Canterbury Farming, July 2017 by Integrity Community Media

July 2017 Edition

30,287 copies distributed monthly – to every rural mailbox in Canterbury and the West Coast

Enjoying the farming life

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Caring for mental health The launch of the NZ Young Farmers rural mental health documentary for rural youth last month has seen large numbers of young people view the programme that featured stories of depression and suicide among members. Rural & Urban Subdivisions Cross Lease/Unit Surveys Resource Consents Topo/Site Surveys

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The 40-minute documentary also featured the moving stor y of Canterbury member Sam Robinson from Methven, who bravely shared his story around depression and has had interest from Australia among health networks. CEO Terry Copeland said the documentary emphasised the o r g a n i s a t i o n ’s commitment to lowering New Zealand’s appalling suicide statistics in rural youth, and is being made available for Young Farmer clubs to show to their members. “The documentary also deals with the after effects of suicide and in particular shows the tragedy felt by one Young Farmers Club as they came to terms with the suicide of a member who was also a cherished Dad.” Made in partnership with well-known broadcaster Rob Cope-Williams, Mr Copeland said the documentary was a deliberate attempt to be transparent around the issue. “It’s clearly been shown that past rural mental health strategies in our youth have not been successful in decreasing statistics and we have to engage more with our youth around the issues they face if we are to change those grim numbers.” Last November the Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa

New Zealand called for a new suicide prevention policy, specifically tailored to address suicide risk in rural men of working age following 2013 data that showed that suicide rates in rural men, aged 15-64, were higher than suicide rates in urban men, and higher than the national male suicide rate. The data showed it was often young male farm workers that were most at risk — and that was a trend Mr Copeland had seen in his time at the helm of NZ Young Farmers. “We still have a very real problem around talking about how we are feeling and yet NZ Young Farmers has an excellent network of clubs that are able to offer an outlet from what can be an isolated existence on farm for our young people, as well as a social forum where they can share some of their frustrations.” As part of that support, NZ Young Farmers have recently begun GoodYarn farmer wellness workshops around New Zealand for members. The workshops help par ticipants recognise and respond appropriately to friends, family, farming colleagues or customers suffering from stress or mental illness. They also provide practical tips and

Terry Copeland, NZ Young Farmers CEO

tools enabling participants to discuss mental wellbeing openly and effectively with colleagues, family and friends, recognise signs of stress and other mental health problems, reduce and manage stress and find appropriate support

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services. “These are small but vital steps forward, but one I’m confident will begin to change the stigma that remains ingrained in the younger members of our rural communities around mental health,” Mr Copeland said.

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Canterbury Farming prints material contributed by freelance journalists, contributing columnists and letters from readers. The information and opinions published are not necessarily those of Canterbury Farming or its staff. Canterbury Farming takes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Canterbury Farming is published by Farmedia Limited

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July 2017

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A trial accreditation programme has boosted biosecurity for international cruise ships and will be expanded for future seasons. The scheme involves collecting background information about vessel stores and pest management practices to determine biosecurity risk. “It is about knowing where the stores came from, and making sure they are free of biosecurity risk should passengers bring them ashore,” says Steve Gilbert, MPI Border Clearance Services director. MPI checked information supplied by cruise lines at the beginning of the season. Fur ther checks were carried out during the summer. Vessels were also expected to provide additional biosecurity education to passengers before landing in New Zealand. As part of the arrangement, accredited vessels received less biosecurity scrutiny on the gangway by MPI biosecurity officers when they arrived in New Zealand. Mr Gilber t says the extra biosecurity education proved its worth with MPI finding fewer risk goods on passengers leaving accredited vessels than ships that weren’t part of trial. “Even when our officers did pick up fruit and other goods from passengers, we

had peace of mind the items were free of risk, as they had already been vetted under the inventory and pest management controls required under the scheme. “I really want to give credit to the cruise industry, who have made a real effort to improve biosecurity compliance. “By reducing gangway inspections, the scheme has also allowed us to free up officers to focus on higher risk work, including inspecting cargo for brown marmorated stink bug. “In addition, the scheme improves the travel experience for disembarking passengers, as it means less holdups due to biosecurity checks.” He says the scheme will be expanded to cover more cruise vessels coming to New Zealand. Two cruise lines took part in the trial. Accredited vessels made 401 port visits to New Zealand during the summer season. The seizure rate (seizures of biosecurity risk goods per 1000 passengers) was 0.9 for accredited vessels compared with 1.5 for uncredited vessels.

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ENJOYING THE FARMING

BY ANN MORGAN Stacey Andrews grew up in Pleasant Point township but always helped her grandparents on their small sheep farm just out of Pleasant Point.

he is 28 years old and married to Bruce, and is the mother of Cooper, Bentley and Booka and step-mum to Ella. “I used to spend nearly every spare moment at my grandparents’ house after school and on weekends,” says Stacey.

“When I was 19 years old, I decided to try dairy farming and took on a roll in Morven with a herring bone shed. Bruce was my manager but I only spent one season on this farm and then I moved back to Hazelburn to be closer to home, and Bruce and I remained friends.

“School wasn’t for Bruce — he left when he was 15 years old and was offered a job on a farm. He worked on that property for eight years. They took him right up to management. “When I had my first child, I took a few years out of the dairy industry but my love of

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Stacey Andrews with Cooper, Bentley and Booka helping on the farm cows eventually brought me back to the farm as a single mum with two children.” Bruce eventually returned to the area from being

away and the couple built a solid relationship. “We took on a role together in Waitohi. That first year back farming together

was either going to make or break us. It was a brand new farm and nothing was set up. We didn’t even know how to start the cowshed equipment

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Cooper and Bentley help Bruce with chores around the property and then it started snowing in the middle of calving — it was hectic but we made it though. “He was 2IC and I did the calf rearing, this meant I could work around the children. We set up a movie room for the children in the shed and the school bus driver would deliver the children to the cowshed for us.” The couple married in February this year and moved farms this season and have decided to get the help of a ‘wwoofer’ (a travelling worker) so Stacey can help more on the farm. “We decided to step up our roles in the industry so Bruce applied for and secured the manager’s role on this 600 cow farm near Skipton’s Bridge. “We are hoping to remain at this farm for many years as we don’t want to have to change the children’s school too many times. “I had the last season off to care for Booka, but I couldn’t help myself and would sneak out to help feed the calves. Farming has become my passion and I love it. The ‘wwoofer’ will help with the children over calving season. “It was a hard decision to make, but Bruce and I work well together and it makes more sense for me to assist him during the busy times than for him to take on someone he is unsure about.” Stacey will raise the calves until they are four days old and then they will go to another property to a robotic calf feeding shed.

“Cooper is seven years old, Bentley is five years old and Ella is 10 soon. Having someone else live in our house may be challenging but we are willing to see how it works for us. “You have to go with the flow when farming is your career and put your children first, and it is important to have patience with each other. “We milk twice a day, right up to the end of the season. The herd is Kiwi cross, they are a slightly smaller breed and this makes them easy to fit in the bails. “I love the lifestyle for the children. Cooper has come up with a scheme to trap possums for pocket money. He gets $109 per kilogram of fur, and he does most of

it by himself. “He has this intention to eventually buy himself a good .22 rifle to hunt with. He first went deer hunting with Bruce when he was five-and-a-half years old and they shot a stag — he was so excited. He still talks about that big stag. We are encouraging him toward the country life. My theory is to keep him busy on the farm and he won’t be bothered with drugs. “When we have time off we enjoy camping and fishing. Bruce coaches the senior Mackenzie rugby team and I play social netball. Besides my love for my cows, I also have 13 sheep, and I am known for collecting unwanted lambs and rearing them with my calves.”

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Investment markets update Covering the three months ended 31 May 2017 Healthy growth momentum Credit, money and liquidity indicators in developed economies suggest a healthy pace of global growth for the rest of the year. Manufacturing has eased off highs in some markets over the past several months, however this has been offset by an increase in non-manufacturing activity. Similarly weakness in the first quarter in the United States is expected to be transitory. This is in spite of lower stimulatory impacts now being anticipated from

President Trump’s tax reform packages and is clearly shown by the positive forecast revision tracks for Gross Domestic Product growth in Advanced Economies. The United States Federal Reserve is expected to hike the federal funds rate at the June meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee, and the market will likely take this in its stride as well. Bad things just aren’t happening A quar ter ago we could have pointed to the

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heightened political risks in Europe, United Kingdom risks from exiting the European Union, credit issues in China and any number of other geopolitical risks. As things have transpired, most of these fears have proved to be overstated. In particular, European election outcomes have maintained policy direction and the Euro area’s economic performance continues to improve. China’s credit issues have necessitated credit tightening and have seen rating agencies

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downgrade the region’s credit, but rather than being viewed as disrupting global financial markets, this is now viewed as a China-contained issue. There is now a likelihood of less fiscal stimulus being provided by President Trump’s taxation and regulator y reforms, as these take longer to gain House and Senate approval. However, the United States economy was improving prior to these promised measures and even without this stimulus, growth should continue to improve. Of course m a ny geopolitical risks still remain but these need to be taken in context. Equity markets rebound The positive backdrop allowed equity markets to deliver solid gains over the last three months. In New Zealand Dollar terms, the best performing markets over the quarter were the United Kingdom and Europe. European m a r ke t s benefitted from the improving outlook and from political risks abating. For the United States, political issues surrounding President Trump have escalated and this has seen the financial markets back-out much of the fiscal stimulus that had been backed into markets. The impact meant some of the strength in the United States Dollar eased, however increasing earnings

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forecasts were still sufficient to deliver positive returns over the quarter. Of the international markets we have reviewed this month, Australia was the worst performing, with the Banking Sector weighing on returns. The major Australian banks had already been under pressure from regulators to increase capital requirements and from lending growth declining. The Federal Budget then added to the pressure as a tax on the borrowings of the five largest banks was proposed. D o m e s t i c a l l y, New Zealand equities produced positive returns but also lagged international markets. Building company downgrades held returns back in the current quarter, as building costs and tighter lending criteria have led to downgrades in margins and expected activity levels. Reserve Bank of New Zealand on hold, long-term interest rates to follow global trend Long-term interest rates fell during the quarter as financial markets discounted the degree of stimulus that would now occur in the United States. This should not prevent the United States Federal Reserve from its planned tightening of monetary policy, with the Federal Fund Rate still expected to increase by 50

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basis points by the end of 2017. However, with other Central Banks unlikely to follow quickly, the speed and degree of increases in longterm interest rates is now expected to be slower than we first thought. Higher long-term interest rates however should still eventuate, driven by global economic strength and a gradual pull-back from quantitative easing measures by Europe later this year. The United States Federal Reserve is also expected to announce its programme to begin reducing its balance sheet. New Zealand interest rates should follow global trends, although the Reserve Bank of New Zealand is expected to maintain the Official Cash Rate steady at 1.75% for at least the remainder of 2017, with the memory of moving too quickly in 2013 staying its hand, and its preference for a weaker New Zealand dollar. If you’re new to investing please see Forsyth Barr’s Introduction to Investing guide available at http://www. forsythbarr.co.nz/investingwith-us/new-to-investing/ or to discuss your investment options please contact Andrew Wyllie, an Authorised Financial Adviser with Forsyth Barr in Christchurch. He can be contacted regarding portfolio management, fixed interest, or share investments on 0800 367 227 or andrew. wyllie@forsythbarr.co.nz. This column is general in nature and should not be regarded as personalised investment advice. Disclosure Statements are available from Forsyth Barr Authorised Financial Advisers on request and free of charge.

