THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2014
RURAL
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18
Northern Advocate
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Farmers average extra $196,273 By Mike Barrington Northland dairy farmers each earned an estimated average $196,273 more in the 2013-14 season than in the previous year. A DairyNZ survey shows the value of milk produced by the 1092 dairy farmers north of the Auckland Harbour Bridge increased 37 per cent from $576.43 million in 2012-13, when the payout was $6.18kgMS, to an estimated $790.76 million last season, when the payout increased to $7.85kgMS. Of herds north of the bridge, 935 are in Northland — 261 in the Far North, 316 in Whangarei district and 358 in Kaipara.
Northland Federated Farmers vice-president, Kokopu dairy farmer Denis Anderson, said farmers welcomed the increased earnings, coming after droughts and a 2012-13 payout which “wasn’t so flash.” “At the moment we are looking at a reduced payout this season,” Mr Anderson said. The big income boost in the North reflected a 31 per cent national increase in dairy farm earnings from $10.2 billion in 2012-13 to $14.3 billion last season. Dairy export earnings increased 30 per cent to $17.6 billion last season and are predicted to rise to $18.4 billion by June 30, 2018, the Ministry for Primary Industries reports.
Waikato topped estimated regional earnings from dairy farms last season with $3.8 billion, followed by Canterbury on $2.7 billion, Southland $1.7 billion and Taranaki $1.4 billion. Bay of Plenty led the regions earning under $1 billion with $991 million last season, followed by West Coast, Tasman, Marlborough-Nelson on $841 million, with Northland — including the former Rodney district and Helensville — ranked seventh nationally on $790 million. Otago took eighth place with $727 million, followed by Manawatu on $643 million and Hawke’s Bay on $123 million. The DairyNZ survey found
the 329,414 dairy cows north of the harbour bridge produced 43.812 million kilograms of protein and ate 1.3 million tonnes of grass in the 2013 season. Of these cows, 285,956 were in Northland — 75,727 in the Far North, 102,332 in the Whangarei district and 107,897 in Kaipara. Each cow contributed $2401 to the region’s economy in 2013, but on average farmers spent $1310 on every cow. A total of 1500 people were employed on dairy farms and 383 in milk processing and wholesaling north of the bridge in 2012, representing 3.5 per cent of the 53,210 total employed in the area.
Rural Ramblings
How a bossy cow spoiled Bruce’s cunning plan Here it is, July already — the countdown to calving is on. We calve a little later than most, because we autumn calve and it’s also not such a drama if a cow does happen to calve early because she just joins the winter milk herd. I always feel sorry for dairy farmers when a cow unexpectedly calves weeks before the rest and they have to rock up to the shed twice day and dirty all the equipment to milk one animal. It’s a good time of year for the staff to take time off before the chaos of calving begins, which on our farm means Bruce steps into the breach, with sometimes interesting consequences. The other weekend three staff headed down to Auckland for a league game and Bruce was left in charge. For some reason, instead of just getting on with the job, he tries to create more efficient short cuts.
For instance, he thought he would save time by going off and doing something else while the cows loaded themselves on to the milking platform. He came back expecting to find a full platform but instead found one lone cow circulating, while a bossy cow beat back every other cow attempting to board the platform. He had forgotten to turn on the hose that wets the entry race and, to her, this was a just wrong and made walking on to the platform unthinkable. And if she couldn’t get on, nobody else was either. So, that wasted about a quarter of an hour. One of his other jobs was to separate out any cows on heat for the AI technician’s attention — but even this he got wrong. Somehow one of the cows found a gap, slipped through and scuttled off down the race to freedom before
bulls in the paddock. So Bruce decided to cut through the gorse via a narrow track to reach the far side, where they guessed the rest of the bulls were lurking. Head down to avoid the gorse scratching his face, he suddenly realised there was something in front of him and looked up to find a large Hereford bull gaping at him in astonishment, close enough to reach out and touch. Neither Bruce nor the bull had room to turn around so, after eyeing each other for a while, Bruce very slowly began reversing back down the narrow track. Fortunately, the bull didn’t take this as an invitation to charge and, after pondering its choices, calmly followed him. The 16 remaining bulls followed suit, climbed aboard the truck without a fuss and ventured off to greener pastures. So that worked out okay, luckily.
Bruce and assistant Shaun could stop her. They did give chase, but the noise of their flapping shed aprons only spurred her on, and I’ve never known a human be able to chase down a cow in full flight. Oh well, I guess the bull will catch her on the next round. I’m not sure whether he confessed that incident to the farm manager, but Warrick will know about it now. Then there was the day he had to bring some bulls in from a grazing block and load them on to a stock truck. The block is a little overrun with gorse and, after nearly an hour’s running around, Bruce and Shaun had rounded up only five of the 22
Julie Paton
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Thursday, July 17, 2014
Northern Advocate
19
Tip show’s why he’s a top dog By Kristin Edge
As 13-year-old Tip struggled to swim against a torrent of flood water Northland farmers Mike and Karen Thornton thought they would lose their faithful canine worker. The couple’s farm on Pukehuia Rd, Tangiteroria, 30km north east of Dargaville, was covered with flood waters during last weeks storm. The storm has caused widespread damage with up to 500mm rain in five days in the worst areas. Between July 8 — 12 Kaipara district received 85 per cent of the average July rain. At the storm’s peak the Thornton’s house became cut off by masses of flood waters from the cowshed. However before the water became too deep they had been on their way to check cattle when the drama with Tip began. Mrs Thornton said they had been in the tractor with one dog in the cab driving through flooded roads when they noticed Tip following. “Tip was suppose to stay home. He’s a bit old and a bit deaf and selective about what jobs he does.” Tip managed to swim through some deep water to a bridge. But it was then he struck water in small rapids. “He got swept out to the paddocks and nearly made it back to us but was swept away again. There was nothing we could do,” Mrs Thornton said. Tip, as a younger dog, was a good
ORDEAL: Tip was swept away by storm waters on this Northland farm at Tangiteroria, but managed to swim to safety and is pictured taking a well-earned rest in the sun.
