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by Barbara Kuriger, MP for Taranaki-King Country
The New Zealand farming family justifiably claims to be among the most technologically advanced in the world.
Our farmers and those who support them excel at just about everything we do, whether it is soil sciences (the subject of my last column), stock management, environmental protection or the myriad of other matters that make up modern farming. Our agricultural universities are world-renowned for turning out world-class graduates and cutting-edge research.
We have much to be proud of. So, it is with some surprise and not a little concern that I detect despondency among some farmers because they believe they are not being supported or resourced to a level they would like, or that farming is not rebounding from years of government neglect as quickly as they want.
Regarding the ‘neglect’ aspect, all I can and will say is something like that takes time to fix, but at least we now have a government that is, well, fixated on fixing it, a government of farmers for farmers.
Concerning support and resourcing, there is a cause for hope there. There is
a lot of work being done on farming by our universities, researchers and scientists to improve farming practices. More than just hope. There is a wealth of technology, advice, and financial and other support readily available right now for farmers. It’s there, waiting to be utilised.
Most of us can access stock and station agents — they are good and a given. Still, there is other information out there — freely given. Our big agricultural federations are excellent sources.
Look at the DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Lincoln University and Horticulture New Zealand websites. There is a wealth of resources and research (sometimes called knowledge hubs) on them. I am frankly astounded at what I found on them.
The information they provide may not exactly be the most riveting bedtime read — at least to my mind. Still, it is, to my mind, untapped and under-used. Have a look next time you are online.
Barbara Kuriger, MP for Taranaki-King Country
Zero possum project leads the way
A new phase for Taranaki’s Zero Possum project features a high-tech farmland barrier and mayonnaise.
Since January 2023, Taranaki Regional Council’s Towards Predator-Free Taranaki team has been working to eradicate possums between the Timaru Stream and the Hangatāhua (Stony) River. For more than three years, there has been no resident possum population on the original farmland area between the Timaru and Oākura Rivers.
So far, around 3,500 possums have been removed from the extension area with only a few left.
“We are down to chasing individual possums now. There are so few, it’s at the point we are starting to name them,” said Towards Predator-Free Taranaki programme lead Nick Heslop.
While that work continues with the aid of cameras, scat detection dogs and targeted trapping, attention has also turned to the design and creation of a 3km barrier stretching across private farmland south-east of the Kaitaki Range.
Self-reporting cameras are installed on trees, pointing at an automatic lure dispenser that squirts a small taster of mayonnaise each evening.
“Mayonnaise is delicious and high in calories, which possums crave in winter. Trials show it’s a highly effective lure.”
When movement is detected, the cameras take a photo, with the footage reviewed remotely. The initial goal is to determine how many cameras are needed to detect and then remove possums trying to re-enter the cleared area. The lessons
learnt will inform future operations both in Taranaki and around the country.
“We want to understand the density and movement of possums and get a
clear picture of what is happening at that edge of the zone. We know how to remove those possums, and will do it eventually, but, for now, gaining knowledge on how to keep them out is just as important.
“We were the first in New Zealand to attempt possum elimination on farmland at such a large scale. The total area is 9,500ha. Sharing what we are learning is important, and one of the reasons we receive funding from Predator Free 2050 Ltd.”
Self-setting traps are also being strategically deployed along the barrier.
“The new barrier will, in time, become our main incursion response tool, with intruder possums tracked and removed, as we are currently doing in the main Zero Possum area,” said Nick.
Landowners have been supportive, allowing the team to set up cameras and return to track down possums or maintain equipment. Work has slowed recently as farmers focus on calving, but the barrier should be complete by the end of the year.
Zero Possum project lead Cody Luckin grew up near Ōkato, his family farms there, and he still lives within the Zero Possum zone. Cody said the project’s success so far shows what is possible.
A self-reporting camera, which takes a photo when movement is detected
Nick Heslop, Towards Predator-Free Taranaki programme lead
BY DENISE GUNN
Eastern Taranaki farm manager Rachel Law took up sheepdog trialling after picking up a free Huntaway in Auckland 14 years ago.
The Huntaway, named Syd, was about 12 months old when Rachel took him home.
“My first ever open points were with Syd, but he never qualified for champs,” said Rachel.
“The first dog I ever qualified for champs was also given to me for free as a pup, by dog trialling legend Graeme Dickson. Her name was Rowdy.”
Rachel grew up around dogs and horses in eastern Taranaki, living in Mangamingi with her mother, and
spending school holidays with her father in Whangamōmona.
When she left school, she decided to head to Massey University, graduating with a Bachelor of Applied Science, majoring in agribusiness. Her first farming position was on Phill and Bronwyn Muir’s drystock farm in Mangamingi.