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Country Law with Ronald W. Angland & Son

Intellectual property Over time a body of law has evolved which provides protection for individuals and businesses for original processes, written works, inventions and creations which are of value to them and are original. It is collectively known as intellectual property and includes trademarks, patents, copyright, plant varieties and some further rights in respect to other aspects of IP. Copyright automatically applies to all publications of books and paintings when they are produced. Most authors give notice that they claim copyright in respect to a book by including a C in a circle in the early pages of a book. Similarly with a painting the painter has automatic copyright. Most of us will remember the fuss when our former Prime Minister, Helen Clark, put her signature on someone else’s painting. Trade marks are used mainly in business and protect unique logos, brands, ideas, slogans and sounds. Registration of a trade mark provides the best protection for the holder’s exclusive use of the trade mark and most items which are the subject of a trade-mark will include a symbol which is

notice to anyone who may have thoughts of copying the item that it is protected by registration. Anyone who copies someone else’s trademark may find themselves being sued by the holder of the trade-mark. One of NZ’s most famous brands is the buzzy bee which has been protected by a trade mark since it was created. Patents usually apply to useful inventions especially machinery or tools and gives protection against others who may be interested in producing similar products. Registered patent rights are limited to the country where the patent has been obtained but depending on the universal usefulness of the item it may be worth considering registration in other jurisdictions. Occasionally we hear about someone who created a tool only to find that someone else has copied it and obtained a patent. Plant varieties may be the subject of right which

gives the creator exclusive rights to produce and sell a new variety of plant. The plant must be new district and a stable variety. In my life-time there have been some new fruits, like peacherines, and some other new delicacies which would fall into this category. The best protection for trade marks, patents and plant varieties is registration which can be a complicated process but in most cases is well worthwhile. Registrations last for limited periods but most can be renewed on application. This article has been produced by Bessie Paterson, a partner at Ronald W Angland & Son, Solicitors, 2 Chapman Street, Leeston

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Family farming legacy Farming families tell us the value of ongoing family unity and harmony is ‘Priceless’ and the cost to both the family and farming business legacy of not getting this right is ‘everything’. John Redpath an independent farm succession planning specialist has sat around the table with many farming families and understands the delicate issues involved and the pain that can be avoided with the right conversations and strategy in place. All too often families don’t know how to start the conversation around succession and how to deal with assumptions and fairness. And when this seems too hard often resort to structures before any aligned strategy is agreed. Younger family members are often frustrated with a lack of future clarity and

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limited open communication around the future. It takes courage to start the succession process. However farming families tell us that once they have worked through it they feel relieved, safe and secure, more content, have a purpose and a plan, and feel valued and respected. Areas to focus on in the ‘how to’ include — getting clear and aligned on the family purpose and vision, those one-on-one unpeeling conversations so everyone can express how they feel and what is important to them, ensuring assumptions are dealt with and everyone understands the reality. These along

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with some agreed communication ground rules will help in ensuring the tough conversations around the future options are constructive and a meaningful plan/ roadmap is in place that everyone understands. Good planning and conversations can transcend generations and become a regular item at future family business meetings. At the end of the day proactive planning ensures that Mum and Dad can see that their life’s work has been worth it and that they have made a difference for their family, their farming environment and their communities.

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“T

here are six boys in our family and we grew up on this farm from 1988,” says Regan. “Our father died in 2006 and the farm was put into an estate which currently my older brother leases and I manage for him. We run lamb,

beef and crop on the main property and four years ago my wife Samm and I bought a few sows to have an interest of our own. The couple needed something that complemented what is already happening on the farm and pigs ticked all

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the boxes. “My father and grandfather had a small dairy farm in Oxford with around 12 cows and supplied cream to the local dairy. They had the skim milk byproduct so they kept pigs to feed this to and they sold weaners at the Addington saleyards.

“I got a lot of knowledge from growing up around my father’s pigs and they are Samm’s and my first step into farming in our own right. “We started with two sows and have built the group up to 12. We lease a four hectare paddock from the farm and buy barley as feed from the property as well.” They grow linseed for a company in Geraldine and buy the linseed cake back as a protein feed instead of

using fish meal or soy which large commercial operations generally use. “It means what we grow ends up back in our soil. We split the paddock into six areas and strip graze turnips to keep costs down and it gives the pigs green feed options. “The farm was certified organic in the 1990s and my brother has carried this on. When we started we didn’t have a clear goal of where we

wanted to go. Through media and consumers we realised there was a shortage for ethically grown organic pork so we started buying beef and lamb from the farm and we sell mixed meat packs under the trading name ‘Elmwood Organic’.” The couple have been selling and delivering meat packs to families in the Selwyn and Christchurch areas for two years and also take their products to local

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July 2017

Animal welfare is important to Regan and Samm Dalley as they grow their pigs on their organic farm farmers’ markets including Ohoka, Lincoln, West Melton and Prebbleton, and the Whole Foods store in Riccarton also sell their brand. “The happiness of our pigs is important to us. They all have names and they can wallow in mud and play and interact with the other pigs and with us. They really are intelligent animals. “Even with the electric fence they are quite good at ‘houdini’ acts. They know the grass really is greener on the other side and learn very quickly if there is a way to get into another area. “It takes about four months to graze each turnip strip and they get excited when they change paddocks and love digging for worms

and grubs in the ground. If they are in a paddock where there are cow pats, they will flip the pat over and have a gourmet feed of worms and bugs.” Their housing is linseed straw bales arranged on the ground, and each hut has an iron roof and straw is placed inside for bedding. “Eventually the straw rots down and we replace the bales and reuse the iron roofs. There are two to three pigs housed per hut as they love company and when they snuggle in at night they are like bunches of bananas,” says Samm. “Effectively we have two litters of approximately 8-10 piglets per sow per year. It takes around six

months for them to get to 70-80kg because we don’t feed a formulated feed like commercial farms. The longer they live, the more flavour the meat has.” Lifestyle block owners buy piglets and feed them from their vege garden and they eat lawn clippings as well. “We also have hens for eggs and they are in with the pigs and can eat alongside each other from the same trough. “It is common to see them interacting with the pigs. “We are passionate about providing our animals with a good life. “Animal welfare is important to us and that is why we run our pigs the way we do.”

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July 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

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Yes we are proud of the All Blacks when they win, and we may even feel a wee bit proud if we win the America’s cup, but for many that’s because the other guy is an Aussie. Personally I am very proud of the motor racing drivers doing very well overseas winning more than our share of international races and rallies. In fact we are all proud of our sports people, but are we proud of ourselves? It is the bull sale season again and I just wonder how many of the breeders are honestly saying to themselves ‘my bulls are the best there are’. A bottle of scotch to one of water you will never hear that spoken. Well not meaning it, as I visualise 57 bull breeders wanting to take a bottle of scotch off me. We as a farming nation, lead the world in a lot of areas, and livestock genetics is certainly one of them. Ask anyone with any clout in the

horse racing world and they will tell you that we dominate the racing in Aussie because we breed and raise the best there are. It is little wonder that our yearling sales attract so much support from overseas. Sitting firmly below the radar

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is a live sheep and cattle export market. Not for meat but for breeding from because the buyers know that New Zealand producers breed the best sheep and cattle in the world, and they are very happy to buy those genetics.

I suppose to a degree that livestock is very similar to our sports people. They are valued overseas as the best in the world, but taken for granted and talked down at home. Bull breeders will be very happy to get what they can at their annual sale. However my research would suggest that the sale average prices haven’t really gone up with inflation and the costs involved. That isn’t the fault of the agents who slog their hearts out to get the best dollars for their clients, it’s more that buyers have their own budgets and that’s that. How often do you hear someone say “I really wanted that bull, but there’ll be another one at another sale later in the month” Pride is like self-belief in my view, you don’t need to flaunt it if you do have it, but it is very hard to get as we are a nation of humble types who accept what we are given. Ask a European farmer if he or she has the best there is and you know their answer before you ask it

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Those mid-March and early April rainfall events have thus far resulted in little recharge. While the May 2 water level measurement is probably a little early to see the full effects, the rise of 1.35m in water level is not sufficient to get us into the ‘safety’ zone for the next irrigation season. We are still more than 5m below the desired level of about 53m below ground level and that equates to heaps of rain in the next six weeks. The short-term forecast (out to Saturday 24th June) I thought was looking pretty promising with south-easterly conditions. The system appears more threatening than delivering a real good recharging rainfall ie: • Thursday 22 is for periods of rain, southeasterlies with 97%

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‘was’ required by January 1, 2017. ‘Grace’ has been given to the time frame and will need to be in place this year. According to rhetoric there are ‘thousands’ of FEP’s and consents to process across Canterbury (not just this zone) so if you haven’t started, act soon to avoid non-compliance. What do you need? • A completed ECan application form, including the usual planning assessment; • An assessment of nutrient losses using the Overseer model; • A Farm Environment Plan, and • ECan consent application deposit of $1,725. It is winter and a good time to get in touch to move the process along.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

July 2017

Calls to tackling environmental issues Federated Farmers has launched its ‘Farmers’ Manifesto’ challenging political parties in the upcoming general election to take a ‘sensible, practical and affordable’ approach to tackling issues of high importance to its members. The Federation wants a ‘targeted catchment approach’ when it comes to addressing the nation’s water quality where sustainable economic growth, can be achieved alongside environmental goals. “We support a framework for catchment partnerships that coordinates community, council and scientific efforts. This could involve a range of taxpayer and regionwide rates based funding to assist in the most cost effective way, to manage our regional waterways, says Dr William Rolleston, Federated Farmers’ national president. “This way we can target those hotspots that need immediate attention through applying science based data, investing resources and funds more wisely, to understand and ultimately alleviate the worst affected areas.” Farmers throughout the country have made, and will continue to make, significant environmental improvements in how they manage the land. Dairy farmers have spent more than $1 billion over the past five years, while their sheep and beef farmers have been the main contributors

to the establishment of QEII covenants, protecting private land for conservation at a real and opportunity cost of $1.2 to 1.4 billion dollars. “Farmers are on a journey to improve our waterways and we call on all New Zealanders to not only back our campaign but to join us in doing our share. “As every catchment is unique in regard to its current state and how it should be managed in the future, catchment communities should have more say in how their waterways are managed. “An open and frank consultation which weighs up economic and environmental outcomes is vital and can pave the way, for changes that are sensible, practical and affordable.” In the wake of several high profile biosecurity incursions in the past year, Federated Farmers recommend greater focus and investment in biosecurity measures, which is fundamental to protecting the country’s prized primary sector. “There is no doubt we need to develop and enhance our world class biosecurity system. The Government

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Industry Agreement (GIA) is a progressive step and allows for more efficiency with responding to future incursions,” said Dr Rolleston. “That said, the risks are increasing due to more incoming traffic to our shores and this means we have to pursue strong science based solutions backed by strict, enforceable laws which lead to significant penalties.” The Farmers’ Manifesto is also asking for reform of the Resource Management Act

(RMA) where there is redress of economic priorities which underpin rural economies and their social prosperity. “Federated Farmers view RMA reform as a matter of national importance. A review of the current principles relating to property rights, rural production and how it impacts on the economic returns at the farm gate, should be factored into future reviews so that farmers and rural economies aren’t overlooked or disadvantaged.”

