Taranaki Farming Lifestyles, February 2015 by Integrity Community Media

Taranaki

FARMING Lifestyles

February 2015 Edition

10,000 copies DELIVERED FREE to every rural delivery address in Taranaki

Getting the best in milk

Riparian plantins reap huge benefits P3

New sites at Central Districts event

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Making the most of small farm production Page 6–7

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February 2015 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

Region’s river levels monitored

The Taranaki Farming Lifestyles is published with pride by NorthSouth Multi Media Ltd, a privately owned New Zealand company. Phone: 0800 466 793 Advertising: Betty Willets, Kelvin Green, Glyn Parker, Shane Hendriks

The dry start to the year continues with some Taranaki rivers and streams at low levels.

Editorial: Denise Gunn — 06 329 7701 Email: info@nsmm.co.nz

Website: taranakifarming.co.nz

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AUDITED CIRCULATION Print run 10,006 ABC audited circulation 9,885 audited Jan–Dec 2013.

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The Taranaki Regional Council is monitoring the situation, working closely with consent holders to ensure minimum river flows are maintained. Some pasture irrigators have already had takes restricted to comply with resource consent conditions. “We have a well-established set of procedures to follow in dry conditions and we liaise directly with individual water-take consent holders,” said Taranaki Regional Council director resource-management Fred McLay. Data from water-take consent holders is telemetered directly to the council in many cases. This enables hydrology staff to keep a close eye on what is happening in real time. Staff can then step in to ensure consent holders reduce water takes when the situation demands. Hydrological data gathered during dry spells also helps the council to refine its water allocation policies. The Taranaki Regional Council monitors river levels at more than 20 sites around the region as part of its state of the environment monitoring, with data published live on the council’s website.

Monitoring of popular recreational swimming spots has found exposed mats of cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae in three areas: the Waingororo River at Ohawe Beach; the Manganui River at Everett Park, and the Waiwhakaiho River at Merrilands Domain. These monitoring results have prompted the Taranaki District Health Board to direct district councils to erect warning signs at these three sites. Skin contact with cyanobacteria can cause skin, eye, nose and mouth irritation. If swallowed, symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Dogs are particularly attracted by the odour of the exposed mats and are susceptible to poisoning if toxins are present. Symptoms of this poisoning include lethargy, convulsions, increased respiration, and paralysis. The freshwater quality map on the Taranaki Regional Council website is based mainly on the results of the bacterial monitoring. However, map icons may not indicate the presence of algae mats.

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“The SCR Heatime system will be a valuable addition to our range of herd improvement and animal management solutions here in New Zealand,” Mr McNee said. LIC and SCR have identified four initial markets for distribution of the DAL meters, with the potential to add more in the future. SCR’s Heatime will be available to all New Zealand dairy farmers from LIC, with its Protrack™ farm automation systems. Heatime collects and analyses critical data points, from activity to rumination, on every individual cow, delivering the heat, health and nutrition insight to improve accuracy and drive overall farm efficiency. Shane McManaway, general manager Allflex Australasia said it is exciting news for NZ dairy farmers. “When three of the world’s leaders in their respective fields join forces it provides synergies and opportunities not seen before. Allflex is very excited to be partnering with LIC.” Yariv Avisar, SCR chief executive, says the partnership will support growth in both global businesses. “It is our vision to secure dairy farming’s future by monitoring every cow. We are delighted to work with LIC and their New Zealand farmers, to support the future growth of their farming industry and expand our range of solutions.”

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The farmer-owned cooperative LIC has secured a new strategic partnership with Israel-based cow monitoring and milking intelligence solutions company, SCR. The par tnership includes a distribution agreement whereby SCR, will distribute the co-op’s DAL milking sensors internationally and LIC will become a New Zealand distributor for SCR’s cow reproduction and health monitoring system, Heatime®. SCR, headquartered in Netanya, Israel, is a world leader in development, manufacturing and marketing of cow, milking and herd intelligence solutions, with US and European subsidiaries, sales offices in China and more than 330 employees. LIC chief executive Wayne McNee says the partnership is part of the co-op’s strategy to grow the business overseas and provide New Zealand dairy farmers with more choice. “SCR is a world-leading provider of cow intelligence systems with a strong history of delivering solutions to improve farm efficiency worldwide. This agreement aligns with our vision to improve the prosperity and productivity of our farmers, and our focus on key international markets that will add value for shareholders in New Zealand. “DAL sensors are highly regarded here in New Zealand for their unique ability to measure a range of factors (milk volume, fat, protein, lactose, and somatic cell counts) while a cow is being milked. This partnership confirms the global demand for the value the sensors deliver on-farm, and ability to meet the needs of farmers worldwide.

