Farmers Weekly NZ March 20 2023

Women the lynchpin of community building

Fonterra trumpets a leap in profit

FONTERRA’s after-tax profits are up 50% to $546 million and it will pay an interim dividend of 10 cents a share, it announced in its half-year results.

Its total earnings per share were 33c and the forecast farmgate milk price range was $8.20-8.80/kg MS.

While milk powder prices have softened recently, impacting our forecast farmgate milk price range, protein prices have been high, and this is reflected in the lift in earnings we’re reporting today.

The co-op also upgraded its full-year forecast normalised earnings from 50-70c per share to 55-75c per share and announced a proposed tax-free capital return to farmer owners and unit holders of around 50c per share, subject to completion of the sale of its Chilean Soprole business.

This earnings upgrade was based on better-than-expected margins in its ingredients business.

Chief executive Miles Hurrell

Ripcord

Insecticide

said the results for the first half of the year show the co-op is performing well, with profit up 50%, against a backdrop of ongoing market volatility.

“Our co-op’s scale and diversification across channels and markets has enabled us to navigate through disruption and make the most of favourable market conditions in a number of areas,” Hurrell said.

“While milk powder prices have softened recently, impacting our forecast farmgate milk price range, protein prices have been high, and this is reflected in the lift in earnings we’re reporting today.

“With less milk collected and whole milk powder prices down, we have produced less whole milk powder and more skim milk powder and cream products, and this has allowed a higher return. We have also made the most of higher margins in our protein portfolio, notably casein, caseinate and cheese products.

“Our improved earnings and strong balance sheet have enabled us to pay an interim dividend of 10c per share, which is positive news for our farmer owners and unit holders. We also expect to be able to pay a strong fullyear dividend, in addition to our proposed capital return.

“The outlook for high-quality sustainable New Zealand dairy remains positive. We have a clear strategy and are well-positioned to

Continued page 3

Breeding them tough and tender in the wild west

PEOPLE 7

Norwood recognises rural sporting heroes

Timbersports legend Jack Jordan takes top honours at the Norwood New Zealand Rural Sports Awards.

PEOPLE 16

NZ might be ‘further along than it thinks’ in terms of regenerative agriculture, global food exec says.

MARKETS 9

Rip into nuisance flies, lice and ticks with the proven power of Ripcord®. Just one easy application provides long lasting protection from nasties around the herd and in the milking shed. And because Ripcord is MPI approved for use in dairy sheds, there is no milk withholding period. Ripcord is the perfect product to use.

Don’t settle for fly-by-night treatments. Insist on Ripcord. Visit pest-control.basf.co.nz for more details or visit your local distributor.

Researchers warn rural NZ to expect rise in waterborne pathogens and rats carrying bacteria after floods.

OPINION 19

New Craigmore Sustainables chief operating officer appreciates New Zealand‘s ‘amazing competitive advantage’.

PEOPLE 22

Don’t let flies take away all your hard work

Thomas Condon of Flagstaff Herefords in the Mahitahi valley on the West Coast, where most of the stock work is done on horseback due to the rugged terrain.

Gerald Piddock MARKETS Fonterra

Miles Hurrell Fonterra

EDITORIAL

Bryan Gibson | 06 323 1519

Managing Editor bryan.gibson@agrihq.co.nz

Craig Page Deputy Editor craig.page@agrihq.co.nz

Claire Robertson

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

Neal Wallace | 03 474 9240

Journalist neal.wallace@agrihq.co.nz

Gerald Piddock | 027 486 8346

Journalist gerald.piddock@agrihq.co.nz

Annette Scott | 021 908 400

Journalist annette.scott@agrihq.co.nz

Hugh Stringleman | 09 432 8594

Journalist hugh.stringleman@agrihq.co.nz

Richard Rennie | 027 475 4256

Journalist richard.rennie@agrihq.co.nz

Nigel Stirling | 021 136 5570

Journalist nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com

PRODUCTION

Lana Kieselbach | 027 739 4295 production@agrihq.co.nz

ADVERTISING MATERIAL

Supply to: adcopy@agrihq.co.nz

SUBSCRIPTIONS

0800 85 25 80 subs@agrihq.co.nz

PRINTER

Printed by Stuff Ltd

Delivered by Reach Media Ltd

SALES CONTACTS

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

Steve McLaren | 027 205 1456 Auckland/Northland Partnership Manager steve.mclaren@agrihq.co.nz

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

Andy Whitson | 027 626 2269

Lower North Island Partnership Manager andy.whitson@agrihq.co.nz

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

Debbie Brown | 06 323 0765 Marketplace Partnership Manager classifieds@agrihq.co.nz

Grant Marshall | 027 887 5568 Real Estate Partnership Manager realestate@agrihq.co.nz

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

PUBLISHERS

Dean and Cushla Williamson

Phone: 0800 85 25 80 dean.williamson@agrihq.co.nz cushla.williamson@agrihq.co.nz

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

ISSN 2463-6002 (Print)

ISSN 2463-6010 (Online)

News in brief

Alliance appointment

Alliance Group has appointed Willie Wiese chief executive.

The co-operative’s former processing manager, Wiese had been interim CEO since February, when David Surveyor resigned.

Chair Murray Taggart said Wiese was appointed after “a rigorous process” assessing internal and external candidates.

Grazing workshops

The Otago Regional Council is holding a series of workshops to help farmers meet their intensive winter grazing obligations, including getting resource consent.

The IWG workshops are being held at seven locations during the next four weeks: Moeraki, Ranfurly, Middlemarch, Hawea/Luggate, Catlins, Papakaio and Five Forks. ORC acting consents manager Alexandra King said farmers should consider attending one of the workshops if they are unsure how to put a resource consent together.

Milk price down

Synlait Milk is reducing its forecast base milk price for the 2022-23 season to $8.50 per kilogram of milk solids from $9.00/kg MS.

In a notice to the New Zealand stock exchange, Synlait said the key drivers of the revised forecast are subdued global economic activity as well as a slower-than-expected recovery of Chinese demand following the pandemic. The company said global milk production was showing signs of recovery in late 2022.

Having a say

Farmers are being urged to have their say on a New Zealand Meat Board proposal to continue funding the Informing New Zealand Beef genetics programme.

A joint NZMB-Beef + Lamb NZ mail-out provided information on the NZMB online annual meeting on March 24, including the board’s proposal to keep supporting the initiative. BLNZ chair Andrew Morrison said IBNZ is aiming to boost the sector’s profits by $460 million over the next 25 years by providing the genetic tools to improve productivity.

Fonterra signals October capital return

an annual dividend of as much as 30c a share, or $45,000 a farm.

An interim dividend of 10c will be paid in mid-April.

FONTERRA has signalled a proposed tax-free capital return of 50c a share in October, partially returning to farmers the capital loss resulting from the halving of share prices over the past two years.

The $800 million capital return will come from the sale of Chilean subsidiary Soprole, yet to be finalised.

In May 2021, when Fonterra began a long process to change the share structure, co-operative supply shares were worth $5. They fell to $2.60 before the latest announcement.

For farmers with the average annual milk production and 150,000 shares, the decline in value has been $360,000.

Now Fonterra proposes to give back $75,000 per average farm.

It has also forecast normalised earnings of 55 to 75c a share this financial year, which may deliver

Continued from p1

take advantage of this demand,” Hurrell said.

Hurrell acknowledged how close

Meantime the Flexible Shareholding implementation date is March 28, when existing shareholdings will effectively treble in size relative to farm milk production.

That will create a huge volume of excess or dry shares, which farmers may want to trade.

To assist sharemarket liquidity, Fonterra has allocated up to $300m for a transitional buyback of shares and a longer term market maker.

The buy-back will begin on March 28 and run for 11 weeks until June 9, and is capped at 75 million shares, about 4% of Fonterra’s total shareholding.

Implementation of the capital return will require a Scheme of Arrangement to be voted on by shareholders and approval of the High Court, which is a common process.

The sale of Soprole remains subject to satisfaction of

to the breakeven margin the $8.50 midpoint forecast is, with on-farm inflation rates at much higher levels compared to other sectors.

“The costs of fertiliser, fuel,

conditions previously announced. Fonterra has decided to retain full ownership of its Australian businesses and therefore the $800m capital return will be less

input costs and labour are all starting to really impact.”

The co-op has delivered a profit after tax of $546m, up $182m compared to the same time last

than the $1 billion originally announced.

The capital return also applies to units in the Fonterra Shareholders Fund, where outside investors and

year, and a return on capital for the past 12 months of 8.6%, up from 6.1% in the comparable period.

Hurrell said Fonterra is committed to sustainability improvements both on farm and off farm to retain its competitive edge.

“At last year’s annual meeting, we signalled to farmers that the co-op will announce a target for our on-farm (scope 3) emissions.

“Having a target will help us secure and retain high-value customers and enable the co-op and our farmer owners to meet regulatory requirements and access finance.

farmers with previously converted dry shares are locked in.

The FSF unit price rose 15c immediately after the capital return announcement, to $3.20.

about how collectively we’d achieve a target.”

Hurrell described the conversations so far with farmers as “engaging”. While a date has not been set for when that target will be made public, he said it would be announced this calendar year.

“At the same time, we’re continuing to invest in R&D and new technologies to help reduce emissions on farm. We currently have 18 methane reduction projects underway and 30 active trials of potential solutions.

Miles Hurrell said the results for the rst half of the year show the co-op is performing well, with pro t up 50%, against a backdrop of ongoing market volatility.

“We acknowledge making change on farm is not easy. Over the coming months, we will be talking with our farmer owners

“This includes a new privatepublic partnership joint venture announced in November, through which government and partners from across the food and fibre sectors will work together to reduce methane emissions.

Togethe r, Cre ati ng the Be st Soil and Food on E ar t h

PROFIT UP: Chief executive

DECLINE: Fonterra proposes to give back $75,000 per average farm – which would have su ered a decline in share value of $360,000 in the past two years.

Hugh Stringleman MARKETS Fonterra

Sheep and beef farms set to take a 31% hit

INFLATION and softening

international prices are expected to erode this year’s forecast sheep and beef farm profits by a third compared with last year.

In its mid-season outlook released last week, Beef + Lamb NZ (BLNZ) estimates average farm profit before tax of $146,300 for 2022-23, 31% below 2021-22 and lower than the average for the past five years.

After adjusting for inflation, the 2022-23 farm profit before tax is estimated at $96,600, a 35% decrease from 2021-22 and slightly below the 10-year average.

Farm profit before tax is equal

to gross farm revenue minus total farm expenditure and is used to meet taxation payments, personal drawings, debt repayments and the purchase of capital items.

“Inflationary pressure is causing on-farm costs to increase sharply, eroding the benefit of what are still historically pretty good farmgate returns,” said BLNZ chief economist Andrew Burtt.

International markets have been mixed, with prices and demand for red meat – especially sheepmeat –falling in the first four months of the season before recovering once China relaxed its zero-covid policy.

Other sheepmeat markets were more stable and demand overall is projected to recover on the back of tight global supply.

The average FOB value per tonne

for export lamb this season is forecast at $11,600, an 11% drop on 2021-22 but 6% above the average of the previous five years.

Lamb exports are forecast to be 2.5% lower on 2021-22 at 284,000t with forecast receipts of $3.54 billion FOB, down 12% on the record in 2021-22.

For 2022-23, total mutton exports are picked to decline 3.9% to 89,100t with the average value 15% lower.

Beef returns have only decreased slightly due to tighter global supplies, which have been accentuated by a recent case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Brazil. Export revenue from beef and veal in the 2022-23 is forecast at $5.04bn FOB, down 8% on record 2021-22 prices, due to a 0.5% decline in the volume exported and a 6.1% decrease in the average export value.

Burtt said inflationary pressure has increased farm expenditure. Fertiliser, lime and seed expenditure is forecast to increase 6% to average $102,100 per farm, which follows a 15% increase last season.

“This is the largest area of expenditure for sheep and beef farms at around 19% of farm expenditure in 2022-23.”

Interest rate rises and increased overdraft borrowing is forecast to increase interest expenditure 12.5% above last season to average $54,000 per farm.

Burtt said as farmers refinance and extend overdrafts on the back of lower farmgate prices, managing cashflow will be a challenge this season.

BLNZ chief executive Sam McIvor said two-thirds of NZ’s sheep flock and two-thirds of its beef cattle are in areas either suffering from the effects of

summer cyclones in the North Island or suffering very dry conditions in the south of the South Island.

Given the financial and inclement pressures, he is calling on Prime Minister Chris Hipkins to put the brakes on the imposition of environmental policy.

“Farmers are already feeling overwhelmed with the environment-related policy changes, on top of reduced revenues and high on-farm inflation.

“For some, they’re also now faced with having to rebuild their businesses after severe weather events like the cyclones,” said McIvor.

Looking ahead, BLNZ sees growth opportunities for sheepmeat in high-value markets such as Germany, Netherlands, France, the United States and China, as well as in the expanding Asian middle class seeking protein, more consumer awareness for safe, traceable and sustainable food and lower freight costs.

Challenges will come from

consumer resistance to rising lamb prices in the United Kingdom and Europe, competition from Australia, climate change policy driving consumer behaviour and supply chain bottlenecks.

Andrew Burtt BLNZ

Opportunities for beef are expected for similar reasons as sheepmeat, as well as from an ongoing protein deficit in China, and Brazil’s BSE issue.

Beef also faces many of the same challenges as sheepmeat, but additionally from meat worker labour shortages, the risk of foot and mouth, which has been discovered in Indonesia, and global inflation.

FARM FINANCES: Managing cashflow will be a challenge this season, BLNZ chief economist Andrew Burtt says.

Neal Wallace MARKETS Beef + Lamb NZ

STRUGGLING: International markets have been mixed, with prices and demand for red meat – especially sheepmeat – falling in the first four months of the season.

Inflationary pressure is causing on-farm costs to increase sharply, eroding the benefit of what are still historically pretty good farmgate returns.

Global warming dialled up Gabrielle rain

Richard Rennie NEWS Weather

CYCLONE Gabrielle’s sting was intensified by climate change, though scientists are yet to determine just by how much.

A study conducted by the World Weather Attribution initiative took a forensic look at the Gabrielle weather system. The collaborative group consists of climate scientists from across the globe including London’s Imperial College and Princeton University in the United States.

An early stage analysis by the group, released last week, found that the intense rainfall experienced with Gabrielle has become four times more common in the region, with events dropping 30% more rain in recent years.

However, while the experts maintain climate change is the likely cause of the increased rainfall, a lack of long-term data limits their ability to quantify the extent of that climate change impact.

The scientists compared weather data and computer modelling of today’s climate – with temperatures 1.2degC warmer than in the 1800s – to past climate.

SMASHED: Climate scientists have determined Cyclone Gabrielle is likely to have been a rare event, but made more intense by climate change.

This comparison determined heavy rainfall events like Gabrielle now produce about a third more rain than before humans started contributing to climate change.

But despite its intensity, they also determined an event like Gabrielle was still relatively

unusual, with only a 3% chance it would likely happen every year in any location.

NIWA principal scientist Sam Dean said the rapid assessment of climate change’s role in the event was a first for New Zealand and was an effort to try to address the question regularly raised about

whether this summer is NZ’s “new reality”.

“While there is a mixed bag of results from this particular rapid analysis, the study contributes a wealth of evidence that here in Aotearoa New Zealand, adapting to a changing flood risk now and for the foreseeable future is one of the greatest challenges we face,” he said.

Dean acknowledged it put scientists outside their comfort zone to try to get answers rapidly in useful ways, rather than spending years analysing events well after they had occurred.

Luke Harrington, senior lecturer in climate change at the University of Waikato, said Cyclone Gabrielle remains a rare event even in today’s climate, with some places experiencing rainfall that would have had a 1.5% chance of occurring in any year, others as low as 0.4% chance.

The rarity of Gabrielle and the relatively small geographic area it covered limited the number of models that could be used in the analysis.

But the conclusion that climate change was the likely contributor to greater intensity was based on well-established weather science indicating that further greenhouse gas emissions, creating more warming, make

heavy rainfall more intense and more frequent.

They could find no plausible explanation other than humaninduced warming for the observed increase in the heavy rainfall.