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From the Minister

Nathan Guy, Minister for Primary Industries

Telling our story Last month I was at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Invercargill where we celebrated some of the best examples of farmers working hard to leave their land in a better state for future generations. It’s an event I’m proud to support and champion loudly to as many New Zealanders as possible. The national winner and recipients of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy were Peter and Nicole Carver from Taranaki, who were chosen from an outstanding field of regional winners. On the night I spoke to the audience about the rising tensions between farmers and their critics this year and what we can all do to tell our side of the story. It frustrates me that some people believe farmers are destroying their land and the country. However, in general, I think most New Zealanders know that farming is a crucial part of our economy and society. Most reasonable people want farmers to succeed and do well because they know that farming is the backbone of our economy, helping build schools, hospitals and roads. It provides a standard of living that is envied across the globe. As a Government we are firm believers we can grow the economy and improve the environment at the same time. This includes our goal to have 90 per cent of rivers swimmable by 2040. We are going to achieve it in

a practical, realistic and sustainable way that doesn’t ruin our economy at the same time. This is a long term issue and we’re all in it together. Around three quarters of our waterways across the country are already in good shape, and achieving 90 per cent will be a long-term project that will cost the country around $2 billion — that’s taxpayers, ratepayers and farmers. A huge amount of work has already gone in with new rules, standards and monitoring which simply didn’t exist 10 years ago. Around $450 million has been committed towards freshwater clean-up projects. In recent years there has been a large reduction in

pollution entering our lakes and rivers from dairy sheds, factories and town effluent systems, and billions has been spent on upgrades. There is also a huge investment in science and good ideas from both Government and industry looking for new technologies and ways to improve farming practices. While many of us will disagree with the critics of farming, there’s one thing we agree with: they are very effective at getting their views across. If we really want a message to change the public perception of farming, it can’t just come from a politician like me. It’s going to need to come

straight from the woolsheds and dairy sheds — from someone in a swanndri, not a suit. Who else is going to explain that farmers have spent over $1 billion of their own money towards environmental measures on farm. Who else is going to explain that farmers have fenced enough waterways to cover the distance from Auckland to Chicago and then back again. My challenge to farmers is to set yourself some goals of promoting your industry to your friends and family who might not know that much about it. In the age of social media, everyone has the ability to influence public opinion more than you’d think.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

July 2017

Access into China for blood products Following successful negotiations by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), China has approved formal access for New Zealand bovine blood products into the Chinese market. The access has been approved by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ), for New Zealand premises to export bovine blood products, such as bovine protein and serum, to China. “Formal access for New Zealand bovine blood products opens up enormous oppor tunities for our producers. These products represent a valuable market and we expect our

exports will be in significant demand in China,” says Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy. “New Zealand now has market access for both finished and semi-finished products, which will mean exporters can attract a pricepremium for these highervalue products. This is likely to be worth at least $50 million per year. “We have an enviable disease status compared with many countries, which means our bovine blood products are

widely sought after by a range of markets across the globe.” Bovine serum and protein products are used in the animal pharmaceutical industry for manufacturing vaccines, diagnostic kits, laboratory testing media, and a range of specialised products. New Zealand exported some bovine blood products to China prior to 2015, however formal access has now been negotiated

providing more certainty. Mr Guy made the announcement while visiting Proliant’s cattle blood product manufacturing plant in Feilding recently. Currently 16 premises have been registered by AQSIQ to export bovine blood products to China. “This new access is a real bonus for the wider meat industry, the regions and our wider economy.”

Nathan Guy, Primary Industries Minister

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Forestry Market Report Allan Laurie MNZIF, Laurie Forestry Ltd Over the last month the housing sector in Christchurch has come off the boil. A couple of contacts in this segment are suggesting we are nearly at a housing saturation point with a noticeable decline in enquirers in recent weeks. This could be a winter effect or it could be the sign we have reached the top of the new build wave. Either way, if it continues, we would expect this to eventually filter into our local mill sales and therefore lead to a slow down after what has been almost a rampant log demand. I

suspect the outdoors sector will continue at pace in the meantime as developers work through fencing, decking, pergolas and outdoor furniture projects. The commercial construction sector is continuing at pace. Unfortunately the players

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in this space continue their love affair with the nasty steel and concrete design principles we see revealed in the monstrosities going up in the Christchurch CBD. What a shame the designers, planners and builders seemingly lack any sort of flair or even a hint of inclusion of our wood as a renewable resource in the construct. An opportunity to protect the inhabitants from future earthquakes with the extensive use of wood on the construction has been lost. What a shame — we never learn. China has surprised most commentators with consumption across the eastern seaboard running at 60,000 cubic metres per day. Even as the top of the heat of summer approaches the use of wood continues at levels beyond forecasts, year to date. Softwood inventory levels continue the decline now down to 3.6 million including all sources. NZ Radiata pine represents about 2.2 million of the total. Prices have remained stable to firm as a consequence. Recent settlements on an A grade

shorts basis, the market indicator grade, is in a US$133 to $135 cubic metre range. No one is forecasting any significant change in the medium term. Pacific Nor th West volumes, referred to as PNW, continue to decline as the US and Canada vie for supply of a lucrative US domestic house build programme. Indeed the lack of PNW volumes in China, often preferred to NZ and Australia Radiata, is starting to bite and log prices in this segment are on the increase. We would expect to eventually see this dragging up Radiata log prices also, albeit this will likely be subdued by concerns about mid-summer consumption dropping off. Shipping has reached a lower plateau for now with recent drops of US1 — 2 per cubic metre likely the end of a softer market for the time being. Unfortunately the US/KIWI FOREX rate is starting to cause more than a little concern. At up to a 3 cent increase in the last three weeks this represents a likely drop of about NZ$4 per cubic metre, at wharf gate basis, for July sales. Whilst concerning, it

still leaves wharf gate levels close to record highs. Prices in India have moved upward US$2 per cubic metre for June settlements. This then brings China and India back in to a NZ at wharf gate alignment. India is certainly featuring more in the market speak and we anticipate announcements shortly that new ports are opening up for break bulk and containerised log trade. It is important to remind readers log exports comprise just over 50% of all logs produced in NZ. Our domestic sawmills remain a highly valuable component of our forest harvest. Our export log

trade also enables mills to grow business in the export lumber sector with new markets emerging based on awareness created by the log trade. And as economies grow, wage levels increase and individual wealth grows, wood consumption will increase and the NZ Sawmill options for growing business will also increase. This at a time when the planets forested area continues to decline by close to one million hectares per year. This proves once again, the only way forward for climate, country and the planet is to get out there and plant more trees.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

O’Connor Comments with Damien O’Connor Opposition Spokesman on Agriculture

Leadership required A group of environmental activists and NGOs has just released its policy expectations for the next government. Frustrated by their view that very little real action has occurred to improve the quality of fresh water across New Zealand they are calling for a range of actions including the reduction in cow numbers. A couple of years ago with a low payout for milk, that partial reduction took place. Now the dairy industry is facing a dilemma of processing overcapacity and potential procurement battles to ensure plants run at optimal capacity. No doubt this latest message from environmentalists will not be received well. Both sides of the debate have important roles but I suspect the usual unproductive battle of words will ensue. What is desperately needed is some honest debate with robust science at the core of it. The reliance on Overseer by regional councils gives confusing and erratic messages to farmers who are seeking clarity on sustainable farming systems. They rely on good advice from leaders who have solid evidence for their

advice. Unfortunately at best the advice is often confusing. DairyNZ have been reluctant to slow the growth of dairy production and for too long encouraged output regardless of cost. Recent focus on lower cost grass fed systems has come too late for many dairy farmers and investors. While the rise in projected payout might cover costs, the externalised costs of environmental sustainability have yet to be fully realised and calculated. Farmers like all business people prefer certainty. It’s not easy in a biological system but cooperative structures have helped smooth the uncertainty. The relatively new and growing costs of environmental sustainability are creating their own volatility. What is needed is clear objectives, rules and advice. Unfortunately the so called farmer friendly National Government has failed to provide that certainty. Changing f r e s h wa t e r standards and confusion over when ruminant emissions

will come into the Emissions Trading Scheme have created real uncertainty. Smar t farmers who understand the direction needed and feature in the finals on Ballance Environmental awards are already running sustainable farm systems. They won’t be impacted by the inevitable changes needed to assure our customers that we do run the best sustainable and natural farm systems in the world to produce the finest and safest food. But there will be some who need a wake up to the absolute demand for clean water, ethical animal welfare and the finest quality farm produce. Only then can we guarantee Kiwi farmers retain the social licence to operate in New Zealand and the international reputation to supply the finest food to the world’s most discerning consumers. It’s time for strong, credible and respected leadership in New Zealand agriculture.

Therapy for osteoarthritis Part 2 Nutritional therapy can be effective in helping osteoarthritis. For example I have been helping someone with osteoarthritis (OA) in one knee which affected her mobility. She also had hypertension and swollen ankles from poor lower leg circulation. We used a combination of therapies to target all the problems. We added my joint supplement at a double dose delivering 1500mg of high grade chondroitin sulphate with the same of glucosamine sulphate and 200mg of a proprietary 95% curcumin extract (from turmeric). To this we added 6000mg of Omega 3 fish oil and a bullet blender recipe I have developed to assist circulation to help her swollen ankles. This included raw beetroot

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to inhibit a number of inflammatory compounds that are associated with OA. The second is previously mentioned reductions in cartilage loss. The third is even more promising. According to research by Y Herotin (2010) CS appears to stimulate the chondrocyte cells that produce cartilage. High levels of CS seem to increase the collagen needed to make the cartilage matrix. John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv.Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For questions or advice contact John on 0800 423 559 or email john@abundant. co.nz. Join his full weekly newsletter at www. abundant.co.nz.