February 2015

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

Riparian plantings reap

HUGE b e n e f i t s BY DENISE GUNN Over the past six years, Rob and Gwen Willcox, together with their daughter Tina Worthington, have refenced their 149ha dairy farm and planted more than 15,000 plants alongside 10 kilometres of stream on the property.

From left: Tina, Rob and Gwen on their Rahotu dairy farm

ow, not only is the trio seeing huge benefits for their efforts, their work has also been recognised this year with a Taranaki Regional Council Environmental Award. The Taranaki Regional Council Environmental Awards recognise outstanding initiatives in the region to protect and enhance the environment. Rob, Gwen and Tina won the Environmental Leadership in Dairy Farming section which recognises farmers committed to environmental stewardship and sustainable farming practices. The family are fourth and fifth generation on the family farm near Rahotu, milking 500 Kiwi-cross cows. Rob and Gwen have lived on the property

for 44 years, while Tina has returned to the farm, along with her husband Bryan, to give their children (the family’s sixth generation), an opportunity to grow up in the country. Bryan is employed by farm equipment supplier De Laval. Tina milks the herd, alongside the farm manager Peter and his wife Tracy, through a 40-bale internal rotary shed. Gwen said they all work as a great team. “Working in the dairy industry gives us all the opportunity to work with animals, and for Rob to develop the family land,” she said. Supplementary feed in the form of grass silage is made on the family’s runoff which is nearby, and also on the home farm. A turnip crop is grown for

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Over the past six years, the trio have refenced and planted riparian strips summer feed as part of the development process. Palm kernel extract is used to fill in the feed gaps. Although Rob, Gwen and Tina were a little reluctant to follow the Taranaki Regional Council’s planting plan at first, they made the decision to go ahead with it. “We decided to refence the farm into 25 equal-sized paddocks using the riparian strips where possible as paddock boundaries,” said Rob. “We previously had 36 paddocks of different sizes.” Rob was responsible for the planning stage and refencing. It wasn’t an easy task however as lahar hills created challenges for

fencing, often requiring fence lines to be put in with a digger. Winning the environmental award has encouraged the family to continue planting. “We intend to do much more than the plan,” said Rob.

We previously had 36 paddocks of different sizes After noticing improvements to the environmental and overall farm management through fencing and planting streambanks, Gwen and Tina are enthusiastic about educating others about riparian management benefits.

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Riparian margins on the Willcox farm are more than two metres wide, enabling stock effluent and fertiliser runoff to be filtered before it enters the stream. Plants are also reducing weeds, providing shade for stream habitat, and there has been a noticeable increase in bird life. “We noticed Tui for the first time last year,” Tina. Although the majority of plants were bought from TRC, the family are also growing many from seedlings, and sourcing from other outlets.

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Rob said the riparian strips have made break-feeding much easier as streambanks no longer have to clambered up. “Safety is much improved for people, especially on four-wheelers.” Shelter and safety for animals has also been created as the fenced buffer zones keep them out of danger spots. “Our goals are to continue farming, making improvements along the way,” said Gwen. “Hopefully for even more generations,” she added.

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

Making the most of small

farm production by Densie Gunn

On his five acre property near Omata, Jodi Roebuck, his partner Tanya, and their two daughters are growing food, saving seeds, and striving for maximum grass production to feed their livestock.

odi is utilising all the space on his block of land with the main focus on bio-intensive gardening and small farm production. And he has plenty of plans to continue learning and helping others along the way. Jodi described his property as a blank canvas when he bought it. “It’s sheltered from the westerly and has two acres in the middle which are flat,” he said. “That appealed to me.” Following the bio-intensive gardening method, which involves deep soil

preparation, Jodi initially established a 4,500 square foot garden, all prepared by hand. “This allows more plants to grow as they have more root space,” said Jodi. A living ground cover ensures there is no space for weeds to grow through, and organic matter is added as compost. “The garden is always cropped — it’s never left open.” “Bed preparation is the big thing.” The couple also make their own seedraising mix. “We don’t buy anything in,” said Jodi.