With the world getting even warmer we will see more and more of events like this. Reducing exposure and vulnerability of populations in floodprone areas is thus an urgent priority.

“Weather observations in the region show exactly what we expect from physics, which is that a warmer atmosphere accumulates more water and increases the frequency and intensity of downpours.

“And with the world getting even warmer we will see more and more of events like this. Reducing exposure and vulnerability of populations in flood-prone areas is thus an urgent priority,” Friederike Otto, senior climate change lecturer at the Imperial College London, said.

Hawke’s Bay growers braced for significant pipfruit loss

volume of 16.1 million TCEs (tray carton equivalent).

battering, as silt continues to be removed from the area.

ABOUT a third of Hawke’s Bay’s pipfruit crop has been wiped out by Cyclone Gabrielle, according to new estimates from New Zealand Apples and Pears.

NZAP chair Richard Punter said while Tairāwhiti Gisborne crop reestimates are yet to be completed, the overall New Zealand crop is believed to be down 21% on January predictions, resulting in a

Hawke’s Bay was the worstaffected area and the pipfruit crop in that region is down by 33%.

“This represents a reduction of 4.3 million TCEs in the Hawke’s Bay region.

“Crop reductions are across the range of varieties grown in the region,” Punter said.

He said it remains an anxious wait for some Hawke’s Bay orchardists to determine if their trees will recover from the

“Over the next couple of months, they’ll see whether trees will survive. The real results will be shown next year when they see what sort of crop those trees produce. It is a waiting game.”

The organisation is providing technical support to growers and has also established a website portal where resources, such as machinery or staff, can be shared.

“You’ve got this strange situation in Hawke’s Bay. You’ve

got a chunk of the industry unaffected by this – materially I mean – and they’re just proceeding as normal and it’s a good crop.

“On the other side, you’ve got those who have been completely wiped out.”

Punter said the level of damage has been put into three categories: completely destroyed; completely submerged and silt-laden resulting in significant tree death; and “workable”, where orchards will have a reduced crop.

An estimated 3900ha of Hawke’s

Bay’s planted area has been affected in some way by the cyclone.

Central Otago and Nelson/ Tasman continue to experience good growing and harvest conditions, and are on track to meet forecast crop expectations. While the overall NZ crop is down, exporters will provide a premium product to the market by ensuring only the best quality apples and pears are placed in the carton, as they do every year, Punter said.

This autumn, Country is altogether better at uncovering the freshest rural property and delivering market insights straight to you.

As the leaves have been falling, we’ve uncovered an abundance of autumn opportunities with 95 of the finest farm, specialty, and lifestyle properties for sale.

Brought to you by Bayleys – New Zealand’s number one rural real estate brand – Country is the market-leading publication for rural property and commentary.

In the latest edition, we look at how high-country station owners are managing their expansive landholdings, Bayleys’ rural community partnerships, and using greenhouses to optimise the productivity of lifestyle block holdings.

For your copy of Country magazine, call 0800 BAYLEYS or visit bayleys.co.nz/country

It’s altogether better in the Country.

Photo: Hastings District Council

Friederike Otto Imperial College London

Craig Page NEWS Horticulture

BLNZ advocacy under scrutiny ahead of AGM

Wallace NEWS Governance

BEEF + Lamb NZ is suggesting its Farmer Council conduct a review into its advocacy role, an issue that looks like coming under intense scrutiny at the board’s annual meeting later this month.

Farmers have lodged nine remits to be discussed and voted on at the March 30 meeting in New Plymouth, indicating a heightened level of frustration by some levy players.

Those remits cover issues of weighted voting, consultation, transparency and a call for BLNZ to leave the He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) partnership.

But its advocacy functions have attracted the most interest.

North Otago’s Jane Smith is seeking an independent review of BLNZ advocacy, how it secures a mandate that reflects levy-payers’ wishes and the effectiveness and transparency of that advocacy.

“Many of the positions that have been taken by BLNZ on behalf of levy payers over the past three years have not first gained a full and transparent understanding by farmers of all potential impacts and have included consultation processes with limited ability for levy payers to raise further questioning to influence further discussion or to propose alternative pathways,” she writes in support of the remit.

In explanatory notes, LNZ responds that it welcomes scrutiny but warns an independent review could cost $500,000 plus another $100,000 of staff time.

The board suggests instead that the Farmer Council, with an independent facilitator, could lead a review into policy procedures and decision making, and identify areas of improvement with the results available to all levy payers.

The process would still cost an estimated $100,000.

Other remits addressing

advocacy include one from Bay of Plenty farmer Rick Burke, who calls on BLNZ to prioritise advocacy of the sheep and beef sector if it finds itself conflicted while advocating alongside the dairy sector.

In explanation, BLNZ says its advocacy strives to achieve the best possible outcomes for sheep, beef and dairy farmers and that in most cases the interests of all pastoral farmers are aligned.

Jason Barrier from Waikato wants BLNZ to exit HWEN so it can advocate for what he calls “a more sustainable and equitable emissions reduction proposal”.

In response, BLNZ says it does not intend leaving the partnership, adding there are greater downside risks to the sector from withdrawing than from staying.

In a similar vein, Rangītikei farmer Roger Dalrymple wants BLNZ to commit to “ongoing, unrelenting advocacy” to achieve a different greenhouse gas pricing mechanism than HWEN, one that follows principles he has set out.

BLNZ says this is something it continues to seek, noting that the government has recognised HWEN

has a disproportionate impact on sheep, beef and deer farmers.

Graeme Gleeson from Waikato wants BLNZ to adopt best-practice consultation with levy payers before committing to a policy or recommendation that has significant ramifications for levy payers.

Many of the positions that have been taken by BLNZ on behalf of levy payers over the past three years have not first gained a full and transparent understanding by farmers of all potential impacts.

Jane Smith

North Otago

He cites HWEN as an example of farmers having little input or understanding of the far-reaching ramifications.

In response BLNZ outlines the consultation process it followed and says it is committed to continuously improving it.

LONG RIDER: Thomas Condon of Flagstaff Herefords in the Mahitahi valley on the West Coast, where most of the stock work is done on horseback due to the rugged terrain.

Breeding them tough in the wild west

Emma Blom NEWS Sheep and beef

NESTLED in Mahitahi, a West Coast valley, is Flagstaff Hereford stud run by Thomas and Kate Condon. The stud consists of 180 heifers calving each year. Due to the challenging climate and remoteness of the property, the animals have to be tough enough to survive many environmental elements, including the 5m rainfall per year.

Flagstaff stud was established in 1976 from a Valhalla dispersal sale. Four heifers were purchased. More female stock was added from Braxton, Eriskay Blossom and Clachanburn herds. Since 1970 AI has been used in the herd with Thomas Condon as the technician. Throughout the year AI has been very successful, however in 1973 Condon lost a finger, making it more difficult. The herd has been able to achieve positive genetic gain due to management decisions.

Condon was one of eight children and grew up on the family farm. Today the stud is run on a quarter of the original family land after being in the family for six generations, ever since 1880, when the Condon

family settled in Mahitahi. Being three hours away from the nearest supermarket makes it a tough place to live and to farm. Most of the stock work is done on horseback due to the rugged terrain. The climate is one of the biggest challenges on Flagstaff, along with government regulations. At the end of May Flagstaff will hold its annual on-farm sale. Stock will be available on bidr and all are welcome on farm to see the animals in person. “Bring the kids along,” encourages Condon. Approximately 20 bulls are sold at the annual farm sale and an additional 60 yearling bulls are sold into the dairy market. Since 2019 they’ve been mating only polled sires to broaden the market. Flagstaff focuses on calving ease, constitution, temperament and carcase quality.

Glacier Horned Herefords, run by the Williams family, sell their animals through the Mahitahi property, as do David and Robert Scott from Bannockburn Angus, making it a worthwhile road trip to the wild west.

Who am I?

Blom was sponsored by Public Interest Journalist Funding and AgriHQ on the NZ Hereford Tour

Neal

PRICING: Rangītikei farmer Roger Dalrymple wants BLNZ to commit to “ongoing, unrelenting advocacy” to achieve a different greenhouse gas pricing mechanism than HWEN.

The ‘fat of the land’ inspires food odyssey

ALARGE collection of books by Nobel prize-winning United States author John Steinbeck takes pride of place in the Minnesota home of Devry Boughner Vorwerk.

It is a reminder of where it all began for the internationally respected global food executive.

Boughner Vorwerk’s parents moved to the Salinas Valley in California, the home of Steinbeck and setting for some of his novels, when she was 14. She was immediate inspired by her rural surroundings.

The daughter of a schoolteacher and electrical engineer in the aerospace industry, Boughner Vorwerk said there wasn’t much to do in the small farming area, known as the “salad bowl of the world”, so she went looking.

“I found an organisation called the Future Farmers of America. It’s the premier youth organisation that captures youth’s passions and interests at an early age.”

From that introduction, Boughner Vorwerk was hooked, not only on agriculture but on food and its sustainability.

“In that farm town it was a microcosm of what is happening at the global level,” she said.

“It was a lot like what Steinbeck experienced. When you look around you see immigrant labour, large-scale agriculture, issues of water constraint ... use of pesticides.

“I saw it all around me. I thought, This is so difficult, to get food from where it is to where it needs to be, and to do it in a way that honours the workers, farmers and consumers.”

Boughner Vorwerk completed

two agriculture degrees at university. After finishing her Master’s thesis – on US dairy farming – she was poised to become a university professor.

But at the last minute she got “antsy” at the prospect and decided food production and sustainability were really where her passion lay.

The “divine intervention” that led to her coming across agriculture early on is “why I’m so insistent on exposing young people to agriculture. Not just to agriculture, but what the future of agriculture can look like,” she says.

Boughner Vorwerk, who will be in New Zealand as keynote speaker at Rural Leaders Agribusiness Summit in Christchurch on March 27, has a glittering CV.

She now runs her own company, DevryBV Sustainable Strategies, after filling high-powered roles in some of the US’s major food companies.

She spent 15 years with redmeat giant Cargill and was chief communications officer and corporate vice-president of global corporate affairs when she left in 2019.

The youngest female corporate officer elected in the company’s more than 150-year history, Boughner Vorwerk spearheaded its global brand, communications, public policy and government relations; corporate responsibility and sustainable development across 70 countries; and trade issues with over 125 countries.

She has extensive experience in Asia Pacific, managing international business relations for eight years, living in India and China on assignment, and spent time in Europe advancing the investment and trade policy agenda with European Union member states and the World Trade Organisation in Geneva.

Devry Boughner Vorwerk

DevryBV Sustainable

In 2021, Boughner Vorwerk was appointed chief corporate affairs officer at Grubhub, a US online and mobile prepared-food ordering and delivery platform. She said working for large companies inevitably creates

challenges and it “takes persistence to keep driving the change”.

For the most part, companies are intent on doing the right thing by their employees and society.

“But organisations or companies aren’t set up to succeed. From the start companies are set up to essentially fail at sustainability and putting purpose, people and planet at the centre.

“Unless companies are intentional about backing up and saying we are open to holistically changing as a result of putting sustainability at the centre ... unless they go through that dream they will fail.

“The other thing I learnt is it takes an incredibly courageous

leader, and set of leaders, to carry out the change that is required.”

Asked what she is most proud of during her career to date, Boughner Vorwerk had to pause to think.

“I have never compromised my values or my desire for businesses to do well by society. I have never had to compromise that at any moment,” she said.

“When it didn’t fit with an organisations I had the courage to continue to stay centre and focused on that.”

A passion of Boughner Vorwerk’s is focusing on the United Nations goal of reducing extreme poverty by 2030. She said first it means stamping out a general acceptance that there are just those who have food, and those who don’t. Latest figures show 349 million people are in “acute hunger”, a figure up 150% since 2019.

“The root cause is greed and it runs rampant through governments, through private sector and communities. If we can tip the scale and ensure we’re all centring around the humans’ needs, and get enough critical mass to do that, we can achieve ending extreme poverty.

“I do believe it’s possible. Will we get there? We will know in 2030.”

Boughner Vorwerk is adamant the future of agriculture and its sustainability lie in the hands of young people, and she believes more should be done to encourage them into the sector.

With staff shortages in the industry a worldwide issue, she is an advocate of communityand school-based agriculture programmes to spark an early interest in the industry.

Boughner Vorwerk will spend seven days in New Zealand during her visit. Aside from the conference and farm visits, she has another “must-do” during her stay, which will raise a few eyebrows: she will be visiting as many supermarkets and markets as possible, looking out for products unique to NZ, their product labelling and packaging.

“I think you learn a lot about a country or a community by going to their grocery store. I feel like I can really get to know a country that way.”

LOOKING UP: Devry Boughner Vorwerk says her message to New Zealand’s agriculture industry is one of ‘change, adaptation and optimism’.

Craig Page MARKETS Food

I thought, This is so difficult, to get food from where it is to where it needs to be, and to do it in a way that honours the workers, farmers and consumers.

Strategies

Reason for agri optimism –and adaptation

Boughner Vorwerk said from her office in Excelsior, Minnesota.

NEW Zealand has the potential to be a global leader in its approach to tackling climate emissions, says United Statesbased global food executive Devry Boughner Vorwerk.

The founder and CEO of DevryBV Sustainable Strategies, Boughner Vorwerk is the keynote speaker at this month’s Rural Leaders Agribusiness Summit in Christchurch.

She has previously held leadership roles at US red-meat giant Cargill and at Grubhub, a US online and mobile prepared-food ordering and delivery platform.

Boughner Vorwerk is no stranger to NZ’s primary sector, having served on the NZUS Council, working closely with government and industry officials over economic and trade agreements.

“I’m mindful that I am coming from outside of New Zealand,”

“I don’t know NZ like NZ knows NZ. But I do have my entire career, education and life’s purpose in food and agriculture.

“The message I will bring is a perspective on having been in global agriculture my whole career. And that is a message of change, adaptation and optimism.”

It has been determined that 40-50% of climate impacts come from the agriculture industry and Boughner Vorwerk said it is clear international markets are setting expectations over food production and sustainability.

“I think where NZ is leading is in trying to get a real price-based opportunity for their emissions. That is not coming without a challenge.

“How does NZ continue to lead while giving adequate transition time for its farmers and industry to adapt?

“My observations from afar is that it’s not easy and there are a lot of natural tensions in the

system that come with change.”

However, farmers need to realise it is not just NZ’s government that is applying pressure to reduce emissions. Pressure was also coming from the European Commission and export markets, but she believes NZ’s government is positioning itself to at least continue to compete internationally.

Farmers are required to meet the legislated target to reduce biogenic methane emissions by 10% by 2030 and 24–47% by 2050, relative to the 2017 level.

Those in the US are facing similar issues and the government has provided climate smart commodity grants to help fund the reduction of emissions.

NZ needs to maintain a “possibility mindset” and accept that change is difficult, but

consider what steps are needed to make them.

“If NZ industry wants to maintain its competitiveness as an exporter, it has to move.

“Because I am optimistic, and I’ve seen agriculture all around the world, I think NZ is in a position to lead, frankly.

“The NZ industry, in my mind, has always viewed their opportunity through the lens of competition. They never asked for handouts in the global market place. So if the industry comes together and sets the right plan, provides the right support and transitional mechanism for farmers, the industry will be able to position itself as one of the sustainable leaders in the world.

“Part of that comes from a recognition that NZ might be further along than it thinks

CYCLONE GABRIELLE CLAIMS UPDATE

in terms of this regenerative agriculture movement.”

Her message to farmers is to not resist change, but lead it.

That could be difficult when farmers are looking at their profitability model and saying this is too hard and they may not be able to make it work.

“It’s not easy. But this is about charting a successful course broadly for the NZ economy. What I know with how we work with New Zealanders around the world, is that I’ve never met a Kiwi who won’t sit down and try to solve a complicated problem.

“New Zealanders are equipped for this.”

MORE:

The 2023

If you’re with FMG, we want to acknowledge your patience as we work through the recovery of the recent adverse weather.

We’re making progress.

We’re already settling claims and our assessing teams are on the ground and right now focused on our most vulnerable clients. If your claim is still with us, then please know we’re working on it - it will take time.

If you’re registered with FMG Connect, you can check the progress of your claim, by logging in via the FMG website. And If you need immediate support, like temporary accommodation, then please call us on 0800 366 466.