“They were amazing to me, and I was very lucky to be able to work for them.”
Rachel now works as farm manager on Te Moata, one of five blocks in the Paparata group owned by Trevor and Trish Johnson.
HUNTAWAYS, HEADING DOGS AND HERDING
The 1,750ha (1,350ha effective) Te Moata farm covers steep hill to easy rolling and medium hill country with 200ha in native bush and 190ha recently planted in pine trees.
Around 12,000 stock units, which include 560 calving cows and 4,400 Paparata Romney breeding ewes, are wintered on the property. All weaners are taken through the first winter as well as around 1,000 hoggets.
“We’ve used Red (Josh Gordon) and Te Kuiti meats to sell lambs this season,” said Rachel Angus and Angus-Hereford cross cows feature in the Te Moata herd, with up to 120 R2 heifers kept for breeding. The remainder are sold. Around 380 yearling Te Moata cattle are sold in December.
Rachel and Miss have had several major successes
“Last year was the first on-farm cattle sale for Paparata, with nearly 1,000 yearlings sold between the five blocks. It was such a success Paparata plan to make this a yearly on-farm sale.” A further 70 steers are finished to 620kg at 24 months on Te Moata. As a member of the Whangamōmona Sheep Dog Trial Club, Rachel currently competes with three dogs; two Huntaways named Miss and Boy, and a heading dog called Shrimp.
“I compete most weekends over trial season, which is February to April. The closest trial is five minutes down the road, and the furthest trial we normally attend is three and a half hours away.
“This year has been a very lucky year for me. Miss has been working really well, and we have had quite a successful season even before the champs.”
At the North Island Sheep Dog Trial Championships, hosted by the Taranaki Centre Sheep Dog Centre at Mangamingi in May, Rachel won the zig zag hunt with Miss. The combination also placed third in the national title runoff at the New Zealand Sheep Dog Trial Championships, hosted at the same event.
She said placing at Mangamingi was an extra special way to finish the season. “I’m very lucky to have Miss in my kennels.”
Rachel also travelled to the South Island Sheep Dog Trial Championships held in Marlborough in May, placing seventh in the short head category with Shrimp. Learning from other Taranaki competitors has helped Rachel immensely.
“All the Taranaki competitors are great at sharing their knowledge and have helped me. Special thanks for his time and patience would have to go to Dan Murphy for all of the help he, in particular, has given me.”
Dan also made the runoffs at Mangamingi this year. “Everyone involved in the Taranaki trials are great, friendly people.”
Rachel has found the most rewarding aspect of the training dogs is taking a young dog through to become a productive team member. Consistency when training is the key.
“It’s a bonus if they are good enough to make it to trial level,” said Rachel.
“Anyone thinking about trialling should just give it a go.”
Sheep in the yards on Te Moata During
Rachel competes most weekends
GROWING THE NEXT GENERATION OF FARMERS
Growing Future Farmers (GFF) was formally established in 2020 by several sheep and beef producers throughout New Zealand. The charitable trust’s objective is to train students and open up career pathways to fill labour shortages in the agriculture industry.
A two-year, free on-farm Essential Farm Skills training programme is geared towards young people ages
BY DENISE GUNN
16–20 who are keen to follow sheep, beef and deer farming careers. Funding for the programme is received from the government (Tertiary Education Commission), farmers, and industry and corporate sponsors.
Students live on-farm, training and gaining experience four days a week.
One day each week is set aside to attend courses and spend time on their academic studies.
AND CHIP
Farmers around New Zealand can apply to become a farm trainer, passing on their skills, training and experience to a student for the two-year duration. More than 100 farm trainers are currently involved in the programme’s delivery, backed up by support from GFF regional liaison managers.
The Werders initially heard about GFF in 2022 through Hāwera High School student Ryan Williamson. The Year 12 student was working one day a week on Sami and Laura’s farm through the Gateway programme. Laura said Ryan was looking into cadet schools but then came across GFF as an option.
“Neither of us had heard about it before then so we did a bit of research. Turns out it was started in other regions in 2020 but hadn’t made it to Taranaki.
“We needed five farm trainers to put up their hand to take on a student to make it worthwhile coming to the region, and the rest is history.”
Ryan started on the programme in January 2023 and is currently in his second year on the Werder’s farm.
“We didn’t want to lose Ryan to another region of the country, so it was an easy decision to make. Good young kids with hard-work ethics and a willingness to learn can sometimes be hard to find.”
Sami and Laura run 250 breeding cows and 2,000 ewes on their eastern Taranaki farm
Sami and Laura Werder have been involved with Growing Future Farmers since the farmer-led workforce training programme first landed in Taranaki last year.
