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Building something positive here
by Grant McCallum, MP for Northland.
I am pleased that the government is proposing reforming and revamping the Building Consent Authority (BCA) to reduce building costs, simplify consenting and cut down on bureaucracy.
so, we must still accommodate regional variations and modifications to suit local circumstances.
The current BCA is a significant factor contributing to the housing affordability challenges in our region. The proposed reform will help alleviate some of these issues, making housing potentially more accessible and affordable for Northland residents.
Benefits include allowing the construction of granny flats without the need for resource consent, eliminating barriers to the use of overseas building products, and permitting minor variations and modifications without requiring new consents. More changes are also in the works.
However, I have a small reservation that I am actively addressing to protect our interests in Northland. While streamlining the system is positive, we must not forget that one size doesn’t fit all. One of the recommendations is to reduce the number of BCA authorities (currently 67), but in doing
For instance, we do not require the same home insulation levels as those in colder climates to the south of us. Therefore, along with other Northlanders, I have initiated a review of the new H1 insulation regulations. These new regulations need to consider Northland’s temperate climate, and not add significant and unnecessary costs to building a house.
To be clear, I still advocate for warm, dry homes in Northland, but it makes sense to adjust the regulations to reflect our climate.
That being said, overall, revamping the BCA and consenting authorities is good news — welcome news. We are building up to something positive here, and guess what? We are doing it faster and more efficiently than ever before.
Grant McCallum, MP for Northland
by Paul Campbell
Merino shearing’s feminine skills
Notable in the 63rd New Zealand Merino Shears held earlier this month were the women who are emerging strongly in the sport, with Pagan Rimene providing a triumph when she won the open woolhandling title for a fifth time.
Pagan is the daughter of Dion Morrell and former Golden Shears open woolhandling champion, Tina Rimene. She claimed a place in the trans-Tasman series coming up in Western Australia, where she will be out to extend her unbeaten record in New Zealand teams, after she and Taihape woolhandler Sheree Alabaster won the world teams title in France in 2019, and then trans-Tasman tests in Dubbo, NSW, and Masterton in the ensuing summer.
With more than 30 open final wins to her name, she was last to finish to card the highest time points. Being about a sixth of the total, her expertise with the board job, oddments and fleece points gave her a winning margin of almost 50 over runner-up Foonie Waihape, originally from Gisborne. Third was Monica Potae, from Kennedy Bay. Rimene is planning two months in Australia to be back in New Zealand for a run at the New Zealand 2026 World Championships selection series.
With 41 in the heats, Rimene was seventh in qualifying for the semi-
final, which saw the elimination of defending champion Tia Potae, but saw her go into the final with the number one ranking. She is planning two months in Australia before returning to New Zealand for mainshear and a run at the New Zealand 2026 World Championships selection series.
West Australian shearer Danielle Mauger, in her first season in the South Island, carried on almost from where she left off last season in the north when she became the third woman to win the Merino Shears’ Senior shearing title. Shearing the four sheep in 12m 22.62s, she was third to finish but strung together match-winning quality to claim victory by 2.345 points.
The last female to win the event was Te Atakura Crawford, from Te Karaka, in 2013. The Merino Championships attracted 145 individual entries, with 91 in the two shearing grades and 74 across the three woolhandling grades, a combined increase of 11 from last year.
Woolhandler Pagan Rimene after winning her open woolhandling title for a fifth time
Photo: Robyne Murray
The magic of equine healing
by Amy Fifita
Beginning with natural horsemanship, Hamish and Dawn Fryer saw the therapeutic benefit of horses and branched out to help struggling and wayward youth.
“Growing up in the rural South Island, I was raised with the stereotype of not talking about emotions. When I moved here and became involved in horses, it taught me about myself,” said Hamish.
“I was a dairy farmer before joining the navy, then chemical work in the dairy industry. We moved to Northland in 2012, before being lured back south to do dairy farming, but we missed the area and returned. After purchasing an ex-forestry block on the back of our property, we
decided to utilise a gully for an arena. We then had a few enquiries for lessons, so we began Barefoot and Wild.
“Our children wanted to have fun and enjoy the horses, and that is what we have focussed on, and it has become part of our life. Our activities were working reasonably well, but as enquiries grew, we decided to up our game.”
Wanting to help those with challenges in everyday life, Hamish and Dawn researched ways to assist people more and sought a more formal approach.
“Upon discovering Horses Helping Humans, we learned about Sue Spence, a Kiwi who founded the initiative two decades ago.
“The Australian-based programme works with anyone, from juvenile offenders to people with mental health issues and right up to corporate team building. It teaches them about the different personality types and their strengths and helps them to recognise behaviours or conditioned responses and how others perceive them.
“It aligned with our philosophy and how we work with our horses, so we implemented it with what we were doing. It was an excellent fit.”
With a pathway established, the couple have been steadfast in assisting the community.
“There are children out there struggling. There are more pressures out there that our generation didn’t experience at school, and if you throw social media and the disruption with Covid, it has exacerbated things.
Hamish and Dawn Fryer use their horses to help struggling youth on their Northland property
Hamish with girls from the first workshop the couple ran earlier this year
“Children are our next employees, business owners and community entrepreneurs so, hopefully, we will get more people to come on board.”
Working on tools like emotional regulation, anxiety management and boundary setting, the first sessions were held over two afternoons within a fortnight.
“Horses can see through you and into your soul, and know your true feelings. Being innately tuned to our body language and our intentions, working alongside horses provides instant feedback. We’ve had clients through Tamariki Ora, ACC and alternate education providers.”
Tokotoko Solutions brought eight teenage boys who were expelled and struggling in school.
“Eight boys arrived with the attitude of not wanting to be there with ‘these stupid horses’, to being around one pony, brushing and plaiting her hair and
cuddling her. Much of our teaching is based on the condition responses when they are put under pressure.”
Working on de-escalating situations, lowering adrenaline and breathing techniques can change the condition response. Horses show that to them through their cooperation and calmness.
“An encouraging moment for me was identifying one of the boy’s personality types. I instructed him to go up to the horse and he strutted up to her.
“She found him too much and left. We did a few activities, and then I introduced him to his personality type and did a role reversal. The horse represented him, and he was the teacher.
“The penny dropped when they locked horns (not physically), and he realised how he was perceived by teachers and their reactions. After the exercises, I brought the first mare back in. When he approached her, he was able to pat her,
because he had different energy around her. Once they learn their condition responses, you have the tools to bring their energy to where it needs to be.
“Coming from not having a father figure myself, there are many children out there, especially boys, who have issues to overcome.”
Horses respond to making small changes in behaviour instantly.
“Once we get children to have open body language, look confident, change their posture and lower their adrenaline, suddenly the 500-kilogram animal is like a puppy dog for them. They receive selfconfidence and a reward from that.”
With many families eager for their youth to benefit from these workshops, Dawn and Hamish are seeking sponsorship to continue.
“There are so many benefits of working alongside a horse, even grooming a horse provides an oxytocin and dopamine
release. We want to bring this to as many people as possible.”
Read part two of Barefoot and Wild’s story next month.
Hamish and Dawn’s daughter Edey with two of 17 horses the couple own
Hamish and Duarne Challenger in the arena at Barefoot and Wild
The cost of feral pests hits home
by Paul Campbell
The control of feral pests is costing the country many millions of dollars each year, and in Northland with its warmer climate, the noxious presence is a constant problem for the rural sector.
Federated Farmers latest survey has found farmers are spending, on average, $5.45 a hectare controlling pests like deer, goats, possums, cats and geese. However, a check on Northland’s unwanted species has also uncovered a smiling turtle that fell afoul of regional council rangers. They are permitted in captivity, but most unwelcome if released into the wider environment.
