Farmers Weekly NZ December 18 2023

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Best of 2023 Vol 21 No 49, December 18, 2023

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Merino magnifica!

We celebrate domestic and imported land champions, from the Italian clan that owns a slice of North Otago wool production to the teacher quietly rebooting ag education in the hort heartland of western Bay of Plenty.

ON TOP OF THE WORLD: From left, cousins Ercole, Guglielmo, Fabrizio and Francesco Botto Poala on Otamatapaio Station, with the Upper Waitaki Valley and Lake Benmore in the background.

WE BACK RURAL COMMUNITIES HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE. LIKE RIGHT HERE, WITH THE FLEMINGTON MUD RUN. We believe in investing back into the communities we grew up in. Which is why you’ll find FMG supporting rural people and organisations all over New Zealand. Like at the Little River Pumpkin Festival on the Banks Peninsula, at the Flemington Mud Run in the Central Hawkes Bay, or at the FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest. It’s all about getting in behind rural New Zealand to keep moving ahead.

We’re here for the good of the country.

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EDITORIAL

SALES CONTACTS

Bryan Gibson | 06 323 1519 Managing Editor bryan.gibson@agrihq.co.nz

Andy Whitson | 027 626 2269 Sales & Marketing Manager andy.whitson@agrihq.co.nz

Craig Page | 03 470 2469 Deputy Editor craig.page@agrihq.co.nz

Andrew Fraser | 027 706 7877 Auckland/Northland Partnership Manager andrew.fraser@agrihq.co.nz

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

Jody Anderson | 027 474 6094 Waikato/Bay of Plenty Partnership Manager jody.anderson@agrihq.co.nz

Neal Wallace | 03 474 9240 Journalist neal.wallace@agrihq.co.nz

Palak Arora | 027 474 6095 Lower North Island Partnership Manager palak.arora@agrihq.co.nz

Gerald Piddock | 027 486 8346 Journalist gerald.piddock@agrihq.co.nz

Omid Rafyee | 027 474 6091 South Island Partnership Manager omid.rafyee@agrihq.co.nz

Annette Scott | 021 908 400 Journalist annette.scott@agrihq.co.nz

Julie Gibson | 06 323 0765 Marketplace Partnership Manager classifieds@agrihq.co.nz

Hugh Stringleman | 09 432 8594 Journalist hugh.stringleman@agrihq.co.nz

Andrea Mansfield | 027 602 4925 National Livestock Manager livestock@agrihq.co.nz

Richard Rennie | 027 475 4256 Journalist richard.rennie@agrihq.co.nz

From the Editor

Contents News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Land Champions . . . . . . . . 4-19 Federated Farmers . . . . 20-23 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . 24-25 Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . 26-27 Livestock . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27-29 Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-35 Weather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

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Nigel Stirling | 021 136 5570 Journalist nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com

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PRODUCTION

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our pioneering

spirit tells us

nothing’s

Champions here for one another

THE WEED WHISPERER: For almost half a century Trevor James has been leading the fight against some of country’s most invasive, economically damaging weeds.

STORY P15

Bryan Gibson

Managing editor

T

HIS past year has been a stormy one for rural communities.

We’ve had devastating cyclones, waves of geopolitical turmoil, dives in key commodity prices, and the wind of change blowing through parliament.

A lot of the discourse has centred on picking sides – the left or the right, the town or the country, Māori or pākeha.

It’s all a bit dehumanising.

This final edition of Farmers Weekly for the year, Land Champions, is about people.

It’s a celebration of those who make our communities flourish. Each has a unique story to tell and we’ve gathered up an inspiring collection of those stories here.

With the online world and social media dominating much of our lives these days, it’s easy to see people as avatars of an ideology or as part of an echo chamber.

But that does a disservice to all of us.

The wonderful thing about our small towns and rural communities is the way people are there for each other, whether the person in need is a neighbour of 40 years or a stranded tourist.

It’s an attitude born of necessity and it could be argued that right now we need to strip away our assumptions again, if we’re to build the communities we desire.

There are many reasons for optimism as we head into 2024, despite the patchy global forecast.

Much of that hope comes from the great people who keep our food production industry ticking over.

Have a fun and safe festive season and thanks for reading.

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

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

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News

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Exporters eye August for live trade reboot Annette Scott

MARKETS

Livestock

THE live export industry is hopeful it will be open for business by August next year.

Shipping live animals by sea was halted by the previous Labour Government in April this year.

This was set to cost rural communities an estimated $450 million a year.

Live Export New Zealand (LENZ) chair Mark Willis said it is clear from the new coalition government that plans are afoot to reverse the ban.

The question remains how soon that can happen.

Overturning the ban will require legislation to be passed.

“There is work to be a done on the regulatory framework, referencing back to the industry Gold Standard.”

He said the coalition government has “made some statements around animal welfare that are yet to be defined, but there is very little evidence of issues as live exports from NZ are conducted under very high animal welfare standards”.

LENZ was closely engaged with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) through the two-year transition period until the ban came into effect on April 30, 2023.

“We are ready to recommence discussions with MPI and would hope we can get an industrygovernment partnershipdetermined new regulatory system in place to move forward next year.

“August is our aspiration and we feel that is realistic for industry and the bureaucrats.

“It will be good timing for

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

the age of 2023-born stock, to give industry lead-in time and for live exporters to formulate their plan around the design and implementation of new regulations to get up and running with their first shipments.”

Willis is confident there will be sufficient livestock available given the market has become more important than ever for NZ farmers battling ongoing financial challenges.

“I think it [August] is achievable and practical,” Willis said.

An economic impact study showed the net cost of the ban to farmers to be anywhere from $49,000 to $116,000 a year per farm, with up to 2900 farms nationwide involved in the live export trade.

NZ’s live export trade was 70% in dairy cattle by sea to China.

So is China open for NZ to recommence trade?

“I can’t talk commercial aspects but I do get some commentary around what we have seen in this second half of 2023 putting live export trade on a similar platform with the softening of demand as across all other industries,” Willis said.

“But I have heard the outlook for 2024 is looking more positive.

“The market fundamentals remain the same for live animals and I feel buoyed we have a good market going forward.

“We have exported far and wide around the world and that could well be the situation again.”

Willis said the politicians have been very clear that the reverse of the ban is contingent on the support of mainstream NZ.

Sector looking at 5% revenue drop this year Neal Wallace

NEWS

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Agriculture

LOBAL economic headwinds are expected to contract primary sector export earnings this year by 5%, temporarily pausing six years of $11 billion in cumulative export growth from the sector.

The latest Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries report from the Ministry for Primary Industries said export revenue has grown from $46.3bn in 2019 to $57.4bn in 2023, boosted by an 8% increase in the year to June 30 alone.

However, price correction and weak global consumer demand are expected to ease revenue 5% in the current 2023-24 year to $54.3bn before returning to growth in 2025.

Agriculture Minister Todd McClay said mid- to long-term prospects remain strong.

“Regardless, it is a strong result against a backdrop of challenging times and is a testament to the ongoing hard work of farmers, growers, fishers, foresters and processors.

“It’s been a tough few years for NZ’s food and fibre businesses.

“High domestic inflation rates, high interest rates, workforce shortages, adverse weather events, increasing business input costs, combined with geopolitical tensions and supply chain challenges, have put continued pressure on the sector.”

He said the government is committed to doubling the value of primary sector exports in 10 years through new and improved existing trade agreements.

The report notes that the food and fibre sector outperformed expectations in the year to June 30, boosted by returns for dairy,

Strategic leadership development for Food and Fibre now.

Applications for Lincoln Programme Two 2024, 18 June start, close 14 April.

Grow as a leader and as a person in 2024.

To learn more or to register your interest, head to ruralleaders.co.nz/kellogg

WEAK DEMAND: The Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries report blames price correction and weak global consumer demand for the predicted drop.

Regardless, it is ... a testament to the ongoing hard work of farmers, growers, fishers, foresters and processors.

Todd McClay Agriculture Minister horticulture, seafood, arable and processed food, which offset sagging returns for meat, wool and forestry.

Export returns for dairy, meat, wool and forestry are all expected to fall in the coming year due to a price correction and lower volumes.

Revenue from dairy is picked to fall 7%, meat and wool 5%, forestry 9%, and horticulture 1%.

Export revenue from arable, seafood, kiwifruit, apples and pears and cherries is forecast to grow despite these headwinds.

“Growth in these sectors is driven by firms working in niche markets to deliver high-value

products as well as strong demand and prices for fruit and seeds.”

In the 2022-23 year, dairy export revenue grew 18% to $26bn but meat and wool fell 2% to $12bn, which followed a 19% increase the previous year.

Forestry revenue fell 3% to $6.3bn, but earnings from horticulture, which is a larger earner than forestry, grew 4% to $7bn.

Export revenue from arable and processed food and other products both grew 8%, to $272m and $3.4bn respectively.

China was again the dominant market for dairy, taking 35% of exports, 38% of meat and wool, 54% of forestry and 36% of seafood.

The United States took 17% of horticulture exports and China 14%. The European Union is New Zealand’s largest destination for arable at 46%.

Of the $57bn in export receipts earned by the sector, dairy accounted for 45%, meat and wool 21%, horticulture 12% and forestry 11%.

4 Land Champs

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

Land Champions

A piece of Italy in North Otago Reda, the Italian fabric manufacturers and owners of Otamatapaio Station, celebrated 30 years on the property in true Italian style last month – by throwing a party.

Neal Wallace

PEOPLE

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Wool

T WAS logical for a fabric manufacturing company wanting to increase its use of Merino wool to own a farm that produces it, even if it was halfway around the world.

Thirty years ago the Botto Poala family, owners of Italian fabric company Reda – seeking insight into the production challenges of the wool – bought Otamatapaio Station with noted Central Otago Merino farmer John Perriam and Australian wool industry leader Michael Lempriere.

The 6000 hectare property is between Otematata and Omarama in North Otago’s Upper Waitaki Valley. The station runs 6000 ewes with an average 16.8 micron fleece.

Reda chair Francesco Botto Poala says they wanted to understand the process of growing wool and the challenges faced by farmers that can impact the end product.

“We were buying wool and would go to auctions and wool growers would talk about the problems they face.

“We needed to understand the implications for the quality of wool.”

The purchase also reflected their love of New Zealand and New Zealanders and an alignment of values between two nations despite the distance between them.

“From opposites sides of the world you find the same ethical values about the way you run a business. Those things give you confidence to make an investment from so far away,” he says.

Reda later bought out its partners and Otamatapaio became the family’s NZ home.

Company managers and technicians visit during shearing to assess wool quality and learn about the challenges growers faced during the season.

“Your work for one year can be made or destroyed by a break in the fibre,” Francesco says.

Before it owned Otamatapaio, Reda primarily bought unclassed blended oddments, but when the family saw the harvesting and classing process, they started buying fleece wool from which they tailor fabrics to suit the fibre’s character.

“We bought 75% to 80% pieces.

Now we buy 95% fleece, which has given us performance during production we would not have achieved otherwise.”

Reda was established in 1865 and Francesco and his cousins are the fourth generation to run the fabric business. The fifth generation will start working in the family business shortly.

The company’s first woollen mill was established in Valle Mosso in the Piedmont region of Italy

by Carlo Reda. He had links to the Botto Poala brothers, who were descended from a renowned textiles family.

In 1919, the Botto Poala family bought the historic mill.

Today’s business is now run by chief executive Ercole Botto Poala, along with his cousins, Francesco, Fabrizio and Guglielmo Botto Poala.

Each year the company manufactures between 6 and 6.5 million metres of fabric from Merino wool at its Crocemosso mill in Italy’s Biella province.

Their fabric goes into high-end formal clothing, but in the past decade Reda has expanded into material for sports and outdoor clothing, footwear and online made-to-measure suits.

It also works with outside brands

CHECKING THE STOCK. Luca Brushi, Reda head of sustainability, left, with Francesco Botto Poala and Merino sheep at Otamatapaio Station.

They have brought a richness, brought out their humble, measured side to the NZ Merino community.

They helped anchor it and let it flower.

John Brakenridge Former NZ Merino CEO to produce wool fabrics suitable to their needs.

“Our DNA is fine Merino wool.

It’s all our knowledge,” Francesco says.

Their affection for Merino wool stems from it being natural and encompassing multiple attributes.

“Artificial fibres have one of

those properties each time, but wool has all the characteristics,” says Francesco.

Reda subsequently bought two further fine wool properties – Rugged Ridges, a 9000ha property between Otematata and Kurow, in 1996; and, in 2002, Glenrock, a 14,000ha station near Tekapo.

Rugged Ridges runs 5500 wethers, average 16.5 microns, and Glenrock 7500 Merino and halfbred ewes.

Francesco says the decision to buy two further properties made Reda one of the few fabric companies in the world to have interests from the raw material to the end product.

“In terms of our ... knowledge of wool, it gives us an advantage in marketing. It’s our story.”

It was also a strategic move to increase their wool clip in NZ, where the climatic conditions are less severe than in Australia, providing a consistent, stable clip.

NZ farms are also of a size where they can be self-sufficient, being able to grow their own winter feed and contain stock on farm.

Each station sells its wool clip through whichever channel offers the best return.

“If someone will pay more for

the wool, then we are happy to sell it at a higher price,” says Francesco.

Reda has wool supply relationships with over 100 farmers through the New Zealand Merino Company’s ZQRX programme, an extension of its ZQ initiative, which focuses on standards for animal health, environmental and social issues to encourage best farm practice.

The ZQRX programme is another level, encouraging growers and brands to focus on initiatives and actions that challenge the status quo and a commitment to leave the planet in a better state.

Francesco says consumers, especially younger generations, are demanding to know the back-story of garments and have expectations that they are sustainably produced.

Senior Reda officials visit NZ up to three times a year to ensure their goals of land ownership are being met.

Those goals include being custodians of the land, reinvesting all profits back into the properties, that farms are run commercially and sustainably, and that staff are happy.

“The world is changing faster and faster, and we must be the custodians of values such as family, animals and the land, passing them on from generation to generation” he says.

NZM chief executive Angus Street says the rest of the world is discovering what the Merino wool industry has known for a long time, that consumers want a connection to the source of the products they are buying.

“Reda has shown that growers can be a huge part of the sustainability story. Being there on farm, listening to growers and working things out together has allowed for massive steps toward better outcomes for our planet and its people,” says Angus.

Having worked with Reda for 20 years, Dave Maslen, NZ Merino (NZM) chief partnerships and sustainability officer, finds them innovative and unafraid to ask difficult questions.

Owning farms allows Reda to identify consumer attributes and translate that into fabrics.

John Brakenridge, who was NZM chief executive for 27 years before retiring, says the relationship has helped strengthen relationships between grower and users.

“They have brought a richness, brought out their humble, measured side to the NZ Merino community. They helped anchor it and let it flower.

“There is two-way respect.

Farmers respect what Reda has done here and Reda has given that respect back and as a consequence we are a more vibrant community.”

SIGN OF CLOSE TIES: A piece of the South Island that is forever Italy.

COUSINS: Fabrizio, Ercole, Francesco and Guglielmo Botto Poala at Otamatapaio Station.

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Land Champions

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

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Teacher reboots hort in growers’ heartland Award-winning educator Hilary Johnson has watered, fed and nurtured the teaching of horticulture at Katikati College, and is now seeing it bear fruit.

Richard Rennie

PEOPLE

T

Education

HE irony of horticulture as a subject being derided by students at Katikati College was not lost on the subject’s head teacher, Hilary Johnson, six years ago.

Katikati sits firmly in the western Bay of Plenty, arguably the country’s most productive high-value horticultural region, accounting for about 80% of New Zealand’s $3 billion kiwifruit industry, avocados and assorted niche crops.

Yet in 2017 the local high school was struggling to get double-digit class numbers in the subject.

While agriculture has enjoyed a solid upward trajectory in high school student numbers in the past five to seven years, its highvalue cousin horticulture has often struggled. Katikati College was proving no exception.

“Students were here really only doing horticulture because they often felt it was what you did if you could not do anything else, which was ridiculous, given where we are,” she says.

As a science teacher with 12 years’ experience at the school, Johnson was offered the opportunity to set up a specialist horticultural unit. Despite not having taught the subject, she rose to the challenge.

“I was told my skills set, having spent most of my working life in industry including strategic planning, as a marketing manager, and also running my own restaurant business, would be ideal to get it up and running.”

Her mission was to create a

horticultural learning programme that was a centre of excellence, and to give the college a point of difference, and appeal for potential students.

She could not have anticipated that, after the position of horticulture teacher was unable to be filled, she would take on the role herself.