Sami and Laura currently run 250 breeding cows and 2,000 ewes on their Awatea farm near Toko. One-third of the property is flat to easy rolling country and the remainder is easy to medium hill.
Students live in fully furnished accommodation on-farm with electricity, heating and Wi-Fi provided. As part of the programme, each student receives a living allowance and payment for meat and vegetables.
In their first year, students are given two pups to train; a heading pup in February and a Huntaway in August. Sami said the GFF programme is well supported.
“We have access to some of the best trainers in the country that these kids are so lucky to have.
“Lloyd Bishop has taken on the role of pup trainer with the students. He meets up with them monthly to see their progress and offer advice.”
Shearing instructors also meet with the students to fine-tune their shearing. The couple has found other rural professionals are keen to help, too.
“This course is so broad,” said Laura. “They get training with certified trainers in all aspects of farming. For example, if you don’t do any cropping or much tractor work, it is organised to get it elsewhere.”
Regional liaison managers support the training, working with farm trainers and students. The GFF programme includes practical training and development in the workplace, NZQA level three qualifications, pastoral care and support.
Nicky Macdonald-Wells was the GFF Taranaki liaison manager.
“Words cannot describe her,” said Laura. “She organised the students’ training courses on a Friday and was pretty much like another mother for these students. She went above and beyond.”
Andrea James has recently taken on this role. She has been involved with GFF for almost three years as Taihape liaison manager and is now the student success adviser for both Taranaki and Taihape.
Sami said seeing the student learn something new and do it really well is most rewarding. With more than 73 graduates to date, 100% of those are in full-time employment within the agricultural sector as shepherds, shearers, fencers and agricultural contractors.
In the four years since the charitable trust began, GFF is now the largest farmer-led workforce training programme in New Zealand. There are aspirations to expand into the dairy and horticulture sectors.
Growing Future Farmers trainers Laura and Sami Werder
From left: Peta Fearon, Zoe Jordan, GFF liaison manager Nicky Macdonald-Wells, Joel Dodunski, Gus Waite and Ryan Williamson at Toko School pet day
“It was a job I had always seen done by men, so to see a woman doing it planted a seed. I thought, I can do that,” said Shelley.
Horses have been a large part of Shelley Churchill’s life, attending Okato Pony Club from a young age, taking up an apprenticeship as a jockey, working on stud farms, and preparing horses for endurance riding and polocrosse.
In 2003, Shelley took up the opportunity to complete a six-week American School of Equine Dentistry course. Dr Ray Hyde, who established the American School of Dentistry in 1994, travelled to New Zealand to hold the course.
HELPING HORSES AND HUMANS
Shelley Churchill’s interest in equine dentistry began when equine dental technician Kyla Johnson worked on her horse’s teeth.
“Time in the classroom included learning anatomy of the horse’s head and eventually using tools on horses’ skulls, and then going out into the field to do as many horses as possible.
“We also had very good New Zealandexperienced senior horse dentists help with the training; Gerard Tracy from the South Island, Warwick Behrns, Bruce Neil and, of course, Shirley Calder.
“After the training, I spent the next four years doing as many horses as I could and working with Shirley as my mentor. Shirley was also a Bowen therapist and did Equine Muscle Release Therapy (EMRT) on horses.
BY
“I found this modality to be fascinating and very effective.”
Equine teeth grow continuously, developing sharp points on the molars,
which can lacerate the cheeks and tongue, causing painful ulcers. These ulcers can inhibit chewing, and affect the horse while ridden.
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Shelley competes around the North Island in long distance endurance rides
DENISE GUNN
In her line of work as an equine dentist, Shelley works mostly in Taranaki, but will travel further afield for larger groups
An equine dentist files the points so that they become smooth. Horses should have their teeth checked at least annually. In her line of work, Shelley initially travelled mostly throughout Taranaki and the King Country.
“I also did a large South Island run occasionally, but after my partner was diagnosed with cancer at 40 and died nine months later, I wasn’t able to travel as much, and things slowed down for me.”
As Shelley was unable to easily travel further afield, she kept her work in Taranaki but needed an additional line of employment.
“At that point, both my parents were very unwell. I had to future proof myself and be doing something that potentially could have been useful to my family that was gentle enough and appropriate for
unwell people. Hence, my interest in Bowen therapy was peaked.”
Shelley had previously come across the Bowen technique while working with Shirley, finding it effective on her own endurance horses.
“I used it as my main go-to therapy for many years using Sonya Glennie in Whanganui. I decided to train for Bowen after Dion died and my parents were unwell.”
For two years, Shelley travelled back and forth to Australia, attending the Equis College of Learning and Research. She received a Practitioners Award in EMRT, which is essentially Bowen for horses.
