The Farmlander - February 2021 by Farmlands

SPECIAL OFFERS AND INFORMATION FOR FARMLANDS SHAREHOLDERS

FEBRUARY 2021

Valid from 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 28 February 2021

The FARMLANDER DISTILLING HISTORY PAGE 6

FARMLANDS WELCOMES NEW DIRECTOR PAGE 17

ACTING AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE PAGE 23

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

FEBRUARY

INTEREST

PLAN365

3 Farmlands staff profile

Plan365 Nutrition

3 From the CEO

33 Benefits of electrolytes for performance horses

4 5 minutes with Damien O'Connor

35 A summer browse

6 Special Feature – Living the legend

37 Responding to freshwater reforms

13 Buying Power Promise

39 Best practice for flystrike prevention and lice control

17 Farmlands welcomes new Director 21 Celebrating co-operative success

42 The expert touch

23 Farmlands commits to acting against climate change

43 Improve silage quality and the environment 45 Traceability closes the loop for meat customers

24 Get out and grab 2021

47 More moisture, more grass and more parasites!

26 The Open Farms conversation continues

49 Get on top of rodent control this autumn

27 Developing a personal style of governance

51 The cockroach who came in from the cold

50 Century Farms – The making of Mackenzie

FEBRUARY

41 Mitigating risk with correct application

18 Fuelling the fire

30 Out of the woolshed

Plan365 Animal Management

15 New shareholder portal delivers better service

29 Working safely with chemicals

WHAT’S ON

Farmlands Cup It'll be a southern battle between the Crusaders and Pulse Energy Highlanders as the Farmlands Cup goes on the line for the 6th year.

Plan365 Forage and Arable 53 Why growers are shifting to softer insecticides

55 Winter crop wins Plan365 Rural Infrastructure

56 From sand to steel

SPECIAL OFFERS AND INFORMATION FOR

FARMLANDS SHAREHOLDERS

FEBRUARY

58 Protect your water supply this summer

FEBRUARY 20211

Open Farms

Valid from

1 — 28 February 2021

The FARMLANDER DISTILLING HISTORY PAGE 6

FARMLANDS WELCOMES NEW DIRECTOR

PAGE 17

ACTING AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE

PAGE 23

ON THE COVER Nestled into Central Otago, Lammermoor Station has played host to a rich history of whisky production. While the initial moonshiner on the property sold his wares illegally in the 1860s, the Elliot family have revived the whisky and gin distillery (now fully legal) and are experiencing great success alongside their sheep and beef farming operation.

The information contained in this publication is given in good faith and has been derived from sources perceived to be reliable and accurate. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and correctness of the information, Farmlands gives no warranties, express or implied, regarding the information nor does it accept any liability for any opinion or information (including the accuracy or completeness thereof) or for any consequences flowing from its use. The information and views expressed in

2 | THE FARMLANDER

Sharing rural stories with urban visitors — Open Farms is about breaking down barriers and showcasing best on-farm practice. Find out more on page 26.

this publication are not necessarily the views or opinion of Farmlands, its editorial contributors, freelancers, associates or information providers. Independent advice is recommended before acting on information or suggestions contained herein. Readers who rely on this information do so at their own risk. Reference to any specific commercial product, process, or service whether by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Farmlands.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher. Prices and offers apply only in the month stated on the front cover of this publication and while stocks last. Not all products are available at all Farmlands stores. All prices include GST unless otherwise stated.

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FARMLANDS STAFF PROFILE

FROM THE CEO

Annie MacKenzie

Welcome to the first edition of The Farmlander for 2021. I hope the holiday season has been kind to all of you and your families. It definitely hasn’t been without some weather challenges in several areas and I hope any negatives from these have been minimal.

Planning and Performance Lead, Customer Experience

Q: How long have you been working with Farmlands? A: I have been with Farmlands for nearly 2 years now. My partner and I recently moved to Christchurch which was a huge decision but has worked out really well. It was a much-needed change of scenery that has pushed us both out of our comfort zones! Q: Where are you from originally? A: I grew up in a small South Island town called Tapanui — around half an hour from Gore. I gave university a go in Dunedin for a year but found it wasn’t for me, before getting a job at Farmlands. Q: What do you enjoy about your job? A: Being a part of a team that comes up with better ways to communicate with our shareholders. At the end of the day, they are the reason we are all here! Since moving I have taken on a lot of discovery/research work which has been super rewarding. Q: What is your go-to karaoke song? A: Anyone who knows me knows I’m not much of a singer, but you can’t beat Bohemian Rhapsody! Q: What do you do in your spare time? A: My partner and I have a 9-month-old Golden Retriever so in our spare time we take him to the beach or on big walks. I also love a BBQ with friends and family.

’s ie nn A Double Choc Cookies Method 1. Cook the butter in a saucepan, stirring occasionally, until it browns and smells nutty (but is not burnt!).

Ingredients • 380g plain flour • 225g butter • 225g dark brown sugar • 150g white sugar • 1 tsp baking powder • 1 tsp bicarbonate soda • 1 ½ tsp salt • ½ tsp nutmeg • 1 Tbs vanilla • 1 whole egg + 1 yolk • 250g dark chocolate roughly chopped • 250g milk chocolate roughly chopped (for the best flavour, use Whittaker’s Chocolate)

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2. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, salt, baking powder, bicarb and nutmeg. 3. Whisk eggs and vanilla, then add them to the main mixture. Beat until glossy and smooth. 4. Add flour and chocolate, then fold through until combined. 5. Divide the dough in two and roll each half into a log. Wrap in baking paper and chill in the fridge (chilling for 24 hours will give the best effect). 6. Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 170°C. Unwrap the dough and slice into even discs. Shape with your hands and space evenly on a baking tray. 7. Bake for 15 minutes until the edges are golden brown but the middle is still a little pale. The cookies will be very soft when you get them out of the oven but will set as they cool. Enjoy!

Since our last issue, the Chair has announced my resignation from Farmlands after 5 years as CEO. This decision is not one I have made lightly and I wanted to reassure all shareholders that it in no way reflects the condition of your co-operative, the quality of its great people or my belief in the direction and future of where the co-operative is going. I have really enjoyed my time at Farmlands. There is an outstanding team of leaders in place to deliver the goals we have set ourselves. We have amazing people throughout the co-operative who are incredibly dedicated and committed to getting great outcomes for our shareholders and customers, who 95% of the time are the same thing. We have the clarity of strategies, leadership, skills and capability, team, systems and processes in place to deliver on our purpose of “Growing Shareholder Success” and mission of “Harnessing the Cooperative Spirit to be first in New Zealand food and fibre inputs”. None of this changes, whether or not I am here. It has allowed me to consider a new role that provides me with a different set of challenges with a business that has an international customer base, high growth agenda, is publicly listed and better fits my personal circumstances – as CEO of Sanford, New Zealand’s largest fishing company. Timing is never perfect when it comes to decisions like this. I felt I had given as much as I can give to the co-operative over the last 5 years. We have it in a good place to meet your demands of us for now and into the foreseeable future. On a personal note, I would like to thank the Board over my time with the co-operative, all of whom have challenged, stimulated and provoked, while making the calls that ensure better outcomes for the co-operative. The Farmlands Leadership Team is the strongest team I have ever had the privilege to lead. Our Farmlanders are the ones who day in, day out make the difference and they have had a lot put onto them during my tenure. Their support and effort through periods of dramatic change and performance challenges is something I have also been privileged to experience. To you, our shareholders and customers who are not shy of letting us know you own us. You are vocal, passionate, believe in your co-operative and want us to do better. You are our point of difference and I have been very proud of my attempts to harness that to build a better and stronger cooperative. Thank you for your support. The more you support the co-operative, the more the co-operative can do better things for you. I am confident that will keep happening for some time to come. All the best for 2021.

Peter Reidie Chief Executive Officer Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited

THE FARMLANDER | 3

5 minutes with Damien O'Connor Minister of Agriculture

New Zealand also began a third round of negotiations on a free trade agreement with the UK in late January

Congratulations on retaining your portfolio following the 2020 election. What has been on your summer priority list?

and is close to completing one with the

What a year 2020 was! After COVID-19

a much-needed break over summer,

In the face of COVID-19, what stories do the NZ food and fibre industry want to be telling the world about our produce?

spending time at home doing the

We have some of the best farmers

turned our world upside down and we then fought an election campaign, I had

usual stock and maintenance jobs on our 8 hectares of land. I also rode my motorbike through the South Island from the West Coast-Tasman region where I live and am the proud local MP

EU. I had to hit the ground running this year! Parliament resumes this month, so it’s straight back into it.

in the world and I know we can be the best farmers for the world. New Zealand produce already had a global reputation for being ethically produced and of premium quality and now our

and got to spend a bit of time with four

success fighting COVID-19 has really

of my five daughters. The fifth lives in

put us on the map as a safe country

London so unfortunately, I won’t get to

and this is invaluable for our food and

see her for a while.

fibre industry. A New Zealand Trade

Being a Minister means work is never

and Enterprise campaign called Made

far away. Taking on the additional

with Care is telling the world how our

responsibility of the Trade portfolio after

progressive country and innovative

last year’s election meant I did a bit of

people are producing some of the best

reading over summer to get ready to

foods in the world in a way that’s good

host this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic

for them as consumers and good for

Cooperation (APEC) meeting.

the planet.

We have some of the best farmers in the world and I know we can be the best farmers for the world. New Zealand produce already had a global reputation for being ethically produced and of premium quality.”

4 | THE FARMLANDER

Export recovery is one of the five planks of our Government’s economic recovery. Last November, the Prime Minister announced that officials were starting to look at how we can boost our exports. She also confirmed that once borders open, she will lead business delegations to our key trading partners, including the US, China, the UK and the EU. Last year the Government invested $200 million in supporting exporters to take full advantage of our country’s reputation, so they could continue doing business despite international travel restrictions. Telling our story of how we successfully managed COVID to date will also help to attract international investment into our productive sectors and help the economic recovery. With a lack of foreign workers available in the coming seasons, what will be changing to support local farmers and growers in 2021? The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) has been helping the horticulture, agriculture and forestry sectors grow their local workforces through its Opportunity Grows Here campaign. The Farmlander readers might have seen news reports of former airline, tourism and hospitality workers retraining in Central Otago and enjoying their new lives behind the wheel of a tractor or picking fruit. They are just some of the people who are discovering that primary industries can offer

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FARMLANDS 5 MINUTES

them a new career, help feed the world and build a sustainable future for New Zealand. They’re finding that it’s a rewarding sector to work in on so many levels. MPI also worked with Student Job Search to help match students to seasonal horticulture work and ran roadshows late last year in four regions to help build our forestry workforce. Farm systems are heavily scrutinised by the media and general public, what can be done to combat this? Most farmers understand the need for good animal welfare and sound environmental practises within their farm systems. They understand that consumers here and overseas want to know the food they are eating is produced in a way that is kind to animals and gentle on the planet. Farmers also understand they can command top dollar for their premium products if their practises are sustainable. I often say our primary industry exports are moving from volume to value, to values, because consumers now make decisions about the goods they buy based on their values.

farmers to improve the health of these ecosystems. That’s why in 2019 we announced the Essential Freshwater package to stop further degradation of our waterways and ecosystems within 5 years and reverse past damage within a generation. We are in the process of making changes to accommodate for regional differences in weather and

It's not about combatting scrutiny; it’s about supporting those farmers who still have changes to make and making those changes as easy as possible. That’s not only good for the farmer’s bottom line, it’s good for New Zealand and good for the planet.

other factors.

Sustainability and the Essential Freshwater Policy are front of mind for farmers. How will the NZ Government collaborate with industry groups and farmers to manage farm environmental plans?

benefits and create jobs. By funding

Our Government wants all New Zealanders to enjoy our waterways and we’re working alongside our

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Through our $1.3 billion Jobs for Nature package, we are partnering with a range of community and farmer-led catchment management groups around the country to improve water quality, support a range of other environmental

It’s about supporting those farmers who still have changes to make and making those changes as easy as possible” for me personally. Through the Integrated Farm Plan Programme, MPI has been working closely with industry bodies, farmers and farm advisors

catchment projects, we’re supporting

and regional authorities to design this

farmers to make on-farm changes

new system. It will help ease costs on

including riparian planting, fencing of

farmers and help improve freshwater

waterways and wetland protection. This

quality, as well as make other

work also includes supporting farmers

sustainability gains. These plans will not

in developing farm environmental plans.

only help those farming now, they will

Helping farmers develop integrated

also create sustainable building blocks

farm planning systems is a big priority

for future generations of farmers.

THE FARMLANDER | 5

6 | THE FARMLANDER

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SPECIAL FEATURE

LIVING THE LEGEND A bootlegging heritage has been crafted into a boutique distillery — producing whisky from paddock to bottle.

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THE FARMLANDER | 7

| Lammermoor Distillery, Maniototo.

| The Elliots have now produced 58 barrels of whisky at various maturities.

| John and Susie Elliot.

