummeting export values since spring. For the bottom to be found earlier, export demand will need to show signs of improvement.

Current weather patterns and

feed levels could play a hand in smoothing out slaughter rates over the coming two months, potentially slowing the downward pricing slide. But as noted earlier, this needs to be weighed against cashflow, particularly considering input costs remain high.

Store lamb numbers trading in the North Island remain soft as some opt to take advantage of clover and crop levels. On-farm sales across the South Island saw numbers balloon this week. The odd shorn line is now starting to show up and command a premium but there is still plenty of caution hanging over this market, especially if lamb slaughter prices have yet to find a bottom.

For beef, pricing downside has been less severe than lamb, and in

some cases has been half of what lamb has endured over the twoweek break. This follows on from trends set late last year whereby cattle prices fell by smaller weekly amounts compared to lamb and mutton. Regardless, the downside was greater than recent years as markets exercised caution. This has seen beef slaughter prices start the new year at lower levels than what was recorded 12 months ago.

Much like lamb, beef slaughter prices still have some downside to endure in the weeks ahead. With feed on our side, it will prevent any urgent offloads domestically, but until markets settle into a steady purchasing rhythm, just how much downside remains unclear.

Proudly sponsored by

FAT AND HAPPY: Feed and crop levels in the North Island are some of the best seen for this time of the year unless they’ve faced storm damage.

Mel Croad

and lamb

Weekly saleyards

The first few sales of 2023 mostly consisted of smaller than usual tallies across all sections. The Matawhero ewe fair penned just 75% of the 2022 yarding. The Stortford Lodge ewe fair offered a moderate number at 12,400 ewes. In both cases, it was clear the feed situation underpinned the market. Strong demand for store options was evident due to good covers across much of the country. Bigger numbers of store cattle passed through Te Kuiti – 2686-head over three days – and the market held steady. Top yearling Angus steers on the third day weighed 350-461kg and fetched $3.70-$3.83/kg.

Kaikohe | January 11 | 150 cattle, 400 sheep $/kg or $/hd

2-year beef-cross steers, 420kg 3.35

2-year heifers 2.90-3.00

Weaner Shorthorn steers 670

5-year Romney ewes 135-148

Mixed-age ewes 138-140

Wellsford | January 9 | 113 cattle $/kg or $/hd

Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 306kg 3.91

Yearling Angus-Friesian steers, 318kg 3.62

Yearling Hereford-Friesian heifers, 385-411kg 3.06-3.16

Yearling Friesian bulls, 406kg 2.98

Weaner Angus-Friesian steers, 106kg 560

Weaner Angus-Friesian heifers, 109-113kg 450-460

Tuakau | January 5 | 800 cattle $/kg or $/hd

Yearling exotic heifers, 260-380kg 3.00-3.34

Tuakau | January 9 | 1300 sheep $/kg or $/hd

Store lambs, all 78-116

Prime ewes, all 67-89

Prime hoggets, all 120-150

Tuakau | January 10 | 1050 cattle $/kg or $/hd

Yearling traditional steers, 280-350kg 3.46-4.02

Tuakau | January 11 | 170 cattle $/kg or $/hd

Prime steers, 610-740kg 2.92-2.99

Prime bulls, 650-800kg 2.90-3.24

Prime heifers, 470-575kg 2.88-3.02

Boner cows, 650-800kg 2.90-3.24

Rangiuru | January 10 | 536 cattle, 177 sheep $/kg or $/hd

Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 354-388kg 3.19-3.39

Yearling Jersey bulls, 312-386kg 3.06-3.26

Weaner Hereford-Friesian heifers, 101-110kg 485-525

Prime steers, 618-694kg 2.84-2.99

Prime traditional bulls, 530-618kg 2.93-3.17

Store lambs, all 52-63

Prime lambs, all 80-116

Frankton | January 10 | 320 cattle $/kg or $/hd

2-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 432-549kg 1390-1760

Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 290-344kg 3.26-3.44

Yearling Angus-Friesian heifers, 316-328kg 2.79-2.80

Prime traditional bulls, 551-616kg 2.90-3.08

Prime Angus-Friesian cows, 578-650kg 2.23-2.28

Frankton | January 11 | 267 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