We’re here and ready to help.

Craig Page MARKETS

Climate change

REGEN: NZ might be ‘further along than it thinks in terms of this regenerative agriculture movement’, global food executive Devry Boughner Vorwerk says.

Rural Leaders Agribusiness Summit will be held in Christchurch on March 27.

Poor mating could hit spring milk output

the country’s 4.8 million milking cows.

THE dairy industry could be facing a 2.7 million kilogram milk solid production shortfall next spring due to poorer-than-normal mating results across much of New Zealand.

Six-week in-calf rates are back and empty rates are looking to be up across

The poor results are the compounded result of a cold, wet winter and spring that left many farmers struggling to get their cows in optimal condition for mating.

As a result, submission rates were back by 1.3%, affecting the cow’s ability to cycle.

This is based on data from LIC’s interim fertility focus report, using aged pregnancy test results uploaded from its MINDA software.

That data is based on 4400 herds and 2.4 million cows from across New Zealand. Based on that data, the six-week in-calf rate is about 1% back on last year at 66.4%.

LIC general manager of NZ markets Malcolm Ellis said this is the first material change in that figure for four years, after staying largely unchanged from 2018 to 2021.

“When you calculated that out, that’s a significant amount of milking days and milk production that won’t exist next spring,” Ellis said.

The 66.4% figure is based on 75% of the herd being mixed-age cows that are retained. The remaining 25% are replacement heifers and are excluded from the calculation.

When extrapolated nationally, that 75% equates to 3.6 million cows out of the 4.8 million total number of milking cows in NZ.

If 1% fewer of those cows calve in six weeks, it would mean there will be 36,000 cows calving six weeks later next season.

Assuming those cows are each producing about 1.8kg milk solids a day, that adds up to 2.7mkg MS in spring lost due to the lost 42 days – or 1.5 million total individual cow milking days for those 36,000 cows, he said.

The average percentage of cows not in calf, or empty, is around 17.6% – a 1.4% lift across the country.

However, Ellis said that percentage includes cows not in calf that are subject to be re-tested.

This means that the empty rate is likely to change and he expects that figure to drift back closer to between 0.8-1% up on last year’s 16.2% empty rate.

Extrapolating that out to cows, that means 38,000-48,000 empty cows this spring, he said.

“There will be less spring milk and less spring milk related to calving spread and the second thing we will see is there will be significant additional wastage with 0.81% of cows leaving the industry because they are empty.”

Ellis predicted many farmers will extend their lactation of these late-calving and empty cows and take advantage of the favourable growing conditions around much of the country and delay cull decisions by a few months.

CRV managing director James Smallwood said he has heard of empty rates averaging around 12-14%. Southland farmers seemed to have fared better than those further north, thanks to more favourable conditions at mating.

In the North Island, those rates are slightly higher, he said.

“The feedback we’re getting from reps is that there is a lot of variation in the rates. You hear about some extreme cases, but anecdotally, we’re hearing about slightly better cases in the South Island.

“It’s explainable, given the spring we have had.”

say

sure, when it comes to quality and performance, Boehringer Ingelheim cattle products will keep your stock at their very best. Equally, this cookware by Zwilling is known to outperform expectations and designed to handle any recipe for success.

NEW LOW: LIC general manager of NZ markets Malcolm Ellis says the latest empty rate represents ‘the rst material change in that gure for four years’.

Gerald Piddock MARKETS Dairy

Schools agribusiness programme turns 10

Staff reporter NEWS Education

APIONEERING agribusiness programme developed out of St Paul’s Collegiate in Hamilton is poised to mark its 10-year anniversary, and hopes to have 120 New Zealand schools and 4000 students on board this year.

Agribusiness in Schools evolved out of a 2013 St Paul’s parents survey that concluded it was not meeting the needs of its students with rural backgrounds in encouraging them to consider pathways into the primary sector.

In its 10 years the nationwide scheme, which began as a private partnership in association with Dairy NZ and Beef+Lamb NZ and 11 other business partners, has grown from a piloted plan to being in more than 100 schools across the country. It will celebrate its 10th anniversary on March 29th with a function at St Paul’s Collegiate.

The programme takes knowledge from the sector and uses it in the classroom, highlighting how careers in fields such as law, medicine, tourism and marketing can be incorporated into the sector.

Curriculum project director

Kerry Allen told Farmers Weekly in an interview last year that teaching agribusiness has not been without its challenges. It was a new teaching subject without any recognised standards.

Early on, Allen used achievement standards from other subjects and recontextualised them for teaching agribusiness.

This led to her pitching to the Ministry of Education in Wellington in 2017, motivating for the creation of a new agribusiness subject and new achievement standards.

“There were a lot of barriers in the way because it was the first time a sector group had gone to the ministry to propose a subject. Usually, it goes the opposite way and the ministry tells you what everybody needs,” she said.

But a year later, Allen got the subject its own achievement standards.

Ten schools came on board to trial the new standard, including state and privately run schools.

It was a St Paul’s initiative, but Allen said she has always seen the curriculum as something bigger.

At the end of stage two of the programme in 2021, 107 schools and 3207 students had been taught agribusiness achievement standards.

Goals for the programme this year are to have 120 schools teaching agribusiness, and 4000 students studying. There are also plans to improve and strengthen regional engagement with primary sector businesses and schools and increase trainee teacher numbers and teacher capability in agribusiness.

Meat Industry Association chair

How New Zealand farmers are tackling their GHG journey with confidence

FARMAX is an awardwinning farm modelling and decision support tool developed for pastoral farmers in New Zealand. The tool allows you to build a model of your own unique farm system and use it to record actual farm performance data, forecast future expectations and investigate unlimited scenarios for potential changes to your farm system.

One of these scenarios can be to calculate GHG emissions.

By the end of 2024, all farmers are required to have a written plan to measure and manage their greenhouse gas emissions. FARMAX is helping farmers future-proof their farming system by providing a tool that supports a balance of sustainability with profitability.

“FARMAX lets you see GHG emissions in the context of

your wider farm business, including production and financial considerations.” Dr. Robyn Dynes, AgResearch.

There are a wide range of opportunities to alter the GHG profile and production, including:

• Reducing the total dry matter consumed on farm

• Improving the efficiency of pasture and crop production

• Matching feed demand with pasture growth and utilisation

• Improving the management of livestock effluent

• Capturing and storing carbon in vegetation

Not only can FARMAX calculate your number, it helps you pull together a farm plan by identifying potential opportunities within your business to reduce GHG emissions.

and former minister for primary industries Nathan Guy, who is guest speaker at the event, was involved in early discussions about the programme and was thrilled to see where it has ended up today.

“Agriculture was lost in the curriculum and had pretty much vanished. There was concern from a lot of agriculture leaders that agriculture was being dumbed

Agriculture was lost in the curriculum and had pretty much vanished. There was concern from a lot of agriculture leaders that agriculture was being dumbed down in schools.

Nathan Guy Meat Industry Association

down in schools – “if you’re not achieving or doing very well, you should go ahead and be a shearer or fencer, or go and milk the cows”.

“And agriculture is a lot broader than that now.

“Quite often in these higher skilled jobs, you need wellqualified pupils that can go on and grow agricultural businesses.” Guy said the difficulty with bigpicture thinking is visualising that it will work, “and St Paul’s proved that it could”.

The celebration is a chance for the programme’s leaders to thank their sponsors and business partners over the years. It will also be an opportunity for agricultural industry leaders to network and discuss how to support and facilitate career pathways from education into the primary industries sector.

Every farm is different, biologically, climatically and socially. The opportunities to improve your farm business could be relatively simple or require more significant input. FARMAX helps you understand the status quo through a farm management system that models potential scenarios, changes and impacts on farm performance, profitability and GHG profile.

Some farmers use FARMAX themselves, but many choose to work with their farm consultant to unlock its full potential and tap into their unique experience. From there, you decide on the best path forward for you and your farm business and document a plan to meet your goals and objectives.

GROWING: The Agribusiness in Schools programme was developed by St Paul’s Collegiate but is now taught in more than 100 schools around New Zealand.

Women the lynchpin of building a community

THE time and effort that goes into building and maintaining social networks in rural communities is serious work.

This work, social scientist, rural resilience expert and Feilding farmer Margaret Brown said, is very often taken on by women and is more important than it usually gets credit for.

“Social relationships help maintain the resilience of rural communities,” Brown said.

“It’s important to recognise the big role of rural women and bring to the attention of policy makers that this is serious work.”

Rural resilience is more than just infrastructure.

“Social networks are the glue that holds rural communities together in tough times.”

A new report drawn from research on resilient rural communities led by Brown for AgResearch and from an Our Land and Water project, identifies ways to measure rural resilience.

The work also overlaps with an Indicators Working Group project.

The report, Resilience is a Meaningful, Measurable Trait of Communication, suggests the government must recognise the work of building and maintaining relationships – a role that mostly falls to rural women.

The government is interested in

rural resilience because of its role in helping communities recover from sudden adverse events like floods, or to adapt to slow changes in climate, or social and political shifts.

The research found it is easy to estimate the resilience of rural communities from Census data.

The report advises government agencies and their people to “sit down for a cuppa” with communities to understand where support and resources should be allocated and ensure the stability of key community institutions such as schools, sports clubs, rural support trusts, community groups and organisations.

The person who turns up every month and makes the tea for the school PTA meeting night might not be someone you recognise as a community hero, but their steady contribution is critical to getting their community through tough times, according to the research.

“We often see stories about families doing great things on their farms so why not focus on the unsung community champions and how their work helps resilience in their communities,” Brown said.

But the work of building and maintaining social networks is under increasing pressure.

“Women in rural communities are working off farm far more, or in a dedicated way on farm, and also taking on the burden of resilience building on top of that.”

Labour shortages are also having an impact.

“Young farmers are working so damn hard,” Brown said.

“When we were young there were a lot more people working on smaller farms so we had more time for social activities.

“I see this now as a tension in building resilience in rural communities.

“When there are big weather events, floods, earthquakes, communities drop everything and

pull together, but the slow-burn issues like policy and land use change are a real concern.

“More and more women are not able to help manage the change, especially the emotional side of the change.”

Communities with strong social networks are more likely to share resources when the going gets tough.

Some government initiatives, such as the introduction of Rural Hubs, aim to strengthen rural social networks but can place an extra burden on women in the community when they are expected to set up, run and resource the hubs.

Brown said community work is usually unpaid but that doesn’t mean it has to remain undervalued or unappreciated.

“People who provide the volunteering glue don’t necessarily

need monetary recognition, but an acknowledgment that their work is important to the wider community.

“Community leaders often get the recognition but the work is not only done by outstanding heroes.

“Each rural community has a lot of unsung heroes. People show up every day in the background quietly making the tea, putting out the chairs for community meetings, taking notes and washing the dishes.

“There are ways to recognise the value of these volunteer jobs and that can be a personal ‘thank you, we really appreciate it’ from their community or from a larger organisation, or government.”

Social networks are key to building rural resilience and the light needs to shine on those working under the radar to connect their communities, Brown said.

Annette Scott PEOPLE Research

TENSION: Feilding farmer and social scientist Margaret Brown sees the impact of labour shortages as a tension in building resilience in rural communities.

Social networks are the glue that holds rural communities together in tough times.

Margaret Brown Rural resilience expert

STAND OUT.

GOOD CALL.

At FMG, we know that almost two thirds of our milk contamination claims are due to antibiotic contamination. It’s this kind of specialised rural knowledge that allows us to pass on valuable advice to farmers to help manage risk. Like advising dairy farmers to mark cows that need antibiotic treatment, so they stand out. At the end of the day, if we can help you avoid loss, it reduces stress, lost production and downtime. So why not get in touch with FMG to see how we can help you make some good calls on your farm. Call us on 0800 366 466, or go to fmg.co.nz

We’re here for the good of the country.

FMG0915DNFP_S

Drive to rescue farms from policy tsunami

Staff reporter POLITICS Regulation

BEEF + Lamb NZ and rural advocacy group 50 Shades of Green have launched a campaign to raise awareness about what they see as crippling government policies.

The Kiwis Backing Farmers campaign highlights what it says is an overwhelming wave of policies and proposals threatening the future of sheep and beef farms and rural communities across New Zealand.

BLNZ chair Andrew Morrison said the cumulative impact of all the policy changes affecting sheep and beef farmers is massive and likely to drive many to consider if they have a future in the sector.

“The conversion of whole productive sheep and beef farms into carbon farms, impractical freshwater reforms, excessive methane targets and heavy-handed measures that disincentivise biodiversity protection are among the policies the red meat sector is demanding the government fix,” he said.

“Our farmers are actively working to address climate change, improve our waterways

and protect New Zealand’s biodiversity, and we’ve been making great strides in lifting our environmental performance.

“However, farmers are snowed under and exhausted. The prime minister recently acknowledged the government has gone too far, too fast in some areas and agriculture is definitely one of those areas.

The government needs to pause some of its policy programme and focus on getting the policies right before pressing on ... they’re rushing consultation and not engaging properly with the people on the ground.

Andrew Morrison

“The government needs to pause some of its policy programme and focus on getting the policies right before pressing on. Areas such as such as biodiversity and RMA [Resource Management Act] reform are critical to get right for future generations. But they’re rushing consultation and not engaging

properly with the people on the ground who are expected to implement the policies.

“Many farmers are also doing it tough in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle – having the right policies in place is now more important than ever so they can quickly get back on their feet.

“We need New Zealanders to stand up, back the world’s best sheep and beef farmers and ensure our sector gets sensible and workable policies.”

At the heart of the campaign is the www.kiwisbackingfarmers. nz website, which outlines policy solutions and enables Kiwis to show their support for sheep and beef farmers by sending their views directly to the government.

Gwyn Jones of 50 Shades of Green has been at the forefront of this issue with B+LNZ.

“We are not anti-forestry and strongly support the integration of trees within farms,” Jones said.

“However, as the carbon price increases, more and more food producing farms are being sold and converted into carbon farms so fossil-fuel emitters can offset their emissions rather than reduce them. It’s a short-term solution that is frankly kicking the can down the road at the expense of rural communities, and our economy.”

Funding holds up new stock agent regulations

A LACK of funding is delaying the implementation of new industry regulations to underpin the conduct of stock and station agents.

Kevin Forward, the head of traceability with NAIT, said despite widespread industry agreement on a draft standard, his organisation does not have the funding to complete and enforce the new regulations.

“It’s not off the table. At the moment we do not have the funding to implement it,” said Forward. He could not say how much was needed.

Steve Morrison, chair of the NZ Stock and Station Agents Association, said his organisation has worked constructively to create a standard.

“We have not pushed back on a regulatory arrangement, we’ve participated progressively.”

The agreed standard follows an investigation that found significant shortfalls in the recording of stock movement, which accentuated the Mycoplasma bovis response.

It was also prompted by the 2021 conviction for fraud of former Otago stock agent John Williams.

Forward said discussion with the industry and farmers led to the standard, which would cover any entities trading in animals covered by NAIT.

The standard included accreditation and licensing of agents and standards that must be met, including completing registration of livestock movements.

As a fallback, the law allows the minister of agriculture to increase requirements and obligations on the sector should that be required.

Forward said while the majority of agents will be captured by the standard, if farmers choose to deal

with those who are not registered, they face multiple risks.

Morrison said the association continues to operate under selfregulation but the low number of complaints indicates a far-reaching policy may not be needed.

“We don’t think it warrants a large scheme due to that lack of recourse. We were happy with a moderately priced option progressed by NAIT.”

Association board member Ed Marfell oversees any complaints of members and said he has dealt with very few in the past 18 months.

Those that he has received were resolved with a phone call to the management of the company in question.

Beef + Lamb NZ

Neal Wallace NEWS Regulations

DELAY: NAIT does not have the funding to complete and enforce new regulations for the conduct of stock agents, head of traceability Kevin Forward says.

TOO MUCH: Beef + Lamb NZ chair Andrew Morrison says farmers are snowed under and exhausted by policies that have ‘gone too far, too fast’.

Remember, it’s not just maiden ewes at risk of Campylobacter . Your mixed age ewes are still at risk1 and need an annual booster shot of Campyvax4 ®

Vaccinating with Campyvax4 provides protection against abortion storms and the less obvious effects such as increased dry rate and loss of early pregnancies. Ensure all your ewes are protected ahead of time, with Campyvax4.