During those two years, Shelley also travelled to Auckland each month for classes to train as a Bowen practitioner for humans under a naturopath/Bowen instructor. Shelley now works primarily in
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Taranaki but will travel further afield for larger groups.
“I have mostly used hand tools over the years and worked on unsedated horses. However, some horses may require sedation and power tools.
“I don’t remove teeth anymore. That’s a job for the vets, but I balance the mouth, put in bit seats and can help with basic bitting.”
Training in saddle-fitting is also underway. “I am not selling saddles, just helping guide the horse owner with good choices on what could help to work for them and their horse.”
In her spare time, Shelley competes in long distance endurance rides around
the North Island. She placed third in a 160km championship event and won the prize for the fittest horse. Shelley and her horse Kizi also competed twice in a 240km event, which they won on their second attempt.
“I have competed on different horses over the years, and have always enjoyed getting my horse up to competing over 160km in a day. We have vet checks throughout the event. I have found Bowen to be a secret weapon for a competition horse.”
Shelley also plans to open a retreat on her property, which will include Bowen treatment.
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Beef + Lamb (B+LNZ) has announced the launch of the Rural Leadership Advancement Scholarship, which aims to support the next generation of leaders in the sheep and beef sector.
The industry body will sponsor two sheep and beef farmers to participate in the NZ Rural Leader’s Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme in 2025. Each successful candidate will be paired with a B+LNZ mentor relevant to their area of interest, with a tailored mentoring programme developed around them.
The scholarship is a key part of B+LNZ’s refocussed People & Capability workstream within its refreshed strategy to enhance and sustain on-farm productivity and profitability.
A major focus is on growing on-farm leadership; essential for retaining talent and fostering positive workplace cultures.
Through this workstream, B+LNZ aims to boost retention by enhancing leadership, celebrating success, and ensuring farm teams thrive from day one to the end of year three; essential to creating a sustainable future for sheep and beef farming in New Zealand.
“This scholarship isn’t just about individual development; it’s also designed to benefit the wider sector. Recipients will share their project findings and experiences at a series of B+LNZ events, ensuring that the knowledge gained contributes to the growth and success of all our levy payers,” said B+LNZ national extension programme manager Olivia Weatherburn.
“Through this scholarship, B+LNZ wants to support and enable future farming leaders to make a significant impact on the sheep and beef sector from their position on-farm.
“This scholarship offers farmers a unique chance to participate in the NZ Rural Leader’s Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme and develop a project that benefits their community and the wider industry.
“With support and mentorship from B+LNZ, these farmers will gain valuable leadership skills, build supporting networks and make a lasting impact.
“We are committed to nurturing leadership behind the farm gates to grow the rural leadership community, ensuring that our sector continues to thrive in a rapidly changing landscape.
“The scholarship represents an incredible opportunity for those working every day on-farm that are looking to advance their leadership journey and contribute to the future of the sheep and beef sector.”
Scholarship applications close at 5pm on October 7, 2024. To apply visit the B+LNZ website beeflambnz.com or email Olivia.Weatherburn@beeflambnz. com.
Nutritional medicine for osteoarthritis
two)
by John Arts, Abundant Health
While most develop OA symptoms from age 50, I was unlucky to have this in my thumbs from age 30.
I have hyperextensible thumb joints, meaning that I can move my thumbs at abnormal angles. The discomfort became quite severe in my 50s. Today, at 69, my thumbs are largely symptom-free. This is because I use high chondroitin supplements, combined with high-dose omega-3 and an anti-inflammatory diet. Feel free to request an email copy of my Osteoarthritis Programme.
I am regularly asked whether taking high chondroitin supplements can restore cartilage. Realistically, once cartilage is lost it cannot be replaced. The real question is whether joints affected by OA can become more comfortable. In most cases, joints degenerated by OA can become more comfortable. It is rare that we cannot get an improvement.
The initial dietary changes are mostly about fats and oils by removing high omega-6 seed oils and replacing these with virgin olive oil, while adding therapeutic levels of marine omega-3 from concentrated fish oil.
It is important to get professional advice before starting supplements.
There are several medications that should not be taken with some supplements. In most cases, I start with 1,600mg daily of high-quality chicken-derived chondroitin sulphate. This is by far the most important supplement ingredient — much more so than glucosamine. However, I also add 1,600mg of glucosamine and 400mg of the latest 100% water-soluble curcumin extracts.
Depending on the severity, we maintain these doses for 6–12 weeks with the first review at six weeks. Most people start to notice changes about then. For the next three months, we move the doses down to maintenance levels of 800mg of both chondroitin and glucosamine. In the past 25 years, I have seen thousands of people improve their joint health by adopting these measures.
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.