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Jodi and his family now run 60 sheep “The cropping seed is from seed we’ve produced ourselves.” Jodi has been growing, selecting and storing good quality Heritage seeds for several years. His long-term plan is to develop an income selling the seeds. In 2001 Jodi completed an apprenticeship at Koanga Gardens in Kaiwaka. A scholarship with United States-based author, teacher, researcher and sustainable agriculture expert John Jeavons followed. Visits to Taranaki Farm in Australia have further increased Jodi’s knowledge. Taranaki Farm, located near Melbourne, produces organic pastured eggs, chicken, beef and pork, with an emphasis on practising and promoting ethical animal husbandry, and regenerative landscape stewardship. Jodi has also completed a practical workshop with ecological farmer Joel Salatin of PolyFace Farms during a visit to Taranaki Farm in 2012. After moving to his Omata block of land, Jodi began to meet local farmers

and developed an interest in farming. Jodi said one farmer in particular, the late Bruce Andrews, was an encouraging mentor to him. Jodi is now running 60 sheep on his block and other free-lease land areas. And the former vegetarian has returned to eating meat. “It’s just knowing where our food comes from,” he said. “With mob-grazing and bio-intensive gardening, one supports the other.” Free grazing in the area is often offered to Jodi in return for his ability to rejuvenate the land. Jodi’s concept is caring for the soil and pasture through rotational grazing with a portable electric fence unit. Although rotational grazing through the use of electric fences is not new to New Zealand’s farmers, Jodi said the rest period for soil and pasture is the key. “It’s all about timing.” “Joel Salatin said the portable electric fence is the accelerator, handbrake

February 2015

The garden is always cropped and steering wheel for farming.” Jodi continues to pass on the knowledge he has gained, hosting international visitors keen to learn more about growing food. And he has plans to build the infrastructure on his property to accommodate them. “People come here from all over the world to learn about biointensive gardening, mob-grazing and seed saving.” Jodi’s Facebook page is filled with useful information, tips and hints. He encourages contact through his email address SeedKeeper@xtra.co.nz. Jodi also holds workshops on biointensive gardening and small farm production on his property, as well as travelling to other venues. “It’s a really positive way for young people to get back to farming.”

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February 2015

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

ADVERTORIAL

New Year, new markets, new thinking

by John K Morris CEO of Agrissentials

Volatility in the market is making it tough for everyone but at least we are not living in a warzone and we will make it through once again. This volatility is teaching us a better way, making us more resilient, more conservative plus strengthening our business skills. As food producers, New Zealand is in a good market. People need food, and our soils, climate and isolation are strong factors for us to operate from. I have been down the natural track for 30 years now and over the past ten years I

have recognised an increasing demand for food produced in a safe, certified, nutritiously dense manner as people all over the globe become more concerned about their health and what they are eating. This is the new market and it is a market that will continue to grow. To produce food to qualify for this market is simple. It’s all about changing the soil — change the soil and you change the

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quality of the food — it is that simple. The change to remineralise our soils and protect our environment is already here. Agrissentials’ focus is on the soil. Get the soil right and all life above the soil, plants, animals and people will be right. Agrissentials’ live, living multi-mineral, microbial rich fertilisers are designed to bring health and vitality back to soils and back to the environment. With the new consumer markets out there crying out for safe, certified nutritiously dense food produced in an eco-friendly and sustainable way, New Zealand is ideally positioned to take a strong lead in producing top quality food for this growing demand. We have the soil, the climate, the water and the people to do it and we are renowned for our agriculture and horticulture. Before chemicals got a grip on our production methods we were world leaders in economic food production, innovation and enterprise. Today’s chemical methods have tied us into the commodity markets where we are competing against other big commodity suppliers. I believe that it is time to change our methods of production by working with nature —

increasing the depth, microbial life and mineral content of the top soil. This in turn will increase soil carbon, soil water retention, and soil drainage capacity, increasing production and producing better quality food. Such a move would take us away from the commodity markets and their volatile systems which are unstable, unpredictable and difficult to budget around. When you see the likes of Tatua Dairy paying out $10.30 per milk solid there is definitely strong opportunities in the marketplace for value added quality food. Agrissentials’ certified natural system of soil fertility can open up opportunities to help you produce top quality, certified produce with our multi mineral, microbial rich fertilisers designed to bring health and vitality back to the soil. Get the soil right and the rest of the system falls into place. Go on, give us a call and make a change for good. To find out how, phone 0800 THE KEY that’s 0800 843 539 today for a FREE INFO PACK or you can contact your friendly representative Adrian Rowe on 021 873 304 to find out how we can make your farm more successful.