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to dilate blood vessels. The result is that after three months the pain has reduced by about 50% and her ankles are less swollen. I expect these improvements to continue. High levels of chondroitin sulphate (CS) are important as it is a major constituent of cartilage. At therapeutic levels this can help with cartilage function and has anti-inflammatory activity. Studies, including J P Pelletier (Arthritis Research and Therapy, 2016) demonstrate that chondroitin sulphate at high levels has the ability to modify joints affected by osteoarthritis. In particular there was a marked reduction in further cartilage loss with overall joint improvement. There are several ways CS can improve arthritic joints. Firstly it seems

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With a 340 hectare beef block to run single-handedly, Kaiwaka farmer Marty Roest has to manage his time carefully. The farm currently has around 23km of wire and batten fences and 32km of four-wire electric fences, so the hours he spends on fence building and maintenance can add up significantly. After seeing the Stockade ST400i Cordless Fencing Stapler in action at last year’s Fieldays, Marty says the decision to purchase one was easy. “One of the biggest benefits of the ST400i is that it is very fast and easy to use,” he says. “A farm this size is a oneman operation, so anything I can do that saves me time is very worthwhile.” Marty explains another benefit of the machine is its ability to use barbed staples which have longer holding power — saving time re-stapling further down the track. The most powerful cordless stapler on the market, the

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ST400i can drive nine gauge (4mm) staples into hardwood and treated pine posts with ease. “It’s very quick and easy to adjust the depth for different types of fencing,” says Marty. “The stapler also has an insulator attachment which lets you quickly and easily mount insulators for electric fencing. Free from compressors and hoses, the ST400i is easy to transport and use. And with the limestone terrain on Marty’s farm, that’s a big bonus. “Much of the farmland here gets quite pugged, so you wouldn’t want to drive over it with a compressor in tow because you’d end up damaging it,” he says. “I also like the fact that the stapler has battery and gas level gauges so you can easily tell if you’re getting low.” The ST400i is neatly packaged in a sturdy compact case which also houses dual batteries, an AC charger, the instruction manual and safety glasses.

“The rugged case means I can just tie it on the back of the farm bike and keep it with me whenever I need to do repairs. And because it has a belt clip, you can attach it to your belt or a fence to keep it handy. “Anything I can do that saves me time is very worthwhile.” At around four kilograms in weight, the

stapler is easily manageable, comfortable to use and can be operated with one hand, allowing you to keep your second hand safely out of harm’s way. “I’m really pleased with the performance of the new stapler — definitely a very valuable investment for any farmer who spends time on fencing.”

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CANTERBURY FARMING

July 2017

Trans-Tasman Olympic Ag Battle For the first time in the 49-year history of the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Contest, a Trans-Tasman Olympic Ag Battle will take place between New Zealand and Australia. Current champion Athol New will take on Australian winner Marty McConnon in what is promising to be the most anticipated agricultural event of the year at the Grand Final of the FMG Young Farmer of the Year on July 7 at Feilding. The fierce rivalry of both nations will see Athol and Marty stretched to the limits of endurance as they race off beside each other in a number of physical challenges. Fresh off winning the 2016 FMG Young Farmer of the Year, Athol is an emerging talented leader in the food sector and has recently been sharing his journey from small town Northland to a manager of five dairy farms. He will go into the TransTasman battle as the hot favourite after his outstanding performance in all areas of last year’s contest where he finished high up the ladders in all aspects of the contest including the Agri-sports. His cool head under a pressure cooker situation will mean Marty will have a difficult time on his hands when he attempts to take the Trans-Tasman Ag Olympic trophy back over the ditch.

The 27 year old has a wide variety of skills and currently works for leading Tasmanian harvest contractor C and J Spencer Agriculture in combine operations. His role in the company managing day-to-day r unning of combine operations sees him managing staff, maintaining machinery, and handling field and workshop maintenance. Like many Grand Final winners, Marty took the Tasmanian Rural Youth title home last year after many years of dedication and perseverance and is looking forward to utilising his experience in New Zealand to learn from NZ Young Farmers. FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest chairperson Dean Rabbidge said the shared history between the two nations means the TransTasman Olympic Ag Battle will be fiercely fought over. “It’s the pride of New Zealand and Australia at stake and just like with any sporting rivalry between both nations, both will be desperate to take the inaugural trophy home. This will be a must-see event and we are expecting large crowds to view the battle.”

NZ Young Farmers CEO Terry Copeland welcomed the new event and said it would further celebrate excellence in agriculture. “We are delighted to be able to showcase the skills of our Young Farmers in such a way and look forward to seeing the pair battle it out for the pride of their country.”

Athol New, current Young Farmer of the Year champion

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July 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARM EQUIPMENT & MACHINERY Playing their cards right by Andy Bryenton

When Polaris first introduced the Ace concept — a small footprint, fully roll caged hybrid of the UTV and quad bike — the response was enthusiastic for a number of reasons. High on the list was the fact that this small and therefore more nimble cousin of the big side-by-side Ranger was fully

enclosed for safety, meaning that it boosted confidence when tackling rough terrain. That safety angle was not lost

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on farmers who had borne the brunt of health and safety opprobrium. Quad bikes can be fitted after market with a range of roll over protection systems, but the Ace carried a very tough tube steel cage from the get-go. It also boasted car-like controls and a seating position which made it easy to get on and off after a long day’s work, both issues not lost on the older user. Now, to belabour the poker puns which comes naturally when discussing a North American machine called the Ace, Polaris have doubled down on a winning hand, combining the Ace concept with their new 570cc engine, as seen in the Ranger side by side. The results are as predictable as any occasion when a large, powerful mill is injected into a smaller frame — for example in the creation of the BWM M3. All that extra power becomes clearly apparent when

tasked with shifting a much lighter vehicle. But there’s more to the new Ace than a muscle-car equation — feedback from users of the original has been plumbed in by the research and development team at polaris, who have also worked from the tyres up to make a more balanced and steady version of the old Ace. Therefore drivers — and we mean drivers, as you do not so much ride this super-

quad-like vehicle as drop into its cockpit like that of an open wheel racer or sandrail — will feel the kind of response that inspires enthusiasm, not just through the throttle pedal but through the steering system as well. Yes, the Ace is sold overseas as a hunting or even a purely recreational machine, but these same qualities make it ready to work on the farm. It’s not been lost on Polaris that a full cage also means a

whole new world of mounting points for convenient storage cases, boxes and equipment. One may even spec out the Ace 570 as the only quadsized machine with a real roof and windscreen, which is a big plus in winter weather. With all this, and the inherent safety of enclosed rollover protection, it may be time to take a look at a clever alternative to conventional two or four wheeled off road options.

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FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

CANTERBURY FARMING July 2017

The whole nine yards by Andy Bryenton

For decades, Deutz Fahr have been perfecting their range of tractors to meet stringent European emissions controls while still delivering maximum power and performance. With numerous awards in their trophy case and a team of engineers to rival that of fellow German manufacturers like Mercedes Benz and Porsche, their claim to the title of top agricultural machinery fabricators has only been strengthened by the arrival of their latest offering — the ultra powerful Nine Series. Built on the premise that there’s no substitute for raw power — except raw power under precision control — the heat of the new Nine Series is an uncompromising 336 horsepower intercooled twin turbo six cylinder diesel. High injection pressure and computerised engine management deliver 90 percent of max torque well down the rev range, allowing this tractor to tackle even the most heavy-duty tasks

when mated up with serious machinery. The on board computer system optimises injection for efficiency no matter if the Nine Series is moving from field to field or engaged in serious power harrowing, undersowing or cultivation. Front and rear PTO with multiple selectable speeds comes as standard, because efficient large-scale farming demands big implements. And it’s all commanded from a cab which has been designed as both comfortable and intuitive, with controls easily at hand. In fact, innovations such as Deutz Fahr’s continuously variable TTv transmission mean there are less things for the operator to worry about — the Nine Series is also built with modern satellite navigation and mapping in mind.

With the ability to conquer long days in the field comes the necessity to ensure operator safety and comfort — so extra care and attention has been lavished on making the cab of the Nine Series roomy and well ventilated, with acres of glass and a clear view down the sloping bonnet to make precise turning as simple as possible. In fact, it’s amazing how easy it is to place and handle such a large and powerful machine, even on uneven terrain in the field. This combination of power, precision and the ability to adapt to multiple roles on the farm saw the Nine Series win the ‘Golden Tractor’ award for design on its initial release — further tuning and fettling have only made it a better machine. In the order of highhorsepower tractors, this is the benchmark to beat.

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July 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

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FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

CANTERBURY FARMING

July 2017

Kings of the drone age by Andy Bryenton

The future as predicted in the 1960s was one in which robots performed all our farming chores, from milking cattle to inspecting crops for disease. But alas, it has not come to pass — has it? We may still be dependent on human eyes, brains and hands for the day to day operation of even the most modern farm, but the robots are on the rise. Lely’s ‘Astronaut’ automatic milking machines already allow cows to choose when they want to give milk. And in the skies above switched-on farmers’ land, drones are making the crossover from tools of war to tools of agriculture. There’s a lot they can deliver. Drones have come a long way recently thanks to improved batteries and sensor technology. Precision farming — that new branch of agriculture which prioritises accurate data inputs to model better outcomes — is the perfect arena for machines which can ‘see’ in both video and infrared, is able to cover acres in the time it takes to fire up the quad bike, and can relay everything to a palmtop computer in real time. The applications — from flying over the herd to check for sick or lame animals needing vet attention, through to sweeping pasture to measure soil hydration prior

to fertiliser spreading — are near limitless. Heavier duty drones (such as Yamaha’s petrol powered RMAX chopper) can even hover over individual trees in an orchard, for example, and administer sprayed chemicals or nutrients.

This is no future shock, however. Aviation authorities are right now considering how to monitor the level of training required for ag drone operators, who will soon rank with digger and silage wagon operators as the farmer’s tech friends.

Ready to fly packages exist today which put either fixed wing drones like the senseFly eBee SQ or multi rotor machines like the inDago AG, built by aerospace pioneers Lockheed Martin. In certain fields of farming these machines are already

indispensable, delivering data which flows through immediately to irrigation systems, fertiliser planning, soil management and plant and animal health. Sentera drones — a leading name in

the industry — are already flying in New Zealand, and in the years to come newspapers like this will likely review the latest aerial eyes in the sky alongside new quads and utes.