ORDER CAMPYVAX4 FROM YOUR VET TODAY.

Norwood recognises NZ’s rural sporting champions

Staff reporter PEOPLE Skills

THE achievements and dedication of rural sports athletes and supporters were celebrated at the Norwood New Zealand Rural Sports Awards in Palmerston North. Judging convener Nathan Twaddle said it was an exciting evening celebrating those who have made a lasting impact on the rural sporting community.

Twaddle praised the young athletes, lifetime achievers and those who work behind the scenes to ensure rural sports thrive.

Norwood chief executive Tim Myers congratulated the winners and finalists and highlighted the dedication and commitment of rural athletes to their sport.

“It was fantastic to see Jack Jordan win the award of Norwood New Zealand Rural Sportsperson and Sportsman of the Year. Back in 2016, we watched as a fresh-faced Jack Jordan went up to receive the Young New Zealand Rural Sportsperson award. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength and is now on top of the timbersports world.”

Back in 2016, we watched as a fresh-faced Jack Jordan went up to receive the Young New Zealand Rural Sportsperson award. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength and is now on top of the timbersports world.

Tim Myers Norwood

The 2023 Norwood New Zealand Rural Sports Awards recognised:

• Jack Jordan from Taumarunui, who was named PTS Logistics New Zealand Rural Sportsman of the Year and won the Norwood Supreme New Zealand Rural Sportsperson award.

• Megan Whitehead from Gore, who was winner of the Skellerup New Zealand Rural Sportswoman of the Year award.

• Cameron Leslie MNZM from Tūtūkākā, winner of the Future Post Rural Sportsperson with a Disability award.

• Reuben Alabaster from Taihape, winner of the Fonterra Young New Zealand Rural Sportsperson award.

• Eileen Smith from Waimate, Deirdre Bartlett from Ōpuke, Wairarapa, Elizabeth Mortland from Taihape, and Patsy Shirley from Lumsden, joint winners of the Levno Outstanding Contribution to New Zealand Rural Sports award.

• Jason Wynyard from Kawakawa, Reuben de Jong from Auckland, and Dr Luk Chin from Tamahere, Waikato, joint winners of the Courtesy Ford Lifetime Legacy award.

• Kerri Williams nee Gowler MNZM is the winner of the Sir Brian Lochore Memorial Award for Outstanding Sportsperson from a Rural Background award.

VAXIPACK®

Ensure all your flock has adequate protection against Campylobacter.

An update from Sam McIvor, Beef + Lamb New Zealand CEO

Responding to farmer questions

It has been a hectic start to the year. What was already a challenging financial year for sheep and beef farmers has been compounded by cyclones in the North and extreme dry conditions in the South Island.

I’ve been on the road for last few weeks getting lots of questions from farmers about some of our areas of work. Our annual meeting voting packs contain an activity update but here’s some updated information on key areas.

Time is running out to vote in the annual meeting processes – voting closes at 2pm on Wednesday 22 March so if you haven’t already had your say you’ll need to complete voting online. Any questions, please call 0800 BEEFLAMB (0800 233 352) or email enquiries@beeflambnz.com

What’s B+LNZ doing about the deluge of Government policies farmers are grappling with?

We’ve further increased or advocacy ahead of the general election later this year.

With the Meat Industry Association, we released the sector’s pre-election manifesto in January. This contains a list of policy ‘asks’. The manifesto has gone to all MPs and we’re using it as the basis for meetings with key politicians from all parties. You can find the manifesto on our website.

The manifesto also underpins our new campaign, in conjunction with 50 Shades of Green, Kiwis Backing Farmers This campaign is raising awareness of the overwhelming wave of environmental policies and proposals from the Government that are undermining the future of our sector.

The campaign’s website – kiwisbackingfarmers.nz –encourages New Zealanders to easily show their support. The site sets out policies that farmers need to be fixed, covering afforestation, climate change, biodiversity and freshwater, and allows an email to be sent directly to Government Ministers and the opposition.

Please go to the website and send an email. This is our chance to show politicians they need to take action. Please also encourage your friends, family and networks to do the same.

What’s happening with emissions pricing?

In December, after significant pressure from farmers, B+LNZ and other industry partners the Government agreed not to put agriculture into the ETS. This meant the first goal of working together collectively as an industry was achieved. Secondly the Government has committed to recognising and rewarding some sequestration that is outside the ETS – a significant win for sheep and beef farmers.

There’s a lot of detail to be finalised. One thing that’s clear, however, is that the Government still intends to price farm emissions from 2025.

B+LNZ has repeatedly said that, like farmers, we’d prefer there was no price on agricultural emissions and we won’t accept a bad deal. Given the Government’s intentions, we’ve been working to get the best outcome that we can.

Key issues are:

• On-farm sequestration should be fully recognised and fairly rewarded.

• If sheep and beef emissions are dropping in line with legislated targets why the need for charges?

• The current targets are not based on the latest science and should be reviewed using a warming approach and metrics such as GWP*.

• Driving down emissions in NZ only for the production to be picked up by a less efficient country (emissions leakage) doesn’t make sense.

• Emissions pricing when there are no solutions to reduce emissions doesn’t make sense – the key focus should be on developing solutions.

• Protecting the ongoing viability of our world-leading sheep and beef sector.

Our view is staying within He Waka Eke Noa is the best option for us for now to negotiate the best outcomes for our farmers. The Board does and will continue to review B+LNZ’s participation in He Waka Eke Noa and whether it will deliver the best results for sheep and beef farmers.

What’s happening with the methane targets?

B+LNZ continues to work with other sector groups such as DairyNZ and Federated Farmers ahead of the legislated review of targets in 2024. The Government recently committed to consider different ways to track warming impacts, such as GWP*, which is something we’ve been pushing for several years. We’ll look to build on this acknowledgement, and to continue to improve understanding domestically and internationally of the climate change impacts of livestock farming.

This issue, and carbon farming, are linked to our concerns about emissions pricing.

What about the wholesale conversion of sheep and beef farms into carbon farming?

We’re also working across the sector to call for the Government to put limits on forestry offsets available to fossil fuel emitters in the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) which is the main driver behind the problem. New Zealand remains an outlier in allowing 100 percent offsetting within its regulatory carbon market.

The Government has acknowledged the issue but we’re still waiting for them to act. This issue is a major focus of the Kiwis Backing Farmers campaign.

We’ve also sought to be involved in the Ministerial inquiry into land use causing woody debris, including forestry slash, and sedimentrelated damage in Tairāwhiti/Gisborne and Wairoa. Our position is that instead of incentivising the wholesale conversion of sheep and beef farmland into exotic pines, the Government should better recognise and incentivise on-farm planting, particularly natives, depending on what suits the land best, in addition to limiting forestry offsetting in the ETS.

What if I have more questions?

I’m always happy to talk. Please feel free to contact me direct on 021 828 170, or your local B+LNZ farmer director – their contact details are on our website.

By Farmers. For Farmers™

Letters of the week

Everyone’s responsibility

Geoff Prickett Kāpiti

ALAN Emerson appears out of his depth as he attempts to come up with a rational take on the destruction wrought by Cyclone Gabrielle. Unfortunately he is saddled with a history of denial – denial about the risks and denial of the responsibility of New Zealand and its farming industry.

The attack on Met reports and forecasting is no more than a diversion – find someone to blame. In fact there has never been a more closely studied, analysed and forecast storm in NZ’s history. Days before it arrived we were warned that it was shaping up to be powerful, dangerous and destructive.

Alan claims that “the information we are receiving on the effects of climate change are, at best, confusing”. There is information and there is confusion – they are two different things. If he had followed the science of climate change over the past 40 years he would not make such a claim. If he listens to the midnight opinions of those who spread denial and misinformation on the subject – too many of them in the farming industry – he may well become confused.

From the Editor

report outlining the future workforce requirements of the primary industries.

Horticulture, the report stated, would need almost 8000 more workers in 2025 than it did in 2012 – and they’d need more skills.

Every other sector of our food production industry faced similar, daunting targets if it was to realise its potential.

Bryan Gibson Managing editor

WITH New Zealand being a nation that makes a fair bit of its money through food production, you’d think learning about it at school would be a given.

But it’s not, and it took an innovative project from Kerry Allen at St Paul’s Collegiate in Hamilton to get a recognised agribusiness curriculum into secondary schools.

Later this month Agribusiness in Schools celebrates 10 years of teaching and can point to 100 schools that include the programme.

But it’s not done yet and Allen hopes to have another 20 schools signed up by the end of the year.

A few years ago, then agriculture minister Nathan Guy released a landmark

Yet many of our best and brightest aren’t ushered towards a life on the land by the education system that nurtures their talents.

They’re herded towards the usual highachieving lives of lawyers, doctors or accountants.

secondary school not only increases the chances of a learner choosing a farming life.

What it does is give that learner the option of applying the skills they will acquire – in law or medicine or information technology – to helping that food production system thrive.

And it goes further than the STEM subjects.

The big issues in food production rely on tackling challenges that have a moral, environmental and social core. Those challenges will only be overcome by those working in the humanities and social sciences.

Yet too many of those young people aren’t aware of the part they could play, and they won’t even give it a go.

We’ve got a long way to go to reach the ambitious goals of that report, but Guy is still working at it – he helped early in the programme’s life and will speak at the anniversary event.

The science has been abundant and clear on this issue since the 1970s and is now being backed up by the arrival of exponential change – that is, change which feeds on itself to accelerate the process.

According to Alan, “NZ could remove all cars and cows tomorrow and it would make no discernible difference to world GHG emissions”. For a start that is simply not true – but worse is that it assumes that a small community of 5 million needs accept no responsibility for the situation we are in. Does that apply to all such communities?

He likes to compare us with China. There are 1.4 billion people in China - that is 280 communities of 5 million; can the same apply to each one of them? In fact it matters what every one of us does – climate change is everyone’s responsibility. You either contribute to a solution or you contribute to the problem.

He claims to be an optimist, concluding that farming has changed continually since the 1800s and done so successfully. This completely misreads the situation.

For farming to flourish we’ll need those lawyers and accountants, of course, but will the graduates understand that contributing to our food production industry can be more rewarding and lucrative than writing wills or doing the sums for property developers?

The thing is, a taste of agribusiness at

We can all learn from Allen’s leadership and determination, and perhaps those who design our education systems should take a closer look.

It’s fantastic that this groundbreaking programme is being celebrated, but it’s also a little sad that it was needed in a country that depends so much on its land-based sectors.

All past change occurred in a situation of relative climatic certainty – bearing in mind that farming has forever contended with the vagaries of weather. Today, humanity faces a completely new world, an unprecedented situation, exponential climate change caused, not by natural evolution, but by human behaviour.

The latest buzzword is adaptation. Yes, we can rethink our towns, cities, infrastructure and farming industry to cope with change, but not forever. We won’t outrun exponential change and that is the situation we face.

Picking an apple off a STEM

Many of our best and brightest aren’t ushered towards a life on the land by the education system that nurtures their talents.

First the floods, now disease rears its head

WHEN Cyclone Gabrielle hit New Zealand in February, it left a trail of destruction across the North Island. At least 11 people died, and more than 10,000 were displaced. Bridges were washed out (35 in the Hastings district alone), roads closed and communications cut.

With potable water and wastewater systems damaged and land covered in silt, there is another consequence that may yet appear – diseases, or more specifically, zoonoses that spread between animals and people.

Floods and their aftermath are a time of higher risk for disease spread. While we do not have much data specific to NZ, due partly to the difficulty of diagnosing and reporting diseases during times of crisis, we can use information from overseas to predict which diseases may flare up after floods.

The first group of diseases for which we expect to see a rise in case numbers soon after floods is gastroenteritis caused by waterborne pathogens. GPs in Auckland are reporting an increase in cases since the Auckland anniversary weekend floods.

Many pathogens survive in the gastrointestinal tract of animals and are released in their faeces. Rain and floods facilitate their transmission by providing an environment through which they sometimes enter the food chain or water supply.

In 2016, Hawke’s Bay experienced a campylobacteriosis outbreak transmitted through the urban water supply that affected more than 6000 people. The outbreak occurred just after heavy rain, which likely caused water contaminated with sheep faeces to enter a bore.

Salmonellosis cases are also likely to rise during summer floods, aided by higher temperatures. The risk is particularly high as cases in dairy cattle have been steadily increasing during the past eight years.

About a week to a month after floods, rodentborn disease outbreaks can start to appear.

Local branches of Te Whatu Ora Health NZ in affected areas have been proactive in communicating these risks and prevention measures, including the importance of wearing protective gear during the cleanup.

About a week to a month after floods, rodent-born disease outbreaks can start to appear.

Floods disturb the habitat of rodents, including rats, and they can be attracted to food waste around people’s homes. This was regularly observed after floods in Queensland last year and in Auckland earlier this year.

In NZ, our main concern is the bacterial disease leptospirosis. Brown rats carry one of the variants, livestock several others, and, once the bacteria are shed in the animals’ urine, they can survive in water and

soil for several days. This ability to survive in flood water means the risk of infection is increased for all variants, including those traditionally associated with ruminants and pigs.

Auckland has reported an increase in leptospirosis cases in February, likely linked with the floods at the end of January. Hawke’s Bay was already a known leptospirosis hotspot that could worsen.

The clinical signs of leptospirosis can vary a lot and it is important people seek medical attention when they feel unwell as it can be treated with antibiotics. People can get infected through contact with urine or a contaminated environment, via the mouth or nose or uncovered skin cuts.

Leptospirosis outbreaks in dogs can also happen. While they are rarely a source of infection for people in NZ, dogs can act as sentinels. The NZ Veterinary Association provides advice to owners of companion animals.

NZ is likely (at least for now) safe from the final group of diseases emerging after floods: vector-borne diseases.

We don’t have the diseasecarrying insects or viruses known to cause outbreaks, but our Fijian neighbours and many other countries often report dengue outbreaks after floods.

Climate change is making it easier for both the insect carriers and viruses to establish in NZ, so we should not ignore this as a potential future threat.

Vaccination, early detection and treatment of livestock, which act as a reservoir for many of the pathogens above, are effective

ways of protecting humans.

Cattle can be vaccinated against three variants of bacteria causing leptospirosis and four types of salmonella. But vaccination does not cover all the strains and is more difficult in the current situation when fencing has been destroyed and some communities can only access veterinary medicine by helicopter.

The use of personal protective equipment and good hand hygiene for any outdoor activity that involves contact with animals or flood water and soil is the best way to prevent diseases. Rodent control, including rapid disposal of food waste, is also more important than ever.

It is important people seek medical care rapidly, both for themselves and their animals when they are unwell. This is how they can access appropriate treatment, but also how surveillance can happen, so NZ starts learning its own lessons on health risks associated with floods.

Our cities, population structures, farming systems and wildlife species are different from overseas, so having local data is crucial.

This will help during the next heavy rain and floods – and there is no doubt there will be many more.

• This article first appeared in The Conversation.

Emilie Vallee, Barry Borman, Deborah Read, Masako Wada Massey University researchers in epidemiology

SEEK HELP: It is important people seek medical care rapidly, both for themselves and their animals. As well as getting appropriate treatment, this helps with surveillance as NZ ‘starts learning its own lessons on health risks associated with floods’, researchers say.

NZTA on road to nowhere with speed mania

Alternative view

have been far better spent on fixing potholes.

We now have the NZTA swanning around the country reducing speed limits arrogantly and at whim.

That tells me the agency wants to be seen doing something while not actually achieving anything.

Hopefully last week’s announcement by the prime minister will put a halt to its stupidity.

In the Wairarapa we are suffering the Jackboot of NZTA with an arrogance I haven’t seen since Muldoon.

They are erecting a central barrier south of Masterton and taking away the passing lane.

IT’S BEEN a bitch of a summer on the Wairarapa east coast. We’ve had major problems with slips, flooding and road closures. The local council has done a good job of clearing slips and getting access but the roads are a mess and need fixing.

Roads need to be fixed, yet the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), or Waka Kotahi as it likes to be called, is buzzing around reducing speed limits without rhyme or reason.