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

February 2015

Central Districts Field Days 12–14 March Manfeild Park, Feilding New sites at Central Districts event by Ayla Miller

The Central Districts Field Days are shaping up to be the biggest yet, with organisers saying new sites have been arranged to accommodate growing exhibitor numbers. “With a combination of our reputation and the fact our visitors like dealing with local businesses, we are hoping to attract the same crowd as last year,” event manager Cheryl Riddel says. “Farmers often say they prefer to come to the Central Districts Field Days than any others, as you can see everything in one day and speak with the local dealers. “There are normally 550 exhibitor sites but this year we are expecting to exceed that. “Seventy seven per cent of exhibitors re-book, which tells you something about

how the field days work for people,” Cheryl says. “We are expecting 35–36,000 adult visitors over the three days and that isn’t including those under 16 who are free. “Thursday is expected to attract the farmers. The farming families usually visit on Friday, and Saturday sees the lifestyle block owners. “We cater for men as well as women, which few field days do. We offer a range of stalls for all interests including outdoor furniture and clothing. New this year is FoodHQ, who will be discussing how they aim to grow New Zealand’s agrifood sector. “On Saturday there will be activities for the younger visitors as well, provided by PromoKing and motorbike rides,” she says.

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February 2015

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February 2015

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

RURAL WHEELS

Re-imagined, reinforced and ready to work by Andy Bryenton

When it comes time to choose a new ATV quad for the farm — and especially one to be put through a gruelling rote of farming chores by farm staff daily — it’s not the bells and whistles which count. It’s toughness, reliability, and to a large extent price which dictate a shrewd investment. Which is not to say that rider comfort, safety, storage options and power don’t come into the mix — it’s just that dollar for dollar, most Kiwi farmers are looking for a working tool, not a recreational toy. Can Am have been providing ATV quads for the New Zealand farmer for quite a while now, along with farmers around the world. And they’ve been quick to realise that the most hated thing of all, on rural spreads from Arkansas to Akaroa, is maintenance downtime. That’s why they’ve toughened up their new, lowpriced, high-durability Outlander 450L series, producing a new, single seater ATV which is all about more bang for your buck. It’s a no-frills approach, focussed on work, not necessarily play. Racing

stripes and alloy mags give way to a smarter air cleaner system, a re-imagined 450cc, liquid cooled Rotax four-stroke providing 38 horsepower. Even the frame has moved past tubular steel, using less bolts and less welds for long-lasting structural rigidity. The suspension has been improved with more travel over the bumps both front and back, and a new double front A-arm system to reduce dive in the corners. As usual, there’s Can Am’s trademark trailing torsional independent system at the back, keeping things smooth and in control. All of which should be no surprise — Can Am, like their rivals in both the United States and Asia, have to innovate and improve to survive the cut and thrust of the ATV world. What is different though, is the price.

Visit any Can Am dealership and you will be surprised at the low cost of the new L series of Outlanders, as well as the comprehensive nature of their warranty. It’s all part of a concerted push by Can

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

February 2015

RURAL WHEELS

Safety and utility side by side by Andy Bryenton

The humble motor car has come a long way in the last three decades — from the age before seat belts, airbags and ANCAP safety ratings to a machine which offers safety as a paramount priority. Stability control, antilock brakes, side intrusion bars — all point to one overarching fact. On four wheels, safety is king. It’s the same on the farm, as the manufacturers of hard-working off road vehicles strive to make working in tough outdoor conditions as safe as possible. Already a clear leader in the side by side market, Polaris Industries has upped the ante with the release of the unique. This pushes the number of Polaris models with complete rollover protection up to 15, a versatile line-up which spans a wide range of applications and engine sizes. The M1400 is targeted squarely at the light commercial market, boasting two-wheel drive with turf mode, turf tyres, and power provided by a 31HP Pro-Star engine. The capabilities of the M1400 are clear from the figures alone. With a payload of 635kg, towing capacity of 680kg and rear tray capacity of 499kg, this new machine from the people who brought the extremely popular Ranger to the UTV scene won’t shy away from hard work.