Situated on 5,400 hectares of high country in the

Distilling history

southern end of the Maniototo, Lammermoor Station is

Reviving Lammermoor’s distilling history has never been far from

steeped in history with distilling at its heart.

John and Susie Elliot’s minds. Although the original distillery was

Lammermoor Station has been in the Elliot family for almost a century, originally bought by Andrew Elliot in the 1900s before being passed on to his son Robert. Robert’s son John Elliot and his wife Susie now farm the land. Legend has it that back in the 1860s gold rush era there was a distillery hidden in the Lammermoor Range, run by an illegal moonshiner who would supply the goldminers and prospectors as they travelled the Dunstan Trail and made their way into the interior of Central Otago.

no longer functioning the land still held secrets of the past. John recalls the story of his grandfather finding the original gold rush still shortly after his return from World War One. Andrew had stumbled across the original still while sheltering from a snowstorm, but with no landmarks of significance the copper still has never been found again. Susie says they have mustered for years on horseback and never found it, but they do keep an eye out just in case. In 2016 the family decided the time was right to bring the legend of Lammermoor Distillery back to life. The distillery

While livestock and cropping are the bigger part of the

began with John and his 'Kiwi no.8 wire’ attitude. From hand

farming operation with 19,800 stock units on the property,

milling the station’s trees into planks to fit the design and

history is now repeating with liquid gold again flowing from

construction of the building, the entire distillery was built by

Lammermoor — this time in the form of a high-end boutique

John, with the occasional help of family and with materials

whisky and gin distillery.

sourced from the land around it.

8 | THE FARMLANDER

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SPECIAL FEATURE

“We are extremely passionate farmers and we wanted an interest that was still on the farm, reflecting the character of the district and adding value to our farming operation,” John says. “The farming market is very receptive — we have always looked for sustainability and diversity.” By 2017, the Lammermoor Distillery was alive again and this time, fully legal. The first commercial whisky run from the Lammermoor Distillery made its debut just before Christmas, with earlier trial samples receiving rave reviews, including from international gurus.

| Lammermoor is one of the few distilleries in the world to grow its own grain.

Susie says it is important they remain in control of their product the whole way, from growing and processing their own organic grain, right through to bottling. “We had a vision to create a uniquely Kiwi range of different premium gin and single malt whisky expressions which include a manuka smoked whisky and Otago peated single malts. “For us it has been about developing a unique niche market from paddock to bottle or farm to glass and being part of the journey right to the end. “Many of our lambs and cattle leave the farm and we never know what happens next. This is about the entire journey and wanting to stay in the picture for a bit longer.” From the ground up Lammermoor is one of the few distilleries in the world to grow its own grain and malt, mash, ferment, distil and mature on site. The barley is grown on the station, the peat is gathered from the shores of the Great Moss swamp, the manuka harvested from the Maniototo, fresh spring water runs from the hills and the barrels are sourced from local Central Otago vineyards.

| Two Vallero Italian drums were repurposed to malt the home-grown barley in the distillery.

Even the spent grains from the distillery are recycled, feeding a herd of Berkshire heritage pigs that are sold as weaners to the pork market. John's ‘can do’ farmer’s attitude is reflected throughout the distillery. After being told it would be too difficult to do their own malting on-site, John tracked down the owners of two Vallero Italian drums he had seen abandoned in an engineering yard. Originally used for tanning lamb skins, they are now repurposed to malt the home-grown barley in the distillery. A century old machine from Dunedin’s Bell Tea factory and a RAF WWII Spitfire’s heater are among other recycled machines used to create the spirits. The climatic extremities of Central Otago are key to round, full whisky flavour, increasing the maturation process by the variation in daily temperature. | John Elliot shows a century old machine from Dunedin's Bell Tea factory.

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THE FARMLANDER | 9

| Susie’s side project of distilling gin has developed a range of sloe gin, pink strawberry gin, blue gin and the original ‘Gin and Bare it’ label.

“For years we cursed the weather which has such extreme variations from -10 degrees C in the morning to 8 degrees C in the afternoon,” John says. “The weather rules our lives. Central Otago is a land of extremes. Traditionally it is the coldest, driest part of New Zealand with sharply defined hot summers and cold winters. “So, while our environment can be pretty harsh and unforgiving it is a wonderful climate for making whisky.” At its highest point Lammermoor Station is 3,300 feet above sea level and the variations continue across the property where rainfall can be recorded at 42 inches at the back of the station and 26 inches at the house. The Elliots rely on their irrigation systems, three hard hose guns, three Roto rainers, K-line and a pivot spread across their home farm and another two finishing blocks for safe guarding winter crops, saying the difference between a great season and a bad one can be one good rain with irrigation offering a level of protection. A go-to tipple Gin making was Susie’s idea and she did her homework before launching into the boutique business. “I did a lot of reading and playing around to get it right. I got great support from whisky and gin makers in Tasmania. When I first visited Tasmania 4 years ago there were 13 distilleries. Now there are 44 and they operate 24/7. Whisky making is a massive multimillion-dollar business,” Susie says. Susie’s side project of distilling gin has resulted in a range of sloe gin, pink strawberry gin, blue gin and the original ‘Gin and Bare it’ label.

10 | THE FARMLANDER

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SPECIAL FEATURE

“We are farmers who understand that everything comes from the land. With four generations spanning 90 plus years of farming we wanted to create true New Zealand spirits with ingredients and character that really do come from the land beneath us.” Susie tries to use local products for the gin botanicals including thyme, berries and sloe berries. The distinctive glass bottle is also a sustainable hit, featuring a lady wrapped around the shape of the bottle surrounded by Peony Roses which grow well in the Central Otago climate. “I always had a vision for the bottle, I wanted it to be pretty and designed it so it could be sustainable and repurposed and used again for oils or a vase or whatever use people could put it to.” The Elliots have now produced 58 barrels of whisky at various maturities using Central Otago pinot noir, sherry and port barrels, with each batch featuring different properties. “Everyone’s palette is different. We have had rave reviews from whisky gurus rating us in the top four boutique distilleries in the world. Our whisky product is a glowing amber in colour and great on the nose with caramels and spices.” A family affair Lammermoor is a busy property and a family run operation, with John and Susie’s daughter Brooke Watson and sons Lachie 28, and Duncan 24, all involved. The farm carries 300 breeding cows — run predominantly on the tussock land. Susie rears 300 – 400 dairy-cross bull calves that they buy in at 4 days old, rear, and grow out to 2-year olds.

| The distinctive glass bottle design draws inspiration from Peony Roses growing in Central Otago.

Fine wool production has been part of the station for over 90 years. Lammermoor has shifted from 30 years of straight Merino to halfbreds, a Merino/Romney cross. Duncan has a small Romney stud which produces a good fleece and supports the farm’s philosophy that if you are going to shear a sheep you might as well shear a decent fleece. They are selected for their constitution to meet the challenges of demanding winters. They also have a Southdown flock which Lachie has a managerial interest in. The Southdown’s ease of lambing and early maturing aligns with their finishing programme. About 90 Stud Southdown two-tooth rams are sold annually. Grain production is a large part of the programme at Lammermoor and a small proportion supplies the distillery operation. All grains are certified organic with barley and triticale, a wheat rye corn cross. They are sold as stock food or distillers’ malt throughout New Zealand. | The farm carries 300 breeding cows — run predominantly on the tussock land.

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THE FARMLANDER | 11

| The Elliots have a 280-acre property near Ranfurly where they finish cattle and also grow organic grain.

In addition, the Elliots have a 280-acre property near Ranfurly where they finish cattle and also grow organic grain. The family have also just purchased an additional 600 acres as a finishing block to complement the rest of the operation.

boundary on all three properties, with the Loganburn reservoir also offering excellent fishing.

Sharing ingenuity

Tours take between 60-90 minutes and provide a history of Lammermoor Station and how the distillery was started with a personal whisky and gin distillery tour.

The Elliots have a relaxed opinion as to where their venture is heading and have a laid back ‘we will see what happens’ approach.

They have had more than 3,500 people take part in the distillery tasting tours since opening in 2016.

The family do most of their work themselves and acknowledge they are a pretty independent outfit.

“It’s been a great experience to bring our history alive again. The whisky business is huge overseas and is a growing enterprise worldwide.

They see opportunities in back country tourism and also offer garden tours and have regular visits from anglers who trout fish along the 12 kilometres of Taieri River which is a natural

“We love our paddock to bottle story and while we have been inspired by history, we have enhanced our local resources to create a unique product,” John says.

| Duncan Elliot.

12 | THE FARMLANDER

| Lachie Elliot.

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THE FARMLANDER | 13

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IS THIS NZ’S MOST VALUABLE CARD? YOU DECIDE. 14 | THE FARMLANDER

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CO-OPERATIVE NEWS

New shareholder portal delivers better service Farmlands achieved a major milestone in December, with the launch of our new and improved shareholder portal, MyFarmlands. The changes made to MyFarmlands make it faster and easier to do business with your co-operative. Farmlands’ Head of Customer Engagement,

Graeme Wilson, says shifting MyFarmlands onto a new system provides an opportunity to make every experience when interacting with Farmlands positive.

On MyFarmlands, shareholders

“We now have an online shareholder portal that is faster, easier to navigate and built with the future in mind,” he says. “We have moved MyFarmlands onto a different platform to give ourselves the ability to add more features as time moves on, giving shareholders a single touchpoint for their co-operative at times that suit them – day or night.”

pay their Account online.

The launch was the result of months of planning and preparation. Shareholders that had previously registered for MyFarmlands received an email inviting them to re-register for the new system.

| Graeme Wilson, Head of Customer Engagement.

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“While we could have retained the previous registration details for the new system, we place a premium on our shareholders’ privacy,” Graeme says. “Moving a significant amount of private data across was a risk and by asking for a few extra minutes to set up on the new system, it allows us to protect that important information.”

have the ability to view their online statements (including previous statements), redeem Choices Rewards Points and check balances, as well as Graeme says close to half of all shareholders have used MyFarmlands before. However, every shareholder can benefit from signing up. “The great thing about the new MyFarmlands is that this is just the start! We will continue to make MyFarmlands bigger, better and most importantly, easier,” he says. “Every shareholder is different – some pay their bill at night, others may want to look at their statement early in the morning. We want to allow all of our shareholders to choose the time that suits them to interact with us. It’s part of building an unbeatable customer experience.” To learn more about registering for MyFarmlands, visit www.farmlands.co.nz

THE FARMLANDER | 15

NZ’S MOST VALUABLE CARD? YOU DECIDE.

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There’s a heap of travelling to be done between now and the end of summer, so make sure you fuel up and save 12 cents per litre* with your Farmlands Card at any Challenge, Z and Caltex service station. *Off the pump price.

16 | THE FARMLANDER

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CO-OPERATIVE NEWS

Farmlands welcomes new Director The returning Warren Parker was joined by newcomer Peter Ellis on the Farmlands Board of Directors, following last year’s North Island Director Election. Both Warren and Peter were introduced to shareholders when the results were announced at November’s Annual General Meeting. While Peter is a newcomer to the Board, he is certainly no stranger to our co-operative. Peter was previously Chief Executive of North Island-based Farmlands Trading Society for 6 years, up until the merger with South Island-based CRT in 2013.

After receiving the highest number of votes in the 2020 Shareholder Director Elections, Peter will join the Board for a 3-year term. “It was great to be able to engage with shareholders over the course of the election,” he says. Since leaving Farmlands in 2013, Peter has held governance roles with Cooperative Bank, Euro Corp, Freshmax and Veterinary Enterprise Group. For Peter, the opportunity to see how the co-operative had progressed since his tenure as CEO was an exciting one. “I’m looking forward to quietly getting my feet under the desk and supporting the co-operative’s Board,” Peter says. “Getting to know my fellow Board members is the priority within the upcoming year.” Warren Parker received the second highest number of votes and will re-join the Board for a 2-year term. Warren was standing for re-election after retiring by rotation. The 2020 Director Election was only open to North Island shareholders as the only candidate in the South Island, Farmlands Chairman Rob Hewett, was re-elected unopposed. The second vacancy in the North Island resulted from the retirement of the Board’s longest serving Director, Nikki DaviesColley, who did not seek re-election.

| Returning Director Warren Parker.

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Farmlands has six Shareholder Directors — three from each island, in addition to three Independent Directors.

| Newly appointed Director Peter Ellis.

The different tenures resulting from this year’s Director Election is the final step in implementing changes to the Farmlands Board structure, which has reduced from ten Directors to nine. From this year, one elected Director in each Island will retire by rotation annually.

THE FARMLANDER | 17

Fuelling the fire NRM and McMillan Equine Feeds have been supplying the equestrian circuit with top-quality supplementary feed for generations. From show jumping and polo to dressage and racing, getting equine nutrition right is a priority for many riders looking to make their mark within their respective discipline. In this article, The Farmlander caught up with a couple of riders who work closely with NRM and McMillan and are achieving great success on the competition circuit.