“I started out with 15 kids who did not really know why they were there, and decided I may as well learn alongside them.”

Already equipped with a science degree, an MBA and plenty of realworld experience, Johnson has more than proven up to the task.

I started out with 15 kids who did not really know why they were there, and decided I may as well learn alongside them.

Hilary Johnson Katikati College She also acknowledges the deep pool of talent within the western Bay to call on for help with some of the practical aspects, like grafting and pruning.

Fast-forward from 2017 to 2023, and her classes in horticulture have gone from 15 to 105, with students on Levels 1-3, representing a full 33% of the college’s year 11-13s.

The average number of credits gained by students each year has increased every year since 2017, now reaching a steady plateau.

Johnson is teaching them in a state-of-the-art facility that she personally worked hard to raise

over three-quarters of a million dollars’ worth of funds for.

Today’s students come to a centre they can be proud of.

Opened only this year, it has clean polished-concrete floors, its own laboratory facilities, a full commercial kitchen, and an airy, naturally lit classroom space.

One wall proudly lists the names of local families, trusts, companies and organisations that have made donations to complete the centre, some in the hundreds of thousands.

That hard work and success has also earned its humble initiator well-deserved recognition.

This year the Kudos Science Trust awarded her the Science Teacher / Educator / Communicator Award for her efforts.

“We are also seeing a real shift in the reasons for why students are studying horticulture. They can see some interesting things to learn and progress with, and we have been careful to link up each year in a progressive way, something that was lacking before.”

She has deliberately ensured the course includes not only industryrecognised unit standards, but also university-approved standards.

The earlier absence of the university units meant students who could proceed to tertiary studies were simply not contemplating horticulture, despite the multitude of opportunities it offers across growing and marketing produce.

“So, what we now have is a good mix of both practical students and academic ones covering growing, orchard practice, science and marketing and even electronics and robotics.”

GROWING: Hilary Johnson can point to a six-fold increase in the number of students studying horticulture at Katikati College.

Offering 60-plus units across the three years is well ahead of the dozen required under NZQA standards and means a high workload, setting them up before the year starts to be ready to offer to students.

But it also gives Johnson the ability to mix up courses, tuning in to what students may be interested in, and to what the job market is seeking.

Subjects have included how the kiwifruit sector responded to the Psa outbreak, a look at plant breeding programmes, and next year examining the potential of insects as a commercial food production operation.

Among her recent successful students, she is proud of those who in the past three years have graduated from the college with significant scholarships to go on to university study in horticulture and agribusiness, and those who

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will do the same later this year.

“There is an expectation there I think from outside that we would see results sooner. But it takes time to move students through, while ensuring they remain engaged and interested enough to want to stay, and we are just starting to see that.”

Thanks to the variety of topics she covers, more students are having their eyes opened to the many career pathways horticulture can offer and Johnson is starting to host interested peers through the centre to see its success first hand.

She is also thankful the heavy lifting of fundraising is behind her, with future funding more secure than most.

“There is a real appreciation and support there from all parts of the industry for what we are doing.

And the results are showing – we have seen the numbers and the results improving every year.”

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Land Champions

7 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

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Communities and communications Principles of sustainablity ‘are equally relevant to other parts of our lives’ says Ashburton Water Zone Committee member Angela Cushnie.

Annette Scott

PEOPLE

I

Environment

NSPIRED by a lifetime of living and working in rural New Zealand, Angela Cushnie focused her career on projects that would connect land and water, cultures and communities to shape a future all Kiwis could be proud of.

“Early on a very wise gentleman told me there are no easy answers,” she says – only “commitment”.

Angela has certainly learnt that to be true when navigating the tug-of-war between environment, economic, cultural, social and recreational sustainability.

“Community, collaboration and communication is where my career and personal values align.

“When we hear ‘sustainability’, we tend to think of the environment only, but the principles are equally relevant to other parts of our lives, including our health, prosperity and collective wellbeing.”

Agriculture and the environment are a partnership.

“I believe that by working together we can create an amazing legacy for future generations and our grandchildren motivate me to do just that each and every day.”

Angela hails from the small rural district of Eiffelton in Mid Canterbury. Born and raised a country girl, she’s been round the world and back, and settled in married life not far from where she grew up on the family farm.

Inspired to do something in the space of water she did a lot of research, asked a lot of questions, and in 2015 co-authored the book Water, Farming and Families, on the history of a local Mid Canterbury irrigation scheme.

“I was inspired to do something proactive to contribute to the future of Mid Canterbury.

“The research and history revealed the same challenges for communities to overcome in the earlier days – financial, political, climate; all shaped and influenced communities through the 1940s depression.

“Communities worked together ... people sacrificed time from farm and family for better good.

“I found that fascinating in today’s context, it gave me awareness and inspiration.”

Angela threw her hat into the ring for a position on the Ashburton Water Zone Committee in 2017, established as part of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy.

The dedicated co-ordinator championing local environmental projects is still on that committee and doing much more.

“I found it really worthwhile, hearing all sides of the story.

Getting information firsthand helping to build knowledge and understanding makes you realise how complex the water space really is.

“It gave me great insight and encouraged me to see my local landscape through a new lens, which added a new dimension.

“I found there is a lot of history on the development of farming but not a lot of natural history pre farming.

“You can’t protect what you don’t understand or don’t know about. I just wanted to keep learning.”

In 2019 Angela co-founded the Kanuka Mid Canterbury Regeneration Trust with the vision to link land and water, culture and communities.

The trust facilitates the Exploring our Footprint

“MCCC sees these challenges as an opportunity and my role is all about supporting communities to create positive environmental changes in a way that is sustainable and inter-generational.

“I can draw on my communications and facilitation background to join the dots and bring science, ideas, and action together.

My role is all about supporting communities to create positive environmental changes in a way that is sustainable and inter-generational.

CHANGE: In her happy space, Angela Cushnie is passionate about the community’s role in enabling environmental change. programme with local schools.

But Angela realised there was a need to do more with landowners.

“We needed to harness the community, establish a team culture of united like-minded people; you can’t do it on your own, you need varying perspectives, skills and leadership styles.”

In 2012 Angela became a founding member of the Mid Canterbury Community Collective (MCCC).

This made placing catchment communities in the Ashburton District at the centre of decisions and direction on biodiversity, water quality and the environment possible.

The collective, made up of farmers, rural professionals and community representatives,

delivered greater horsepower and strategic direction for the multiple and diverse catchment groups across the region.

The district has about 16 potential catchments between the Rakaia and Rangitata rivers, ranging from the mountains to the sea, with each having its own issues and needs.

In 2022 Angela was appointed co-ordinator of the MCCC. The MCCC’s goals include a focus on several water bodies in the area, enhancing biodiversity and mahinga kai, and improving ecosystem health and enhancing recreation and amenities.

“Collaboration, knowledge sharing and partnership opportunities will bring more cohesion to the overall vision of our region.

“Often it is just a matter of connecting diverse groups of people who are looking for the same outcomes so we can avoid duplication and make the most effective use of our resources, time, and energy.

“One of our main objectives is to acknowledge and celebrate the good work that is already happening inside farm gates, while continuing to improve our environmental footprint, support catchment group initiatives and champion community wellbeing.

“Identifying the key areas to focus on is really vital and this is where I believe my new role will add value, connect communities and apply a strategic lens to address projects at a catchment level, then step that out to a regional level.”

Angela’s community spirit goes further.

Through the Rural Support Trust she was welfare co-ordinator for the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak in Mid Canterbury and through Federated Farmers she coordinated the Farmy Army in the 2021 Mid Canterbury flood.

“I just love working with people.

My passion is communities and communications.”

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

Land Champions

Hanging ten while you’re hanging tough The healing power of the ocean on the body and mind was the inspiration for Surfing for Farmers, an initiative that has NZ farmers taking regular saltwater therapy.

Craig Page

PEOPLE

F

Wellbeing

OR Stephen Thomson, a spot of rainy day Netflix viewing back in 2017 has a lot to answer for.

In October this year Thomson, as founder of the Surfing for Farmers initiative, collected the prestigious Rural Champion Award at the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards.

It was a remarkable rise for an initiative that started as a way to get 25 Gisborne farmers off their farms and to the beach to relax.

The programme is now run out of 28 locations around New Zealand and last year 4000 farmers took part.

The concept began on the couch of Thomson’s family home in Gisborne while he and wife Nicole were watching Resurface, a Netflix documentary.

It told the story of Iraq war veteran Bobby Lane who, after years of post-traumatic stress, felt the only way out of his trauma was suicide. That was until he met a former big wave surfer and discovered surfing and the healing power of the ocean on the mind and body.

“There was a line in the documentary where a guy said, ‘I used to wake up every day and want to kill myself. Now I wake up every day and want to go surfing,’” says Thomson.

“That struck a chord with me. I thought about it and I just put it out there.

“We could use surfing as a way to help farmers. I wasn’t so much targeting farmers right on the verge of suicide but instead improving all farmers’ mental health and giving them a good time and experience.”

Thomson, a rural real estate agent with Bayleys in Gisborne, was well versed in the struggles farmers were experiencing.

After 13 years as a farm consultant he had sat around plenty of kitchen tables as stressed-out farmers tried to make tough decisions about their farming future.

“I was living among it. There were suicides going on around the country. You may not have known the people, but you hear about it.

“You just knew that if you were talking to five people who are stressed out, there were many others out there who weren’t sharing their problems.”

He had been brought up on a farm and, although a child at the time, was well aware of the farm and financial stresses his parents faced.

Convinced he could offer support for local farmers through surfing, Thomson got to work.

He found 12 local sponsors to each donate $1000 and convinced the Gisborne Boardriders club to help out with surfboards, wetsuits and coaching.

“On the first Tuesday of December 2017, we had about 25 farmers turn up and we haven’t looked back.

“It sounds a bit selfish now but I was only ever really worried about my own backyard at the time. I was trying to look after Gisborne farmers.”

But as word spread about the initiative, Thomson’s phone started to ring. Others from around the country were wanting to use the Surfing for Farmers template.

Thomson was happy to help out, but adamant he wanted everyone to stay under the Surfing for Farmers umbrella, rather than set up individual units.

“I just felt we would be able to do the job way better as a national charity.”

Thomson was initially surprised at the interest in the programme but as the phone calls kept coming, and the number of groups grew to six, he realised he was on to something.

There were plenty of farmers around the country who were needing, and wanting, support.

“I was just trying to help my community but when you stop and think about it, farmers

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HOOKED: Stephen Thomson is pictured with Zoe Gardner at a Surfing for Farmers event in Gisborne last year. Zoe joined her father at the event and is now hooked on surfing. nationally have all the same problems.”

Thomson said the decision to use surfing to help farmers was based on the “science around salt water therapy” but also personal experience.

“I’m a shit surfer but I love it. I know that feeling when you get out among the waves and you get away from it all. You can literally just sit out the back and wait, lie on your board for half an hour and get some time to yourself.

“There are no cellphones, no staff, dogs playing up or flyblown sheep. It’s all about you and the waves. If you want to catch the next one you do, if you don’t then you just let it go.”

Thomson says feedback from programme co-ordinators has shown it is having a significant impact on mental wellbeing.

During a recent drought one farmer said if he wasn’t surfing he would be sitting at home staring out the window. Others told of how the programme has helped save their lives. The fact some farmers travel for more than an hour each week to attend a surfing session

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WAVE RIDERS: About 4000 people took part in Surfing for Farmers last year.

shows how much it is valued.

Thomson says if the programme has helped save one life it has done its job.

The challenge now for Surfing for Farmers is to maintain the programme’s quality as participant numbers rise along with operational costs. He estimates it now costs up to $1500 per session for each location around the country, which includes equipment, lessons and a BBQ. It is funded through sponsorship and grants. Bayleys, Rabobank, Jarden, Beef + Lamb NZ, Fonterra and Ballance Agri-nutrients are the major sponsors but hundreds of smaller businesses throughout NZ also pitch in.

Following a tough year for farmers, coupled with Cyclone Gabrielle, Thomson is anxious about the growing demand for the service – 70 farmers turned up at a recent North Island event – and the ballooning costs.

“It costs a fortune to run,” he says.

“My biggest fear is keeping it sustainable from a funding point of view and getting the buy-in from farmers.

“We need to be keeping it fresh, keep it entertaining and at the same time keep it grassroots.

It needs to be by farmers, for farmers.”

This year’s programme catchphrase has been “Taking the beach back to the paddock”.

Thomson says it is about heading to the beach, switching to a relaxed and chilled out beach mode and then taking the relaxed vibe back to the farm for the rest of the week.

“That’s going to see you and your staff in a better mental space, happier families on the farm and better production and decisions.”

After all, that’s all Thomson has ever hoped to achieve.

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Land Champions

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

Keeping things lawful and orderly in Wairarapa Alan Emerson

PEOPLE

T

Community

HERE’S been considerable commentary recently about rural policing, or the lack of it. In Wairarapa we’re lucky – we have a team of six committed and experienced officers who understand rural issues.

I heard an address at a JP’s function on community policing by our local Area Commander, Inspector Scott Miller. He came across as both committed and competent. His remedies appealed to me as being communityfocused and effective.

Miller has been developing his rural team over the past two years and it is now up and running. The members have a good relationship with smaller towns and the rural community.

He admits that at the start farmers had little confidence in the police. They had to build that confidence by developing trust and relationships and opening strong and effective channels of communications.

The Rural Policing Team are

visible at stock sales and in the community. A group of us were having coffee at the Riversdale Store one morning when Constable Peter Cunningham turned up, introduced himself and told us what he did and what he wanted to achieve. It was low key and impressive.

He explained how often a problem isn’t criminal but that the police could help with other issues, such as conflict resolution.

Off-duty officers are encouraged to keep their eyes and ears open when out of town. Some are keen fishers and hunters and have strong links to locals.

Another team member, Constable Selena Blayney, says she is working with farmers to get them to report thefts and trespassing. She realises they are busy and that one stolen chainsaw, for example, may not seem important – but the issue is that if the police know about stolen chainsaws, they are often able to establish a pattern and apprehend the offender.

With poaching the issue is the same. The police want to put a picture together and fix the problem.

The team currently has prosecutions in front of the Courts, which I believe is encouraging.

Miller puts major emphasis on community involvement. Off-duty officers are encouraged to keep their eyes and ears open when out of town. Some are keen fishers and hunters and have strong links to locals.

Another link is with the Rural Support Trust through local facilitator the Rev Steve Thomson.

Miller makes the point that he regularly meets with Thomson, who briefs him on current issues and problems. He finds it most helpful.

“If Steve sees a problem my door is always open.”

He says if farmers have a problem happening now they should dial 111. If they are reporting an event that has already happened they should call 105.

He makes the additional point that an event happening in real time can involve frontline officers who will pass it on to the Rural Support Team.

“We need to connect, investigate

‘ULLO, ’ULLO, ’ULLO: Rural community constables Peter Cunningham and Selena Blayney with Inspector Scott Miller. and reply,” he says. The rural team provides a weekly newsletter as to what is going on in the district and it is most helpful.

I was impressed with the police’s rural operation in Wairarapa.

I believe they are making a difference, for which the locals will be grateful.

Finally, it is great to see police back in the community, making it a safer place.

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Land Champions

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

A champion of sustainable farming Community service, sustainability and soil health have all benefited from the work of Bala Tikkisetty.

Gerald Piddock

PEOPLE

S

Sustainability

USTAINABILITY is not a destination, it is a journey – and for 28 years Bala Tikkisetty has been alongside farmers on that journey.

Bala has played a key part in guiding farmers and industry on how to reduce their environmental footprint in his role as the Waikato Regional Council’s principal sustainable agricultural adviser for the past 18 years.

In January, he will retire from that position.

His role sees him promoting and advising sustainable agriculture and resource management practices.

This is so farmers can make good decisions specific to their farm around soil and freshwater management to safeguard these resources for future generations.

Bala grew up in Hyderabad, India, and he completed a Master’s degrees in plant pathology and entomology.

In 1994 he and his wife and son arrived in New Zealand, where Bala developed his career in agricultural and environmental science.

He worked at Victoria University for two years before shifting to Invercargill and working for Environment Southland as its sustainable agricultural adviser for 10 years.

He then moved to Hamilton in 2006, and he took up the same position at the Waikato Regional Council.

At the core of his role is soil management as plants require 16 nutrients to grow, 13 which are present in topsoil.

“Topsoil is not soil, it is gold for farmers and for the country, soil health is natural wealth,” he says.

It is the economy of the country, not just the individual farmer, he says.