PHOTO/STEVE MACMILLAN
swimmer and loved water, taking every opportunity he could to get into a trough on the farm. “We didn’t think he would be able to keep swimming but he managed to make it to the road.” Following his lucky escape he was happy to keep close to the tractor. Mrs Thornton said a neighbour had come to their aid with a boat to ferry them, two
children and two dogs across the flood waters, when they needed to get to their cowshed. She said some of the floodbanks on the property had broken. Since then the flood waters have receded and the couple are dealing with the clean up operation. The Government declared a mediumscale adverse event in the region on Tuesday, opening up the way for
more government support for those battered by the storm. Northland Rural Support Trust Julie Jonker said the flood couldn’t have happened at a worse time with farmers about to have herds calve and the avocado picking season about to start in late August. ■ Anyone who can help farmers they should contact Mrs Jonker on 0800787254.
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The Land
US$/t
GlobalDairyTrade Previous US$/t 15/7/14 Auction WMP 3459 ! 3088 AMF 3606 ! 3250 Average 3595 ! 3309
Agrifax WMP Price
8000 6000 4000 2000
Jun
2012/13
Sep
Dec 2013/14
Mar 2014/15
North Is. Schedule This $/kg CW net Week P2 Steer " 4.45 M2 Bull # 4.19 M Cow # 3.10
North Island Steer Schedule
NZc/kg (net)
400 350 300
Oct
5Oyr avg
Jan
Apr 2012/13
Jul 2013/14
NZ$/hd (net)
125
North Is. Schedule $/head net Lamb 17.5kg ! Lamb 19kg ! Mutton 21kg !
North Island Lamb Schedule
100 75 50
Oct
5Oyr avg
Jan
Apr 2012/13
Jul 2013/14
This Week 101.93 110.71 65.57
CHRIS TAYLOR – Agrifax Market Analyst
Extremely tight supply caused by very low cattle slaughter in the United States, and better than expected demand during the summer holiday period, has caused prices to skyrocket as United States traders scramble to secure enough product. Even with much larger Australian shipments to the United States this year due to continued high drought enforced turnoff,
120
550 NZ$/kg
thousand head
FARMGATE PRICES Last Week 102.82 111.68 66.79
#
Year Versus Ago 5-yr Avg 89.13 –1% 96.81 –1% 59.44 +7%
chris.taylor@nzx.com
120
Agrifax Log Price Indicator
100 80 60 40 JunO12
DecO12
JunO13
DecO13
JunO14
GRAIN & FEED 500
NZ Feed Grain Indicator
400 300 200 JulO12 JanO13 Jul 12 Jan 13 Milling wheat
JulO13 Jul 13 Feed wheat
JanO14 Jan 14
JulO13 39 Micron
JanO14
JulO14 Jul 14 Feed barley
WOOL 800
Wool Prices
600 400 200 JulO12
JanO13 29 Micron
Lamb
JulO14
NZX DAIRY PGI Last 15 Days As at July 14, 2014
In the short to medium term prices are expected to remain firm, with no significant supply relief expected in the United States at least until the autumn cow cull starts there later in the year.
600
Pasture Growth Index Above normal Near normal Below normal The NZX Pasture Growth Index (PGI) is an indicator of potential pasture growth based on three key climatic variables – temperature, moisture and light.
Imported 90CL Cow Price
500 450
30 0
#
Year Versus Ago 5-yr Avg 4.13 +15% 3.99 +10% 3.07 +9%
Prices have generally been strong this year with exporters receiving good returns during New Zealand’s peak autumn cow cull period, but pricing over the past month has shot to a whole new level. This means that exporters haven’t been unable to fully capitalise on the extremely high prices, so they will be hoping prices hold until New Zealand’s bull slaughter starts ramping up in November.
US Total Cow Slaughter (Weekly)
60
Last Week 4.43 4.19 3.10
the market still demands more imported product.
150 90
FARMGATE PRICES
Lamb schedules have remained fairly flat in recent weeks. Slightly weaker in-market returns in the UK and flat demand from China, combined with a high exchange rate against both the USD and the Euro, means schedules have stalled for now.
LACK OF UNITED STATES SUPPLY DRIVES PRICES HIGHER Manufacturing 90CL cow and 95CL bull prices reached record levels during June and have continued soaring this month too. In-market returns for imported product are now over 30% higher than a year ago, but with the high New Zealand dollar at US88c, returns in New Zealand dollars are only 20% up on last year.
Year Versus Ago 5-yr Avg 5058 –17% 4742 –26% 4828 –13%
FORESTRY
Imported manufacturing beef prices continue to surge to new record highs with very limited supplies in the US. Schedule prices remain firm and have edged higher as we head towards spring. Prime beef schedules are up 7% on last year.
# OVERSEAS PRICES
SHEEP
!
Prices fell at the GDT auction on July 15 across all commodities, led by large falls in milk powders and anhydrous milkfat. Whole milk powder prices continue to fall while skim milk powder prices which had moderated in the last three auctions declined 7% this auction.