Name: Emma Watson

Name: Simon and Claire Wilson

Location: Morrinsville, Waikato

Location: Waipukurau, Central Hawke’s Bay

Discipline: Show Jumping

Horses: Maddox Letino, Maddox Kiwi Silverkee

Horses: McMillans Ariados, McMillans Chuck

Sponsored by: McMillan Equine

A self-confessed “pony stalker”, Vanessa Way spent much of her early childhood feeding ponies over the fence of a local stud. The owner eventually invited her in for a ride and with non-horsey parents, Vanessa managed her horses herself, getting into eventing as a teenager.

Dressage is in Tessa van Bruggen’s blood. Growing up around

Winning the 1993 Bell Tea Horse Trial was the highlight of her career before a horrific fall on the cross-country track in 1998 left her with little love for jumping. Renowned dressage rider and trainer Bill Noble convinced her to give dressage a try and she hasn’t looked back.

able to feel the movements of higher-level dressage and can

Having fed NRM to her horses since she first began riding, Vanessa was already very familiar with the brand when she began working as a flight attendant while still competing as an eventer.

competing at Level 7 after winning the Level 5 class at the

“Our relationship began 20 years ago at least! The reps would be on my flights, so I used to hassle them about sponsoring me,” Vanessa laughs. “I really appreciate the sponsorship as I had to work hard to build up my unbroken youngsters to Grand Prix level. There has been a lot of trial and error in training my own horses up the levels but NRM has fuelled the fire.”

her mother, Franzi and grandfather, Melle’s dressage stable meant that Tessa was never far from the arena. “Mum had Grand Prix horses when I was growing up and it was on my parents’ imported stallion, Furst Jupp, that I was now translate that through to my own horses,” Tessa explains. Tessa is currently campaigning the talented Fiorenza, a daughter of Furst Jupp. Bred on the property, Tessa has trained Fiorenza since she was young and is currently Horse of the Year show. “Winning at Level 5 was a huge achievement on a mare I’ve trained myself, it was such a reward,” Tessa says. Treating the horses as athletes has been a running theme through the van Bruggen stable and it was while Tessa was purchasing some McMillan feed in a Farmlands store that the first mention of sponsorship came up in conversation “I ended up going up to the McMillan Equine team at a show, introducing myself and asking for sponsorship,” Tessa laughs.

Winning the Dressage Horse of the Year trophy twice with her legendary warmblood Arvan and consistent results overseas have been testament to Vanessa’s focus on quality over quantity.

“Just like the All Blacks have nutritionists, our horses also have

“Dougal Scott from NRM helps with the nutritional department and being New Zealand made, you know that the product is going to work with New Zealand horses,” Vanessa says.

Tessa manages her equine nutrition through her Microsteed

“In saying that, NRM was also very good at linking me up with international feed companies when I was in Europe so that my horses could stay on a similar diet and feeding programme. They were an excellent sounding board and really supported me.

link between Tessa and Luisa to tailor feeding plans.

“It’s 100% all about the product and my horses are just looking and doing so well.”

whether it’s right on the money. Any time I have an issue, Luisa

Vanessa Way and NSC Andreas. Image credit: Libby Law Photography.

Tessa van Bruggen and Fiorenza. Image credit: Libby Law Photography.

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top nutritional needs. If we can’t meet those needs then we can’t expect good results.” account, set up by Equine Nutritionist Luisa Wood. Microsteed creates meal plans specific to each horse and creates a direct “I’ll put in how much each horse is getting into the account and it will send off the report to Luisa to check. She will then email back and advise on where the diet needs work or is there to help or to direct me to the right place,” Tessa says.

THE FARMLANDER | 19

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IS THIS NZ’S MOST VALUABLE CARD? YOU DECIDE. 20 | THE FARMLANDER

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CO-OPERATIVE NEWS

Celebrating co-operative success Farmlands’ Head of Sustainability and Land Use, Katie Vickers and former Chairman Lachie Johnstone were among those noted for their significant contribution to the rural agri-business co-operative in November. The Cooperative Business New Zealand Awards, held at Christchurch’s temporary City Cathedral, celebrates and honours those who have made a fundamental difference within a co-operative business. A new award for the year, the Emerging Leader of the Year 2020 received many top-quality nominations from around the country. The Emerging Leader of the Year recognises an individual (under 35) who is making their mark within their organisation or an individual who has established a co-operative. The award aims to honour contribution through innovation, driving best practice, collaboration or co-operation. This year, the recipient was Katie Vickers.

| Judging Panel member Alastair Hercus and Farmlands Director of External Relations Mark McHardy, who accepted the award on behalf of Lachie Johnstone.

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Recently stepping into the Head of Sustainability and Land Use role after 6 years within the Marketing and Category teams at Farmlands, Katie was not expecting to be standing up with a microphone in her hand on the night. “I’m very grateful to be recognised but this was very unexpected!” Katie laughs. “It’s difficult to express my gratitude to Farmlands for the support and opportunities that I’ve had over the years. I would also like to thank the Cooperative Business New Zealand for putting this event on to celebrate businesses and people. “The co-operative model lends itself to building relationships and this resonates with me a lot. The food and fibre sector will be fundamental in leading New Zealand’s economic recovery following 2020 and it’s a privilege to be a part of it.”

| Judging Panel member Phil McKendry with Farmlands Head of Sustainability and Land Use Katie Vickers and Fonterra General Manager of Capital Strategy Emma Parsons.

Lachie stood down from the Farmlands Board in November 2019 after more than 20 years with the co-operative. Cooperative Business New Zealand Chief Executive Roz Henry praised Lachie’s commitment to the co-

Former Chairman of Farmlands, Lachie Johnstone was also celebrated for his service to the co-operative, receiving an Outstanding Co-operative Contribution 2020 award.

operative model.

Lachie became the inaugural Chairman of the newly created Farmlands Co-operative following the merger between South Island-based CRT Co-operative and North Island-based Farmlands Trading Society in 2013. He worked tirelessly with management to steer the new co-operative towards a more compelling vision of the future and was at the helm of the development and implementation of the business transformation programme — Braveheart — which consolidated all of Farmlands’ legacy IT systems into one.

was truly focused on ensuring the

“He is someone who has upheld the co-operative principles and this was particularly evident during the formation of Farmlands Co-operative, when he new co-operative was based on the core values of the model and that the structure would provide a livelihood for members,” Roz says. Unfortunately Lachie was unable to attend the awards night and his award was accepted on his behalf by Farmlands’ Director of External Relations, Mark McHardy. For a full list of award winners, please see www.nz.coop/news-directory

THE FARMLANDER | 21

FARMLANDS SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK

Our Internal Organisational Strategy: Become Sustainable

Focus

Our Internal Aspirations and Targets

Our Farmlanders

GOAL: Support our employees to work in an environment where sustainability is integrated into all operational procedures. Align sustainability with our existing Farmlands values of Courage, Unity, Trust, Influence, Forward Thinking and Integrity.

UN Sustainable Development Goals

HOW WE GET THERE: Identifying and managing the impact of business on our staff by: -

PEOPLE

Our suppliers

Promoting health and wellbeing. Ensuring safety. Fostering high performance and providing development opportunities. Encouraging forward thinking and innovation. Ensuring Farmlands is an inclusive and diverse organisation.

GOAL: Proactively support and encourage suppliers to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). HOW WE GET THERE: - Seek value creation opportunities and actively engage with early adopters and process innovators in sustainability. Consider businesses that put forward their approach to sustainability in our selection of supplier proposals. - Collaborate with other industry leaders to achieve sustainable solutions. - Reduce the amount of packaging received in-store and work with suppliers to investigate alternative packaging options.

Our shareholders and communities

GOAL: “Grow shareholder success” HOW WE GET THERE: - As a New Zealand farmer and grower owned co-operative, our ambition is to support our unique environment, economy, people and culture in our business decisions. - We seek to educate shareholders, share relevant knowledge and provide them with sustainable products and services, enabling them to make informed decisions. - We seek to contribute to New Zealand’s future by engaging our regional rural communities to better understand their perspective and the environment they operate in.

Carbon emissions

GOALS: Reduce our GHG emissions intensity by more than 30% by 2030. Farmlands recognises we have a responsibility to mitigate the environmental effects caused by our operations.

PLANET

HOW WE GET THERE: - Reduce emissions associated with bulk fuel delivery by 3% per million litres of fuel delivered annually. - Reduce fleet fuel use by 5% annually. - Reducing air travel by 15% annually in favour of remote meeting technologies. Minimising waste

GOAL: Reduce waste sent to landfill by 5% annually. HOW WE GET THERE: - We will work with our waste collection providers to focus on diversion from landfill, obtaining accurate waste weights which will be reported monthly to track progress. - We will investigate the feasibility of recycling materials from our daily operations that are currently being sent to landfill.

FAR_09829

PROFIT

Efficiency

22 | THE FARMLANDER

GOALS: Reduce fuel usage by company vehicles by implementing an internal fleet management system to promote fuel efficient driving practices. Reduce cost of air travel by embracing remote meeting technologies. HOW WE GET THERE: - Reducing costs and subsequently emissions through improved efficiency across the network. - Addressing bulk fuel delivery efficiency by having main providers provide emissions intensity data and tracking on a monthly basis. - Addressing dry/palletised freight efficiency through the introduction of a freight management programme and the internal scheduling team effectively managing routes.

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

CO-OPERATIVE NEWS

Farmlands commits to acting against climate change Farmlands Co-operative have followed their carbonreduce certification from Toitū Envirocare with a commitment to the Climate Leaders Coalition in October 2020.

Farmlands has committed to the 2017

agri-business co-operative, Farmlands

statement — the minimum requirement

must play a part in meeting the United

to join the Coalition. A new statement

Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals

in 2019 illustrates the need to reduce

applicable to the Food and Fibre sector.

global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“We will be actively dealing with the

The rural supplies and services

Farmlands’ Director of External

challenges facing our shareholders,

co-operative have joined 116 other

Relations, Mark McHardy says that

particularly around the need to embrace

organisations in signing a joint

while the 2019 statement is a good goal

the inevitability of low emission

statement saying that they will supply

to work towards, committing to the

agriculture and more sustainable

their greenhouse gas emissions, set a

2017 statement serves as a strong base

farming practices,” Katie says.

public emissions reduction target and

in Farmlands’ sustainability journey.

Farmlands’ partners Z Energy, The

work with suppliers to reduce their

“We recognise our operations

Warehouse Group, Meridian and

emissions. In a statement initiated in

have an impact and that we have

Spark NZ are among the founding

2017, the Climate Leaders Coalition

a responsibility to mitigate our

and steering signatories of the 2017

pledged to help transition New Zealand

environmental footprint,” Mark says.

statement. Katie says that Farmlands

to a low emissions economy and limit

Farmlands’ Head of Sustainability and

is proud to contribute to lowering

global warming to 2 degrees Celsius.

Land Use, Katie Vickers says that as an

New Zealand’s emissions.

The origin of the Climate Leaders Coalition The Climate Change Leadership Statement was drawn up by a group of 13 New Zealand CEOs in October 2017. • In July 2018, 60 of New Zealand’s business leaders signed the statement committing their businesses to tackle climate change and reduce New Zealand’s climate emissions. • The statement is a leadership beacon for collective action and ambitious solutions to tackle climate change. • The goal of the Climate Leaders Coalition is to help New Zealand businesses transition to a low emissions economy by lowering their own and their suppliers’ emissions to create a future which is positive for New Zealanders, New Zealand businesses, and the overall economy. • Any organisation can join the Coalition and play their part in New Zealand’s transition to a low emissions economy.

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

THE FARMLANDER | 23

GET OUT AND GRAB 2021 Get the low-down on what’s happening in your patch and make a day of it! Visit www.farmlands.co.nz/events for more information.

24 | THE FARMLANDER

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EVENTS 2021

NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS

WANAKA A&P SHOW

4–6 MARCH

12 – 13 MARCH

Dargaville

Wanaka Showgrounds

The Northland Field Days showcases everything from tractors of the 1940s to the latest farming innovations and technology, inviting visitors from around the region and New Zealand.