The cyclones that hit New Zealand earlier this year saw

millions of tonnes of soil displaced and lost.

It concerns him that the country is losing so much soil every year.

“We are losing around 192 million tonnes of soil every year, which is 10 times faster than the rest of the world. To put it into perspective, it’s 1.7% of total soil loss in the world despite the fact we are 0.1% of total land mass.”

NZ and its soils are still very young compared to the rest of the world, he says.

“We need to be cognisant that not only are we geographically away from the rest of the world, we are geographically different.”

NZ’s soil management practices must reflect that.

“Farmers have to be farming for the next 100 years – 1000 years if God permits – so all of our plans must be long-term plans because at the end of the day, farming is not just a business, it’s a way of life.”

For farmers, if they are following good practices then they should for the most part not have to be too concerned with any new regulations. Many front-foot practices on their farms as a result, he says.

Bala has also got to see some of the country’s best farmers as both a regional and national judge for the Ballance Farm Environment Awards for 25 years.

The awards are a public acknowledgement that these farmers are demonstrating sustainable farming practices, and are role models for other farmers, he says.

He witnessed the growth of the dairy industry, firstly in Southland and then the expansions and forestry-to-pasture conversions in South Waikato as farmers chased the higher returns milk had to offer.

He recalls what one of his professors once told him: “Bala, always harvest dollars – don’t dig out dollars. In other words, don’t destroy your soil.”

That’s not to say farmers are

RETIRING: Bala Tikkisetty is retiring after a 28-year career working in local government as a sustainable agricultural adviser.

Farmers have to be farming for the next 100 years – 1000 years if God permits – so all of our plans must be long-term plans.

Bala Tikkisetty Sustainable agriculture adviser only digging dollars. Bala says there are plenty of examples of dairy farmers with systems that are both economically and environmentally sustainable.

“Both are possible. It’s not one or the other.

“Thirty years ago, what we taught farmers was different compared to what we taught 20 years ago. What we taught 10 years ago was different to what they are taught now.”

In 10 years’ time that conversation will have changed again depending on the situation of the environment, he says.

Farming is a dynamic, ever-

changing biological system that never stands still. Attitudes have also changed among farmers. In the past, it was hard to convince farmers of the impact that overly intensive practices have on the natural environment.

That has now changed, following pressure from markets, the public and dairy companies.

“I’ve seen the change amongst farmers’ attitude, behaviour and skills,” Bala says.

“I give a good pat on the back for most farmers. It’s not just what I have seen and experienced – it’s the reality and it’s not just individual isolated cases.”

That’s not to say that farmers should rest on their laurels because sustainability is always a journey, he says.

Outside of his position at the council, Bala chairs the East Hamilton branch of Justices of the Peace.

Community service has been a deeply held passion of Bala’s since childhood. His life philosophy can be summed up in an Indian saying, “Service to people is

service to God,” he says.

“The community has given us so much and we need to give in return, but ideology is not enough, we need to back it up with action,” he says.

“I have passion for community service, helpfulness, empathy and at the end of the day getting satisfaction that I have helped a fellow human being and society.”

In addition to Bala’s JP service he is heavily involved in community and professional organisations.

He has twice been president of the Waikato Telugu Association and for 12 or so years has been chair of the Sri Balaji Temple Trust in Frankton, which runs the temple and supports immigrants in their journey to understand the NZ way of doing things and to become good citizens.

Bala is also on the executive board of the NZ Fertiliser Quality Council, the executive of the NZ Agricultural Chemical Education Trust, the local executive of the NZ Institute of Primary Industry Management and a number of community environmental groups.

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Thank you to our world-leading farmers It has been a tough year, but we have so much to celebrate.

Our farmers continue to rise above the challenges thrown at them, continuing to be a major contributor to New Zealand’s economy. The red meat sector generates: More than

92,000

$11b export revenue

New Zealand jobs

Let’s celebrate how we do that – with world-leading efficiency and with care for the land and communities.

Research proves the carbon footprint of NZ beef and lamb is among the lowest in the world because our farmers are so efficient. In the last twenty years, NZ lamb has not added any additional warming to the atmosphere when combined with on-farm sequestration. This means that NZ lamb is arguably climate neutral.

Our sheep and beef farmers are kaitiaki (guardians) of their farmland and they continue to protect and enhance biodiversity. Collectively, sheep and beef farmers look after:

2.8m ha native vegetation

That’s almost

1/4

of NZ’s total native vegetation

Congratulations to the 2023 Beef + Lamb New Zealand Award winners: • Ballance Agri-Nutrients Science and Research Award: Low Methane Sheep Genetics Programme • Datamars Livestock Technology Award: Silver Farm Farms/Lynker Net Carbon Zero Mapping Tool • Gallagher Animal Management Innovative Farming Award: Repost Ltd • Silver Fern Farms Market Leader Award: Pearl Veal • AgResearch Emerging Achiever Award: Amy Hoogenboom • Rabobank New Zealand People Development Award: New Zealand Rural Leadership Trust • FMG Rural Champion Award: Surfing For Farmers • Alliance Significant Contribution Award: Tom Fraser • B+LNZ Regional Leadership Award: Ben Ensor Information about the 2024 Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards coming soon. More information: beeflambnz.com/awards

B+LNZ would like to thank you for your hard work and wish you a safe and happy holidays.

Awards Partner

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

Land Champions

Backing the basics on farm Retired farm systems scientist Tom Fraser is a straight talker who takes pride in getting the basics across to farmers.

Annette Scott

PEOPLE

F

Research

OR more than 60 years Tom Fraser has been translating science into farmers’ language, providing farmers with tools and wisdom that can help drive productivity, profitability and environmental outcomes.

Tom’s passion has been for science to be relevant, useful and make a difference.

His commitment to the sheep and beef sector, to research and on-farm extension is legendary, with his influence and impact spanning the whole of New Zealand’s sheep and beef industry.

A farm systems scientist, Tom always has, and he says always will, advocate back-to-basics farming.

Fraser was honoured for his dedication and passion at the Beef + Lamb New Zealand 2023 industry awards when he received the Alliance Significant Contribution Award.

“I am humbled and honoured to have received the award but it’s what I love doing and without the farmers to work alongside I wouldn’t get the satisfaction from what I do,” he says.

Tom is a straight talker who takes pride in getting the basics across to farmers. He gains motivation and a “huge amount of satisfaction” from observing the on-farm results of his work.

So why a farm systems scientist?

In his earlier days Fraser worked with DSIR Grasslands, now AgResearch, and more recently has contracted to Beef + Lamb NZ. “That’s when a group of us became what we called systems scientists. There was a lot of research that AgResearch was doing but the staff weren’t au fait with farming.

“People go to university and train up in a degree and the further up the academia they go, yes, they become very good, but then they say they have done this amazing research and farmers are not taking it up.

“I question, ‘Does it fit into the farm system?’ and they answer ‘What do you mean?’

He said some academics are “not necessarily specialists in the wider picture and so as farming systems scientists with hands on farming experience, we understand the grassroots”.

Tom grew up on a high-country sheep and beef farm in northern Southland.

“I was the youngest of five boys and when my turn came around there was no land or money left, so it was suggested I do something else and I was sent off to Lincoln College, as it was in those days.”

After a couple of years he returned south and began to manage a demonstration property for the Department of Agriculture in the Te Anau basin.

I tell farmers today, and tomorrow, that backto-basics science doesn’t change. Yes, farming has changed, but basics don’t change.

Tom Fraser Farm systems scientist “It was the skinny sheep days of the 1960s, when government took over settlement blocks, farms got smaller and subsidies were the incentive for farmers to heavily stock farms.

“It was a big and quick learning experience. All eyes were on this young fella to see what he could do.”

He managed the farm for three

PRACTICAL: Legendary farm systems scientist Tom Fraser says research is in a very narrow field and not as practical as it could be. years and when he missed out on getting a settlement farm, he went to DSIR Grasslands employed as an agronomist.

“With my farming background and four brothers farming in Southland it seemed to me the way we were evaluating the species in plant breeding and plant evaluation didn’t fit with farming.

“It was obvious that this wasn’t the way to go about it because growing a whole lot of pasture that the animals didn’t want to eat was going nowhere.

“I started evaluating the plants the way livestock wanted it and found the way livestock like it was different.”

By the late 1970s the decision was made to measure pasture production by weighing animals.

Tom recalls weighing lambs on bathroom scales and recording results with pen and paper.

He acknowledges it was basic, compared with today’s technology, but effective in its time.

Basic being the key word.

Farmers appreciated Tom’s practical farming, down-to-earth, basics approach.

“I tell farmers today, and tomorrow, that back-to-basics science doesn’t change. Yes, farming has changed, but basics don’t change.

“We live in a society where everything has to be new; new stuff is going to revolutionise the world. While some researchers are doing good work, they are really just playing around the edges.

“If you go back to basics, you make progress.”

It is seven years since Tom retired from AgResearch but, at 80 years of age, he is still talking with small farmer groups.

He has “plenty of confidence” in the sheep and beef industry, but times are changing.

“I don’t think it matters two hoots want any government is going to bring in, it’s all about the consumers and what they dictate.

“We used to say bugger the consumer, they can take what

they get, but now, while 90% of consumers don’t know anything about a farm, they are most concerned about the environment.

“We can have any thought we like about greenhouse gases, nitrates, regulation, but it will be the consumer and market demand that dictate how we farm.”

Looking at career highlights, Tom noted a “bright spot”: the increasing number of youngsters and women in the industry.

“We have a lot more young people and a lot more females, all with a lot more knowledge and technical skills.

“Some of these young farmers are doing absolutely amazing work, they are not going to write a paper but they are doing great stuff on farm and keen to share their successes.

“I say to farmers, get alongside and learn from other farmers, you will never sort it all out yourselves.

Research is in a very narrow field and not as practical as it could be and certainly not as practical as on-farm workings.”

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Thanks to all the amazing contributors funding the Campaign for Wool New Zealand.

Let’s change the wool industry. Together.

nzwool.co.nz

14

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Land Champions

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

No surrender in the war on weeds After decades on the frontlines, AgResearch’s Dr Trevor James is still waging a battle against the upstarts of the plant world.

Richard Rennie

PEOPLE

S

THE WEED WHISPERER: For almost half a century Trevor James has been leading the fight against some of country’s most invasive, economically damaging weeds.

Environment

TRATEGY, tactics, and planning are all skills useful for winning wars, and AgResearch’s Dr Trevor James has had a lifelong career using all three in waging a battle against the ongoing assaults of weeds on New Zealand’s environment.

The research agency’s senior scientist and well regarded “weeds guru” may have stepped back to four days a week at the Ruakura campus, but he remains no less committed to the fight.

In a few short sentences he can rattle off encounters with almost all of the country’s most invasive, damaging and costly weeds capable of impacting the natural environment as much as the farmed one.

Going back to the 1970s and ’80s, they include Johnson grass, sprayresistant fat hen, green cestrum, privet and woolly nightshade, to name a few.

More recently James has helped identify and manage outbreaks of the likes of velvetleaf in maize and grain crops, yellow bristle grass through Waikato and Taranaki, and Johnson grass.

“One thing we have learnt is there is no such thing as a silver bullet when it comes to weeds.

Weeds are weeds because they are tough and adaptable, and when it comes to dealing with them you have to treat it like a campaign.

“And for a campaign you need to have a strategy, a budget and the energy, accepting it will take more than one season to deal with them,” he says.

Having grown up on a sheep farm near Coromandel, James has always had a strong affinity and connection with farmers.

His ability to communicate with clarity and practicality with farmers has made him a popular choice at seminars and field days, and helping also to earn him the Plant Protection Medal this year, awarded by the Plant Protection Society.

He researches and publishes smaller pieces of research work on specific weeds like woolly nightshade or Noogoora burr weed that are easily understood and digested by farmers and growers.

James says this has earned him a reputation of being more of a “farmers’ scientist” than a “scientists’ scientist” over the years.

“It’s just always been that I have felt the importance of our work lies with the farmers and growers most affected by any particular weed they had and needed to know more about.”

Improving farmer and growers’ understanding of weeds and their ability to identify them has also extended to James’s involvement in publishing NZ’s first definitive weeds digest, back in 1998.

Now approaching its fourth edition, it also incorporates many of his own photos, drawn from a keen interest in photography.

Over the years he has developed a number of methods to better capture weeds on film, helping make them easier to identify in the field.

Weeds are weeds because they are tough and adaptable, and when it comes to dealing with them you have to treat it like a campaign.

Dr Trevor James AgResearch “It has really been a joy to take the photos, far easier than pets or children, and know that they are being used all over the country by the likes of farmers and regional councils.”

Some of James’s more memorable campaigns against weedy adversaries include

identifying the country’s first outbreak of herbicide-resistant weeds in the late ’70s. Farmers had contacted him about patches of willow weed and fat hen in Waikato that were clearly no longer responding to herbicide treatment.

“We managed to isolate the farms and remove the weeds. We were too late to manage the fat hen but did manage to eliminate the willow weed.”

He was also instrumental in leading the campaign against yellow bristle grass, an invasive, difficult to kill weed that raised its head in paddocks and along roadsides in Waikato in the early 2000s.

Intensive rounds of farmer information days culminated in him having a handy “ute guide” to the weed run through three editions, helping farmers in Waikato and Taranaki in particular get a handle on the aggressive weed.

James can also point to weeds once thought to be problematic that have bought some economic

upside, particularly the likes of Kikuyu grass, which thrives in Northland and provides a valuable feed source on tougher country without necessarily outcompeting ryegrasses in all farm areas.

“And chicory has become a useful crop, while agronomists managed to get plantain to stand upright rather than spread out flat and it has become another feed option.”

James is part of a generation whose career started when the internet was a fantasy, but he has come to welcome some of the latest tech that can help bring weeds into the spotlight sooner.

That includes the iNaturalist NZ app, which can help identify weeds with a snapshot from a cell phone and then drawing on a pool of experts.

“But I do worry that we risk only going in that direction and forget about old-fashioned methods of taxonomy and journeyman techniques. A lot of that work needs to be done at the coal face with people, clients, councils, growers, and farmers.”

0800 222 011

www.sheepmeasles.co.nz

@sheepmeasles @sheepmeaslesnz

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

Land Champions

A community hops affair Appropriately enough, it was a conversation over a pint that sparked the idea for a hops farm in northern Southland. Soon the whole community was involved.

Gerhard Uys

PEOPLE

Horticulture

‘W

HAT have we created?

There tractor’s running around, there’s people running around. It’s not the quiet little sheep farm it used to be,” says James McNamee, founder of Garston Hops.

What has been the McNamees’ northern Southland sheep farm for the past 145 years is now a hive of activity of another sort.

Not only is the fifth generation of McNamees already lending a hand with hops production, but extended family has also been roped in too.

Accents from across the globe can be heard as scores of people on working holiday visas move in and out of the Garston Hops office between tasks.

“It’s good to have a bit of a buzz and vibe,” says James.

James’s brother, Terrence, still runs the sheep farm, unchanged, except for the chaos that now abounds with hops production.

Krystella Baker, James’s sister’s daughter, is customer relationship manager.

If you want to buy hops, she’s the one to speak to.

She is also the one to whom media duties have been delegated.

Krystella’s story is a good example of how a hops farm that began as an idea has grown to include the family and a whole town.

She came to help with the 2022 harvest, but is now in a permanent role and just as passionate about hops as everyone else.

She loves the beach and plans to move oceanside, but James already includes her name when he talks about the future of the fifth generation on the farm.

Indeed, the sleepy town of Garston and Garston Hops is a true family affair.

“When I first arrived we went to

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Photo: Gerhard Uys the pub. James pointed to someone and said ‘Do you know who that is, that’s your cousin,’ so I said, ‘Okay, let me meet my cousin,’ Krystella says.

“Terrence and his wife Lynn are up the road. My godfather also lives up the road from me. Further up the road there’s an uncle, and up from him another one, and even further up, another one. And down the road is another uncle.”

The hops enterprise was born out of necessity and a good dose of curiosity.

The sheep farm would not have been able to accommodate the next generation on its own, Krystella says.

“We’re not getting rid of sheep.

It’s two-tier farming. But sheep are not very economic at the moment.

James and Terrence are trying to find a balance so the farm can live on and leave something that’s viable for their children,” she says.

One night over a pint, James and a friend talked about a hops shortage in New Zealand.

Hops can be grown between the 35th and 55th latitude, and with the Garston farm sitting smack bang in the middle on 45˚28’9”S, James decided to grow a trial plot.

By 2016 the first plants were in the ground.