2-year steers, 450-506kg 2.81-2.99

2-year heifers, 416-495kg 2.76-2.89

Yearling steers, 307-341kg 3.26-3.37

Yearling dairy-beef heifers, 271-311kg 830-1150

Yearling Friesian bulls, 292-366kg 2.86-2.95

Weaner Angus heifers, 202kg 700

Prime steers, 540-720kg 2.91-3.00

Prime bulls, 465-598kg 2.80-3.03

Te Kuiti | January 4 | 975 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

3-year plus steers, 636-796kg 2.89-2.97

2-year Angus steers, 512-686kg 2.95-3.12

2-year Angus steers, 417-451kg 3.30-3.60

2-year Charolais steers, 527-578kg 3.11-3.25

2-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 578-667kg 2.80-3.08

2-year dairy-beef steers, 443-551kg 2.90-3.24

Te Kuiti | January 5 | 540 cattle $/kg or $/hd

Yearling exotic steers, 490-624kg 3.01-3.20

Yearling exotic steers, 402-484kg 3.32-3.48

Yearling exotic steers, 300-397kg 3.35-3.62

Te Kuiti | January 6 | 1171 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

Yearling Angus steers, 350-461kg, tops 3.70-3.83

Yearling traditional steers, 260-446kg, second cuts 3.44-3.66

Yearling traditional steers, 260-446kg, third cuts 3.35-3.40

Matawhero | January 6 | 3644 sheep

Mixed-age Coopworth ewes,

$/kg or $/hd

Taranaki | January 4 | 143 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

2-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 446-471kg 3.03-3.04

2-year Hereford bulls, 650-737kg 2040-2295

2-year Jersey bulls, 426-526kg 1210-1500

2-year Hereford-Friesian heifers, 437-480kg 2.81-2.84

Yearling Jersey bulls, 331-412kg 1140-1210

Yearling dairy-beef heifers, 391-401kg 2.78-2.81

A GOOD START: The first line of ewes to go under the hammer at the Matawhero ewe fair set a cracking pace. The 238

2-tooth Coopworth ewes were advertised as facial eczema tolerant and fetched $202. These were only beaten by a similar line in slightly better condition, which made $210.

Taranaki

2-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 518-567kg 3.12-3.21

2-year Friesian steers, 531kg 2.98

2-year dairy-beef heifers, 384-403kg 3.00-3.07

Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 345-383kg 3.33-3.42

Yearling Angus steers, 259-270kg 3.48-3.51

Yearling Charolais-cross heifers, 294-311kg 3.15-3.22

Yearling Hereford-Friesian heifers, 375-423kg 3.03-3.11

Stortford Lodge | January 9 | 845 sheep $/kg or $/hd

Prime ewes, very heavy 120

Prime ewes, very good to heavy 100-105

Prime ewes, medium-good to good 85.50-95.50

Prime ewes, light-medium to medium 68-75.50

Prime mixed-sex lambs, heavy 134-146

2-tooth Romney ewes, tops 220-232

2-tooth Romney ewes, average 204

5-year Romney ewes, tops 177-180

5-year Romney ewes, average 162

Stortford Lodge | January 11 | 19 cattle, 3956 sheep

Yearling Angus heifers, 259kg 3.48

Store blackface ram lambs, heavy 113-125.50

Store blackface ram lambs, good 93-103

Store whiteface wether lambs, good 83-100

Store blackface ewe lambs, good 100-118

farmersweekly.co.nz/everyday farmersweekly.co.nz/everyday

Feilding | January 9 | 92 cattle, 1923 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Prime Hereford bulls, 615-658kg 3.21-3.30

Prime Friesian bulls, 533-582kg 3.00-3.09

Prime Jersey bulls, 538-546kg 2.78-2.83

Prime Angus cows, 517kg 1.61

Boner Friesian cows, 524kg 1.80

Prime ewes, good 77-99

Prime ewes, medium-good 70

Prime cryptorchid lambs, heavy 122

Prime mixed-sex lambs, heavy 120-164.50

Prime mixed-sex lambs, good 105

Rongotea | January 10 | 229 cattle $/kg or $/hd

Aut-born 2-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 564kg 3.03

2-year Hereford bulls, 634-673kg 3.08

2-year Jersey bulls, 365-435kg 2.38-2.92

Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 329kg 3.57

Yearling dairy bulls, 383-401kg 2.31-2.99

Weaner dairy-beef steers, 165-174kg 610-630

Weaner Speckle Park steers, 122-125kg 600-610

Weaner Friesian bulls, 123-162kg 500-555

Weaner Hereford-Friesian bulls, 100-109kg 600

Weaner exotic heifers, 118-205kg 490-600

Canterbury Park | January 10 | 111 cattle, 2199 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Yearling traditional steers, 316-360kg 2.92-3.10