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July 2017

FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

CANTERBURY FARMING

Ready for anything by Andy Bryenton

The venerable Yamaha AG 125 has been a common sight on Kiwi farms for so long now that it’s almost part of the scenery. Simple, easy to maintain and able to take a lot of good-natured punishment, the little blue machine is easy to compare to other hard-wearing rural classics like the swanndri and the gumboot. As an upshot, there’s a whole generation out there who know how to ride an AG 125. Many kids from farming families would have mastered the diminutive single-cylinder bike with its distinctive knobbly tyres well before it was time to learn to drive the

family car. And that means there’s a huge crossover market for Yamaha’s streetready version of the Ag 125 — the YTZ125. Really, it’s just common sense. Adding the necessary bits and pieces to allow a number plate and road

legal status was a snap for Yamaha, who after all have a stable of road bikes ranging from the commuter practical to the blisteringly fast. And there are numerous times when zipping down from the homestead to the local shops, around to the neighbours, or

Cross purposes — the Yamaha YTZ125 can handle the farm, the highway or the trail with equal ease

indeed down the highway to another block of grazing land is on the cards. The YTZ125 allows, if nothing else, the ability to do this without changing vehicles. But there’s more to this machine than just convenience. With the same 125cc of power from an air cooled four stroke single cylinder motor, the same terrain-busting ride height and suspension, and a similar feel to the AG 125, the YTZ125 inspires on road

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confidence and still allows dirt-trail and paddock work. Perhaps like nothing else, this machine bridges the gap between two worlds of motorcycling — that of the serious workhorse and that of riding for the sheer pleasure of it. Coming out of a heritage of real farm endurance — the YTZ has been extensively put through its paces in the South Island back blocks — there’s nimble balance and

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lightweight handling here which fosters confidence. Those who h av e experienced the open road as well as the trail may very well be tempted to look at Yamaha’s other offerings — a selection which will have true petrolheads salivating. In the meantime, the learner approved, farm tested YTZ125 offers practicality as well as a taste of the ‘other side’ of motorcycling — and all for a very neat price.

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FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

CANTERBURY FARMING

July 2017

A strong arm on the farm by Andy Bryenton

Kubota know a thing or two about building tractors and construction equipment — from their giant excavators comes an in depth knowledge of powerful hydraulics, while their rural division continues to lead the field in creating small to medium sized utility tractors to tackle a range of farming chores. With winter here, it’s time to look at one of their best team-ups. Winter means mud, rain and slush — clogged drains, the need for better drainage, and a whole raft of reasons to get out the trusty old shovel. Sometimes the job is big enough that it means a trip to the hire centre, or a call must be made to bring in a digger operator. Then again, wouldn’t it be better by far to have your own excavator in the shed? The problem is, for most farmers this is an indulgence which takes up shed space and equipment investment dollars. Now those wishing for a full sized JCB or CAT can consider a fresh alternative. Kubota’s small tractor range — for example the compact but powerful little B3150 —

comes with the ability to fit both a front loader and a rear backhoe, turning a versatile secondary tractor into a ditchdigging machine on a par with any small excavator. The dedicated BH77 backhoe is a real ‘swiss army blade’, able to be fitted easily to the rear of the machine and removed completely when it’s time to switch the little tractor out for other tasks. Just lock the four points in — no tools required — and connect to the rear PTO for hydraulic force. Stabilising legs drop on both sides to provide a rock solid platform, and the driver’s seat of the tractor swivels to give an unobstructed view of the digging area. There’s plenty of power in the curved

boom, and with the hoses protected from knocks there’s confidence aplenty for even novice operators to get working. Kubota even manufacture a six position mechanical ‘thumb’ to assist in wrangling stumps, placing pipes and more. It’s a compelling reason to look at a Kubota B50 as a secondary tractor for silage pit maintenance and other secondary tasks about the farmyard which a big, heavy machine may be wasted on. The folded-up BH77 backhoe doesn’t even take up much space in the shed — and it’s a tool you’ll keep coming back to season after season to make a multitude of tasks a little bit easier.

ID CANTERBURY ACHINERY

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Hustler 4000 Bale Feeders 3 to pick from �� $10,500 Vibroflex 36 Tyne Trailing Cultivator �� $11,500 Hubbard Multi Max Cultivator c/w paddles �� $17,500 Rata Log Grab �� As New $2,250 Hustler 8000 Bale Feeder�� $22,500 Agrimaster RMU 2000 ��Coming In Sulky DPX 28 Fert Spdr 2013 �� $6,900 Alo 1�5 Silage Grabs Shipment Arrived �� $5,000 Sam Tandem Fert� Spreader �� $8,000 Cambridge Rollers Sizes 8FT to 22FT �� From $1,200 Alo Multi Purpose Grabs 2�1 & 2�3 �� From $6,100 Gregoire Besson 5 Mtr�Disc Hyd Fold �� $16,000 Kverneland 18ft 3ptl Harrows �� Very Tidy $1,250 Celli 2�5Mtrs Roto Hoe�� $6,500 Hay Feeders, 1�4 & 2�4 Mtrs long �� From $500 Rata Silage Grab 1�5mtrs �� As New $3,750 QuickHitch as new Heavy ��$750 Gray 10FT Water Ballast Roller �� New POA Duncan 734 Direct Drill �� $9,750 Agrimaster KA1750 Mulcher Hammer Flails �� New $4,950 Duncan 26 Tyne 3PTL Grubber �� $2,500 Duncan 701 Drill C/W Eclipse Box �� $4,250 Uni & Giltrap Wagons �� From $4,000 Cattle Ramp �� $2,400 Hubbard 310 21ft Trailing Maxitill ��Coming In Double Sheep Ramp �� New $4,150 Dunhill 8 Furrow Plough �� $3,500 Watson 6�3 Rollers www�walter-watson�co�uk �� In Stock Penrose Bale Feeder ��Coming In Real 2 Bale Feeder�� $3,250 Subsoilers 5 & 7 Leg �� From $6,750 Auger 4 1/2 Mtre c/w Electric Motor �� $1,300 Fuel Tanks �� From $300 Campbell & Bowis Square Bale Feeder �� $3,750 Tandem Trailer 4�1x2�45 Reg & wof �� $3,500 Kverneland 5 Furrow Reversible Vari Width Plough �� $8,000 Kverneland NG300 H4 Power Harrow �� $7,900 McHale Soft Hands �� New $3,150 Fiat 215 Tractor �� $2,500 Clough 13ft 6” Maxitill �� From $2,250 Hay Trailer 2 axle turnable �� $10,000 Snow Ploughs �� From $2,000 Roller Rings 24”x2�5 & 26”x3 �� From $60 CE Sheargrab �� $3,750

Just a Small Selection of our Stock • We Buy, Sell & Trade Machinery All Prices + GST • www.midcanterburymachinery.co.nz

172 Wills Street Ashburton • Tel/Fax: 03 308 9889 Mob: 0274 341 040 • E: n.stockdill@xtra.co.nz

Armed up — Kubota’s BH77 backhoe makes a ‘mini JCB’ from their range of small utility tractors

0800 472 563 0 8 0 0 4 PA L M E R S www.palmeragriparts.co.nz Kverneland • Overum • Kuhn Lemken • Dowdeswell • Vogel & Noot • Gregoire Besson • Clough • Duncan • Terradisc • Maxitill • Yeoman • Vibroflex • Connershea • Goliath • IHC • Sunflower • Topdown • Salford • Kongskilde • Napier • Vaderstad We can also manufacture any point you need! Spaldings Flatlift SubSoilers • Dale Plough Shares • Plough Conversion Kits • European Plough Parts • Cultivation Points & Tines • Tractor Parts & Equipment • Combine Harvester Croplifters

palmeragriparts@xtra.co.nz | 34 Robinson Street, Riverside Industrial Park, Ashburton Palmer Agri Parts Direct imports and manufactures quality parts that fit machines indicated. These parts are not sold as genuine parts.

Otago bulk fuel supply, second to none

CANTERBURY FARMING

July 2017

Lifestyle Block Services Options and solutions Southern Woods is one of the South Island’s largest plant nurseries producing a range of trees, shrubs and grasses for large and small projects.

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Located in Christchurch, the company specialise in supplying healthy, hardy plants for a wide range of projects across New Zealand, including native revegetation plantings, landscaping, forestry, fruit and nut trees, as well as ornamental trees and shrubs for around the house. “Southern Woods have thousands of plants online and in our garden centre. Our simple plant finder will help you find the perfect plant for your garden. “Our aim is to provide a stress-free solution to your planting requirements and to help with your planting ambitions we provide you with helpful and knowledgeable staff, demonstration plantings at the nursery, fact sheets, planting plans and our great website to order directly online. Go to www. southernwoods.co.nz

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Nicks Petfoods Ltd provide mobile slaughter and further petfood processing for clients or the local market, and is a member of the New Zealand Pet Food Manufacturers Association. Providing Nicks Petfoods with your live, unwanted animals can help keep the high standard of prepared food available for pets. New Zealand is a nation of pet lovers and 64 per cent of households own at least one companion animal, with a total pet population of more than 4.6 million. For most pets commercially prepared foods forms the sole source of nutrition therefore, consumers expect high standards of quality, nutrition and value. Members of the NZPFMA are committed to providing products that meet the complex nutritional requirements of our companion animals and are always working to increase their knowledge of pet nutrition.

Nicks Petfoods Ltd collect live animals under MPI requirements and travel as far as Rangitata and all over the Canterbury region. Scorch Communications (Canterbur y) Ltd is an established services company with extensive backgrounds in Radio Communications and the IT Industry and as a result we offer platforms that provide reliable and affordable broadband services to the rural market. Our delivery platforms offer coverage throughout Canterbur y and the surrounding areas. Call us

to find out how we can get you connected. Providing terrestrial wireless — Terrestrial Wireless provides more data than ever before. This is perfect for streaming your favourite TV shows and movies. Also available is RBI, ADSL, Fibre and VoIP. If you are looking for a custom solution for your new home, wireless home/ business networking, pointto-point wireless links, farm connectivity or any other wireless or cabled infrastructure solution, contact us to discuss how we can help.