The Wanaka A&P Show is an iconic community event for Wanaka and the Southern Lakes. The advice and products on offer have grown the event into one of national significance.

northlandfielddays.co.nz See us at site 195

SOUTH ISLAND AGRICULTURAL FIELD DAYS

24 – 26 MARCH Kirwee, South Canterbury The latest in rural technology, equipment and ideas from around the world will be on show over three action-packed days. Pick up advice and products at exhibitions from leading rural businesses.

wanakashow.co.nz See us at site 7

siafd.co.nz See us at site 564 - 620

INNOV ATION HORSE OF THE YEAR

9 – 14 MARCH Hawke's Bay The annual Land Rover Horse of the Year is New Zealand’s premier equestrian competition, featuring a range of horse and rider combinations from multiple disciplines. With over 1,400 riders and 1,800 horses competing for lucrative titles and prize money, the show is a feature on all equestrian calendars. hoy.kiwi

CENTRAL DISTRICT FIELD DAYS

18 – 20 MARCH

A&P SHOWS

DEALS

COMPE TITION S

FIELD DAYS TECHNICAL ADVICE

Feilding The Central Districts Field Days is one the largest regional agricultural events in the country. Showcasing over 600 exhibitors, the event has plenty to offer to all visitors, from farmers to foodies. The latest trends and developments in rural innovation, agribusiness and agritech will be on show and with special deals exclusive to the event, visitors can stock up on elite products at great prices. cdfielddays.co.nz See us at site site K36 - K38

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THE FARMLANDER | 25

The Open Farms conversation continues In February 2020, farmers and growers around New Zealand opened their gates to the public as part of the first Open Farms event to share their life on the land. Another year on and Open Farms is back to continue the conversation. Seen as a way to help break down prejudice against the agriculture industry, the first Open Farms event saw 3,500 people visit farms around New Zealand — ranging from high-country sheep stations, to permaculture orchards, dairy farms and even an indoor microgreens producer in central Wellington. Now, the event is looking to bring more urban Kiwis out into the country and also presents an excellent opportunity for farmers and

| The first Open Farms event saw 3,500 people visit farms around New Zealand.

growers to share their knowledge and best practice ideas with each other.

For Farmlands, supporting this

“We built Open Farms because we believe that every Kiwi should have access to a genuine on-farm experience. To get there, we’ve streamlined hosting for farmers. All the guides and resources are in one place and Open Farms will manage all visitor marketing and registration,” project founder Daniel Eb says.

have the opportunity to learn from

Feedback from hosts and visitors from the 2020 event was overwhelmingly positive — three quarters of events were fully booked and 91 percent of visitors intend to visit a farm again. Hosts rated their day at 4.4/5, enjoying the chance to share the farming experience directly with people and see their work from a fresh, urban perspective.

forward to the opportunity to visit

“The research shows that getting on farm changes how we view our role in the food system,” Daniel says.

| Every Kiwi should have access to a genuine on-farm experience.

26 | THE FARMLANDER

“72 percent of visitors left a farm wanting to buy food direct from a farmer and 64 percent were more willing to pay a premium for sustainably grown food. This is the right trajectory for citizens, farmers and our environment.”

event means rural shareholders one another, explore options for diverse land use and connect with others in their community, as well as share their story with townsfolk. Farmlands Director of External Relations, Mark McHardy is pleased with the feedback received from last year’s event and is looking new and returning host farms. “Farmlands is very proud to be backing Open Farms for the second year after a strong opening event in 2020. We encourage our shareholders to get involved, either by signing up to host, visiting other operations, or encouraging urban family and friends to attend an event,” Mark says. “Open Farms is a very good way to build a positive profile of the agriculture industry and supports our local farmers and growers in telling the story of their produce to the rest of New Zealand and the world.” For more information on hosting or registering to visit, see www.openfarms.co.nz.

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CO-OPERATIVE NEWS

Developing a personal style of governance The “To the Core” programme developed by Farmlands Co-operative and Silver Fern Farms has been providing shareholders with governance training and insight since 2018. Held each year, the To the Core programme was created to develop a depth of governance experience within rural communities and offer the chance for attendees to get a feel as to whether the boardroom is for them. All Farmlands’ shareholders and Silver Fern Farms’ suppliers are welcome to put their hand up for the programme and for those who attend the To the Core course, an extension programme is also now available. While the 2020 edition of To the Core was unable to go ahead due to COVID-19, the 2-day To the Core Extension programme took place on 4th and 5th November in Christchurch.

| The To the Core Extension programme shared insights on co-operative governance and the relationship between management and governance.

style around the boardroom and recognising the persuasiveness of argument in influencing decision making,” Mark says.

12 shareholders attended the event, facilitated and delivered by The Boardroom Practice Ltd Company. The course included a simulated boardroom situation with the attendees split into two groups, working on governance decisions based around mock company documents provided to the group prior to the course.

The second day of the course included

Farmlands’ Director of External Relations, Mark McHardy says the extension version of the programme focusses on developing each attendee’s personal boardroom style.

Julie Bohnenn and Silver Fern Farms

“The objective is to work on increasing the participant’s understanding of group dynamics, developing questioning techniques and learning

Finer details that were discussed

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a session focusing on the relationship between management and governance. Farmlands CEO Peter Reidie and Silver Fern Farms CEO Simon Limmer provided an in-depth insight into the distinctive line between the two roles through a question and answer session. Farmlands Independent Director Chairman Richard Young also addressed the panel, sharing their thoughts on co-operative governance, providing valuable insight to the group. included boardroom etiquette, responding to pressure and presenting to a group.

“Funding support from the Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust (Agmardt) have played a key role in supporting governance development to rural communities,” Mark says. “To the Core, held annually and To the Core Extension, held biannually, have provided great value to attendees and the support from Agmardt means that shareholders and suppliers from Farmlands and Silver Fern Farms can continue to develop their knowledge further.” The next To the Core course will take place in June 2021 with To the Core Extension scheduled for July 2022. For more information on To the Core and To the Core Extension, visit www.silverfern farms.coop/governance/ professional-development

THE FARMLANDER | 27

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

Working safely with chemicals February and March see the highest number of incidents of people suffering workplace injuries due to single contact with a chemical or substance on New Zealand farms. “On average, ACC deals with 79 claims for single contact chemical-related injuries incurred in farm workplaces during February and 87 in March,” Al McCone, Agriculture Lead for WorkSafe New Zealand says. Farmers use a wide range of chemicals and fuels in their work. Many of these are potentially harmful and need to be handled, used and stored with care. Employers have a legal duty to train employees, or make sure someone who is trained supervises them, so they can work safely. “While many people say, ‘this is just common sense’, hundreds of workers are suffering harm from single chemical-related incidents on farms every year,” Al says. “Many others will be exposed to harmful substances that may not be immediately obvious but can have serious effects on health over time.

“Farmers should be up to speed with the chemicals and fuels they have on-farm and the risks they pose. The person in charge must ensure everyone using these substances is trained to do so, including certified handler certificates if required for highly hazardous substances, such as explosives, fumigants, vertebrate toxic agents (VTAs) or acutely toxic (6.1A and 6.1B) substances. If you employ a contractor to do work on your farm, you must make sure they have certification, if required.” Training in handling chemicals and fuels may be provided by experienced staff in the workplace or through a training provider, such as GROWSAFE. Employers are required to provide the right personal protective equipment (PPE) to anyone working with chemicals and fuel and if required, must also monitor exposure to hazardous substances. To find out if a substance has a prescribed exposure standard, see the controls database on the Environmental Protection Authority website, www.epa.govt.nz.

“Safety gear needed will depend on the product you are using and the job you are doing,” Al says. “You may need different gear for mixing, handling, applying, cleaning application equipment or cleaning up spills. “It’s essential to read the product label and safety data sheet (SDS) before using fuels and handling, mixing or applying farm chemicals and follow the instructions. The label will tell you the hazards of the product and the precautions that you need to take. The SDS will include information about what safety gear you need. “When planning to use chemicals, check in advance what the manufacturer’s requirements are, to make sure you and anyone else working with the substances has the knowledge and PPE they need to use them safely.” Farm fires are also becoming more common. It is a good idea to make your inventory or Hazsubs inventory pin available to your local rural fire brigade. This would save time in an emergency situation. Using the online Hazardous Substances Calculator will help you create an inventory of fuels and chemicals kept on-farm and work out what key requirements you need to meet. See www. hazardoussubstances.govt.nz/ calculator. You can also download the ‘Working Safely With Chemicals and Fuels on Farms’ from worksafe.govt.nz.

| Farmers should be up to speed with the chemicals and fuels they have on-farm and the risks they pose.

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

Article supplied by WorkSafe

THE FARMLANDER | 29

Out of the woolshed President of the NZ Shearing Contractors Association, Mark Barrowcliffe believes wool will still have its day, although admits the industry is currently battling the perfect storm. However, he is optimistic New Zealand will ride out the low wool price and shearer shortage. New Zealand currently has around 1,500 shearers with many following the worldwide circuit — the key to consistent work is ending up in the right place of the world at the right time to catch the seasonal shearing peaks.

With COVID-19 affecting the ability for shearers and shearing gangs to travel freely from country to country, the reality of a staffing shortage is beginning to show face and is expected to build throughout the main summer shear. Mark predicts the shortfall to be around 60 shearers, which at over 200 sheep a day over 4 or 5 months is a big tally of unshorn sheep. “Some of the shortage will be made up by Kiwis remaining here, but most of them would have followed the season and returned home anyway. Compounding the issue is the shortage

of shearers in Australia, meaning Australians are paying a premium for shearing which makes it hard for New Zealand to compete for staff. “The only thing holding Kiwi shearers in New Zealand is that they can’t easily get home and could have unpaid time and costs in quarantine. We are lucky our shearers and shed hands are family-orientated as that helps keep them here too." Despite the shortage of shearers, wool-handlers and pressers, there is an opportunity to train locals or displaced workers. More women becoming involved in shearing is also helping the skill shortage and the recent record-breaking shears by groups of women around the country is testament to the ability and skill available within the country. Mark says shearers and shed hands are a resilient bunch and working around the COVID-19 Alert Levels was just another unpredictability to add to the list. “We are happy to follow the protocols and processes in place for all levels. We are there to do the job safely for the animal, for the farmer and for the team of five million.” The wool opportunity Mark says it can be disheartening to see the farmers getting paid minimal value for their wool but is optimistic that the worth of the fibre will rise and sees it as an opportunity to look at value-add and new ideas. “We can’t keep producing plastic and throwing it away. Recyclable, reusable, sustainable wool and other fibres will have their day.

| The reality of a staffing shortage is beginning to show face and is expected to build throughout the main summer shear.

30 | THE FARMLANDER

“COVID-19 has changed it up with food being the only real commodity in demand. But this is also a chance to sort our own in-house business out and

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SHAREHOLDER STORY

| “Those who are involved in shearing love the industry, it’s not one you can be in if you don’t like the job.”

move forward to a more sustainable marketing and processing model that presents New Zealand as a united wool front. “We need to take the learnings from other primary industries and Merino wool marketing and apply that to strong/crossbred wool which has its own strengths and properties.” Take a day Despite the challenges of the industry Mark says the New Zealand Shearing Association represents a very cool group of people. “Our people are our tools. Our strapline is ‘Pride in people, product and country’. Those who are involved in shearing love the industry, it’s not one you can be in if you don’t like the job.” In times of intensity it is also vital that those in the industry look after themselves. The New Zealand Shearing Contractors Association has partnered with ACC to promote the online safety tool Tahi Ngātahi. “It’s about identifying that it’s a busy and challenging time, but workers

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need to look after themselves, stay fit, hydrated, healthy and safe. The shearing shed is a hard workplace anyway and a shortage of staff could lead to overload and that can have an accumulative effect on people’s wellbeing. This is about the ambulance at the top of the cliff rather than the bottom.” Mark also encourages those in the industry to have a break, take a day off and particularly to support the A&P Show circuit. “New Zealand is the best place in the world to shear a sheep and shearers from the United Kingdom and Europe love to have a crack at completing against Kiwis on the show circuit. If they are not in the country that could really compromise the shows. “My message to shearers is ‘I know it is a busy time, but take a day off, shear at the show, it’s like swimming, you’ve got to take a breath sometime’.” *At the time of writing the NZ Government was not allowing shearers into NZ as part of a COVID-19 essential service.

| Recyclable, reusable, sustainable wool and other fibres will have their day.

THE FARMLANDER | 31

Finish off your summer projects Exclusive prices for Farmlands shareholders.

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IS THIS NZ’S MOST VALUABLE CARD? YOU DECIDE. 32 | THE FARMLANDER

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Articles in the Plan365 section allow Farmlands suppliers to share best practice and the latest advances in rural technology, to help shareholders with their farming needs all year round.