" OVERSEAS PRICES
BEEF 450
FAT PRODUCTS
NZ$/t
! POWDER PRODUCTS
DAIRY
Thursday, July 17, 2014
NZ$/t
Northern Advocate
NZc/kg
20
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 5Oyr avg 2014 2013
400
Oct
Dec Feb 5Oyr avg
Apr 2012O13
Jun
Aug 2013O14
MORE: The information above is extracted from key reports produced by NZX Agrifax, the leading provider of specialist industry data and intelligence on the New Zealand sheep, beef, dairy, forestry, venison, wool and grain sectors. Please contact us to view the full reports. www.agrifax.co.nz | info@nzxagrifax.co.nz
17Jul2014 metservice.com | graphic compiled by
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Thursday, July 17, 2014
Northern Advocate
21
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Business writers Fran O’Sullivan and Alexander Speirs call the shots here every Thursday
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with FRAN O’SULLIVAN
For such a young, small firm, California-based Muufri (Moofree, get it?) has sure ruffled some feathers. The three-man team, using the same principles of biotechnology behind beer, are pioneering the use of yeast to create “dairy” products in the laboratory. There’s no cows, no farms, no feed and no pollution. The research has been spun out of New Harvest — an international scope NGO developing economically competitive alternatives to animal food products. Their most high profile involvement to date has been with cultured meat — artificially produced meat, grown from animal cells. Despite being years away from potentially reaching the market, mere talk of the project has drawn a swathe of criticism from the New Zealand milk sector and media. Federated Farmers dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard was quick to take the offensive saying: “Champagne has vigorously defended the use of that word and we need to do the same with milk. This stuff isn’t milk and must not be called milk.” That doesn’t faze the young scientists spearheading the initiative. “I’ll call the product what it is — milk,” said a defiant Ryan Pandya, CEO at Muufri talking to us from the Synthetic Biology Accelerator in Cork, Ireland, where the team has a laboratory. “We might not be able to label it as such from the outset, but people will know what the product is. ‘‘When there’s a big picture of beautiful white liquid pouring into a cup on the packaging, it’ll be so clear it won’t
matter. We anticipate industry resistance — but we’re not going to treat that necessarily as a bad thing.” The product is not natural — that much is abundantly clear. But so much of what constitutes the everyday diet for the average Kiwi is not natural. Be it bread, cheese or wine — all involve processing ingredients derived from natural sources. The line gets drawn with the consumer and more often than not — cash is king. Pandya says: “It comes out to a much cheaper and more sustainable solution in the long run. Lowered land usage, lowered water usage and a much better outcome for the environment. Looking at the current dairying situation — 75 cents on the dollar for a typical glass of milk goes towards feed for the animals. We’re developing a process where that inputs number is more like nine cents on the dollar. “What we’re doing now is just not sustainable. You cannot make enough high quality milk to feed nine billion people using current dairy practices. It’s just not feasible.” Globally, as diets shift to become more rich in animal proteins — led by the emerging economies of China, India and the major Latam nations, it’s clear that current approaches are not going to feed the world. It’s simple economics — as demand for products rises, if supply can’t keep up — prices surge. Our dairy sector has reaped the rewards from such a shift, but we are at risk of becoming an increasingly minor part of the equation as time goes on. Should an in-vitro solution with higher resource and labour
Nathan Guy
GLOBALLY, AS DIETS SHIFT TO BECOME MORE RICH IN ANIMAL PROTEINS IT’S CLEAR CURRENT APPROACHES ARE NOT GOING TO FEED THE WORLD
efficiencies become a future reality — how does the market for New Zealand products change? The response from our Minster for Primary Industries, Nathan Guy — was uninspiring. He was quoted as saying: “I prefer our natural real milk produced from fantastic New Zealand pastures . . . I won’t be rushing out to buy a carton.” Full marks for blind patriotism and unwavering support of our dairy industry — but brushing off what could emerge as a challenge to our most significant export commodity is naive. For more than a century, the backbone of the New Zealand economy was wool exports. Whether destined for clothing or carpets, Kiwi wool was a premium commodity and we couldn’t produce enough of it. Then came the downturn in the market — the collapse of the Soviet Union — a major consumer of wool was significant, but the emergence of synthetic fibres was the killer. The agribusiness sector however was quick to adapt to the change. A drop in demand was quickly followed by a change in production mix — sheep meat and dairy became more prominent and New Zealand remained on the right side of the value equation. If testtube foods are to be part of the future — whether now or 30 years from now — as a country, we need to be at the vanguard of any change. Don’t believe us? Take a look at the US where Microsoft founder Bill Gates is backing Beyond Meats to make synthetic chicken.
Fran O’Sullivan is a business columnist for the NZ Herald and Alexander Speirs is a business journalist for Herald Business Reports
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Northern Advocate
Dairy earnings boost regions by Jamie Gray New Zealand’s regional economies earned $14.3 billion from dairy farms in the 2013-2014 year, taking the lion’s share of national dairy earnings, says DairyNZ. In total, the New Zealand economy was estimated to have earned $17.6 billion from dairy exports that year, the farmer-funded group says. Chief executive Tim Mackle says DairyNZ’s economic survey shows the sector contributed 31 per cent more than in the previous year and put much of those earnings back into growth, farm spending and jobs. “Our latest survey shows the financial value that dairy farmers bring into each province, helping grow residents’ wealth even if they are not dairy farming themselves.” Dairy’s boost to rural economies was consistent with the national trend. National dairy export revenue soared by 30 per cent to $17.6 billion in 2013-14, says a situation and outlook 2014 report from the Ministry of Primary Industries. Dairy export revenue is expected to rise in the future, reaching $18.4 billion by the year ending June 30, 2018, based on a modest rise in domestic production, increasing international prices and a depreciating New Zealand dollar, the ministry says. DairyNZ’s 2013-14 estimates show the top provincial performer in dairying is again Waikato, which earned $3.8 billion, followed by Canterbury with $2.77 billion, Southland with $1.72 billion and Taranaki with $1.44 billion. Hawke’s Bay produced the least value at $124 million. In Waikato there were 11,630 total direct dairy jobs in 2012, followed by Canterbury with 5842 and Taranaki with 4085.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Rural radio personality Dominic George vents his views here every Thursday
Air our farming talent earlier COMMENT
22
with DOMINIC GEORGE
HERD NUMBERS Total dairy farm businesses Waikato 4057 Taranaki 1734 Northland 1092
Contribution per cow Nelson $3599 Canterbury $3354 Southland $3224 Jamie Gray is a business reporter for the New Zealand Herald and APNZ wire agency.
Jump on the bandwagon to see Young Farmer Contest One thing working with Farming Show host Jamie Mackay has taught me is the value of a good old-fashioned bandwagon jump. He’s made that many jumps on to popular bandwagons he’s turned it into an art form. I mentioned Twitter last week; this time it’s TV programming. To be fair, Jamie is up front in the driver’s seat on this one and, via Twitter and other social media platforms, it’s gained massive support — this wagon’s pretty full. The issue is the screening of the ANZ Young Farmer Contest Grand Final at the ungodly hour of 11.40pm on a Saturday night. The argument goes that it would be far more pertinent to screen the hour-long show at 7.30pm, straight after the country’s longest-running programme, Country Calendar. There’s clearly an appetite for it. It’s once a year, it’s good TV in a pseudo-reality genre and highlights a positive aspect of the country’s biggest industry. A sound and logical case. However, the problem lies with a subset of species that inhabit our fair shores: television programmers. I put them up there with traffic wardens and referees on my list of scurrilous creatures, a list I’ve called George’s Compendium of Reprehensible Individuals, or GCRI. The GCRI comprises those who spurn soundness and logic either through devious intent or plain stupidity. The list of nonsensical acts performed by TV programmers in this country is too comprehensive to fit into a newspaper column but there are various trends that have emerged over the years. For example, a show
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that hits the screens with very little by way of a build-up manages to capture viewers’ imaginations and develops something of a cult following, will find its second series buried at 11.30 on a Friday night. They lack any kind of imagination whatsoever because they’ve developed a bad habit of relying on the cheap, lowest common denominator bollocks like DIY shows, endless cooking crap and B grade drama. Ironically, we live in a truly golden age of television. Regular Farming Show correspondent Massey University vicechancellor Steve Maharey and I have discussed the virtues of Breaking Bad on air before — a show widely regarded as the pinnacle of them all. Others would argue The Wire takes top place, while The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, True Detective and The Walking Dead are
A scene from television series Country Calendar.