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CLARKVILLE STOCKFEEDS LTD

Clarkville Stockfeeds Ltd provide quality feed for many animals on farms, lifestyle blocks and also residential pets such as dogs and chickens. The company have a total commitment to produce top quality fresh feeds at affordable prices. They stock horse muesli, racer and power plus diets, thrive calf meal, pig grower meal, layers mash and Coprice feeds. Top brands of vitamin and mineral supplements, lucerne and oaten chaff, fiberpro and fiber mix, whole and rolled grains and aviary mixes, calf and lamb milk powders and dog and cat biscuits are also available. Gutter Solutionz Ltd is a New Zealand-owned and operated company offering gutter protection solutions for homes, farm buildings and businesses, from rodents, birds, leaves and debris getting into gutters. Specialising in stopping vermin such as rats entering the roof space and eating the wiring, or birds dropping mites, which can then enter the house and affect people’s health (for more information refer to birdmites.org), Gutter Guard also protects homes and buildings from flooding by stopping leaves clogging up the spouting and blocking water from flowing out the downpipes. Waterflow NZ Ltd are a 100 per cent New Zealand owned family business with more than 40 years’ ‘hands on’ experience in the construction, plants and

July 2017

Manufacturers & Suppliers of quality Stockfeed for many animals. • Horse Muesli, Racer & Power Plus diets, Thrive Calf Meal, Pig Gower Meal & Layers Mash. • Layer & Pullet Grower Pellets, Chick Starter crumbles & Oyster Grit, Feeders, Ruminant nuts, Coprice feeds & Shoof products. • Vitamin & mineral supplements, Equine, Dog & Cat Wormers. • Lucerne, Oaten, Meadow & Timothy Chaff. • MaxiSoy, Speedibeet & Equibeet& Fiber Protect. • Whole & Rolled grains/aviary mixes • Calf & Lamb milk powders • Cat & Dog biscuits

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143 Neeves Road, Clarkville, Kaiapoi RD1. soil treatment industries. With modern, dynamic and forward thinking, the company cares for the environment. Waterflow NZ Ltd has professional installers and designers that cover every region from the Cape to the Bluff. They design complete sewage system solutions to meet the needs of their clients. Based on a number of innovative modules, NaturalFlow Wastewater and Sewage Systems are flexible and adaptable to any site challenges you may face. When deciding which is the best system for your property there are a few points to consider including council requirements in your area, the

impact on the environment, soil type and water tables – where this is under 1,200mm you may need to go to a secondary treatment system. Every site is unique and the friendly team at NaturalFlow can help you through every stage of your project including all your council consent requirements. Founding Directors, Richard Mabin and Ian McQuarrie launched ‘Continuous Spouting’ in 1991 and paved the way for what is today New Zealand’s leading rainwater solutions company. The concept of ‘Continuous’ spouting is smart, yet simple. The product is made on site,

avoiding sectional joins, and this, teamed with expert installation, will result in a tailor-made rainwater system for your property. We moved on from the ‘one product fits all’ approach and offer the largest range of ‘Continuous’ profiles and colours. You’ll soon discover too that there is a wealth of knowledge and experience to tap into amongst our talented team of directors, installers and support staff.

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July 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

A Scottish heritage by Ann Morgan

Jessica England is 19 years old and originates from Perthshire, Scotland. She has grown up in the agricultural industry and is immersed in the family farm and meat processing business.

“I

grew up on an 800 acre farm with my parents and three younger sisters. We had livestock until 2004 when we transformed the property into a pure crop farm,” says Jessica. “We have always been surrounded by horses and I have always been fascinated with the outdoors

and practical work involving farm animals.” Jessica’s family own a meat processing business called ‘Scotbeef’ and she says she finds the industry fascinating. “It is thrilling as there is always something exciting taking place, whether it is a bull sale or farm visits. From a young age farming has been

my passion. I would love a day out on the combine with dad, or to sit in the tractor whilst he drilled a paddock.” Jessica was given the opportunity to travel to New Zealand after she left school. “I took it in an instant as New Zealand is one the top countries for agriculture. It truly broadened my knowledge and interest for farming, but

also helped me decide that the agricultural industry is the direction I want to take in my career. “New Zealand is a beautiful country with amazing farming opportunities to gain work experience. I worked alongside Alliance and they placed me on the their supplying farms such as Mt Nicholas, Walter Peak and

Lonestar Farms.” Jessica says a highlight of working on these stations was gaining experience to run her own dog and to get on with a job independently, whether it was stock rotations to drenching or weighing a mob of lambs. “I learnt all the skills of general farm duties and I now feel confident to explore further into my

skill set and deepen my agriculture knowledge. “I want to explore further, with more thorough detail within the meat processing industry. I want to learn the processes of achieving high grades of meat on the farm, through to sending it to the works and seeing the end product at market.” ‘The first station Jessica

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CANTERBURY FARMING worked on was Mt Nicholas Station and she says this was breathtaking, located opposite Queenstown in the beautiful mountain range. “Mt Nicholas is 100,000 acres which for me is enormous. I have never seen any farm so massive. The horseback mustering was definitely a highlight of the trip and an experience I will never forget,” she says. “Walter Peak station was next where I had the opportunity to learn tailing. I loved it — the early morning starts and everyone getting stuck into the job together. ‘I hadn’t experienced tailing before and it was great to learn how it is done, and the importance of all the other jobs, such as ear tagging and ringing. “Caberfeidh Station, Lonestar Farms was the final farm I worked on. I was there for six months. “Lonestar was completely different as it is an intensive farm with a tremendous amount of extra work. I learnt so much and I put the knowledge I gained into practise myself and got on with my jobs independently. ‘By the end of my time at Lonestar I had achieved more than I ever dreamt of such as drenching, weaning, tailing, shearing, weighing, conveying, stock rotations with a dog, cattle work, calving marking and more. “I also had my own Huntaway called Ruby. We became a strong partnership very quickly and she certainly

July 2017

A highlight for Jessica was working on the big stations and gaining practical experience

Jessica England came from Perthshire, Scotland to learn more about the Kiwi way of farming made work more enjoyable. Being able to learn how to run and own a dog myself is definitely an experience I will never forget and will want to do again in the future. “For other young girls who want to learn and experience the farming world, you have to get stuck into it. “It is an experience you will never forget and an industry you can learn so much within. The experience has changed and shaped me as a person and I now have a clear image of what I want to do in the future. My plan is to return to New

Zealand to work within the agricultural industry and widen my knowledge. I am a very practical person and learn quickly on the job, and I am extremely hard working so I feel this is the path best suited to me. “My passion is to learn more about meat quality on the farms and I would love to learn beside someone else and work my way up through the industry. “For more information about myself regarding any work opportunities please email me at jengland1@ hotmail.co.uk.”

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July 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

Stars align for venison Venison farmers are pinching themselves at their good fortune. Prices have steadily increased in the last two years to an all-time June high of $9 a kilogram, carcase weight, for quality stags. Deer Industry New Zealand chief executive Dan Coup says a big drop in the number of deer being processed has undoubtedly played a big part in the strengthening of prices, but he adds that there are other important factors at work. “Whether it’s the emergence of paleo diets, new culinary trends, or the new enthusiasm in Europe for summer barbecues, our farmraised venison looks like the right product for the times,” he says. “The United States is now the single largest market for venison, having recently overtaken Germany. This means the industry now has strong export markets in two of the world’s major currency zones. “With farmers rebuilding their breeding herds, there

will inevitably be an increase in venison production in the not too distant future,” John Sadler of Mountain River Venison says “the holy grail of the venison industry ever since I first became involved was to sell leg cuts into the United States. I think we are finally getting there.” DINZ venison marketing manager Marianne Wilson says more chefs and consumers are making ethical purchasing decisions. They like the fact that NZ venison is pasture-raised, grown naturally, without hormones, in a clean spacious environment. A recent visitor to New Zealand was Jan Kunz of Luiten Foods, an active partner in a Cervena venison marketing trial in the Netherlands and Belgium. He

says he sold 20,000kg last summer, a novel time of the year to sell venison in Europe. Like the other partners in the Cervena marketing trial, Kunz is enthusiastically i nv o l v e d again this northern summer. This trial is part of Passion2Profit (P2P), a Primary Growth Partnership Programme between the deer industry and the Ministry for Primary Industries. Ms Wilson says the trial, now in its third year, is starting to embed the notion in the minds of chefs and their diners that Cervena is ‘now in season’ in summer. The rise of paleo style diets also favours venison. “High quality protein produced ethically is important to people following this way of eating and they are willing to pay for it,” she says. “All the exporters involved in P2P are developing yearround markets, which we will need when the kill reaches 350,000, up from the 280,000 forecast for the current year. “We could reach that level by 2019.”

Marianne Wilson, DINZ venison marketing manager with a chef involved in the summer Cervena campaign

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ANIMAL HEALTH & NUTRITION

CANTERBURY FARMING

July 2017

ADVERTORIAL

Reaching targets over winter Brenda from Dairy Condition Monitoring believes farmers should regularly assess the condition of their cows and heifers to provide information to make management decisions about feed allocation to ensure all their cows reach BCS targets at calving. requirements to ensure that she reaches condition score 5.0 at the end of winter. “This is a lot of extra feed so identifying these at-risk cows is important for ongoing fine tuning of feed management.” Calving thinner cows leads to higher empty rates, prolonged calving spread, and lower production, which will impact on your farm profitability. “To help you with achieving targets over winter, assessment by a certified BCS assessor will provide an accurate and independent measure of your

herds’ condition.” A certified assessor is calibrated annually to ensure that they are still up to the industry standard developed by DairyNZ. There are many opportunities for you to upskill yourself and your team by attending a BCS training workshop. For further information contact Brenda at Dairy Condition Monitoring or see the DairyNZ website. “Over the past few years I have seen great improvements in cow condition of herds that have been regularly monitored by certified assessors which has helped improve farm profitability.”