It gets even less relevant. The NZTA launched a campaign, Road to Zero, where it wants to eliminate road deaths by 2050.

We’re talking 27 years away, and there will be no one around then to be held accountable for its inevitable failure.

Nicole Rosie won’t be CEO of the NZTA, Paul Reynolds won’t be chair and Michael Wood won’t be transport minister.

In addition, government officials advised Minister Wood that the result was “unachievable”. The media had to use the Official Information Act (OIA) to find that out.

What we also found out was that the agency has wasted a scandalous $62 million on promotional campaigns to support Road to Zero. That money would

Local experts pointed out that the passing lane is important because of the amount of slow agricultural machinery using the road. The closeted, cloistered clerks of the NZTA ignored the advice.

The road between Featherston and Greytown is 11km long. It is a straight road with one bend in it. The NZTA decided to reduce the speed limit to 80kmph.

Respected solicitor Michael Bott said the NZTA is “an opaque bureaucracy that uses consultation in a way that would make 1984 author George Orwell rub his eyes”.

Bott did the sum of the number of trips verses the number of crashes, which shows .002% of trips result in a crash for whatever reason. Unbelievably, that .002% encouraged the NZTA to reduce speed limits.

The local Wairarapa Times Age has done excellent work questioning the NZTA and its figures. That it had to rely on the OIA is an indictment. It found out that in 22 years speed was a factor in just one fatal crash between Masterton and Featherston.

It then learnt, again as a result on OIA inquiry, that the speed limit between Greytown and Featherston was lowered not for any road safety reasons but for “consistency”. The NZTA obviously rates consistency ahead of common sense.

One obvious way of improving road safety would be to improve roads but NZTA doesn’t seem remotely interested. The pothole problem has reached crisis point, not that it would know or care.

The OIA response also showed that the NZTA took as much notice of local submissions on road safety as an elephant would a flea. It also ignored a traffic planners’ suggestion about the safety of cyclists and a school principal on the safety around her school. We get emotive and bureaucratic with animal welfare issues, yet the additional stress on animals caused by slower trucks seems irrelevant.

There are two major issues in my view. The first is a question of

revenue. In the past month we’ve heard that the NZTA is going to purchase more speed cameras. We were also told the police will be reviewing their tolerance on speed limits.

That tells me that if you lower speed limits, remove any tolerance and pursue excess speed with missionary zeal, you’ll increase the governments’ revenue stream. The road toll becomes irrelevant.

The second is that we have a bloated, totally useless and arrogant bureaucracy in Wellington that is out of control.

It can’t get roads built on time and according to specification, it makes decisions that are crazy, like tar seal quality and depth, it knocks off when it feels like it as it did with the Northland cyclone.

One obvious way of improving road safety would be to improve roads, but the NZTA doesn’t seem remotely interested.

The pothole problem has

reached crisis point, not that it would know or care.

It gets worse. Our local MP, Kieran McAnulty, didn’t want the speed limit reduced between Greytown and Featherston. He received a two-fingered salute from the mandarins at the NZTA. “Consistency” is obviously more important at NZTA Towers than listening to local representatives.

If Transport Minister Wood wants me to take him remotely seriously, he’ll call in the hierarchy of the NZTA, kick butt, take names and insist they listen to locals.

I’m pleased the prime minister has stepped in as he did last week. He needed to. If the NZTA takes him seriously it’ll reverse its stupidity over rural roads including that between Greytown and Featherston.

The harsh reality is that NZTA must be made accountable to the public and not the other way around.

We’re waking up to inflation’s awful sway

Straight talking

LAST month I commented about a scribe who wrote in the NZ Herald that the cost of living will not be the biggest election issue.

Inflation is easing, the article said. I wrote that the author should talk to any business or farmer.

We now have some results, bearing in mind that the year ahead still has many months to go.

Farm inflation is still running around 15%, roughly double the rate of general inflation, according to the farm expenses price index. Key contributors include fertiliser (+28%), fuel (+33%), and interest rates (+45%). Dairy farm inflation is running at 17%.

The headline inflation rate is 7.2%. Even if it eases from 7% to 5% over 2023 as the Reserve Bank

is projecting, 5% inflation is still well above the target, or where the Reserve Bank is supposed to have it, which is 1-3%.

The Ipsos Issues Monitor shows the mood of the nation, and just released the latest results. Hardly surprising that inflation/the cost of living remains the top concern for New Zealanders.

That sets the agenda for the 2023 election.

A staggering 65% of respondents consider inflation a top-three issue, up from 58% in September 2022. Inflation is not just the top issue, it is the top issue by a country mile. Housing is next at 33%.

You need to be over the age of 50 to have seen the destructive impact of a decent bout of inflation. Society is waking up to

inflation’s awful sway.

The cost-of-living crisis will therefore continue to dominate the political agenda. Expect the political parties to offer solutions.

There will be temptation to put more money into people’s pockets via tax cuts, or to push up wages to match.

That just drives a hamster-ona-wheel situation, where more costs lift inflation and inflation compensation lifts costs and prices, and the spiral is in motion. More government money into pockets adds to spending and inflation.

Getting rid of inflation is cruel. You need to make tough decisions and tighten the belt.

The temptation to do something with tax will be huge in 2023. Targeted support might be

appropriate, but recent weather events have highlighted failings in our infrastructure, and we face a major re-investment bill. Keeping tax rates unchanged, and not going up, might be the benchmark for success. There are murmurings of a levy to pay for cyclone damage.

Borrowing will need to rise. Core government net debt is around 22% of gross domestic product or 42% under the old definition, which excludes the assets of the Super fund. We have some balance sheet capability, but tough choices are ahead.

Cyclone Gabrielle will not be cheap. It has highlighted structural deficiencies across infrastructure. We cannot eliminate the

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

ROAD CLOSED: The NZ Transport Agency has wasted $62 million promoting its Road to Zero campaign, says Alan Emerson, money that would have been better spent improving the quality of roads.

Cameron Bagrie

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

Time for this old dog to learn a new trick

From the ridge

Now we have had two nasty autumn droughts in a row followed by the wettest winter I can recall and the highest annual rainfall, which then ran into two cyclones.

Not to mention the amount of regulatory change.

I love farming on my own as there are no labour issues but, as many of you know, being an owner operator makes it hard to get away from the business so it’s usually easier to stay around.

I think I’ve gone past peak challenge. I want an easier life!

We have three sons, with Matt the youngest, who gets married this week, working in Auckland as a camera operator.

farming successors so have sold their farms, which obviously frees up the family capital allowing a comfortable retirement and the opportunity to disperse capital to the kids earlier.

Like many of you, we have been to several succession workshops and seminars and have had a plan for 30 years which has evolved as circumstances have changed.

It seems the best succession plan is to have just the one child. Hardest is if you have a few and they all want to farm.

We don’t have that problem, but one of the current mantras is that “you can be fair, but you can’t be even”.

EVERY dog has its day. This dog’s day has finally come as I contemplate the end of my 40-year full-time farming career.

It has been brought on by an ageing and failing body with a long put-up with lower back injury that gives a bit of sciatica, a crook shoulder from my broken collar bone when I fell off the twowheeler last year and a couple of arthritic hips. Plenty of people worse, I know, but with more stoicism than me.

Maybe only 64, but the novelty of feeling sore most working days has worn off.

And these have been a tough few years as well.

I began farming in the mid1980s, when returns were terrible, interest rates were high and there were droughts, but I was in my twenties and had an opportunity and this was a great challenge of economic survival.

Continued from previous page

challenges around climate change but need to manage the risks a lot better.

That requires a reinvestment programme, not just a rebuild programme.

More government spending –which will be needed – will make the Reserve Bank’s job more difficult.

Hugh, the middle one, works in Amsterdam as an asset manager with a start-up company that is setting up truck electric charging stations across Europe.

And Jason, the eldest, is in a farming equity partnership that finishes at the end of May as the farm the partnership leases has sold.

We have been to several succession seminars and have had a plan for 30 years which has evolved as circumstances have changed. It seems the best succession plan is to have just the one child.

I didn’t put any pressure on him to come back to this modest business as he could move on to greater things, but he has elected to come back here.

Some of my mates don’t have

18% putting it as a top-three issue. So New Zealanders are expressing real concern about the climate, though sentiment towards it is still dwarfed by inflation worries.

Of real concern is the steady rise in people’s concern over crime/ law and order. It is now second, equal with housing, and above healthcare. One in three New Zealanders now rate crime/law and order as a top-three concern.

Political polls have suggested the election will be close.

The Ipsos Issues Monitor gives an indirect read on polling. It asks which party is most capable of handling key issues.

We haven’t followed that advice as our fervent wish, which outweighs keeping a family farming business intact, is that our three sons remain good mates as I have with my siblings, and our son’s kids become close cousins as they are with their own cousins. Naturally this doesn’t make it easy for the incoming farming son but we have a plan, which I might discuss in another column.

Jason and Rosa have our first grandchild, Fern, and we feel this home where my siblings and me grew up and where Jane and I nurtured our own children is a good place for her to grow up as well.

So, we have bought a house about 10 minutes away and will use the capital they bring as they buy into this business to pay for that.

The other change resulting from this life change or semi-retirement is that I’ll finish writing this column at the end of June.

I took over the old NZ Farmer

column spot in 1995 from Geoff Prickett, who had written for seven years when he himself retired from farming at Mōrere.

He had taken it on from the celebrated Roland Clark, or Norwester as he was known by his

pen name when he retired. Thus, I see it as bringing the view of a full-time farmer, and after 28 years of filing a weekly thought, it’s time for a younger perspective on our industry and the world around us.

The Ipsos Issues Monitor delivers a reality check on other levels. The survey was taken amid one of the biggest natural disasters we have ever seen.

That likely contributed to climate change moving into fourth equal spot with healthcare. Twenty-seven percent of people put both as a top-three issue.

Climate change rose from 21% to 27%.

The environment is the sixth biggest concern in Australia, with

The government has made ground, and the National Party has lost it.

National remains the party viewed as best placed to handle inflation, crime/law and order and the economy, of the top six issues.

But the margin or perception of their ability to handle inflation has gone from a gap of +14 to +3. Late last year they were assessed as best to handle housing. Labour has regained that top spot. On crime/law and order, a +11 gap has closed to +5. The government

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

TRASHED: The bill for Cyclone Gabrielle, which has highlighted structural deficiencies across infrastructure, will not be small says Cameron Bagrie.

has widened the gap on who is assessed best to handle healthcare. There is a lot of criticism about

what is wrong, but not a lot coming out of opposition parties about how to fix it.

At some stage, you need substance, policy and ideas. People are looking for it.

Getting rid of inflation is cruel. You need to make tough decisions and tighten the belt.

AWAY: Ditch the dog is retiring his Christmas column out of respect for Steve Wyn-Harris’s decision to quit the column keyboard as everyone’s favourite Kiwi farmer also bids full-time farming goodbye.

Signing up for 24,000ha of industry innovation

Rural investment and management company Craigmore Sustainables recently appointed Reuben Casey chief operating officer after his 12 years in leadership roles for the retailer Kathmandu. He told Hugh Stringleman how Craigmore aligns with his values.

CRAIGMORE Sustainables

is now the largest diversified rural investment and property management company in New Zealand, managing more than 24,000ha across 54 dairy, grazing, forestry and horticultural properties.

It has over $1 billion of capital under management from international and NZ farming family investors and equity partners, and employs more than 250 people.

During 2022, new capital of over $250 million was placed into the Permanent Crop Partnership, the Forestry Partnership, the Totara Forestry Partnership and the Craigmore Farming Partnership.

Craigmore was founded 15 years ago by Forbes Elworthy, of the well-known South Canterbury farming family, who divides his time between the United Kingdom and NZ.

He also founded Map of Agriculture, a global data platform company operating in the UK and NZ.

Craigmore has three operating divisions in the primary sector –horticulture with a capital value of approximately $400 million, farming $400m and forestry $200m.

The main activities are 22 dairy farms in the South Island, apples, grapes and forestry on the east coast of the North Island, kiwifruit in Bay of Plenty, and kiwifruit, avocados and forestry in Northland.

In January Craigmore announced the appointment of Reuben Casey

as chief operating officer and Con Williams as general manager of horticulture.

Casey says Craigmore has a focus on sustainability, innovation and trying to lead the industries and create a halo effect.

The company’s values align with his, especially in creating a holistic impact for the shareholders, employees and the communities in which it operates.

“These industries – farming, horticulture and forestry – have been the backbone of New Zealand’s economy for such a long time,” Casey says.

“We have this amazing competitive advantage in being able to grow things better than other parts of the world.”

Craigmore has chosen to concentrate its productive facilities in the regions of the country best suited to these activities – horticulture in Northland, Bay of Plenty and Hawke’s Bay, forestry in Tairāwhiti and dairying in eastern districts of the South Island.

Outside of those regions it has hop-growing interests in Nelson province and minority shareholdings, without management responsibility, in A2 milk specialist Argyll Farms and in the larger Southland-based Fortuna Group, with 15 dairy farms.

Casey’s role as chief operating officer includes the three divisions of farming, horticulture and forestry and the support functions, like IT and human resources.

The similarities to his previous role at Kathmandu include widely dispersed teams of people who

have to be valued and empowered with strong systems.

Craigmore’s chief executive officer, Che Charteris, looks after finance, investments, acquisitions, and capital and has led the company locally since 2010.

In the company’s 2022 Impact and Sustainability Report, Charteris said that investing in natural assets and revitalising rural communities is crucial to improving social equity, reversing biodiversity loss and addressing climate change.

The company’s aim is a longterm land management business of people and partners in responsible land use change going well beyond just buying a few farms.

Craigmore Farming Partnership had one Hawke’s Bay apple orchard leased to Mr Apple completely inundated by floodwaters during Cyclone Gabrielle and it is being assessed for tree damage.

Kauri Forestry is one dedicated forestry partnership, managed in partnership with GlenSilva GmbH, and capital is being raised for another. The focus is on harvesting for the construction sector rather than carbon farming.

Forestry blocks have extra-wide riparian planting of significant waterways in natives to minimise the impact of slash, and harvesting has been delayed on some properties where it was felt the overall catchment was already exposed due to other harvesting activity.

Craigmore has also committed to developing a proof-of-concept net-zero dairy farm by 2035 with minimal off-farm offsetting, within its overall greenhouse

gas emissions reduction work programme.

Casey says the company’s target is to reduce GHG emissions 50% by 2030 when compared with when Craigmore took over management responsibility.

“With the support of others, we are trying to be innovative and responsible and show industries what can be done.”

The 2022 Impact and Sustainability Report summarised Craigmore’s changes in land use that have resulted in GHG reductions.

Prior to Craigmore purchase, the farms portfolio ran 240,000 livestock units and that has now been reduced to 189,000.

The orchards had 300,000 trees and vines and that count is now four times larger at 1.2 million. The original 1.5 million timber trees have increased to 9.2 million.

“Based on net cradle-to-gate estimates, Craigmore investment can be estimated to reduce the annual emissions of the previous land use by 100,000t of CO2e, as farms have been transformed into forests and orchards.”

Wiroa orchard near Kerikeri airport in Northland was a 137ha dairy farm purchased in 2019 for conversion to kiwifruit.

When fully converted it will have

12ha of red, 70ha of gold, 4.4ha of bush remnant where kiwi live and 17ha of native plantings on slopes and gullies unsuitable for orchards.

On that orchard Craigmore has an agreement with Zespri to trial replacements for Hi-Cane dormancy breaker.

Most of the new products are fertiliser-based instead of sprays and are likely to have fewer ecological side-effects. When fully developed and certified, about 25% of Craigmore’s kiwifruit will be organically managed.

Newly appointed horticulture general manager Con Williams, formerly from MyFarm and ANZ Bank, said the opportunity to work at large commercial scale on innovative projects attracted him to the new role.

“My observation so far is of highpowered people in specialised roles, particularly at the large Springhill site now developed in Central Hawke’s Bay, where I was from,” Williams says.

“It is one of the biggest singlesite horticultural developments in NZ at 480ha, and at maturity will produce 12,000t of apples and over 2000t of grapes annually.

“Craigmore has a mission and purpose that is inspiring.”

ADVANTAGE: Craigmore Sustainables chief operating officer Reuben Casey appreciates New Zealand’s ‘amazing competitive advantage in being able to grow things better than other parts of the world’.