In 2023 10 hectares were harvested, and the 2024 harvest will be from double that. Hopes are pinned on tipping the scale at 24 tonnes of final processed product, she says.

If all goes well there will soon be 40ha of hops in the ground.

“It’s good soil. It’s where the

It’s good soil. It’s where the river used to come through. The bore is close and helps with dripfeed irrigation.

Krystella Baker Garston Hops river used to come through. The bore is close and helps with dripfeed irrigation.”

In NZ hops are traditionally grown in the Tasman region, with Garston Hops the first commercial enterprise to branch out from this area, Krystella says.

The farm grows a number of varieties – Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, Rakau, NZ Cascade, Riwaka and Green Bullet.

Plants are sourced from nurseries in Nelson.

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ON THE HOP: The farm grows a number of varieties – Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, Rakau, NZ Cascade, Riwaka and Green Bullet. Hops sells for anything between $25 to $60 per kilogram, depending on variety, with about 3000 plants per hectare.

Photo: Garston Hops

CHILLED: A hops plant can be dug up, split in four and kept in a chiller until the temperature is right to grow it. A plant produces for about 20 years; after that production drops significantly.

Photo: Gerhard Uys

17

Land Champions During winter a hop plant lies dormant.

Garston’s extreme winter temperatures mean plants “get a lot of rest and regenerate”, Krystella says.

Once the season warms up, growth starts.

“They just go crazy. We’ve been chaotically trying to keep up with training them,” she says.

Once growth takes off, shoots are trained, by hand, to grow up strings. Stringing is manually intensive, and with about 3000 plants per hectare it takes a lot of effort, and many family and

working-visa hands, to get the job done.

Not all shoots are destined for production, with many deheaded so those that grow have space and sunlight.

“We had this issue at the beginning of this year’s harvest.

Some strings had too many shoots, it was hard to get the harvesting machine through,” she says.

Harvesting in the Tasman starts around February, but Garston is much colder and the harvest begins mid-March.

Garston Hops is not at full production yet.

CROP REPORT: Blaž Jelen, left, and James McNamee, founder of Garston Hops, decided whether the hops crop is ready to harvest. Blaž says in the past decade aroma hops has become very popular with craft brewers.

Photo: Garston Hops

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

In its first year a plant is only at about 30% to 40% of production.

It is at 70% in the second year and only in the third year does it get close to full potential.

Like all horticulture, growing hops is capital intensive, and the farm is not making a return on investment yet.

James says he had hoped a return on investment would be possible three years after initial production began, but it now looks like five years is more realistic.

Another challenge is that the expertise is a thousand kilometres away, he says.

If the farm has a sheep problem, a quick trip to a neighbour could help solve it.

But with hops, advice is often a phone call or a Zoom meeting away, he says.

Luckily Garston engineers are now on top of how hops machinery works, James says.

James solved much of the expertise problem by employing Blaž Jelen as hop production manager.

Blaž hails from a family of hops growers in Slovenia, and is now the on-site expert in growing, harvesting and processing.

He says with his father a few years away from retiring, he came to NZ to make his own mark on the hops and beer industry.

NZ is an ideal location for hops because there are no established hops diseases or pests of note yet, Blaž says.

17

COVER: An oats cover crop keeps moisture in, acts as weed suppressant and is a favourite with sheep. A bonus to the operation to date is that Terrance has not had to cut back on sheep numbers yet, although the hops did take from his grazing area.

Photo: Gerhard Uys Getting to know hops takes time, but once you understand the crop, following the same production principles every year is key, he says.

There are two kinds of hops – bittering and aroma hops.

Bittering hops are associated with traditional beers.

But in the past 10 years aroma hops, which contain more essential oils, have been gaining popularity, especially with craft brewers, he says.

You have to be passionate about all kinds of beers, and understand how what happens in the paddock

influences taste, Blaž says.

James says Garston Hops makes him proud on many levels.

He feels it when he sees the Garston Hops “GH” insignia on local beers.

He especially felt it when the first batch of hops was exported to United States brewery Treehouse, after the US brewers happened to drive by Garston Hops while traveling in NZ, and fell in love with the NZ Cascade variety.

And, says James, he is proud to have brought even more pride to Garston and a sense that Garston Hops is a community affair.

THAT MOMENT

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18

18

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

Land Champions

Looking back on a velvet revolution As a deer-farming family prepares to hold its 37th and final stag sale, David Stevens recalls a career that was sparked by a fascination with genetics.

Neal Wallace

PEOPLE

I

Deer

T WAS the excitement of the unknown that drew David Stevens to the fledgling deer industry in 1979.

David and his wife Lynley were running Netherdale, a highly productive family sheep farm and he was a partner in a family-owned Coopworth stud near Balfour north of Gore, but the emergence of deer farming captured his attention.

“I liked that it was something new and exciting and an opportunity to progress with genetic gain. It was the excitement of it,” recalls David.

Family trips to Te Anau and seeing deer in nets strung under helicopters flying out of Fiordland only heightened his fascination.

Next month the family will hold their 37th and final stag sale, bringing to an end an era in which they have helped underpin significant growth in the quality and weight of velvet production.

It has been an exciting time.

But back in 1979 it was a case of sourcing red deer to stock their fledgling deer farm. Given the competition for animals, that was far from straightforward.

It was a race to get the paper and open the livestock sale section to check if there were any deer for sale.

Then it was another rush to view them before they were sold.

“When we lost one we would have a day of mourning, they were so expensive.”

Most of the original Netherdale herd came from deer farming pioneer Bob Swann from Fairlie.

David recalls many times driving through the night with his cousin Lachie to buy a sire stag or hinds and extracting as much deer farming knowledge from Bob as they could, then driving straight home.

During the drive home they would question whether they could get their newly bought twoyear-old stags to cut 2kg of velvet.

“That was our goal.”

Other deer came from Glenaray Station at Waikaia and some were captured out of the Hokonui bush.

It became something of a lottery whether those animals could be contained when they were released.

In 1982 David and Lynley became the fourth generation of the family to farm Netherdale when they bought the property, after which they decided to farm only deer.

Meetings of the Southland branch of the New Zealand Deer Farming Association (NZDFA) would go on well into the night as the topic changed from industry politics to exchanging ideas and finding solutions to stock management problems.

“We were all learning and we were all having issues with things on farm that we were quite happy to discuss with each other.”

He also credits scientists at Invermay such as Ken Drew, Tony Pearse and Colin Mackintosh.

“For the deer industry, they were amazing.”

David recalls helping organise an NZDFA conference in Queenstown in the 1980s.

No expense was spared and they still speak fondly of a memorable event.

“Although most of the committee had no idea what chair Rob Brookes had organised, it was an outstanding success.”

He managed to get the Earnslaw out of dry dock, have a dinghy at the venue full of oysters and dumped gravel on the floor of a hotel conference room as part of a gold mining village theme.

“We weren’t making any money but we were have some fun,” David says.

Before 1985 changes to taxation rules, the industry attracted

SHELTER: Hinds fawning at David and Lynley Stevens’ Netherdale deer farm in Southland. non-farming professionals to the industry, who added energy and investment with a more business focus.

David says breeding stags for velvet was intoxicating.

“It’s in your blood, you can’t get enough of it. I’ve always said velvet is like a drug.”

It’s in your blood, you can’t get enough of it. I’ve always said velvet is like a drug.

David Stevens Netherdale He considers his hobby to be his job, but he qualifies that by adding that to be a stud breeder, “you need to be slightly obsessed”.

“My family have had to put up with a lot for a long time. We haven’t had many Christmas holidays.”

David attributes his commitment

DEER PEOPLE: Lynley and David Stevens on Netherdale deer farm in Southland.

to the endless pursuit of genetic gain – which in velvet is extremely heritable – and the excitement of watching antlers develop in the 60 days from button drop, but also embracing early the then new technology of artificial insemination and embryo transfer.

“It was new so I we had to give it a go.”

Some early techniques were very basic.

Hinds were knocked out in the catching pens of his former woolshed, then tipped over and put in a cradle on the shearing board so the technician could artificially inseminate or insert embryos.

David’s first stag sale in 1987 and the next eight were shared with two other fledgling breeders, his cousin Lachie and John Cowie.

In 1996 David converted the Netherdale woolshed into a deerselling arena, a signal of their commitment to breeding stud red deer velveting stags.

Netherdale peaked at 2200 hinds, selling 25-30 sire stags a year.

Importantly, his growth was supported by regular genetic gain in his herd.

“We have had some tough years, but if you are getting genetic gain, you can cope as long as you can see improvement.”

Those tough years also made David resilient.

He has seen the stag market swing from velvet to trophy but recently it has swung back to velvet.

“It’s been good to us in the last six to eight years since the industry changed and China came in and started buying velvet direct from farmers.

“It changed the market focus and improved the quality.”

The contribution of Netherdale genetics to the NZ velvet industry has been significant.

In 2022 David sold a stag to a South Canterbury syndicate for $135,000, while last January’s sale of 23 three-year-old stags averaged $13,800 and he achieved a season-high auction price of $80,000.

In 2002 the average velvet weight of his sale stags was 4kg.

Last season David’s three-yearold stags cut up to 11.5kg of velvet

and those offered at his 2023 sale averaged 8.5kg.

This year they will average a little over 9kg.

Breeding goals start with temperament then producing clean velvet, a good body weight and an animal with reasonable body size.

He says body frame within the industry has been increasing.

His heaviest 26-month stag this year is 230kg, but he says the industry needs to balance body size and productive efficiency.

“What’s the point of a 300kg animal producing 6kg of velvet when you can do that with a 250kg animal?”

As David focused on developing Netherdale, much of the parenting of their three daughters, Andrea, Kim and Tania, was left to Lynley.

When he wasn’t working on or developing the farm, David was involved in industry politics as a member of the NZDFA for 40 years and serving on sector bodies such as the National Velvet Standards Board and chairing the NZDFA Selection and Appointment Panel and the NZDFA Quality Assurance programme.

He was national president from 1999-01 and is a life member of both Southland branch and the NZDFA national body.

He also served six years on Environment Southland.

“I couldn’t have spent the time off farm without having Lynley’s support. You cannot be involved off farm without great support at home.”

David says the agricultural sector needs to sell itself better by promoting what it does well instead of saying what it should do – and farming families are central to that.

In 2022 David and Lynley sold 370 stud hinds and their 2021 progeny to Don and Ben Hudson of Ardleigh Farm near Geraldine, who will continue to breed stud stags.

David, 73, and Lynley will continue to farm the 196ha farm on which they will run a small commercial herd, a flock of Wiltshire ewes along with cut-andcarry feed.

They are leasing part of the property to their daughter Tania and son-in-law Alan and to a lily bulb grower.

Land Champions

19 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

19

A quarter-century of care Rural professional Helen Moodie has spent 25 years in Northland conservation and consulting roles, helping farmers and other landowners with her knowledge and enthusiasm.

Hugh Stringleman

PEOPLE

A

Conservation

FTER contemplating both veterinary science and rural journalism, Northland’s treasured resource manager Helen Moodie found her calling in the land and water, and around farmhouse kitchen tables.

Born and raised on a steep hill-country sheep and beef farm at Whangaripo Valley, near Wellsford, Helen learnt all manner of farming tasks, including horse riding and shearing.

One of four daughters in the farm family, she attended Massey University for a Bachelor of Agricultural Science, with honours in soil fertility.

A decade as a land management officer for the Auckland Regional Council followed, advising on soil conservation and management of water resources.

She came back to Northland in 1997 to be the regional coordinator for NZ Landcare Trust, partly a platform for funding applications and organisation of farmer-led groups.

Three that stand out and have ongoing relevance are the Kikuyu Action Group, the Northland Totara Working Group and the NZ Clover Root Weevil Action Group.

Participating farmers and rural professionals delivered groundbreaking results for pasture and native tree productivity in the north, shepherded by Moodie’s enthusiasm.

Over 13 years she was also there for adverse events like floods or droughts, managing Task Force Green relief workers for the Rural Support Trust, of which she is now a Northland trustee and secretary.

While regions of NZ Landcare Trust elsewhere in NZ focused on catchment groups, the Northland community threw themselves into native bird conservation and pest trapping now under the Kiwi Coast umbrella, with over 200 groups managing around 250,000 hectares.

“People get excited by kiwi calling in their own backyards and the local kiwi recovery groups have spread like wildfire through Northland.

“Farmer-owned, communitydriven shows just what can be achieved – it is truly remarkable.”

Helen’s next professional move was to DairyNZ as a consulting officer and catchment engagement leader between 2010 and 2020.

That period finished as the senior environmental change specialist looking after Dairy Environment Leaders and Climate Change Ambassadors and feeding into DairyNZ’s national policies.

“If you want to help dairy farmers navigate the maze of demands and regulations, you better know what effects your recommendations will have on the ground.

“Farmers attend events to learn from other farmers and so you need to facilitate a good discussion.”

That approach has carried on to Sustainable Dairying Adviser (SDA) for Fonterra in Northland for the past three years, majoring on Farm Environment Plans (FEPs).

As her CV says: “Empowering on-farm change one farm at a time.”

Her territory extends around mid-Northland, including Titoki, Ruawai and Te Kōpuru, as the final 5% of FEPs are scoped and written.

“FEPs do have a formalised output but their value lies in the discussions with farmers through the journey,” she says.

“If farmers understand the problem they will solve it on their

KNOWLEDGE: Fonterra sustainable dairy adviser Helen Moodie has helped Northland farmers for 25 years in a number of rural professional roles. farm, but if you tell them what to do, they’ll resist.”

The next work stream will be onfarm emissions reduction through increasing efficiency per kilogram of milksolids.

Friendliness and positivity are two of the character traits Helen brings to her job.

“And we have the luxury of oneon-one discussions, sitting around the table and sketching on bits of paper.

“Much of what they read and hear concerns them and then we talk it over and they often say ‘Thank you, that make me feel better about things’.”

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Helen Moodie is married to Todd Hamilton, project manager for the Whangārei Heads Landcare Forum’s Backyard Kiwi work, channelling his passion for kiwi, trapping, and public relations on behalf of the local kiwi.

They have two sons – Jack, aged 27, doing his PhD in estuarine ecology at Waikato University, and Bill, aged 24, who was this year’s National Trainee of the Year in the dairy industry awards.

He holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from Massey University, following in his mother’s footsteps.

FEDERATED 20 Fed Farmers

FARMERS Vol 1 No 15, December 18, 2023

fedfarm.org.nz

Bank survey sets all the wrong records

F

armers’ satisfaction with their banks has slipped to an all-time low in the latest Federated Farmers Banking

Survey.

Driving the downward trend is a feeling among farmers that they’re under ‘undue pressure’ from their bank, and that they’re copping unfairly high interest rates.

Conducted in mid-November, the survey asked farmers about the level of satisfaction and support they’re getting from their banks.

Although 55.6% remained very satisfied or satisfied with their bank relationship, this was down 0.7% from the last survey in May and a record low since the survey began in May 2015.

Of the farmers surveyed, 25.8% felt they’d come under ‘undue pressure’ from their bank over the previous six months, up 2% from May to a new record high.

Richard McIntyre, Federated Farmers Domestic Commerce and Competition spokesperson, says the results add weight to the call for an independent inquiry into rural banking.

“Farmers are already under huge financial and mental pressure from high costs, falling commodity prices and weather events, but as if that wasn’t bad enough, they also feel like they’re getting an unfair deal from their banks,” McIntyre says.

“This is exactly why Federated

Farmers has been calling for the Government to support an independent inquiry into rural banking, so farmers can be confident that their banking systems are operating in a fair and proper way.”

McIntyre says many farmers commented in the survey that their dissatisfaction was due to interest rates being too high – and much higher than those for residential borrowers.

The average mortgage interest rate in the survey was 8.26%, up from 7.84% in May 2023, and a big jump from its lowest point of 3.79% in May 2021.

The banks seem to be charging far higher interest rates for farm lending than for home loans, which is raising eyebrows in farming households across the country.

Richard McIntyre Fed Farmers domestic commerce and competition spokesperson Meanwhile, the average overdraft interest rate increased from 10.07% in May to 10.52% in November, up from a record low of 6.28% two years earlier.

“The banks seem to be charging far higher interest rates for farm lending

than for home loans, which is raising eyebrows in farming households across the country,” McIntyre says.

“Many also said their high interest rates are being imposed at a time when banks were reporting record profits.

“Farmers deserve to know why farm lending rates are higher, which is why we need the new Government to back an inquiry.”

Those high rates and other factors have left farmers with an appetite for an inquiry too, McIntyre says.