Benefits of electrolytes for performance horses A well-balanced diet is essential for working horses to ensure they receive all the required nutrients that are important for fitness, recovery and overall health. Plenty of forage and a well formulated performance horse feed is a great start, however when deciding on which supplements to include, the huge amount of different products available in the market can sometimes make this a challenging decision. While the majority of these supplements offer considerable benefits and play an important role in the diet, the first supplement that should be considered for a working horse is electrolytes. Electrolytes are salts that play an important role in maintaining osmotic pressure, fluid balance and normal nerve and muscle activity. The most important electrolytes are sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), chloride (CI-) and magnesium (Mg++). These are lost daily through sweat and urine in vast amounts when the weather is hot and the horse is working hard, trying to dissipate excessive body heat. The major losses are of chloride followed by sodium and potassium. Therefore these are the most important electrolytes to replace. All horses that work hard enough to break a good sweat will require electrolytes if they are to recover quickly and rehydrate. Travel and stress can also induce heavy sweating — a horse travelling a few hours to a competition on a hot day may lose up to 25 litres of sweat and if these losses are not replaced, the horse may start

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| A well-balanced diet is important for the fitness, recovery and overall health of working horses.

the competition already dehydrated. Some horses sweat more than others, so it’s important to monitor sweat loss to determine what needs to be replaced. Underestimation of sweat losses can occur on hot dry days due to rapid evaporation from the skin as the horse may dry quickly even though there has been a considerable electrolyte loss. Substantial loss of electrolytes causes fatigue and muscle weakness, eventually decreasing the thirst response to dehydration. Research has also found that electrolyte deficiencies are a significant causative factor for muscle soreness and tying up in horses. The restoration of correct dietary electrolyte balance can significantly improve this condition. Since most of the electrolyte loss in the horse occurs through sweating, one method of calculating electrolyte

requirements can be based on different amounts of sweat loss. Body weight loss during exercise is a good way to estimate the amount of fluid loss, where 1kg of body weight loss equals 1 litre of body water and salt loss. When choosing an electrolyte, it is important to select a product that contains the correct proportions of the nutrients lost in sweat. McMillan Electrolytes are available from Farmlands and have been formulated to mimic the composition of horse’s sweat, so all nutrients are replaced in the correct proportions. For further assistance and advice on designing a diet for your performance horse, consult a reputable equine nutritionist. Article supplied by Luisa Wood, Equine Nutritionist

THE FARMLANDER | 33

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IS THIS NZ’S MOST VALUABLE CARD? YOU DECIDE. 34 | THE FARMLANDER

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NUTRITION

A summer browse Growing interest in goats and increasing feed options through the NRM feed range have justified the development of the NRM Goat Nutrition Guide which is now available online at www.nrm.co.nz/lifestyle. Unashamedly detailed, the guide has been written with both commercial and lifestyle goat keeping in mind. This excellent reference material can be read cover to cover or dipped into using the index when seeking answers to specific challenges. When aiming to keep stock healthy and productive it is important to understand the nature of the beast. Evolving as browsers rather than grazers has equipped these endearing ruminants with enviable climbing skills but has also not exposed them to the intestinal worm burden that predominantly live in the base of the pasture sward. They have therefore not developed the same resistance to intestinal parasites cattle and sheep have had to deal with. Instead they developed ways to cope with tannins found in the leaves of bushes and trees that are less favoured by graziers. Unfortunately, that has equipped them with a suppedup liver which seems pretty good at reducing the efficiency of some worm drenches. Rotationally grazing high quality pasture is therefore less suitable

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for goats despite nutritionally ticking many of the boxes for milking goats which are extremely efficient milk producers that need both energy and protein. Conserved forages â&#x20AC;&#x201D; often cut at greater maturity than grazed forages â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and cut and cart systems which limit exposure to worm eggs are therefore more popular with NZ dairy goat producers than dairy cow farmers. Balancing such forages with high energy grains, legumes and by-products makes sense because by themselves they struggle to meet the needs of animals that have been selected for milk production. As feed manufacturers we are conscious that farmers must meet the needs of the consumers. The commercial goat industry in NZ was one of the first to specify that supplementary feeds must be non-genetically modified (GM) to meet the needs of premium export markets. Local producers may also prefer to avoid GM feed ingredients, so NRM developed a compound feed range formulated from non-GM ingredients which focus on NZ grown non-GM grains, pulses and by-products. NRM Dairy Goat Pellets have been specially designed with 18% crude protein to help meet the needs of milking goats consuming a portion of their diet as conserved forages which inevitably lack

protein for lactating animals. Where less protein is required, NRM Deer Elite Nuts with 16% crude protein and NRM Performance Nuts with 12% crude protein can be considered when nonGM lower protein options are preferred. Enriched with major minerals, trace minerals and vitamins, they have been formulated to support health and performance in animals that could be consuming forages with variable and often performance-limiting levels of essential minerals and vitamins. For the commercial producer with a mixer wagon or in-shed feeding system there are a range of by-products that can be purchased singly or in blends. Feeding ruminants by-products from the human food industry is a great way to upgrade vegetable protein into animal protein and increasing production per animal is often seen as a good option to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per kg milk or meat produced. As methane reducing additives are developed, supplementary feed will also provide a good delivery route to the animal. Feedback on the NRM Goat Nutrition Guide is welcomed. The online digital format provides greater opportunity to edit the content to reflect the needs of the readers. Article supplied by Dr Rob Derrick, Head of Nutrition and Animal Health

THE FARMLANDER | 35

Responding to the freshwater reforms New Zealand’s pasture-based dairy production is the envy of dairy farmers around the world and meets many consumers’ needs for sustainable milk production with high animal welfare. The synthetic nitrogen (N) fertiliser cap from 1st June 2021 of 190kgN/ha of grazed land may impact the pasture production on about 15 percent of NZ dairy farms unless they can get consent to use more. At higher rates of N application, the pasture growth response is likely to be less than the typically quoted 7kgDM/kg N applied. It seems unlikely that a potential reduction of about 18,000t of N nationally (based on DairyNZ estimates) would be associated with a fall in pasture growth of 125,000t dry matter (DM) but some reduction should be expected. Dairy farmers will have a range of options to help keep milk factories efficient including: • Changes to grazing management such as longer rotations and grazing at optimum leaf stage. • Easing back cow numbers which may have a relatively small effect on milk production. • Looking at alternative crops and reseeding to increase DM production per hectare. • U se alternatives such as N-Boost to strategically stimulate pasture growth. • B uy in supplementary feed — either forages or straights (grains or by-products). Some farmers have been surprised at just how much N they have been

36 | THE FARMLANDER

applying and for some farmers the reduction could be significant. For those farmers already equipped to feed grains and by-products — and for those currently having systems installed — supplementary concentrate feeds as straights, blends or compound feed could be an effective way to fill a potential feed deficit caused by using less N. Ultimately, as food exporters committed to meeting the need for high quality animal proteins globally, it’s important to look at the greenhouse gas emissions per kg of milk or meat produced. A low output, low input system may reduce greenhouse gas emissions but if the human food need is then met by less sustainable systems elsewhere, we could see a net increase in greenhouse gases. Environmental scientists have concluded that in pasture-based systems, increasing production per cow and balancing pasture with lower protein supplements can help to reduce the carbon footprint per kg food produced. Increased grain production — harvested as either grain or wholecrop — fits the bill in terms of cropping diversification at a farm or regional level but areas may be limited. Imported and domestic straights are a useful by-product from the human food or bio-fuel industries. Prices reflect supply and demand. One of the benefits of supplementary feeding pasture-based cows is they tend to produce more milk but can partition more energy to body condition. This means shorter dry periods and smaller targets for weight gain during the dry period. The intensive winter grazing regulations are likely to effect where and how some cows can be conditioned over

the winter. The value of by-products is just starting to be appreciated by some countries with developing dairy industries, so prices are relatively firm. Even so, with milk pay-out predictions looking pretty good, mid and late lactation should be a good opportunity to get some valuable milk in the vat and look after cow condition with an uncertain winter ahead. Supplementary feed options often depend on local supply and the feed-out options on each dairy farm. By-products offer greater consistency than forages and when combined with in-shed feeding systems provide the opportunity to efficiently supplement cows when they must be in the shed without additional labour or diesel to fuel tractors and wagons. The table details some of the factors which should be considered when making supplementary feed buying decisions. Fundamentally, meeting the needs of the cows by balancing the forages available should be paramount. What’s the true value of a supplement? As we enter late summer the dry can really start to bite, so what are the options for filling a feed deficit? The table includes a snapshot of available options so we can compare quality and costs. It is an important exercise to have a 360° look at a supplement rather than just look at the cost per tonne or cost per bale. It is more about making sure the supplement fits into your system and balances out the diet for your herd as well as making sure it is a cost-effective choice for your farm. For a wider range of options contact your TFO or Nutrition Specialist.

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NUTRITION

Simple blend

(50% PKE, 30% Soya hull, 20% maize DGGs with added magnesium, calcium, and sodium)

NRM Dairy Standard Pellet Ingredients have been hammer-milled and conditioned with steam and pressure during the manufacturing process.

Baleage

Maize Silage

PKE

Variable depending on the quality of harvested crop and the ensiling process. Maturity of the crop, species harvested, and moulding can impact feed value.

Variable depending on the crop, height of cutting, ensiling process, use of inoculants and speed of use across the pit.

High lignin level. Energy level can vary a little depending on the fat percentage but generally a consistent feed.

Adding in the soya hull and maize DGGs decreases the lignin which increases the overall digestibility.

Usually adequate levels of macrominerals.

Low in Ca, Na and P. Supplementation required, especially when feeding over 3kgDM/day.

Good source of P but low in Ca and Na.

Added Ca, Mg and Na increases major minerals to support milk production.

Microminerals

Usually adequate but very variable.

Generally low

High in copper

Reasonable copper levels due to PKE content.

Trace element and vitamin premix added to reduce deficiencies

Dry matter %

37% (can be variable)

35% (can be variable)

90%

87%

9-10 ME Variable depending on quality. Stalkier, more mature silage will have a lower ME.

10.5 ME

11 ME

11.5 ME

12 ME

15-17% Highly variable depending on quality.

17% Some protein in indigestible kernel fraction.

17%

13%

$80-105/bale (average 450kg per bale)

$120 per tonne

$350 per tonne (pricing changes daily so approximate cost).

$420 per tonne (pricing changes daily so approximate cost).

$530 - $630 per tonne depending on region (approximate cost).

Prices effected by global and local supply and demand - forward contracts can provide security of supply and pricing.

Pricing and supply can be affected by droughts. Forward contracts can provide security of supply and pricing.

Quality

Macrominerals

Typical Energy (MJ ME/kgDM)

Typical crude protein (% DM) Approximate costs and availability (prices DO NOT include cartage for every price mentioned)

Cost per unit of Metabolisable Energy (ME)

Cost can vary and prices may inflate to $120-$150 during a dry period with increasing demand. May also be hard to secure during a dry period. 4.8-6.3c per unit of ME (based on 10 ME silage)

3.2c per unit of ME (based on 10.5 ME silage)

3.5c per unit of ME (based on 11 ME PKE)

4.1c per unit ME

5.1 - 6c per unit of ME (based on 12 ME pellet.) Macro and trace mineral supply improved which may cost more via other routes.

20% when fed on ground in paddock and up to 40% in poor conditions.

5-25% when fed in troughs. 25% when fed in the paddock and up to 40% in poor conditions.

Fed in-shed <5%. Fed in troughs in paddock 1020%. Fed in paddock on the ground 30-40%.

Fed in-shed minimal <5%. Fed in troughs in paddock 10-20%. Fed in paddock on the ground 30-40%.

Minimal due to pelleting and emphasis on minimising fines. <5% when fed in-shed.

A good option for filling a feed deficit but quality of purchased in silage can be variable and prices tend to increase during a dry period. The true cost of energy consumed should be considered.

A good option for filling a feed deficit but does have some downfalls such as low in protein and low in macrominerals so requires balancing for lactating cattle. Not available in all regions of NZ.

A moderate fermentable energy option, good at filling a feed deficit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; however the amount in the diet needs to be capped for Fonterra suppliers due to Fat Evaluation Index restrictions. Good for supporting cow condition.

The next step up from straight PKE with a higher fermentable energy level due to the inclusion of soya hulls and maize DGGS. More balanced for lactating cows in terms of macronutrients. A good option to fill a feed deficit in a dry period to keep FEI levels lower.

A good option for an in-shed feed system. High energy due to the presence of grains. Balanced in terms of macronutrients and micronutrients. Low wastage and feeding-out costs when fed in-shed, available in a range of formulations to meet needs.

Make sure you check quality of baleage and avoid poorly fermented or mouldy silage.

If feeding high levels make sure to balance the diet for protein, Ca, Mg, Na and P. Not easily traded once in the pit as deteriorates rapidly if moved.

Keep an eye on your FEIs if a Fonterra supplier. If feeding out in the paddock, make sure there is adequate trough space.

If feeding out in the paddock, make sure there is adequate trough space. Easy to adjust formulation to meet herd needs.

Make sure animals are transitioned onto the pellet sufficiently due to the grain content. Useful way to deliver additives such as bloat remedies and zinc against facial eczema.

(does not include cartage and feed out costs)

Wastage/Losses when fed out (not included in the cost estimates above)

Summary

Things to consider if buying in

| Note: the products above are just a snapshot and average pricing as of November 2020.

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THE FARMLANDER | 37

LANDSPAN BRIDGE ● Simple installation process ● Designed to 0.85HN requirements ● Streamlined consent process ● Beams in lengths 8,10,12,14 and 16m (Twin span up to 32m) ● Widths up to 6.3m in 1050mm increments.