The M1400 features electronic fuel injection for smooth and responsive power, along with independent front and rear suspension for the trademark smooth Polaris ride and a top speed of 42 km/ph. A well thought out chassis and suspension layout ensures that this kind of grunt can be deployed on just about any surface nature wants to throw in your path. A unique feature of the M1400 is a spacious flat tray, with a plethora of accessory options available such as an electric tipping bed, a suite of incab accessories and a combo of rear box, side and carrier options. Indeed, Polaris proudly claim the industry’s largest range of accessories, with their proprietary Lock and Ride accessory range able to be attached and detached at a moment’s notice. The M1400 also promises to take the crew further with a fuel capacity of 34.1 litres, whilst its 144cm width, 4.3 metre turning radius and turf mode ensure ease of access to tight spots. “We already have an industryleading range of 15 models with ROPS,

however we continue to innovate and develop new models to ensure we can offer solutions to the widest possible range of customers,” says Polaris New Zealand Country Manager, Alan Collins. “The M1400 is a great example of a vehicle that offers tremendous value and versatility to light commercial users. “We have had great success with our Heavy Duty range of product designed for heavy users, and now products such as the M1400 and the Ranger ETX offer so many solutions for light commercial and agricultural or lifestyle applications.”

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February 2015

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

DAIRY

Soil Matters with Peter Burton

More product for less cost The required Nitrate N leaching levels that dairy farms will have to meet in future will be calculated by Overseer, and the model at present assumes that all urine contains the same concentration regardless of the type of feed eaten. To meet the allowable leaching levels the focus will need to shift from overall milk production from ever expanding herds, to fewer cows/herds, and maximising individual cow production. Even in our own days of dairy farming this seemed a logical idea, but met with no support at discussion groups or from peers. Getting more cows was the focus, even though supplements at that time consisted of no more than hay or grass silage. Every kilogramme of pasture “When magnesium inputs are required, Golden Bay Dolomite provides the simplest and most effective option.” call 0800 4 Dolomite

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grown must be eaten, and if not eaten by one, then by another. In many cases this resulted in pasture being grazed too hard, and taking longer to recover. With the advent of maize silage and other easily procurable supplements, these became the wherewithal to get supposed maximum production from more cows. The income from this ‘extra’ production was assumed to be sufficient to pay for the supplements. ‘Production’ was the word of the day, and ‘profitability’ relied on ever increasing payouts. The most financially successful farmers this season are those growing the most pasture and grazing it at the optimum time for high levels of per animal production. The future success of New Zealand’s pastoral farming lies in our ability to fully feed highly efficient animals on finest quality low-cost pasture. The grass fed

food produced is best quality, and with sound marketing and selling a premium price will be paid for it. Until this extremely low payout season, when the topic of farming with fewer animals has been raised, the immediate and understandable objection is that less individual and overall production is not an option. But a number of farmers have already found that reducing animal numbers actually results in increased output, as less feed is required for animal maintenance, with more going directly into meat and milk production. Through existing breeding and selection programmes the animals capable of exceptional production from pasture alone are already available. However, the first step to maximising that potential is ensuring a plentiful supply of high quality pasture, and that starts with the soil. Highest pasture production comes from the best soil. There are three

aspects to soil fertility — nutrient levels, physical structures, and biological activity. All are equally important. Intensive grazing can be hard on all these soil aspects. While much is written about keeping nutrient levels up, and avoiding pugging, the need for continuous robust biological activity is often overlooked. Thus a nutrient programme which not only supplies phosphorus, potassium and sulphur, but also contains biological inputs, can allow the soil itself to create exceptional pasture growth without reliance on fertiliser nitrogen. Eco-Logic Soil Improvement has data on performance measures, pasture, animal and total production from a number of farms over more than a decade. Therefore it can formulate individual programmes for properties to provide the basis for steadily increasing production with reduced and acceptable nutrient losses. For more information call Peter on 0800 843 809.

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

February 2015

DAIRY

Be my Guest

Bill Guest Farmers of New Zealand Membership Services: 09 439 5219 • 09 430 3758 www.farmersofnewzealand.com Email: newzealandfarmers@xtra.co.nz

The ramifications of settlement The ANZ Bank has reached a settlement over the interest rate swaps issue with the Commerce Commission and the Financial Markets Authority and it is the view of Farmers of New Zealand that affected farmers may need specialist legal advice before accepting the ANZ Bank offer. Farmers of New Zealand and our legal advisor, John Waugh of Daniel Overton and Goulding have followed with interest the recent agreements reached where that bank has agreed to compensate its farming customers in respect of alleged misleading conduct in the sale by them of interest rate swaps. We understand that negotiations with another bank continues. Though often each farmer has his own story, the central theme is that the interest rate swaps were marketed and promoted by ANZ’s Financial Markets and Rural teams as ‘fixed rate’ loans. This was in a period of some uncertainty as to where interest rates were actually heading and as floating rates fell to an all time low, farmers

found they were locked into loans where the bank actually increased, or had the ability to increase, the ‘fixed rates’. Farmers of New Zealand believes there is no doubt these farmers suffered losses. The essence of the agreement between the Commerce Commission and the ANZ is that the Commerce Commission has concluded that the banks’ ‘conduct was, or was likely to be misleading’. ANZ for its part, whilst agreeing to make a payment of some $18 million, has for a variety of reasons disagreed with the findings against it and they have denied they were in fact culpable of misleading conduct. Their reasons included for example that the Commerce Commission’s conclusions —

