Tuesday 10 August 2021
Local farmerturned-author ‘chooses hope’ Life is richer now for Marlborough farmer-turned-author Doug Avery. Ahead of the launch of his new book launch next year, he tells Chris Valli how his advocacy work for mental health enriches his life. Hope. It’s a word and a value that 2010 ‘South Island Farmer of the Year’ Doug Avery is becoming accustomed to in all facets of life. The Groundswell New Zealand protests last month from farmers across the country was a day that, according to Doug, rural people found their unity and voice. Indeed, he says, it was a day where the support on the side of the road was positive and encouraging; it was a day of hope. In 2017, Avery wrote a book aptly named the Resilient Farmer in collaboration with Margie Thomson, author of John Kirwan’s book All Blacks Don’t Cry: A Story of Hope. Living a life of perspective, being present and listening to those in need is all the boost he needs, says Doug. “I used to think that if I could put 600 lambs on a truck and have them kill(ed) absolutely perfect and set a new record price for the farm for what I got for them, was the best day I ever had in life. “Today, if I can take a human being who is finding life really hard and in three months see them kicking goals from
halfway, I’m just chuffed!” After going through his own depression and personal battle following an eightyear drought, Avery explains how constant internal thoughts and monologue plagued him. The passionate farmer is only too raw and honest when he reflects about his own mental health journey and battle with depression. Avery’s depression, he says, came on because he thought he was failing his land and his family. In an emotional exchange and insight, Avery shows emotion that was extremely heartfelt and touched. He likens his recovery to learning to geese working together in a v-formation. But trusting others was a steep learning curve, he says. He says that up until he was 44, he felt like he had to be the ‘male’, to own everything and be the captain. It was the wrong approach to take, he explains, especially in the field of agriculture and farming where outside influences can certainly test one’s mettle. “The reason why they (geese) fly in a group is because they often get 71 per cent more flying distance when working with others. “The front goose has to work like hell while the other’s sit back and give the other geese to sit back and rest.” Doug realised he didn’t have to own everything. see page 2
Marlborough farmer Doug Avery is preparing to launch his new book. Photo: Supplied.
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TUESDAY 10 August 2021
Rural News
Choosing hope from page 1
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“I’m now happy to be part of a team and I ‘pick my V’ very carefully. Selecting people to help me fly, to think, to grow, to rest and to get opportunities and to get the fruit of the tree when I want it. “I’m 66 and when I look at my life, I’ve only had five bad years - how bloody good is that? I’ve had 61 brilliant years.” There’s always been discontent in farming, Doug says, and he believes the government is not helping, putting farmers under extra pressure. Ministers haven’t hasn’t listened and haven’t consulted at the appropriate levels across the farming community. The Howl of Protest events were a stand against unworkable regulations through climate change policies and unfair costs such as the ‘ute tax’ for the farming sector. The effects are felt throughout the community, explains Doug. Farmers should be the ones looking for solutions and opportunities, he says. “Government affiliated officials who are appointed onto these panels, don’t and won’t
Doug says government is putting extra pressure on farmers. understand respective circumstances like planting dates in Marlborough.” Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) were brought in under the Resource Management Act in 1991 when councils were charged with identifying and protecting areas with significant habitats of indigenous biodiversity. Doug, a self-confessed Greenie, has put 67 hectares of land into SNAs. He has a long reputation and track record with a huge contribution to emissions reductions and the efficiency of his farming ‘business’ (meat grown per unit) is as good as anywhere in the world. Indeed, he is adamant that farmers all over New Zealand have taken on the challenge to be better in all that they do.
But a ‘lack of prioritising’ from the Government’ has had an impact on farmers locally and nationwide with a shortage of workers adding fuel to the fire. “This year we are between 2000 - 4000 workers short and I am expecting carnage. This is a by-product of Covid but also the Government not being able to cope with Covid. “The problem now is we have an animal and human health welfare problem brewing in dairy farming of unprecedented proportions. How do farmers get organised without the available pool of people and or farm hands where there is a shortage?” Avery says he feels honoured to have the opportunity to talk to people about the importance of life and to live, grow and celebrate.