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Best practise for flystrike prevention and lice control By late April, flystrike is likely to occur in most unprotected breeds and classes of sheep. Timing of treatment and correct product application plays an important part in preventing or reducing the damage that flystrike causes and stress to flock owners. Warmer temperatures bring a new generation of flies. After mating, females are attracted to the odour of greasy sheep wool, green dags or urine odour on breech wool. Initial strikes mainly occur in the following areas — shoulder strike from the wool grease odour and bacterial action at the skin level, or dag/urine strike around the base of the tail. Unchecked, these strikes occur with up to 200 eggs deposited by just one female fly. The eggs hatch in less than a day. The larvae develop by moulting, with each larval stage aggressively damaging the skin layer and penetrating the tissue. This is compounded by the attraction of more flies and sheep not previously treated with a flystrike preventative, dying a painful death. Shearing, crutching and/or dagging lambs, two-tooths and ewes in the early summer months alleviates the risk of flystrike. Tell-tale signs of flystruck sheep are biting, twisting and irritation from early larval attack, indicating the need to check the whole mob and use a flystrike dressing treatment on affected sheep after cleaning up the struck areas with a shearing handpiece. Best practice to prevent flystrike is by saturation methods. Jetting or pour-ons with a T-bar applicator

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| Best practice to prevent flystrike is by saturation methods.

along the backline and around the breech, preferably with a dual action (fly and lice) combination product. Examples of these are UnlockTM Combination, a saturation/jetting product and UnlockTM Pour-On, a backline/breech application. Both have a dual action for flystrike and lice. Application should be within 4-6 weeks of shearing, when wool length retains the chemical for the claimed protection period on the label. In certain periods of moist and warm weather, particularly in sheltered paddocks or locations where flystrike can be severe, shorter periods may necessitate shorter treatment intervals. One often-used procedure where these conditions prevail with lambs, is to run the lambs through a jetting unit as they leave the race. This should be after drenching lambs with an anthelmintic in the race at 28-day intervals. Another method of ensuring efficient coverage of the backline and

breech, is the use of a conveyer to space the sheep as they are jetted or the pour-on applied. The application of a pour-on needs to be meticulous too, with recommended chemical-proof over-trousers — not shorts. Rushing large numbers through the application procedure often leads to some failures in the sheep receiving the correct placement of the chemical. Reading the application rate or the dip mixing rate is important, as is use on the same day of mixed dip wash, as overnight settling-out of the active chemical will markedly reduce the protection benefit. Lastly, take care with jetting and showering to avoid run-off into waterways. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by AHD Ltd

THE FARMLANDER | 39

Guess Guess Work. Work. You can still guess an animals weight. This just lets you see how good you are.

You can still guess an animals and dataThis transfer to the next weight. just lets you seelevel. how good you are. For more information please talk to your Farmlands store. and datalocal transfer to the next level. For more information please talk to your local Farmlands store.

livestock.tru-test.com | 0800 55 33 11

40 | THE FARMLANDER

How are you tracking? Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talk.

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Mitigating risk with correct application Animal handling is a risky business, so eliminating, mitigating and avoiding injury when tagging can be difficult. Particularly at weaning time when both mother and calf don’t want to be separated or when a flighty or stroppy animal needs to be held long enough to place a tag correctly. The Z2 no tear taggerTM performs well beyond its peers to eliminate ear ripping and wounds during tagging. In doing so, it helps mitigate risk of injury to people and animals in the process.

Other applicators require well-timed compression and release before the animal pulls their head away, something that happens even in the best of crushes. If not perfectly in-sync, bruising and ripping is more than likely. The Z2 no tear tagger makes life better for the farmer and stock alike. Firstly, the tool incorporates a snapback arm and a tag pin which automatically flicks out so no matter how stroppy an animal might be, there’s no ear ripping when putting in tags. Andrew Powdrell, of Wairoa-based Turiroa Angus Stud, is testament to that. His family have been breeding pedigree Angus cattle for 76 years and Andrew has been tagging animals for decades.

The Z2 no tear tagger is a really tough, durable and user-friendly tool which are three big things for me.” “I do all the tagging and the Z2 no tear tagger is excellent. You don’t get the ripped ears which were quite common before with other taggers and you don’t get the tags ripping out. With the snapback pin, they are safer to handle too. You can tag from the front or the back, they are easy and quick to load and the tags stay in.” | The Z2 no tear tagger mitigates risk of injury to both people and animals. TM

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Another feature of the Z2 no tear tagger is its non-compression tag application. No matter how quickly

or how hard you pull the handles, no one can over-compress when you squeeze them together. With no compression, injuries such as bruising and wounds are avoided. Animals are calmer and tagging is a safer and faster process all round. For Andrew, presentation counts on the rostrum and the perception of a stroppy animal or ear tears can make a difference in dollars. This year, Turiroa Angus Stud sold New Zealand’s recordpriced bull at $104,000. Andrew says “Over time, we’ve tried most taggers on the market. The Z2 no tear tagger is a really tough, durable and user-friendly tool which are three big things for me. We have had no trouble at all. We’re really pleased. This is by far the best.” The Z2 no tear tagger is ideal for applying NAIT-approved RFID tags, Z2 no tear tags, Button tags and Pedigree tags. The Z2 no tear tagger is highly recommended for tagging cattle, sheep, deer and is suitable for working with older animals. The Z2 tags are designed for high retention in animals so farmers don’t have to spend time replacing tags and updating their animal records in NAIT. Tags are pliable, they bend and flex which prevents ripping and promotes faster healing even if cattle rub them. “We tag all our calves. The Z tags last the animal’s lifetime. They are tough, durable and stay put, which is what we want.” For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Datamars

THE FARMLANDER | 41

The expert touch Without scientific on-farm support, many drench products would fail to rid animals of unwanted parasites, worms and other nasties. For Donaghys Ltd, supplying this technical knowledge on a day-to-day basis is a priority.

With focus on selecting the right drench for the right animal at the right time, Donaghys are committed to ensuring Farmlands’ shareholders are confident in their drench choice. To support this technical know-how, veterinarians Angela McEwan and Sean Daly have joined the Donaghys team to pass on years of practical experience, scientific information and hands-on drench recommendations. Angela comes to Donaghys with nearly 20 years of practical veterinary experience. She spent the early part of her career in the Waikato, gaining valuable experience in dairy farm systems and developed a real interest in herd health preventive tools, strategies and performance. More recently Angela was working for a large corporate dairy farming business based in Canterbury but with farms all over New Zealand. Here she was an in-house animal health consultant advising the business and farm teams on all aspects of animal disease prevention, treatment, strategy and performance. The goal was to achieve leading herd health, wellbeing and profitability through effective business strategy and farmer knowledge. Understanding the whole farm system was vital to making effective decisions on behalf of the business and required a very disciplined approach to achieving favourable outcomes.

| Supplying technical knowledge on a day-to-day basis is a priority for Donaghys veterinarian Angela McEwan.

42 | THE FARMLANDER

Angela has particular interests in reproduction, calf rearing, mastitis and nutrition. She is an InCalf trained advisor and Dairy NZ accredited body condition scorer. Angela is with Donaghys to impart her knowledge and leave her customers in a better place.

Outside of work Angela loves running, mountain biking, kayaking and skiing. Sean developed his passion for agriculture growing up on his parent’s sheep, beef and cropping farm in Cheviot, North Canterbury. After graduating from veterinary school in 2003 Sean worked in several mixedanimal practices in Canterbury, Gisborne and the United Kingdom for 4 years. Since then Sean has worked in a variety of roles across the industry including sales, research and development and marketing in New Zealand and Australia, spanning the sheep, cattle, companion animal and pig industries. While working in the animal health industry Sean has particularly enjoyed the opportunity to work with farmers and learn about their businesses, the challenges they face and how farmers are innovating to succeed. In moving to Donaghys Sean has appreciated the clear focus on farmer requirements and the flexibility to find better ways to do business with customers. This is made even easier through Donaghys alignment of its drench range with Farmlands — farmers being the primary focus of both companies. Sean still assists where he can on his parent’s farm with his brother Tim and outside of work Sean enjoys fishing, duck shooting and shooting sporting clays. Sean, Angela and Donaghys will be providing practical and informative advice across a range of topics every month in the Farmlander magazine, so keep an eye out! Article supplied by Donaghys.

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Improve silage quality and the environment Plastic waste is a growing concern for many who make silage. Now, thanks to new technologies in silage covers, farmers can significantly improve the quality of silage while using one third of the plastic.

stacked on top of each other when

SiloStop® Orange is applied fresh each

comparing on an oxygen transmission

year and can be recycled through the

rate basis.1 Trials have shown that for

Plasback product stewardship scheme

silage sealed with SiloStop Orange

and woven SiloStop® UV Covers can

oxygen barrier surface losses can

last for 6—7 years when well looked

be reduced by almost half2. Under a

after. Given the effectiveness of the

Most often silage spoilage occurs

conventional black and white cover, the

SiloStop® Orange oxygen barrier, tyre-

around the surface, as this is where the

top metre of the stack will typically lose

to-tyre coverage is not required. Gravel

oxygen can get in. Even in stacks or

20% of its original dry matter due to the

bags are proving a popular alternative

bales that do not have visible spoilage,

presence of oxygen and subsequent

to tyres as they are often more effective

oxygen causes the silage to heat

heating. For a 20m x 50m stack3 this is

at sealing the edges and are more

and that heat is energy lost. Spoilage

over 26 tonnes of dry matter lost, which can be over $15,400 worth of silage.

friendly on the environment.

organisms take the nutritious parts of the feed (starches, sugars and proteins)

This could be reduced to an 11.4% loss

Not all plastics are equal. For further

and leave you with less nutrient dense

under SiloStop® Orange oxygen barrier

information, contact your Farmlands

silage, with lower palatability and an

film, saving over $6,600.

Technical Field Officer or the friendly

increased risk of mycotoxins. The combination of energy losses and mycotoxins means that milk production or weight gain can be significantly compromised when oxygen is able to enter a stack or bale.

An added benefit is the significant reduction of plastic usage when using SiloStop Orange under a woven

Article supplied by Nutritech

Silostop® UV Cover. SiloStop® Orange is 45µm compared to 125µm with conventional black and white plastic

New technologies in films and covers

which means there is 47kg versus

are drastically reducing oxygen

130kg of plastic on a 20x50m stack.

penetration and surface spoilage.

This means SiloStop® Orange produces

One layer of SiloStop® Orange oxygen

roughly one-third of the plastic waste

barrier film from Nutritech is equivalent

than black and white, while still providing

to almost 60 black and white covers

a strong seven-layer oxygen barrier.

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team at your local Farmlands store.

1. Michigan State University, Test D3985 - 21% oxygen. SiloStop® Orange OTR < 5 cm3/m3/24hrs compared to more than 300 cm3/m3/24hrs for conventional black+white, versus 1000cm3/ m3/24hrs for polyethylene ‘cling film. 2. Wilkinson, J.M (2002). Effect of triple co-extruded film (TCF) on losses during the ensilage of ryegrass. In: Proc. XIII International Silage Conference. Ayr, Scotland. 3. Assuming a silage density of 220kgDM/m3, valued at 35c/kgDM with 19.5% losses under conventional black+white and 11.4% losses under SiloStop® oxygen barrier film.

THE FARMLANDER | 43

IS THIS NZ’S MOST VALUABLE CARD? YOU DECIDE. 44 | THE FARMLANDER

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Traceability closes the loop for meat customers Wairarapa farmers Matt and Lynley Wyeth say electronic identification fits well with where agriculture sits in the modern world. “The customer wants to know how that animal was raised and treated and where it lived,” Matt says. Spring Valley Enterprises is three farms totalling 2,100ha (1,350ha effective) with three managers and other shepherds. The home farm at Spring Valley, Kaituna is just outside of Masterton. The other two farms are at Maranui next door and Ratanui, which is 20km down the road at Mt Bruce. All stock is EID tagged and the business is aligned with Allflex because they’re modern and forward thinking.

Matt calls the EID process an “enabler”. “It enables us to get accurate information to make decisive decisions, on time, every time.” Specific onfarm trials have shown less need for animal health spending and cuts other wastage from their business. “We know what does and doesn’t work for us. It’s not necessarily what the EID tagging earns you or makes you but what it saves you.” There’s also the gains achieved because of the competitive nature of their team. “If one guy is doing 320 grams a day and another guy is doing 120, he starts asking the other guy why. Suddenly, they want to step up to another level.” Another successful trial was the use of docking scales 2 years ago after

frustration with the EID tags only going on at weaning. “If we didn’t put a tag on until weaning, we didn’t get any information until February. Now we tag in October and it’s easier to plan the farms, feed budgets and to book space in the lead up to Christmas.” Linking the kill information is another level of data. “We can see the different ones being rotationally grazed and set stocked, the ones that had a B12 on the docking board, the ones grazed on plantain or rape, the ones with a prelamb worm drench. We did a check last year on the difference between tape drench and a triple.” Genetic mapping showed the potential of the flock, but Matt says going down to an individual basis will take them to another level of increasing production. “If we were told the hoggets could do 145% scanning but they’re doing 120%, we’re not letting them express their full genetic potential.” The duo also enter awards and competitions. “We don’t enter to win but to see if we’re doing any good on a regional or national scale,” Lynley says. “It’s good for our staff too. We want them to be proud of our land and our stock.” For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

| EID tagging has enabled Wairarapa farmers Lynley and Matt Wyeth to make decisive decisions.