Looking beyond the banks to fund change

Improving profitability or even just complying with regs can mean big capital outlay – and half the battle can be finding the financing. Delwyn Dickey talks to consultants who are looking into farmers’ options when banks won’t or can’t step up.

THERE are some big challenges facing farming at the moment.

Stricter intensive winter grazing regulations came into effect last year, and there are other environmental regulations on the horizon.

More farmers are looking at upgrading systems as well as spreading business risk by diversifying into other ventures like horticulture – but how to foot the bill?

Composting shelters, for example, are being incorporated into dairy farming systems around New Zealand, with over 30 structures now up and running – eliminating winter cropping, reducing nitrogen leaching, and helping cows produce more milk for longer.

with funding from Our Land and Water.

Carla Muller, principal consultant with Perrin AgConsultants, and Dr Parehau Richards, senior consultant with accounting and management consultants Glen Hawkins and Associates (GHA), have been running workshops with various groups to find how they are raising finances – mostly away from the usual lending institutions.

The hope is the results will help point farmers, and others on the land, in the right direction to raise alternative finances for change, while also giving planners with regional councils and central government a better understanding of how the ability to raise finances may help or hinder the implementation of regulations.

“If the farm change is as profitable or more profitable, the banks are likely to give you funding,” Muller says.

“But that may be harder for landowners who can’t access traditional finance, particularly for Māori land with owners who typically can’t access bank funding.”

These include crowd-funding groups such as Project Crimson, which give small grants to landowners as well as larger projects. Forming collectives and pooling capital for projects is another option.

Carla

Perrin AgConsultants

Research through the Rural Professional Fund with Our Land and Water last year showed the structural investments stacked up as being profitable on a Waikato Māori-owned case study farm, with a return of about 7%.

But construction costs range from $1.6 million to $2.6m and are likely to be a stumbling block for some.

If going cap-in-hand for a loan to the bank isn’t successful, how do farmers raise the capital needed to make changes with environmental benefits?

This is the challenge behind research currently underway, also

When it comes to partial land use change into the likes of horticulture or forestry, there may also be a period of several years with no income until trees mature or start bearing commercial quantities of fruit.

Should the new venture also bring in less revenue than the previous land use, this will also make it harder for financial institutions to get enthusiastic about lending.

And if farmers are planning on retiring land completely and turning it back into the conservation estate, that’s a tough ask.

The project has uncovered some interesting financing models, which the team is now evaluating.

Then there’s blended finance with government and industry partnerships, or government and impact investment partnerships.

But looking outside of banks for funding can also have its pitfalls.

“One of the barriers to accessing non-bank finance is you lose control of your land when you bring in an equity partner, as they will want a bit of control – a bit of say – as well,” Muller says.

“We need to look at a safe way to do that for farmers, as well as investors, which might open up that space a bit more.”

The novel financing project, which got underway last October, wraps up mid-year with results, including financing from a whenua Māori landowner perspective, being released toward the end of the year.

GIMME SHELTER: The returns stack up with composting shelters, but construction costs as high as $2.6 million are likely to be a stumbling block for some.

OWNERSHIP: One of the barriers to accessing non-bank finance is you lose control of your land when you bring in an equity partner, Carla Muller says.

If the farm change is as profitable or more profitable, the banks are likely to give you funding. But that may be harder for landowners who can’t access traditional finance, particularly for Māori land.

Muller

Pohangina 2614 Ridge Road

Whakonui - established breeding & finishing farm

Located in Manawatu 13 kilometres East of Kimbolton are 734 hectares of easy medium to steep hill country with breeding and finishing capabilities. Farming policy is based on terminal sires over the entire ewe flock, purchasing store lambs, weaner steers and running a South Devon Beef Herd. Stock facilities include satellite yards, 6 stand woolshed with covered yards and additional 3 stand woolshed. The family home is set amongst established trees with five bedrooms and views out to the ranges. With three kilometres of road frontage and a network of well-formed tracks access is of a high standard and well-maintained. Fertiliser and fencing have remained a priority with regular applications and maintenance programs in place to ensure stock performance is maintained. Whakonui is a productive hill country farm with both breeding and finishing capabilities. bayleys.co.nz/3100481

734.4919ha

Tender (unless sold prior)

Closing 1pm, Thu 27 Apr 2023

49 Manchester Street, Feilding

Phone for viewing times

Mark Monckton 021 724 833 mark.monckton@bayleys.co.nz

Waipukurau 666 Hinerangi Road

Pukeawa

Currently run in conjunction with a larger farming enterprise but comes to the market as a well developed 354.25ha stand alone sheep and beef opportunity. The farming policy on Pukeawa is breeding ewes and bull beef fattening. The contour ranges from approximately 70ha of easy hill to a balance of medium hill to a portion of steeper country. Annual fertilizer applications applied along with well-maintained conventional fencing with 40 paddocks including a 30ha deer unit. Excellent water from a spring along with a back up supply from the Maharakeke stream. Infrastructure includes four bedroom home, four stand woolshed and covered yards, four bay implement shed, cattle yards and sheep yards. 21.5km to Waipukurau. bayleys.co.nz/2870958

bayleys.co.nz

354.2519ha

Tender (will not be sold prior)

Closing 12.30pm, Wed 26 Apr 2023

26 Takapau Road, Waipukurau

View by appointment

Andy Hunter 027 449 5827 andy.hunter@bayleys.co.nz

Andy Lee 027 354 8608 andy.lee@bayleys.co.nz

Bideford 1452 Te Ore Ore-Bideford Road

Te Roto Station - scale, contour, location

This exceptional property has a superb balance of alluvial river flats, rolling hill country and picturesque scenery. With the capacity to winter over 7000 stock units and a high-finishing component, Te Roto is a profitable and sustainable enterprise. The property is very well subdivided with excellent access and lanes, making stock movements easy and efficient. Te Roto boasts a full range of farm improvements, the five sets of satellite sheep yards and near new cattle yards make processing and handling stock stress-free. The modern four-bedroom homestead is set on attractive, established grounds and the property also features a tidy three-bedroom cottage. Te Roto is a top-class, well-developed property that presents scale, balance of contour and a location not often matched in the Wairarapa Sheep and Beef farm market. bayleys.co.nz/3151146

922.4086ha

Tender (unless sold prior)

Closing 4pm, Tue 25 Apr 2023

186 Chapel Street, Masterton

View by appointment

Simon Clinton-Baker 021 953 909 simon.clinton-baker@bayleys.co.nz

Andrew Smith 027 760 8208

Lindsay Watts 027 246 2542

Palmerston North 574, 612 and 670 Napier Road

Superb market gardening land of 68.05ha

• A beautiful large scale offering of highly fertile land

• Extensive irrigation and infrastructure throughout the property

• Immaculate growing fields with well-designed accessways

• Three houses and a multitude of sheds and storage

• Comprises of six (6) titles

Perfectly located five minutes' drive from Palmerston North, this property present scale and quality for those seeking beautiful soils and first class infrastructure in a temperate climate. The large-scale turf-growing business (Turflands) is currently operating from the property. bayleys.co.nz/3052450

68.0485ha

Tender (will not be sold prior)

Closing 4pm, Fri 21 Apr 2023

243 Broadway Avenue, Palmerston North View by appointment

Dion Fleming 027 450 2711 dion.fleming@bayleys.co.nz

Karl Cameron 021 428 092 karl.cameron@bayleys.co.nz

bayleys.co.nz

Canterbury 589 Coutts Island Road, Coutts Island

Superb city-fringe farming opportunity

The best of both world’s is truly possible with this highly productive farming property located so close to the city. 198.2447 hectares (more or less) the property is currently grazing cattle, both beef and dairy support, along with winter grazing. Excellent quality infrastructure is in place for future success with good quality cattle yards and crush, three large sheds, and three-wire electric fencing. The ample low-cost irrigation water supply from two underground bores is a standout feature at this property. Stock water is reticulated from a storage tank via a surface pump to stock troughs. Comprehensive irrigation covers the property via pivot and solid set. The property is currently being consented to give the ability to intensively winter graze on 32 hectares. Offering options to live on-farm or accommodate staff, a character cottage with sunny open-plan living spaces. bayleys.co.nz/5520478

198.2447ha

Deadline Sale (unless sold prior)

12pm, Thu 6 Apr 2023

3 Deans Avenue, Chch

View by appointment

Ben Turner 027 530 1400 ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz

Craig Blackburn 027 489 7225 craig.blackburn@bayleys.co.nz

Glentunnel 10 Riversleigh Road

Welcome to ‘Kinsale’

Scale in this location is an absolute rarity, especially when it comes with a great balance of soils and contour, giving versatility for both winter and summer grazing. This 398.7571-hectare property is exceptionally well maintained, making it a perfect investment opportunity for anyone looking to diversify their agricultural portfolio. Exceptionally well presented, ‘Kinsale’ has consistently seen upgrades and improvements over the whole property, resulting in a high standard of fencing, laneways and supporting infrastructure, with all paddocks having been re-grassed in the last 5 years. Historically, the property has been run as an intensive bull beef operation, along with grazing dairy cattle, finishing sheep and prime cattle, this property is well suited to growing both grain and winter feed crops. The property boasts a four-bedroom dwelling. bayleys.co.nz/5520630

bayleys.co.nz

398.7571ha

Deadline Sale (unless sold prior)

12pm, Fri 14 Apr 2023

3 Deans Avenue, Chch

View by appointment

Ben Turner 027 530 1400

ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz

Craig Blackburn 027 489 7225

craig.blackburn@bayleys.co.nz

NEW LISTING

NEW LISTING

Matakohe 150 Ovens Road

Attractive, productive dairy farm

This picturesque 256.08 hectare (more or less) dairy farm is in 8 titles, has been solidly farmed for the past 50 years, and is a great opportunity to be purchased as an inter-generational family farm or investor. The farm has produced a three-year average 146,168kgMS from 500 cows, with the best production achieved in the 2022 season being 157,239kgMS. The contour is flat to gentle rolling with a well formed central race system, providing easy access to the 100 paddocks. Pasture is a mixture of predominantly rye/clover with kikuyu. Farm infrastructure includes a very tidy 30 ASHB cowshed, four bay implement shed, calf rearing sheds, haybarns and solid cattle yards. bayleys.co.nz/1060333

North Loburn

256.08ha

Auction (unless sold prior)

12pm, Wed 5 Apr 2023

84 Walton Street, Whangarei

View by appointment

Catherine Stewart 027 356 5031 catherine.stewart@bayleys.co.nz

MACKYS REAL ESTATE LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

Profitable rural living

Currently run as a dryland dairy, the property is subdivided into 29 paddocks, each accessible through laneways for operational efficiency. The farm is equipped with modern infrastructure and well-maintained equipment, providing the perfect steppingstone to farm ownership close to Christchurch. There are two 4-hectare (more or less) run-off blocks nearby, which are also available to purchase. The main four-bedroom dwelling offers the ultimate in comfort and luxury, with an attached double garage, the home features an open-plan kitchen and dining area, along with two spacious sitting rooms. An additional three-bedroom cottage with a double garage offers comfortable and private living, perfect for accommodating staff or guests. bayleys.co.nz/

(unless sold prior)

12pm, Tue 18 Apr 2023

3 Deans Avenue, Chch

Phone for viewing times 027 530 1400 ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz

021 754 737 peter.foley@bayleys.co.nz

WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

DEADLINE SALE OPEN DAY

Beef Finishing Dairy Support Lifestyle

Open Day: Tuesday, 21 March 1.30pm 3.00pm

A delightful smaller, versatile property featuring excellent presentation, situated in a quiet, private, no exit road location, approx. 10 kms from Dinsdale, the western suburb of Hamilton City.

• 103(B) Jury Road, Koromatua, R D 10, Hamilton

• 14.4576 hectares

• lovely flat to gentle rolling contour enhanced by pristine presentation

• subdivided with a mix of very good fencing complimented by all gates swinging

• water currently supplied from vendor ’s adjoining property

• currently utilised for grazing dairy heifers; ideal also for beef finishing / growing maize

Ph Brian Peacocke 021 373 113

• first class cattle yards; concrete base in main working area; very good loading facilities

• fully enclosed shedding plus a lockable storage building

• aesthetically pleasing with deciduous shade trees scattered throughout

• no dwelling excellent north facing options with panoramic views for a new residence

• a great range of primary and secondary schooling options, some within close proximity

• a dream opportunity for farmers or for those seeking a special lifestyle environment

TradeMe search # R1421

021 373 113

Sale by Deadline: Thurs, 20 April 2023 4.00pm

Maungaturoto 506 Batley Road Auction

Batley Peninsula

400 ha freehold - subject to survey - and 200 ha lease available by negotiation. Located on the Batley Peninsula in the Kaipara Harbour, within 17.5 km of Maungaturoto and only 50 minutes to Whangarei and Auckland one and a half hours away.

A once in a century opportunity to buy this one of a kind fattening unit on a peninsular of its own in the Kaipara Harbour. 7 km of coastal boundary with a number of its own private beaches. Extensive re-fencing has taken place during the past five years. Consisting of nine wire. Most have been battened, some still to be done. Still a small amount of two wire electric. 68 main paddocks, two holding paddocks. Two houses are on farm and the historic Batley House is available by negotiation.

Auction 12.00pm, Thu 20th Apr, 2023, (unless sold prior), Property Brokers, 180 Bank Street, Whangarei View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/WHR114588

Mike Colthurst

M 021 741 414 E mike.colthurst@pb.co.nz

Eager for Action!

77 ha (more or less) dairy unit located minutes from the Waihi township. The farm milking 170 cows has a four year average production of 74,428 kgMS with approx. 198 T of feed dispensed through the in shed feeding system and 170 silage bales made on farm. Contour of the property varies from gentle rolling to rolling with some steeper sidling of which 2.6 ha has been retired and planted in native bush. The farm is presented in good heart with excellent pasture growth rates which is driven by the reliable rainfall and a solid fertiliser application program. This is a great little farm with a good location and presents a real value proposition.

Auction

Auction 1.00pm, Wed 29th Mar, 2023, (unless sold prior), Property Brokers, 78 Studholme Street, Morrinsville

View Wed 22 Mar 11.00 - 12.00pm Web pb.co.nz/MAR116964

Ian Morgan M 027 492 5878

Chelly Aitchison

M 022 697 8779

5.04 ha Chicken (Broiler) farm at Lepperton

For sale is this large and very well presented and maintained poultry production farm which is contracted to Tegel. Ideally located in the desirable Lepperton district in North Taranaki, the property comprises of eight modernised sheds of varying sizes with a combined total net shed area of 11,290m2. 5.5 - 6 runs annually with 190,000 birds per run. Substantial investment into fully upgrading and automation to ensure sheds are at the highest standard for their ages. Other improvements include natural energy (solar) and water storage facilities. All supporting plant and equipment is included. Approximately 1.5 ha of grazing land subdivided into five grazing paddocks.

3 2 2

For Sale By Negotiation + GST (if any)

View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/NPR116097 Greg O'Byrne M 027 598 3000

Waihi 729 Waihi Whangamata Road

Lepperton 687 Manutahi Road

Galatea 3931 Galatea Road

Open Day

Large scale dairy farm and quarry

Dairy units of this size are rarely offered for sale in this locality. After 87 years of family ownership our vendors have decided to offer this special property for sale. Approximately 347 ha (more or less) is being offered for sale encompassing 6 titles. Up until this last season the farm has been milking 850-900 cows for a three year production average of 317,600 kgMS (19/20 - 21/22 seasons) This season has seen a change in farm practice where cow numbers have dropped to 450 and 100 ha of maize is being grown on the property. Approximately 280 ha of the property is flat to gently rolling contour with the balance being made up of moderate hill country. 114 ha of the property is currently irrigated via two central pivot units. Application has been lodged to bring a further 26 ha in under a third pivot. The farm dairy is a 50 bail turnstyle rotary complete with in-shed feed system and there is an array of other farm buildings including a 300 T feed bunker.