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Managing director Keryn Amon emphasises the company’s dedication to quality, ensuring that projects are completed on time and on budget, without compromising on craftsmanship.
“Our companies, DML Construction and Boss Homes provide a seamless building experience, guiding clients from the initial vision to the final details.”
Their team includes quantity surveyors, design/drafting services, colour consultant and project managers, ensuring constant communication and support throughout the process. They also handle the necessary paperwork and council approvals, reducing clients’ stress.
DML Construction’s diverse portfolio includes rural developments like cowsheds, herd homes, and hay barns, as well as commercial projects, such as the award-winning Whanganui Collegiate School’s administration block and the Westmere Presbyterian Memorial Church, which won the Western Architectural Award for Public Architecture.
The company has also earned recognition as specialists in earthquake-strengthening, receiving a silver award for their work at the
New Zealand Commercial Project Awards, strengthening and restoring a prominent Whanganui main street building.
In addition to DML Construction, their related business arms, Boss Homes and Creative Aluminium, offer clients comprehensive solutions, from fixtures and fittings to partnerships with national suppliers that provide competitive pricing. This one-stop shop approach enhances value for their clients.
Keryn said their branding is built on trust and reliability, with a commitment to delivering homes and buildings that meet the highest quality standards.
“When our clients receive their homes, they are proud and cannot find fault,” he says, highlighting the firm’s ongoing commitment to excellence.
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Arriving from overseas with her husband, two children, a cat and a 40ft container of furniture Belinda settled into Taranaki (and New Zealand) to showcase her interior style ideas. Developed during 22 years of travel and interior design experience around the world, Belinda wanted to share her knowledge and transform as many ‘houses into homes’ as she could.
She and her team were welcomed to Beach Street, Fitzroy, in 2019, and made an even bigger move to Liardet Street in the city just a year ago.
“It was both exciting and daunting,” says Belinda of the big move. “We knew we had to make a statement yet remain true to our style ethos: timeless and elegant, with our personality overlaid.”
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We understand that time is precious in the agricultural sector, which is why we manage every aspect, from planning and consents, to design, construction and aftercare, with a focus on efficiency and rural practicality at every stage.
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by Liz Clark
FROM THE GROUND UP
Keeping it sustainable
With spring kicking in, thoughts will turn toward outdoor living spaces, a plan to build that long-overdue deck and buying the furniture to match.
Most decks and outdoor furniture use H3 or H4-treated radiata pine. However, other timber can be used, including eucalyptus, macrocarpa and tropical hardwoods such as kwila, balau and, more rarely, Fijian kauri. Alternative timbers can be attractive and durable. Still, before you jump into the vehicle and go off to the local hardware store to get your timber or outdoor furniture made from tropical hardwood, consider where it came from first.
If your furniture retailer is responsible, the wood the products are made from will carry a sustainable forest certification label, especially in the case of outdoor furniture. While it’s a great idea to have attractive wood tables and chairs, check before you buy that a sustainable wood certification label comes with the product you want to purchase. If there isn’t a label on the product, then check with the retailer where it was originally sourced from.
The same applies to decking timber. Check with your local timber merchant to see where that particular tropical timber species has been sourced. All good timber retailers can provide advice and
information on where their imported wood has been supplied from.
Tropical timber comes from regions such as Africa, Indonesia, South America and the Pacific Islands. Balau is a dense hardwood native to the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. Kwila is sourced from the Indonesian-ruled areas of New Guinea. Issues have been raised regarding illegal logging surrounding this particular hardwood species in recent times.
Fijian kauri is considered a fast-growing timber species. Still, according to a study
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retailers that aim to only import and sell sustainable timber products.
For more information about the importation of tropical timber, visit the MPI website at mpi.govt.nz/import/forestproducts/combatting-trade-of-illegallylogged-timber.
by the Vanuatu Environmental Science Society, this tropical tree is now under threat. There are legal and sustainable logging operations globally that comply with international conventions on sustainable timber production.
According to the Ministry of Primary Industries website, tropical hardwood timber has the highest chance of being illegally or unsustainably logged. You can also check if the retailer is a member of the New Zealand Imported Timber Trade Group. Its members are importers and
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Tropical hardwood can make attractive decking or outdoor furniture — check for sourcing before you buy
by Andy Bryenton
SNA review to rewrite rules
The controversial topic of Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) has again been broached by parliament, with a move made toward new rules that will more clearly define areas for environmental protection, while emphasising the importance of private property rights.
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard says the coalition government is delivering on its commitment to cease implementing new SNAs and review their operation.
This May, the government introduced a Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Bill that called for the suspension of National Policy Statement on Indigenous Biodiversity requirements for three years. Councils would no longer have to identify new SNAs and include them in district plans. The bill also extends some SNA implementation timeframes to the end of 2030.
