Weed battle highlights importance of cleaning Waikato farmer Cameron Berry had never heard of velvetleaf when he got the call from his farm advisor: “I think you better come to the paddock. We’ve found something you won’t like.”
plant team, led by Biosecurity Officer
with velvetleaf as the last one to harvest.
Heidi Pene, could work together on the
Neven is an incredible man. It’s easy for a
best way to manage the incursion on
contractor to want to move on quickly to
Cam’s farm.
the next job but he does it right.”
“I was really lucky because we caught it
Connecting with the right people is key,
in the early stages. Heidi and her team
Cam says. He worked closely with the
That was 2018, the beginning of
were great. It can be a bit unnerving
regional council on a management plan
a management and eradication
when four council utes come driving up
and with his contractors to make sure the
programme that has echoed across the
but at the end of the day it’s not your fault
spraying is effective.
Waikato and New Zealand. It emerged
and they’re just there to help,” Cam says.
Velvetleaf requires pre-emergent and
that the velvetleaf seed had arrived on
“That first year they were tall enough that
post-emergent treatment. Cam’s plan
an unaware contractor’s dirty machinery
six of us went around and pulled them
needed a good cover of 200 litres to the
while the paddocks were being leased.
out by hand. It was a big job doing it three
hectare, which meant having the spray
Five years later, Cam has velvetleaf
times across four paddocks. Fortunately,
contractors on board.
management down to a fine art.
the infestations were concentrated on the
“Once you let them know that there’s a
“There are three main things you need to
outside rows of the paddock.”
problem, what you’re doing and what
do once you’ve spotted velvetleaf,” Cam
Now aware of what to look out for, Cam
you’re using, they’re happy to spend a bit
says. “Tell the regional council, work
works with his contractor, Neven Granich,
longer making sure the coverage is right.
with them on the chemicals available
who spends up to an hour with an air
“You really need to do a pre-emergent
and then perfect your timing of post-
gun making sure his machinery is clean
spray. It’s the post-emergent spray that’s
emergent spraying.”
before he moves off-farm.
a big expense. So for cost-conscious
Waikato Regional Council quickly came
“When harvesting, we systematically
farmers, spraying around the outside
in to support Cam. Having knowledge of
work through the 28 hectares of maize,
will help. Early detection or prevention is
the outbreak across the region, its pest
leaving the paddock that’s been infected
much cheaper.”
16 | THE FARMLANDER
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