Prime steers, 505-635kg 2.70-2.89

Prime Angus-cross heifers, 505-561kg 2.83-2.89

Store mixed-sex lambs, medium 71-88

Prime ewes, most 70-101

Prime lambs, most 100-150

Temuka | January 9 | 405 cattle, 1619 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Prime Friesian steers, 556-665kg 2.60-2.65

Prime Hereford-Friesian heifers, 480-635kg 2.69-2.71

Prime Hereford bulls, 518-770kg 2.65-2.78

Boner Friesian , 503-615kg 1.72-1.88

Store mixed-sex lambs, all 3.18-3.43

Prime mixed-sex lambs, good 120-157

Prime ewes, good 70-95

Balclutha | January 11 | 696 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Store hoggets, all 80-110

Store lambs, all 89-108

Prime ewes, all 75-100

Prime ram hoggets, all 44-76

Prime lambs, all 110-141

Lorneville | January 10

$/kg or $/hd

2-year Hereford bulls, 476kg 1250

2-year beef-cross heifers, 528kg 1345

Yearling Hereford steers, 316kg 860

Yearling Hereford-Angus heifers, 270kg 650

Sheep

NZX market trends

Company

ArborGen Holdings Limited 0.230.230.21

The a2 Milk Company Limited 7.567.717.31

Comvita Limited 3.43.43.25

Delegat Group Limited 9.810.29.6

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS) 3.293.343.23

Foley Wines Limited 1.331.361.33

Greenfern Industries Limited 0.1030.1130.103

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS) 1.251.251.25

Marlborough Wine Estates Group Limited 0.1570.160.157

NZ King Salmon Investments Limited 0.2150.220.205

PGG Wrightson Limited 4.654.674.37

Rua Bioscience Limited 0.20.220.198

Sanford Limited (NS) 4.224.234.1

Scales Corporation Limited 3.854.183.85

Seeka Limited 3.063.19 3

Synlait Milk Limited (NS) 3.553.653.5

T&G Global Limited 2.362.372.36

Hottest year on record for NZ

LAST year was New Zealand’s hottest on record, data from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research shows.

It surpassed the previous year, 2021, by 0.20degC and the average 2022 temperature of 13.76degC was 1.15degC above the 1981-2010 average.

Data from NIWA’s seven-station series also shows that no months in 2022 were below average (more than 0.50degC below than the monthly average), and 10 out of

A number of climate drivers contributed to the unusual warmth and wetness, led by La Niña.

12 months were above average (+0.51degC to +1.20degC above the monthly average) or well above average (>1.20degC above the monthly average).

The most unusually warm month was November at +1.6degC above average and the most unusually cool month was October, which –despite featuring a significant cold spell with near sea-level snow at the beginning of the month – was still +0.2degC compared to the long-term October average.

It was also the eighth most unusually wet year on record.

The nationwide area-averaged rainfall anomaly during 2022 was 110%.

There were a number of climate drivers that contributed to the unusual warmth and wetness, led by La Niña, which is marked by cooler-than-average ocean temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific.

La Niña influences atmospheric circulation patterns in the Pacific Ocean and has flow-on effects

to climate across the globe. Both 2022 and 2021 were La Niña years and are ranked the first and second warmest years on record for New Zealand.

The Southern Annular Mode (SAM), a proxy for measuring the strength and position of the belt of westerly winds that encircle the Southern Ocean and bring storms to NZ, was positive 76.2% of the time in 2022, the highest annual

percentage since at least 1979.

A positive SAM is associated with higher-than-normal pressures over the NZ region.

The SAM has exhibited a trend towards the positive phase over the past 40 years, which is consistent with climate change.

During 2022, coastal sea surface temperatures were above or well above average every month, with December, November and January

ranking as the top three most unusually warm months.

This culminated in a marine heatwave event, or unusually warm ocean temperatures over thousands of kilometres, that lasted much of the year.

Marine heatwave conditions were most persistent in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Tasman, West Coast and Southland.

Foot and Mouth Disease

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part, update NAIT

In the unlikely event FMD was to enter New Zealand, it would devastate our primary sector and rural communities. OSPRI is working closely with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the primary sector to ensure we are best-using the tools and data we have available to support a response team in the event of an outbreak.

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Staff reporter NEWS Weather

RED HOT: Coloured stripes showing a time series of the national temperature anomaly calculated from NIWA’s Seven Station Series, relative to the 1981-2010 baseline. Red colours indicate temperatures above the 19812010 baseline while blue colours indicate temperatures below the baseline. Photo: NIWA