It is estimated that taken across the country the farming advocacy body puts the total spend on pest control at a
staggering $74 million a year. However, adding in the damage from pests at about $10 a hectare in lost production, the cost balloons to an annual total of $139 million.
Pest management spokesperson
Richard McIntyre said it’s a huge cost for rural communities to be carrying “almost a quarter of a billion dollars every year” at a time when many farming families are struggling to make ends meet. He added that goat, pig and deer populations are booming in most parts
of the country, but things are particularly bad on farms bordering Department of Conservation land.
“DOC is widely regarded by farmers as the neighbour you really don’t want to have because they don’t fulfil their obligations on controlling wild animals and weeds.
“Farmers can spend a fortune controlling pests on their farm but if the neighbour isn’t doing anything, the pests jump the fence and you’re back to square one,” he said.
He said DOC needs to refocus its efforts on pest control. “We need to get on top of this problem now. If we allow these animals to keep breeding, their populations and the cost to control them, will only continue to grow. We appreciate the government is under huge financial pressures, but this isn’t something New Zealand can afford to scrimp and save on.”
DOC has a proactive approach to Northland pest control, at least from a recreational standpoint, and lists dozens
A smiling assassin: Northland Regional Council staff apprehended this escaped red-eared slider turtle
Steve Allan won an award for designing, manufacturing and modifying traps that humanely and effectively kill predators
of locations where hunting can be carried out in the north. ‘Pigs are generally the main animal hunted in these reserves, although possums and game birds are hunted on occasion.’
Northland Regional Council says its area is particularly vulnerable with some of the warmest land and sea temperatures in New Zealand, as well as high levels of sunshine and subtropical weather patterns.
“This makes for excellent establishing grounds for new exotic pests. Pest species that originate from warm climatic environments have the advantage of similar weather conditions, low levels of frost, and very low levels of natural predators to deal with.
“Northland’s forests are also botanically diverse and contain a high number of threatened plants and animals, which are sensitive to the impacts of pest species.”
Among local threats are feral cats widespread throughout Northland that
kill millions of birds in New Zealand each year, as well as eating eggs, lizards, insects and frogs. They can also spread parasites and diseases such as bovine tuberculosis and toxoplasmosis. There are four species of feral deer in Northland, but none are widespread or numerous.
Deer can destroy the understorey of native forests by over-browsing, grazing, bark stripping and trampling.
Feral goats are widespread throughout Northland. Populations are generally dense in areas of exotic and native forest, as well as in areas of poor pasture/ scrub. Goats destroy the understorey of vegetation, and when combined with possum damage to the upper canopy, severe deterioration of the forest can occur. They can also cause erosion problems.
Ferrets, weasels and stoats are everywhere and can be devastating to native birds, lizards, frogs and invertebrates. Possums are found throughout the region and are one
of the most destructive animals in forests. Possum browsing damages forests, affects pasture, vegetable and horticulture crops. Possums can also spread diseases, such as bovine TB.
Rabbits are widely distributed, and infestation levels vary, with the greatest densities on hard-grazed lighter and drier sandy and volcanic soils competing with stock for grazing, damaging crops and causing erosion.
On a more positive side, conservation efforts are also part of school lessons today, with Paparoa Primary School in Kaipara having recently held its annual Possum Purge, which saw 1,658 possums meet their end to furnish fashion with their fur.
The regional council also encourages conservation and has an annual award portfolio that recognises individual and community efforts that have
demonstrated innovation and initiative in protecting, restoring or enhancing Northland’s environment.
Rabbits cause widespread pasture damage
A school possum hunt contributes to effective Northland pest control
Creating rural paradise
by Amy Fifita
Starting with an edible garden, Alexandra Ashkettle and Jonathan Corbett have grown their 10-acre block into a place for many cultivars to thrive.
“Jonathan and I met in 2016.
Before building a house and relocating here in 2017, we began developing the gardens, and, at that time, our focus was to create a large edible sustainable garden,” said Alexandra.
“We live on part of the Corbett family farm that has been subdivided into 10acre blocks. Our property is completely off-grid with solar panels, a windmill that
Concrete Blocks for
• Retaining Banks
• Silage Pits
• Storage Bays
• Fertiliser & Feed Bins
pumps water and gravity feeds back to the house and a garden-feeding dam.
“As we learnt more about plants, it created a joint passion and we started collecting specimens and built rooms and themed gardens. We have arids, cacti, lush subtropicals and a banana plantation.”
Alexandra says Jonathan taught her everything she knows about plants, and it was an interest that they bonded on.
Jonathan grew up on the farm, and is the
second generation of Corbetts to live on the land.
“My father was a top-dressing pilot who did a lot of conversion from gorse and blackberry on the swamp border. He fenced off part of the property and added covenants to large portions of native bush with the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust,” said Jonathan.
“When we started our gardens, it was bare pasture surrounded by a native
bush reserve on three sides. Now, we grow anything from apricots to mangos, which are examples of both extremes of the temperature range.
“Having looked after several gardens and owning a landscaping business for 15 years, it is something I have always done.”
Jonathan’s intense knowledge and passion for plants changed Alexandra’s perspective and helped ignite her love for the environment.
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Alexandra Ashkettle and Jonathan Corbett began working on their gardens at their 10-acre property before relocating there in 2017
Jonathan at the banana plantations, one of many species that call the property home
“Jonathan has handcrafted and mined rocks from the paddock and built up hardscaping areas with rock formations that give our property a distinct look that people often comment on.
“When collecting plants, we want to get every colour and specimen. We have built the garden up by swapping with likeminded gardeners. There is a real network of people in the community who want to give us their plants.
“Coming into the hobby as a younger person, more experienced gardeners wanted to share plants with me and tell me their stories. I feel like I keep the legend going by building up our collection.
“Seven years ago, there was a local gardening group where we would visit each other’s gardens, which slowly introduced us to opening our one. Now gardening clubs visit us, and we have been part of the Edible Garden Trail for the past three years.
“We encourage gardening clubs to reach out so we can show them through the paradise we have created. The
Treecropper Conference also came here with two busloads of people. We love talking to people and showing them around our garden. It is easy for us to do, and they always come away with new ideas.”
The duo’s careers also reflect their love for gardening, with Jonathan a nursery manager for a local marae and Alexandra employed as a Northland Regional Council compliance officer.
“Our passion for the environment extends into our work. It built my career, and now I am studying for a bachelor of applied science in biodiversity management. It is a connection with native New Zealand that I think is overlooked in midland country areas, and it is special for us. I never knew it was a lifestyle you could have — it changed everything.
“The bees and birds at our property are protected, and we have noticed how much you knock down the numbers when you do pest control. We have a single male kiwi in the bush covenant behind us that we listen to nightly, which has been there
since we’ve been here. The kākā come here annually, and we have identified Auckland green geckos at the dam on our property.”
Jonathan grew up on the farm and recalls his father’s hard work on the land fencing off areas and adding covenants to large portions of native bush with the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust
Jonathan and Alexandra’s love and connection for nature extends to their careers
Avocado season progressing positively
by Glen Dunseath, CEO, NZ Operations Darling Group
The New Zealand avocado season is progressing positively, both in terms of volume and weather, providing a much-needed recovery for our growers.
With an uplift in volume this season of over two million export trays across the industry, we can work on gaining more traction in new markets.
Darling Group is continuing to blaze the export trail in new territories, supported by our early harvest. As of week 37 in midSeptember, Darling Group represented 85% of the New Zealand avocado volume sent to Canada and 70% of the volume sent to China so far this season.
In addition to looking after the health of our trees through our early harvest strategy, a nice bonus has been the strength in the Australian market in the past two months, where we have exported a slightly higher proportion of our export crop than originally forecast.