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Hard work over the season can come undone if regular monitoring doesn’t occur over the winter period to ensure you continually reach your body condition score targets. At calving all mature age cows should be condition score 5.0 and all heifers and second calvers should be condition score 5.5. “Knowing the proportion of your herd that is too thin or too fat will enable you to allocate feed appropriately to the right cows,” says Brenda. A cow at CS 4.0 at the start of winter requires 180Kg DM over and above the basic

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July 2017

CALVING

CANTERBURY FARMING

ADVERTORIAL

Calf supplement a success Textbook social media marketing combined with the right product at the right time propelled a new vet-only calf supplement from zero to hero in a matter of weeks last year and sales are expected to triple this season. OptiGuard was created 12 months ago when a gap appeared in the market for calf toxin binders. Virtually overnight, it became so popular clinics stocking the brand could not keep up with demand. Blue Pacific Minerals marketing manager Leonie Johnsen and account manager

Kelvin Johansson didn’t have a big budget to promote OptiGuard after launching it at Mystery Creek in 2016. What they did have Johnsen spent mostly on Google adwords, Facebook advertising and influencer marketing, collaborating with two young go-ahead women farmers who had great results

with OptiGuard and were happy to share their success. Johnsen, a former professional photographer from outside the agriculture industry, had used social media to engage with her own customers before joining Blue Pacific Minerals two years ago. She says calves, passion, smart phone carrying

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calf rearers, OptiGuard and Facebook turned out to be made for each other. “The thing with OptiGuard in particular is that the people who raise calves — most of whom are women — really love them — they’re always taking photos of them and they already share them amongst themselves on social media. We just joined them.” Calf rearers were quick to vote with their likes, shares and wallets in return, seeking OptiGuard out from their local vet clinics, praising it for its performance, and inundating the page with photos and posts. A photo competition proved particularly popular and will be repeated again this season, she says. Kelvin Johansson says he knew the product itself had real potential but the level and rapidity of response was nonetheless an eye opener. And he’s excited about what’s to come this season. “We made the decision to go vet-only because it

was a new product, and we needed professional backing to reassure farmers and give it some credibility. Probably half the clinics in New Zealand would have sold it last year and we expect 90 per cent of them to do so this year.” OptiGuard’s key point of difference is that it is made from a very finely milled natural volcanic mineral called BPM zeolite. This is highly absorbent, but acts

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differently within the calf’s gut to bentonite which forms the base of some traditional toxin binders. As well as significantly reducing scours, OptiGuard can enhance disease resistance. Rearers who use it also report faster growth rates and a shorter interval between birth and target live weights. “And because we have milled it down so fine — it’s 70 microns — calves find it highly palatable,” he says. He’s picking a 300 per cent increase in sales this season thanks to both OptiGuard’s efficacy and the digital grapevine. The product was promoted again at Mystery Creek and is now being distributed nationwide by Agvance. For more details visit www. bpmnz.co.nz

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Talk to your animal health professional, your local veterinarian

CALVING

CANTERBURY FARMING July 2017

“Our calves are looking healthy and amazing. In all honesty it’s the best product we have used for calving.” Lannah Johnson, calf rearer

Why use OptiGuard?

+ Calves love the taste + Helps prevent scours + Enhances resistance to disease + Aids digestion processes + Calves grow to weight quickly and wean earlier + BioGro certified input for organics

What is OptiGuard?

OptiGuard is a finely milled natural mineral called zeolite that is mined in New Zealand. It has a very porous three-dimensional structure and is negatively charged, allowing it to reversibly absorb not only water but also minerals and other compounds and then can slowly release them again later. Zeolites are well known to bind mycotoxins, but can also bind bacterial toxins preventing them from entering the body from the gut.

How to use OptiGuard?

+ Easy to feed, OptiGuard can be mixed into colostrum and milk. Simply stir to reconstitute. + OptiGuard can also be added to your calf-meal mix, or placed directly into feed troughs to allow calves to self-manage their intake. + Addition rates from 10gm per calf, per day - or ad-lib as necessary. Calves will self-manage their intake. You cannot over-feed OptiGuard. Animals tend to self-regulate when it comes to free-choice minerals. It is well-know that animals in the wild, including ruminants, may practice geophacy, or “eating dirt”, to correct nutritional imbalances or perhaps even to “self-medicate.”

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July 2017

DAIRY

CANTERBURY FARMING

Soil Matters with Peter Burton Grandparenting is missing the point Ex The link between 750,000 tonnes of urea a year being applied to New Zealand soils and excess nitrate-N in streams, lakes, and groundwater is difficult to refute. In fact, of the many people that I’ve discussed the issue with, no-one denies that it exists. As more measures are revealed, the link between geographical areas where the greatest amount of nitrogen is applied, and high concentrations of nitrate-N in groundwater becomes increasingly obvious. Yet there is little, if any, reduction in the amount of N being applied., despite heated verbal claims, and a science presentation

read recently claiming there had been a 700% increase in the last 20 years. It’s been apparent for at least a decade to those monitoring water quality that, either a lot of our freshwater water will require considerable and expensive treating, or a reduction in the amount of N being applied will have to take place.

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that behaviour is the belief that, when the use of nitrogen fer tiliser does become regulated it will be based on a percentage of that used over preceding years. This process is known as grandparenting, and there’s historic precedence in agriculture for this with regard to water takes and nitrogen usage. The logic behind it was sound when the effect was minor and related to small pockets of land only, but things have changed. New Zealand’s water quality is now both a national and international issue. It will determine where votes are cast in the coming general election, and one of the reasons for the interest in purchasing land and associated industries by overseas interests is our, as yet, relatively clean environment. Those with the ability to take a long-term view of our future know that continued fouling of the environment, because it’s what we’ve always done, is not the

community will be able to receive many times the value now provided by meat and milk, will only come from a small number of properties. Those properties are being selected on the basis of their ability to produce animals that are superior in all respects. Animal quality is in large part determined by content of the pasture eaten, which in turn is reliant on the composition and overall quality of the soil. There are already proper ties across the countr y not reliant on nitrogen fertiliser, and recent work has shown them to be sequestering carbon and increasing total pasture production steadily over time. As more pasture is grown the conversion of sunlight to energy and full protein becomes more efficient, and it is these properties that are capable of sustainably providing the quality required, and which are already well positioned to enjoy significant financial gain. For more information contact Peter on 0800 843 809.

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answer, and the argument that it’s a trade-off between shortterm economic production and long-term environmental viability is irrelevant. Already new, overseas financed industry is starting up here, with the ability to pay animal farmers several times the money being currently received. It’s a welcome development and a necessary one as the financial returns from commodity trading are presently insufficient for the maintenance of our rural communities. Two of the stated reasons for new industry starting here is the quality of the water and fertility of the soil. It’s a relative thing and should never be compromised, yet Graham Sparling, then of Landcare Research, wrote in his 2004 lecture notes — Broader shoulders and smaller feet, ‘For a sustainable future we need to treat the land more gently, and reduce our environmental footprint’. That has not happened, and the animals from which some in the farming

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BEFORE

AFTER

DAIRY

Uncommon sense

CANTERBURY FARMING

July 2017

David Law, Managing Director of Forward Farming Consultancy

Animal health problems Last year, a farmer asked me if I would help his mate up the road. His friend had started with 500 cows to calve, and with peak milking soon to begin, he now had a little over 460 with which to complete the season. Twenty-two cows had died from metabolic problems, 63 had clinical milk fever, and some had aborted. He was losing milking profit and spending more on medical bills. Before I talk about the cause of his problem, I’d like to talk about the farmer’s profit window. September to December is the period where milk production is at its maximum. It’s when most of the money is made. Because of this, farmers should be gearing up to take maximum advantage of it. Ideally, in that profit window, a farmer wants each of his cows to be producing 2.2kgms/day from September to December. But getting an animal to hit the magical 2.2kgms/ day depends entirely on the

condition they arrive in at the time of milking. That means preparing cows to be in peak health at the start — so that they can maintain good condition throughout the calving, milking and mating periods. Preconditioning is the transitioning period of four weeks prior to calving. The goal is to bring animals up to a 5.0 level of conditioning and this is achieved through a careful combination of diet, trace elements, and supplements. Will a farmer need to spend money to get animals up to a 5.0 condition? Yes, but spending here will be rewarded in two ways: 1. with increased milk production 2. with reduced health problems and naturally better mating results. Think of preconditioning as an investment: you spend money to make more money. If a cow comes into calving with an average to low condition level, she will calve in a tired state. This state will drop further as she expends

energy and resources to cope with calving. In her tired state, she may have difficulty pushing out her calf due to low muscle strength. With her immunity levels compromised, she is more susceptible to metabolic sickness. But even if the cow avoids illness, her reduced conditioning means she has less energy to give to milk production. The farmer may even have to milk her less to avoid making her weaker. In the case of my farmer, that scenario was true of all 500 cows. None had a hope of reaching 2.2kgms/day. If a cow comes into calving with an elevated level of conditioning (5.0), she will be able to calve with relative ease. With strong muscles and high energy levels, she can push out the calf without compromising her own health. That means she can immediately produce 2.2kgms/day straight after calving. Being healthy, the cow also possesses a strong appetite. Her desire to continually feed enables her

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to maintain good conditioning throughout the Profit Window and beyond and is far less susceptible to sickness. What was the problem with our farmer? When the Forward Farming team was called in to help, we went through the key areas, looking for causes for the herd’s poor health. The management plan was sound. The feed balance was good. The problem was in the feed quality, or more precisely, the soil from where the feed came. Our soil test revealed several key problems that accounted for the poor animal health: nitrogen levels were far too high. One effect would have been the suppression of calcium in the soil which had left magnesium too high and out of balance with calcium. Sodium was also too high in relation to potassium. If I

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had seen these soil readings without first knowing the herd’s condition, I would have deduced that their health was compromised. This soil/feed nutritional imbalance was only ever

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July 2017

DAIRY

CANTERBURY FARMING ADVERTORIAL

Milk productivity gains from better races Unstable and muddy races have negative effects on the operation of dairy farms. In Ryan O’Sullivan’s case, operating 1,200 cows close to Fairlie, the cow flow into and out of the milking shed was interrupted. The main problem area was the transition from concrete to race, where potholes were building in wet weather making cows reluctant to step onto the race. Due to jammed exit areas milking had to be

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interrupted to push the cows out of the shed, resulting in decreased milking efficiency. This led Ryan to lay down a geotechnical product called JakMat Dairy onto his race. The honeycomb cell provides races with additional stability and improved drainage. Ryan laid the product down together with

his staff, covering 150m2 in the transition zone from concrete to race. Today, the entry and exit area of the milking shed is a maintenance free area for Ryan. What used to be a headache has now become an area that he hasn’t touched for several years. With stabilised races Ryan’s cows

have become much more confident to go into and out of the milking shed with no interruptions to milking, as the cows don’t need to be pushed along to keep them moving as before. This decreases stress levels of both staff and animals but also improves the cow flow and leads to higher milking efficiency.