all first-class television dramas. That is why the internet and MySky are truly wondrous things. You can choose what, when and where you watch TV, taking the programmers completely out of the game. The issue for older viewers is that many lack the desire or means to change a lifetime’s habits; they like to watch the news at 6, Country Calendar at 7 and Miss Marple, Bergerac or Taggart, or whatever light British crime drama is served up later in the evening. Agriculture is a far more sophisticated beast than it was decades ago. Many urban dwellers are aware of the significance it has for the country, its increasing reliance on digital technology and the career paths it can offer. Showing a small slice of the young talent coming through at a reasonable time would have been a great idea, but the major failing of the programmers is their failure to read the public mood. Instead, they play the safe option of DIY and food shows. Maybe they could try to search out a show about one of the latest fads at the moment — the ice challenge. I can’t be bothered explaining what it is, but I’ve skipped an insufferable staff meeting to write this column by deadline and thankfully missed a ridiculous attempt to do a mass ice challenge involving all staff. What sort of intrusive, meddling species have we become? I know it’s for cancer. So don’t write stupid comments about charity. I can donate to whatever cause I want without freezing my balls off in the process. That is one bandwagon I won’t be jumping on. Dominic George hosts Farming First, 5am-6am weekdays on Radio Sport.
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Thursday, July 17, 2014
Northern Advocate
23
PESTS
Kiwifruit group wants more input in fruit fly control
with CARMEN HALL
More traps in orchards and post-harvest pest-monitoring centres are among factors that need to operate in a way that will satisfy New Zealand’s trading partners
Kiwifruit Vine Health wants to play a bigger role in New Zealand’s fight against fruit fly and up its ante. Chairman Peter Ombler says Kiwifruit Vine Health had talks with the Ministry for Primary Industries and hopes to share joint responsibility with fruit fly trap procedures. ‘‘Currently that is the ministry’s domain but we are having dialogue with them right now about how we could do that better. “We are asking questions such as if we have enough traps because it is our view that a few more are needed in the Bay of Plenty.” It makes sense that the kiwifruit industry is involved, Ombler says. ‘‘We could potentially have more traps placed in orchards and could have orchardists or postharvest pest monitoring centres clearing those traps.” However, it would have to stack up for its trading partners. “They would have to be comfortable with the programme’s integrity and that we could do it properly. ‘‘However, I have no doubt we can and it’s just another part in the joint responsibility puzzle.” Queensland fruit fly is the biggest threat to the industry at the moment. ‘‘There have been a couple of recent finds in Whangarei so there certainly appears to an emerging greater risk on the eastern seaboard of Australia.” Tougher penalties at the border and New Zealanders understanding biosecurity risks were other issues. ‘‘The penalties are probably not enough . . . it would be good to get biosecurity into that same space where you know the penalties are tough enough to keep people focused and also why we are doing it, to really understand that the
the facts Suspect exotic pests and diseases can be reported to the Ministry of Primary Industries 24-hour hotline on 0800 809966. ■ When MPI is notified of a potential exotic disease or pest the find is investigated and (depending on the degree of risk identified), a response team may be formed. ■ Response teams work in conjunction with staff from MPI's Investigation and Diagnostic Centres. These Centres assist with field investigation, laboratory screening and diagnosis of suspect exotic pests and diseases.
ON THE ALERT: Traps are ready to detect unwanted foreign visitors.
consequences of getting it wrong are immense.” MPI surveillance and incursion investigation manager Brendan Gould says the kiwifruit industry recently signed a deed of agreement under the Government Industry Agreement (GIA) programme to work together on readiness and response for priority pests and diseases — such as fruit fly — and on managing them if an incursion occurs. It was yet to finalise the detail around what joint preparedness activity would be undertaken, he said. ‘‘Development of an operational agreement for fruit fly readiness and response is currently under way with relevant horticultural industries, including kiwifruit, pipfruit, citrus, summer fruit, avocados, wine grapes, and tomatoes.
‘‘The benefits of working in partnership with industry during a response includes more efficient and effective responses, and better use and prioritisation of skills and resources within MPI and industry.” There are about 7500 traps in the National Fruit Fly Surveillance Programme, with about 355 in the Bay of Plenty. Fruit fly traps were concentrated in populated areas serving as centres for tourism and or trade, areas of significant horticultural activity and areas specified as being climatically conducive to the establishment of fruit flies. Their placement was constantly reviewed according to those criteria, Gould says.
Various species of fruit fly, including the Mediterranean and Queensland fruit flies, cause extensive damage to horticultural crops, and are considered a significant quarantine pest worldwide. An incursion in key fruitgrowing regions would have a significant effect on the New Zealand economy, with potential job losses and eradication costing millions. A single Queensland fruit fly was detected in Whangarei in April. The last detection of Mediterranean fruit fly was in Auckland in 1996. That resulted in nations such as China banning New Zealand fruit for a year.
DEVELOPMENT OF AN OPERATIONAL AGREEMENT FOR FRUIT FLY READINESS AND RESPONSE IS CURRENTLY UNDER WAY WITH RELEVANT HORTICULTURAL INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING KIWIFRUIT, PIPFRUIT, CITRUS, SUMMER FRUIT, AVOCADOS, WINE GRAPES, AND TOMATOES.
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24
Northern Advocate
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Kiwi shearers make Irish eyes cry A historic castle estate used for filming much of the fantasy drama Game of Thrones has been the scene of the New Zealand shearing team’s latest successes on the Elders Primary Wool UK Tour. John Kirkpatrick, of Napier, and David Fagan, of Te Kuiti, beat an Ulster team of Northern Ireland’s Jack Robinson, and Republic of Ireland shearer Ivan Scott in the third test of the tour at Shane’s Castle Estate, near Belfast, on Monday.