Mataroa 163 Rongoiti Road

Open Day

16 2 6

Tender closes 12.00pm, Thu 20th Apr, 2023 (unless sold prior), 38 Landing Road, Whakatane

View Wed 22 Mar 10.30 - 12.00pm

Wed 29 Mar 10.30 - 12.00pm

Web pb.co.nz/WTR117036

Phillip Berry

M 027 478 8892 E phillip.berry@pb.co.nz

Peter Lissington

M 027 430 8770 E peterl@pb.co.nz

Iconic Glencrest Farm

Located 10 km from heartland Taihape, in the renown Mataroa District. Glencrest is 313 ha of fertile rolling pasture with some medium hill country. Located within the local rain belt, the property is predominantly summer safe. Not often does a farm of this calibre come to the market. Land use ranges from drystock, breeding and finishing all the way through to dairy support. Well subdivided into 55 main paddocks with a central lane providing easy stock movement. Well watered from a natural reservoir and natural springs. A four stand woolshed and yards complement the property, as does the renovated five bedroom home set in mature grounds. This property boasts location and contour and has not been for sale in generations. The Mataroa settlement on the farm boundary has the local primary school with a bus service to other schools in Taihape. A strong rural community. 90 km to Lake Taupo and the same to Feilding further demonstrates the locality. Side by side or bike required for viewing.

5 1+

Auction 1.00pm, Tue 4th Apr, 2023, 163 Rongoiti Road, Mataroa.

View Thu 23 Mar 11.00 - 12.00pm Thu 30 Mar 11.00 - 12.00pm Web pb.co.nz/TPR117465

Greg Kellick

M 027 619 3051 E greg.kellick@pb.co.nz

Ted Shannon

M 021 833 536 E ted.shannon@pb.co.nz

Pahiatua 1068 Hinemoa Valley Road

Tender

Bullock Hills - 728 ha

Located only 17 km from Pahiatua and under 45 minutes drive to Palmerston North, this large scale sheep and beef breeding property is sure to appeal.

The medium hill country is extensively subdivided into 40 plus paddocks with excellent tracking providing access and ease of stock movement. Consistent fertiliser history and development has resulted in 4,000 ewes and 200 cows of renowned quality wintered on the property.

Key infrastructure includes a four stand woolshed and covered yard facility (1,000 np), cattle yards, multiple satellite yards and reticulated water. A sound three bedroom home with extensive shedding completes a sought after package Bullock Hills provides an exceptional larger scale breeding property in a farming climate renowned for summer rainfall.

Motunau 47 Lindsay Terrace

Deadline Sale

Tender closes 2.00pm, Thu 30th Mar, 2023, To be submitted to Property Brokers, 129 Main Street Pahiatua.

View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/PR115030

Jared Brock M 027 449 5496 E jared@pb.co.nz

Jamie Smith M 027 220 8311 E jamie.smith@pb.co.nz

Ashburton 87 Hekeao Road

Tender

Amazing This stunning coastal 30.55 ha property is right on the boundary of residential Motunau.

The 296 m2 home is a five bedroom, three bathroom dwelling with three living areas and a double internal access garage.

Construction is brick, double glazed aluminium windows and concrete tile roofing. The house is sited in such a way as to maximise the views. It has eight zone ducted central heating/air conditioning, wood burner with wetback and bathroom heat transfer. Support buildings include a six bay 175 m2 shed plus a 6 m x 4.5 m shed. There are 9 well fenced paddocks and cattle yards.

5 3 3 2

Deadline Sale closes Thursday 13th April, 2023 at 4.00pm, (unless sold prior)

View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/RL116268

Maurice Newell M 027 240 1718

Hamish Anderson M 027 678 8888

109.73 ha - Dairy support, quality soils

This very tidy dairy support property has lots to offer the incoming purchasers. Very well subdivided into approx. 38 paddocks, excellent trimmed shelter, all weather farm track, excellent array of farm improvements and a very tidy permanent material four bedroom homestead.

Quality soils and reliable rainfall make this a property well worthy of closer inspection. Located in the district of Amana in Mid Canterbury foothills.

Please note: This property sits alongside a 4 ha property at 61 Hekeao Road (AL117483) with an executive style home that is also on the market.

4 1 2

Tender closes 12.00pm, Mon 17th Apr, 2023 (unless sold prior), Property Brokers, 217 West Street, Ashburton

View By appointment Web pb.co.nz/AR117482

Chris Murdoch M 027 434 2545

Real Estate

Accelerating success.

Sheep/Beef/Deer

Exceptional Pongaroa Drystock Farm

For Sale by Negotiation (plus GST if any) 11381 Route 52, Pongaroa, Manawatu

A lifetimes work and investments by our Vendors is reflected in this 306ha sheep, beef and deer farm located only 5 minutes from the vibrant Pongaroa village.

A central lane links to most paddocks with all subdivision permanent fencing of an extremely high standard including around 150ha fenced for deer. Infrastructure includes the renovated character four bedroom homestead, set in beautiful gardens, massive 4 bay (3 bays lock up), workshop, implement shed, 5 stand woolshed and covered yards (1000 NP), deer shed and cattle yards. Farm deer, finish stock or crop the versatility of this farm provides options for buyers. Fertliser history with annual applications reflects in strong pasture growth and health. A reticulated water system, gravity feed from a large reservoir near the high point of the farm provides summer surety. Call

or Rob for more information.

Accelerating success.

Jason Waterman 027 376 8313 jason.waterman@colliers.com

Rob Deal 027 241 4775 rob.deal@colliers.com

colliers.co.nz

ASHBURTON, MID-CANTERBURY

Very Affordable Dairy Farm Ready to Go!

• 188.36ha irrigated dairy farm, ALU for 750 cows

• Four dwellings: four-bedroom homestead, two two-bed units and tidy one-bed unit 54 bail rotary shed with new ACR’s and new PK system. Protrack and grain mill/feeding system Numerous sheds, silo’s and good cattle yards

• Very tidy herd available including young stock with 2023 winter grazing options available

• MHV shares available. Preferred settlement 1st June 2023

Aggressively priced at $44,850/ha for a prompt sale

Call Grant 027 887 5568

Quality Cambridge Dairy Farm

Well presented, flat, easy care 79.2ha dairy farm with modern 40 aside HB including inshed meal feeders, a 300 cow feedpad and fully compliant effluent system. Expected production this season is in excess of 120,000m/s. Fertile, mature peat soils ensure strong year round grass growth. On Pukerimu water scheme. Good support shedding plus excellent housing with a near new, six bedroom brick home and a good three bedroom secondary dwelling.

2IC Farm Manager TASMANIA

A opportunity exists in a Privately owned 100% Livestock Business running 1200+ Angus breeders and 3000+ ewes plus value adding to all the progeny on the North East coast of Tasmania. The Enterprise is run over three farms in close proximity.

Successful applicant will have:

• A positive and motivated attitude, plus use of Ag tech for farming operations

• Good time management and communication skills

• A good standard of animal health skills and high standards of animal welfare, plus competent working dogs

• Practical skills across general farming operation

What we are offering:

• An attractive remuneration package on experience, plus upside on productivity gains

• This is a position that could turn into a full Management role

• A Relocation package will be offered to the Successful applicant

Our local town is Bridport. The area offers great camping, fishing, hunting, world class golf courses and mountain biking plus much more. Job prospects for partners is high in community.

A warm modern 5-bedroom house is included which is on the school bus run.

Enquiries & resume to Tim Gunn – email: tlgunn@outlook.com or call on 0061 408 915514

PUKETOI ESTATES

Puketoi Station is an 1800ha hill country property located 15 minutes from Hunterville on the Turakina Valley Road. The farm runs 12,000su in and breeding/ finishing system with Romney ewes and Angus/Hereford cows. The Topography ranges from easy to steep hill country.

We are currently seeking applicants for an experienced shepherd position, with ability to progress into a block/Stock managers role. The purpose of this role will be to assist with the management of the property alongside the other Stock manager, implementing livestock and maintenance plans prepared in conjunction with the farm owner. Successful applicant will also provide assistance in busy times with adjoining properties under the same ownership.

A successful applicant must have

• A good work ethic

• 3-4 good working dogs

• Experience on hill country

• Excellent attention to detail in regards to stock and maintenance

• Be able to work unsupervised and as part of a team

• Good horsemanship is preferred

The role offers a competitive salary and the opportunity to develop on the station.

A 4-bedroom house is available to the right applicant. The farm is 15 minutes from the nearest primary school with a school bus from the gate and 30 minutes from the nearest high school in Marton with a bus from Hunterville.

The Turakina valley is renowned for its strong social community with recreational activities on your door step.

For more information or to apply, please send CV to harrymckduncan1@gmail.com

Or contact Harry Duncan on 027 232 3888

LIVESTOCK BUYER

AFFCO NZ Limited, provides the world with New Zealand’s finest premium meats, allied and by products. We select our livestock from the best New Zealand farms to enable us to provide both our international and local customers with the best products that New Zealand has to offer. We pride ourselves on our working relationship with our livestock suppliers.

We are looking for a new member for our Livestock team, an experienced Livestock Buyer in the North-eastern Taranaki region to take on the existing client base of the retiring incumbent. As a Livestock buyer you will be responsible for the selection and procurement of the stock that AFFCO processes. Based on the road, this role allows you to be involved in the farming sector and work with livestock whilst exercising your business skills. This position would suit an organised and motivated individual who plans thoroughly and builds great relationships to achieve success.

To be considered for the role, you should have:

• A solid knowledge of sheep, beef and dairy; proficiency in assessing stock

• Confidence in handling animals

• Good decision-making and negotiation skills

• Be literate in Excel, Word and Outlook

• A background in Agriculture or the rural sector

• Good people skills and the ability to relate to a wide variety of clients

Experience in livestock procurement or sales experience in an industry serving the farming community is essential. A company vehicle will be provided and you must reside in the region or be willing to relocate to this area. There is evening phone work required as a part of the role.

Ideally we are looking for the right candidate to start in June 2023.

Please note you must be a NZ resident or legally entitled to work in NZ to be eligible for this role.

Please go to SEEK to apply or forward your CV to: marcus.henson@affco.co.nz

MASTER MARCH SPECIAL

ANIMAL HANDLING

FLY OR LICE problem? Electrodip – the magic eye sheepjetter since 1989 with unique self adjusting sides. Incredible chemical and time savings with proven e ectiveness. Phone 07 573 8512 www.electrodip.com

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

ATTENTION

DAIRY FARMERS

COWSHED PAINTER

AVAILABLE. Experienced. Old and new sheds. Herringbone and Rotary. Southland / Otago. Phone 027 517 9908 or email: raymond.d@slingshot.co.nz

ATTENTION FARMERS

ARE YOU OR a loved one battling the e ect of alcohol or drugs? The Retreat NZ is a discreet residential facility o ering a 30 programme to recovery. Set in 7 hectares of native bush it o ers a private and healing place to be. Phone 0800 276 237 or email: reception@theretreatnz.org. nz Website: https://www. theretreatnz.org.nz

DOLOMITE

DOGS FOR SALE

BUYING / SELLING. Huntaways. Heading dogs. Deliver NZ wide. https:// www.youtube.com/@ mikehughesworkingdog 07 315 5553.

TOP BLOODLINES. Heading and Huntaway pups. Phone Dave Andrews 027 450 6095. WELL BRED Heading dog. 3 years old. Works well on cattle and sheep. Waikato. $4500. Phone 021 557 119.

PERSONAL

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. Rangitīkei / Manawatū through to HB. Regenerative farming practiced. Open to developing land in partnership. Phone Michael 027 223 6156.

COUNTRY LADIES.

Feeling alone or lonely?

Whether you’re divorced, widowed, separated or simply have never met the right person. We can help you in nding real people seeking happiness and companionship. Call CCN for a compatibility match today. All ages – city and country areas welcome. No computer required. 0800 446 332.

RURAL MASSAGE

RELAXING FULL BODY massage in rural Ohaupo. Unwind. De-stress. www. ruralmassage.co.nz or call 027 529 5540.

STOCKFEED

90 ROUND SILAGE bales. Whangarei area. Lots of clover. $100+gst each. Phone 09 431 6015.

FARM FOR LEASE

3 YRS, HOROWHENUA. 55Ha currently running 600 SU. Good yards, 2-stand woolshed. Deer fenced. Good 3-bedroom home available. 1/06 handover. Contact grantrus@xtra.co.nz

FARM MAPPING

ACCURATE AND PRACTICAL

farm maps showing area sizes of paddocks and vegetation. Visit farmmapping.co.nz or phone 0800 433 855 for a free quote.

GIBB-GRO GROWTH PROMOTANT

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

GOATS WANTED

THINKING ABOUT RETIRING but don’t want to sell the family farm? Looking to expand our drystock property. Northland drystock / nishing farms of 100ha or more preferred. If bigger than 500ha then further away would be considered.

Five year lease with option to extend to 10 years preferred. Enquiries ring Marty Vermeulen 09 439 0004.

WHAT’S SITTING IN your barn? Don’t leave it to rust away! We pay cash for tractors, excavators, small crawler tractors and surplus farm machinery. Ford –Ferguson – Hitachi – Komatsu – John Deere and more. Tell us what you have no matter where it is in NZ. You never know.. what’s resting in your barn could be fattening up your wallet! Email admin@ loaderparts.co.nz or phone Colin on 0274 426 936 (No texts please)

SAWN SHED TIMBER including Black Maire. Matai, Totara and Rimu etc. Also buying salvaged native logs. Phone Richard Uren. NZ Native Timber Supplies. Phone 027 688 2954.

BIRDS/POULTRY

PULLETS HY-LINE brown, great layers. 07 824 1762. Website: eurekapoultryfarm. weebly.com – Have fresh eggs each day!!!

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.

Glanton Jerseys

are selling their best in calf heifer

Glanton KFP BANE - ET gBW482

Sire Kaimatarau Flint Popeye

Dam Glanton Index Brisbane BW460 PW763

All 3 cows on the bottom line of BANE –ET’s pedigree have produced 2 or more LIC sires.

Jersey pride sale March 30th – 7.30pm ILT Stadium Invercargill.

Clevedon Cattle Corporation Limited

We are offering joint venture grazing to interested parties.

– We buy them

– You graze them – 50/50 on all profits

Large to small scale. South Auckland & Waikato regions.

Call Hugh Green Jnr on 021 888 412 or email admin@clevedoncattle.co.nz for all enquiries.

Complete Dispersal Herd Auction

A/C J & D Instone

Stoneleigh Ayrshire/Jersey & Retro Holstein

Wednesday 5th April 2023

Start time 11:30am 431 Smart Road F/N 43172 New Plymouth

Comprising of 175 Ayrshire, Jersey and Friesian Inmilk Cows

24 years of Nominated Breeding. Predominantly Samen, WWS and LIC, including a number of Registered and purebred cows.

Breed for type and udder conformation. Due to calve from 20th July 2023

Deferred grazing/payment available for new or shifting sharemilkers and new farm owners until 31st May by prior arrangement with the Auctioneers.

Full details including photos, catalogue and profiles available on our website

Note: Fundraising barbecue available on site

Please

Kim Harrison 027 288 6845 kim.harrison@progressivelivestock.co.nz

PROGRESSIVE LIVESTOCK LTD

www.progressivelivestock.co.nz

GLEN LYON & HUXLEY GORGE

94TH ANNUAL CALF SALE

Wednesday 29th March 12 noon start at Temuka Saleyards

On offer will be 745 Calves:

> 340 Hereford Steer Calves

> 165 Angus/Hereford x Steer Calves

> 90 Hereford Heifer Calves

> 150 Angus/Hereford x Heifer Calves

All calves being offered are October born SI High Country Station-Bred Calves.

They will have been mustered and weaned a good week prior to the sale. They will be trucked to Temuka Saleyards, drafted and sorted into sale lines. Due to time weaned and pre-sale handling, these calves are renowned for their quietness and good temperament.

All calves have had horns checked and have been dehorned at weaning.

All bulls purchased in recent years are polled.

Our vendors regularly purchase 15-20 Sire Bulls per year from renowned beef studs throughout the South Island. Doing this ensures continuous improvement and genetic gains.

Calves traditionally range in liveweight between 160-240kgs.

TB Status: C10

This sale will be conducted purchase price plus GST. Light luncheon provided at conclusion of sale.