Reduced Queensland volumes, unfavourable weather, and a shorter Western Australian crop have created more space in the market for New Zealand fruit. Current indications suggest that the Australian market will remain buoyant through to Christmas, which aligns well with our strategy of pulling back from Asia as fruit matures, reducing the risks associated with longer voyages.
The recent changes in the avocado industry’s export regulations have opened up new avenues for offshore opportunities, particularly for lower-grade fruit. This season, Darling Group has launched several initiatives targeting the food service sector, exporting class two fruit to Australia, Hong Kong and China.
This approach allows us to extract value from export markets that were previously untapped. Importantly, this activity does not compete with or impact the opportunities for class one fruit — it represents entirely new business.
On the orchards, we are approaching the most critical phase of the growing cycle: fruit set.
Last month, Just Avocados hosted a timely seminar on pollination with Dr David Pattemore from Plant and Food Research. During the seminar, Dr Pattemore shared
research findings and provided three simple tips for improving pollination:
1. Reserve areas in the orchard (ie interrow/sides) for a diversity of plants/ cover crops to attract different pollinators such as flies, moths and bumblebees;
2. Monitor your orchard’s current pollinators and their habits to better understand which species are contributing to pollination; and
3. Consider introducing bumblebees, as they will be active in conditions where bees are not.
Diversity of plants/cover crops is a strategy to encourage a range of pollinators into avocado orchards at the critical fruit set period
by Andy Bryenton
Tuatara’s test of the toughest
When we talked to Tuatara Machinery’s director, Geoff Hill recently, we cut right to the chase and asked him why people should buy a Tuatara off-roader. His response was immediate.
“They’re built of steel, not plastic — they will go where other ATVs won’t,” said Geoff. “They’ll carry more, tow more, and they are cheap and easy to service. Many customers service them themselves, thus avoiding the $150 hourly rate that many dealerships charge.
“The Tuatara is not a recreational vehicle, like many of the competition, it’s a commercial vehicle that is designed to work and one that has extreme versatility in uses.”
Instead of being based on a lineage that goes back to motorcycles, Tuatara’s stable of hard-working UTVs come from a design ‘blank slate’, totally informed by the needs and wants of New Zealand’s farmers.
“Our design comes from talking to farmers,” says Geoff. “I’m always listening to feedback from our customers in the field, and we incorporate that knowledge into our design. Tuatara is designed for hard work.”
This leads to some unique points of difference, hardwired into the DNA of the whole range, petrol and electric. It starts with a solid steel construction for strength, foregoing plastics for more rigidity and toughness. Then the Tuatara is powered up with either a modern water-cooled threecylinder, 69-horsepower petrol engine or a choice of two electric options delivering up to 175km of range — all hardened against the elements. Like any serious off-roader, it’s equipped with locking diffs to deliver superior traction when it’s needed.
The petrol engine comes from the lineage of motor cars, not bikes, meaning that it’s quiet, economical and extensively tested.
The electric motor gets water cooling too, to make sure that it ticks one of the biggest boxes Kiwi farmers demand — total reliability. Geoff reckons that farms are a good fit for electric vehicles, which are used during the day and charged overnight. They also have the benefit of greatly reduced maintenance and running costs and improved ease of use.
The overall design of the Tuatara emphasises the ability to go anywhere, and feedback from customers bears this out. Geoff has been sent videos of his machines towing two-tonne utes out of sticky situations, pulling 1,000 litre calf feeders, and getting to places where other UTVs fear to tread.
The Tuatara boasts an over-all carrying capacity of 750kgs, which it manages with ease. It also comes with a winch with a twotonne pulling capacity, just one of the many standard accessories supplied.
Nutritional therapy for Joints
by John Arts, Abundant Health
You have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis. This means you have joined one of, if not, the largest health problem clubs.
Likely, you have seen your GP, who may have arranged X-rays to confirm that you have cartilage loss, as evidenced by reduction in the spaces between bones of joints. There may also be degenerative changes to these bones. You may have been referred to an orthopaedic specialist who may have outlined surgical options.
Medicine has essentially three options for osteoarthritis (OA): pain relief, physiotherapy or surgery. However, nutritional therapy based on quality, professionally prescribed supplements and anti-inflammatory diets can make a significant different. My client files are full of testimonies from people who have had significant reductions in pain and improvements in mobility.
Let’s give your OA symptoms a score of 10/10 discomfort. What would your life be like if this reduced to 5/10 or even 2/10? I recently caught up with a client with significant knee pain from osteoarthritis. The worst part was the pain
at night. He now reports the pain at night has gone and is significantly better during the day. He has gone from 10/10 to around 2/10.
The question is whether we are willing to try something different. There is the cost barrier.
Fortunately, a quality Joint supplement with omega 3 fish oil is about $40 a month; more in the initial intensive period. Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet will possibly mean some extra costs, but it is hard to put a price on our health. However, in my experience the biggest barrier is simply we are creatures of habit and naturally resist change. Feel free to request an emailed copy of my osteoarthritis programme.
John Arts (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 newsletter at abundant.co.nz.
What is Bettaflex?
• Bettaflex is a joint support formula to promote healthy joint cartilage function
• Bettaflex has 400mg (per capsule) of high-grade avian chondroitin, 400mg of glucosamine and 100mg of BioSolve® bioavailable Curcumin (from turmeric).
• Try Bettaflex for 3 months and see for yourself.
How can Bettaflex help?
• Chondroitin and glucosamine are building blocks of cartilage.
• Supplementation with correct levels can support healthy cartilage function and cartilage repair processes.
• New BioSolve® bioavailable curcumin helps joint function while gentle on the stomach.
• Research indicates that chondroitin is highly effective at 800mg daily.
John Arts comments:
“My latest Bettaflex formula includes BioSolve® bioavailable curcumin for faster results. The normal dose is 2 capsules daily but I recommend an initial higher dose for 1-3 bottles to saturate join tissue.”
The versatile Tuatara has been designed from first principles to work hard in real New Zealand conditions
Join Kiwi Coast at the Bay of Islands P&I Show
Kiwi Coast is excited to return to the Bay of Islands P&I Show on November 9. After a successful event last year, we’re eager to reconnect with the community, share our passion for conservation, and provide hands-on learning experiences for all ages.
The Kiwi Coast team will be there to talk to visitors wanting to get started with pest control and provide advice to those who are already trapping. Visitors have the chance to practise setting different traps and to learn effective trapping methods. This year also sees a return of the popular rat box making station, where visitors get to build their own box to house their rat trap.
Lesley Bagient, retired vet and Kiwi Coast coordinator will be there to talk about how understanding a dog’s behaviour can help keep kiwi and wildlife safe, and Andy Mentor will be on-site to talk about the thriving kiwi population in Northland. Andy is also the project manager for Pest Free Purerua, which is ‘chasing zero’ on the Purerua-Mataroa Peninsula. Some kiwi listening sites on the peninsula now record over 100 kiwi calls an hour, showing how sustained pest control can help the recovery of bird populations.
With an estimated 1,000 visitors expected, this event is a fantastic opportunity to learn about conservation and take home valuable skills and knowledge. Mark your calendars for November 9 and bring your pest control questions to the Bay of Islands P&I Show.
For more information about Kiwi Coast, or to join one of the 285 projects across Northland, visit kiwicoast.org.nz. To learn more about the protection of kiwi and the rare species of Purerua — Mataroa Peninsula, visit pfp.kiwi.
Join in some fun family activities and chat with the Kiwi Coast Crew! Find out how to clear out pests, care for kiwi and get your forest bursting with birdsong!