As with freshwater management and protection provisions, the question inevitably arose of what would happen during the interregnum between the old National Policy Statement, now on its way out, and new rules, yet to be developed.
“We want to give certainty to councils and communities as soon as possible,” Mr Hoggard said. “We campaigned on the importance of individual property rights, and we intend
Hoggard, Associate Environment Minister
to deliver. In their current form, SNAs identified on private property limit new activities and development, and in my view, will likely undermine voluntary conservation efforts.”
To that end, Mr Hoggard and his colleagues set the parameters for a review, which will define once and for all what constitutes an SNA, in the eyes of the coalition government and the laws
they intend to frame. The review will cover criteria for identifying SNAs, the full assessment and identification processes, and the management of land subject to SNAs.
From Mr Hoggard’s rhetoric, these criteria look set to vary markedly from those put forward by the now-deposed Labour government. Its SNA rules sparked outright protest and widespread concern among farmers.
“I want to make sure that the most unique environments are sensibly protected, without putting undue restrictions on land use change,” he says.
The review will consult with other ministers in adjacent portfolios, such as the ministers for the environment, conservation, agriculture and MāoriCrown relations. Recommendations from the review will feed into the wider resource management reforms being prepared by the coalition, and feedback will be sought from the public early in 2025 on new SNA rules.
For now, at the council and government level, the obligation to protect indigenous biodiversity under
the Resource Management Act is unaffected by the suspension. Other NPS-IB provisions, including the management of existing SNAs, will continue to apply.
Andrew
CROP & PASTURE PREP
by Andy Bryenton
A classic gets better with age
John Deere’s 6M tractors have established a formidable reputation, with their range covering all sorts of
and carrying on a tradition of Deere machines that fit the bill of ‘great all rounders’.
The big green and yellow machine has achieved this in a similar way to other great icons of internal combustion by offering a model range that covers a lot of bases, while keeping the core recipe sweet and simple. While the famous antipodean car marques, like Falcon and Commodore, did this by offering everything from a spacious station wagon to a sporty, V8 powered Bathurst racer, John Deere has taken the formula of a capable mid-to-large-sized farming machine and spread it out across a range of frame sizes, power ratings and nearly limitless customisation options.
The result is a 6M for every task, no matter how big and demanding, or precise and niche-oriented. Now, with a new model year approaching, the Deere family is getting even bigger, with no less than 13 models of 6M to choose from. All of them have benefitted from some smart upgrades, too.
“The new 6M builds on its reputation as the ready-for-anything workhorse of the farm by adding more optionality, so our customers can build the tractor that perfectly matches the unique needs of their operation,” says John
Deere production systems manager Stephanie Gersekowski.
“We have taken some of the key features of our larger machines and introduced
them to the mid-size tractor market, and answered the calls of those wanting extra speed for transportation with the new option of 50km/h transmissions.”
That’s important, because transitioning between jobs, and sites around a big farm on the fly is a large part of the job for many farmers. The ability to switch from low, measured creeper speeds to a clip that’s swift enough for the tarmac has been forged in across the vast majority of the 6M range. Equally important to many farmers is the offer of more power, with four models in the updated range topping the 200-horsepower mark. The top of the line now delivers 250 horses, and most models also offer a healthy 20hp boost for operations that utilise the tractor’s rear PTO.
Little details have been tweaked, too, with an example being the option of reversible radiator fans that can blow away chaff and debris, taking away one more cleaning chore. Comfort, visibility and even the design of the 6M’s looks have all been given a reworking. The message from the team in green and yellow is clear. There’s a 6M to fit any role, or multi-role, on your farm, and they’re keen to have locals put them to the test.
John Deere’s popular 6M range of tractors has been improved and fettled for the new model year
by Amy Fifita
A strike of luck
While farmers are busy preparing their soils and pastures, nature has a way of taking care of itself — in this case, with lightning.
Although the weather at the end of last month was shocking for some, farmers may be happy with the boost in nitrates lightning strikes provided around New Zealand. All agriculturalists understand that if the soil is good, then so, too, is the crop.
Thunderstorms are more common in spring and summer because the sun heats the ground creating warmer air above it. If the air has a higher temperature than the air boundaries further up, they clash, and thunderstorms can begin.
The electrical charge from the heavens helps the soil and plants by providing nitrates. With 78% of the earth’s atmosphere consisting of molecular nitrogen, plants cannot use it until the compound has been split apart.
Airborne nitrogen is tightly bonded together, and when lightning strikes, it allows the nitrogen to detach and bond with oxygen, making it available for plants and soil to absorb. It also converts the compound into ammonia
(NH 3 ) if the nitrogen bonds to hydrogen molecules.