‘have not been tested in Court’ and ‘it would not be liable for any fines, penalties, refunds or damages at law, whether under any Act or any other legislation, regulation or rule of law’. FNZ suggests these are brave words by the ANZ. If that was truly the banks’ position we are of the view that the ANZ should have welcomed the opportunity to have received public exoneration in a defended hearing in court. Before this announcement was made by the Commerce Commission, Daniel Overton and Goulding had already considered this matter for farming groups involved with ANZ and had issued an opinion to the effect that there was probable cause of action. We are also not convinced, based upon our investigations, that all relevant matters have been fully spelt out in the Settlement Agreement with ANZ. A back of the envelope calculation indicates a payout on average of $100,000 for the 179 farming groups involved on the basis of this being a full and final settlement. Farmers will not know their actual position until they receive a letter from Northington and Partners some time before the end of April 2015. This letter will set out each party’s ‘entitlement’. They will then have 70 working days, being 3½ months, to decide to accept or not on a full and final basis. Even if farmers choose to accept the offer they will not receive any payment until September 2015.

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That’s nine months from the date of the announcement! So what process should affected people go through in deciding to accept or not? Legal advisor John Waugh of Daniel Overton and Goulding will be on the Farmers of New Zealand Field Days site on Saturday February 28, to provide a free no obligation initial consultation for farmers affected by swap loans. They can also be contacted by email or phone or through Bill Guest at Farmers of New Zealand. FNZ believes it is important for all farmers involved to collectively seek specialist legal advice if they believe the above settlements with the respective banks have left them financially short-changed.

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February 2015

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

LIVESTOCK

A dog’s tail …

It’s that time of yeer agin “Well dog, I hate ta tell you, but Sharlene’s mum will be commin’ up ta look after tha proppity and feed ya for a wile.” Me an Boss was over at the croppin’ block checkin on the korn, after we hada reel grate day or three of rain. “Wasn’t a million dollar rain,” seda Boss. “But it’s got this korn rompin’ along eh?” Eye hada think about that. I never seen korn rompin’ along, not like sheeps

eh? Korn stands still alla time. Heh Heh. Eye know what tha Boss meens. So Mum’s comin’ up. That meens it’s that time of yeer again. It’s Feeld Daze time. Boss an’ Sharlene will take off ta town an’ stay atta pub, and go ta Feeld Daze. Sharlene will catch up with alla fashins, an’ look at cars and stuff. Boss musta seen me thinkin’. “Yep, we will be away fer a nite or two, and gunna leeve you in charge. Keep an eye ona sheep, ana cattil beests, ana korn too.

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“You’ll be rite for a feed — I know wot Mum gets up too. Last Feeld Daze ya put on a bitta wait.” Rumbled! Mum give’s me reel good tucker, leff over roast, an’ kasserolls, an’ korned beef. But eye don’t havta wurry ‘cos when Boss sez anything, Mum just sez “Yes CHARLES ina loud voice an’ Boss shuts up. So good tucker times is commin. But there’s only one problim. Afta Feeld Daze. Boss will spend up large ta keep Sharlene happy, but I seen him comin’ back fruma show fer a few yeers now. Yep, I also meen look unner the woolshed time again! Boss came home las’ yeer wivva tray ofa ute piled up wiv’ stuff he rekind we needed ona farm. Rememba that automaik gate opena and closer wot didint work. That’s cosa Boss forgot we didint hava electrikery connected ata road gate anyway. Well, yep, it’s still unner the woolshed frum last yeer. And that home brew and booze distillin’ kit, He still reckins he neva has enuff time ta get it orginised an’ up and runnin’, cos he always has ter be fixin’ fences and clearin’ out dams, an’ dockin lams, and so on. An’ on.

Ever had a dream?