Plus – we’ll have our kiwi themed range of fundraising merchandise available including limited edition t-shirts, hats, toys, books and more!
Get yourself kitted out for summer or pick up some great Christmas gifts that help raise funds for Northland kiwi. www.kiwicoast.org.nz
Kiwi Coast is looking forward to meeting visitors at the 2024 Bay of Islands P&I Show
by Paul Campbell
Eyes in the sky for precision
Technology is sometimes the key to agricultural success and many rural contractors are equipped to bring precision to the farming world with site-specific work by combining GPS and geographic information systems, GIS.
GPS-based applications in precision farming are being used for field mapping, soil sampling, tractor guidance, crop scouting and yield calculation, allowing for operations in low visibility — rain, dust, fog and darkness.
In the past, it was difficult for farmers to correlate production techniques and crop yields with land variability. This limited their ability to develop the most effective soil/plant treatment strategies that could have enhanced their production.
Today, more precise application of pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers, and better control of the dispersion of those chemicals are possible through precision agriculture. It reduces expenses, produces a higher yield, and creates a more environmentally friendly farm.
Precision agriculture is gaining in popularity, largely due to the introduction of high-technology tools that are more accurate, cost-effective, and user-friendly. Many of the new innovations rely on the integration of onboard computers, data
collection sensors, and GPS time and position reference systems.
GPS equipment manufacturers have developed several tools to help farmers and agribusinesses become more productive and efficient in their precision farming activities. The Ministry for Primary Industries underlines the value of GPS use and computer surveillance to enhance farm production in a changing world.
Climate–Smart Agriculture (CSA) is a term that has been developed for farming systems that respond to these issues. It provides an opportunity to increase agricultural productivity and incomes, while adapting and building resilience to climate change. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions, adds perceived and real value to export products, while future-proofing efficient food and fibre production.
MPI says that given that climate variability is increasing, vulnerability to climate change will increase unless coupled with adoption of new strategies for CSA intensification. Increasing the
intensity of farm production may create increased economic risks and exposure to additional impacts from more frequent extreme weather events. Dependence on externally sourced feed supplies may bring exposure to climate change and market pressures outside New Zealand farmers’ control. Under CSA, some intensification strategies provide a means for New Zealand pastoral farmers and their rural contractors to better adapt to climate change, capture further efficiencies and secure market access to high-value markets.
Precision sowing with GPS
Avoca’s Agricultural Lime (AgLime) and Limestone are manufactured at our three lime quarries at Rarewa (Whangarei), Pokapu (Bay of Islands), and Port Albert (Wellsford). Both are also available at bulk stores in Dargaville and Te Kauwhata (Waikato). From all of these locations, we’re well placed to deliver Agricultural Lime products Northland and Waikato wide. Avoca also provide soil fertility testing and consulting as well as lime and fertiliser products and custom mixes.
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NORTHLAND LIME
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reasons to apply lime to your soils:
Increases nutrient availability; raising soil pH with lime to ~6.3-6.5 releases and balances soil nutrients for plant uptake, maximising return on your fertiliser spend.
Improves pasture yield. Trials have shown pasture production increases up to 68% and corresponding live weight gains.
Reduces need for N-fertiliser; lime stimulates N-fixation by legumes, and N-release from organic matter into plant available forms.
Improves P availability through a ‘phosphate sparing effect’ - trials in Northland showed 50-60kg more P available consistent over 3 years after applying 5t/ha of lime to a pH 5.8 soil. Optimal P availability occurs when soils are limes to pH 6.3-6.5.
Improves pasture palatability allowing for more even grazing of pasture and better pasture utilisation. 5
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Increases soil biological activity and diversity; key to nutrient availability, good soil structure & porosity, and ultimately pasture/crop yield.
Increases resilience to droughts, floods, and runoff/erosion, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and greater root penetration for pasture/crop growth by flocculating (loosening) your soil to improve soil structure and porosity.
Increases water holding capacity in the dry and water drainage in the wet. Lime drives down magnesium in ‘tight, high Mg’ soils such as estuarine soils found in the Hauraki Plains.
Reduces elemental toxicities evident at low pH levels, e.g. Al, preventing subsoil acidification and improving root growth, root development, and reduces P-fixation.
Provides calcium which is essential for both plant and animal growth and health. 10
Some farmers fixated by phosphate
Understanding the benefits of putting on
He believes there needs to be a realisation around the importance of soil acidity and without getting pH levels to 6.2–6.3 by applying lime, full nutrient release is unachievable.
For example, farmers are wasting money by needlessly applying phosphate when there may already be ample in the soil but unavailable at low pH levels, says Manderson.
“I reckon phosphate is being applied because it has become traditional practice stemming from the early days of farming in New Zealand when P was deficient, or because farmers are being given poor soil fertility advice.
“In tough economic conditions, farmers should be questioning their advisers about the application of expensive fertilisers/ phosphate.”
The Olsen P test can indicate that plantavailable phosphate may be low due to the unavailability of P at low soil pHs. Many people do not realise the test should be combined with a Total P and pH test to show whether there is enough P that can be released by liming to a higher pH at a much lower cost, he says.
“That is why liming is important to improve and maintain soils at pH 6.2–6.3, so lockup mechanisms and elemental toxicities are minimal and plant availability of phosphorus is optimised.”
Applying lime to increase pH and subsequent phosphorous availability is known
as a phosphate-sparing effect, which can happen in different ways. When pH increases the presence of aluminium and iron compounds lowers, which reduces lock-up of new phosphorus additions.
Lime increases the availability of invaluable and important plant nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, calcium and magnesium, along with trace elements like boron and molybdenum.
“What many people do not realise is that lime can also increase the mineralisation of organic nitrogen in soil, which can boost plant growth. That can allow their roots to access more soil and, therefore, more phosphorous.”
In one on-farm trial, Manderson says a phosphate-sparing effect has been observed in Northland, equivalent to 50–60kg of phosphorus a hectare, (560–670kg of super phosphate each hectare), consistent over three years after five tonnes of lime a hectare was applied to a pH 5.8 soil.
“Having spent 40 years in the lime industry, I have seen a decline in lime application across sheep, beef and dairy units, particularly over the past 20 years. In dairy farming, there has seen massive overuse of ‘acidifying’ nitrogen.
“It makes total sense for farmers to raise pH levels to 6.2–6.3 through applying lime, contrary to what farmers have been told, rather than spending lots of money on expensive fertilisers.”
Lime, even at low rates annually, is critical to reducing soil acidity, benefitting soil health, nutrients, structure and biology. A lack of liming will be far more costly long-term.
Bryce’s father Jim established Avoca in Northland 75 years ago. Through significant growth, the company is now a leading provider of lime and fertiliser mixes throughout Northland, with Avoca’s Te Kauwhata depot also putting lime within easy reach of farmers in South Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
Seed ordering tool launched
Rural supply company Farmlands has launched a new FarmlandPRO feature to make it convenient for farmers and growers to manage their seed requirements.
Straight, premixed or custom-seed mixes in whatever quantity is required, are all directly in the app. Orders can be placed paddock-by-paddock, with the ability to select the paddock size in hectares, the name of the paddock and the required delivery date.
The new tool was released three months after the launch of FarmlandsPRO, the company’s innovative app to buy, manage and track rural supplies.
Farmlands CEO Tanya Houghton said it is an extremely convenient and streamlined way to order seed from the company. It’s a channel benefitting customers and the co-operative alike.
“Precision and convenience are crucial in modern farming. Our new seed ordering feature in FarmlandsPRO is a great example of us designing solutions to give farmers and growers greater control and flexibility.”
Farmlands said it has seen an increasing trend of customers self-serving through the app, discovering how useful the tool is for ordering on the go and having products easily delivered.