Briefs
Funds set aside to complete a longawaited path between Picton and Havelock will instead be spent fixing sections that were damaged in last month’s flooding. Work was due to begin on the final stretch of the Link Pathway when a severe weather event hit Marlborough on July 17, destroying the path in many places. The Marlborough District Council this week agreed that volunteers building the 42-kilometre path could divert the $169,500 fund earmarked for finishing the path towards repairing it. People interested in assisting with repairs could contact Rick Edmonds on 574 2874. The latest Federated Farmers Farm Confidence Survey shows positiveness around economic conditions but deepening concern about the ability to plug workforce gaps. The survey, carried out by Research First in early July and drawing responses from 1,422 farmers, showed a net 18% of respondents considered the current economic conditions to be ‘good’. That’s a 12.4 point improvement from the survey six months earlier and 46 points better than a year ago after the economy was slammed by the pandemic.
Rural News
Livestock feed support for the flood affected Flood-affected farmers in the South Island are being encouraged to make use of livestock feed support services funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). Widespread Marlborough areas this winter has damaged pasture and caused losses to supplementary feed. Since June, MPI has boosted feed support services and allocated more than $4.7 million for recovery grants, technical advice and wellbeing support. “Several of these regions had been battling long-term drought prior to the floods which have put further pressure on feed supplies heading into calving and lambing,” says MPI’s director of Rural Communities and Farming Support Nick Story. “We have ramped up support for farmers, including funding recovery coordinators and establishing a dedicated fund to help clear flood debris from paddocks in Canterbury.” MPI funds Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Federated Farmers, and other specialist providers to offer free, one-on-one feed planning support to livestock owners. “Having a clear feed plan will be vital for many farmers to get through the next few months, identifying feed requirements to minimise animal welfare issues
TUESDAY 10 August 2021
Buyer found for Villa Maria Nicholas Pointon/RNZ
MPI’s director of Rural Communities and Farming Support Nick Story. Photo: Supplied. through a critical part of the seasonal calendar,” says DairyNZ’s South Island manager Tony Finch. “The service supports farmers to calculate their feed demand and supply, investigate options to fill feed gaps and proactively make decisions. In some cases, dairy farmers may have to lease out cows in order to reduce feed demand and get through the season. “The important thing is that decisions are made early. Getting your plan down on paper can help give you peace of mind and provide clear direction.” The Feed Planning Service can help farmers do a snapshot feed plan for the rest of winter and spring in as little as 20 minutes. Farmers are encouraged to get flood-deposited silt covering paddocks tested, so the correct fertiliser can be applied.
MPI’s director of Animal Health and Welfare and veterinarian Chris Rodwell says grazing pasture coated with silt can cause animal health issues and careful management is needed. “We know that animals can develop a range of poor health conditions from silt. Farmers are facing challenging conditions and we really encourage everyone who has concerns about the health of their animals to seek advice from their veterinarian.” To get help from the Feed Planning Service, or to list or source feed or grazing through the Feed Coordination Service, farmers are encouraged to call 0800 FARMING (0800 327 646). Farmers who need wellbeing support should contact their Rural Support Trust on 0800 RURAL HELP (0800 787 254).
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Marlborough-based wine company Indevin have agreed to buy 100 percent of the company, after its parent FFWL was placed into receivership in May, owing its bankers $212 million. It concludes a nine-month process to find a suitor for the 50-year-old wine company, which had wineries and vineyards in Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay and Auckland. The sale would also include the company’s supplier agreements as well as its Esk Valley, Vidal and Leftfield brands. Indevin chair Greg Tomlinson said adding Villa Maria to its portfolio fits within its longterm growth strategy and would compliment its existing business. “Our whole business is built around holding and building value for New Zealand vineyards and growers. “If the conditions of the sale are satisfied, we plan to drive focus and increased investment behind Villa Maria to further enhance its reputa-
tion for quality and protect its brand value.” No sale price was given but Australian media had previously reported that a $200m valuation was placed on the company. Villa Maria chair Malcolm McDougall said it was reassuring that the company would stay in New Zealand hands. “There is genuine compatibility between the businesses. “Indevin is a successful operator, it brings a strong supply chain and has established key export markets with contracted long-term partnerships.” Together that’s a powerful combination, McDougall said. FFWL’s receivers, Calibre Partners, said it hoped to settle the transaction by the end of August. Calibre Partners had also entered into a contract to sell 34 hectares of land surrounding Villa Maria’s Auckland winery to the listed property company, Goodman Property Trust, for $75 million. The land had been on the sales block since November.