“That came through loud and clear in the responses. There was concern about the state of competition in rural lending and some blamed the impact of regulation, such as bank capital requirements and risk weightings.

“Some also expressed concern about banks pushing for reductions in farms’ greenhouse gas emissions.”

The survey found 44.3% of farmers felt their mental wellbeing had been affected by their debt levels, interest rates, changing conditions, or other forms of pressure. This was up 0.7% from May 2023.

One positive from the survey was an improvement in perceptions about communication – breaking a run of declines over the past five years – with just under 57% saying their bank communications had been very good or good.

“Even so, concern about high interest rates is overwhelming any

QUESTIONS Federated Farmers’ latest Banking Survey results reinforce the need for an independent inquiry into rural banking, says Richard McIntyre. better feeling about communication quality,” McIntyre says.

With the industry going through tough times, Federated Farmers encourages farmers to ensure they maintain detailed up-to-date budgets.

The survey shows 64.5% of farmers have budgets for the current season, with the percentage rising to 75% for sharemilkers.

“But only 18% have budgets so far for next season, and although there’s still a lot of uncertainty about next season, we encourage farmers to plan for it too,” McIntyre says.

He says it’s important for farmers to keep in touch with their bank, rural professionals, farm discussion groups, and other experienced

farmers to work through any issues before they become serious.

“There’s also a great opportunity for farmers to talk to their bank managers about how the bank sees their business and what they can do to improve their margin over base and, therefore, interest rate. This could be as simple as more regular budget updates or a copy of the farm environmental plan.

“And remember that, if things get bad, your local Rural Support Trust is there to help and there is Farm Debt Mediation too. We recently ran a webinar on how Farm Debt Mediation works and what to look out for.”

Federated Farmers’ Banking Survey began in 2015 and is conducted twice a year.

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21

fedfarm.org.nz – December 18, 2023

Time to get RMA reform right Mark Hooper Federated Farmers resource management spokesperson

N

ew Zealand farmers are on the brink of a significant shift, with the new Government planning a much-needed rewrite of the Resource Management Act (RMA).

Thankfully, the new Government has indicated that Labour’s fatally flawed RMA reforms, passed into law earlier this year, will be repealed

by Christmas, paving the way for a rewrite that’s fairer and much more practical for farmers.

The RMA is the most significant piece of legislation for farmers and touches almost every aspect of our lives. It also happens to be where most of the unworkable regulation from the last few years seems to be housed.

Freshwater rules proposing dramatic stocking rate reductions – that’s driven by directives in the RMA. Winter grazing rules – that’s RMA as well. Significant Natural Areas? You guessed it.

These rules simply must go. A new system needs to be put in place that properly rebalances the scales, allowing us to protect the environment while letting farmers get on with their job.

Major reform is desperately needed. We can’t afford to wait another decade for change, and we can’t let excuses get in the way. We are demanding the Government deliver a new regime over the next three years.

Federated Farmers will be pushing hard for changes that will unlock the potential of our productive sectors and rural communities.

We need to see a clear split

between the natural environment rules and the built environment rules. It’s ludicrous to use the same rules for protecting our great natural areas as we do for building a home or shed. A one-size-fits-all approach just isn’t working.

We also need to see new rules that clearly balance the property rights of landowners with the relevant interests of central and

Resource management laws will be most effective if they can recognise the different environmental contexts and priorities across the country.

Mark Hooper Federated Farmers

local government. This will likely require new ways of thinking about regulation.

Instead of the Government simply telling farmers that areas of their farm are now classified as ‘Significant Natural Areas’, a property-rightsdriven approach would look to use existing institutions like the Queen Elizabeth II Trust to negotiate a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Resource management laws will be most effective if they can recognise the different environmental contexts and priorities across the country.

We’ll still need systems to manage environmental protection and building needs, but more responsibility should be given to regional and local governments to match their communities’ needs. This would give local voices more say.

Federated Farmers strongly believes RMA reform offers the

No fight too small for Feds

P

eople often think of Federated Farmers when it comes standing up for farmers on the big issues like methane emissions and water quality – but the little stuff matters too.

When Sue and Ian Chitty, who farm on Awhitu Peninsula near Auckland, were stung with a rogue $240 bill from Auckland Council a few months ago, Federated Farmers Auckland president Alan Cole went to bat for them.

It started when many Auckland dairy farmers received an unexpected bill from Auckland Council for charges related to effluent compliance monitoring.

“A few years ago, Auckland Council decided they would start fully charging for effluent inspections,

but they forgot to tell their invoicing department to send those invoices out,” Cole explains.

“Then, out of the blue, in early spring this year, farmers got three years’ worth of invoicing in one go.”

Among those farmers to receive a bill dating back to 2020 were the Chittys – but the bill wasn’t even in their name.

“All of a sudden we get this bill in the name of the farm owner from 20 years ago,” explains Ian. “So, we contacted the council to say, ‘Hey, you need to get this right’.

We filled in the relevant paperwork to change the name, and then they sent us an account of $240, which must have been for the time they spent processing it.”

Ian and Sue pushed back on the bill but were having no joy until

OPPORTUNITIES: Getting RMA reform right will unlock opportunities for farmers up and down the country, says Federated Farmers resource management spokesperson Mark Hooper. possibility for transformation in the agricultural sector. We’ll be working hard to ensure these reforms deliver for farmers.

Nothing seemed to be happening, but things definitely moved quickly once Federated Farmers got involved.

Ian Chitty Awhitu Peninsula farmer

SUPPORT: Federated Farmers Auckland president Alan Cole went to bat for farmers Sue and Ian Chitty when they received a rogue bill from Auckland Council. they let Alan Cole know. Cole immediately contacted Robert Laulala, Auckland Council’s environmental monitoring manager.

“I said, ‘Mate, this isn’t right. These guys have been trying to get this changed and fix the council’s stuff-

up, and now you’re charging them for it?’”

Within the week, Auckland Council emailed Ian and Sue to say the charge had been reversed.

“A good outcome,” says Ian. “Nothing seemed to be happening,

but things definitely moved quickly once Federated Farmers got involved.”

Cole says he was more than happy to help.

“It definitely helps having a good working relationship with Auckland Council staff,” he says.

Ian says he and Sue have always found Federated Farmers “bloody good”.

“Very valuable. Whenever we’ve had labour issues and things like that, before we’ve gone ahead with different sorts of action, we’ve always run it through Federated Farmers. The value we get, and the accuracy of their information, is second-to-none.”

22

Federated Farmers

23 fedfarm.org.nz – December 18, 2023

23

Recycled posts boost HB cyclone recovery

I

n a win for the environment and cyclone-hit farmers, damaged fence posts are being given a new lease of life instead of being sent to landfill.

Cyclone Gabrielle slammed a number of Hawke’s Bay orchards and vineyards, including fence posts holding up wire trellis for vines and supporting smaller trees.

To support relief efforts and as part of the Hawke’s Bay Silt Recovery Taskforce, Repost Fence Posts have so far recycled and donated 12,400 of these treated timber fence posts.

Repost work to repurpose the posts by grading them, removing nails, clips and plastic, cutting them to size, and then bundling them up ready for farmers’ fence lines. The posts include full, quarter, half and strainer posts of 1.6m,1.8m and 2.4m lengths.

Throughout November, with help from Federated Farmers, the posts have been donated to rural communities on the East Coast, including at Otane, Pōrangahau, Pākōwhai, Esk Valley, Tutira and Wairoa.

LANDFILL AVOIDED: Repost posts back on duty on a Hawke’s Bay farm.

Brothers Greg and Mark Morice, who run an orchard and sheep and beef farm at the top of Dartmoor Valley, Puketapu, say they’re “extremely appreciative” of those who’ve helped to get their operation back on its feet, including Federated Farmers and the Farmy Army, Commence the Re-Fence, and now Repost.

The rural community here are really struggling, but we’re hoping these donated posts will help.

Greg Coppell Repost “We had five hectares of orchard, but when the flood came over the top of the Dartmoor Valley stopbank, we ended up with a couple of hundred tonnes of timber smashing through and wiping out two hectares of trees,” Greg says.

“It left the remaining three hectares non-viable to farm.”

Slips in the hill country of their

pastoral operation damaged or tore out more fencing.

Greg says the efforts of the Farmy Army and Commence the Re-Fence to restore 1.2km of vital fencing, was “seriously cool”.

The brothers are using recycled vine posts from Repost for fence repairs up in their hill country gulleys.

“We were given about 80 posts and 20 angles. Buying that stuff new would take quite a bit of money,” Greg says.

“It’s helped us get our infrastructure back up and running much sooner than we’d have been able to afford to.”

Dirk Walden, who runs sheep and beef at Maraetotara, is also grateful for donated Repost fences.

Despite “never experiencing a storm like it before”, Dirk says his way of coping with the significant damage to his tracks, fences, culverts and other infrastructure was to keep chipping away at repairs himself.

Nevertheless, the bundles of posts from Repost “was amazing, and I’m grateful”, he says.

REPURPOSE: Cyclone-damaged vineyard and orchard posts collected for recycling.

Repost owner Greg Coppell says that now the dryer months are coming, the ground will be easier for vital rebuild work to get underway.

“The rural community here are really struggling, but we’re hoping these donated posts will help.”

Repost (www.repost.co.nz), started in Marlborough, is a sustainable recycling waste solution for broken vineyard and orchard CCA-treated timber waste posts.

To date, they’ve saved 5052 tonnes from landfill in Marlborough and are hoping to do the same in Hawke’s Bay. They’ve also supported farmers nationwide to fence over 4,175km of fence lines.

Darren de Klerk, who heads the Silt Recovery and Waste Taskforce in Hawke’s Bay, says thousands of horticultural and viticultural posts have been collected for re-purposing since the cyclone.

“It’s great to see the amount of useful wood we’ve been able to redirect from landfill.

“Typically, with Repost, it costs $4.50 per post to repurpose based on 1,000 posts per day, significantly cheaper than the estimated $19 to dispose one post at landfill.”

Federated Farmers Hawke’s Bay president Jim Galloway says Repost’s donation of 12,400 recycled posts for use on farms pummelled by

Cyclone Gabrielle is a “fantastic demonstration of support.

“That’s enough posts for restoring 40 to 50 kilometres of fence line by the Farmy Army and others, and that work is crucial for farm operations.”

Galloway says the priority is to rebuild boundary fences to prevent stock from wandering onto roads, creating a health and safety risk for both humans and animals.

But fences keeping stock out of waterways and internal farm fences were also destroyed in the cyclone.

“When internal fences are down, a farmer’s ability to efficiently manage feed and stock movement is also undermined,” Galloway says.

Farmers will appreciate that Repost fence posts have been recycled from orchards and vineyards.

“Farmers are environmentally minded and don’t like to see anything wasted. This is a great reuse of a resource that has outlived another purpose,” Galloway says.

Galloway says a number of farmers have generously offered space to host the posts and battens before they’re distributed – Andrew Wilson at Otane, Colin Jacobs at Pōrangahau, Troy Duncan at Pākōwhai, Pete McCarthy at Tutira, Simon Spice at Eskdale, and Allan Newton in Wairoa.

“We’re grateful for all their support.”

24

Perfection equals Performance...

Judd, McFarlane and Lavenham Road, Gisborne

Comprised of a perfectly situated 88.8ha of fertile Gisborne flats, incorporating 47 canopy hectares of premium apple varieties, the JudCo Apple block is being offered to the market for the first time. With approximately 34.5ha of Envy and 12.5ha of Jugala, progressively developed since 2017, the orchard is reknown, and proven to be a leading example in terms of infrastructure, management and performance.

The bareland portions, comprising 9ha on Judd Road and 21ha on the neighbouring Lavenham Road provide opportunities for further development, allowing diversity and scale. With 8 out of 12 blocks in production, continued management and operational support are offered alongside the sale.

The potential to make a passive investment in a large scale, proven, early season turn key orchard is rare and will appeal to astute investors. Given the property is held across 11 titles there are also opportunities for various purchasing options including a further 34ha of adjacent bareland, from a separate vendor, giving a combined offering of 122ha.

Contact James or Jamie for further information.

Tairāwhiti Real Estate Ltd. Licensed REAA 2008

88.8 hectares Tender (unless sold prior) 4pm, Thur 8th February 2024 NZR 177 Gaddums Hill Road View by appointment James Bolton-Riley 027 739 1011 Jamie Proude 027 448 5162

nzr.nz

Real Estate

25

25

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate – December 18, 2023

Barfoot & Thompson Limited Licensed REAA 2008

TENDER

TENDER

WA I OT I R A

135ha Hunter's Paradise

WA I OT I R A

137ha Beef Unit

0 TAY L O R R OA D

Estimated 100ha effective, fenced to 11 paddocks, currently running 60 cows and 200 ewes. Man made dams in bushclad gullies and around 20ha alluvial river flats with natural wetlands provide a natural habitat for ducks, swans, pheasants and wild pigs for hunting. Two stand woolshed and cattle yards.

0 P I K I WA H I N E R OA D

Estimated 112ha effective pasture, mainly medium hill country. Fenced to 11 paddocks, fencing is post and batten and four wire electric. Currently running 120 breeding cows, good cattle yards and building sites. The property would also suit a greenfield forestry development and it is only 45km to Northport.

TENDER 4:00pm 8 Feb 2024 at 33 Kerikeri Road, Kerikeri (will not be sold prior)

VIEWING Phone For Viewing Times

barfoot.co.nz/858545

TENDER 4:00pm 8 Feb 2024 at 33 Kerikeri Road, Kerikeri (will not be sold prior)

VIEWING

Claude Shepherd 027 441 0436

Phone For Viewing Times

c.shepherd@barfoot.co.nz

barfoot.co.nz/858625

Claude Shepherd 027 441 0436 c.shepherd@barfoot.co.nz

RURAL | LIFESTYLE | RESIDENTIAL

KATIKATI, BAY OF PLENTY Grand Land 5A5B4.4764F

AUCTION

745D Waikino Road, Karetu Tio bay (formerly a lodge) offers 4.4ha with riparian waterfront.

630 metres across the water to Opua. Charming colonial home, cottage, 2 studio units, a hall, 80 metre wharf and floating pontoon (approx), plus a boat ramp. Vendor welcomes offers including/trade part payment on a large farm. rwkerikeri.co.nz/KRK30659 Hewson Real Estate Ltd Licensed (REAA 2008)

Auction By negotiation - plus GST (if any)

View Strictly by appointment only

Kerry Ludbrook 027 290 6330 kerry.ludbrook@raywhite.com

Almost 50 hectares in total, around 12 hectares of prime plateau horticultural land at 50 MASL. Pristine streams and ecologically important wetlands allow multiple subdivision options. Stunning views.

A tidy, three-bedroom home with an outlook over the valley to the dramatic ranges. Grand ocean and mountain views. Potential to create a high-value multi-lot, parklike equine development, close to thriving Katikati town.

Currently fenced for sheep and cattle, great yards and a good bore of reticulated water to all but three paddocks. Multiple entrances off two separate roads.

3

1

2

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST VIEW By Appointment Only

Andrew Fowler M 027 275 2244 E afowler@pggwrightson.co.nz

pggwre.co.nz/TAR33609 PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited, licensed under REAA 2008

Helping grow the country

26 MPlace

Marketplace

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

EASTLAND VETERINARY SERVICES GISBORNE ARE LOOKING FOR A MOTIVATED RETAIL TRADING MANAGER

BEL GROUP – WHERE CAREERS ARE MADE AND GOOD LIVES ARE LIVED

Outstanding Opportunity

BEL Group has farmed in the Central Hawke’s Bay since 1994 (29 years). Over that time the business has built a reputation as an employer of choice, embracing diversity and building a culture that supports careers, families and good business.

Dairy Farm Manager Wanted 480ha easy rolling Tirau Ash property South Waikato area (15 minutes to town) 1100 Autumn Calving F - FX Cows Herd homes - Feed pads – Feed System 4 64-bail rotary cowshed Calf rearing operation

In the dairy season beginning 1 June 2024, and as a result of strategic decisions around the leadership on our farms as well as some internal promotions, there are a number of farm manager opportunities opening up across the group. At BEL Group leadership skills are prized in equal proportion to your technical farming skills, and we support our managers with on-farm technical expertise and the opportunity to grow and develop into true business leaders.

Large herd experience preferred.

On farm work available for wife or partner.

You will report to the owner directly.