The weather disturbance often follows with thunder, strong winds, heavy rain and lightning. Fortunately, for farmers, it naturally fertilises the soil with nitrates. The split nitrogen bonds with oxygen making nitrogen dioxide (NO 2).
The process doesn’t stop there.
Droplets in the clouds mix with the NO 2 creating nitrates, and rainfall guides the nutrients to the ground. Microorganisms in the ground complement the extra nitrates with their nitrogen fixation ability. With the heightened NH 3 and nitrate compounds in the soil, the plants will benefit from their presence.
For those wanting a more specific way of applying nitrogen to the ground naturally, planting beans can provide a sustainable source. The plant’s roots use nitrogen fixation allowing growers to determine the area where the fertiliser is needed.
The natural force of lightning creates a process that benefits soil health and promotes growth
CROP & PASTURE PREP
Marvellous maize
by Liz Clark
For nearly 200 years, maize has been continuously grown throughout the country, used as a staple by Māori since the late 18th century and by settlers who turned bush into productive farmland.
and drought-resistant, resulting in higher yields for each hectare planted. Maize was introduced as early as 1773 and grown by Māori, according to historians. By 1819, it was recorded as being grown by indigenous agriculturalists in significant numbers. Varieties included Marigold, Motiti, Horsetooth and many more distinct varieties have been developed since.
Missionary Samuel Marsden recorded in his diary in 1819: ‘A considerable quantity of ground had been broken up and partly planted with maize. The grains were near together, which would prevent the growth of the plant. I showed them how we planted our maize ... the chief saw immediately the advantage of giving the plant sufficient room and directed his people to follow the instructions I had given them.’
In 1826, it was recorded David Taiwhanga was growing maize at Kaikohe under missionary instruction. It contributed significantly towards the bartering system used by Māori and Europeans to the advantage of both
cultures. Before 1850, much of the production was centred on Northland. Figures in the South Island showed that little more than one acre of maize had been planted as a crop, with no interest in its commercialisation as a major commodity for agricultural feed at the time. Climatic conditions, too, may have contributed to its lack of popularity in the southern regions.
Since its introduction during the past 200 years, maize has developed further
with the introduction of US varieties. Multiple companies specialising in maize seed and production have proliferated nationwide, offering farmers viable feed crop options for their stock. Areas less than five hectares planted in maize aren’t considered financially viable. Throughout the country, large areas of maize production are seen on dairy and mixed farms to provide feed for stock and are considered one of the easiest crops to grow.
Maize has been grown nationwide for nearly two hundred years
by Andy Bryenton
DAIRY & LIVESTOCK
Feral animals hit farming finances
The cost to farmers of raids by feral animals is mounting, and it’s not small pest species leading the charge, says Federated Farmers.
Goats, pigs and deer are major threats to farming profits, according to research undertaken by the farming advocacy group. Feds discovered that the depredations of these species, which are traditionally prey for hunters, amount to $213 million annually.
“This is a very serious problem that’s costing Kiwi farmers almost a quarter of a billion dollars every year,” says Federated Farmers pest management spokesperson Richard McIntyre.
“That is a huge cost for rural communities to be carrying at a time when many farming families are already struggling to turn a profit.
“It’s also a very conservative estimate, and doesn’t include things, such as the cost of restoring damaged pasture, fixing broken fences or the loss of trees.”
Seven hundred Federated Farmers members were canvassed for the survey, which discovered an average spend of $5.45 a hectare on pest control. That was overshadowed, however, by lost production, which factors into the equation to the tune of $139 million each year.
Mr McIntyre says booming populations of goats, pigs and deer are to blame for this costly bill and identified the Department of Conservation as partially culpable, and flagging off its role as kaitiaki.
“These pests aren’t just chewing into farmers’ bottom lines. They’re
Hunters are the top predator for large pest species, but Federated
Farmers says DOC is not investing enough in keeping the numbers of goats, pigs and deer down
also chewing into our native bush and completely undermining conservation efforts,” says Mr McIntyre.
“DOC is widely regarded by farmers as the neighbour you really don’t want to have because it doesn’t fulfil its obligations on controlling wild animals and weeds.”
He opines that the DOC spend of just $13 million each year on controlling the population of these wild pests is insufficient, and points to statistics indicating that the prevalence of large pest species, such as deer and goats, is up by 64 per cent in the past decade.
“DOC’s efforts are just a drop in the bucket. The annual cost to farming
families is more than 15 times the government spend.
“Farmers could spend all the money in the world on pest control, but if we don’t see similar efforts on public land, we’re never going to make a dent in these populations. Hordes of wild animals will keep walking out of the bush, where they’re breeding like rabbits and destroying forest understories, and on to our farms.”