No.8 WIRE with DOUG LAING
Kirkpatrick also won the Northern Ireland Sheep Shearers Association Open final, in which Englandbased New Zealand shearer Mat-
thew Smith was runner-up and Fagan was third. Kiwis also dominated the Senior final, won by Jacob Moore, of Marton, with South Island-based Masterton shearer Ethan Pankhurst taking second place. With a loss to Scotland and wins over England and Ulster, Kirkpatrick and Fagan end their tour with four tests against Wales, the first on a Cothi farm on Thursday (July 18), and the last next week at the Royal Welsh Show.
DAIRY GROWTH: Tim Mackle says farming is a big contributor to regional economies.
SAY CHEESE New Zealand Cheese Month will be back again in October, billed as a “31-day celebration of New Zealand speciality cheese – the perfect excuse to buy, eat and love all Kiwi cheese”. It’s driven by the New Zealand Specialist Cheese Association, which will co-ordinate regional and national tastings, demonstrations, instore promotions and other events.
DAIRY CASH COW New Zealand’s regional economies are milking the dairy industry, taking $14.3 billion in 2013-14 – a 40 per cent increase in earnings – DairyNZ figures show. The regions earned about $14.3 billion from dairy farms in that year, taking the lion’s share of national dairy earnings. In total, it’s estimated the New Zealand economy earned $17.6 billion from dairy exports. DairyNZ’s chief executive Tim Mackle says its recent Economic Survey shows the industry contributed about 40 per cent more than the previous year and injected much of that back into growth, farm spending and jobs. “Our latest survey shows the financial value that dairy farmers bring into each province, helping grow residents’ wealth even if they are not dairy farming themselves,” Mackle says. Dairy’s boost to rural economies is consistent with the national trend. National dairy export revenue soared 30 per cent to 17.6 billion in 2013-14, a Situation and Outlook report from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) says. New Zealand’s dairy export revenue is expected to rise, reaching $18.4 billion by the year ending June 30, 2018, based on a modest rise in domestic production, increasing international dairy prices, and a depreciating New Zealand dollar, the MPI report says. DairyNZ’s 2013-14 estimations shows New Zealand’s top provincial performer in dairying is Waikato, retaining its spot from the previous year and earning $3.8 billion, followed by Canterbury with $2.77 billion, Southland with $1.72 billion then Taranaki with $1.44 billion.
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Rural Women New Zealand is inviting people to get creative by writing short stories and taking photos and videos to showcase New Zealand farming life today. “We are running the competition in conjunction with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to tell the stories behind the primary products we grow on our farms,” says Rural Women national president Wendy McGowan. MPI will use some of the photos, videos and stories to promote the New Zealand primary industry brand and our rural values. “We encourage people to get their creative juices flowing to share the challenges and triumphs of farming and today's sustainable business practices," says McGowan. ‘‘We hope to see entries that reflect our care of the land and our animals, and the skills and ingenuity of the people that make New Zealand's primary industries successful.” The competition is being run as part of Rural Women NZ’s celebrations to mark the 2014 International Year of Family Farming. “Stories are powerful, and we have some great farming stories to tell,” says McGowan. For more information and entry forms, go to www.ruralwomen.org.nz/iyff
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Northern Advocate
25
Dairy growth puts rivers at risk New Zealand waterways are already badly polluted by farm run-off. Farmers are working hard to keep streams clean but there is a lot of catching up to do. And as long as the Government has a goal of doubling exports from the sector, the environment is in danger. Dairy farmers need to farm smart if they want to keep up with the Government’s ambitious dairy export targets without doing unacceptable harm to the environment, a Northland farming leader says. Whether New Zealand can double its primary exports in the next decade without seriously damaging the environment is one of the greatest challenges facing the dairy industry. To meet the 2025 growth target the industry the industry has to lift its exports by $14 billion — and it is already being blamed for the worsening state of fresh waterways and much of our greenhouse gas emissions. Federated Farmers Northland dairy chairman Ashley Cullen says running a successful dairy operation and protecting the environment is a juggling act. But the effect of environmental degradation could be offset by technologies such as solar power. “We need to use new technologies a lot more and farm smarter, not harder,” Cullen says. This includes using effluent on farmland. “Stop looking at it as a waste product, start looking at it as source of fertiliser.” Often it is the “little things” — such as cutting back on water use — that makes the difference, he says. Farmers are already doing a lot of environmental work behind the scenes but because they aren’t ones to “beat their chests” it is often overlooked. “There are a lot of farmers out there who have retired land for environmental purposes, they’ve done that out of their own volition. “A lot of people are saying farmers are scum of the earth but farmers are doing a lot for the environment.” Investing in technology can be expensive, but the more farmers who get on board the cheaper it is. A report last year by the parliamentary commissioner for the environment, Dr Jan Wright, painted a grim picture for New Zealand’s lakes, rivers and streams. The conversion of low-intensity sheep and beef farming to dairying had led to increased leaching of nitrogen and phosphorous into
waterways, which spurred the growth of weeds and algae, and worsened quality. It was predicted that by 2020 400,000ha of land would have been converted into dairy farms and even under optimistic assumptions, the report said, leaching would continue to increase. Wright says diffuse nitrogen, which is elusive and hard to stop entering waterways, is an especially difficult problem. “Rolls Royce” mitigation efforts such as riparian planting — used to create buffer zones between waterways and land — and moving cattle to herd homes or stand-off pads when soils become sodden could capture much of the nitrogen. But that is difficult for traditional farms running four or five cows to each hectare, or recently converted farms where maximised volumes of milk are sought to service large loans. Massey University freshwater scientist Dr Mike Joy believes that for mitigation measures to “catch up”, fast expansion of the industry will have to stop. Even then, he says, a “lag time” of nutrients moving through the soil means they will continue to enter waterways for some time. Putting more cows on each hectare of farmland also has consequences for greenhouse gas emissions. Nearly half of New Zealand’s total emissions come from methane and nitrous oxide, predominantly from agriculture — and much of that from dairy farms. Dairy cows, ruminant animals, naturally produce methane, and nitrous oxide stems from dung, urine and nitrogenous fertilisers.
CONCERN: More dairying is leading to more pollutants in New Zealand’s waterways.
THERE ARE A LOT OF FARMERS OUT THERE WHO HAVE RETIRED LAND FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PURPOSES, THEY’VE DONE THAT OUT OF THEIR OWN VOLITION.