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“The new seed feature is timed to meet the seasonal buying needs of our farmers and growers ensuring they get the right rural supplies delivered where and when they need them.”
The app’s development was a collaborative effort between Farmlands’ digital team and the farming community. By working closely with farmers and growers, the company ensured that the
new seed ordering functionality met the practical needs of those on the ground.
The tool is part of the organisation’s ongoing commitment to supporting farmers and growers with leading-edge digital solutions that enhance their productivity and streamline operations, and the co-op’s.
“Selecting the right seed mix and ensuring it’s planted in the right conditions can significantly impact crop yield and
farm profitability. Giving customers the ability to specify paddock-level details through FarmlandsPRO is a major advance,” Tanya said.
“Customers can easily access the new seed ordering feature by updating their app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. With just a few taps, they can customise their seed orders to meet their specific needs and have the order delivered directly to their farm.”
Farmlands has launched a new seed-ordering app for clients’ convenience
Quad safety incentive success
More than 150 farm businesses received vouchers through the Safer Rides pilot scheme to help them purchase crush protection devices (CPDs) for their quad bikes after additional primary sector partners joined the programme.
The incentive scheme encouraged farmers to make their existing quad bikes safer by applying for a heavily discounted CPD via a redeemable voucher to the value of $400.
Rabobank spearheaded the initiative, which was led by Safer Farms. Support came from ANZCO Foods, LIC, Craigmore Sustainables, PGG Wrightson, FMG Insurance, Silver Fern Farms and retailers Trax Equipment and Quadbar.
Safer Farms’ Farm without Harm ambassador Lindy Nelson said there had been a high demand for the vouchers.
“In addition to the 110 vouchers already issued, we were able to provide a further 43 vouchers, thanks to additional funding from FMG Insurance, PGG Wrightson and Silver Fern Farms after the initial allocation.
“Forty per cent of the first allocation has already been redeemed via Trax or Quadbar, which is really encouraging.”
However, demand for the vouchers exceeded supply, with 88 applications missing out.
“These farm businesses are still eligible for a 15 per cent discount on CPDs from
Quadbar. We’re delighted FMG is also going to be running a client competition to win two CPDs.”
Safer Rides is part of Safer Farms’ Farm Without Harm strategy, designed to prevent harm from New Zealand’s farming systems. Nelson said the focus on CPDs was a result of farmers speaking up about how rollover bars had worked for them and saved lives.
From 2019 to 2023, there were 22 quad bike-related fatalities nationwide — most involving rollovers and steep grades.
“For many farmers, quad bikes are an
integral part of the job. Installing a CPD on an existing vehicle can make it a safer option for you and anyone who is using that bike,” says Nelson.
“Crush protection devices provide space underneath an upturned quad bike by spreading the bike’s weight. This protects the rider by creating space for survival or allowing the bike to roll off the occupant.
“We urgently need to find ways to make quad bikes safer. Based on feedback collected from applicants, cost is a major barrier to purchasing a safety device.
“Farmers want to keep themselves and their people safe. There is a big job ahead to make safety devices more widely available for those who want them. We will continue working with our programme partners to implement a long-term plan.”
More farm businesses will have safer quad bikes after receiving vouchers from Safer Rides to purchase crush protection devices
by Paul Campbell
Farm hills sparked a new industry
Farm contracting has always featured a high adventurous side, with aerial top dressing still a valued farm
often spectacular operations especially in hill country
There’s a true story of an early pilot contractor on a Hawke’s Bay hill property who tied the tail of his Tiger Moth to a fencepost, facing a sloping downhill paddock. Reaching maximum revs, the pilot signalled his farmer who cut the rope with an axe for a successful takeoff.
and
Today, things are a little more legal. In much earlier days though, the task was to spread the material by hand. Contract labour found it extremely hard work, and stories were told of bags of unspread fertiliser thrown into gullies and the workers in the nearest pub.
Aerial contracting came to the fore after the second world war. Planes were plentiful, leading to wartime pilots able to find a new vocation exploring the skies over remote land, spreading superphosphate to boost production. New Zealand’s hill country farming economy became more viable with fertiliser dropping from the air.
In the lower country, contractors have moved to specialised truck spreaders, and in all, some two million tonnes of fertiliser is applied annually to pastures, crops and forests by truck or tractor or fixed-wing and helicopter aircraft. About 40% is spread by aircraft onto steep country. The operator, farmer or pilot tries to partly overlap the previous swathe pattern with the next pass. This helps to compensate for the low rate at the edge of each pass.
On the ground in pre-war times a horse towing a spreader box was used. Later, spreaders consisted of a hopper filled with fertiliser on the back of a tractor, while a spinning device ensured a good spread. On large farms, contract firms are increasingly being used. With large trucks and hoppers, they can do an efficient and accurate job.
On dairy farms, cows spend only one day or night grazing each paddock before being moved to the next. Nitrogen
fertiliser is often applied to each paddock after each grazing. This does not require a contractor, so is often done using the four-wheel-drive farm bike with a spreader attachment behind.
As aerial topdressing expanded, the Civil Aviation Department set out specifications that Included groundhandling, and safety for the pilot. Fletcher Aviation Corporation planned the Fletcher FU 24 aircraft, and since then, the Fletcher remains the most common fixedwing aircraft used for aerial topdressing in New Zealand.
A common hill farm sight with purpose-built planes
Restoring the Kaipara a family job
Mother and daughter Debbie and Bridget Johnson are playing their part in improving on-farm environmental performance in the Kaipara harbour catchment.
Debbie is a Kaipara Moana Remediation (KMR) Field Advisor working alongside farmers to develop and support the delivery of KMR projects. With her husband Sam, Debbie runs 40 cattle and 17 sheep on a lifestyle block on the outskirts of Te Kamo. Kaipara Moana Remediation (KMR) is a decade-long programme to protect and restore the Kaipara harbour, working across 600,000 hectares in both Auckland and Northland.
Says Debbie: “Being a KMR Field Advisor allows you to work with some amazing farmers, to offer technical advice and unlock funding to help them achieve environmental outcomes which often also help with stock management and welfare.
“My roles since university have all included working with farmers on their land. It is my passion, and I am enjoying mentoring new field advisors into such a rewarding field of work. The work I do is all about establishing a trusted relationship, understanding their motivation.”
Debbie says it is important to understand every landowner and property have different situations, motivations and long-term goals. Field Advisors aim to make the KMR process as easy as possible to achieve those same goals.
“For some it’s a new journey and others a continuation of many years of small projects adding up to produce incredible results.” Ultimately, her role is to help landowners reduce the sediment leaving their property.
Bridget is one of a team of five Fonterra Sustainable Dairying Advisors (SDAs) in Northland who offer specialised environmental advice to support farmers to achieve best farm management practices, stay ahead of water quality and emissions regulations and optimise on-farm efficiency.
“To date, Fonterra farmers working with KMR have completed 244 kilometres of fences and planted 94,000 trees. KMR projects are generated from the Farm Environment Plans developed with Fonterra – these recognise the opportunities on farm for fencing and retirement of land for planting”.
“A rewarding part of my role is to re-visit the farms. Whether it was a big or small project, the farmers are always proud of their efforts.
KMR CEO Justine Daw is also celebrating KMR’s partnership with Fonterra. “It has been a real success, with KMR’s funding enabling Fonterra farmers to bring these opportunities to life”.
Bridget encourages farmers to get in touch with KMR: “If you are hesitant, just start small, as you can always apply for more funding in a year or two, and build on the work you have done.”
Fencing this summer?
Thinking of planting next winter?
Come and join the 820 landowners and groups across the catchment who are already working with KMR!