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Article supplied by Allflex

THE FARMLANDER | 45

IS THIS NZ’S MOST VALUABLE CARD? YOU DECIDE. 46 | THE FARMLANDER

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

More moisture, more grass and more parasites! The North Island is on a weather roller coaster making farming that extra bit more challenging. The additional rain in November and December has set farms up well for grass growth but with more grass, comes more parasites. The pasture living larval stages of internal parasites prefer the same growing conditions as grass — warm moist weather particularly suited to Barber’s pole worm. Once Barber’s pole start breeding in sheep, their egg and larval numbers on pasture can get very high, very quickly. This is in part due to their ability to reach the infective stages in only 7-10 days in the

right conditions. Also, female worms can lay 10,000 eggs per day — that’s 10 times as many as Teladorsagia or Trichostrongylus worms can lay.

when moved or just found dead, with very white gums. It is important to get a diagnosis quickly, as pneumonia can have similar signs of lethargic sheep.

All worms have detrimental effects on sheep, reducing growth rates, body condition, wool and milk production. However Barber’s pole are one of the most dangerous. Where other parasites might damage the gut lining and prevent normal nutrient absorption, Barber’s pole parasites suck blood. Lambs and young stock such as 2-tooths, can quickly become anaemic (run out of blood) so they cannot carry oxygen around their bodies. Sheep are often reluctant to move, collapse

Using a standard short-acting drench may not afford enough protection against these worms if numbers are very high and sheep are being challenged. This is when tactical use of a longer-acting Cydectin Oral can really benefit sheep. Cydectin Oral lasts longer in the animal, enabling it to kill incoming Barber’s pole larvae for up to 35 days and Teladorsagia circumcincta larvae for 21 days. With the drench killing the parasites, the animal can perform to its optimum, despite the big challenge. This has been demonstrated in field trials in New Zealand, where sheep given Cydectin Oral grew 60-87 grams per day faster than those given the short acting drench. Over a fourweek period that the drench works for, that is an extra 2kg gain. Despite its long action, Cydectin has a short meat withholding period of only 10 days and if there are milking sheep that need worm treatment, its milk withhold is only 84 hours! For further information on Cydectin Oral, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Zoetis Zoetis New Zealand Limited. Tel: 0800 963 847; www.zoetis.co.nz. Cydectin is a registered trade mark of Zoetis. ACVM No. A6204, A7388

| Tactical use of a longer-acting Cydectin Oral can really benefit sheep.

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Ref: Murphy, A. A comparison of production responses in lambs drenched with moxidectin or ivermectin. NZ Journal of Agricultural Research 1994

THE FARMLANDER | 47

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IS THIS NZ’S MOST VALUABLE CARD? YOU DECIDE. 48 | THE FARMLANDER

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Get on top of rodent control this autumn Rodents spoil food, spread disease and cause damage by fouling and gnawing. Although rodents become more visible and annoying in autumn when their numbers are high and they’re looking for new homes to escape the winter, sensible rodent control involves year-round preventative action to keep populations in check.

Rat Café, Pestoff Departure Lounge or

Rats and mice prefer fresh, high quality foods and will reject spoiled or unpalatable foods when given a choice, so bait selection is important. The Pestoff Rodent Block bait uses a cereal base with brodifacoum as the active ingredient. The chocolate lure is very effective – a single feed can become a lethal dose.

each station. Another new addition

For successful rodent control it is best practice to use either the Pestoff Dead

Pestoff Dirty Rat Motel to secure bait, protect non-target species from the

| The Dead Rat Café now features four hoops for securing double the number of rodent blocks.

bait and keep bait dry and fresh. The Pestoff Dead Rat Café can be used either indoors or outside, pegged/ nailed or screwed down and now has four wire hoops instead of two which means you can now double the amount of secured Pestoff Rodent Blocks in to the range is the Pestoff Dead End which is a clever non return trap system via ramp for mice. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Bell Booth

Tips for successful control • Do not handle bait with bare hands as rodents are suspicious of human scent and may avoid baits that have been touched. • Ensure rodents do not have access to alternative foods such as stock feed, rubbish or human food scraps. • Maintain fresh baits by checking and replacing them every 2 to 3 days initially and later, every week or two. • Be particularly vigilant during autumn when the first cold and wet weather arrives as this usually drives rodents indoors to find shelter and food. • To protect non-target animals from secondary poisoning, collect any dead rodent bodies and burn or bury them. Spoiled or unwanted bait should be disposed of in a similar manner. • Where infestation is heavy and localised use up to five bait stations per 100 square metres (10m x 10m) and in areas where infestation is light and extensive use one Pestoff Dead Rat Cafe per 100 square metres. • Make sure bait stations are attached with screws or double-sided tape to the floor or wall. Remember rodents are creatures of habit. They follow well defined tracks or paths between their feeding, drinking and living areas.

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THE FARMLANDER | 49

The New Zealand Century Farm and Station Awards aim to capture and preserve the history of our country’s farming families. Each month we will share stories from Farmlands shareholders who have worked their land for 100 years or more.

The Making of Mackenzie A book, a movie and hydroelectrics have all played a part in the Hayman farming legacy. “Tasman Downs Station” was purchased by Walter Hayman (1861-1934) in 1915. Walter employed a manager until 1920 when his son, John Edgar (Jack) (18881956) and wife, Lilian took over the reins. They had three children — Patricia (died

| Tasman Downs, 1930.

aged 3 of a burst appendix in 1919), Betty (died aged 21 of encephalitis in 1938 whilst at Otago University) and Bruce who survived until he was 88. The station was 1,800 acres and grew wheat, oat and chaff, mainly to feed the horses that ploughed the paddocks. The farm had sheep and a few cattle but the winters were very tough and rabbits were a big burden. Lilian, a qualified teacher, started a school in 1923 for the local children from Braemar and Guide Hill Stations. Altogether 75 pupils, including Betty and Bruce, received their primary education. For the last 10 years, 10 children at a time from all parts of New Zealand were boarders,

| Walter and Elizabeth Hayman with family, 1900.

| Jack and Lilian Hayman on Harley Davidson motorcycle.

farm was still a sheep farm until 1996

completing high school, Ian returned to

when the sheep were sold. Bruce

Tasman Downs to work alongside his

married Tonie and had four children –

father until his passing in 2008. Bruce

Alan, Bernard, Nicola and Wendy. He

completed his book, “The Nut That

married Linda Jean Cargo 18 years later

Changed My Life”, the previous year.

and had two children, Jane and Ian.

until the school closed in 1945.

The raising of Lake Pukaki in 1954

Bruce, the sole surviving child,

and 1976 for hydro development

The farm is now run by Linda and Ian Hayman and Nicola Homsey. Their son, Archie is away at boarding school

boarded at Timaru Boys’ High School

has decreased the land area from

for his high schooling, then in 1941,

1,800 acres to just 1,100. After the

against his parents’ wishes, enlisted

second raising, all the farm buildings

with the RNZAF. He was a Wellington

had to be relocated to higher ground

oats and Ian operates Ian’s Quirky Tours.

bomber pilot during WW2.

and a new homestead was built.

Tasman Downs was the location of

Returning from WW2, Bruce farmed

Linda home-schooled Jane and

Laketown in the Hobbit movie and

alongside his father for 7 years before

Ian until 9 years of age when they

featured on Country Calendar in

Jack and Lilian retired to Timaru. The

were sent to boarding school. Upon

May 2017, entitled “A bit of a dag”.

50 | THE FARMLANDER

but still has a keen interest in the farm. Tasman Downs runs Angus cattle, sells

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

The cockroach who came in from the cold Just as the hot weather sets in,

extreme conditions for short periods of

another cold front sneaks up

time and will survive for months without

leaving you longing for some more

food and weeks without water. This

sunshine. The effect of cold, wet

makes them very difficult to get rid of.

weather is even more pronounced

Cockroaches undergo 3 stages of

on insect populations and

development: egg, nymph and adult.

unfortunately can drive insects into

The adult female cockroach lays what

habitats they don’t normally occupy

appears to be a huge egg. It’s actually

in summer.

an ootheca which contains 20-40

While some cockroach species will occupy indoor spaces right throughout the year, other species will tend to move indoors only during colder periods. This is especially true of the Gisborne and native cockroaches which favour outdoor areas but will move inside if they need to. Many home-owners are blissfully unaware of the presence of cockroaches in their homes, as a lot of their movement only occurs at night. While more cockroaches live in the north of the South Island and in the North Island a good number of places in the lower South Island are now also considered home by cockroaches.

| German cockroach.

eggs in one outer egg case. The actual number varies for different species. The eggs hatch into nymphs, which look similar to adult cockroaches. The nymphs undergo a series of moults before developing into fully reproductive adult cockroaches. The length of this process varies and may take anywhere between a few weeks to a year to complete the cycle. A female cockroach can lay up to 20 oothecae during its lifespan.

| American cockroach.

Awareness is an important part of cockroach management but high

No Pests Crawling Insect Spray will

population numbers can be reached

control a serious infestation.

before they are finally noticed and a control strategy implemented. Monitoring with Lo-Line sticky traps will

Baiting and spraying techniques can both be used for large populations and

Cockroaches can impact our lifestyles

help ensure early detection, enabling

can be complementary to each other.

too, as they carry diseases, give off

prevention and management of a

As with all the crawling insects it is

unpleasant odours, aggravate allergies

cockroach population.

important that spraying is done with a

(especially in children) and ruin food. In

Both baiting and spraying can be used

non-repellent insecticide. Dealing with

to treat cockroach habitats. Baiting is

Gisborne roaches on the exterior areas

New Zealand has three main species

very successful for both American and

of cockroach — the German, American

of a building can be achieved using No

German cockroaches but unfortunately

and Gisborne cockroach, as well as

the Gisborne cockroach is not readily

Pests X-IT Ant.

a number of native bush cockroach

attracted to bait. Using a bait such as

For further information, contact your

species which are not generally

No Pests Roach Bait or Vendetta will

Farmlands Technical Field Officer

regarded as pests — but are starting

be very effective to control populations

or the friendly team at your local

to be a problem in some areas.

of German or American roaches

Cockroaches thrive in warm, damp

Farmlands store.

indoors but for high populations and for

conditions, however, they can live in

Gisborne roaches, spraying with

extreme cases, they can even bite.

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

Article supplied by Key Industries

THE FARMLANDER | 51

Minecto Star is all about PRECISION... ™

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*FREE Digital Scales available with purchase from your local Farmlands store - while stocks last!

™ MINECTO STAR is the trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, No. P9417. Always read the label completely before use.

52 | THE FARMLANDER

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Why growers are shifting to softer insecticides Insect damage in forage brassica crops can cost growers over $500 per hectare in lost feed value. For many years, growers applied broad-spectrum organophosphate sprays at the first sign of insect pest damage. But as Farmlands Technical Field Officer Luc Rodwell explains, that’s changing. “There has definitely been a transition to the softer IPM (integrated pest management) compatible insecticides in forage brassicas, particularly in the last couple of seasons,” Luc says. “Growers are seeing the benefit of using softer products by keeping vital beneficial bugs alive mid and late season. I think that synthetic pyrethroids (SP’s) and organophsphates (OP’s) will soon be a thing of the past, as IPM is an easy discussion point with growers and they are happy to shift to softer products.”

| Insect damage can cost growers hundreds of dollars in lost feed value.

“One product I recommend to my forage brassica clients is Minecto Star, which is very much an all-rounder. It’s a combination of two IPM compatible insecticides with contact, systemic and translaminar activity. It controls aphids, caterpillars, leafminer and nysius and it’s price competitive with SP’s and OP’s, because it lasts longer so you don’t need as many sprays.” “Minecto Star has been reliably giving 4 weeks residual control of pests when applied at the right time under normal insect pressure, whereas SP’s and OP’s would be giving a maximum of 7 to 10 days control.” “Timing and coverage are crucial when using softer products like Minecto Star

“Another benefit of Minecto Star over organophosphates is that growers and contractors prefer to use it because of operator safety and it doesn’t smell unpleasant.”

volume increases, product coverage also becomes harder, so good water

Article supplied by Syngenta.

before insect infestation or pressure becomes too high. As the crop canopy

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“The addition of Pirimor to Minecto Star enhances the knockdown activity on aphids and I recommend mixing the two products together when aphid pressure is abnormally high, either due to environmental conditions or if spraying has been delayed.”

For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

and early application is key, timing it

| Early application of Minecto Star is key to avoid insect infestations.

rates and the addition of a non-ionic surfactant are important to ensure coverage throughout the canopy. I recommend a minimum of 200 litres of water per hectare mid-season and up to 300 litres late season.”

THE FARMLANDER | 53

Greener fields, greater yields.