It usually happins wen Sharlene is lookin’ around tha showgrouns an’ stoppin’ off fer a kupptee wiv’ sum other ladies, wen’ tha Boss stops off ata farmer’s bear tent. Kupla ours later an’ he starts wandrin’ roun’ wiva check book. I reckin thats wen he gits inta trubbil. Eye woner wot this yeer will bring. But ina meentime, I’ll wait ata kattil stop fer Mum ta arrive. She likes it wen’ I make a fuss. An’ that makes sure I get some treets, and roast cracklin, an’ lef’ over chops, an… can’t wait tilla Boss and Sharlene head off, eh readas! See ya afta tha show — Billy

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

February 2015

LIVESTOCK

Wool Perspective

From Rob Cochrane GM, Procurement, PGG Wrightson Wool

Crossbred fleece dealt blow Crossbred fleece dominated the first South Island wool auction held on January 15, although prices prior to the auction were expected to be cheaper than December rates. Considering the Napier sale held on January 8 had resulted in a definite downturn in prices for most of the longer wool types, the relatively small quantities of wool expected during the balance of the season due to the continued decline in sheep numbers may have given cause for cautious optimism. South Island brokers however, did not expect quite the ‘body blow’ dealt to them by exporters right from the auctioneer’s opening call at 8am on January 15, and were definitely showing signs of ‘grogginess’ by the end of the day. When the bell rang after the morning break, brokers came out of their corner hesitantly and, whilst the buyers were waiting in the auction ring to continue the battle, it was clearly evident that there was not a lot of spring in their (buyers) step either. Both sides kept their guard up for the remainder of the

auction and when the auctioneer’s gavel fell for the final lot of the day, a severe bruising was obvious by the number of circles (denoting ‘passed in’ lots) drawn in broker catalogues. Although full length fleece wool received sparse enquiry from the trade throughout January, there were a range of wool types which received good support. Crossbred second-shear types drew good competition and, whilst those types had also eased considerably from their very good levels of December 2014, exporters still had firm orders to fill. Crossbred lamb’s wool drew extremely spirited bidding from a wide cross section of the export trade with levels reaching between approximately 640 and 680 cents per kilogram clean, perhaps highlighting the dry conditions in many parts of the country and the subsequent expectance of a lower than

usual volume of lamb’s wool becoming available over ensuing weeks. Halfbred and Corriedale wool types continued to draw very good support from the exporting trade and it was most pleasing to see the good quality lines available during January once again being keenly bid for. Too few Merino wools were offered during early January to enable any effective comment on the market here, however Australian brokers reported large quantities on offer there (for two weeks in a row the auction offering was well in excess of 50,000 bales each week) with January auction prices reaching levels slightly ahead of December, most likely a reflection of currency movements, as the Australian dollar had weakened considerably against the Greenback, rather than any significant increase in enquiry.

In light of an apparent weakening lamb meat schedule, a weaker wool market in general, and the weather gods continuing to send hot dry conditions to many parts of eastern areas of New Zealand, farmers could be forgiven for thinking the sheep industry is getting damned tough. We do need stability from our marketplaces for sheep related products, but achieving that appears to be almost impossible for the wider and more general wool clip. Despite many attempts over time by levy funded marketing boards, grower co-operative bodies, as well as investor owned companies, to try and dictate the price of New Zealand wool, nothing has changed in regard to processor requirement. The fact remains that processors of wool will buy what they want, when they want it, and pay what they have to pay for it at the time, driven by supply and demand. Sure New Zealand wool growers can regard their wool as the best in the world, and in the eyes of most processors it is the best wool available to suit their requirements, however profit and survivability influences their businesses most. Of course there are a number of contracts available to growers who produce specific wool types (some are quite lucrative but are generally limited volume deals) but for the main wool clip encompassing all breeds, the spot market does in fact provide the base line for volume trading. That’s my view.

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February 2015

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

RURAL WOMEN

Herd of bikes for foster kids

Ten deserving young New Zealanders were surprised and excited to be given new bikes at CRV Ambreed’s sales conference last week. The herd improvement company donated the bikes through the Fostering Kids charity, as part of a team building event called ‘Build My Ride’. Managing director of CRV Ambreed Angus Haslett said 10 teams completed a series of fun challenges designed to get people working together. “Once the teams had CRV Ambreed staff make bikes for earned a set of bike parts, foster children during a team building exercise they each constructed a “We all had some great fun and it bicycle and learnt the activity had a was very moving to see these bikes ‘higher purpose’.” Teams were able to present going to some deserving and very their bicycle to a Fostering Kids happy children.” Fostering Kids is a charitable foster child in-person, which was an “incredibly rewarding experience” for organisation providing foster families with encouragement, support and everyone involved. “When the kids ran in and showed education. Because of their past us how excited and happy they were experiences, children in foster care to be getting their first bike, it was a can have challenging behaviours, and pretty special moment for everyone,” being a foster parent can be tough. “Donating a new bike to a child in said Angus. foster care is just one way to make a real difference to a foster family.” CRV Ambreed’s team building event was coordinated by Elevate, which runs corporate team building events for organisations across Discover Sri Lanka | WONDER OF ASIA “We know Sri Lanka Better” New Zealand. Let us help you package your next holiday experience