KMR offers:
• Free advice - we walk the land with you to discuss your aspirations and project option
• Funding – KMR pays up to 50% of the cost of eligible projects to reduce sediment
• Planning and support – our Field Advisors prepare a plan to access KMR funding and provide support through the project.
Contact our team on hono@kmr.org.nz if:
• Your land is in the Kaipara Moana catchment
• You are thinking of fencing this summer, and/or planting next winter (2025)
• You’d like to know more about how KMR can support you.
Come and join us!
KMR invests in projects to fence off rivers, streams and wetlands, plant trees and regenerate forest on erosion-prone land. “These actions create many benefits and can help diversify on-farm income, meet environmental standards and increase resilience to storms and other extreme weather”. KMR will cover up to half of the fencing and planting costs - both natives and poles to stabilise moving hillsides - as well as native regeneration on erodible slopes. For more information or to sign up, visit our website or email us.
WHO’S WHO IN Bringing the people
by Amy Fifita
For many, Nukutawhiti All Saints Church is a quaint building once encompassed by trees but for brothers Aaron and David Mataira, it is a family legacy.
The legacy started after the Good Shepherd of Mangakahia Church was destroyed by fire in 1915, and the Arona family funded a new building to be constructed in its place. By 1934, the church was completed and blessed by Bishop FA Bennett.
“My great-grandmother Hohipina wanted an Anglican church to worship in, and made her sons take their Sunday earnings and put it towards building a church and marae,” said Aaron,
“Their commitment to their family and her commitment to her faith was huge.
I am in awe of them, and I am trying to keep up with them. We mostly lived away from the valley because my father Jack was a teacher.
“Our connection to the area was my mother Winnie, although, my dad was passionate about it, too. He farmed here for a while and was a lay reader.”
Aaron and David were restoring the church slowly before the Pakotai Parakao Community Group approached them with a funding offer. The group raised money for the revamp with its annual horse trek,
and even trekked through Arona Farms and had lunch at the church grounds.
“Diane Vuletich asked if we wanted a hand and, although, I didn’t expect much, she committed to a roof and painting the church. She organised a team to cut down some big tōtara trees, and painters and roofers came in and completed the job during winter.
“The church looks beautiful now. Every day when I come down to this farm, I am humbled by Diane and her team’s efforts because it has made the process smoother and faster.
“We want to reposition the former Sunday school beside the church and put the toilets on the back of it.
“Other people in the valley like Fenton Craw and his family are donating timber from their dismantled wool shed for it. Fenton’s dad was involved in the church when my father was.”
A market day is on Saturday, November 16, from 9am onwards, and a 90th celebration service will be at 11am, with a shared lunch at noon. It is a cashonly event.
“We are holding a market day at the church to get people back to it. This church connects the valley, the cemetery and the marae, so we need to look after it.
“From what we as a committee learn about getting the church running, we want
to transfer that information to each of the other significant areas — the cemetery and the marae. We need to do one thing at a time and do it well.”
Aaron, Peter and David Mataira helped at the Pakotai Parakao Community Group Horse Trek earlier this year
by Liz Clark
Where a nation began
The Far North and its coastal areas have seen much change in the past 200-plus years since the first Europeans arrived on its shores.
Today, the region is a major tourist destination, covering many historical sites of interest, including several museums celebrating the shared cultural heritage of Māori and Europeans.
The Waitangi Treaty Grounds on Tau Henare Drive, Waitangi, has a significant history. It tells the story of the building of Aotearoa as a nation, from early European contact with tangata whenua to the
signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and the journey since February 6 1840.
The grounds are open every day, except Christmas Day. Two contemporary museums are on-site. The first, Te Kōngahu Museum of Waitangi, has a permanent exhibition Ko Waitangi Tēnei: This is Waitangi on the ground floor and a gallery for temporary exhibitions on the first floor. A story is woven together
using taonga and digital experience to tell the history of Waitangi and Aotearoa New Zealand’s founding documents from a range of perspectives.
The second, more recent museum, Te Rau Aroha: Museum of the Price of Citizenship, focusses on the impact Article 3 of the Treaty of Waitangi has had on this country’s development as a nation. Divided into three galleries, the museum concentrates mainly on the sacrifice made by Māori during wartime using state-of-the-art technology to give visitors an immersive and interactive experience.
The township of Kaitāia gives pride of place to the Te Ahu Museum on the corner of South Road and Mathews Avenue, which is open Monday to Saturday, with different hours for the summer and winter seasons.
The Treaty House is also open to visitors. The building was the site of some of this country’s most important historical events, including the drafting of the Declaration of Independence by James Busby in 1835 and where the Treaty of Waitangi was finalised before its historic signing in February 1840. More information on other attractions on the grounds can be found at waitangi.org.nz.
Te Ahu collections illuminate the stories and histories of the Far North District, from objects dating back to preEuropean times to gum digging and the Dalmation migrants, shipwrecks, the kauri industry and missionary pioneers. The museum also holds a large archives collection and the first European object left in New Zealand waters — the de Surville anchor. Visit teahumuseum.nz for more information.
The Treaty House at Waitangi was the site for significant events that helped shape the nation
by Liz Clark
Mill towns of Hokianga
In the upper reaches of the Hokianga Harbour, on either side of the shore, are the historic townships of Kohukohu and Rawene two unique places with a history dating back before 1840.
Located on the northern shore is Kohukohu, a former mill town with a significant story to tell. The township lies within the rohe (territory) of Te Ihutai hapū of Te Rarawa. Kohukohu is the site of New Zealand’s earliest stone bridge, built ca 1842, and several other important historical sites of interest visitors can view around the immediate area.
The township developed mainly from a kauri milling venture started by the Hokianga Timber Company in 1878.
A substantial wharf was built and a steam-powered sawmill was built on the shoreline to process the logs sent down by river after being cut down. The Hokianga Timber Company went into liquidation in 1886. In 1888, the site was taken over by the Melbourne-based Kauri Timber Company, which expanded its operations and laid down the foundation for the reclamation of the foreshore during its almost 20-year occupation.
Around it grew a township of 2,000 people, with a butchery, hotel and several
retail businesses, plus other enterprises. Koukohu experienced several fires, which burned down the majority of the older buildings. However, some still do exist and today are an integral part of the tiny township. More information can be found on the website kohukohu.nz.
On the southern shore is the township of Rawene, which was once known as Herds Point. It was the site for some of the earliest kauri timber processing in Northland. Many of the iconic buildings in Rawene are now listed with Heritage New Zealand, and the township is now a hub of art and culture.
Its unique buildings go out over the water, including the Boatshed Cafe, a popular stopping point for getting a meal before taking the vehicle ferry across The Narrows to Kohukohu. Time should be taken to stroll around the town and enjoy the sites of historic buildings with many stories to tell, including the Dog Tax War. More information about Rawene can be found on the Northland Ferries’ website.
We are Nicky Maccabee and Delwyn Simpson, the duo behind Maccabees honey which is collected from the Mangonui area. The two of us control every aspect of our production from beekeeping to selling each pot of our Manuka, Kanuka honey. While the Manuka is 50% of our production our main focus is on the Kanuka honey. Maccabees honey has contributed to a 2.5 year study by the Experiment Company dedicated to Kanuka honey research and its unique bioactive properties. The research has produced evidence that Northland Kanuka and Maccabees Honey has one of the highest Arabinogalactan protein (AGP) concentration levels among all of New Zealand honeys. AGPs are important glycoproteins that stimulate our immune system which is beneficial to the body for wound healing and quick recovery. There is now an abundance of research that proves Kanuka honey is also an excellent choice for skin treatments for eczema and psoriasis due to its immune stimulating response. Maccabees Honey is available from our website or find us at the Bay of Islands Farmers Markets and Kerikeri Packhouse market.