Further enquiries:

Ken Wigley (Vendor) 03 438 9642

Johnny Wigley (Vendor) 03 438 9644

George Mannering (Hazlett) 027 462 0182

Joe Higgins (PGW) 027 431 4041

Greg Uren (PGW) 027 431 4051

STOCK REQUIRED

FRSN & BEEF BULLS 150-240kg

300-380kg 18MTH HEIFERS

18MTH BULLS 370-480kgs

380-450kg ANGUS & AX STEERS

2.5YR ANGUS & ANG H X STEERS 500-600kg

MA ANGUS COWS Due Sept

www.dyerlivestock.co.nz

A Financing Solution For Your Farm

E info@rdlfinance.co.nz

SALE TALK

In light of the rising frequency of human/grizzly bear conflicts, the Montana Department of Fish and Game is advising hikers, hunters, and fishermen to take extra precautions and keep alert for bears while in the field. “We advise that outdoorsmen wear noisy little bells on their clothing so as not to startle bears that aren’t expecting them. We also advise outdoorsmen to carry pepper spray with them in case of an encounter with a bear. It is also a good idea to watch out for fresh signs of bear activity. Outdoorsmen should recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear poop. Black bear poop is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear poop has little bells in it and smells like pepper.”

Here at Farmers Weekly we get some pretty funny contributions to our Sale Talk joke from you avid readers, and we’re keen to hear more!

If you’ve got a joke you want to share with the farming community (it must be something you’d share with your grandmother...) then email us at: saletalk@agrihq.co.nz with Sale Talk in the subject line and we’ll print it and credit it to you. Conditions apply

EARLY CALVING QUALITY

FRIESIAN & FRIESIAN CROSS IN-MILK HERD

NEVER BEEN OFFERED FOR SALE

A/c EL + HJ McGaffin

Date: Wednesday 5th April

Address: 237 Milliken Road, RD 1, Morrinsville D/N 76910

Start Time: 11.30am, lunch provided will be available for online bidding

COMPRISING:

270 x In-Milk Friesian & Friesian Cross Mixed Aged In-Calf Cows

DETAILS:

BW: 178 PW: 208 RA: 98%

Due to calve 7th July 2023, AB mated for 6 weeks to nominated LIC Xbred and a few Charolais.

Tailed with Frsn bulls (out 10/12). Vetted to date. Herd Tests: 4 x Tests, Last test 29/03/2023, 430 M/S per cow, SCC: 70,000

BVD Milk Tested, Lepto Vaccinated and TB Status: C10

AUCTIONEERS NOTES:

This owner milked early calving three generational herd comes forward in great condition and quality.

Always mated to Nominated LIC AB, vetted to dates. Always have a low empty rate with this season being 9%. An excellent herd that is very well managed, very well uddered and quiet. Low SCC, cows scanned again prior to sale. An excellent herd with huge potential.

DELIVERY/PAYMENT TERMS:

Immediate delivery, or for those without farm access, the cows can stay on farm until the end of May and will be dried off. Deferred payments until 20th May 2023.

CARRFIELDS LIVESTOCK AGENT: Matthew Hancock 027 601 3787 matthew.hancock@carrfields.co.nz

OUR VENDORS: Emma McGaffin 021 236 158

HIGH INDEXED SPRING IN-MILK COW & IN-CALF HEIFER AUCTION

A/c Faraway Farms Ltd

Date: Wednesday 29th March

Address: Matamata Saleyards

Start Time: 11.30am will be available for online bidding

COMPRISING:

114 x Frsn/FrsnX In-milk Spring Calving G3 Cows 70 x Frsn/FrsnX Spring Calving Heifers

DETAILS:

Cows: BW232 PW253 RA98%

Due to calve from 15th July to nominated LIC Friesian AB bulls

Heifers: BW240 PW263 RA98% a complete replacement line

Due to calve from 15th July to Jersey bulls

AUCTIONEERS NOTES:

This herd has been built up over the 20 years using LIC Nominated Semen and the addition of elite young empty cows purchased over that time. They have been milked through a herringbone shed.

Cows & heifers are guaranteed sound and incalf for 28 days. A rare opportunity to purchase such high quality in-milk Spring calving cows.

PAYMENT TERMS: 14 days after sale.

CARRFIELDS LIVESTOCK AGENT:

Reuben Wright 027 284 6384

John Price 027 594 2544

Kelly Higgins 027 600 2374

OUR VENDORS: David Bysterverldt 021 189 9888

CALF SALES

FRIDAY

PALMERSTON 1ST CALF SALE

Commencing

Palmerston

All

WHANANAKI

COASTAL CHAROLAIS REDUCTION

SALE

Thursday 23 March

1.00pm | Whananaki

Comprising:

• 36 - MA In Calf Charolais Cows 28 - 1st Calving Charolais Hfrs

3 - Open MA Cows (Suitable for ET)

For further information please contact:

Craig & Greta Harman

Vendors 09 433 8253

Enquiries: Cam Heggie 027 5018182

TUESDAY 28TH MARCH, 2023 | 7PM | BIDR ONLINE AUCTION

Aubrey shorthorns is a bespoke herd farmed in the North King Country on tough Hill Country. Bidr online auction sale only.

• 30-MA in calf Cows

• 9-R3yr in calf Hfrs

• 16-15mth hfrs

Contact: Cam Heggie | M +64 27 501 8182

Key: Dairy Cattle Sheep Other

HIGH BW HERD & REPLACEMENT DISPERSAL SALE PLUS MACHINERY

Thursday 30 March

11.30 Machinery | 12.00 Herd

2528 Cambridge Road, Te Awamutu

A/C PV Ward & VR Gale

Herd Comprising:

• 79 Frsn/Frsn X/Jsy X Incalf Cows A2/A2 BW 227

PW 269 RA 100%

• 39 Frsn/Frsn X/Jsy X Incalf Cows A1/A2 BW 227

PW 269 RA 100%

• 39 Frsn/Frsn X R2yr Incalf Heifers BW 275 PW 289

26 Frsn/Frsn X R1yr Heifers BW 313 PW 324

Vendors instructions go straight to auction. This 3 digit herd code has been in the family since 1969. Herd calving 17th July, for 6 weeks LIC custom mate tailed off with XBred bulls, bulls out 27th Dec (Scanned to dates). Herd Ave 400 m/s on system 2, ave SCC 137, once a day after Xmas BWs up to 368 PWs up to 531. Good history of contract mate cows 70% of cows A2/A2.

Incalf heifers calving 17th July to Jsy bulls, bulls out 20th Dec. Heifers well grown & in excellent condition. Herd TB C10, EBL Free, BVD Neg, MBovis not detected, shed drenched, H/Bone shed. Closed herd. Catalogues available after herd test on 10th March.

NZ’s Virtual Saleyard bidr.co.nz

Machinery Listings:

Inshed Drench System, 32 Teat Mobile Calfeteria, 2 x 15 Teat Calfeteria on Stands, 2 x 1000 Litres

Colostrum Tanks, Suzuki TF 125, Honda TRX 420 4X4, 2 x PK Troughs, Hardi Boomsprayer, Calf

Meal Troughs, Ford 3000 Tractor, Mowzip Topper, Grades Blade, Hydraulic Tip Trailer, Lely Hay Rake, Cambridge Roller, Levelling Bar, Tip Trailer, Kyhn Disc Mower, Giltrap M25 Feed Wagon, UDY Bale

Feeder - Non hydraulic, 3 Test buckets, Urea Spreader, Reels & Standards, 1 Registered Car Trailer, 1 Unregistered Double Axel Car Trailer, & 1 Belcher Drain Spinner.

Please note: The machinery sale is not being run through bidr.

Delivery - Immediate delivery unless prior arrangement is made before the sale.

Payment - Livestock 1st June 2023

Payment - Machinery on day or 14 days for full PGW account holders.

Dean Evans 027 243 1092

Chris Ryan 027 243 1078

CAPITAL STOCK ANGUS DISPERSAL AUCTION

Wednesday 22 March

Commencing 1.00pm

A/C NZSF Kaiwera 43 Isla Road, Kaiwera, Gore Offering Approx:

• 225 R3 – R7 PTIC Angus Cows ( Fully Mt Linton bred )

• 50 R2 PTIC Angus Heifers ( Fully Mt Linton bred )

• 99 Heifer Calves ( Fully Mt Linton bred ) Mt Linton Bull 15th November – 15th January TB CM

A complete line of well bred Capital Stock Angus Cows For Sale due to a change in farming practice.

Cattle will be drafted into lines on Sale Day. Videos and photos will be on www.bidr.co.nz

Enquiries:

Callum McDonald - PGG Wrightson

Genetics 027 433 6443

Dave Walker - PGG Wrightson 027 218 9526

NZ’s

MATAWHERO & WAIROA COMBINED WEANER SALES

Weaner Steers & Bulls

Tuesday 28 March

11.00 | Matawhero Saleyards, Gisborne Offering approx 2600 Weaner Steers, 400 Weaner Bulls

Weaner Heifers & Older Cattle

Tuesday 29 March

11.00 | Matawhero Saleyards, Gisborne Offering approx 1000 Weaner Heifers

Including:

Papuni Stn - 300 Wnr Ang Ang/Hfd Strs, 50 Wnr Ang Ang/Hfd Hfrs

• Painga Stn - 200 Wnr Ang Ang/Hfd Strs, Kauhouroa Stn - 200 Wnr Ang Ang/Hfd Strs, Tauwharetoi Stn - 200 Wnr Ang Strs,

• Marika Stn - 275 Wnr Ang Strs, 100 Wnr Hfrs

Marangairoa C4 - 170 Wnr Ang Strs, 170 Wnr Ang Hfrs

• Piritaha P/ship - 110 Wnr Ang Strs, 60 Wnr Hfrs

Whangara B20 - 90 Wnr Ang Bulls, 90 Wnr Ang Hfrs

Contact: Jamie Hayward 027 434 7586

Ian Rissetto 027 444 9347 www.agOnline.co.nz

NZ’s Virtual Saleyard bidr.co.nz

Virtual Saleyard bidr.co.nz

A lamb in the hand is worth two on the block

ALOT of lambs have yet to come through the slaughter system in the North Island, and that’s becoming clearer by the week as fresh production figures are posted.

Only 1.82 million lambs were processed in the North Island from the start of December to February 18, easily the lowest amount going back to at least 2000, though likely much further before that too.

For reference, the average amount over the previous five years was 2.68 million. The latest figure does include one week affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, but meat companies had been trucking up ewes and lambs from the South Island to fill gaps on chains before that too.

The obvious reason this is all happening is feed. With all

the extra grass grown this past summer, there’s been little to zero need for anyone to do anything other than hold onto lambs as long as possible – both to manage pastures and to maximise carcase weights and therefore payouts come time to slaughter.

The latter is an especially common strategy, used to try to balance out lost revenue from slaughter prices that are looking more average this year. Many that have killed lately have only done so to maintain regular cash flow.

Another major element tied to feed is the store market.

For months now North Island finishers have been paying well in excess of schedule for lambs at the light-end of killable weights (that is, around 38-40kgLW), especially in the saleyards. This has further pulled lambs away from processors. Not only that, but prices on more standard store lamb prices have ranged from high to borderline ridiculous relative to schedules.

Therefore the only way for buyers to make a meaningful margin is to smoke these lambs up to massive weights and kill later than usual.

In other words, there’s a wave of lambs in paddocks that’ll have to appear at processors at some point in the coming months. This will no doubt limit the amount of upside to slaughter pricing once they do start emerging, and likely some backlogs too. These backlogs will likely develop quicker for regions outside of Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, given processors will make stock from these regions higher priority as soon as stock are able to be accessed via road again.

But it might not all be as extreme as it appears. For one

thing, late-summer and autumn last year saw covid-19 run rife through New Zealand, which had a substantial impact on how many lambs were being processed daily. This time (touch wood) the virus appears to be under control and processing is running about as smoothly as we’ve seen these past few years, though admittedly still on reduced staffing.

Secondly, Beef + Lamb NZ has made further cuts to its spring 2022-23 lamb crop forecast. A mix of facial eczema’s prevalence during mating and further reductions to breeding ewe numbers have meant their North Island lamb crop has been pulled back 9.5% compared to the previous year.

The national lamb kill is only

With all the extra grass grown this past summer, there’s been little to zero need for anyone to do anything other than hold onto lambs as long as possible.

expected to ease 2.7% or 0.5 million head this season, though. Assuming these figures hold accurate, that actually only places the North Island kill for the remainder of the season at 5.0 million head, almost bang on with what went through processing plants over the same months a year ago.

Proudly sponsored by

NO CHANGE: Beef + Lamb NZ has made further cuts to its spring 2022-23 lamb crop forecast, but that actually places the North Island kill for the remainder of the season almost bang on with what went through processing plants over the same months a year ago.

With borderline ridiculous prices, the only way for buyers to make a meaningful margin is to smoke lambs up to massive weights and kill later than usual.

Reece Brick MARKETS

Sheep and beef

Weekly saleyards

After a short hiatus between the spring and autumn seasons, feeder calves are again being offered at several saleyards around the country. The biggest yarding was at Frankton, but calves were also sold elsewhere, in smaller volumes. The Frankton feeder calf sales have started later than last year and supply relative to 2022 is well down.

Early indications show that Hereford-Friesian bulls and heifers are matching last year’s levels, while Friesian bull prices firmed around $30 a head.

good to heavy

ram lambs, woolly, good

blackface ewe lambs, woolly, heavy

Dannevirke | March 9 | 2750 sheep $/kg or $/hd

Cattle Sheep Deer Fertiliser Forestry

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

Dairy

Data provided by

Milk price futures ($/kgMS)

Grain

feed wheat ($/tonne)

Close of market

Listed Agri shares

Futures (US$/t)

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

Canterbury feed barley ($/tonne)

Waikato palm kernel ($/tonne)

Slipping into neutral as La Niña run ends

LA NIÑA has ended in the tropical Pacific Ocean. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is now neutral (neither La Niña nor El Niño) with oceanic and atmospheric indicators having returned to neutral ENSO levels. International climate models suggest neutral ENSO conditions are likely to persist through the southern autumn.

However, there are some signs that El Niño could form later in the year. Hence the Bureau of Meteorology in Australia has issued an El Niño watch. This means there is around a 50% chance of an El Niño in 2023.

For New Zealand and especially the North Island, this means the rain systems that have saturated the ground should look to ease and there has been some evidence of this over the past couple of weeks with soil moisture levels starting to tick down.

Manawatū and Northland are about normal for the time of year, although for others like the east coast there is still a long way to go. We can’t rule out more rain systems still coming in from the north (the Pacific tropical cyclone season runs through till the end of April) but the frequency will hopefully start to dial down a notch.

With the potential for an El Niño, this

ONE TO WATCH: There are some signs that El Niño could form later in the year, which is why the Bureau of Meteorology in Australia has issued an El Niño watch.

means we tend to switch to westerly quarter flows or systems moving through – wetter weather in the west and drier out east. For the likes of the eastern North Island, this will work out well but then we run the risk of conditions becoming too dry there later in the year.

The South Island is doing okay for this time of year in regards to soil moisture apart from the far south, which is dry. Recent rains in Canterbury have righted dry conditions.

The rundown for this week is we have a cold front pushing northwards over the South Island today, bringing rain, heavier in the west as it moves northwards. The North Island is dry, then we should see

showers on Tuesday as the front reaches there.

A high-pressure system then follows in behind so watch for cold overnight temperatures to develop especially for the South Island. Wednesday is settled with high pressure.

A front brings some rain to the South Island on Thursday before reaching the North Island on Friday, but in a more weakened state.

High pressure starts to move in for the weekend but showers may linger in the east. The following week could see a fair amount of high pressure so drier conditions overall, but we still see a few showers for the North Island earlier in the week then the West Coast from midweek.

Upcoming highlights

• Drier weather on the way for the North Island’s east coast

• Some rain due for the far south

• The more balanced mix of fronts plus warm weather still hanging around means grass growth should be reasonable

• The potential for spore counts in relation to facial eczema could climb so something to be wary of

• A cold morning Tuesday with a chance of frosts for inland parts of the lower South Island, and another cold morning Wednesday for both Islands.

EASING OFF: The South Island is doing okay for this time of year in regards to soil moisture apart from the far south, which is dry. Manawatū and Northland are about normal for the time of year.