Responsibilities will be: • To oversee all on farm operations • Enhance the herds performance • Record keeping • Maintain current high standard of shed, plant and vehicles • Manage the team of staff (currently 6) • Health & safety

• Parkhill - system 3, spring calving, 264ha, 800 cows • Reigate - system 4, spring calving, 990 cows

For a confidential discussion please call Boyd Macdonald on 027 544 4216

You can find out more about each of these opportunities online at www.no8hr.co.nz

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To apply you will need to hold a clean drivers license, have a good credit history, be drug and smoke free and legally entitled to work in New Zealand.

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We are looking at all options in terms of Share Farming or leasing.

• Fairlea - system 3, split calving, tech heavy farm, 1190 cows

You will be responsible, energetic, active , forward thinking and committed to the role.

• Three bedroom house on farm • Various schooling options available • Very competitive starting remuneration.

Bonus may apply.

Ideally, the property should have reliable rainfall or irrigation and would be of a size that can support at least one labour unit or is in close proximity to our current farming operations.

Take a look and be in for early consideration for these excellent opportunities to grow your dairy management career. There are three quite different opportunities, with different skillsets required. We’re really keen to hear which specific role most interests you, and why.

Preferred start date 1st February 2024.

All applicants must have the right to live and work in New Zealand without visa restrictions.

To apply for this position, please email your current CV and a cover letter outlining why you think you would be the ideal candidate for this role to: Natalie Smith – natalie@evs.co.nz

Lone Star Farms is actively looking for land suitable for a Sheep Breeding and Finishing Operation.

If you’re looking for your next management role, are keen to live and work in sunny Hawke’s Bay and are ready to work in a supported environment where your skills will be valued and there is opportunity every day to learn, optimise and tweak performance then you can’t afford not to consider BEL Group. With a corporate structure that has worked hard to maintain a family feel culture that recognises it’s importance to a thriving local community, this is NZ farming at its best.

Check out these opportunities and apply today at www.no8hr.co.nz. Make sure you include details about which of these opportunities interests you, and most importantly, why!

If you think you have what it takes apply via email with your cover letter and CV to:

Owners Agent Colin Old at talivestockltd@gmail.com

LK0117538©

Eastland Veterinary Services operates two clinics, one in Gisborne and the other in Wairoa. Our staff have a huge amount of experience and provide a comprehensive veterinary service for our customers and their animals. We pride ourselves on delivering sound, science-based professional advice to all clients, and are committed to treating all pets and production animals with care and commitment.

This is a full-time position working 5 days per week, plus one Saturday morning per month (9am-12pm). You will be responsible for overseeing all retail store operations including customer sales and service, inventory management, retail strategy and financial analysis, retail marketing and account management with suppliers and key clients.

This role would suit an all-rounder who enjoys varied work and is a team player. Ideally you will have worked in production animal or farming retail sales previously, and possess impeccable communication, planning and organisational skills. You will need to be comfortable in all aspects of retail management and not be afraid to roll up your sleeves to assist our clients and staff.

Experience, knowledge & skills required • Confident and experienced in selling • Can multitask • Proven negotiation skills • Effective planner • Excellent communicator • Intermediate standard of computer literacy • Demonstrated ability to function in a team and work well under pressure • Proven time management and prioritisation skills • Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines Personal attributes • Sense of humour • Hard worker • Ethical and honest • Fit and healthy • Affinity with the rural sector • A great communicator • Eye for detail and absolute commitment to excellence in customer service • Self-motivated and driven to improve processes • Team player • Always upholds client confidentiality • A thirst to learn This is a unique opportunity to work in a locally owned and operated business, with long-standing established relationships within the local community. Our mission is to deliver a professional animal healthcare service that clients recommend to others, and that our employees are proud to be part of.

Salary will be dependent on skills and experience, and remuneration will include phone and laptop. The successful candidate will also be eligible for staff discounts and employee benefits.

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

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26

IS CANADA IN YOUR FUTURE?

Join the team!

Rocky Mountain Equipment (RME) is one of Canada’s largest agriculture equipment dealership networks with branches located throughout the Western Canadian prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. We are primarily focused on the CASE IH and the New Holland brands. Through our network of RME locations we sell, rent and lease new and used agriculture and industrial equipment and offer product support, including equipment servicing, to our customers.

Digital Content and Communications Coordinator Charlie is off on his OE so AgriHQ is on the hunt for a new digital content and communications coordinator to join our team in Feilding.

We’re an energised, innovative agri-intelligence and media company with a strong focus on our digital offerings and a mission to keep the food and fibre sector informed through easily accessible and engaging content across our various platforms.

We are looking for someone who has the skills to manage our content, who has attention to detail, marketing intuitiveness and the ability to efficiently juggle a variety of tasks throughout the day.

Consider a Canadian personal and professional adventure with us! Great overseas experience. We are now hiring for the following positions:

You will be critical to the success of the digi-editorial goals.

You will be asked to maximise BAU engagement, including the growth of our highly engaged subscription products.



You will also provide a high level of editorial support.

  

You will understand SEO and know how to utilise it to its full potential.

Ideally, you’re above entry-level experience - you are someone who is experienced enough to sink their teeth into new projects and hit the ground running, with the eagerness to learn and grow within the role.

Job details at: www.farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz

The ability to interact well within a team is essential.

For more information about the role, contact hr@agrihq.co.nz

ROCKYMTN.COM

LK0116990©

LK0117478©

Applications close January 12, 2024.

27 MPlace-Livestock

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

MOWER MASTER TOWABLE MOWERS

SALE TALK Santa was getting ready for his annual trip but there were problems everywhere. Four of his elves got sick, and the replacements were not as fast as the regular ones so Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule.

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two had jumped the fence. More Stress.

Then when he began to load the sleigh one of the boards cracked and the toy bag fell to the ground and scattered the toys. So frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of coffee and a shot of whiskey. When he went to the cupboard, he found the elves had hid the liquor and there was nothing to drink.

In his frustration, he dropped the coffee pot and it broke into hundreds of little pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found that mice had eaten the straw it was made from.

Just then the doorbell rang. He opened the door and there was a little angel with a great big Christmas tree.

The angel said: “Where would you like to put this tree Santa?”

And that my friend, is how the little angel came to be on top of the Christmas tree.

Towable Flail Mower

14.5HP. Vanguard Briggs & Stratton Motor.

Electric start. 1.2m cut 3 year Briggs and Stratton Commercial Warranty.

2 year Mower Master Warranty Assembled by Kiwis for Kiwi conditions – built to last.

Easter Weekend 29-30 March 2024 To Register Go to Facebook: Utiku Old Boys RFC 75th Jubilee

$4900

GO THE MOA!

Or email: utikurugby@gmail.com

GST INCLUSIVE

For all enquiries contact: Jo Kelly 027 528 1937

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Cut off for registration is Friday, 8th March 2024

LK0117294©

Registration Fee $100.00/person — includes a registration pack and dinner on Saturday night.

To find out more visit

www.mowermaster.co

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

Heavy duty, long lasting incinerators

It grows under them.

CORK OAK TRUFFLE TREES Trees produce truffles at around year 7, producing up to 1kg a year by year 15.

Currently black truffles are selling at $2,500$3,000 per kg, with high demand.

ONGARUE EWE FAIR

Great stock shade and shelter with 0% loss of grazing land. Stock protector options are available for cattle, sheep & deer.

TUESDAY 16TH JANUARY 2024 12 Noon Start SPECIAL ENTRY A/c E & R Parkes Matiere - Farm Sold

Fantastic stock feed which is low tannin and high in carbohydrates. Produces up to 1 ton of acorns per tree each year.

Three sizes available

Extremely resilient. Fire resistant, stabilises erosion, frost & snow resistant to -9 degrees.

Drought & heat tolerant over 40 degrees.

500 x 2th Coop Ewes 600 x 6th Coop Ewes 600 x 4-year Coop Ewes

Add value far into the future. Trees last over 200 years. Cork harvest income at year 25, then every 10 years. Potential carbon credits at 30% with a minimum 1ha canopy cover.

Ashgrove High F.E. Tol Ewes Scanning 180%. Docking 163%

For tree availability call 021 327 637 or visit truffles.nz

LK0117099©

JW114362©

Phone 021 047 9299 irontreeproducts.co.nz

ANIMAL HANDLING

DOGS FOR SALE

FORESTRY

FLY OR LICE problem?

Electrodip – the magic eye sheepjetter since 1989 with unique self adjusting sides. Incredible chemical and time savings with proven effectiveness.

Phone 07 573 8512 w w w. e l e c t ro d i p. c o m

1 BEARDIE HUNTAWAY. Great temperament and noise. Phone 027 243 854.

4-YEAR BNT, pink collar.

Sides. Good control. Ideal cattle dog. Phone 027 484 4408.

WANTED

CRAIGCO SHEEP JETTERS. Sensor Jet. Deal to fly and Lice now. Guaranteed performance.

Unbeatable pricing.

Phone 06 835 6863. www.craigcojetters.com

ATTENTION FARMERS

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

Find primary sector vacancies at: farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz To advertise phone Julie 027 705 7181

0800 436 566 BOOK AN AD. For only $2.30 + gst per word you can book a word only ad in Farmers Weekly Classifieds section.

Phone 0800 85 25 80 to book in or email wordads@agrihq. co.nz

BEARDIE PUPS OLD bloodlines. Station bred, working parents. Phone Nick Deighton 022 478 7917.

PARAPARA/MAKIRIKIRI SDT Clubs annual working sheep dog sale on 21st January 2024 at 966 Ruatangata Road, Whangaehu. Sign posted from SH3. Auction 12 noon, viewing from 10.30am. Register dogs for sale with Secretary Brenda O’Leary email: brenda.dog@inspire.net. nz or ph 0272922173.

All Enquiries to Duncan Atkinson Ph 0272 422 2881 or Auctioneer Chris Hay Ph 027 632 7177.

WELL BRED 3-month-old black and white heading pups. Strong eyed. 1 male, 2 females. $400. Phone 09 429 0230.

ELECTRO-TEK ENGINEERING

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

BIRDS/POULTRY PULLETS HY-LINE brown, great layers. 07 824 1762.

Website: eurekapoultryfarm. weebly.com – Have fresh eggs each day!!!

DOGS FOR SALE 30 DOGS UNDER $1995.

Deliver NZ Wide. https:// w w w.youtube.com/@ mikehugheswork ingdog.

Phone 07 315 5553.

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

FARM LEASE WANTED EXPERIENCED YOUNGER OPERATOR looking for opportunities to progress.

Looking for lease in Central North Island/Rangitikei area.

Anything considered. Phone 027 633 4749.

Contact: Alan Hiscox 0274 428 434 NZ Farmers Livestock

LK0117437©

75TH JUBILEE 1949-2024

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 WANTED. All weights. All breeds.

Prompt service. Payment on pick up. My on farm prices will not be beaten. Phone David Hutchings 07 895 8845 or 0274 519 249. Feral goats mustered on a 50/50 share basis.

GRAZING AVAILABLE SUMMER AND AUTUMN grazing available, Ruapehu district. Daily shift, ryegrass and clover, with amble silage supplement available. Prefer dairy weaner heifers but anything considered. Phone 021 589 440.

FOR ONLY $2.30 + gst per word you can book a word only ad in Farmers Weekly Classifieds. Ph 0800 85 25 80.

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

LEASE LAND WANTED DAIRY OR GRAZING FARM wanted. Open to leasing, equity, share farming or developing land in partnership.

Rangitīkei, Manawatū or HB areas.

Phone Michael 027 223 6156.

LIVESTOCK FOR SALE WILTSHIRE RAM LAMBS. Full shedding. Make ideal sires. Phone 027 243 854.

500 WILTSHIRE EWE lambs for sale in Hawke’s Bay. Phone 027 493 7505.

WORD ONLY ADVERTISING. Phone 0800 85 25 80.

TE KUITI 2½ YR STEER FAIR Wednesday 3rd January 2024 12 Noon start 750 Cattle Comprising 430 x 2 1/2Yr Hfd/Frs, SimX Steers 320 x 2 1/2Yr Ang,Sth Dev,Char X Strs

TE KUITI 15MTH EXOTIC X STEER FAIR Thursday 4th January 2024 12 Noon start 745 Cattle Comprising 745 x 15mth Sim,Char & Sth Dev X Strs TE KUITI 15MTH TRADITIONAL STEER FAIR Friday 5th January 2024 12 Noon start 1290 x Cattle Comprising 1160 x 15mth Angus Steers 130 x 15mth Hfd,Ang/Hfd X Strs

TE KUITI 15MTH HFD/FRS, ANG/FRS X STEER FAIR Check out Poll Dorset NZ on Facebook nzsheep.co.nz/poll-dorset-breeders

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

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

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

Monday 8th January 2024 12 Noon start 920 x Cattle Comprising 150 x 15mth Char/Frs X Steers 620 x 15mth Hfd/Frs X Steers 100 x 15mth Ang/Frs X Steers 50 x Aut. Born Hfd/Frs X Steers

TE KUITI OLDER & 15MTH HEIFER FAIR Tuesday 9th January 2024 12 Noon start 790 x Cattle Comprising 280 x 15mth Angus Heifers 250 x 15mth Sim & Char X Heifers 260 x 15mth Hfd/Frs X Heifers

TE KUITI 2TH EWE FAIR Friday 13th January 2024 12 Noon start 5000 x Ewes Comprising 2500 x 2th Romney Ewes 1000 x 2th Perendale Ewes 1000 x Coopworth Ewes 500 x Composite Ewes

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Marketplace

28 Livestock

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Livestock

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

FARMING SHEEP WITHOUT WOOL

Dairy Grazing Available STOCK REQUIRED

Farm is located at Matiere in the King Country.

Tuakau Saleyards

Ph 027 526 5994

A/C Waipuna Valley Farms Ltd Comprising Approx: • 1050 Traditional Beef Heifers Rebate paid to participating companies.

Dave Short (Vendor) 07 826 7763

R1 bulls 200kg to 380kg R2 bulls 380kg to 680kg R2 Steers 380kg to 650kg Angus & Angus X Steers 380kg to 500kg Used service bulls all breeds and ages.

Bull Contracts available on exotic beef weaners for March/April delivery.

Store lambs and cull ewes.

Cow, bull and prime wanted.

Hope all our clients have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

SOUTH ISLAND WIDE Contact Colin 027 285 5780

Stephen Hickey (PGW) 027 444 3570

PRELIM NOTICE ANNUAL R3YR STEER SALE

Breeding the difference

Thursday 8 February, 12.30pm

SIL RECORDED 2TH esheep RAMS FOR SALE

41ST ANNUAL ELITE SIRE STAG SALE

Rangiuru Saleyards

SATURDAY 6TH JANUARY 2024 @ 1PM

A/C Morunga Station, Matawai

FEATURING SONS OF

Comprising Approx:

CANE, MORDECAI, ROBERT HAY, TITANIC, MUNRO, RIGBY, APEX, FITZROY, COGNAC AND YETI.

• 950 Traditional Beef Steers

SALE WILL ALSO INCLUDE A SELECTION OF TROPHY STAGS.

Rebate paid to participating companies.

Dave Short (Vendor) 07 826 7763

For more details contact Kate Kellick 027 342 2022 tokoGosh sorrrangifarm@outlook.com LK0117512©

Stephen Hickey (PGW) 027 444 3570

January 2024 On Farm Lamb Sales www.rurallivestock.co.nz

Catalogues will be posted out in December

SCAN FOR CATALOGUE

Helping grow the country

Barry Gard 021 222 8964 bgard@foverandeerpark.co.nz www.foverandeerpark.co.nz MORDECAI @ 5YRS

LOWTHER DOWNS STORE LAMB SALE

WATERLOO STATION STORE LAMB SALE

Tuesday 16th January Commencing 1pm 874 Five Rivers Lumsden Highway

Wednesday 17th January Commencing 1.30pm 957 Waterloo Rd, Mossburn

7000 Romney & Romney X Lambs

5500 Romney Lambs 500 Mixed Sex Suftex Romney X Lambs 500 Shorn Freezer Ewe

All combination drenches 100% effective (FERCT Feb 2022) Contact: Cameron Crosswell - 0274 730 395 Rob Selbie (Owner) - 0274 639 538

Males are wethers. Lambs 5in1 plus scratched at tailing. Drenched on mothers December. Lambs undrafted. Highly recommended for shifting ability & finishing to heavy weights. Motonui genetics.