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Eleven rural schools have each received a $2,000 gardening grant thanks to a joint venture between Rural Women New Zealand and Farmlands, which is aimed at helping schools develop vegetable gardens and orchards. “This is the fourth year we’ve given out the gardening grants,” says Rural Women New Zealand national president, Wendy McGowan. “It’s a great way to help schools teach children how easy it is to grow food and what makes a healthy diet. In past years the gardening grants have been used by schools to build tunnel houses, composting systems, buy seeds, plants, fruit trees and gardening equipment.” Ninety schools from throughout New Zealand applied for the grants and Wendy says the entries were colourful and enthusiastic. “Some even included videos, created by the children, showing what they hoped to achieve in their gardens.” Cheques were presented to each school at the beginning of term one and they also received fertiliser from Agrisea NZ Ltd and a copy of ‘A Good Harvest — recipes from the gardens of Rural Women New Zealand’, so the children can learn how to put all their produce to good use. Farmlands’ chief executive, Brent Esler, says the company is proud to

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continue its support of Rural Women New Zealand and the rural school garden grants. “As a rural co-operative it just makes sense for us to support schools that make up the hubs of the rural communities we service.” Gardening grant winners are: Norfolk School, Taranaki; Otamarakau School, Bay of Plenty; Paparoa Primary School, Northland; Te Horo School, Kapiti; Wharepapa South School, Waikato; Patoka School, Hawke’s Bay; Lauriston School, Mid Canterbury; Seddon School, Marlborough; Clutha Valley Primary School, Otago; Lake Brunner School, West Coast; and Waianiwa School, Southland.

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Jersey cow takes supreme award

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

February 2015

by Denise Gunn

Ferdon Comercia Viyella made history at the 2015 New Zealand Dairy Event when she won the All Breeds Supreme Championship. The six-year-old Jersey cow, owned by Warren Ferguson of Ferdon Genetics in Otorohanga, is the only Jersey cow to ever win the award, and the only cow to win this title twice. A panel of international judges at the event were unanimous in their decision to select Ferdon Comercia Viyella as the supreme champion. Holstein Friesian judge Murray Polson, from Australia, said the Jersey is a trouble-free cow. “And she is the epitome of what we’re all trying to breed — a cow that has stood the test of time.” Ferdon Comercia Viyella has competed at every NZDE since 2009, winning numerous championships. She previously won the All Breeds Supreme Championship in 2012.

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“She is also a great producer of milk with 8,488 litres, 846 milk solids, in 305 days at five years,” said Michelle Ferguson of Ferdon Genetics. At this year’s NZDE, Ferdon Comercia Viyella also took out the Senior and Supreme Jersey Championships, Senior All Breeds Champion, and the Best Udder class. Her full sister Ferdon Brc Viyella won Intermediate Jersey Champion and Reserve Intermediate All Breeds Champion. Her daughter Ferdon Tequila Viyella came first in the Junior Heifer Calf class. Exhibitors travelled from all over New Zealand to compete in the threeday event held at Manfeild Park in Feilding. Close to 400 dairy cattle were entered with breed classes catering for Jersey, Ayrshire, Friesian, Swiss

Brown, Guernsey and Milking Shorthorns. A number of cows, calves, heifers and dairy embryo packages went under the auctioneer’s hammer during the annual Semex Summer Sensational Sale held during the event. The Ferdon Comercia Viyella EX2 9-9 won the All Breeds sale average was Supreme Championship $3,465. Holstein Friesian New Zealand hosted a National part in the NZDE Youth Team Challenge, All Dairy Breeds Youth Camp at Manfeild placing second. The Denver Broncos, Park in the week leading up to the from Tararua, won the competition. NZDE. The camp was open to young dairy enthusiasts between the ages 60 AND 100 LITRE of 15–25 years. A team made up from TEAT SPRAYER some of those attending the camp, took

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