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Rural News
RSE workers scheme a relief for labour shortage Chris Valli Rural industry bosses are welcoming the relaxing of government rules which will allow RSE workers to enter NZ without having to go through quarantine. From September, Recognised Seasonal Employer workers from Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu will be allowed into the country without having to go into managed isolation. The move is good news for Marlborough where workforce gaps have been difficult to plug. Marcus Pickens from Wine Marlborough says the local viticulture industry is encouraged by the Government’s recent decision to non-quarantine RES workers in the upcoming months. “It will enable more people to travel here and ultimately more people here can only be a good thing.” The Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme came into effect in 2007 and the policy allows the horticulture and viticulture industries to recruit workers from
overseas for seasonal work when there are not enough New Zealand workers. But the scheme was hit hard by the global COVID-19 pandemic as many workers returned home and others not allowed in. Marcus says the exact time frame of when the workers ‘hit the ground’ is unknown. “There are obviously still details to be worked on and we hope to get a sense of time frame and availability and the like in the upcoming weeks, he says. There are also some sophisticated schemes for school leavers to enter the industry such as the Wine School at Marlborough Boys College as part of NCEA study. The scheme is proving a valuable, authentic pathway into the industry and should eventually help alleviate labour shortages, Marcus says. The government announcement comes as the latest Federated Farmers Farm Confidence Survey shows deepening concern about the ability to fill jobs. Almost nearly half of the July
Marcus Pickens from Wine Marlborough says the local viticulture industry is encouraged by the Government’s recent decision to nonquarantine RES workers in the upcoming months. Photo: Supplied. survey respondents said it has been harder to recruit skilled and motivated staff. That’s a further 13-point increase on the 35 per cent of farmers who cited workforce shortage worries in January. “Last week’s red hot labour market data, including the big fall in unemployment, confirms what we already knew, says Federated
Farmers President Andrew Hoggard. “It’s calving season in the dairy sector and we know there are too many farmers and staff working huge hours to look after their animals.” The government is yet to reveal the exact number of additional RSE workers expected to come in. Currently, there are about
7000 in New Zealand, compared to a pre pandemic level of about 10,000. Once the scheme is active, RSE workers will still undergo quarantine on return to their home country. In Tasman, the news is also being welcomed as a positive move for an industry hit hard by labour shortages. Vailima Orchard business manager and director Matthew Hoddy says the news of RSE workers being allowed back into the country is a positive step. Matthew says growers in the Tasman region struggled to pick their crop with some orchards unable to harvest all their fruit. “A lot of orchards lost a lot of their crop in the summer hail storms and as an industry we still struggled to harvest what was left. Our orchard had a 15-20 per cent loss and just got through.” Recruiting will still be a big focus for many orchards over the coming months says Matthew but the announcement of more RSE is certainly welcome.
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Rural News
TUESDAY 10 August 2021
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Rural News
TUESDAY 10 August 2021
Buzz over new apiculture course Marlborough is set to help meet the demand of one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing industries – beekeeping. To meet the demand for beekeeping training Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) is delivering the New Zealand Certificate in Apiculture, Level 3 from September this year. Primary Industries curriculum manager Pam Wood is thrilled NMIT is able to offer a beekeeping programme in the region as it complements the viticulture and horticulture programmes. “Beekeepers have an important connection with the vineyards and kiwifruit orchards across Te Tauihu, so there is a natural cross over with our other programmes,” says Pam. “Because the workshops are held on Saturdays, with Zoom tutorials in the evening during the week, this programme is also very accessible to learners who
need to fit it in around their employment.” Running September to May, the programme follows the natural season for bees— from getting active in spring to preparing hives for winter.