Contact: Callum Stalker - 0274 730 846

LK0117513©

Friday 19 January, 12.30pm

Grazing available for 200 R1 heifers @ $8 week or R2 heifers @ $11 per week

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PRELIM NOTICE ANNUAL 15MNTH HEIFER SALE

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

IMPROVED WILTSHIRES FROM JOE ADAMS STOCK REQUIRED

TUAKAU SALEYARD JANUARY SALES/FAIRS TUAKAU HEIFER SALE:

1YR Fries & Beef Bulls 300-420kg 1YR Here Bulls (Quiet) 360-420kg 2YR Beef & Fries Bulls 470-580kg

Thursday 4th January 2024 @ 12pm

1YR Ang & Ang X or Xbred Steers 300-370kg

A/C OJ & M Cathcart

2YR Ang & Ang X or Fries/Here Steers 450-550kg

20th Annual Heifer Sale 950 x 15 Month Heifers

2500 Younger M/A Romney FE Tolerant Ewes

COMPRISING OF APPROX: 175 x BWF

50 x Exotic X

Phone Ross Dyer 0274 333 381 www.dyerlivestock.co.nz LK0117388©

175 Charolais

Heifers sourced from sales and private purchases.

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

TUAKAU BEEF 15MTH STEER FAIR:

For viewing Joe 021 119 0700 • PGGW Simon 027 590 8612

CRAIGNEUK

Tuesday 9th January 2024 @ 12.30pm Comprising of 1100 x Beef Bred Steers

MASTERTON M/A & 5YR EWE FAIR

ANNUAL DRAFTS FROM: Kauri Ridge

OJ & M Cathcart

T Baldwin

I &K Evans

2500 Cap Stock Rom/Tex X M/A Ewes 4th – 5yr Wai-iti bred Genuine high production, coastal hill country ewes.

Thursday 11th January 2024 @ 12pm COMPRISING OF APPROX:

100 x R2 Ang X

Dave Anderson 027 498 1201 or Tuakau Office 09 236 9882

LK0117503©

ALL ENQUIRIES TO: Craig Chamberlain 027 532 0253

On offer 280 Rams Made up of 200 Terminal Rams • Dorset Down X lambs growing 500 to 600 grams a day from birth to weaning • South Dorset Rams for quick maturity • SIL Recorded and Studfax • Autumn Scan

17th January 2024 Start: 11:00am A/c Firth Farming

TUAKAU DAIRY BEEF STEER FAIR:

430 x R2 BWF

Annual on Farm Sale Friday 12th January 2024

280 Charolais

200 x Angus Hereford & Exotic

LK0117494©

620 x Angus

For more information please contact:

80 Maternal Halfbred and Quarterbred Rams Merino Ram/Romney Ewe MILK • WOOL • MEAT Bred to fit the Smartwool Contract 19 to 23.5 micron Grown in the harsh Maniototo climate

Enquiries to: Johnny Duncan 027 327 2372 or email: JDuncan.Craigneuk@xtra.co.nz

CARRFIELDS LIVESTOCK AGENT: Carey Ashwell 021 433 274

Puketoro Station Mc Neil Farming Limited

Gore A&P Association’s

Annual Sale - 9th January 2024

SOUTH ISLAND PREMIER RAM AUCTION

6000 Sheep / 700 15mth Steers LK0117540©

2754 Ihungia Road, Tokomaru Bay at 12 Noon

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

Tuesday 16 January 2024 11.30am Romney & Border Leicester 1.30pm Southern Texel Ram Sale Other Breeds – Texel, Suffolk, Poll Dorset, South Suffolk, Dorset Down, Hampshire and Charollais Rams Catalogues available from: www.goreapshowgrounds.co.nz 0276116056 goreapsecretary@gmail.com

2500 2 Tooth Romdale Ewes, 500 2 Tooth Coopdale Ewes 2500 5 Year Romdale Ewes, 500 5yr Coopworth Ewes 700 15 Month Angus Steers (350 to 430kg) 40 9 & 10yr Angus Cows with Angus Calves at foot

Advertise with us

ock docked 155% Ewes to the Ram this year flo The fl The 5yr Ewes docked 170% The Angus Bloodlines for the Steers include: Turihaua, Ngaputahi, Totaranui & Seven Hills GAP & NZFAP Accredited - AB Free

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

1.5% Rebate by arrangement. (Sign Posted) from Tokomaru Bay Lunch & Light refreshments provided

Contact your partnership manager for deadlines Office close dates December 19 to January 7

LK0117128©

Blackdale 7/21

40 Cows with Calves at Foot

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30 Markets

Markets

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Store lambs cheap for this time of year December prices haven’t been this low since 2017 – but for how long will this buyer’s bonanza last?

Mel Croad

MARKETS

I

Lamb

T HAS been an interesting start to the new season for lambs. Weather has actively played a part in dampening down the flow of lambs into the processors, especially in the North Island. Slaughter rates continue to lag expectations and, as such, the downward pressure on prices has reduced. The flow of lambs into South Island processing plants appears more normal and this has been reflected in a sharper fall in farmgate returns in the past two weeks.

The AgriHQ lamb indicator ranges from $6.15-$6.20/kg this week, versus $7.45-$7.65/kg a year ago. Last year, however, export demand was slumping with speed.

This was reflected in farmgate prices that dropped by over $2/kg from their peak in early October to Christmas.

This year the downside has reduced to 90c/kg but, having started from a much lower position, it has been equally as tough to bear.

With lower farmgate returns come lower store prices. Store prices haven’t been this low for

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December since 2017. However, back then, a different driver was in control. A hot, dry start to summer drew large volumes of lambs onto the market. With very little appetite from buyers, prices plunged, falling by 50-80c/kg from their November levels to average $2.60-$2.90/kg.

This time around the downside has been more gradual, month to month, and the key driver is weaker export markets rather than a blazing hot start to summer. Current store prices in the paddock for 28kg lambs are averaging $74 and $76 in the North and South Island respectively. A year ago 28kg lambs were trading for $87 and $91– a $13-15 premium on current returns.

Back in December 2021 buyers had deep pockets, buoyed by farmgate returns still holding at $8.65-$8.75/kg, and 28kg lambs traded for $108-$110.

The lower buy-in price this year has encouraged some to take a punt on store lambs for an early summer trade, before switching to the usual winter trade. Those looking to double their lamb trades this season are being selective in their requirements, opting for something closer

PRICING: The big question for some contemplating diving into the store lamb market is whether prices will go even lower from here, Mel Croad writes.

The aim of the game will be to drive weights to ensure a decent return, something that was lacking on winter trade lambs earlier in the year. to 30kgLW that they can keep moving. Most are steering clear of lighter, longer-term lambs that may struggle through a dry summer, if that is what eventuates.

The aim of the game will be to drive weights to ensure a decent return, something that was lacking on winter trade lambs earlier in the year. Taking that 28kg lamb through to a 20kgCW would see it offloaded in late March/early April, depending on the systems implemented on farm. Based on forecasts within

AgriHQ’s December Livestock Outlook report, that lamb is estimated to gross $44/head before costs.

Depending on the scale of these summer trades and their success, it has the potential to slow the flow of lambs into processing plants through February, particularly if more lambs are weight-gaining under summersafe grazing systems.

The big question for some contemplating diving into the store market is, will store prices go even lower from here? Store prices invariably mirror the direction of slaughter prices and with more downside forecast in that space, it’s reasonable to expect store lambs have room to move lower into the new year.

Based on the five-year average relativity with slaughter prices, this would place January store prices for 28kg lambs at $2.60 and

$2.75/kg in the North Island and South Island respectively.

A falling store market in January contrasts with what occurred through January this year. A clear disconnect between store and slaughter prices developed due to too much feed and not enough mouths to control it. As a result, store lamb prices continued to climb through January, despite flat to softer slaughter prices.

While most are in a feedpositive situation currently, a drier summer outlook has been on the radar for some time. This increases the chance of store prices returning to normal trends through January as opposed to what happened earlier this year.

If securing a lamb at the cheapest price possible is desired then generally that needs to occur before mid-February as AgriHQ data shows from that point, store prices start to ratchet higher.

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Markets

31

31

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

Weekly saleyards The very low volume of breeding ewes at the Stortford Lodge early ewe fair was a sign of the times and the season.

Given the current market environment and plentiful feed, farmers opted to hold onto older ewes and the total tally diminished to just over 1300 head.

A much smaller national ewe flock also played a part and contributed to the smallest early ewe fair tally on record. It was a fair of the traditional and new as Romney and Wiltshire made up the bulk, and most ewes sold to expectations.

Wellsford | December 11 | 676 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

Weaner beef-cross bulls, 97-99kg

500-510

2-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 525-577kg

2.93-3.01

Weaner Hereford-Friesian bulls, 95-153kg

565-700

2-year traditional bulls, 459-482kg

3.12-3.17

Weaner Friesian bulls, 88-162kg

450-665

Yearling Friesian bulls, 293-313kg

3.33-3.42

Weaner Hereford-Friesian heifers, 88-137kg

345-575

Yearling Hereford-Friesian heifers, 280-347kg

3.14-3.17

Frankton | December 12 | 892 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

Weaner Friesian bulls, 132-146kg

550-600

2-year dairy-beef steers, 455-531kg

2.90-2.99

Prime Hereford-Friesian steers, 598-625kg

2.88-2.93

2-year beef, dairy-beef heifers, 395-443kg

2.89-2.92

Prime dairy-beef heifers, 465-596kg

2.81-2.90

2-year dairy heifers, 430-431kg

2.49-2.55

Yearling beef-cross steers, 270-342kg

2.98-3.03

Yearling dairy-beef steers, 321-368kg

2.96-3.05

Yearling Friesian steers, 317-358kg

2.71-2.78

Yearling Angus heifers, 384-401kg

3.27-3.29

Yearling Hereford-Friesian heifers, 319-322kg

3.13-3.20

Prime Angus-Hereford steers, 607-638kg

2.97-2.99

Prime Hereford bulls, 527-666kg

3.05-3.20

Prime Hereford-Friesian heifers, 481-484kg

2.82-2.90

Boner dairy cows, 442-552kg

1.87-1.91

Pukekohe | December 9

$/kg or $/hd

Yearling dairy-beef heifers

2.70-4.18

Weaner heifers

430-555

Prime cows

1.42-2.33

Prime steers

2.74-2.88

Prime heifers

2.71-2.78

Store ewes, all

26-70

Store lambs, all

60-90

Prime lambs, all

98-127

Tuakau | December 7 | 500 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

2-year Hereford-Friesian steers, 450-550kg

2.88-2.96

Frankton | December 13 | 708 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

2-year dairy-beef heifers, 400-460kg

2.86-3.00

2-year beef, dairy-beef steers, 465-470kg

3.02-3.10

Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 310-365kg

3.27-3.48

2-year Hereford, Friesian bulls, 397-482kg

3.23-3.32

Yearling Angus steers, 298-363kg

3.44-3.48

Yearling South Devon steers, 305-364kg

3.20-3.40

Yearling beef-cross heifers, 273-340kg

2.98-3.10

Yearling South Devon heifers, 297-335kg

3.17-3.32

Tuakau | December 8 | 800 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

Prime beef-cross, dairy-beef steers, 538-714kg

2.93-3.06

Weaner dairy-beef steers, 130-155kg

650-750

Prime beef, beef-cross bulls, 526-677kg

3.04-3.14

Weaner dairy-beef steers, 95-110kg

575-630

Prime beef, dairy-beef heifers, 468-554kg

2.90-2.95

Weaner dairy-beef heifers, 110-150kg

540-630

Te Kuiti | December 8 | 460 cattle, 4000 sheep

Rangiuru | December 12 | 279 cattle, 255 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

2-year dairy-beef steers, 505-509kg

2.93-2.96

Yearling dairy-beef steers, 340-360kg

3.14-3.38

Yearling Jersey bulls, 306-330kg

1150

Yearling dairy-beef heifers, 265-327kg

2.87-3.02

Aut-born weaner Hereford-Friesian heifers, 151-195kg

530-650

Weaner dairy-beef heifers, 104-113kg

420-455

Prime dairy-beef steers, 518-655kg

2.90-2.98

Prime Jersey bulls, 460-537kg

2.91-3.04

Store lambs, all

15-67

Prime ewes, all

30-53.50

Prime lambs, all

85-119

Frankton | December 7 | 1533 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

$/kg or $/hd

2-year steers, 401-580kg

1260-1690

2-year beef-cross, dairy-beef heifers, 416-580kg

2.73-2.91

Yearling exotic-cross steers, 364-423kg

3.26-3.39

Yearling steers, 251-400kg

865-1300

Yearling heifers, 251-400kg

860-1120

Store male lambs, most

40-95

Store ewe lambs, most

40-89

Store mixed-sex lambs

65 average

Matawhero | December 8 | 1493 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Store cryptorchid lambs, heavy

75

Store ram lambs, good

76-77

Store ram lambs, medium

66.50-67.50

Weaner Hereford-Friesian steers, 103-118kg

595-670

Store ewe lambs, medium to good

72-70.50

Weaner Angus-Friesian heifers, 103-119kg

440-505

Store mixed-sex lambs, medium

51.50-58.50

32

Markets

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

Taranaki | December 13 | 261 cattle

$/kg or $/hd

3-year Hereford, Friesian bulls, 680-750kg

3.22-3.29

2-year steers, 490-547kg

2.71-2.89

2-year Jersey bulls, 465-582kg

2.96-3.06

2-year dairy-beef heifers, 467-482kg

2.72-2.78

Yearling dairy-beef steers, 407-427kg

2.97-3.02

Yearling dairy-beef steers, 240-340kg

3.30-3.60

Yearling Jersey bulls, 310-357kg

1310-1380

Prime steers, 565-776kg

2.98-3.05

Boner Friesian cows, 480-578kg

1.80-1.99

Stortford Lodge | December 11 | 769 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Prime ewes, very heavy

80-81

Prime ewes, good to heavy

64-78

Prime ewes, light

30-59

Prime 2-4-tooth ewes, good to heavy

81-100

Prime mixed-sex lambs, heavy to very heavy

108-139

Prime male hoggets, heavy Prime mixed-sex hoggets, very heavy

OLD AND NEW: The Stortford Lodge early ewe fair was the smallest on record and featured the traditional Romney breed, but also a higher instance of Wiltshire. This line of 2-tooth Wiltshire ewes sold for the top price of the day at $185.