The iconic township of Rawene on the south shore of the Hokianga Harbour
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Haimona AramoanaCertificate in Commercial Barbering (Level 4)
“My grandfather has dementia and he’s been getting over charged for just a number one shave all over I just thought, no, I can do better, I’ll bring the shop to you ”
Haimona Aramoana (Tūhoe) is at NorthTec doing the Certificate in Commercial Barbering, and he already knows exactly what he wants to do when he’s qualified.
“I started barbering because there’s a lot of elderly people out there who can’t get to a barber shop, or barber shops won’t even take them So, I started the barbering course so that I could get the hang of it and start up a mobile barbering business Then I can go to them, they can have a haircut and I can give them back a bit of dignity ”
His business plan is already in place, and the course provides Haimona with a full barbering kit, getting him off to a flying start “I’ll start off with a van and work my way up to a truck I’m getting the skills and then I’m good to go ”
“I chose NorthTec because I’ve done courses with NorthTec in the past I like the vibe here; I’ve passed every course I’ve done and it’s always great
“The course is brilliant; we’ve got an awesome class and awesome tutors If I could do it again after I finish I would, that’s how much I love it Our tutors give us all the ins and outs of barbering and I just take it all in ”
“I’m passionate about it, I know I’m going to go somewhere and do good things with it Someone has to look after the elderly.”
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Kaitaia Campus Open Day 15th October 2024
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by Paul Campbell
Visa changes frustrate contractors
Rural Contractors New Zealand members are frustrated at having to work through more layers to get visas approved for skilled seasonal machinery operators ahead of the imminent season start.
“I have been seeing a significant increase in my members asking for assistance of late,” says CEO Andrew Olsen. “While I try to help, dealing with the daily influx of confused and disgruntled rural contractors asking for help is wearing a bit thin. We are not an immigration advisory service but we sure feel like we’re paying a price for the lengthy checking and processing times.
“I had hoped the second year of the accreditation requirements would have been smoother, but it’s not what we’re seeing. We have New Zealand employers applying for reaccreditation, and time frames for this have blown out, meaning further delays in being eligible to apply for visas.
“The vast majority of businesses can’t afford an immigration adviser to navigate the complexity of accreditation or visa applications. So there’s a lot of hit and more miss than the previous year.
“I do acknowledge that in response to lobbying and Immigration Minister Erica Stanford had announced rural contractors could use the Special Purpose or Event class of visa (SPEV). However, in midAugust MBIE advised the SPEV visa was
now the SPWV visa (Specific Purpose Working Visa).”
This had come with additional conditions, including a need to advertise a role for which Olsen says there were no trained and available Kiwi workers. However, around 80% of applications were approved in three weeks and feedback from members indicate the SPWV is currently the preferred visa class.
“The government has also acknowledged there is a case for looking closely at what a seasonal worker visa looks like. In our case, many of these workers will return several years in a row, already have a NZ bank account, IRD number and an accredited employer
backing their visa, so wouldn’t it make sense to design a visa around that?
“This is an opportunity for the government to take pressure off, and allow Ag NZ to get on with the business of doubling exports.
“The government must also consider changes alongside its review of vocational training. For our members, the career pathway is a shambles, and we foresee
a significant reliance on skilled overseas workers in the mid-term and until vocational education training sorts itself out.
“Rural contractors don’t support having to send workers to polytechnics for training for weeks and months on end. They want their workers to be able to pick up micro-credentials on the job and build these if they wish into a qualification.”
Andrew Olsen, Rural Contractors New Zealand CEO
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I take issue with Grant McCallum’s column about maths results in the August edition of Northern Farming Lifestyles.
Mr McCallum repeats the government line that only 22% of current Year 8 students are at the expected level of the maths curriculum. What he and his colleagues keep failing to mention is that this result comes from a group of students who were tested against a curriculum they had not been taught!
Unlike this government, every teacher in the country knows it is not good assessment practice to test students on
McCallum ‘gaslighting’
their knowledge of content they haven’t been taught, and when we take recent results where students were tested on a curriculum they actually had been taught, 42% of Year 8 students were at the expected level. (See: rnz.co.nz/ news/political/524295/governmentshifting-the-goalposts-on-mathsassessment-labour).
While this is still far from acceptable, to suggest that this group’s poor mathematics scores are a consequence of having their teachers eschew the basics and instead teach a curriculum founded on airy-fairy, ‘ideological tinkering’ is nothing but wrongheaded, ideological nonsense. The vast majority of teachers
in this country bend over backwards on a daily basis to teach their students the basics, as they always have done. Any who don’t, are likely completely exhausted from trying to contend with the enormous need and many, varied, nuanced and complex issues that their students bring with them to the classroom. Many of these issues are related to socio-economic factors, factors that the policies of the current government are actively exacerbating, rather than doing anything to improve.
I have no issue with a focus on teaching the basics. If Mr McCallum thinks that this is somehow new and exciting and
any different from what is happening and what has been happening for decades in classrooms country-wide, or that it is going to be some sort of magical fix for a struggling and massively underfunded education system that is under enormous pressure, he is dreaming. However, of course, he isn’t dreaming. What he is doing is gaslighting, a most egregious example of it, one disrespecting the staff, students and whānau of every school in every community of the province he supposedly represents in parliament.
Jody Reynolds Titoki, Whangārei
by Paul Campbell
A sector for job opportunities
As indicated elsewhere in this series, rural contracting has a great shortage of staff and has to attract seasonal workers from overseas when visa problems may arise and despite the fact that employment opportunities exist for New Zealanders.
Roles from weed spraying and crop drilling to operating and servicing complex machinery, such as combine harvesters and silage equipment, driving tractors, mowers and sprayers as well as machinery maintenance.
Training opportunities abound for operating larger and more sophisticated machinery including, combine harvesters, hay balers and similar agricultural machinery.
Even a tractor-driving job can earn a take-home pay of approaching $50,000 annually. Training courses are available in which an operator will connect a variety of equipment and operate it safely on the road, across paddocks and on undulating terrain. Tractor driving requires some prior knowledge or basic training either at a starter course or on-site.
A complex machinery operator could earn up to $80,000, and this job requires good technical skills.
“Operating a combine harvester or foraging machine is like being at the
controls of a spaceship,” says one instructor. These are highly technical machines with several computers, touch screens, and joysticks to control the variety of operations the machine has to perform.
Mechanical support is another opening. Machinery is vital to rural contracting, and it needs to function properly. People who can perform regular maintenance and repairs are important, particularly as service centres are often some distance away. An agrichemical applicator requires some certification received after training. Spraying crops to remove pests and encourage growth is an important job in agriculture. Training in the safe use of agrichemicals, protective equipment and various types of applicators (from backpacks to large spraying rigs) is available through formal NZQA training and Growsafe accreditation.
Training and learning opportunities advice can be found at ruralcontractors. org.nz.
Machinery operators are sought after by contractors
by Paul Campbell
Controlling farm waterways
Riponui dairy farmers Grae and Lou Roberts want to leave their land better than how they found it so they taken a lead from Fonterra to begin fencing off waterways and planting their riparian margins as an effluent management measure.
The couple who farm on the edge of the Hikurangi Swamp, north of Whangārei, say they can’t wait to see the growth of 6,000 trees on the 1.29ha plantation area in the next few years.
“Where we have planted is one of our favourite parts of the farm. There are some lovely stands of native trees, including a QEII National Trust covenant, and we see value in planting more areas because that will increase the quality of waterways over time,” say Grae and Lou.