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But Federated Farmers president Bruce Wills still believes the golden balance between a high-performing dairy industry and a clean environment can be struck. “I’m very confident that with good science, good technology and good management, we can have both.” The industry has agreed to a range of commitments, requiring farmers to exclude all cattle from waterways, manage nutrient loss and use water more efficiently. Beyond these “low hanging fruit”, Wills says, farmers in regions where soils are lighter and more sensitive may have to keep cattle away from pastures more often — or reduce stock numbers. “Rather than running four cows a hectare, they may have to back off to three, or three and a half,” he says. “It may mean their gross profit is not as much, but as costs won’t be as high, at the end of the day their net position might be better.” Finding scientific solutions to dairying’s big environmental impact was a high priority, especially given international markets are becoming more aware of sustainability. Just as important, the issue is the “front and centre” topic of farmers across the country, Wills says. “The conversation has changed. It’s an evolving game and farmers are
moving at pace, as we need to.” Prime Minister John Key also says striking a balance is “certainly possible”. He cites Fonterra’s campaign to fence 22,000km of waterways, the Government’s National Policy Statement for freshwater management, and the quarter of a billion dollars being spent to clean up waterways. “Obviously we are trying to make sure we concentrate more on prevention, rather than having to fix up waterways that are polluted,” he says. “But I’m very confident we can balance our environmental responsibilities with the economic opportunities New Zealand has.” Morrinsville dairy farmer Stephen Allen, chairman of the Tatua Co-operative Dairy Company, feels farmers have embraced the challenge to become greener. “I think the attitude of farmers is really positive — they just need to know how they do this.” Allen says a combination of mitigation efforts, using “precision farming” technology to improve the use of nutrients and reducing stock rates or using more herd homes where needed would help. “Will it stop it completely? I don’t know — but I think we’ll go a long way to improving things.”
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Northern Advocate
THE BIG ISSUES
26
with PAUL DYKES
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Red meat farmers lose heart In this third of a six-part series, Paul Dykes reveals a national survey that finds many lamb and beef farmers have lost confidence in the red meat sector
SUCCESSFUL FARMERS ARE IMPROVING THEIR PASTURE, ADOPTING ANALYTICAL TOOLS AND NURTURING LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COMPANY THEY SUPPLY
There has been much talk about red meat sector reform in the past 12 months, yet limited change, prompting many survey respondents to doubt the sector’s viability. The Meat Industry Excellence Group’s (MIE) campaign for radical reform of the red meat sector has increased awareness of the sector’s opportunities and challenges, and MIE representatives were elected to boards of major red meat co-operatives. At the same time, however, more land was converted to dairy and dairy support. Professional services firm KPMG conducted 13 roundtable discussion sessions with rural leaders across the country in March and April while researching its twopart 2014 KPMG Agribusiness Agenda report. In Part 1, Facilitating Growth in an Uncertain World, KPMG’s global head of agribusiness Ian Proudfoot said the issue facing the red meat sector was summarised in a single, eloquent comment: the dairy boom is destroying sheep and beef farmers’ self esteem. The impact of low farm profitability on confidence in the industry was a recurring theme in many of the conversations, he said, and there was no quick fix to rebuild belief among red meat farmers. Some progress has been made to facilitate cultural change, with initiatives such as FarmIQ and the Red Meat Profit Partnership
being identified as important steps in the right direction. It was important to avoid generalisations, Proudfoot said, because many industry participants are achieving strong returns. Successful farmers are improving their pasture, adopting analytical tools and nurturing long-term partnerships with the company they supply. Likewise, successful processors are committed to changing from a transactional relationship with farmers to
increase transparency, reduce commoditisation, and grow the overall pie for all industry participants. If change made commercial sense, KPMG got a clear message companies would be prepared to explore proposals. Although the concept of a “red meat Fonterra” met little support during KPMG’s discussions, most leaders recognise that the industry needs to continue to evolve. Many are fans of consolidating processing assets to create an open-access, tollprocessing entity as a way of reducing overheads, estimated at $300-$500 million a year. Well-capitalised offshore investors could also strengthen the balance sheet, as well as bring in market connections and new perspectives. A number of leaders note that rebuilding sheep farmers’ confidence heavily depends on recovering wool profitability.
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Thursday, July 17, 2014
Northern Advocate
27
Young Turk who became a leader Loss of Alistair Polson felt deeply in farming community, writes Iain Hyndman Alistair Polson was as comfortable in a suit as he was in gumboots. He died so young (58) on Thursday, June 5, after a short illness. The well-known Wanganui farmer was a highly respected member of the farming community. He had extensive experience in business management and farming politics, serving as national president of Federated Farmers from 1999 to 2002. In 2004 he was appointed Special Agricultural Trade Envoy for New Zealand, and in 2012 he was elected chairman of the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust (NZFE). He cut his teeth as a farming advocate more than two decades ago in the Wanganui branch of Federated Farmers, eventually making president. A Chronicle story at the time carried a photograph of five young Wanganui farming types on the back of a ute with a caption that read: “The Young Turks all aspire to higher honours within the farm sector.” The five included Hunterville lad Gavin Forrest, Alan Taylor, Jeremy Austin, Elwyn Powell and, of course, Polson. Forrest has made his mark in rural policy and is principal adviser to the Ministry of Primary Industries; Taylor became national chairman of the then New Zealand Grains Council and is a Wanganui District Council rural community board chair; Austin is a former New Zealand Meat Board director; and though Powell spent time as Wanganui representative on the grains council, he left farming soon after. However, Polson’s record eclipses all four of his fellow Young Turks. Austin says his friend had such a brilliant mind, was inspirational, sophisticated, a talented farmer and a consummate debater, but above all a “bloody good bloke”. Forrest also describes him as an “absolute gentleman” and a man with “people skills”, who felt comfortable in any company. “Alistair was a really decent bloke and his people skills made it easy for him to mix it at all levels,” Forrest says. “He had a very considered
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approach on all issues and didn’t personalise the issue, which allowed him to get his point across without offence. He viewed things with an open mind and while never unduly influenced he was open to changing a viewpoint if he saw logic in another’s argument.” Austin says although Polson had a long list of high level achievements, the one he believed was underrated most was the Trade Envoy posting. “I believe that was his most important achievement. His job was to take the New Zealand subsidy-free farming message to heavily subsidised overseas farmers who were reluctant to change. The way he delivered that message was done in such a brilliant way it began changing attitudes. That was a tough message to sell, but he did it with ease in a non-confrontational way,” Austin says. NZFE acting chairman Simon Saunders says Polson will be greatly missed by the trust and by the wider farming community and he extended his sincere sympathy to Bo Polson and their children, Nick, Guy and Sarah. “Alistair made a massive contribution to New Zealand agriculture and he was a passionate and inspirational advocate for New Zealand farming. The trust and New Zealand agriculture have lost a
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valued leader and a great friend.” Polson took over the chairmanship of NZFE in October 2012. Forrest also pays tribute to Bo Polson’s role in her husband’s success. “Alistair would run things by her for feedback and that dialogue made it even better for him,” Forrest says. “The home life was also a major factor in his successes. Alistair was an extremely good farmer in the top 5 per cent in New Zealand. Alistair loved spending time at home working on the farm and I guess he used that time to refresh himself for the next round of lobbying duties.” Prior to joining the trust he was a member of the judging panel for the National Winner award in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards. He was a key supporter of the concept that good environmental practice and profitable farming go hand in hand. “Alistair jumped straight into the role of chairman and he led the organisation with considerable professionalism and a huge amount of enthusiasm,” Saunders says. “He quickly grasped what the trust was all about and his proven leadership ability was a great asset for the trust and the Ballance Farm Environment Awards. Saunders says Polson had a huge
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DOWN ON THE FARM: Mangamahu farmer, the late Alistair Polson, was among the top 5 per cent of performers on the land in New Zealand — and possibly the world.