121 133-146.50

Store Romney, Romney-blackface cryptorchid lambs, medium

60-66.50

Store Romney-blackface ram lambs, good to heavy

71.50-110

Stortford Lodge | December 12 | 1344 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

5-year Romney, Perendale ewes, medium to good

95-125

Store Romney-blackface mixed-sex lambs, good to heavy

64.50-97.50

Mixed-age Romney ewes, medium to heavy

112-156

Store Romney, Romney-blackface ewe lambs, medium to heavy

64.50-119.50

Mixed-age Wiltshire ewes, good to heavy

96-115

Dannevirke | December 7 | 520 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

4-tooth Romney, Romdale ewes, medium to good

124-133

2-tooth Wiltshire ewes, very good

Stortford Lodge | December 13 | 898 cattle, 4660 sheep Mixed-age Angus & Angus-Hereford cows & calves, one line, 551kg Mixed-age traditional cows, empty, 518-628kg 3-year Angus heifers, 422-473kg

185

$/kg or $/hd 1675 2.04-2.06

53.50-83

Store cryptorchid lambs

70-90

Prime ewes, all

40-98

Prime lambs, all

124.50-128

$/kg or $/hd

Feilding | December 8 | 1298 cattle, 3495 sheep

2.86

2-year Angus & Angus-Hereford steers, 527-575kg

3.31-3.41

2-year beef-cross steers, 307-499kg

3.13-3.24

Yearling traditional steers, 339-360kg

3.72-3.80

Yearling Hereford bulls, 302-409kg

1280-1515

Yearling Angus heifers, 295-325kg

3.26-3.28

Yearling exotic heifers, 330kg average

Store ewe lambs

3.40

2-year Angus steers, 408-545kg

3.36-3.55

2-year Angus heifers, 364-416kg

3.27-3.39

Yearling Angus steers, 330-451kg

3.35-3.58

Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 283-368kg

3.46-3.59

Yearling traditional bulls, 369-441kg

3.28-3.42

Store Romney-blackface wether and ewe lambs, heavy

104.50-132

Yearling traditional heifers, 218-269kg

3.16-3.26

Store Romney, Romney-blackface cryptorchid lambs, good

72-80.50

Aut-born weaner Hereford-Friesian heifers, 225-258kg

790-860

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M2 BUL L

$/KG

- DEC

LIVESTO OUTLOOCK K

5.8 0

Subscribe from only $35* per month agrihq.co.nz/livestock-reports * Prices are GST exclusive

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P2 STE ER

$/KG

- DEC

5.7 0

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$/KG

3.9 5

- DEC

NO RT H ISL AN D Dece mb eR 2023 KE Y PO INT

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➔ Season al pricing pressure underway ➔ Slow star t to pro cessing num bers ➔ Rain in Aus tralia could tem per supplie s LAM B - DEC

$/KG (17.5

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LK0117514©

32

33

Markets

33

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

$/kg or $/hd

Store blackface lambs, woolly, heavy

92.50-104

Temuka | December 7 | 2657 cattle

Store whiteface male and mixed-sex lambs, good

71.50-86.50

Weaner Hereford-Friesian steers, 109-116kg

580-590

Store blackface male and mixed-sex lambs, medium

72-73

Weaner Hereford-Friesian bulls, 104-112kg

450-430

Feilding | December 11 | 59 cattle, 3203 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Weaner Hereford-Friesian (red) bulls, 96-116kg

390-490

Boner Friesian cows, 445-640kg

1.66-1.83

Weaner Angus-Friesian heifers, 101-107kg

440-460

Prime ewes, medium to good

47-100

Weaner Charolais-Friesian heifers, 110-121kg

520-570

Prime mixed-sex lambs, all

90-147

Temuka | December 11 | 379 cattle, 6983 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Rongotea | December 12 | 44 cattle 2-year Hereford-Friesian heifers, one line, 491kg

2.73

Yearling Hereford-Friesian steers, 285-384kg

810-1300

Yearling dairy-beef heifers, 225-347kg

670-1110

Coalgate | December 7 | 273 cattle, 3841 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Yearling beef heifers, 359-380kg

3.06-3.16

Weaner Friesian bulls, 111-130kg

430-500

Prime Hereford-Friesian steers, 553-685kg

2.76-2.86

Prime Angus, Shorthorn bulls, 920-1085kg

1.74-1.82

Prime Hereford-Friesian heifers, 455-683kg

2.70-2.80

Store mixed-sex lambs, good

86-94

Store lambs, medium

72-76

Store whiteface lambs, small

44-63

Prime ewes, very good to heavy

83-111

Prime lambs, very good

110-129

Canterbury Park | December 12 | 169 cattle, 5550 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

$/kg or $/hd

Prime Angus cows, 579-653kg

2.10-2.16

Prime Hereford-Friesian (black) steers, 525-697kg

2.65-2.83

Prime Charolais heifers, 516-600kg

2.71-2.79

Boner Friesian cows, 470-565kg

1.73-1.90

Mixed-age ewes

50-69

Store mixed-sex lambs, good

70-107

Prime ewes, most

55-85

Prime mixed-sex lambs, most

100-135

Balclutha | December 13

$/kg or $/hd

Store lambs, all

30-88

Prime ewes, all

30-98

Prime 2-tooth ewes, all

50-105

Prime lambs, all

105-130

Charlton | December 7 | 94 cattle, 264 sheep

$/kg or $/hd

Weaner bulls

410-560

Prime ewes, all

50-60

Prime lambs, all

82-130

Prime traditional steers, 583-680kg

2.74-2.92

Lorneville | December 12

Prime Hereford-dairy steers, 513-685kg

2.68-2.77

Aut-born yearling Friesian steers, 322-346kg

825-880

Prime beef bulls, 655-730kg

2.70-2.78

Weaner beef bulls, 110-146kg

500-560

Prime Speckle Park-dairy heifers, 490-650kg

2.73-2.77

Weaner Friesian bulls, 130-156kg

500-560

Store blackface male lambs, good

86-93

Weaner beef heifers, 110-130kg

480-520

Store mixed-sex lambs, medium

57-70

Prime cows, 450-600kg

1.84-2.10

Store blackface lambs, small

51-71

Prime steers, 500kg

2.60-2.65

Store Wiltshire, Corriedale lambs, good

67-70

Store lambs, all

60-92

Prime ewes, medium-good to good

72-96

Prime ewes, all

35-79

Prime lambs, medium-good to good

95-129

Prime lambs, all

100-145

$/kg or $/hd

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34

34

Markets

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

AgriHQ market trends Cattle

Sheep

Deer

Beef

Sheep Meat

Venison

Slaughter price (NZ$/kgCW)

Last week

Last year

North Island P2 steer (300kg)

5.65

6.20

North Island M2 bull (300kg)

5.75

6.00

North Island M cow (190kg)

3.95

4.50

South Island P2 steer (300kg)

5.30

6.00

South Island M2 bull (300kg)

5.40

5.75

South Island M cow (190kg)

3.80

4.40

Slaughter price (NZ$/kgCW)

Last week

Last year

North Island AP stag (60kg)

8.70

9.00

4.40

South Island AP stag (60kg)

8.70

9.00

6.15

7.75

2.30

4.25

Fertiliser Last week

Last year

DAP

1230

1794

Super

474

509

Urea

897

1240

Urea (Coated)

946

1289

Oct

Last year

China

1,635,430

1,730,431

Rest of world

177,077

233,319

Carbon price (NZ$/tonne)

Last week

Last year

71.9

75.0

Last week

Last year

North Island lamb (18kg)

6.20

7.90

North Island mutton (25kg)

2.55

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

Fertiliser

Export markets (NZ$/kg) China lamb flaps

8.65

9.52

Wool

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

8.71

US domestic 90CL cow

7.81

8.92

8.18

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

Steer slaughter price ($/kgCW)

(NZ$/kg clean)

07-Dec

Last year

Crossbred fleece

3.10

2.43

Crossbred second shear

2.80

2.31

Courtesy of www.fusca.co.nz

Lamb slaughter price ($/kgCW)

6.5

7.0

5.0

6.5

Dec

Feb

Apr

Jun

Aug

North Island

6.0

Oct

NZU Dec

Feb

South Island

Apr Jun North Island

Aug Oct South Island

Stag Slaughter price ($/kgCW) 10.0

NZ lamb exports (Sep - Nov, thous. tonnes)

NZ beef exports (Sep - Nov, thous. tonnes)

Forestry NZ Log Exports (tonnes)

7.5

5.5

NZ average (NZ$/tonne)

Exports

8.0

6.0

Slaughter price (NZ$/kgCW)

9.5 50

40

40

9.0

30

30

8.5

20

20

8.0

10

10 0 China

Japan

S. Korea

Rest of Last year Asia

US This year

Other

0

Chin a

EU Mid. Eas t Last year

UK

US This year

Dec

Other

Feb

Apr North Island

Jun

Aug Oct South Island

Data provided by

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35

Markets

35

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 18, 2023

NZX market trends Dairy

Grain

Data provided by

Milk price futures ($/kgMS)

Close of market

Canterbury feed wheat ($/tonne)

5pm, Wednesday

700

9.5

650 8.5

S&P/NZX PRIMARY SECTOR EQUITY

600

9697

550 7.5

6.5

450 Jan

Mar

May

Jul

Sep

Sep-2024

Nov

ArborGen Holdings Limited

0.17

0.23

0.165

The a2 Milk Company Limited

4.33

7.83

4

Cannasouth Limited

0.148

0.32

0.145

700

Comvita Limited

2.22

3.48

2.21

650

Delegat Group Limited

6.58

10.2

6.58

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

3.1

3.88

2.94

Foley Wines Limited

1.17

1.42

1.17

Greenfern Industries Limited

0.044

0.113

0.04

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS)

0.95

1.25

0.95

Marlborough Wine Estates Group Limited

0.156

0.19

0.149

NZ King Salmon Investments Limited

0.22

0.24

0.181

PGG Wrightson Limited

3.35

4.67

3.1

Rua Bioscience Limited

0.12

0.22

0.094

Sanford Limited (NS)

3.84

4.39

3.69

Scales Corporation Limited

3.15

4.25

2.75

Seeka Limited

2.46

3.72

2.18

Synlait Milk Limited (NS)

0.97

3.65

0.94

T&G Global Limited

1.92

2.37

1.81

S&P/NZX Primary Sector Equity Index

9697

12870

9635

S&P/NZX 50 Index

11476

12212

10742

S&P/NZX 10 Index

11869

12411

10937

Jan

Mar

May

Jul

Sep

Nov

Canterbury feed barley ($/tonne)

Dairy Futures (US$/t) 4 weeks prior

WMP

3150

3250

3075

SMP

2720

2795

2840

600

AMF

5800

5800

5800

550

Butter

5210

5300

5500

500

Milk Price

7.65

7.92

7.76

450

* price as at close of business on Wednesday

400

WMP futures - vs four weeks ago (US$/tonne) 3400

Nov

Jan

Mar

May

Jul

Sep

Nov

Waikato palm kernel ($/tonne) 450

3300 400

3200 3100

350

3000 2900 Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Latest price

May

300

4 weeks ago

Nov

Jan

Mar

May

Jul

Sep

Wharfgate log prices firm Shipping starting to rise again EXPORT

PRUNED

NZ$/TONNE

+1 S1 DOMESTIC LOGS (NZ$/TONNE)

-4

132

A-GRADE EXPORT LOGS ( US$/JAS [CFR])

+14 150

-3.4

SHIPPING – CHINA

CARBON

NZD:USD

(US$/JAS)

(NZ$/NZU)

(LAST WEEK)

47.2

+4.7 80.0

+0.6C 0.672

-

LOG PRICE REPORT

UNPRUNED

NZ$/TONNE

117

PULP

NZ$/TONNE

184

-

EXPORT PRUNED

NZ$/TONNE

119

+1

A-GRADE

NZ$/JASM3

56.0

-

P1

NZ$/JASM3

181

WHARFGATE LOG PRICES

-

115

A

K

KS

KI

KIS

Pruned

Unpruned

Unpruned

Unpruned

Unpruned

Unpruned

40

30 - 40

22

20 - 26

26

10

Knot size (maximum) cm

105

Northern North Island

0

10 - 15

15

15

25

No limit

4.0 - 5.8

4.1 +

4.1 - 12.1

3.6 - 4.0

4.0 +

3.7

183

134

100 95

JULY 2022

90

Mar-14

Mar-15

Mar-16

Mar-17 Mar-18 10 year average

Log Indicator Trends

Mar-19

China wakes up Sara Hilhorst

Mar-20

2.67

Mar-21

Mar-22

NZ SLAUGHTER STEER

$/KGCW

6.17

US$/KG

6.30

170

90

119

122 56

180 127 56

130

117

ph

email

web

+64 6 323 6393 | info@agrihq.co.nz | agrihq.co.nz

150

VIEWPOINT

Mid-winter markets mellow

115

107

102

121

113

105

109

103

115

111

➔

Sentiment poorer for export sales

➔

Backlogs develop on lambs

-26%

-27%

-29%

➔

FMD on the radar for Aus/NZ

-26% -19%

-19%

-20%

-21%

-22%

-23%

-24%

-

$/KGCW

LAST WEEK

0.621

Jan

Mar

5yr ave

May

2020

Jul

2021

Sep

Nov 2022 S ource: AgriHQ

National e xport pruned log price (NZ$/JASm3)

190 170

116 123

* Weightings are calculated on the volume of softwood logs traded through each port in the past 12 months, as indicated by available data.

This month's report is weighted as follows;

Port Weightings Port(s) / Regions

210

112

Short-term we are unlikely to see much more upside than has already been reported. Shipping costs are starting to increase as of late-February due to a mixture of demand changes and increasing bunker costs partly brought on by the Russia-Ukraine situation.

111 113

117

9.18

165

Jan

Mar

5yr ave

115

115 116

122

110

56

116

122 123

118

National grade logLAMB price (NZ$/JASm3) NZ ASLAUGHTER NZD:USD

150

124

124

124

130

128

After a three-month price lull there's finally been a bit of life injected into log export markets. This largely comes from China getting back into the game after coming back from break, supported by mildly weaker shipping costs and the exchange rate. Reduced supplies out of NZ in recent months has been key for reengaging Chinese buying, particularly when other parts of the world aren't offering any more volumes than normal, usually noticeably less.

CHINA FOREQUARTER

126 125

KEY POINTS

Source: AgriHQ

185

...there's finally been a bit of life injected into log export markets.

Reece Brick

MONTHLY SHEEP & BEEF

US IMPORTED 95CL US$/LB

12 mths ago

VIEWPOINT

55.5

Export P

Length m

Mar-13

+0.5

Pruning

110

75 Mar-12

NZ$/TONNE

132

-

Grade SED (minimum) cm

80

PULP

NZ$/TONNE

191

NZ$/JASm3 - Weighted Average*, Delivered to Wharf

120

85

S1

NZ$/TONNE

132

+2

Ten year NZ Combined Log Indicator ($/Tonne)

125

YTD High YTD Low

MARCH 2022

LOG PRICE INDICATOR

Omicron slows NZ production

MARKET REPORT

Nov

MARCH 2022

FEBRUARY 2022 Key Points

FORESTRY

11869

Close

Nov

Prior week

11476

Company

400

Sep-2025

Nearest contract Last price*

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

Listed Agri shares

500

Nov

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

May

2020

Jul

2021

Sep

Nov 2022 S ource: AgriHQ

+64 6 323 6393 | info@agrihq.co.nz | agrihq.co.nz

Region Level Island Level National Level

Marsden

33%

Tauranga

67%

34%

27%

-

51%

40%

Northern Nth Isl.

16%

13%

Gisborne/Napier

66%

New Ply/Wellington

34%

17%

13%

Southern Nth Isl.

-

49%

39%

North Island

-

-

80%

33%

43%

26%

Nelson/Picton

67%

Lyttelton/Timaru

33%

21%

4%

Northern Sth Isl.

-

64%

13%

9%

P. Chalmers/Otago

61%

22%

5%

Bluff

39%

14%

Southern Sth Isl.

-

36%

7%

South Island

-

-

20%

3%

36

Weather

ruralweather.co.nz

Just one damned thing after another trail of physical and emotional devastation.

These events were made worse by more rain events, bringing more slips and flooding time and time again.

Most hit were Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, being walloped by rain event after rain event, even as El Niño kicked in during spring (which should’ve brought a double whammy of dry but instead took until December – the final month of the year – to finally show some signs of shaking the wet pattern).

Philip Duncan

MARKETS Weather

W

HAT an exhausting year of weather!

Low pressure dominated the first half of 2023, swamping New Zealand in sub-tropical rain, extropical cyclones, squash zones, atmospheric rivers ... like the ’80s band it was wet, wet, wet.

This year brought out something I’ve never really seen in my weather career – an extraordinary amount of PTSD, or posttraumatic stress disorder. PTSD develops in some people who have experienced a dangerous, scary or traumatic event.

The Auckland Anniversary floods of January 27 were not long after Cyclone Hale, which had hit Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato and Great Barrier Island.

Then it was Cyclone Gabrielle – the monster storm of the century that turned out to be bigger than anything we’d seen in longer than just the past 23 years.

The deadly cyclone left a

But what do you ‘fight’ and where do you take ‘flight’ to when widespread rain keeps hammering your home or region?

PTSD can make you feel afraid during and then well after a traumatic situation.

That fear is part of our body’s “fight or flight” response, which helps us avoid, or respond to, potential danger. But what do you “fight” and where do you take

1 6 PER LITRE

*

FONTERRA SUPPLIERS SAVE 21c PER LITRE AT MOBIL

*Terms and conditions apply.

“flight” to when widespread rain keeps hammering your home or region?

A combination of frequent and repetitive dramatic headlines from mainstream news outlets and repetitive pockets of severe weather that kept popping back up like some nightmarish WhackA-Mole has led to some people now overreacting to any heavy downpour.

Even I’ve felt it. As a weather forecaster I have a love for severe weather (like a parent with children, forecasters are expected to love all types of weather!) but even I was being triggered by those intense downpours, wondering “Will this actually stop? Or will this be another January 27 where an unexpected downpour lasted several hours and caused deadly flash floods?”

I’ve never had that thought process before because I know that weather isn’t vindictive and often each week, even if repetitive, it is rarely actually a carbon copy – it’s always unique.

But this year we saw many repeat events.

At the time of writing this final

OUTLOOK: Rainfall to the end of December suggests that high pressure will keep the North Island quite dry but it’ll be wet on the West Coast – a general guide, given that this is long range. column of 2023 I’m looking at a rain map for the rest of December that looks more typical of El Niño (but still too wet over the Tasman Sea).

Dry around the North Island, dry north of New Zealand and wet on the West Coast.

Whatever the forecast is for you,

I hope 2024 is kind(er). Despite the rough year of weather, I still firmly believe NZ sits smack bang in the Goldilocks belt of global weather – you’d be hard pressed to find another place on Earth with such a healthy general weather pattern.

Here’s to 2024!

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