“These pests chewing into our native bush and completely undermining conservation efforts.”
Aggressive stance on foot and mouth
by Andy Bryenton
Presented with three options to deal with the threat of foot and mouth disease, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard has advocated for the most extreme countermeasures to ‘stamp out’ the affliction.
A new economic report was put before the minister last week and offered a scenario in which authorities would move quickly to stamp out foot and mouth disease before such an incursion could decimate the rural economy.
“The new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the
disease in New Zealand would have dramatic impacts, with an immediate halt to most exports of animal products, and a potential and ongoing drop in export values of around $14.3 billion a year,” says Mr Hoggard.
“Immediate and decisive action will be required if an outbreak occurs, and this is why cabinet has endorsed an approach of urgent eradication, along with the use of vaccination if appropriate.”
In a strategic presentation similar to that used for combat scenarios, the Ministry for Primary Industries presented three options the government could choose from, should foot and mouth disease be discovered on these shores. One, considered unpalatable, was to live with the disease and adapt accordingly. To do so was forecast to cost more than $14 billion annually.
Another involved a slow process of elimination, while the third involved full mobilisation, including emergency vaccination. This would come with a cost, but in the end, Mr Hoggard opines, this cost would be outweighed by the benefits.
“Using emergency vaccination would take around 10 months to achieve, cost around $1.9 billion in operating costs and compensation, and see a one-off $8.4 billion impact on the economy in lost trade. The option to stamp out without
vaccination would take 15 months, cost $2.98 billion and carry a $15.3 billion dollar loss of trade,” says Mr Hoggard. It’s a nightmare scenario that must be considered for an economy dependent on trade and heavily reliant on the agricultural sector. By reinforcing the government’s commitment to the ‘stamp out foot and mouth’ approach, Mr Hoggard and his colleagues are facing a harsh reality
head-on. However, the existence of a plan to eradicate a disease incursion does not mean vigilance has been relaxed in keeping it out.
“The best way to manage any incursion is to keep unwanted pests and diseases out in the first place, which is why the government is committed to maintaining a strong border and robust biosecurity systems,” Hoggard said.
The government’s favoured response to an incursion of foot and mouth disease is to ‘stamp out’ the virus swiftly
FARM VEHICLES & MACHINERY
Old familiar faeces
by Andy Bryenton
A new study out of France has concluded that the best source of future power for vehicles might just be cow poo.
The study, commissioned by IFP Energies Nouvelles ahead of European Union rules to tighten CO2 emission measurements, rates light vehicles running on biomethane as superior to diesel, petrol and electric options. Biomethane is being trialled on several farms, as far apart as Japan, Brazil and Ireland, as a source of combustive gas gleaned from dairy effluent.
The difference, and the downside to electric vehicles under the parameters of the IFPEN study, concerns their emissions measured not on the road, but from the point of manufacture onward. Batterymaking costs eat into the environmental credentials of EVs by this measure. However, France only has a certain amount of biomethane production to go around. The large nation, much bigger than New Zealand, could nevertheless only power 150,000 vehicles from its supply of dairy droppings, making it more practical to run tractors and farm machinery on compressed biomethane than the road fleet.
In Japan, Suzuki is said to be working on a concept biomethane vehicle to break cover at the next Tokyo motor show. A version of the WagonR, the methanepowered variant might be able to share the spotlight with Toyota’s biomethane concept, announced for 2026, and a similar machine from Nissan. The reason why is clear for populous Japan with its major car culture. Emissions are
on average 60% to 80% less than from a conventional internal combustion engine.
The technology and infrastructure are present, too. Biomethane is a compressed gas that behaves a lot like CNG. Remember CNG-powered cars in the 1980s? Many nations, especially developing ones, never let go of the compressed natural gas concept, and that means it could be easy to roll out biogas in these countries. It’s not just dairy and cattle effluent that can be used, either. Municipal organic waste is another source of methane, meaning that large cities may be flushing free energy down the pipes.
Biomethane is being taken very seriously as a fuel source for the future, and part of the reason for this is that it does not reinvent the wheel. CNG cars are old tech, and converting modern autos, tractors, trucks and buses to run on biogas would not tax the abilities of engineers or automakers. There’s also the issue of ease of refilling, and the lack of a large and expensive battery pack, which may not last a decade before it needs replacement.
The best part? Despite being derived from manure, there’s no nasty smell to endure if you drive a biomethane-powered car. Despite this, self-contained on-farm systems designed to run tractors and UTVs will likely be seen here in New Zealand before attempts to upgrade the road fleet to the cowpat standard.
The Vision 1789 hypercar runs entirely on biomethane — this French creation highlights efforts in that nation to promote the motive power of biological waste