LIVESTOCK

CANTERBURY FARMING

Wool Perspective

From Rob Cochrane GM, Procurement, PGG Wrightson Wool

Wool season — not plain sailing We are known as a nation who loves to win in the sporting arena and at the time of writing it appeared as though every person in the country was consumed in the excitement of what was shaping up to be, a fantastic Americas Cup challenge of Team USA by Team New Zealand. From a deficit of minus one point, the Kiwi boat had charged into a 3-0 lead before a 5-day recess which would obviously allow both teams to tweak their operating systems and practise their techniques ready to do battle again on, as commentators call it, ‘the race track’. Because of deadlines for publishing, when this editorial was submitted I could only hazard a guess as to what the final outcome may be, but we all know how things have panned out in past race series, therefore it would be foolish to assume anything. Just like the 2017 Americas Cup challenge our wool market has faced some difficult conditions during the season, and it would also be foolish to make any bold predictions regarding what may happen into the near

future. All brokers have been pro-active in advising their growers, prior to auction day, about where market prices are in an effort to move wool rather than watch a stockpile grow. Crossbreds generally have had very little wind in their sails, particularly during the past six months, and, in some instances, have been totally becalmed. The odd puff from time to time teased us into thinking that better prices may be on the horizon, however often the small surges were shortlived whilst many crossbred categories continued to sink. At the latest auction at time of writing, around 40% of the offering was passed-in for failing to reach grower reserve when, in most instances, those reserve prices were realistic, in brokers’ minds. At the same auction, it was absolutely obvious that the buying ‘trade’ had extremely limited order books with many short second-shear types, along with several other types car r ying medium to heavy vegetable matter contamination, struggling to attract a bid

despite auctioneers’ pleas for interest. The market price split for type brought frustration amongst growers and brokers as fine wools enjoyed fair weather all season, with a good number of those wools reaching higher than anticipated levels, and many continuing to ride the crest of a healthy wave right through the series of sales. Merino wool pricing in NZ was driven by an extremely buoyant market across the ditch, reflecting the strength of the market there. With the strength of merino wool prices what they were, little (if any) unsold stock-pile was evident by the season’s close. Halfbred and Corriedale (mid-micron) wool types provided the overlap between merino and crossbred wool types and, as to be expected, fine and medium mid-micron types attracted plenty of interest from the trade, however to receive the best returns those wools had to be well grown, well prepared in the wool shed, sound in tensile strength, and preferably displaying low vegetable matter

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contamination. The 2016/17 wool selling season was obviously not plain sailing as stormy conditions prevailed, swamping in par ticular crossbred wool types due to a general lack of entry into the market from, what was by far the largest export destination for NZ wool — China. Unlike weather forecasters, who nowadays appear far more accurate than in days gone by, wool industry observers and tacticians are loathe to predict future movement of market levels. My thoughts are that the crossbred wool market will probably continue to experience head winds into the new season, mid-micron should remain afloat, whilst the fine wools look set to take advantage of a gentle swell. That’s my view.

July 2017

Valued Marketers of All Wool Types Contact a PGG Wrightson Wool representative today: Doug McKay

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Peter McCusker Rob Lynskey Ph: 027 432 4926

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Helping grow the country

July 2017

LIVESTOCK

CANTERBURY FARMING

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Big sky thinking needed In his final address as Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre Industry chairman, Rick Powdrell said it is time for ‘big sky forward thinking’ on the cost, marketing and competition challenges facing the New Zealand meat and wool sectors. He told delegates to the Feds’ national conference that tinkering at the edges of change are not going to cut it. Complex ownership and marketing structures make achieving agreed national strategies very difficult, but in the face of ‘profitability squeezed at all levels’, and in the case of meat, the future threat of synthetic protein, boldness and open discussion were more important than ever. A wool sector working group Mr Powdrell is involved with is soon to report to MPI on recommendations for next steps and he also sees encouraging signs that the various meat industry players recognise the need to accelerate work on a national strategy. “It is my hope that the recent meetings between the Meat Industry Association, Beef + Lamb NZ and Federated Farmers will be the start of this process,” Mr Powdrell said. Recent programmes by Beef+Lamb in market development and the red meat story, along with the Red Meat Profit Partnership programme, have highlighted a new level of industry collaboration as industry partners from farm to market

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have joined to work together. “The next challenge for many of these new initiatives, once they are formulated, is to develop the implementation plans as all the work will be for nothing if visible returns are not evident.” Meat producers cannot dismiss the future threat of synthetic meat. “It’s a viable alternative and the cost will reduce as processes are refined and volumes grow.” His recommendation was that the Federation’s Meat & Fibre Council get someone with knowledge of synthetic meat production and attributes to come and speak. “We need to understand these products to address how we front foot our marketing of meat products against this competition.” Sheep and beef prices were back to sustainable levels and Mr Powdrell said he was seeing higher levels of farmer confidence than when he addressed them in February. But wool was ‘the negative elephant in the room’, with prices ‘dismal’. “If the desire by some to achieve significant (wool) industry change is to succeed, a very strong case will need to be created, with

Rick Powdrell, Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre Industry chairman

clear evidence of a positive outcome for all participants. “At that adoption point, self-interests will have to be consigned to history with a

united approach adopted, and those who aren’t prepared to join the united approach are left to fend for themselves outside the tent.”

RURAL WHEELS

CANTERBURY FARMING

July 2017

ADVERTORIAL

Market leading Jody Horrell, of Cheviot, is a committed user of the Taege Engineering M3 Metering System. He uses it on his Taege drill which spans not only his family farm, but also in his contracting business. As a principal of Horrells Contracting, he employs the drilling system to sow seed on clients’ properties during spring and autumn, planting grass, grain, brassicas and other green feed. “I’ve dealt with Taege Engineering quite a bit over a period of time. This is the third drill I’ve bought from them and the second with this metering system on it,” he says. “It allows us to sow different combinations of seed, not only applying fertiliser but broadcasting clover and other small seeds to ensure we have thorough coverage. “The drill has two hoppers which respectively hold seed and fertiliser; then there’s the M3 Metering System hopper which can broadcast other seed or bait off the back of it. “It provides a lot more versatility and choice of options with what we’re doing. We’ve used it for over a year during spring and autumn and it produces excellent results with accurate even coverage.

“It allows us to offer the farmer a range of ways to sow his crops. One of its advantages is that it is very easy to set up and calibrate. You don’t have to mix all the seed up in one box. Having the seed in different boxes gives you more options to suit a farmers requirements while giving an accurate account of seed used.” The distribution ratio is more balanced, providing a more efficient, more precise operation. Taege Engineering has a reputation for producing high-quality machinery which is built to last and holds its value, Horrell says. “Their ser vice is outstanding and they are quick to respond. I remember one occasion when we rang them up after having an accident with a drill and they had a new one to us by the next morning,” he says. “With their research and development, they’re always looking to be ahead of the game. They listen to you if you suggest possible refinements

and make little improvements when it is appropriate. Their product works very well and it is great for our business.” “Country people building for country people.” Taege Engineering has always had a close affinity with the farming community. It is a connection that stretches as far back as 1923 when Herbert Taege opened his blacksmith and repair shop. Nine decades later, Taege Engineering has evolved into a market-leading agricultural engineering company that specialises in providing innovative machiner y solutions for New Zealand’s farmers and contractors. Having developed its own proven patented anglemounted vibrating tine and tungsten-faced tip system on all of its ground-engaging machines, Taege is confident that its agricultural equipment produces the best results in most conditions. Now owned and operated by Keith Taege, the company’s range of products includes

Jody Horrell (left) and Trevor Goodeve from Taege Engineering (right)

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RURAL WHEELS

CANTERBURY FARMING

Celebrating the hundred by Andy Bryenton

In 1834, when New Zealand was yet to become a political entity, and the Victorian Age of steam had barely begun, Japanese trader Yataro Iwasaki was born. His name may not be familiar, but that of the firm he founded in 1870 certainly is — and so is their red triple diamond logo. Iwasaki was the father of Mitsubishi, which grew into a collection of companies in fields as diverse as banking, trade and electronics. But this year we celebrate the birthday of perhaps their most important division — one hundred years of Mitsubishi motors. In 1917, the already massive ship-building arm of Mitsubishi developed a road going car to be used largely by the Japanese government. The Mitsubishi Model A was a stylistic echo of the European

EITHER WAY IT’S 20K

cars of the time, with a folddown windscreen, spoked wheels and a small gasoline engine. But what it lacked in power it made up for in promise. From such small beginnings came a legacy of constant improvement, leading from this tiny woodensided vehicle to the monster Evo rally cars and Paris-toDakar conquering off roaders of the modern age. Aside from the trophy winners and street machines which have made the silver screen (the legendary Evo

VII was a star of the Fast and Furious franchise), there have been smaller victories with longer reaching consequences. The Mirage proved that a small Japanese car could have attitude. The V3000 became the chase and patrol car for our traffic police. The Legnum gave dads with large families the option of a hot station wagon. And the list goes on. Mitsubishi cars have been part of Kiwi life since the 60s, and their vans and trucks support an army of tradies.

Pinnacle of design — Mitsubishi dominated rallying with their EVO series of four wheel drive Lancer variants

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To celebrate 100 years, the Mitsubishi company are looking to do something a bit special. While other car makers might release a new concept car that’s all 30 inch rims and blown V12,

Mitsubishi have gone back to the past and added a dash of the future. That’s right — they’ve taken the original 1917 Model A and contracted famed US mod shop West Coast Customs to kit it

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CANTERBURY FARMING

the ‘last’ word

with Rob Cope-Williams

Townies and the vege prices

July 2017

Mt Somers Excavation Ltd GENERAL FARM MAINTENANCE • ALKATHENE PIPE IRRIGATION MAINLAND TRENCHING • 8 & 20 TONNE DIGGERS TIP TRUCK & TRAILER • GRADER SCREEN SHINGLE SUPPLIES • TREE REMOVAL

You will have twigged that I do get grumpy about one sided reporting that is loosely referred to as news. I often think that Donald Trump went through one of our journalist schools as, while there are some who actually do report the news and what is happening, many, it seems, are told to write or front a story where there honestly isn’t one. While I was in one of the national news rooms I was told to film drought stories with sheep falling over dead from lack of food, and farmers being manhandled off their farms as they yelled and screamed. Yes you are so right, that didn’t happen, and I certainly didn’t pretend it was. My latest grumpiness came with the news stories that the prices of veges has risen 30 per cent and now families can’t afford to eat them. My understanding was that one of the veges concerned was lettuces that are out of season, and the others were crops that had been hit badly with the weather. For the townies, bad weather means coats and

Alistair Parris Owner/Operator • Ph: 027 434 7278 20 Hinds Gorge Rd RD8, Ashburton 7778 E: mtsomersexcavation@xtra.co.nz www.mtsomersexcavation.co.nz

umbrellas. For the producers it often means a huge drop in income. Listening to the townies of a storm, means water flowing into a shop and destroying some of their produce, but where is the media when farmers are faced with no return from the crops they have nurtured and spent lots of money on growing. I suppose part of it is that consumers now expect everything to be available 12 months of the year, and all at

the same price 12 months of the year. A warm day and the sale of salad ingredients rise as people launch themselves out to light the barbecue and pretend it’s summer again. More to the point, those of the northern climes don’t actually have a winter so they expect out of season veges and fruit all the time. What I am saying is that I think it is sad that the media only highlights the plight of the majority and sensationalises

things by selective reporting. Yes avocados are up in price, but other veges are rock bottom so why not talk about the savings one can make by buying those. Sadly that won’t make the majority feel sorr y for themselves or have any compassion for the farmers who grow their food at great financial risk to themselves. That’s as it is, so I suppose we swallow hard and get on with things.

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July 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

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