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Despite being busy milking a 700-strong herd and raising a young family, sustainability and environmental values are at the heart of their operation, which is why they have invested heavily in cutting edge effluent management.
They are appreciative of being able to partner with Fonterra and Kaipara Moana Remediation. “All we had to do is help arrange the fencing and planting. We had been wanting to fence more of our waterways and bush on our beef unit, so this is a perfect opportunity.
“Our aim is to have a well-run farm that looks after our family, and with strong stands of native trees which people will recognise as a nice farm. There are plenty of good farmers around here who have already been doing what we have just done, so we are just trying to do our bit.
“KMR’s Justine Daw says the ongoing partnership with Fonterra and
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Riponui dairy farmers Grae and Lou Roberts
dairy farmers across the catchment is significant.”
Fonterra’s Mike Mitchell has been working closely with the Roberts, and says they have demonstrated
clear commitment and consistent evolution of improvement — traits important to Fonterra. “Grae and Lou are putting in a big effort to do things right.”
Standing up for farmers — 125 years on
by Colin Hannah, Federated Farmers Northland president
It is exciting for Federated Farmers Northland and the farming community in Northland that an ancient organisation in Northland farming terms and even more
as necessary and as strong today as it was 125 years ago.
Federated Farmers, as it is known today, was the brainchild of several Kaitaia and Hokianga farmers back in 1899.
Kaitaia dairy farmer Thomas Portland Smith rose to lead the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, which provided a platform for farmers to come together, discuss common issues and negotiate collectively for better pricing and fair land management rules.
Founding members understood that a strong, organised group could better negotiate with suppliers, government officials and other stakeholders crucial to the fast-evolving primary sector, and land was broken in and put into pasture.
By the late 19th century, our budding agricultural sector was facing increasing headwinds with market fluctuations, land management issues and the emerging challenge of navigating complex government policies.
Smith was a forward-thinking farmer and rural advocate, who recognised the need for a single unified voice to strengthen farmers’ position and create leverage when working with the government.
Thankfully, there have been plenty of passionate farmers who have continued Smith’s legacy to make Federated Farmers what it is today.
On a local level, our voice is continuing to be heard, as farming is a major contributor to the Northland economy and the flow-on effect into urban Northland. That is thanks to the team I have around me. All salt of the earth Kiwis, who willingly give their time, share their knowledge, and work in our community and at government level to give back for the good of the people. They do this voluntarily.
Back in Smith’s time, it was a heck of a long trek from Kaitaia to Auckland, and even worse to Wellington.
They used horses and water transport, but it still took four days to get to Wellington and the seat of government. They felt strongly that their voices were not being heard, and that Wellington was too remote from the realities of farming in the provinces — an issue we still face today.
Ironically, many battles Federated Farmers contend with are still the same.
The central government thinks it knows the answers to our problems and continually creates a myriad of additional
issues, barriers, unnecessary regulations and costs to primary producers with every change it introduces.
As a team, Federated Farmers Northland responds to every long-term plan to protect the interests of all primary producers in our region — Fed members or not. We constantly monitor impacts on your ability to farm.
We value highly your property rights, and defend them every time they are being trod on. Still, we are excited and intend to be around farming in Northland for the next 125 years.
The coalition government has wiped out blanket speed limit reductions, restoring many open roads to 100km/h and residential roads to 50km/h, in a reversal of polarising Labour administration policy.
“New Zealanders rejected these illogical blanket speed limit reductions,” says transport minister Simeon Brown. “Over 65 per cent of submitters supported our plan to reverse the previous government’s blanket speed limit reductions in the draft speed limit rule.”
Those who, like Mr Brown, opposed the slashing of speed limits, pointed to the economic impacts of slowed logistics. Those who supported slower driving had one major platform; safety. The minister did not agree, especially in terms of a 30km/h limit for city streets.
“Throughout the world, 50km/h is used as the right speed limit to keep urban roads flowing smoothly and safely. The evidence for this is clear. Comparable countries with the lowest rates of road deaths and serious injuries, such as Norway, Denmark and Japan, have speed limits of 50km/h on their urban roads, with exceptions for lower speed limits.”
There’s an elephant in the room, though, low-speed proponents were quick to point out. Denmark, Japan and Norway have roads in much better repair than New Zealand. Some people were quick to leap to the conclusion that the speed limit drops were intended entirely to stop the
need for road maintenance. After all, a terrible road would still be ‘safe’ at 80, but would need fixing if the speed limit was 100, they opined.
However, this government is seemingly intent on spending big on roading. An almost $1 billion budget for remediating highways, funding for new motorways with a 120km/h limit, and a promise to fix potholes in two days speak against the conspiracy becoming real.
Then, there’s the biggest argument for keeping speed limits where they were set in 1985. It’s that they were set in 1985.
The most common cars on the road in that year were the 1970 Mk1 Ford Escort, the Morris Marina and the Mini, accounting for the 15-year lag always experienced in the light vehicle fleet. Think about their stopping distances and how they fared in a crash. Now consider that, by the same calculation, the current fleet of cars matches braking and safety standards from 2010.
Seen in this light, the move to drop speed limits to Muldoon-era standards was an admission that the roads are wrecked, and the decision to put them back and invest millions in roading is the first step toward a solution — admitting we have a problem.
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When speed limits first went up to 100km/h, the Morris Marina was one of the most popular cars on the road, and a benchmark, but have roads improved along with car safety technology?
by Andy Bryenton
Professional with potential
This September sees a new flagship side-by-side off-road machine take to the trails from CFMoto, and it rewrites a lot of the
for this sector of the market.
The new U10 Pro range comes with bigger figures and superlatives, as befits an evolution of the brand. First up, the three-cylinder engine at the heart of the U10 Pro gains variable valve timing, once thought to be the preserve of performance cars.
Anyone who has felt the power boost of a VVT system kicking in will immediately see the benefit of using this technology
on a UTV. The 998cc triple kicks out 90 horsepower, and a handy 94.5 Newtonmetres of torque, all-important in conquering tough terrain. The VVT edge means (to get technical) that torque is on tap from down low at 3,000 rpm, all the way up to 7,000. That’s a broad band of heavy-hauling grunt.
Unsurprisingly, this extra oomph has an effect on the towing and load-
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bearing capabilities of the U10 Pro. You’ll find this new CFMoto machine easily capable of towing more than 1,100 kilograms and accommodating a further 454kg in a hydraulic tipping tray. However, these big figures are not the only thing to appreciate when you take a look at CFMoto’s new offering.
“The U10 PRO range is more than just an upgrade; it’s a revolution in what a full-size UTV can offer,” said CFMoto New Zealand general manager John Holding. “From its powerful new engine and advanced transmission system to its state-of-the-art interior technology, the U10 PRO is designed to exceed the expectations of even the most demanding users.”
Now, you may have noticed Mr Holding mentioning state-of-the-art interior technology, and done a double take there. Surely he’s not talking about the latest ute or SUV? Well, maybe not, but there are comparisons and crossovers aplenty. First, the U10 Pro comes with an eightinch touchscreen, just like a top-spec road vehicle. Then there’s the automatic
parking brake, fully adjustable steering wheel and push-button transmission system which would not be out of place on the forecourt of a big automaker. Most luxurious of all comes an addition to the top of the CFMoto U10 range, the Pro Highland. This side-by-side comes with a completely sealed cabin with HVAC like a luxury SUV. A tilting glass windshield and electric side windows come as standard on the Highland model, too. Which means that there’s nothing to fear from the weather at all. Big off-road tyres and long-travel suspension dominate the mud outside, while the driver keeps toasty and dry (or summertime cool) inside.
CFMoto’s U10 Pro and U10 Pro Highland are new for September, and offer UTV practicality with full-sized ute comforts
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