NEW FUNGICIDE 28 DAY

WITHHOLDING PERIOD

When it comes to fodder and sugar beet, healthy leaves are a sign of a healthy, nutritious crop. CUSTODIA® delivers just that. ADAMA's new foliar fungicide provides effective control of key diseases Cercospora, powdery mildew and rust. The result is improved leaf retention and palatability, more green leaf area, and better DM yields. And thanks to CUSTODIA's 28 day withholding period, you'll have greater grazing flexibility, essential when feed is tight.

Visit your local Farmlands store today and ask about CUSTODIA.

HC AGR0275

Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997 No. P9607. See www.foodsafety.govt.nz for registration conditions. Approved pursuant to the HSNO Act 1996. Approval No. HSR101411. See www.epa.govt.nz for approval controls. Custodia is a registered trademark of an ADAMA Group Company.

54 | THE FARMLANDER

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Winter crop wins Wise use of nitrogen (N) can support a winning winter crop.

damage from pugging, is a lower yield

A side dressing of N can help winter crops meet their yield potential but too much N reduces return on investment and could cause stock health issues.

you’re working on and therefore a better

“Planning how much N, including side dressings you’re going to apply to kale, swede or fodder beet before sowing, helps to optimise N inputs and yield,” Ballance Agri-Nutrients Forage Specialist Murray Lane says. Applying just the amount of N required for growth of brassicas also minimises the risk of stock health issues caused by accumulation of the anti-nutritional compounds SMCOs. This can occur when excess N is applied and sulphate sulphur levels are >10. Start with the soil “The key factors to consider when determining a crop’s N requirements both depend on the soil. What desired yield is appropriate for the soil type and climatic expectations — how much N is available in the soil,” Murray says. “How much yield do you want, relative to the soil and its capacity to hold stock? Thinking of potential soil

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actually more appropriate for the soil option overall than a higher yield?” An available N test before the crop is sown helps to refine N applications. The test measures the potential supply of N for the growing season. The results may vary widely and depend on several factors including how long a paddock has been in pasture. Paddocks used long-term for pasture generally have higher available N reserves than those

Fodder beet findings A Sustainable Farming Fund project investigated fertiliser management (and crop establishment) for optimal fodder beet yields. It found that as fodder beet is a luxury feeder of N, it should be applied prudently. Splitting N applications between sowing and canopy closure helps to achieve optimal yields but applying a third application was shown to have little benefit in terms of additional yield.

that have been cropped. Decision support tools such as the

to the air (volatilisation), resulting

Ballance Brassica Calculators help

in increased N efficiency. SustaiN

determine the required amount of N.

15K, 20K and 25K boosts growth,

Murray recommends applying N side

replenishes potassium levels and is

dressings to winter crops in one hit

useful for fodder beet.

3 to 5 weeks after sowing (depending

“With SustaiN, volatilisation losses are

on the crop). “The N will be used by

half what they would have been with

crop and won’t leach. The greatest risk

standard urea, making it more flexible

of N leaching is from cow urine patches

to use and just get the job done instead

as the crop is grazed. Best practice

of waiting for rain,” Murray says.

suggests sowing a cover crop soon after grazing to capture this urine N,” he says. Best in N The SustaiN range is ideal for N side dressing. It provides reduced N losses

For more information, contact your Ballance Nutrient Specialist, your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Ballance Agri-Nutrients.

THE FARMLANDER | 55

From sand to steel Summit Steel & Wire’s fencing products are world renowned for their durability and market-leading quality. Made in Christchurch, New Zealand using only the highest quality raw materials in their state-of-the-art production facility, Summit has been tried and proven in the harshest conditions and the most testing applications across the globe.

It’s here that the raw iron-ore billet

But what is it that separates their products from the rest?

markets for many decades.

Summit’s rural fencing products are manufactured from the highest quality primary metals in the world.

manufacturer with control of its

| Steel billet being poured.

upstream raw material inputs thereby

In the Newcastle processing plant, the

maintaining strict control over the

billet enters an electric arc furnace to

Summit’s raw materials are sourced from the Whyalla Steelworks in South Australia’s Middleback Ranges, 400km North-West of Adelaide. Here 1.2 million tonnes of iron-ore is

quality of the steel rod that is its key

be stretched into its final wire form.

input to wire manufacturing.

Then it is sent through for its two gas

InfraBuild Wire is a leader in galvanised

wipe layer coatings of zinc/aluminium.

wire production technology operating

The gas wipe coating differs from

a number of galvanising lines with a

other ways of manufacturing, as it

produced every year where it is turned into commercial grade billet feed.

significant portion of their capacity

allows the wire an even spread of the

reserved for production of the corrosion

zinc/aluminium layer. Other methods

The billet is then sent to an InfraBuild processing plant, in the New South Wales beach town of Newcastle.

resistant Zinc/Aluminium coated LifeMax® wires. This is the wire that

can leave an uneven coating which

Summit uses in its fencing products.

for rust to appear sooner.

| Summit Steel & Wire coils in production.

56 | THE FARMLANDER

is turned into the class leading wire used in the manufacture of Summit fencing products. Summit’s key raw material supplier, Infrabuild Wire, has a long and proud year history in wire production — over 100 years — and has been manufacturing high quality fencing products for the Australian and international InfraBuild is a fully integrated steel

promotes patchy wear and the potential

| Red hot billet on the production line.

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RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Between the two even coatings an intermetallic barrier layer forms around the wire, this can lead to up to three times the lifespan from equivalent zinc coating on wire. The separate coatings provide both galvanic and barrier protection by creating an oxidising electrolytic cell, with the steel wire protecting it from any harsh environment. More common processes only use a zinc alloy coating for the wire which doesn’t provide as much protection, as well as being less ductile and more prone to cracking, all of which reduces the overall lifespan of the wire. InfraBuild Wire has held ISO9001 Quality Management Systems certification for many years and closely monitors the quality of its wire products via its NATA accredited testing laboratories. Each parcel of its LifeMax® wire is tested for tensile strength, diameter, coating adherence (wrap test) and coating weights. InfraBuild then provides Summit with Certification outlining these test results for each batch.

| Raw materials are sourced from Whyalla Steelworks in South Australia’s Middleback Ranges.

minimum order quantities Summit’s

Once this process is complete the wire is coiled and shipped to Summit’s manufacturing plant in Christchurch.

ability to create quick turnaround times

Summit’s plant is home to five fencing machines that operate 24 hours a day manufacturing 700 tonne a month of fabricated fencing for the domestic and international markets. Summit’s point of difference is the traceability achieved throughout their procurement of raw feed and manufacturing process, to provide world-class levels of quality assurance and control.

quality and price when manufacturing

Summit are also the world leaders in agility manufacturing; where other production sites will require large

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and machine specification changes has allowed it to become the first choice in niche products around the world. All the above factors combine to ensure that both Summit and its customers can have the utmost confidence in the quality of the fencing products they are working with. For further information, contact the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

| From sand to steel, Summit have the utmost confidence in the quality of their products.

Article supplied by Summit Steel & Wire

THE FARMLANDER | 57

RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Protect your water supply this summer It’s no secret the warmest months are the driest months, so effective and easy water solutions are a necessity for both the smooth running of the farm and peace of mind for city-living. Accessibility to water for the growth and development of a farm is an essential part of running the farm smoothly. Keeping your livestock and pets happy and healthy via the constant supply of water is a must. As a vital supplement to an animal’s wellbeing, water should always be accessible to promote healthy digestion, respiration and reproduction, which can be overlooked or neglected by some. Water troughs and water tanks should be in easy to access locations, not only for animals but also the people using them to promote cleaning and if required, relocating to different paddocks. Having products that reflect this certainly is the case for

| Water troughs should be in easy to access locations.

58 | THE FARMLANDER

| EasyFit water tanks are ideal for capturing rainwater.

Stallion who specialize in polyethylene plastic products. They take this into consideration every time a new water trough or water tank is designed. For summer, Stallion wants to not only reach the agricultural market but also the urban market via their range of water troughs and water tanks. They offer a complete range of water troughs for use in the pens and paddocks and easy to install water tanks ranging in size from 500 to 3,000 litre models. All products coming out the door at Stallion are impact resistant, strong, easy to install and UV stabilized for long outdoor life. Reliable water troughs are needed to avoid water contamination through contact with mud, waste or algae which may discourage livestock and animals from drinking. The same can be said for water tanks that can be used for a wide range of agricultural and domestic solutions. For example, in times of crisis, water tanks can be used for cooking and cleaning but on a normal day will most likely be used for gardening in water shortages.

By using natural rainwater in the EasyFit water tanks, your water will be free of chemicals and chlorine and perfect for those opting to live organically. Out of sight and out of mind, the EasyFit water tank range comes complete with a bayonet-style lid, direct downpipe entry, a removable cover, and unique overflow system. The best part? They’re easy to install, hence the name, so it’s a win-win for all. Being one of the leaders in agricultural equipment in New Zealand is something Palmerston North based Stallion does not take lightly, always striving to create the highest quality products that go out the door with guaranteed strength, innovation, quality and ease. When it comes to water tanks and water troughs, Stallion provides a range that’s both accessible and easy to use for the agricultural, lifestyle and urban markets. For further information, contact the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Stallion

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Rural market update

As we embrace the New Year and our traditional Kiwi summer, our primary sector moves to a firmer footing in 2021 and our rural real estate market reflects this too. Notably, the second half of last year achieved rural real estate sales volumes not seen since 2015 within our NZ Realtor network.

I’m pleased to report this is now changing at last, but not necessarily all as a result of improved underlying earnings from our dairy sector.

The events of 2020 have obviously been shaped by Covid-19. And, for New Zealand at least, the impact has been more of an economic shock than a health one. The global demand for healthy nutritional food with confidence in supply chains has now gone to the next level. In this sense, our NZ primary sector is very well placed to respond as global demand for our produce continues to grow. Our carbon footprint, environmental standards and the level of premiums captured within product categories all count in our favour. This is something we sometimes lose sight of with our daily NZ farming newsfeeds.

A trend particularly evident in the lower North Island is that beef producers are buying productive dairy units, and deconverting them to beef systems. This activity is occurring while returns from dairy generally remain head and shoulders above many beef production systems. Our view is that this trend will continue, while strict limits on dairy sector borrowing continue and beef producer balance sheets hold up, supported by favourable loan-to-value ratios. Beef producers are prepared to pay in excess of $40,000/ha for well-located dairy farms with quality soils, particularly in the North Island. The ‘dairy to dairy’ sale and purchase agreement these days is a hardfought document to make unconditional. By comparison, ‘dairy to horticulture land use’ is now often running at two times the dairy farm values!

Our rural property market, domestically, is evolving in tandem with these broader international themes. The outlier these last 4 years has been our dairy sector with rural property sales contracting by both number and value as dairy pay-outs continue improving year on year.

Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 | 0800 367 5263 | pb.co.nz Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 | 0800 367 5263 | pb.co.nz

As we look forward to 2021, cash is still king and without it, life gets very

challenging. On this basis we see horticulture remaining a significant influence this year on the rural property market, particularly for kiwifruit. Our dairy sector continues to offer a very stable risk-return profile and this is translating into more long-term lease agreements, more so than we have seen in prior seasons. The interesting point here is that in a credit-constrained dairy market, a dairy unit marketed for sale (with a farm environment plan in place, a long-term lease and proven operator) is actually very well-positioned to attract city investment. Elsewhere in the economy, investors are striving for options in an overheated residential property market and very low rates on term deposit. So, never count a rural market out. The fundamentals of our primary sector remain proven and there is always something different to maximise the value of your asset. We remain committed to rural and provincial New Zealand and are focused as much on the long term as we are on the year ahead.

Conrad Wilkshire, GM Rural for Property Brokers Ltd

THE FARMLANDER | 59

WHEN YOUR BELONGINGS ARE RURAL, YOU BELONG WITH FMG.

At FMG, we’ve been looking after rural New Zealanders for over 115 years. So we get it. Even if you only have one or two things to insure, we can give you the kind of specialised cover you really need. And because you’re on the go we now have FMG Connect, our online service that allows you to easily view and manage your insurance online at any time and from any device. If you’re a client already, login or register at fmg.co.nz Ask around about us or give us a call on 0800 366 466.

We’re here for the good of the country.

The Farmlander - February 2021

Articles inside

Century Farms – The making of Mackenzie

Protect your water supply this summer

From sand to steel

Winter crop wins

The cockroach who came in from the cold

Get on top of rodent control this autumn

Traceability closes the loop for meat customers

The expert touch

Improve silage quality and the environment

Mitigating risk with correct application

Best practice for flystrike prevention and lice control

Responding to freshwater reforms

A summer browse

Out of the woolshed

Working safely with chemicals

Developing a personal style of governance

Special Feature – Living the legend

Celebrating co-operative success

Fuelling the fire

New shareholder portal delivers better service

Farmlands welcomes new Director

The Open Farms conversation continues

Farmlands commits to acting against climate change

5 minutes with Damien O'Connor