amount of passion for agriculture and a warm and approachable personality. “Alistair loved nothing more than to be able to discuss and promote all the great attributes of our agricultural industry” Polson’s achievements in agriculture were extensive. He was a former director or committee member of a number of rural-based organisations, including AgITO, the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, Veterinary Council of New Zealand and NZ Landcare Trust. An agricultural science graduate from Massey University and a Nuffield Scholar, he also held company directorships with two major meat companies. Polson, who farmed in the Mangamahu Valley, was named Agri Personality of the Year at the Federated Farmers national conference in Palmerston North. Bo Polson accepted the posthumous award at the recent event.
ALISTAIR WAS A REALLY DECENT BLOKE AND HIS PEOPLE SKILLS MADE IT EASY FOR HIM TO MIX IT AT ALL LEVELS
Northern Advocate
PASTURE
28
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Think ahead to meet challenge It can be difficult making sure there is enough feed for the new season’s lambs and calves. So start working now to make sure pasture growth is up to expectations The onset of lambing and calving can often be a challenging time for feed management. But it’s also a time when the way you manage your pastures can have a big effect on stock performance in the season ahead. So what should you be thinking about before calves and lambs start arriving? Agriseeds pasture systems manager Graham Kerr says now is the last chance most farmers have to check how actual pasture growth rates in recent weeks compare with the targets set for the start of spring. “Regardless of what type of stock you have you need a certain amount of pasture cover on your farm both to feed stock well and generate good pasture growth. “Good grass growth in turn continues to feed stock better so you benefit from a multiplier effect.”
Graham Kerr says it is time for some calculations.
ADVICE FOR SHEEP FARMERS If there is not enough leaf area on the grass, plants will not be able to photosynthesise enough energy to grow to their potential. For set-stocking for lambing a good minimum figure to work to is 1400kg DM/ha — any less than
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this and grass growth will slow, with growth rates dropping significantly at covers below 1100kg DM/ha. It’s not just DM production that benefits from having the right covers at calving and lambing. Lambs will also grow faster, with heavier weaning weights, if they’re born to ewes set-stocked on to good pasture covers as there’s more pasture for ewes to eat so they milk better. Each extra 100kg DM/ha of pasture can convert into 2kg/head more liveweight at weaning. For twinning mobs, requirements are higher and Kerr says farmers should work on 1700kg DM/ha minimum cover. However it also important not to let pastures get above 2000kg DM/ha cover, as they start losing quality and animal performance drops.
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Dairy cows will generate more milksolids, regain lost BCS faster, and have better reproductive performance if they are fed well straight after calving. “Failing to reach target pasture covers at calving means you can go through the first grazing round too quickly, then have problems in the second round with low covers and poor growth rates,” Kerr says. However, having too much grass at calving can also be a problem, because once paddocks get above 3500kg DM/ha they start losing quality in the base, cow intakes can fall, and regrowth slows. “So it’s important to strike the right balance. “Ideally you want a range of pasture covers across the farm at the start of calving — some ready to graze straight away (eg, 3000-3500kg DM/ha), and others which will be ready to graze later (1500-2000kg DM/ha).”
OPTIONS THROUGH SPRING Most key decisions affecting how much cover is available at lambing and calving will have already been
FAILING TO REACH TARGET PASTURE COVERS AT CALVING MEANS YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE FIRST GRAZING ROUND TOO QUICKLY. made. Seasons vary and to succeed, management plans need to be adapted accordingly, so it’s useful to do a progress check at this time of the year. If covers are below target for the start of calving and lambing, farmers should act quickly to reduce pasture demand and increase supply. “Can you perhaps feed more supplements and less pasture? Or hold stock on their winter crop longer to allow pasture covers to climb? If dairy farmers winter-off cows, consider keeping late calvers away for longer, if possible,” Kerr says. This must be balanced with stock health and nutrition requirements. For dairy and sheep/beef farms pasture growth rates can be increased by applying N fertiliser in late winter/early spring once soil temperatures are over 8C, preferably 10C or higher, possibly in tandem with gibberellic acid. If covers are above target, and it looks like you will start calving or lambing with too much DM/ha in some paddocks, it’s important to plan how to take advantage of that feed before it becomes a spring pasture management problem. “If too many pastures have a high cover at the start of calving or lambing, you won’t be able to graze all of them at the right time, and some of that feed will go to waste, because grass does not keep,’’ Kerr says. One solution is turning extra pasture DM into body condition score by increasing daily pasture allowances for livestock now. Alternatively, you might be able to feed out less supplement or increase allowances to stock on winter crop. Dairy farmers who winter cows off can consider bringing cows home early. In extreme situations, weather permitting, making baleage can be an option.