Beekeepers have an important connection with the vineyards and kiwifruit orchards across Te Tauihu... NMIT’s Pam Wood
Students will learn how to build a hive and create and care for a colony and will be able to keep their hive after the programme ends. Other topics include collecting honey, understanding bee behaviour and feeding bees. The apiculture industry offers a range of employment opportunities and graduates from the certificate
programme will be able to work as assistant beekeepers for commercial operators, as independent beekeepers with a small number of beehives or even develop their own business. There are around 900,000 beehives registered with Apiculture New Zealand and since the pandemic there has been a huge demand for starter colonies for backyard, urban and commercial beekeeping. Thanks to a history of good beekeeping practices and strict biosecurity legislation New Zealand enjoys a healthy bee population. As part of New Zealand’s COVID-19 recovery plan the New Zealand Certificate in Apiculture (Level 3) is eligible for fees-free under the Targeted Training and Apprenticeships Fund (TTAF). It is delivered with blended learning, with two Saturday block courses per month at either the Marlborough or The new training course in beekeeping will start at NMIT’s Marlborough campus next month. Photo: Bianca Ackermann/Supplied. Richmond Campus.
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TUESDAY 10 August 2021
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Unlikely mast could be respite for native wildlife Matt Brown Pest levels are expected to be relatively low in Marlborough as calm weather means less food for rodents and stoats. NIWA climate modelling suggests a low chance of beech forest seeding next summer in Marlborough, which could be good news for the native wildlife. But predator control will still go ahead in the region, with a planned aerial 1080 drop over 9573 hectares of Tennyson Inlet. DOC Sounds operations manager Dave Hayes says aerial application of cereal pellets containing 1080 is the most effective predator control method over large areas and the only viable method in remote, rugged terrain. Trapping, too, will continue. “A beech mast not being expected in Marlborough next year will not reduce trapping work in the region which usually is ongoing, year to year, and is mostly done by community groups,” Dave says. “Groups such as Rarangi Dawn Chorus, East Coast Protec-
tion Group, Picton Dawn Chorus and the Te Hoiere Bat Recovery Project are doing great work trapping predators to help native wildlife to thrive.” When forests seed, it provides food for native species but can also fuel an upsurge in rodents and stoats, predators which have devastating impacts on native species if not controlled. Dave says the planned aerial 1080 drop is due to start as soon as
there is a suitable period of fine weather. “This control of rats, stoats and possums will help protect vulnerable native species in the area including the giant land snail Powelliphanta hochstetteri obscura, pikirangi/red mistletoe, tītitipounamu/rifleman and toutouwai/bush robin,” he says. “For the most part the operation will use aerial application of 1080 pellets but bait with Cholecalcif-
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erol toxin in bait stations on trees will be use at four sites around private properties. Pellets containing 1080 will also be laid by hand beside, but not on, roads in some places.” This is the only confirmed DOC aerial predator control operation in Marlborough at this time. DOC principal scientist Dr Graeme Elliott says modelling shows a beech mast is very likely in southern Fiordland next year
and may also occur in parts of North Otago, South Westland and North Canterbury, as well as in the central North Island. The temperature difference is not as big outside of southern Fiordland, so there is less certainty full seeding will result in those areas, says Graeme. In 2019 DOC responded to the biggest beech mast in 40 years with predator control over a record 908,000 ha. Smaller but significant mast events also occurred in 2017, 2016 and 2014. There is some evidence climate change is increasing the frequency of forest seeding. The Department of Conservation uses data from NIWA’s virtual climate station network to predict beech seeding or masts, which are triggered by a significant temperature increase between two consecutive summers. DOC’s Tiakina Ngā Manu programme for 2021 is for about 500,000 ha of priority conservation areas, including about 80,000 ha of trapping.
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TUESDAY 10 August 2021
Rural News
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