DISEASE
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Northern Advocate
29
Farmers key in early foot and mouth detection Training in Nepal in the recognition, diagnosis, investigation and control of foot and mouth disease including seeing the disease has been invaluable in protecting New Zealand’s vital exports
with VANESSA FEAVER
Prevention against one of New Zealand’s biggest biosecurity risks — foot and mouth disease (FMD) — has been given a leg-up with specialist training in Nepal. DairyNZ veterinarian Anna Irwin recently returned from Kathmandu, Nepal, where she was part of a five-day training camp run by the European Commission for the Control of Foot and Mouth Disease. She says the experience highlighted the pivotal role New Zealand dairy farmers play in detecting the disease early. “I found seeing the disease invaluable,” says Anna. “But it also brought home the importance of being alert on farms. Anyone working with livestock on a daily basis is in the best position to be our number one surveillance force. “Foot and mouth is one of our biggest biosecurity risks, so we need to be prepared. The quicker something is picked up, the better our response will be.” Along with farmers keeping an eye out for signs, their use of New Zealand’s biosecurity systems, such as NAIT (National Animal Identification and Tracing), will help prevent an outbreak. “It’s very important that farmers keep their NAIT records up-to-date, as animal tracing and accurate records are vital in any disease investigation. In any outbreak, the ability to reliably trace animals saves so much time,” says Anna. “Nepal doesn’t have anything like our system in place, which makes it much harder to manage and control the disease when animals move around so much.” If FMD were to reach New Zealand, it would damage the country’s trade reputation and halt virtually all exports of meat, animal by-products and dairy products until at least three
the facts A guide to foot and mouth disease ■ Affects all cloven-hoofed animals (e.g. cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, deer). ■ Is caused by a highly infectious virus. There is no cure. ■ It can be spread by saliva, mucous, milk, faeces and can be carried on wool, hair, grass, footwear, clothing, livestock equipment and vehicle tyres. It can also spread by wind. ■ Animals are typically depressed, not eating, lame or reluctant to stand-up. They will have a sudden drop in milk production (in Nepal it was usually halved), will drool and chomp teeth. Animals usually have a high temperature in the early stages. ■ Vesicles (blisters) will rupture on the muzzle, inside the mouth, on feet (between claws) and on teats.
months after the disease was considered eradicated. Led by the Ministry for Primary Industries, the Nepal trip provided training in the clinical recognition, diagnosis, investigation and control of FMD. “Foot and mouth is widespread in Nepal and outbreaks occur frequently there,” says Anna. “The training gave veterinarians,
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DairyNZ veterinarian Anna Irwin, above; and at left in a training camp in Nepal.
government officials and other rural professionals from foot-andmouth-free countries some of the skills required for a potential outbreak.” Anna will share her experience and training with colleagues and farmers as part of DairyNZ’s work with the government and other industry groups such as Beef + Lamb New Zealand, on being prepared for FMD. ■ Farmers should report anything they are unsure about in any livestock to the biosecurity line by calling 0800 80 99 66.
IF FMD WERE TO REACH NEW ZEALAND, IT WOULD DAMAGE THE COUNTRY’S TRADE REPUTATION AND HALT VIRTUALLY ALL EXPORTS OF MEAT, ANIMAL BY-PRODUCTS AND DAIRY PRODUCTS UNTIL AT LEAST THREE MONTHS AFTER THE DISEASE WAS CONSIDERED ERADICATED
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30
Northern Advocate
Thursday, July 17, 2014
THE INNOVATORS Dean Taylor looks at Kiwis’ latest inventions, among them a computerised ‘whiteboard’ with a retrievable memory
Farming’s central brain and notepad Day-to-day communication on a farm is an important aspect of running a successful business but, in these days of high-tech, is often left to a low-tech device — the whiteboard. This is something Agritec manager Dr Debbie Care and Agritec digital resource developer Marlene Williamson thought could be improved. The pair work for Wintec at the Agritec Centre on the AgResearch farm at Tokanui. As well as a research facility, it is also a commercially viable farm, with the same demands and challenges of other working properties. Each day Dr Care and Mrs Williamson would see the daily notices, tasks, reminders and notes recorded on a whiteboard — the point of reference for daily communication. Then they would see some of the inherent problems of a manual system, most notably that everything was rubbed off at the end of the day and couldn’t be retrieved. As members of Wintec’s team, which often partners industry to undertake R&D and help solve issues, the pair decided a high-tech alternative would be better. Their answer: the hastily-named
Digiboard, which was presented at Fieldays. Mrs Williamson says they needed a name in a hurry, and hope to improve on Digiboard for a final commercial product. But she says they are happy with the concept to date. The idea is for a computerised system that displays all the same daily information as the whiteboard. She says it is easier to read and easier to update. Where it exceeds the whiteboard is that everything can be stored for future reference, it can be organised into groups of information, it can be made more interactive and it can be networked through smartphones. Mrs Williamson says even a base model with no internet nor networking capability is a huge step up. The developers are writing their own software to make the system work on the shed computer, including having a touch screen. A byproduct is that much of the information entered for daily use is the same information farmers need for reports to the dairy company or for making planning decisions. Working closely with AgResearch staff at grassroots level, the pair have so far modelled a
system that groups information into such categories as paddocks (grazing, fertiliser, effluent, cultivation), supplements, cropping, vehicle and plant maintenance, tasks, stock management, inward goods, meetings, staffing and water use. She says the aim is for the system to be driven from the bottom up, so the team is keen to hear from anyone who has ideas for how the system should be set up. Other ideas are to incorporate information such as farm practices, rules and regulations and clever
COWSHED HELPER: Marlene Williamson, who is administrator of Wintec’s Tokanuibased Agritec Centre, demonstrates a replacement for the farm whiteboard at Fieldays.
applications that would flag potential hazards, even specific to each property, when certain tasks are assigned. Mrs Williamson says workers with a networked system would have tools at their fingertips, via smartphones, to look up a range of information specific to their farm and task at hand while on the job. She believes it would make communications clearer, speed up farm tasks and help farmers with their planning and reporting. The product differs from other software in that it focuses on daily management and provides a central point of information for all staff. Dr Care and Mrs Williamson hope the Digiboard will progress from innovation to a commerciallyviable product by year’s end. Whether Wintec or another entity markets the product, it will be the first venture by the educational organisation into the commercial sector, so it is exciting for the development team. ■ For more information or to contribute your ideas to the development, contact the Research Office at Wintec: (07) 834 8800 ext 8460 or email research@wintec.ac.nz.
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Thursday, July 17, 2014
Northern Advocate
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